Picture by faespirit
Draw close now, little woodlander, /Take this to sleep with you, /My tale of dusty far-off times,/ When warriors hearts were true. /Then store it in your memory, /And be the sage who says /To young ones in the years to come: /"Ah yes, those were the days."
"I'm lost, you see. Perhaps I could rest by your fire until dawn."
The hare shook his head sadly. "Lost! I knew a woodpecker once who got lost." "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you Find him again?" "Find him? Of course I found the blighter-that's how he came to get lost in the first place. Who lost you-or better still, who do you want to be found by?" "Nobody lost me, and I'm looking for Redwall Abbey, so how could an Abbey find me?" "Hmm, good question. But no need to fret your mousy little heart, young whatsyourname. I'm going to Redwall, so we can both get lost together."
"Ah, so that's what it's called,a harolina. What a nice instrument. I've never seen one before." "Never seen a blinkin' harolina? Corks, no wonder you're lost."
"We are trying to help you, child." Mariel looked at the floor. "Don't need any help." "Not true, Mariel." There was a touch of firmness in Mellus's voice as she interrupted. "Every creature needs help."
"Truth was a cuckoo's egg to that fellow."
Dandin stood barring his path. 'Wait, Tarquin. Remember the old saying, look before you leap?"
"Of course, old lad. Well, I've bally well looked, and now I'm goin' to bally well leap..."
Durry snorted back at him. "If brains were bees, there'd be no honey between your ears."
"Still, as my old nuncle allus says, if it be rain' then there do be water pourin' from the sky." Mariel smiled and winked at Tarquin. "A wise fellow, your uncle." Durry nodded in innocent agreement. "Oh aye, Nuncle Gabe's never short of wise sayin's. There do be no better way o' eatin' than with 'ee mouth, a full barrel's not an empty 'un, an' 'ee can allus tell a squirrel by his tail." Tarquin chuckled as he tuned his harolina. "Hmm, that makes sense." Durry sniffed. " A course it do. Bet you never see'd a squirrel wi'out one o' those lollopin' great bushy tails, did you?" "Er, ah, no, don't s'pose I did really." "There, then that goes to show 'ee then. You can allus tell a squirrel by his tail, jus' like my nuncle says."
"Oi wants a'ventures."
"Mr. Woodsorrel, I've told you once politely, now clamp a lid on it!"
"Hey there, you bunch of moldy old cowards. Come out an' fight, beast to beast". Bigfang prodded Pakatugg with his cutlass. "Moldy old cowards is better than foolish dead heroes, rabbit."
"They're certain to be back. Searats like this don't give in easily." Saxtus, who was on the east wall and within hearing range, called back at the same time as Flagg, "And neither do we!"
"I won't say good luck, because you'll end up dead or devoured, I'm sure of it!"
"None of us wants to kill anybeast, matey, but this is war! It's kill or be killed now. We're not just protectin' our own skins, there's the whole of Redwall an' what it stands for."
"Mariel, tell a poor lad who's far from home, what do we do now?"
"Burr, oi wanster to be naughty. Oi loiks 'aven a liddle naughty now 'n' agin. 'Tis noice."
"I already tried fire, 'an it didn't work. What's so good about your plan?" Gray Patch ridiculed Bigfang. "I'll tell you, matey. My plan'll work because I've got a brain an' you haven't."
"Super plan, y'know-tripwires, springropes an' hostages. I'd give the scurvy blaggard an 'A' for alertness, wot?" Foremole extended his digging claws. "Oi knows wot oi'd loik t' give 'im, pesky searatter!"
"That's the life of an oarslave, Dandin." She bent her head against the oar and rested. Dandin patted her scarred back. "Not if I can help it, Copsey."
A spear took Thyme in the right footpaw. Gritting his teeth, he wrenched it out and hurled it back, wounding its thrower. "Ah well, no more runnin' for me today, wot?" Rosie stopped a charging rat with her lancepoint. "Hate to remind you, old thing, but we didn't come here to run."
"You can't die, d'you hear me, Rosie? Wake up! If you die, I'll kill you!"
Instinctively the searat's claw reached for his sword. "Who are yer?" The stranger's voice was as cold as North wind on wet stones. "My name would mean nothing to you, rat!" Graypatch played for a time, slowly inching the sword from his belt. "What d'ye want with me, then? I mean yer no harm." A blow from a lance butt sent him sprawling into the stream. He stood up in the shallows, spluttering. His face was a mask of vengeance. Oak Tom stood on the bank, lance held loose but ready. "The time of your reckoning is due, searat. Now you must pay for the lives of two hares. Tell me, how does it feel, standing there without your crew to protect you?" Graypatch swallowed hard, his own voice sounding squeaky in his ears. "Leave me alone, I only want ter get out o' her. Let me go and I won't bother ye anymore. I just want t' get to the sea!" Oak Tom raised his lance. "Then you shall go to the sea!"
"Majesty, we're bein' attacked!" "I can see that, idiot!"
Riptung swung his sword high for a downward slash, screeching in Dandin's face, "You'll never take me alive!" Dandin slew him with a strong upward swing. "I don't want you alive, rat!"
Hookfin saw that the battle was lost. He sneaked away before the total rout of all the searats. Skirting the edges of the fray until he found the section of the back wall that the boulder had smashed through. Without a backward glance he slipped out onto the hillside, with a sigh of relief that died on his lips. Sitting in front of him on a rock was the impassive vole Tan Loc. Hookfin froze. Drawing his sword, Tan Loc whetted it against the rock, speaking with a flat voice without even looking at Hookfin. "I've been waiting for you."
The mousemaid swung her Gullwhacker, shouting, "Stand and fight, rat!" Gabool cackled harshly. "The bellmaker's brat, eh? Go away, mouse. I've killed you once. You're naught but a ghost!" Mariel's jaw tightened as the Gullwhacker whirred above her head. "You're wrong, seascum. I'm no ghost! I beat you once and I'm going to do it again, this time for good!"
