Hello~ This is a one-shot about my most favoritest characters form my favoritest book of Redwall, Loamhedge. Bragoon and Sarobando.
And the quotes at the begining actually made me cry! It was so sad T_T
If you haven't read Loamhedge, go out and buy it! IT IS ONE OF THE BEST!!!!!!1
"Saro, ye recall wot it said on that gravestone at Loamhedge? Young Fenna read it out to us. I sadi I liked the sound of it."
"I remember, mate. It said 'Gone to the sunny slopes an' quite streams.' I liked it, too."
"The sunny slopes an' quiet streams… I'll wait for ye there, Sarobando… Wouldn't go anyplace without ye."
"Wait for me, Brag ole mate, I'll be there."
Where was she?
She said she would be here, yet Bragoon was alone.
He was alone in paradise.
He stood there, staring at the slopes, which seemed to lack shine, and the streams, that hit each rock with a vibrating splash. It wasn't exactly what he expected the dark forest to be like. He had appeared at the golden gates that gave entrance to a looming forest. They had opened slowly and he had entered into the forest of the dead. He had walked through a maze of dark trees and high cliffs until he had stumbled upon the place. The place the gravestone had told him of. The sunny slopes and quiet stream. He frowned. This wasn't what he expected at all. He turned toward the dark forest behind him, but he saw nothing.
No one.
He said he would wait, and he was an otter of his word. But it had been a few days in this strange, perfect place, and still, there was no sign of his friend. No sign of his lifelong friend. But maybe that was what they were. Friends as long as they lived but nobodies to each other after passing.
The burly otter shook his head. He knew for a fact he would never consider Saro a nobody. She was his everything. They had known each other all their life. Their long, exciting life of fighting vermin and surviving day by day. There was absolutely no way in Hellgates that Saro would forget or not care for him. It was impossible.
He clenched the paw that had been the last thing to touch her. He could still feel the weak grasp of her small paw. The embrace he had left first. He had died before her and was now waiting. And he would wait as long as it took for his friend. He could be very patient.
He sat down on the smooth plain and looked at his scared paws. Death had reverted his body to its prime, but he still had every scar from every battle. Every battle he and Saro had every fought in, including their final clash to save the young wretches who had followed them. They had escaped with the 'secret' and the sword and would live out the rest of their lives at the abbey. They were all bright enough to be successful. He smiled at the evaluation.
They were just like them. Just like he and Saro had been as youths. Willing to do whatever it took to help. He and Saro had done a lot of that in their years. They had helped countless creatures across the land and made many allies in them. Bragoon remembered every detail of each adventure. He remembered helping a family of voles rid their home of a band of foxes, eating with the Badger Lord after engaging in a session of sword training, but most of all, he remembered Saro falling asleep in his arms after they had joined the Guosim at a campfire feast. He would never forget that. He would always remember how she would smile slightly with each dream and how her tail would curl around her petite frame. There were just some things you could never forget.
She was one of them.
He would never forget her, and he would wait for her. He wouldn't go anywhere without her. Without his Sarobando.
"Friend, you seem troubled. What's the matter?"
Brag didn't turn his head as the voice of Martin the Warrior entered his skull. "I'm just waiting for a friend."
"Aw, yes," Martin said kindly, "Sarobando."
"Where is she, Martin?" Brag choked out, "Surely, ye must know where me mate is?"
Martin gave the otter a sad smile. "She hasn't entered the gate yet."
"Why!? She has to be dead by now," Brag growled facing the gentle warrior, "she was barely holding on when I left, and she wouldn't fight it! She would have known that we'd be together! But now-" Brag crumpled to the ground in sobs, "She ain't here, and I broke my promise." He looked up to meet the mouse's gaze. "I told her I wouldn't go anywhere without her, and what did I do? I left her! I left her all alone, and now, my mates not here! Not with me!"
"Calm down, Bragoon," Martin murmured in a comforting tone, "I too once faced grief at the loss of a loved one, but believe me, Bragoon, she will be here."
"When?" Bragoon pleaded, "When will that be? I need her."
Martin raised a brow. "Need? Sounds this is a bit more deep than friendship, Brag," the warrior stated.
The otter blushed as his whiskers twitched. "Well… I… I love her, and I just want her by me side again."
The mouse nodded. "I understand," he said and began walking away, "keep waiting Brag, I'm sure she'll be here soon."
Bragoon nodded and turned back toward the forest. He would wait. Martin was right. She would be here soon. He could feel it in his… heart. She'd be here, and he would be waiting. He would never go anywhere without her anyway. And if that meant waiting a couple of days, he would do it in a heartbeat. He loved her, and he would make sure he was the first to greet her. The first to welcome her to paradise.
But not there.
He began trotting toward the dense forest, his body filled with a new strength. He would wait at the gates. He would welcome her in with open arms. He would hug and kiss her with all his heart. He would tell her what was in his heart.
He stopped at the edge of the forest and looked back. The sunny slopes and quiet streams still sat dully against the clear sky of the afterlife. He smiled slightly. The next time he would see them, Saro would be by his side, and every blade of golden grass would ring out with joy.
He turned and ran into the forest as fast as his scarred legs would carry him. He didn't want to miss her. He didn't want her to arrive and be alone. He wouldn't allow it. He would keep his promise. He wouldn't go anywhere without her. He clenched his teeth and dug deeper, speeding his pace up. He wouldn't.
The forest began thinning and he broke through the lush wall of soft leaves. He hunched over to catch his breath and stood up straight. The gate stood tall in all its golden beauty, but he noticed a big creature standing in front of the gates, almost blocking the way. He took a step closer and heard a sweet, but angry, voice.
"But he's waiting for me! You have to let me through," the voice pleaded, and Brag identified it female.
The big creature shook its head. "Sorry, missy, but I can't let ye in," it said gruffly.
"But I-"
"No!" the creature yelled stamping his paw down, "I do not have the pow'r to open the gate to ye. So ye'll just hafta wait."
"What seems to be the problem?" Brag piped up, stepping up.
The beast turned to the otter and gave a toothless smirk. "Nothing is wrong, sir," it replied curtly, "Now I must be off."
The creature then disappeared in a gust of black wind. Brag blinked and looked at the other creature. His eyes widened and he sprinted toward the closed gate. He gripped the bars tightly and felt the tears coming to his eyes.
"Saro? Mate, is 'hat you?" he whispered, his voice failing him.
The squirrel's eyes widened and she gently gripped Bragoon's paws. "Aye, Brag," she nodded hastily, "it's me alright."
"W-well, what are you doing outside the gate?" Brag questioned sniffing slightly.
"That beast told me that I couldn't come in," she said sadly, "maybe I'm just not cut out fo-"
"Don't say that, mate," the otter cried, letting the bars go and intertwining their fingers, "this place is nothing without ye."
"Really?" Saro asked ears perking up, "and why's that?"
"Because," the otter started gently taking her chin in one paw, "I love ye, Sarobando."
He bent down, pulling her face up at the same time, and kissed her through the shining bars. The squirrel's eyes widen but soon closed as she became lost in the kiss. It wasn't much, just their lips moving in rhythm with each other. After a moment, they pulled away and stared at each other, still in a dreamy haze. Saro was first to snap out of it.
"You-I-we just-," the battle scarred squirrel stammered.
"Kissed? Yeah, we did, mate," Bragoon finished, "now let's get you in here."
Saro stepped away from the gates as Brag braced himself and began pushing the gates opened. They groaned in protest, but soon flew open slowly with a dull thud. Both friends stood still, staring at each other, nothing but their breath between them. Brag stiffened as tears fell from Saro's dark eyes. He was about to say something, anything to comfort her, but he never got the chance. Saro ran and leapt into his arms and kissed him roughly. The sudden action surprised the otter, but he soon wrapped his arms around Saro's sleek frame. Her body had also turned back to its youthful state. Her bronze fur was soft and beautiful, just like it had always been, and Bragoon smiled as he pet it while they held each other greedily.
"I love ya, too, riverdog," Saro purred, breaking the kiss.
"Good to know," Brag murmured and kissed her again.
"What about the sunny slopes and quiet streams?" Saro giggled cutely.
"They'll be much better now," Bragoon mused to himself. He knew the sunny slopes would be golden and the quite streams would be cool and calm, now that she was here.
"Huh?" Saro questioned raising an eyebrow.
He set her down and smirked. "I said: race ya there!" He took off like a bullet, straight into the woods.
"Hey!" he heard Saro yell as she raced after him.
Brag smiled and sped up. It was just like when they were alive and young. When their days were numbered. Now they had forever. Forever to be together. He reached the end of the forest and fell over as his friend tackled him from behind.
"You little cheater! I should kick y-" the squirrel stopped as she saw her surroundings. "Oh my, Brag it's-it's beautiful.
"Not as beautiful as you, Sarobando," he chuckled from underneath her.
She rolled her eyes and jumped up off of the otter. Bragoon stood up and watched with a small smile on his lips as Saro looked around in amazement. He, too, began looking around. It was so much more lively and beautiful. Just like he imagined. He sighed in contentment and wrapped his arms around the smaller of the two. She, in turn, leaned against him and buried her head in his chest.
"Do you think Horty and the others made it back safe?" she said quietly.
He kissed the tip of her ear. "Of course they did. Martin was with them."
Saro's eyes lit up. "I haven't seen Martin yet! Is he here? Wher-"
Bragoon cut her off by kissing her slowly. When he pulled back she looked up at him in confusion. The otter laughed and grabbed her paw, leading her further into the paradise before them.
"Ye'll be here forever, mate," he chuckled, "Martin can wait, but right now, we're gonna make yer first day in paradise one to remember."
Saro smiled brightly at the otter and let herself be pulled away.
After all, they were finally in paradise.
Together.
Forever.
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