Search for flour, p. 3 (Sorry about the length)

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OOC : Sorry we took so long to do this....RL is a serious pain in the butt sometimes. I hope you enjoy! BIC:

Previously, on the Redwall Abbey logs.... [1] .

Friends : Same as last time, except without Brother Leon. Enemies : Again, same as last time.....plus a fox.

The party from redwall are in trouble, they are part way down the trail that connects the Main Road to the Market and they have been waylaid by a group of bandits. They are mostly pine-martens and weasels and they have the group surrounded. The cart with the three order beasts at the centre and their guards, DoraRose, Emyuil, Chud and Zork on the outside. The leader grins from where he is hanging from a tree branch and points down at the party as his vermin point their spears at the group. "Drop the weapons and back away and we'll see about maybe letting you live when we have what we want."

DoraRose draws her sword, bouncing into an at-ready stance. "Uh, yeah, no. I don't think so." She glares at a certain fox that has just exited the treeline. "Now, then. Please step aside, or y'all shall die, starting with the fox." Oh, yeah....did I mention that the fox and the warriormouse have met before?

Chud, for one who isn't officially a warrior, reacts quite swiftly, springing over to the cart and grabbing a crowbar-like implement of some sort that was lying around. He twirls it once and holds it low to his side, and outward, crouching a bit, saying to the group, "Back up to the cart--we need something solid behind us or we're deadbeasts." He has a decent knowledge of tactics, then, too.

Emyuil, however, isn't about to fall back. He draws his sword in a smooth motion, as if from a great distance, and stares at the same fox that DoraRose has her eye on. His obsidian eyes match his sword's blade, but the sword isn't lancing the fox with raw hatred--yet. He takes a few steps forward, as if in a dream, and his cloak silently flaps ever so slightly behind him.

Zork has his very large and very sharp sword with him, for sure only something a badger would have, he is now in his serious mode, yeah off tune song forgotten, he grins at the varies vermin, "Be wise ta let us pass and you to..go away"

The pine-marten up in the trees just grins, "I don't think we'll be letting you pass.." bow strings can be heard creaking as several vermin pull them back. "I suggest staying away from the fox and just dropping everything my peaceful friends. We want the cart and the brother and we'll leave you be."

DoraRose frowns and grabs hold of the back of Emyuil's cloak, going to pull him back with her towards the cart. "Which Brother? And, oh yeah, I don't do surrender. Sorry." Ah, sarcasim. Maybe not the best idea in the world, but, boy, does it feel good.

Chud twirls the iron bar again and waits for instructions. He seems quite ready to bash some heads, and he's somewhat impatient now.

Emyuil pulls free from DoraRose and takes another step forward. He slowly extends his sword until its tip is level with the fox several yards away. His voice, cold and pitiless, as it was in those seasons of slaughter and fire before he came to Redwall, rings out. "You--Fox. Step forward."

Zork has yet to draw his large sword, he folds his arms over his chest, "No one is taking anyone sorry"

The Fox laughs and shakes his head staying right where he is, leaning on his spear, "Why would I do that mouse? I have ferrets with bows and arrows." he gestures at the creatures pointing their weapons at the party. The pine martin sighs, "We'll settle for just Brother Rufus, you beasts can't win this, even with the Badger on your side. We'll take Brother Rufus and in a few days send you a nice ransom note."

DoraRose is seriously gonna have a migraine after this. Clenching her sword hilt, she murmers, "Emyuil, you little idiot, get back here. I won't let you die on me." In a louder voice, she asks, "Why do you want Rufus? What did he do to you? I don't bargain with my enemies."

Chud raises his head and yells, "Uh, we have a badger here. Do you verminous idiots realize that you're deadbeasts if you don't scarper within the next 3.52321 seconds?" He leans the iron rod on his shoulder, still waiting. Meanwhile, Emyuil murmurs, "Step forward now or be branded a coward before all beasts who ever walked these lands. Do you have the guts to stand up to your foebeast one-on-one, or are you just a cringing whelp of a fox who cannot battle without a line of archers before him?"

Zork places a paw close to his sword, no drawing it yet as he listens to noises aroud him and takes in scents, he scans the area and path where they are and looks back towards the leader beast.

The Pine Martin grins and shakes his head, "Nothing, but Redwall Brother's are valuable currency we can do a lot with one of them held hostage." He glances at Zork and shakes his head, "And yes badgers are scary but you know there is a reason we have arrows." The fox meanwhile just shakes his head, "Not a coward, I believe you'll find the word you want little mouse is "Not Stupid" do I fight a mouse single pawed or do I rely on my friends here to fill you full of arrows? Hmmm the not stupid answer is arrows of course."

DoraRose growls low in her throught and decides that, fine, is Emyuil wants to get his butt whooped, he can have it done. Possibly by her when this is all over. "My answer is no. We will never surrender, nor shall we hand over an Abbeybeast who is under our charge. And don't mind Emmy, there. He's...touched in the head." Maybe /that'll/ get him to listen to her.

Chud grins at Zork and leans on the crowbar. He really is itching to start clonking vermin on the head. When will all this talking be over? His brown-rimmed eyes are bright and eager. Let's go, let's go, let's GO! Every cell in his body screams.

Emyuil's eyes flash. His sister's admonition goes unheeded. If they call him touched in the head..."So be it," he whispers to himself. If this is the title they place upon him..."Then I take it up and wear it proudly, like a scar." Now...Death is on the wind... Today...there will be blood. The beast who christened himself the Half-Rat bares his teeth and roars at the fox, "A true fighter wouldn't care! A true warrior wouldn't care for their own safety--at least not to the extent where he shoves other beasts in his way to survive. And a true leader wouldn't be so reluctant to lead from the front. Draw your sword and let fate decide!"

The fox rolls his eyes and glances up at the Pine Marten in his tree who is sniggering, "Gods... listen to him... a right old idiot.... Is your little speeche meant to enrage us so we challenge you to. Only a complete moron would LOOSE!" He shouts! Breaking all the rules by ordering the attack mid monologue! That is just rude! But the seven pole-cats releases the arrows and they zoom in toward the party... Brother Rufus yelps and drops to the ground and yanks the novices down with him as those arrows sing in toward them all!

Zork draws his large blade now and swings at one of the pole cats as they come towards him, carefull of any arrows near him as one barely misses a footpaw.

After hurling himself to the ground under the volley of arrows, Emyuil gets to his feet and whirls his blade in a figure-eight and continues stepping measuredly towards the ranks of vermin, even if it's suicidal--He's ready to slaughter and waves of hatred are radiating off him as his black sword gleams in the light. Meanwhile, Chud lets out a startled yell as he jumps behind the cart, which is suddenly riddled with arrows. He clambers up onto it and jumps back to the side that most of the party is on, resting the crowbar on his shoulder again for a moment before gently smacking its end against his paw over and over. "I know this great joke where a bunch of dirtbag vermin all walk into a bar...A bar rather like this one."

DoraRose also falls to the ground, and then she, too, scoots foreward a little bit, except she stays on her stomach. "Emyuil, please stay here!" she hisses as she digs out her sling, loads it, and returns fire. And then continues fireing.

Someone screams as an arrow hits them, it is one of the Novices but Brother Rufus doesn't hang about whilst the vermin are reloading. He tips the cart over and pulls his charges under it as more arrows flash out! The foolish vermin who stepped forward gets Zork's sword full in the face and with a scream he goes down even as the four beasts in front of the fox fire a string of arrows directly at Emyuil. His swinging blade is a threat and may well drop some of those arrows but stopping all of them will be nigh on impossible. Which is about when the Pine Martin drops from the canopy over head. With everyone distracted by beasts with arrows he lands with a thump atop the upturned cart and grins at DoraRose and Chud and lashes out at them with his halberd.....

Emyuil whirls his blade again, not to block arrows, but to maul enemies. Most of the arrows that go near him merely shoot through his cloak, tearing ragged holes in cloth that was already practically made up of ragged holes. Two arrows graze him but one takes him in the shoulder and he bares his teeth, snarling, as he keeps walking, crushing the pain mentally. An archer falls, mangled, and the implacable Half-Rat steps ever closer to the leader of the gang, fire in his eyes and blood on his paws.

Chud whirls around to face the foe behind him and thrusts his crowbar upward to ward off the questing halberd, then flips the crowbar around and jumps onto the cart, inside the range of the halberd's blade, grinning mischieveously at the marten just before giving the halberd-wielding attacker a mighty crack with the metal rod that sounds like a wet slab of meat being thrown against the concrete wall and sends the beast staggering drunkenly off the cart, falling several feet onto the surface of the road and becoming coated with dust as his head rings like a bell.

Zork keeps a good grip on his sword, waiting for a vermin to get closer to him so he can fight, but also knows to avoid and stay clear of arrows best he can.

DoraRose hollers and flips over onto her back, loosing the stone towards the pine marten's head. Reloading her sling, she stands, grabs her sword, and ducks behind the wagon. She wants to be able to protect those who are, well, under her protection.

Several of the beasts having exhausted what arrows they have draw a collection of swords and charge Zork! Two of them have swords and one has some sort of hooked dagger! They run toward the badger, trying to get close enough to do some real damage. The beast with the Halberd picks himself up off the ground and growls at Chud, sadly DoraRose's sling stone missed what with him being knocked off the cart and all but he lunges forward toward Chud, trying to skewer the young beast with the pike end of his halberd. The beasts facing Emyuil however are not a happy bunch, they are managing to ward off his wild swings and the fox has swung around to the left and tries to stab the mouse from the side.

Zork grips his large blade and waits till the enemy is close and swings his blade, he aims to behead one of the evil beasts and uses his arm to slam another down hopefully, as he barely sidesteps one blade, it still cuts into his leg, but not nearly as bad as it could of, he growls and focuses his ager on fighting.

Chud jumps backwards to the edge of the cart and smacks the halberd's blade aside, causing a shower of sparks to fly in all directions. Quickly, trying to press his momentary advantage of having an opening, he moves in close and jams the crowbar forward, inside the sweep of the huge halberd.

Emyuil breathes deeply and his eyes flicker closed and open again for a fraction of a second, and his strikes become smooth and more controlled, his expression calculating and cold. He sidesteps the thrust of the fox's blade and gives two quick diagonal slashes at opposite angles, making a black 'X' in the air as the air around him blurs with the swiftness of the blade's movement.

DoraRose digs extra slings from her haversack and hands them to the Abbeybeasts. "There are rocks everywhere. Use these." She herself slings a stone at Random Enemy #5, keeping her sword close to paw.

The beast Zork was aiming for tries to duck but doesn't do it fast enough and loses the top half of his head and falls sideways. The beast the badger tried to smash down manages to roll out of the way but drops his weapon and just bolts into the undergrowth and the remaining three beasts start to back away from the huge badger! Emyuil almost gets the fox with that slashing X manouver but the vulpine leaps backwards and kicks a rat in the way which tangles up the mouse's sword as the unlucky rodent gets slashed across the chest and goes down screaming, trying to clutch at the warrior mouses' legs. Chud now has the wrong end of a halberd as the Pine Marten just lets go of it and leaps back and pulls a dagger which he hurls at the otter. Brother Rufus and the Novices thank Dora and help with the rock chucking! Random Enemy #5 goes down with a scream as he is clunked in the head and paws and he quickly turns and runs for it.

Zork chuckles as the beasts back away from him, his wound starts to bleed but he still fights, large weapon tight in paw he steps forewards and swings his weapon at the vermin, "Don't lose ya heads like ya friend did now!"

Chud yelps and ducks, and the thrown dagger goes wild--Blade throwing is impressive when it works, which is pretty much never unless you practice like crazy, as the young otter remarks to his opponent before shoving the halberd away from him and jabs forward with the crowbar again

Emyuil growls in frustration as his blade is twisted in a circle, almost out of his grip before he rips it free and kicks the dying rat away, giving a flurry of horizontal slashes at the fox and determined not to yield

DoraRose smiles in wicked satisfaction as her stone hits home. She quickly reloads and begins to twirl her sling, peeking over the edge of the cart for a target. What she sees horrifies her. Rapidly raising herself up a little more, she lets the stone fly -- straight at the fox dude's stupid face. Hopefully she'll hit his eye. Although the mouth would be fine, too.

The battle is not going well, the three still facing Zork all look at each other whilst backing up, they then glance at the badger, back up further then flee amongst the brush, running for it as quickly as they can. Chud and the Pine Marten are still facing each other, the crowbar is met by a parry from the halberd then the marten grounds the butt of his halberd and leaps up! Vanishing up onto a branch, swinging nimbly up into the canopy. His reason for this sudden dessertion is Dora's rock, it catches the fox squarely on the nose and makes him flinch which lets Emyuil's horizontal slash bite deeply into his side. He gasps, choking back blood as he staggers.....

Zork grins as the 3 flee and chuckles, he still keeps a grip on his blade just in case its needed, he stays alert and scans the area for any other signs of trouble in the area.

Chud jabs up at the fleeing marten as his foe vanishes into the trees. The young otter yells a few curses in regard to his opponent's show of cowardice and chucks a few rocks in the general direction that the vermin fled into. He mutters, "Come /on/," and shakes his head, then sits down on the edge of the overturned cart to watch the proceedings up ahead, swinging his footpaws back and forth and tapping the crowbar against the wood sides of the cart, awaiting instruction.

Blood spurts from the fox's wound onto Emyuil's heavily scarred features and the Half-Rat watches with grim satisfaction, blood dripping across his face and from his own shoulder wound, as his opponent bleeds out his life on the road. He steps forward and aims a kick at the dying fox to knock them flat on the dust of the road, spitting contemptously as he does so.

DoraRose leaps over the cart, barely waiting for the rock's impact. "Emyuil, that's enough! Come on, please!" The warriormouse really needs to hem her dress -- she steps on the edge of it, falls, and cries out as she bangs her knees, scrapes her paws, twists her ankle, and--horror of horrors--injures her wrist. Her right one. Y'know, the one she uses the most. She falls sideways, cutting her back just a little on an abandoned sword, then curls up in the bloody snow and slush, tears clouding her vision.

Brother Rufus was about to say something to Emyuil himself when Dora goes down and with a curse he hurries over to the mouse. "Young man stop that," he snaps at the half-rat, "Treat your enemy with some respect in death or walk away but that..." he shakes his head and goes to helping Dora even as the Novices start to right the cart.

Zork rubs his shoulder, it has a cut on it from the fight and he has a small cut on his right cheeck. He also looks to see who else is injured.

Chud jumps from the cart and lands on both feet, trotting to where DoraRose is and crouching next to her, sticking the crowbar's point into the ground nearby so it's out of the way. "Are you okay?"

Emyuil meanwhile whirls around, his shredded, bloodsoaked cloak flapping behind him. "Oy! You--Rufus--Shut your trap. I do what I please, and besides, that fox and I had a score to settle. So butt out." His obsidian eyes burn and he plants the bloodstained blade /Nevermore/ in the road, between his footpaws, leaning on the hilt and glaring darkly at Brother Rufus. His arrow wound still bleeds and he ignores it, hardly even acknowledging that it's there.

DoraRose weakly shoves Rufus' paws away. "Help...my brother...I'm fine..." she doesn't look fine, however. She clutches her stomach and looks about ready to barf, and her right wrist is swelling badly. Any knowledgeable healer would be able to tell that's it's broken.

Rufus sighs and sends one of the Novice to help Emyuil and goes back to look at Dora, "Your wrist is broken Miss DoraRose, I am afraid I have to set it then bandage it. We must then push on for the market and then swiftly return to the abbey."

" 'ere--" Chud speaks up. "I know healin', at least a bit. I can get it splinted. Miz DoraRose can ride on the cart for the rest of the way and then we'll be able to carry on without too much trouble. I'll help any way I can."

Emyuil meanwhile rips the arrow out with his bare paws and snaps it, hurling the pieces away and shoving the Novice aside as he proceeds to rip yet another strip of cloth from his tattered cloak, making a hasty but functional bandage that quickly soaks dark with blood.

DoraRose is facing her brother, and upon seeing his actions, she shoves Rufus and Chud aside, cradling her broken paw as she sits up, nearly vomiting, but managing to hold it down. "Emyuil, stop this!" she totters and nearly collapses as she gets to her knees, sending waves of pain shooting through her sprained ankle. "What would Mama and Papa think if they could see you now? Please let the Novice help you..." at that she tries to stand, steps on her sprained ankle, and faints. She is out cold.

The Novice picks himself up from where he was pushed, and turns away to help Rufus with DoraRose as she faints, "Well.." Brother Rufus says, "I can see... why Elder Benar has been concerned about your actions Master Emyuil... fair enough tend to yourself." He then nods to Chud, "You aid in helping miss DoraRose would be welcome, I only know a certain amount of healing"

Zork waits to see what happens next, standing guard just in case.

Chud squints and examines DoraRose, adjusting the fallen mousemaid's limp form so that she lies flat on her back. He calls to several of the Order members near the cart. "Oy! You lot! Take a few of th' planks from the frame of the cart and get 'em over here." He finds a good sized rock and slips it under DoraRose's head like a crude pillow, so that if she vomits while unconscious it'll still come out so she won't choke on it.

Emyuil meanwhile looks a bit shocked at his sister's words, and even more so by her sudden unconsciousness. He seems worried and fearful for just a moment, but then as DoraRose hits the ground the darkness descends over his features once more. He rips the bloodsoaked blade out of the road and sheaths it forcefully over his back as he storms up to Rufus. "Since when has he been /concerned about my actions/, as you say? That old bushtail's too scared to tell me to my face, is he?" Blood still runs down his face and his eyes are blacker than Death Itself. "ANSWER ME!"

The snow beneath the mousemaid's form greedily soaks up the blood from the wound on her back, which seems to be worse than it first appearred. DoraRose's eyes shift slightly under their lids as the angry tones in her brother's voice filter into her subconsciousness. Anyone who looks at her ankle will see that's it's swollen a little, also.

Rufus doens't even blink, he just looks at the shouting mouse, "Though are't unkind Master Emyuil, Elder Benar has spoken to you in the past about thy anger. Perhaps you should look upon thy actions in this current moment and ask yourself why the Elder Council and the Abbot grow concerned when you act as a vermin might act when all around you wish to bring aid." he turns his back on Emyuil then and moves to assist Chud with the materials he needs to aid Dora-Rose.

Zork frowns, "Is the lass ok?" He is worried, he worries for any friend, He is still very alert as he keeps an eye on the area.

Chud says in reply to Zork, "Yeah. If we can keep the broken areas of her limbs still and stop that bleeding from her back, she should be fine." He grabs the boards that were provided and sandwiches DoraRose's leg--the one with the broken ankle--between two of them, then calls to the Order mice, "I need a belt, or a rope. Two, actually. And two more boards."

The proceedings around DoraRose's inert form fall on deaf ears as far as Emyuil is concerned. He can't even hear them; they're just blocked from his mind amidst the red mist veiling his eyes. "I don't care what you call my actions. They are my own concern and Elder Benar has no right to pass judgement upon that of which he knows naught. Call me vermin--fine. I'm vermin. I remind you of my surname. Half-Rat. And that scum of a fox deserved what he got. He wronged me in the past, and wronged my kin as well. So /don't you bloody well tell me,/" he hisses between clenched teeth, jabbing a claw at Rufus, "/to look upon my actions, and ask myself JACK,/ you got it? Go to Hellgates, you bloody hear me?" Emyuil hasn't been this furious in ages.

DoraRose stirs again as her brother hisses and calls himself a 'vermin'. "/Streamstone.../" she says in a barely audible voice, her head lolling to one side. "/Right, Lily...?/"

Rufus just steps out of the way when Emyuil jabs at him, leaving his Novices to attend to DoraRose with Chud. He regards the mouse with a steady gaze, "And who said Elder Benar had passed judgement on you? Who said he had called you vermin? Not I, concern over your rage and anger is not Judgement, it is concern. For yourself a well as others." he bows, "I thank you for your assistance this day in beating back the Vermin who attacked us, now please try and get a hold of yourself and calm down," He turns to Chud then, "Can we get started? I'd like to reach the Market before dark and we should get her inside the inn there."

Zork nods "It would be a wise desion to head onn up the road and does the market have an inn even, isnt it just a ummmm....like lots of tents and tables and such?"

Chud uses the ropes to bind the boards around DoraRose's leg, and with another set of boards, he binds the mousemaid's right forearm. He grabs a clean strip of white cloth from the pouch at his side and bandages the wound on DoraRose's back and rises to his feet, taking a pace backwards and leaning on the crowbar sticking in the ground. "Roight. Le's go." He tosses the crowbar onto the cart. "Pick 'er up nice an' gentle, mates," he directs the novices. "Keep 'er head upright as much as y'can. And f'r gawd's sakes, don't touch the boards. Get her in the cart and make sure there's somethin' t'cushion 'er, and to keep her 'ead propped up, y' got it? Then we can get goin'."

In the same moment, Emyuil's eyes flash with another light for half a splintered second as he hears DoraRose's whispers, and he powers towards his sister, battering aside a novice who stands in his path. "'rose!" he shouts.

DoraRose barely stirs as the heales do their work. She smiles slightly in her unconcious state.

Rufus lets Emyuil fuss around his sister, glad he is calming down somewhat and slowly takes charge of the little expedition again. Dora is on the cart in no time at all and the party set off, heading for the market place and the relative safety it offers.

BAH! This got so stinking long. Sorry about that. Shall continue this in another log. Thanks for reading!