Open The Trenches Unsmudgables Spilling Sweet Wine

[Marble]

Miothiyle's greatest weakness was that she was often far too kind even in situations where she shouldn't be. It had led her into several ambushes in the past but as a warden she was supposed to help people and those in need on the road wasn't uncommon and it wasn't in her to leave them. She should have left quickly, instead of staying and helping the poor folk that she had accidently injured in her rush to escape.

Then there was the Meow, sharp and echoing through the streets. Her bow was out and arrow notched looking back along the street and standing over the casualty as she had been trained to do, protecting them from the fight. Figures descended into the street coming down from the rooftops and out of doorways and very quickly forming around where she was just standing. The vixen did not move holding her ground, bow pointed slightly down with the arrow not quite drawn referred to as a low ready. In an instant she could shift her draw and have a full power shot down range before most beasts could blink, and even then if she had to lose it where it was the deadly shaft would still punch through most armours.

As the strange uniformed group moved she would hesitate unsure of what to do, at the chaos around her. The weasel though managed to break out from the ambush and she had a shot on them, a quick flex and... no it was too risky, she would hit one of the others should she miss and further there was no threat from him as he took flight from the fight. She could step in to stop him but the situation was too chaotic to get involved and do the wrong thing or put herself in danger, plus she had a patient under her guard and getting in a fight would put them in risk. She swore but did nothing, this strange land with it's own laws and culture. It was better to not act and be chastised rather than act and end up in irons

 

[Mariel Rustyfangs]

Mariel was breaking at least a few records of speed climbing... at least in very lightweight kit-teen category for it. Digging all her claws into the walls and trying to get above and onto the roofs as soon as possible. Glancing down only occasionally to see if there are no weapons pointed towards her. It scared her just how many beasts poured out and surrounded the poor fellows on the street but as her mother taught her, heroics were better left to those who were capable of them. Even if she liked the archetype of being an adventurer, she was no hero, more a rogue than anything.

But glancing down and processing her own imagination at the same time made her not look too much up. She climbed at ludicrous speeds until the wall ended.

At which point she abruptly stopped by crashing her head into furry chest of somebeast.

In a split second before the confusion and concussion came in, she remembered that indeed, there were some beasts on the roof, overseeing this process.

But her mind blanked and she collapsed onto a mouse, instinctively clutching onto her dagger in case of any danger coming up.

 

[Daniil Ryalor]

As the arrest proceeded, Daniil was in high spirits. As far as he was concerned, he'd successfully arrested the unknown conspirator, uncovering what might very well be a family conspiracy to destroy the Imperium. The more that he thought about it, the more it made sense in his head. Eirene was a former Verfolger, after all, and Bezine was a confirmed and avowed traitor and former MAUL member. The two would have every reason to work with Alkamar to undermine the Imperium's security. Morgan, as their daughter, could be placed aboard the Imperium's flagship, which would give her access to the prototype technology onboard. Hadn't he overheard something being said at the Ministry of War about the mission to Urk going badly because of translation problems in the negotiations? Daniil was willing to bet that Morgan had been that translator, probably deliberately undermining the peace in order to get Imperial beasts killed. There were probably even more acts of perfidity that Daniil had yet to uncover, but he was determined to unearth.

"Sir," Daniil reported to Dory, a chipper tone in his voice that matched the smile on his face. "The spy is secure, sir, and ready for transport. I'd call this a resounding success, sir."

 

[Liza Fairpaw]

Liza saw the weasel breaking through the Smudgie line. She sighted him down, though did not release her arrow, waiting for her colleagues on the ground--they could potentially close on him, and she did not want to risk hitting them. So focused was she on the conflict in the street below that she did not hear the sounds of scrambling claws on the side of the building until somebeast launched up from the gutter and slammed directly into her chest. She lost grip on the bowstring and the arrow launched. Falling backwards with a surprised yell, Liza tried to grapple the beast off her.

In the alley below, the mouse's arrow went wide from its mark and struck the wall beside Marble, ricocheting and impaling the fallen, concussed stoat's thigh. He let out a confused and pained scream, suddenly sitting up and grabbing at his leg where the arrow protruded from his trousers. Three Unsmudgables converged upon the pair, weapons leveled. "Stay where you are and drop your weapon!"

Two Smudgies whirled to keep up with Ressik, a wildcat Stealthblade leaping up a stack of crates and launching herself at the weasel from above, claws unsheathed. A Longblade rat swept at his footpaws from behind with their quarterstaff.

Rory, standing by Daniil and ensuring Morgan was secured, looked down at the ferret before answering the todd. "Maybe. But we've yet to finish the operation, so don't count yer eggs before they're hatched, eh? Get her inside for now."

 

[Ressik Pike]

Ressik stayed low as he ran, body folded into motion, paws scarcely seeming to touch the stones beneath him. He slipped through gaps bigger beasts hesitated at, ducked under reaching arms, rebounded off brick and crate alike with the compact efficiency of something built to flee first and think later. The alley blurred around him, noise and movement collapsing into a single, breathless instinct to keep going.

Then something shifted above him, not a sound so much as a vibe. A subtle wrongness in the air that prickled along his spine. Ressik twisted without looking, and the Stealthblade’s shadow passed where his head had been a heartbeat earlier, claws raking brick instead of fur. He hit the ground in a skid, shoulder low, momentum carrying him forward...

...Only to have another threat sweep at his legs. The quarterstaff whistled through the space he’d just vacated. Ressik hopped it by inches, the motion sharp and desperate, boots scraping as his balance pitched sideways. He corrected on reflex alone, cutting hard across the alley in a burst of speed, favoring the wall to his left.

The way before him was clear, and he felt the tickle of freedom for one reckless heartbeat.

Then a door suddenly flew open...

Wood met fur with a solid, breath-stealing thud, the impact folding Ressik in on himself as the air punched from his lungs in a startled wheeze. His skull rang, the alley spinning wildly as he bounced back a step and then another, paws scrabbling for purchase that refused to come. He dropped hard, catching himself on one knee before slumping sideways, vision flashing white at the edges.

Above him, the Jill let out a sharp yelp, nearly dropping the refuse crate she’d been hauling out into the alley.

“Stars above!” she blurted, staring down at him in shock. “Goodness, are you alri—”

Her eyes lifted past him.

Her face drained.

“OH BLOODY HELL!”

The words tore out of her as she recoiled backward, clutching the doorframe as armed beasts bore down through the alley, steel and shadow closing fast. The Stealthblade landed lightly nearby, the Longblade already adjusting their grip, both moving with grim certainty now that their quarry had finally stopped moving.

Ressik blinked hard, trying to shake the ringing from his ears, his limbs slow and uncooperative for the first time that night. Shapes loomed above him, blurred and doubling, and he bared his teeth on a sharp breath as he tried to gather himself again.

But it was too late...

 

[Marble]

Her ears twitched and she quickly darted to the side as the arrow missed her, she didn't know who any of these beast were and didn't recognise any markings of the guard. Now they had fired upon her for no reason and injured the person she was protecting. Bow up, shot out, losing an arrow back at the mouse not realizing that it was an accident as chaos took hold.
"Guards help! Kidnappers and Killers!" Briefly looking at the stoat now wounded below her and the three approaching. The vixen pulled out three more arrows from her quiver and quickly snap them off towards the free, not necessarily to kill but definitely enough to make them rethink.

Realizing that she was outnumbered and couldn't do much to help the Stoat alone the vixen would make a break for it sprinting for another alley and towards the city centre yelling out for help as she makes good speed to escape the attackers

 

[Mariel Rustyfangs]

Recovering from the concussion proved hard for Mariel. Her mind defaulted into her extensive imagination pandering to her delusions of grandeur. She of course knew that running away was the only option, but achieving that was difficult as she struggled on the roof with a mouse that was, nonetheless, larger than her... and an adult. She didn't want to get caught, that would be very much the worst possible outcome, especially with her mother being who she was. There wouldn't be much retribution, but definitely Naika would also have troubles if any authorities were to go after her.

As such there was only one reasonable solution, that mouse was an archer, Mariel, in her little head, knew that in all stories, archers were at the mercy of whoever had a weapon whilst in melee range. Seeing that she didn't have any blades or other visible weapons, Mariel pulled out her dagger from the inside of her coat, in a greatly theatrical movement that was widely impractical, pointing it at Liza's throat. Her grip was decent and if she wasn't so far gone into her fantasy, she could actually pose a danger to the mouse.

Instead she opted to do her act.

"Do not mind me, just let me go and I shall not hurt you!" She quietly expressed with a confident grin, to the pinned mouse, hoping behind that act to just be able to scurry away as soon as possible.

 

[Daniil Ryalor]

Daniil wasted no time in hauling the stunned Morgan into their hiding place, forcing her into a chair and quickly tying her wrist to it. The sounds of commotion from the alleyway tugged at his ear, and he glanced up, worrying himself over how the others would fare. He had the prime suspect in custody, a development that still filled him with pride as much as anxiety, but there was a risk of the co-conspirators escaping yet. "Stay here," he warned Morgan. "Don't even think of trying to escape." Then, gripping the hilt of his katana, he ran back out into the alleyway.

He ran out into the alleyway, spotting that some of his colleagues were closing in on the fleeing (suspected) Alkamarian spy. Daniil's eyes widened, and he hurried to chase after them, a bit ineffectually shouting as he did so, "I arrested the other one! Don't let him get away."

 

[Liza Fairpaw]

As the knife was drawn on Liza, the mouse had a split second's hesitation at the thought of harming a kitten, but in a place like Bully, kits could be just as dangerous--or more so--than an adult. There was nothing for it but to take the threat seriously. She dropped her bow, and in the same fluid movement stepped and turned to the side, forearm slamming into the cat's knife arm as she grappled her opponent. Twisting Mariel's wrist to force her to release the knife, which clattered to the roof and slid into the gutter. Liza thrust her elbow into the side of the kitten's head while sweeping her footpaws out and taking her to the ground. She twisted her arm behind her back and pinned her facedown against the roof.

Just as she took the little cat down, an arrow whizzed over Liza's head where she had been standing a moment before. It thunked into the shingles feet behind her, and Liza hissed in relief at the near miss.

"Stay still," the mouse said sternly to the kitten. "I don't know what's goin' on down there, but you pull a knife on a Smudgie an' you're liable to get yourself hurt o' killed, little one."

On the ground, the Stealthblade was the first to reach Ressik. She wasted no time in tackling him fully to the ground. The rat Longblade, just steps behind her, flashed his pin at the jill in the doorway.

"Smudgie business, marm, please stay back," he said. Then he swung his staff and struck the pinned weasel in the head with a calculated bonk to further daze him. The Stealthblade wildcat produced a length of cord and tied the groggy mustelid's wrists behind his back, still pinning him to the ground. The Longblade turned to Daniil as the todd approached. "Help her out with him. I've gotta check on our wounded."

Just outside the alley, one of the three Unsmudgables at which Marble had loosed her salvo or arrows had managed to escape with a deep graze to the side of his upper arm. The Bladedancer monitor lizard sprinted after her, shouting in her wake, "Stop, fox! Throw down your weapon. This is an official Unsmudgable operation. If you're not a spy, we're not after you!"

 

[Marble]

The fox growled in frustration as she continued to break the engagement and call for help. Of course this was not the forests of home and the twisting streets betrayed her as she made her way down a dead end, looking up at the wall as those behind her closed in.
"Oh well I rather take offence to being shot at and chased so unfortunately I would rather you throw them down and walk away." Running to the corner and kicking off the side of the house as she scrambled up onto the wall, keeping her breathing steady as she looks back.
"And what even in the name of the lords of hades is an Unsmudgable" Looking at the drop and realising that it was quite a lot further than the climb up, and possibly too far to jump. Cursing the fates and looking for somewhere to go as these 'Unsmudgables' hunted her down.

Sprinting along the wall and making a jump for the roof, unfortunately for her the tiles were not secured correctly and she came down again in a crash of clay, claws digging into the wall and a desperate grab to not fall down the other side into the yard below. Even dangling like this a fall was certain to break her legs and she was pretty sure she had done her ribs in the fall. Cursing in isle tongue she kicked at the stone struggling to pull herself back up, the jolt of pain flashing in her vision. Quite an embarrassing way for the chase to end especially for the seasoned warden, with a rather inelegant fall she managed to fall down the short side of the wall, backed in the corner, with the lizards in front of her.
"Alright talk scaled one. Who are you and why do your group shoot and ask later?"

 

[Ressik Pike]

Ressik came back to himself in pieces. Stone pressed cold and unforgiving into his cheek, the grit of it biting through fur and into soft flesh as his head lolled sideways. Sound arrived late and out of order as his head spun from the impact, boots and voices bleeding together while several beasts were already descending upon him. His wrists burned as they were forcibly bound tight behind him, cord cutting hard into his circulation whenever he tried to flex his paws.

He hissed softly through his bared teeth, more reflex than defiance, and let his body go slack again. The alley no longer surged and swayed around him. That’s when the unease truly set in with its stomach sinking coldness.

Somewhere above and behind him, the Jill, who had her day thoroughly interrupted, shouted through the din, shrill with adrenaline and righteous indignation.

“Aye, that’s it! Get 'im! Beat 'is tail raw!” she barked, retreating hurriedly as she was waved back. “Serve the little blighter right, nearly knocked me clean over!”

Her footsteps scurried away, the door thudding shut as she removed herself from Smudgie business.

As they hauled him up just enough to reposition him, his body moved on its own. He made a subtle curl inward, his shoulders angling. Elbow tucking tight against his side as though in pain, though his real aim was much more subtle and protective. He pressed the small twine-wrapped paper bundle closer to his ribs, attempting to obscure it as best he could.

Bound, bruised, and handled, he resisted the urge to fight and waited instead, quiet as a spring held under tension. Still, he glared up at his captors with cold hatred burning in his eyes.

 

[Liza Fairpaw]

Andraz, the lizard Bladedancer, watched Marble, nictitating membranes sliding over his orange eyes and then back again in a way that somehow conveyed a nonplussed expression. Though he did not fully relax from a ready stance, he did not step any closer as he regarded the fox for several long moments before speaking with deliberate consideration.

"To answer your first question," he said, each of the sibilant tones he uttered drawn out into a hiss. "The Unsmudgables are a peacekeeping and public service force in the Imperium run by the Ministry of Niceties. Tonight we were attempting to disrupt a meeting that had significant bearing on the security of the Imperium and apprehend a spy. Things went a bit...sideways, and I do believe that an errant, accidental shot found its way to you. Despite that I don't think you were involved in the spy operation, it would be helpful for us if you were to cooperate with questioning."

With an effort, he lowered his sword, then sheathed it. "I'm Andraz, Bladedancer Adept. I won't attempt to hold you here, but I'll ask if you're willing to help us by coming with me and the other Smudgies to answer some questions?"

 

[Daniil Ryalor]

Daniil watched as the fleeing beast was bound, his demeanor suddenly going quiet. "You can keep silent if you want," he noted, "but it won't go well for you. We have your collaborator in custody, and once she talks, you'll be in very hot water. If I were you, I'd start cutting a deal right now." He glanced over his shoulder to where Morgan was quietly slumped against the wall, her head bowed, not engaging with any of the Smudgies. A momentary pang of guilt for her predicament arose in his stomach, then he quashed it, hard. It was her own fault, he had to remind himself. She'd gotten mixed up in this business of her own free will; now, she had to pay the price for it.

 

[Marble]

Realizing that she was at a massive disadvantage should she chose to fight, Miothiyle would sling her bow and hold up her paws.
"Miothiyle. I have never heard of your organisation and though I may be foriegn but I am no spy for anyone." Trying to steady her breath whilst also not trying to show the pain in her side as she watched the lizard still unsure. They had at least sheathed their blade so that was a good sign
"Here I was just wanting an evening walk. Alright I will come with you Andraz, and hopefully one of yours has some willow bark." A slight chuckle as she tired to straigthen up, felt pain burn through her, returned to her slightly hunched posture, then walked closer to the lizard to have them lead her wherever they were going
@Liza Fairpaw

 

[Mariel Rustyfangs]

The reality of the situation hit Mariel hard as she was slammed into the roof. In this moment, her bravado was gone. Mariel was once more made painfully aware that the real world was not as simple as the stories she read and thought of had shown it. She raised her head and stared at Liza with her, still large due to her being a kitten, eyes, moist now from tears that came to her in fear and embarrassment. She was after all aspiring to become as great as her mom, who was a master of heists and subterfuge. She once more however realized that to become one, she still had much too learn.

Not saying anything, Mariel knew she was in trouble and was smart enough to at least avoid making her situation worse. She just curled up under the mouse and tried to patiently wait, muffling the sobs as her mind pondered on all possible scenarios. She half-hoped that other beasts around would be causing more ruckus and let her escape but it was futile attempt at calming herself with false hope, just as her mother always did.

 

[Liza Fairpaw]

Liza let out a sigh as the young cat looked up at her with tears in her eyes. "For 'Gates sake, you're going to start blubbering on me now? You were the one who pulled the knife on me, cat."

Two more Unsmudgables ascended to the rooftop to assist the mouse with her charge. Tying the cat's paws, they took her down into the room where the other prisoners were being held. Olem, the concussed stoat, nearly unconscious but still a potential suspect, had been put on a stretcher. Once Andraz and the vixen had returned, the wounded and dead were tended to, and the beasts of interest were led away into the dark streets on a twisting and turning path through alleys and side streets until they came to an Unsmudgable outpost deep in the Trenches.

It was a narrow building with three floors above ground. Like all Smudgie buildings, however, it was the levels below ground that were of the most interest, connecting into the tunnel networks utilized by the Faction to move to various strategic locations within Bully.

Ressik, Morgan, and Mariel were placed together in a holding cell on the ground floor. Olem was taken to another room for medical evaluation. Miothyle was given free reign of the lounge while she waited for somebeast to speak with her. Before Andraz departed, he informed her to make herself at home in the room. A plush couch and chairs were arranged around a low table where a tea setting had been put out, the pot steaming and a variety of cakes and biscuits arrayed around it. Two guards stood at the doorway and watched her closely.

It took several minutes, but a rat finally bustled into the room. She was tall for a rat and wore the pin of a Songblade. "Miothyle, was it? I'm Voira. Andraz vouched for you, and that's why you're here instead of in a cell with the others we apprehended at the scene. I do hope you're enjoying the tea and cake." The rat took a tea cup and sat in one of the chairs. "You attest that you were out for an evening walk. Had you previously met any of the beasts who were in the alley with you?"

At the holding cell, Rory stood with Daniil and several other Smudgies in front of the bars, arms crossed over his barrel chest. The sea otter looked over the trio with a frown.

"You're a motley lot, aren't you? Let's start with names and what you were all doing at that spot together tonight." He nodded towards Morgan. "You first."

 

[Marble]

Sitting patiently in the lounge, a little unsure what to do with herself but also trying not to fall asleep given the late hour and the comfortable seating. Getting up and moving around, shaking out her limbs and then regretting it as she was reminded about her bruised ribs by a slight jolt of pain. Nothing had been broken in the fall thankfully but it was still painful and embarresing that the huntress had faltered in such a way. At the same time the urban sprawl was not her trained enviroment, something that she would take steps to remedy in the future. After all it wasn't a bad idea she had, just lacked the experience to get it right.
Eventually a rat would come into the room, Miothiyle would not recognise the pin but would take the oportunity to move over to the table and pour herself another tea and sit opposite them.
"It is good cake yes, it is a pleasure to make your aquaintence Voira. I am glad Andraz vouched for me, I recognize a loosing flight and against one like them, not thanks" Giving a slight laugh and then sipping the tea. "As for your question I have no idea who you and your group is, what authority you operate under and gives you permission to take people of the streets. I do not know any of the group in that alley, nor their purpose or anything about spies. I understand that I have an accent and am clearly not from around here, but I am not working for any foreign goverment or... any of that sort of thing. I have a companion in the army if her vouching for me would assist at all."

 

[Daniil Ryalor]

Morgan had been left cuffed, now leaning down in the cell, staring at the floor. At being addressed, she looked up, glaring at her captors.

Daniil spoke up, stating, "I can positively identify her, sir. Her name, as given at least, is Morgan Liu. She is the daughter of Bezine D'Oiravere and Eirene Liu, both foreign-born Turncoats and offenders against the reign of Vladimir I, though I doubt their warrants are still valid. Their daughter, however, is well-positioned to enact their vengeful agenda, sir. She's a crewbeast aboard the Hide, giving her a position for espionage and sabotage, and I'm given to understand she was recently involved in disastrous negotiations on the Urk Expedition that led to the deaths of dozens of marines and navybeasts - quite possibly a deliberate act of sabotage on her part."

Morgan looked up at that, her eyes wide. "I never -"

"More than that, sir," Daniil continued, "I have reason to believe that she's been professionally trained for this role by a foreign intelligence agency, as well as her mothers. I'm given to understand that she is highly proficient, if not fluent, in Vulpinsulan, Alkamarian, Callisparian, Hanshiman, and quite possibly a few other languages. She has routinely expressed her discontent especially with my uncle, the new Minister of Justice, and I understand that she attempted to incite a mutiny aboard the Hide, for which my uncle, in his mercy, showed great leniency in awarding his punishment - quite possibly too lenient, it seems. My conclusion, sir, is that this femme is a highly-trained operative of the Alkamarian intelligence services sent to undermine the Imperium from within, caught in the act of making contact with either her handler or her subordinate."

Morgan stated at Daniil's triumphant assessment, the sheer disbelief on her face eclipsing her indignation. Finally she hung her head, muttering something in Fyadorian that Daniil declined to translate, but certainly earned an agitated flick of his tail.

 

[Ressik Pike]

The holding cell smelled faintly of damp stone, oil, and the lingering iron tang of old blood. Ressik sat slumped against the wall where they had deposited him, wrists bound behind his back, one shoulder resting against the cold bars. The throbbing in his skull had settled into a dull, steady pulse now, each beat a reminder of the staff that had found him in the alley.

He breathed slowly through his nose and watched.

The cell was small, but not cramped. Morgan leaned forward in her cuffs, staring down at the floor as though it might offer her some kind of answer. Ressik spared the other small kitten a brief glance before dismissing her entirely. Whatever story had brought her into that alley, it clearly had nothing to do with his.

Daniil, however, was very much worth watching.

The todd spoke with the eager certainty of somebeast who believed he had solved a puzzle no one else had even noticed. Names spilled out. Allegations piled higher and higher with each breath. Foreign parents. Sabotage. Languages. Mutiny. A grand conspiracy tying it all neatly together.

Ressik listened to the whole thing without moving.

By the time Daniil finished, the weasel understood exactly what had happened.

They thought Morgan was the spy.

For a moment he simply sat there, letting that realization settle into place. A slow warmth crept into the back of his thoughts despite the ache in his head. Not relief. Something sharper than that.

Opportunity.

Ressik shifted slightly against the wall, blinking once as the lingering dizziness swam across his vision. Then a dry, rasping chuckle escaped him before he could quite stop it.

“Funny thing about shpies,” he muttered, voice hoarse but steady as his gaze slid lazily toward Morgan. “They alwaysh look sho shurprished when the shtory finally catches up with ’em.”

He fell quiet again after that, letting the words hang in the air.

Bound, bruised, and very much awake now, Ressik Pike simply watched to see which way the room would turn.