Deep in Mossflower wood, a few miles Southwest from Redwall abbey, a cream ferret with black paws, and a Black rat, rolled a large barrel, which made noises as the contents swirled around, and occasionally bumped. Both ferret and Rat decided to stop rolling the barrel and rest under a nearby tree, a gnarled Oak.
The Rat sat down and rubbed his footpaws, then said,
"Why we doin' this? I mean, looks bit weird, dunnit, rollin' a barrel in the middle o' nowhere.'
The Ferret sighed deeply, shook his head and explained.
"Ripclaw, D'ye remember 'ow we were forgotten at the war on the abbey? D'ye know why we're rollin' this 'ere barrel?"
Ripclaw shook his head confused.
"Well, this 'ere barrel holds the pickled remains o' our glorious leader, y'know Cluny?" Said the ferret, for what seemed the hundredth time. "Oh, thanks f'r that Blackfang" Ripclaw now thanking Blackfang sarcastically.
"Oh so yew don't see whit we're doin' whit Cluny's Corpse?" cursed Blackfang.
The pair was stopped from further argument, by a distant rumble of Thunder.
"Best get off t' Saint Ninian's eh? Ye don't wanna git struck by lightning? Eh?"
Blackfang agreed, He knew Lightning was dangerous and could kill, His older brother Scrap had killed by lightning once.
The pair got up and started rolling the barrel madly towards Saint Ninian's.
As both Ferret and rat were rolling so fast they didn't see the large rock that jutted before them.
WHOOMPF!
The ferret and rat went flying into the air, landing by the church gates.
The barrel was not as lucky.
When it hit the rock, it flew up into the air, but when it landed the wood fell away like Mice from a Cat.
Two Metal hoops lay atop of Cluny's pickled remains.
TSSSHHT!
Lightning hit the hoops, making Blackfang's fur stand on end.
The ring had a faint blue tinge after being hit.
"I told yew, if lightning can kill yer, it can make yer come back sorta like" said Blackfang.
"Now that's a cask of grog yew owe me"
Blackfang and Ripclaw ran out swiftly and picked up Cluny's corpse and ran towards the church.
Inside Ripclaw lit a fire on the floor with dry twigs. Whilst Blackfang scouted for leftover provisions from the 'pickings' that were in the attic.
Ripclaw was so focused on getting dry and so bitter for losing the bet, that he didn't see Cluny's corpse being dragged into the shadows.
Footsteps echoed around the old church,
Ripclaw said nervously as he tried to prove not so,
"Blackfang, stop try'na scare me, I know it's yew"
Ripclaw looked into the fire, back to warmth.
A large shadow fell over Ripclaw.
A voice, deep and masculine said,
"If I were you, I'd stay still, lest you value your life"
The voice was sinister and dark.
Ripclaw shuddered.
The voice sounded rat-like yet not, it sounded angry yet pleased, but it sounded more dead than alive, or was it something that had been alive?
He shuddered again.
" One more move from you rat and you'll curse the day you were born." Threatened the voice growling.
Ripclaw was scared witless
"Whh…whh.ooo are.. You?" he stuttered
The voice sighed,
"What happened to manners? You say sir to your betters!"
Ripclaws' nerve broke.
He flung himself out the door running madly.
A thin whiplike thing cracked over his head.
Ripclaw fell, not dead only stunned.
"Do you know the penalty for desertion is in my horde?" asked the voice
Ripclaw whimpered.
The voice was closer,
"Death" said the voice in his ear.
Ripclaw fainted.
Blackfang had found an armful of vegetables and was carrying it to Ripclaw. First, he saw the rat, and then he saw Ripclaw.
The vegetables were dropped.
"Ye've killed him! Ye murderer, Ye've Killed Ripclaw, e' were my buddy e' were, an' I'll throttle you"
Ripclaw threatened.
The rat spun around to face the voice.
Blackfang wished he hadn't spoken.
There in front of him was undeniably Cluny.
Cluny the Scourge was alive again