They Thought Redwall was Safe! (Is Redwall as Safe as they Say it is? Part 3!)

[LT Sandpaw]

Snorting, albeit quietly, Fastooth shook his head in amusement. Woodlanders, so predictable and boring. How a beast could ever wish to surmount to nothing more than a doddering old fool dressed in funny green robes and growing fat in an abbey utterly confused Fastooth. At least the mouse Oriff by Afagon's account had something to truly look forward to in life, even if it was just in jest.

"Why'd ye wanna do that Afagon matey? Sounds right dull ter me, an' trust me. I know dull. I've been livin' in these woodlands fer nigh thirteen seasons. These last few days'v been th' only exciting thing tha's 'appened round here. Reckon I'd slit me own wrist if'n I was told ter live nice n' peaceful like in a soddy ol' place like Redwall."

[The Skarzs]

  "To each their own," said Afagon with a shrug. "I've had my adventuring days." The thin otter turned around. "You should sleep."

[Ashleg]

Maxy's head lolled quite peacefully against Fastooth's shoulder as he slumbered, but inside it there was was anything but serenity.

He and Bracklew stood inside the cabin of a large ship. The air, heavy with urgency, clogged most thoughts from getting through to him, although Bracklew was much younger and had both paws--Maxy, too, felt younger.
He yanked the cork from a bottle and proceeded to stuff and crush vibrant red berries inside it, his heart pounding.
Then he silently placed it back atop the bedside table.
"Yes, come on, let's make a run for it!" he hissed, peering from the door. "He's talking to the fox again...Okay, we run out of the room on three. One, two...three!"

Before he had a chance, the ugly snout of a rat reared in his face, giant and horrible. "Ey, 'tis th' likkle rabbit 'n' th' Cap'n cabin!" the rat shrieked, pulling Martin's sword seemingly from thin air and poising it over Maxy's head.

"M-Martin...Martin's sword," Maxy gasped, rearing back and dealing the rat a hefty kick to the gut. He raced into the open after Bracklew and wound up smack into Rapshade, who was towering and strong and crazed and horribly, utterly terrifying, his black fur and purple jacket flapping in the wind like the sails of a stormridden ship. The ferret whirled on them, pointing a claw and yelling, "What were two Dibbuns like ye doing in my room, eh? 'Tis funny that a tree-rat and a rabbit that fled yesterday came back here. Only idiots would do that."

"I'll have you know, Sah, I am a hare!" Maxy cried, "You cowardly barnacle, you killed my mom! Monster!!"

Rapshade turned and barked orders to the rat before drawing his sword and swooping down on Maxy like an eagle would its prey, and the two of them hit the ship's painted wooden deck in a violent tornado.

Maxy, through the chaos, managed to tear into the ferret's side and worm away, exclaiming shrilly to Bracklew that he didn't know what he did and that Bracklew needed to run, until--SCCHHLT--he felt himself stuck through.

"NO!" the squirrel screamed, jolting up. The first thing his blue eyes landed on was the fire, and then the round faces of Oriff and Afagon. He turned to the side, and there was Fastooth, in the same place as he was before.

The squirrel's chest heaved.

[LT Sandpaw]

"Fates above cully ye scared th' daylights out o' me." Fastooth, at Afagon's suggestion had slipped into a relatively peaceful sleep. The rat felt more annoyance than concern for his companion's sudden shout, and he growled a little, sitting up to see if Oriff or Afagon were up to something suspicious.

"Tis all clear Max, wot in th' blazes was that all about then?"

[Ashleg]

"I...I..." Maxy shook his head, not sure if even he understood. "I...had a very realistic nightmare, Fastooth," he admitted. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

[The Skarzs]

  Oriff sat up and wiggled a claw in his ear. "Must've been pretty scary for it t' frighten everybeast around for miles. Well, I'm not going to be able to sleep after that. I'll take watch."
  Afagon shrugged and sat down in his place, watching Maxy through the flame and smoke of the fire.

[Ashleg]

"I'm sorry," Maxy sniffed, burrowing his face in his paws. "Oh, Stumbly!" he sobbed.

[The Skarzs]

  Afagon drew back. "What's the matter?" he asked with growing concern.
  "Who's Stumbly?" asked Oriff.

[LT Sandpaw]

  Fastooth shared Oriff's curiosity. The rat wasn't one for emotional delicacy or kind words but he did the best he could, laying a paw on Maxy's shoulder and thinking up some comforting words.
"Listen 'ere now matey yer awake, so no reason ter fear an' keep sobbin'. Yer a grown beast see. T'was jus a likkle night terror an' that ain't nothin' to take serious. I should know, me dreams are always rather strange... But I'm sure this Stumbly is jus' fine wherever ah, he is."

[Ashleg]

"She is dead, Fastooth," Maxy groaned. "My best friend for my whole life, killed at the vile paws of somebeast I've never even seen!"
Sniffing and trying to catch a breath, he wiped his eyes.
"I can be strong. She wouldn't want to see this."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Killed ye say..." Fastooth chewed this news over for awhile, all thoughts of sleep gone. Fastooth had lost many comrades over the seasons but for the longest time he'd never lost sleep over their demise. Death was a part of his everyday life and he created a sort of mental barrier was formed to keep him from becoming too close to anyone. It spared him the pain to suffer loss again and again making him calloused and smothering any empathy he once possessed.
"Aye, she would want ye to be strong Max, be tough like I know ye are. Tell ye wot mate, if'n I ever find out who killed her I'll make 'em pay tenfold see. Tis th' least I could do."

[Ashleg]

"I will, I will," Maxy mumbled. His mind went back to the dream and circled on it, and he felt sick. It seemed too real to have been a dream--more like a bad memory long forgotten.
"Do you know if it's almost morning?" the squirrel started, wiping away the last of his tears.

[The Skarzs]

  "Hardly," said Afagon, leaning on his elbow. "Try to go back to sleep, if you can."
  "I'll wake you when it's light," said Oriff.

[Ashleg]

"Okay," said Maxy sadly, settling down with his bushy tail wrapped around him.
"Again, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout."

[The Skarzs]

OOC: Time skip?