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oz

Member

Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 1,658

The Shadow Strikes Again

** This happens in the late morning and a couple hours after  http://forum.rwmuck.org/viewtopic.php?id=72  so also ICLY Jan 17,2017. ***

Patch looked around and frowned “Something feels….it’s too quiet stripy I don’t like it one little bit, not at all”

Xander shakes his head “You worry too much Patch” He looks at some clouds, “Maybe there is some snow coming and the feast is here soon, beasts could be there.”

Aira has stayed with them, mostly left them alone but this sparks her curiousness, “Feast? For what…where?”

Patch answers “At Redwall, any good beast can come, it’s in like 2-3 days’ time. Good food and such”

Xander just shakes his head as the rat answers, “Yeah, feasts are ok..I guess. Not sure if I will go or not, or stay long anyways may just stay in my Uncle Zee’s hut. But I do have to find Zolomon, course that could wait a few days I guess unless I find him before the feast at like the Defenders Headquarters”

Aira tilts her head “Lady Zinnia has spoken of Redwall, she is from there it seems”

Xander Shrugs “So…she can go if she wants to,  that’s up to her, not me.”

Patch looks between them and just sighs, he then gets out of the boat quietly “I am heading to Ferravale, see ya later stripy.”

Aira watches him head off before glancing back at Xander “And where will you go?” She did sense something odd though “It is rather quiet…no birds or anything”

Xander rolls his eyes “So, it’s also early morning..maybe beasts are asleep or something and why would you care where I went? I rather not be here when YOUR friends catch up to us.” He gets his small pack of supplies and gets off the boat.

Aira frowns “But…wait” She starts to follow him.

Xander spins around and snarls, “I said BACK OFF!!”

Aira gasps and flaps backwards, a sad voice “O..ok..I am sorry Xander, I really am for whatever has upset you. Your mother and Sir Takeo only wants to make sure you’re ok..so I will let them know you got to here safe…”She decides its best to fly off, not wishing to upset him further.

Xander heads on down the path to Ferravale

==Elsewhere while this was going on ==

A crow watches a boat as its beasts move around.

Takeo  smiles at twin sea otters “Milo..Ottis, I will be back shortly, going to see what sort of village is nearby, let Zinnia know I won’t be gone long, she is sleeping right now.” He gets a nod as the tall badger exits the boat.

The crow flies back to its master and lands on the shoulder of Kaage.

Kaage smirked as he looked at the boat and nodded to his small group of vermin “Strike Shadow”

The boat is soon boarded by a grey rat, 2 ferrets, 2 weasels and a marten, right away they go for the otter twins.

Milo sees the first weasel and acts quickly, his brother Ottis is a bit less of a fighter and goes to run below deck .

The ferrets quickly go to grab Ottis before he has a chance to get away, while the weasels and rat try to overtake Milo.

Milo manages to slice the rat’s throat and then gets knocked out.

Below deck an ermine gets his longsword and looks to a doorway, and back to the steps leading to the deck and hisses softly.

Kaage comes aboard and smirks “I like this ship, it’s now mine..even has room for my slaves” He smooths out the feathers of his crow and looks down at the dead rat and shrugs, he smiles coldly to Milo and Ottis “ Greetings slaves…”He nods to the marten to follow him below deck where they come upon  the ermine “Well whats this..a fellow vermin or a woodlander wantabe?”

Barttholmew stands his ground, sword at the ready” I am Sir Takeo and Lady Zinnia body guard and you are trespassing on this ship, do leave or feel cold steel in your chest.” He stays by the doorway.

Zinnia has been awoken by the noise and peeks out, she then quickly regrets it and backs up quickly

Kaage smiles coldly “Oh, I say this is my ship, I am Kaage leader of The Shadow and anyone on board The Shadow’s ship are slaves, or maybe being a fellow vermin you could work for me?”

Barttholmew quickly pushes Zinnia back and slams the door in the fox’s face, “Lady Zinnia do not worry I will not let harm come to you.”

Zinnia frowns “Where is Takeo? Is he ok….please  Barttholmew answer me and it’s not a request”

It takes a little effort but the door is knocked in and Kaage, two ferrets, two weasels and a marten do enter “I say its rude to lock a door but I did enter and doors can be…replaced.” He grins as he nods to his group to attack.

Barttholmew manages to kill a weasel and wound the marten before he is slammed into some supply crates and they fall around him, one pinning his leg to the floor. “R..Run…” Yeah like that will work now, he looks at Kaage

Kaage looks at the ermine and then the badger maid and snaps his fingers as the rest of his group go to surround her.

Zinnia screams and tries to run but falls onto his stomach and tenses up a little, she manages to get up only to see she has nowhere to run.

Barttholmew frowns and then growls at the fox “You will not enslave or harm her as long as I draw breath you vile creatures”

Kaage nods as he walks up to the ermine, “Sadly you are right….”He sounds defeated and then a smile forms as he takes his blade and in a lightening quick move he slices the ermine’s throat, once done he walks to Zinnia and the vermin part for him, he goes to cup her chin in his paw, ”A badger as a slave…how interesting, badgers are usually feared by vermin, you seem afraid of me though and I do enjoy seeing fear in beasts, I enjoy it very much”

Barttholmew tenses only once and then falls to the floor dead as blood leaks from his throat and his eyes are lifeless.

“Barttholmew!” Zinnia screams and tears come to her eyes, she looks into the face of Kaage and whimpers. ”Please…..please just let me go, I wouldn’t make a good slave I….I am with dibbun”

Kaage looks down at her midsection and back to her face “Well…this could prove useful, tell you what I will keep you around till it’s born…then you die and I raise the dibbun as my own, from birth it will learn  and won’t even be forced to obey…they will call me..father..” He nods to the others ”Chain her with the others, and…throw the dead overboard. “

Zinnia starts crying as she is chained, and shivers a little not knowing what has become of Takeo, or even Aira and she worries for Xander as well.

Aira is flying nearby but once she sees vermin on the ship she quickly lands in a tree and watches.

On the ship is Kaage and his vermin band, The Shadow and chained on deck is two voles, a beaver dibbun, two otters and a badger maid.

The vermin throw a grey rat over board and also Barttholmew, they look up as some clouds form and the wind howls, “Boss..maybe wait out the storm?”

Kaage looks at the clouds and snorts “Fine…we can wait a couple days if needed, but no more…sides that..Takeo as he is called will be coming back to his ship, I want him killed on first sight, this ship is mine and I will take no chances” He looks to the marten who as some poison darts, he himself has his bolas and throwing daggers.” I also want to make sure the one rat and younger badger are not something to worry on, captive or dead it matters not for the rat….nor the badger if he gives you trouble, I will soon have a badger that WILL obey me and will call me father and love me…be fateful to….me” He smiles coldly at the last word.

Aira quickly flies away to find either Takeo or Xander, either works.

Xander is on the dirt road a little ways from the bridge.

“Xander…oh young Xander!” Aira yells, her voice sounds urgent.

Xander stops and turns around “Wot now?” He frowns slightly as he sees the bird in a panic.

Aira speaks “Its..the..they have Milo, Ottis and  Lady Zinnia…they have killed Barttholmew…some fox and other beasts took over the ship and there were others aboard as well…slaves”

Xander frowns at this”W..what?”

Patch jumps from a tree, “Slavers! I knew it..knew it stripes it WAS to quiet but no one ever listens to Patch”

Aira puffs out not use to sudden appearances.

“Z..Zinnia is…captive? Barttholmew is..my friend..d..dead?” A voice says as a sack of supplies are dropped, apples and peppers and some wrapped packages of herbs fall to the snow.

Aira turns and quickly flies to the badger “Sir Takeo! Am I ever so glad to see you sir! “

Xander looks torn between worry and anger, he fights back tears, “Mom…” He looks to the older badger, “TH..they have my..mom”

Takeo listens and quickly picks up the supplies and sits them upright, “Where? Wait we will need help but where?”

Patch looks down a path”Well there is Ferravale…there is the Defenders…”

A stoat comes into view, beside him is a hare, and a squirrel, as well as an eagle.” Mr. Xander…and Mr. Patch, what is this of needing help?”

Xander hears the voice and rushes forward to hide his face in the stoat’s tunic and just starts sobbing “Marek…Marek they have…have my mom..have mom…”

Takeo starts to draw his blade and blinks when it’s clear the other badger knows this beast, “Slavers have my mate and my crew, they killed my body guard and possibly have other slaves, any help would be welcome”

Patch frowns, “I could go try and gather info and report back…if I am not back in a couple hours assume the worse” He disappears into the trees.

Marek stands there. Clearly not use to sudden hugs and unclear what to do to comfort a beast, usually others do that as he looks over at the hare and squirrel with him.

Quade walks forwards “You have the Mossflower Defenders at your side sir badger”

Zolomon gently pulls Xander towards him, if he allows and rubs his back “Xandy….tis ok, we will help rescue any slaves, including your mother”

Xander allows himself to be led away by Zolomon and only nods.

Aira frowns “they are close to the bridge, not to far downstream from Xander and Patches boat, there is a beaver dibbun, two voles, Milo and Ottis and course Lady Zinnia as captives, I am unsure what all vermin but the leader seems to be a coal black fox.”

Takeo nods, “Thank you Aira my friend”

Marek looks to the eagle “ Mr. Thunderwing get a birds view and be careful”

Thunderwing nods as he sets off.

Xander just stays close to Zolomon, if this was a normal day he would be telling him of the note in the chest to speak to the hare, but for now he only has worry for his mother, fear of her safety, even if he is angry at her, she is his mother and deep down he still very much loves her.

Aira sighs and stays at Takeo’s side to comfort him, the tall badger is worried about Zinnia as well, and their unborn child.

Patch meanwhile tries to find out some stuff about The Shadow best he can, but of course one can’t always hide well as he feels something hit him upside the head and then his world goes dark as he falls unconcious to the snowy ground, only to wake up chained and with a headache, his eyes widen and he does the only other thing he can think of…scream.

---

I play:
Brother Gorvenalus-Redwall Abbey Recorder,  Private Cole,a runner, of the Long Patrol
Oz( Yes named after Papa Oz) young adult and Novice in Redwall.