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"You've been a lot of help to me, Gliv, but I don't need you anymore. Be still, now!"
Gliv felt the sudden sting at her throat--she gazed in frozen horror at her killer. Vilaya was still smiling as she clamped a paw over her victim's mouth.
"I took back my little dagger while you were tying that rag about my head. Go to sleep now. Your work is done."
Gliv died with her eyes wide open, still staring at the smiling face of the one whose life she had saved.
Fallug snarled at the branch carriers as they lugged their burdens back into the vermin camp. "You lot took yore time. C'mon, move yerselves--that stuff's needed. Shift yore lazy paws along, c'mon!"
A river rat muttered to Vilaya, "Huh, lissen to ole swollen 'ead throwin 'is weight about."
Vilaya replied in a sullen whisper, "We should only be takin' orders from Zwilt. Where is he?"
The rat shrugged. "I dunno, but he's left Fallug in charge. We've got t'call 'im Chief now. Weasels, eh, they're all the same, bossy an' thick'eaded, ain't that right, mate?"
Vilaya spat on the ground. "Right! But I wonder where Zwilt's got to. Ain't 'e goin' to attack the Abbey with us?"
A stoat who had overheard the pair nodded northward over the flatlands. "I think ole Zwilt's got 'is own plan. I saw 'im goin' off over that way with four others. They was carryin' ropes an' some 'ooks."
Before he could elaborate, Fallug cuffed his ear roughly. "Yore not here to chat. Now, git those branches tied t'that frame an' fix it over the batterin' ram."
He turned irately to Grakk, a weasel he had promoted to captain. "Wot is it now, eh?"
Grakk saluted with his spear. "Chief, that lot in the Abbey are tippin' stuff over the wall in front o' the gate, I think!"
Fallug stared at him pityingly. "Who told you y'could
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think, mudbrains? Leave the thinkin' t'me or Lord Zwilt. Yore here t'carry out orders, that's all!"
Vilaya moved away from the group until she was behind a small rise. She crouched there until the moment was right. With everybeast facing the Abbey or preparing the ram, she stole quietly off into the flatlands, heading north until she crossed Zwilt's trail. He and his escort were travelling in an arc. Vilaya knew they would cross the path into the woodlands, then go south to Redwall Abbey. After all, what else was Zwilt the Shade interested in?
Diggs had lost his way, but the tubby hare was not to be put off. Peering intently at the woodland floor, he shuffled slowly onward, chunnering relentlessly. "Ahah, wait now, I think we're on the right blinkin' track. Never lost for long if you're a bally Long Patrol chappie, wot!"
Ambrevina idly twirled her long sling. The huge badger maid leaned against a sycamore, observing ironically, "Never lost for long, eh? Then it's just as well I've got you for a guide, friend."
Without looking up, Diggs chunnered on. "Oh, yes, did a half season y'know. Learnin' trackin', sign readin' an' whatnot from old Corporal Broomscuttle. Jolly good old type Broomie was, taught me a heap of useful stuff. I was his bloomin' star pupil, y'know."
His badger companion was trying hard not to smile. "Were you, really? That's good to know!"
Studying the ground intently, Diggs chuckled. "Haw haw, you can bet your grandma's marchin' boots it is. See this small, faint track here? That's a sort o' wotsit beetle. Forgotten the blighter's name, but the thing is this, it always travels south. Hah, an' by my reckonin' that's where the Abbey is. Er, or was it west? No bother, Tracker Diggs'll soon find it, wot!"
The garrulous hare got no further, owing to the fact that Ambrevina lifted him up bodily. Perching him on
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her shoulder, she pointed to her right. Above the trees-- directly in the opposite direction Diggs had been taking-- Redwall's Belltower stood out like a pikestaff. She enquired calmly, "What d'you suppose that is, Tracker Diggs?"
For the first time in quite a while, Diggs fell silent. He twiddled his ears this way and that, sniffed the air and tested the breeze with a damp paw.
Then he spoke. "Well, of course, it's jolly old Redwall. Top marks, marm. You passed my little test. I was wondering when y'd finally notice the confounded thing!"
Ambrevina dumped him down unceremoniously. "That must be the back of the Abbey--east wall, do you think?"
Diggs brushed himself off without turning a hair. "Oh, undoubtedly. Well, forward the buffs an' pip pip. Here's to some of the finest scoff that ever passed a chap's lips, wot. Now, I wonder if it's lunchtime, or midmornin' snack break. I say, there, wait for me, Ambry, old gel!"
Zwilt the Shade emerged from some bushes with the four Ravagers at his back. They watched the hare and the badger hurrying off toward the Abbey. Though Zwilt felt like heaving a sigh of relief, he showed no emotion to his escort. The obvious size and power of Ambrevina made him feel quite puny in comparison. She presented a problem he had not anticipated. However, Zwilt was not about to allow anything to get in the way of his Abbey conquest, not even a massive badger.
Following the pair at a safe distance, the tall sable moved amongst the trees like a noon shadow. The four Ravagers followed in his wake, fearful of putting a single paw wrong, each trying to breathe noiselessly.
Further intrigue was added to the moment by Vilaya, who had caught up with Zwilt. The Sable Quean crouched behind a guelder bush. She spied on Zwilt as he, in turn, watched Ambrevina and Diggs. Then they all moved off toward the east Abbey wall.
Diggs went straight to the small wicker gate and tried it several times. "Huh, might've guessed the flippin' thing'd
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be locked. Let's see if we can't raise some sentry types, wot!" Standing back a few paces, he yelled up at the wall-top, "I say, anybeast at home?"
The big badgermaid peered at the battlements. "Apparently not. Shall I give it a try?"
Without waiting for Diggs's permission, she cupped paws about her mouth and bellowed thunderously, "Come on, stir your stumps, we're friends!"
There was a sudden patter of paws, followed by some scrabbling as somebeast climbed up the battlements.
Young Rambuculus Witherspyk poked his head over the top. Not noticing Diggs, the first thing he saw was Ambrevina. The young hog was obviously overwhelmed by the sight of such a massive beast, never having seen a badger before.
"Whoa! Corks'n'crivvens, who are you?"
Diggs stepped into view, making reply. "Who d'ye think she is, a ferret or a bally stoat? Now get down here an' open the gate, you little pot herb!"
Zwilt had heard all that went on. He and the Ravagers were lying amidst nearby ferns. Deeming it a chance he could ill afford to miss, Zwilt drew his broadsword, murmuring to his escort, "Don't make a sound. No shouting out or charging. But as soon as that little door opens, follow me. If we're swift and silent, they'll be ambushed. Two of you take the hare and the young hog. I'll run the badger through before she has a chance to fight. You two grab her paws, and I'll stab her from behind.... Ready!"
Diggs was irked by Rambuculus's insolence. The young hog could be heard calling out as he descended the east wallsteps, "How'm I supposed t'know who you are, eh? We're fightin' a war in here, y'know. There's vermin all over the flatlands, comin' with a batterin' ram, an' my pa sends me off patrollin' the bloomin' back wall. It's an insult, that's what it is! Then you two turn up shoutin' an' tellin' me that you might be a ferret an' a stoat. Now this flippin' lock's stickin'!"
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Diggs yelled at the door, "Well, unstick the bally thing an' let us in or I'll kick your flamin' tail!"
Rambuculus tugged the lock loose. Opening the door, he poked his head around it. "Hah, y'can't kick a hedgehog's tail. Didn't anybeast ever tell ye? You'll get a pawful o' spikes, so there!"
Ambrevina entered, with Diggs right on her heels. To show his displeasure, the tubby hare slammed the door shut quickly, waggling his ears at Rambuculus as he shoved the bolt back into place.