The Outcast of Redwall

44?

Down on the rocky outcrop, Togget gritted his teeth bravely. “Hoo urr, oi diddent know arrers urted so much.

Bryony inspected the barbed point of the shaft she had removed from her molefriends shoulder. “Hmm, at least its not poisoned. Youre a lucky mole. Lie still and let Lord Duskskins bats see to the wound.

Togget watched as several bats gathered round him. They stopped the bleeding with skeins of spiderweb, binding the arrow hole with mountain moss and a paste made from some strange type of cave fungus.

The mole swigged deep from a pitcher of lilac-colored liquid. “Umm, this do taste noice, ee flyen mouses be gudd-beasts!

The bats hissing laughter sounded like escaping steam. “Flying mouses! Hihihihiss! Did you hear that, Lord Dusk-skin? The funnybeast calls us flying mouses, flying mouses!

Lord Duskskin glanced up anxiously. “It grows dark, dark. The mighty one has not called you, mousemaid. What is happening, happening?

Bryony curtsied politely to the Bat Lord. “Sire, will you and your creatures take care of Togget until I return? I must go and see what is happening.

The only protection Bryony had was the small knife that had been in their haversack. Gripping it firmly in her teeth, she began climbing slowly toward the exit hole.

A fire glowed in the center of the plateau on the mountain-top. Sentries posted around the edge watched for any movement of the hares during the night. Not far from the fire lay Sunflash the Mace, still unconscious. The badger was bound between two broken spear shafts driven into the surface cracks, footpaws out straight and his forepaws stretched behind his head, the ropes cutting cruelly into them.

Swartt sat by the fire, hardening an ash javelin point in its flames. Veil crouched at the other side of the blaze, watching the Warlord. “So, after many long seasons youve finally caught your enemy, he said.

Swartt rubbed the smoking javelin end against a rock until it was like the tip of a great, dark brown needle, and snarled, “Aye, many, many long seasons, longer than youve lived, brat!

Veil enjoyed baiting Swartt. “Just shows ow clumsy you are; that badgerd ave been slain all those long seasons ago if e was my enemy.

The Warlord smiled, refusing to rise to the bait. “Addle-brain, ow many enemies ave you ever ad, eh?

Veil stared hard across the fire at Swartt. “Oh, dont you worry, Ive got a great enemythe coward Ive never called father, the slimy scum who ran off an left me on a battlefield when I was scarce able to walk. Now thats an enemy whose grave Ill dance on an laugh at!

Swartt pointed the javelin at the inert form of the badger. “Try it an youll die like this one will tomorrow, long an slow, bit by bit, until he screams for me tfinish it!

Bryony raised her head slowly and carefully, noting every detail of the terrible scene on the plateau, from the sentries and the two ferrets at the fire to the still-bound badger between two spear shafts. She knew she had to save Sunflash at any cost. Inching silently from the hole, she flattened herself against the rocks and began squirming forward, the knife blade gripped tight in her teeth. The mousemaid kept herself behind Swartts back, shielding her body from the fire glow and Veil. All the sentries were looking down the mountain, one or two slumbering fitfully.

Something clacked faintly against Bryonys paw; it was a beaker, half full of whatever some hordebeast had been drinking. She paused; neither ferret had heard her over the crackle of the fire. Picking up the beaker, she circled, keeping to Sun-flashs right side and out of the ferrets vision. Inching stealthily forward the mousemaid reached Sunflash. Dark crusted blood stained the goldstriped muzzle; the Badger Lord lay quite still, his mouth slightly open. Holding the beaker up, almost too afraid to breathe, Bryony let the liquid trickle into Sunflashs mouth. Nothing happened for a moment, then the badger coughed and grunted. His head came up slightly, knocking the beaker askew so that the remaining liquid splashed in his face.

Bryony felt the shaft of the javelin strike her hard across her back. She was knocked flat.

“Hahah! Gotcher, mouse! Whatre ydoinere?

Swartt seized her roughly and dragged the mousemaid upright. Sunflash was coughing and gagging on the liquid trapped in his throat as Veil came racing around the fire.

“Yer scummy liddle sneak, you was tryin to set im loose! Swartt roared.

Veil struck Swartt hard in the face, tearing the captive from his grasp. “Bryony, get out of ere. Run!

Swartt flung himself on Veil, and, while the ferrets fought, Bryony ran to where the knife had fallen from her mouth. Grabbing it, she began hacking at the ropes binding the Badger Lords paws, screaming, “Get up! Sunflash! Get up!

Swartt threw his son down and raised his javelin for a throw he could not miss. “The badgers mine! he yelled.

Bryony turned and saw him throw the javelin. Something blurred across the front of her, shouting, “Leave er alone! Uuuuuhh!

Then Veil lay across her footpaws, the javelin protruding horribly where it had exited at his back. Bryony opened her mouth, but no scream would issue forth.

As Swartt ran forward, clawing at his sword, there was an earsplitting roar.

“Eeulaliaaaaaa!

Both spear shafts snapped like twigs as Sunflash shot up from the rocks like a thunderbolt, eyes crimson, teeth bared, the ropes bursting as his huge chest swelled and he flung his paws apart. The sentries turned and, standing like frozen statues, they watched the awful conflict between Warlord and Badger Lord.

Swartts curved blade flickered in the firelight as he struck, gashing his enemys side. Then he raised the sword and swung it a second time, aiming at Sunflashs head. Two great paws caught the blade in midair; the berserk badger tightened his grip on the blade, regardless of the blood that flowed as he did, the warrior spirit of his ancestors rising. The ferret stood open-mouthed as the badger snapped the sword blade, the sharp metallic clang echoing around the mountaintop. Still grasping both halves of the sword, Sunflash came forward with a bound, whirling both paws. He struck Swartt a blow that sounded like a plank hitting a rotten fruit. The force of the blow was so great that Swartts footpaws left the ground, and he fell poleaxed. Nobeast could come near Sunflash the Mace; filled with the bloodwrath, he seized the ferret in a grip of steel. Heaving Swartt high over his head, Sunflash stood at the plateau edge, bellowing as he flung his enemy out into the night.

“Eeulaliaaaaaaaaaa!

The terrified sentries who had clambered over the plateau edge slid down the shale and scree on their tails. They were met by the vengeful hares of the Long Patrol, who had been racing upward since the first sounds of combat from above.

Helped by several bats, Togget emerged onto the plateau and hurried to Bryonys side. The mousemaid was sitting with Veils head resting in her lap. The young ferrets eyes were clouding over, his breath was hoarse and shallow; almost from the gates of Dark Forest he heard Bryonys voice echoing, “Oh, Veil, my Veil! You saved me.... Why?

“Go ... back to your Abbey ... shouldnt ave followed me... Go way ... let me sleep!

Bryony rocked him gently as she had done when he was a babe. The young ferret closed his eyes.

Thus ended the lives of father and son: Swartt Sixclaw die Warlord, and Veil Sixclaw the Outcast.