Paol Ticcur was the most famous warlord in the land. In one hand was his trusty falchion, Death Singer, in the other a long sword, Corpse Pulse. His eyes were blood red and his fur completely black. His armor was a blinding white, and his horde of vermin were all but friendly, constantly fighting with each other, Paol had to recruit new soldiers all the time. Yet the most surprising attribute about Paol besides his hawk steed, Liano, was that he was a mouse!
Paol stuck Death Singer into the ground. "We camp here, set camp up fast, we leave at the first sign of the moon. His army instantly began setting up tents and scouting for food, they did not want to get on Paol's bad side. A new ferret named Riptail looked at Paol. "Why do we hafta leave so early sir." There was an audible intake of breath from the crew. Paol spun around "Cause that's the best time to strike isn't it?" He lashed out with Corpse Pulse, and then with Death Singer, clipping both ears off, then he thrust both his swords through the middle and threw the body into the ocean.
"I trust we all know where we are heading at night?" He said to the group at large.
"To Brockhall." They shouted.
"That's right and why are we going there?"
"To find the Gem of Ages!"
"And if it isn't there?"
"We kill everything around!"
Paol let out a malevolent roar of laughter.
"That's right."
He spotted a bird; he slowly picked up a rock and threw it straight at the bird. The seagull fell, he went over and picked it up.
"Today we feast!"
The army cheered. This meant that the general was going to cook, and he cooked well.
They opened a barrel of a strong alcoholic wine and brought it to Paol who was roasting the seagull. He dipped a paw in the wine and sucked on it.
"This is good, take a tankard to everyone, and leave the rest for the centerpiece."
Everyone had to contribute to the feast in some way. Some were making a simple salad, while the others made sauces. The preparation was done everyone seated themselves on the ground, the food, on the plates. Paol raised his tankard.
"To destruction!"
"To destruction!" they echoed, holding up there tankards.
"To treasure!" Paol said louder raising his tankard higher.
"To treasure!" The said mimicking the chief
"To the army!" He roared and quaffed his drink
"To the army!" They roared and all quaffed their drinks and began to eat.
Yuke the murderer was in a bad mood. His crew was slain in a battle with another, one with a captain called Paol or something. Aye that was it, Paol Ticcur. He sat alone on his ship, "the Painbringer" brooding on what had happened to him. He slowly came up with a plan, to gain himself a crew and discredit Paol. He chuckled evilly and jumped of his ship onto land. Paol will rue the day he met Yuke the Murderer!
Abbot Kermil walked into the kitchens and looked around, Friar Polkiw was stirring a brown substance. The Abbot quickly strode forward and sipped it from a spoon he kept in his pocket. "My that must be the best gravy I have ever tasted." The friar biffed the abbot over the head, leaving the hedgehog to rub his head.
"What was that for?" he grumbled
"When was the last time you washed that thing!" She cried, inspecting the spoon that now lay on the floor.
"Ummm..." He stuttered.
Friar Polkiw dished him another wack on the head,
"For all I know my gravy could be diseased, is this how an Abbot is suppose to act?" She screamed
The abbot stumbled out of the kitchen, "Such a violent cook." He mumbled.
"I know what you mean mate." Came a voice from the right of the abbot's vision. He turned and saw his good friend, the Skipper of Otters who was nursing a bruise on top of his head. He sat down beside the otter and stared up at the sky, it was cloudy with no visible sign of the sun.
"Looks like we'll have to cancel our dinner in the orchard."
"That it does," Said the Skipper looking up at the sky "But who will round up the dibbuns?"
"We'll leave that to leave that to the badgermum."
They got the message to Meriam as soon as possible so the dibbuns didn't stay out in the rain. She walked out and began scooping up the little ones in her great arms they squealed loudly as she said, "Come inside dinner in the orchard is canceled." The dibbuns' disappointment was expressed through louder protests.
"Oi don't wanter go inta the dormitry." Said a molebabe as she struggled to get out of the badgermum's powerful grip.
"That's too bad for you." She grumbled and carried them all into the dormitory to await the dinner.
Paol was satiated with the feast and was resting in his tent while Yuke went about with his plan and planted a seed of worry in the mind of one named Pontik. Pontik was an extremely paranoid rat and woke everyone else to explain his worries. The seed grew and into a thorn bush. Yuke made his appearance while Paol was asleep.
"He will betray you someday you know." He said gruffly to the group at large.
"One day he will lead each and everyone of you to Hellsgates and laugh."
They were silent staring in horror.
"I won't however, you can all trust me, I can give you more plunder than you can imagine, and I can make all your dreams come true."
"How will you do that?" asked a ferret.
"By attacking the abbey of Redwall, rumor says, there is treasure for the picking inside, and a magic sword."
"That's a good idea, we should go." Whispered a rat
"But how, Paol wants the Gem of Ages." Said a ferret
Yuke jumped down and clapped an arm around the ferret.
"That's why we commit mutiny, there is only one of him and a horde of us!"
So they crept up upon Paol weapons at the ready when his hawk screeched from above and Paol jumped up, blades in hand and slew the nearest rat.
"See?1 he will soon betray each and everyone of you." Screeched Yuke, and the army advanced.
Paol was completely bewildered but he knew he was definitely in danger and began to cut and slash at the coming vermin until a stone hit him in the back of his head and he fell unconscious. When he woke he was severely wounded and could barely move. He signaled for his hawk which flew down picked him up and flew him to Redwall Abbey.
The abbot was just strolling through the orchard when an evil looking hawk carrying a black mouse holding two swords arrived. It screeched loudly. The abbot fetched the healer when she arrived she shrieked.
"Abbot we cannot tend to such evil!" she said shuddering as her eyes traveled across his two swords, "It is Paol Ticcur, the most evil warlord in all the lands, all this points to that, and the only thing that's missing is his armor!"
The abbot looked at the healer frowningly, "It is the duty of Redwall to treat hurt creatures whether good or evil, have you already forgotten?"
The healer shook her head "Yes, yes I know its just I don't feel safe."
The abbot shook his head, "I'm sure he will not harm us."
"How do you know Father Abbot?"
"It's just a feeling."
Paol woke up and in a bed and jumped of quickly and winced, he noticed bandages. The last thing he remembered was signaling for his hawk. He scrambled around looking for Death Singer and Corpse Pulse. He did not see them. He stormed out of the building to blazing sun. He squinted as his eyes adjusted. He looked around it was raining and he was inside four great stonewalls, the walls of Redwall Abbey.
"Your awake I see." Came a voice. Paol swung around ready to kill to face a kindly hedgehog. "No need to look so surprised, you are in good hands, there will be dinner in the building across from this one." Paol relaxed, seeing he was among friendly creatures. "Where are my swords?" The hedgehog turned, "In the cellar, the dibbuns would have been in danger of hurting themselves if we left them any where else."
"What about Liano, my hawk."
"I think he is in the kitchens."
Paol put on the habit lying by his bed and walked to the kitchens, intent on seeing what they were cooking.
Friar Polkiw applied her gravy to the onion pasty when Paol walked in. He walked over to the pasties and stared at them admiring how well the gravy was done. The friar raised her ladle to apply him a bump over the head but as the ladle went down Paol grabbed it out of reflex and thwacked the paw sending the ladle spinning out of the stunned Friar's hand, "Sorry," he apologized as he fetched the ladle, "Force of habit." He said returning it to the cook and walking out. "There's one who you won't be able to hurt for sampling your cooking." Said the abbot and winced instantly as the ladle collided with the top of his head.
Paol felt happy for the first time in his life, real happy, not the kind of happy when you caught in the feeling of adrenaline and in the fray, but really happy. He watched dibbuns run around, chasing each other, perhaps I can get used to this new life he thought. He walked about until he came across the tapestry of Martin the Warrior and stared at the bravery and determination depicted on the tapestry, then his eyes fell upon the Sword of Martin the Warrior. It glistened in the light and seemed to ask him to take it. He resisted the urge and walked away then a strong voice reached his ears,
Take the sword and defend the Abbey from the one who nearly took your life. Assume a new name and smite them, along with another who will come from the west.
He turned around swiftly and looked for the who spoke these words but saw no one.