Sometimes There Is Times A Walk Is A Bad Idea
- I logged a little of what happen before Zinnia shows up with Xander, it helps explain what the stoat may have been up to before they got there. This also happen on the Western Shore half way between Halyard and the mountain the afternoon of Jan 28th,2016***
Russ is at a small little camp along the beach, a small campfire is going for warmth and for now he seems be resting. His weapon laid close to him and a backpack fairly close as well.
Imogen is out on one of her walks along the beach and spies the sleeping stoat and watches him closely, she edges ever closer and closer to the campsite and makes a quick mental note where things are.
Russ turns in his sleep and may be waking soon, but not just yet. The fire is getting low and will likely need restarted if he is staying very long.
Imogen frowns as the stoat moves but she waits and then slowly gets closer and is soon right by the campsite. She is searching for any coins or something valuable as she eyes the knapsack and tries to get closer to it without being seen.
Russ is still semi asleep and not very close to the back pack, the sword however is right beside him, the knapsack is open slightly and one can see what may be a coin pouch.
Imogen quickly goes to grab the back pack and then backs away and starts to rummage though the backpack for anything of value while the stoat sleeps.
The back pack has a couple coin pouches, a dagger, some flint and stone and some apples, rice, and bread and even a little cheese. Also inside are some odd vials of something
Imogen grins as she looks at the ill-gotten loot and chuckles a little as she goes to count the coins, her attention on those coins right now.
Russ has woken up now and right away can tell his backpack is missing and can see just who has it. His eyes narrow as he grabs his sword to stand up, he walks calmly over to the hare and places the sword right at her throat" Find anything of interest hare?"
Imogen grin fades as she feels the blade at her throat and oddly grips the coin pouch tightly in her paw "Ummm...hallo there, nice weather we are having here as it be a bit cold and trying to maybe get a fade little warm?"
Russ growls low "I asked you a question you stupid hare." He keeps the blade at her throat and presses it a little leaving a line of red, "You think it's funny to rob beasts huh...well maybe today is your unlucky day."
Imogen replies "I..I never said anything was funny chap see I do wot be needed to survive out here, and..well I can easily see you want this more than me so I will just drop this and you can have a quiet rest of the day to your jolly old self"
Russ smirks as he is behind her, "I am afraid you have already ruined my day but I will make sure to take your advice and try to have a good day for the rest of the day. But first I must ask are you one of those Long Patrol bunnies?"
Imogen ears droop"I..why do you ask? And the answer is bally well no that place is not for a hare like me and I would be far from welcomed thar sur"
Russ smiles coldly "That’s a good answer as I would not want that group hunting me down for what I did, do you know how annoying that is to always make sure you’re not being followed?"
Imogen listens as the stoat speaks and is careful not to move as she lets the pouch fall to the sands "There..all yours again and I am sure it's annoying I mean wot ever did you do to upset those long eared uniform waring hares?"
Russ smirks "Cause you see I killed a hare, but luckily I was told they are not in the Long Patrol..."
Imogen frowns "A..hare? Well not like I would say a word, you can trust that will jolly well go and not see you again..right?" She would struggle but that could end badly
Russ keeps the sword where it is as he nods "Yes Yes I know you won't tell those stupid long eared fools of anything and you won't see me after this hare, then again you won't see anything after this morning my dear" He then then presses the sword on her throat and quickly slides it across, steps back and smirks. He will stick around to see the results of this and to make sure what he says holds true.
Imogen eyes widen as she feels the blade and then some blood as it spills. Her first reaction is struggle and get away and that makes it worse. As the stoat steps backwards she falls forwards onto the sands still bleeding from the wound on her throat and she tries to barely crawl forwards and get her face out of the sand and then goes still.
Russ checks to make sure she is dead, but few survive a wound like this, even with a healer close by and none are even in sight right now. He will also get back his stolen backpack and coin pouch.
Imogen is dead and if she wasn't dead right away she is now.
Russ seems happy with this and looks around "Now what to do with the hare now"
A few minutes pass before a couple badgers come upon the beach ------
Zinnia is walking along the beach. With her and being keep a close eye on , is Xander. She normally would stay inside but she needed to get out to think and get some fresh air.
Xander keeps near the other badger. He skips a little as he walks along beside her.
Russ has had the most interesting day so far and sits by his campfire. He also is not one to hide recent deeds very good and one recent deed is killing a hare, even if it was not one of those annoying Long Patrol hares, he still seemed to enjoy killing the hare. Hey she was a thief why would she be missed? He glances up when he sees the two badgers and keeps a silent eye on them.
Elora walks down a path from the nearby village. An odd looking creature that looks like it has fur and maybe feathers of some sort, a closer look shows it’s something to keep the unknown wearer warm.
Zinnia speaks as she looks around "Just stay close Xander, ok?"
Xander nods as he walks along close to her. He bends down and picks up a shell that has a hermit crab in it and shows it to her "Look, it’s funny looking, "He chuckles at the sight and smiles.
Russ watches them and raises an eyebrow at the odd beast a little further up shore but loses interest as some idea comes to mind as he grins wide. He stands slowly and decides to get a little closer to the beasts that are closer.
Elora looks over and frowns as she sees the stoat, those were never good news to her. She adjusts a pack at her side and picks up something from the sands and it goes inside her pack. She also sees the dead hare and gulps quietly, well that can’t be a good sign.
Zinnia notices Elora but for now keeps her distance, she looks at the hermit crab and smiles "Its different that’s for sure, least I never seen one before"
Xander smiles as he holds the hermit crab and then lets it walk on his arm some. He looks around and finds driftwood and decides to sit the crab on that, he will find a shell that has nothing in it
Russ keeps an eye on where every beast is as he kicks some sand over the fire pit he has as the last embers of the fire die out. He walks a little closer to the waterline and acts as if it's just a normal day for a walk along the beach.
Elora frowns she dislikes the stoat and tries to keep her distance from him. She has also seen the hare, and it's not too far to not place the stoat as the cause of this event.
Zinnia is luckily away from where she would see anything out of place, her main concern is Xander right now and when he wanders a bit too far from her she speaks up "Xander please get back over here"
Xander frowns "I just looking for better shell and letting crab live on the driftwood...he likes it better"
Russ is close to the younger badger now and walks a little closer to him, he doesn't make any sudden moves yet as he waits "Well today is full of surprises, isn't it?"
Elora watches as she gets bit closer, any odd treasures on the beach forgotten, she decides to speak up "I say..furface..ya should leave beasts alone, least that’s my advice...certain deeds don’t always go unnoticed and patrols are around here too..or did ya know that" She glances at the dead hare and back to the stoat.
Speaking of hares. Felicity Rosinbloom comes down the beach, wearing her Long Patrol uniform and toting her weapons. She has promised DoraRose to find Zinnia for something, and since the badger is not in Salamandastron, the Runner has had to expand her search. She comes into view of the scene, then starts jogging. Taking her sling from around her waist, she loads a rock into it, ready for trouble. "'Lo, Miss Zinnia! Miss DoraRose wants to see ya." Why not alert everyone to her presence?
Zinnia hears not only the hare maid but also the lizard, not that she knows it's a lizard right now and frowns not sure whom to respond to and looks Xander's way as she speaks out" Xander...please come back over to me..right now"
Xander blinks as he looks at the stoat, he backs up a little and then what ever the feather..ummm fur..Whatever Elora is seen and he is unsure what direction to run but all this stranger danger is kicking in and he starts running the direction away from anyone, and along the shoreline in fact towards a shack he sees, yep good as any place to hide.
Russ now growls, now he knows this is a long patrol hare for sure and is thinking now how maybe the other hare lied and she really was one as well. He goes to block Xander's path as he shoots a warning look at the lizard creature, he also draws his longsword but has yet to try and use it on anyone here, but he is ready in case it's needed.
Elora frowns, great a weapon is out now as she thinks quickly and starts to dig inside the knapsack she has with her and pulls out a flat sort of pie tin and then goes to throw it so it spins towards the stoat and hopefully she gave the pin tin enough power to slam into his back or maybe his head and knock him out.
Oh, now that's just great. Felicity whirls her sling and lets the stone fly at the stoat's face. Unless he falls over, he's going to get a face full of rock because Lissie is such a good shot. Although falling over or turning around does happen. She breaks into a jog, thankful beyond measure that her ankle is healed, loading her sling and whirling it. She lets another rock fly at the stoat, even if he got hit with the last one.
Zinnia gasps, too much is happening at once all of a sudden. She would rush forwards herself but that might risk injury from anything being throw at the stoat. She watches and is ready to rush forward if it's needed.
Xander can run fairly fast along the sand, maybe he has had practice. The shack is locked but he shows off another skill he has learned and that’s climbing as he climbs on top of the shack in the middle and stares down at the stoat.
Russ manages to miss getting hit with the first stone, just barely. But the pie tin hits him as he slows down. He growls and swings his blade up and at the dibbun "Down here you stupid stripe.." And he is hit with that 2nd stone and spins around; eyes narrowed on the hare maid "Well...sure I can kill another hare today." He angles his blade and smirks, “Time to play do I live or die”
Elora blinks, wow she achally hit something as she watches from where she is and frowns. She chuckles at the smaller badger's skills s she says "Neat trick kid.." She looks around as she goes over to Zinnia "I say...may be good idea to find some help"
Felicity notes that the stoat has a longsword, which is understandably longer than her shorts word. "Stay up there, Xandah! You're safe there!" For now, she refrains from saying as she backs up so she can stay out of reach of the stoat's weapon. "I prefah Keep Away, thankyouverymuch." She is twirling her loaded sling, hoping that help comes soon. Even if it is the lizard. Or something. Any help would be appreciated.
Zinnia frowns "I can't just leave him I am responsible for him and would never forgive myself if something happen to him"
Xander looks down "A stripe?" Yeah he has never heard the name used. He stays on top of the shack and is out of reach of the pointy sword.
Russ chuckles "Well I like to make sure things happen my way and my plan is to get a badger...heck maybe two, could be useful to me and I don't need long eared bunny messing up my plans now do I." He steps closer to the hare maid and goes to try and slice at her arm.
Elora sighs and looks towards a path to the village and one to the mountain, then again like they would believe her if they knew what she was under the outfit she wears. "Well...is there one of those..patrol things around, other hares??"
Zinnia frowns "I don't know, I don't pay attention to who they have go out on patrols"
Felicity leaps back, the sword barely missing her. She now has a shaved spot on her arm. "No, I'm alone! Why on Earth do you want a badgah?? Somebeast get 'elp, please!" She goes to lose a stone at very close range at the stoat's face, then darts back, staying out of reach of his sword as she loads another stone.
Russ chuckles, "Do you know how strong, how large they can get. They can be unstoppable beasts." He looks back up at the young badger, "You could come with me, then again there is no choice in that matter I get what I want in the end usually, one way or another."
Elora frowns, maybe trying to find help is a good plan after all as she decides to go to whats closer...the village.
Xander steps back as he shakes his head, its then he stumbles back and off the shack onto the sand with an oooff. Luckily the sand is fairly soft but he still hurts his footpaw in the fall and starts to cry some, well he is still a dibbun and now he can't climb back up and so goes to stand to run and can't stand very well.
Felicity takes this opportunity to shoot another stone at the stoat's head; hopefully he'll get hit this time. She's running out of options. "They also don't do well as slaves." She sees the Dibbun fall and goes to leap onto he stoat's back, whacking at his head with her loaded sling.
Russ knows when to take a chance and takes it, he sidesteps the hare and goes to try and trip her with his footpaw. She did manage to bump his shoulder but he has a prize in mind and goes to grab Xander and if he is successful he will go to pick up speed and run towards the dunes.
Xander lets out a whimper as he is grabbed and right away starts trying to wiggle free of the stoat, he even tries to bite his paw if that will work, anything to get free. He doesn't know too much on slavers or slaves but he knows this vermin is most likely bad news and this puts fear in his mind as he starts to cry out.
Zinnia watches all this and tenses up, she is no fighter and she starts to feel tears go down her face. She failed and she knows it as she backs up and shakes her head. Then something comes over her as she sees Xander grabbed and him crying out and struggling. No one else is here and no one else can help. Something deep down comes over her as this only brings back her own pained memories, memoires she had long ago put aside, memories of when she was enslaved as a dibbun. Something then seems to snap and she..wait she just growled? The badger maid seems to feel faintish but she doesn't faint she suddenly charges after the stoat, and gets a lose board from the shack and goes to catch up to him" Let go of my child!!!!" It doesn't even sound like sweet kind Zinnia right now and her eyes have a faint bit of red to them that slowly becomes less faint as she seems to want to make sure the stoat does not get very far.
Felicity yells in mild terror as the Redwall Recorder goes TERRIFYING. She quickly gets over her shock, however, and wraps her sling around her arm and draws her shorts word. Leaping forward again, she goes to slice at the stoat. If he lets go of the Dibbun badger, she's going to grab Xander and get him behind her, hopefully out of harm's way. Meanwhile, just coming into view, is DoraRose Strongheart, mouse Warrior. She is carrying her battleaxe, ready for trouble. She comes in sight of the battle and sighs. She then breaks into a run, but she's still too far from them to be of any help yet.
Russ turns around to see the badger maid and for the first time he is the one that looks worried. He is far enough to miss any major damage of the slice of the sword and it dos slice though his cape and half of the cape slices off into the wind, he starts to get out of breath and decides to drop the badger dibbun rather hard and keep running.
Xander is crying and when he is dropped he rolls a little and curls up staying still for now as he is still scared at what is happening and his footpaw hurts fairly bad and could be broken from the fall.
Zinnia is unsure whether Xander is ok or not as she manages to catch up and swings the lose board at the stoats head, and she still looks to be very angry at the stoat.
Felicity continues to chase the stoat, her strong Runner's legs helping her overtake him. She swings at him with her sword again. DoraRose goes to cut off his retreat, menacing him with her huge double-headed, double-handed black battleaxe.
From up shore comes a bellow of "EULALIA!" Feanor is there, rushing down from the dunes, saber in hand. There'll be time to wonder why he was there later, but for now, he's cold fury, eyes blazing and sword shining. He moves to intercept the stoat, who now has at least three beasts to deal with if he wants to escape.
Russ slows and that seems to be a mistake as he steps back and chuckles as the blade only leaves a less dangerous cut "Stupid long ears!!" His eyes widen as he comes face to face with Zinnia and the board slams into the side of his head and he slumps to the sands out cold, he is still alive but surely will have one heck of a headache when he wakes up and some possible memory loss.
Zinnia still has the board in paw and pants as she tries to catch her breath and coughs shivering as she still has some anger coursing through her as she drops the board and looks at Xander and the stoat and mutters something as some color comes back to her eyes as she passes out from the sudden rush of whatever just happen.
Xander whimpers as he opens his eyes and his foot paw is still hurting a lot but he limps over to Zinnia and goes to shake her, "Mama?....wakie up..wake up..."
Felicity sighs and slumps to the ground. "Well. That was exciting." Rose kneels by her friend, laying her axe on the sand. "Zinnia? Oi, somebeast get some water, please! I want to bathe her face."
Feanor doesn't reach the stoat in time to even strike any blows and he snarls in frustration, but sheaths his blade and moves to carry out DoraRose's request, coming back momentarily with a water-soaked strip of cloth taken from the hem of his pants.
Zinnia is still passed out and doesn't respond to Xander or Dorarose. She does shiver some and her forehead feels a little hot to the touch now from her sudden burst of...rage towards the stoat. It’s the first time something like this has ever happen to her, and the small asthma attack afterwards didn't help, passing out may of well helped that not get any worse. Her breathing is ner fine, not perfect but fine for now.
Xander stays close and frowns "Mama gonna be ok?"
"I don't know, sweetie. I'll do everything that I can." Dora murmurs. Taking the strip of cloth from the male hare, she says a quick "thanks", then goes to bathe her friend’s face. Lissie sighs and sheaths her sword. Wrapping her sling around her waist, where it belongs, she glares at the stoat. "What d'ya think we should do with this monstah, wot?"
Zinnia doesn't look like she will wake up soon, her breathing at least becomes better now, she still shivers slightly and forehead still feels hot some.
"Kill him. Slit his throat," Feanor growls. "Or if that's too dishonorable, just wake him up and fight him to the death. Scum."
Xander frowns and lays by Zinnia "Not wanna lose no one else....not wanna, she supposed to be the mama now" He sounds worried and can only remember how someone else didn’t seem to wake up either not too long ago.
"Sshh, don't worry, love, I think she'll be just fine," Rose says soothingly. "We just need to get her someplace where she can sleep in peace. I'm sure she'll wake up soon, don't worry." Lissie looks in horror at the other hare. "Nevah! That is so dishonorable! Besides, I'm not a 'Ealer, I'm nto sure 'ow ot wake 'im up...." "We'll take him back and lock him in a cell at the Mountain," Dora says firmly, looking at the male hare in a way that communicates that she will brook no arguments. "'Kay?" Don't argue with the mouse with the gigantic battleaxe, y'all. It won't be pretty.
Zinnia makes a sort of whimper sound, but doesn't wake up yet and most likely won't for a while yet or at least fully wake up.
Feanor growls. "Fine, but keep in mind that you're a guest here. Not in charge. And I'll be visiting him later if I can. Because he needs a good poundin' at the VERY least."
Xander nods slowly and stays beside her, he then says "My foot paw hurts really really bad...." The foot paw is swollen now and bruised up.
Zinnia stays passed out, hopefully she will wake soon and hopefully someone will come and help get her back to the mountain or somewhere to rest.
"Oh, I know. You keep in mind that I'm technically a Redwall Ambassador, or at least her guard." Dora stands and looks towards the Mountain. "You were taking an awfully long time after we had searched Salamandastron, so I asked some hares to follow me out here if I hadn't returned after a certain amount of time. Looks like it's a good thing that I did." Felicity waits until the first guard hare arrives, and then they go to take Russ to the holding cells in the Mountain. There are so many variables that could happen, no one knows if it will succeed or not. ANYTHING could happen. Anything at all. The mouse smiles at Xander and says gently, "May I carry you back home while the nice hares carry Zinnia? It'll make your foot not get worse." She hopes.
Feanor heads off with the guards, seeing as there's nothing more to do here, muttering something about uppity mouse’s with axes.
Xander frowns, how would she carry him. He looks at his foot paw as he tries to stand and goes a couple footsteps and sits down as some tears go down his face. It hurts to walk.
The pounding of approaching foot paws gradually becomes apparent, and a pair of Patrol hares bound onto the scene. Leading the charge is Harold, an aging hare with wild calico-patterned fur of various colors swatched all over his body. "What goes, sahs!" His cry is bold, but tremulous. "We spotted y' from th' sentry room! What did I tell y' about sentries, boy, we're th' flippin' backbone of th' Patrol!" At this, he turns to give his younger partner a resounding thump on the back, sending the bewildered beast stumbling forward. "Right. What's happened?" Narrowed eyes, lined by age, peer about at the carnage.
Easily lifting her axe with one paw, Dora bends down and goes to help the Dibbun climb onto her back with the other. "I'll give you a piggy-back ride, and we'll be back at the Mountain in no time." She smiles softly at the older hare. "Oh, nothing, just saved this little one from a slaver, is all. The Redwall Ambassador is a bit on the unconscious side and needs help to the Infirmary, and I think Xander here may have a sprained or worse ankle." There's actually very little carnage, mostly just unconscious people. And a shack that has seen better days.
Xander looks at the hares, he still has to learn to trust the hares and so far he only trusts very few. He seems to have decided to trust the mouse maid and stays close to her.
"Bloomin' Redwallahs always runnin' off towards trouble," Harold grumbles to himself, shaking his semi-wizened head, one ginger and one ashen ear flopping. "Ought t' check in with th' sentries first, wot! We're th' flippin' backbone of th'-" "Y' mentioned," his partner cuts in. "Righ'. Well. It's true." Blinking furiously, the older hare moves to slip his arms under Zinnia's shoulders, and his young companion gathers up her feet. "Lift with y' legs," Harold advises, brow furrowed. "Time t' earn y' scoff, lad! HEAVE!"
Feanor follows the old-timer back into the area at some distance behind, only arriving now. "Need a hand, wot?" he inquires, seeming to have calmed down somewhat.
"Latch on!" Harold immediately recommends, grateful for the assistance. Badgers ain't filled with feathers.
Going to help Xander, Dora rolls her eyes behind the old hare's back at the whole comment about Redwallers. /Hares./ After they get Zinnia up, she'll lead the way to the Mountain. She's kind of bogged down with her giant battleaxe and a Dibbun badger of her own, so she can't really help, and Felicity is still off doing her thing. She'll be back eventually.
Feanor slips his paws under Zinnia's back to carry her from the middle, grunting in exertion.
"Bloody 'ell," he mutters. "Why couldn't she be a leveret?"
As Harold and friends lug Zinnia along with no small effort (and huge risk of hernia 'cause hares are tiny compared to badgers) , Dora is busy with Xander, and Felicity is still doing whatever. When they get to the Infirm, they'll have loads of questions to answer......
- Thats all sorry it's long as as for badgers being heavy..they probably are but I don't think badgers are too much taller than hares, least Zinnia isn'y...yeah Ciocan would be like way tall since he is over 8 foot tall so hopfully he never needs carried back to the mountain :P ***
