Two As One: Prologue
The warm sun shone brightly over the frosted woodlands, shimmering like diamonds as it reflected off of the snow crusted grounds. A gentle breeze blew quietly across the land, scarcely swaying a leaf in the brisk morning air. The melodious song of a sparrow echoed through the silent forest, making it appear as if all was a peace. But not all was at peace, not while Stelumos the Cold plundered the innocent land.
Stelumos.
The name that sent shivers up the spine of any beast who dared to listen to the tales that were told of the horrid beast. The retched name that none could bring themselves to say.
Stelumos.
The pirate mink stood passively by, watching as his horde of vermin burnt a village to ashes, slaying any beast that tried to resist. He was a dreadful sight with the frog skin belt that held his many blood stained swords and cruelly curved daggers. His moldy, darkish fur seemed to swallow up the sunlight as it blazed relentlessly across his broad back, his fur neither shinning nor reflecting the light. The night blue cape that hung loosely down his back, fastened by the teeth of a wolf, swayed only slightly over his blood red tunic. His heavily tattooed face creased into a smile as he gripped his favorite sword 'Doomsfate', watching with cold, maroon eyes as the remaining villagers were forced to bow at his footpaws.
The many gold rings that lined the mink pirate's nose clanked lightly together as he grinned evilly at the pitiful remnants of the villagers. Tail swaying gently from side to side, he began to circle the villagers like a cat stalking it's prey.
He spoke in a quiet, lethal tone as he glanced over his prisoners.
"Well, well, what `ave we `ere?"
A younger rat, by the name of Hensfloral, rushed briskly forward and bowed stiffly to his high chieftain.
"Sah! These ah the remainin villagers, sah!" He shouted nervously, throwing Stelumos a smart salute as he did. The mink stared at Hensfloral, making the rat sweat, then nodded at his right paw captain. Hensfloral relaxed a bit, seeing his leader nod at him, but still stood straight with his eyes forward.
Stelumos looked over the creatures that lay before him, sniffing with contempt. Most of the villagers whimpered quietly from the stare or cowered behind one another. Stelumos lip curled in disgust at the creatures and he began to walk away from them.
"These beasts are nothin to me," He said agitatedly. As he walked past the line of prisoners his steps faltered as he felt some beast staring at his back. Stelumos turned and found his eyes locked with the green stripped eyes of a black squirrel.
The middle-aged male squirrel was larger in bulk then most. His paws were tied securely behind his back, his body showing many wounds from fighting the hated vermin. His eyes blazed in anger as he stared daggers at the pirate mink.
Right beside the male was a female squirrel. She was a reddish color that almost resembled the first rays of light. She stared up at her captor in fear, her blue eyes wandering around as she clutched a precious bundle to her heaving chest.
Stelumos snickered quietly as he crouched in front of the petrified female. He slowly withdrew one of his many daggers and placed it under the squirrel's chin, reaching for the bundle with his other paw.
"Well, now, what you `ave `idden here, missy?" The red squirrel pulled the bundle back in terror, swallowing in fear as the blade pressed deeper to her neck. The black squirrel moved like lightning and kicked the mink's dagger held paw away from the female. He shifted on his knees and knelt down in front of her, blocking the mink from getting near the other squirrel.
"You touch her mink, and you'll never see the light `o day again!" He growled, barring his teeth. Stelumos snarled at the black one while holding his smarting paw. Hensfloral and several of the vermin under his charge, leapt onto the male an dragged him away from the female, the squirrel kicking and biting with all the force he could muster.
The mink curled his lip at the female and swiftly yanked the bundle from the weeping squirrel as she tried desperately to hang on. Stelumos kicked her roughly back to the ground and opened the bundle, expecting to find riches or gold of all sorts. But, instead of the riches that the mink was looking for, two little squirrel babes opened their eyes and stared up in wonder at the creature before them.
One of the squirrels looked to be a little female, her fur a light black that resembled her fathers. Her small white paws kicked about as her aqua stripped eyes blazed in wonder while she stared at him.
The other squirrel was a small male with the reddish fur like his mother. His blue eyes searched around him fearfully and they began to water as Stelumos stared into them.
The pirate mink chuckled lightly as he stared down at the father, black squirrel.
"This is what ya risked yer life fer? Two worthless little brats?" The red mother squirrel seemed to get her wits about her again, for she hollered with such anger at the mink that several of the vermin stepped back.
"They are our children you worthless piece of scum! Don't you dare harm them or I'll tear you from limb to limb!"
Stelumos stared down at the parent squirrels, his face expressionless as he plucked the little black female from the bundle by the scruff of her neck. The young one growled as she was lifted up and quickly turned around in his paw. She dug her tiny claws into his and shifted her head and bit down angrily, drawing a flowing stream of blood.
Stelumos yelped and dropped the babe to the ground. She rolled around and braced herself on her four paws, barring her teeth at him. Stelumos looked down at her with amusement and motioned with his head to a vixen that stood near the fray. The female fox moved with a grace uncommon to her species, and swooped the squirrel up from the ground.
The babe twisted and snapped at the vixen, but the fox merely held a green powder beneath the squirrel's nose. The babe's movements began to slow and she collapsed into the vixens paws, a deep, dreamless slumber filling her senses. Stelumos grinned at the little squirrel.
"Hmm, she could be `o use to us when she gets older. Now, lets see `bout the other." He peered back down at the red squirrel. The babe stared fearfully at him and began to back away from the mink. The squirrel turned his head and began to cry out for his mother. Stelumos snarled at the babe and set him on the ground.
"Tah, he ain't no use." The vixen moved like a whisper towards the squirrel, preparing to pick him up, but Stelumos shook his head at her. "Leave `im here to die in the cold. He ain't no use ta me." The vixen bowed and slinked away, staring at the female in her paws.
Stelumos turned and looked at his horde.
"Alright ya lot, we-" Suddenly a streak of brownish red flew passed his face. The mink turned swiftly, drawing his sword, and watched as another squirrel went tearing through the camp.
She was a light brown, almost red squirrel with golden eyes that blazed as she sought her prize. She flew past the captives, the guards and vixen, then plucked the little red squirrel from the ground. Bunching down on her haunches, she leapt into the air, grabbed an overhanging tree limb, and went dashing from the village before any of the vermin could gain their senses and attack her. The black father squirrel called encouragement to the female.
"Ya can do it, Valena! Save the little one!" Valena clutched her precious burden to her. Dashing from tree to tree, she was gone in a trice.
Stelumos stood, staring dumbfounded after the squirrel. After but a moment though, he began giving out orders.
"Ragtail, Wetpaw, go and slay the squirrel," He growled angrily. "No beast steals from Stelumos the Cold." The two vermin saluted swiftly and went running from the camp, spear and sword in paw. Stelumos watched them for a moment then turned to face the vixen.
"Bemal, take the babe with us and use some `o those herbs of yers to erase her memories. We could use her in battle." Bemal, the silver vixen, bowed low and cast a glance over the parent squirrels.
"And what of them, mi`lord?" Stelumos stared at them briefly then turned his back.
"Kill them, we can't take chance that the squirrel will remember them." Bemal bowed and nodded her head toward three of the vermin.
Stelumos the Cold turned and began to march to the front of his horde, the cries of the fallen squirrels renting the once quiet air. He marched forward, Bemal at his side, still holding the sleeping babe. Without a word, the horde was off to wreck havoc on some other unfortunate soul.
Valena ran as fast as her legs could carry her, the young squirrel's paws wrapped tightly around her neck. She dashed from tree to tree, fully aware that the vermin were following her. She cried silently to herself, fearful of what would happen.
With one final leap, she landed nimbly on the ground, just outside of a huge, red stone building. She ran forward and began banging with all her might on the large wooden doors, clutching the little squirrel to her chest. After, what seemed like ages, one of the wooden doors creaked open and a sable furred mouse with a sword, stood before her.
"Aye, can I help you?" He asked in a kind and gentle voice. The squirrel pawed the young babe to the mouse's and swiftly took out a scroll from her light green tunic. She gave the scroll to him.
"Please, this shall explain everything. There is something in there for the young`n for when he gets older." She turned on her heels and was about to run off when she turned back and kissed the babe's head, staring in the eyes of the mouse. "Please, I beg you, take good care of him."
With that, Valena dashed into the snow, her tears frozen to her eyes, and ran back towards the vermin so that they would follow her and not come near the red sandstone building. The mouse with the sword stared after her then looked down at the babe in his paws. The squirrel blinked his eyes and looked up, confusion etched on his every feature. The mouse rubbed the squirrel's head gently when a booming voice sounded from behind him.
"What is that you have there, Kenyo?" Kenyo the warrior turned around and stared at the large, female badger that stood before him. He held up the bundle to the badger's hazel eyes.
"A squirrel babe, Renla. A female squirrel just came and dropped him off to me." He rummaged through the bundle gently and pawed her the scroll. "Here, she gave me this."
Renla opened the scroll gently and began to read it's contents. A red light began to gleam in the badger's eyes as she closed the scroll. Kenyo looked up imploringly to her.
"Well?" But Renla shook her head and beckoned the warrior and babe in.
"Come now, you don't want the poor little one to freeze himself, do you?" Still a little baffled, Kenyo allowed himself to be swept into Redwall Abbey.
The two squirrel babes had been separated. One in the clutches of evil, and one in the paws of goodness.