The Outcast of Redwall

42

Bryony regained her senses in a pale flickering world. Somewhere close by, the sounds of the waterfall carried to her, echoing all around. She was draped across a rock slab, up to her waist in water. Toggets face was next to hers; he was still unconscious, but breathing slowly. Surprised that she was still alive, the mousemaid stood swaying groggily with the water lapping gently around her. As she heaved Toggets limp body up onto the rock, she noticed that the lifeline had held. Unfastening it from both their waists, Bryony coiled the line and shouldered it.

She climbed up on the rock slab alongside the mole and took stock of their surroundings. It was a gigantic cavern inside the mountain. Redwall Abbey would have easily fit into it, with room to spare. The waterfall formed a broad river, dotted with rock islands and natural stepping-stones. Luminosity from the river flickered all round, forming shifting liquid light patterns on the high rock walls and surfaces. It was a timeless world where neither night nor day held sway, forever bathed in its own pale radiance, constantly echoing to the sound of water everywhere, flowing, falling or trickling.

Their food haversack came floating gently by. Bryony hooked it out and emptied the contents onto the rock slab. The fruit was all right; she wiped off an apple and took a bite.

Togget stirred, opening his eyes slowly. “Yurr, be this place Dark Forest? Taint loik oi magined et tbe. Broinee, be usns dead or still alivin?

The mousemaid chuckled and unstoppered a flask of dan-del ion-and-burdock cordial. She passed it to Togget, who sat up blinking like an owl, and drank deeply. “Hoourr! Thats betterer, missie. Yurr usns shorely landed en a roight strange burrow.

The mousemaid relieved him of the flask. “Well at least were still alive. Most of our food is ruined by the water, thougha bit of fruit and this cordial seems to be all we have. Rest awhile here, then well search for Veil. If weve survived the waterfall then Im sure he did.

Togget wrung moisture from his tunic. “Burr, wot ifn ee diddent survoive?

The mousemaid was unwilling to contemplate such an idea. “Dont say that, Togget. He is alive, Im almost certain he is.

The faithful mole shook his velvety head. “Hurr, Broinee, youm wasten yore loif a-chasen after yon furret, eem a bad-beast an will bring youm nought but arm!

Bryony packed what little food was still edible into the wet haversack and started the search. “Veil wasnt always bad. Remember when he was a tiny Dibbun? He was such a nice babe. Hell change one day, youll see.

Splash! A large rock hit the water nearby. “Hell change! Hell change! a voice echoed eerily. “Hahaha! Are you fools still followin me?

Bryony whirled and looked upward. Veil was standing on a ledge behind them, the luminescent light playing oddly across his face. He waved a crimsoned paw at them and vanished into a dark crack in the cave wall.

Bryony clambered over the wet rocks, with Togget following. She shouted as she made her way to the spot where Veil had been. “Wait, Veil, please wait for us! Hes alive, Togget, I knew it! The crack turned out to be a concealed entrance to a winding tunnel. Hurriedly the two friends pursued Veil into the dank, musty darkness.

The young ferret crouched in a niche, hidden from Bryony and Togget. They dashed by, bumping and stumbling blindly, trying to catch up, as they thought, with Veil. Sniggering silently to himself, the ferret listened to their footpaws recede down the dark tunnel. It had been easy to trick them. He made his way back out onto the ledge, intending to run off and leave diem searching the winding tunnel for him.

Then he noticed the slab. It was a broad, heavy oblong of rock precariously perched higher up on the brink of another ledge. Veil climbed nimbly up to it and found that he had only to lean on the slab and it rocked. Rubbing his paws together delightedly, he began rocking the big flat piece of stone. The harder he pressed and jerked both paws on it, the more it rocked. With a groan it slid forward and downward a little. Veil could hear Bryony and Togget calling him; they were obviously coming back to the tunnel entrance. He jumped wildly on the tilting rock, bouncing up and down for all he was worth; the rock wobbled perilously on the brink of the ledge, inching forward, then it went altogether. Veil threw himself from the teetering slab; sitting down hard on the ledge, he watched the stone slip over the edge. It slid down, stopping only when it reached the lower ledge, blocking the crack that formed the tunnel entrance. The ferrets face was a picture of fiendish delight as he climbed down to survey his work.

The slab was wedged immovably into the crack, sealing the tunnel. He leaned his back against it, laughing. “Hahaha! Now try an follow me, Abbey oafs!

He could hear the frantic scratching from the other side of the slab. Bryonys voice was shocked and reproving. “Veil! What have you done? Let us out of here. Please!

The young ferret turned and walked away. “Why dont yer try movin it with kindness? Good-bye an good riddance to the both of yer!

“That was neatly done!

The big lean ferret, surrounded by a score or more heavily armed vermin, stood paw on sword-hilt, watching Veil. He came forward, walking around the young ferret, inspecting him curiously from ear to footpaw.

“Friends of yores, were they? he said.

Veil eyed the other coolly. “Dont have friendsthey were my enemies!

One or two of the vermin hordebeasts, who had followed Swartt since the early days, began nudging each other and nodding toward the two ferrets. Apart from their age difference they were almost identical, the one being almost a younger edition of the elder.

Swartt fixed the young ferret with his piercing gaze. “Whats yer name, an how did yget ere?

The young ferret stared boldly back at the Warlord.I came in over the waterfall; they call me Veil Sixclaw the Outcast!

There was an audible gasp from the hordebeasts as Veil continued, “I know who you are, youre Swartt Sixclaw the Warlord!

They stood with their eyes locked, staring each other down.

Swartt smiled mirthlessly, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Yer a hard-faced brat, arent yer? Veilwho gave you a name like that?

Before Veil could reply, Grayjaw came splashing along from the far end of the cave, shouting, “Chief! The badger an those ares are comin upriver, theyll be ere in a couple of hours!

Swartt pointed to the ledges and craggy galleries leading into the darkness overhead. “Cmon, lets see which way that takes us!

Veil stood in Swartts path. “What about me? I can fight.

The Warlord brushed him aside contemptuously. “Stay out o my way, brat, I got enough trouble tdeal with!

Veil smiled thinly. “Aye, so it seems. Looks like the badger defeated yer an yer on the run. Huh, some Warlord!

Swartt almost lost his balance. Stung by the insult, he shot a venomous glare at the young ferret as he began climbing. “Step careful around me, whelpa smart tongue could be the death of yer!