It had been six seasons now since the terrible night in Mossflower woods
that caused Strider's mother her life, and many of the Redwallers could not
get over it for a long time.
On the other hand Strider had turned into a fine young badger, who was the leader of the large pack of dibbuns that terrorized the halls of Mossflower. Even though the amount of dibbuns had decreased to sixteen, they were still a handful.
Strider would lead them on expeditions that would often get them lost for many hours at a time. Once they did find their way out, Catspaw was waiting for them to give them all a bath for getting so dirty. Strider would then be lectured by Skipper for putting the children's lives in danger and not being more responsible.
Skipper was Striders step father. Skipper decided to be Striders step father ever since the day he found the poor pup beside his mother. Skipper never told Strider about the dream he had with Martin the warrior except for the time when Strider first came to Redwall, and of course Strider did not understand back then. He wanted Martin to come to Strider and have him find out for himself. He did though tell Strider what happened to his mother and whenever Strider was upset, they would find him by his mother's grave whimpering and talking to her.
Talking to his mother always seemed to cheer him up, and once Strider had finished doing that, he would head back inside and start leading the dibbun group on an expedition like nothing happened.
On one such occasion Strider walked back into Redwall to find five of the dibbuns he knew most standing there waiting for him.
They were Lucky, a hare who had been born a week early, and many of the inhabitants thought he would not make it because it took him so long to suck the milk his mother gave him. He was a season younger than Strider and ever since they could walk, they both were inseparable. Strider soon decided to have Lucky his sidekick, something Lucky was proud of.
Two twin mice named Billy and Milly. No one could tell them apart. They had the same markings, same personality, and would always finish each others sentences. One good thing about figuring out who was who, was that Milly was the female and she would wear a dress. But that would still not stop them from changing their clothes just to annoy everyone until they had to threaten them with no desserts.
A young squirrel named Spring who was probably the sassiest of the bunch. Most of the dibbuns could not stand her because of that, but Strider always treated her like an equal and cheered her up when she was sad.
The last dibbun was a hedgehog named Nathanial, he was actually the son of Tobias who had fallen in love a season after Strider came to Redwall. Nathanial was the youngest and newest member of the dibbun clan, and many were worried that he would have a harder time getting into trouble. They were all quite wrong for he could keep up with the greatest of ease.
Strider stared at them all in wonderment. "Find something interesting?" he asked.
"We bally well did, well Nathanial was the one who found it, wot," said Lucky.
"Yeah, me found it, it under da stairs," the little hedgehog said happily.
"What's under the stairs?" asked Strider.
"A secret..." said Billy.
"Passageway," finished Milly.
"Yeah and we thought that you would want to explore it," said Spring.
"Of course I want to explore it, why would I not? Take me to it," said Strider.
The five dibbuns then grabbed Strider's large paws and dragged him over to a stairwell that led to the abbot's room. They walked right under the stairwell and showed Strider a narrow passageway that could barely be seen.
"And how did Nathanial find this?" he asked.
"Me was pwaying with a marble and it went it dare, so me called Lucky fo' help," said Nathanial.
"Well I'll be, I guess we could go exploring now, follow me," said Strider.
The dibbuns then followed Strider in and as soon as Strider took two steps, he was engulfed by cobwebs. He coughed for a full minute.
"Well one thing is for sure, this place has not been explored in a long time," said Strider.
"I don't like it down here, it's scarier than the other passageways we have been through," said Spring who looked around nervously.
Lucky smiled at the thought and decided that it would be fun to scare her. Slowly he crept up to Spring and then grabbed her tail. Spring let out a scream that shook the walls, sending dust flying everywhere. She then ran up to Strider for protection.
"Something tried to get me," she cried.
Strider looked over at Lucky who was laughing hysterically; he then grabbed the hare by the ears and held him up in the air.
'That was not funny," he said.
"Sorry, he he, I could not resist, ha ha," said Lucky who continued to laugh.
"Next time you do something like that, I'll pull your tail off," said Strider.
Lucky heard what he said and quickly zipped his lip, he definitely did not like the sound of that.
"If dat happens, can me pull off his tail?" asked Nathanial.
"Maybe," said Strider who then walked on with the dibbuns close behind him.
For what seemed like hours, they traveled the passageway with only a small torch Strider had found for guidance. Many times they came to dead ends but would then turn around and find another passageway.
They could tell was getting late though when Nathanial climbed on Striders back and rode the rest of the way through the tunnel. He yawned a few times and started to drool all over Striders back.
"Well Nathanial's ready for bed, I say we all head back now, so we won't be here all night," said Strider.
Everyone murmured in agreement until Nathanial suddenly climbed off Strider's back and ran through a dark corridor. Strider was surprised by Nathanial's sudden alertness but still did not want to explore anything else.
"Nathanial, no more adventures, it's time to go back," said Strider.
"But me found someting neat," said Nathanial.
Strider looked surprised since the whole time they were there they had found nothing, now there seemed to be something.
"What...." Said Billy
"Is it?" asked Milly.
"It a big box wit pictures on it," said Nathanial.
Strider gave a puzzled look and decided to see what this box with pictures on it really was. He entered the room and the noticed that there was a carving of a mouse at the top of the box. As he stepped closer, he realized something.
"This isn't a box, it's a tomb," he said.
"What a tomb?" asked Nathanial.
It's a resting place for redwallers, like the graveyard outside," said Strider.
"Who do you think it is, wot?" asked Lucky.
"Or was," said Spring.
Strider walked around the tomb and looked closely at the pictures on the side. It was pictures of a mouse doing heroic deeds, such as defeating a cat, and holding a magnificent sword. Strider then saw an inscription and began to read it aloud.
"By the moonlight, on the hour,
In my threshold space lay me.
Watch the beam reflect my power,
United once more my sword with me.
I – am that is, stand true for all.
O warrior mouse, protect Redwall."
Strider was stood still in silent after he read the lines. He could not believe what he had just found.
"Oh my, is this Martin the Warriors tomb?" asked Lucky full of wonder.
"Yes, something many have not seen before," said Strider who then stared straight at the tomb without blinking.
The other dibbuns noticed this and wondered if he was alright.
"Strider old pal, what is it?" asked Lucky.
Strider, wake up sleepyhead," said Nathanial who then stared to pull Striders small tail.
But Strider did not hear them; he did not even see them. Instead he saw himself walking along Mossflower River. There he could see an evil female wildcat standing in the other direction walking toward someplace. Suddenly he heard a voice that seemed to be coming from him.
"I have kept a promise to you, cat. Kotir has fallen," came the voice.
"Gingivere, is that you?" said the wild cat.
"I am Martin the Warrior, son of Luke, friend of Boar the fighter," said the voice.
That was when Strider realized he was looking through Martin the Warriors eyes on that fateful day when he saved all of Mossflower.
He then saw himself fighting the wildcat. He could feel the pain of the cat's claws; he could feel the sword in his hands piercing the flesh of the wildcat.
Before everything was over, the scenery changed and Strider found himself looking up at the bell tower when Redwall still had only one bell.
"There's no way out mouse," said a voice from down below. It was a large rat with a huge tail and only one eye. Strider quickly realized that he was Matthias, and he was fighting Cluny the Scourge.
Just when Matthias was about to cut the rope, the scenery changed again. He saw himself in a palace facing a pine marten.
"Did you bring my pearls, the six tears of all oceans?" asked the pine marten.
"I brought only my sword," said the creature who Strider was looking in the eyes of.
Then he saw himself in a sword fight. Martin II was battling Ublaz to the death. Strider had never heard what happened in that story and he wanted to see the outcome, but the scenery changed again.
This time he was on a hill and thousands of vermin were heading his way. He looked around and noticed that he was with the long patrol. He was Arven and he was fighting in one of the most ferocious battles Redwall had ever fought. He slashed left and right and fought with much fury and power.
Again the scene changed, he was on an island with many hedgehogs and squirrels. He and the others were watching a gray fox paddling out on the large lake.
"He's getting away. Gawjo, what'll we do?" he heard himself ask as he looked over at an old squirrel.
"We can't do anything, Dann. The Marlfox is out o' range. No beast could throw a spear that far," said the old squirrel.
Suddenly their was a loud whirling sound, Strider turned around and saw a young hedgehog twirling a chain and then threw it at the Marlfox. She hit him and he fell into the lake where he was quickly eaten by pike.
The scene changed again and this time he could see himself running through Redwall. He grabbed the sword quickly and ran outside to slay a vermin.
"Vallug Bowbeast, 'tis death to you! I am Taggerung Juskaaaaaaaaa," he yelled.
Instantly Strider knew that he was Deyna, an otter who lived in a vermin camp but soon returned to Redwall.
He saw himself run at Vallug Bowbeast and he felt the sharp arrow dig deep into his chest, but that did not stop him as he quickly beheaded the weasel.
"For my father!" he cried.
The scenery then changed for the last time as he saw himself on a boat heading toward a large island. He saw another badger near him, a hare, an otter, and a hamster too. He was Triss the first female warrior heading out to Riftguard to save the slaves that were on the island.
When he arrived, he saw the slavers staring at them until he yelled out "Freedom!" He then ran down the plank and started chopping at slavers left and right.
Suddenly everything slowly vanished and a bright light came into view. Strider had no idea what to do so he stood there like a deer in the headlights.
A shape then appeared, it was Martin the warrior. He walked up to Strider and smiled.
"Strider, do you know why I showed you those battles?" he asked.
Strider did not say a word but shook his head as he stared in awe at Martin.
"Because I wanted you to see what it is like to be a warrior, so you can be prepared when you become one," said Martin.
"What...you mean I...wait badgers aren't supposed to be Redwall warriors," said Strider who could not believe what he heard.
Martin chuckled. "Don't be a silly beast; of course badgers can be Redwall warriors. In fact anyone can be a warrior if they know how to use my sword properly," he said.
"But why me?" asked Strider.
"Because, I can see you as a great warrior, I even told Skipper that a few days before your mother died," said Martin.
Strider just nodded, he was still surprised and speechless. Martin could tell that it was best to leave him to think and started vanishing.
"I am leaving you now, think about what I said and soon you will make the choice," said Martin.
The bright light then slowly faded and Strider found himself back in the dark tomb chamber.
"Strider, wake up," said Lucky who hit him hard on the head.
Strider quickly came to his senses and looked at his five friends who were all staring at him worriedly.
"Egad what happened to you Strider?" asked Lucky.
"Yeah, you seemed to be...." said Billy.
"In a trance," said Milly.
"I was. Martin the warrior came to me," said Strider.
They all looked at him wide eyed.
"What did he say?" asked Spring.
"He said I was going to be the next abbey warrior," said Strider.
"Really, I bet you would make a great warrior," said Lucky.
"Yeah I bet I could, well we better get back before the entire abbey decides to look for us. I need to talk to Skipper any way," said Strider.
Everyone just nodded. Nathanial quickly jumped on top of Strider's shoulders and yawned.
"Me weady for bed," he said.
Strider smiled and started leading the group out of the corridor and back to the abbey.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Well there's chapter three for you. I hoped you liked it. I was not expecting it to be so long, it was actually fourteen pages but there were probably less than that since it was double spaced. The next chapter will be up soon since this is my last week of classes and summer will be here for me and I can write more. Yay! Well please read and review and for those who write, have fun writing.
Also I would like to thank Aubreta for the tips on how to write. Yeah I forget commas a lot and I hope I remembered them all in this chapter. Also thanks for at least telling me what to do, not like Agravaine who just pointed out my faults and did not say whether or not the story was good. Also I read your Timballisto story when you first brought it out and I thought it was very good. I don't know why I never reviewed but I did put it in my favorite stories collection. Well I hope you review this chapter and I hope you finish your story soon. Have a nice day.
On the other hand Strider had turned into a fine young badger, who was the leader of the large pack of dibbuns that terrorized the halls of Mossflower. Even though the amount of dibbuns had decreased to sixteen, they were still a handful.
Strider would lead them on expeditions that would often get them lost for many hours at a time. Once they did find their way out, Catspaw was waiting for them to give them all a bath for getting so dirty. Strider would then be lectured by Skipper for putting the children's lives in danger and not being more responsible.
Skipper was Striders step father. Skipper decided to be Striders step father ever since the day he found the poor pup beside his mother. Skipper never told Strider about the dream he had with Martin the warrior except for the time when Strider first came to Redwall, and of course Strider did not understand back then. He wanted Martin to come to Strider and have him find out for himself. He did though tell Strider what happened to his mother and whenever Strider was upset, they would find him by his mother's grave whimpering and talking to her.
Talking to his mother always seemed to cheer him up, and once Strider had finished doing that, he would head back inside and start leading the dibbun group on an expedition like nothing happened.
On one such occasion Strider walked back into Redwall to find five of the dibbuns he knew most standing there waiting for him.
They were Lucky, a hare who had been born a week early, and many of the inhabitants thought he would not make it because it took him so long to suck the milk his mother gave him. He was a season younger than Strider and ever since they could walk, they both were inseparable. Strider soon decided to have Lucky his sidekick, something Lucky was proud of.
Two twin mice named Billy and Milly. No one could tell them apart. They had the same markings, same personality, and would always finish each others sentences. One good thing about figuring out who was who, was that Milly was the female and she would wear a dress. But that would still not stop them from changing their clothes just to annoy everyone until they had to threaten them with no desserts.
A young squirrel named Spring who was probably the sassiest of the bunch. Most of the dibbuns could not stand her because of that, but Strider always treated her like an equal and cheered her up when she was sad.
The last dibbun was a hedgehog named Nathanial, he was actually the son of Tobias who had fallen in love a season after Strider came to Redwall. Nathanial was the youngest and newest member of the dibbun clan, and many were worried that he would have a harder time getting into trouble. They were all quite wrong for he could keep up with the greatest of ease.
Strider stared at them all in wonderment. "Find something interesting?" he asked.
"We bally well did, well Nathanial was the one who found it, wot," said Lucky.
"Yeah, me found it, it under da stairs," the little hedgehog said happily.
"What's under the stairs?" asked Strider.
"A secret..." said Billy.
"Passageway," finished Milly.
"Yeah and we thought that you would want to explore it," said Spring.
"Of course I want to explore it, why would I not? Take me to it," said Strider.
The five dibbuns then grabbed Strider's large paws and dragged him over to a stairwell that led to the abbot's room. They walked right under the stairwell and showed Strider a narrow passageway that could barely be seen.
"And how did Nathanial find this?" he asked.
"Me was pwaying with a marble and it went it dare, so me called Lucky fo' help," said Nathanial.
"Well I'll be, I guess we could go exploring now, follow me," said Strider.
The dibbuns then followed Strider in and as soon as Strider took two steps, he was engulfed by cobwebs. He coughed for a full minute.
"Well one thing is for sure, this place has not been explored in a long time," said Strider.
"I don't like it down here, it's scarier than the other passageways we have been through," said Spring who looked around nervously.
Lucky smiled at the thought and decided that it would be fun to scare her. Slowly he crept up to Spring and then grabbed her tail. Spring let out a scream that shook the walls, sending dust flying everywhere. She then ran up to Strider for protection.
"Something tried to get me," she cried.
Strider looked over at Lucky who was laughing hysterically; he then grabbed the hare by the ears and held him up in the air.
'That was not funny," he said.
"Sorry, he he, I could not resist, ha ha," said Lucky who continued to laugh.
"Next time you do something like that, I'll pull your tail off," said Strider.
Lucky heard what he said and quickly zipped his lip, he definitely did not like the sound of that.
"If dat happens, can me pull off his tail?" asked Nathanial.
"Maybe," said Strider who then walked on with the dibbuns close behind him.
For what seemed like hours, they traveled the passageway with only a small torch Strider had found for guidance. Many times they came to dead ends but would then turn around and find another passageway.
They could tell was getting late though when Nathanial climbed on Striders back and rode the rest of the way through the tunnel. He yawned a few times and started to drool all over Striders back.
"Well Nathanial's ready for bed, I say we all head back now, so we won't be here all night," said Strider.
Everyone murmured in agreement until Nathanial suddenly climbed off Strider's back and ran through a dark corridor. Strider was surprised by Nathanial's sudden alertness but still did not want to explore anything else.
"Nathanial, no more adventures, it's time to go back," said Strider.
"But me found someting neat," said Nathanial.
Strider looked surprised since the whole time they were there they had found nothing, now there seemed to be something.
"What...." Said Billy
"Is it?" asked Milly.
"It a big box wit pictures on it," said Nathanial.
Strider gave a puzzled look and decided to see what this box with pictures on it really was. He entered the room and the noticed that there was a carving of a mouse at the top of the box. As he stepped closer, he realized something.
"This isn't a box, it's a tomb," he said.
"What a tomb?" asked Nathanial.
It's a resting place for redwallers, like the graveyard outside," said Strider.
"Who do you think it is, wot?" asked Lucky.
"Or was," said Spring.
Strider walked around the tomb and looked closely at the pictures on the side. It was pictures of a mouse doing heroic deeds, such as defeating a cat, and holding a magnificent sword. Strider then saw an inscription and began to read it aloud.
"By the moonlight, on the hour,
In my threshold space lay me.
Watch the beam reflect my power,
United once more my sword with me.
I – am that is, stand true for all.
O warrior mouse, protect Redwall."
Strider was stood still in silent after he read the lines. He could not believe what he had just found.
"Oh my, is this Martin the Warriors tomb?" asked Lucky full of wonder.
"Yes, something many have not seen before," said Strider who then stared straight at the tomb without blinking.
The other dibbuns noticed this and wondered if he was alright.
"Strider old pal, what is it?" asked Lucky.
Strider, wake up sleepyhead," said Nathanial who then stared to pull Striders small tail.
But Strider did not hear them; he did not even see them. Instead he saw himself walking along Mossflower River. There he could see an evil female wildcat standing in the other direction walking toward someplace. Suddenly he heard a voice that seemed to be coming from him.
"I have kept a promise to you, cat. Kotir has fallen," came the voice.
"Gingivere, is that you?" said the wild cat.
"I am Martin the Warrior, son of Luke, friend of Boar the fighter," said the voice.
That was when Strider realized he was looking through Martin the Warriors eyes on that fateful day when he saved all of Mossflower.
He then saw himself fighting the wildcat. He could feel the pain of the cat's claws; he could feel the sword in his hands piercing the flesh of the wildcat.
Before everything was over, the scenery changed and Strider found himself looking up at the bell tower when Redwall still had only one bell.
"There's no way out mouse," said a voice from down below. It was a large rat with a huge tail and only one eye. Strider quickly realized that he was Matthias, and he was fighting Cluny the Scourge.
Just when Matthias was about to cut the rope, the scenery changed again. He saw himself in a palace facing a pine marten.
"Did you bring my pearls, the six tears of all oceans?" asked the pine marten.
"I brought only my sword," said the creature who Strider was looking in the eyes of.
Then he saw himself in a sword fight. Martin II was battling Ublaz to the death. Strider had never heard what happened in that story and he wanted to see the outcome, but the scenery changed again.
This time he was on a hill and thousands of vermin were heading his way. He looked around and noticed that he was with the long patrol. He was Arven and he was fighting in one of the most ferocious battles Redwall had ever fought. He slashed left and right and fought with much fury and power.
Again the scene changed, he was on an island with many hedgehogs and squirrels. He and the others were watching a gray fox paddling out on the large lake.
"He's getting away. Gawjo, what'll we do?" he heard himself ask as he looked over at an old squirrel.
"We can't do anything, Dann. The Marlfox is out o' range. No beast could throw a spear that far," said the old squirrel.
Suddenly their was a loud whirling sound, Strider turned around and saw a young hedgehog twirling a chain and then threw it at the Marlfox. She hit him and he fell into the lake where he was quickly eaten by pike.
The scene changed again and this time he could see himself running through Redwall. He grabbed the sword quickly and ran outside to slay a vermin.
"Vallug Bowbeast, 'tis death to you! I am Taggerung Juskaaaaaaaaa," he yelled.
Instantly Strider knew that he was Deyna, an otter who lived in a vermin camp but soon returned to Redwall.
He saw himself run at Vallug Bowbeast and he felt the sharp arrow dig deep into his chest, but that did not stop him as he quickly beheaded the weasel.
"For my father!" he cried.
The scenery then changed for the last time as he saw himself on a boat heading toward a large island. He saw another badger near him, a hare, an otter, and a hamster too. He was Triss the first female warrior heading out to Riftguard to save the slaves that were on the island.
When he arrived, he saw the slavers staring at them until he yelled out "Freedom!" He then ran down the plank and started chopping at slavers left and right.
Suddenly everything slowly vanished and a bright light came into view. Strider had no idea what to do so he stood there like a deer in the headlights.
A shape then appeared, it was Martin the warrior. He walked up to Strider and smiled.
"Strider, do you know why I showed you those battles?" he asked.
Strider did not say a word but shook his head as he stared in awe at Martin.
"Because I wanted you to see what it is like to be a warrior, so you can be prepared when you become one," said Martin.
"What...you mean I...wait badgers aren't supposed to be Redwall warriors," said Strider who could not believe what he heard.
Martin chuckled. "Don't be a silly beast; of course badgers can be Redwall warriors. In fact anyone can be a warrior if they know how to use my sword properly," he said.
"But why me?" asked Strider.
"Because, I can see you as a great warrior, I even told Skipper that a few days before your mother died," said Martin.
Strider just nodded, he was still surprised and speechless. Martin could tell that it was best to leave him to think and started vanishing.
"I am leaving you now, think about what I said and soon you will make the choice," said Martin.
The bright light then slowly faded and Strider found himself back in the dark tomb chamber.
"Strider, wake up," said Lucky who hit him hard on the head.
Strider quickly came to his senses and looked at his five friends who were all staring at him worriedly.
"Egad what happened to you Strider?" asked Lucky.
"Yeah, you seemed to be...." said Billy.
"In a trance," said Milly.
"I was. Martin the warrior came to me," said Strider.
They all looked at him wide eyed.
"What did he say?" asked Spring.
"He said I was going to be the next abbey warrior," said Strider.
"Really, I bet you would make a great warrior," said Lucky.
"Yeah I bet I could, well we better get back before the entire abbey decides to look for us. I need to talk to Skipper any way," said Strider.
Everyone just nodded. Nathanial quickly jumped on top of Strider's shoulders and yawned.
"Me weady for bed," he said.
Strider smiled and started leading the group out of the corridor and back to the abbey.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Well there's chapter three for you. I hoped you liked it. I was not expecting it to be so long, it was actually fourteen pages but there were probably less than that since it was double spaced. The next chapter will be up soon since this is my last week of classes and summer will be here for me and I can write more. Yay! Well please read and review and for those who write, have fun writing.
Also I would like to thank Aubreta for the tips on how to write. Yeah I forget commas a lot and I hope I remembered them all in this chapter. Also thanks for at least telling me what to do, not like Agravaine who just pointed out my faults and did not say whether or not the story was good. Also I read your Timballisto story when you first brought it out and I thought it was very good. I don't know why I never reviewed but I did put it in my favorite stories collection. Well I hope you review this chapter and I hope you finish your story soon. Have a nice day.