oo
Rufe Brush and Oak Tom headed the party that had set out from Redwall at dawn. They were all heavily armed and determined to help Mellus and Flagg against the searats. Cutting off the path, they entered the woodlands. Tom and Treerose swung off into the foli-
340
age to scout ahead. Gabe Quill brandished a big bung mallet angrily.
"I'll searat 'em, the filthy vermints!"
Rufe turned to him. "Keep your voice down, Gabe . . . Owch! Watch where you're pokin' that lance, Burgo. Pooh! Are you chewin' wild garlic again?"
"Burr, aye, zurr. Found some o' the pesky stuff o'er yonder. Oi carnt aboid the smell tho' I dearly do luv ets taste. 'Pologies 'bout 'ee larnce, zurr."
"Chuck ee larnce aways," Foremole whispered in Burgo's ear. "You'm cudd slay emenies with thoi breath!"
"Over here, straight ahead," Oak Tom called out from a high hornbeam. "It's Mellus an' Flagg bearin' a stretcher."
The Redwallers flocked around Rosie, gabbling questions at her rescuers.
"Is she dead?"
"Coo deary, she'm bad cuttup!"
"Where did you find her, Flagg?"
"Any sign o' Clary or Thyme?"
"D'you think she'll live?"
Mellus silenced them with a growl. "Stop all this silly chattering. We must get this hare to Redwall as speedily as possible. You squirrels, will you get back to the Abbey as quickly as you can. Tell Sister Serena, Simeon, the Abbot and Sister Sage to have all their medicines ready and a room in sickbay cleared out. Right, off you go!"
The three squirrels went off through the top terraces of the woodlands like greased lightning. Ready pawys gripped the stretcher, steadying Rosie as the group broke into a fast trot.
oo
Graypatch limped badly from an arrow that had pierced his leg. He gazed around at the smashed cage, the smoldering embers of last night's fires and the carcasses of dead searats that littered the ground like fallen
leaves. They were piled in a heap in the middle of the camp. He prodded the lifeless forms with his sword. Somewhere beneath that heap lay two hares and a squirrel. The searat Captain shook his head and slumped down upon a rock.
"Three hares and a squirrel did all this?" he murmured disbelievingly.
Deadglim shambled over. He leaned on a broken spear, nursing the place where his left ear had been. "Eighteen left alive, Cap'n. Well, it would be a score, but two went after the hare that got away."
Graypatch massaged his leg, wincing. "Eighteen, is that all!"
"Aye, Cap'n. What's yer orders?"
Graypatch stared into the surrounding forest. He had come to hate Mossflower country; the whole thing had been a catalogue of disaster since they arrived. He had stolen the Darkqueen and set sail from Terramort with a crew of a hundred able-bodied searats, and now he was sitting in this landlocked hell of greenery with only eighteen left.
"Tell the crew to pack up, lock, stock 'n' barrel. We're pullin' out o' this stinkin' place. I'm goin' to find the Darkqueen, get 'er seaworthy an' sail out to the open sea, where we can breathe again!"
A slow smile formed upon Deadglim's coarse face. "Aye-aye, Cap'n Graypatch. I'll do that with pleasure,
sir!
Treerose paced the corridor outside the sickbay.
Abbot Bernard came out with a basin and a stained towel. "Ah, Treerose. See if you can get some clean warm water and a fresh towel for me, pretty one."
Treerose's voice betrayed great anxiety. "How is Rosie, Father?"
The Abbot wiped his paws on his wide sleeves, a smile creasing his kindly face. "D'you know, I didn't believe it at first, but she's going to be all right. Thanks
342
to your warning, the creatures who got her here so fast, and the marvelous skills of Simeon and Sister Sage. Yes, Treerose, she's going to be around for quite a number of seasons yet to come. So you stop that crying now and get me fresh water and a clean towel."
Mother Mellus came out to stand in the corridor with the Abbot. "What was all that about, Father?"
"Oh, nothing really. It just surprises me how overnight that young squirrel has changed from a spoilt brat into a really nice helpful creature."
Mellus patted the Abbot's frail back. "Hmm, then we must be doing something right, the way we bring our young ones up at Redwall, eh!"
The Abbot bowed gallantly. "The way you bring them up, Mellus."
Saxtus lay on his back in the strawberry patch with the Dibbuns. Bagg and Runn chattered incessantly as they decimated the latest crop of ripe fruit.
"Have all the searats gone now, Sax'us?"
"Suppose so. We haven't seen them for a while."
"An' they're not comin' back to 'ttack the Abbey again?"
"I hope not. Why d'you ask?"
"Oh nuts! I wanted 'em t' come back so I could fight 'em!"
"No you don't, little one. We've had enough fighting and killing. Isn't it much nicer lying here filling your tummy with strawberries in the sun?"
"Mm, s'pose so, but I can't get at the biggest 'n' juiciest 'n' squashiest ones."
"Why not?"
"'Cos you're lyin' on 'em. Hohohoho!"
Saxtus got up slowly, feeling the cold juice running down his back. "Well, thank you for telling me so soon!"
Grubb plonked himself down and began stuffing
343
strawberries three at a time. "Oi sees 'ee winds blowed all 'ee strawbly trees away agin."
Sister Sage was creeping from the sickbay with Simeon on tip-paw. They had done all they could with the hare's dreadful injuries; now they decided it was best that she sleep and recuperate. The hinge squeaked as Sister Sage opened the door.
Rosie opened one eye and peeked through the bandaged slit. "Never died after all, wot . . . good . . . show!"
Simeon leaned on Sister Sage's arm. "Incredible! Totally unbelievable. I've heard of cats having nine lives, but that Rosie, she's the limit!"
Sister Sage shut the door as quietly as possible. "Or the absolute bally limit, as Colonel Clary would have said."
344
37
"Do you know where we are now?"
Mariel and Rawnblade shook their heads. They were completely lost on their guided tour of the tunnels of Terramort.
Joseph pointed ahead. "Go up there careful now because it's the end of this particular tunneland you'll see a couple of gorsebushes. Just part them and tell me what you see."
As they carried out his instructions, Mariel drew in a sharp breath. "It's Fort Bladegirt, right across on the next hill!"
Joseph nodded. "I can take you to another branch of this same tunnel that brings you out on the other side of the fort, or yet another which will bring you out at the back of Bladegirt. Well, does it give you any ideas?"
"A three-pronged invasion?"
"You took the words out of my mouth, Lord Rawnblade. Anything else you'd like to see?"
"Yes, Father. I'd like to see these other two exits. I'm beginning to get a few ideas myself."