Ambushed By The Flitchaye, (And They Were Almost Home Too......) Redwall Ambassador Log
- This ICLY happens Tuesday March 15th*******
- IMPORTANT INFO: …Ok, Brother Leon, Sister Zinnia, Dorarose, and Xander left Salamandastron on the morning of Wednesday March 9th and got to Halyard by lunch time where they meet up with Stonepaw the owner and driver of the boat. They got out of area within a couple hours time. They traveled along the coast and then to the River Moss and towards the bridge that joins the dirt road to the North Path. They are within less than a day, or in closer terms couple hours from the bridge in this log. The trip was to be 4 days….ends up a little over 5 as ran into some ice in a couple places on river and a passing couple otters them clear the ice enough to get on up river, but since it’s close to spring the ice is slowly melting and was not too thick so not too hard to clear enough for a boat path. Anyways they have had no other problems other than this…….that is till…the last couple hours to bridge. What happen?...Well read and find out ******
= Somewhere along the River Moss, not too far from the bridge that’s by the dirt road, its late morning/early afternoon===
Leon took the first day getting use to traveling by water, can you call it totally sea sickness when they by the end of the first day was on the River Moss, well maybe it’s boat movement illness. They have traveled almost 5 days now and not yet where they planned to be, but trips don’t always go as planned, so looks to be a half a day, most likely less till they see a bridge maybe and then the familiar clue of home, the dirt road.
Stonepaw grins and chuckles “Ya finally got ya water legs matey? Ya get use to water travel in time.”
Leon frowns “Rather not water travel again, it was just faster and the best idea, walking would of taking 2 and a half weeks, maybe 3..or longer with the snow”
Zinnia walks towards them “It also avoided that crow and raven area and we were just barely out of range of the swamp so no toad issues, though it is still winter I think they sleep a lot in winter since they don’t have fur and are cold blooded, meaning they can’t stay warm like we do..it’s also why you don’t see lizards in the cold weather or frogs.”
Xander is by the edge looking at the land as it goes by as he leans slightly on the railing of the boat.
Stonepaw shrugs, “Can’t say ever meet a toad, they always sound like right bad creatures”
Zinnia sighs and then glances at Xander, “Not so close to the edge Xander dear, you can still see things a couple feet back”
Leon frowns “Well first day wasn’t fun and the sooner we are back at the abbey the better. After we get to the bridge we can rest at Ferravale and then on to Redwall which is like a half a day from Ferravale.
Xander does as he is told “Yes mama” He says and then goes to look back at the land ”I bet Mr. Dot will like it at Redwall”
Leon nods “Yeah I am sure but he is sleeping right now”
Stonepaw chuckles “That kid has an interesting friend, who ever thought a crab ta be a friend huh”
The crab, Mr. Dot is currently in a small container sort of…well doing whatever hermit crabs do.
Zinnia asks “So how close to the bridge are we now?”
Stonepaw grins “I think we be close, so should be a seeing it soon lass. Let us take a rest on shore, always good ta rest and maybe even find some watercress along the river and some of those shellfish for hot root later…what it be good”
Leon nods “Stoping is good and there is some willow trees so I can get a supply of willow bark from.”
Xander smiles “Neat we can explore land”
Zinnia shakes her head “No Xander I want you to stay close ok..it’s too quiet and I dislike it when there is not at least some noise like crickets or a lone bird”
Stonepaw shrugs and gets the boat settled “Quiet don’t always mean trouble lass.” He gets ready to go to shore and grins.
Leon steps carefully onto land, oh yes sweet sweet land he has missed it. He smiles “Its ok Zinnia try and relax a break will do all us all some good, you can go wake up Dorarose and maybe she can walk around some while we stay close to the boat.”
Zinnia sighs and heads below deck, maybe she is being too worried seeing as they had some trouble on the way to the fire mountain and so far just over almost 5 days into this faster route home, no issues except for some ice in a couple areas of the river, so that slowed them down by half a day, she is soon waking Dorarose up and silently hoping her edgy feeling is maybe just too much time on a boat.
Xander seems excited, it’s a new place and new things to see and there is more snow here than on the coast, he stays close to Leon and Stonepaw till Zinnia joins them.
An hour passes
Leon decided to get some of the willow bark carefully from the tree. Not too much as some needs left on and it has to be taken off only if it’s already loose or soon to be as too much or some not loose could harm the tree. He finds a branch that fell and gets the bark from it and places it in a small pouch to dry out later. He also found some clover, and a couple other herbs right by the river, normally hard to find in winter but these are right along the river bank so he is lucky.
Xander giggles as snow is fun, it’s also cold and that causes a smile “How much longer does this stay around?”
Zinnia smiles “I am unsure, maybe another 3 weeks or so is my guess. Spring will be here soon enough and then some of the ice we seen will melt even more. We have about a day till we get to the bridge and down from there is Ferravale we can visit my uncle. And he is your uncle now too. His name is Zee “
Stonepaw has found some crayfish and watercress” Ahhh mushrooms and these be…yep de kind to eat, we could have some hot root with mushrooms and the water cress on the side mateys”
Leon nods as he is just coming back and slow as he sniffs the air and frowns, the smell is familiar and he is unsure why at first and then something starts to click in his mind “Back to the boat, I….I need to find Dorarose” He sounds worried.
Zinnia frowns “Whats the matter Leon? I am sure Dora is ok and why so quick to leave there is nothing around that I see”
Xander looks around, he whimpers a little worried “What is wrong, is something bad happening?”
As if to answer the questions, plants seem to move and that smell gets worse and worse, a sickening mix of strong knock out herbs and then small weasels with weeds on their green and brown cloaks, the main one has feathers, beads and a bone is his nose ”Getem sleepie time!!” There are maybe 3 dozen of these small thin weasels that seem to come out of the ground and the weeds themselves seem to come alive. Smoking herbs on the end of spears come closer and closer as a dozen more pop up by the river bank. So 4 dozen of them plus their chieftain start to surround them.
Stonepaw blinks “What in de seasons are those things!” He draws one of his daggers and looks ready to stab something if they get too close to him. “And whats that awful smell!”
Xander frowns and quickly goes to climb one of the trees nearby after he manages to jump over one of the weasels. He gets half way up and almost slips on ice and then regains his balance and climbs higher.
Leon quickly covers his nose and mouth with his cloak and coughs “Don’t breath in the smoke…-cough-“ He tries to study the main leader, something is familiar but not as familiar as it should be..Shouldn’t they be a bit older.
Thunderwing is flying around nearby along the river, he has seen the boat but knew it was friends but keep his distance so far.
Muldoor is the leader now as he sneers and says something in their language and edges closer to them. “We D’Flitchaye…get gottaya now.You noota need be on land…” About 4 manage to get too close to Leon and he groans as the herbs are in his face and he bats at them to leave. He blinks and sees a shape and staggering backwards he pulls out the whistle and blows on it before falling into a deep sleep and landing in the mud sideways.
Zinnia coughs loudly and gasps a little, this is not good for her asthma and she has managed not to have any attacks since the one when he father died and this one seems to be able to get worse..”Xander…where are-coughs roughly-you..run…run…” She gets a very bad coughing fit and shivers, finding it somewhat hard to breathe.
Xander eyes widen when the little weasels try to follow him and he gets a nose full of those herbs and sneezes. He climbs higher and edges along a branch to another tree and reaches, he then screams as he falls and hits the icy cold river and starts to panic, the couple weasels that were close to him panic and almost fall as well.
Thunderwing clacks loudly and grabs the weasels from the tree and slams them to the ground and then lands standing over top of Leon and makes a loud bird call at the weasels puffing up to look larger” Thunderwing will hurt you plenty!!!”
Muldoon backs off and yelps at the large bird “Zorn Zoorn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Leon is passed out and groans weakly. Having an eagle for a friend can come in handy.
Thunderwing carefully grabs Leon with his talons, not to hurt but also enough to carry carefully and flaps off into the air, for now leaving the area before those sleeping herbs get to him, he will make sure his friend is ok and then return.
Stonepaw coughs as he groans, "Well...that can't good." He hits one of the weasels over the head with a canteen but those herbs are getting too him now so his reflexes are a little off.
Zinnia is surrounded by oddly clothed weasels and coughs she falls to her knees, the smoke having a bit of a rough effect on her.."Xander......." And she loses conscious falling sideways into the mud.
Muldoon gives a command as more of his tribe surrounds the badger, he decides the dibbun is not worth his time, sides what can a dibbun do and one who might well be injured, or maybe dead or in some cases possible eagle chow." Sleepie sleepie....tieum up we Gerroutofit soonnow." For small beasts they can be strong and they have their ways of moving beasts and tieing them up, one tribe beast is knocked out by the hedgehog as he snorts "Makeum quilled one sleeppppppppppppp!"
Xander has not gotten very far and managed, just barely to fight against the waters current, he whimpers and blots best he can with a limp and being soaked with icy cold water, he crashes threw some bushes, one a thorn and it’s unclear how long he ran and how far he got before he gets in to soreness and being worn out. He hides in a hollowed log and ends up crying himself to sleep. Most likely not the best thing to do being still soaked with cold water.
DoraRose had been out for a walk. Being cooped up on the boat with other creatures for extended periods of time can be a bit maddening for an introvert like herself. She comes back to the area of the boat, only to hear the yells and cries of the Flitchaye. Ducking behind bushes and trees, she tries her level best to sneak up on the enemies, stifling gags and coughs as she gets closer and starts breathing in the fumes. Pausing, she ties a handkerchief around her nose and mouth, then continues forward, hoping that she doesn't get spotted.
Stonepaw narrows his eyes at the tribe, "Ya..back off ya pests." He turns to see Zinnia pass out and goes to try and gently shake her awake "come on lass-coughs-" He swats at more Flitchaye and is soon overcome with the knockout herbs and his eyes close, he will most likely be out a while.
Muldoon watches as the passed out beasts are tied up and looks around "Lookie lookie more.." What looks to be a 2nd in command nods and takes some of them to search nearby, very close to the mouse maid and they have those smoking herbs on the spear. Zinnia can be seen, as can Stonepaw but Xander is not in view and where is Leon? The tribe leader also looks up every so often, up maybe a little nervous.
Zinnia is deeply unconcious, maybe a little deeper than the others and is being tied up by these tribe beasts, some keep close to her and close to anyone else as well.
DoraRose barely manages to contain another cough and starts blinking as sleep starts calling to her. Gritting her teeth, she hefts her axe, leaps up and charges at the weasels that are closest to her, swinging at them. "Reeeeeeeeddwaaaa--cough coughcough!" She keeps on her feet as a coughing fit takes her over, but she is still swinging angrily at the Flitchaye with her axe.
Stonepaw remains passed out. Maybe he shouldn’t of said quiet was fine, he will regret that when he wakes up that’s for sure.
Muldoon spots the mouse maid, Dora manages to slay one of the weasels as the chieftain mutters something in his language and gets some of his herbs as he heads to the mouse maid "Mouseie sleepie sleep now..noota fight or great winged one take you too"
DoraRose glares balefully at the Chieftain and coughs again. The hankie around her nose and mouth is only slowing the effects of the herbs on her. "Wha--what do *cough gasp* you mean? Where--who are you?" She staggers, then stands back upright, holding her axe at the ready, prepared to fight to the death if need be. Unconsciousness is pulling at her, she can feel it.
Muldoon has his tribe surround her, "D'Flitchaye...we gotta you and other furrys notta getting k'llt...you sleepie now!"
Stonepaw groans, yep these foul smelling herbs are no fun at all.
DoraRose staggers and falls to her knees as the herbs do their work "*Coughcoughcough* You....*cough* won't get away with this.....*coughcough cough*" She tries to stand and take a swing at the Chieftain with her axe, but she's so close to unconsciousness that it's very feeble and Muldoon would have to be dead to not be able to get out of the way.
Muldoon steps backwards "Missame..." He looks to his tribe, in his eyes he has gotten away with it and they got some food from the supplies, which is good for them and the captives...not that the captives will get some, but it gives the tribe food .
DoraRose growls, then collapses to the ground as the world swirls around her, then goes black. The last thought she has before unconsciousness takes over is her worry of what could have possibly happened to Xander and Leon, and what's going to happen to the rest of them.....then heavy darkness closes off all other thoughts.
Muldoon watches her closely as he says something in his own language, if he knows common like his father it’s not clear yet. His tribe will make sure the captives are placed somewhere where escape will be a bit hard. He snorts and looks up for any signs of a certain eagle before giving the command to vanish into the nearby woodlands.
--Time passes---
Time passes.....and when Dora wakes up, all she is aware of is how much her head /hurts/. It pounds away, like a hammer is whacking around in her skull. She groans aloud and opens her eyes. Lights dance before them, and she squeezes them shut again. "Ow....."
Muldoon is near the mouse maid when she wakes up. Torches are close by and they have made sure the captives are well bound. He grunts for the couple other tribe beast to leave as he studies her, "Your awaken yes?"
Groaning again, Rose opens her eyes and glares at the weasel. Ignoring the pounding pain in her head, she bares her teeth and snarls, "Come a little closer, runt, and I'll show you how 'awaken' I am." She is mocking his broken Common. The Warrior tries to sit up.
Muldoon is not a fool, he keeps his distance and idly fiddles with the arrow head necklace on his neck" Too many come onto tribe land...notta allowed on my land..on father's land is not...you and two others now captives be"
DoraRose is sitting up now, and she narrows her eyes at the weasel. "We didn't know it was your land, Painty Face. How were we supposed to know?? You didn't put up signs or anything. Plus," she sifts into a more comfortable position, "this is Mossflower. It belongs to every beast." She looks around, then growls, "Where are my friends? What do you plan to do with us??"
Muldoon says, "The striped one and the spiked one live...is elsewhere be. Not sure what do with....intruders"
"You could let us go, maybe. We are creatures of Redwall. I'm sure you don't want the ghost of Martin the Warrior haunting you." Dora has no idea if Martin would actually do that, but she thought it sounded good. She also doesn't know if the descendants of the Brave Barn Owls that used to hunt the Flitchaye during the time of Mariel Gullwhacker are still around. If they were, she'd threaten him with that, too.
Muldoon snorts, Redwall perks some interest but only a little," You notta Redwall...they have other outfit yes"
DoraRose rolls her eyes. "I am too from Redwall! I live there; I am a resident Warrior there! For the love," she mutters. "I'm arguing with a midget weasel..." she glares at said weasel. "Look. If I don't get to the Abbey soon, they're going to send out search parties. I am a /very/ important beast there." Well, actually, Zinnia is a bit more important, but the mouse is trying to protect her friends. "I'm pretty sure that the other Warriors there would be more than willing to kill you without a second thought. But if you let us go, I can protect you and make sure they don't hunt you down and get revenge!" She refrains from asking about Xander and Leon for right now. Maybe after she's negotiated their release, she can ask about them.
Muldoon shakes his head “Notta...no let others come here, already others make father slayed...we vow no more cross land. We see boat and take..take captives....3 beasts get, 3 beasts keep now" He doesn’t mention the other 2, he knows there was two others.
DoraRose is growing desperate, but she tries to not show it. "Only 3? Didn't you want the other 2? If...if you let us go, we can alert other outsiders to the fact that this is your land, and fewer beasts will trespass onto your land!" She starts seeing how loose the ropes are. If they're too right, she'll give up on trying to get them off.
Muldoon watches her, the ropes are tied good and there is guards near them," Other two...be gone..away yes" He doesn’t say how just yet, it’s of no concern of his as they could be dead, one he for sure thinks dead and one he is not sure of as his tribe beats searched and found no one, then they only went so far and turned around
DoraRose gives up on the ropes. "How are they gone? Tell me!" She shifts again, getting ready to fight if necessary. "Did you kill an innocent Dibbun, you lump of Pond Scum??"
Muldoon smirks "If slayed it be river's fault notta mine tribe, he fall from tree and land...notta found later by tribe. So no find no wheres he hid maybe...woods have him maybe. notta knowing"
Well, that's good news. But Dora is strangely not relieved. "You capture beasts, accusing them of trespassing on your land, yet we had no way of knowing where we were. How are travelers supposed to know what is Flitchaye land and what isn't is you don't post signs or raise fences or something??" she demands, changing the subject, hoping to speak some sense into the weasel.
Muldoon says, "Beasts learn soon..D'Flichaye rarely letta beasts live...you go and will bring much zorn to us...much trouble"
DoraRose looks at the tree canopy above her. "Zorn...does that word mean trouble in your language?" She shakes her head and sits up straighter. "No. You have my word as a Warrior that I would not send beasts here to harm you. I promise it." She would probably end up regretting this promise, but she would keep it.
Muldoon looks unsure, his tribe has had trouble this past week. First that wildcat and now this boat full of beasts, “Beasts have harmed....happen already...you 3 stay here forever like yes, behave and if winged one comes back we notta let it take you way as well"
This is not going well. Dora is running out of things to say. "So, what, you're just going to keep as prisoners? I can help you! I can tell beasts that the Flitchaye are big, dangerous Warriors and that they should be left alone! I....I can help you by warning beasts to keep away from you! You would never have to worry about outsiders ever again!!" She sounds and looks desperate now.
Muldoon looks interested, maybe a little, "Why help D'Flitchaye...no one help us..." He then seems to think, there was one time a while back but he only remembers bits and pieces of that " All fear...you and 2 friends be staying while...other 2 friends maybe notta able to find you now"
"Because....I'm trying to help you because...." Dora pauses while the weasel says the rest of his response, then says, "I'm trying to help you because I'm trying to help my friends. I want them to be free, please!"
Muldoon asks, "Free? why free? “He is tapped on the shoulder as a tribe beast says something in their language and he responds back and looks at the mouse maid "I go now...much do, someone will chose to give you foodstuff later"
DoraRose watches him wander away, then curls up in a ball on the ground and lets a few silent tears slip down her cheeks. That just simply did not work...and now she's almost certain that Leon and Xander are dead. How is she supposed to know otherwise?
