Disclaimer: I do not own Redwall
A/N: This story was originally written for and posted on my Tumblr blog, RedwallThoughts. The italics are taken from the first post I made musing about what might have happened if things had turned out differently in Taggerung. The non-italics are the story that I developed afterward.
Imagine if the Redwallers weren't entirely sure that the clanbeasts were safe, but they know the otter leader brought back a lost dibbun, so they make an effort to accept the vermin.
It was difficult to say which of the two groups was more skeptical of the other, the Juskarath or the Redwallers.
Sister Alkanet stood at one of the dormitory windows, muttering darkly to herself about filth and disease, until she witnessed Tagg and Skipper leading the bedraggled clanbeasts to the pond, where they washed thoroughly.
The dibbuns thought it was great fun to watch the clanbeasts wash, although many of them questioned why the vermin did not run in fear at the thought of a bath. Felch just laughed and pointed at Tagg, saying that they figured that if he could be in and out of the water as many times a day as he was, then they weren't likely to catch anything by stepping in once a day.
Breakfast was an unusual affair. The clanbeasts had never seen such delicious food, and could hardly believe that they had been invited to take part. Taking cues from the parents and dibbuns scattered around the tables, they made it through the meal without any mishaps of manners, all under the watchful eyes of Tagg, Grissoul, and Mhera, and the sharp ears of Cregga.
Durby insisted in showing his newfound friends around the abbey, with Cregga and Mhera joining them. Even Nimbalo dropped his pretense of loftiness as they toured the vast and impressive grounds. Tagg found himself entranced by the tapestry which hung in Great Hall. Cregga stayed behind with him as the others left the hall. When they were alone, Tagg spoke.
"I have seen him before."
He told Cregga of the dreams which had followed him since he was a cub, and the badger listened in silence. When he had finished, she explained to him the tale of Redwall's guardian warrior. When Tagg slept that night, surrounded by his clan on the abbey lawn under the stars, he met Martin in the land of dreams, though he could not recall what the warrior mouse had said once he woke.
Cregga lay awake long into the night, puzzling over the day's events. Blind though she was, she never forgot a face, or a voice, or the sound a creature made when walking, so she had been taken aback by the young otter who sounded so much like Rillflag. Though she had not touched the otter's face, and had indeed heard from Mhera that it was covered by a large tattoo, she was certain his head would have the same structure as that of Rillflag. Perhaps, she thought, the little otterbabe had not died all those seasons ago.
