Yay! Another chapter!

Claimer: I own all of characters in this story except martin the warrior.

Disclaimer: I do not own Juska, Mossflower, Salamandastron, Martin the Warrior or Redwall.

Chapter 7

"It's a long story…" Amber walked over to a tree and slid into a sitting position against it.

"We have all night. I don't think you plan on going to sleep anytime soon, do you, wot,wot?" Summer said.

Amber sighed. "Well, I guess I've got nothing else to do. But... I don't even know where to start!"

Summer wished she could sit down next to Amber, but she knew she shouldn't trust the rat. "Just start from the beginning."

Amber hesitantly began to tell her story. "I was born into a Juska clan called Juskubel. My mother, Elysia, didn't want me to grow up with the vermin. She knew I could be better than them. So, she took me away from the camp and ran. I don't really remember much, but I do remember the rest of the clan shouting and running behind us. My mother knew she couldn't get away, so she hid me under a tree and confronted them. If you don't already know, Juskabeasts are merciless. After they finished with her, they began to walk back to camp, but I started crying. Marduk, the leader of the clan, sent them to find me. They brought me back to the camp. I grew up there, and mostly tried to stay out of the way. I knew I didn't belong with the vermin but where was I to go if I even managed to get away?

"On one of the days when I was supposed to be on fishing duty, I decided to stay back from the group and get out of my job. After a while, Marduk called me back into camp. He was furious at me for not following his orders. I was bound to a stake in the camp for many days. Every day, Marduk himself came out to see if I was ready to listen to him. Every day I refused. He began to bribe me. Still I refused. After weeks of the same treatment, he came with a different proposal. If I could kill the Second-in-command, Akan, in combat, I could have his position. It surprised me. I accepted, On the terms that he would arm me. So, I fought Akan. I won… Marduk had obviously not expected me to win. After a few days we marched out of the camp for the first time in many years, abandoning it. We were headed towards a small village, which Marduk intended on conquering. After the first few hours of marching, I fainted. While I was unconscious, I had a dream. I will elaborate on it later. The important thing to know is that in the dream, I saw a mouse. He told me to go to Redwall, which I didn't know about then, but now I do.

"I woke to the sneering faces of my clanmates, so I got up, and ordered them to continue marching. When we arrived in a clearing near the village, we made camp, and while I tried to fall asleep, I noticed something. A mouse. He was about my age, and he was probably exploring. Anyways, when he saw us, he gasped, waking a few vermin up. They began to taunt him, which woke Marduk. I knew that if I didn't do anything, that mouse wasn't going to live until the next day. I asked Marduk if I could take him. He seemed to be happy that I offered, and let me take him. I had to drag him into the woods. When I got him out of earshot of the camp, I was able to calm him down. I told him about my dream, and he believed me. He told me about Redwall and I told him to meet me there. He asked if he could return to his parents instead but I wouldn't let him. I told him that it was safer away from there and that if the vermin saw him I would get blamed for not killing him. I promised to warn the village about the attack. I was true to my word and did so. During the attack the next day, I managed to find his family and-"

"Whose family?" Summer interjected.

"The mouse's. Alek's." Amber said. "Sorry about that… Anyways, I talked to Alek's family. None of the goodbeasts in the village put up a fight, so the attack was over and the villagers captured very quickly. That night, I went to where they were being kept prisoner. I spoke again with Alek's family. I asked them if there was anything they wanted me to take to Redwall. They told me to take Mallory. I wasn't sure if they should trust me with her, but seeing as she was the youngest person in the village, I understood why they wanted her to be somewhere else. I took Mallory and left the village with her. You know the rest."

Summer was surprised at Amber's story. The two walked back to the camp in silence, an upon reaching it, Amber found that she was exhausted from telling her story. She went to sleep, curled up next to Mallory. Amber's story kept Summer up, so she decided to tell her two companions. She roused them and related the tale.

...

That morning, Summer woke Amber, who in turn tried to wake Mallory, but she refused to get up. Amber sighed and picked her up.

Lid and Casey had packed up, and stood ready to move out. The odd group just stood there, waiting to see who left first.

Lid, not being one for long silences, spoke up. "Amber, We're bally well headed to Redwall just like you. D'you want to travel with us? Wot, wot?"

Amber wondered for half a second how Lid knew where she was headed, but then realized that Summer would've told them about her story. "I guess so… I'm honestly not sure how to get there, and I'm sure Mallory would like some company other than me."

The group walked in silence for a while, and Amber noticed the awkward glances shared by the three hares.

"You want to know about my dream, don't you?" Amber asked.

Casey nodded. "You bally well read our minds, old gel!"

Amber sighed. "You probably won't believe me, but I'll tell you." She told them of her dream.

When she finished, The hares stared at her.

Mallory, who had just woken up, cut the silence short. "Are we there yet?" She asked.

Amber shook her head. "No, not yet."

Mallory frowned. "I wanna walk now. Can you put me down?"

Amber nodded and set her on the ground. Taking the paw that reached out towards hers, she continued walking. They walked in silence until sunset, when Mallory had an announcement.

"I'm tired." She said.

Amber laughed. "Looks like someone here knows exactly what she wants when she wants it."

They set up camp in a small clearing. Mallory fell asleep instantly. Amber and the hares stayed up talking for a while.

After some aimless banter, Casey asked "Amber, could you repeat that bally poem again? It keeps slipping from my mind, wot, wot?"

Amber nodded. "Okay…

"When hope is lost to make amends,

Go to the east to find your friends

Though enemies will surely follow,

In misery and death they wallow.

Stand fast and true

And they will trust you

When all seems lost

Follow the moss

And find the ones to help you there."

"Well all that tells us is that we need to get to Redwall. Bloody poem's useless if you ask me." Lid said.

"I bally well agree with you, Lid. Wot, wot?" said Casey.

"Well you lot can talk about that poem all night if you want to, I'm going to sleep." Muttered Summer, shifting to a more comfortable position.

"I'm going to sleep too." Amber agreed.

There's that, I hope you enjoyed it. I have a question and I don't know if this is the right place to ask this but… Should I do more frequent shorter chapters or longer ones that will take a while? I guess you can just answer in the reviews or something…