It had been a very hard week on the road, but the Pillfern family had finally made it to northern Mossflower from the green valleys and hills of their old home.
Though they were by no means close to their destination, the growing family had chosen to head for Mossflower wood, where they hoped to find friendly faces once more.
Although, it must be said, all they had encountered thus far were clusters of hedgehogs, a few boats of bickering shrews, and the odd otter family as they passed through the river moss.
Daleas had been, with great difficulty, gathering an assortment of berries, leaves, herbs, and fruits she recognized to flavour her family's dinner.
As she had searched, she would put the occasional berry into her mouth absently to get them out of her paws, when her duties as a mother called her to break up a sibling fight, or help one of her sons down from a tree.
Finally the very tired, heavily pregnant mother had returned to the family's encampment, to prepare that nights' meal.
"Billdon James Melphont Pillfern, get down from that tent this instant- Gali and Kali, what on earth happened to you?! You look like you've been in a swamp! "
"Sorry, Marm!" The twin wildcats chimed, before elaborating on their misfortunes. "Billdon told Brice there was a pasty in th' mud, an' then when Ah ran in to get him, Ah hit into Kali an' we both went splat!"
Gali spoke for both of them, as if she were telling a great tale of adventure and glory, and Kali nodded excitedly along, with many a waving of paw, and wide grin to accompany her sister's rendering of the story.
Sadly for the girls, their mother was far too busy with a crying toddler, two fighting little boys, and dinner to pay their story much attention, and she waved them both to meet their father and Carlos at the lake to clean their- and Brice's filthy clothes.
Little did she know, she had fallen for their plot to go fishing with their dad and cool older brother...
~(`~`)~
Carlo smiled to himself as he watched his sisters as they practiced their unarmed combat in the mid-autumn fallen leaves, with the warm evening light glittering off their freshly washed fur and under dresses.
Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by an ear shattering scream, a high pitched scream from the direction of their camp.
The girls were the first to react, by grabbing the drying clothes and sprinting back to the camp.
"Carlo, take the fish, and yerr knives, Ah'm goin' tae circle around the camp t' check fer threats, ye go an' take care of yer siblin's and Ma."
Carlos looked into his father's face, studying every feature of the strong countenance, lest it was the last time he'd see it. The large nose, which was curved, as though it had been broken long ago, the kind eyes, thick eyebrows, dark brown markings, and speckles, and the long face fluff.
All of this was taken in as Carlos nodded, and sheathed his knives. Last of all, he wrapped the fish they had caught in large green leaves.
Finally he stood and looked again into his father's face.
"What do Ah do if ye don't come back?.."
He gulped down a sob and then hesitated.
Melphont gave his son one of his rare smiles as he turned back and gave his son a quick hug.
"I trust you with them, just get them to Noonvale before winter hits."
Having said this, he dashed off into the woodlands, and the sound was soon lost to another bloodchilling scream.
Carlos shuddered from ears to tail tip before finally sprinting back to the camp.
When the very scared, and confused Carlo rushed into the clearing, he frantically looked around, only to realise it was...Normal?...Billdon was up a tree and laughing at Brice who had Gali's blue bonnet on, Scott was leaning against a tree reading a book on plants, and Dondin was in the process of cooking some sort of pie with a strange contraption..
But something was off..
Carlos took a while to see it, as he was still panicked and puffing, then another scream broke out from the tent he and Dondin had made when they had found the clearing. The young wildcat made a dash for it, but was stopped by his little brother's sarcastic voice.
Scott had looked up from his book, and was smirking.
"If you want to see Ma having the baby, that's the way t' do it..."
"What?! H-.. Having the baby? B-but! It's too early!... Right..?"
"Yeah, tell that t' the babe."
"B-but… H-...How?"
"From what I can see, Mam ate some blerger berries.."
Scott mumbled after a pause.
"Bler-whata?"
"Some strange sort of berry that grows in these parts, it's known to help with indigestion.. And in larger amounts it helps speed up labour.. We found the antidote, but one baby is already on its way. Thus the screamin'."
The younger cat mumbled, well and truly lost in his book.
Carlos dumbly plopped himself down beside the fire, his mind hardly able to comprehend all that had happened that evening, and he sat like that for about an hour, in which time, the baby girl was born, Melphont returned, and the fish were taken from his paws by Dondin, who wanted to cook them. The young cat only stared into the flames, too deep in thought to take note of his surroundings.
~(`~`)~
Daleas looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms, though in truth, the kit was so small, most of the bundle was the blanket wrapped around her.
The tired mother held her baby close to her chest, praying the baby would survive, her face was worn with lines of sweat, and her fur was messy and in some places matted, and now added to that were tears.
Tears of joy, fear, pain, and sadness. She knew it was a very real possibility the baby wouldn't make it.
Maybe she could if they got to redwall. But in Daleas' heart, she knew they didn't have time to wait at redwall until the baby was ready to travel for the small chance she would survive.
They needed to get to Noonvale before winter hit, but at the time, Daleas was too exhausted to logically figure out what to do.
"Look! Look! Ma! The baby has speckles like Scott and Da!" Gali squealed in pure joy, clapping her paws as she did so.
Her twin, though also excited, shushed her sister, looking pointedly at their mother's expression and the sleeping baby.
"Oh!... Sorry, Ma.."
But it was too late, the baby had been woken, her eyes opened and she started to cry.
"Oohh...Ma.. She has your eyes.."
This time it was Kali who spoke up, though she spoke in little more than a whisper, her paws, rather than clapping, had made their way over her mouth, and she looked adoringly at the baby.
Just then, Melphont entered the tent, a worried look in his grey blue eyes as he looked to his wife, then at the tiny bundle in her arms.
And for the first time in the girl's lives, they saw their father cry freely. Tears poured down his strong features as he dashed to his wife's side and wrapped his strong arms around her neck and shoulders. "Oh Dali.. My dear, dear Dali… You had me so worried.."
Daleas smiled faintly at the nickname. It flooded back memories of old, when she was little older than the twins, and she'd go adventuring.
Memories of her now departed mother hanging out wet clothes to dry on windy days. Hot summers in the mountains near her home, where she used to go with her brothers..
So many memories were linked to that name.
She closed her eyes and leant on Melphont.
"Melphy.. What are we to do...I don't know if she'll make it..."
Looking down at the tiny little face in the blanket, Melphont felt ill for what he was about to say, he took a deep breath, let it out, then said, with more strength than he felt:
"We can't take her with us."
~(`~`)~
"Da, you said you'd trust me! At the lake you said you'd trust me, why can't ye now?"
Carlo almost screamed at his father, he was shocked to the bone at the thought of killing his newest sister, and although he did not yet know her, she was his family.
His brain spun and he felt his face go red.
"Da… Just let me try… We could… We could take 'er to redwall! They could take care of 'er until she's old enough to travel!"
Halting his pacing, Melphont turned to his oldest son.
His strong face looked old and grey in the firelight, as though part of his life had left him as he finally spoke.
"An' what of winter, Carlo.. On the small chance she survives, what then? The winter is fast approachin', mah son.. We don't have time to wait for her to be ready, an' if she dies, what of th' young'uns? They'll never get over it if'n they get attached..."
His words faded out into a whisper as he turned and resumed his pacing, deep in thought.
Carlo sighed, knowing his father was right.
Then, suddenly, an idea struck.
"Ah could do it.."
His mother turned, shocked and confused by the words.
"No! We can't leave ye behind, Ah-"
Carlo interrupted his mother as he abruptly stood.
"Ma, Ah can't let 'er die, it's not right! Please, at least let me try… And if she dies.. Ah'll..."
Carlos barely caught the sob that welled up in his throat as he tried to speak.
"Ah'll catch up with ye...Ah can run..."
At this his father stopped and rubbed at his eyes. He wanted as much as his son to not have to do this, but deep down, something told him he had to.
He stood there in the shadows for a while, silent and still.
"Father….Just think of how ye'd feel knowing this baby could've lived, and grown to be a beautiful cat with 'er own hopes and dreams.. With people 'o love 'er 'nd teach 'er.. Think of what she could miss.. This kit is a life to be lived, Da...Ah deane think it's our place t' let her go so soon… She deserves that life, Da..."
Carlo's tearful gaze rested on the still form of his father.
For so long he had looked up to and loved his father. He was the symbol of strength and stability in Carlos' life, and now to see him broken and unsure scared Carlo more than anything.
The young cat looked to his mother then. She had always been kind, and understanding, always quick to make her children smile, or to give advice or guidance. Now she lay in a nest of blankets with her sleeping children around her, as tears flowed down into their soft, warm fur.
He hated seeing his parents like this.
Finally he broke the silence that had fallen over the camp.
"Da...Please..."
The young cat saw his father's shoulders come up, then sink down in a sigh, before turning back to his son and wife.
"Alright. But promise me this… Even if she does survive, and ye stay at the abbey, promise me ye'll come back to us one day.. Meet us in Noonvale.."
As Carlos shut his eyes in silent thanks to the lord of The Great Forest, he felt his father's strong arms around him in a bear hug.
They stood there for a few seconds in silence as they thought of the days ahead.
Again Malphont spoke. His voice had returned to its deep strong, self, Carlos noted.
"Ye'll get nowhere tonight, however, it's too late for travelin', if the babe lives through the night, ya can leave at first light. An' take my warmest coats, the both of ye will need 'em."
Melphont spoke as he packed a bag, and thought quickly of all his son and the baby might need, such as food, blankets, and weapons.
By the time the bag was packed,and he turned to say something to Carlos, a smile graced his face as he saw his son, asleep with his baby brother Brice in his arms.
Finally he wrapped himself in a blanket, content to leave the words till the morning.
~(`~`)~
The young wildcat had been traveling for two days, the supply of milk for the babe was going quickly, and he had been walking through the night, but finally he looked up and saw a group of mice in green habits picking berries with dibbuns.
Chattering, happy dibbuns.
He smiled at the sight, and stepped out from behind the bend with the intent of asking for help from the mice.
But to his shock, one of the mice yelled at her chatter of dibbuns to get behind her, and took up a fighting stance.
She was a middle aged mouse, with her creamy brown head and face fur brushed back and held back with some sort of clip.
Carlos almost dropped the baby in an effort to put his paws up in peace.
Then, at the sight of the baby's tiny face, the mouse's face softened, and she let her stance settle a bit, though it was clear she was still on her guard.
"Please.. Can ye show me to the abbey? Ah'm sorry for frightenin' ye, I meant no 'arm.. Ah heard yer abbey is full of healers, and medics.. "
Carlos almost croaked, he had been trying to save the water, and his throat was parched and sore, as clearly shown by his voice. Suddenly, a small mouse jumped out from behind his caretaker and bounded forward to Carlos, chattering as he approached.
"I can show ya where de abbey ith! An' den yew can tell us a stowy, an' 'ave c'eam puddin! Cimon! Huwwy! We gotta get ye to de abby t' see de pond, an' de fishes! T'ey're sooo big! T'ey could eata me up! Gulp! My name's Ben! Yours?"
The little mouse chattered on as he led Carlos, with berry stained paws, passed a slightly stunned Mrs. Appleseed towards the abbey. And, after a while, was followed by the other dibbuns, who had no reason not to trust the wildcat; questioned Carlos in their sweet, squeaky voices, and told him of their adventures as though they had known him all their lives.
Finally they got to the abbey.
Everything had gone so quickly Carlos hardly had time to think, until the dibbuns were led away to be bathed and he was taken up some stairs into what seemed to be a very large banquet hall.
Carlos had never seen anything like it, due to living by the mountains and lakes of his small village.
As he gazed around, a tall old mouse maid approached him with a kindly smile.
She had round glasses, that she now pushed up her long nose as she drew near.
"Good evening, young traveler! What brings you to our wonderful abbey this lovely autumn day, pray tell? Oh, I'm sure you have such lovely tales to tell, come, do sit, and have a drink! Mrs. Appleseed can take the baby for you, if you wish!"
The old Abbess prattled on for a while as she led the now very confused, tired, and grateful Carlos to a bench.
"Ah came here because of th' babe.. We were travelin' when she was born far too early, Ah was hopin' ye would know how to 'elp 'er."
At this, Abbess Sprig laughed, and chattered on. She seemed to have a strange habit of playing with her ears and glasses.
Carloss' tired mind hardly registered the fact he had handed his sister off to Mrs. Appleseed, and a warm cup had been placed in his paws, and he found himself laughing and joking with otters, squirrels, mice, and hedgehogs as they gathered in for the evening meal.
Time flew by, and before he knew it, Carlos was being led up some stairs, and into a very warm room where dibbuns lay in white sheeted beds, and mice, and moles bustled about, setting giggling dibbuns into bed.
Finally he found himself facing a crib, with some sort of strange glass lid with holes in it that let in air.
And there, wrapped in soft white blankets, lay his baby sister, fast asleep, with a happy look on her tiny face. Carlos smiled to himself, and bent down to better see his baby sister.
"Everthing's gonna be alright now, little girl.. We're safe now. And Ah will do everythin' in my power to keep ye that way. Then together, we can go to Noonvale with Ma an' Dad.. "
Carlos almost whispered the words to his little sister.
"What's her name?"
A kind yet strong voice startled him from behind. It was Mrs. Appleseed. He turned fully and smiled at her, before answering.
"Her name is Milly. Milly Daleas Pillfern."