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Mossflower Woods was as green as ever after recovering from its winter hibernation. Trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, and fruit all grew profusely as the warm sun blanketed the forest in warmth. But, all was quiet in the forest. Not a single bird could be heard, nor the buzzing of bees headed to do their daily chore of pollinating. The only thing that could be heard, was the heavy breathing of a quiet vermin horde.
The stoat captain Ravelor silently walked to the tent placed at the head of the camp and moved the curtain aside. Peering inside, he asked, "May I enter Milord?"
"Yes, enter and report." said a dark voice from inside. The stoat walked in and tried not to look at his master, but it couldn't be helped. Dregg Ironclaw was a fearsome sight, able to send a chill down the spine of anybeast; even those induced with the legendary bloodwrath. He was a black wildcat with piercing amber eyes that slanted, like those of a snakes. But, unlike normal wildcats, his ears were slightly larger and had small tufts of fur coming off the end of each one. He wore black armor on his chest that seemed to add to his size, and a long cloak that matched. But, the most noticable thing on his body was the weapons he used in battle. On both front paws was a black mailed gauntlet with three sharp blades protruding from the ends by four paw lengths. All the blades were stained red with the blood of his enemies, just like his teeth.
Ravelo shivered as he looked away from his lord. "Well, report!" said the cat impatiently.
The stoat stood strait and looked ahead obediently. "Sir! The scavenging parties were able to find a decent amount of food! Mostly vegetation and fruit, but there are fish in the streams around us that can be caught easily sir!" he said in a monotone.
Dregg stood to his paws and slowly walked over to the stoat. The captain froze as his leader approached him, not daring to move should it offend the wildcat. Stopping in front of the captain, Dregg looked down at the creature silently. He towered over his underling, making the stoat close his eyes; thinking he had done something wrong. "Good, send two score vermin plus the scavengers to go fishing. Bring everything back to the storage tent until I say otherwise. If anybeast even thinks about touching the food without my permission, they will have me to deal with." he said. The stoat saluted quickly and ran out of the tent.
Suddenly, Dregg's informant stepped into the tent and stayed silent. Dregg noticed the small weasel and nodded. "What is it Scorch?" he asked.
The weasel bowed his head and said, "Milord, we have found a band of tough lookin' rats travellin' through the woods out there. They claim that we are tresspassin' on their territory." he said.
Dregg thought for a moment before deciding what to do. He had been a little out of practice since he arrived at this peaceful country. It was about time he showed the beasts of this land who was its new ruler. "I will deal with them myself. Take me to them." he said.
The weasel gulped at the thought, but nodded and led the wildcat out of the tent. They walked across the camp and to the edge of it were there stood almost two dozen great rats, armed to the teeth with all different kinds of weapons. The leader stood forward and faced Dregg, eyeing him suspiciously. "Are you da boss o' dis liddle party?" he asked.
Dregg smiled darkly and nodded. "Yes. I assume you came here to join my army and help me conquer this country...what did you say your name was?" he asked.
The rat spit on the ground in front of the wildcat and started laughing. "You think I came 'ere to join up wid you?" he asked and his entire band started laughing with him. Then, he stopped and glared at the cat. "I didn't come 'ere to join up wid some cat and his circus! I came to get yous all off o' my land!" he yelled.
Dregg smiled again. His army looked away, knowing what was coming. "If you are not with my army, you are against me, which means you are my enemy. Do you know what I do to my enemies?" he asked. The rat said nothing as the leader of the armys smile faded. Drawing a small dagger and a rusty looking sword from his back, the rat prepared for anything...except what happened. Dregg was a very fast beast, so the rat didn't even have time to react. Quickly, the warlord sank his teeth deep into the throat of his opponent, instantly paralyzing the rat and making him drop the weapons.
The band of rats stared horrified as their leader fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood, gasping for air. Dregg turned to the others in the band and said, "Now then, do any of you want to try what he has failed, or would you like to join my army?" he asked. All the rats threw their weapons on the ground. The wildcat smiled. "Good, then you are now my allies. Have a seat and make a fire for yourself. The food will be passed out shortly." he said, then grabbed the fallen rat and dragged him back to the tent.
Scorch the weasel approached one of the rats and shook his head gravely. "I pity your friend mate, he's got a painful night ahead of him." he said.
All that night, none of the vermin camp could sleep because of the sound of bone chilling screaming coming from their lords tent.
OoOoO
Redwall was peaceful that day, unaware of the danger that lay east of them. It was a day of festivities, the first day of spring. Everybeast in the abbey was abuzz with chores that needed finished for the festival that night. Everybeast, especially the dibbuns were excited about the festival, for they had not had a Redwall feast in a long time.
All the older creatures were in the kitchen, running back and forth from one dish to the next to make sure everything was perfect for the upcoming feast. The younger and stronger ones helped to set up everything outside in the sunny afternoon; from tables and chairs, to the stage for the talent show. The dibbuns...well, the dibbuns did what they do best. Try to help everybeast by doing the exact opposite.
The kitchens were packed with creatures, making it hard for anybeast to see who the culprit behind all the trouble was.
"Friar! That cake is slipping off the table!" shouted a small vole. The friar squirrel ran over as quickly as he could and tipped the tilting cake back onto the table. Wiping the sweat from his brow with a dockleaf, the head cook sighed.
"Who tossed hotroot pepper into the pudding? It tastes aweful!" shouted a mouse from across the kitchen.
"Somebody put the strawberry turnovers in the oven!" shouted a mousemaid.
"They're supposed to go in the oven." said a frustrated squirrel.
"Not strait into the fire they're not!" replied the mousmaid.
"Who's stealing berries from my basket? Those were strictly for the pies I was making!" said a irritated hedgehog.
"Hmmm...this 'otroot puddin' ain't arf bad!" said an older otter delightedly.
"So it was you!" shouted the mouse.
"It wasn't me Parlo, I was jes testin' it."
"Oh lackaday! Some cad took a bite out of my pastie! Who, may I ask, who would do such a thing to a poor starving beast like myself? Why, I'm barely fur and bones!" said a dramatic hare wearing a cooks hat.
"Clovy, you are supposed to be helping with the food, not eating it! Fur and bones indeed." snorted the mousemaid. She turned and reached for a loaf of bread, when she saw it disappear under the feet of the hare. "Aha! I got you, you little food swiper!" she yelled as she dove for the little mouse under the hares paws. But the only thing she managed to do was trip the hare and make him smash his face in the pastie he was about to take a bite of.
Looking up, the comical hare had food smeared all over his face. Placing his chin on his paw, he sighed. "Can't a chap catch a bally break around here?" he asked with one ear bent at an angle.
The little dibbun ran for the door as the mousemaid chased after him with a ladle in her paw.
"Ah! Somebeast put a thistle down my back!" yelled a chubby squirrel. He jerked around frantically trying to get the pointed object out of his shirt, knocking into a mole that was heaving a small cauldron of boiling stew. The scorching stew spilled right onto the bob tail of Clovy, making him shriek in pain.
"Yaaah!" he shouted and jumped into the air, holding both paws over his tender tail. He landed directly in the woodland trifle that was sitting on the table next to him. His tail was instantly cooled by the dessert. "Ah, that hit the spot." he said relaxedly. Everybody in the kitchen glared at him as he nibbled at his new throne. Looking around, he said, "What?"
OoOoO
Outside the main building, creatures worked together to put up the stage for the talent show. The Abbess, a wise beautiful mouse named Belle, guided them through the process of constructing the small stand. She smiled as some of the dibbuns that were out playing wrapped themselves in the canvas for the stage. They ran around playing some odd game that dibbuns constantly made up. But, then she noticed him. One creature was not helping with anything, just standing on the walltop staring out across the forest.
The Abbess looked at the otter, hedgehog, and three moles that were putting the stage together and smiled slightly. "Um, Skipper. Do you and the others think you can manage without me for a moment?" she asked politely.
The burly otter smiled with pearly white teeth. "Sure can Miss Belle, go on about your buisiness." he said.
She bowed to him in thanks and walked towards the wall stairs. When she reached the top, she saw a young mouse leaning against the battlements; staring out across the countryside. "Mel, is something the matter?" she asked.
The young mouse jumped slightly, but recovered quickly. "Oh, Mother Abbess! W-What are you doing up here?" he asked.
Placing her paws inside the sleeves of her long robe, she sighed. "I could ask you the same thing. I thought Skipper placed you on table duty." she said. Mel scratched his head guiltily and looked at his feet.
"Sorry, its just that there was something on my mind, and I needed a clear place to think." he said. "I'll get right on the tables, don't worry."
"This something thats on your mind wouldn't have anything to do with our infirmary sister would it?" she asked coyly. His eyes went wide at hearing her question and he began to stutter constantly.
"W-W-What do you m-mean?" he asked.
She smiled again. "So, it is her." she said. "I thought I saw something in your eyes when you looked at her." she said as she smiled brightly. The young mouse lowered his head as if being punished. "Mel, its nothing to be ashamed of. Many of the younger mice in our abbey have had their eye on Sister Mary." she said.
"I know. She has so many to choose from, so why would she pick me?" he asked rejectedly.
The Abbess placed a paw on his shoulder. "Now Mel, it sounds like you are giving up before you even try."
"But what can I do to get her to notice me?" he asked almost desperately.
The Abbess thought for a second. Then, her face brightened and she looked at him. "How about you give her a bouquet of roses?" she suggested.
"But...the only roses in the abbey are from your personal garden. Where else would I..." he said, but was cut short.
"Exactly, I'll give you some of my roses and you can give them to her as a gift." she said.
Mel's eyes widened, as did his smile. "You mean it? I can have some? Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!" he shouted and gave the small mouse a tight hug. She laughed as he squeezed her tightly.
"Okay Mel, now let go before you kill your Abbess." she said jokingly. He let go and began skipping down the stairs.
"You just wait! I'll make sure the tables are perfect for tonights feast!" he shouted and ran to join the others.
She smiled as he dashed away happily. "Oh, to be in love. Its such a wonderful thing." she said. Then she began to descend the stairs and make her way back to the stage.
OoOoO
Just southeast of Redwall, two water voles sat quietly in their homes eating a small meal of watercress soup and a fruit salad. They ate quietly and happily, munching on the apples in their salad and sipping their soup strait from the bowl.
Suddenly, a loud thump on their ceiling alerted them. The female vole looked to her mate and asked, "What do you think that was?"
The other looked up at the ceiling as well, wondering the same thing. "Not sure, it was too loud to be one of the apples from our trees. It must be something else." he said. He stood up and walked over to the corner, where lay a small club studded with flint and a sling made for tossing river stones. "I'll go take a look." he said.
"Why are you bringing those? Do you think its dangerous?" she asked worriedly.
He put both weapons into a leather belt around his waist and walked to the underwater entrance of their home. "I don't know, but its better to have something and not need it, then to need something and not have it. I'll come back if it looks too dangerous to handle." he said, then nosedived into the water. He swam like a fish through the small cave entrance and into the late afternoon sun. He climbed onto the shore and looked around, keeping both paws on his weapons. "Hmm...don't see anythin'. Must've been somebeast running through here." he said. As he turned around, his blood almost froze in its veins.
Standing behind him was the biggest fiercest creature he had ever seen in his life. It was on four legs and stood twice his size. White fur covered its entire body, and it had freezing blue eyes that ran through him like a dagger; with a feather decoration hanging from one ear. The vole stumbled backwards as the creature started growling. Then, it lunged forward and grabbed the vole in its teeth...
OoOoO
Riverfox237: Thanks again for the review. I'm glad that you like it so far.
Neko: Well, I suppose. But if you are asking for every character that has a name I can't help you. I know most of the main ones and sidekicks, but not every little detail. If you want the list then email me.
Well, this chap. was shorter than I normally allow, but I am working on my other novel right now so I kinda have to second this to it. Sorry if it isn't up to your standards in the future.