Prologue: Something strange is out there

Author's note: Now, this story can be read independently but I suggest you at least take a look at the SCP file I made on this site so you have some sort of idea as to what is going on here. Thanks

Matthias could barely sleep. It was midnight at the abbey and he should have fallen asleep long ago. At least, if he didn't constantly hear the noises. The sound of the crackling and popping happened again, accompanied with the occasional booming from the far south. The closest thing he could possibly compare it to was rain. But it wasn't raining, it hadn't rained for the past two weeks. The noises mostly occurred at night when most of Redwall's inhabitants were sleeping. He was certain it was the demons the goodbeasts of Mossflower spoke of, spreading their terror and anarchy to the creatures who lived out there.

Five months ago, the creatures of Mossflower began to come to the abbey for protection. At first, it was a few at a time, a small family or two every week or so. Since then, the number of Mossflower creatures coming to the abbey became almost unmanageable. Sure they still went back to their homes every day to tend to their fields but it was becoming quite a hassle for all parties involved. The goodbeasts of Mossflower spoke of creatures, unlike any they've ever seen or heard of before. Demons from the dark forest, come to drag them away. Their eyes glowed in the dark and whispered songs of death that made their enemies fall before them. They saw massive beasts with long snouts rampaging through the country side and destroying anything in their path, whose barks brought death to those who stood in their way. This fact was also reinforced while later, when some bird perusing a magpie though the sky passed over the abbey. It let out an ear piercing screech as it flew over and tore the poor raven apart with its growls.

According to these refugees, they came from the woods far beyond St. Ninian's church, beyond the known boundaries of Mossflower. Even Brother Methuselah couldn't find any mention of such beings within his extensive records. While the council of elders simply laughed it off as superstition and hysteria, even they began to take it more seriously. It started when the inhabitants of Redwall began to... Feel like someone was watching them. At first, a strange sensation that came from the darkest parts of the woods. Then, the feeling came from the sky and even the walls of Redwall itself. No one dared to walk outside alone at night. At times, the guards on the ramparts would see things moving in the darkness. Shadows and the glowing green eyes and the sound of growling coming from the woods. While there had been suggestions for them to go and search for these creatures, the elders stated that it was much too dangerous to go out and search for these beasts. They were safe within the abbey and so long as nobody goes hunting for the beasts, everything would be fine. But things weren't fine, and soon, a feeling of dread began to eat away at everybeast. Matthias hated the sensation of not knowing what was happening. Fearing something he didn't even know existed or could understand. It frustrated him and the others to no end, though, they dared not to speak of it.

Matthias sat up from his bed and looked about the dormitories. Other members of the order slept soundly, somehow able to ignore the mysterious noises that seemed to come from nowhere. Deciding a small walk would do him some good, he carefully crept out of the small rickety bed and quietly walked across the stone floors. He needed to calm down a bit.

The 4 M1A1 abrams tanks fired at the rats and stoats who were trying to cross the field. Gore and bodies flew were torn to shreds by machine gun fire. A grizzled staff Sargent barked orders to his gunner. "God damn it! Ditch! Three o'clock! Give me an HEPM!"

The turret began to turn as the loader loaded a 120mm shell. "CLEAR!"

The gunner zeroed in on several archers hiding in a ditch. "On the way!"

The cannon fired and the round was sent into a ditch those archers were hiding in. The ditch exploded and their carcasses were tossed into the air. A few of the more cowardly bandits retreated while the foolish continued to press the attack. Eventually they stopped coming out of the woods and the battlefield became silent. The tanks stopped firing, their coax and main guns silent as the last rat fell, steaming in the night time air. The operators inside scanned the battlefield with their thermal scopes, looking for anything that was still alive. Nothing. Not a god damn thing.

The first creature to come out was badger staff Sargent named Jack Hastings of the UNGDF first armored battalion. The proud tank commander of badger 3. He opened up the cupola and looked about the crater filled meadow, his paws resting on the 50 cal, expecting something to charge out of the woods. Instead nothing, the forest and field lay silent, strewn about with the bodies of vermin that were crazy enough to attack them. He sighed and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, taking one and setting the others just in the reach of his loader's hatch. Smoking helped calm him a little bit as he stared out over the battlefield.

The creatures weren't exactly the greatest threat, but they were relentless, crafty and plentiful and plentiful. It was quite annoying having these things attacking ever other day. It was like crushing ants, you can kill thousands of them and it would never matter. There were so many to the point patrols that were sent out were coming back with their ammunition completely expended and their vehicles covered in blood and fur, having to use their vehicles to drive through the hordes and escape. Then the creatures got smart. They started to actually use cover and toppling trees to stop these patrols. They also started attacking in formations that were more spread out, using cover, and charging from positions that were close to the vehicles. Good men were lost to these guerrilla tactics but thanks to the fact that the soldiers were in armored vehicles, there was little the bandits could do to break into the vehicles if there were overrun. Swords and arrows weren't exactly the most effective at breaking though bullet proof glass or armored doors. Even then, the number of personnel who were coming back wounded or dead was unacceptable. It was soon decided light patrol vehicles like MRAPs or humvees wouldn't be good enough to patrol the surrounding area and thus, heavier vehicles like m3 bradleys, IVA strykers, and m1a1 abrams tanks would sent out to deal with hostiles.

That wasn't the worst part however. These animals were also adept in using very uncanny strategies to infiltrate the base as well. In the early days of site beta, the bandits managed to tunnel in several times and had given the soldiers a good scare. Though the UNGDF had planted mines and electrified metal rods into the soil to keep the enemy away, they always found a way in until the ground was paved over and even then, not much stopped the animals from using picks to break though. Not to mention old medieval siege weapons. They've attempted to use catapults and ballistas several times to attack the base, most of their attacks were stopped but a few lucky ones had managed to launch their deadly projectiles and damage UNGDF property. Birds also posed a significant threat because they could attack from literally anywhere. They didn't need runways or helipads. Hell, they didn't even need a clearing, they could just hide in the trees and spring out when it's convenient for them. But, thanks to the improved freight elevator that lead from Mossflower to Earth, supplies and reinforcements could easily be shipped to the base. As a result, it grew much faster then site alpha and was generally considered more secure once it had been finished. Their airfield which was larger and home to various aircraft ranging from fighters to helicopters. It was definitely a step above site Alpha's 5 predator drones and 6 troop transport helicopters. Not to mention the larger arsenal and motor pool the base had at its disposal.

Though, Jack still envied the soldiers who were deployed to Armello. Unlike the soldiers from Armello, the members of the UNGDF deployed to Mossflower were not in a strategic location. It was in the middle of the woods, not a hill top where there was only one real direction of attack. There were no natural barriers that would impede an enemy and the thick forests made it difficult for construction and movement. The roaming bands of vagrants or the occasional organized clan didn't help either as they launched attack after attack on the base. Not to mention, they weren't exactly fighting a country or an official power, these were just some animals who decided to pick up arms and stir up hell. While the soldiers deployed to Armello had lots of downtime, the soldiers in Mossflower fought almost daily.

Jack's loader, a fox private by the name of Ripley Miller poked his head out and took the packet of cigarettes. "How many we get this time?"

Jack looked over the field and tried to count them up. "Thirty? Maybe Fourty? Not easy to tell after we blew them apart."

Ripley laughed. "Yeah. Dumb shits never seem to get the idea."

"Well, at least it's just bandits. Not conscripts like our guys in Armello have to deal with. Most of the Armello don't really deserve it."

"You ever think they're going to get the portal to go back to Armello?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. It's been three months now. Sure, they've got several months worth of ammunition and food stocked up there but still... The Armello alliance wasn't attacking them last time I checked but they were likely going to plan for a massive attack again. I really hope those SCP guys manage to get the portal back to our boys and get them some relief. Otherwise, they might get overrun."

"Poor bastards."

"Yep. But at least they're in a better position then we-"

The loud authoritative voice of the cut him off. "Hey! Quit grab-assing over there! Button up and get back in formation! We still got a mile to go before we head back"

The fox platoon leader ducked back into badger 1 and the tank got back on the road. Ripley and Jack followed suite, stubbing their cigarettes, getting back into the tank and locking the hatches. He gave the badger driver a little kick. "Alright Kevin, get her moving again."

Kevin nodded and worked the controls. "Yes sir."

The tank shuddered as it followed badger 1 back onto the road. Jack sighed. "They're getting more organized you know?"

Ripley looked to him. "What?"

"The bandits are getting more organized... This wasn't like the last few attacks where they just blocked the road or charged us, this was something else."

"How so?"

"They've never managed to jam one of the tank treads before. They pulled a pincer move on us. Distracting us with cannon fodder while their more seasoned soldiers stuck around and stuck logs in the tracks."

"Why are you complaining, we made it didn't we? Badger four managed to back up enough to cover us and we deployed smoke screens while we got the tanks unstuck."

"I got shot with an arrow. Sure it was a shot though a smoke screen and it hit the vest but still... I really don't like this. What if those were fucking IEDs? What if they learn to make explosives? The point is, they're getting better at this. It's only a matter of time before they get lucky and either knock out one of our treads or god forbid blow up a tank."

His loader was quiet for a moment before he responded. "Just like Iraq sarge?"

Jack nodded. "Exactly, only these are rats and stoats, not Iraqis using their civies as suicide bombers."

Ripley laughed. "Yep... Fuck those people."

Day came and Matthias carried about his chores, though, in a less lively fashion then he usually did before. The walk had helped him calm down and he was eventually able to fall asleep once the noises stopped but he had lost much sleep to the noises and it clearly showed. Father Abbott asked if he needed to rest for the day be Matthias declined. There was much work to be done and father Abbott's feast was only a month away. Nuts needed to be harvested, butter had to be churned, vegetables needed to be tended to, flour needed to be grounded... The list of things to do simply went on and Matthias refused to lay idle while the others worked so hard. He lifted up the jug of cream he was carrying and brought it into the store room where a new arrival at the abbey, a rat named Merek, was churning butter.

Merek had arrived at the abbey a month prior seeking aid, he was ill and emaciated when he came knocking at their doors, begging to be let in. Of course, he was taken in and nursed back to health by the members of the order. He claimed to be an explorer from distant lands who had come in search of a new trade route. However, even though he was given this monumental task by his piers, he refused to return home once he had healed. When asked why he refused to return home, he stated that when he was coming to Mossflower, he was sailing on a ship with other members of his party and a dozen of elite soldiers from his homelands. When he caught sight of land though his looking glass, raiders attacked him and his crew and sunk the ship. He just barely made it to land by clinging to dear life on piece of wreckage and avoiding arrows form the attackers. He stated there was likely no point in opening up a trade route to the continent due to the amount of bandit activity that festered in the rural areas. Not to mention, there would be no rescue because he had taken a gamble when he set sail west from his homelands and he was not exactly expected to return by his superiors. An unfortunate but ultimately understandable position.

When asked about how he had arrived in Mossflower, he stated he first arrived at the ruins of Marshank. Deciding it wasn't worth his time staying there, he built a raft and traveled along the Broad stream until he wrecked it in the rapids. He then went southward along the North-path until he had arrived at Redwall. Of course, his arrival was met with a bit of skepticism and paranoia. Rats after all, didn't exactly have the best track record with the goodbeasts in Mossflower or anywhere for that matter. They were considered dumb, foul, and conniving vermin who usually were up to no good. Many of them were a part of bandit armies that left trails of destruction in their wake and Merek could very well have been a spy for one of those armies.

So far, Merek was proving himself to be an exception to this. Though he had trouble understanding larger words and mammals who spoke fast, he was still rather smart. He was able to speak normally and do some light reading, all-bite with great caution. He was also a hard worker who helped out with daily chores and even took part in the Abbey's sermons. He was a great help with carrying out heavy tasks and seemed to be a jack of all trades. Though many of the abbey's inhabitants were still unnerved by his presence, he was generally friendly to everyone even if they mistreated him.

He stopped churning the butter to look at Matthias. Realizing Matthias didn't look so well, Merek stood up and took the jug from him. "Matthias, you look exhausted. Are you sure you should be working right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You lack your usual enthusiasm lad. You're shoulders are slumped and you seem to be dragging your feet."

Matthias nodded his head. "I'm alright, I'm just tired from last night."

"Was it the monsters again?"

"Yes, I don't understand how anyone could sleep while knowing something strange is lurking out there."

Merek let out a small chuckle. "Don't worry lad, I'm sure it's not much to worry about. The abbey is safe from whatever those things are. Besides, they only seem to be attacking vermin and leaving the goodbeasts alone. I'm sure you all will be alright."

"What about you? What if the monsters come for you?"

"I'm sure I'll be alright. After all, I've done nothing wrong... Then again, words don't exactly carry much merit if they know exactly what I do eh?"

When Matthias didn't seem convinced by Merek's words, Merek gave Matthias a slap on the back. "Chin up, I'm sure the beasts won't come here to the abbey. There's only us chickens here... Well, this chicken at least."

The two shared a good laugh at that joke before they recollected themselves. Merek liked to tell jokes to the abbey, though many of them were rather crass or strange, they were still quite humorous. Matthias stood up. "Well, goodbye Merek!"

Merek nodded and went back to churning butter. "Don't hurt yourself okay Matthias! Father Abbott would have a heart attack if he learned you were hurt!"

"Don't worry, I won't!"

This is only a small taste of what I'm going to do until I get some ideas. Please rate and review.