Breaking and Entering

[Maxodis]

The weasel Scragg surveyed his surroundings as he shuddered. Mossflower woods had acquired a thick layer of snow from the night before. The pristinely white surface smoothed all edges, transformed the harsh, jagged shapes into serene curves. The reflections from the innumerable minuscule crystals made the surface glow with a radiance that was matched only by it's source.

All this was lost upon the irritable, cold, weasel. There was snow. It was making him cold. Bloody snow. The weasel sneezed violently, which blew the snow that had settled on the weasel's already puffed-out fur off in wild directions. He could easily hear the hordebeasts under his command as they snickered softly behind his back. Scowling, he pivoted on his heel and grabbed the nearest, snarling in it's face.

"Wot's so funny, slimebrain?"

The question was amplified by the rusted hook that pressed the unfortunate vermin found was digging under his chin. It stuttered a denial. Tossing away the unnerved creature with disgust, Scragg replaced his hook in his belt before sneering at the rest of the riding party.

"Lookit yew all, tittering about like a bunch'a daft ducks. Raiders indeed, heh! Now get movin', yew 'orrible lot, afore I have yer tails fer tea!"

The ragged band trudged along then, at a considerably quicker pace. They had no destination in particular, their goal was to find any living creature they could and ask for a shelter from the cold. 'Shelter' being the victim's valuables and if they resisted, their life.

A stoat was the first to spot the small home in the clearing. A thick column of smoke billowed from the chimney, indicating a roaring fire within. There were no windows, merely a doorway that appeared to be rather thin. The group of twenty vermin quietly approached the structure. There was no need to listen at the door jamb for inhabitants inside. Indicating with a flourish of his paw, Scragg addressed the ferret next to him.

"Grimtooh, if ye would be so kind as t' knock on the door all nice an' polite like?"

The ferret in question hefted the crude axe it carried and took a solid swing at the door. The axehead buried an inch into the woodwork and halted, a dull clang was heard. Grimtooth jumped back and shoved his paws into his mouth to stop the reverberating pain as he did a little dance. The rest could only blink in surprise.

The owner of the house in question could only sigh deeply. He closed the book he had been reading with a sharp snap and lay it next to the cushioned chair that he was enjoying the day in. Rising wearily, he stretched, wincing slightly as old joints complained at leaving the comfort of the large fire in the hearth. Almost casually, the large hedgehog pulled his war mace off it's rack by the hearth as he went to answer the door. How many blades had been stopped by the metal inlay of it's woodworking?

Seourd flipped all three of the heavy latched that he had created himself, and hauled the door open. Aye, another raiding band. The assortment of vermin stared dumbly at him, shocked into silence at the sight of the war mace. They were out of luck, this day they would get the opportunity to know it in a more intimate fashion. The ferret Grimtooth was the first to learn as he found himself lifted off his feet by the impact of the giant weapon. The unfortunate ferret was able to give out a single, despairing cry before a tree kindly halted his momentum.

Scragg forced himself out of shock. He snarled wildly, drawing his hook.

"Get 'im! 'E's just one 'edgepig!"

The fight began in earnest.

[Rocky]

The soundsof steel and shouting reached the ears of two, very inseperable otters. One of them, the bigger and brawnier of the two, held up a paw for quiet, and listened intently. "Another raiding party, Rocky." The big one said. The other one, Rocky, sighed, "Whats new these days?" He threw a bucket of water on a fire, grabbed his gear, and set out, with the other in tow. "So, Meko. How much you think there are?" Rocky asked.

Meko, the big one, shrugged, "A score or so." Rocky grinned, "The more the merrier, eh, mate?" Meko nodded.

The two picked up their paces and brought them to jogs. The snow crunched underneath their feet as the two otters made their way through the woods. Trees were knocked over from the raging winds, and twigs littered the white ground, ruining the beautiful scenery of the white snow.

As they came upon a long, narrow clearing, they saw what had attracted their attention: A raiding party attacking a hedgehog with a really big mace.

"Do you think he needs help?" Rocky asked, laughing lightly. "He looks like he can handle himself." Meko nodded, "Look there. A ferret, dead. Probably courtesy of the hedgehog." THe tall otter let a grin pass through his lips, and he unsheathed his broadsword from his back, and Rocky unsheathed his shortsword, and the two charged towards the fray.

It wasnt long until Rocky already downed two, and when he looked over, Meko was laughing, and looked like he was having the time of his life. Then again, Meko loved to fight more than anyone Rocky had ever seen. Probably his history.

Rocky took in all their surroundings and counted the many members of the raiding party, and his blood ran cold as he noticed the weasel, Scragg. Weasels killed Rocky's family and destroyed his holt. His eyes went black, a familiar sign when Rocky went into one of his "rages". He gripped his blade tighter, than ran after Scragg.

Meanwhile, Meko was cleaving heads from bodies, mostly ferrets, for he too, had a bad history with vermin. Well... ferrets actually. Meko had cuts already covering his body, and he had a long gash on his right arm. He'd have to tough it out if he were going to kill all the ferrets here.

OOC: Bleh... Awful... In a hurry...

[Tirael]

The sound of battle carried through the woods, muffled somewhat by the snow. A squirrel, two mice, an otter, and a hedgehog were dragging a hefty log through the wintery whiteness while a vole obliterated the tracks behind them. One of the mice heard the sounds, and told the squirrel. The squirrel nodded, and after a brief exchange with the otter, took to the trees in the direction of the sounds. A moment later, the otter followed on the ground.
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Brush observed the battle scene from the naked boughs of an elm tree. Noting how wildly it was proceeding, he began calculating in his head whether it would serve well for him to join. As he decided, yes, it was a good idea, Tirael came running up below him. The otter halted just at the edge of the clearing. From up in the tree, Brush indicated the very cut-up Meko. "I think you'll be needed in a few minutes, Tir. Wait here until I tell you to come out." Dropping from the tree, he jumped into the battle. Fighting his way over to Meko, he ran a stoat through with his javelin as he said to the otter, "Thought y' could use an extra pair o' paws, mate."

[Maxodis]

Things like this were becoming a regular occurrence. One could only bury the dead and repair their doorway so many times before the repetition grew old. Seourd's mind was elsewhere as he faced the bristling circle of rusted metal. His guard dropped slightly as he allowed himself a small sigh. One of the more reckless members of the raiding party made a wild lunge at the hedgehog, who belatedly brought his war mace to bear. Seourd suffered a shallow cut across his chest, and returned the favor in kind. Landing in a nearby snowdrift, the small could of frail ice crystals neatly covered the splattered gore that was the remains of the unfortunate vermin's head. Hefting the large war mace once more, Seourd glared darkly at the vermin around him in an unspoken challenge. He set his footpaws firmly into the snow, there would be none that would make it alive past him into his home.

It was apparent that another member of the band was about to try their luck when a pair of otters clashed into their unprotected backs. Half of the vermin turned to meet the new threat as several were felled immediately. More despairing cries were raised as yet another fighter joined the otters. Finding themselves between a rock and a hard place, half of the remaining vermin fought with the wild desperation of trapped beasts as the others made an unorganized attempt to scramble away, the weasel Scragg among them. One of the other weasels that had been in front of his leader hesitated, turning back to glance at the scene once more, fear causing his voice to tremble.

"Hellsgates, where'd them riverdogs come from? By the claw, vicious fighte-"

The weasel was interrupted by Scragg as he was shoved violently out of the way of his escaping leader.

"Doan' jus' stand there an' gawk, idjit! MOVE yer filthy hide!"

[Rocky]

Rocky growled at the weasel in front of him, and he ran him through, and the weasel's head lolled to the side, but just as he withdrew his blade, the weasel made a cheapshot on him, and drove his dagger into Rocky's shoulder. Rocky breathed deep, and closed his eyes, still well aware of the half dead weasel trying to make more shots on him until he simply lost his flame keeping him alive, and just died. Rocky inhaled deeply, then with a loud growl, he withdrew his blade, and swung it in an arc, and cleaved the unfortunate weasel's head from his body.

Rocky stood there for a second, and then locked his gaze on to the retreating weasel's back. "Coward" He muttered under his breath, along with a few other curses. He, still well aware of the dagger in his shoulder, charged forward towards Scragg, his mind only set on one thing: Killing this weasel.

Meko gritted his teeth, as he gained more cuts and scrapes. At one point, the big otter was even knocked down and jumped on, but some unknown strength inside the otter allowed him to rise up and kill three more. The otter chanced a glance sideways, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw Tirael. Good ole' Tir. Always knows when to arrive at the right time. Meko grinned slightly, and nearly jumped from his hide as a creature so suddenly appeared next to him.

"Thought y' could use an extra pair o' paws, mate."

Relief flooded through him as he realized this creature was a squirrel. In fact, if he thought it was who it was, then he was, basically saved from a possible death from these vermin.

The otter eventually managed a few words, "Aye... Good t'see y'here, mate. Are you, by any chance called Brush? If so, Ive heard of you. You're quite a good fighter." He grinned then concentrated on battle, "Oh, um... Squirrely... Do me a favor. If you have any beasties wit' ye, have 'em follow my mate, alright? He went after the leader. Could you keep an eye on 'im for me?"

[Treble Tiderunner]

Enon had been enjoying the snow. She had not seen much of it on her trip to Southsward, so she'd gone for a long walk. It was her first full day at the Camp in quite a while, and she hadn't been planning on doing any fighting, although if she could track down that snake while he was sluggish from the cold....

Suddenly Enon came upon the scene off the fight, a fresh snowfall having muffled the normally clear sounds of battle. The black squirrel grinned, her scar twisting the left side of her face into a gruesome mask. She notched an arrow to her bow, sighting on a skinny rat who was trying a desperate plan, running right at Meko and Brush in an attempt to escape. "Nay, laddie, no' taeday." She gritted in her native brogue, drawing the string to her ear and releasing. The arrow struck the rat in the chest and Enon charged, calling out her favored warcry, that of the Long Patrol hares.

"Eulaaaaaliaaaaa!" She swung her sling, a good sized stone cracking the jaw of a great big weasel. She paused by Brush and Meko. "What ho, laddie buck, ye're a bit torn up, wot! why are we hanging about here? Lets finish them off!" Her face was still half-twisted in a dreadful mask, a policy she found very helpful in many battles, although she usually preferred seeing out of both eyes.

[Tirael]

Brush ducked a thrust from a spear, swung his own javelin up to knock it out of the ferret's paws, and turned his weapon to bring its pointed end into his enemy's heart.

"Aye... Good t'see y'here, mate. Are you, by any chance called Brush? If so, Ive heard of you. You're quite a good fighter."

The squirrel nodded. "Aye, I'm Brush, and y' seemed to be holdin' out pretty well yourself for a while, mate." He could hardly believe that Meko was still fighting with a dozen different wounds in a dozen different places. He hoped that there would be enough of this warrior left for Tirael to fix up later.

"Oh, um... Squirrely... Do me a favor. If you have any beasties wit' ye, have 'em follow my mate, alright? He went after the leader. Could you keep an eye on 'im for me?"

Brush didn't really take to being called 'squirrely', but it hardly mattered at the moment. Shaking his head, he replied, "Sorry, didn't have any other fighters with me, just a healer. We'll get after him once we've dealt with-" He paused as he ran a weasel through- "these ones here."

"Eulaaaaaliaaaaa!"

Tirael had spent the time since Brush joined the fight choosing several herbs and other ingredients to prepare for what was inevitably going to be a difficult job. He looked up in surprise as a black squirrel charged the battle scene, yelling an unfamiliar warcry. Well, at least she was a squirrel, no help for the vermin.

"What ho, laddie buck, ye're a bit torn up, wot! why are we hanging about here? Lets finish them off!"

Brush regarded the new arrival a bit incredulously. Why a squirrel was using a hare's tongue was a mystery to him, but the battle forced him to concentrate on fighting instead. Regardless of how the squirrel was speaking, he was glad of her help, even as the vermin began to lose hope. The majority had started to run off; the situation had become more about mopping up the remainder. With the situation less urgent, Brush motioned for Tirael, who came out of cover and started for them. Turning to Enon, he said, "Thanks for the help. Who might you be?"

[Treble Tiderunner]

Enon dropped her maniacal grin, looking around a little more soberly. Without the grin her face was simply a face, albiet with a long scar. She winked at Brush. "What, laddie, naever 'eard an imitation before?" She stowed her bow and arrow, now that the last vermin was dead. She nodded to the hedgehog. "Hello there, sir. So ol' N'tashi's still at it? I should 'ave told Melroch, but no sir! Figured this'd be cleaned up long before 'is lordship got 'ere."

"Thanks for the help. Who might you be?"

"Not a problem! I'm Enon McKie, wanderin' warrior of the highlands, Long Patrol member, visitor of Noonvale and Camp Moss! At yer service! Who're you?"

[Rocky]

Rocky slowed his speed, figuring he'd get back at scragg sooner or later. His eyes slowly changed back to their normal color, and he stopped in his tracks and turned around. "I shouldn't have left 'im." He said sharply to himself, taking off again, heading back towards the scene of the battle. He took long strides, hopping over fallen woods, and then he came upon the area. Bodies of vermin littered the ground, and he looked intently, making sure he didn't see another otter among them. There were none. Good. He kicked a body of a writhing rat, and slowly walked towards the group of beasts together. On closer look, he noticed his friend, towering over them, and others he knew. The hedgehog was new to him though, but right now, Rocky was set on helping his friend.

He jogged over there and put a hand on Meko's shoulder, "You alirhgt, my friend?" Meko shook Rocky's hand off of him and nodded, "I'll live." Rocky c ocked an eyebrow, "You just looked like you fought a whole horde y'self. Y'know you can't lose control, mate." Meko shrugged, and headed over in Tirael's direction.

Meanwhile, Rocky walked over to Seourd, and held out his hand, "Call me Rocky. My friend over there, the big 'un, covered in cuts and scrapes, he's called Meko. He... Acts like that a lot in fights." He said slowly, expanding the 'o' in 'a lot'.

[Maxodis]

With the advent of unexpected aid, the battle was quickly over. The large hedgehog surveyed the ruined snow and found he could only grimace in disgust at the well-intentioned assistance. Such a meaningless loss of life, such a mess, such miserable ends those misguided vermin met. No, the fighters had done more harm than good. But at the same time...they all seemed young. In these dark days, the assorted fighters had probably faced experiences not unlike his own. They did not yet know the true value of one's life, no matter how wickedly it was led...no, this ignorance could not be held against them.

Seourd returned the nod to the black-furred squirrel. He momentary wondered who this Melroch could be, though his thoughts were halted as one of the otters approached with a friendly paw.

"Call me Rocky. My friend over there, the big 'un, covered in cuts and scrapes, he's called Meko. He... Acts like that a lot in fights."

The hedgehog accepted the otter's respectful shake in his own calloused paw. He nodded stiffly, his headspikes rattling slightly with the motion.

"Seourd Lackdeh. If'n those are cuts 'n scrapes then I'd hate t'see what he calls a real injury." He gestured to the otter called Meko. "Help 'im up. We'll need t'get 'im out o' the cold, with wounds like that. Cuts 'n scrapes indeed."

He ambled back inside his home, exchanging his gore-splattered war mace for an old, rusted shovel. Forgetting his own injury, he moved away from his position at the doorway, leaving the warm entrance open to all. He glanced briefly at the other creatures in the clearing.

"Come then, all of you, out o' this cold with ye. There's plenty room inside my home for the lot of ye."


(( Modified slightly, he's now inside the home. ))

[Tirael]

"Not a problem! I'm Enon McKie, wanderin' warrior of the highlands, Long Patrol member, visitor of Noonvale and Camp Moss! At yer service! Who're you?"

Brush extended his paw, flashing an "is-that-so" smile. "Brush of Southsward, though I've been up here fer awhile. You seem to get around a bit more 'n I do." His travels had gone on hold a while back; they weren't resuming until Redwall was Redwall again.
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"Help 'im up. We'll need t'get 'im out o' the cold, with wounds like that. Cuts 'n scrapes indeed."

Though the instruction wasn't directed at him, Tirael he might as well help, being the closest one to Meko (and the one whose job it was to treat him). Moving to help him, he said, "Alright, let's get you in there, it'll be better for treating you anyway. And please, Meko, listen to Rocky or next time there won't be anything left for me to save." Tirael rarely lost patients, and he definitely wasn't going to lose a friend. Not as long as he could help it.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Brush extended his paw, flashing an "is-that-so" smile. "Brush of Southsward, though I've been up here fer awhile. You seem to get around a bit more 'n I do."

Shaking paws, Enon c.ocked her head, looking at Brush through her right eye. Her vision was a little fuzzy in her left eye because of the scar and drooping lid. "Funny thing, I was just there, wot!"

Not all that funny, she mused, releasing his paw. She looked around, she'd have to speak with Skipper about the hares. She was sure Lord Melroch would help. "We'd better take the hedgehog's offer." she said, returning her head to its normal straight position. "He doesna seem like 'e'd welcome 'elp."

[Rocky]

Rocky looked back at his friend, and when he saw he needed hep, he headed over there, and wrapped Meko's arm around his shoulder and helped Tirael bring him to the house. "C'mon, mate. You really can't do that anymore." Rocky was saying. Meko sighed and rolled his eyes, shook of Rocky's and Tirael's help and headed for the home rather slowly, and limping. Rocky sighed and jogged ahead, "Let us help you." He said, but Meko was too stubborn to listen, and shook his head and walked off.

Rocky rolled his eyes and walked back to Tirael, "Look, mate. Im sorry. He just acts like that at random times in fights. He goes crazy because of his history, and if he ever found out I told anyone his history, he'd never forgive me again, for he doesn't want anyone's pity. But Im sorry about the way hes actin'."

Rocky patted Tir on the back, and forced a smile, "You're a good friend, Tir. Alright, Im headin' inside. Its rather cold." HE winked and jogged ahead to the door, and walked in, greeted by the warmth. As he expected, Meko headed straight over to Seourd's bed, and lay down. Rocky raised an eyebrow and shook his head slowly, laughing, "Wont take our help. Claim's to be fine, and what does 'e do? Lay on a bed."

The black otter headed for Seourd and apologized, "Sorry about my friend Meko, but is it all right if he lays there?"

Waiting for an answer, Rocky pulled a chair over and slumped down in it, wrapping his arm around the back of it as if he was wrapping an arm around a person. He looked over at his friend, and hoped Tirael could fix him up well. "They bother you a lot?" Rocky finally asked. "The raiding party's?" The question was aimed at Seourd, but anyone could answer, really.

[Maxodis]

Seourd glanced at Meko as the injured otter crawled into his bed. Seconds later, Seourd realized that the otter was still bleeding. Onto his mattress and his only set of sheets. He found some consolation in the fact that it was going to some good use, even if it could no longer be used for sleeping. No use crying over spilt milk.

"Sorry about my friend Meko, but is it all right if he lays there?"

Seourd only allowed himself to reply with an affirmative grunt, there was no point in being rude to guests, even as destructive as they had proven to be.

"They bother you a lot?" Rocky finally asked. "The raiding party's?"

The hedgehog had been occupying himself with testing the strength of the old shovel, digging frozen earth was a hard enough task without a sturdy tool. At the question, he stopped and looked directly at the seated otter.

"Aye, though most o' 'em know t'steer clear o' this place." He left it unsaid that the reason they knew such was because Seourd had always made a point of letting most of the raiders escape rather than slaughter them like what had happened today.

This caused an awkward silence to break over the home. Suddenly aware of the hanging discomfort, Seourd nudged Rocky with the handle of the shovel.

"Y'don't appear t'be hurt. Come with me, there's some work t'do."

He motioned towards the open door, back out into the snow.

((Lack of inspiration, woo! I blame the distraction in the Cbox.))

[Tirael]

"Funny thing, I was just there, wot!"

Brush's tail flicked as she said this; he considered asking about his family, but would they know this odd wandering squirrel? He figured they would like her, but they couldn't if they hadn't even met her. Somehow he didn't expect they would have.

"We'd better take the hedgehog's offer." she said, returning her head to its normal straight position. "He doesna seem like 'e'd welcome 'elp."

Brush briefly looked Seourd up and down. He had to agree with Enon; the hedgehog looked like he wouldn't welcome much of anything he didn't plan himself. Nodding, he looked back to Enon and said, "Alright then, after you." Holding the door open, he gestured for her to go in.
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"You're a good friend, Tir. Alright, Im headin' inside. Its rather cold."

Tirael closed his eyes and shook his head. "Well, thank you for the compliment, but I won't consider myself much of a friend to anyone if I leave him bleeding there." Without further regard, the healer moved over to Meko and made a poultice. As he began to bandage his friend, he also began to reproach him. "Meko, you're a great fighter and all, but you're still flesh and blood. You've got to be more careful, or we're gonna lose you for good because I won't be able to do a thing for you." He punctuated the word 'thing' by tying off the last bandage tightly.

"There, I've done what I can. Just rest now, you should heal up alright." Sighing, he got up and walked over to a seat by the fire. Sitting, he stared into the fire and thought about...about nothing, really.

Nothing at all.