Talk Of Slavers and Flare's Death...(LP LOG)

Later in the day after this http://rwmuck.limitless.org/rwmuck/content/talk-about-rough-day =

Halyard Village: West Square(#93069RJA)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Village ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Surrounded on most sides by short, squat buildings, none any higher than two

levels, the main square of this small, sea-side village is covered in a fine

layer of dirt, which mostly covers the old cobble stone beneath. Many of the

buildings lining the square are homes, though some are places of business -

and, of course, there are the obligatory pubs. However, pubs are not the only

staple of a small village, especially not this one. Scattered here and there

upon sidewalks and in front of stores, various fishing nets and traps lie

about, most considerably worse for wear. It's obviously a fishing village.

Beyond that, a dirt road runs north and south from the square, with a small

scattering of homes, and behind these, a backdrop of trees. Meanwhile, beyond

the trees lies the shore.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

                               Visible Exits:

[B]ookshop and [P]awn [S]outhern [R]oad

[H]alyard [T]avern [N]orthern [R]oad

[A]ntique [S]hop [M]ain [S]treet

[B]akery [B]ack to [D]irt [P]ath

[Fo]rge [A]lley

Flint has come into town, it's been a while since he has been in Halyard and maybe just a day off and being here can relax him some. Yes he slipped off but this time he does plan to go back to the mountain, just after a break from most everyone.

Flare is already in the village, and he is moody and upset. He kicks a rock across the path and has his paws in his pocket, “No clue wot they blooming talking bout, I shouldn't even be a recruit...should just be able to do wot I want and when I want too."

Flint blinks as he sees Flare and shakes his head, normally he avoid others on a day like this , but this seems important, "Most start out as recruit, helps one get ready for later on and you don’t get to do what ya want, when ya want. Rules are important ta follow."

Flint walked to the town, why? He wasn't sure he guesses to get his mind off earlier and the fact he couldn't really sleep well.

Zee has been in town since last night, staying at the inn, he recognizes Flint from the week before waiting till the hare is closer, "Not..wandering off again are ya?"

Flint stops and turns, "Oh...no, no just a rough pass couple days, little worse this morning but.....yeah, just a walk to think." He studies the badger, “Your better then?"

Zee leans on his staff, " Better than I was...how do you stand a place with no windows?"

Flint at first is confused and then it seems to dawn on him what he means "Oh...well it is the inside of a mountain ya know." He is quiet before adding, “Your niece was worried...by de way."

Slavers, rough-housing, bad weather and all sorts of rumors! It's enough to put a bit of a fire under any patrolling private's tail! And patrolling Private Piffle already had a warm scut! She's out, in uniform, looking tall and serious as she rounds the corner from the Northern Road. Vigilant for signs of trouble or simply any activity. The sight of Flint and a badger is, of course, a noteworthy one and she strides that way. "Ho there chaps!"

Zee speaks, "Worried?" Seems he rather not go back in a place he sees as walls and stone closing around him. He clears his throat “You can let her know I am just fine" He nods to the other hare. “Greetings."

Flint starts to answer when he sees Piffle and nods "Hallo Piffle, I do hope you have had a better morning than me"

What's this, though? Another hare? Why yes, it is. Adrian, on an important errand, he supposes. Really, errands get dull. He'd rather patrol, or even fight. Ho, what's that? Is that a Piffle? Oh dear. Adrian composes himself, smoothing down his uniform and making himself presentable again. He didn't want to appear slovenly to the doe. Raising his paw, he waves, calling out, "Hoy, Piff! Wot are ya up to?" Flint and the badger are momentarily ignored.

"Well ain't you a biggun?! Bally ol' badjahs comin' out our jolly ears recently! Y' any relation t' our Lordship, good sah?" Piffle inquires of Zee a little cheekily. She winks and then looks to Flint. "I'd say there were jolly well relative ol' chap! Wot's got ya mornin' t' be a bally unsatisfact'ry one, eh, Flint?" Her ears perk and her muzzle splits in a grin. "Hoy y'self, Swiggle! 'Avin' a chinwag wi' these fine chaps! Y'self?"

Zee chuckles, "Your Badger Lord is much taller trust me and no but I am Uncle to Zinnia" He sighs "Whom I should speak to...well sometime anyways"

Flint listens for a while and sighs as he answers, "Well....last night I was knocked unconcious by Flare...and went out this morning, and Windrose was thar as well...and...well" He frowns now and his ears droop some.

Adrian nods his head to the others. "Good day, Flint, and Sah." He doesn't know the badger's name, so decides respect is the order of the day. "Well, Piff, it is very good ta see ya, wot. Been keepin' yahself busy? Has that windbag Tam treated yah ta anymore cidah?" Yes, Adrian does sound somewhat jealous. He'll never admit it, though.

"Zinnia? 'Oo the blinkin' 'eck is Zinnia?" Piffle looks confused but grins. "Aye, our big ol' Lord's a bit of a jolly giant, eh? Y've met then, at least? Jolly good!" Uhoh. That stalling means Flint has /bad news/ and the tale already sounds twisted and strange. "Whoaho, back up there ol' chap? Flare blinkin' well did wot?" Aside, she waggles her eyebrows upwards at Adrian and something Ava advised comes to mind. "'m always busy, Swig'! Ol' Catbutt? Mighta, might not..." Teasing? Maybe! How cruel!

Zee raises an eyebrow at the chatting hares, well maybe some don't know Ambassador from Redwall Abbey." He looks at Flint curious about Flare as well.

Adrian blinks, glancing at Flint. This is a lot of info to process. Catbutt? Flare attacking Flint? Zinnia's uncle? My word. "Oh, err... Well...you tell that Catbutt...I mean, Tamaeus that... Umm... My Aunt Petunia's Cidah is bettah, wot?" Then to Flint, "Wot th' heck? Flare did WOT? Where is 'e now?" He mutters something like, "Unstable recruit..." under his breath.

Flint answers, least about Flare, "Knocked me out....but....and he...." He frowns, he just wrote a report he didn't really do much else, he is not good with reports, "He's...dead" The last word is said quietly.

"Oho! We've an ambassador now? Well ain't that jolly well fancy o' them!" Piffle looks a little amused. "I 'ope we weren't s'posed to put on our parade dress for 'em! I'm a little outta tha' mountain loop, doncha know! Spend mosta m' bally time on Halyard Pahtrol! Keepin' 't safe! Aye, I'll tell him, Swig! 'E might not bally believe me though! Might buy me anothah bloomin' drink t' compete, doncha know!" The private then looks at Flint oddly at what he reveals. "Steady on ol' chap, dead?! Bloomin' 'eck, 'e was bein' right rowdy t' othah day. Outta line, even, but y' tellin' us 'e's jolly well /dead/?"

Zee looks between the hares, he leans back and lets them handle their patrol business, or least that’s what it sounds like to him.

Adrian blinks again, then shakes his head. "When the 'ell did that 'appen? An' how?" As an aside to Piffle, he adds, "Oh yes, we have ambassadors from bloomin' Mossflowah, wot. Lord Ciocan tasked *me* personally wi' makin' sure nobeast kills 'em, ya know. Very important stuff, wot. They're very prone ta dyin', don'tcha know? Gotta keep 'em safe."

Flint sighs, "Happen this morning. I mean I know he quit or so he said last night. There was a couple weasels, a rat and some cat and he was injured real bad. I was a bit too far away but I know he pushed Windrose out of the way...." He looks to Adrian confused "Well...you’re a bundle of joy, sides I have yet to see either of them leave the mountain, which is probably good...and most of the vermin were taken care of this morning...most"

Adrian says, "I'm the most joyful membah of mah family."

Zee nods "Yes a very good task ta protect beasts and so far seems you’re doing a very good job. You could keep an eye on them if they do come to the village here....."

"Aye. Well, tha' does sound a bloomin' 'mportant job Swig, ol' chap! Mossflowah types do tend t' be a tad squishy, e wot!" Piffle agrees with Adrian but is rather distracted by Flint's news. "Ain't no quittin' th' Pahtrol, lad..." She mutters sadly, at one revelation but then listens to the rest of the tale. "And where are these blightahs now?"

Adrian sighs as well, giving Flint his full attention once more. "Mah word. I actually had high hopes for Flare, a shame ta see that potential dashed. In such a bad way, too. Ah well..." The buck's ears droop at the thought. "Terribly tragic, but at least 'e died defendin' anothah. If that ain't in tha true spirit of tha Patrol, then I don't know wot is..."

Flint nods, he then speaks "I am unsure where the blooming cat went but a weasel and rat died."

Zee folds his arms over his chest "If ya are needing some extra help I could show this cat me secret weapon, it did scare a couple rats last week when I helped Flint here"

Piffle frowns at the thought of her last seeing Flare while he was behaving rather dishonorably, and is somewhat gratified by, at least, the tale of sacrifice in the recruit's ultimate fate. At least there seems to be redemption there. "Scratch two then and bally well add that bloomin' cat to our wanted lists, eh wot? Felonious felines on our bally shore! And wi' this ruddy slavah business t' boot! Aye, sah, if ya wish t' lend y'r aid, ol chap, I daresay we'd be much 'bliged, wot!" The latter to Zee.

Adrian rests his paw on the hilt of his rapier. "Wot's this business o' slavahs, Piff? I'm pretty outta the loop wi' a lot o' this, because o' mah prior ordahs. Watchin' the ambassadors keeps me pretty busy."

Flint looks at Adrian “Ya didn't hear..couple Patrollers were caught and one injured and in the infirm in town here"

Zee growls slightly, "I dislike..slavers, nothing but trouble and need taught a lesson." He twirls his staff and grins, "Yes I have me family blade but I also have this. me special staff"

"Aye! Majah Taye's injured an' ol' Majah Tyree's missin'! 'S a bally /mess/, ol' chap. Took anothah, a youngling, wi' Tyree. 'Ighah up's 've gotta force t'gethah f'r pursu'n the blightah's boat! 'Fraid y', me, an' Jin, Swig ol' chap, 'ave been assigned guardin' an' 'on call'! Reserve-like, doncha know!" Piffle explains. She eyeballs the staff being twirled and backs off a little. "Careful, ol' chap, y're a might strongah than most 'bout, doncha know..."

"Don't worry, sah, we Patrollahs take a dim view o' slavery as well, wot," is Adrian's reply, with a look of grim determination. "They 'ave no place on our shores." He blinks at Piff in shock. "Taye? An' Tyree missin'? Good grief, why wasn't I *told* this?" He sighs, running a paw down his face. "I know I got an ordah from Lord Ciocan an' all, ta watch the Redwallahs, but I certainly think someone coulda informed me of all this..."

Flint says, "I found out just yesterday myself"

"'Nora did send out a message f'r ya, Swig', on Corp'ral Ava's ordahs! Bloomin' muck up o' right bally magnitude 'f 't didn't reach ya, ol' chap..." Piffle frowns; well that explains why she hasn't seen Swiggle until today, she supposes.

Zee nods as he is careful, but he does back off and places a paw on the staff , and his other paw and a click..a twist and a raspier appears as he grins,"See..not many vermin see that one coming." He chuckles as he places it back and clicks it again locking it shut and once more leans on it. "Don't judge a book by de cover ya could say"

Hidden rapiyah! Good show, ol' chap! Seen a couple staffs like that but nevah big 's y'rs, eh wot!" Piff' comments approvingly, and probably obviously.

Adrian eyes that rapier cane with admiration. Now *that* is a weapon... He frowns. "Indeed, Piff, I'm sorry, I nevah got th' ordah... Alas, now I'm hesitant ta face Ava... She'll nevah believe me, I'll wagah. I can be brought up on charges of disobeyin' a direct ordah, Piff, wot am I gonna do? I'm just a Private, wot." He sounds miserable now, imagining his future in the brig, or worse, a dishonorable discharge... What would his Father say?

Flint remembers the staff somewhat from last week.

Piffle turns sympathetic. "Ya can't bally well 've disobeyed an ordah ya didn't get, Swig! Doncha worry 'bout it, eh wot? 'S protocol f'r such accidents, 'm bally well sure! Othahwise 'alf the bloomin' Pahtrol'd be facin' them charges week by week, eh wot?! 'Specially us bloomin' Kitchen-raidahs!" She winks.

Flint nods "Sides sounds like you got a job ta tend to if making sure the ambassador is safe from harm"

Piffle nods at Flint and grins at Adrian. "Tha' too, wot!"

"Ya really think so?" Adrian seems unsure at first. "Ya got a point there, though." He starts to relax again. "You're right... 'Sides, Ava ain't bad, actually... I'm just kinda paranoid that I'll screw up, ya know? Fathah thinks I'm a screw up..."

Zee has been letting them talk and clears his throat "Yes protecting the Ambassador be very important task lad"

"There are then! Corporal ain't unfair, Swig, she'll bally understand a comedy o' eras! Sounds like y' ol' Pa needs to get out y' blinkin' 'eat!" Piffle chimes in once more to try and hammer the reassurances home.

Flint nods "You are in de patrol, I mean is he...and if he is , is he a higher up...if not no worries"

"He was, but he's retired now," Adrian replies. "For him, the Patrol is practically everythin'."

"Times change, Swig'. Ain't bally th' same from season t' season!" Piffle insists.

Flint has not said much and looks around, "I wonder if I am trying to get back in patroling too soon...did miss 3 seasons cause of blooming toads"

And here comes Jinora, apparently the source of some great panic. If the shadows lining the undersides of her eyes are of any indication, then it would seem that she has been dealing with her own stress as well; but despite her fatigued expression, she seems chipper enough as she approaches the knot of beasts, the collar popped up on her Patrol jacket to guard her neck against the biting wind. It feels like she's been on duty forever - or at least since this whole kidnapping debacle started, anyway, though some - ahem - personal developments have also gotten in the way of her regularly scheduled naps. The gathered group, most familiar but some new to her, garners a cheery wave from the tired Private. "Spiffin' afternoon, eh wot? Ah - Swiggle! Couldn' find y'the othah day. Y'dodged th'arrow there, mate, dreadfully borin' guard work." She winks, nudging an elbow at Piff as she inserts herself into the gathering. "Ah've been tossed back 'n forth between th' Mountain an' this bloody place f'two days now- Ah'm stahtin' t'feel like a bally runnah!"

Zee lets the others answer the fellow hare, he may have advise but maybe theirs is better.

Adrian glances at Jin. "Dodged an arrow, eh? Y'know I nearly had a panic attack just now... Eithah way, all is well now..." He then smiles at Piff. "Aftah this whole mess is cleared up, I should like tah give ya that taste of Aunt Petunia's cidah, wot..."

"Y're ready when y're ready, ol' chap! Ya could always request a recruit's beat if ya wanted t' easy y' bally way back in, eh?" Is Piff's mused advice to Flint, before suddenly! Her drinking buddy shows up! Piffle's grin stretches once more, despite the current events that have probably led to so many hares being on Patrol to congregate where they have... "Jin! You too, eh wot? I don't think I've seen the bally mountain f'r more 'n a few bloomin' hours since I blinkin' got 'ssigned to this 'Alyard beat, ya know!" Piff's eyes widen a little at the nudging followed by /that/ invitation, and right in front of Jinora. "Aye! We nevah did get our second bally dinnah, eh, Swig'?"

Flint shakes his head, "No, not saying want it easy...maybe I am just upset couldn't help Flare earlier is all. I think I am gonna go back to the mountain, maybe I will be back later."

Zee looks to Flint “Maybe ya can ..see if Zinnia wants ta talk. I will be at the tavern." He then walks towards the tavern and heads inside.

Jinora raises an eyebrow at Adrian. "Ovah wha'? Not standin' aroun' in th'cold all day? Y'need t'get your priorities straightened out, wot!" She chuckles, shoving her paws deeper into her pockets and shooting a glance about the other beasts gathered. "'Ey, Flint, righ'? 'Ows y'face? Looked a bit bugger'd up in th'clinic last Ah saw y'." Having entered this conversation just a bit too late, she's missed the doom and gloom, and is pretty oblivious to most of the goings on's outside of her direct orders. A paw is lifted to Zee as he leaves, though she doesn't connect a face to the name. Adrian's dinner invitation garners a grin from the Private, and she waggles her eyebrows knowingly at Piffle.

"No indeed," the buck agrees. Oh yeah, Jin *is* here, isn't she? Throwing caution to the wind, Adrian realizes he doesn't really care. "Anyway, yes... Dinnah, eh? Aftah we catch these blightahs an' save mah superiah, wot? An' then...who knows wot else, eh?"

Flint looks over at Jinora and nods "It's...not as swelled up. Still a little bruise on me cheek, least I didn't get injured in a fight earlier.....some vermin causeing trouble."

Argh! The eyebrows! And Adrian's still going! Piff's own eyebrows raise somewhat approvingly. It's bold, and not in the slightly awkward way that Adrian's boldness has manifested between them thus far. A glance at Jinora and a mental wince is had! She just /knows/ she's gonna get so /teased/ for this! Especially after that /Catbutt/ debacle... "Well, mayhap we don't have t' bally wait f'r that, eh wot? Bit o' niceness in th' sea o' drama could be a jolly good thing, eh?"

Flint nods "I need to get back home before my niece worries, she is gonna worry enough when she hears wot happen with me, Windrose and........Flare" As Flare name is mentioned he frowns and walks away.