Author's Notes:
Here's Chapter 2, folks! I hope you enjoy this one a bunch!
Martin wandered outside the Abbey gates, hoping that he could clear his head before anyone else knew that he was missing. He felt the cool, green grass of Mossflower Woods beneath his feet as he trod onward. "Martin the Warrior," he thought, "I know that I'm supposed to carry on in my father's place as Abbey Warrior, but I don't know how to do that without my mother on my case about safety all of the time. Is there something I should be aware of?"
As if to answer his question, a rope was thrown around Martin's arms and chest and fastened tightly. He managed a lopsided grin. "Oh yeah, my surroundings."
A fierce mouse pulled Martin in forcefully. They gazed into each other's eyes momentarily, as if trying to read the other's thoughts. "Do you know of a place called 'Redwall?'" the strange mouse finally hissed venomously.
Martin remained silent.
"You do know where it is, don't you?" the mouse asked knowingly, a dangerous tinge of wickedness in his voice.
Martin still remained silent.
The evil mouse drew out a long dagger and held it close to Martin's throat. "Speak up, you little cur!"
The young mouse gulped nervously, but did his best to remain calm as he boldly said, "I know where it is, but I will not tell you. You'll just have to kill me."
A small wooden disc flew through the air, knocking the dagger from the mouse's paw. "Leave him alone, Russel!" a young female voice shouted.
Russel looked up at the tree that the disc came from. "Come down here and make me, Tertia!" he shouted back.
A very small, young rat with silvery gray fur and fierce yet gentle hazel eyes climbed down from the tree. She stared straight into Russel's eyes. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get," Tertia challenged. "Release him and come at me while I'm not ready, like you did with my family."
"They were not your family!" Russel countered, still clutching the confused Martin. "They betrayed mouse kind by taking in a worthless baby rat like you." He grabbed his dagger and threw Martin down before he ran straight at Tertia.
"You betrayed mouse kind by killing mice," Tertia said angrily as she dodged to the side and pulled out a small sword from her belt, which was helping to secure her overly large dark blue tunic tighter around her tiny waist. She somersaulted to where the young mouse lay and cut him free from the rope binding him. "Run for the Abbey!" she yelled to him.
Martin shook his head. "I'm staying," he declared. "As son of the warrior I must learn to stand and fight instead of running away."
Russel's eyes flickered wickedly. "You're of blood relation to Matthias the Warrior," he said in a sinister voice.
The young mouse fell silent. "Me and my big mouth," he thought irritably.
Before Russel lunged at Tertia and Martin with his dagger raised, Tertia knew what the villain was planning to do to Martin. The young rat realized what she had to do if she and the mouse she was protecting were both to survive. "I'm sorry it came to this," she quietly apologized to both creatures. She thrust her sword up into the air, allowing it to pierce its way through Russel's chest but getting her left eye slightly cut by the dagger.
Martin stared at his savior in shock, discovering that she never killed another creature before. Tertia, stricken by what she had done, looked at Martin, who clearly had never seen a creature killed by another.
"Are you okay?" Tertia asked concernedly yet nervously after a few moments.
"Yes," Martin answered tensely. "Are you?"
"Yeah." She suddenly became serious. "I have a message for Matthias the Warrior. Are you his grandson Martin?"
The young mouse stared at her in surprise. "Yes, but how did you know about us?" he asked.
Tertia examined the shoulder wound she got when the dagger cut her. "In a dream I had last season, the night before my adoptive family was slaughtered. I'm something of a seer."
"But why?" Martin was even more curious about his strange new friend. "I mean, what's going on?"
"Two score of mice are searching for your family," she replied, "and they're not friendly. May you please take me to Redwall?" she asked suddenly.
Martin nodded. "Of course, just as long as you explain why this is happening."
"When we get to Redwall, I will tell everyone else as well. Their safety is of importance too, you know."
Please leave a review, that way I can shape my writing skills (and give the characters more of a Redwall touch) to make this story much more enjoyable! I think I'm kinda getting the hang of it, but I'm not sure of how much, so please let me know what you think.