The dream returned. Once again, Chitter felt the fear it generated. He closed his eyes, trying to rest. Chitter snuggled closer to the sleeping badger and drifted back to sleep. He opened his eyes a second time and found his master missing. Somehow, his master awoke before he did.

"Another bad dream, Chitter," Bruno asked.

He turned in place, searching for the voice. His new master stood at the opposite end of the clearing. The huge monster had his back to him as he stared at the hole where his mother put him several days back.

"We have plenty of firewood if you will start the fire, Master. If you show me how to tend it, I'll care for it."

"I have got to teach you the proper way to address an elder." Bruno now faced him, a serious expression on his face.

Those words frightened him. He backpedaled so fast he tripped over the bedding. Chitter retreated until his back felt the bark of a sturdy tree. He pulled his legs closer and wrapped his arms around them. His chin rested on his knees. He close his eyes and awaited the pain he knew accompanied every lesson.

Something touched his ear and he recoiled. His head hit the tree and it hurt. He did not open his eyes as he anticipated the next blow. Time passed and nothing happened. Chitter risked a quick peek.

Bruno sat next to him, his back against the same tree. A friendly giant replaced the monster he first imagined. When the badger smiled, Chitter broke down and cried. He couldn't decide if he did so in fear or relief. A massive paw pulled him closer. They sat like this for several moments while he gave in to his tears.

"If it comforts you calling me master, do so. There will be time enough to learn."

Chitter's mind reviewed every honorific title he remembered. He fixated on the one he thought elevated his master over all others. "Lord Bruno is not angry?"

"You woke me three times last night with your nightmares. If you want those dreams to stop, tell me everything and they will go away."

Chitter didn't want to, but his mother's instructions about absolute obedience to his master compelled him. Once he started, his tendency to talk did the rest. He spoke of the wildcat kitten and her abuse. Nothing he ever did pleased her, which always resulted in some form of abuse. The words ended, but not his fear.

"The kitten is gone; she cannot hurt you," said Bruno.

When the badger stood, Chitter did too. Then he remembered the unpacked bedding. He rushed over to the blankets, arranging everything the way Bruno taught him. Chitter worried he did it wrong, but that fear disappeared when the badger praised his efforts. His master appreciated his work, which had him standing proud.

Bruno asked for his chain. With his master carrying it, Chitter found the walk enjoyable. Sometimes Bruno rubbed his shoulder or patted his head, just as Mother did whenever they were alone. He missed her and though he walked with a light step, his heart remained heavy.

When Bruno called a halt, he didn't realize he had crossed the shark-infested waters. For once, he remained silent while he tried to reconcile the contradictions he experienced. He thought any master exercised his authority with a heavy paw. He knew Lord Bruno had power and strength, yet he treated him with kindness.

While he gathered firewood, Lord Bruno disappeared in the woods. When he returned, his pockets bulged with edible treasures. Chitter's mouth watered in anticipation as his master prepared a meal of crushed acorns, apples, berries, and roots. By the time they finished, nothing remained but a contented feeling. Chitter found it far better than begging for scraps.

They walked through the forest at a slow pace. Whenever he asked Lord Bruno for a short rest, he complied. Chitter liked his new master, which made him even more determined to please him.

Chitter expected them to stop with nightfall. Instead, Lord Bruno insisted they continue walking. Shadows lengthened as the darkness increased. Now he saw nothing beyond a dozen paces, and still they maintained a steady pace through the forest.

His world consisted of shadows. At the next bend in the trail, a row of distant fires appeared. At each of these, forms moved. Bruno never hesitated; he left the safety of the forest for the open field. Since Bruno held his chain, Chitter had no choice. He kept close to the badger's side.

"Who leads," shouted Bruno.

"Welcome, Bruno," said one of the many forms standing near a campfire. "Mind explaining why you went north when the slavers are going south."

"There are no slavers, Jazzin. All I found is this fellow," said Bruno.

They approached the nearest fire. Chitter found himself standing before a group of armed creatures. He relaxed when everyone exchanged greetings with his master. The other woodlanders gathered closer. Several hedgehogs, squirrels and even a mole vied for Bruno's attention.

Since his master talked, Chitter tried keeping quiet. His efforts lasted until a female hedgehog rubbed his back and cooed in his ear. Like a dam bursting, he tried answering all the questions posed to Lord Bruno. Then he spotted several backpacks with the blankets still cinched, he dodged around the crowd while the chain spooled out of the badger's paws.

Two of the females supervised his efforts. When he finished, they each gave him a motherly peck on the cheek. Chitter stood there embarrassed, his foot kicking the dirt, not quite sure what he should do. Bruno called and he came back with as much of an enthusiastic bounce as his chain permitted.

"I take it there's a story behind this fellow," said the mouse Bruno called Jazzin.

The badger recounted his tale to a mesmerized crowd. Chitter often interrupted the story, which his master allowed. He enjoyed the freedom to speak with these creatures. They even listened to him before they prompted the badger to continue.

Someone posed a question Bruno didn't answer and that he didn't know. In the silence that followed, his master asked if one of the others would carry his chain to the next fire where he could fix the bedrolls. A female hedgehog relieved Bruno of the chain and Chitter followed where she led.

xxxxx

Jazzin watched the young squirrel arrange the bedrolls at the next fire. "Alright Bruno, that kit cannot hear anything we say. Tell us what happened."

"I went forward being as cautious as possible since I anticipated finding an entire crew of vermin. I searched the woods like a stalking hunter least they surprise me. One moment I'm in the forest and the next, I'm standing by a river with a swamp on one side and a muddy trail leading to the ocean on the other. I figured nobody camps in a swamp, so I turned downriver."

"Don't keep us in suspense, Bruno. What did you find?"

"The muddy forest path turned into a wide sandy beach. From the signs around the shore, a ship departed a day or two ago."

"Maybe we could find out where it came from or its destination if we all search the area." Jazzin's comment had everyone nodding.

"Don't bother; it would be a waste of time. Their Captain left the campsite spotless. I searched several of the trash pits, but found only ashes."

"So I take it the boy's mother is dead," said Foremole. "I remember how ruthless slavers can be to any beast that tries to escape."

"She must be alive. I found no grave," said Bruno, "which is comforting. It means they took Chitter's mother. He probably knows she's gone, but best we give him time accepting that fact."

Jazzin ran his paw across the sheathed Sword of Martin. His voice betrayed his disappointment and anger at their failed rescue attempt.

"That boy's mother worked too hard and sacrificed too much freeing her son to have him pine away in sorrow. Best we get Chitter settled in his new home as soon as possible."

Bruno agreed with the Abbey's champion. "Keep an eye on him while I retrieve my cart. Since we missed the slavers, I may as well transport those tree seedlings back to Redwall."

He found the cart untouched where he hid it. His paw checked the pots and found the soil dry, but acceptable. It took a few moments pulling the cart beyond the trees, but once clear of the roots, he found it easy to move. Bruno dropped the trace once he got his wagon within the circle of light cast by the nearest campfire.

Upon his return, the female hedgehog that took Chitter, approached. Bruno thought her expression that of someone who bit into something very sour, which made him wonder if Chitter did something inappropriate. One look at the kit squirrel refuted his concerns since he looked at him without flinching. She placed her paw on the child's shoulder, placing herself between him and the kit squirrel.

"This little one has been asking me what is going to happen to him. He wants to know how Lord Bruno will treat his new slave. I don't have the nerve to tell him about your mate and thought it best he hear about her from some beast he trusts."

He beckoned Chitter closer, Bruno dropped to one knee so he could meet the kit squirrel's eyes. "My wife, Tassel, will be caring for you, Chitter. She is a badger just like me but a bit shorter. Sometimes she seems mean, but she is very nice."

Chitter wanted to know what she looked like. In response, Bruno stood, spread his legs a bit apart, and thrust his belly way forward. Waddling towards the boy, he reached his paws forward and spoke in a high-pitched voice. "I told you one candy stick, not the entire jar. Now get over here boy."

"If Tassel saw that, she'd box your ears," Captain Karteel said. "You need to change a few things if you want your imitation to be accurate. Try standing straight, and keep your legs closer."

It took a few seconds for the words to penetrate his tired mind. Bruno grabbed Karteel by his shoulders. "When?"

"It happened the night before your two friends scared every resident with news about slavers. Before you ask the next question, everyone has taken an oath to say nothing more. You'll have to wait until we reach home."

Tassel had come to term early, and everyone but him knew if he had a son or daughter. He insisted they break camp, but nobody made a move to comply. He threatened to run off without them. Jazzin reminded him of the seedlings, which he ignored. Captain Karteel pointed to the kit squirrel, which had him hesitate.

"At this point, there is no hurry," said Captain Karteel. "The trip will take more than a day regardless of when we leave. If we break camp in the morning, we should arrive near noon."

Bruno thought he could never sleep. A glance upward proved him wrong. The starry sky he remembered had morphed into dawn. He slept so deep that the camp enjoying a quiet morning meal never disturbed him. Chitter sat with the female hedgehog from last night, enjoying his food. Bruno rushed to the fire, grabbed his share, and gulped it down.

Captain Karteel dashed the dregs of his drink into the fire. He followed Bruno back to the campfire where he slept. The squirrel reached Bruno just as he finished fixing his backpack.

"Everyone will be ready within the next ten minutes," said the Captain. "My only concern is that squirrel. We cannot remove his chain, which means somebody has to carry it. You're strong and can cover a long distance but none of us could move as fast while lugging his chain. So how do you propose we move at your speed without losing him?"

Bruno strolled over to the fire where Chitter sat. Without a word spoken, he lifted the chain and returned to the cart. Chitter jogged after him. When they reached the cart, he secured the chain to the right side rail with a length of twine.

"Problem solved," said Bruno. "I pull the cart and he follows. Now break camp and let's get moving; we're wasting daylight."

The woodlanders prepared for departure. One by one, the other beasts placed their packs into the cart with the tree seedlings. Bruno slipped into the harness, grasped the traces, and lifted. With a screech of protest, the wheels moved. He walked next to Jazzin as they proceeded home.

Bruno kept his eyes focused on Jazzin. A simple nod from the warrior mouse let him know his young companion now rode in the cart. He increased his pace to a fast jog that he could maintain until nightfall.

"You better be in good condition, Chitter, as I intend going very fast."

"I can keep up with you, Lord."

Bruno suppressed a laugh since he knew the young kit now rode in the back of the cart he pulled. With everyone unencumbered, all kept pace with the eager badger.