Brian Jacques - Redwall #09 - Salamandastron

Arula and Alfoh climbed across. Together they held Samkim and Spriggat tightly, letting the support of their strength flow through their paws, united in their grief at the passing of a fatherly creature who had given his all for them.

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Klitch and Ferahgo, backed by a hundred armed vermin, strode boldly across the sun-warmed sands toward Salaman-dastron. The golden badger medal bobbed on the Assassin's chest as it reflected the hot summer morning.

Urthstripe watched them from an unblocked windowspace. Resting his huge paws on the sill, his eyes locked on the shining medallion as he tried hard to recall some long-gone event.

The two weasels sat down on the sand within hailing distance of the badger Lord. Food and drink was placed before them by Migroo and Feadle, and they ate and drank noisily, slopping water into the sand and carelessly chewing on bread and a roasted fish from the sea, spitting out bones and throwing away crusts. Ferahgo's blue eyes held a trace of mock pity as he called out to Urthstripe, "What a pity that you can't come and join us, badger. Food and drink must be pretty scarce inside your mountain by now."

Urthstripe tried hard to control his rising temper. "Hear me, scum! The only thing that will be scarce will be your breath if I get my paws around your miserable neck!"

Klitch threw a clay beaker. It smashed against the rocks as he shouted out contemptuously, "You talk a good fight,

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stripedog, but words never won wars!"

Swiftly Urthstripe brought up his longbow. Fitting a shaft to its string, he drew it full back. "Here, this is for you, little snotnose!"

Klitch leapt up. Pulling back his jerkin to expose his narrow chest, he challenged the badger. "Fire away. Go on, kill me! But the moment you loose your arrow you will slay two of your own creatures. Look out by the tideline, you great stupid beast!"

Big Oxeye and Sergeant Sapwood lay staked out upon the damp sands below the tideline, and Crabeyes and Badtooth had spears pressed to the throats of the two hares. Urthstripe had to stare long and hard before he understood what was going on. It was a fair distance away, too far for bowshot. The badger Lord slacked his bowstring and withdrew the arrow.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing, really." Klitch sucked a fishbone and flicked it away. "We can sit out here until you all starve to death in there, and just to make things a little more interesting you can watch your two best hares get a good wash each time the tide comes in. At least they'll die clean."

Baffled rage was stamped on the striped features of the badger. "Then tell me what you want of me. What do you want?''

Ferahgo took out his long skinning knife and began drawing patterns in the sand. "When we first arrived here we were only after your treasure. But now things have changed, as you can see, so now we want the treasure and your mountain too."

Urthstripe shook his head vehemently. "There is no treasure, weasel, and as for my mountain, you will never have it, no matter what evil plans your twisted minds can think up. You will never be Master of Salamandastron. Never! Do you hear me?"

Klitch chuckled nastily. "Oh we hear you all right, you great windbag. But soon you'll hear from your friends Oxeye and Sapwood. When the sun dries them out and all they have

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to drink is seawater, then you'll hear them calling for mercy, screaming for a quick death. What'll you do then, eh?"

Oxeye shut his eyes against the midmorning sun. Licking parched lips, he looked across at Sapwood. "Are they still parleyin' up there by the mountain. Sap?"

The Sergeant tried to crane his head, but the rope across his throat pulled tight. He lay back with a sigh. " 'S no good, Hi can't see a thing. Ox, but Hi tell yer, if n Hi was Urth-stripe, Hi'd wipe Klitch an' Ferahgo out as soon as they was close enough an' fergit us two."

Migroo menaced them with his spear. "Shut yer mouths, yew tew!"

Big Oxeye winked at him. "Do me a favor, ol' chapgo an' boil your scabby head!"

1 "One more word an' I'll run yer through!" The stoat touched Oxeye's throat with the spearpoint.

"Slay away, old lad, slay away." Oxeye closed his eyes again, dismissing Migroo. "But if you harm a single hair of our handsome heads, young Master Klitch'll let his daddy skin you alive, then he'll kill you."

Klitch came striding up and stood over his captives.

Oxeye stared boldly up at him. "Listen, sonny me old weasel, if that chap Migroo kills us, would you be awfully kind and kill him back for us?"

"I wouldn't be so cheerful if I were you." Klitch kicked the big hare savagely. "Urthstripe is leaving both of you here to die. We've given him until dawn tomorrow to make up his mind, but by then a couple of tides will have washed over you and the gulls will be pecking at your corpses."

Oxeye raised his head slightly, smiling insolently at Klitch. "Feedin' the jolly old birds, eh. At least we'll be doin' some-thin' useful. What d'you say, Sap?"

"Oh aye, but Hi think I'd sooner feed 'em this 'ere weaselthat's if they haint too fussy wot they eats."

Klitch leaned down and struck Sapwood in the face. The boxing Sergeant wrinkled his battered features scornfully. "You ain't got much of a right, sonny. Try yer leftit might

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be better. Tell yer wot, why not untie me an' I'll give yer a free boxin' lesson."

Bart Thistledown and Pennybright watched from the top of the crater. Pennybright was very upset, but Bart comforted her in his laconical style. "Now don't be gettin' y'self in a tizzy, young Pen, wot? Oxeye an' Sap look in good form from here. No doubt Milord Urthstripe'll lead a party out an' rescue 'em tonight."

"Oh, Bart, d'you think he will?" Pennybright gnawed her lip anxiously.

"Goes without sayin', young Pen. Bad form not to, y'know. Milord would never give up his jolly old mountain, but he's a good ol' stickhe wouldn't leave two of his best chaps in the clutches of those vermin, you can bet your bally lettuce on that! I say, speak of the badger an' here he comes. Sah!" Bart came smartly to attention as Urthstripe ascended the crater stairs.

"Thistledown, get your weapons ready. There'll be you, Moonpaw, Catkin, Seawood, myself and some others. We're going out tonight to rescue Sergeant Sapwood and Big Oxeye. Penny, you'll stay here and guard the mountain with the rest., No arguments, missie! Bart, one hour after sunset, be ready at the main entrance!"

When Urthstripe had gone, Bart turned to the crest-fallen young hare. "See, I told you, Penwe'll have 'em both back by mornin'. Now now, don't stick your lip out like that, m'gelmakes you look quite ugly. Some-beasts have got to stay here and mind the old place. Cheer up, I'll slay a few for you, eh?"

By late noon the tide was swirling in. Fortunately for the two hares it was not a spring tide. They lay staked out with the water oozing around their backs and paws.

Sapwood shook his head several times. "Cor, it's runnin' down me ears. D'you think it'll come much 'igher? Hi'd 'ate ter be drownded by the sea."

Oxeye strained against the neck rope. "Me, too, Sap. Bad

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enough a chap gettin' all his back V tail soaked in salt water. Where's old stoatbottom an' his pal got to?"

"Over there, see, sittin' on those rocks an' keepin' their paws dry."

Oxeye turned his head on one side, watching Migroo and Feadle as they sat on the warm dry rocks. The big hare wiggled his paw. "Now don't get too excited, Sap, but I think I've got me bally paw free. Those dimwits prob'ly didn't realize that these ropes are only twisted grass fibers, and the water makes 'em soft V stretchy. Hold fire a tick, there! That's one paw free. Now for the other three. How are you doin', old feller?"