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Involves:
- Anaru
- Caina
- Fenton
- Sibelius


Jesmin, carrying a basket draped with a single rose blossom in one paw, and gripping Anaru's paw in her other, steps through the grasses. Her ears raise a moment, flicker about, then fold back once again. A low, hollow hum passes her lips before she looks down to Anaru. "Does this seem like a good place?" Referring to the area as a place settle down for their overdue picnic.

Anaru grins, then looks around at the grassy area, seeming content and excited to be on the outing with Jesmin. "Yep...'S g'eat!" His tail wags and he goes to pull her towards an already flattened place, where it seems someone else was seated, or laying, for a while. "Righ' here?"

A stone's throw away, three pairs of eyes flicker in the depths of a copse. Shadows shift and rustle in the wind, briefly unveiling the stalkers: Fenton and Klundu, the latter gripping in his paw the leash of Sibelius's muzzle. The serpent lies deathly still, his eyes half-closed to block out the gleam of their lights in the darkness.

Jesmin grins down at the kit as she's tugged towards the indicated area. "Oh, alright! Yes, yes.. This looks perfect." She sets down the basket to the side, making sure there isn't an anthill in the immediate area that might decide to raid their food, or them. As if routinely, her large ears raise, swivel about, then fold again. She doesn't seem to notice the three forms.

Anaru settles down beside the basket and watches the bat for a moment as she goes through her routine search of a new area, unalarmed. The fox kit does pause, though, and scent the area, trying to be useful himself. Unfortunately his sense of smell is nowhere near that of his cousin, or he would know the three were close by. Instead he just smiles again and goes to open the basket. "Wann' sumptin' to d'ink?"

Fenton nods to Klundu. The fox loosens his hold on the leash, and Sibelius darts into the grass. The two vermin follow, hidden by the towering grasses. Despite his size, Fenton moves with even more silence and grace than his companion, and quickly moves into the lead.

Jesmin unrolls the quilted picnic blanket she borrowed from the kitchens, the hum coming back to her lips as she spreads it out. "Oh, that would be lovely. Go ahead and get the cordial and fizz out, then." The bat stands straight to survey her work with the blanket before turning back to Anaru. She silences abruptly, and her large perk straight up above her head, which turns sharply this way and that as they swivel.

Anaru scoots over onto the blanket, pulling the two flasks out humming a soft tune himself. "Wann' 't oudda t'e boddle?" He looks up at the bat and freezes, watching her with growing apprehension, then looks about, straightening and clutching the two drinks to his small form. "Jez...?" He whispers. He can sense something now.

Suddenly, Sibelius's head bursts through the wall of grass. All that is visible is the inside of his white mouth, and the curved scimitar fangs. Back in the grasses, Fenton shouts, "Pull back! Back, you fool!

Jesmin's ears flick towards Subelius's direction even before he bursts out. When she turns to face the snake, her eyes widen into large, round marbles of near pitch black, and she freezes cold. The voice of Fenton snaps her out of the petrified state, and she grabs Anaru by the collar of his shirt, bringing him roughly to to his footpaws and shoving him off in front of her, screaming. "Anaru, run! Now- now! Run... run... run...!" Her voice echoes spectrally through the grasses, abandoning all items as she tries to take off with the kit in front of her.

Anaru drops one flask as he is jerked up, though the other remains clutched in a death grip as he clenches his muscles, then the bat's voice reaches the kit and his ears flick about, seeming to come back to reality. The little todd takes off as fast as he can in the direction he is shoved, heart pounding like a heavy drum beat and eyes widened in fear. It's just like before....Just like before...Anaru finds himself running on instinct now, all thoughts gone..

Sibelius hisses in pain as his head is jerked backwards. At the same instant, Fenton jumps out alongside Anaru and hurls a weighted net over him.

Anaru collapses, entangled. Kicks and yelps, unhappily trapped within the net with the cordial, bark/whimpering for help, as if calling his mother.

Jesmin's own heart seems to be trying to beat through her ribcage as she flees after Anaru, the membranes of her good wing trailing off behind her. She nearly stumbles to the ground at the sight of Fenton leaping out and tossing the net, turning back to face the struggling kit and the ferret with abject horror displayed in her eyes.

Fenton stands before Anaru and draws his rapier. He swallows hard and pants for some time before catching his breath. "Well. So dreadfully sorry to ravage your dear little pastoral, but I believe you and I have business to discuss, Miss Jesmin."

Anaru keeps up his fight, and even starts to try and chew his way out of the thick roping, growling and crying out unhappily. He's too small to even push the netting up away from his body.

Jesmin is paralyzed on the spot, ears quivering in their half raised posture as she stares at Fenton, eyes trailing to the rapier, then to Anaru. She remains distanced, though it's obvious she isn't going anywhere as long as the kit is trapped. "Let.." She pauses, ears folding backwards, "Let him go." A momentary glance is given towards the adder.

Fenton smirks. "Certainly. He's quite free to go, once you return to your rightful home with me. Whatever did you think you were on about, traipsing off by yourself?"

Anaru looks fearfully about, up at the fat ferret. He'd been warned about them by the bat, but never gave it a second thought until now, then to the snake as well, which he can hardly see. Remains still and quiet now, trying to settle his breathing, and giving up on chewing through the roped mass.

Jesmin remains in horrified silence, breath set at a panicked pace. Her paws fold up against her chest, free digits lacing through one another, her mind in an obvious race with several thoughts. "I don't.." Her ears raise and flick backwards, as if hoping someone she could rely on aid from would be nearby, but there is no one. The bat sinks to her knees after a moment, "Why?"

Fenton sighs with impatience. "Because, my dear, whatever would become of me if news of your escape were to travel through the countryside? I should be a laughing-stock, a byword in my profession. It would be the ruin of me, dearest, and you wouldn't want that, would you? Now, do be reasonable."

Anaru scowls up at the ferret, clutching the flask again. "Go 'way!" Tail tucked firmly between his legs though and curled beneath the netting. If only Fenton would come closer...The kit's mind is racing.

Jesmin listens to Fenton, expression blank. Her eyes flick towards Anaru, and tears quickly beginning forming. The bat chokes back as she attempts to keep relatively clear-headed, unable to do much more than shake her head. Her eyes dip earthward, and she manages a meek murmur, "Just.. Let him go."

Sibelius hisses and strains at his lead.

Fenton says, "Splendid. In that case, you won't object to this." He pulls from his pocket a silver collar dripping with tiny bells and attached to a braided lead. He moves behind Jesmin and opens the collar in front of her neck. "Perhaps this might discourage further unauthorized expeditions. Shall I?"

Anaru stares towards the snake again, swallowing hard, then whimpers again, looking frustrated and upset. "Don' ledd'im Jez'in!" Sobs in heavily. "Don' go!" He remains in the curled position, ears turned back and pinned against his head. "P'ease don' leave me!"

Sibelius stretches to within a paw's length of Anaru. His long blue tongue flickers out to taste the fox kit's ear.

Jesmin's ears flick up at the sound of tinkling bells, eyes raising to settle on the creation. A look of disgust mixed with insulted pride etches itself over her face. Her eyes flick back to Anaru from over the collar, blinking hard against the brimming tears. Her gaze falls earthward again, averting from the struggling fox kit. She remains wordless.

Anaru squeals as the adder flicks his tongue against his ear tip, hunkering away from Sibelius and baring fangs, angrily.

The collar snaps shut and locks around Jesmin's neck. Fenton chuckles and pats her cheek. "There we are," he says, gathering up the lead.

Jesmin remains upon her knees, still even as Fenton pats her. She listens to the fox kit's screams, and the movements of the adder. Her ears flatten, wincing. "Let me.. take him back, won't you?"

Fenton smiles patronizingly. "Now, now. You don't really think I would leave the little fellow all on his own, do you? Klundu knows the way to Redwall, don't you? Good man. You see? Once we get back to Holgrave, I'll send him off with your little friend, I promise."

Caina is out for a stroll, as is her usual wont during these hours, and times when her services are not immediately required within the abbey itself. Hood drawn low over her face, staff thudding softly against the grassy earth beneath her feet, she is...quite astonished as she finds herself looking at a less than favorable scene. A glance goes to Fenton, and then to the snake...and she sighs. "I swear...there's no such thing as a peaceful walk in the woods these days..."

Jesmin's ears flatten, bells jingling merrily- quite opposite to her current disposition- as she looks up at Fenton. "What? Why? Why... take him back then?"

Anaru squiggles and tries to get out of reach of the adder's tongue and, more importantly, teeth, while still trapped under the heavy netting. Growls again, looking more angry then sad.

Jesmin's eyes flick back to Anaru, "Get.. That thing /away/ from him!"

"Don't worry, Klundu has everything quite under control, don't you, old chap?" Klundu groans and whimpers as he struggles in vain to pull back the adder. "As to Redwall, you certainly wouldn't expect me to--" Suddenly, Klundu shouts, "Oi! What's that?" He nods at the figure of Caina down by the road. Fenton whirls around and curses between his teeth.

Caina pries an apple-sized rock from the ground with her staff and crouches to pick it up, testing the weight in her paw before she settles on her target. Priorities...are a pain sometimes. "Oy snake! Try someone a little bit more your taste." She steps forward, putting her weight into the throw and sends the rock towards the adder's head. A glance goes to Fenton, and she offers a finger-wave. "Am I disrupting a party? Terribly sorry. I'm so good at that, though."

Jesmin's ears perk high at the sight of Caina, ears craning towards her in the most hopeful of manners.

Anaru perks his ears as the call erupts in the direction of the dirt road, and then the rock goes flying over head. Stares.

Sibelius dodges the rock, but not quickly enough. It skims over his flat head, taking a few scales with it. The adder hisses in pain and jerks back into a heap of coils. Meanwhile, Fenton places the tip of his rapier at Jesmin's throat and pulls her towards the copse. "Careful, pretty one," he says to Caina. "I should curb that disruptive habit, if I were you, or my little friend's new collar may be soiled." He just taps Jesmin's skin with the blade.

Caina turns to glance at Sibelius, planting the end of her staff against the ground, leaning against it slightly. "Why not fight someone who can fight back, and we'll see just who ends up bleeding. Or are you worried a half-blind jill might make you look bad."

Anaru looks about panicked. "Don' leddim take 'er!" Looking upset again. He clutches the bottle tighter, breathing heavily and then struggling at the net, with a newfound hope.

Jesmin's ears fold back again as the blade lightly taps her throat, whatever hope she had dimming. She gives the lowest of chirps, leaning backwards towards the Fenton, and away from the blade. A paw grips the center bell of the collar, tugging it lightly.

Fenton says, "Quite the contrary, Madam. I should be ashamed to assail a combatant at such a disadvantage. So, if you will excuse me, my friend and I shall now depart, in hopes that we may find you a more suitable match. Adieu."

Caina snorts softly. "I hardly see it as a disadvantage, dearie... I've lived with it long enough to learn the weakness well. I'd rather say it levels the playing field in your favor." She makes her way towards the group, doing her best to hide the limp, rather grateful that the hood hides any grimaces that may escape. Still, while she chides Fenton, her focus remains on the rather deadly snake, and trapped fox.

Suddenly, Klundu screams. He trips and falls on his back in the dirt, paws empty. Free at last, Sibelius darts forward, eyes fixed on Anaru.

Jesmin's ears bolt up, and a horrified scream pierces the air from her lips. She scrambles to her footpaws, attempting to make a dash for the kit.

Anaru pins his ears and is suddenly /fully/ intent on the snake coming his way. Mind races, and settles on the bottle of cordial in his paws.

Fenton jerks Jesmin's backwards. "Careful now, dearest. . . ."

Caina does two things. Firstly, thanks the fates for adrenalyne, and second, realizes she'll probably end up biting off more than she can chew. Stooping for another rock, she flings it hard at the snake. "Hey!"

Jesmin's forward rush is halted by the jerk from Fenton, nearly falling over from the force of her momentum, staggering back to her knees. "No, no! Anaru!" She turns to stare up at Fenton with horror.

Sibelius fails even to see this second rock. It hits his skull, knocking him to the ground. He flails in the dust for only a moment, and then dashes towards his assailant.

Fenton's own lip trembles slightly as he watches the snake. Then, slips his arms underneath hers, and drags her into the shadows of the copse.

Caina ohdears...indeed more than she could chew. Adopting a stance, she hefts her staff up and waits for the snake to get close enough before planting the back of the staff against the dirt, levelling the other end at the snake, giving him a less than pleasant thing to run into, should buy a few seconds, right? "Fox! Can you get out of there?"

Anaru squeaks and clenches eyes shut as Sibelius lunges at him, then slowly opens an eye, to see the adder dart for Caina. Blinks. Then screams unhappily, fighting with the net and yelling, growing angry again. "Jez! Jez! No!!" Is beginning to cry.

Jesmin looks back to Anaru and the snake, only to find herself being dragged off. The bat flails quite avidly, bells making a ruckus along with her screaming. "No! Anaru! They'll be killed! Anaru!" The bat's already in tears, and she continues flailing even as Fenton takes her away.

Fortunately for Caina, snakes are only half as clever as they are vicious. There is a resounding crack as Sibelius rams head-first into the staff.

Jesmin's voice grows faint and muffled as Fenton forces a wadded handkerchief into her mouth.

Anaru yells at the top of his lungs, sounding like an angry dog howl, then falls into sobs again, as he once more chews at the netting, viciously this time as his trapped animal instincts take over. Tears run down his face and his tail remains tucked.

A resounding crack, sure, but...she was caught off guard and falls backwards, half of the broken staff still in paw. Anaru's cry is taken as a 'no, I can't get out,' and she scrambles to her feet, keeping the pointy end of the broken staff levelled at the snake. "Come on...that the best you've got, serpent?"

Sibelius opens his mouth, as if grinning in reply. He darts behind Caina, creating a half-circle of coils around her. Then, he stops. Down at the other end of the clearing, Klundu is still staggering to his footpaws. The snake's eyes narrow at him--narrow at the tormentor who beat him, dragged him, "managed" him for the Master. Without a second glance at Caina, the adder dashes off.

Jesmin falls all but silent, muffled grunts following resigning sobs from behind the wad of cloth. Her kicking and flailing ceases.

At last, the darkest shadows of the copse swallow up both Jesmin and her captor. Even the sound of Jesmin's collar disappears.

Caina is not one to give up. After all...the bloody 'keeper' is nearby the fox. As the snake uncoils around her, she goes to ram the pointy end of the stick into the snake's skin. A parting gift, or just an attempt to keep the snake away from the fox. Either which way.

Sibelius hisses in pain, but otherwise disregards the wound. Klundu, looking up, sees the hunter. He turns and leaps screaming over the crest of a hill. The snake follows. One scream, and silence falls.

Caina blinks...and starts over towards Anaru, stopping to retrieve both halves of her staff and looking at the tool with a faint bit of disappointment. No longer able to hide her limp, she moves down and kneels to help free the fox from the netting. "Hold still...I'll have you out quickly, and then you should run back to the abbey, alright?"

Anaru rips harshly through one of the thick rope pieces, opening a hole in the net, then realizes Caina is talking to him. Murmurs something, still crying.

Caina sighs and goes to gather the young fox up in her arms, keeping ahold of one half of the staff to help push herself up. "Come on...let's go before the snake shows up." A glance goes to the spot where Fenton vanished...but she can't see anything. Cause enough for a sigh.

Anaru squirms and fights, crying uncontrollably. "'E god'er! 'E took 'er 'way!!"

Caina has dealt with worse, and turns to make sure her good eye doesn't fall prey to claws. "I know, I know...and I'll look for her. But she would want you somewhere safe, alright?"

Anaru sobs, eyes tightly closed and fangs bared for a moment, then just clings to the ferret, crying against her. "I coodin' do anyt'in'! Jus' like dad!"

Caina sighs, hugging the foxcub as she glances towards the abbey. "You did fine... You stayed alive. That means that next time you'll have learned enough to do more."

Anaru still just cries, ears pinned. A very unhappy little todd right now. "I wann' go see Jun'per..." Muffled.

Caina blinks slightly. "Juniper...alright." She keeps ahold of the snake-blood stained stick and starts limping her way back to the abbey, not taking her time to alleviate whatever pains might come on her end of things. The sooner she's away from the snake, the better.

- Back to Jesmin's Main Page -

:. Logs .:

- Log 1 - Capture

- Log 2 - Failed Escape

- Log 3 - Worries

- Log 4 - Confirmed Fears

- Log 5 - Escape to Redwall

- Log 6 - Legends and Songs at Redwall

- Log 7 - Recapture

- Log 8 - Spawn of Fenton