The ancient badger's immense paw covered his gently. "Now, now, don't go upsetting yourself, my friend. It comes to us all sooner or later. The thought of passing on does not worry me unduly. I've had a fine, long life, much longer than I deserve really, considering the wild path my Bloodwrath led me down. In my dreams I have spoken with the great heroes of Salamandastron, Lord Brocktree, Sunflash the Mace, Boar the Fighter, Urthclaw, and others too numerous to mention. They all tell me one thing: Red-wall Abbey will soon be in grave danger!"
Major Mullein sprang from the wmdowsill, his paw clamped on the sabre hilt at his waist. "Then with your permission, m'lud, I'll arm up the Long Patrol an' get 'em marchin' for the Abbey today!"
Lord Asheye beckoned Mullein to sit down. "If it were that simple, you'd have been on your way with the Patrol three days back."
The Major's long ears rose stiffly. "Then what the deuce is holdin' the confounded job up?"
Asheye turned his sightless gaze toward his friend. "The new Badger Lord."
Major Mullein was back up and pacing the chamber. "New Badger Lord, what new Badger Lord? Nobeast told me about any new Badger Lord!"
Asheye waited until the Major slowed his pace. "Listen, Mull, I told you I would not see another summer here, so who'll rule Salamandastron when I'm gone?"
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Mullein came to a halt, stamping his footpaw. "But what's all that got to blinkin' well do with Redwall bein' in danger? Really, sah, I'm all at sixes an' flippin' sevens with your dreams'n'riddles!"
Asheye reached out and clasped his friend's paw. "Then sit down and be patient. Here, pour me some tea and I'll explain as best as I can." The Badger Lord sipped his drink slowly, only continuing when he felt the hare had calmed down. "This Badger Lord who will succeed me, I have learned that he is still a youngbeast. However, he is possessed of an even more ferocious Bloodwrath than was ever inflicted upon me. Our Long Patrol will not be needed at Redwall Abbey because he is fated to be there when the danger arrives. But before he can ever rule this mountain, he must be tested in the fires of battle. Now do you see?"
Mullein stroked his bristling moustache. "Indeed I do, sah. The Lord of Salamandastron must be as wise as he's strong an' warlike. But how will we know this chap, what does he look like, sah?"
Lord Asheye turned his face to the sea. He sat silent, feeling the gentle wind upon his face. Major Mullein watched the old Badger Lord closely, waiting for a reply. There was a long pause, then Asheye suddenly began speaking as though he was in the grip of a trance.
"Who will defend Redwall Abbey, in its days of peril and strife?
The beast who shuns both armour and sword, torn from the simple life.
He with destiny marked on his brow, who walks with the banished one.
Send forth a maid to seek out the Flame, to rule when the old Lord is gone!"
Asheye rose, shaking himself like one waking from sleep. "Great seasons, where did that come from?" Major Mullein tried not to sound surprised. "Must've
23
been your dream chaps who put it into your head, m'lud. Beggin' y'pardon, but you've never been one for the jolly old poetic verse an' all that, wot! Well, stap me, sah, looks like Redwall's in for a bit of a ding dong. Hmm, an' there's a Champion on the horizon, one who'll flatten the flippin' foebeast, if I'm not mistaken. Sounds like an odd chap from your description, wot? Never heard of a Badger Lord who shuns armour an' bloomin' swords. What I really don't understand is the bit about destiny bein' marked on his brow, an' as for walkin' with a banished one, an' sendin' out a maid to seek for a flame ... if y'don't mind me sayin', sah, the whole thing's got me flippin' well flummoxed."
Asheye took a sip of his tea, which had now grown cold. "Well, old friend, I had no idea that I was going to speak such a rhyme, so you'll excuse me if I confess to being as baffled as you are. However, it does explain a few things from my dreams. The coming trouble at Redwall, and the arrival of a Warrior. Also, the fact that this other badger will rule here in my stead, always supposing that he lives long enough, or isn't defeated in battle. As for the rest, I'm truly puzzled. Where's the maid that we must send forth?"
Mullein twirled his moustache briskly, and stood both ears to attention, always an obvious sign of his displeasure. "Hmph! So that's why I'm not allowed to sally forth with the Long Patrol, sah, a confounded maid is the one for the blinkin' task, accordin' to your sources. Hah, I question the wisdom of a load of long-gone badger spirits. I mean, what possible use would one maid be in the midst of an invasion upon Redwall, eh, wot?"
The ancient badger patted his friend's paw. "Now, don't get your whiskers in an uproar, Mull, I'm bound to obey the voices of past mountain Lords. So, how do we choose this maid whom we must send to solve our problems? Any suggestions, Major?"
The discussion was interrupted by a series of urgent knocks upon the door. Mullein rattled his sabre hilt. "Yes, stop knockin' the bloomin' door down. Come in!"
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It was Corporal Thwurl, a tall, droopy hare, with a mournful countenance. His nose was swollen, one ear was askew, and his left eye was a puffy slit. He saluted Mullein. "Major, sah, wish to report, sah, ruckus in the mess, sah, Assistant Cook's gone bonkers, sah!"
Lord Asheye rested his forehead against the windowsill, sighing wearily. "Not Mad Maudie again. Deal with it, would you, Major Mullein? No, wait, bring her up here. We'll see what she has to say for herself this time!"
When Corporal Thwurl left, Asheye and Mullein waited in stony silence for several moments. Then sounds of a tussle echoed up the stairway outside. Apparently it was the offender being brought to the forge room by four guards. She was very vocal.
"Yah, gerroff, you swoggle-toothed bounders! If I could jolly well get free I'd biff your snouts off! Just you wait, I'll poison your porridge, I'll sabotage your salad, I'll destroy your duff, I'll... I'll... wahoo!"
Stuffed into a floursack, which was fastened at her neck, the miscreant was hauled into the room and dumped upon the floor. There she struggled, coming out with more colourful oaths at all and sundry. Mullein drew his sabre, roaring.
"Silence, marm! Be still, ye fiend, cease that din!" He slashed downward, neatly severing the drawstring of the sack, and releasing the young haremaid. Lying flat on the floor, she wiggled her ears and threw the Major a salute. "Most kind, sah, thank ye!"
Mullein silenced her with a glare, turning to Thwurl. "What're the facts, Corporal, make your report."
The droopy-faced Thwurl pawed tenderly at his nose. "There was complaints h'in the mess, Major, h'about the soup. It was too 'ot, sah, this h'assistant cook 'ad loaded it with red pepper, wild ransom, an' that 'otroot stuff, wot otters likes to h'eat."
The assistant cook interrupted from her prone position.
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"Too hot, my auntie's pinny! Barley soup's as dull as blinkin' dishwater, it needed livenin' up!"
Lord Asheye growled out from his windowseat. "Silence, miss, stand up straight, to attention! Corporal Thwurl, carry on with your report, please!"
"Well, sah, h'l told 'er wot h'l thought of 'er soup, an' she struck me on the nose with 'er ladle, sah, then she went h'on to further h'assault me, an' several h'others, sah. We 'ad to subdue 'er by stuffin' 'er h'in a sack, sah. Whereupon she continued to shout h'insults at h'us, an'..."
Major Mullein waved Thwurl to silence. "Yes, yes, I get the general drift, Corporal. Assistant Cook, what have you to say for yourself, do you wish to refute the charges, wot?"
Assistant Cook Mad Maudie (the Hon.) Mugsberry Thropple fluttered her eyelashes endearingly at him. "Only to say, Major, that I'd do it all again if that puddenheaded oaf said nasty things about my soup, only next time I'd punch him in his other eye, too, so there!"
Lord Asheye shook his great head sternly. "That's quite enough of that, miss. Corporal, you and the guard may leave now. Major Mullein and I will deal with this, thank you."