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

"Just as we found it," Tansy answered.

Gerul looked from one to the other. "An' of course you all had yer eyes shut tight, did ye not?"

Piknim was running out of patience. "Silly owl, we had our eyes wide open," she said, stamping her paw down.

From amid the dried grass and mud of the nest Gerul picked a small grayish-black feather. "So, you had yer eyes open an' never saw this, hah! Me ould mother would've given yez the length o' her beak, so she would!"

Tansy twirled the feather in her paw, mystified. "What is it, Gerul?"

The owl hopped up onto the armchair and blinked at Tansy. "Faith, don't y'know, missie? 'tis the neck feather of a jackdaw, the greatest robber ever to have an ould set of wings. Yore pearl was stolen by a jackdaw. They'll have anythin' shiny, the thievin' blackguards. They'd have the eyes out o' yer head if you weren't watchinem, so me mother used t'say!"

Rollo plopped into the armchair glumly. "You mean to tell us that the fourth pearl was stolen by a jackdaw? It could be anywhere in Mossflower, or even beyond by now. How are we ever going to find it?"

Gerul leapt to the floor and started waddling off back to the remains of dinner in Great Hall.

"Easy. I'll show ye after breakfast tomorrer!" he said.

Wullger the otter gatekeeper poked his head round the door of Great Hall and called to Auma, "Visitors t'see yer, marm, you too, Skip!"

Led by Log a Log and half a score of burly otters, the Guosim shrews piled into the hall. Despite his still-healing wounds, Skipper dashed to meet them.

"Ahoy, Rangapaw, you timed that nicely, dinner ain't over yet. Log a Log, y'old son of a shrew, how are ye, matey!"

Greetings were exchanged as helpers ran to put out extra food for the newcomers. Log a Log and Rangapaw joined Auma and the otter Chieftain at the big table. Skipper poured October ale for them, giving them a moment to slake their thirst.

Rangapaw was a large sleek otter. She stood almost a head taller than Skipper, her father. Mopping off a tankard of ale, she gave Skipper a friendly buffet across the back, which nearly knocked him from his seat. He winked fondly at her.

"Now then, y'great waterhound, stop knockin' yore ole daddy about an' make yore report."

The big otter poured herself more October ale. "Well, we traveled as fast as we could when word came from Log a Log that it was our mates the Redwallers in trouble, but we arrived too late. Ole Log a Log can tell you the rest; we met him on the shore."

The Guosim Chieftain went on to explain how Lask Frildur and Romsca had sailed off with the Abbot and how Martin had taken up pursuit of them with his small band. He told of Grath Longfletch rescuing Viola, then looked about, saying, "Is the volemaid not back yet? She should have arrived more'n a day ago."

Auma looked shocked. "Back here? No. Surely Martin didn't let the little maid travel alone?"

Log a Log shook his head. "Of course not, marm. She had an escort of two stout shrews. Hey, Jesat and Teno, what say you?"

Jesat and Teno stood forward. “We saw her right to the gates, marm. She thanked us politely, but insisted on going in by herself."

Rangapaw quaffed her second tankard of ale and stood up. "Pack some o' those vittles for me an' the crew; we'll go straight away an' search for the liddle maid."

When the otters had departed Log a Log patted Auma's paw reassuringly. "Ahoy now, don't fret y'self, marm, they'll find her; and Martin an' his crew won't rest until they bring yore Abbot back 'ome. I know it, an' you would too if'n you'd seen the iron in his eyes when he set sail after those wavescum. Hah! That's one warrior they won't shake off, I'd take me affidavit on that!"

"That may be so," said Rollo. "But we must not slow down our search for the pearls; if we find the ransom, we may be able to save some bloodshed."

A moment later Sister Cicely stormed in and banged the table with a medicine spoon. "I'll wager nobeast has seen those three Dibbuns! They're not in the dormitory, I've searched all around the Abbey..."

Tansy interrupted the irate Sister. "D'you mean Arven, Diggum and Gurrbowl?"

Cicely brandished the medicine spoon fiercely. "Who else! Oooh, just let me get my paws on that little wretch Arven, he's the ringleader; the other two babes would follow him anywhere. I'll dose him purple with nettle soup when I get him! I'll bath him until his ears are bright red, I'll... I'll..."

Auma interrupted the Sister sternly. "You'll leave them to me, Cicely. After all, they are only Dibbuns. No doubt they'll be hiding somewhere, like last time. I say let us wait until they get hungry enough to come out, then we'll see what they have to say for themselves."

At that moment the three Dibbuns in question were wandering deep in Mossflower Wood. Wullger had left the Abbey main gate ajar when he admitted the otters and Guosim shrews, and the three Abbeybabes had seized their chance. Armed with sticks and a blanket, which they intended to make into a tent, they set off. They also had a big fruitcake, a bag of candied chestnuts and a flask of strawberry cordial purloined from the kitchens.

Arven smiled to himself as he muttered to his willing companions, "Thissa time we get lotsa mucky and dusted, catcher some o' those blizzards an' smack 'em wiv our big sticks. Then they be gladder to see us, I betcher!"

Diggum waved her stick about savagely. "Bo urr, us'ns be orful turrible h'aminals."

Gurrbowl agreed wholeheartedly. "Yurr, an us won't mightn't cumm back till we be growed up. Hurr hurr, we'm shout at 'em all an' purrem up t'bed early!"

The soft folds of velvet summer night descended over the woodlands, silencing birdsong as the three tiny figures were swallowed up in still-warm darkness.

Chapter 31

Dawn broke hot and warm over a sheltered inlet on the northwest coast of Sampetra. The ebbing tide had thrown up some flotsam from the vessel Bloodkeel.Still intact, the rudder and tiller lay among the shells and seaweed festooning the tideline. Lashed to it by a heaving line were Rasconza the fox and his steersrat Guja. Pounded and battered by the seas, they coughed up salt water as they extricated themselves from the ropes, tiller and rudder that had kept them alive for almost two days on the ocean. The pair dragged themselves painfully over the shore, into the shadow of a rock overhang at the foot of a hill. There they found fresh water.

Greedily the two corsairs lapped at the tiny rivulet of cold, crystal-clear liquid that threaded thinly and dripped from the mossy underside of their shelter. Rasconza picked salt rime from his eye corners, gazing beyond the cove, out to where the deep ocean glimmered and shimmered in early morn.

The fox's voice was rasping and painful, bitter and vengeful. "A full crew, matey, an' we're the only two left alive t'tell the tale!"

Guja had scraped some of the damp moss off with his dagger. He chewed it until there was no more moisture or nourishment left, then spat it out viciously. "Aye, Cap'n, all our shipmates, either drowned or eaten by the big fishes, every beastjack 0' them slain by Mad Eyes' treachery!"

Rasconza unbuckled the saturated belt that held his daggers, and laid the weapons out one by one on the grass. Selecting his favorite blade, he began honing it on a piece of rock. "Mark my words, Guja, the worst day's work Ublaz ever did was to leave me alive. Though he don't know it, his dyin' day is near!"

As Chief Trident-rat, it was Sagitar's duty to report to her Emperor morning and night. As she entered the pine marten's throne room, Sagitar could see that Ublaz was in a foul mood. He slumped on his throne staring at the lifeless form of Grail, his messenger gull. The great black-backed bird had died of exhaustion bringing news back to its master.