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

"Save us from those bloodthirsty Dibbuns, they was cryin' I 'eard 'em wid me own two ears!"

Arven scowled ferociously, picking up his stick and shaking it. "Cummon, you c'n 'elp us, we soon catchem!"

Rangapaw swept the tiny squirrel up onto her shoulder. "Nah, leave 'em, mate, they ain't worth it. We got to get you roughnecks back to Redwall. Ahoy, Rushcutter, break out some supplies so these warriors can eat on the way back."

Gurrbowl prodded the otter in question.

"Hurr aye, anurry ee up, oi be gurtly 'ungered!"

Back at the Abbey, Higgle Stump checked the contents of his ovens for the third time that evening. "What'll I do, Teasel? Serve the meal or empty these ovens an' let the vittles cool before they get spoiled?"

Goodwife Teasel continued ladling cooked gooseberry and rhubarb into a bowl. She was making a crumble. "Can't serve food if'n they're all still out searchin'. Wait'll I finish this, then I'll go an' find Mother Auma, see wot she wants us t'do with all this good fare."

Auma was sitting on the Abbey doorstep with Skipper, scratching her muzzle worriedly. "We should have started searching for those little ones last night," she said. "Sister Cicely wanted to and I stopped her. Leave them I said, they'll come out of hiding when they're hungry enough. Now look, we've searched all day long, everybeast in the Abbey, and still not a trace of them. It's all my fault, Skipperand there's poor Viola too, out there in the woods alonelost or captured, or worse ..."

The tough otter laid a gentle paw on his friend's shoulder. "Don't you go blamin' yoreself, marm. I'd 'ave said the same, knowin' those three liddle snips. Hearken, wot's that?"

Bong boom, boomabong!

Furlo Stump's shouts rang out from the belltower between the peals of Redwall's twin bells. "Otter crew comin' down the path with three Dibbuns, I see 'em clear. Open the gates, Wullger!"

The big badger Mother of Redwall swept away a tear with her apron corner as she hurried to the main gate. "Praise the fates! They're safe! But what of Viola?"

Sister Cicely caught up with her. "There's no sign, but at least these three are alive, seasons be thanked. Outside the Abbey walls, if you please, wandering all over Mossflower without a care in the world, I'll be bound. Well, just wait until I have a word with those three. I'll wager it was that little ragtag Arven who kept them out in those woods!"

A single bell tolled four times, calling all Redwallers to the meal in Great Hall. Owing to the addition of Log a Log and his Guosim shrews, who had stayed to help with the search, and Rangapaw's otter crew, extra tables had been laid.

Auma approached Rangapaw anxiously. "Was there no sign of our little volemaid?" she asked. "I can't bear to think of her lost and alone out in those dark woods."

"Sorry, marm," replied Rangapaw, "but rest assured. As soon as we've dealt with these three little ones, we'll resume our search."

Sister Cicely and several of the other Abbey elders were of the opinion that the three Dibbuns should be sent straight to bed after a good dressing-down for all the trouble they had caused. However, it was not to be. Skipper's daughter Rangapaw defended the babes stoutly, winning Auma and many others to her side. The otter went into comical detail relating the attitude of Arven and the two moles, and soon had everybeast nodding and smiling. Finally, she seated the trio among her otters.

"Mates, I can't think of no better tribute t'these three warriors who saved this ole Abbey from bein' overrun by blizzards, than bein' made official members of my otter crew. We need brave beasts like Arven, Diggum an' Gurrbowl t'protect us in our ole age, when they're growed an' we're staggerin' about all gray-furred."

Before Sister Cicely could protest, Log a Log stood up, saying, "I second that! No sense in breakin' their spirits by shoutin' at 'em an' sendin' them off t'bed with no vittles. They're three good 'uns, what d'you say, Skip?"

The otter Chieftain stroked his whiskers thoughtfully. "Well, if y'put it thatways, matey, wot c'n I say? We could've all been slayed or taken prisoner by blizzards, wotever they be, but fer these three. I'll say this, though, if'n they're to be otter crew then they got to abide by our laws ..."

Here Rangapaw turned to the three Dibbuns and stopped them stuffing their faces with strawberry junket for a moment. "D'you three take an oath by fur, fire'n'water that you don't go wanderin' off agin, unless it's with my permission? Also, d'ye swear that you'll act like proper otter crew warriors, obeyin' the orders of yore elders, never tellin' fibs, bein' good to allbeasts, an' growin' up well mannered? D'you take the oath?"

Diggum stood up on her chair, waving a spoon. "Ho aye, zurr, us'ns take ee oats!"

There was general cheering and laughter as the three Dibbuns stood nobly, paws on stomachs, because they were not sure where their hearts were located. Even Sister Cicely managed a smile.

Rangapaw called her scouts together and spoke gravely to Auma before silently slipping away to resume the search for Viola. "Don't you fret, marm. We won't rest night or day until we've searched every tree, nook and hollow of Mossflower woods and found the little maid."

The merriment ceased abruptly when the Abbey door banged open wide and Wullger the gatekeeper staggered in, holding up Tansy and Craklyn. They made it to the front of the main table then collapsed on the floor, breathless and sobbing.

Wullger looked pleadingly at Auma. "I can't get no sense outta them, marm, but I think somethin' terrible's 'appened down at ole Ninian's church!"

Auma was around the table surprisingly quickly for one of her long seasons and great girth. The big badger bathed the Abbeymaids' tearstained faces with cold water from a bowl. Skipper and Log a Log kept back the press of anxious Redwallers who had left their seats to crowd around the two exhausted creatures.

Goodwife Teasel assisted, bathing Tansy's brow and calming her until she had recovered enough to speak coherently. Teasel leaned close to the hedgehog maid, stroking her cheek, and said, "Easy now, liddle 'un, take your time, yore among friends."

Tansy's voice was racked by sobs, and great tears coursed down her face as she explained breathlessly, "Ran all the way here ... Attacked by jackdaws ... Ninian's ... Rollo hiding ... in ditch ... Gerul said get help ... Piknim ... Piknim ... Oh, no ...Oh, Piknim!"

Auma was nursing Craklyn; she heard what Tansy said as if from afar. The badger clasped the squirrelmaid's face between her paws and asked, "Is this true?"

Craklyn nodded, her head falling forward in exhaustion. The badger Mother looked at her paws, bloodstained from the deep scratches on the squirrelmaid's face.

Log a Log drew his rapier, his paws trembling with rage as he turned to Skipper. "Fetch back yore daughter an' her crew. Guosim, arm yoreselves, we've got business to attend to double quick. Come on!"

Chapter 35

The Emperor Ublaz Mad Eyes rose in a thunderous mood. He had been awakened by timid tapping on his bedchamber door.

"If you must knock, then knock! Don't stand around there all day tipping and tapping. Get in here!"

Chief Trident-rat Sagitar gingerly stepped into the bedchamber. A shaft of early morning sunlight cut across the rumpled silk sheets onto the face of the pine marten. Ublaz shaded his eyes with a paw, blinking irately at the hapless rat.

"What is it now? Speak up!"

Sagitar took a deep breath before launching into her report. “Sire, one of your Monitors was washed up on the tideline this morning at dawn. He was lashed to a rudder and tiller, slain. This was stuffed in his mouth, Sire."

Ublaz snatched the damp scrap of sailcloth from the rat's nervous paws, unrolled it swiftly and sat staring at the message written in the blood of the Monitor.