From Fort to Abbey

[Redwaller]

From Fort to Abbey

Prologue

        It was a warm and sunny spring day in Mossflower woods, the birds were singing and the insects chirruped noisily. Further down out of the woods, a foul smell mingled with the smell of spring; it was the smell of a horde of vermin trekking along a swift running stream towards the woods. The leader was a gray fox named Dranfor Rofnard, he had a white tail tip and white paws, and mean piercing green eyes. After entering the woods and crossing a road, he lifted his paw, sopping the horde. “They will build my fortress right here!” He told his captain. “Bring the slaves and start construction!”
“Bring the slaves!” The captain told a nearby ferret named Bartel. The captain was garrtail, a big weasel with a curved sword for weapon.

   Maximus the Ranger was walking out of the legendary Salamandastron, where the hares had offered him bed’n’breakfast. He walked along the Broadstream towards Redwall. He had come from the North fighting otters, searats and birds. Now he was walking back to Redwall to find hospitality.

   Kreastle was relaxing up on the battlements when Danjosal walked up to her. “It’s a bright day! Isn’t it?”
“Yes! And warm too!”
“Let’s go eat breakfast!”
They walked away towards the abbey, talking about long past times. Breakfast today was a time of gossiping about the new arrival of Timbalisto the Adventurer, a young mouse with much experience of battle and travel.

Chapter 1

The Mission

   Garrtail walked up to Rofnard. “Master, I am sending a party to get sandstone in a quarry not far from here!”
“Then do it! Don’t just stand there and make your jaws work uselessly!”
Garrtail walked away hurriedly with his master’s threat sounding in his ears. “Yew, go an’ get sandstone from the quarry we saw earlier! Master’s orders!” A bunch of rats walked away towards the quarry. A few meters away, Maximus was hiding behind some bushes. After waiting a few minutes, he unshouldered his bow and notched an arrow. Aiming at Rofnard, he fired. The arrow zipped by Garrtail and buried itself in Rofnard’s throne a hairsbreadth from Rofnard’s neck. “Quick! Fire at these bushes!” Arrows zipped alongside Maximus as he sped away, but an arrow buried in Max’s arm. “Go an’ see what it is!” Rofnard barked, trying not to show his fear. Bartel went to see what it was. He came back, shaking his head. “They missed! I saw a mouse run away with only an arrow in his arm!”
“Back to work! The show's over!” Rofnard barked. “Garrtail! Are the slaves on their way?”
“Yes sir, the scouts will come to report back if something happens.”
“Good! Good! Soon I will be the master of Redwall Abbey! And the name will be changed to Rofnard’s Fortress!”

*

Deathtail the Northlander and Grimmer the Foolish were making there way through murky bogs and treacherous quicksands in The Marshlands. "What a rotten place ain't it?" Grimmer said.
"Aye! I hates land and marshes. Gimme a good ship and a sea full o' defenceless merchants and I'd be 'appy fer the rest o' me days!"
They had rounded a dangerous looking stretch of mud when a trident came out of nowhere and buried itself in front of the travellers. As soon as it touched the mud, a swarm of vicious looking toads ran out towards them. “This is where I leave this stinkin’ place!” said Deathtail, already running away towards the relative safety of the woodlands. “Wait fer me, mate!” Grimmer took a mighty leap and landed next to Deathtail .They were almost into the woods, when half a score of toads jumped in front of them. Grimmer  braced himself and bulled into them, sending them sprawling. They hurried into the woods towards a depression in the terrain. They were about to jump in when Deathtail grabbed Grimmer and pointed in the shallow pit, whispering hoarsely. “Look!” As soon as Grimmer saw it, his mouth went dry with fear. Down in the pit, a colony of adders slithered noisily in a mass of cold, deadly scales. Deathtail then pointed at a fallen tree trunk on the side of the pit. “This way!” They ran as fast as they could and hid behind a thicket of lilac. Not a moment too late, Grimmer had barely crouched down when a storm of toads came hurrying towards the pit. Deathtail and his companion closed their eyes in cruel delight at the screams of the toads being choked and bitten in a sea of slithering scales. When all was quiet, Grimmer stood up and looked over the brink. “They've eaten them all!” He exclaimed. “Not even a toe's shadow left!” Deathtail came out and looked down. “Aye! That's what I calls a slaughter!”

   After looking at the slithering mass for a few more minutes, they walked away further into the woodlands. The sun was approaching it's zenith when they finally came to a ford. A huge pike was guarding the way against unwanted visitors. Deathtail started looking for a suitable piece of timber. When he had found one, he tossed it to his companion and spoke one word. “Kill!”
Grimmer needed no second bidding, he advanced to the side of the water, and, with an evil laugh, he brought the branch down on the pikes head with all his might. The pike had no chance. His head exploded in the water. The water was filled with blood. Grimmer threw himself on the remains of the pike and began devouring it. When he had finished, he  came out, red with the blood of his foe. Ready for slaughter. “Ready for more?” Asked Deathtail. Grimmer gave out a blood-chilling growl and jumped right over the water. “Come on!”

   A few hours later, Deathtail stopped Grimmer. “Look!” He said, pointing at a huge fortress. “We have arrived at the place that old fool of a crow sage had told us about!” They walked up to the doors. “Open the gates!” Bartel hurried and opened the doors. “What d’yew want? He asked in an hostile tone.
“We want to see your master! We need to talk to him”
“Right this way, then!” They made they're way to the Throne Room, situated on the third level of the Fortress. Arriving in front of the huge doors, Bartel told them to wait there and entered. Soon after he came out. “The Master's not in a good mood today.” He said, emotionless. “Ye'd better speak yer piece quick 'afore he makes you swallow it.” He went away snickering evilly.
The two companions entered nervously and bowed before Rofnard, as they had been instructed.
“What’s yer business here?” He asked, obviously annoyed of being disturbed during his nap.
“We've been told that a certain Dranfor Rofnard was looking for beasts to catch an abbey.”
“You've come to the right place.” Rofnard said expressionless. “Garrtail here will show you where you'll sleep and eat. After that you'll go to the training field and my captains will shape you into soldiers.”
They exited the room, following Garrtail. When the doors closed, he beckoned to one of his servants. “Get me my Royal Messenger.”

*

After he had been wounded, Maximus ran towards the abbey; it had taken two days to make it, but he finally made it to the gate. He only managed a faint knock before falling from exhaustion. At that moment, Danjosal's sensitive ears picked up the knock. He hurried to the gate and opened up quickly, seeing Maximus unconscious on the ground. “Help! There's a wounded beast at the gate!” Skipper and his daughter came running and picked up Maximus. “What happened?” He asked.
“I don't know, I found him lying on the threshold.”
Skipper turned to his daughter and said “Let's get him to the infirmary!” She nodded and they hurried away.

Chapter 2

The Feast

Abbess Rodine was supervising the kitchens in the absence of brother Starlo, who had gone with a small group of older dibbuns and some otters to gather fresh wild mint for tea. The kitchen was a complete mess in the absence of brother Starlo: otters had taken over a part of the kitchen to make a huge pot of shrimp and hotroot soup, spraying hotroot all over; mole dibbuns were making honeymoles, making a mess out of it; the hare couple Glenner and Starryo were stealing candied chestnuts, and so on. Abbess Rodine was about to give up, when Cartile the badgermum restored order. “Look at what you’ve done!” She said, looking reprovignly at the troublemakers. “I’m ashamed of you!” All activity had stopped by now, and everybeast was shuffling there footpaws and looking down. “Clean up this mess and go outside to prepare the feast!” Everybeast hurried to clean up and rushed outside, happy to be out of Cartile’s reproving glance.
Out on the abbey grounds, Kreastle was sitting in an apple tree in the orchard, pondering about the last events of her life. She was getting tired and was dozing off, when Danjosal walked up to her in a hurry. “Kreastle! Come quickly!” He said, running towards the battlements, where a group of redwallers were watching something. Kreastle jumped down expertly and ran up the battlements. “What is it?” She said, peering down the battlements. “What is that?” A wearet and a wildcat were waiting to speak. “We have come to deliver a message!” The wildcat said. “We have word from the mighty Warlord Rofnard. Surrender peacefully and you will be slaves, deny the offer and die! What is your choice?” As soon as he had finished, a rock came knocking down next to Grimmer’s footpaw. “You have our answer! Now go away!” Deathtail raised his fist menacingly. “You have chosen your fate! You will die!” At that, they were off.
“What are we going to do?” An old hogwife asked.
“We’ll defend this abbey until they’re defeated!” Skipper said. “Don’t you worry marm!”
Kreastle walked away, supporting the hogwife. “Come on now! Let’s go sit down peacefully in the orchard!”
Maximus was sitting down on his bed, refusing warm nettle broth sister Amabel presented to him. “I don’t want that horrible thing you call nettle broth!”
“You need it if you want to heal!”
“I would rather die than drink that!”
Sister Amabel gave up and went to another patient.

   As soon as she was gone, Maximus jumped out of bed and went outside. Arriving outside, he bumped into Danjosal. “Whoa mate! Watch your step!” Danjosal puffed. “What are you doing here?”
“Nothing!” Maximus sighed. “I’m just walking outside to wake my stiffened limbs.”
“If you say so!” Danjosal shrugged and walked inside, leaving Maximus alone. Maximus  hurried up the stairs to the battlements and looked out in the horizon. Kreastle had followed him from a distance and was now tip-pawing towards him. “it's all right, you can come.” Kreastle jumped up on the battlements and stared at Maximus. “How do you feel?” She asked anxiously.
“I'm all right, I guess.” He sighed heavily.
“What is it?”
“Well, I don't feel like I'm accepted around here. Everybeast avoids me.”
“That's not true and you know it! It's just-”
“It's just that I'm an outlaw. An... an outcast.”
“It's been a long time. Things have changed since... since the accident.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course! You'll see!” She than ran down the stairs and hurried away to the Abbess' study.

   Abbess Rodine was sipping her tea, while reading a report from the otter scouts, when the door slammed open and Kreastle came bounding in.
“Abbess! I need to talk to you!”
“Please close the door.” She said patiently.
Kreastle closed the door hurriedly. “I need to speak to you!”
“Calm down, calm down. Take a seat and tell me what it is.”
“I'd like to have the summer feast prepared for tomorrow evening, Abbess!”
“What is the reason for this?”
“I'd like to make Max feel that he is welcome.”
“All right. I'll look to it.”
“Thanks Abbess!” She ran out to the battlements.
“Max! Do you want to take a walk in the woods?”
“Okay, if you want.”
Kreastle grabbed his hand and ran down to the gates and on into the woods.
   
Meanwhile, the abbess walked down and pulled Friar Starlo to the side. After explaining to him what she wanted, she walked back to her study, letting the friar do his job. And  he did. Shrimp and hotroot soup, oat scones with meadowcream and honey, oatfarls, mushroom and leek pasties, carrot and turnip turnovers, the famous deeper’n’ever pie, dumplings, cheese and mushroom flans, cheese, summer salad, fruit salad, a huge apple and plum cake, woodland trifle, and countless other delicacies were prepared. Timbalisto and Foremole rolled out barrels and kegs under the watchful eyes of Brug the cellarkeeper. There was strawberry fizz, mint tea, october ale, strawberry cordial, burdock cordial, raspberry wine, gooseberry wine. Glenner and a few other stout creatures were setting tables and games outside. The dibbuns decorated the tables with fresh fruits and nuts .
Night was falling when Kreastle and Maximus knocked at the gates. All went silent, Swag the otter gatekeeper opened the doors and let them in. They walked to the tables and sat down. The abbess stood up. “This feast as been made in honour of the returning outcast! We all hope he has become a gentlebeast!” Everybeast cheered heartily, some clapped Maximus’ back in a friendly manner. The Abbess rang the bell and recited.

“We take all this food,
For a repast and feast,
With fish meat and bread,
Made with best yeast,
With all these good friends,
Young, old, or gone,
We celebrate the season,
And food, our plates we put it on.”

Later that night, they started singing songs. Glenner sang his famous feast song.

We're gonna have a feast,
So come good beast,
And eat your hearts desire.
You'll have all you can eat,
So take a seat,
And sit down by the fire.

There'll be pudden' an’ pie,
And cake oh my!
Just watch how much you take,
If you don't mind,
I'll try to find,
The scrumptious Great Hall Cake!

So come on now,
Don't take a bow,
Just eat and eat and eat,
And when your full,
Just take a stroll,
The feast is then complete!

Glenner sat down and heaped a plate with apple and strawberry turnovers. “Singing always makes me hungry” Her mate laughed aloud. “Whoohahaha! Your such a bally glutton!” The feast went on without anything particular going on. The Dibbuns had walked away to play in the Orchard. Murk the mole dibbun and his friend Trelk the mousebabe crept under the tables towards the Abbess. They giggled and squealed as they neared her. Suddenly, they jumped up onto her lap. “Booh!” They said. The Abbess, with the weight of the Dibbuns pressing her back, fell down of her chair with the two Dibbuns. Badgermum Cartile picked the two Dibbuns with one paw, and helped the Abbess up with the other. “You naughty Dibbuns! You'll take a bath and go to bed straight away. Sister Alvy, will you help me get these two rascals up to bed?” Sister Alvy, the otter Infirmary Keeper, pushed back her chair and walked towards Mother Cartile. “Let's go.” The two departed, with the two Dibbuns squealing uproariously.
“No' inna baff!”
“We'm bees scrubbed to deaff in ee baffwaters, hurr!” The noise receded as the two closed the door behind them. Every Redwaller stared at the door. Glenner broke the ice by laughing goodheartedly. “Haha! Have you ever seen any worst Dibbuns then these two! They'll turn this Abbey into rubble if they don't stop mischievin' like this, wot!” Eberybeast laughed aloud.
“Hey, they'd steal a pie under your nose, if'n they had a mind to!”
“Hurr, hurr! They'm bees gurt rarscally Dibbuns, zurr!” Brother Starlo stepped up in front of everybeast. “If you don't mind, I'll sing a song for the feast.”
Everybeast cheered.
“Go on Brother! Sing us a good 'un!”

“Welcome Abbey dwellers,
To a feast beyond no other,
There's food to eat, games to play,
So go ahead Brother,
With friends of the many,
Gathered 'round with you,
Let's all eat, not trick or treat,
And pie with berries blue.”

They cheered happily. “That bees a gudd 'un, zurr Brother!”
“Hey, with a voice like that, I'd be singin' everyday!”
Badgemum Cartile and Sister Alvy came back and took their place at the table. “They're up in their beds, with the rest of the Dibbuns, all snoring soundly. It was time they were up in their beds.” Mother Rodine walked up to Cartile and whispered in her ear. Cartile nodded and stood up. “I'll recite you a poem, asked especially by our good Mother Rodine.” Everybeast hushed and looked at the great Badger mother.

“Ballad Of Brockhall

Once a place named Brockhall,
Filled with Badger Lords,
Welcomed woodlanders all,
But ruled a bally horde.

But one day twas abandoned,
An' nothing left to forget
Cobwebs over hanged,
Or held a big sticky net.

Chairs and tables eroding,
Back into the soft earth,
Silverware now rusting,
A dusty, old, black hearth.

’Tis abandoned now,
Only Salamandastron,
Badgers and hares alike,
West to the sea they've gone.

Warriors to the core,
Fighters they can be,
But none remember Brockhall,
It's location a mystery.”

Everything was silent, as they watched in silence Cartile regain her seat. Then, everybeast broke into cheers and hurrahs.

Chapter 3

        Badrang was on his vessel, glaring at two rats that had deserted, kneeling on the    ground. “What do you have to say for yourself?” He barked. The two rats wimpered with fright. “We was just running after this... errrr... mouse! Yes, it was a mouse, and, errr... it was running with a big treasure! Yeah! Ain't that right Skirty?”
Skirty nodded in agreement, “Yah, yah! That's what it was a-doin'!” Badrang gave Skirty a smack with his scimitar. “Shuddup you liars! You know what ‘appens to deserters, dontchoo?” The rats threw themselves on the ground. “Spare us your Captainsy!” The first rat cried. “We wasn’t desertin’, we was...” He never finished speaking. Badrang wiped his sword on the headless carcass, and turned to the other one. “Feed this one to Slorp” Skirty wailed, “Not Slorp! Please sir, do what you like with me, but don't feed me to Slorp!” Badrang turned away disgustedly. “Clean up the deck and throw him over to Slorp, and go back to your stations!” He went to his cabin, planning there next course. He had stopped at Argutrot to hire a crew. His former crew had been killed by a kraken, he was the only survivor, But he didn’t escape for free, he had lost half his leg and an eye. It had made him short-tempered and cruel.
When he entered the cabin he was greeted by a blue fox. “Haharr! What d’yew want Skyfur?” Skyfur sat on a velvet chair. “Where are we goin’?” He asked in a deep, booming voice. “I haven’t decided yet. Maybe we could sail to Jima to buy some o’ those rare spices.” Badrang said with an evil smile. Skyfur spat in disgust. “Huh! We always go to Jima, I’m tired of always doin’ the same thing!” Badrang took a seat next to Skyfur. “Then what do you want?” Skyfur looked at the dark woods outside. “Let’s go earthwards!” He said. Badrang stroked his beard pensively. “Earthwards you say... Let me think about it first. Deal?” He stuck his paw out. Skyfur looked at it for a moment before shaking it. “Deal!”

         Major Longsburrey and Conny Gripple the two Long Patrol hares were patrolling in Argutrot. “Whew! What a hot day, wot!” Complained Conny. “Why don’t we jolly well rest?”
“Because we’ve got a bally patrol to finish!” A shadow slipped quickly in a side road. “What was that bloomin' thing?” Major Longsburrey exclaimed, running towards the side road the shadow had slipped in. “Follow me!” They hurried along after the elusive shadow. After running a short way, they came to a dead end. Conny had flopped down on the ground, panting. “T'ain't the time to rest Gripple, the bally rotters have jolly well trapped us.” Longsburrey said, drawing his sabre. A dozen rats were closing in on them. “T'will be your first battle, young Conny, draw your short spear and fight!” They were about to meet the vermin in battle which would have surely went badly for them, when an arrow fell from the sky and slew the closest rat, followed quickly by another two, who dispatched the captain and second in command. Those who tried to retreat were silently felled, with the only noise being the zipping and thudding of the arrows, as they met there victims. “What the lettuce is goin’ on?” Conny exclaimed, when the last vermin fell to the ground, with half a dozen arrows in him. A group of squirrels slid down onto the ground The one that appeared to be the leader of the group took a step forward. “Follow us before they come back!” She then turned around and ran at fulll speed, followed by her warriors. “Let's go Conny!” Major Longsburrey said, running after the squirrels. Conny followed quickly.

        Argutrot was in plain sight now. Garner took an extra burst of speed. The cottages were growing bigger and bigger at the moment. ‘Almost there!’ He thought. At that moment, he was knocked to the ground by a heavy paw. He tried to get up but was pinned down. “Well well well! What do we have here?” A strange, deep-throated voice said. Garner tried to look over his shoulder, but something hard connected with his skull, and all went black... 

        Meanwhile, Rofnard was tapping his throne bad-temperedly with his sharp claws. “Garrtail! Bring me Nighthaunter!” Garrtail, who had been standing next to Dranfor Rofnard, Whimpered in fear.
“Nighthaunter, my Lord?”
“Yes, I said Nighthaunter.”
“But-”
“No buts, I said I wanted Nighthaunter here, now!”
“Your wish is my command...”
Garrtail hurried away to do his master's bidding.

Chapter 4

       After several minutes, Nighthaunter entered the room. “What d’yew want?” she
asked in a muffled voice. It was clothed in a dark brown dress, that descended to her knees, she had black gloves and black boots, a mask covering half of her face, snow white fur covering the rest of her body, and a black cloak covering all.
   Rofnard stood up. “I want you to do something for me.” The Nighthaunter shifted. “And what is the task?” Rofnard opened a secret panel in his throne and took something from inside. “Here’s what I want you to do...” Night was falling as the two figures conversed silently.

   Night had fallen over the Abbey, and everybeast slept peacefully in the dormitories. All but one. Maximus sat on his bed, pondering about the days events. Outside, a shadow  walked silently in the woods.  It stopped close to the wall, and, taking a three-pronged hook from its belt, threw it expertly. He was rewarded with a satisfactory clank. It tested the ropes solidity before it scaled up the wall, using the rope. Once on the battlements it stopped, listening to the night’s sounds. After making sure it was alone, it hid the hook in a crack between the corner battlements and descended the east stairs. Instead of going inside the Abbey, it walked towards the newly built Warrior’s Cottage. It paused next to the door and listened: The only sound audible was a slight snore. It lifted the latch carefully, and poked its head inside, taking in the surroundings. It slipped inside and creeped towards the wall at the far end of the cottage. It inched close to it and looked up at the sword resting on wooden pegs. It turned around swiftly, as it heard a noise. Kreastle turned over in her sleep, mumbling softly.  It heaved a sigh of relief and turned back to the sword, it lifted it slowly, and put it in its cloak. It made towards the warrior, taking a small bottle. Putting a few drops in the warrior's mouth, it put it back and walked away.
   
        Meanwhile, Maximus was walking down the stairs towards Great Hall. He slipped towards the door and  walked outside towards the outer walls. The Nighthaunter was out too, and walking in the same direction as Maximus. The night was dark and moonless, Maximus started walking up the stairs when somebeast bumped into him, making them roll down the stairs. Maximus got up first and was about to jump on the beast when a knife buried in his side, making him screech out with pain. The Nighthaunter jumped upright and ran up to the battlements, wild cries ringing in his ears. He attached the sword securely to his back before he slipped down the rope. Skipper and his crew were up on the walls, each armed either with a bow or a sling. “Fire!” A volley of deadly shafts flew either side of Nighthaunter. One of them made it’s way to the running form and buried in his shoulder. Nighthaunter continued on running through the woods.

Chapter 5

   Dranfor Rofnard stood over his balcony, looking towards the woods. Heavy rain clouds ran across the sky, threatening to explode at any moment. Garrtail stood to attention next to the warlord, awaiting orders. Rofnard looked down at his army training in the grounds. “How many do we have?”
“Twenty-five scores sir!”
“Good, very good! How many do you guess we'd need to take over the Sandstone House?”
“We have just the right number sir!”
“We have well over the needed number!” Rofnard exclaimed. “But if we also want to take over the mountain fortress and the Castle of the South, we need well over this number. Maybe with Badrang leading his crew for sea-raids, we might be able to take over.”
“As you say, lord.”
A thrush whistled shrilly in the woods. Grimmer walked out on the balcony, “Sir, we have spotted a crew of otters swimming towards Redwall Abbey!”
“When?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.”
“Which way did they take?”
“The Broadstream.”
“How many?”
“About fivescore, sir.”
“What weapons did they carry?”
“Mostly slings and javelins, some with daggers.”
“That is all, you can go now.” Dranfor Rofnard turned to Deathtail,
“If they get any more soldiers, we'll have to get reinforcements! Send somebeast to get Bufka and his tribe.”
“Your wish is my command, Lord.”

   Skipper Looga and his clan were swimming steadily through the Broadstream towards Redwall Abbey. The woods were completely silent, as if waiting for the storm to break over them. Not a leaf ruffled, not one insect dared to make a noise, the woodlanders dared not to break the heavy silence: the storm was coming! Skipper Looga looked around warily, waiting for his scouts to report. He did not have to wait for long, a bush moved slightly, and the water barely rippled, and an otter popped silently next to Skipper Looga. “No sign of the enemy, they seem to have disappeared back into their fortress.”
“Any sign o' Redwall?”
The answer was short and demoralizing: “None.”
“Stap me rudder mate, have we got to travel around the world afore we gets to the Abbey?”
“It might be so,” He answered grimly. “There's not a change in these woodlands for miles around.”
“Hmph, we'll just have to carry on.” The suns last rays descended in the sky, leaving the earth in total darkness.

   Maximus had been carried to the Infirmary, and was being taken care of by Sister Amabel Florence. She rummaged through her various assortment of herbs and remedies. Finding what she was looking for, she applied some balm to the wound, and covered it with a mixture of herbs and dockleaves, and bound it up with some strips of cloth. She turned to a small kettle, and poured a purple liquid in a cup. “Here, drink this, it will make you feel better, and take away the pain.” The gentle Sister put the cup to his lips, making him drink a bit of the bitter tasting concoction. “Here now, don't go and splutter all of my precious remedy.” She remonstrated softly. Maximus dropped on his pillow and fell asleep. Outside, in the Warrior's Cottage, Kreastle laid in her bed, writhing in pain, the Nighthaunter's poison was taking effect...

   In Argutrot, in the small tavern of O'Grailu, a pair of weasels sat at the counter, sharing a few glasses of grog together. “What do ya fink the Captain will do nex'?” The other looked dumbly around. “Huh, huh, dunno Fwink. Maybe 'e wants ta blow the harbor?” The one called Fwink smacked him hard on the head. “Stoopid, idjit, why would the Captain want ta blow dis 'ere 'arbor? He's got no reasons ta do dat, 'cos he can get a crew whenever he wants ta. Now shuddup an' finish ya drink, so's we can go back to the ship.” He was about to get back to his drink, when the door knocked open, and a huge monitor lizard came in. He walked to the counter and sat next to Grupp, who was Fwink's shipmate. Grupp looked dumbly at the monitor. “Hey Fwink! Wot's that thing wot sits next ta me?” Fwink looked in alarm at the size of the lizard. He whispered urgently to Grupp. “Shuddup idjit! Ya'll get us both in trouble!” But it was too late, the monitor turned his head. “Where can I find the captain of the ship Bluddpaw? I've got buzzzzzinezzzzz with the Captain.” Fwink and Grupp gulped nervously, “Fo- fo- follow m-me sir.” They jumped down from their seats and hurried to the Bluddpaw.

[Redwaller]

I have renamed the fanfic. And Leatho came up with the name. 

[Redwaller]

Chapter 2 has been modified.

[Captain Tammo]

Wow great illustrations!!!! They certainly add to the experience, good job!

[Redwaller]

Thanks!  And if you want to comment, or see information on the characters, post here: From Fort to Abbey Discussion Topic

[Redwaller]

Chapter 5 is up.