Yes, I know I'll probably get some flames for this. But don't hold it against me. The idea was born from the thought that surely, not all happy endings can be forever. What happens when two hearts who were meant to be together are broken?
Seven Seasons Gone
Chapter One
Late evening shadows crept over the hilly southlands, casting the gentle slopes and fields into sharp relief. A lone figure appeared on the horizon, silhouetted on the crest of a mound, two sheathed blades obvious on either side of its belt. Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that the creature – a male squirrel – was wearing a russet-red tunic, with a brown soft-leather jerkin on top, and a black bandanna tied across his golden forehead. He looked to be in his early middle seasons.
The squirrel's name was Dannflor Reguba. He was indeed only ten seasons into adulthood, but already deep-furrowed lines on his face showed experience and bitterness beyond his age. He was a rogue; a mother long dead, a father lost, no married family to tie him down. The blades at his side had been forged with his own paws, with blood and tears – he no longer carried the great sword of his former life. And he told himself he had no wish to, although he sometimes felt a pang when he thought of the easy balance of it in his paws, the glittering blade and the polished pommel-stone.
Dann made his way down to the lee of the hill, where there was a crumbling drystone wall weaving away into the distance. He sat down beside it, on the other side to where the cold northerly wind was blowing, and set up a makeshift camp. Folding up his spare cloak for a bed as usual, he cleared a circle of ground and set some tinder in it. When he'd got a flame going, he reinforced the fire with a couple of slow-burning deadnettle stalks and took some food from his haversack.
After his lonely meal – like so many others he had had before – Dann tried to make himself comfortable, but for some reason, tonight he could not sleep. As the sky darkened overhead, he shivered, although he was sheltered here and not cold. The stars were veiled, just as they had been that night seven seasons ago –
/Flashback/
"Dann!" cried Abbess Song in horror. "What have you done?"
The creature lay prone at his feet. Dann slowly unclenched his bunched fists, breathing heavily after the fight. "Song, stay out of this. It was between me and him."
The beautiful squirrel stared at Dann's rival. "He could be dead! Dannflor, I've made allowances before, but this – I can't –"
Dann growled deep in his throat. "It's not about what you can do, Song, it's about what I can do! Nothing! You and the elders, you're always telling me what I should and shouldn't do, who I should talk to, who I should help, what my responsibilities are – I'm not free!"
Songbreeze had learnt much calm and patience in the three seasons she had been Abbess, but they seemed to be abandoning her now. "Dann, we – you're Abbey Champion – "
Neither squirrel had noticed, but one of the Infirmary Brothers was bent over the Redwaller lying on the grass. He looked up at Songbreeze with panic in his eyes. "Abbess – I can't find a pulse!"
Fear clutched at Dann's heart, but the anger and frustration he was venting swamped it. Song held her former friend's eyes, and he saw a cold fury there, along with hurt and terror.
A kind of panic overcame Dann. He unbuckled his sword belt, throwing the blade of Martin the Warrior at Song's feet, and ran from the Abbey into the night.
/End Flashback/
Dannflor felt unwanted tears sting his eyes in remembered pain. He'd sworn to never associate himself with Redwall again, and the oath still held – but he was seven seasons older now, and the pain had never lessened. The place had, after all, been his home since he was a babe.
And the one maiden he had ever loved was there.
I don't love her anymore, he told himself angrily. I'm over that.
But if he was truthful to himself, he had to admit she still held a special place in his heart. Despite his harsh words, he still remembered the laughing, dancing, singing squirrelmaid he had gone through so many hardships with, and loved for so long. Even through his many seasons wandering the foreign southlands, he'd never again met anyone like Song.
But she would hardly be a maid anymore, he thought bitterly. She was his age, an adult, burdened with the responsibilities of keeping a whole Abbey safe. And he remembered the anger in her eyes – vividly. Her face visited him in dreams, breaking his heart again and again.
But she would still be just as beautiful…
Get a grip, Dannflor. You're never going to see her again, he thought savagely. Never. Forget her, and live your own life.
He pushed the memories from his mind, and thought instead of another old friend, one he had not broken with, but had not seen for seasons.
/Flashback/
It was early in the morning when Dann reached the camp by the river. A few shrews were already awake, lighting fires and stocking logboats, but most were dozing. The one Dann needed to see was at the other side of the camp, sitting on a grassy knoll and looking out west.
As the squirrel came up, Logalog Dippler jumped up from his seat and ran to greet his old friend, grasping his paw tightly. "Dann, mate! What brings ye here at this hour o' the morning? Something up at Redwall?"
Dann motioned for him to sit down. The two faced each other in the early morning light, and Dippler's expression was enough to show he knew something was wrong.
"Dippler…" the squirrel began, his voice heavy, "nothing's wrong at Redwall. We're – they're – all fine. It's me. I've – I've broken with Redwall, Dipp. I won't be going back."
There was silence for almost a complete minute. Dippler had frozen, his mouth half open. Eventually, he recovered himself, and said hoarsely, "Why, mate? What'll you do?"
Dann ignored the first question; it was still too painful to explain. Doubtless the Logalog would find out sooner or later. "I'm going to travel south. I need to get away from here, for a while at least. Can you help me, friend? I need provisions and some sort of cloak."
The shrew sighed, and nodded. "Sure, Dann, we'll get you 'em. But won't you stay with the tribe for a while? You don't have to set off right now, and you know you're welcome."
"No, I'm going now, Dipp. I'm sorry."
Later on, they stood by the path, Dann with a haversack of essentials, a dark cloak slung over his shoulders and a smooth travelling staff in paw. Dippler embraced his friend briefly.
"It's wrong that it had to come to this," the shrew said, his expression sombre. "Don't forget, Dann, you'll always be welcome here, whatever happens. Come back and see me again soon."
Dann gripped his paw. "Thanks for everything, Dippler. I won't forget you."
And then he was gone, walking south. He only looked back once, and there was a single tear running down his friend's furry cheek.
/End Flashback/
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Far away, another squirrel also lay awake in the early hours. Abbess Songbreeze gazed out of her chamber window at the black night sky, unaware that as she too dredged up memories of seven seasons ago, her old friend Dannflor was doing the same many miles away.
As she mused, she found her thoughts inevitably drawn to the memory of Dann. They'd never since appointed another Warrior, even after all this time; many thought it would be the sensible thing to do, but Song knew that if Martin wanted another heir to his position, he would make it so. Even so, she was puzzled at this. Dann was never coming back. And even if he did, I don't know whether I'd let him, she thought bitterly. The hurt and the anger she had felt at his sudden outburst and departure hadn't faded. Some Redwallers were shocked; others, grieved. But Song's own emotions were confused. At times, she felt so furious with him she could barely breathe, but at others the pain of their long separation brought tears to her eyes. It was all so long ago, many of the Abbeybeasts had dismissed the whole affair from their minds, but Song barely let two days pass without thinking about Dann. There was only one other who she felt could understand some part of her heartache.
/Flashback/
The shrews came only a day after the tragedy. Song spotted them first, perched high on the battlements, and ran down to greet her friend in the road.
She managed to stay calm while the tribe was shown to the Great Hall, where lunch was being served, but as soon as she and Dippler were safe in her office she found herself crying. Dippler put his arm around her awkwardly, trying to comfort her. When she started to tell him what had happened, he held up a paw.
"I know, Song. He came to our camp the night before last. He's going south. But why, matey? He never told me why he'd left Redwall."
Pulling herself together, Song tried to explain. "It – well, he'd been frustrated for a long while, he said, but it came to a head when an otter named Coresh arrived here. They hated each other from the start. He should have been more patient, but it all escalated when I tried to tell him, I found them later, fighting – Coresh almost died, Dippler! We had an argument – and – and he left…"
The two sat in silence for a while. Then Song asked, "Did you say he's gone south, Dipp?"
"Yes – do you want me and the tribe to go after him, or – ?"
"No." said Song vehemently, her eyes hardening. "He left. That's his choice. He struck down another Redwaller, he abused his responsibilities as Champion."
She saw Dippler's shoulders sink down in unhappiness. "That's true," he said quietly, as if he couldn't believe what he was saying of his friend. "Let us hope he sees that, and comes back to himself."
/End Flashback/
And then, in the darkness of her room against the veiled sky, the full pain in Song's heart struck her like a hammer-blow, and she wept.
A/N: Please review and tell me what you think. I need some support if I'm going to post the rest of this story!