Being stronger, the ash had forced the laburnum to bend. Together they formed a rough diagonal cross with their trunks.
Skipper placed his chin in the cross joint. All I can see is the sun in me eyes.
Churk shook her head at his efforts. Then try comin’ round the other side an’ lookin’ that way.
Skipper rubbed his eyes. That’s wot comes o’ bein’ born wid brains.’Ere, Sagax, you give it a go, matey!
The young badger took up his place on the other side of the tree. With his chin in the intersection, he gazed ahead. I’m afraid I don’t see anything except woodland, trees, bushes, ferns. No, sorry, can’t see a thing!
That’s probably’cos it ain’t midday yet. Shogg stared upward at the sky. We’ll just’ave to wait.
Skipper winked broadly at Log a Log. Wot would ye do without us otters, I ask ye?
The Guosim Chieftain replied nonchalantly. Share out yore vittles atween the rest of us, me ole mate!
Sagax brightened up. Vittles, that’s a nice idea. Thank goodness we don’t have Scarum along with us.
They dined on some of Friar Gooch’s oatloaf, which had honey and nuts baked into it, together with apples and flasks of dandelion and burdock cordial.
Triss felt better than she had in a long time, surrounded by good friends, true honest beasts. A sudden wave of affection for Shogg swept over her. She watched him joking and chuckling with some Guosim shrews as they shared their food. Good old faithful Shogg! He had been with her from the start, through thick and thin. It would be pleasant for them to live out their seasons at Redwall, with all its happy atmosphere and trusty companions.
The squirrelmaid gazed at her reflection in the blade of Martin the Warrior’s great sword. She could see in her own eyes that this could never be. Not whilst there was a single creature living under the yoke of slavery, across the seas in Riftgard. Drufo’s voice was still burned into her memory: Get away from’ere, Trissy. Get away! I ain’t goin’
nowhere! This is as good a day to die as any. Remember me, remember yore father. You’ll be back to free the slaves one day, I know ye will.
Now go, don’t waste the chance we gave ye!
As Triss gazed at her reflection in the swordblade, the noise of creatures talking, laughing and eating together blended into a fuzzy background hum. The squirrelmaid’s eyes were fixed on the bright blade.
However, it was not her features staring back at her; it was Martin, the Warrior of Redwall, whose strong, gentle voice echoed through her mind:
’Twixt leaning ash and poison gold, Trisscar Swordmaid, look, behold, What is sought by everyone. Now! Ere high noon light moves on.
Shogg poured out a drink for Triss, but as he held it out to her, she rose dreamily and brushed by him. Log a Log watched her go toward the two trees.
She looks like she’s sleepwalkin’, mate. Hi, Trissy, where are ye off to?
Shogg silenced the shrew hurriedly. Hush, mate, let’er be!
Triss’s odd behaviour caused the entire camp to quieten down, Churk whispered to Sagax, Look, the sun’s dead centre, it must be exactly midday at this moment!
Placing her chin in the treeforks, Triss narrowed her eyes, peering straight ahead. Then it was as if the spell was broken, for she became her usual cheerful self.
Leaving her position, she strode resolutely forward. Passing Churk, she gave the ottermaid’s ear a tweak and laughed aloud. Haha, I caught a glimmer! Go and put your chin in that tree fork, mate. Don’t look until I give you a shout.
Mystified, Churk carried out the request. Triss continued walking until she was almost obscured by trees and shrubbery. She halted at what appeared to be a hump in the ground. Picking up a rough, paw-sized pebble from the top of the hump, she began polishing it hard against her tunic.
Having done this, she replaced the pebble and called out, Churk, get your chin in the fork and take a look!
A short moment went by. Then Churk could be heard yelling, Yaharr! Great wallopin’ rudders, mates, come an’ take an eyeful o’ this. Trissy, me pal, yore a wonderÑhow did ye know?
Crowding round, the entire party struggled to get a glance.
I see it, the light, it shines like white fire!
Sagax and Shogg dashed through the woodland to Triss’s side. She was leaning proudly on a massive bulge with bright green liverwort moss growing all over it. Small, tight and curling fronds completely obscured the stone. Triss pointed to the rough rock crystal pebble standing at its centre.
1 saw it glimmer in the midday sun. It was a bit dull and dirty, so I gave it a good polish to make it shine properly.
Sagax touched the bulge reverently. So this big mound is the greenstone!
Churk ran her paws through the moss covering the stone. The rear entrance to Brockhall! But how did ye find it, Triss?
The squirrelmaid shrugged, her vision of Martin unre-called. I don’t know, really. Just a bright idea, I suppose.
Skipper gave a great belly laugh. Hohoho! Bright idea, that’s a good’un.
Lookin’ at that crystal pebble, I’d say’twas a shinin’ idea, miss. Now, mates, anybeast got more bright ideas as to’ow we move this big hump of rock?
Churk and Triss were already on all fours, doing a tour of the rock’s base. The squirrelmaid suddenly halted. Without looking up, she shot out a paw. Sharp knife, please!
A dozen daggers appeared like magic. She grabbed one, talking as she scraped busily away. Moss isn’t growing as thick here. Somebeast scraped it away a long time ago, but it takes a lot of seasons for liverwort as thick as this to grow properly again. What d’you make of this, matey?
Churk was at her side, inspecting the symbols scratched into the bare limestone. She nodded knowingly ’Tis that crazy ole alphabet again.
Mokug, get me that key I made, it’s in my pack. I’ll soon tell ye wot this says!
By the time they had cleaned off the stone sufficiently, Mokug found the translation and brought it to Churk. Using birchbark parchment and a charcoal stick, Shogg wrote the symbols as Churk called out the letters: turn halfway and slide south
Sagax scratched his striped muzzle. Turn halfway and slide south. Let’s give it a try, Skip!
Between them, both otter and badger possessed considerable strength.
However, they could not budge the stone a bit, no matter how they threw their weight against it. Triss could not help smiling at their efforts.
Stop pushing and shoving before you do yourselves an injury. It’s pretty clear that nobeast has moved this stone for ages. Wouldn’t it be better to clear the ground around the base first, get rid of all these weeds and rubbish?
Skipper blew a sweat bead from his nose tip and grinned. I was waitin’
for me niece Churk t’suggest that, miss, but I’m willin’ to accept yore solution!
Log a Log swept his rapier blade along the ground. When he pulled away the moss where the rock met earth, he heard a scraping sound. It’s stone, a stone laid on a stone base. Let’s get to it!
It did not take long for the efforts of the entire party to clear a wide circle. The Guosim Chieftain was right. Their work revealed a wide flat stone base, with scratches in it that had been made every time the badgers of old had shifted the greenstone to open the rear exit.
Streamwater and soapwort were brought, and they washed the base off and rubbed soapwort plants onto the stonework. Skipper, Sagax and Shogg tried this time. At first the greenstone refused to budge, then Triss and Churk lent a paw. The ottermaid lent a suggestion, too.