Brian Jacques - Redwall #06 - The Outcast of Redwall

Bryony stretched painfully to reach the ropes binding Veils paws to the bough. “Veil. Poor Veil, she cried.

The moment Veils paws were free he tore away the gag from his mouth and yelled angrily at the mousemaid, “What in the name of bloodnfur are you followin me for? Ignoring the hurt in Bryonys eyes, he continued. “Still spyin on me, eh! Why dont you jus leave me alone?

Bryony was dismayed and puzzled at Veils attitude. “But ... but... we saved you from those vermin! They might have ended up killing you, Veil!

The young ferret stormed about the hollow, rubbing life back into his paws, which were still numb from being bound. “Well, I didnt need savin, see! I was ready to slip those ropes and grab the spear. I can look after meself without you an that stupid mole runnin around tryin to nursemaid me.

Togget shook a heavy digging paw at him. “Youm watch ee tongue, maister, youm a gurtly ungrateful furret. Missie Broinee never did ought but good to ee!

Veil slumped beside the fire. “Well, where was she when they chucked me out of Redwall, eh? he sneered. “Ill tell you, sidin with all her goody-goody friends, thats where she was. Outcast they called me; nobeast raised a paw to elp me then.

Bryony placed a paw gently on his shoulder. “Oh, Veil, youre so wrong. Ive always been your friend, I care for you more than any creature living!

He shook her paw off and leapt up, grabbing his staff and belongings. “Get away from me, both of you! Goon, get back to your precious Abbey and spend your nights talkin about me an what a bad lot I was. Aye, Veil the vermin Outcast!

Togget ran between Veil and Bryony and shoved the young ferret backward, away from the mousemaid. “Hair, youm nought by a villyun, wi all yore bad talk! he shouted.

Veil rushed forward. “Out of my way! he snarled, pushing Togget roughly to the ground. The mole fell, hitting his head on a jutting rock.

Immediately Bryony was pummeling Veil with both paws. “You stupid beast! Me and Togget are the only friends you have in this world! Dont you see?

But in his rush to escape, Veil hurtled on, knocking her flat. Crawling on all fours, Bryony dragged herself to the stricken moles side. “Togget, are you hurt? If youve harmed this good creature... But she was talking to thin air. Veil had grabbed their remaining haversack of supplies and dashed off into the pines.

Bryony sat by the fire, cradling her molefriends head in her paws and weeping. Toggets eyelids flickered, then weakly he raised a digging claw and brushed a teardrop from her nosetip. “Oi thort et were a rainen again, hurr moi ole ead do be urted gurtly.

The mousemaid wiped away her tears and hugged him. ,; “Oh, Togget, thank goodness that youre alive! ; “Hurr, tis a wunner oi am, missie, layin yurr wi a lump v loik a mounting on moi ead, an ee crushen moi ribs tbits!

Out on the hills, the rain had stopped. It was a breezy midday when Veil sighted the two old foxes up ahead. At the point where hills met flatlands, a river, swollen by the rain, ran its winding course out onto the plain. The foxes were camped at its edge, using wet grass poultices to bathe the injuries from the sharp green pinecones. They did not see Veil until it was too late. Swinging his stave down hard with both paws, he hit Brool a vicious blow to the base of his skull. Then, grabbing a spear sticking into the ground next to Brool, he drove it into Renn. Rolling both foxes into the river, he watched them being borne away on the flow.

“When you get to Dark Forest tell them Veil the Outcastsent you!

The river was flowing in a westerly direction. Veil followed its banks until he found what he was looking for, an old willow trunk, washed up there after winter. Levering it into the water with the spear butt, he waded in and boarded it. Straddling the trunk, the young ferret made a meal of scones and crystallized fruit from the haversack as he was borne westward. Far in the distance he could see mountains.

37

Bryony would not let Togget travel until midafternoon. When they quit the pine grove she made a compress of rain-wet dock leaves and bound it to his forehead. Hungry and dispirited, they pressed onward. Bryony had to put up with listening to a relentless menu of Toggets favorite foods; she let him ramble on, knowing he was trying to forget the ache in his head. He trudged by her side, arranging meals.

“Oi loiks damsen pudden wi lots o meadowcrearn on et, an oi favors noo-baked bread, hurr, wi ole yellow cheese an a gurt summer salad. Ho, but deepernever turnipnta-ternbeetroot pie, hoo urr! Oid swap moi tail furr one roight naow, wi gudd mushyroom gravy poured thick atop of et!

The visions conjured up by Toggets descriptions soon had Bryony comparing her favorite dishes with him. “Id like a beaker of strawberry cordial and a big pastie, a mushroom, potato, and onion one; after that I think Id go for some hot apple-and-blackberry crumble, with sweet white arrowroot sauce poured all over it. Then Id have a wedge of white cheese, the one with almonds and hazelnuts in it, and one, no two, of Friar Bunfolds fresh oatfarls, straight from the oven. Yummy!

Togget held one paw to his forehead and the other to his stomach. “Aow, missie, do be soilent, oim tumble angry! “Well, you started it, moleyface! Look, theres a river! They made camp on the riverbank, and Bryony redampened Toggets poultice with river water. Nowhere was anything edible to be found. The country ahead of them sloped slightly downward, running off to a flat plain, grassy and deserted. Behind a small hillock they snuggled down on the lee side; away from the breeze, it was quite sunny and warm. Togget was snoring gently and Bryonys eyes were beginning to droop when she heard a deep bass voice singing:

“One day in spring I said to me wife,

Though were close together as forknknife,

An Ive loved ydearly all of me life,

Still Ill have to follow the wateeeeeeer!

She yelled at me an took up her broom,

An chased me twice around the front room,

Shoutin, That ole riverll be yore doom,

Think of yer son an yer daughteeeeeeeer!

So I said to her, O love dearie me,

I must follow the river right down tthe sea,

Tis the only way a beast can be free,

An I ran cos I couldnt have fought heeeeeeer!

She said tme, Now listen, you,

Me an the young uns are all comin too,

On board of a raft you need a good crew,

Itll make the journey seem shorteeeeeeeer! “

A large untidy raft hove into view round the bend, smoke curling from the chimney of a hut built at its center. A fat, jolly-looking hedgehog was leaning on the tiller; over his head, a line was strung between two poles set forard and aft, with gaily colored washing fluttering from it.

Bryony ran into the shallows, waving her paws. “Hello there, I mean, ahoy! Could you take two passengers?

The fat hedgehog grinned from ear to ear, revealing a wonderful set of even white teeth. “Ahoy yoreself, mousey, gangway while I brings er inshore!

He steered the raft into the shallows, almost grounding it, and asked, “Two, ysay, wheres tother one, missie?

“Yurr, SUIT, tho oim nought but a pore damaged mole-beast! Togget came ambling around the hillock, holding his head.

A small wiry female hedgehog came bustling out of the hut OB the raft, her skirt billowing over a welter of petticoats. “Corks n crivvens! she exclaimed. “Wot appened to yore nut, mole? Did yer fall on it?

Togget tenderly rubbed the poultice on his forehead. “Oid tell ee, maim, but oim far too ungered furr gossip.

Immediately the hogwife gave her husband a mighty shove. “Ducksndrakes! Dont stan there lookin ornamental, Dud-die Pollspike, git the pore mole an the mousemaid aboard an1 lets feed “em!