A Second Chance (Redwall Fanfic)

The Future

Friar Delbert hurried through the abbey grounds helping the recorder Jupi to fasten the doors and windows shut. He let out a sigh as he headed to the gate, shaking his head at the fact so much time had passed since the time of the warriors that the abbey had become empty and four old mice was not enough to keep the abbey running like they wanted.

Sometimes he would close his eyes and imagine the good old days when the abbey had been full and bustling with good beasts, both of the order or not. This of course was also before his time and by the time he had come around there had been not many beasts from outside the walls and it had been a hundred turns of the seasons since the abbey had an abbot or abbess.

Turn of the seasons... this term wasn't from the time of the warriors. The thought crossed his mind as he arrived at the one of the heavy gates and closed it to the best of his ability as this one was getting to the point it didn't fit right. It needed to be replaced, but in the many turns of the seasons they hadn't had a carpenter to replace the door and they had bad relations with Mosstown.

He then headed through the rain as it dripped from the edge of his hood and arrived at the gate near the gatehouse in time to see two guests. One of the quests was a reddish brown squirrel who was in charge of the wood crafting guilds in Mosstown. The other was the brown mouse who acted as mayor of the town. Delbert let out a sigh, shaking his head as he knew why they were there.

It was the squirrel who spoke up then. "Shelter for awhile brother? We'll help you close the gate and remain in the gatehouse until the storm is over and let you know so you can close the gate behind us when we leave again."

Delbert nodded his head and motioned them to follow him. In truth he wasn't sure if he could trust them to their promises, particularly since they tended to run in different social circles despite being of high status. He walked into the gatehouse and lit up a lamp, shaking the match he used to light the lamp so it went out.

He looked up in time to watch them remove the hoods they were wearing and tap their paws on the mat at the door. He turned back to the lamp. "So... why do I have the feeling that you purposefully came to speak about something and the storm is an excuse to speak with us. There is no reason for the two of you to even be traveling in this direction unless you were coming to speak with us."

"Well, I think a good excuse it is." The reddish brown furred squirrel wrinkled up his nose in a rather snobbish manner as he sat down in an old arm chair. "And I also think that you are well aware of what we're here to speak to you about."

"You know that Mosstown is not far from here, about two kleggs away where supposedly that old church was." The mouse stated, his brown fur starting to show a few strands of gray. He wiped his paw across his ear and glanced around at the few books that hadn't been moved into the abbey. "I see that you have moved your records."

"I know where the town is." The friar went over to the fire and stirred it. "And it is no business of yours whether or not we have moved our records. And yes... I know what you've come to speak about full well."

"Then we don't have to tell you that we've come to speak about the abbey and how it is becoming run down. I mean... with so few members to your order, it's laughable that you're still around. It's dying you could say and should be taken over by the town, particularly since travelers now pass by the abbey these days to come to Mosstown." The mouse also sat down, folding his paws in his lap.

"So that you can use the grounds for a market place?" The friar shook his head.

"

It would be the best thing for this place. There would be no chance that you'll get more members into the order before you all died. I mean, this whole order thing is old fashioned. No one has seen vermin in years. It's to the point some wonder if they're just tails." The squirrel then added something. "Plus, the building would also make for a good school and a much sturdier place for Mosstown's town hall."

"The answer is no..." The friar turned towards them, his hands behind his back. "We will find some way to succeed. We don't hold to the town's standards of isolating each species to their own kind as well as the bigotry you breach. The divisions the town has is despicable."

"Such divisions? Are not two of two different species here?" The mouse's brow rose up as he raised his hands.

"Mayor of Mosstown, don't get me wrong here... but I know it is just part of your strategy to take over the abbey grounds. You wouldn't be here together unless you felt it would help the one thing that Mosstown is all pushing for simply because it builds the status of your town."

The squirrel suddenly laughed. "It would take a miracle for the abbey to finally become populated like it was in the past."

"This abbey has come through many miracles in its history. I wouldn't put it past the abbey to have another miracle. That's the way things are."

"Don't tell me you believe those legends about how that spirit of... what was his name?"

"Martin the Warrior."

"About how Martin the Warrior came in people's dreams just to help save the abbey?" The mayor of Mosstown shook his head. "Those are dibbun tales to make their eyes go wide and get them to sleep at night. Nothing more. For all we know this Martin the Warrior was never real in the first place!"

The chubby friar turned towards them, a frown on his muzzle. "It doesn't matter what you believe. I believe that there will be a miracle. Do you two really think I would still be a part of the order if I didn't believe in Redwall. Now... you may stay until the storm is over, but after that I hold you to your promise and expect you to be gone."

The friar clicked the door shut behind him as he left then before hurrying down the path towards the abbey building. The rain was still pouring down as he slipped through the huge doors and closed them behind him. A couple of of female mice were putting out candles and lighting them while their recorder was recording.

"We had the mayor visit us again." The friar's sandals clicked on the stone floor.

"I had a feeling." Jupi spoke up. "That's why it took you longer to get back. "When will he learn that we will learn that we will keep the abbey open, no matter what."

Suddenly the doors blew open due to being weak from age and wear. The wind blew through blowing out candles as well as scattering the papers. The four mice found themselves in sudden darkness, blinking from shock and not reacting quickly.

"Hurry up and light the candles." As the friar spoke he lit one of the candles causing the mice to see a huge badger in the doorway, causing the old folk to jump. She wore a green habit that was of their order. The next thing they noticed was that there were a few others in green habits. One was a mouse that was younger then the mice of the abbey. She stepped forward and they could see that despite being younger then them she still had many turns of the seasons on her. The friar stammered. "Who are you? Ghosts?"

"I guess you could say that as the last thing I and my friends here remember was being asleep in the Dark Forest. Believe me when I say it is not our doing and we do not know the reasons for us being brought back to life." The female mouse looked around at the abbey and the state of disrepair it was in.

"But who are you?" Friar Delbert gulped as he asked his question.

"I was the first abbess for Redwall, Abbess Germaine." The mouse pulled back her hood. "If you please, I think we need to speak about the matters at hand. I think we have as many questions as you do."