The cave was a small, but cozy place. There were shelves, an old table, a counter on the left side that ran along the wall, and a fire place. Laurie had just started a fire with the extra branches and twigs from covering up the entrance. She thought about making a snack for them, just to keep her mind off, well. . .the possibilities.
She was looking in the cabinets when she felt a tug on her skirt. Still being a little self conscious, from running away from the vermin, she jumped, and almost squealed in surprise. When Mariel saw her jump she almost did the same. Then Laurie looked down, Oh, it's just Mariel She thought, breathing a sigh of relife.
"Mariel you scared me." She said, with a paw over her heart.
"Sorry," Mariel appologized. Laurie smiled warmly, "It's alright, now what did you want?"
"Are the vurmints gonna come back?" The mousemaid asked nervously.
"No, we're perfectly safe. Uncle Maylen is making sure that no more 'vurmints' will hurt us." Laurie replied, hoping she didn't sound frightened herself.
"Ok," Mariel said, starting to walk back the fire place. Seeing that Mariel still looked misserable she thought of an idea.
"I know what'll cheer us up," Mariel turned around, "What?" Laurie grinned a little, seeing Mariel's face light up.
"I'll sing us a little song, it's one of my favorites." The mousewife picked her up and sat her on the counter. "Your mother taught it to me." She said softly.
Then smiled a sad smile as she started singing.
"The winter O, the winter O,
With cold and dark and driving snow,
O not for me the winter O,
My friend I tell you so.
In the spring the winds do sport and play,
And rain can teem down anyday,
While autumn oft is misty grey,
My friend hear what I say.
When summer sunlight comes each morn,
The birds sing sweet each golden dawn,
And flow'rs get kissed by every bee,
While shady stands the tree.
The summer O, the summer O,
Amid its golden peace I go,
From noon to lazy evening glow.
My friend I told you so."
"That was pretty," Mariel said with a smile. "sing it again!" Mariel pleaded. So Laurie did as she was bid and sang it again.
Meanwhile, a group of five hares from the Long Patrol were out marching in the woods, having heard a vermin gang had been around this area, terorizing woodlanders.
They were making their way through some ferns when Demel, a young haremaid, heard something."Hold on chaps, I think I hear singing."
Colonel Brynton turned around, "Singing?" he asked, slightly surprised, she nodded and held up a paw, "Listen."
Everyone stopped walking, and listened. And sure enough, there was singing. While autum oft is misty grey…
"That's singin' alright," Said Captain Orrak, "very good singin' too might I add, wot!"
"Where do you think it's commin' from?" Asked Delleo; Demel's twin brother.
The hairmaid closed her eyes and listened for a while then pointed to her left. "Sounds like it's commin' from over there."
Acasia, another haremaid, looked at where Demel was pointing. "Looks like a humongo' rock with moss an' what-not on it." The Captain also looked at it.
"Yes, it does, but this was where a vole family use t'live. 'member Brynt?" The Colonel nodded, "Looks like somebeast came and settled in it, wot!" then he walked over to Demel and patted her on the back.
"Spiffin' work Demel me gel! Got some pretty good ears there." She saluted back, "Thank you Sah!"
Acasia walked towards the rock, and leaned up against it, "So where's the entrance to the bally—" The haremaid fell head over paws through the "wall" of leaves, branches and moss. "I think I found it chaps,"
Laurie had just finished singing the song when a hare fell through the entrance of the cave. "Oh, hehe, sorry marm. Didn't mean to 'drop by' like that, wot!" Acasia apologized, as she picked herself up.
"Auntie, who's that? Is that anudder vurmin?" Mariel asked, but before Laurel could respond Acasia spoke, looking hurt at the comment,
"Me? A bloomin' vermin?! Why I've never been so insulted in my life!" But knowing that the beast who said it was only a Dibbun she said, "But I can let you off this one time." Acasia winked, and pulled a candied chestnut from her pocket.
Mariel took it happily, and stuffed it in her mouth without any hesitation.
Then the haremaid turned to Laurie, who was in still shock, and apologized once again. "I'm terribly sorry ol' chap, I –" But she was interrupted by the Colonel who had ran up behind her, following him was the rest of the troop. "Acasia, are you alright?"
She nodded, "Yes Sah, I've been hurt worse before."
Then Delleo saw Laurel and Mariel and inquired, "Who are those blighters, eh?" Acasia turned to him and replied,
"Well they ain't vermin that's for sure. Though I haven't found out their names yet."
"Well why don't you ask them." The Captain commented,with a somewhat annoyed tone.
"I was going to," the haremaid retorted, "before you guys barged in."
"We barged in? you're the one who fell through the blinkin' wall!" Demel snaped. As Captain Orrak tried to settle the argument,
Colonel Brynton walked towards Laurie and Mariel, "Excuse those two, they haven't 'ad lunchen, so they're a little grumpy. Would you mind tellin' us what you, and your daughter's name is?" Laurie smiled and shook her head.
"Oh, no sir, she's not my daughter. Her mother past away a few days ago. She's my friends daughter," Brynton's eyes went wide with surprise when he realized this. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean," the colonel tried to apologize, but Laurie stopped him.
"It's alright, you didn't know. My name's Laurel, but you can call me Laurie. Everyone else does. And this is Mariel," she put her paws on Mariel's shoulder. "I guess you could call her my niece, since her mother was my cousin."
The colonel shook paws with Laurie. "Pleased to meet you, both of you. I'm Colonel Brynton from the Long Patrol at jolly ole Salamandastron, and this is my crew; Captain Orrak, twins Delleo and Demel, Acasia, which you've met, and meself."
Laurie's eyes shone with hope when the Colonel mentioned they were from Salamandastron. She'd heard the wonderful stories of the famed Long Patrol and the mountain's badger lord.
"The Long Patrol?! You and your crew are really from the legendary fire mountain?" they all nodded. "O' course we me gel, look at our spiffin' uniforms, why?" Laurie though for a moment of what she was going to say.
"Here, you might want to sit down. It's a long story." Laurie escorted them to the table, and they all took a chair. As Laurie told the group of what they've been through starting with the death of Jade to how her husband went off to help Mariel's father, there was not one creature (except for Mariel who was taking her afternoon nap) who didn't cry at least once during the story.
"So can you please help them," Laurie pleaded, "I couldn't bear to see little Mariel orphaned." The colonel sniffed and wiped his eyes before he responded,
"Of course we will pretty miss, right troop?!" he was answered with a lot of "Ayes" and "of courses"
"Right then, we'll leave a soon as possible!"
A/N: I'm sooo sorry for the delay. I had a ton of stuff, homework and WRITERS BLOCK! curse thee! I'll edit this chapter later,( once I my beta reader finnishes with it) so don't worry it won't stay like this. Again I'm very sorry for the delay. Oh, and I apologise for the last chapter, I didn't notice that the words stuck together until after I posted it.
Disclaimer: I don't own the O Winter poem, I got it from Mariel of Redwall, I was too lazy to think of one meself.