A hare, little more than fifteen seaons old, dashed between two older hares who were standing talking in the hallway. The older two stumbled backwards, surprised by his sudden appearance.
"Sorry mates, just coming through, wot!"
The hares shook their heads as they watched him race up the stairs to the forge room.
"Young Jack, always so enthusiastic. I wonder where he's off to now?"
"Hmm, good question, Fleetpaw. Though his energy is exactly why he's always sent away on who-knows-what assignments."
Fleetpaw grinned. "Well, when his missions fail, at least we get sent back into action."
"Aye, 'tis the honest truth."
Jack knocked on the door of the badger's forge room.
"Tis' Corporal Jackalone de Tonelo Kristaps, sah, reportin' for duty, sah!" he said, panting heavily from his run up the stairs.
"Come in," said the deep voice of the badger lord.
Jack opened the heavy metal door and stepped in. The splendor of it always took his breath away, the huge forge sitting right in the middle of the room, the huge windows with the breathtaking sight. Jack couldn't help but stare at the weapons rack at the side of the room. He had always wanted one, though he had never been given one as his missions never seemed to involve weaponry.
"Jack the Lucky, eh?" the badger lord said, getting up from his seat. "Well, sit here, son. We'll have to have a long talk. Morndew, come here, will ya?"
A hare opened the forge room door and hopped in.
"Yes sah, what are your orders, sah?"
"Go get General Rover, soldier."
"Sah yes sah!"
The badger lord watched the hare bound down the steps. "Good soldier, that one. Loyal and energetic, much like you. It's too bad that her parents don't believe that she's old enough to join the Long Patrol, or at least take part in something useful."
"Excuse the interruption, sah, but why didja send for ol' Rover, sah? Why can't you give me my own mission briefing?" Jack asked, confusion clearly written across his face.
The badger lord smiled at the hare. "You'll see, Jack. Yes, you'll see."
A while later, an elderly hare wearing a dress uniform adorned with medals entered the room, closely followed by Morndew. Morndew looked at Jack questioningly. She was often on guard duty when Jack was given his missions, she knew that Rover did not usually make an appearance at the briefings. Jack shrugged back at her to show that he didn't know what was going on any more than she did.
"You, wanted me, Lord Roguestripe?" he asked, throwing a casual salute.
"Yes, I did, General. Remember what we talked about?" seeing the hare nod, he continued. "Well, it's time."
"Are you sure, sah?"
"Yes, Rover, I'm quite sure."
"Alright then. Jack, me young buck, follow me," he said walking towards the weapons rack. Puzzled, Jack followed him. Once they made it to the rack, Rover gestured towards the array of weaponry.
"Come on, young fellow. Chose one, m'lord's decided that it's time," he said. Seeing Jack wandering around, having no idea what to pick, Rover added, "Make sure you make the right choice, these weapons could be the difference 'twixt life and death."
Upon spotting a huge broadsword, Jack raced towards it. He tried to lift it up, only to find that he couldn't even make it budge. He kicked the wall in frustration, only to be hit by an axe that fell down on top of him. Jack picked it up.
"I'll take this. If I can't decide on my own, I'll take it as a bally omen that this one fell on top of me," he said to the general with a rueful grin on his face.
"Hmm. Good decision, that's a good axe. Hmm, I believe that's the axe your grandsire used, oh, do 'tis! Not my favorite, of course, I prefer the 'ol longbow," Rover said, patting the nearby bow that was leaning against the wall fondly.
Together, Rover and Jack returned to were Lord roguestripe was sitting, Morndew all the while staring in envy at Jack's axe.
"Really Jack, an axe? I had no idea that was the type of weapon you'd chose," he said, grinning as Rover started a chuckle.
"Well, sah, it's a bit of a funny story.I couldn't-"
Rover began laughing hysterically. "He-he couldn't decide, an', an' an' then he-"
"I can tell my own flippin' story, thank you very much, General sah!" Jack said indignantly. "As I was saying, I couldn't decide until I spotted that huge broadsword in the corner. I ran at it, thinking that-"
"The sword in the corner? Jack, that sword was made for a badger!" Roguestripe said, stifling a grin.
"As I was saying, I picked it up, and I swung it in this mighty arc, knocking over this axe. Then, the ol' General here said, 'Oh, Mighty Jack, that sword is so big that you will wear yourself down bringing that everywhere. Take this axe instead, take it as an omen,' he said ," Jack said, evidently frustrated with all of the interruptions.
"Th-that's not wot 'appened at-" Rover started, tears of merriment openly streaming down his face
"They should call you Jack the Fibber," Morndew said with a grin on her face.
"Flippin' bally hares, no bally respect for flippin' ol' me!" Jack grumbled, leaving the room.
A few minutes later, General Rover had convinced Jack to return to the forge room, were he would receive his mission briefings. This time, Jack entered without knocking, though he was a little confused as to why Morndew wasn't standing guard like she usually was. Once he entered he found Lord Roguestripe staring off out the window. jack stood there for a while not wanting to disturb his Lord's peace. After a few minutes of standing there, the badger Lord turned.
"Jack, do you know why I dismissed Morndew?"
Jack was taken aback by the question. "Of course not, sah. How would I blinkin' know why you dismissed you flippin' sentry, sah?"
Roguestripe dismissed Jack's question with a wave of his hand. "Jack, no more sirs. I mean, it's understandable in the presence of your comrades, but not with me. Anyway, for your mission briefings. Did you hear of what's been happening near Redwall lately?"
Jack, though puzzled by Roguestripe's objection about calling him sir, responded almost immediately.
"Yes, uh, Lord Roguestripe, at least, I think so. Wasn't there a band of blinkin' vermin stealin' from the travelers?"
"Quite right, Jack, and you can just call me Roguestripe. Now, your mission is to infiltrate the band and gain info from the inside. If you can, try to sabotage them before returning home. But if you can't, just return here and tell me what you learned. I decided to give you your own weapon because this mission could be dangerous. Understood?"
Jack stood there in dumb shock. Roguestripe was trusting him with this mission? After all of his failures? After a short while, Jack managed a few words.
"Ah, sah-Roguestripe, sorry, why're you sending me on this mission? I mean, all due respect, and I accept, but why me?" he asked.
"Because you, Jackalone de Tonelo Kristaps, need to prove yourself. You're the envy of the leverets and the other young 'uns, but all of the older ones think that you make a mess of everything. I'm giving you the chance you need, Jack, because you are the son I never had. After your mother died in birth, your father went into a state of deep depression. He stopped eating, stopped drinking, and he wouldn't talk to anyone. After a while, he died. So I took you in. I want you to succeed, I need you to succeed. That's why I sent Morndew away. I can't have my soldiers thinking I've gone all soft, now can I? Roguestripe said with a smile as he pulled Jack into a hug. Jack was so surprised that he could hardly speak.
"I don't want to lose you, Jack, so stay safe. You know Mile Manycoats, right?"
"Yes, Roguestripe. Do ya want me te go see him?"
"Yes, please Jack. And remember what I said."
"Yes sah, and I'll stay safe, I promise."
Well, here it is. The first chapter. Hope it turns into more!
This is sort of part of a backstory for Jack-Is-Lucky from the Grey Coincidence's story Black and White, though I kind of changed him and his parents, hope you don't mind Grey.
Edit: This was turned into a far-off sequel since I first wrote this chapter, I have edited it sa that it fits.