A squrrielmaid named Tiana and her best friend Matthew the mouse were doing what they loved to do, neither fight nor wander. What they loved to to do, was something only hares could understand, and even then, they would have trouble comprehending

They were running, or as some would call it, gliding across the ground. Only returning to the earth when their paws touched the ground, and leaving just as quickly.

You have changed

I have changed

Just like you

Just like you

Even when moving at such a rate, she thought back to when they first met as dibbuns. Matthew was boasting that he was the fastest creature alive, she had proclaimed that she was the fastest. Needless to say, they argued and challenged each other to a race. From one end of the abbey to the next. Young and fill of energy, the two went as fast as their tiny legs could allow. They had knocked over a good deal of abbey dwellers and had accidentally broken some very fancy looking vases and other items of the sort. They got a stern talking to from the abbot, but from that day onward, they were inseparable. A wonderful friendship powered by rivalry to be the best.

For how long

For how long

Must I wait

I know there's something wrong

When they were younger, around their teens, Tiana had found Matthew staring out into the woodlands, not doing anything but looking on with longing. As though he wanted to go beyond the redstone walls with all his heart. She couldn't blame him. After all, Redwall abbey was their home, but they knew nought of what went on outside the great doors.

Your concrete heart isn't beating

And you tried to

Make it come alive

Then one day, she had found him practicing as he called it. Matthew was doing push ups, curl ups, jumping onto beds, and sometimes pushing, for lack of a better term, up and over tables. It wasn't long before she was convinced to do some of this herself. She was naturally better then him at the climbing and jumping gracefully, as most squirrels were. But he was better at going at it longer then she was, and had to use shorter, but nevertheless effective movements. And such, two styles were born. One was rough and straightforward, the other was poetry in motion.

No shadows

Just red lights

Now I'm here to rescue you

They continued their practices until one day she had suggested they race to the top of the gatehouse, it wasn't that far of a climb after all. A natural dare devil, Matthew agreed, under the pretense that should one get into trouble, the other would immediately help.

Oh I'm still alive

I'm still alive

I can't apologise no

She had won, of course. There was no doubt about it, but that didn't stop Matthew from trying with every bit of strength he could muster. It was actually pretty close, but Tiana insisted that he was behind by a mile. Which had only served as fuel to his fire.

Oh I'm still alive

I'm still alive

I can't apologise no

So silent

No violence

But inside my head

So loud and clear

Now full grown abbey dwellers, they could move faster, and better, then anyone else in the abbey. So much so that, more often then not, they would find a way to escape their stone home and fly out into the woodlands to all their hearts content. And each time they came back before sundown. They had gotten a scolding from the new Abbess of course, but that didn't stop them from doing it again.

You're screaming

You're screaming

Cover up with a smile I've learned to fear

The two of them were daredevils, no doubt about it. But once in awhile, one of them would get injured, from either jumping too high and not landing with a roll. Or mistiming a jump and sprain something. But some bonds are strong. And theirs was the strongest. Should either be wounded, the other would stick by them no matter what.

Just sunshine

And blue sky

That's just how it goes

For living here

Of course, the Abbey dibbuns tired to follow in their steps, and sometimes would do stupid, or dangerous things. Such as jumping off a book-shelf, or doing very poor rolls into walls, which, due to their smaller and weaker bodies, could be easily harmed. So the abbess would have her paws full trying to get the naughty little ones to calm down. Or rather, get down.

Come fire

Come fire

Let it burn and love come racing through

The mouse and squirrel loved each other. It was true. But this wasn't romantic love, they would never have children due to their species being so different, nor could they ever wed. But they didn't care, as long as they had the other. They were happy.

Oh I'm still alive

I'm still alive

I can't apologise no

Oh I'm still alive

I'm still alive

I can't apologise no

Vermin never bothered them. In fact, they were actually good friends with some of the ferrets, rats, and others they sometimes come across. Sometimes they would run along side the duo, but they would always slow down due to the fact they didn't have the long, hard hours of training the two had put into their lives. But they enjoyed the company nevertheless.

Learn to lose

Learn to win

Turn my face against the wind

Sometimes they would race the other to see who was better at running. And sometimes, Tiana won, and at other times, Matthew won. But each loss only increased their desire to be better.

I will move fast

I will move slow

Take me where I have to go

They had reached a small cliff over looking a flowing river. Stopping for a breath, the duo panted in long, deep breaths. But just soon as a hare could scoff, they were coming back to slower, less forced breaths.

"Look." Matthew said, pointing to fallen oak tree at a distant, and lower part of the cliff, just lying there on the ledge. The look of one willing to dare was in both of their eyes. Taking off in a sprint, the two jumped over logs, branches, and other forest obstacles. Each one showing their respective styles of running. Matthew jumped over the smaller logs,and slid under the bigger ones. Tiana was doing flips, twists, and other acrobatic movements whenever she came to low trees.

Coming to the fallen tree, the two wasted no time in running up the once great piece of nature and jumping off.

Oh I'm still alive

I'm still alive

I can't apologise no

Tiana could hear her heart beats in her chest as she jumped, she understood once again, why birds loved to fly so much. It was exhilarating, the freedom of your movements, the flow of energy, it was all so wonderful as she did so.

Instinctively, she tucked in her legs and shifted her weight forward, just as she had done so many times before. When she hit the ground, she came over paw over paw with ease of life long practice.

She looked around to see Matthew leaning against a tree jump with the widest smile she had ever seen on his face.

"Race you back to the abbey?" Matthew asked, readying himself.

Tiana rolled her eyes, "You're on!" And with that, they did what they were born to do.

Not simply run, nor glide, but rather, fly across the ground. They went across everything that stood in their way. Across fallen trees, across vermin, across the very earth itself. After all, it was never about simply running as fast as one could, but instead, doing what one loved. And if that meant making the entire abbey angry, well, why should that stop you?