carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 25, 2008 15:46:45 GMT -5
"No!" she said rather suddenly, gripping his paw tighter and looking at him with wide fearful eyes. Then she relaxed a little, aware of her strange reaction. It was just that the word 'alone' had scared her. "I want you to go with me." She tried to explain. "You were there. You could explain to me what happened." The truth was she didn't think she had the strength to walk out there by herself. She needed somebeast to lean on.
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Kal Skirata
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Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 25, 2008 18:32:33 GMT -5
Jeremy slowly walked forward, getting his bearings. "This is where the vermin were." he said, gesturing toward a stand of trees. "We were across the clearing. Your mater and the archers were making life bally heck for 'em. Then they charged us. Your ma put down her bow and went at the vermin, leading the charge. A ferret hit her in the head and she went down. I killed him myself, right here." he said, stopping on a patch of ground.
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 25, 2008 21:32:53 GMT -5
Ally listened as he spoke and looked around the clearing trying to get a mental image of the scene. She could almost hear the echoes of the Eulalias and the screams of the vermin. She could imagine the battle light in her mother's eyes but she winced as she then pictured that light going out. She went to the place where Jeremy stood, snow covered it now, probably the last snow of the season, and it looked pure and white and clean. Ally sunk to her knees on the spot and swept some of the snow away with her paw as if she expected to see the blood underneath that it covered. What she found instead were tiny yellow crocuses. It was as if they had been planted there specifically in her mother's memory. The haremaid smiled sadly. "The first flowers of the spring were always Mater's favorites."
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Kal Skirata
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Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 26, 2008 7:20:59 GMT -5
Jeremy lay a comforting paw on her shoulder. "Would you like to take some to put on her grave at the Abbey?" he asked her. Jeremy was also rooting about in the snow, but for a different reason. He was checking to see if any hare's belongings had been lost in the battle and the quick exit back to the mountain.
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 26, 2008 9:52:37 GMT -5
"Yes," Ally nodded and her smile brightened a bit. "I think that's a wonderful idea." She began to get a picture in her mind of what the quiet little cemetery behind red stone walls where there would be a stone with her mother's name carved on it. A peaceful place, maybe with trees bending over it. Yes, that was were she would place these flowers. It would be like the place where her father was laid on the terrace graveyard perched on the side of the mountain. She had brought flowers to him many times there and this would be the same. She could finally say her goodbyes. She picked the prettiest of the flowers and then stood. "Lets go to Redwall, Jeremy."
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Kal Skirata
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Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 26, 2008 10:55:35 GMT -5
Jeremy had found a despatch purse and a sling. They had belonged to the Galloper. "We never did manage to find these." said Jeremy. "I wanted to find them and put them on the grave. He was right alongside your mater when she died. Blasted vermin hit him from behind when he turned to help her."
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 26, 2008 12:36:48 GMT -5
Ally winced when he told her the story of the galloper especially seeing the things that had once belonged to the young hare. She remembered the two gallopers who had been chosen to go along with Mater on that last patrol. They were twins Mary and Fertenguard. Ferty was always joking and putting somebeast up to a race. She remembered when Mary had come home without him, how distraught she had been. Ally reached over and placed a paw on the items. "We'll leave the dispatch purse on the grave but I think Mary should have the sling."
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Kal Skirata
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Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 26, 2008 12:43:27 GMT -5
"You're right. She would love to have her brother's sling again." said Jeremy. He carefully tucked it into his pack so he wouldn't confuse it with his own. "Right then. Lets get moving." he said, resuming the march towards Redwall
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 26, 2008 15:28:22 GMT -5
She fell into step beside him again and as they walked the snow seemed to be thinning out and more flowers could be seen poking up from the cold ground. Ally was glad that spring was on the way. It had always been her favorite season. She continued picking flowers, stopping every once in a while when she saw one that she especially liked and then running to catch up with Jeremy who would continue on at his regular pace.
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Kal Skirata
Co-Administrator
Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 26, 2008 15:38:12 GMT -5
Jeremy gave his crooked half-smile. Ally was very impulsive. He was tempted to slow down so she could pick flowers at her convienence, but he thought of the food at Redwall and unconsiosly sped up the pace, because just thinking of the great food gave him great bounds of energy.
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 27, 2008 8:27:08 GMT -5
Ally picked one more flower and then looked around before running to catch up. They had entered the wood again and it had seemingly grown very dark. She looked forward just in time to see Jeremy disappear around a bend in the path and put on a burst of speed to catch up to him before she lost sight of him completely. She would stay close to him now. There was something more sinister about this part of the wood.
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Kal Skirata
Co-Administrator
Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 27, 2008 8:29:06 GMT -5
"There you are!" said Jeremy, smiling. HE was also on edge, the woods gave him a peculiar feeling too. Jeremy quietly reached down and loosened his sword in his scabbard. "I wouldn't go wandering off like that any more."
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 27, 2008 8:36:24 GMT -5
"No, Sah," she saluted playfully, trying to lighten the mood but feeling that she failed miserably. She sniffed the air, and her ears stood strait. "That smell," she whispered. "It's vermin isn't it, Jeremy?" Her paw clutched tightly at her bow once again even though she knew it would be mostly useless in the close quarters of the wood. If there was to be a fight she would have to use her knives. She was not looking forward to the prospect and hoped she was wrong about the scent and the odd prickly feeling she was getting.
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Kal Skirata
Co-Administrator
Green Leader[P:NaN]
When the barren leaves blow
Posts: 2,163
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Post by Kal Skirata on Jun 27, 2008 9:02:42 GMT -5
Jeremy's paw went to his saber's hilt. "Yes. Vermin are easy to smell for they practically never bathe. They must be attacking the Abbey." he said, once more speeding up the pace, his paw never left his saber's hilt. "We have to hurry."
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carabadgermum
Co-Administrator
~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Jun 30, 2008 16:34:32 GMT -5
Ally bit her lip, as she scanned the woods around them and stayed as close as she could to Jeremy. "You really think they're after the Abbey?" she asked in a fearful whisper. She wondered if they would even be able to get in if the Abbey beasts were under siege.
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