Blinding pain shattered my senses as I rose up to groggy consciousness. I found that I could not move, for my arms were being held up in the air. Somebeast (or two) was holding me up as I was being dragged along a floor. It was rough, and had many tiny ridges and bumps that flaked off into my fur. There were some larger cracks at regular intervals, and the hem of my tunic snatched and tore at the planks below. It was extremely uncomfortable.

Wood. That was a wooden floor. It was no longer the pleasant green grass I remembered. But why was I here now? Something about the grass? What about before the grass? The rats, I remembered, had chased me across the grass. Why did they do that? I pushed my way through a haze of agonizing pain, sifting through my thoughts. They ran from me. I attempted to catch up with them, but stumbled and fell into another fog. Only the here and now made any sense. Lifting my head, I was relieved to see the light in this place was sparse. It seemed to be some long, spartan hallway made entirely of wood. I could see some large, intimidating shadow a few feet ahead, moving at my pace. One of my eyes was half-closed despite my efforts to the contrary (which were fairly weak), and a dull throbbing emanated from it. As feeling began to return, I felt somebeast's claws digging into my arms. I looked farther upwards.

Two large silhouettes at my sides were pulling me along. A warbled, dull voice like I was listening through water reached my ears, which flicked weakly in a sign of life, my head falling back against my chest. My eyes closed again. It took too much effort to keep them open.

"Hnn. I do not see why we must heft this… dead weight. Why not leave him in his cell? Or throw him to the Rippers? They have not been fed in days. Foreign meat may satiate their appetite."

"Captain Vaslu has said he wishes to personally interview those we find in the countryside. The red place and the hares' mountain has caught the eye of the Emperor himself, they say." The second voice was no different from the first due to the constant headache pounding into my head, filling my ears with white noise.

"By the stars!" exclaimed the first. "But it took two months just to get here! And we were nearly killed at the foot mountain, you remember? These stinking Mossflower barbarians are beneath us in all ways. They have not even put down the clans on the coast. Those… Juska vermin. Respectable rats like us bowing to fairy tales of great warriors and… and ferrets! I feel this whole blasted land may waste the Lord Emperor's time."

"I agree. Although anybeast that attacks unprovoked like those cursed hares deserves to burn in the Empire's flames. I just wish it was not us to taste their bite."

"Be quiet, both of you!" said a third voice, possibly from the huge shadow before me. It cut through the darkness in my mind, making me wince at the sharp, commanding tone that bit into my sensitive ears. "You both whine like whelps fresh off their mother's breast. I want to hear no more from you until we are finished with this baggage here."

I could only feel slightly indignant at being called "baggage" before darkness overcame my race to stay ahead once more. But this blackness was not simple and blank. It was something more, something I had seen before… but what?

----- ---- ----- ------ --- --- -- -

Oh, thank goodness! Bless you, you're still alive!

W… what? Who are you?

Me? I'm Garrety! Garrety Lasham! We met not five hours ago! Don't you remember?

N…No. I don't… where did…are you a mouse?

Well, at least you know that much. That was some hit to the head you took there! Falling on a rock like that might normally send you right back to Dark Forest Gates!

Where's that?

…Don't tell me you don't remember that even. Do you know what happened? Where you are? Me and Martin saw everything! It was terrible, them just waltzing up and shooting you without so much as a howdy do! Well, I'm here now, no fears! You… say, I never caught your name.

I… it's…

----- ----- - -------- ----------- ----

"It's what?"

"Huh? Who…"

"I said… what is your name?"

"My name?"

"Come now. Everybeast under the sun has a name. As do you. Now tell me." Something warm leaned in close to my muzzle. I was on my knees in a brighter, warmer room than the hallway before. I almost gasped at how unclear my vision was. Was I blind? My eyes were still closed, I believed, but a smell invaded my nostrils. Rats. And a couple of other beasts, perhaps a fox, and a weasel. But… how did I recognize such things? I had never smelt them before. But what set off a panic alarm in me was the beast doing the questioning. Something deep inside of me said that it was unfamiliar, and thus something to be afraid of. It was not the thick stench of rat, it said, so be on your guard. I pushed away the baser instincts and put myself in the present. Who was talking? The captain I heard of earlier? Why did he want my name? Did I have to give it to him? Would he hurt me if I did not? Possibilities of torture and death and burning at the stake ran through my mind. Something hard, cold, and inexorable wrapped slowly around my neck. The voice, once calm and collected, turned callous and dangerous. I racked my brain, but could find nothing. Even the field I had been shot in was a blur of green and red.

"Your name, please. Your foreign stench already clogs my nostrils." There was a long moment of waiting as I held my breath, searching desperately for an answer. The thing around my throat tightened, and I began to gag. I tried to lift my paws to pry away the intrusion, but they were bound behind my back.

"I don't…I don't remember," I said hoarsely.

"That's not an answer," said the other. "You have a name. You're just not giving it to me. What is it?"

"I don't know," I said again, a hint of desperation in my voice. Why couldn't I open my eyes? Why was this happening? Questions ran at the speed of light through my head. Why had they taken me? Where was I? Wouldn't he just believe I didn't know what he wanted me to tell him? Did I know?

And who in Martin's name was I? Worse, why did I just take the name of a beast named Martin in vain? Who was Martin? How did I know his name and not my own? The grip around my throat came dangerously close to cutting off all my breathing entirely.

"Your name, scum. Or it's the torture chamber for you."

"I don't know!" I said loudly, the pain and fear distracting me from concentrating. I shivered at how unclear I was being, and somehow knew that it placed me in some kind of danger. The other one didn't seem to like the way I was acting.

"You don't seem to understand that when I ask for something, I want it. And I want it very soon after I ask. Now, you aren't going to tell me you don't know your own name. That is foolishness. Now tell me your name!"

"I don't know."

"What is your name?"

"I don't know!"

"What is your name?"

"I don't know!!!" I shouted at last, the effort ripping through my throat and causing irritation on the parched skin within. I realized I was devoid of water and nutrition. The other released me, and then struck me hard across the face. I crumpled, whimpering pitifully as the blow had connected with the part of my face already bruised from my fall in the field.

"For the last time, you foreign filth. What is your name?"

"I… My name is…" I had to think of something, that much I knew. I would lie. Yes. If I couldn't remember my old name, I would make a new one. But what? Some inner instinct told me horrible pain was only seconds away if I didn't give whoever it was that was bothering me something.

"Adrick," I said out of the blue.

"Hnh?"

"Adrick," I said again, with a measure of humility. "My name is Adrick."

Silence.

"Adrick, then." I sighed with relief. No pain. Yet. "Tell me what you know of Redwall Abbey."

Something clicked. That name triggered a memory. Sandstone walls, red in color, place of peace. I had read about it… years ago. But what to say now? He hadn't sounded very convinced when I said my name. I had to at least talk.

"It's um… I've… never been there… personally…" I could think of not much else. Pain throbbed in my head, and my side was aching. I winced as the pain came cascading back into my conscious thought again. "I know that… it's… a haven for peaceful creatures with good hearts. And it is very old."

"Not as old as the Empire."

"I… would not know…"

"Swine! Redwall's history, whatever it may be, is nothing compared to the might of our Imperium! Any fools who cater to the weak under pretenses of aimless compassion without even a favor to previous honor do not earn my respect, or the respect of the Emperor, with ease." I cringed, trying to huddle against a wall I felt behind me. Nobeast tried to cease my movements. They were causing enough pain as it was anyway, and they seemed to know that.

"I know that it has never fallen to an enemy." Yes, that might impress him. I don't know where I had read this, though. It was simply known.

"Pah," said the other voice. "Anybeast can fight if they wish. The cretins here are no real threat. If a simple wall stops them, I am not impressed overmuch." Well fine, I thought bitterly, angry indignation coursing through my veins along with the confusion and hurt, don't ask me about it again then.

"And the mountain of hares?" Oh. That part was quite foggy indeed.

"It… too… has never fallen to outside foes. Except once."

"What do you mean?"

I licked my dry lips. Why did I remember all this and nothing of anything else? "A cat. Wildcat. I don't know his name… ughn… it hurts…"

"Then faint like a coward and face torture. Or talk. I may spare you."

"A cat… took it over… blunderer… like all the rest… badger came and killed him…for… for revenge. The cat… his army was the largest ever seen. But he was beaten. Arrogance."

"Of course. That is what they all tell me." I sensed movement. "Take him back to his cell. Give him some water as a reward, and spare him the racks. Is that all?"

"Yes, captain," said a new voice, soft and demurring. An underling's voice.

"Very well," said the captain. "Shove off of this filthy foreign beach! We sail for the shelter of the glorious Imperium!"

I was dragged back by two other creatures, and tossed into a room. My head swam and a cold chill ran through me with the pain. Something clanked on the ground in front of me.

"Drink up," somebeast sneered, then laughed and walked away. The door slammed shut, and what faint light there was left me altogether. I crawled forward as best I could with bound paws. Water? Where? I searched fruitlessly for a few moments, and my whiskers brushed against cold metal. There was a cup. Gingerly, I lapped up what water I could, soothing the parched skin in my throat. Suddenly, the room lurched, and the water spilled. Crying out in despair, I rolled up against the far wall as much groaning and pitching took place. Was this some sort of ship? It made sense, as there was a captain, and the place was made of wood.

But why could I not see? Another roll of the floor, and I slid into the far wall. It took but a second or two; the room was not large. I brushed my face against the wood and felt something over my eyes. Cloth. I was blindfolded.

After a few minutes, the rolling subsided into something more calm. We were on the water, wherever that was. Hopefully I would be able to get some answers before this trip was done.

Confusion reigned as I lay there in pain, only taking comfort in that I felt bandages around my wound. Why was the word of the day. Why was this happening to me? What had I done, and why had I done it? Why was I here at all? Why did I not remember my first name? I knew I was not what I now was. A squirrel, said I to myself. My tail flicked in response. Terrific. So I was a squirrel at the mercy of giant rats.

I pressed my back against the wall, groaning as my arrow wound found pain in the pressure. Pushing upwards with my strong lower legs, I was able to stand, but immediately dizziness overtook me. I pitched forward blindly, falling to my knees. My chest collided with the edge of something, and the breath was blown from my lungs. A cot? A bed? A bench? Anything to lie on was good enough for me. I staggered upright and clumsily placed myself on the mattress. If it could be called that.

Through the sense of feel, I discerned my bedding was a simple matter. Rough cloth spread over a fairly soft bed of grass or hay. It confused me still more how I knew what grass and hay was without knowing my name. It was dry and poked at me incessantly, making me grunt every few moments as my injury was prodded.

Now that I was lying down, I could finally take notice of how tired I was. I would never sleep with my paws behind my back, though. I devised a strategy I somehow knew, an ability I had always had. I curled up my legs and simply pushed my paws down until they came around and up over my footpaws. It was a simply maneuver, but the bending required caused me much pain. It was worth it, though. At least now I knew my arms would not be still asleep when I woke up.

I decided not to call on Garrety for now. Whoever that creature was.