Disclaimer - I don't own Redwall. This is written for the second regular Froday Flash Fiction Challenge for the month of January 2022, the word being Freedom. This is my response.
Take Freedom, Give Freedom
He was prepared to die.
There was no getting around how battered his body was after fighting Tsarmina Greeneyes. While there was within him the spirit of a fighter, there was this clue in his mind knowing full well his body was ready, that he didn't need any more pain thrown at him in life. A part of him also wanted to see her through the haze.
It was Boar the Fighter who he spoke with. First, the great Badger Lord steadying him on his feet, leading him through the shallows of the lake where he'd just battled Tsarmina, through the gray haze that seemed to be a part of the Dark Forest. What he said likely didn't make any sense, yet he didn't care as if it felt like it was time.
And then he saw her.
And—
"It's nice to see you, Martin."
That certainly wasn't how he'd expected her to be great him, a frown spreading across his muzzle as he looked at her, Boar the Fighter still holding him up.
"What's the matter?" Rose asked, smiling at him.
"Why?" Martin asked.
"Why what?"
"Why aren't you tearing into me for getting you killed?" Martin watched her smile fade.
"Why would I do that, now?"
"Because it's true," Martin said.
"You mean you blame yourself," another voice broke out. Martin turned to look at Felldoh, who rested in the branch of a tree, completely free and embracing the freedom he found in death.
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because you shouldn't?" Rose said. "And what were you expecting?"
"For you to agree with me," Martin said silently. "For someone to finally blame me for my youthful stupidity."
Rose moved forward, ripples traveling through the water. Her paws reached up and gently brought Martin's head down so he might look her in the eye. She smiled, yet there was a sadness there. "Anyone who knew the truth wouldn't blame you."
"That's not…."
"Yet you can't tell anybody, so you can't receive the freedom you so crave."
"Freedom. Freedom is here in the Dark Forest."
"And what? To be punished, you think like the vermin you've killed?" Rose shook her head. "I know you want to be punished, for us to—no. I'm going to give you your freedom, Martin, but it may not seem like freedom from your point of view, a curse instead."
"What are…"
"You're going to forget me."
"Wh…" Martin flinched. He'd always thought of taking any punishment the Dark Forest laid out for him, knowing full well his life was paved with blood. But forgetting Rose—that wasn't something he'd bargained for."
"And it's not the only thing," Rose said, smiling at him. "You're going to forget certain things, at least for the time being, so that you can live." It was then that she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead, not that he would remember.
…
"It's not a freedom," Martin muttered.
"What?" Timballisto asked.
"Not being able to remember. It's not freedom," Martin said. He smiled at his friend. "And I know you've been thinking that, about whatever it is I should be talking to you about and not remembering, that it is some kind of freedom for me, that you don't have a problem with us not talking about the past and whatever it is I've forgotten. But for me…."
"It's okay," Timballisto said. "And you weren't the only one at fault."
"As stubborn as I am?" Martin said. "I don't think…."
"As stubborn as we both are. I was just as angry that day as you were, and I can't even remember what we argued about."
"The day I left? Gonff said something about that." Martin looked at Timballisto. "But I know from the look on your face that's not quite true, that it isn't true."
"And what if it's not?"
"Don't say that I'm free because of not knowing. Not knowing, I think at times is worse."
"Then remembering something painful that your mind doesn't want to remember?"
"Really?" Martin laughed.
"Don't laugh at it. Just, it's alright. We'll come to it when you finally remember, not a moment sooner because then your mind will be ready to accept whatever freedom you now have.