'Don't resist me, squirrel. I always win, and it is by my mercy that you still live.' It thought
'I'll fight you as long as possible. I don't want to let you kill my friends.' Correy's thought came back rapidly
'I'll kill her. I'll make it slow - and have you watch it all.'
'You wouldn't. I can make existance horrible for you. It'll-' Correy stopped.
'Never threaten me squirrel. Feel that pain? You can't even express the feeling. Now, lets see where your seer friend is...'
'No! No, I'll stop... Just let her be.' Correy replied.
'Good. I see we have an agreement.'
Allayne sat in a room that had been vacant in the mountain.
She looked out the window, hoping to be able to sight the Shadow Slayer before it came.
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in." She said. A hare opened the door.
"Marm, I've been ordered to take you to ops." The hare politely said.
"Ops?" Allayne asked as she walked towards the door.
"Operations center. We took a room and outfitted it as an information center, where we have all information come to us. It's location is a well guarded secret, as is most of the items there."
They began walking down a corridor. "I feel honored. You must really trust me to take me there, unblindfolded."
The hare laughed uncomfortably. "Not at all. We're moving it tomorrow. Posig was the highest hare in the mountain, but after that thing got him... we just don't want to risk it. I can't imagine how horrible it can be to have something like that done."
"He got it easy - only controled. It's horrible. When it goes into me, it wants me to suffer, and it always has me turn against my friends, trying to kill them, and forcing me from home, saying things you never would say, ad all the time, your completely aware of it."
The hare looked surprised. "No wonder Posig lost it. He killed two hares in ops." They stopped at a door. "Right in here." The hare opened a door. Various charts were hung on the walls. A few posters advertising various mountain activities hung there as well; the only one readable at that range was advertising the reinactment of the 6 season war's final battle. In the middle of the room was a table with figures of hares on a mountain drawing. A few hares were in the proximity of a drawing that loked like Redwall, and one was in the drawing. Around the table, a few of the higher ranking hares, Sally, who looked excited to be there, and Agen, who's massive form filled a good portion of the room. Allayne took a free spot. Looking back at the door, she saw two hares holding spears to guard the entrance.
Agen began speaking. "We have a problem. As many of you know, Sam, one of the new recruits, died when n was thrown from the mountain by some evil force, currently possesing a black squirrel. Many of you who went to the abbey know this squirrel as Correy, however, do not attempt to show mercy on him in a fight. Al, hares will be in groups of three for saftey. Next, according to our sources, our agent at Redwall is dead; as well as all save two of the abbey. This also means that our small force that we sent to check in on the abbey is likely dead, as they never made it too the abbey. Also, remember that this room will be changing to the archives room, due to what's happened to the Commander. We will need a replacement for him, as we'll need to give him recovery time. Now, as for the enemy, I'll be deffering to one of the survivors of the Redwall catastrophy. Okay, um... You know in all this rush to prepare a defense, I never got your name."
Allayne spoke. "It's Allayne. As for the enemy, it is like no other. It can posses bodies, and cause you to betray your friends, with you yourxelf fully aware of it. I was witness to the death of one of my closest friends; this thing actually caused me to displace myself from one body to another; the other body was your agent, Cornelius. I was there to witness the death of Lisa, the infirmary keeper. I was able to get back to myself only as your agent died." Allayne stopped as the Badger looked at her questionly.
"How did you know he was our agent?"
"When you enter another body, it's the most wonderful feeling of knowledge flowing into you. You know everything they know, know what's happened in their lives. This may be a motive to why this thing is possesing as many creatures as possible, and killing, leaving a path of destruction behind."
Agen nodded. "Good. Now, all of you are dismissed. Allayne, will you stay in here a few moments, I'd like to talk with you."
After the hares left, Agen spoke. "You don't hold why our agent was thee against us?"
"You were being safe; he was a ferret. Although he was good; he could have escaped while it tried to kill me, because it went after me first, but instead let me escape at his own sacrifice."
Agen looked down. "I see."
Allayne spoke. "How did his mother really die? If I remember correctly, you said she fell from the mountain; but she had perfect balance."
Agen looked down. "She fell; what we didn't tell him was it was his arrow that did it."
"His arrow?"
"Each hare gets certain kinds of arrows; each set is different, so that we can give them scores basedon hitting a target during practice. It was his first time, but he missed only one. That one sailed over the mountain and struck his mother."
"Oh..." Alayne said. "He had a serious drinking problem after that."
"Also, um... I don't mean to sound rude, but being a seer, and the fact you changed bodies, are you able to reach into minds? I'd like to know what happened with Posig in the time he was last himself."
"I might be able to. I'll try as soon as you want me too."
"Now is good." Agen said.
"Well, lets go." Allayne said.
A few moments later, Allayne was looking at the hare. "Here goes nothing..." She placed her paw on his head. She concentrated on entering his mind. "Okay..." Everything went dark.
In the blackness, Allayne walked around. The unconsious mind was odd. She saw Posig, being smothered by a black object.
She crept over, quietly. It was a black oily figure. She touched it. It crept over her. She tried to pull away, but it hung on, smothering her as well.
Agen saw Allayne's expression go blank shortly after she started. Sddenly she collapsed. Agen went over to check on her. "Allayne?"
She shuddered. "Its in him..." She lost conciusness.
Sally rushed over. "I knew this was a bad idea!"
Allayne heard clinking. She opened her eyes. Chained next to her, seemingly out of nowhere, were Posig and Correy. "What's going on?"
Correy turned to her. "It's taking over multiple bodies. And it looks like you took it's bait."
"Damn it! That's two down." Agen said.
Sally looked at the two prone figures. "I'd like to know what's going on here. Something Serious happened with Posig." She looked at Allayne. Looks like we may be down to one survivor."
'You said you wouldn't harm her.' Corey thought angrily.
'Really. She brought it on herself; I never thought she could do that.'
'Release her then. Or I will fight you, and make it harder for you to work.'
'I can get rid of you.'
'Not without hampering your powers.'
'Fine.'
Allayne fell suddenly from her chains; she felt the blackness receiding.
She woke up.
Sally was looking over her. She jumped back as Allayne's eyes opened.
"Are you okay? What's happened?" Sally asked.
"It's trying to take muliple bodies. Posig's a gonner; he'll never come back. It released me; I don't know why."
Agen walked over. "What happened to Posig?"
"I couldn't find out." Allayne replied. "I didn't have time."
Night fell. Allayne was back in her room. Suddenly, she found herself at the abbey. "Wha-"
Correy floated out.
"Why have you brought me here?"
"I was lonely." He landedand walked around her. "I have a proposition."
"What?" Allayne asked, hoping for the best.
"You want this squirrel free, right? Give yourself to me, and he will be free."
"Why should I trust you?"
"I can put it this way - Your mine no matter what happens. Free the squirrel, or make him a slave?"
Allayne shook her head. "Neither."
Correy smiled. "You will regret this."
She found herself back on Salamandastron. She shuddered, jolted from the experience.
Allayne sagged into a chair. "Your safe..." she told herself. "Completely safe."
'Oh, really? I may have released you, but I still own you.' A voice came through her head.
She wanted to scream; but suddenly there was pain in her stomach. She fell out of her chair, unable to make a sound or breath. Her body bent in the middle; it felt as if everything was tearing apart. All she could hear was laughter; horrible evil laughter.
Sally sat on her bed, in a room across from the infirmary. A breeze flew into the window; she shivered at the cold. She stood up, closing the window.
Her stomach gurgled - She was hungry again. She decided, as an excuse to go to the kitchens, she'd take Allayne on a tour of the mountain.
She opened the door. It squeaked; she frowned; she'd need to fix it. She closed it, and walked down the corridor towards Allayne's room.
She knocked. No answer. She knocked again.
Allayne heard the knocks, faintly. She willed herself to make somesort of sound.
Suddenly the pain stopped. She gasped for breath, shaking heavily; unable to think or do anything as the world around her began to fade.
Sally knocked one last time; wondering what was going on. She heard gasping sounds on theother side of the door. "Allayne? It's Sally. Are you okay." Thee was no response. "Allayne?" Sally looked concerned. She tried the door; it was locked. She pulled out a dagger; popping it's hinges and hauling the door away. She looked inside; dim candlelight shimmered in there. Entering she tripped over something hard. Getting up; she saw it was Allayne; completely senseless, breathing hard. Sally attemped to lift her; but because Allayne's muscles were tensed, she found it to be a hard job. Slowly, she carried the mouse in her arms, and got to the infirmary, where the night watch would be on duty. She kicked the door. "Medical Emergency!" The door opened; a young brown hare stood jumped back n surprise at who was there; Sally usually never came in at night. He moved back; allowing Sally to place Allayne on a bed.
"Get a relaxant; anything that will get her muscles relaxed."
The young hare moved to a cabinate; and pulled a few herbs out. "Here." He said shyly.
Sally took the herbs. She lit them on a candle. Putting the smouldering part over Allayne's nose, she let the smoke be breathed in. Allayne's muscles began relaxing. Within moments, the mouse lay limp on the bed.
Sally looked down at the mouse, disposing of the herbs. "What happned?" She asked
The Brown Hare shifted uncomfortably.
Sally turned towards him. She had been shy when she was night watch for the infirmary. "Uh, just watch her. If anything changes, tell me." She didn't know what else to say. She turned to leave the infirmary. She opened the door. Correy stood there; he grabbed her by her night tunic, which was a faded blue. "Hello." He lifted her up.
The duty hare stood ridgid. "H-hey, y-you can't do that!" He yelled.
Correy laughed. "Actually, I can."
Sally tried to struggle free. "Let me go!"
Correy continued laughing. "Why should I?"
Duty hare crept closer. "Stop!"
Correy's voice grew dangerous. "Get closer and she dies." He backed away. "Your coming with me." He said to the still struggling Sally.
"No! Help me!" Sally cried. She kicked as hard as she could with no effect.
The duty hare ran to the corridor, to see if he could find either. It was empty.
Moving towards the rooms of the higher ranking officers. He knocked on a door.
"What in the bally world do you need at this hour?" A voice came from the other side. "I'll have your ears for supper if it's not important."
The door opened. The duty hare gulped as he saw the figure of one of the captians in Salamandastron, looking down on him angrily. "Well?"
"The thing kidnapped Sally!" The hare yelled.
"What? When?" The captian asked, surprised.
"Just now, in the infirmary." The duty hare said.
"Wake the rest of the officers. I'll get to the infirmary."
"Why am I here?" Sally was bound to a tree. The black squirrel laughed.
"Is everybeast in your mountain stupid? This body that I'm in is already known. I'll be able to do my work much better as Sally the infirmary keeper."
"I won't let you." Sally said defiantly.
"That's what this squirrel said. Now, I want you unconsious when I do this, so..." He punched Sally hard, knocking her senseless.
"Bye bye, Squirrel." Correy collapsed. Sally came awake. "Hmm... Hare again. Oh well." She broke the ropes, and headed for the mountain.
Allayne woke up; there were loud yells.
"We need to organize a search party! You, you, you, and you, go. We think she's in the woods!"
Allayne hurt all over. Painfully, she got up. Several hares were in the infirmary, questining the duty hare about what had happened.
"Help! The thing's after me! Help!" Sally's voice came through the window.
A few of the hares left, heading fr the bottom of the mountain.
The captian and the duty hare were still there. The captian spoke. "Thanks for reporting that, Ben. Take the rest of the shift off."
Neither of them noticed Allayne awake; they left.
Hours passed. Allayne caught odd snatches of sleep. As the sun rose, the door opened. Sally walked in. "So, how are you feeling?"
Something's not right, thought Allayne. "Fine." She said.
Sally drew closer. Allayne finially saw it. "You!" The word carried so much hatred that it would have made a normal creature cry.
Sally looked back with just as much hated, if not more. "So, you saw right through me, Seer. Well, it's Ironic noa - this dagger saved your life last night, but now it'll end it." She pulled out a dagger. Before Allayne could say another word, she stabbed down. "Goodbye, seer."
As everything went dak, Allayne vaugly heard Sally yelling. Then it went black.
Correy woke up, with a massive headache. He tried to remember what happened, how he got into the woods. Everything flooded back. He shuddered.
He weakly got up. He had to Warn Salamandastron.
Staggering, he breahed hard. What had it been that he was forced to eat to kill him? It didn't matter. It either worked or it didn't.
He tripped. He hardly saw the rock before everything blacked out.
Allayne appeared in his mind. 'Correy, you are the last survivor from Redwall. You ust warn Salamandastron about Sally.'
Correy replied, 'Last survivor? How-'
'Dagger to throat. Don't worry; it wasn't painfull.'
'But why-'
'I found out what happened to Sally. I can't tell you anything else; goodbye...'
'Allayne! No! Come back!'
It was silent. He flashed back to the real world. Rain splattered down, making him damp. Unsteadily, he got up. He shivered. Slowly, the black squirrel made his way through the woods. The mountain loomed ahead. He stopped, realizing he'd be killed on sight if seen.
He sat down to think. Water flowed off him in cascades as he was in a less protected area. He was startled suddenly; a few squelching noises started and came close.
A hare was running towards Correy; a few others followed. They drew swords. "Stay still squirrel - no tricks, or we'll kill you!"
WA: Dang. I really didn't want to kill Allayne off. But it was the only thing that was logical to do - it wouldn't have let her live, and she would have noticed Sally was different.
Though its getting interesting-I really don't know what will happen next.