Hey again, Votucu here. Thanks heaps for the answers to my questions – they were tons of help. Thanks again to Psycho Violinist of Silentwood for your help with the e-mail thing – I successfully changed the registered address and I can now get the updates from Fanfic when someone posts a review (WHICH I'D LIKE TO GET MORE OFTEN PLZ PPL *hint, hint* ;-D). Ok, I don't own Bryony, Veil, Jodd, Abbess Meriam, Bella, Skipper, Log-a-Log, Togget or anyone else at the Abbey, Redwall, Salamandastron, Swartt Sixclaw, Sunflash the Mace… but who's still reading this far into the disclaimer and who really cares??? (No offence meant if you do). But I've said it and you can't jail me over this FUN piece of writing (typing, technically…).

Forgive the language in this one, but you are reading an R rated story, remember. C'ya.

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Chapter 9: Disgraced Travellers Who've Travelled a Complete Circle

The tirade of swearwords flooded the run-down church at a pace that would curdle any cream within a ten league radius of the startled – to say the extreme least – hare who stood in the doorway of Old Saint Ninians church, silhouetted by the midnight moon. Veil and Bryony were frozen to the floor with shock. Suddenly the immediate danger pumped boiling water into Veil's veins and he had leapt up and run over to the small puddle of rags on the floor before the intruder could even pause for breath. Martin's sword was completely cleared of its sheath before the lanky animal took a full step towards the bewildered and frightened mousemaiden and the ferret had flown back to her side before the hare could take another step forward. He brandished the sword, glaring and baring his teeth viciously, not stopping a low growl from rumbling in his throat. He jabbed outwards, missing the hare by several sword lengths, but still warning the intruder to keep its distance. The hare – who had managed yelling long enough to read the situation sprawled on the ground before him – took a cautious step backwards, his paw straying dangerously close to the squirrel dagger strapped to his side.

"Get away from the maiden, rapist" He growled lowly, his hard voice matching the cold steel of the dagger.

"You get away, she don't want no goody-goody shit hangin' around 'ere" Veil spat equally as cold, his snarl never changing.

Bryony was shaking, her heart was going so fast that she felt light-headed and her stomach was seriously threatening to return Veil's cooking to nature. "Stop –"she whispered, but neither creature could (or would) hear her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing back around here, scum?"

"Language, you long eared arsehole, there's a lady in the room"

"You didn't answer the question, dickhead"

"You answer it first, motherfucker"

"Why, you insolent little bastard! That was too offensive for me to let it pass!"
"Then catch it and send it back, old fart!"

"No, you catch this!" he flung the small dagger at a blurring speed, Bryony found her voice long enough to scream as Veil went limp and his protective arms slid off her back. Then she crumpled limply to the floor under his body.

"Damn! Shitin' pissin' fuckin' crap!" the enraged hare sprinted forward and threw the ferret's body off Bryony's back before picking up her unconscious form and slinging it carefully over his shoulder. He relieved the ferret of Martin's sword and picked the scabbard up off the floor, tying it around his waist as he ran, very aware that he had to get the limp mouse to her home, the Abbey of Redwall. His dagger lay, forgotten, near the body of the fallen, resting in a small pool of blood. He left the body of Veil Sixclaw the Outcast where it had dropped, on the floor of Saint Ninians Church in Mossflower Woods.

***

Bang! Thud! Bang! BOOM! Bella of Brockhall launched herself from her huge chair at Redwall's dining table and flew out of Great Hall at a remarkable pace, considering her age. She was at the Main Gate before the majority of Redwall were out of their seats, with Skipper of Otters, Log-a-Log and Abbess Meriam hard at her heels.

"Who bangs at our Gate this night?" she boomed out over the red sand-stone walls of her beloved home.

"A friend to the creatures inside, bearing something important" Jodd the Squirrelhare called back, using the traditional response that he and Bella had devised for the two of them.

"Open the doors! It's Jodd!" Bella cried out, lunging forward at the doors and single-handedly lifting the bar and flinging the solid wooden gates open recklessly. Animals scattered as a streak of fur and cloth bowled into and through the ever-growing crowds as he tore up to the Infirmary, hollering back to Sister Withe to hurry up and help him with his injured bundle. The small creature toddled up after him, very confused as to what the rush was and why she had had to leave her wildberry and cream tart at the table where hungry Dibbuns would soon find and devour it.

***

Squirrels, mice, hedgehogs, otters and shrews tried to rush after the fleet hare and the Infirmary Sister, for they were as confused as she was. Only the Badgermother Bella had been tall enough to see the face of the creature that Jodd had so painstakingly carted all thorough the night to return her to where she belonged and she understood instantly that this was not a matter that the other animals needed to get themselves involved in. Naturally, she was thoroughly excited to have the defenceless mouse back under her protection and among friends, but an unchecked mass rush to the Infirmary could easily cause something to go wrong. The wise badger cut to the back into the Great Hall and bounded up the stairs that led to the dormitories, skipping two steps at a time as she did. Panting shallowly, she blocked the hallway to the Infirmary with her body while waiting for the Redwallers to appear up the narrow hallway that their pursuit would be leading them up. As she had predicted, there was only a few seconds difference in time between her route and the route that led from the outside of the Abbey and Skipper was soon bounding towards her, with his fastest otters close behind him. A bark from the colossal badger quickly had them skidding to a halt and calling back to others behind him to stop before there was a huge collision.

"Skipper of Otters, I'm ashamed at you! Tearing around the Abbey after an injured creature and setting a terrible example to all those you command, as well as the many creatures who look up to you as a wise leader!" She said, ignoring all the stunned beasts that were standing in the hallway looking around sheepishly. But none were as sheepish as the otter Captain.

"Sorry, marm, wasn't thinkin' right, marm. Caught up in all the excitement, won't do it again, marm!" he said sharply, avoiding eye contact by focusing on the broad white stripe that stretched from the tip of her muzzle to the back of her head.

"So I should think, Skipper! Now quick march down to Cavern Hole and all you other creatures are to follow him without a sound"

The creatures silently trooped down the stairs, heads hung low.

***

Many leagues away, Togget the mole stirred slowly in a strange bed.

"You'm 'olden still naow. 'Urtin much, et will be" A soft mole voice said to him. It was a female voice, slowed by seasons and gentle from many years of love.

"Burr… wot 'appened to moi poor ole 'ead?" He asked, trying to clear the blur from in front of his eyes so that he could focus on his carer.

"A gurt fall, you'm tooken, maister" she told him.

"Ho urr… whurr is oi, marm?"

"Marm me, you woan't. En moi 'ome, you'm be. Carried you'm 'ere, moi sons did"

"Do you'm know o' Re'wall Abbey, marm?"

"Tolden us of et, travellers 'ave" She nodded slowly and waddled further back into her home where something was steaming in a large black cauldron. Dipping a wooden ladle in it, she stirred slowly. "Ask, whoi do you'm? Know ee place, do ee?"
"Whoi, err, oi doan't know. Whoi do oi arsk?" he sounded very confused as he searched his brain for and answer to his question.

"Hush naow, moler. In due tiome, all queshuns will be answered" the old female replied quietly, her voice deceptively soothing as she walked over to him and let him take a sip of the strange stew from the ladle. He muttered a few in-coherent words before slipping into a very deep slumber. The female walked over to the cave entrance and blew three sharp notes on a small whistle that was attached to a cord hung around her neck. Three ferrets, a stoat and a male fox sprung from the bushes and ran forward at her command, seizing the unconscious mole and slinging him into a sack.

She patted the fox on his back, chuckling as she voiced her thoughts normally "Sixclaw shall be pleased with these catches –" there was a small tinkle of beads banging together as she swept her paw out from under her cloak and indicated several bags lined up in the near-by ditch, partly covered by bushes and weeds "– to use against the badger. We'd best be back to camp soon"

Nightshade the Seer had returned to Mossflower!

***

The Infirmary was so quiet that it made Jodd shiver. He looked around him, seeing all different types of vials, glass jars, poultice and herbal medicine recipes, fancily written on aged pieces of parchment and suspended on the walls. The odd hare found that he had much respect for Sister Withe as she silently rushed around the room, collecting things and taking them over to her sleeping patient where she administered them slowly and carefully. Then she tipped some water into the mouse's mouth and stood back with the hare to watch. Bryony gave a small gurgle and coughed slightly, which caused her to start breathing rapidly as she tried to clear out the water. Sister Withe gave a small excited squeak and rushed forward to help Bryony sit up before she choked to death. Jodd blew out a long sigh of relief, he'd never felt so scared for another creature in his life.

"She is well clear of danger, now. You can return to your meal, Jodd" the small nurse told him quietly as Bryony realised where she was and started looking around her.

"Where's Veil?" she whispered softly.

Jodd wasn't yet out the door, though very close, and he told her what she didn't want to hear "I finished the blaggard off for you, missy, no need to worry now, toodle-pip!" with that he sped out of the room, fancying that the remainder of his dinner was calling to him.

There was a scream of pain from behind him that echoed up and down the hallway and was so blood-chilling it froze his blood. He decided not to go back, pretending that the cause was something the Infirmary sister had applied to a sore spot. Inside his head, he knew different. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was just that he had a picture of a plate with three large chunks of oat and barley cheese topping a luscious green salad spread with a small collection of nuts on the side and one of those blackberry muffins, a wildberry and cream tart and a deeper'n'ever pie in the other hand. He nodded at this as he arrived at the Great Hall and started making his dream a reality, taking small nibbles or sipping from discarded meals as he went, following his favourite meal motto "waste not, want not!" The mousemaid's problems would soon be solved.

***

In cavern hole, the scream sent a shiver down the spine of every creature present, from the smallest Dibbun up to Skipper and Bella themselves.

"Oi'm thinken ee poorbeast bees awakey naow" said a small voice from near the back o the room. Bella thought how amazing it was that even moles that young carried more wisdom than most creatures thrice their age that she'd met.

"Skipper, Log-a-Log, Foremole, Abbess Meriam and I will go up to check on our visitor now, would you all please return to your meals and be thankful that I didn't scold you further" she said to the gathering, then motioning the leaders forward with a sweep of her heavy arm.

They trooped up silently, with Bella ad Meriam up the front. The Abbess leant over to the badger and said quietly "you know who it is, don't you, Bella?"
The badger could not lie to the Mother of Redwall so she nodded slowly "yes, I do know. And I believe that you will be overjoyed when you see them again" She would say no more on the subject.

Tap, Tap, Tap! There was a small knock on the Infirmary door and the small Sister tiptoed over to it, opening the door a small crack. She was confronted by the Abbess, who asked her if they were allowed in to check on the patient. She nodded and softly added that they needed to be extremely quiet. The small patrol of six creatures padded over to the bedside where there lay a small bundle of fur under a tattered bed sheet, her body shaking as she cried, but no sound came from her.

"You'll have to forgiver her, marm" Sister With told Abbess Meriam "but she lost her voice from grieving"

"Grieving?" the Abbess asked.

"Yes, over the ferret. Jodd put paid to him and when he told her so, she went into fits of crying and screaming into her pillow. Then she stopped screaming suddenly and hasn't again, since"

It was then that the wise Abbess knew what had happened to Bryony and felt ashamed that this was the homecoming that the poor mouse had received. Jodd would be receiving a harsh talking to later on and she was sure that she and Bella would be able to deliver it well.

"Bryony, small flower, please look at me" the mouse's ears didn't even flicker in her direction. Skipper, Foremole and Log-a-Log glanced at each other, nether had guessed until then either. Bella was worried, it was much worse than she had dared to imagine.

The Abbess sat on the edge of the bed, stroking the soft head-fur of the pathetic little bundle "Bryony, you are home now, safe with friends who love you" Meriam tried again.

Bryony shook her head and tried to bury herself further under the sheets, still crying rapidly and silently. Bella headed back to the door, getting the others to follow. Abbess Meriam stood up slowly, walking away from the small mouse. Sister With decided that it probably would be better to leave Bryony alone for a while, so she followed the procession out of her infirmary.

Bryony heard them go, but paid no heed. She just continued crying silently into her pillow.

***

Nightshade the Seer rolled over in her bed and lay still. She rolled over a bit more, and then she rolled back to her original position. What is preventing me from my rest? She asked herself, climbing off the bunch of moss and grass and trotting over to her bag of sticks and stones. She threw them up once and let them drop to the ground, noting how they acted in the air and how they landed. She heard someone stir behind her and she froze as they stood and started coming up behind her. She sniffed the wind and easily recognised the scent of Renzarch the Archer, once a member of stupid Damsontongue's pack of foxes. Now he served Swartt Sixclaw, just like the rest of the pack.

"Why doest thou approach me during my meditations, Renzarch?"

He was not surprised that she had picked who he was, it was said that she knew everything, which was how Swartt knew if anyone was thinking of mutiny. He was afraid of being near her alone though, so he sat a bit away from her. She chuckled dryly and he shivered slightly. She reads minds too? He thought.

"I 'eard you movin' 'round an' I wanted to see what's up"

"'What's up' you say? My shells, sticks and stones go up and come down, revealing anything that I need to know"
They sat in silence, her eyes staring at one particular shell, which definitely was not a part of her collection earlier that day. Brushing it with one claw, she removed the dirt from it. Then she picked it up and stared at the markings on it. One, Two, Three… She counted the scratches carefully, a sinking feeling coming over her. …Six! That's when the other objects suddenly made sense. One rock had landed so that it looked like a big bell above another red shell, which was quite large. This shell had landed on top of a small hole in the ground. As she disturbed the shell, many upset ants streamed out of the hole. A building which houses many creatures? She thought. The sticks and leaves had landed around one side of the large shell. A woodlands of some sort? Then it hit her. These woods that she was back in and the woods around the building were one and the same. Then she realised what had been disturbing her so much all through the day. She was back where they had had to fight those woodlanders, where the baby ferret had been lost and almost where she had seen him again.

"Come, fox, we're going to take a short walk" She instructed, standing up and giving one last swift look at her collections of shells, stones and sticks before hurriedly putting them back in her pouch. The two foxes walked swiftly off into the woods.

Swartt would be extremely pleased if I were to bring his only son back into his charge. She thought to herself, her ears flicking back and forth as she tried to listen for anything that moved, while she sniffed the air intently to catch the scent of a ferret. All the time she was coming closer to Redwall and closer to Saint Ninians run-down church.

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Hello! Thanks all for your reviews. Sorry it's been a while but Fanfiction has been down heaps and I haven't been able to upload this 'cause I can't log in properly. Does anyone have any idea why this is?

C'yas, from Votucu.