Disclaimer: I do not, in any way shape or form, consider Redwall my own conception, and all characters, excluding Melfare, Abbot Mandaro, Kilo Mole, and Molganro, belong to the fabulous story teller, Brian Jacques. The characters listed above, and the plot, however, are of my conception, and belong to me. If you would like to gain permission to use my characters, please send me an e-mail at having a lot of fun, writing this story. It side tracks in some places, since the main story line itself is short. The chapters aren't very long either. This story takes place right after Redwall, so some facts may not apply to all the books. I haven't finished Redwall yet, so I apologize for any wrong facts that are stated near the end of the book. The richness of this story was too good to pass up a fanatic fiction on, so that is why I've started writing. I began this story Friday, Semptember 2, 2005. I'll respect all reviews given, and I'm giving thanks in advance to any fans that I may gather during my stay on If I feel like I'm accumulating many fans through my story, I'll make and design a fan site for everyone. Including message boards, feedback forms, and maybe even some chatrooms. But, that's thinking too far ahead, I don't even know if anyone will like my stories. But, I will continue writing, even if it means that it's just for my personal enjoyment. This story revolves around the two guard mice, Melfare and Melganro, and their investigation of the Vixen campfires. I'm not going to spoil anything else. I will try and add a new chapter every few days, at the most. Check back often!
Prologue
It was a dark and humid night, right after midnight, during early Autumn. Not much stirred in the Redwall Abbey, laden with dew from the night's fog. Only the parapet guards were awake, pacing slowly and wiping condensation from their whiskers. The sky was dark, with no moon in the sky to light the dirt path along the sandstone structure. However, a dim light could been seen in the common land, close to the church further down the dark dirt path.
"Is that a campfire?" a short guard asked in a hushed tone to his fellow patroller, while pointing near the church.
"I... I think so. Probably the vixens doing some hocus pocus tribal dance." replied the taller guard, shaking his head with a sarcastic half-smile. "They're so primitive, sometimes I wonder how they can believe in all that,"
"Yes, I must agree, however, their espionage is quite rewarding to the abbey,"
"Rewarding! How can you say that, they ask for large sums of ore, herbs, and food, in return for silly half-witted secrets, that are often put in riddles. They do nothing but pester the Abbot about rumors," Replied the tall guard, raising his voice slightly.
"Still, the information is usually right. Anyways, I wonder what they're doing right now,"
"Let vixens deal with vixen issues. We need to get back to patrolling."
"I guess your right," hastily replied the shorter guard. As the taller guard wiped his whiskers and returned to his post, the smaller one gazed at the mesmerizing fire that wavered in the fog. Pulling up his trews, he snapped out of the trance when a beam of sunshine hit his watery eyes. He nodded to the other guards, and they all proceeded down the steps to the Cavern Hole. It was time for the next shift of guards to patrol, and they could finally get some sleep.
Chapter One
The next day, all was humble in the abbey. Novices were gathering nuts and fruits from the trees in the orchard. Toddlers and children were running the pasture area inside the wall, playing silly games. Inside the kitchen, Friar Hugo's voice echoed.
"Where are the fresh autumn nuts? I just saw a basket full of them!" he said, in a rushed tone.
"They're sitting near the wine rack," replied an assistant, that was putting away bread in the pantry boxes. The anxious chef pulled out the nuts and began cracking them, like eggs, against the cutting board.
"Fresh autumn ale?" asked Constance, lugging a bag of fruit in from the orchard.
"Of course, nothing else!" replied Hugo, trying to imply a witty remark. Constance just smiled, knowing the that Friar was under a lot of stress preparing for the Feast of Autumn Abundance.
Inside the gatehouse, the two mice, off their shifts, the shorter one named Melfare, and the taller one named Molganro, were informing Methuselah about the vixens in the common land.
"That's quite odd," said the old mouse, raising his brow. After pushing up his spectacles, he continued, "Vixens of that nature are usually found in the plains far across the main road, not in the common land in Mossflower. You said they we're dancing?"
"Yes," both replied in slight unison. Melfare look at the fireplace, and turned back to the gatekeeper.
"They were spinning and dancing around the campfire, throwing what appeared to be grounded herbs into the fire."
"There were about twenty of them, all chanting in various tones." Molganro added. Methuselah gave a half-smile and sat in his oak knot chair, looking at a blot of spilled ink on his habit.
"Did you happen to catch what they were chanting?" he inquired. The two mice look at each other with disagreement.
"It was hard to make out, since they weren't repeating it all together." Melfare bumly replied. "In fact, it seemed like such a small problem, we haven't even reported it to Constance or the Abbot."
"Well, it doesn't seem like anything dangerous, but I still suggest you tell Constance, just so she can have a mental note of it, if other cases are reported." Methuselah said, rising from the chair, looking for a cloth to rub on his blotted habit.
"Well, thank you for your time, Brother," The two mice said with a slight frown as they left the gatehouse, closing the door slowly.
Chapter Two
Exhausted, Constance lugged another bag of fruit into the large kitchen. Wiping the sweat from her nose, she helped another badger drag in a bag of nuts. The Redwall Abbey usually didn't have a very abundant harvest before winter, but this time, the harvest was exponential! Thankfully, the abbey's fertile soil could grow things during winter, as long as there wasn't any massive snow storms.
"Do you need more food for the feast tomorrow?" Constance asked with a cracking, sweaty voice. Friar Hugo turned around, and gave a big grin.
"Well, I could make my famous grayling if I had an adult one from the river," he replied, trying to suggest that Brother Alf should go to the river.
"I'll ask Alf if he can fish this afternoon," she humbly replied with a small sigh. Pacing to the fisherman's shack, Constance was stopped by two of her guards, Melfare and Molganro.
"Constance, we have a report from last night's watch," Malganro said, puffing his chest.
"Well, I'm waiting," said the impatient badger.The two mice gave a small smile and looked at each other, trying to combine their facts.
"We saw a campfire. A vixen campfire, over in the common land, near the church. We've already told Methuselah, and he doesn't know why they were over there." The badger rubber her head with her chubby paw and began to speak.
"Why haven't I already been informed of this. Vixens like that are up to no good. I'll send an agent to their camp ground this evening, alright?"
"Well, alright. Does Friar Hugo need any help?" Malgonro asked with a slight frown.
"He wants a grayling, for the feast tonight. I was on my way to Alf when you two came along. I suggest you find Abbot Mandaro. Maybe he'll have a task for you two.
Chapter Three
"I swear, somtimes that badger reads my mind! I do have a task for you two!" the Abbot replied after they explained their presence. A short character, the Abbot was, and didn't like it when he was treated highly above everyone else. He saw himself as a guide, not a ruler. "I need you two to find me a tome titled 'Bees of Mossflower' for my current investigation. Some of the bees at the hive in the Abbey have been complaining of other bees stealing the abbey's flower nectar. I wanted to see which kind of bee might be guilty," he continued with a grin.
"Alright, where can we find this tome?" Melfare asked after looking at Melganro.
"Try asking Kilo Mole at the library. I read that book once as a lad there." Abbot Mandaro responded with a blushing tone. The two mice bowed to the Abbot and replied,
"Yes, Abbot Mandaro. We shall find the tome for you."
Making their way out of the Cavern Hole, the two mice conversed on their way to the library.
"Do you think we should've mentioned the vixens to Abbot Mandaro?" Melganro asked with a stubborn look.
"Nah, not a big deal, according to Constance. If she feels he should know, she'll tell him." Melfare replied, puffing his chest with leadership. Chuckling, Melganro replied with his authorative tone.
"Your right. We should just forget it about it anyways, it isn't a big deal."
Chapter Four
Swinging open the library door, the two mice found themselves in a vass pool of knowledge. They were approached by Kilo, and bowed in his presence.
"Welcome to the library! Can I assist?" the literate mole asked with a grin. The two mice looked at each other.
"We need a tome titled 'Bees of Mossflower', for Abbot Mandaro. He is investigating the low supply of flower nectar for the Redwall Bees," replied Melfare, just raising from his bow. Malganro nodded his head and smiled at the mole.
"Hmm... If it's a tome, I need to check the artifact room. Please wait here. There are fresh apple cinnamon cookies on my desk, help yourself." Kilo Mole replied, with a bit of a frown. Moles are naturally afraid of heights, and there wasn't an exception to Kilo. Looking up the steps, a shiver went down his back. "C'mon, you can do this, Kilo." he thought aloud, trying to knock down his blocks of nervousment. He put his left foot on the first step, and stopped. Wiping sweat from his brow, he took another step. Melfare walked over and gave a smile of encouragment.
"Want me to go up instead?" Melfare asked, trying to relieve the mole. The mole gave a smile.
"It's nice of you to offer, but I need to accomplish this fear," he replied monotonously. Closing his right eye, which looked over the staircase, he proceeded upward. After a few minutes, he was at the top. "I've done it, yet again," he chuckled, making his way to the dusty room along the wall. After a few moments of fiddling with keys, he disappeared in the dark room.
A few moments later, he emerged, with a thin book laced with gold string. This time, the mole closed his left eye, and proceeded down the steps.
"Here you go," Kilo said with a mighty grin of accomplishment. "It's due in five days, so please tell the Abbot."
"We will, thank you, Kilo Mole." Molganro replied, taking the book from the mole's clean hands. Melfare bowed and the two mice made their way to the door. "You go ahead and cleanse yourself for the feast, I'll deliver the book, and meet you in the dining hall," Molganro said, offering his idea like a cookie.
"Alright, see you then!" Melfare replied, hastily breaking path to his barrack bed.