Author's Notes:

I figured I'd post this chapter: it's been so long since I posted the most recent one and I'm also fighting off writer's block (I hate that so much!) Please read and leave a review...

"Matthias!" Tess called to the old warrior. "Have you seen Martin anywhere?"

"No I haven't, Tess," Matthias answered as he came closer. "How long has he been missing?"

"He didn't show up for breakfast, but I was talking to him just a minute before!"

Matthias winced at Tess's loud voice. "No need for more yelling, I'm right here. Did you already ask Matti?"

"Yes, but he hasn't seen him either. I've asked everyone in the abbey, but they haven't seen him." Tess began to sob. "I think I overdid my lecturing this time! He's never coming back!"

Mattimeo the Warrior entered the hallway and placed a reassuring paw on his wife's shoulder. "Are you kidding? He's probably just out for a walk to clear his head. He always does that when he's thinking about what you tell him."

"And it's my fault for that," Tess cried hysterically. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I suggest not getting all worked up over a simple military exercise, wot wot!"

Basil stared sternly at the owner of the voice as they came closer to the three mice. "I say, Cheek Stag Otter, mind watching your manners around the ol' gel," he lectured.

Cheek looked at Basil with mock severity. "Why don't you, you furry ole bullfrog?" he said mockingly.

The irrepressible hare caught a secret wink from is ward. "You first, stupid stoat!"

"You first, ya lard-bellied leapin' lizard!"

Laughter erupted from all around as Basil wrinkled his nose and waggled his ears in disgust, unable to come up with a good comeback. Martin and Tertia were watching and listening to everything from their perch on the south wall, trying hard to not fall from laughing so hard.

"I thought he'd say something back right away," Tertia murmured to Martin, stifling a giggle.

The mouse grinned. "Yeah, he's usually really good at that." His smile faded when he noticed Mattimeo comforting Tess. "Listen, there's something I need to get sorted out with my parents. Your news may end up being put aside for a while if they get overly frustrated with me."

Tertia followed her new friend down the wall steps. "I think they'll get more frustrated when they discover that you brought a rat in with you. I'll be as patient as I can with them, though."

Cornflower had just stepped out from the gatehouse, in which she and Matthias lived in. "There you are, Martin!" she called in relief at the sight of her grandson. "We've all been worried sick!" She noticed the small rat next to him. "Who's that you brought with you?" she asked seriously.

Martin gestured to Tertia. "Tertia, this is my grandmother Cornflower. Grandma, this is Tertia." He paused in embarrassment. "She saved my life," he finally said after swallowing his pride.

The elderly mousemaid was dumbstruck. "Oh my!" she exclaimed. She shook Tertia's paw warmly. "Thank you, young one! You have no idea how thankful we all are!" Cornflower turned in the direction of the Abbey itself. "Matthias!" she called. "Everyone, out here!"

Matthias ran as fast as his old legs could carry him, leading the other Redwallers who heard Cornflower's shout. Tertia suddenly felt overwhelmed by how many Redwallers there were. Matthias hugged his grandson in relief. "Where have you been all of this time?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, just strolling in the woods," Martin replied innocently.

"Without breakfast, I'll add," Basil stated bluntly. "You're a lucky lad that everybeast didn't scoff all of those strawberry scones I made, wot wot!"

"You're the one who scoffed most of them, Basil," Auma the Badgermother chuckled.

Basil wrinkled his nose at her. "Look who's yapping now, scone-swiper!"

Auma shook her head. "Scone-swiper yourself," she said in mock severity, "but let's get on with business, shall we?"

Mattimeo readily agreed. "That's exactly what I was thinking, Auma." He looked at his son and gestured to Tertia. "Who's this?" he asked sternly. "You know we don't allow vermin inside unless they are sick or wounded, don't you?"

Cornflower came to the defense of her grandson and the young rat. "She's not a vermin," she explained as calmly as she could. "She saved Martin's life in the woods today."

All of the Redwallers gasped in shock. It was more common for a mouse to save a rat than it was vice versa. Tess suddenly started lecturing Martin all over again. "That's it, young snip! You're not going back into the woods ever again! You could have been killed, don't you realize that?"

"Stop!" Mattimeo snapped. Everyone stared at the Abbey Warrior briefly, surprised at his sudden outburst. He relaxed the tone of his voice a couple clicks. "Tess, you were just sobbing for lecturing him so hard, and now you're doing it even more hardly. Of course he knows that he could have been killed! I can see how badly shaken he and t- -" he refrained from saying "the rat"- -"-his friend were by the incident. I think it's about time that we all stayed behind the abbey walls for a little while before we know for sure that whatever happened is over." He looked at Martin sternly. "Make sure you tell us when you go out there from now on, alright son?"

Martin nodded. "Yes, Father," he replied ashamedly. "I-I'm sorry I didn't before."

Mattimeo relaxed his gaze. "I know you are. But I have a quick question: who's your friend?"

Before Martin could reply, Tertia held up her paw. "Not to be rude, but I can speak perfectly well. My name is Tertia, and I have important news for all of you."

A large, elderly female badger came forward. "Then tell us," she said curtly. "We don't have time for games."

"Take it easy, Constance," Mattimeo said calmly. "She looks as though she's come a long way and seems rather timid. What is going on?"

Tertia breathed heavily for a moment, nervous at the large badger's tone, until she let Mattimeo's tone fill her mind and calm her down. "I don't know how to say it so you'll understand right away, but your Abbey will be under attack by about forty rogue mice. They are after the members of Matthias the Warrior's family."

"Why us?" Matthias asked.

The young rat looked into the old mouse's eyes seriously. "Because your brother Matthew took me in as his daughter eight seasons ago. They killed him and his wife last season, trying to kill me as well. They want to kill you so they know for sure that there are no more threats to their cause."

"What's their 'cause?'" Constance asked.

"To dominate mouse kind," Tertia said simply. "They think that every living member of Matthew's family is a threat because he took me in."