Chapter ten: Rowanoak's true past
Martin took in his surroundings. He was in an underground home, home to Bella's ancestors. Bella kept tight hold of Rowanoak's paw, who still didn't seem to know what was going on. Bella had them all sit around the dining table. "Let me tell you what happened, it all happened a long time, and I thought I would never see Rowanoak again."
"Rowanoak is my younger sister. We lived together here in Brockhall, though I was at least 10 seasons older than she, and she probably wouldn't remember, because she was just a little babe then. When our father Boar the Fighter was getting ready to journey to Salamandastron, mountain of the fire lizard, a wildcat from the north, by the name of Mortspear, attacked Brockhall in attempt to plunder treasure and take slaves. My father fought gallantly and bravely, but was not quick enough to catch the wildcat, who escaped, taking the babe Rowanoak with him. All these seasons I thought she was either a slave or dead, but she must have escaped."
Rowanoak sat silently through the story, listening, trying to remember. "I don't remember Brockhall," she said slowly, "but I do remember a wildcat, and being a slave. I escaped with the help of a good friend." Her eyes twinkled in the direction of Ballaw.
Martin could not help but notice a cheeky-looking mouse sitting across from him. Even though Martin hadn't seen him before, he felt immediate kinship to him. The mouse noticed Martin looking at him, winked, and said, "Hey, there matey! I'm Gonff, Prince of Mousethieves. What do they call you?"
Martin suppressed a chuckle and answered, "Martin the Warrior of Noonvale."
A pretty Loamhedge mouse sitting next to Gonff remarked, "Noonvale? I've heard of that place, the way they describe it, it sounds almost like Loamhedge."Abbess Germaine was sitting next to Martin across from the mousemaid. "Loamhedge. It was a wonderful Abbey. Maybe we can build a new abbey, Columbine, maybe build it even better than Loamhedge."
Martin sat still and listened. The word "abbey" jumped out at him, though he wasn't sure why.
Bella was now ready to hold a council of war. "You, Martin of Noonvale, do you think we can stop the wildcat?"
Martin stood and replied, "I believe we can stop anything with enough spirit and bravery."
Bella nodded her approval. "Do you have a plan?"
Martin was caught off guard, but recovered. "A plan. Y-yes, I do have a plan, and I'm in the process of shaping it up. For now, we have to wait for the right moment. The horde musn't know that we've come down and almost doubled your numbers. Those vermin will get the surprise of their lives. "
Nobeast doubted the word of an experienced warrior.
Martin took in his surroundings. He was in an underground home, home to Bella's ancestors. Bella kept tight hold of Rowanoak's paw, who still didn't seem to know what was going on. Bella had them all sit around the dining table. "Let me tell you what happened, it all happened a long time, and I thought I would never see Rowanoak again."
"Rowanoak is my younger sister. We lived together here in Brockhall, though I was at least 10 seasons older than she, and she probably wouldn't remember, because she was just a little babe then. When our father Boar the Fighter was getting ready to journey to Salamandastron, mountain of the fire lizard, a wildcat from the north, by the name of Mortspear, attacked Brockhall in attempt to plunder treasure and take slaves. My father fought gallantly and bravely, but was not quick enough to catch the wildcat, who escaped, taking the babe Rowanoak with him. All these seasons I thought she was either a slave or dead, but she must have escaped."
Rowanoak sat silently through the story, listening, trying to remember. "I don't remember Brockhall," she said slowly, "but I do remember a wildcat, and being a slave. I escaped with the help of a good friend." Her eyes twinkled in the direction of Ballaw.
Martin could not help but notice a cheeky-looking mouse sitting across from him. Even though Martin hadn't seen him before, he felt immediate kinship to him. The mouse noticed Martin looking at him, winked, and said, "Hey, there matey! I'm Gonff, Prince of Mousethieves. What do they call you?"
Martin suppressed a chuckle and answered, "Martin the Warrior of Noonvale."
A pretty Loamhedge mouse sitting next to Gonff remarked, "Noonvale? I've heard of that place, the way they describe it, it sounds almost like Loamhedge."Abbess Germaine was sitting next to Martin across from the mousemaid. "Loamhedge. It was a wonderful Abbey. Maybe we can build a new abbey, Columbine, maybe build it even better than Loamhedge."
Martin sat still and listened. The word "abbey" jumped out at him, though he wasn't sure why.
Bella was now ready to hold a council of war. "You, Martin of Noonvale, do you think we can stop the wildcat?"
Martin stood and replied, "I believe we can stop anything with enough spirit and bravery."
Bella nodded her approval. "Do you have a plan?"
Martin was caught off guard, but recovered. "A plan. Y-yes, I do have a plan, and I'm in the process of shaping it up. For now, we have to wait for the right moment. The horde musn't know that we've come down and almost doubled your numbers. Those vermin will get the surprise of their lives. "
Nobeast doubted the word of an experienced warrior.