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The days past, as days are wont to do. The ice and snow of Winter began to give way, allowing Nature to wake from its dormant state and become truly alive again; the air was full of the sounds of birds chirping and the lazy drone of bees, and the fragrant scent of recently bloomed lilacs, monkshoods and climbing roses.

The short Winter days were spent peacefully enough inside the warm halls of Redwall Abbey with no further incident, though that doesn't mean nothing was happening. Argo, a beast who could never abide idleness, had taken it upon himself to learn everything he could from the Abbeybeasts. When he wasn't bulking up his cooking skills with Brother Melilot or discussing the finer points of brewing with Tragglo Spearback, he could be found out in the gatehouse further developing his reading. Old Friar Butty the ancient squirrel Recorder, deeply amused by a vermin who could not only read but seemed to enjoy the activity, was more than happy to act as his teacher.

That was why it was so strange to Abbess Song to find him standing alone up on the ramparts looking out at the long dusty road, a broad yellow furrow through the trees of Mossflower.

"Mr. Steelfang, is everything alright," she asked, his unease and worry clear on his face.

"Ta be 'onest, Mother Abbes, no. An' again, no need fer all that 'Mister' stuff. I been doin' as ya an' Martin said, I been waitin' an' waitin', an' I can't stand ta wait no more."

"Mr. Ste....Argo, you must be patient. If Martin instructed you to wait, there must be a reason."

"I know, Abbess," he said, head lowered and eyes closed, "but it's me fam at stake, 'ow can I just stay 'ere when they could be sufferin'?"

The young squirrell gently laid her paw down atop his much larger one. "You're a creature of action, I can't imagine how hard this must be for you. Just wait one more day, Sir. Would you do that?"

"Aye, marm," he said, a small smile breaking his pensive frown, "for you."

"Good," she said, her grip on his paw tightening, "now come along, lunch is about to be served."

The large battlescarred fox allowed himself to be led towards the broad sandstone steps leading down to the courtyard. "Well 'ho could refuse a Redwall meal? I swear by this time a'morrow I'll need a cart ta leave this place I gained so much weight!"

"You needed some fattening up anyway, you were far too thin with all your wandering. Why I'd venture you....." She was interrupted by a loud, frantic pounding at the main gate. Curious, they both walked the short distance to the massive wooden struction where Janglur, Rusvul and Dann, also roused by the clatter where already standing.

Rus rapped on the gate with the blunt end of his javelin. "Identify yourself," he called out good and loud to be heard through the thick planks.

"Nae time fur pleasantries, jist listen," came the muffled response, "yer lives ur in danger!"

Argo's ears perked up as the familiarity of the phantom voice struck him. "Wait jus' a tick! Bal, is that you, matey?"

After a few moments of silence, the voice responded with, "Argo? Is 'at ye mucker?"

"Aye, that 'tis! 'old on, we'll 'ave ya in! Jang, grab the ot'er side o' the gatebar, wouldjer?"

With the combined effort of the two aging but strong beasts it was just a matter of moments before the bar was on the ground and the gate parted just enough to allow a grey-furred mouse entrance. Like Argo he had his fair share of scars, but only one tattoo, yet it was a tattoo both he and the fox shared; two manacles connected by a length of chain, the center link of which was broken in two, on their right forearms.

The two seabeast embraced warmly as only the oldest of friends can. "Oc matey, Ah cannae believe yoo're haur alife an' reit in front ay mah een! Ah thooght ye waur deid, killed alang wi' yer son."

"Bil, 'ow do ya know 'bout me son?"

Bil broke off their hug and looked at the ground, shame stamped clear on his face. "It's a lang story, mucker, a lang an' painful story. Can we spick in private?" ************************************************************************** While the two old friends sat and talked by the Abbey pond, several other Abbeybeasts gathered in the orchard, curious to know what was being said but wanting to respect the privacy of the well-liked fox. All conversation among the assembled beasts came to an end when Argo rose abruptly and stormed off into the main building. While the woodlanders all wore looks of bewilderment, the highland mouse seemed resigned, like he knew how his mate would react to whatever he had to tell him. Bil stood slowly and migrated towards the orchard with the rest.

"Sae, aam guessin' yoo're aw wonderin' whit Ah said tae Argo," he asked in his thick highland brogue.

"Well Sir," Abbess Song offered, "if you're willing to indulge."

"Aye, Ah suppose there's nae harm in it noo. I'll jist teel ye th' short version. Aam sure yoo've figured it by noo me an' Argo waur mates oan Th' Chainbreaker together. Mony seasons efter we joined th' crew, we gart berth at a port sooth ay haur called Igral an' we mit a yoong squirrel fa demanded we tak' heem oan.

Come tae fin' it he was th' sang ay royalty an' he'd gotten intae a wee argument wi' his Laird an' Lady parents sae noo he was gonna shaw them jist hoo toogh he was by adventurin'. Weel, we figured nae harm coods come frae it sae he was brooght aboard, thocht we quickly foond it he was wee mair than a mewlin', spoiled brat. Fur th' most part we aw jist ignored heem, occasionally givin' heem a smack when he deserved it, an' he hud a big gob an' a slaw wit sae he deserved it aft.

Abit tois seasons afair Argo left th' ship we was hired tae sneak intae a fortress an' tak' it th' commander. th' decision was gart 'at it woods be a lot easier tae gie inside if thaur waur jist a few ay us, sae it was tae be me, Argo an' uir best mucker Tor. Thes Igral brat followed us frae th' ship, tryin' tae 'prove himself' Ah suppose, but aw he did was alert th' guards tae us an' gie uir mucker killed. Argo took it upon himself tae beat th' jakey tae within an inch ay his life ance we got back tae th' ship an' th' keptin ordered heem aff th' ship at th' huir uv a next port we coods fin', an' we thooght 'at was 'at. We waur sae wrang.

A few seasons efter Argo an' his Missus left, th' squirrel cam back, but he didne come aloyn; he hunted us doon wi' an entire platoon ay highly-trained warriors belongin' tae his parents, an' durin' his time awa' he himself trained an' trained til he was in top f'rm fightin'-wise. They attacked th' ship one nicht while we waur at port an' killed uir Captain an' ower half th' crew an' forced th' rest us tae join his quest fur revenge. he personally tortured aw ay us, tryin' tae gie a body ay us tae gie up whaur Argo went tae. Eventually, a mate broke, an' we waur forced tae lae th' guid auld Chainbreaker an' march inlain. He ordered Argo's death an' th' kidnap ay his fowk. Sadly, Dennalia passed oan tois winters ago frae a sickness, but his daughters bide, an' we're camped jist doon th' road near th' river!"

The gathered Abbeybeasts were stunned into silence by the tale told by the grizzly seamouse, who had cast his eyes to the ground from the shame of the role he played in his own old friend's anguish, disturbed by the level of spite and hatred perpetrated by a squirrel.

The awkward silence was broken by a commotion from the main building of the Abbey. Argo, kitted out in his full gear, came stomping with burning purpose directly towards the main gate.

"Woah woah woah mate," Janglur said, stepping in front of the angered fox, "where ya think you're runnin' off to?"

"Outta my way, Jang, this ain't yer fight cully."

"Easy cully, jist whit ur ye plannin' tae dae haur? donner straecht intae camp an' fight th' entire crew," Bil asked

"If'n I gotta."

"'main 'en mucker, Ah ken ye, Ah ken yoo're smarter than 'at."

The large, scarred fox prowled back and forth like a caged animal, face quivering with rage. "What would ya 'ave me do, Bil," he shouted, "jus' tell me what you'd 'ave me do!"

Eh'd hae ye use yer brain, Argo! he'll hae th' crew marchin' up thes way afair nightfaa, tak' 'at time tae hink up a way tae deal wi' thes 'at doesnae involve ye committin' suicide!"

It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but the fox slowly calmed himself down, knowing his cully was correct and there were better ways to approach the situation. Bil placed his paws on the poor upset beast's heaving shoulders.

"Yoo're daein' th' reit hin', mucker. noo let's tak' a seat an' figure it a plan."