Caudex- *blushes* yes, I have spell check. though I have been known to
disable it for the simple reason that it annoys me. Sorry, I'll write a
huge stickynote reminding myself. Thanks for pointing it out! Also...
correct me if I'm wrong- you post on the RFF Board? If you do, would you
mind if I emailed you? I have a few questions about it. It would be greatly
appreciated.
Chapter 6- Training
The next morning Mariel awoke an hour before dawn to get ready for her promised training time with Dandin. After washing up, she donned some of her old clothes and retrieved her Gullwhacker. She also grabbed her rarely used dagger just in case.
After she had all of her things, she went out to their agreed meeting place. Seeing that Dandin wasn't out yet, she started to clear away snow so they could move easier. Dandin arrived not too much later, still munching on a hot scone that he had stolen from the windowsill.
"Hello, did you have a good sleep?" he asked through his breakfast.
"That's gross. And yes, I did," she replied. 'Dandin seems a little over-polite,' she thought to herself briefly before shrugging it off. "Are you ready?"
"Sure. Lets start with attacks."
She nodded in agreement before taking up the fighting stance. As soon as he was up, they began walking in a circle across from each other, never looking away, waiting for the right moment to attack. Currently they were studying different types of paw-to-paw combat, as both were very skilled with weaponry.
Mariel lunged forward, throwing a series of punches at Dandin. He blocked almost all of them for a good amount of time. This caused him to get a little less strict with his movements, and he eventually got hit in the stomach. He moaned, doubling over in pain.
Mariel hadn't intended on hitting him that hard. She stopped, staring at his bent form. "You alright?" she asked. Her response was a moan, so she knelt beside him. "Dan-"
She never finished the sentence, because he swung his fist in a sideways curve, getting her shoulder blade.
"Gotcha," he said, looking very happy with himself.
Mariel glared at him, rubbing her shoulder. He smiled at her in a way he thought she would give in to, but he got quite the opposite reaction. She ran at him, crashing into his already hurting stomach and sending him to the ground. She held him there, and looked at him in a way that almost dared him to try and get up.
"Fine, Mariel, you win this round."
She smiled triumphantly, getting up. "Good. What do you want t'do now?"
"Kicks. We haven't worked on them in a while."
She agreed, and they were off again, blocking, kicking, and punching each other. It was almost noon when they finished everything. Both had to drag themselves into the abbey, sweat glistening on their faces, cold thought it was. Mariel slumped into a chair wearily, practically ripping her cloak off of her body. She folded it messily and placed it on the table. The Gullwhacker and dagger were dropped carelessly to the floor as she laid her head on the table.
"I've learned something- training in the snow isn't easy, even when you clear the ground," she said.
"I'll second that," agreed Dandin, wiping his brow. "You want something to drink?"
"Sure."
"Alright. Be right back." Dandin put down his cloak and walked off to the kitchens.
Mariel sighed and leaned back in her chair. Though she loved the abbey, she was happiest when she was on the road and camping out under the stars. She let her thoughts drift to all of the different adventures she had been on. She was startled out of her reverie by Dandin.
"Here you are miss. Lemonade."
She took it without response and drank it in a matter of seconds. "Thanks."
He nodded in response and took a seat. Not too long later, Rufe Brush joined them.
"Hello Dandin, Mariel. Abbot Saxtus has been asking after you two for hours. He wants to speak with you in the library. Said it's very urgent."
"I suppose we have to go then," said Mariel. "Lets go." She got her things and headed up to the library with Dandin and Rufe.
"D'you have any idea of what it's about?" Dandin asked.
"Not a clue. I think it has to be serious, though, because he seemed very agitated."
The rest of the walk to the library was passed in silence. They found Abbot Saxtus looking through an old abbey journal record.
"Hey Sax. Rufe said you needed to see us."
"Aye, thanks for coming. We have just received word from a group of woodlanders that they are in dire need of our help. Their colony is under has been taken over by a vermin band. About 20 or so, they said. Their leader was killed."
"We don't know them. Why should we trust this?" asked Mariel.
"Because they are fellow woodlanders and they have asked for our help. They were forced out of their homes. Maids were harassed, dibbuns were injured, and all were tortured. They have been enslaved." Saxtus paused and saw Dandin working into a full fury. He shook his arm, but Dandin just growled (A/N: No, I'm not giving Dandin bloodwrath. He's just.. overworked.) Mariel shook her head at him and motioned for Saxtus to continue. "They took great risks sending for help. Letters were sent to Salamandastron, to the Guosim headquarters, and to other neighboring colonies."
"So basically they're asking for somebeast to come be their hero's and save them," stated Mariel dryly. She turned to Dandin. "What d'you say?"
"We'll have a plan by supper, and we depart after that," he said decisively.
Mariel sighed. She knew she had to help, but she had been looking forward to more time at Redwall. Deciding that Dandin would win her over anyway, she followed him to the writing area of the library to start their plan.
At suppertime, they went down to Great Hall and found it in full swing. They took their seats and started eating. Mariel realized that she was ravenous, which was no surprise, since she hadn't eaten much all day.
When they finished eating, they alerted Saxtus and he got the attention of the abbeybeasts. He told the basic story, leaving out some of the more graphic details, and then gave the floor to Dandin.
"Tonight we will be leaving to go help these woodlanders. All those who would agree to help, please stand up." He stopped to count how many there were. "Only six," he murmured to Mariel. "We're doomed." He turned back to the rest of the abbeymembers. "Thank you. Meet at the South wall gate in two hours. Bring a haversack with clothes, plenty of blankets, and some sort of weapon. And no, a swiped candlestick isn't a weapon." Mariel and Dandin left to a low ripple of laughter.
"How much of this plan do you think is going to work?" Mariel asked.
"None, but its worth a try. You know how our plans work. Something always goes wrong, and it all ends up with the vermin dead."
Mariel smiled. "True. I'll meet you out there in two hours. I have a few things to take care of."
He nodded and went his way. This would certainly be an interesting adventure.
True to their word, all the beasts that had stood up were at the wallgate two hours later. Their group totaled eight. Among them were Mariel, Dandin, Rufe Brush, Oak Tom, Tarquin Woodsorrel, Durry Quill, and an otter named Benji.
It was Dandin who set down the basics. "All right, we're on this journey to help free the enslaved. Though we know nothing about them, it is out job as Redwallers to help them in their time of need. It is approximately a six day trek to their camp, going by the directions they sent and the knowledge of Mossflower I have. It may be longer because of the snow, but I don't know. While on this journey, you will answer to Mariel or myself, on the abbot's word. Also remember that this isn't the abbey. You don't have to maintain a strict schedule, and it is okay to speak your mind, no matter how harsh or rude. All jokes are appreciated. Lets go!"
"On that note," Mariel interjected swiftly, "allow me to say, Dandin, that you sounded like an old mouse father. Lighten up a little." This brought sniggers from Oak Tom, and a smile from Dandin.
"Right."
The group, small though it was, headed out the door with determination.
Chapter 6- Training
The next morning Mariel awoke an hour before dawn to get ready for her promised training time with Dandin. After washing up, she donned some of her old clothes and retrieved her Gullwhacker. She also grabbed her rarely used dagger just in case.
After she had all of her things, she went out to their agreed meeting place. Seeing that Dandin wasn't out yet, she started to clear away snow so they could move easier. Dandin arrived not too much later, still munching on a hot scone that he had stolen from the windowsill.
"Hello, did you have a good sleep?" he asked through his breakfast.
"That's gross. And yes, I did," she replied. 'Dandin seems a little over-polite,' she thought to herself briefly before shrugging it off. "Are you ready?"
"Sure. Lets start with attacks."
She nodded in agreement before taking up the fighting stance. As soon as he was up, they began walking in a circle across from each other, never looking away, waiting for the right moment to attack. Currently they were studying different types of paw-to-paw combat, as both were very skilled with weaponry.
Mariel lunged forward, throwing a series of punches at Dandin. He blocked almost all of them for a good amount of time. This caused him to get a little less strict with his movements, and he eventually got hit in the stomach. He moaned, doubling over in pain.
Mariel hadn't intended on hitting him that hard. She stopped, staring at his bent form. "You alright?" she asked. Her response was a moan, so she knelt beside him. "Dan-"
She never finished the sentence, because he swung his fist in a sideways curve, getting her shoulder blade.
"Gotcha," he said, looking very happy with himself.
Mariel glared at him, rubbing her shoulder. He smiled at her in a way he thought she would give in to, but he got quite the opposite reaction. She ran at him, crashing into his already hurting stomach and sending him to the ground. She held him there, and looked at him in a way that almost dared him to try and get up.
"Fine, Mariel, you win this round."
She smiled triumphantly, getting up. "Good. What do you want t'do now?"
"Kicks. We haven't worked on them in a while."
She agreed, and they were off again, blocking, kicking, and punching each other. It was almost noon when they finished everything. Both had to drag themselves into the abbey, sweat glistening on their faces, cold thought it was. Mariel slumped into a chair wearily, practically ripping her cloak off of her body. She folded it messily and placed it on the table. The Gullwhacker and dagger were dropped carelessly to the floor as she laid her head on the table.
"I've learned something- training in the snow isn't easy, even when you clear the ground," she said.
"I'll second that," agreed Dandin, wiping his brow. "You want something to drink?"
"Sure."
"Alright. Be right back." Dandin put down his cloak and walked off to the kitchens.
Mariel sighed and leaned back in her chair. Though she loved the abbey, she was happiest when she was on the road and camping out under the stars. She let her thoughts drift to all of the different adventures she had been on. She was startled out of her reverie by Dandin.
"Here you are miss. Lemonade."
She took it without response and drank it in a matter of seconds. "Thanks."
He nodded in response and took a seat. Not too long later, Rufe Brush joined them.
"Hello Dandin, Mariel. Abbot Saxtus has been asking after you two for hours. He wants to speak with you in the library. Said it's very urgent."
"I suppose we have to go then," said Mariel. "Lets go." She got her things and headed up to the library with Dandin and Rufe.
"D'you have any idea of what it's about?" Dandin asked.
"Not a clue. I think it has to be serious, though, because he seemed very agitated."
The rest of the walk to the library was passed in silence. They found Abbot Saxtus looking through an old abbey journal record.
"Hey Sax. Rufe said you needed to see us."
"Aye, thanks for coming. We have just received word from a group of woodlanders that they are in dire need of our help. Their colony is under has been taken over by a vermin band. About 20 or so, they said. Their leader was killed."
"We don't know them. Why should we trust this?" asked Mariel.
"Because they are fellow woodlanders and they have asked for our help. They were forced out of their homes. Maids were harassed, dibbuns were injured, and all were tortured. They have been enslaved." Saxtus paused and saw Dandin working into a full fury. He shook his arm, but Dandin just growled (A/N: No, I'm not giving Dandin bloodwrath. He's just.. overworked.) Mariel shook her head at him and motioned for Saxtus to continue. "They took great risks sending for help. Letters were sent to Salamandastron, to the Guosim headquarters, and to other neighboring colonies."
"So basically they're asking for somebeast to come be their hero's and save them," stated Mariel dryly. She turned to Dandin. "What d'you say?"
"We'll have a plan by supper, and we depart after that," he said decisively.
Mariel sighed. She knew she had to help, but she had been looking forward to more time at Redwall. Deciding that Dandin would win her over anyway, she followed him to the writing area of the library to start their plan.
At suppertime, they went down to Great Hall and found it in full swing. They took their seats and started eating. Mariel realized that she was ravenous, which was no surprise, since she hadn't eaten much all day.
When they finished eating, they alerted Saxtus and he got the attention of the abbeybeasts. He told the basic story, leaving out some of the more graphic details, and then gave the floor to Dandin.
"Tonight we will be leaving to go help these woodlanders. All those who would agree to help, please stand up." He stopped to count how many there were. "Only six," he murmured to Mariel. "We're doomed." He turned back to the rest of the abbeymembers. "Thank you. Meet at the South wall gate in two hours. Bring a haversack with clothes, plenty of blankets, and some sort of weapon. And no, a swiped candlestick isn't a weapon." Mariel and Dandin left to a low ripple of laughter.
"How much of this plan do you think is going to work?" Mariel asked.
"None, but its worth a try. You know how our plans work. Something always goes wrong, and it all ends up with the vermin dead."
Mariel smiled. "True. I'll meet you out there in two hours. I have a few things to take care of."
He nodded and went his way. This would certainly be an interesting adventure.
True to their word, all the beasts that had stood up were at the wallgate two hours later. Their group totaled eight. Among them were Mariel, Dandin, Rufe Brush, Oak Tom, Tarquin Woodsorrel, Durry Quill, and an otter named Benji.
It was Dandin who set down the basics. "All right, we're on this journey to help free the enslaved. Though we know nothing about them, it is out job as Redwallers to help them in their time of need. It is approximately a six day trek to their camp, going by the directions they sent and the knowledge of Mossflower I have. It may be longer because of the snow, but I don't know. While on this journey, you will answer to Mariel or myself, on the abbot's word. Also remember that this isn't the abbey. You don't have to maintain a strict schedule, and it is okay to speak your mind, no matter how harsh or rude. All jokes are appreciated. Lets go!"
"On that note," Mariel interjected swiftly, "allow me to say, Dandin, that you sounded like an old mouse father. Lighten up a little." This brought sniggers from Oak Tom, and a smile from Dandin.
"Right."
The group, small though it was, headed out the door with determination.