|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 4:16 am
::Radaz held a cruel smirk as he watched her, enjoying every minute of it in his sick and twisted little head... as she squirmed to get away from the sight of him, he sat himself down on the bed, sliding in slowly, until he leaned in::
Nothing? ::He spoke slowly, acidly, spitefully...::
Really? ::He suddenly turned his sing-song voice on once more, to the comical jester's voice he quipped so often in the abbey walls:: It was your silver tongue and wicked edge that made me hunger for you so...
If you have nothing to say... I suppose... you'll have to satisfy another hunger for me soon... starting with that wonderful tongue of yours!
::As he began to madly cackle again, at least Eula had a stall to try and collect thoughts... what DID he really want? What could the mad fox have went to all this for? To hear Eula's voice? What did that have anything to do with any of all... THIS?::
::He made it pretty clear though... he wanted her for one thing: to speak, what would she do? Praise him? Insult him? Ask what his scheme was?::
::A hundred-thousand thoughts must have been flung at her at once... but as unhinged as the fox was... it was a safe bet he'd follow up on his threat: it was speak up, or swallowed up!::
::What could she do?::
~~~~~~~~
We do. : biggrin eclared Kusaa::
::Sideswipe's brooding form remained silent, for a second more, but as the bat's eyes drifted to him, the badger took a claw that was so vicious twisted into a metal shield below him, he had to prise it out, before looking to them both::
Radaz has an innumerable hoarde of vermin... this is a strength, but also a weakness. ::The badger began::
According to what whispers I've gathered and found from the woodlanders, they are not of a single group, but of many clans and tribes. ::Kusaa stood forward, looking to Jamie::
So, while it may be difficult to defeat them all...
It's very easy to divide and conquer them. ::The badger spoke again::
The plan is simple.
::It was only a moment or two later when all three of them were around a simple table, a long cloth drawn over it with a rough map of an encampment::
Radaz of course, will be in the center of the camp. ::The bat mused as she looked at it::
The trouble, is in how we get past all the vermin surrounding it.
So we turn them on one another. : biggrin eclared Sideswipe finally::
In such a densely populated camp, it can be easy to be found, but also, easier to find a way to blend in, many hiding places and many chances to strike from the shadows.
You and I enter the edge of the encampment in the brink of night.
We start a brawl between the vermin, we heat it up... get the attention of the entire camp.
And then I come in. ::The badger growled, very irate... at his own incapability, and perhaps, his position in this plan::
Once we have the vermin's attention, we turn it on me... they'll throw everything they can at me, while I draw them off.
Kusaa and yourself- ::He pointed to the map again:: Will use that to head through the camp, and on to find Radaz.
Once the two of you have him, you should find him a lot less prepared... turn the tables on him, see how the scum likes it when we break into his little hellhole and attack.
Between the two of us, we should be able to make short work of him.
Attack when he is still half-asleep, get rid of his weapons and his shields of vermin, and then go for the kill.
Without him, the vermin will drive themselves on one another trying to create a new ruler, and they will be easy pickings for the others to dismantle themselves.
Cut off the head, and the snake dies.
::The two went into silence, perhaps waiting for Jamie's thoughts, questions, ideas...::
::The plan seemed overly simple, it seemed dangerous, suicidal even... but the two seemed very calm for all things considered, a kind of resignation to fate, a realisation of what this plan was and meant::
::It seemed the two had been busy with their thoughts since the night previously...::
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:33 pm
Eula still kept her head turned away from him, wishing desperately that she could remember what had happened. She still wasn't positive there wasn't someone else captured nearby, which made her careful about speaking as well. However, her remaining mum apparently made the fox upset, rather than her insults. Not having a goal in mind was making this hard. Was her goal to escape? ...Well, if it was, staying alive was a good first step.
Deciding that she'd rather not hop out of the pot into the fire, she turned back to Radaz. Insulting him seemed stupid now, even if he did seem to want it. Mocking the fox was easier when she wasn't captured and tied up... she'd already clearly lost whatever fight had taken place. Had she even been armed? She didn't recall having a weapon on her while in Great Hall. Wow, that was dumb. She tried to adjust herself a bit, still upset with not being able to move. It surprised her how unbelievably frustrating it was to not be able to move her arms and legs. However, the entire time she kept squirming her arms, trying to wiggle them free from the chains.
"Sorry," Eula started, clearing her throat as she did so to avoid coughing again, "if I find it a little hard to believe that, with a whole horde out there, and apparently some way to sneak into the abbey, that getting me was your goal." Eula knew, although she couldn't remember anything, that she certainly hadn't snuck out of Redwall, so Radaz must've attacked her from the inside. Although Eula still wanted to know what had happened more than anything, she refused to ask for the sheer fact that Radaz lying about it all was too distinct a possibility. So instead, "So what do you really want?"
---------
Jamie's attention shifted to Sideswipe and Kusaa in turn, clearly nonplussed by the thought that they had already put so much thought into this. Although the attack felt like forever ago, it had really only been hours. How long had they spent putting this plan together? Leaning on the table, Jamie glanced over the map, comparing it with his mental map of Mossflower. The idea of pulling a coup with such a small group was thrilling and catered very specially to Jamie's maverick tendencies, but this was still very daunting. Especially since in the last few years of his life, he'd become used to planning military strategies as a leader in the Long Patrol, with hundreds of fighters at his disposal.
Oi, the Long Patrol. If they got wind of him pulling a stunt like this, he was toast. At the very least, he'd be demoted, and at the worst? Well, at the worst, he'd be moving to Redwall. The Long Patrol was absolutely the most important thing in his life, and he could ruin it all in one fell swoop... assuming he survived at all. He sat down slowly, thinking through everything. Looking over to Kusaa then, he shook his head a bit. "Let me get this straight... do all of this... just the three of us? You really think that's plausible, huh?"
---------
Tannia looked up as she heard the door opened, then sat up straighter in her chair as Donato walked in. When he walked over, she gave him a little smile, giving him an unsubtle once-over. "Nothing's going on," she replied. "I just came by and told Sister Ernestine to go get some breakfast and I'd watch the nursery for awhile." Watching Donato for a moment, she continued. "I understand if you have some other things to take care of as well, I'll just stay here. Tracy seems to be having fun, anyway."
Hesitating, already pre-empting an argument from Donato, she dropped her voice so the Dibbuns couldn't hear. "Actually Donato, I'm going to stay here either way. I won't tell you to stay or go, but I'm just going to stay here to help." She said it a little bluntly, but not unkindly. There was no reason to treat Donato like a child who didn't understand what was going on... but she still didn't want to offend him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:13 am
::Suddenly, Radaz took that grin again, and the sing-song voice reverted to a normal one once more:: There you are...
Certainly not with the same fire as before... but... as good as nothing... ::He eased off of her, pacing once more, before slowly return pacing with a table that he flung forward with a clatter, throwing down a map on top of it::
You know... I don't even tell my generals what I usually plan...
::He yanked a chair with his paw, falling neatly into it, as he leaned over the table at her, fangs filthy with blood flashing for her:: But for you... my sweet dear...
::He suddenly flung a dirk into the table surface, upon the map of Mossflower, into Redwall, as he seemed to 'hmmm' and 'ah' for a few moments:: You are quite astute... your abbey has nothing I want or wish.
Discovering you inside, however, was an unexpected little gem. ::He continued onwards, a single claw dancing over the tip of the blade handle::
You think too small... Redwall is not an end... but a means to an end...
::He suddenly took a small batch of bones lying rather randomly upon his bedside table, dumping them in two patches, one smaller than the other...::
My army isn't the one you've seen previously - yes, I know you and your friends went... sperlunking, wasn't it? ::He snapped his jaws with another cackle, seemingly not about to reveal how he knew what he did...::
I hope you enjoyed the show... that army... is nothing, hoardes and hoardes of weak, pathetic dregs of vermin scum... purposefully brought together for one thing: fear.
Why do you think I went myself into that Abbey? On both occasions?
You only needed see a glimpse of my power, to imagine what powers lay behind me... ::He cackled:: With a simple spell... all of Redwall now believes they stare down the greatest army ever assembled, and they are TERRIFIED!!!
::His cackling held for a second... and he raised a brow, leaning in slowly as he took his goblet, and slowly held it above the map:: And... what do you suppose... were to happen if the Abbey found itself cornered?
The treasured, beloved Abbey of Redwall... in times of darkness... always could count on their allies, couldn't they? ::He spoke slowly, letting it sink in... before finally, the goblet came down, right atop the mountain of Salamandastron, sloshing blood over it entirely!!!::
The Badgerlord... and the best hares of all the Long Patrol, will come.
They will come, with all the speed and strength as if the Hellsgates were threatening to swallow behind them, straight to the aide of the Abbeybeasts...
Leaving the legendary mountain, guarded by grey-haired hare-fools, housewives and babes... ::His fangs glistened into that grin, as slowly, he took the smaller pile of bones, pushing them slowly towards the blood-stained mountain:: And my real army will ride with me, straight to them...
...What do you think of that, my dear? ::He spoke, right before her face, his foul breath slowly smothering over her... waiting to let every piece of the puzzle fall into place, for her to stand back and see what he'd been planning all along...::
~~~~~~~
Does he really count as one? ::Kusaa simply gestured at Sideswipe::
It's sound enough thinking... ::The badger growled slowly...::
Beyond that, I think we all know as it stands, the Abbey stands no ground for simple armed combat... they will besiege us... and with all the Woodlanders here... we will be unable to last until the Long Patrol reach us.
A single, surgical strike, is all we have to try and remove this threat.
::Her eyes slid to Jamie:: I don't imagine anybeast would be happy to learn of our plan... but I don't mind giving up anything I can to see this end.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:17 pm
Donato shifted uncomfortably as Tannia looked him over - he hadn't looked in a mirror yet, but he didn't doubt he looked pretty much a mess. He was still wearing yesterday's clothes, he hadn't slept last night, and the night before he'd slept in a chair. "Oh. Thanks. I wasn't thinking about how Sister Ernestine'd been on her own since last night until a little while ago, y'know?" Looking out at the playing Dibbuns he asked, "How's Turan?", while he considered taking Tannia up on her offer and going up to his room.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:36 pm
Eula didn't look at Radaz or at the map while the fox spoke. She only looked straight ahead, but was listening to everything the fox said. When he mentioned the Long Patrol, Eula's ear tilted a bit. She'd been thinking of the Patrol a lot lately, waiting for the, wishing they could come faster and aid Redwall. Though surprised that the fox would mention them, she wasn't terribly distraught that he should already know that they called for the Long Patrol's help. What difference did it make? Maybe they lost the element of surprise, but the Long Patrol could still best them. When Radaz went on, however, that was when her confidence dissipated.
Swallowing, she stared at the ceiling and remained silent for a long while, afraid to speak that she might betray her anguish. Redwall being in danger was bad enough; everyone she'd lived with for the past eight years or more... her friends... Donato. But now Radaz was going to attack Salamandastron... attack it when the bulk of the strongest fighters have left it. All the mothers and children that would be left behind... and of course she thought most specifically of her own mother, and her own little brother, both of whom would remain at the mountain when the Long Patrol rushed to aid Redwall.
Taking a slow breath, she only had one question then... Radaz couldn't be sure of Eula's ties with Salamandastron beyond simple speculation. Trying to deny her attachment to Redwall was completely impossible though, so she asked slowly, carefully enunciating her words so her voice wouldn't break. "Then what about Redwall?"
----------
Jamie's paws fisted, bowing his head a bit as he tried to think. Kusaa's suggestion that she would give up anything to pull off the plan did little to sway his decision. Although he knew little, possibly nothing, about the bat, he found it hard to believe she had anything as important in her life as the Long Patrol was to him. Nothing... no place, no event, no person, no relationship would ever be as important to him, because he'd never put so much of himself into anything as he did with the Patrol.
But he sat there, and thought about last night. All the pain that had been caused to an abbey that, as a Long Patroller, he was sworn to help protect. Loosening his paws, he looked up. "Okay, I'll do it."
----------
Tannia continued to watch Donato as he stood there, wondering at how he was even the slightest bit composed right now. At his question though, she frowned a little. How was Turan? Awful, he was doing just awful. But how was he compared to how Donato must be right now? "He'll be all right. He wasn't badly injured," she replied, deferring to Turan's physical wellbeing rather than his emotional.
She sat back in her chair a bit there, smoothing out her clothing. "I promise I won't be offended if you decide to go rest for awhile," she reiterated, eyeing Donato. "I know you didn't get any sleep last night."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:49 am
What about Redwall? ::The Fox spoke in a mock echo of surprise and grief together, his eyes upon her, as if peering right through her...::
::And with a sweep of his hand, he clattered the goblet, sending blood and bones over the map, scattering everything before him, specks of blood and a bone or two flicked past her::
::He switched moods again, purposefully striding forward and tossing the table aside in his path, moving forward to her, and grabbing with a savage strength at her face, clamping her mouth from opening, as he forced her to look upon him...:: When I tear down the fire mountain... when I wipe it off the map, I will create a pit, from which the fire, and darkness will rise and course across the lands!!
And I will ride it, across MossFlower, Redwall, every speck of land, until every beast bows and cowers before me!
~~~~~~~
Then it is agreed. ::Kusaa declared, taking forefront as the mastermind of this plan, looking to both of them aside her.::
Both of you rest, stay as distant from the others as possible and excuse yourselves to your dorms ::She folded her arms just barely under her winged cape:: Or stay here until then as you may wish, you'll both need as much energy as possible for tonight...
::The badger gruffly nodded, but seemed reluctant to move:: Then I stay here, until all is done...
And I have work to be done.
((Fast forward to meeting in Abbey? :3 ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
|
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:35 pm
"Good." He turned back to her and noticed her glance. Forcing a weak grin, he continued quietly, "Actually, if you're sure you don't mind, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a lot."
As he left the nursery, the grin ran away from his face*. He went up to his room and climbed into his still-unmade bed fully clothed. He lay there, unable to sleep and crying quietly every so often before finally drifting off around mid-morning.
He woke up a few hours later, about lunchtime. He rolled out of bed, stretched, and changed into a clean tunic. Next, Donato opened the trunk at the foot of his bed and began rummaging through it. He grasped something long and thin, and pulled it out to reveal an old, sheathed saber. He looked at it for a moment before drawing the blade. Sighing sadly, he sheathed it again and hung it by its handle on a peg beside another bearing his cloak. Then he headed downstairs to look for Turan.
((*I'm sure that I could be a movie star, if I could get out of this place. [Oops!]))
((Sorry for the general lame-ness of the post; I'm kind of groggy because I overslept ridiculously today.))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:14 pm
After Jamie had left the room Kusaa had led him off to, he got lost three times trying to get back to the floor level, which was really an embarrassment considering the veritable maze that was Salamandastron. Coming out around the main abbey, he made his way into Great Hall, where there was only a smattering of Redwallers and Woodlanders picking half-heartedly at their food. Great, the one good thing about Redwall - mealtime - was gone now, too. Not even able to bear the company of the moping creatures in the hall, he grabbed a bowl of porridge, a spoon and an apple and left.
Just between the end of his discussion - could it really be called a discussion? - with Kusaa and getting breakfast, he must've changed his mind on the plan at least half a dozen times. The coup was not only putting his career in jeopardy, but his life. And for what? Why do something so risky when they could just wait for the aid of the Long Patrol? They would be much more successful at dispatching the vermin.
Getting to his room, he bit into the apple, holding it in his teeth to free up a paw and open the door. Dropping into a chair in the small room, he ate his breakfast as he continued thinking, his thought process now swinging in the other direction...
Somehow the fox had found a weakness in the abbey's defense. He had snuck in and killed three creatures and left a fourth - a child - unconscious. He'd done all that by himself, how much worse would it be if his massive horde had assisted him? And there was no way to assure he wouldn't do it again, since no one even knew how he got in. Setting down his bowl, he groaned and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. Well, if he really was going through with the dangerous plan tonight, he needed some rest. Leaving the apple core inside the empty bowl on a sidetable, he stood and undid hit belt. Undoing the scabbard that held his saber, he set the belt on the chair and set the scabbard up against the wall by the bed before climbing into the bed and attempting to get some sleep.
----------
Turan had agreed to hold a meeting in Cavern Hole after lunch. Most of the clean-up had finished by mealtime, but even then the normally voracious Redwallers still only picked disinterestedly at their food for the most part. The Woodlanders seemed to have a bit more of an appetite though. Sitting in Great Hall with his own practically untouched meal before him, Turan spent most of his mealtime looking around at the others, watching as a few of those he knew would be at the meeting leave for Cavern Hole. He knew he'd be the last to arrive, but was still reluctant to go. He still had no idea what to tell them!
Finally, he pushed away from the table and walked slowly out and around to Cavern Hole. As he tried to figure out how slow he could reasonably move, he saw Donato walking by. Hesitating, he looked over at the younger hare, frowning. Although not having any idea what he could possibly say to him, he felt avoiding Donato would be a lot worse. Not knowing that Donato was looking for him, Turan walked over and intercepted him.
"Hey Donato," Turan started to get his attention. "Are... are you all right?" he asked quietly. He knew how hollow the question was, knew Donato could have never real answer to it, but Turan had to say something. He had to check on Donato some way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
|
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:10 pm
Donato shrugged and spoke quietly. "How about you? I was just looking for you." He paused, looking at his feet for a moment. Then, "I've been thinking.... I think I should- If there's anything you can do with me, I'd like to help with... this." He gestured vaguely, then corrected himself. "With the fighting, I mean."
((This Met game better not get called because of the rain right now, guys.))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:18 pm
Turan looked at Donato for a moment, then shook his head briefly. "I'll be fine..." he replied slowly. Looking past the younger hare briefly to the door that led down to Cavern Hole, he tried not to think about the group he'd be facing; more so the ones that should be there but wouldn't.
He turned back to Donato when he said he'd been looking for him. Hearing Donato out, Turan frowned a bit in thought. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. Still. Although he felt hesitant about letting Donato go to battle for a number of reasons, he couldn't really deny the hare his chance to fight. "I... well... of course Donato. That's your decision to make." Looking past him again, he nodded toward Cavern Hole. "We're having a meeting now, actually. Do you want to come?" He gestured vaguely past Donato, inviting him to come along.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
|
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:03 pm
Donato noticed Turan's hesitation, and he wasn't at all surprised. What was the last time anyone in this Abbey had seen him with a weapon in his hand? What did surprise him was Turan's approval - he'd expected a bit of argument, somewhere along the lines of, You haven't handled a sword since you were 15. Do you think I want to see you maim some poor, innocent Redwaller? "Really?" He thought for a moment. Tannia had offered to help in the nursery for a while, even if this probably wasn't what she had in mind when she sent him off. It wasn't long after noon now. He'd have time to get back upstairs to help feed the Dibbuns and put them to bed. The back of his mind went on - then he could go to bed and just be asleep and not do... anything for at least eight hours. He chose to look forward to that and not consider how miserable it would be to lie awake all night thinking. ...Hey! Conversation!. "Yes. Please."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:53 pm
Turan watched Donato as he stood there thinking. Nodding at his decision to join them at the meeting, he held a paw forward a bit to invite the younger hare ahead of him toward Cavern Hole. Putting a paw on Donato's shoulder as they turned and walked toward the Cavern Hole door, he gave a sympathetic squeeze. It was all he could just now. What else could he do? There was nothing he could possibly say right now that would make Donato feel better. Anything that came to mind he knew would just sound forced and empty. He just wanted the other hare to know he was there, and was thinking of him.
Going down into Cavern Hole then where the others were already assembled, he looked around. It felt so empty. Eula and Whisper, his most vocal participants in these meetings, were both missing. And although it was for a considerably less dismal reason, Tannia was also absent. While part of him liked that she wasn't part of this, a bigger part of him missed having her at his side, especially just now. Walking up to the head of the table in the middle of the room, he looked around. Without any words of wisdom of encouragement, he could only start stiffly and blankly. "Thank you for coming."
Although he'd been advised to get some sleep before tonight's coup, Jamie couldn't be kept away from this meeting. First of all, he felt his opinion on all of this was pretty important, even if he was about to go through with a plan without any of their knowledge. He also could hardly be expected to miss anything as momentous as this council. It also seemed that the Redwallers expected him to be a kind of delegate for the Long Patrol, as all the major groups of the general Mossflower area were bring represented here.
Sitting there and tilting his chair back idly, he waited for Turan like everyone else. Long grey ears lifting as he finally heard footsteps descending into the room, he looked up, surprised to see Donato walking down as well. Although surprised and wondering why he would come, he didn't really feel any ill will toward the other hare. He had far too much on his mind to even bother with him now. Despite the hostile words he'd spat at Donato earlier, the events since then all but pushed his anger from all of that aside. Now he was just indifferent; what did it matter to him what Donato did to waste his time?
Castor was sitting over on the hearth, poking a bit at a fire he was trying to get going. Even though it was the middle of the day, it was still rather cold outside, and even more so down in the dark, underground room. The small glowing fire did little to light the dim room and nothing to brighten the dark mood. Pushing another small log onto the fire just as Turan entered the room, he then stood and walked around, dropping heavily into his place back at the table.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:50 am
::The room felt so empty indeed... as Jasmine swept her eyes over them... Whisper and Eula... were without mention... but also... Kusaa and Sideswipe, she narrowed her eyes at their empty chairs... wherever the two had went, she made a silent curse that regarded the questionable sanity of their collective ancestries, and turned herself back to the others...::
: biggrin ux, for once, looked awkward here, no boisterous cries or laughs or cockamamie long patrol accents... she just sat there, looking rather like the eyes fell upon her... as the woodlander representative... and what she thought, a helpful paw in the abbey matters...::
::Rosa, for once was here, with Antoine and Azrielle with Tannia for the moment she had came, after all, there was little as important a meeting as this, as she sat with stony-faced regard, waiting for Castor to return aside her from the fire, nodding slowly to him with some small attempt of a smile...::
::And new faces... a shrew sat- or rather, stood upon his chair, the spiky-furred Logalog stood there in full view thankfully, her arms crossed as she watched on, ready with a gaggle of three guosim standing just over the tables view around her chair, murmuring and preparing debate and ready argument!::
::And finally, Faith was there, of course, helping herself to a seat as quick as possible, trying not to impose anybeast by saying any need of help to get up, drawing herself close, staff across her lap...::
::She took her deep breath, as she nodded to Turan for his welcome to them:: ...I'm sure everybeast here knows more than all they need of the events last night...
We lost friends, and Radaz breached the walls by himself alone, coming to strike, and then vanish again back to his hoarde.
The question now- ::She looked around, resigning herself to her own helplessness of the subject:: -is what do we do now?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:59 pm
As he descended the steps to Cavern Hole, Donato tried to tell himself that this was nothing new - he'd come to such meetings before. But he knew that he couldn't remember the last time he'd come to one intending to take an active part in whatever plans were made. He tried not to meet anyone's eyes, afraid of what he would find there - neither pity nor disapproval was welcome; the one would crack the facade of numb calm on which he hoped to get through the day, and the other might make him fly back up the stairs to the nursery. He was afraid sympathy would do that, too - this looked like he wanted vengeance, and knowing glances would be revolting. I'll keep my head down, do what I have to do, and just.... He didn't know after that. Don't think about it.
He took a seat at an emptier part of the table, near the corner. Heaven knew there were enough vacant seats not to make that a problem. He looked at Turan and Faith in turn as each spoke, then waited to hear what came next.
((If I start getting to emo, let me know and I'll stop listening to the Goo Goo Dolls while posting. redface ))
((Edit: *too))
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jen the Quiet Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:22 pm
Turan stood there before them, looking to them all, watching how they watched him. He was sure he would know how to handle this under different circumstances... he knew planning would be easier if three creatures hadn't been killed inside their own walls. How did he tell them they could be safe inside Redwall after that? Maybe if he had even an idea how the fox had gotten in...
"A few of us have seen the size of Radaz's horde," the hare started slowly, looking to Dux, Jamie. "Skill and defenses aside, we simply don't have the numbers to face them." Pausing to let that expected tidbit to sink in, he continued. "You all know we've asked for the help of the Long Patrol. And the Gousim has arrived already. Thank you," he nodded at the Log-a-Log then.
One of the shrews standing at the table looked like he couldn't quite decide whether to cross his arms, let them hang loose at his sides, or set them on the table before him. So he shifted between these different positions, looking uncomfortable being there in general, as if he were very itchy and staying still wasn't at all acceptable. At random intervals, he'd pace away from the table, then walk back. He always paced toward the staircase before returning to the table, and would flick his gaze at the ceiling at times as if startled by some noise above them only he could hear.
Pacing back to the table now after one of his random excursions to the staircase, he adjusted the bright blue headband that wrapped around his spiky headfur, also seeming unsure exactly how he wanted it positioned. While looking more than a little spastic, he had a capable look to him; he had a naturally intense expression, hooded eyes giving him a pensive look, though his pacing with it made him seem more paranoid than anything. Shoved unceremoniously on his hip was a short rapier that thankfully looked like the one thing that he didn't feel the need to keep reaching for and readjusting.
Turan didn't hide how fascinated he appeared by the shifty Guosim shrew, but finally tore his gaze away to look back at the others. "The only thing we can do, and I'm sure you all understand, is to keep ourselves safe inside Redwall. I don't know how Radaz got in, but we need to drastically raise the number of guards we have around the abbey. Not just on the walltop, but at any and every entrance, and also stationed all about the grounds. Each guard will be within eyesight of at least one other guard. I know this sounds difficult, but with our Woodland guests, we have the numbers to pull it off. Unfortunately to pull it off, we'll have to increase the length of the shifts."
Jamie sat there in silence, watching the shrew with a baffled look on his face. When Turan started speaking though, he gave the older hare his attention. Ah, waiting for the Long Patrol. Well, there was a smart idea if ever he heard one. He lifted his paw a bit to make a comment. "In the Patrol, if we have more'n one soldier on watch, we have them shift posts every hour. It sounds a little excessive, but the time goes by real slow. So I suggest you set a schedule where everyone switches shifts every hour. Even if you just make it clockwise, a small move makes a big difference keeping everyone awake. Also... an' this sounds strange I know, but sometime halfway to three quarters o' the way through their shift, give 'em all an apple." He didn't really explain the idea behind that one, but he seemed rather sure of himself.
Turan nodded. " Thank you Jamie." Hesitating, he asked. "So what do you think, a fortnight for the Long Patrol to arrive?"
Jamie nodded immediately. "I bet it'll be two weeks t'the day. However, they'll send a few runners ahead o' the lot. Not that they'll be much help, but it's standard procedure."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
