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Flashpaw hurried into the kitchen, worried. She looked around for Twitch. Twitch walked out of the closet wearing a chef's hat and his nose was covered in flower. "hewwo. I made a pie!" She smiles. "Alright now can I see your pie?" she asks. "Okieday" He goes into the closet and pulls out a pie. It has a nice crust and it looks quite neat. "Its a shrimp a' ot'root pie for you" "Ah how thoughtful", she said. kneeling down. "How have you learned to make pies?" she asked. "Miz Whitney taughted me" She smiled. "how wonderful. You want to cook it in the oven now?" "Yep yep. Where's Miz Whitney?" Twitch looked up at Flashpaw. Flashpaw stood up straight, thinking. She knew where. But it would be horrible to tell the dibbun the truth. "Miss Whitney is out in the forest looking for something. She'll be back soon." she replied. "ohh. She betta come backa soon or she missa dinner" She nods softly. "And if you'll help me make dinner she'd be quite unhappy if she did miss it" The dibbun nodded seriously. "Yep" Flashpaw smiles. "Now where is that fish?" He points to the table. "Righta there where you lefted it" She nodded. "Now can you get the bread crumbs and cover the fish with them?", she asked, taking the pie carefully from him, "I'd like to be the one to work with the oven." "Ok." He picked up the bread crumbs and started sprinkling them around. "Fully coat the fish the best you can", she tells him as she puts the pie inside the stove, lighting the fire and watching it. Then she closed the oven door. Twitch started spreading more crumbs onto the fish. Flashpaw looks around the kitchen for more food ideas,getting some lettuce and tomatoes and carrots for a salad. "Miz Whitney should hurry back to eata dindin" "I'm certain she will be", Flashpaw replied,tossing the salad ingredients to mix them.

********

Ebony walked into the Dining Hall and sat in her chair. She waited for Bushtail and Mateo. Mateo appeared by the great doors, equipped with his cloak and his sword. "Abbess Ebony, I'm leaving." Ebony stood up. "Mateo..you can't go by yourself..and without a plan. I can't let you go. You know I'm worried about Whitney too..but it would do her no good if you went and got killed" He put his hand on the door. "No, Abbess, you don't understand. There's something I must do." He shook his head and said in a quivering voice, "I should never have come here...." Mateo opened the door. "You have my thanks." Bushtail was standing in the doorway. "You heard her Mateo. If you go anywhere I'm going too." "Out of the way, Bushtail. You can't come!" He said in a low voice, obviously in a hurry. Bushtail looked at the floor and recited, "Gather the rosebuds while ye may.
While time is still aflying. The flower that smiles today.. tomorrow will be dying" Ebony looked at Bushtail. "What? Why did you say that?" "I-I don't know..I saw a great mouse..with armor..he said it..and I repeated it..It must have been Martin." Mateo paused at the name of Martin, but then pushed his way passed Bushtail and began to leave. Bushtail sighed. "Abbess he's going to get himself killed...Mateo can't you at least wait til we figure what Martin was trying to tell us? Maybe it will help!" Mateo paused once more. Indeed, he had long admired the great warrior mouse, but he knew what he had to do. "You don't understand," he said "I bring danger here. Farewell." He began to leave once more. "No..No Mateo. You don't understand. You aren't bringing danger. Death Shadow would have come here anyway. She wants Redwall. And she thinks she can get it by using Whitney as bait. Bait to kill you. Mateo you can't leave..we need you. You know about Death Shadow..and Kaden too..and you are a great Warrior..Whitney needs you. You aren't going to let her down are you?" "No..." he replied. "I can't let her down. And that's why I must go. I will return if I am alive." He left. Bushtail groaned. "That hardheaded mouse..he's going to get himself AND Whitney killed. I'm going after him" The Abbess nodded. "Be careful my friend..watch out for Mateo..and yourself." The squirrel nodded and ran out the door.

*******

Death Shadow watched some of the slaves making camp. She turned to Chikka and Rikka. Watch the maiden. If anything happens to her you will regret it." She turned to Kaden."So..now we'll have that Council you wanted" He smiled at Whitney and then at Death Shadow. "So what is the rest of your plan, Mistress?" "Mateo seems to know the maiden well. She's bait. Mateo will come try and rescue her..and we'll kill him. Simple as that" "You and I both know he is no fool..." He replied shortly. "Yes..but have you ever heard of Warrior Bloodwrath? Once they are ready to battle..nothing can stop them." "Never have I seen him fall prey to such foolishness, though I do not doubt that anyone could be pushed to it," said Kaden. "How do you plan to take Redwall?" "After Mateo is dead we'll burn down the gates" Kaden gives a grin. "Sounds like a spectacle..." Whitney woke up slowly, not remembering anything. She saw Death Shadow and it all came back to her. Death Shadow saw her. "Well well well. The little maiden is awake."Whitney whimpered. "What do you want with me?" "Ah, good day," says Kaden with a wide, almost sincere smile. "You have been most unfortunate, my dear," he said taking her chin in his paw, "to fall into the custody of the Mistress of Death and myself, Kaden, Lord of the North Sea. Fear not. We shall not harm you yet." He released her and stepped back with a soft, almost unheard laugh. Whitney growled at Kaden. "You leave me alone" He laughed "You are in no position to give out orders, my dear. However, I do find you amusing...Death Shadow, would you like me to hold her on my ship for the night?" The sun had started to set over the ocean. The wolf looked at Kaden."Very well..just make sure he doesn't find a way to get her..if he does..you'll pay with your life" "Oh, trust me, Mistress. He won't." He nods to Whitney and a stoat and a fox seize her and carry her onto his ship and into his quarters so he can keep an eye on her. He gives a nod to Death Shadow and follows to his ship. Death Shadow watches him, then returns to her own ship.

*********

The two foxes got onto Kaden's ship, where they would be spending the night. Chikka looked at Mossflower as Rikka sat on the deck and yawned. The ferret took Whitney and brought her below deck to his quarters. He let her in and he closed the door behind him. Then he sits himself at his small table. On the table is a bottle of wine and a goblet or two. "I'll keep the door unlocked," he said to Whitney. "That way your little friend can get in if he wishes. I would very much like to encounter him once more...but I would suggest that you not try to escape. I'll be awake all night anyway, but if you do manage to slip passed me, do not expect to get off this ship. Not unless you are willing to battle my hoard and swim back to shore." He poured a goblet, and then raised his eyebrows at her. "Wine?" he offers. "No thank you. I'd rather starve. And you leave Mateo alone! He never did anything to you!" Whitney watched the ferret. Mateo would come after her..he couldn't possibly get through all the vermin..he'd be killed! But what could she do? The ferret lord shrugged. "Suite yourself." He drank the wine, and swiveled the goblet, watching the red liquid swirl in the cup. "And as for Mateo, he and I have a score to settle that has nothing to do with you, Death Shadow, or Redwall. So watch your tongue, or I could easily order him captured and killed this very moment." Whitney glared at Kaden, but said nothing. What could she do? Redwall and her friends were at stake..and she felt so hopeless and useless. He watched her with a half-grin, and a raised eyebrow. "Oh, don't look so glum, my dear," he says, still grinning. "We wont hurt you if we have cooperation." "I'm not worried about myself. I'm worried about my friends" Whitney looked at the floor. He gave a laugh. "That's very noble of you," says Kaden flatly. "But we'll see." Then he pauses and studies her. "What is your name, anyway?" "My name is Whitney" "Whitney..." he repeated thoughtfully, tasting the sound. Then he nodded, as if approving. "And I assume I need no further introduction..." Whitney shook her head. "No I know you well enough thank you. However I still wish to know why you are after Mateo" As she spoke, he had taken out a dagger and took a piece of fruit from a little basket on the table and began to peel it. When she inquired about his dealings with Mateo, he gave her a stern look and pointed to her with the dagger. "That is not your business, mouse, so mind you keep out of it." He takes another sip form his wine, and then goes back to peeling the fruit. Whitney glared. "I believe it IS my business thank you. Mateo is my dear friend and I believe I have the right to know" "As I said before," says Kaden in a low, threatening voice. "It is between the mouse and myself. No one else." He stood up and advanced on her. Then a cruel smile formed on his face, and he eyed the ropes that bound her hands. "You are in no position to be demanding, my dear..."
Whitney glared at him. "I don't care what you do to me. If you kill me then you'll be killed too. I'm not afraid of you" His eyes narrowed, and he smirked. In the blink of an eye, the dagger point was at her throat. "You will be, my dear," he hissed. "You will be." His cold eyes locked onto hers, and death itself could be seen. "If I kill you, I would come to no harm. I could easily find another suitable hostage..." Whitney for the first time in her life felt truly afraid. She tried to think of the Abbey..of the people there, her friends. They would come help her right? Then for the first time in a long time..she started crying. He sighed, and withdrew his blade, clicking it back into its sheath at his waist. "You see then, my dear? I told you that you would be afraid..." He walks back over to his table and seats himself. "Come now. Tears are not becoming of such a pretty little thing as yourself." He takes one last sip of his wine and leans back in the wooden chair. Whitney looked at the floor, not saying anything. He studied her for a moment, then said, "You should get some sleep. I'm willing to bet tomorrow will not be easy. Nor will the night, for that matter, if your Mateo comes for you." "No thank you I don't think I could possibly sleep." He shrugs and says once more, "Suite yourself. You are free to use anything in the room. The bed, the chairs, the table, and any food, if you wish." He spoke in almost a bored tone of voice. As though he had guests often. He began to peel another piece of fruit. "Thank you but I think I'll just stay right here..." Whitney continued to look at the floor, wondering where Mateo was right now. He grins and shrugs again. Looking out the window, he says, "About eight hours until sunrise. Good luck staying awake." Then he said no more for a while. Whitney looked out the window, watching the waves. The noise of the water finally lulled her to sleep. Kaden stayed awake, accustomed to being up all night. He watched the sleeping Whitney with a grin. No wonder Mateo had been so keen on her. He chuckled at the thought of the warrior mouse and ran his finger along the side of his dagger.