How Many Sleepless Nights...

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*How many sleepness nights does it take to change a creature's mind? Terragon looks around the bell tower. It's not as high up as the one at Redwall Abbey, she notices, but from here, all of Terralux and some of the groves and woodland beyond can be surveyed in the dull grey light. It is evening, but not so dark yet that the lights in the settlement look welcoming. Pale grey, white and cream stones, caught in between day and night, Terragon leans on the windowsill. She'd wandered up here without thinking. It's a cold, clear start to the night and she drinks in the freezing air, which catches in her throat and nostrils, and enjoys the silence.*

*The squirrel barely looks up as the door opens - creatures are in and out of here all day long, to ring out the hours. But there is the clearing of a most un-monastic throat and curiousity gets the better of Terragon. She looks up, a combination of a quizzical frown and a smile playing across her face. An otter, she recognises the outline even in the half-light of the tower.*

Evening, *She speaks first when the otter shows no intention of doing so.* Miss Canopy? *Comes the reply. The messenger otter. He wanders over and looks over the top of the squirrel's head to the landscape beyond as though to check that it is indeed evening.* Terragon, *Terragon insists certain she's said it before.* And... ye gods - or perhaps I shouldn't say that here - I still can't remember your name.

I never told you it, *The other replies matter-of-factly, returning the smile, his eyes holding a friendly gleam. There is a long moment and the squirrel looks up at the otter expectantly.* Yes? *He asks pleasantly.*
Your name, *Terragon prompts.*
Ah, of course. *There is still another silence, but, finally, the strange messenger answers the questions with a lop-sided smile.* Alfkaell Fjorir Ageirr, Terragon. *The smile broadens into a grin at the other's expression.* Kael Ageirr for short. *Kael holds out a broad paw which Terragon accepts and shakes.* Pleased to meet you, finally. What brings - brought - you to Terralux?

Guilt. What else? *He laughs, but something in the otter's eyes suggests that there is more truth in this than his voice might imply.* I'm from the Northlands - *He continues.*
You disguise the accent well.
Hey! Why the suspicion?! *He demands, taking mock-offence at Terragon's comment.* But, yes, you're right. No, I'm from the Northlands. And I must say, the weather down here's a great deal warmer and more predictable. Ha! Talking about the weather! Ignore me. And besides, I haven't eaten since this morning - I expect we'll be able to find something to eat and better conversation down at the Whispering Willow. *The change of topic nearly throws Terragon off-balance, but she recognises it an instant later as a trick of Ashnel's and shruggs her agreement.* Of course; why not. I should probably let Regen know where I've been all afternoon.
Are you staying at St. Ninian's, then?
No, but it's more peaceful than the rest of the settlement at the moment. *Kael steps away from the window, Terragon following and the otter shruggs too.* You might as well stay at the monastry then. I couldn't help hearing rumours that places like Starsett are needed for the refugees.
*Nodding, Terragon hurries after Kael down the steps from the tower, listening to his suggestions and comments called back over his shoulder. Kael Ageirr? It's good to know that the otter messenger does have a name after all.*

[Tinsy Stormsight]

The Whispering Willow is as full as always in the evening. Every kind of beast in Mossflower is there, from rats to hedgehogs. Most of the people are drinking and loudly attempting to hold conversations..usually all at one time. This, along with a group in one corner singing a song in Norse, and another band near the bar playing a completely different song on various stringed instruments.
Regen is in a seperate corner, at a table everybeast by now knows is 'his'. There's nobody with him...Rippla is gone, and Lonas is probably with Oakrose..but the Woodland Captain seems happy enough in whatever soltitude-like state he can get in a noisy, crowded building.
The golden squirrel is, in fact, deep in thought...mostly about his family, which is currently in a bit of a fragmented state. He'd received another letter from home before - from his sister Lenaire - with most of his brothers off fighting Saracens, and the rest fighting tooth and claw over whatever bits of territory they can get in the Arkains, he's starting to feel a bit like some kind of bystander.
Lonas, of course, doesn't care a whit about any of it, since he's officially not an Eale at all..the other squirrel has thrown himself into his duties fortifying the town. Plus, he seemed to have reversed his falling-out with Oakrose. At least, that's what Regen figured had happened. The older squirrel was spending alot of time with someone around here, and it wasn't any of the local squirrelmaids. They, apparently, were all after him.

Here comes another. Burn it.
Regen had caught a squirrel's head in the crowd, coming toward him. It was red, like Terragon. He frowned at his drink..a tall mug of ale..and remarked to himself, "P'haps I oughta be flatt'red."
The squirrel closed his eyes and leaned his head in one paw, mumbling irritably to himself, and waited for whoever-it-was to come.

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Terragon flops down onto the seat next to Regen, and calls across the Tavern to the bar tender, a elderly-looking dormouse, who Terragon's not entirely convinced hears her request for three ales.*
Hey, Regen. Got somebeast to introduce you to properly.
*She points to the seat beside her and Kael sits down, with a polite look of interest and half-smile at Regen.* Terragon was most surprised to discover I have a name. Kael, *He holds out a paw, more confident about the introduction now he's said it once before.*

[Tinsy Stormsight]

"Ah.."
Regen returns to the present, having mostly been awakened by the call for 'three ales' that went across the room. One does have to wake up and be polite if someone's going to buy them a drink.
"Righ'." He shakes the paw, and introduces himself again in a somewhat dazed fashion, as if he hasn't had enough sleep recently. "Reg'n Eale, Woodlan' Capt'n."
"Oh, an' hi." He grins at Terragon, shakes his head blearily, and glances around. Evidently the leaderss wants to talk to him about something, although what he doesn't know now. Hopefully, nothing that involves him particularly.
Update on the wall, right.
"Wall's goin' well. Won't be very high, but close 'nough..an' th' trenches were finished yest'rday."
"Jonah..th' rat..he's a Master mason in one o' the guilds. I left 'im t' oversee most o' th' wallbuilding."

[Terragon Scrufftail]

Jonah? *Kael repeats.* I know him. *Realising he has interrupted, he apologies hastily.* Sorry, you two were saying.
Mm, *Terragon murmurs.* 'Tis no matter. And, Regen, as long as we can keep everybeast safe, then it doesn't matter how high the wall is. There's one problem, though. The treehouses and cottages and suchlike; they're outside the wall. We need accomodation - tents, huts. And a designated area, because we can't have creatures setting up camp all over the place. Ah, but if we're all in one place, what if disease breaks out? *She clenches and unclenches one paw, giving a grim smile.* Perfect.

[Tinsy Stormsight]

Regen hisses a breath out between his teeth and stares thoughtfully into space for a minute, trying to remember everything he's ever read about a seige in his most unlearned life.
"...well, 'tis gonna be spring...winter an' summer, they're th' season's fer sickness's. Unless somebeast brings somethin' in, we shouldn't 'ave too much o' a problem."
He pauses, another to-do occuring to him.
"Best get somebeast a' th' gates t' check everybeast afore they come in. Rippla's likely th' best choice fer that, when 'e comes back. Until then..."
"..'till, then, we need a water s'pply that everybeast can't get to. Mostly they've been drinkin' outta th' well in th' middle o' th' town..but that's dirty now. We need t' ration water anyway, so we'd best start now."
He thinks a moment, going through the lists of beasts he knows who might be organized and trustworthy enough to ration water and check for sick beasts that are coming through the gate.
"There's a fox..Roger..'e might do. I'll let 'im pick five or six beasts t' 'elp 'im, at least until Rippla comes back t' take some o' the job."

Regen clears his throat.
"Lonas says th' storage is goin' fine. 'E's usin' th' Apothecary an' th' Hall as storerooms..they're guarded already in case 'o theives. Jonah's in charge o' th' walls. Tuscaro is overseein' who lives where."
The squirrel grins suddenly, amused. "An' I'm overseein' it all. Me!"
Regen takes a long drink of his ale, sets the mug down, and chuckles.

[Terragon Scrufftail]

We need healers and creatures with sense, *Terragon mutters, thinking the obvious aloud.* Kael?
Terragon? *He replies, with a faintly amused look. The otter grows serious, however, when the leaderess begins to speak.* You and some other creatures from St. Ninian's - healers and the like - can go on duty by the gates. Make it clear that they're to act for the good of the settlement, not for the good of one or two. By all means, help however you can, but... *She nods.*
The water rationing sounds fine if we can get the right creatures organising it. Roger? Of course, *She agrees, trying to put a face to the name.* Oh, and Rippla on the gates when he gets back, like you said.
So... this is a siege. There's no way of keeping the fighting away from the bounderies at all?