Shrew Soldier

right|300pxShrew Soldier is a Redwall fanfic that features, for once, a shrew as an abbey-champion.
===Notes===
Before we begin, here's some heads ups.
*Don't expect me to include any songs or a riddle from Martin, poetry was never my thing (and I'm terrible at it).
*Some of the characters I'll feature will be named after other fictional-characters, though others will have names I just made up.
*I can do the speech-impediments of hares and various birds, but not moles.
*I'll still use the in-universe terminology (somebeast, everybeast etc.), but I'm also gonna switch around between it and real-world terminology too (by having characters be referred to as "man", "woman" and "person").
==Prologue==
It was around summertime in the land of Mossflower, proven by dozens of common starlings fluttering and foraging. Walking through brush were two adolescent woodlanders: one a female shrew wearing a red-shirt, black-trousers and had a pair of braids sticking out of her head, plus bright green-eyes. Her name was Saba and she was a Guosim-rookie, but was more interested in the field of medics than combat. Her companion was a male otter who wore nothing but a utility-belt and a sash (it was not unheard of for otters to be naked not just for swimming and bathing), complete with a sling and javelin, and had blue-eyes. His name was Tash Stag Otter as he was a descendant of the famed Cheek Stag Otter, and likewise can mimic a lot of sounds that could give the superb lyrebird a run for its money. "Thanks for the help Saba, it means a lot to me" he says, "what are friends for?" Saba replies: they've been friends since they were dibbuns, Tash laughs until he saw smoke in the sky ahead of them, "is the Guosim having a party or something?" he asks pointing, "no" Saba answers confused, then sniffed the air, "something doesn't feel right" she adds getting a foreboding-feeling from the smoke, "I sense it too" Tash adds and because of it, both ran to the location.
It took a few minutes to get there, but by then their senses had been right all along: something bad did happen at the Guosim camp. "Oh no" Saba gasps: in front of her and the otter was the camp, except it was ransacked: smoke billowed from a few tents and other flammable-material, "oh my blood and vinegar" Tash whispered, Saba ran through the camp calling out to her fellow shrews, "mom...dad...log-a-log" she hollers, Tash joined her but neither get answered, then Saba makes a spine-chilling discovery, "Tash, I found a dead vermin" she calls, Tash joins her and sees a dead-weasel laying on the ground, dressed in sea-folk clothing, "he must've been a corsair judging by the clothes" Tash deduces, "then this definitely answers who caused this" Saba adds and returns to calling for her parents, the log-a-log, anybody, until Tash makes his own discovery, "uh Saba, I found your parents" Tash said reluctantly, which Saba noticed, though she hoped he was just joking like most otters in his bloodline, until seeing it for herself, "no" she gasps: her parents lay dead, amid several other corsairs and shrews, one of which was the log-a-log, Saba fell to her knees and cries, Tash knelt beside and hugs her, leaking his own tears too. Who could've done this?
==Chapter One==
On the island of Terramort, there was activity. A castle towers over what looks like a slave-compound, and indeed it is a slave-compound, similar to Marshank on the mainland. Slaves of many woodlander-species were forced to do tasks by their vermin-captors: most being corsairs. Flying overhead was a peculiar seagull, who goes by the name Snoke the Vicious. He was born on this island, but even then he wasn't a normal bird, when he hatched he killed his own siblings so he could get all the care to himself. His parents were disturbed by this, but dismissed it as survival of the fittest, yet it didn't stop there: when he got old enough to fly, he began harassing other seabirds for their food, occasionally killing them. Then one day a corsair-ship parked at the island, the leader-corsair was an elderly-fox-man long past his prime named Panrahk. The fox was looking to retire, but none in his crew were worthy enough to takeover. It was then that Snoke met them, having grown fascinated from the many traveling boats he sometimes ran into and wanted to join. Panrahk happily took him in during the bird's teens, where the fox and his crew taught him how to wield a weapon and be a corsair. Over a season Snoke became so good he bested the whole crew in sparring-matches, leaving the gull to become worthy of Panrahk's place. The crew as a whole couldn't deny he was good, but Panrahk deceased before he could pass the torch. Snoke still missed that fox, but vowed to fulfill the request: he assumed command when he wasn't even an adult yet, and wanted to leave his own mark on the land like the many vermin before him. He was fascinated in the stories of the many villains his new crew told him, but disappointed that only two were birds, both ravens. Wanting to be the first seagull to become told about in stories in the future, he decided on slavery, so he and his crew built a slave-camp, then Snoke travelled away from Terramort to invite more vermin and once he was sure his own horde was big enough and the compound almost done, he and his lackeys set out to get some slaves. Snoke's dream became reality: once they got a good amount of slaves, the first thing Snoke wanted them to do was build a castle so he could get some fame. As the seasons went by and Snoke reached adulthood, more vermin signed up for employment, more slaves brought in, and the seagull threw away his birth-name and dubbed himself Snoke the Vicious, in part because it sounds cool. His castle, named Gabool Castle in honor of the rat who resided here decades ago was almost finished. Snoke himself flew to watch the slaves doing their thing. He wore a blue-sleeveless tunic and brown pants, and had green-eyes. He lands beside a rat-man wearing a purple renaissance-shirt, bright-red pants and a red-renaissance-cap named Yellowfoot, who catches a male squirrel collapsing on his knees from exhaustion and grabs his whip, "keep working" Yellowfoot demands, but Snoke stops him and takes over, "go and get a five-minute rest, then return to continue" he requested and the squirrel doesn't argue: unlike most slavers Snoke was more fair and merciful, believing that abusing slaves would do more harm than good, thus he wanted the slaves to be as fit and healthy as possible, something that a couple of his lackeys hadn't thought, "whipping the slave will only make them work less" he reminds Yellowfoot, "lord Snoke, ship ahoy" shouted a voice, the duo turn to see a male dormouse named Rarkim, a fat dormouse who wore brown-pants, a light-blue vest and black-shoes. It's not everyday you see a villainous-dormouse: Rarkim was initially going to be a slave, but was abnormally ferocious, so much so that he actually killed one of his captors and was locked in a cage out of fear. Snoke took an interest in him, seeing a much darker persona than you'd expect in a woodlander. Even other slaves gave him a wide berth, though Rarkim hardly cared, all he seem to want to do was kill every vermin in sight. Snoke decided to turn him to the dark-side by the promise of being in power and doing whatever he wanted. At first Rarkim refused, just wanting to straight up kill him, which in turn caused the vermin and slaves to go as far as call him feral, but Snoke noted Rarkim didn't care about the slaves all that much, just himself, so to prove it, he made the dormouse choose between getting revenge or saving a slave, but Rarkim surprised all by choosing the former, not even casting a glance at the endangered-slave. Snoke pressed it further by actually allowing Rarkim command of some slaves, and again the dormouse surprised all by abusing without second thought, and even enjoyed it, and thus Rarkim became an ally of Snoke's cult, though Rarkim still hated the seagull and company, and Snoke knew the dormouse wouldn't hesitate to backstab anyone, so he kept Rarkim as a guard, rarely promoting him. Snoke flew over to Rarkim's post and saw a ship approaching. "Thanks for the message Rarkim" Snoke thanks and flies to the ship.
On the ship, the captain was a male sable dressed in a teal-tunic, grey-trousers and a belt. "Snotclaw, how was your hunt?" Snoke greets the sable, "good, got some Guosim-shrews" the sable Snotclaw answers, "my goodness, quite a catch, though I assume it was costly as well wasn't it?" Snoke wonders: from what he heard, the Guosim were a nasty batch of warriors who hated vermin to the death, "aye, it did: lost a fourth of my crew doing it" Snotclaw laments, Snoke nods, "well, best you hold off from slave-gathering for a while" he suggests and flies back to the island, reaching the docks where a raven-man with blue-eyes and wearing a grey-shirt and pants and a metal helmet waved at him, "yes Steeltalon?" Snoke addressed the raven, known as Commander Steeltalon, who happens to be a descendent of the famous General Ironbeak, "well since Snotclaw is done I was wondering if I could go next?" Steeltalon asks, "where did you have in mind?" Snoke asks, "just the mainland, maybe eradicate some warriors so we won't be vanquished" Steeltalon proposes brandishing a trident, "alright, but don't even think of trying your luck at Redwall, you're better off trying your luck at Salamandastron or Castle Floret, or even Riftgard, but under no circumstances are you to attempt attacking Redwall: it's become death of all vermin" Snoke warns, but secretly he wasn't certain: Steeltalon has a grudge against Redwall-Abbey due to what it did to his ancestor, sure General Ironbeak was one of two of the only vermin that actually defeated Redwall whatsoever, the other of course being Cluny the Scourge, but where Cluny eventually succeeded by stubborn persistence (and maybe obsessiveness), Ironbeak's takeover happened when most of the place's warriors were busy chasing Slagar the Cruel, meaning that he won either by knowing about Slagar or dumb luck, what Snoke found funny was that the two victorious-vermin were alive around the exact same time, but whether or not they knew each other remains a mystery, "I'll try" Steeltalon vows though Snoke doesn't look convinced, the raven then addresses his second in command: a male weasel with grey-eyes, orange-pants, a black-tunic and was named Takadox, "ready the crew Takadox, we got the okay" Steeltalon informs and Takadox spreads the word, in no time Steeltalon's ship, the Steelwing, was abuzz with corsairs readying it, and when that was finished it set off for the mainland. Snoke watches, having the gut-feeling that despite his orders Steeltalon will aim for Redwall.
----
At Redwall itself, all was as it claims to be: peaceful. In Great-Hall a female dormouse was staring at the tapestry. Sure a local resident would stare at this work of art (and sometimes even talk to it), this dormouse, clad in a typical brown-Redwall-habit, was interested in the tapestry for another reason: the colors. "Burr, staring at the tapestry's colors again abbess?" a mole-like voice spoke spooking the rodent, and yes the dormouse was the abbey's current abbess known as Abbess Gussie, "oh Foremole-Arula, you scared me" she responds to the mole wearing a yellow-skirt and leggings, and a dark-blue-tunic, her name was Arula-II or Arula the Second in honor of the original Arula from the time of Urthwyte the Mighty, "sorry miss" she apologizes, "well yes, I am staring at the tapestry's colors again: it's just so beautiful" Gussie claims, Arula just shakes her head and goes outside, where there wasn't much happening.
On the wall-top near the main gate, a hedgehog-guard spied two approaching figures. "Hey Furple we got visitors" he shouted to the current gatekeeper: a female shrew with brown-eyes and wears pink-trousers and a green dress, "friend or foe?" she asks, "friend: one otter and one shrew, both juvenile" the hedgehog answers and that was enough for Furple, she opens the gate for the duo, a male otter already in the abbey recognizes the juvenile one, "son wel-...what's wrong?" he asks: this otter was known as Naltlim Stag Otter, none other than the father of Tash and current skipper of the neighboring holt, like his son he prefers being naked save for a belt, "bad news dad, lets gather everyone else-" Tash began, "killee, killee, killee" another voice interrupts and Tash found himself body-slammed by a hyperactive female juvenile sparrow wearing a green-vest and black-pants, "ugh good to see you too Tailfight" Tash moans to the bird: Tailfight was a local sparrow who took an instant liking to the otter after catching him imitating her kin, and since then she fallowed him everywhere he went (one could say she has crush on him, and even Tash's parents find it hilarious), "hey what about me?" another male voice intervenes, the owner being a juvenile squirrel wearing beige-trousers and a purple-tunic, "hey Backle" Tash greets the squirrel, whose full name was Backle Squirrel due to being descended from Jess and Silent Sam Squirrel, which is one of the reasons he and Tash bonded: both their ancestors lived at the same time, he was a rookie-archer, but prefers crossbows over regular bows, "now why was Saba and you looking depressed before Tailfight dive-bombed you?" he asks, Saba could see that many others had also gathered: there was the abbess, foremole, the badger-mother wearing a teal-dress and sandals named Luminara and more, "you might want to sit down for this" she warns.
==Chapter two==
Night has fallen on Salamandastron. Its current badger-lord, dressed in a yellow-samite and purple-trousers, was staring out a window from his room until a knock echoed from the door. "Come in" he requests and in comes a female hare dressed in a red Long Patrol uniform with markings signifying her as a major, "thought you'd like a late snack lord Brockthorn" she says to the badger, whose full name was Brockthorn the Sturdy, no doubt proving he was related to Brocktree and Sunflash, "oh Kimiko Thyme Dillworthy, sure why not?" Brockthorn concedes but still looks at the sea, "what's bothering you lord?" Kimiko asks, and yes she was in the same family as Dorothea Duckfontein Dillworthy, "I just got this feeling that there's something going on out there, something foreboding" Brockthorn explains, "well there hasn't been a war or anything going on for seasons, maybe the vermin are minding their own business" Kimiko suggests, "don't get your hopes up Kimiko, sooner or later a new warlord will surface" Brockthorn warns.
----
At Terramort, the slaves were heading back to their barracks for the night, supervised by a female gannet wearing a braid, black renaissance-shirt and yellow pants with a belt holding a whip. She spies a juvenile male hedgehog wearing only ragged purple-shorts drop to his knees, a female juvenile mouse dressed in a ragged brown-skirt and trousers, a ragged orange-shirt and a braid comes to his aid, though neither noticed the gannet approach, whose name was Featherwhip. "What's your problem?" she asks startling both adolescents, but a male badger dressed in ragged grey-pants and a green-renaissance-shirt got in-between, "leave him alone, surely you heard of Snoke's punishment for him?" he questions, making her look at the hedgehog, "yes, but why is her pocket bulging?" Featherwhip asks noticing the mouse was hiding something in her pocket, "just food miss" the mouse answers, "prove it" Featherwhip demands and reluctantly the mouse does, revealing a piece of bread, "thought so, though Snoke wouldn't starve you anyway, even if your are not allowed dinner tonight, off you go" she dismisses and the three walk away: the hedgehog was a kid who just entered puberty and as a result exhibited teen-stubbornness, which he promptly unleashed on his captor. As punishment Snoke denied him any dinner tonight and as for extra-measure, forced him to do a dance (by having a whip attack his feet, but didn't actually hurt him). When Snoke was satisfied the hedgehog was all sweaty from dancing in the heat, giving Snoke another idea for the punishment: he ordered the hedgehog stripped of his shirt and to clean out his bellybutton with his own fingers, or he'll get a beating (though that was mostly a bluff). Needless to say, the hedgehog chose the former, and while this wasn't the harshest punishment, it was certainly humiliating and unpleasant. As the three went far enough to not be seen the mouse handed the hedgehog the bread, who happily eats it. "Thanks Palipsur" he says to the mouse, "no problem Agen, though I couldn't get your shirt" Palipsur laments, "it's okay, it won't make a difference anyway" Agen the hedgehog shrugs and feels the breeze, which he thought was nice, "that and I like how this wind feels" he adds, "okay shirtless boy, time for bed" the badger demands in a fatherly way, "yes Kaz" the two teens conceded to the badger whose full name was Kaz Highpeak, which made him a relative to Mandoral Highpeak from the time of Tiria Wildlough, he looked at the night sky, "someday we'll get out of here" he whispers to himself.
----
At Redwall, everyone was in sorrow about Saba. The recorder, a male mole named Iskorol offered her to stay in the gatehouse with him and Furple (who was a former Guosim member herself). Some of Naltlim's otters went to search for where the corsairs that attacked came from with help of the resident-hare and abbey-beekeeper Drayden Kopaka Hinagi. Currently Saba was asleep, having a nightmare about what she witnessed and more: she saw her guosim as prisoners to some wicked-looking bird ruling over them. Then it all vanished in a blinding light, and of the light came none other than Martin. "Take my sword, and seek the land of death, that is where you will find what you just saw Saba" he says.
==Chapter three==
Saba awakes to find herself being nudged by Furple. "Hey Saba, how're you feeling?" she asks, "I'm fine" Saba answers and sees Iskorol was also present: the mole wore a brown-habit, "well I'm going to Cavern Hole for breakfast" he says and leaves, the shrews later follow.
In Cavern-Hole, many were eating breakfast. The current friar was an otter named Friar Raltud who wore the usual chef-uniform and was a close relative of Naltlim and Tash. He happily gave Saba a piece of Deeper'n'Ever Turnip'n'Tater'n'Beetroot Pie and some Candied Chestnuts in the hopes to cheer her up. For a drink she got Cup o' Cheer from Treybella Swifteye, a female squirrel wearing a brown-habit and was acting as cellar-keeper, a job usually occupied by hedgehogs. After Saba left she handed some Dandelion-Cordial over to Varc: a female vole wearing a green-habit and one of the abbey-sisters, who brings it over to Gussie, Arula, Luminara the badger, Naltlim, Drayden the hare who wore an unusual blue-colored habit he personally made, a male mouse wearing a green-habit named Brother Gorima and a male dormouse wearing only a grey tunic named Falon who worked as the infirmary-keeper. All were in a little meeting until Varc joins them. "Sorry I'm late" she offers as she sits between Gorima and Naltlim, "any leads as to where the corsairs had gone?" Gussie asks Naltlim, "no, the trail's cold" Naltlim lamented as he glances at Saba who was sitting with Tash, Backle and Tailfight, though he noticed they look like they hadn't gotten much sleep.
With the teens Saba noticed her friends didn't look right. "You guys couldn't sleep either could you?" she guesses, "not much: had a weird dream" Backle admits, "let me guess: it had some scary bird, shrew-slaves and Martin in it?" Saba guesses again, making the others look at her, "that's exactly what was in my dream" Backle admits, "hold on I had a dream like that" Tash adds, "killee Tailfight had dream too: saw mouse-worm Martin, shrew-worm slaves and bad-bird" Tailfight joins in, "me too" Saba admits, "you all had the same dream wot?" a hare-like voice interrupts and all four turn to see Drayden standing near them with a big plate of food, "yeah, and I think we know who's behind it" Tash admits.
----
Night has fallen over the continent and surrounding ocean. The corsair ship Steelwing was almost at the mainland, driven by a female rat wearing a black-shirt, blue-vest and pants and a green bandanna on her head named Chikai. Commander Steeltalon was at the bow surveying the coast with a telescope. Takadox emerges from below deck, too excited and anxious to sleep and thought a walk on deck would help. "Hey Takadox, can't sleep?" Chikai asks, "yeah" Takadox admits and looks around, "where's the boss?" he asks, Chikai merely pointed ahead of her and Takadox followed, eventually stopping beside the raven, "too giddy to sleep?" Steeltalon asks, "yep" Takadox admits and neither said anything for awhile, "so when we reach shore, where should we attack?" Takadox asks after a minute or so, "I'll give you a hint: it's a place of peace, but probably every vermin's desire to takeover" Steeltalon quizzes, it took Takadox a minute to figure it out, but when he did he wasn't exactly happy, "are you out of your mind? Redwall? that's suicide, not to mention against orders" he snaps, "Snoke said we couldn't conquer Redwall, he didn't say we could take some beasts from there for slaves" Steeltalon counters smartly, but that still didn't assure Takadox, "maybe, but I'm sure Snoke meant that, and that it counts as attacking the abbey" he objects, "tell that to Slagar the Cruel: he kidnapped redwallers for slavery successfully" Steeltalon argues, "that's only because Slagar didn't even want to takeover the abbey at all, and they still killed him, you just want to avenge Ironbeak" Takadox says, "wouldn't you if you were in my shoes?" Steeltalon asks and Takadox gives up at that, "if I was in command I would've chosen Riftguard or Salamandastron, since they're closer to the coast" he notes and storms off, though Steeltalon couldn't care less.
----
At Salamandastron, Kimiko was planning to do some nighttime recon when she spots Brockthorn standing in the waves looking north with a telescope. "What are you doing now?" she demands, "sorry, I had seen something out on the water and just couldn't resist" Brockthorn admits blushing, "what'd you see?" Kimiko asks now interested, "I think a ship" Brockthorn answers, "heading this way?" Kimiko asks, "no, I think it's heading for the Moss River estuary, could be a pirate-ship though" Brockthorn claims, "well I was aiming to do reconnaissance anyway, permission to go and investigate?" Kimiko asks, "permission granted" Brockthorn allows and Kimiko left.
==Chapter four==
At Redwall, Drayden had told the others in their council of war about the teenagers' dreams. Gussie deduces Martin chose them to be the ones to vanquish whatever evil is out there, much to Saba's dismay: she had only wanted to be a healer rather than a warrior. Iskorol deduced that the "land of death" was Terramort-island, which hadn't been colonized since the time of Gabool the Wild, only now the new overlord seems to be a bird. Naltlim, like you'd expect from a parent, was against sending his son on a dangerous quest, same with Backle and Tailfight's parents, but Sister Varc argues that Martin's choices of which woodlanders would be the heroes has never been wrong, but she pities the parents regardless. Furple was up on the west-wall staring across the trees outside, thinking about all those shrews that weren't killed. Drayden then walks to her. "You alright Furple?" he asks, "I can't stop thinking about my guosim-friends, those that died, and those that are slaves right now" she answers, "I know" Drayden pities and looks to the ground where he sees the four chosen teens practicing some combat: Backle fires three arrows from his modified-crossbow while Tash was teaching Saba to swordfight with a javelin against Martin's sword, and even Tailfight was good with a dagger, "I think those four will free them though wot" he says confidently, "you're not actually encouraging them are you?" Furple gasps, "no, I'm bally not enthusiastic about the idea to send children to a battle, but I'm not gonna go against Martin either" he claims, "yeah same here" Furple admits.
----
At the Steelwing, they had finally arrived at the estuary that led into River Moss, several shore clingfish residing on the nearby rocks dashed for cover when the ship arrived. They arrived around two hours after dawn and Steeltalon decided the crew should rest upon arrival. It wasn't until late afternoon that the raven felt awake enough to have his crew march inland. "Alright my vermin-in-arms, I've got the perfect target to get slaves from: Redwall-Abbey" he declares, making at least half the crew cheer excitably. Takadox was among those who wasn't: he didn't trust Steeltalon to keep his emotions from getting the better of him. "Chikai, you and a few others stay with the ship, guard it with your lives" Steeltalon orders, then commands his crew to march southeast.
----
At the same time on Terramort, it was business as usual. The slave-camp itself however wasn't usual: as well as barracks and gates like you'd expect, it even had a school to educate, a hospital, and even a nursery for children. The third was where Agen has been confined to due to his teenage-behavior. A male stoat wearing a black renaissance-shirt, carrying a Sabre and goes by the name Greentooth was watching from outside the playground (yes there's even a playground). For Agen it was yet another punishment: it was so demeaning to be treated like a little kid until he behaves, just as Snoke wanted. The hedgehog looks around and spots a young shrew-boy dressed in black-trousers and a purple renaissance-shirt sit against the wall not far to the hedgehog's right. Agen knew the corsairs had recently gotten a batch of guosim-shrews and their loved-ones in the camp, this shrew must be someone's son or something. Agen walks over, unwittingly startling the shrew, but he relaxes when seeing the hedgehog. "Hi" Agen greets, "hi" the shrew returns, "I'm Agen" Agen introduces, "I'm Yeal" the shrew reveals, "you're from the guosim aren't you?" Agen wonders, "my uncle is, I hope to be a member myself" Yeal states making Agen laugh until there was fighting heard and they saw two vermin get into a brawl for some reason, "though this place is scary" Yeal adds fearfully, "I know, just stick by me and you'll be fine" Agen promises. This would be the start of a beautiful friendship.
----
Steeltalon and his band were trekking southeast night and day, stopping only to rest and scout ahead for danger. In a few days they were only a mile from Redwall, and could see it. So they set camp here and Steeltalon says that they'll strike tomorrow, though little did he know what he was getting himself into.
==Chapter five==
In Redwall during the morning, the four teens were pretty much fully fledged fighters, though Saba still prefers being a healer, and Naltlim still wasn't happy about his son being chosen by Martin to go out for this quest. Varc approaches him. "Still grumpy that Martin picked a bunch of kids to vanquish evil?" she teases partially, "yes: I mean, why couldn't Martin pick an adult, Saba I understand partly, but why my son too, and Backle and Tailfight?" the otter rants, "well those three are Saba's closest friends, especially Tash" Varc notes, "true" Naltlim admits, "vermin approaching, vermin approaching" shouted a voice making all stop what they're doing, "that's not good" Varc notes.
Right outside, Steeltalon and his crew have walked to the north gate. Above said gate were Gussie Naltlim Luminara and several guards, the teens were also present and Saba instantly recognized the vermin as corsairs, possibly the ones who attacked the guosim. "What do you want vermin?" Luminara shouts hostilely, "two things: one, some slaves, and two, revenge" Steeltalon answers, the second demand creating confusion, "what do you mean revenge? we don't know you" Gussie informs though Steeltalon figured such, "well if you need a trip down memory-lane, I'll happily give it to you, I am Commander Steeltalon, descendent of General Ironbeak" Steeltalon supplies, "the evil raven from the same time as me and Backle's ancestors?" Tash discovers which Steeltalon notices, "at least one of you has had a history-lesson, and pray tell who are you river-dog?" the raven asks, "Tash Stag Otter" Tash answers, "Stag Otter, as in Cheek Stag Otter?" a male fox wearing only dark-brown-trousers and a belt carrying a cutlass asks, "yep" Tash confirms, "well no matter, either surrender or die" Steeltalon demands, "how about you crawl back to wherever you came from so you can live happily ever after?" Naltlim taunts, "die it is then" Steeltalon decides dismissing Naltlim's warning, then caws away from the abbey, much to the redwallers' confusion until several arrows came flying out of the trees from below, striking several guards and Luminara on the right-shoulder, though Naltlim Gussie and the teens ducked in time, but that gave Steeltalon the chance to fly up and meet them personally, and his crew to throw grappling-hooks onto the wall. The raven slaps Luminara in the face with his right-wing and almost stomps Naltlim, who dodges and points a spear at the bird. "Kids get Luminara and the abbess outa here" he demanded and the teens oblige, Steeltalon letting them pass as he draws out his trident, then engages the otter.
At the same time some guards try to remove the grappling-hooks, but most were prevented by the hidden archers, either by forcing to drop or were hit, though at least one hook was pushed off, sending it and its climbers back down. Still one vermin made it up: a female pine-marten wearing a red-skirt and leggings and a black-renaissance-shirt wielding a dagger and a sling who calls herself Frostfinger, though not because she has an icy-touch, it was because she acts cold. She spots a mouse guard move in to stop her, but the vermin behind her, the same fox, struck out first with his cutlass and the mouse was dead. "I didn't need your help Skinpalm" she chastises to the fox, "you're welcome" Skinpalm says dismissing her rudeness as he moves on to the next guard: another otter, and engages it in melee until Frostfinger whirls her sling and shot a rock at the musteloid, "hey" Skinpalm complains, "you stole my opponent, it's only fair" she argues and fires another rock at a mole-guard.
As for the teens, Backle and Gussie were helping the wounded Luminara down the nearest stairs they could reach while Tash Tailfight and Saba covered them. At the same time in the trees, Takadox and his archers see that Steeltalon's group made it up, now it was their turn. "Come on" he says boringly, knowing for sure this won't end well. They arrived at the ropes, though Takadox chose to act as cover incase a woodlander tries to stop them. He catches a glimpse of Steeltalon battling Naltlim, but decides not to interfere. 
As for Steeltalon, he was besting the skipper-otter. "Pathetic, you couldn't take me on your best day" the raven mocks and with a well-aimed kick sends Naltlim down some stairs, the otter survives but passed out while Steeltalon looked over to where Luminara was propped underneath another set of stairs as well as the three teenagers running down the same stairs, Steeltalon froze when he saw Martin's sword in Saba's hands, "you shrew" he calls getting not only Saba's attention but also others, "face me" Steeltalon demands as he jumps down to meet her: anyone using that very sword was the greatest threat, though Saba was nervous, "oh man" she shudders, "never been in war before?" Steeltalon taunts noticing her fear: perhaps this will be easier than he thought, "Saba, don't let him intimidate you: Martin chose you for a reason, that and he's no doubt the one that attacked your guosim camp" Tash shouts while dealing with a ferret, "I'm not exactly the one who did that, but I know where your guosim are" Steeltalon admits, making Saba now willing to fight him, "then spill it if you wanna live" she demands, "sorry, you didn't say please" Steeltalon taunts and that was enough for Saba to attack, the two clash strongly as more corsairs get in the abbey, Backle was hiding behind a bench, crossbow locked and loaded when he saw Skinpalm come upon Gussie. Quickly the squirrel aims and fires one arrow, skewering the fox in the back. "Thanks Backle" she cheers, "no problem-ah!" Backle returns until a rock landed a little too close, turning he saw Frostfinger looking at him, "dang it" she mutters and was forced to engage a dormouse-guard before she could reload, "someone take out that pine marten" Backle shouts, "Tailfight do it" Tailfight offers and takes to the air, right in front of Takadox who quickly aims, which Backle saw, "Tailfight watch out" he shouts just when Takadox fires, but the squirrel's voice startled him into losing aim and narrowly misses, Takadox growled and pulls out another arrow, only for an enemy-arrow to strike his bow, startling him again into dropping it, and Tash took advantage to load his sling and fire at the weasel, getting him in the face, "one shot one kills" Tash praises and fires another rock at another vermin.
As for Frostfinger, she has finally dispatched the dormouse that attacked her and attempts to resume sniping with her sling when suddenly... "killee killee killee" shouted a sparrow's voice right above her, forcing the marten to jump away as Tailfight almost sank her feet into the mammal, "you marten-worm die" the bird growls, making Frostfinger growl back and use her sling as a mace, only for Tailfight to cut it with her dagger. Frostfinger discards it and resorts to her own dagger, resulting in a swordfight with daggers. "Killee killee" Tailfight shouts, "ugh don't you sparra ever talk like a normal person?" Frostfinger complains, "yes" Tailfight lies, momentarily confusing the marten, which let her guard down and Tailfight claws her on the belly with one foot, then stabs her dagger into the marten's chest, "just kidding" the bird jokes as she yanks her dagger back and Frostfinger drops dead.
As for Steeltalon, he was pretty much the last vermin standing, the rest have been slaughtered and he was being driven back. "You're good shrew, but I got years of practice" he taunts and whacks his trident at the sword, forcing Saba up the stairs, Backle and Tash load their crossbow and sling but Varc intervenes, "no this her fight, only interfere if necessary" she orders and they reluctantly comply, watching Saba run up to the platform for more flatter ground as Steeltalon follows, and is in turn followed by several redwallers, where eventually Saba knocks Steeltalon onto his back, "give it up Steeltalon" she orders, "and you're the only one left" Tash adds making Steeltalon look at him, seeing several fighters gather around, but all his corsairs were gone. He hated to admit it but Takadox and Snoke were right. "You may have won the battle, but not the war" he vows and does a spin to repel everyone before launching into the air and fleeing, some guards fire arrows at him but none got him, "let him go, there's no point anymore" Gussie orders. Once again Redwall wins, but the real threat remains far away.
==Chapter six==
In the aftermath, the redwallers were gathering all the dead and tending to the damage. Falon was fixing up Naltlim who finally woke up after bandaging Luminara's shoulder with a cast, leaving her arm out-of-commission. "Ow" Naltlim winces, "easy Naltlim" Falon reprimands, "I'm not upset about the injury" Naltlim clarifies, "then what are you upset about?" Luminara asks, "I guess I'm not cut out to take my son's place on his upcoming journey" Naltlim laments, "sounds like someone's a sore loser" Falon teases but was still sympathetic, Naltlim just scowls until the teens, Gussie, Friar Raltud, Varc and Iskorol come over, "yes?" Naltlim asks, "I think I know where to look for the missing guosim" the mole recorder claims, "you do?" Luminara asks, "I did some digging in the records before the corsairs showed up, and the "land of death" the kids mentioned is most likely Terramort-island, whose name means "land death"" Iskorol says, "that actually makes sense, but wasn't it the home of some pirate-rat named Gab-something the something?" Falon says, "yes, Gabool the Wild: he used it as his lair until the mouse Mariel Gullwhacker came to stop him, and it hasn't been populated since" Iskorol answers, "until now it seems" Varc corrects, "right, Steeltalon must have some dealings there, he said he was here for slaves as well as revenge" Tash adds, "and that some of my guosim are prisoners, seems like the only place" Saba deduces, Tash notices his dad looking depressed, "you okay dad?" he asks the older otter, "it's just, I didn't want you to go out on this adventure where you may never return from, but after that raven mopped the floor with me, I guess I don't have a choice but to let you go" Naltlim laments, Gussie pats his right-shoulder, "well, as soon as we've cleaned up this mess, they'll be heading out, Raltud have some bags full of rations ready" Gussie orders and the friar otter obliges.
Too soon, the time came. Saba Tash Backle and Tailfight stood at the main gate, all with bags of rations and their weapons. Tash and Naltlim were exchanging farewells. "Tell mom not to worry, and we'll be back" Tash requests, "I will, though we'll both worry anyway, and you better" Naltlim complies, Backle and Tailfight were going through similar farewells with their parents, though Saba sat aside since her parents were dead now, but Furple approaches, "if you see our guosim, bring them home" Furple request, "of course" Saba complies and they hug quickly before Furple opens the gate, then the four walk out waving goodbye at the abbey until neither side could see the other anymore.
----
At Salamandastron, things were a lot more peaceful, though Kimiko again catches Brockthorn in the water with a telescope. A common greenshank was even feeding in the surf near him and he probably doesn't know it. "What are you looking at this time lord?" she asks, "the ship" Brockthorn points and also lets her use the telescope, "it's still there?" Kimiko gasps, "yeah, it's been days and it hasn't moved" the badger notes, "well they definitely aren't aiming to attack us, that I'm bally thankful for wot" Kimiko says, "did you find out anything when you went over to it?" Brockthorn wonders, all he was told was that the ship belonged to corsairs and that they were aiming to enslave, but that's it, "no, but I have a guess, I followed them as far as I dared to away from Salamandastron, but they definitely aren't interested in conquering our mountain, I mean only like four vermin wanted this mountain, a cat a ferret a rat and a weasel, I'm betting they're going to Redwall, like almost all the others" Kimiko answers, "why every vermin wants to takeover that place I'll never understand" Brockthorn jokes.
----
Dusk has settled on Redwall. Drayden was taking a stroll around the abbey. It always looked so beautiful at this time. His walk was interrupted when he saw Naltlim hugging another otter and hearing sobbing from their direction. Closer inspection revealed it was Naltlim's wife and second in command Selenor, who unlike her husband or son was clothed (wearing a yellow-peplos and blue renaissance-cap). No doubt she was upset that her son was sent off on a dangerous mission. "Why Naltlim, why our boy?" she cries, "I don't know, but I'm definitely not qualified after that raven bested me" Naltlim laments as Drayden joins them, "cheer up Selenor lass, there's no doubt your son and his friends will succeed wot, last woodlanders chosen by Martin did" the hare assures, "I suppose you're right, but it still doesn't make it easier to accept" Selenor admits.
----
As for the four teens, they had gone to Saba's guosim-camp and took a logboat down the river, managing to cover at least a mile before forcing to stop at a waterfall and continue on foot. By then it was late at night, and Backle found it very unnerving: he's never camped out in the wilderness before. "I never knew these woods could be so creepy" he remarks, "boo!" a voice peeps behind him, sending the squirrel almost a foot in the air while Tash and Saba were startled into thinking they were under attack, but all they found was a spooked Backle and a laughing sparrow, "Tailfight!" Backle growls, "squirrel-worm should've seen face" Tailfight laughs, Backle was about to attack her when rustling was heard and a new voice asks "what's all the noise?", the four teens look in the direction the sounds came from and out came an elderly male weasel dressed in a beautiful green samite. He was so old that the teens weren't sure if they should treat him as a threat or not. "Uh, sorry for disturbing you mister" Saba apologizes, "please call me Parsinkel, and you all look like you could use somewhere to spend the night, well you can sleep at my hut, come" the weasel Parsinkel beckons, "but we're woodlanders and you're a vermin" Tash informs, "true, but my warrior-days are long over: I couldn't defeat any of you at all, nowadays I just provide help to travelers, no matter what they are" Parsinkel says and walks back the way he came, the teens follow except Backle: the squirrel did agree that the weasel was way too old to fight, but that didn't mean he was harmless, still he follows.
The five arrive at a clearing encircled by bamboo. In the center was a pit for fire with a pot suspended over it on bamboo sticks, and further was a hut. Once the five enter Parsinkel rummages in some cabinets and pulls out dried-bugs. "Hungry?" he asks, "uh thanks but I'm a vegetarian" Backle refuses, "killee, Tailfight like bugs" Tailfight accepts and happily munches, "so where are four young adolescents like yourselves headed if I may ask" Parsinkel questions, "well we think there's slavery going on at Terramort and..." Saba says and they tell him about the corsairs and their visions, "I see, terrible evil once again has risen, if I were my young self, I'd probably be in favor of it" Parsinkel states, "and that's why we're out here" Tash remarks, "well best to get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow" Parsinkel suggests and heads to bed, though he didn't have any other beds to offer, the teens were fine sleeping on the floor.
==Chapter seven==
Commander Steeltalon sat in a tree brooding. How could he have been so careless? His desire to avenge his ancestor cost him almost his entire crew (all he had left were those corsairs he left on the ship) and when he gets home Snoke is no doubt gonna be mad. He stares out at the western horizon, Salamandastron was visible a little to the south. He couldn't bring himself to face his remaining corsairs, he had failed them. "Best they find a new leader, or a new life" he says to himself.
----
Morning dawns over Parsinkel's hut. Tash was beginning to wake up, though when he caught sight of the weasel's bed, he jumps in alarm: the bed was empty. He was about to get his javelin when he spotted a note on a table, obviously meant for him and his friends. Grabbing it, he unfolds it and it read Went to get some breakfast, be back soon, Parsinkel. Tash sighs: his alarms unfounded, though he still didn't trust the weasel, not fully at least. Stirring was heard behind him and he sees Saba waking up. "Morning" she greets, "morning, Parsinkel went to get breakfast, no need to panic" Tash informs, "oh" Saba utters after seeing Parsinkel's bed, she stretches, gets on her feet and looks around wondering what to do, "so what do you propose we do until he gets back?" she asks the otter, "I guess we could spar" Tash suggests just when Tailfight and Backle wake up, "hey guys" Backle greets, "hey, Parsinkel is getting breakfast and Saba and I were thinking of sparring" Tash informs, "wait what?" Backle says a little too hurriedly, he sees the weasel was indeed absent and looks around as if something was gonna pop out of nowhere and attack, "don't trust him do you?" Saba guess, "well no, since he's a weasel" Backle admits, "an old weasel, remember? judging by the way he walks, he wouldn't stand a chance against any of us" Tash argues, "that doesn't mean he won't try to hurt us: he can still poison at the very least" Backle counters, "yeah well if he wanted us dead, he would've done it when we were asleep" Saba argues and grabs Martin's sword, "I'll be outside" she informs.
A minute or so later, all four teens were out and about when Parsinkel returns with jars and a bucket full of water. "Ah I see you're all awake, could one of you light the firewood?" he requests and Saba lights a fire, then Parsinkel piles the water into the pot over the fire, then adds the content in the jars, "more bugs?" Tailfight asks, "some of it is, bugs are rich in protein, but I respect your desire to avoid eating them, so I added some vegetables" Parsinkel answers, "that's nice" Backle thanks, "while we wait for the meal to heat up, why don't we talk, tell me about yourselves?" the weasel suggests, "uh okay, I am curious why you're living out here, were you in a horde?" Saba asks, "not exactly: I was just a regular weasel minding my own business, I did want to become a warrior, but there weren't any tyrannical vermin looking to recruit me, so I was my own boss, and yes: I did get into some fights, with both vermin and woodlanders, and killed some of each" Parsinkel tells, "anything...eventful?" Tash asks, "not much, just the usual racism between our kin, but enough about me, tell me about yourselves, you never got to introduce yourselves" Parsinkel replies, "oh, well, I'm Tash Stag Otter, the shrew is Saba, the squirrel is Backle Squirrel and the bird is Tailfight" Tash introduces, "hmm, of all of you, you seem to have the most unusual name otter: Tash Stag Otter? it sounds like a hare's name" Parsinkel notes, "well my ancestor Cheek Stag Otter was adopted by a hare named Basil Stag Hare, he took the hare's custom of having a middle-name and even the speech of hares, and it continued that way in the following generations" Tash explains, "I see, anything else that set him apart?" Parsinkel asks now very interested, "well he could change his voice into sounding like someone or something else, I'd be happy to show you" Tash claims and offers, "I would like to see that" Parsinkel requests and Tash nods, then starts flapping his arms as if he were a bird, "killee killee, this how sparra talk, killee" he speaks in a voice much like Tailfight, who just shakes her head: she thought he would do Parsinkel, "wow, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it" the weasel remarks impressed, Tash bows, "and what about the rest of you?" he asks the others, "well, my ancestor Silent Sam Squirrel lived at the exact same time as Tash's, and it's why we're best buds" Backle reveals, "killee, me Tailfight don't know who be my ancestor, but me still fierce fighter, took down pine marten-worm" Tailfight adds, "well...I was part of a guosim, but recently it was attacked: my parents, our Log-a-Log and several others got killed, and I fear the survivors have been taken into slavery" Saba says sympathetically, "oh you poor thing" Parsinkel pities while checking on the stew, "is that why you four are out here?" he asks, "yes, Martin the Warrior requested us to" Saba confirms, "makes sense, who else carries a sword with writing on it?" Parsinkel jokes which actually got the teens laughing as the weasel saw the stew was ready and gathered plates to scoop some veggies or roasted bugs into. They continued conversing as they ate, and when it came time to leave Parsinkel gave them some of his ration for the journey. "Take care young-ins, whatever danger you'll face will no doubt be massive" he cautions, "we won't forget, and thank you, you're probably the nicest weasel I've ever met" Tash remarks, "you are not the first woodlander to say that, nor will you be the last I'm sure, goodbye now" he bids and the teens get back on the road.
----
At the Steelwing, things were boringly peaceful. "When is Commander Steeltalon gonna get back?" Chikai asks impatiently: it's been a week and still no word from the raven. She was partially beginning to worry, but doubted there was a problem Steeltalon couldn't handle: he's never failed at something before, as far as she knew.
==Chapter eight==
At Redwall, things were also peaceful, again: it's as if the corsair attack yesterday had never happened. Even so many knew there was a difference. Iskorol walks in one of the wall-doors after doing his business and comes across a depressed Selenor sitting on a bench looking at the sky. The mole-recorder couldn't help feeling sorry for the mother otter, he would be like that too if he had a kid that was sent out to vanquish an evil. "Hi Selenor" he greets, "oh hi" she returns and goes back to sky-gazing, "have faith: your son will come back, he has friends with him" Iskorol assures, "I just hope Martin knows what he's doing" Selenor dreads, "he's never made a bad choice: from what I read in the many records, every one of those Martin visited became the one to save the day, I doubt these four will be an exception, and Varc is confident in it" Iskorol confides, "yeah Naltlim told me" Selenor says smiling a little, "and I can't wait for them to get back and tell us their adventure: I bet it will be like all the others burr hurr" Iskorol says giddy-like, much to Selenor's amusement.
----
Another day has passed on Terramort, and things aren't all that different. Palipsur was cleaning the dining-area in Snoke's castle along with a few others while being supervised by a male weasel wearing a grey-surcoat and a grey-codpiece (a purse-like cloth worn over the penis). All were doing a chore when Yellowfoot suddenly arrives with Agen. The weasel inspects the hedgehog and hands him a broom, then Agen obediently takes it and moves to sweep. "Call me if he gets rebellious again" Yellowfoot requests to the weasel who nods, then left, "welcome back" Palipsur greets as she scrubs a table, "did you hear the news?" Agen asks, "what news?" Palipsur wonders, "we aren't getting any new slaves for once: that raven Commander Steeltalon bloused his hunt up" Agen reveals, "really, that's a first" Palipsur remarks wondering how Snoke was handling it.
----
In Snoke's throne-room, Snoke himself was seated on the throne with a shameful-Steeltalon crouching before him. Rarkim and two vermin were there too: the first was a female fox wearing a purple surcoat, a brown skirt with a belt and a light-purple renaissance-cap while wielding a spear. Unlike most female foxes who prefer to be healers or seers, this one loves to fight. Her name was Pyropunch because her hands were a fiery-orange. Beside her was a male ferret dressed in a blood-red samite and kilt and wields a rapier. He calls himself Furyswipes due to how fast his clawing is and is known to engage bare-handed. All three stood tensed as Steeltalon came in reporting his failure. "So Steeltalon, you thought you could get slaves from Redwall, and here you are without slaves, without a crew and without a ship, I must say I'm disappointed in you" Snoke spoke, "I thought it would be a good idea" Steeltalon argues pathetically, "this is why I ordered you to leave that place alone, you just couldn't resist could you?" Snoke expressed, "you didn't say I couldn't bring redwallers here" Steeltalon counters, "well I still meant it" Snoke said getting to his feet, "I bet five coins Snoke offs his life, for once" Furyswipes bets to Pyropunch, "ten coins if he doesn't like usual" she bets back and they both look at Rarkim, "I don't want any part of this" he rejects, Snoke heard them but that was the least of his concerns, "tell me Steeltalon, who was it that wielded the abbey's signature weapon?" Snoke asks, "a guosim-shrew-maid, who somehow avoided Snotclaw's attack, about juvenile, has twin braids and this tall" Steeltalon describes, "another reason why I denied you to attack Redwall" Snoke reasons, "I can still eliminate her lord" Steeltalon offers, "don't make me laugh: no vermin that has fought the abbey-champion won, let alone live to tell the tale" Snoke said, "I just did to the latter" Steeltalon reminds, "doesn't excuse your mishap: you let your emotions get the better of you and because of it, you were fighting badly, bested by a shrew who never held the sword of Martin" Snoke roars suddenly and without warning struck Steeltalon with his right-wing, startling the three bystander-lackeys, "you've just doomed my empire: the lands now have a savior, and if word gets out to the slaves, their morale will rise, while ours comes crashing down" the gull rants as Steeltalon recovers, "what, you gonna execute me now?" the raven jokes, "no, that's old, but you are fired" Snoke declares, "what?!" Steeltalon gapes, "you heard me: fired, until now I always found you reliable, but now I can't trust you anymore, get out of my castle and leave this island" Snoke orders making Steeltalon growl and throw his helmet to the ground, "I ain't giving up: I'll kill her and you'd have worried for nothing, you'll see" he promises picking his helmet up and stomps off, "cough up the money Furyswipes" Pyropunch demands to the ferret who reluctantly does, catching Snoke's attention, though he just sits back in the throne and mopes, "you alright lord" Rarkim cautiously asks, "not right now: I fear our days are numbered thanks to that buffoon" Snoke answers, "ah who knows: maybe for once us bad guys will win" the dormouse suggests but this did little to cheer up the seagull, "I'll believe it when I see it" he shrugs.
----
As for the teens. They're continuing on the southern-side of the moss-river. Then they come to a big clearing with wild-horses grazing on the grass. "Wow" Saba awes not having seen anything like it before, "horses, we're sure lucky to see any, pretty rare" Tash adds, "think it's okay to walk through them?" Backle wonders, "I heard they can be tamed" Saba informs, "but the only confirmation of that is Cluny the Scourge using one to transport his troops to Saint-Ninian's" Backle counters, "aw come on, how bad can it be?" Tailfight asks and flies over to measure the herd. Little did they know the horses weren't the only creatures in the clearing: vermin marauding Mossflower was bad enough, but they weren't the only dangers out here; nearby a pack of dinosaurs was stalking the horses: these were Pelecanimimus, a kind of ostrich-dinosaur related to Gallimimus, though smaller, lacks feathers and had toothy-beaks, not to mention more voracious. One squawks out to its teammates, not loud enough for the horses to hear, but Tailfight spotted them, at the same time the horses suddenly sense their presence, "I'm getting a bad feeling about this" Backle admits, and right on cue one Pelecanimimus squawks loud enough for their prey and the woodlanders to hear it, just when Tailfight joins her mammalian-friends, "guys dinosaur-worms" she shrieks and a few dinosaur-heads could be seen sticking out of the grass. The horses bolt. "Back in the trees" Saba orders and the teens fallback into the woods. Luckily they were safe, but the same couldn't be said to one horse: one Pelecanimimus grabs hold and pecks repeatedly, slowing it down so the rest of the pack could join in and eventually the horse dies. "Let's get outa here before they decide to have us for dessert" Tash suggests and quietly they walk around. By the time the Pelecanimimus even smells them the four made a mad dash further down the river.
==Chapter nine==
At Redwall, Treybella was relaxing on a bench watching the dibbuns play and some goldcrest-birds flying around from the orchard. Friar Raltud joins her. "What're you doing?" he asks joyfully, "just watching the dibbuns" Treybella answers, Raltud watches the dibbuns too before getting a thought, "I wonder how those teenagers are doing" he says, "you remembering when they were dibbuns aren't you?" Treybella guesses, "somewhat, remember when Tailfight saw Tash doing a sparra impression?" Raltud giggles, "oh yeah: she wouldn't leave him alone after that" Treybella laughs, "I just wish Gussie got it all on portrait" Raltud laughs and they both laugh for a few seconds, "what's so funny?" asks a hedgehog-boy dressed in a black-smite, "oh nothing young-one, just remembering our own childhoods" Treybella answers.
----
As for the teens, it's been days since they went on this quest. They plan on making a stop at Salamandastron to recharge and maybe recruit the badger-lord and or Long Patrol. Saba met them during the guosim's travels a few times and knew a few hares, so she's confident they would like to help. They emerge out of the wooded-areas and were trekking across a plain with few trees, and something else... "Whoa" Saba gasps, her fellow teens do too, for in front of them lay a beaten-up barred grass snake, a nonvenomous snake species known for playing dead, only this one was in such bad shape the teens weren't sure if it was really dead, "what happened to him?" Tash asks cautiously walking to it, "be careful Tash" Backle warns, Tash crouches down and sees the snake's body was moving, "he's alive" the otter announces, "then you should getaway from it" Backle orders bringing out his crossbow, "but we can't leave snake-worm like this" Tailfight objects, "she's right, we're redwallers: we're supposed to help others in a state like this, no matter who or what they are" Saba adds and walks over to the snake, "maybe, but it's a weakness: every time you heal a vermin, they thank you by doing something evil, we should just leave him like this" Backle argues, "he could be like Parsinkel and the other rare good-vermin" Tash proposes, "and just shut up and trust us" Saba orders, "fine, but I'm still not taking any chances" Backle relents while readying his crossbow as Saba began getting out herbs for the snake, who upon seeing them jumps away in fright, "ah don't kill me" he begs, "why would we kill snake-worm? we woodlanders" Tailfight asks making the snake look at them, "oh my bad, I thought one of you was that raven" he apologizes, "wait a second raven? a raven did this to you?" Tash gasps, "yeah, some loony raven with a trident attacked me for no reason, then went on and on about how he was gonna kill some shrew" the snake reveals much to the teenagers' shock, "Commander Steeltalon" they all guess, "indeed it was me" a familiar voice says and out of nowhere Steeltalon himself drops in, forcing all five to scatter, "you fell right into my trap: I knew you couldn't resist helping an innocent victim under threat, you redwallers are so predictable" the raven reveals, "see? told you helping the snake was a bad idea" Backle brags to his friends, "oh shut up bushy-tail" Tash snaps, "the snake was merely bait, he's not one of my corsairs" Steeltalon claims and leaps at Saba, who draws her sword out just in time to block a stab from the trident, Backle fires an arrow at the raven, but he merely ducks and swipes Saba off her feet, then throws dirt at the squirrel, and intercepts an attack by Tash. Saba gets back on her feet and tries to slash Steeltalon, but the raven summersaults over the otter, forcing Tash to shield himself with his javelin, "hey watch-ah" he began but was cut off by Steeltalon kicking him from behind into the shrew, sending both to the ground, "killee killee killee" Tailfight screeches and swings down her dagger, only for Steeltalon to intercept by sticking his trident in the way, but did suffer a blow from Backle firing an arrow through the raven's right-wing. Steeltalon saw Tash and Saba have recovered but aims for Backle first: jumping up and coming in with a kick, but Backle dodges, only to receive another pile of dirt whipped at him, and this time hitting him, "ah you dirty bird!" he curses while Steeltalon repels Tailfight with a spin and avoids getting skewered by Tash's javelin flying at him, then intercepts Saba and forces her back hard enough to make her fall on her back. "Your journey ends here shrew" Steeltalon promises, the whole time the snake was watching from a distance: he was terrified of the raven at first, but seeing how the woodlanders were willing to stand up to the raven, he suddenly got some courage and with a loud hiss, lunges out, headbutting the bird and wrapping himself around him, "ugh get off me you giant worm" Steeltalon demands but the snake stubbornly clings on and forces Steeltalon forward to the ground, "give it up Steeltalon: you've lost, like General Ironbeak before you" Saba declares, "never...never!" Steeltalon roars bucking the snake off of him and startling Saba back, who quickly noticed his eyes had gotten a scary-red, which could mean only one thing: bloodwrath, "oh not good" Saba mutters, Steeltalon lashes out: whacking out madly that Saba was having trouble fighting back, Tash quickly threw a stone from his sling to distract the raven while Tailfight dive-bombs him, only to be swatted away, then the snake latches on once more, "somebody attack" he hollers, Backle, having recovered from the dirt-attack, loads three arrows on his crossbow and fires, the snake getting thrown off just before Steeltalon was hit, though it wasn't enough to kill him, the raven flies at the squirrel, taking more hits from Tailfight and Tash, but it wasn't until Saba got in front and swung the sword at him, sending both away from each other after colliding, that Steeltalon finally couldn't fight back, painfully he tries to get up, only for Backle to shoot one arrow right into Steeltalon's neck, finally killing him. "Phew, what a fight" he wheezes, "everyone okay?" the snake asks, "a little bruised, but yes" Tash answers, "we owe you big time snake: if it weren't for you we would be dead" Saba says, "please call me Bablo" the snake introduces, "I see, nice to meet you, I'm Saba, these are Tailfight, Tash Stag Otter and Backle Squirrel, that raven was working for slavers and we're looking for his partners-in-crime, which we believe are on Terramort-island, so we can free the slaves" Saba informs, "I see, count me in" Bablo offers, "snake-worm help?" Tailfight asks, "well you helped me, or tried to before that raven interrupted, just felt like it was the right thing" Bablo says, "well I think we all could use some of my herbs right now" Saba notes studying the wounds she has, "lets do so somewhere else, Steeltalon's corpse is bound to attract predators, even if we bury it" Backle suggested and they limp off. Not long after, a pair of Pelecanimimus, attracted by the commotion, gather at the dead Steeltalon and feast.
==Chapter ten==
Dusk settles over Terramort. The slaves return to their barracks after another day laboring away. Palipsur and Kaz were doing a little game when Agen arrives, bringing a new friend with him. "Hey Agen, who's your friend?" Kaz asks, "this is Yeal, he came in with the guosim and I met him at the nursery" Agen introduces, "please to meet you Yeal, I'm Palipsur, this is Kaz Highpeak" Palipsur greets, "how long have you all been here?" Yeal asks, "more than twelve-seasons" Kaz answers, "how did you survive?" Yeal questioned curiously, "well Snoke isn't as cruel as Badrang or Malkariss, if we misbehave all he'll do is force us to do something embarrassing and or gross, which I'm sure Agen can attest to" Palipsur says, "don't remind me" Agen winces, "oh grow up Agen, I'd take scrubbing lavatories and doing a humiliating show than a beat-down any-day" said a fifth voice, the four turn to see a female adolescent-otter dressed in a ragged orange-surcoat and turquoise-trousers and had grey-eyes and long flowing head-fur, "oh shut up Kagalin" Agen mocks, the otter, Kagalin, just rolls her eyes, "well I'm going to get dinner" she bids and left, just when a growling stomach was heard, "I'm hungry" Yeal announces, "come on then" Agen offers and takes Yeal to where Kagalin went.
----
On the mainland, the teens had recovered from their scuffle with Steeltalon and have gained a new friend: Bablo the snake. The five continue their trek to Salamandastron, but stop as night has fallen. Fortunately they were much closer. "How much further?" Backle asks, "just four miles left" Saba answers, "well I'm beat...we'll get there tomorrow" Backle suggests and sits against a tree, "yeah good idea" Bablo supports and they set up camp, "be right back, I gotta pee" Tash announces and leaves, "well that was unnecessary" Bablo gags, "otter-worm always says stuff like that, come's with blood" Tailfight assures, "does the fact that he has a middle-name come with his bloodline?" Bablo wonders, "yes" Tailfight confirms as the snake notices Saba tend to Martin's sword, "never seen a sword like that before" he notes, "thanks, it isn't really mine though, just passed on from Martin down to many others, I'm the first shrew to become the next user" Saba describes, "Martin, as in Martin the Warrior? I thought he was a myth" Bablo gasps, "oh he's no myth, just a few weeks ago he visited the four of us in our sleep" Backle replies, "wow" Bablo whistles as Tash comes back with some firewood, "got some twigs to light up" he presents, so they lit a fire, ate dinner and exchange stories before finally going to sleep.
----
Back on Terramort at night, Snoke lay in his bed tossing around. He was having a nightmare where a shrew wielding Martin's sword shows up and his lackeys dying from trying to attack her, and his castle falling apart. He wakes up sweating and panting, then sits up, feeling disoriented. Hoping some fresh air would help, he walks over to the window and opens it. Instantly a cool sea breeze whips against him. He then looks down at the slave-compound and sees it was still standing, a few guards patrolling back and forth. "Just a dream" he whispers to himself: despite Steeltalon's vow, Snoke was certain the raven was gonna die from his attempt at killing that shrew, if he hasn't already, "and they say dreams can't come true" he jokes, he was certain his nightmare was a foreshadow of what was coming, but if he was gonna die, he might as well go down with a fight, "besides: I did wanna leave a mark on this world" he says and yawns, deciding to try and get some sleep, leaving the window open.
----
A new day has dawned at Salamandastron. Brockthorn was in the forgery working on some armor shirtless: the room was always so hot. He was busy when a knock echoed from the door. "Yes?" he responds, "we got some visitors lord: four teenagers, one with Martin's sword" Kimiko's voice replies, Brockthorn smells his armpits and wretches: he was in no state for visitors, "tell them I'll be there after a bath" he requests.
At the front-door, the teens stood awaiting entry, though Bablo hung back nervously, feeling he won't get a warm welcome. A lieutenant male hare named Hoon McScutta who wears a purple-uniform and carries a Flail, and a descendent of Laird Bosie McScutta, walks over to them. "The badger will see you after his bath, come in" he gestures, "does that include Bablo?" Tash asks, "I don't know" Hoon says uncertainly, "he's on our side: he even saved us from a General Ironbeak-descendant" Saba argues, gaining interest from the hare, "hmm, you better tell us the whole story, but alright" he concedes and Bablo slithers in, though some hares continue to remain weary of him, so he kept close to his friends.
==Chapter eleven==
On Terramort, Kagalin was doing some work by repairing broken weapons for the corsairs when she heard an interesting conversation. "Did you hear the news?" said a rat-man to a weasel-woman not far away, "what kind of news?" the weasel asks, "apparently Commander Steeltalon left the cult to hunt down some shrew carrying the Sword-of-Martin" the rat reveals, "Sword-of-Martin? but doesn't that mean this shrew is the champion of Redwall?" the weasel asks astonished, "yep, apparently Steeltalon was dumb enough to attack Redwall, but it went like you'd expect" the rat says, "that would explain why lord Snoke is jittery" the weasel notes, "yeah, but I'm staying: I'm not afraid to die" the rat declares, "I'm not going anywhere either" the weasel promises and that was where their conversation ended, but neither knew the otter who eavesdropped, a shrew wielding Martin's sword? the other slaves are gonna celebrate when they hear this, I certainly am she thought, but went back to working before she could appear suspicious.
----
Back at Redwall, Brother Gorima was walking around when he came across Naltlim and Selenor staring at Martin's tapestry. Predictably they were talking to it. "Oh Martin, please make sure our boy and his friends come back alive, I don't know what we'll do if we lose him" Selenor says, "it was only a nightmare Selenor: I'm pretty sure Martin's already watching over them" Naltlim assures, though he was worried too: ever since Tash left she couldn't sleep well, and just last night Selenor had a nightmare about their son and his friends actually failing, "I hope so" she utters, "nightmare you say?" Gorima interrupts, "oh greetings Brother Gorima" Naltlim greets, "you too, I remember having nightmares about that vermin gang that attacked my home, me and my family were lucky, but I couldn't sleep for days" Gorima reveals to the stunned otters, "oh you poor thing" Selenor whispers, "I had no idea" Naltlim remarks, "I never like talking about it, but it feels good getting it out, and if it weren't for the potion Falon's mother gave me, I wouldn't be able to close my eyes at all, Falon still has the potion too: usually giving it to children who also had traumatic nightmares, though I'm sure he could spare a bit to you Selenor" Gorima offers, "I could certainly use it" Selenor replies.
----
Back at Salamandastron, Brockthorn has met up with the teenagers at lunch. Of course he was a little startled at seeing Bablo, but heeded the teens' assurance about him. After filling in on what happened days earlier, Brockthorn suspects the ship he saw was Steeltalon's and was still there. Seeing a means to get to Terramort, Saba suggested taking the ship, but first they need to rid it of the vermin still residing on it, so here they were, spying on the ship laying at the estuary, then attacking the Steelwing. Chikai and the vermin still aboard put up quite a fight, and so far they weren't giving up. "Stand together corsairs, Commander Steeltalon's bound to be back by now" Chikai hollers as she and several corsairs defend the ship from the approaching lifeboats commandeered by the Long Patrol, with the front most hares carrying shields to protect them from arrows, though Tash and Tailfight were the worse since they didn't need the boats, and had gotten aboard, "hahaha, you guys couldn't hit a snail" Tash taunts as he dodges a few arrows and dives back in the water, loads his sling underwater and then surfaces and fires, hitting a stoat square in the snout, he then dives to avoid being shot. Chikai sees her side was losing, so she changes tactics, "ceasefire: we'll have to engage in melee" she orders, just when Tailfight attacks a male ferret, who quickly repels her by using his bow as a club, meanwhile Tash jumps aboard once more and fires from his sling again, getting a female stoat before being forced off again, but the distraction allowed the Long Patrol to get close enough to climb up, and naturally Backle was the first to make it, armed with a small dagger for close combat, he dispatches a male marten trying to cut the lifeboat's ropes, then he Tailfight and Tash corner the remaining corsairs, reduced to eight, "give it up, no point in fighting a losing battle" Backle orders but Chikai holds out, pretty sure Steeltalon will show up at any moment, he had to, unfortunately Tash notices this, "you work for Commander Steeltalon don't you?" the otter deduces, "yes, as soon as he gets back you'll all be sorry" Chikai promises when Saba Bablo and a few hares climb aboard, "sorry to disappoint you rat, but Steeltalon is bally dead" Kimiko reveals much to the corsairs' shock, "what?!" Chikai gasps, "you heard her: Steeltalon has died, by my blade" Saba emphasizes pointing Martin's sword at the rat, who lay frozen for a second before suddenly scowling, "liar!" she yells and charges at the shrew with a saber, only for Kimiko to swing her javelin in to stop her, allowing Tash to eliminate her with a well-timed throw of his javelin right through her torso, the remaining corsairs, seeing their last hope die, lay down their weapons: knowing they lost.
Later, the goodbeasts were recovering from their wounds on shore. Brockthorn having sentenced the surviving corsairs to some community-service at Salamandastron and had supplied rations for the ship, hoping it was more than enough to last the teens and hares picked until they reached Terramort. Kimiko had asked for volunteers to accompany the teens, and got up to thirteen, Hoon though chose to be one of those staying on the mainland as he gets seasick. "Well gang, may Martin be with you" Brockthorn bids, and after the hares and teens get back on the ship, all look at Saba for what to do, "uh why are you looking at me like that?" she asks shyly, "well you're the one with the sword wot wot, so you're the leader" said one male hare, "but I've never led before" Saba claims, "killee, Tailfight think shrew-worm great leader" Tailfight confides, "so do I" Backle adds, and many others gave similar support, and Saba felt very humbled, "well if you insist, Tash and Bablo raise the anchor" she orders and the otter and snake comply, "Tailfight and Backle, raise the sails, I'll drive" she continues and heads to the wheel, once the anchor was raised and sails opened she steers the ship away from the land to the ocean beyond, "bye guys, take care and try to come back alive" Hoon shouts and this got the remaining hares and Brockthorn to do the same, along with the woodlanders (and snake) on the ship returning the farewell, which continued until the ship was well out of sight.
----
Back on Terramort, Snoke sat on his throne looking troubled. The nightmare he had last night shook him up good, but he didn't dare tell his subjects about the full extent to alarm them. So far things remained the same, but for how long? "Lord Snoke?" said a voice and the gull sees Yellowfoot come in looking grim himself, "what's wrong?" Snoke asks unsure if he wanted to know or not, "we lost a slave: an elderly hare has just passed after failing to show up, we found her body still in her bed" Yellowfoot laments, Snoke nods, "I see, have some mole-slaves prepare a grave outside the camp" Snoke orders, "Featherwhip is already taking care of that" Yellowfoot informs making Snoke nod again and neither said anything for a second, "um, need anything else sir?" the rat asks, "no I'm fine, dismissed" Snoke declines and Yellowfoot leaves, the second the rat left Snoke decided to go walk around and maybe survey the camp like usual, but he still couldn't get the image of his nightmare, especially the shrew in it, out of his head.
At the same time in the camp, many slaves were having lunch. "Guess what I heard today?" Kagalin says to her friends, "what?" Kaz asks, "apparently Commander Steeltalon tried getting slaves from Redwall, who now has a shrew for a champion" Kagalin reveals, "that's the best thing I've heard all day, definitely makes me feel better after one slave just died" Agen says, "wait what, who died?" Kagalin gasps, "an elderly hare passed her prime: she failed to show up for her task and when someone went to her barrack she was already in the Dark Forest" Palipsur reveals, "oh...well we just gotta hold out for a few more days: Redwall's new champion is bound to be coming to free us" Kagalin encourages, "you think the champion will come save us?" Yeal asks, "well no champion has failed before" Agen recalls: now they had some hope. In a few days Snoke's slavery will be brought to an end.
==Chapter twelve==
On the commandeered Steelwing, everybody was doing their own thing, well except Tailfight: the constant swaying of the boat kept turning her green until she got airborne, and as a result, she had to fly to avoid puking. For the moment she was feeling better, mostly. "Ugh, as soon we land on Terramort, Tailfight never go on ship again" she complains, clutching her stomach with her wings, "oh it's not so bad when you get used to it" Tash pities, "easy for otter-worm to say" Tailfight mocks, "yeah well I don't like swimming in the ocean: salt gets in the last places you want to think about" Tash argues and sticks his right-finger in his bellybutton to rid it of salt, making Tailfight turn green again from looking and she jumps into the air to control herself, making Tash apologetic, "oh sorry about that" he shouts and left to continue somewhere more private.
Meanwhile Kimiko Backle Bablo and Saba were looking at a map of their lands. "Okay, in a few weeks we should hit Terramort, unless we run into a storm" Kimiko estimates, "any ideas for when we get there?" Saba asks everyone, "I do" Backle proposes making everyone look at him, "since Bablo will most likely be taken as an ally at first glance, he could pose as a corsair while we woodlanders pretend to be his and Tash's slaves" the squirrel continues, "well Bablo I get, but why Tash?" Kimiko asks, "Tash is a descendent of Cheek Stag Otter, and like Cheek, Tash and his relatives are masters of impersonating, he could disguise himself as a weasel while speaking like a pirate" Backle answers, "the Cheek Stag Otter? I've heard of him, does Tash talk like a hare?" Kimiko gasps, "sometimes he does" Saba confirms much to Kimiko's amusement, she laughs briefly before returning to the map, "so Bablo, you think you can pull this off?" Backle asks Bablo, "I'm willing to try" Bablo asserts.
----
Back at Salamandastron, Brockthorn was once again in the forgery tending to some weapons, until a knock sounded from his door. "Yes?" he responds, "it's Hoon sir, just letting you know our vermin-prisoners are behaving perfectly" Hoon's voice answers, though Brockthorn became interested and walks over to the door, letting in some welcoming cool air upon opening it, "really, any trouble?" he asks, "only that they're being lazy, but nothing sinister yet" Hoon claims, "that's good, hopefully they'll be as civilized as us woodlanders" Brockthorn prays, "like Blaggut or Romsca?" Hoon jokes, "yep" Brockthorn answers playfully.
----
Back at Terramort, Snoke still felt uneasy. None of the slaves were acting out of place: if they knew about the Redwall-shrew, they certainly weren't showing it, not that Snoke could do anything about it anyway. His lackeys weren't acting different either: those who put the pieces together remained loyal, and at least one group went off on another slave-hunting expedition. Even so, Snoke wasn't getting his hopes up: if this shrew will become his downfall, he might as well make the best of it, besides: a main villain needs to be a good fighter. Snoke decided to leave his domain for a moment to do some training. He was wielding a double-edged serrated spear and wore armor, while lashing out at some trees and rocks, pretending they were enemies. Snoke twirls his weapon and plunges it into a rock, leaving a scar in it, then swings with all his might onto a nearby tree, slicing halfway through with ease, then launches himself feet first at the tree, kicking it hard enough to make it timber away. Snoke stood there panting, proud of his accomplishment. "Panrahk would've been proud to see this" he voiced: the training he received from that fox certainly paid off, he then looked up when he heard clapping and saw Furyswipes, "nice shot" he praises, "how'd you know where I was?" Snoke questions, he's had an audience show up when he wasn't looking before, so this wasn't surprising, though he's never had Furyswipes show up before, "it isn't hard when you hear the sound of rocks cracking, wood being sliced through and trees toppling over" Furyswipes shrugs but gets strangely serious, "but seriously lord, what's bothering you?" the ferret adds, "well if you must know, I fear that shrew will show up and end my cult, the nightmare I had last night was based on it" Snoke confessed, "you mean like...the slaves being freed and me, you and all our friends dying?" Furyswipes asks timidly, "aye" Snoke admits, "well I don't care: I'll follow you to my own death if I had to: you took me in after I was out of a job, you're like an avian Tramun Clogg" Furyswipes compliments, "it's nice to hear you're willing to stay by my side, but just incase, don't tell everyone else who doesn't know or hasn't figured it out: I don't wanna spread panic or anything" Snoke warns and Furyswipes nods: Snoke trusted the ferret as much as he used to trust Steeltalon, he could always rely on him to get something done.
==Chapter thirteen==
At Redwall, Falon was collecting herbs for the infirmary. Luminara was helping, though it was hard with only one arm. After plucking one herb, she tries to do another, but this one had a stronger grip in the dirt. "Ugh, a little help here?" she asks Falon who obliges, and together they pull with all their might, eventually the plant loosens and they fall on their backs after getting it free, just when Arula-II comes over, "burr aye, need some help?" she wonders, "you're a little late Arula" Luminara answers and presents the herb, "hurr, how's your arm?" she asks, "I can move it a little, but it still hurts" Luminara responds wiggling her arm, "let's give it a few more days, at least until there isn't any pain" Falon orders, "yeah yeah yeah" Luminara scoffs, "hurr hurr, why don't you take a break Luminara, I can takeover" Arula proposes, "if you insist" Luminara concedes and leaves, Arula sees Falon shaking his head, "she's been feeling a bit useless due to that injury" the dormouse laments.
----
Out at sea, the Steelwing continues its journey. Dozens of black guillemots were feeding in the water around the ship, and were careful not to get in the way. Three days have passed and the woodlanders have been practicing some combat-moves and how they'll get in the slave-camp: Bablo and Tash would pose as vermin and therefore, needed to dress like vermin, so they went below deck to check the wardrobes and fortunately there were plenty of corsair-clothes. Bablo was dressed in a belt with a dagger and a black-headband, since his snake-physiology limited the amount of attire, but he and everyone else doubted it would matter. Tash on the other hand would need a very big disguise so nobody would get suspicious. Currently he was dressed in dark-purple pants and a dark-yellow bandanna, but some hares were also wrapping cloths over his tail, feet and hands. "Are you sure I have to wear the wrappings?" he complains, "well the rudder-like tail and webbings between your toes and fingers would be dead giveaways" Saba argues, "and I think you should have a bally tattoo for extra measure" Kimiko adds, "well speaking of tattoos, I've found some capsules full of war-paint and a bag of dyed-powder here" Backle presents, "dyed powder? like the kind Ungatt Trunn used?" Bablo asks, "yeah, though this powder is white" Backle reveals scooping out some powder before letting it fall back in, leaving his paw stained white, "hope they're waterproof" Tash prays, "it says here they are, somewhat" Saba reads, "killee what tattoo Tash get?" Tailfight wonders, "hmm, just do a skull & crossbones" Tash shrugs, "and we need to make it disguise some of your otter physiology" Kimiko notes studying Tash: even in the attire he still looked like an otter, at least on his face and chest, "I think your chest will make the perfect spot" Kimiko concludes and gets the paint out, they lay Tash on a table in the cabin and some artistic-hares start with the black-paint. Tash shivers as the paint felt cold on his skin. When the black-paint finished drawing a silhouetted skull & crossbones, they added the white-powder over it. In an hour the tattoo was complete and Tash had to look in a nearby mirror to see the full extent. "Wow, I look like a true corsair" he remarks, "guys we gotta a ship sighted" screeched a male hare bursting in, "looks like its time to test ourselves" Bablo suggests and he slithers out with Tash following.
Above deck, another ship was seen, though this one wasn't one of Snoke's. The captain, a female polecat, was standing at the bow waving. "Ahoy there, anyone there?" she calls, Bablo and Tash present themselves at that moment, "yo-ho-ho, just some corsairs here" Bablo responds, "oh, I thought you would be, need anything?" the polecat shouts, "maybe anything on Terramort, we heard there's a slavery-empire going on, we'd like to join" Tash replies in a different voice, "oh that would be Snoke the Vicious, he's a seagull, Terramort is just four days ahead of you" the polecat responds, "thanks, take care" Bablo bids and they part ways. 
As soon as the other ship was long gone, Saba Backle Tailfight and the hares reemerge. "Okay, now we know what we're up against: a seagull named Snoke the Vicious" Tash relays, "never has there been a seagull-villain before" Backle remarks.
----
Four days later, the Steelwing was nearing Terramort. Snoke (and a few other vermin) had thought it was a mirage or something when they recognized it as Steeltalon's ship, but Snoke noticed only two corsairs were on it, neither he recognized. "Greetings travelers, and who might you be?" he greets, though Bablo and Tash were momentarily stunned by the gull's size, "I'm uh, poisontail, and my friend here is..." Bablo begins, "Sawtooth, I'm guessing you're Snoke the Vicious, we caught some slaves of our own: several Long Patrol hares, a squirrel, a sparrow and a shrew" Tash finishes, "Long Patrol hares?" Snoke gasps, "we caught them by drugging them" Tash explains, "oh, what happened to the other corsairs on this ship?" Snoke questions, "the very slaves we have, they killed the vermin who were on this ship, we were just passing by when we heard fighting and heard bits about you, so we thought we could replace them" Bablo answers, "I see, you also said you had a shrew, is it a young female, and did she possess a sword with writing on it?" Snoke inquires, "she is a teenage gal sir, but no, she only had a dagger" Tash lies, though he was carrying Martin's sword for safekeeping, "well, you got the job" Snoke shrugs and flies back to the island, "I didn't think that would work" Bablo remarks secretly, "yeah, but the real hard part will be how we bring an end to this" Tash reminds in his own voice.
==Chapter fourteen==
A few minutes later, the ship docks and the disguised woodlanders were brought to the camp's courtyard. "This place is a lot bigger than I expected" Kimiko remarks as they come to a stop right in front of Snoke and some vermin, other vermin and slaves were looking in curiosity, "Featherwhip, Yellowfoot, inspect the slaves" Snoke orders and the rat and gannet comply, both surveying the prisoners, "wow, never seen Long Patrol hares before" Featherwhip comments, "and one good-looking shrew" Yellowfoot notes on Saba, who growls at him, "Saba?!" a voice suddenly rang out, and everyone turns to see Yeal with a reprimanding Agen, though Saba instantly recognized him, "Saba? wait..." Snoke whispers and takes a good look at this shrew, then it hit him, "you, you are the Redwall-champion, quick someone kill her!" he screams frantically and Yellowfoot was just about to draw a dagger when Kimiko struck him lightning-fast with her own, killing the rat, "well I was hoping we'd free the slaves first but..." Tash shrugs and removes his disguise (minus the tattoo), "you're an otter?!" Featherwhip gasps, "yep, Redwall!" Tash confirms and hollers, tossing the sword to Saba who catches it and draws it out, and that's when all hell broke loose, "freedom!" she shouts and attacks, with her friends joining her after Tash and Bablo gave their weapons. The slaves, seeing this miracle, were quick to revolt. "Come on y'all, this is our chance to end this nightmare, eulalia!" Kaz shouts and he and the slaves charge in with whatever they can get as a weapon, or just use their bare hands, "attack!" Snoke cries and flees to his castle.
Tailfight tackles Featherwhip. The two birds fly up and constantly lash each other: Tailfight with her dagger, Featherwhip with her whip. "Killee, killee" she shrieks, "I eat sparra like you for breakfast" Featherwhip shrieks. 
Down below, Kimiko was wielding a pair of javelins and was guarding Backle, who was being the artillery, at least until Furyswipes bashes into her. "You're mine rabbit" he threatens pointing a rapier at her, "don't call me "rabbit"" Kimiko snaps and whacks one javelin at him and they engage.
Kaz has strangled a male fox with his bare hands alone and Kagalin swiped a spear just laying about to dispatch a male rat. Tash, having ripped off his disguise, took out a male weasel. "Ah that's better" he says to his naked self, quite happy to get those clothes off, however a female stoat sneaks up on him, but is skewered by a spear, "nice try" Kagalin says and then she and Tash lock eyes: both suddenly feeling strange, "uh h-hi" Tash stutters, "h-hi, I'm K-Kagalin" Kagalin introduces, "I-I'm Otter Tash Stag, I mean Tash Stag Otter" Tash announced funnily, Kagalin blushes greatly, and not just because she feels she likes this otter, "uh Tash?" she warns pointing at his waist, when Tash looked he suddenly gasped, "oh man!" he shrieks and covers his crotch with his hands, weapon and tail, "don't worry I'll cover you" Kagalin offers before whacking a rat away, "it might be a while" Tash warns feeling more aroused from the female otter.
As for Agen, he was busy protecting Yeal with a hatchet, though Yeal threw a rock at another vermin. "Hey hedgehog, I could use a hand here" Backle pleads, leaving Agen torn, though Yeal became enthusiastic, "fine just, stay away from anyone too big and powerful for you" Agen relents and slashes at the ferret trying to slice Backle, while Yeal locates Saba, who was engaging a male rat, "Saba" he shouts, allowing Saba to kick and slice the rat, "Yeal?" she asks, Yeal confirms it by hugging her, "where are your parents?" she asks, "I don't know, we were separated when we came here" Yeal shrugs, "take him to the nursery, he'll be safe there" Agen suggests, "Backle, get him to where that playground is" Saba orders, "sure" Backle obeys and gets Yeal to the nursery while Saba turned to Agen, "friend of his?" she asks, "I'm Agen" the hedgehog introduces, "I'm Saba" the shrew returns, then they get back to fighting, "did anyone see where Snoke went?" Saba asks her comrades, "I saw him head into the castle" Kaz informs while engaging a female ferret with a staff he took, "thanks badger" Saba expressed and heads to the castle only to be blocked by Pyropunch, "leaving so soon?" she growls while brandishing her spear, "I got her" said another voice and Kagalin charges in with her spear, allowing Saba entry.
----
In the castle, Snoke takes cover in his bedroom. He couldn't believe it was finally happening: his empire was being destroyed. He knew Steeltalon would fail. He suddenly locked eyes with his signature spear and paused. "Well I did say I wanted to go out with a bang" he shrugs and moves to a chest, opening it reveals armor he had acquired from a corsair raid during his teens: it was meant for a badger, but could fit a seagull if modified for one, which Snoke did, the downside was it didn't let him fly, but he'll take protection over flight if it kept him alive longer. Quickly looking out the window, he wasn't sure how much time he has, so he'll have to be quick. He dons the armor and then grabs his spear.
==Chapter fifteen==
Palipsur was wielding a dirk against Snotclaw who was wielding a club. The two clash, but Snotclaw, who was more experienced with combat, sends Palipsur flying into a wall. "Go ahead, run home to mommy, oh that's right: you don't have a mommy" he mocks, though Palipsur growls and fights back viciously.
Up above, Tailfight and Featherwhip continue to brawl. Featherwhip launched lashes from her whip, but Tailfight either dodges or repels them with her dagger, until Featherwhip suddenly swoops in from below and grazes the sparrow, then lassoes her with her whip. "Gannet-bird remind Tailfight of Steeltalon" Tailfight notes, "I'll take that as a compliment, but you won't stop us" Featherwhip vows, "wanna bet?" Tailfight mocks and suddenly unravels herself, yanks Featherwhip by the whip with her beak and pounds the gannet in the back with her feet, but it wasn't over yet.
Back on the ground, Kimiko and Furyswipes were still at it, having taken their fight up to the platform aligning the front-wall. "Is that all you got wot?" Kimiko taunts, "nope, this is" Furyswipes answers on one collision and swings out his left-foot and struck the hare's right-knee, unbalancing her, then launches an uppercut with the same foot to the chin, making Kimiko fall on her back and drop her javelins: the right one falling off the platform, Furyswipes then readies his rapier to deliver a stab that would surely kill her, but she scooted out of range just before she could be hit and Furyswipes only got the platform itself, and repeated this until the floor began to creak from too many stabbings, "uh oh" Kimiko whispers and launches herself back, just when the floor gives way. She makes it to one side (and secured her remaining javelin too), but Furyswipes did on the other, but drops his guard: an arrow suddenly hits him from behind and he falls forward into the gaping hole. "Got him" shouted a voice and Kimiko looks to see Backle waving, obviously the one who killed the ferret.
As for Rarkim, he was still in his lookout-post watching the action, but he was terrified: he didn't think he'd ever see something like this, yet here some woodlanders had tricked their way into the compound and were now destroying it from within. He decides to get outa here, but he'd have to be careful: the vermin could easily mistake him for an enemy, though Tash spotted him. "Hey how'd you get up there?" the otter shouts halting the dormouse, "I uh, uh...ah forget it" he shrugs and threw a dagger at the otter, who dodged in shock, "you're on their side?" Bablo gasps, "I don't care about anyone but myself, be it vermin or woodlander, so good riddance" Rarkim says and makes a dash for the front gate after climbing down a ladder, but was stopped by Kaz, "I don't think so pipsqueak" the badger growls, but Rarkim wasn't backing off: taking out another dagger he tackles Kaz who fights back with his staff. They were evenly matched, but Rarkim wasn't above getting dirty in battle and grabs a whip and lashes at the badger aggressively. Bablo whips him with his tail to stop it. "You are one messed up dormouse" he remarks, "I get that a lot, but I like it" Rarkim retorts as he rolls away from both Kaz and Bablo, though the former was suddenly attacked by a fox and forced to focus elsewhere. Rarkim lashes at both sides of Bablo to keep him still, then threw his dagger, Bablo ducks and plays possum, but Kaz just happens to be in trajectory and takes the dagger to the face, much to Bablo's horror, "eh, at least I got somebeast" Rarkim shrugs not at all shocked or remorseful, but Bablo, ridden with guilt, gets angry at Rarkim, and not just any angry: bloodwrath-angry; he turns to Rarkim with blood-red eyes, which the dormouse knew what that meant, "ah crud" he mutters and bolts, with Bablo in pursuit. The grass snake cuts off Rarkim's escape, making the dormouse back up, "you are the worst woodlander ever!" he shouted in a guttural voice, "please don't kill-ah!" Rarkim begs but Bablo would have none of it: he chomps on Rarkim, shakes him, bashes him against the wall, ground and anything else near them (including vermin) until the snake felt the dormouse go limp. Not wanting to make himself sick from eating such a horrible beast, he spits the now dead-dormouse out and lets out some tears.
Back in the castle, Snoke was suited up for combat and had brought three vermin (all male ferrets) with him to discuss his intention. "Take out anyone in your way, but if you see a shrew wielding a sword with writing on it, leave her to me" the gull instructs, "hey bird-brain" shouted a voice from a doorway and they see Saba, "on second thought, get her" Snoke suddenly orders to the ferrets, who comply while he flees down a hall, all wielding spears, but Saba defeats them each and fallows Snoke into what looked like a dining-hall. She looks around for the seagull but doesn't see him yet. "What's the matter seagull, scared of shrews?" she taunts, and that's when Snoke struck: he leaps from a ledge near the ceiling with his spear raised when Saba came close enough, but she heard him coming and dove away, leaving Snoke to impale nothing but the floor. They then engage, spear meeting sword, and at one point Snoke jumps on the table, Saba slashes down and gets the table itself as Snoke jumps to the other side, prompting her to follow. Snoke pulled out a chair to use as a shield, but Saba easily cuts through it. He grabs another chair and throws it, knocking her back. She manages to push it off, but Snoke used it to getaway through the doors on the other side of the chamber, leading Saba to follow him and sees him heading up stairs.
Back outside, Agen was busy with Pyropunch (Kagalin having wanted to switch opponents with him). She swings her spear horizontally but Agen ducks and rams her quills-first, causing immense pain for the fox. Agen then towers over her, hatchet raised. "And they say nice guys finish last, well guess what, I'm not nice" he mocks and swings down, but Pyropunch blocks it with her spear, ricocheting Agen off and allowing her to kick him in the belly, "well you're right about one thing" she teases but suddenly ducks as an arrow flies over, but this allowed Agen to punch her in the face, then thrust his hatchet forward, getting her in the torso, "yeah I am" he claims and lets Pyropunch fall dead.
----
Tailfight and Featherwhip were still brawling, neither being able to get an edge, then the sparrow thought of something. "Come get Tailfight gannet-bird" she taunts and suddenly flies down, "hey" Featherwhip complains and follows, straight toward Backle, who noticed the two birds heading his way and fires an arrow at the gannet, though she dodges by an inch, "haha, you almost had me squirrel" she mocks, but this allowed Tailfight to summersault over and dive-bomb Featherwhip dagger first, and by the time the gannet noticed it was too late: "killee killee" Tailfight shouts and scores a direct hit on Featherwhip's head, sending her crashing to the ground right in front of Backle, "nice shot Tailfight" the squirrel cheers, "thank Backle" Tailfight expresses.
As for Palipsur, she was still fighting Snotclaw, and losing. Blow after blow they send each other, but Palipsur was tiring, Snotclaw, seeing this, lands one more hit with his club and sends her dirk flying away, and making her fall on her butt while he stands over and raises his club to finish her, "snooze you lose mouse" he taunts, but he didn't see the enemy approaching behind him, and suddenly felt something torpedo itself through his back and reemerge out his chest, sending blood splattering over Palipsur. Snotclaw looks down in shock and sees a spearhead sticking out of his chest, then falls to his left-side, revealing Kagalin behind him, no doubt the one who killed the sable. "You okay?" she asks Palipsur, "yeah, thanks" the mouse answers gratefully, then catches sight of Greentooth approaching, "watch out" she shouts and after retrieving her dirk battles the stoat, knocking him over and slicing through his skull, "wow, thanks" Kagalin pants.
As for Snoke and Saba, they continue up on a balcony. Sword and spear clash repeatedly until both pause to catch their breath. Snoke, starting to feel grimy in his armor, decides to risk it and takes it off. "You know Saba, you're probably the only fighter that could ever have beaten me" he compliments, "to tell you the truth: I actually want to be a healer" Saba admits, "a healer eh? wasn't expecting that" Snoke remarks before feeling recharged enough to draw, Saba follows and both stare at each other for a few seconds, then faster than an eye can blink they lunge at each other, weapons first. It seems as if they were in slow motion when they suddenly glide passed each other before landing opposite of each other, and for a second neither move, but suddenly Snoke convulses and drops onto his right flank, Saba also suffers a gash across her right-flank, but sees she was the winner and limps to the gull. "So this it then? I die, my cult crumbles and you and the slaves go free?" he mumbles, "well, you did put up a fight" Saba comments, "I hope I did a good enough impression for the world to tell stories about in seasons to come" Snoke adds, leaving Saba to feel a bit curious, "is that why you enslaved, just to become famous?" she wonders, "somewhat, there hasn't been any seagull-warlords at any time, so I thought "hey why not", I just hope I did enough to be told about like all the others" Snoke pants, "well, if it pleases you, I'll tell the world about you" Saba offers, "I'd like that very much" Snoke thanks and finally dies.
==Chapter sixteen==
All was now quiet on Terramort-isle. The goodbeasts have triumphed over evil and the survivors were disposing of the bodies (woodlanders were buried (except Rarkim), vermin were burned). Saba emerges from Gabool Castle dragging Snoke's corpse with her. She was glad to have a decree in medics: she had ripped a chunk of Snoke's tunic off and wrapped it around her wound, but she was still limping. Outside, she saw the majority of her allies remain alive, save one: she saw Bablo Yeal Kagalin Agen and Palipsur surround something, which turned out to be a dead badger, and Bablo was crying big time. "It's my fault, the dagger was meant for me" the snake sobs, "Bablo, it's not your fault: he knew there would be a price to pay when the day came, even if it was himself" Palipsur sniffs, "sorry for your loss" Saba says, "Saba, you're alive" Backle cheers and hugs her, "but why shrew-worm have seagull-bird?" Tailfight asks, "well, Snoke here apparently only enslaved to become famous, I thought he deserved better than being thrown into the fire" Saba explains, "so true: that was the main reason he had us brought here" Agen admits and helps Saba move the corpse to a spot outside the compound, though Saba had to abort to tend her wounds, so Tash took over. "Well uh Kagalin, now that you and everyone here is free, do you wish to...come with me...to Redwall?" Tash asks Kagalin shyly, "I'd love to" she answers and they kiss, unfortunately giggling was heard near them, "what?" Tash asks Agen and a few others, "uh not to embarrass you or anything, but...your parts are showing" the hedgehog warns, Tash looks at his crotch and again the genitals were showing themselves, "ah not again!" he screams and covers them, eliciting more laughter from everyone else, except Tailfight who felt kind of sad at seeing Tash with some other girl, but since the other girl was an otter like him, maybe it was for the best.
----
After the cleanup, the castle was demolished, then the heroes took some of the corsair ships away to their homelands. Agen and Palipsur have chosen to spend the rest of their lives at Salamandastron, where Brockthorn took an instant liking to the teens, treating them as if they were his own. The rest continued back to Redwall, where everything remained normal, though Luminara has finally gotten the cast on her arm off and was back to her old self (though Falon warned her not to overwork herself). Drayden was enjoying the sunshine when he spotted Naltlim up on the western-wall. "I say, what's up skipper old chap?" the hare asks approaching, "I was just thinking about those kids: it's been weeks now" the otter expresses, "yeah I know, but I've also noticed whatever sinister aura hanging in the air has disappeared, maybe they did it" Drayden notes, "I felt it too, a few days ago" Naltlim admits and continues gazing, but suddenly caught something in the distance, "wait do you see-?" he began, "I see it alright" Drayden interrupts squinting, and when what they were seeing gets closer he recognized them, "but I don't bally believe it, well not completely" he adds, Naltlim on the other hand was delighted, "no way: it's them" he gasps, "dad, we're back, and we brought some friends" Tash's voice echoes, prompting Drayden to alert the abbey, "our young warriors are back, open the gate" the hare shouts and several gather up top to indeed see the alleged-heroes and new faces. As soon as Furple opened the gate, she and the others burst out to hug their friends, Furple herself saw her fellow guosim with Saba, "Saba, you did it, you actually did it" she praises, "just like all the others" Saba jokes. 
Backle Tailfight and Tash were being smothered by their parents. "My son, you returned" Selenor cries happily, "told you we'd be back" Tash remarks until Kagalin coughs to get their attention, "hello who might you be miss?" Naltlim asks courteously, "I'm Kagalin, one of the many slaves rescued, your son is a great otter" she answers, arousing Tash again, who hastily covers his crotch, "oh you like her don't you son?" Selenor teases, "no, I mean-" Tash objects, only for his parents to laugh, "oh relax, she can stay" Selenor assures, "thank you, I don't really have a family anymore anyway" Kagalin admits, "oh you poor thing, we'll gladly be your parents" Selenor proposes, "mom!" Tash whines, "I sure hope to hear about your adventure" Iskorol suddenly buts in, unknowingly saving Tash from more embarrassment, but he and his friends happily agree to tell the mole, "well, first off..." Backle began.
===Epilogue===
Sixteen seasons have passed since the "Summer of Liberation on Terramort-Isle" has happened, that's what our name-day became known as. The slaves our young warriors have brought to Redwall have settled in and once more life at the abbey was good. The guosim have recovered from their abduction by Snoke the Vicious: the first seagull-warlord to have become famous over Mossflower. Ironic, since that was his goal all along, but he got his wish, no question about that. Now for the current events: first off, Naltlim has retired from being skipper of Holt Stag Otter, now Tash is the skipper, and happily married to Kagalin, and they now have a son, named Cheek-II after their ancestor, while Selenor has chosen to be the local bell-ringer (the first otter to have this job). Saba too has grown and is now the Log-a-Log, and Yeal has become her student. They sometimes pay visits to Salamandastron where apparently, Yeal befriended another slave: a hedgehog named Agen, who along with his friend Palipsur have recently visited us to reminisce. Bablo has become the first snake to reside in Redwall, and fortunately he can't poison us naturally and is amicable, but he does do us a favor by patrolling the woods outside for marauding vermin, occasionally eating them, and his habit of playing dead is funny (which has made him a target for dibbuns giving him a scare). Tash and Kagalin still visit us, and Tailfight has settled with a nice male sparrow in Warbeak Loft and is expecting eggs. Backle and Saba haven't found romance yet, but are keeping an eye out. As for everyone else like Luminara and Abbess Gussie, they're still around, just old nowadays, and Gussie plans to retire sometime in the future, but doesn't feel ready to relinquish it just yet. Well, that's it for now, may Martin the Warrior's ghost be with you.
Iskorol, the first mole abbey-recorder in Redwall's history.
The End
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