The night was dark, thunder and lightning caused beasts to huddle close inside their homes. In the darkness of night no one saw the large fleet of vermin approaching the island... My dad stared out towards the approaching shapes uneasily, as if knowing what was to happen...
Trigg sat up, breathing heavily and covered in cold sweat. Sione and Touse slept soundly, dreaming deeply. Trigg looked at them, then looked up toward the top of the little cave that the squirrels called their home.
He sighed. He knew that dream well, having experienced it many times. He wondered what happened after the boats arrived. He figured he might never know.
Trigg got up quietly and walked over to the cave entrance. He looked outside at the think layer of snow. Well, at least it wasn't snowing anymore... He came back to his small make-shift bed and picked up his blanket. He put it around his shoulders and came back to the entrance.
He looked north, the direction he figured Redwall was in. Redwall... he thought, I hope what that hare said was true... that Redwall will hold the answers to my past. But how can it?
He had often wondered about it. How could a place so far from his home hold the answers about his past? Well, it's not like I've got any other place to go... He thought bitterly.
It took him a few moments to notice that the gentle snores of the squirrels had stopped. He looked back into the cave and walked back into it's warmth. Sione greeted him happily.
"Good morn' Trigg!" She smiled and stretched her paws upward. Touse got up slowly next to her, using an old cane for support. He smiled warmly.
"Weather seems to 'ave cleared up a bit. Wot do ye saw, Sione?" The elderly squirrel moved to the entrance, gently brushing Trigg aside.
"I think if me 'n Trigg are careful we could even set out today!" Both Trigg and Sione stared at Touse awaiting his judgement. Trigg had grown to trust the judgement of the old squirrel.
"I agree with ye, Sione. But I'm not sure weather Trigg here 'll be able to travel to well with all the snow."
Trigg nodded. "I think I c'n manage it..." He was eager to get to Redwall. Sione looked at Touse hopefully.
"I guess the two of ye will be fine... just be careful and try to get t' Redwall soon. Don't ferget me, Sione!" The young squirrelmaid hugged Touse.
"Don't worry, I won't! Let's go, Trigg. Got everything you need?" Trigg hurried back inside and gathered his belongings, picking up a full harvesack in his way out. He nodded for the squirrel to start. Sione let go of Touse and began to walk along the think snow, waving to him until he was out of sight. Trigg would have done the same, had he not been busy trying to walk inside the snow.
* * *
Three days had passed since they had left the cave. Trigg slept peacefully under the morning rays while Sione went looking for a stream of water. Trigg awoke abruptly as Sione came running to him, a canteen hanging loosely from her paw.
"Trigg! come on Trigg! I found the path! Get up!" She pulled Trigg up harshly, shaking him awake. He picked up his harvesack and groggily followed the eager squirrelmaid. She led him to a path along the woodlands.
"Where does this lead to?" Trigg asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He adjusted his harvesack over his shoulder.
"Up to Redwall, silly!" She said excitedly. "Come on. I think we'll be able to see Redwall by the end of the day!" Trigg groaned and follwed Sione down the path.
(I'm not happy with this chapter... but I had to get it out of the way. I'm pretty sure the next one is going to be better. I may have made a couple of mistakes, I kept typing it and re-typing it. In the end it wasn't all that good anyway. Please tell me what you think!)