Fanfic Archive
Back to About
the Books
MAIN
The Outcast
Chapter 1
Fleetfoot Lorenes was Lady Velvet's most trusted hare. Second in command, she was not only the fastest, but the strongest fighter on the mountain, and the only hare who could boast about being able to kill six in one swing. She was the tallest hare on the mountain, too.
The hare we were just talking about stood on the shoreline, thinking about the battle coming soon, and watching the ship grow larger on the horizon. Glancing over to her right, she saw the new hare, Disodeum. Gritting her teeth, she returned her gaze to the ship.
Disodeum and she had been feuding over the second in command post since he had come a few seasons ago. Fleetfoot figured that she had to watch her step or Disodeum might do something evil to her.
You see, Fleetfoot had noticed Disodeum exhibiting some strange habits, such as sneaking away from the mountain. She believed he was working for the enemy.
How right she was.
Giving the signal, Lady Velvet, a huge female badger appeared from behind the mountain with the rest of the Salamandastron hares.
"Ship landin' marm!" Fleetfoot said.
"They should watch you."
The corsairs landed. After disembarking, both sides charged in a clash of steel and wood that with the first blow to either side would cause the darkest time in all of Mossflower's history.
Chapter 2
Fleetfoot dove into the fray, sword swinging, shouting the battle cry.
"Eeeeliaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
On the other side of the battle, Disodeum was talking to the vermin leader, Monofluro. Monofluro was sixteen feet of hard hitting adder power. Nobeast had ever stood to him and lived. Maybe that was why Disodeum was shaking.
"Milord, we could easily take Salamandastron if the second in command was gone. The second in command is Fleetfoot Lorenes and she is the most annoying--"
"Yessss, Dissodeum. Thissss ssecond in command, thissss Fleetfoot, sshe issss dangerousssss?"
"Very milord. Sshe issss the badger lady's most trusted. With her out of the way--"
"You sssaid that already Dissodeum. Get rid of thisss Fleetfoot. Bring her in here. If sshe issss Velvet'sss mosst trussted sssshe could be ussseful. Alsso, do sssomething diabolical and if our plan goesssss wrong, ussse it to get her away from the mountain. I will deal with her then. We will put her in the cage with the dog who thinksssss he'ssssss a hare."
"Yes. Um, good idea, I'll go while the battle's the thickest." He scrambled out of the hatch.
Monofluro slithered back to the pillowed chair in the corner. Coiling his great length around it, he breathed a great sigh.
"Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss."
Back in the battle, Fleetfoot and Lady Velvet were back to back in the thick of it. They both struggled to stay on their feet after hours of standing. They were both certain the other would die.
Just then, Fleetfoot noticed Disodeum emerging from the ship. She fought her way over to him.
"What was goin' on?" She asked
"You'll find out soon enough!" He snarled.
Then two things happened.
Sea otters and some shrews who had heard the fighting joined in.
And a rat standing behind Fleetfoot flung a large piece of driftwood into her head.
"Get her to Monofluro, and hurry!" He snarled.
Ten minutes later, Fleetfoot stirred in the hold of the ship. She gradually came to and shook her head to clear her vision.
She was in a cage!
Fleetfoot levered herself up, taking in every dimension of the room at a glance. She saw
Monofluro snoozing on the padded chair in front of her.
"You bally snake thinggy! Let me out this instant! I demand you remove your scaly rear from that chair and unlock this cage this instant!"
Monofluro slithered over to the cage and raised itself up to Fleetfoot's eye level.
"Ah, the little hare is awake. I wondered when."
"Let me out you thingummy!"
"Nosssssss. You didn't realize it but you are the ticket to Ssalamandasstron. Lady Velvet won't let her precioussss ssecond in command sstay with Monofluro. Sshe will resscue you. And when sshe doessss, I will get her," He bared his fangs. "And your little hare friendssss will be leaderlesssss and witlessss with both leadersssss gone."
"That's not what happens! We think for ourselves!"
"Ahhhhhhhh. I ssseessssss. You are very headssstrong and ssstubborn. That will change. I liked you better asssleep. Looksssssssssss...Looksssssssss..."
He locked his gaze with Fleetfoot, who was unable to divert hers. She dropped like a log.
The dog whimpered.
"We sssshall have nonesss of thatsssssss, little dogsssssss." Monofluro hissed. Now the battle was over and a soldier came saying that Lady Velvet had requested a parley. Monofluro sighed. It was time to skin the badger.
"Badger, you wanted parleysss, you getting parleysss."
Most of the hares had never seen an adder before, and, unfortunately, Monofluro knew.
"Yes scalynose. What did you do with Fleetfoot?"
"You want the truths. It doessn't work like thatsss. But yessss, I have your (cough) hare."
"Well, you know what I'm here to parley for."
"And you know what to givesssss for it."
Velvet did a fair impersonation of Monofluro.
"Wellsss it doessn't work like thatsss."
"If you want your hare back in onessssss piecessss than you had better sstopssssssssssssss."
Velvet was extremely annoyed.
"We can do this the hard way snake, or we can do this the easy way. One false move and you'll be getting used as a pincushion. We will parley when I know Fleetfoot is safe."
"I would notssssss parley for what I want if I knew that if the hare returnedssss deadsss that I would be a pincussshionssssssss."
"I'll take you're word on it, snake. But it had better be true, or you'll learn what's it's like to be dead. I'll give you my decision tomorrow at sunset."
She turned with her hares and went back to the mountain. Fleetfoot's closest friend Balinger, said to Velvet, "We'll figure something out, milady."
"I hope you're right." she sighed and left.
Unbeknownst to the others, Balinger noticed Disodeum sneaking off and followed him.
Chapter 3
"Little haressssssss. I have almosssst gotten into your precioussssssssss mountain. Lady Velvetsss issss ready to give up her mountain for youssssssss. Hee hee. Think of that haressss. You're precioussssss enough to do that for."
Fleetfoot was about to do something that would definitely get her killed. But she opened her mouth to speak; a familiar voice sounded on the stairwell.
"Milord Monofluro?"
Fleetfoot, literally, did not know what hit her. She blacked out as soon as the voice stepped out of the stairwell.
"Yesssssssss Dissodeumssss?"
"Milord Monofluro. Lady Velvet is in her council right now. They are sorely missing some...(cough)...one." He looked over at the cage.
"Ah, yessssssssss. There are more than one wayssss to sskin a badger, Dissodeum. Here isssss another waysssss, my trusssted hare." He told him his plan.
Balinger's eyes grew as he listened on the other side of the door to the gory scheme. It was risky being on the boat, but if it could save Fleetfoot and Velvet...
A guard came dashing down the dark stairwell. He crashed strait into Balinger and they both crashed through the door. Balinger leapt up and dashed out. Disodeum had been about to leave anyway. He had heard everything. Dodging guards he jumped over the side and sped back to the mountain on double speed. Monofluro stopped the guards when they had almost jumped the side.
"Nosssss. You'll never catch him nowsss. Disssodeumsss- do exactlysss what he did outsside the forge doorsssss in Ssalamandassstron."
"Milord, I am in the council. Is that better? I can say I was doing some scouting..."
"Evensssss better. Do not fail or..."
Disodeum was already heading back, carefully staying in shadows and clumps of grass.
Balinger arrived in the council panting. Velvet looked at him.
"Where have you been?"
"Risking my life to save yours."
One of the colonels pulled back a seat.
"Here, young'un. You look like you could use some rest. Now, what did you find out."
"He's holding her in his personal cabin, he's planning on doing something terrible to you when you go in forcefully to get her, and," He looked at the doorway to see Disodeum. "...And there's a traitor in Salamandastron."
Velvet was looking at him funny.
"How do you know this?"
"I already told you! I risked my life by going on the ship and eavesdropping on his conversation with...someone."
"That could have backfired terribly, you know. You probably would be fishbait if they had gotten you, Balinger." Disodeum said quietly. Balinger frowned at him.
"Well, I have another plan."
"What is it?" Disodeum asked, excited.
"If there is a traitor in Salamandastron, I would not trust saying it aloud. So you will know soon enough. Disodeum, Balinger, Frieghold, Vessa, Nopenwend, and Sauna come with me. Everyone else, marshal the troops and hold the doors open for us. Come on."
Lady Velvet strode out to the ship with the hares behind her.
"Snake," she called, "It's sunset."
Monofluro slithered up on deck.
"Ah. Now we sshall ssssee, my guardsssss. I can feel it. Tonight we'll be in Ssssalamandasssstron!
He slithered back down to his cabin and came out with the unconscious Fleetfoot.
"Badger, whatssssss did you decidesssssss? But firsst there isss a little problem we musst disscusssss about a sspy that dared comesss on my sssship."
"Yeah, maybe so, maybe not. Now will we discuss what I came out here for."
"Ah yess, the hare. Sshe issss up here on deck. All you have to do issss sssay what I wantsssss and you will recivesssss."
"You can have it." In Monofluro's glee, he missed the smile Velvet had on her face.
"Hee. Okay badger, leave the mountain. Here'ssss you're hare!" That's when he noticed that the shores were deserted and Salamandastron's door was closing. He didn't know that badgers could run so fast.
"Whyssss thatssss tricksssssssster!" He turned to his guards. "Plan Bsssss. Notify Dissodeum." Hissing, he slithered into his cabin.
In the infirmary at Salamandastron, Fleetfoot stirred. She placed her paw on her forehead and moaned.
"OW! Where am I?"
The infirmary hare waddled over to Fleetfoot and smiled.
"Good, you're awake."
"How long have I been out?"
"Four days. And that's from a torn ear, a fractured paw, rope cuts, head injuries, --"
"I have the point. By the way, is there anything to eat?"
"Yes, there is. So sit up."
"If you'll get it."
"Okay. Oh, and Lady Velvet is here to see you. I tried to get her to wait, but once she heard you were awake she was up here trying to break down the door."
"Hi Fleetfoot!"
Fleetfoot sat up.
"Hi!"
"I'm glad you're awake, Fleetfoot. I was worried."
Suddenly the door flew open and Disodeum stalked in.
"Malady!" He said, "I have very disturbing news!
Chapter 4
"I have news that Fleetfoot, in the battle, killed seven of our own!"
"What! All I saw before I was dragged into the ship out cold was you're snarling face! I didn't do a thing like that, miserable liar!"
"SILENCE!" Lady Velvet roared. "Okay. Disodeum, you first."
"I watched as Fleetfoot killed them. Then I attacked her to keep her from killing any others. Some rats dragged her into the ship. I think that she had orders from m'--Monofluro."
"Now you Fleetfoot."
"I saw him emerge from the ship. Then I asked him what all that was about. Then he said -um- 'You'll know soon enough' and then I was hit in the head by something. And I think I heard his voice on the stairwell when I was in Monofluro's cage thinggummy. But I don't know because I was then knocked out cold again!"
Velvet straitened and looked out of the window. Suddenly her eyes glazed over a little*. She looked at Fleetfoot.
"I must go with the one I believe is true. Fleetfoot, I must declare you the first outcast of Salamandastron. Good bye."
There was an obnoxious pause. Then...
"OKAY, FINE! THROW ME OUT WHY DON'T YOU! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN ME AWAY FROM MONOFLURO, AY! DYING THERE WOULD BE BETTER! I SWEAR THIS DISODEUM, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO, AND IF IT BRINGS ANY HARM TO VELVET OR ANYONE ELSE IN SALAMANDASTRON I SWEAR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU! I SWEAR IT DISODEUM! WATCH OUT FOR THE EX-SECOND IN COMMAND, CAUSE IF YOU DON'T IT WILL KILL YOU. I'M LEAVING! GOOD BYE! IF YOU EVER SEE ME AGAIN..."
Fleetfoot left the infirmary in haste, than ran back to the second in command room, and throwing some things in a sack, she sat down on the low shelf in the room and put her head in her paws.
Lady Velvet entered the mess hall. She was immediately bombarded by Balinger.
"Milady, is Fleetfoot okay? What was all that shouting?"
"If you want her she is in her room."
Balinger dashed up to Fleetfoot's room and found her close to tears in the second in command room.
"What's wrong?"
"Balinger, go away," was the response.
He left, but where he went was the dormitories. He threw some of his things in a sack then went to the kitchen. He requested enough food for two hare for a season (very heavy sack). He went to Fleetfoot's room and hoisted her into standing.
"Balinger, what are you doing?"
"If you're being outcasted, so am I."
"What?"
"I'm going with you."
Lady Velvet in the mess hall looked out the window pointing to the east and saw the two hares climbing over the dunes.
Monofluro looked at the same sight.
"Ah. My plansss Bsssss hassssssss worked! Dissodeumssss musst have done sssomething really diabolicalsssssss. The sssecond part of plan Bsssss goesssssss in effect tonightssss!"
Fleetfoot and Balinger were making camp for the night. After deciding to take first watch, Fleetfoot leaned on a walking stick and thought back to Salamandastron.
What had overcome Velvet? Fleetfoot wondered. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The answer- Monofluro. It was so clear. And that voice had been Disodeum's, she was certain. But why? Unless...
Back at Salamandastron, where the hypnosis was worn off, Velvet was sleeping less silent then usual, waking and tossing until...
She awoke. There were two eyes staring at her, saying "Lookssssssssssssss, looksssssssssssssssssss." Velvet didn't know what happened**, until she woke up chained in a cell down on dungeon level***.
All of the hares found themselves in this situation, with Fleetfoot and Balinger as their only light of hope.
After switching watches with Balinger, Fleetfoot awoke to sunlight. She found Balinger and someone else talking. The someone else was a little spaniel in a sky-blue tunic****.
"Hi, I'm Albumen. You're Fleetfoot. I was in the cage with you."
"I didn't see you there."
"You were getting Monofluro mad."
"Yes, Al, now we need to be moving along," Balinger persisted. "We have a long way to go."
Chapter 5
"Do you know anything of Salamandastron?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Salamandastron has fallen. Lady Velvet is either captured, dead, or worse."
"I know worse."
"Oh, no."
"What? More news?" Balinger asked.
"Has the rat got your-oh, no no no no no no no," Al said.
Coming towards them were a pack of rats, no doubt from Salamandastron, and they were in full sight!
Back in Salamandastron, Disodeum was reporting the night's captures to Monofluro, who was dozing on Velvet's chair.
"Everyone of the enemy on dungeon level, except for -three."
"Yesssssss, the sspy and the outcasst. Hee. Who issss the thirdsssssss?"
"The d-dog, Sire."
"Ah, presssumed with the other twosssss?"
"Yes."
"I trussst you ssssent out a patrol?"
"Yes."
"We don't need to worrysss thenssssssss."
Disodeum nodded, and turned to go.
"Disssssodeum..."
***-***-***-***-***-***
"Oh, no," Fleetfoot moaned. She and Balinger began to draw their swords.
"No," the squirrel said behind them, "My family and I have our own methods of escape. Go!"
"If you get captured I will never forgive myself!"
"GO!"
Fleetfoot, Al, and Balinger took off at a full tilt run. It was hard for Al to keep up, but pushed on by fear he joined the two hares in a headlong sprint towards Mossflower Woods.
An old hollow tree***** Fleetfoot knew of stood at the outskirts of the woods. She was leading them strait to it, hoping that they could reach it before...
"Oh no! Fleetie, they have arrows!" Al moaned.
"Keep going... keep going..."
They made it to the tree and threw themselves in it, all while kicking up sand into the rat's faces, so that when they cleared their eyes, Fleetfoot, Al and Balinger were invisible in the tree.
Chapter 6
"Yes, milord?" Disodeum asked shakingly as he turned around.
Monofluro slithered off his chair and out the mess hall door.
"Followsssss messss. There isss a certainsss badgersssss I have to talksss tossssssss."
"Oh." Disodeum followed the adder, wiping sweat off his forehead.
Monofluro winded his way down the passage, not looking into any cells. The officers were in the cells closest to the back, and Monofluro was having trouble remembering why.
He made his way to Velvet's cell, which was heavily guarded since he had little experience in withstraining badgers, but what Velvet didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He stopped outside the cell.
"Wellsssss. If it issssn't the poor badgerssss who gotssss fooled by a ssnakessss. Tsssk Tssssk."
"What do you want, scalynose."
"Ohssss, to gloatssss at the badgerssss who threatenedsss me, whosss assssssked me if I wantedss to be a pincusshion. Ohssss, you will be funssss to breakssssssss."
"Why don't you come and try it then, snake."
"There will be plenty of time for thatsssssss, badgerssss. Right nowsss I am waiting for yoursss hare that you outcasssssssted. And your little sspy. I will have a lotsssss of fun withssss themsssss. And you can't do a thingssssssss about itssss."
"You want fun, you had better do it while I have these chains on, because you won't stand a chance if they aren't."
"Milord Monofluro..." A guard stuttered.
The snake whirled.
"Yessssssssss?"
"The guard p-patrol is-s h-here."
"Ah, Yesssssss. Tell them to wait for messsss in the hallssssss, becaussse if they don't have what Issssss wantsssss then they willssssss be leavingssssss againssssss."
"They do have something for you."
Velvet looked at Disodeum.
"Hare, you better wish Fleetfoot kills you, because if she doesn't you'll wish that she had!"
"You're in a good position to speak."
"Disssssodeum, leave it!"
They left. Velvet slumped against the hard rock wall. If that snake did anything to Fleetfoot and Balinger... Now she knew that Fleetfoot and Balinger were going to get captured... or worse.
Fleetfoot and Balinger carefully step out of the tree at night. The coast was clear. They motioned for Al to get out. There was a loud noise behind them. They whirled with their paws on their sword, and the thing stepped out of the woods...
Out of the bush fell a squirrelbabe. Fleetfoot and Balinger sheathed their half-drawn swords. Al immediately dashed forward and picked the little dibbun up.
"Now, where are you from, little fellow."
"My name ain't likkle felwo, me be Fishka!"
"Fishka?" Fleetfoot said.
"No, not Fishka, silly, Fiska!"
"He says his name is Friska. Now, little Fiska, tell me where your parents are."
"Big finggys came and netted daddy. Then mommy came an tol me to run. I watched for a few minutes an saw the finggys takin mommy an daddy awa'. Dey be gone! Fishka don't got no parents no mores."
Balinger and Fleetfoot looked at each other.
"Balinger, we had better be going on."
"NOOOO! Don't leave Fishka awl awone! PWEASE!"
"Um, okay. Al, try to keep Friska quiet."
************************************************************
"N-n-o sir, um, we just found the s-squirrels. W-we d-did see the hares and the dog t-talking to the one squirrel."
"Youssssss didn'tssssss followssssss?"
"We tried but you know you can't catch a hare running at full tilt--"
"You could havesssssssssssss gotssss the dog."
"He was fueled by fear."
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Gossss backsssss and get theirssss trailssss... Followsssss."
"Yes, milord."
"You know whatssssss the pricesssss isssssssss for failingsssss, Ripcutsssssssss."
"Yes..."
"Do not return until you have the threessssssss."
Monofluro watched his guard troop run headlong out of the mountain, the patrol leader Ripcut crashing into Disodeum. He mumbled apologies and then followed his troop.
"Clumsy idiotic rat." Disodeum said.
"Ahh, but ussseful."
Chapter 7
It had been a season since Salamandastron had fallen. Fleetfoot, Al, Friska and Balinger were heading back west to the path that ran alongside Redwall. They found an old farm where, unknown to them, Ripcut and his troops were. They decided to camp in the hayloft of it.
When night fell, they sorely regretted their choice. Ripcut and his troops were in the lower story of the barn, and that had been their camp. Our four spent a sleepless night as all except for Friska were kept up by the rats singing, dancing, talking, and walking in their sleep.
************************************************************
" Cap'n." The rat whispered. "We have news of where the two hares and the dog are."
"Where?"
"In the hayloft above us."
"Ohhh."
"Should we attack?"
"No. Let them spend a hard night. It should be with all the noise out there. Then, in the morning we'll wait for them."
The next morning when Fleetfoot and company stepped into open sunlight, burly rats scooped up Friska and Fleetfoot, Al, and Balinger found themselves at swordpoint.
Chapter 8
"Put that babe down, rat." Fleetfoot said. The sword pointing at her came a little closer. The rat holding that sword, who happened to be Ripcut, grinned.
"You had better check that tongue, hare, unless you want to find it getting chopped out!"
"Yeah, like you'd do that. I bet that Monofluro ordered me in one piece." Fleetfoot began imitating him. "Ratssss, I orderssss you to bringssssss the haresssss here in one piecesssssssssss. And I findsssss her without a tonguessssssss. That takesssss all the funssssss awayssssssssss---"
"Shut it, hare."
"Only if you let the squirrel go."
"No."
"Then..."
"Look, hare. Right now, you're responsible for your friend's lives. So..."
Fleetfoot didn't say another thing, though she almost had to...
It took them a full ten days of marching (due to circumstance beyond their control, mainly Al and Friska) to reach the entrance hall to Salamandastron. When they did, Fleetfoot closed her eyes tightly and stepped through the door******.
They reached the door to the mess hall, which was now actually Monofluro's 'receiving' room. Disodeum was waiting outside the door.
"No problems?" He asked Ripcut.
"None a'tall. We told the one hare that she was responsible for her friends. If she had done one thing, the squirrel would have been gone. But now it's your and Monofluro's job to decide that."
With a smile Disodeum flung the door wide and shouted, "Ripcut's patrol here with the two hares, the dog and a... squirrel."
Chapter 9
The answer to Disodeum's call came quickly.
"Are they ressstrainedsssssssss. I'm not taking chancesssssssssss..."
"There is no need too." Disodeum replied slowly.
"Of corsssse there isssss. I'm not taking chancessssss..."
Fleetfoot waited patiently as Disodeum bound her. She was still responsible for her friends, remember. Almost immediately they were entering, Fleetfoot's old mess hall where Monofluro lay curled up on Velvet's old chair.
"Ssssso, little haressssss, we meetsssss again. It hasss been too longssss since the lassst time."
Fleetfoot and Balinger looked at each other. They knew all too well what was coming.
"And youssssss, little sspyssss," Monofluro now directed his attentions to Balinger. "It will be funssss. I likesssss dealing with spyssss. It hassss been all too long ssince the lassst one.
"And you, littlessssss dogssss. You were alwaysss the defiant onessssss. I wasss waiting to dealssss with yousssss, ssince you esscaped."
Al was slowly losing color. Now as she came to think of it, Fleetfoot realized that she didn't know much about Al. She would have to ask him...if she ever got the chance.
Somehow Disodeum had scrounged up a whip from somewhere, and somehow he realized that Fleetfoot's attention was wavering, because the whip cracking around her ears brought her back to what was happening right then. Unfortunately, Friska turned to face Disodeum.
"You big finggy, you norra 'urt Fweetie!"
Disodeum was reaching the end of his very short patience level. Sensing what was about to happen, Fleetfoot dove and knocked Friska out of the swing of the whip, sitting up and gasping when the whip fell into her side. At this point Monofluro was watching the scene with great interest.
"Bad form, Disodeum!" Balinger said, "Very uncalled for!"
Disodeum muttered a stream of language the message board would DEFINITLY block out.
"And using that language around a dibbun! Very bad form!" Al said.
Monofluro's next words brought all of them back to the mess hall.
"Thatssss isssss all I have to sssayssssss. And sssince the little sssquirrel seemsss to like the little haresssss sso muchssss, you know where to putssss themsssss..."
They were pulled of by Ripcut, again, down to dungeon level, where, as Monofluro couldn't remember why, in the cells the furthest down the corridor. Unknown to either one of the two, Fleetfoot and Velvet happened to be in cells right next to each other.
Later that day, Monofluro slithered downstairs to stop at Fleetfoot's cell. With a nod to the guards, they unlocked the door and Monofluro slithered in. Friska hid behind Fleetfoot.
"What do you want, scalysnout!"
In the next cell over, Velvet tilted her head. That voice sounded familiar...
"Onlyssss to gloatsssss likesss I did to yourssss badgerssss friendssssss."
"Yeah, and she probably said that you were safe as long as these chains are on the both of us."
"Sshe ssaid thatsss I had better havesss my funsss while the chainsss are onsssssss."
"Actually, you are safe as long as we both have the chains on, you scalyskined, bug eyed excuse for a snake!"
Raising himself to her eye level, he hissed, "I willssss really have funsss with youssssss, you are sso ssstubbornsssssss. Right now it'll sssssssssstartssss..."
Suddenly something pushed off Fleetfoot's head, and bit down hard on the adder's tail...
Chapter 10
"Friska!" Fleetfoot shouted. The snake was going to strike... Fleetfoot closed her eyes...
Wham!
Fleetfoot slammed her feet into Monofluro right before he struck, dislodging Friska and sending the squirrel running behind Fleetfoot again. It is apparent that Monofluro was not in a very good mood at this point. By now the whole level knew what was happening and it was deathly silent as everyone waited for the next word with bated breath.
"Fromssss the badgerssss deathsssssssss to their ownsssss, make sssssure ssssunlight doessssssss not reach thissss cell againssssss."
"You can't do this, snake!" Fleetfoot shouted.
"And whossssssssss will ssssstop me?" Monofluro left the cell quickly, perhaps afraid that Fleetfoot and Friska would attempt something else.
Only when everyone had left and they were all breathing again, Friska crept out silently. Fleetfoot suddenly thought of someone a lot younger then her, but who was her age now...
"Fweetie?" Friska said suddenly. "Did I doos somefink bwad?"
Fleetfoot was still thinking.
"No, you did something I would have done."
Contented, Friska resumed his playing that had been interrupted by the snake's coming.
Velvet, on the other hand, had slid up close to the wall. Fleetfoot had her eyes on when she had been dragged into the cell, so she knew exactly who was in the cell next to her, though she was still a little angry at the badger for outcasting her, so had made no effort of contacting her. But then the badger said quietly enough so her guards didn't hear her, but loudly enough that Fleetfoot could hear her on the other side of the wall.
"Fleetfoot? Is that you?"
Fleetfoot had the nerve to try something that, before she was second in command, had gotten her ears boxed by an officer.
"No, it's a squirrel with a really short tail, long ears, and the name of Fleetfoot, who the snake gets mixed up with a hare, and who just happens to have been put in the cell next to the badger lady who let Salamandastron fall."
"Only Fleetfoot would be that honest."
"Actually, yes, this is Fleetfoot, Velvet."
"I knew that was who you were. Look, I'm sorry. It was that stupid snake. Trust me. You remember when I looked out the window?"
"Yes. Oh."
"How'd you get the snake ticked off?"
"This squirrelbabe named Friska I have in here that seems too have taken a liking to me jumped on him and bit his tail, then to prevent Friska from getting bit I kicked the snake. He wasn't too pleased."
Then suddenly, a guard marched in to Fleetfoot's cell, and pulled her out, saying that Monofluro wanted to see her. Fleetfoot wasn't too sure, but she could have sworn that Velvet had said "oh, no."
***********************************************************
Monofluro lounged on the chair in the formerly known mess hall. How could that little brat of a squirrel have caused so much agony in the five seconds he had been lodged on my tail? And that hare... Monofluro was very angry at the two, though he was greatly pleased when the guard dragged Fleetfoot in.
"And I am up here because?" Fleetfoot said.
"Becaussssse I didn'tssss want tosssss go all the waysssss back down theresssss to tellsssssss you thissssssss."
"What?"
"Lissssten, and you will knowsssssssssssss. I wassss reallysss lookingssss forwardsssss to thissss meetingssssss."
"I wish I could say the same."
"You willsssss lissssten nowssss, littlesss haressssssssss."
"Why? All you do is blow steam."
"Ssssshut up littlesssss haressssss, unlesssss you wantsssss your little ssssquirrel friend to be the firssssst to diesssssss... now that I havessss a good motivessss, and now that hissss familysssss hasssss diedssssssss..."
When Fleetfoot was returned to her cell, she was deep in thought, going over what Monofluro had told her to tell Velvet. Her worry must have shown on her face because the rat prodded her with his spear and said, "Get that look off yo face."
When she was back in the cell, Fleetfoot pounded her hindpaw against the cell wall.
"Velvet, we need a bally plan. By tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Guess."
"Oh."
"Starts with a k…"
"Uh-oh…"
"Need a plan?"
"Yes."
The next morning everyone in the dungeons and the mountain emptied to the sand, until it was only Fleetfoot, Friska and a few odd vermin who were trying to (unsuccessfully) extract them from their cell. By the time they had succeeded in getting Friska out (while most were painfully bitten and scratched up in the attempt) Fleetfoot came out, but the first thing she did was lay them out with a few kicks.
"Well, Friska, they'll feel that in the morning," Fleetfoot said, scooping up the squirrel as she dashed past, "But we can't wait for them. We have a mountain to reclaim and lives to save."
Friska just grinned.
Velvet leaned against the cold stone of Salamandastron, waiting. The vermin didn't appear to happy, frowning and looking towards the entrance. If anyone was annoyed, it was Monofluro and Disodeum, who stayed in silent conference on the outskirts of the sand.
"Come on," Velvet muttered, already feeling regret for the plan she'd agreed to. "Come on, Fleetfoot, they're getting impatient…"
It was when the flag changed on top of the mountain that everyone looked up- and flapping in the breeze was the old flag of Salamandastron.
"Yes," Velvet said quietly to Al. "Fleetfoot'll show up soon…"
"Curse that hare…" Monofluro said. "We know you're up there. Show yourself!"
In the dust of falling debris, everyone choked, and when the dust cleared, Fleetfoot appeared on a ledge not far above their heads.
"'Ello," She said, before jumping down to the sand.
"And the patrol is…" Monofluro said.
"Inside."
Fleetfoot stepped forward, Monofluro brandishing a sword in his tail.
"One more move, hare, and…"
Suddenly Fleetfoot disappeared, dropping down the sand. As Monofluro looked wildly about him, the sword suddenly disappeared from where it was, and Fleetfoot stood a little distance behind him, grinning and twirling it.
"You are so gullible," Fleetfoot said.
Disodeum grinned, coming up from behind her. If he could get her now, maybe Monofluro would rank him up…yes…go back to sea and give him Salamandastron…
Chapter 11
It would be lying to say that Disodeum didn't show his surprise on his face after he learned that Fleetfoot had know that he was there the whole time.
"Well, well." Fleetfoot whispered. "If it isn't the traitor. I vowed to come after you, didn't I? I always keep vows. But I'll give you a fair fight, I'm not like you in any sense at all."
Disodeum gripped his sword tighter, then ran forward. Fleetfoot met his rush with a clash of steel on steel. It was difficult for Velvet to keep from charging in, but she was busy watching the snake.
Monofluro slithered back into the rats. He'd known this would happen. Never matter. The hare would go first then.
Fleetfoot was just a small touch out of practice, having barely any time to attack. She feinted with her sword then kicked out. Disodeum was flung one way, his sword the other.
Fleetfoot stood back.
Disodeum scrambled for his sword, and in doing so flung sand into Fleetfoot's face. But as he scrambled up, Fleetfoot was lowering the swordblade from where she had had it over her eyes.
"Verminy trick," she said, "I knew you had been spending too much time around those idiots."
Later, Disodeum had Fleetfoot backed up to the mountain, muttering dire threats about how her plan had gone wrong. He made a fatal mistake when he said, "But you will be gone, the first to go, then I'll see about that badger friend of yours."
Fleetfoot pushed off the mountain, forcing Disodeum back onto the sand. Her sword point was resting against his chest.
"You looked away," she said," Years of training, and you looked away. I thought you knew never to look away from your opponent. Stupid. Very stupid. Go on, you have won nothing and lost only your honor. Leave this place."
Without a backward glance Disodeum leapt up and sped off.
"Stinkin' verminy traitor types. Always do themselves wrong. He could have made a good Long Patroller."
She turned to face Monofluro.
"Okay, snake, I'd told you that you needed to watch out for me, and now, I will repay you for the lives that had been lost at this place!"
Chapter 12
"Sssoossssssssssssssss, my littlesssssss haressssssss, I will notsssss leave thissssss ssshoressssss alive? We willssssssss ssseessssssss about thatsssssssss!"
"Your traitor left with no honor! You will leave with no life!"
Velvet began to start forward, but Al and Balinger restrained her.
"You can't help Fleetfoot, this is her fight!"
Friska began to edge down the mountain, planning to help Fleetfoot kill the snake.
Fleetfoot swung her sword at the snake, who got hit on the head. Undaunted, he lunged at her, teeth bared. Fleetfoot swung her sword, it bouncing off the fangs with a metallic ring. She brought the sword down hard, and the snake rolled and the sword was buried hilt-deep in the sand. As she fought to pull it up, she landed a heavy kick on the snake's head. Dazed, he landed her with a powerful blow by his tail, sending her flying into Salamandastron's base, along with her sword. She flung the sword at Monofluro, catching him on his tail. She pulled it out and swung it downwards. Unfortunately (for both of them) Monofluro bit down hard on Fleetfoot's sword paw. Dropping the sword, she staggered back. Right as she began to collapse, she pulled the still-filled fang out of her paw and threw it hard at Monofluro.
Chapter 13
There was a blur of sand as the newly-freed hares of Salamandastron (excluding Balinger, Al, Velvet and Friska) drove their one-time captors off the shores. Friska had acquired a stick, of which she was beating Monfluro's body with, shouting "You norra 'urt Fweetie no mores! Scalysnouty, flippen poisontweeth!" Horrified, Al grabbed the dibbun and turned back to Fleetfoot.
"Is she okay?"
"She is alive, but not by much. Balinger, find the infirmary hare. Al, Friska, come with me."
As Balinger passed the snake, he pulled the fang out and trod disgustedly on the carcass.
As Al passed the rats still out cold, who were knocked against the wall by Fleetfoot, he trod disgustedly on them, sniggering.
A few days later, the four had not moved from the infirmary bedside of Fleetfoot. For some reason, Friska began pulling on Fleetfoot's ears. At that moment, Fleetfoot said, "Al, get this little annoyance off of my ears, please, it's beginning to hurt.
"Fleetfoot," Velvet said.
"Don't throw me out right now, Velvet. I don't need to be yelling right now."
"No. You can return to the position of second in command, or you can return to the wandering life."
"What do you think I would pick, that's probably the easiest choice you ever gave me." Fleetfoot said, smiling. "I'll return to my old position of second in command."
"Welcome back, Fleetfoot." Velvet said. "Welcome back."
Epilogue
Monofluro's troops were chased away.
Disodeum went to Redwall, which was also under vermin capture, along with the rest of the goodbeast places.
Of course, Lady Velvet and Fleetfoot were unable to leave the other places in vermin hands, so they sent out a scouting Chaptery, which consisted of Balinger and fourteen others.
The only news would arrive a season later.
Footnotes
**Velvet may seem like a pushover, but remember that she is hypnotized
*** This is where all the cells are. Trust me, read Lord Brocktree!
**** I chose a dog because a dog is only mentioned in Redwall.
*****That was probably the hardest thing Fleetfoot has done yet. It was painful to walk through the same door she had been outcasted from, yet she wanted to return home. Of course, if she had refused little Friska would have gotten the sword, referring to a more confusing term of gotten killed.