Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Author's Note:  See Chapter One

Chapter Four

Screams of terror.  The wailing of children.  The weeping of mothers.  Echoing in her ears.   So much blood.  All over her paws.  Not her own blood.  Not her own.

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Darkstar opened her eyes and took a few minutes to remember where she was.  The memories of the previous day flashed through her mind and she realized she was in an extra dormitory room at Redwall.

Looking around the room she saw her clean and mended clothes that she arrived here in lying neatly on a chair and her weapons placed on top of them.

Discarding the habit she wore the previous day, Darkstar dressed in her regular clothing.  She strapped her sword across her back, stuck her sickle and chain in her belt against her side and also placed her throwing weapons in her belt.

Normally it would seriously weigh down most normal beasts but for Darkstar she didn't feel the extra weight at all. 

An empty feeling inside of her was filled when she strapped on her weapons.  She suddenly didn't feel quite as insecure and uncertain with them on.  They had a nice warm feeling of familiarity to her and she felt better having them with her.  She felt like her weapons were her best friends, something she couldn't ever part with.

She opened her dormitory door and looked around the empty hall.  She thought about the previous evening, the sparring match against Snowpaws.  She hoped there wouldn't be any awkward or uncomfortable feelings between them.

Soon she saw Skipper, Karia and Snow walk towards her.  "Ah!  Good morning, mate!  We were just about to wake you for breakfast." Snow said with his bright smile.

Darkstar breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed as though everything was back to normal.

The three companions looked at the weapons Darkstar carried with her.  "My, lovely weapons.  Never seen them before myself.  But I can tell they are wonderfully made."  Skipper said in awe.

Karia sighed as her stomach began to growl.  "Could we please continue to breakfast before there's no food left?"

The others nodded and the four of them headed towards Cavern Hall. 

"I was so amazed by your fighting skills last night that I forgot to congratulate you on your win."  Snow said, smiling.

Darkstar shrugged and looked at the floor as she walked.  "You fight very well yourself.  I can see why you're the best here at the abbey."

Before Snow could respond they entered the dining hall and soon were loading their plates with the remaining food.

After the four finished their meal Skipper, Karia and Snow led Darkstar over to the tapestry and explained the history of Redwall and about Martin and his sword.

"He sounds like he was quite a warrior in his time."  Darkstar commented.

"Aye, and sometimes he comes to beasts in their dreams with messages."  Karia said.

"Dreams can certainly convey important messages at times."  Skipper said.  "Have any more dreams of late, Darkstar?"

She shook her head.  "Nothing that would help me right now." 

"Well, friends, lets make our way outside and see what's going on, eh?"  Snow said.

Friends.

Warm day.  Sun shining brightly.  Cool breeze.  Green meadow.

Blue eyes.  So blue.  Crystal blue.  Smiling.  So bright.  So happy. 

Laughing.  Giggling.

"Darkystar!"  Said the young boy fox with blue eyes, with a cheerful grin on his face.  He placed a small crown of flowers on her dark head and laughed happily.  "Ooh, Darkystar, it's so pretty on you!"

Happiness.  Blissfulness.  Feelings of warmth and love.

Grabbing her paws, the little fox boy twirled her around in the grass.  "Wheee!"  They giggled as they stopped and ran paw in paw in the soft warm grass under their small footpaws.

Tripping over their own feet they tumbled gently into the velvety grass.  They both erupted into a sea of childlike giggles and grinned broadly.  The little fox boy took her paw in his and with a dead serious look on his little baby face said, "Promise we will always be friends?  Forever and ever and ever?" 

"Always, forever and ever and ever." Her younger self said.

The flashback faded as quickly as it came.

Darkstar had stopped walking abruptly as the small memory flashed through her head.  The others stopped walking as well and turned to look at her.

When she snapped out of her trance she had a puzzled look on her face. 

"Another flashback?"  Karia asked anxiously.

Darkstar nodded, "Yes, but I don't think it helps any with where I came from.  Many of my dreams have involved a friend of mine, who I can't even remember anymore.  In my flashbacks we seem to be very close friends." Darkstar shrugged.  "So confusing."

The others didn't say much as they headed outside.

Darkstar and her new friends sat together among the shade of the trees near the abbey.  The young fox played over in her mind what Karia had told her the previous night.  She knew that the dreams and the memories would continue to haunt her unless she tried her best to dig up her past.  The sooner she found out what she had done the better.  Also, she was very curious who the blue-eyed fox was in her memories.

"I would like to start off for Salamandastron as soon as possible." She started quietly.  "I need to try my best to figure out my past."

Her companions nodded.  "Well, if you're feeling up to it, we could leave first thing tomorrow."  Skipper said.  He also was anxious to get to the bottom of Darkstar's past.

Darkstar had a high intensity of pain and she could hardly feel any pain from her healing wounds.  "Tomorrow sounds great."

"Wonderful!"  Snow said getting to his feet.  "Lets pack and get provisions for the journey!  'Tis a bit of a trip all the way to Salamandastron."

"First though, we should go tell the abbot." Karia reminded them.

The four beasts soon found the abbot talking to Rosestripe the badgermum.  Telling him about their idea to travel the next day, the abbot approved.

"I'll leave my whole otter crew here to protect the abbey in case vermin attack.  No need to worry about the lack of warriors, Father." Skipper said with a wink.

That evening Darkstar sat in her room quietly.  If her past was as horrible as she had a feeling it was, these kind creatures probably would not welcome her with open arms again.  Such a peaceful life she could have had here though.  She sighed.  She knew this was for the best; she needed to know.

She picked up her sickle and weighted chain and polished the sickle until it shone brightly in the lamplight of her dorm room.  K-ku- She almost had the name, it was right on the tip of her tongue, but then she lost it.  She hoped that Lord Silverstreak could identify her weapon.

Putting her weapon aside on a table she climbed into her bed and soon fell asleep, unaware of the crystal blue eyes that silently watched her from the window, completely hidden under the veil of darkness.