Kaden's slaves began to march off of his ship, the Absolution. "What is your plan, Death Shadow?" "The Maiden..she's bait..or a ransom" she replied. He gives a grin. "Very good. Very good. Would you like me to take care of it?" The wolf looked at him. "If you want. Just make it good. Then I will take over and talk to the Abbess"

**********
A loud thumping of a paw sounded on the abbey's gates. "Come on you brutes can't an otter get in after fishing without being questioned?!" Flashpaw yelled upwards, trying to hold onto the fish she carried. The dibbun Twitch giggled. "Allaright allaright you come in." He got an elder to open the doors. Flashpaw laughs. "Thankee little one. All the other creatures are death" "You catcha big fisha for Twitch to eatta all up?" The elder shut the door and locked it tight. "aye dibbun, yet if you don't share this fish then you'll be in bed with hot thistle soup for weeks after eating it all", she teasingly threatened. "Ick! I'll share I'll share! Share with Miz Whitney yea." The otter snickered. "Aye and the rest of the abbey too", she adds. "And the resta the abbey too. Ok Ok" Flashpaw followed Twitch into the kitchens.
***********

Mateo shifts his weight, and the expression on his face is very grave. "Perhaps it shall be told another time...it is not relevant. But she is not the only one who is coming. She has an alliance with Lord Kaden...." The Abbess watches Mateo for a second. "We had better hold a Counsil of War Mateo.." The mouse is pulled from a deep trail of thoughts and he looks up suddenly. "What? Oh, yes, Abbess." His chestnut brown fur bristles slightly. "This will not be good..." "Come Mateo" She opens the cellar door. Bushtail the squirrel ran into the cellars. "Mateo! Good to see you!" Bushtail turned to the Abbess. "Ma'am there is a wolf outside demanding she is to meet you…"

***********

Twitch stopped in the kitchens. "Oka oka! Dinna time! Gotta cooka the fish!" Flashpaw chuckles. Looking about, she pops the fish atop a clear table. Washing her hands in a basin shaking them dry. "Aye dinner's not done yet." She steps over to the fish. Picking up a knife and cutting off its head. "Now you stay back or I might slip and cut off your head", she teases, pretending to slip. "eek! don't cuta off Twitch's heada! Plez?? I need it to eata the fish alla up!" Flashpaw smiled. "Aye, alright I won't", she replied. Slitting the fish in two and pulling out all the innards, she tossed them into an empty bucket near her. She started to cut off all the scales. "It a yucky job to cleana the fish yea?" Twitch sat on a bench. Flashpaw smiled. "Aye tis yucky.", she replied. Cleaning her hands in the basin again, she takes the two large fish halves and cleans off all the blood and loose scales that the knife missed. "How should we cook the fish?" "Umm..we can frya it or bake it"
"Alright then little un'", she said, going into a storage area and getting some bread crumbs. "we'll fry it" Bushtail ran in. "Flashpaw! Abbess requests you at once! Vermin are outside our gates! We must go up to the walls!" Flashpaw nearly dropped the bread crumbs onto the floor. She set them on a table quickly. "Oh wonderful", she said with sarcasm and hurried out of the kitchens. Bushtail scurried after her. Twitch eyed the fish.

*******

Mateo walked up to the edge of the wall and peered over, holding his breath and knowing who he would see. Suddenly, his thoughts jumped to Whitney. If vermin were down there, and she tried to return, she could be caught... Death Shadow smiled up at him. "Mateo..so good to see you.. you are doing well?" Kaden approached, standing next to Death Shadow. A stoat by the name of Jezzeck stood just behind his master. The ferret looked up at Mateo and gave a smirk. The mouse gave no reply at first, but his fur bristled as he saw the ferret and the wolfess. He flinched slightly, but showed no further fear. "What business have you here, vermin?" he called down. The Abbess stood next to Mateo, watching the vermin below. Death Shadow looked at the Abbess and Mateo. "Well Mateo. I promised you I'd have Redwall one day..and well this is that day"
Flashpaw hurried up the battlement stairs, her slingshot at her side and a bow on her shoulder. The otter stood near the wall, watching the Mateo and the others. Bushtail stood by Flashpaw, bow and arrow ready. He whispered to Flashpaw. "Don't do anything without Abbess and Mateo's signal.." She nodded, glad for the words of advice. She rarely fought in a group. She stood calmly, placing a stone into her slingshot and calmly resting it at her side. Mateo gave a snort of distaste. "I don't think so, Death Shadow. Redwall will never belong to you or your pitiful minions." Kaden gave a grin and he raised an eyebrow. "Watch yourself, boy. You remember what happened last time you spoke to us in such a way..." Mateo's jaw tightened, and he ground his teeth together. Flashpaw's paws grew tighter on the pebble in the slingshot, though she kept her paws at her side. Death Shadow laughed. "Well Mateo..there are ways we can get into Redwall..say ransom?" His eyes narrow. "What do you mean by ransom?" Kaden grinned and turned around to his vermin. Then he turned back and threw an unconcious figure down at his feet. Whitney. "That good enough ransome for you, mouse?" he asked lightly. "Well Mateo? What do you say now?" the wolf asked laughing. Mateo almost fell over the wall, he leaned over so fast. "Whitney!" His eyes were strained with fear, and he considered his options. "What about a trade, Death Shadow? Me for her." Death Shadow laughed. "No thank you Mateo. It's Redwall or her. Your choice." She shrugged. Mateo ground his teeth together. He could not do this. His eyes trailed to the Abbess... Ebony stood there, her paws folded in her sleeves. "Death Shadow. Give us until tomorrow to decide. But the maiden must stay safe!" Shadow grinned. "I wouldn't dream of hurting my ransom" Flashpaw's eyes narrowed, her claws digging into her slingshot's handle. Kaden gave a grin and an upward nod to Mateo before turning around. Mateo's jaw clenched as his eyes followed Whitney in desperation. He shot nervous glances to Abbess Ebony and then a glare of hatred to Death Shadow and Kaden. Ebony patted Mateo's shoulder. "Don't worry..she wouldn't dare to hurt Whitney..not when Whitney is her only way into Redwall.." Death Shadow smiled looking at Redwall, then turned and followed Kaden back to camp. Mateo watched them leave and cursed under his breath. He furiously hit the stone wall and turned quickly, clutching at the sword that hung at his waist. He put on his cloak and began to leave as well. Ebony watched Mateo. She knew the two probably had feelings for eachother. "Mateo..meet me in the Hall..." She turned to Bushtail and Flashpaw. "Flashpaw would you please cook some dinner? Bushtail come with us" Flashpaw nodded gently, hurrying down to the kitchens, mumbling, "If that dibbun has touched that fish....."