note- i do not own any characters from the Redwall books which may come into play, but not many should. I surrender all claims to thinking of the layout of Redwall and Westwing myself, BECAUSE I DIDN'T! ok, i'm done, i'll get on with the story!
"Get away from here!
"No, please, I can't leave you!"
"Go quickly, I'll hold them off."
"I can't-"
"Go!"
The dark was all around her. They were coming closer, like wraiths in the night. All around. The closeness stifled her, stealing the breath from her tiny throat.
A last tearfulw hisper was heard. "You must take her and go. Remember, we meet at Loth." There was a swift movement above her head, and a dead leaf fell against her small paw. Death, everything was dead. There was death all around. They were getting closer!
The sound of thousands of pounding footsteps, labored breathing, and the ever constant swishing through the trees beat against her ears. The chanting. The torches. The screams. They were coming for them, for her!
She was being raced through the dark, and she squeezed her eyes shut. A scream cut through the air, like a lightning bolt cracking from the dark heavens above. Suddenly, she was no longer running, but falling, and there was nothing, then.
The sound of sobbing, and her limp body fell and hit the ground hard, rolling away and lying still. She couldn't breath, she was lost, she was frightened. Oh why, oh help, oh, why wouldn't anybody help...?
Maiaiu Windflyer woke up with a start, her pointed ears sticking up straight in fear, the sheets of her dormitory bed clutched tightly around herself. Her otherwise pretty eyes bore a look of dreading fear, and she was soaked with nervous sweat. Slowly, Maiaiu, commonly called Mai, regained her breath as she realized she was not lost in the woods, but safe in her dormitory along with three others. Her panting subsided, and the fur that had formerly been standing on end now flattened. Mai's large amber eyes were bloodshot, and she knew she had been whimpering fitfully in her restless sleep.
The young squirrel squirrel swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and tiptoed across the dormitory to the door. With a creak, it opened. Outside lay a small landing and steps going both up and down. They were dark, but solid and reassuring as Mai crept down them, her footpaws padding silently on the smooth, cool stone.
A few lights shown in the kitchens of Westwing Castle, and Mai followed both those and the smell of fresh-baked scones through the Great Hall. The smell brought to her keen nose of that day's breakfast was tempting, and the squirrel glided past the looming shadows of tables and chairs, intent on reaching the double doors that separated the Hall from the kitchens.
Mai carefully pushed open one of the doors and poked her head in. A large tray of blueberry and oat scones stood in front of the huge Redwall ovens, baked to a perfect golden brown. They were still steaming, and as Mai sniffed the air delicately, her mouth watered. She reached out her paw to take one of the slowly cooling scones.
"You're up early, missy, eh?"
Mai gave a little jump of fright as she spun around, and almost dropped the hot scone she had grabbed. Her whiskers brushed the elderly face of Drume, the Head Cook of Westwing, whose kind features were crinkled into a smile. "Ah, nothin' to be scared of missy, 'tis only Drume. Up early today, aren't ye, eh, eh?"
Having gotten over her fright, the pretty squirrel smiled at her friend while juggling her scone from paw to paw. "Hello Drume. I didn't think you'd be up yet."
"Yet? It's nearly dawn! Missy, I've been up for hours while you snoring you're pretty head away." He winked knowingly. "Bad dreams again, eh, eh?"
Mai averted her eyes, knowing the cook could read her like an open book. "I dreamed of my mo- I mean, that night." She had almost said "my mother," which she avoided whenever possible. The memory still held pain for her.
Drume understood. "Yep, yep, I thought so. Tell ye what missy, how 'bout ye join me for a breakfast outside by the lake. Nothin' like a fresh scone to chase away bad dreams. We'll let them sleep on." He nodded at a pile of sleeping, snuffling moles who served as Assistant Cooks.
Mai nodded. "A wonderful idea, Drume. If we hurry, we can see the sun rise over the water." It was true. Pink and golden light was already streaming in through the stained glass windows of the Great Hall, which could be glimpsed from the kitchen. The light created a beautiful effect with the colored glass, decorating the formerly shadwed tables with bright colors.
Drume winked again. "Ah know ye have always been partial to seeing the sunrises. Come on missy, load some scones up in a napkin. I'll get the cordial."
The two friends walked away together, laughing as talking as the sun rose over the mountains, chasing all thoughts of bad dreams away.
i've done my part, you do yours. review! how was my description? don't you just love Drume? he completely showed me his personality, from the way he looks to how he talks. so, did you like it, eh, eh? ('ll try to write longer chaps in the future)