The sun rose over Redwall, bathing the stones in a sand dusted hue. The walls turned pink with the sunlight, and Ryon was one of the first to wake. As he leapt down from the tree, he saw that a few others were breakfasting on the feast. He joined them, and smiled at Lucar and Birchleaf as they woke up and joined the table. He spoke to Napole as the old mouse sat beside them. "I need to leave today."

The mouse looked at him. "Why must you?"

"I have an island that has no idea where I am. For all they know, I could be dead."

Napole sighed. "Very well then. But you must stay for one more thing."

Ryon clasped the old mouse's paw. "Anything. What is it?"

Napole only smiled.

A few hours later, Napole and Lucar, attended by Birchleaf, Ryon, the council of elders, Blackreed, and Sharpear, stood on the west wall. Lucar was all but perplexed about the situation, though the Vale Islanders chuckled and nudged each other. The elders maintained a dignified silence. Down on the lawns, every Redwaller was watching. Napole began to speak.

"Lucar, after missing for a whole season, you have returned to us. Possibly a greater mouse than before. You are now strong, courageous, and skilled. Your experiences in the war that Ryon told us about, coupled with the challenges within yourself along the way, such as fear, doubt, and a longing to return to the Abbey that you love, have made you a great warrior. It is at the counsel of Martin the Warrior than I appoint you Redwall's Abbey Champion!"

Lucar could not speak. Even though he had done things that no Redwaller had ever done, this still came as a shock. He turned to see Birchleaf laughing happily, and Ryon smiling at him. He mouthed "A great choice." to Lucar and began clapping. Soon after the ceremony, the Javelin's crew was set to leave. Supplies donated by the Redwallers weighted their haversacks, and Lucar, Birchleaf, Napole and Ryon stood in the main gate. Ryon held out his paw to Lucar. "I guess this is goodbye then, Warrior."

Lucar took the paw and shook it. His eyes then turned to Birchleaf. "I think we should go in now."

She shook her head. "No, Lucar. I'm not staying at Redwall."

The mouse's eyebrows shot upward. "What? Why not?"

She took Ryon's paw. "I'm going back to Vale Island with Ryon."

Ryon smiled. "We'll come to visit. Every two seasons or so. But until then, I can only wish you and Redwall peace and long seasons."

Lucar smiled broadly and nodded. "Aye. I hope that will come for you as well."

As the crew marched down the path into the sunset, Ryon and Birchleaf at the front, Ryon looked at the pretty squirrelmaid. "I think you made a good choice."

Birchleaf looked at him. "How so?"

Ryon looked back at the road. "After all, I am a hero."

She shook her head and kissed him on the cheek. "No. You're a pirate."

And as the sun went down on that first autumn's day, Lucar raised Martin's blade in the air and, joined by the rest of the Abbey, gave out one last, raucous cry. "Redwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallll!"

Epilogue's the only thing to post. I'll get that up too, then post my Pokemon story the next day. R and R! Hope you liked it!