Militia Attack! Part Two

In which are daring duo of daring do gooders are daringly captured by woodlanders! How will they ever survive?

Liam and travelers belong to me, Rorgan, Derrin, and militia members belong to Rorgan.

The sword point hovers at Rorgan's throat, a squirrel holding the handle. "Put your weapons down, or your traitor riverdog friend gets his throat cut!" He snaps to the travelers as several more squirrels emerge from around the wagon behind him.

The ferret merchant looks around, still raining sleet its hard to see farther down the road for even more enemies. He gets ready to say snarl defiantly at the woodlanders when Liam catches his arm and half wispers, half growls into his ear, "You won't survive this battle by fight mate. Not with a sword at least." The pine marten then drops his dagger into the mud. The ferret shakes himself loose of the marten, he looks around the finely sighs, "Some protector you turned out to be." He says to Rorgan as he tosses his own blade down. "Alright, you caught us, we surrender." the merchant spits.

The otter mentioned snarls back at the ferret without turning from the squirrel, "Well if ye had just decided t' ask me fer advice rather than deciding t' keep goin', we wouldn't be in this mess!" The squirrel holding the sword to Rorgan's neck removes the point, reversing his grip and slamming the hilt into the side of the otter's head, knocking him out instantly and sending him crumpling to the ground. Sheathing his sword, the squirrel lets out a few chitters and several squirrels armed with an assortment of bows, daggers, and swords come around the wagon on the opposite side, menacing the travelers with their weapons.

Liam watches their one best chance of escape crumple to the ground. The pine marten has survived two encounters with the militia so far but it looks like the third time is the charm...and not for him. There is little now for the travelers to do but surrender and hope they meet a merciful fate...

The squirrels do an efficient job of forcing the travelers to the ground and tying their limbs together. More and more squirrels seem to appear and they pick the travelers up, two squirrels to each traveler. The remaining squirrels circle around the procession as they carry the group into mossflower, leaving the wagon to the mercy of the elements.

Liam slowly blinks his eyes open. He is unsure of how long its been since the squirrel bashed him in the back of the head. It happened sometime in the forest he knows that much for sure, and now...now he appears to be in a small tent. The pudgy pine marten takes in his surroundings, he appears to be alone but he can't turn his head far enough to see behind him. Liam is also leaning against a post with his hands tied behind his back and his foot paws bound together by heavy ropes. He can smell woodlanders outside but other wise...he appears to be alone. Quite the frightfull situation to wake up into.

Into the tent walks a burly looking shrew and a black furred is the spitting image of Rorgan, except he doesn't have armor...or weapons for that matter. The otter also seems to have a different look in his eyes; one of...malicious intent more than beneficial. This look, however, disappears as he gets a good look at Liam. Aside from this, though, the otter says nothing for fear of questioning by the shrew.

Liam looks up to his captors and swallows. "Good morning gents! Or is it afternoon? I must say the accomidations are so nice that I lost track of time." The pine marten tends to speak quickly when he is nervous and more so than ever he is nervous. Tied helpless and surrounded by possibly crazed beasts he is going out of his mind with fear and is surprised by the calmness of his own voice.

The nameless otter remains silent, but the shrew steps forward and speaks in a gruff voice, "You can remain silent, vermin. We've got a few questions for you. Answer them truthfully, and you might get out of this intact."

Liam tilts his head to the side and chuckles, "Oh? But how will I answer your questions if I remain silent? Do I hum the answer? No that's making noise. If you untie me I can use hand gestures!" The pine marten says out loud but internally he is screaming at himself to shut up.

The shrew growls and balls his fist up, dealing a thundering blow to Liam's jaw. "Speak only when I ask a question vermin, and keep your smart remarks to yourself!"

Liam is knocked senseless, it takes a while for his vision to clear after the blow. Thankfully his jaw wasn't broken, he can only imagine what the shrew would do to him then. The marten shakes his head clear, but still feels the sting of being struck, "Ok...so...you don't like small talk. Sound's reasonable enough." He looks at the shrew, "What do you want to know?"

The shrew crosses his paws with a huff. "First, where was your group headed?"

The pine marten forces himself to not say, 'to heck in a hand basket obviously' and instead says, "Redwall. We were going to redwall."

The shrew narrows his eyes. "And what did Redwall need with the weapons we found in your wagon?" He asks with a certain venom in his tone.

Liam blinks at the shrew. For once Liam is speechless. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me vermin," The shrew snarls. "We found weapons of all sorts in that wagon."

Taking a deep breath the worried pine marten replies, "Then I would talk with the ferret. He was the merchant who owned the cart, I am just a traveler...

The shrew chuckles malevolently. "The ferret was..less than cooperative. I don't think he'll be telling anyone anything ever again."

The shrew shrugs. "You're the second one we've spoken with." He says simply.

Liam chuckles nervously, "Oh good...it's nice to be the runner up..." The pine marten gulps he can only imagine what these beasts will do to him if he is found to be 'uncooperative' as well.

"Now, second question. Why were you in the group?" The shrew asks.

The marten thinks for a long moment before answering. Let's try the truth first, "I told you. I am a traveler. I was just hitching a ride on the cart to go see Redwall, they say its a very pretty place."

At this, the otter behind the shrew seems to nod, as if in agreement, though he continues to remain silent. The shrew nods as well, as though this answer satisfied him. "Do you know anything about any of the companions you were traveling with?"

Liam is visibly relieved. He doesn't want to end up like the ferret, how ever he ended up. Shaking his head the marten replies, "Not too much. The otter was hired for protection, the bat is a traveler like me. She has a decent signing voice, if a little off key. She kept us entertained with some songs while on the road, at least until it rained...everyone else is just there to pull the cart." Liam adds quickly, "I think the only person who knew where the weapons were going, or if they even existed, was the ferret."

At the mention of the word 'otter', the black otter steps forward, speaking in a smooth baritone voice similar to Rorgan's, but not exactly like it. "May I ask, what was the name of this otter?" He asks, seeming much more polite than the shrew.

Liam looks up at the otter, "Rorgan sir." hoping the answer doesn't land him in a future career of being some beasts fur coat. "If I have answered all your questions does this mean you will release me?" Liam asks politely.

The otter seems stricken by this piece of news, but the shrew replies to Liam's question. "Not quite yet, vermin. We have to talk to your other friends to see if you're telling the truth."

Liam tilts his head to the side, "That sounds...reasonable." Liam is glad he didn't have to lie, "Does this mean," he pauses before replying, "That I get to...you know...live?"

The shrew shrugs. "For now," He says before turning and walking out of the tent.

Liam nods good bye to the shrew, "Well...he seems a pleasent chap." He turns to the otter. "So...I guess I will just sit here...tied up for a while. Contemplate my place in the universe, wonder if there will be any pancakes served later on. That sort of thing."

The otter narrows his eyes, walking forward and crouching in front of Liam. "Do ye not remember me at all?" He asks quietly.

Liam nods, "I didn't think it would be wise to shout 'Oh light please don't let this crazy shrew hurt me Derrin!' in the middle of an interigation." He chuckles but says with a hint of malice, "I must admit it took me a while to remember you, being dressed up like the people who ambushed us and tied me to a post."

Derrin winces slightly. "I'm sorry about that, but I had no idea this was happenin'. I only just got back and heard about it, but I had no idea you or Rorgan were here."

The pine marten gives Derrin a disbelieving look, "What do you think your new 'friends' are going to do with us? For that matter what did they do to the ferret?" Liam shakes his head, "On second thought don't answer that. If I am going to be killed off in some grizzly fashion I would rather not spoil the surprise." He says with sarcasm.

Derrin sighs. "Honestly Liam, I really am sorry about this. I'll see wot I can do t' help you guys out. It seems I've gained respect within the militia's ranks, so mayhaps I can exert a bit of influence, though it won't be a whole lot."

Liam leans his head back against the post, "I would appreciate 'not' dying today, yes." Liam blinks before he leans forward again, "What...what were they planning to do with us?"

Derrin shakes his head. "I don't quite know, but I do know that it's very unlikely that they'll let any of you out of here alive, including Rorgan. Most creatures here will consider him a traitor t' woodlanders for associatin' with ver-..er...yer kind."

It's the pine marten's turn to glare at Derrin. Who knew a marten could glare so well. "Just what have you got yourself into Derrin."

Derrin looks away almost guiltily. "Tis a long story, but I don't have time t' explain." Looking back at Liam, he says, "Just know that I'm goin' t' do my best to get you and the rest out o' here. I can't gurantee anythin', but I'll do my best."

Liam nods again, "You better mate...our lives our in your hands." Liam says flatly to the otter.

Derrin sighs, standing up. "I promise I won't disappoint you again Liam," He says, giving when last sad look to his friend before walking out of the tent.