The Lutra - Jacques, Brian - Redwall 09 - The Pearls Of Lutra

Lussak's dark tongue snaked out hungrily. "Food at lazzzzt!" he breathed.

Fraddle's claw shot out as Lussak started to creep forward. Seizing him tight by the loose jawflesh, he dragged until it threatened to tear. "No, theze will be prizonerz for General Lazk!"

Viola and the Abbot sat on the streambank, rubbing their footpaws in the sunwarmed grass.

"Oh, Father Abbot, what fun! You were right when you said tha Eeeeeek!"

The tough twine meshes of a ship's net trapped them both. They were pulled backward and hauled up the bank. Terrified, wordless and stiff with fright, the old mouse and the young bankvole found themselves staring into the foul-breathed faces of two reptiles they could not have imagined in their worst nightmares.

"Be ztill or be zlain!"

Chapter 15

Apart from a few helpers, the kitchens were quiet after lunch had been served. Martin and Rollo sat on grainsacks with Tansy, questioning her closely.

"Are you sure you can remember no more of your dream, Tansy?"

"I wish I could, Rollo, really I do! I can remember seeing Martin the Warrior of ancient times, and he said many things to me, though it all seemed so fuzzy this morning. It was something about searching and never giving up hope. Then more words about friendship and loyalty ... Oh! and he mentioned about one day giving the Tears back to their true owner. I'm sorry, but today my mind doesn't seem to be working properly. Oh dear, it makes me so irritable when I can't remember exactly what he said!"

Martin said understandingly, "No matter, Tansy. All will become crystal clear when our Warrior's spirit wishes it so. The main thing at this moment is to solve the riddle. Would you read it again, please, miss?"

Tansy unfolded the flimsy parchment scrap.

"I think the relevant part is in these last four lineslisten:

“ Go, find my gift, good Friar,

This tear is given free,

Not hid away in secret,

But there for all to see!"

Rollo donned his glasses and stared at the rhyme, saying, "Fermald meant this for Friar Higgle, really. Don't you think we should go to him and ask for his help?"

At that instant Foremole and Higgle emerged from the wine-cellar ramp, rolling a small cask of elderberry wine between them.

Foremole unbent and grunted, "Yurr, zurr 'iggle, us'll take et o'er to ee corner thurr."

Rollo called over from his perch on the grainsacks. "Friar Higgle, can you spare us a moment, please?"

Leaving Foremole to trundle the cask, Higgle came over, his homely face wreathed in a big smile. "Whew! We none o' us're as spry as we used t'be, friends; good job I got Foremole to 'elp me. Now, wot can I do to 'elp you?"

Skipper of Otters was a big, tough-looking beast. He turned on the walltop as one of his otter crew called across from the south ramparts. "Nary a sign of gulls again today, Skip!"

Skipper's deep gruff voice rang back in reply. "Keep yore eyes peeled though, Glenner, we'll give it another day or two yet; may'aps they're watchin' us from afar."

As he took his eyes away from the cloudless blue noon sky, Skipper saw a ferret emerge from the woodland fringe. Everything about her, from the brass earhoops to the tattooed paws and ragged silks she wore, branded her as sea vermin.

She waved in a cheery fashion at the big otter. “Ahoy there, ruddertail, is this the place they call Redwall?"

Skipper became immediately alert. “What if it is, snipenose? What's yore business 'ere?"

"Oh, just some information. No need t'get offended."

Skipper chuckled, amazed at the ferret's impudence. "Bless yer 'ide, matey, I'm not offended at a corsair callin' me ruddertail, though if'n I was down there now I'd give yer such a clout you'd land up in the middle o' next season!"

Romsca laughed back, giving as good as she got. "Yer a big saucy beast, talkin' all brave from up there. Why not come down 'ere an' try yer luck, riverdog?"

Skipper wagged a hefty gnarled paw at her. “My ole mother never raised no fools, corsair. Where's yer sword an' daggers, lyin' in the undergrowth with the rest o' yer slimy crew? Now say yore say an' begone, quick an' sharpish!"

The hogwife Teasel arrived up on the walltop carrying a basket. "Good afternoon, mister Skipper. I brought up a snack for you an' yore crew .. . Who's that creature down there?"

Skipper peered into the basket, his face lighting up in appreciation. "Nothin' to worry yore good 'ead about, marm; thankee for the vittles, though. Beg yore pardon whilst I deal with this villain." Immediately the Skipper of Otters became serious, whirling his sling until the thongs hummed. "Say yore piece, scum, or stand by to eat stone!"

Romsca spoke out smartly. "Where's Graylunk? I wants ter speak with 'im!"

"Yore wastin' yore time, there ain't no Graylunk 'ere!"

"Arr, cummon, you c'n do better'n that. Either bring the weasel out or return wot 'e stole!"

Skipper and his crew were infrequent Abbeydwellers, living mainly in Mossflower's woodlands and waters, and he had no idea what Romsca was talking about. And he was not a beast to stand arguing.

Whokk!

The slingstone bounced off a sycamore trunk a hairsbreadth from the corsair's skull.

"Next one goes down yore throat, verminnow clear off!"

Romsca leapt behind the sycamore trunk, shouting, "We know you've got Graylunk in there, an' the pearls. It'd be a lot easier on yer if you brought 'em out!"

Hogwife Teasel popped her head over the battlements, and cried, "Graylunk left 'ere seasons agothey found 'is remains not two nights back in the woodland rocks, the red ones east of 'ere. Graylunk's dead long ago, so be off with you!"

"So you say. I'll be back again at this time tomorrow!" Romsca yelled.

When it was obvious Romsca had gone, Skipper chided Teasel gently. "You should've told that'n nothin', marm. I'd advise you to find Martin an' tell 'im all that 'appened." Back in the kitchens, Friar Higgle had been shown the rhyme and told all about the situation. He shrugged.

“ Alas, I know nothin' about any gift; old Fermald never gave me nothin' but smiles. I wish I could help you, but I can't. A tear for all to see? That's a real poser, friends. I must start bakin' for supper now. You'll 'ave to excuse me, but good luck to you."

Feeling defeated, the three wandered about the kitchens on a futile search. Then Clecky ambled in, followed by Gerul. The mountain hare looked about hungrily.

"I say, chaps, is it nearly teatime? I'm famished. Sorry, are you lookin' for eatables too, wot?''

Rollo walked around Clecky, investigating the shelves behind him. "No, we're not, you great famine-fetcher. We're looking for a tear that is in plain view."

Gerul blinked several times, shifting from one talon to another. "Ah well now, if me good friend Clecky here doesn't get sumthin' to devour soon, no doubt you'll see plenty of tears in plain view, sirs, an' you too, miss. Ould Clecky here can blubber up a storm if the food isn't forthcomin', indeed he can!"

Tansy fidgeted with her apron restlessly. "Oh bother! How can you hide something and yet leave it in plain view? It doesn't make sense!"

Friar Higgle looked up from the rhubarb crumble he was making. "Aye, 'specially when you don't know what it is you look for!"

Clecky knew what hewas looking for. The hungry hare had spotted a box of candied chestnuts on a far corner shelf. He sidled slowly over and tried to snatch some of the delicious sweets. Unfortunately there was a huge ornate wooden candlestick standing between Clecky and the shelf. The immense candle it held was lit only once every four seasons, at the first summer feast. Wax had melted upon wax over the seasons, crusting the top of the carved holder. Clecky stood with his back against the candle, trying to appear as though he were doing nothing. However, behind him his paws were working furiously. With one paw around each side of the candlestick, he grappled and grabbed furiously, trying to reach the box standing on the shelf behind the giant candle. As Tansy and her friends wandered about searching, Friar Higgle became alerted by the scrabbling noises. He looked directly at Clecky.