A strange New Land (Redwall)

Chapter 7: Making Camp

We had probably been trekking through the sandy desert for three or four hours. Tammic told me they were headed to a place called Redwall. I liked this Tammic squirrel, he seemed nice enough. He had given me a hat to block out the sun from my face and eyes. The hat had little holes in it where the ears could comfortably protrude out. It seemed to be made of squirrels, but it fit well enough.

"How much longer do ya reckon it will be till we reach this Redwall place?" I asked taking a sip of water from Tammics flask.

Tammic took a sip after me, "we'll be there by dusk tomorrow. There'll be a river, and once we cross it we'll be near Mossflower wood. From there we just follow the path."

I hadn't noticed, but the landscape around us was already changing. It was less dry and there were plants springing up here and there. We pushed forward.

When we had reached the river that Tammic had mentioned, the three of us made camp. Tammic offered to go into the woods to find food so Russa and I set up the camp. I started making the fire, my days from my time in the boy scouts returning to memory. I was using a method or friction, by turning a small stick over and over, until the heat of the friction started a fire in the dry leaves which I had laid down. Before long, I had a sizable fire going. I blew on it lightly to fuel the fire and put some sticks in it. Once I had the fire going, I settled down on the ground. Russia was lying on a blanket and she was sorting through the various items of food they had stored away.

For a moment we sat in silence, the cool nightwinds providing the only sounds as they blew past as if in protest to our being there.  An uncomfortable silence seemed to linger as both me and Russa pretended to be occupied with something.   I decided to break the silence, "So, tell me about the Redwall place." I finally said. I still had no idea what this place was.

Russa looked at me from across the fire. "It's my home." She said blankly.

"Ahhh, what I would do to go back to my home." I said wistfully.

"So why don't you?" She asked, though it sounded a bit more like a challenge. 

I chuckled at this. For once I wasn't the naive one, "It's complicated." I said in response. "Wasn't exactly my choice to end up in this damned place."

Tammic shuffled out from the woods beyond the river and crossed the bridge over to where we were sitting. "I see you two are getting along well," Tammic said. Russia snorted in response, and I smiled up at the squirrel for trying to make light of the situation. I got this weird feeling like I was unwelcome. I figured I should test this theory. "Once we're at Redwall, I'll probably set off." I said. If I am welcome, their response will be different than if they want me gone. "Redwall is a haven for all, if you'd like I'm sure they'll let you stay awhile and make sure that you're well provisioned when you set off." Tammic said. I smiled wearily at him. As I predicted, a non-answer, just like a politician. I could read between the lines though. I wouldn't be welcome there, but where would I be welcome. Not at Redwall and certainly not with the otters. Crosstooth said something about there being a fort on a mountain top, but I wasn't inclined to take heed of anything the bastard said after he left me for dead. As if realising my predicament for himself, Tammic inquired "Where will you go?" I looked into the flames, the heat radiating from it making my burn wounds start to flare up with pain. "I'm not sure. I suppose I'll try to find this fortress Crosstooth was telling me about. It's atop a hill and is well fortified. He said I'd be welcome there." I sighed. I wasn't really content on the idea of looking for something that a backstabbing fox had told me, but I didn't really have any other options. "Could you pass me some of that?" I asked Tammic who was snacking on some berries he'd collected. He passed them over to me and I began eating them. They tasted like blueberries, but more bitter. For the first time since I had been cursed to this world, I had some real quality time to reflect on my situation. I felt like I had no direction, no purpose and certainly no friends. Even these squirrels seemed like the type to turn their back on me, or maybe that was just my cynical and untrusting personality telling me that. Could anyone blame me after what I'd been through. Nothing right had gone for me. I had an odd compulsion to gnaw on something and instinctively picked up a stick and started chewing on it. I was bored and it gave me something to do to pass the time. As I chewed it, I found my mouth working expertly, chewing it into a point. I was making a crude spear of sorts. As I was chewing it, I caught Tammic watching me curiously. "Wa-wacha lookin' a'" I said with the stick in my mouth. "What are you doing?" He asked pleasantly. I pulled the stick out of my mouth and showed him the crudely made point. I spit out the wood splinters. "It's a spear," I said smiling.

I was just putting the stick back in my mouth, when with jarring suddenness I was set upon by Russa. Before I could even react, I was flat on my back with Russa's foot paw pressing tightly down onto my throat. I clawed at her footpaw desperately as I struggled to breathe.

"What are you making a weapon for vermin?" Russa asked as she put more weight on her footpaw. I tried to answer, but it only came out in gasps and gags. Tammic grabbed her arm and she finally let up off her footpaw. Gasping for breath, I stumbled away from her. "What in god's name was that for!?" I shouted in between gasps for breath. Welp, that sealed the deal. I wouldn't stay at this Redwall place if they begged me to, not with her lurking about anyway.

Russa and Tammic were arguing about something, but I didn't bother to listen. My main focus was on figuring out my next move. This new world was far more hostile than I had initially anticipated, that was clear. I'd been a naive idiot up until this point and it was about time I changed that. I decided there and then, that woodlanders were not my friends and neither were these squirrels. Crosstooth, might've stabbed me in the back, but it doesn't seem like he lied. I'm going to pretend to fall asleep and once I am sure these two squirrels are fast asleep, I'm making a break for it and never looking back. I cautiously walked back to the campsite where I pretended to fall asleep.