Ya, um here is my next chapter. Sorry for the long wait. More character get introduced and mentioned.
Chapter 2
Drogo ran over to the gatehouse, where Tormund and Mys where both resting, with Kites hanging on to the squirrel, like a kid playing with his father. Looking around, Drogo spied a target, a short bow, and a quiver of arrows. Obviously Mys' son, Keith still wanted to embarrass everybeast at Redwall by out-performing them in contests, all of which dealt with weapons used in war.Last time Keith and his otters where at Redwall, Drogo was terribly sick and could not participate in the competitions. Because of Drogo being the only good archer in the abbey, Keith won the archery part by forfeit. If Mys had not been so old, he would have challenged his own son; but age had heavily effected the old otter. Luckily he had passed his skills not only his son but also to Drogo and his friend Tormund.
Tormund, one of Mys' oldest friends, had never known any of his family. The Skipper before Mys, found the hedgehog one evening. Tormund is nearly five seasons younger his friend Mys. Tormund never once felt different while he lived with the otters. After a few seasons of living at Redwall, Tormund became Cellar Keeper.
"Hello Mys, Tormund, ready for the training" Drogo laughed with a huge smile, while picking up the bow and the quiver of arrows. Mys had brought out a chair and was sitting down next to Tormund.
"That is great to hear, you got today and tomorrow to get ready," Mys said looking up from the ground. "I bet you told your friends and brother about my son's arrival."
"Actually no, I wanted them to be surprise." Drogo muttered with a weak smile. Mys gave him a surprised look while Kites jumped from Drogo's back to Mys' lap.
Mys rose from his chair stretching his old limbs, lifting Kites up in one of his arms. "Drogo start practicing, I go tell you friends. You should know better than keeping secrets form them. " Mys said feebly.
Notching an arrow to the bow Drogo aimed at the target, after Mys had left. With a quick adjustment for the wind, Drogo let go of the arrow. The arrow flew true to the target's center.
"Ah, good shot Drogo. Take a few more shots and let's find a harder target." Tormund said after the arrow pierced the target.
After a few more arrows impaled the center of the target, Drogo and Tormund went to the west wall and looked out into the forest for a harder target.
Out in the distance, a rat aimed an arrow at a bird that was flying straight above the Abbey. When he shot the arrow, the wind suddenly died. The arrow fell short of its target and dived at Drogo and Tormund.
Drogo, at the last second, saw the arrow and pushed Tormund out of the way. Drogo rose slightly and saw a rat with a bow. Suddenly, instinct to over and he shot back at the rat. The rat let out a bloody scream when the arrow found itself in one of the rat's hips. Drogo slumped down, his face filled with shock.
Tormund sat up and brushed of dust and some leaves from his habit. " Drogo what was tha…" The old hedgehog started to say, before seeing the shocked squirrel. "What happened young 'un?"
Tears started in the squirrel's eyes as he told Tormund what happened. " T-the r- rat shot an arrow us and I shot back. I didn't mean to harm him. He's out there screaming in agony. I hope he'll be ok." Tormund could here the screaming in the distance. Tormund picked up Drogo and stood him up straight. Taking one glance back where the screaming came from, Tormund saw the rat. It was an old rat whose fur was a dark, dirty, brown.
Tormund led Drogo down the battlement step to the ground below. "Heather over here!" Tormund hollered to a passing beast.
Heather, the infirmary sister and former field medic of the Long Patrol, came rushing over at the sound of her name. "Wot is wrong Tormund."
"I need you to take Drogo up to the infirmary. He shot a rat. I'll go find the rat see what it was doin' around here." Tormund gasped out breathlessly.
Heather laughed at Tormund. "Sorry ol' hog, but I know more 'bout these chaps than you. Former member of the Long Patrol ye know. 'Sides if he gots an arrow in him, he needs a medic."
"Bu…" Tormund started to say but the old hare clasped Tormund's mouth shut with her paw.
"No buts ol' chap an' don't worry I'll try to be back by nightfall." The hare told Tormund before dashing towards the abbey gates.
Drogo sat quietly on the grass as the two older beasts were talking. The shock of hurting the rat had started to leave him. After Heather left, Tormund turned to Drogo "Archery lesson is over for today. Go to infirmary and rest, it will help you calm down." Tormund said pulling Drogo to his feet.
Drogo walked clumsily towards the abbey doors that led inside the abbey. Looking around, Drogo could see some dibbuns playing hide and seek. As Drogo turned back towards the doors, he found him looking into the face of a plump old molemaid.
"Gurt day to ye Drogo, are ye all wroing." The old molemaid asked.
"Good day to you to ma'am," Drogo murmered "And no I'm just confused. Were are you going to Lillian?" A small smile was on the young squirrel's face.
"Hurr Hurr, Oi bees goin' ee zee moi choilds zurr," Lillian laughed. "Have ye seen moi zun Tirg."
Lillian is one of the oldest moles that live in Redwall. Her children are Tirg, the youngest, and Atron and Sinfir, whom are twins. Lillian loves all of her children despite how different Tirg is from her other kids and her mate, Foremole.
"Aye, I saw him in the Orchard a little ago."
The molemaid thanked Drogo, then started to turn away but faced Drogo again. "Ye raven friend aroived awial ago." Lillian had a huge smile on her face as she left.
Drogo smiled at the news. He had not seen Roselyn or her mate in a season, let alone their son.
When Drogo went inside the Great Hall he saw Natasha talking to Mys. The squirrel went crestfallen, now Natasha knew he had fibbed about Kieran's message. The squirrelmaid got quite upset with her friends when they did not tell her the truth. He saw it numerous times and the one she was angry at quite a few of the times.
Quickly, he ran up to Infirmary room. He stumbled quite a few times on the stairs. Upon opening the door, the squirrel noticed nobeast was in the room, so Drogo took the bed below the window. Before he could close his eyes, a raven's voice crowed in his ear. "There you are squirrel. Long time no see."
Looking up, Drogo found himself peering in the face Roselyn. The raven had bright amber eyes and beautiful black feathers. She looked a lot slimmer than the last time Drogo had see her. "Hello Rose, great to see you again. Where is Matt?"
"He saw a group of vermin a couple days back and followed them."
"By any chance, did you see any of them? I so what did you see?" Drogo asked thoughtfully.
"Yes I did, me and Matt saw them all, except the leader. A hoard, smaller than most. All of the vermin were young. The hoard was made up of rats, ferrets, stoats, weasels and two foxes. Had some slaves too." Roselyn said before perching on one of the bedposts.
The news startled and gave relief to the squirrel. There were vermin in Mossflower, near Redwall at that. But at least someone like Matt was following was following them.
"Why did you want to know, you sly squirrel." Rose pondered.
"There is a vermin out side Redwall. An old brown rat. Heather went to check it out."
Rose laughed at the idea of the old hare out in the forest, looking for a rat. "Why her and not some of the stronger beasts here." Rose said not knowing about the haremaid's past.
"Because Heather use to be in the Long Patrol and I shot him." Drogo explained.
The raven's eyes grew wide with disbelief; unable to comprehend the facts laid down before her. The two of them sat in silence for a while. Drogo staring at the ceiling while Rose cleaned her feathers. The silence broke when Drogo spoke again. "Aye, that's why I'm up here."
"Ah, um got into any more trouble since my last visit," Rose asked looking at the door. " Cause I can hear someone coming up the stairs and they sound mad."
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