A/N; Nothing from me except to say this is a bit shorter than usual. I wanted to get through the saddest part of the entire Redwall series as quickly as possible.

8.

The Aftermath

Martin saw his mortal enemy hurl Rose hard against the wall. ROSE!! NO!!

"MAAAARRRRTTIIIIINNNNNN!!" Roaring and screaming like a wounded wolf, Martin threw himself from the walltop. Martin the Warrior quickly raced to where Badrang the Tyrant was trying to hack through another of his friends.

"Get up, you scum! Up on your paws and face me!" As the Warrior and the Tyrant dueled the last of the Fort Marshank horde beasts fell to the overwhelming numbers of the Fur and Freedom Fighters. Every eye was drawn to the fight in the ruins of the slave compound. Once it had held beasts forced into a life of servitude. Now it only held two beasts. A scared bully that fancied himself a tyrant, and a red-eyed berserk Warrior. The Warrior pinned his foe against the blackened wall and with his bare paws turned the sword on the stoat. With a final hate - filled thrust straight through the heart the Tyrant fell.

With his last vestige of strength, the young mouse pushed the slain foebeast from him and tugged his father's sword loose. Lying on his side with sand crusting the blood of his warwounds, Martin saw dawn's light beam across the face of Rose where she lay close to him by the wall.

The merciful darkness closed in on him as he muttered to her, "Rose, we could have chopped the sycamore down with this."

The only sound was the last of the flames, licking at the fallen gates. Outside the crew of the Waterlily dumped sand on the wood and smothered the flames. The otters rushed in to find the battle over. The Fur and Freedom Fighters had won. Starwort quickly retrieved his drum and began beating it in victory as his otters started shouting.

Rowanoak strode slowly up, placing a restraining paw on the jubilant otter Chieftain. "Silence the drum, friend. Our battle was won at a bitter price." The badger turned her head to where the still forms of Martin and Rose lay in the dirt.

Brome then walked into the fort. He had been holding back from the main assault tending the wounded. "We won?" he asked.

"Aye, we did young 'un." Rowanoak nodded her head though it hung in sorrow.

"Where's Martin?" he asked with concern now edging into his voice at the badger's expression. "Where's Rose?"

Rowanoak couldn't respond, her throat was too choked up. She just pointed a paw to where a group of creatures was forming a circle around two prostrate bodies. Brome slowly walked towards the growing crowd. The beasts assembled there gave way for the young mouse until he saw the one thing he feared most. Martin lay close to Rose. A trickle of blood showed from Rose's headfur. It seeped into the dirt crusted with the blood from Martin's own wounds. Brome fell to his knees in shock. His throat also clenched at the sight of his sister and Martin in the sand.

He crawled over to Rose first. She was laying face down in the dirt. Gently he rolled her onto her back. With shaking paws he felt on top of her neck for a pulse. Everybeast present knew he hadn't found one when he hung his head and then moved onto Martin. The first thing Brome saw was that dirt was stirring near the mouth and nose of the Warrior. Martin still lived. The Warrior also lay face down in the dirt. Brome rolled Martin onto his back as well and then began digging in his pouch for herb poultices and bandages. He found his paws had stopped shaking as he tended to Martin. Surprisingly he also found his voice as he worked.

"It was all my fault, if I had stayed at Noonvale and not gone wandering I would never have been captured by Badrang's creatures and none of this would have happened. I am to blame!"

Ballaw sniffed. Bending down one ear, he wiped his eyes. The hare had just placed a white linen over Rose. "There, there, old lad. There's only one beast t'blame for all this and that's Badrang. Martin settled the score with him for good; the evil has gone from this land forever."

Grumm stumbled up with a large dressing on the side of his face and neck another healer had applied. Deep rivulets carved their way down his face where the tears flowed constantly, and he made several small gestures with his paws before Buckler sat him down with a large kerchief.

"You'm 'ave to 'scuse Grumm, Maister Brome, him'n losed 'is voice through a-grieven. We'm puttin' fallen uns t' rest…Wot abowt Miz Roser?"

Brome left off ministering to Martin's senseless form. He took a huge shuddering sigh. "Thank you, friends, but I'm taking her home to Noonvale with me." Reaching out he tucked in a corner of the simple white linen cloth that covered his sister's pitiful body. "Rose would have been alive today but for me, you know.'

Buckler shook his head. "You'm not to blame, Maister, nor Marthen, nor nobeast yurr."

Rowanoak looked bleakly around the ruined, smoke stained walls of Marshank, where not one foe-beast had been left alive. "I don't know where we're all bound, but let's get away from this place!"

Boldred seconded the badger's wise words. "Rowanoak is right. There's been too much death and grief here, it seems to be part of the very stones. We'll leave what's left of Marshank standing as a reminder to any bad ones of what free and peaceful creatures can do when they're driven to it!"

Helped by Marigold, Brome placed Martin on a stretcher. He stood upright and addressed the multitude. When he spoke his voice carried a new note of confidence and maturity it had not had before. "Some of you, like the otters and the shrews of Broadstream, have homes to return to. Those of you who have no homes, listen to me. Noonvale can be your home, a place of peace to live happily in for all seasons. Put aside your weapons if you wish to go with me to Noonvale."

Weapons were cast into a pile and the mighty Fur and Freedom Fighter corps found itself disbanded. A steady stream of creatures left the coastline and the memories of war. Some going to their homes, some to their boats to take them back to the ancient woods surrounding the Broadstream. Brome watched it all in silence as the crew of the Waterlily prepared to cast off. The young mouse shed a tear as he watched Boldred, Rowanoak, Pallum, and Grumm depart with Martin, bound for Polleekin's tree where Boldred had said Martin could recuperate in peace. He turned to board the ship when a voice called out.

"Waitmouse!" It was Queen Amballa.

Brome halted. He watched as the Queen of the pigmy shrews signaled the otters carrying Rose's bier to lower it. Placing the small shrew sword beside the mousemaid's still form, Amballa spoke in her curt vigorous manner.

"Rosemouse braevemouse! We remember hername allseasons!" She waved to the pigmy shrews and they set off south along the shoreline for their own territory.

Brome looked down at the small sword. Somebeast had cleaned off the stains of war from the blade. Daylight reflected off the short blade to mirror Rose's still form. The young mouse gave another shudder of grief as he stared at the blade. He nodded to the otters who picked up the bier again and began walking to the Waterlily. Taking one last look at the now deserted coastline, Brome followed them to the ship.

Starwort greeted him. "We've laid Rose down in the aft cabin. Won't nobeast disturb ya iffin' ya want 't be alone."

"Thank you Starwort, but I'd just as soon stay on deck. How soon till we shove off?"

"We can leave at anytime Master Brome."

Brome nodded. "How long will it take to get back to Noonvale?"

This time Starwort looked down at the deck. "It could take us awhile."

"Why's that?" Brome asked simply.

"It's all t' do with the tides, the winds, an' o' course the Broadstream herself. We were able to fairly fly down the river t' get here ya see. The wind was at our back an' the Broadstream was flowin' strong. Well the river's still flowin' strong but now we're goin' the wrong way. The tide's also out so there's a right good chance we could run aground. Wind is also comin' in from the bow, which makes travellin' upriver hard as well."

Brome just took a deep breath. "I'm sure you'll do your best. Just get us back to Noonvale as soon as you can."

Starwort tipped his rudder to Brome. "Aye, Master Brome."

The young mouse then walked to the bow where the Rambling Rosehip Players, minus Rowanoak, were huddled together. For once the troupe was not talking, acting, or carrying on as the usually did. They made room for Brome as he sat down among them while the Waterlily began her slow journey upriver.

"I didn't think it would take this long," Brome said to himself.

It was late summer, the leaves just starting to turn to their fall colors. He had finally made it back to Noonvale. The flotilla had gradually disbanded as they journeyed upriver until only the Waterlily was remaining. The crew stayed aboard as Brome led the Rosehip Players and many former slaves down the path to Noonvale. He had been dreading this moment since that fateful morning on the coast. The day he would have to tell his family his sister was dead.

The sun had just started to rise over the valley. Many creatures still had yet to rise. Yet Brome knew what was coming. His father was usually the first one to rise in the Noonvale to start the day. Today was no exception.

Urran Voh walked out of his cottage and saw the party walking down the bluffs, with Brome in the lead. "Aryah!" he shouted. "Their home! Brome and Rose are home!"

Aryah rushed out of the cottage having just finished putting on her dress to stand beside her husband. She waited next to Urran Voh as Brome's party slowly drew near. It was then that she realized what she didn't see. Rose, Martin, Grumm, and Pallum were nowhere to be seen. She couldn't take it anymore. She ran to her son panic starting to rise in her voice.

"Brome! Where's Rose? Where are Martin and the others?" she said as she grabbed his shoulders.

Brome didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He only fell to his knees and began sobbing. It was then that Aryah looked behind Brome and saw the linen covered bier.

"No!" The word came out as a whisper as Aryah walked to the bier and kneeled next to it.

Urran Voh slowly walked up in a state of shock. He paused next to his son as Aryah lifted the cloth to reveal the form beneath it.

"Rose! NOOOOOOOOOO!!" Aryah's scream of anguish cut through the morning air like a rusty knife.

Urran Voh fell to his knees. He felt as if his heart had dropped out of his chest. He just kneeled in silence next to his sobbing son, not hearing the pained wails of his wife as she cradled Rose's body.

The inhabitants of Noonvale were quickly alerted to the cries. From over the entire valley they came to investigate. To a beast they all stopped in shock at the sight of Aryah crying over Rose, with Urran Voh and Brome also shedding their own tears nearby.

Ballaw looked around and quickly sized up the situation. He turned to the Players who had all followed Brome into Noonvale. His voice didn't carry the normal lightness it usually did. He spoke softly to the other Players. "Right chaps, let's get these mice away from all this. There's a good lass Trefoil, help the lady up. Buckler if you could help Brome's father, I'll hold onto Brome himself. Gauchee, Kastern d'you think you can manage to carry Rose? Good lasses." The hare then addressed the crowd. "Now who here can lead us to this cottage Brome has talked about so much?"

A hedgehog maid spoke up even though tears were running freely down her face. "I can sir. Follow me."

"Thank you much miss…?"

"Teaslepaw, my name is Teaslepaw."

"Lead the way then."

The small procession began to move towards the cottage where Urran Voh and his family lived. Aryah was still sobbing hard and Urran Voh was still in a state of shock. Brome though had recovered enough to find his voice once they were inside the small house. "That's Rose's room back there. That's where you can put her," he told the two mousemaids carrying her bier. "Teaslepaw could you please show them?" The hogmaid had set Aryah down in her chair in the sitting room. Wordlessly she nodded and led Gauchee and Kastern down to Rose's room.

Ballaw set Urran Voh down in his chair. The act of sitting seemed to break the Patriarch out of his stupor. "What happened? How did it happen?" he asked.

Brome took a deep breath to settle his nerves. "It was during the final assault on the fort, father. Rose was…"

Ballaw cut him off. "Steady on old chap. Never start a story at the end." Turning to Urran Voh the hare introduced himself. "I sir am Ballaw De Quincewold of the Rambling Rosehip Players. I would be quite happy to introduce the rest of my companions, but first let me tell you everything. No offense to Brome of course."

Urran Voh nodded for the hare to continue. He listened carefully as Ballaw told him of the dire straits the Fur and Freedom Fighters had been facing until the timely arrival of Martin's forces. How Martin's charge had saved them from being overrun. Urran Voh felt his brow furrowing as Ballaw told of the final battle within Marshank and its tragic result.

"So Martin just let Rose run into battle without a care if she lived or died!?" he said with venom growing in his voice.

Finally Brome spoke up. "It wasn't like that father. Martin-"

Urran Voh cut him off. "Martin promised to protect your sister and she came back dead! DEAD!! He broke his word. That's why warriors are not to be trusted! They can promise no one will get hurt, but it's never up to them is it?"

"Father please!" Brome implored. "Martin put her, Grumm, and Pallum where he thought the fighting would be lightest. Nobeast could have accounted for Badrang to sneak off to where he did."

Urran Voh leapt out of his chair. "That's just it though Brome! Fighting where it's heaviest or lightest is still fighting! Creatures dying! And where is Martin now? Where is this brave and fearless warrior? He's a coward you hear me! A coward! He doesn't even have the courage to come back here to Noonvale and face me!"

"Please don't talk about Martin like that. It wasn't his fault at all." The soft maiden's voice coming from the direction of Rose's room cut through the yelling clearly.