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

Ublaz bound the scarf lightly across his eyes, chuckling. "A wise move, fox, very wise indeed! I can see I'm going to enjoy business dealings with you. Now, what is it you want?"

This time Rasconza did not catch the dagger. It landed point down in the ground. "The cap'ns are all dead," he said. "I meself slew Barranca, but you know that. So, I'm in charge of all the crews now an' I want peace. There's no profit in both sides killin' each other off. 'Ere's my proposition. You appoint me Grand Cap'n of all the ships in 'arbor an' I'll serve yer."

"Forgive my asking," Ublaz interrupted, "but how can you captain six ships at once?"

Rasconza shook his head. "I don't want ter cap'n all six. Bloodkeelsa good craft, she's my old ship, I'll take 'er. The other cap'ns I'll appoint from the crewbeasts, but I'll be the boss cap'n, and they'll take their orders from me when we're at sea. You'll control all on land. This is the way it'll work. I'll increase the tribute each ship 'as to pay, and we'll split it two ways, me 'n' you, an' none the wiser. Of course you'll 'ave t'get off'n those timber stocks yore sittin' on. There ain't no more good wood on Sampetra an' the ship'll need wood fer repairs. Agreed?"

Ublaz spat on his paw and held it forth. "Agreed!"

Rasconza also spat on his paw and clasped with the pine marten. "Haharr, you won't regret this day's work, matey!"

Behind the gauzy silk scarf the mad eyes glinted dangerously. "I'm sure I won't... matey!"

Then, removing the scarf, Ublaz stood and hailed his guard. "Nobeast will harm the crews. They can return to the harbor and use the taverns or board their ships as they please. You are not to fight with them; there is a truce. If you have any complaints against them, report to Rasconza, he is their leader. Disobey and you will answer to me. I am your Emperor, Ublaz. I have spoken!"

Late that evening the vermin crews roistered and sang in the harbor area of Sampetra. Only the fox Rasconza sat alone, brooding in the captain's cabin aboard Bloodkeel.Once he had been a mere bosun on this same vessel, now he was Captain in Chief of six ships. But a nagging thought had entered his mind as he went back over the day's events. It had all been too simple, Ublaz had agreed to his terms too readily ... Why?

Ublaz sat upon his throne sipping wine, satisfied that he had defeated seven enemies in short time. Now he had only the fox to contend with. Easy game! The Emperor liked easy games, though he often cheated to win.

Martin and his friends had taken to the ditch, following Skipper as he tracked Lask Frildur and his company through Mossflower. The otter Chieftain halted and cast about looking for a sign, saying, "Well, mates, ole Lask's learnin' a bit o' sense. See here, they've tried to cover their trackslook, pawmarks. I reckon this is where they've climbed out o' the ditch an' prob'ly 'eaded west o'er yon field into the woods."

Martin inspected the scratchmarks carefully. "I think you're right, Skip. Once in the woods they'd find the river and follow it to the sea."

With a leap and a bound, Clecky was out of the ditch into the field. "C'mon, chaps, after the scurvy bounders, wot!"

A slingstone whizzed out of nowhere, bouncing close to the hare's footpaw. He jumped back into the ditch with great alacrity. "Ambush, chaps! Blinkin' nerve of the bottle-nosed blighters!"

The Warriormouse peered over the ditchtop, across the sunlit field, still sparkling with dew, to the shaded woodland fringe. There was no visible movement anywhere. "As you said, Skip, the lizard is learning sense. He's left a rearguard behind to slow us up. They're in the woods somewhere, too well hidden for us to see."

Gerul provided a swift solution to the problem. "With yer permission, sir, I'll fly meself up high an' see if I can't spot the ould vermin."

Before Martin could agree, the barn owl winged out over the field. As Gerul swooped low towards the trees he was struck by a heavy slingstone; he fell in a jumble of feathers. Immediately three gulls came screeching out of the tree cover and attacked Gerul as he lay dazed upon the ground.

Regardless of their own safety, Martin, Skipper and Clecky charged from the ditch, roaring.

“ Redwaaaaaalllll!''

A Monitor and four searats loosed slingstones at them as they ran. The three friends separated, ducking and dodging, but still going forward. A well-hurled javelin from Skipper took one of the gulls out, then, with only his loaded sling, the otter Chieftain made a mad dash and flung himself upon the Monitor. Before the searats could come to the lizard's aid, Martin was among them with his sword. Clecky dropped his bow and arrows and, diving at the remaining two seagulls, he lashed out fiercely with his lethal long legs, protecting the fallen owl with his body.

The encounter was short and savage, with Martin and his friends emerging victorious, though one of the searats and a seagull escaped and fled off into the woodlands. But winning had its price. Gerul had been severely injured by the slingstone and the ravaging beaks of the gulls. Clecky made him comfortable whilst Martin attended to Skipper.

The otter had slain the carnivorous reptile with only a loaded sling and his natural strength. Skipper sat gasping, his back against a sycamore. Martin was horrified at the awful wounds inflicted by the Monitor's teeth and raking claws.

The otter winced as he grinned broadly, making a joke of the whole thing. "Uuuuhh! I don't think I could manage t'fight another one of those rascals today, mate!"

Martin tore his cloak into strips, calling to Clecky, "How is Gerul, is he all right?"

The barn owl flapped a wing limply. "Arr, I'll live, sir, though me ould wing is as much use as feathers on a fish, so 'tis."

Clecky was using the last of Genii's sanicle on his friend's wounds. "Be still, you boulder-beaked curmudgeon. Here, put y'talon on this while I bandage it, you great feather-faced frump. Got y'self in a nice old mess, m'laddo, haven't you, wot!"

When the two casualties were cleaned up and bandagea, Martin looked at them despairingly. "You two aren't fit to carry on. We'll have to get you back to Redwall and some proper nursing."

Skipper struggled upright, glaring fiercely at his friend. "Oh no you won't, matey. Yore job is to get the Abbot an' that liddle bankvole free. As fer me an' this bird, we can make our own way back t'the Abbey, can't we, matey?"

Gerul wobbled his way over to Skipper, and they stood supporting each other.

"Sure will y'look at the pair of us now. Between us we make an owlotter, whatever that is. But don't you worry, sir, as me ould mother used t'say, the road may be long but it doesn't get any shorter by standin' gossipin', so we're off to Redwall now. Look after me friend Clecky an' treat him kindly, but don't turn yer back on him if there's food about, oh no, sir!"

The hare sniffed. "Thank you for those few kind words, you feather-bottomed old fraud. See you back at the jolly old Abbey in a few days, wot!"

Martin could not suppress a smile as the two casualties staggered off across the field wing in paw, chattering animatedly as they hobbled along together.

"Ouch! I think I'm goin' to need great pots of soup an' lots of elderberry wine afore I'm right again, Gerul!"

"Isn't that a fact, sir. An' as for meself I think pasties an' puddens with a barrel or two of the good October ale will put the sheen back upon me feathers, indeed, so they will!"

Clecky twitched his ears fondly, waving good-bye to his companion. "Huh! D'y'know, I'd swear that chap's fakin'. Got himself wounded just so's he can fill his face at Redwall an' not share any of it with me. Typical of the blighter!"

Martin gave the hare's tunic a sharp tug. "Remember what Genii's old mother used to say, the road may be long, but it doesn't get any shorter by standing gossiping. Come on, let's get after Lask Frildur!"