Brian Jacques - [Redwall 18] - High Rhulain

Darkness had fallen over the high country by the time the weary travellers made it into the woodlands. Ould Zillo guided them toward the sound of rushing water, warning everybeast to tread carefully. The watersounds increased in volume as the bard and his followers pressed on through the trees. Emerging onto a broad rockledge, Zillo waited until they had all joined him. Then he called out above the roar of the waterfall, “There she is, friends, Holt Summerdell!”

Even in the darkness they could see the magnificent valley. The woodlands were split by the falls, which flowed from the mountains above. Cascading down, the water fell into a pond, spilling over into a broad stream that meandered off down a gentler slope until it was lost amid the woodland trees.

Zillo had to shout to be heard. “Keep in a single file an’ follow me along this ledge. Stick close to the side an’ hold tight to yore little ’uns. We’ll be goin’ through the falls, but don’t worry, ’tis safe enough.”

He led them a short way along the ledge until it looked as though he could go no further because of the rushing waters of the falls. Turning, the bard grabbed the first two otters in the line. He pushed them straight into the waterfall, shouting, “Get through there. Go on now, keep goin’, nobeast ever died of a wet head! Come on, mates, who’s next? There’s a cave through there—it’s good an’ dry!”

The families pressed forward, shouting and yelling as they pushed through the noisy curtain of rushing water.

Leatho and the clan chieftains waited until everybeast was safe inside before entering the cave. It was dark but still and dry inside.

Zillo called through the gloom, “Sit down an’ wait where ye are. Banya, Birl Gully, Lorgo, bring flints an’ tinder. Come forward an’ see if’n ye can make it to the back wall!”

After a few moments, the chink of flint against steel set sparks flying in the darkness. Then a faint glow grew into a pale single flame, illuminating Zillo’s face.

“There’s kindlin’ over here—wood, dried grass an’ charcoal.”

His words created a burst of activity. Soon fires were flaring in all corners, and a large blaze was blossoming in the centre of what appeared to be a spacious and high-ceilinged cave. Deedero gave a cry of alarm as something dark brushed by her face. Zillo calmed her.

“Ah sure, ’tis only some friendly bats, marm. They won’t harm ye.”

The ottermum regained her composure speedily. “Friendly, eh? Well, if these little ’uns don’t get some hot vittles an’ soft beds soon, it won’t be friendly bats ye’ll have to watch out for. It’ll be me, an’ a lot of unfriendly mothers, so let’s see some action around this cave!”

A quick meal was cobbled together by willing paws. Soon there were flatcakes baking on hot stones, and a cauldron of thick soup, made from peas, lentils and carrots, bubbling over the main fire. An herbal tea was brewed, and warm cordial was prepared for the young ones. Though there was plenty for everybeast, most of the babes were too tired to eat much. Whulky, Chab and Big Kolun found moss and dead leaves piled by one wall. They spread them in an alcove, covering the lot with cloaks and some blankets. The young ones of the families snuggled up on this communal bed. It was dry, warm and, above all, safe.

Leatho sat by the main fire with Kolun, Banya and the clan chieftains, sipping tea and listening to an ottermum singing to the babes. The everflowing curtain of water outside cast a veined pattern of red-gold moving light, reflected from the fires, around the roughhewn rock walls of the cave.

Chab whispered proudly to nobeast in particular, “That’s my missus singin’. She’s castin’ a sleepin’ spell over the babes with that soft voice of hers.”

Big Kolun blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Aye, mate, she’s got a pretty way with a tune. I think yore missus’s spell is workin’ on me.”

Soon they were all dozing off to the ottermum’s lullaby.

“Oh you sun now run away, run away,

little stars come out to play, out to play,

baby mine come close your eyes,

sleep until the new dawnrise,

I will sing thee lullabies, through this peaceful night.

All the earth is standing still, standing still,

darkness blankets field and hill, field and hill,

birds do slumber in the nest,

busy bees have gone to rest,

all good mothers know what’s best, for the babes they

love.

When tomorrow comes anew, comes anew,

there’ll be lots of things to do, things to do,

’neath a summer sky of blue,

roses blooming just for you,

birds will sing so sweetly, too, for my own dear one.”

Warmed by the fireglow, Leatho Shellhound allowed his leaden eyelids to fall for the first time in two days. He dreamed of a mouse warrior who carried a wondrous sword. The visitor from the kingdom of dreams had little to say, but the outlaw sea otter dwelt on his every word:

“Masters who lack slaves cannot serve themselves well, and an empty compound is a trap without bait.”

Dawn was casting its rosy tendrils over the hidden valley when Deedero stirred Big Kolun and Leatho from the edge of the whitened embers.

“Rise’n’shine, you two, make way for a workin’ otter. Come on, shift yoreselves from under me paws, I’ve got to liven this fire up t’cook brekkist. Outside with ye both!”

It was not wise to argue with Big Kolun’s missus, so they roused themselves fully by breaking through the curtaining waterfall, out onto the ledge. Shaking and stretching, Leatho took stock of their new surroundings. Birdsong in harmony with the sound of the falls echoed around the valley.

Kolun sat on the rim of the ledge, dangling his footpaws over the drop to the pool below. He nodded admiringly. “Ould Zillo picked a prime spot here, mate. Just lookit those veggibles growin’ over yonder, an’ fruit, too!”

Leatho sat down beside him. “Aye, the stuff’s growin’ wild now, but I can see it was once laid out in terraces by the clans of long ago. I’ll wager some of our mates could knock it back into shape, like it used t’be. There must be fish an’ freshwater shrimp in that pool an’ the stream below it.”

Kolun stood up. “No wonder otters loved Holt Summerdell. Wot d’ye say me’n’you go an’ gather some vittles for brekkist? That’ll put a smile on my Deedero’s face.”

The outlaw had to smile at his big friend’s enthusiasm. “Aye, let’s do that, matey, but I can’t hang around here all day, no matter how nice it is.”

The big otter shrugged. “Fair enough. Where are we off to?” Leatho winked. “Just followin’ a dream.”

Between them, Leatho and Kolun carried a heap of produce they had gathered. Deedero sorted through it. “Apples, pears, leeks, mushrooms an’ damsons, too. You mean we’ve got a damson tree out there?”

Kolun threw his paws wide. “There’s more growin’ on those terraces than ye could shake a stick at, me ole petal. The damsons ain’t quite ripe yet, but there’s plums an’ all manner o’ berries out there. I even seen some ramson an’ hotroot bloomin’ among the herbs.”

Whulky and Chab entered the cave, carrying a woven reed net they had made.

“We did a spot o’ fishin’ down in that pond, an’ look at wot we got!”

“Freshwater shrimp, the water’s swarmin’ with ’em, ain’t it, Chab?”

“Aye, nobeast’s fished ’em for a long time. Did I hear ye mention hotroot, Kolun?”

Lorgo rubbed his paws together gleefully. “I’ll go an’ get some right now. Er, Deedero, d’ye think there might be some shrimp’n’hotroot soup for brekkist?”