Disclaimer: I do not own Redwall or any of the characters herein.

A warm summer breeze blew softly through Mossflower Wood. The forest lay quiet under the light of the moon. Everybeast was in bed, waiting for the next day. Everybeast, that is, except the creatures of Redwall Abbey.

Lanterns had been placed throughout the main lawn and orchard illuminating the great feast spread out across the lawn. Despite the late hour, very few creatures felt tired. The day, which had started with a plan to get Abbess Vale and Mrs. Spinny out of the abbey, had been full of excitement. The badgermaid Mara and her friend Pikkle of Salamandastron sat together with the squirrel Samkim and Arula, a young molemaid. Samkim still wore the sword of Martin the Warrior across his back. Abbess Vale had suggested that he wait until the next day to return the sword to its place on the weathervane. Samkim had agreed with her, realizing that attempting to climb the abbey wall in the dark would be pure foolishness. Of course, the sword was not to be left unattended for the night in Great Hall, as it had been the night before Thura and Dingeye stole it. No, the Abbess had suggested that Samkim keep the sword in his dormitory room for the night, in preparation for the climb the next morning. Samkin had agreed to this as well.

At present, however, Abbess Vale sat back in her chair and watched the dibbuns running about. The babes were delighted that they had been allowed to stay up past bedtime, and had begun dancing and singing across the lawn.

"Mother Abbess?"

Abbess Vale looked up, and saw that Samkim had left his friends to seek her out. "Yes, Samkim?" she said.

"Do you know where Bremmum is?" Samkim asked. "I've been looking for him all night, but I haven't been able to find him. I wanted to show him the sword, now that we've brought it back."

Abbess Vale felt her heart go out to the young squirrel at the sight of his hopeful eyes. Standing, she sighed and said, "Come with me, Samkim, there is something I must tell you."

A short while later found Samkim curled up in front of a gravestone, tears flowing down his face. Abbess Vale had told him of the fever that swept the abbey in the days after he and Arula had left, and the lives it had taken. Now he sat, clutching his tail to himself like a blanket, trying to find some way to ease the hollow feeling in his heart. "I'm sorry, Bremmum," he choked out. "I should have at least said goodbye." All his plans of returning to the abbey had involved telling Bremmum the story of his adventure. He could not comprehend the idea that he would wake the next morning, in his own bed at the abbey, and Bremmum would not be waiting for him in Cavern Hole.

There was a rustle behind him, and he turned to seem Mara standing a short distance away. The badgermaid said nothing, but instead crossed the small space in three long strides to sit next to Samkim. With a gentle paw, she pulled him into her lap, rubbing his back as she allowed him to cry into her fur. No words were needed. She sat, cradling the young squirrel until his sobs had faded to sniffles. Then, she addressed the gravestone.

"Hello, Mr. Bremmum," she said, speaking softly. "I am Mara. Samkim has told me much about you. I wish that I had arrived sooner, so that I could have met you in person, but I suppose I shall have to wait until I go to the dark forest. You should be proud of Samkim, although I'm sure you already know that. He has been very brave, and helped many creatures. You taught him to be a fine, young squirrel. You shall always have my deepest respect for raising him. And in truth, I must thank you as well. For Samkim has become a dear friend to me. Please don't worry about him too much. I'm going to stay here at the abbey, so I promise to keep and eye on him for you. Though really I suspect that he shall be the one keeping an eye on me. I have much to learn about the abbey customs. I wish you well in the dark forest. Perhaps you will meet my father there. He could tell you of how Samkim helped us to reclaim our mountain home. May you rest in peach, Mr. Bremmum." She fell silent, and Samkim stirred against her fur.

"Thank you, Mara," he said quietly. Mara simply nodded and continued rubbing Samkim's back. The remained like that for some time, until Mrs. Spinny found them to call them to bed. The night fell quiet over Redwall Abbey as creatures turned to their beds.

Somewhere off in the dark forest, a newly arrived squirrel smiled and whispered, "Thank you, Mara, for bringing Samkim home."

And so, Samkim and Arula returned to Redwall Abbey.