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 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:08 pm
::Radaz didn't seem to have realised what he'd landed close to, as he raised a brow, catching sight of it, and flashed a fang-filled grin, as his paw loosened from the hidden object and he made an exaggerated bow, backing up slowly::
As you wish...
And as I declared... I've had my fill of fighting cubs...
::He let those red eyes slide over the other smaller hares now, glad perhaps they were an annoyance less, but more than that, memorizing them, marking them...::
::But now... to matters at hand...::
Which wall... would happen to be the West Wall, by the way?
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:58 pm
((Haha. I'm not sure "enraged" is quite the word.))
Donato, having closed his eyes as he expected to hit his mark, was bewildered to feel his sword meet no resistance. Opening his eyes, he looked about. He saw the dagger thrown down, heard it clang against the stones, and then he choked. "Gem!" he whispered, bitterly. He wasn't sure if the bitterness was meant for her or himself.
Listening to Turan bargaining with Radaz, Donato found himself more than half-relieved that he would be sent away. Then he was ashamed of his relief. But still his reason asked him, What good could you do? For the moment, he only tried to look like he knew what he was doing while Radaz made his decision.
As the fox spoke, he glanced at Turan for direction.
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Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 9:47 pm
Turan walked forward toward Radaz as the fox moved backwards. "Around the wall behind you," the hare replied flatly, moving them back around, away from the others, and away from Gem. Glancing back at the other two, he nodded over at Donato, and at Gem, beckoning him to come get the unconscious bat. He kept his sword in paw, eyeing the fox, wondering what it was he kept hidden and kept pawing at.
Glancing sideways at Donato, Jamie didn't say anything, but held his paw out, a silent request for his weapon back. Sheathing his saber back into it's scabbard, he turned and walked purposefully away, leaving Donato to collect Gem. Getting down the steps, he ignored all questions and attention from the Redwallers, skirting around by the abbey and disappearing across the grounds.
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:26 pm
Thrusting the saber back into Jamie's paw, Donato hurried to gather up the unconscious Gem. Holding her as carefully as he could, he went down the stairs. Looking at the bat in his arms, all he could think of was Eula lying outside the walls. Mumbling "excuse-me's" to creatures who were already parting to let him and his burden pass, he headed for the Abbey. He caught sight of Sideswipe, and contemplated handing Gem off to him so the badger could bring her up to the infirmary. The thought of the pain the sight of Gem would give the badger briefly gave him pause, but he was on the verge of shrugging it off when he caught sight of another face. "Jude!"
Jude was standing with a group of his younger assistants, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. "Say, Donato, what's going- what happened?" The hare held out the little bat in his arms, and Jude took her - a little awkwardly, not having the hare's height.
Donato shook his head. "The fox is on the walls. We found her like this. Can you take her to the infirmary? Eula's- I need to go." He broke off, gesturing behind him.
"Sure, I'll take her." Jude assured him, casting an uneasy glance at his bewildered-looking friend. "Donato, I'm sure Eula's fine."
Donato turned and ran off to the gatehouse, swallowing hard.
((Jas, do you want to RP Jude and Jasmine in the infirmary? Otherwise we can just assume all of that happened.))
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Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:20 pm
The gatehouse was well lit, which seemed completely at odds with the dark, cold night, and the whole mood outside. It probably didn't help Donato's frayed nerves to suddenly have a weapon show up in his line of vision. "Another saber," Jamie said in a flat voice. "Take it." He turned to leave, but doubled back to look at Donato. "Oh, an' do me a favor, if you're swingin' that thing anywhere near me, you best keep your eyes open."
Working at the latches on the gate, he shook his head. "Your brilliant guards all went out t'see the show, so we won't have any trouble gettin' out." He allowed the next minute or so go on in silence. When he got the gate open, he looked back at Donato, lifting his eyebrows. "I decided I'd rather have you with me than sneakin' off behind me. If I have to save your hide, you better be close."
Slipping out of the gate, he crept close against the wall, leaving a paw on it to keep his bearings. It was exceedingly dark out, the low fog making it hard to see more than a few feet in front of them. Despite the limited visibility, Jamie didn't want to risk having a lantern on them. It would make them more of a beacon in the dark then help them find their way.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:01 am
((I think we can bypass Jasmine's bit and just show her later :3))
::Radaz held a grin, but it was not his usual joker-wild grin, the insane sing-song idiot grin, it was something more twisted, a little darker in delight, as he too gripped his own item, whatever it was...::
::For once, the fox didn't have a sideways comment or snip, he just kept moving, waiting until it was time, waiting until they were ready, but even then, his body was a flicker of movement, his ears, his nostrils, his tail, his claws, all of them moving vividly, as much he could attempt to look calm, he was ready to burst with the overloaded sensations filling him...::
::He was going to enjoy this...::
~~~~~~
::Faith was getting anxious, people were looking to her for answers, of course they would, and even she had nothing for them... the voices were piling up, and she didn't know what to tell them, especially not when she saw the injured and limp form of Gem carried past her::
Gem!!! ::She called out, trying to move forward, but finding her way blocked by Redwallers and woodlanders alike, she bit her lip, decisively, and knew if there was EVER a time to be an abbess, it was now!!::
Everybeast who doesn't carry a weapon, back inside!!
Turan is up there fighting, and I don't want anybeast putting themselves AND Turan in danger if you're used as hostages!!
All the windows and doors, make sure they're shut tight, this could be a distraction while anybeast tries to get inside!!
::She surprised herself with the calling for common sense, and she felt almost worn out by it, when she looked back to Sideswipe, who was motionless, neither moving back, or forward with the other guards...::
...Sideswipe?
::But the badger's eyes were filled with red::
~~~~~~
::As Jamie and Donato emerged, the four remaining vermin hid themselves against the wall, they stuck aside it fast... and low, what were they supposed to do?!? Radaz hadn't told them what to do if someone came out??!::
::There was only two of them... easy pickings for four, right, right?::
::But weren't there orders NOT to fight?::
::...Well... in any case, as they lay low and still from their unsure thoughts, neither hare would see a trace of Eula's body...::
::Which of course could only raise the question where it had went, where SHE had went now!!::
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Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:49 am
Donato was just wondering who had lit up the building when he involuntarily jumped nearly out of his skin. His heart racing, he looked at the sword for a moment and started to shake his head. No, why would you stop now? He nodded and took it, then started to follow Jamie. He stopped short when Jamie turned around. "Did I close them? That's right, I did. ...That was stupid." The vague note in his own voice alarmed him, and he shook himself. Wake up! I need to pay attention. He listened to Jamie's grumbling about the guards and held his tongue, frowning. What was there to say? Jamie was aleady abundantly aware of their inexperience. And, of course, Donato's. Clenching his jaw, he followed the Long Patrol hare along the wall.
"...She should be around here somewhere, shouldn't she?" Donato asked as softly as he could.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:03 pm
Turan watched Radaz carefully, unsure what was going through the fox's mind, though he certainly seemed disturbingly excited. He didn't attack Radaz though, only stood and watched him in silence. He wondered if the fox really had the nerve to take him on, alone, inside of Redwall, and dozens of armed creatures down below watching every move Radaz made. Not to mention several of them would know about Eula... and even more now knew about Gem.
Jamie didn't reply to Donato's question. It was a pointless question and the other hare probably just felt better hearing his own voice in the darkness. Besides, he was nervous too; he had no idea what they might find. Still moving along slowly, saber gripped in his paw, he kept his eyes downcast, looking for some sign of Eula. Truth be told, he wasn't exactly expecting there to be any nearby vermin. As of this point, it didn't even occur to Jamie that the whole situation had been a set-up. What he saw up on the walltops he could only classify as outright murder. But... where was she?
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:00 am
::As Donato and Jamie searched, they wouldn't see any signs yet of Eula... and the vermin only grew more restless, as the supposed leader lay flat where he was, and slowly grasped a rock in front of him...::
::Radaz had told them not to fight... and as much his overeager arrogance told him he could easily dispose of two abbey pups, he knew the penalty would be far too great to disobey.... if it came to it, at least he could cause a distraction...::
~~~~~~~~~
::Finally, there they were, on either side of the Rampart wall, as Radaz let a throaty laugh rumble out of his muzzle, rolling his head slowly before letting it fall to look at Turan::
Now then... shall we? : razz erhaps the fox WAS just as mad as he seemed, as he threw open the cloth bundling at his side, tossing it to the winds and unveiling his weapon::
::Immediately, something had to tweak, something in the air that just didn't feel right, as he drew the long, slender blade, pure black, not blackened by flame, but pure, jet black metal, with a hilt of a beast's head howling, a blood red ruby for its eye, as the blade came from the howling mouth, a cruel looking device with a serrated edge on one side, and a blunt one on the other::
::It looked something far beyond a vermin-made weapon::
::Slowly, the fox drew out the blade, holding it before the face, until the ruby covered where his own eye would be, and he grinned onward:: Before we do this... I must ask you...
What do you think of Scourge here?
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:51 am
Jamie continued slowly, quietly, light and silent on his feet. Sword comfortable and prepared in his paw, he kept his sea-green eyes wide, trying to pierce the foggy darkness. There was also a heavy silence in the area, all the natural noise and bustle of the woodlands deadened by the fog, and perhaps by something more. However, that made the slight rustling so nearby even more noticeable. Stopping abruptly, he held his arm out a bit to discourage Donato from moving further. Torn between optimism and fear at the sound of something nearby, he ventured forward cautiously, sword held across before him.
"There somebeast out here?"
Turan didn't so much as bat an eye at Radaz's sword. The hare wasn't big on bragging or showmanship, especially in such a serious situation. He found the design of the weapon to be immodest and insignificant... but then that seemed to suit the fox's personality well. After all, the abbey's most famous weapon, Martin's sword, was a thoroughly modest blade. Of course it had been made, according to legend, from star-metal, but the hilt was simple, tough, pommel stone.
He chose not to make any comment, only briefly shook his head impatiently. Turan wanted this fox out of his abbey, and he wanted him out now.
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:18 pm
::As Turan stood there and shook his head, the fox took his reply there, and gripped the sword now, lowering it and moving slowly, deliberately forward now, everything was particular, everything was made steadily in a fashion less like the fox Turan had learned of, more like a predator sizing his kill... why was there just something about the fox that seemed so out of place?::
::Coming to an abbey all by himself, slaying guards, seemingly tossing Eula to her death, drew Turan specifically out into a duel of swords, and now, he was stalling his movements?::
::Either he was taking this very seriously, or he was stalling...::
~~~~~~~~
::It looked like it was too late now... as the rat gritted fangs... do or die time now... and suddenly, Jamie would get his response, when he flung the rock, which landed and made such a heavy rustling sound towards the forest!!::
::He just needed their attention!!::
::Using it as a quick head-start, the rat was up, and without even looking to the hares, ran for all he was worth, into the forest, AWAY from the camp, and away from their comrade, out into the West of the Forest!!::
::He didn't know what would happen now, but the best he could do now was run and hope Radaz wouldn't have his head on a platter after all of this was said and done!!::
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:14 pm
Turan wasn't going to make the first move here. There was certainly no need to be hasty or careless; he just had to be focused and take his opportunity. He still didn't understand what Radaz's motive was here. He could understand the fox wanting to kill him... but alone and with nearly every able-bodied Redwall fighter watching from below? That was baffling.
The hare wasn't about to back down. In fact, this fight felt like an easier task just now than facing whatever would come next. In the back of his mind, he knew there would be something harder to deal with soon and he wasn't sure how... but now, just now, he had a reasonable excuse to not think about it.
Jamie wasn't stupid, so when he went running after the rat, it wasn't from a brief lack in judgement or the want for a plan. He was running after the rat because he already knew where the camp was; he already knew what to expect to see at the camp, he already knew if he stepped near it alone (or with Donato, just the same) he'd be ambushed and killed in a heartbeat.
No, the reason he all but left Donato behind - he could follow if he wanted, right? - was because he needed one of those creatures. Unsure if he'd kill the vermin or keep him alive, he knew he just needed one, now. So the Long Patroller turned heel and took off after the rat now, running hard in the foggy darkness. He couldn't see much of anything at all, but with the rat pounding off through the woods, it would be impossible to hide the sounds from the hare's sensitive ears. Also, outrunning a strong young hare would be quite the feat, especially for a rat.
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Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:56 pm
At the sound of the rustling, Donato hastened forward. "Eula?" he called in a voice just above a whisper. He stopped when he bumped into Jamie's outstretched arm. "What are you-" he began, only to cut himself off when he heard the rustling closer to the forest. If that were Eula, she wouldn't be going away from the Abbey. He felt his stomach turn to lead at that realization, then with a start gripped his sword tighter. Someone else was out here. (Duh.) ...What for? He glanced at Jamie to see what to do. As much as he would have hated admitting it if he thought about it, right now he knew the Long Patrol hare would know what to do much better than he would. When Jamie ran, there was a beat, then Donato followed.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:36 pm
Radaz and Turan battle. Radaz's sword sparks fire. Sideswipe joins the fray and is nearly killed by Radaz, but Whisper comes to the rescue in the nick of time. Sideswipe loses a paw, but Whisper does not survive the battle. Radaz takes Whisper as a souvenir. Turan comes out alive, with some minor injuries, but Radaz escapes. No sign of Eula, so Redwallers assume she is dead as well.
Jamie and Donato come upon the rat they chased, only to find it gutted by a shrew. Somehow Jamie does not then murder the shrew in turn and the Guosim returns with them to Redwall. They then learn of the events that transpired with Radaz, and I still have no idea how they possibly reacted to that.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:44 pm
It had been a devastating night at Redwall. Most of Redwall was awake, although it was very quiet; it was a somber and morose atmosphere. Many of the abbey dwellers had seen one of their own, Whisper, murdered at the hands of the evil black fox, only to hear news, minutes later, that Eula had been thrown over the side of the ramparts. The Redwallers had neither of their bodies to bury. Hours after Radaz's escape, a few Redwallers had snuck outside of the walls again to try and find Eula's body, despite Donato and Jamie's failure to find her. They had the same luck.
Jamie wasn't terribly pleased with the Guosim right now. Well, more specifically, he wasn't terribly pleased with the fool who had killed the rat he and Donato had been running after. He was in the process of giving the stupid shrew a sound dressing down when suddenly the shrew's whole gang arrived, eyeing Jamie distastefully. The young Long Patroller had decided to shut his mouth at that point. He was plenty enough aware of the famous Guosim feistiness and loyalty. Had he given it some thought, he knew the shrew was only doing what he felt was right, and honestly Jamie was going to take his frustration out on anyone who misstepped around him.
Near sunrise now, Jamie was sitting in Cavern Hole. Before trudging down into the room, he had swung down into the cellar for a drink. Not caring really what he had, he just asked the Cellarhog for something really strong, not paying much attention to what the already-inebriated creature tapped into a pitcher for him. Taking the pitcher, some of its contents sloshed onto the ground by the tipsy hedgehog, Jamie grabbed a set of large mugs and disappeared into Cavern Hole. Throwing himself warily into one of the large armchairs in front of the unlit fireplace, he poured himself a mug of the pale brown liquid. Lifting it to his lips, he took a tentative sip. Some kind of whiskey. Sighing, he sunk deeper into his seat. It felt like a late-night drink, But his still-lucid mind thought with irony, it's almost sunrise and I'll be drunk before mid-day.
Turan didn't exactly have the luxury of drinking himself numb. A worried wife and daughter, not to mention an entire abbey still looking to him for answers, were making his situation a little more difficult. He hadn't spent long in the infirmary after the battle. In the infirmary, Jasmine had tended to him in stoic silence while a devastated little Shune concentrated her attention on her comatose bat-friend. He didn't feel anything, none of the pain from the burns on his arms and torso. As the fox healer tended to him, his eyes were fixed on Sideswipe, who had fared far worse than him. Finally tearing his blue gaze away from his wounded friend, he looked at the unconscious little bat. Her mother was dead. How do you tell a child they'll never see their mother again? And then - possibly the one other creature Gem turned to for support was... Turan swallowed and lowered his eyes, unable to come to terms with any of this yet. He left as soon as possible.
Standing outside now, Turan had long sleeves on to hide the bandages tied about his arms. He was standing on the grounds, leaning against the wall of the main abbey. There had been a lot of words spoken to him between the battle and his trip to the infirmary, but he didn't remember a single one of them. The fox had escaped. Again. Last time he'd nearly killed some of their number... and this time he succeeded. How could this happen? How could they all - how could HE - have been so unprepared for this?
He wasn't surprised when a pair of arms wrapped around his middle. Looking down at his wife, he put his arms around her in turn. Resting his head against hers, he asked softly. "Where's Tracy?"
"Still sleeping," Tannia whispered, as if she might wake their young daughter who was nowhere nearby. When Turan only nodded numbly, Tannia turned her face into his chest to hide the tears that slipped down her cheeks.
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