Now maybe we will Get Answers (Thorns of Steel TP)

FV:Town Center(#180524R)

The gravelly path through the village gets wider the further into the village it travels until at the centre of the village it splits off into four around a large firepit just waiting for any excuse for a feast or celebration and still showing the bones and a few broken mugs from the last one around the edges. A large longhouse for meetings has been built on one side of the road, standing important, decorated with carved wood, shields, weapons, furs and a large skull over the door with the large similarly fearsomely decorated house of the chief sitting proudly beside it.

Meek in comparison across the road a smaller wooden building bares a misspelled sign over the door naming it the 'Infermery'. A few trees dot the edges of the clearing but buildings take over in most directions, only the north showing some vegetation within the village walls. To the west houses seem to spring up and take over the land while noise and masses of beasts take over the south around the market and shops. Down the eastern trail the village gates can just be seen with the tavern close by.

Exits: [T]own [H]all, [In]firm, [C]hieftain's [H]ome, [N]orth, [S]outh, [W]est, [E]ast

Scioto is walking along the village streets patrolling them.

Whistling can be heard as a certain white weasel comes around one of the buildings. Ragg seems to be much happier than he has been for a while and it's probably because he is not hiding in the woods for once.

Scioto glances at Ragg, "Greetings, I have seen you before, I think anyways, so much going on not so sure” , He walks over to get a closer look.

Ragg looks at the cat with a bright smile, but not before a quick flash of nervousness flashes in and out of his eyes "I /think/ we have met. You're the chieftain, right? I am Ragg, if that helps any."

Scioto nods "Yes I am Scioto, chieftain of Ferravale..What about it?"

Ragg smiles again, this time it's a bit faulty "I was just making sure my memory serves me right." He quickly changes the subject, not wanting to get the cat suspicious of him "I hear the village got attacked. Horrible stuff, war."

Scioto frowns "Yes, it was but we reclaimed the village, my daughter was taken captive and my mate Dazzle and son Maxx were killed in the attack...some buildings damaged but repairs are happening now."

Ragg frowns lightly "I heard about that. So sorry for your loss. It must be hard for you. I pity your daughter and I hope she gets back safe. Have you tried to find her yet?"

Scioto glares, "Of course I have tried to find her, a scout has tried to find the exact location of the base and needs to report back to me and has not. “

Ragg raises his paws defensively, "Sorry, sorry. A scout you say? Who is this scout?"

Scioto narrows his eyes, "Why do you want to know, you seem real curious all of a sudden"

The flash of nervousness comes back to Ragg's eyes and this time he glances quickly away from the chieftain until he recovers the smile that normally rests on his face. "I am just trying to be friendly. If you don't want to tell me, by all means keep it to yourself." He lets his voice sound a bit on the defensive side.

Scioto folds his arms over his chest and looks at Ragg closely, "You seem nervous, something you know, something you have seen and just not saying?"

Ragg closes his eyes for a moment than opens them and grins wryly "And why would I hide something? And what could /I/ know?"

Scioto circles him and studies him for any signs as he speaks to him, "I don’t know, sometimes a beast sees or overhears something of interest, are you sure you have seen or heard nothing, I have not been in the best of moods lately"

Ragg follows the other beast with his eyes "Well I can assure you that I know close to nothing about the present situation. I am sorry your moods could not be more happy. Maybe you should try smiling." Ragg's eyes laugh a little.

Scioto can only growl low, "I do not smile anymore and haven’t in days!"

Ragg grins, clearly enjoying the danger he might be in by causing Scioto to growl. It would seem he likes the thrill. "Well maybe you should try. You would be surprised what one smile can do."

Scioto lays a paw on his sword and looks ready to draw it as he watches Ragg closely now.

Ragg frowns as he watches Scioto’s paw "No need to get so defensive" He lets his own pay falls to his rapier.

Scioto narrows his eyes, "You come into my village and then you act nervous and then suddenly you smile, and it’s not a normal smile, I feel you know something." He keeps very alert and paws on his sword, it’s not draw, not yet.

Ragg stuffs his nervousness into a small dark corner and laughs "Nervous? Me? What gave you that idea? As far as the smiling goes, it's just what I do, I suppose." His nervousness may be pushed down now, but he takes a step back anyway, getting ready to bolt if the need should arise.

Scioto raises an eyebrow, he draws his sword now and watches him closely, "Your name is Ragg, you said this..Where do you come from and what do you do for a living?"

Ragg tries to seem light hearted as he takes another step back and frowns mentally as the sword is drawn. "I come from here and there. What do I do for a living?" He seems almost surprised by this question "I...I suppose I do odd jobs here and there. Sometimes I am hired as a-" He cuts himself off and does not finish the sentence.

Scioto sword in paw he walks closer and looks over at some guards, he nods and speaks to Ragg, "Hired as a what?"

Ragg curses himself mentally for the clumsy slip of the tongue. "A..." He racks his brain "A farmer!" He says this a bit to eagerly "Yes. Thats it. I am a world class farmer. Can't you tell?" His nervousness starts to come out of the dark corner as he takes another step back.

Scioto growls, he nods again and a guard shows up on either side of Ragg and one slips behind him and Scioto steps up to him, "A farmer is this excited? I think not, why so worried if you’re a farmer?" He grips his sword and tilts it, "No stepping away from me, you’re staying put."

Ragg gulps and watches the guards. He turns back to Scioto, most of the laughter in his eyes is now something along the lines of fear "I am an excitable farmer. What can I say?" He puts this lame excuse out with a small grin "and how would you feel if I beast had a sword ready to kill /you/? I am not stepping away...I'm just....cold so I am moving around to keep warm...." He frowns at himself, wishing he could have had time to make up a better story.

Scioto answers “I am not trying to kill you, yet now what do you know of the fox Vladmir Stormfeather?"

Ragg's eyes widen as the beast he fears most is mentioned "V-Vladmir? I know nothing." His voice is weak and quiet and he keeps his eyes on his foot-paws.

Scioto growls, "Drop your weapons, now..you’re going to stay in a holding cell"

Ragg sighs and surprisingly unbuckles his rapier and takes off his bow and arrows without any sort of resistance. "A cell? That's sound just peachy." The sarcasm is clear in his voice and he readys himself to be taken.

Scioto steps forwards and takes the weapons, the guards search for any more, Scioto then leads Ragg to the holding cell, guards staying alongside him just in case.

FV:Town Hall:Holding Cell(#225562R)

This is a simple strongly made cell for holding a captive. There is a good size bed and enough room to walk back and forth in if one wants to pace a tiny bit. No windows and only one way out and that leads to the chieftain office.

Exits: [Out]

Ragg is led in. He keeps his head down, trying to prepare answers for the questions that will most likely be thrown at him.

Scioto locks the door to the cell and has one of the guards take Ragg's weapons elsewhere, he watches him, "No the only one that can let you out of here..is me"

Ragg sighs and sits on the bed. He laughs dryly, stabbing his fear and forcing it into the same corner that his nervousness was in. "Fat chance you will be doing that any time soon. So, why did you bring me here? I have done nothing to your knowledge." He looks up at the cat, meeting his eyes.

Scioto answers, "You were acting very nervous, also you said you were sometimes hired and didn’t say what as, farmers are not usually hired much, and not sometimes if they are, you seemed unwilling to say you were this, as you said, farmer at first like it was a secret."

Ragg sighs. He suddenly feels very tired and he looks back down at his foot paws. "I suppose you are right. I guess it's not even worth trying to keep it secret. I DO work for Vladmir, but I don't know much about his plans."

Scioto growls at the name, "Well all the more reason to stay where you are then, and tell me what you DO know"

Ragg sighs and looks back at the cat "I...can't. More so, I won't. Why would I?" He is making a few last leaps at defiance

Scioto shakes his head, "It’s not you can't, you won’t..that insane beast has my daughter, he has a badger and mouse from the abbey...he almost had the abbot."

Ragg lets out a small chuckle "I know THAT. I am the one who is supposed to be giving the information, not you. And you are right. I won't."

Scioto growls, "You need to talk to me, I am not one to make threats but I can, you work for Vladmir it means you have seen the captives."

Ragg frowns bitterly "I don't NEED to do anything. But yes, I have seen the captives." He leaves it at that, giving no other information other than what he absolutely has to.

Scioto shakes his head, "I will return later, a guard will bring you something to eat and drink soon, have a good eve" He walks off.

-next day-

Scioto walks in and looks at Ragg “ You have not ate..why?”

Ragg looks over at the cat. He looks tired and it seems like he has not slept all night "How can one be hungry when so sick of soul?"

Scioto raises an eyebrow, “Sick of..soul?"

Ragg sighs and rolls over so he is facing the wall "Yes. Sick of the soul. Never mind, I was quoting a poet I once knew of."

Nightbreath has arrived.

Scioto still listens, "You like poets...never mind, you need to tell me what you know my head guard told me you know where the captives are"

Nightbreath, having sensed that something was up, silently enters the cell and regards Ragg impassively.

Ragg sighs at Scioto "Yes, I like poets and no I am not going to tell you anything." He glances at Nightbreath, a flash of muted joy going through his eyes.

Scioto turns to see Nightbreath and looks back to Ragg, and simply asks "Why?" He frowns "Lives are in danger."

The joy in Ragg's gaze falls dead upon Nightbreath's stare. "So."

Ragg's tail twitches and he frowns deeply as yet more 'guilt' is rested on his shoulders. "I know that. If I said anything /I/ would probably die and who wants to die?" He says this to Scioto than looks at Nightbreath, his joy replaced by a mix of dread and maybe a touch of fear.

Scioto takes a deep breath and glares at Ragg, he keeps his temper controlled..for now, but is quiet a couple moments so he can speak again.

"I told you of the powers of the Gil'amar," Nightbreath states, his gaze still locked on the weasel. "And you thought I was unaware of your allegiance? That you could get away with your deeds? I knew...Aye, I knew. And you ignored the signs..."

Ragg gulps and looks at the floor "You never asked and it's not like I was just going to TELL you. I...." He cuts himself off. Making excuses with the ermine is useless. He does get a little curious "Signs? What signs?"

"The fox you served...he was ever an evil beast...yet you still watched even as his brutality grew ever deeper, as his evils grew ever more vile...as ever more beasts were dragged into his shroud of chaos and disorder, still you watched...You saw that his servants were slain when they were of no use...Did you really not believe that the same would happen to you?" Nightbreath shakes his head.

Ragg scowls "Well I could not just up and leave now could I?" He looks up and meets Nightbreath's eyes with a slight flinch.

"Thou art wrong. There is /always/ a way out...Always." The Seer ends in a whisper.

Scioto has been listening for the most part, he looks at Ragg, "You could turn away from Vladmir, and even be protected from him, but you need to tell us what you know"

Ragg shakes his head and says bluntly "How so?" He addresses the seer than turns to Scioto "Protection?! From that...demon? That my sir is impossible."

"Demons, you say...Demons can be slain," Nightbreath says with a slow grin.

Scioto starts to get upset again but tries to be calm, "Just..please just..what do you know?Where is the base at?"

Ragg shakes his head again, this time with a rueful grin as he speaks to Nightbreath "I am not so sure this one can." He looks at Scioto "Listen. I want to tell you, but once my insane leader finds out that I am the one who told it will be bye bye me."

"And who says he will find out?" Nightbreath counters.

Scioto says, "He has no spies in my village anymore, and one other simple thing, just don’t leave the village, then if keep you in here, you wouldn’t"

Ragg stands and starts to pace back and forth as he answers Nightbreath "Think about it. I am not at camp and I have been a bit more than rebellious as of late. It is simply logical." He looks at Scioto "No spies? You would be surprised who the spies are."

"But does he know where you /are/?" Nightbreath replies

Scioto folds his arms over his chest as he looks at Ragg, "You seem like one who...have a sense of good in him or least not wanting to work for the insane fox, you could stay here, maybe even live in Ferravale, have a home and a decent job, but only after you do what you know is the right thing to do. Tell what you know? Where he is? "

Ragg continues to pace and he frowns as Nightbreath says this "Admittedly, I do not think he knows where I am, but he has his ways of finding out. He is almost as good as a seer." He says this last part with a quick grin. He nods at Scioto "Not really good. Just....something. Not really sure what." He stands still "So, you are offering me a home and a job if I tell you a few words?" He starts to scheme in his mind.

Scioto says, "Not just a few words"

Nightbreath goes rigid for a moment, and he slowly closes his eyes with a small nod. "Ah...I thought it was so," he murmurs to himself, in reply to an unspoken statement from himself.

Ragg sighs in annoyance as he answers Scioto "How many words do you want, exactly?" He glances at Nightbreath "What did you think?"

"There is more to you than it first appeared," Nightbreath murmurs

Scioto growls low as he looks at Ragg, "I want to know everything you know so speak weasel, and he will know if you tell me the truth or not."Yep starting to become peeved.

Ragg looks curiously at Nightbreath "Oh? How so?" He looks at Scioto and sighs "Fine, fine. I will tell you /somthing/......in a riddle." He looks joyful and he sits down on the bed, starting to think up the riddle.

In a flash, Nightbreath's blade, very similar to Vladmir's, is out, and at Ragg's throat. "Neither of us will tolerate such childish games. Speak plainly, or thou may find it difficult to speak at all."

Scioto watches Ragg, he doesn’t say anything when Nightblade draws the blade, he just stands there and waits for ragg to speak.

Ragg gulps as the blade is at his throat "Ok, ok! The camp is somewhere north of the place called Redwall." His eyes look fearful at withholding the rest of the things he knows...and there /is/ a knife at his throat.

"And do thou know /more/?" Nightbreath hisses.

Ragg frowns and glances to the side of his vision "N-no."

Nightbreath withdraws the sword. "Very well. I believe you, if only because thou knowest that if I find that thou have lied to me, I am capable of turning you loose into Mossflower for Styrmblak to find."

Ragg suddenly looks quite sick "No! I mean, you can't do that!" He shivers, knowing full well that the ermine /could/ do that to him.

Scioto listens carefully, "You know more that your saying"

"Perhaps." Nightbreath glances at the Chieftain. "If you have no objection, Chieftain, I would remove this weasel to my home temporarily."

Scioto says, "That is fine"

Ragg shrugs at Scioto "Maybe." Than as he hears Nightbreath his eyes widen "What!? You can't just /kidnap/ me! I am supposed to stay here!" He looks at the cat "Right?" He is obviously afraid.

Scioto just walks off, he trusts Nightbreath.