Every hedgehog held up their paws and answered, "Sons o' the sand an' daughters o' the dunes!"
The Chieftain looked around until he had selected a very young beast, who was still learning the tribe's rules. A question-and-answer session started between master and novice. Older Dunehogs watched, nodding sagely.
"Do we fight our enemies?"
"Dunehogs would rather use fright than fight!"
"How tall is a Dunehog?"
"As tall as his stilts!"
"Where do Dunehogs live?"
"In a roundhouse where nobeast knows!"
"Why don't they know?"
" 'Cos we cover our tracks!"
"An' when is it your turn to cover tracks?"
"Dawn 'til night, first quarter o' the moon!"
"Right. You did grand, young 'un, just grand!"
"I thankee, Chief Dunespike!"
Food was served amid a babble of chatter. Dunespike plumped his huge bulk down between Martin and Trimp, knocking Murfo out of the way. "Ah, that's better now. My turn t'sit next t'the pretty maid." He tweaked Trimp's headspikes before turning to Martin. "These young 'uns must learn the rules, y'know. Sit ye an' welcome to our ould home. Eat hearty now."
The crew of the Honeysuckle soon got into the habit of eating like Dunehogs. There was a board, piled high with wafer-thin ryeflour pancakes, and between each four creatures two earthenware pots were placed, steam arising from both. One of the pots contained a thick stew, consisting of overboiled potato, finely chopped cabbage, wild onions and various types of shellfish. This was spooned onto a pancake and rolled up carefully. One end was twisted a couple of times to stop the contents spilling out.
Gonff was an expert within seconds. He nudged a nearby Dunehog. "Good idea, this, mate. Saves a lot o' plate washin'."
"Oh, that it does, sir. 'Tis a grand ould idea!"
Gonff, the perfect mimic, answered him in Dunehog idiom. "Ah sure 'tis. Grand, grand!"
Everybeast within hearing chuckled appreciatively.
When the first pot was finished, there was still about half the amount of pancakes left. These they used in like manner with the contents of the second pot: a sweet hot mass of pulped berries and honey, with some strange tangy spice mixed in.
Dunespike chomped away blissfully. "Ah, thank ye, Muther Nature, for the good ould sweet stuff. 'Twas meself was thinkin' I might never taste it again until yourself magicked me rotten tooth away, Martin!"
For entertainment the Dunehogs laid on an exhibition of Spinetussling. A circle was cleared and two contestants tied on pairs of half-size learning stilts. They stood balancing at the ring's inner edge. Then a few oldsters, acting as referees and judges, shouted, "Hold y'circle, no paw touchin' now. Get set. Tussle!" The pair stumped adroitly out, charging one another. They were two fully grown males and had lots of supporters.
"Ah, g'wan there, Doggie, make him eat sand!"
"Get into the great lump, Paykel. Throw him spike o'er stilts an' let's see the soles of his footpaws!"
"Watch the divvil now, Doggie. Look out fer those sweeps with his stilts!"
"Go on, Tussle will ye, Tussle!"
Both hedgehogs circled awhile then met in the middle with a resounding bump of heads. They locked head-spikes and began trying to throw each other over. Not being allowed to touch one another with their paws made it very hard. Sweating and grunting, they pushed back and forth, every now and again trying a side hop to unbalance the unwary one.
"Now, Doggie, now, give him the ould sidehead twist!"
"Use the one two forward butt, Paykel, an' you'll Tussle him!"
In the end Doggie triumphed. He took the advice, using a combination of the sidehead twist and a left stilt-sweep. With a roar of surprise, Paykel spun once in the air, stilts flying high, to land flat on his back. Cheers rang out from Doggie's supporters as he leaned down and rapped on his opponent's stilts thrice, which is considered a very sporting gesture in Spinetussling circles.
Now the Dunehogs were calling for the Chief to enter the ring, but he shook his head, smiling.
Murfo yelled across at him. "G'wan, da, show 'em how a real champion Tussles, or is yer belly gettin' too grand?"
This aroused jeers and laughter. Still smiling, Dunespike plodded down to the ring's edge. "Are you fit to be thrown, Doggie?"
Doggie performed an agile dance on his stilts. "Aye, Chief, I am that. Though I'm thinkin' 'twill take somehog younger an' faster than yerself to throw me, ye fat ould omadorm."
Dunespike raised one eyebrow. There was menace behind his smile as he tied on one stilt. "Ah sure mebbe I am gettin' on in seasons, but let's see if we can't make ye kiss the sand wid yer backspikes!"
A gasp arose from the audience as Dunespike stood erect.
"Will ye look at that, he's goin' to Tussle wid only one stilt. I )oggle will make crab bait of the ould fool!"
One of the judges pointed at Dunespike. "D'ye not know ver wearin' only one stilt, Chief?"
"I do!"
"An' y'wisli to Tussle like that tonight?"
"I do!"
The judge shook his head in resignation. "Right. Hold y'circle now, no paw touchin', get set. Tussle."
The agility and skill of one so old and heavy shook Martin. Dunespike bounded across the ring on his one stilt, meeting Doggie, who was yet not halfway across. Down went the Chief's huge head, spikes bristling, and he caught his opponent a mighty butt, locking spikes and twisting powerfully. Doggie went sailing through the air sideways, to land amid the spectators. Roaring with laughter, Dunespike hopped over to knock his opponent's stilts thrice amid wild applause. Then he looked at Martin. "Would ye like to tie the ould stilts on an' Tussle wid me, Martin of Redwall?"
Shaking his head, Martin held up both paws, laughing. "I'd sooner tangle teeth with a shark than Tussle with you, sir. You're a warrior born!"
Gonff chimed in. "Martin's a warrior too, y'know, an' sure he's a grand one with the ould sword. Let him show ye!"
Martin shook his head wearily at the Mousethief. "Gonff, if you want any exhibitions of sword dancing, you can do them yourself. I don't like showing off every time we meet new friends."
Gonff shrugged glumly. Trimp felt sorry for him and immediately tackled Martin.
"It's not a case of you showing off, Martin, it's wanting to show you off to our friends. He's so proud of you, as we all are. Couldn't you manage just one little example of your bladeskill?"
Martin threw his paws about them both. "When you put it like that, I've no option, missie. Forgive my bad manners to you, Gonff. Right, let's see what we can do with these stilts!"
At Martin's request the Dunehogs thrust two stilts upright in the sand and balanced another one across their tops. The three stilts looked like a doorframe standing freely in the middle of the ring. The Warrior bade everybeast stand clear. A silence fell as they eagerly watched Martin take up position, holding the sword over one shoulder in a classic fighting stance. After weighing the stilts up, he hopped a half-pace back and went into action with a roar. "Redwaaaaaaaalllllll!"
Like a shimmering blur of light the fabulous blade hit the topmost, horizontal stilt, sending it flying in the air. Almost within the same breath the sword zipped left and right, chopping both the upright stilts clean through their middles. Before the top stilt had hit the ground, Martin's sword severed it in midair. Even before the thunderstruck audience could shout or applaud, Martin had sheathed his battleblade and was sitting calmly next to Dunespike.
Amid the tumultuous applause, stamping footpaws and rattling spikes, the hedgehog Chieftain found his voice. "Well stagger me spikes an' pickle me paws! Martin of Redwall, ye'd be a useful mouse t'have around anyplace! I thought me own two eyes were tellin' fibs t'me. Sure an' I still don't believe I seen y'do what y'did, sir!"
It was enough to end the battleplay. A great old hogwife took out a curious stringed instrument and began twanging it with her headspikes, another began shaking a tambourine, and a third took up his little paw-drum and beat a lively tattoo.