Chapter 1: Clear Skies
The young squirrel once known as 'Silent' Sam hurriedly climbed up into the bell tower of Redwall Abbey. In fact the term 'Silent' was barely used since the invasion of Cluny the Scourge in that time Sam had become quite chatty. The early morning sun glinted brightly off the Methuselah, and Mathias Bells. Sam put a small paw over his eye as he met with his silent rendezvous.
Sam beamed brightly as he reached into his tunic and pulled out a small bag bulging with candied chestnuts.
"Friar Hugo barely even noticed they were gone!" Sam whispered excitedly.
Sam's rendezvous put a small paw into the bag and pulled out one of the small treats. He popped it into his mouth and let the sweetened flavor drift down his throat. He too smiled largely. "Good!" He exclaimed. "Hugo's best batch ever!"
Sam excitedly put a paw into the bag and he too took a chestnut. He popped it up into the air and it landed expertly in his mouth. His two large teeth cracked the nut clean in half and the crumbs stuck slightly to his whiskers, creating a comical scene.
The two youngsters laughed openly and sat down at the top of the bell tower to eat more chestnuts.
"Another one, Mattimeo?" Sam asked in mock dignity.
Mattimeo, for that was who Sam's partner in crime was, giggled quietly and added to the mock. "Why yes, indeed I would Mr. Sam!"
"Very good, Mr. Mattimeo!" Sam picked two nuts from the bag and tossed one to Mattimeo. The other he chopped clean in half with the small leveret dagger given to him by Basil Stag Hare several seasons ago.
"Oh my! Stealin' chestnuts from Friar Hugo!" Came a jumble of hedgehog talk from behind Sam.
Sam quite startled by the new voice, turned slowly around prepared for an onslaught of scolding by one of the Abbey elders. He already had formed a plan in his mind, it was all Mattimeo's idea, and he was... forced under penalty of bath! Yes, that was good!
However as Sam turned around he was pleased to find that it was not an Abbey Elder but the Cellar Hog's son Deepearth.
"You gave me a fright there Deepy!" Sam giggled nervously.
"Ha, ha! You'm looken like two naughty dibburns gettten caught in stealin!" Deepearth giggled in his small voice. "However, Dreepy no tell Sir Hugo if'n you give likkle Dreepearth sum corndy chesbnutters!"
"Ok Deepearth, but you better not tell the Friar about this!" Mattimeo said as he invited the small mole to come over and sit with them.
The hedgehog babe grabbed a generous amount of chestnuts from the bag and heaped them onto his side of the small bell tower.
Mattimeo laughed, "Ya know Deepy you're needing more and more chestnuts each time you catch us."
"Thatns because, sir Mattimeo a growin' 'og babe such as miself needs nourishment." The young hedgehog said.
"Yes I know that Deepy, but how do you always know just when and where to come?" Sam asked suspiciously.
"Because," Deepearth laughed at Sam's suspicion, "That's because you always goes to the same place, and the same time!"
Sam embarrassedly laughed at his own ignorance.
"But," Sam began, "If you could find us this easily couldn't Sister-"
"Is that you!? Mattimeo and Sam! Imagine that the warrior's own son stealing candied chestnuts from Friar Hugo! You should be ashamed!" Sister Agatha climbed up onto the bell tower top. She had obviously been searching for the bandits, and like Deepearth had known exactly where to go.
Mattimeo and friends were completely at a lost for words, their faces a look of complete shame.
"Tch! Tch!" the Sister replied, "And you Sam! Were you all in on this?"
The trio nodded solemnly. After a moment of uncomfortable silence Deepearth tried to test his luck.
"Ya know, Agatha marm, a growin' 'og babe such as myself needs nourishment!"
The sister shook her head in astonishment. "C'mon you three! You better clean off in the Abbey Pond."
The three ran hurriedly down the steps of the bell tower and ran straight over to the Abbey Pond. They stripped off their habits and tunics and jumped into the cool water. The three youngsters splashed playfully in the pond until they were completely cleaned of the sticky mess.
As their fur began to dry Sam started to smile roguishly. He went for his habit and out of the sleeves he pulled out the small bag of chestnuts. He indicated the hiding place and put the bag back in. Sister Agatha was coming back from the tower to check on the young abbey-dwellers. Sam, back still turned to Agatha mouthed one word: Mossflower.
Chapter 2: Calm Before the Storm
The Mossflower morning shown brightly and pristine over the calm Abbey. Little did the inhabitants know, but a shadow was passing over the peace. A great evil, that would forever change Redwall Abbey. A great evil, that was just setting paw into the abbey...
This evil, had no name but it was often referred to as Flash Fur. This creature was of no race dubbed in the many books of the Abbey Gatehouse. Not even the fierce Marlfoxes knew of this terrible evil. It was said that it used to be a badger, stunted by the wild forces of nature. Flash Fur was short, even smaller than most mice, and voles. But it was also fierce and strong, and it was said that it could even tremble whole buildings with using just his eyes. The name 'Flash Fur' was given to him by his impossible way of appearing in a flash of light behind his foes and instantly having them drop to the ground in death. Few had ever seen this flash... and lived.
The young squirrel once known as 'Silent' Sam hurriedly climbed up into the bell tower of Redwall Abbey. In fact the term 'Silent' was barely used since the invasion of Cluny the Scourge in that time Sam had become quite chatty. The early morning sun glinted brightly off the Methuselah, and Mathias Bells. Sam put a small paw over his eye as he met with his silent rendezvous.
Sam beamed brightly as he reached into his tunic and pulled out a small bag bulging with candied chestnuts.
"Friar Hugo barely even noticed they were gone!" Sam whispered excitedly.
Sam's rendezvous put a small paw into the bag and pulled out one of the small treats. He popped it into his mouth and let the sweetened flavor drift down his throat. He too smiled largely. "Good!" He exclaimed. "Hugo's best batch ever!"
Sam excitedly put a paw into the bag and he too took a chestnut. He popped it up into the air and it landed expertly in his mouth. His two large teeth cracked the nut clean in half and the crumbs stuck slightly to his whiskers, creating a comical scene.
The two youngsters laughed openly and sat down at the top of the bell tower to eat more chestnuts.
"Another one, Mattimeo?" Sam asked in mock dignity.
Mattimeo, for that was who Sam's partner in crime was, giggled quietly and added to the mock. "Why yes, indeed I would Mr. Sam!"
"Very good, Mr. Mattimeo!" Sam picked two nuts from the bag and tossed one to Mattimeo. The other he chopped clean in half with the small leveret dagger given to him by Basil Stag Hare several seasons ago.
"Oh my! Stealin' chestnuts from Friar Hugo!" Came a jumble of hedgehog talk from behind Sam.
Sam quite startled by the new voice, turned slowly around prepared for an onslaught of scolding by one of the Abbey elders. He already had formed a plan in his mind, it was all Mattimeo's idea, and he was... forced under penalty of bath! Yes, that was good!
However as Sam turned around he was pleased to find that it was not an Abbey Elder but the Cellar Hog's son Deepearth.
"You gave me a fright there Deepy!" Sam giggled nervously.
"Ha, ha! You'm looken like two naughty dibburns gettten caught in stealin!" Deepearth giggled in his small voice. "However, Dreepy no tell Sir Hugo if'n you give likkle Dreepearth sum corndy chesbnutters!"
"Ok Deepearth, but you better not tell the Friar about this!" Mattimeo said as he invited the small mole to come over and sit with them.
The hedgehog babe grabbed a generous amount of chestnuts from the bag and heaped them onto his side of the small bell tower.
Mattimeo laughed, "Ya know Deepy you're needing more and more chestnuts each time you catch us."
"Thatns because, sir Mattimeo a growin' 'og babe such as miself needs nourishment." The young hedgehog said.
"Yes I know that Deepy, but how do you always know just when and where to come?" Sam asked suspiciously.
"Because," Deepearth laughed at Sam's suspicion, "That's because you always goes to the same place, and the same time!"
Sam embarrassedly laughed at his own ignorance.
"But," Sam began, "If you could find us this easily couldn't Sister-"
"Is that you!? Mattimeo and Sam! Imagine that the warrior's own son stealing candied chestnuts from Friar Hugo! You should be ashamed!" Sister Agatha climbed up onto the bell tower top. She had obviously been searching for the bandits, and like Deepearth had known exactly where to go.
Mattimeo and friends were completely at a lost for words, their faces a look of complete shame.
"Tch! Tch!" the Sister replied, "And you Sam! Were you all in on this?"
The trio nodded solemnly. After a moment of uncomfortable silence Deepearth tried to test his luck.
"Ya know, Agatha marm, a growin' 'og babe such as myself needs nourishment!"
The sister shook her head in astonishment. "C'mon you three! You better clean off in the Abbey Pond."
The three ran hurriedly down the steps of the bell tower and ran straight over to the Abbey Pond. They stripped off their habits and tunics and jumped into the cool water. The three youngsters splashed playfully in the pond until they were completely cleaned of the sticky mess.
As their fur began to dry Sam started to smile roguishly. He went for his habit and out of the sleeves he pulled out the small bag of chestnuts. He indicated the hiding place and put the bag back in. Sister Agatha was coming back from the tower to check on the young abbey-dwellers. Sam, back still turned to Agatha mouthed one word: Mossflower.
Chapter 2: Calm Before the Storm
The Mossflower morning shown brightly and pristine over the calm Abbey. Little did the inhabitants know, but a shadow was passing over the peace. A great evil, that would forever change Redwall Abbey. A great evil, that was just setting paw into the abbey...
This evil, had no name but it was often referred to as Flash Fur. This creature was of no race dubbed in the many books of the Abbey Gatehouse. Not even the fierce Marlfoxes knew of this terrible evil. It was said that it used to be a badger, stunted by the wild forces of nature. Flash Fur was short, even smaller than most mice, and voles. But it was also fierce and strong, and it was said that it could even tremble whole buildings with using just his eyes. The name 'Flash Fur' was given to him by his impossible way of appearing in a flash of light behind his foes and instantly having them drop to the ground in death. Few had ever seen this flash... and lived.