Chapter 2: Autumn of the Maple Star
The fox sat half-heartedly prodding the embers of the fire. The rest of his band motley ferrets, weasels and other foxes sat around the clearing arguing, gambling or trying to sleep. His seer the vixen, Wiera, sat down on the opposite side of the fire, staring at him with pale slitted eyes.
"You are worried, Vorgu. You are not as relaxed as you were. What troubles your mind?" said Wiera, tucking her paws into the folds of her robe.
"I am indeed worried. I am afraid I shall loose my grip on these beasts that call me Chief. I have not brought them as much loot and bounty as I had promised. I fear a mutiny." Vorgu stirred the embers roughly, sending sparks into the night sky. "What do your omens tell you?
Wiera reached into a robe pocket and drew out a pawful of stones and small twigs. She rattled them in her cupped paws, muttering softly. She threw them on the ground. The vixen peered at them, tracing the patterns they made with a blunt claw. Finally she spoke.
"The omens tell me that we shall come across a place in our travels, with treasure and beauty. See how those sticks form a square, with stones in the centre? They represent a significant place, but it is inhabited. The road to this place will be hard; we must beware of the creatures living there. Also see how there is a larger stick forming a barrier, with those ants crawling around. Methinks that there shall be a great many beasts there. But if you can conquer it, it will be worth it. You will have treasures of which you have only dreamed." Wiera finished.
"Is this place far? Do you know, Wiera?" asked Vorgu, hanging on to her every word.
"I meself do not know, but perhaps Marshclaw knows. He grew up here before he joined us." The vixen suggested.
Vorgu stood, and went to the weasel Marshclaw, who was sitting with a ferret playing an old gambling game, known as Three-Bones. Both Marshclaw and the ferret saluted as their chief came over.
"Marshclaw, do you know of a place here, filled with beauty and treasures?" Vorgu asked, placing a paw upon his cutlass hilt.
"Well, sir, the only place that I know is some abbey called Redwall. It's got many legends woven about it, like red warriors, magic swords and ghost mice. Many have tried to claim for their own, but I of none. Even Cluny the Scourge, the legendary Marlfoxes, and Ironbeak the crow failed." said Marshclaw.
"Hmmmm...carry on then." commanded Vorgu, scratching his chin with a thoughtful claw.
He returned to Wiera and sat down again.
"Do you think we should try to claim it? If we can find more recruits, we should surely have enough to overwhelm them. I already have about four score of vermin at my back." asked Vorgu, planning.
"If you can find more beasts, then methinks you should indeed." said the vixen, wrapping her voluminous cloak around her more tightly.
Vorgu spread himself out on his cloak and stretched luxuriously, preparing to go to sleep.
"Fine, then. We march to the Abbey of Redwall at dawn!"
The fox sat half-heartedly prodding the embers of the fire. The rest of his band motley ferrets, weasels and other foxes sat around the clearing arguing, gambling or trying to sleep. His seer the vixen, Wiera, sat down on the opposite side of the fire, staring at him with pale slitted eyes.
"You are worried, Vorgu. You are not as relaxed as you were. What troubles your mind?" said Wiera, tucking her paws into the folds of her robe.
"I am indeed worried. I am afraid I shall loose my grip on these beasts that call me Chief. I have not brought them as much loot and bounty as I had promised. I fear a mutiny." Vorgu stirred the embers roughly, sending sparks into the night sky. "What do your omens tell you?
Wiera reached into a robe pocket and drew out a pawful of stones and small twigs. She rattled them in her cupped paws, muttering softly. She threw them on the ground. The vixen peered at them, tracing the patterns they made with a blunt claw. Finally she spoke.
"The omens tell me that we shall come across a place in our travels, with treasure and beauty. See how those sticks form a square, with stones in the centre? They represent a significant place, but it is inhabited. The road to this place will be hard; we must beware of the creatures living there. Also see how there is a larger stick forming a barrier, with those ants crawling around. Methinks that there shall be a great many beasts there. But if you can conquer it, it will be worth it. You will have treasures of which you have only dreamed." Wiera finished.
"Is this place far? Do you know, Wiera?" asked Vorgu, hanging on to her every word.
"I meself do not know, but perhaps Marshclaw knows. He grew up here before he joined us." The vixen suggested.
Vorgu stood, and went to the weasel Marshclaw, who was sitting with a ferret playing an old gambling game, known as Three-Bones. Both Marshclaw and the ferret saluted as their chief came over.
"Marshclaw, do you know of a place here, filled with beauty and treasures?" Vorgu asked, placing a paw upon his cutlass hilt.
"Well, sir, the only place that I know is some abbey called Redwall. It's got many legends woven about it, like red warriors, magic swords and ghost mice. Many have tried to claim for their own, but I of none. Even Cluny the Scourge, the legendary Marlfoxes, and Ironbeak the crow failed." said Marshclaw.
"Hmmmm...carry on then." commanded Vorgu, scratching his chin with a thoughtful claw.
He returned to Wiera and sat down again.
"Do you think we should try to claim it? If we can find more recruits, we should surely have enough to overwhelm them. I already have about four score of vermin at my back." asked Vorgu, planning.
"If you can find more beasts, then methinks you should indeed." said the vixen, wrapping her voluminous cloak around her more tightly.
Vorgu spread himself out on his cloak and stretched luxuriously, preparing to go to sleep.
"Fine, then. We march to the Abbey of Redwall at dawn!"