Chapter Twelve: What Happens in Dreams
Somewhere on the east edge of Mossflower, Nettleclaw and his horde were sleeping, most likely dreaming of conquest. Somewhere north of them, around five hundred hares were dreaming of food, of course. But in all of Mossflower only two creatures were having dreams that were important; Beechtail, and old Abbot Thren.
In Abbot Thren's dream, he was walking in Great Hall, he found himself looking at the tapestry of Martin the Warrior, but Martin was not there, there was an empty space in the center. He looked around. He was not alone, a mouse that he instantly recognized as Martin was standing in the doorway he moved outside as Abbot Thren walked towards the door. The Abbot looked outside; Martin was standing at the south corner of the Abbey building. He walked out of sight, and Thren followed him. They walked all the way to the southeast corner of the walls in silence. Martin pointed out into Mossflower and said.
"A Warlord comes, and leads a horde,
To conquer and enslave.
But Two Swords may yet win the day,
And all of Mossflower save.
A Warrior comes from village lost,
With vermin sword in hand,
Give him my blade, for he must drive,
The rapscallions from the land."
Thren woke up, and found himself in Great Hall. He looked around, and then he remembered his dream. What did it mean?
Beechtail was standing in an open field. Several yards away, the ferret that had slain Flodrun was standing with his sword. The ferret raised his sword. Beechtail realized that he was unarmed. He was about to turn and run, when a loud voice shouted behind him, "Beechtail of Angdelve, stand firm. Do not be afraid. Take my sword and protect your friends." Beechtail turned. Standing behind him was a mouse, an armored mouse that was holding a sword. It was the same sword as in his previous dream, and the mouse proffered the hilt, as if giving it to him. Beechtail grasped the hilt, the mouse disappeared, but the sword remained. It seemed to move on its own, requiring barely any concentration. He turned toward the ferret, it leaped at him. The swords clashed, Beechtail struck several times, but the ferret parried them. Suddenly a paw was clamped across Beechtail's mouth, jolting him awake in an instant.