Brian Jacques - Redwall #06 - The Outcast of Redwall

The six-clawed ferret sat beneath a shady tree, painting glowing pictures of the good times ahead to his officers. Swartts unobtrusive wife, Bluefen, scurried about, serving fruit and fish. Swartt hardly noticed her.

“This is only the start, he said. “Give me one good season travelin southnwest an everybeast in the land11 be flockin to my banner, youll see.

“Hmm, southwest, eh? Is that where the badger is? Scraw the rat, now a Captain, mused idly.

The good mood of Swartt Sixclaw suddenly dissipated, and his voice became a questioning snarl. “Who told you about the badger?

Scraw was not intimidated by the Warlords ill humor. “Some o those beasts you were running with before you came to the tents of Lord Bowfleg, he answered. “They say the badger is young, but a great warrior, fearless in battle....

Swartt leaned forward anxiously. “What else do they say? Tell me.

“They say he was the one who ruined your sixclawed paw, made it dead forever, and that you have sworn to slay him.

Swartt upturned his metal drinking cup and suddenly dealt it a swift blow with the chain-mailed and copper-bound gauntlet he wore over the withered six-claw. The vessel crumpled, flattened beneath the force of the blow. Swartt stared at Scraw. “Dont ever make the mistake that my sixctaw is useless. Its slain more foebeasts than youve had hot dinners, rat. As for the badger, I hear he calls himself Sunflash the Mace now; take it from me, that ones a walkin deadbeast!

Aggal the stoat Captain made bold enough to ask, “Howll you know where to find this Sunflash the Mace?

Swartt nodded to the vixen. “Tell him.

“Searats; some seasons back we met them on the coast, Nightshade explained briefly. “They told us of a place far in tfie southwest, a mountain ruled by badgers and hares, it has a strange name I cannot remember. The searats said that any badger traveling south and west will eventually arrive at this mountain, something to do with the destiny of badgers. Who knows?

Aggal shrugged dismissively. “Huh, searats! Who can believe that lot of floatin rogues? We slew a few up on the east coast last season; before they died, some of them said they knew of a great redstone Abbey that had been built in the mid-south. Liars, theyd have said fish had wings if theyd thought itd save their miserable lives.

Swartt lied with a straight face to his officers. “I have spoken with a wise old owl; he knew of the badger mountain. You all know that owls dont lie, so gather round and Ill tell you somethin.

The officers gathered closer to Swartt. Information from wise owls was rare, but always true. The ferret Warlord spoke low. “The mountain of badgers and hares, this owl said, was also a storehouse of fabulous treasure, jeweled swords, golden daggers, and shields mounted with pearls and gems. Well take it by force of arms with this great horde. Then Ill split this treasure, but only with my brave Captains. What I tell you is not for other ears, it will be our secret. None of the ordinary hordebeasts need know. Are you with me? The Captains looked from one to another, their eyes shining greed. Scraw acted as spokesbeast for them as he said, “Were with you, Lord Sixclaw, you can depend on us!

The remainder of the day passed happily for the horde as they fed, played, and napped among the tents that had been set up on the streambanks. Late night found the fires burned to embers. A soft breeze moved the tent flaps and rippled the stream as the horde slept deeply, tired out after their forced march from the flatlands. Even the sentries slept. That was when Krakulat the crow made his move....

Scarback and Marbul were sleeping in the open, outside the Warlords tent. It was their job to guard him, but the two assassins were as tired as any. They did not feel the thin twine made from animal sinews until it began tightening upon their necks, and by then it was too late. Four crows dug their talons into the earth as they strained and pulled in opposite directions on the strangling loops. Meanwhile, Krakulat stirred the embers of a fire at the edge of the camp into leaping flames, Silently, Krakulats wife, Bonebeak, dipped her wing in signal to the army of waiting crows, and the Crow Brethren went to work.

Each of them winged silently over the fire, carrying in their talons a long string. At the end of each string dangled a mass of dried moss and grasses dripping with pine resin. As the Crow Brethren passed over the flames, the fireballs ignited. Speeding like dark phantoms, they flew upward, dropping their blazing burdens onto the tents of Swartts horde. As soon as this was done, they circled high out of range of the flames, waiting.

Three ferrets dashed screaming from a burning tent. Krakulat and his crows dived and slew them as they tried to escape the flames. Now others could be seen against the patches of firelight that had sprung up, illuminating the landscape below. The Crow Brethren took no prisoners; the vengeance of Krakulat was swift and unmerciful.

Swartt hurtled from his tent, ignoring his coughing, choking wife, who staggered behind him. He grabbed the vixen as she dashed past, yelling, “Whatn the name of bloodnfur is goin on? Who set all these tents alight?

Nightshade pointed at four dark shapes attacking a squealing rat in the firelight. “Crows! Theyre all over the place.... Yaaaagh!

A crow fastened its talons in the vixens back; Swartt clubbed it flat with his mailed paw. Drawing his sword, he roared, “The stream! Everybeast into the water, archers an slingbeasts, rally to me!

The Warlord stood in the shallows, flaying about himself with the flat of his sword blade as he rallied his troops. “Fire arrows an rocks! There, you dummies, there! Cant yer see em in the firelight when they fly down? There aint so many of em! Come on, move yerselves, shoot!

A withering hail of stones and arrows whizzed into the night sky, followed by another and yet another. Krakulat saw the destruction the missiles wreaked on his Brethren and wheeled upward out of range, cawing, “Kraawkaa! Follow me. We will show them the Brethren have no fear. Higher, my warriors, higher!

Nightshade found Swartt and pointed upward. “Lord, theyre out of range, but theyre going to dive down upon us!

The Warlord acted quickly, passing word to his Captains. “Spears an pikes, hold em low til I give the signal!

Swartts quick thinking ended the encounter. Krakulat sent his crows zooming down like thunderbolts, and, unable to stop themselves in time, the last thing most of them heard was Swartt yelling, “Spears an pikes up!

The Crow Brethrens ranks were so drastically thinned by this sudden action that they were forced to take flight.

Morning light found Swartt and his officers seated on the streambank, surveying the smoldering ruins of the hordetents. Soldiers, some with fur badly scorched, kept bringing in reports.

“Weve found the two weasels Scarback and Marbu!. They were strangled to death, Lord.

Swartt dismissed them with a wave of his sword. “Just as well, Id have throttled em meself if theyd lived, for not warnin me of the crow attack. Any more sentries left alive?

Aggal pointed out a pair of rats. “Only those two, Lord.

Swartts face was expressionless as he pronounced sentence. “Slay em, theyre no good to me sleepin on duty. Make sure the rest see yer do it, teach em a lesson!

A weasel called Grayjaw came running up, breathless. “Sire, weve seen the crows. Theyre in that grove of pines over yonder. Give the word an well attack!

Swartt shook his head as if in despair.

“Listen to her. Give the word an well attack. Blockhead! Theyve probably got an ambush set up for us if we go near those pines. Leave em, theres no profit in losin more of us by stayin in this place an wagin war on a lot of crows.