Further ((OPEN))

[King Benon]

"We are both travelers headed for Redwall Abbey," she added looking at the barge. "What is your destination?" she asked turning back to the friendly mole.

Paggle had not expected the two travelers to be heading to Redwall, and his brain began to formulate a plan. He could offer them passage to Redwall and hope they would volunteer to fight the corsairs with the Guoraf when the time came. Delighted, he replied to the interesting little mouse,

"Hurr hurr, boi okey, Oi'm a-headin ta ee Abbey moizelf, as et toorns oot. Yon ol' shrewers sailin' with oi an' ee bebbies zleepin' in ee cabbing aint apposed ta foight, zo oi'm a-takin' 'em oop ta ee Abbey afore oi turns back an' foights a crew ov narsty varminks." His explanation of his mission had him gesticulating wildly, trying ta illustrate to the traveling pair exactly what he was planning. He followed up with his proposal, "Oi could take ee oop to ee Abbey, on moi way, if'n you'm agrees to 'elp oi poilot ee craft on ee way."

He hoped to sweeten the deal to the young travelers, especially the otter who was eying the elderly shrew contingent with suspicion, so he added with a rougish wink to the travelers,

"Yon ol' shrewers ain't gonna harsle you'm's none, they'm's keep ta thoizelvs. Moightily zeenerfoobik Oi moight say, hurr hurr."

[Promatera]

Paggle seemed to think something over for a moment before finally responding.

"Hurr hurr, boi okey, Oi'm a-headin ta ee Abbey moizelf, as et toorns oot. Yon ol' shrewers sailin' with oi an' ee bebbies zleepin' in ee cabbing aint apposed ta foight, zo oi'm a-takin' 'em oop ta ee Abbey afore oi turns back an' foights a crew ov narsty varminks." His explanation of his mission had him gesticulating wildly, trying ta illustrate to the traveling pair exactly what he was planning. He followed up with his proposal, "Oi could take ee oop to ee Abbey, on moi way, if'n you'm agrees to 'elp oi poilot ee craft on ee way."

Dandelion let the information sink in for a moment. From what she gathered it sounded as though the mole would take them to Redwall so long as Cross and herself helped aboard the barge. This deal did not sound bad at all and Dandelion would be happy to oblige as these beasts seemed to actually know where Redwall was.

"Yon ol' shrewers ain't gonna harsle you'm's none, they'm's keep ta thoizelvs. Moightily zeenerfoobik Oi moight say, hurr hurr."

She looked over the mole and noticed the shrews who seemed to avoid looking at Cross and Dandelion. The shrews were no problem for Dandelion, but Cross seemed somewhat weary. Perhaps she should speak with him before they came to a decision.

"Excuse me just a moment, Paggle," she responded quickly stepping over to Cross and pulling him aside. "Should we trust these beasts and take up their deal?" she asked staring straight into his eyes.

Dandelion honestly wanted Cross's opinion because he knew the area and the creatures who lived in it better than she did. Noticing the otter had remained silent since the barge arrived, Dandelion also wanted to involve Cross and keep him from feeling left out. The otter had shown great kindness to her and she would not forget it.

[Cross]

Cross had a little trouble deciphering the mole's words, but, after a rough mental translation, the otter realized that what he had just been thinking had happened. The mole had offered them a ride to Redwall.

It was a kindness without measure, surely, since walking to the abbey from this far south would take much longer than going by the river. But Cross was wary of strangers. And with good reason. Journeying alone for countless months tended to heighten one's caution. However, it wasn't just Cross on this journey now. He had to take Dandelion into consideration, as well. She obviously had an urgent need to reach Redwall, so the boat would be the best way for her.

"Excuse me just a moment, Paggle," she responded quickly stepping over to Cross and pulling him aside. "Should we trust these beasts and take up their deal?" she asked staring straight into his eyes.

Cross returned the stare with his level, one-eyed gaze. Mentally weighing the pros and cons, the otter didn't reply for a few moments. The boat would be faster than walking, that was for sure. The mole wasn't asking them to do hard labor in return for the ride. Maybe some extra company wouldn't be so bad, either.

On the other paw, it sounded as though the ride would be a bit cramped and crowded. Cross didn't like big crowds, and he would simply not speak the entire time. Which meant he would have less time to speak with Dandelion, and as soon as they got to Redwall, there was no doubt she would be busy with whatever she needed to do there. Cross was just passing through, and would leave within a week or so.

He returned his focus to Dandelion and replied, "I think this is the fastest way to reach the Redwall place. I have piloted watercraft before. The labor will not be difficult." He nodded. "We should take up their deal." He simply wanted his new friend to reach Redwall.

[King Benon]

As Dandelion turned away from Paggle and began deliberating with Cross, the curious mole began to explore the bankside, he didn't want to eavesdrop on the traveling pair out of common courtesy. As the captain of a Chinampa, a floating farm, he had to make sure he had good, fertile soil, and soil to support various degrees of vegetation. He was curious about the soil on the bankside, so he stooped down and began investigating.

He sniffed the ground, scooped with a hefty digging claw, and smelled in the divot. Being piqued by the fresh moist and loamy smell of the bankside dirt, he pushed a single claw into the unearthed earth, and upon retrieving the claw, promptly inserted it into his mouth. He considered the sample: earthy with noticeable traces of salt, nutty root fibers, and fish. This earth was fertile, and would support the growth of dockleaves, duckweed, hotroot roots, and watercress to name a few. He would have to harvest some of the dirt. He trundled to his barge, and selected a small planter pot, he filled it with the dirt and opened his seed pouch. He deposited the seeds and dribbled some stream water over them, when he had finished, he looked at the two travelers, hoping they had come to a consensus.

[Promatera]

As Cross weighed the options, Dandelion could not help herself noticing Paggle sample the bank soil. Stifling a laugh she coughed. It had been ages since any beast had made her laugh like that. Smiling, she turned back to her friend who seemed to have come to an answer.

He returned his focus to Dandelion and replied, "I think this is the fastest way to reach the Redwall place. I have piloted watercraft before. The labor will not be difficult." He nodded. "We should take up their deal."

Dandelion nodded and turned back to Paggle who had just finished potting some soil. "After some deliberation we have come to an agreement," she spoke, "we have decided to accompany you to Redwall and will be happy to assist you on the journey."

[King Benon]

Dandelion nodded and turned back to Paggle who had just finished potting some soil. "After some deliberation we have come to an agreement," she spoke, "we have decided to accompany you to Redwall and will be happy to assist you on the journey."

Looking up from his newly potted soil, he nodded his great velvety head sagely, "Hurr hurr, boi okey, et'll be gurtly noice ta have a coople ov noice frennlybeasts eebord moi vessler, soo et will." He trundled toward his craft, and scrambled aboard, demonstrating a bit of un-mole-like agility. He waved his great digging claw at the two newcomers. "Coom ee on moi ol' taters, oi'll bee a-shooin you'm's aroond ee gurtly noice vessler ov moine. Et'll get thoizelvs axklamated to ee boat."

Pagglestick showed the two around his boat, gesturing at the various oddities that comprised the chinampa. The barge was made of three Shrew logboats lashed together and filled with baskets containing earth of various varieties. Paggle had all manner of vegitation growing atop it, from vegetable vines to berry bushes and even small saplings tightly staked and lashed. The whole floating farm was neatly trimmed, and well organized, and all the plants were producing large healthy looking food crops. Paggle had built himself a light ramshackle hut at the back of the craft near the tiller, where the elderly shrews congregated, seeking to be near their sleeping grandbabies. He finished his explanation of the boat with an outlining of the chores the two would be undertaking,

"You'm's'll be poking ee gurt sticks inta ee streambed ta proopel ee vessler ta ee gurt Abbey, et is ov ee most biggest priority thet you'm's lissen ta oi when oi'm a-hollerin moi coomands from ee back. Help thoiselves ta any of ee froots an' veggibles grooing on ee boat, but doan't feed thoi face too gurtly much, bacauze oi'll be a-feedin' you'm's affore a gurtly long whoile. Pick oop ee polers, moi ol' taters, we'm's a-getting oonderway!" He trundled swiftly to the back, dipped his trusty pole in the water. Shoving off from the bank, he bellowed: "BOI OKEY, POOSH EE POLES, BEND THOI BACKSOIDES, WE'M'S NEEDZ TA BE IN EE MIGGLE OF EE STREAM!!"

[Cross]

Cross admitted to himself that he was indeed impressed by the mole's craft. He had never seen a floating vegetable garden before, nor had he even though it could exist. The otter dutifully listened and committed to memory the chores Pagglestick laid out for them. He knew he and Dandelion could handle them.

Finally, it was time to set off. Cross took up a pole and waited for the mole's orders. Shoving off from the bank, he bellowed: "BOI OKEY, POOSH EE POLES, BEND THOI BACKSOIDES, WE'M'S NEEDZ TA BE IN EE MIGGLE OF EE STREAM!!"

Cross shoved the pole into the water, hitting the bottom of the stream bed almost instantly. Though they were beginners, he and Dandelion maneuvered the barge approximately into the middle of the current without much trouble.

Cross had endured much harder labor than poling a craft, so he felt no fatigue even when afternoon dragged into evening. He wordlessly continued to push the long pole into the water, shove the craft along, and pull the pole upwards again, repeating the process over and over. He glanced at Dandelion often to make sure his pace was not too fast for her. He discovered just how strong the short mouse was after an hour or so of poling.

Dandelion could really keep up. Cross tried to keep the pace to a moderate speed, however, so they wouldn't wear themselves out at too fast of a pace. As they continued along, Cross vaguely wondered if and when Pagglestick would call out for a rest.

[King Benon]

The crew made excellent progress with the strength and determination of the two new polebeasts, and Paggle's barge surged upstream like an arrow from a bow. After an hour or so of poling, they reached the current that Paggle had been searching for. He called out to his polebeasts,

"You'm's take thoizelves ee likkle rest naow! You'm's welcomed ta porteek ov ee vikkles grooin on ee voines'n'shrubbrys. Oi'll do ee pagglin fer naow."

They traveled in the middle of the stream for most of the day, with Paggle using his trusty paddle to manipulate the current. He had traveled this country before and he knew that there would be a need for good strong polebeasts soon. He gathered his elderly Guoraf crew and doled out short poles.

"Garther you'm'zelves, moi ole' 'earty taters. We'm a-coomin upoon ee gurt rapeeds, we'm needs ee speed an' good doirectin! Arfter we'm parss ee rapeeds oi'll make ee a gurt turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot poi, vikkles for you'm's soul!"

Pagglestick trundled to his post, directing the craft along the current, the elderly shrews standing around the perimeter of the craft to fend off oncoming rocks, Paggle nodded to Dandelion and Cross with their long poles. "Bend thoi backs! We'm needin gurt speed!"

The river surged around the prow as the barge sped downriver, two rocks, both to port loomed ahead.

[Promatera]

From the moment Dandelion was introduced to the barge she knew she would enjoy herself. Having never been on a watercraft before the experience was completely new. It seemed this day was filled with new things. Though still quiet, her cold exterior had thawed somewhat and she could be seen smiling.

However, this did not keep her from her goal of reaching Redwall Abbey. She knew now she was so close once more to reaching it and was eager to finally arrive. She had been travelling long enough and she had to see for herself if all the stories she had heard were true. With a paddle in hand, Dandelion easily kept up the pace with Cross and sometimes even outpaced the otter, who would slow down a little to force her to ease up.

"You'm's take thoizelves ee likkle rest naow! You'm's welcomed ta porteek ov ee vikkles grooin on ee voines'n'shrubbrys. Oi'll do ee pagglin fer naow."

It was now later in the afternoon and although they had been paddling for some time, Dandelion ignored her weariness. Reaching Redwall was what had been on her mind since she boarded and she was so determined to make it now more than ever that she had retreated into her thoughts, ignoring the other beasts.

As the afternoon sun drifted lower and lower, Dandelion's attention was brought back to the vessel as Paggle yelled orders to the idle crew.

"Garther you'm'zelves, moi ole' 'earty taters. We'm a-coomin uthingy ee gurt rapeeds, we'm needs ee speed an' good doirectin! Arfter we'm parss ee rapeeds oi'll make ee a gurt turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot poi, vikkles for you'm's soul!"

Galvanized Dandelion quickly grabbed her paddle.

"Bend thoi backs! We'm needin gurt speed!"

Nodding, Dandelion focused all her energy into rowing. She focused her attention on the floor as she commanded all her strength into her arms to paddle. She grunted as her arms began to fight back. She looked to her side and it was then she remembered her companion Cross. She had focused so much on paddling she had left her friend in the dust. The pair needed to work together here or they might not gather enough speed.

"Together!" she shouted to Cross, "we need to row in sync!"

((OOC: Sorry for the lateness xp))

[Cross]

"Bend thoi backs! We'm needin gurt speed!"

Cross took up his pole again and began to row, watching Danelion constantly to keep his pace even with hers.

"Together!" she shouted to Cross, "we need to row in sync!"

"Aye," he shouted back. Silent nods wouldn't work anymore. They had to communicate verbally in this situation. "'Ware of those rocks, Miss!" He hoped the elderly shrews could get them clear of the boulders ahead.

((Sorry for shortness. Was pressed for time. Go ahead and post, whoever's next.))

[King Benon]

"'Ware of those rocks, Miss!"

Pagglestick heard the young otter shout to his companion, and he watched as the two rocks to port loomed ever closer, he adjusted his oar, sliding effortlessly past the rocks, but that was only the first of a series of rapids. With Cross and Dandy poling in sync with eachother, Paggle's steering skill, and the elderly shrews' expert rock avoiding maneuvers the vessel passed through five rapids, the prow sinking and bucking as they traveled headlong through the tumultuous flow. The final rapid deposited them back in the center of the stream, as the sun was finally slipping below the horizon. Paggle directed the ungainly craft to the stream bank and as the triple peaked prow dug into the mud he called out:

"Joomp ee ooverboard an' foind a good place to toi ee roop soo ee vessler doan't bee a-drifitn' awee. An' foind Oi some twiggers, oi'll be needin' a foire." He began trundling about, collecting fresh vegetation to put into the pie: Turnips, Potatoes, Beets, Scallions, Parsley, Basil, Wheat, Water, Salt, and several unfamiliar vegetables and tubers. He picked his vegetables with gusto as he sang his favorite cooking ditty, spinning and shuffling about the barge as he danced and sang:

“ Give ‘ee, give you, give them’n to oi,
Turnip’n tater’n beetroot poi,
Gurt platters each morn, an’ more at ‘ee noight,
Fill oi a bowlful,
et tasters jus’ roight.
An’ iffen ‘ee infant wakes, starten to croi,
Feed ‘im turnip’m tater’n beetroot poi.
Et’s gudd fur ‘ee stummick, et’s good fur ‘ee jaws,
Nought gives us molers more pleasure’n joy
Than turnip’n tater’n beetroot poi!”

[Promatera]

"Aye," he shouted back. Silent nods wouldn't work anymore. They had to communicate verbally in this situation. "'Ware of those rocks, Miss!"

"Right!" she yelled over the rising roar of the rapids. Dandelion matched her pace with Cross, rising and falling at the same speed. She watched as the shrews managed to successfully guide them away from the rocks and Paddle was doing an excellent job steering the vessel avoiding the dangerous zones they marked out.

Dandelion could tell they had passed through the rapids as the barge had finally settled and calm had returned. After leaving the rapids they were now in position to land ashore.

"Joomp ee ooverboard an' foind a good place to toi ee roop soo ee vessler doan't bee a-drifitn' awee. An' foind Oi some twiggers, oi'll be needin' a foire."

Dandelion turned to Cross, taking initiative she declared, "I'll tie the boat down, you can get the firewood." She then grabbed the rope and leaped ashore. It did not take her long to find the perfect anchor for the ship. A spiked rock, jutting out from the water, which Dandelion could easily tie the rope around.

((OOC: Awesome song there Ben! Compose it yourself?))

[Cross]

"Joomp ee ooverboard an' foind a good place to toi ee roop soo ee vessler doan't bee a-drifitn' awee. An' foind Oi some twiggers, oi'll be needin' a foire."

Cross leapt over the side of the barge, knee deep in the river, and made to grab the rope. But the mouse was one step ahead of him.

Dandelion turned to Cross, taking initiative she declared, "I'll tie the boat down, you can get the firewood."

Cross nodded. "Aye, then," he replied, wading towards the bank. As he entered the woods, he wished, for the first time in a long while, for a good blade. But he supposed gathering logs by paw wouldn't be too bad. There was plenty of fallen wood scattered around the forest.

It took the big otter less than ten minutes to gather an armful of firewood. He returned to the camp and found the best place to start the fire. Locating Paggle, the otter focused on the mole with his good eye and asked, "Have ye any flint, sir? I lost mine a few miles back."

[King Benon]

((OOC: No, it's from one of the books, I looked it up online, I don't remember what book it's from though. It was my favorite song from the books))

"Have ye any flint, sir? I lost mine a few miles back."

"Hurr hurr, oh burr aye, zurr Crozzerz." Paggle set down his bucket of vegetables and rummaged in his sash for a piece of flint, retrieving it, he handed it to Cross. "Start us'n's a gurt ol' foire, an oi'll get moi bakin pan fer ee poi. You'm's bee in fer a treat, an' roightly zo."

Seeing that Dandelion had securlely fastened the boat to a pointy rock, he called to her: "Marm Dannyloin, would ee bee so koind as ter 'elp oi chop oop ee vegables?"

[Promatera]

"Marm Dannyloin, would ee bee so koind as ter 'elp oi chop oop ee vegables?"

"Of course," she called picking up her pace back to the barge. Dandelion had fended for her family for years so she had become a cook capable of using what was around her, but she lacked proper experience.

She noticed Cross had gathered some excellent firewood and was at work beginning a fire. Already the evening seemed to show signs of great promise. Assisting the mole, Dandelion grabbed the buckets of vegetables.

"Would you happen to have a spare knife about?" she asked. Dandelion wondered what dish the mole was trying to make. She had heard something about a pie, but did not know where the vegetables came in.

[King Benon]

"Would you happen to have a spare knife about?"

"Hurr hurr, Oi abserlootlee would, mizzy, hoo burr aye." Paggle responded, excitement building for his favorite dish, Turnip'n'Tater'n'Beetroot pie. He shuffled about merrily, pulling a razor sharp knife out of his belt for Dandy to use, and setting about his vegetable slicing chore with a will. He and Dandy sliced several pounds of vegetables, producing a veritable mound of sliced tubers, roots, and veggies. He then began kneading the dough for the pie crust, tossing it high into the air and spinning it about his huge digging claw. He was planning the other accoutrements to go with the meal, perhaps a nice fish or watershrimp soup. He began doling out further instructions as he scooped the vegetables into an enormous cauldron of water he had taken from his vessel and placed over the fire to boil.

"Zurr Crozzerz, you'm appears ta be a roight gudd ol' h'otter. Moight ee loike ta joomp in ee wadder an' fetch oi zum waddyzrimps or a gurt fishy fer us'n's zupper?"

"Mizz Dannyloin, you'm did a moitily gudd job at ee vegeble sloicing, but Oi needs ee ta fish oot a barrel o' nettlerbeerz. Et bees a-flooting behoind moi vessler, toid to ee roop. Et'll be noice'n chillered oof boi naow."

He went back to stirring the vegetable medly and tossing his pie crust, dancing a little jig of anticipation for the evening's respite.

[Cross]

Cross had finished the fire and returned the flint stone to Paggle. Even though the otter hadn't made a fire in weeks, he was proud of himself as the healthy flame blazed cheerily. He watched Dandelion and Paggle chop vegetables for awhile, and considered offering to help. But the mole had another chore for him.

"Zurr Crozzerz, you'm appears ta be a roight gudd ol' h'otter. Moight ee loike ta joomp in ee wadder an' fetch oi zum waddyzrimps or a gurt fishy fer us'n's zupper?"

"Aye, sir," Cross replied, untying his bandana from around his bicep. Getting a running start, he dove into the water and found a veritable shoal of freshwater shrimp. With lightning speed, the otter filled the bandana in one sweep through the school of little crustaceans and resurfaced, the bandana held tightly between his teeth. He offered it to Paggle and then dove back under the water, searching for a good-sized fish.

However, fish sometimes had a nasty habit of finding him, and Cross froze beneath the waves as something scaly brushed past his thick tail. It was dark underwater, but he could just make out the form of a pike floating not two yards away. Despite himself, the otter smiled. It had been awhile since he'd caught a pike. A thrill of adrenaline coursed up his spine as the fish circled closer.

Then Cross made his move. He sped towards the fish with a powerful sweep of his rudder-like tail. The creature cast about for a moment, as if surprised that its prey was pouncing on it, but it soon recovered. It rocketed towards the otter, and the two met with a huge splash in the middle of the current. Cross seized a lungful of air before the fish dragged him below the waves again. The otter got a grip inside the pike's gills and held on for dear life as the fish proceeded to buck him off. They thrashed in the water for almost ten minutes before Cross sensed that the fish had begun to tire. The otter was fatigued, too, but he knew it was death to give up the fight before the pike did.

The fish whipped its head around again, and Cross used the momentum to propel himself onto a boulder protruding from the water. He latched onto the rock with one muscular arm, grunting with effort as he dragged the flailing fish out of the water. The big otter slammed the pike's head against the jagged rock again and again until it finally lay still. Panting, Cross dragged the dead fish to shore, depositing it on the bank and falling to his knees beside it. Blood dripped down off his arms and from a gash in his side, but the adrenaline in his system numbed the pain for the moment.

"Ye wanted . . . fish . . . sir?" the otter panted. The fight with the pike had taken the last of his strength, but if it was a fish his friends wanted, then it was a fish his friends would get. However, he was not going to brag about his achievement. The pike had merely been the first fish he saw, so it was the fish he had caught. He knew the cost of battling such a powerful creature, but somehow he believed this journey was going to be more than worth it.

[Promatera]

"Hurr hurr, Oi abserlootlee would, mizzy, hoo burr aye." Paggle responded, excitement building for his favorite dish, Turnip'n'Tater'n'Beetroot pie. Together, the mole and mouse were able to slice through the vegetables and in no time at all peeled them all.

As Dandelion admired their work, Paggle asked for Cross to catch some fish as he prepared a crust for the pie. She then helped place a large cooking pot over the fire they had prepared for the vegetables.

"Mizz Dannyloin, you'm did a moitily gudd job at ee vegeble sloicing, but Oi needs ee ta fish oot a barrel o' nettlerbeerz. Et bees a-flooting behoind moi vessler, toid to ee roop. Et'll be noice'n chillered oof boi naow."

Nodding Dandelion strode off towards the back of the barge where she noticed the barrels floating gently along the riverbank. Cutting one barrel loose she easily lifted it and carried it back to the camp. Though small, after carrying around the halberd for years her strength grew. Leaving the barrel by the fire she told the mole, "Here's the barrel you asked for."

She looked around in the camp for any sign of Cross, but it appeared that he was still fishing. Dandelion recalled how expertly the otter managed to catch the fish several hours earlier, yet for some reason the otter was still not back yet. Her answer, however, soon arrived.

Cross slowly dragged himself into the camp carrying a large pike alongside him. There was a gash in his side and it was bleeding rather badly. She quickly rushed to his side. Seeing her travelling companion injured galvanized her into action.

"Ye wanted . . . fish . . . sir?" the otter panted.

"Get help quickly!" she shouted as she began to inspect the wound. "Foolish, little rip," she muttered, "you did not need to risk your life for some fish!" Although her voice did not show it, her eyes shone like glass and it looked like she would cry at any moment. She laid the otter down so that he could conserve energy and looked for anything to use to staunch the bleeding.

"Quick!" she cried again.

[Cross]

"Get help quickly!" she shouted...

Cross was alarmed at Dandelion's sudden urgency. He lifted one arm and followed her line of sight down to his torso, where he finally saw the deep gash in his side. A strangled gasp escaped his throat as the pain seized up his flank. The otter clutched his side, allowing Dandelion to ease him onto his back.

"Dandelion . . ." he breathed, his good eye locking gaze with hers. He stopped when he saw the unshed tears pooling in her eyes. She looked so worried . . . over him?

"Foolish little rip," she muttered, "you did not need to risk your life for some fish!"

Foolish? She thought he was a fool? Cross shut his eyes, disappointed in himself. He'd let instinct kick in when he'd seen the pike. When he was younger, still living free on the shores of the sea, he and the other young sea otters of his clan had learned how to catch fish nearly twice his size. Old habits died hard.

Opening his eyes, Cross let out a short, frustrated breath, not quite a groan. Untying his waist sash, the big otter held it out as a means to stop the bleeding. He felt like an idiot for what he had done and tried to apologize somehow, "Dandelion, I--" But she cut him off.

"Quick!"she cried again.

"Dandelion, please," he groaned softly, taking her paws away from the wound. "Listen to me." He turned her worried face to look her directly in the eyes. "It is just a cut. Do not fret over me. I have survived worse." He closed his eyes in shame once more. "I am sorry for causing you distress."

((Sorry for posting before you, Ben! I just wanting to keep everything moving.))

[King Benon]

((OOC: You're all good. Keeping up the action is important, that was a good sequence of events too))

"Get help quickly!" she shouted... "Quick!"she cried again.

Paggle left off cooking his vegetables and trundled quickly over to the prone Cross, with Dandy standing over him, the picture of distress. He beckoned the old shrew wives over with him, among them was a well versed healer and medicine woman. "Coom with oi, y'ol' shrewers, zurr Crozzerz bee daown!"

Paggle and his entourage arrived on the seen, the old shrew wives chittering wildly over the wound and the old men clapping him on the shoulders congratulating him on his fine catch. All the hubbub came to a halt when a piercing shriek rent the air.

"Alla you beasts stan' back!! Lemme in ta see th'patient, give the po' chil' some room ta breathe!" An ancient and slight old shrew wife hobbled quickly to Cross, knelt and began examining his wound. "Tsk tsk tsk, yer a brave liddle scamp tha's fer true... yer gon' be fine though soon's I geet ye all patched up." The ancient healer set about her task, delegating orders to the subordinate shrew-wives who went about gathering the old shrew's medical supplies and helping to medicate the fallen otters. With the veritable swarm of shrews milling about cross, Paggle took Dandelion aside and whispered into her ear.

"Mizz Danny, yon shrewers appear ta 'ave zurr Crozzerz unner controol, that likkle ol' un'll have ee young ripper bunged'n'corked in noo toime, beleeve oi. An' ee'll 'ave nuff attenshuns froom ee granfer-shrewers, they'm gurtly impresserd by ee poike wot's been catcherd they'm'll bee a-tellin 'im a gurt story aboot 'isself zoon 'nuff. Do ya wanna help oi get ee skins off'n ee poike? Ol' Crozzerz gots a gurtly lot of help as 'tis, an' 'tis a-shamin 'im ta be worrierred aboot, oi can sees et in 'is likkle oye."