The Newcomer of Redwall
Book 1 The Stranger (or Heaven, interrupted)
Chapter 7
--Simon Gilnom--Simon stepped from the shadows and into full view of the Abbey. There was at least a minute of deathly silence as the 'dwellers turned, stood, sidestepped each other to get a good look at the newcomer. This is going pretty well, Simon thought, at least, nothing bad has happened yet. Just then, some creature from the back of the crowd called out, "What is that?"
Simon focused his vision on the general area where the female voice had originated from and replied very calmly, "It is a human, ma'am."
Another 'dweller called, "Hurr, isn it a vurmunn?"
Simon leaned over and whispered to Mortimer "What's this about vermin?" But the landslide had already begun. The Abbot's response was drowned by the frightened murmur that ran through the crowd. Somebeast cried, "It must be a vermin!" A hunk of bread was tossed from the mass and slapped across Simon's arm. A barrage of thrown food followed it. Simon covered his face, muttering, "This isn't what I was expecting!"
Mortimer stuttered in shock, which Simon took to be, Yes Simon, I agree completely. The human ducked behind the chair the Abbot had vacated as the Abbeybeasts began drawing knives and daggers that none of them could remember bringing to the feast and began advancing towards Simon's position. He frantically ran over every possible escape in his mind, and decided on simply bugging out. He peeked around the chair and grunted, this was worse than expected. The mass of creatures was taking on a palpable, singular intelligence. He knew that the intelligence was one of them, the one in the back, right there…
Galen.Yes, it's her. He thought. Then stopped. Who is…Galen? He asked the faceless mass set before him. It did not answer, but merely smiled. The faces of the 'dwellers, however, was anything but happy. More pissed-off, Simon figured. He turned and ran, the unseen signal being set out to the 'dwellers to give chase, and give it they did. Simon, if he had been in a more stable frame of mind, would have likened it to something close to a landslide. He ran flat out to the stairs, and up them, three at a time to the ramparts. The Abbey followed, almost nipping at his heels. His foot hit the lip of the wall and launched him, spread-eagle, into the darkness. The 'dwellers came against the wall like a tide. It paused, considering, and then decided that the newcomer was dead. It went back to its place.
Later, none of the Abbeydwellers, save Auma, Jess, and Mortimer, would remember the human or the attack.
--Lange--The female otter, her cool blue eyes seething calculation and malice, frigid as ice shards and just as welcoming, had stayed behind the crowd. Lange Gelion was her name, although she could not remember who gave her that name. She did know several rather important things, though. That she was safe from the disease currently plaguing the Abbey was one. That the wolf was an utter fool for this attack was another. That the human would make an excellent opponent…well, that was at the top of the list to begin with.
In the light cast by the fire behind her, her eyes were seething black, yet she cast no shadow on the ground before her. The fire popped and set a cloud of embers swirling into the sky. She smiled to herself, and went to take her seat, blending in with the innocent 'dwellers.
--Simon Gilnom--Ross was laughing. Simon hated it when Ross laughed; it was high and squeaky, like a mouse on helium trying to do its best imitation of some witch on TV during Halloween time, much unlike his normal voice. It made him feel sick.
Currently, however, Simon was more sickened by the past half-hour than by his brother's cackle. He wanted very badly to erase the past (Nothing new there), but, as always, he could not, so he was stuck with a laughing brother and egg on his face.
"That was rich!" Ross crowed, holding his aching side. He gasped, stopped, leaned against a tree to catch his breath as his laughing tapered of, then looked up at Simon and broke into another round of mad laughter. They had landed easily under the cover of trees and darkness after having escaped the Abbey (Far too dramatic for Simon's taste, but nobody ever really asked him about stuff like that), then set themselves on going northward, having to take a slow pace for Ross's handicapping laughter.
Ross grinned at Simon and slapped his shoulder, saying, "Come on, dickhead, yuck it up. It was funny and you know it." Simon did not consider it funny. In fact, he found it rather terrifying to be attacked in such a manner. He voiced his opinion by sneering at Ross, saying, "Shut up, Ross. It was terrible."
Ross almost ran into his brother as Simon stopped abruptly, which shut the doppelganger up quickly enough. Simon, meanwhile, looked quietly around, taking in the forest surrounding the road. Something was wrong, and Ross could sense the unease coming off his twin. Simon murmured something softly, something like, "Someone else…" He shook his head and grunted in confusion, starting forward again. Soon, a large, faded barn came into view on the left side of the road. Simon and Ross both glanced at it with an eerily similar uncaring semi-interest. Simon was more concerned about whoever was following them, and Ross was just wondering what the hell was wrong with his brother.
The bushes next to them rustled faintly. Simon whirled, hands balling into fists. Ross, however, had heard nothing. Simon's eyes darted from side to side, scanning the bushes as Ross said, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Simon glanced at him briefly and whispered, "I heard something move in those bushes."
Ross shrugged. "Maybe it's your imagination," He suggested; then, as an afterthought, "or it might be your fragile psyche finally snapping."
Simon put his hand on his forehead. "How can you be so dense?!" He asked, before shaking his head and continuing northward. Ross stayed behind for several seconds, frowning thoughtfully at the bush. Maybe Simon had a point. Or maybe he had finally driven his brother insane. Which, in retrospect, wouldn't be that bad.
He hurried to catch up to the real one, who said, "You believe me." Ross shook his head slowly. "I believe you've lost your mind." Simon looked a bit taken aback by then, then turned towards the barn (which they had come abreast to) and said, "Yeah…You must be really proud of yourself." Simon smiled inwardly when Ross didn't immediately answer. Thank God, or whoever the hell runs this fiasco. He thought.
Ross's voice came to him, and it held an uncertain, watery edge to it that Simon did not like, "Simon? Something's wr-" Was as far as he got before a loud, commanding voice cried from behind him, "WOT'S THIS??!!"
Simon whirled, lashing out with one fist, a wholly natural reaction, given the circumstances, although he would regret it later. The one behind him laughed, grabbed his wrist easily, and flipped him onto his back, planting a foot on his chest. "Now, that wasn't too nice of ye."
The attacker, now that Simon could see clearly, was a hare. He looked old, but still well fit. Of course, Simon hadn't been around long enough to determine age well enough, but the hare came close to his definition of 'aged'. The thing took its foot off of Simon's chest and offered him a paw up. "Yeh fly like a rock, m'lad," He said cheerily.
Simon huffed a sigh and took the offered paw, replying, "If you hadn't thrown me, we wouldn't have tested my aerodynamics."
"Ahh, but," said the hare, "if you hadn't thrown the first punch, I would not have thrown you."
Simon nodded. "Yes, you have a point. Now, who the hell are you?"
The hare took a step back and bowed. "I am Basil Stag Hare, father of Cheek the otter, master of camouflage, and the only creature in the Abbey that doesn't think you killed Cornflower."
Simon frowned. "The mouse? No, I never touched her. Why do they think I killed her?"
Basil shrugged. "Think about it. She became ill the very day you arrived."
Simon looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Listen, Basil, I need you to go back in there."
Basil's eyes widened. "Wot? Why?! Can you not see that every creature in there is ill with some madness?! I don't know if I'm immune or not!"
Simon gave him a cool, steady look and replied, "I need something from there. A red pack. It's in the infirmary."
Basil seemed on the verge of saying something, then threw up his paws in frustration and turned. "Alright. I'll go."