Chapter 2
"Oho day adidly ala day
Summer is for me
Oho day adidly ala day
Tis the best season there be
Oho day adidly ala day..."
A hedgehog sang in a deep voice as it came rushing through a river. He was sturdily built, with brown eyes, and had a paddle as he went down to a stream. His singing voice could be compaired to the sound of a frog hitting the ground screaming, but then the frog would kill you for the injustice. The hedgehog, named Rodney, was aware of this, but did not care.
Finishing the song, he looked up ahead. The Abbey of Redwall was clearly visible, and that was where he was going. He was a Rover, and had not been to the abbey in many seasons, Since before Morty became abbot.
Redwall was still a day away, so he would be making camp and continuing.
"What?"
"I believe I spoke very clearly. In a weeks time, you will be dead. Two days later, there will be nobeast alive in redwall."
"Is there anything that can be done?"
"Yes. You must leave. Now."
"But redwall can't be conqured, can it? No vermin has ever controled the abbey."
"Actually there are two, Cluny and You."
"You know how I feel about being called that."
"Sorry. But you need to go. Now."
"Why would somebeast do this?"
"Well, families seeking revenge for lost lovedones that your father killed."
"Yes, I suppose. Is there any way to stay?"
"If you stay, the omens say you will be dead in a week."
"One week?"
"One week."
"I'll stay with my abbey. I'm sure I'll be safe."
"As you wish." With that, Allayne left.
"One week." Said the abbot. This was not his day.
"Mort, are you okay?" A mouse asked him politely.
"Hmm... oh, yes sorry. I'm fine... I just need some breakfast thats all." Moveing over to his chair, he rung a bell to silence everybeast for the prayer.
"Thank the seasons for this summer
Thank the fish for the food
Thank nature for the harvest."
Everybeast was now seated and eating. The breakfast was simple, Scones, porridge, and some cordial was all that was served. Redwall was big only on dinner and dessert.
Soon the food was gone, and the abbey beasts went about their chores. Morty went to the kitchens, and there Cornelius got him into a rare temper. Many abbeybeasts were gathered outside of the kitchens, listening to what was happening.
"Cornelius! No! What do you think your doing!?"
"Simply baking bread for the dibbuns. Unkneeded, lots of ale, and chesnuts."
"But that will explode!"
There was a bang.
"Oops."
"OUT! GET OUT! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU RUIN MY KITCHENS!"
"But I was only..."
"I know what you were trying to do, but please don't try my patience. Not Today." He sighed, wondering if he should say what Allayne had told him. He decided against it. He really didn't believe she could tell the future that accurately. "I'm sorry for yelling. Go get washed up. I'll be in my room if you need me."
Cornelius came out of the kitchens, with burnt dough caked on him, followed by the abbot, who put a large tray to be washed, a tray that also had burnt dough on it. Walking up to his room, he opened the windows to his room, letting the breeze come in. He still felt uneasy. But he always did after loosing his temper. Sighing, he looked on his shelves, and pulled off a book. Sitting in his bed, he began to read, as he had finished his chores anyways.
"Come with me..." came a voice
The abbot was startled. It had most definately been in the room. "Who's there?" he asked
"Your destiny...."
"What? Why are you here?"
No answer. The door opened, closed, opened again, and Cornelius came in.
"Sorry, is this a bad time?" he said, being serious. "I though I heard somebeast in here with you."
"So did I. Never mind that for now, however. What is it that you wanted to say?"
"I'm sorry for the kitchen problem, I'll take care of it right away."
"Yes go do that." Then he thought a moment. "Wait, Cornelius, I have something to tell you."
"Yes, Father Abbot?"
"Don't go around telling this to everybeast, but Allayne had a vision. She said that in a week, someone would kill me. Two days after, there will be no life at Redwall."
The hare was astounded, so much that he forgot not to use his accent, which annoyed the abbot. "B-B-But Sah, isn' t'ere a way t' stop it? An' who will do it? An' 'ow does she know?"
The abbot ignored the accent, and replied, "I don't think so, because I think it was that voice that we heard. And Allayne is a seer, but she doesn't wan't everybeast to know."
The hare sat there, speechless, even as the abbey bells rang for lunch. He sat there before the abbot told him to keep quiet about it. They walked from a well built coridor, full of abbeybeasts, to a delapdated, lifeless great hall. Cornelius fainted, it was too much. A voice said "Leave now, or this is your future..."
"Why? I haven't do anything wrong."
"Not you. Your family is cursed. They may not hold power without death. Them and their followers must die."
The scene changed. They were in the abbots room. A cloaked figure approached. The abbot backed away. There was a flash of a dagger, and the abbot screamed. He fell to the ground. Suddenly it was day again. Footpaws rushed to his door. It opened, and the abbot was lifted away as he lost consiousness.
Rodney heard the bells toll out in alarm. It probably had nothing to do with him. Eating a scone, he began singing again, and the area around him was suddenly devoid of life. Unbothered, he began to sing an old song he knew.
Who are the shadowslayers?
A legend?
A disease?
The shadowslayers come
just like you and me
Silently
Silently
Never hear them coming,
till they kill unmercifully
Flee from the shadowslayers!
Flee to the lands where they come from
Or the shadowslayers shall slay us all
Odd song he thought. It didn't make sense, but he would then again, none if his songs did.
Cornelius was consious first, after a vile smelling substance us put under his nose. He coughed a bit, and started shaking, almost afraid to ask his question. "Is the abbot alive?"
"Only senseless. What happened? One minute you two were walking into lunch, and the next the abbot as screaming in his room. Also, why would the abbot be dead?"
"He- He doesn't want me to say. Its horrible. But I can't be against him on something like this." He continued shaking as he fell back into remorsefull blackness.
The abbot didn't know where he was. He saw debris everywhere. He saw a flat block. He picked it up. It read Redwall Abbey.
"No..." he said
"It is your future." It was the voice from his room. "Or rather, everybeasts future."
"Why are you doing this to me? I never did anything to anybeast. I may be a ferret, but why can't my actions speak for themselves?"
"They do." the voice said. And then he saw who spoke. He knew who it was."
A mousemaid had been seeing to the abbot, seeing if there was any physical reason why he should be whimpering in his senslessness. She jumped back in fright as he suddenly came bolt upright and gave out a scream. "No... this can't be happening..."
"Father Abbot, sir? Are you alright?" The mouse asked, "Whats not happening?"
"What? Oh... Sorry. Bring the elders council here, please."
"They've only just started lunch"
The abbot looked startled, but regained his composture. "Send them up after lunch, then, please. Oh, and send Allayne here after lunch as well."
After the mouse went off to eat and do what she was told.
The abbot felt in his pockets, and pulled out his journal.
I can only hope that this helps whateverbeast reads it next. I am now just a tortured soul. I feel almost at the brink of insanity, even. I saw my killer, know it, even, but can't remember who it was that I saw. What shall I ever do?
"Oho day adidly ala day
Summer is for me
Oho day adidly ala day
Tis the best season there be
Oho day adidly ala day..."
A hedgehog sang in a deep voice as it came rushing through a river. He was sturdily built, with brown eyes, and had a paddle as he went down to a stream. His singing voice could be compaired to the sound of a frog hitting the ground screaming, but then the frog would kill you for the injustice. The hedgehog, named Rodney, was aware of this, but did not care.
Finishing the song, he looked up ahead. The Abbey of Redwall was clearly visible, and that was where he was going. He was a Rover, and had not been to the abbey in many seasons, Since before Morty became abbot.
Redwall was still a day away, so he would be making camp and continuing.
"What?"
"I believe I spoke very clearly. In a weeks time, you will be dead. Two days later, there will be nobeast alive in redwall."
"Is there anything that can be done?"
"Yes. You must leave. Now."
"But redwall can't be conqured, can it? No vermin has ever controled the abbey."
"Actually there are two, Cluny and You."
"You know how I feel about being called that."
"Sorry. But you need to go. Now."
"Why would somebeast do this?"
"Well, families seeking revenge for lost lovedones that your father killed."
"Yes, I suppose. Is there any way to stay?"
"If you stay, the omens say you will be dead in a week."
"One week?"
"One week."
"I'll stay with my abbey. I'm sure I'll be safe."
"As you wish." With that, Allayne left.
"One week." Said the abbot. This was not his day.
"Mort, are you okay?" A mouse asked him politely.
"Hmm... oh, yes sorry. I'm fine... I just need some breakfast thats all." Moveing over to his chair, he rung a bell to silence everybeast for the prayer.
"Thank the seasons for this summer
Thank the fish for the food
Thank nature for the harvest."
Everybeast was now seated and eating. The breakfast was simple, Scones, porridge, and some cordial was all that was served. Redwall was big only on dinner and dessert.
Soon the food was gone, and the abbey beasts went about their chores. Morty went to the kitchens, and there Cornelius got him into a rare temper. Many abbeybeasts were gathered outside of the kitchens, listening to what was happening.
"Cornelius! No! What do you think your doing!?"
"Simply baking bread for the dibbuns. Unkneeded, lots of ale, and chesnuts."
"But that will explode!"
There was a bang.
"Oops."
"OUT! GET OUT! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU RUIN MY KITCHENS!"
"But I was only..."
"I know what you were trying to do, but please don't try my patience. Not Today." He sighed, wondering if he should say what Allayne had told him. He decided against it. He really didn't believe she could tell the future that accurately. "I'm sorry for yelling. Go get washed up. I'll be in my room if you need me."
Cornelius came out of the kitchens, with burnt dough caked on him, followed by the abbot, who put a large tray to be washed, a tray that also had burnt dough on it. Walking up to his room, he opened the windows to his room, letting the breeze come in. He still felt uneasy. But he always did after loosing his temper. Sighing, he looked on his shelves, and pulled off a book. Sitting in his bed, he began to read, as he had finished his chores anyways.
"Come with me..." came a voice
The abbot was startled. It had most definately been in the room. "Who's there?" he asked
"Your destiny...."
"What? Why are you here?"
No answer. The door opened, closed, opened again, and Cornelius came in.
"Sorry, is this a bad time?" he said, being serious. "I though I heard somebeast in here with you."
"So did I. Never mind that for now, however. What is it that you wanted to say?"
"I'm sorry for the kitchen problem, I'll take care of it right away."
"Yes go do that." Then he thought a moment. "Wait, Cornelius, I have something to tell you."
"Yes, Father Abbot?"
"Don't go around telling this to everybeast, but Allayne had a vision. She said that in a week, someone would kill me. Two days after, there will be no life at Redwall."
The hare was astounded, so much that he forgot not to use his accent, which annoyed the abbot. "B-B-But Sah, isn' t'ere a way t' stop it? An' who will do it? An' 'ow does she know?"
The abbot ignored the accent, and replied, "I don't think so, because I think it was that voice that we heard. And Allayne is a seer, but she doesn't wan't everybeast to know."
The hare sat there, speechless, even as the abbey bells rang for lunch. He sat there before the abbot told him to keep quiet about it. They walked from a well built coridor, full of abbeybeasts, to a delapdated, lifeless great hall. Cornelius fainted, it was too much. A voice said "Leave now, or this is your future..."
"Why? I haven't do anything wrong."
"Not you. Your family is cursed. They may not hold power without death. Them and their followers must die."
The scene changed. They were in the abbots room. A cloaked figure approached. The abbot backed away. There was a flash of a dagger, and the abbot screamed. He fell to the ground. Suddenly it was day again. Footpaws rushed to his door. It opened, and the abbot was lifted away as he lost consiousness.
Rodney heard the bells toll out in alarm. It probably had nothing to do with him. Eating a scone, he began singing again, and the area around him was suddenly devoid of life. Unbothered, he began to sing an old song he knew.
Who are the shadowslayers?
A legend?
A disease?
The shadowslayers come
just like you and me
Silently
Silently
Never hear them coming,
till they kill unmercifully
Flee from the shadowslayers!
Flee to the lands where they come from
Or the shadowslayers shall slay us all
Odd song he thought. It didn't make sense, but he would then again, none if his songs did.
Cornelius was consious first, after a vile smelling substance us put under his nose. He coughed a bit, and started shaking, almost afraid to ask his question. "Is the abbot alive?"
"Only senseless. What happened? One minute you two were walking into lunch, and the next the abbot as screaming in his room. Also, why would the abbot be dead?"
"He- He doesn't want me to say. Its horrible. But I can't be against him on something like this." He continued shaking as he fell back into remorsefull blackness.
The abbot didn't know where he was. He saw debris everywhere. He saw a flat block. He picked it up. It read Redwall Abbey.
"No..." he said
"It is your future." It was the voice from his room. "Or rather, everybeasts future."
"Why are you doing this to me? I never did anything to anybeast. I may be a ferret, but why can't my actions speak for themselves?"
"They do." the voice said. And then he saw who spoke. He knew who it was."
A mousemaid had been seeing to the abbot, seeing if there was any physical reason why he should be whimpering in his senslessness. She jumped back in fright as he suddenly came bolt upright and gave out a scream. "No... this can't be happening..."
"Father Abbot, sir? Are you alright?" The mouse asked, "Whats not happening?"
"What? Oh... Sorry. Bring the elders council here, please."
"They've only just started lunch"
The abbot looked startled, but regained his composture. "Send them up after lunch, then, please. Oh, and send Allayne here after lunch as well."
After the mouse went off to eat and do what she was told.
The abbot felt in his pockets, and pulled out his journal.
I can only hope that this helps whateverbeast reads it next. I am now just a tortured soul. I feel almost at the brink of insanity, even. I saw my killer, know it, even, but can't remember who it was that I saw. What shall I ever do?