Holt Arundell

[KitrallStreamrippler]

CHAPTER ONE

    In the warm afternoon sunlight of Mossflower Woods. a young ottermaid wandered joyfully along between the trees. Full of the beauty around her, she burst into song. Her sweet, clear voice rang out through the forest.

I woke this morn unto a sight,
The sun was beamin'  bright.
The trees so green;
I've never seen
A lovelier springtime sight!

I woke this morn unto a sound;
The larksong all around.
The singing birds;
I've never heard
A lovelier springtime sound!

I woke this morn unto the smell,
Of flowers in the dell.
What joy I felt;
I've never smelt
A lovelier springtime smell!

I'll sing hurrah, I'll sing hooray!
The winter's gone away.
So sing it out
Or cheer and shout,
The springtime's here today!

    As the last notes of her song faded, the sound of running water reached the maid's ears. She rushed eagerly towards it, as her supplies had run out that morning.
When she reached the river, the young otter was surprised to see a broad path on both sides of it, running roughly north and south. She chuckled and said to herself, "Well, that path'll spare my poor paws a fair bit, I shouldn't wonder. I feel like I stepped on all the sharp rocks an' splinters in the forest!"
    After crossing the river and setting her cloak, staff, and rucksack down carefully, the ottermaid dove wholeheartedly into the river. For nearly an hour, she splashed and played in the water like a babe, until she was quite refreshed. She was also no longer thirsty, as she had drunk a fair amount of the cool river water.
    Soon, the ottermaid had consumed a passable meal of fruit and berries, foraged from the nearby trees. She laid out on the grass to dry off, and before very long, the rushing of the river was accompanied by the weary traveler's gentle snores.

~*~*~*

"I'll race you to the pond, Sister Aralia!" shouted a young squirrelmaid as she dashed past the old mouse. "You'll do no such thing, Rowan! If you keep running about like that, you will get your nice clean smock dirty for sure." The formidable Infirmary Keeper looked over the top of her spectacles and continued. "And you're certain to injure somebeast. Learn to take life at a slower pace, young maid!" The squirrelmaid looked properly contrite as she replied, "Yes, Sister Aralia."
Rowan turned and walked carefully away, muttering, "She'd know about going slow. Huh, I bet she would lose a race with snails!" Foremole Vurpple, who was passing by, chuckled at Rowan's comments. He winked at her and remarked, "Hurr, she'm surpintly wudd, miz. Burr aye," as he trundled off toward the orchard.

~*~*~*

  The ottermaid woke with a blade tickling her whiskers. Furious at being caught napping, she snarled, "What d'you want, scum?" The blade belonged to a skinny ferret, who sneered at the helpless maid. "Tut, tut! Diddent you ever learn no manners? You should be polite an' share yore vittles wid a pore, starvin' traveller." The young otter laughed. "Hah! Is that what ye want, slimenose? Well, even if you were a 'starvin' traveller', you'd be outta luck. I finished off my supplies this morning, greasyfur!"
       The ferret snarled. "Greasyfur? Slimenose? Nobeast insults Grull the ferret an' lives. Yore dead, streamdog!" As Redtail raised his knife to strike, a hare burst out of the trees and knocked the ferret aside with a javelin.
"Eulaliiiaaaa! I say, old chap, bad form, wot! Slayin' a new acquaintance? I bet you haven't even heard her blinkin' name yet! Awful manners, dontcha know." The hare shook his head sorrowfully and winked at the otter, who was now standing, staff in paw.  "The blinkin' nerve of these vermin! Didn't he have a mother? She would have set him straight. But I guess we'll just have to do it for her, wot!" Grull, suddenly finding himself facing two armed fighters, ran.
The hare had to stop his new ally from chasing after the ferret. "Let the blighter go, miss. No harm done, and perhaps he's learned a bit of a lesson, wot. Oh! My apologies f'not introducin' meself, miss! The name's - er, ahem, er- Thornpaw Brackenscut, at y'service." The delighted ottermaid grinned and clasped his paw heartily. "My name is Kitrall Streamrippler. You can call me Kit, though. I'm looking for someplace called Mossflower Woods. Have ye heard of it, mate?" Her companion did an exaggerated double-take.
"Did y'say, 'where's Mossflower'? You must jolly well have moss in your head if you don't know where y'are!" Kit, angered slightly by the hare's comments, replied, "And where exactly am I then, smartyfur? I've lived my whole life in the Northlands, I can't navigate through all these trees!"
       "You're in Mossflower, old gel, just half-a-day's march north of Redwall Abbey." When this was met with a blank look, the young hare asked incredulously, "Even you bally northlander types must have heard of the abbey?" Kit shook her head. "I suppose you'll just have to take me to this Redwall place, mate, if you know all about it," she said cheerfully.
Her newfound friend clapped her on the back and barked out, "All right then! Off we go! Steady in the ranks there, sah! Ready- march!" With his ears standing stiffly at attention, the comical beast set off down the path, singing an old barrack-room ballad.

~*~*~*

       Skipper was sitting on the west walltop, enjoying the peacefulness of a spring night when he heard two creatures coming down the path, talking and joking. "Hahahaha! Why, you old phony! If the food at this abbey is as good as you say, mate, you probably ran off just to taste it!" "What about you, me old streamwalloper? What's your story, miss?" The reply was casual, but an obvious evasion.
       "Ah, that's a story for another day, mate. What about your name, eh? You hesitated quite a bit. What is it really?" "Er, ahem, hrmph- er, now don't go shoutin' it all over Mossflower, but it's really Starbreeze.  I think my parents wanted a girl, really. The old pater must have had a sense of humor, wot? Yowch! Help!" Sounds of a battle soon reached Skipper's ears, and he slipped off to the main Abbey building for help.

~*~*~*

       Kit and Starbreeze were talking when the young hare suddenly went sprawling, bowled over by a spearbutt. "Yowch! Help!" A band of vermin, led by Grull, ambushed the two companions. Roaring battle-cries, the pair fought back-to-back, slaying and wounding vermin on all sides. "Eulaaalliiiaaaa!" "Arundeeeeellll!" Though they fought admirably, Kit and Starbreeze were facing almost thirty times their number. Kit fell when a stoat's club crashed down between her ears.
Starbreeze had lost his javelin and was bleeding in a dozen places, but he stood over his fallen comrade and fought like a madbeast. "Eulaaalliiiaaaa! Hah! I'll meet you all at Hellgates! Blood 'n' vinegaaar!" Suddenly, he heard an answering cry.
       "Redwaaaaall! Hold on there, young feller, we'll get you out!" With the help of the Redwallers, the tide of battle was turned, and Grull was shortly leading a retreat. As a weary and only half-conscious Starbreeze was led into the Abbey, he managed to inquire about Kit. "I was fightin' with an otter- is she all right?" Skipper had the ottermaid over his shoulder, and he smiled at the young hare. "You rest easy, matey. Yore friend'll be right as rain in a couple days."
Starbreeze, worn-out and injured, couldn't even nod, and he slumped forward in unconsciousness. Abbot Pritel, who caught him, remarked in amazement, "Now here is a true friend. I've never seen such loyalty." Skipper adjusted his burden and nodded. "Well, we'd best get these loyal friends to the infirmary. They've been through quite a bit."

CHAPTER TWO

       The only thing Kit was aware of was that her body was a mass of pain, especially her head. The pain slowly ebbed away, but as she struggled to regain consciousness, she realized that she couldn't move. Somebeast was holding her down. Kit came fully awake fighting, beating back restraining paws even before her eyes were open.
       When she did open them, the bright midday sunlight stunned her momentarily. After she had recovered, Kit saw a young squirrelmaid and an older female mouse rushing toward another old mouse, who was slumped against the wall, dazed. Framed in the doorway was a sleek, brawny otter. He nodded to the two creatures supporting the old mouse and said, "Sister Aralia, Rowan, why don't you take the abbot over to the gatehouse. He'll be fine." As they passed the otter, Rowan looked back, winked cheekily, and said, "Don't knock her up too badly, Skip. I haven't finished fixing her yet. But don't let that fool you. She's still plenty strong!" Skipper nodded and closed the door behind them.
       Then he turned back to Kit, who was now standing uncertainly beside her bed. "You must be Kit- yore friend told us about ye," he said. Kit, immediately on guard, dropped into a fighting stance. "What've you done with Starbreeze, vermin?" she demanded. Skipper scratched his head, puzzled.
       "Vermin? I don't think ye understand me, miss. I'm not a vermin. I'm an otter like yerself, an' yore friend's fine, probably stuffin' 'is face in Great Hall right now. You're in Redwall Abbey." "But- the battle- we were ambushed-" Skipper smiled. "You went down fightin', and Starbreeze held off close to three-score vermin until we got there an' rescued you two."
       Just then, the hare in question poked his head around the door. "Heard there was a bit of a disturbance, wot! Kit, you aren't causing any blinkin' trouble, are you? We wouldn't want these goodbeasts to jolly well chuck us out, now, would we?" Skipper chuckled and said, "The idea never crossed me mind, mate, but mayhap it's not such a bad 'un. It'd certainly save pore Friar Hollyspike a lot of work."
       Starbreeze's ears stood up with indignation.  "I say, sah, the bally nerve! After gettin' m'self bloomin' near slain t'protect your blinkin' Abbey from vermin hordes! I guess I'll just scoff all this lunch meself. Maybe that'll teach you bounders a jolly old lesson, wot!"
       Kit, now much reassured, laughed at the incorrigible hare. "Hahahaheehee! You just want an excuse to eat our lunch, famine-face! Come on in, mate. And if you can try a spoonful of my hotroot soup without needin' water, I'll give ye the whole bowl." Starbreeze brightened  considerably and entered, laden with a large tray of food. "Ahem, er- I must say, I'm glad t'see you're alright, Kit. Hrmph. Not that I was worried, wot wot!"
Kit simply poured herself a bowl of watershrimp and hotroot soup. She tasted it, and reached for the powdered hotroot, remarking to Skipper, "This is good, mate, but up north, we have to make our soup hot enough to keep us warm through the harsh Northern winter. Here now, Starbreeze, try some of this."
       The young hare had watched in dismay as Kit had continuously added hotroot pepper, and he now paled slightly. "Er, no thanks, old gel. I have to- er- I seem to have lost my appetite. See you later, wot!" Skipper and Kit howled with laughter at Starbreeze's hasty retreat.

[KitrallStreamrippler]

CHAPTER THREE

       Grull was in a precarious situation, and he knew it. He had promised his band of vermin an easy life if they listened to him and helped kill that otter and hare. However, they had suffered a humiliating defeat at the paws of the Abbey-dwellers. A rat named Ripear had found an old church- Saint Ninian's- and the rest of the vermin were gathered inside, licking their wounds.
       Ripear had made a small campfire and was roasting apples when he was joined by a ragged stoat, who had managed to bring down a small bird. They shared their food in silence until the stoat muttered, "Easy pickin's, huh.  Simple victory. All we got off'n them creatures was a dozen or more slain, an' countless wounded. What d'yew think of that ferret Grull, mate?" Ripear spat. "That old fool 'ad no bizness draggin' us into a battle in front of that big abbey place. We're better off without 'is leadership. Hah! A half-dead beetle 'ud do a better job. Wot's your name, stoat?"
       "Bladepaw, wot's yores?" "I'm Ripear. Lissen, Bladepaw, 'ow'd you feel about bein' a General? If'n we c'n get rid of Grull, you an' me could be in charge. What d'yer say?" Bladepaw smiled slowly and nodded. "So, 'ow do we do it?"

~*~*~*

       Kit found herself facing a similar question. Sister Aralia was standing firmly in the Infirmary doorway, paws on hips. "You will not leave this room until I deem fit," she said sternly. "Now go lie back down and rest- goodness knows you need it! And you!" she rounded suddenly on Starbreeze, who had been sneaking up behind her. "You should be resting, too, sir! If the Abbot hadn't requested that you be released, you would still be in bed!"
       Starbreeze, putting on a hurt expression, exclaimed, "Marm! How could you imply that I haven't been livin' up t'your wise words of advice? Why I've been restin' so much, I-" Aralia held up her paw for silence. "That's quite enough, young Starbreeze. I know very well how much rest you've been getting. You just go on to the kitchens and help prepare for the feast tonight."  
Starbreeze coughed embarrassedly. "Ahem, harumph. Er, yes, well, y'see, I've been jolly well reassigned, marm. Kit's to help me bringin' up drinks from the bally cellars, wot!" Reluctantly, Aralia stood aside and let Kit pass. "Mind you, if that leg of yours pains you at all, come right back here and let me know!" she called, but the two young creatures were already gone, racing to the cellars.
       After rolling several casks of drinks to the pond, Kit and Starbreeze were exhausted. "I say, these- urgh- barrels are bloomin' heavy, wot!" Starbreeze commented as he shoved against a cask of October Ale. He went sprawling when Kit gave an extra push and it rolled away from him.
       Springing up, the young hare pulled a face at Kit. "Yah boo, y'bally rotter! Push me over, will you? Fine, well I'm not helpin' y'push the jolly old barrels anymore, wot!" Kit chuckled. "You know it takes both of us just to budge these, Star. If you don't help, I guess there'll be less of this for you at the feast!"
       Starbreeze waggled his ears as he considered this assertion. "Hmmm, good argument, old gel. But y'see-" the hare took off running. "-last one to the orchard's a lame lizard, wot!" Kit dashed off after her friend, laughing uproariously. "Wahahahaha! Get back here, you rascal!"
        Rowan the squirrelmaid was on her way to the gatehouse when she was bowled over by Starbreeze, followed closely by Kit, who tripped and fell on top of the other two. "Oof! Star, what are you layin' about for, mate?" After extricating himself from the tangle, Starbreeze gallantly helped Rowan up.
        "Ahem, sorry, chap- er, chapess, rather. Wasn't lookin' where I was goin', I suppose. Though it's entirely this clumsy streambounder's fault. Why, she told me that the last one t'the orchard was a lame lizard! So I had t'protect my honor, y'see." Kit stood carefully, wincing as she put weight on her left footpaw.
        "You famine-faced fibber! He's the one that started the race. I am sorry for fallin' over you though, mate." Rowan started laughing. "Hahaha! A- a lame lizard! Heehee! That's a good one!" Composing herself, she continued. "Ahem. Well, I'll make you two a deal. I will accept your apologies- if you can beat me to the orchard!" The three creatures whooped and shouted joyfully as they took off towards the trees.

~*~*~*

        Ripear and Bladepaw had put together a scheme, and if all went well, Grull wouldn't live to see the next morning. That night, when their fire burned low and rest of the vermin band was asleep, Bladepaw made his move. He crept close to Grull's sleeping form with an arrow clutched in his paw. When he was close enough, Bladepaw struck. The one-time vermin leader gave a soft grunt and lay still, an arrow embedded in his chest.

[Mattio]

AWESOME

[KitrallStreamrippler]

Thanks. I already had this part written, and just had to fix it up a bit. It might be a while before I post the next bit though, because I got writer's block and skipped ahead quite a bit in the story. Ah, well, I'll work on it.
EDIT: Here is some more of the story...

     At Redwall, a grand feast was underway, celebrating the Redwallers' victory over the vermin band, but also to honor Kit and Starbreeze. As it was a warm evening, tables had been set up on the front lawns, which were a scene of happy chaos. Dibbuns, most having faces liberally smeared with various foods, were running rampant, screeching and laughing. Sister Aralia was having a hard time keeping them from rushing into the pond. "Come back here right now, you little villains! Fripps, you give me that ladle this instant!" The mouse-babe in question pointed the ladle at the Infirmary Keeper, replying cheekily. "Likkle villain youself, Sista! I is gonna empty alla pond an' catcher a biggest fish!" "Oh no, yore not, you rogue," chuckled Skipper, taking the ladle. "Where'll we get our water from then?" Fripps answered as if Skipper was a younger Dibbun. "Tchah! Don't you know anyfings? We gets water fromma rain, sillybeast!"
     The tables were laden with a dizzying array of soups, salads, pasties, cheeses, puddings, and what seemed to be the entire contents of the cellars. Kit, who had been initially dumbstruck by the sheer amount of food, was now leaning back in her seat, sighing with contentment. "Ahhhh. I feel like if I eat another bite, I'll just pop. Is the food always so good here, mate?" Rowan shrugged and gestured to Star. "I don't know. Why don't you ask old fatty-whiskers over there?" Most beasts were done eating, but that didn't stop Starbreeze. The hare made dish after dish disappear with alarming speed, eating as if he had just survived a ten-season famine. He paused for a moment at his companions' laughter, commenting huffily, "Hmph. Don't know why you two are sittin' there grinning like that. Eatin's a serious business, you know." Foremole Vurpple, who was sitting nearby, was awed by the hare's voracious appetite. "Hurr, where do 'ee bees puttin' et all, young zurr?" In answer, Star merely gestured to his stomach and said, "What, this measly lot? Well, I need to eat somethin' t'keep skin'n'fur together, wot wot!"
     Kit was beginning to get tired. She turned to Rowan. "Well, it doesn't look like Star is going to stop eating anytime soon, mate, but I am full and ready for bed. I'm going to get myself inside. G'night." Rowan smiled. "Good night, Kit. Don't worry about Star- I'll make sure he doesn't explode. You go and get a good sleep, now."
     Great Hall was cool and quiet, and Kit paused to look at the tapestry hung there. It was a magnificent work of art, as well as an excellent chronicle of Redwall's history. Many paws had added their stories to the rich weaving. The main focus of the tapestry, however, was a heroic mouse leaning on his sword with a care-free expression on his dashing features. Vermin were pictured fleeing in terror from the warrior. Kit felt her eyes drawn to meet the gaze of the mouse.
     Was it just a trick of the flickering torchlight, or did he seem to wink? Then Kit noticed the two silver wallspikes next to the tapestry. She was sure that they were meant to hold some magnificent artifact from the abbey's history, but they were currently empty. Kit felt a wave of sadness for the lost item, and turned to look back at the mouse on the tapestry. Without knowing why, she began to speak to him, sitting down in front of the wall.
     "Do you know what goes on those spikes? I'm sure you do- you seem like you know everything that goes on here. Was it yours? Whatever's supposed to go on those spikes? Somehow, I think it was..." Kit carried on drowsily until she nodded off to sleep, still sitting in front of the tapestry.

~*~*~*

     The next morning at Saint Ninian's church, Ripear was woken by a hoarse yell. "Auughh! The Chief's dead! 'E's got an arrer in 'im!" Ripear leapt up and rushed over, ignoring anybeast in his way. He pulled out the arrow. "Look, it's got a message on it," he said, untying a scroll from around the shaft. Then he read the scrawled writing on it aloud for everybeast to hear. "This is wot happens to our enemies. Stay away from us and our red walls place!" The poorly written 'message' would likely have had little effect if Bladepaw had not called out as instructed.
     "I agree, mates! I don't fancy gettin' stuck full of arrers! Let's go south, fer easy pickin's!" There were many nods and murmurs of agreement as Ripear turned around, spreading his paws wide. "That idea's a good'n, cullies, but we don't have nobeast to lead us! Who's going to be our new chief, eh?" Again, Bladepaw was the beast that called out, and this time, the chant swept through the ragged vermin band and echoed in the dusty church.
     "Grull's dead! Ripear fer chief!" Ripear waited until the vermin were all chanting earnestly before holding up his paws for silence. "I guess I have no choice, mates. I'll try to be a good chief fer youse, I promise. We're all 'eaded for an easy life in the southlands. I say we leave t'morrer morning!" Ripear smiled in satisfaction as, with a few scattered "Aye, chief"s, assorted vermin started preparations for the trip eagerly.

~*~*~*

     Kit woke early, and for a moment, she was confused. Why was she laying on the floor? Then she remembered talking to the mouse in the tapestry. "I must have fallen asleep," she guessed. Sitting up, she realized that some kind beast had covered her with a warm cloak. Kit smiled as she folded the cloak neatly and trotted off to the kitchen for some breakfast.
     Friar Hollyspike, a kindly old hedgehog, greeted her cheerily and gestured to a tray of scones cooling on the windowsill. "Good day to ye, miss. Help yourself to some 'ot scones. There's tea on the stove, too, if you want some. There will always be a few early risers around 'ere. Plenty o' late ones too, though." Hollyspike was still chuckling as Skipper entered, with another hedgehog in tow. Skipper was listening as the hedgehog spoke earnestly.
     "I tells ye, Skip- I saw 'im, clear as day. Now, I ain't one to imagine things like this, you know I ain't. 'E was there, right in front o' me." Skipper took a scone from the tray on the windowsill, nodding a greeting to Hollyspike. He turned to the hedgehog next to him and said, "I believe yer, mate. Can ye remember wot he said to ye? It must be somethin' important." Hollyspike looked at the pair oddly. "What are you two talkin' about now? What's goin' on, Gurben?"
     Skipper's companion turned to the Friar. "Holl, I had a dream last night- I was fishin', near the ford, an' Martin appeared." Hollyspike went still with shock for a moment, then ran a paw through his headspikes, muttering, "Martin- visiting my brother- oh, great seasons!" Kit broke the silence by asking, "Who is Martin?" Gurben blinked, noticing Kit for the first time. Then he answered, "Martin was a warrior mouse. He 'elped to free Mossflower an' build Redwall. We used to 'ave 'is sword next to the tapestry of him in Great 'All. A grand ole blade it was, too. They say 'twas forged out of a fallen star! But it's been gone for many long seasons now. Nobeast knows where it is." Kit stood stock-still as her dream from the previous night flooded back to her. When she spoke, it was almost a whisper. "I might."

CHAPTER FOUR

     Rizuel Deathclaw was in a foul mood. Was there nobeast in his entire crew capable of fulfilling one simple task? The corsair growled as he collared a passing ferret. "You. What's your name, stoat?" he snarled. The ferret gulped nervously before answering. "Bartugg, Cap'n. I'm the lookout." Rizuel brought his face close to the ferret's and said, "Let me make this clear, Bartugg. There is a storm coming. I want you to find or make some suitable shelter before it hits. If you do not, I will send you back to face that badger alone. Do you understand me?" Bargutt nodded furiously. "Y-yes, cap'n," he stammered.
     "Good. Now go." Rizuel allowed himself a small smile as he watched the ferret stumble in his haste to get away. Then he went back to pacing the tideline near the wreck of his ship, the Bloodsail. The damage to her was too extensive to repair; she'd taken one hit too many in the previous day's battle. Rizuel's paws clenched involuntarily at the thought of his crew's defeat at the hands of those overgrown rabbits and their leader, the badger Wavestripe. Rizuel and his crew had barely gotten away with their lives, and his ship was now little better than flotsam.
     The corsair would have his revenge, but first he had to amass a sufficient force. He would travel throughout the land, gathering recruits for his crew- no, horde. Yes, he would be a warlord. Lord Rizuel Deathclaw. It had a nice ring to it. The fox smiled and turned in the direction of the badger's mountain. "Enjoy yourself in there, Wavestripe," he chuckled evilly, "Because I'm coming for you. That mountain won't be yours much longer, stripedog. It'll be mine soon."

~*~*~*

     Ripear's band had decided to stay at St. Ninian's a week longer to gather food and supplies for the journey south. Bladepaw was sitting with Ripear, sharing a roasted wood pigeon and discussing their plans for an easy life. "I tells yer, cully, the southlands is the place to be. No 'arsh winters, lots of food, an' no big abbey-places neither," Bladepaw said contentedly. Ripear gnawed his whiskers and replied, "Yeah, but 'aven't yew 'eard of that lake that's just south of here? They say it's as big as an ocean, an' it's got a big eagle wot slays beasts that try to get across. Let's 'ead west too, mate." Bladepaw shrugged. "Wotever yew say. You're the chief, Ripear." The rat nodded. "Aye, but see wot 'appens to chiefs who act better than their mates- like Grull. I just want wot any other beast 'ere wants: an easy life. I ain't gonna get that by mistreatin' me old muckers." Bladepaw nodded thoughtfully as he digested this idea- and the wood pigeon.

~*~*~*

     In the kitchens at Redwall Abbey, Friar Hollyspike, Skipper, and Gurben were all staring at Kit following her astonishing announcement. Finally Skipper spoke. "What d'ye mean? Where is it?" Kit shook her head slightly, as if to clear it, before replying. "I had a dream last night, too. In it, I was standing on the wall-top, looking west, I think. Then there was a mouse standing next to me. He was wearing armor, but didn't have a weapon of any kind. Then he spoke. I didn't remember the words until just now."
     Gurben, usually an easygoing beast, was slightly annoyed. "So what did 'e say, miss? Spit it out!" Hollyspike glanced at his brother disapprovingly, but Kit had not noticed. Instead, she continued quietly. "These are his exact words:

From the North you came, to the West you must go
To seek my fabled blade for me, in a mountain all aglow
Forged from a star by a warrior long, long ago.
Then take the blade and bear it home,
Nevermore away to roam.
On this journey, you will not be alone,
Take with you three friends-
Ones who will see you through until the very end.
Onebeast from the fire lizard's lair,
Onebeast who knows the waters fair.
And the last is kinbeast to a tree,
Who kept you warm 'neath my tapestry.
Journey west to the badger's stronghold-
There will my sword be for all to behold.

     That's what he said, I'm sure of it." Kit shook her head in resignation. "I don't know what a bit of it means though, mates." Gurben clapped his paws together and said triumphantly, "I remember what 'e said now, Skip! I told yer I would, didn't I? 'Tweren't nothin' of importance, though. All 'e said was that the river would always lead me 'ome. Then 'e wished me good luck fishin', so 'e did." Skipper thumped his rudder thoughtfully. "Well, did ye catch anythin'?" Gurben snorted. "O' course I did. I caught a trout bigger'n you!"
     Hollyspike interrupted gently. "Maybe we'd better think about miss Kit's riddle, instead o' talkin' about dream-fish." Everybeast jumped, startled, as Foremole Vurpp answered. None of them had noticed his arrival. "A riggle? Oh, do please be a-tellen et. Oi bees gurtly fond of riggles, burr aye." Kit repeated the lines from her dream, and Formole winked at her, commenting, "Oi knows whurr you'm a-goin', miz." Kit was surprised. "You do? How did you get anything out of that poem? It was all a bit much for me."
     Foremole smiled widely. "You'm bees goin' to Sallermendarstern, miz!" Kit blinked. "Sallermen... what?" "He means Salamandastron," said Skipper. "It's an old mountain on the coast of the Western Sea. Badgers have ruled there for as long as anybeast can remember." Gurben nodded. "It makes sense to me. But who is she supposed to go with? Three beasts... friends. 'Onebeast from the fire-lizard's lair...' An' what in the name o' seasons is a fire lizard?" Once again, Foremole provided the answer. "Doan't you'm know et, zurr? Sallermendarstern bees called ee mounting of ee foire lizard!"
     Gurben coughed in an embarrassed way. "Ahem. Er, right. So one o' the creatures that's goin' with is from Salamandastron, but wot about the others? 'Onebeast who travels the waters fair.' Travels the waters- sounds like a riverbeast to me." The others nodded in agreement, and Kit took up the puzzle. "All right, so somebeast from Salamandastron and a riverbeast. The last beast is very confusing, though. 'Kinbeast to a tree'? 'Kept you warm'? Wait- I think I understand the last bit. Last night, I fell asleep under the tapestry in Great Hall. When I woke up this morning, I noticed that somebeast had covered me with a cloak during the night. That might be what Martin meant."
     Gurben and Hollyspike exchanged looks with each other, then Gurben said, "I think that's me. I was the one 'oo left my cloak with ye, y'see." "Oh. Thank you. Are you 'kinbeast to a tree' then?" Hollyspike answered for him. "Yes. I'm the tree- holly- and Gurben is my brother." Before the conversation could go any further, Starbreeze stuck his head into the kitchens. "I say, old chaps, any chance of gettin' brekkers, wot?" Hollyspike opened his mouth to reply when Skipper tipped him a wink and said, "O' course, mate. That's if'n ye can help us find a couple of good creatures. We're lookin' for 'em, you see."
     Starbreeze sighed. "A couple of wayward Dibbuns, I suppose," he muttered. Foremole, who had caught on right away, shook his head. "Nay, zurr. We'm bees a-looken for ee beast from Sallermendarstern and anuther beast what travels in ee boat." The young hare, looking distinctly uncomfortable, waggled his ears and replied, "I don't know about the other beast, but I'm from Salamandastron, wot wot. I, er- ran away shortly before I met Kit. Had to, y'know. The old pater was a regular grouch. Why, he was madder'n a fried frog, most days. He used to-"
     Kit interrupted. If he was left alone, the young hare could chunner on for hours. "Ahem. Well, that's all very good, but you never told me you came from Salamandastron. You said that you were raised on a small farm and that you ran off because you had to do all the work. Great furry fraud." Starbreeze's ears stood stiff with indignation. "Fraud? I say, old gel, that's a bit flippn' much, wot! I did save your bloomin' life, didn't I? Twice, what's more!"
     Gurben interceded. "That's enough out o' you two. Let's 'ave breakfast, an' talk about our trip." "Humph. That's the first blinkin' sensible thing I've heard all day! Er- what was that about a trip, wot?" Gurben, Kit, and Skipper led Starbreeze out to the breakfast table to begin their explanation.

[KitrallStreamrippler]

*Note: Sorry to double post, but for some reason, I can't type any more into the last post. *shrug*

~*~*~*

Log a Log Tallo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the fresh spring air. "Ahhh... Lovely day, ain't it?" he commented to the shrew next to him. The other shrew, whose name was Janby, nodded. "Aye, that it is. Perfect for a sail or a march. Or both. D'ye think we'll reach the ford today?" The young shrew winked. Tallo turned on Janby quickly, silencing her. "Shh! That's a surprise! How'd you find out about it, any'ow?"  Janby chuckled. "I know because I'm yore daughter. Did you forget again? Besides, I'm a fair paw at findin' out secrets when I want to." Tallo smiled and tweaked his daughter's ear. "That y'are, ye liddle nuisance. Just remember, not everybeast knows we're goin' to visit Redwall Abbey, so keep yore blabber-mouth closed. Got it?" Janby drew a small dagger from its sheath at her waist and spun it in the air, catching it expertly.
     "Alright, dad. There's no need to get your whiskers in a twist. I won't tell anybeast. Besides, we're nearly there, ain't we?" Tallo was about to reply when a young shrew named Durbin tugged on his sleeve. "Does we be goin' to Redwa', Loglog?" Tallo snorted in disgust and stalked off. Durbin and Janby looked at each other and burst out laughing.

~*~*~*

     The evening sky was a beautiful mix of deep blues and purples, and the first stars were just beginning to shine in the sky above Redwall Abbey. Dinner was going to start soon, and the only creature still outside was Rowan the squirrelmaid. She leaned on the ramparts, gazing out at the darkened woodlands. It was such a peaceful night... until the stillness was broken by a rowdy marching song sung by a company of shrews marching down the path toward the abbey.

Just like the stream that flows so true
Is the path that we march all day through.
With our trusty friends beside us,
We put our best paw to the fore.
Forget the enemy's cutlass-
He'll need it nevermore!

Put your footpaws left right left,
Dig your paddles deep.
Put your footpaws left right left,
Soon your home you'll see!

Though the path be long and full of dust,
The cause of friendship is always just.
Draw your blade beside me,
And I'll watch your back for you.
A battle's where I want to be-
With comrades true and blue!

Put your footpaw left right left,
Dig your paddle deep.
Put your footpaw left right left,
Soon your home you'll see!

We'll brighten our hopes and hone our blades,
Our chieftain bold we'd ne'er betray.
They'll see our blades a-shinin',
They'll hear our battle-cry.
Soon the new day will be dawnin'-
And before us foes will fly!

Put your footpaws left right left,
Dig your paddle deep.
Put your footpaws left right left,
Soon your home you'll see!

     By the song's last chorus, the shrews were all standing in front of the abbey's main gate. One young female shrew stepped forward boldly and called, "Ahoy the gate! Open up for your friends from the fair waters of Mossflower!" Rowan was startled by the sudden appearance of Skipper, who winked at her and shouted back to the shrews on the path below. "An' what if I don't, eh?"
Log a Log Tallo now stepped forward and glared at Skipper, putting on a fierce scowl. "Then I'll batter the gate down, you great thick-ruddered excuse for a riverdog!"
     Trying hard not to laugh, Rowan cried dramatically, "Oh, Skipper, don't let those scruffy spike-brains get inside our beautiful abbey! Who knows what they'd do to the wonderful dinner that Friar Hollyspike has prepared!" The female shrew who had hailed the abbey now started to protest, but Tallo put a paw over her mouth to keep her quiet. "Why you bush-tailed, overgrown- mmf!" "You'd better watch that tongue of yours, Janby. Someday it'll get you in a load of trouble," he said quietly. Then he called up to Skipper. "Hollyspike's still cookin'? No wonder ye look so fat, you old water-whomper! Will you let us in or should we starve out here?"
     Skipper shook his head in mock alarm. "Oh, there's no reason to do that, mate. I'll let ye in." Skipper opened the gate and found himself face-to-face with Log A Log Tallo. The two chieftains stood still for a moment, then Skipper pulled Tallo into a rough embrace, lifting him off the ground. "Put me down, Skip, afore ye crush me to death!" the shrew protested breathlessly. His old friend obliged promptly, then led the shrews off to Cavern Hole for dinner. Rowan trailed behind, and Janby noticed. She came over to speak to her, and soon the pair were chatting away like old friends.

~*~*~*

     Ripear's band was finally on the move. This was no forced march, however. They ambled slowly through the woods, enjoying the early afternoon sun. Ripear and Bladepaw had decided to find the River Moss and follow it to the coast, then head south. The two beasts were growing to be fast friends, and they strode together in comfortable silence at the front of the vermin band. Then Bladepaw broke the quiet with a question. "'Ow come Grull never thought o' this, mate? Headin' south?" Ripear thought for a moment. "Because all 'e wanted was revenge on that rabbit an' the streamdog. All we want is to comfortable-like. Respectable, almost." Bladepaw nodded in agreement, though his snout wrinkled at the thought of being respectable. That was too hard. Why, he'd have to do all his own work, and even take regular baths. The raggedy group of vermin marched on in the lazy afternoon, content to let the forest shift slowly around them.

CHAPTER FIVE

     The next morning at Salamandastron, Lord Wavestripe sat at his forge-room window, watching the brightening dawn sky and waiting for Sergeant Thornpaw to arrive. They were old friends, and breakfasted together almost every morning. There was a knock on the door, and a middle-seasoned hare entered, pushing a trolley laden with food. He was an official-looking hare, wearing a green tunic decorated with a modest collection of medals. As the sergeant seated himself next to Wavestripe, he could tell that something was bothering the massive badger. "Ah, beg pardon, sah, but is somethin' wrong?" The badger lord of Salamandastron sighed wearily and rubbed at the curved headstripe from which he had gotten his name.
     "It's that battle the other day. I know we beat those vermin, but something doesn't feel right. Most vermin never return after a good dose of Salamandastron warfare, but I don't think that fox would give up so easily. He'll be back, I'm sure of it." Thornpaw passed him a scone. "Is that all, sah? Why, he could come back with absolute scads of bally new recruits, and we'd be all right here. Target practice for the jolly old archers, that's all it would be." Wavestripe chewed the scone reflectively and continued. "It's not that simple. If he gathers vermin throughout Mossflower, he's bound to come across Redwall Abbey. They'll be completely unprepared. And what of that missing hare- Starbreeze, wasn't it? Where has he got to?"
     Thornpaw smiled. "Starbreeze, eh wot? That young bounder is probably at Redwall, sah. He's heard so many tales of the cookin', y'see. As for the jolly old abbey's defense, I can send out some hares to warn them of the flippin' danger. They can help train fighters too, sah." Wavestripe took a drink of hot tea; it was a special blend of lemon, mint, and chamomile made by the mountain's healer, Surren, out of her own garden. Then he nodded slowly. "You and Bramwill pick half a score of good fighters, and take a few younger recruits too. They need to learn, and what better way than first-paw experience?"
     Thornpaw stood up, brushing crumbs from his tunic. "Right, sah. When should we leave?" The badger thought. "Well, those vermin will take a while to get organized, so there's no great rush. Be ready by next week- that will give you plenty of time to choose who will go and prepare yourselves." Thornpaw saluted, then left the forge to speak to Bramwill.

~*~*~*

     Back at Redwall, Skipper was deep in conversation with Log a Log Tallo. They hadn't seen one another for more than a season, and had a lot to catch up on. Skipper had just told his friend about Kit's dream, finishing with their conclusions. "So we figure Star is the one from Salamandastron, and Gurben is the other beast. We're still lookin' for a creature who 'knows the waters fair', though. May'ap 'tis one o' your shrews. Who knows the waters of Mossflower better than the Guosim?" Tallo smiled. "On'y an otter like you, Skip. But if it was a Guosim, I knows just the shrew. They knows the waters better'n the back of their paw, despite their young seasons." Skipper chuckled. "You wouldn't be talkin' about yourself, now, would ye?" Log a Log shook his head. "Huh. I wish it was me. No, it's my daughter, Janby. She's the one that called for somebeast to open the gate-" he paused, eyes widening in realization, then continued in a hushed voice. "-for 'your friends from the fair waters of Mossflower'. If that ain't a sign, I don't know what is." Skipper agreed, and the two set off to find Janby. She was washing breakfast dishes in the kitchens, along with Rowan, Kit, and Starbreeze. The four young creatures looked up from their chore, and Janby whispered something to Kit, who grinned. The pair waited for Skipper and Tallo to come closer, then splashed them with warm, soapy water. Tallo managed to dodge, but Skipper caught most of it in his face and the front of his tunic. Skipper glared at the two young creatures, dripping wet. Starbreeze waggled his ears severely at them, commenting, "Assaulting a senior officer? You bounders. Very serious offense, wot!" He turned to Skipper, who was standing still, dripping water on the red sandstone floor. "What d'you think the punishment should be for such disrespectful wretches, sah?" Log a Log Tallo winked at Skipper and said, "I think that we shouldn't tell them about our surprise. What do ye think, Skip?" Skipper, who had accepted a towel from Rowan and was drying himself, nodded. "O' course. An' we shouldn't let 'em have it, either." Kit fell right into the trap. "Let us have what?" Skipper grinned. "This!" He emptied a bucket of cold water over Kit's head. She shook her head slowly, commenting to Janby, "Huh. Old 'uns these days don't have any dignity. Why, they're even worse than us!"they're even worse than us!"

That night, Kit couldn't sleep. She was leaving Redwall in a few days or so, and Janby was coming along too. She had a lot to think about, so Kit decided to take a walk around the walltops and get some fresh air. As she passed the tapestry in Great Hall, the young ottermaid tripped. The paw he put out to steady era elf landed on the woven figure of Martin. A poem flashed through Kit's mind.

The sooner you're gone,
The sooner you may return.
You must leave before dawn,
And be back when the seasons turn.
Complete your task swiftly
For there are dangers untold
That are marching relentlessly
On these red stones of old.

Kit felt the urgency behind the message. She didn't want to leave this wondrous abbey so soon, but she trusted Martin. Heaving a small sigh, she padded off to wake her companions.

By mid-morning the next day, Kit, Starbreeze, Janby, and Gurben were a good way North up the path. Gurben, the oldest of the four, was beginning to lag behind. "'Ow far is it to the ford?" He asked. Janby looked back. "It shouldn't be more than a few minutes walk now. We'll see it soon." Just as she finished, Starbreeze yelled exuberantly, "There it is, chaps!" Whooping loudly, he charged forward and jumped right into the water.
*note: Sorry for the weirdness of this last bit. *

[KitrallStreamrippler]

CHAPTER SIX

      Rizuel Deathclaw's crew was growing steadily, with at least two new recruits each day. Soon it would be a proper horde. The fox contemplated his plans for his crew. When the moment was right, he would lead them through Mossflower, gathering followers and destroying all in their path. Once he had a real horde, he would also need captains. He thought about this for a moment, then smiled. When he had captains, he could disappear. After all, Rizuel was a fox of very average description, from his dusty reddish coat to his skinny frame. He would blend in, play the part of just another hordebeast. This would shield him from enemy notice, but he could still command his horde through a few choice captains. His grin widened. With a bit of cunning and patience, Salamandastron would fall at his return.

~*~*~*

      After a short rest by the ford, it was time to be moving on again. Kit stood up. "If we follow the riverbank it should be pretty easy going. It's shaded, there's plenty of water, and we can be sure of our direction." Janby winked at Gurben. "Will ye listen to the maid? I think she's gone daft. Why would we want to walk along the bank?" Gurben scratched his headspikes. "Is there a better way?" Janby, who had vanished inside a large clump of bushes, now reemerged with a triumphant look on her face. She chuckled. "A better way? O' course there's a better way, mate: sailin'! Back there-" she gestured to the bushes, "-is where my tribe's logboats are hidden. We can borrow one an' sail it all the way down to the sea. After that, we just need to follow the coast south. We'll make much better time in a boat than on our paws, too." The others quickly agreed. Soon, they were all seated in a logboat that was floating smoothly downstream, following the river's course to the sea.

[rachel25]

This is very nice I'm really enjoying it