Rose was flung aside like a doll, but Martin dived forward, catching her in his strong paws. Rose slid down limply.

Martin had no time to see if she was alive or dead. He raced along the narrow parapet where he began his deadly duel.

Badrang lay dead at his feet. Kicking the corpse disdainfully, Martin strode back towards Rose. The last thing Martin heard before sleep closed over his was Rose's voice.

"Martin? Thank goodness you're not at the Dark Forest gates!"

Rose sat alone in the darkness for a long time. Then sleep claimed her as it had Martin.

Brome smiled, watching his sister tense for a moment before snuggling closer to Martin. Her head rested on his shoulder. They both looked completely at peace.

He was running.

Running fast.

His tail streamed out behind him.

Get to Noonvale, said a little voice. Noonvale has the key.

The key to his past life.

Martin woke at dawn. Rose was stirring a little, he noticed.

"Ahoy there, warrior!"

Martin glanced down. Brome was grinning up at him.

"Have a nice kip?"

"Yes, thanks. So we won?"

"No, we were massacred. Of course we won!"

"How many of ours died?"

"About a quarter … Trefoil died. You know, from the Rambling Rosehip Players?"

"She's the only one of them lost?"

"Fought like a mad thing. But a third of the Gawtrybe died, and they don't even care!"

Martin shrugged.

"It's just their nature. What about the other creatures?"
"Some Highbeast -- they've already mourned, don't worry. I'm not sure about the others. But Marshank has been wiped out, thanks to you."

"Not just thanks to me. Thanks to everybeast."

"Well, you killed Badrang."

"So?"

"So he was the leader!"

"Ah. Good point."

Rose yawned behind him and he turned quickly.

"You all right?"

"Fine, thanks. You?"

"I'm OK. Coming to see after the others?"

"Yes."

Rose got up, stretched, and then followed Martin down to the casualties.

Brome looked up at them.

"Martin, Rose, Keyla wants to talk to you. He's in the prison pit."

They disappeared into the slave hole and Brome looked thoughtfully after them, then turned back to Ballaw.

"Are we in trouble?" asked Rose immediately.

"Of course not. You can do anything you want for the next season. That's how long it'll take to wear off."

"What?"

"Victory exultation. You two are revered for killing Badrang, you know. Well, Martin for killing him, Rose for attempting to."

"That's OK."

"Of course. We're travelling to Polleekin's cottage tomorrow, all right?"

"Yes, Keyla."

"I've got to take care of someone, Keyla."

"Who?"

"Clogg. On the other hand, we can't leave all these bodies lying around. They'll scare travellers."

"Trust you, Martin!" Rose laughed.

"I suppose they will," said Keyla thoughtfully. "Especially when they turn to skeletons. If Clogg's as crazy as that, will he kill himself if you tell him to?"

"He might," Martin said doubtfully.

"You might as well run him through, anyway," Rose said surprisingly.

"Maybe, but I don't like killing when there's no defence. It's too much like Badrang -- vermin in general."

"And Clogg can't really defend himself. Oh, well."

We went out into the bright sunshine. We walked a little way, closer to the sea.

I began to sing a Noonvale song.

As I finished the song, I turned to Martin.

"I love you," we said at the same moment, and laughed.

A/N: This is Alternate Reality, OK? I don't want stupid reviews saying: But this can't happen - it'll totally unsettle Redwall!

I appreciate your point. I'm no fan of Alternate Reality myself, mainly because the first A/R fic I read totally trashed the main principles, making all the heroes villains and vice versa.

I'm sure that at the end of Martin the Warrior you wanted Rose to live, or something. I cried -- I'm not ashamed to admit that.

This fic is basically about what might have happened had Rose and Felldoh survived Marshank. It'll resolve itself into Mossflower eventually, don't worry. Of course, this will just be Martin the Warrior, Mossflower, and The Legend of Luke. I don't know about Outcast of Redwall, not having read it. Perhaps someone else might like to carry on this fic if it has Martin (alive) in it.

I'm ignoring the fact that they buried Felldoh -- it never happened, OK?

Please R/R?

Mariel Gullwhacker.