Guided Paws

[rachel25]

That was a great chapter! 

[Free Thought]

That was a great chapter! 

Thank-you!  Did you like the tie-in with two important characters from Redwall who actually help Matthias in his quest for Martin's sword???

[rachel25]

Yeah but I was sad that Bronya died but then again you have to kill them all off Matttias   

[Free Thought]

Alright, here's the fifth and final part!

Chapter 5

   
   Marden staggered forward through the trees.  Sweat dripped from his brow and his breathing was ragged.  His back and shoulder seared with white flames of pain, his infected wounds from the cat's claws weakening his body with fever.  The only thing that kept him walking and not succumbing to his injuries was little mouselet holding his paw.
   "Da?" Matthias said every time his father groaned or stumbled over a tree root. "Da- 'k?"
   "It's alright, Matthias," Marden lied and forced a smile, blinking furiously to relieve the spots blocking his vision. "We'll be at Redwall soon.  You'll see, son.  Soon you'll be safe."
   Coming to a glade, Marden stumbled over to a large alder tree and flopped down to lean against the trunk.  His neck was tight and his mouth was dry.  His whole body was exhausted, worn out, done.  He had nothing more to give.
   "Da?" the little mouselet whispered and stood in front of his father. "Da?"
   "Matthias," Marden mumbled and tried to hold his son's tiny paws in his. "I need you to be strong, Matthias." The mouselet's expression was blank as he blinked once, twice.  It tore at Marden's heart this small creature would have to fend for his own survival.  He had failed him; sentenced him to a fate worse than anything Marden could think of.
   He'll be alright, whispered the wind. I'll watch over him.  He'll be safe.
   The breeze gusted through the tree tops and the branches bowed to the north.  There, cutting the skyline was a tall stone spire.  A tall spire made of red stone.  Redwall.
   "Matthias!" Marden gasped and pointed a shaking paw to the tower. "Do you see that, Matthias?  That is Redwall- that is home."
   "Da!" he exclaimed and jumped up and down. "Da! Da! Da!"
   "Go home, son," Marden gulped and fought the shivers quaking his body. "Now, Matthias- go home now- quickly, son.  Please go home."
   Matthias toddled a step away and then came back to pull his father's paw. Twice he pulled, but Marden didn't move.
   "Go, Matthi..." his eyes fluttered back into his head. "Go- home," Marden exhaled with the final breath from his lungs and his body slouched against the tree as if in a peaceful slumber.
   "Da?" Matthias muttered and poked his father on the shoulder with his claw. "Da?"
   Da is sleeping, Matty, a voice said softly on the breeze. Let Da sleep.  Follow us home.
   A bluing figure poked her head around the trunk of the tree and giggled, snapping it back out of sight.  Matthias grinned at the idea of a game and teetered around the alder.
   The little mousemaid squeaked when she saw him and started skipping in the direction his father had pointed him.
   Come on, Matty, she laughed and smiled, waving him forward towards her. Time to go home.  The bell is ringing- it's time to go home.
   The mouselet nodded and listened to the gonging sound in the distance, hopping every time it made a chime.  Slowly, Matthias and his bluing friend made their way towards the red stone building.  Slowly, their paws were guided home.  When they got to an open field the phantom maiden stopped and pointed to the large structure in front of them.
   Home. Matthias shook his head, suddenly afraid. "Da?" he said and pointed back to where Marden's body lay amongst the trees.
   Look, Matty- flutterbyes! She exclaimed and pointed out the yellow and orange monarchs flittering about the tall grasses of the meadow. Catch them!
   Matthias laughed aloud at the idea of a game and toddled out after the butterflies.

-o-o-o-o-

   On the ramparts of Redwall Abbey, the newly appointed Abbot Mortimer and Constance, Redwall's badgermother were discussing the current drought and situation of anxiety over the creatures of Mossflower.
   "If it would only rain," Constance complained. "Then we can put all this worry behind us.  You know the Abbey Pond is the lowest it's ever been?"
   "Yes, yes, Constance, but... wait-" the abbot gasped and squinted his eyes out into the field to the east. "What is that out there?"
   The badger turned her attention to the place the aging mouse was pointing to and gaped. "It looks like a little mouselet!"
   "Out in the open with no protection?" Mortimer grumbled and walked briskly towards the stairs. "Come on, Constance, we need to see if it needs help."

-o-o-o-o-

   Matthias toddled happily through the grasses, clapping his little paws at the butterflies and waving to his shadow merrily whenever it moved in front of him. His bluing companion had not followed him onto the field, but he was too wrapped up in his game to worry about it.  He had even forgotten about his fear of the large building until the creak of dusty hinges alerted him to a small party of beasts walking out of the gates and directly towards him. 
   Matthias immediately stopped his game and started to waddle as fast as he could in the other direction of his father.  He heard the creatures calling to him, but he kept walking away.  They had always run away from beasts that weren't his family.  Strangers always hurt his family and made them disappear.  He didn't want to get hurt.  He didn't want to disappear too.
   Stumbling over a tree root, Matthias fell hard on his knees and cried out at the scrapes flecking his fur with blood.  Already these strangers were hurting him.  He had to run away.  He had to get back to his father.  He had to wake his father up.  His father would keep him safe.
   Faster he walked until his footpaws padded along in a juvenile run. "Da!" he screamed as the creatures drew nearer. "Da!"
   Rounding the bend, Matthias saw his father and after tripping on his unsteady paws, crawled the remaining space between them and huddled onto Marden's lap.
   "Da! Da!" Matthias mewled, his eyes wide with terror as he shook Marden's limp shoulder.  The beasts were all around him now and he was shaking with fear. "Da!
   "Great Seasons!" Constance gasped at the sight of the dead mouse and the squealing mouselet. "In all my life-"
   "DA!" Matthias screamed as the badger picked him up and brought him to her chest. "DA!!"
   "It's alright, little one, it's alright," Constance soothed. "You're safe now.  You're safe."
   Mortimer knelt beside Marden and felt for a pulse.  After a moment, he sighed and stood back up again, shaking his head at the badger. "I'm afraid he has gone to the Dark Forest."
   "This young one needs food and clothes and a bath," Constance barked, concentrating on the squirming mouselet in her paws. "He's all skin and bones, Abbot Mortimer."
   "They both are," the abbot observed, looking down at the dead mouse. "I wonder where they came from."
   "Far away by the looks of it," the badger replied shortly. "And with the father dead there's no telling from where."
   "Da," Matthias whimpered softly and held out his paw to his father. "Da..."
   "It's alright, young mouse," the abbot said gently and took Matthias little paw in his. "You're safe now.  You will come with us to Redwall Abbey and be safe."
   As if he understood, Matthias nodded.  He ceased his wiggling and let out a shuddering sigh.
   "I wonder what his name is," Constance stated plainly, placing him down on the ground while the abbot instructed a pawful of brother's to take the body back to the abbey for its death rites. "He must have had a name."
   Mortimer tapped Matthias on the shoulder. "What is your name, my son?" he asked.
   "Da," Matthias croaked out and pointed behind them to his father; the idea of his father hurt and disappearing like the rest of his family weighing in on the youngster's mind. "Da!"
   "Yes, that was your father, but what is your name," Constance said shortly.
   "Da."
   "I think he is just learning his words, Constance," Mortimer sighed. "We may need to think of another name for him."
   Matthias, the breeze fluttered about the abbot's ears. Matthias.
   "Did you say something, Constance?"
   "No, Father Abbot."
   "Are you sure?" the mouse questioned and looked about them. "I swear I heard somebeast whisper Matthias."
   There was a tug on the abbot's paw.  Looking down at the young mouselet, the abbot saw him gazing up at him as if awaiting instruction.
   "Yes, what is it little one?" Mortimer asked quietly. "Is there something you need to say?"
   The mouselet just shook his head, but continued to stare at the mouse.
   Matthias, whispered the wind again. Matthias.
   "Matthias?" Mortimer reiterated and again the mouselet pulled at his paw. "Matthias?  Your name is Matthias?"
   The young one nodded.
   "Well, Matthias," Abbot Mortimer said with a slight smile and him by the paw. "Let's go home."

The End

[Shadowed One]

That was a very good story. I really enjoyed.

[Maudie]

That. Was. Beautiful! So touching.

[rachel25]

Whaaaaaaaa oh I'm crying soooo much that was great poor little Matthias the way he kept saying "Da" oh whaaaaa