3

It was as winter should be. No signs of green, yellow, red, or orange- just brown, white, and more white as far as the eye could see. No grass, no flowers, no leaves, just frozen ponds, abandoned nests, dead tress, and, most importantly, a silent winter wonderland.

The beauty of Mossflower was lost on Redmond Wallfleur. As he walked through the snow-laden land he had only one thought in mind- to reach Redwall Abbey. Back in the days that he used to Long Patrol with hares like the de Quickfleets he had visited the abbey many a times. Indeed, as the old hare recalled their scrumptious trifles and delicious ales, he found himself drooling like an otter standing before a boiling pot of hotroot soup. However, the hare was long since finished with battles; ever since he lost Slick twelve seasons ago he had never quite returned to his normal self. It was Lord Oneye himself that suggested Redmond's early retirement at Redwall. The hare had done as his badger lord requested, but with a heavy heart; leaving for Redwall meant leaving his life behind him.

Redmond supposed that life at Redwall would be better than life at Salamandastron. After all, it was the memories at Salamandastron that made him so upset. For twelve long seasons he dwelled on thoughts of hatred and revenge of the fox Ripear. Luckily the fox had left Mossflower, but like all evil warlords Redmond knew he'd return with a horde stronger and tougher than ever. At this moment, Redmond reached a bend in the road and caught a glimpse of Redwall in the distance. Sighing, he quickened his pace and ran towards the beautiful Abbey.

Despite his foul mood, the sight of Redwall made Redmond's heart leap. His ears twitching, he began to sing a small ditty he and Slick had composed as young leverets, eager to upset the corporals with their "fantabulous singing expertise."

"The best time of year would be winter time
when all good beasts gather about
'cause this is the time for snowball fights
harmless fun I'd have to say now, wot?

We advise you young weaklings to stay away from our game
as only the strongest will survives.
Indeed it's a test of true knowledge, ol' chap,
as only the fittest'll be ali-ouch! I say, who's interruptin' me bally song now, wot?"

Redmond spun around in a circle, glaring at the trees. On the top of his head was a snowball, situated in such a position that made his ears flop over and into his face. Frowning, the old hare looked for some beast but to no prevail. Instead, he was met by a mischievous giggle whose source was seemingly invisible.

Struck by a sudden brilliance, Redmond looked up to the trees above him. Eyes widening, he suddenly wished he hadn't, since a red squirrel wearing a heavy white coat dropped down onto him.

"Hiya misser!" The squirrelbabe smiled down at him from atop her perch on the hare's stomach. "I'ma Starlight, an' that's Mitzy o'er there." Starlight pointed behind Redmond, who tilted his head back, following her pointed claw. Unable to keep himself from smiling, he watched as a light brown mouse wearing a dark green cloak stepped out from behind a tree, giggling madly.

'Hehehe, big rabbit is soso funny!" Skipping over, Mitzy jumped onto Redmond's stomach next to Starlight. Before Redmond could object to being called a rabbit, Mitzy pointed to yet another beast behind the hare, where she had been standing naught two seconds ago. "Lookee lookee it's Swiftpaw! Yay!" With that, the two babes jumped up and ran to this Swiftpaw character. Seizing the opportunity, Redmond got up and brushed the snow off him, turning to face his rescuer. Looking up, Redmond's eyes widened as he saw that his rescuer was an all too familiar hare.

"Slick? Is that you? But I, when we hadn't seen or heard from you or Marisol, and no sign of Ripear, we thought you had died, I mean you had never sent anyone out to tell us, and we had no idea... my, you look like you haven't aged a bally bit, what's the secret there, ol' chap, what's your jolly ol' secret?" Redmond hopped over to Swiftpaw, clapping his paw down hard on the young hare's back. "Ah, either way, I'm glad I've found ya, m'jolly ol' mate, but, one question still boggles my mind; why didn't y'ever come back?"

Swiftpaw had never been so confused in all his life. Here was a hare he had never seen before in his entire life that was calling him Slick and acting like the two were old friends. Slipping out of the hare's grip, Swiftpaw put his arms around the two babes he had been taking on a walk as a pre-Abbess's-birthdate feast festivity protectively. Raising his eyebrows, he looked the older hare up and down. "Well, sah, don' know who ya think I bally am, but I'll tell ya one thing, I do know I am NOT Slick. I don't even know who the bally character is! So, if you'll excuse us, we'll be headin' back ta Redwall now, wot wot!" Steering the Dibbuns in the direction of their home, he let out a groan as Starlight got away and ran back to Redmond.

"Mistah Slick, you come wiv us?" Both hares were flabbergasted at this, though both in different ways. Beaming, Redmond nodded at the squirrel.

"Of course I'd be jolly well delighted and honored, young marm, but m'name's Redmond, not Slick, doncha know." Grabbing the squirrel's paw, the two skipped off to Redwall, leaving an exasperated Swiftpaw staring after them, interrupted only by Mitzy's pulling on his arm.

"Swiffpaw, me wanna go back ta da Abbey too, pweeez?" Smiling, Swiftpaw lifted the squirrel to his shoulders.

"Alright, lil marm, let's go back to our home now!" Taking off after Redmond and Starlight, Swiftpaw added mentally to himself, and hopefully we'll find out what this sah's playin' at!



Sybil sat on the uppermost area of Redwall. She had a marvelous view of all of Mossflower, feasting on its beauty. But she hadn't come up as far as she had to bask in the beauty of her homeland; if anything, the squirrel had wanted time alone to think of what she should do now. Sighing, she grabbed a pawful of snow, sifting it between her claws to the grounds far below her. Upon hearing somebeast yell out, Sybil was momentarily brought back to reality. A few moments later after the yell, a white squirrel poked her head over the edge of the area Sybil sat on. Clearing her throat annoyingly, the squirrel shook her head, revealing a glossy black furred head. Attempting to smile apologetically, the only look Sybil could manage was a grimace. The black squirrel settled herself down next to her friend, frowning deeply. "Sybil, what's wrong? You look like a mother mouse whose child was just stolen by vermin!" Suddenly the black squirrel's eyes widened, her paws flying up to her mouth. "Swiftpaw's okay, right?"

Sybil sighed, turning to the other squirrel. "Saish, it's not like that. It's just... well, Martin said that, that... oh Saish, it's... time!" Sybil buried her face in her paws, shaking with grief.

Saish rose an eyebrow, thoroughly confused. "Uh, Sybil... what's wrong? I mean... it's time... for what?"

Sybil mumbled quietly, half to herself, "It's time for me to tell Swiftpaw. But, Saish, that can't be right, I don't know anything! So the only other choice is for Swiftpaw to go out and find his history on his own outside of Redwall! Saish, I may never see him again..." Sybil buried her face deeper in her paws, unable to hold back her tears.

Saish pat her friend's back, a sympathetic look on her face. "Oh, dear, you really are working up a tizzy about this. Sybil, even if Swiftpaw leaves he'll be back, in the flesh or in your dreams, like Martin. Just, well, you have to ell him what little information you DO know. Which reminds me, Raine was looking for you. She said something about a specific male otter, a great friend of yours, I believe his name was... Skipper?" Winking at her friend, Saish pointed to the grounds, where Skipper of otters was waving up to the two squirrels, a mere dot on the small grounds. Next to him stood the current Abbey warrior, a young mouse named Raine, who also served as the Abbey's "badgermum" to the young Dibbuns. Managing a small smile, Sybil hugged her friend and hopped down to the grounds. Unable to help herself, Saish grinned and called out, "Oh, right, just leave me up here to die of starvation!" laughing, Saish laid back and made herself comfortable, enjoying the rare peace and quiet.

Skipper smiled at his friend and she landed silently in front of them as if she had never fallen in the first place. Winking, Sybil held out her arms. "Aw, y'great big lumberin' waterdog, come here!"

Skipper made as if to hug the squirrel but, deciding against it, ruffled the fur on her head instead. Laughing as Sybil gave him a shocked and disapproving look, he threw her arms around her, hugging her so hard she was lifted off the ground. "Aw, mate, please forgive yer ol' otter mate, 'e was only playin' witcha!"

Sybil frowned, concentrating hard. "Well, I suppose so, on one condition."

Skipper fell to his knees, his paws clasped together. Shaking his paws, he begged Sybil to accept his apologies. "Aw, marm, please, I'll do anything!"

Falling out of her joking manner and back to her serious one, Sybil clasped her small paws around Skipper's enormous ones. "Then please, please help me tell Swiftpaw he needs to go." Her huge, saddened brown eyes begged with Skipper's small black ones that slowly changed from confused to sympathetic and understanding.

"G-go? Why does he need to leave? What did he do? Oh wait, don't tell me- Martin said it was time?" Sybil nodded sadly, and Skipper broke into a grin. "Then that means he's got a purpose in life! C'mon, cheer up, let's talk to him now, eh?" Sybil half grinned, shrugging.

"Alright, alright, Swiftpaw should be back with Starlight and Mitzy any time now. That'll be a good time to talk to him." From the gate behind them came a knocking. Raine excused herself and opened the gate for the visitor. Standing before her was a hare and a squirrelbabe. The hare looked her up and down before coming to a conclusion.

"You must be Log-a-Log of the Guosim shrews. That makes me bally lucky, for I've been wantin' t'jolly well meet ya for the longest time, marm, wot wot!"

"Thaz no shoo thaz Rane!" Starlight giggled, jumping on Redmond's back and pulling his ears. Rane half-smiled as Redmond tried to wrestle the squirrel off. It was true; Raine did look almost exactly like a shrew. Her head fur was spiked in the same fashion as a shrew, and she was just about the same size. The only difference as that he warrior had the short snout of a mouse and the same slim build, while shrews tended to be stocky and have longer snouts.

Redmond raised an eyebrow, holding Starlight upside down by her tail. "Not a shrew, eh? Well then, in that case, I guess I'm not as jolly ol' enthralled to meetcha! M'name's Redmond, Redmond Wallfleur, and I've come from Salamandastron for an early retirement. No beast really minds, do they? I mean, I didn't exactly consider them, wot-"

Starlight had clamped a paw over her new friend's mouth. "You quiet now. Eat we do!"

Redmond's eyes lit up as he set the squirrel down. "Now y'said the bally magic word! Scoff! Let's go eat!"

As Redmond went inside, Swiftpaw stepped inside the open gates, shutting it behind him. "Ah, has an extremely ol' hare come-"

"Y'just missed him, Swiftpaw. Though he wasn't 'extremely old' like you call him. Why?" Raine replied, tilting her head. Swiftpaw shrugged.

"No good reason. I'm goin' ta-"

For the second time, Swiftpaw was interrupted, this time by Sybil. "Um, Swiftpaw… can me and Skip have a word with you," her she glanced to Skipper, who nodded for her to continue, "alone? Right now?"

Swiftpaw's ears perked up as he put Mitzy down and hopped over to his "parents." "Sure, Syb, wot's th'matter?"

Sybil set her jaw. "It's time for me to tell you the truth. I'm not your mom; no, stop laughing, it gets better." Swiftpaw stopped laughing, tilting his head. "Alright, see, twelve seasons ago me and Skip found you and your dead mother not too far from here. She's the nameless hare of Redwall." Sybil pointed to the grave near the west wall. It was, as Sybil called it, the Nameless Hare of Redwall. "Oh, Swiftpaw, I know it's not much information but Martin said-"

"Twelve seasons, eh? Little hare babe and his mom… Tell me, this female, was she a dark brown in color? And her son. Right here… Swiftpaw… By golly, I knew I remembered that bally name, absoballylutely knew I did, wot, can't believe it took me so long…" Redmond had popped up behind Skipper. "You're Slick's son! That dark brown hair was Marisol! And you, m'boy, somehow lived! I'm not sure how, but y'must've been separated. Anyhoo, y'jolly parents went on a mission t'Redwall, t'warn them o'the fox lord Ripear. However, they never reported back, and we never heard of Ripear again, so we figured they told you then, on their bally trip back, must've gotten distracted, eh wot? But thaz all I know, an' it's probly not too jolly well helpful, wot?"

Swiftpaw, Sybil, and Skipper stood there gawking at the hare. He gave them a confused look. "Wot?" Swiftpaw suddenly felt the urge to see his mother's grave, his insides churning from some emotion he had never felt before, and so he took off, with no acknowledgement to the others standing around him.

Upon reaching the grave, Swiftpaw collapsed. Closing his eyes, he began to remember things; his mother's body when he found her, his vow to kill Ripear, even the dream of his dead father and Martin. This was all too overwhelming for the young hare; falling over, he passed out right then and there.

Sybil leaned against Skipper, looking at their "son." Their "family" was an odd one- a hare with a squirrel mother and otter father. Yet the three were more like good friends- Skipper had taught Swiftpaw fighting and Sybil taught him manners. Burying her head in Skipper's shoulder, Skipper pat Sybil's head comfortingly, sighing deeply. "Don't worry, Syb, Swiftpaw's got Martin looking after him." Smiling, he walked over and gathered Swiftpaw up,then, with Sybil walking beside him, brought the hare up to the infirmary for a break.

Swiftpaw awoke to the joyous sounds of a feast. Lying in bed in a stupor, it took a while for realization to sink in, but once it did the hare jumped up, grabbing his head. "Great scots, I nearly forgot about the flippin' feast!" Jumping up, he ran downstairs to join his friends in a feast celebrating Abbess Spyring's birthday. Neary falling down the steps, he burst into Great Hall, all heads turning to him, a great silence suddenly filling the large hall. "Er, sorry there, I know, I know, bad form an' all, wot, ah, hullo, Muther Abbess, marm, wonderful day for a birthday feast, eh wot?"

Swiftpaw stood in complete silence for a moment, but the noise was quickly restored. The old mouse approached Swiftpaw, smiling. "Thank you, my friend, for the nice acknowledgement. May I interest you in some trifle?"

Swiftpaw gladly accepted, wolfing the small portion down in a flash, then excused himself to get some more. After he had filled his plate to the brim, he began to spoon even more food on top of that, fitting an amount that could have easily squeeze onto three plates onto only one. Situating himself between Mitzy and a small mousebabe named Sage, he began to eat noisely and messily. "Mmm, good scoff, wot?"

Two seats down from Mitzy came an eager response. "Yes, rather delicious, ain't it?"

Swiftpaw nearly choked as he glared down at Redmond. "You, sah, have a bad form, almost murderin' a chap like that!"

Redmond grinned. "Well, I'll apologize, being as you're the only son of Slick!"

Swiftpaw groaned, finishing off the last of his food. "Erm, I'm bally full, goin' ta head t'bed now and wot not, g'night!"

Swiftpaw pushed away from the table, patting his stomach. He then stood up and went to bed, dreaming of blue foxes and red squirrels.

***

Din was hopping trees, far from carefully avoiding detection. All the squirrel though of was getting as far away from Ripear as possible. The fox was going "back to Redwall"- Din needed to warn this place, whatever it was, before it was too late! He didn't stop to eat, but instead ate on the run; he never slept until he collapsed, and even then it was for no more than a short-lived nap. He had gotten the directions from random strangers, and now he knew he was out of Riversea and was in Mossflower. Not that it helped him; he was in need of more directions if he was to ever even consider reaching Redwall in time.

Today, however, luck was with Din. In front, or rather, below him was a family of dormice heading south. Dropping down, he turned to them and said in his shaky voice that made him sound like a crazy old otter, "Where is Redwall."

The dormice, taken slightly aback and somewhat scared, all huddled behind their father. Shaking slightly, the old one pointed to his left; west. Nodding his thanks, Din jumped up into the trees and took off once more, the same direction he had been going, a mad fury taking over him as he remembered what had happened to him one season ago when Ripear had taken over and destroyed his village.

Oh how Din hated Ripear. The fox with his son, Blufur, had taken over half of Riversea with a philosophy of, "no slaves, no prisoners, no trouble." The horde had started with 900 beasts, but by now he had neared at the least 9,000. No beast dared to stand up to him, and those that did never lived to tell about it. It was an honor to be in his horde, yet anybeast would be allowed in. Rumors told of vermin from across the sea and land traveled many seasons just to join. Either way, when Din's village was attacked they had no choice but to surrender- and die. Din was the sole survivor, and over hearing that this fox wanted to capture a place called Redwall, Din set out to rescue this place from the horrible fate that would bestow upon it if they didn't know.

Falling out of the tree from weariness, Din decided to take a short break before continuing and, clambering back up into one of the trees, settled down in the snow covered branches of a dormant oak tree.