From Vermin to Goodbeast to Hero (Open)

[Caterpillar]

# OOC: I apologize this post took so long... Not only I have been extreme busy in these past weeks, but I also suffered a writer block. Apparently next week will also be full of hassle, but after that it should calm down. I'll pick up my pace as much as I can. ^^ #


As the conservation went on Steck noticed that something was wrong - not in the party or his table company, but in him. He couldn't concentrate in the chatting as much as he would have liked. As if there was something that slowly draw his attention away like a fisher wore out his catch with fishing line. And when he noticed the familiar inching on his fingers, he suppressed a mournful sigh.

Not again.... Steck closed his eyes for a brief moment.
He had this, how to say.. a bad habit if you would phrase it. A bad habit of stealing things for excitement - it was like a game where he tested how far his skill could go, how quick he could be... Probably it had begun when he was a little pup and he HAD to steal to survive. But nevertheless it had rooted in him so tightly that even after all these years he hadn't managed to get rid of it. Usually he stole because it was necessary - but sometimes he just had to steal as if his fingers had a will of their own and they wanted the excitement of snitch away something. And more the challenge, the better. Apparently, the thief deep in him had have too much fun in Kitchens and refused to let go just yet...

Steck let his eyes sweep over the table, not letting it show how uneasy he was. He could try to ignore it even though it hadn't proven helpful in the past. The urge of snitch something would just grow even stronger and eventually he just had to act according to it. Of course the timing rigtht now couldn't be more worse, as he didn't want to get kicked out of the Abbey because of his sly fingers. He hadn't even heard the stories he came here for! So it was s bad, a really bad, idea even to think something like stealing inside these walls. What had the gatekeeper said when they had entered? "The Abbey is open to all beasts of good will"? His assumption could be wrong, but Steck was quite sure that stealing from your generous hosts didn't count as "show of goodwill" in these parts of Mossflower.

So keep your fingers to yourself Steck, you charming snitch! The bard thought inwardly. But that wasn't the right magic-word to calm his fingers down. They wanted to take something - anything to prove their skill... But there was no challenge on the table, as everything that was served on it, was free to anyone to take. Challenge - they wanted a challenge...

At that moment Truslo brought out a pawful of berries and the bard's eyes fixed on them momentary, his tail switching restlessly under the bench. Oh he knew he shouldn't... but the temptation was just little too much to resist. And after all those were just berries... Snitching away a few of them wasn't that unforgivable. Rather those than the option take something that actually was valuable.

Baro was sitting on his right side, Flourwing on his left and Truslo sat next to the sparra. In other words the hedgehog was out of his instant reach, which made things moredifficult. Not to forgetting how difficult it would be to steal something from beast's palm unnoticed, but that was the whole idea: the challenge.

And it might be difficult, but not impossible, or so the Steck thought as he gave quick look around. This just needed a distraction to work. And the mouse knew exactly how to arrange one.

"By the way Baro .. Is that the otter-lady you mentioned earlier?" Steck said suddenly, leaning over the fox and pointing out a finger

Have you ever seen a stuffed fox trying to get off from his seat lighting fast? You haven't, as no beast - after eating so much that his stomach was about to burst - never moved quickly anywhere. However, Baro made history in whole swiftness of all the beast-kind by jumping off his seat so quickly that seeing it would have put the fastest squirrels in the shame.

The only thing was that Steck was still leaning over him - so Baro's sudden move shoved him roughly aside and the poor mouse landed against Flourwing, making her crash against Truslo... And for the moment all three of them were undefined pile of waggling wings, pawls, feathers and spikes. Of course that was a perfect opportunity the bard had been looking for and quickly his hand swept over Truslo's paw -- as if in attempt to locate his own arms and feet so that he could get up -- and when doing so, quick and skillful his fingers took away few of the berries the hedgehog was holding.

Baro himself - after stumbling on that frigging mouse! - thudded against his end of the table with all he weighted. One oversized fox on the other side of the table weighted far more than the plates and leftovers on the other side, and so the whole table flipped over, making the food and servers go flying over the air like projectiles of the catapult. They landed here and there, some on the floor, some on the walls and some upon the beasts who were unfortunate enough stand in the rate of fire.


# OOC: And I'll let everyone know that it was soldiers idea for Steck to try this stunt ( stealing some of Truslo's Berries, that is) and coolcoyote gave me his permission to do whatever I want to his lazy fatty fox xD So in other words, I'm here to spread ruckus! > ...I hope delerix don't mind me dragging his Flourwing to the mess... ^^''

EDIT: All players are free to decide if their alts get hit by food, plate, cup etc. xDD #

[coolcoyote]

Ooc lol! This will actually help with the berries. Eating them that is.

[delerix]

Flourwing immediatly peered where Steck pointed, curious as what kind of otter would ask that of a fox. Her curiosity was not to be rewarded, however as the fox's amazingly fast reaction send Steck tumbling right into her, and then her into Truslo! Chirping and twittering furiously, her wings flapping with the energy of panic, Flourwing cannot seem to extricate herself from the tangled heap the three unlucky beasts had become, and worse yet she'd managed to get stuck in a few spots with quills!

Even through all that however she retains her fighting spirit, untill she realizes what's happened with the food, she stops abruptly while it is airborne, watching it sail in that almost graceful arc, then letting out a small, almost pitiful chirp as it all hits the floor and wall, all her work, hours and hours of it...gone just like that. The normally chatty sparra is dumbstruck by this and just stares at her ruined culinary creations.

[fernleaf]

Fernleaf's attention was on the Dibbuns around him and especially the molebabe on his lap, he didn't see or hear what Steck was doing. It was when the crashing and chaos began that he looked up to see the fox, who was stuffed overfull, leap over the table and onto the one with all the food. The mouse, Sparra and hedgehog were lumped together in a miserable heap.

It was then that he saw dishes and food flying through the air. "Duck, everybody!" he screamed as he turned around, shielding the young mole wiht his body, just as a dish broke on his back and a cake hit his head.

"You all right, little one?" he said.

"Aye, um is foine, maister Vernleef. You 'ave ee cake on ur head."

Fernleaf put down the mole and shook himself off, getting a napkin to wipe off the cake from his fur. He saw the forlorn look on the Sparra cook at the food she had made all over the floor and the wall, and his heart went out to her. The sad bird with hedgehog spikes stuck in her feathers.

He got up and made his way to them. "I'm so sorry. What you made was so good. Can I do anything to help?" he said.

[coolcoyote]

Admittedly this was not Baro's most shining moment. He is currently face down in a blue berry pie. Normally a leap across the table would have been easy. His belly being weighed down with enough food to kill two rabbits threw off his ballence though.

Some ale may have been involved as well.

The fox nervously peered over the top of the pie he was stranded in. All the dissaproving looks and scornful stares cause the beast's ears to fold back against his head.

Standing up the young fox dusts himself off and smiles weakly. Under his brown fur he is turning red.

A guard casually strolls over, patting him on the shoulder. "Her friend, I think it's time to take a break from the feast. The otters steel like grasp makes it clear this is no mere suggestion. The fox begins to reply but just can't find the words.

Shoulder's slumped and tail dragging across the floor Baro shuffles out, closely followed by the otter. Once out of sight he is pointed in the direction of the lavitory to freshin up and left to his own devices.

The guard, failing to realize that the fox can still hear him, says as he walks away, "Fat bellied fool..."

The fox's heart sinks even lower. Deeply embarrassed to the point of tears the fox sticks his paws in his pocket and shuffles off down the hall. Baro pauses before the sword of marten and sneers. "Welcoming to all my tail..." he scoffs. Turning away he pauses again when he feels something sticky brush his paw. It looks like some kind of berries got smashed on his shirt, prehaps from landing on all that glorious food.

He rolls his eyes, wipes the berries off and eats them. As the fox walks on he grumbles to the sound of beasts trying to return the parties normal joyfull attitude.


Ooc take it from here soldier :3 feel free to describe what he sees. Im also open to craxy fox suggestions.

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo still couldn't believe what had just happened only a few seconds ago. First, he was just eating a couple of berries he had in his pack, then steck said something about a otter-maiden, and chaos ensued. Baro moved fast for one of his girth which pretty much surprised everyone around and caused Steck to crash into Flourwing, then into him. He tried to get out of the tangle quickly so his quills wouldn't hurt his new friends, but the damage had been done, along with a entire table flipping over, catapulting food, plates, and servers everywhere. He managed to get up and notice all the berries in his paw were either crushed or gone, and saw the fox being lead out by a otter. He almost thought he saw a bit of smushed berries on the foxs fur, but he could've imagined it, so he focused on whats happening around him. He then turned to help pick out his quills from Flourwing's feathers, "Please hold still Miss Flourwing, I can get those quills out safely." he said calmly to the sparra.

Once Baro ate the remains of the crushed berry, things started to look....differently. Everything became brighter, slightly distorted, and he felt slightly happy. Though it was only crushed and the fox ate it mixed with other berries as well, so its only temporary, but still significant. It caused him to be slightly tipsy as well and seemed to...dull his senses slightly, not much, but slightly.

[Caterpillar]

With the quick twist of fingers the berries vanished from his paw, gone into secret pockets in his roomy sleeves, and Steck felt the sweet rush of satisfaction. Stealing something while beast was still holding it - now that was something just ordinary pickpocketter couldn't pull off...!

However the glee of success was short lived as the mouse took a better look what his scheme had caused - especially for those who had sat next to him. Steck got quickly back on his feet.
"Oh, I'm so sorry miss Flourwing!" he said, rushing to help sparra to get up. "Here, carefully now -- mister Truslo will get quills out of you in no-time..."

He felt horrible - he always did when his stuns caused problems for beast that hadn't done anything to deserve them. For his own fortune, he himself was mostly unharmed, since ramming into Flourwing's soft feathers hadn't done any harm at all. But doing so he had pushed Flourwing against Truslo's spikes and now the poor miss sparra had gotten hurt. And only because he could snitch a few berries! And what more, it was clear Flourwing was now dumbfounded after witnessing what had become his bakery. After all she had put all her mind and heart making the deserts and now they were all over the floor and some dripping down the walls.

Because he just couldn't break his habit.

And speaking of causing problems to the beast who didn't deserve it... The one held responsible of whole thing was Baro - Steck noticed all the nasty glares which were shot at fox direction and how otter-guard walked up, showing the door for the fox.

For Baro's situation he had some mixed feelings... Well, maybe the loss of that invaluable lute still stung his mind, but... Was it really worth of making the fox responsible for something he had schemed? Really not - it wasn't the right thing to do, but of course he couldn't admit that he was the real culprit behind the knocked over table and ruined food.

So all he could do is just watch how Baro was escorted out of Cavern Hole, like trouble-maker out of ruining everybody'd else's fun. It really didn't improve his mood, even thought the mouse-bard kept very well his guilty thought hidden from the other beasts.
'You're horrible beast, Steck' the bard concluded inwardly. 'Just horrible'
The mouse shook those words away and turned his thought to the other things. No crying over the knocked honey... He had made a mess so the least he could do was to brighten the mood back to way it was before things went flying. The Hermit offered kindly his help in that.

Steck turned to the ferret.
"Yes, Mister Fernleaf, in fact -- could you please help me put the table back on its feet? Let's not let this little accident ruin the rest of evening. It's not like all the food is lost, only those which were loaded on this one..."

[delerix]

Calming was not what Flourwing needed, she was more than calm enough. The Sparra nodded absently as Truslo begins to remove quills, "Thankee mister Truslo." She sighs, offering a small smile to Fernleaf, "And um thanks foree compliment Fernleaf. Glad you enjoyed it." Flourwing smiled at all the offers of help, "Thank you um, brightmouse also, umm, Steck was it?" The small sparra nods and looks around. "I um, needee clear my head, maybe feel wind in um feathers."

Dipping a polite curtsy, Flourwing excuses herself, she had been next to steck as he pointed and spoke to baro, she knew it was an accident. The small bird carefully makes her way towards where she figures the fox would be lead, he deserves to know at least one beast doesn't blame him.

[fernleaf]

Fernleaf looked up at seeing Baro being escorted out of Cavern Hole. Something was strange about him, more strange than the fox had been before. But he got over it as he helped right the table. He was sorry for Flourwing's masterpieces, but there was still plenty to go from.

[coolcoyote]

Outside the room in the many hallways Baro began to smile as the world was turned on its head. The walls had become brighter, tilting back and forth as the fox walked, and objects became blured.

The fox fond himself trotting along while whistling a merry toon. He ran through the halls dancing and skipping about. He paused to strike up a lively chat with a suit of armor who gave a rather convincing argument about the purpose of life and the universe around him.

Baro still prefured the theory of the potted fern down the hallway, it involved pie. Oh! Pie! Sweet glorious pie! This place was loaded with pie, somewhere , in the...uh, the uh...

The tipsy fox craned his neck upwards and became distracted by the twirling cieling. "They should really get that fixed..." Baro shook his head. It caused the whole word to violently shake around him. This caused the fox to stagger back and forth for a bit and worry there was an earth quake.

As his vision cleared he saw a brown blurry shape appear before him. His senses dulled Baro was for once not afraid of the mysterious fox hide wearing otter.

"Well lookit who it tis." The otter said with a grin more fitting for the fox's snout.

"Ai!" Baro yelped happily. "Fancy meeting you here again miss..." the fox waved hello. "Weren't you at the fff-feast?

The otter raised an eye brow, leaned in to sniff the fox as he staggered about. She leaned back with a smile. "Look's like someone had more ale than they could handle." The otter roughly prodded the fox in his side, "And food. You look like you are about ta explode mister foxy."

An evil grin appeared on the otter's face. Her head craned her head left and right. Wrapping her arm around Baro's the otter took a step forward, dragging the fox with her. It wasn't too hard to guide the fox where she wanted him to go.

"So here is what we are goin to do mr. Foxy. We are going to take a nice trip out into the woods, all peacefull like, then I'm going to gut you like fatted cattle and make a nice coat out of your hide. Sound fun?"

The fox staggered about as he walked. "But...but donth I need my hide?"

Kacy smiled sweetly, patting her victim on the arm. "Don't worry, I'll make you a new one out of your hide. You certainly have enough fur to go around."

Baro nodded happily. That made sense.

What didn't make sense was how the fox spun on his heel without warning, planting a big fat kiss on the end of her snout.

Kacy's eyes flashed wide. She staggered backward herself in shock, clutching at her throat and gagging. "GAH! Fox germs!" She doubled over trying to get the taste of fox out of her whiskers. "I'm dyin! I'm dyin!"

Baro meanwhile happily walked away, already blissfully ignorent of the events that had transpired.

Coming back into the great hall the fox caught sight of Flourwing, all four of them...

"Hey birdies! Hello!" He said with a wave before he came forward, stumbling over his own tail and nearly falling flat on his face.

Ooc

XD oh the humiliation i subject my alts too. I suppose that's one way to escape a phsycopathic otter after your fur coat xP Never having been drunk or tipsy enough to lose your impulse control (I stop drinking usually after 1 beer) I hope Baro is living up to how he should be acting ^^ and poor Kacy, even if she was planning on murdering baro, no one deserves that XD

[unknownsoldier]

OOC: Pretty much spot on coyote, spot on. And remember, out of the berries he has on him, the pale one was the weakest. Don't forget the hangover afterwards.

Truslo still felt bad about what happened so he followed after Flourwing and planned on talking with Baro to. He had his thoughts straightened out, before seeing the fox fall flat onto his face. He saw some of the berry stains on the foxes fur and realized what happened, "Oh mister Baro! Tell me you didn't eat any mushed berries on you didn't you?" Truslo said worried now. Again, it was happening again, why does this always happen to him?

[Caterpillar]

Flourwing and Truslo left the Cavern Hole. They didn't actually say where they were heading to, but Steck had a small hunch. And that lessened his feeling of quilt, as it seemed like there was still some beasts that weren't angry at the fox. It was good - he would feel even worse if he had taken away Baro's chances make friends in here. And Steck didn't like to dwell in uncomfortable thoughts and feelings - he rather shook them off and tried to find something merry focus his mind on.

After all, the life was too short to spend moping around.

The bard stayed with Fernleaf, helping the ferret put the table back where it belonged. Meanwhile the redwallers collected the plates and other servers from the floor, tidying up the mess flying food had made. It didn't take long before the whole floor and walls was cleaned up and the ruined dessert was replaced with new food and drink.

As the mouse now noticed, he was the only one keeping a company for the Hermit - so small voice inside his head urged him to use this as an opportunity. Since there was something he wanted to ask from the ferret - something he had noted about him.
"So mister Fernleaf -- I couldn't help but notice you have been much in your own thoughts the rest of this evening", he inquired in politely tone. "Whatever troubles your mind?"
For quite some time the look in ferret's eyes had been absent, like the Hermit's mind was somewhere entirely else than in feast.

[delerix]

The sparra baker stopped mid-hop, or tried to but had to land, birdies...but there weren't any other birds in the hall at the moment, maybe she misheard the fox. "Hi umm bigfox, umm Baro was it? Just wanted to um say, I heardee what um brightmouse said about um Otter, and that I knowee that you only fell by accident. I um Flourwing, baker and um scout here. Hope you enjoyed what you gotee to umm eat befor falling." The small Sparra smiled and dipped her head politely then looking to Truslo, "Mushed berries, whatee mean Truslo?"

[fernleaf]

Fernleaf looked to the bard. "It's hard to explain." he said. "I got visited by Martin the Warrior, the guardian spirit of this abbey. He first appeared to me one night in my hut, but it wasn't until I came here that he spoke clearly. One of the Abbey Recorders wrote down a long riddle he spoke through me, of all beasts, why he would choose me I have no idea. I'm still trying to puzzle it out, and it frightens me." He looked longingly at his Dibbun friends. "I keep wondering, will I ever see those precious Dibbuns again. I knew the moment I stepped in the Abbey, my life would change drastically. I can show you the parchment if you like."

[coolcoyote]

From where he layed the fox rose a single paw. "Don't worry, I landed on my face." Hie voice was muffled by the stone floor. He began giggling for reasons known only to him.

The fox rolled onto his side, his bloated stomach was like an inflated ball tucked under his fur, making it rather hard to pick himself up.

"I say, who moved the floor wot?" The fox giggled as he gripped the edge of the table next to him, hoisting his bulk to a sitting possition. "Why do hares always say wot? Wot's wot with all the wots...wot?" Another giggled.

Baro leaned back once, then forward, then backagain to gain momentum before rolling to hie feet. He stood hap hazardly and stumbled towards the hedgehog and the bird.

"Oh a birdy! A sparrow even! I love sparrows!" He tried to throw his arm around the baker bird and lean his weight against her for support. To be fair he didnt want to fall again and the only other beast present was the hedghog. He was tipsy, but not that tipsy.

"Did you know sthparrows tasthes just like chicken?" The fox began to slur his words. "Me mum uthed to sthlow cook them over a fire until they were golden brown, back before...back before..." the fox's eyes began to tear up. "Oh papa why did you have to get eaten by an eagle!"

As the foc let out a loud whine a certain familiar otter poked her head around the hallway enterence. Her natural humours demenor had vanished. Kacy's face was as cold as stone and as grim as the reaper himself.

She was going to gut that fox from chest to tail, take his hide and then after making him into soup she would probibly kill him.

Unfortunetly for her, but fortunetly for Baro, the foc had witnesses to any such crime around them. She just had to seperate the fox from the herd and lead him out side, then he was all hers...

"Well howdy there!" The otter said with a forced smile as she entered the room. "Looks like some beast has hit the feast a little hard this year."

The fox was interupted in his crying to turn and see the otter. "Oh! It's Mrs. Scary otter lady! Hello Scary Otter Lady!"

The otter flet her teeth grind together, "Oh yes...very hard indeed."

Ooc feel free to spoof Baro's actions as needed delerix in reguard to whether he succesfully leans upon your alt or gets pushed away while this goes on...or falls flat on his face

[unknownsoldier]

"As a cook, I sometimes carry ingredients on me in case I want to make a particular dish, or to make medicine. I got a wee bit hungry, so i took out a couple of berries I carry in my pack and one of the unused berrys I use to make medicine must've got mixed in when I grabbed a pawful to snack on. After that incident with mister Baro, I dropped them and he probably squished most of them, one of them a pale berry. Thankfully hes not feeling the full symptoms of eating the berry, since it got mushed and mixed with the other edible berrys I had on paw. So it shouldn't be too long before the effects were off from mister Baro, hopefully before he does something he'll regret afterwards." Truslo said with a worried tone to answer Flourwings question, before the fox himself came over and made the statement about the sparrow. Too late for that, the hedgehog thought to himself from in shock at what the fox said. "And this is why I feel like its my fault." Truslo said sadly, not noticing the otter maiden he met before enter the room. Just back around the corner, the shrew twins eavesdropped in on the group and waited to see what would happen.

[Caterpillar]

Steck leaned to the table and listened the hermit, growing more and more interested about what his big mouse ears heard. Martin the Warrior had appeared not only once but twice before this ferret Fernleaf, the patron of Redwall had spoken through the Hermit's mouth and now there was riddle waiting for to be solved... The bard's brown eyes sparkled with enthusiasm while he was turning all these thoughts in his head.

When Fernleaf offered he could show him the riddle, the mouse had difficulties to stay in his skin.
"Would you?", Steck could hardly keep his voice steady as he was so excited! And he had all reasons to be: as a bard he had a hunch he was in verge of tale worth of telling - maybe even a story so great that it would become a legend in someday!
"I really would like to see it"

[delerix]

Flourwing squawks in a most undignified manner as she is leaned on, "Oof, what you um eatee Baro? Bricks?!" The Sparra does valiantly try to help Baro stay steady, I mean with only her and truslo to lean on, she'd have chosen herself also. "Really, umm not know whatum chicken tastee like, sparra not eatum birdmeat, be moreum like bird so eatee bugs and other food, likeee serve at um Abbey here."

She frowned at the subject matter, but her expression softned as he mentioned his father's death...almost every bird knew someone that they had lost to a bird of prey. "Sometimes Baro, it just be um time to go, itee not your Father's choice, it just um happens." Then the ottermaid made an entrance, Baro called her scary now, and she remembers what Steck had said to scare him. Maybe Baro had been exaggerating, but it was before the berries, "Hmm, umm Barofox got scared at um feast, had to leavee, and ate um bad berry by um mistake. But it's okay he be with um me and Truslo, Truslo knows about um bad berry, and can help if needed." The bird's eyes don't quite manage the smile she wants to fake, it maybe that Steck exaggerated or that Baro did, but Flourwing could easily believe an Otter wanting to tan a Fox's hide, in a less literal sense, and with the evening Baro'd had so far, she'd see he's not getting it rougher for now.

[fernleaf]

"I'll be glad to show it to you." said Fernleaf. "They were going to discuss it after the feast, but the Recorder did write it down. I was asleep when I said it, and couldn't make head or tail of it when I was shown it. I was told that Martin usually spoke like that, however, and we needed to figure it out together."

He unrolled the roll on a nearby table that was clean for the bard mouse:

Miner On Vore,
O Unlikely Warrior,
Miner On Vore,
So Happy and Free;

Rooter and Chopper
And Friend of the Dipper,
Miner on Vore,
Now listen to me!

Keeping your vow
you have for these seasons
But your words
Taken backwards you have;

Peacebeast in plenty
Has no shame in taking
Weapon thrust on him
To defend weak in hand.

Fear not to change,
The stripe understands,
You harmed not the goodbeast
And stood for the land.

An unlikely crew
Stands with you, my son,
Stripe, Spike and River
Strikes out in the dawn.

Find what's in common,
In the three named above,
And you have your fellows,
To defend and to love.

Longears, Feather and greybeast
Are going with you,
To be good companions
In this quest so true.

Beware the troupe,
So greedy, so wise,
May take what is yours
To the one so despised.

But the deed is so fated
And shall do unseen good;
Cause doom to the recipient
The commander of blood.

Now seek you the thorn,
And go forward, not back,
Hidden in a rose,
The field shall not lack.

Now downwards, now upwards,
The dance of the bee;
So what is the answer?
Go ask of the tree!

'Tis two yet is one,
Is this thing you seek,
And then it is done,
To embolden the meek.

Stand in my place,
And purpose you find;
Miner On Vore,
Take this in mind!

Miner on Vore,
Find the Hero
Hidden under the mask!
It is all that I ask.


"I don't know what it means, but it gives me the chills."

[coolcoyote]

The otter placed her paws on her fox hide covered hips. She already had plans for what poor baro would be made into. Kacy opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interupted by the foolish fox.

Leaning away from the bird Baro flailed his free paw about, "Oh but I didn't loose just me papa...I had several cousins carried off by eagles, and a few siblings eaten by crows...or was it squirrels." The focx rubbed his chin as he put his full weight once again into leaning upon the sparrow.

"Iths hard to keep track thhese days. We call it the Ermile Family curthse...it its not a reap curse you know, its just a cruel joke to explain why so many of our family members are brutally gutted and devoured by beasts!" The fox emphasized each descritpion of his families fate. His head waving and bobbing about as he quickly lost his ballence.

He let go of the bird and tried to grab Truslo by the tunic. "You....you won't let me get eaten...will you? I don't want to end up in a thtew pot...or as a hide on thomebeasssts wall..."

Kacy snickered for her own reasons. It looks like the Ermile Family curse was going to claim another victim.

"Ok. Easy there foxy. No one is going to eat you." The otter spoke the truth as she took the fox away from truslo, supporting his weight the best she could. Kacy was many things. Criminal, assassin, but eating another beast would be beyond her moral event horizon...unless there was a really good reason, or if someone gave her a plate of meat, or bet against her that she would...ok maybe it wasn't completely against her morals. But she had no intention of eating vulpine tonight.

Taking his fur however...

"Why don't I relieve yall of your fine foxy friend and help him find a place to sleep off his feast? No sense in missing out on a famous Redwall feast just for the sake of Mr. Greedy Guts, right?" The foc in her arms chuckled.

"Ha! Greedy guts...that funny..." the fox had yet to catch sight of the twin shrews out in the hallway.