Hello again and thanks to all for your reviews. And to Psycho Violinist of Silentwood (whose stories I recommend to you all), I'd already thought of the result of the battle so you're helpful idea wasn't much help when I got around to reading it. While I'm handing out recommendations, Seadog Driftwood has some really good depressed poems (hee hee hee, sorry about the depressed bit mate, it's just a joke) and some other good stuff. I'll recommend you others when I've stopped typing this bloody thing for long enough to read some other pplz stories.

Ok, I mean no disrespect towards Brian Jacques, his fabulous characters or his fabulous stories but the text coming up will easily earn the rating (R) but I'm going to write it because it's a main part of the story. You can skip it when you get up to it if you really want to, no-one's forcing you to read it.

Oops, I almost forgot again. Disclaimer: I don't own Bryony, Veil, Togget, Redwall, Salamandastron, yada, yada, yada. You all know what I mean.

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Chapter 8: What Was A Cold Night In.

Bryony had not slept well and her aching back reminded her of the hard floor where she and Veil had slept the night before. She vaguely remembered dreaming about something, but she had no idea what it was about. Probably some feast she'd been to or some memorable time she had shared with her good friends. But that was all before she left her beloved home. That was all before Veil had come. That was all before Veil was getting into trouble every moment that there was a pause between frustrated sighs from his elders and should-have-been teachers. That was all before Veil had poisoned Myrtle. That was all before Veil had been cast out from Redwall Abbey. That was all before she had followed him into the woods, not quite sure why he didn't rebuke her like he would normally have done but welcoming her and being so friendly. She thought maybe that this new Veil might have had something to do with Martin the Warrior, but what had happened and why still confused her.

Bryony had never had to forage for food, but the packs had been left by the stream near Treelake and so they had no food with them. As she bobbed up and down, picking berries and shoots, she absently listened to the early morning birds welcoming the sun over the horizon and thought about the lake which they had never made it to. Why had Martin so painstakingly sent them there with the directions in a riddle, surely there must have been an important reason to be there. But why? So that Veil and Log-a-Log could have their fight? So that she could lose Togget as quickly as she found him? Martin would never do something like that, there must have been something important there that they never found out about.

She glanced over at the ferret who was stalking a wood pigeon on a low-hanging nest in the dim early morning light. He looked upset and frustrated, not because of his hunting luck, but something that had been bugging him since not long after they arrived at the strange unkempt building in the middle of the strange woods. She strained her eyes back at the place which had given them refuge the night before. She saw large pile of grey stones with numerous large gaps between some stones and a big gap on the left-hand side of a rectangular gap which housed what remained of the main doors, now a bunch of rotten splinters of wood. There was a larger rectangle of wood hanging lopsidedly above the door with what looked like faded writing on it. She made a mental note, which she was likely to forget, to read what the sign said when the light was more suitable.

In the mean time, Veil had cornered and caught his prey and he was heading back to the old church where he was going to light a fire in order to cook their breakfast. Bryony smiled at his leadership, how he'd taken everything in his stride and made the best of their situation. It was too bad that the elders at the Abbey had not known him like this, responsible and caring. They had pushed him away with stinging comments and refused to give him a chance. But the change had only come when he was outcast. Gathering her pile of vegetables in her paws, she strode dutifully back to their camp. She placed them by his side and he nodded gratefully. The silence was really getting to her, she knew that she had to do something about whatever was keeping Veil.

"Veil, what's wrong? We're safe now and we can head for Salamandastron very soon, I promise" she babbled "we just need a rest for now… maybe a few weeks… then we can leave agai—"

"Don't pester me, I need to think!" He snapped, not looking up at her while he added a few berries to the smelly concoction.

Bryony stepped back slightly, the movement barely noticeable but it was a comfort to be further away from the livid ferret. But Veil did notice it and felt even angrier at himself than he already was because he'd scared her in his temper.

"I'm sorry, I'm just angry and being stupid again. We will stay for a while, but I can't promise for how long. If we stay for too long, something might happen at the mountain and we won't get to find my father" He apologised, feeling warmer as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. He looked up at her and she smiled back down at him. That's when he noticed how badly clothed she was. Her Abbey sandals had broken and been discarded so long ago that he'd forgotten when and where, her Habit was a large piece of ripped fabric which hung loosely over her shoulders and was ripped right up to above her stomach. It was barely worth wearing and it was all due to their hard travelling. She was skinny from little food and hard travel and her footpaws were scratched and infected. His face dropped slightly as he glanced at his own clothing and body. His Habit was in no better state than hers and his body was barely any fatter. All of his paws were ripped and he had a large gash in his side from Log-a-Log's rapier which had received no treatment and was likely to get worse. Bryony sensed the change in his mood and questioned him about it.

"I was just looking at us and thinking how we really need a big rest from travelling and a good fattening up so that we'll be healthy enough to make a long hard trek to the mountain." He suddenly had a thought and foolishly mentioned it to her. "Maybe we should take you back to the Abbey where you can become healthy again and I should continue alone from there. It's too much for a mousema—"

"Never! I love you and I'll go through anything to go with you to Salamandastron! You're not dumping me at the Abbey with Abbess Meriam and Mother Bella! Do you have anyidea what they'd doto me??? Besides, I promised to help you and I will!" Her eyes shone fiercely and he severely regretted voicing his idea. She was right. She would stay. So he told her so and she hugged him again, causing him to smile. He loved her and would be better off with her around. She squeezed him tightly, causing him to grimace with pain and groan as his side burned from where Log-a-log had cut him. She gasped and cursed herself silently for forgetting about his wound and placed him down lightly. Then she rushed off to find some ingredients to help heal it, muttering the directions that Sister Withe had told her once for curing wounds as she hurried out of the old church. Once she was gone, Veil sat back up and, aware of their separate diets, continued with their separate breakfasts.


They spent the day with Veil scouting the immediate land area for anything that may be a threat to them and Bryony cleaning up the old church so that it was more comfortable for them to live in.

A very strong wind sprung up very suddenly and sent the pair scurrying for shelter in the most covered section of the building. The rain tore through the gaps in the wall, causing a whistling as it sped through the smaller gaps. They huddled together in a pathetic little bundle of fur and rags, Veil using his body to shield Bryony's. During the storm, there was a loud sound of wood being ripped away from where it was hanging. The sign that read Saint Ninians rolled down the path a short while before rolling down several small hills, tumbling like a tumbleweed head and disappearing into a stream where it was washed away to never be seen again.


Veil and Bryony had enjoyed their dinner, fresh eggs had been supplied by the storm as had a few bird carcasses and berry bushes that had been too hard for Bryony to reach earlier had come down from where they had been and were now easily accessible. They sat by the small fire blazing merrily in the centre of the main part of the building, hugging each other and staring into the flames, silently thinking their own small thoughts.

It became late quicker than they expected and they lay down, huddled in their pitifully clothed rags and Bryony shivered, despite her efforts not to.

Veil felt sympathy for the small Mousemaid and he moved over until the side of her body was pressed up to the side of his and he wrapped his arms around her, willing all of his body heat to flow into her and keep her warm. She smiled softly, trying not to let her teeth chatter as she whispered into his ear "I love you so much."

He lent his head down until his mouth was next to her ear and whispered back, his voice amplified slightly by the deathly silence that reigned over the stone room "Aye, I know. I'm sorry about before, I really couldn't live without you. I would miss you so much that it was painful."
"And I, you, every hour of every day." Veil couldn't resist a smile and a chuckle at her quaint phrase that she had probably picked up out of some book or from some elder at the Abbey.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

"You are, my love. You are"

She opened her mouth to protest but her meek attempts were soon smothered as a crimson paw pulled her face forward and she felt Veil giving her the most loving kiss that she could imagine. Their tongues started exploring and Bryony suddenly lost all her tiredness and coldness as a hot stream of lava flowed strongly through her body, setting her alight and leaving her tingling in all the right places. Their lips still locked, other body parts started to explore, and it wasn't tongues. Bryony started off slowly, stroking his face before wrapping her paw around his neck and pulling him into her even more. He moaned and his other crimson paw started massaging her chest tantalisingly. Then Veil's other paw slid away from her face and Bryony gasped suddenly. They pulled away slowly, Bryony's paw still slightly draped slightly over one of his shoulders. Panting shallowly, she stared straight into his eyes.

"We… shouldn't…" she whispered slowly, never looking away from his steady gaze.

"Why?" He asked simply.

She had no idea and she said so to him. He grinned devilishly and pulled her down to the cold floor. She decided to go with him and let her body slowly head down towards the hard floor with his paws lightly guiding her.

"Now's your last chance… I won't be able to stop once we start" he said warningly, his body already shaking with anticipation. She wanted this as much as he did and they both knew it.

She shook her head. "No… I… I want to"

That was it. Veil flowed into action like it was a natural reflex, his sharp claws ripping off what was left of her only garment with ease and grace, no sign of aggression showing on his glowing features. He threw his Habit over in the corner where the scraps of hers had been carelessly flung. Then they got serious, Bryony holding him and pulling him down onto her, kissing his neck, chest and head as much as she could. Veil came down onto her and kissed back passionately, his crimson paws sliding up and down her body, each time his paw went down, he finished closer to her more sensitive parts before turning back and heading back up her body. She loved this and shivered with pleasure as she pulled him into her more and more, kissing him hungrily and pawing at his face, neck and back, her paws always roving. Veil's paw was now at the point here he could touch the area between her hind legs and she groaned with pleasure again. Then his paw reached her most sensitive spot and it stayed there, massaging, stroking and teasing her until neither of them could resist it any more.

He hesitated slightly, glancing into her eyes to be sure that what he was doing was right. She looked like she thought that she was in heaven and he didn't want to take it from her so he slowly slipped his claws into her, moving them in and out, the speed becoming more and more intense the longer he was doing it. He grinned again as she started moaning uncontrollably and her body started shaking spasmodically as she became more and more aroused. His paw became warm and he started doing it harder and faster until, again, neither of them could take it any longer. He pulled out his claw and laid down on top of her, locking their hips together and moving rhythmically with her. Then he entered her and she cried out loud, half in pain and half in pleasure. They continued moving up and down, Veil thrusting in and out slowly, causing her to moan and groan in a way that would have had any creature thinking that she was dying. Veil was thrusting in and out at a furious pace until her body suddenly sprung loose from its taut position like a bow from an arrow and she cried out so loud that it put all Banshees to shame. The sound caused them both to freeze, although both had been able to feel it coming.

As she lay, panting at an unbelievable rate, she felt angry at herself. Veil had done all of that to her, caused her to be so excited that her body did that but she had lain there dumbly, not helping him to have any pleasure, but focusing only on her own.

"That… was the best… thing I have ever… felt… in my life!" He gasped like a fish out of water as he rolled off her to lie down next to her and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

All the anger she had at herself melted away as she asked "Really? It was that ok?"

"OK??? It was more than that!" He said, completely happy.

Suddenly there was a scratching sound coming from the door and they froze, not daring to move lest they attracted the attention of whoever it was. Bryony felt like passing out from lack of air, due to trying not to pant and gasp.

They heard steps nearby and Veil tried to pull them into the shadows. But they were in plain view, illuminated by the strong moonlight flooding into the building.

"CRAP! ABSO-BALLY-SHITTING-LUTELY!" They heard barked out and they knew that they were in serious trouble.

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Hee hee hee, sprung bad! Ok, I need help with two things: 1. Does anyone know roughly how long a mouse is pregnant for? And 2. Does anyone know how to change the e-mail that you signed up to Fanfiction with? I REALLY NEED AN ANSWER, PLZ! I can't use the old one anymore but I have a new one now that I can use. I really need this info so that I can continue much further with the story.

Thanks to all my loyal readers (imagine me on a Grammy Awards stand) ;-D. From Votucu. P.S. Redwall, Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean rule!