Author's Notes: Hey, guys! Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers! Alright, I really hope you enjoy my next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Redwall in any way. It belongs to Brian Jacques.

Jason's POV

I just couldn't believe it. Zale actually left. But why?

The fox had left a hastily scribbled not where Martin's sword was supposed to be. Most of the Redwallers were more concerned about the sword than Zale. Brother Galen had complained to the abbot and had been very insistent about sending out search parties to find Zale.

I sighed and stared at the note pensively.

I must leave. Fear not, for the blade of Martin is in good hands. I will take good care of it and I promise to keep it away from evil paws. I am seeking out a black fox and I shall not return before I find him. This fox presents a menace to Mossflower. Do not ask me how I know this; it all came to me in a dream. A dream… I would further explain my situation, if not for the fact that I am in a hurry. I hope you understand.

Zale, a Redwaller until the very end.

I felt tears in my eyes. I felt sad… yet proud. Somehow I knew I had to let him go. I always knew that, from the moment I first set eyes on Zale, I knew he was destined for more than the simple and peaceful life Redwall offered him. He was destined to become a warrior. The note confirmed that. Martin talks to us in dreams and he visited Zale.

I shook my head vigorously. No, I shouldn't dwell on such things. I had my place in Redwall.

I won't stop him from accomplishing his destiny. I won't go after Zale.

Deatheye's POV

I grimaced in disgust. The hare in front of me shook with fear. Darwath expected me to torture this creature? It looked like the beast would die of fright if I did as much as talk to him.

"Boo." I said in a monotone voice, testing my theory.

The brown hare became as pale as the moon itself. It stared up at me with big pitiful eyes.

I slapped my forehead with my right paw. This guy was absolutely hopeless. I decided to start with a simple question.

"Eh… where do you some from, furbag?" I asked in the gentlest voice possible. Of course, I still sounded threatening.

The hare was sweating so much he looked like he would have been completely dehydrated in a couple of minutes. "Sa…la…man…das…tron…" he replied, pausing between each syllable.

I blinked in surprise. I had never seen anyone give in so easily. I decided to try another question. "Salamandastron, eh? Never heard of it. Is it like some kinda castle or something?"

The hare shook his head. "Uh… actually… it's… uh…"

I lost my patience and my temper flared. "If you've got something to say, say it, maggot!" I screamed.

The hare was beginning to get some color back in his face, but due to my sudden outburst he paled again. "Eh, it's a fortress… and it belongs to a badger lord…"

"A stripdog?" I asked. "Does he have a name?"

The hare's ears drooped. "Flarestripe." He answered in a small voice.

Flarestripe's POV

I placed the blade on the anvil and hit it so hard that it cracked in two. A hare of mine disappeared a few days ago. According to Lieutenant Tomas, he was taken by a band of vermin. The hare was still very young and didn't deserve to be taken like that.

I growled. If vermin were lurking around here, my patrol would take care of them. I picked up my hammer and placed the sword back into the furnace. I wiped my forehead with a towel and slumped down on a big chair.

Original POV

Darwath eyed his captain coldly. He was sitting on his throne and beside him stood Claw. Deatheye was kneeling before him and cleared his throat.

"Eh, oh exalted Darwath, the hare captured by Bladepace's forces caomes from a mountain fortress called Salamandastron. It isn't very far from here, and within it resides forty fighting hares and a stripedog." declared Deatheye, with his eyes on the floor, not daring to meet the gaze of his master.

Darwath grunted. "So?" he asked, obviously not pleased with the information provided by the hare. "What about this Redwall place, Deatheye? What's your point?"

Deatheye gulped. "Uh… well, I was thinking that we could go after this Salamandastron place…"

There was now a deadly glint in Darwath's eyes. "Well, you seem intrigued by this Salamandastron… how would you like to try taking it yourself?"

"What? Alone?"

The fox warlord was clearly amused. "Hey… if there are forty hares in that place, I think you'll do fine with forty rats or so…"

Deatheye realized that with those words, Darwath had sealed his fate. There was no way forty rats could take on the same number of hares. So he was to die attempting the impossible…

Deatheye's POV

I left the warlord shaking with fear. It would do no good to protest; he would just have had me killed on the spot.

That night, try as I might, sleep just wouldn't take me. I kept thinking about what Darwath had said. The only way to escape my fate was to escape Darwath. Ah, that's impossible; no one deserts Darwath and gets away with it.

The warlord definitely wasn't pleased with my work. The only way to save myself was to somehow make Darwath happy. Yeah, right. Like that's ever going to happen. But still, I had to try…

I suddenly sat up in my bad. The idea was brilliant! If I captured one of those goodbeasts from Redwall, Darwath would shower me with praise. I slumped myself back onto my bed and slowly let a smile form on my face. Yes… that was it…

Author's Notes: Ah… this chapter is my worst by far… I'm really suffering from writer's block… sniff I just really didn't know what to do with Jason…

I'm finally getting around to involving Salamandastron. Cool, eh? I might include the GUOSIM too. They're cool.

It looks like Deatheye is getting ideas… oh, what's he going to do?

I know my story is getting confusing, so feel free to ask questions, I'll try to shed some light on the subject.