A/N-I know, long time, no see. Well, thank you, my latest reviewers for reviewing, Jesus somtin' somthin'. Sorry, I can't remember names all that well. Was it Jesuschick with some numbers at the end? Well, enough blabbering, I'll let you read now…….
Chapter 7:
Fists pounded on the gatehouse door in the middle of Sandunal's slumber. She groaned, and got up, rubbing her exhausted eyes. Staggering with sleep, she stumbled towards the door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." She muttered sleepily. At that time she opened the gatehouse door. Her eyes snapped wide awake at the sight before her.
Pretty much all of the beasts in the Abbey were in front of her door, all in their nightgowns. Ffindle pushed his way through the crowd.
"Can't a bally chap get through to 'is mate?" he muttered. With a few minutes of pushing and shoving, he managed to get to the mouse.
"What's happening, Ffindle?" She called.
The hare scratched his furry head. "No, but I had a bally dream from that jolly ol' mouse warrior of that sort, wot."
Sandunal began putting the puzzle pieces together. This was all sounding very familiar. "Ffindle, what was the first line of the riddle?
"A slave from the south, high as sky."
Sandunal slapped a paw to her head, and muttered, "I think that Martin's made a mistake." She then raised her voice. "Everybeast, listen to me."
They kept talking, murmuring, or emitting noises that Sandunal couldn't understand at all.
She took a deep breath. "EVERYBEAST, LISTEN TO ME!" She yelled. Instantly, the creatures became quiet.
"Thank you. Now who had a dream from Martin the Warrior?"
Every paw in the crowd shot up, and talking began to start.
"Who's bally dream started with this riddle-ish line- A slave from the south, somethin' somethin' somethin'." Again, a great mass of paws shot up.
"Thanks." She murmured. And, again, she shouted so that everybeast could hear her. "Please go back to your beds or your work. I know exactly what happened. Martin made a mistake." Mumbles of disbelief arose, and the infirmary keeper, Brother Hano spoke up.
"But Martin is perfect isn't he? After all, he did defeat a wildcat."
Sandunal shook her head. "Nobeast is perfect, and everybeast makes mistakes. Now, please all creatures, go back to sleep or to your own duties." Silently, the abbeybeasts went away from the gatehouse. Sandunal sighed with relief.
"Should I come inside o' that place with you, wot?"
Sandunal shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ffindle, but I have to finish a piece of writing I started yesterday."
Ffindle shrugged. "Okay, matey o' mine, but I'm goin' t'get some scoff." He then ran away at full speed towards the Great Hall, yelling.
"Gangway! Watch out for the 'hungy hare gettin' th' blinin' scoff for 'imself an' 'is matey! Gangwaaaaaaaaa-oof!" Ffindle ran right into Friar Thune. The shrew shook a paw-finger at the hare.
"Ye'll wait for breakfast like everybeast else, young'un! You're a horrible hare."
Ffindle's ears stood up straight with indignation. "Well, sirrah, I'm gettin' some food for the blinkin' recorder. Unless ye want 'er t'starve, I would bally well suggest that y'get out o' my way so my matey c'n 'ave a bit o' food after she's done wi' that parchment of hers."
The shrew, taken aback, stepped out of the hare's way, and stared at his back.
From afar, Sandunal saw this. She suppressed a giggle, and went into the gatehouse. Sighing, she sat down in the heavy chair, picked up the quill, and almost immediately fell into the nearly-forgotten memory.
Continued form of Sandunal's history:
Flashback-still writing:
The mousemaid, still young, walked slowly and deliberately. She wished that she could erupt into a song when a bluebird trilled out a tune from the back of it's small, black head, but her instincts that she had formed when she was still with her Mother and Stepfather kept her from doing so. She sighed, and recalled the riddle that strange mouse had told her in those misted dreams. It was too strange, and she couldn't make a head or toe- well, maybe. The 'Red walls' was that Redwall Abbey. And she certainly didn't want to be a slave, as it had mentioned 'a slave you'll be'. She knew what sand was- her self, as it was the first four letters of her long name. 'Blood walls' probably also indicated the Abbey. She then realized that the mouse with the armor was that Martin creature that her cousin had told her about in the story. She shrugged. It was better to keep on going and not stop. She wanted to get to Redwall as soon as possible.
(End Flashback)
After that, I traveled for a few days. Finnaly, I reached the abbey. At my age I had problems playing with the others, laughing, and all other things. I always chose to help the elders instead. Soon, I became the recorder when old Sister Rosabel Died. Quiet and serene, I was always seemingly perfect, but only because all of my happy emotions were locked up. I dwelled on the past all of the time, sometimes crying when Nobeast was around. That was, 'till Ffindle came around.
He was the child of a Salamandastron hare general, sent to live at the Abbey. He saw me at first as no fun. Soon, though, I think that he sensed that something was wrong with me. At night, he took me up to the battlements and asked me what was wrong. I began to cry, and told him that my past was full of unhappieness, and that I would like to relieve it later, as soon as I was ready to. He understood, and told me not to dwell in the past, and live my life as full as possible. I took that, and became who I am now, full of sprite, fun, and happieness. I fear that this will happen again, though, because of my position. I will do everything though, to be the best I can possibly be.
A knock sounded on the door as she put down the pen, finished, accompanied by a muffled voice.
"Scoff's here! Open up, if y'bally well want t'eat!"
Sandunal opened up, stifling a chuckle. She heard a thump on the door, and a memory flashed to her mind. She called out through the wooden door.
"Ffindle, I'm going to open the door, so stop leaning against it!" She heard a scuffle, and Ffindle calling back.
"Yes, me maty, don't want the chow thrown all over the place like before, wot!" He retreated from the wooden block on hinges right as it opened up, reavealing the sand-colored mouse. She mock-glared at him.
" You came late with the vittles! How dare you!" she made a loud, fake sob. "I can't believe that you came late!"
Ffindle mocked her back, imitating the highland accent of his grandfather. "Weel, naow, wot 'ave we got 'ere? A crayin' maid? Och, the poor thing, ah guess that she'll 'ave tae got whitout breekfast, sobbin' laak that. Naow, Laddy boy, chin up, canae let the poor thin' kep crayin'. Give 'er a 'anky, an' be off with ye!"
Soon, they were rolling on the ground laughing. The Foremole came by, and shook his head.
"Burr aye, they'm bees daown roigt churful, though throwin' away their's respect from ee eldurs." He trundled off towards the Great Hall, where a soft din was heard from the number of beasts dining inside the building.
Hungry, Sandunal stood up, brushing some of the dirt off of her green habit. Ffindle jumped up, energy bouncing within his body.
"Come on, matey mine, lets do a few laps around the jolly abbey." He suggested, bouncing while he said the phrase.
Sandunal pushed him playfully. "Well, you go and do it. I, while you are running, will eat all of the grub."
Ffindle stopped jumping. "Do you mean it?" he whispered, shocked at the idea of him running, and the mouse eating.
"Yes." Sandunal walked inside, calling over her shoulder. "Go on, do your laps, I'll make sure you aren't as fat as the friar."
Her comment had the desiered effect.
Ffindle sighed. "I suppose the bally run c'n wait." They went inside together, talking about numerous things.
---
(near sunset)
Emerald threw the tent flap open, running. A million thoughts swirled wildly in her head, confusing her.
Was Nauru really alive?
That white squirrel in the tent-was that him?
Why did that fox tell her all of this?
Why was she here, any way?
She suddenly heard another voice in her head, that of which she did not recognize.
Emerald, you are here to defend the weak, destroy those evil, and rescue millions of lives. You are the one.
Running in the green and white tunic, she headed towards the cooking tent, ready to get some rest. Fighting that fast sometimes took the strength out of her, though she had a little bit of energy left.
---
A/N-CLIFFHANGER! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Never mind. Keep reading. I am annoying.
---
Emerald staggered in, heading for her cot near the other two already-sleeping beasts were, but suddenly, arms were wrapped around her throat.
"Weel, now, how are ye goin' t' get out 'o this one, eh?" Emerald recognized the voice of the weasel Wartbite, and immediately relaxed, using a trick that her brother had taught her. She heard him cackle with glee, and loosen his grip.
Like lightning she broke out of the arm lock, and whipped around, grabbing a nearby kitchen knife in her hand. When she saw the stoat, her anger burned up within her, energy restored.
The weapons clashed, sword and knife.
---
Nauru was coming back to the tent after washing the dishes with Garren, staggering under the weight of numerous pots and pans.
"Well, now, Nauru my boy, what about that squirrelmaid that you've taken a shine to eh?" Garren asked.
Nauru groaned. He still thought that he had……feelings for her. He was about to tell Garren the truth about him and Emerald, or Emera as he liked to call her, when he heard metal clashing in the cooking tent. This probably wasn't good at all.
Nauru set down his load, and extracted a huge fish-meat cleaver from the bag of recently cleaned knives. "Come on." He muttered, and set off running in the direction of the tent.
Confused, Garren stood there. He looked in the direction of where his friend was heading, and heard the metal sounds. He paled, and grabbed a knife.
Nauru ripped open the tent flap, and immediately saw what was happening. Emera's companions-Nightsnow and Sky- were trying to get towards the assortment of stones and knives, the stones used to crush herbs and other plants. Emera was fighting the stoat who had been thrown out.
---
Emerald grunted with effort-knife against sword isn't the ideal predicament you want to get yourself in, unless you have the sword. She kept to the basic maneuvers that she had been taught by her brother. It's better she reasoned, to keep your true abilities a secret. She feared, though, that she would have to use one very soon, unless Nightsnow or Sky knew how to fly. That's it!
"Sky! Fly!" she yelled. Nightsnow and Wartbite looked confused, but luckily, Sky understood.
The ottermaid walked back to the cots, and on the way, whispered to Nightsnow.
"Paws and knees, please."
Confused at first, Nightsnow did not grasp what Sky wanted her to do. But when her otter friend reached the hanging beds, and took a deep breath, she understood.
Immediately, the mousemaid fell into a position as if she were about to crawl away.
Sky began to run, a cartwheel when she was halfway to her friend. Once she reached Nightsnow, though, she stepped onto her, and pushed with one foot.
She soared though the air, with Wartbite lunged for her, forgetting about his opponent. Emerald pounced, thrusting the knife foreward.
Unfortunately, Wartbite had jumped, therefore Emerald, instead of hitting him in the stomach, hit him in the leg.
He screeched with pain, and his paw went to his leg, the other groping in the thin air for the otter. She was gone.
He swiveled suddenly, meaning to cut the squirrelmaid's throat, instead scoring a small, shallow cut on her shoulder. When she didn't respond, he barreled out the side tent flap. Sky threw one of the small, smooth rocks.
It went a ways, and for a moment, there was silence. Then, came another yowl of anguish, as the stone hit him, hard, on the wrist. There was a faint snap as the bone broke, crippling it for the moment.
No beast had noticed Nauru standing in the tent flap entrance, who had watched all.
Emerald felt a familiar sense, prickling at her skin. She hadn't had it since she was six seasons old………..
The moon was unclouded, fully, as Emerald turned around.
---
A figure, cloaked in black, swept into the Abbot's room. It drew scroll from it's robes and set it on the Merrick's bedside table. The beast stood there for a moment, then excited the room.
It flowed down the stairs, into the Great Hall, and out of the hall's massive doors. From there, the mysterious creature continued over the lawn, until it reached the main gates. As silently as the beast could with the small groans of protest sounding from the hinges, it opened the gates a crack, and slipped out, closing the great, elaborately carved slabs of wood behind it.
---
Ffindle's dreams of the huge banquet that the Abbey dwellers had made in his honor, all for him-and maybe Sandunal, since she was pretty much the only creature that stood up for him, and was his partner in crime-suddenly turned into a mist. Soon, he saw a figure appear out of the mists. It was that Martin thingammy beast.
His voice sounded urgent. "Go now, perilous, and save the Sand. She is in danger!"
Ffindle woke up, and remembered what Martin had said immediately. He was confused. Sand-what Sand? He pondered this until he heard, with the gigantic ears of his, the Great Hall gates close. Curious, he went to investigate, grabbing his saber on the way.
When he had reached the groaning gates, there was silence. Then, a scream, so familiar…….
"I'm comin' Sandunal!" he wrenched open the gates and roared.
---
A/N- CLIFFHANGER! An author's greatest joy. Don't grumble, please-this is page 16!