User blog:Skywindredkite/ Chapter 2

For Martin time seemed to slow. His vision was clouding the faces of his friends. He was no longer laying in the bed. The mouse warrior was on a beach. Martin was watching himself, young and small, raising a battered old sword, saluting his father. His father's ship vanished into the distance, off to avenge the deaths of a mother and tribe members he had never known. Martin felt his own loneliness, watching Luke the Warrior sail away, never to return. Martin was watching himself again, this time a young, strong mouse. The young Martin carried stones, oppressed by the cruel slavery of Badrang the stoat. Anger welled up in the old Warrior. But before he could think, he found his younger self staring into the eyes of a gentle mouse maid. Martin's breath caught in his throat. Rose. Oh how he longed to watch this scene forever. He wanted to linger in scenes of holding Rose's paw, joking with Grumm the mole,talking with Pallum the hedgehog, enjoying the company of Boldred, laughing at the Warden, eating the feast in Noonvale. But this was not to be. Old Martin's heart sank. Marshank was filled with the sounds of battle. Young Martin saw Rose hit the wall. The young warrior howled in anguish. The bloodwrath veiled his eyes. Young Martin slew the Tyrant and collapsing by the body of his beloved Laterose of Noonvale. Old Martin's heart broke, as it did every time he mentally relived the fateful day at Marshank. Martin saw himself wandering through the forest alone and heartbroken, carrying his father's sword. He relived the anger at the Wildcat, who broke his sword and oppressed the woodlanders. He felt the happinesss and healing power of friendship, which came in the form of a fat thief named Gonff and a mole called Dinny. He felt pride as he watched young Martin take up his new sword. He felt the sadness at the death of a Badger lord. From then on old Martin watched the satisfaction of building Redwall, the pride in hearing the story of his father, the joy of laying down his sword, never to kill with it again. The mist slowly dissipated, returning him to his last moments in earthly life.