Brian Jacques - [Redwall 03] - Mattimeo

not find any trace of them. We did not expect them to come through the doorway like that. You were

supposed to have them penned up in that place by the stairs.”

Ironbeak moved like lightning. He pulled Quickbill up against the wall and felled him with a sharp

blow from his heavy beak.

“ Yaggah! Don’t tell me what I was supposed to be doing. You forget yourself, magpie. I am the leader.

Mangiz, do your visions see anything? Does your mind’s eye tell you where the earthcrawlers went?”

The crow shifted nervously. “My visions are still clouded, Lord.”

The raven eyed him scornfully. “ Yach! Not the mouse warrior again?”

“Ironbeak, I see what I see. The mouse wearing armour blocks my visions and hovers in my thoughts. I

cannot explain it.”

“ Hakka! Is this the Mangiz who served me in the northlands? I think this redstone house is making you

like an old thrush. The mouse is only a picture upon a piece of cloth. We have seen this, we know it is true.

I have not seen a mouse in armour striding around here, nor have you, yet you stand there dithering and

flapping. ‘Lord, my visions are clouded. A mouse wearing armour hovers in my thoughts.’ Kacha! Get out

of my sight. I will do my own thinking. You have foiled me, Mangiz.”

As Mangiz turned to go, there was a scratching and chirping in the doorway. Ironbeak leapt forward.

“Sparrows! Get them!”

The five sparrows who had been listening at the door flew off. Ironbeak and Mangiz were in hot pursuit of

them as they rounded the stairwell and flew down towards Great Hall.

“Sparrows! Get them!” Mangiz echoed his leader’s cry to the patrols in the galleries.

The sparrows fluttered and veered, not certain of where to go next. One of them was taken by the beaks

and claws of three rooks. It stood no chance.

“Sparra, Sparra, down here!” the voice of Constance boomed up from Cavern Hole.

Like four arrows straight and true, the Sparra warriors shot down the stairs and over the top of the

barricade, to land safely among their Redwall friends. A lively volley of slingstones discouraged any

pursuit by Ironbeak’s fighters.

All the Abbey creatures gathered in Cavern Hole to hear the report of the four survivors who were all that

was left of Queen Warbeak’s brave little army. They told of the long days searching fruitlessly down false

trails through the thicknesses of Mossflower country in the far south, of hawk attacks and uneasy nights

spent in strange trees, of all their adventures, right to the time they found Matthias and his friends in dire

peril. There followed a harrowing tale of the hard-won battle, culminating in the death of Queen Warbeak

and nearly all her command. Many Redwallers wept unashamedly, for Warbeak and her warriors were

great friends and true Redwallers.

There was heartfelt relief and the sadness gave way to cheers at the news that Matthias, Basil and Jess,

together with old shrew comrades and some new companions, were alive and well, still hot on the trail of

the evil one and his band who had kidnapped the young ones from the Abbey.

The Abbot ordered food to be brought for the weary sparrows, who had flown night and day to be back

at Redwall, then he informed them of developments since they had left: the arrival of General Ironbeak and

the slaying of the old Sparra folk and the nestlings by the ruthless invaders.

One of the sparrows related what they had heard outside the infirmary door.

Cornflower clapped her paws together. “I knew it. I was right! Martin the Warrior is watching over us.

Oh, I’m so glad I thought up a little plan earlier on. This makes it so much better, knowing that those

villainous birds are uneasy about the warrior’s spirit protecting our Abbey. Now I think my scheme will

really work!”

“I think you should tell us what this plan is before you decide to go off doing things by yourself, young

mouse,” the Abbot said firmly.

Cornflower explained.

Mangiz perched in the galleries with Ironbeak. Both birds were watching the floor of Great Hall below.

“General, do you think those sparrows heard us talking?” Mangiz wondered.

“ Chagg! Who cares about a few sparrows? You see, Mangiz, you are worrying about stupid things. It is

as I said, you are becoming wary of your own wingshadow now. Leave me alone, since it is I who now has

to do all the thinking. You must not bother me with talk of sparrows and armoured mice.”

“So be it, Lord.”

Mangiz flapped off to the dormitories in a sulk.

Ambrose Spike and Brother Dan selected a long barrel stave and set about carving it with their

woodworking tools. As he worked, the hedgehog muttered, “A sword, like the great sword of Martin that

Matthias carries. Wish I had it here as a model. Still, I can remember fairly well what it looks like.”

“I can recall the exact details of our Warrior’s sword, fortunately,” Brother Dan sniffed.

Ambrose sniffed back at him. “See that barrel of October ale yonder? I’ve got to remember to tap it

before autumn. See those barrels of cider, I’ve got to remember to add honey to them in a day or so, or

they’ll go bitter. Now that big barrel of strawberry cordial, well, I’ve got to remember to strain it off into

jugs for the evenin’ meal tonight so that it’ll be cold and clear. So you carry on recallin’ what you like about

the Warrior’s sword, Dan. I’ve got enough to remember, thank you.”

Evening was falling with a glorious red sunset as Cornflower and Sister May, accompanied by several

moles, slipped from the tunnel exit into the gatehouse cottage. Barring the door, Foremole checked at the

windows to make sure they had not been seen.

“Nary a sign o’ burdbags, missus. We’m be safe enuff.”

Cornflower went into the bedroom and opened the chest where Matthias kept his warrior’s garb.

“See, it’s all here, Sister May, the armour and everything. All my Matthias took was his sword. He likes

to travel light.”

Sister May helped Cornflower to unpack the helmet and greaves. Laying the burnished breastplate

upon the bed, she eyed it doubtfully.

“Dearie me, it’s all very heavy. Are you sure you’ll manage to walk with it on?”

Cornflower shrugged, “I won’t know until I try, but I’m fairly strong. Give me a paw with this

shoulderplate, will you.”

Shortly afterwards, she clanked out into the living room, fully armoured.

Foremole shook his head admiringly. “Burr, you’m looken a soight a’right, missus. Oi never see’d ought

loik that. Strewth, but for your face oi’d say ’twas Marthen a-cummen back agin.”

Sister May emerged, carrying a piece of filmy gauze. “Not to worry, Mr. Foremole. I’ll make a face

mask, and in the dark she’ll seem quite pale and ghostly. I must say, Cornflower, all that bulky armour

makes you look quite large and impressive.”

Cornflower clanked about, gazing down at the gleaming metal.

“Let’s hope it fools the birds tonight.”

Chapter 40

Basil dodged about in the rays of the setting sun.

“I say, look you chaps, this must have been a herb garden. Aha, mint. Yumyum, I’m rather partial to a

bit of fresh mint. Achoo! Bless me, there’s thyme around here somewhere. It always makes me sneeze.

Achoo! Ah, here ’tis, hmm, very tasty too. Achoo!”

The trackers were camped in the old cultivated garden land, shrew fires burned red against the twilight,

and a delicious aroma permeated the air. Cheek took a taste from the end of a ladle. “Gaw, marvellous.