Chapter 4
As Jade Tealeaf asked, yes I the idea of Granite is form M. I. McAllister's Mistmantle Chronicle. Even though he was bad, I still like him.
Chapter 4
Opening the door, Drogo saw an ancient brown rat leaning against Heather's shoulder. Drogo spied the bandage on the rat's right hip, the area where his arrow had struck.
"Heather what took you, we all were worried?" Drogo said as he supported the rat on the opposite side as Heather.
"Don't worry young'un. The old rat couldn't walk, so I had to take care of his bally hip. Though, I need to redress that wound. While he rested his hip he told me what he was doing out there. It is quite interesting," Heather said stretching her arms out, before sniffing the air. " Wot is that smell, did somebeast finally learn to cook, eh?"
The young squirrel chuckled quietly at the hare's remark. "Yes, Granite his now are friar, so now we will have better food now. What is his name, Heather?"
"Me name be Zürish." The old rat wheezed roughly.
"Well there you go young squirrel, I best go get the Abbot and some of the elders so they can meet him." Heather said. The old haremaid sprinted off towards the door to Cavern Hole.
"Sorry I shot ye rat. My name is Drogo."
"S'all right, ye had the right to. Did I harm any of the beast in this abbey?" Zürish said regretfully.
"No, I stopped the arrow from harming anyone." Drogo replied while setting the old rat up against a tree.
"That's good to know," The ancient rat said before he began to cough badly, his scrawny body shook as he did. When Drogo began to check up on the rat, Zürish shooed him away with a shake of his paw. "Don't worry I'll be fine."
After waiting for a little, the elders emerged from the abbey front doors. Waterlily and Kieran both came out holding a sleeping dibbun, Kites and a mousemaid named Katheryn. Mys came out with a quail pen and a parchment, while Heather brought up the rear with a tray of food munching away of some of the remaining food from dinner earlier that day.
"Would you please relate your story mister Zürish." Heather asked though a mouthful of food.
Zürish had his sight stuck on Waterlily, terrified at the sight of the giant badgermaid, but after Heather spoke Zürish turned away and began his story. "Ever since I ran away form home I've lived by me self, peacefully too. That was 'ntil a wildcat arrived in Mossflower. Tixtako was 'is name. One day I came home late found me home destroyed. Fearing for me friend, Baskel and his family, I left me home and traveled to his house three days north of mine. I knew that a couple of weeks earlier they had their second child, this one was a male and the first was a maid. Unfortunately, I only found destruction once I arrived. Inside their house I found their daughter Foxglove, whom they named after the flower, crying her eyes out next to her mum. Her mum, judging by how cold she was, had been dead for awhile,"
Zürish stopped to fight back tears. As he continued his voice changed from a soft whimper to a low growl. "I left her to cry for a little longer as I looked for the new babe and Baskel. I returned later with no results, neither positive nor negative. The maid 'ad cried herself to sleep when I returned. Me parentally instinct kicked and I picked up 'er up and left, taking a different route than I arrived by; knowing it would be safer. Along the route I found Baskel's body hung from a tree."
When Zürish stopped speaking everybeast was silent with shock and fear except Drogo who had a twinkle in his eyes, wanting to know more. " What happened to Foxglove and her little brother, mister Zürish?"
Before Zürish could answer, Waterlily scolded Drogo. "Be quiet Drogo, It is not nice to interrupt your elders." The badger's huge paw cuffed the back of the squirrel's head.
'It's alright marm, I was all ready finished. As for your question, Drogo, Foxglove has been traveling with me ever since the moment she could speak properly. We have searched for Tixtako for many seasons now, to get revenge. As for her little brother, we don't know if he died back then or he was taken in to Tixtako hoard. We camped a less than a day northwest of here."
The abbot sat for a few moments before standing up and speaking diplomatically. "Tomorrow morning after lunch, you and some of my Redwallers will go and get Foxglove. I suggest this because the Skipper of the otter is arriving here in two days and it would be safer if she was in here."
With out warning a loud squeak sounded through the quiet night. Kites, who everyone though was asleep, jumped up. "Me wanna go wif Zooish gandpapa, pa'weeze. Me wanna see a fox." Kites loud voice deafened anybeast near the dibbun, for a couple seconds.
"Kites, ye should be asleep," Drogo chuckled taking the mouse dibbun form Kieran "how much did ye hear?"
"We her all of wot mista Zooish spokon, Teataco, Foxguve, and 'er bezing in ee fuorst." Kites said excitedly unaware of the trouble he was in.
"Wat do ye mean 'we', Kites." Mys asked looking from Kites to the other mouse dibbun. Katheryn was still lying down in the same spot Waterlily had put her down. Almost as expected Katheryn looked up from where she was 'asleep', her bright sapphire eyes shown in the light that came from a small lantern that Heather brought.
"I sorry, I tried to get Kites to go back to sleep." The mousemaid dibbun said.
Waterlily let one of her few chuckle slip out at the honest mouse. Gently she picked up Katheryn and took Kites from Drogo. "It's alright missie, but you and Kites need to go back to sleep." The badgermum gave Kites to his grandpa and then began rocking Katheryn back to sleep.
"Gandpapa, can me see ee fox tomarow?" Kites asked before he let out a big yawn.
Kieran laughed at his grandson's persistence and determination. "I will think about who's goin' tomarrow, but if you don't sleep soon you won't see her even when she get here." When he finished, he looked down at Kites and smiled. Little Kites had fallen asleep before Kieran even spoke.
Mys stood up, stretching his old back. In his paws were parchments all filled with the story Zürish's story. "On the topic of who is going tomarrow, I think we should chose some of the younger beasts that aren't big muscled. Just so she dose not get frightened." The old abbey recorder said thoughtfully.
"Good idea my friend, we shall continue to talk about it tomarrow. Drogo would you please show mister Zürish to one spare rooms above the dormitories?" Abbot Kieran said after letting out a huge yawn.
The young squirrel stood up weakly. He half stumbled as he stared to walk away. "Right Kieran. Come on Zürish." Drogo said. The old rat stood up and followed Drogo.
After the two beasts were gone, Waterlily stood up with Katheryn, who was asleep again. "I don't trust that rat. As my father always said 'The only good vermin is a dead vermin'." The badgermum spat as she led the way inside to the older beasts.
"That's 'arsh Waterlily, if ye remember what I thought ye in abbey school there 'as been some vermin whom have ended up good. I believe yer favorite was Blaggut or was it Romsca? Any way we should trust him for now, 'cause if we don't then two innocent lives may be lost when my son nears." Mys said wisely, following his friends.
Waterlily stopped by a door and turned to the otter. "Mayhaps you're right, I guess we shall find out tomorrow. It was Romsca who I liked, Mys."
Author notes: I just got done reading Doomwyte, the ending is mixed emotions. The book in general is quite dark and is why I did not post lately.
Please do read and review. All types are accepted except rude ones. Any question about the story or the characters please ask. Also one of these character is named after a city in Swizerland, the first person to guess it I'll a spolier to.