Redwall: Jake's story... Part 1: a smart decision?

[Dartpaw]

Redwall, Jake’s story Part 1
(This is a story about Redwall that isn’t about Vermin or battles and even though Moles and hares are mentioned I didn’t make them talk because their accents are pretty complicated and I would never get them right even though I read lots and lots of Redwall but I know some people who can type their accents perfectly.)

Jake Thatcher was fourteen year old human, he went to school he lived with his mother and older brother and had a miserable life.
His family didn’t seem to care about him.
School was torture because everyone hated him, he was the most unpopular kid in the whole school… he didn’t know why since he wasn’t a mean person and he wasn’t dumb either actually he was pretty average but he was a magnet for bullying and ridicule for some weird reason.
At home his brother bullied him and his mother didn’t do anything because she didn’t seem to care if he got treated badly or not.
He had a father or he used to, his father left the family five years ago, just abandoned them… which pretty much was the start of Jake’s life going downhill. His father was a psychiatrist and loved them and Jake just couldn’t understand why he would leave them.
The new Redwall book was coming out, he loved Redwall more than anything because in Redwall the characters took care of each-other and lived in harmony unless they had to fight vermin.
Jake wished strongly that he could live at Redwall it was everything he thought his life ‘should’ be like and sometimes he thought maybe he was born in the real world accidentally when he should have been born in the Redwall world instead but his Mom said that they’re just books nothing more. But he knew there was something more to the books or else why would he feel such a strong emotional vibe every time he read them.
He was coming home from school and stopped by the book store.
He saw the new Redwall book on the shelf and bought it then went home happily but as soon as he opened the front door his brother Justin was there.
‘Hey dweebface! Where’s my videogame controller?’ He snarled.
‘I don’t know…I don’t play videogames…’
He never liked video games, he might have at one point if Justin ever let him even get close to one, but since he pretty much dominated everything in the house Jake never got the chance to play and frankly he didn’t care one bit. Actually just a few weeks ago he thought to himself. ‘Brian Jacques doesn’t like that kind of stuff anyway… If I did would he approve?’ But he then realized that Brian probably didn’t care what he did in his free time as long as he was a fan of the books.
‘You have it I know you do! But it’s not in your room so I know you hid it somewhere in the house!’
‘I don’t know and why would I hide it?! All it would do is get you angry which is bad!’
‘You’d better believe it!’ Justin growled.
Justin then grabbed the book from him.
‘Until I get my controller back you won’t get your book back, this will make great spitballs, I can spit them on the ceiling and blame you for it!’
Jake tried to get his book back but Justin was too quick.
Justin then yelled. ‘Mom! Jake won’t give me my controller!’
‘Give him back his controller!’
‘I don’t have it!’
‘If he says you have it then you have it!’
Jake couldn’t believe his mom would say that… actually he could because that’s how it always was. His brother was older so he was always right in the eyes of their mom.
His brother ran into the living room with the book and tripped and fell into the back of a recliner and the controller was under it.
‘Hey so this is where you were hiding it, loser jerk! Here keep your lame mouse book.’
Jake was furious and went to his room.
When he came in he was even madder because his brother tore it apart looking for the controller.
Jake tried to clean a bit, underwear everywhere… his Redwall books scattered and drawers emptied, a complete mess!
He gave up and suddenly felt really tired. He opened his book and was about to read when he fell asleep at his desk.
He dreamt of Redwall, mice with swords crossed his mind. The mountain Salamandastron filled with hares saluting him, he felt like he was flying over Mossflower woods looking down at shrews paddling in the river moss it was beautiful, he thought to himself ‘I wish I could live at Redwall and get away from all my problems.’ He then suddenly woke up.
He picked up the book he fell asleep on and noticed his room was pitch dark.
‘Must be nighttime’ he felt around looking for his lamp but couldn’t find it, he then noticed his desk wasn’t there and he was lying on the floor.
A voice spoke out. ‘I helped with your wish, Redwall is a beautiful place but your family will miss you, so all you have to do is wish on the book again and you can go home.’
Jake knew who said that. ‘Martin?’
‘That is I, you are lying in a room which had been uninhabited for years, it is nighttime, make your way to the woods and maybe you’ll find some friends but watch out for vermin.’
‘It’s too dark I can’t even see my own hand lest leave the room!’
‘Hand? Or Paw?’ said Martin ominously
Jake felt his hand and it was furry. ‘What am I!?’
‘An otter, they always were your favourite. strong, free-willed something you were never able to express back home.’
He felt his tail, a nice long strong rudder. ‘This is neat! I never had a tail before.’
‘Follow me I’ll show you the way out of here but take your book.’ Said Martin
All he could see of martin was a glowing shadow which was kind of spooky but he followed him alright and was outside within minutes.
‘Where was I?’
‘Brockhall, a place that had been abandoned for many many seasons. Now young otter if you want to find your place than do what you must I will leave you now.’
It was still dark, and several figures could be heard shouting from the bushes.
‘I told you I knew the way!! But no… we had to follow your directions and now we’re lost.’
‘We would have gotten lost either way! And why’d you have to eat the rest of the rations?’
‘I saved you the rest of the cider.’
‘Your mother made that cider and you’re the only one who can stomach that filth.’
‘How dare you insult my mother’s culinary skills!!’
Two shrews were punching and kicking and rolled right in front of Jake’s feet.
‘Look at that you almost rolled into that young otter!!’
‘You were rolling too!’
‘But I know when to quit unlike your mother and her cooking!’
‘Excuse me?’ said Jake. ‘Are you from the Guosim?’
One of them eyed him curiously. ‘How do you know about the Guosim?’
‘They’re well known in these parts.’ Said Jake.
‘An otter with a book, hey Sitty I didn’t know otters could read…’
The other shrew snorted. ‘Neither can you mattress bottom, they are smart creatures.’
One of the shrews introduced himself. ‘My name is Clemmy and this is my matey Sitty we’re best pals.’
‘All you do is argue!’ said Jake.
‘It doesn’t mean we hate each-other we’re shrews we argue no matter what happens.’
Jake sat down and realized he wasn’t wearing any clothes his shirt and pants must have vanished when he went to the Redwall world.
‘My name is Jake, I am new to these parts.’
‘Oh really?’ Said Sitty ‘we’re traveling to the great inland lake to find the Shrewfest it’s a party shrews have every four seasons to celebrate being a shrew and the lake is so big we have a large area around it to celebrate on.’
‘Why not have it on the beaches of Salamandastron?’ asked Jake.
Clemmy then spoke. ‘Too loud, with hares Elulialiaing alot and otters have their hullabaloo at the same time so it’s usually crowded with otters besides the lake is closer to the rivers, shrews were made for rivers.’
Jake sat down as the shrews started a fire.
The Otter Hullabaloo! That would be so much fun since he is an otter now so he can join and maybe he can even go to Redwall Abbey! Who needs home when he’s in paradise. This was too cool…
Jake had fallen asleep by the two shrew’s fire and woke up in the morning to the smell of them cooking breakfast.
‘You haven’t eaten my pancakes ever have you?’ Clemmy asked.
Jake rubbed his eyes sleepily still not used to having paws. ‘How could I? I just met you last night.’
Clemmy laughed. ‘Haw haw! We’ve got a funny one here, you know once we find our bearings we’ll take you to an otter friend we have he can take you to the Otter Hullaballo and maybe you can make some friends.’
Jake heard exactly what he wanted to hear. ‘And Redwall?’
‘Redwall too, but the thing is once you go to Redwall it’s so much fun and comfy not to mention all the food and hospitality you probably won’t want to ever leave so it’ll be best if you go to the Hullabaloo first because the otters there go to Redwall on the way back, it’s a tradition at least I think…
Jake thought for a moment and decided.
‘Who needs a non caring mother and bully brother, abandoning father and kids at school that hate you when you can make new friends and live an honest life in Mossflower. Martin told me to wish on the book again to go home.’ Jake picked up the book and tossed it into the fire. ‘I’m never going home… this is my home now.’

Part two: "Friends of the ocean" coming soon

[Neildown]

Cool! I made an attempt at something like this several years ago, but it was junk. I like this one! I look forward to more.

[Dartpaw]

Thank you! ;D
I will put part 2 up soon.

[Tydan]

Cool stuff :>, The whole transformation aspect into the redwall world is interesting. Frightening but interesting! Hope to see more.

[Dartpaw]

Part 2: Friends of the Ocean


The shrews packed up their belongings and Jake traveled with the shrews a short distance.
Sitty sniffed. ‘I recognize that smell anywhere. Hedgehogs.’
He then paused for a second. ‘Dillypins.’
Jake remembered a family of hedgehogs called Dillypins from The Taggerung either these are the same hedgehogs and he entered the same time period the book took place. (Since the otters had their Hullabaloo around the time in the book when Tagg was with the Dillypins) Or else these are descendents of the Dillypins from that book.
Jake followed the shrews into a sunny glade and they saw a raft banked on the river edge.
Clemmy whooped. ‘I knew we’d find the river!’
‘I knew where it was all along!’ Sitty said triumphantly.
‘Oh sure you did, that’s why we’ve been lost tired and sore searching for the river for the last three days.’
‘I got us there didn’t I?’
‘I would’ve got us there sooner if you followed my directions!’
Jake left the arguing shrews dreading what Shrewfest would be like, them arguing times five hundred.
He decided to go to Dillypin’s raft hoping they could be nice enough take him to the Hullabaloo he climbed on the raft and knocked on the door of the house built on it.
‘What do you want!?’ A voice shouted.
‘Are you related to Jurkin Dillypin?’
‘He’s my great ancestor! Why do you care?’
(Apparently he was a descendant after all)
Jake sighed ‘I just thought you might know the way to the western shore.’
The voice had contempt ‘Even if I knew the way I wouldn’t take you!’
Jake was shocked at the rudeness. ‘Sorry I just thought you could help I’m a lost otter trying to get to the Otter Hullabaloo’
The voice softened. ‘You’re an otter? Sorry about my rudeness I thought you were a shrew asking for directions to Shrewfest about fifteen shrews came by in the last three days I couldn’t get a moments peace.’
The door opened and a scruffy hedgehog was standing there. ‘I’m Dilen Dillypin I know the name might sound a bit silly (‘It does?’ thought Jake) but I know the way to the shore I’d be happy to take you, good to get away from all these shrews I was about to go off somewhere tomorrow but now I have an excuse for a place to actually go. I am the only one on this raft I have no other family, well not nearby they’re all off traveling across Mossflower all over the place.’
Jake was about to enter the house but Dilen stopped him. ‘Wipe your footpaws before coming in I don’t keep filth in my home.’
That seemed odd since he looked so scruffy but Jake wiped his paws and realized they were very grungy since otters don’t wear shoes and the ground he was walking on was mainly dirt and grass.
As he came in it was very neat and tidy and Dilen went outside and started making the raft move by pushing a pole in the water ‘Once I get it moving it goes pretty fast on it’s own for a while’ He shouted through the window.
After about five minutes he came back in. ‘So what’s your name young’un?’
‘Jake.’
‘Jake? That’s an odd name for sure but I think my name is odd so I’m one to talk.’
They chatted as the raft sped down the river and Jake tried not to tell him about his home world for obvious reasons not to mention he wanted to forget his home world anyway.
As Jake thought of his family he felt depressed because he hated thinking about them but he hoped it wasn’t because he secretly missed them.
Dilen broke the depression ‘I respect otters beautiful creatures they are, the way they dive and swim so splendidly and they are great warriors yet they are playful and fun loving I’ll never understand them. Where is your family?’
Jake was hoping he wouldn’t ask that but he replied. ‘My Mom and brother (Which he said were otters) treated me so badly I ran away to live my own life which is why I want to go to the Hullabaloo to meet other otters of my own kind.’
‘You can’t replace family Jake… I know that for a fact no matter how they treat you they’ll always be your kin and you just have to accept it.’
‘They may be my family but that doesn’t mean I have to put up with their garbage.’
‘If you say so…’ Dilen sighed and went outside to punt the river some more.
Jake was fuming with anger. Dilen didn’t know half of what his family did to him even though they were his family he just couldn't forgive them. They never did anything nice for him with his brother pretty much ruling the house and Mom his
yes -person agreeing with him in every argument and fight. Jake never got respect and he wondered how Harry Potter ever put up with it.
He started feeling sleepy and thinking about if he entered the Harry Potter world instead of Redwall, learned magic and came back home and turned his family into pigs. But he knew he would never do that to them he’s not a monster no matter how mean they are. He would rather be in Redwall anytime and besides if he gets pushed around at regular school and home he’d get pushed around at the wizard school no question, he could just imagine four hundred Malfoys.
He fell asleep as he was thinking about it.
He woke up later and it was night and Dilen was stoking the fireplace.
‘I remember when there used to be about thirty Dillypins on this raft, brothers, sisters, cousins, little ones… they were beautiful memories.’
Jake now knew he was very lonely and felt sorry for him but he had a feeling Dilen was trying to make him feel guilty about leaving his own family.
For the next two days they got on well together as the raft kept going down the river moss and they got to the western shore where the river meets the ocean on the second day. Jake enjoyed the company of Dilen and the food he made for them. Garlic leek soup, Honey buns, Mint wafers, Potato wedges, Delicious…

‘Here we are at the western shore young’un hope you find the Hullabaloo okay it should be somewhere around here.’
In the distance Jake could see brown dots and lots of noise.
‘The Hullabaloo!’
Dilen looked sad to part with him but got back on his raft ‘Bye I’ll miss your company I do enjoy otters.’
‘Why don’t you come to the Hullabaloo with me?’
‘Oh no, sadly it’s for otters only I mean maybe other creatures could go but it would be dreadfully awkward…’
Jake tried to convince him. ‘But otters are friendly creatures! It’s not like they’re gonna chase you away’
‘I can’t swim… I don’t like loud noises… and even though they are friendly, Otters (especially ones from the sea) can be unintentionally rough sometimes.’
Jake felt sad, but if this was where they part.
‘I must press on and go my own way maybe we’ll meet again someday.’ Said Dilen as he got the raft doing.
Jake waved goodbye and ran to meet up with the other otters at the party.
By the time he got to the festivities it was getting late, there were bonfires lit all over the beach and otters were dancing and wrestling by them and diving in the ocean as others who were tired for the day were sleeping on the sand.
Jake got to a fire and looked at all the big brawny otters but felt really tired and fell asleep on the sand.
When he woke up otters were still partying, they apparently did in shifts. As he got up a young otter threw a seaweed ball at him.
It thudded him in his chest and he fell backwards.
She ran over to him. ‘You’re supposed to catch it silly! I should have warned you first I guess… my name is Blossom Cheek.’
‘That’s an odd last name for an Otter.’ Jake said interestingly not trying to be rude.
‘My great great ancestor was an Otter named Cheek now he was interesting. He was raised by an hare and even named himself Cheek Stag Otter my parents say he was mischievous which I can understand but he helped in some huge rescue which saved a bunch of young ones who were kidnapped, he helped in a huge battle and the warriors he was with collapsed the vermin lair and killed an entire army of evil rats in some far away land. He is a hero in our family so we named ourselves after him what is your name?’
He said Jake.
‘Do you have a clan name?’
Jake hadn’t thought of this he needed a last name, an otter name. He could just say he didn’t have one but he didn’t want to seem weird but then again lots of otters in the books didn’t seem to have last names but he wanted one and so he made one up.
‘Splashrudder, Jake Splashrudder’
‘Splashrudder? I’ve never heard of any otters with that name.’

(Even though he was regretting it he had to lie… though he couldn’t stand lying to someone so sweet and pretty) ‘I wouldn’t be surprised, my parents gave me that name just for the sake of when I start a family I can create a whole new clan with a title to pass down through the generations.’
‘That is so neat, that’s a much better last name than Cheek I don’t really like my clan name.’
‘You shouldn’t be ashamed of it.’
‘I know he’s a hero but for a last name it just sounds well dumb’
Blossom looked at him for a few minutes and smiled. ‘You’re nice we should play water tag later.’
Jake smiled at her. A young female otter his own age, he just made a friend, felt happy and seemed to be smitten with her a little, but he felt stupid… why did he have to lie? But he told himself it’s for the sake of protecting the secrets of his past life. That life is over now. This is his new life…
He walked through the party with otters playing instruments and drinking all kinds of drinks.
One thing he knew about otters is many like tattoos and quite a bit of them were tattooed up.
He didn’t know why otters did that since tattoos were usually famous for being on vermin and as far as he knew no other woodlanders did that.
He then noticed an otter making a tattoo on another and felt slightly sick and walked over to them.
‘Why do otters dress up like vermin?’ he asked the artist when he was done, then realizing what he said he felt stupid because to a otter that no doubt sounded really, really offensive… but oddly enough the otter smiled, he must have assumed Jake was just young and innocent and didn’t know much.
‘Tattoos don’t always mean you’re vermin we find them
self-expression to show we are different and we are nautical creatures and tattoos are usually connected with sailing and the sea. It’s how we lived since before well ever… at least that’s my theory.’
The Otter looked at Jake. ‘Maybe someday when you’re older I’ll give you one’
Jake then thought about it, his mother would disapprove completely if she knew he got a tattoo and that would make it all the more better if he did but he shouldn’t paint himself up over a grudge.
He thought some more and then thought. ‘If I’m an otter I might as well fit in’
He said ‘Maybe I’ll get a small tattoo’
‘You’re too young, what would your parents say if I gave you one without their permission?’
‘I’m an orphan, I don’t have parents.’ (He hoped Blossom wasn’t nearby listening. "How many times am I going to make up lies?" But then again it was for the sake of keeping his home world a secret. But Jake then thought that as far as he’s concerned he is an orphan so he technically wasn’t exactly lying.)
After five minutes he stood up with three red lines on his tail stretching from the tip of his rudder to just touching his back, he thought it looked quite snazzy but had to remember it was permanent.
The reason he got it was mainly because he sort of wanted to change himself. He didn’t want to be the old Jake who got bullied around back in his home world, he was on his own now free to do what ever he wanted and he sort of wanted to prove he couldn’t be bullied anymore by acting wild and tough.
Blossom ran up to him a few minutes later. ‘Eww you got your tail tattooed?’
‘I thought I needed a change I know you probably think it’s sleazy.’
‘I don’t know what that word means but even though I don’t like tattoos it looks sort of good on you I’ll play water tag with you as long as you don’t get your ear pierced.’
‘Deal’ he laughed.
Tattoos were one thing but he would never wear earrings he always thought they looked gaudy not to mention he thought of them being more of a girl thing.
They played water tag for quite a while and then sat side by side on the beach laughing.
‘This is a great party!’ said Blossom. ‘But sadly my family is leaving early.’
‘Why where are you going?’
‘We live at Redwall abbey and the summer feast is starting soon and my father promised Friar Charles that we’d be back in time to help prepare.’
‘Redwall Abbey…’ Jake echoed.
‘Yes’ said Blossom. ‘It’s that big red building that stood for countless generations survived hundreds of battles and is probably the most famous place in the world… I can’t believe you haven’t heard of it Jake Redrudder.’
He knew she was just teasing him with that name but he told her he knew what it was he’s just never been there.
‘You have to come with my parents and me! You’re my first friend in a long while and I’ll miss you if you don’t’
‘I will come’ Jake said. ‘I wouldn’t miss it for anything.’

Coming soon.

Part 3: Who is he!?