Trials and Taxations(open/cont off to war)

[Grath]

Roseleaf eyed a young hare who had been hanging around for the last hour or so. The Long Patrol was close to the mountains, and had been marching for several days, and now marched in a somewhat more casual order."Is there something I can help you with, young'un?" She asked, hitching the little pouch she carried at her waist closer to paw.

Enon was surrounded by young recruits, and the warrior squirrel felt uncomfortable with all the attention.

"Did y'really fight with t'Patrol?"
"How'd y'get that ghastly scar, ol'gel?"
"Why'd y'leave?"

Her northern brogue was strong as she berated the hapless leverets. "Och, 'ave ye nae more manners than tae pester a beast wi' yore ceaseless questions? Be off wi' ye!" She swung into a pine which leaned over the path.

"Cap'n Aidan! Ah'm goin' tae scout!" She called ahead, then disappeared into the trees.

[Tirael]

Tirael watched Enon swing off into the trees. Watching as the group of leverets began to converse amongst themselves, he recalled the previous two days, when they had questioned him with the same intensity. He had been embarrassed, unused to having so much attention; eventually, the interrogations ceased and he was left free to march in solitude. At first he had taken pleasure in not being pestered the entire day. However, before long he began feeling a little bored; such was his general mood now as he walked along with the others.

"Is there something I can help you with, young'un?"

The young hare looked lazily over at Roseleaf. Shaking his head, he said, "Nah, Rosie, I-" The bored, tired look on his face was replaced in a flash with shock and fear at what he'd just done. He had just been careless enough to possibly get his head lopped off by the Long Patrol's infirmary keeper.

((Blecch, not very good.))

[Ashstripe]

((Well, I'm fairly tired and I think I'm coming down with a cold...But who cares; nobody that's who.))

Sarge somewhat trailed in the ranks, a hare of his status was expected to lead the charge and march proudly with his head high and shoulders back, setting an example for all those under his command to follow.

But he was near the complete opposite, while he did only lag behind to the mid-upper sections of the rank and file all the while keeping his step, his shoulders were slouched and his posture more accurately described his age. Even with the aid(Involuntary) of his subordinates and a few of his comrades, he still found his supplies to be a bit much for his old back and battered limbs - he hadn't quite fully recovered from the previous attack.

Sarge glanced to the horizon, there was smoke billowing from the near apocalyptic battle that he had danced with death for so long, though his step wasn't as nimble as it once was and all too often did he find his paws being trampled on by the reaper.

"Huh, we're in th' Mountains now.." He thought out loud to no one in particular, though it wasn't the sight of the rocky outcrops in the distance that had really given it away to him, it was the sudden change in terrain - Sarge could see better with his paws then he could with his framed eyes.

[Grath]

"Nah, Rosie, I-"

Roseleaf's ears stood up straight, stiff as a board, and she turned to the young hare with a terrifying look on her face. After staring straight at him for a few minutes, she said "Boo!" loudly.

Turnig back to Tir, she chuckled over the hare's reaction. "What d'you say, Tir, is 'e afraid of me, wot?"

---

"Hey Sarge!" Enon dropped down beside her friend. She liberated several of his burdens, slinging them over her own back, next to the others. "How're ye doin'?"

[Rocky]

Would it bother anyone if I joined this thread?

[Rocky]

Cool. Ill join with Zephyr Swiftfire later-ish. I gotta run

[Wildrun]

Oh, drat. Mapel was almost out of medical supplies.

"Shoot," she muttered, rummaging forlornly through the contents at the bottom of her pack,turning things over and shaking the roundish containers one by one, holding them up to her ear and staring at each one with an ounce more longing than the last. Empty! Almost every single one of them! And her burns still weren't completley gone, even if they no longer bothered her. Even so, at this rate, as she was also funning out of food and a few of her precious maps had suffered in the fire of the stoat's ship, she'd be wandering and lost for a long, long while the way she was going now.

" Shoot ," repeated Mapel, with feeling. Her shoulder slumped and she let out a sigh, one of the few she allowed herself. Being donwcast never got anyone anywhere, of course. If only she could pinpoint where she WAS, and then she could be able to find SOME place, whichever was closest, where she could get some help. She knew her two best options were either the famed Redwall Abbey (of which she had never visited and had only a mental description delivered by hawks and otehr birds of how to find it), or the vast fire mountain of the badgers, Salamandastron...

"This is ridiculous," Mapel hissed, snatching her pack off the ground and shouldering it quickly. She bent down to grab up her large, sturdy walking stick and weighed it in her paw momentarily, coming to a decision. She could northwest, towards the North Sea, and follow the coast, she'd find Salmadastron eventually, or she could just keep wandering in hopes of finding SOMEWHERE helpful...

...Was that the sound of marching?

Gasping, Mapel spun on her heel and dashed headlong through the brush and foliage, pausing every few seconds to re-ascertain where the sounds appeared from. That way! Yes! Hear those voices? It could only be...

Hares! Salamandastron hares!

Relief flooding her face and smiling so that her face hurt, Mapel ran out stumbling to the front few ranks of hares, apologizing as she ran into some and coming to a halt in front of a hare and an otter in the front ranks.

Breathless but relieved, she blurted out gaspingly, "Hello, I-I'm sorry to bother you, but, but do you mind if I march with you? I'm running low on healing stuff and I have no idea where I am and I usally would but my maps, some of them got burtn in a fire and I'm almost out of food and..." she faltered to a halt, hastingly stepping into march besides the otter and hare. "...and I'm Mapel Wildrun. Ah, nice to meet you."

[Grath]

Breathless but relieved, she blurted out gaspingly, "Hello, I-I'm sorry to bother you, but, but do you mind if I march with you? I'm running low on healing stuff and I have no idea where I am and I usually would but my maps, some of them got burnt in a fire and I'm almost out of food and..." she faltered to a halt, hastily stepping into march besides the otter and hare.

Roseleaf blinked in surprise at the mouse who had blundered her way through the ranks to march side-by-side with her and Tirael. “Ah…” Her mind raced, trying to decipher the large mass of words tumbling headlong from the mouse’s mouth.

"...and I'm Mapel Wildrun. Ah, nice to meet you."

“By t’fur, miss, d’you think you could manage to speak sense on y’own, or d’you need help? I’ve some nice nettle broth should do you good.”

[Tirael]

Tirael remembered the hare who had been so mortified a minute ago. Looking over, he saw the hare facing down as he marched, trying to to go unnoticed. Trying to sound encouraging, Tirael said quietly "Hey. What's your name?" Looking up, the hare smiled and said, "Dartpaw. Are you a Redwaller?" Tirael nodded. Dartpaw looked a little confusedly at the otter as he asked "Why are you here the-"

He yelped as he tripped over a rock, falling to the ground with a hefty thud. Two hares behind him tripped over him, tripping even more hares. Soldiers from at least six ranks found themselves in a pileup accident hardly befitting the famed Long Patrol. The sound clattered and echoed throughout the mountains.

[Wildrun]

Mapel blinked, snapping her mouth shut. Almost unconsciously, she striaghtened her back and wrestled hold of herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be babbling." She dipped her head in greeting and, switching her staff over to her other paw, snapped a sharp salute--she was talking to a Salamandastron hare, after all, and most definetly one of importance. Then, letting her paw relax, she winced in a self-conscious way. "Please don't call me 'miss'. Just Mapel is fine. Nettle broth, that does sound appropraite, but I can certainly wait until the march comes to a halt." She half-smiled with the same self consciouness. "I don't want to bother you, but I'm afraid it's too late for that."

Mapel was trying to think of what on earth such a large amount of hares was doing one the march like this, decked out in full battle armour, and she was about to ask if a war was on, when the most ridiculous crashing noise made her spin around. Rubbing at her forehead in a half-confused, half-sighing gesture, she tugged on Roseleaf's sleeve. "Ah, I take it that isn't supposed to happen?" Dear gods, what on earth happened? Hare mountain? Oh, dear.

[Ashstripe]

((I wouldn't go whipping out the vermin yet, we'll merge with CoK before then. Though I imagine Zeffer is going through another rough patch in his life.))

Sarge nearly fell in fright of the Squirrel landing right in front of him, really his eyes hadn't registered her presence until her voice had reached his ears.
"Blinkin' bandit!" He cried out, nearly clutching his chest and nearly stepping on his spectacles that now laid on the ground in a less than graceful manner.
"Erm...Yes quite alright m'dear, just enjoyin' th' mount'in h'air an' th' liddle stroll we're 'avin!" He replied while easing his cargo off and grabbing his spectacles,

"Though I can't say I'm lookin' forward t' th' war see? It's gonna be rations and rainwater! Wot wot!" He smiled reassuringly after his remark, the Long Patrol paid as much attention to its supplies as it did to it's military strength,
"An army lives b-" The old hare unwittingly crashed into the pile of hares that had formed deep within the ranks,
"Arrgh! Th' blinkin' 'ordes 'ere! Raise th' alarm! About turn! Fire at will wot!" He cried out hysterically while flailing his arms in every direction, smacking a few of the 'vermin' in the nose.

The greatest fighting force in Mossflower, capable of dispatching hordes twice their number, were rendered immobile by a small rock.

[Wildrun]

Suddenly, an older hare with glasses who was talking to a squirrel went absolutely ballistic.

And then, Mapel couldn't stop herself--sh eknew it was disrespectful and in her defecne for a moment or two she acutally did fight to swallow her merriment, but no matter which was she looked at it...She couldn' help bursting out laughing, stumbling over to land on her tail and hold her sides.

"Oh," she gasped, registering how very much like her sister she was acting but for once not being able to care, "Oh, oh, I'm, i'm so sorry, it's just, I can't, you see, haha, hahahahahaaa!!!"

It lasted for a few minutes more, her sides achng as her lungs heaved and ribs hurt. She caught a look at the hare she had originally been talking to and mangaged to swallow another giggle. Snapping to her senses suddenly, she swalloed the rest as well and sprang to her feet, hurriedly nagivating the heap of hares.

"Sir!" she shouted, holding her paws up in a gesutre of (frantic) peace. "Sir, you're causing havoc! Yowch!" Mapel ducked, stepping back a pace and scratching the back of her head. With a wry, alsmot sarcastic tone in her voice she added, "I suppose I agree with those flying fists of yours, sir, havoc has been caused already."

[Grath]

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be babbling. Please don't call me 'miss'. Just Mapel is fine. Nettle broth, that does sound appropriate, but I can certainly wait until the march comes to a halt." She half-smiled with the same self consciouness. "I don't want to bother you, but I'm afraid it's too late for that."

Roseleaf dipped an ear in a sort of return salute, listening as the mouse continued talking. Suddenly Dartpaw, a recruit Roseleaf believed must have some sort of inner ear balance issue, tripped over a small rock and tripped the hares behind him. Roseleaf, at the edge of the tumbling hares, stepped smartly out of the way and bellowed. “Outta t’way! Move t’the side!” As the disaster spread, the procession ground to a halt, hares piled up as their companions leapt to the side.

“Ah, I take it that isn't supposed to happen?"
Aidan, hearing the noise, turned to see the hares, brought low by a single stumble. He gaped, but recovered himself and came trotting down the line. “What happened?” He asked, at the same time as Roseleaf spoke in answer to Mapel.

“No, its not.” She answered crisply and eyed the disentangling hares disapprovingly.

---

"Blinkin' bandit!" He cried out, nearly clutching his chest and nearly stepping on his spectacles that now laid on the ground in a less than graceful manner.
"Erm...Yes quite alright m'dear, just enjoyin' th' mount'in h'air an' th' liddle stroll we're 'avin!"

Enon adjusted her load. “I see how relaxed ye are.” She commented drily on his dramatic actions.

"Though I can't say I'm lookin' forward t' th' war see? It's gonna be rations and rainwater! Wot wot!"

“An army lives on its belly. Especially a ‘are h’army.” Enon said, smiling at the thought. “Wh—” She exclaimed, seeing a pile of hares go down in the instant before she fell herself, tripping over a young recruit.

"Arrgh! Th' blinkin' 'ordes 'ere! Raise th' alarm! About turn! Fire at will wot!"

“Owtch!” Enon held her nose gingerly as Sarge’s flailing fist smashed into it. “Haul yer wheest, Sarge!” She cried, letting go of her nose and making a swift grab for either one of the flying fists. “There be no attack!”

[Eastpaw]

Fern munched the last of her oatcakes as she walked down the mountain on a small, slightly used path. She heard the noises of march as she checked the contents of her father's old traveling havversack. She didn't leave the path, though, for it would meet up with the larger, more trodden passage soon anyway.

"Nothing but crumbs, by me rudder." She muttered, swallowing her bite of oatcake.

"Arrgh! Th' blinkin' 'ordes 'ere! Raise th' alarm! About turn! Fire at will wot!"

Suddenly, havoc broke out, and Fern, always curious, crept cautiously through a thin strip of forest to the road, where she beheld a strange sight. A good part of the party of hares were disheveled and others were still in a heap, owing to the antics of one single older hare, flailing his fist about.

“Owtch!”

Fern couldn't resist a giggle as a black squirrel tried to calm him and was belted for her pains. It soon became full-blown laughter as she started to berate the hare in a broad northern accent.

“Hauld yer wheest, Sarge!” She cried, letting go of her nose and making a swift grab for both of the flying fists. “There be no attack!”

[Tirael]

Tirael's ears turned sharply toward the sound of giggling. No less curious than the source, he loped quietly in the direction it had come from. Slowing down as the giggle became a full-blown laugh, he saw Fern behind the trees. He paused, both physically and mentally: he had never seen anyone so pretty in his life. After a few moments of dazed infatuation, he remembered why he had come. She clearly wasn't an enemy (obviously, since she was an otter), so he let his guard down and came out of concealment. Unsure of himself, he managed a quiet "H-hi."

[Ashstripe]

The more the old Hare tried to climb out of his proverbial hole, the more deeper he dug himself into it whilst revealing the extent of his senility in the process and destroying his image of supposed vaunted rationale. His assault continued, despite the futile attempts of those around them to get some sense into his addled brain - they'd thank him when a real assault happened and Sarge wouldn't waste any time with 'analysing the situation' or any of that nonsense, he'd launch the attack and ask questions later; after all, what were the odds are meeting allies out in this rocky wasteland?

"I ain't causin' havoc! Tis' th' vermin! Tis' th ...." Sarge's protests eventually faded into calm as both his fists were eventually restrained by the Squirrel and Mouse,

There be no attack.., "Oh er...I say..." The hare grinned sheepishly, "I suppose my spectacles fell off...Wot? False alarm then? Eh? Wot?" He replied rather uneasily and whilst lacking his usual bravado, truth be told, his spectacles were still perched upon his nose in front of his eyes - a fact which he tried to conceal by rubbing his eyes ruefully, all the while muttering under his breath about the supposed attack.

As soon as his supposed irritation was sorted, he hastily changed the subject and the new comer was a perfect scapegoat to salvage what was left of his reputation,
"Ah! Where are m' manners eh? Name's Sarge, just plain ol' Sarge wot!" With more speed then most could deem possible from a hare of his age, his paws had locked around the Woodmouse's in a firm, vigorous and very enthusiastic handshake.

What were the odds of meeting actual allies in this rocky wasteland? Quite large actually..

[Grath]

Fern POV

"H-hi."

Fern stepped out from behind the screen of trees, standing on the edge of the path. “Hello! I'm Fern Wildflower.” She beamed, giving a small wave. “Are you traveling with them? Do you have any food?” She asked, then scuffed a paw sheepishly.

“I seem to have run out.” She explained.

---

Aidan & Roseleaf POV


"I ain't causin' havoc! Tis' th' vermin! Tis' th-”

“Eh, wot bloomin’ vermin, where?” Aidan looked around, not quite up to speed yet. Roseleaf poked him sharply with a finger. “No vermin, Aidan.”

“Oh…” Aidan said, as sheepish as Sarge in his own way for a moment. Then he glared about indiscriminately. “Alright! Get back in formation, nothing t’see, time to move along. Sarge, if you’ll leave off shakin’ paws to direct t’young recruits?”

---

Enon POV

"Oh er...I say..." The hare grinned sheepishly, "I suppose my spectacles fell off...Wot? False alarm then? Eh? Wot?"

“Oi, burr aye, oi surrpoise.” Enon said, releasing Sarge’s paws. She nodded at the mouse. “Hurr, and oi be’s Enon McKie, wild mountain warrior, at yer service, miss! Wot!” She wiggled her ears comically, then offered her paw to the mouse. "Nice tae meet ye."

[Tirael]

“Hello! I'm Fern Wildflower.”

Tirael smiled; she seemed nice enough. Dipping his head, he said, "Nice to meet you, Miz Fern. I'm Tirael."

“Are you traveling with them? Do you have any food?" She asked, then scuffed a paw sheepishly. “I seem to have run out.” She explained.

He gave a small laugh; this Fern didn't waste a lot of time, did she? "Well, I'd be glad to give you some, although I think you'd better meet somebeasts before I can." Gesturing toward the path, he turned to her and said, "Follow me." Beginning to walk toward where he had left Roseleaf and Mapel, he looked down and closed his eyes as he tried not to laugh.

[Wildrun]

Diplomat skills immideately overriding any sense of surprise she might've felt at the quick rebound of the old hare, Mapel smiled cheerfully and shook his hand back. "Nice to meet you, sir. Mapel Wildrun, and I'm pleased to meet the accquantince of a hare who'll take out even an army when he has the mind to." She dipped her head in a polite bow and added in a calm voice, "I suppose that was a drill to keep the ranks on their toes, yes? Cower may the badbeasts who have to put up a fight with you, Sarge!"

She smiled again and dipped her head to the squirrel, who seemed to have and accent that was a mix of hare and brogue. "Just Mapel is fine, please. I really hate titles." She laughed a little and made sure not to look at the approching otter--she'd go into hysterics again. "I am glad to have met up with the Long Patrol. Is it okay for me to know where we're going?"

Automatically at her most polite, Mapel wasn't entirely sure if she was allowed to be friendly or not.

[Ashstripe]

"Eeeh? Tis' in t'doctrine sirrah! Keep y'etiquette as sharp as y'blade and wits doncha know?" He called back in semi-defiance to Aidan, but his reply was unnecessary, he would comply regardless.

The old hare ignored the rather unconvinced remarks that he received in his direction, let them believe in their false tales of Sarge being a bumbling fool at times, though really, such a thing was unthinkable!

Fortunately, the new comer appeared to be the least blind to the truth, something Sarge very much respected and admired. Without a second thought and before many could blink, he had slung an arm around Mapel's shoulder with a very broad grin as if they were very old friends who had been through the best and worst together;
"I like 'er already! Y'got a good 'ead fer tactics, m'gel! Wot wot!".