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

Auma watched the curious proceedings, then enquired, "I don't know what you're up to, Rollo, but d'you need any help?"

Placing both paws on his back, the old Recorder straightened up. "Ooh, my aching bones! We'd be extremely grateful if you'd help us to stand this punt on its side in the shallows."

Little Arven rolled his smock sleeves up briskly. "Stanna side, Roily, we do it easy. Cummon, moles, we showem 'ow to lifta boat, us on'y likkle but we's horful strongly!"

As the three Dibbuns charged into the shallows, Auma scooped them neatly up in her huge paws and set them back on the bank. "Keep an eye on these rogues, Tansy. Everybeast stand clear now!"

Then the big badger set the punt on its side with a single powerful heave. "There, is that what you wanted? What do you expect to do with the boat in this position?''

Glenner picked up the long punting pole. "There's one o' them pink pearls somewhere on the pond bottom, marm, but there's also a big ole female grayling. So I'm goin' to dive down there an' chase 'er into the shallows with this pole. The plan is to drop the punt upside down on 'er, so the fish'll be trapped, then I can search for the pearl without that big ole grayling botherin' me. You'll all need t'stand on the boat; yore weight will stop the fish escapin'. It should work."

At the mention of a big fish, the Dibbuns became excited. They danced about on the bank squealing and shouting.

"Hurrhurr, oi'll swim down with ee an' chase ee gurt fish-erbeast!"

"H'an' I bite its tail off. Chomp! Like dat wi' my big sharp teefs!"

"Burr aye, an' oi'll sit unner ee boat anold ee gurt fishbeast 'ard an' toight, so ee don't 'urt you'm creeturs!"

Auma shook a warning paw at them. "You'll stay with me and keep tight hold of my paws or I'll tan your tails and send you off to bed!"

All the helpers were huddled behind the boat. Auma poked her head around the side and called to Glenner, who was wading through the reeds at the pond's far edge, "We're all ready here, down you go, Glenner. Be careful!"

The otter submerged into the crystal-clear water, holding the pole like a lance in front of her. The female grayling lurked in the boulders at the deep center of the pond, unwilling to move away from the skeletal remains of her long-dead mate. Glenner tapped her gently on the head with the pole, but she refused to budge. However, a second tap brought the big fish's dorsal fin upright, and she became aggressive. Like a flash she charged, but the otter fended her off skillfully, tapping away sharply with the butt end of the pole and bumping the grayling on her head, sides and tail until she ceased her attack and turned in retreat. Glenner was right after her, urging her along, shepherding her with the punting pole.

Auma peered around the side of the punt. "Here she comes, get ready now, when I say push ..."

Tansy took a quick peek; the big female grayling made a brave sight. Wriggling backward into the shallows the great purply-sheened body bucked and quivered as it snapped and fought the teasing pole. The high, long-based dorsal fin stood clear of the water like a spined streamer; iridescent scales flashed in the sunlight, splashing water left and right.

"Now push!!!" Auma shouted.

The punt hit the water with a flat thwack,landing over the fish like a huge mouth closing. Caught up in the excitement of the moment, Rollo hitched up his habit and roared, "Jump on top! Jump on top! Quick, everybeast on top!"

They scrambled on top of the upturned punt, their combined weight causing it to bed firmly into the sand of the shallows.

Sudden imprisonment made the big female fish go berserk. She leaped and bucked, whacking the bottom and sides of the punt furiously, throwing herself wildly in all directions.

Tansy clung to Rollo, Piknim clung to Craklyn, and all four then clung to the most solid beast around, Auma. The badger Mother had her paws full trying to keep hold of the Dibbuns, who chortled helplessly, wriggling and skipping across the bottom of the punt as if it were all a wonderful game. Under the grayling's onslaught the punt shuddered and quivered.

Tansy was amazed at the mad strength of a single fish. She stood swaying on the thrumming timbers, holding Arven's paw tightly, and said, "If Glenner doesn't hurry up, the grayling's going to wreck this punt and send us all into the water!"

Auma eyed the upturned punt bottom doubtfully. "It's a big, powerful fish, right enough. These old timbers aren't going to last very long if it carries on the way it's going."

"Ahoy, mates, let loose the ole fish!"

Glenner stood in the reedy shallows at the far side waving to them. En masse they leapt off and hurried up onto the bank. Auma went wading back in and lifted the punt slightly. With a whooshing rush of water the grayling shot out and was lost in a sandy swirl. She made straight for the safety of the boulders at the pond bottom, reunited with the frame of her dead partner.

Glittering wetly, the rose-colored pearl caught the afternoon sunlight as Glenner tossed it high in the air, catching it deftly as it fell.

"Don't throw it about like that," Rollo called sternly. "It's not a plaything, Glenner. Bring it here this instant and don't drop it!"

The otter popped the pearl into her mouth. "Wharr marr panna sowp?" she said around it.

Auma looked at Tansy and shrugged. "What's the beast talking about?"

Glenner dropped the pearl from her mouth into Tansy's waiting paws. "I said, where's my pan o' soup?"

Piknim pounded the otter's back happily. "You'll get your pan of soup, you old water-walloper. Well done!"

Arven picked up a small round pebble and gave it to Piknim. "Me 'ave soop too!" he said.

"Where exactly did you find the pearl, Glenner?" asked Tansy.

Glenner sat down on the mossy bank, shaking her head sadly. "You'll never believe it, matey, but it was that pearl wot killed the ole grayling. It was stuck in the bones where 'is throat once was."

The hedgehog maid stared at the beautiful orb resting in her paw. "So that was it. Fermald must have tossed this pearl into the pond and Grimjaw thought it was food and tried to swallow it, but the pearl lodged in his throat and choked him. I don't suppose that was what Fermald meant to do, but unwittingly she killed Grimjaw. Dearie me, she finally did defeat her old foe!"

Rollo sat down beside Tansy. "Cheer up, missie, at least we've got the pearl. Don't look so unhappy, the greedy old fish slew himself, really."

Tansy continued staring at the pearl, and said, "It's not the fish I'm unhappy about, Rollo. I was just recalling the line of Fermald's poem which says, patience pays but once this time. This pearl is the one payment; we've got no piece of paper with clues to lead us on to the fourth pearl. What do we do next?"

Diggum the molebabe's reasoning was simple. "Do now? Us'ns make ee gurt pot o' soop furr ee otter, marm!"

Rollo patted the little creature's velvety head. "A capital idea, my friend; a good feed will help us all to think a little more clearly!"

Tansy was not convinced, however. She wandered glumly back across the tranquil lawns towards the Abbey. However, the irrepressible Piknim and Craklyn could not endure their companion's long face, and they danced around her, singing to lighten her mood.

"Pick me flowers for Redwall,

To grace the tables of Great Hall,

Go out upon the grassy ground,

Where flowers bloom all round.

Periwinkle primrose pimpernel,

Buttercup burnet and bluebell,

Arrowhead anemone asphodel,

Tansy's a flower as well!

Campion cowslip columbine,

Speedwell spurge and snowdrop fine,

Toadflax thrift and also thyme,

But pretty Tansy's mine! .

Foxglove figwort feverfew,

Harebell hemlock hawkweed too,