4
It was the wee hours of the morning. Lord Hawkin was busy at work. Luckily, it wasn't quite as cold at the moment. The white fox sat in the study room of his great palace. He studied a few maps of the land neighboring his mountain. Near him was a steaming cup of Mountain Herb Tea, which he periodically sipped. Just then, there was a knock at the door of his study. The lord's cold eyes glared at the door for a few minutes, before he got up, and opened the door.
"You've better have a damn good explanation as to why-"
Lord Hawkin stopped his berating when he realized it was his mate, Lady Tempa. His annoyance failed to go away however.
"Stupid wife," he spat. "What do you want?"
The vixen swallowed, and avoided eye contact when the white fox.
"Our son, Shade," she whispered. "He's come to our bedroom, crying. He says he wants to sleep with me instead of alone in his room."
"And what do you want me to do about that, vixen?"
"Talk to him, perhaps?" suggested Tempa. "He seems shaken up by something."
Lord Hawkin rubbed his temples with a paw.
"I see," he grumbled. "The boy saw the execution of the weasel from this morning. What the hell what he doing up anyway?"
"I wouldn't know, my love…"
"Of course you wouldn't, you stupid vixen. You soil the good name of foxes with stupidity like that."
"Forgive me, my lord," muttered Lady Tempa. "Er…Shade also mentioned a mouse in his dreams."
Lord Hawkin cocked a brow.
"A what?"
"A mouse, my love."
"What about a mouse?"
"Shade said that a warrior mouse came to him after he had the nightmare about the execution. The mouse called himself Martin the Warrior."
"Martin the Warrior?" repeated the lord. "Who in blistering blizzards is that supposed to be? Oh, right. You wouldn't know, you stupid girl."
The white fox's paw suddenly smacked the lady's face, sending her staggering back with a cry of pain.
"Get out of my sight, you wretch," Lord Hawkin snapped.
The vixen rushed off in a panic. The lord sighed, and returned to his work. He glanced at the maps.
"This mountain isn't enough to support my dream," he muttered to himself. "I must have more territory. Let's see…I'll have my soldiers go in all four directions, and take over the lands they come across."
He glanced at the maps again. He noticed one in particular. The map showed Mossflower woods, and a building labeled, "Redwall Abbey". The fox smirked.
"The east sounds promising. I've never had my own abbey before."
Shade rested in his mother's arms, sucking his little dewclaw. Lady Tempa stroked his little white head.
"Tell me about the mouse, Shade," she cooed. "Maybe you'll feel better if you do."
The pup stayed silent, his eyes staring wide into the distance. Lady Tempa sat the pup up in her lap, staring him in the eyes.
"Shade?" she beckoned. "Come on, talk to me."
"…His name is Martin…" Shade murmured, his voice raspy and soft.
"Yes, I know, but what else?"
"He told me…he told me…what I saw was…wrong…"
"The execution was wrong?" repeated the lady.
Shade nodded.
"…I see…Look, my dear. Don't let your father hear you say that."
"But the mouse-"
"Forget the mouse. I was just a dream, alright?"
Shade was quiet for a moment
"Yes, mama."
