To be honest, I didn't think I would post this, but...

Summary:When Matthias falls deathly ill, Mattimeo faces the prospect of becoming the next Redwall Champion far sooner that he ever thought. To top it off, an otter comes to Redwall looking for help to find a treasure that a powerful vermin horde has taken interest in...

Rated: T (just in case,)

This is my first Redwall fan fic, and even though I am excited about, I don't know how often I will continue to update it, if I continue to update it, for I really struggled to write just this much...

Weylan's Treasure

Chapter 1

It was a quiet night in Mossflower Woods. Few things broke that silence. Among them, were three different beasts, all in different portions of the calm forest. To the south, a young otter made his way across the land, journeying homeward from a fishing trip at a creek further back along the trail. Slung across his back was a fishing net, full of captured watershrimp, indicating a successful trip for the otter.

The otter was unarmed, save for a sling, smaller than average, hung from his belt. Near the sling hung a pouch of smooth river stones, but like the sling, where smaller than the average slingstone. It was clear that the sling was intended to ward off any attacks without causing serious harm. Furthermore, the sling was not worn down from prolonged use, indicating that the sling was either seldom needed, or seldom in want of use.

The otter was very tired, ready for a long night's sleep, but to anyone but himself, it did not show, for the otter walked at a very steady and powerful pace. He had an added spring in his step as well, for he was nearly home, and that was cause enough for him to put in the added effort.

Home proved to be a shallow moss covered cavern near a small pond, just big enough and wet enough to not be a swamp or watermeadow. The pond was home to a great deal of water life, but had no watershrimp, one of many favorite foods for an otter. So occasionally, one had to be sent to get some. It was a common duty for the otter, and he took it in turn, but was always glad to finish.

Happy to be home, the otter entered the small cavern.

"There ye be, Weylan." an aging ottermum spoke as the otter entered his home. "Wot kept ye this time?"

She stood over near a stone oven, taking out a loaf of bread to set aside to cool.

"Nothin', just enjoyin' the woods." Weylan answered. "'ere's the watershrimp ye asked for."

"Thank ye kindly, Weylan." the elderly otter said, taking the fishing net. "All we need now is some 'otroot an' we can make some 'otroot soup."

"Aye, I'll go get some." Weylan said, starting to go back out again, despite how tired he felt.

"Oh, no ye don't, ya liddle rouge." the ottermum interrupted, grabbing Weylan's paw, "'Tis late. Time for bed."

"But I like 'otroot soup!" Weylan objected, letting himself get pulled into the next room in the cavern.

"Aye, I know." the ottermum stated, "You'd do anythin' get some 'otroot soup, but if it's gonna interfere with yer beauty sleep, I ain't gonna let ya."

Weylan knew that there was no merit at this point in continuing the argument, and continued on to his bed himself. "Alright, Ma, I'll sleep." he said, lying down on the makeshift bed. "Ain't a young 'un anymore, though."

Weylan's mother, Kesmin, grinned, but didn't say anything in response. Soon Weylan was fast asleep, inwardly grateful he didn't go back out to get the hotroot.

At first, Weylan's dreams didn't focus on anything in particular at first, simply jumping from one idea to the next. Eventually, though, Weylan dreamt he was in a meadow, one that seemed vaguely familiar, but he didn't know where it was, or whether he had actually been there.

Yet Weylan seemed to know where to go from there, for he wandered across it until he reached a small hill, climbing to the top. There, waiting for him, was another otter, which also seemed familiar to Weylan.

The otter, much older than Weylan, spoke, saying:

"He who seeks the award,

And claim it as his,

An abbey he must face towards.

There, seek I am that is.

His son will guide the way."

Upon saying that, the otter stooped down an lifted a flat rock placed on the hilltop. Under the rock was a small hole. Weylan bent over to see what was inside. But he never did. The dream ended abruptly when a sudden sound awoke him. His mother, Kesmin, and dropped something. Probably a pot she was cleaning. Weary, Weylan thought nothing more of it and was soon fast asleep again.

Further north from Weylan's home, stood Redwall. Currently, little sound was being emitted from within it's red stone walls from which it got it's name. Most were asleep at this time at night, except one.

A mouse stood alone on the wall top, facing south. It would have appeared that he was watching something either in the starry sky or in the depths of Mossflower woods, but in reality, he was doing neither. His eyes were unfocused, seeing things only in his mind, thinking about his life, among other things.

"I've wondered what you do up here on these late nights, son." a voice suddenly said behind the mouse.

Startled, he turned the face what was probably the only other person awake within Redwall's boundaries. It was Matthias, the warrior of Redwall. His father.

Mattimeo turned back to look out at the land beyond. "Not much, father." he admitted. "Usually I just come up here to watch the sun set, then get thinking about various things and forget where I am until much later."

Matthias leaned against the wall edge next to his son, chuckling softly. "I've had that happen to me." he said, "more times than I'm probably willing to admit, too."

"Sometimes it's just nice to have time to think." Mattimeo pointed out. "Sometimes things here at Redwall get too busy for anyone to really think that much, whether if it's just about life or what you might do in the morning. Really all I come up here to do."

They were quiet a moment.

"Why are you up here, father?" Mattimeo suddenly asked.

"Couldn't sleep." Matthias admitted. "Head hurts."

"Sorry about that." Mattimeo said sympathetically.

"Hmm." Matthias mumbled, "Probably won't hurt as much as in the morning when your mother voices her opinion about us being up here this late."

Mattimeo couldn't help but grin. Cornflower disapproved of Mattimeo being up here at night, and would be greatly disappointed to find out her husband was up here too.

They were silent again for another moment. This time Matthias broke the silence.

"Mattimeo, there is something I feel like I should say." he said. "Ever had the feeling that something important was going to happen soon?"

Mattimeo thought about that for a moment, unsure how he should answer. "I don't think so." he said slowly. "Why?"

"I've been having that feeling a lot lately." Matthias explained. "I don't know what it means, and if it has anything to do with us or Redwall, but I think it'd would be a good idea to be looking for anything that might hint to something happening for the next few days. What do you think, Mattimeo?"

"I suppose." Mattimeo answered, unsure what to think of that.

"Son, you're almost fully grown now. Very soon, ownership of Martin's sword will be passed onto you." Matthias said, "With that will come great responsibility, and I would like to know if you feel ready for that."

"I think so, father, but I wouldn't know until the time comes, won't I?" Mattimeo pointed out.

Matthias patted his son's back. "Good point Mattimeo." he said in agreement. "I probably never knew if I was ready until I needed to be too. Of course, that was very long ago in itself, probably more than it seems." he yawned, stretching. "Makes me feel old."

"You don't look like it." Mattimeo said truthfully.

Matthias grinned. "Well, I suppose it's time for bed now. Cornflower will be after my tail if I let you stay out here any longer."

Mattimeo nodded, and they both walked away.

To the south, past Weylan's home, on the border of Mossflower Woods, there was trouble. A vermin horde camp. And unlike elsewhere in Mossflower, everyone was awake here. Especially two in particular.

One, was a ferret, the horde leader, named Toka. He and his horde wasn't very well known, but the few that did know about the horde knew it was because the horde almost never kept prisoners.

Mokeet, a sea otter, was probably the only one currently. And he had agreed a long time ago with Toka that it was probably better to die than to be kept prisoner in Toka's horde. How many seasons Mokeet had been with the horde, he didn't know, and personally didn't care anymore.

But it was routine for Mokeet to be brought in front of Toka every night for interrogation, and even now it was always about the same thing. The treasure.

Mokeet had told all he knew about the treasure, which was very little, to Toka long ago, but Toka never tired of hearing the same thing again and again, apparently. Mokeet knew that they could've reached the treasure several seasons ago, but Toka was very easily distracted and tended to take his horde off course for whole seasons to scout something of interest.

Sometimes it would interest Toka more than the treasure and Toka would seek to take whatever it was for himself. He had been known to declare whole wars over little things, and since the quest for the treasure began, Toka had waged three wars along the way.

Normally, it wasn't a good habit for a warlord to do that, but not for Toka. Unlike other warlords, Toka had won every war he waged, with the gains always outweighing the losses. It had been rumored that Toka and his horde could be out-numbered a hundred to one and still win with few losses.

No was sure exactly how the ferret did it, not even Mokeet. But that wasn't what worried Mokeet.

"Tell me of the treasure." Toka ordered as he did every night from his chair in his tent.

Mokeet, forcibly bowed down in front of Toka and held there at spear point by four guards, knew he had no choice but to tell what he knew of the treasure.

"'Tis a treasure gathered up by several of the otter tribes in Mossflower country for many seasons. 'Twas a sign of friendship and good will among the otters, an' was done to keep their treasures safe for their young 'uns to claim. Usually when it was passed to their young 'uns, the treasure was left there for continued safe keepin'. It remains there today."

"Is this all you know?" Toka asked.

"'Tis all I know, lord." Mokeet answered. He had learned long ago that he would be treated very badly if he didn't call Toka lord in his presence. He wouldn't be killed, for he knew Toka needed him alive if the warlord was to get the treasure, but obeying Toka's rules made Mokeet's life that much easier for him.

Toka gave Mokeet a look when he answered. Mokeet always suspected that Toka believed there was something he was hiding, but there wasn't much Toka could do about it, for one, Mokeet and told Toka all he knew, and any attempts Toka made to try and get Mokeet to tell this nonexistent secret risked killing Mokeet, and Toka didn't want that. So Toka did nothing about it.

"How close are we to it's location?" Toka always asked next.

Mokeet didn't know exactly where the treasure was, other than it was somewhere in the middle of Mossflower. So told Toka what he did know. "Yore on the borders of the country it's located in."

"Very good, mate." Toka said, waving the guards to take Mokeet away.

"I ain't yore mate." Mokeet mumbled, letting the guards drag him away.

When Mokeet was being interrogated, he was in a wooden cage built on a small cart. When the horde was on the move, as it usually was, it was pulled along with the horde by Mokeet's designated guards, which seemed to change everyday. It wasn't much, but to Mokeet, it was a lot better than what it could be, like slave work, something Toka either had no interest in, or no need.

Once Mokeet was in his cage, he, as always, mumbled a bunch of names he'd like to call Toka someday. In fact, he could call Toka whatever he wanted right now, just so long it wasn't in Toka's face. Toka didn't seem to care. It was a very unusual trait for a warlord to possess; normally warlords make sure they were respected even when they're nowhere near.

Not Toka, but Mokeet had been quick to realize that the reason Toka could get away with that was the fact that all of his following vermin had been in Toka's service for several seasons and where very loyal to Toka. Mokeet had never seen Toka accept new recruits willingly, and that was probably because he had no real use for them. His horde wasn't exactly the biggest vermin horde one could find, but it was quite powerful in itself, and for Toka, that was all that mattered.

That was one of the things that feared Mokeet most. He knew that Mossflower country, while it did have it's own warriors, was a peaceful place, and was not accustomed to war. He feared that when Toka left Mossflower, there wouldn't be a Mossflower left. Mokeet was not native to Mossflower, but he did know several fellow otters in the area, and he was worried what would happen to them.

For now, with him being so close to the otter treasure, Toka wasn't going to get sidetracked anymore. It was straight on through to the treasure, and anything that stood in his way.

In the morning, Toka's horde would start traveling north again, on a path that would lead them to Weylan's dwelling, and eventually, on to Redwall...

Okay, so tell me, is this any good, or should I just forget it?