Ch.26

Vermin in the Abbey Pt.1

The battle has begun! Thank you to those who voted on my poll and sorry I took forever to put this chapter up. I've been really busy today. Please R&R and enjoy!

Arrows and stones flew down at the oncoming vermin, slaying and injuring those unfortunate to be in the line of fire. Lord Hallthor wasn't about to let a bunch of peace-loving woodlanders scare off his horde.

"Get those arrows ready!" bellowed the Warlord. "Kill the woodlanders!"

A young Long Patrol hare placed another stone in his sling. Being his first battle, his heart was practically beating out of his chest. Everything was just going so fast, it was all quite a rush. Whirling his sling, he sent off another stone at the vermin horde. It struck a rat between the eyes, knocking him over, never to rise again.

The young hare turned to his friend next to him. "I did it! I killed one…ow!" He fell back with an arrow through his shoulder.

"You okay?" asked his friend.

"I've got a blinkin' arrow in my shoulder, what do ye think?" shouted the hare.

Broderick looked back at a small group of foxes who were loading large stones into the trebuchet. "Is it ready?"

One of the foxes through a quick salute. "Ready t' fire at ye order capt'n!"

The fox Captain smiled. "Today, I'll finish that warrior mouse off for good!"

One fox held his short ax high, ready to sever the rope while the rest of the foxes lined up as if they were about to run a relay.

Broderick pointed at Redwall with his rapier. "Fire!"

Lady Rhea couldn't help but feel a shiver down her spine. Whenever that happened to her, it meant something bad was about to happen. She turned to Godfrey, who was notching in another arrow.

"Godfrey, something isn't right here" said Rhea. "It's almost too easy."

The hare Captain nodded. "I feel it too marm, but…"

Smash! Bam! Crash! Bash!

"Wot thae bloody 'ell was that?" asked Isaac as he and everybeast on the wall tops turned around to see what caused the smashing.

Keith ran over to the south side of the wall to see Broderick and his crew dashing for the open hole in the south gate. "They've broken through the gate! They're in the Abbey!"

"We've got to defend the Abbey!" shouted Alastair.

"But what about Hallthor?" asked Log-a-log.

"Don't worry about that scum," said Rhea. "Godfrey and I'll take care of things up here."

Alastair nodded in understanding. "Thank you Rhea." He hurried down the stairs leading inside the Abbey, followed by Isaac, Keith, Skipper, Log-a-log, Bryon, and several other woodlanders.

Sister Adela smiled as she watched her Alice, her new assistant, bandage the wound of an injured shrew. Although it was a bit of an overwhelming time to begin working as Adela's helper, the hare was fairing quite well. She obviously had skill and knowledge of many herbs and healing techniques.

"Okay, that should just about do it" said Alice as she finished wrapping the bandage around the shrew's head. "Now take it easy and don't try to block anymore stones with ye head, okay?"

"Thank ye marm" said the shrew.

"Don't call me marm" said Alice. "I'm younger than you!"

"Alice, you don't mind taking care of things here by yourself for a few minutes while I pop down to the storage and gather some more supplies, do you?" asked Adela.

The hare maid shook her head. "Not at all, just please hurry back, okay?"

The mouse winked at her helper. "I'll only be a minute." Closing the door quietly, she hurried down the corridors of the Abbey.

Adela couldn't help but shudder at the sounds of battle outside. She never liked the idea of harming others, not matter how evil and vile they were. That was why she became Redwall's Infirmary Keeper in the first place. She enjoyed the feeling making others feel better and relieving others of their pain. She hurried around yet other corner on her way to the storages. Little did she know, somebeast was waiting for her.

Russell jumped in front of the Infirmary Keeper with his rapier ready in his paw. Before she had time to scream, Russell swung his rapier across her throat. She collapsed to the ground, blood pouring out of her neck wound and her mouth.

The young fox was taken aback from the whole experience. Here was a mouse who he had never seen before and he just ended her life. He felt shocked, sick to his stomach, but above all, alive. He had never experience such a thrill in all of his seasons. He couldn't stop with one mouse, he had to kill more. Turning away from his kill, he headed off down the hallway.

As Alastair and his force entered the Abbey, they all headed in different directions for their search for vermin.

Log-a-log and Skipper, deciding that two heads, or in this case blades, were better than one, decided to stick together. They continued there way down the corridors of Redwall Abbey.

Skipper tapped his ally on the shoulder. "I think I've spotted a couple o' 'em o'er there. Ye see 'em?"

Log-a-log nodded. "Aye, I see 'em alright. Why we do the world a favor an' git rid o' 'em?"

Carita and Kerensa looked over their shoulders to see Skipper and Log-a-log approach them.

"You two better leave the Abbey or die!" commanded Skipper. The two vixens giggled.

"Did you here that Kerensa?" asked Carita. "The waterdog and his friend are mad at us!"

"Looks like we've been naughty!" replied Kerensa. The two once again giggled at Log-a-log and Skipper.

"Are the two o' ye deaf?" spat Log-a-log. "Leave now or we'll kill ye!" The vixens ceased their laughing and scowled at the otter and the shrew.

"You are very rude," said Carita as she took out her whip.

"And those who are rude should be punished," added Kerensa as she toyed with her steel paddle. "Right Carita?"

"That's right," replied Carita. "We shall make them scream in agony!"

Ignatius sat impatiently on his bed. He wanted nothing more than to go join his comrades on the wall tops and defeat the vermin, but Godfrey had forbidden it. A knock rang from his door, causing the hare's ears to stand erect. The knock came again, this time harder and louder as if somebeast was begging to come in. Getting off of the bed, Ignatius opened the door.

Phoebe peeked past a corner, checking for any vermin. She had spotted them when she was in her room. Knowing there were creatures weaker than her at risk, she grab whatever she could use as a weapon, which in this case was a candlestick, and thrown caution to the wind.

The Recorder stopped as her ears detect the sound of oncoming vermin. Looking for a place to hide, she slid behind a curtain, hoping neither of the two foxes would notice her.

The two foxes walked through the hallway, impatiently searching to quench their thirst for death.

The taller fox spat on the ground. "I 'avn't seen any woodlanders e'er since I got here. Where th' 'eck are they?"

"There's a war goin' on numbskull!" shouted the smaller fox. "They're probably hidin' somewheres."

"Achhooo!" The two foxes turned to where the sneeze came from.

"I don't remember curtains ever sneezin'," said the larger fox.

The smaller fox made his way to the curtain. "They don't stupid!"

Congratulations to Adela for being the first of many to get killed off! As you saw at the top, this is only pt.1 so there will be more deaths to come. Please vote on the next deaths on my poll and review!