Author:
Geminya and Kaylar of AA
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Date Posted: 00:04:33 10/15/07 Mon
After the tragedy, the rebels following the squirrel heir that had been prophisised to defeat the tyrant were split. She had withdrawn greatly and many had left to carry out small acts of defiance with their own beasts. Oiltongue had no great troubles and lived well for two seasons.
As for Roseapple, she lived a half life. Only Spearstream, she permitted to enter the small dray in the willow tree and even then he was sometimes cast away by her. But one day was different.
She stood at the window of her small dray. Watched night give way to day. As the sun rose, it framed her in its light. Her light brown fur, normally kept short and neat but was now long and coarse, was outlined in the beams. Every spike, twist and lock. Looking at the shadow she cast on the wall, she drew her knife.
When Spearstream came cautiously to the door that noontime, he was alarmed to hear not a word spoken, bidding him to come in or casting him away. Worry lines puckered around his forehead as he gently pushed the door open, fearing the possibilities that might lie inside. As the door slowly creaked open, he beheld Roseapple sitting on a stool facing the window. Her fur was neatly trimmed. The claws resting on the nearby table looked sharp. Her tail stood erect and bushy. Setting the basket he carried on the floor near the door, she rushed over to her, fearing he had come too late. As he came around the table, he noticed one very odd thing. Her knife lay on the floor nearby, in a neat pile of fur. Roseapple turned to face him, a new light shining in her eye. He drew in his breath. She looked as she had before the ill-fated invasion of Redwall. Was all he seeing, was it a spirit?
Roseapple, seeing the alarm on the otters face, spoke. “Hello Spearstream. How goes the defiance of Oiltongue? It has been a long time since I have been in command. How far have we scattered?”
Spearstream tried to hide his astonishment by answering quickly. “Well, the molefolk reside in Moledeep, they haven’t been discovered. The mice and Caterina are with them. The rest of your squirrels have vanished into the Mossflower Canopy as wanders, not stopping in one place for too long. The otters and the hares have left for a long ways away, the otters to the seashore caves and the hares to the northern mountains that Oiltongue came out of. We have scattered far and wide. But they will all rise up and follow you, if you’d only come back to life.”
“Aye, my friend, I have come back to the land of the living. It is time for me to take my place, first as the leader of the rebellion, then as the restorer of my dray. Only then will I be at peace. Spearstream! Bring the rebellious to the light again. We mustn’t waste another season!” As he left, she turned to the fragment of glass that served her as mirror. She saw the pain in her eyes, but saw the fire that outshone it. Her paw, absentmindedly rose to trace the scar left by Oiltongue’s blade on the eve of Elmtree’s death. Oh well, this wasn’t the time for reflections. She rose and walked to the cabinet that held her weaponry. Slinging a bow and full quiver over her shoulder, she buckled the belt carrying Elmtree’s sword around her waste. She would carry it until Oiltoungue had gone to the Dark Forest or she had. Whichever came first.
She left the little dray in the willow, never to return to it again. Walking through the treetops, she reached the entrance of Moledeep. Inside, Caterina was arguing with the Foremole about extending the tunnel system. Around her she could see many creatures crowded into the small spaces. A few creatures noticed her and disappeared into side tunnels where very soon eyes where peeking out form and whispers drifting nearer. Striding up to the mouse she had come to know quite well, she asked, “Why expand the tunnels?”
Caterina was so amazed she almost dropped her jaw. “We haven’t heard from the hares or the otters and we’re a bit worried. The overland journey is too risky for many inexperienced creatures to make so we’ve lost contact.”
Roseapple nodded. “Okay, as soon as Spearstream gets back I’ll take a select crew out and discover what is happening. Foremole, you have your crews start tunneling now, we might need to flee fast or move creatures to or from here.” The moles immediately emerged from the tunnels they lived in and headed towards an unused wall to start the job. Within a few hours, creatures from all over Mossflower woods poured in and all of them wanted to see Roseapple. With Caterina’s help, she told them where to go and soon the tunnels were filling up.
When the last beast filed in, she went to the tunnel directly behind her. All of the beasts there had not unpacked. Their weapons were out and being checked for flaws. Squirrels stung their bows and checked their quivers. A few otters loaded heavy river pebbles into their slings and checked their pouches. All around her all manner of beasts honed all manner of blades. This activity stopped as she came into the room. “Friends, I have not been true to my word. As I freed each one of you, I said I would put you above myself. I have not done that, Oiltongue has reigned two seasons longer than he should have, because I drowned myself in self-pity. Now I have come before you to ask you to risk life and limb for me again. I will need a score of well trained and equipped beasts who have some idea of the way to the shores of the Western Sea. There we will rally the otters, search for the hares in the northern mountains and crush Salamandastron. The rest of you will remain here and train the others as well as guard the place. You will follow Caterina and Spearstream. They will, upon receiving word of our assault on the mountain, begin the assault on the surrounding outposts. When we have joined forces, we will march upon Redwall!” Her voice was strong and rang true. A score of warriors stood, four otters, two hares, four mice. Ten of the party were squirrels that had traveled that way, running from the border patrols. After she told them to gather weapons and food she noticed a squirrel standing near her. He was one of the very first to volunteer. Walking up to her, he asked if she would accompany him to a quiet spot at the back of the cave.
As he sat on the small ledge that served as a bed, he began to speak, words flowing from his mouth as a spring in the thaw. “My name is Oakfoot, brother of Elmtree. He liberated me from the Hemlock dray and promised me that we would fight together in time. But then he chose to go to Redwall with you. He never came back alive.” Here the squirrel’s voice cracked. “He told me that if something ever happened, if he died fighting for the rebellion and I lived, that he loved you with all his heart, that he would follow you to the dark gates if he must. Then he made me promise that he’d look after you, no matter what happened. So all I’m trying to say is that I will always be willing to serve you. No matter where it takes me, I will serve you.” She was crying and so was he. As they stood and wiped her tears away she said, with fiery passion. “I will avenge your brother if it kills me. You shall be forever remembered as Oaktail, brother of Elmtree, Guardian of the rebellion!” With that they parted to see to travel preparations and did not speak of it until the journey began.
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