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Date Posted: 09:37:48 06/27/03 Fri
Author: Nightshade-please tell me what you think of my story so far.
Subject: Limestone Abbey, Prologue

Great evil loomed over the east. An evil wildcat Narina and her army, known as the death hordes came from the south. Looking for land to conquer as her own, Narina stumbled apon the incomplete Limestone Abbey. Narina easily conquered the abbey, claiming it as her own. Enslaving the abbey dwellers, Narina forced them to continue working on the abbey. She conquered more land enslaving all dwellers and forced vermin to join her army. Having conquered the entire east, Narina renamed the abbey, Fort Narina.
Narina would always have her hordes marching to make them less lazy. On the marching grounds a vixen by the name of Nightgale was marching. She had grungey silvery with some orange colored fur, wore a simple dirty uniform, and carried a double-edged battle-ax. She noticed a fox standing in the woods. He had shiny red-orange fur, eyes the shade of the ocean, wore a clean silk shirt with a green vest over it and carried a quiver full of green flighted arrows with a yew bow. He smiled at her and said,” That evil wildcat will have ye marching all day.” Being a high ranked soldier, Nightgale went over to him and said, “ State yer name and business ‘ere or I’ll ‘ave to report chu to milady Narina.” The fox continued to smile and told her,” I’m Rivershade the riverfox and archer. I am just here to watch.” Nightgale replied in a sarcastic voice, “ Riverfox? What kind o’ title is that?” Rivershade answered,” I have an unusual liking to swim. Some say I can swim as great as an otter. As for archer, I am an expert archer and part of the River Tribes of Mossflower. I am also a friend of Skipper of otters.” “Chu look like yer not just watchin us. Are chu?” Rivershade smiled, “You’re very smart, considering you are part of the wildcat’s Death Hordes. I’m really trying to convince someone that they’re wasting their life staying with the wildcat and running around pointlessly.” Nightgale suddenly felt very tired. “I have to agree with that. She makes up an excuse to make us march every day. Go on try what you have to say on me.”
“Well all I’m saying is that you march everyday. I’ve watched her stab your backs, literally and sometimes physically. You eat whatever you can find. The wildcat eats the best of the food. She mistreats you.” Rivershade said. “I agree with you,” Nightgale replied. Even though Nightgale didn’t show it, she liked Rivershade more every moment. “Well why don’t you run away. You are way more intelligent than any other vermin here.” Nightgale blushed deeply at Rivershade’s comment. She was very glad for her silver fur or Rivershade would have noticed her blushing. “Well me bucko, I would except that Milady Narina hangs people for desertion or either that she’ll roast chu over a fire nice an slow like for runnin away. But I’m willin ta risk me life ta get away from this ‘ere place.” “But I thought you were evil and in the Death Hordes.” “Aye but I can change me ways an be like chu.” “Well I must say you are the first to ever join me but that’s OK. Shall we set of then to my den over yonder?” “Aye, you show me the way matey.”
Nightgale followed him into the woods, but first checking to make sure that no one was watching. Nightgale followed taking in the surroundings. The forest got darker and at the point Nightgale could barely see her paws in front of her face they stumbled at a large tree with shrubs around the base. “Well we’re here.” Rivershade said as he pulled back the shrubs revealing a hole, which Nightgale assumed was the den entrance. Nightgale climbed in, finding out that the den was quite cozy inside. “ ‘Tis pretty nice in here. I sleep out under the stars.” Nightgale said looking around. “Aye this is what us free beast get to live like. You know you are little more than a slave to do Narina’s orders for.” “Aye that I realized.” “Well lets get you all clean and fed.” Rivershade directed her to a curtained area where a small bath carved into the stone had a natural spring in it and left some scented herbs and sand next to it. “Wait here,” Rivershade directed Nightgale. Rivershade went off into another room and came back with a clean tunic and pantaloons for Nightgale. “Now when ya want the water ta come out pull on this ‘ere string. This pulls the spring plug out. I’ll go out huntin for dinner,” Rivershade explained.
In an hour, a clean Nightgale and Rivershade were sitting at a nicely carved table eating hotroot soup and fish with October Ale. “This is the best vittles I ‘ave ever eaten in me whole life!” Nightgale said gulping down hotroot soup and October Ale to cool the fire in her mouth. “Vittles?” Rivershade said questioning, “That’s corsair talk but you’re a soldier.” “Well shiver me timbers there matey and bless me soul, I can’t believe I went an forgot to tell yer that I used to be a corsair. I was the seafarin type there matey. I roamed the seas aye that I did.” “ Hmm. Well we can exchange are life stories, me an my days of being part ‘O the River Tribes of Mossflower an yer seafarin days.” “Sounds fair ta me matey.” So for the rest of the day Rivershade and Nightgale told their past to each other. “Well matey I better let you sleep on me bed an I’ll sleep out under the stars. I’ll keep watch for us.” Rivershade showed Nightgale his bed and went outside to keep watch for Narina.

At Fort Narina chaos erupted two days later. “Where is that darn vixen! I will not let treason go! I’ll slice her in half, I’ll, I’ll roast her on a fire, I’ll use her for target practice that darn traitor!” Narina took her fury out on a young ermine tracker named Triller. “You tracker! Find me that traitor or it’ll be your head!” Narina kicked Triller to get going. Triller ran out rubbing her leg where she got kicked. “You right paw,” Narina pointed at her strong right paw, Scaleclaw a lizard, “Go get the best of my trackers ready. You’ll be in charge while I’m gone. Do the job right or my standard will have your skull on it!” Narina pointed to the standard that had a picture of Narina on it drawn in blood with several ex-right paw skulls on the pole part. Scaleclaw gulped visibly before saying, “Yes milady.” And he ran off to get the trackers.
Narina stood in front of six trackers who were all ermine and one camouflage expert and spy named Saberjaw. “You have been chosen to hunt down that traitor Nightgale, kill any with her and bring her to me alive. The hunt is on.” The six ermine put their heads to the night sky and let out a long dirge-like cry as their ancestors had once done which indicated the hunt was on. The ermine set off into the woods with Narina and Saberjaw close behind.

Nightgale woke up with a start. She had heard the cry. “Rivershade we must leave now!” Rivershade groaned in the makeshift bed he made for himself. “Why?” “I heard a dirge. That means one thing, Narina is after us! We must leave now!” Rivershade got up and he and Nightgale ran out, Nightgale leaving her battle-ax and Rivershade his bow and arrows. The two ran even though they were tired. They ran until sun came up and Rivershade collapsed in exhaustion. “Hey matey, I’ll carry ya. I run this much with twice the weight on me back.” Nightgale said, as she knew all the running she did for Narina had finally paid off. Nightgale lifted Rivershade up onto her back and continued running, not weighted down by Rivershade at all. She ran until she couldn’t run any more and they were up very north and found a new den. “Now this can’t be very fancy. We’ll be running soon again,” Nightgale told Rivershade. Rivershade knew that until they or Narina was dead, they’d be running for the rest of their lives.
Back at their old den, Narina tore through every thing. She saw two beds and came up with a conclusion; someone with better knowledge of the land was with her. “Rats! That vixen has the advantage if she’s with someone with knowledge of the land. But we won’t give up!” So Narina and her minions kept up the chase to end the so-called treachery. The chase lasted for five years. In the time Rivershade and Nightgale had used over twenty holes for shelter and Nightgale had given birth to a female fox or vixen. But the odd and unusual thing about this vixen was that she was born with almost jet-black fur. Nightgale was very thrilled by this and gave her the name of Nightshade. Nightshade earned her name for two reasons; one it was part of both of her parents’ names and her fur was the shade of the night sky.
When Nightshade was a year and a half old, Nightgale and Rivershade saw a spire sticking out from the top of the woods. “The abbey of Redwall,” Rivershade yelled, “we must go there!” “Redwall abbey? Why we have gone very far east of Fort Narina. But why must we go there?” Rivershade became very serious. “ As we both know Narina will kill all of us if she catches us. I’m sure she knows about me already, she won’t stop ‘til you’re dead, but she doesn’t know about Nightshade.” Realization sunk into Nightgale and she fought back tears. “I think it’ll be for the best for Nightshade to grow up with kind caring creatures Nightgale.” Rivershade told her. “As usual, Rivershade, you are right.” So the two and Nightshade in Nightgale’s arms set off to Redwall.
As the two walked towards the main gates a wall guard noticed them. A big tough looking otter sneered down at them, “What do you want vermin.” Rivershade sighed in relief before calling up, “Skipper, Skipper ‘O Otters! Is that really you me old shipmate” Skipper squinted down at the fox. “Why if it isn’t me old messmate Rivershade. An it looks like ya found yer self a nice pretty vixen an started a family. Well what brings ya to these parts matey.” “I’ll explain later. This is Nightgale and the little one is Nightshade. For now just let me in.” Skipper hopped down out of site and opened the gate. As they came in Skipper took a closer look at Nightshade. “Well unless me eyes are playin tricks on me, I do believe that vixen ‘as black fur!” Skipper said in surprise, “but bless me soul, she looks so peaceful sleepin’ there. Now what do you want to tell me?”
During dinner Rivershade explained everything. “Oh I wish I could help you.” Nightgale shook her head. “I don’t want any one of your crew to die. All of Narina’s crew are trained to kill traitors on site.” An old mouse came in, Abbess Lilly. “We’ll I wish you the best of luck, we will take very good care of Nightshade for you.” And with that Nightgale and Rivershade set off. Pretty far into the woodlands, they made a mistake; they were traveling east. The two ran strait into Narina and her group. Out of surprise, Narina turned and impaled Nightgale apon her sword, Nightgale gave a gurgled cry of shock and her eyes rolled up and went limp. Rivershade turned to run but Triller who had a bow and arrow got a direct hit. Back at the abbey, Nightshade slept on unaware that both of her parents had been slayed that night…

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