Man, what is it with these spies? (Thorns of Steel TP)
Oak sits in the shadow of the tree, this must be the fox he is looking for, he makes extra care not to be seen because he only has a few throwing daggers he managed to steal from an abandoned hut in the woods.
The fox in question is perched on a rock at the riverbank, gazing out into the woodlands, showing no sign that he's noticed the squirrel. However, the raven on his shoulder, Halfbeak, furtively glances towards the tree and whispers something to his master.
Oak raises an eyebrow, a look at the raven hints he has been found, but to make sure he does not make eye contact, he just takes notes on a small peice of parchment, moving to darker shadows.
"Oh really...," Vladmir murmurs to himself and the raven. Halfbeak jumps off the fox's shoulder and flies off north...However, there are other watchers keeping eyes on the squirrel...Vladmir meanwhile hops gracefully from the rock and begins slowly sweeping his surroundings with his gaze, drifting by an area, then quickly snapping his gaze back to the same spot without warning.
Oak takes another note and seems to be afraid, he looks around to see if he is being watched himself, a raven just suddenly jumps from the shadows and attacks him, taking him in the air with his claws, Oak stabs him in the chest deeply with one of his daggers and the raven and Oak fall limp on the ground. Oak barely gets up and brushes himself, realizing his mistake he slaps his forehead and draws a second dagger, looking at the back of the fox.
Vladmir would have spotted him, raven or no...eventually. But the sudden noise attracts the murderer's attention, and to cap it off, the ravens in the treetops break into startled caw-ing and croaking at the death of one of their comrades. As the air fills with harsh cries, Vladmir slowly turns, then crosses the distance between him and the squirrel in several graceful strides, drawing his jagged katana as he does so.
Oak smirks. "Okay...'ye found me fox, what are 'ye gonna do now?" he dusts himself off. "Capture me? Chain me 'te a wall prehaps...that's right. I know things, more things than anybeast in Mossflower. I'm a Spy and a Con-Artist by trade, but that doesn' mean I'm easy te' kill. Ye'll lose a lot 'o 'yer ravens friends tryin' to end my live, and if I do it all 'fer Redwall, it'll be werth' it"
The silvery-gray fox appears unimpressed, and he snorts derisively at the last part of the squirrel's statement. "Fool. Death for a peaceful cause is never /worth it./ Will those soft-headed Redwallers bring you back to life since you died for them...?" He flicks his wrist, causing the blade to spin artfully as he advances. "...I thiik not." He twirls the blade ever faster, his blue eyes beginning to sparkle dangerously as he mulls the squirrel's words over. "Hmm...Spy and Con-artist by trade, eh? If I'd found you several days ago, I might have had some use for you...But..." he stops his blade-twirling abruptly axs he brings it up in a mockery of a fencer's salute. "No. Spies and con-artissts have alreaedy cost me dearly when employeed, and just by seeing me here, you know too much..." His intent is clear, and several ravensgather in anticipation of the leftover eentrails and gore as their master advances ever closer on Oak.
Oak laughs. "Ye' don' get it do 'ye?" he throws a dagger and fells another raven, which he is sure would surprise Vladmir as it is one of them that is more easily hidden than the others. "I
Oak laughs. "Ye' don' get it do 'ye?" he throws a dagger and fells another raven, which he is sure would surprise Vladmir as it is one of them that is more easily hidden than the others. "I'm not a peaceful beast, I'd kill 'ye in 'de blink 'o an eye if It wasn't so obvious 'ye 'ave hidden ravens ery'where". When Vladmir plays with his sword he backs up a bit. "Woah 'der. Why don' we talk 'fer a bit? Get te' know 'de squirrel 'oo will eider' try right now or kill 'ye in 'de future" he twirls his own dagger in hopes of messing with Vladmirs mind.
WHZZZZ-THUNK! In a flash, the fox's blade is sheathed, a throwing knife of the hooked variety that tormented Desotoe before Vladmir beheaded him is thrown VERY close to Oak's head, intentionally missing as a warning, and before any of this can register, the jagged katana blade is drawn again as if it had always been there. "I don't talk. I kill," Vladmir says flatly. "But it would be amusing to let you beg and plead in vain for your life before I lop off your sorry, empty little head..."
Oak clears his throat. "I see 'ye like to chops beasts 'eads off....(yawn". He blinks and manages to dodge the first and second swings of Vlad's Katana. "Don't 'ye get uhh...tired 'o 'dat? 'Ye know Bloody had so many more intrestin' ways 'o killin' people. I've definetly seen more intrestin' vermin 'den you...what makes 'ye so special....head chopper?"
"You misname me," Vladmir says with a hint of almost gleeful cruelty, veiled by a polite, calm tone, in his voice. "I'm actually..." He sheaths the blade and deftly produces a bolas from beneath his white cloak.. Twirling it overhead, unttil it begins to thrum and clack, he says, "Spine crusher."
Oak's eyes go wide. "I don't wanna mess wid' dat...can 'ye just chop me 'ead off instead. I uhh...." he throws a dagger in vain, missing Vladmir entirely.
Vladmir actually manages to catch the dagger with one of the metallic spheres revolving around the weapon's handle, sending it KA-PWING-ing off wildly into the undergrowth in a random direction, accompanied by the weilder's mad, sscornful laughter. "No, too late, you asked...."
Oak nods, and twiddles his thumbs. "I-I see.....'how about..I stab 'ye" he charges the fox and attempts to sink the dagger into his fur but falls over again, flat on his already cut face, splinters of wood going into his face, he stands up and picks them up, turning away from Vladmir giving him perfect opportunity to throw his bolas.
The fox's laughter comes to an abrupt halt long enough for Vladmir to state, "Fool." Then he hurls the bolas with uncanny precision, aiming to wrap the thongs around Oak's torso, literally tearing him apart. WHHHHRRR--THRUM!
Oak hears the bolas coming and somehow quickly sidesteps, the weapon only manages to clip the side of his face, stumbling him only slightly and he quickly regains balance. Oak is shocked and impressed and anyone else could be, but do to his nature he smirks. "Ye' missed"
"Idiot," Vladmir hisses at nobeast in particular. "Dodge this." FWSHNK-SHNK-SHKN! Three hooked daggers whirl at the squirrel in rapid succession. At least one of these daggers is likely to hit.
Oak dodges the dagger than is most likely to kill him, but gets pinned a tree by the other two, he blinks. "Come on 'ye got a be a little impressed that 'yer bolas missed" he tries to get the daggers out of his shirt, but nothing it is implanted quite well into the tree. "Right?"
"Not impressed, just...frustrated," Vladmir admits with another exaggerated sigh. Then he draws out another weapon...His short cleaver-like mauler.
Oak blinks slowly. "I wasn' expectin' 'dat" He tries to get the daggers out but no luck. "Damn!...So Uhh...I die now?"
"Yes." Vladmir smirks. "Took you long enough tofigure that out.'
Oak cringes aways from the blade, waiting for death to come, but still attempting to get the daggers out. "I don' wanna die...can I convince 'ye 'te...uhhh...I got nothin" he manages to get one dagger free and sucker punches Vladmir.
"What the--UNKH!" Vladmir is knocked flat on his back and winded temporarily, his silver-and-white cloak slowly drifting to settle on the ground around him like a burial shroud. When he rises, his eyes are sparkling both with maniacl, violent jy and hatred at the same time. "Think you're funny huh?" he hisses. "Think you're this master spy who can pull a fast one on Vladmir Stormfeather, do you? WRONG." He advances and slashes and hacks ruthlessly with his blade, here, there and everywhere.
Oak takes the moment Vladmir is down to take the second dagger out of his shirt, but as soon as he gets up Vladmir's sword slices him repeatly. "Vladmir..gasp...gasp...Stormfeather? I 'eard of you....
Oak takes the moment Vladmir is down to take the second dagger out of his shirt, but as soon as he gets up Vladmir's sword slices him repeatly. "Vladmir...gasp...gasp....Stormfeather? I 'eard of you...gasp...'yer....gasp...Flicky's brodder' ain't ye?" he smirks. "I see 'de stupidity...gasp...runs in 'de family" he falls over from his wounds. "So, 'ye gonna kill 'yer brodder' or summat? Eh? Wonder what Martin 'dinks 'o 'dat..wonder what REDWALL will 'dink 'o dat'"
"I care nothing for your /Martin/," Vladmir spits contemptously "And yes, a beast known as Flicktail was my brother. Sentimental fool. If he lives, he deserves to die." He resumes carving Oak to peices, each slash punctuated but a blow to the head with Vladmir's free paw. "As do you."
Oak spits blood. "I deserve 'te die? I dink...gasp (hack) not. I killed Bloodclaw and If 'adn't 'ye wouldn't be here (hack) Bloody woulda kill 'ye and all 'yer ravens...'ee was a madbeast..OUCH! 'dat 'urt! he moves his hand to slap Vladmir but can't in fact he is so injuried he cannot move. "Ye' got me...but the question is? Can 'ye kill me? Am I worth it? Will killin' me solve anythin'? Redwall will still beat 'ye...just sayin'"
"Perhaps you're..." Vladmir pretends to consider the possibility of defeat. A mere facade, and he spits even more scornfully into Oak's face. "/Wrong./ Fool
"Perhaps you're..." Vladmir pretends to consider the possibility of defeat. A mere facade, and he spits even more scornfully into Oak's face. "/Wrong./ Fool." SLASH---HACK---SSSHH-LK--SPLTCH---RNCHK!
Oak spits blood. "I deserve 'te die? I dink...gasp (hack) not. I killed Bloodclaw and If 'hadnt 'ye wouldn't be here (hack) Bloody woulda kill 'ye and all 'yer ravens...'ee was a madbeast..OUCH! 'dat 'urt! he moves his hand to slap Vladmir but can't in fact he is so injured he cannot move. "Ye' got me...but the question is? Can 'ye kill me? Am I worth it? Will killin' me solve anythin'? Redwall will still beat 'ye...just sayin'"
"Perhaps you're..." Vladmir pretends to consider the possibility of defeat. A mere facade, and he spits even more scornfully into Oak's face. "/Wrong./ Fool." SLASH---HACK---SSSHH-LK--SPLTCH---RNCHK!
Oak fades away as his eyes maul over in cloudy pain. "I...no...not" he coughs. "Wont' die...can't make me"
"Idiot." WHOP! Instead of slashing, Vladmir slaps Oak in the face with the flat of the sword. "If the Stormfeather says you will die, then /you shall die./" SSHHLCK! He rams the blade into Oak and drags it at an angle.
Oak smirk-coughs. "Make me" he breathes heavily as his is bloody and in so much pain his eyes cannot be open. "I'd like 'te see 'ye...try"
"And I'd like to see you die," Vladmir says, intentionally rhyming his reply. "Here's where you learn that no cause, noble or wicked, is worth dying for in the middle of the woods, alone, beneath the blade of an inventive killer..." SHLACK! RNCHK! KRANG!
Oak nods. "Right, but I w-" he is cut off by the last few slices, and his eyes close all the way. "W-wont die, live" he goes limp, hoping the fox will be tricked into thinking he is dead.
"Really, this is pathetic." Vladmir shakes his head in disappointment. "You and I both know you're not dead...Yet." He rips Oak free from the tree trunk, the two daggers still embedded in the squirrel's paws, and hurls him to the ground, raising his blade, and bringing it down in a double-pawed overhead slash for good measure before kicking the squirrel aside.
Oak coughs, and scrambles to the side. "Not easily tricked eh?....I see right through 'ye" he barely stands up and falls over again when Vladmir attacks him, the second attack making him cough up blood once more. "Or maybe not...but I don't need 'te. I'll likely die 'teday, but when me uhh....aquati'ces find me...'dell find out about 'ye...ye'll regret killin' me...cough"
"Hah. If they are as incompetent as you are, I would rate it just below a minor inconvenience." Vladmir shrugs as he plants one metal-sole-booted paw on Oak's chest. "Many beasts already want to kill me. A few more makes no difference."
Oak shrugs and sighs as Vladmir's boot nearly crushes his chest. "I can't feel much more pain anyway 'dis battle is gettin' stale" he coughs up blood again. "So..since I'm gonna die anyway. Why don't 'ye tell me what 'yer plan is exactly"
"Hah. As if I would do something like that..." Then Vladmir realizes that Oak is apparently close to death. As the old saw goes, dead beasts tell no tales. It's gloating time, in other, less antiquated words. "Hah." He punctuates this with increased pressure on Oak's chest. "I will succeed where all have failed...Their bones moulder at the fortress's gates. But not mine."
Oak shakes his head. "Ye' cant destroy Redwall. It's too great. 'ow 'ye plan on doin' 'dat?" he coughs. "Ye' can't even convince 'yer ravens friends 'te kill me"
"That's because I do my own killing," Vladmir hisses before he returns to his glorious plan. "Ah. The fools never realized they had a /choice./ Why waste forces, battering against an impervious stronghold, when we can easily secure a foothold to the north, a place to work from?"
Oak nods. "I get it...'yer taken an abandoned fortress and makin' 'yer own...'ow orginal" he coughs. "So wat' are 'ye gonna do 'wid Redwall me friend?"
"Ah, it will be Redwall no longer," Vladmir sighs estatically. "It will be Bloodstone, place of fear. Ravens and carrion will roost in its attics, slaves will cry fruitlessly for mercy from chambers they themselves will dig by my command...Hordes of hired mercenaries will occupy the building, mistrustful of outsiders and each other...."
Oak laughs. "Yer' an evil genius, Vladmir" he coughs again. "What about Ferravale? What are 'ye gonna do wid' dat' vermin 'ole of a place?"
"I will conquer it prior to seizing the Abbey," Vladmir answers. He's thought of everything, it seems. "And I have...friends to help with that."
Oak raises an eyebrow. "Frie-nds?...ye...got..friends? I wouldn't 'dink a rotten idiot like 'ye would 'ave any....guess 'ye got lucky" he attempts to punch Vladmir, but his arm falls to the forest floor with such force that the dagger pounds into his arm, breaking it. He can now no longer get up.
The ravens sense that the squirrel's time has come. First one by one, then in greater numbers, they descend from the upper branches of the trees, alighting on Oak's prone form, nibbling and pecking at his flesh. One bolder raven hops over to his forehead and tries to peck out Oak's eyes. Chuckling at this, Vladmir replies. "Not friends. Just allies."
Oak screams in pain, but sheilds his eyes with his non-broken arm. "Me eyes! Me eyes!" he coughs again. "Ye...Ye...no...no..no...ye' peck out 'me eyes? Dat goin' too far...can't ye jus' kill me?"
"You're already dead." Vladmir smirks. "A matter of moments."
Oak just decides to stay limp, this time he limps more for good measure, if that is even possible, awaiting what happens next.
The air is filled with harsh cries as ravens pick relentlessly at the 'dead' squirrel. Vladmir watches this for about a minute before he decides that Oak is really dead. He kicks a few ravens aside and hefts the 'corpse' by the collar.
Oak feels the pain but does not move a muscle, if it can at least get the ravens to stop picking at his skin he will be succesful, but the last of Oak's energy was in the pain he felt when the raven's ate away at him. He couldn't move if he tried, and the fox's force breaks his other arm.
With one more cruel blow to the squirrel's head, Vladmir reaches the riverbank in a few long, elegant strides, and disdainfully hurls the squirrel headfirst into the river. "That's the end of /that,/" is all he says.
Oak stays limp as he is throw in the river, and waits till the fox is out of site to weakly stretch out his legs and float.
