The Outcast of Redwall

16?

As the metal point broke the skin under Sunflashs chin, he felt its holder knocked aside and the weapon wrenched away. Then a gruff older voice growled, “Let it be, Gring, this is too big for a searat. Musko, make a light and bring it here. Lets see what weve caught!

Flint struck metal and a torch was lit. A raggy-furred shrew wearing a colored headband pointed his small rapier at Sun-fiash. “This aint no searat, comrades, thiss a badger, a big un, too!

Sunflash began pawing the net aside, angry at being caught napping. The fixing stakes flew from the ground as he stood. “Huh! I thought you lot were the searats. If youve harmed those two otters Ill make you sorry you were born!

A young shrew ran forward threateningly, sword drawn. “I dont trust this one, he could be with the searats. Kill him!

The older shrew neatly tripped the young one, then, relieving him of his sword, he thwacked him smartly across the rump with the flat of the blade. “Thats enough out of you, Gring. Im Log a Log round here. Ill say who gets slain and who gets spared. Now behave yourself!

Turning to Sunflash, the shrew leader made a brief salute with the sword. “Sorry about that, friend. Hi, Munga, how are those otters?

The reply came back with a deep bass chuckle. “Comin round fine, Chief. Its those two thick-skulled uglies Folrig an Ruddlegood job we only sandbagged em!

A small fire was lit on the lee side of a protruding rock. The otters rubbed their heads as they sat around with Sunflash, Log a Log, and some older shrews.

Ruddle introduced Sunflash to the shrews, wincing as he touched a bump between his ears. “Its a season or two since our paths crossed, matey. Whatre you shrews doin up in these high hills?

Log a Log pointed in the seaward direction. “Taking a shortcut to head Warpclaw an his searais off. We were off clearin a dam from the broadstream few days back, and when we got home to our camp that villain Warpclaw had sailed his ship Gutprow clean up our river from the sea an carried the liddle ones off for galley slaves. The old ones managed to run off an hidewhat else could they do?

Sunflash thought of the Lingl and Dubbo babes, and a wave of anger swept over him against the searats for stealing little ones.

“How many babes were taken, Log a Log? he asked.

“Thirty an four tbe exact... Log a Log stopped mid-sentence. For a moment his eyes filled with pain. “And that includes my own little daughter, barely more than a season old.

Sunfiash picked up his mace. “Come on then, theres no time to be lost. Were with you!

The shrews gaped open-mouthed as the huge badger went pounding off down the steep slopes toward the distant shore. They were amazed at his agility and strength. Where he could not climb he took great leaps, where it was too steep to walk he threw himself into a roll, and any rock or hindrance that barred his way was pulverized beneath the mighty mace.

Folrig and Ruddle bounded after him, calling to the shrews in their wake, “Sunflashll get yore liddle ugly mugs back if anybeast will! Hoho, bet yore glad tbe on the same side as this badger!

They made the beach an hour after dawn. Sunflash gathered them behind a rocky outcrop from where they could see the broadstream flow across the shore and into the sea. Folding a leaf, he began blowing a high-pitched signal.

Log a Log looked at him strangely. “Whatre you doing, friend?

Sunflash stopped blowing. “Just a chance a friend of mine might be around. Right, we need a plan. You otters, swim upstream and see if you can sight the searat ship coming this way. Log a Log, have you got any ideas how we can slow them down or stop them from reaching the sea?

The shrew Chieftain scratched his scrubby chin as he gazed out over the beach; then he pointed to one spot. “See there, fliats where the sand forms in a bump on the tideline. The river flows shallowest over that part. Musko, Floom, go an check it out for depth.

The two shrews dashed out to the spot and plunged into the water. A moment later they were out and running back, dripping. “Neck high, Chief, just about neck high!

Log a Log turned to Sunflash. “That should be enough. How strong are you, friend?

Sunflash shrugged. “Strong enough. Tell me what you want Die to do, and well see how strong I am.

Captain Warpclaw of the slaveship Gutprow was a true Corsair searat, tattooed from face to claws, decked out in tattered silks and brass earrings, with a broad scimitar thrust in his waistband. He stood perched on the stem behind the tiller rat, leering down at the huddle of terrified shrewbabes crowding together around the mast pole in the shade of Gutprow& huge single green sail. The dull-eyed slaves chained at the oar banks pulled steadily, keeping their faces down. They pitied the young captives, who would be condemned, like them, to a life at the oars of some piratical galley, but they were afraid to offer them any comfort.

Warpclaw ducked his head and, breaking a green twig from an alder tree as it brushed the ships side, he fanned himself with the leafy twig, breathing deep of the good morning air. He was in a rare good mood, happy to be sailing seaward after a successful raid that had netted him a good cargo of young ones from the shrew settlement upstream. Warpclaw called up to the lookout high on the masthead, “Ahoy, Bilgesnout, any sign o blue water yet?

“Not yet, Capn, mayap well catch a glim o the sea round the next bendcant be far now!

Warpclaw stalked down the steps from the stern into the midship well. Turning to a fat-bellied stoat who wore a broad leather belt and carried a braided sinew whip, he said, “Too fair a mornin tbe dawdlin, Bulgom! Tickle yer rowers up a bit, lets see a turn o speed out o this craft.

Grinning cheerfully through a mouthful of blackened and broken teeth, the stoat cracked his long whip across the naked backs of the rowers. Painfully they increased their oar strokes under the vicious swish and crack of Bulgorns lash. The shrewbabes had to crouch low to avoid being hit by the whips backlash; they whimpered and squeaked with fear.

Warpclaw was having fun. He leapt down among them and, thrusting his,face forward, he snarled cruelly, “Yahaharr, me liddle beauties, Ill ave yer guts for ratlines if I ears one more moan out of ye!

The little shrews went into a terrified silence, clinging pitifully to each other. They were still not fully aware of the horrors that awaited them on the open seas.

Bellowing orders, the searat Captain livened his crew up as the ship rounded a bend in the broad stream. “Haul in them fenders! Make fast yer mainsail ends! Lookout, where away the sea now?

The rat lookout leaned out from his perch, shading his eyes with a paw as he called back smartly, “Main dead ahead, Capn, I kin see the sun on the water atwixt these rocksntrees now!

Folrig and Ruddle had been watching the slave ship from a safe distance for some time. Shooting ahead like twin arrows through the broadstream waters, the two otters outswam even the small fish as they sped toward the shore. Sleek and shining from the water, they arrived safely at the hideaway behind the rocks at the beach edge.

“Hearken, mates, the searat vessel aint far behind us, said Ruddle. “Whatve you been up to, ole goldie nose?

Log a Log shook his head as if in disbelief as he patted the badgers sturdy shoulder. “This beast has carried two great boulders that a score of shrews couldnt budge. See over there where the sand humps up at the tideline? Sunflash dumped those boulders in the water right at that spot. I tell you, no ship11 be able to pass them an make it to the open sea.

Sunflash took out his split leaf and blew one last loud call with it. He shrugged as the shrews and otters stared at him curiously. “Its worth one last try, though I cant risk that noise again. Maybe he heard it; then again, he might be too far away.

Log a Log shook his head; he was not about to start asking silly questions at a time like this. The big badgers business was his own, no explanations asked.

Cool shrewbeer, oat bread, and cheese were passed around, and they ate as swords were given a last edge upon the rock surfaces, and slings were loaded with flat, heavy pebbles. Sun-flash tightened the mace cord around his paw, and all was ready.

As the Gutprow came clear of the rocks to the open shore, the broadstream ran slightly more shallow. The oar slaves were made to stand and punt with their long paddles, digging them into the sandy shallows to push the vessel along. Warpclaw was jubilant at the prospect of the high seas in front of him after a trouble-free raid. A fair breeze from the east bellied the big single mainsail, hurrying the ship across the shoreline toward the white-flecked main.

The searat Captain ran forard and, standing with his back to the bowsprit, he faced the crew. He waved his scimitar and roared, “Ahoy, buckoes, whos the best Capn on land or sea?

They cheered and shouted his name. “Capn Warpclaw!

Sunlight glittered and twinkled on his brass ornaments and shining scimitar as Warpclaw threw wide his paws triumphantly.

Whump!

The searat was thrown flat on his back as the ship stopped dead. Two crewrats sitting on the after gallery were shot backward into the water, and the oar slaves fell sideways like a load of tenpins. A stricken-faced lookout came sliding down a rope and shot past Warpclaw, who was staggering upright and rubbing at the back of his skull with both paws.

The lookout hung over the bows, yelling, “Shes trapped ead on atwixt two dirty great rocks! They wasnt ere when we sailed up this way! Eeeeyyaaarrgg!

With a hefty kick from Warpclaw, the lookout went straight over into the water. Still massaging his aching head, the Corsair looked over at the spluttering rat in the water. “Gutsn-tripes! Who stuck them there? he snarled. “Give the babes back, seascum!

Warpclaw whirled around. Sunflash was striding across the beach, flanked by the two otters and backed by sixty shrews. The badgers voice was like thunder as he hefted his mace.

“I wont tell you twice, rat! Deliver those little ones back. Now!

Warpclaw was a quick thinker. Forgetting his throbbing , head, he leapt down amidships and came up with a shrewbabe, then, holding the tiny creature upside down by a single foot-paw, the searat pulled out his scimitar and swung it aloft. “Stop right there or Ill slay thisn! he bellowed. Sunflash and the rescuers ground to an immediate halt. The badger pointed with his mace at the wriggling, weeping babe. “I warn you, rat, touch one hair of him and youll die!

Warpclaw knew it was a standoff, but he had the upper paw. “Shift those boulders or Ill kill em all, every last one!

The crew of Gutprow sprang to arms; suddenly the rails bristled with armed vermin. Log a Log looked at the two ot-; ters, despair stamped on his scrubby face. ; Warpclaw chuckled; he knew how soft woodlanders were about their young. “Well, stripedog, you look big enough. Are yer goin to move the rocks?

Sunflash could not stop his voice trembling as he answered, : “Give the babes back and Til free your ship. ; The Corsair knew he had won. Drawing the scimitar farther back, as if ready to chop, he called down to the badger, “Tell i yer wot Ill do. Well call this liddle maggot number one, then Ill keep slicinem until you move those rocks!

The wide blade glittered in the sun as he swung at the babe.

“ Kreeeegaaaaaar!

Skarlath hit the searat like a thunderbolt from out of the sky! One set of talons buried itself in the swordpaw while the other took Warpclaw round his throat. He fell backward, dropping the babe into the water. Then Sunflash the Mace was aboard the ship in a flash, bloodwrath of the Badger Warrior Lords rilling his eyes.

Skarlath knew what was about to happen; he was powerless to stop it. Seeing the shackle that connected the slave chain, he wrenched at it madly until it clattered free, then he shrieked at the oar slaves, “Kreeeh! Grab those little ones! Get clear of this ship!

One paw at his throat, the other scrabbling for his scimitar, Warpclaw rasped hoarsely at the crew of the Gutprow, “Kill the badger, rip im, tear im to shreds!

As the crew advanced on Sunflash, the oar slaves splashed overboard, clutching the yelling shrewbabes.

Skarlath swooped down beside Log a Log as the babes and their rescuers were hauled from the water. “Kreeeh! Stay clear of the ship!

A blood-chilling roar rang out from the deck.

“Eeulaliaaaaaaaa!

Log a Log drew his rapier, saying, “But we must help him!

The kestrel knocked the blade from his paw. “If you value your lives, stay clear of the ship, all of you! The sight of that rat nearly slaying the little one has set off the bloodwrath in him; Sunflash is berserk! I have seen it before, though never like this. He will slay anybeast in his path, he is a Badger Lord. Stay clear, I beg of you!

The gathering on the shore stood in shocked silence as roars, screams, and chaos echoed from the Gutprow. Sunflash the Mace was visiting death upon the searats who had stolen babes from the shrews.