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BOOK 2 - SERVANT IN EXILE

13

An extract from the diary of Tim Churchmouse, recorder of events at Redwall Abbey in Mossflower Country.

The Spring of Strong Saplings has drawn to a glorious close with our Redwall father, Abbot Sedge christening the new season; Summer of the Orange Buttercup. When he was out in the abbey orchards a few mornings ago, he couldn't help but notice that the buttercup flowers had an orange tint to their colour. With the onset of summer, our Father Abbot seems excited that next autumn will be his second jubilee feast. Jube Stump and his sisters are already making preparations for it. Personally, I think that they're doing the sensible thing. Early preparation is the key to a successful feast. I wish that some of our friends were here to enjoy the lazy summer days ahead. Our warrior Mattimeo was gone south to the kingdom of Southsward to assist the king in matters regarding recent raids by corsairs. Some senior Mossflower patrol members have gone with him to help with the king's efforts. My sister Tess hopes that he will return soon for she misses him so much. Sometimes I don't see why. I must confess, ever since the passing of his father last autumn and combined with his mother passing away the following winter, he's become a completely different mouse. Badgermum Auma has found him countless times sleeping on the cold stones in Great Hall always in front of our grand tapestry. Always in front of the likeness of our hero Martin the Warrior. I think it's because he believes the only thing he can draw comfort from is our first warrior. Not that we've tried to help him but sometimes it feels he's grown cold to the touch of those that respect and love him. Both Tess and myself have lost our parents recently but our mourning has finished and all that matters is what lies ahead. However, my best friend seems more and more withdrawn. Nevertheless I am confident that when he returns he will feel a bit better. Perhaps that's what he needed all this time, a good long holiday from the duties and stress of abbey life. Some time away from the abbey to clear his mind and not to be constantly reminded of what has happened to him. Anyhow, I'm more concerned looking forward to the abbot's feast that is coming up very soon. I cannot wait, the music, the laughter and of course the food. I think I can taste the October ale already. If you are passing by early next autumn come and join us, there's always a spare seat at our table. The only thing we'll ask of you is that you bring a kind heart and a good yarn.

Tim Churchmouse, Abbey Recorder

Out on the southern trails of Mossflower woods a family of voles strolled west to get back to their home on the plains. The two older voles, husband and wife, were carrying food and supplies while the young female giggled as she chased butterflies along the path. "Don't stray too far Ivy, or you'll get lost," "It's all right Topaz, she knows better," her husband said reassuringly, "and she's not made of glass," "I know Francis, but after what she's been through I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her." Ivy's laughter slowly died away. Francis looked around and saw nobeast, he shook his head and sighed wearily, "Ah, where's she got to now?" "Exactly the same place yer goin'," a voice called out from the overgrowth. Without warning several murderous creatures rushed out of the forests' shadows, one holding a knife up to Ivy's throat. The leader of the group a vicious looking fox with his tail missing addressed the two cowering voles, "Well, what 'ave we got 'ere? Right you two, where you keepin' the good cheese and elderberry wine?" "We ain't got cheese an' wine, fox! Alls we 'ave is all we need until the next harvest," said Francis. Another fox snatched the sack full of food and looked inside. Fresh bread, wild berries, root vegetables, a bag of salt, some ripe apples and half a wheel of cheese. "Hey, I knew it," the fox Deathcap called out to his leader as he produced the cheese. "See, I told you lot they 'ad food and I was right!" "I'll take that Deathcap," the stoat Flatsnout said snatching the sack and cheese off Deathcap. "And no sly munchin', all this has gotta get back ter Scarface," he added. Ivy managed to struggle free of Stumptail's grip and ran into the forest with Deathcap and a weasel called Dripnose in pursuit. The young vole-maid picked up a large tree branch, wielding it like a club and connected it sharply with Dripnose's knee. Deathcap grabbed the stick trying to wrestle it from Ivy, but her grip was like iron. Flatsnout and Stumptail followed with the others of his band holding Francis and Topaz at knife point. "Let 'er be. She ain't done nothin'," cried Topaz. "Hey, if we let 'em live they'll probably make it ter Redwall and alert the Mossflower Patrol. It'd be best if we got rid of 'em," Flatsnout motioned. Deathcap managed to get the stick off Ivy and now held her up against a dead oak tree. "Yer a feisty liddle runt," he said as he held his dagger in his paw, "sweet dreams, young un!" Ivy opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Francis managed to struggle free of his captors and held Deathcap's paw back as he went to stab Ivy. "Lay so much as a scratch on the liddle un and I'll break your bones!" Deathcap elbowed Francis in the face cruelly, the vole landed flat on his back with Flatsnout standing on his chest so he couldn't move. CRRRRRAAASSSSSHHHHHH! Everybeast, bandit and victim alike, looked up and saw a nearby poplar tree fall with an almighty sound. A few seconds later another tree, a young elm, followed the poplar. Off in the overgrowth they saw a strange figure clad in armour approaching them, sword drawn. Slashing and hacking through the vegetation the stranger was on them, the armour was a style the bandits had never seen before. The strange warrior carried a knapsack over his shoulder. The faceplate of the helmet closed and fastened adding to the ferocity of his appearance. At first they all backed off not knowing who he was or what the stranger would do next. Dripnose was the first to grow bold, drawing his dagger from his waistband and holding it menacingly. However the warrior was more interested in Deathcap who was still holding Ivy up against the dead oak, dagger ready to stab. Deathcap released Ivy and turned on the warrior with his dagger. The stranger was agile and nimble dodging attack after attack and parried the last blow with his beautiful sword. Deathcap staggered backwards, the vibrations of the sword strike shaking him to the bone. The warrior now saw his chance, he ran Deathcap through with his sword and cut the blade free of the body with a sideways slash. Deathcap fell to the ground shuddering before he became motionless. The entire band of robbers stood completely astonished by the subtlety the warrior despatched their compatriot. Ivy ran and hid behind the dead tree she had been held against. "Now, get 'im," Flatsnout yelled as he charged at the stranger with two other robbers following him weapons drawn. Flatsnout missed his first attack and embedded the blade of his weapon in the trunk of a nearby beech tree. The stranger sliced upwards severing Flatsnout's right arm. The stoat fell to his knees in shock, nursing the stump where his arm had been. Dripnose was upon the stranger but was knocked out by the pummel on the bottom of the grip, "Dy dose, dy dose, de droke dy dose," he cried. Slyly, Stumptail broke open a phial of poison and soaked his blade in it, he then addressed the warrior, "Listen mate, we's don't want any more trouble. Look, we're goin'. We're just gonna go. Take the food, it's yours." The strange warrior sheathed his blade, Stumptail saw his chance. He tossed the dagger at the howling Dripnose. In a trice Dripnose stood up and made a stab. The warrior was slow to react as he reached for his sword, Dripnose found a chink in the armour and drove the weapon deep into the stranger's armpit. After yelping in pain, the warrior drew his sword and in one swift motion decapitated Dripnose, the head rolling on the leafy ground coming to a stop at Francis Vole's footpaws. The warrior turned towards Stumptail and the other bandits. Suddenly, he started to convulse as waves of sickness pulsated through his body. Stumptail laughed, "Hahaha, it's funny 'ow the mightiest of warriors are still suckers for poison!" The warrior dropped his sword and then fell. "Flatsnout, if you're still alive help with this'n. Oh, you two voles, don't go anywhere you're next," Stumptail said mockingly as he and Flatsnout rummaged through the warrior's possessions. Flatsnout had ripped off a piece of cloth from his shirt and tied a tourniquet around his right stump. The one thing that grabbed their attention the most was the masterly crafted sword. "Paws off the sword, that's mine," snarled Flatsnout as he held the point of his dagger at Stumptail's throat. The fox just brushed it aside, "Oi! Everything get's taken ter Scarface jus' like everythin' else." "But Scarface'll take that there sword just as he takes everthin' else," "Shut up 'n' 'elp me look through this 'ere bag," Stumptail snapped as he rummaged through the knapsack. The first thing he found were thin wooden sticks encrusted with a sweet smelling poultice. Stumptail smelt them and then discarded them by throwing them over his shoulder. Flatsnout got out a stack of books and started flicking through them, "Can't understand the writin'." "Yer can't read full stop," "I can't read but I know what some letters look like. But this..." Stumptail took the book and looked at the strange writing. He kept flicking through them until he came across an illustration. "'Ere, all these pictures are upside down," he said throwing them away like rubbish. Flatsnout had unfastened the faceplate and was astounded by what he saw, "Stumpy, he's a fox!" Stumptail couldn't believe it either, but it came at no surprise that one of his own kind tried to kill his band. As the fox lay almost paralyzed, his eyes were swiveling from left to right.Trying to burn the faces into his mind, so he'd remember what they look like. "'Ere Stumpy, what about the voles?" asked one of his bandits. "They still alive? We better get rid of 'em quick bef-" "Reedwaalll!" Stumptail's eyes went wide upon hearing the war cry of the Redwall warrior. He looked up and saw the bodies of his accomplices lying motionless on the ground with barbed shafts sticking out of the bodies. Out of the overgrowth came the Mossflower Patrol led by Mattimeo the warrior. The mouse had his sword point up against Stumptail's throat. "You again, Stumptail," said Mattimeo. The fox began writhing under the point of the weapon, "Er, Mattimeo. I didn't know you were going to be back from Southsward so soon!" "The corsairs were defeated much sooner than we expected. Now would you kindly explain why my squirrel friends are comforting two traumatised voles?" The two squirrels Elmtail and Sam were comforting the vole family as Ivy ran to the fallen fox warrior. She knelt beside the fox stroking his whiskers tenderly. "Wow, look at this Matty," the otter Cheek said holding aloft the fox's sword. But Mattimeo's gaze turned towards the poisoned fox on the ground, "Who's he? Another one of your group?" "No," Francis Vole said, "you're probably not going to believe this Mattimeo but I think he was trying to save us." "Excuse me? A fox, save you? Don't be preposterous Mr. Vole," Mattimeo scoffed. "He probably wanted to kill the bandits and steal the food for himself," he continued. Sam was now knelt beside the strange fox, holding the blade of his short sword over his snout. When an area of the blade misted over the squirrel looked over his shoulder and called to his friend, "Matty, he's alive." "Leave him be, he's dying anyway," Mattimeo replied coldly. "May I remind you Mattimeo that it is one of Redwall's most upheld-" "I do not need to be lectured on the duties and oaths of Redwall by you," the warrior mouse snapped at Sam before turning back to Stumptail, "As for you vulpine, I never want to see neither hair nor hide of you ever again." Stumptail was so dumbstruck with fear he couldn't help but obey. Both him and Flatsnout ran off into the forest. The warrior mouse returned the sword of Martin to its' scabbard as Sam and Cheek helped the warrior fox to his footpaws while Elmtail and Ivy gathered up the possessions. Mattimeo carried the strange sword, drawing it from the sheath he stared in awe at the ripple effect of the steel and looked curiously at the strange writing. * Meanwhile in a secret den in the depths of Mossflower wood, Stumptail and Flatsnout had a lot to explain to the leader of their syndicate of thieves. The den was a cross between a tavern and a brothel, with a private chamber at the very back. In the chamber sat on a carved armchair was a big reynard fox with a long scar. It was because of this scar he earned his nickname, Scarface. Both Stumptail and Flatsnout have related the tale of the fox warrior. Scarface said nothing at first as he stared unmoved at his cohorts. "What I fail to understand..." Scarface began after Stumptail finished his report. "...is this: How, exactly, did one solitary warrior manage to best six of you?" "You didn't see 'im," Flatsnout argued. "He's right," Stumptail chimed in. "When he drew 'is sword it was like... like a blur! He finished off Deathcap 'n' Dripnose before we could react." Scarface raised an eyebrow, which made Flatsnout nervous. "So, er, we, well we tried ter-" "Oh stop yer snivelling Flatsnout! Any idea where this warrior is now? I would quite like ter meet 'im," "We were almost scot free, then Mattimeo showed up an' 'e-" "The Redwall warrior has returned?" "Yes Scarface, 'im an' 'is Mossflower patrol carried 'im off ter the abbey," Stumptail chimed in. Scarface then sat slumped in his armchair and sighed wearily. "Marvelous!" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I expect that this warrior is now locked up tighter than a badgermum's chastity belt! I think it'd be best if we jus' let this un slide,". Flatsnout jumped to his footpaws his face the picture of insult, "Slide? Look wot 'e did ter me flippin' paw!" With great agility and somewhat grace Scarface took his axe and held the cutting edge up to Flatsnout's neck, "Don't ever raise yer voice ter me agin! Now then, I will not risk me entire band of robbers, thieves and fighters in an attack against Redwall Abbey. Real warriors have tried ter take that place by force over countless seasons and failed. You two made this mess, you two sort it out! Now leave me with my wench, I don't wanna be disturbed," he said returning to his armchair as a vixen licked his muzzle tenderly. As the heavy door to Scarface's private chamber shut behind them, Flatsnout punched the wall with annoyance. "Rrr! I don't believe this," "Yeah, well what we gonna do? C'mon I'll get yer some ale," "I don't want ale, I want that fox's 'ead on a spike!" "Really, and how's you gonna take Redwall all on yer own?" "Don't cha worry Stumpy, I'll think of a way." As Scarface's vixen danced provocatively in front of him, the scarred dog fox opened a small chest he kept next to his chair. He then lifted out a fox skull, which was wrapped in a purple and red harlequin mask. He held the skull up to his eye level and sighed, "Oh Father, you can't find good help anywhere these days."