This is my first Redwallfanfic. I have never written one before, and don't know how, so please review with any opinions/hints you may have for me. Otherwise, how will I learn? I don't think trial and error works that way. Hateful reviews full of insults aren't the sort of lesson I'm looking for.
If you get frustrated when I take so long to update, please consider the fact that I am either sleeping, eating, playing gamecube, working or doing one of the other worthless activities that fill my life and am too busy, so don't beat me up about it. Or spelling/grammar mistakes.
When you see bold writing, that is a note from me or hint for understanding that part.
Disclaimer: I do not own Redwall, or the series, or the word Dibbun, or the word Redwall, or the Mossflower woods, or all the things in here that have previously existed in a Redwall book. I just own the characters because I made them all up. And the plot, because technically you can't copywright a plot- or can you? I'm rich! If you didn't get that, that's ok. I'm just being me…
Don't sue!
Luna
P.S: The heroines name is Riversedge, but I might type Riverstorm by accident, because that was her original name, so don't get to confused!
Thoughts trickling by like a sluggish summer brook, pack light and empty on her back, the young otter walked through the early summer forest, oblivious to the beauty around her as she searched for any sign of water she could use to fill her empty travel flasks. And any sign of food which she could use to fill her empty pack. Some sign of anything useful in her life. But she saw nothing. As she walked, she pondered the name she had given herself. Riversedge. She kept walking. Why did I choose that name? I can't remember when I received it. Is it my real name? Or is it just some childhood manifestation of a longing to exist? To belong? To… matter, somehow? Everything had alwas seemed to curve around her, like a waterfall around rock, to slowly rejoin behind her.She growled to herself, fists clenching, brow furrowed. WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER ANYTHING? She hadn't been able to remember anything about a family. Friends. A home… she sighed as she topped a rise – then gasped. Before her was the biggest building she had ever seen. It was a huge red sandstone structure with multiple buildings. Little ant-figures scurred around inside. People.
Her reverie was interrupted as a tiny paw tugged on her pantleg. She started and looked down, to see a tiny squirrelbabe sucking his thumb. "'Scuse me?" "Uh- yes?" "Cn' you take me back?" "Back where?" The squirrel pointed a grubby paw towards to the big building. "Back 'dere." "Why can't you go back yourself?" "'Cuz I'm 'fraid of the creepy old guy with no teef' and t'other guy with a stick on his 'ead hidin' in the bushes 'ahind me." A muffled gasp sounded from the bushes, then a thunk followed by a yelp of pain as a weasel with a leafy stick tied to his head – failed camouflage, no doubt – leapt from the bushes rubbing a reddened paw. Seeing the baby squirrel and his newfound 'protector,' whom the child promptly scurried behind, he cursed loudly as another weasel, this one older and notably toothless, stepped out from behind the bushes. The old one pointed at Riversedge. "Okay, girlie," he said, with an odd accent most likely generated by his teeth, or lack there of. "You gib uf duh kid and no one getsh hurt." She smiled. It was not an evil smile, or a warm smile. Just… a smile. "Except you, that is." She lunged forwards, towards the toothless old weasel like a cat, paws outstretched. She hit him full on, before he even new what was happening. His head snapped back with a notable crack! But fighting was Riversedges' art, and she new it well. She had launched with just enough force to knock him unconscious, not kill him.
She felt a weight hit her pack, arms wrapping around her eyes and staggered slightly. She couldn't see a thing… but then, she didn't need eyesight for the next move. She threw herself onto her back, slamming her opponent into the ground. She heard the air whoosh out of his lungs, and his arms went slack. She turned around. Both her attackers were lying on the ground, unconscious and probably seriously bruised. Note: If this were an anime/cartoon, they would have little spirals for eyes and be twitching randomly. She turned to the little squirrel, who was staring, wide eyed, at the weasels lying on the ground. His thumb was in his mouth and he was sucking vigorously. "Well, come on," she said. He didn't reply but followed wordlessly toward the redstone building.
They reached the small wicker gates that the squirrel led them to. She hammered on them and yelled, "HEY! ANYONE IN THERE?" The door swung open to reveal a chubby, jolly-looking young hedgehog in a green habit. The little squirrel ran forward and buried his face in the others' robe. The hedgehog gave a sigh of relief and looked at Riversedge with a warm smile. "I see you've found our missing Dibbun (Dibbun: Redwall name for baby). Thanks- he's been missing for nearly half a day, and everyone's gone mad looking for him. He disappears like this sometimes, but normally we find him within an hour – after we stop looking. So where'd you find him? Why's he so quiet? Why are YOU so quiet? Oh- well I guess I haven't given you time to reply, I'm sorry, I know I talk to much…" Not used to such garrulousness, and unsure how to respond, she tensed slightly – then froze. She did this a lot, if she was confronted by someone she didn't know how to handle. The hedehog frowned. "Is something wrong? Are you alright?" In his nervousness, he started talking faster, which was exactly the wrong thing to do. She stood, tensed and practically stunned, as the frantic hedehog told her to stay right there, set the little squirrel to guard her, and ran off yelling "Sister Hope! Sister Hope!" In about 30 seconds, Riversedge was unfrozen and wondering what to do when the hedehog came back. And, speak of the devil, there he was, trailing a mouse in a pink robe, with a white bandanna around her ears and a white apron, neatly knotted in back. The young mouse smiled. "I am Sister Hope. I heard you had some trouble?" Riversedge swallowed. "Ummmm… I'm not around people a lot, so I tend to freeze up if I'm in a situation with people I can't handle." "I see. So basically, you're just really shy." "Well… I guess that's pretty much it." "Alright. I'll try to keep people from overpowering you, but I can't guarantee your safety – a lot of the younger ones tend to talk a lot. Like Brother Alder here." She pointed to the young hedgehog, who was blushing furiously beneath his fur. "But we're still glad you found Burran here." She gestured towards the baby squirrel. Riversedge nodded. Sister Hope was a lot less talkative then the hedgehog – Brother Alder? – and thus a lot less nerveracking, but still a little bit hard to deal with. "Come," said Sister Hope, "I'll take you to meet the Abbot." "Umm – one question," said Riversedge. "Where am I?" Sister Hope smiled. "This is Redwall Abbey. The Abbot is the leader, he runs the abbey. And everyone else contributes to our life with various chores that are rotated around so everyone does an equal share of work." 'Oh. Alright." And off they went to meet the abbot – who had watched the whole thing from a nearby window.
Authors Note: I am hoping to have 5 reviews before I continue, so don't blame me if it takes 20 years for me to update.
Luna