It was the Spring of the Rose Blossom. All of Mossflower and Redwall were in good spirits. The Mossflower Patrol was hosting its 50th anniversary. 50 seasons since the founding. Old hare sergeants chatted about the "bygone days", otters worked in the kitchens for the feast, and faithful moles were building a monument to honor this celebration. Waveblade Galedeep, a strong and middle-seasoned otter, chatted with his old friend, Slaptail Beaver.
"Looks like a nice feast this year, eh, Slaptail."
"Yep, Wave, I sure can't wait! Say, remember that old battle against those foxes?"
"Harr! I 'member. Those ragamuffins were a 'runnin once they saw my swords!"
The two friends walked on, chatting. There was something else there, watching the Mossflower Patrol. It was Commander Ursa. He was an enormous black bear, even larger than a badger. It had no weapons, but why would you need weapons when you're that size? Ursa looked at all the beasts, feeling well and getting ready for the 50th anniversary feast. Ursa smiled grimly. Mossflower will be his after this plan works! He silently backed away, and trundled back into the woods.
Some say Commander Ursa came from the northern mountains, where wolves and eagles ruled. Others say he lived far across the western sea, in some unforsaken desolation. Others yet believed he lived in an immense underground cavern. No matter how you say it, Ursa was trouble.
He looked over his horde back at his camp. Ferrets, rats, weasels, stoats, and other types of vermin were sharpening their cutlasses and flighting their arrows. Unlike most vermin, these ones were smart. They had common sense, and were eise in battle. There were only a few hundred. That was all Ursa needed. He nodded in satisfaction at his second-in-command, a wolverine named Bloodlust. Bloodlust threw a hatchet at a large, round gong hanging from an elm.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!!!!
The horde stood swiftly to attention. They made neat and orderly columns, six wide and fifty deep. Smartly they marched across the meadows. Commander Ursa had come to Mossflower.
Trition Wytethorn, leader of the Mossflower Patrols, sent out Battalion 59. Every other day, the battalions switched scout duty. This battalion was mainly squirrels, so they swung through the trees, bows and arrows ready.
A male squirrel named Steven stopped at the meadows. He saw the horde, marching straight toward them. He quickly grabbed a leaf and split it. He made a high pitched whistle. Immediately the leader of the battalion came. She was Lieutenant Maple. Maple looked at the huge bear coming, and immediately told her commands.
"Steven, take all of the battalion back to the Patrol Base. Tell Trition of this huge creature. I will stay here and spy on them. I have no family, it doesn't matter if I die. You have a family, go back home and care for them." Without words or tears, Steven followed his leader's orders. Maple looked out to the meadow again. Ursa was not a score of yards away. She held her breath and drew a throwing dagger. Maple held it by the blade and threw it. The dagger whistled down and hit a rat in the first rank. Ursa took one look at Maple, charged, and swiped his paw once.
Steven and the rest of Battalion 59 came back. They ran, out of breath, straight to General Wytethorn's headquarters.
The otter leader of the Patrol listened to the squirrel's report.
"But a few leagues away! Sire, that was a small army, but that bear could slay a badger without trying! We need to make a plan before that monstrosity takes over Mossflower!" Trition looked grim. He stood up, and spoke to Steven.
"Alert the entire garrison. Send the old and young off to Base A-4. Have Major Galedeep give me a total count of able-bodied beasts. Take your battalion and try to snipe out some hordebeasts. Be ready for a stand-off. Mossflower will not fall to this vermin. How many in all again?"
"A little more than three hundred, Sire."
"I think we can keep 'em off. Good luck, Steven."
The squirrel ran off. Within a minute the alarm was sounded. the Davidias Bell tolled its warning. Steven rushed the old and young to the base with ease. Beasts ran everywhere, not knowing what to do. Commander Bertram easily put them in order. Waveblade gave his tally to Trition.
"782 able-bodied beasts, sir!" the sea otter said. Trition nodded.
"Waveblade, my trusted friend, I have no doubt you will do this for me. Take Battalions 82 and 12. Take them face-to-face with this huge bear. Keep them away until we are geared up. You may fall in the process, but we will all remember your bravery. Good luck, Galedeep."
Waveblade nodded, a tear in his eye. "Aye aye." Those were his last words to Trition. With the two battalions under his command, he struck out into the woods.
The squirrel snipers were under extreme difficulties. Sergeant Dewtree, a large male gray squirrel, led the command in Maple's place. There was 35 squirrel archers,now there were 14. Most were killed after the bear climbed an oak and slew half of them. He was high in a rowan, five at his side. They were Steven's family. Holly, Acorn, Steven Jr., Gunther, and his wife Susan. They watched in dismay as the gigantic vermin mauled the valiant remains of Battalion 59. Sergeant Dewtree turned to Acorn.
"Acorn, see if you can find your father and Maple. If you can, bring them here. They are a small help, but enough to hold off the bear. Good luck."
The young squirrel swung off to do his mission.
Waveblade had his twin blades drawn. Slaptail was alongside him, sabre drawn. They heard the sounds of squirrels screaming and branches snapping. They followed the sound to see Ursa climbing the rowan, clawing at the five surviving soldiers of Battalion 59. Waveblade nodded solemnly nodded to Slaptail. Slaptail signaled to the leaders of battalions 82 and 12, a hare named Ahmunry and a mole named Chunkun. They charged.
Just as Ursa swiped at the squirrels, the battalions were upon the vermin. Ursa slew Gunther, turned and snapped a hedgehog's spine. Waveblade cut down vermin left and right, but was hacked as well.
After several hours of battling, Acorn came back with Steven. They saw all of the battalions' beasts slain, except for Waveblade and Dewtree. They told them the story of the battle. Ursa retreated when he saw that his horde had lost. The squirrels were finished after vermin hacked the tree down. Many vermin were slain, but even more goodbeasts were in Dark Forest. They had put up a valiant stand-off just for mossflower to stay free. Dewtree asked Acorn about Maple. Acorn just shook his head sadly.
Mossflower Patrol had won again, but at a terrible price. Ursa is defeated, but who knows if he shall return.............