Here's chapter 10. I know the last chapter was more of an experiment to see how detailed I could be in my writing, but this chapter will have a lot of action. And I know there has already been a random cabin/cottage in this fic with another random old guy, but I couldn't think of anything else.

(Well, I could think of something, but the original idea is that there would be a tavern, but I scrapped that idea, because there is really no form of currency in the Redwall world, and the four travelers don't really have anything to barter.)

It's hard to write dialogue and actions for four characters at once, so pardon me if one of the travelers seems to disappear for a few minutes. And yes, the door is locked, that's why Aranta doesn't just open it.

I said in an earlier chapter that "the events in this story will tie in to the events in Martin the Warrior", I pretty much just meant that they would be referenced to, nothing will really play a major plot role. In case anybody was wondering.

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The travelers in fact did not make it to the pint of light before dark. By then rain was coming down in sheets, and Aranta, Rurark, Violet, and Chibbo all stood soaking wet in front of a small cabin. It was a bit larger than the old Vole's cabin, but it was just as simple. A thin line of smoke came out of the chimney, barely visible in the rain and darkness. Candlelight glowed in the window. Aranta slammed on the door.

"Open up! My friends and I are freezing out here!"

There was no response. Aranta slammed harder on the door harder.

"Open the damn door or I'll beat it open it myse- Aranta, be quiet. No wonder whoever lives here hasn't opened the door yet, with you yelling and cursing like that." Violet interjected. Aranta grumbled as Violet tried a different approach.

"Sorry about my friend here, he's just cold and tired. He means you no harm. We are all very cold out here, so could you please open the door for us?"

The door slowly creaked open, to reveal a very old mouse, clad in a grey robe.

"Come in, come in. I'm sorry I didn't open up sooner, but by your friend's voice, I thought it was some vermin trying to get in here. I was about to gut him!"

"Yeah, good luck with that." muttered Aranta.

The old mouse pulled out a sharp kitchen knife, and then put it down on a small desk, as if warning Aranta not to do anything that would make the old mouse mad.

The travelers came inside. Chibbo of course had some trouble coming through the small doorway, but he managed.

"See that fire there? You're welcome to dry off in front of it" said the old mouse.

After warming up beside the fire, and sharing a small supper of brad that the old muse had made, the four travelers went to sleep. They had a long day ahead of them.

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Yeah, I know that seemed kind of rushed, and it was, but it's a bit boring just writing about random traveling stuff, and I think it's time for a bit of action/violence.

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The four travelers woke up to find that the old mouse wasn't in the building. They assumed that he had just gone outside to work on a garden, or something of that sort, but just to be sure, Aranta and Rurark picked up their swords and exited the small cabin.

They were shocked at what they found. There, lying in a pool of blood was the old mouse, dead. His skull was shattered, and it was obvious he had been struck multiple times.

Aranta and Rurark drew their swords. Then they heard movement in the surrounding trees. "Show yourself, you murdering scum!" shouted Rurark. Four weasels, each carrying either a dagger or a club, slowly came out of the forest. "Oh, we'll show ourselves alright, woodlander." said one of them. They drew their weapons, and moved to try a sort of pincer movement.

Aranta rushed the right side, sword drawn. He rushed the first weasel, catching him off guard. Aranta slashed at him once, and then drove his sword into the enemy's chest, finishing him off. The other one was more prepared though, and tried to thrust his dagger between Aranta's ribs. He gave a kick at the weasel's shins, driving him back a bit, and dodging the dagger at the same time. He then slashed at the weasel's arm, and he felt the metal of his sword touch bone. The weasel screamed in pain, dropping his dagger to the ground. Aranta then stabbed him through the chest, killing him almost instantly.

Aranta then looked to see how Rurark was doing. There was one of the other weasels lying on the ground, a puncture wound through his eye.

Aranta turned, only to find Rurark laying unconscious a short distance away, a bump the size of an apple on his head. One is still left…

While he was thinking this, the fourth weasel was sneaking up on him. He brought down his club on Aranta's shoulder, although he meant to hit his head. Unbeknownst to the weasel, he hit the exact spot where his wound was.

Aranta saw stars, and he was in so much pain that he almost lost consciousness. He fell to the ground, stunned. The weasel rose up his dagger to finish him off, but suddenly, the tip of a blade protruded out of the weasel's throat, and the weasel fell to the ground, gurgling and spitting up blood. He was dead in a moment.

Aranta looked up, expecting to find Rurark standing there, but he was shocked to find Violet, holding the dagger Aranta had given her.