In the Ashes we will Rise.

[Vilu Daskar]

The Raccoon woke up to the noise of some beast banging on the door of his hut. Sleepily he grabbed the nearest weapon and opened the door. Standing there was a small group of mangled beasts. What could they want, he thought to himself. He walked up to a badger who seemed to be the leader, "What do you want?" he asked brandishing his double headed ax.

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Dutter could not believe what he saw when he returned to the abbey after fleeing when the vermin attacked, The Abbey had been leveled.

[Groddil]

The one-armed Badger stepped forward to face the Raccoon. He motioned to the assortment of woodlanders that crowded behind him.
"We are the last survivors of Redwall Abbey. A horde of vermin came and sacked the Abbey. We are the only ones that made it out alive, and barely. You see me, with one front leg. The others suffer similar injuries. Our goal is simple. We want revenge. Some of us knew of you. You are a spy, an assassin. You are perfect. We wish to learn your ways."

********

Drew the vole scurried out of his hidey-hole beneath the path. He looked with contempt upon the ruins of Redwall. Clutching the sack of stolen valuables he darted towards the ruins. Maybe he could find more stuff to steal? He would need lots of valuables when he left. Drew adjusted the kitchen knife thrust into his belt. He hoped no vermin still lingered there.

[Vilu Daskar]

"And what makes you think I will teach you, Badger?" asked Darktail.

***********************************************************************************

Dutter perked up at the sight of Drew, At last, someone I know.
"Drew! Over here!" he called as has waved

[Ashleg]

Ghasritz walked alongside the rest of his horde, laughing and cheering with them because of their unsuspected victory against Redwall. So many had tried to conquer it and failed, but he'd managed to level the place and get out with most of his horde still in tact!
The rat grinned and cast a glance over at his sister.
"I told yah, Sis, I saw that victory in my dreams. Guess I am a good seer, eh, eh?"

[Groddil]

Bul growled at the raccoon.
"Because it would be a nice thing to do. Why do you think? Because despite how good you are, there's more of us than there are of you. And we brought shinies."
The badger hauled a large sack bulging to the seams over his shoulder and dumped it in front of Darktail.
"Everything we could scavenge from Redwall. It's yours if you help us."

********

Drew flinched when he heard Dutter. When the mouse started running towards him he drew his kitchen knife.
"Git 'way from me, Dutter. This is MY treasure. I looted it meself, git your own!"

[LT Sandpaw]

Kicking at the undergrowth Pakith boiled inwardly at her brother's words. Keeping a straight face the rat scratched her ears plaintively. "Brother, I thought we agreed not to raze the Red place to the ground. Now its a useless pile of rubble, and I have red dust in my fur." She brushed at the offending red specks, then realizing it was blood she stopped, knowing such action would be fruitless.

[Ashleg]

Ghasritz sniggered. "I thought yah knew me better then that. If I agree to something like that I'll probably change my mind in a few minutes. Besides, 'tis finer lookin' on the ground than when it was up. What's a better way to prove a point than to bring yer enemies' home to the ground?"
He nudged a rat who walked next to him, and the two fell to laughing.
Ghasritz wiped at his eyes.
"C'mon, we'll find a clearing and celebrate."

[Groddil]

Bitey the pine marten also walked alongside Ghasritz. Skipping along the trail, he twirled an arrow between his claws. He was in a good mood, his idol, Ghasritz, had led the horde to victory.
"Heeheehee. We sure showed THEM, eh chief?"
Bitey notched the arrow to bowstring and shot at a bird gliding lazily through the breeze. The animal went limp and fell right into Bitey's waiting arms.
"'Ere ya go, Chief! Dinner!"

[Ashleg]

"Ahh, good aim, Bitey!" Ghasritz said.
"See, Pakith? Bitey knows what he's doing."
He turned his attention back to the pine marten after making that remark, and looked the bird over.
The rat's eyes brightened, and his pupils contracted. It looked delicious.
"Thatssa large bird ya got there..."

[Groddil]

Bitey handed the bird to Ghastritz and raised the bow again. His sights fixated on ANOTHER bird hovering above. The stupid things never learned. He notched another arrow to his bow and fired. The arrow whizzed past the bird, which flew away. Bitey cursed himself as the arrow turned midair and hurtled towards the ground. Shoving Ghastritz to the ground he threw himself into a bush. The arrow missed the path by a metaphorical mile, splashing into the nearby creek. Bitey got up and dusted himself off. He shot a glance at the direction of the rogue arrow and was amazed to see a fish floating belly up in the middle of the stream, with an arrow sticking in its side.

[Ashleg]

Ghasritz yelped, dropped the bird mid-fall, and sprawled rather ungracfully onto the path.
The dead bird came down on his head.
The rat felt himself grow hot with a combination of embarrassment and anger and scrambled up on his paws, clutching the bird in one paw.
He growled and whacked Bitey in the head with the bird--twice.
"Dumb fool! Couldn't yah tell the arrow'd miss by a lot? My arm is bleeding thanks ta you!"

[Groddil]

Bitey grovelled in the dirt.
"Sorry sire, the wind threw me aim off...But I did hit that nice fish. Please don't hurt me."
He pointed shakily at the fish floating in the creek.
"I'll go get it if you want, just don't hit me again."

[Ashleg]

Ghasritz frowned and walked past Bitey.
"Get it as we walk that way. I think I see somewhere we can spend the night up ahead."

[Vilu Daskar]

"Well in that case, what do you need to know?" asked Darktail with a greedy look in his eye.

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Dutter looked like he was about to cry, "I don't want no treasure, I just want someone to be with."

[Groddil]

Bul raised the scythe.
"We are armed, but we aren't skilled. Teach us how you kill. How to hunt some down and send them to the Dark Forest before they even know you're there."

********

Bitey jumped into the stream, landing heavily upon the fish. He ripped the arrow from the flesh, and hauled the huge grayling from the stream. Bitey called a rat over and the two hauled the fish between them.

********

Drew snarled at the mouse. He waved the kitchen knife, thrusting it towards Dutter.
"Redwall ain't 'ere anymore. Nobeast'll punish me fer guttin' ya if ye take one more step towards me treasure."