"You be still, naughtymouse, or we choppa you whiskers off!"
Two baby moles hanging on to Martin's belt giggled uproariously at the idea, adding their own threats.
"Heeheehee, urr, an' us'n's bite ee paws offen!"
"Yurr, an' chuck ee inna pond, hurrhurrhurr!"
Martin looked with mock pleading at his captors. "Oh, lackaday, will no kind creature help me? I'm captured by wild ruffians. Have mercy on me, you savage beasts!"
Baby Gonflet grinned triumphantly at his prisoner. "On'y if'n you comes wiv us!"
Keeping up a pretence of fear, Martin was led protesting to the Abbey by a veritable swarm of mouse, squirrel, mole and hog babes.
Cavern Hole was a comfortable room inside the Abbey, slightly below ground level. Abbess Germaine sat propped by cushions in her enormous ceremonial chair, surrounded by her Redwallers. Ferdy ran up the stairs and back down again, his spikes quivering excitedly.
"He's comin'! The Dibbuns are bringin' Martin!"
Agile squirrels scampered about with tapers, lighting the colored lanterns which supplemented the customary tallow candles, lending the chamber a festive atmosphere. In front of the Abbess's chair stood a long solid elmwood table, unadorned and bare. Martin was marched up to it by the Dibbuns, and Gonflet raised a chubby paw in salute to Bella.
"Us catchered 'im an' brought 'im 'ere, miz Bell!"
The big badger nodded solemnly. "Thank you, my friends, good work. Sit down now, and we'll deal with him right away!"
Martin held silent, only moving one eyelid to return a wink from his friend Gonff. He was, however, mystified.
Abbess Germaine opened the proceedings by pointing an accusing paw at the Warrior. "What does this creature stand charged with?"
Answers came rattling back like hailstones.
"Always helping others!"
"Defending our creatures with his life!"
"Never considering himself!"
"Being good and kind to all about him!"
"Assisting Abbess Germaine to design the Abbey!"
"Bein' the best friend a mousethief ever had, matey!"
"Hurr, an' keepin' gurt troubles to 'isself!"
Bella restored order by banging once on the table. She appealed to the Abbess. "This could go on all season. Pass sentence on him!"
Germaine's eyes twinkled as she tapped her cane on the chair. "Bring in the instruments of punishment!"
Two trolleys were borne downstairs from the kitchens. One had a big barrel of strawberry fizz and beakers on it, the other a magnificent three-tiered cake, surmounted by a marchpane figure of the Warrior himself. The Abbess looked sternly from the trolleys to Martin and announced in a no-nonsense voice, "I order that you either eat all of this cake and drink the contents of that barrel... or share it with us before you embark upon your journey!"
Martin was plainly bewildered. "Er, I'll share it with you all, of course, but, er, what journey is this I'm supposed to be embarking upon?"
Gonff stepped forward, carrying Martin's great sword. It was a plain warrior's weapon, nothing fancy. The hilt was the one that had belonged to his father's old sword: blackbound, with a red pommel stone at its top. But its blade was like no other, fashioned by a Badger Lord from a chunk of metal fallen from the stars. Martin took it from Gonff, his face reflecting in the burnished steel as he said, "This has been used for a lot of things, but never for anything as delicate as a cake."
Gonff indicated a spot on the butter-colored meadow-cream, between a candied chestnut and a honey-preserved rose petal. "Cut the cackle an' slice the cake, matey!"
A loud cheer went up as the keen blade slid into the massive confection.
"Martin the Warrior! Redwaaaaaaaallllll!"
Columbine took over the slicing and Coggs served drinks, while Martin sat in a corner with some of his friends, eating and sipping happily. He nudged the Mousethief.
"Gonff, you tubby rascal, I've a feeling you're at the back of all this. Come on, tell me, where's this journey going to take me?"
The Prince of Mousethieves blew out his cheeks airily. "Huh! You, matey? What makes y'think yore goin' anyplace without me? I'll be with you every step o' the way!"
"Hurr, zurr, an' oi, too. You'm bain't a-goin' an' leavin' Dinny Foremole ahind of ee!"
Martin wrinkled his brow in frustration and put aside his slice of cake, which Baby Gonflet promptly stole.
"Look, will you all stop talking in circles and tell me where I'm supposed to be going?"
Trimp could hold the secret no longer. She blurted out, "To the place you've been dreaming of, where your father, Luke the Warrior, swore to return someday. The northland shore, where you were born!"
Martin looked this way and that, blinking. His paws took on a life of their own, fidgeting distractedly.
"But... but... what about the Abbey? I haven't made any arrangements, then there's provisions, directions, a thousand things that would have to be done ..."
Columbine came over. Wiping cream and cake from the great battle blade with her apron corner, she gave the sword to Martin and sat down beside him.
"No excuses, sir Warrior, 'tis all arranged and taken ca re of since this afternoon. Provisions are packed for you all, and you've got the entire summer ahead of you. Skipper and Bella will take charge of the building work. I'll look after the Abbess. There's absolutely nothing for you to do or worry about. After all you've done for Redwall and its creatures, the least we can do in return is to allow you a trip to the place of your birth, which 'tis clear you long to see."
Martin squeezed Columbine's paw gratefully. "Thank youthank you all. What can I say?"
The irrepressible Gonff pounded him on the back. "That's easy, matey, you can either say no, an' sit around with a face like thunder until the flippin' Abbey falls down on us, or you can say yes, when do we leave?"
For the first time in days Martin the Warrior laughed. He backpawed Gonff in the stomach, knocking the wind from him. "Yes, when do we leave?"
Dinny did not notice Baby Gonflet purloining his slice of cake as he shook Martin's paw with a hefty digging claw.
"Boi dawn on ee morrow at furst loight, zurr matey!"
Chapter 3
Stars paled into the receding night, as the cloudless sky turned from aquamarine to soft pastel bands of a new day. Out in the vast leagues of Mossflower, birds began singing among still foliage of trees which stood like ancient giants. The sun rose in the east, an immense golden ball, ready to preside over the morning and noon.
Skipper and Bella opened the main gate wide, and all the inhabitants of Redwall crowded out onto the path, surrounding the four travelers. Trimp was sorry to be leaving the beautiful Abbey and its friendly creatures. Words of advice and farewells fell thick as leaves in autumn.
"Fates an' fortunes be with ye!"
"Bringa me back lotsa seashells, daddy Gonff!"
"Go careful now. Watch yore step, Trimp!"
"Aye, an' don't let that Gonff scoff all the supplies."
"Stay away from deep water, Dinny!"
"An' don't climb any tall trees, mate!"
"Keep that sword close t'paw, Martin. You never know!"
"Have you got a clean kerchief, Gonff? I've packed some extra for you. Oh, don't forget your flute!"
Martin kissed Abbess Germaine's wrinkled brow. "Goodbye, Mother Abbess. Watch out for us near autumn."
The ancient mouse sniffed as she straightened his swordbelt over one shoulder. "Come back safe to Redwall Abbey, Martin the Warrior!"
Red wallers stopped out on the path, cheering and waving, until the four figures traveling north were lost in the shimmering dust.
Gonff strode out cheerfully, calling back to Dinny, who was lagging behind at a slower gait, "Come on, Din, keep up, you old wobblechops!"
Shambling along at his own pace, the good mole was not about to be rushed. "More 'aste less speed, zurr. We'm gotten all ee summer afore us'n's. You'm on'y get all 'ot an' wearied boi rushen along loik ee fussy rabbert!"