"Martin!"
At first Martin the Warrior hadn't heard the cry for help, being engaged in a fierce grapple with a searat wielding a pike.
"Martin!"
Finally he heard it; locking weapons with the searat, the mouse turned his head and saw something that made him slam his fist into the vermin's ugly face, knocking him down, and run full-speed over to where Badrang had his arm across Rose's neck, pulling her towards the main gate.
Badrang saw Martin coming and quickly drew his sword - Martin's sword - from its scabbard.
"Don't come any closer, mouse!" the tyrant stoat shouted, placing the sword's razor-sharp edge against the mousemaid's throat.
Martin froze, watching in horror and anger as the mad-eyed stoat half-dragged, half-pulled Rose toward the main gates.
Tightening his grip on the struggling mousemaid, Badrang sneered at Martin, "Don't come any closer, mouse, or this mousemaid will squeak her last squeak!"
Moonlight combined with firelight reflected in the keen blade, luminating the mousemaid's stressed face. Rose strained against the stoat's restraining arm and kicked at his shins, but could not set herself free.
Martin had no choice but to watch in helpless anger as the creature he hated the most dragged away the creature he loved the most-
-No. That wasn't his only choice.
Taking a firmer hold on his dagger but keeping the weapon pointed downward, the mouse warrior slowly but surely followed after, his gray eyes intent on seeing an opening, a way of getting Rose free of Badrang's grasp without harming her.
The tyrant stoat continued to drag the mousemaid toward the charred main gates, which were still riddled with fire from the Fur and Freedom Fighters' attack. Rose struggled to remain on her footpaws and clutched at Badrang's arm, trying in vain to free herself from his strong grip.
Badrang tightened his grip on her; he knew that she was his only shield against the mouse warrior that had sworn to slay him. He was almost past the gates when Rose looked up and saw-
"Martin! Behind you!"
Rose's cry gave Martin the second he needed: he just managed to turn himself enough so that the weasel that had been sneaking up behind him hadn't struck him with his blade, but the hilt came crashing down on his head, knocking all consciousness from the young mouse.
Rose. . . .
That was the last thought in Martin the Warrior's mind before the blackness overtook him.
A/N: This fic is for that one Martin/Rose contest thats floating around, causing mayhem and whatnot (no, just kidding! winks).
This first chapter was actually based more on the Redwall TV show rather than the book; in the TV show Badrang actually grabbed Rose hostage, as you see in this chapter. But that's where I got the idea as to how Rose could be alive AND how Martin could get down to Mossflower and remain somewhat Canon.
I apologize for not having very much detail, it's not very good, not one of my better fics, but hopefully it'll get better.
So please tell me all what you think of this and if you have any ideas and/or comments, I will be happy to consider them.