Redwall: A Time of Darkness

[Songbreeze2012]

Fern gave the woods a look, but saw nothing in particular. Then again, if it was her pa, that would mean... "Mikal!" She said, lifting her arm for the bird to land on. The crow ruffled his feathers, clicking his beak lightly.

"Hiya, Fern-Ang, hiya."

"Mikal, I'd never thought I'd be happy to see you. Where's pa?"

"In-tha-wood, brought spikey mice and long-ears and badger lady-lord." The bird said, ruffling his feathers and sticking out his chest proudly. "But vermin got rock-thrower, big wood rock thrower, careful.

Fern sighed in relief, but knew they weren't out of the woods yet. "We will, Mikal, but listen up now. I need you to circle back, not fly straight to them, ye hear? If'n the vermin see ye, it could end badly for pa."

"Got it Fern, see youse 'gain soon." Mikal said, taking flight again. He took the longest way possible back to Triage, which would take time, but was worth it.

 

Fern heard the rat and stood, motioning for everyone else to stay down. "Sorry, rat, we don't leave our home for just any visitor you know. But I'll tell you what, you tell your lord Krazka or whatever that he can talk to me right here. I can hear just fine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Easy now, mar'm." Triage said, looking up at the badger lady. "The abbey is litterally right there, so we're in perfect position to help if need be. But for now, we best not lose our element of surprise. Wait till Mikal comes back with a report, then we'll decide where to go."

"He has a point, mar'm, and that bird ain't never let us down before." Log-a-Log said, shrugging as he walked by with a crate of food.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Krazka is standing there, not sure if you got that or not))

 

The fox spread his paws wide in a friendly gesture, though truly he was mocking her. "Well, and here I thought we were guests. Isn't Redwall famous for treating their guests right?" He asked innocently, looking around at his horde as though this was a simple want. They nodded obediently. Turning back, Krazka rested his paw on his sword hilt and looked up at the otter. "Listen, girl. We have more advantage over you than you could imagine. Surrender now, and youll be free to leave. In fact, we won't even make slaves of yez. You can all just toddle on out, real nice like." His expression turned dark. "Or, you can fight us, lose friends and family, and inevitably lose. I invite you to think on the matter, though if I were you I'd hurry," he said, grinning savagely up at Fern.

---- Pralia jumped back in surprise at the arrival of the bird. "I didn't know birds could talk," she said, a bit naively. She was about to speak when she heard the vermin below yell. The squirrel poked her head out and stared at the massed army. It was more vermin than she'd ever seen.

------

The badger lady shook her head. "Every moment we waste is a life being taken. I shall wait if I must, but not for long," she said bluntly. At a wave the Colonnel began shouting orders. The hares all sat where they were, ready to leave at a moments notice.

[Songbreeze2012]

((Yea, I know, but she was insulting him by not speaking directly to him. Happened in the books all the time lol))

 

Fern weighed her options. Leave, save everyone, but live with her father's shame. Stay, some die, but Redwall stands tall. It had never fallen into vermin hands long, and never without a fight. So, with a gracious smirk, said said, "Sorry foxy, can't be leavin' these old walls ye know. Now, how bout ye skit," her otters stood as one, weapons ready and faces grim, "'fore we make ye?" Balista or not, the fox had no idea what was coming for him. Her father's wrath was legendary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thank ye mar'm." Triage said, looking up into the trees and lifting his paw. Mikal huffed a few times then told his tale.

"Fox leader, threaten Red Walls. Hide wood rock thrower in trees beside road go north south. Fern smart, play smart. But many vermin horde, many vermin. Fern needed help, but say surprise vermin bestest."

"Good Mikal." Triage said, looking back at the badger lady. "Well mar'm now it's yore call."

[Alenaria]

Hey, I don't know if you're still accepting but if you are:

 

Username: Alenaria

Character Name: Turri

Species: Squirrel

Gender: Female

Noticeable Markings: A red squirrel with spectacles

Accessories: A green habit belted with yellow cord.

Weapon of choice: Sling

Personality: She's rather quiet and shy, more used to the old Abbey records than other woodlanders. She is very loyal to the Abbey and her friends, however, and is more than willing to fight for them, even if it means dying.

Rank Wanted: Recorder

Anything Else: ... Not really.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Were always accepting! And you are accepted. Jump in whenever, for now there's only four of us, but maybe we'll get more attention soon))

 

Krazka listened in silence, knowing this was the answer he was going to get anyway. A discreet flick of his tail made the entire horde tense up; from the back a bird call was made. The ground started to rumbled as the other half of his army came charging out of the trees, summoned by the call. "Have it your way, maybe a taste a' war will make yez realize that playin' warrior with real swords is dangerous. Now!" At his command a weasel on the balista kicked the lever, sending a massive chunk of rock hurling towards Fern.

-----------

Pralia felt an uneasy feeling in her gut as Fern finally answered the vermin leader. She didn't like the look on his face, nor the appearance of many more soldiers. "Maybe you should get... DOWN!" Her whisper turned into a screech as the balista went off. Without thinking she yanked on Fern's rudder, pulling them both flat on the battlements as the rock soared overhead and smashed into the Abbey wall, then fell to the ground with a resounding thud. It took Pralia a moment to realize that her paws were still clenched around the otter's tail. "Sorry," she apologized, prying them off.

------

"Then let us go," she said, and began trudging off without waiting for an answer. The hares caught the hint, forming up and marching after the badger lady. The Corporal shrugged apologetically as he passed, muttering, "Marm's on a mission, ye'd be mad t' ignore 'er. Sorry chaps. Privet Stoutarm, get in line!" He added, seeing the young hare maid loitering about.

[En'K'Haral]

((grr you ninja'd me >.<))

 

"Yes sah!" Conya replied falling in with the rest of her unit. She looked back at Skip and and the rest of the crew and gave them a quick wave. Sadly it wasn't as stealthy as she would have liked as her sergeant rapped her between the ears again with this pace stick. "Eye's front Private Stoutarm!" "Yes Sah!"

 

The rat named Tug scouted ahead of Morgotha's group he honestly felt like he was being singled out because of something, this was the third time in a row he had been sent out to scout ahead. he knew it wasn't Morgatha who had something against him, if that had been the case the fox would likely have just killed him outright. No he bet it was one of the lower ranking rats in the horde. Tug muttered curses to himself as he wove through the underbrush of the forest snapping twigs and crunching leaves rather loudly. Not paying attention he walked head on into a hare who was also not paying attention (which was rare). "I say steady on, wot...eh?" "What yer mean steady on it was you's who walked ina me..." They both trialed off and stared at each other a moment as they sat on their rumps. It was a short lived silence as Tug stood up and made a break for it yelling for his leader. "Cap'n! Reinforcements! Cap'n!" The hare also rose and knocked an arrow to his bow yelling back to the main camp. "Scout's lads! keep sharp!" he loosed his arrow and it found it's mark in the rat's throat. The Rat had not gone far and morgotha was still too far away to here the yells.

Edited April 8, 2012 by En'K'Haral

[Alenaria]

((Yay! Here goes...: ))

 

Seeing the ballista's gigantic arrow sail over the Abbey wall and stick in the ground, Turri bounded across the Abbey coutyard and into the main hall. Flagging down a young volemaid, she said, "Hurry and get the Dibbuns and the Redwallers who can't fight into Cavern Hole. The vermin are attacking." The volemaid nodded quickly and left, gathering the non-combatants as she went.

 

The squirrel Recorder spun around and burst out the doors again, knowing that word would spread through the halls like wildfire. With a nimbleness that spited her age, she leapt up the stairs to the walltops two at a time, loading her sling as she went.

[Songbreeze2012]

"YOW!!" Fern screeched, but dropped, when Pralia pulled her rudder. She gritted her teeth, looking at the appendage. Few claw marks from the squirel maids claws, but nothing major. She had more pressing matters. "Watch yore fire, crew! I want straight aim or no shot! Each one better hit a target, killed or not!"

The otters called out gruff replies, taking careful aim. Redwallers who could fight were taking up positions with the otters. "Ready for war, pa..." Fern muttered, taking careful aim by just barely peaking over the wall. The rat flinched as his shoulder shattered. Not dead, but useless.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"No worries." Triage said, falling in lightly with the rest. The Guosim all fell in an unorderly fashion, but just as quiet as they coul be. She's not the only one with a mission. My daughter is in there an I'm goin' to get to her one way or 'nother. The loud wham he heard made Mikal flutter and Triage muttered a string of old sailor curses. He went to the badger lady quicly, "We gotta take out that balistta."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Krazka cackled when he saw the rock narrowly miss the otter. "Duck an hide, but ye'll never escape the gaze o' Krazka Deatheye!" He yelled, and dropped his paw. Again the balista threw it's rock, this time barely clearing the wall and sailing into the orchard where it crushed several trees. Seeing the otters rise to fire, the fox fell back behind the shield teams where he could not be hit. "Shields, to the doors when they're open! If'n ye don't die for something, I'll kill ya for nothing!" This "encouraging" speech was met by war cries and the sound of wood splintering as the balista heaved another load, this time towards one of the gates. It didn't break it down, though, and the loading of the machine was slow.

------

Pralia apologized silently again for clawing her tail. Then when she finally realized that there was a siege going on, she jumped and grabbed her bow. "It won't be a paw this time..." she muttered, knocking the bow. Taking aim, she fired and took a weasel through the throat. It was a little shocking, to be killing another creature, but she soon got over it as a spear grazed her ear. The thrower was met with another arrow. Pralia was about to shoot again when she noticed the Abbey Recorder with them ok the wall, sling in paw. "Turri, what are you doing?" She asked, dropping down so she could speak without danger of being slain. "It isn't safe, you might get hurt!" She exclaimed, fearful for the old one's health.

---------

The badger lady turned her head to look at him but did not stop walking. "I am aware of this, but I cannot think of a way to get to it. I'm sure they have guards and part of the army surrounding it. It will be tough going to reach it. Are your otters and shrews up for it?" She asked.

[Songbreeze2012]

Fern ground her teeth, letting Pralia deal with the recorder. She was glad she'd shorn up the gates. They weren't coming down anytime soon. She let a sling stone fly, cleanly killing a stoat in her built up anger. Oh, they weren't getting in anytime soon. Hurry pa.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shrews, yea, but I don't have any..."

"Wrong, wrong Triage, otters comin'" Mikal said, interrupting with a smirk.

"What did you do bird?" Triage said, looking toward the river.

"Went got old friends...see? Here come." Mikal said, pointing at the river with his wing. Sure enough, river boats and such were beaching and otter families of five or so were piling out. Other otters were coming too, single or in pairs, but swimming or walking toward them.

"Skipper Triage?" One burly young otter said, looking at Triage lightly.

"Aye, mate." He said, taking the offered paw.

"Yore bird said ye needed help, there's about fourty willin' paws here if ye can use 'em."

"Course we can." Triage said, looking at the badger lady again. "We can get the ballista."

 

[Alenaria]

Turri snorted. "And you can't? I might be old, Pralia, but I'm not too old to defend our home!" She raised her arm as she spoke, spinning the sling faster and faster above her head. "Redwaaaall," she bellowed as the she let the stone fly. Her aim was true, the missile hit a soat right between the eyes, poleaxing him.

 

Turri grinned at the two younger girls on the walltop beside her, a youthfuly warlike glint in her eyes. "Not too bad for one of my seasons, eh?"

[En'K'Haral]

The hare came running back to report to the colonel. "Sah we encountered a scout in the forest I suspect their watching their flanks." Conya overheard the hair speaking and spoke up to her sergeant. "Sah I would request that our unit be held back to assist Skipper Triage in attacking the ballista. If their scoutin ahead I would suspect they have a decent force moving through the forest." The sergeant wanted to tell Conya to mind her her business but she held a point so he passed on the request to the badger lady.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Morgotha's men continued to march the scout wasn't yet due back but Morgotha still had a sinking feeling. "Listen up you rable. Remember to keep a keen eye out and a keen ear open. We're supposed to be guarding lord Krazka's flank, it won't do him any good if we're asleep on teh job." he called out reminding his potion of the horde of their task. Just got to wait for that scout. He should be back soon." he thought to himself trying to calm his nerves. The sound of the ballista firing helped a great deal, the plan was underway.

Edited April 10, 2012 by En'K'Haral

[Sweet_Wyvern]

The badger lady hefted her sword, nodding to the new arrivals. "Then let's go get it," she said, and was stopped in her tracks by the returning scout. "Guarding their flanks? Clever. I don't think this is the usual show of brute force in vermin; they've got some brains atwixt them." She stared hard at Conya for a while, contemplating a strategy. At once an old tactic came to her, making the badger turn towards Triage. "Perhaps we could divide all of our forces into a three-pronged attack on the main force. No matter how sheer their numbers, the group they have in the forest can't stop us coming from three sides. The distraction of battle will give someone a chance of getting to the balista, whoever that may be." As she spoke the badger lady drew out her plan in the dirt with her claw.

-------

Pralia opened her mouth then shut it, seeing the sense in this. "Nice shot!" She whooped, feeling exhilarated. They hadn't lost anyone, the vermin were being picked off, and the gates were holding. Maybe they'd win this before next nightfall! She shot another arrow into the masses.

--------

Krazka barked directions into the shield rat's ear, directing the group closer to the gate. There were 8 vermin with him not including the rats with shields, all of them making their way towards the nearest gate. Overhead a chunk of stone flew and crashed into the gate, making the hinges screech. The gate had taken a beating, and now it wouldn't take much to break open. Krazka backed away to a safe distance where he could direct his troops, behind the shelter of a boulder. Without waiting the vermin he'd brought began hacking at the gate with their weapons, causing the wood to splinter. The fox grinned and watched the progression, then looked to the wall top in case any of the beasts had him targeted.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Sweet_Wyvern

[Songbreeze2012]

"Aye...that'll work..." Triage said, looking at the plan. He knelt, drawing a square. "This is the abbey, see? The gate on the east will hold but the side ones, the north, south, and west won't hold long. If they has brains atwix them then they'll have figured this out. My daughter is smart, but even she can forget those gates." he pointed at the line coming from the north, "The river comes there; leave that path to us otters."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fern heard the hacking on the gate, and silently cursed. "Sean, Pep!" she hissed, looking at the two otters. "Take a few otters and shore those gates up more, we got vermin knockin'"

"Aye Skip." The two moved swiftly, taking a third of the otters and Redwallers down to shore up the gates, focus first on the one the vermin were hacking.

"Ma'am Turri, if'n ye can, go tell Friar we'll be takin' meal up here tonight. This battle's far from over." She said before standing and letting a sling stone fly. It barely missed Krazka, bouncing off the boulder. But the message was clear. Back off.

[En'K'Haral]

((Tough gates are west and south last I checked. East and north are the small ones aren't they?"))

 

"Any word from the scout?" Morgotha asked a nearby stoat. "'asn't returned sir." Morgotha cursed with impatience the scout was going to be late at this rate. None the less they kept marching the footfalls of their paws rumbling through the forest as they contyinued their progression it was almost time to change direction now and head towards the fields before doubling back to join Krazka and yet the blasted scout hadn't returned. The fox was beginning to get concerned about the absence. "Sir is there going to be a change in the plan?' Swiftblade shook his head. "May have too. I don't like changing things. Ok I want a small group made up of our quietest soldiers to break off and start heading out to the rendavous point now. Maybe ten or so beasts their job is to see if any reinforcements have arrived and are moving ahead of us. I will take the remaining main force and continue with the already laid out plan. If the scouts find something they are not to engage, instead half will report back here and lead us to the location the other half will go ahead to alert Lord Krazka. I don't want anything slipping past. Go and gather the needed beasts now and then lead them." The stoat nodded and sifted through the ranks speaking to the lower ranking officers to gather their stealthiest beasts while the quarter horde mrched on.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Conya felt herself bristle with pride since they had taken her seriously. She watched and listened as plans were drawn out in the dirt. "Then my unit moves through the center then?" She asked trying to work everything out. Stratagy wasn't her strong suite, her stratagies and plans usually consisted of tick someone off, kick butt, eat, drink, and sleep. So she couldn't make much sense of the arrows although she had guessed that they were supposed to be movement of troops.

[Alenaria]

Turri hesitated, reluctant to leave. This was history unfolding before her eyes, history she could activly participate in. But then she nodded, consoling herself with the ottermaid's statement. This battle was long from over.

 

Turning, she sprang down the steps, grinning at the exitment of the day. When the sky was full of sun and the air was tense... It almost made her feel young again.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((The back side of the abbey faces north doesn't it? I can't remember))

 

The badger lady nodded and stood, brushing dirt from her paws. "Corporal, divide the hares into three groups. You take one portion wide to the far side of their forces. If you encounter any scouts, do not let them escape." She turned to Triage and the Logalog. "We'll leave the middle of their troops to your segment, since you can handle the water better than us. I will send a portion of my hares with you so that you have land fighters as well. The rest will come with me, the shrews as well if you'd join us," she added, looking at the shrew Chief.

------

Pralia watched Turri skip off, shaking her head. "She has to be the only Abbey beast in history to be excited for war," she commented. Noticing the vermin at the gate below, the squirrelmaid exclaimed, "The pot! Err.. What I mean to say is... The stuff that your otters put in that cauldron? I think the rats down there are hungry. Let's give it to them." Without waiting Pralia bounded off down the wall towards the otters who'd taken the large pot.

-----

Krazka ducked as the stone flew at him, cursing. Grabbing the spear of a stoat next to him, he leaned back on his right paw then hurled the spear at Fern, the momentum carrying his weight to his left foot paw. "Faster, break through this door before they focus the force on us!" He roared at the shield rat and his crew. Meanwhile the balista had been turned back to fire at the walls again.

[Alenaria]

((Yes, I belive it does.))

 

Turri dashed down through the courtyard and around to the kitchen's back enterance to relay the message. "Friar! The watch'll be taking dinner on the walltops tonight. But... If you've any able-bodied beasts sitting around, maybe they could relive those two young maids before nightfall? We need to keep our scouts fresh, and I'm a bit worried the two of them'll strain themselves if we let them."

 

The Friar nodded and shoooed the Recorder off. As Turri started back towards the walltops, she realized the gates were nearly unguarded. That was very bad; many of the old journals said that varoius vermin bands had tried to use the smaller gates as entries.

 

Waving a troop of young voles over, the aging squirrel started concocting a plan. "Block the side gates," she said in response to their eager but confused looks. "I don't care if you have to dig up the entire courtyard. Please, there isn't time for questions, just hurry!" Grimly determined, Turri skittered off as only a squirrel can to find someone to plant at each gate, just in case the moles didn't finish in time...

[En'K'Haral]

((sorry for the wait I have been more or less out of ideas for a post recently))

 

Conya's unit was assigned to assist the skipper of otters in their responsibility with the flanking maneuver. Conya drew her long knives with clear eagerness since they would likely be fighting in the forest and with so many trees around her greatblade would be impeded. "Let's give those vermin blood'n'viniger chaps." Conya said spurring the unit on, the sergeant let it slide since he wouldn't have said anything different.

 

((Can't really do much with Morgotha until Songbreeze replies.))

[Songbreeze2012]

((Sorry! I thought I posted but I guess it didn't go through. That what I get for posting on an iPod.))

 

Skipper nodded, thinking through his own stratigies. Ones that worked well in water; these otters weren't his crew, but they'd understand the game enough.

Log-a-Log nodded, "Course'n we'll join ye. It'll be a good change, fighting on land for a change." The other shrews nodded, looking at each other and at the map.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fern watched and smiled. Her father would be proud of the squirrelmaid.

 

The two twin otters looked at the squirrel then the pot with matching smirks. "Ready and hot, matey. Oil to burn I say."

[Alenaria]

Turri shook her head and sighed. The hedgehog twins were standing at the half-blocked east and north wallgates, but the others were empty, save for a pile of dirt. It was worrisome, but everyone else was busy.

 

((Don't really know what else to do now...))

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((It's fine, I make my posts from my phone and I get it))

 

Pralia nodded and helped by grabbing one end of the pot. With a mighty heave, they got the bubbling cauldron off the ground and began frog-stepping it down the walkway. The squirrelmaid stood on the side of the pot that overlooked the grounds, so that any arrows or spears glanced off the big cauldron and not her head. When they were directly above the gate, she grunted, "Ready? Dump!" Assuming that the brothers would help, she tilted the pot over the side.

------------------------------------

The badger lady hefted her axe (did I say she carries an axe or a sword??) and turned on her heel. "Let's get moving, I can already hear the sounds of battle. The squadron of hares that hadn't been chosen to go with the otters formed up and began marching behind her like a true army.

-------

Krazka clenched his paws in demented excitenemy. The gate was giving, he was sure of it. Arrows and slingstones were bouncing off the shields harmlessly, which were raised above the vermins' heads as they chipped away at the big wood door. "Keep at it! A little more an' the Abbey's good as ours!" He pushed them, giving the gate crew more determination. They had stepped up the pace and were now furiously hacking at the gates.

[En'K'Haral]

((I don't recall but in all honesty axes are cooler.))

 

The hares of Conya's squadron had armed themselves and were loosly formed in order to make the best use of the forest. Conya stood at the forest's edge bristling with anticipation. The sergeant made his way over to the Skipper of otters. "My hares are ready to move when you are. We will keep ourselves hidden in the forest as we sweep through. We won't be far so give a shout if you run into anything and we'll do the same." The sergeant said tossing in his plan it was a simple sweep and pincer manuver but it had proven effective in the past for him. Conya twiddled her twin long knives in her paws dangerously. They wouldn't get to see her skill with the greatblade since it was a close enviroment. For a moment she paused in her twiddling and her ears twitched picking up the sounds of echoes before she called back at the others. "Did anyopne else hear something?"

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The ten beast squad had formed up behind Swiftblade who gave them their exact orders as they marched. "You scout into the forest and see if any reinforcements have arrived. If you encounter nothing head straight to the rendavous and report to lord Krazka that we should be along shortly. Your job then will be to send at least one of you back and forth between the two hordes so that we can stay in contact...unless lord Krazka orders otherwise. If youencounter reinforcements you must not engage. Avoid any form of combat, half of you will report your findings to Lord Krazka and half of youwill report back here. Go." the vermin nodded and split off from the horde. "Let's move you pathetic excuses for rodents! Any slower and the seige will end without us!" Morgotha yelled at his section of horde. There was a replying roar of battlelust and the horde's pace quickened with Morgotha in his strange banded armor at it's head.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Bump. Low muse though I may post if I have to))

[En'K'Haral]

((Bump, I'm still watching this one anyone else still alive?))