Gerul hobbled along the dusty path as swiftly as he could, leaving Rollo behind. "Sure, if there's more'n one jackdaw t'deal with, those young maids will be in trouble," he shouted as he went. "Those are bad'n'dangerous birds if'n they're disturbed. I'll try t'catch up with them."
Twilight's first shadows were stealing gently over the woodlands when a long javelin sank deep into the ground next to the sleeping Dibbuns. Arven was wakened by a huge dark shape which swept him up into its powerful paws.
"Yeeeek! It'sa blizzards, they got me, 'eeeeelp!" he yelled.
Still befuddled by slumber, Diggum and Gurrbowl found themselves hefted upward in similar fashion.
"Hoo urr, let oi go, zurr, we'm naught but babes!"
"Ee blizzards goin' to eat uz all oop, oh woe!" the molebabes cried out.
Chuckling deeply, Rangapaw, daughter of Skipper, held the kicking, struggling Arven firmly. “Belay there, you liddle maggots, we ain't goin' to eat ye! Quit wrigglin' or you'll fall on yore 'ead!"
Diggum scrambled up onto the shoulder of the otter who was holding her. Grabbing his whiskers, she stared into her rescuer's eyes and said, "Yurr, you'm bain't no blizzard, you'm a h'otter!"
Rangapaw tucked Arven firmly into her side as she retrieved her javelin. "Hoho, matey, lucky fer you we are. Now wot are you three rogues doin' a wanderin' off from yore Abbey? Can't y'see 'tis close on nightfall? And we're supposed to be searching for a volemaid, not blizzard-hunters."
Arven popped out of his captor's grasp. Landing nimbly on the ground, he folded his paws across his small fat stomach and murmured darkly, "Us was 'untin' for blizzards who took Farver h'Abbot an' Voler. Us was gonna catcherem an' get all mucky an' scratchered an' bringem back to the h' Abbey an' not get shouted at."
The big otter shook with silent laughter at the three Dibbuns. She could understand their predicament, having had many similar adventures when she was small. "You did well, mates," she said. "We saw a great crowd o' them blizzards, just a short time ago. They was runnin' fer their cowardly lives 'cos they knew three warriors like you was abroad trackinem. Ain't that right, mates?"
The otter crew caught her broad wink and nodded solemnly.
"Ho aye, runnin' scared stiff they was!"
"Harr, I wouldn't 'ave liked to be one o' them if'n you three'd caught up with 'em!"
"Save us from those bloodthirsty Dibbuns, they was cryin' I 'eard 'em wid me own two ears!"
Arven scowled ferociously, picking up his stick and shaking it. "Cummon, you c'n 'elp us, we soon catchem!"
Rangapaw swept the tiny squirrel up onto her shoulder. "Nah, leave 'em, mate, they ain't worth it. We got to get you roughnecks back to Redwall. Ahoy, Rushcutter, break out some supplies so these warriors can eat on the way back."
Gurrbowl prodded the otter in question.
"Hurr aye, anurry ee up, oi be gurtly 'ungered!"
Back at the Abbey, Higgle Stump checked the contents of his ovens for the third time that evening. "What'll I do, Teasel? Serve the meal or empty these ovens an' let the vittles cool before they get spoiled?"
Goodwife Teasel continued ladling cooked gooseberry and rhubarb into a bowl. She was making a crumble. "Can't serve food if'n they're all still out searchin'. Wait'll I finish this, then I'll go an' find Mother Auma, see wot she wants us t'do with all this good fare."
Auma was sitting on the Abbey doorstep with Skipper, scratching her muzzle worriedly. "We should have started searching for those little ones last night," she said. "Sister Cicely wanted to and I stopped her. Leave them I said, they'll come out of hiding when they're hungry enough. Now look, we've searched all day long, everybeast in the Abbey, and still not a trace of them. It's all my fault, Skipperand there's poor Viola too, out there in the woods alonelost or captured, or worse ..."
The tough otter laid a gentle paw on his friend's shoulder. "Don't you go blamin' yoreself, marm. I'd 'ave said the same, knowin' those three liddle snips. Hearken, wot's that?"
Bong boom, boomabong!
Furlo Stump's shouts rang out from the belltower between the peals of Redwall's twin bells. "Otter crew comin' down the path with three Dibbuns, I see 'em clear. Open the gates, Wullger!"
The big badger Mother of Redwall swept away a tear with her apron corner as she hurried to the main gate. "Praise the fates! They're safe! But what of Viola?"
Sister Cicely caught up with her. "There's no sign, but at least these three are alive, seasons be thanked. Outside the Abbey walls, if you please, wandering all over Mossflower without a care in the world, I'll be bound. Well, just wait until I have a word with those three. I'll wager it was that little ragtag Arven who kept them out in those woods!"
A single bell tolled four times, calling all Redwallers to the meal in Great Hall. Owing to the addition of Log a Log and his Guosim shrews, who had stayed to help with the search, and Rangapaw's otter crew, extra tables had been laid.
Auma approached Rangapaw anxiously. "Was there no sign of our little volemaid?" she asked. "I can't bear to think of her lost and alone out in those dark woods."
"Sorry, marm," replied Rangapaw, "but rest assured. As soon as we've dealt with these three little ones, we'll resume our search."
Sister Cicely and several of the other Abbey elders were of the opinion that the three Dibbuns should be sent straight to bed after a good dressing-down for all the trouble they had caused. However, it was not to be. Skipper's daughter Rangapaw defended the babes stoutly, winning Auma and many others to her side. The otter went into comical detail relating the attitude of Arven and the two moles, and soon had everybeast nodding and smiling. Finally, she seated the trio among her otters.
"Mates, I can't think of no better tribute t'these three warriors who saved this ole Abbey from bein' overrun by blizzards, than bein' made official members of my otter crew. We need brave beasts like Arven, Diggum an' Gurrbowl t'protect us in our ole age, when they're growed an' we're staggerin' about all gray-furred."
Before Sister Cicely could protest, Log a Log stood up, saying, "I second that! No sense in breakin' their spirits by shoutin' at 'em an' sendin' them off t'bed with no vittles. They're three good 'uns, what d'you say, Skip?"
The otter Chieftain stroked his whiskers thoughtfully. "Well, if y'put it thatways, matey, wot c'n I say? We could've all been slayed or taken prisoner by blizzards, wotever they be, but fer these three. I'll say this, though, if'n they're to be otter crew then they got to abide by our laws ..."
Here Rangapaw turned to the three Dibbuns and stopped them stuffing their faces with strawberry junket for a moment. "D'you three take an oath by fur, fire'n'water that you don't go wanderin' off agin, unless it's with my permission? Also, d'ye swear that you'll act like proper otter crew warriors, obeyin' the orders of yore elders, never tellin' fibs, bein' good to allbeasts, an' growin' up well mannered? D'you take the oath?"
Diggum stood up on her chair, waving a spoon. "Ho aye, zurr, us'ns take ee oats!"
There was general cheering and laughter as the three Dibbuns stood nobly, paws on stomachs, because they were not sure where their hearts were located. Even Sister Cicely managed a smile.
Rangapaw called her scouts together and spoke gravely to Auma before silently slipping away to resume the search for Viola. "Don't you fret, marm. We won't rest night or day until we've searched every tree, nook and hollow of Mossflower woods and found the little maid."
The merriment ceased abruptly when the Abbey door banged open wide and Wullger the gatekeeper staggered in, holding up Tansy and Craklyn. They made it to the front of the main table then collapsed on the floor, breathless and sobbing.