Florian was crossing the hall. Shards of crystal glass exploded on the floorstones around him and the hare dodged quickly to one side, his ears standing up with indignation. ‘They’re slingin’ stones at the windows. Vandals! Wreckers!’
He sprinted across to one of the tables set by the windows. Leaping upon it, he began returning the stones that had fallen on the table. ‘Scruffynecked bog-splatchers, take that, an’ that too! Haha! I say, you chaps, I got one, right in the fizzog, wot!’
Janglur whipped the sling from round his waist. ‘Well done, mister Florian! That’s wot we can do, Rus, strike back at ’em. Let me at the scum!’
Redwallers lined the broken windows, slinging stones and hurling anything that came to paw at the attackers. However, the vermin fought back with slingstones, spears and arrows. Janglur stooped to help a mole who had been hit by a spear, only to find that he was dead. The squirrel warrior gritted his teeth, calling out to his friend, ‘Rusvul, go an’ get those longbows!’
Rusvul came hurrying back with bows and quivers. ‘One of ’em’s missin’, Jang, I can only find two. Wish ole Skipper was ’ere to lend a paw. He could shoot a bow, that ’un!’
Janglur set shaft to bowstring and, standing tall, fired through the broken panes. From outside came a scream.
‘So can I when I’m roused, mate, so can I!’
A dozen or more vermin lay transfixed by arrows when Ascrod decided to drop back a bit. He called a halt and ordered a large fire to be lit in the centre of the lawn. When it was blazing he stood boldly in front of it and hailed the Abbey.
‘Redwallers, listen to me. You’re surrounded. Come out!’
Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop gave the answer. ‘Come out? Nevah, sir. Why don’t you come in an’ get us, wot!’
‘We could come in and get you if we wait long enough, but by then there’d be a lot of you dead and your young ones would be starving. If you don’t come out immediately we’ll kill the prisoner we took.’ Without turning his head, he addressed his next remark to Vannan. ‘Bring the shrew over here.’
Janglur sat on the table edge, looked at Rusvul, then placed his head in both paws. ‘I don’t want to see or hear any of this, mate. You know what they’ll do to pore old Mayon.’
At a dormitory window the missing longbow was in the paws of the blind badger Cregga. Rimrose was amazed. She had never seen a longbow drawn so far back. The arrow was stretched to its very tip on the string. Cregga kept her face straight ahead, listening to Ellayo.
‘Down a bit an’ left, Cregga, now up a touch, just a mite, that’s it, the shaft’s well lined on that villain’s head.’
The badger released the string with a mighty twang. The arrow carried on, straight through the fire, across the lawn and out through the open gates on to the flatlands, despite the fact that Ascrod was the first target it passed through.
Raventail snatched up a bow, and thrust a rag-bound arrow into the fire to set it alight. Tragglo Spearback ducked as the blazing shaft zipped in through a broken window. Raventail’s horrendous message fell upon the Redwallers’ ears as he screeched savagely, ‘Burn Redwall! Kye arr! Burn, burn, burn!’
Cutting dark smoking trails, flaming arrows began whirring in through the windows. Foremole Gubbio alerted his crew. ‘Hurr, get ee buckets o’ water an’ wetted sacks, ‘asten naow!’
Rusvul stared ashen-faced at Florian and Janglur. ‘They means t’burn this Abbey down with us in it!’
Another volley of blazing shafts came flying in. Redwallers dashed hither and thither amidst the smoke, dodging arrows and flapping away at burning tapestry hangings with wet sacks. Foremole and his crew were trying to set up a bucket chain from Great Hall to the kitchens, but the mole leader shook his velvety head in despair as he passed buckets of water. ‘Hurr, lack a day, us’n’s goin’ to run short o’ water soon!’
Cregga came pounding downstairs to hold a hasty conference with Janglur and Rusvul. They agreed with her plan immediately.
Janglur ordered the scheme into action, quietly and without fuss. ‘Splikker, arm yore shrews. Tragglo, get all the able-bodied Redwallers together an’ see they have weapons. Mister Florian, go t’the windows an’ tell ’em we’re comin’ out.’
Florian leapt up on the table, calling to the attackers, ‘Truce, you chaps, I say, truce! You can pack in tryin’ to burn the old place, we’re comin’ out. Hold y’fire!’
Predak signalled the archers to cease firing, and called back to the Abbeydwellers, ‘Come out unarmed, all of you, right now, or I’ll order the archers to double their fire!’
Florian’s head popped into the frame of a broken window. ‘Keep y’shirt on, Marlfox, we’ve got wounded an’ young ’uns to carry out. Just give us a tick an’ we’ll be there!’
A pitifully small group had gathered by the door, armed with anything that came to paw. Cregga placed her paws about Janglur and Rusvul. ‘You’re sure you want to do this, my friends?’
Janglur’s hooded eyes gazed levelly at the big blind badger. ‘Wouldn’t ’ave it no other way, marm. You just hold that door an’ stop ’em gettin’ to those inside ’ere.’
Cregga’s great striped head nodded solemnly. ‘Never fear, Janglur Swifteye, I’ll hold the door as long as Redwall Abbey stands. It has been a pleasure knowing you.’
Janglur bowed gallantly. ‘The pleasure was all mine, marm. Open the door, Reguba!’
Raventail watched as the Abbey door opened slowly. No more than twoscore Redwallers filed out, but he saw the glint of weaponry as the door closed behind them. There they stood, facing the foebeast in the morning sun. The barbarian ferret grinned in anticipation. ‘Kye arr, theybeasts come out to makefight!’
Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop had momentarily forgotten all his dramatic eloquence and posturing. He raised a sharpened window pole and roared as he began to dash forward.
‘Chaaaaaaarge!’
And charge they did, giving full voice to the time-honoured warcries as they hurtled towards the vermin army.
‘Regubaaaa! Logalogalogaloooggg! Redwaaaaaallll!’
Vannan stood confidently, watching them come. The vixen drew her axe, remarking to Predak, ‘So the day of reckoning has finally come. Now they will pay with their miserable lives . . .’
The Marlfox fell halfway to the ground, propped up by the otter javelin that had slain her.
Otter crews from far and wide charged over the Abbey lawns, headed by Skipper.
‘Give ’em blood’n’vinegar, mates! Redwaaaaaaall!’
They flung themselves upon the foebeast like a mighty tidal wave, engulfing all in its path. Big brawny otters, both male and female, tribal tattoos decorating the sinewy paws which wielded sling, javelin and longblade. A rousing cheer rang from the Abbey’s dormitory windows, as Dibbuns and elders shouted their heroes on to victory.
‘Give um glugg’n’binnaga, mista Florey!’
‘Come on, Janglur, me big fat son, show ’em yore a Swifteye!’
‘Hurr, you’m give umm billyo, zurr Skip!’
‘Rusvul matey, that Marlfox is sneakin’ away. Quick!’
Predak had almost made it to the gatehouse when Rusvul came pounding up. The vixen slipped up the west wallsteps, shedding her cloak and causing the squirrel warrior to trip on it. She dashed along the battlements, straight into the waiting grasp of the otter Borrakul. He set his paws in a death grip round the Marlfox’s neck. ‘Now y’must pay for killin’ my brother Elachim!’
Raventail fought like a demon, until he was backed up against the Abbey door. Florian could not resist stretching past the ferret Chieftain and striking the door with his pole. ‘Vermin leader outside, come to call on ye, marm, wot!’
The door opened slightly. Raventail managed a whimper of fear as Cregga’s paws shot out and snatched him inside. That was the last anybeast ever saw of the barbarian Raventail, alive.
Skipper dashed up to the walltop and waved his javelin. ‘You vermin, throw down yer weapons an’ you’ll be spared. Right
, mates, surround ’em an’ pen ’em at the northwest corner. Slay any who still want t’fight!’
The remaining vermin hastily threw away their weapons. They were herded into the wallcorner, where they sat, paws upon heads. Skipper was about to come downstairs when he noticed Borrakul lounging against the battlements.
‘Aye aye, matey, wot ‘appened to yore Marlfox?’
The Noonvale otter shrugged, glancing over the wall. ‘Vanished! You know the way Marlfoxes can disappear, Skip.’
Skipper knew it was a long drop from the battlements to the ground below. He nodded at Borrakul, straightfaced. ‘Aye, I know ’ow Marlfoxes disappear!’
Friar Butty watched the apprehensive faces of the twoscore wretched vermin who had thrown down their arms. The Recorder’s voice was stern. ‘You have no need to fear. We at Redwall keep our word. Your lives are spared, which is more than you or your masters would have done for us, had you won the battle. We do not have prisoners or slaves at our Abbey, so you will be released. You will be split up into eight groups and let free at different times, five to go one way, five to go another, until Redwall is rid of your presence. Brother Melilot will give you each two days’ provisions. That is all.’
Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop, restored to his ebullient self, checked Butty. ‘Oh no it ain’t, beggin’ y’pardon, Friar sir. Allow me a word with these malicious miscreants, will you? My thanks! Right, listen up, scurvy vermin types, pay attention at the back there! You will clean this Abbey an’ its grounds thoroughly before I allow y’to leave, understood? All t’gether now, say yes sir.’
The reply was half-hearted. Florian wagged his cane at them. ‘Not good enough, you villainous chaps. Now speak up or I’ll come amongst ye an’ liven your ideas up a bit, wot wot!’
Mayon stumped up, a poultice bandage on his shoulder. The tough Guosim shrew winked at Florian. ‘I’ll lend yer a paw, sir. I can see one or two rascals ’ere who aimed kicks’n’blows upon me earlier today. Now lissen t’me, you cowardly lot, I ain’t tender-’earted like mister Florian, so if I gives you an order you’d best jump to it or I’ll make y’wish you’d been slayed in the battle, understood? Let me ’ear you all say yes sir!’
The mass reply was crisp and clear, as if with one voice. ‘Yessir!’
Janglur and Rusvul sat with Rimrose and Ellayo in the orchard, listening as Cregga explained everything to the Abbey Dibbuns. ‘You are all safe now, my little ones, and so is Redwall – once again we can live in peace and good order. Bad creatures tried to take our Abbey from us and we had to do battle with them to preserve our way of life.’
Dwopple wrinkled his tiny nose. ‘Tharra why mista Florey an’ Jang an’ Rusbul and T’agglo was slaydin’ alla vermints out onna lawn. I no liked dat, I was frykinned. Good job Skip comed wiv all h’otters.’
Cregga nodded in the mousebabe’s direction. ‘None of us liked it, Dwopple, but we had to do it. Either that or let those evil creatures capture our Abbey. But now there is a lot of mending to do.’
Wugger the molebabe piped up helpfully. ‘Us’n’s do ee mendin’, marm, me’n’D’opple get big ’ammer an’ ee nailers, fix h’Abbey all gudd. Bangitty bang bang!’
Reaching out, Cregga took Wugger upon her lap. ‘That’s very kind of you, sir, but there are lots of different kinds of mending, broken hearts, bad memories, hasty tempers and departed friends. All of these need seeing to before the peace and the seasons grow upon us like soft moss and smooth all the edges of war away, so that you may sleep safe and calm in your beds of a night.’
Rimrose sat holding Janglur and Ellayo’s paws. She sniffed, unable to check the tear which strayed from her eye. ‘If only our Song were here. Where d’you suppose she an’ her young friends are now?’
Cregga lifted her head in the direction of the squirrelwife’s voice. ‘I have dreamed that they will be back before the autumn leaves come down. Don’t worry. Wherever your daughter and Dann are, and young Dippler too, I’ll wager they’re either impressin’ somebeast with their good manners or giving a fine account of themselves. Those three are a tribute to their upbringing, wherever they are!’
* * *
30
It was night at the margin of the watermeadow. Dann lay crushed beneath the rotten elm trunk, listening to the noise above. It became so loud that he was able to whisper to his friends, ‘I wonder what all the din’s about?’
Dippler spat out dead leaves and grit. ‘We ain’t foolin’ nobeast, mate. Our tracks lead right to this tree. I bet they’re doin’ some kind o’ victory dance up there, prob’ly gettin’ the cookpot ready fer us!’
Burble was inclined to agree with his shrew friend. ‘Yiss yiss, sad but true, I say. Still, I think it’d be better gettin’ captured by some ould reptiles than layin’ under this rotten stinkin’ thing all night. It’s worser’n when we was hidin’ up the creek from the River’eads. Wait, what’s that?’
Dann listened carefully. ‘Silence, that’s what it is, Burb, silence. Maybe they didn’t know we were here after all. What d’you think, shall we go out an’ take a look?’
Dippler started scrabbling at the soggy loam to free himself. ‘Anythin’s better’n this. Lead the way, Dann!’
The dried-up streambed was deserted save for the carcasses of several reptiles. The three friends hurried off into the undergrowth, where they sat wiping themselves down and breathing the sweet night air gratefully. Burble tugged a woodlouse from his fur. ‘Away with ye, wriggly thing, I ain’t no rotten treetrunk. Well, ’tis thanks to whoever drove the reptiles off back there, yiss yiss, a thousand thanks!’
‘Ach, save yer thanks, laddie, there may still be some o’ they sleethery reptails aboot!’
An osprey emerged from the bushes. Surveying them with a distinct twinkle in his rather fierce eyes, he raised his beak and called, ’O’er here. They’re sair bedraggled an’ stinky tae, but they’re o’er here!’
There was a lot of bush rustling and pawsteps, and then, unbelievably, a figure they’d lost hope of ever seeing again emerged from the undergrowth at a full dash and threw herself upon them, bowling them over in a laughing, joyful heap.
‘Song!’
‘Hahaha! So here y’are, you foul-smelling, lovely creatures!’
A fat, stern old squirrel and a big rough female hedgehog hauled Song swiftly off her companions. Dann, Dippler and Burble lay sprawled on the ground as the old squirrel wagged a paw at Song.
‘No time for that now, missie. Let’s get ’em out o’ here. You can introduce us when we’re downriver. Whew! An’ downwind of ’em too. They smell pretty ripe!’
Song glanced at the muddy state she herself was in from embracing her lost friends, and turned to the old squirrel. ‘Looks like I’ll have to take a bath too, Grandpa.’
There were more hedgehogs, over a dozen of them, hulking, rough-looking beasts. They surrounded the friends as the party hurried off through the woodland at the watermeadow’s edge. Dann trotted alongside Song, amazed by the turn events had taken.
‘Did I hear you call that ole squirrel Grandpa?’
‘You surely did. Soon as I saw him I recognized those lazy eyes. He’s my father’s father, Gawjo Swifteye. Take a look at him yourself. He’s much older than my dad, of course, but you’ll see the resemblance is unmistakable!’
Dann snatched a peep at Gawjo as he turned to converse with the leading hedgehog. ‘Aye, now I see him properly the likeness is clear. Who’s the big rough-lookin’ hedgehog he was talkin’ to?’
‘I know you’ll never believe this, Dann, but she’s my aunt!’
Dann stumbled and almost fell. ‘Your aunt?’
Song was still smiling as they trotted steadily through the night-shadowed woodlands. ‘Aye, my aunt Torrab. It’s a long and complicated story, but here’s roughly what happened. My grandpa, Gawjo, was a prisoner on the island in the secret lake for many seasons, but he managed to escape, says he’s the only beast who ever did. Anyhow, he made it back to the mainland, but he was comp
letely lost. Then he stumbled upon Torrab and her band of friends, fourteen in all, half-grown young hedgehogs from three different families. Their parents had been slain by Marlfoxes. Grandpa had lost his family too – he didn’t know where Ellayo and little Janglur had got to. So he became their dad and has lived with them ever since, and Megraw and I just bumped into him yesterday. I still can’t quite believe it.’
The odd-looking group had now reached the river on the watermeadow’s far fringes, and they turned south along the bank.
Dippler looked back fearfully at the huge osprey hobbling in the rear, protecting the group’s back. ‘I ’ope that big fish eagle’s on our side, Song.’
The young squirrelmaid winked at the apprehensive shrew. ‘That’s the Mighty Megraw. I have trouble understanding all he says, but since we went over the falls together we’ve become the best of pals. You’ll like him, Dipp. You will too, Burb, once you get to know him.’
The watervole glanced back at the fierce-eyed Megraw.
‘Ah yiss yiss, missie, I’m sure I will, ’tis a fine powerful bird he is. We’ll have t’keep him well fed though, yiss yiss, I’d hate t’be around when that feller feels hungry!’
They halted before dawn at a hidden inlet, a screen of bushes and trees was pulled aside, and Dann, Dippler and Burble gave a delighted shout. ‘The Swallow!’
The beautiful little boat was in the process of being repaired. It stood upside down on the wide-planked deck of a sprawling hedgehog raft. Torrab and the hedgehogs were about to dash aboard when Gawjo held forth a javelin, barring their way. ‘Remember yore manners. We’ve got guests!’
Torrab made an impatient curtsey to the friends. ‘Prithee, come ye aboard an’ welcome!’
Once they were aboard, the hedgehogs charged on to the raft and fought to get through the narrow doorway of a big cabin built at the vessel’s centre. Gawjo shook his head wearily. ‘Back! Get back all of you. Now, what’ve I taught yer?’
Marlfox (Redwall) Page 30
