BONJOUR! It's shiny, it's new, and it's BACK! Shoopdawoop! I set this after Mariel of Redwall, maybe, oh, 25 years later. What happens in the other books doesn't count here! I did get the title idea from a song by Relient k, but I can assure you that this is in no way a song-fic!
This story is written in multi-chapter format, and is currently in-progress. It will wave three 'parts', I might later on decide to split it into three separate stories but I'm not sure yet. In the story, the prankster son of Dandin and Mariel crosses the path of a dangerous but misunderstood vixen, and together, along with his otter friend, they embark on a 'journey' that changes both their lives for better… or for worse? The truth can only hide for so long…
Disclaimer – Are the canon charries mine? No. Are the OC charries mine? Yes. If'n ya want to use them in one of your own stories, ask first!
Summary – The silhouette stiffened. "Out of my way, mouseboy." Nathaniel felt his heart tighten, his grip on Martin's Sword following suit. He shifted his paws in the grass, his mouth dry as he whispered the fateful words. "No." FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!
Written in – Third-person omniscient.
Screen-play – Like in the TV series, but with more detail and contrast in color.
Current Chapter Guide –
1 – Write
2 – Laugh
3 – Run
4 – Plot
(Parts not in bold are Horde chapters. You'll understand what I mean as you read!)
-==-
So here ya go…
The Last, the Lost, the Least!
Old stories told by travelers,
Great songs that bards have sung,
Of Mossflower's summers, faded, gone,
When Redwall's stones were young.
Great Hall fires on winter nights,
The legends, who remembers,
Battles, banquets, comrades, quests,
Recalled midst glowing embers.
Draw close now, little woodlander,
Take this to sleep with you,
My tale of dusty far-off times,
When warrior hearts were true.
Then store it in your memory,
And be the sage who says
To the young ones in the years to come:
"Ah yes, those were the days."
We all, we all wear dignity.
It covers the strong, the weak.
We all, we all wear dignity.
Even the last, the lost, the least.
- Reliant k, The Last, the Lost, the Least.
-=WRITE=-
"My, I am getting too old for this!"
Abbot Saxtus pushed up his glasses as he fumbled with the heavy key ring. "It's much too late for any soul to be awake, if only I had remembered earlier…"
The Abbot mumbled to himself as he inserted another key into the gatehouse lock. "Drat, not again!" He squinted in the dim light, thankful for warm spring nights and the moon. He fit the last key in, and sighed in relief when he heard a satisfied click. "Finally." He pulled back the thick oak-wood door and reached in, blindly groping for the flint he knew was atop the small table to the side. He clutched the jagged stones and moved his hand an inch more to the right, following the smooth glass until he felt the metal hinge that kept the lamp closed. He opened that and struck the flint, and his pupils expanded as the light grew. He cleared his throat, placing the rock back and setting the key ring beside it. Abbot Saxtus closed his paw around the metal hoop that served at the lamp's handle. He smiled as the flame threw warm color over orderly shelves of rolls of script and his own not so orderly desk. The Abbot swept aside scraps of yellow parchment to clear a space, and selected a clean paper and quill and ink from one of the desk drawers. He pulled up a stool and bent over his work, his eyes merry as the words formed on the page.
From the writings of Abbot Saxtus;
Two Moon Spring.
Here I am, again! Writing at some godforsaken hour because I forgot to do so earlier! But, that can't be helped, can it? Comes naturally with old age, they say. Hmph, Brother Siemon never has this much trouble… No matter. I must stop myself from rambling on like this! If I don't, I fear the gatehouse may have to bear its first paper shortage!
The Abbot chuckled to himself at the thought.
Now, you may be wondering why we have named this season Two Moon Spring. The most astounding thing happened, one week ago tonight, if my memory serves me correctly. Our Abbey was graced by the appearance of a second full moon! Mother Mellus told me that in badger lore, the blue moon (Which is their name for the second moon.) symbolizes truth. She even warned me to be, as she put it, 'careful hiding [my] dirty old man secrets!' You can imagine the look on my face… I believe she's getting worse with age, as well, but you didn't hear it from me!
His lips cracked in a tiny smile, which easily pulled into a frown.
On heavier matters, there has been a death. Abbot Bernard, rest his soul, passed in his sleep, little more than a day before the blue moon. He entrusted me with a rather strange parcel, cube-shaped and small enough to fit in my paw, with instructions that I give it to Nathaniel on his eighteenth birthday. Why he would want to give that troublemaker anything, I'll never know.
His eyes widened in remembrance, and the quill moved faster.
That's right! I cannot believe I forgot this as well! To my bemusement, the wandering duo has returned! Joseph was so excited, he practally pushed the gate open by himself! What a feast that was, celebrating Dandin and Mariel's triumphant homecoming and matrimony.
Abbot Saxtus licked his lips, fondly reminiscing the flavor.
They had gotten married while camping with an eastern tribe of otters. They were helping fight off some vermin, I'll have to ask them which. Why, they even had Nathaniel during their stay! He was so sweet when he was a babe. He was about a year or so old when they returned, and I believe he recently turned sixteen. Do the years fly… He and his rascal friend Thatcher can't seem to avoid mischief. No matter how many punishments Mellus gives them, you can rest assured they'll be at it again tomorrow. Perserverant and stubborn, just like his parents. Hm, Mariel is the only one who ever seems to have a handle on that boy. Dandin dosne't bother to scold him, but then again, Dandin was always a lover of trouble himself.
To conclude, I feel the summer wind coming in strong. Crops have lept, as have the spirits of the Abbey-dwellers. I cannot help but think something else is afoot, something just seems… out of place. Maybe not, but… I believe this season will bring… things we are not ready for…
He put down the quill with a sigh. "That's enough, I suppose."
He rolled up the parchment, fished a piece of twine out of a drawer to tie it up, and slipped it into an already stuffed cubby.
He shuffled outside and locked the door behind him, glancing up at the half gone moon.
"Yes, this season promises to be very… interesting. Martin, I certainly do hope you know what you are doing…"
He adjusted his spectacles and began to walk toward the tall shadow that was Redwall Abbey. The grass was cool undertow, misted with the first signs of morning dew. He turned the Abbey doorknob, and gave one last look at the heavens.
"Yes, interesting…"
What do you think? It's better than the old intro, and sets the rest of the story up easier. FORESHADOWING, YES! That wasn't gone for long, now was it? In the next chapter, well… All I can say is there's gonna be flour, trouble, and one VERY angry badger! MUAHA! I'm back and bad as ever! Remember to review, it keeps me going!
Until next time,
smileyfox148