IMPORTANT; Ooookay… before I start, I just wanted to say that this story was just going to be a long romantic MxR one-shot, with no real plot or conflict. Then I read I read a certain comment (yes, this is your cue to go read the reviews, folks) and felt pretty sheepish. So I'm scrapping the chapters I had done up to this point and I'm rewriting some sort of conflict from here on. If you want to read the alternate/scrapped chapters, just write me an email and I'll send them to you. ) Huh, and I thought I was done writing this fic. Pssh.

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SAVING ROSE 2: Journal of a Hope

Chapter Four

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Rose, Pallum, Grumm, and Brome were on their way to Redwall!

Pallum and Grumm were sitting at the edge of Starwort's otter boat. They were prone to random bursts of happiness whenever somebeast uttered words connected to Martin, Rose especially. Even Starwort and his wife were eager to see the warrior again.

"Hurr, Oi can't b'lieve we're a-goin' t'see maister Marthen again!" Grumm was tense with anticipation.

Pallum chuckled. "Me too, Grumm-chum. Think of the adventures we'll have!" The hedgehog got up and did a little dance. Rose and Grumm laughed.

Brome shook his head, not wanting to dash the hopes of his friends. It had been quite long now, they were no longer the children they had been then. It was possible that Martin had found a replacement for Rose, that he had easily forgotten them…. Brome sighed. Best not mention his theories to anybeast. Instead he sat down by his friends and mentally prepared himself for the worst.

The morning sun beat down on the waters, making them twinkle and dance around the boat as it sped forward. Starwort brought out a light brunch of spicy soup and seasoned bread, and everybeast gathered around to get their share. In the midst of it, something made Rose look up.

"Look, look!" The mousemaid pointed excitedly at the belltower of Redwall Abbey as it crept into view behind the withdrawing foliage.

Starwort's wife Marigold whooped as she calculated the distance mentally. "Aye, should be there before sundown!"

Everybeast on board cheered.

The day wore on, and Pallum had declared himself sick of fish and soup, much to Grumm's dismay. Laughing, Marigold offered them the chance to go foraging for fruit.

Grabbing an empty sack from Starwort, Rose nudged Brome and Grumm. "Oh, come on, you two. Why pull long faces? There's lots of wonderful fruit here. It'll all make a wonderful pie for lunch!"

Grumbling, Grumm got up and took a sack viciously. Brome followed with a solemn expression, and shook his head at Rose's inquiring gaze. "It's nothing," he assured her.

Rose would normally not have put up with it. But… Martin. He was so close! Nothing could dampen her spirits now that she knew they were so near.

Brome watched her run ahead to catch up with Pallum, giggling.

She may be older than him, but… his sister just wasn't using her head about this. He once had many doubts about Martin's type. He remembered watching a certain warrior squirrel gleefully kill off vermin one by one, and his being disgusted by the joy the beast had gotten off slaying. Yet he also called back the memory of that same squirrel, laughing as he battled for his life against gigantic odds. Brome could still visualize the warrior squirrel, once a slave, embrace his fate and his enemies. He just couldn't figure it out. Warriors… dangerous but loyal. Would Martin accept Rose again? Or just close himself off to her?

…Were things still the way they had left them?

Grumm shoved Brome playfully. "Zur, you'm be awful quiet, hurr." Brome smiled at the friendly mole, and buried his worries for the time being.

"Well, somebeast's got to, with all the din you're making!"


A few minutes later found Rose, Brome, Grumm and Pallum roving about the woods of Mossflower. They had found black berries, raspberries, pomegranates, and a few other fruit they had never seen around Noonvale. Their sacks were almost full, and the group was considering turning back.

Pallum took a berry from his pack and thew it at Grumm. The unexpecting mole received the gift on the snout. Brome laughed lightly as Grumm chased the hedgehog around a tree, but Rose wasn't paying attention.

She was eyeing a flower patch not too far from where they currently were. A beautiful patch of chrysanthemums were elegantly lounging in a patch of shade. Smiling to herself, she silently slipped away from her friends and leaned over the beautiful flowers. Rose gently picked a lone bud and –

A massive digging claw flew from the surrounding shade and connected with her chest. Too caught off guard to yell, Rose tipped backwards and was caught before she hit the ground. The claws… the claws? Digging claws. Dazed, Rose felt herself carried roughly away from the others. Mole claws? Her vision blurred as she was slung over a silky-furred shoulder, the grass bed now taking place of the sky. Why...

Wait...

Grumm?


"No."

Rose sat up, blinking. A massive pain throbbed in her chest where she had been struck. Looking around, Rose realized she was a in a tent. The tent's fabric was made out of some animal's hide, and it didn't exactly smell that crisp 'n' clean.

"Whoever this 'Martin' character is, I'm not him, miss."

The mousemaid turned around to the tent's enrance and saw a cloaked figure blocking it. It was rather short and plumb, but the voice was hard and sly.

"Excuse me...?" Rose blinked.

"You were calling out for said beast, miss."

The maid bowed her head as she felt a blush rising to her cheeks. Oh dear.

It looks like things were not exactly going as planned.

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That over with, I was just wondering... does anyone have a specific request for this story? Like, minor characters or moments between other existing characters (I'm not exaclty talking romantic, but that can work too). Since I have ideas for the skeleton of the plot, but not the meat.

I sure use disturbing metaphors.