*Note* Redwall, Mossflower, Sela and Matthias are all copyright of Brian Jacques
Every thing else is created by me
How Matthias came to Redwall (c)opyright 2001
Prologue
An elderly hedgehog, going by the title Bular smiled as his little grandson Mities climbed onto his lap.
" Oh grandpa, pleaze tell me a storie," asked Mities.
" I have the one perfect for this stormy day my little 'un," chuckled Bular. He began unfolding the tale of the early ages of Matthias.
~
A female mouse cradled a mouse babe; he had sharp black eyes and velvety fur. His father smiled and stroked the little mouse. Friends and family of Larkwood village admired the son of Campon and Venna Brighteyes.
" What shall we call him Campon?" asked Venna wearily. Campon looked hard at his son, thinking of a name suitable for him.
" Matthias," he finally decided. He named a name of his grandfather. The creatures of Larkwood nodded their approval as they left the tent to prepare a welcoming feast. Venna placed her mouse babe into an oak bed where Matthias would sleep. " He has the spirit of his great ancestor and the good heart of you my dear Venna." Little did they know what other events would bestow the village that very night.
~
Delsha the healer laughed. Her band's leader had found a perfect place to raid that night where food was plenty and where silly creatures that could be tricked easily. The past season had been exceptional hard on them; they had traveled from the north down south where the weather would be warmer. But winters here were still cold and freezing, her own sister had died of the cold.
" Mother, where are we and why have we stopped? I'm hungry," whined her daughter Sela.
" Enough Sela! We have to rest, Lamoc has found a place with food," snapped Delsha impatiently. She grabbed Sela and together set up a tent for themselves and their father, other females of their band did the same. Delsha left Sela with another cub from their band called Razit, unlike Sela who was gray brown, he had the fur of the dark night.
" Where are we Razit?" questioned Sela, hungry and tired.
" How am I suppose to know?" replied the fox. Seeing that Sela was in one her tantrum moods (he got in trouble for them) he told her. " We're in Mossflower." Sela nodded. Seeing that the adults were busying conversing, Sela grabbed her mother's healing bag and began studying the different roots and herbs her mother carried. " Are you suppose to look through that stuff?" Sela shrugged all she had to do was to put the herbs back and her mother would never know that she was studying the art of healing.
" Come on, lets go see what the adults are talking about," suggested Razit. Sela followed him to a bushy spot where no one could them.
" What if they have some sort of defense?" asked a young fox called Mafil. Razit's father Lamoc cuffed the younger fox.
" If there was a defense besides yelling mice we wouldn't be doing this raid blockhead!" snarled Lamoc. Mafil bowed his head in apology. Sela and Razit had never been to a meeting being to young to understand the art of war and battle, they always had be baby sat by the elderly fox Dumon, but he hadn't survived the cold north. No one cared for them during the meetings, the adults deciding they were old enough to be by themselves. Sela was wide eyed at the plans unfolding from the sly minds of her parents. Razit decided they had been here long enough and dragged protesting Sela along with him.
" What- why did you do that for? Didn't you want to know what they were going to do?" sputtered Sela.
" Of course I did, I wasn't going risk my hide for that though, neither should you," answered Razit.
~
Little Matthias was enjoying him self immensely even though he couldn't eat nuts and hard food he tucked away puddings and flower bread spread with apple preserve. He was fed warm milk and a small quantity strawberry cordial. All around him were happy beasts drinking and wishing his mom and dad well. His best friend Annia smiled at him and went back to munching on her scone.
" Mother, can me and Annia go to our hut to play with my toys?" voiced Matthias.
" Very well, just don't mess up the hut like you did last time," agreed Venna. Annia and Matthias squeaked with glee and ran to the hut. From a little toy chest, Matthias produced a small hollow ball made out of sap and leaves tied to a vine. Annia fished out a doll that she had stored in there. They had great fun playing with their toys until their mothers picked them up to go back the feast (protesting of course).
At the entrance of village was a healer fox dressed in ragged clothing carrying a medicine bag.
" Do you need any assistance fox?" asked their elder Salamon. " Here come in, we will give you clothing and food to help you along the way.
" My name is Delsha, my family was killed by a band of evil ferrets," whined the fox. It was Sela's mother! " Only I am the survivor of the murder, I escaped." The fox began to cry. The homely mice brought blankets and food for the fox, comforting her. In time she was reduced to sniffles. " Oh how can I repay you for your kindness? I am a healer, I can heal the most feared sickness... . . . . . death!" Laughing harshly the band of foxes stormed into the village. Surprised gasps came a forth as Lamoc sprang up onto a table.
" I am Lamoc Darkfur, my band and I control your very lives right now," started Lamoc. " But I choose to take over this place completely and you will pay with your lives." The fox band began to slay the peaceful creatures. Venna looked wildly about, not caring for her safety but for Matthias's. She spotted a clump of reeds, cluttered enough to cover a mouse babe, she gently placed Matthias there, telling him he had to be quiet. Looking back once, she went head long into the melee to save home.
Matthias covered his eyes, now confused of what was going on. Who were those foxes? Why were they here? Loud clanging of weapons filled his ears. When quietness had settled over, Matthias dared to see if the foxes were there. The one who had called himself Lamoc, howled with his band victoriously, heavy haversacks bulging with food and supplies, then they left. They all they wanted now: food, supplies and the glory of killing. Matthias cautiously stepped out from his hiding place. Red blood stained the village grounds.
" Mother! Father!" cried Matthias. He had never felt more alone. " Annia! Hello?!" He ran to the center of the village where the feasting was held. The bodies of Venna and Campon Brighteyes lay slain on the ground, showing a struggle to fight the foxes. Tears filled his eyes, where was Annia, surely she was all right. Matthias heard a whimper from behind a basket. Carefully, in case it was a fox, he quietly went towards that direction. Matthias moved aside the basket to find Annia there, her paw covering a wound to her shoulder. " Annia!" He didn't know any healing, but he had watched his mother many times. He tore a strip of cloth from his tunic and pressed it against the wound. Despite of his effort blood continued to flow.
" It hurts much," sobbed Annia. Matthias cradled his dying friend's head, hot tears streaming down his face.
" I'm sorry Annia, I don't know what to do," choked Matthias. He removed the blood soaked tunic strip and replaced it with a fresh one. He found Annia's doll by her side. " Annia, I found your dolly. Here." Annia clutched the little doll until her eyes clouded over and she breathed for the last time.
Coming soon: Last Part
Every thing else is created by me
How Matthias came to Redwall (c)opyright 2001
Prologue
An elderly hedgehog, going by the title Bular smiled as his little grandson Mities climbed onto his lap.
" Oh grandpa, pleaze tell me a storie," asked Mities.
" I have the one perfect for this stormy day my little 'un," chuckled Bular. He began unfolding the tale of the early ages of Matthias.
~
A female mouse cradled a mouse babe; he had sharp black eyes and velvety fur. His father smiled and stroked the little mouse. Friends and family of Larkwood village admired the son of Campon and Venna Brighteyes.
" What shall we call him Campon?" asked Venna wearily. Campon looked hard at his son, thinking of a name suitable for him.
" Matthias," he finally decided. He named a name of his grandfather. The creatures of Larkwood nodded their approval as they left the tent to prepare a welcoming feast. Venna placed her mouse babe into an oak bed where Matthias would sleep. " He has the spirit of his great ancestor and the good heart of you my dear Venna." Little did they know what other events would bestow the village that very night.
~
Delsha the healer laughed. Her band's leader had found a perfect place to raid that night where food was plenty and where silly creatures that could be tricked easily. The past season had been exceptional hard on them; they had traveled from the north down south where the weather would be warmer. But winters here were still cold and freezing, her own sister had died of the cold.
" Mother, where are we and why have we stopped? I'm hungry," whined her daughter Sela.
" Enough Sela! We have to rest, Lamoc has found a place with food," snapped Delsha impatiently. She grabbed Sela and together set up a tent for themselves and their father, other females of their band did the same. Delsha left Sela with another cub from their band called Razit, unlike Sela who was gray brown, he had the fur of the dark night.
" Where are we Razit?" questioned Sela, hungry and tired.
" How am I suppose to know?" replied the fox. Seeing that Sela was in one her tantrum moods (he got in trouble for them) he told her. " We're in Mossflower." Sela nodded. Seeing that the adults were busying conversing, Sela grabbed her mother's healing bag and began studying the different roots and herbs her mother carried. " Are you suppose to look through that stuff?" Sela shrugged all she had to do was to put the herbs back and her mother would never know that she was studying the art of healing.
" Come on, lets go see what the adults are talking about," suggested Razit. Sela followed him to a bushy spot where no one could them.
" What if they have some sort of defense?" asked a young fox called Mafil. Razit's father Lamoc cuffed the younger fox.
" If there was a defense besides yelling mice we wouldn't be doing this raid blockhead!" snarled Lamoc. Mafil bowed his head in apology. Sela and Razit had never been to a meeting being to young to understand the art of war and battle, they always had be baby sat by the elderly fox Dumon, but he hadn't survived the cold north. No one cared for them during the meetings, the adults deciding they were old enough to be by themselves. Sela was wide eyed at the plans unfolding from the sly minds of her parents. Razit decided they had been here long enough and dragged protesting Sela along with him.
" What- why did you do that for? Didn't you want to know what they were going to do?" sputtered Sela.
" Of course I did, I wasn't going risk my hide for that though, neither should you," answered Razit.
~
Little Matthias was enjoying him self immensely even though he couldn't eat nuts and hard food he tucked away puddings and flower bread spread with apple preserve. He was fed warm milk and a small quantity strawberry cordial. All around him were happy beasts drinking and wishing his mom and dad well. His best friend Annia smiled at him and went back to munching on her scone.
" Mother, can me and Annia go to our hut to play with my toys?" voiced Matthias.
" Very well, just don't mess up the hut like you did last time," agreed Venna. Annia and Matthias squeaked with glee and ran to the hut. From a little toy chest, Matthias produced a small hollow ball made out of sap and leaves tied to a vine. Annia fished out a doll that she had stored in there. They had great fun playing with their toys until their mothers picked them up to go back the feast (protesting of course).
At the entrance of village was a healer fox dressed in ragged clothing carrying a medicine bag.
" Do you need any assistance fox?" asked their elder Salamon. " Here come in, we will give you clothing and food to help you along the way.
" My name is Delsha, my family was killed by a band of evil ferrets," whined the fox. It was Sela's mother! " Only I am the survivor of the murder, I escaped." The fox began to cry. The homely mice brought blankets and food for the fox, comforting her. In time she was reduced to sniffles. " Oh how can I repay you for your kindness? I am a healer, I can heal the most feared sickness... . . . . . death!" Laughing harshly the band of foxes stormed into the village. Surprised gasps came a forth as Lamoc sprang up onto a table.
" I am Lamoc Darkfur, my band and I control your very lives right now," started Lamoc. " But I choose to take over this place completely and you will pay with your lives." The fox band began to slay the peaceful creatures. Venna looked wildly about, not caring for her safety but for Matthias's. She spotted a clump of reeds, cluttered enough to cover a mouse babe, she gently placed Matthias there, telling him he had to be quiet. Looking back once, she went head long into the melee to save home.
Matthias covered his eyes, now confused of what was going on. Who were those foxes? Why were they here? Loud clanging of weapons filled his ears. When quietness had settled over, Matthias dared to see if the foxes were there. The one who had called himself Lamoc, howled with his band victoriously, heavy haversacks bulging with food and supplies, then they left. They all they wanted now: food, supplies and the glory of killing. Matthias cautiously stepped out from his hiding place. Red blood stained the village grounds.
" Mother! Father!" cried Matthias. He had never felt more alone. " Annia! Hello?!" He ran to the center of the village where the feasting was held. The bodies of Venna and Campon Brighteyes lay slain on the ground, showing a struggle to fight the foxes. Tears filled his eyes, where was Annia, surely she was all right. Matthias heard a whimper from behind a basket. Carefully, in case it was a fox, he quietly went towards that direction. Matthias moved aside the basket to find Annia there, her paw covering a wound to her shoulder. " Annia!" He didn't know any healing, but he had watched his mother many times. He tore a strip of cloth from his tunic and pressed it against the wound. Despite of his effort blood continued to flow.
" It hurts much," sobbed Annia. Matthias cradled his dying friend's head, hot tears streaming down his face.
" I'm sorry Annia, I don't know what to do," choked Matthias. He removed the blood soaked tunic strip and replaced it with a fresh one. He found Annia's doll by her side. " Annia, I found your dolly. Here." Annia clutched the little doll until her eyes clouded over and she breathed for the last time.
Coming soon: Last Part