On the first day of summer, had any creature been out in the still heat, he might have seen a young mouse carrying a Claymore. But nobeast would have stood the heat long enough to see Trillium marching west, and so she continued alone, as she had for two weeks, making her way to the sea.
It had been two weeks since the young mousemaid had left Camp Rivermoon, driven by some unknown force. Although so much time had passed, she hadn't uttered a sound since she had seen her family die, and hte pain had not yet subsided. She decided that it was not only grief, but guilt, as well. If only she had been paying more attention, she would have found htem earlier and they would still be living.
Trillium was still pondering "ifs" when she came upon a pair of Dibbuns, playing in the shallows of a stream. One of them, a little mouse, was dangling a thread into the water, and the other, a molebabe, complained about her dirty dress.
"When we'm get 'ome, all 'ee growedups'll be angered at oi fur gettin' moi smock dirted. We'm woan't get no zupper," she said.
"When we get home, alla grownups say, 'Grayshuss me, naughty likkle fiends, scare us haffa death, no supper till you 'pologize!" The tiny mouse puffed himself up and waved his paw in imitation of an angry adult. His friend rolled on the ground with laughter.
"Well, then you should certainly apologize," Trillium said, approaching the babes. "What are your names, young'uns?"
After he recovered from his surprise, the mouse smiled and answered. "My name is Frinkle, an' that moley is Drubb. We fwom d'Abbey."
"We'ms be losted, thanks to that thurr mouse. He sayed he knowd 'ow to get 'ome, but he doan't."
"We'm not losted, silly moley. I know zactly where we is," Frinkle exclaimed indignantly.
"Where are we, Frinkle?" Trillium asked, supressing a smile.
"Easy! We right here!" Triumphantly, the babe pointed at the ground. Drubb's fears seemed to have been allayed.
"My name's Trillium. I'll take you two back to the Abbey. It's about a day and a half's march that way, I'd say," she stated, pointing to the northeast. As they started the march, Trillium soon learned that Frinkle was extremely talkative, while Drubb was fairly quiet.
"We been goned for three days al'eady. Badgermum be real mad by now."
"She's probably more worried than angry."
"You sure gotta hooge sword. You must be a good warrior."
"Thank you, Frinkle."
"Didja chop up any rats today?"
"Not today. But if you're bad, I'll chop off your tail."
"Nuh-uh. Me's just likkle, an' I don't know any better."
"You're a gabby little beast, that's what you are."
"Oh, yes, I yam. That's what Badgermum say."
"I'm sure she does."
And so it went, for the rest of the long walk to the Abbey. Trillium wondered why it was suddenly so easy to speak and laugh with the youngsters. The lump that had been in her throat was mysteriously dissolving, and she felt happy for the first time in more than two weeks. She decided that Dibbuns were good therapy for heartache.
***
Brother Thyme burst through the door to Cavern Hole, shouting excitedly.
"The Dibbuns are on their way home! And a warrior mouse is bringing them. They'll be here shortly." Then the brother left to open the gates.
Manda, the badger Guardian of Redwall, smiled and blinked back a tear. "Thank the fates that they are safe. I'd nearly given up on ever seeing them again."
***
Trillium stopped dead in her tracks before the magnificent Abbey. She had known where it stood, but never had she actualy been there. Nothing could have prepared her for the awe-inspiring sight. The massive structure was built entirely of flame-red sandstone, with a huge wall surrounding it. Mice stood watch on the battlements, and the belltower was taller than the tallest tree she had ever seen. The weathervane at the peak of the roof was a mere speck, so great was the height of Redwall Abbey. As the young mousemaid watched, the gigantic gate began to swing open. Trillium took a deep breath, held her head high, and strode confidantly toward the gatehouse.
Manda stepped from the gates and met the gaze of the pretty young warrior who had brought the babes home. The mouse had a large sword strapped across her back, but she stood tall and erect. She seemed humble, but at the same time, willing to fight and confidant of herself. Her eyes betrayed frustration, guilt, and sorrow, while the rest of her face was unreadable. The warrior stopped in front of the guardian and made a polite curtsy. Manda was the first to speak.
"Welcome to Redwall Abbey, and we thank you for safely returning the Dibbuns. I am Manda, guardian and protector of the Abbey, and the 'Badgermum' of whom you may have heard. May the seasons smile brightly upon you."
"And you, my lady," Trillium replied, inclining her head respectfully. The badger seemed so royal and had spoken so well that the "my lady" seemed appropriate. Her politeness delighted the guardian.
"Just call me Manda," she said, leaving solemnity and ceremony behind. "Tell me, my young warrior, what are you called? Where do you come from?"
"My name is Trillium, and I come from Camp Rivermoon."
"Well, Trillium, once again, welcome to Redwall Abbey." With that, they passed through the gatehouse and into the beautiful grounds.
***
Late that evening, after supper, the guardian and the warrior were sitting in front of a warm fire in Cavern Hole. Trillium had been excused from the traditional tale-telling by instead singing a lullaby, and in return was complimented on her beautiful singing voice. During the meal, she had found herself surrounded by dozens of young male mice, vying for her attention and asking her why she didn't sing instead of fight for a living. Her only reply was that would rather sing for herself than anybody else.
Now, as they sat alone in the soft light of the fire and talked as old friends, neither noticed a young mouse called Daniel creeping down the stairs to listen.
Manda soon brought up what wa really on her mind. "Come now, little one," she coaxed gently, "I know that you do have a story to tell. Tell me why you left Camp Rivermoon."
The mousemaid heaved a sigh and bagan to speak. Before she knew it, all of the barriers were gone and, as Manda (and Daniel) listened, Trillium's entire life came pouring from her lips. She told of the night her family had been kidnapped and she had killed for the first time. She explained all of her months at Camp Rivermoon, and the friendships she had gained there. When she got to the part about the deaths of her family members, she nearly choked, but continued anyway. Her goodbye notes were recited, nearly word for word, as was her need for space to heal, and desire to go to the ocean. Finally, she told of her feelings of responsibility, of hatred towards the vermin who had killed her family, and of her guilt of not speaking to her friends. Then, she stared into the dying flames as she thought of things unknown to the badger.
Manda now realized why such a young creature would take on a journey so dangerous with no help whatsoever. It amazed her that the mouse had not shed a single tear during the entire telling of the tale. In fact, she doubted that Trillium had wept at all since she was a Dibbun. The guardian placed a huge paw on the smaller shoulder for comfort.
"Here is some advice, little warrior. It is good to take responsibility for your actions, but there are things beyond your control. There was no way you could have saved your family, and so you must let it go. Aside from that, when you get to the ocean, don't drink the water; it's salty."
"Thank you for everything, Manda. Perhaps I will see you again someday. But, for now, I must say farewell. I'll be gone by dawn." Trillium gave a small smile, and hte two embraced before they went up to bed.
Daniel followed them after he made sure the fire was out. That Trillium is amazing, he thought. She was beautiful, brave, honorable, and evrything a warrior should be. At supper, he had been among the many mice to sit near her, and they had made friends immediately. Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he decided to follow through with it, as he went up to the dormitories for the night.
It had been two weeks since the young mousemaid had left Camp Rivermoon, driven by some unknown force. Although so much time had passed, she hadn't uttered a sound since she had seen her family die, and hte pain had not yet subsided. She decided that it was not only grief, but guilt, as well. If only she had been paying more attention, she would have found htem earlier and they would still be living.
Trillium was still pondering "ifs" when she came upon a pair of Dibbuns, playing in the shallows of a stream. One of them, a little mouse, was dangling a thread into the water, and the other, a molebabe, complained about her dirty dress.
"When we'm get 'ome, all 'ee growedups'll be angered at oi fur gettin' moi smock dirted. We'm woan't get no zupper," she said.
"When we get home, alla grownups say, 'Grayshuss me, naughty likkle fiends, scare us haffa death, no supper till you 'pologize!" The tiny mouse puffed himself up and waved his paw in imitation of an angry adult. His friend rolled on the ground with laughter.
"Well, then you should certainly apologize," Trillium said, approaching the babes. "What are your names, young'uns?"
After he recovered from his surprise, the mouse smiled and answered. "My name is Frinkle, an' that moley is Drubb. We fwom d'Abbey."
"We'ms be losted, thanks to that thurr mouse. He sayed he knowd 'ow to get 'ome, but he doan't."
"We'm not losted, silly moley. I know zactly where we is," Frinkle exclaimed indignantly.
"Where are we, Frinkle?" Trillium asked, supressing a smile.
"Easy! We right here!" Triumphantly, the babe pointed at the ground. Drubb's fears seemed to have been allayed.
"My name's Trillium. I'll take you two back to the Abbey. It's about a day and a half's march that way, I'd say," she stated, pointing to the northeast. As they started the march, Trillium soon learned that Frinkle was extremely talkative, while Drubb was fairly quiet.
"We been goned for three days al'eady. Badgermum be real mad by now."
"She's probably more worried than angry."
"You sure gotta hooge sword. You must be a good warrior."
"Thank you, Frinkle."
"Didja chop up any rats today?"
"Not today. But if you're bad, I'll chop off your tail."
"Nuh-uh. Me's just likkle, an' I don't know any better."
"You're a gabby little beast, that's what you are."
"Oh, yes, I yam. That's what Badgermum say."
"I'm sure she does."
And so it went, for the rest of the long walk to the Abbey. Trillium wondered why it was suddenly so easy to speak and laugh with the youngsters. The lump that had been in her throat was mysteriously dissolving, and she felt happy for the first time in more than two weeks. She decided that Dibbuns were good therapy for heartache.
***
Brother Thyme burst through the door to Cavern Hole, shouting excitedly.
"The Dibbuns are on their way home! And a warrior mouse is bringing them. They'll be here shortly." Then the brother left to open the gates.
Manda, the badger Guardian of Redwall, smiled and blinked back a tear. "Thank the fates that they are safe. I'd nearly given up on ever seeing them again."
***
Trillium stopped dead in her tracks before the magnificent Abbey. She had known where it stood, but never had she actualy been there. Nothing could have prepared her for the awe-inspiring sight. The massive structure was built entirely of flame-red sandstone, with a huge wall surrounding it. Mice stood watch on the battlements, and the belltower was taller than the tallest tree she had ever seen. The weathervane at the peak of the roof was a mere speck, so great was the height of Redwall Abbey. As the young mousemaid watched, the gigantic gate began to swing open. Trillium took a deep breath, held her head high, and strode confidantly toward the gatehouse.
Manda stepped from the gates and met the gaze of the pretty young warrior who had brought the babes home. The mouse had a large sword strapped across her back, but she stood tall and erect. She seemed humble, but at the same time, willing to fight and confidant of herself. Her eyes betrayed frustration, guilt, and sorrow, while the rest of her face was unreadable. The warrior stopped in front of the guardian and made a polite curtsy. Manda was the first to speak.
"Welcome to Redwall Abbey, and we thank you for safely returning the Dibbuns. I am Manda, guardian and protector of the Abbey, and the 'Badgermum' of whom you may have heard. May the seasons smile brightly upon you."
"And you, my lady," Trillium replied, inclining her head respectfully. The badger seemed so royal and had spoken so well that the "my lady" seemed appropriate. Her politeness delighted the guardian.
"Just call me Manda," she said, leaving solemnity and ceremony behind. "Tell me, my young warrior, what are you called? Where do you come from?"
"My name is Trillium, and I come from Camp Rivermoon."
"Well, Trillium, once again, welcome to Redwall Abbey." With that, they passed through the gatehouse and into the beautiful grounds.
***
Late that evening, after supper, the guardian and the warrior were sitting in front of a warm fire in Cavern Hole. Trillium had been excused from the traditional tale-telling by instead singing a lullaby, and in return was complimented on her beautiful singing voice. During the meal, she had found herself surrounded by dozens of young male mice, vying for her attention and asking her why she didn't sing instead of fight for a living. Her only reply was that would rather sing for herself than anybody else.
Now, as they sat alone in the soft light of the fire and talked as old friends, neither noticed a young mouse called Daniel creeping down the stairs to listen.
Manda soon brought up what wa really on her mind. "Come now, little one," she coaxed gently, "I know that you do have a story to tell. Tell me why you left Camp Rivermoon."
The mousemaid heaved a sigh and bagan to speak. Before she knew it, all of the barriers were gone and, as Manda (and Daniel) listened, Trillium's entire life came pouring from her lips. She told of the night her family had been kidnapped and she had killed for the first time. She explained all of her months at Camp Rivermoon, and the friendships she had gained there. When she got to the part about the deaths of her family members, she nearly choked, but continued anyway. Her goodbye notes were recited, nearly word for word, as was her need for space to heal, and desire to go to the ocean. Finally, she told of her feelings of responsibility, of hatred towards the vermin who had killed her family, and of her guilt of not speaking to her friends. Then, she stared into the dying flames as she thought of things unknown to the badger.
Manda now realized why such a young creature would take on a journey so dangerous with no help whatsoever. It amazed her that the mouse had not shed a single tear during the entire telling of the tale. In fact, she doubted that Trillium had wept at all since she was a Dibbun. The guardian placed a huge paw on the smaller shoulder for comfort.
"Here is some advice, little warrior. It is good to take responsibility for your actions, but there are things beyond your control. There was no way you could have saved your family, and so you must let it go. Aside from that, when you get to the ocean, don't drink the water; it's salty."
"Thank you for everything, Manda. Perhaps I will see you again someday. But, for now, I must say farewell. I'll be gone by dawn." Trillium gave a small smile, and hte two embraced before they went up to bed.
Daniel followed them after he made sure the fire was out. That Trillium is amazing, he thought. She was beautiful, brave, honorable, and evrything a warrior should be. At supper, he had been among the many mice to sit near her, and they had made friends immediately. Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he decided to follow through with it, as he went up to the dormitories for the night.