A/N: Hello, again. Just a couple quick notes. This chapter is dedicated to my good friend J, and Chibimegan, who said she'd have my head if I didn't get this chapter up. Oh, and by the way, this is NOT the last chapter. You think I would be mean enough to end the story here? Of course not.

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Martin was in shock. "Rose?" he repeated. "Rose?"
"Martin!" the figure, who everyone could now see was a mousemaid, exclaimed. "I- where have you- I've been searching everywhere!"
"I can't believe it." Martin said in astonishment. "I can't believe it!"
Gonff and Dinny both were incredibly confused by now. "Ev'rybudy gone crazy, oi b'leeve." Dinny declared.
"A fire." Martin said, still shaking. "Somebeast light a fire."
Gonff did so, declaring as he did, "Excuse me, I'm aware that this is somewhat a rather emotional moment, but I seem to be missing some vital information here. Could someone please fill me in?"
"Oh- yes- of course." Martin said, more or less snapping out of his trance. "Come on, let's go sit down."
All four creatures sat around the now blazing fire. "Well," Gonff said, slowly. "That has got to be the strangest thing I've ever seen. I'm assuming your name is Laterose, Rose for short?" he asked the mousemaid, who nodded. Gonff now looked at Martin. "Do you two know each other?"
"Yes- yes, we do." Martin said, still rather stunned. "But- but- Rose, you're supposed to be dead!"
It was Rose's turn to be stunned. "What? I'm supposed to be what?"
"Oh, boy." Gonff rubbed his head. "Mmm, let's start from the beginning. How do you two know each other?"
Martin took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Rose and some other sympathetic woodlanders rescued me from a fortress, Marshank, that was ruled by an evil stoat, named Badrang."
"Later on," Rose continued the story. "We returned to Marshank to fight Badrang and, hopefully, kill him. I don't know if that was ever accomplished."
"It was." Martin said. "But- but- in the battle- Rose was…" He trailed off.
"No, Martin." Rose said softly. "I was not killed. Injured badly, yes, but not killed."
"But your brother went back to Marshank to retrieve your- your body." Martin said shakily. "He was going to take you back to Noonvale to bury you."
Rose thought for a second. "I must have gotten out of Marshank before he went back for me, then. I- I just remember being very, very dizzy… being picked up… losing consciousness… next thing I knew I was in an old hare's home. She talked enough to fill an entire book, but she managed to nurse me back to health. She mended my bones, and I thanked her and went on my way. Amazing, really."
Martin found himself crying for the second time that night, but this time with absolute joy. Rose put her arm around him quietly. After a few seconds had passed she said, "After I left the hare's home I went back to Noonvale. I only stayed there for a while. Eventually I set out to find you. I- I searched for what seemed like forever, in despair of ever finding you. Then one day I heard of a heroic warrior, the best in the land, who lived at a redstone abbey and defended all goodbeasts with his great sword." She smiled. "I knew it could only be you, so I set off for the abbey, with directions from some kind woodlanders. And that's where I was heading when I found you."
"Rather nice description of you, Martin." Gonff said, now grinning broadly. Rose and Martin looked up in surprise. They had almost forgotten that the others were there.
Martin took another deep breath, then looked at Rose. "You- you wouldn't happen to know the way back to the Abbey, would you?" He smiled ruefully. "We are completely lost."
"Of course I know my way back to the Abbey. I recited the directions to it every morning while I was heading for it."
"The sun be a-roising." Dinny pointed out.
Gonff stood up. "Wonderful. We'll start for the Abbey right now. Rose, you lead the way."
The four companions headed back for Redwall Abbey with the sun rising in the east and smiles on their faces.