(A/N: This entire fic takes place between Marlfox and Taggerung, for those
who were wonderin')
CHAPTER ONE
Although it was only mid fall, already the weather was horridly cold. Frigid snows blasted across the white plain, and fierce winds blew through the sharp, harsh air. Not a creature stirred in this vast wasteland of cold, not a solitary bird winged through the sky. Snow clouds hovered dark and ominous. The far north was silent and glacial.
But suddenly, out into the wintry land, a single creature emerged as if from nowhere. It stood out in stark contrast to its white, snowy background; as it was black, or would seem to be at a distance.
The creature stood in the blizzard, untouched by the immense cold and blasting wind. It stood almost on top of the deep snow, its well-adapted paws acting like small snowshoes. It was pure white from tip almost to tail, which was, in fact, a glistening black at the end. The clothing it wore was pure black as well, and consisted of a long tunic and a silk cape. It had wicked almond-shaped eyes, seemingly black, but flecked with bright, startling green at closer notice. Shrewdness and iniquitous cunning was palpable in its presence. The harsh wind blew its cape astray, but it stood, smiling malevolently into the full face of the storm.
It was an ermine, and his name was Deltrath Moonblade, and he was evil.
In his left paw was an enormous sword. Long, slim, and slightly curved, it was at least as long as he was tall, but he carried it with ease and skill as if it were a featherweight. He clutched the black hilt tightly with a pure white paw, the glittering silver blade glowing dully in the snowy light.
Deltrath was young, but he was sinewy, lithe, and powerful. The tall young ermine had outfought and bested any beast that had dared to challenge him in the cold northlands. He had lived in the northlands all his life; they were harsh and wicked lands, but that was the way that he liked his living. It was a challenge for everything in northlands, even for the right to live.
He would best the winter again, now. It was only fall in the northlands, but the blizzards and storms would make one think it was midwinter. The ermine and his band were going to travel south, this time. Deltrath Moonblade and his army was not a traveling band, but that would soon change. He was going to travel south, far south; farther than any beast that far north had ever dared to travel. After all, Deltrath lived nearly at the top of the world.
He was different from others of his kind. Since he had come from so far north, farther, in fact, than any other creature in his army, he never molted from his winter coat, he remained pure white year round. Deltrath had come from the land across the great Northern Sea, were there is no other season than winter. He even had a personal messenger, a wicked, scrawny starling named Talonflash. Now, the bird of that name wheeled in from the snowy sky, his glistening black plumage swept with wind and snow.
"Rarrak! I am here at your bidding, master."
"Good. Talonflash, I command you to fly for as long as it takes you to find the nearest inhabitable place! Then, fly farther, and survey the land. Find out as much as possible about the southern lands! Go, now!"
The bird took to the skies and winged away, with a harsh cry of affirmative.
But now, as Deltrath surveyed his land, he twirled his mighty blade with immense skillfulness through the air, slicing the very snow that fell, and roared at the top of his lungs.
"Mooooonnnslaaaaaaayerrrrrrrss!"
From behind the vast snowy hills his army emerged. They were not a ragtag band like many vermin hordes, but well-trained, well-kept battle- hardened soldiers, all of them cold-blooded killers, evil murderers all. Each one of them was cunning and smart, but always obedient. The vermin horde that sprung from the hills was no gang, either; it was a mighty army, as many as the leaves in an autumn gale. They were Deltrath's mighty army; they were his Moonslayers. Each wore a sort of uniform, a light gray tunic bearing a black insignia, together with a black shoulder belt, a mark of their well- trained organization. He had gathered them throughout the course of many seasons. His five Captains had personally trained them all in the art of war, and each of his Captains had been trained by he, Deltrath, the ultimate warlord.
His soldiers consisted mostly of weasels, but also had a good scattering of ferrets, stoats and foxes. He had no other ermines in his army, as he considered ermines the strongest and smartest of all creatures, he therefore did not trust them.
Deltrath Moonblade had finally made the decision to journey south. He and his vast army of slayers would travel far southward, killing every beast that dare to oppose them, until they would finally reach a destination where they could live in plenty.
Deltrath leapt athletically onto a nearby snow-covered boulder. He waved his sword through the snow at his army, and roared, "Who is your master?"
The answer came roared back at him. "Deltrath the Destroyer!"
Deltrath howled at them, "What do we do?"
Not a single one of his horde dared not to bellow back with gusto, "We destroooooyyyy!"
Deltrath leapt down, satisfied. He smiled wickedly at his enormous army. "We go south!"
A great howled bellow came from the army, shaking the very ground on which they stood. Paws stamped the ground and weapons waved into the air.
Deltrath Moonblade turned and led his barbaric Moonslayers, embarking on their steady march southward, the dark form of the evil starling far ahead.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is only the beginning. Please review and I'll have Chapter Two up soon. I took down the other chapters to change them a bit. Anyhoo. Toodles.)
~DISCLAIMER: I don't own Redwall. Duh. I only own the characters that I made up and the plot. Brian Jacques owns Redwall . . . bow to him.~
CHAPTER ONE
Although it was only mid fall, already the weather was horridly cold. Frigid snows blasted across the white plain, and fierce winds blew through the sharp, harsh air. Not a creature stirred in this vast wasteland of cold, not a solitary bird winged through the sky. Snow clouds hovered dark and ominous. The far north was silent and glacial.
But suddenly, out into the wintry land, a single creature emerged as if from nowhere. It stood out in stark contrast to its white, snowy background; as it was black, or would seem to be at a distance.
The creature stood in the blizzard, untouched by the immense cold and blasting wind. It stood almost on top of the deep snow, its well-adapted paws acting like small snowshoes. It was pure white from tip almost to tail, which was, in fact, a glistening black at the end. The clothing it wore was pure black as well, and consisted of a long tunic and a silk cape. It had wicked almond-shaped eyes, seemingly black, but flecked with bright, startling green at closer notice. Shrewdness and iniquitous cunning was palpable in its presence. The harsh wind blew its cape astray, but it stood, smiling malevolently into the full face of the storm.
It was an ermine, and his name was Deltrath Moonblade, and he was evil.
In his left paw was an enormous sword. Long, slim, and slightly curved, it was at least as long as he was tall, but he carried it with ease and skill as if it were a featherweight. He clutched the black hilt tightly with a pure white paw, the glittering silver blade glowing dully in the snowy light.
Deltrath was young, but he was sinewy, lithe, and powerful. The tall young ermine had outfought and bested any beast that had dared to challenge him in the cold northlands. He had lived in the northlands all his life; they were harsh and wicked lands, but that was the way that he liked his living. It was a challenge for everything in northlands, even for the right to live.
He would best the winter again, now. It was only fall in the northlands, but the blizzards and storms would make one think it was midwinter. The ermine and his band were going to travel south, this time. Deltrath Moonblade and his army was not a traveling band, but that would soon change. He was going to travel south, far south; farther than any beast that far north had ever dared to travel. After all, Deltrath lived nearly at the top of the world.
He was different from others of his kind. Since he had come from so far north, farther, in fact, than any other creature in his army, he never molted from his winter coat, he remained pure white year round. Deltrath had come from the land across the great Northern Sea, were there is no other season than winter. He even had a personal messenger, a wicked, scrawny starling named Talonflash. Now, the bird of that name wheeled in from the snowy sky, his glistening black plumage swept with wind and snow.
"Rarrak! I am here at your bidding, master."
"Good. Talonflash, I command you to fly for as long as it takes you to find the nearest inhabitable place! Then, fly farther, and survey the land. Find out as much as possible about the southern lands! Go, now!"
The bird took to the skies and winged away, with a harsh cry of affirmative.
But now, as Deltrath surveyed his land, he twirled his mighty blade with immense skillfulness through the air, slicing the very snow that fell, and roared at the top of his lungs.
"Mooooonnnslaaaaaaayerrrrrrrss!"
From behind the vast snowy hills his army emerged. They were not a ragtag band like many vermin hordes, but well-trained, well-kept battle- hardened soldiers, all of them cold-blooded killers, evil murderers all. Each one of them was cunning and smart, but always obedient. The vermin horde that sprung from the hills was no gang, either; it was a mighty army, as many as the leaves in an autumn gale. They were Deltrath's mighty army; they were his Moonslayers. Each wore a sort of uniform, a light gray tunic bearing a black insignia, together with a black shoulder belt, a mark of their well- trained organization. He had gathered them throughout the course of many seasons. His five Captains had personally trained them all in the art of war, and each of his Captains had been trained by he, Deltrath, the ultimate warlord.
His soldiers consisted mostly of weasels, but also had a good scattering of ferrets, stoats and foxes. He had no other ermines in his army, as he considered ermines the strongest and smartest of all creatures, he therefore did not trust them.
Deltrath Moonblade had finally made the decision to journey south. He and his vast army of slayers would travel far southward, killing every beast that dare to oppose them, until they would finally reach a destination where they could live in plenty.
Deltrath leapt athletically onto a nearby snow-covered boulder. He waved his sword through the snow at his army, and roared, "Who is your master?"
The answer came roared back at him. "Deltrath the Destroyer!"
Deltrath howled at them, "What do we do?"
Not a single one of his horde dared not to bellow back with gusto, "We destroooooyyyy!"
Deltrath leapt down, satisfied. He smiled wickedly at his enormous army. "We go south!"
A great howled bellow came from the army, shaking the very ground on which they stood. Paws stamped the ground and weapons waved into the air.
Deltrath Moonblade turned and led his barbaric Moonslayers, embarking on their steady march southward, the dark form of the evil starling far ahead.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is only the beginning. Please review and I'll have Chapter Two up soon. I took down the other chapters to change them a bit. Anyhoo. Toodles.)
~DISCLAIMER: I don't own Redwall. Duh. I only own the characters that I made up and the plot. Brian Jacques owns Redwall . . . bow to him.~