A Second Chance (Redwall Fanfic)

A Drift

Suna hunched over in the boat as the rain poured down. The thunder made it hard for her to hear what the bank vole was saying as she thought of what to do, but the comments from the one companion who could speak indicated that he was terrified. She honestly couldn't blame him. The air rushing past them has caused her breath to catch. When she finally was able to breath easily she began to think things through.

"At least the boat landed with its bottom towards the water, otherwise we would have drowned. Well, I may have survived, but the infant can't swim and the bank vole would have sunk because of the manacles attached to his paws. Actually, I could have tried keeping the babe's head above the wateer, but I don't think I would have succeeded."

"All I wanted was to live and see my family again." The bank vole's sobs could be heard as the storm began to calm down. "I didn't do anything to be taken away from my family."

Suna's ears twitched upon hearing the word family. "To be honest I don't mind being away from my family."

"That's because you're vermin! You're going to kill and eat me and that poor infant once we get to land! That's the only reason why you haven't dumped us both into the ocean."

The fox's ears twitched in irritation but instead choose to ignore the biased comments that were directed at her. "I honestly can't blame him for thinking this."

She scooped the bundle and held it in her lap as they went up and down, the water splashing every so often over the edge as the sea began to calm. The salt was upon her tongue making her wish for fresh water to cure her thirst. It was then that the sun showed through the clouds. She could see the sun setting in the west and remembered that land was towards the east. She placed the infant in a nook behind her and took one of the oars that had miraculously stayed with her.

She began to row towards land, nudging the bank vole with her paw. "If you want to live and set paw on land again I suggest you row too."

"As if you would spare my life once we got to land." A stern look from Suna caused the bank vole to hunker down. The young fox remembered then with a memory flash the boat being pushed over the edge and how he had shaken as it occurred. Truth of the matte was they should have all been dead. She watched as the vole began to help her row out of fear.

After a bit of time she reached into her robes and removed a piece of dried root, causing the vole to look up at her, his mouth open. She paused for a few seconds. "I'd offer you some, but there is something more important right now for which this is needed."

"Yes! Yourself! You're going to chug down that food and leave me to starve. All vermin are alike!" The snapish words didn't stop her from picking up the small child and placing the end of the root into the baby mouse's mouth. She watched as the babe sucked on it and was glad that it would last hopefully until they get to shore.

Looking up she saw that the bank vole had a rather guilty look on his face. She set the babe into her lap so she could continue to row and make sure that he didn't choke on the piece of food. 'What is your family like?"

"So you can find and eat them too?" The bank vole of course was not happy, but his tounge couldn't help but wag as he much liked telling about his greatest treasure. "My family is among a group of bank voles that lives on the river Moss close to where the river meets the sea. My mother and father... they were quite happy, as were my wife and children. They would play all day. That is until Castron the slaver. We didn't think that vermin existed anymore."

"Why would goodbeasts thing that vermin didn't exist anymore?" The vixen's muzzle features twisted up in perplextion.

"Well... obviously you do. Well... Castrong took us and gave some to your beast. That's how I ended up coming to be where I was, away from my family and all. We simply lived on the river Moss minding our own business when he came along."

"Caston... this slaver." The question came forward in a rather innocent manner.

"He is..." The bank vole paused for a few seconds almost as if he worried about what he was going to say. "He is your kind... a fix. Which isn't surprising considering the nature of you foxes. He's built a holding at the river Moss's waterfalls. He also controls the trade that goes up and down the river."

There came silence then. Suna then asked a question that had been bothering her. "I do have a question. I am not sure whether or not you can answer it or not. The spell as you know was supposed to summon this lands greatest treasure. You said that it was a sword, but instead it ended up being a mouse babe instead."

"Because... I rightly don't know. All the tales I've heard about the abbe growing up they say it was the sword that was what swayed the battle. They say it was forged from stars and that it has great power to drive back any foe. I guess though it is just wives tale that has been passed down from one generation to the next. You know... old wives tales told to lull the small Dibbun's to sleep."

"Then I take it you have no clue as to why the mouse was summoned?"

"No. I guess it may be from Moss Town. I've never gone beyond my own home before the slaver came." The bank vole continued. "I have heard tales that the abbey is falling apart. Goodbeasts wonder if there are anyone there anymore, it has been so long since it's heyday. There may be some old abbey beasts, but they are two old to be having babes."

There came silence then. Eventually Suna's head darted up and she found herself looking towards the shore" I see land... what is the odd plant with the two leaves sticking up?"

"What... I can't see anything. Oh. That looks like a beast actually. One of the sand hares that are a part of the Salamadastron area." The vole looked at her. "I believe I'll be safe now and not have to worry about you once we get to shore. Unless of course you choose to kill me before we get there and head further along the shore. Hares are perilous beasts and even if you were try to kill me now, fact is they've spotted you."