The Outcast of Redwall Part 23

Sabretache clapped paw to the hilt of his fighting blade. ';"Mayhap, sah, but what about when the jolly old precipitation Ceases, what men?"

!; The Colonel stared at him blankly. "Precipitation ceases? pExplain y'self, laddie buck!"

p;' Sabretache gave Sunflash a quick wink. "Beggin' y'pardon, * sah, I mean, what happens when the rain stops?'' ff;' The Badger Lord answered before Sandgall had a chance M;to. "We attack! Leave the bare minimum of defenders at the inountain here, the rest of us put on full battle gear and take ifethe fight to the enemy. This is the best chance we'll have: our f/numbers are bolstered by shrews, otters, and squirrels." ; Squinching the monocle into his cheek, Sandgall agreed. -- "Excellent plan, m'Lord, was just about to suggest it m'self!" The Wraith was directly below the broad window ledge. He ;,lay breathless in the rain, listening to what was going on. A '< p="">

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soon as he regained his wind and felt fit enough for a burst of speed. Drawing the poisoned stone blade, he sheltered it carefully against the rain with his paw. All it would take was a quick leap onto the window sill and a swift strike at the unsuspecting badger.

Chuckling and chortling, Folrig and Ruddle came bounding into the bedchamber. They dashed about, searching frantically in the nooks and corners.

Sunflash could not help smiling at the two funsters. "Excuse me, you two frog-frighteners, but what are you doing chasing round my bedchamber, eh?"

Between gusts of laughter they explained.

"Yahahaha! You shoulda seen ole Forty's face!"

"Whoohooheehee! We pulled the ole rockcream trick on im!

"Haha! Aye, we told 'im that otter rockcreams were the most delicious thing anybeast 'ad ever tasted. So, that greedy Forty, couldn't wait to get 'is paws on some!"

"Right! Then we nips out t'the kitchens an' covers a few rocks wid meadowcream. Otter rockcreams, see?"

Sunflash stifled a chuckle. "He didn't eat any, surely?"

Folrig and Ruddle leaned on each other for support, helpless with mirth. "He, he, heeheehee! Pore old Forty 'ad bolted one down afore we could stop 'im, shoulda seen 'is face, haha- hahaha!"

Colonel Sandgall twitched his eye, making the monocle wiggle. "Hmm, very droll, I'm sure, but if I were you chaps I'd scoot fast or hide. I can hear young Forty comin', an' he don't sound greatly pleased or amused by your j.a.pe!"

"Gloggle! Yarggh! I'll rockcream the bounders! Where are the flippin' plank-tailed villains, I'll skin 'em alive!"

Folrig and Ruddle shot around Sunflash, attempting to hide themselves behind the badger's broad back. Forty came thundering in, cream all around his mouth and an otter rockcream f cake in each paw, his face a picture of comic indignation. "Come out, you rotten otters!" he yelled. A loud giggle from behind Sunflash gave them both away. .The outraged hare saw that the Badger Lord suddenly ap-I peared to have six footpaws. Forty raised the rockcreams to ; throw. Sunfiash saw what was about to happen and dropped flat to the chamber floor, leaving Folrig and Ruddle exposed '.to Forty's vengeance.

if It was not a lucky day for the Wraith. The mottled weasel ""-. sprang upright in the windows.p.a.ce, wielding his deadly stone **knife, triumph s.h.i.+ning in his pale eyes. At that exact moment, [; Forty flung the cream-covered rocks and the otters ducked J;"with lightning speed. " * Splakk!

Both missiles scored a direct hit on the Wraith's face. Instinctively, the weasel's paws flew up to his mouth, and he plunged silently backward into s.p.a.ce, the dagger sticking 'in his jaw. The last sound the Wraith made was when his felling body thudded against the rocks far below. Draped ply across the rain-soaked stone with both eyes closed, the fecarca.s.s of what had once been the weasel Wraith was almost invisible.

Sabretache fixed Forty and the two otters with the haughty glare of an outraged officer. "I'm goin' to count to three now, :ffli' if you chaps haven't found someplace else to play your . silly tricks by then, you'll all be on a fizzer, double guard duty I for three nights. Understood?''

Three hasty salutes, a patter of footpaws, and the slamming of the door announced tranquillity had returned to the bedchamber.

Colonel Sandgall polished furiously at his monocle. "Must be somethin' wrong with this bally contrivance, wot! D'you know, I thought I saw some type of vermin standin' on that 294.

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windowledge, not a moment ago, confounded strange, eh, wot?"

Sunflash coughed politely, catching a nod from Sabretache. "Did you really, Colonel? I'm sure I saw something there, too; must've been a trick of the light, reflection off the sea or something. What d'you think,'Tache?"

The hare leaned out over the windowsill. "Oh, indeed, sah, stranger things have been seen around this mountain more times than enough, wot! I say, the jolly old rain's startin' to pack in, see, there's the sun comin' out!"

Steam rose in wisps from the sand as the midday sun rose high to warm the earth. Swartt Sixclaw stood rapping his gauntleted paw against his sword hilt.

"We should've heard somethin' by now. Surely if this Wraith beast is as good as Vs supposed ter be, the badger must be dead?''

Nightshade moved artfully out of paw range. "We'll just have to wait and see, Lord."

Swartt turned on her, snarling as his temper rose. "Let me 'ear you say that jus' once more, vixen, an' you'll be wearin' yer tail round yer neck fer a scarf!"

He transferred his attention to the hordebeasts, who were leaping about in the shallows, trying to catch mackerel from a shoal that had ventured in too close. "Huh, will yer lookit that slab-sided lot o' b.u.mpkins, they make better fishers than fighters. See that the best of their catch is sent up to my fire. Where in the name o' tripes'n'tendons 'as that Wraith got to?"

Silently the warriors of Salamandastron stood ready as the rough-timber gate at the main entrance creaked open. Sunflash the Mace led them out, clad only in his chain mail tunic and carrying the mace loosely at his side. Lady Firdance, the squirrel leader, took the left flank with Folrig and Ruddle. Log a Log took the right flank with Fleetrunn and Hedgepaw. Sabretache and Rockleg took the center slightly behind Sunflash. Javelins, bows, spears, slings, and rapiers were clutched tight in every paw as they skirted the deserted trench in front of the mountain. Quietly, grimly, they strode, squirrels, otters, hares, and shrews, hard-eyed, tight-jawed, their paws making no sound in the sand.

Swartt had turned away; he sat with his back against the rocks, eyes half closed, enjoying the warmth and gentle breezes after the morning's rain. A stoat was emerging from die shallows, a flapping silver-banded mackerel impaled on his spear-point. Suddenly, he glanced up the beach and froze. Fish and spear were forgotten as he stood pointing and yelling, "Look, they're comin'!"

Swartt sprang upright, yanking out his sword. ' 'Captains to me! Get out of that water! Everybeast stan' to arms! Battle : stations, the lot o' yur!"

> Bradberry was marching alongside Forty. He heard the $houts lower down the beach and saw hordebeasts from afar, *das.h.i.+ng hither and thither, and said, "Well, they've seen us "now, Potty old lad."

Keeping his eyes front, Sabretache gave orders calmly. "Don't run, me beauties, not yet. Shoulder t'shoulder, that's the stuff, keep those weapons down, don't want t'stab the chap ,in front of you. Ready, m'Lord?"

Sunflash's deep grunt was heard throughout the ranks. "Ready! Follow me!"

The horde ma.s.sed on the tideline, spears bristling, drums banging, conch sh.e.l.ls blowing, banners fluttering out on the noon breeze. Swartt moved to the rear and, climbing up on a ; rocky outcrop, he spoke down to the vixen. "Well, we lost some yesterday, but now I can see what their strength is. Hah! We still outnumber 'em three to one. I see the badger still 296.

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lives, so I can stick t'the oath I swore. It'll be me, Swartt Sixclaw, who slays 'im, an' no otherbeast!"

Forty grasped Bradberry's paw firmly. "Here we go, Brad-ders. Good luck, old chap, give 'em what for!"

Sunflash half raised his mace. "March at the double now!" he ordered.

The pace speeded up, Sabretache and other officers calling, "Keep those lines straight, weapons down. Wait for it!"

Sunflash raised the mace higher and shouted, "Forward at the half run now!"

The paws of the advancing warriors broke into a fast lope.

"Archers ready at flanks and rear. Fire!"

A broad half moon crescent of shafts cut into the blue afternoon air, whirring angrily over the advance at the front ranks of the waiting vermin.

Sunflash swung his mace high.

"Chaaaaaaarge!"

Breaking into a headlong run, the warriors from the mountain brought their weapons up. Spears and javelintips glinted, swords and rapiers flashed. Amid the thunder of paws, wild war cries and battle shouts rent die summer air.

"Eeulaliaaaaa! Logalogalogalogalooooog! Firjak Greenstone! Whump! Whump! Whump! Blood'n'vinegaaaaar!"

The hordebeasts banged their s.h.i.+elds and yelled back.

"Swartt! Swartt! Sixclaaaaaw! Kill! Kiiiiiillll!"

Like a tidal wave against a rocky sh.o.r.e, Sunflash's command crashed into the horderanks, the shock of the impact driving the vermin back ten full pawlengths. Like a madbeast the Badger Lord plunged deep into the enemy lines, his mace whirling as he fought toward the distant figure of Swartt perched on the rock at the rear. Sabretache led his troops in to protect the badger's back. Already limping from a spear wound, the saber master dealt death to any who came within range of his curving blade. Arrows and sling stones from the rear of both forces zinged overhead like maddened wasps.

The might of the horde, having taken the initial shock of the charge, now began pressing forward, and many a good warrior fell to vermin spears and cutla.s.ses. Lady Firdance was having more success than most; forming a fighting triangle with Folrig and Ruddle, she hit hard at the horde's right flank, driving deep in an effort to meet up with Sunflash, whose huge *form could be seen like a landmark as he ploughed forward. Bradberry went down with an arrow in his shoulder, and Forty stumbled and tripped, falling upon his friend. He turned to rise as a searat swept a large scimitar at him; the rat gave a shriek and fell dead at his side. Folrig pulled his javelin free as Ruddle a.s.sisted both hares up, winking at Forty.

"Up y'get, matey, must've been the weight of that rock-cream pulled you down. Get Bradders be'ind our archers, see you later, good huntin', eh. Whump-whumpwhump! Firjak Greenstone!"

The vermin on the opposite flank charged the shrews glee-folly. Attacking small creatures with small swords was better than facing hares. They did not reckon on an old shrew ma- *;J>euver known as the Guosim Windmill. Three tight circles of *shrews in one, whirling madly, some cutting low, others at stomach height, while more worked at head and neck level, the vicious little rapiers went in and out, round and round, scything at everything in their path, while a row of Guosim shrews at the center of the ring continuously slung rocks over their comrades' heads.

Swartt stood tip-pawed upon his rock, shouting, "We're pus.h.i.+n' 'em back, vixen, I told yer, we've got the numbers on our side!"

Nightshade climbed up to appraise the situation. "Aye, but only in the center, Lord, and that's because the badger made his move too early and allowed them to close in around him. See the flanks, the horde is crumbling and giving way on both 298.

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sides. We may have the numbers, but they've got the heart!"

Swartt sent her flying with a kick. "When I want yore opinion I'll ask fer it. Get me that bow an1 arrers, the badger'11 soon be in range!"

Sunflash was like a great seabeast surrounded by waves of foebeasts, but all he could see through the red mists of blood-wrath was the ferret, perched on the rock down by the tideline. His great speed with the heavy mace was causing destruction among the horde. Up and down, left and right, swinging in a huge blur the mighty war club battered horde vermin, sword, spear, and dagger without regard to any. Snapped blades, shattered hilts, and splintered hafts flew high in the air around him. Sabretache wisely kept his force behind the berserk Badger Lord. Rockleg fought alongside Hedgepaw. Both would take a short run, vault high on their spear shafts, and come down with long hind legs kicking savagely into the faces of the vermin.

The hordebeasts fought fiercely, with the strength of desperation. Most were experienced warbeasts, determined to push through their attackers and gain the mountain, where there would be shelter, food, and plunder. But Nightshade's judgment had been correct: the mountain warriors all had brave hearts. The tide of the battle began to turn when the Guosim shrews broke through to the center and joined up with the hares and Lady Firdance's squirrels, who had been holding the middle with the otters. Now the flanks of the horde had been well battered, and the attackers ma.s.sed in the centre. Leaving any vermin who had broken past them to be dealt with by the rear lines of archers, the entire force turned to fight their way through to Sunflash, raising one mighty cry. "Eeulaliaaaaaa!"

Swartt cursed as his arrow took a searat in the back of the skull instead of striking Sunflash. He notched another shaft to his bowstring and fired. This time he did not miss: the arrow : pierced the Badger Lord high on his shoulder, where the chain-mail tunic ended. Still swinging the mace, Sunflash gave a deep roar and tore the arrow out with his teeth. Spitting the shaft away, he waved the battle club in Swartt's direction, his voice thundering out over the melee.

"I'm coming, Sixclaw, wait there!"

Then the horde broke and began retreating, battered and defeated by the relentless mountain warriors. Sunflash was suddenly knocked down from behind as milling, panicked hordebeasts fled toward the sea. Sabretache stood with one foot-paw on the Badger Lord's back, wielding his saber like a maddened drum major as he shouted orders.

"Up an' at 'em! Forward to the sea! Chaaaaarge!"

Hedgepaw and Rockleg were at his side in an instant. Between them they managed to drag the dazed Sunflash upright. Rubbing sand from his eyes, the badger bellowed furiously, "Where's Swartt?"

The rock stood empty. Swartt Sixclaw and his vixen had gone!

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Evening crimsoned into purple; on the horizon, a blood-colored sun dipped slowly into the dark, tired sea. Spears with thick rush torches tied to them stood upright in the sh.o.r.e along the tideline. Sunflash the Mace sat with his head buried in both paws; his war weapon lay on the sand beside him. Colonel Sandgall had come down from the mountain; he threaded his way through the exhausted warriors, shaking paws, patting shoulders, and giving credit where it was due.

"Well fought! Good show! Stout feller! Brave gel, wot!" Sabretache was cleaning off his blade in the sand. He stood smartly to attention, saluting the old Colonel.

Sandgall nodded. "Did any of 'em surrender? Prisoners?" The hare Captain's saber pointed to the sea. "None, sah, 'fraid not, it was a no-surrender situation. Most of 'em retreated too far an' too fast, dragged out by the undercurrent. As for our own, we got off surprisin' light, sah, though they're still takin' count on wounded an' slain."

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Sunflash joined them. The red light of bloodwrath had faded from his eyes, though they were still dark and troubled. "Six-claw wasn't lost in the sea, I'm sure of it, he's too cunning for that. Swartt has escaped, and he can't have got very far. It's my job to go after him and finish what he started!"

Sandgall gave his monocle a quick polish and looked the badger up and down from head to footpaws. "If I may make so bold as t'say, m'Lord, you're in no fit condition to go chasin' off anywhere. Head wound, arrow hole in y'left shoulder, spear thrust to footpaw, deep slash across mace paw. How far d'you think you'll get in that state, eh? Sundew, Ryeback, fetch your box of medical tricks an' patch this beast up!" . As the hares ministered to his wounds Sunflash protested, "Don't you see, I must go after Swartt. The more time I spend dawdling here, the farther away he's escaping!"

But Colonel Sandgall would brook no argument, not even from the Badger Lord of Salamandastron.

"Tomorrow our Long Patrol will pick up the ferret's trail, then you can face the bounder an' settle up your score. But if ;you try to go it alone tonight, sah, then I'm afraid I'll use our warriors to stop you. It is my duty as Colonel and Senior Offisah at Salamandastron to protect my Badger Lord, beggin' y'pardon an' hopin' you understand. Sah!" ; Sunflash nodded. "I understand. Ow-that hurts!"

Sundew chided him as she rethreaded a fish-bone needle with a long hair plucked from the badger's own back. "Keep the ol' head still then, Sire, how's a body supposed to st.i.tch up this head wound if you keep nodding like a woodp.e.c.k.e.r at an oak?"

When the hares had finished, Sunflash stood up stiffly. St.i.tched, poulticed, and cleaned, he strode off with a slight limp toward the mountain and his bedchamber.

"Tomorrow, then, Sandgall! I'll be up at the crack of dawn; have your Long Patrol waiting, ready to travel!"

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"If he's up at crack o' dawn it'll only be to sleepwalk," Ryeback whispered to her friend Sundew. "I gave him enough slumberin' draught to knock three out!"

With his vixen and about thirty other vermin, Swartt had waded off through the shallows in the thick of the retreat. Striking north and east, he crossed the sh.o.r.e on the mountain's south side, up into the high hills behind Salamandastron. The ferret knew that making camp or sleeping was out of the question; he had to get far away from Sunflash the Mace. Breasting the first hill, he paused and watched those behind him struggling and panting as they strove to reach the top.

"Move yerselves if you want ter stay alive, y'rotpawed, maggot-backed ditherers!" Swartt berated them. "Step lively or sit'n'weep here 'til the badger an' those hares track yer down!"

Nightshade brought up the rear. The vixen seer was puzzled. Her dreams and visions all showed Sunflash falling at the battle in front of the mountain, and twice it had almost happened, but at the last moment her visions clouded and Sunflash was replaced by an ancient female badger. The vixen was baffled, because all of her dreams ended with Swartt standing on top of a mountain, laughing and victorious. Wearily she cast all omens aside, banis.h.i.+ng dreams from her mind as she followed the leader she felt fated to serve.

Dawn had long dispelled the sea mists, and the sun was already beginning to climb in the sky when Skarlath landed on the windowsill of the badger's bedchamber. c.o.c.king his head curiously on one side, the kestrel's keen eye watched the Badger Lord sleeping. The mace still hung from its cord on Sunflash's paw, and his mighty chest rose and fell to the echo of rumbling snores. Skarlath spread his wings wide and tilted his fierce curved beak upward.

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"Kreeeeeh! Does my friend sleep his life away? Kreeeeh!"

The big badger sat bolt upright, pawing at his eyes.

"Where, what? I've been asleep ... Skarlath!"

The kestrel swooped in, landing on Sunflash's shoulder. "So, my gold-striped friend, it must have been a good, hard day's battle to keep you so long abed this morn.. . ."

The Badger Lord tore at the bandages and poultices restricting his limbs, flinging them from him. "Crack o' dawn, eh? Well, where are they, the Long Patrol trackers? Swartt escaped. I've got to go after him!"