Okay, if you're reading this, it means you read the first chapter (hopefully) without giving up hope that this could shape up into a good story. Thanks! Okey-dokey, here we go! Chapter two...
Chapter II
"Wow... it's so big!"
The squirrel and the hare had reached the gates of Redwall Abbey together as sundown approached. A loud rumbling was heard as the two friends examined the gate. Roken made an observation.
"They must be opening the doors. Did you hear that?"
"Actually, that was my stomach."
"Oh." Just then, a loud clicking sound was heard as the two gates opened. Carol was behind the doors awaiting the two to enter.
"Hello there! Is there anything that we can help you with?" Roken and Nikki were glad to be welcomed by a smile.
"Actually m'dear, yes you can! We two travelers are out of food and in a desperate need of a place to sleep!" Roken finished the sentence.
"And we thought that Redwall would be a perfect place to fix both of those problems!" Carol enjoyed the newcomer's enthusiasm. "That is, if it's all right for us to come in..." Carol then opened the doors wider with a large grin.
"Oh, yes, of course! If this is your first time here, I can show you around, if you please." Roken spied the Abbey behind Sister Carol. It was a marvelous site; bigger than anything he had ever seen. It looked so wonderful, with warm red colors stretching across it's walls, beautiful stained glass windows, and to top it all off, a large weathervane situated on it's top. Nikki's reply broke Roken's train of thought.
"The squirrel's never been here before, but I have, wot? Nah, no tour for me, today. The Abbess will remember me, of course! Uh.. her name is uh, um... wot.. er, Annabelle! Right? Or is it something else..." Carol giggled at the hare.
"Yes, it's Abbess Annabelle."
"I haven't seen her daughter Wintergreen since she was barely a dibbun. I suppose she'd be, uh, well, about your age now, Roken." Just then, a mouse, whom you probably remember, walked up behind Carol.
"Well, well, who are the visitors?" Slightly startled, she turned to look behind her and saw Andrew looking at the Hare and Squirrel. Carol, visibly annoyed, turned back to Roken and Nikki and then replied.
"I was just getting to that, actually. I, am Sister Carol of Redwall Abbey. And this... this is Andrew." The young mouse bounced up energetically in front of the two and bowed, then took Nikki's paw and kissed it.
"Hello, m'lady! What might your name be?" The sister then almost quietly said, "Now Andrew, don't be shy,"
"Oh my, wot! Erm, my name is Nichole. Or Nikki for short. And this squirrel to my left is Roken." Andrew's face then turned from Nikki to Roken with a large smile.
"Well, hey there bud!" He then wrapped his arm around the squirrel and announced to the world, "I officially claim Roken as my squirrelly buddy. Now then, Carol, why don't you go show Nikki to the abbey and let me give my bud a little tour since he's never been here before," Carol looked as though she knew that this would equal some sort of trouble, but saw the large smile on Roken's face and decided to avoid the hassle of trying to stop it.
"Well... alright. Come on Nikki, food will be served shortly."
"Ah! Food, wot? Now there's something worth walking for!" The two then left towards the abbey.
* * *
Roken had immediately taken to Andrew, having never met anyone quite like him before. He had already been shown around the Gatehouse, the orchards, the belltower, and the pond. Just before they entered the Abbey itself, Andrew posed a question to the squirrel.
"You know, I've noticed that Mandolin on your back... I don't suppose you play?" Roken looked slightly shy. "Well... yeah."
"Are you good?"
"Well... please don't take this as a egotistical response, but, yes, I am good." Andrew smiled widely.
"All right! That's the spirit! I play guitar, y'know. Tonight we are having supper inside only because very shortly afterwards, there will be some entertainment for those who are too full to come up and perform. How about after dinner, we go up to the dormitories by ourselves, and work out a few songs together, and then perform?" Roken looked slightly flustered by the immediate offer, but pleased none the less.
"Sure! I'd love to! But I haven't really played for a large audience before..."
"Nah, don't worry, it's easy. You just can't be afraid of making an idiot out of yourself. Then, play your hardest, and everybeast will be happy!" He then put his arm around the squirrel and led him into the Abbey. Immediately the buzz of everybeast inside talking and eating, laughing and joking, and even a few hedgehogs singing landed like a tidal wave of warm happiness upon him.