Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Redwall, only Craig, Dune, Stream, Maria and Amelia.
0o0o0
A New Friend
The stillness of the darkened woodlands was disturbed by the movement of five beasts; two ferrets, a rat, a weasel and an otter. Killrang stopped and looked around the small clearing they had arrived at and turned back toward the others.
"Bloodsnout, Dane! Tie dat streamdog ta dat tree dere, Patch get a fire goin'!" said the ferret to the weasel and the rat.
Bloodsnout saluted Killrang and placed his pack on the ground, pulling out the rope in it. The weasel then turned toward Dane, who was still holding onto Amelia's bound arms. The rat, who was really and I mean really short, pulled out a knife and sliced through the cord that had bound the otter's paws. Soon they had Amelia tied to a tree with the rope tied from one paw, then wrapped around the tree and tied to her other paw.
Dane then turned toward Killrang.
"All set ere, boss!" said the rat in a rather high voice.
Killrang nodded and turned to the other ferret, Patch, named that because of the patch over his right eye. The one eyed ferret struck the flint and steel together and sent sparks cascading onto the pile of dry leaves and tinder. Soon flames shot up and more wood was added on.
Amelia watched all this with half closed eyes, filled with hatred and loathing for the four beasts that stood before her. Killrangs next shout interrupted her thoughts.
"Alright, eres dey deal! Dane, ye will ave first watch over dey streamdog! When dey fire gets low, wake up Bloodsnout an 'e will take over an so on an so forth! Got that? Good, now de rest of ye get ta sleep!" and with that everyone else but Dane pulled out their bedrolls and went to sleep.
'Finally!' Amelia said in her head.
She looked up to see Dane sitting with his back to the fire and staring out into the trees. The rat looked young to be a horde beast, in fact he looked young enough to be her oldest son. Suddenly a rumble from Amelia's belly made the rat jump to his feet and raise his spear.
Dane looked around until his eyes came to rest on Amelia, the growling noise came again and this time he realized it was the otter's belly that was making the noise. The rat chuckled to himself and placed his spear on the ground. He opened his pack and pulled out a half loaf of bread. The rat broke it in half and walked up to Amelia, holding one of the pieces out to her mouth.
"Ere, streamdog, eat dis! 'Taint much but, will ave ta do for now," said the young rat.
Amelia, instantly gobbled down the bread and then looked back up at Dane who sat down in front of her. As Amelia ate her piece of bread she looked at Dane who was now leaning against the tree and looking up at the stars with a child-like fascination, Amelia felt some suspicion that this rat wasn't any older than just out of Dibbun hood.
"Why did you give me some of your bread, vermin, why?" she asked him.
A small smile appeared on the rat's face as his eyes became sad.
"Because, marm, ye kinda remind me of me mother, back 'ome!" said Dane as he looked at the ground.
Amelia's expression of suspicion left her face as she looked down at the young rat the sat before her, with a single tear falling from his eye. He quickly tried to wipe it away so it wouldn't be seen.
"Did something happen to your, mother?" she asked in a slightly kinder voice.
Dane nodded, sniffed and wiped his eyes.
"Yes, but that is not important now marm, the important thing is to get ye away from here!" the rat whispered.
Amelia stared at him in shock.
"You spoke without an accent!" she exclaimed.
"It was how I was raised, miss. My father, even though a rat, always helped goodbeasts like ye when they needed it!" As Dane was saying this he drew his dagger and sliced through the rope.
Amelia stood there in shock at what had just happened, she then looked up and saw tears in Dane's eyes.
"Please, go, take this chance to escape!" begged the rat.
"Why are you doing this? You could get yourself punished or, killed!" asked Amelia in puzzlement.
Dane looked at the ground and smiled slightly.
"It was something my father would have done, if he were here in my place. Heck if he were here I wouldn't be here, in Blodrath Redtail's horde. I would be at my families farm, if it hadn't been raided…now go I won't even let them know that you have escaped! Go!" Dane then sat down on the ground and stared into the woodlands.
Amelia took a step toward the woods but then stopped. She turned back to face the young rat, who had tears flowing silently down his cheeks as he thought about his family that he had been forced to leave.
She walked back over to him and kneeled down beside him.
"How old are you Dane?" Amelia asked him.
"I am ten seasons old, marm," he said softly. (I am making seasons like they are years as in age)
Amelia didn't know why she did it, but she pulled the young rat into an embrace. Dane at first felt surprise, but then all of his emotions that he had kept hidden deep inside broke free and he hugged the otter back. His body shook as he wept openly after so long of holding it in. Amelia held on to the young beast as she spoke to him in a soft voice.
"Its alright young one, I knew the first you spoke to me that you were a youngbeast," Amelia said as she continued to hold onto the rat that had seemed so much older than he really was.
Dane spoke between sobs.
"P-please! T-take me…with you…I don't want to stay here anymore! I want to…to go h-home! O-or anywhere…but here!" he whimpered.
'You can't just leave him Amelia, he is just a young one!'
'Yes, but he is a vermin, and they always grow up to kill!'
'Not all vermin's hearts are evil!'
She opened her eyes as she came to a decision.
"I will Dane, I will!"
"Thank ye miss!" whispered Dane as he wiped his eyes.
--
Bloodsnout shifted in his sleep and he opened his eyes, he felt cold, he sat up and looked at the fire.
'Where is Dane, he is supposed to be watching…' he turned toward the tree and saw Amelia sitting beside the young rat.
The weasel immediately leapt to his feet and drew his sword.
"Escape! Escape! The streamdog is escaping!" he shouted as he ran toward the otter.
Amelia leapt to her feet and Dane turned his head, his eyes wide with fear. Bloodsnout swung his sword at Amelia. The otter ducked the blade and then swung her paw, nailing the weasel in the jaw, sending his crashing to the ground.
Killrang and Patchy leapt to their feet and drew their weapons. Patchy looked down at Dane and snarled, baring his yellowish fangs.
"Why ye liddle, brat! I knew we should ave killed ye in de first place!" he then lunged for the young rat and grabbed his throat. Dane's eyes widened when he realized that he was going to die.
Killrang charged Amelia, only to get a kick to his stomach and a tail to the face.
SMACK!
Killrang screeched as he went flying into another tree, falling to the ground unconscious. Amelia ran towards the fire pit and grabbed Dane's spear from the ground.
Patchy glared at Dane through his only eye and smirked.
"Prepare ta see yer family again, brat!"
Dane gasped for air as his vision began to go black.
'I guess this is how it ends…No, I can't give up! I won't give up!'
Dane swung his other leg forward and kicked the one eyed ferret in the throat. Patchy released his grip on the young rat and fell to the ground, gasping for breath. With a cry Dane leapt onto the ferret and began punching him with both of his paws.
"This is for my father!"
SMACK!
"This is for my mother!"
POW!
"And this is for my LITTLE SISTER!" cried Dane with tears in his eyes as he drew the dagger from his belt.
He stood up and backed away, letting ferret get his sword in his hands, and charged forward, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"GUUUUDDDDFFFFEEEELLLLLLOOOOWWWW!"
The last thing that the one-eyed ferret ever saw was the small rat charging him and stabbing him through the chest with his dagger. He coughed and fell to the ground, never to get up again. Dane knelt down beside the dead ferret and cried softly.
"I-I did it, Ash, I-I got him for you…" and then he bowed his head and sobbed into his paws.
Amelia walked over and stood beside her young companion as he mourned the loss of his family.
Bloodsnout stood up shakily and glanced around. His eyes fell upon Amelia as she stood beside Dane, with a paw on the sobbing young rats shoulder. Bloodsnout picked up his sword and ran at the otter.
"BLOOODDDDRRRAAATTTTHH REEEEDDDTTTTAAAIIILL!"
Dane looked up and his eyes widened in horror as he watched the weasel charge Amelia from behind.
"Marm! Watch out!" he cried.
Amelia spun around, only to meet the sword as it sliced along her right side. The otter cried out in pain and collapsed onto the ground, holding her bleeding side.
"No!" cried Dane as he picked up the spear that Amelia had dropped and lunged for the weasel.
STAB!
Bloodsnout gave a small gurgle and fell to the ground dead. Dane hurried to Amelia's side, ripped a piece of his tunic off and placed it over the wound
"Miss, are ye ok?" he begged as tears began to fall from his eyes.
Amelia opened her eyes and grunted at the pain.
"I will be alright…hisssss…for now, Dane. Come we must get away from here!" the otter said as Dane gave her his spear to use, while he quickly gathered the remaining supplies into a haversack.
They soon left the clearing of death and slavery, and entered the woods of peace and life. They were on their way to Redwall.
0o0o0
Well, what did you think of this chapter? Again sorry that this is late in coming but I have been busy at school so, let me know! Please Review!
Dune