From the writings of recorder bikkle.
The winter of the passing shadow.
A sad occurrence happened today. We lost our beloved abbey warrior, Fayna. Oh no not in battle, there hasn�t been fighting at Redwall for a long time. But to preventing battle.
�Old gatekeeper Roobil woke with a start to the thumping at the gates. He peered outside and wondered who would be outside in such weather, as it was blizzarding.
There was another bang on the old oak doors, so brother roobil heaved himself out of his chair and shuffled towards the gatehouse doors. He really was getting too old for this job.
� Oi�m a cummen, oi�m a cummen.� He murmured. �Now,� he said when he reached the spy hole.� Who be out thur on a noight like this eh?�
�Open up greysnout afore�� we all freeze to death out �ere!�
Roobil addressed the hedgehog sternly.� Now �ang on one moment! �oo am I apposed to be openin up fur?�
�We are the wanderin� shadows. A band of weary travelers. Yes we do �ave foxes and stoats with us but they are goodbeasts just like us. Now let us in!�
�Awright,� Said Roobil resignedly.� But ee� abbess won� be pleased!�
An assortment of creatures trooped through the gates. The band was made up of otters, squirrels, hedgehogs and mice. But also foxes , stoats, ferrets and one rat.
�No ee abbess surpintly won� be pleased!�
�Oh Roobil. This calls for an elders meeting. Tell them all to meet in cavern hole in five minutes. Where are the vermin now?�
�Inna� infirmary miz abbess.�
��Abbess Talna fiddled with her bushy tail nervously. � And your sure they�re not doing any harm?�
� Quite sure miz.�
Five minutes later a heated argument was breaking out in cavern hole.
�Whatever way you look at it they�re still vermin.� One door mouse was saying.
�Yes, but what if they�re not evil?! What if they really are honest beasts? Who are we to judge?� Replied a strong looking female otter name fayna.
�SILENCE!!� Cried a stern voice. It was abbess Talna. �I will not have us bickering like Dibbuns at bath time. Now, on one hand these beasts really could be honest creatures.� A disbelieving snort came from somewhere.
�But on the other hand I cannot endanger the abbey by letting in vermin and those who associate with them stay here. They can sleep in the infirmary tonight but tomorrow morning they must leave. That is my final decision. Now I bid you all goodnight.��
The meeting disbanded and mice, squirrels and other Tired beasts wandered slowly up to the dormitories for a good nights sleep. Except for one strong looking female otter.
�Anything to report riphide?�
�Yes sir. The wanderin� shadows �ave just left the big buildin� with one new member a strong lookin� otter, she could be trouble. The rat scarpaw�s with them sir. He starts work tonight.�
�� Vax nighteye sat back looking pleased with himself. Vermin and goodbeasts working together. Huh! He�d soon put a stop to that scheme. His well placed spy would spread discord like an infectious disease. And those vermin who refused to join his crew of land pirates would be taken as slaves just like those other goodbeasts who thought they could mess with Vax Nighteye!
�Very good Riphide, now get out of my site!�
Yes, nobeast messed with Vax Nighteye!
��Gone? Fayna gone?� exclaimed bikkle the old recorder.
�Yes,� said Sister Rose. �Her bed was unslept in when I went to check this morning. I think she may have gone off a traveling with those passing shadows or whatever they were called.�
��� The two old mice looked at each other glumly.
�I think you might be right.�
�It�s good of you to join us Miss Fayna,� a friendly looking squirrel was saying.
�Aye we�re always looking for new recruits�, agreed a young male otter.
�Well I wasn�t going to stay at redwall if they cannot even bring themselves to trust goodbeasts like yourselves,� said Fayna, a hint of anger in her steady voice.
�Not many beasts trust us, It�s good of you to,� said a young fox.
Fayna and the rest of the Wandering Shadows were seated round a blazing campfire. Stoat next to mouse. Fox next to squirrel. Rat next to otter.
�Just as it should be,� Murmured Fayna sleepily.
Scarpaw crept silently away from the shadow�s camp. Just as he had done every night since he joined the wandering band.
��Well rat?� The mighty weasel spat. �What do you have to report. Have you started work yet?�
�������� �Not yet master. It�s the otter. The new one. She�s different to all the rest. More� trusting,� he finished weakly.
Vax Nighteye glowered at the unfortunate rat with a look of intense dislike on his face. Rats! They were expendable. Easy to use.
�What are you saying?� the land pirate captain asked. His voice heavy with contempt.
��� �I�ll go back right away sir. Start work tomorrow sir. Thank you sir.
��Scarpaw crept back to the camp as silently as he left it. Just like a shadow.
�Flitcheye ahead! Halt!� called a hedgehog from the front of the group.
�What are flitcheye?� Fayna asked a nearby stoat.
�Flitcheye are a savage tribe of runty weasels. They don�t usually come this far south though. Wonder what they�re doin�.�
��Well,� said the hedgehog.�The flitcheye hold the only way across the stream. So we have no choice but to battle our way through!�
Cries of �We can take �em� and �Bring on the little blighters� came from the group. And somebeast started the chant:�Shadows, Shadows, Shadows.�
��Alright then chaps and chapesses. I want three rows eight across, no nonsense now come on,� bellowed out a fine military voice from the back of the shadows. It was a hare Fayna had not noticed before.
�� The group surprisingly did what the hare asked of them. And in a few moments the creature was giving orders again.� Troops� � advance! Hup two, hup two.�
Again Fayna was pleasantly surprised at the hares commanding abilities, as the shadows did exactly what he told them.
��� When the flitcheye were in sight the hare (who Fayna found out from the helpful stoat was called old scarum) shouted out:
�First rank, load slings and� FIRE!� A shower of slingstones took the tribe of weasels by surprise, and they were just recovering when old scarum shouted:
�Drop down and reload. Second rank� FIRE! Drop down and reload. Third rank� ��
The shadows carried on this maneuver until the flitcheye had the sense to retreat out of range. Then all at once they shouted �CHARGE!!!!!!� and the melee began.
�And you�re sure the flitcheye will attack them? Good.�
����� �Yes sir. The shadows have walked straight into the trap,� replied riphide.
� ���Vax smiled his evil smile. Riphide knew to get out of the way.
�A trap you say? But why? The goodbeasts are our allies now. They wouldn�t do that!�
��� �Oh wouldn�t they? Well explain this. Flitcheye hate water. Why would they bother to hold the bridge? And why did they come this far south? Because they were sent, that�s why.�
���������� �I still don-�
Scarpaw cut in trying a different method.� And have you noticed how they all act as if they�re better than us�ns. That hedgehog always takin� the lead. An� that rabbit orderin� us about like we couldn�t conduct our own battles!
It�s not right I tell ye cully. Not right.�
����� The stoat pondered this for a moment, then slowly nodded his head.
�You�re right mate. I�m bored o� runnin� round with this bunch o� softies. Shall we round up the lads?
�Aye, lets do it mate!�
The call of a tawny owl rent the still night air.
�Woo woooh. Woo wooooooh. Woo woo-arrgh! What are ye playin� at you great buffoon! I�m a signaling to the boss, so shurrup!�
�������� �And who might the boss be?� enquired the stoat.
�Vax Nighteye. He�s the one we�re takin� all these prisoners to!� Yelled Scarpaw in an exasperated hoarse whisper.
The night before, scarpaw, the stoat and all the other vermin they could persuade, had launched a surprise attack on all the good vermin and other goodbeasts. They now held them all captive in a nearby cave.
�� �Yes, me. Vax Nighteye. Show me the prisoners.�
�This way sir.��
�Just a little bit more, nearly there� got it! I�m free!�
� �Very good conker. Now start on our bonds. Quick!�
�Right. No, wait. What�s that?�
�The young squirrel poked her head outside the cave.
�Scarpaw�s back! And he�s got an evil looking ferret with him. What shall I do?�
�Run,� Said Fayna. �Save yourself. And bring help!� She called after her. But the squirrel was gone.
�
�Aahh,� Sighed abbess Talna.�There�s nothing like a stroll round the grounds in summer to make a beast feel happy, eh Bikkle?�
�� �You�re right there mother abbess. But still I�m uneasy. It�s been almost two seasons now since Fayna left us, and my old senses are tellin� me troubles afoot!�
����� Little did they know, how much trouble.
Vax counted the prisoners.
�I thought you said there was a score o� them?� he growled. �There�s nineteen here.�
��Well,� Said Scarpaw �That was just a rough guess.�
���� Little did he know, there was a score of them.
The squirrel Conker ran on, oblivious of and cuts or bruises she had gained. She had heard Fayna�s last remark. Little did she know, how useful that would be.
�
�Come on up on your feet!� The slave driver ordered. �We�ve to reach Redwall by mornin�. Vax�s orders.�
Fayna gulped visibly. The vermin were going to attack Redwall!
�He cracked his whip menacingly. �Anyone caught laggin� will be given a taste of this!�
���� The prisoners groaned and clambered to their feet. But inside, a glimmer of hope, burned like a candle. In the form of young Conker the squirrel.
�The vermin are headed still this way marm.�
���� �Aye, An� thur�s poor miz Fayna all trussed oop. It looks loik them varmints ave catured �em all! Gud varmints be catured as well. Look.�
�Well we can�t stand around chatting all day like hares at a picnic! Come on. Skipper, you�re in charge of defenses. Sister pansy, help me get these dibbuns inside. Brother Roobil I want nobeast outside but the wall guards. Carry on skipper.�
����������� �Well me hartie�s! Original wallgaurd carry on. Now you fine soldiers. Come to the gatehouse and get kitted out. There�s a stash of old weapons in there somewhere.�
Squirrels were given slings. Otter�s javelins. Mice were given bows, and everyone else was given� well whatever was left.
�By the left right and centre. Go out there and show those vermin what we�re made of!�
�All the gudbeasts is up on the wall sir. With slings an� javelins an all sorts!�
�� �So, they won�t come quietly hey? Well we�ll just have to show them we mean business won� we general?�
�� The stoat general nodded stupidly.� Yes sir!�
����� �But general! We can�t get near them. They snipe us to bits every time we approach!�
�Idiots! That�s why I was made an officer and you weren�t! We�ll make ladders, and shields. Now here�s the plan.�
A Quick note from recorder Bikkle in the midst of battle
The vermin let off for a while. Though I doubt to give us a breather! But now they are back worse than ever! We cannot hit them for they have built shields to carry above them. They have also built ladders. Obviously they want to climb the wall with them. But they are getting nowhere. We have beasts stationed all along the wall tops with quarter-staffs ready to push them off as soon as they get any height! One thing worries me though. That Vax character looks like he�s about to come out and talk. And he has Fayna, Our brave abbey warrior with him. I stop writing to listen now.�
�Bring out your leader. I wish to talk with him.�
�� �You�re talking to her weasel. Spit it out quick. I don�t have time to bandy words with vermin!�
� Vax Nighteye smiled. If Abbess Talna had seen that look before, and known what followed it, she probably would have surrendered there and then. But ignorance is bliss as they say, and she stood her ground and listened to what he had to say.
� �I believe this creature is from your abbey,� Said Vax. Pushing Fayna forward as he said it.
� The Abbess eyed the otter warrior coldly.
�She means nothing to us. She Deserted. Do with her what you will.�
But the tremble in her voice told the real story.
�So. You won�t mind if I- what the?�
� The ferret on the left of him had just fallen, struck down by an arrow.
�FREE THE SHADOWS!!!!!!!!!� The shout was coming from the woodlands! Another arrow struck down the rat on his right before Vax registered what was going on. They were being attacked from behind!!!
The vermin swung round to face these new enemies when a shout came from the wall:
�REDWALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!������ The vermin were under attack from both sides, and now the prisoners had been freed all hell was breaking loose. War cries raged from both sides and their seemed to be an equal amount of losses.
�EULAAALIAAAAA!!!!!�
�LOGALOGALOGALOG!!�
�REDWAAAAAAAALLL!!!!!�� �
The battle raged on but now the vermin were starting to lose heart, and soon those who hadn�t been slain were putting up their weapons and surrendering. But in all the celebrations, one beast wasn�t joining in. Fayna.
�Fayna my dear, why do you weep? The battle is won, and you know when I said I didn�t care about you it was just a pretence. What�s wrong?�
��� �Look at all these bodies mother abbess. All these beasts have died because grown animals cannot get along as friends. Old Scarum lays dead, and countless other beasts. I cannot feel happy, forgive me.�
�It is not you that needs forgiving warrior. It is us that have been blind to the cost of war. Come now and help bury the dead.�
From the writings of recorder Bikkle
Fayna was sad for many weeks but now she is back to normal. I will be retiring soon and my assistant recorder Brigg the stoat will be taking over. As you see all the good vermin came to live at Redwall. They seemed uncomfortable at first, but they have now settled down to abbey life. I must leave you now, our new abbey bell ringers, conker the squirrel and kyber the fox, the two closest friends in the abbey, have just rung the bells for dinner. And I don�t want to miss the autumn of allies feast! Friar Rutch and his assistant Fayna, yes Fayna have cooked up something special. Got to go now,
Recorder Bikkle.
From the writings of recorder Brigg
I�m pretty excited as this is my first official entry as Redwall recorder! I suppose I�d better tell you about what�s goin� on in the abbey. Old Rutch has retired so he an� Bikkle can enjoy their retirement together. So that means former abbey warrior Fayna is our new head cook!
But she�s just as deadly with a ladle as with a sword! Yesterday I was� sampling some nut farls and she near skelped my tail off with that weapon!!
I had better be goin� now. An� remember our abbey gates are ever open to good honest beasts, even if you be a �varmint� as ole Roobil puts it! Here�s my first signature as official recorder.
���Recorder Brigg.
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