Redwall: Vengeance
Chapter 4
The Search
Matthias picked up his sword, and grabbed a war helmet. Ambrose armed himself with a long steel sword, and a kite shield with an "R" Engraved in the center of it. Constance grabbed a large mace complete with two-inch long spikes protruding from the powerful ball at the end. She also wielded a viciously curved scimitar. Basil picked up a sling, and a sack full of flat powerful stones. "Better to be safer th'n sorrier, eh wot wot? That's what I allus say." Said Basil as he walked out of the Abbey gate, with a large extravagant shield. "If we have to make a quick getaway, you might have to leave that behind Basil. Be a shame to lose such a beautiful shield, eh Constance?" said Matthias with a grin on his face. "True Matthias, very true. You might want to leave that behind. I don't think it will help much." She said, nodding at Basil. "Point well made, marm" said Basil as he threw the shield back into the Abbey. The gate was shut tight at a nod from Matthias. Cornflowers head appeared over the top of the battlement. "You come back to me alive you three!" she said sternly, while giving Matthias a wink. "Stay safe, if anyfing 'appens, come and tell me! I'll help ee!" said one of the Dibbuns who had wandered out of bed, still in his nightshirt.
Off they went.
It was dark out. The sky was clear and the stars were bright. Millions of white twinkling dots lit up the sky, high above the warriors as they bounded through Mossflower due south. The ground was pitch black. Basil stumbled over a tree root sticking out of the ground. "Ouch, we should have brought torches with us, wot?" he exclaimed as he gathered his balance and continued walking. "No Basil, a torch on a dark night like tonight is an easy target. Keep your voice low, never know when someone may be nearby."
It was as if someone was trying to prove his point. As soon as he finished saying that. Four rats lit torches; they were surrounded by evil looking rats. Each one armed with a short sword. An ambush!
The rats formed a circle around them. One rat strayed too close and Constance sent him flying in the opposite direction with a mighty swing of her great mace. This started the fight. The rats were upon them like a wave. Matthias struck out with the great Martin Sword. Basil loaded a rock into his sling and used it as a club, as he bounded over rats heads while kicking out with his powerful limbs, sending rats flying. Ambrose has curled up into a spiked ball and was rolling through groups of rats, taking out their legs with each roll. Constance had been overcome with a rage only seen by badgers. The legendry bloodlust was upon her, she was unstoppable. Matthias was swinging his sword to and fro, cutting rats down as he bounded through them. Then, the worst happened. Ambrose was stabbed through his chest and dragged off my several rats. "Ambrose! Help Ambrose!" screamed Matthias, as he took into a headlong sprint toward the injured hedgehog. Constance had heard everything. With a loud scream, she picked up a large boulder and hurled it at a charging group of rats, slaying them all instantly. Basil leaped over several rats heads and landed on top of the rats dragging Ambrose away. Knocking them all senseless, he stood and slung a rock, killing a rat. He then heaved Ambrose up over his shoulder and screamed, "Im taking Ambrose back to Redwall, cover our backs!" "You got it Basil, go on then. Get him back safely!" said Matthias.
Basil hopped off with incredible speed as Matthias and Constance held off the rats, they fought like madbeasts. "Lets hear it Constance!" Matthias cried. "Redwalllllllllllllll!" they both screamed as more rats came running into battle.
The two were hopelessly outnumbered. The rats outnumbered them ten to one, though the Redwallers showed no sign of giving up.
"Logalogalogalogalog!" A cry from a distance away. "It's the shrews! Thank goodness!" said Matthias, as he watched a group of about three score shrew warriors rush into the fight, screaming the long time shrew warcry. "Logalogalogalog!" Before Matthias and Constance knew it, the rats had retreated, and the battle was over. Countless bodies lay slain on the ground. Many of the rats were still alive and moaning. Shrew warriors picked them off with target practice shots from their slings. "Logalog, great to see you!" exclaimed Matthias, as he checked himself for injuries. Constance had been cut gruesomely across her back, she had lost quite a lot of blood during the battle. She hadn't noticed. Constance sat down on the ground. "I feel quite faint, I think we should get back to. Redwall." She passed out. "You shrews, pick up the badger and hurry her back to Redwall, Matthias, put these herbs on your wounds, lets get out of here." Logalog ordered.
They started hiking back to Redwall. Empty handed. "That's disappointing, I hope Ambrose and Constance are ok. Whoever these rats are, they are seasoned fighters. Where did they come from? What do they want? And why are they here?" asked Matthias.
The Search
Matthias picked up his sword, and grabbed a war helmet. Ambrose armed himself with a long steel sword, and a kite shield with an "R" Engraved in the center of it. Constance grabbed a large mace complete with two-inch long spikes protruding from the powerful ball at the end. She also wielded a viciously curved scimitar. Basil picked up a sling, and a sack full of flat powerful stones. "Better to be safer th'n sorrier, eh wot wot? That's what I allus say." Said Basil as he walked out of the Abbey gate, with a large extravagant shield. "If we have to make a quick getaway, you might have to leave that behind Basil. Be a shame to lose such a beautiful shield, eh Constance?" said Matthias with a grin on his face. "True Matthias, very true. You might want to leave that behind. I don't think it will help much." She said, nodding at Basil. "Point well made, marm" said Basil as he threw the shield back into the Abbey. The gate was shut tight at a nod from Matthias. Cornflowers head appeared over the top of the battlement. "You come back to me alive you three!" she said sternly, while giving Matthias a wink. "Stay safe, if anyfing 'appens, come and tell me! I'll help ee!" said one of the Dibbuns who had wandered out of bed, still in his nightshirt.
Off they went.
It was dark out. The sky was clear and the stars were bright. Millions of white twinkling dots lit up the sky, high above the warriors as they bounded through Mossflower due south. The ground was pitch black. Basil stumbled over a tree root sticking out of the ground. "Ouch, we should have brought torches with us, wot?" he exclaimed as he gathered his balance and continued walking. "No Basil, a torch on a dark night like tonight is an easy target. Keep your voice low, never know when someone may be nearby."
It was as if someone was trying to prove his point. As soon as he finished saying that. Four rats lit torches; they were surrounded by evil looking rats. Each one armed with a short sword. An ambush!
The rats formed a circle around them. One rat strayed too close and Constance sent him flying in the opposite direction with a mighty swing of her great mace. This started the fight. The rats were upon them like a wave. Matthias struck out with the great Martin Sword. Basil loaded a rock into his sling and used it as a club, as he bounded over rats heads while kicking out with his powerful limbs, sending rats flying. Ambrose has curled up into a spiked ball and was rolling through groups of rats, taking out their legs with each roll. Constance had been overcome with a rage only seen by badgers. The legendry bloodlust was upon her, she was unstoppable. Matthias was swinging his sword to and fro, cutting rats down as he bounded through them. Then, the worst happened. Ambrose was stabbed through his chest and dragged off my several rats. "Ambrose! Help Ambrose!" screamed Matthias, as he took into a headlong sprint toward the injured hedgehog. Constance had heard everything. With a loud scream, she picked up a large boulder and hurled it at a charging group of rats, slaying them all instantly. Basil leaped over several rats heads and landed on top of the rats dragging Ambrose away. Knocking them all senseless, he stood and slung a rock, killing a rat. He then heaved Ambrose up over his shoulder and screamed, "Im taking Ambrose back to Redwall, cover our backs!" "You got it Basil, go on then. Get him back safely!" said Matthias.
Basil hopped off with incredible speed as Matthias and Constance held off the rats, they fought like madbeasts. "Lets hear it Constance!" Matthias cried. "Redwalllllllllllllll!" they both screamed as more rats came running into battle.
The two were hopelessly outnumbered. The rats outnumbered them ten to one, though the Redwallers showed no sign of giving up.
"Logalogalogalogalog!" A cry from a distance away. "It's the shrews! Thank goodness!" said Matthias, as he watched a group of about three score shrew warriors rush into the fight, screaming the long time shrew warcry. "Logalogalogalog!" Before Matthias and Constance knew it, the rats had retreated, and the battle was over. Countless bodies lay slain on the ground. Many of the rats were still alive and moaning. Shrew warriors picked them off with target practice shots from their slings. "Logalog, great to see you!" exclaimed Matthias, as he checked himself for injuries. Constance had been cut gruesomely across her back, she had lost quite a lot of blood during the battle. She hadn't noticed. Constance sat down on the ground. "I feel quite faint, I think we should get back to. Redwall." She passed out. "You shrews, pick up the badger and hurry her back to Redwall, Matthias, put these herbs on your wounds, lets get out of here." Logalog ordered.
They started hiking back to Redwall. Empty handed. "That's disappointing, I hope Ambrose and Constance are ok. Whoever these rats are, they are seasoned fighters. Where did they come from? What do they want? And why are they here?" asked Matthias.