((Disclaimer: Please do not use any of my characters, or SlipLock. I'm sure that my friend would resent if her character were used. You may comment on them, but ONLY in reviews or e-mails sent to me regarding the story. Thank you!))

"So."

"So."

"Sho."

They were out of the village, luckily without incident, and they had finally come to a spreading plain. Running off impulsively to avoid trouble can have its downfalls, and being lost was one of them.

"Well, I've a general idea that we've got to head back to Redwallyou'd know the way, Slip, you tracked us," said Thistle, glancing at SlipLock. "Which way?"

SlipLock, who was holding Dappledew, gave a wry grin. "What would you say if I didn' remember?"

"Well, let me see, I'd berate you for your incredible studo you mean to say you forgot the way?"

"Er, bad short term memory, y'know?"

"Eh heh," snorted Thistle. "Well, that leaves one thing to do."

"Go backs?" asked Dappledew in horror.

"No, no, never that! Now watch as I do this with careful precision and utmost exactability." The mousemaid shut her eyes and began rotating where she stood, paw straight out in front of her. "Shut your eyes, too and say when to stop!"

SlipLock, enjoying herself, shut her eyes and waited for quite a bit before hollering, "STOP!" Thistle woozily opened her eyes and staggered a bit before regaining her footing.

"WeTHATAWAY!" she exclaimed. Thistle was pointing toward a stretch of forest across a stream beyond Northern South Glen. It was, though they didn't know it, the exact opposite way to Redwall Abbey.

"Oooh, stream, lovely!" said SlipLock, a dreamy expression crossing her face. "I 'aven't swam in such a long time"

"You can, if you must, but what about me and Dappledew? H2o is a thing otters like, not mice! Speaking of, "H" means hydrogen, and the two after it means two hydrogen atoms, the "o" is oxygen"

"Fissle! Stobbit, 'ow we gonna gerracross?" said Dappledew crossly, struggling in SlipLock's firm grip.

"I don't know, but that is only because I haven't investigated the area and analyzed our assets, mind you. I'll figure out something," said Thistle.

SlipLock tapped her footpaw impatiently. "So why don't I check it out first, an' see if it's shallow enough f'r you t' cross!"

"Good, good, and I'll test the water temperature, and boil a sample to get rid of the germs."

"Exactly why would that help?" asked SlipLock. Dappledew squirmed and nodded at the same time.

Thistle was startled. "Well, boiling the water gets rid of germs, and if I can figure out a way to boil all of the water in this rivery-type-thing, or is it a stream, I never can telloh, yes, if I can boil all the water, we can cross it without getting some terrible disease!"

"Or I'll jus' swim across carrying you two with Thistle 'oisting the 'aversack above 'er 'ead and risk getting infected," said SlipLock, hastily supressing a giggle.

"Yes, that. It should work well, what say you, Dapp?"

"Oh, stobby alla you plannin', I jus' wanna gerraway!" growled the mousebabe.

Eventually they crossed the flowing stream, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, and reached the other side safely. Thistle dropped the haversack once or twice when SlipLock sped up or slowed down without warning.

"It's not like it matters much, anyway, the food in there's 'orrible," said SlipLock when they reached the other side, all rather soaked. She glanced around, fervently hoping there were berries near.

And there were. Thistle, who momentarily vanished from sight, appeared immersed in the middle of a blackberry bush. "Blackberries, they're"

"Food, that's what they are!" SlipLock rushed over and started gathering as many as she could. So did Thistle, her method slightly different.

"One for the sack, one for me, one for the sack, five for methey most certainlyaren't as good as strawberries..shlerphumph..but I can find no better sustenance at the present time," garbled Thistle.

"I c'n change that!" said a merry voice.

"Whozzat?"