Five
minutes to sunrise, in the ensuring darkness a young mouse quickly walked up
the West wall steps so that he would not miss an awesome display of nature's
beauty.
Matthew stood on the
West wall as he waited for dawn to break, and the sun to rise. Smiling to
himself, he knew that he had done this so many times, that he could time it
perfectly. He then muttered in a very quiet tone, "3, 2, 1, and now."
just as he whispered the last word, the sun broke the horizon in a brilliant
orchestra of beautiful color and breathtaking shade. Very much, did he enjoy
doing this for it gave him a feeling that he was commanding nature and it's
actions. Standing there, soaking the immense beauty of the scene, he heard
quiet paw steps ascending the stairs. Much to his shock that any one else would
be up so early, he turned his head to see who it was. He was greeted with the
image of his older brother, Nicolas. Knowing who it was, he merely turned his
head back to the aftermath of the sunrise and asked, "I thought you didn't
have to get up for another hour?"
"Matt, you know I
get up this early, it's my job as the friar's assistant." Nicolas stood
taller than Matthew did, at least by an inch and he was older than Matthew by
four years.
"I know but why are
you here?" The young mouse asked.
"Oh, no reason, I
just wanted to see what you find so fascinating about the sunrise." He
smiled, then went back to his deep musing of Mossflower wood at dawn. Matthew
then turned to his brother and folded his arms into his wide habit sleeves and
raised an eyebrow.
"Matt I wish you
wouldn't do that, it makes you look stupid. " Nicolas said with mock
disgust on his face and words.
"Who asked
you!" Matthew retorted, smiling while waving his arm, "C'mon, let's
go down to the kitchen, you can make me breakfast." He then started off
down the stairs with Nicolas in his wake.
"Well then, what do
you want me to make?" Nicolas asked, smiling also, catching up with his
brother.
Matthew took in a deep breath
and filled his lungs with the crisp, cool, morning air and let it out and
replied, "I don't know. Just make some simple oatmeal or something, you're
supposed to be the friar's assistant."
Caught up in the beauty
of the morning, Matthew started walking towards the main building letting his
eye accidentally catch an old, charred, oak stump. Never having really noticed
this landmark, his eyes mysteriously latched their vision to it. Matthew tried
his best to avert his gaze from the object, but it was to late, memories
started flowing in like a tidal wave and immediately the smile disappeared from
his face. With one last quivering breath, he fell to the cold dew laden ground,
escaping to the inner most corners of his mind.
Matthew looked to the
sunny sky, holding a paw over his eyes, shielding them as he looked at the
blazing noonday sun. He walked the abbey grounds and tried to talk to someone,
anyone for that matter but no one would acknowledge him. He saw the stump, but
it wasn't a stump anymore, but a strong tall standing oak. Clouds rolled in at
an amazing rate, and before he knew it, the sky was a dull and dreary gray. The
clouds filled the sky, choking off the sun with their dark colors and
foreboding shapes. Soon, the wind picked up and it started sprinkling, but
Matthew's light green novices habit wasn't getting wet. Matthew shuddered and
shivered, though it wasn't cold, but he couldn't tell either. The other
creatures of the abbey rushed indoors as the rain picked up from a sprinkle to
a storm with howling winds, thunder, and lightning. He knew what was happening,
it was his life, ten years ago. Desperately he tried to tear his eyes from the
tree with futile effort. A small creak, the main door was opening. A tiny
dibbun, of two or three seasons walked into Matthew's field of vision. Fear and
dread iced Matthew's veins as he watched the small, innocent dibbun squeak with
delight as he ran into to the tall and shielding oak, to play in the mud. The
dibbun continued to play in the mud, something Matthew used to enjoy doing when
he was a dibbun, until he heard the pawsteps of a mousemaid coming in the
dibbun's direction. The scene illuminated with bright light as a swift bolt of
lightning crashed against the young oak, scorching it's base and shattering the
trunk, making the large collection of dense branches fall. Screeching with
terror, the dibbun feebly covered its face with its arms as the tree made its
descent. The mousemaid saw this and her face went pale with fright and her lips
moved slightly in silent speech. Running, as fast as her legs could carry, the
maid jumped for the dibbun and was able to succeed in pushing the dibbun from
the path of the tree. The tree continued to descend.
Matthew rushed up and
kneeled beside her, but she was dead. Weeping quietly, he tried to pick up and
comfort the small, wailing mouse but his arms somehow just passed through the
dibbun. Covered in mud, the dibbun crawled weakly toward the mousemaid with
tears streaming down his cheeks and whimpers filling his throat. The dibbun
nuzzled against the mousemaid, trying to wake her, no response. Crying even
more, the dibbun wrapped the maid's paw into its arms and held it close.
Matthew took in a deep breath and let it quiver out after witnessing his
mother's death, from a new perspective.
"Is he going to
make it?" Nicolas asked quietly, his voice a worried tone as he looked
from Matthew, lying on the infirmary bed, to Brother Nolan.
Brother Nolan's strong,
young face showed a small smile as he answered, softly patting Matthew's
forehead, "I'm sure that he will. As far as I can tell, nothing is
seriously wrong with him."
"AS FAR AS YOU CAN
TELL?!? AS FAR AS YOU CAN TELL!!" Nicolas almost shouted to the squirrel
as he quivered with rage and tears started welling in his eyes.
"Nick calm
down-"
"Don't call me
Nick! Only my friends do and you're NOT my friend!"
Nicolas started for the
door filled with anger and fear, but Brother Nolan grabbed his arm, spun him
around and firmly said, "Listen, I know you're worried about losing him,
but I won't allow it, I give you my word."
Rage drained from
Nicolas' face after hearing the good brother's words. "I'm sorry...I
haven't gotten any sleep at all in the past two days after Matt just, collapsed
like that, and…I just don't want to lose him. He's the only family I have
left."
Brother Nolan put a
caring paw on Nicolas' shoulder and said with great sympathy, "I know.
Don't worry, here," he led Nicolas to a large padded-chair and sat him
down, "sit and rest, you were up a long time. If there's any change, I'll
wake you immediately."
Smiling through reddened
eyes, Nicolas said quietly, "Thank you Nolan..." whatever else he
intended to say, he didn't, the spell of sleep had been allowed to catch him
finally.
Matthew's hazel eyes
opened slowly to the tolling of seven in the evening from the Matthias and
Methuselah bells. Sitting up, Matthew began to rub the sleep from his eyes but,
someone gently pushed him back down and said, "Lie back Matthew, there's
someone here who wants to talk to you."
"Who-" is all
Matthew is able to get out of his mouth until yet another person intervened.
"Matt. Matt! Are
you all right?" Matthew tried to eye the person hovering over him with
groggy-vision. At first he saw his mother, but as it improved rapidly, she
turned into his brother, Nicolas.
"No, I'm not all
right 'cause last thing I remember is walking to the main building, apparently
which I'm now in, and I'm also in the infirmary to boot." Matthew said in
a rapid, comical voice, which let Brother Nolan and Nicolas know he was back to
normal. "So," Matthew asked with a smile, clasping his paws together
still on his back, "Any calls while I was out?"
Nicolas stared into
Cavern Hole, the great meeting place of Redwall. Soft carved limestone
heightened by a gentle red-hue made its walls. Moss mats and large stuffed
chairs made its furniture. A fire burned easily in a large fireplace, heating
the homely and comforting Cavern Hole. It was here where most of the Abbey's
good creatures took their leisure time to gossip or trade information. Entering
the friendly den-like surroundings, he made his way to two young creatures that
were engrossed in a game of checkers. On his way, a tall upstanding squirrel,
David a friend of his, stopped him and had words. "Hey Nick, how's your
brother?"
Nicolas smiled and
replied joyfully, "Ah, Matt, he's fine, just woke up. I was just going to
get Jeff and Derek, they wanted to see him when he woke up."
David patted Nicolas on
the shoulder with a strong paw as he said, "Cool, uh, tell Matt I said hi
'kay?"
Nicolas nodded with a
smile, "Sure Dave."
He made his way to the
two, and said, "Okay guys, he's awake."
Derek immediately rose
quickly and said, "Good, let's go."
Nicolas leaned over and
asked Jeffry, "What's his rush?"
Jeff grinned from ear to
ear as he answered, "He was losing the game."
Matthew lied in bed,
staring at the dull, drab ceiling as he began to wonder, about nothing in
particular, just wonder. Brother Nolan had told him, time and time again, that
he had collapsed outside the Abbey's main building but alas, he knew naught of
such events. Between walking to the main building and waking in the infirmary,
he remembered very little, so little. Yet that small amount of knowledge which
he had been able to retain, somehow frightened him. What he could remember
seemed so harmless, yet dangerous: an oak tree, a storm, a dibbun, mud, and
weeping.
Working this information
over and over again in his head, he was brought back to the real world as
Brother Nolan talked to him and pulled him out of his zombie like state.
"Matt, you have
some visitors." Brother Nolan said while shaking Matthew out of his blank
state.
"Huh, who, what,
where, why?" Matthew said as he looked around.
"It's Jeff and
Derek. You want to see them?"
"Yeah! Send 'em
in!" replied Matthew with a bright smile.
Matthew's face lit up
even more as Brother Nolan let in one short squirrel and one tall hedgehog. The
squirrel's name was Jeff and the hedgehog's name was Derek.
"So Matt, have they
fed you that awful Seaweed and Cockleshell potion yet?" said Jeff with a
roguish smile on his face.
"No, not yet.
Brother Nolan here's been kind and spared me." Matthew said as he sat up.
Hearing this, Brother Nolan just simply chuckled, ruffled Matthew's ears and
went to take stock of his cabinet inventory.
"So, what happened
to ya'?" Derek said while listening for something he could use to his
advantage.
"Oh how I wish I
could tell you!" Matthew said in a joyous, secretive tone.
"C'mon, out with
it!" Derek said while grabbing the front of Matthew's tunic.
"Oh, stop it!"
Matthew said while pushing Derek back, "But seriously, I wish I could tell
you, I can hardly remember anything, just bits and pieces." he said as he
looked at his thin waist rope and fiddled with it. He then leaned in closer and
whispered into their ears, "But I'll remember to tell you later." he
then saw Brother Nolan walking in their direction so Matthew started saying,
"Uh, hey! Nolan what's a mouse got to do to get some food around
here!" Matthew said in a hurry.
"Jeff, Derek. Why
don't you two boys go down to the kitchens and get some food for Matthew
here." Brother Nolan said.
"Okay." said
Derek and Jeff in unison as they started their descent to the kitchens.
"Soooo,"
Brother Nolan started, "what do you remember?"
"You-" Matthew
started but Brother Nolan held up a paw for silence and said, "Yes, I
heard, and I'm sorry I was eavesdropping but, please tell me."
"Okay. It's only
bits and pieces though." Brother Nolan nodded, indicating for Matthew to
continue, "Well, as I said it's only bits and pieces : a small dibbun,
mud, a storm, an oak tree, and loud wailing and weeping." Matthew said as
he fiddled with the corner of one of his large sleeve openings.
"That's
strange." Brother Nolan said as he worked the information in his head.
"What kind of dibbun? Mouse, vole, hedgehog, mole, squirrel, otter."
"Mouse."
Matthew said as Jeff and Derek came back with a tray bearing a large steaming
bowl of shrimp 'n' hotroot soup, oatfarl bread, and a beaker of strawberry
cordial.
"Great seasons what
is that otter trying to do, fry my mouth off!?" Matthew exclaimed, as he
tasted the tongue searing soup.
"What are you
talking about Matt? I thought that you loved hotroot soup." Said Jeff, as
he eyed the bowl.
"I love the taste,
yes," said Matthew as he snatched the tray from Derek's clutches,
"but that otter puts to much hotroot in it. And this is the third time
this week he's made."
"Well, that doesn't
seem ta' be stoppin' ya'." said Derek as Matthew started practically
inhaling the soup.
After Matthew's visitors
finally left, he went back to pondering the strange course of events from three
days ago. Though he didn't get to far because his thoughts were interrupted by
a light knock on the infirmary door.
"Now who could that
be at this hour?" said Brother Nolan while he was finishing up inventory,
"Matthew would you get that for me?"
"Sure Nolan."
he said with a smile as he hopped off his bed and opened the door.
"Hey Matty, how're
ya feelin'? " Matthew just put on a big smile, like a goober, as he
ushered Sister Robin in.
Matthew attempted to
stammer out the words as quickly as possible, "So, so ,so are you um, um,
um, here to, to, see...Brother Nolan?" Matthew breathed a sigh of relief
as she nodded her head and went over to talk to Brother Nolan. Oh, yes, she was
a pretty mouse, and young too, only three or so more years than Matthew. But,
alas, they could never be, but, you can't stop a mouse from dreaming now? Can
we?
"So how's our
little patient today?" Sister Robin asked Brother Nolan with a tinkle in
her voice like a bell. But Matthew winced inside because he hated to be called
"little" or "young", especially by her.
"Quite fine, in
fact I think he's ready to return to the solitude of his gatehouse, eh
Matt?"
"Oh, HA, HA,
HAAA!" Matthew laughed with a sarcastic tone.
Brother Nolan shot a
fake little smile at Matthew and said, "Yes, he's ready, definitely ready,
to go back to his gatehouse."
As Matthew walked across
the Abbey grounds, Sister Robin decided to strike up a conversation, "Matt
are you sure you want to go back to the gatehouse, now?"
"Huh," Matthew
said after having his thoughts interrupted, "Oh! The gatehouse, fff!,
might as well. I spend half the night in there anyway."
"But in the morning
I don't see you in your-"
"Bed? Well, that's
probably because I'm watching the sunrise or I've decided to spend the night in
the gatehouse, which actually isn't that bad-"
"But there's only a
small couch in there?"
"Excuse me, Sister,
but you did interrupt me."
"Yeaaaaah, and now
were even." Matthew could not help but smile with her at her show of logic
and as they were still walking Sister Robin suddenly stopped. Matthew was about
to ask why when he rammed into the gatehouse door.
"Oh! Matty, are you
all right?" asked Sister Robin as she rushed to Matthew's side. Matthew
sat on the ground, nursing his throbbing nose, with a grimace of pain on his
face but when he saw Sister Robin kneeling down he immediately forced a small
smile on his face.
"Of course. ''Tis'
only a flesh wound."
"I know that, but
does it hurt?"
"Only a little. Not
enough that I need to go back to the infirmary. I've spent enough time in there
already."
"C'mon,"
Sister Robin said as she helped Matthew up. She then helped him to sit on the
couch, despite Matthew's protests that he wasn't a dibbun anymore. "So,
are you sure you want to stay here? It is pretty late."
"Oh, yes. I'll be
fine." Matthew said as he rummaged through cabinets tell he found what he
was looking with a, "Eureka!"
"What?" Sister
Robin asked with a smile.
"An oil lamp."
Matthew said as he pulled flint and tinder from his pocket and lit the ancient
wick. "We don't want you walking back in the dark now do we?" He said
with a smile as he handed her the lamp.
She smiled back, with
the lamp in paws, and said, "Of course not." she then turned around
and walked out. Matthew's smile faded, as he sighed.
Matthew woke later than
usual. He could tell this because the sun had already risen. It was a rude
awaking for Matthew because he woke with a mouthful of ink. During the night he
fell asleep at the desk and his paw had knocked over a small ink well. In turn
that ink flowed into his mouth, he spent the next five minutes of his morning
spitting and gagging out side the gatehouse. As Matthew walked across the
Abbey's grounds to get some breakfast, he was constantly spitting, which got
him some strange looks.
As he walked into the
kitchens he immediately looked for Nicolas. When Matthew found him he tapped
his brothers shoulder and said, "Nick, why didn't you wake me up!"
Matthew exclaimed with the taste of ink still fresh in his mouth.
Nicolas turned around
with flour caked paws and said, "Well, um, I thought you might want some
rest after your ordeal." He then gave a friendly smile.
"I've told you
people already I haven't had an ordeal!" Matthew exclaimed so that
everyone in the kitchen turned and looked at him. "Listen, next time I
don't wake up before dawn, wake me when you do, okay?" he continued,
speaking calmer and quieter.
"Okay, what do you
want for breakfast?"
"Uh, anything that
will wash the taste of ink out of my mouth."
"Here."
Nicolas said as he handed Matthew a small glass of green brew.
Matthew took the glass,
like a dolt and immediately downed it. His reaction was expected from Nicolas.
"UUUGHH! What is this!" Matthew exclaimed as he started making less
than pleasant noises.
Nicolas grinned
roguishly and said, "Why it's seaweed and cockleshell potion."
"Whu u ive id do
me?" Matthew said with a numb mouth and his paws on his throat.
"First I needed it
for a soup and second because it could take a stain off the Abbey's
walls."
Matthew sat at the desk
in the gatehouse, looking over some old parchments, when someone knocked at the
door. He walked over to the door and opened it to see his friend, Jeff. Matthew
ushered him in and with a smile, "Eh, tree-jumper, shouldn't you be
picking ripe apples at this time?"
Jeff smiled as he looked
at what Matthew was reading and said, "Yes, I should, land dweller, but
Mrs. Lanney let me off because I said I wanted to see you."
Matthew, in turn, smiled
back and replied, "Aw, how sweet!"
"Ha, ha." Jeff
said with a great amount of sarcasm. "Matt, what's this you're
reading?"
Eyes growing wide as he
saw Jeff flip through the pages, Matthew quickly snatched the parchments from
Jeff's paws and stowed them in a drawer and answered, "Why, uh, nothing,
just something that old gatekeeper, Methuselah was given from bygone
days."
"Matt, what's
wrong?" Jeff asked as he eyed the drawer suspiciously.
"Why, nothing, I
just have a lot of work to do and I…didn't want to be interrupted."
Matthew then smiled, leaning on the drawer.
"Huh, is that
so?" Jeff said in a suspicious voice, "Well, if you didn't want to be
interrupted why did you let me in?"
"Cause…that…would…be…
rude, and, you know how I hate to be rude!" Matthew said in voice with
forced happiness.
"Oh…okay, I guess
I'll just go see what Derek is doing." Jeff said with no emotion as he
walked out the door and then closed it. Matthew sighed and then started rubbing
his temples. After Matthew was finished "coping" with the ordeal, he
opened up the drawer and started going over the parchment again.
Nicolas looked over his
ingredients; red currant jelly, sweet chestnut pastry, blackberries, apple
cream, light honey cream, clear honey, almond wafers, and yellow primrose
cream; he then took an earthen bowl and expertly combined the ingredients,
while being timed by a friend, to create a woodland summer cream pudding. Just
as he placed the last layer of pastry on the top as his friend said,
"Three minutes and sixteen seconds, Nicky!"
"Drat! I lost ten
seconds on my record with that pudding," Nicolas said as he placed the
pudding in one of the readily warmed ovens, "so David, what's your best
time?"
The young squirrel
grinned and said, "Three minutes, flat." Nicolas gave a funny half
smile, something he had a tendency to do, and then went about looking over the
younger cooks' accomplishments. David, being worried that he made his friend
feel as though he didn't deserve his rank, quickly piped up and said, "Hey
Nick, calm down, remember your the athletic one."
Nicolas looked up from
an otter who was artfully decorating a cake and said, "That so huh, but
like it really matters. It's not like I'll ever leave Mossflower country in its
entirety."
"Got a point
there."
"Eh! You two get
back to work!" yelled a gruff voice from the other side of the kitchen.
"Uh, oh, here comes
skipper of cooks!" said Nicolas with a smile as a large otter with a
cooking apron and hat strode up to them.
David threw off a smart
salute and said in a very militaristic voice, "Yes, sir! Or you'll drown
us in the Abbey pond, sir!"
The otter then picked up
David by the front of his habit and glared at him, face to face, eye to eye,
and then said, "Is you gettin' smart with me?"
David's smile
disappeared as one materialized on Nicolas' face as the squirrel stammered out,
with great effort, and fear, showing, "Uh, no, sir."
The otter then set David
down and then faced Nicolas and said, "Well, what are you smilin'
at!"
Nicolas quickly
dispersed his smile and replied, "Uh, nothing, sir."
The large otter then
nodded and walked off, with two dibbuns hanging on to the backstraps of his
apron.
As Nicolas stood hunched
over his small counter space a hefty paw tapped him on his shoulder and said,
"Ho, there assistant. What are ye' workin' on?" Nicolas turned around
to see Friar Than, the otter that picked up David by the habit not so long ago,
"I thought ye' were workin' with young Ragler there, helpin' im' to learn
how to decorate a cake good an proper."
"Well,"
Nicolas said as he scratched the side of his head, "I WAS working with
Ragler, but I sort of, got an idea of my own." Nicolas, being worried the
hot-headed otter might blow up on him stepped back, only slightly, but the
otter smiled and put a paw on Nicolas' shoulder and said, "Good, it's good
fer my assistant ta ave' a mind of 'is own. So what ave' ye' got?"
"Well, right now I
have a large, flat, circular piece of dough with tomato paste and, cheese on it
as you can see." Nicolas indicated by moving his paw over it in a circular
manner.
"Aye, what
next?"
"Next, I was going
to top it off with onion, leek, tomato, and mushrooms."
"Hmm, sounds good,
get me when it be done, alright?"
"Yessir!"
Nicolas said while saluting smartly. The otter simply rolled his eyes and went
off to do some supervising.
Matthew, once again, was
in the confines of the gatehouse. He felt he was in the sun too long, so he
once again read the parchment he was so secretive about. His train of thought
was speeding at this point when Brother Nolan knocked on the door. Matthew
almost fell from his chair from the sudden interruption, non-the-less, he went
to the door and let the good brother in.
"Matthew, I was
going out into the country side, to gather some herbs, I was wondering if you
wanted to come with me?"
"Uh, no thanks
Brother Nolan."
"You know
Matthew," Brother Nolan started with a ping of concern on his voice,
"I wish you would get out more."
"Yeah, well I've
been kind of busy." Matthew said as he averted the brother's eyes, leaning
sullenly against the large desk. Frowning, Brother Nolan walked out of the
gatehouse.
Brother Nolan stood
poised and ready at the North wicker gate, waving up to the otter, Tanya, who
was gatekeeper, dispatched for abbey duty by Skipper. Nolan continued to fumble
with the neck rope of his dark green cloak, as he said to the brawny and
beautiful young otter, "Tanya, don't re-lock the gate, I won't be that
long in the woods."
The unusually tall otter
smiled and hailed back, "Aye good brother, ye' dinne need ta worry 'bout
me lockin' the gate early. I'll just wait 'ere till you come
back...brother?"
"Yes Tanya?"
Brother Nolan asked, as began to unlock the gate, with one paw, the other was
occupied by a woven basket.
"Ye' wouldn't be
needin' an assistant or somethin' o' the sort, traffic on the path's bin slow
as usual and I 's just in the neddin' of somethin' ta' do."
Brother Nolan flashed
back a smile, a sad smile and replied, "Oh no, Tanya, that won't be
necessary."
Tanya then walked away,
she turned her head slightly and commented, "Well, I 'ope ye dinne go off
and get ya' self lost, knowin' how ye are wit directions." Brother Nolan
rolled his eyes with a smile and struck out for Mossflower wood.
The trio of friends had
decided to take dinner in the gatehouse, after bathing and putting on new
habits, because Matthew had something that he knew would surely drop some jaws.
"Matt, what's this
big thing you wanted to show us?" asked Jeff as he brushed his bushy tail
in front of Derek's face.
"Yeah Matt, what is
it?" said Derek, brushing aside Jeff's crumb laden tail.
Matthew stood in front
of the fireplace, staring quietly into the small blue flame. Turning around, he
produced a small parchment from his wide habit sleeve. He then began to weave a
tale from the writing, "Jeff, Derek, as we all know, Martin, our Abbey's
founder was a great warrior, kind mouse, and that war and conflict were no
stranger to him."
"Yeah...?"
said Jeff, suspicion on his voice and question in his mind.
"We also know that
war is not a glamorous thing-"
"Now who told you
that!?" piped up Derek with a grin after hearing Matthew's words, trying
to get gratification from his friends.
Matthew ignored the
interruption and continued, "People are lost and there are atrocities.
Well, apparently Martin, can also be haunted by the shadow of war."
"Whoa, whoa,
whoa!" Jeff said while holding a paw up. "What are you getting at!
Are you saying that Martin is no warrior?!"
Matthew simply put on a
small smile and said, "Of course not but when he was a slave child in
Marshank and he revolted, he lost someone dear to him, Rose was her name."
Derek rolled his eyes
and said, "C'mon Matt cut to the chase, we have all heard Martin's life
story so get on with what you wanted to tell us."
"As I was saying,
over Martin's life he has lost many a loved one, and that has come back to
haunt him. These are secret records made from a mousemaid named Columbine, the
wife of Gonff. They say that when Martin would visit his good friend and stay
till the morrow; vermin, who had killed the ones close to him, would haunt his
dreams. It says that she would secretly watch Martin while he was sleeping, and
that he often thrashed around and whispered names."
"Wait! Wait! So
what exactly are you saying Matt?" exclaimed Jeff.
Matthew turned back to
the fireplace, which was burning dim now, sighed and replied, "I'm not
sure Jeff. That's what I was going to ask you, but it seems that you're just as
perplexed as I am."
"Hmm, I guess our
hero was a fraud after all." said Derek as he stroked his head spikes.
"Oh, how can you
say that after all he's done. He freed Mossflower Country and founded our great
abbey. He liberated those who were oppressed, and most importantly, he laid
down his sword to take up the habit of a Redwaller. He sacrificed a life of
adventure and discovery, for the peaceful and serene Redwall way." said
Matthew, never moving his gaze from the small, dying blue flame.
Jeff stood up, yawned
and stretched and said while rubbing his eyes, "I don't know about you two
but I'm going to bed."
Matthew
turned around while stifling a yawn, then said, "Agreed. I think we should
all get some much needed rest and talk about it in the morning." He was
rewarded with slight murmuring and nodding from his piece.
As Matthew showed them
all out, Jeff asked, "Hey Matt, aren't you coming to the dormitories with
us?"
"No… I think I'll
sleep in the gatehouse tonight."
Jeff shrugged and
replied, "Suit yourself." Matthew looked over the parchment again and
again...and again. He shook his head in disbelief as he placed the document
back where he found it, drowned the fire with some water, and then curled
himself up on the small couch to wait for sleep to envelope him.
As Matthew slept, he
dreamed, and he dreamed a dream he would surely not soon forget.
Matthew's dream was an
odd one, from his point of view at least. He was surrounded by nothing but
blackness, dark, foreboding blackness. There was a singular light encompassing
him from above and he heard pawsteps, at first from all around him and then
they consolidated to the point where they were coming toward him. Matthew
stared into the darkness and he saw a figure walking toward him, the character
was garbed in a purple cloak, whose face was masked by a low hanging hood. It
made his breath hard and his heart beat faster. A slight sweat covered his body
in fear. The character pulled back his hood and there Matthew stood, wordless,
as he stared into the eyes of the one from the tapestry, Martin the Warrior.
The two stood there
staring at one another, for who knows how long, then finally Martin broke the
stale air by breathing a deep sigh. Speaking to Matthew very firmly, but with a
shadow of fear on his voice, "Matthew... why do you try to destroy
me?" as Martin said this, his appearance began to distort, then return to
normal.
After hearing this his
heart sank to the tip of his tail and he attempted to spurt out an answer,
"Uh…well…I…uh you see..."
Martin held up a paw to
silence Matthew's ceaseless muttering and said, "I am quite sure you have
lost a great amount of respect for me, after reading that…"
Martin's words pierced
Matthew, as he replied, "Martin I have not lost any respect for you. I
will always admire you and your achievements, no matter what I find out about
you."
Martin then began to
speak again but as he did his image distorted again, this time more violently,
"Matthew some secrets are required to stay secrets, once you put these
words into motion you too, may find the road of great destiny."
Martin then turned
around and walked back into the dark abyss, and as he did Matthew called to
him, "Martin it seems to me as if this dream was for nothing, I thought
that all your visits to modern creatures in the form of visions had more substance?"
Martin stopped and
didn't even bother to turn his head as he replied, "Matthew of Redwall,
war is an ugly creature and do not be fooled by its lies of glory. I have seen
first paw what harm it can inflict. Do what it is you wish to do with the
document...but keep in mind the repercussions that could occur."
Matthew woke in a cold
sweat after the haunting dream he had just received. Lifting his head from the
sweat drenched pillow he quickly found his sandals and opened the door. There
was a full moon out to help light the way to the main building. He quietly
stole across the Abbey's grounds, as to tell Jeff and Derek of his dream while
it lay fresh in his mind.
Hastily he walked up
the stairs of the Abbey, he could not see anything for the wall torches had
burned out. Matthew had to run on his instinct if he hoped to find the
dormitories, he wasn't sure how far he had walked when...
WHAM!!
He had to bite down on
to his lower lip to help from shouting due to the surprise and pain running into
a door brought on, especially in pitch-black darkness. He held his paw to his
mouth so is to cough because of the dust that rose from the ancient door.
Matthew felt the door and then wiped the layers of dust off his paws onto his
habit before turning back to go down and try to find where Jeff and Derek were
sleeping.
Finally he reached his
destination, crawling on the ground so he wouldn't make much noise, he found
Jeff's bed Matthew began pulling on Jeff's bushy tail. At first Jeff just
tossed and turned and then he jumped off the bed and tackled Matthew.
Matthew couldn't see
Jeff as he said, "Gosh dangit Matt, can't you see I'm trying to
sleep!!" Jeff was cautious enough to keep his voice down to a whisper.
Matthew simply replied,
with Jeff atop of him, grasping the front of Matthew's habit, "No... Jeff,
I can't see that you're sleeping because it's to dark to see."
After a lengthy and very
rude awakening on Derek and Jeff's part, the three struck out for the
gatehouse. Derek, being the clod brain that he tended to be, stepped on more
than one jagged rock on the way to the quaint little building, without sandals.
"Derek, I wish you
would stop fidgeting like a dibbun and let me dress the cuts on your
feet." commanded Matthew as he attempted to clean Derek's bloody and cut
feet.
Derek simply sat on his
feet, crossed his arms and said while looking away, "Stop it. Tis' only a
flesh wound."
Matthew rolled his eyes
and threw the wet cloth behind him not even taking note of where it landed.
Jeff put his head in his
paws and then said, "Matt, there better be a good explanation for why you
just woke me up at all hours.
"Yea, Matt! I was
tryin' to get my beauty sleep!" Derek exclaimed in an agitated voice with
his arms folded.
"Derek you'd have
to slip into a coma for beauty sleep to put any improvement on you."
Matthew shot back as he huffily paced about the small room, obviously affected
from the lack of sleep also.
"Matt just tell us
what you wanted to tell us!" Shouted Jeff in a voice that Matthew nor
Derek had heard before.
"I was visited by
Martin." Matthew replied flatly.
The signs of sleep
depravation immediately vanished on the faces of both Jeff and Derek. Derek,
whose spikes were standing on end, was quite shocked to here this for he had
always been the strongest of the three. Derek cleared his throat and then spoke
up, "MmmHmHM. Your sayin' that Martin visited YOU!?" Matthew raised
on eyebrow after hearing the indications of jealousy upon Derek's voice. Derek
exclaimed once more, "You're lyin'! Ya' gotta be..."
Derek's voice trailed
"Derek. Do you think I would lie about something like this?" Matthew
looked at the faces of his friends, but they said nothing, except for Derek who
kept rambling on to himself in a low audible tone, as he stared at the ground.
"So," Jeff
started with a smile, trying to lighten the mystic air about them, "When
do you get the sword?"
Matthew turned back to
the soft red colored arch in front of the fireplace and then rooted his paws on
it. He then spoke in a fake, artificial cheeriness, "I'm not sure if I get
to wield the sword or not, he didn't say."
Drowsiness began
entrapping Derek once again as he settled back into his chair and said with a
tired voice, "Well, what are we 'spose to do now?"
Matthew sat down on the
edge of the desk and crossed his arms as he thought about what they should do.
Jeff decided to break the still air by pitching a suggestion, "Why don't
we tell Abbot Zeal?"
Matthew's head turned
sharply as he looked at Jeff and said, "What!? Are you nuts?? You know he
wouldn't believe me, I don't exactly have the best reputation for telling the
truth."
Jeff leaned forward and
debated, "I know, but I think even HE knows you wouldn't lie about
something like this."
Putting his paws atop
his head Matthew looked in Derek's direction, only to find him snoring quietly.
Matthew and Jeff looked at each other and smiled at the sight of the brute
reduced to a near dibbun state. Without any words they both decided it would be
best to just stay the night in the small gatehouse.
Matthew's eyelids slowly
fluttered opened, being shone upon by a brilliant shaft of light that was
streaming from the cross-paneled window. Stale, gatehouse air filled his lungs
as he took in a deep breath and let it out quietly, covering his mouth with a
fist. He was curled up on his side on the short, red couch. Lifting his head
slightly, he looked upon the scene of his friend's slumber. Jeff was curled on
his side also, just opposite of him with his head at the other foot of the
couch. Derek, was lying on his back atop the desk, his hands resting on his
belly as his massive from slowly took in a breath, and slowly let it escape.
Matthew shut his eyes tight for a moment then opened them, and quickly blinked
once or twice and took in the scene again. Carefully, silently, and slowly he
slid his body sideways and planted his feet on the ground, his thin body was
now upright on the couch as he sat there slightly hunched over with his hands
on the cushions. Working around the dry saliva in his mouth, Matthew stood over
Jeff and softly shook him while speaking with a heavily fatigued voice,
"Wake up Jeff…"
Jeff's small frame
sprawled and stretched over the couch as Matthew went to wake up Derek,
"What time is it Matt?"
Not the end but not to be continued either sadly enough.