Brian Jacques - Martin the Warrior [Redwall 6]

Keyla was still watching Druwp!

Dawn light found the small boat had been carried far out by the ebbing tide. It bobbed about on the heaving grey waves like a leaf in a storm. Felldoh, Martin and Brome baled with paws and oarblades, trying to splash the water over the sides. They were fighting a losing battle. Rose stood in the stern, straining her eyes for a sight of land.

All she could see were mountainous grey green waves wherever she looked. Grumm sat miserably, blocking the leak with his bottom, baling with his little ladle as the boat settled ever lower in the water.

"Burr, oi can't swim. Et be a shame t' finish up drownded."

Something struck the side of the boat, causing the timbers to creak.

Brome looked up from his baling.

"I hope that was a rock or something floating by. I'd hate to think it was a big fish!"

Rose peered down into the water. Her eyes went wide with shock.

She looked up, pretending to scan the horizon.

Her brother shook his head. "C'mon, Rosie, you can't fool me. I saw you gaping into the water. What's down there?

"It's a big fish!" Rose's voice was little more than a whisper.

They stopped baling. Felldoh chuckled halfheartedly, "Big enough for us to catch and eat?"

Rose shook her head. "The other way round, friend. It's big enough to catch and eat us!"

There was another thump against the boat's side. Grumm sat tight, staring uncomfortably at the sky.

"Burr, oi 'ates t' think o'moi pore bottom a poken through 'ee bowt wi' a gurt fisher swimmen under oi."

The fish struck again!

This time it fractured the planking, and sea water squirted in as the boat settled lower.

Martin grabbed an oar. "This will make a good float, Felldoh. You and Brome hang on to that other oar. I'll take this one with Rose and Grumm. If we get separated, we'll meet up at Noonvale. Look out, here we go!"

The boat filled up, sea water rushing in over the sides as it dropped from beneath them, plummeting into the depths below. In an instant they were all in the sea, struggling and kicking out as they held on to the oars. Submerging his head, Martin gazed down into the depths. He could dimly make out the gigantic shape of some deep sea fish as it chased the sinking craft into the greeny depths. As he pulled his head from the waters, Rose was shouting. "Brome, Felldoh, over here. Can you reach us?"

The young mouse and the squirrel were being swept away on the crest of a big roller, while Martin's oar was being pushed under, weighted as it was by three creatures. Instantly, Martin released his hold on the oar. It bobbed up and began travelling away from him on the waves, and he struck out after it. Rose paddled madly, turning the oar so it would drift nearer to Martin.

Grumm helped as much as he could, calling out, "Marthen, swim o'er 'ere. See iffen you'm can catch a hold o' moi paw!"

Painfully Martin came fractionally nearer his friends on the oar.

Rose kicked back with all her might to hold the oar from being swept off, and Grumm stretched himself full length in the water.

The sun began breaking through the windswept grey cloud masses, bringing with it a heavy summer rain slashing and hammering on to the face of the deeps. Half blinded and spitting sea water, Martin felt his outstretched paw come in contact with Grumm's footpaw. He clung on furiously for dear life as Rose cried out, "Hang there, Martin. Just tread water. It'll relieve the weight on this paddle. When I'm tired I'll change places with you."

Rose kicked out with the waves, sending the oar skimming along through the rain washed sea.

Felldoh had his mouth open to the sky, trying to drink in some rainwater. Brome had heaved himself up on the oar. Anxiously he scanned the sunny stormswept wastes.

"There's no sign of 'em. The waves are too high!"

Before Felldoh had a chance to reply, the water beneath them heaved and they were both lifted high into the air. The big fish had hauled the sinking boat around like an empty peapod. It had found something to play with! Its huge body buffeted and banged the boat about.

Felldoh was still holding on to the oar as the fish temporarily lost interest in the boat and charged at the oar. The squirrel saw the wide mouth gaping through the water. Rows of pointed white teeth and a cavernous pink interior whooshed through the sea towards him.

Felldoh let go of the oar and submerged. He felt a thump on his back as the giant creature seized the oar and made off with it, frolicking and leaping, sometimes half its own length above the surface. Suddenly it dived and was gone.

The hull of the upturned boat struck his head as Brome leaned over and seized his ears. "Gotcha, matey!"

Scrambling and kicking, Felldoh managed to haul himself on to the upturned keel, where Brome was clinging with all paws.

"Whew! That was a close call. Still, fair exchange is no robbery. The fish can have the oar, we'll keep the boat."

Felldoh wiped dashing rain from his eyes. "Let's hope that monster doesn't feel playful again and come back for the boat after he's chewed our oar up. Hang on to my tail and steady me, young un. I'm going to take a look around for the others."

With Brome clinging to his tail, Felldoh stood gingerly and surveyed the stormy scene. Sunlight shafted down through the cloud masses, which were showing areas of bright blue sky between them.

The wind whipped the wavetops into white foam, sending massive rollers combing across the main.

"Any sign of 'em?"

Felldoh shaded his eyes from the rain with a paw.

"Not a glimpse, but there's a dark splotch on the horizon that must mean land. It must be floodtide we're headed straight for it."

Brome was not sure whether it was rain or tears in his eyes. "Thank the seasons for that! I wouldn't become a seafarer at any price. Leave the water to the fishes, I say."

The morning wore on, but the rain showed no signs of abating.

Grumm clung to the oar, half asleep, with Rose hanging on to his footpaw. Martin paddled doggedly on, pushing the oar in front of him, his body numbed from the cold of the sea and the driving rain. The sun was now coloring the sea in glorious tints. Rose stared at it through salt rimmed eyes, lost in its beauty for a moment until Martin's voice cut into her reverie. "The sun sets in the west, doesn't it?" Rose nodded. "Hmm, suppose it does." Martin's voice became suddenly hoarse with excitement. "This is the Eastern sea. If it were morning the sun would rise on its horizon. Don't you see what that means, Rose?"

"I'm too tired to work it out, Martin. Tell me what it means."

"It means that we have to face inland to see the sun in the afternoon. So if we can see the sun in front of us now, we are travelling towards land!"

Rose came fully awake, hauling herself up on Grumm's back she gave a loud yell.

"Land!"

It was still distant, but it was definitely land. Dark cliffs showed against the sky. She patted her mole friend's wet back heartily.

"Land, Grumm! It's land ahead!"

"Oi woant berleev et until these yurr diggen claws c'n scrape it, mizzy, an' then iffen et be so, thiz yurr beast woant never even be caught drinken water agin, never moind a swimmen in et."

Martin found renewed strength and kicked out harder towards firm ground.

10

Hisk the weasel Captain watched the bankvole rummaging about near Badrang's longhouse. Sneaking silently up, he pressed a dagger against the unsuspecting creature's back.

"Be very still or you're a deadbeast!"

Druwp did not move, nor did he show any surprise. "My name is Druwp. Kill me and you'll answer to Skalrag. I'm his spy."

Hisk moved the dagger point up to Druwp's neck. "You're lying. I think I'll kill you anyway"

"Do as you please, Captain," Druwp shrugged. "But I have valuable information."