Quest for the Emerald of Ivaneye
Narrator (8:13:31 PM): The wind rustled the leaves in the
clearing. It was Riala's watch, though Sybul had been
sleeping fitfully, and was awake, too.
Narrator (8:14:38 PM): Movement and noise caught the
squirrel's attention, and she moved off into the
underbrush to see what it was. Sybul, tired of rolling
around, got up, and slowly followed after, wondering
what the fuss was about.
Narrator (8:15:15 PM): The fuss was, apparently, a vermin
camp. There were about a score of them, all situated
around a big fire.
Narrator (8:15:56 PM): Beyond the fire, next to the greatest
concentration of vermin, was a large wooden cage.
Inside the cage were a three beasts.
Riala Goldentail (8:18:08 PM): Gold-brown eyes narrowed at the
sight of the vermin, one scarred paw clenching convulsively
towards her dagger and roce. "They might..."
Riala Goldentail (8:19:14 PM): "I doubt we can overpower an
entire camp of vermin, though."
Sybul (8:19:14 PM): "Shudd we arsk 'em?" A smile
wrinkles the molemiads button nose.
Narrator (8:20:06 PM): A vermin near the fire turns sleepily
over onto his side, so that, although he's asleep, it's
almost as if he is looking at the two beasts at the
camp's edge.
Scallin (8:20:06 PM): Scallin had been laying down in the
cage, his head resting agains the side, when he saw something
from the corner of his eye.
Riala Goldentail (8:20:20 PM): Riala does not smile in return, but
glances at the cage of goodbeasts. "Those might know."
Sybul (8:21:04 PM): She shakes out her heavy digging
claws and stretches. "Boi 'okey, they'm got prisnors! They'll
know about 'ee badbeasties."
Riala Goldentail (8:21:29 PM): At the vermin's movement, the
squirrel freezes, despite her mottled green-and-brown tunic
keeping her well-camoflaged in the thick brush.
Riala Goldentail (8:22:23 PM): A slow twenty-count with no sign
of consciousness from the vermin, and Riala slowly began
edging towards the cage.
Sybul (8:22:26 PM): Sybul watches the creature, but upon
seeing that he's still asleep, she nods to Riala and waves her
to follow.
Scallin (8:22:51 PM): Scallin fully stands up, his eyes now
locked on the two figures.
Riala Goldentail (8:23:38 PM): The red-brown squirrel puts a
scarred paw to her mouth in a gesture for silence, gold-brown
eyes flicking towards the cage and then back onto the
sleeping camp.
Scallin (8:23:46 PM): He bumps his head on the top of the
cage and spouts and a quiet curse.
Sybul (8:23:55 PM): Sybul Creeps behind Riala to the cage
of slaves. "Norra single sentry? Perculier, ho urr."
Riala Goldentail (8:24:16 PM): "Quite," Riala breathes, barely
audible even to the nearby mole.
Fendal (8:24:25 PM): immediately sits up
awakened by the noise
Riala Goldentail (8:25:04 PM): "Wait here," the squirrel tells
Sybul, "and stay hidden." She can move much faster and
work more competantly if she's alone; it's how she's always
worked best.
Sybul (8:25:37 PM): "Wait," Sybul gives her a pawful of
chestnuts for the slaves."
Riala Goldentail (8:25:38 PM): She eases her dagger out of its
sheath and makes her way silently to the cage.
Riala Goldentail (8:25:46 PM): After taking the chestnuts.
Riala Goldentail (8:26:32 PM): After what seems like an eternity
but was actually only a matter of minutes, the lithe squirrel
reaches the three prisoners.
Tarran (8:26:45 PM): The mouse in the corner stirs,
then rests on his dagger.
Sybul (8:26:57 PM): Sybul waits patiently, looking for a
guard. She's unable to believe that none are posted.
Riala Goldentail (8:27:18 PM): Tufted ears attuned to the camp
behind her, eyes flicking from cage to vermin, Riala quickly
slices the ties that bind the cage bars together.
Fendal (8:27:26 PM): whispers "hello there" to
riala
Tarran (8:27:54 PM): "Ouch!", yells Tarran. He had
rolled a little too far onto his dagger.
Narrator (8:28:20 PM): A vermin is awakend by Tarran's yell of
pain
Scallin (8:28:34 PM): Scallin, startled, once again bumps
his head on the top of the cage.
Sybul (8:28:36 PM): Sybuls eyes grow wide at the yell. She
immediately braces herself for attack.
Riala Goldentail (8:28:38 PM): Riala curses at the yell and leaps
up over the cage, climbing into a tree and pulling out her
primary weapon, a short hardwood stick.
Narrator (8:28:49 PM): Looking around blurrily, he notices
some suspicious movement of the cage doors.
Tarran (8:28:55 PM): "Who are you?" asks Tarran,
staring at the squirrel.
Narrator (8:28:59 PM): and a squirrel sitting on top of the cage.
Sybul (8:29:31 PM): Sybul rushes up to the vermin and belts
him hard with a hefty claw.
Sybul (8:29:43 PM): to the head
Narrator (8:29:44 PM): The stoat's thought process whirrled
Shouldn't the creatures be...in the cage? it thought.
Tarran (8:29:58 PM): "Oooh." said Tarran, "Hit him
again!"
Narrator (8:30:14 PM): "Oohfm" says the stoat as he falls,
down...
Narrator (8:30:17 PM): ...into the fire.
Tarran (8:30:18 PM): Tarran did not want to incur the
vermin's wrath by escaping.
Tarran (8:30:49 PM): They(the vermin) might not
lose, these things have happened.
Narrator (8:30:54 PM): "AAHAHGHHHH!!!" yelled the stoat,
woken up from the blow to his head, and rolling over
some of his companions
Riala Goldentail (8:31:18 PM): Riala swore, realizing Sybul was
in the middle of the awakening camp, and resigned herself to
the inevitable.
Scallin (8:31:29 PM): Scallin hops out of the cage. And
grabs one of the cut-off cage bars as a weapon.
Riala Goldentail (8:31:43 PM): She leapt into the fray with a
warcry, figuring they were all probably awake by now.
Riala Goldentail (8:31:54 PM): "Riiilaaaaaaaaaaaar!"
Narrator (8:32:04 PM): The vermin are all awake by this time,
and fighting busily
Narrator (8:32:19 PM): both against the goodbeasts, and to
get their weapons
Sybul (8:32:29 PM): "'ee fats in 'ee foire noaw, mates. Or
'ee vurmink..." She lays a few more vermin low with blows
from her forepaws and yells, "REDWAAAAAAL!!!"
Tarran (8:32:42 PM): "Go squirrel and mole!" Tarran,
who is still safely behind the bars yells out.
Scallin (8:32:44 PM): The taste of battle overcomes
Scallin, and he charges into the fight.
"YAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!"
Riala Goldentail (8:33:00 PM): Riala darted towards the original
stoat that started all the trouble and sliced across his throat
with her dagger.
Narrator (8:33:07 PM): The warcries are a bit disheartening to
the vermin, who manage a weak, "ARRrrrgh!"
Fendal (8:33:27 PM): starts chucking stones at
some vermin
Narrator (8:33:48 PM): However, they continue fighting. Two
come off from the main group, after Fendal...
Scallin (8:33:58 PM): With a bash to the head, and a quick
punch to the left, Scallin sends two rats to the ground
unconcious.
Sybul (8:34:18 PM): Sybul sees Tarran behind the cage adn
tries to get to him. Unfortumatly, she leaves her back
unguarded...
Narrator (8:34:31 PM): A vermin with a mace swings at Sybul's
back.
Tarran (8:34:51 PM): "Duck, mole!" shouts Tarran.
Riala Goldentail (8:34:56 PM): Riala glances behind her, seeing
the mace-weilder, and races to intercept him, throwing her
roce (heavyish short hardwood stick,
about forearm-length, with a long cord attached) as she runs.
Riala Goldentail (8:35:16 PM): The heavy stick spins
end-over-end and ...
Sybul (8:35:33 PM): The mole falls forward stunned,
propelled by the blow. She lands on another ferret and
knocks him down.
Scallin (8:35:40 PM): "YOW!" Scallin looks down to see
one of the rats which were 'supposedly' unconsious with a
dagger in his foot.
Fendal (8:35:43 PM): Throws a few more
stones, hoping to slow down the two vermin and
runs off.
Narrator (8:35:57 PM): the vermin is very surprised to be hit on
the head, as he had been sure no goodbeasts were
too near him.
Narrator (8:36:10 PM): The two vermin after Fendal duck the
stones and give chase
Narrator (8:36:27 PM): Meanwhile, the leader has emerged
from his tent, with a very flashy sword.
Riala Goldentail (8:36:28 PM): Riala yanks on the cord, sending
the roce flying back in her direction, and catches it with one
scarred paw.
Tarran (8:36:32 PM): Tarran sits back, and, still
clutching his dagger, begins to whistle.
Fendal (8:36:58 PM): Climbs up a tree and
jumps on the vermin as they pass by.
Narrator (8:36:59 PM): A vermin, seeing a chance to not look
like an idiot, starts going after Tarran.
Scallin (8:37:02 PM): Scallin rolls on the ground holding on
to his foot. "Owee... oh... ahh...."
Narrator (8:37:32 PM): The vermin, jumped on by Fendal flail
about with their swords, hoping to catch the squirrel on
their backs.
Tarran (8:37:42 PM): Seeing the sword, Tarran yells
"I DIBS THE SWORD!" and dashes into the fight.
Sybul (8:38:21 PM): Sybul staggers up and looks about
with slightly blurred vision. " 'Ee mouse, gerroutofeeway!"
Narrator (8:38:33 PM): The vermin are now much weaker, as at
least 7 had been killed by this time.
Tarran (8:39:12 PM): With a few short hacks of his
dagger, Tarran makes his way to the Leader.
Narrator (8:39:15 PM): The leader strides into battle, and
immediately, the vermin around Riala move away,
leaving the leader to fight with her
Scallin (8:39:28 PM): Scallin struggles onto his feet and
looks around observing the little battle. He lets out a smirk
and sneaks out of the clearing unnoticed, to nurse his wound.
Riala Goldentail (8:39:42 PM): Riala turns at the sudden absence
of vermin, eyes narrowing at the sight of the leader.
Fendal (8:39:50 PM): Knocks the two vermin
unconsious with a final blow on each head
Tarran (8:40:02 PM): "Excuse me," Tarran says,
tapping the leader on the shoulder "Could you lend me
your sword?"
Sybul (8:40:18 PM): Sybul turns to see Riala and the leader
preparing to fight.
Riala Goldentail (8:40:20 PM): His confident movement and the
way the other vermin defer to him mark him instantly as the
leader.
Narrator (8:40:21 PM): the ferret leader swings around with a
mailed fist, right at Tarran's head
Tarran (8:40:38 PM): "It's really a very nice one."
Tarran ducks.
Riala Goldentail (8:40:47 PM): Riala, having been ready to fight
some more, blinks in astonished amusement at Tarran's
actions.
Tarran (8:40:59 PM): He stabs at the leaders boots.
Narrator (8:41:11 PM): The ferret aims a kick at Tarran's
stomach, while bringing his sword down on his head
Sybul (8:41:14 PM): Sybul scratches her head at the otter
as she lays low a rat who was sneaking up on her.
Tarran (8:41:21 PM): Which is a futile effort, as they
are quite strong.
Riala Goldentail (8:42:50 PM): Irritation was beginning to push
aside the gathering red mist in Riala's gaze at Tarran's clumsy
efforts.
Tarran (8:44:02 PM): Taran's body is bloodied and
bruised, but he doesn't relent (stupid mouse)
Tarran (8:42:55 PM): " Gimme the
sword!" Tarran hits the leader in the stomach.
Narrator (8:44:26 PM): With a signal from the leader, one of the
vermin rats leaps upon the mouse
Tarran (8:44:33 PM): In a few moments he is
knocked senseless.
Tarran (8:44:43 PM): As he is not a very good
fighter.
Sybul (8:45:01 PM): Sybul has had enough of the foolish
Tarran and steps forward. "Wot 'ee be doen, Riola? E'm be a
gurtly shoopid beast, or he'm be brave. Oi think shoopid."
She Races towards the melee.
Narrator (8:45:04 PM): The leader turns ominously to face the
red squirrel...
Riala Goldentail (8:45:59 PM): Riala crouched into a fighter's
stance, dagger in one paw, roce in the other, ready to fight.
Narrator (8:46:33 PM): The ferret feignts in with his sword
Riala Goldentail (8:47:12 PM): Riala darts back and lashes out
with her stick for the ferret's sword arm.
Narrator (8:48:00 PM): the leader gasps as he feels the sharp
rap on his right paw, letting go of his sword, but
making a recovery and catching it in his other paw.
Sybul (8:51:01 PM): Sybul sneaks away to find the escapees
and lead them back to the camp. A mighty crack of her
digging claws was the prize for any vermin in her way.
Riala Goldentail (8:53:57 PM): Riala attacked as the leader
caught the sword, thrusting with her dagger towards his
midsection.
Fendal (8:54:22 PM): Stands next to the mole
attentively watching the duel
Narrator (8:54:38 PM): caught off guard, the leader finds a
dagger plunged into his chest
Scallin (8:55:04 PM): Having been unnoticed by the mole,
Scallin then pokes his head out from behind a bush. "Oh so
ye' did win ay? Ats good. Mighty fine bit o' rescuin ye' did.
Thank ye'." He limps toward the squirrel and bows his head.
Narrator (8:55:07 PM): He staggers foward, surprised to be
killed by a mere squirrel...
Narrator (8:55:29 PM): By the time the others looked around,
the rest of the vermin had fled
Riala Goldentail (8:55:30 PM): Riala grins savagely, an
expression made nightmarish by the tug of the myriad scars on
her face, and twists the dagger out.
Sybul (8:56:43 PM): Sybul puls a wry face at the sight of the
death, and continues in her Reconaissence.
Riala Goldentail (8:57:35 PM): Riala cleans her dagger in the dirt,
sheathing it and glancing over at Scallin.
Sybul (8:58:27 PM): "Hurr, 'ee guddbeasts c'n coom owt
naow!"
Riala Goldentail (8:58:28 PM): Her only answer is a curt nod.
Riala Goldentail (8:59:29 PM): Riala looks around the camp at
the occasional wounded vermin and the several dead ones.
"Time to clean up," she mutters.
Scallin (8:59:29 PM): "M'name's Scallin. It is an onar to be
in the presense of such ah great warrior as ye'."
Sybul (8:59:56 PM): "We'm gorrem awl?"
Riala Goldentail (8:59:59 PM): The squirrel snorts at the other's
words. "Great warrior I'm not," she says.
Riala Goldentail (9:00:19 PM): "Not all," Riala replies to Sybul's
question. "Some of the scum escaped. The others..."
Sybul (9:00:28 PM): Sybul throws her apron over her face
at Scallin's remark.
Fendal (9:00:36 PM): "by the way you fought
those vermin, i'd say you are"
Scallin (9:01:09 PM): Scallin starts to drag the bodies one
at a time, into one pile.
Riala Goldentail (9:01:15 PM): Gold-brown eyes grow
shadowed and hard at the thought. "A fighter is not the same
as a warrior," she says harshly.
Riala Goldentail (9:01:55 PM): She walks over to one of the
wounded vermin, kneeling beside him and pulling out her
dagger. "I wonder if any of these know about the Emerald."
Narrator (9:02:23 PM): "E-e-em-meral-d-d?" stutters the
vermin
Fendal (9:02:25 PM): "Emerald? what
emerald?"
Sybul (9:02:27 PM): Sybul looks at all the bodies littered
about. "Hurr, lemme help." She begins to dig graves as she
listens to Riala interrogate the vermin.
Sybul (9:02:42 PM): "Oi'll asplain later."
Riala Goldentail (9:03:00 PM): She glances back to where Sybul
is digging graves. "Don't bother with that; it takes too long and
is too good for these scum. Just pile them up and burn them."
Narrator (9:03:35 PM): The vermin looks, horrified, as they pull
his companions about.
Riala Goldentail (9:03:37 PM): "The Emerald of Ivaneye," Riala
tells the vermin, mock sweetness in her rough voice.
Sybul (9:03:43 PM): Sybul makes a strange face and
continues digging, but faster.
Scallin (9:03:49 PM): "Ones still alivin!!" Scallin charges at
the mumbling vermin.
Riala Goldentail (9:03:58 PM): Riala stops him with her roce.
Sybul (9:04:12 PM): "Leave 'im, Scallin!"
Riala Goldentail (9:04:20 PM): "We can still get information out
of him," she says, glaring at him.
Narrator (9:04:41 PM): "Don't...don't know nothing-nothing of
Emerald of I-Ivaneye..."
Riala Goldentail (9:05:25 PM): "Really now." Riala bent low to
the rat, running one paw over the keen edge of her dagger, a
macabre smile on her cold features.
Riala Goldentail (9:05:50 PM): "You've never heard of a large
emerald? A green stone?"
Sybul (9:06:50 PM): "Arsk 'im whurr 'ee coom frum,
Rawla."
Fendal (9:06:53 PM): Fendal sits down
wondering what this emerald of ivaneye was for
Riala Goldentail (9:07:03 PM): "As the mole said... Where are
you from?"
Sybul (9:08:01 PM): Sybul sits with the former slaves. She
has pulled Tarren over to them and tries to bring he around.
Narrator (9:08:05 PM): "We-re from...ohpleasedon'thurtme!"
Scallin (9:08:29 PM): Scallin finally takes notice to the
small mole. "Hey Sybul! At you??"
Riala Goldentail (9:08:46 PM): Riala's smile twists into a sneer
and she drops her dagger right by the rat's head, neatly slicing
off several whiskers.
Tarran (9:09:05 PM): "Nng." Tarran stirs, and after
considerable effort, manages to say "I want that
sword."
Narrator (9:09:11 PM): The rat faints from terror.
Sybul (9:09:20 PM): " Hurr, Oi be Sybul. An' 'ee? Oi be
gurtly bad at guessing."
Riala Goldentail (9:09:28 PM): The squirrel snarls in disgust and
slaps him across the face until he comes to.
Narrator (9:10:04 PM): "Ebherhe..." mumbles the rat, having
lost nearly all coherency
Tarran (9:10:19 PM): "'m a mouse. Tain't that hard t'
guess." Tarran is obviously not fully awake yet.
Sybul (9:10:23 PM): "Doan't hurt 'ee vurmink too much,
Rawla. No need to hurt 'im. Lemme troi, will you'm?"
Riala Goldentail (9:11:06 PM): "All right." Riala retrieves her
dagger and sits a few lengths away, taking out a whetstone
from her pouch to sharpen the weapon.
Narrator (9:11:20 PM): The rat whimpers.
Scallin (9:11:59 PM): Scallin trods towards Sybul. "Tis
Scallin!"
Sybul (9:12:19 PM): "Yurr naow, we'm b'ain't goin t'do
noffink unless 'ee do, so make et easier furr y'self."
Narrator (9:12:59 PM): Scared and terrified, the rat looks
uncomprehendingly at the mole.
Sybul (9:13:14 PM): "You'm doan't know about 'ee
em'ral'?" Her face is stern but not menacing or fierce.
Tarran (9:13:48 PM): "Yay!" Tarran throws his rusty,
but much used dagger aside, and grasps the sword.
Narrator (9:13:54 PM): "W-hhhaht?" says the rat.
Scallin (9:14:14 PM): "Tis been a while 'asn't it?" Scallin is
starting to get annoyed by being ignored. "Well em vermin all
alike. I say kill this un before 'e does sumthin."
Sybul (9:14:16 PM): Sybul blinks and looks around. Then
she laughs.
Sybul (9:15:24 PM): She does her best to toss the accent. "
'Th' emeerold; does you know about a green stone?"
Narrator (9:16:00 PM): "Greenstone?"
Narrator (9:16:29 PM): "You...mean...the ... treasure?"
Sybul (9:16:40 PM): " Yurr, that be et. Urr, it. You know
the greenstone from 'ee North?
Sybul (9:16:41 PM): "
Riala Goldentail (9:17:02 PM): Tufted ears pricked up and Riala
tensed, listening intently. At last, something useful...
Tarran (9:17:02 PM): Tarran gives a few precursory
and rather practiced looking swings with the sword.
Fendal (9:17:15 PM): "North? greenstone?
i'm getting confused"
Sybul (9:18:09 PM): "Rawla, asplain 'ee em'ral' to 'em,
woan't 'ee?"
Narrator (9:18:37 PM): "We're...we were hunting th-the treasure
up in the n-northern mountains. Bu-but without the
troupe...we-we'd never fend off the e-eagles..."
Scallin (9:18:58 PM): Scallin glances down at his foot and
whines quietly. Then he looks at the rat. "WHAT? Kill em
now! E's the one o stabbed me!"
Narrator (9:19:13 PM): "Ohno!Pleaseohpleasedon'thurtme!"
Sybul (9:19:22 PM): "Eagley burds? Urr, Eagle birds. Hold
it, what's 'ee troupe?"
Narrator (9:19:43 PM): "y-you k-killedd themmm..."
Riala Goldentail (9:19:45 PM): Riala glares at Scallin. "Will you
be quiet?!"
Sybul (9:19:57 PM): "Who killed whom?"
Sybul (9:20:31 PM): "Oi b'ain't slayed nobeast afore
tonight!"
Narrator (9:20:39 PM): "We..we...were...the troup..."
Scallin (9:20:40 PM): Scallin turns red and is now
infuriated. He stomps off into the brush to pout.
Sybul (9:21:16 PM): "But 'ee didn't have 'ee troupe when
they eagle birds attacked?"
Riala Goldentail (9:22:48 PM): "Do you know anything else about
the treasure?" Riala asked.
Sybul (9:23:11 PM): "Oi unnerstand, Oi think. So north is
'ee em'ral?"
Narrator (9:23:16 PM): "W-worth a ki-kingdo-dom..."
Riala Goldentail (9:23:50 PM): "Is that all?"
Scallin (9:23:54 PM): Scallin reapears. He looks somewhat
content. He taps the mouse who was swinging the sword
around on the shoulder.
Sybul (9:24:02 PM): "Riches doan't make no differnce,
we'm got more aportant things."
Narrator (9:24:06 PM): "Th-they do-don't tell us much..."
Sybul (9:24:17 PM): "Anything else you know?"
Narrator (9:24:27 PM): "No! I swear! Pleaseletmego!"
Sybul (9:25:12 PM): Sybul releases her grip on the rat, and
dissapears throught he brush. Moments later, she returns
wirth the havveysacks.
Sybul (9:26:45 PM): "Rawla, 'ee others dun gone ahead. Oi
brought brekkyfast."
Sybul (9:27:31 PM): "Whurr's 'ee vurmink?"
Tarran (9:27:34 PM): "What?" asks Tarran, turning
face Scallin.
Riala Goldentail (9:27:38 PM): "He's right here."
Riala Goldentail (9:27:51 PM): Riala was still sitting close to the
vermin, dagger still out.
Sybul (9:28:01 PM): "Oh. Yurr, give 'im brekkfast too."
Riala Goldentail (9:28:20 PM): She shook her head.
"Redwallers..."
Riala Goldentail (9:28:33 PM): The squirrel stood up and hauled
the rat to his footpaws.
Riala Goldentail (9:28:46 PM): "We can eat on the way..."
Sybul (9:28:49 PM): Sybul smiles broadly. "Nobeast shudd
go 'ungered when we ave aplenny."
Narrator (9:28:50 PM): "Ohnonono...don'thurtme..."
Scallin (9:28:58 PM): "Do ye' know anything 'bout whats
goin on?" Scallin says to the mouse.
Riala Goldentail (9:28:59 PM): "The rest of you start moving. I'll
send the rat on his way."
Sybul (9:29:12 PM): "Tell 'im off, Rawla."
Scallin (9:29:24 PM): "Start Moving?"
Riala Goldentail (9:29:48 PM): "Northwards, to the mountains.
That's where the emerald is, if the rat's telling the truth."
Riala Goldentail (9:29:53 PM): "I'll catch up in a minute."
Tarran (9:30:17 PM): "Well? I'm waiting." said Tarran
impatiently "Why did you hit me?"
Riala Goldentail (9:30:37 PM): She escorts the rat
none-too-gently to the trees until they're out of sight of the
others.
Scallin (9:30:41 PM): "Emerald? Aye, Ivaneye iit is right?"
Sybul (9:30:46 PM): "Awroight. Coom along, guddbeasts.
Tarren too. Oi'll asplain our predicymunt."
Tarran (9:31:17 PM): "Will you feed me?" Tarran
ignores Scallin, at the prospect of food.
Riala Goldentail (9:31:25 PM): "Now..." Riala grins savagely at
the quaking vermin. "I did say I would send you on your
way."
Scallin (9:31:38 PM): "Ah yes food!"
Narrator (9:31:49 PM): "please!pleasehavemercy!"
Tarran (9:31:50 PM): Tarran knew that when moles
where around, food was often not far behind.
Sybul (9:32:16 PM): " 'Ee em'ral' be gurtly aportent to some
vermink." She explains while passing out oat scones and
cordial.
Tarran (9:32:51 PM): "So?" said Tarran, greedily
swallowing the cordial and stuffing his mouth with
oatcakes.
Riala Goldentail (9:32:52 PM): "And let you live to capture and
kill more goodbeasts?" The squirrel shakes her head with a
snarl. "Not a chance. Say hello to your friends in Dark Forest
for me." Her dagger slices across his throat, a clean quick kill.
Scallin (9:33:08 PM): "Thank ye' bunchos" Scallin enjoys a
longs sip of the cordial.
Sybul (9:33:47 PM): "Smch, so 'ee lays seige to 'ee Redwall
Abbey. and he'll attack if he doan't get his stone."
Tarran (9:34:25 PM): "Who cares about a silly old
Abbey?" said Tarran, through a full mouth.
Riala Goldentail (9:34:50 PM): The squirrel cleans her dagger off
once more and catches up, sheathing the weapon just as she
comes into sight.
Sybul (9:34:54 PM): " 'Ee abbey's whurr guddbeasts live.
My home."
Tarran (9:35:58 PM): "Oh, it's one of those 'save my
home' sorta deals."
Scallin (9:36:27 PM): "Well Sybul, tis abbey o' yers...do
you know anyone there by the name o' Drefner?"
Sybul (9:37:06 PM): "Ascept 'ee b'aint just moi home, et's
lotso' others' homes. Drefner? Lemme see..."
Sybul (9:38:20 PM): "Oi do, everyone knows everybeast at
'ee abbey. Tis a wunnerful place."
Fendal (9:38:31 PM): "Where's my
breakfast?"
Tarran (9:39:18 PM): "Do they have a lot of food
there?" asked Tarran, now that he had the sword,
there was only one thing on his mind.
Sybul (9:39:41 PM): " 'ee Food's 'ee best thing!"
Tarran (9:40:15 PM): "Right, then we must save it,
musn't we?" As Tarran was fed, his grammar
improved.
Riala Goldentail (9:40:20 PM): Riala is following along in the
trees, listening and keeping an eye out for danger and
whatnot.
Sybul (9:40:32 PM): "Hurr."
Scallin (9:40:48 PM): "Oh well probably doesn't matter
much 'bout o' Drefner. He be an ol' matey o' mine."
Sybul (9:41:28 PM): "Boi 'okey, Drefner's a gudd friend."
Scallin (9:41:35 PM): "Last saw em 'bout a season ago,
said he was off to some ol' abbey, so I jest asked."
Sybul (9:42:16 PM): "Oi unnerstand." She looks up. "We
missed 'ee sunroise in 'ee foight."
Sybul (9:42:46 PM): "Drefful waste o' toime, that."
Tarran (9:43:02 PM): "A travesty," agreed Tarran
"I'm still hungry."
Riala Goldentail (9:43:56 PM): "How are we to get past the
eagles the rat mentioned?" Riala asks from a nearby limb.
Scallin (9:44:28 PM): "Well I was going to go off to see ol'
Drefner, but seems like 'at won't be possible. So I guess I'll
come with you."
Scallin (9:45:36 PM): "An help save his arse by doing so,
the ol' fool." Scallin stands up. "When we be ah goin?"
Sybul (9:45:57 PM): "North to 'ee em'ral. An 'ee eagley
burds..."
Riala Goldentail (9:46:09 PM): Riala chuckled dryly at Scallin's
comment. He didn't save anything...
Sybul (9:47:10 PM): "North to 'ee em'ral. An 'ee eagley
burds..."
Tarran (9:47:45 PM): "Eagley burds?" asked Tarran
in disdain "Are those the nasty flying things?'
Sybul (9:48:09 PM): "They'm loike gurt fierce robins."
Riala Goldentail (9:48:11 PM): "They're extremely large birds,"
Riala said. "And dangerous."
Scallin (9:48:33 PM): "What about me foot?" Scallin asks
sadly.
Scallin (9:48:54 PM): "Might slow me down."
Tarran (9:49:07 PM): "Right, off we go then. Fraid I
don't care about your foot."
Sybul (9:49:09 PM): "Oh, roight, Oi'd nearly forgot. Sit yself
doawn."
Fendal (9:49:17 PM): "Here, you can lean on
me"
Sybul (9:49:46 PM): She plucks up some dock and wraps
the foot. "Shudd be a bit better."
Tarran (9:51:16 PM): "If we don't start moving soon,
I'll start getting hungry again." said Tarran, casting an
impassive eye on the injured foot.
Scallin (9:51:22 PM): "Thanks" Scallin stands up, and
experiments with his new bandages.
Sybul (9:51:47 PM): "Ho, seasons o' mercy, let's goo!"
Riala Goldentail (9:52:00 PM): "How did you come to be
captured?" Riala asked the freed prisoners as they walked.
Scallin (9:53:28 PM): "Well I jest got captured a day ago,
them two were already there."
Riala Goldentail (9:53:47 PM): "What were you doing that got
you captured?"
Fendal (9:53:57 PM): "i was sleeping"
Scallin (9:54:20 PM): "I was trying to steal their supplies."
Scallin smiles.
Sybul (9:54:42 PM): "Ho, urr. That'll do et. They vurminks
are gurtly stingy beasters."
Sybul (9:55:48 PM): "Wot abowt Tarren?"
Scallin (9:56:33 PM): "I ave been travelin southsward, ever
since I was...err... banished by my crew. Ye' see I am a ship
beast but... I umm... was caught stealing stuff from the ships
hold too many times."
Riala Goldentail (9:57:04 PM): One eyebrow quirked upwards in
amusement. "A thief, then?" She was going to have to watch
the supplies carefully.
Scallin (9:57:41 PM): "Well yes... but not a very good
one."
Sybul (9:57:42 PM): Sybul shakes her head but says
nothing.
Tarran (9:58:37 PM): "I, err." said Tarran "Why
should I tell you?"
Sybul (9:58:56 PM): "We have the haversacks!"
Riala Goldentail (9:59:38 PM): Despite her usual serious
demeanor, Riala could not hold back a laugh at Sybul's mock
threat.
Sybul (10:00:21 PM): "We'm got 'ee havveysackers!"
Tarran (10:00:23 PM): "I don't care about any
haversacks." said Tarran "That doesn't give me any
reason to explain the circumstances of my capture."
Riala Goldentail (10:00:59 PM): Riala shrugged. "Nobeast's going
to force you to. Just trying to make conversation." An
unusual one for her.
Scallin (10:01:02 PM): Scallin grinned widely. "Bout e
aversacks... how much food ye' got?"
Sybul (10:01:11 PM): Sybul withdraws another oat scone
and waves it menacingly.
Tarran (10:01:56 PM): "Gimme that!" said Tarran,
"I'm hungry"
Sybul (10:02:53 PM): "Hurr, Oi jus' be teasink. You'll have
some at lunch. Can't walk on a full tum."
Tarran (10:04:17 PM): "If you give me that Oatcake,
I'll tell you how I was captured."
Sybul (10:05:05 PM): She tosses him the cake. "yurr, you
gurt villyun!"
Tarran (10:05:25 PM): Greedily scarfing the oatcake
tarran begins his tale.
Tarran (10:05:38 PM): "I was just in the wrong place
at the wrong time."
Tarran (10:05:56 PM): "Those Vermin don't have no
respect for gentle beasts"
Sybul (10:06:02 PM): "B'aint we all..."
Tarran (10:06:38 PM): "I was simply mind'n me own
business, doing nothing but a spot of fishin,"
Tarran (10:06:52 PM): "When they descended on
me, for no reason."
Scallin (10:06:57 PM): Scallin hears his stomach growling
and plans to sneak some food when they next stop.
Riala Goldentail (10:07:53 PM): Riala shook her head. "That's it?
Why the reluctance to tell the story, then?"
Tarran (10:07:56 PM): "They said somehing silly like,
'Why are you dropping that wire through my tent?'"
Scallin (10:08:18 PM): "Tat isn't ary polite. I em never been
to fond of em' vermin."
Riala Goldentail (10:08:36 PM): "Oh, that's why..."
Tarran (10:08:36 PM): "It really is a good sword."
Tarran gave a few more practicve strokes,
"Marvellous."
Scallin (10:08:58 PM): "What is it with you and that sword
anyways?"
Narrator (10:09:24 PM): And so, the beasts continued on their
journey...