"Sajjainn!" The name was whispered fearfully through the frightened ranks of vermin.
"Sajjainn!" Faster than the winter's gale and wilder than the roaring tempest.
"Sajjainn!" They had come to Mossflower.
~*~
Twyst sat on the clifftop, scanning the valley below for any foe. The rabbit's face and limbs were decorated with many patterns of blue and red face paint. Sajjainn, the fearsome tribe of wild rabbits and hares was like her family. They roved the lands, wreaking havoc upon the unlucky vermin who cross their path. Nobeast argues with a Sajjainn and lives. Her leaders were Sandsliver and Lyght.
A movement among the bushes snapped her out of her dreams. She noted the position of the movement and slid silently down the other side of the cliff. Sprinting through the forest, she made her way to the concealed camp of the tribe of Sajjainn. Twyst skidded to a halt in front of the two Chieftains.
"Movement in th' shrubs beneath the cliff." She said, breathing calmly. "Permission to investigate?"
"Permission granted, Twyst. Bring two others with ye." Lyght, the rabbit chieftain replied.
"An' a hare. Ye might need some arrers ta get th' target." Sandsliver, the hare chief added.
"Alright, Chiefs. I'm on me way!" Twyst hopped nimbly among the forms of her comrades. She woke Sylver, Paynt and Raindance. The three rabbits and the hare dogtrotted towards the shrubs. They drew jagged curved swords and got ready to jump. Suddenly, a flash of brown hurtled out of the bush, followed by a fox. Not noticing the long-eared investigators, the fox kicked at the small squirrel curled up at its paws. The squirrel was chained around the neck and paws, but still growled fiercely at the fox.
"You had no right to imprison me, fox! Let me go before I attack you!"
The rabbits silently circled the fox as the hare crept next to the squirrel. Like a flash, the rabbits were on the fox.
"SAAAANNNNJJJJJJJJJAAAAAIIIIIINNNNN!"
Raindance the hare used her keen blade to break the chains as Twyst, Sylver and Paynt tackled the fox.
"I-I-I'm not d-d-doin' anythin' t-t-ter this sq-sq-squirrel! 'E attacked m-m-me at n-n-night an-an' almost slayed me!"
"That's not true, ye scum! Th' squirrel wos only wanderin' these woodlands, an' ye attacked 'im and chained 'im up!" Twyst snarled into his face.
"If ye don't get gone afore I count ter five, ye're a deadbeast!" Sylver said, growling. All three rabbits fitted stones to their slings as Raindance nocked an arrow to her bow. "We don't usually let scum like ye live, but ye go tell all yer scummy friends that th' Sajjainn are here!"
With three blades at his throat, the fox did not argue. He had disappeared into the distance before Sylver could count to three. Twyst yelled at his receding form.
"G'on! Raise th' alarm scum! SAJJAAAAIIIINNNN!"
The squirrel looked up with admiration. "Thank you friends. My name is Redoak. My mother, Whitlark, is the warrior of Redwall and will be pleased t'see you."
Twyst smiled at the young beast that spoke well. "Why, ain't ye th' smart 'un? Come, we'll go t' camp. Ye can 'ave vittles if ye wants."
Raindance lifted the squirrel onto her shoulders, and the foursome trekked to camp.
~*~
Far away, Randangza and his horde of black vermin were making their way to Mossflower.
"We make camp here, my black ones. Polish your weapons, make ready your armour, we will conquer and slay for plunder and treasures tomorrow!"
There was an ear-splitting roar that arose from the vast horde. They stamped their feet and howled at the sky, acknowledging their master. Soon, the vermin tents were put up and fires were smoldering in the center of the camp. The wildcat leader grinned joyfully. Plunder was to be had!
~*~
"You're rabbits?!" Redoak exclaimed with surprise. "But you're not prissy or way too polite! Yore not anythin' like th' rabbits here in Mossflower!"
"We're not all rabbits, young 'un, some o' us are hares. You're right, though, we aren't like yore soft woodland rabbits. We're wild, all right, an' taught in the ways o' battle." Twyst stared into the fire.
"Wow! I'll show you to Redwall t'morrow, you'll discover wot feast really means!"
~*~
She is free.
"Sajjainn!" Faster than the winter's gale and wilder than the roaring tempest.
"Sajjainn!" They had come to Mossflower.
~*~
Twyst sat on the clifftop, scanning the valley below for any foe. The rabbit's face and limbs were decorated with many patterns of blue and red face paint. Sajjainn, the fearsome tribe of wild rabbits and hares was like her family. They roved the lands, wreaking havoc upon the unlucky vermin who cross their path. Nobeast argues with a Sajjainn and lives. Her leaders were Sandsliver and Lyght.
A movement among the bushes snapped her out of her dreams. She noted the position of the movement and slid silently down the other side of the cliff. Sprinting through the forest, she made her way to the concealed camp of the tribe of Sajjainn. Twyst skidded to a halt in front of the two Chieftains.
"Movement in th' shrubs beneath the cliff." She said, breathing calmly. "Permission to investigate?"
"Permission granted, Twyst. Bring two others with ye." Lyght, the rabbit chieftain replied.
"An' a hare. Ye might need some arrers ta get th' target." Sandsliver, the hare chief added.
"Alright, Chiefs. I'm on me way!" Twyst hopped nimbly among the forms of her comrades. She woke Sylver, Paynt and Raindance. The three rabbits and the hare dogtrotted towards the shrubs. They drew jagged curved swords and got ready to jump. Suddenly, a flash of brown hurtled out of the bush, followed by a fox. Not noticing the long-eared investigators, the fox kicked at the small squirrel curled up at its paws. The squirrel was chained around the neck and paws, but still growled fiercely at the fox.
"You had no right to imprison me, fox! Let me go before I attack you!"
The rabbits silently circled the fox as the hare crept next to the squirrel. Like a flash, the rabbits were on the fox.
"SAAAANNNNJJJJJJJJJAAAAAIIIIIINNNNN!"
Raindance the hare used her keen blade to break the chains as Twyst, Sylver and Paynt tackled the fox.
"I-I-I'm not d-d-doin' anythin' t-t-ter this sq-sq-squirrel! 'E attacked m-m-me at n-n-night an-an' almost slayed me!"
"That's not true, ye scum! Th' squirrel wos only wanderin' these woodlands, an' ye attacked 'im and chained 'im up!" Twyst snarled into his face.
"If ye don't get gone afore I count ter five, ye're a deadbeast!" Sylver said, growling. All three rabbits fitted stones to their slings as Raindance nocked an arrow to her bow. "We don't usually let scum like ye live, but ye go tell all yer scummy friends that th' Sajjainn are here!"
With three blades at his throat, the fox did not argue. He had disappeared into the distance before Sylver could count to three. Twyst yelled at his receding form.
"G'on! Raise th' alarm scum! SAJJAAAAIIIINNNN!"
The squirrel looked up with admiration. "Thank you friends. My name is Redoak. My mother, Whitlark, is the warrior of Redwall and will be pleased t'see you."
Twyst smiled at the young beast that spoke well. "Why, ain't ye th' smart 'un? Come, we'll go t' camp. Ye can 'ave vittles if ye wants."
Raindance lifted the squirrel onto her shoulders, and the foursome trekked to camp.
~*~
Far away, Randangza and his horde of black vermin were making their way to Mossflower.
"We make camp here, my black ones. Polish your weapons, make ready your armour, we will conquer and slay for plunder and treasures tomorrow!"
There was an ear-splitting roar that arose from the vast horde. They stamped their feet and howled at the sky, acknowledging their master. Soon, the vermin tents were put up and fires were smoldering in the center of the camp. The wildcat leader grinned joyfully. Plunder was to be had!
~*~
"You're rabbits?!" Redoak exclaimed with surprise. "But you're not prissy or way too polite! Yore not anythin' like th' rabbits here in Mossflower!"
"We're not all rabbits, young 'un, some o' us are hares. You're right, though, we aren't like yore soft woodland rabbits. We're wild, all right, an' taught in the ways o' battle." Twyst stared into the fire.
"Wow! I'll show you to Redwall t'morrow, you'll discover wot feast really means!"
~*~
She is free.