The snow in Mossflower Wood fell gently from the sky. Tadarax sat beneath a large oak tree inside of his tent. His fire roared outside and could hear the wood crackling. He thought to himself, 'This is no place for a toad. The snow.' he coughed, clearing his throat. He checked his rucksack and noted that his provisions were almost gone. He shouldn't be too far off from the Abbey though. He remembered his parents talking of the abbey as a child. Telling great stories of the big red walls guarding over the free folk of Mossflower. How it was a wonderful place to live filled with food and kindness.
He looked to the sky and noted the sunrise coming quickly. He gathered together his things and stepped outside. The chilled air caused a shudder and he pulled his cloak tighter. He began disassembling the tent and packing it away in his bag. He turned to the fire and began piling snow atop it to put the flames out. "I hope that have a good warm bed at the Abbey. I could use one." he mumbled to himself. Once the fire was out and he was satisfied that he hadn't made a mess he set off down an almost unseen dirt path covered in snow.
Mossflower was a peaceful place. Even during the winter it still was. Although, far less inviting the scenery was still something to see. Tadarax wandered for another hour or so before finally seeing the top of the great red walls of the abbey in the distance. The sight brought a fire into his heart and quickly warmed him. His step became more of a spring and grin spread across his face. "There it is! Redwall Abbey!" he said joyously! He continued on the path with one thing in mind. A nice warm bed.
Far to the north west in the icy seas, a fleet the likes of which Mossflower had never seen broke over wave after wave. Great black sails with a sinister ghostly figure painted on them soared in the wind. To the front of the fleet a large black ship led the way.
"Cap'n Yaarna... Scragtoe says he a found sumfin' you may wanna see." a large rat with thick white painted fur cowered in front of the captain. The floorboards creaked as the rat cowered in place. Yaarna looked at the rat. "Are you afraid, One-Eye?" Yaarna asked. The rat looked up from his feet. "Y..y...yes, Cap'n Yaarna." the rat stammered. Yaarna stood up from his chair behind his desk and walked over to the rat. He casually through his arm around the young rats shoulder and smiled. "My dear boy. Why you have nothing to be afraid of!" Yaarna continued smiling, "Come with me!" Yaarna walked forward opening the door to the cabin and leading the rat outside. The crew was hard at work, but stopped at the sight of the captain stepping from his quarters. "Come ere' lads!" Yaarna yelled. At the sound of the captains voice all the hands on deck quickly piled into a large group. The young rat was still beside the captain with his arm around him. The captain addressed the crew, "Boys! Old One-Eye here tells me he's a feared of me!" he said chuckling and giving a light shake to the young rat. One-Eye gave a slight smile and chuckle. Yaarna looked to the crew, "Now! What have I told yuns' about being a feared?" the captain paused for a moment pulling One-eye tighter into his grip. The mood changed drastically in this moment. Yaarna's light casual hold on One-Eye quickly became a grip of death. The crew all watched in silence, "I've told you all many time I don't have room for cowards on my ship." as quickly as the mood had changed a dagger slid across young One-Eyes throat spilling blood onto the deck. Yaarna let the body fall to the ground. "Feed him to the fish." Yaarna said, "And someone bring me Scragtoe. I hear he has something to tell me."
He looked to the sky and noted the sunrise coming quickly. He gathered together his things and stepped outside. The chilled air caused a shudder and he pulled his cloak tighter. He began disassembling the tent and packing it away in his bag. He turned to the fire and began piling snow atop it to put the flames out. "I hope that have a good warm bed at the Abbey. I could use one." he mumbled to himself. Once the fire was out and he was satisfied that he hadn't made a mess he set off down an almost unseen dirt path covered in snow.
Mossflower was a peaceful place. Even during the winter it still was. Although, far less inviting the scenery was still something to see. Tadarax wandered for another hour or so before finally seeing the top of the great red walls of the abbey in the distance. The sight brought a fire into his heart and quickly warmed him. His step became more of a spring and grin spread across his face. "There it is! Redwall Abbey!" he said joyously! He continued on the path with one thing in mind. A nice warm bed.
Far to the north west in the icy seas, a fleet the likes of which Mossflower had never seen broke over wave after wave. Great black sails with a sinister ghostly figure painted on them soared in the wind. To the front of the fleet a large black ship led the way.
"Cap'n Yaarna... Scragtoe says he a found sumfin' you may wanna see." a large rat with thick white painted fur cowered in front of the captain. The floorboards creaked as the rat cowered in place. Yaarna looked at the rat. "Are you afraid, One-Eye?" Yaarna asked. The rat looked up from his feet. "Y..y...yes, Cap'n Yaarna." the rat stammered. Yaarna stood up from his chair behind his desk and walked over to the rat. He casually through his arm around the young rats shoulder and smiled. "My dear boy. Why you have nothing to be afraid of!" Yaarna continued smiling, "Come with me!" Yaarna walked forward opening the door to the cabin and leading the rat outside. The crew was hard at work, but stopped at the sight of the captain stepping from his quarters. "Come ere' lads!" Yaarna yelled. At the sound of the captains voice all the hands on deck quickly piled into a large group. The young rat was still beside the captain with his arm around him. The captain addressed the crew, "Boys! Old One-Eye here tells me he's a feared of me!" he said chuckling and giving a light shake to the young rat. One-Eye gave a slight smile and chuckle. Yaarna looked to the crew, "Now! What have I told yuns' about being a feared?" the captain paused for a moment pulling One-eye tighter into his grip. The mood changed drastically in this moment. Yaarna's light casual hold on One-Eye quickly became a grip of death. The crew all watched in silence, "I've told you all many time I don't have room for cowards on my ship." as quickly as the mood had changed a dagger slid across young One-Eyes throat spilling blood onto the deck. Yaarna let the body fall to the ground. "Feed him to the fish." Yaarna said, "And someone bring me Scragtoe. I hear he has something to tell me."
