Whats up guys? Its SilverClaymore. Right away I want to apologize for not having this up on Wednesday like I said I would. I actually had finished this chapter a week or so ago, but I wanted to change it and I got Writers Block redoing this chapter. So yeah, sorry. To make up for that though, this is a very long chapter, so I hope you enjoy.
Reminder: I do not own Redwall, just some characters and places, unlike Brian Jacques, who owns it and is so awesome, I can't begin to describe it. Rest in Peace Mr. Jacques!
Lady Violet Wildstripe entered her bedchamber and walked to her bed. Her room was large, and had many chambers and passageways leading into the caverns of Salamandastron. Her bed was situated at the far back of the room, gazing upon a small window overlooking the sea. All along the walls pictures of things far past were drawn, some hewn into the stone in a crude picture, others beautifully etched with dyes and sap from long deceased Badger Lords and Ladies. A smoking forge sat next to a roaring fire in the middle of the room with cabinets and even a small table placed around it. Violet for the most part was a peaceful Badger Lady, but if provoked could fight, and controlled the Bloodwrath very well, but she hadn't actually been in a real battle. Violet smiled as she bent down and grabbed two pasties from a box in her bedside drawer. Pausing a moment to look at a beautiful rendering of Old Lord Brocktree, the founder of the Long Patrol, Violet thought how lucky the current Patrol was to be in such peaceful times. Fun was had everywhere and beasts enjoyed the prosperity and friendship between the two groups, Skor Axehounds Rogue Crew and Violets Long Patrol. She turned around and exited the chamber, and started down the stairs.
As she reached the mess-hall, she noticed three young hares, brothers by looks, grabbing food from the kitchens. "Hey you three!" She yelled, trying to make herself sound stern, "Who gave you permission to be here?" The three, which were Nokkul, Fokkul and Bokkul, turned around. Nokkul, the eldest, said, "Er, evenin' M'Lady. We are jest, uh… wah jest getting, er… supplies fer tha… tournament! Aye, that's wot wah doing! Gettin' supplies fer the bally flippin'well tournament! T'aint that right Fokk, eh Bokk?" "That's right! Ya know M'Lady, jest getting' enough fer a bally snack eh?" "Rather! A beast needs sum vittles now an then, eh, wot wot!" Viole looked at them sternly. "Well did you tell anybeast? I don't want thieves and robbers in this mountain." Nokkul nodded saying "Sure did! We told ole Bigfloon." "I will go make sure. By the way, you'll call him Major Blofants, is that clear?" Bokkul almost complained, but Nokkul intervened before he could. "Yes M'lady." "Good. Now you three stay here and be quiet. When I get back we will determine if you can have those treats." Violet strode away, leaving the brothers to launch their complaints. "You three!" Nokkul imitated the Badger Lady. "Who gave you permission to be here? You need to bally flippin' well mop the Infirmary! Put down that jar, I said, PUT IT DOWN! Yah! Who needs these bally rotters anyhow? We can manage on our own, we don't need anybeast ta look after us! Wot do ya say brothers?" There was total agreement with Fokkul and Bokkul. "Tis wrong, I say, them beasts bullyin' an' bossin' us round! We are old enough to manage witout a bally well beast tellin' us wot ta do!" "Rather! Lets go! Don't care where, jest sumwhere better than this lump of 'care' and 'compassion', eh, wot wot!" The brothers packed up their things, also known as the food they had stolen, and headed to the armory to get some weapons. "Alright chaps," Nokkul said as he swung open the door. "Lets try to travel light. Only a small weapon or so." His brothers nodded, then they started to search the walls and shelves for the perfect weapon. Nokkul didn't take much time. He grabbed a light rapier and two daggers, one of which he left in its sheath and stuffed it behind his paw, in his boot, and strapped the other in his belt along with his sword. Fokkul grabbed a blowpipe with darts and a dagger and came over to Nokkul, who was about to head out the door. The eldest brother spun around and called, "Bokk! Lets go!" "Er, just a minute!" Nokkul walked over to where Bokkul stood. "Er, Bokk? Isn't that a bit much?" Bokkul had, to say the least, too many weapons. Four rapiers and eight daggers were thrust in his belt, he had four slings wrapped around his waist, across his back was a large, heavy broadsword, a quiver loaded with arrows, and carried a bow in his hands. "Wot do ya mean? Its perfec- oops!" Bokkul didn't finish, mainly because he was now lying flat on the ground, he had tripped over his swords. "Er, maybe tis a jolly bit much, eh?" He said as Nokkul helped him up. Shedding of all but a sword and the bow and arrows, Bokkul walked to the door with his brother, and with Fokkul, they exited the mountain. "Well Nokk?" Fokkul said. "Where do we head?" The eldest brother thought for a minute. "'Ow about that Redthingy, wots it called? You know the stories. Their vittles are supposed to be prime!" "Ooh, just saying it makes me hungry! Say, 'ow long 'ave we been trekking?" The hares continued this sort of rant for some hours, heading farther and farther north along the dunes. Suddenly Nokkul realized they had lost sight of Salamandastron. "Er chaps?" He said. "Wots shakin' Nokk?" "Um, do you have any idea where we bally flippin' well are?" His brothers shook their heads. Nokkul looked around in circles, seeing only dunes and sand. They were lost.
Cap'n Nubbs Miggory had sighted Salamandastron two hours back, rising up out of the flat, sandy milieu.. He tried not to think of Ferrul, but could only focus on what he would say to her family, say how she had sacrificed herself for him. He knew he had had this happen before, in fact many times, but he could still not stop himself. She would get no grave, no brial, instead her body would be left to rot upon the ground, until it disappeared over the ages. He had known Ferrul a number of Seasons, and besides her occasional attempts to be relieved of too much hard work, she had been a good, trustworthy, brave Patroller. He glanced up and found they were within three league of Salamandastron and Miggory straightened up, trying to look like a fierce captain ready to take on overwhelming odds of friend, foe, or feast. As they pulled to a stop next to the docking platform on the side of Salamandastron, Miggory yelled, "H'attenshun! Front 'n forwards! I want us at a complete stop sirrahs 'n ladahs! There h'll be noaw mercy h'aboard this ship! Now, single fihal, ladahs first! Scutram, lower the gang plank! Thank you, Sirrah! Flutchers, you an' Twilby steady us on tha bally dock! Hop to it! No mecy is my policy, an' H'I can give it when I wish! " Walking down the longboard after the two young hares, Miggory made his way over to where Lady Violet stood, she had just come out of the mountain to go back to the tournament when she spotted the ship returning, then turned around to the hares and otters converging behind him. "H'I say sirrahs an' ladahs! Did H'I say t'anything about bein' at t'ease? No sah! I did not! Now stand to h'attenshun so that I may make my report to Lady Violet!" Then turning around once more, he addressed Violet, who was smiling. "Captain Nubbs Miggory of The Posy Gurdy reporting to M'lady Violet Wildstripe, ruler of Salamandastron! Mission was to: Find and defeat robber Blackrats! H'I regret to inform ye that the mission was h'a failure. More about that in private if ye please marm. Other reports, ship: Minimal damage, shouldn't take long to repair: Casualties: I regret to to say at least eighteen, mebbe moe 'ave fallen. End of report M'lady." "Thank you Miggory." Violet said. "Yes let us go talk. I'm sorry you have failed in your mission, and I want to hear all about it." "Yes lets go. We Should be swift, though. My news will surprise you." Violet handed the two treats to Lieutenant Scutram, saying, "Give these to Rake. He is at the stadium with everyone else. Also ask Major Blofants if he gave three young hares permission to raid the kitchens. Thanks." Then Violet and Miggoy walked into Salamandastron to discuss war.
Snetraze the Blacklord was not happy. He stormed through his chamber in the place called Flametower, his huge tower at the center of his empire, pushing aside Blackrats and ripping down tapestries from the walls. Determined to find the escaped hares, he stalked down to where the wolves, were kept under watch by his crow-seer, Mankinsta and other Blackrats. Arriving in the room, he found every guard was sound asleep, and his crow-seer was slumped in the corner, dozing with the rats. "Crow!" He screeched waking the gaurds from sleep. "I seek your counsel." Like most warlords, Snetraze would believe his seer, as long as he predicted him good fortune. Mankista even had strange tattoos all over his body, and a red feather under his right eye, making him even more cryptic. But beasts can be quite annoyed when woken, and Mankista was. The irate crow snapped at the Blacklord as he woke, squawking and cursing. "Kwarrch! Methinks if the Blacklord wants advice, he should ask for so with care, for he might get none otherwise! Remember, without me, ye are but a helpless pup, trying to find its tail, but failing! Kraaa!" Grabbing a large pikestick, Snetraze held it under Mankinsta's beak. "And methinks if the seer wants to live, he shall tell my fortune!" Squawking, Mankista closed his eyes, seeking the voices and visions. As annoyed as he was, he did not want to toy with death. "Swwaquk! Your fortune my Lord. I see you tracking the hares with your wolves. Aah, I think they live near a mountain! A huge mountain in fact. Ther is a great stripehound charging at you, now you are standing on top of it …. Wait! I see a great ocean, and … a hole in the sea! I see a rabbit going down it …. And a huge red fox standing on a boat by the hole. And teeth! Vicious teeth grinding and snapping, tearing flash off bone, you should beware them Lord. It would be wise. Any near those teeth will die! Kwarrk! The fortunes are fine Lord." Snetraze was pleased. But he did not show it. "Fine? I don't want fine! I want excellent!" He grabbed his seer by the neck and wrung it. "Say it! Say the fates are excellent! Amazing! Not fine!" "Squawwk! The fates are excellent Lord! Please! They are the best ever! Perfect! Just let go!" " get out of`here, you useless bag of feathers. And Hellgates await ye if you ever use the word fine again! Now go so I don't decide otherwise! Mankista fled up the stairs, squawking and yelling. The gaurds looked at Snetraze with horror. "Wot are ye beasts looking at?" "N-nnuttin' Lord." "Really? That reminds me, who was sleeping on guard?" Feet scrambled for the stairs as the Blacklord flailed at them with the spear. Once they were gone, Snetraze chuckled. He was content. His seer had predicted certain victory for him. As for the fox Mankista mentioned, he could beat any fox he wanted, and stick its head on his wall. And the teeth, he would find their owners and rip their throat out with his own teeth. Putting down his weapon, he walked over to the wolves' cage. Pulling a scrap of the Posy Gurdy that he had found from his pocket, he threw it in the cage. The wolves prowled over and sniffed it, then raised their head and gave a long, lugubrious howl. Snetraze smiled. Walking over to the stairs, he yelled to a captain. "Lenkraze! Tell the troops that tonight we hunt!" The reply was immediate. "Yes Blacklord." Snetraze laughed. Tonight, the hunt was on! Snetraze the Blacklord was going hunting.
There you are. Snetraze, out to hunt! I might get Chapter 7 up tomorrow but if not, it wont be for a while, because I am gone next week :( Sorry about that, but I'm camping out, and I cant bring electronics. So, until then,
Peace!
SilverClaymore