Brian Jacques - [Redwall 03] - Mattimeo

sharply. Skan fell to earth with a bump, but even this quick action had not saved him. Auma seized the

limp form and swung it across her broad back.

Rushing from the forest, they found themselves on the broad shores of a wide river, it glimmered and

waved in the starlight. Slagar stood by a broad trench covered with boughs urging them on.

“Come on, in here, hurry!”

Gratefully they threw themselves under its protection. Most of the slavers had already arrived, and they

sat shivering and breathless. Slagar was the last to enter. “Scringe, Vitch, cover each end of this trench,” he

ordered. “Keep yourselves awake, and keep an eye on those woods. Threeclaws, did all the slaves make it?

”

“All except Skan the shrew. He’s had it, Chief.”

“Then unchain him and sling his worthless hide out. What about you lot, are you all right? Anybeast

missing, Halftail?”

“Two of ours, Chief; Browntooth and Badrag. I saw ’em go meself. It was ’orrible, screamin’ an’ kickin’

they were. By the claw! What are those things that attacked us?”

Stonefleck squatted impassively. “The painted ones,” he said, his voice flat and matter of fact.

Slagar moved aside as two slavers carried the dead Skan out. “Look at that, a good slave lost to those

devils out there. It’s just as well Browntooth got taken. I’d gut him myself if he was here, screaming and

yelling like that.”

Auma rubbed a paw across her bleeding back. “Painted ones, I’ve never heard of them before.”

“Quiet back there!”

Slagar paced the slave line. “You lot can have a long rest. It’s too late to cross the river now, we’ll have

to wait until tomorrow night. Right, Stonefleck?”

The rat strung his bow. Selecting an arrow from his quiver, he poked it through a gap in the boughs

which covered the trench and fired straight up into the night sky. The arrow gave a shrieking whistle as it

sped upward.

There was a moment’s silence, then an answering whistle from an arrow fired on the other side of the

river. Stonefleck unstrung his bow.

“Tomorrow night, Slagar, my rats will be waiting.”

Chapter 29

Baby Rollo screamed. The raven had him tight by the nightshirt, and he wailed in terror as the big bird

tugged and pulled, shaking its head fiercely from side to side.

Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse momentarily froze with horror at the awful sight.

But not little Sister May. She went immediately into action. Rushing to the stairs, she sprang up and

grabbed baby Rollo, at the same time sinking her teeth into the raven’s foot, which she bit clear through to

the bone.

The bird promptly let go of his prize. He gave a loud, agonized squawk and fell flat upon the stairs.

Rollo yowled, Sister May screamed, and they both rumbled down the spiral staircase. Cornflower and Mrs.

Churchmouse dived in. Clutching Sister May and little Rollo, they hurried downstairs towards Cavern

Hole, all four shouting aloud:

“Help! Help! Strangers in the Abbey! Help!”

Like a great grey furred juggernaut, Constance came bounding out of Cavern Hole, closely followed by

Winifred the otter, John Churchmouse and Foremole.

Between them, the three mice gasped out the story of what had happened. Rollo had got over the fright

quickly. He kept pointing a chubby paw over his back to show them all the tear in his nightshirt where the

big bird had seized it.

Constance wasted no time. She got the little group safely back to Cavern Hole and issued emergency

orders.

“Brother Trugg, sound the alarm bells. Winifred, Ambrose, Foremole, Brother Sedge, gather staves and

light some torches. We must find out more about this strange bird. Cornflower, tell the Abbot where we

have gone. The rest of you, stay down here. Don’t go wandering off alone.”

Torches shone on the darkened spiral stairway as Constance led the party. They had searched the

dormitories, the sick bay and all the first-floor passages, and were now on the second-floor staircase which

led to the gallery overlooking Great Hall. Foremole went snuffling along to an old side staircase, a straight

flight which ran up to the disused chambers on the east wing of the third floor. He held up a paw and

called out, “Yurr, over yurr. Lookit oi found.”

A faint trace of bloodspecks spattered the bottom steps. Constance held up a torch to investigate.

The shadows leapt back to reveal a large raven standing on the top stair, together with a crow and six

rooks. Boldly the badger climbed the stairs until she stood one step below the intruders.

“Who are you and what are you doing in our Abbey?” Constance demanded, never one to mince

words.

The crow strutted forward imperiously. “I am Mangiz the Seer, General Ironbeak’s strong right wing.

Bow your head and show proper respect when you speak to me, stripedog.”

Constance promptly batted Mangiz beak over tailfeathers in one mighty sweep of her powerful

forepaw, then with a roar she charged in among the rooks.

Ironbeak and his fighters retaliated instantly. They were on Constance, pecking, scratching and tearing.

Winifred and Ambrose ran to her rescue. Belaboring furiously, they whacked away at anything feathered

with their stout staves.

The fight did not last long. Ironbeak and his fighters were driven back by the fast onslaught of the

Redwallers. They retreated to a boxroom, slamming the door and locking it from the inside.

Constance shook blood from her muzzle as she banged on the door. “You in there, Ironbeak or

whatever you call yourself, get out of this Abbey and take your birds with you. We do not allow trespassers

at Redwall.”

The reply was instant and bold. “ Yaggah! I am General Ironbeak, greatest fighter in all the northlands.

This is my redstone house, and I will slay you all if you do not leave.”

The Abbot came hurrying up, accompanied by Brother Dan and Sister Agnes. He motioned Constance

to be silent. Though the badger was obviously fuming with temper she bowed to the Abbot’s wish.

The old mouse rapped lightly on the door. “Hello in there. I am Mordalfus, Abbot of Redwall. I’m sorry

if there’s been a misunderstanding. We mean you no harm, we are a friendly order of creatures. If you wish

to stay the night then you may. We have food and treatment for any creature who is sick or injured. Hello,

can you hear me?”

This time it was Mangiz the crow who replied. “General Ironbeak’s word is the law. This place is his

now. We are in your roof spaces, and there are many of us, all seasoned warriors from the north. There

were some sparrows when we arrived, but they have all been slain. You too will be slain if you do not leave

the redstone house.”

The Abbot shook his head sadly as Constance pulled him gently away. Foremole struck the door with

his staff. “Yurr, burdbags, Redwall be ours. Better wurriers than you’m ’as troid to take it offen us an’ failed

mizzuble, so they ’ave.”

There was no sound from the other side of the door.

Winifred shouldered her stave. “Sounds as if they’ve gone. We’d best get back to Cavern Hole and

decide what we are going to do.”

There was a loud hubbub and clamor in Cavern Hole, and sleep was forgotten. Sister May was the heroine

of the hour after Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse told how she attacked the big bird single-pawed to

rescue Rollo.

Sister May was a simple and modest mouse. “Well, mercy me, I may be only the infirmary Sister, but I

couldn’t let that great bully harm our Rollo,” she told them. “Poor little mite, he was frightened clear out of