Commissioned from  FortunataFox

Jase, Gaisen, and Garfan look out into the darkness, beyond the walls of Redwall
__________

Garfan looked out over the country of Mossflower, his home and country. He breathed in the midnight air, listened to the rustling of trees, and looked out to see the vastness of the winding route out into the world. He missed the days when he was still but a farmer in Mossflower’s north west half, tilling his fields in peace. Kasg took that life from him one way or another. He fought in the brutal and horrifying war with Kasg, and remembered a moment which changed his life. A black clad rat, with sabre in hand, cutting down a mother and father mouse before his very eyes, trying to flee. Their young mouse next to be slaughtered, and only he, rushing to their aid and saving the youngster in time. It was the bravest thing he had ever done, although he came to deeply regret that decision. Not many knew this little secret, and certainly not Gaisen. All he knew was that he was an orphan, and that Garfan mostly just made sure he was fed, clothed, and kept moderately safe. Gaisen and Jase joined Garfan on the ramparts as they began making their rounds.

Jase was tired. Very tired, which surprised him that Gaisen just seemed bored. The mouse hated going around the ramparts, looking for signs of trouble, cause there was usually none. Redwall had been at peace since the days of Kasg the Craven, and Gaisen wished nothing more for something to happen. Jase nearly fell in his ‘armor’, as the rest of the abbey slept, already exhausted by deep cleaning every weapon Redwall had in it’s collection. While the abbey was by nature peaceful, Garfan always made sure the gatehouse had a decent supply of arrows, bows, swords, and other weapons to use in case of emergencies.

“Hop to it! We need to circle Redwall several times a night, and I better hear your marching feet with each step.”

Gaisen mumbled something, but Garfan heard. He turned and slapped the mouse with the blunt end of his spear “None of that out of you, Gaisen. You better be up and ready to start practice tomorrow. You as well, Jase.”

“Tomorrow as well?” Jase groaned

“Yes, you will be with me the entire week! The abbot wants you two to be good beasts, and by the seasons, you will be, or I will beat it into you both!”

Gaisen blurted out “Can’t we just say we're really sorry and just go back to bed?”

“No. Not this time, runt. The abbot has had enough of you, and so have I. You won’t be kicked out yet, but even our dear abbot can lose patience.”

It was a watershed moment for the both of them. Had they really gone to far digging up some holes? “Kick us. . .out?”

“Aye. Kind of. The abbot thinks you two would be better off working in the fields southward, where you two might be more useful helping the farmers.”

“All over some holes?” Gaisen asked, which he came to immediately regret when the mouse turned and glared at him “It was more than just the holes, Gaisen. That prank with the water bucket that ruined Curlor’s favorite book? The little adventure where we had to spend a winter cleaning up your ‘fort’ in the attic because you two decided to drill holes in it to warm it up? The ‘Noonvale Surprise’ you cooked up in the kitchen? The abbot, if he had more sense then mercy, would have you both washing dishes Forever.”

“I didn’t think the Noonvale Surprise was that terrible of a stew.” Gaisen thought loudly. “It made half the abbey sick. The abbot had to keep that little issue a secret, and you two were lucky then to not get punished for it then. If anything, this is a season of issues being finally judged and punished.”

Jase was only half listening as Garfan continued to ramble. His attention was drawn however to a distant cloud in the distance. Garfan was quick to notice and follow the young squirrel’s sight to the rising smoke in the far off distance. He looked outward, and gripped his spear. He looked out, seeing the fire in the distance, and then hearing the distant chuckle of dry throated laughter. The distant noise was unique to Jase and Gaisen, but Garfan stood stoic as he listened.

“Is that. Vermin?” Jase whispered to Garfan. The mouse only gave a low nod, keeping his ears open to the noises. “Weasels I think, probably the Butkan family.”

“You know them?” Gaisen was surprised.

“Kind of. Local cretans mostly. Thieves mostly, harmless then most I’ve known.”

Jase listened, hearing almost a drunken shanty on the wind. Garfan looked down with contempt from afar. Vermin, the very name shook fear into the hearts of all good beasts of Mossflower. It mortified most, as their cruelty, malice, and viciousness were felt across the whole of the forest. Jase wondered what it was like, facing them in battle. He heard many things about them. Cowards, layabouts, slavers, murderers. All were used to describe them. Jase looked up at Garfan, asking a simple question.

“Sir. Are. . .are they evil?”

Garfan gave the only answer he knew, the face of those slain blurred across his mind.

“Yes.”