A Second Chance (Redwall Fanfic)

Free Falling

As soon as Timballisto had bitten down on the squirrel he knew he was in huge trouble as he felt himself being let go. He thought about how his mind wasn't doing things like they normally should. As he was falling, his life didn't flash through his mind. Of course, he had already been dead.

Instead he saw Amber the squirrel queen staring at him, quite upset that she couldn't get lose from the three who were holding her still. The next thing he knew he saw a reddish-brown blur streaking down and moving towards him. He knew that he had landed next, but he hadn't landed on the hard ground, but instead had landed on somebody.

"Sheesh, mouseling, you sure are a lot of trouble,' a voice said, sounding like they were in pain. Who ever had him let Timballisto be taken into the arms of one of the mousewives. Thus he ended up getting turned around and seeing the brown-red squirrel that had been harassing Amber.

"Thank you Danwin... though your behavior has yet again caused more problems then it is worth," the mouse commented, shaking his head. This mouse then turned to Timballisto. "Now... will you go nicely or will we have to do something to make you go?"

"If I hadn't landed the way I did, I wouldn't have let you have the tyke!" Danwin suddenly snapped, causing all eyes turn on him. He glared at the mouse, holding his arm and not moving it where the shoulder was.

"Does this have to do with your injured pride or your injured body," the mouse chided him. "I mean... I can't say that helping us as mice can put you in much favor of your father.

"Good riddance!" Danwin commented. "Listen to me carefully. It is obvious that those two know each other... let them go together. Or should I tell them about how you and ..."

"Enough you wiper snapper! I don't need your arrogance!" the mouse said. "Take the Dibbun to the orphanage now!"

"I'm not a Dibbun! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not! My name is Timballisto, named after Timballistos!" the mouse said wriggling hard to get out. Some of the townsfolk who were his age body wise were giggling uproariously.

"Isn't that supposed to be ... your name is Timballisto... named after ballistas?" Danwin commented, shaking his head. This caused Timballisto's cheeks to turn red from embarrassment at messing up his own name.

It was then that they heard a very angry she squirrel suddenly kicking and hissing, trying even harder to break lose. "You leave T.B. be!"

"Yes... mateys... I suggest you do," a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows, as did a few others. Also, springing alive in the trees came some squirrels, pointing their arrows at the ones who kept Amber held.

"Oi! You morons! You aim at vermin, not goodbeasts!" Amber snapped at them though, causing them to withdraw their bows, not to mention some slings.

"Let her go," Danwin commented, shaking his head. The three squirrels suddenly let go of her and she pulled away. The cloaked figure came up and clasped a hand on Danwin's hurt shoulder. "Hey! That hurts!"

"Well, that's what you get for leaping out of a tree so un-squirrel like," the cloaked person teased. "If you have no one to fix up your shoulder, head to the Abbey... Abbess Germaine will be willing to fix you up.

"Is this more tricks?" the mouse asked. "I mean, that there are so many beasts come back to life that..."

"Shut up!" snapped the cloaked figure, pulling back it's hood to reveal the Skipper underneath. Most of the real Dibbuns squeaked at seeing a real otter in front of them. He then scooped Timballisto from the arms of the mousewife. "Matey, sorry that I was late."

"Skipper, they might have Martin!" Timballisto said, suddenly struggling, only to get thunked on the head by the otter.

"Good grief T.B..." the otter said, shaking his head. "Be glad the Abbess sent us word to look for you... and what can you do in this state, huh? Youch!"

Skipper, suddenly spun around to see a pack of Dibbun's behind him. The one responsible for pulling his tail commented, "See, I told you, he's a real otter!"

"Yes... I am..." the Skipper said, only to have Amber scurry over to the mouse mayor.

The angry squirrel stuck a finger between his eyes. "Here's the deal. You had better not have any of ours in with yours... we will come back and discuss this, do you hear me, and you had better be willing to give them up. Well, have you found any others of ours?"

"N...n...no," the mouse stammered.

Amber then clapped an arm around Skipper. "How exactly did you find us?"

"Abbess Germaine told us we were looking for some of our mateys the size of Dibbuns," Skipper said. "I was worried about Gonff and Martin... they would be infants now, so gathered the whole crew that could travel."

The molemum who had Dinny hurried up and handed him to Skipper, startling him. "Burr, this 'ere one be yours."

"Why... thank you marm," the Skipper said, startled. "At least some beasts around here know some manners. I'll leave the rest of you to chew on that for awhile!"