Misadventures

Unwanted Answers

War of the Four Banners

Redwall Short Story

Dapan didn't know what was worse, being awoken in the same blasted manner of Gasger marching into the tent and blowing his trumpet loudly to get everyone awake or still being horrifically tired from yesterday's work. Dapan was less jumpy and more sluggish as he got out of his bed, as he and his family stood at attention. Like clockwork, he and his family were marched out towards the mess hall before starting their daily chores and work schedules. Dapan was partly glad his youngsters and missus were separated from him as the group was marched out towards the gates, and for the first time since arriving were now in the fields slightly beyond the massive war camp.

The weasel put his foot into a shovel and worked up his strength to throw dirt over at the growing pile of mud and dirt which accumulated nearby. The entire morning, afternoon, and into the evening the weasel and others were digging into the soft ground, building a trench of sorts.

Dapan however was not alone, as he found himself next to a familiar figure. Zardan, the old soul from yesterday was weakly shoveling dirt next to him on his right. The beast on his left was Lena who wasn't particularly happy herself.

"Tells me ya got a plan." Dapan asked the mouse, partly desperately. In truth, he hated her and her guts, more then once she had bashed his head and sliced at him when they were younger. It gave him morbid joy to see Lena so miserable, but the mousess warrior only grunted at him. Dapan dumbly nudged her a bit until she complied to his answers.

"No, of course I don't vermin. Even if I did, not exactly eager to bring you onto it."

"Ya look worse den me at times." Dapan cruelly jested, and in part it was true. Being shorter than the rest, she was also bullied by their cruel overlord hare who paced nearby. The group mostly pretended to be working silently, keeping an eye out for when he passed.

"Yes, true. You see those towers?" Lena motioned her head towards the gates and in particular the wall. Dapan followed them to several large outpost stands which he frowned at. "Those beasts got some nasty looking crossbows, and they change out their patrols every quarter day. Its impressive, in a weird way. Insperational even."

Gavan grunted, the otter who seemed less impressed "Aye, but that isn't the worst part. Look around us. There are tents, soldiers, and guards everywhere! Those new roads are well patrolled. Bloody feels like I am trapped in some vermin horde. . ."

"Ha!" Dapan nearly blurted out "Ya, as if. Ya two wouldn't have survived a horde by much, dis lot be nutten but posers."

Zardan cringed and spoke up, chiding the weasel as he punctured the earth further "To be fair, weasel. Ya wouldn't have had eder."

Dapan growled at him "Like what do ya know, ol' flea brain?"

"Plenty." Zardan began, and in his informative mood began to speak from his experiences "Used to run with a horde ya see, plenty a' beast think they can run in one like ya, up until dey actually get into one. Dis camp works similar to a horde, but der are key differences. Lots'o trainen and hollaren, workbeasts like us doin dis kinda work under pain of der lash, an' commanders bein as distant as a water dog from a dryplains. . .no offense, water dog."

Gavan shrugged as Zardan continued "Big difference is dat dey be woodlanders o' course, a bit to' weird fer der likes of us, which is why I bets ya be treaten dem like woodlanders still when ya should be treaten dem like conscripting vermin. If we ever plans to get out, it'll be furder down der line. Not today, not even a week from today. Tis a lot of patience befer der big break."

Lena listened, partly impressed by the rat's wisdom, even as Dapan rejected it and angrily spat as he worked. "Ya blasted ol' fool ya are, I can't stand a single day longer here! Me family is gonna be nutten but bones an' dat hare will kill us wit work! Every moment we stand here gawken at dem, keepen our heads down, der worse it gets."

"Yes, but most of the time 'Dapan', it's because you are a loud-mouthed idiot." Lena rolled her eyes. Dapan shot back angrily at her "It's 'Dakker' to you, round ears."

"I don't know, Dapan sounds like a better name." Gavan said innocently as Dapan groaned in anger. As they did so, something caught their attention as the group slowly stopped digging and looked up to see a strange sight. It was a hare, one whom they were all familiar with, but not one of Southsward's hares.

"Off of me you bloody blighters, let me give you a taste of Salamandastron steel!" He shouted, even though long deprived of his weapon. Batons and paws crashed onto him as five whole soldiers held a Long Patrol hare down, kicking and fighting every second as he was dragged towards the fort. Gasger gave an annoyed huff as they passed, until the hare nearly broke free. The hare got a hold of one of the Southswarder weapons whom the soldiers realized barely in time and tried to hold it back into his sheathe, wrestling the bright red vested hare for it. The Long Patrol warrior fought with hellish fury that none of the soldiers were fully prepared for, but even he was eventually beaten down enough to get him to comply. Barely concious, the hare was dragged into the settlement as Dapan's hopes began to go up.

Hells, dats right. Dey got in a bad spot wit der hares! Seasons, dey tell about der legends as vermin slayers, an scouts o' legend! The prospect of recruiting this creature to a good cause of freeing himself and his family, and the greater cause of mocking the submissive Zardan and Lena to their faces made the weasel give a rare smile, which was shortly smacked down by a mad Gasger who ordered a halt.

"Stop! Enough! The hells is this!?"

The group stopped as they looked exhausted as Gasger looked down at the trench the group had been building. The hare jumped down, landing in front of Sadan who looked at their cruel overseer with fear. Gasger took a measurement with his eyes and looked increasingly disgusted "I knew it! Slacker! I should have you flogged for this sorry excuse of a trench! None of you are returning until it is properly built, to code!"

Sadan frowned and ducked for cover as the hare took the shovel from him only to throw it at him again. He looked for sympathy from the others but got none as they gave him a deathly stare. The ferret had lazily not dug deeper as the group moved along the trench, and they all gave a groaning sigh, and returned to their troubled work.

Dirty and exhausted, Dapan and the others were marched by Gasger to one of the bathing tents where they once again were to be cleaned and dried, but with a small and unfortunate twist to the whole ordeal.

"I want to see not a single bleeding spot on any of you, not a single speck of dirt or your rations are halved!" Gasger loudly proclaimed "You poor excuses for laborers would have you kicked out of this bleeding army, but since I am not allowed to do that, I'll just be content with striking at your food. I hope I don't need to teach any of you the basics of cleaning oneself." Gasger gave a critical eye to Dapan in particular, who was cringing heavily. Not even given time alone to their own thoughts, Gasger angrily 'taught' the group how to prepare hot water, use soap, to use combs and brushes, and all manner of other things which not even the woodlanders of the group were used to.

"Sadan. If you bleeding heat that water up to scalding, you will be the one to burn in it first! It must be warm, vermin, warm! Not scalding, not cold, do you understand that at least?"

"Lena, this is a bar of soap, you don't put it directly to the fur otherwise you'll dirty it! This is more expensive than your own life right now, mouse. Now put it in the rag and then to your fur!"

"Dapan! For the season's sake! The hells is this! You don't just throw these clothes on the ground; you hang them up! Bend down and pick them up!"

Gasger was mad as ever, and Dapan was partly impressed he didn't run out of breath. The boiling red veins which pulsed on him were there alright, but the hare seemed to have a certain cruel joy bossing the group around as he did. Dapan was really beginning to hate that hare. Taking one of the combs in his paw, Dapan sighed and angrily scratched at his fur like how he was 'taught' when he first was walked in. Yet even this wasn't safe as Gasger degraded him and the others.

"The hells are you doing, weasel. You comb down the fur, you amazing moron. Please don't insult me, or jest to me for that matter, and do it right."

Dapan had about enough and growled out to him, angry at all of his mistreatment "Not like I did dis befer, hare! Gives me a break why don't ya!?" Gasger came up to the weasel slowly, and Dapan partly realized his mistake before the hare took his head and pushed it under the water and pulled it back up harshly. Coughing and too tired to resist, the hare reminded Dapan of his place in the camp.

"That is the thing, vermin. I am 'giving you a break', the break to live and be civilized underneath a more respectable kingdom, as Frankfort orders. However, unlike Frankfort, I know you won't last too much longer if you keep up that wretched attitude of yours. Now do it right, without the ill mood, or the next time you aren't coming back up." Dapan slowly nodded fearfully and combed his way down in a slow and methodical manner. The hare, barely satisfied, went about his business.

It took what it felt like forever to wash and get their clothes back on as Gasger awaited patiently. Once everyone was done, he announced to the group their next orders. "As per my schedule, you miserable failures for beasts will be helping to set up tents and supplies across the camp in preparation for some of our returning soldiers and new recruits to the army. I do hope you all know where the supply depots are, and the quartermasters will be expecting you shortly. They in fact expected you hours ago, and you will all profusely apologize for your incompetence."

Zardan seemed a bit confused and spoke up "Erm, sure. But why we setten up tents an' what not? Can't yer recruits do it demselves, since dey came wit der own supplies packed?"

Gasger gave an annoyed look to Zardan and grunted "You don't ask questions serf, you only do as order. Now get to it."

Zardan raised an eyebrow to this, and Lena spoke in agreement. She found it weird they would have to set up tents for soldiers as far as she has seen already came over prepared. They were laborers, sure, but this was a military camp after all. "Gasger, I've been a war camp before you know, most folk bring their own tents and your beasts certainly have as well. I think what the rat their means is why exactly are we setting up tents for recruits who likely already got tents of their own and likely more experience than some folk here setting up their own?"

Gasger angrily flicked his whiskers "Firstly, serf. You will call me only one name here. 'sir'. Failure to do so again will be a single lash. Or three. Depends on my mood. Secondly, as I hate to repeat myself, you will do as I say without question and with total obedience. We know better than you folk do by milestones, since you pathetic beasts seem to not even be able to do a single thing right, something I have been ordered to fix."

Lena was getting angry and growled out herself, nearly stepping forward and speaking harshly to him "You treat us as if we were all bleeding vermin, 'sir'. We aren't dumb, and we certainly aren't as pathetic as a jumped up, bossy hare who berates us for petty things like 'washing right' or 'building trenches too shallow'!"

Gasger came forward and roughly slapped the mouse across the face. Lena nursed her cheek as she stared up in hate at him, a rather new feeling she had towards a fellow woodlander, and especially towards a hare. Gasger put his paws behind his back, answering her inquiries "You resisted the rightful aid of Mossflower by fighting against us, you don't have our sympathy. That otter and vole next to you aided our foe. Your foe. You may as well be vermin to me, the peasantry in Mossflower live in houses while you all live in mud huts and impoverished dwellings."

Neuls grunted, angrily speaking up as well to the hare "Me friend was twice the beast you are, hare, and vermin to boot. If this is the price of your wretched civilization, then mud huts and poverty be a blessing."

Gasger gave a cold smirk "I could have you hanged for those words vole, but I think it's better punishment to remain in our service. If the lash doesn't break you. Then the work will. It always does."

"Is cruelty der point den?" Zardan asked. Gasger shook his head at the comment and simply ordered the serfs about "Now get to your tasks, before I really do bring out the lash on one of you." Gasger left as the group stood there. Dapan gave the hare a deeply hateful look, but also a frightened one. I gotta get Loamspear an' der pups out of here. I need dem out of here yesterday!

Dapan and Zardan walked alone across Palewind, both having discussed with each other about an important issue, and argued fiercely. Carrying a tent flap to their backs a satchel of camping supplies to their waists, Dapan was scolding the rat for one reason or another.

"I'm just tellen dat we need to go, rat. Whats so hard to understand about dat?"

Zardan shook his head "Yer a fool den, Dapan—"

"Dakker! Me name is bloody 'Dakker'!"

"Dakker. Dapan. A fool wit a 'D' in front of der name. Yer gonna get yerself killed or worse tryen to do anyding rash, an' I won't stop ya, but I know better."

Zardan felt like he was arguing with a wall, and frankly that kind of title would have suited the weasel well. Zardan knew well this wasn't a touch and go event for him or for others, it could very well take seasons to formalize and organize their true escape. Waiting for the Long Patrol to muster, if they ever did, was their best bet and he knew it "The Long Patrol ain't even out of der mountain yet, an ya dink der badger lord is gonna let all dis go on down here? They always win, weasel. Always. Just bow yer head a bit an' wait it out, cause dis lot could do a whole lot worse to us all."

"Ya may be content in bein submissive an' tame to dis gaggle of fools, but not me. I am a hordebeast, a warrior, an' a bleeding good one at dat! Ya may be right about it bein a risk to join wit Gandal's horde, but it's a risk we all need to take. Dem Woodlander folk deserve to be taken down a peg fer all dis."

"Maybe, but yer not the one to do it. Gandal an' his lackies won't just allow ya into der inner circle without laughen at ya fer what dey consider petty. If anyding, ya may end up in chains again, but dis time a cruel vermin overseer wit a big ol' whip looken down at ya. At least dem folk treat yer missus and young'uns rightly compared to uters."

Dapan nudged the rat harshly "Ya don't speak of dem, old fool. They starve me eldest boy, an' still work dem hard. Doh, from how me missus spoke, dey got der far better end of der deal. . ."

"Exactly." Zardan argued "Under a vermin warlord, dey would be der ones suffering and scavenging der most. We'd be doin der same dings under dem under the guise of getten viddles. Even den, der is no guarantee."

"Ya really just want to wait it all out, eh?"

Zardan nodded as the two continued "Aye, despite how dis lot be colder den the morning north gale, evil glints in der eyes, looken down at us. . .der is always worse out der, weasel. An most of der times. It be vermin. Call it stupid optimism, but dis will end I tells ya. Badger lord will come down an' give de's folk a real taste of trouble, an' we'd be home free."

As he said this, he stopped and Dapan stopped as well. The two looked on to see two vermin, but one which neither wanted to see. Holding a younger fox by the collar of his shirt and pulled close to him was a blackish rat, a big but lean creature who was a lot stronger and bigger than he had any right being. He was partly shaking the beast. Dapan knew him only somewhat, but Zardan grunted in amusement.

"Ya got me dings, laddie boy? Ya wouldn't jip ol' Raskar would'cha?"

The fox slowly shook his head, and produced something trashy in his paws, an apple's core which the rat gave an angry glance down to it and turned his attention to him. Dapan saw the rat produce a shiv at lightning speed and put it to the border of the fox's throat. "Pathetic runt, I should gut ya fer dis sorry excuse. Tomorrow in der mess hall, yer gonna give me yer viddles, or dey will find a very dead fox in der mornin." The rat shoved the fox down and he quickly collected himself and ran off. He turned his attention to Dapan and Zardan, having noticed the act. He seemed partly relieved, although Zardan was quick to mock him.

"Raskar Scalp. I'm surprised dey didn't hang ya? Gang must be livid I bets haven demselves an' der boss locked up here, eh?"

Raskar spat "If dey were stills alive, old mite brain." Raskar partly pushed on Zardan who stood his ground. Dapan knew Raskar somewhat, a washed-up corsair who came to their side of the woods seasons ago. He knew him, even shared a couple tankards with him around a campfire, but he was a harsh degenerate who sang dark shanties and cursed into the night. No one really knew who he was, but Zardan seemed to have beef with him.

"Dead? Dem boys followed ya to der grave, an ya didn't even give dem der peace of ya followen suit?"

"Dey caught us wit our pants down, Zabber. Had to plea an' beg fer me life an' lay out me own sins onto dem screaming, useless beasts." Raskar casually replied. Zardan looked furious, chiding him further in a darker mood "Ya promised dem viddles an' protection only to stab dem in der back fer yer own life. Likes I told dem too. Me only surprise is dat dey bought it."

Raskar didn't seem insulted, and cruelly grinned, laying his elbow on the things Zardan was carrying which caused him to slump. He wanted to push Raskar off, but the rat kept a shiv carved from one of the combs towards his neck. "Ya look good in dat uniform, Zabber. Looked even better wit a noose around yer neck. Ya sees, I am a reformed beast now, just a simple an' dumb captive who just so happened to be captured by thugs an' murderers. Me gang gave der lives for me as they should have, not dat dey tried to walk back on it regardless. Once I am free of dis place, I'll remember dem by singen a nice shanty of dem tryen to stabs me in the back fer beggen."

Dapan heard enough and shoved the rat off of Zardan. "Ya well, get lost Raskar. Ya can bully beasts an' sulk in misery elsewhere."

Raskar huffed and pointed his shiv at Dapan next "Don't dink dis is me first time in a prison camp like dis. Dis is me element, boys. How about ya two join in wit a little new gang I be formen an' we can start plannen an' escape together."

Dapan looked surprised, which Raskar caught onto quickly "Dey get yer kin, Dakker? Hope not, cause dem folk here don't mind killen youngsters from whats I hear. Dat boy of yer, Bigfang is it? He still around? Just need me strength back an' some help, and we could escape in less den a weak, make it out into der forest."

Zardan rebuked him harshly, snapping Dapan out of his stupor. "Yea, just like dem young fools who followed ya, you would abandon yer gang just save yer own skin. I knew dem well Raskar, an I bets ya don't even remember der names, an' dey deserved a bit more of life den ya."

"Den ya two best be quiet den." Raskar growled, coming forward with a speed Dapan had not seen before and putting the shiv to Zardan's cheek "Mums der word, eh? Ya keep silent about me an' we be peachy like a fish an' some fishbait. Ya go mourn der fools live on yer own time, I'm just tryen to live here! Not me fault dat de's woodlanders be killen any 'violent' beast like meself."

Zardan sighed and nodded as Raskar retracted his shiv and gave an annoyed grunt to them, pushing them aside as he went about his own tasks, far from the mind and eyes of his overseer. Dapan gave the rat an angry look, knowing trouble would follow in his wake, and hoped It wouldn't come to bother him or his brood.

Dapan hit a nail into the ground of the tent, his son Moran holding it in place in a nervous mood. Rather then being with Gulan, who was off training troops, the others found themselves doing their evening work helping Gasger's group much to his continued spite. Dapan noticed his son wasn't looking very well at all, as the weasel father nudged him harshly when he softened a bit.

"What'der matter wit ya? Just hold dis ding still ya layabout." Moran huffed, only to get a swift slap across his head by his father before focusing on his task. In truth, he wasn't really as much tired as he was hungry. His morning meal was beyond poor, his overseer didn't even seem to really care that he on fourth rations, and he knew his own family would mock him relentlessly for 'acting' starved. He didn't really want another long winded speech about the day his father and mother were in a different part of the country, common hordebeasts to failed warlords.

Yet he got it anyway.

"Ya dink being hungry be dat bad, at least ya still got some viddles ya spoiled brat." Dapan chided him "When we were back out in der east, we didn't even eat fer three stinken days! Not a bird, not even berries, barely walked back to our camp wit nutten but a bad headache an we's were treated to gruel dat would make yer tail fall off. Ya were too spoiled at home ya know. Maybe ya should stay a bit more here just get some real meat on yer bones."

Moran attempted to roll his eyes but didn't find a lot of strength to do so. Gasger came over to them, looking down as he looked up at the tent being constructed. It wasn't half bad, but it was abominable for the hare. "Redo it, weasel." He ordered. Dapan looked up at him, anger in his eyes, but they soured as he noticed one of the armed guards near the hare. He silently grunted and stood, and then began to order his own son around "Big-Moron, go an' grab der back end an' pull it up a little more. Just do it, twerp."

Gasger ordered a halt to him "Nay, delay that. Only I command here, serf." Dapan and Moran turned to Gasger as the hare commanded him more out of spite then out of pragmatism, issuing out a cruel order to him "You look old enough, you can do a tent on your own, and if you do it wrongly, consider your already miserably fourthed rations fourthed again."

Dapan tried to speak up, knowing his son better than Gasger. "He don't know much, 'sir'. No reason fer dat now. Let him at least learn from me an—"

Gasger gave a vicious look to the weasel which made him back off. He shook his head "It doesn't take a genius to raise a tent, even you lot are said to be able to do it. Any attempt to delay that is sabotage, which is to be punished forth width and. . . ." The group stopped as they collectively heard commotion from one of the general areas close by. Gasger twitched his ears and grunted, going out towards it. Dapan took the opportunity to throw the tools he had down and followed at a long distance as a crowd gathered in an open area near ones of the wooden gates. Being dragged by two soldiers was a very reddish fox in a yellow vest, desperately begging to his captors to see reason.

"No! Ya don't understand, twas just an' accident I swears! Please, I beg of ya!" The fox had tears rolling wildly down his eyes and Dapan's heart sank. His family soon joined him as Moran watched on. The fox was brought to one hedgehog whom Dapan was not familiar with, a captain obviously but with some key differences. He wore this massive noble collar on his shoulders of beaten gold, a red tunic and a pair of the richest looking boots Dapan had ever laid eyes on or could even imagine. Yet, it was the whip to his belt which made his eyes widen, as the poor fox was brought straight to him and thrown at his feet.

"Esmert." Gasger approached with his paws behind his back, and Esmert looked to him and scoffed. "Gasger." The hedgehog said with an arrogant huff. The two looked down at the struggling fox. He looked up tearfully and with desperation at his captors who didn't really see much of a fellow beast, but more like a dumb cog which needed to be taken out or fixing. Esmert shook his head "Runner. We give you a bleeding place here, and you try to run? Take this beast to the gallows."

Dapan gulped and looked on horrified as the fox continued to beg for his life, until Gasger intervened. "Nay, delay that." He ordered. Esmert gave the hare an estranged look as the fox looked relieved that his life is was spared. Most in the crowd felt unwell with this scene, as Dapan overheard conversations from serf and soldier alike.

"Gallows just for running? Harsh, even for that lot."

"Oh seasons, preserve us."

Martha had joined behind her husband, holding Mia and Zadan who looked on. Dapan and his son continued to look on at the scene as Gasger motioned the soldiers who had brought him in. "Bring a log. And an axe."

The relieved red fox suddenly jumped in horror as he begged and pleaded "Please, good sir! I ain't gonna run agains, I swears! I'll do anyding, I just want to live matey!"

Gasger looked down in disgust at him as some soldier kept a firm grip on him. In a moment, a small stump was brought forward to the fox who watched it go past his head and and placed behind him. Then an axe was brought out. The fox had a sudden realization as he continued to beg. "No, please! Take me paw, not me tail! I begs ya!"

Cropping of one's tail wasn't the worst thing to happen physically, but losing it was a humiliation which was seen as abhorrent and evil. Dapan's mouth began to drop as he watched the horror unfold with the rest of them. Struggling and begging, the red fox pathetically tried to beg Gasger to spare him as the hare nodded to the soldier behind him.

Thwack!

Dapan looked away, only hearing the anguish scream that came next. The others in the crowd backed away slowly in fear as the soldiers seemed unphased. Gasger looked down and folded his paws and seethed out a response "You are lucky you aren't dead, perhaps the loss of your tail will get it through your thick skull of your purpose here!" He turned to the crowd, preaching to them "You are all here by the mercy of Southsward's prince, to learn from us and to labor for this army! That mercy can be retracted at any time! Captain Esmert here would have seen this beast rightfully hanged, but by his lord's mercy his tail will be cropped for trying to escape serfdom and flee to join some bandit force! I will not hesitate to take anything else, whether it be a paw, an eye, or perhaps start a collection of tails from you idiotic cretans!"

Gasger's words were mixed in with the pained sobbing of the fox as Esmert called out his own orders "Put this fox away with the other prisoner for now, we'll put him in a chain gang later."

Dapan listened, and looked to Esmert, and then to where the fox was being dragged. They dragged the poor creature away, further away into the the northern end of the camp. Dapan was then approached by Gasger who gave out another order, his cold tone dripping with poison.

"Grab that thing, weasel, and you'll bury it outside this camp under heavy watch. Take this miserable thing you call a 'son' with you as well. You won't have long, for I will suspect you back quickly to return to your original tasks."

Gasger broke up the gathered group, shouting his orders as the soldiers joined on in. Dapan gave on terrified look to the hare, and then to the large fuzzy tail which laid motionless upon the ground. He had made his decision. I need to break dat Long Patrol out of der, get his help. Can't believe I am even dinken dis. I hope der badger lord comes soon!

Dapan laid awake in his bed as he had intended, staring up from his cot and at the dark cloth ceiling above him. He was comfortable physically, the soft blacket and pillow he had was certainly better than the haphazard and smaller 'furniture' back home, but he was beyond comfort. He was dismayed what he had witnessed. The thoughts raced through his mind on what would set off their overseer next? Would a small step out of line result in him, his missus, or his elder son disappearing entirely? Would a single bad day result in being worked to death? The weasel was growing more fearful by the hour, and he looked about. It was dark out, his youngsters and his missus slept peacefully for the most part. Curled up on their cots, he slowly got out of his bed and stood in careful motions, making sure not to creak or to huff out to attract attention.

He looked down at his family with a despair to his eyes, eyes which could see the horrors of slavery on them for the coming seasons. No matter what these beasts said, he knew he was little more then a slave in this camp, not a serf or whatever they called it. He had to find a way to get out, and only one beast he knew could help him. A single hare likely tied up in the northern end of the camp. He didn't leave yet and weighed his options. If I get caught, dey will just downright kill me, but dat be a minor ding. What if dey blame me missus, or worse me kids?! Will dey hang dem, chop off der tails, or worse? Seasons, please, I need help.

Dapan growled to himself and made his decision the moment that axe flew down on that poor fox's tail. He looked out into the darkness and peered to see what was there. Some tired looking soldiers spoke to one another around a campfire off in the distance, and a loud patrol marched themselves past some tents in another direction. In this element, the weasel bent down and slowly made his way along the tents.

It wasn't Dapan's first time doing something like this, as he crawled and silently treaded across the camp, keeping to the shadows. He and his missus escaped a horde before, these woodlanders felt no different to him. The only difference is, he stood out like a sore thumb as the weasel kept aware of his surroundings and made his way past tents and snoring soldiers until he found exactly what he was looking for. In a tent before him, a single guard kept watch as the shadow of a bound hare illuminated the tent. Dapan crawled to the back of the tent and bent down, clawing at the ground as he struggled his way inside.

The Long Patrol hare gave him an odd look when he heard the digging sounds of Dapan, whom to him was as noisy as one could be, but to the bored and tired Southsward guard outside the tent they heard nothing. Dapan got into the tent and dusted himself off, relieved he even fit through his own hole and came to sit in front of the tied up hare, who looked disappointed to see him.

"Hey der." Dapan whispered, looking behind him at the closed-up tent. He looked to see if the guard would do anything, and he didn't. The guard seemed too distracted by his own boredom to listen in closely as the Long Patrol hare stared at the weasel curiously. Dapan turned to him and gave a weak and forced smile "How ya doin gov'ner? Names Dakker. Came to, erm, gets ya out."

The hare was silent, his face covered in bruises from beatings and he was tied to a pole in the tent. Dapan looked around for something to cut his bonds with, but the hare finally spoke up.

"Forget it, vermin. You won't be cutting these bonds anytime soon, not with anything in this tent." The hare sounded annoyed, which only annoyed the weasel as he became increasingly desperate. He began to crack under pressure and anger "No no, I'm gonna get ya out so ya can help me. Just hold still an'. . ."

"You don't understand." The hare said with a bored tone "I am too damaged to move, and even if I did, there is nothing I can do to save you. Provided I even wanted to."

Dapan came forward to the hare again, and accusingly berated him "What, is helpen some vermin folk like meself too hard fer ya? Yer a stinken Long Patrol I know, hates me kind like I hate dis lot. Me family is here, hare, dey maken us into slavebeasts an I ain't standen fer it! Now you shut it. If I can't escape, den I can at least get ya out so you can get yer lord an' help us! It be clear de's folk hate ya, but dey haven't faced der badger lord right?"

The hare's cold tone soon faded into a pitied one as he said nothing. Dapan recognized this all too well as he slowly sat onto the ground and begged the hare further "Why ya looken at me like dat? Please, ya gotta help us. Dey killen us, dey killen me. I saw a beast get his tail cropped, an' if dey do dat to me missus or me kits, I don't know what I'd do."

"I am sorry, weasel." The hare sighed and informed him of dark truths he knew "The Badger lord isn't coming, not for a while anyway. There is a vermin horde sieging down Salamandastron, and another vermin force marches on Redwall. Now there are these blighters. I am afraid you came all this way for nothing."

Dapan was on the verge of breaking, despair set in. "Dat can't be true, ya folk always gots a plan! Ya did all kinds of dings I heard when it came ot Kasg's horde an' more so! Maybe ya can turn dur tide somehow, maybe ya can help us get to der east. . .maybe. . ."

The hare shook his head as Dapan turned angry, rage in his eyes as he crept dangerous closer "Ya won't help us cause we be vermin, eh? Is dat it? Do ya like seeing us suffer! Yer kin ain't in dis hell damned camp, of course! Stupid ol' me dinken ya long eared snobs would even raise a paw to help us. Is dat it?!"

It was the partial truth as the hare shared his woes with the weasel "I'd not wish my family was here, weasel, but I won't be looked down upon by the likes of you! It's not a bloody woodlander army sieging down my home, and it isn't a woodlander army marching on Redwall! You stupid beasts never got it, and it amazes me still that you folk are too stupid to see it. You are nothing but a bunch of bandits and slavers who infest our lands, invade our homes, and then have the gall to pretend you live peaceful lives worth saving! These Southsward beasts are driven absolutely mad by things I more fully understand, weasel, because they are completely ignorant of what your people actually are. They think more highly of you then I do."

Dapan growled, but the hare continued, getting more comfortable as he spoke more softly "Vermin, I cannot help you because I don't want to. It is my duty as Long Patrol to help any innocent beast in need, even if it is you and your family. I can't help you because I can barely move. You and I would be caught the moment we left this tent, and you and your family would be dead. I won't have that also on my conscious, not before I go marching into the Black Forest, wot. These beasts, they are beyond redemption, corruption more foul then I could ever suspect."

Dapan had a realization and softened and asked him "Ya said ya got a family?"

The hare grew silent, he did not have to say anything for Dapan realize what had happened as he sat and let the weight fall onto him, as if the moon itself was crushing him. The Long Patrol were legends to beast like him, and their legend was well earned. It just wasn't done by normal beasts to kill their families, as Dapan realized that despite all he had gone through, he was more blessed then cursed. This was no comforting thought for him, he replayed each out of line grunt, each small trouble he and others have caused. If these beasts would snuff out the life of a Long Patrol's brood, what would they do to his? That terrible thought made him dazed, as he looked up at the hare who only gave him a pitied look. Soon both heard voices, as beasts came approaching.

"Leave, vermin. Be at peace, and have the fullest of my apologies."

Dapan was readying to leave and made his way towards the hole he had dug, his shadow in the partly lit tent disappeared as well. He looked to the hare one last time and asked "Why. Why ya apologizen. I'm der one dat can't help you."

"I am apologizing for not being able to help, now take that at least and go. It is all I can give."

Dapan frowned and fled through his hole and recovered it. The hare looked forward, breathing in as three of the Southsward soldiers marched in. There was a fellow hare, a squirrel, and a very angry looking older otter who stared down at him with his paws curled into a fist. They weren't armed, but they were silent and filled with spite towards him. The Long Patrol gave a dignified huff, knowing what was to come.

"Murderer." The otter spat "You killed my brother when we came here to help you stupid creatures. You have any last words?"

The Long Patrol smirked in response; his own hate boiled in his cold eyes "Then we are both equals, considering what you did to my missus and my boy. My only regret isn't having killed more of you. Now be silent and get this over with, I have no patience for you verminous lot."

The soldiers drew closer, satisfied they would not let the hare march off into the Dark Forest with dignity of a swift end.