Trouble On The Road, But Marek is not involved(Redemption of Marek TP)

RW Abbey: Badger Mother's Room

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The room you enter is rather neat and almost spartanly furnished, quite a visual contrast if you entered from the cluttered Dibbun's room adjacent.  The warm red of the sandstone walls is the primary motif, broken in only a few places.  There's a small leaded glass window for light, a bed (rather massive, which might give one a hint at it's occupant) with a coverlet of brightly dyed and woven cloth and a small table with a chair; this is holding a small pile of books and papers, a candle in it's holder and a couple odd Dibbun toys that ended up there somehow.  The only real ornament in the room is a middle sized, carefully framed parchment: a charcoal and ink drawing of some group or family of badgers.

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Exits: [Hall]way, [D]ibbuns' [A]rea

Oz looks to be getting ready to go somewhere as he has his staff and traveling cloak on, as well as a couple other things he slips into a pocket he has.

Leon knocks on the door and waits for a response

Oz tilts his head as he speaks, “Enter, I was on my way out, just a short trip to help someone feel better and have less worry. Shouldn’t be out too long and I do need to get outside the abbey once in a while.”

Leon enters and looks around the room before looking at Oz, “Trip? Where to? I was going to Ferravale to get more hot root since it was my daughter that caused the abbey to be out of it now and Ferravale is the closest place that has it now since the market is closed in winter season. Maybe we both can go and you mentioned feeling better, is someone ill?”

Oz answers, “Maybe I will tag along, My Uncle..well mine and Zork’s, was heading to Ferravale and was supposed to send word he arrived as soon as he got there and he has not sent anything and he is one that if he says as soon as he gets there, he literally means as soon as he gets there and Zork is concerned, as am I so I thought I see if he made it and maybe forgot, though that’s rare for him to forget something like that and it would be good to have company” He then adds “And Sister Jenn is watching the dibbuns till I return”

Leon adjusts his healers pack and nods “Alright lets head out, this way we can get there by lunch hour, if needed stay the night if we are there too long and leave in the morning and get back here by noon tomorrow”

The two head off very shortly after breakfast and head to Ferravale and most of the way it’s a nice peaceful walk as its sunny out. Some snow is around but it’s not too terribly cold out, yes it’s cold but not like danger zone cold till probably well into nightfall and this is morning hours.

Walking along the road and maybe the woods a little bit on the way to Ferravale

Leon walks along as he looks back and forth, “Well one good thing, not many beasts travel in the winter along the roads and it’s still cold yet for any trouble”

Oz nods as he walks beside Leon, “This is true but it is also oddly quiet now as before birds were tweeting some.”

Leon hasn’t noticed really, “Not noticed” He said quietly, “ Then you seem to hear a lot better than most beasts.”

Oz hmms and suddenly falls flat on his face on the path, he feels along the ground and finds a long large staff and feels it as he frowns, “Leon..do you recognize this?” He asks and holds it out after slowing standing.

Leon gets closer and frowns , “Zee’s staff..”

Coldcalw is off to the side on a path not too far away, along with a weasel and rat.

The archer cat, know as Bo is behind a tree and his keen eye sight catches the woodlanders walking along, but he doesn’t go for an arrow he just watches them for now.

Oz nods to Leon and listens, he also smells the air and frowns, “Yes and my sense of smell is more in tune as well and we may not be so alone as we think we are Brother Leon, we may have unwanted company soon”

Leon dislike the frown Oz has and slips out a dagger he keeps with him, “Great just what we don’t need but we are close to Ferravale anyways, so that’s good.”

Coldclaw watches the badger and mouse as one of the rats speak, “It’s a badger..” He is suddenly slaps as Coldclaw mutters “I am not blind ya fool now quiet”

The archer rolls his eyes as he watches the rat and weasel argue between themselves and looks at Leon and Oz as he fiddles with an arrow getting ready to fire it if needed.

Oz gets a tighter grip on his staff as he stops and lays a paw on Leon’s shoulder getting close to whisper, “We need to try to head to the river and carefully head to Ferravale that way, If I remember it leads to the mill, the mill is by the river as it needs the river to power it. We could go into Ferravale that way and avoid the unwanted company and the river is just up ahead” He pulses as he listens and he already has the scents “A rat and a couple weasels..maybe a cat but not a cat we know and there is only 3 beasts on the ground the other is not and that can’t be good, it means they are in a tree”

Coldclaw draws forth his twin blades as he steps into view, “How many badgers are in this woods, then only one concerns me and wonder if your related somehow stripedog?”

Leon spins around to see the weasel and folds his arms over his chest, “That’s not the best thing to call a badger.” He notices the blades, and the other weasel and rat, “I highly suggest you leave us alone, this close to Ferravale it’s not wise to stir up trouble”

Coldclaw smirks “Too late for that I like trouble.” The rat and other weasel stay close by him and the hidden archer cat in the tree watches as well.

Oz takes a defense stand and listens to where the beasts are and remains somewhat calm, but a little uneasy not knowing where the cat is.

Leon keeps an eye on the group, “Look we are beasts of Redwall, so let us pass”

Coldclaw chuckles and as he studies Oz a grin starts to form on his muzzle “A blind stripedog, what fun..” He snaps his fingers for the other beasts to surround them, “Redwallers you say..sounds like a way to get gold to me..attack”

The weasel and two rats go to attack the two, the cat aims the arrow and waits for any sign to fire.

Oz is prepared and listens, sidestepping once and spins the staff, he hits the rat in the chest and the weasel he goes to trip if he is hearing right the weasel is very close and foolishly charging, he also makes sure he knows where Coldclaw is.

Leon is not much of a fighter but can use a dagger for self-defense if he has to.

The rat has the breath knocked from him and oofs softly and the weasel gets tripped and his head hits a rock and he is out cold. The archer aims and fires his arrow at the badger seeing him as a much more threatening target

Coldclaw goes to get near the mouse as he takes out his sword “Last words? Or you could give up and we return you to your abbey…well for lots and lots of gold that is”

Oz hears the arrow and sidesteps, but he doesn’t totally avoid it as it slices across his leg and he lets out a yelp of pain, he goes to limp to where Leon and Coldclaw is swing his staff at the weasel in front of Leon, hoping it hits the weasel and hopefully not Leon.

Leon keeps a good grip on the dagger, it’s fairly easy to see he only has one paw, the other is missing.

Coldclaw laughs, “This is laughable a one pawed mouse and a blind stripedog “ The laugh is short lived as the staff connects and the weasel slumps to the ground unconcious..yeah that will leave a good mark and a headache and one very peeved off weasel when he wakes up.

The archer goes to try and get another arrow and this time a poison one and fires it at Oz.

Leon eyes widen as he sees the staff connect and looks at Oz..”Whoa..You’re good with that staff or very very lucky”

Oz doesn’t answer as he scoops up Leon and barely avoids the arrow that thuds into the tree that Leon and Oz were just in front of. He goes to the sound of the river and then follows it to Ferravale, till he finally stops and puts Leon down and pants, his leg hurts so he has to stop, luckily this arrow was a normal arrow.

Leon frowns and checks Oz over for any wounds and takes his pulse, he checks his breathing as well. “Ok I think Ferrvale is best, we need to tell Scioto of this, and those bandits may be why Zee is missing but let’s not jump to conclusion just yet.”

Oz nods as he lets Leon check him, his pulse and breathing. They are fine and seem just normal for one whom is out of breath only. His leg right above the knee has a cut from an arrow, the one fired before the one from the tree. Looks like it brushed against him so it’s not too deep but should be bandaged still.

Leon gets out some herbs for infection and swelling and uses some water he has with him to clean the wound before applying herbs and bandages it, “Let’s get to Ferravale.”

Oz nods “Agreed”

FV:Tavern

Outside a sign swings on a rusty creaking frame above the doorway of the tavern depicting a faded painting of what appears to be three rather rich looking skeletons slumped over a table around a black chalice, perhaps such a thing could be taken as a warning but it doesn't appear to work on the locals. The noise within on a normal day is usually heard before the door is even opened and only rises in volume when one actually steps inside.

There are the typical qualities of a tavern within, from the bar to the chairs and booths and the odd drunk who never seems to move it's the little details which encourage a patron to pay his tab if he likes his fingers. One look at some of the staff or customers might give the impression but the room is decorated to the fiercer tastes with bones, mostly skulls cropping up here and there to fill a gap on a shelf or decorating the walls above the doorways, fireplace and bar, a pair of axes joining the one over the fire with some signs that they've been yanked off to join in a fight a couple of times. Some of the comfier chairs are lined with fur and very rarely one might be found with a few pointed bits of bone to decorate the back. Despite the looks there is entertainment and fun to be had, some form of music usually played on a small stage in the corner and at least one bouncer usually tries to keep the peace while beasts gamble, drink and be merry.

A small door behind the bar leads out the back to the kitchen and cellars while one wall has been opened up in a wide arch to increase the space off into the next room where what seems to be a wooden fence with gates on either end has been set up as a fighting pit as further entertainment and something to bet over.

Exits: [UP] Stairs, [K]itchen, [F]ighting [P]it, [Out]

With:

The two get to Ferravale and enter the tavern, looking toward the front the see what looks like one very familiar beast or so they think. They go closer to investigate.

Oz is using Zee's staff as a sort of better support right now as he starts to head up to the front of the tavern, he doesn’t need to see Marek to know he is here, he has his sense of smell . Beasts watch as he heads up front and stops beside Marek, "Marek? What are you doing here?"

Leon follows Oz and stands beside him and waits for a reply, the day has already been annoying enough so far.

Marek is indeed there, sitting at one of the tables with an in front of him and a book, he marks his place in the book and neatly folds a pair of spectacles he had on in a breast pocket on his now rather plain tunic. "Reading a book, Mr. Oz. That was, until you and Mr. Leon rudely interrupted. I'd ask what you were doing here, but I'm hardly of any right to ask that question as surely my presence in the more odd"

Scioto enters about now and dismisses a guard as he sees the Redwallers he walks over with an eyebrow arched.

Oz answers as he holds out the large staff," The beast that owns this is missing, also there seems to be a couple beasts on the road that are being troublesome would you have anything to do with that?"

Leon sits down, too much walking “The beast name is Zee a really old badger and that’s a good question why are you back in Mossflower Marek and walking freely around Ferrvale" He looks at Scioto for this reply.

Marek raises an eyebrow, clearly confused as to the nature of Oz and Leon's presence, much less their question. "Who is Zee?"

Scioto folds his arms as he answers, "Its..a rather long story, one for later I am glad you are here I don’t have to walk to the abbey or wait on others, rather you care or not I have a message about the squirrel Oak"

Leon shakes his head, "A friend now what do you know.." He stops curious now. "what about Oak?"

Oz listens as Marek speaks, noticeing the tone of voice and the fact he isn’t moving just sitting as he blinks leaning the large staff by the table" He doesn’t know anything" He says calmly.

Marek sighs. "I suppose I will not be able to return to my book tonight" He raises a paw. "Zaram, get us drinks, this going to take some time" As the mole does so, Marek tells them. "Oak is DEAD, Mr. Leon"

Leon blinks "Oak is..how? When? And how do you know did you see him and this has nothing to do with our missing friend or whoever those beasts are close to the river. We found Zee's staff and he wouldn’t be without it so we know he is in some sort of trouble"

Scioto nods "I can confirm this as we found him on the road with an arrow in his throat, I did not know what to do with him and we were closer to Ferrvale, he had no family I knew of so he was buried in the Ferrvale graveyard..some of his stuff was kept in a box in my office or least what he had with him at the time"

Oz looks at a bandage on his leg as he looks at the others "I think I will get some rest.."

The chieftain nods "You and Leon can have a room at the Inn, I will make sure the innkeeper knows he will get the pay form me later."

Oz nods to this and heads on over to the inn.

Scioto now pays attention to Leon and Marek as they talk.

Marek stands “I think Mr. Oz has the right idea Mr. Leon, sleep. It is night and we all can better talk in the morning good eve..Zaram.” The mole nods and follows Marek upstairs.

Leon frowns but decides sleep is good so he heads to the room he and Oz have at the Inn.

Scioto starts to say something and sighs, he watches Marek and the mole head to the room upstairs, the mouse and badger leave and so he gets himself ale and takes a long drink from the mug, “Great..” He mutters.