Some final introductory stuff for the Redwall aspect of the story. Another character introduced, and a couple more expanded upon further. The plot moves onward. Next chapter will bounce back to Angola.

Chapter 3

Blackwing never really understood how so many creatures could stay on the ground. It seemed so...restricting. They were stuck on the flat and featureless ground, unable to go any higher or lower unless they ground went higher or lower with them. The ground also seemed so cluttered, with trees and buildings, and other objects that one could run into if one wasn't watching.

But the sky, on the other talon, was just the opposite. There were no boundaries. You could go up as high as you wanted, and you could go down as low as you wanted until the ground rushed up to meet you. There was nothing but air and clouds in the sky to run into, and neither would hurt you, save storm clouds, but Blackwing was smart enough to avoid those.

And the world just seemed so much more beautiful from up in the sky. Blackwing liked to soar as high as he could go into the sky and then look back down at the world below, and see the little shapes of little creatures moving around, in and out of little buildings and walking around little trees. The world seemed so much smaller from up here.

Blackwing was up here in the sky at the moment thinking just that when he heard a whistle, sounding faint from up here, followed by a loud shout.

"Ahoy there, matey!" a voice he knew well called out. "C'mon down for a moment! Got yore favrite 'ere! Candied chestnuts!"

The sparrow swooped down onto Mathoni's location instantly, homing in on his voice. The otter was standing on the eastern walltop of Redwall, and was waving a small satchel, presumably full of the candied chestnuts, at Blackwing. Beak watering, Blackwing dropped down and nimbly perched on the ramparts with the greatest of ease.

"Otterworm Mathoni bring many sweetnuts, yes?" Blackwing asked eagerly.

"Slipped a whole bag's worth out of th' kitchens while Friar Machaerus wasn't lookin'." Mathoni said with a mischievous grin, opening the satchel and holding it out for Blackwing to see the many nuts within. "'Course, added thanks go t' Tobias for helpin'."

Blackwing let out an excited cry at the sight of the nuts, and started flapping his black-colored wings anxiously. Mathoni set the bag down on the walltop, and the sparrow swooped down on the nuts hungrily. As the bird ate, Mathoni pulled out a peach he had gotten in passing from the orchard and started eating it. He watched the bird for a few moments. Blackwing was mostly a dark grey in color with a speckled chest, but that color transitioned into a dark black on his wings, hence his name.

Mathoni began to reflect on how they met. Several seasons back, when Mathoni was in his late in his Dibbun seasons, he had been swimming in the pond with a few friends when a rainstorm rolled in. The call to come inside quickly came from the creature watching over them, but Mathoni hung back to do one last lap. While he did so, the storm started, and blew a sparrow, Blackwing, who was also on his way in to escape the storm, crash landed into the pond, and would've drowned had Mathoni quickly pulled him out.

The storm fully upon them both now, and Mathoni not being strong enough to get Blackwing to the abbey, they both took shelter in the orchard, the trees being bunched close enough together to act like an umbrella in the mild summer storm. It was here that the start of Mathoni and Blackwing's friendship began. It was a rough start; Blackwing was very edgy around any creature that wasn't another sparrow and it took Mathoni awhile to learn how to understand the Sparra language and speak it too.

But it was a friendship nonetheless, and by the time the storm ended and they both exited the orchards, they were friends, and had been ever since. Although only they knew it, and no one else. The sparrows tried their hardest to avoid the Redwallers to the point that no one really saw them, although everyone knew they were there. Rumor was that the sparrows both feared the Redwallers, and didn't trust them, so they kept their distance.

Blackwing confirmed this to Mathoni. Their queen, Queen Sharpclaw, and the elders, all taught the young sparrows to avoid the Redwallers like a plague and to not interact with them. Being a bit xenophobic of other creatures because of it, Blackwing was perfectly content to do just that until that faithful day in the storm.

Now Blackwing learned it was okay to be around Mathoni, though he still kept his distance from other Redwallers, so much so none ever saw the sparrow. Mathoni respected Blackwing's fears, and made sure that only he knew of the sparrow, though on occasion he wished he could tell others, if only to explain where he was and what he was doing at times.

He asked Blackwing once why the sparrows stayed away from the Redwallers, even though both technically lived in the same place, Redwall Abbey. Blackwing's simple reply was that it was law. This led Mathoni to ask why it was law, and got an earful about sparrow history. Apparently, sometime generations ago, the Redwallers and sparrows were friends and allies, and the sparrows weren't ruled by a king or queen anymore, but rather a more democratic leader, who, according to legend, wasn't a sparrow but another type of bird.

What kind, Blackwing didn't know. But according to history, when this leader died, there was no one who could readily take his place. In the turmoil that followed, another sparrow eventually took over as king, and things changed to the way they are now. Mathoni asked what this had to do with avoiding the Redwallers, and Blackwing admitted it didn't have much to do with it at all. That was just how things turned out. Whatever the case, there wasn't much they could do about it, so they just dealt with it.

In secret, they would frequently meet like this on the walltops, with Mathoni drawing Blackwing down with a bag of candied chestnuts, which the sparrow loved, and together they would chat until they decided to part ways, or, more likely, another creature came along and scared Blackwing away. Usually, they discussed nothing in particular, but today, Mathoni had a specific topic in mind.

He waited until the sparrow had eaten most of the nuts before speaking. "Blackwing, do ye think I'm cut out t' be a warrior?" he asked suddenly.

"What?" Blackwing asked almost indignantly. "Otterworm Mathoni big and mighty warrior! Do-em much good in battle, sparra know!"

"Thank ye for the vote of confidence, Blackwing." Mathoni said with a grin. "But I've never been in a battle, so how do ye know that for sure?"

"Sparra know! Sparra know!" Blackwing repeated in a chat.

"But how?" Mathoni pressed. "Have ye ever been in a battle yoreself?"

"Uh-uh, sparra Blackwing no fightee badworms," was the sparrow's reply, "No killee, quiet-like times."

"Aye, it is a time of peace." Mathoni admitted, almost with a sigh. "Look, I ask because today I was told I might not be cut out t' be a warrior."

"Wormbeast dumb." Blackwing said on the spot. "No knowee what say he."

"I trust 'im." Mathoni said. "In fact, I want t' be just like 'im. Which he, of course, encourages. But unlike us, he has been in battles an' th' such. He knows wot it's like t' be a warrior. He should know wot it takes, don't' ye think?"

Blackwing thought about it for a long moment, before shrugging silently with both wings.

Mathoni sighed. "Guess wot I'm really sayin' is that I need yore advice." he said, switching gears. "Rowe said he got t' where he did by goin' out an' havin' an adventure. I guess he's sayin' I need t' do the same. Get up and go out there." he pointed out at Mossflower Woods on the other side of the wall. "Problem is that I haven't ever really been out there. Not on me own, at least." he sighed, leaning on the ramparts to look out at the wilderness out there. "Don't really know wot is out there."

Blackwing hopped back up onto the ramparts and followed the otter's gaze. "Lots of things out there." he said. "Much pretty. Sparra fly high, see all."

"Well, at least somebeast 'ere has seen it." Mathoni remarked with a grin. "Wot's it like out there, Blackwing?"

The sparrow thought for a moment. "Much big." he said, holding his wings out to indicate just how big. "Many things out there. Many wormbeasts, too. Lots of things to see. Much pretty."

"Sounds wonderful." Mathoni said wistfully. "Maybe goin' out there wouldn't be so bad."

Blackwing shook his head. "Much pretty, but much danger." he went on. "Many badworms out there. Got-em many pointy sticks. Sparra work much hard, stay safe."

"Hmm." Mathoni said with a sigh. "Maybe not. By the fur, nothin' is ever easy, is it?"

Blackwing shook his head. Mathoni sighed again.

"An' then there's another problem." the otter went on. "If I do go out there t' 'ave an adventure, like Rowe suggests, where, in the name of Martin, will I go?"

Blackwing shrugged. Then suddenly perked up, hearing something. "Wormbeast coming!" he exclaimed, and quickly took flight.

"Wha-" Mathoni asked with a scowl as he watched the sparrow fly away. "Yore welcome! Which is more than yore goin' t' get next time ye come t' me lookin' for more candied nuts, not even givin' me a thank ye like that, ye feathered pillow with wings! Why I should..."

"Who are you talking to?"

Mathoni spun around to see Charles walking up to the walltop. The shy mouse looked puzzled as Mathoni realized he had overheard his exclamation.

"Um, nothin'." Mathoni said, acting innocent. "Nothin' at all. Why do ye ask?"

Charles looked at him for a long moment in mild disbelief, but he didn't have nerve enough to confront the otter about it, and eventually turned away to avoid eye contact. "I, uh, was sent to find you." he explained quickly. "Skipper Rowe is looking for you. He's in Great Hall."

Mathoni burst into Great Hall at full speed, skidding on the floor in his haste to meet with Rowe. The Skipper of Otters was indeed where Charles said he would be, but he wasn't alone. Abbot Isaiah was there with him. The wise abbot was currently speaking with Rowe as Rowe listened, nodding his head in agreement. They both turned to look at Mathoni as he approached.

"Ah, young Mathoni." Isaiah said, placing a delicate paw on the young otter's shoulder. "I see Charles told you where to find us as requested. Thank you for coming so quickly."

"Is there somethin' ye want me for, Father Abbot?" Mathoni asked politely.

"Somethin' from th' both of us, more like." Rowe said. "See, we've been talkin' Mathoni, an' we talked a little about our discussion earlier t'day. An' well, I felt bad about lettin' ye down like that, so I wanna make it up t' ye."

"Ye do?" Mathoni asked, hopeful.

"Indeed he does." Isaiah said, nodding. "After discussing the issue for a little while with me, we have both agreed and decided on what it should be." he paused, giving Mathoni a grin. "I understand you're longing for an adventure. Care to have one?"

"Do I ever!" Mathoni exclaimed. Then, deciding that was a little too eager a response, tried again with a calmer response. "I mean, aye, indeed I do, Father Abbot."

"It's not a big deal, really." Rowe said, reaching into the pocket of his habit. "See, I got a friend up in the eastern valley in a little village called Angola. He's a mouse named Mormon. Met 'im durin' me wanderin' days. Anyway, he gave me this."

He pulled out a gold medallion on a chain. Embedded in the medallion was a green emerald. Rowe handed it to Mathoni who studied it in awe.

"Gave that t' me t' give t' me bride when I found one." Rowe said. "Never did, though. Been meanin' t' take it back t' him, but 'ave been kept busy 'ere in Mossflower. Figure wot I need t' do is send somebeast t' give it back t' him for me."

"An' ye want me t' do it?" Mathoni asked.

"Yore okay with that, right?" Rowe asked.

Mathoni quickly saluted the skipper. "Aye, I most certainly am!" he said happily.

Isaiah grinned. "Good." he said. "I have a feeling you will do well, young Mathoni. You should be able handle very well. Now, there will be some things you will need to do first. First off, I want you to visit Sister Mint in the Infirmary and have her check you out. Ask her for a satchel of some basic herbs and bandages while you're at it. Then, you need to go and visit Friar Machaerus and ask, politely, that he put together a haversack of victuals for your journey. You will also need to decide on a route. I believe Linus has a map or two in the gatehouse of the lands east of here. Ask him if he has any of Angola. It should lead you to your destination. You got all of that?"

Mathoni nodded. The abbot grinned.

"Good." Isaiah said. "Away with you now, go get started. You'll leave tomorrow morning, presuming the weather is good for traveling."

Mathoni nodded, and with a quick wave of goodbye with one paw, ran off to get started. Rowe watched him with a grin.

"Well, 'ere's 'opin'." he said. "Either he'll come back a better creature, or he'll come back wiser, an' know wot he's cut out for, even if it's not wot he wanted."

"I think we have nothing to worry about, Rowe." Isaiah said, turning to hobble away. "Mathoni is a good beast. He'll do exactly what is expected of him. Plus, Martin will be watching over him, like he watches over us all."

"Wish that was comfortin' enough." Rowe said, following. "But how can I know that he won't get in any trouble? That he'll stay safe? 'Cause if anythin' happens t' 'im..."

"You underestimate the youth, Rowe." Isaiah said. "He is very observant. He learns quickly. He's very resourceful. And this will be a great learning experience for him. Besides, you yourself said it would be no 'big deal'."

"Delieverin' a medallion t' a friend isn't a big deal." Rowe said. "That's not wot I'm worried about. I'm more worried about 'im goin' off alone like that."

"You can't watch over him forever, you know. Eventually, Mathoni will have to go out into the world on his own."

"The journey won't be easy."

"I never said it would."

"The fastest way t' Angola is t' sail upriver. Wot if somethin' happens t' Mathoni while he's sailin'? Say his craft capsizes or somethin'?"

"He's an otter. He can swim."

"An' then there's Angola itself. The place seems peaceful enough, aye, an' nothin' bad has really happened there in several seasons, but th' place is ruled by foxes fer cryin' out loud! Suppose somethin' does happen suddenly, and it pulls Mathoni down with it?"

"It is not Mathoni we should be worrying about." Isaiah said sternly, waving his paw dismissively. "No serious harm will befall Mathoni, that I can assure you."

Rowe gave his abbot a look. "I get the impression ye know more about this than I do, Father Abbot." he remarked.

Isaiah merely grinned knowingly, and kept walking. Rowe was silent for a long moment.

"Father Abbot," he began cautiously, "If we shouldn't be worryin' about this liddle journey we're sendin' Mathoni on...then wot should we be worryin' about?"

Abbot Isaiah did not reply right away. He looked like he had conflicting opinions about answering that question. "One day soon you will know the answer to that, young Rowe." he finally answered mystically. "But not now. The time is not now."

"Oh it isn't?" Rowe asked, stopping. He didn't like the idea of him being so bluntly kept out of the loop. "An' when will it be?"

"Patience, Rowe." Isaiah said, walking on without the Skipper of Otters. "Everything will be made known eventually, but all in good time."