Auctor, My Story of Redwall

[Schröder]

This is a little bit of a long time coming, since that thread I started asking questions. I will be posting irregularly, so keep your eyes open if you like it. Well, here goes nothing, (fingers crossed) hope you enjoy.

Prolouge

“Will you tell us a story, Auma?” one of the abbeybabes asked.
“Oh, you want a story now do you?” the Badgermum asked.
“Yes!”
“Do you want one that you have heard before?”
“No!”
“Ah, I see, you want a new one.” The badger said in a disappointed tone that made the dibbuns think she didn’t have a story for them. “Well it just so happens that I have a story that I am sure none of you has heard yet, but I won’t tell it now. I'll tell the whole abbey after supper.” This was greeted with a chorus of no’s and aw’s from the dibbuns. “Now go and wash your paws for supper, the sooner you get ready, the sooner you get to hear my story. At this the dibbuns raced off to the pond. “Ah, the boundless energy of youth,” commented Matthias, who was holding his newborn grandson, Martin II.

As supper that night finished, the Badgermum nodded to Matthias, who then stood. “May I have everybeast’s attention please?” he began, “Auma has promised the dibbuns a story, so let’s all get comfortable in Cavern Hole and listen.” With that, everybeast got up and headed to the more comfortable Cavern Hole (though some slower than others, cough! Mordalfus, cough!). Once they were all situated, Auma began…

A ship rode at anchor on a pink-skied evening; just off the western coast of the land they called Mossflower. It’s crew of vermin rowing back with a single captive, a mouse. Why waste time taking this one simple, little mouse prisoner? Because this was no simple mouse; this was Auctor, the inventor.

[Schröder]

Chapter One

“Come on you liddle runt! Let’s get on the ship before the sea slugs get us! Ha ha!” The bosun called to the wiry mouse trying to climb the ship’s ladder.
“If you wish to leave soon, somebeast would give me some help up,” The mouse coolly responded.
“Ha! Did youse ‘ear that? If I wish, ha! So polite to ‘em wot just took ‘im from ‘is nice liddle warm ‘ome!”
“Which will get me far with your captain, unlike your behavior, it’s a wonder he hasn’t killed you yet,” The mouse instigated.
“Why you liddle…”
“STOP! Touch a hair on his head and you will be a deadbeast,” The captain warned. “He’s right too, being good will keep him his life. Now would somebeast help our new officer on deck?!”

“Officer? An officer? Why am I an officer?” The mouse puzzled as he was finally helped on deck. Auctor looked around him at the ship which until then had been just a silhouette against the setting sun. It was of the design that would remind someone today of a frigate, three masts with square sails on each, a spanker on the mizzen, and jibs at the bowsprit. Unlike most ships Auctor had seen, this one didn’t have a large, raised cabin at the stern, it was only slightly above the level of the spar-deck. He then studied his captor, who was at the rail separating the quarterdeck from the spar deck. He was a huge searat, a head and a half taller than himself, dressed in a black cloak with a bright red tunic underneath, an ornate rapier at his side, and, unlike his crew, he clearly bathed.

“Welcome aboard the Flaming Ocean, will you join me in my cabin? We have much to talk about,” the captain requested, with a solemn look on his face.
“Well I guess I have no alternative, lead on, Captain.” The mouse was too confused to try to think of anything else to say.

Once in the cabin the captain sat behind a desk covered with charts and navigational instruments, and asked “Now then, what is your name? I can’t keep calling you by your title, you know.”
“My name is Auctor, the inventor, who are you?”
“Right to the point aren’t you? I am Blaze Firethorn, you have heard of me?”
“Yes I have heard of you and your love of fire. I always thought it odd though, that a creature that loves fire goes to sea, where there can’t be any.”
“But that is where you are wrong, Auctor, why do you think you are here? It isn’t because I need a new officer, though I might need a new bosun soon. It is your newest discovery. I have had my spies watching your home for a while now; you have made something, something that could change the world forever. You know of what I speak?”
“Yes, I do.” Auctor replied gravely. “But, I will not let it fall into the hands of pirates who will just use it for evil.”
“I would never use it for evil,” the captain explained, “I would just, exploit its uses for my benefit.” Auctor sighed and thought, “Why is it that every time somebeast wants something from me they think that I will just give it to them?”

[Schröder]

Chapter Three

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! “Oh I’ll get you this time, Father!” CLANG!
“Not today, Mattimeo!” Matthias, the warrior of Redwall and his son, Mattimeo, were fencing with the practice swords that had been brought by Orlando the Axe from Salamandastron, the Badger Lord’s mountain. Matthias lunged at his son, who parried and countered with a swipe at his father’s legs, but Matthias was too quick, he jumped and landed on his son’s blade as it passed under him, trapping it under his footpaw.
“What did I tell you about going for the legs, Mattimeo?” he asked him.
“Aim high enough that they can’t trap your blade.” He answered looking down.
“It’s alright, Mattimeo, you just need to practice more. Come on let’s get some breakfast before we wake the whole abbey with this noise.”

As the pair walked into the kitchens Friar Jonathan snuck up behind them, and as he was going to jump up and scare them, Matthias asked, “Are the scones done, Friar?” With a look of shock the little mouse responded, “Oh, uh, yes, they are.”
“Thank you Friar, we will just take one.” Matthias said almost laughing.
“Mr. Matthias?” a quiet voice asked from the kitchen doorway.
“Violet, what are you doing up? It’s barely dawn.” Matthias questioned, “What is it? Is something wrong?”
“Well, I heard fighting and Rollo said we were being attacked, and would all be killed in our sleep.” She explained, her little voice getting even softer as she went on.

“Oh that Rollo, always such a pest! Why he is worse than you were, Mattimeo.” Matthias thought aloud. “What! I was not as bad as he is; and I was right about Vitch.” Mattimeo quickly stated. “And look at you now, a spitting image of your father, and just as courageous too!” Friar Jonathan who had until then been quiet, exclaimed. Everybeast present looked at the little Friar. “Time and place for everything, right?” the friar said with an embarrassed expression on his face. “Yes Jonathan,” Matthias answered, and then turned to Violet
“Ah well, Violet there is nobeast attacking, and if there were Mattimeo, Basil, and I wouldn’t let them get near you.”
“Thank you Mr. Matthias.” With that she headed back to the dormitories.
“I will talk to Rollo later, but now Mattimeo, let’s go to the orchard and eat.”

[Schröder]

Sorry it has been a while, my computer battery was completely dead and I needed to wait until a new one came.

Chapter four

It had been a full season since Auctor was brought to the Flaming Ocean. The inventor was forced to eat the scraps of the crew's meals using nothing but his paws to eat. That day, it was a soup made with some sort of fish, which was so soft it came apart before he could get it to his mouth. Now, you would know, if you have tried, that it is hard to eat any soup without using a utensil.

The mouse heard somebeast coming and looked up for them. It was the bosun, he had one of those "today's the day you're ging to die" looks. "Gittup!" he said gruffly.
"Very well I will get up," the mouse replied stressing the pause between get and up. The bosun unlocked the cage and put chains on the mouse.
"Cap'n want's ta see ya, lets see if you've changed yer mind, runt."

The inventor was lead up a couple ladders, and when they reached topdeck, Auctor noticed thankfully that it was foggy and overcast, else he would have been blinded. Blaze Firethorn was where he was the first time Auctor saw him, standing in front of the wheel, just aft of the spar-deck. His mood seemed to complement the weather. Auctor was brought before the captain, who had watched the mouse approaching.
"Has your season stay in our brig made you want to divulge anything?" the rat seemed quite larger than the first time they were together, but the mouse'swill held.
"NO! As I said before, and now I will say again, I will not let it fall into the hands of pirates!"
"Very well," the rat said, nodding slightly to a stoat behind the mouse. " I guess we have no other option." The stoat came up behind Auctor, grabbed him, and threw him into the sea.

Upon impact with the water, the lock that held the chains snapped and the chains fell to the bottom of the sea.
"I hope ye can swim, mouse!" the bosun called to Auctor who was turned toward the ship.
"I know I can, but can you?" the bosun looked confused for a second, until the burly stoat threw him into the water as well. He clearly couldn't swim, for he, like the chains, went straight to the bottom.

The day wore on, still foggy, Auctor was growing numb, and felt like he was not able to go any furthur, but then out of the fog he heard something.
"Waves on a shore, I hear waves!" the mouse thought. Then a huge shape loomed out of the fog, a giant, triangular form. The last thing the mouse remembered was himself thinking one word.
"Salamandastron"

[Schröder]

Chapter Five

Lieutenant Leon Leonardson III of the Long Patrol was the first on the beach every morning. He liked to take a long run before breakfast, so he could eat more than the others who ran after breakfast. Leon had done this every day since he was only three seasons old. On this particular day, something on the beach caught his eye; it was an odd shape moving limply with the tide. Something dawned on Leon, and he started walking closer to the thing. He could now clearly see it clearly.
“Just a bit of seaweed, ah well better get mov...”
“Uhh. Huhh.” a noise came from the seaweed.
“Oh my! There’s a creature in there! I’ll get you out don’t you worry, friend.” In the work of a moment Leon had the half-dead mouse wrapped in his cloak. “It’s alright, you’re safe, you’re lucky I was here, wot, else you wouldn’t have been found until after breakfast.”

Only minutes later, Leon was walking through the doors of Salamandastron, carrying Auctor and calling out, “Help! I’ve got a half-dead mouse that needs seeing to! Come on, quickly!” There was a mad rush of paws, and in no time there was a stretcher ready for Auctor. As he was being taken to the infirmary, he awakened and said, “I am Auctor.” Then he went unconscious.
“Oh good we know his name, that’s useful,” commented the young hare that was helping Leon bear the stretcher.
“What did you expect, a flipping speech about how he came to wash up on the beach like a piece of driftwood?” Leon asked.
“No, sah.”

When they got to the infirmary, Leon quickly told the infirmary keeper what he knew. The old hare listened, made a few quick notes, and then took a look at Auctor.
“Well it seems that you found him just in time, had he been in the water for any longer he would surely be dead now. And you said he woke up and spoke?”
“Yes.”
“This is good. He needs to sleep, and when he wakes up he will need hot food, it looks like this poor creature has been starving for a season.”
“You there.” Leon was pointing to the hare that had helped him bring Auctor up the stairs, “Go to the kitchens and get a bowl of soup for him, not the otter’s watershrimp and hotroot soup, mind you.”
“Right away, sah!”
“All to eager to please, aren’t they?” Leon spun around to see the huge bulk of the Badger Lord of Salamandastron, Orlando the Axe.
“Ah, yes, sir. Did you hear what happened?”
“I’m here aren’t I? I know everything that goes on in my mountain.” Orlando stated “Come Leon, I want to have a chat. Don’t worry, it isn’t bad,” he quickly said seeing the look on Leon’s face.
The badger lead Leon up through the mountain, all the way to the forge room. In the forge room, the walls were covered with all imaginable types of weaponry, from bows, sabers, and spears to broadswords, maces, and crossbows. The room was warm, but not uncomfortable, the badger motioned for Leon to sit, which he did.
“I have a task for you, Leon, I want a you to take a score of hares, of your choice, and go to Redwall Abbey, I have a feeling that something is going to happen there rather soon, but wait until that mouse, Auctor, is well I want you to tale him with you.”
“Is that all, sir?”
“There is one more thing, I want you to be careful with that mouse, I think he could be useful.”
“Yes, sir.”

[Schröder]

I was rushing on that last chapter and I guess I didn't copy all of it it's not much, but...

After Leon had left, Orlando looked out the window, he saw an ominous shadow cover the beach. Something was coming alright, but what was it?

[Schröder]

I noticed a lot of mistakes in my last chapter, not least of all was that from chapter two on untill this one, the numbers are one too large, so sorry about the typos, I know they are not as bad as others on other websites, but it still bothers me. CURSE YOU SPELLCHECKLESS FORUM! So here is the REAL chapter five I know it is a little short, but it's important.

Chapter Five

Chink… chink… chink… WOOSH!
“Ha, it works!” Blaze Firethorn thought, “I have finally done it! It has taken the whole season that Auctor was out of his home to crack the code all his notes were written in, but I have finally done it!” The sea rat had exactly what he thought Auctor was needed for. The rat punched the air in a victorious manor and called to the guard outside his cabin, “Guard! Call my officers here.”
“Roight away cap’n!” the weasel called.

It was only a couple minutes later that all the officers of the Flaming Ocean were gathered in the cabin. Blaze began, “We, by which I mean me, have found out the, for lack of a better word, recipe, for something with a destructive power that the world has yet to see. I plan to go inland, to find somewhere we can test this, any thoughts?”
A tough looking pine martin spoke up, “I hear tell of a place inland, a great house of the woodlanders, built of red stone.”
“I’ve heard of this place,” another broke in, it was the navigator, a winy fox; “you know why the stones are red don’t ye? It’s from the blood of the horde of Cluny the Scourge, who himself was defeated there.”
“Bah, an old wives tale,” Blaze stated, “still, it is true Cluny the Scourge was defeated there, by a mouse that dropped a great bell on him.”
“But ain’t it also true that General Ironbeak was defeated there? They say he went mad from some sort of spirit haunting him.” The same worrier as before said.
“Still more legends and false tales, look at the victories, Slagar the Cruel, he managed to steal their children right from under their noses.”
“After he drugged them, and besides he was killed too.”

Blaze’s temper was on the rise, he always welcomed reasonable advice for or against what he wanted to do, but this fox was too persistent on not going to Redwall, still, he had to admit to himself that all who had tried to take over Redwall before had failed.
“Very well, we will go to the badger’s mountain.” Blaze stated in a matter of fact tone.
There was an instant uproar of protest, and when it died down, Blaze asked, “So, no one wants to have a little fun at the mountain? In that case who wants to try Redwall?”
“Yes!” all in the cabin shouted.
“Well stir your stumps you useless rabble! Get topside and make ready for some fast sailing! We’re headed for Mossflower Country!” The mad rush for the door that ensued was the usual mess, and when they finally got a little organized, they walked out with greed in their eyes, not able to wait until they made landfall. Blaze caught the new bosun on his way out, “Keep an eye on that fox, he may try to stop us from getting to Redwall.”
“Aye, cap’n.”
As the last of the officers filed out in a semi-organized way, Blaze thought to himself, “Oh this is going to be grand, just grand!”

[Schröder]

The warrior mouse of Redwall Abbey was pacing through Great Hall, thinking back on the times before he had the great burden of being a warrior thrust upon him. Matthias stopped in front of the tapestry which portrayed Martin the Warrior, the Abbey’s first protector. He looked down at Matthias with a knowing look, as if he were saying, “Ah, I once did that too.” Matthias silently lifted the bottom of the tapestry and looked under where Martin was pictured, “It’s still here,” he thought. It was the poem that was discovered by Brother Methuselah during the Late Rose War. Matthias outlined the old writing which meant I-AM THAT IS, with his paw and got a chill. It still amazed Matthias that Martin could have known his name.

Matthias turned to see Cornflower standing behind him. “It has been a while since I’ve looked at this.”
“Yes, it has, but I think it makes you sad, every time you look, you are reminded of Methuselah.” Cornflower stated, “I don’t want you to remind yourself of it if it makes sad, you could not have stopped Chickenhound, you were trying to find the sword, and without the sword Cluny would not have been defeated.”
“Yes but, it has been seasons since the last time I have looked, before Slagar took Mattimeo and the others, Orlando and I killed him, settling my score with that murdering, kidnapping, thieving, treacherous, fox.” Cornflower sighed, knowing there was still something bothering her husband.
“Well what is bothering you, I know there is something, and you can’t hide it from me.”
“While Orlando was here, there was something about him; it was as if his mind was somewhere else, I don’t know it could be nothing, he is a badger after all.”

As if on queue, there was a call from behind them,
“What about a badger?” Constance, the Badgermum of the abbey called, “You know you two weren’t talking too quietly, but I am a badger after all, we have excellent hearing.”
“Oh it was nothing; Matthias was just telling me about what he and Orlando talked about.”
“And I thought Ambrose was a bad liar, come now was it about how he was behaving? Because I think he was a bit off.”
“Well” Cornflower started before Matthias interrupted.
“It was how he was acting, he seemed like he was not here in his mind, and at night he would run to the wall top and look out over the flatlands to the west and stay watching for most of the night, as if he was expecting something to happen. And then he would go back to his dormitory room. Don’t you find that odd?”
“Hmm, yes a little, but you didn’t hear what I heard. He would get nightmares and he would slam things around in the room, and speak to an invisible foe in a tone that would freeze the blood in your veins something along the lines of, ‘You are coming, I know that much, but I don’t know when, rat, but you know this, you will die.’ And when I asked about it in the morning he said he didn’t remember, but I know he was lying.”
“How could you tell?” Matthias asked.
“How does Cornflower know when you are lying? When you know someone well enough you know when somebeast is lying. It’s a female thing.”
“Oh, well uh, back on to our original topic, we know something is coming, we know it is a rat of some sort, but we don’t know when they are coming, right?”
“Correct.”
“We should tell Abbot Mordalfus, he will need to know as much as we do, only then can we set up proper defenses.”

After a brief meeting with the Abbot of Redwall Abbey, Constance, Matthias, Basil Stag Hare, and Mattimeo, had control of the Abbey’s defense.
“Well if there’s somebeast coming to take over our abbey, they’ll learn quickly what we can do, considering we’ve had plenty of practice, wot!” Basil said lightheartedly.
“Well you’re right there, Basil, I’ll bet Mattimeo wouldn’t even need out help, right son?”
“Well it wouldn’t hurt to have the best creature with a sword in all of Mossflower country helping a little bit, father, or the strongest creature, or the fastest one.”
“And don’t you forget it!” Basil, Constance, and Matthias all said in unison.

[Schröder]

Chapter Seven

Far to the West of Redwall Abbey, at Salamandastron, the hares were fascinated with the recently recovered inventor mouse. Leon, being the one who had found Auctor on the beach, was shooing leverets away from Auctor.
“Ah, sorry about that, wot. Young bucks don’t know when to leave a chap alone.” Leon said after all the others were out of the infirmary.
“It is quite alright, I’m glad to have somebeast to talk to,” Auctor replied, “I hear that I have you to thank for finding me on the beach, so I thank you, I owe you my life, and I am indebted to you.”
“Bah, it was nothing, but, if you don’t mind my asking, how in the world did you come to be in the state I found you?”
“It is a bit of a long story.” Auctor said.
“I’m a hare; we don’t have these flippin’ big ears for nothing you know.”
“I see, well I guess I could tell you before supper.”
“Now you’re speaking the language of a hare, wot! Come on lets hear it.”
“It all started about a season and a half ago when I finished my latest project…”Auctor began

As it turns out the story lasted until well after supper had come to an end, when Auctor was finally finished, Leon was at a loss for words, and when he finally spoke again his voice was stone cold.
“I need you to come with me.”
“Where?”
“No time we need to go!”
Leon led Auctor up flight after flight of stairs, all the way to the forge room, where there was a hare standing guard.
‘Move aside we need to see Orlando!”
“Sorry, sir I’ve been told not to let anybeast in.”
“I said move!” Leon yelled, and then pushed the other hare against the wall. He then led Auctor into the Badger Lord’s chambers.
“Lord, Orlando! Lord Orlando, you need to hear what Auctor has to say!”

The badger seemed to melt from the wall. He didn’t appear angry, but there was something wrong. The hare on guard duty came in.
“I’m so sorry m’lord, I tried to stop them getting in.”
“Sir, you were right, there is something going to happen at Redwall. Auctor can tell you everything.” Leon explained
“Is that so?” Orlando questioned, “Well, in that case I guess I had better listen. You may resume your duties.” Orlando then said to the hare standing by the doorway. The hare gave Orlando a quick bow, and exited.

“What is it exactly that is going to Redwall?” Orlando asked, as he stirred the embers in his fire.
“It is a sea rat named Blaze Firethorn, sir.” Auctor stated, “And he has a new kind of weapon, one that I created.”
“What kind of weapon, my friend?”
“One that could make an explosion of great power, if he has enough of it.”
“I see, well Leon it seems you may need a little more than a score of hares to Redwall, seeing as there is a threat to the Abbeys safety, but why do you think he will go there?”
“Because where else would he try his new weapon? A mountain, home to an army of hares, and a badger? Not likely.”
“So this is all deductive reasoning that he will try a softer target first?”
“Yes, it is a whole don’t run before you can walk sort of thing.” Auctor was going to say more, but Leon stopped him. The badger was thinking, and Leon and Auctor could see it; they didn’t want to interrupt him so they silently walked out of the chamber.

As they were leaving, Auctor and Leon heard Orlando say to himself, “I need a new axe.”
Auctor asked on the way down, “What does he mean ‘a new axe’?”
“Well his name during wartimes is Orlando the Axe, but his old axe broke some seasons ago, so I think he will be up all night, making a new one for himself.”
“I see, how did the old one break?”
“That, my friend, is a tale for another time. Right now you should get some shuteye; you’ll need it for the week to come.”

[Schröder]

As Blaze Firethorn slept the same night Orlando heard of the threat against Redwall, the rat was dreaming of the upcoming battle. There was smoke everywhere; the abbey’s gates were blown off their hinges, and his colors were flying from over the gates. It appeared to all that Redwall had fallen to the will of Blaze Firethorn, but then the very earth began to shake, the bell tower began to sway violently; soon it was shaking so hard that it split halfway up, and fell towards him. Before he could be crushed by the falling tower he woke up, Blaze got up, and started to go topside. When he got there he instantly found what he was looking for, a squall had hit the ship in the night. The weasel at the helm was struggling to hold the ship steady. Something in the distance caught his eye, a light holding perfectly still in the night. It was the party he sent ahead to mark where the river moss emptied into the ocean.

“You there, at the helm, put her in irons!” Blaze yelled over the wind. (For all you non-nautically inclined, putting a ship in irons means facing her into the wind so you can’t go anywhere.)
“Aye, Cap’n in irons she is.” The weasel sounded relieved. After the ship was secured, Blaze said to the weasel,
“Go and get some grub, and send somebeast up to relieve you.”
“Aye, thank you Cap’n.” the weasel plodded belowdecks. The bosun walked to the rail beside Blaze and asked,
“We going ta get ‘em now?” to which Blaze replied,
“In the morning, I don’t want to risk getting them in this squall, too much wind.”
“Ah well, I’ll get ‘em in the mornin’.”
Unbeknownst to the two watching the fire, there was a surprise waiting for those on the beach.

“Right, be quiet noo, daen’t want tae wake yon sleepy babes, do ye?” the leader cautioned his band.
“Aye, ‘twold be a wee bit harder for us if we did.” There was a quiet chuckle from the group as they drew their claymores and Sgian Dhus.
“’Member quick an’ quiet, in an’ aut, ye got that?” A chorus of “Ayes” followed.

Like smoke in the wind, the band of Highland squirrels went at the sleeping vermin, cutting throats, and double checking that they got their entire foe. It was all over in less than a minute. Once they were finished their leader said,
“Go on, see if they got anything good, tae eat ‘ere.” The squirrels found some overcooked fish, a couple jugs of grog, and a pack of vegetables. They were about to begin eating when a voice came out of the brush behind them.
“I say, you lot, those were our vermin!” The band of squirrels jumped up and found themselves surrounded by fifteen hares. Although they were only five in number, the squirrels looked as if they were going to charge the hares, but a voice from behind the hare that had spoken put any thought of fighting out of their minds,
“Now what have we here? A band of squirrels. A band of squirrels that just killed the vermin we were following so we could find out what they were planning.” It was Orlando the Axe.

The leader of the squirrels stepped forward and said, “How were we ginnae know? ‘Sides ther’s ginnae be a boat tae pick ‘em up in tae mourn, there’s gennae be more then.” Orlando looked over at the camp of now dead vermin and said, “Let’s get these bodies out of here, don’t want those on the ship to suspect foul play, so clean up bloodspots and weapons, make it look like they deserted in the night.”
“Yes, sir,” Leon said, “You, Highlanders, help us with this would you.”
“Aye, ye heard ‘im, git movin’” the leader ordered, “An’ ye’ll do a better job of it than these longears, or mah name ain’t Uaine McCrann!”

Leon thought to himself as he saw the squirrels speedily clean up, “With these creatures on our side, you would have to be even more mad to attack Redwall than if it were just us, the so called ‘Border Patrol’ ”. In fact you would have to be completely insane to do it.” When Leon mentioned it to Orlando the badger said, “This could be the beginnings of an unexpectedly perfect fighting force.” To which Leon said, “Indeed it is, sir.”

[Schröder]

It's been a while. Writers block.
Oh, and I forgot to write "Chapter Six" before chapter six.

Chapter Nine

The Next morning fifteen hares, five squirrels, and one badger watched silently as a boat was lowered from the ship at anchor.
“Ach, we should’v cut the ropes holdin’ tha’ ship daun.” Uaine whispered to Leon.
“If we had done that that it would be a little bit harder to take them by surprise, don’t you think old lad?”
“Aye, that’s true. So now we just set here an’ wait fer ‘em tae come tae us.” Another hare sitting by Leon said,
“Now you’ve got it, they’re in for a real surprise, wot? Whoohaa-” Leon quickly clapped both paws around the other hare’s mouth.
“Shuttup! Do you want those pirates to hear us?!” Leon hissed through his teeth. “Woodsorrel, I should have known.”
“Sorry about that dratted old laugh, can’t get rid of it, runs in the family, you see.”
“Alright, that’s nice, now shut up.”

Just then; the boat landed on the beach. There were two rats and a stoat.
“Where’d they all go?” one of the rats asked the stoat
“How am I supposed to know, idiot? Look around for something that might give us an idea.”
“Aye, we’re on it.” The two rats began looking around the deserted camp, but thanks to the work of the hidden force, there was nothing to be found.
“There’s nothin’ ‘ere!” one of the rats complained.
“Oh quit yer whinin’ an’ check in that brush o’re there.”
“Check it yerself.” The rat muttered. He was a half a step from where the group was hiding when the other rat yelled.
“Over here there’s pawprints, ‘bout half a score of creatures went south from ‘ere.”
“Good work, Speckeye, least somebeast here has some brains between ‘is lugs. Come on, follow the tracks.”

On the pirates went, following the tracks that led them straight into the marshlands, while the twenty-one onlookers headed for Salamandastron.

At Redwall Abbey there was an ominous cloud cover over the land, it had not yet begun to rain. A passing woodpigeon saw a light brighter then the rest in some of the windows down below. The bird thought of looking to see what it was, but thought better of it when the wind started to pick up.

Sister Barbara was with Friar Jonathan in the kitchens having at it in what could only be described as a full-blown kitchen war! It was the battle of the apple tart. There were spice jars flying from the paws of helper to cook, apple peelings on the floor, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar were covering two of the wide preparation tables, and bits of uncooked piecrust in everybeasts fur. When both cooks placed their finished work on the table at the same time, they collapsed on the floor.
“Burr, tha’m be one’n harf glassims, oll equwoll loik.” Foremole said, gesturing to the half-hour glass.
“Forty-five minutes, not bad, John.” Sister Barbara said.
“If you say so, Barb, it may be fast, but it’s downright tiring!”

At that moment, Basil Stag Hare walked into the kitchen sopping wet. “It’s a bally pond out there! Much longer and I would certainly have had to be rescued by Skipper.” Basil spotted the apple tarts and was about to reach for one when Sister Barbara rapped his paw with a ladle. “Ouch! I say, steady on, old lass! That’s no way to treat a poor, starving, soaked creature fresh in from the downpour.”
“It’s the only way to keep your paws off all the food before it is time for it to be eaten, you great glutton.”
“Hmph! Glutton yourself, here I am trying to do justice to your wonderf-” Basil got no further; Sister Barbara had shoved a spoonful of the tart into his mouth.
“There, will that make you happy?”
“Absolutely Ma’am! Top hole tucker, if I do say so myself, which I do.”

John Churchmouse, the abbey recorder, looked out from his dormitory window. He had been looking back at some old entries from the time of Abbott Bernard. “It seems that we have not had a storm of this scale for many seasons, since the time before the Joseph Bell was brought to the abbey.” He said to himself, “In the words of young Dandin, ‘Anybeast out in this must be well drowned by now!’”

[Schröder]

It's my birthday.

Chapter Ten

“Blast! I knew something like this would happen!” Blaze Firethorn was standing behind his desk looking at the slime-covered stoat before him. “Why did you not come back to the ship to report before you went off searching through unknown territory?!”
“I-I-I-don’t know Cap’n.” the stoat said looking even more pathetic in the eyes of his captain. “We was lookin’ an’ one of the rats that went wi’ me saw the tracks, an’ saiys tha’ ‘e knows the lay ‘o the land, so I says let’s foller ‘em, an’ it lead right inter a swamp, Cap’n.” Blaze knew that the stoat was telling the truth, but he did get two of the crew dead, and the punishment for killing a crewbeast was death. Blaze sighed, “You’re lucky, I’m not going to kill you, you get to watch that navigator for me, he has been a bit off lately. If he does anything that is at all suspicious, you tell me, right?” The stoat nodded. “Good, now get at it.”
“Aye, Cap’n, I’ll go right now, Cap’n, thankee, Cap’n!” As the stoat left the cabin hurriedly Blaze wrote in his journal, “A spared life is an easy one to use to ones advantage.”

At Salamandastron, the hares were preparing for the march to Redwall, packing food, weapons and at Auctor’s request, a four wheeled cart full of timber and rope. Leon and Auctor were in the mess hall, listening to war stories from the retired hares that resided there, one was telling of the great quest that Orlando had gone on with the warrior of Redwall to find their children in the far southlands. Auctor was glad to listen to the story. When the retired hare finished, Auctor said, “I’d like to meet this Matthias mouse, I bet he could hold his own in a fight.”
“That’s an understatement; Matthias is the best creature with a sword that I have seen in all of my life.” Leon answered, “He could cut the fur from your back and you wouldn’t feel it happen, great trick to impress at get-togethers and the like. You’ll meet him soon enough, seeing as we’re heading off to Redwall tomorrow at first light, those Highlanders will be coming with us too.”
“Well that sounds very fun, so I think I will get some shuteye, I think I'll need it.” So, the inventor mouse went off to his chamber.

At sunrisethe next morning, the hares of Salamandastron were on the march. With them, trailing behind at their leisure, the highland squirrels. “Why are we folliwin’ these ‘ares to do battle wi’ somebeast wot we don’t know?” one of them asked Uaine.
“We’re doin’ this ‘cus there’s a good chance o’ loot at the end o’ all this, and I want tae make somethin’ o’ meself, no’ just be a wandrin’ bunch o’ squirrels wot don’t ‘ave an ‘ome tae stop at. I want some sort ‘o life, tha’ don’t mean runnin’ ‘round all the time. That’s why.” Uaine said, “This is the best chance we’re ginnae git, so ah’m takin’ et.”
“Let’s go you chaps, we’re marching, not taking a stroll, wot!” a hare from the back of the column yelled back.
“Ach, Stow et!” one Highlander said. “We’ll take our time” a second said. “An’ we’ll git there afore ye too!” a third added. Uaine only smiled and started to walk a bit faster.

By noon, the company was told to take a breather under the shade of a rock outcropping, Leon and Auctor were seated next to each other. Leon passed a canteen to the inventor, who took it gratefully and started drinking when he remembered something. “You said the other day that Orlando’s axe broke a while ago, would you mind telling me what happened, was it in a battle, or was it just old?” Leon thought for a moment then he began, “You heard the story of Lord Orlando finding his daughter, Auma, right? Well after that he stayed at Redwall for a couple seasons, being the Lord of the Western Plains all he had to do was look out from the west walltop and he could survey his lands. But one day he says to old Abbott Alf, ‘I’m leaving for Salamandastron tomorrow, and that was that. On the way he fell into the company of yours truly, but unknown to us, we were being followed, and in the night we were set upon by a gang of vermin, lead by a huge rat. He said that if one of us fought him in single combat and drew first blood he would let us both go free.”

At this time there was a crowd of hares and the Highlanders around Leon to hear the story, Leon went on, “Of course Lord Orlando opted to fight him, after all, he was a full head taller then the rat, how could he lose as long as the rat didn’t cheat? The fight began, the rat ran to a boulder and hopped on top, waiting for Orlando to make the first move, but he did something unexpected, he rushed the weasel holding his axe and took it from the vermin. Orlando charged the rock, he cleaved the rat in two; right down the middle and the force of the blow wedged the axe in the rock and the haft split in his paws.”

“And that is how Orlando the Axe’s axe was broken, until about four days ago when he made a new one, right Sir?” the entire crowd snapped to attention when they realized that Orlando had been standing there almost the entire time. The badger just smiled and said, “Don’t forget what you did while this was going on, you were off trying to knock around that gang, there were ten of them on you, you really should have seen yourself, Leon.” Uaine quietly interrupted, “Ah don’t mean tae be rude or nothin’, interuptin’ like this, bu’ thers somethin’ ye need tae know.” Orlando looked up at the squirrel who continued, “don’t look now bu’ we’ve got some cump’ny in those bushes o’re tha’ way.”

[Sagrived Switpaw]

Good job man!!!!

[Schröder]

I have always wanted to write a naval battle.
Chapter Eleven

The inlet for the River Moss was saturated from the heavy rains of the late summer, almost flooding the banks, generating more current than was usual, and also bringing a heavy fog to the morning, which was disrupted only by the soft breeze and the Flaming Ocean’s masts. Blaze stood at the taffrail of his ship, muttering to himself… plotting. The loss of the scouting party had been a setback; he needed to send out another to get the information he needed about the trek inland. Were there any marshes? Would it be easy to find more food if they ran out?

Further thought was interrupted by a loud “Starboard bow ahoy!” from the lookout.
“Where away?” Blaze yelled back to the masthead.
“ “nother ship. ’Bout a mile ‘way, in the fog, Cap’n!” Blaze walked quickly over to the rail, along with the bosun and navigator.
“This is perfect, now I can see how well our little powder works for our applications. Helm, take her out of irons, bring her to starboard!” The steersbeast spun the helm, and slowly the ship caught the wind and glided smoothly in the direction of the other ship.
“Are the archers ready?” Blaze asked the bosun.
“Aye, ready and in position.”
“Good, when I give the word, they lift themselves above the gunwale and shoot, not before, or I will personally see to it that they are not going to make any more mistakes again.” A crewbeast came from belowdecks and handed Blaze a longbow and a quiver of arrows. The arrows were like the rest of the archers’, they had a small charge of the new explosives on the end.
While the crew was getting ready, the Flaming Ocean had come behind the other ship and the Flaming Ocean was on her starboard.
“ Too bad we can't see their faces. No matter, we don’t need to hit them directly, if these arrows work.” Blaze thought as he drew the bow, smirking, but before he could loose the arrow there was a cry of “EULALIAAAA!” from the other ship and a hail of arrows came with it. The unexpected storm of archery caught the pirates off guard, killing five and wounding seven others. Blaze dove below the gunwale, accidentally shooting the arrow into the upper rigging. The arrow hit the mainmast; and working like it was designed to, the arrow exploded with a spectacular burst of sound, and a flash of light that lit up the fog around the ship. The crewbeasts in the fighting tops were dead instantly and such was the force of the explosion, the mast splintered.

The other ship was pulling to larboard, away from the Flaming Ocean, and pulling around the stern of the Flaming Ocean. Blaze yelled out to his crew, “Hard to larboard, get the wind behind us!” as the crew hurried to do so, there was a tremendous “CRACK!” as the maintop came crashing to the deck. This was greeted with a loud “HUZZAH!” from the departing ship which, by now, had made it to the starboard side of the Flaming Ocean and was shooting arrows from there, but by then the crew had mostly all made it to cover from the projectiles being thrown at them, and were even able to get a few arrows off at the attackers. None of the explosive arrows did much to the other ship, however, and the arrows kept coming for a full hour more.

Blaze peeked up past his cover at the other ship; it was turning away, to the south. He knew when a fight could not be won, and stayed put until the other ship was gone from his sight. There was the odd arrow from the departing ship as they pulled away, which kept the heads of the crew down until they were out of range. When Blaze finally got up he ran to the taffrail and saw the ship disappear into the fog, the disabled Flaming Ocean unable to pursue. At final count, he had lost twenty of his crew.

[Janglur Swifteye]

I finally got to reading this and for some reason kept scrolling down to see if it kept going. This is really good man!