Martin's Chosens

[Elip]

It was a peaceful early morning at Reddwall Abbey. The first light pink rays of sunlight strewn in thin threads across the deep blue sky and cream puff clouds. The woods of Mossflower were submerged in the still, silent serenity that often comes when most beast are asleep. This was no different inside of the Abbey. Most of the goodbeasts were sound asleep dreaming peacefully of their lives at the Abbey and the activities that mid-morning would bring.
One having no such dream however, was a young Salamandastron hare named Elip; who at the moment tossed and turned in his bed, holding his face with one paw as one does when suddenly realizing the shocking truth about some critical information. He was being visited in dream by Martin the Warrior, and it was indeed no light affair. Lightning flashed through the dark blue skies as Elip's listened to a serious faced Martin the Warrior in a dream that reflected and moved like water all around the young hare.
Martin's voice was in a rare tone of urgency, he spoke in lines, every word planting itself deeply into Elip's mind.
"There is trouble coming young one,
like none my Abbey has seen before.
Approaching from from green acres that resemble life but gives death,
they come to steal, kill, and and destroy.
Heed my warn, chreas for them, not them for you.
For with them is a weight my Abbey cannot bear.

Out into sorMe-flows passed the gathered wood wet with C,
and into the den twixt birch and oak reet,
you will find the secret to the Abbey;
the yek to stop the approaching evil.
Again I warn avoid the poison gold,
for it brings the eternal age, one day passed grown old."

With that the water like-ness of his dream seemed to evaporate like boiling water, Elip could feel himself running after Martin who seemed to be fading away into steam. "But sir am I supposed to do this alone? and what the bally is a chreas? And why not choose an elder for this job, I'm still only a kid!"
The fading of Elip's dream stopped instantly upon his last words, and all went silent. Martin looked Elip into the eyes and spoke, "I chose you!"
Then in a wisp of steam even quicker than before Elip's dream in its entirety vanished. Elip opened his eyes, the dream he had pounding vividly in his memory. The morning sun was now high up in the sky, a milky white light poured in through the windows. Elip rubbed his eyes as he got up and headed to the bathrooms to freshen his breath and wash his face. He looked into the mirror at himself, talking to his reflection in his thoughts.
"Alone, am I supposed to do this alone!? All this gloomin' talk of danger, one would think that Martin would give a chap a jolly ol' companion or ten; True blue and friends to the end, wot." "Hallo there." Now Elips was speaking out loud, he looked down at a young molebabe named Millim who was tugging at his pants. Millim has his thumb, which he used as a toothbrush, planted inside of his mouth as he spoke. "You'm b'aint gonna be awone Eleep. Burr nay!"
Elip was somewhat startled by Millim's words, he knelt down speaking gently to the young one. "Millim, what did you just say." The young mole shrugged, taking his toothpaste covered thumb out of his mouth, "Oi b'aint knows whoi, but Markin va' Worreeyer said for oi to telle youm dat ee won't be awone." Elip's eyes followed the molebabe as he left the bathroom, content with the taste of toothpaste on his thumb and sucking it with a will. Elip stood up and looked at his reflection in the mirror, he had a no none sense expression now; it was time to get down to business! After finishing he went back to his dorm room as most of the other dibbuns were just waking up and began to get his things ready to leave. Slinging both of his swords around his shoulder and taking a sack for supplies, Elip wrote out the riddle Martin had told to him on a piece of parchment.

There is trouble coming young one,
like none my Abbey has seen before.
Approaching from from green acres that resemble life but gives death,
they come to steal, kill, and and destroy.
Heed my warn, chreas for them, not them for you.
For with them is a weight my Abbey cannot bear.

Out into sorMe-flows passed the gathered wood wet with C,
and into the den twixt birch and oak reet,
you will find the secret to the Abbey;
the yek to stop the approaching evil.
Again I warn avoid the poison gold,
for it brings the eternal age, one day passed grown old.

Elip was planning on asking if any others would like to come with him, but he figured whoever Martin had chosen would ask to join soon enough.

[Allicloud the wanderer]

Not far away, one of the Abbey's more unusual residents was awakening as well. He had never felt truly welcome at the Abbey, but Allicloud the Wanderer Ferret lived a good life there, having given up his wanderings a few seasons ago, to live in Redwall. He had several friends amongst the other young creatures, being near their age himself. He was an odd sort, with an almost bipolar personality. At some times he could be energetic to the point of hyperactive, while at other times he could be found lying against a tree, carefree and mellow. But today, he awoke in the former attitude. Jumping out of bed, he quickly slipped out of his nightrobe, and into a knee-length split-skirt tunic, his usual getup for his morning excercise. Dashing some cold water in his face, he grabbed his bag of excercise tools and jumped out the window. Being only a first floor dormitory, there was very little danger, and as usual, he landed gently on his hindpaws.
Strolling down to the largest, clearest part of the Abbey lawns, he set up his tools for his excercise. He pulled, pushed and lifted stone and wood weights, jumped ropes, and duelled imaginary foes with his practice scimitar, which he carved himself out of a lump of driftwood he found in the river.
Donning a woven sparring mask and swinging it about in an elegant salute, he began his forms. Swinging, twirling, stabbing, hiw fotpaws never still as he leapt and strode about in an elegant dance of death. After years of practising scimitar-form, he was an impressive swordbeast, and only 16 seasons old as well! However, he had made the mistake of concentrating his weapons-practice on his scimitar, and his tiny stiletto he kept in his belt, and nothing else. Take these away from him, and he would be just a helpless child again. Finally, coming to a halt with a wide sweep which could hack the legs off from under beasts, he sheathed the blade and stood, panting, looking around to check that nobody had watched him. Skilled he was, but shy at showing off his fighting skills, too.
In doing this, he spotted Elip in the dormitory, donning a backpack and gathering stuff up, as if he was about to go on a long journey. Sneaking up underneath the window, he called, not too loudly, at the window "Mornin' Elip! How are you doing this morn?"

[Elip]

*Elip started at the voice. His first reflex was to turn around and see who was behind him, but his ears told him that the voice had come from outside. Kneeling close to the window ledge, Elip spoke silently.* Allicloud, is tha' you, wot? *Elip looked around the room, he figured it would be best for him to leave through the window, this way he could escape the normal interrogation that would come if he ran into an Elder while trying to leave through the Abbey doors. Readying himself, Elip took three running steps, then bounded out through the open window. Though he had never jumped through his dorm window before, jumping and landing softly was an everyday event for him, and his landed smoothly on his large hind footpaws. However, he landed on top of something sharp, letting himself fall to his rump, Elip inspected his footpaws.* Of all the bally nonsense. Who plants a confounded sticker bush right outside of a dorm window, plant-happy bounders! *Elip bit his tongue to keep quite as his removed the offending thorns and sharp twigs from his footpaws. Standing up gingerly, Elip looked at Allicloud, keeping his voice low as he said hello.* Uh, yes. Good morn' t'ya too. Wish I could jolly well stay an' chat, but I've got a quest to. *Elip reached into his pocket and gave Allicloud a copy of the riddle, he had made more than one just in case. The words he had been told flashing through his own mind as he handed the parchment to Allicloud.*

There is trouble coming young one,
like none my Abbey has seen before.
Approaching from from green acres that resemble life but gives death,
they come to steal, kill, and and destroy.
Heed my warn, chreas for them, not them for you.
For with them is a weight my Abbey cannot bear.

Out into sorMe-flows passed the gathered wood wet with C,
and into the den twixt birch and oak reet,
you will find the secret to the Abbey;
the yek to stop the approaching evil.
Again I warn avoid the poison gold,
for it brings the eternal age, one day passed grown old.

*Elip spoke low but quickly.* I've flippin' well got to hurry. I need to get some supplies from the cellars. If ye'd like to come with me Allicloud, then meet me there. *With that, Elip took the Abbey lawns in silent bounds, heading for the Cellars.*

[Allicloud the wanderer]

Allicloud stood, reading the riddle. He was never great shakes at riddles, but he was sure things would make more sense as he went on. Slipping the paper into his tunic, he hurried into the dormitory, his feet pattering silently on the stone floor, tryig his hardest to not wake the other creatures. Reaching his bed, he reached underneath it and pulled out a green tunic with golden trim and changed into it. Then he pulled out a sack, and tossed various things from all round the bed. His playing cards (which he always kept hidden, since the Abbey-dwellers tended to dissaprove of card games), his journal, and a few trinkets he always took with him: A large chunk of purple rock-crystal, a necklace and a small carved wooden ferret. He had no idea why he had these things, but he had had them for as long as he remembered.

Slinging his bag on his shoulders, he then picked up his stiletto and stuck it in his belt, and grabbed his scimitar. It never had a sheath, which was always a bit of an inconvenience. But he didn't let it worry his. Sneaking to the door, he gently closed it and hurried out, down into the cellars. There he saw Elip.

"Hey matey. You ready to go...wherever we're going?"

[Elip]

*Elip turned, happy to hear Allicloud's familiar voice coming from behind him. Holding a finger up for silence, Elip motioned with his eyes to the Cellar Keeper who was sound asleep amongst two open barrels of newly finished October Ale, and a big, empty flask. The Cellar Keeper stirred a tiny bit from the sound of Allicloud's voice, but settled back down to deep sleep, and loud snoring. Elip tip-pawed over to Alicloud, then whispered in his ear while holding a full sack wide-open for Alliclud to see.* As you can see, we've got a bit of a journey ahead of us! I'm not sure just how jolly long t'will be, but 'tis best to be prepared, wot. I've got rope, an' stakes, an' small pans, an' flasks, an' a few good climbing tools, an' more rope, an' even two hammers an' some kegs, just in case we come across a maple tree, wot wot. Is there anything else we should get from the Cellars before moving on? *Elip asked this, not realizing that he had missed something that was quite obvious and out of character for him not to recognize...drinks!*

[Allicloud the wanderer]

"Well, seeing as how we're in the cellars, I suppose we should get some drinks. I'll just get us some tea, some cordial...and save one flask for some fresh water too." Said Allicloud, filling a flask with cold mint tea, another with raspberry cordial and 2 with water from the tap.

"There we go, and we can get some more water from a stream, ifn' we run out."

Packing the flasks away in his sack, he nodded to Elip. As they retreated out of the cellars, Allicloud whispered to the hare "Food next, I think. Just grab some fruit and some bread, and some flour, maybe some nuts and sugar...we can forage for more and bake stuff on the way. I know a couple of recipes from old Friar Flour from when I worked in the kitchens with 'er. Plus, you probably know, I was a lone wanderer before I came to this 'ere Abbey, so I know how to cook wild stuff."

Letting his mind wander a moment, he remembered back to a few seasons ago, when he was a traveller, wandering aimlessly through the woods, fearing nobeast and being friendly to most. He hit hard times often, but he always found a way round it. And he had made a few friends amongst the woodlanders on the way.

Coming back to reality, he looked to Elip and said "So, to the kitchens to grab some vittles then?"

[Elip]

*Elip nodded, he was already glad that Allicloud was with him; it had totally slipped his mind to bring drink with him! The tall hare nodded at Allicloud.* Aye, to the kitchens. We'll 'ave to move quickly not to be caught. See yonder?

*Elip pointed to where the Friar was out on the Abbey lawns with some Elders taking an early morning tea.* We should hurry and get the food 'afore they jolly well get finished, wot!

[Lisolette]

(ooc: *bounces in* Can I join!? Huh huh!? Can I join!? ;D )

BIC: Something was horribly wrong with Lisolette.

"Help! Help!" Lissy was a volemother, or at least was looking through the eyes of a volemother, clinging to her babe. She was running from something, someone. But who!? The volemother tripped and stumbled over a root. She let out a yelp as she tumbled. The volemother looked down at her babe, and it seemed alright...But then it suddenly wasn't. The babe began to whimper, but it seemed alright Blood dripped onto its stomach. The volemother choked, "No..." There was something wet and sticky on her forehead. She felt her forehead, and her fingertips touched a liquid. The mother looked at her paws. It was bloody, so smothered with blood that she couldn't see her bueatiful, ebony black fur. Pain shot through her, and the volemother knew that she and her babe was doomed...

Behind them, whoops of excitement rained down on the twosome...

Lisolette awoke with a jolt, and let out a terrified wail. Her best friend and dormate, Serre the badgermaid, awoke with a flinch. The badger hopped out of her bed and scurried across the room to the ottermaid, "Are you alright, Lissy!?" She cried, worried and frightened. Lissy was Serra's nickname for Lisolette.

Lissolette got into a sitting position and held her head in her paws, "...Yeah, yeah...I'm just..." She got up, "I have a headache, I'm going to the Infirmary." Lissolette got up and reached under her bed. The ottermaid took out her twin swords, one the cutlass that had once belonged to a sea-rat captain, and a slim, long sword, practically a rapier.

"Why are you bringing your swords?" Serra asked, obviously suspicous. Lisolette didn't answer. She opened the door and walked away.

Lissy didn't want to tell her best friend that she was scared. The otter knew that Serra would most likely understand and bring her no grief, but she would just feel silly and embarrased. Why would she be scared of a nightmare, escpecially when she was in the safties of Redwall! But something in the back of her mind told Lisolette that it was more then just a nightmare...It was to vivid, to real to be just a scary dream. But...what if she was just acting stupid?

A chill went up her spine. Lisolette looked over her shoulder. A mouse leaning on a sword was staring at her. She stared back, "Lissy! Wait!" The mouse disappeared. Serra hurried over to her, "Lissy, you're still in your pajamas!" The badger cried out.

Lisolette looked down. She was right: Lissy was still in her pearl-pink nightgown, "Oh...thanks."

-~*~-

Lisolette walked down the steps of the cellar with a haversack. That mouse was Martin-who else could it be!? And even though he was so silent, he knew that he was trying to tell her something: go on a quest, leave Redwall. But should she bring Serra? Lissy sighed. The ottermaid would miss her good friend ever so much, but Serra wasn't a quester, she was a cook. The Abbey was her place, for evermore. Hellsgates, the badger should've been born in Redwall! She was made for Abbey-living! Serra would be much happier cooking with Friar Flower then trekking through Mossflower and beyond, through sun, rain, snow, and sleet.

The ottermaid had grabbed a few bottles of cold cider, cherry cordial, nutbrown beer, and some damson wine when she saw Allicloud and Elip leaving the cellars. Lissy grabbed a flask of her favourite drink, strawberry cordial, silently followed them.

"So, to the kitchens to grab some vittles then?"

"We should hurry and get the food 'afore they jolly well get finished, wot!"

Lisolette smiled, "Now why do you guys need such a secret breakfast?" Lissy said behind them with a chuckle, "Anyway, mateys, mind if I come with you, too? I need some vittles myself." She glanced at their packs and blinked in surprised, Now where are you two going...?

[Elip]

OOC; LISSYYYYYYYYYYY! It is good to see ya' it's been like CENTURIES since we've been in a RP together! HAHAH! Good to see you back, wot! *huggles twice*

BIC; *Elip heard a voice coming from behind him, at first he suspected that the Cellar Keeper had awoken, but the fact that it was a girls voice told him otherwise; it was indeed a very familiar girl's voice. Elip turned around, he saw Lissy, with two swords and flasks of drinks. He smiled and winked broadly*
Haha! Hallo Lissy, can't talk now, we need to get to the Kitchens. We'll explain everythin' later, wot, chop chop m'gel! *With that, Elip sped his pace, he looked over at the Elders having tea, their crumpets were on low supply; Elip was sure that the Friar would be coming for more at anytime!*

[Allicloud the wanderer]

"Heh, hey miss Lisolette. Well, if yer comin' along, keep yer voice down. If any of the elders find us out, it's curtains for our little quest" The ferret said as he hurried into the kitchens. Holding his sack open, he searched the kitchens for the food he would need. He grabbed a few bags of nuts, some bags of dried fruit and a small sack of flour and sugar. Tossing a handful of oatfarls into the bag, he hefted it over his shoulder, and rested his sword on his other shoulder, looking every inch the barbarian raider.

"Right. That's my food for the trip. Don't gather too much stuff, and be sure to make it lightweight and dry. Nothing heavy that might drip..." He whispered, trailing off as he spotted a huge, heavy fruitcake, still oozing October Ale from when it was set out last night. No, he thought, stop it! You can't take some of that with what you just said to the others! Punching his own arm, he brought himself under control, and looked outside. His mouth went dry as he saw the Elders finishing their tea!

[Lisolette]

(ooc: EEEEELIIIIIIIIP!!! Good to see yah' too, my friend! Hmmm...Actually, I'm not exactly sure if we EVER RPed! I know we chatted in the OOC boards, but RPed...Gasp! Could there be something I've forgotten!? )

BIC: Lisolette returned the wink back to Elip. Lissy followed them, walking beside Allicloud. She nodded and whispered, "Right. Sorry, mates."

The ottermaid searched the kitchen for something to eat. Lisolette collected a vegetable-pasty, an apple turnover (her favorite), a palm-sized strawberry cake, and a summer salad-just be healthy. The salad was found in a small container with a latch that held a top, making travelling easy. Lissy wondered if she should get some more vittles, but nothing came to mind. She decided to snatch an apple that had been sitting on a polished countertop and put it in her haversack. Ther otter warrior put one of the two straps of ther haversack around her left shoulder, "I'm done, too." She turned to Elip, "How about you, Elip?"

[Elip]

OOC; *gasp* I think you're right, we haven't been in a RP together!!!!! 0.0 We shall have to RP this one to the end, wot! It's really good to see you again!
-oh, and I just got braces yesterday (I shall have perfect teeth! ^3^) so I'm warning you ahead of time that Elip will be stuffing his face with everything I can't over the next two years! ;D

BIC; "I'm done, too. How about you, Elip?"

*Elip seemed to be staring very thoughtfully into the contents of a particular basket; his paw looked as though he was using it to rub his chin thoughtfully. Hearing Lissy, Elip turned around; his mouth stuffed with tarts, taffy, and snicker bars (just let me dream for a bit) and his paw trying to fit more into his mouth. He smiled as wide as he could with the over-sized load in his mouth. Then pausing, as if finally realizing the undignified manner of which he looked, Elip swallowed the whole sweet mas down.* Oh, er, just makin' sure I'm kept before the road, wot! I've backed everything I need right here!

*Elip gave a broad wink and a wide smile which dimmed as he raised a ONCE full sack up for Lissy to see. Elip started at the food sack, which he had emptied as he filled it.* Oh my word! Well, I expect that's what y'get for having rodent infestations, wot! Greedy scoffers, can't keep their filthy hands off of a traveler's tuck! *Elip tut-tutted, and then went to work filling his food sack again; After he placed down his supply sack, he went to work filling it.* Oh, Lissy; if you look inside of my sack you'll see a parchment, on it are the words of Martin; who came to me in my sleep. It's a jolly hard lot to unscramble, wot. But it does make one thing clear, we have to journey far away from Redwall Abbey.
*Elip was speaking of course, of the riddle Martin the Warrior had given him, which he wrote down upon waking up that morning. Words which still rung through his head even now.*

"There is trouble coming young one,
like none my Abbey has seen before.
Approaching from from green acres that resemble life but gives death,
they come to steal, kill, and and destroy.
Heed my warn, chreas for them, not them for you.
For with them is a weight my Abbey cannot bear.

Out into sorMe-flows passed the gathered wood wet with C,
and into the den twixt birch and oak reet,
you will find the secret to the Abbey;
the yek to stop the approaching evil.
Again I warn avoid the poison gold,
for it brings the eternal age, one day passed grown old."

[Allicloud the wanderer]

Allicloud suddenly turned and grabbed the sack of food he had grabbed and hurried to the doorway "If ye could just finish stuffing yer face, we best get a move on! The Elders are all done, and they're headin' into the Abbey!" Allicloud nodded to the window.

"C'mon you two. We best get going while the going's good."

[iolana]

[[OOC - don't mind me, just scootin' on in~ I'm still new to RP, so please correct me on anything if I need it.]]
BIC-

Iolana the mousemaid had risen early; she'd had a troubling dream, but couldn't seem to remember what it had been about. Just that she was certain that something terrible was coming to the Abbey. She tied her sling around her waist and packed-- well, actually, filched-- a sackful of breakfast while it was still dark, then took a stroll around the Abbey grounds, munching on a hot scone and trying to sort out her dream. She avoided the elders when they came out to breakfast at dawn, and decided to go back inside and grab a tankard of water or strawberry cordial to wash her breakfast down with.

That was when she almost ran into Allicloud as he hurried to the kitchen doorway. She looked around at the other creatures in the kitchens, all in varying stages of packing food.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

[Lisolette]

(ooc: Yes! Elip, I'm giving you my sworn word that if there's one day that I come to this thread and there is no new posts, I'm sending all of you PMs about it!

And you're doing just fine, Iolana. )

Lisolette held back a very loud luagh at Elip as he turned with a mouthful of food, "Of course, Elip, of course..." She said with a small chuckle. The ottermaid grew serious and silent as Elip told her about his dream and the parchment which held Martin's words, "Well, that's just plain odd, Elip. Becuase while I had a dream, too. It didn't have Martin, but I'm sure as salt that it's linked to our quest. My dream was about a volemother-I was seeing through her eyes, feeling her fear. She was holding her babe and running from somebeasts, I don't know who, though. But she tripped and blood came out of her forehead-that's when I woke up," Lissy shook her head, "While I was walking through the Abbey, I saw a mouse with a sword. It just had to be Martin! Elip, I want you to show me that parchment-no right now, of course, we're kind of in a rush, but when we get out of the Abbey I'd like to show me, if ye don't mind."

Allicloud was then getting angsty, at least that's what ran through Lisolettes mind. And then, Iolana nearly bumped into him. She peered over Alli's shoulder, blinking at the mousemaid, "Well...er er...Where are you going?" Lisolette returned the question, "Most mice don't walk the halls of Redwall with a sling, mate."