UNEXPECTED FRIENDS
I do not own Redwall or the following characters..Skipper, Trisscar, Mokus (if he's the golden hamster), or Saxus. But I do own Blossom, Rosa, Dustcoat, Dusttail, Dustfang, Mosstongue, Barkpaw, Stumppaw, Thomas, Thorn, Abbot Uran, and Mitta.
Prologue
It was a blustery spring night in the northern forests. Hidden in its depths, a horde camp had hunkered down for the night. The fires had all long been extinguished and all the inhabitants were asleep except for one creeping shadow that was slowly making its way across the grassy field and into a small airy tent.
The inside of the tent was relatively simple and typical for a horde vermin; There was a small chest for cooking utensils and other items one would want to keep dry from the elements, a canvas bag for extra clothing, and a bedroll that was placed in the upper corner. The figure on the bedroll could not be seen since it was covered with a wool blanket to protect it from the night chill. The shadow disappeared to reveal a young red fox; he wore a yellow jerkin that was fastened with a black leather belt to a pair of black wool pants. His bright yellow eyes shined in the dim candlelight.
"Psst…Dusttail, wake up." He nudged the slumbering lump on the bedroll; another young fox that was identical to him shifted and sat up, "Mmm…Dustcoat?" the vixen muttered wiping sleep from her eyes.
Dustcoat took his twin sister's paws in his own and whispered urgently "Listen sister, I'm leaving tonight and I won't be coming back so I need to know now. Are you in or not?"
Dusttail was now wide awake, "What? Brother you can't be serious, Father will surely kill you if you run again." Dustcoat gave her a sly little smile "Don't you worry about it Dusttail, he won't catch me this time; Please say you'll come with me." Dusttail sighed and scratched her head "Alright Dustcoat, I'll come with you. That way Father can skin us both when he catches up to us".
Dustcoat snorted at Dusttail's sarcasm "I'll be waitin' outside, pack lightly now."
A few minutes later, Dusttail emerged from her tent carrying her canvas bag over her shoulder. She now wore a dark blue tunic tied with a black sash and black wool pants, her fishbone tail ring glinting in the moonlight. The twins nodded approvingly to each other and sprung away silently and swiftly away to the warmer southern lands of Mossflower country.
