Return to Arundal Part 1

From Redwall MUCK Wiki


in reality part 2 but the log of the first part has been lost D: This story is a continuation from a few weeks ago. Elena is saved by Bevera the squirrel after bounty hunters come after the vixen in the Ferrival tavern!

By the time the vixen and squirrel left the city of Ferreval night had decended upon the forrest. With out the aid of torches, or eyes naturally accustomed to darkness the moonless night made the forrest difficult to navigate. It did not help that Elena was also still nursing what was very likely becoming a black eye, given to her by her 'savior'.

The white furred vixen didn't know where to thank the squirrel, or scold her for punching her in the face. So she resigned to giving her the cold shoulder until she got to safety...

They had been walking for some time now in silence when Bevera finally stops and turns around to face Elena, her arms crossed, "So what did he wan't ye fer?" She asks.

The vixen stops in her tracks, leaning away from what is surely the craziest squirrel she has ever met. Crossing her arms as well Elena narrows her eyes. Yes, her left eye is most certainly going to turn into a back eye, completing the circle for the black half moon tattoo over her eyebrow. "Oh, /now/ you want to know why bounty hunters are after me. A little late for that don'tcha think? I mean if you had just asked instead of decking me in the /face/ maybe I could have told you!"

"Ah yes, ah corse, but if I remember at the time youse didn't know he was really after ye did ya?" Bevera says cocking her head and giving Elena an acusing look, "Et serves you right. Asides yer alive now arn't ye?"

The squirrel has her there. The fox can't rightly complain while her tail was still attached to her still breathing body. Didn't mean she had to like it though. "I knew some/one/ was after me. I didn't actually think he would actually be there, no. It's a small world, right?" The vixen sighs, not meeting the squirrel eye to eye she says quietly, "And sorry for...trying to steal from you..." She quickly holds up her paws, "I didn't intent to get violent, just pick pocket you while you weren't looking! Honest!"

Bevera Relaxes and starts to chuckle, "Sorry? Don't be, et was more fun then I've 'ad in a long time, most woodlanders are so boring. Don't even know how to make a good ale or have a good party... tea and sconnes, bah." She says spitting into some tall grass to the side.

Elena chuckles too, if nervously. "Oh most certainly! We vermin like to party, but only if we still have our hide intact in the morning." Rubbing the back of her neck the vixen countinues to chuckle nervously. She doesn't want to tell the squirrel why the weasel was after her but she might as well know. She /did/ save her life after all, if only by tossing her into danger. "If you like that then you will really like why he was after me! Ha ha ha!" maybe she can soften the blow if she tells it with laughter... "You see, I kind of sorta maybe joined this group of thieves up north...who...tried to heh, tried to rob this fancy mansion, but failed! Miserably. So now the lord of the mansion is kind of, you know, sending bounty hunters out to collect the thieves hides! Craaaaaazy! Right?" The vixen chuckles even more nervously if possible.

Bevera takes it surprisingly well she just shrugs and says "I'v 'eard worse, we just 'ave ta stay away from tha north lands an lie low fer a while till et blows over. Ta loose a bounty'unter ye just 'ave ta make yerself more troube ta catch den ets worth," She said her eyes lighting up with a plan, well more of a general concept but still.

The vixen stands, dumbfounded, "You...you would help me? After I tried to rob you? You don't even know my name..." The vixen feels tears well up in her eyes at such kindness. She is almost tempted to give the squirrel a hug.

But then the last part of the squirrels sentence finally sinks in and the tears of joy dry up, "Wait...w-what do you mean?"

"I've picke a few pokets meself... though tha rat was drunk out o' 'is mind at tha time an wouldn't ave noticed ef 'e was 'it by a whale." Bevera says jumping up to sit on a low haning branch she continues to explain her idea. "Now all yous got ta do es set a trap, we already 'ave da bait, we just need to make him think you are somwhere you're not, leave a fals trail, then bange we give him a load of trouble... not exactly sure how yet but well figure et out later,"

The vixen watches the squirrel climb, wondering why she would do so...then realizes its most likely so she can not strangle her for her plan! "B-bait? Meeeeee?" The fox tries not to whine, but she can't help it. "I am /not/ bait! What happens if he kills me before you can get to him? OR...or worse catches me and...and..." The fox sits down, paws pulling at her ears.

"'es after you already, we might as well take advantage of that, asides ets minnamul risk, ef we kin make 'im think you are somwhere you are not then ets worth et," Bevera says.

The fox sighs deeply. The stress of the day finally taking their toll Elena ruffles her head fur and shouts. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A moment passes and the fox stands up again, "Fine. Why not. If I had to choose getting killed in some hair brained scheme or waiting for them to eventually stuff and mount me over the fire place, I would chose the former. So...what exactly do you have in mind.

"I'm glad we both agree," Bevera says nimbly jumping down from the tree and the leaning against the trunk. She rubbes her muzzle as she thinks and then she says "First off we need ta find a vilage of sorts, We also needs an en excuse ta be stayen around en one place fer a while... say yer sick or sumat. Then we make sure if he askes around he will know where ta find us, at tha inn or somthin'... but ye won't be there, I kin keep up a pretence of the room bein' lived in while yer hidin some place else an keepin yer head down. We kin rig the room so ef he tries ta enter he's infor a suprise," As Bevera talks a grin spreads across her face, she is liking this plan more and more every second.

Elena takes a moment to puzzle out the squirrels accent. Her ears stand up as realization dawns on her, "Oh! ok! I get it. That actually sounds...doable." The fox chuffs, blowing her bangs out from inront of her eyes, "Ok, so where should we set up this trap of sorts? Ferreval is, of course closest. There is a village up north across the bridge, Tussock I think. Of course Redwall is south of us. IF we leave for either we would be there by morning." The fox thinks for a moment, "There is also Arundal, but its a days journey east and after that battle, well...I'm not even sure if its still there these days...

"Well where d' ye think tha weasle 'll think we'll go?" Bevera says "Redwall is obviously out of the question an' goin' back ta Ferreval es a bad idea all togeather, eh would be waiten fer us... ah doubt eh would expect us to be 'eadin' north, asides the farther north the more dangorus et es fer ya... Looks like Arundal et es then,"

The vixen gulps. She remembers the flight from the city for other, non related crimes...."Well, I suppose we can do that...if the city still exists. There was some kind of battle there. I don't know much of the details but it inolved the Mossflower Militia and some bandits, and nothing good ever comes from either." The fox stands up, stretching a kink out of her back, "As long as you promis this plan doesn't involve hitting me upside the head again, I can lead you there." She thrusts out a paw to shake, "Call me Elena Fritz..."

Bevera shakes her paw and says "I'm Bevera, an' I'm no' makin' any promices though, ye know that black eye saved yer 'ide,"

Elena tilts her head back, looking off to the side, "You have no idea." She still kicks herself for joining that gang of thieves. Thieves guild her eye! Bunch of amatures, the lucky ones were outright killed. Those who were captured...the very thought of their fates sends chills down Elena's spine. "So...I hope you are ready for a walk. We are going to head south a bit and then east. We will be heading for a place called Beggar's Pass..."

"Right then, lets get a move on, no use en standin' round 'ere all day waiten fer im ta catch up wit us, lead the way" Bevera says jumping up and giving Elena a wave.