Rose wandered through the medical tent helping tend to the wounded. The worst of it seemed over for this batch, but at the same time it felt the injuries continued to be worse and worse every passing day the war dragged on. Then a sight that made her heart drop, the young mouse, Yarrow, lay on a cot, his armor and weapons to the side and bandages covered his body and arms. She rushed over him, "Yarrow!"
Yarrow slowly opened his eyes and struggled to look at the young mousemaid, "Miss Rose…" he said, attempting a smile. She kneeled beside him, gently resting a paw on her shoulder, his paw slowly found its way to hers, "Don't fret, I'm stronger than I look aren't I…?" he grunted out the words.
She helplessly smiled through the sorrow, her head lifting to Brome who acknowledged her sadly then returned to his attention to his patient. Knowing full well what the case for poor Yarrow was likely to be. Tears began to fill her eyes as she turned to the wounded mouse again, "Of course you are, you'll get through this," her paw gently clenching his before she left the tent. Rose felt her tears begin to trail down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes, attempting to stifle her quiet sobs.
It wasn't long until Brome followed, wiping the blood from his paws onto his apron, "Rose…"
She turned to him and gave a brief chuckle, "Brome…I'm sorry I'm such a mess…"
Brome began cleaning his paws at a nearby washing station, "No it's fine…we knew we'd start seeing Noonvalers at some point…" once his paws were rinsed, he wandered over to a log and heavily collapsed onto it.
Rose followed suit, setting herself next to her brother and resting her head on his shoulder. He felt his arm come around her, "Does he have any chance?"
"Slim…but there's still a chance he could pull through…" Brome attempted to assure her.
"Poor Gaunchee…" Rose sighed.
"I feel that's not the only thing bothering you…" Brome prodded.
Rose shook her head, "It's been weeks since Boldred left to find Martin…we haven't heard from her or him…"
"She'll find him…don't you worry, I bet Martin's already on his way with an army so vast, we could march on the Empire itself and bring it down," Brome attempted to reassure his sister, despite his own doubts, what if Martin had already passed on, what if he was so far south he wouldn't get here in time.
Rose giggled helplessly, "Thank you Brome, it's not much but I do feel better. I do so hope you are right…" She sighed, continuing to rest against her brother.
"Me too…Me too…"
Martin sat near one of various campfires of the Redwaller Army, sharpening his sword. Gonff soon followed suit, along with Dinny, Amber, Vurg and Skipper. Gonff handed Martin a warm bowl of soup, and Martin simply gave his friend a slight smile as he accepted it. The other five gave each other concerned looks, and it was Gonff who spoke up first.
"Mate…you all right? You haven't said very much since we left Redwall?" Gonff worriedly asked his friend.
Martin avoided the question, "Vurg, I want you to choose a few for the first watch, you'll be in charge. Amber and her selection will take second, I will command the third, Skipper fourth, Dinny will command the last watch tonight."
"Martin…what's wrong," Amber was the next to speak up.
"We're about a day out from Marshank, according to the map we'll have to coordinate a good place to set up camp with…"
"Martin!" Vurg's voice finally caught the attention of the warrior, "Your friends are all concerned about you, are you going to tell us what's wrong or not?"
Martin exhaled heavily, "I suppose there's no point in trying to keep things secret…" he paused, staring at the bowl of soup in his lap, "It's a very long story."
"Oi think we be 'avin toime," Dinny grinned.
"Aye, my shift isn't till second to last then," Skipper laughed.
Martin smirked, "Well then settle in friends, I'm not the best story teller," Martin then proceeded to tell them about his past, growing up a slave, the loss of his grandmother, his rescue by Rose and Grumm and his adventures to find Noonvale. He paused speaking of Rose, a smile helplessly creeping across his face before he continued. He talked about how in his absence, Felldoh helped form the Fur and Freedom Fighters in rebellion against the tyrant Badrang. Finally he ended the story, recounting the Battle of Marshank and the death of Felldoh and supposed death of Rose, and his decision to journey South.
"Ah…well that explains why you never seemed interested in any mousemaids, including my lovely Columbine," Gonff teased.
"I'm still trying to wrap my head around that she's still alive," Martin said, his emotions in a whirl.
"Why didn't you tell us before? I mean did you even lose your memory?" Amber asked, slight irritation in her voice.
"I did lose my memory briefly, but I also made a promise that I would never speak of Noonvale in order to protect it," Martin simply informed them.
"I don't think you really broke your promise, in all fairness," Vurg smiled, "You're in a hard place right now, we'd find out one way or another. Besides, you're not telling anybeast who would do Noonvale harm."
"Aye, you should have just told us anyway. What's a promise, nothing but words!" Gonff joked, both Martin and Vurg gave him disapproving glances, "I-I'm joking…"
"Well I suppose you'll meet my old friends in time then,"
"And you'm be findin yer owd lover 'gain!" Dinny exclaimed.
Martin felt his cheeks heat up, "I-I doubt that…she probably doesn't even remember me anyway…she probably never felt the same either…"
"You didn't tell her?" Gonff gasped, "Mate! You should have said something, I bet she was all over you, you're Martin the Warrior! Why I reckon every Lady of this Kingdom's Court will be fawning over you by this war's end!"
Martin found himself helplessly laughing at Gonff's words, "Thank you my friend, but I don't think I'll be letting myself get my hopes up when it comes to her."
"No sense in wondering, we'll find out when we get there I suppose," Amber smiled to the young warrior.
Martin's face lowered to the stew he had been slowly nursing, "Yes…I suppose we will."
Redclaw wandered the ruins of Fortress Marshank as the dawn broke, curiously scouring the parts of the old fort. It amused him, he had heard rumors the pirate Badrang had tried to make himself a king, but he never thought the stoat would have come as close as he did, only to fall to whatever ended his reign. Pathetic, he thought, to achieve so much, as far as a pirate was concerned, only to lose it. One of his soldiers rushed over, kneeling before the rat baron.
"My lord, forgive me but we have a prisoner we found wandering the camps," the weasel informed him.
"Really?" his eyes lifted to the group behind the weasel, dragging an old and struggling stoat before the baron. He recognized the stoat, amused laughter escaping his lips, "Captain Tramun Josiah Cuttlefish Clogg? My my, how much do the mighty fall," he scoffed, kneeling beside the old pirate, "I remember fighting against you once. You raided imperial shipping lanes for so long only to become stranded in a foreign land scavenging for scraps."
Clogg lifted his head to face the rat, his greyed eyes revealing a loss of sight over these seasons, "Me eyes aren't what they used ta be, matey…I do not recognize ye."
"You wouldn't even if you still had your sight, I was much younger then. Tell me, Clogg, what happened to your old partner? I heard he tried to build an empire of his own," Redclaw smirked.
Clogg let out a sadistic, unnerving, and insane laugh, "Ah…me old matey, Badrang…killed by the mouse warrior when the slaves captured Marshank…he'll come for you. Me eyes aren't what they used to be, but I have seen more than you will ever…he will kill you, Baron, and your empire will fall by his paw…" the old pirate laughed again.
For a moment Redclaw hesitated, he felt a feeling he had not felt in a long time…fear. His paw swiftly went for his sword, grasping the handle tightly, but then released it, "I did not say who I was…"
"I see many things, I saw this meeting, I know…who you are…" the old pirate responded cryptically.
He immediately jumped to his footpaws, "T-there's a-a prison cell towards the rear of the ruins," he stuttered, much to the confusion of his soldiers, "Reinforce the decaying wood and lock him there."
"My lord?" a ferret wondered to his master.
Knowing the question on the ferret's mind, Redclaw snapped at the ferret, "The Emperor will pass judgement when he arrives in time. Continue feeding the pirate scraps…"
The soldiers slowly nodded and dragged Clogg to the rear of the ruins, the stoat taunting and laughing to Redclaw as he was dragged away, "Death comes for you! The warrior comes! The warrior returns!"
Redclaw stormed out of the ruins and into the camps, his paws shaking. He gripped his paw tightly, "Superstitious nonsense…what madness drives me to fear," he growled at himself, "I am the Scourge! Destroyer of kingdoms! I fear nobeast!" his whole body trembled, despite his efforts to regain himself, for the first time in a long time, Baron Redclaw knew fear, "Assemble the forces and prepare for battle! We take the Tanarian lines!" he roared to a passing officer.
King Aidan stood over his war map, pondering what his next move would be. For the past few weeks the Tanarian and Noonvalers were waging a defensive battle. Trenches and battlements certainly have them an edge, but they were outnumbered, even if by a small amount. It was the ruins of Marshank he worried most about, if an assault was launched by his forces, they might lose the attack entirely and the war would be lost, for now he played the defensive game, hoping to weaken the imperial forces by defending against their attrition tactics, "Lord bless us for having Redclaw as our first foe," he sighed to himself. His head darted to the tent door as Kieran entered.
"Forgive the intrusion your majesty," Kieran bowed to the badger king, "You wanted a report at this hour."
"No apology is necessary, Captain, proceed," Aidan waved his paw dismissively.
Kieran exhaled heavily, "Our forces are preparing for another assault, based on scout reports, it seems the Empire is preparing for another assault. Half of the soldiers who were wounded in the last attack succumbed to their wounds…the rest are fully healed and back on front."
"How many losses does that make?" Aidan asked, his eyes still on the map.
"One hundred at least. Putting our numbers currently at around eleven hundred, if that," Kieran hesitated, "Your majesty if I may…we should withdraw, fall back to a fortified position, such as Stonedale."
"You've been pushing this for some time, but I do not think you are wrong anymore," Aidan sighed, "Have the non-combatants start preparing for us to retreat, we will still face the Empire in battle and buy them time."
"Your majesty, we should leave now, no sense in continuing…" Kieran was cut off with the sound of clanging metal, the alarm.
Aidan immediately grabbed his sword and helmet, throwing it on, "Get the takedown underway on the battlefield!"
Before Kieran had a chance to respond, Aidan was already out of the tent, "If Tanaria is lucky, this battle where you fall."
Ballaw waited with Keyla and Rowanoak among the battlements, spear and shield in paw, watching the imperial army assemble across the way, "Cheeky blighters, don't let up at all do they, wot?"
"Aye, every battle we face I wonder if it will be our last," Rowanoak sighed.
"Well, it this is our last, let us give a lasting performance, wot? Something to sing songs about," Ballaw grinned.
"Speak for yourself," Keyla scoffed, "I have a wife back home, I can't very well die here and leave her alone."
"Then may the Lord of the Dark Forest bless you this day, that you will live to see Tullgrew again," Ballaw smiled. His eyes turning to the enemy army across the field, "May he bless us all to survive," the call of 'loose' rang out across the battlefield, behind the assembled Fur and Freedom Fighters a mass of arrows lifted into the sky, raining death upon the imperial army. The imperials let loose a volley of their own upon the allied armies, "Shields!" Ballaw called as the hailstorm fell upon them, the Fighters taking cover behind what they could. As the volleys ended and the charges sounded, Ballaw lept from the trench, raising his spear high, "Friends! If this is to be the day our final curtain falls, let it be a performance to remember!"
"Fur and Freedom!" Keyla and Rowanoak called, the warcry of the Fighters sounded across the hundreds who joined the fight, out of the battlements they charged with Tanaria…into battle.
As the Redwallers approached the final hill as Martin stated, a thunderous roar echoed through their ranks, a sound Martin knew all to well. He dashed up the hill, his friends close behind, and over the ridge his fears came true, a battle raged before his eyes. Immediately Martin drew his blade, "Vurg, Amber, assemble the Redwallers into formation, now!"
"Right away Martin!" the two responded, calling the Redwallers to assemble.
Martin paw gripped his sword tightly, his body trembling with fury as his eyes met the accursed fortress he knew from so long ago. After some time, he felt a paw rest on his shoulder, breaking him from his trance. He turned to see Vurg nod to him, his friends awaiting his command. He turned to the formation his voice sounding to them louder than any would have thought, "My friends! You all came with me to help this fight! I may not have asked this of any of you, but you did so anyway. We fight not just for Redwall, but for those who live in these lands, preserving the freedoms they desire, against an evil greater than we have ever seen, but we will be victorious! We will not see evil taint these lands!" a cheer rang from the Redwaller army, Martin turned and lowered his sword, pointing towards the battle, "For Redwall!" he cried, as he charged.
"REEEDWAAAAALLL!" a cry echoed behind Martin, as the Redwallers charged behind their warrior.
Aidan and Kieran battled the vermin hordes alongside the Tanarian armies, the battle raged a stalemate, with neither side making ground against the other. Then, suddenly a cry rang from the hills and the Imperials began to falter. Both Tanarian leaders looked to the hills, and army of hundreds charging down the hill, lead by mouse.
Ballaw, Roawnoak and Keyla head it to, they looked to see the mouse they once knew so long ago, his sword gleaming in the sunlight, "It's Martin…It's Martin!" Keyla called. A cheer ringing across the Fur and Freedom Fighter army.
"Come on Fur and Freedom Fighters! Let's send these foul vermin to Hellgates where they belong!" Ballaw cheered, the Fighters charged bravely into battle, pushing back against the imperial armies.
Aidan saw the Fighters press, a rewnewed vigor in his heart, "For Tanaria!" he yelled, charging the imperials himself.
"For the king!" Kieran sounded, Tanarian armies charging with him.
Martin neared the imperial armies, spear and pikes awaited the charging Redwallers, a flurry of arrows passed from behind the warrior, striking true upon their targets, making an opening. Martin's first blood came as he brushed a spear aside with his paw, his blade sliding through the neck of the spearrat. He pulled his sword from the rat quickly enough to lock blades with a ferret. Martin battled his way through the imperial army, Vurg, Gonff, Amber, and Dinny all behind him.
Redclaw watched the battle fall apart around him as the allied forces pushed further into his lines, mixing both armies, "Captain! What happened?" he hollered to a nearby rat.
"My lord! We've been out flanked!" the rat responded.
"What? How?"
"Hundreds of enemy soldiers charged down from the hills, my lord!"
Redclaw turned his eyes to the battle before him, "Damn cowards! Push back, we are not losing this battle!"
Martin and his friends continued to fight side by side. Martin heard loud commands above the sounds of battle, he looked up to see a large rat, biggest he'd ever seen, "He must be their leader," he thought to himself, "Vurg!" he called to the old warrior.
"What? I'm a little busy right now!" he yelled, gutting a fox.
"I'm going after their leader!" Martin told him pointing to the giant rat.
"Not alone you're not, I'll watch your back! Amber! Get us some more of our own up here!" the two mice fought side by side, pressing further and further into the battle.
Redclaw barked orders to any officer passing by, attempting to regain control of the battle, then something caught his eye. Two mice, one older and one young, cutting their way through his army as if they were butter, "Impossible," he thought to himself, recalling the words of the pirate Clogg. He drew his sword and charged forward to meet the two mice.
Martin was the first to spot Redclaw, the rat's blade barreling down with full force. Martin rapidly brought his blade up to a hanging guard, parrying the massive blow. Vurg charged in for the kill, but Redclaw was faster. His footpaw rose and kicked the old mouse with full force, sending him tumbling back into a nearby rock. He forced Martin off him with every ounce of strength he could muster, sending the young mouse staggering back. Redclaw immediately thrusted at Martin, but the warrior gathered himself quick enough to evade the rat's sword. He shifted swinging his sword from the high guard and cutting into the rat's side. Redclaw cried out in pain, stumbling back, his eyes lowering on the mouse warrior who shifted to a low guard.
"Nobeast has ever struck me before…" he gritted his teeth, "Wretched mouse! You won't live to see the light of day again!" Redclaw furiously charged at Martin, his blade swinging chaotically. Martin's eyes narrowed, waiting for his opening, then he spotted it. He lifted his blade, parrying a strike from the rat, then, in one fluid motion, slid the blade into the rat's gut and drew it full length. Redclaw collapsed forward, his sword clanging to the ground, his blood, splattered around him. His body quaked both in pain and fear…true fear. Without hesitation he grabbed his sword, fleeing behind his soldiers, "Retreat! Retreat!"
Martin chased after Redclaw far as he could, but his stopped, seeing the imperial army turn tail and run. He soon returned to Vurg, the old mouse rubbing his head, "Vurg! Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine Martin…I suppose I'm not as young as I used to be, charging into battle like that was foolish of me," Vurg chuckled.
Martin helped he old warrior to his footpaws, the others gathering around them, "Aye, you're not as young, but you're most certainly tougher than you look mate," Martin attempted a smile. His eyes turned to Amber, "How fares everybeast?"
"A few wounded," she shrugged, "But no one dead luckily, especially when one considers nobeast had armor."
"Well we'll do better next time…come on, let's get camp set up and get somebeast tending to Vurg here," again Martin attempted a smile.
Redclaw sat on a chair in what remained of Marshank's longhouse, a healer tending to his wounds. His paws still shook, his head filled with every theory, every thought, but all returned to the words of the pirate. His mind distracted him, he didn't even notice the wolf enter the longhouse.
"My lord!" the wolf said again, this time catching the rat's attention.
"C-captain Berian…are you…?" Redclaw attempted to utter the words.
"Alone? Aside from a small contingent of the Wolf Guard, yes. I'm here to inform you of the Emperor's arrival my lord," Berian informed him thusly.
Redclaw seemed to turn a deathly pale, "Already…no…no it's too soon…" he glanced at all who entered the longhouse, "Out…out all of you!" his voice started softly then increased in volume, scattering all inside, save Berian. The wolf simply bowed to the baron then left the longhouse. Redclaw buried his head in his shaking paws, "No…it's too soon, far too soon…"