Disclaimer: I do not own Redwall
The day was warm. Pollen and dust motes could be seen in the gentle sunlight filtering through the trees with nary a breeze to stir the leaves. The trees themselves were enormous, every one of them feeling more ancient than the last. A quiet, meandering stream wound its way through the carpet of grass, moss, and flowers that made up the forest floor. Faint birdsong could be heard in some faraway distance, and the air was heaving with the aroma of flowers. It was as though time stood still here.
The relative silence was broken by the sound of an otter emerging from the stream. Bragoon blew water from his snout, and checked the woven rush bag he wore to assure himself that he had not lost any of the plants he had gathered. Satisfied that the contents of the bag were safe, he removed it and shook himself dry before retrieving his tunic from where it hung on a low branch. A small cough startled him momentarily, and he looked to where Saro lay sleeping with her tail curled over her like a blanket. With a gentle smile, Bragoon picked up his bag and went to sit next to his partner.
She stirred slightly as he sat near her head, but did not wake. Bragoon set his bag to the side, and began stroking Saro's ears. "Time to wake up," he said gently. Slowly, the squirrelmaid's eyes opened, blinking in the soft light of the forest. "How're you feelin'?" Bragoon asked. Saro said nothing, simply groaned and buried her head beneath her tail. "Still not well?" Bragoon chuckled sympathetically.
"Go 'way an' let me die in peace," Saro grumbled.
"You don't really mean that," Bragoon said, stroking her ears again.
Saro sighed and pulled her face out from under her tail. "I s'ppose not. Though I must say, I certainly don't feel very lively today."
"That's to be expected of a beast who spent the night before emptying her stomach." Bragoon left off stroking Saro's ears and pulled his bag closer. "I went out this mornin' and found some of the herbs that healer told us about." He pulled a pawful of the plants out of the bag and placed them on the ground nearby. "I'll make ye a soup t' help you get better again."
"What healer?" Saro asked, rubbing her eyes and gingerly rolling over onto her stomach. She started to sit up, but Bragoon pushed her back down.
"Easy now, you don't want to make things worse by pushin' yourself too hard. You lie there while I make the soup." He stood and stirred the remains of the cooking fire from the night before.
"What healer?" Saro asked again.
Bragoon smiled at her. "You remember. The healer we met in that town on the northeastern coast? The one with the rose crest on her cloak?"
Saro flicked her ears back and forth as she thought. "I remember her now, the pretty maid with hazel eyes. I'd almost forgot about visiting that town."
"Remember how you wouldn't stop talking about how much you liked the name of the town, Noonvale?" Bragoon had the fire going now, and had placed a small kettle fill with water over it. Saro just snorted. "Anyway, that mousemaid was quite helpful. I figured it would be worth a try to see if one of her remedies might help you."
"Hhhhmmmmm." Saro allowed her eyes to drift closed again. "Let me know when it's ready," she murmured before drifting back off into sleep.
"Bragoon?"
Bragoon sat with his back against a tree and Saro's head in his lap as he gently rubbed the knots out of her shoulders. She had eaten as much of the soup as she felt she could keep down, and now all that was left to do was rest. "Yes, Saro?" Bragoon replied.
"Why'd ye give up bein' Skipper?"
The question took him by surprise. Staring up into the canopy, he tried to think of a good answer. Finally, he smiled and turned to Saro. "It didn't seem like you were havin' much fun there, so I thought we could do with a change of pace."
Saro swatted feebly at his arm. "I know that," she said. "I meant why did you leave? Ye didn't have to come with me if'n ye were happy there."
"An' let you go off and have all th' adventures yourself? Not a chance." Bragoon laughed deeply, as though his answer was obvious.
"It's been more than 10 seasons since we left Redwall. We ain't dibbuns anymore. I c'n take care o' meself!" Saro complained. Bragoon said nothing, merely hummed and continued rubbing Saro's shoulders. Saro forced herself up on one elbow, her tail swishing furiously as she turned to confront the otter. She found herself nose to nose with Bragoon, who had a somewhat sheepish smile on his face. Taking a breath to steady herself, Saro sighed and said, "Please, Bragg, the truth. I can't sleep at night knowin' I took ye away from somethin' ye loved."
Bragoon sighed. "The truth, eh?" Saro nodded. Bragoon closed his eyes. "The truth, Saro, is that if you'd left the holt, and I 'adn't, it wouldn't've felt like home anymore." Saro's breath caught in her throat as Bragoon continued. "You're my best friend, Saro. I trust you not to get yourself into trouble, but that doesn't mean that I don't worry sometimes." He closed his eyes slowly. The silence stretched between them until Saro leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Bragoon's.
"Ye could've told me sooner, ye know," she whispered. Bragoon chuckled and reached up to rub her ears again. Saro allowed him to gently push her back down.
"Don't strain yourself too much," he said.
They stayed there a while longer, with not but the sound of the stream and the distant bird calls for company. The peaceful setting and flower laden air had nearly lulled Saro to sleep when Bragoon stirred. "Saro?"
"Yes?" Saro blinked lazily.
"I've got a proposition for you," the otter said.
"Hhhhmmm." Saro rolled over so she could look up at him. "What is it?"
Bragoon smiled down at her. "It's a bit silly, I guess, but what do you think of the idea of promisin' to always stay together? Go with each other on all our adventures and such?"
Saro considered the idea, humming softly into the stillness. "I like that idea, Bragg," she said finally. "What'll we do when we get o' adventurin'?"
Bragoon's smile grew wider. "We'll find a nice, quiet place with running water and plenty o' trees to settle down an' grow old together."
Saro reached up and took the otter's paw. "Grow old an' grey t'gether, eh? I like that idea too."
Bragoon gently squeezed her paw. "Then it's a promise?"
"It's a promise," Saro said. She smiled as Bragoon bent down and nuzzled her brow. With that matter settled, the quiet returned.
That night they slept back to back. Before Saro had drifted off completely, she heard Bragoon whisper, "I love you, Saro."
Smiling, she turned to him. "Love you too, Bragg."
They slept then, surrounded by the still quiet of the ancient forest.