Pardon me for the grammar errors, I did this so long ago and now I'm too lazy to check it over.

Disclaimer: I do not own this series. All rights go to Brian Jacques. I only own the idea for the story and characters, no the style or setting.

Book One
The Arrival of Versago Swiftclaw

The shadow of summer stretched lazily across Mossflower Woods. At the coast, sapphire-blue waves gently lapped at the shore. Everything was peaceful at the mountain of Salamandstron and its inhabitants. Badger Lord Swordpaw watched calmly at the ever changing sea of blue, but a feeling deep inside the badger made him feel uneasy to the surrounding peace. Then a loud knock on the bedchamber door signaled the arrival of a strong lanky hare that came in with a trolley.

"Lord Swordpaw sir, sorry for barging in but lunch is ready. You have to eat to get strength to defend the jolly old mountain, wot." Swordpaw then took a piece of bread and cheese like his distant ancestor, Boar the Fighter. He then told the hare what was going on in his mind.

"Thank you Mattello, my friend. Salamandstron is to be in danger again."

"Vermin I say sir, where?" Mattello asked thoughtfully. Lord Swordpaw then pointed out of his bedchamber window. On the horizon line where the sky touched the earth three black dots appeared, bringing with it crews of nasty vermin. Mattello growled with rising anger in his eyes, "Darn, those vermin scum! I'd just wish they would leave gentle creatures alone and plunder somewhere else."

"We should prepare for battle Mattello. Put the Long Patrol hares in their ranks, I will be in my chamber if you need me."

"Yes sir!" Mattello answered, giving a smart salute. He then left leaving the badger alone in his chamber. Swordpaw then entered a different chamber by using a rock door that was concealed in the stone. He then lit a lamp to light his way in the darkness of the secret chamber. Opening the lid of the lamp so the flame could be seen, Swordpaw cast a pawful of herbs from the pocket of his tunic. As the plants hit the flame it let off a strange aroma which caused the badger to fall into a trance .Picking up a chisel and a hammer the badger started to engrave a picture into the smooth surface of the stone wall.

Below Swordpaw's bed chamber there was hustle and bustle in the kitchen as breakfast was served. Swordpaw's daughter, Tara, made her way through the crowds of hares waiting for their breakfast. She finally came through and sat down with her best friend, Sunpaw. The hares ate madly like they had survived a seven season famine. Any food in their sight they scoffed down their throat like mad beasts.

"Pass me the scones Bigpaw, wot wot!"

"Here you go old pal, wot."

Tara then asked Sunpaw one of the questions troubling her mind.

"Sunpaw where is my father?"

"Probably in his forge room or something…"Sunpaw answered through mouthfuls of food. Like all hares she could not resist eating large quantities of food. Her ancestor was the lying scoffing hare Bescarum with an always hungry appetite that Sunpaw gratefully inherited. Giving her fondest smile Tara helped herself to some food.

"Maybe your right," Tara whispered, "maybe your right."

Out in the open vastness of the sea, far from Salamandstron's coast, a mysterious fox was sailing towards shore. This fox was known by his glossy gold coat and silver tail, but the tail contained no tip. They say that he lost his tail tip in battle, but he slew the enemy who did it. He was swift with any blade of any kind and all who heard his name trembled in haunting fear.

Versago Swiftclaw!

Versago and his army sailed the seas towards Salamandstron's coast in three grim well crafted Freebooter vessels named Seacrab, Hookfish, and the main vessel, the Dark Queen. When Freebooters hear about the mountain of the south coast guarded by hares and badgers they try to avoid it at all costs. Versago's army feared the mountain, but when they heard they were going to the mountain this turned into a question. Why would they set sail for the mountain of Salamandstron? No one was brave enough to ask Versago the question until one stoat named Wartear bravely asked the question.

"Um, Versago, sir, why are we sailing so close to this mountain feared by all Freebooters?" Versago looked at Wartear and gave him one of his rare smiles.

"Thank you Wartear, I was wondering who would ask me that. Choose five others to join you then come to my cabin."

"Uh, yessir," Wartear answered dumbly, "um, you and you Fleabit, and you Skinnose, and ..."

After the group was assembled Versago grinned and explained his plan, "You were specially chosen to do this so don't mess up," he then looked at them with cold killing eyes of brown, "here is what we must do for revenge against Salamandstron ..."

Far away from the great sea the abbey of Redwall was full of life about an hour after dawn. The abbey- dwellers got on with their normal lives. Dibbuns played in the orchard while older creatures got to work. Food made by Friar Goyle was soon placed in the orchard for lunch. Everybeast was cheerful and happy for living in such a grand place. Abbot Mordaltus sat in his chair taking in the peace of early noon. The abbot soon dozed of in the realm of dreams where he was visited by Redwall's first warrior, Martin. Before Martin could say anything the abbot was roused urgently by the Foremole, Brilly. The mole then spoke his strange dialect to the old mouse.

"HAbbot daltus, wakem oop pleeze fore he HAbbot mus see dis!"

"What is it Brilly?"

Back at the shores of Salamandstron Versago's vessels lay moored on the edge of the sea. Versago stood looking upwards at Swordpaw, squinting from the late afternoon sun which heated the air above them. In the sunlight Versago looked like a gold and silver coin from Swordpaw's view. Finally, Versago told what he wanted from the mountain.

"Surrender your mountain stripedog or die because I am your worst enemy, Versago Swiftclaw! You must remember after you saw my ships on the beach."

Gruesome memories of the last encounter came back to his mind as he answered, "You shall not get this mountain as long as I live!"

"Fine then, FIRE!"

Shafts from both sides hissed through the air like silent assassins. Versago's arrows bounced harmlessly off the rock face of Salamandstron while Swordpaw's shafts embedded itself in the sand. Both armies knew they were out of range, but they kept firing under their leaders' orders. In the heat of battle foot hares charged and battered the front lines of Versago's horde like they were swatting flies. Versago didn't care though, he had plenty of soldiers left and anyways, he was going to steal Swordpaw's most precious thing from under the badger's nose. With the six others, including Wartear himself, Versago and his crew made their way towards the front gate and checked if it was guarded. Wartear then stubbed his toe on a rock and screamed, "Owwwwww!" Versago then grabbed him and held a paw to Wartear's mouth.

"Be quiet if you want to live!" Versago whispered urgently. Then came the sound of paw steps coming towards them and every beast fell dead silent.

"Hello, anybeast there?"

The sound of Tara's voice drifted back to Versago's gang. "Hello, hello, hm there seems to be nobeast here. Might as w-," Tara was then bagged and hit unconscious as she turned around by Versago and his troupe.

"Hey you, Fleabit, go and tell the army to retreat under captain's orders. Try to head as close to the woodlands as possible. Go now," the fox exclaimed with joy, "we have our prize."

Looking around to make sure nobody had watched them they stole silently of towards the dunes where they would meet up with the rest of Versago's army. Even though Versago didn't win the battle he did have a limp bundle over his back as his prize. He managed to take Swordpaw's most precious and cherished thing from under his nose. It was his only daughter, Tara!

Swordpaw had no idea until Sunpaw, the only witness of the kidnapping, came and told him the story.

"Tara kidnapped! Are you sure this is what you saw, Sunpaw?"

"Yes sir," Sunpaw answered sadly, "that is all I saw."

"That's why they retreated; it was distractions from the real plan…get Mattello in here." When Mattello arrived Swordpaw told him what they were going to do.

"Get food into the haversacks and any weapons or equipment that we'll need for the quest. When you are ready we'll leave in search of my daughter."

When everything was packed and ready to go, Swordpaw and Mattello looked back over their shoulders to see Salamandstron hares waving goodbye.

"Goodbye and good fortune!"

"Good luck!"

Mattello waved goodbye to all his friends and then turned to join the badger lord. The hares kept on waving until Swordpaw and Mattello were mere dots.

What are the things that are to befall Swordpaw and Matello? Find out in //checks story// the next 2 chapters.