I saw the Harry Potter movie on Sunday. It was pretty funny, except they cut out the Mr. Malfoy/ Mr. Weasley fight scene. My friend got annoyed because through that whole episode I was muttering "Punch him! Punch him!" but he didn't. Y'know, Golden Sun would make a great movie... I'm rambling, aren't I?

Disclaimer: Don't own Redwall or Golden Sun. But, if I did own Golden Sun, I'd make it into a movie.

Mia crouched below the parapets, looking out over the battlefield. Afternoon had brought the longbow team to a halt, as the sun was now in their eyes. They all sat beneath the sandstone fortifications, not wanting to make themselves easy targets to the invading army.

"You're a pretty good shot with that longbow." Mia said to Garet, who was sitting beside her, holding the weapon in his paws. "Where'd you learn to shoot so well?"

"Isaac and I would practice archery back in Vale sometimes." the hare replied. "And of course, training with psynergy helps with accuracy."

Mia peered out over the wall once more. The defender's efforts with the longbows had resulted with the deaths of a dozen or so vermin over the course of the morning, but it had not made a perceptible dent in the army's numbers. Clearly, a different approach was necessary. Mia was thankful, however, that despite the low casualty rating among the enemy, Redwall's wounded numbered still lower. Only five or so Redwallers had been injured so far, none seriously. More to the point, no one had died, for which the otter was eternally grateful. These Redwall creatures were much too kind and good-natured to deserve death.

Mia leaned back against the rough stones, watching another arrow arch overhead. It landed undamaged in the earth of the abbey grounds, where it was quickly picked up by a defender and carried to the place in the orchard where arrows were being collected to fire back at the enemy.

"I wonder where Isaac and Ivan are now?" she mused.

"Don't worry about them." Garet assured her. "You know Isaac. He's way too responsible for his own good. Wherever they are, you can be sure they're not lying down on the job..."

Isaac groaned and opened his eyes slowly. His body felt like one mass of bruises from where he had hit obstructions on his long descent from the top of the waterfall. Now, he lay on a sandy shoreline of the river in the gloom of the underground chasm, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the semidarkness. From his position on the ground the thundering roar of the waterfall pounded in his ears, and he could tell he had not been thrown too far from the place where the raft had entered the cavern. Sitting up, with a spasm of pain arching though his body, he took further stock of his surroundings. He was along the riverbank near the foot of the waterfall. The water cascaded downwards from a small speck of light high up in the ceiling of the cave, falling downwards in shimmering sheets of light. Isaac briefly wondered how something so beautiful could be so deadly.

Suddenly, Isaac remembered that Ivan, Martin and Lynn were still somewhere in the cave. Isaac tried to stand and begin search for them, but his leg collapsed underneath him. Looking down, a large gash, still bleeding freely, stretched from his ankle to his knee (A.N.: Do mice even have ankles or knees?). No wonder I can't stand up, Isaac thought dryly. Lowering himself back to the ground, he placed his paw over the wound and cast Cure.

Golden light played off his paws, settling over the cut and making it disappear. Most of the bruises Isaac had sustained in his fall vanished as well. Once again thankful for the healing powers of Venus psynergy, the Adept stood up and looked around. The river ran swiftly past him further into the recesses of the cave. After glancing around to make sure none of his friends were within his range of vision, he set off along the bank of the stream.

It was not long before Isaac saw a bundle of purple and green caught on some boulders near the bank of the river. Wading slightly out into the current, he dragged an unconscious Ivan safely ashore. Opening his eyes, the Jupiter Adept muttered, "Isaac..."

"Hold still." Isaac commanded, although his friend didn't look in any condition to disobey. Albeit Isaac could see no open wounds, Ivan had a lump on the side of his head as big as a chicken's egg. Placing his paw over the injury, Isaac cast Cure for the second time. The golden light appeared once more, and Ivan sat up, the lump gone.

"Thanks, Isaac." he said, still slightly groggy from his wild trip down the waterfall. "Any sign of Lynn and Martin?"

"No." Isaac replied, turning his head this way and that in hopes of a glimpse of them. "They're probably further downstream. Can you walk?"

Ivan nodded. Using his Crystal Rod for support, he levered himself to his feet. "Just a little stiff."

He and Isaac headed off downriver again. Calling out Lynn and Martin's names for time to time, the emerged into a high-ceilinged chamber with the river rushing along in the center of it. Stalactites and other speleothems hung from the roof, and stalagmites protruded like teeth from the floor. The going became more difficult, as loose debris carried by the river littered most of the cave floor.

"Isaac," Ivan said, as he stepped over a large stone, "I'm worried about Garet and Mia."

"At this point," said Isaac, ducking beneath a low-hanging cave formation, "I'm more worried about Martin and Lynn."

"They're all right." Ivan stated matter-of-factly. Isaac started to ask him how he knew, but stopped himself when he remembered that this was a Jupiter Adept he was talking to.

"Why are you worried about Garet and Mia?" he asked instead.

"Before we went down the waterfall," Ivan replied, "I remembered all of my dream from last night. I was standing on the raft with all of you. I could see Redwall on the riverbank, and snatches of what was going on inside."

He stopped talking for a second to navigate a particularly tricky rocky area. When he crossed it safely, he continued.

"I saw vermin entering the abbey walls and fighting in the courtyard. Creatures were dying everywhere- it was horrible. Then, I saw Garet and Mia. They were fighting two creatures with red eyes. I couldn't see them clearly, but I'd bet anything they were Saturos and Menardi."

Isaac drew in his breath sharply. "Saturos and Menardi, here?"

"Yes." Ivan nodded. "That's not all, though. The last picture I saw was Garet and Mia lying on the ground- and they looked dead."

Isaac's head spun. Saturos and Menardi- this was bad. He didn't think Garet and Mia could take on both of them alone, and from what Ivan said, they would have to. And the last image- that was too horrible to think about. "Then what happened?" he asked urgently. "Was that the end?"

"No." the Jupiter Adept replied. "I turned around and the armored mouse I told you about was there. He said that it didn't have to be that way, and that it was he who helped to bring us here. Something about his world and ours being connected, I think. It didn't make much sense."

"'It doesn't have to be that way'?" Isaac pondered, "Does that mean Isaac and Mia don't have to die, or that Redwall doesn't have to be captured, or something else entirely?"

Ivan just shook his head. "I'm as confused as you are."

A rustling noise overhead made Isaac look up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of movement among the shadows.

"Ivan!" he hissed, drawing his Gaia Blade. Ivan was immediately on the alert, bringing up his Crystal Rod into a defensive position.

"Put away your weapons, your weapons!" came a voice from up above their heads. Both adepts craned their necks upward to see the source of the sound. "I am a friend, friend!"

"Who are you?" Isaac asked, lowering his swords slightly but sill keeping it at the ready for any sign of hostility. "Come out where we can see you."

One of the strangest creatures Isaac had ever seen fluttered down from the ceiling into the dim light near the cavern floor. It was smaller than either himself or Ivan, slightly resembling a mouse but with huge, leathery wings. Instinctively, Isaac knew that this creature was a bat.

"I mean you no harm, no harm!" the bat said, echoing his last few words like he had done the previous times he had spoken. "Please put up your sword, your sword!"

Isaac glanced in Ivan's direction. The Jupiter Adept nodded. "It's all right." he whispered.

Isaac sheathed his blade. He had learned long ago that Ivan's impressions about creatures, whether they be human or something else, were usually correct. If he trusted the bat, then Isaac, too, would trust it.

"Are you the ones called Isaac and Ivan, Isaac and Ivan?" echoed the strange creature. The two adepts nodded in unison. "We have found your friends, your friends."

"You found Martin and Lynn? Where? Are they all right?" asked Isaac quickly

"They are well. I will take you to them, to them." the bat replied. "My name is Cliffwing. This way, this way."

He gestured towards a nearby cave entrance. "Come, come!" Cliffwing took to the air, swooping through the opening and out of sight. Without hesitation, Isaac and Ivan followed.

They walked through a length of narrow passageways, with several small rooms branching off every now and then. Glancing inside as they passed, they saw several other bats going about daily tasks. One room seemed to be a kitchen, with bat chefs scurrying to and fro around ovens, while another, very dark room was filled with the sound of flickering wings and glittering, jewel-bright eyes hanging from the ceiling. Isaac guessed that this must be a sleeping area, as he knew most bats hang upside-down when they rest.

A short time later, Cliffwing turned from the main path and into a side room. Inside were two more bats, as well as Martin and Lynn. Martin immediately stood up when Isaac and Ivan entered.

"Thank goodness you're all right." he said. "Are you hurt?"

"Just some bruises." Isaac said. "How are you two doing?"

Lynn stood up as well. She had her left arm cradled in a cloth sling. "My wrist's broken." she said, with a rueful smile. "Otherwise, I'm OK, though. Martin's fine, too."

Ivan glanced meaningfully at Isaac. Isaac knew what the squirrel was thinking- with her broken wrist, Lynn would be at a severe disadvantage on their journey. Isaac could cast Cure and instantly heal the squirrelmaid, but that would require revealing their Psynergy to their companions. Isaac did not think this was a wise idea.

"Now what do we do?" Ivan asked, speaking just as much to Isaac as he was to the rest of the group.

"I guess we'll just have to travel on." said Martin, "despite Lynn's injuries. Of course, Lynn could stay here and we could come back and get her once we've reached Salamandastron."

"You're not leaving me here!" said Lynn, indignantly. "I said I was going to help you on your quest, and I don't go back on my word."

"All right!" said Martin. "It was just a suggestion."

"But how are we going to get out of the mountain?" Isaac asked. "Our raft was destroyed."

"We will show you the way, the way." said Cliffwing. "But first, you must rest. Wait here, and tomorrow morning you may leave, may leave."

The four travelers looked around at each other, then Isaac nodded. "We accept your offer, Cliffwing. We thank you for your people's hospitality."

"You are most welcome, most welcome!" said the bat. "I must go now and attend to other things. Rest here, and tomorrow we will lead you out of the mountain, the mountain."

Agrapaw sat inside her black tent, thinking. The two strange foxes, what were their names again? Samturnos and Mendarny- no that wasn't right. Well, whatever their names were, they made her nervous. Not because of their odd-colored fur, which could easily be a dye or just some strange pigmentation, but their eyes. Burning red eyes- she had never seen the like on any other living creature.

"Mother?"

Agrapaw looked up to see her daughter Danagy standing beside her. The little ferretmaid had the same pure black fur and green eyes that her mother was notorious for. Smiling slightly, Agrapaw straightened up.

"What is it, Danagy?" she asked, her tone softer than it was when speaking to other creatures.

"Who are those strange foxes that you were talking to earlier?"

"They came here to offer help in capturing Redwall." Agrapaw said.

"They look scary, Mother."

"I know, Danagy, but one thing you must know is that when you're scared of something, you mustn't show it. A leader must always remain calm, even if she's facing something that frightens her. You must learn how to do this, if you are to become leader of the horde someday."

Danagy nodded sagely. "All right, Mother."

"Run along outside and play now. Remember, stay behind the tents! Don't go to the front of the field, or you might get shot by the archers on the walls."

The ferretmaid turned to go, but then stopped and asked, "Mother, when you capture Redwall, will there be other creatures my age to play with?"

"Probably, Danagy." Agrapaw replied. "And one more thing she called out, just as her daughter was about to leave the tent. "Don't get too close to the foxes, either. I don't trust them."

"Yes, Mother." Danagy brushed past the tent flap, into the meadow outside.

Whew, that's done. Next chapter- we find out what Saturos and Menardi's master plan for the capture of Redwall is. Hopefully, there will also be a battle, if I don't ramble on too long. And remember- REVIEW!