Ch.36

The Answer

Gaaah! Another late update! I'm sorry about all the late updates! I don't know why, but I'm busier than usual lately. Anyways, before we begin, I have good news and bad news regarding the poll. Good news: Another person voted! Bad news: There is now a four way tie for first between Joan, Hardy, Keith, and Edith, each with two votes (With Devades in second with one vote)! We need a deciding vote! Please vote on the poll on my profile! Okay, now that that's out of the way, please R&R!

The Mossflower region was just as peaceful as the other past days had been, in Cedric's opinion. With nothing but a sack of supplies, the clothes on his back, and his trusty claymore, the golden brown-furred mouse had traveled countless miles. His destination? Actually, he had no idea. Cedric simply traveled for the sake of traveling with a usual optimistic cheerfulness. However, his typical thoughts had been clouded.

"I wonder why I had that strange dream?" he asked himself. "A castle made of red stone, a mouse warrior, and a ferret with white fur. I've never even seen them before. Mayhaps it was something I ate…"

"'Ey, listen t' dis 'un. He's talkin' t' 'imself!" Cedric had been so focused on his dream dilemma that he didn't notice the group of vermin surrounding him.

A rat drew his dagger tossing it expertly in the air before catching it. "Looks like we've got ourselves a loony 'un."

The mouse gave a cheerful grin to the vermin. "Oh, Hi there! Sorry about that, I was just distracted by an odd dream I had. I'll just be on my way…"

"Hehehe, that's wot yew say," replied a weasel with an ax. "But yew ain't going nowheres! His eyes flickered to the claymore slung over Cedric's back. "Dat's a pretty blade ye got there. It's a big 'un. If ye 'and it over, we might not hurt ye."

"I'd rather not give my claymore to you," answered the mouse as his paws grasped the hilt. "I've had it for a while. Can't we just talk this out?" However, the weasel had no intention of giving up his chances of gaining the weapon as he charged at the rat with his ax held high. However, he did not make it far. The rest of the vermin had no idea what they had just seen. One moment, their comrade was screaming his head off, ready to draw blood from the mouse, and the next moment, the weasel feel to earth, lying dead in a puddle of blood.

"Sorry, but I tried to warn him," explained Cedric as he got out of his fighting stance. "Honestly, I'm not one for violence, so can I please leave? I'll even bury your friend if you want."

The rat spat at the mouse's paws, but was off by about a foot. "Shut it mousy! We out-number ye!" The rat, along with his two other partners, a ferret with a rapier and a stoat with a butcher knife, ran at the mouse. The rat, in an attempt to slit Cedric's throat, swiped at the mouse's neck. However, the mouse quickly ducked and swung his hefty blade at the rat's midsection. The dagger slipped from his paw as the corpse went flying.

The ferret wielding the rapier decided to try a different tactic than the rat as he stabbed at Cedric's paws. He grinned maliciously as he felt his blade meet its mark, but the smile did not last long. The blade had actually missed the mouse's paw entirely and only impaled his sandal. With a quick yank of his paw, Cedric freed himself before knocking his hilt against the ferret's head. Grabbing the ferret by his throat, the mouse threw him into a nearby tree head first.

Cedric set his eyes on the knife-wielding stoat, who backed away in a panicked manner. "O-Okay, ye win! Don't kill me!"

"Alright then," said the mouse with a shrug. "Sorry about your friends. He turned his back to the stoat and began to walk away. A slight snicker shot out from the stoat as he quickly rose to his paws and charged towards the unsuspecting mouse. Well, at least he thought he was unsuspecting. Quickly turning in place and swinging downward, he turned the stoat into a vermin pancake.

"I thought you said you gave up," said Cedric as he scratched his head in confusion. "Vermin can be quite odd at times."

Most of the Redwallers were gathered that morning to mourn the victims of the previous night's assassin invasion. Thankfully, there had been few deaths that night, but that still meant there would be a few Redwallers that no beast would ever see again.

Joan had never given a eulogy for anybeast before, though she had seen Abbot Grayson deliver some before. Standing before the teary-eyed abbeydwellers, she took a deep breath before beginning. "It's obvious why we are all gathered here today. You're here to say goodbye to those who lost their lives last night during the invasion. However, I must say that we are not actually here to say goodbye. Why say goodbye to anybeast when they haven't actually left us? Of course they won't be here in a physical presence, but just like Martin, they will always be here with us in spirit, in our memories, and in our hearts. Let us all bow our heads in remembrance of those who fallen for the love of Redwall." The Redwallers bowed their heads, each one saying some sort of silent prayer.

"Veli, I know we had our differences, but I'm forever in your debt for saving me," thought Joan. "I guess some of your words were true. I'm definitely not experience, old, or smart enough for such a position, but if you keep an eye on me from The Dark Forest, I'm sure I'll surprise you."

Phoebe sat in the Gatehouse with a cup of tea in her paw, staring out the window with her eyes fixated on the Main Gate. "Ever since I was a Dibbun, my elders have told me that the walls that surround us were for our protection, that nobeast with intent of harm could get inside. I've been alive to see vermin breach these walls on more than one occasion and with each invasion, we lose more innocent creatures. Are we truly safe Bryon?"

Her husband, propped up in his bed, nodded to his wife. "Honey, nothing is perfect. Not even Martin was flawless. I can't guarantee that there won't be anymore invasions, but I know Martin won't let us down."

Lemuel, who had decided to join the two squirrels, walked over to the bed. "'Ey, if ye still 'ad that 'ole in yer stomach, if ye drank tea, would it come out that 'ole?" The only answer he received was a smack in the back of the head by Isobel.

"Och, shut yer gob," said the hedgehog while she watched the mouse rub his wound. "Phoebe, ye need tae stop moppin' aboot, an' Bryon, ye need tae stop think aboot defensive strategy. Wot we need is an offensive tactic! We can hide behind yon wall forever."

"I agree," replied Bryon. "But still, Redwall doesn't have what we really need: a warrior. Well, we do have one, but he's away at the moment."

"And we know that the alleged 'savior' isn't exactly who Martin was referring to," added Phoebe as she eyed Lemuel, the mouse chuckling sheepishly. "We need to wait for the warrior Martin spoke of to arrive."

The mouse rolled his eyes. "Really? We're just gonna wait 'ere while we get our tails handed t' us? It won't take long t' pack our bags an'…"

"We're not running!" shouted the two squirrels and the hedgehog.

"Ye just expect th' answer t' all our problems t' just knock on the front gate?" asked Lemuel. As the words left his mouth, three loud knocks rang out from the front gate. Bryon, Phoebe, and Isobel looked at Lemuel, who simply shrugged. The hedgehog and the female squirrel hurried to the wall tops to get a look at the knocker.

"Who are you?" asked Phoebe. "Please state your name."

The mouse below waved to her and Isobel. "Hello! My name is Cedric and I've traveled many seasons. Is it alright if I come in?"

"'Old on a tic," replied Isobel. She waved down to Lemuel to open the gate. Sge grabbed Phoebe by the shoulder and turned her the other way. "Ah think ye need tae find yer daughter." Phoebe nodded before sprinting off to find Joan.

Descending the staircase, Isobel arrived next to Lemuel and Cedric, Lemuel feeling somewhat nauseous from the blood on Cedric's claymore. The hedgehog extended her paw to the newcomer. "Welcome tae Redwall Abbey! Call me Isobel. Cedric, was it?"

"Yes, it's very nice to meet you," replied Cedric as he drank in his surroundings. "This place looks a lot like a red castle I saw in a dream a little while back! I wonder why."

"*Coughliarcough*" Lemuel covered his mouth and shook his head.

Cedric turned to the other mouse. Are you alright? First you look pale and now you're coughing. Perhaps you should lie down."

"I'll lay you down," muttered Lemuel under his breath.

"What was that?" asked Cedric as Isobel glared at Lemuel.

"Um, I was jus' wonderin' wot 'appined t' yer other sandal," replied Lemuel quickly.

Cedric looked down at his paws and chuckled. "No wonder my paw hurt when I was walking! I think it fell off during my battle with some vermin earlier. I didn't even do anything to them."

"Hello there!" The group turned to Phoebe and Joan as the two squirrels hurried towards them. They each took a moment to catch their breath before Joan spoke. "Hello! Welcome to Redwall! This is my mother Phoebe and my name is Joan, Abbess of Redwall."

The newcomer bowed respectfully to her, causing Lemuel to roll his eyes. "It's nice to meet you Abbess. Thank you for letting me into your Abbey." While he spoke, Joan quickly scanned the mouse. A mouse with one sandal and a sword bloody from battle only meant one thing.

"Cedric, would you please follow me inside?" asked Joan. "I need to speak to you on urgent matters."

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and will forgive me for the lateness! Yes, Veli finally got a funeral, Bryon is alive, and the true mouse of Martin's prophecy has arrived! Please remember to vote on the poll and R&R!