Brian Jacques - Redwall #22 - The Sable Quean

"Please, friends, go away. Let me take charge of this beast."

Buckler nodded. "He's right, mates. Let's go and take tea in the gatehouse. Just shout if y'need us, Granvy."

The Recorder smiled meekly. "Thank you so much."

They went off down the wallsteps, with Diggs chunnering indignantly "Bloomin' nerve o' the blighter. Fat rabbet is it, wot? One more word out of that scoundrel an' I'll fat rabbet him. Squashed ferret, that's what he'll jolly well be. I say, you chaps, if we're havin' tea, I'll just nip off t'the blinkin' kitchens an' see if I can't conjure up a few scones, or a spot o' piecrust!"

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It was a terrifying moment for the young prisoners in the gloomy cave, and it happened swiftly. One moment they were lying about listlessly, wondering how long it was until their next meal, some dozing, others just gazing blankly into space. Then the door to the dungeon slammed open. Thwip, Binta and Dirva swept in with an escort of guards, all carrying lighted torches.

There was an immediate hubbub, with the little captives shielding their eyes against the sudden invasion of flaring lights. Dirva pointed to the closest three creatures. "They'll do--take 'em!"

Flandor the young otter grabbed a stoat who was shoving the Dibbun squirrelmaid, Tassy, into a big sack. "Leave her alone, you dirty villain!" He dealt the stoat a good punch to the right eye.

That was where the resistance ended. Flandor was set upon by guards and beaten senseless with spearbutts. Thwip was cracking his lash, snarling, "Get back! Back, I say all of ye!"

Screams and cries of young creatures echoed round the dungeon walls as the raiders speedily retreated with their victims. As quickly as it had started, the incident was over. The door slammed and was bolted tight, leaving the

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prisoners blinking in the sudden darkness. Everybeast was wailing and sobbing at the sudden violence of the raid.

Flib came tumbling out of the escape tunnel, followed by her two small mole assistants. The Guosim shrewmaid spat dust, wiping the back of a grimy paw across her eyes. "Wot'n the name o' bludd'n'boulders is goin' on?"

Midda grasped her sister Flib's paw. "They took three of us, jus' barged in an' took 'em!"

Flib wiggled a paw in a dust-filled ear, shouting, "Will ya shut that noise, all of youse! I can't 'ear meself thinkin' for all the weepin' an' wailin'. Now, shut up, d'ye hear me? Be quiet!"

The din subsided into faint moans and sniffles.

The young squirrel, Tura, spoke out. "I think they've killed Flandor--look!"

Flib ran to the fallen otter's side and turned him over. He groaned softly. Midda managed to unhook one of the dim lanterns from the prison wall. She held it over Flandor as Flib inspected him.

"Flandor ain't dead. Anybeast got a drop o' water t'spare?"

A small quantity of the precious fluid was donated. Midda tore off a strip of her kilt, soaking it and bathing away blood from a cut on the otter's brow. She forced the remainder of the water between Flandor's lips. He spluttered, trying to sit up, but Flib pressed him back down.

"Stay put awhile 'til yer feel stronger, mate. Now, who was it did all this?"

Tura answered, "The two foxes an' that ole scrinjy rat. They burst in with a load of guards carryin' torches an' weapons. Shoved three little uns into sacks an' took 'em away. Wasn't much we could do, it all happened so sudden. Y'can see wot they did to pore Flandor, beat him terrible, they did!"

Flib nodded grimly. "So, who did the cowardly scum take?"

Midda replied, "One was the Redwall squirrel, Tassy."

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Jiddle the Witherspyk hog sobbed, "They stole my sister Jinty put her in a sack!"

Flib patted his head gently "There, there. No good cryin', mate, at least they never took you. Who else?"

Gurchen the molemaid had been taking a look around. "Burr, oi think they'm tukken ee likkle hurr babbie, ee wun called Urfa. She'm gone frum 'er bruther."

A mousebabe began wailing, "Wahaaah, they're goin' to eat them, we'll be next. Wahaaaah!"

Flib tugged the mouse's tail, silencing him. "Don't talk stoopid. If'n they was goin' to eat us they woulda done it long ago, while we was all still fat an' 'ealthy "

Midda picked up Borti, who had been wakened by the mousebabe's cries. She rocked him to and fro. "Then what d'you suppose they plan on doin' to 'em?"

Flib raised her voice bad-temperedly. "Well 'ow am I s'posed to know, eh? They took 'em, an' that's all there is to it, see? We'd better be ready to fight 'em off if'n they comes back t'take more of us."

Tura shrugged. "An' how are we supposed to do that?"

Her enquiry seemed to throw Flib into a greater rage. She waved her paws about wildly. "Look, I ain't in charge 'ere. Can't yer think for yoreselves, instead o' sittin' there scrinjin' an' moanin'? At least I'm doin' somethin'--I'm tryin' to dig a tunnel out of 'ere. In fact, that's wot I think I'll do now, carry on diggin'. Cummon, youse two!"

A moment later, she and her two mole helpers had vanished into the tunnel, leaving the rest to their own devices.

Tura took up the wet rag and began wiping Flandor's wound, her jaw set tightly. "Huh, not much good askin' yore sister for help, is it?"

Midda saw that Borti had gone back to sleep. She placed him carefully down on a bed of old dried grass. "That's not very fair, Tura. Flib's doing her best to dig that tunnel so we can all escape. I know she can get a bit moody at times, but she's always been that way. Take my word for

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it, Flib has a good heart. She'll help us in her own way, you'll see."

Flandor sat upright, nursing his head. "Aye, Tura, she's right--hush, did ye hear that? Somebeast's unlockin' the door. Get them all back against the walls. Be ready to fight this time!"

The light of fear banished the dullness from young eyes as everybeast put their backs to the wall and waited with bated breath.

The door opened to reveal Thwip, Binta and two guards with the prisoner's food. Flandor recognised the guards as part of the group who had beaten him with their spear-butts. Despite his injuries, the young otter charged at them with teeth bared.

"Dirty cowards! Only two of ye this time. Well, let's see how brave ye are without yore gang!"

Thwip pushed the cauldron of gruel forward and backed off, cracking his whip. He called to the others, "Binta, leave the water. Let's get out of this place. Leave 'em to feed themselves. That streamdog's gone mad!"

The four vermin hurried from the scene, slamming the door and peering through the grating. The other captives, urged on by Flandor's example, hurled themselves at the locked door, banging on it, shouting insults and threats at their jailers.

"Yah, dirty rotten stinky cowards!"

"Give us back our three friends."

"Yore too scared t'come back in here an' face us!"

"Burr, you'm muthers shudd be unshamed of ee!"

Avoiding a pawful of soil which rattled through the grating, Thwip laughed harshly. "Eat hearty, me liddle friends. That's the last vittles ye'll get off us. We'll see how brave ye are after a few days without food'n'water!"

Any further threats from the fox were cut off by a loud rumbling noise from inside the dungeon. It was from the vent of Flib's escape tunnel. With a boom and a crash, a big boulder shot out like a cannonball. This was followed by

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a shooting slide of debris, soil, pebbles, pieces of tree root and thick sandy dust.

Binta fell back, coughing and spitting as the dust came through the grille. "Wot'n the name ... wot's 'appenin' in there?"

One of the guards, who had wisely stood aside, missing the choking debris, commented ironically, "Go an' see, if'n ye wants to. I'm gettin' outta here afore the roof caves in on me!" He took off in a hurry, with the other three following him.