9.14.10 - Redwall MP Final Battle

Location: Mossflower, near Camp Willow

Characters Involved: Flicktail, Darcy, Bradge, Hactor, Zoe Lang, Vlen, Drago, lots of woodlanders and vermin.

The morning was chill, as summer had now began to show sighnes of fall. The wind blew widley causing the leaves to ster. It also caused the black, war banners of the Fox Lord's army to twerl in abandon on their pike ends. The army was at the moment at rest as Hactor stood deep in thought. Clad in silver armor, and wearing a long red cloak the old warlord was truley back in his element.. The Battlefield! He knew his enemy had probably struck a coarse North, and he was eager and yet strangley weary to follow. After a long moment he turned back to face his army, which now stod in ferm attention. He said loudly, "Today...We haed North to fanquish this so-called army that would appose us. There shall be no quarter!" At this the army stamped their feet, and clanged there swords and pikes together. Hactor raised his paw for silence, then turned saying, "We unleash the fury of Hellgates. Anward to Victory!" And with that the force beagn to march Northward unaware they where being watched...

Snotnose smiles walking among near Hactor's command group....clothed in his dark cloak...marching along, fortunately his paws and footpaws are naturally black... He moves along....every so often he takes a small sack of baubles and tosses it into the air and catches it, a signal to the Sparra army

Vlen watches the road and hears the swords, the clanking. Then, a sparrow lands behind the lines, saluting with his wing. "Gen. Vlen sir!" he says. "Hactor and his forces are moving north!" Vlen nods, returning the salute. "Inform the 2nd and 3rd Brigades on the West side of the field, tell Col. Zoe_Lang that we march north to meet him, double time!" The sparrow leaps up flying off to inform the Coalation on that side of the field. The mouse looks to someone else and smirks. "Slight change in plans." Then he looks to Drago. "Colonel, have your men march a straight line at double-pace! When we see the enemy, form a line of battle!" Slowly, he nods. "It looks like Redwall Abbey shall be heard from today."

The ferret is with his men, his arm out of its sling and resting at his side as he looks around. He blinks a bit and looks towards Vlen, nodding at him. "Aye Sir." he nods before motioning to his soldiers behind him. "Move out!" he calls out loudly, his paw on his sword as he starts off, marching double time as ordered. He gives a look at others he knows as he passes, knowing he might not see some of them again.

Thrush looks a little bewildered. Turning to Vlen, he says, "What is going on here?"

Darcy is trailing some distance behind the rear end of the vermin horde, not making much attempt to stay out of view - just sticking to the edge of the road. Every few steps she kicks a pebble ahead of her.

Pedat was unseen by both sides, moving like a leaf in the breeze unnoticed by the rest of the forest, the Highlander shifted silently through the trees, all eyes and ears, calloused paw shifting occasionally on the rough shaft of a thick spear clenched tight.

Flicktail posing at snotnose stays alone in the center of the Vermin horde, knowing a lack of leaders will throw them into disarray, he has 2 or 3 verminous species who have aided him but it is very small...he directs the armies with secret signals poised to attack the leadership when the main force attacks

Vlen runs forward as he calls over his shoulder, "Stay alongside your unit, Colonel!" Then the mouse reaches the front of the lines, unsheathing his sword, moving at the double time on the road with his sword aimed forward. Coming alongside them, also moving at double time speed, are the 2nd and 3rd Brigades, the Long Patrol and Southsward, meeting up with the Army of Northern Mossflower, both forces combining, their leaders likewise moving their troops forward.

Drago doesn't plan on leaving them. He marches on ahead of his group, the beasts behind him keeping up, his eye moving everywhere it can while keeping his head still to try to make it look like he's not really paying attention. The ferret takes a deep breath and looks over his shoulder to make sure everyone is keeping up.

Thrush finds himself in the midst of woodlanders! He looks over his shoulder, and, being bumped to and fro, tries to make a bee-line for the edge of the horde of woodlanders. "Excuse me, pardon me."

soon what looks to be a rag tage group of camp willow otters appear as if trying to make aline of battle to resistthe invaders, they are understrength and look like village bumpkins

Hactor holts his troops, and sniffs the air gitting a wicked grinas he does so. He then motioned for his two captians to step forward. The captains looked nervously from one another and steped forward. Hactor said eyeing the horizon, "Two of you shall stay here, and wait for my signal, which will be a trumpet blast. I will go ahead with a small amjority of the army. Once I sound the blast one of you shall move forward and meet me. The other shal charge there left flank in the woods. Understood?" The captains agve a chest salute, and whent to there posts.

Bradge had, just hours ago, delivered his early retirement from the Army of Northern Mossflower. Similarly to Pedat, he's running more of a rogue operation, acting more on his own and deciding to jump in when he can help most-- And that's when he sees Darcy. Without drawing too much attention to himself, the otter, clothed in his Novice habit but still wielding axe and shield, runs up to fall into stride alongside Darcy. "...What're you doin', Darce?"

Darcy starts slightly as Bradge comes up next to her, and turns her face up to grin at the big otter. "I'm deciding how best to take on a huge swarm of vermin all on my own," she responds with a gesture ahead of her. "Wanna help? It'll be /fun/."

"Shouldn't ya be--" Bradge cuts himself off, shaking his head. "...Aye. Got yaself a weapon?" he practically whispers as he jogs alongside the hare, looking very unlike himself armed and running towards the impending melee.

Flicktail stays near hactor and his commanders, the ones with Hactor, but signals with a "poisioned dagger" flashing in the sun for the army to hold it's attack untill the main rush at the left flank

Pedat settled down into a crouch on a treebranch, hidden the shadows as blue eyes quietly watched the scenario; just waiting.

Thrush stumbles and bumps into the tree that Pedat is in.

The large combined forces, one massive army, continues as a scout, a squirrel, runs up to them. "Just ahead, the horde's just ahead!" Vlen nods then turns around, holding up his sword. "HALT! FORM LINE OF BATTLE!" The LP hares shout the order, as do the Southswards. The straight lines now, quickly, go from being straight lines to being lines stretched out across the road, various rows now forming, the Long Patrol and Southsward, forming the 2nd and 3rd Brigades, holding the most soldiers. Vlen moves forward, looking across the road. "PREPARE WEAPONS!" Beast after beast down the massive lines begin unsheathing their swords, daggers, bows and arrows, pikes, any weapons the various military beasts have with them. They're ready to charge.

Hactor stands and stares at the large force, he grins and mumbles, "How fun. They are preparing to charge." He then sounded three blasts from his trumpet, and a large legion suddenly appeared and merged with his ranks. His army now seemed an equal match for the coalition. Meenwhile the other army was preparing in the woods nearby.

Drago blinks as he hears the order far off, and he too shouts the same order to his own unit, each beast lining up quickly, drawing their swords. He slowly pulls his sword from its sheath before taking a deep breath, giving it a squeeze. "Here's to victory" he whispers to himself.

Darcy gestures to the dirk on her hip, in answer to Bradge's question. She pauses walking for a moment, hearing the shouting, and glances behind her; she and Bradge are sort of... in between the two forces. "Hm. I actually don't /need/ the backup.. maybe I should have a word with whoever's in charge," she says to Bradge.

Hactor unshethed his own black, blade and a sudden gust of wind caused his mane, and cloak to flurl wildly, almost making him appear supernatural. He then yelled in a loud voice, horse from the ages, "ATACK!! KILL KILL!" And like a damn that has sudenlly byrst, the vermin army rushed forth like a swarm of locusts.

"...Reckon we need ta head over towards the flank. If'n I ain't mistaken, the Long Patrol should be over this way," Bradge murmurs, preparing his shield and axe, getting them at the ready. "...Martin protect all of us," he mutters under his breath, jaw slightly quivering. And-- the vermin charge. Bradge hunkers, steeling himself. "...Here they come."

General Flictail throws off his Cloak, right near Hactor he draws "I am that Is" raising it high he gives a signal to the combined forces "REDWALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!" slicing down at one of Hactor's Captians, trying to get to Hactor

Flicktail is now a Bright white fox in the center of hactor's formations

"But. But my single-handed vermin-vanquishing," Darcy faux-pouts, and tugs her dirk from her belt. "Maybe I shouldn't have worn a skirt today."

Vlen sees the oncoming hordebeasts, then holds up his sword, not able to see Bradge or Darcy, but knowing Bradge is out here, somewhere in this mess. "FOR MOSSFLOWER!" he yells. "FOR REDWALL! FOR SALAMANDASTRON! FOR SOUTHSWARD! FOR CAMP WILLOW! FOR! MOSSFLOWER! READY!" The army returns the yell of their various commanders, "READY!" Vlen looks at the line, then runs, his sword aimed forward, "CHARGE!" The massive coalation of various armies move forward just as Flicktail says what he says, a defening yell from the military as they move forward to meet Hactor's army.

Hactor turns gritting his teeth in anger and surprise, as the rest of his troops charge past him. He knocks one hapless soldier to the ground, as he charges now at Flicktail. Pure rage guiding his blade he aims to lunge at the whit Champion of Redwall.

the Sparra army dive bombs with rocks and spears from above

Drago takes another deep breath. "Here we go." he pauses a moment, deciding weather or not to say something almost heroic, like -if we die, we die together- or something like that. But he decides not to as he, and his group charge at the oncoming vermin, his sword up, and ready to come crashing down on whatever beast reaches him first.

Some of the vermin fall to the rocks, and spears falling from the sky, but they keep on the advance, and soon both armies collide like a tidal wave hitting agains a sharp rock!

Bradge rather smartly lets the Coalition catch up with him a little before he charges, and as the army of Hactor gets near, he lowers his shoulder and swings in a wide arc with his shield, denting a rat's head and knocking over a ferret, who is soon felled with a downward-arcing strike from the otter's axe.

Vlen runs forward, and soon, the armies are in battle. MMassive yelling and clanging of various weapons colliding as the two armies fight with each other, though the vermin are being attacked now both at their front and their backs! "ATTACK YOU MOSSFLOWERIANS! ATTACK YOU BRAVE REDWALLERS!" Vlen yells out as he snarls, slashing at beasts as they slash back, no doubt the Long Patrol and Southswards doing the same.

Darcy is a few steps ahead of Bradge, and the first sword that's swung at her, the small doe ducks entirely. A moment later she manages to stab another beast in the hip. "Bradge!" she calls out, "We need a warcry! .. a good one!"

Flicktail's sword meets with Hactors with a resounding ring, the Champion;'s arm having grown quite strong his blade faster is quicker...but the champion has to deal with the vermin around him...yepling as a dagger pierces his flank, insted of a counterstrike on Hactor he must perry pivioting to take off the vermin with the daggers head

Drago crashes his blade down on some poor weasel's shoulder, knocking him aside as he starts to defend himself rather than attack outright, the ferret blocking a few lunges with spears and swords, only to manage to take off one of the paws off of the attacking vermin, knocking him with the hilt of his sword before slicing at a fellow ferret.

The Patrol meets the oncoming vermin as firmly and efficiently as one could expect from a well-trained fighting force. What may not be expected is that Zoe is actually participating in the battle. Someone ought to tie her into a wheelchair, already! All the same, she seems to be showing herself well, dispatching vermin cleanly and neatly as she pivots and twists and cuts into the line alongside her hares.

Hactor as he lunges narowley misses Flicktail. But like the Hero he to has to contend with enemy troops. A young squirrlel atacks him with a shortsword, grazing the leaders arm. Hactor however recovers quickly and uses his own blade to deflect the squirrels. Then in the quickest flourish the squirrel lays dead, and Hactor continues his advance on Flicktail.

"A warcry?" Bradge cries out, incredulously, ducking a swipe and swiping his own, digging an axeblade into the midsection of another rat while deflecting a spear strike with his shield. "What do y-" He can't finish that sentiment as he's defending against that spearbeast, the polearm backing the otter off as he somehow manages to deflect and dodge an expert flurry.

Flicktail spins back his hilt dlying at Hactor's muzzle as the fox cannot get the blade itself around in time...but of he connects he will try to twist his rist so the blade may sever hactors ear on the down cut

"A /warcry/!" Darcy reiterates. She's doing more ducking and dodging than blocking, what with her small weapon and small size. Something grazes her upper arm, making her slightly hiss, then she finishes after stabbing a nearby ferret, "We're warriors today, aren't we? We need to act the part! ... oh hey look it's Zoe."

TThe vermin army now begins to weaken, many of them crying out as their comrades fall, on one side the Camp Willow otters attacking alongisde many Redwallers, and on the other side of them, The Army of Northern Mossflower, the Long Patrol, and Southsward. Vlen smiles a bit as the vermin begin to flee back. "If only you were here Compest," he whispers gently, then stands straight, watching, and only watching as a group of vermin come running to him, thinking he's surrendering. Just as they arrive, the mouse slashes his sword at them. In the meantime, a nearby Colonel, a hare, takes note. "There is Gen. Vlen, standing like a stone wall! Let us determine to die here and we shall conquer!" The akward battlecry recieves a huge hoorah, and the group pushes forward, attacking the vermin.

The blade does as Flicktail wishes, and connect with the older foxe's ear, severing half of it. Hactor yelsp in pain and clutches at his ear. He then stares needles at Flicktail with his good eye and roars, "Well Champion..That's one for you, and now..." he charged ready to slice or block.

Drago lets out a loud yelp as a dagger embeds itself in his bad shoulder, the ferret dropping down to a knee as he slashes upward, taking out the beast who just shoved a dagger in him. He pulls it out and tosses it to the ground as he blocks another attack, sidestepping and kicking him over.

Flicktail moves to parry but as he does so, another vermin wins a morning star, connecting with the champion's unprotected left arm, it aquired a new "joint' as Flicktail howls...spinning and leaving his upper right sholder open to hactor's Assault, the Woodlander Army see's Flicktail go to one knee in the center of a knot of Vermin

Somehow, Bradge lucks out, and the spear he's being attacked with shatters at the hilt. The vermin looks bewildered, and then very dead, as Bradge cuts his axe cleanly into the meat of the vermin's shoulder, digging in and looking as if it breaks the collarbone. "Well then come up with one!" He shouts back to Darcy, bashing a weasel's head with his shield and swinging in a wide arc that falls just short of a parrying rat. "...Hraaaaaaaaaaagh!" Bradge muscles that shield in the way of the rat's rapier, knocking it free of the vermin's grasp and leaving him grasping his paw, the otter swinging that axe back the other way. Then, suddenly, he sees Flicktail go down. "...No..." Bradge grits his teeth. "Redwaaaaaaallll!!" The otter screams, lowering his shoulder and bouldering through a smattering of smaller vermin, hacking his way to the champion's aid.

Hactor decides to take his time with this one, he walks over slowly and places his sword tip gently at Flicktail's neck. He then grins, his eye glinting like wildfire. He says to Flick his voice oozing sadistic pleasure in this, "It would appear you are not the better beast." He then raised his sword redy to decapitate the Champion...

Darcy spots Flicktail as he drops to one knee, and she calls out to Bradge, "Be back! Don't die, or anything!" She ducks underneath another swinging blade and goes to her hands and knees, disappearing into the mess of fighting beasts, crawling in that direction to reach Flicktail. Being small is proving to be effective, for her. ... oh wait, Bradge has the same idea! Sorta. So let's make it a race!

Flicktail's sword arm is fine and he parry's the stroke...but on one knee unable to recover his shoulder and throat is left open to a quick thrust

It's really not a bad fight the vermin are putting up, for which Zoe is appreciative. It's hardly any fun when they fall too easily. In fact, she's actually /grinning/ as she and the others hack away.

Drago gets knocked over by some beast's spear and then rolls out of the way as it stabs into the spot he was just in. He spins a bit and kicks the beast's legs out from under him as he stands up quickly, shoving his sword down into the stoat's chest before looking around. "One dies, another takes its place." he mutters.

Hactor now thrusts forward, not caring what should happen. This has been the rebel who started it all. Who has vexed him , and mocked him from the shadows no more. The old fox used all his mortal strength as he thrusted for the champions throat...

It turns out that charging through armed vermin has its downfalls. Bradge takes a few slices and scratches, but... It's like he doesn't even notice, the otter bringing down any vermin that gets in his way, at least temporarily, trampling over fallen bodies as he tries to get to the Abbey Champion... And he does, right as Hactor thrusts. He can only watch, standing right behind the fox helplessly. "Flicktail!"

Flicktail moves suddenly to prevent a Squirrel from being run thr..in doing so Hactor's blade runs thru flicktails sholder right below the collarbone, the red blade protruding from his back...Flictail rams "I am that is" thru Hactor's footpaw..as he withdraw it he begins to fall back and tossing martin's Blade to Bradge "Bradge! Wield Martin's blade! The blade sails up to Bradge's paw

Vlen now stands somewhat to the center of the two forces, between the Army of Northern Mossflower, the Long Patrol, and Southsward. And it isn't clear who did it, but someone in the lines of the woodlanders spots him, thinking he's a rat and releases the arrow. The arrow, shot from one of the groups opposing the vermin, has now just flung itself into the side of one of those force's Generals, and Vlen looks down. Slowly, the mouse falls to his knees, coughing up blood as he falls to his side. Somebeast notices this as they shout, "MEDIC!" but don't shout out who the medics are for. A line of beasts fight their way to Vlen as the vermin army continues to either grow weaker in numbers, or flee. Vlen lays there, staring up as the medics get him in a makeshift cot. "We got ya General," somebeast whispers as they begin their way to the rear.

Darcy gets close to Flicktail and Hactor, a few feet from them and from Bradge, having taken a few kicks in the ribs along the way. As she rises she grabs a fist-sized rock up from the ground and slings it hard at Hactor's head. "Hey! Hey, ol' man! I can take you on, how 'bout it!" she shouts at the warlord.

Bradge's eyes widen. Everything seems to go in slow motion, and some sort of instinct causes him to immediately drop his axe and grab the sword out of the air. He faces off with Hactor, his jawbone bulging out as his teeth clench. "'ey. Remember me?" And then the sizable otter falls upon Hactor the fox with violent, swift slashes, his shield swinging and covering his guard, fighting /far/ beyond his seasons' experience.

Drago spots Vlen off in the distance and then heads over in that direction, pausing to get a good look at Flicktail before continuing towards the general, killing whoever gets in his way. He takes another dagger, this time in the leg. He topples over and growls, getting up, putting all his weight on the good leg as he runs that beast through before stopping next to Vlen. "You alright?" he asks, not having seen the coughed up blood.

Flicktail falls to the groun, his white fur stained scarlet as he watches Darcy and Bradge close in on Hactor

Hactor pulls his blade from Flick's shoulder ready to make a killing blow, when sudennly a rock strikes him in the head. Seeing the young female, he decides to finish Flick later, and charges at Darcy looking like a bat out of hell! But then sudennly he is atacked relentlesly by...THe OtER!?

The charging warlord /just/ reaches Darcy when Bradge gets his attention. With Hactor within reach and his focus turned to the Abbey novice, Darcy lunges at him from the side, stabbing her dirk at Hactor's ribs.

Vlen stares up at Drago, the arrow still in him as the medics rush him by, but the slowly fading look in the mouse's eyes do not lie. Before the ferret has time to react, a rather large badger grabs hold of him, carrying him to the rear. "Colonel, you're hurt!" the badger yells as he carries the ferret toward a nearby medic's tent, dodging other beasts as he moves back. The vermin army are now in total chaos, their numbers dwindling, the majority of them fleeing.

Bradge grins wildly as Hactor seems to recognize him. "Haha, that's right..." And as Darcy comes to his aid, he only grins wider. "Shoulda studied ya history, fox! Ya /never/ mess with Redwall!" And the onslaught continues, the otter fighting like he's possessed, swift, even swipes as he tries to land blows on the vermin horde commander.

Drago blinks at the arrow and starts to look worried. "Get him help. The best help he can get!" he orders out, starting to direct the healers until a badger grabs hold of him. There's not much he can do to stop it either. "Let go, that's an order!" he growls out. With Vlen down, that puts him the highest ranking officer around of the ANM at the moment and he's not going to abandon the army. "Get the bleeding stopped then I'm going back out." he growls.

Hactor feels the cold steel slice into his ribs. Not fatlay but enough to cause a yelp of pain. He also limps badly now from Flickt stab at his foot, his adrenalin drained. He tries his hardest to fight them both off but the otter's atck is so sudenn and brutal...He doesn't know if he can hold out much longer!

The medics work on cleaning Drago's wounds, and quickly, they have it patched up. "You're good sir!" A squirrel says. The squirrel doesn't bother saying stay off of it.

a grinning Vermin fox moves towards Flicktail with a Halbred axe "I'll fix ya champion" he says putting a muddy foot paw on Flicktails chest as he raises the axe

Drago winces a bit as both his shoulder and leg are patched up. He stands up and limps off back into the battle, a lot more ticked off than before, the ferret, almost recklessly, charging whoever he sees. Then he spots Flicktail. "Flicktail!" He yells out before hurling his sword at the axe holding beast. He'll probably miss but he tries anyways, and then grabs a sword from some dead vermin.

there is a thunk and the Vermin fox standing on flicktail get's a confused look on his fac3e...how did that sword pommel get in the center of his chest...he falls backwards

Darcy doesn't attack with the skill Bradge has, but the speed is there. She's being very stab-happy just now, repeatedly attacking Hactor's side and back while Bradge attacks him from the front; she's seeking vital organs, or maybe just trying to.. make him bleed a lot! "Hey!" she calls out to Hactor, nearly laughing. "There's always surrender, we wouldn't mind!"

Vlen is off the field now, no where to be seen. The vermin army is now in full and complete retreat, all of them running by Hactor or off into the woods, abandoning their leader as they run for their lives.

Darcy says, "... your surrender, that is!"

Bradge, having scored his first strike on the fox, shows no mercy, merely returning the blade of Martin back in the other direction, looking to make a deeper cut, swinging the legendary blade back-pawed up towards Hactor, under the pit of the fox's sword arm.

Drago fights his way past the fleeing beasts, killing whoever his new sword can touch before he makes it to Flicktail, the ferret dropping down and calling out for a medic. "Someone get this champion some help!" he yells out before spotting the beast. "That was incredibly lucky." He nods.

Flicktail coughs weakly...the scarlet flowing from his wounds "E...easy Drago..." he swallows "ohh...t..that stings" he says weakly pointing to the squirrel he was protectin "elp him..." the squirrel will be ok thanks to flicktail

Drago looks to the squirrel. "He'll be fine.' he says before looking to the fox again. "You wont be if we don't get you help." he nods and looks up. "Where's the bloody medic!?" he calls out and looks around with a frown, looking down at the fox with a little smile. "Next time you get hurt like this, there might not be anyone for you save." he smirks

Hactor's eye goes wide as he looks, and wear his sword arm had been, is now nothing! Just empty space, and a bleeding stump. His /entire/ sword arm is gone now! Cut off at the shoulder! Looking into Bradge's eyes the once mighty Warlord falls backward, his cape, and long hair matted with blood. He's still breathing, but in no een can he continue the fight. Thos cowards had abandoned him...It was over...His empire had crumbled. And all because of a damned Otter?!

Flicktail says, "luck fer me" he groans 'ohhhhhh oi feel dizzy........"

Drago looks around and sees still, no one paying attention to him, or the fox. He sighs and then goes to tear off some of his tunic, going to press it firmly against Flicktail's wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "This might hurt." he says after a few moments.

Two medics arrive, one going right for the squirrel, the other going for Flicktail. "Aye, if it isn't Flicktail," says the squirrel medic with a smirk as he immediately begins to clean the wounds. "Colonel darlin', he says, looking to the ferret, "I've gots some water over in me sack, mind givin' Flicktail here some?" The squirrel chuckles as he continues to clean the wounds. "Nothin' a weeks worth of restin' won't do. Ya held in there like a champ." The squirrel chuckles and gives the fox a wink.

Darcy gets a good splatter of Hactor's blood on her face as that arm is severed off. She wipes it from her eyes, then steps forward to stand over the fallen warlord.. then crouches. The doe brings her dirk blade close to Hactor's throat. "Hi there. Don't think we've been introduced."

Drago blinks and falls over backwards when the healers arrive. "Its about bloody time!" he barks out. "Didn't you hear me call?!" he growls as he tries to stand. "You'll be alright Flick...you'd better be." he sighs as he looks around.

Letting out a top-of-the-throat cry as his weapon removes his foe's arm, Bradge watches the fox fall backwards. And... As soon as the vulpine hits the ground, Bradge halts. He looks around him to check for danger, and the intensity that was there is now gone. The sword is dug into the ground. "Darcy!" He spins his attention around. "Darcy, Darce, quick!" He kneels down next to the fox, an already bloody paw placing itself firmly on the dire wound. "Darce... No. Ya better'n that! 'elp me bandage 'im!"

Flicktail YIPES! and shivers the tunic quickly becomming saturated "Y..yer roight..it urts!: he winces

Flicktail looks over at Darcy and she may hear the fox say weakly "Sure am glad she not still be mad at me fer pullin er ears

Darcy glances up at Bradge's face with her brow furrowed, quizzical. "Aw, c'mon, after /all/ this..."

"/Do it!/" Bradge practically screams at his longtime friend.

Drago hears the 'do it' and turns, seeing Darcy and Bradge. He watches carefully, wondering what's going to happen. He'd be over there now if his leg didn't start to hurt, stupid dagger wound.

The woodlander forces now cheer as their flags wave back and fourth, the blue flag of Mossflower, yelling after the retreating vermin, "REDWALL! REDWALL!" The squirrel healer lightly pats Flicktail's cheeks. "Hey, Flicktail darlin'," he says, "ya with me? Can ye hear me?"

Hactor just lyes there. Not caring anymore. He had lost all he had worked and fought for. He the warlord who had conqoured Redwall. He the King of Mossflower. So he just lied there, motionless, his breath becoming shallow. Hall he could manage to mumble was, "I am fallen." He then whent silent as the grave, and he continued to breth shalow, and stare at the sky.

Flicktail looks up at the squirrel..he's lost alot of blood, and has sveral deep wounds....his breathing is ragged but he looks atthe squirrel and says "M..momma?

Darcy grits her teeth. "Fine." She scowls down at Hactor. "By the way? I pretty much own you. You better not forget that for the rest of your rotten, one-armed life." She hands over her dirk to Bradge and then unbuckles her belt, wrapping it around the stump of Hactor's severed arm and pulling it tight; makeshift tourniquet. "Bradge - get me some dead-guy shirts or something."

Drago heads towards Darcy and Bradge, looking at them. He goes to pat the otter's shoulder. "Good call." he says quietly. "Too many died today. No need to add another." he sighs, looking off towards where they carried Vlen, wondering quietly to himself before staring at Hactor. He just stares.

The healer working on the squirrel stands, moving to the hare and otter, tossing out some medical supplies and helps Darcy and Bradge patch up the fox. "Got some clothes here ma'am," says the other squirrel. "Some vinegar too."

The squirrel has patched up all of Flicktail's wounds now and holds up a flask of water to his mouth. "I know ye Champion, kiddin' around alot, so ye better not be kiddin' me now!"

"Aye," Bradge responds quickly, looking around. It doesn't take long, grabbing the shirt of a marten and ripping it off, tossing it towards Darcy -- when Drago pats his shoulder, the otter spins and cries out, coming quite close to shoving the ferret over. He somehow manages to stop himself, giving Drago a fierce look, before finding a nearby rat and tearing off his shirt too, tossing the shredded garment towards the doe.

Drago takes one step back when he sees the otter almost shove him over, but he doesn't change his glare from the fox. "So this is what the king looks like? Pathetic. Next time, try harder." he says as he hobbles off to find where his friends have gone.

Hactor continues to just lie there and suddenly a crooked grin crosses his face, and he begins to giggle softly. Just giggle, and giggle, and giggle....

Flicktail drinks some water..but his wound does seem grevious....the fox reaches apaw up to caress the squirrels cheek

Flying slowly above the army of cheering woodlanders, a huge eagle flaps her large wings slowly as she comes in for a landing. Col. Adams lands near Drago, her head looking to the ferret. "Col. Drago," Adams says, "I have come to report to you concerning Gen. Vlen. The medics have informed me that he will live."

The squirrel looks a bit panicked now. "Flicktail!" he yells. "Flicktail, dangit fox, yer the Champion of Redwall! So snap out of it!" The squirrel pats his cheek again, trying to bring him back to the here-and-now.

Drago stops when the eagle lands near him. He turns and stands up straight. "Good." he nods. "Now do me a favor." he nods. "Catch me." and all of a sudden, he falls right over onto the ground with a thud.

Darcy is pressing the first shirt to Hactor's arm-stump, her hands all bloody, when the fox starts to giggle. "Oh, great, he's gone nutty." She glances over her shoulder, checking on Flicktail, and scowls. "Bradge, c'mere, keep the pressue on - I tied the big veins shut, it'll do for now. Gonna take a look at mister Champion over there."

As the eagle lands near Drago, who is near him, Bradge grabs at his head and backs off, crawling backwards and panting, before he picks up what Darcy orders him to do and, after a moment's hesitation, the otter gets at Hactor's side. "Treachery... An' the shadow of war... Courage, fortitude... Forsake all unnecessary forms 'a violence... Ta all livin' creatures..." Bradge closes his eyes, murmuring to himself as he holds the bloodied shirt in place over the wound.

Hactor just continues his soft giggle. Almost as if remenising on an old joke. He seemed disconected from all around him.

Darcy straightens up, and gives Bradge's arm a squeeze, leaving a bloody hand print there. "Good job, kiddo," she says with a grin, and then heads to Flicktail and drops to her knees next to him. "Hey, Flick. Still handsome as ever, huh?" She rubs blood from her hand with a cloth.

The eagle looks surprised, perhaps the first time she's ever been surprised, and her wings open quickly, catching the ferret. But there somebeast inside of her wing, who was perhaps resting there, slowly makes his way out. The weasel stands, wearing a white shirt, black pants, a sword sheathed in his belt. The weasel's old, perhaps 45 seasons old, but slowly, with the help of his cane, he walks forward, looking down at Hactor with gentle eyes. The old weasel, very slowly, limps to Bradge who sits with Hactor. "Bradge, is it?" he asks with a gentle smile.

"Drago?" the eagle yells.

Flicktail blibk blink looking up at the squirrel "Oi still be ere...how..how are me dibbuns?

Flicktail smiles and hald delerious reachs up to pet one of Darcy's ears "nice eeears... he says

"The takin' of another life must always be justified an' never carried out in a wanton ma-" Bradge's recital is cut off, and he tenses up, turning his head towards the weasel. "...Aye."

The squirrel shakes his head, looking up at Darcy. "Lost alot of blood marm," he says, standing up and allowing her to talk with Flicktail. "Not fatal."

Darcy glances over at Bradge; Hactor and Flicktail aren't very far from each other. "Heeey, uh. Random ol' guy," she mutters, "leave him be. Just leave him be."

Hactor apon seeing the old weasel stops his soft giggeling, but his crooked grin remains. And his good eye has an odd twinkle in it.

the silly fox goes right back for Darcy's ears again

Drago is out like a light. Just tired it seems and his shoulder wound opened back up so he's bleeding again. Nothing too bad.

Darcy ducks her head to let Flicktail pet one of her ears, and grins at him. "Hi, you. How 'bout I fix you up and we get you back to the abbey, okay?"

Flicktail asks, "fix me up?" he blinks "but Oi be a married fox? who ya gonna fix me up wi?"

The old weasel smiles at the otter, his paw very slowly reaching down, very gently resting on the back of the large otter. "I am that is," he whispers gently, nodding. "You've done well son. Stay here with him. You've a heart of an Abbeybeast." The weasel nods once more as he slowly takes the sword of Martin, staring down at the blade, then turns, looking to the kidding fox. The old weasel limps over to him, regarding him with gentle but wise eyes. "You are.... that is," he says, slowly placing the sword into the fox's paw.

The large eagle continues to look all the more worried as the wound opens up. "HEALER!" The squirrel blinks and runs over to Drago. "Ah, Colonel darlin, shouldn't be runin' into battle like this," he says, patching up the wound as Adams continues to hold Drago in her wing letting him rest there.

Darcy glances up at the weasel with the Sword of Martin. "Can we keep the noble gesture-things for some other time? Like. When we're not surrounded by woodlander casualties." She shakes her head, huffs out a weary breath, and addresses Flick, "Fix your /wounds/ up, Flick. How 'bout you just rest and take slow breaths and don't talk for now, yeah?"

Flicktail blinks "B..Bradge...bradge..you" he pants "Keep me sword...till oi be well

Bradge shudders as the weasel pats his shoulders. "Aye," is his only response, before he places further pressure on Hactor's wound. "Never carried out in a wanton manner," he finishes. His eyes close again, and he slumps. "I... I need a healer," he murmurs, blood trickling from some of his own wounds that he took just from the effort of getting to the Champion fox.

Darcy sets her hand on the sword, pushing it a little to the side. "I'll give it to him. He's kind of elbow-deep in crazy-warlord, just at the moment." She glances back to Bradge, fishing out a needle and spool of thin thread from the small healing kit in her jacket pocket. "How's the faux-king doing, Bradge?"

Hactor sudennly says to no one in particular, "You know what would be nice right now. Whiskey! Aye a nice big bottle of whiskey. Hehehehe!" He then whent very silent again, just staring.

The old weasel smiles, picking up the sword again and limping over to the otter, laying it down beside him. Then he looks to Darcy. "Ma'am," he says, "Brother Bradge needs your assistance." Then he limps back to Flicktail, looking down at him as several woodlanders run up, fixing a cot for Flicktail, very gently laying him down in it. "Flicktail," says the old weasel.

Flicktail looks around "W..wot?' he hondson to Darcy's paw when he can, she feels his hand tremble.....

Darcy curls her hand around Flicktail's, and gives it a small squeeze. To those who bring the cot, she narrows her eyes in a slight glare. "Okay, if everyone doesn't stop /moving/ him and /talking/ to him, I really am gonna pull the Healer In Charge card. /Really/."

The old weasel offers Darcy a weak smile, nodding and winking to her. "Take care of Bradge," he whispers, "I've got this one." Very gently, his paw gently holding Flicktail's.

Giving a brief glance down to the sword is Bradge's only reaction. He closes his eyes again. "...Not now, I jus', I need some bandages. Eventually." His voice never raises far above a murmur, and his shoulders gently rise and fall as he controls his breathing, all of that adrenalin dissipating.

Flicktail relaxes back and does as he's told becomming quiet but he stays concious, for the most part

"Bradge is fine." Darcy gives the weasel a level look. "I will slug you. Don't care how old you are."

The weasel chuckles lightly and shakes his head to the hare. "Darcy," he says gently to her, "let one Champion take care of another, hmm?" The old weasel looks down to Flicktail again. "You will be fine Flicktail. You have done it. Your friends have done it. Redwall is free again."

After Drago is taken from her, the large eagle walks forward, staring down at the old weasel who sits with Flicktail, her large head lowering, her beak lightly nuzzling the weasel's side. "Welcome home sir," she whispers, before looking to Darcy. "Brother Bradge needs attention. The Champion will be fine. There is nothing more that can be done for him."

Flicktail nods quietly between Darcy and the weasel he is calmer "kin..we go back now?

"Novice," Bradge mutters, a little louder, in correction to the eagle. "Jus' a novice," he clarifies. "An' I can wait 'til I get back ta the Abbey. I'm... I'm a'right."

Darcy bares her teeth very slightly. "It's cute how you think I'm joking. And how you think you can do my job better than I can. But - you're in my way. He's my friend. Unless you produce some Magical Healing Elixir - or walk away - in the next ten seconds? Well, try it. Or better yet, go sit in the abbey and wait for us to bring Flick back, when he's ready."

Hactor seeming as if he didn't quite know where he was now said, "Yes the Abbey. I-I need to return. I'm sure they have some work or other for me there. Probably some maps or troops to re-" He then thought for a moment and began gigeling again. The old fox appeared to have gone temporarily insane!

The old weasel pats the eagle's beak as he smirks to the hare. "As you wish," he says, standing up. TThen he limps to the large otter, glancing to Hactor, then to the otter. The weasel once again places his gentle paw on the otter's shoulder. "Brother Bradge," he says, "it is the Abbot's decision..... but I will talk with him. I think you have the honor of being a Brother of Redwall, as much as I'm an Elder of the Order. You've faced your enemy, and you have spared him."

Adams watches the weasel, her head still lowered before rising again, looking down at Darcy. "Please advise me when it is safe to move the Champion. We shall have a team of woodlanders ready to assist."

Flicktail's paw seeks out Darcy's paw her voice calming him

Bradge simply nods. "Aye. Thankya kindly, sir." The otter presses more firmly on the wound. "We need ta get 'im proper cared for soon," he speaks to no one in particular. "'e's... Missin' 'is arm."

Darcy squeezes Flick's hand again, her focus returning to the fox with a smile. "Do you like songs, Flick?" she murmurs, nearly a whisper, as she wets a cloth with a liberal amount of strong liquor from a flask, and works on cleaning his wounds more thoroughly, so they can be very closely stitched shut. "I can sing you something, maybe help you rest, hm?"

Hactor burst out into laughter, which becam a fit of coughing. After the coughing subsided he said, "Aye aye! And an ear, and eye! Ha! That's three to zero!"

Flicktail asks, "songs?" he smiles andnods..his brow a bit warm

The same teams of woodlanders who brough Flicktail his cot bring Hactor one too. The woodlander in charge, a badger this time, nods his head to the otter. "I got 'im sir!" he says as he holds the fox down, the team of medics now working on Hactor. The old weasel looks to the fox, shaking his head, holding on to his cane shakily. "Brother," he says, looking to the otter again, "they will be returning Flicktail to the Abbey soon. I will meet you when I get there, eh?"

Hactor grimaced as he noticed his healer was a badger. He had a slight prejudice against the race, as most foxes do, but he decided this did nto matter at the moment.

"...Thankya." Bradge slowly makes his way to a stand, offering a nod of thanks to the badger, turning and staring at his surroundings before kneeling down and picking up the sword of Martin, letting it hang limply in his grasp. He turns to face away from the fox and toward the weasel, giving the elder beast a small, silent nod, before walking off towards Darcy and Flicktail, kneeling down, again remaining silent.

Adams walks up to the weasel, and says gently, "Compest, shall I return you to the Abbey sir?"

Darcy brings a small sprig of dried white flowers from her kit, and holds it in front of Flicktail's mouth. "Chew." She then goes back to her cleaning, locating the worst of Flicktail's wounds and sealing it with very small, meticulous stitches as she starts to sing quietly to him. ".. I'm going back, where the earth meets the sky.. and there's no yesterday, and there's no by-and-by..."

Compest, the old weasel, smiles at that and nods. "Yes," he says, "I'd like that." Then he rests gently on the eagle as she walks, slowly, back to the Abbey.

Hactor looks at the weasel and says, "Hmmm do I know you sir? Oooh perhaps you where in my Court as Redwall?" The old King now had an eager, inquisitive look on his face. He no longer apeared the verocious warlord he had been earlier on, but now a dottered old aristicat.

Flicktail sniffs the flowers "hares always think wi ere stomachs" he says beginning to nibble teh flower, trying to chew like a hare

Darcy pauses singing to chuckle at Flicktail. "It's to help keep away fever and infection. No sense dying of /that/ when you've survived this long."

Bradge takes slow, deep breaths, somehow managing to settle down after all of the action, finally. "...S'he gonna be a'right?"

Hactor waited for a reply but his conciousness wouldn't. It seemed the combination of madness, old age, and blood loss had finally caused the monarch to pass out. The healers carried him away, but it was strange as most of them observed. The old beast had a content smile on his muzzle, as if he were only dreaming. And thus ended the short, yet eventfull rule of the Fox Lord Hactor. And only historians and scholars will be able to tell is he were a terrible tyrant, or kind king.

Darcy gives Bradge a weary smile as she continues working. "'course, what do you take me for? An amateur?"

Flicktail driftes off into a healing sleep

Bradge snorts, flashing a smirk at the doe. "...Didn't know ya were such a fighter," the otter speaks under his breath. "...We did it, didn't we?" He seems... Fairly happy.

Darcy shrugs, finally finishing, and wiping her hands off as she gives a nod for some others nearby to lift and carry Flicktail away on his stretcher. "I'm not. I just do what needs doing, I guess."

"...Aye. Me too," Bradge agrees. "Wanna head back now?" The otter nearly rasps out. "I only, uh... I only got so much blood."

Darcy pushes herself upright, and winces. She's decently cut up, though not as badly as Bradge. "Yeah, no kidding. Let's go." She reaches to snag him by the hand.

Bradge grasps Darcy's paw, and works his way to his feet, squeezing the hare's paw, his other one clasping at the sword of Martin. "My parents're gonna kill me."

Darcy giggles. "Well at least you will have led an eventful life." She leans up to give him a smooch as they start walking (read: limping) back to Redwall.