'Shade'
Summary:
Shade and Willow are otter twins and daughters of Havloke, the leader of the Sadone Holt. They are constantly at odds and one day, when they endanger the Holt and their own lives with their bickering, they are sent to two different homes to get some discipline. Willow is sent to Redwall Abbey, while Shade lives a life on the coast at Salamandrastron. Shade grows into a formidable fighter while Willow studies and becomes a peaceful and caring member of Redwall.
Meanwhile, a young squirrel is discovered on the brink of starvation in the woodlands. She is mute, but the secrets she holds are dangerously related to the future of Redwall Abbey. Can she learn quickly enough to explain the events and the dreams Martin has sent her?
When the Badger Lord, Lightningstripe, learns that Redwall is in danger, he sets out to help the peaceful woodlanders with Shade amongst his troops. Soon the entire war will depend on Shades ability to let go of the past, and save Willow and the other abbey dwellers. However, sometimes the one thing that stands in our way is the one thing that can drive us on…
Disclaimer: I don't own Redwall, however Shade, Willow, Havloke, Turffle, Tager, Lynnsia, Autumn, Clover, Maxsus, Gruthe, Robram, Yewtho, Brazen, Sunny, Slip, Treestar, Wetback, Gertole, Tresha, Vilera, Flower, Tuff, Tukk, Nissa, Ember, Ashwind, Coal, Heff, Cinder, Stride, Flow, and anyone else I come up with are mine. M-I-N-E. Also, the songs are all mine, Brain Jacques, I give you your credit, but I like giving myself credit in my stories too!
Part One:
Departure
Chapter Fourteen:
Staffs and Strings
Shade looked at Tukk, her challenge still echoing in the minds of the observers. Tukk gave a casual snort, and nodded his head. "I daresay you do, but you'll find hares aren't stupid. I won't go up against you."
"Afraid?" Shade asked, voicing the thoughts of several in the circle.
"Not foolish enough, you have five limbs where I only have four. Your rudder is known to me, riverdog."
"Very well, I shall have one of my paws tied, then we're even," Shade said.
"Suit yourself," Tukk said.
Treestar found some cord and tied Shade's left paw behind her back. Shade stepped towards her opponent. Tukk, without a second thought, rushed Shade, who neatly step-sided. Shade tripped the hare and brought her rudder up to meet his head as he fell. When Tukk stood, his nose had a trickle of blood coming down onto his lip.
Tukk wiped it away. He swung at Shade, who ducked, and then Tukk brought a fist up with the intention of hitting Shade's face. She rolled, landing on her back near Tukk's side. She used her legs to knock Tukk's paws out from under him. He landed hard on his rear, tears springing unbidden to his eyes.
"Had enough?" Shade asked, already standing.
For an answer, Tukk leaped for her legs, attempting to do the same thing to her as she had to him. Shade went with it, but instead of falling backwards, she went forwards on top of Tukk. Shade rolled off, her feet aiming towards his side. As he rolled over, she kicked him hard in the stomach, winding him.
Tukk remaining lying on the ground while Shade got up, ever ready to continue. Tukk sighed. It was audible to everyone in the circle. "I surrender," Tukk said.
Treestar started a round of applause, which was joined by several of the younger fighters, as well as Heff and Nissa. Shade twisted her arm, snapping the cord that bound it. She dropped the broken cord on Tukk. "Tukk, I hope you know, that the next time you call me, or any other otter 'riverdog', I'll fight you, with all my limbs," she said. This only caused the cheering to grow.
The cheering died abruptly when several senior hares and Lightningstripe walked into the room. Tukk, seeing a chance to get Shade in trouble, complained she'd attacked him without challenging. However, all the leverets who'd been watching backed Shade up, while the otter in question downed a beaker of cider.
Lightningstripe motioned Shade to come to him. Shade obeyed, following the badger through a maze of tunnels and passageways to his room. When he opened the door, a female badger looked up and over from a chair by a window which overlooked the sea. "Ah, this must be Shade, the one you were telling me about," The female badger said.
Lightningstripe ushered Shade inside and closed the door. "Yes, Shade, this is Tona, my mate. She has been waiting to meet you."
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Shade said politely. Tona laughed.
"Shade, you remind me of an old friend of mine. Ah, the days when I had the energy to do so much..." Tona went silent a minute.
"What's the name of the friend I remind you of?" Shade asked. Lightningstripe gave a cough.
"Uh, Shade, why don't we talk about your skills? I need to know which training group to have you placed in," Lightningstripe said.
Shade, after giving Tona a curious glance, took the seat Lightningstripe indicated. Lightningstripe sat on the bed. "Well, Shade, what are your talents?"
"I'm a pretty good swimmer, actually faster then several other otters in my holt. Sunny, who by far is the best swimmer, was teaching me several things before I came here. I can run for a good amount of time without growing tired, which I think is due to the fact I swim using my legs mostly. I can do a bit of climbing, although we otters prefer the ground, naturally. But I have no weaponry training of any sort, well, minus a staff, which I trained myself to use-" Shade was cut off by Lightningstripe.
"Trained yourself?" Lightningstripe asked, puzzlement on his face.
"Yes, you see, I watched other otters and learned the patterns myself."
"Well, let's see that, shall we?" Lightningstripe left the room, and Shade wondered where he'd went.
"Kuri," Tona said.
"Huh?" Shade asked.
"Kuri is the name of the friend you remind me of," Tona repeated.
"It's very pretty," Shade remarked.
The pair sat in silence, until Lightningstripe returned, with Cloudpaw in tow. Cloudpaw had two staffs in hand. "Shade?" Lightningstripe said, offering a hand. Shade took it and was led outside. The night was lit up by the full moon, which was sinking away from the coming daylight. Cloudpaw tossed Shade one of the staffs, and Shade caught the staff by its middle. She twirled it and brought her other hand up, to grip the staff in both paws.
Cloudpaw nodded, noting Shades quick reflexes. Cloudpaw also gripped her staff in both hands and the pair circled, watching one another constantly. Shade moved quickly, bringing the staff out with one hand and knocked Cloudpaw's shoulder lightly. Shade brought the staff back quickly, but not quick enough.
Cloudpaw grabbed the end and Shade, ready for such a move, ran towards the stave, much to the confusion of Cloudpaw. Shade held the one end in both hands and brought it forcefully downwards. Cloudpaw, in a moment of confusion, released the staff, only to have the end fly up and hit her jaw. Cloudpaw motioned for a time-out. Shade looked over, worried. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"Well, I certainly wasn't prepared for that sort of attack! Surely you didn't learn these all alone?" Cloudpaw asked.
"No, sometimes Brazen would work with me. He also taught me a bit with a sword, but our lessons have ended now that I've left," Shade said, with a hint of remorse.
"Well, we'll continue those lessons. You'll be placed in Treestar's group for now, but I'll give you extra weaponry lessons to make sure you're where you should be," Lightningstripe said. "I can teach you the art of the sword, but Cloudpaw will have to train you further with the staff."
"What more could I teach her?" Cloudpaw asked.
"There are still moves I want to learn," Shade said.
"Very well, I suppose I could." Cloudpaw replied.
"It's settled then. You'll get up early to practice with the staff, then meet up with your class to train with the other leverets. After dinner, you and I will practice," Lightningstripe ordered.
Shade nodded. She liked the idea of learning to wield a sword, even though it was required according to Treestar. She found her own way back to the quarters she shared with another orphan, who was named Seapaw, who was also in Nissa's group. Seapaw was making something out of cord and wooden beads. Shade looked on enviously. Willow was also good at things like that, but Shade had never taken the time to learn.
"Want to do one?" Seapaw asked, gesturing at some extra cord and the large box of beads.
"Sure," Shade agreed, sitting down. Seapaw took a break to show Shade how to twist the cord and where to tie it to fashion it into a braided bracelet with beads at even intervals. They worked well into the day, having finished over six bracelets and five necklaces each. At noon, they heard a long whistle, and Shade found herself getting ready for her first day of training.
A/N: Bonus update for hitting the forty review mark! If I get over fifty I'll die, and if I happen to get over a hundred (remember I'm still only on part one, I still have two more parts) I'll come back to life and faint. Literally people. anyway, review review review. And I love the number of hits, 600 and rising. I could practically scream with delight.
Anyway, I know I kinda quit doing this but the readers of the week are Sorcha and Archer, both of them have been a delight to work with. I have to say though, that if it hadn't been for all you reviewers, I would've probably given up! I'm so glad you are reading this!!
Question: I've noticed I've done a good job in adding more characters then you can keep up with (at least according to some) and I'm considering adding a glossary at the end of each part, having all the characters/events involved in the part be listed and explained, that way you can always look at that. Any suggestions or comments as far as that goes?