'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 Shade learns that Redwall is in danger, she sets out to help the peaceful woodlanders with several Long Patrol Hares amongst her comrades. She makes a terrible discovery, and 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 Twenty-Five:

Openness and Frankness

Firefang was having a nasty time. The messenger sent was a bossy character, giving Firefang no time to sail to Salamandastron. The only reason Firefang listened to the messenger, who was called Grizzlyclaw, was because Grizzlyclaw's dispatcher was the only one who could help Firefang reach his other goal - Redwall!

Firefang remembered back to the day he'd shot the first mouse to defy him. The poor group went wild with rage, the male badger ripping apart the former bosun of Firefang's ship. Now he was walking back, to finish the job!

Redwall was abuzz with activity. With the feast only six days away, everyone was pitching in to make everything better than the year before. Dutty was with Mudge in the orchard, the pair finally getting a break from their duties for a while to rest. Dutty watched Tam, Ferdimond, Dauncy, and Doogy patrolling the ramparts. Tam had reduced the guards to one per wall, so as many Redwallers as possible could help with the preparations.

Dutty, however, was not in a good mood. He sat quietly with Mudge, neither of them drinking the beakers of elderberry wine they'd been given. This week marked many things, but some of them weren't good. Some of them were downright awful.

"I'm going to visit Pelo," Dutty said at long last. Mudge stood.

"I might'as well go withum you," Mudge said.

"No, this is something I have to do on my own," Dutty said.

When he reached the other side of the abbey, Dutty stopped before Humble's grave for a little while, to give a quiet moment of remembrance, then moved on. Gurrum was at Pelo's grave. Dutty stopped in surprise. "You too?" Dutty asked, quietly kneeling before the tombstone bearing the words "Pelo - great warrior, loving brother, missed friend.'

Gurrum was silent. "It's hard for me too, to forget, I mean," Dutty said.

Silence. The mole didn't even move.

"Gurrum? When Tona comes, we ought to try to find Kuri. You know, to remember. She's still alive, I'll wager, and in Mossflower."

Silence. Not even a blink.

"Gurrum, this wasn't your fault," Dutty said finally. The words needed to be spoken.

"I know." The first time Gurrum had spoken, in how long? Months? Dutty didn't know. Suddenly, weeping, though not from Gurrum, caught his ears. He stood, putting a comforting paw on Gurrum's velvetly shoulder before walking off. He found the source of the weeping rather quickly, just by retracing his steps to Humble's grave. It was Brooky. She was kneeling on the ground, quivering and sobbing.

"Now, now, what's all this?" Dutty asked soothingly, sitting next to Brooky. More tears poured down her cheeks.

"Wh-why d-did he ha-ve to d-die!" Brooky cried, the sobs choking her words and making her stutter. "I wi-wish it was m-me!"

Dutty held back a gasp. "Brooky, it wasn't your time. Humble had lived out his life, done what he had been meant to do. You are still young."

"B-but no-nobody l-likes me!" Brooky protested.

"Brooky, sure they do. Just the other day I heard Wetback praise your work on the dibbuns' playhouse."

"B-but I w-want a family!" Brooky said. Dutty held back another gasp. So this was what this was really about. Humble and Brooky had grown quite close after her father's death, and she didn't have children or a husband; she was alone besides her friends, whom Dutty hadn't seen her with lately.

"Oh, Brooky, I'm so sorry…I didn't realize this was so hard for you," Dutty comforted awkwardly. He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze.

For a second, they just sat in silence. Then a cough behind them caused Dutty to look back. It was Kersey.

"I'm sorry, I overheard. Brooky, I know how you feel; after my brother died, I had no one," Kersey said.

Brooky quieted for a minute, listening.

"I know that you wonder why you were spared, that question probably runs through many creatures' minds when someone they love is killed, but let me tell you something. If positions had been reversed, do you think Humble would've felt any better? In my case, if my brother had been spared, do you think he would have found comfort somewhere? Ferdimond has been so good and thoughtful, and I know you don't think anyone feels that way about you, but I care deeply about what you're going through. I hated it, but I got through it, and I'm determined to see you do that too."

Brooky had stopped crying and was now looking Kersey in the eye. "Really?" she asked.

"Really." Kersey came over to sit on the other side of Brooky.

Dutty began to feel uncomfortable. "Thank you, Kersey," he said to the hare, before walking off to see what tasks needed tending to.

The first day was... bad. I cried after school. Frist I had to walk to school because I didn't know what bus to take, however I got to walk with two of my friends so I managed o.k. I got to homebase (we would normally go to first period) and asked about my bus but I didn't hear anything back until the end of the day. My locker opened easily enough, but it's next to my old crushes and he's friends with I guy that my friend has a crush on but I hate... so yea.

First periods going to be fun I guess. We have a good fair teacher for health. I really don't want to take health, but theres no book! Second however we have still an ok teacher, but a huge textbook. However, I won't be able to stop at my locker because it's on the third floor, my first two periods are on the second.

Next I go to Biology on the third floor... I hate the class and the teacher sounds strict and mean. I won't hold back on telling you this is one class I will dread. HOwever, I get relief fourth and fifth with two fun classes (on the second floor then the third again) The first is English with someone fun, the second is Algebra II with a flexible teacher at least. However, in Algebra II I'm with all juniors because I'm a year ahead of where I should be (I'm a sophomore).

Next we had lunch (floor one) and it was so hard to figure out. Then I have Spanish (floor three again ) and I'm so far behind from homeschooling I'll probably have to get tutored. I got to pick a name though, for which I choose Constanza which means constant.

Lastly, I has a study hall (first floor again) where I learned my bus number and worked on a couple small things from English II and Biology. However, since my lockers on floor three, you tell me how I'm suppose to go from the first floor to the third, get in my locker, get my stuff together, and get to the bus on time. I can't figure it out. I got a ride from a friends mom then my parents got mad at me because I got upset when I came home. I will enjoy the four day weekend (off Fri. and following Mon.) So here's my scheldule:

Health- 2nd floor

Perspectives IIA- 2nd floor

Biology- 3rd floor (but I am not near my locker...)

English- 2nd floor

Algebra- 3rd floor

Lunch- 1st floor

Spanish- 3rd floor

Study Hall- 1st floor

I then have to go up to the third floor, get into my locker, and then be out at the bus within about five minutes.

Frankly? I'm thinking of faking I'm sick tomorrow. Just letting you know, in case I'm updating randomly, this is why.