Russa blinked slowly through clouded eyes. ' 'Not for long, young 'un. They hit me good this time-two arrows an' a spear. But I gave good as I got, sent a few of 'em along in front t'pave the way for me."

137 Tammo put a paw around the squirrel's narrow shoulders. "Russa, don't talk like that. You'll be all right, honest, you will!"

Russa Nodrey smiled, coughed a little, then swallowed as if clearing her throat. She took Tammo's free paw, saying, "None o' your nonsense now, sit still an' lissen t'me, Tamm. Tell yore mama I did the best I could, an' if y'see Osmunda again, tell 'er I sent my regards. Make yore family proud of you, Tamello De Fformelo Tussock, never do anythin' you'd be ashamed to tell 'em. One other thing: you don't 'ave to be a Long Patroller if'n y'don't want to. Mebbe there's other things y'do better."

Russa stayed Tammo's reply by squeezing his paw feebly. "Oh, I've seen you fight, Tamm, yore one o' the best, but you've 'ad a different upbringin'. You ain't no slayer like those hares out there-at Salamandastron they're brought up to it."

Tammo tried to choke back the tears that fell on Russa's paw. "You'll be fine, matey. I'll tell Pasque to get all her medicines an' herbs an' we'll..."

Russa managed to wink at him. "Medicines an' herbs won't do me no good now, Tamm. I wish you'd stop soakin' me paws an' carryin' on like that. I've got other places t'go, I've always been a wanderer, so I wants t'see what 'tis like on the sunny hillsides by the still meadows.. .."

Outside the hares sat listening as Major Perigord related what had happened.

"Russa an' meself were scoutin' ahead when we heard roarin' an' screamin'. Of course it wasn't the vermin doin' the noisemakin'. We reckoned 'twould be innocent creatures cap- -tured by those villains, so we'd no choice except to try an' ^rescue 'em. On m'word, we ran straight into it! Thirty-odd a.s.sorted blackguards, tormentin' an' torturin' an old badger-wife an' a babe. Scoundrels! We gave 'em a taste or two o' their own medicine, I can tell you! Trouble was that we were outnumbered by about eighteen t'one-they'd slain the old * *badger. Well, we fought 'em off best as we could an' I pulled the poor dead ol' badger into the cave with the little 'un still ^clinging to her. Russa was protectin' my back, that's when she Itook two arrows. Then we turned and tried to hold 'em off.

138.

shoutin' Eulalias like n.o.beast's business, hopin' you chaps'd hear us. Sadly Russa took a spear through her middle, so I bundled her in the cave with the badgers. That's when I got the lance in me shoulder, took another few slashes too. Just look at me best green velvet tunic. Good job you arrived when y'did. I was about ready to go under. By the by, did y'get 'em all?"

Twayblade took the tunic from her brother's shoulders and inspected it. "Ripped t'bits, be a long time before you get another like it. Ah, the vermin. Yes, they split up, but so did we, got 'em all barring one, a ferret, he escaped through a swamp. I shouldn't think a lone villain would bother the Red-wallers a good deal, wot?"

Sergeant Torgoch poured himself hot mint tea from the canteen by the fire. "Don't think 'e would, marm. Some o' those big otters that 'angs about the Abbey'd be only too glad to accommodate 'im, if'n 'e showed 'is nose 'round there."

Tammo came walking from the cave, dry-eyed and stone-faced.

"Russa Nodrey has just died, sah." His voice trembled as he tried to be a soldier worthy of the Long Patrol, but tears streamed down his face.

Perigord closed his eyes tightly and stood, head bowed.

That night they sealed up the cave with earth and rock. On the front of the pile, Rockjaw Grang placed a huge flat slab, which Tammo and Pasque had worked on, sc.r.a.ping deep into the sandstone with knifepoints a simple message: Russa Nodrey and an unknown badger lie within. They died fighting for freedom against cruelty. Seasons may pa.s.s, but we will remember them.

The baby badger slept on, between Pasque and Tammo, wriggling in his slumbers to get closer to them. Tammo had never seen a badger before; he stroked the infant, glad to have a creature near who knew nothing of killing and war before that day.

26.

Beneath the Abbey's south wall, Foremole Diggum and his team held the lanterns out over the underground cavern. Holding on to the moles' digging claws, Tansy and Arven leaned out at the edge of the sh.o.r.ed-up timber platform that the moles had built at the end of the small tunnel down which they had come. They peered down into the shadowy depths of what appeared to be a huge abyss, wide, dark, and mysterious.

Far below them water could be heard. Foremole tossed a turnip-sized boulder into the yawning chasm. They listened, but only silence followed.

Tansy turned to the solemn-faced mole leader. "Where has that rock gone to?" she asked.

Her question was followed by an echoing distant splash. Foremole shook his head gravely. "Daown thurr summwhurrs, marm, hurr, that'n be's a gurt deep 'ole."

They stood awhile, then Tansy backed off the platform gingerly. "Dear me, that's enough of that! It's like looking down from a high building and not seeing the ground. I was beginning to feel quite woozy!"

Foremole Diggum and his crew a.s.sisted her back to the 139.

140 surface, offering his irrefutable mole logic as he lit their way. "Urr, 'tis better feelin' woozed up on furm ground for gennel beasts such as ee, marm. Oi thinks us'n's be 'appier talkin' abowt et all in ee Abbey, thurr be things oi've gotter say regardin' yon gurt 'ole!"

Intrigued by Foremole's words, they all followed him indoors.

On entering the Abbey, Tansy walked straight into a dispute that had broken out in the kitchens. Amid much paw-wagging and whisker-twitching, the Abbess placed herself between the dormouse Pellit and a st.u.r.dy squirrel called b.u.t.ty, whom Mother Buscol was training in the ways of the kitchen. Both creatures argued fiercely, glaring truculently at each other.

"I won't be able to get on with me work, she'll be in the way!"

"Work? Huh, when did you ever work? You spend half y'time sleepin' on empty veggible sacks by the back oven!" "You young skipwaggle, keep a civil tongue in yer head when yore talkin' to elders'n'betters!"

"Listen, you might be older'n me, but we'll soon find out who's better if you call me a skipwaggle again!"

Tansy grabbed a copper ladle and struck it on a cooking pot with a resounding clang. "Silence, please, this instant! Now, one at a time. What's this all about? Pellit, you first."

The dormouse adopted an air of injured innocence. "Mother Abbess, all I said was that the bird shouldn't be allowed to live in our kitchens, 'taint right. For one thing, we need the s.p.a.ce in that cupboard for storage, there's little enough room fer that down 'ere as it is ..."

Tansy's hard stare and upraised paw halted Pellit. "You're speaking in riddles, sir. b.u.t.ty, begin at the beginning!"

The young squirrel explained as best he could: "Well, marm, 'tis the owl Orocca. She's been lookin' 'round the Abbey for somewheres t'put her nest an' eggs. She searched high'n'low but nowheres suited her until she discovered our kitchens an' that big corner cupboard where we store apples. Anyhow, me an' Shad shifted her in there, owl, eggs'n'nest. Then before y'know it, old whinin' whiskers Pellit is moanin' an' complainin' an' reportin' the matter to Sister Viola." Redwallers gave way as Tansy swept regally across to the 141 cupboard. She opened the door and was confronted by the great golden eyes of Orocca. The owl snuggled down righteously atop her nest on the middle shelf, and said, "Hmph! You've already wrecked one homesite where I lived, now I suppose you're going to eject me from this one?"

With a wry smile hovering on her lips, Tansy turned to Pellit. "D'you know where an auger or a drill can be found?"

The dormouse answered her hesitantly, "Er, yes, marm, Gurrbowl an' Foremole Diggum keeps 'em in the wine cellars for borin' bungholes in barrels, marm."

Tansy tapped the cupboard door. "Good! Then go and get some form of drilling tool from them and bore lots of holes in this door, so that our guest has plenty of fresh air to breathe in her new home. Well, don't stand staring, Pellit, hurry along now!"

Turning back to the owl, Tansy bobbed a small curtsy. "I hope you'll be comfortable here. If you need anything at all, just ask. I'll detail Mother Buscol to take care of you; should you want to leave your nest, I'm sure you'll be able to trust her to keep an eye on the eggs until you return."

Orocca blinked rapidly, her head bobbing up and down. "My thanks to you, Abbess. This will be a good warm home for my eggchicks when they break sh.e.l.l. If any of your creatures sees my husband, Taunoc, perhaps they would tell him where I am."

Craklyn, who had witnessed the quarrel, patted Tansy's paw admiringly as they made their way down to Cavern Hole. "Well, you took care of that wonderfully, but poor old Pellit's got a face on him like a fractured tail. Did you see him?"

Tansy folded both paws into her wide habit sleeves. "Actually I'm glad Orocca caused that disturbance. For some time now I've been thinking of making certain changes in the kitchens. Mother Buscol is a bit old to be in charge of all the cooking, and young b.u.t.ty is a good hardworking creature and a fine cook. I think he'll make an excellent Friar given the chance."

Craklyn agreed with Tansy, though she had reservations. "What about Pellit? He's older and has worked in the kitchens longer than b.u.t.ty. Won't it cause bad feelings if you promote fee young squirrel over the dormouse's head?"

142 But like a wise Mother Abbess, Tansy had a reason for everything she did concerning her beloved Redwall. "I don't think so, Craklyn. The trouble with Pellit is that he's fat, getting on in seasons, and of course he's a dormouse. That's why he's always nodding off in the warmth from the ovens. If I left him in the kitchen he'd injure himself someday. So I've decided that he shall be Viola Bankvole's new a.s.sistant-he's always chatting to her and hanging about the Infirmary, and the job's an easy one, so he'll have plenty of time to rest. Mother Buscol can look after Orocca and the eggchicks when they arrive. That way she'll be in the kitchens a lot to keep an eye on our new Friar, b.u.t.ty."

Tansy spoke to Mother Buscol and Viola, and then to b.u.t.ty and Pellit, before taking her seat in Cavern Hole. Everyone seemed happy with the new arrangements. Craklyn sat with the other creatures, very impressed with the know-how and wisdom the seasons had bestowed upon her old friend.

Word had pa.s.sed around regarding the chasm beneath the outer south wall, and now everybeast was familiar with the news. Arven opened the discussion.

"So now we know what was causing the wall to collapse. I suppose the continuous action of the water wore the ground away and formed the big hole. What d'you think, Diggum?"

"Well, zurr, oi thought the same as ee at furst. But me'n'moi moles, we h'explored ee sides o' the gurt 'ole, an' guess wot? Us'n's found that part o' ee sides o' yon pit wurr square stones. Aye, they'm been builded thataway boi summ-beasts long gone, hurr!"

This announcement caused a buzz of speculation. Tansy hid her surprise and silenced the gossip.

"One moment, please! Thank you. I was about to say that this casts a whole new light on things, but it only seems to deepen the puzzle. Let us not get carried away with wild speculation, friends. Has anybeast a sensible suggestion to offer?"

Skipper of Otters ventured an idea. "Supposin' me'n'my crew put some long ropes together an' went down there to-morrer, marm. We might find where all that water's flowin' to, an' who knows wot else?"

The mole Bunto scratched his nosetip with a hefty digging 143 claw. "Gudd idea, zurr, an' may'ap ee'Il take a lukk at ee carvens on yon stones."

Foremole Diggum donned a tiny pair of gla.s.ses and peered over the top of them at Bunto. "Yurr, ee never told oi abowt no carven on walls!"

Bunto smiled disarmingly, saying, "Probberly 'cos you'm never arsked oi, zurr!"

Foremole took Bunto's answer quite logically. "Hurr, silly o' me. No matter, next toim oi'll arsk ee!"

That seemed to settle the matter. Tansy looked around the a.s.sembly. "Right then, Skipper and his crew will look into it tomorrow. Any more questions, suggestions, or business? Good, then I'm off to my bed. It's been a long day."

An amazingly cultured voice rang out from the doorway: "Excuse me, I do beg your pardon for interrupting, but does anybeast know the whereabouts of an owl named Orocca, last seen perched on a nest containing three eggs?"

A trim and very dignified-looking male Little Owl opened the door wide and bowed courteously to the Redwallers. Tansy had long ago given up being surprised by anything; she simply returned his bow with a polite nod of her head.

"Ah, I take it your name is Taunoc, sir. Welcome to Red-wall Abbey. This is our Foremole, Diggum, he will take you to your wife. Main kitchen, far corner, right in the apple cupboard. You'll probably find a dormouse there drilling holes. If he disturbs you, then please send him away."

The Little Owl bowed once more. "My thanks to you, marm. I bid you a pleasant good night!"

When he had departed with Foremole, there was a moment's silence. Then both Tansy and Craklyn burst into helpless laughter. "Whoohoohoo! Oh, hahahaha! Great seasons, did you see the face on him, and such beautiful manners. Hee-heehee! Oh, dear, what next?"

Craklyn widened her eyes and did a perfect imitation of Taunoc. " 'Last seen perched on a nest containing three eggs?' Hahahaha!"

Tansy rose, supporting herself weakly on the chair arm. "Heeheehee! No more business! No more questions! No more anything, please! I need my bed! Oh, whoohoohoohaha! Sorry!"

144 Leaning against each other, Recorder and Abbess left Cavern Hole, tears streaming down their faces as they giggled and whooped.

Bunto looked blankly at Drubb. "Hurr, oi'm glad they'm 'appy, b'aint you?"

"Burr aye, but wot they'm a larfin' anna chucklen at oi doant know. 'Twas on'y summ owlybird a looken furr 'is missus."

Gradually the spring night cast its spell over Redwall. Lanterns nickered, fires guttered, and a stray draft moved the tapestry in Great Hall before pa.s.sing on. All was peaceful, calm, from dormitory to cellars.

Beneath the south wall, far down in the Stygian gloom of the chasm, something moved. Something cold, slippery, and long ... Something moved.

Dawn's half-light was barely peeping over windowsills when the young squirrel b.u.t.ty pounded on Tansy's bedroom door. Pulling the coverlet over her head. Tansy complained in a sleep-m.u.f.fled moan, "Go 'way, 'taint light yet, I've only just closed my eyes!"

But the new Friar persisted, thumping the door and shouting, "Mother Abbess, marm, new owlbabes have arrived in our kitchens! Oh, please come quick, I dunno what t'do!"

Tansy's footpaws found her old slippers as she threw on a dressing gown and dashed to the door.

"Rouse Sister Viola, Mother Buscol, and Craklyn, and bring 'em straight down to the kitchens. Go quickly and try not to waken the others!"

Completely in a dither, b.u.t.ty raced off, yelling aloud, "Owl babies! Just arrived in the kitchens! New little 'uns!"

Abbess Tansy peered around the half-open cupboard door. From beneath Orocca's fearsome talons, three sets of ma.s.sive golden eyes stared unblinkingly back at her. AH of Redwall, clad in a variety of nightshirts, ta.s.seled caps, dressing gowns, Old sandals, and slippers, packed into the kitchens, hopping 145.

146.

up and down eagerly to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals.

Mother Buscot complimented the owl on her eggchicks: "My my, wot beautiful liddle birds. They've got yore eyes, too!"

A brief smile flitted across Orocca's solemn features. "Thank you, Buscol. These are my first brood, and I'm glad they're all fit and well. My husband, Taunoc, will be pleased, when he eventually gets to see them."

Craklyn raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Taunoc hasn't seen his babes yet? Where is he?"

Orocca lifted her talons, allowing the chicks to stumble forward. "Poor Taunoc was in a worse tizz man that young squirrel of yours. The moment he heard eggsh.e.l.ls cracking he took off in a fl.u.s.ter, muttering about hunting to feed five beaks now. He'll be back."

The little owls were mere fuzzb.a.l.l.s, with eyes practically larger than their bodies. When they were not dumbling and stumbling to stay upright, they were huddling together to keep their balance. Orocca knocked the door open wide with a sweep of her wing.

Now all the Redwallers could see the three chicks clearly, there were exclamations of delight, particularly from the Dib-buns, whom Skipper and his otters had lifted onto their shoulders so they could get a clear view.

"Burr, can they'm owlyburds coom out t'play with us'n's?"

"Why don't they say noffink yet?"

" 'Ello, likkle owlyburds, d'you want some brekkfist?"

Viola Bankvole, keeping a safe distance from Orocca, took charge. "A sensible idea, why don't we all go in to breakfast and leave Orocca to clean up her nest?"

Viola and Tansy ushered the crowd out, while Mother Bus-col and Gurrbowl Cellarmole stayed behind to help the owls.

Skipper of Otters whacked his tail down hard upon the table-top. "Stow the gab now, mateys, yore Abbess wants a word!" Nodding thanks to Skipper, the Abbess tucked paws into her dressing-gown sleeves and stood to address the Redwallers. "Listen carefully now-this won't take long. Summer's nearly here, 'tis a beautiful day outside, so here's my plan. I 147 say we cancel all work and worries until tomorrow, and let today be one of feasting and celebration for the three little lives that have arrived into our Abbey. A triple birthday party out in the orchard!"

Cheers of joy rang to the rafters of Great Hall.

Brother Ginko was RedwalFs Bellringer. Today he didn't stand below and pull on the ropes; instead, he climbed the stairs to the steepletop chamber, stood on the beams between the two bells, and operated them by pushing with both paws. The warm brazen sounds rang out over Mossflower.

Larks took to the meadow air, and woodland birds fluttered out over the green tree canopy, adding their morning songs to the bell tones rising into a bright sunlit sky.

Below in the line of trees skirting the east ramparts, a furtive figure slunk close to the wall's edge. Rinkul the ferret, last of the vermin band being pursued by the hares, fled south along the woodland edge. Dried swamp mud clung to his matted fur as he hurried on, chewing roots and berries and casting fearful glances backward. Rinkul hoped the bells were not ringing to denote that he had been spotted-he could see the figure of Brother Ginko framed against the open arches of the steeple chamber. He held still awhile, then, satisfied he had not been detected, Rinkul left the shelter of the Abbey wall to cut off over the south common lands, where he could see a stream mat would provide him with drinking water.

With the sun warm upon his back and the bells booming in his ears, the ferret lay flat on his stomach, drinking greedily of the fresh stream water. After a while he rose into a crouch, checking that he was still alone. He stared hard and long at what he saw. It seemed incredible, but he trusted the evidence of his own keen sight. Redwall's battlemented south ramparts were collapsing. The line of high, thick masonry had been breached by the fall of a ma.s.sive tree, and farther along, the wall dipped and leaned inward, as if messed about by some colossal paw.

Rinkul backed into the shallows, still staring at the fractured outer wall. Following the stream course southeast to hide his tracks, he tucked Russa Nodrey's hardwood stick into his belt.

"Got to find the Rapscallion armies," he muttered delight- 148.

edly to himself. "This information'11 make me an officer, a Rapmark!"

Brother Ginko had his back to the fleeing ferret. He shielded his eyes and stared hard at the two figures loping steadily down the path from the north toward the Abbey. Hares-it was two hares!

Halting the toll of one bell, he continued ringing the other singly, warning of creatures approaching. Skipper and Shad came racing out of the Abbey, hard on the heels of Arven, who was belting on the great sword of Martin the Warrior.