Note: This is a story collab by me (Abbot-Bernard) and Salem the Cruel.
Prologue[]
The Abbot's anniversary, or as Basil Stag Hare put it, a Regimental Reunion Dinner, was well under way. The crisp autumn wind whispered outside as all the Redwallers and Mossflower creature were snuggled deep inside Great Hall. The festivities had already begun.
Basil Stag Hare, in his usual gluttonous manner, was "scoffing", as he put it, bilberry tarts down his throat. The hare was seated next to Captain Snow, a towering owl from the fringes of Mossflower Woods.
"How... mmhff... you doin'... hhmmf... Cap'n. Wot... mmmhff... wot!" Basil called through his always crowded mouth.
"Very well, thank you... mmmm! This pie is superb! What do you call it again?" Captain Snow asked, but Basil wasn't listening, he was starting to dive into a enormous gateau. Instead, Walt, a young mole, answered for him, "Dat, zurr. 'tis a deeper'n'ever turnip'n'tater poi. 'Tis 'un o' moi favurrites."
On the opposite side to the large banqueting table, Abbot Mordalfus sat next to Squire Julian Gingivere, a vegetarian wildcat, who was daintily nibbling at a freshly caught stickleback.
"Mmmmm!! I do say, Father Abbot, I do say indeed. This is some of Friar Hugo's best work." The cat remarked to the Abbot.
Friar Hugo, who just happened to have overheard the complement, thank him graciously, "Why, thank you Squire Gingivere, and how's that elderberry wine treating you m'lord Abbot?" but the Friar couldn't hear the answer, he was already on the opposite side of Great Hall, scolding Basil Stag Hare your forking down three bilberry tarts in absolutely no time at all.
The Abbot and the Squire both shared a hearty laugh, then, as the Abbot was chuckling, he set his sight upon the west side of Great Hall, seated below the Redwall tapestry, was Matthias, surrounded by youngsters.
The Abbot strolled over to where Matthias was seated. Ha gazed downwards at him and tried to stiffen a smile, "Telling your story again Matthias?"
"For the millionth time." Matthias shrugged apologetically.
"Mind if I take a listen." the elderly mouse asked.
"Not at all, not at all, please make yourself comfortable." Matthias beckoned the Abbot to come.
Mordalfus willingly pulled up a seat. As the Abbot was being seated, Matthias resumed his story "...and so, having found the lair of the Giant Ice Eyes, as Log-a-Log and the shrews called him, we ventured off, in search of the Sword of Martin. We entered the domain of Asmodeus Poisonteeth..."
Immediately, Matthias was bombarded by a shower of questions from the surrounding dibbuns.
"Who's Azmodeooz Poizonteef?" asked a small squirrel who tried to pronounce the name correctly.