Guided Paws

[Free Thought]

As promised, here is the first installment of Guided Paws: This is a brief short story of how Matthias came to Redwall Abbey.  It will probably be completed in 4-5 parts and I'll try to post one part a week. Let me know what you think!

Guided Paws

Chapter 1

               They ran.
   Up the hills of the valley and through the orchards the small group of mice fled into the night.  Away from the red flames of the fires and the blackness of the smoke they bolted.  Without a backwards glance they crashed through the darkness of the forest and splashed across the stream, each paw step taking them further away from the screeching owls, the clanging of metal on metal and the screaming of the dying creatures.  Each of them were blinded by their tears, but pulled forward as if by an imaginary paw.  Wordlessly, they heard the call.
   Keep running, don't look back.  Run south.  Stay south.  I'll guide you home.   
               Two males and three maids ran from the fires that night, escaping into the wilds of a world they never had known.  In the paws of the youngest maid was a little bundle; a little mouseling not two days old, peacefully sleeping the crook of his mother's arms. 
   For hours they ran until they could no longer feel their footpaws and their lungs burned with each breath they took.  Coming to a groove of pine trees the two males pushed the maids against the trunk of the largest tree and notched an arrow in their bows as if ready for an attack.  Weakly, the new mother slumped against her mother-in-law, taking deep breaths and shaking from fear and exertion.
   "Are you okay, Anya?" the mousewife whispered hoarsely and nodded to the other maid to take the small babe. "Bronya, take the mouseling for a moment before he wakes up.  Marden?"
   When the younger of the males didn't answer, the mousewife rolled her eyes kicked some pine needles in his direction to try and get his attention.
   "Marden!"
   "Not now, Mother," the mouse growled between his teeth as he pulled his bow taunt at the sound of a tree branch cracking in the wind.
   "All of you be quiet," the oldest of the males hissed and snarled into the black shadows that played in the moonlight. "Not a sound until morning."
   "It will be a loud night if that young one wakes up and his mother isn't alive!" the mousewife snapped. "Marden, Anya needs water.  Wasn't there a little pool back aways?"
   "No Keanna," her husband said sternly. "It was just a puddle."
   "I don't like the feel of it here," Bronya whispered and pulled the little mouseling closer to her. "Father, can't we keep going?"
   "The pines will mask our scent," the male sighed.  He didn't like the feel of it either, but to stop there made the most sense.  They did not know what lay further to the south and at least here they were hidden... for now.
   "Marden?" Anya breathed quietly and held out her paw to her husband. "Marden..."
   "I'm here, Anya," Marden replied softly and backed slowly towards his young wife. Giving her a quick glance he tried to smile for her, his hazel eyes hard in the limited light of the forest. "Try to rest, Anya."
   "Marden, I'm thirsty," she whispered and clicked her tongue at the dryness of her mouth.  Beside her, the babe started to stir in Bronya's paws, letting out a tiny squeak.
   "Keep him quiet!" the old male sneered in a backwards glance at the remnants of his family.  He had to keep them safe.  He had to keep his family safe.
   "Shh," Anya said softly and took her little mouseling back from her sister-in-law, her need for water forgotten in lieu of her child's need. "It's alright little one, I'm here.  I'm here."
   "We need a fire," Keanna huffed. "Marcus, Anya is shivering."
   "It's fear," Marden replied gently and watched as his wife rocked their newborn son in her paws. "She'll stop."
   "We'll sleep in shifts," Marcus ordered. "I'll stay up first- Marden will take second watch and then we'll get on our way again.  No beast make a sound- is that understood?"
   Silently, they all nodded and Marden sat behind Anya, resting his back against the pine trunk and pulling her shaking form into his paws.
   "It's alright, Anya," he whispered into her ear as his mother and sister lay down around them.  Looking down at her little bundle, Marden smiled at his little son who blinked his hazel eyes and waved his little paws in anticipation of there being some sort of game.
   "It's alright, Matthias," Marden breathed and closed his eyes as exhaustion found him. "We're safe."
   In the distance a bird twilled a sound and the breeze fluttered around the branches of the pine, causing them to sway like a marionette's control bar above the contingent of sleeping mice.  They were at the mercy of the Fates now.  Their safe haven was lost to them and their future uncertain.  Gently the wind blew from the south, whispering to the little babe as he squirmed in his parents sleeping paws.
   It's alright, Matty, it fluttered and twisted around the mouseling's outstretched paw, holding it gently and giving it strength. It's alright, Matty.  You're on your way home.

[WarriorOfMossflower]

That was awesome! I hope you write more soon!

[Free Thought]

That was awesome! I hope you write more soon!

Once a week I'll update this!  Look for another piece in like 4-5 days. 
Glad you are liking it so far.

[Shadowed One]

Nice! Really like it!

[Free Thought]

Nice! Really like it!

Thank-you.  I should have part 2 up in a couple of days.

[Martin the warrior]

Nice! Really like it!

Thank-you.  I should have part 2 up in a couple of days.

That was awesome 
I cant wait

[Free Thought]

Nice! Really like it!

Thank-you.  I should have part 2 up in a couple of days.

That was awesome 
I cant wait

Thank-you!  Part 2 should be up by tomorrow evening!  Look for it then!

[Free Thought]

Chapter 2

   "... Oh, please come home to Noonvale again," Anya sang while she tickled the little belly of her mouseling and watched him coo and wave his little paws in the air at her.  Taking them in hers, she kissed his tiny fingers, smiling happily when he kicked his legs in response.  Though he was but a few days old, the mouseling was strong and healthy.
   Stretching back up, Anya looked around at her surroundings in the glen.  They had a low burning fire and Keanna had some sort of soup cooking out of the nettles and roots Marcus and Bronya had found earlier that morning.  It didn't smell appetizing, but it was food and would keep them alive another day.  And another day would led them closer to their safe haven, to wherever Marcus was leading them; to this place called Redwall Abbey they had only heard about from the legends told by travelers and old sages.  Strange as it was, the stern male was adamant they must make it to Redwall.  It was only there, he said, they would be safe.
   To Anya it seemed foolish.  They had no idea where they were going or how long it would take them to get to this abbey, but further and further south they pressed, hoping each day they would see tall spires peeking over the tips of the trees.  The small group of mice had been walking for almost a week straight now and so far it did not seem like they were being followed, nor had they run into any dangers.  Silently she wished they would continue to be so fortunate.
   "How is little Matthias doing today?" Marden asked softly as he sat beside his wife and laid down his bow on the rocks to his left. "Has he said his first words yet?"
   "Oh yes, fully sentences, Denny," Anya joked with him and cuddled into his shoulder, grinning as Marden reached out his left paw to his son and Matthias clamped on his father's fingers with his paws.
   "As long as he says Da first I don't care what he says," Marden chuckled.  "Lookit the little tyke- what a grip he has!"
   "Marden, how long do we have to keep going?" Anya whispered when Marcus came into the camp with an armful of firewood. "Surely there is another village closer than this Redwall place we can make a home in."
   "We have to get to Redwall, Anya," her husband sighed.  "I know it is far, but..."
   "Far!" Anya gaped. "Far would be one thing, but this... Marden, we have been traveling for a week.  We have no food, little water.  We have really no idea where we are or where we should be going..."
   "You must understand something, Anya," Marden said firmly, removing his son's paws from his fingers and giving his wife a stern look. "There is an old saying in my family that says:
   'Should the 'vale fall,
   look to the 'wall.
   Courage stands tall,
   for the safety of all.' 
   Well, Anya- Noonvale has fallen.  We must now look to Redwall."
   "Do you think any others survived?" Anya questioned softly as Marden went to leave and join his father by the fire. "Denny, do you think any others from Noonvale escaped the attack?"
   "I don't know, Anya," Marden replied sadly.  "But I wouldn't trust a hope."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

   Wake up.
   Marcus stirred in his sleep; muttering and rolling over under the cloak he was sharing with his wife.
   Wake up, Marcus.
   "It's too early," Marcus mumbled and flung his arm over his face to cover his ear against the whispers on the wind. "Go back to sleep."
   Wake up...
   "Marcus!" Keanna screamed as she opened her eyes to see slithering green coils, curling and twisting in the dawn light. "Marden!"
   "Keanna, what is th... Marden!" Marcus yelled when he sat up and saw his wife's horror moving silently around the camp. "Marden- get up lad!"
   "Father!" Bronya squealed and pushed herself up against the trunk of a tree.   At the high pitched sound, Marcus turned to see the serpent had turned its head towards the whimpering mousemaid.
   "Seasons, no," Marcus gasped as Marden loosed an arrow aimed at the snake's skull, but the arrow missed its mark and only managed to skim across the serpent's coils.  With a loud hiss, it twisted around to fang at its attacker, spitting venom and flaring its nostrils.
   "Marden, don't move," Marcus ordered and fumbled on the group for his bow.  Moments flew passed as if blinks of the eye and the more the mouse searched for his weapon the closer the snake was getting to his son.
   "Marden!" Anya screamed holding their crying babe in her paws and Keanna pulling her away as Marden loosed another arrow, striking the cheek of the serpent and side stepping away from his wife and child, drawing the danger away from them. "No- Marden!"
   Marcus' paw quickly went to his belt where his dagger rested.  It wasn't a sword or a rapier or a cutlass, but with all his courage, it could be just as deadly.
   Keanna saw the slight movement of her husband's paw.  She saw his shoulders square and when he gave them a quick glance back to them, she saw the glint of red in his eye.  She had just enough time to raise her paw when he leapt into the fray.
   Before he lost his courage, Marcus sprinted off towards the snake, jumping over the fire and making the short distance between them easily.  Launching himself on the coils, he stabbed down hard with his dagger into its flesh.  The serpent hissed and rounded on the bladed mouse, the archbeast forgotten in lieu of his new threat.  Marcus tried to spring out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough before he felt a series of fangs pierce his left arm.
   "Father!" Marden screamed when he heard his father's wounded yell. "Father! Father!"
   "Marden- get them out of here!" Marcus shouted at his son, slashing the snake deeply across the face to release its hold. "Son- save yourselves."
   "No!" Marden yelled and tried to notch another arrow in his bow, but his paws were shaking too much and making his efforts virtually impossible.  By the time he had another arrow ready Marcus and the snake were already engaged in their deadly dance, going strike for stab, bite for cut.  They were fighting closely and so quickly, if Marcus used his arrow he ran the risk of not only missing the snake, but possibly hitting his father in the process.
   "Marden!" Keanna screamed, tears streaming down her face as she held onto the paws of Bronya and Anya. "Marden- we have to get out of here!"
   He heard their calls, but his footpaws wouldn't move; they were rooted to the spot as he watched his father battle the snake, snarling and bleeding.  His movements were slowing and Marden could tell his breathing was laboured as the venom spread through his body, but he was not backing down.  He was protecting his family and he would do so with his life.
   Marden, the wind whispered. Marden, you must go. You must save your family.
   "My father," the mouse whispered back. "I can't leave my father."
   Do not let his death be in vain, Marden, the voice said more sternly. Go.
   "I can't."
   Marden, the courage of one can save an empire.  Be that courage. Go. Save your family.
   It was Matthias' cries that broke Marden of his trance and closing his eyes to the horrifying scene before him, the mouse sprinted towards the maids, clasping Anya's paw from his mother and running with them through the lightening forest.  Away from the hissing and groans of pain, away stinting breath and smell of blood; away from the last strike and dagger thrust through the snake's cranium to still it forever.  Away from the last staggered steps and the last gasp of air before the world went black. 
   Away to the south they flew; where courage stands tall, for the safety of all.

[WarriorOfMossflower]

  That was epic! At first you had me thinking 'Asmodeus' when the snake first came in, but I guess not. I look forward to reading more of this masterpiece soon!

[Free Thought]

That was epic! At first you had me thinking 'Asmodeus' when the snake first came in, but I guess not. I look forward to reading more of this masterpiece soon!

Thanks!  Nope the snake was not Asmodeus- he was just another random killer looking for a feast and got a fight instead
I should have another post up next week!  Happy Reading!

[Martin the warrior]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............................

whoa, this is awesome!!!

[Free Thought]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............................

whoa, this is awesome!!!

Thank-you!  Glad you are liking it so far!

[rachel25]

this is very good  is it your first fanfic    

[Shadowed One]

this is very good  is it your first fanfic    

Maybe Free Thought should answer this, but I know it's not. I have read several other ones by him. Unfortunately, they aren't on this forum.

[Free Thought]

this is very good  is it your first fanfic    

Thank-you!  No, it is not my first... it's my second on this board (The Fates are Cruel is my first on RAF), but in reality is my.... sixth or seventh fanfic (pieces of my other ones can be read in "So poems and songs...").  Glad you are liking it so far!

this is very good  is it your first fanfic    

Maybe Free Thought should answer this, but I know it's not. I have read several other ones by him. Unfortunately, they aren't on this forum.

And AHEM!!! What makes you think I'm a him? That's right Shadowed One- this author would be a her