Chapter Two
The two bells of Redwall tolled softly, muted by velvet, for midnight. A black shadow passed, unnoticed, on the ramparts of the walls. Brother Wress, Friar of Redwall, was up late with his helpers, cleaning plates and scouring pans from the feast. They were almost done, and a good thing, too, because one old field mouse had already nodded off and was snoring standing up. Wress gently shook him, waking him up. The fieldmouse, by the name of Ponnay, woke with a start. The cooks kept on scrubbing and Ponnay tiredly joined them.
Meanwhile, the black shadow made its way down the stairs. Knife in hand, Darkon strode swiftly to the Abbey. He peered up, and saw a high window, but with a small decoritive ledge sticking out. He pulled out his padded grappling hook and swung it several times, and finally tossed it up to the ledge. With a small "whumph," the hook slipped, then held. Darkon grasped the rope, and swung his strong footpaws against the wall. Paw over paw, the black pine marten strode up the wall sideways. When he reached the ledge, he was over it in the work of a moment. Next, he pulled out his jar of resin and a slip of bark. He smeared some resin on the bark, and plastered it against the window. Putting both away, he then pulled out his mallet. He hit the window sharply once, twice, thrice. He put the mallet back in the pack, and then carefully peeled away the bark. The broken glass stuck to it, and Darkon dropped it down to the grass below. His long arm reached in and undid the latch. He carefully raised the window up, keeping utmost care to be silent. Snaking it, Darkon noticed the young female badger sleeping soundly on the bed.
He moved silently, shoulder hugging the wall. Suddenly, his arm hit something, and a long sword, a beautious weapon, fell to the floor with a sharp clatter. Darkon instinctively crouched, and snuck a look at the badger. She grunted, turned over, and was sound asleep. Darkon breathed a silent sigh of relief. Only then did he allow himself a glance at the sword. It was a long, shining piece of metal, with a silver crosshilt, bound leather handle, and a red pommel stone at the end. This must be the sword, Darkon thought to himself. His quick mind told him that there must be a sheath nearby. He didn't have to look far, for the belt and scabbard were hanging right next to the sword. Their black leather and silver edgings matched the sword. He sheathed the sword and slung the belt over his shoulder.
Darkon silently left the room, and took a left. The hall led him past a few doors with snoring beasts behind them, and took him to a set of stairs. Darkon chose the one going down, figuring that the tapestry would be in the main room, and the main room would be on the first floor. As he came out of the stairwell, he saw that his thinking was right. A glorious tapestry hung from ceiling to floor. It was beautifully colored, and in the very center was a warrior mouse in gleaming armor, cleaning his claws and leaning upon the very same sword that was now on Darkon's back. Vermin were running from him in the background, and others were strewn across the ground.
Judging by the size of them, Darkon decided that the wooden rollers that held the tapestry's top and bottom would be too heavy to carry. So he put down his pack, climbed on top of it, and made a neat slit through the top of the tapestry. As it fell down, he hastily grabbed the bottom roller, cursing his stupidity that had made him forget this important fact. Checking to see that no one had woken up from the wood hitting stone, he cut the bottom part off as well. Rolling it up, he slung his pack back over his shoulder and trotted off - right into Friar Wress!
Wress hastily got up and shouted "Intruder in the Abbey! Get that vermin!" Wress dove after him, and Darkon nastily slashed with his knife, biting deep into Wress's stomach. He groaned, and slipped to the floor. Darkon dashed out the door, and hastily undid the south wicker gate. He swung it open and ran right into a tall, brawny otter: the Skipper of Otters.
He barked, "You ain't goin' nowhere, matey!" and started to pull out a sword. Darkon swung out the sword he had stolen, and slashed at Skipper's legs. Skipper yelped and stumbled. Darkon made his escape, running swiftly through the trees. Behind him, he could hear someone yelling from the walls: "It's too late! He's out of sight! He's got the tapestry and Martin's sword!"
Darkon laughed viciously, and made his way morecarefully back to the camp. He was back by dawn, as Kanyker had told him to be. He strode through the mass of waking vermin and entered the purple tent. Fortunately, Kanyker was awake, and was in a good mood. Darkon presented the prizes to him.
"Herre'ssss the sssword, and the ta'essstry!"
Kanyker's eyes flew open with wonder as he saw the unrolled tapestry. It was masterful work! A mouse wearing armor stood proudly in the center, leaning on the double of the sword he held and looking down over strewn vermin and a wildcat. This was all boxed in in gold, and in the background was a liking of the beautfiful Redwall. The sword was also a great surprise. It was long and shining, even though the only light was from the slow, gray dawn. The hilt was made of silver and was bound with black leather, and the pommel stone was a round red ruby. It was beautiful, and fit his paw perfectly. Kanyker suddenly cackled with gleeful delight. With these two treasures, Redwall was his!
Sister Licha bustled about between Skipper's and Wress's beds. Wress didn't look so good; the cut was deep and had landed on his stomach. Skipper held more hope; his cut was only on his leg. He might be lamed, or have a limp, but he might make a full recovery. The whole of Redwall were worried about the two, even if in an offhand way.
"Me wanna mista Skippa to be betta so we's can play on da tables!" a small Dibbun otter complained.
"Oi wants Froir Wress to be betta soon, so oi can 'ave sum mo'e of 'is delishush deeper'n'ever turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot poi!" Foremole Dygdeap muttered to herself.
The Abbot Reatoll called for order at supper that night. "We're all worried about Friar Wress and Skipper, I know. But I have some good news. Skipper will make a full recovery!"
The Cellarkeeper, a hedgehog named Brissel, murmured to the Sister Licha (who was sitting next to her) "Notice he didn't say anything about Wress!"
"Don't whisper a word to anyone, but I don't expect Wress to live." Brissel gasped quietly, and didn't touch his food for the entire supper.
Catari sat next three Redwallers he had gotten to know. Two otter twins, Crekk and Stamm, a boy and a girl, respectively, and a squirrel like himself, Terinn. The twins were sleek, dark mahoghany otters with blue eyes and a wonderful sense of humor. Terinn, a gray squirrel, was quieter, but still outgoing. She was more outgoing then the rest of the squirrels, anyways. To Catari, it seemed like they considered him like a tornado; they stayed away like he was something dangerous. Terinn was the only one who seemed to like him, even.
"Hey, Crekk, Stamm, Catari, come on! Let's go outside." The three got up from the tables and left the Abbey to sit under the pale moon and shining stars.
"Pore ole Wress! I 'ope he's doin' better!" Crekk said.
"Aye, me too, matey," Stamm replied.
Catari sighed. "I feel bad. I should've woken up and tried to stop 'im, like Skipper."
"It's not your fault, Catari!" Terinn proclaimed.
"I know, but I sure feel like it. For some reason, I keep thinking I could've stopped 'im."
Terinn persisted, "Come on, 'Tari! Believe me, at least, your friend."
"'Kay, Terinn," Catari said.
"Eh, Catari? Terinn? Take a look at Stamm. . ." The three heads swiveled to the otter.
Stamm was standing up, but her eyes were closed. All of a sudden, her mouth opened, and she said,
"Beware the one of shadow
Check all the locks and doors
He'll bring you sadness and sorrow
From deep within the moors
The Magnabella leads you to peace
He is my successor to be
Let him retrieve me and my sword
To insure a Redwall victory!
The five that are to go with
Are young and willing to strike
A squirrel of gray, with a red drey,
And two otters with faces alike
Then search along the southern creek
The follower will come to you
Then to the swamps then you must seek
To find, look beneath the misty blue
They shall leave before the light of day
Shall leave with food and no farewell
To the southeast they must stay
Good luck and fortune bid them well!"
Stamm fell to the ground, then got back up again, clearly herself now. Luckily, the poem managed to burn itself into Catari's memory.
"Why are you all peerin' at me like that, mates?"
"Martin! He spoke through you!" Terinn whispered.
"He did? What did he say?"
Catari recited the poem, and the four began to work it out.
"Well, we have to beware a Shadow?" Crekk inqueried.
"Maybe that already happened - the burglar?"
"No, because it says check all the locks and doors. He climbed into the Abbey," Terinn corrected.
"Well, 'Check all the locks and doors' obviously means that someone is going to try and intrude through those."
"'He'll bring you sadness and sorrow'? Maybe that means he'll conquer Redwall! And from the swamps, too."
"Moors?" Stamm said
"'Nother word for swamps. Who's the Magnabella?" Crekk said.
"That'd be Catari here!" Terinn proclaimed. "Long story short, he's hailed by all squirrels. Anyhow, 'Let him retrieve me and my sword'? That's definitely Martin. The 'me' he's referring to is his tapestry. And of course, the sword was stolen too," Terinn finished.
"So I have to go and get them? All by my lonesome?" Catari sarcastically whined.
"No, lookie here," Stamm said, not recognizing the sarcasm. "It says 'The five that are to go with', meaning that five beasts go with you!"
"Yah, and three of 'em are you!" Catari pointed out. "Look - 'A squirrel of gray, with a red drey.' A gray squirrel with a red drey - Redwall! You're the only gray squirrel, Terinn. And 'two otters with faces alike'? That'd be otter twins - Stamm an' Crekk!"
"Why, that's right, mate!" Stamm proclaimed.
"But who's the one by the stream, and the one beneath the misty blue?" Crekk asked.
"I guess we come upon them along our way - it says to 'search along the southern creek.' Would that be the Great South Stream?" Catari asked.
"Yep, that's probably right. So that one's probably a shrew, considering they claim that river for themselves," Stamm finished.
"But the 'one beneath the misty blue'? Oh well, I guess we'll find out," Terinn said.
"Why do we have to leave wid out farewells?" Crekk asked.
""Cuz they'd stop us for sure, matey!" Stamm said.
"I can see it now - Mama sayin' "Git back here right now, you two liddle streamwallopers! Yore not even fit to be a riverdog, runnin' off like crazybeasts," Crekk made a perfect imitation of their mother.
"Well, we'll just have to show them, right, mates?" Terinn said.
"Yes! Martin, have no fear, we'll get your sword back, and your tapestry too!" Catari said.
"Shh! Not too loud, or we will have some farewells! To bed!" Terinn hissed.
"Mateys, we're not gettin' anywhere wid no weapons. I know of a stash in the bell tower - come on!" Stamm and Crekk led the way, for they were once the Abbey Bellringers. The four got up and silently ran to the bell tower.
After a few flights of stairs, there was a small door. Stamm opened it, and gestured inside. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough for the four friends. Inside were swords, cutlasses, scimitars, daggers, dirks, knives, spears, battleaxes, pikes, javelins, bows, arrows, quivers, and more weapons that the friends did not know the name of.
"Before we jump into 'em, do any of you know how to sling a knife?" Catari asked, for he had taught himself with his father's dagger, which was still at his waist.
"I do," Terinn said. She picked herself a sharp, clean dagger, perfect for throwing.
The otter twins shook their heads no. "Okay, then everyone pick out a nice, clean, sharp sword," Catari ordered. He himself picked a nice, simple scimitar with a basket to protect his paw. There was a sword belt and scabbard with it, so he undid his habit cord and put on the sword belt. Terinn picked a straight sword, and the otter twins fought over a jewel-studded cutlass, until Stamm decided it wasn't worth the trouble, and picked out a straight sword similiar to Terinn's.
"I suggest we all are armed with some sort of long range weapon," Terinn suggested. She slung a quiver over her shoulder and filled it with arrows. She picked out a bow that matched the quiver's designs. Stamm and Crekk each grabbed a sling and pebble pouch. Catari picked out another dagger to throw, and then picked the same weapons as Terinn did. The three looked at each other, and decided it was high time to go.
Suddenly, pawsteps were heard creaking up the stairs. The four exchanged frightened glances, then leapt into the closet, hastily shutting the door.
Terinn peered through a small hole, trying to see who it was.
The fat old dormouse, Ponnay, was coming up to ring the midnight bells. Muttering to himself, the elder looked ready to drop off to sleep. As soon as he was past, the friends carefully pushed the door open, and crept down the stairs as the bells rang, muted by velvet.
Once on the grounds, the four dashed for the south wall gate. As Terinn fiddled with the lock, Catari etched the first four lines of the poem onto the wall, with the letters "GTFMTAMS."
"Wot's that supposed to mean, matey?" Stamm asked.
"Going To Find Martin's Tapestry And Martin's Sword. Do you think they'll figure it out?" Catari replied.
"Dunno, but we gotta leave afore Ponnay sees us!" Crekk whispered hurredly. Just then, the wallgate swung open, and the four disappeared into the night.