Marlfox

Elachim the otter yelled, "Here's the good ole sun come to chase the dull clouds away!"

After the prolonged rain, wind and dark skies, a bright summer sun set everybeast's spirits soaring. Cheering and laughing, they continued their journey to Redwall.

Late afternoon found Tragglo and Dannflor out on the path by the Abbey, gathering dandelions and the sticky-budded burdock. The Cellarkeeper explained the finer points of the plants as they culled them into a rush basket.

"Dannelions, now, you can use 'em fer brewin' or in salads. Pick the young 'uns with plenty o' buds on, they're the sweetest."

Dannflor smelled the lemony fragrance of a young bud and nibbled it. "Right, Tragglo, they do taste good. Which burdock do I pick?" The hedgehog pointed them out. "Those smaller ones. They're the lesser burdock, much better'n the big 'uns, which're called greater burdock. Good juice in lesser burdock. Y'can use it fer treatin' burns an' bruises, or y'can take the whole plant fer brewin', or use the stalks in salads too. Hold 'ard there, young Dann, who be they comin' up yon path?"

Dannflor shaded his eyes against the sun, watching the strange assortment of creatures and the canvas-covered cart approaching the Abbey. An otter out in front raised his paws and called out, "Redwaaaaaalll!"

Tragglo climbed out of the ditch where they had been gathering plants, wiping his paws on his apron. He chuckled. "Me ole pal Skipper an' some friends by the look of 'em. Go an' give the bells a toll, Dann, let every-beast know we got company!"

The young squirrel scampered off, delighted to have the privilege of being bellringer. Hurrying into the ground floor of the belltower, he grabbed the two ropes, one in each paw, high up and pulled with all his might.

Bong! Boom!

Dannflor's footpaws shot off the floor. He dangled there a moment, then came down to the ground again as the bells tolled a second time. Releasing the ropes, he ran outside and joined the Redwallers who were hurrying toward the gate, eager to meet the visitors.

Dannflor's father recognized a friendly face instantly. Hugging and back-patting, they greeted one another.

"Janglur Swifteye, you haven't changed a hair since the old days!"

"Hahaha! Neither have you, Rusvul Reguba, you old warrior!"

"Ellayo, Rimrose, you look well. Hah! I'll wager that's yore daughter, Janglur. A lot prettier'n you, but she's got yore long eyelashes. Come here, son, I want you to meet my ole pal Janglur an' his family. This is Dannflor Reguba, son of a warrior!"

Song shook Dannflor's paw. "I'm Songbreeze Swifteye, but they all call me Song."

"Pleased to meet you, Song. I'm Dannflor, but they call me Dann."

"Where's your mother, Dann? Is she here?"

Dannflor looked down awkwardly. "She died when I was very small. I don't even remember her."

There was a moment's embarrassed silence, then Dippler bounded up. "Hello, you've found another pal for us, Song. Don't introduce himI'll guess his name afore the season's done."

Song gave the shrew a playful shove. "This is Dippler, he throws water on squirrels when they're trying to sleep. Dippler, meet our new friend Dann!"

Brother Melilot had been holding a whispered conversation with Badgermum Cregga. She nodded in agreement with him. Melilot banged the main gate timbers with a copper ladle to get attention.

"Friends, guests, travelers, whoever ye be, welcome to the Abbey of Redwall. Now, d'you want to stand out here gossipin' an' backslappin' until dark, or would you like to come along inside an' get somethin' to eat?"

Florian's voice rang out over the general chorus of approval. "Eat, sah! Did my ears deceive me or did some-beast mention victuals? Lead me to the jolly old table an' I'll show you what a peckish thespian can accomplish armed only with mouth and appetite, wot!"

Foremole Gubbio murmured to Gurrbowl Cellarmole, "Hurr, woe be us'n's, oill wager yon creature's gurtly 'ungered!"

Sister Sloey, who had heard the remark, nodded agreement. "That hare looks as if he could strip the orchard bare on his way to clean out the kitchens!"

The visitors were seated on the lawn, close to the Abbey pond, while numerous Redwallers hurried off to the kitchens to prepare food for them. Log a Log, Janglur and Florian sat apart from the rest, and quietly reported the Marlfox sightings to Cregga, Friar Butty and Nutwing. The blind badger listened carefully to what they had to say before giving her verdict.

"I'd always thought Marlfoxes were a legend, some kind of bogeybeast whose name is used to frighten naughty Dibbuns. But in the light of what you have told us I think there could be great danger in their presence around Mossflower."

Nutwing preened his wing feathers thoughtfully. "Hmm mm. What's to be done about them? Log a Log says that they've got a considerable number of water rats, and that means extra trouble."

Friar Butty looked around the group. "We need the advice of an Abbey Warrior. Trouble is, old Abbot Arven was the last Redwall Champion, but he's passed away. Er, I don't suppose any of you creatures would have a suggestion?"

Janglur's slitted eyes betrayed little as he spoke his piece. "Here's what y'do. First you shut that Abbey gate tight. Nobeast leaves Redwall, except for scoutin' patrols. Our friend Log a Log can organize his Guosim shrews fer that. Meanwhile, we'll use what warriors we have to organize defenses. Skipper, Rusvul an' myself."

Cregga's heavy paw patted Janglur's shoulder. "Thank the seasons we're not without sensible warriors. You arrived at Redwall not a moment too soon, friend. Friar Butty, what do we know of Marlfoxes? Is there anything in the Abbey recordings that might help us?"

"I'll take a look, marm. Mayhap you'll help me, Nutwing?"

The owl began polishing his spectacles on his breast feathers. "Hmm mm, of course I will. I'll do my best to remember all you say."

Janglur had another suggestion to make. "If'n you want to know about Marlfoxes, I'd start by askin' my ole mum, ' Ellayo. She's never spoken too much about it, but I'm sure she's got a couple o' tales concernin' such beasts."

Meanwhile, over by the pond, Dann scooted a flat pebble out over the surface, counting the number of times it skipped. "I make that five. Of course, I'm pretty used to this pond. See how many times yours bounces, Song."

The flat brown pebble Song had found skimmed out while they watched it.

"Four, no, four and a little one. Oh, go on then, we'll call it five. Righto, Dippler, let's see if you can beat five!"

The young Guosim shrew picked up a pebble, not bothering about its shape or weight, and slung it almost haphazardly, turning to face his friends as the stone skipped on its journey across the water. "Eight! But y'must remember that I was born around water, been skimmin' stones since afore I could speak."

Dannflor was watching the main Abbey door from the corner of one eye, and now he noticed Brother Melilot emerge with a ladle and a flat pan. The young squirrel smiled slyly at his companions. "Hmm, you two are pretty clever at most things, aren't you. Well, let's see how good you are at bein' first in for scoff!"

He took off from them at a dead run on the same instant that Melilot began banging the ladle against the pan and shouting, "Vittles ready in Great Hall, come and get 'em one an' all!"

Song and Dippler pursued Dann, berating him.

"You crafty rotter, wait for us!"

"Treewalloper! Least you could've done was give us a level start!"

Mokkan the Marlfox pointed to a sheltered creek at the streamside, raising his voice.

"This should do. Pull in here, and hide the boats under those trees."

The female Marlfox, Ziral, leapt ashore and watched until the last logboat had turned into the inlet. When the water rats had disembarked she called two of them. " Allag, Ruheb, take six trackers apiece, spread out and go separate ways. Find our brothers and sisters and bring them back here."

Mokkan stretched wearily out beneath a spreading sycamore, glad to be free from the confines of a logboat's prow. He snapped out orders to the water rats standing to attention along the bank. "Get the nets, find fish. Archers, bring down some birds. You four, collect wood and get a fire going. Dry wood, mindwe want as little smoke as possible. Bring fruit and berries, only the ripest ones. You, spread my cloak carefully over that bush to dry out."