AN: This is a boring chapter, so you don't really need to read it to get the full experience. Just skip or skim the long story part and read the end. That way you won't get bored and hate me )
"My first memories are of my dibbun days. I was never a normal dibbun. While the other young ones liked to swim in the abbey pond, play imaginative games, and eat fruits and candied nuts, I preferred to remain in solitude. I loved the company of Martin the Warrior in the Great Hall, of reeds and willows on the banks of the pond, and, on occasion, that of older beasts, who were the only ones I felt I could relate to. I was often asked to play with the others, but I soon grew weary of their games and rouses. As you might have guessed, I learned to read and write at an early age, and grew quite good at it. I would write short stories and poems about nature and our abbey, describing its tranquility and perfection. I loved to write poetry, line after line, all in perfect rhythm. It was a special goal of mine to write the perfect poem, one that would amaze and astound the readers, one that I could be remembered for. I was lost in the beauty of words in my childhood. They consumed me.
"In those days the Strenkans were common criminals. They were not accomplished warriors as they are now. They would steal and kill what they needed, but did not pose a serious threat to the well-guarded beasts in our abbey. They were just another gang of rats who hated the good and peaceful creatures of this earth. I was unbothered by them as a simple, carefree squirrelchild.
"One long winter season, it all changed. The Strenkans seemed to triple in number overnight, and rapidly grew as they conquered foebeasts all across Mossflower. The population of our Abbey drastically increased as woodland creatures fled the wrath of captain Strenk and his murderous horde.
"They were hard times, still are. It seemed like every day there was another report of a missing mole or a murdered squirrel. The guosim shrews had moved south for the winter, and Skipper and his otters were no match for the mighty numbers of the horde. The otters were the only beasts that left the abbey during those days, and they usually returned with dismal bad tidings. Some were sent to seek the guosim shrews, but they never returned, probably destroyed by the hard, driving snow and ice of that winter, or by the Strenkans, who seemed to kill anything that moved.
"In those days, I lost my innocence. I saw creatures I knew killed in front of our abbey, and I knew evil. I knew that there were creatures out there who hated me and my way of life. I lost my faith in nature and our abbey. Those beautiful things I had written poems about in my younger days seemed tarnished with malice, hate, and the blood of goodbeasts. I was disenchanted with the written word, and I needed something else to do with my life.
"When the spring came and the veil of winter was lifted from the land, it was easy to see where everything lay. Many had died during the long winter, but many creatures still dwelled within the abbey, which had not of yet been directly attacked. And, much to the delight of the abbey-dwellers, the guosim shrews were returning. With the added force of the Mossflower shrews coupled with that of all of the friends they could round up gave us the ability to combat the Strenkans, something we had not been able to effectively do for an entire season.
"As action outside the abbey grew, I became eager to experience the adventures that the older beasts were having. They were being brave, perilous fighting beasts, and there I was, sitting alone in the abbey with nothing to do.
"That's when I met Raff. He was a young, lively, otter with a natural sense of adventure and independence. He was the nephew of the Skipper of otters, and had been brought up to be exceptionally wise and crafty for his age. Without fail, he would find a way to sneak us out of Redwall at least once a week. Once we were out in the woodlands under the bright, beautiful moon, all our cares would wash away. We would revel, as I had so missed doing, in the scent of the pines and the clearness of the air as we made our way to find Raff's molefriend Billybab.
"Billybab was a character, alright. He was one of the silliest beasts I had ever met. He loved mischief and fantasy-play, and it seemed like he was always getting himself into trouble. However, Billybab was a necessary addition to our little band. He was like a breath of fresh air. For all the trouble he caused us, we could always just look to Billybab for a silly comment or gesture that would, without fail, cheer us up.
"Our ventures started out as just childish escapades. At first we never strayed far from the abbey. We would just explore the countryside; the massive oaks, the deep ditches, the muddy ponds and marshes. The world was our playground. We still loved the dibbun games of the abbey, and we would play them in the wilderness. We couldn't resist a good game of "hide and go peek" or "the adder and the mouse". We never expected anything serious to happen; we were just playing around . . . just playing . . . until the other day, when those childish games we so loved faded into this terrible reality.
"It was awful, the beating of those terrible drums, and the rats behind them, those despicable Strenkans. My friends are lost to me forever. I can't believe they're gone; they're all I had in the whole world. I shouldn't have told Billy to go. I should have taken him with me. . . I'm so ashamed . . . It's. . .It's all. . . It's all my fault. . . ."
Twurl's voice faded away as she started to sob silently. Rictess appeared to be touched by the tragic tale.
"Ahh, do not frret, mmy wwwee child, I'm sssure you wwwill find zzem sssomeday. It wwill be alrrright; to every crrrime zzere is justice, my fffriend."
"I guess you may have a point there, marm," Twurl said, overcoming her tears, "and if they are out there, I'm going to start my search right now."
Encoodna looked as if she were about to object, but Rictess, seeing the determined light in Twurl's eyes, gave her friend a stern glance that silenced her immediately.
"I guesss thisss is where our paths part, but dddo not leavvve without sssome rrrations for zzze road ahead," Rictess said with a small smile perched awkwardly below her dark, glowing eyes.
"Oh, no, that's quite alright. I know a place where I will be fed not far from here. Do not worry about it," Twurl politely refused.
"No, I insssist," replied Rictess, holding out a package wrapped in brown, dusty parchment.
Twurl, not wanting to seem ungrateful for all the two had done for her, took the package from the hands of the strange old creature.
"Thank you, and may a life of good blessings be bestowed upon you," said Twurl as she stumbled her way through the dark abode to where she could see the dim outlines of a door. She opened it and stepped out into the bright daylight of Mossflower woods. Without a glance backwards, she bounded off into the thick, leafy canopy.
In the doorway of their home, perched on the top of a massive oak, the two old gwine pigs stood, watching Twurl bound through the trees of Mossflower.
"Do yyyou think ssshe wwwill rread it?" asked Encoodna.
"I wwould be sssurprised if ssshe did not," her friend said, smiling slyly.
