Deep in the cellar of The Garrison, the Squeaky Blinders regrouped after their first outing in the area. Most nursed cuts and grazes, a few deeper injuries the Jerimiah Cheeses had treated.
"Oi thought yow said grabbing that paychest was an easy run Tommy?" Arthur the stoat complained, a mad glint in his eye.
"'How was Oi to know there were three other gangs after it at the same time, and two of them were tooled up, brother," the gang leader munched on his habitual carrot while leaning back against a barrel of XXX, his hat tilted over his eyes.
"Good thing we had the lay of the land before hand," Clarrise added from near the stairs, picking up a tray of goblets.
"Yeah, we knew the chest was somewhere in the dumped supplies in the middle, just a matter of scrambling to get at it," John the adder slithered in through a hole, several sticking platers covering the length of his body, "why are we down here, the bar upstairs is nice and warm?"
"Don 't want the locals leaking our buisness," Tommy grinned. 
"Yeah, nice the royalists laid on a warm reception, sending Syd and Squint after us!" Oddy the shrew put in, taking a goblet from Clarrise.
"Thought our brother rats might 'ave been a little more aminable, seeing as we have the Reverand Cheeses on our side," Arthur muttered through his mouse-tash, taking a goblet and turning the tap on a barrel of mild.
Tommy took the proffered goblet from his bother, "Well, the second royalist gang came on strong too," slurping the mild, he nodded, "Good brew this."
"Despite all the buildings, it was pretty open all the way in for everyone, thought those royalist mouse archers of Sir Oliphant would have a harder time," Clarrise muttered.
"Oh and Sixpence was soon roosting on the church roof," Clarrise continued, pouring herself a bottle of stout.
"Jerimiah will be incensed," John smiled, "Sacrilidge!"
"Damn those rats, hitting you with a crossbow bolt, bit unsporting," Arthur patted the snake on the back.
"You think a sparrow was bad enough on the roof, he was joined by Elmo the Kite!" Tommy droned. 
"It was hilarious watching Squint trying to spot you Fynn the mouse, were you always standing on his blindside?" Johnny Dogs the hedgehog asked.
"Should have capped 'im then and there," Fynn looked rough, covered in hits, "put a pistol shot in 'im, but I followed gang orders to get across town as quickly and quietly as possible." 
"What was funny brother," Tommy smiled, the carrot dangling from his lips, "was Rackness the racoon taking a pop at Oliphant, pity she didn't do more damage!"
"'E didn't like that," Tommy continued after a sup of beer, "went straight for her."
"For 'er, 'e went straight through 'er!" Fynn laughed.
"Yeah, and I thought they was working together?" drawled Johnny Dogs the hedgehog.
"Really annoyed me, they kept spotting me," Clarrise put in, "kept shooting arras at me!"
"While you were drawing fire, nice job on all those dodges by the way ," Oddy jibbed, "You dodged a fair few though, nice work."
"Dodge this!" A goblet came flying in at the shrew, who plucked it out the air and put it carefully down. "The rats had found sum'it, pity as soon as they did Sixpence and Elmo were straight on 'em!"
"Yeah, they were looking for something," Arthur added, "they were searching everywhere, even after they found the chest."
"It was getting right tasty round the chest, Bobby joined in on the rats, along with Sixpence," John hissed while filling a goblet, " I was waiting for Pete the Pi-rat to move, hoping for a quick bite, never got it." 
"Where did you get to brother?" Tommy looked at Arthur.
"I tried to duck into cover of the church, but that damned kite spotted me, caught me 'ard with it's claws, hate 'im!"
"Mousetagnon tried to get on the cat too!" John added, as an adder would... 
"It was obivous we weren't getting that chest," Johnny Dogs added, "so we went for getting to the other side of town."
"Not easy when you've got two gangs who've decided to hunt you down, and are working togetha!" Fynn complained. 
"Well, at least I got a hand on the chest as Knucles was taken down by Sixpence and Arthur the mouse with his axe." John the adder grinned.
"Erm..."
"What?"
"You ain't got no 'ands!" Oddy laughed. 
"No hands, 'e nearly 'ad no 'ead' after that mouse swung at 'im!" Arthur shook his head and grim-miced.
"Thankfully the rats were furious with the Royalists and had a right go at Elmo, and Arthur mouse, remind us to drop them off a barrel of something tasty," Tommy mused.
"Glad I had one of Jerimiah's healing potions," John added, "do you know he does rat flaoured ones for me?"
"Nah, they all taste of rat!"
"Yeah, them birds got that trunk clean away from the rats," Clarrise took a long draught of her drink.
"They certainly boxed up the box," Oddy added, "No one was getting in there."
"You did good girl, getting over there, to their edge of the civilised world" Arthur the stoat grinned, "Holding off that tortoise too."
"Thank's for joining me Arthur," the starling grinned sheepishly, "thought I was gonna be all on me own over there."
The stoat looked up from his drink, an odd look in his eye, "Went though the church didn't I, knew the lords would be calling me, next time, I will do their work."
"Starting to sound like Jerimiah there brother," Tommy whispered, concerned.
"I was there on the edge too," Fynn added, grinning, "a little delayed and battered, but still moving!"
"The Oliphant royalist were certainly tracking yow Tommy, " Johnny Dogs the hedgehog commented, "we'd better watch for that"
"I've some ideas too keep 'em at range," Tommy grinned and chomped another carrot.
"Where is Jerimiah anyway?" Clarrise asked.
"Outside, preaching," Johnny looked up, "met another priest after the fight, they were busy upgrading some sermon ideas.".
"Oh well, I'm on shift tonight, you all look after yourselves, and behave" she winked as shehe aded up the cellar steps to the bar. "There's five pennies in the strong box from my tips!" She shouted back.
"Here's a few a money lender 'gave me." Finn out in.
"Right, spread out lads, no-one needs to know we only just lost, we are the top gang here, this is Squeaky territory!" Tommy grinned.
"Alright brother," Arthur tipped his cap and started too head to the stairs while the snake slipped out
through the coal hatch, no doubt to terrorise someone somewhere.
"First time out here, versus two much harder gangs, reckon we did alright boss?" Fynn asked as he and Oddy went out the delivery hatch ramp.
"Yeah, we did well," Tommy grinned, "have fun lads."
"Wait Arthur, you've got that look in your eye, not sure I trust it" Tommy said.
"I'll be alright Tommy, the gods have a mission for me," the whiskers twitched.
"Well, this might help your mission." Tommy tossed over a long package wrapped in oil cloth, "Dropped in at Simeon's gunmaker, upgraded Fynn's piece, but you might need this, guaraenteed to cause some pain."
Arthur unwrapped a cavalier, and smiled at Tommy "Thank yow, Lords do want me to do their work!"
"I knew you would say that..."
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