Woo, Hoo! Two chapters in a day, I'm on a roll :D Well, I suppose I need to get goin on this chapter.
Bong!Boom!Bong!Boom! The great bells tolled overhead as the hares were spotted, Billrum and Dilltart looked up from their position in the kitchen, scrubbing greasy pots and pans.
"Hmm, I wonder wot that's all about, eh?" he said, elbowing his sister.
She narrowed her eyes at him, "Stop poking me, I have better things t'do than be poked by the blighter who got me into this mess, wot!" she hissed, picking at a piece of oatmeal that had hardened on the bowl like glue.
"Ach, you can go boil yer bloomin' head," he muttered, plunging his paws into foamy dishwater, feeling around until he found a plate crusted with who-knows-what, and began scrubbing.
"Alrighty ho, likkle heathens, Badgermum says you're off duty, y'kin go see what all the fuss'n'bus is about," Friar Gelvan said as he stepped into the kitchen.
"Oh, erm, thankee Friar!" Billrum said wiping his paws on a towel, and passed it to his sister, who followed suit, "Yes, thanks good old thinggummy you!" she smiled taking off to the battlements, her brother following close behind.
Several beasts were crowded on the walltop, the bells had stopped tolling by now, as the young hares raced up the steps, and peered over the walls out into the vast meadow surrounding Redwall.
"What's all th' hubbub about, Bell?" Dilltart asked, casually picking at something on the wall.
"'Tis the Long Patrol, or at least some of them, they're almost here, look!" she said pointing out on the main path. Sure enough, six figures with long ears were plodding along the road. Every now and then one or two would break off from the group and run ahead, and stand there until the others caught up. This continued for awhile, then they kept in one group again, their pace slowly gaining until they were running. A shout rose from a hare in front, "Eulalia! C'mon chaps, Redwall, an' the best scoff you've ever tasted dead ahead!" The rest cried out in unison "Eulalia!" still going along in their headlong charge. They stopped at the gate, panting from the unnecessary run, the main door opened, letting the hares inside.
Abbot Tuirf, a fat little hedgehog greeted the hares.
"Good day to ye, Elkirk is it?" he asked, offering a spiked paw to shake, Elkirk excepted it, trying not to wince slightly.
"Ah, yes First Sergeant Elkirk at y'service, sah," he nodded
"Might'n I ask what you're doing here?"
"Well, ah y'see, one of our hares was captured several days ago by a vermin slave ship, we are trying to get the old gel back, but we haven't enough bally hares,"
"Might I know this hare?" Abbot Tuirf asked.
"Yes, sah. 'Tis our own little Jinx. The one you found several seasons ago, sah," the First Sergeant twitched his whiskers, remembering the day Jinx was brought to Salamandastron, "We are looking for some sort of help, with the searats so bad, and the threat from Defearof, and Jalvlar, we jus' can't give ourselves any slack,"
"I think I have an idea of who can help," Bellascara said, pulling Billrum and Dilltart forward, "These two are in need of a dose of good ole Salamandastron discipline, would you take them?" she asked, pushing the two forward. Elkirk looked at them for a moment, then nodded, "Good. Billrum, Dilltart, go pack your things, you're leaving with these fine hares," both gave plaintive wails:
"Bu-bu- but Badger Mum! I don't wanna go to Salamander-strol!"
"Hey, look, I stashed a bag o' candied ches'nuts unner my pillow! I'll give 'em to ya!"
Elkirk adopted his Drill Sergeant voice and look, and shouted right in the face of the weeping hares, "You will not question the orders of your commanding h'officer, young laddie buck! Straiten up your shoulders, quit looking like the pair o' wilted daisies you are! You miserable, sniveling leverets, stan' to attention. Now!" he barked. Both shot up into perfect attention, and saluted, with the wrong paw. "Huh, you were right, marm. These two do need our help. They will come with us, an' I'll make sure that they are made into respec'ful young gallopers," he said, "Now, do y'have any h'other beasts that are able to help us?"
"Ah might be of… assistance," a young squirrelmaid stepped forward.
"Meet you Chisil Bowbeast, and master of all stealth," Abbot said, waving his paw dramatically to the northlander.
"Master of all stealth, wot, show me," Elkirk commanded, then she was gone, a light tap on his shoulder told him all he needed to know, he startled forward and whirled to see the squirrel right in front of him, big brown eyes solemn.
"Ah toald yah ah were th' master o'stealth, yet y' woulnea believe meh, typical," she huffed.
"Well, Chisil was it? I would be honored y'have y' on my team," he said, making an elegant leg to the young maid.
"Y'don't needa flirt wi me, y'ole longears," Chisil said, ignoring the hare completely.
Abbot Tuirf had slowly moved the conversation, until they were indoors, now the aroma from the kitchens wafted up in the hares' faces, several stomachs growled.
"Hehe, erm, I don't suppose y'have any vittles layin' 'bout for us small stomached hares, wot? We only need a small smidgeon of bread and a little water," he Darrin said, speaking for the first time since arrival.
"Hurmph, smidgeon indeed," muttered Abbot Tuirf, every beast laughed and headed down to Cavern Hole, it was almost tea-time, and the hares were hungry!
And the 3rd chap is up. Sorry it was short, I had no time to write today, and I'm tired, and I want to play a videogame and sleep. I would like you guys to know that I now(after this weekend) update some stories on Sundays, this will give me a balanced schedule. I will write more later, but until I get my new laptop, I'm taking a short break.
Alrighty then folks, please review, and all my soon to be stalkers, watch for new Redwall stories!
Next on Magerrath: We go back to see what Jinx is up to in the story, who is this Jalvar? What does he want? What is he? Jinx will earn new friends, and perhaps somebeast more than 'just a friend'. Find out what's goin' on in the next installment of: Magerrath: a Hares Story.