OoO( Prologue )OoO
It was a cold winter in Mossflower woods. Winds blew harshly against the trees of the forest and bit like a snake at any creature that travelled outside their shelter. All around the woodlands, creatures lay in their dens sleeping the storm away, listening to the chill winds beat and batter their home as they sit by the fire sharing food and stories with one another.
But, among the fierce gales and howling snow; there was one creature travelling across the woodland to the giant sandstone building known as Redwall Abbey. Well known for giving hospitality to creatures in need, Redwall was a place admired by any creature whether in the woodland, inside its walls, or even in lands far away. Making its way across the woodland, the creature finally reached the edge of the woodland and looked upward, amazed at the collosal belltower that stood proudly over all trees and the walls of the great abbey.
After realizing that there was no visible door on this side of the building, the creature turned and walked alongside the rosey red stone wall; running a paw across its marvelous surface. Turning the corner, the creature saw the giant wooden door and immediately ran to it. Gently leaning against the door, the tall slender figure clad in hood and cloak to protect against the wind; knocked on the door loudly.
OoOoO
Inside the abbey, everybody was cheerful and happy as they ate their dinner in the Great Hall. Table upon table of food was served and every creature in the abbey sat at the great meal and dined on their favorite kind of food: Redwall food.
The Skipper of Otters sat next to the Abbot in his chair dipping a loaf of bread into a large bowl of shrimp and hotroot soup made especially for him by the abbey cook. He sat enjoying his meal when a little otter about the size of his forearm walked up to him and pulled on his rudder-like tail. Looking down at the little furry kit with a mouth full of bread, he managed to smile. Swallowing the food, he grinned at the little otter again.
"What is it little guy?" asked the jolly Skipper.
The dibbun held up a small wooden bowl and grinned back with pearly white teeth. "I runned out of soop! Can I have some of yours?"
Skipper burst into laughter and lifted his bowl off the table. "Of course you can!" he said and held it over to pour into the bowl when the little otter held up a paw.
"Wait Skippa! Hold my bowl, I pour big bowl."
"Uhhh...okay then. Try not to spill any little guy, don't like to waist the stuff." he said switching bowls with the kit, still smiling at the little ones eagerness. "And make sure you save me some, don't go pouring it all into your bowl now." he said jokingly. But, what the little otter did made him smile even wider. As soon as the kit had the large bowl in his paws, he took off like a dragonfly for the front door, laughing uproarously. Skipper stood up and looked at the Father Abbot sitting humbly and picking at his salad with a fork. "I'll be back Father, some little rogue has taken off with my vittles." he said. The abbot smiled and nodded, then Skipper took off after the little otter; not noticing the table of dibbuns laughing histerically at their friends prank.
OoOoO
The otter babe had managed to open the front door of the abbey building when Skipper had caught up to him. Squealing with excitement, the dibbun ran out the door and into the blinding snow storm. Skipper raced after him and managed to grab the little otter around the waist. The dibbun was surprised by the action and the bowl slipped from his hands, spilling all over the white snow; instantly melting it and leaving a red tint on the ground.
"Oh no! Spilled soop!" shouted the little otter, reaching for the ground as if he could pick the soup up and put it back into the bowl.
Skipper smiled and tucked the dibbun under his arm. "Don't worry little one, there is plenty of soup left inside." he said ruffling the little ones head fur. "Lets get back inside and...whats that?" he asked suddenly, turning towards the front gate. "Somebeast is knocking on the gate!" he shouted. Setting the otter down, he turned and said quickly, "Go fetch Father Abbot and tell him someone is at the front gate."
"Who is it Skippa?"
"I don't know yet little one, now go get Father Abbot so we can find out." said the Skipper. The little otter saluted like a soldier and darted back into the abbey building, not bothering to close the door behind him. Skipper turned back towards the gate and ran up the stairs to the battlemented walltop. As he reached the top, he confirmed that somebeast was knocking as another loud rap hit the wooden door. Looking over the edge of the wall, he spotted the hooded figure standing in front of the door. "Ahoy! Are you wanting inside?" shouted Skipper over the shrieking wind.
The creature looked up at Skipper and smiled brightly. "Yes please! Its very cold out here in this storm!" shouted the figure, revealing to Skipper that it was a female.
"I can only imagine. Hold on, I'll open the gate!" he shouted. He skipped down the stairs and skidded to a halt in front of the gate, then kicked the wooden bar keeping the gate secure into the snow. Slowly, he pulled the gate open and the snow clad figure stepped into the door. Reaching up, the cloaked creature lowered its hood and revealed its face. Skipper gasped in surprise. First, because the white fur the creature had almost made her invisible in the snow storm. But the main reason for his sudden shock was that the creature standing in front of him was a white female fox! He stood, unable to speak as the Abbot approached behind him.
"Ah Skipper! Is this our new guest?" asked the old mouse. Skipper silently nodded and the Abbot slipped his hands into his habit sleeves and turned to the beautiful fox. "Welcome to Redwall Abbey. I am the Father Abbot here, so if there is anything you wish from us, be not afraid to ask." he said bowing to her.
She smiled gratefully and bowed back. "Thank you Father Abbot for allowing me into your abbey." she said.
Smiling, the Abbot nodded. "Well, lets get somewhere so we can talk." he said, and led the fox into the gatehouse. Skipper closed and barred the gate, then followed them. Inside, the Abbot sat in a large cushy arm chair and the fox stood in front of him. Skipper sat on the bed in the corner, muscles tensed as the fox smiled at the Abbot. He was prepared to spring and take out the fox if she tried anything against the Abbot. "Have a seat. Now then, lets start with your name shall we?" he asked kindly.
Sitting in the chair across from the Abbot, the fox smiled and nodded. "My name is Arista Snowdrift." she said.
The Abbot smiled. "A beautiful name. I am Father Abbot, and this here is the Skipper of Otters. We personally welcome you here. Now, is there a reason for your visit? Or did you come across our humble abbey by accident?"
"Actually, I came here for a reason. You see, I am from the far east. Across woodland and river, over sea and mountain I have travelled to find this place."
"My, it seems you have had quite a journey here. So you came from across the Great Sea did you?" he asked. She nodded and he continued. "Why would you travel so far to find our abbey?" he asked curiously.
She lowered her eyes. "Well, its rather selfish of me to ask this of you...but I wish for you to tell me a story."
"A story?"
"Yes! You see, my grandfather and his close friend came here many seasons ago. What they did here is a mystery, because my grandfather is mute. He could not tell me the story about what happened here and I wish to know dearly."
Skipper, now interested, cocked his head to the side curiously. "How did you learn of the abbey then, if your grandfather is a mute?" he asked.
She turned to him. "Oh, my mother came with him on his trip here. But she said that she was very young at that time and didn't see much of what happened after she reached the abbey. Only my grandfather and his friend know the true story, and I'm afraid that his friend died shortly before I was born." she said.
A smile flashed across the Abbots face. "Would your grandfathers name happen to be Zango the Shadow?" asked the Abbot curiously.
Arista turned to him in surprise. "Y-You know him?" she asked.
"Yes actually, we knew each other quite well. As well as his friend...what was his name?" he asked rubbing his head in deep thought.
"Cloud Longspear!" she said excitedly.
"Ah yes, Cloud. I remember him quite well now, thank you." he said with a smile.
"So, you can tell me the story?" she asked.
"Yes, but you must be hungry from your travels. Would you like to eat before you hear the story?" he asked.
Her face instantly lit up. "Would I? I've wanted to eat here ever since my mother told me about the famous Redwall Abbey food! I can't wait!" she shouted.
The Abbot smiled joyously. "Wonderful. Follow me to the Great Hall then." he said and walked for the door with Arista behind him, jumping slightly with excitement.
Skipper followed suit, but stopped at the door as the other travelled through the storm. "Cloud Longspear...why does that sound so familiar?" he asked. Shaking the thought from his head, he quickly shut the gatehouse door and followed them into the abbey building.
OoOoO
Everybody in the Great Hall froze when the fox entered. She stepped inside and looked around excitedly. She had seen the tapestry of Martin the Warrior, and it took goading from both the Abbot and Skipper to get her to come and eat something before she withered away. Skipper led her to a seat next to his and she sat down and looked around at all the creatures staring at her in stoney silence.
She sat fidgeting with the hem of her cloak when Skipper sat down next to her. She turned to him nervously. "Umm...Skipper, did I do something wrong?" she asked.
Skipper looked at her, then at the other creatures. "Oh no, don't worry. They are just surprised cause we don't have many of your kind around here. You know, foxes. So it is a little odd to see you here, but the Abbot will clear that up in no time." he said to her.
No sooner had Skipper finished talking then the stood in front of the dining table. Ringing the little bell he always kept by his chair, he began speaking. "Creatures of Redwall. Tonight we have a visitor from lands far away. She has come here as my guest, so treat her as if she were one of the sisters of Redwall." he said. They all said nothing.
Suddenly, Arista felt a soft jerk on her tail. Turning around, she saw a little otter standing behind her smiling. "Will you be my sista too?" he asked.
Smiling, Atista ruffled his furry ears. "Of course I will little one." she said happily. Suddenly, the little otter jumped onto her back and climbed onto her shoulder.
"Den maybe you share soop!" he said looking for her bowl. Arista laughed as Skipper pried the kit off her shoulder and set him down. Some of the other creatures also laughed at the little fellow.
"Don't go botherin' lady Arista you little mite. Go get yer own soup from the cook." Skipper said. The little otter covered his eyes and ran off squealing, sending the rest of the Great Hall into uproarus laughter. Smiling again, Arista stared around at all the different creatures. Most of them she had never seen before, but some also lived in her own village.
Suddenly, a large hedgehog walked over to her with a large smile. "Here missy, try some of this. Can't say you've tasted Redwalls greatest without tasting October Ale." he said. She took the large beaker and sipped it. Her face lit up with pleasure.
"This is wonderful!" she shouted and guzzled down the rest. The hedgehogs eyes widened in surprise.
"Well stap me! Thats the first time anybeast has ever taken a beaker full of October Ale in one breath!" he shouted.
The other creatures began passing her food after food, trying to get her to sample everything they had to offer. She gladly took to the delicious food handed to her by moles, mice, squirrels, and even a hare. A stout mole on her other side passed her a plate with a deliscious looking morsel on it. "And what is this wonderful smelling delicacy called?" she asked.
The moles face wrinkled in a smile. "That be deeper n' ever turnip n' tater n' beetroot poi. It be a favrit of us yurr molers." he said. Arista was taken aback by the speech, but Skipper quickly cleared it up for her.
"He said not to try that pie there until you sampled me favorite shrimp and hotroot soup. Be careful though, its a tongue scorcher." he said scooting the small cauldron over to her. She sampled it and took a draught of October Ale to cool her mouth; then poured herself an entire bowl of it.
She looked at the plates offered to her, then smiled as she picked up a long stalk of something. "This looks tasty." she said and nibbled on it. "What do you call it?"
The creatures surrounding her started to snigger loudly, until a mouse across from her spoke up. "Thats the decoration for the trifle, its a plastic flower." he said. She smiled foolishly and set the flower down.
"Oh, my mistake." she said taking another beaker of the ale to wash her mouth out.
OoOoO
After the grand dinner in the Great Hall, all the dibbuns were shipped up to the dormitories to sleep and the older ones helped to gather the dishes from the table and take them to the kitchen for washing. After the menial chore was finished, the Abbot invited everyone to gather in the Cavern Hole for the story he was about to tell. Most of the creatures had gathered around Father Abbot to hear the story that was to be told.
The Abbot sat in a high backed chair running through the pages of the old abbey records, where many stories were written in memory of warriors lost in battle to protect the abbey from danger. Many warriors there were, including Martin the Warrior, Dandin, Mariel, Taggerung, and many many more. Turning the pages, the Abbot finally stopped at a page and looked up at his audience. Seeing all the eager faces before him, he smiled.
"To all of you who are wondering what this story is about, I shall tell you. Our guest has come here in search of the knowledge of her grandfather. Her grandfather was a great warrior who served our abbey in the past and helped to save our beloved home from certain domination. This is the story of the 'Spring of the Wandering Warriors'."
OoOoO
Woo, my first Redwall attempt. How did I do so far? Good? Bad? Review and let me know!