Salamandastron

SALAMANDASTRON

REDWALL BOOK 5

The dormouse was a jolly plump old fellow, clad in a rust-colored jerkin, his white beard curled and trimmed neatly. An infant mole, who could not sleep because of the onset of spring, sat beside him on a mossy beechlog in the orchard. Together they shared an early breakfast of oatcakes, hot from the kitchens, and two of last autumn's russet apples. Dawn was touching the earth with its rosy paws, promising sunny spring days as a compensation for the long winter Redwall Abbey had endured. Soft white clouds with golden underbellies hung on the still air, dewdrops glistened on new green grass, budding narcissus and snowdrop awaited the coming of the sun-warmed day.

The dormouse nodded sagely. "Soon be pickin' a Nameday for this good season, aye, soon."

The small mole chewed slowly at his oatcake, wrinkling a black button snout as he gazed up at the elder.

"You'm said you'm tell oi a story, zurr."

The dormouse polished an apple on his jerkin. "D'you like my stories, Burrem?"

The little fellow smiled. "Burr aye, oi serpintly do, zurr!"

His friend settled down comfortably on the grass, propping his back against the log.

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"Right then, it's a good long one. We'll have to break off for lunch and tea, supper, too, maybe. Ah well, here goes. Once upon a time ..."

Colder than the winter wind howling its dirge through the Southwest Forest.

Colder than the snow blanketing tree, rock and earth in its silent shroud.

Colder than ice that lay on water and hung in shards from branches and bushes.

Colder than these was the smile of Ferahgo the Assassin! Ferahgo was still young, but as the seasons passed his evil and infamy would grow, and everybeast would come to fear the name of the blue-eyed weasel.

His .band searched the wrecked badgers' den, scavenging and snarling over winter food and the few pitiful possessions strewn among the debris. Smiling pitilessly, Ferahgo stepped over the bodies of the slain badger Urthound and his wife Urthrun, the last two brave creatures to stand against him. Stealth and deceit, reinforced by a crew of backstabbers, were the Assassin's trademark. He had tricked the badgers into thinking this would be a peace conference. Fools!

Migroo the stoat pulled aside a heap of dried moss. "Chief, look!"

Two badger babes lay huddled together, mewling and shiv-

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ering as they stuck their heads up, lips pursed in a plea for mother's milk.

Migroo laughed. "That one looks like his father, but this other one, Chief, it's white. I thought all badgers had stripes."

Ferahgo tickled their nose tips with his knifepoint. "They're both males. One is a proper badger, the other is an albino. They might not be orphans today if their parents had not resisted me."

Migroo watched the point of Ferahgo's knife. "What're yen goin* t' do with 'em?"

The Assassin shrugged and sheathed his blade. "Nothing. The winter will take care of Urthound's whelps."

Fondling the round gold medallion he had taken from the neck of Unbound, Ferahgo gave one last glance around.

"Now nobeast in the Southwest is left to oppose me. Come on, my Corpsemakers!"

The weasel swept out into the wintering forestlands with his band, a smile still fixed in his beautiful light blue eyes.

Behind him in the ruins of the den the two badger babes, one striped, the other pure white, snuggled against the cold body of their mother. They made pitiful little noises, waiting for her to wake and comfort them. Outside the snowflakes blew gustily between tree and bush, chased by the soughing wind.

It was cold.

But not as cold as the smile on the face of Ferahgo the Assassin.

BOOK ONE

Questors and Runaways

Many and many a long seasdn'had come and gone since that fateful midwinter day in the Southwest Lands.

The only sound disturbing the stillness of a high summer noontide was that of seabirds plaintively calling as they wheeled and circled overhead. The vastness of the sea lay becalmed, without blemish of wave or white-crested roller, still as a millpond, mirroring the faded blue of a cloudless sky. Obscured in its own heat haze, the sun blushed forth a radiant golden wash, tinting sand and rock with a soft amber glow.

Above the tideline stood the great citadel of Salamandas-tron, the mountainous shell that had once been a volcano when the world was young. Through countless ages it had been ruled by the mysterious badger Lords and their friends the hares of the Long Patrol. The entire rock was a towering fortress, riven through with caves, passages and halls, standing guard to protect the shores and all the sprawling country of West Mossflower.

From Salamandastron's main entrance a solitary set of paw-prints led through the sand to a limpet-crusted outcrop by the sea. Perched on the stone, chin in paw, Lord Urthstripe the Strong gazed seaward, clad in his stout forge apron, devoid

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of armor or sword. At one with earth, sea and sky, the badger Lord sat alone with his thoughts. Mara had not been home for two nights, and he was worried. Had he done the right thing, adopting a young female badger? She was one of the few badger maids ever to live at the mountain; traditionally it was the preserve of single male badgers. Five seasons ago his hares had found her among the dunes, a tiny whimpering babe, lost and alone. Urthstripe was overjoyed when they had brought her to him. He cherished her as the daughter he had never had. But that was when she was an infant. He was a badger Lord, with many things to attend to, and as she grew up, so they had drifted apart.

Life presented various obstacles to Mara. She had come to resent the strict ways and regimented existence at Salaman-dastron. Urthstripe became awkward and severe in his dealings with her, and Mara in her turn was rebellious of his heavy-pawed authority. Against Urthstripe's wishes she had gone off two days ago, with her close friend Pikkle Ffolger, a young hare.

The badger Lord scowled. Pikkle was far too wild and erratic; Mara would never grow up to be a proper badger Lady running about with the like of that mischief-maker. But that was the way of things between them now if he lectured her or threatened penalties he felt like an ogre. So they avoided each other, she going her own way, and he unhappily having to go his.

Sergeant Sapwood loped slowly across to the rock. He bobbed about, shadow-boxing until Urthstripe noticed him. Sidestepping, the strong lanky hare tucked in his chin and hooked out a left paw.

"Haint much t' do out 'ere, sir. You a-comin' in for sum-mat to eat? There's wild oatcakes, bilberry tart an' cold cider. You haint touched vittles since yesterday morn."

Urthstripe climbed slowly down from the rock and growled anxiously at the hare, "Any sign of Mara yet, Sergeant?"

"Nah, not so far. But don't you fret y'self, sir. She'll come trottin' back wi' young Pikkle, soon as they're hungered

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enough. D'you want me to send the missie t' you when she does arrive back?"

"No, but let me know the moment she's back home. See she gets a good meal, and then . . . then send her to me!"

Sapwood ducked and feinted as they made their way across the shore, swaying lightly on his paws as he circled Urthstripe.

"C'mon, sir. Let's see you try t' put one on me button!"

The badger Lord tried to ignore his pugnacious friend, but Sapwood persisted.

"Go on, sir, try the old one-two, eh?"

Urthstripe halted, blinking as the hare bobbed and dodged under his nose.

"Really, Sapwood, I'm in no mood for sport."

The Sergeant dabbed a swift paw at Urthstripe's jaw. "Oh,'ave a go, sir. Try yer luck!"

For all his great bulk the badger was surprisingly swift. He spun sideways, clipping Sapwood under the chin with what he judged to be a light tap. The Sergeant was bowled over, knocked flat on his back. Instantly the badger Lord was at his friend's side, his huge striped face showing concern.

"Sap, are you all right? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Sapwood sat up. Uncrossing his eyes and rubbing his chin, he chuckled ruefully. "Bless your 'eart, sir, I'm as right as rain, never saw that'n comin', though. Good job you never punched your weight, or you'd 'ave knocked me block clean off!"

With their paws about each other the two friends entered Salamandastron, chatting and chuckling about old fights and bygone battles.

Before he entered the mountain, Urthstripe could not resist casting a final longing glance to the open country. Disappointed that he could not see Mara arriving home he heaved a lonely sigh and followed Sapwood inside.

A massive ridge of mountains created a high spine down the land east of Salamandastron. In the foothills to the south they gave way to swamplands, which in their turn led to the dunes sweeping in from the west. The early noon sun was causing

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grasshoppers to chirrup and rustle in the rock-strewn foothills.

Ferahgo the Assassin sighted his skinning knife at one insect which was about to leap. He flicked the knife expertly. His aim was good: the keen-edged blade sliced the grasshopper in two. The knifepoint was still quivering in the ground as Ferahgo pulled it free and wiped it clean on the grass.

"That's one grasshopper won't jump any more," he chuckled. "Am I not right, Migroo?"

The stoat nodded vigorously. "Aye, Chief, 'twas a grand throw!"

Ferahgo sheathed the weapon in the crossbelts he wore diagonally across his chest. Two other knives were encased there, each as sharp and deadly as the one he had thrown. Smiling, he rested his paws on the broad belt supporting his short kilt of skins. He had grown taller and more sinewy than other weasels. The seasons seemed to lend an extra sparkle to his eyes, which were light brilliant blue like a fresh spring sky; beautiful almond-shaped eyes, with deep laughter creases etching their corners. Many a stranger had met death through the deceit and vicious cruelty which lay behind those innocently smiling eyes. Every weasel, stoat, rat, ferret or fox in his army of Corpsemakers knew that the more Ferahgo the Assassin smiled, the more evil and brutal he became. His reign of terror had spread and flourished in the Southwest Lands until the whole country trembled with fear at his name. Ferahgo!

This summer he had decided to push further north. None of his army dared question the odd decision, though they speculated in secret as to his reason for such a long trek. The horde lounged in the dunes and the foothillssome stretched on the sun-scorched sand and grass, others seeking the shade of rocksapparently idle, but ever vigilant for their leader's commands. Disobedience to Ferahgo meant death.

The Assassin stretched luxuriously upon the dry curling grass and closed his eyes, enjoying the still warmth of summer. One eye suddenly snapped open as he called to a weasel stationed in the rocks higher up.

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"Feadle, keep your eyes peeled for my son and Goffa. Don't go to sleep up there."

Feadle made a show of scouring the terrain north and west before shouting back down, "I'll let you know as soon as Klitch and Goffa show up. Master. Don't you worry!"

Ferahgo's reply gave the lookout good reason to stay awake. "Oh, I'm not worried, Feadlebut you should be, because if you miss them I'll skin you alive with my knives. Keep those eyes open now, there's a good weasel."

It was a plain-spoken, matter-of-fact statement, but every-beast within hearing knew that the Assassin was not joking. Ferahgo seldom joked, even though he did smile a lot.

Dethbrush the fox and his six tracker rats loped in from the south. He heard Feadle announce their sighting from his high perch: "Dethbrush an' the trackers coming in, Master!"

The fox stood by as Ferahgo, still lying down with his eyes closed, questioned him.

"You have not brought Dingeye and Thura back with you?"

Dethbrush was weary, but he did not dare sit or relax. "No, Master. We tracked them for two moons. They have gone east, into the flatlands on the other side of these mountains."

Ferahgo's paw strayed to the handle of his favorite knife. "It does not please me when my orders are not carried out."

Dethbrush tried hard to stop his limbs trembling; he swallowed hard, licking at dry lips.

"Master, we searched night and day without rest. They must have found a way to cross the south streamthat is where I lost their tracks. I thought it would be better to report back to you, rather than get lost in strange country."

Ferahgo opened his eyes. He was not smiling. "You did right, Dethbrush. Rest and eat until tomorrow. Then you will go tracking again with your rats. But remember, I want Dingeye and Thura, or their heads, brought back here to me. It is bad for the morale of my Corpsemakers if they realize that deserters can escape my punishment and roam free. Do you understand?"

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Dethbrush gave a sigh of relief and nodded. "I understand, Ferahgo. This time I won't fail you."

Ferahgo closed his eyes. "Make sure you don't, my friend." He smiled slightly and waved a paw in dismissal.

Dethbrush went to look for water, his mouth dry with fear.

Redwall Abbey slumbered peacefully under the noontide sun. A songthrush trilled sweetly from the surrounding greenery of Mossflower Woods, its melodious tune echoing from the dusty red sandstone walls of the main building to the outer ramparts. Somewhere in the Abbey pool a trout half leaped at a passing gnat, missed it and flopped back lazily into the water. Two moles lugging a trolley laden with vegetables for the kitchen turned at the sound, commenting in their quaint mole-speech.

"Ee be a gurt noisy trowt that un, eh, Burrley." Burrley, the smaller of the two, wrinkled his button nose. "Hurr, you'm doant say. Oi'd be gurt 'n' lazy iffen oi dwelled inna pond wi' nothen t' do. Ho urr!"

They trundled into the Abbey, speculating on the easy lifestyle of trouts who lived in ponds.

Mrs. Faith Spinney was picking fruit in the orchard. The good hedgehog lady muttered quietly to herself as she checked the contents of her basket.

"Early plums, gooseberries, small pears. . . dearie me, they are liddle uns too. No mind, they'll make tasty cordial. Damsons aren't near ready yetpity, I do like a good damson

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pudden. Now let me see, what have I forgotten?"

The sight of a tree jogged her memory.

"Apples, of course! Those big green uns be just right for bakin' pies."

Standing on tip-paw, she reached for a large green apple hanging from a low bough.

Zzzzip! Splott!

An arrow sped by, a hairsbreadth from Mrs. Spinney's paw. It pierced the juicy apple, sending it spinning from the bough onto the grass. The hedgehog dropped her basket and dashed off, ducking low and shielding her head with both paws as she whooped out in terror. "Ooowhoo, help, murder! We're bein' attacked by scallawagians!"

Help appeared swiftly in the form of a brawny male otter.

"Sink me! What's all the to-do about, marm?"

Faith Spinney was hiding behind a gooseberry bush with her apron over her head. She peeped out at the otter. "Hoo-hoo! Do 1urry an' sound the alarm bell, Mr. Thrugg. Just lookit that apple lyin' in yonder grass!"

Striding boldly over, Thrugg retrieved the apple. Pulling the arrow from it he looked about, nodding grimly. "There there now, marm. Don't get yore prickles in an uproar. Everything's shipshape. I didn't clap eyes on the villain who shot that arrer, but I'll stake me rudder I know who it is that did!"

Thrugg filled the basket with the fruit that had spilled out, adding the apple. Placing a paw gingerly about Mrs. Spinney's bristling shoulders, he led her off toward the Abbey, carrying the basket for her.

Afternoon summer tea at Redwall was always very good. The mice who formed the Brother and Sisterhood sat among other creatures in Great Hall. There was never any distinction to class or species; all were Redwallers and friends, and they mingled freely, sharing the delicious repast. Hot scones, ha-zelnut bread, apple jelly, meadowcream, redcurrant tart, mint tea and strawberry cordial were consumed in great quantities. Abbess Vale, successor to old Abbot Saxtus, sat dwarfed

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in the big badger chair at the head of the long table. Redwall Abbey had not seen a female badger guardian in many a long season, old Mother Mellus having gone to her well-earned rest quite some time ago. Beside the Abbess sat Bremmun, a venerable squirrel. He leaned across to speak to her, raising his voice over the hubbub and jollity of Redwallers at tea.

"You heard what Thrugg had to say about Samkim?"

Vale put aside her beaker. "Yes, I heard all about it."

Bremmun chose a slice of the latticed redcurrant tart and ladled it thickly with meadowcream. "Shall I leave it for you to deal with as Mother Abbess, or do you wish me to do it?"

The Abbess turned the beaker slowly in her paws. "You are both squirrels. I think it would be better if it were to come from you, my friend. Samkim can be very naughty at times, but I've always liked the little fellow. I really don't have the heart to scold him. I'll leave it to you if I may, Bremmun."

Those on serving duty were beginning to clear away the dishes, and one or two diners were rising to leave. Bremmun rapped the tabletop sharply with a wooden ladle.

"One moment, friends. Your attention, please!"

The hubbub of conversation stopped immediately. Those about to leave respectfully kept their seats. Reaching beneath the linen table runner, Bremmun produced the arrow Thrugg had given him. He held it up for all to see.

"This shaft was loosed in the orchard this afternoon. Would the creature who fired it please stand forward!"

Amid a scraping of wooden benches everybeast turned to watch two small figures emerge from the table nearest the door. Many a knowing nod was passed. Samkim and Arula again!

The young squirrel Samkim was a strongly built fellow, wearing a beret sporting a wren feather at a jaunty angle. Straightening his soft greencloth tunic, he strode up to the long table, unable to extinguish the roguish twinkle in his hazel eyes. Arula the young mole padded alongside him. She, too, was clad in beret and tunic, though her small round eyes were downcast. Samkim's head was barely visible over the tabletop as he denounced himself to Bremmun.

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Salamandostron

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"The arrow is mine. I shot it! Arula had no part in it."

The mole shook her velvety head. "Ho no, zurr,'twas oi who axed Sankin to shoot 'ee arpel, hurr aye. 'Tis moi fault, zurr Brumm'n."

The squirrel's voice was loud and stern. "Silence, missie! Samkim, this is not the first time. A short while ago an arrow was found lodged in the kitchen door, then one of the gatehouse windows was broken by an arrow. Later it was Brother Hal who was the victim of another arrow. He has a permanent furrow through his headfura fraction lower and he would not be with us today. Now it is poor Mrs. Spinney's turn. The good lady was half frightened to death by your archery. What have you got to say for yourself, young squirrel?"

Samkim shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone."

Bremmun hurried around the table to face the culprit. "You never meant to hurt anyone? A bow and arrow is a weapon, not a toy! But you do not seem to realize that. Oh no, off you go, willy nilly, firing arrows carelessly without a thought for anybeast..."

Arula interrupted, pointing to herself. "Et wurr moi fault, zurr. 'Twas oi oo toF Sankin t' do et!"

"Quite so, quite so, Arula." Bremmun waved her aside distractedly. "Now, as for you, Samkim, you young wretch, you make me ashamed to call myself a squirrel! Mother Abbess was far too upset by your disgraceful behavior to speak to you; therefore it is my painful duty to do this. Both of you, Samkim and Arula, are confined to the Infirmary until further notice! I am sure Brother Hollyberry can find lots of tasks scrubbing, bedmaking and washing floorsfor both of you. Your meals will be delivered to you up there, you will sleep in the Infirmary and under no circumstances must either of you leave, until the Mother Abbess and I have decided that you are fit to join ordinary decent Redwallers again. Furthermore, Samkim, if I ever hear that you have been within paw's length of a bow or arrows again, you will be in very deep and serious trouble. Do I make myself clear?''

Two young heads nodded miserably.

"Yes, sir."

"Hurr, clearer'n broit summer morn, thankee, zurr."

Silence fell over Great Hall as the two miscreants were led off to their fate by Brother Hal. Punishments and penalties were an absolute rarity in the friendly Abbey.

Bremmun returned to his seat. Leaning across, he whispered to Abbess Vale. "Thank goodness that's over with. Do you think I was too hard on them, Vale?"

She folded her paws in her lap. "Yes Bremmun, I do. Oh, I know that Samkim and Arula are always in trouble, but they are young. Restricting their freedom to the Infirmary is very severe, I think."

Bremmun looked uncomfortable and shrugged apologetically. "Not to worry, I won't keep them confined there for long. They'll soon learn their lesson. Did you notice little Arula? I had to try hard to stop myself smilingthere she was, standing up bold as a stone, taking all the blame herself."

The Abbess pursed her lips to hide her own smile. "Bless her, she was very brave. Those two are true friends, even if they are a pair of scamps. Young ones like them are the very backbone of our Abbey; they do not lack courage or honesty. We need creatures like that. They will take the reins and show an example to all in the seasons to come."

Samkim and Arula sat on a bed facing Brother Hollyberry. The ancient healer and Keeper of the Infirmary leaned back in his armchair, chuckling dryly.

"Thank your lucky stars there wasn't a badger sitting in the chair today. By the fur! You two would have really found out what punishment was like. Those badgers were very, very strict!"

"Boi ecky, lucky fer us'ns, Bruther. Oi 'spect 'ee badger'd choppen our tails off an' fling uz in 'ee pond!"

Hollyberry adopted a mock serious expression. "Aye, that's just the sort of thing badgers would have done in the old days. Righto, you two, no more trying to flannel me. There's the walls, doors, cupboards and shelves to be

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washed, windows to be cleaned, sheets to be counted and folded, lots of torn nightshirts to be sewn, pillowslips to be scrubbed..."

He watched their faces going from glumness to despair at the mention of each new chore. Chuckling aloud, Hollyberry rose and patted their heads. "But we'll start all that tomorrow. You can have the rest of the day off. Sorry you're not allowed out, young uns. Maybe if you look in the big cupboard you'll find a game of pebbles and acorns. Oh, and some candied chestnuts in my little locker here. That should keep you amused until bedtime or thereabouts."

Samkim rubbed his paws delightedly. "Thanks, Brother Hollyberry, you're a real matey. Er, were you ever naughty when you were young?"

The old mouse looked secretively to and fro as he whispered, "Naughty? Let me tell you, young un, I was known as Hollyberry the Horrible when I was a little mouse. Old Abbot Saxtus said that I was the reason he was gray and bent double. Listen now, I've got to go and tend my herbs in the garden. Do you think you can behave yourself while I'm gone?"

Arula draped a clean sheet over her head. "Gudd zurr, lookit oi, hurr hurt, a snow-whoit-choild oi be."

3

Pikkle Ffolger searched the corners of his knapsack and came up with a single wild oatscone, which he wagged in Mara's face.

"The last bally scrap of tuck between two stout 'n' starvin' travelers, would y' believe it, old chum!"

The sturdy young badger maid plucked the scone from his paws. ' 'There were four oatscones in that bag before I went to sleep last night. You flop-eared glutton, you've scoffed 'em!"

Pikkle placed a paw over his heart, his face a picture of injured innocence. "Scoffed? Did I hear you use the expression scoffed, O boon companion and playmate of my younger days? Nibbled daintily, picked idly at, maybe even mouthed a morsel or so. But scoffed, never!"

Mara broke the scone in two and tossed half to him. "Listen here, Ffolger me old Pikkle, don't try baffling me with 0owery phrases. You're a scoffer and you always have been, so there!"

Grinning from ear to ear, Pikkle scoffed his half. "Oh well, truth will out, old gel, wot? I say, it's goin' to take us until late night to get back to jolly old Salamawotsit. I bet we're

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both in for some pretty stiff words when old Urthstripe catches up with us."

Mara slumped moodily in the hollow of two dunes, her appetite suddenly gone at the thought of returning to face the badger Lord.

"Huh, SalamandastronI wish I never had to go back to that dreary mountain, Pikkle. Day and night, dawn to dusk, it's watch your manners, learn your badger lore, keep your room tidy, sit up straight, don't slouch, do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that. I'm sick to the stripes of it all! Isn't there somewhere young ones can do what they want, have fun all day, without elders and grownbeasts making you do silly boring things ... ?"

"Then come with uswe do as we please!"

Mara and Pikkle looked around in surprise. A pair of young creatures, a weasel and a ferret, appeared around the dune.

The garrulous Pikkle winked and grinned cheekily at them. "What ho, chaps. Who are you?"

The weasel smiled back. He was a handsome-looking beast, with the brightest blue eyes Mara had ever seen. "Hello there! I'm Klitch and he's Goffa. We've come up from the Southwest Lands."

Mara sized the pair up. The ferret was a shifty-looking creature, dressed in a long tunic that had obviously been cut down to fit him. He carried a spear and wore a dagger in the piece of rope that served him as a belt. The young weasel was a different matter altogether. His clothing fitted perfectly. He wore a smart yellow tunic, and on his woven belt hung a short sword, complete with case. He also sported a pair of thick white bone bracelets. All in all he appeared quite dashing. Mara felt self-conscious; both she and Pikkle were clad in the homely sand-colored smocks worn by those who lived at Salamandastron.

"My name is Mara, and this is my friend Pikkle Ffolger. We come from the mountain fortress of Salamandastron, almost a day's march north of here."

Klitch smiled oddly. "But you don't want to go back, right?"

Mara stood up, dusting sand from herself. "Oh, we moan and groan a bit, but we always return there. It's our home, you see. Tell me, did you and Goffa come all the way up from the Southwest by yourselves?"

A quick smile passed between Klitch and Goffa, then the weasel shrugged carelessly.

"Oh, more or less. We do exactly what we want and go just where we please. Isn't that right, Goffa?"

The ferret leaned on his spear and nodded. "Right!"

"But you two are only young ones, like us," Pikkle interrupted. "I say, who allows you to carry weapons like that?"

Klitch's blue eyes twinkled merrily. "Nobeast allows us to do anythingwe feel like having weapons, so we carry 'em and don't give a hoot for anyone!"

The more Mara heard from Klitch the more she admired him.

He drew his sword and swung it, neatly clipping the heads from two dandelions growing amid the reedgrass. "So you're from Salamandastron, hellsteeth! That's a right old mouthful of a name. Tell you what, me and Goffa here will walk along with you. I'd like to see this place. You can tell me all about it as we go."

Without further preamble the four young ones set out for the mountain, chatting and laughing. Klitch was an amusing talker with lots of interesting tales to tell. He was also a good listener and paid rapt attention to anything Mara or Pikkle had to say about their homeso much so, that eventually they were doing all the talking and he was doing all the listening. Goffa rarely spoke.

The journey did not seem half so arduous with friends to share it. Still, it was night when they came within hailing distance of the great mountain.

Windpaw, a fully grown female hare, met them as they crossed the shore. She nodded at the two newcomers and shook a cautionary paw at Mara and Pikkle.

' 'We were about to send search parties out looking for you.

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Mara, you are untidy. Where in the name of seashells have you been?"

Pikkle waved a paw airily. "Oh, here an' there, y'know. Thither an' yon, as they say ..."

Windpaw silenced him with a frosty glare. "You can tell that to Lord Urthstripe, young Ffolger. First you'd both better come with me. Have you eaten today?"

Mara indicated the ferret and the weasel. "Meet our friends Klitch and Goffa. They'll need food too."

Windpaw shook her head doubtfully at the thought of .. ferret and a weasel entering the fortress. She looked them up and down, then snorted. "Hmmm, they look young and hungry enough, I suppose. Follow me."

Klitch bowed gracefully, putting on a smile that would have charmed a bird from its nest. "Thank you kindly, beautiful lady."

Windpaw sniffed. She led them through a concealed entrance. "The dining room is down that passage. There's a bowl of water and towel as you go in. Make sure you wash your paws before sitting down to eat."

Klitch winked at his companion. "We wouldn't dream of eating with dirty paws, would we, friend Goffa?"

The ferret winced as Klitch kicked his paw. "Ouch! What, er, oh no, of course not!"

There was good hot mushroom soup, vegetable pasties, a flagon of mountain pear cordial, salad, and a beechnut cake preserved in honey. They ate with full and hearty appetite, Pikkle Ffolger putting away twice as much as the others.

Lord Urthstripe and Sergeant Sapwood entered the dining room just as the meal finished. The badger's jaw tightened at the sight of his two visitors. Sapwood crossed his paws behind him and held his breath. Both Pikkle and Mara fiddled about needlessly with their empty bowls, keeping their eyes fixed firmly on the tabletop to avoid the badger Lord's fearsome gaze.

Showing flawless good manners, Klitch rose, nudging

Goffa to do likewise. The weasel's blue eyes shone with sincerity as he spoke.

"Lord Urthstripe, I believe. I hope I find you well, sir. 1 am Klitch and this is my friend Goffa, and we both wish to thank you for your good food and kind hospitality."

For a long time there was silence. Urthstripe was staring at the weasel strangely, as if trying to remember something. Pikkle dropped his spoon, and the clatter of wood on the stone seemed to restore the badger Lord to the present. He bowed his head in curt acknowledgment of the weasel's compliment, though the distaste in his voice was plain.

"This is my mountain, Master Klitch. While you are here I must treat you both as guests. If you have finished eating, my Sergeant will show you to a room where you will spend the night. After breakfast tomorrow you must both leave Salamandastron. You will be given food for your travels. Now I bid you both a good night. Sergeant!"

Sapwood came smartly to attention. Grim-faced, he led Klitch and Goffa off to their bedchamber.

When they were gone the badger Lord folded his paws across his broad chest and faced Mara. "Young maid, have you nothing to say for yourself? Missing, without a word to any-beast for two whole nights. Now you return, bringing a ferret and a weasel here!"

Mara shook her head in bewilderment. "How could you be so rude to those two young creatures? They are my friends ..."

Urthstripe's paw crashed loud against the tabletop. "Friends? A ferret and a weasel, they are not friends, they are vermin! Have you no sense, Mara? Ferrets, weasels, stoats, rats and foxes have caused murder and warfare in Mossflower since before the days of my ancestors. Who are they with? Where is the rest of their band?''

Screwing up his courage, Pikkle chipped in. "I say, sir, steady on! Those two chaps were all alone when we met 'em. They traveled up from the Southwest. Actually, they're rather jolly"

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Urthstripe's roar cut him short. "Silence, Ffolger! When I want your opinion I shall ask for it. Go to your room, this instant! It's time you learned to grow up and show some hare responsibility."

Pikkle vacated the dining room in haste, knowing it was useless to argue with a badger Lord of Urthstripe's temper. Huge tears welled from Mara's eyes to drip on to the table.

The badger Lord gave a deep sigh of helplessness and shook his great striped head. "Mara, little one, please don't cry. I'm sorry I lost my temper, but I thought you knew about our enemies."

The badger maid rubbed paws into her eyes, sniffing. "They're not all enemies, but you don't seem to care. You don't even want me having Pikkle as a friend. Sometimes I wish I was dead instead of being stuck inside this miserable o!d mountain!"

Urthstripe pulled a spotted kerchief from his forge apron and gently wiped her eyes, sadness and concern showing on his heavy features.

"Please don't say that, Mara. You are all I have, and someday when I am gone the duty may fall upon you to rule this mountain. I know it is a lonely and demanding life, but it is our solemn duty as badgers to protect Mossflower and its shores. Only then can good honest creatures, not as strong as we, live in peace and happiness. You must believe me, Browneye."

The sound of the pet name he had called her as an infant brought a flood of fresh tears. Mara dashed from the room, calling as she ran to her bedchamber. "I don't know what to believe anymore. I just want to be somewhere where I can be happy!"

Urthstripe sat at the dining table. Shutting his eyes tight, he gripped the table edge until his blunt claws scored deep gouges into the oak. When he looked up again, Sergeant Sap-wood was standing there. Quickly composing himself, Urthstripe asked in a gruff voice, "Are those vermin securely locked in their room for the night?"

The hare sat down beside him. "Aye, sir. 1 turned the key myself."

The badger Lord's eyes narrowed in a hard line. "Good! I'd hate to think that a ferret and a weasel were skulking about our mountain during the night."

Sapwood tapped a paw alongside his nose. "Haint much fear o' that, sir. I posted two sentries near their doorCatkin an' big Oxeye. If n they ever did manage to sneak out o' that room, those two would really find theirselves wi' problems. Big Oxeye don't like vermin, no sir!"

Urthstripe could not resist a small chuckle. "Almost makes you wish they'd try something, doesn't it? It's been a few seasons since I saw Oxeye chastise an enemy."

The Sergeant nodded wholehearted agreement. "Hoho,'e can chastise all right. I never did see anybeast return for a second 'elpin' off Big Oxeye!"

Soft summer night cast its shades over the mountain stronghold. The two friends sat up into the small hours, discussing and reliving old days of past seasons. Outside, the full moon beamed down upon the deserted shore, tipping countless small wavetips with a thread of pale silver light.

Perched high in the rocks of the lookout post, Feadle strove to keep awake. He spat on his paws, rubbing them hard into red-rimmed eyes. Blinking intently he peered among the moon-shadowed dunes, fearful lest he miss Klitch's return.

Ferahgo sat apart from the rest of his band, pawing thoughtfully at the gold badger medal about his neck and stirring the flames of a guttering fire. Keeping his voice low, the Assassin spoke to a small stringy water rat seated close by him.

"Tell me again, Sickear, how did you find out about the mountain?"

"I was a searat, and I saw the place a few times, Master, though only from a distance. They call it Salamandastron."

Ferahgo stroked the badger medal, repeating the name slowly as if it were a magic charm. "Salamandastron. I like the sound of it. Salamandastron. But tell me the rest, you know, the part I like to hear."

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Sickear repeated the tale, as he had done many times in secret to Ferahgo since joining his band last winter.

"The searat Captains said there was great treasure hidden inside the mountaintheir old legends are full of it. The fortress is guarded by tough fighting hares and ruled by a badger Lordalways has been, since anybeast could remember. The present ruler is called Urthstripe the Strong, a great and fearsome warrior."

Ferahgo moved closer to the speaker, his eyes shining blue in the firelight, aglitter with greed. "The treasuretell me about the treasure!"

Sickear swallowed hard as the Assassin's claws closed on his shoulder. He repeated what Ferahgo wanted to hear.

"It is said the great badgers never lacked riches. As each one lived out his seasons, or died in battle, so his possessions were added to the pile, hidden somewhere inside the mountain. Pearls from the sea, many-colored precious stones, armor wrought from silver, gold and copper, spears and other great weapons, all made by the badgers at their forge. Bright war axes that can cut through stone, shields that are wonderful to look upon, swords with blades that can slice armor like butter, red and green stones set into their handles, sheathed in cases of the finest... aaaarrghh!"

Ferahgo's claws had pierced the rat's shoulder. Sickear whimpered in pain, tears rolling down his narrow face. The weasel Chieftain freed his claws from the matted fur and flesh with a quick wrench. Slumping to one side, Sickear moaned piteously, trying to lick his injured shoulder. Ferahgo grinned, his strange blue eyes twinkling in the firelight like a happy infant.

"Oh, I'm sorry, friend. I must have got carried away. Never mind, it's only a scratch. The best thing for you is fresh air and something to take your mind off it. Listen now, you shin up those lookout rocks and keep Feadle company the rest of the night. It'll do you good. Stop weeping and groaning now. Come on, up you go!"

The Assassin's eyes smiled wide and innocent as he watched the injured Sickear hauling himself painfully up

among the rocks. With a note of deceptive concern he called softly up to the weary lookout, "Not sleepy yet, Feadle?"

The lookout stared down into the treacherous blue eyes smiling up at him. Straightening his back against the rock, he sang out in an alert manner. "No sign of your son or Goffa yet, Master. I'm wide awake!"

Feadle's heart sank at the cheerful reply.

"Good work! Stop up there and keep Sickear company. Keep your eyes open now, both of you. There's a fresh edge on my skinning knife that I haven't used yet."

Feadle stretched down. Grasping Sickear's paw, he helped him up to the lookout post. Below them Ferahgo lay fiat on his back, watching through half-closed eyes.

Rosy dawn light caressed the Abbey walls as Bremmun the squirrel climbed the stairs to the Infirmary. Knocking softly on the door, he entered. Brother Hollyberry never slept in a bed; he sat propped up by cushions in his armchair, watching the birth of another summer day rise over the windowsill. Arula and Samkim lay asleep in their beds. Bremmun nodded toward them, keeping his voice low.

"Good morning, Brother. How are they today?"

Hollyberry yawned and stretched in his chair. "Morning, Bremmun. See for yourself. I worked the tails off them both until late last night, washing nightgowns, stitching pillowcases. They're two very sorry young unscried themselves to sleep after all those chores."

Bremmun's face softened, and he stared guiltily at the two young sleepers, Arula sucking her paw, Samkim with his bushy tail curled under the pillow.

"By the fur V whiskers, Brother, you must have driven them hard. They look completely tuckered out."

Hollyberry raised his eyebrows. "I was only carrying out your instructions. You set the penalty."

"Do you think they've had enough?"

Hollyberry snorted. "Hmph! What do you think!"

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"Yes of course, they have been punished sufficiently. When they wake you can tell them they are free to leave. D'you know, I feel quite awful about the whole thing. I just hope those young uns have learned their lesson."

Hollyberry breathed on his spectacles, polished and rebalanced them on his nosetip, and stared earnestly at Bremmun. "Oh, I'm sure they have. Hmm, quite sure!"

A rather shamefaced Bremmun tip-pawed out, closing the door carefully behind him.

Samkim opened one eye and stifled a snigger. Brother Hollyberry wagged a paw at him.

"You squirrelly little wag, you were listening!"

"Hurrhurrhurr! Oi wurr a-listenin' too, zurr Berr'olly."

The old mouse shook his head ruefully. "It's not good for young ones to hear their elders tell lies."

Samkim sprang grinning from the bed. "But you weren't telling lies, Brother. You just forgot what sort of jobs you gave us. Eating candied chestnuts is very hard workmy jaws are still aching!"

Arula tumbled to the floor, clinging to her pillow. "Aye, zurr, an' playen yon game. Boohurr, those pebbles 'n' acorns be fearful 'eavy. 'Spec' moi young mussles be infected fer loif, hurr!"

A smile hovered about Hollyberry's face. It was soon replaced by a grin as his chuckles turned into rib-quaking laughter. Arula and Samkim rolled about the floor in merriment.

"Ahahahahoohoo! Old Bremmun had a face on him like ahahaha! Like a frog suckin' a rock. Heeheehee!"

An infant dormouse pursued Abbess Vale across the front lawn from the Abbey to the gatehouse. "Muvva Vale, Muvva Vale, when's a Nameday?"

The old mouse turned her eyes skyward in despair. "Dum-ble, will you please stop pestering me! I haven't had breakfast yet and I can't think right if I'm hungry. Now be off with you this instant!"

The little dormouse carried on tugging Vale's habit and pleading. "Owww! Stoppa momint, Muvva Vale an' say

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when's a Nameday, or Dumbte turn all purkle an' cry!"

The Abbess halted and wagged a severe paw. "You'll turn purple and cry, eh? Are you threatening me?"

The infant smiled and nodded. "Mmm yeh, Dumble go all purkle an' cryancryancry lots!"

Mr. Tudd Spinney limped out of the gatehouse, shaking his walking stick aloft. "Whoa now, who's a-doin' all the cryin' 'ereabouts? Spike me if it ain't young Dumble. What'sa matter with ye, liddle laddo?"

The Abbess struggled to unfasten Dumble from her habit. "Would you believe it, Mr. Spinney, this rogue says that if I don't choose a Nameday he's going to cry and cry."

The hedgehog threw his ash stick in the air and caught it. "Dumble, you liddle pudden, what a good idea. Come on, marm, pick a Nameday or I'll join 'im. You ain't heard me cryI'm a champion wailer, an' I c'n turn purple too!"

"Shame on you, Mr. Spinney. I can't even think up a proper name for the season yet."

Dumble fastened himself to the habit skirt again. "Owwww,'urry up an fink of one, Muvva Vale!"

She set about detaching him once more. "The Summer of the Annoying Baby Dormousethat's about all I can think of at the moment!"

Mrs. Faith Spinney came bustling out of the gatehouse. "Summer of the Villainous Archer, more like it. Ooh, that dreadful young Samkim!"

Thrugg and his sister Thrugann trudged up to join them. Between them the two otters bore a fine netful of fresh water shrimp. Thrugg held them up proudly.

"Caught at dawn in our own Abbey pond, marm. They'll make a tasty soup with plenty o' pepper an' bulrush tips. Stow me gaff, I've never seen so many shrimp in that pond as there be this season. I reckon that ol' trout ain't eatin' 'emhe's got too fat V lazy. Lookit, there he goes now!"

The ancient trout flopped noisily on the surface. As they walked in the direction of the pond, Tudd wagged his cane. "That there fish be older'n me. I recall he was near full

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31

growed when I was only a liddle 'og, y'know. Great walloper!"

They stood at the pond's edge. From just beneath the surface the trout watched them, its mouth opening and closing slowly. Thrugg shook the dripping net at it.

"Look 'ere, matey, we pinched all yore shrimps!"

The big fish performed a moody half-leap, splashing them with water as it fell back into the pond.

Dumble stuck out his tongue and pawed his nose at it. "Lazy ol' trout!"

Mrs. Spinney produced a dried plum from her apron pocket, and triumphantly she stuffed it in the infant's mouth. "That's it, the Summer of the Lazy Trout!"

The Abbess pulled a wry face. "Oh dear, I'm not sure I like that. Seasons are usually named after trees or flowers. Summer of the Lazy Trout, hmm, a bit irregular, but in the absence of a better name I suppose it'll have to do. When do you want it held?"

A concerted shout went up. "Tomorrow!"

Abbess Vale looked to her friend. "Very short notice for a Nameday. Could you cope, Faith?"

Mrs. Spinney straightened her apron and mobcap in a businesslike manner. "Ready an' willirT to try, Vale!"

At this they all gave a rousing cheer. Tudd Spinney tripped on his stick and fell, and little Dumble got overexcited and leaped over Tudd, straight into the pond. Thrugan waded swiftly in and hauled the dripping infant out.

After breakfast the word was all over the Abbey. Over at the south wallsteps young creatures whooped and jumped with delight, Samkim and Arula among them.

"It's tomorrow! Hooray! The Nameday's tomorrow!"

"There's going to be a party! We're going to have a party!"

Clad in a clean dry smock, Dumble led them, marching up

the steps and along the ramparts, chanting the traditional

rhyme which young ones recited in anticipation of the feast.

"Food to eat and games to play. Tell me why, tell me why.

32 Brian Jacques

Serve it out and eat it up.

Have a try, have a try.

Nameday, Nameday, fun and game day,

Come, Brother, Sister, join our play.

This season has a name!"

The great Joseph Bell pealed out happily over the sunny morn, and birds twittered in excitement over the joyous din. Old Abbeydwellers who were not busy in the kitchens gathered on the lawn to watch the young ones and remember long-ago Namedays they had enjoyed taking part in.

Other creatures outside Redwall heard the sounds of celebration that morningDingeye and Thura, the two stoats who had deserted Ferahgo's army some weeks earlier. They lay in the ditch on the opposite side of the path which skirted the west wall. Days and nights of roaming the west flatlands, scavenging, begging and thieving to eke out their mean existence showed on their gaunt faces. Dingeye was sleeping in the warmth of the morning sun, dreaming of roast meat and red wine, when Thura shook him.

"Lissen, can yer 'ear that, mucker?"

Dingeye sat up. He rubbed his face with a ragged sleeve and waggled a paw in his ear to clear it, cocking his head on one side. Gradually his ugly face split into a crooked grin, and he waved his paw in time with the chanting.

"Yersss, yersss indeedy! Sounds like a good of-fashioned whoopdedoo. Wot d'you make of it, mucker?"

Thura was chewing a blade of grass. His stomach growled loudly, and he pulled a face and spat out the grass. "Erm erm, I'd say it soun's the same ter me as it do ter you. Somebeast ringin' billyo out of a bell, a load of young uns settin' up a racket. All soun's very nice, though. 'Ere, wot d'you reckon that place is, mucker?"

"It's an abbey."

"A nabby? Wot's a nabby?"

Dingeye shoved Thura sideways, and he rolled down into

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33

the slime. "An abbey, weedbrain, abbey. That must be the one called Redfall, or summat. I 'card of it one time off of a fox."

Thura stood up, wringing damp and ooze from his dirty shirt. "Huh, you don't know any foxes, slobberchops. An' if yer did they prob'ly wouldn't wanna know you. Redfall Nabby, chah!"

Dingeye leapt on him and clamped a paw over his mouth. "Shurrup, somebeast's a-comin' this ways."

Several moles came trundling along the path in the wake of their leader, a Foremole. The stoats watched from the ditch as the Foremole hailed the walltop.

"Yurr, gudd morn to 'ee, Sankin, an' 'ee, young 'Rula. Be guddbeasts naow an' oppen 'ee gate fer uz."

The young ones skipped down the west wall steps to open the big main gate of Redwall. As the moles filed in, Dingeye nudged Thura.

"Come on, mucker. 'Ere we go. Imagine yer a mole, and we'll latch on to the line an' march in with 'em!"

Scurrying across the path, they joined the file behind the back mole, crouching double and making moleish sounds. "Hoc arr, mucker, ho urrmucker, hur hurr!"

Walking with heads down, they marched slapbang into Thrugg. The brawny otter grabbed both stoats by Their scruffs. "Back oars, mateys. Where d'you think yer off to?"

Dingeye fell on alt fours. Grasping Thrugg's left leg, he began wailing outrageously. "Ho, woe is us, sir. Kindness'11 toiler yer all yer days if n yer shows pity on a pair of gentle-beasts fallen on 'ard times!"

Thura joined his companion, clasping Thrugg's other leg. "Wahaah! Yer a luvverly creature, sir. We 'ad a mother once, just like yerself. Don't turn me an' me mucker away yet Lordship. Show charity ter two starvin' wretches. Whahahaah!"

Thrugg folded his paws across his chest, unable to move one way or the other. He called out to Samkim above the wailing, "Cut along an' fetch Abbess Vale, young'n. Sharpish now!"

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By the time the Abbess arrived the two stoats were facedown on the Abbey lawn, kicking their limbs and blubbering unmercifully. She held up both paws. "Silence, please. Stop all this caterwauling. You're not injured!"

Dingeye appeared inconsolable, strewing grass on his head, pounding the earth with all paws and sobbing brokenly. "Not injured! Aaaaaoooowwww! Kind lady, if only you knew the 'arf of it. If yer calls starvin', ill fortune an' limpin' round the land till yer paws are wore down t' the bone not injured, then so be it. But say nothin' of the days of 'eartache, an' the freezin' cold rainy nights, an' not a pudden rag atwixt me an' my mucker 'ere t' keep us warm an' dry from the thunder an' lightnin'. Not injured, yer say? Wahahahaah!"

Samkim and Arula could not help giggling at the tragicomic display put on by the two stoats. Abbess Vale silenced the young ones with a stern glance. Turning, she addressed the stoats in a no-nonsense manner.

"Tut-tut! If you wish to stay at our Abbey you must cease this disgraceful exhibition immediately. Do you hear me?"

Instantly Dingeye and Thura stopped howling and sat up.

"Do yer mean we c'n stay?"

"An' we can come to yer whoopdedoo an' scoff... I mean 'ave summat to eat?"

The Abbess nodded. "Redwall Abbey is a place of peace and plenty, but while you are here you must observe our rules: to live in harmony with the creatures about you, and help the sick, the aged and the very young. Also you must never raise a paw in anger against any creature. We are a peaceful order, we tend the land and prosper from its bounteous way of life. If you are willing to abide by our laws then you may stay here gladly."

The Abbess's words set them both off afresh.

"Whaahaah! Forgive me fer cryin' luvverly lady, but you reminds me of me oF mothershe looked just like yew!"

"Whaaaaw! Lackaday, I never knew my mother, but I'm sure she woulda looked just like yer too. Bless yer, mum, with yore kind eyes an' gentle voice an'"

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35

Thrugg and the Foremole hauled the stoats upright.

Tudd Spinney looked doubtfully toward the Abbess. "What d'you think, marm? Pers'nally, I don't much care for the look o' these two."

Foremole seconded Tudd's opinion. "Burr, nor do oi. They'm looken loik a roight ol' pair o' gully washers!"

The Abbess stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, I can see what you mean. What do you think, Bremmun?"

Recalling his harsh judgment of Samkim and Arula, the old squirrel shrugged uneasily. "Well, they do look rather pitiful, Mother Abbess, but I think the decision is finally yours."

Dingeye's voice quivered with emotion, and he went limp in the Foremole's strong grasp, shaking his paws in despair.

"The decision is yores. 'E's right, lady. Turn us out, back inter the crool world. We should never 'ave darkened yer doorstep, two misfortune wretches such as us!"

Despite his size, Thrugg was softhearted, and he sniffed aloud. "Stow that kind o' talk, matey. Our Abbess ain't got an 'eart made o' stone!"

Thrugg's words seemed to make up the Abbess's mind, and she nodded decisively. "All right, you can stay. But remember this: whilst you are guests at Redwall you must behave, mind your manners and keep your paws to yourselves. Is that clear?"

Dingeye and Thura broke away from their keepers. Falling on all fours, they began kissing the hem of the Abbess's robe.

Trying not to grimace with distaste, she shook them off. "Here, Samkim and Arula, I've a job for you. These two creatures are your responsibility while they are with us. If you need any help, ask Thrugg or Foremole. Dear me, how I wish Redwall had a badger Mother again. Right, back to work, Redwallers. There is much to be done if we want a good Nameday tomorrow!"

The Abbeydwellers were dispersing as the squirrel and the mole introduced themselves.

"I'm Samkim and this is Arula."

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Brian Jacques

"Pleased ter make yer acquaintance, young'n's. I'm Din-geye, this is me mucker Thura. Righto, where do we eat an1 sleep?''

The odor of unwashed stoats made Arula wrinkle her nose. "Nay nay, zurrs. 'Ee'll be worken awhoil afore it be toim to eat an' sleepen. Us'ns be agoin' to 'elp in 'ee kitchens, a-cooken an' a-baken."

Thura brightened at the mention of food. "Cookin 'n' bakin', that sounds all right ter me, mucker!"

Samkim blanched. He, too, had caught the unsavory whiff from the ragged pair. He grabbed both by their paws. "Not so fast, friends. First you must take a bath and get clean smocks!"

Dingeye and Thura recoiled in horror.

"Bath? Not me, mucker. It ain't 'ealthy!"

"Dingeye's right, young un, bathin'd be the death of us!"

Samkim gave a broad wink to Thrugg and Foremole. "Perhaps you would like to take our friends for a stroll by the Abbey pond? It's lovely in the summer."

A short time later two clean smocks lay on the grass at the pond's edge. Foremole stood menacing the stoats with a long window pole, Thrugg was in the water with a block of soap and a scrubbing brush. Dingeye and Thura clung to each other in panic as Foremole prodded them pondward with the pole. "Coom on, durtybeasts. Washen woant kill 'ee, hurr hum" "Mercy, yer Honor. That stuffs waterit's all wet!" "Aye, an' there's a fish monster in there. I can see it!" Playfully Thrugg splashed water at them. "Bless yer filthy 'earts, mateys, he don't mind if you don't. Get yer paws wet now. Come on, this is the best lilac an' heather soap. Sink me if you don't come out smellin' like two pretty flowers!" There was a final shriek of terror as Foremole pushed them in with the window pole, and stood menacing them with it. "Naow do 'ee be still whoil Maister Thrugg scrubbs you'm mucky ol' necks." The otter went to it with a will, ducking and scouring.

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37

"Owoch oo oo! Soap's in me eye, sir. I'm blinded. 'Elp/elp!"

"Waaa! Water's gone up me nose. Please, sir, no m Glubbublub!"

Friar Bellows was as wide as he was high. The tubby mouse

looked up from trimming pie crust and winked.at Samkim

and Arula. "Hoho, what can I do for you two Hddle rips

today?"

Arula tied on an apron. "Hurr, zurr Bellers,'ee were agoin'

t' show us'ns 'ow to make a Curtail cake, doant 'ee amem-

ber?"

The Friar gave them each a honeyed damson from a big

jar. "So I did, so I did. Hmm, you must have clean paws to

make a Great Hall cake. Let me see them."

He inspected the two pair of freshly scrubbed paws. "Very

good, very good! Hmm, righto, climb up on these stools and

check the ingredients with me. Here's the list." "Arrowroot and pollen flour." "Chopped chesknutters an' 'unneyed damsens." "Very good, very good. Sugared violets and raspberries." "Flaked beechnuts, dried plums and rosehip syrup." "Woild buttercup cream, hurr, an' blackb'rry cream, zurr." "Very good, very good. Almond paste, greensap milk and

young crystallized maple leaves. That seems to be the lot!" As they mixed the ingredients, Friar Bellows kept an eye

on them, while at the same time overseeing other kitchen

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39

helpers. Bellows seldom missed a detail of any kind.

"Brother Hal, watch that dandelion custard, it's coming to the boil. Very good, very good. Rub the arrowroot and the pollen flour together, dribbling greensap milk in slowly like thus. Very good, very good. Dumble! You're supposed to be chopping those candied chestnuts up, not gobbling them. I'll whack your tail off with a frying pan, my laddo! Now, add the flaked beechnuts, saving a few to scatter on the almond paste, and put a few more dried plums in. Arula, line the bottom of the baking dish with a dusting of pollen flour. Right. PJace the honeyed damsons and raspberries so, one damson, one raspberry, in nice neat rows. Very good, very good! How's the leek and cheese flan coming along, Sister Nasturtium ... ? Dumble! What have I told you?"

When the Great Hall cake was mixed and set in its dish the two companions slid it far into the oven with long wooden paddles. Magnificent aromas of bilberry scones, hazelnut muffins and oatrose turnovers assailed their nostrils from the top shelves of the four-tiered oven. They washed cake mixture from their paws as Friar Bellows explained the next step.

"Very good, very good, you two! The cake will be baked and taken out to cool. Once it is firm enough, here is what you do: slice it longways three times, bottom layer spread with rosehip syrup and sugared violets, place next layer lightly on topthis one will be spread with blackberry cream sprinkled with crystallized maple leaves. Next layer lightly on topthat's the secret, lightlyspread with almond paste scattered with flaked beechnuts. Very good, very good. Pay attention now. Top layer, spread thick with wild buttercup cream, dash on some chopped chestnuts, then a light coat of rosehip syrup to give it that lovely faint pinkish color, and presto! There we will have a Great Hall cake. Very good, very good!"

As the kitchens were very hot and crowded, Mrs. Faith Spinney had prepared a light lunch of summer salad and mint-cream wafers near the gatehouse wall. The workers ate gratefully, some lounging in the sun upon the grass, others

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Brian Jacques

sitting on the wallstairs in the shade.

Samkim and Arula sat on the grass with Dingeye and Thura, chuckling gleefully as the stoats recited the catalog of atrocities perpetrated upon them since their arrival.

"On me oath, muckers, I don't know which was the worst-est, starvin' an' trampin' outside or gettin' dragged in ter this Redhall place. It's a crool life, I teli yer!"

"Yer right there, Dingeye. Call that 'ospitality, gettin' near drownded by a fierce waterdog, nearly et by a monster fish, an' 'avin' flowery soap stuffed up yer nose. Hah! An' that's besides bein' bopped on the bonnet by a mole with a pole."

"Yer right, mucker. If I'm not dead with flooenzer from gettin' a bath by nightfall, me name ain't stoat!"

Thura shuddered violently and plucked at the sleeves of a clean but much darned smock Foremole had made him put on.

Dingeye waggled a paw in his ear to remove surplus soap. "Phoo! That's some kind o' welcome fer two pore stoats, muckeran' they burned our good clothes too. Makes yer wonder wot these woodlands is comin' to. I tell yer, that's the first bath I've took in me life, an' the last one, too, thank yer kindly!"

Samkim and Arula could hardly eat for laughing, and little Dumble was doubled up with an attack of the giggles.

Samkim poured cider for all. "Hahahaha! Whatha-hahahappened then?"

Dingeye quaffed his drink indignantly. "Well may yer ask, mucker. That there longtailed bully of a hotter an' that savage liddle molefeller dragged us along to the kitchens to 'elp."

Thura's mouth was watering. "Aye, the whole place was full of scones, an' cakes an' trifles an' flans an' puddens an' custids an' ..."

Dingeye took another drink to wash the taste of soap away as he complained bitterly. "But did we get to work among the goodies? Not a frog's chance, mucker! That fat ol' Friar-mouse took one look at us an' sniffed. Aye, sniffed,'e did! Then 'e tells that hotter an' his pal the Fivemole to put us to scrubbin' greasy pans clean. Up to our noses in more water

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it was 'orrible, awful, I tell yer. Two noble stoats like us, togged up in smocks like a pair o' dog's dinners, wipin' an' a-scrubbin' at black pots an' crusty ol' bowls. Good job they let us come out 'ere in the fresh air. I was about to throw meself in the sink an' drown all mizzuble like in that there greasy dishwater!"

Arula was drinking from her beaker as he issued this statement. Unable to laugh and drink at the same time, she fell forward, sputtering out a spray of cider. "Burrhurrhurrhurr! You'm pore beasts 'ad a drefful toim of et all, tho' I do say it moiself. Hurrhurrhurr!"

Thrugg strode cheerily up and grabbed the unhappy stoats. "Righto, mates, vittles is finished. Back to the galley now, me lucky layabouts!"

Thura gave a heartfelt moan of despair. "I've gone all limp, mucker. That dishwater's gone ter me brains an' it's affectin' me paws. No more pots 'n' pans, please!"

Dingeye wriggled feebly in Thrugg's grip. "If I dies, mucker, promise you'll put a pot an' a pan on me grave, ter show wot caused it all!"

Samkim interceded with the otter on their behalf. "Let them stay here awhile, Thrugg. They look more worn out than two of last season's apple cores. Oh look, Sister Nasturtium is here!"

The Sister was a plump mouse, very pretty and jolly, and she had always been very popular with the young ones. They pushed about, making room for her.

"Yurr, marm, cum an' set along wi' us'ns."

She sat with them, helping herself to food. Samkim began coaxing her into singing; Nasturtium was famed throughout Redwall for her fine voice.

"Sister, these two poor stoats have never heard you sing. Could you do a little something for them, please?"

She gave a good-natured laugh. "It's not them, it's you who wants me to sing, Samkim."

The young squirrel flushed. "Oh please, Sister, we all want to hear you."

Nasturtium put aside her food and took a sip of cider to

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clear her throat. Other Redwallers gathered closer to listen to her melodious voice.

"In days of old a warrior bold, All pawsore, tired and lame, Came marching through the winters cold, And Martin was his name. Martin, Martin, the Warrior of Redwall, With courage and his trusty sword, he came to

save us all.

Now in those high and far-off days, The country was oppressed By vermin cruel, whose tyrant ways Would let no creature rest. But truth and brav'ry won the day, For through all Mossflow'r wide, Good honest creatures made their way To stand by Martin's side.. . . And they cried: Martin, Martin the Warrior of Redwall, With courage and his trusty sword, he came to

save us all.

The evil ones he put to flight And justice he restored. His heart was strong, his cause was right, And mighty was his sword. He helped to build our Abbey here, The land rings with his fame. Now peace lives here, we know no fear, For Martin was his name. Martin, Martin the Warrior of Redwall, With courage and his trusty sword, He came to save us all!"

Every creature joined in the last rousing chorus and set up a loud cheer. The echoes bounced off the homely red walls and soared to the blue summer skies above. Dingeye and Thura cheered as loud as anybeast, then they looked at each other in slight bewilderment.

"Wot're we cheerin' for? We don't even know who Martin is."

"Well, whoever 'e is, I bet 'e don't 'ave ter wash pots 'n' pans. Oh aye, I shouldn't think they'd be a-sayin', ' 'Ey you, with the mighty sword, get those greasy ol' pots scrubbed.' ''

Samkim explained about Martin to the stoats. "Martin the Warrior is the symbol of our Abbey. He lived many many years ago."

Dingeye waved a careless paw. "Oh, y'mean 'e's dead. No wonder they never make 'im wash pots, heeheehee! Yowch!"

Thrugg had clipped Dingeye neatly over the ear. "Show some respect, matey. Martin is our Abbey Warrior."

Ruefully rubbing his stinging ear, the stoat complained, "Well, 'ow was I ter know? Besides, if a creature's dead, then 'e's finished, an' that's all there is to it."

Sister Nasturtium patted the stoat's back. "You don't understand. Martin may have died a long time ago, but his spirit lives on in the very stones of Redwall and its creatures. Maybe he has not been seen or felt because this is a time of peace, though in troubled times he has visited certain ones and inspired them to great deeds."

Thura scratched his head. "Have you ever seen Martin?"

A silence fell over the company as they watched Nasturtium. She looked as if she were dreaming. With her eyes wide open fixed on the red stone walls in front of her, she started slowly to recite words they had never heard before.

"I am but an orchard shadow in the sunny

tide of noon,

The dust of olden seasons on a stone. My paw is light and silent as a waning

autumn moon;

I walk the halls of memory, alone. You may hear me as a whisper that the

wind has left behind,

Or see me as the pale calm light of dawn, Feel me take the toll of care, from off

your sleeping mind,

44 Brian Jacques

In times of deep despair and hope forlorn. Then I will be beside you in the corridors

of dream. A warrior's strength I'll give to you, my

friend, Like the waters of a storm that swell a tiny

mountain stream,

A mightiness your loved ones to defend. Injustice and evil will flee from your law, As all about you will say, 'There walks one touched, by the Warrior's

paw.' So wait, I will find you one day."

In the eerie hush that followed, little Dumble's voice piped up. "Aaaahhh silly! I no no worra's all about, Sista."

Nasturtium blinked and shuddered. "That makes two of us, Dumble. I don't know what made me say those lines, I've never heard them before. It was ... it was as if someone else were sneaking and not me!"

Brother Hal, who was sitting nearby, stood up quickly. "Can you remember the poem again, Sister? Wait there, I'll go and get quill and parchment. It is my duty as Recorder to write it all down."

Nasturtium shook her head. "Strange, I can't remember a single word. I'm afraid the whole thing has gone clear out of my head. How odd! It's as if some other creature was in charge of my tongue, and my mind too!"

Friar Bellows came panting up. He was waving a ladle. "Come on, you lot. Nameday tomorrow. The food isn't going to prepare itself, y'know. Up on your paws and look busy now!"

There were a few groans, but most of the helpers went willingly. Dingeye and Thura were among the back stragglers.

"Huh, I wish we c'd train those pots V pans to scrub 'emselves. Hup there, cauldron, jump in the sink and give yerself a good scourin' now!"

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"Or maybe we could get that Martin spirit to wash a few. Owch!"

Dingeye had not realized Thrugg was still within hearing range. ^_

Earlier that morning a somber pall hung over the fortress of Salamandastron. Mara lay abed for as long as she could before rising to make her way down to the dining hall. Urthstripe sat in his large chair with Sergeant Sapwood and Big Oxeye on either side of him. Mara sidled in and took a seat at the far end of the big table next to Pikkle; Klitch and Goffa sat on her other side. Usually there would be lots of good-natured joking and chatter over the plain fare, but today breakfast was a dismal affair; silence hung broodingly over the assembly.

Pikkle passed Mara a bowl of wild oatmeal porridge and a beaker of sage tea, keeping his voice to a whisper as he said, "Jolly lot, aren't they, wot? I say, old gel, did you get an awful tickin' off from Lord Urthstripe last night?"

Mara's appetite had deserted her. She dabbed at the porridge with a crust of ryebread. "Oh, it was much the same as usual. One word led to another and I ran off to bed in the end because I couldn't stick it."

Klitch leaned over, the sly blue eyes he had inherited from his father Ferahgo now radiating candor and sympathy. "You didn't get into trouble because of Goffa and me, did you?"

The young badger maid shrugged. "It was nothing to do with you, Klitch. I just get tired of being pushed and bossed

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47

like a silly infant around here."

"Did you father shout at you?" Goffa refilled his bowl from a nearby serving dish.

Pikkie wiped his bowl with ryebread. "He's not her father."

Klitch stole a quick glance up the table at Urthstripe. "Then why does Mara have to do as he says? I wouldn't, me and Goffa do as we pleasenobeast gives us orders!"

Urthstripe sat looking at his untouched breakfast. Mara had not even acknowledged him this morning. One part of him longed to be friends with her, but the other half detested what he was seeing: a fine young badger maid, gossiping with a ferret and a weasel as if they were lifelong friends. The badger Lord caught the weasel stealing a glance at him. The creature had light blue eyes, shining as honest as a newborn infant. Some faraway faint memory was struggling to surface within Urthstripe's brain, but then it was wiped away as Oxeye nudged him and nodded down the table.

"That chap could charm the bally birds out of the trees with his baby-blue peepers. Still, I'd hate ter be the jolly old bird that fell into his claws. What d'you say, M'lud?"

A deep growl issued from Urthstripe's cavernous chest. "I once knew a searat who could sing like a lark, beautiful ballads. He used to sing to his victims as he cut them up. Vermin are vermin, no matter whatI've learned that much. Sap-wood, I cannot stand the sight of those two at my table any longer. Give them provisions and get them clear of my mountain. I'll feel easier when they've gone!"

The hare Sergeant stood up and threw a salute. "Yes, sir. I'll hescort 'em ter the door pers'nally."

The forty odd hares who lived at Salamandastron watched in silence as Sapwood made his way down the table. He nodded to Mara and Pikkle before turning to Klitch and Goffa. "Hare you finished with your vittles, you two?"

Klitch sniggered as he did an impression of the Sergeant's voice. "Yes, we have, hactually!"

The hare kept his face impassive and his voice level. "Right ho, then if you'd hallow me to show you out."

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"Show them out?" Mara placed a paw on Sapwood's arm. "But these are my friends, Sergeant!"

Sapwood stood stiffly to attention, avoiding her eyes. "Lord Urthstripe says they must leave. Don't worry, missie, they'll be given 'aversack rations and sent on their way unharmed. Come on, foller me, you two. Lively now!"

Goffa and Klitch rose, the latter smiling ruefully at Mara. "We'll be fine, don't bother your head about us. I wish you luck with Urthstripe. Goodbye, Mara. Maybe we'll meet again someday."

As Sapwood led them the length of the dining hall Mara could stand the tension no longer. The badger maid knew that Urthstripe loved and cared for her, as she did for him, but he was becoming like a dictator to her, ruling her life, saying how she should behave and conduct herself. Now in his usual heavy-pawed way he had insulted her newfound friends. It was too much! Without thinking, Mara suddenly found herself shouting angrily over the hushed assembly at Urthstripe:

"Go on, send my friends away. It's your mountain. You can do as you like and every beast has to obey!"

Every hare present jumped in their seats as the badger Lord's paws crashed forcefully on the tabletop.

"Mara, go to your room!"

But Mara was already up and hurrying from the hall, her mind finally made up as to what she would do. "I won't go to that room anymore. I'm leaving this mountain to go with my friends, and you can't stop me!"

Windpaw leaped up to intercept Mara, but Urthstripe shook his head. "Let her go!"

Pikkle dashed after his companion. "Mara, I say, wait, I'm comin' with you!"

When they had gone, Sapwood returned to his chair. The tough hare gazed imploringly at Urthstripe, whose face was set in a stony stare at Mara's empty seat. "She's gone, sir 'er an' Pikkle. Should I bring 'em back?" Urthstripe looked away, swiftly brushing a tear from his

;eye with a heavy paw. "No, I must let her go. She is not !3&ppy here anymore."

?-'' Big Oxeye stood up. The huge hare saluted his Lord. "Beg-

^gin* yer leave, sah! With or without permission from you, me

;;jfti* old Sappers here are goin' ter follow 'em. Watch that they

;don't get themselves in some bally scrape or other, keep an

eye on 'em. Wot?"

,- Urthstripe grasped both their paws. "Thank you, my /friends!"

gt;: Snatching a light throwing lance apiece from a weapon

jack, Sapwood and Oxeye set off at an easy lope on the track

"Of Mara and Pikkle. Urthstripe went to his forge. All that day

.vJfce mountain interior resounded with the pounding and bang-

;ing of his forge hammers, and chunks of red hot metal show-

'"*red sparks.as he battered them as flat as dead leaves.

Hiding among the dunes to the south of Salamandastron, IQitch and Goffa watched Mara and Pikkle getting nearer as ibey followed the trail.

.'; Klitch nudged his companion. "They'll be here any mo-Iftent, so listen. Don't you say a wordleave the talking to ^Ifte. My plan has worked well so far."

f; Goffa patted the two haversacks of food that lay nearby. ^lYour father won't think so. Two bags o' food isn't really .:$«l*dger's treasure, is it?"

He flinched slightly as Klitch elbowed him sharply in the "If brains were acorns you'd be a dead oak!" There was ||fcsneer in the weasel's voice. "We've been inside the moun-we've seen for ourselves, mere's about forty fighting ;s and Urthstripe, and they're not there for nothing. I'll my tail they're guarding a treasure. Now I've given Fer-an extra move in the gameI'm providing him with a stage, Lord Urthstripe's own precious little Mara. We could «ve done without that hare Pikkle, but if she wants to bring

along, the more the merrier!"

PTne light of understanding dawned in Goffa's eyes. fou're right! By the claw, you're a clever one, Klitch!" .Without taking his eyes from the two approaching crea-

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51

tures, the young weasel muttered fiercely, "Right, Goffa, I am clever. I'm smarter than Farran, Dethbrush, Migroo or any of that deadheaded bunch. That's why Ferahgo allows me to spy for him. But what my father doesn't realize is that he's getting old and I'm still young. I'll show him who's the more cunning one day soon. Stow it now, here they are!"

As Mara and Pikkle breasted the hill, Klitch feigned surprise. He turned to them, his open blue eyes shining happily. "Mara, Pikkle! What are you two doing here?"

Pikkle let his ears flop forward comically. "What ho, you chaps. Two more recruits for your rovin' band!"

Mara nodded agreement, her face alight with the joy of freedom. "I've done it, left Salamandastron for good! As you can see, Pikkle came with me. He's my only friend."

Klitch grasped her paw warmly. "Well, you've got two more good pals nowme and Goffa. We'll stick by you like true companions. Isn't that right, Goffa?"

The ferret leaned on his spear, echoing the words. "True companions!"

Mara could still see Salamandastron rising tall and grim in the distance. She looked away, banishing thoughts of it from her mind. Taking in her immediate surroundings, the badger maid quivered with delight. They were in a small hollow amid the dunes, basking in the heat of a fresh summer day. Beyond the grass-tufted hilltops she could see a distant mountain range rearing up ahead of them. It was framed majestically against a cloudless sky of vivid blue. Her heart sang within at the prospect of boundless freedom.

"Oh, isn't it exciting, Klitch! From now on Pikkle and I are going to be just like you two, traveling where we want, sleeping beneath the stars, eating when we feel like, and no one to boss or push us around. We're free!"

Goffa pulled a face and grunted. "Where's yer food?"

Pikkle spread his paws, chuckling. "Ask Mara the gallopin' badger there. She was in such a bally rush that she dashed off without a jolly crumb. Had to follow her, of course, so I didn't wait to stock up with tucker. But here we are, hale an' hungry!"

"You never brought anything?" Klitch looked concerned.

Mara waggled her paws in a carefree manner. "No, not a single scone. Still, I suppose we'll find something."

Goffa hefted his spear meaningly. "You mean you didn't even bring a weapon between you?"

"No weapons, eh!" Klitch's look of concern deepened.

Pikkle sat and drew doodles in the sand. "Who needs moldy ol* weapons? I mean, I can't see enemies to fight with round here. Wot, wot?"

The blue-eyed young weasel sat down beside him. "I wouldn't take it so lightly if I were you, Pikkle. Alone out in this country and unarmed, you never know what might happen. Mara, haven't you got anything that could be used as a bribe, something to buy your way with, perhaps a piece of badger treasure?"

"Badger treasure, what d'you mean, Klitch?" Mara was puzzled by the odd question.

The weasel shrugged as if it were not really important. "Oh, you know, gold or silver trinkets, medallions maybe, or jewels and such. I thought all badgers had some sort of treasure stowed away."

Mara scratched her stripes thoughtfully. "Hmm, I can't recall ever seeing treasure at Salamandastron. Can you, Pikkle?"

"Me? No, not a bloomin' bauble, old gel!" - Klitch smiled shrewdly. "I'll bet old Urthstripe has loads of it hidden away somewhere, but he wouldn't tell you about it, Mara. Oh no, he'd be more at home ordering and shoving you about like a slave. I reckon that he thinks any treasure stowed away in the mountain is his and none of your business, because you're too young to know about such things. But forgive me, you must be hungry. We'll share our supplies with you. Let's have an early lunchyour first one as a free creature, Mara, and you, Pikkle."

They gratefully accepted the wheatcakes, cheese and apples from the packs that had been given to the weasel and the ferret.-

Pikkle fell upon the food with his usual good appetite.

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"That's what friends are for, wot! Jolly good chaps, these two. What d'you say, Mara m' gel?"

Mara lowered her voice as she munched an apple. "You're right, Pikkle. D'you know, I don't feel as much of a young one as I used to be. Perhaps it's because Klitch treats us as equals and not underlings. Some of the things he said have made me think. All that secrecy about not allowing other creatures inside the mountainmaybe Urthstripe does have something to hide. I'll bet he does have a hidden treasure. Not that I'm bothered about it; he can keep his moldy old treasure for all I care."

They missed the knowing wink that passed from Klitch to

Goffa.

The weasel tossed the haversack across to Mara. "Here, have some cheese. Help yourself, friend!"

The muted boom of the great Joseph Bell signaled the twilight hour over Redwall Abbey. Blackbirds, song thrushes and the last larks descending warbled their final melodies to the closing day. Abbess Vale was about to knock on the gatehouse door when Faith Spinney swung it silently open.

The hedgehog lady placed a paw to her mouth. "Hush, little Durable is sleeping here tonight. I've just put him down in the spare bed. Let's take a stroll round the orchard. We can talk in peace there."

Latching the door carefully, Faith sighed in relief. "My spikes! I don't know which is the worser, grown hedgehogs or baby dormice. My old Tudd an' Dumble been a-playing' togetheryou should've seen 'em both larkin' an' sportin' about. They're a right couple o' pawfuls an' no mistake! Played themselves to a stan'still they did. My Tudd fell fast asleep in the rockin' chair an' Dumble curled up on the floor. They's both sleepin* now, bless 'em!"

The grass beneath them was still warm from the summer sun as they strolled paw in paw toward the pond. The Abbess sniffed the air, peering at the sky.

' The weather should be fine tomorrow for our Nameday, Faith. How are the preparations going?"

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"Everythin' is done to a turn, Vale. Don't you fret yourself. My Tudd's been helpin' Burrley mole bring up the finest of drinks from the cellarsstrawberry cordial, new cider, dandelion an' burdock, damson wine an' the finest barrel of October ale tasted in ten seasons. Tudd V Burrley should know, they been a-tastin' it enough today. Now I don't mind sayin', young Samkim an' Arula have been a regular pair o' good-beasts, helpin' Friar Bellows out wi' the bakin' an' cookin' like they were bom in a kitchen."

The Abbess raised her eyebrows. "It's nice to hear a creature with a good word to say for those two. I take it you've forgiven them for the bow and arrow incident?"

"Bless their 'earts, yes." Faith chuckled. "Young uns are only young once, more's the pity. They're both nice liddle wags, so they are. They don't mean a body any real harm."

Abbess Vale watched the trout flap its tail on the surface, setting up ripples over the still pondwater. "What's your opinion of those two stoats? Can we trust them to behave properly?"

"Oh, you mean Dingeye an' Thura. They'm just a silly ol' pair o' stoats. I wouldn't worry about 'em, Vale."

The Abbess steered her friend around the pond edge. "I hope you're right, Faith."

A lantern was lit in the first-floor dormitory. Brother Holly-berry, Sister Nasturtium and Thrugann the otter sat together on the side of a bed. Grouped around them on the floor the young ones sat, wrapped in their blankets, eating thick slices of new Abbeybread spread with cornflower butter and elderberry jam and sipping from beakers of hot dandelion cordial. Samkim and Arula had brought the two stoats with them.

"Gwaw! This jam's luvverly," Thura commented. "I could eat ten o' these, easily!"

Arula held up a paw. "Thurr be a-storytellen, 'ushed naow."

Thura took a sip of hot cordial and scorched his tongue. "Yowch! That's 'ot, mucker. Wot's a-story-tellen?"

Dingeye flicked him on the end of his nose. "Shut up,

bottlebrain. It's a story. I like stories."

Brother Hollyberry leaned forward, scanning the eager young faces as he drew out his voice in a deep whisper. "Whooooo waaaants a storeeeeeeee?"

The young ones giggled and hugged each other excitedly. They elongated their voices as they chanted back, "Weeee waaaant a storeeeeee pleeeeeeease!"

The old Infirmary keeper took a sip of his drink and started.

"Old travelers tell, at the midnight bell, When the nightdark covers all, Mid the falling snow, when the cold winds blow, Of the ghost that walks Redwall..."

A baby mole emitted a gruff squeak and hid trembling beneath his blanket. "Burrhoo, oi be gurtly afeared o' goast-ers!"

A small fat otter joined him. "I'm afeared too. 'Old on ter me, matey. They won't get us'ns!"

When silence had been restored, Hollyberry continued:

"Yes, the ghost that haunts the stairways goes slowly

on his beat,

Moaning low in the moonlight's glow. 'Give me young ones to eat!' "

Several young mice squealed and dived beneath the bed, and Thura's beaker rattled nervously against his teeth as he tried to drink some cordial. "I'm g-g-g-glad I ain't a young un, mucker!"

Dingeye whacked him soundly on the head. "Belt up an' lissen frogsbum!"

The storyteller continued his grisly tale.

"Then one night as the lightning was flashing And the thunder was crashing out, boomz\ The beastly phantom came a-haunting Into this very room.

56 Brian Jacques

When up stood a young one, pale as the ghost.

And to the spirit said, 'How dare you moan round here at night

And wake me from my bed!'

The ghost sprang at him with a cry: 'Whoohoo I'll eat you whole!'

The pale mouse laughed as he replied, 'You'll need a great big bowl!

For I am Martin the Warrior,

The spirit of Redwall,

Whilst I protect this Abbey,

You'll eat nobeast at all!' "

The mice beneath the bed raised a cheer at the name of their hero. "Hooray! Good old Martin. What did he do, Brother?"

Hollyberry stood, drawing a long ladle from his habit sleeve.

"Then Martin drew his trusty sword And chopped that ghost apart. He sliced his nose, he carved his ears, He whacked its legs and head, He chopped its claws, he hacked its jaws, Then to the ghost he said: 'Be sure to brush up all your bits, Goodnight, I'm off to bed!' "

Applause and relieved laughter greeted the fitting end of the ghost of Redwall. Creatures were settling down to await the next story when Thrugann mischievously tossed a crust of jam-smeared bread into Dingeye's lap and whooped, "Oo dear, look out, it's the ghost's tail. Oohoo!"

The panic-stricken stoat bowled Thura and Arula tip over tail as he leapt up, startled. It was some time before the laughter subsided and order was restored. Dingeye brushed the floor with his paws, laughing nervously as he searched.

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"Haha, that weren't no ghost's tail at all, haha, it was a trick."

Thura had scoffed the crust. He clipped Dingeye's ears smartly. "Of course it was the ghost's tail, noddle'ead. It's vanished, ain't it? On'y a real ghost tail could vanish!"

Dingeye stared at the empty floor and shuddered. "Never shoulda come t' this Redhall place, mucker!"

Suddenly Sister Nasturtium's clear voice cut across them. She was staring at the wall and reciting:

"When night meets day, stand clear away, Beware the Abbey then. Stay close beside the rampart wall, Await the moment when The flame of storm will strike my blade To aid the badger Lord, And bring back to Redwall one day A guardian and a sword."

In the hush that followed, Brother Hollyberry shook the sleeve of Nasturtium, who was sitting staring, as if in a trance. "Sister, what is it? Are you all right?"

She blinked and looked about her. "Oh dear, have I done it again? Goodness only knows what I've been saying. Was it something dreadful?"

Thrugann placed a protective paw about her shoulders. "No, no, 'twas only some o!' poetry, Sisternothin' for you to get upset over. You look tired. Come on, it's bed for you. In fact, it's bed for all you young uns too, otherwise you'll sleep right through Nameday tomorrow an' miss it!"

That night Samkim fell immediately into a deep sleep and dreamed a strange dream. In the dream he was walking into Great Hall. He went up to the huge tapestry hanging from the wall. The likeness of Martin the Warrior seemed to stand out from the rest of the skillful weave; he was clad in his armor, holding his sword lightly, and a friendly smile lit up his brave features. Without warning he tossed the sword. It twirled once

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in the air and sped from the tapestry, burying its point in a crack between the stones at Samkim's side. The young squirrel felt no fear. Without knowing why, he withdrew the sword from the floor and held it out, offering it back to the Warrior of Redwall. Martin took it. Though his lips did not move, Samkim could hear his voice:

"Squirrel, mouseit makes no difference, you are a Red-waller, Samkim. Be brave and courageous, true to your friends. One day you will return my sword again and give this Abbey another guardian. Beware the vermin, seek out the White One."

Thrugg crept up from the kitchens. Sleep did not come easily to the burly otter, particularly with the knowledge that there was a huge pot of shrimp and bulrush soup, flavored with watercress and hotroot pepper, simmering gently on the embers of the kitchen fire. Thrugg could not rest until he had sampled it. Slipping down to the kitchen in his voluminous white nightshirt, the big otter cut a curious figure. He consumed two bowls of his favorite soup, smacked his lips, yawned and added more hotroot pepper to the pot before stealing off back to his bed. Crossing Great Hall he was surprised to see Samkim. The young squirrel stood illuminated by a shaft of moonlight in front of the tapestry. Thrugg had seen sleepwalkers before and he knew what to do. Strolling up, he lifted Samkim easily in his strong paws.

The young squirrel opened his eyes and stared at Thrugg. "Are you the White One?"

Thrugg glanced at his long white nightshirt and grinned. "Aye, that's me matey, the White Un."

Samkim snuggled down in Thrugg's arms murmuring happily. "Oh, that's good. I was seeking you." He closed his eyes and went instantly into a deep sleep.

Back at the dormitory, Thrugg deposited him gently in his bed. "Strike me sails, he ain't no lightweight. All that carryin' has set me appetite off again. I'll just nip back down an' see if n that there soup tastes better with the pepper I added."

8

The moon over the dunes made hollows of darkness against the dun-colored sand, which stood out in stark relief, still radiating warmth from the hot day into the soft summer night.

At first Feadle thought his eyes were deceiving him, but as he peered into the moon-shadowed dunes he distinguished the smartly dressed figure of Klitch hurrying toward the camp. Filling his lungs with air, Feadle roared at the top of his voice. "Master, see, it's your son Klitch and he's alone!"

Roused rudely from his slumbers, the weasel Chieftain hissed upward at the hapless sentry, "Wormbrain! Couldn't you shout any louder to advertise our presence to the entire countryside?''

Sickear scrabbled for balance, wakened by the sudden shout.

Feadle steadied him as he whispered back in an exaggerated tone, "But, Master, you said to let you know"

A well-aimed pebble struck him stingingly on the eartip, followed by Ferahgo's voice, heavy with contempt: "Feadle, you useless toad, get down here. Sickear, you stay up there and keep your wits about you."

The Assassin sat with his son, apart from the rest and out of hearing. He nodded his head approvingly as Klitch made his

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report, then commented, "I knew there was something to those tales of a hollow mountain and the badger's treasure. But you say you didn't see any of it. How d'you know it's there, you sly young fiend?"

Klitch's blue eyes twinkled in the darkness. "Hah! It's there all right, you old murderer. That badger, Mara, she let slip about it in conversation. She'd know where the treasure of Salamandastron is hidden, mark my words."

"Where is she now?"

"Back in the dunes there with her friend, a hare name Pik-kle. Goffa's keeping an eye on them while I'm away. No need to worry, they were sleeping like babies when I left them to come here."

"Well done, Klitch. Now we know exactly where the mountain is. The next question is how to get in there and grab the treasure."

Klitch toyed with the sword that hung by his side. "It won't be easy. I've told you, the place is a fortress, besides which there's more than twoscore of haresproper battle-trained fighters, not like the helpless creatures we're used to. But the main one is that badger, Lord Urthstripe. I've never seen a beast so big and fierce. He's a real warrior. I'd hate to have to go up against him!"

Ferahgo's long skinning knife appeared under Klitch's nose. "You leave him to me, I've dealt with big badgers before. Oh, they're fierce fighters, sure enough, but they lack cunning and suffer from silly little things, like honor and conscience. Now you get off back to your new comrades and guide them over this way, to me. There's more than one way of frying a frog. Off you go, you young backstabber!"

Klitch vanished amid the night-washed dunes, unaware of the two shadowy forms at the side of a hill. Sergeant Sapwood and Big Oxeye had followed him. Though they had not heard what passed between Klitch and Ferahgo, they were not slow in realizing that the large vermin horde camped in the foothills spelled death and destruction. The young weasel loped past the pair, not knowing they were within a hairsbreadth of him. Oxeye hefted the light throwing lance, feeling its balance as he eyed the receding Klitch.

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"D'you know, I could pin the filthy little blighter through his neck from here, even though the blinkin' light's bad, wot."

The Sergeant restrained his friend's throwing paw. "Steady in the ranks, you'd blow the gaff. Now there's dirty work apaw, we've got ter use our brainboxes. I reckons if one o' us reports back to Lord Urthstripe, the other c'n follow yonder weasel an' watch out for new ^intelligence. You go back ter the mountain, and I'll foller the weasel."

"That's what 1 like about you, Sarge," Oxeye chuckled good-humoredly, "always ready to vote on a democratic decision, wot?"

Big Oxeye held up his paws defensively as Sapwood crouched into a sparring position. "Pax! I was only jokin'. You're quite right, of course. I'll go back an' sound the jolly old alarm at Salamandastron, and you stick close to young Pikkle an' Mara. We both know this country like the backs of our paws; shouldn't be any bother trackin' one another if we need to make contact. OK?"

After a silent shake of paws they split up, going their separate ways into the night-shaded dunes.

An early fly landed on Mara's eyelid. She shooed it off with a dozy paw as she awakened to peachgold dawn stealing softly over the sleeping dunes. The land lay in a pool of calm serenity; the sand, now still and cool, awaited sun-warmed day. Somewhere a lark began trilling as it fluttered its morning ascent into the airy heights.

Pikkle opened one eye and swiftly closed it again. "It's no use tryin' ter wake me up, I'm fast a bally sleep."

The badger maid gathered a double pawful of sand and began trickling it onto the tip of her friend's nose. He sneezed and sat up straight, his long ears springing to attention. "Is it that late already, by the fur! My old tummyclock tells me there should be brekkers around. Hope it's something nice, wot!"

Goffa pulled himself upright on his spear haft. "You ate it all last night, greedyguts!"

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"Greedyguts y'self, sir." Pikkle brushed sand from his coat. "I didn't notice you stintin' your belly when it came to puttin' food in it. Matter o' fact, I began to think you'd had news of a ten-season famine an' you were packin' it away just in case."

Goffa scowled nastily, testing his spearpoint. "You mind your mouth, you great overgrown rabbit..."

"Here, here, what's all this, friends fighting already?" As Klitch brushed past Goffa he dug an open claw in his back and shot him an angry glance. Turning to Mara and Pikkle, his eyes switched to open blue wonderment. "Now then, pals, what's all the quarreling about?"

"No quarrel really." Pikkle laughed. "I merely made inquiries about breakfast. Old Goffa must've got out the wrong side of the sandhill this mornin*he accused me of scoffin' all the rations last night. Blinkin' cheek! Do I look like a scoffer, Klitch? Go on, be honest, don't spare m'feelin's."

The blue-eyed weasel upended the empty haversacks. "Actually you do, Pikkle, but it's no use falling out over it. The point is that we've run out of food."

Mara licked sand grains from her dry lips. "Not even an apple and I've got a dreadful thirst!"

She thought for a fleeting moment of the cool dark dining room inside the mountain, the tables laid with plain wholesome food and flagons of cold cider, greensap milk and mint tea. Thrusting the memory from her mind, she looked around. "Well, I only know the country north and west of here. It's much the same as this: mountains, foothills, dunes and sandhills running to the shores. We won't find much food in that direction. What about that way, down south?"

Klitch shook his head. "That's the way we came up here. There's a broad stream in the far south, but between that and here there's a big area of swampland that we had to skirt. The place is overrun with big toads, and it's a pretty bad bet, I'd say."

Pikkle's stomach made a loud audible growl. He patted it. "Yes I know, old lad, but you'll just have ter wait until we find some tucker. Come on, chaps. Anybeast got an idea

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which way we should go to relieve the jolly old pangs?''

Klitch winked at Goffa. "I suggest we carry on into the foothills over to the east, what do you think, Goffa?" "Foothills, yeh, good idea!" the ferret agreed readily. Mara looked east to the distant foothills, with the mountain range rising green and grayish blue behind them. "Do you think we'll find food there, Klitch?"

The weasel patted her shoulder and started walking east. "It's a good chance. Streams usually run down from mountains and stuff always grows by themplants, roots, berry bushes."

Goffa followed Klitch. "He's good at findin' food." Pikkle gave Mara a shove in their direction. "Then what're we waitin' for? Lead us t' the berrybushes, chums."

Food had been passed up to Sickear in the lookout post. It was not mucha pawful of berries, a crust of bread and some waterbut he ate it gratefully, saving a little of the water to bathe his clawed shoulder.

The hot summer morning wore on, Sickear rubbing his eyes to stay awake as he kept watch, while below the lookout rock normal camp routine went on. Foraging and hunting parties came and went. Keeping away from Salamandastron, they moved south and stalked the swampland fringes for toads, frogs and birds. When these were not available there were always plants and roots.

Though everybeast feared Ferahgo, there were one or two who doubted the wisdom of his trek north. Forgrin the fox and Raptail the searat were two such creatures. They carried the breadsack, doling out stale bread to the horde.

A ferret named Bateye knocked his crust of bread against a rock, muttering complaints under his breath: "Lookit this bread they calls it. More like stone it is!"

Forgrin rooted about in the breadsack, his voice mocking. "Oh dearie me, did yew 'ear that, Raptail? Pore ol' Bateye's bread ain't fresh. 'Ang on a bit, mate, and I'll see if there's any cake 'ere. Now which would yew like, Yer 'Ighness, the sort wi' plums in or the cake wi' cream atop of it?"

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Bateye raised his paw to fling the bread at Forgrin. "Yah shaddap, yer grinnin' idjit..."

There was a whirring swish as Ferahgo's skinning knife zipped between Forgrin and Raptail to pierce the crust held in Bateye's paw. The blood drained from the ferret's narrow face as the Assassin strode forward and picked up the knife with the crust fixed to its blade.

"Something wrong with your bread, Bateye?"

The ferret sat, staring up into the smiling blue eyes, then shook his head in vigorous denial. "No, master, norra thing. The bread's jus' fine, thank yer!"

"Excellent! Then let's see you eat it all up now!" Ferahgo smiled wickedly, holding the bread transfixed upon his knife as Bateye tried to eat it under his gaze.

Bateye was no longer young, he had teeth missing, and the rock-hard dry crust cut his gums, but he ate on doggedly, too scared to stop.

Ferahgo watched him intently and commented, "What's that noise? Has one of your teeth broken? Oh look, it's fallen out. Tut-tut, Bateye. You should have taken better care of those molars, and cleaned them with a soft twig every morning. Still, eating that bread will strengthen them. What do you say?"

Bateye tried to speak around the knife blade and the stale dried bread filling his mouth, but he was only able to produce a strangled noise.

"I understand, friend." Ferahgo nodded sympathetically. "You'd like more. Forgrin, Raptail, give me more bread out of that sack. This poor ferret is still hungry."

Forgrin's jaw tightened at the wanton cruelty of Ferahgo, but he obeyed. Just as Raptail was about to pass Ferahgo the bread, a stoat called Dewnose came running up.

"Master, Sickear says to come quick, he's spotted some-thin' that you should see!"

Flicking the blade from Bateye's open mouth, the Assassin ran to the lookout rock and scaled it nimbly. Sickear moved over the perch to make room, his claw pointing.

"Over there, Master. It's Klitch an' Goffa with two others!"

"Yes, I see. Good work, Sickear!"

"But look, can you see, Master, just behind 'em in the hills, there's a hare followin' them."

"Hmm, so there is. I wonder if the badger knows we're here, or is that just a lone hare spying on us? We'll soon find out."

Pikkle shielded his eyes from the midday glare as he viewed the mountainous country before them. "Oh corks! How much farther do we go? I'm absolutely whacked!"

"Too much to eat last night, Pikkle, that's your trouble." Klitch shook his head reprovingly. "Look, it's not much farther now. Why don't you and Mara rest here awhile with Goffa, and I'll go on ahead and scout the land. How does that sound?"

Pikkle flung himself gratefully on the ground. "Absolutely top-hole, old lad. You carry on bein' the jolly intrepid scout, and we'll flop down here!"

Mara did not argue, she was glad of me rest. Goffa merely nodded to Klitch and sat moodily, some distance from Mara and Pikkle. The badger maid rested her back against a rock and closed her eyes.

Suddenly a voice nearby whispered urgently, "Missie, don't turn round, stay has you are. You an' Pikkle 'ave got ter get away from 'ere sharpish. It's a trap!"

Startled, Mara opened her eyes and leaned around the rock. "Sergeant Sapwood, what are you doing here?"

Goffa sprang up. He came dashing over, spear at the ready. - "Wot's goin' on 'ere? Who are you talki"

Sapwood leaped out in front of him, poised for action. With . a yell the ferret thrust the spear forward. Sapwood neatly sidestepped, kicking the spear adrift with his long hind legs. Goffa tried to make a grab for it but he was confronted by the champion boxing hare of Salamandastron. In swift succession two neat left pawhooks thudded to the side of his head, followed

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by a powerful straight right paw, smack dab on his chin. Goffa crumpled to the ground, senseless.

Pikkle came dashing over, puzzlement and concern on his face. "I say, steady on, Sappers oP boy ..."

Sergeant Sapwood seized him by the ear. "Liddle block-'eads, there's a whole harmy of vermin jus' over yon 'ill. Yore in a trap. Run for yore lives!"

A yelling horde of Ferahgo's creatures came charging over the hill in front of them. Sapwood threw an imploring glance at Mara, then snatched his javelin from behind the rock and thrust it into her paws.

"Too late, missie, but run. Y'might 'ave a chance, both of you. I'll lead 'em off!"

The Nameday celebrations at Redwall Abbey were in full swing. Early that morning they had started with the young ones marching round to the orchard, where they were met by Thrugg. As there was no badger to challenge them, the big otter had disguised himself, striping his face black and white and garbing himself with dusty old gray drapes. He shook a ladle at them as if it were a club and called out the challenge,

"What want you here, young beast, young beast, What want you here at my feast, my feast?"

Two young mousemaids, Turzel and Blossom, stood forward. They danced around Thrugg as they chanted,

"O stripedog, great guardian, some food for us all, For we are good young ones who live at Redwall!"

Thrugg appeared fearsome and waved his ladle at them.

"Some food, you say. Nay nay, away, Unless our good Abbess says it is Nameday!"

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It fell traditionally to Dumble, being the youngest, to call upon the Abbess to open the feast. He was pushed forward, his head wreathed in a posy of flowers and a willow wand in his paw. Twice he forgot his words as he waved the wiilow wand, but finally he plucked up confidence and got it right, the Sisters and Brothers laughing and applauding his baby-speech.

"Kind muvva, gudd muvva, er, er, O pleeze tell this

beast

Dat this is our Nameday, an', an', an' we wanna feast!"

Every creature cheered aloud as Abbess Vale came forward, dressed in her best ceremonial habit, and declaimed loudly:

"Fie on you, great guardian, for can you not see, These young ones are hungry, and they are with me."

All the young ones shouted at Thrugg:

"So stand aside and let us pass!"

Thrugg stood to one side as they dashed cheering to the tables. Samkim took Thrugg's paw and led him to the feast. "Mr. Thrugg, I dreamed about you last night." "Hohoho, I'll bet you did an' all, young un!" "Mr. Thrugg, why does everybeast call you great guardian?"

"Oh, that's only on Nameday, Samkim, when I'm dressed up as a badger. In the old days the Abbey badger was often called guardian. It was usually a female badger, like a great mother to Redwallers she was. Why do you ask?''

But the excitement of the feast had gripped Samkim, and he ran to his place at table between Arula and the two stoats, knotting a napkin about his neck as he called out, "Hey, Mrs. Spinney, are those apple turnovers hot? Pass me one, will you

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please. Oho, look at our Great Hall cake, Arula. It's the best one in all Mossflower, isn't it, Friar Bellows?"

Farther down the table, the Foremole and his crew were setting to with a will.

"Yurr, Grunel, pass oi some damsen pudden, hurr hurr!"

"Moi o moi, wot wunnerful unnycream. Oi spreads it on ever'think."

"Gurrout, you'm be a-spreaden et on moi veggible pastie!"

"Yurr, zurr hotter, you'm been at this soup agin?"

Bremmun was demonstrating a special traveling hare snack to two openmouthed fieldmice. ' 'When I was your age I saw a traveling hare do this when he visited us one Nameday. Hares are real gluttons. Watch! First he took a good flat apple turnover like thispass me that meadowcreamthen he spread it thick and stuck a pair of blackberry tarts on it, like this. Next he ladled it with honey, so, then he placed a huge slice of hazelnut and pear flan on top and ate the lot. Just like this! Mmmfff, snnninch, grooff!"

Dingeye, his face shrouded in whipped strawberry cream, was bolting down candied chestnuts and mintcream wafers at die same time. Thura was dipping a hot vegetable pastie into honeyed plums and woodland trifle, stopping now and then to gulp down great swigs of dandelion and burdock.

"Phwaw! Mucker! This is the life. Good ol' Redwall, that's wot I say!"

"Yer right there, mucker. It was almost worth washin' all those greasy pans for, an' gettin' a bath too!"

"Nothin's worth gettin' a bath for, bubblenose. Yowch! That's me paw yore tryin' to eat!"

Arula watched the two stoats glowering at each other. The little molemaid took her nose out of a slice of Great Hall cake long enough to chuckle.

"Oi must tell Froir Bellers about that un. Stoatpaw pudden, hurrhurr! Yurr, Dumble, get you'm nose out'n moi drink!"

The infant dormouse guzzled the last of Arula's cider and Started making inroads upon the Abbess's elderberry wine. *Tm firsty, tumble firsty!"

Bunley mole and Tudd Spinney had cornered a great heap

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of cheeses and October ale, which they sampled judiciously.

"Ho, Maister Tudd, try'ee big yeller cheese wi' chesknut-ters innit. Et be a gurt fav'rite o' moin."

The old hedgehog blew the foam off a flagon of ate. "Hmm, nice V nutty. 'Ave some o' my special fieldwhite cheese wi' celery an' onionvery tasty wi* that oatbread."

A challenge was thrown out by Thrugg's sister Thrugann: which of them could eat a bowl of the shrimp and bulrush soup with the most hotroot pepper in it. Thrugg threw a paw-ful in his bowl and started spooning it down. Thrugann promptly put two pawfuls into her soup and went at it with her eyes streaming. Not to be outdone, Thrugg added a full ladle of the pepper to his, whereupon Thrugann tipped the full peppersack over the top of her bowl. With tears gushing from their reddened eyes, both otters spooned away bravely until the Abbess called out, "I declare a draw, the winners, Thrugg and Thrugann!"

Both otters bolted from the table and immersed their heads in an open cask of old cider. Amid the laughter from the tables, the sound of Thrugg and Thrugann sucking in massive drafts of cider to cool their burning mouths could be heard all over the orchard.

Brother Hollyberry tipped both the bowls into his own and spooned the lot down without turning a hair, his only comment-being, "Hmm, this soup could do with a little more pepper. I like it good and spicy!"

Friar Bellows sat back and loosened off his waistcord. "Phew, very good, very good! I don't know which is the hardest, preparing it ail or trying to eat it all. Pass me a ma-plecream tart, will you, Brother Hal."

The Brother broke open an oatloaf stuffed with summer salad. "Tut tut, not beginning to flag, are you, Bellows?"

The good Friar sat up straight and quaffed a beaker of mint tea. The maplecream tart disappeared rapidly, even though it was a large plate-sized one.

"Beginning to flag? Listen, my goodmouse, flagging is for young fellers like yourself. I'm one who knows how to keep

up a steady pace. Cut me a wedge of that Great Hall cake, please."

Toward the bottom of the table several baby mice and young hedgehogs had secreted a sizable fruit and cream trifle under the table. They sat on the ground, eating it with their paws, out of the sight of older creatures who insisted on them using spoons, and there was trifle everywhere.

"Mmm, 's better wivvout spoons!"

"Heehee, I c'n eat it wiv all four paws. Lookit me!"

By noon most creatures had deserted the festive board and were lying beneath trees and bushes all over the orchard. Dumble and the rest of the infants were snoring loudly in a hammock that Sister Nasturtium had strung between two ap-

:- pie trees. Samkim and Arula joined Brother Hollyberry and

" Friar Bellows in the shade of a big old maple that grew in the south corner, and Hollyberry yawned and stretched as he settled down to his nap. "Well, Samkim, how are the two stoats enjoying Nameday?"

'-'. Samkim's half-open eyes were trying to follow a large bee as it droned lazily toward the flowerbeds. "Oh, those two.

. Would you believe it, Brother? They're still at the table eating. I'm sure they think there's going to be a famine. Huh, talk about scoff!"

"They'm woant be no gudd for 'ee games this evenin', . zurr."

,;;-- Arula stifled a giggle as she pointed to Friar Bellows. The

,: fat little Friar was lying upon his back, fast asleep, snoring

" with his mouth wide open. A spider on its thread was directly

; over his mouth, hanging there. It went into his mouth and

blew out again each time he inhaled and exhaled. They all

'"-,i laughed silently, not wanting to wake him.

~i:.~ "If n Froir doant blow out 'ard enuff, 'ee'll 'ave spider

i^ pudden."

$

t"Mara and Pikkle dashed off as Sapwood shot away in the % opposite direction. Ferahgo and Klitch headed the band that JS ;had come over the hill. They had lost the element of surprise.

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breaking into a charge when they heard Goffa shout.

The Assassin sized up the situation quickly as he breasted the hill. Immediately he called to his followers, "After the hare, get the spythe other two are cut off!"

Running southward over the dunes, Mara and Pikkle saw to their dismay two ferrets and a fox circling in on them. Ferahgo had sent them in behind on a wide sweep to take Sapwood from the back, and now they were heading straight for the two young ones.

As they closed in, Mara felt a. fury rise within her; they had been deceived by false friends. Hurriedly she breathed to Pikkle, passing him the javelin, "Leave the fox to me. You take one of the ferrets, and we'll deal with the other one together!"

The fox carried a pike. He snarled at Mara and came straight for her. Recalling Sapwood's action, she jumped to one side, swept the pike away and struck out hard with both paws. The fox was not expecting such aggression from a young female badger, and there was a resounding crack as both of Mara's forepaws met solidly along the side of his jaw. His eyes expressed surprise for a moment, then turned up until only the whites were showing, and the fox buckled and fell in a limp heap.

Meanwhile, Pikkle ran straight for the two ferrets and laid the first one low by thwacking him hard between the ears with the javelin. It did the trick wonderfully, but the force of the blow snapped the weapon in two halves.

Mara dashed in. Grabbing a pointed half, she brandished it wildly, growling in a dangerous manner, "Come on, Pikkle. Let's see if this vermin can die like a warrior!"

The ferret, who was wielding a dagger, lost his nerve completelytwo angry creatures with a broken javelin were closing in on him, their eyes alight with battlefire. With a shriek of fear he dropped the dagger and ran for his life.

Mara picked up the dagger. She was breathing heavily and snarling to herself. "Try to stop me, eh? Just let's see them try!"

Pikkle's ears drooped in amazement. "Good grief, old gel. I never realized you were such a swashbucklin' warrioress!"

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The young badger was trembling all over after her first experience of warlike action. "Nor did I, Pikkle, nor did I. It's a frightening thing to have the fighting blood of a badger running through your veins!"

A burst of whooping and shouting from across the dunes announced that many more of Ferahgo's army were coming.

"No time for gossipin' now, chum." Pikkle grabbed Mara's paw. "Come on, we'd best make a run for itthere's too many for us to cope with, by the sounds of that lot!"

Together they dashed off willy-nilly across the sandhills.

Sapwood had run off in the opposite direction, with the main pack hard on his heels. The hare Sergeant was an experienced campaigner, and he put on a turn of speed that could not be equaled by his pursuers, knowing that he could not keep running at that rate for any length of time. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that three front-runners, all weasels, had broken away from the pack and were trying hard to catch up. Smiling grimly to himself, Sapwood dropped out of sight behind a dune, mentally gauging their approach. At exactly the right moment he sprang out in front of them, paws at the ready. Before they could stop, he had laid two of them flat, one with a superb double frontpaw volley to the nose, the other by lashing out with his long hindlegs and catching the weasel square under the chin. The third he mistimed and dealt a glancing blow to the stomach. As he turned to finish the job with a hooking leftpaw, the winded creature swung out with his curved sword and gashed Sapwood's paw heavily. The rest of the hunters were too close now, so Sapwood gave a grunt of pain and took off swiftly, ducking, bobbing and dodging as he ran.

Ferahgo and Klitch stopped running and stood together on top of a dune, Ferahgo watching the main band chasing after Sap-wood.

He spat angrily into the sand. "Hellteeth! They're no match for a running harehe could run and dodge at half that speed

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and those oafs would never catch him. How are the others doing?"

Klitch stood on tip-paw, scouring the dunes in the other direction. "I can't see them anywhere. They should be able to catch *em. There's enough of ours chasing those two."

Ferahgo slumped down and began thrusting his skinning knife into the ground in high bad temper. "It's like I've always said, if you want anything doing then do it yourself, don't rely on others. Fools and clods!"

Klitch curled his lip scornfully. "I did all the spying, me and Goffa. We brought them hereall you had to do was surround them."

"You young whelp!" Ferahgo stood up, leveling his knife meaningly. "Are you saying that it was me who let them escape?"

Klitch's sword appeared swiftly; his eyes were hard as blue ice. "I'm just stating the facts, old one!"

The Assassin quivered with rage. He twirled his knife so that he was holding it in a throwing position. "Old one, eh!"

Klitch moved forward, closing in so that the chance of a knife-throw was ruined, his sword point virtually touching Ferahgo's throat. "Aye, old oneand you won't live to be much older if you try anything with that frog-sticker!"

Two pairs of angry challenging blue eyes faced each other for a moment, then Ferahgo snarled and sheathed his blade. "Aaah, what's the use of fighting between ourselves? Where's the profit in that? All our hiding and spying is blown now, so we'll muster the whole horder and march on Sala-mandastron tonight!"

10

The Redwallers had deserted the feasting table, leaving the two gluttonous stoats, who were loath to leave food uneaten.

"Wahoo, I'm burstin', mucker. Toss me another cob o' that Great Wall cake!"

A half-finished apple turnover fell from Dingeye's mouth as he shoved the remnants of the Great Hall cake in Thura's direction. He belched loudly and poured October ale into his mouth from an oversized jug. "Huh, you're burstin'? Lookit me, stoat! Aaaawww me stummick's like a big bass drum. 'Ow we're goin' ter manage all this scoff atween us is a mystery!"

Cramming the cake into his mouth, Thura reached for a flagon of old blackcurrant wine. "It's our pore upbringin', I 'tell yer. I can't stop eatin'. 'Ere, I wonder wot Ferahgo'd say if 'e c'd see us now, mucker!"

Dingeye choked on his drink, spraying October ale across the table as he seized another vegetable pastie. "Dontchew . dare mention that name! Waddya wanna do, bring bad luck on the pair of us? Don't even think of that blue-eyed villain. Any'ow, stop gabbin' an keep scoffin', mucker. We gotta finish all this lot yet!"

Thura massaged his swollen stomach as he thrust a ladle

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into a bowl of meadowcream. "Waaaaw, it's torture, mucker, plain ol* torture!" Sloshing the meadowcream over several redcurrant muffins, he dug his paws into the mixture and continued eating.

"Yer right, it's orful, wicked an' orful." Dingeye dunked the pastie into a bowl of trifle. "Ooever our mothers was, they shouldn't never 'ave brought us up in starvation an' poverty. Life's crool when yer can't stop scoffin', ain't it."

Equipment for the evening games was being set up on the west lawn. Targets, poles, ropes, hoops and other sporting paraphernalia were laid on the pitches where the games would take place. Arula and Samkim were helping Tudd Spinney to knock quoit pegs into the ground when Mrs. Faith Spinney came bustling over, shaking her head with worry and concern. "Mercy me, they two stoats is still eatin'. You should see 'em, the dreadful gluttons. I've tried stoppin' 'em twice, but they just ignores me. Do somethin', Tudd, afore they kills themselves wi' overfeedin'!"

A party headed by Thrugg strode round to the orchard. He wagged a paw at Arula and Samkim. "Shirkin' yore duty, mateys? Abbess said you was responsible fer those two rascals. Not ter worry, though. Me an' Thrugann will scupper 'em!"

Dingeye and Thura were moaning pitifully, while still pushing food down their overgorged mouths.

"Aaaaoooow! Reach that cheese fer me, mucker!"

"Phwaaaw! It's agony tryin' ter finish all this pie an' cus-tid!"

With a sweep of his paw, Thrugg cleared the remaining food out of their reach, and Thrugann grabbed them by the ears as they strove to climb onto the table.

Bremmun closed his eyes in disgust at the sight of the two bloated stoats. "You stupid greedy beasts, have you not got a grain of sense between you? Remove them to the Infirmary, please."

"Bless yer, kind sir, it's poverty's done this fer us. Aaaaah,

me stummick! Don't carry me like that, marm, I beg yer!"

Thrugann slung Dingeye across her shoulders. Thura belched and pleaded with Thrugg as he was treated likewise.

"Don't take us to the 'Firmary, sir. Be a good riverdog an' leave us 'ere ter die peaceful like. Owooo me achin' guts!"

Brother Hollyberry patted them sympathetically. "There there, you can both have a nice lie-down on two soft beds after I've physicked you, of course."

Two dismayed stoat faces spoke as one. "Fizzicked?"

"Aye, physicked." Hollyberry grinned mischievously. "I've got a compound there made from wild garlic, slippery elm bark, bitter aloe root and squashed dockleaf mixed with nettlejuice and blackweed compound. Two large ladlefuls each and you'll be right as rain!"

"Yaghabarragaroo,'elp! Oh mercy, sir!"

Sister Nasturtium winked at Samkim. "Oh, I don't know if two large ladlefuls will be enough by the condition of these poor creatures I'd say three!"

Thrugg kicked open the Infirmary door. ' 'Three it is, then,

marm. You knows best. Tudd, Bremmun, you sit on their back

:., paws, me an' Thrugann'll hold the front paws. Samkim,

Arula, pinch their noses tight so they opens their mouths

. proper."

"Yowhooo! Murderers! 'Ave pity, kind Redhallers. 'Elp!" .; Hollyberry topped up a ladle with the foul -smell ing medi-;;\cine. "Hush now, my little gluttons. One more shout out of t either of you and I'll double the dose!"

J

games commenced just before twilight. Samkim and ;; Arula started off the proceedings by winning the three-pawed K race in fine style. There was much laughter and merriment at y*9ame of the elder Brothers and Sisters pillowfighting while M perched upon a greased pole. The Abbess and Bremmun, who Jlfcad always excelled at quoits, were amazed at the skill of jpfBaby Dumble he could throw a quoit more accurately than |$"ffliy grown Abbeydweller and amassed several prizes. Tudd ^.Spinney carried off the honors on the croquet lawn, using his stick in place of a mallet. Turzel and Blossom, the

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two small mousemaids, teamed up with Thrugann to win the relay race around the Abbey grounds, while Friar Bellows and Brother Hal beat all comers at the acorn and stick high-batting contest.

The games were going full swing when Foremole held up a paw, sniffing the air. "Yurr, et smells loik thunner an' loit-enen be due!"

Bremmun shook his head. "No, it's only nighttime arriving."

"Nay, nay, lissen 'ee Maister Bremm'n!"

The distant rumble of thunder proved Foremole's instinct correct. On the still-warm evening air a heaviness began to settle, and over to the east the sky lit up in a flash across the treetops of Mossflower. The little ones threw up their paws and began crying, but Sister Nasturtium cheered them up with the suggestion of indoor games in Great Hall.

Faith Spinney seconded the idea. "Come on now, Red-wallers. Gather all this sporty gear up and take it to Great Hall. I'll see if I can manage to prepare some liddle goodies for supperhot honey 'n' nutdip an' cold strawb'rry cordial from the cellars. 'Ow's that?"

The young ones raised a cheer and began collecting the equipment. Samkim and Arula were about to carry in the bows and arrows from an archery butt that had been set up when Bremmun gave them both a stern glance.

"Remember what I said about bows and arrows, you two? Best leave them to me and keep temptation away from your paws. Get that big tug of war rope insidethat'll be a help."

Thunder boomed overhead and lightning cut the sky as drops of rain big as chestnuts began spattering down.

The equipment was all indoors, and Sister Nasturtium and Abbess Vale were going about toweling small wet heads. Tudd Spinny felt in his waistcoat pockets and checked his front headspikes. "Oh, wildflowers 'n' weeds!" He tutted in annoyance. "I gone an' left my glasses on the west wallsteps. I'll get soaked goin' over there for 'em!"

Samkim stepped forward helpfully. "I'll get your glasses,

Mr, Spinney. I'm already wet through from carrying sports gear in. Come on, Arula!"

The rain was warm and heavy, pouring straight down without wind or breeze to drift it. Samkim and Arula skipped across to the west wallsteps, splashing their paws in the puddles that were beginning to build up. They found the spectacles where Tudd had said they would be. Both young ones were enjoying the heavy rain, walking slowly back to the Abbey. Unafraid of thunder or lightning, they held their heads back and caught the raindrops in their open mouths. Suddenly there was a massive bang of thunder overhead, a long bright bolt of lightning struck the weathervane on the Abbey roof, and the entire scene lit up with an eerie light. Samkim and Arula stared up at the high roof in awe as they walked toward the Abbey.

"Gosh! Did you see that, Arula?"

"Boi ecky oi did. 'Twere a big un aroight, Sankin!"

There followed a whirring noise overhead. Fearing*it was more lightning, Arula threw herself flat, paws covering her head. Samkim shut his eyes tight as something zipped by him.

Sssshhfifttt!

Close by his side a sword had buried itself half its blade-length in the wet lawn. He gasped with shock.

Arula risked a glimpse through her digging claws. "Wot whurr et, more Hghtenen?"

Samkim tugged the blade free. "It was this. Look, Arula!"

From the red pommel stone to the tight black leather-bound handle and stout silver crosstree hilt, the rain ran down the razor-sharp edges, through the runneled blood channel to a pointed tip keen as a midwinter blizzard. They stared at the 'sword in awe. It glittered and shone in the downpour, reflect-ing a lightning bolt over the threshold in a shimmering gleam of whitefire. Samkim held it flat across both his paws.

"The sword of Martin the Warrior!"

Mara and Pikkle heard the thunder rolling in the east as they ran staggering and panting into the twilit dunes. The troops irf Ferahgo were still after them. They had spent a long and

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breathless afternoon being pursued, sometimes hiding among the sandhills for a short breather, other times running flat out across the hilltops, with their pursuers in plain sight. Mara stumbled and fell, gasping for breath, and Pikkle tried pulling her upright.

"No ..." She pushed him away. "You go on.... Can't run any more. ... Hare can make it.... You go Pikkle . . . please!"

Pikkle stood, shaking his head, his narrow chest heaving. "Not the done thing, old sport. 'Fraid you're stuck with me, wot!"

Then the rain started, slowly at first, but rapidly increasing to a full-fledged downpour. Thunder boomed overhead and lightning flashed across the dunes.

Pikkle looked about. Brushing rainwater from his eyes, he grinned. "What ho, here's a bit of a chance. See that high straight dune yonder? Look, there's a sort of a thingummy, a tiny scoop-out like a cave at the top. See, that one with the long grass hangin' down over it!" Exerting all his strength, he pulled Mara upright. "Nothin' t' lose, old badgerbonce. Come on!"

They skirted the hill and climbed it from the opposite side where it was not so sheer. The rain lashed and battered at the pair as they crawled over the top and swung down into the small hole at the top of the dune, little more than a ledge with a grass fringe hanging in front of it. Quickly they scooped it deeper until they were able to lie flat and regain their breath, while peering out through the grass curtain in front of them. The deluge had washed out all trace of their pawprints, and night was gathering. Soon they could make out shapes and hear the voices of their hunters as they scoured the ground below.

"Did yer see 'em go this way, Sickear?"

" 'Course I did. I told yer."

"Well, where are they now?"

"Search me. This rain's messed everythin' up."

"Ferahgo's goin' to be mad if we go back without 'em."

"Don't remind me. Come on, you lot. Spread out an' get lookin'."

"I'm soaked through!"

"Aaahh, pore ol' you. An' I suppose we're all bone dry? Idiot!"

"Couldn't we make torches to search with? It's dark now."

"What're you goin' to make torches with, nit'ead? Soakin' wet grass, an' who's got tinder an' flint? Not me!"

"Look, why don't you two stop jawin' like ol* frogwives an' start searchin'?"

In their hide-out the two fugitives were snug and dry.

Pikkle yawned quietly and whispered to Mara. "Well, they won't find us tonight. I'm goin' to take forty winks. Wake me later an' I'll keep sentry. All right?"

Mara nodded and settled down to watch Ferahgo's creatures.

After a while they moved away, rebuking Sickear for bad eyesight and false information. Mara listened to their voices as they faded into the dark and rain of the night.

"Hey, Migroo, they mignt've gone this way."

"Yah, it's too dark 'n' wet to find anythin' tonight."

"Tell that to the Assassin or that sly little whelp 'e calls son. Just keep searchin', Dewnose. Them's the orders!"

The rumbling of Pikkle Ffolger's stomach wakened him, and 'he adjusted cramped limbs as he peered through the over-hanging grass fringe into the blackness. : "By the fur, I'm famished. Have they gone yet?"

Mara plucked a blade of grass and nibbled on it. "They're well gone. Why don't you try to forget your appetite and go back to sleep? There's not much else we can do in our present position."

Pikkle groaned. His stomach gurgled like streamwater trav-„ filing over stones. Mara ruffled his ears sympathetically. *'We'll find food when it gets light. You get some shuteye, chum. Go on, I'll keep watchI'm still wide awake."

Kicking out sand to make more space, Pikkle settled down rather grumpily. After a while Mara could tell by his steady

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breathing that he had dropped off. She rested her chin in her paws and mentally summed up their plight. They were hunted creatures in strange country, their only protection a hole in die side of a hill. As for weaponry, tiiey were slightly better off, but not much: a broken javelin and an old dagger. Food and water were nonexistent. The rain and the night had provided cover for them both, but she found herself longing for daylight and warm sun. Had Sergeant Sapwood escaped? She fervently hoped that he had. He could carry back news of their predicament to Salamandastron. No! She was never going back there. Mara imagined the righteous justification of Urthstripe and some of the elder hares. Had they not told her? Had she not been warned about vermin? Was she not a foolish young creature?

No, definitely no! But suppose Sapwood had been captured? It would be her duty to get back to the mountain and warn them of the impending menace.

The young badger maid cudgeled her brains weighing up the probabilities of their next move. She felt responsible for Pikkle; he had deserted the mountain with her, his loyalty and friendship were beyond question, and no harm could befall him because of her. Gradually her eyelids began to droop. She blinked half-heartedly, welcoming the approach of slumber.

A rustling noise in the grass overhead caused her to come alert. Suddenly there was a malignant hissing noise and a narrow reptilian head poked its way into the hole, eyes aglitter and tongue snaking out venomously. Mara's paw felt about madly for the dagger as she came fully awake yelling, "Pikkle! Wake up, Pikkle!"

11

All activity within Great Hall had ceased. Redwallers crowded around the long table, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary weapon. Brother Hollyberry reverently dried it with a soft cloth, then it lay on the tabletop, winking and shining in the lamplight. Outside, the thunder rolled off into the distance, and rain was still pattering thickly against the doors and win-dowpanes.

Tudd Spinney donned his spectacles and peered closely at the weapon. "The sword of Martin the Warrior! It could be naught else!"

Samkim and Arula had repeated the story of the finding several times over. Samkim could not resist touching the red pommel stone on the swordhandle as he repeated Tudd's words, "The sword of Martin the Warrior!"

Brother Hollyberry took Samkim's face in both paws and stared into the young squirrel's eyes. "And you say it fell from the skies? Are you sure, young un? This isn't just some -piece of mischief you are dreaming up, is it?"

"No, Brother, honest! Arula, tell him!"

"Oh, aye, zurr. Sanken doant be a-tellen whoppers. Et be true."

"Well, I for one find it all pretty hard to swallow." Brem-

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mun snorted. "Granted it is a beautiful sword and it might even be the very one that belonged to Martin, but swords don't just fall out of the sky like rain. There's more -to all this, I'm sure. Listen, Samkim young fellow, if this turns out to be some kind of joke, tidying the Infirmary up a bit will be nothing compared to the penalty I'll impose on youand you, too, Arula!"

"Hold hard a moment, Bremmun, before you say something that you'll regret later. I believe Samkim!" Sister Nasturtium stepped forward, her normally jolly face stern as she placed a paw upon Samkim's shoulder. "I think Martin the Warrior is making his presence felt in our Abbey. Lately I have been saying strange poems and singing songs that I have never even heard beforemost of you have heard me. If the spirit of Redwall is trying to tell us something, then the least we can do is listen!"

Abbess Vale lifted her gaze from the shining weapon. "I agree with you, Sister. Brother Hal, as Abbey Recorder and Historian I want you to examine the past records of Redwall. There are many lessons to be learned from the past, and I have no doubt that the old writings will provide a clue to tonight's strange events. You may start first thing tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, we shall lay the sword in front of our great tapestry, close to the picture of Martin. As for the Name-day celebrations, it is getting rather late, I suggest we abandon the indoor games..."

A wail of protest arose from the young ones, but the Abbess silenced them with a wave of her paw as she continued, ' Tomorrow the weather will most likely be fine, so the games can be held outdoors all day. Is that a satisfactory solution?"

The wailing was quickly replaced by shouts of joy.

Thrugg slapped his rudderlike tail upon the floor. "Righto, me 'earties. Off to your bunks an' get snorin'!"

Brother Hal felt the furrow on his head that Samkim's arrow had made some time before. He smiled ruefully and caught Samkim and Arula as they passed on their way upstairs. "You young rogues! Never mind, I'll clear up all this mystery for you. I'm going straightaway to my study to take

a delve into my records, and I'll work through the night if I have to. Don't worry now. Those ancient scrolls should provide an answer by morning, then you can concentrate on the Nameday games tomorrow. How's that?"

"Thanks, Brother Hal, you're a sport!" Samkim shook him energetically by the paw.

"Aye, thankee, zurr. Et'll stop Bremm'n a-shouten at us'ns."

Brother Hal smiled at them as they scampered off to the dormitory. "Good night, young uns!"

Dingeye woke shortly before dawn. He was pleasantly surprised to find himself feeling quite chipper. Leaning over, he shook Thura. "Hoi, mucker. Are you all right?"

Thura sat up and felt his stomach, then checked his head. : "By the 'ellteeth, mucker, I feels like a newborn stoat!"

Brother Hollyberry muttered in slumber and settled deeper into his armchair. Dingeye held up a cautionary paw. "Ssshh! We don't want ter wake ol' sleepychops up. Come on, let's get out o' this Affirmary."

, Silently the two stoats padded out and latched the door carefully. It was quite dark as they descended the stairs. Ding-eye was still struck with wonderment at their well-being. "I tell yer, mucker, that fizzick stuff tasted rotten but it's made vine feel great. I can't wait till brekkfist to eat some more. That 01* 'Ollyberry sure knows 'is stuff!"

Thura kept a paw on the wall to guide himself down. "Aye, an' 'e tells the truth too. I'm sorry now that I called 'im a ttjadwallopin' ol' fibber when 'e said to take the fizzick 'cos ;il was for our own good. 'E was right." ~*_ From the passage at the stair bottom they could see the .lights of Great Hall shining through. Dingeye giggled. "Come !«, mucker. We got the place all to ourselves while that lot's ;*bed. Let's get us some vittles."

The gluttonish duo invaded the nut and honey dip left out young ones, swigged down the strawberry cordial and

a plate of scones they had found. This'll 'ave ter do us till brekkfist. Y'd think they'd leave

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more'n this out. No consideration somebeasts got."

"Yeh, where's all the Redhall cake an' Octember ale?"

"You wolfed it all, pigbrain!"

' 'Pigbrain yerself, stoat. 'Ey, lookit all this sporty stuff lyin' about. Sly villains, they was playin' games while we was sick an' dyin' in the Affirmery."

Dingeye grabbed some hoops and started spinning them at Thura's head. "Hahaha, roll up an' win a prize!"

His companion retaliated, throwing quoit pegs at him.

Brother Hal sat sipping cold mint tea amid a welter of faded parchments and yellowed scrolls. He scratched at the furrow in his headfur as he scanned a barkpaper manuscript from the time when old Abbot Saxtus was a young mouse.

The sword of Martin the Warrior has been returned to its rightful home, Redwall Abbey. Today Rufe Brushtail, our champion climbing squirrel, took the weapon and climbed to the very point of the Abbey roof. There he has secured the sword to the north pointer of the weathervane. So will Martin's sword rest there in peace as his spirit guides our Abbey. It is my fervent hope that Redwall lead a calm and tranquil existence and that the sword never has to be brought down within my life's seasons.

Hal sat musing as he pondered over the text. "Hmm, dark night, thunder, rain, storm.... That's it!" He leaped up, spilling mint tea over his habit. "The big lightning bolt: Samkim said that it struck the weathervane shortly before he found the sword. Of course, the lightning blasted the sword from the weathervane, it slid down the roof and fell point first. By the fur! From what that young un says, it's a good thing he never moved a pace to the right. Falling from that height, the blade would have cleaved him in two!"

The two stoats had found the archery equipment. Disdaining the rounded targets, they took a bow apiece and began firing

arrows upward at the high beamed ceiling of Great Hall. Neither was very good at archery.

"Yah, boggleyes, you can't even hit the ceilin'!" "That's 'cos I was brought up in poverty, mucker. My ol' mum never could afford bows 'n' arrers!"

"Ho, shut up, snotnose. If you ever 'ad a mum she should've tried to shoot yer with a bow 'n' arrer for winjin' an scrinjin'."

"Wowee! Lookit that'n go. Betcher that gets the ceilin'!" "Never! Look out, it's comin' down on us!" They leapt out of the way, and the arrow landed quivering in the tabletop. Dingeye loosed off an arrow that barely missed Thura's ear, and he hid beneath the table. "Wot was that for? 'Twas only an accident!" ^ "I'll accident you, muckmouth. I was nearly killed then!" .'-. "That's 'cos we never 'ad proper weapons afore, mucker. Huh, we only 'ad a rusty knife apiece when we was with Ferahgo... "

"Belt up, loosegob. Wot've I told yer about mentionin' that hellspawn's name? Come 'ere, I'll show yer 'ow ter fire one lo' these weapons proper."

Dingeye bent the bow with both paws, Thura notched a .'$baft to the string and heaved back with all his might, and /between them they stretched the yew-wood bow to its capac-^iry.

;lt;gt; "This is the way ter do it mucker," Dingeye breathed ex-i;»tedly. "Now lerrit go straight. It should go right across this *all, over the passage an' right up the stairs. Ready . . . fire!"

| Brother Hal came racing down the stairs, waving the parch-jooent as he muttered to himself triumphantly, "Ha, solved. I'll :i*iSfaow old Bremmun that swords don't fall out of the sky with |!ibe rain. There's an explanation for everything, the records lfHove that. Hoho, just wait until young Samki"

The ill-timed shaft came zipping out of the darkness and itself in Brother Hal's throat. He gave a small gurgling fei| to me flQQ,. jn a [jmp heap.

bow dropped from Dingeye's trembling paws.

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