User blog:Asria Wildlough/Asria Wildlough

Prologue

Salamandastron was silent on the outside, with the exception of a single barnacle goose and myself. Storm clouds were forming. I hurried inside, longing for a bit more of peace and quiet. My hopes shattered when I was met by a rowdy gang of young hares. “Brantalis has arrived!” they shouted. “He has brought a letter from Abbess Lycian, and Brother Girry’s chronicle!” They handed me the scroll. I opened it, and this is what I found… ''' Chapter 1

Redwall Abbey was full of excited beasts. Tomorrow the High Queen Rhulain Tiria Wildlough was coming home to Redwall! The otter ruler of Green Isle was originally a Redwall beast. But nobeast was more excited or more anxious than Asria Ripplestream Wildlough. She had reason to be, for she was Tiria’s adopted sister, though they had never met before. “What if she doesn’t like me? What if she doesn’t think I’m a good enough warrior?” she wondered nervously. “Now, now, Asria. You’re just as good a slingbeast as Tiria, if not better. Don’t tell her I said that, or you’ll be on Abbess’ Report, and believe me, I’m not going to make it easy for you.” Abbess Lycian said, with a twinkle in her eye. The pretty mouse was one of the youngest creatures ever to become Ruler of Redwall. “But I prefer to use a blade or arrow!” Asria said, but she was feeling much better. Meanwhile in the kitchens of Redwall Abbey, Friar Bibble was busily directing helpers and setting up for the great homecoming feast. “Take that damson pudden out of the oven before it burns, Sister Doral! Here, Burbee, will ye keep an eye on these Dibbuns while I go see how those flans that are cooling in Tiria’s old room are doing? Especially Yuffy. That little mouse is a big nuisance, to say the least.” Dibbun is the name conferred on all Abbeybabes. “Burr hurr, oi surr will.” Molemum Burbee replied in rustic molespeech. “Hey, Percal hogbabe, where do you think you’re going?!” “Jus’ go to check flan. You sta’ here an’ kee’ eye on Yuff’!” “Oh no you don’t, Percal! Ye stay here. I’ll go check on them.” Friar Bibble almost crashed into Recorder Girry, who was so busy writing that he didn’t see where he was going. “In the name of seasons, Girry! Ye have to stop writing while walking!” “You really shouldn’t do that, Girry. How many times do I have to tell you! I wonder what Old Quelt would say…But I dearly hope he’ll be awake in time to see Tiria come back tomorrow!” cried a shrill voice. Bibble turned around, discovering Sister Snowdrop the librarian. He threw up his paws in exasperation.” “Why am I running into everybeast today? It seems like all I have to do is walk out of the kitchen and somebeast comes. At this rate, the feast will never be fully prepared for!” the shrewcook said. The good Sister put a sympathetic paw on Bibble’s shoulder. “I know what you mean. We, or should I say I, am sorry that we stopped you. I have a idea. To make up for it, why don’t we help you in the kitchens?” The Friar laughed. All goodbeasts knew that the jobs in the kitchens, the cellars, and out on the Abbey pond were the most fun. “No, ye don’t have to. I already have more than enough pore beasts working their paws off in the kitchen. Why don’t you go help Brink Greyspoke and Skipper Banjon pair cheese and drinks? Or, ye could help set up dinner out on the lawn. It’s the middle of summer, so it will be nice.”

Asria wandered about the grounds alone. She had nothing to do, because everybeast had excused her from any tasks, for tomorrow was her special day. Asria saw a stone on the ground and kicked it. Suddenly she got an idea. “I’ll practice slinging! And swordfighting, if Dobra Westbrook or his dad Log a Log Urfa is free.” She ran off to find her shrew friends. As it turned out, neither of them were free to help Asria practice. Dobra was helping Friar Bibble, and Log a Log was setting up dinner. The ottermaid kicked another stone dejectedly. “Even if I practice my paws off, Tiria will still be better than me. And I need somebeast to fight with if I’m going to do my swordfighting. Oh well, I guess I’ll practice my archery then.” She ran off to get her longbow and arrows. Asria walked into Mossflower Woods. She had a target in a hidden clearing known only to her. Or so she thought. Sinister eyes were watching her every move.

Heetic Marshun was mad. The villianous searat had many creatures to do his bidding, but none with a brain of their own. Heetic had seen to that. Sometimes he regretted killing everybeast with original ideas. He let out a long sigh and told his General, Jawtail the stoat, to get his Seer, Girva. When Girva was in Heetic’s cabin, Heetic commanded the old fox to foretell his future. “O Mighty Lord, my eye is unseeing. I cannot do what you ask me to.” Heetic flew into a rage. He went out of his luxurious cabin and killed the nearest creature. It was a weasel. “Wot are yew all starin’ at? Go back to yer work!” The corsairs hurried back to their tasks, too shaken to speak. Seeva the weasel was simmering with rage. The weasel that Heetic had killed was her mate. “Who does he think he is, killin’ Frunktail like that.” She was startled to hear a reply. “He’s Heetic Marshun, of course. He can do anythink he want, mate.” This was coming from the searat working next to her. Seeva clenched her fists. “Not for long. Wot do yew say to quittin’ the crew and livin off the land?” “It’s not gonna work, weasel. Heetic can see anythink he’s a mind to see.”  Chapter 2' ''' Asria was practicing her archery. Arrow after arrow thudded into the knot of the tree. She was about to put down her quiver and practice slinging her dagger when she heard a voice calling her. “Asria, it’s time for dinner! Hurry up or I’ll scoff up your portion and leave none for ye.” It turned out to be Dobra Westbrook. “Dobra, ye old rascal! Don’t you dare eat all the… I mean anything until I get there! Anyways, how did you know that I was there?” “I didn’t. I could figure out your general area from the sound of the arrows, and I called ye and hoped ye would come out.” The two friends walked off, paw in paw. Although this dinner was before the feast, it was still as hearty as ever, which meant a LOT of food. Asria dug into a leek and mushroom pasty, and her favorite, watershrimp and hotroot soup. Dobra favored some Woodland Trifle and fresh-baked shrewcakes. Great Hall was filled with the chatter of the Redwallers.

On the shore by the mountain fortress of Salamandastron, Lord Mandoral was talking earnestly with his adviser and most trusted confederate, Colonel O’Cragg. “Who could we send? We can’t spare more than 3 hares because of the constant sightings of vermin ships. I don’t know who is able to both fulfill my dream and also protect Redwall Abbey.” “I can only think of one hare, m’Lord.” “And who might that be?” “Starsky.” “You don’t mean Sergant Starsky Blossomscut Bobbscut Curlscut? But we need her here.” “Still, isn’t Redwall more important? As far as I know, there are only 2 otters in residence there. Brother Girry and Foremole Tribsy could be warriors if roused, but that’s really all I know of. Oh yes, Tiria, her warriors, and Captain Quartle and his crew are going there. They’re gonna get there tommorrow, according to Brantalis.” Brantalis was a barnacle goose, acting as correspondence carrier to Green Isle, Redwall, and Salamandastron. After a long talk, Mandoral decided to send Starsky and Captain Portan to Redwall Abbey. He summoned the two up to his chambers right after dinner ended. “Yes, m’Lord? What do you want from us?” said Starsky, acting as spokeshare for them both. “I want you both to go to Redwall Abbey on a special mission.” “M’Lord? Did I hear you right?” was Starsky’s calm response. “Ohmyflippinblinkin aunt’s pinny! I’ll do it, m’Lord, I’m absoballylutely I will! You can count on me. When do we go, wot wot?” said Porters. “I want you to go right after breakfast tomorrow morning. Oh yes, and also look for this badger.” The aging badger recited this verse:

He who walks with outlaws,

Also will walk with you.

He who has a light,

Let his enemies be few.

He who holds an ancient,

Let his enemies flee.

He who studies feather marks,

Let his enemies plead.

He who carries no blade,

Let his enemies be awed.

He who farms the land,

Will be the next Badger Lord!

“So the next Badger Lord is going to walk with outlaws, have a light, hold an ancient, study feather marks, not carry a blade, and farm the land? Most of that can be anybeast. I mean, doesn’t almost everybody at Redwall not carry a blade, farm the land, and have a light?” said Starsky. Porters interrupted. “I think I jolly well know what ‘walk with bally outlaws’ means. The otters of Green Isle were either outlaws or slaves, so maybe this bloomin’ badger got picked up by Tiria an’ her crew. Also I know ‘studies blinkin’ feather marks’ means that he’s a scholar. I learned that from Tiria when she told me about her dream.”

General Jawtail knocked on Heetic’s cabin door. He received no answer. Timidly, and ready to pull back if he needed to, he opened the door. His Chief was lying on the bed and muttering, “I already killed yew, stripedog! Yew can’t harm me. Yer dead!” Not knowing what to do, Jawtail closed the door slowly and quietly. He would have to listen to the scouts’ reports himself. Rusttail was the leader of the expedition. He was immensly proud of himself. “Guess what I found, General! Guess!” “I’ll make you guess what I’m going to do to you if you don’t get on with your report!” Rusttail gulped. “There was this big building. There were all these smells comin’ from it. The beasts inside it were all peaceful. We could take it easy, General, an’ then Chief would promote yew to Supreme General and me to General. How does that sound?” Jawtail said nothing, though he was fancying the idea. Then he had a sudden thought. “I think that’s the place they call Wallred, or Redwalls. ‘Ll be suicide to take that place. Some say the place is cursed to all searats, corsairs, or conquerors. We shouldn’t even try, Rusttail. Yew can if yew want to get killed.” Chapter 3

It was early in the morning, but all of Redwall was awake. Abbess Lycian sent Brantalis to see where the ship was. He soon arrived back with the news that they would arrive by noon. Last minute preperations for the feast were made, and everybeast got into their best outfits. The preperations were barely finished when a loud banging on the gate startled everybeast. The harvest mouse gatekeepers, Hillyah and Oreal, hurried to the gates. As is customary, Hillyah shouted, “Who are you? State who you are and why you come to Redwall.” A voice that everybeast reconigzed answered back. “The High Queen Rhulain Tiria Wildlough and her companions, come for a visit to Redwall!” Hillyah and Oreal swiftly unbarred the gates and let everybeast in. Tiria made straight for Skipper, her father. She was pulling back from her hug when she noticed the tall, strong ottermaid standing next to her father. “Skip, who is that ottermaid?” “She’s Asria.” “Are you serious? Hi, Asria! I feel like we’re going to be great friends! Skip, you never told me how you came by her.” Then Asria spoke for the first time. “Come, let’s go sit down. I’ll tell you my story while we eat.” They went to the lawn and sat down on a blanket. “Asria, first, before you tell me your story, tell me what you like.” “Well, first off, I prefer a sword or dagger or bow to a sling. Second, my best friend is Dobra Westbrook. Third, I can eat almost as fast and as much as the best of the hares.” “Wow. Now tell me how you came to live at Redwall.”

“When I was a little baby, a horde of searats and corsairs attacked my family. Luckily, I was floating in my cradle in the stream. The corsairs beat my parents and left them for dead. After a while, Skipper heard my cries. He found me and adopted me. “Skipper named me Asria because he said he had always wanted another ottermaid named Asria. Unfortunatly, your mother had died before they had a chance. “My parents had been found by another holt. They nursed my parents back to health. My parents’ names are Oceanbreeze and Toyurn Galedeep. My name was Ripplestream Galedeep. “My parents thought that I was killed by the searats. Still, they never gave up searching for me. One day, when I was about eight seasons old, they showed up here. When they told Skipper my description, he brightened up and brought me to them. They were overjoyed. “After a lot of talking, they came to an arrangement. I was to stay here at Redwall with Skipper, and my name was to be Asria Ripplestream Wildlough. My parents are here right now, perhaps you’d like to meet them?” “Oh, of course! I’d love to meet them!” Tiria exclaimed. So the two ottermaids went to find Asria’s parents. When they found them, Asria introduced Tiria to her parents. They were overjoyed to meet her and greeted Tiria warmly. “We’ve heard all about you, Tiria! I can’t believe we’re finally meeting you!” This was coming from Oceanbreeze, Asria’s mother. She was a slim otter, graying but undeniably beautiful. “I can see where your good looks come from, Asria!” joked Tiria. Toyurn stood up and made a bow. “Indeed, thank you miss. I greatly appreciate your compliment!” Everybeast laughed. Friar Bibble stood up. “Will everybeast please be seated for a minute? Abbess Lycian is going to say grace.” Tiria and Asria returned to their blanket. After Lycian had said grace, everybeast dug into the delicious food. Redwall has never has been known to stint on food, and this applied to the feast as well. “Mmmmm! I would gladly trade all the fruits of Green Isle for one pot of Friar Bibble’s watershrimp and hotroot soup!” Tiria exclaimed.

“Mmmm! Looks like dose Abbeycreatures are enjoying themselves!”said Hangfur, a weasel. His companion, a rat named Fanggut nodded. “Don’t yew wish we was in there too?” They weren’t the only creatures watching the Abbey and licking their lips. On the other side of Redwall, a sinister tongue flickered in and out.

Porters was stuffing himself with all the food that came to paw. “Why are you eating so much?” Starsky asked. “Because on the jolly old mission, mmmf scrrmh, we won’t have much to eat, mmmmch!” replied Porters, his mouth full. Porters shouldn’t have said that, for as soon as the words left his mouth, Starsky and Porters were being mobbed by hares. Starsky directed all the attention onto Porters, and sighing, she picked up her tray and went to her own chambers. As she finished her dinner and went to bed, a wave of lethargy washed over her, and she was soon asleep. In her dream, she saw a mouse in armor with a wondrous sword, and he spoke to her. “You must accomplish this quest, for the fate of all Mossflower depends on it!” Starsky could not sleep after that, and she tossed and turned for the rest of the night.  Chapter 4

Asria woke up to the sounds of somebeast pounding on the door of the Abbey. Hillyah rushed to the gates. “Say who you are and why you come to our Abbey!” she shouted. The reply back was suprising. “We are the troops of Heetic Marshun and have come to ask of you something!” Jawtail shouted. When no reply came, Jawtail told his troops to keep an eye on the walltops. Skipper, aroused by this reply, went up to the battlements and shouted, “What do ye ugly vermin want?” “If you surrender this Abbey, we will spare your lives. “	“An’ wot happens if we don’t?” “We will besiege your Abbey until you surrender.” Skipper did not give the courtesy of a reply, but instead started slinging stones like a madbeast. “Redwaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The corsairs were taken aback by the onslaught and ran into the cover of the woods.

Jawtail slunk back behind his troops, hoping to not bring his Chief’s wrath upon him. But as soon as he arrived, he heard Heetic’s call. “So, I see you captured the Abbey, my brave General.” Heetic’s voice dripped sarcasm. “Where are the hordes of Abbeydwellers awaiting my pleasure? You did not carry out my orders. Instead, you lost ten loyal beasts, and half of the remaining have wounds. Why is this?” Jawtail did not answer, only lowered his head. “Because you let a waterdog attack you!” Heetic ranted. “Because you let dose bumpkins defeat you!” He lowered his voice to a converstational tone. “Tell me now, is that how Heetic Marshun’s General should behave?” he asked like an old mousewife. “Nn-nno, Chief.” Jawtail stammered. He was startled by the sudden outburst. “Of course not! How am I supposed to conquer Redwall Abbey if all my beasts are cowards? You, Jawtail, go stand in the River Moss for the night. If you even try to get out, you will be killed.” Miserably, Jawtail nodded.

Abbess Lycian was surprised when Skipper, Asria, and Tiria made their report. “So now we have a horde of vermin trying to conquer the Abbey?” Skipper nodded. “If only we had more hares! But Quarters’ crew is in Green Isle, taking the place of the Green Clan Regiment.” He said. “Maybe Brantalis could fly over and request half a score of regular hares or the equivalent?” Asria suggested tentatively. “Great idea!” exclaimed the abbess. “Brantalis, over here!” The barnacle goose waddled over. “I am thinking you have a job for me?” “As a matter of fact, I do. Will you fly over to Salamandastron and request half a score of hares?”20:00, April 15, 2010 (UTC)Asria Wildlough