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

Lask brought his face close to the old mouse. "Warriorz?"

Tucking both paws into his long sleeves, the Abbot turned sideways to avoid the Monitor General's foul breath. "Yes, my son, the Guosim are renowned both on land and water as fierce warriors. Their fighting spirit knows no bounds."

Lask pulled the Abbot roughly to him. "Old fool, I am your enemy, not your zon!"

Gazing calmly into the glittering reptilian eyes, Durral said, "I am an Abbot; nobeast is my enemy. Why do you not let me go free and sail from here in peace?"

Lask shook the frail mouse savagely. "I cannot leave without my Emperor'z pearlz. When I have them then you can go free!"

Romsca interrupted impatiently. "Lissen t'me, mouse, an' save yerself a lot o' grief. The only way yore leavin' this ship is in exchange fer those six pearls. Now who's got 'em?"

The Father Abbot of Redwall shook his head slowly. “Pearls? Pearls? I know nothing of any pearls."

Romsca faced Lask Frildur. "Well, you 'eard 'im. He knows nothing. What are y' goin' to do? Take my word, Lask, wotever it is, you'd best do it quick. Look at that crowd on shore, they're gettin' ready to come out 'ere, an' I'll wager it's not to present us with six pearls. Make yer mind up, lizard: do we stan' an' fight, or cut an' run?''

The shrew Trimp put aside a length of caulking rope and patted the side of Grath's longboat. "That's the best I can do for ye! She's seaworthy agin, but for 'ow long I don't know. Yore pretty rough on boats, matey!"

The otter braced the headrope across her shoulders and began pulling her craft down to the stream. “My thanks to you, Guosim, I hope I can pay you back someday."

Martin and Clecky helped her to launch the longboat at the head of the shrew flotilla. Log a Log put both paws to his mouth and gave a long ululating call, the battlecry of Guosim shrews.

“ Logalogalogalogalooooog!''

Grath hoisted her sail, while Martin and Clecky used the oars to propel the longboat, their three different warshouts joining the shrews paddling behind.

"Redwaaaaaall!"

"Eulaliaaaaaa!"

"Holt Lutraaaaaa!"

The little warfleet sped from the stream estuary into the waves. Each shrew, armed with slingshots and rapier, bent its back to the oars, spreading into a half-circle, with the longboat at its center. Lashing the tiller dead ahead Grath made her way to the prow, notching a shaft to her bow.

She roared out across the sea to the figures on the deck of Waveworm,"Release your prisoner or die!"

Lask Frildur cast a meaningful glance at Romsca. "Sail!" he hissed.

Speed was of the essence. The corsair captain slashed at the anchor line with her sword, bellowing orders to her crew.

"Bring 'er about course west! Make sail, full sail!"

Wavewormturned on the swell as her steersrat brought the tiller hard round. Wetting a paw, Romsca held it aloft, frowning. "We need the breeze, they're comin' up on us fast!"

Lask and his Monitors stood astern, long boathooks and pikes ready should the attackers try to board. The Monitor General looked nervously from the oncoming boats to Romsca. "Where iz the wind, we need wind in the zailz!"

Grath Longfletch knew she was within range now. Drawing her bowstring tight, she aimed at Lask and let loose a shaft. Fortunately for the Monitor General the arrow arrived at the very moment Wavewormhit a stretch of choppy water. It struck the lizard standing to his left; the reptile gurgled, tugged at the shaft sticking from his chest and toppled overboard.

Romsca balanced in the prow, feeling the ship begin to rise and fall. "Haharr," she cried. "The breeze is freshenin', we'll outsail em!"

Martin glanced up from his oar at Grath. "They've got the wind with them now!"

Grath tried another arrow, but it was whipped sideways in flight. "Aye, but so have we, Martin!" she said. Then she dashed amidships and went to work, tightening the lines in their cleats until the single square sail billowed tautly.

Log a Log was yelling and ranting above the howling gusts, "Come on, Guosim, bend yer backs, pull! Pull those oars, buckoes!"

The shrews strove bravely, battling with their heavy logboats and small sails to keep up with Grath's craft. Waves crashed over the sides of the shrewboats, sending water cascading into them as the windforce built the seas high.

Chopping the Abbot's tether rope clear of Waveworm'smast, Lask Frildur dragged the old mouse up to the stern gallery. Securing the rope end to the rail, the lizard pushed his prisoner over, leaving him dangling at the aft end above the waves.

"Let them fire arrowz now if they dare!" he rasped.

Grath Longfletch threw down her bow in disgust. Then she suddenly flung herself flat in the prow as she heard an ominous noise, calling, "Belay, the mast is gone!"

Craaaaack!

The longboat's mast snapped like a twig, unable to withstand further strain from the gale-tightened sail. Martin found himself enveloped in canvas, being dragged along the boat's bottom as the wind began blowing the loose sail. Clecky was laid flat by the broken mast spar. The Warriormouse struggled madly. Tearing himself free, he whipped out his sword and severed the mast ropes with a few swift slashes. Broken mast, sail and cross spar went swishing out across the sea like a runaway beast.

Grath cradled the unconscious hare's head in her paws, a look of despair on her face as she watched Wavewormpull away with the Abbot dangling high astern.

"They've beaten us, Martin. We'll never catch them now!"

The Warriormouse brushed seawater from his eyes as he watched the corsair vessel recede into the watery wastes. "No, they haven't beaten me! Not yet they haven't!"

Log a Log gave orders. Lashed together prow to prow and stern to stern the small flotilla turned and headed for land.

************************************

Night had fallen; a beacon fire burned bright on the beach. Viola and four other shrews who had been left to guard the searat saw the crews come in to shore. Heads down, panting and gasping for breath, Log a Log and his Guosim shrews staggered up to the fire, followed by Martin and Grath carrying Clecky between them. Saturated by seawater and exhausted from their battle to reach dry land, everybeast flopped wearily around the fire area. Viola and the four shrews hurried about, serving hot vegetable broth and oatcakes as they went.

Late into the night Martin sat at the fire with Log a Log and Grath. The shrew Chieftain fed fresh wood to the flames, and glanced across to where the hare was now sleeping peacefully, wrapped up in old sailcloth.

"That one'll live to eat another day; I never knew a hare that couldn't rise to the sound o' a ladle in a cookpot. So, Martin, yore bound an' determined to follow the corsair ship?"

The Warriormouse watched the flames crackling around a pine log. "That's right, Log a Log. If I have to follow them over the world's edge and it takes me all my life, I'll bring our Abbot back to Redwall Abbey. I swear it on my sword!"

Chapter 26

Like a soft cloak of dark velvet, buttoned and studded with stars, the last night of spring lay soft over the ancient sandstone Abbey of Redwall. Lanterns and torches glimmered and flickered in the grounds like fireflies. Tansy hurried up from the pond to where Auma stood in the open doorway of the Abbey, calling, "No sign of those Dibbuns yet?"

Pulling forth a large red spotted kerchief, the badger Mother dabbed at her tired eyes. "Not a whisker. It's as if they disappeared into thin air. Here's Wullger, maybe he'll have some good news for us."

The otter shook his head as he approached them. "I've tried the gatebar meself, marm, 'tis too high an' far too 'eavy fer Dibbuns to lift. Besides, if they'd left the Abbey, who'd 'ave locked the gate after 'em? You surethose liddle rogues ain't inside anywheres?"