A Second Chance (Redwall Fanfic)

Buffheart's Find

Sand crunched under the paws of the hare, his ear twitching, his eyes glued to the ocean waters waiting for the lifeboat to drift in. The instructions from Lord Boar were quite clear, that he should be looking for a lifeboat drifting in from the sea with three passengers, two grown beasts, and an infant. In the distance, he could see the small boat, and then the adult beasts. Exhaustion obviously racked their body, but Buffheart remained poised on the beast, keeping an eye out for others who might wish the small party harm.

His nose twitched as the sun set into the horizon, the warm colors washing over the water. Buffheart wished the small boat would drift in sooner due to toad country not being the best place to traipse through during the night. His companions were already exhausted enough without the long walk back to the mountain fortress, another reason for the Badger Lord telling him to reserve his strength. One of the parties would be able to fight back, particularly if they needed to stop and sleep. His eyes darted to the side, making sure no enemies were in sight.

When he looked back at the boat, the fur rose up at the back of his neck. One of the passengers in the boat was a vixen fox, a type of vermin which could rarely be trusted. Buffheart's mind wandered to thoughts of not remembering a single time he could remember a vermin he trusted, and shook his head.

Her companion though was a bank vole, doing all of the rowing. Buffheart couldn't tell if this was because she ordered the bank vole to row for her, or if the bank vole actually was doing this out of the kindness of his heart. He could also see the young vole's paws chained and fettered forepaw to forepaw, reminding him of the tales the triplets brought back with them to Salamandastrong regarding the freed slaves during their past life.

The boat clicked ashore, Buffheart still wondering whether the vixen could be trusted despite Lord Boar's words. The vixen stood, and he noted the bundle in her arms as she stepped out. The hare drew his breath, realizing the reason for her not help with the rowing occurred because she had another important duty. The infant in her arms was a mouse.

Buffheart glared, being stern until he could determine what was going on. "Why is it that you have a flippin' mouse babe?"

The vixen looked up, the expression in her eyes reflecting someone who'd seen things she didn't wish to remember. "I'm not sure if you would believe me if I told you, but my mother and sisters work for a beast who seeks the power of the land so he can conquer. He expected the power of red walled structure in the forest, but instead received this mouse babe."

"That would be Redwall Abbey." The bank vole looked up. "It's my fault for telling him about the sword belonging to that place, and the power tied to it."

Buffheart's ear twitched. "The sword of the abbey wasn't where it got it's power from. It was just a special kind of metal from space forged in such a manner so it was not breakable, wot wot."

A thought crossed his mind as to who the mouse babe was. The bank vole gave him a rather incredulous look. "And how would you know?"

"Shush! Don't yell! You..." The vixen paused. "Such an odd tyke. He's woken up, but isn't crying."

"That would be Martin for you. He was always a rather odd one. Boar the Fighter told me in the Dark Forest that Martin is the only non-Badger to be listed among the past and future Badger Lords in his visions, which in itself says a lot."

"I am confused as to what you're saying. You say the Dark Forest as if you're supposed to be dead, and yet here you stand." The vixen gave him a wary look.

"Yes, we are supposed to be dead, along with one Badger Lord and at least seven other hares, not including ones we don't know whether or not they've been brought back, wot wot."

"Ghost!" The bank vole jumped back, ducking behind the vixen and cowering, grabbing onto her clothing in fear."

"Lordy me, I am not a ghost! Though from what I heard, Martin did have a habit of haunting the abbey between his death and now. He's Redwall Abbey's great strength."

The vixen politely curtsied. "My name is Suna. I honestly don't understand what is going on, but this infant is certainly in need of nourishment."

Buffheart turned his head to the bank vole. "I saw some plants over younger. Come with me. It won't be the best thing, but it will have to do for now. We'll keep an eye out on our way to the mountain for dandelions."

The bank vole shivered as he followed after, and Buffheart let out a laugh as his ear twitched. "Wot wot, I really am not a ghost. If we were, Martin certainly wouldn't be an infant like he is, but a full-grown mouse. As I said already, he of all beasts knows how to play the role of a ghost, though don't bring that fact up with others. I'm not sure what beasts from our generation are actually aware of the full extent of Martin's gifts."

"So, you have no food?"

"I'm a Long Patrol hare, so I can scrounge up stuff. What's is your name, jolly old chap?"

"Gullihan?"

"Gullihan it is then. Is the vixen friend or foe?"

"I don't trust vermin, but she may be different. I don't know. She took care of the mouse babe, but that may be because she thought he was special, and now you've proven she is. She might try to use that to her advantage. Unless of course, you're pulling my paw about Martin the Warrior coming back as a mere baby. Nobody would believe me. The infant wasn't there, though, and then he was."

"Probably. Trust is going to be hard pressed for us, but we'll see how things are once we get back to Salamandastron."