This chapter actually seems like a good place to end, but there are still several issues I want to address still. A mixture of happiness and sadness in this chapter, but predominately happy, I would think. This chapter is a bit shorter than usual as well, but I ran out of things I didn't want to save for later chapters to add to this chapter, so there you go.

Anyway enjoy. :)

Chapter 36

It was quiet when Cornflower stepped into the gatehouse cottage again for the first time in days. Too quiet. The mousemaiden frowned. Abbot Mordalfus had granted her permission to obtain some supplies from the cottage that they might not get another chance to get. In reality, Cornflower felt a little homesick, and even though Redwall in it's entirety was home, she wanted to visit the place her family lived.

But it didn't help her. It was too quiet, and no one else was there except her. The cottage still had the smell of vermin in it, and places such as the food cupboard had been ransacked by the vermin and left a massive mess.

All this did for Cornflower was to painfully remind her of everything that had happened. Something she did not want to be reminded of right now. Sitting down in a chair, she tried not to weep, but eventually failed poorly. She realized was that she really wanted was not to return to the cottage, but to have her family together again. They had been separated for too long now.

The crying went on for awhile, until Cornflower had vented enough of her sadness to pull herself together again. At that point, she sat there, fiddling with a bowl that sat on the nearby table. She wasn't sure how long she had remained like that, and didn't particularly care, but it must have been awhile, and wasn't surprised when she saw someone else enter the cottage as well.

"The abbot is wondering where you went." Tess said, sounding slightly concerned. "He didn't think it would take you that long to retrieve whatever it was you went in here to get. He was worried that something had happened."

"Nothing happened." Cornflower said, wiping her red eyes. "I just needed some time to myself, that's all."

"Yes, I gathered that much." Tess said. She hesitated, then sat down as well. She sighed. "This has gone on far longer than I had hoped."

Cornflower turned to face her. "This living in fear of whether or not Toka will come back and defeat us all?" she asked.

"There is that," Tess admitted, "But I meant Mattimeo being gone for so long." Tears suddenly started to well up in her eyes. "Cornflower, I miss him, oh so much." she said.

Cornflower embraced her in a comforting hug, trying not to cry herself. "I know." she said. "I miss him dearly as well."

"I worry for him." Tess sobbed, continuing. "I don't know whether he's safe and okay, having managed to work everything out, or lying dead in a ditch somewhere, leaving Toka absolutely free to come and take Redwall...and...and..." she tried to go on, but her grief drowned out her words.

"One way or the other, things will work out." Cornflower said. "Of that I am sure. But how many more will have to suffer and die in order to get it is the question that haunts me." she allowed a tear to slide down her cheek. "I just want to know something. Something to tell me where Mattimeo is, or how he is, and if he's alright, not to be left in this state of constant wondering and mystery. I think not knowing is more painful than actually knowing."

Tess nodded in agreement, sniffling as she tried to restrain her grief. "It's true." she said weakly. "What's worse is the magnitude of the unknowing. For instance, I don't think even I know just how much I...I..."

"Just how much you care for Mattimeo." Cornflower finished softly, staring off into the distance.

Tess paused, then nodded. "Yes." she said.

A long pause fell, and neither felt like disturbing it, so it drew on for some time.

It was interrupted when a loud banging suddenly rang out from outside. Someone was knocking on the gates, wanting to be let in. Tess and Cornflower looked at one another in surprise. Then they heard a voice, soft enough to not make out what was being said...

But loud enough to recognize who was saying it.

The two mouse maidens raced out of the cottage and straight for the large wooden doors that served as Redwall's main gate. It turned out they weren't the only ones who had heard the voice, for two shrew sentries were already at the gates and were pulling them open to admit the beast on the other side.

Among them was Log-a-log Flugg and the small party of shrews he had taken with to guard Cheek's tree. Standing with them was Cheek himself, the otter looking weary and exasperated, but was wearing a large grin regardless. But what Cornflower and Tess focused their attention on was who lead the group inside.

Plowing past Weylan, Cornflower was first to throw herself onto Mattimeo, grabbing her startled son in an embrace. Tess was second to latch onto the young mouse, who was now staggering under the weight, but was embracing his mother and Tess back with much enthusiasm as well.

Word spread fast, and soon all of Redwall was gathering at the gates, cheering and celebrating loudly to announce to the world around them that Mattimeo and Weylan had returned safe and sound. Kesmin arrived at the scene, and embraced her son in a hug, but quickly released him again, gagging slightly.

"Ack, Weylan..." she exclaimed, backing up.

"Wot?" Weylan asked, puzzled, but after thinking it through for a moment, lifted up one paw and smelled it, making a face. "Oh, right." he said, having forgotten the fact that he smelled like vermin.

"Now you know why I kept standing upwind of you!" Mattimeo called out jokingly, laughing from all of the joy that was being felt.

The Redwallers laughed as Weylan went to take a quick dip in the pond. The celebrating continued for a few moments more, but then the crowd broke to admit Abbot Mordalfus to where Mattimeo stood, still wrapped in an embrace from Cornflower and Tess. However, Mattimeo pulled free upon seeing the abbot, and drew Martin's sword.

"Father Abbot," Mattimeo said, laying the sword at the abbot's feet. "We've returned home."

Mordalfus looked at the sword for a moment. "It's done then?" he asked.

Mattimeo nodded. "Toka and all of his horde lie dead, with the exception of the creatures that where placed in the communications chain." he explained. "They ran off when they found out what had happened." he paused, sighing. "However, this was not done without the loss of life on our side." he added.

Mordalfus looked puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"It was not I, nor was it Weylan, who sprung the trap on the horde." Mattimeo said. "As far as we can tell, it was Mokeet who did it, sacrificing himself in the process."

A moment of silence fell among the Redwallers.

"I see." Mordalfus said gravely. "But even though it is important that remember and acknowledge this loss, let's not dwell on the pain and suffer that Mokeet's death, as well as the others who have died throughout this situation, has brought upon us. Instead, let us celebrate that Redwall is safe and sound, and that we'll all live to see tomorrow, and the days afterward."

Mattimeo nodded. "Agreed, Father Abbot."

Mordalfus then turned to face the crowd and held his paws outstretched. "Then we shall have a feast to celebrate this occasion!"

And no one disagreed.

The feast was magnificent, but then it wouldn't be a Redwall feast if it wasn't. Even though the amount of food to be served was significantly less than usual due to the short notice of the feast and the lack of supplies brought on because of Toka's siege, there was still enough to go around and still have some left over, and the food was not the important part of the feast anyway.

Stories were shared, explaining everything that had happened at Redwall while Mattimeo and Weylan were away, which was not much, thankfully, so it was brief. The tale Mattimeo and Weylan had to share was quite lengthy, though, and stretched well into the night before all of it was told and every detail left explained.

Once that was done, the rest of the evening was spent celebrating, by dancing, singing, talking, and, of course, more eating. And even when everyone was asleep or coming close to that state, the celebrating and the happiness continued, and could not be dampened.

All was well at Redwall.

Weylan found himself at the hill again. And in a bit of a trance, he walked up the hill to the top, where two creatures stood waiting for him. They were both otters, one of which was Weylan's father, Jude Riverstryke. The other was Mokeet, looking none the worse, all things considered. They did not say anything, for there was nothing they had left to say. Instead, they looked, smiling, at Weylan.

Weylan felt compelled to speak, and, unsure what else to say, said, "Thank you. For everything."

He turned to his father. "Thank you," he said, "For your help in finding the treasure, that, ultimately, saved our lives, so to speak. But I think that's what you intended all along. Thank you also for your advice along the way."

He then turned to Mokeet. "And thank you Mokeet, for all the help you gave us, and for giving up your life, for ours. You didn't need to, but you did anyway. It must not have been an easy choice for you to make. So thank you once more."

The two otters bowed their heads in a silent motion to indicate that they accepted the thanks. Then, they both turned and walked off, vanishing into the distance. Weylan watched them go, then turned as well to leave.

The dream ended soon after, and Weylan slept peacefully onward.