Dude, did the Warrior just slap that guy? Seriously? What did he do to her??

Redwall Abbey Enteryway

Derean the otter. DoraRose the mouse. Anomen the squirrel. Lacota, another squirrel. Zarok, a monitor lizard.

Today is a gorgeous day at Redwall abbey, and many beasts at Redwall are out and roaming around for the moment. However, there is one beast that isn't stopping to be happy about the weather, and this beast just happens to be walking down the Dirt Road towards Redwall.

Anomen is on guard duty today and watching the road, he adjusts his longbow and stays ever alert.

DoraRose has a headache as usual, and she has just left the gatehouse to go to the infirmary to get some tea or something. The sunlight is bright and basically evil to her hurting noggin, and she shades her eyes with a paw. Glancing up, she sees the guard she met yesterday and waves a little.

In quite the timid manner, Derean nears the gates, stepping to open them and step inside, keeping his eyes down lest he attract the attention of anybeast he might've known here at Redwall.

Anomen looks over at the otter, he watches him and clears his throat "Hello sir? Are you alright, need anything?"

DoraRose looks at the gate as it opens and then just stands there, her mouth open and eyes wide, her face pale, like she's seen a ghost.

Zarok runs up to DoraRose's side--he's nearly up to her chest now in height and stands there. "Wazzup, auntie Dorrozze?" he buzzes inquisitively. "Wha'z wrong?"

Lacota was likewise walking along when the gate opens and in walks... Derean? The squirrel is surprised, to say the least. He steps closer but doesn't immediately say anything, just watching the otter enter.

Derean slowly enters a little further, continuing to keep his eyes down. By now he's starting to think this was a bad idea, but he needed a break from Ferravale after yesterday's events...

DoraRose doesn't notice the lizard, but instead crosses the distance between herself and the otter and goes to slap him as hard as she can flat on the face. If she makes contact, it might leave some welts...

Anomen watches but he is an otter so prob'ally not a threat.

Zarok shifts from footpaw to footpaw, thinking about following suit and going to clout the otter's head. He shambles over to DoraRose's side again and raises an arm in preparation.

Derean receives quite the surprise slap straight to the face, and he stumbles back several feet, his paw rising to touch his stinging cheek as he looks up to see DoraRose, and his eyes widen.

Anomen frowns at this, he decides not to get involved with the otter and mousemaid, he is a little surprised at the lizard and blinks as he is unsure of it.

DoraRose finally sees the lizard and goes to gently push his arm, down, saying, "No, Zarok, this...is between...him...an...and m...me..." and she suddenly bursts out crying and turns away, covering her mouth with both paws.

Zarok blinks, or would, if he had eyelids, and flings his arms around DoraRose, nuzzling her with his snout. "Iz you okies, auntie?" he rasps, concerned. He glares suspiciously at Derean. "You make Dorrozzze upzzzzetssssss...Now I fight you."

Derean looks almost shocked at DoraRose just bursting into tears right in front of him, and he stands there, still holding his cheek, unsure of what to do. "W-Wot...?" He asks, completely confused by this entire thing.

Lacota's eyes widen at the slap, so he decides it's wise to stay out of it. He edges away a little, but watches from a short distance.

DoraRose is hiccuping slightly now. "I...*hic* I thought you were *hic*dead...I....I saw y*hic* you die! No...*hic*nobeast told me...*hic* I saw you*hic* die!!" She covers her mouth again as she distractedly pats the monitor lizard's head.

Derean lets a growl rise in his throat, and he snaps at the lizard, "Shuddup lizard," Quite loudly. He's doing his best to keep his emotions in, but the lizard isn't quite helping him do that.

Lacota frowns. He doesn't like the looks of the situation, but there's really little more he can do beside stand by and watch.

Zarok's jaws fly open and he steps free of DoraRose, a growl rising in his throat as well, his wicked fangs showing now and his long, club-like tail lashing. "Watchoo say, rudderbutt?" he hisses.

DoraRose hiccups as she goes to clamp her paws around the lizard's snout, which, if she succeeds, will effectively shut him up. "He...he was with me in...the cell...when I was kidnapped, Zarok....be nice...*hic*" She sniffs and glares at the otter through her tears. "Why....why'd you...let me...think...you had...died? I....I got knocked out trying....trying to get....to your....b...body...." she's on the verge of sobbing again.

Zarok yelps as his snout is clamped shut. "If he don't call me lizzerd then I no bite him," he mumbles through his clamped jaws. His tail lashes rebelliously.

Lacota had been about to raise his voice to both Zarok and Derean... but then Dora clamps the lizard's mouth and the need passes, so he remains stoic.

Derean looks back at DoraRose, unable to think. "I...I didn't know you thought me dead..." He begins, trying to take deep breaths so as to control his own emotions. "Th' last thing I remember was Nightfur stabbin' me, then everything went dark an' I woke up in Ferravale."

Zarok backs down now at the display of emotion. "Er...zzzzz..." He twitches in an attempt to blink without eyelids.

DoraRose sniffs and looks down at he ground. "I...I'm sorry... it's just.....nobeast told me...." She wipes her cheek on her elbow, leaving a wet spot behind on her dress.

Derean takes a few steps forward, closing the gap between him and DoraRose, and he wraps his arms around the mouse in a tight hug. "I'm here DoraRose..." He whispers softly, blinking back tears of his own. "It'll take more than a stab wound t' kill me," He adds with a small chuckle.

DoraRose usually finds hugging malebeasts awkward, but not this time. She sniffs, then chuckles slightly. "Good. I'm...I'm glad you...made it out...alright....well, basically alright. Are you staying for a while?"

Derean sighs, stepping back. Here comes the difficult part. "I-I've decided that I don't belong here, an' so I'm livin' in Ferravale from now on," He says sadly, watching DoraRose.

DoraRose swallows and nods shakily. "Well.......come...come visit me, okay?" she swallows again and walks off quickly, heading for the Infirm...no, hang the stupid painkillers, she's just gonna go hide in the Garden of the Late Rose...whatever.

Thanks for reading!