text:
When I woke up it was to the sound of the train wheels squealing as the massive machine slowly halted. I sat up and looked around. The train car I was in was filled with bunk beds containing passed out women.
And if that wasn't weird enough, Luc was wrapped around me like a topless koala bear. Boobs hanging everywhere.
I shuddered at the sight and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Stretching, a slight pain in my back made me jump. I placed a hand on the small of my back and winced when I felt just how sensitive it was. It was obvious my Master had taken me to roughly and here I was, bearing the consequences...
Luc snorted in her sleep, scratching her bony side and I smirked. Leaning back slightly against the headboard of the little metal framed bed.
She likes to talk, A LOT. This I learned last night when she wouldn't stop going over what kinds of clothes she and the girls would be dressing me in this morning. Now I was debating sneaking away whilst they all slept soundly. The girls aka the crew of maids, who were thoroughly exhausted from last nights wardrobe excursion, were all female. This I found strange but didn't question it when I was told.
I went to stand and fell to my hands and knees. My body felt weak...
My head was dizzy and I was absolutely whipped clean of all energy even though I'd only just woken up. I could tell this had nothing to do with the late night I'd had.
It was something else...
I felt restless but foggy at the same time.
"Flos? Whacha doin baby doll?" A girl named Anne asked sleepily. She was hanging halfway off the bed, her face buried in a random girls chest.
"Good night?" I asked cheekily. She beamed at me as the girl below her stirred and woke up slowly.
"Woah! Sorry Anne! Wait... Why are you in my bed?" The girl asked, her cheeks flushed as a look of understanding flashed over her face.
"Well that was fun..." Anne giggled, kissing the girl who's cheeks only turned a brighter shade of red from the affection.
I went to stand up again and fell back down, my whole body was screaming at me, but not so much as my lower back. Anne jumped up and grabbed me before I hit the ground.
"It hurts..." I groaned, gripping the bunk bed I'd been sleeping on for support as she helped me into it.
"I'll go get you a hot bag and some tea" Anne smiled softly at me and I could only nod stiffly.
"What's a hot bag? Well ok duh, its a hot, bag, right? But what is it for?"
"It has beans in it that you heat up and put on whatever hurts you so you feel a bit better" She said, got up and left while I sat back on the bed from whence I came.
"Hey..." Luc mumbled quietly. I nodded in reply and she pulled me to her.
"Your soft..." She sighed, pulling at the laced and beaded collar of the purple and white spotted plush night gown I wore. The girls had taken the liberty of dressing me up in their girlish clothes- without my permission -and proceeded to take pictures and snuggle me until I was practically screaming for Masters company over their 'love'...
*cough* torture *cough*
Though it was nice to be fussed over, I just didn't see girls in the same light as before...
I sighed and snuggled down next to Luc. Her tiny round ears flicking as I tickled them with her hair.
"Here," I felt something hot touch my back and I winced, leaning into it.
"You guessed it doll" she chuckled, I sat up slowly and she handed me a lightly steaming cup while holding the hot-bag to my back. I sniffed the tea and she smiled.
"Its chocolate mint tea" she explained as I took my first sip of the hot broth "I grow it all myself!" She giggled, brushing off some runaway dribbles.
"Mmm! Its good!" I drained the cup and she took it from me.
"If you want I'll show you my garden when we get to the mansion?" She offered.
"You've certainly gotten attached to the staff, haven't you babe?" I turned to face the door and saw the golden haired boy. He was smirking at me.
"Don't call me babe!" I snapped at his smug mug.
"Anne called you babe" he pointed out.
"That's different!" I snapped, he scoffed.
"Andre! I haven't seen you in ages! Do you need something?" Anne asked walking over to him. Luc shifted beside me but went back to sleep quickly with a snore.
"Boss told me to tell her," he nodded at me "that he wants to talk or something" Andre said, and left.
"I'M A BOY!" I called after him.
"Sure you are babe!" He called back. I huffed indignantly and stomped my foot.
"Little creep!" I hissed under my breath. Anne sighed and went into a closet across the room from Luc's bed and pulled out a pair of flared cuff jeans and a tank top.
"Throw this on and go see what he wants!" Anne sighed.
Luc shot up, not even looking to be awake yet and got out of bed.
She sort of fell out...
But that's not the point!
She then, picking herself up off the floor, moved swiftly over to a big chest. Anne frowned and cocked her brow at Luc as she rifled through the chest.
Finally Luc threw something at me. I pulled the thing from my face only to have another thing smack me again. When I looked down at the clothing I looked up in confusion at Luc who nodded calmly before falling over onto an unconscious woman in another bed with a snore.
I looked down at the acid wash jean mini shorts and then at the long sleeved baby blue corset coated in tiny frills.
"I'm not wearing this" I stated. Luc must not have been asleep because as soon as the words left my mouth she was on me.
Her eyes were bagged and dull. Her voice was deep and cruel sounding.
"You will wear this or else I'll lock you in a room with Tang and tell him to fuck your brains out... Repeatedly" She growled. I sank back deeper into the bed, trying to hide. She pulled away and flopped down next to me.
I looked over at Anne who's expression of fear mirrored my own.
"She wouldn't..." Anne swallowed hard.
"Naw, sh-she's still half a-asleep! She wouldn't actually-" Luc cut me off.
"I will unless you put it on..." She growled through gritted teeth.
"Creepy..." Anne snag under her breath.
I pulled on the oddly comfortable shirt and let Anne lace it up. Before I could pull on the shorts something hit my side and I looked down at a pair of black lace panties.
"What is it with you and trying to turn me into a girl!?" I snapped at Luc.
"Huh?" She rolled over and blinked at me "Those aren't mine..." She whispered before drifting off again.
"Nope! Their mine, now hurry up and GIT!" I looked up and saw the girl Anne was sleeping with smirking at me. I blushed and shook my head.
"Well you have to wear something under these shorts or you'll get a rash! And that's neither attractive nore comfortable!" Anne sighed. I frowned at her and pulled on the black lace then the shorts.
"How do I look?" I asked. Anne frowned and looked me over before leaning down and reaching under her bed. She pulled out a pair of boots and held them out to me. The boots were a pail beige and looked soft.
"Their deer hide, and really comfy... Sorry about the height..." She helped me get them on and I looked down at the heels. They had to be at least four or five inches tall.
"Their platforms but their not to hard to walk in so just try them out," she helped me up and we walked around a bit.
"They fit?" She asked.
"Yeah, and their ten times better than those stupid stiletto things Luc had me wear..." Anne grinned and took me to the door, telling me to go up a three train cars.
I nodded and was on my way.
As I walked down the hall men kept turning to stare at me. I jumped when one tried to pinch my butt and slapped him, running straight for the door. As I jumped onto the next train car I crashed into someone. I looked up and my eyes widened.
"M-Master!" I squeaked.
"Hello Slave..." He drawled, I saw a woman under his arm clinging to his side like a parasite.
"Oh! So this is your new toy!" She turned from me and trailed her fingers over his chest.
"Why don't you and I go and play? I'll bet I can satisfy you better than this..." She glanced at me and her nose bunched up in disgust "child".
I felt like I'd been slapped.
Play? As in what he did with me?
I though I was supposed to be the only one he wanted?
"That outfit suits you..." Master said, the heat in his eyes when he looked at me made me shudder. I looked down at my outfit and bit my lip.
"Luc m-made me wear i-it... I-I'm s-sorry..." I felt a blush creep into my cheeks and he chuckled quietly.
"No Bunny, it looks good, I like it" he kept staring at me...
"Bunny? Master? What on earth are you talking about Darling?" I jumped.
"Darling?" I looked up at him and he brushed the woman off, rolling his eyes.
She frowned at him, big flat brown eyes a parrot nose and age spotted skin showed just how old she was.
"Get lost" he snapped. She left with a huge scowl and I stayed glued to the spot.
"Bunny, go see if Keith needs anything before we get off the train, he's the head chef if you can't find your way, just ask one of the maids to take you" he muttered, walking around me to get onto the next car.
I went to stand but saw my shoe lace untied. I bent down to get it when I felt someone grab my hips and grind against them.
I yelped and struggled against the unknown person.
"Bunny, don't act as if this isn't driving you crazy..." Master rumbled behind me. My knees wobbled, weakening at the sound of his deep, silky voice.
"M-Master... Please..." I pushed back against him and my arms went back to link behind me.
His hand reached around my front and my head snapped back, my entire body clinging to him in desperation. He sighed against my neck and I melted back into his arms.
"I... I feel hot..." I groaned, my body was flush and even his cold hands weren't helping...
"I heard that Tang touched you... I took care of him... Don't let me hear about anyone touching you again" he growled into my ear, kissing his mark. I moaned and let him have his way, not that I could stop him...
A man down the hall of the train car froze at the door, staring.
"I'm not going to give you what you want, this is your punishment" he pulled away from me and I slid to the floor, clutching my body with an agonised groan.
"M-Master... D-Don't leave m-me l-like this... Please!" I begged as he left.
"Don't let anyone touch you, ever again..." He said, straightening his tie, he sauntered off. Leaving me to crawl over to the wall, my body was so hot... I felt like I was burning up...
I grabbed the handle of a door and pulled myself up and into it. It was an old, seemingly unused closet.
I felt like I was going to boil over...
I shut the door behind me and fell to the floor, opening the shorts in the pitch black closet I stroked my hardness, moaning for my master I reached back and pressed a finger against my hole, it was tightly shut and tender but I still slipped in. I gasped at the sudden flush of heat as my body sucked my fingers in, I forced them deeper and continued to jerk at myself, my peak was so close and yet I couldn't reach it! Just like before... I was left with nothing... I stopped and lay in the closet, crying quietly. I felt something paper-like laying next to me and grabbed it.
"Paper towel?" I used it to clean my hands I stood and fixed myself up before straightening out the clothes and slowly exiting the closet, wiping the tears from my eyes as best I could.
"Hey babe!" I turned to see Andre jogging down the train car to me. I walked over to meet him and he grabbed my arm, dragging me along.
"Boss is getting all flustered, what did you do to him hun? He's all 'where's Hilflos?' and 'why isn't he here yet?' Blah, blah, blah... So how'd you get him so hooked huh? I know you smell great and all but he's not one to get attached to anything!" I pulled back.
"I didn't DO anything, and I have to go see someone named Keith, so-"
"WHAT!? Why the fuck would you want to go and see that creep!?" Andre was staring at me with this look, like I was insane or something.
"Master told me to go help him... I don't know who he is I just know I need to go see him... So if you would be so kind as to point me in his general direction...?" He shook his head and pointed in the direction from whence he came.
"Three cars down and you'll be in the kitchens... Good luck babe, you'll need it" he patted my arm and went to walk off. I stuck a foot out and tripped him. I bent down and glared at him as angrily as I could manage.
"My name is Hilflos, NOT Babe! So quit calling me that!" I snapped. He reached up and grabbed my chest. I jerked back with a yelp and he smirked.
"Well your flat chested but my nose knows what it smells and YOU are a girl..." He said earnestly.
"I'M A BOY!" I cried in outrage.
"Prove it!" He snapped.
"How?" I blinked.
"Drop your shorts"
"NO!" I squeaked, backing up.
"Why not? You want to prove your a boy don't you?" He chuckled. I nodded and held my hands up to push him away but he got closer.
"So you really are a girl then?" He sighed.
"No, I'm a boy you weirdo!" I snapped angrily. He just laughed and shoved me back into the wall, stopping me from moving.
"What are you so scared of Babe, I'm not gonna eatcha..." He snickered.
"Th-Thats close enough" I said, holding up a hand. He shook his head and brushed aside my hand.
"Naw... Not close enough" He gripped my chin, turning my face this way and that and finally leant forward.
"You smell... Weird... Its making my nose itch..." he announced, his head pressed just below my ear. I froze, keeping my breathing shallow as he nuzzeled the crook of my neck just above the Mark. I didn't dare move. If he touched Masters Mark I'd do something weird, I know it...
We stood there for a while. Me, unmoving out of confusion, fear and discomfort at his touch. He, unmoving for some unknown reason. Maybe five or six minutes past with him just smelling me before I spoke up again.
"A-Andre?" I nudged him.
"Humn?" Was his dull reply. He was leaning into me until I was practically holding him upright. When I yanked him back from my body his eyes were off. Pupils dilated and unseeing. Mouth slightly open and breathing heavy. He wasn't really "there" to put it bluntly.
I guess...
I started to panic when his head lolled back and he mumbled something under his breath.
I mean, what would you do if suddenly some guy passes out on you!?
I let go of him for a second and he swayed, falling back with a loud 'thump' as he hit the floor.
"Uh..." I bent down and shook him. His eyes slowly shut and he sighed. I started pulling him after me and he just grunted random things under his breath.
I pulled him over to the closet and dumped him there.
Ok, now to find help...
The sound brought me around and I looked down to see the boy snoozing peacfully.
I smiled slightly until I heard his voice calling faintly.
"...B..." I got down on my knees to hear him better.
"...Babe...Nmmm...That Feels Good...There...Right There..." He moaned quietly, his hands travelling to his tightening pants where my hand had placed itself unintentionally.
I rolled my eyes with a sigh.
"You know what?" I patted his cheek with a tight smile "Your just fine RIGHT here..." I muttered, getting up to close the door.
"Now is NOT the time to 'Play Boy Bunny' my way into any more trouble..." I told myself angrily.
Well this is odd...
I went from never uttering a word to talking outright in public. Acting all cool and such...
Maybe its cause I'm finally 'cuming' out?
I giggled at my own joke then frowned.
Well, my humor hasn't changed... Still as sad and degrading as always... Geez...
Moving on to the next train car I heard the clattering of dishes and froze.
I must have walked quite a ways because when I looked around I found myself in what appeared at be an older train car. I was facing a door that read, 'To Kitchen' when it was opened and I was knocked back a few feet.
I got up swiftly and moved out of the way as two arguing cooks dashed out of the car and onto another.
"Hello? Keith?" I called into the car. I was met with a series of bangs, thunks and smashing sounds as the air filled with a variety of rather colourful curse words.
"Yea?" Was my sharp acknowledgement.
"I-I... Um..."
"Speak up!" The voice called, getting louder as heavy footfall echoed it shortly there after.
"I... Er... I-I was t-told to h-help you?" I murmured as a mammoth man came walking up to me. He was holding a box in one hand and fumbling with the ties to an apron with another. He wasn't looking at me.
"Hold this, kid" he shoved a box of something in my arms. The box jumped and I squealed, dropping it. The top popped open and a bunch of weird looking purple worms squiggled out. I hurried to pick them up as the man did and bonked my head into his.
"Ow..." He grunted.
"Sorry!" I yelped, falling back on my butt. I scrambled into a crouching position and pulled the worms back into the box. I looked up and froze.
This guy has HORNS?
Giant freaking Hellboy horns no less!
And a little gold nose ring... Uh... Weird much?
"Look, don't worry about the bump on my noggin, I've gotta get this shit to the boat and fast or it'll be my ass!" The man said, his tone light and good-natured. When he saw me he froze, jaw hanging on its last hinge the man didn't even ask my name, he just leant forward and sniffed me.
Not again...
"What?" I asked, twisting the hem of my shorts in suddenly jittery fingers. His hands stopped grabbing the worms and he stood.
"Why are you here" he suddenly asked, seeming angry.
I looked up, confused.
"Master... Er... Master Rabia said to help you... So I'm here to help" I said.
"Females are restricted from coming near me, go back to him! NOW!" He growled. I laughed.
"I'm a boy, not a girl!" I explained with a grin. He shook his head.
"Don't care if your a two headed elephant! JUST GO!"
"Keith, be polite!" A voice crowed from the door. I looked back and saw a lady in a giant white paper hat.
"Hello, I'm Hilflos" I stood and held out a hand for the woman to shake, she held up her hands to show some kind of drippy liquid on them.
"Can't shake hands I'm afraid but I'm Hega! So your the Masters consort, hmm?" I frowned slightly and nodded.
"A boy of your frailty shouldn't be in a kitchen! And honestly! Poor Keith over there is probably thinking about jumping your tiny little keester! Careful Keith, this ones taken..." She sang, walking by him.
"I'm not GAY!" He bellowed angrily. She laughed and went into another car.
"Pick up those worms and put them on the boxing cart over there, after that were done and you can leave..." He snapped.
"Ok... I'm s-sorry"
"Huh?" He looked down at me and frowned.
"Why are you sorry?"
"I'm m-making you uncomfortable... I'm s-sorry"
"Its not your fault, its just me... I'm a little messed up... Get to work and go" he rumbled, moving off to the back of the car.
Strange man...
I ran off the boat and onto dry land. My stomach was still clenching and I felt like crap...
I hate boats...
"Hey, you ok Hilflos?" Luc asked as she was ushered up a large staircase with the other maids.
"I-" I coughed and dry heaved "h-hate being a-" another dry heave "RABBIT!" I cried, my tummy kept turning but I couldn't get rid of the yuck inside...
You know how rabbits can't throw up? Yeah, well... Neither can I apparently... And I'm sea sick. Oh happy day! Note the sarcasm...
"Hey! Bunny boy, get your ass over here and help out!" Keith's voice boomed. I flipped my head around and he was glaring at me angrily.
"S-sorry!" I got up shakily and rushed back to help Keith carry boxes of fresh produce.
"Be careful with those!" He scolded when I tripped up the steps of the dock, trying to balance a crate of eggs while dragging an oversized bushel basket of apples up the stairs behind me. This was trip number nine for me, trip number 14 for Keith, up the dock levels to get to the loading station. A slightly smaller, older looking train awaited our cargo.
"Hurry up!"
"Sorry..." I said for the fiftieth time, sweat coating my brow as I worked my hardest. My legs are pretty powerful thanks to my genetics but this was pushing it...
My body just wasn't used to this kind of exertion and I was worn out...
"Look. Go sit up there, I'll get the rest..." He growled at me, I practically fainted when he took the load from me. I sat down for a second, maybe more and then started up the steps with the last of the strength I had.
"There's some fruit juice up on the second step, there's not much left but you can go ahead and drink the last of it... I've got more in the cellar at the mansion..." Keith said as he went back down for another load. When I got to the top, I saw it. It was a clear flask, etched beautifully with leaves and flowers. I lifted the cool container to my lips and let the liquid trickle into my mouth.
It was so sweet!
Not tangy at all and it had no real bite to it to indicate any citrus fruits. It tasted like coconuts. Strawberries. Cherries...
I felt eyes on me and turned to see Keith staring at me, his eyes were red like he'd been rubbing at them or didn't have enough sleep...
"Um... T-thank you... There's still a little left you know, here" I held the container to him and he took it carefully. Downing the last of it he sniffed the spout.
"Its a little off... But that's probably cause its been sitting in the sun..." He muttered, glancing back at me then the flask. He thrust it out towards me.
"Here's a job. Keep this intact on the way up to the castle... It was my moms..." He said. I took it and held it close to my chest, nodding furiously.
"Don't let it get broken! Its real crystal" he warned.
"Ok!" I chirped "you can count on me!" I grinned and hugged it to me as we walked to the train.
"Ok, I've put everything in the end cars, let's hurry up and get on" Keith muttered, helping me on. The stepladder got stuck and he had to lift me up onto the train but besides that there weren't any obvious problems with the old mode of transportation.
"Barbed Wire Mansion, here we come, eh?" Keith chuckled, settling into his seat with a few maids trying to fit in next to him. Casting glances at me and him every five seconds.
"Sure...?" I offered. He chuckled and closed his eyes.
It was kind of comical, his giant mass sliding down into the tiny seat awkwardly.
The mansion came around the ridge and my jaw dropped.
"Its... Beautiful..." I whispered in awe. Keith laughed at my reaction and snorted.
"Its something alright..." He agreed.


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Introduction: PLEASE READ THIS!
This fanfiction was NOT originially mine; but I adopted it. It was originially created on the Redwall Fanfiction Wiki (Where fanfiction doesn't have to be on blogs) and was originially written by a user named Springfern, who was hardly ever on. (http://redwallfanfiction.wikia.com/wiki/User:Springfern) I want no negative comments, ie "Oh this story has a crazy plot!" Or "These characters are nuts!" because remember; a different person started writing this (everything after the end of Chapter 2 is my writing) However constructive criticism and advice is welcome. Enjoy.
Also; I will be making some minor changes in this story as I go along so if anything seems inconsisent, that's most likely because I have changed it from Springfern's original design; but hopefully slightly.
Book One: Separated!
"Is solace anywhere more comforting than that in the arms of a sister?" -Alice Walker
The aging ratwife looked out the window at her two adopted daughters, who were practicing with their quarterstaves. "Take that!"
Called the older one striking out.The younger one blocked.
"Missed! You couldn't hit a tree in front of you."
"Oh yeah?"
The mother grinned at them; they were her daughters, but yet they weren't.
She ran a paw over the scar on her leg, she used to be a war-like beast; until that happened. After that, she had taken the path of a healer. She had assisted in delivering her older daughter, and had been away gathering herbs for the next day (when she had thought the birth would occur) when her younger daughter had been born.
"Mama! I hit Onepaw's 'ook, and it shattered, she has a piece stuck in her pawstump!"
Slicktail shook herself out of her memories.
"Ye know whot I need, go get it."
She said to Redwood. The older daughter nodded and dashed to the herb rack and took down the herbs. She also picked up a few tools. Slicktail nodded her thanks and held out a stick to Onepaw; this sort of thing happened a lot. Onepaw took the stick and put it in her mouth. Slicktail easily pulled out the fragment and put on the poltice Redwood had made. She then looked up and said
"Whot 'ave I told ye two? Carful 'bout each othars paws and 'ook!"
She scolded Redwood shifted uncomfortably.
"I know. It's just, we get carried away."
Onepaw nodded and spat out the stick "
"Don't be mad, Mama. Please."
Slicktail relented.
"All right, but that 'appens too of'en fur mah tase."
Redwood grinned
"Well Mother Slicktail, I didn't know you hate accidents."
Slicktail picked up a broom.
"Out! Out! Wildbeasts!"
Onepaw and Redwood ran out, laughing.
Yes, they were a family, as much as a rat raising a one-pawed ferret and squirrel could be.
Chapter 1
It was a night of nightmares. Redwood tossed and turned, scenes from her early life haunted her dreams. Slicktail, before she'd changed, sneering down at her "Littl' squirrel, cume on nah, get up." Running, fleeing, tripping, a hedgehog, picking her up and carrying her. That hedgehog being cut down by an arrow. A ferret killing a molebabe. Running again, a burning house, carrying a babe. Her sister. The house, collapsing, get out!
Redwood screamed, waking. Slicktail ran in,
"Whot's the matter?"
She said as she held the shaking Redwood close. Redwood said
"Just a bad dream but oh! It was scary."
Slicktail said
"There there, nah I 'ave some 'erbs that will 'elp yuh sleep."
Redwood followed her mother into the kitchen and accepted the herbs given to her.
"Take these, that should calm your sleep."
Redwood nodded and did as she said.
"Nah go back to bed, go on now."
Redwood went and lay down, she soon was fast asleep. Slicktail took a dose of them herself, she had been having nightmares too, all that killing she had done as a youngbeast, under that warlord, Jisky Bloodtooth, so named for the way he executed prisoners. Who knew he could sire such a goodbeast as Onepaw?
The cry came from Onepaw's room. Slicktail dashed in,
"Whot's the matter?"
Onepaw was looking frightened,
"There was anouther ferret, he looked like me, he was holding me and my paw hurt, the one that's missing. I was underneath anouther ferret and I couldn't breathe and there was fire and- oh Mama!"
Onepaw grabbed onto the rat and cried into her fur. Slicktail hugged her,
"There there, just a dream just a dream. Cum on, we'll take some herbs." Slicktail was thinking, Redwood had had a nightmare of her early seasons, that wasn't as suprising as Onepaw having one of the exact same day! And they both mentioned Jisky Bloodtooth in their dreams, Slicktail's had involved him too, was that a coincidence?
The warlord was at that moment, camping not more than an hour's march away. He was returning to the place where he had slain his mate thirteen years before. He believed that he also had killed his daughter by cutting off her paw and then setting the area ablaze, leaving her to die. Now he would kill the other deserter, his healer, Slicktail.
The scout walked on, grumbling to himself. He had to get up in the middle of the night and go find a cabin, a cabin that had burned down seasons ago!
"That warlord is gonna get us killed and. . ."
He trailed off as he spotted the cabin. It wasn't burned down and there was a light inside! He gulped, thinking to the legend of the ghost told to him before he went to his bed and fled the scene in a panic.
Slicktail was trying to figure out why all three of the Springferns (as they callled themselves) had nightmares of Jisky Bloodtooth. Only she had taken a dose of sleeping herbs, and she felt her eyes. Get. Heavy. And. She. Was. So. Tired. Slicktail fell asleep, at the kitchen table with a light beaming out, showing the vermin the way to her house.
Jisky Bloodtooth led his horde up to the place where the house was, according to that gibbering idiot of a scout. He hadn't been very happy with the way that weasel had delivered his report, now fresh blood was staining the already blood-stained teeth, hence his name, Bloodtooth.
He halted the horde at the base of a hill, and took ten beasts with him from that point on. They trooped up the hill and stood at the door, waiting for the signal. Jisky gave it, they all burst in and found the ex-captain ex-healer of Jisky's horde. Jisky pulled his dagger out of his snakeskin belt, the same one he had used to cut off his daughter's paw and kill his mate, and poked Slicktail gently with it, she stirred and muttered
"Go 'way, trying ta sleep."
Jisky gestured to a fox with him to hand him the bucket of water that was by the door. The fox did and he dumped it on Slicktail's head.
Slicktail awoke, and the first thing she saw was bloody teeth. Her gazed traveled upwards to the eyes of Jisky Bloodtooth. Slicktail stood up quickly, so quickly her chair tipped over, and ran for the door that wasn't there! Mentally bearting herself for putting herself in a bad spot, she turned and faced the warlord, taking him in.
He hadn't changed much: a little older, his sharp, savage fangs stained scarlet with blood. His fur was a mottled grayish-blue in color, and constrasted sharply with his hazel eyes. A vest of chainmail hung loosely on his thin, wiry frame, and he also wore a dark blue, practically black cloak. Jisky still wore the snakeskin belt; once worn by his distant descendant of Swartt Sixclaw. She knew she had changed, in more ways than looks since he had last seen her.
"Well well, a deserter, you know how I treat deserters, Slicktail."
Slicktail nodded, her thoughts jumping to her daughters, did he know about them?
"Ah suppose you are going to do to meh whot you did to Thurn and your daug'er, kill me and let my body burn with the 'ouse?"
Jisky looked at her partronizingly,
"I didn't kill the whelp, I let the flames do that."
Slicktail's last thought was, He doesn't know! Before the dagger came down and snuffed out her life.
Jisky turned away from the body and said "You, set fire to the place." pointing to the fox who'd given him the water bucket. He then left, believing that all that would be left would be a pile of ashes, not knowing that their would also be survivors, memories, and a quest for vengeance.
Redwood felt something hot on her paw, she groaned and flicked it muttering
"Go away Onepaw, I'm trying to sleep."
The heat persisted, and got worse. Redwood suddenly woke up and realized that her house was on fire. Still sleepy, the herbs she'd been given were strong, she got up and limped across the floor. Her footpaw had been burned. The fire was catching onto the rug Onepaw had made for her as a seasonsday present. No time for memories, get out of the house, find Mama and Onepaw. Redwood opened the window and climbed out, falling a bit for she was still woozy and her paw really hurt. Redwood went to a safe distance and found some tracks. She recognized a ferret's tracks before she curled up and fell asleep.
Onepaw woke slightly before Redwood did, and in about the same way except for the fact it was her pawstump and not her footpaw that was burned. She reacted initally as Redwood had
"Go 'way sister, tryin ta sleep."
She muttered and turned over, and woke up when she relized that the house was on fire. Onepaw climbed out of bed and decided to go out the door, that was on the other side of the house than Redwood's window. She walked out her door and saw that the entryhall was about ready to collapse. Onepaw was still woozy, but that didn't slow her down in her sprint across the room, and didn't stop her from busting the door open. By this time Redwood was fast asleep over on the other side of the hill. Onepaw looked about, seeing so sign of her mother or sister she yelled as loud as her smoke-filled lungs would let her
"Redwood! Mama! Ere you all right!"
No answer. Onepaw felt tears fill her eyes, They're both dead! was the thought that popped into her mind, and beliving it was true, Onepaw dashed away, running blindly, sobbing, crying. This was the first time when she was old enough to understand what was going on that she had lost anybeast close to her. Eventually she collapsed and lay there, sobbing herself to sleep.
Redwood awoke first, she stood up and saw nobeast so she did what Onepaw had done
"Mama, Onepaw, where are you?!"
She got no reply either. Remembering the pawprints she'd seen the night before she looked at them, and followed them. Up to the house they went, and they came back in a hurry. They set that fire that killed my family! She realized and to herself she swore an oath.
"Evr'y one of these beasts will die by my paw, this I swear on the memory of my mother and sister."
Redwood was an excellet tracker, self-taught with Onepaw's help. She had no trouble finding the place were the horde were camped. Redwood was about to go down and take on the whole horde single-pawed when her burned paw gave out on her. Glancing about she spotted some herbs she knew were good for burns, she tied them to her paw with strips of her tunic. By then she was thinking rationally, If I go down there and just light into them, I'll be killed and then who would avenge my family? No I'll follow, find out and kill whoever was there, maybe slay a few extra vermin while I'm at it.
Onepaw woke about that time. Something in her had snapped, she was angry at everything, hated everybeast. Fate had been cruel, and she would be cruel back. Maybe she hadn't killed anybeast in her life, mabye she hadn't set any fires to a building, and let it burn, for the sole purpose of killing a babe, but at heart, she was just as bad as the father she never knew.
She wandered down the road, not caring about the burn on her pawstump. A mouse saw her, and ran and hid. He was in the woods off to her side, she acted like she hadn't seen him, but she had. She stopped and sat on a log, right side to the bushes were he was hiding. The mouse kept still, Onepaw acted like she wasn't used to a lot of walking, groaning and examining her feet and complaining aloud.
"Ah dunna why dis is so hard on mah back paws. Oh lookit dis, a b'ister! Ah well, Ah'll git used ta it!"
After wandering down the road a bit; Onepaw found a rusted hatchet lying in the dirt. As their was nobeast around....Well; finders keepers!
Onepaw continued down the road, examining her new weapon. It was small, light, but very sharp and on impulse she threw it at a tree. It struck, slightly off from where she had been aiming, but that was more Onepaw's fault than the hatchet. She pulled it out musing aloud "Vera good 'atchet, good fa close an' fah ran'ed."
Redwood was at this time sneaking up on a guard; the horde seemed to be resting today. It was a rat; and it was sleeping, also it hadn't bothered to wash the soot off its fur. Redwood had in her paws a piece of her tunic, for strangling it. It was over very quickly, afterwards Redwood took the rat's dirk, a fine one, too fine for vermin.
The warlord's tent was nearby, maybe he had been there. Redwood snuck over, she was quiet on her paws, even with a limp. She entered through the flaps, there was a hole in the tent, These vermin can't even take care of their tents the thought passed through her head. Slilently and slowly, Redwood moved, silently and slowly, up to the warlord, and then she raised the dirk and plunged down, just as Jisky Bloodtooth turned, so that the light from the full moon hit him full in the face. Redwood gasped and instinctivly jerked, and Jisky Bloodtooth awoke to see a bushy tail disappear through a hole in his tent, and with a wound in his shoulder.
He flew out of bed, grabbing the blanket to staunch the blood flow and yelling
"Get that squirrel! Get it!"
He exited the tent to find most of his horde sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. He continued yelling
"Get the squirrel! Get that squirrel you mangy lot!"
And so forth, kicking the sounder sleepers that hadn't awoken yet. The horde had no idea which way to go, so they stood about, a few asking their messmates what was going on. Jisky Bloodtooth was really angry, he began attacking some of the ones standing about, after that the horde just ran into the woods, looking for a squirrel, who was at that moment, sitting in a nearby tree, badly shaken.
Redwood was panting, examining her footpaw, it was bleeding now, and she was wondering. Wondering why that ferret looked so much like Onepaw used to, he could have been her father! But Mama had said that all four blood parents were dead, so he couldn't have been. Mama cou'd have lied. No! She'd never do that! Those were the thoughts running through Redwood's head, finally she convinced herself it was the moonlight; that she missed her so much, that made her think he looked like her sister. Convinced, and having stopped the blood coming from her paw, she examined the dirk she had stuck in her belt.
It was a very beautiful weapon, in a deadly way. The handle was wood, wrapped in leather. The steel was of excellent quality, and forged wonderfully.
"Where'd a rat get a dirk like this??"
She whispered aloud. Then shrugged and stuck it back in her belt. Then she leaned back and fell asleep.
Onepaw had practiced for most of the day with her new hatchet, eventully continuing down the path after she had nearly perfeced her skill with it. The moon was rising when she spotted a building, "Ah ne'er!" she exclaimed, for she never until that moment believed Redwall Abbey was nothing but a legend.
Onepaw approached, being careful, she had heard about Redwall's hospitality, but who knew what got exaggerated, and what got left out? She walked up to the main gate and stood there, nervous. Onepaw realized she still had blood on her hatchet, so she rubbed it in the grass until she couldn't see anymore. Onepaw then tucked it in her belt, and knocked.
Jarek the hedgehog gatekeeper was awoke by a pounding on the main gate, accompanied by a shout
"'Ey! Is anyabeas' gonna opeen dis door?"
Jarek grumbled to himself as he climbed out of bed.
"I 'eard you!"
he snapped as he exited the gatehouse. He pulled back the bar and opened the door, a ferret stood there!
Onepaw looked at the hedgehog, he seemed about to say something but she cut him off
"I not kum ta cuse truble, I jus' want a bed fir tinight, and Ah'll be on mah way tamorra."
He looked at her hatchet.
"Well a beas' 'as go'a defend 'erself."
He hesitated, and held out his paw
"Turn that over, and we'll go see the Abbot."
Onepaw shook her head
"I dunno how much da t'uth bin st'eched."
Jarek grunted
"Wait here."
Rumwold; the Abbot of Redwall was a sleek otter who was the son of Abbess Mhera, and the only other otter Abbot or Abbess before him. The green-eyed Abbey leader was in his bed, snoring when Jarek woke him.
"Hmm....What?" A moment later, he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
Jarek shuffled his footpaws nervously.
"I don't mean to disturb ye, Lord Abbot but there's a ferret 'ere who want to see you."
"A ferret? Here at Redwall?"
"Aye, she's a feisty one."
"Well if she wants to see me let's not keep her waiting, eh?" By now the Abbot was out of bed. "Come on."
A few moments later, Onepaw watched as Rumwold approached her (with Jarek close behind) and said:
"Oh, are you the ferret Jarek wanted me to see?"
Onepaw shrugged
"Depen's is dere any oder one-'awed fe'et 'roud 'ere?"
Rumwold nodded, and said
"Now, what is all this about, hmmm?"
Onepaw shrugged
"I jus' wanna plice ta staiy fir da night, den Ah'll beh on mah way tamorra. Ah won' tun ova mah 'achet."
The otter Abbot's brow wrinkled as he though, and then he said
"Jarek, there's a bed in that small room back in the gatehouse, put her in there. Ah- I suppose she will be alright there for the night in there."
Jarek grunted and said
"C'mon in then, but don't try nuthin'."
Onepaw just smiled and walked through the gate, and into the gatehouse.
"Back there."
Jarek said as he pointed. Onepaw nodded and entered the small room. Jarek promptly slammed the door behind her, and locked it, muttering to himself,
"Give her a bed for the night in an unlocked room, and we'll wake up dead."
He climbed into his own bed, and fell to snoring. Onepaw was in her room, afraid. She needed a way to get out, what if the gatehouse caught on fire, and she couldn't get out? Onepaw calmed herself by thinking Easy nahw, its jus' a lock Onepaw fumbled around in her room, and found a stick, she felt it. It was thin and bendable, long too, perfect. She fumbled her way around to the door, and felt around with her pawstump for the lock. Finding it, she inserted the stick. This time she didn't fumble, she and Redwood had enjoyed picking locks. Stip t'inkin' 'bout Re'woo', sheh's gone, pick da lock. It didn't take long, maybe two minutes, before she heard a click; it was unlocked. Grinning to herself she opened the door, quietly. Then she climbed into her bed and fell asleep.
Chapter 2
Redwood awoke early to the sound of a couple of vermin bickering. She ignored them; what they were saying wasn't important, just something about who the bow really belonged to. She brought her footpaw up and took off the bandage and examined her paw. It was a bit better but she still better keep the bandage on. Wait, where did it go? She looked down, and saw a fox and a ferret looking up at her, the fox had her bandage on his head. "It's the bushtail! Get 'er!" Said the ferret as he reached for the bow they had been arguing about.
"Gimme the bow. I'm a better shot than you."
The fox shook his head and clutched it close.
"You won't give it back."
The ferret grunted.
"Yes I will, 'sides, that ain't even your bow."
"Is too!"
Redwood was about to slip away when the ferret's reply caught her off-guard.
"No it ain't, you took it from that 'ouse, the one Bloodtooth 'ad you burn down."
Redwood trembled with anger, that was probably her bow! I'm not going to let vermin kill creatures with my bow! she thought, and swung down to a lower branch just as an arrow zipped through where she had been sitting a second before. Carefu' Re'woo', ye might be the fi'st beast dead by that bow. The voice wasn't her's it was Onepaw's. Go away Onepaw, you're dead.
"Tink we got 'er?" asked the ferret, looking up in the tree. The fox shook his head,
"No I don't now gimme some more- arrcckk!"
He was cut off with a dirk down his throat. The ferret jumped, and opened his mouth to yell an alarm, Redwood swung down quickly. The same piece of tunic that she used to kill the rat guard, she used to gag that ferret.
"Were you there?"
She asked, trembling with hatred, the ferret looked confused.
"Were you one of the ones at the cabin?" she said, the ferret looked panicked.
"Were YOU one of the monsters that killed my family?!?" she shouted, but she never received an answer. She had grabbed his neck, and at that question she squeezed with all the strength in her paws. The ferret lay there, his neck broken. You don't look like my sister. Of course it's not Onepaw!!. Redwood shook thoughts like that away, it was upsetting. She counted off the vermin on her paws, seven or eight left, depending on if the ferret had been there.
Onepaw woke early; Jarek was still in bed, but his snores were not as loud. Onepaw moved out of her room, intending to simply slip by, and exit Redwall, but an idea sprang up in her head. She stopped and thought on it for a few seconds. She'd do it! Oh, and maybe she could play a small joke on Jarek as well.
Onepaw drew her hachet, and stuck it in the headboard of Jarek's bed. Right over his head, Nah, does that pruve ye wrong?' Ye can wake up alive if I stay da night.
Jarek woke, and sat up yawning. There was some kind of stick there. Those Dibbuns, he thought, before he pulled it over his head to see it was a hatchet. There was blood on the head!
"Now, see, ye can wake up alive, if Ah 'ave a room, unlocked." Came a voice. Jarek needed nobeast to tell him, it was the ferret. He turned to face her, sitting on a chair across the room.
"Kin Ah 'ave it back now?"
She asked, an evil smile exposing her teeth. Jarek held back,
"There's blood on it." He stated, showing her. Onepaw's brow wrinkled,
"Ah though' Ah go' rid o' that. Oh will." She held out her paw, "Now, Ah want mah 'achet."
Jarek hesitated too long. Very quickly Onepaw got up from her chair and crossed the room. She snatched it from his paws fast.
"Yew can wake up alive, 'cause I don't like killin' sleepin' beasts!"
Onepaw sauntered out of the gatehouse, nobeast knew what she'd done, and she wasn't going to let them find out until she'd gone.
Onepaw wandered around the Abbey, only a few beasts were awake and they were the ones in the kitchen. She explored the grounds, taking note of everything. Walls, trees, pond, anything and everything. She looked at the sun and guessed it was about six. Dat would be the' bes' time. She thought, and went down to the kitchen.
" 'Ello." she said frightened the mouse she was speaking too.
"Ahhhh! Vermin!" the frightened mouse screamed, causing some of the kitchen helpers to run and hide, and most to grab some sort of weapon and run over there.
"I'm peacbl'." Onepaw said, "But I'm 'ungry."
The friar, a fat squirrel, studied her intently. "How did you get in?" he asked, pointing his weapon -an oven paddle- at Onepaw.
"Da gatekipper lit meh in. Abbot tol' 'im too."
The young mouse that had screamed asked "Should we feed it Friar Yasen?" the friar thought a moment.
"Go ahead Alta. Larjay, you go get the Abbot."
Onepaw sat on the counter, half-grinning in a way that made her look like a maniac or a killer. She accepted the tray handed to her by the mouse, Alta, having gotten over her fright, said "If you would not mind, we would appreciate you going away and not scaring the wits out of helpless mousemaids."
Onepaw couldn't help but smile at this as she slid off the counter.
"Ah see ye's not afeared of meh anymur."
She said as she walked by, Alta didn't reply, but as Onepaw went into Cavern Hole, she wondered where in the world she got the courage to do that.
Onepaw wandered about Cavern Hole, noticing this and that, making mental notes on this and that. Her tray lay on a table, mostly forgotten. Finished with Cavern Hole Onepaw moved on to the Great Hall.
As she walked around, Onepaw noticed a tapestry with a picture of a mouse on it. The mouse was wearing armor and had a sword; many vermin were fleeing from him.
"That is the founder of the Abbey, Martin the Warrior." Came a voice from behind. Onepaw turned and stared as she saw the strangest beast she had ever seen. She was slightly shorter than an average hare, not counting the ears, and sandy colored with dark stripes.
"I'm a meerkat, the only one at Redwall. My name is Blossom." She smiled at Onepaw. Onepaw gave a nod in reply. "M'name be Onepaw; where do ye come from?" Blossom looked a bit confused Pretty good
"You mean where was I born?"
Onepaw nodded "Aye, dat's whot I mean."
Blossom shrugged, "I can't really remember. You see, when I was eight seasons my sister brought me here. Apparently I'd gone out of my head, I can't remember anything before waking up in the imfirmaty. My sister is mute, so she couldn't tell."
Onepaw looked at the smiling meerkat, and idea forming in her mind.
"Den, ye's knows da Abbey verry well?"
Blossom nodded vigorosly, "Oh yes! Very well."
"Den, ye could show meh round? Relly well?"
Blossom grinned, "Oh better than anybeast else! Come on!"
Onepaw smiled evilly to herself as the simple meerkat showed her around showing her the Abbey. In more ways than one.
Redwood moved about quietly and silently, going back where she'd killed the rat the night before. The body wasn't there, but a different vermin, again a rat, was there on guard. Clutching her dirk, Redwood moved a little into a better position. The rat didn't notice; he was too busy jumping at shadows. Redwood picked up a stone and flung it. When it landed the rat jumped and pointed his spear at the general area it landed in.
"Who goes there?"
He called, timidly as if he was afraid that somebeast would jump out and kill him. It wasn't to be yet, Redwood quickly clapped her paw over his mouth and pressed her dirk lightly against his neck.
"Make a sound and I kill you. We're going over there and you'll tell me if you were on the raid."
The rat swallowed fearfully. Redwood gave him a bit of room so he could walk and began marching him over to the bodies of the two vermin she'd killed earlier today.
Half-way there, the rat tripped over a rock. Falling with a small squeak of fear face-first on the ground, with a near-deathly cut on his neck from Redwood's dirk. Even though she had jerked away as fast as she could. "Be more careful next time." Redwood snapped quietly as she pressed anouther tunic piece on the cut. " Now hold that." she whispered, as she scanned the immediate area for any helpful herbs. There was none that she could see. She let out a bit of a hiss, disappointed. "Let me see that." she said, still snapping at the rat. It nodded mutely and slowly pulled the makeshift bandage off.
"If you're careful and don't move a lot you might not bleed to death."
She said, and pressed the piece of her tunic back on.
"Now move." she exclaimed, quietly. After getting to the place without any further incident, Redwood pulled the rat over to the ferret.
"Were you on the raid?" she growled. The rat swallowed again, before shaking his head.
"Are you sure?"
Redwood demanded. The rat nodded.
"Were you there?"
The rat shook his head again, violently.
"Are you lying?" The rat shook his head even harder.
"You're lying to me!!"
The rat looked panicky and fearful, but he didn't shake or nod his head this time. Redwood thought a bit more.
"You weren't there?" she asked, calmly. The rat nodded, relieved, Redwood nodded, and thrust her still-unsheathed dirk into the rat's chest.
"You're still vermin." she said to the body, as she looked down at it. The squirrel looked up, a bit frightened as she heard a rustling in the nearby pine trees; perhaps vermin reinforcements.
"Who's there?" Too late. Redwood just nearly missed getting hit by the dark shape that leapt from the trees.
Chapter 3
Jisky Bloodtooth was not in a good mood. It had been half an hour since a renegade squirrel had stabbed him in the shoulder; and he had since sent for his healer, Ravanna, an ancient sable who dressed in tattered robes of forest green. Jisky winced as the bone needle slid in and out of his silver-white fur. He winced, swallowing, and then looking up at Ravanna's icy gaze.
She chuckled at her patient, saying "How would ye like te'hear of Scirius the Renegade, eh si're? Dat's anudder skurrel to luke out fowr, in fact, may'ap it waz him who tried to slay ye."
Jisky snorted in disbelief. "That 'un was female. She was wearing a skirt. Scrius is nought but a legend made to scare whelps like my daughter."
Ravanna laughed and wagged a claw. "That I wouldn't be so sure of, yer Mightiness, p'raps ye're wrong... May'ap someday Scirius'll smite ye with 'is curssed bow!"
Jisky rolled his eyes and then bared his blood-red teeth. "Go on, be out with you, ancient one! Leave me, I am healing. If I need your services I'll inform you. And assassin squirrels or none, I want a guard posted outside my tent starting today. I don't want another night like this one."
As the sniggering Ravanna collected her belongings and left the isolated tent, Jisky Bloodtooth went to sleep, but not before sharpening his dagger on a small sharpening stone, chuckeling evilly. "Assassin squirrels? No problem.... Not a problem at all..."
As Blossom took Onepaw by the arm and led her through the Abbey's various rooms; the one thing that held her attention most was the stares. As they passed through each room, creatures stopped what they were doing to look at Onepaw, but as she would give them her eye contact, they would turn away and begin whispering in hushed tones with one another.
The presence of a species termed 'Vermin' in the Abbey had not been uncommon in the distant past, but all the vermin who had visited had only sought to take the Abbey; and the notion of one such creature as being peaceful was a strange concept for many.
Along the way; Onepaw also encountered a creature to reckon with: They stopped for a moment at Cavern Hole. It was a long; rectangular room where meals were served and sometimes meetings and councils were held, as Blossom said:
"This 'ere's Cavern 'Ole, where we eat, and have meetings and talk…" But Onepaw was no longer listening. Sitting in a chair in the great wooden table was a mouse, Alkanet, the current infirmary keeper, a mouse who accepted no riffraff in her infirmary- or anywhere else.
"Hew's dat?" Onepaw said in a low voice, wincing as her left wrist flared up with pain.
"Sista Alkanet; she stares at t'everybeast. C'mon, let's go."
But as Blossom took Onepaw's arm and led her out of Cavern Hole, she had the feeling that she had found an enemy in Sister Alkanet. And Onepaw, being who she was, would certainly look forward to that rivalry with pleasure.
"Ahhhpfk!" Redwood yelped in pain as the unidentified creature (which she now recognized as a squirrel) That had leapt down from the tree fell on top of her. "Get off me!" Redwood yelled, only to be met with a "Not on your life, sister!" From the other squirrel; who was male and spoke in a low, gruff voice. They wrestled in the dirt for a little bit until Redwood seized an opportunity to drag herself a few inches away, drawing her dirk. Grinning wickedly and pulling out a rapier, the other squirrel got up and Redwood could see her attacker clearly now: He was thin, gaunt and dark gray in color, with amber eyes much like Onepaw's. His body was covered by old; age-whitened scars and he wore a ragged cape of dark blue and a matching tunic. Immeadiately the other squirrel charged at Redwood.
The fight resumed. Metal struck metal as the dirk and the rapier struck each other in harmony; the rising sun glinting off them. It continued all the way until the large rapier was positioned under Redwood's throat. Feeling her fighting spirit ebbing, Redwood spoke
"Don't hurt me. I'm just passing through. I'm looking for a Warlord named Jisky Bloodtooth..." Something in the other squirrel's eyes changed. He pulled the blade from where he'd positioned it.
"Bloodtooth?! Hah. I'd know the scum anywhere...."
Now that the fight was over, the other squirrel looked quite sheepish. "Er....Forgive me for what I'd done; I couldn't see you very clearly from how high up I was. Who are you and what do you want to know about Bloodtooth?" "M'name's Redwood; and I'm looking for Jisky because.... Because he killed my mother and my sister!" The male squirrel froze. He stared firmly at Redwood "...He killed my family, too. That's why I became an assassin; so I could slay anybeast that got in my way...The name's Scirius. Can I trust you, Redwood?" Redwood got up, but a bit shakily.
"Yes you can... So long as you don't try to kill me again!"
"On my honor I won't."
"Deal." Redwood sheathed her dirk and Scirius put away his rapier.
After a pause Redwood said "Maybe we could um...Travel together? I'm looking for my sister, Onepaw... I thought she was dead at first but I found some of her tracks earlier, so I don't think so." Scirius straightened. "Sure; where're you going?" "Straight east." "East... I've got my own score to settle there. So be it. We travel together." And as the two vengeance-seeking squirrels made their way down the forest path, lit by the barely rising sun, in other parts of the forest, evil eyes were watching.......
Chapter 4
Afternoon came blazing into summer Mossflower. At Redwall; Onepaw's tour was nearing its end. Blossom and Onepaw stood in the cloisters; Blossom's brown eyes roving between the halfscore of young creatures playing various rough games on the lawn bordering the orchards. "Where's my sister, I wonder?" Blossom murmured, scanning the group of youngsters.
"Oh, there she is!" Blossom glanced over at a thin, grayish-brown meerkat with darker brown stripes seated under a shaded apple tree, reading a book. "Onepaw, would you like to meet Crowbait, my sister?"
Onepaw nodded, clutching uncomfortably on her left wrist, a habit she did when she was a little nervous. With Blossom alongside her, Onepaw crossed over from the shaded cloisters and into the scorching summer afternoon. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alta, the mousemaid who had screamed at her in the kitchen, and a squirrel she peripherally remembered was named Larjay. They were whispering something together that Onepaw couldn't quiet hear.
"Look, Jay." Alta whispered into her friend's ear as they sat on the grass eating a picnic lunch. " s'that vermin I told you about from the kitchen." Onepaw froze.
She muttered to Blossom "Yew go meet yer sister. I'll be right 'ere."
Larjay laughed and said mockingly "I wonder if she'll kill us all?"
"Oh I wouldn't doubt that if'n I were you."
Soon a few more of the young creatures outside began murmuring and whispering to each other. Onepaw vaguely caught their words. She wanted to move but seemed to be rooted to the spot.
"She's evil!"
"D'ya hear me? She'll kill us…"
"Kill us…Kill us… Kill us……"
A bead of sweat ran down Onepaw's back. Breathing heavily, she staggered towards the tree where Blossom sat chattering away to Crowbait who, of course, couldn't answer. As the tree's lowest-hanging branch grew near, Onepaw frantically grabbed at it with her right paw and tried to stay upright by holding it but it was too late.
The last thing she was before blacking out was Blossom and Crowbait running towards her with worried looks on their faces.
Somewhere in a lonely, winter forest of pine and maple, there was a small log cabin with smoke curling up from its chimney. The inside was warm; and lit only by a few small candles burning in various places around the room, and the fireplace.
A young, silver ferret was giggling was he bounced a wooden ball and sat in front of the fire. Strangely, his face was blurry and hard to see. His little sister, a babe a season younger then him, was grinning and picking up marbles in the six-clawed left paw that matched her brother's. "Lookit me, Risko, I fierce warrior!" She said; and did an imitation of her father, baring her small little fangs in a mock version of viciousness.
They were unaware what had happened to her mother. She had been slain and buried the night before; but their father had told his children their mother had merely gone away and wouldn't be coming back. Being as young as they were, they believed this.
So the two ferretbabes continued to play and laugh until their father entered the cabin. His sword was sheathed in his belt; and the wind was blowing coldly around him. He carried a metal bucket in his six-clawed paw.
The Warlord crossed the room to the old, creaky rocking chair. He placed the bucket to his left side and gestured for his little daughter to come. "Alia, come here and sit on my lap."
Wordlessly, the babe did as she was told. "Risko, you come here too." Soon, Alia was sitting in her father's lap, and Risko was protectively standing beside her and gripping her left arm.
Both babes watched in terrified silence as their father unsheathed his sword and held it in the air. It seemed to hang their for an eternity before he brought it down towards Alia's left paw, the one with six claws on it. Alia screamed in agony and went limp in her father's arms. Risko stared at his parent, terrified. A moment of silence passed before a tall fox entered and saluted Risko and his father. "M'lord, must we wait longer?" He held a pail full of kerosene.
"No. Do what you must."
"As ye wish…" Risko was shoved roughly out the door with his father as the fox hurled the pail of kerosene at the wall. Flames began to lick slowly up the walls, and then towards the thatched roof.
A slow, anguished howl built up in Risko's throat. "ALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Risko?! Risko where in Hellgates are you??"
Jisky Bloodtooth sighed as he somberly patrolled his camp. His only son was wayward again! What if he'll turn out like her…? Jisky silently shook his head. No. he corrected himself. Alia was not your daughter. She wasn't even a she. She was an it. A curse. A monstrosity; a blight on this horde. The ferret stalked through camp, his shoulder still in bandages from the assassination attempt.
Eventually he encountered Fireclaw, the fox who was his second-in-command, sitting over a small fire and finishing up the trout that had been his lunch.
"Fireclaw." Jisky growled, digging his claws into the fox's shoulderblades. "Have you seen my son?" Fireclaw's eyes went wide with fright. He almost choked on a fishbone. Spitting out the bone, he shook his head fervently. "Nay, Lord. Risko's off 'n about agin sure as ye please…. Methinks he might've gone this way though." The slender fox pointed with his spear to a shaded bridle path. "Thank you, Fireclaw." Jisky removed his claws from his hordebeast's shoulder. "Don't organize the patrol until I'm back. In the meantime I have some serious business to discuss with my son…."
So Jisky traipsed down the path, the high warm sun shining down through the maple leaves, making them seem clear. The pine trees swayed slightly in the wind, in a mystic sort of chant.
Jisky passed the wide lake where several of his Captains were fishing, laughing as they landed a catch. One of them waved. Jisky walked right past them stiffly as though he hadn't seen.
Several crudely-made wooden signs loomed in front of him, with names painted on them in berry juice like: THE LAND OF ICE AND SNOW → and, THE EXTREME SOUTH → (the word extreme had been repeated, making the sign read: THE EXTREME EXTREME SOUTH)
"Fools," The warlord muttered curtly, hearing a SPLASH! Coming from the lake. The forest in which they were encamped was an absolute fool's paradise, and he couldn't possibly care less.
He turned sharply down a trail to the right, and stopped at a clearing. A smile curved on Jisky's hardened features. Risko was sitting in a vast windswept meadow, surrounded by wisteria, dandelions and buttercup, all blowing softly in the breeze.
The young ferret was tall for his age, and silver in color like his father, with piercing jade-green eyes. He wore a mustard-colored tunic, and there was a jagged dagger pocketed in a sheath in his belt. Risko sat hunched over a pond, filling his canteen.
Jisky was so silent he knew his son didn't sense his presence. Creeping stealthily through the grass, the older ferret grabbed Risko by the shoulderblades and spun him around to face him.
"Risko!" He grated. "What're you doing out here?!"
Risko leapt up. "Nothing." He said defensively.
"Sure, I'll believe that." Jisky mumbled.
"Did you want to run away? Is that it?" Jisky mocked, placing his paws on his hips.
Risko was silent. Jisky drew a sword from his sheath and put it under his son's throat.
"Tell the truth or you're a deadbeast."
Risko glared at his father icily, eyes flashing.
"All right, so I DID try to run away. Happy, father?"
Jisky grinned curtly. "Yes." He said and put his sword away.
"Risko, it's high time you learned what it really means to be the son of a Warlord! You're getting older fast now, and I want you to have more responsibilities but at the moment it doesn't seem so. You're always doing something idle, like reading, or fishing or watching the stars…. Hell's teeth, you're just like your mother!"
"And what's wrong with that??"
Jisky did not answer. Instead, he looked up at the sky, blinking. He yanked Risko roughly by his gloved paw.
"Come on, we need to be getting back to camp! It's high time we've gone patrolling."
Risko muttered something unintelligible. Jisky laughed.
"You're coming whether you want to or not."
Risko forced himself ahead of his father and walked, slowly back to camp, almost in the same fashion of a creature condemned to death. It was going to be a long afternoon.
Early afternoon sun slanted through the trees as Redwood and Scirius plodded along. The two squirrels were gradually growing a bit closer, but they still fought and bickered occasionally as could be expected when creatures of the opposite gender were traveling companions. Along with his bow, Scirius had a fair amount of weapons including his sword, and a wide array of throwing daggers hidden in pouches within his cloak.
"Are we REALLY getting any closer to Jisky's camp? It looks like we've been going around in circles!"
The two squirrels had decided to plan an ambush on the warlord who had ruined them. But these parts of the forest were new to Redwood, and although she was a decent tracker, all these trails were confusing to her; and so she had to rely on Scirius (who knew the woods like the back of his paw) for directions sometimes.
Scirius whispered conspiratorially, and held a claw to his lips for silence.
"In fact, I think I see it now…."
Redwood's eyes widened. She could see clearly the area where Jisky and his horde had been camping.
The two squirrels charged in, red and silver blurs, hackles raised and weapons ready. All that greeted them was nothing more than a peaceful clearing.
"Seasons! The villains moved themselves out before we could get to them."
Redwood spat.
Scirius gritted his teeth.
"I know it's frustrating but we'll find them. Can you track?"
"Aye. My sister taught me."
Redwood walked a good distance from Scirius and stooped in the dirt, making out a faint set of pawtracks that some half-witted soldier had tried to cover but failed to.
"They went northwest."
Scirius examined Redwood's find and nodded. "Let's get a move on."
Redwood muttered tartly and took a few steps ahead. Scirius followed her. "So this sister of yours…."
Scirius said more to himself than to Redwood as they walked down the sloping bridle path.
"What was she like?"
Redwood swatted at a mosquito that had been perching on her arm. "Onepaw always was headstrong and independent. She never listened to what our mother said unless she knew it was important. Onepaw was energetic, I always was the wary one in the family…. Growing up I was a bit shy, and she would always tease me for it."
Redwood smiled a bit at the memory, but the smile soon faded.
"So….What about your parents? How were they?"
Redwood shrugged.
"Our mother always was mysterious. She always told Onepaw and I to always call her by her name, Slicktail and not mum or mommy or mama or anything like that. And Slicktail just adopted us. Onepaw and I never knew who our real parents were, but Slicktail would mention Onepaw's father sometimes." "Did you ever wonder?"
"All the time! When we were babes, Onepaw and I would make up little games and stories about us being two sisters who went on great adventures to find our lost family, but we never did it when Slicktail was around. For some reason, she hated it when we played games like that. Slicktail was a very strange mother but I can't say that I don't miss her…."
Redwood sighed, but then managed a smile.
"I must be boring you by now."
"No, it's okay."
"But there's something I never told you."
"What's that?"
"Onepaw is a ferret. And Slicktail was a rat."
Scirius's voice was tinged with surprise and bitter contempt. Redwood gritted her teeth.
"The only good vermin is a dead one."
Scirius's voice was black ice.
"That's not what Slicktail taught me! And Onepaw wasn't evil. She was my sister! She wouldn't have hurt anyone unless it was in self-defense."
"Is that really true? Ever hear of Veil Sixclaw?"
The name was not familiar to Redwood.
"No. Who was he?"
"Veil Sixclaw was a ferret my mum and dad told me about once before they died. Veil lived I suspect hundreds of seasons ago. His mother died when he was born, and his father was an infamous warlord named Swartt Sixclaw; who got his name from the six claws he had on one paw."
"Slicktail always said Onepaw's father was a warlord."
Redwood muttered under her breath. Scirius glared at her. "Anyway, to make a long story short, Veil's father abandoned him after he was born, and he was found and taken in by the creatures of Redwall Abbey. A young mouse named Bryony took an interest in Veil and raised him as her own son. As the ferret grew up, he would steal, lie and disrespect his elders. Everyone in the abbey was ashamed of him except for Byrony, who never doubted there was good in him somewhere. When Veil was around our age, he was exiled from Redwall for trying to murder an innocent hedgehog named Myrtle. Bryony went after him but by then it was too late. Veil had realized what it meant to be a vermin and he wasn't about to give up his new life. Sooner or later, something like that will befall your 'sister' if it hasn't already."
"Onepaw would never let that happen to her! I just know it, Scirius! She might be to you, but Onepaw isn't just another vermin to me. She's my sister; my family….I love her."
Redwood's eyes were shining with pain. Scirius sighed.
"Redwood…..I'm sorry for the outburst. But I can't help but feel a hatred towards vermin, especially considering it was them who murdered my family. Like I said, that's why I became an assassin; so I could let out all that hate before it consumed me. But maybe I'M the evil one here."
"You're not. The only truly evil beast out there now…..is Jisky Bloodtooth. Onepaw's father."
"Onepaw is Bloodtooth's daughter?"
"Aye, but like I said there isn't a drop of evil in her."
Scirius took a deep breath.
"Let's keep going. I'll tell you about my family while we go."
"All right."
And with that, the two squirrels continued walking, unaware that in the noontide shadows, somebeast was watching….
Chapter 5
As afternoon drifted on, Onepaw had not woken up just yet. Crowbait and Blossom had taken her to the infirmary, where Sister Alkanet declared that there was nothing wrong with the ferret other than that she'd suffered a little heat stroke, and quite possibly her left wrist had been acting up. The no-nonsense mouse infirmary keeper had said that more space was needed in the infirmary for sicker beasts, so Onepaw was brought back to the gatehouse cottage where she had remained for the past hour.
Onepaw woke slowly. Her head and wrist hurt a little but other than that she was fine. She was lying on a small bed with a thin handmade quilt over her, and an embroidered pillow propped behind her head. A small three-legged table at her bedside had Onepaw's metal hook on it, with the rope she used to keep it on her wrist still attached, thankfully.
As Onepaw fully regained her senses, it quickly came to her that she was in the cozy back bedroom of the gatehouse, where Jarek had instructed her to stay last night. (The gruff hedgehog was currently nowhere in the vicinity)
Onepaw glanced about. A multicolored stained-glass window had been opened at her bedside, letting in warmth and afternoon light. The sky was still bright and crisscrossed with fluffy clouds.
Turning her head a bit, Onepaw saw Crowbait and Blossom sitting at a table by the fireplace. Blossom was reading a book she'd taken from the small bookshelf, and Crowbait had her head in her paws and generally looked miserable, as she often did. But a look of surprise came onto her face when she saw that Onepaw was awake.
When Blossom did a moment later, she dragged her chair over to the side of Onepaw's bed and sat down, and said:
"You're awake! How do you feel?"
Onepaw, now sitting up, shrugged weakly.
"Gudd enouh'."
Onepaw had to repeat what she'd said slowly and more clearly so that Blossom understood her accent. The simple-minded meerkat heaved a sigh.
"We'll have to do something about that grammar later. Oh well. That can wait. I'm glad to see you're awake, Onepaw."
She paused.
"Would you like something to read? There are plenty of books here."
Onepaw thought about it. She'd walked past the books in the bookcase before but hadn't really paid them any mind until now. She liked reading, so why not?
Blossom got up and went to the bookcase. She picked a ratty-looking dark green volume. Onepaw shakily got up from the bed, tied her hook back on her wrist and sat in the chair Blossom had brought over. She took the book from the meerkat, who went back to sitting at the table and trying to convince Crowbait to play some game with her.
Onepaw coughed a little as she opened the book. It was dusty and falling apart inside. Indeed; it was just a book that a traveler had found and brought to the abbey one day, never to return. As Onepaw opened to the first page, she was shocked and surprised to see that the author had written with a handwriting eerily similar to her own. It appeared to be some sort of diary……
The first pages were yellowed, ragged and were so stuck together Onepaw had to forcibly pry them apart with her claws and fingers. The first entry of the apparent diary read:
March 8th
Today marks my first entry between your pages, dear diary. And seasons what a day it is! It's gotten so much warmer out and the snow is entirely almost gone. Good. It'd be a terrible thing, getting married in the snow. Horsed around with Jisky and his captains today; Jisky was very sweet to me and kissed me in front of the whole horde(!) I know being the mate of a warlord is a difficult job but I'm well-aware of all the strings attached. We're to be married in two weeks on the twenty-second. I should hope it doesn't snow then! Much love, Thurn
Onepaw laughed a bit and flipped ahead two weeks, eager to read more suddenly.
March 22nd
Today was the happiest day of my life and I have no idea where to start! Dear diary, the wedding was fabulous, and soon I will retire for a peaceful night under the stars. This, I hope, will be the first of many calming windswept nights; at the peak of my happiness. Seasons; I'm the luckiest ferret alive!
Thurn was a fanciful and lovesick ferret indeed, and Onepaw grimly noticed this. Despite the diarist's florid writing prose, Onepaw decided she found Thurn's diary interesting enough to keep reading. Onepaw turned the pages to April of a year later.
April 19th
Today is a banner day! I have given birth to a silver son, Risko, who is his father's image, however he has my green eyes. Despite the joyful occaison of this day, Jisky seemed.... Changed. He wasn't the silly, teasing creature I knew him as on our wedding night one year before. He seemed cold, uncaring and even downright unkind. What has caused this change in him? I continue to speculate.
Because the next series of entries were a bit dull and very unimportant, Onepaw skipped forward another year, to May 5th.
May 5th
Jisky seems devoted to Risko; a good thing I guess. However, spoiling his only son was put aside today. Jisky and I now have a little daughter, Alia. Again I saw that coldness in Jisky, when he looked into her bright little eyes. Whatever has possessed my husband I fear it is getting worse.
Onepaw read sporadically over the next nearly-five years recorded in the diary. Thurn's writing became increasingly dark in mood. Two entries in particular (the first written in the second year; and the next written in the final year) stood out to her.
December 11th
Snow, ice and gloom settled over our camp in southsward like a dark, leaden cloud. We'll be returning for another Mossflower campaign in February and I can't wait! The welcoming woods of Mossflower have always been warmer then this forbidding land of sleet and snow and black ice. My only joys are my children. Jisky is a complete stranger to me. Speaking of Jisky; we got into our first real fight today (previously we'd simply ignored each other) It ended with Jisky holding a dagger at my throat and grating "If you try to leave me, Thurn, you're DEAD!" And his voice.....It was cold; colder than all wind and snow in this wretched land!
Oddly, the next paragraphs were crossed out in dark ink. Here is how Thurn's diary continued:
.....I've been spending more and more time with the children now. Risko is very mellow and would sleep in my lap all day if he could, and all dear little Alia ever wants to do is play with the toy dagger her father gave her back when he still cared for her. What kind of creatures will they grow into being? Not their father, I hope!
Onepaw stopped at the last entry, only pages from the diary's end. It read:
December 18th
Time is strange. Alia and Risko are now three and four; and will be four and five in the spring. If anything happens to them, I fear I will lose my own life as well. Jisky and I have been fighting constantly when we've spoken at all. He's indicated that something good will soon befall me, so I've been trying to stay positive. I hope it isn't in vain. I'll have to stop writing soon. Jisky just entered.......Carrying an axe.
Here ended the diary of Thurn Bloodtooth the ferret. Her final bark-parchment page was stained with a faded splotch of red. A stain of red that looked suspiciously like BLOOD.
Scirius and Redwood's tracking mission had taken a turn for the worse. Chatting casually as they went; the two squirrels soon noticed that the tracks stopped abruptly, as did the thick scent of passing vermin.
"Where are they??"
"I've no idea; the trail's cold as ice."
A large patch of ferns and bush rustled subtly, but not noisily. The source of the noise could easily have been a passing quail or grouse. Crouching under the undergrowth was Sawtooth; the fox scout Jisky had sent to make sure they weren't being followed. However; he had happened upon a much more rewarding bounty: The escaped prisoners!!
Although he had fallen out of favor with the Chief in recent times; Sawtooth hoped to prove him wrong and earn promotion.
Huh, these brushtails sure are easy t'track.....
His thoughts returned to the female squirrel's mention of a 'good ferret' how odd. This was definitely information the Chief should hear. As Redwood and Scirius ventured down a trail to the left; Sawtooth hurried back to camp, blending in perfectly with his environment. Promotion, he knew, was within his grasp!
"CHIEF!!! I've brought excellent news for you; sire! Do come quick!"
In his horde's new camp; Jisky Bloodtooth was sharpening his rapier idly. Laziness was Vulpuz's playground and he couldn't possibly have cared less. He eased himself from the moss-covered rock he'd been using as a seat and strolled casually up to Sawtooth the fox. He'd handled things like this before.
"Sawtooth. What news do you bring me?"
Sawtooth bowed before saying
"Well, um, Lord, you told me to go into the woods and make sure nobeast was followin' or spyin', er, sire. So I went into the woods; and I found the two squirrels who escaped! An' I heard sommat about a good ferret too."
A good ferret?
A shadow of doubt crept across Jisky's mind; but as soon as it entered he tried to banish it. His daughter Alia was dead; bled to death, and her body burned. Ghosts of the past needed to stay in the past, and his young daughter was among them.
Jisky grinned.
"Excellent, Sawtooth. Maybe I can trust you after all. You stay here and help yourself to extra food and maybe a few new weapons. I'll send out six or so beasts to go after the brushtails."
Sawtooth saluted.
"Aye, sire!"
The fox walked away, humming a merry tune. Things were looking up for him indeed!
Scirius and Redwood were encountering more dead ends. Redwood was stooping on the ground and helping Scirius look for tracks; but her mind was elsewhere. Onepaw. The pain of missing her was a dull, constant ache throbbing in Redwood's heart and in her head. Onepaw; who had never been told the truth about her father because Slicktail had died before she could tell her.
The squirrel took a silent vow that she would see Onepaw again, and knew in her heart that the plucky ferret would never turn out like her father.
"Scirius? It's a dead end. We'll have to try going east again."
Scirius shook his fist.
"Oh hellgates!"
He cursed.
"We're going in circles."
Redwood knew he was right and sighed exasperatedly. She sat down and took a swig of water from her canteen; which she'd refilled when they'd stopped by a stream earlier.
"Maybe we should just split up....?"
While the two thought of solutions, six vermin scouts sent by Jisky to recapture Scirius and Redwood waited in the undergrowth; among them Fireclaw and Sawtooth (who had earned his rewards and gone along with the patrol, hoping for more)
"One. Two. Three."
Fireclaw's words were barely audible whispers.
They charged out of the foliage.
It was Scirius who had seen the vermin charge first. He unsheathed his rapier.
"I'm no damsel. I can protect myself."
She said urgently; but accepted Scirius's saber; as it was a good weapon to have in combat against multiple beasts from a close range (Unlike her stolen dirk)
The two squirrels took their weapons and hurried into battle.
"Hah! Ye brushtails will never win."
Fireclaw laughed; half to himself. He didn't see Redwood's borrowed saber hacking into his throat.
Meanwhile, Scirius axe-kicked Sawtooth in the stomach and stabbed him in the back while he was still out of breath. In the cloud of dust and wind that had been kicked up; Redwood and Scirius managed to slay the other four vermin relatively easily, but the air of danger lingered.
"Did they send reinforcements?"
Scirius asked; repeatedly looking over his shoulder.
Redwood shook her head.
"I think the coast is clear. Let's go."
They picked up their weapons and ran; hoping to avoid their pursuers. As the heap of bodies got farther and farther behind them, Scirius heaved a sigh of relief.
"That was really close. Ha, ye'll never get us, scum!"
Redwood had to smile.
The travelers had not gotten much farther when about Five hundred cloaked beasts emerged from the shadows; led by a golden fox covered in clan tattoos.
Ruggan Bor.
Scirius thought he heard Redwood say something about this not being the Juska's territory; but it was too late now. He felt something hard crash against his skull, and then darkness.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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I adore Carter's brand...
What you said: the colors, styles, & patterns are wonderful. But, even with a coupon, I find them to be just a bit beyond my budget. Although the Target, Kmart and Sears in my area carry Carter's and Just One You for cheaper.
I'm with you. I'm a big fan but I usually get my stuff from the thrift store.
I too love Carters but end up buying most of my baby clothes from Target. I find I want to buy everything.
There's an outlet about an hour from me that has pretty good sales! That's something you can check for.
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text:
I met a guy at a party three weeks ago and we've been texting every day since then.
The most I've delayed to text back is half a day. We've been texting each other several times a day, but we haven't met up since the party.
People always say that guys love the chase and you should play hard to get to keep his interest. How do I do this with texting him when we're texting back and forth everyday? Is it too much? Do I just ignore him for a while or what?
Most Helpful Guy
If you want to play hard to get over texting, don't reply back to him for about 2-3 hours. I'm sure you're busy. If you're not there's always something to do.
If you play it off moderately, that should be OK. But too much hard-to-get and the guy will run out of steam and stop altogether.00|00|0


text:
Hey there I know I should have updated Easier to Run before I did this but I've hit a major road block and well there's this plot bunny that will not leave me alone. I'm actually tempted to post it but I don't know if I want to it is related to this series and is only a one shot but as I was listening to this song on the radio it came to me. The song was lips of an angel and I thought of Bella calling Sam at Stanford. And well the bunny was born. So would you like me to put it up? I don't know but it's not leaving me alone! Oh and exciting news I have a title for this series! It's called Meteora for the Linkin Park album. All the main stories will have a title from that album so…well except the Lips of an angel one shot….
Tell me what you think! And thank you for all the reviews.
Thank you
Disclaimer: I own nothing except Bella's power and the "ritual"
To say I was pissed with my brother would be an understatement. To say I didn't understand why he's acting this way would be a lie. I know Dean and Bella's history better than they themselves knew. In a way if I couldn't have her I'd want him to have her, because then in some way I would have her, granted it would only be as a sister but something is better than nothing.
Interrupting my thoughts was my phone ringing.
Bobby's gruff voice came over the speaker. "You're a Moron, you know that boy."
I sighed into the phone, "Yeah I know. Not to be rude or anything but why are you calling."
"Boy you and your Idjit of a brother need to go save your girl. She's being bait for a hunt and my original person bailed so get your ass there boy! I swear if she ends up dead because of you and your brothers stupid fight you'll wish you were in hell when I get done with you both."
"Bobby what do you mean Bella's bait."
He growled into the phone, "I originally thought this was a ghost but I'm pretty sure I'm wrong now, I missed the pattern. He's been taking girls from surrounding towns not just brunettes but blondes and red heads too. I think he may be creating a sacrifice. Still not sure what he is but I am sure Bella's going to be killed or worse."
Suddenly more scared, "Bobby what do you mean worse….."
I heard Bobby rustling through papers," 'And he will make her his bride as the moon turns dark, ripping her soul from the inside out, Making what is left as dark as the deep abyss at the end of the world. They will start the end of life as it is currently known.' That's what's worse boy, you and your brother have to get there today otherwise you may have to kill her."
Bobby told me where he thought she was and where her hotel was before this happened. I turned around and started running back to the hotel as fast as I could. When I reached the hotel Dean was staggering trying to stand up. I ran over to him and looped my arm around his body and dragged him to the car. He started protesting, "What the hell Sammy first you knock me out then, as I'm trying to figure out which way is up you drag me out to the car. What's going on!"
The only words I spoke as I was placing the bags in the car was, "Bella's going to die."
Looking around closely at the other cages I saw that the girls had all different hair colors but none had the same. Thinking back to the files, I was more than confused, mainly because there were no other brunettes in the room. Before I could contemplate this further the man who had drugged me came in.
"Ah my beautiful Isabella! You know how many women I had to go through to find you."
He laughed a cruel laugh that sent a chill down my back, "No Isabella many more than Seven, more like seven hundred thousand my dear for you are my bride the one I will finally destroy this world with. I have to complete the ritual first but then you will be mine and no one can stop me for this was destined."
As the only act of defiance I could think of I spit in his face and said, "Never you sick bastard."
He wiped his face off and laughed saying, "You'll see Isabella you'll see."
What do you think. Review. Oh and tell me if you want me to do that story….
Thank you


text:
Recently i discovered a site called alexa. For those of you who have never heard of it; alexa is the is the leading provider of free, global web metrics. Basically they track website stats.
Now to the interesting part. Terraria Wiki is the Number 1 query driving traffic to wikia.com from search engines (see here) . We have surpassed all other wikia sites by at least 40% and that's even with a decline. Not to mention we are the first result in Google searches.
So thanks to all the people who contribute to the wiki and thanks to all those people out there coming here for there info. With statistics like that it makes it all worth while.
Gracey91 ♣ talk ♠ contribs ♦ count ♥ 16:46,10/14/2011


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UK: Ryton PSA plant builds millionth 206
The one-millionth Peugeot 206 to be built in Britain at the PSA Peugeot Citroën manufacturing plant in Coventry rolled off the production line on February 18.
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"Treatment following a heart attack"
About: Kent & Canterbury Hospital / Cardiology Kent & Canterbury Hospital Cardiology CT1 3NG
Posted by TedHa (as ),
Three weeks ago I had a heart attack. In every way my experience with the NHS was excellent.
I was assessed at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital without delay and found a bed on Taylor Ward. The nursing care was very good and the ward clean and efficient.
Five days later I went home to await an appointment for an angiogram. Just over a week later I was at St Thomas's. I now have 3 stents and am at home feeling a great deal better.
My thanks to everyone. From start to finish it was the NHS at its best.
Response from Chief Nurse + Director of Quality + Operations, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust 2 years ago
Thank you so much for providing us with such lovely feedback, and glad we were able to help. Good to hear that you are feeling much better. Will let staff know, they will appreciate your feedback.
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