Brian Jacques - Rakkety Tam

Contents

Prologue

BOOK ONE “The warrior who sold his sword”

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

BOOK TWO “The warrior who gained a sword”

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

BOOK THREE “The Walking Stone”

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Epilogue

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rakkety Tam

An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2004 by The Redwall La Dita Co., Ltd.

This book may not be reproduced in whole or part, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.

For information address:

The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

The Penguin Putnam Inc. World Wide Web site address is

http://www.penguinputnam.com

ISBN: 978-1-1012-2021-4

AN ACE BOOK®

Ace Books first published by The Ace Publishing Group, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

ACE and the “ A ” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Putnam Inc.

Electronic edition: August, 2005

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

Redwall

Mossflower

Mattimeo

Mariel of Redwall

Salamandastron

Martin the Warrior

The Bellmaker

Outcast of Redwall

Pearls of Lutra

The Long Patrol

Marlfox

The Legend of Luke

Lord Brocktree

Taggerung

Triss

Loamhedge

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

The Angel’s Command

Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales

The Great Redwall Feast

A Redwall Winter’s Tale

The Tale of Urso Brunov

Redwall Map and Riddler

Redwall Friend and Foe

Build Your Own Redwall Abbey

Tribes of Redwall: Badgers

Tribes of Redwall: Otters

For Tim Moses,

a colleague and a great friend.

Thank you for everything.

Prologue

My name is Melanda. I am the youngest creature ever to be appointed to the position of Recorder at Redwall Abbey. My teacher and mentor is a kind old mouse called Sister Screeve. She has retired from being Recorder now, taking up the job of Assistant Gardener to Brother Demple, a remarkable feat for one who has seen so many seasons come and go. She was the one who suggested that I should write a volume for our Abbey Archives about the time we now refer to as “The Seasons of the Savage”—a fearsome title, I grant you, but one that I felt was appropriate to this narrative. I was not born at the time, so my research into the happenings was both long and painstaking. However, now that my work is completed, I would like to thank everybeast who contributed by providing their recollections of those harrowing events—all of the Redwallers, hares of the Long Patrol Regiment and others too numerous to cite here. I will not mention specific names lest I cause any offence by forgetting to include any one of my contributors.

My narrative tells of a time when our Abbey was in peril from a beast none had ever encountered in Mossflower Country, a brutal and horrific barbarian on an insane quest for power and vengeance. But I will tell you no more than that for the present. I leave you to read on and judge for yourselves, my friends.

Melanda. Recorder of Redwall Abbey

in Mossflower Country

BOOK ONE

“The warrior who sold

his sword”

Rakkety Rakkety Rakkety Tam,

the drums are beatin’ braw.

Rakkety Rakkety Rakkety Tam,

are ye marchin’ off tae war?

A warrior from the borders came,

a buckler o’er his shoulder,

a claymore swingin’ at his side,

there’s no’ a beast who’s bolder!

O Rakkety Tam has sold his sword,

Ah scarce believe he’s done it.

He swore an oath untae a fool,

who took his pledge upon it!

1

Shrieking like a thousand wild eagles, the blizzard drove mountainous grey, white-crested waves before it. The powerful ship thundered southward—mast timbers groaning, rigging lines thrumming and sails stretched to bursting point—leaving behind it the lands of ice and snow. A murderer was pursuing a thief. Gulo the Savage was hunting down his brother, Askor!

Lightning ripped through the racing stormclouds, illuminating Gulo’s questing eyes. His fearsome claws, still stained with the blood of his father, dug deep into the bowrail as he peered out across the watery wilderness of peaks and valleys. Only he who had possession of the Walking Stone could rule the land of snow and ice. The once mighty Dramz had held it, this miracle which had been brought from the places beyond where the sun sets. He had also been the one who had set down the law: Only the strong would inherit the Walking Stone. None was stronger than Gulo. To prove this, he had slain his father. But Askor, his brother, had stolen the Stone. Then, like a coward, he had taken to the Great Northern Sea to escape the wrath of Gulo the Savage!

With a hundred vermin warriors at his command, Gulo took up the chase in his big ship—though, in reality, he needed none to protect him. Strongest of the strong and wildest of the wild, Gulo could face daunting odds and emerge victorious. All his foes had fallen victim to his maniacal rage and awesome strength. He had but one remaining enemy in the world—his own brother. Gulo would not rest until he had sent Askor to Hellgates and had seized the all-important symbol of power, the Walking Stone!