Chapter 4
Hello again, dear readers! Me and Highwing got this finished quicker than the last one, and it's now ready for your reading pleasure. Dear ol' Wing had a real editing marathon right now; very impressive work! Thank you so very much! Be sure to give him your thanks if you read his stories (and since this is based on those, be sure to do so).
Also, a thanks to those who've been kind enough to review this fic. It means a lot to me.
Once again, based on Highwing's "The Crimson Badger". Contains spoilers.
In retrospect, Mykola later realized, things had started going downhill from the moment the hare arrived at the abbey.
The whole incident had left everybeast, Redwaller and Northlander alike, shocked and confused. A hare claiming to serve with the Long Patrol, coming into their Abbey and casting the most dire of aspersions and accusations upon Lord Urthblood - even going so far as to attempt to assassinate that badger, claiming that Urthblood was the enemy of everybeast alive, and that his brother Urthfist had ordered that he be slain if he ever set foot near his ancestral home of Salamandastron? Nothing in any of their combined seasons could have prepared them for such an unexpected development.
After that, everything happened quickly. Convening a council with his captains that very night, the badger decreed he would be leaving for Salamandastron the following morning, and taking most of his troops with him. Apparently, if this visiting hare was who he claimed to be, Urthfist and the Long Patrol under his command harbored a long-standing hatred of vermin, and since Urthblood had opted not to consult them before taking such creatures into his service or involving them in his campaigns, they'd come to view him as an evil tyrant bent on conquering all the lands. As such, Urthblood felt he had no choice but to travel to the mountain with his army to sort things out… by force if necessary, for Urthfist might have become so unhinged by his hatred that there could be no reasoning with him.
Another surprise came soon after that when Urthblood announced that a small force of his troops would remain stationed at Redwall to help guard against his brother in case Urthfist decided to seek him out there. But the greatest surprise of all was just which creatures those would be…
"The entire swordfox brigade?" Mykola asked incredulously.
"Those're his orders," Tolar responded. "Machus, me, you, every one of us. Lord Urthblood seems to think we'd be the ones best able to hold our own against the Long Patrol if they succeed in breaching the gates."
"But we're Lord Urthblood's most skilled swordsbeasts! Surely he'd want us of all his troops along on such a vital mission as this?"
Tolar shrugged. "Who can say what goes through that badger's mind? He must have his reasons for wanting us here rather than at his side. With that prophetic sight of his, it's anybeast's guess. Maybe he's foreseen some crucial event in the near future that requires our presence here at Redwall."
Mykola sighed. "Sometimes I wish Lord Urthblood would just tell us plainly what future events he's seen, so we can properly prepare for them rather than stumble about blindly, hoping it will all make sense after the fact."
"You know it doesn't work like that; he's explained it enough times. How he often just senses the general shape of things without knowing the exact details. Sometimes I think it's more like he senses probabilities and likelihoods rather than certainties, where small changes could completely alter the outcome of things. In any event, it's not our place to speculate about such matters. Our place is to follow his orders, and if he says we're to remain at Redwall, that's what we'll do."
And they were not the only troops who would be staying behind. On top of the swordfoxes, Urthblood assigned another thirty-or-so beasts to help guard the Abbey. What surprised both the Redwallers and the Northlanders was the choice of soldiers that would remain behind: an uneven mix of rats and weasels, with a few shrews thrown in for good measure. The Abbeybeasts demonstrated some clear misgivings that mostly vermin had been selected to be quartered in their home (and shrews weren't always the most agreeable of woodlanders either), but Urthblood insisted that he'd chosen his troops most carefully for the task.
One choice in particular shocked the fox, and quite a few others besides. Wolfrum had been among the troops culled from Cermak's platoon for Abbey duty, and now the rat would be staying at Redwall for an indefinite amount of time, perhaps even to autumn if that was how long it took to sort things out with Urthfist.
Why Wolfrum, of all the five hundred and eighty-two beasts serving in this detachment, had been among those chosen for this assignment, Mykola couldn't even begin to fathom. As much as the fox was proud of the rat for the genuine effort he'd put into bettering himself, Mykola still wasn't sure he'd trust Wolfrum to stay completely out of trouble if he'd have to remain among peaceful woodlanders for an open-ended stay. And without Lord Urthblood around to personally oversee discipline, might that tempt him to fall into old habits?
But he also realized that openly displaying any such distrust for Wolfrum after all his efforts would be highly unfair. Things had been going better lately than Mykola could ever remember, and there was no reason to start having doubts about it now. Liam was also staying behind, and between the two of them, Wolfrum could hopefully be kept on the straight and narrow, even though he appeared to be doing quite well on his own.
And so that afternoon, the troops chosen to remain at Redwall to guard it against any vendetta-pursuing badgers and their army of vermin-hating hares gathered outside to bid farewell to their comrades departing for the Badger Lords' ancient mountain, where they could hopefully act to forestall calamity for all the lands. The only bumpy spot in the proceedings occurred when Urthblood discovered one of the novice mice hiding among Captain Abellon's brigade; the Abbey youth had grown so smitten with the idea of becoming a warrior that he'd disguised himself like a soldier in order to march off with them. He was quickly pulled out of the troop column and sent back in to the disapproving reception of the Abbess and Badger Mother. After that, the young mouse stood up on the wall watching the roughly five hundred and thirty creatures kick up another plume of dust as they disappeared down the south path.
Although he would never voice it to his superiors and scarcely dared admit it to himself, Mykola did feel a certain guilty relief at being allowed to stay at the Abbey awhile longer. Over the past days, he'd grown quite fond of its food, its soft grass and tamped paths, and the warm atmosphere that permeated this peaceful haven. The opportunity to spend more time here did please him, and since there were now only a little over two-score of them assigned to Redwall, they might even be allowed to sleep indoors. His sense of honor and duty vaguely nagged at him for these selfish considerations, for he knew his badger master might be marching off to war, and his proper place was at Urthblood's side in any battle. Then again, as an obedient soldier, his place was wherever the Badger Lord ordered him to be, and for now he'd been ordered to remain right where he was. Unless and until Urthfist appeared at Redwall's gates, their biggest concern might turn out to be losing their fighters' edge from this pampered, easy lifestyle, but that's what drilling was for, wasn't it?
Besides, dwelling for a time among such tolerant, compassionate creatures as the Redwallers might do Wolfrum some good. He'd made great strides lately in overcoming the nastier side of his nature, and the chance to see firstpaw the benefits of living as a sociable, open and friendly beast might further encourage him to change his ways.
Yes, if nothing unforeseen happened, Wolfrum looked to truly be on his way to turn his life around…
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It was nearly noon the day after Urthblood's departure, and Wolfrum was making his way along the eastern lawns. He'd just awoken from his first night in a Redwall bed after standing walltop night watch, and the Abbeybeasts had indeed been able to find room in their dormitories for the Badger Lord's soldiers. The firm-but-yielding mattresses and crisp, clean sheets had proven every bit as comfortable as he'd been led to expect, although unlike Mykola he spared not a thought as to whether he and his comrades would go soft from staying here much longer. At the back of his mind, however, he knew he'd have a hard time readjusting to his bedroll once they got on the road again.
But any such distant concerns over the future were outshined by the burgeoning contentment he felt at these surroundings, and knowing that he could look forward to more of this sweet Abbey life for some time to come. It would be worth the hassle of adapting to the rigours of military life again if he could enjoy a prolonged stay at the Abbey; serving under Lord Urthblood, such opportunities presented themselves rarely, and it was best to take advantage of them while you could.
His cozy bedrest, and the atmosphere of Redwall in general, contributed to Wolfrum feeling truly happy and content for one of the first times in his life. Aside from enjoying the full range of the Abbey's amenities, he also had the friendly support of Mykola and Liam, and he'd succeeded in bettering his situation both through their talks and encouragement, and through his own efforts. He wanted to make them proud of him, and now he truly felt that he had achieved that. He felt hope, more than anything else, that things could change. When he'd begun his journey to Redwall, he'd sensed that it could be the start of something new and significant; that had turned out to be true, and so far those changes had been nothing but positive.
The only canker in his happiness was that ever since awakening, whenever he passed through the corridors of the Abbey proper or strolled through the grounds, his fellow soldiers were giving him snickering glances, chuckling at him and generally treating him with even more contempt than usual. Why that was, Wolfrum had no idea; ever since arriving at Redwall, he'd avoided any fights or heated arguments with anybeast. He'd exchanged a few gruff words over some minor unfriendly jabs, but that was the extent of it. Maybe it was unrealistic to expect everybeast to reconcile with him after seasons of enmity, but he couldn't figure out why they'd started to behave like this just now.
However, he was about to get an answer…
"Heya, Wolfie!"
Wolfrum stopped and glanced aside to see Cadogan, a corporal from Captain Bremo's division. He leaned casually against the wall of the dormitory wing, in the company of two of his fellow shrews. Now that he'd gotten the rat's attention, he flashed a smile that might've been mistaken as benign by the casual observer, but which Wolfrum knew all too well was his way of expressing contempt and superiority towards those he disliked.
"Enjoyin' this fine Redwall morning?" the shrew asked, his two comrades wearing the same apparently amiable expressions.
"Uhhm… sure," Wolfrum responded, not believing for a moment that Cadogan held one iota of genuine interest in his well-being.
"Yeah, must be lovely fer you, enjoyin' all the fine food 'n' drink, the warm sunny weather, strollin' 'round like you own th' place…"
Wolfrum naturally recognized the shrew's tone of sarcasm. It was hardly the first time Cadogan had pestered the rat with implied insults and false friendliness… and much more besides. For several seasons now, Cadogan had been a thorn in his side. Having joined Urthblood's forces around the same time as Wolfrum, the shrew quickly established himself as the kind of orderly, rule-abiding soldierbeast most officers desired. He never showed open disrespect to his superiors, he only disregarded orders if he was certain to get away with it, he managed to gather friends around him, and he only got into fights with unpopular creatures sure to take the blame for any altercations.
And Wolfrum, being highly unpopular with both officers and soldiers, ranked as one of Cadogan's favourite targets. It was bad enough when the shrew confronted his victims with undisguised hostility right from the start, but when Cadogan feigned cordiality it was a sure sign that he had something really nasty up his sleeve.
"Whaddya want, Cad?" the rat shot back, unable to keep the hostility from his voice.
"Hey, I'm just tryin' t' make some friendly conversation!" Cadogan looked offended, while his two companions put on expressions of similar mock umbrage. "Ain't a fellow allowed t' do that?"
"Sure… I guess... " Wolfrum responded, knowing that "friendly" conversation was probably the last thing on the shrew's mind right now.
Cadogan's easy smile slipped back into place. "Aye, 'tis a wonderful place, ain't it? Shame so many of our comrades ain't here t' enjoy it. Like Kefrin, fer instance…"
Wolfrum's ears pricked. So that was the angle his nemesis was playing? Wolfrum didn't even try to keep the hostility from his voice any longer.
"Whadda you care 'bout any of us rats, shrew?"
"Oh, there's rats, an' then there's rats," Cadogan sneered. "Just sayin', I think it's rather sad, a nice fellow like 'im lyin' buried in th' cold, dark earth with one eye stabbed out an' his throat torn up, while you - the coward who abandoned 'im after he tried t' save you from the crows - gets t' stroll 'round enjoyin' such a fine Redwall day…"
These comments did sting, for Wolfrum had come to feel his proper share of guilt over Kefrin during his more self-reflecting moments these past few days. But he would not give Cadogan the satisfaction of seeing it.
"You never gave a damn 'bout Kefrin! You didn't even know 'im! Ye're just usin' his death as an excuse t' harass me!"
"I'd say anybeast's got th' right t' harass you after what you did, an' fer how you've behaved ever since joinin' this army. You been nothin' but trouble fer us, keepin' the entire army delayed in th' mornings with yer laziness, sowin' discord an' violence in th' ranks with yer foulness, bein' vicious 'n' rude to every goodbeast we meet…"
Wolfrum knew he should just walk away before his taunter riled him up any further, and that this setting was the last place to engage in any such argument. But he simply could not let stand these things Cadogan was saying.
"Yeah, ye're smart enough t' only be vicious to any 'vermin' civilians you happen upon. Like that weaselmaid you blackmailed into spending - "
"You ain't got a single drop of upstandin', goodbeast blood in your veins!" the shrew interrupted to drown out mention of his own transgression; Wolfrum smiled inwardly that he'd managed to poke at Cadogan's own tender spot. "Ye're a disgrace t' everything this army stands fer, an' you ain't fit fer servin' alongside us, or any other group o' decent creatures fer that matter. Dunno why Lord Urthblood didn't jus' slit yer throat alongside th' rest o' yer bandit gang. It's what you deserved."
Under other circumstances, Wolfrum would have been sorely tempted to throttle anybeast goading him thus, but now he found it easy to resist his violent urges. It wasn't just awareness of the trouble he'd be in if he started a fight here; it was more the serenity of the Abbey itself, that same peace of mind and calming of spirit he'd been feeling all morning. Here, it was simply pointless rising to such bait. Furthermore, he remained committed to following Mykola's and Liam's advice in controlling his temper and not letting other beasts get under his skin. Now, gazing into Cadogan's face, Wolfrum could discern the faint traces of a mocking sneer beneath the mien of false condemnation. He realized there was no genuine moral judgment in the shrew's accusations; they were just meant to rile him up and undo all the progress he'd made over the past week. And Wolfrum would not let that happen.
"I know what ye're trying t; do," he growled with a wicked, knowing grin, "gettin' me so mad I'll go 'n' start a brawl with you that'll land me in trouble. Well, I ain't fallin' fer it, so bugger off, ya mean li'l pipsqueak!"
For several heartbeats, Cadogan and his companions just stared at Wolfrum, astounded by the failure of their bullying efforts. Then a cold, vicious smile spread across the shrew's face, his earlier pretence at condemnation vanished as he adopted a different tactic for getting to the rat.
"Ahh… been havin' yer liddle talks with Liam an' that gimpy fox recently, ain'tcha? Real lucky fer you, havin' them 'round t' coddle an' babysit you whenever you get inta trouble. You c'n be sure you wouldn't be here enjoyin' th' hospitality of Redwall if not fer them."
"Yeah. 'Cos they're real friends - somethin' you wouldn't know anything about." Wolfrum took a deep breath and turned to walk away, refusing to let his inner rage get the best of him.
Cadogan, however, was far from done.
"Tho' I guess it's wunnerful, havin' a friend like that fox," he boasted to his comrades, loud enough for the rat to hear. "Somebeast you c'n trust, confide in, somebeast ye're willing t' get really cozy with unner a spruce during a stormy night!" He practically shouted the last part, causing some beasts within earshot to turn their curious gazes towards him.
This stopped Wolfrum dead in his tracks, his blood suddenly feeling as cold in his veins as the River Moss on a midwinter's night. Surely Cadogan couldn't know…?
He spun about, his shocked, icy gaze boring into the shrew. "What'd you say…?"
A malevolent grin lit up Cadogan's entire face, the expression of a beast who'd just played his trump card in a match with a hated opponent. "Ah yeah, I fergot t' mention that. On the first night o' that terrible storm our fearless leaders had us marchin' through, I saw you bein' guided away by Mykola, an' didn't reckern it'd be proper leavin' th' two o' you unattended. So I snuck out after you an' hid just outta sight from that spruce. Couldn't quite catch ev'ry word, what with th' rain 'n' thunder, but these shrew ears o' mine're quite sharp, y' know."
"You… You…" was all that Wolfrum could sputter, overcome with anger and fear.
"An' what I could pick up was quite intriguin'. You moanin' 'bout how those evil, nasty soldiers abused you jus' fer leaving Kefrin to die, yer fox buddy pleading with you t' look deep, deep within yerself to find th' true goody goodness in yer heart, an' you sobbin' 'bout how you were this poor, misunderstood beast an' that th' world was so cruel to you. Really fascinatin' stuff, I gotta say.
"Oh, but th' best part came at the end… T'was really quite touchin' t' see how strong th' bond 'tween you two was, that you were willin' to let him fondle yer malehood like that. Hadn't realized you were that close, but I guess love c'n blossom in th' most unlikely places. Truly a wunnerful experience, observing such a beautiful, intimate moment 'tween two adult malebeasts…"
As Cadogan's comrades burst out laughing, it was all Wolfrum could do to keep himself from drawing his sword and beheading the shrew on the spot. Bristling with rage, he stomped over to his tormentor and snarled, "If you ever dare to say anything about this to anyone, you little cu - "
"'Fraid it's a tad too late fer that, Wolfie," Cadogan cut him off with an unwavering grin of malice. "Or ain'tcher noticed the other soldiers acting a liddle… peculiar 'round you this morn?"
At that moment, something died within Wolfrum. For a few heartbeats he could only tremble in shock and terror as the implications of Cadogan's words sank in, stunned at the realization that the awkward and embarrassing physical contact Mykola had sworn would remain between just the two of them was now common knowledge.
And all because this vile little troublemaker had gone out of his way to spy on Wolfrum, and then waited until Urthblood and most of the other officers were gone to reveal the secret to everybeast in the detachment. All in order to cause Wolfrum as much pain as possible, and just at the moment when things were starting to look better.
His shock turned to blistering hot hate. Cadogan actually seemed a little frightened as the rat's eyes started to mist over red with rage and his paw crept down to the sword at his side. Wolfrum hissed, "I'm gonna…"
The shrew's paw went to his own shortsword, and his companions grabbed for their own blades as well. "You ain't gonna do nuthin'!" Cadogan spat. "We outnumber you three t' one, an' we're all decent swordsbeasts. An' in case you forgot, we're at Redwall now. If Machus catches you so much as mussin' th' headfur on any beast here, he'll skin you alive. So why don't you just remove yer paw from yer fishsticker, matey?"
With a supreme effort of will, Wolfrum released the grip on his sword, causing the shrews to relax their own wary grips on their hilts. "T'were just a medical exam, fer me achin' muscles," he said, the energy drained from his voice. "T'weren't nuthin' romantic 'bout it ... "
"Sez you," Cadogan sneered.
"It's th' truth!" Wolfrum shouted.
"Mebbe 'tis, an' mebbe t'ain't. But good luck tryin' t' convince anybeast here o' that now!"
"How… how could you…?" Wolfrum growled through teeth gritted so hard they risked shattering.
The nasty smile returned to Cadogan's face. "T'ain't no more'n what you deserve, rat. Prancin' 'round pretendin' you c'n change, that yer fox buddy's advice'll make you grow into a proper goodbeast. But we all know that's rubbish. You ain't foolin' nobeast. Ye're corrupt to yer core, Wolfrum, an' ain't nuthin' ever gonna change that. All yer friends've done is allow you a few more seasons in life you'd not've had otherwise. An' believe me, those seasons're coming to an end soon…"
Wolfrum, cast into a state of utter despondent confusion by this turn of events, could find no words to respond to the shrew's tirade. Sensing the rat's helplessness, Cadogan twisted the knife deeper.
"Open yer eyes, Wolfie. Mykola an' Liam only help th' useless rabble in this army 'cos it makes 'em popular. They gather all th' lowlifes around 'em, their own liddle clique they can order 'round, revellin' in th' power it gives 'em. An' gettin' scum like you t' behave reas'nably well looks good on their record. But make no mistake, th' moment they realize ye're more trouble'n ye're worth, they'll abandon you to th' wrath of your comrades… an' the tender mercies o' Machus an' his foxes."
Wolfrum trembled, the shrew's words leaving him paralyzed in a maelstrom of torment, anger, despair and shame. Seeing that he'd succeeded in breaking the rat, Cadogan simply leaned in to snarl, "Now, do us all a favour, will ya? Turn 'round, put yer tail over yer private parts, an' get yer ugly mug outta our sight!"
Normally, Wolfrum was adamant about not crying, no matter what pain or indignity he suffered. He would not stoop to so unmasculine a level as to shed tears, whether out of fear, sadness, or shame. But so overwhelmed was he by all those emotions, and many darker ones besides, that it became too much for him. Feeling water starting to well up in his eyes, the rat turned around and walked away, praying that the shrews hadn't seen it.
Unfortunately, one of Cadogan's fellow shrews turned toward his corporal and said, loud enough for Wolfrum to hear, "Hey, Cad, didja see that? I think the liddle faggot's startin' to cry!"
Cadogan nodded, his seemingly ever-present mocking smile plastered on his features. "Think ye're right, Dwern. Well, he c'n allers go bawl his eyes out to Mykola. I'm sure that fox would be more'n willin' to… comfort him."
The shrews laughed anew while Wolfrum stalked across the lawns, sometimes passing one of his fellow soldiers who couldn't help but grin or chuckle at him too since they knew everything Mykola had done to him under that spruce during the storm on that night - or thought they did. He didn't bother trying to preserve any dignity, for he had none left. He simply continued to walk, wanting to be away from everybeast present, head hanging, tail dragging the ground, teeth gritted and with tears streaming down his cheeks, wishing that he could just continue marching to the end of the world and throw himself over the edge.
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"You promised nobeast would ever find out!"
"I'm sorry, Wolfrum, I really am, but how could anybeast know that little bastard was going to sneak up on us and eavesdrop like that? That's as much an affront to me as it is to you!"
Mykola and Wolfrum stood upon the southern ramparts, overlooking the meadow where Urthblood's army had camped during their stay at Redwall. The rat had sought out his protector shortly after the confrontation with Cadogan, confronting him on the Abbey's walltop walkway. Mykola now sought to calm his protégé, who seemed on the verge of an hysterical breakdown.
"You… you coulda kept better watch on our surroundin's… you coulda gone out t' make sure nobeast was there… you coulda kept yer voice down… you coulda…you coulda…" the rat sputtered, his entire body quivering with indignation, the fur on his cheeks still damp, his eyes red from both tears and rage.
"Wolfum, be reasonable!" the fox implored. "I had to give you my full attention, both in healing your wounds and making you see the error of your ways. There was no reason to suspect anybeast else would brave that downpour just to spy on us."
"But they did, didn't they?" Wolfrum shouted.
"Keep your voice down!" Mykola whispered, as a group of his fellow foxes farther along the walltop threw curious glances their way at the rat's outburst. "You're embarrassing yourself!"
"Embarrass m'self?" The rat gave a mirthless chuckle. "I'm way past th' point o' havin' t' worry 'bout that, in case you ain't noticed. Now I'm th' laughingstock o' this whole entire army! I lost all chance o' ever gainin' a shred o' respect from anybeast!"
"It… it doesn't have to be as bad as that, Wolfrum. I really think you're overreacting. In a few days I'm sure this whole thing will blow over, and everybeast will forget all about it."
"You really berlieve that, even fer a moment? They'll hound me over this 'til my dying day!"
The fox had to admit that Wolfrum was probably right. Whenever the rat found himself entangled in embarrassing situations, like the one with the wasp, Wolfrum's many enemies would remember it and use it to taunt him whenever they could. And this latest malicious rumor was much more embarrassing than anything he'd had to face before.
While it was fairly routine for the healers to treat injuries or afflictions that were decidedly uncomfortable for their charges, it wasn't something talked about openly. If the troops had found out about the examination he'd given Wolfrum – and their imaginations were given free rein to come up with various implications of it – they would have all the fodder in the world to make the rat's life a living hell.
The fact that this had happened just as everything was going so well, just as he'd managed to get Wolfrum to truly try to better himself, angered Mykola beyond belief and made him hate Cadogan for what the shrew had done. But right now, his main focus must be on trying to salvage the situation, so that all the work and progress over the past week hadn't been in vain.
"Wolfrum, I understand that this must be very difficult for you. But you must try and pull through, no matter how hard it might be. If you let Cadogan and his cronies get to you, you'll only bury yourself in deeper misery and everything we've achieved these past days will go to waste…"
"What in Hellsgates does it matter whether I improve m'self now? No matter what I do, I'll never be accepted or respected by anybeast in this fur-sodden army after today. How could I possibly get inta any misery deeper'n that?"
"Oh, believe me, you can!" the fox responded. "If you start any trouble over this now, Machus will give you a punishment, with Lord Urthblood's full sanction, that'll make your fellow soldiers' ridicule seem pleasant in comparison! I should know: I've witnessed them myself."
"'Machus,' 'Machus'…" the rat spat. "Allers about Machus, ain't it? That bastard's allers breathin' down my neck, blamin' me fer ev'rything, tryin' t' make life miserable fer me. Why can't you ever stand up t' him?"
Mykola was growing rather irritated with his underling's uncooperative attitude, even if he did appreciate the rat's torment. "Wolfrum, I've advocated on your behalf to him countless times! And often at risk to my own standing and reputation in his eyes. You should know that by now. But I cannot go against a direct order from him, and if you do anything foolish around these Abbeyfolk we're trying to impress, I'll be helpless to keep him from resorting to his preferred methods of dealing with you."
"So that's it? I just gotta grin an' bear it, pretendin' everything's alright while my mates go around sniggerin' at me, just 'cos that brushtailed bully won't let me settle accounts with that shrewy nastywhiskers in me own way? Tolerate insults an' jeers, just 'cos a bunch of stupid, cloistered mice might take offense at seein' an honest scrap?"
Mykola was getting really annoyed now. "If you could stop and think about somebeast other than yourself for a moment, these 'stupid mice' invited us into their community despite their misgivings about us, offered us their food, their beds and their hospitality. The least we can do is respect their rules and not behave like barbarians in the midst of their home. And your issue with Cadogan has nothing whatsoever to do with them. If you decide to take matters into your own paws and start a ruckus here, I would have to agree with Machus that you'd deserve to be punished."
Wolfrum glared at his companion, wearing the expression of a beast betrayed. He would continue arguing his position even if it meant abandoning all reason.
"Ye're on his side now? 'ere I thought you were tryin' t' help me, but ye're just toadyin' upta him, worryin' we don't ruin relations with this damn Abbey!"
"Calm down, you blockhead," the fox answered, striving to maintain his composure. "You know that's not true. I took it upon myself to try to help you, over the skepticism of my superiors. You could at least show some appreciation for the risks I've taken for your benefit. Since you're my responsibility, I'll be getting into as much trouble as you if you do anything stupid. If for no other reason, at least try to remain civil for my sake!"
But Wolfrum's confrontation with the shrew had left his mind so clouded with frustration and rage that all he wanted was to lash out at anybeast around him who didn't agree with him. And that left Mykola standing alone before the storm of the rat's wrath.
And a certain accusation that Cadogan had made against Mykola and Liam now resurfaced in Wolfrum's fevered brain.
"Ah, that's what it's all about, ain't it? That's why you behave all nice 'n' friendly to us outcasts, so's ye'll look good! You c'n use me t' show how successful you are in turnin' me decent, so ye'll get in Urthblood's and Machus's good graces. Makin' yerself popular an' powerful, havin' beasts like me look up t' you an' follow you. You don't give a damn about me, do you?"
Mykola stood speechless, stunned at the rat's baseless and absurd accusation… and that he'd the nerve to voice it at all.
"Yah, that's how creatures like you work!" the rat continued with his tirade. "Ye're born crippled, with that gimpy leg o' yers, nobeast likin' you, an' ye're desperate t' get to th' top any way y' can. You gather beasts 'round you who're just as worthless as you are, so's you c'n feel superior to 'em, boss 'em around, bask in their admiration 'n' gratitude. That's why you stick so close t' me: 'cos nobeast else could stand bein' around ya!"
Wolfrum might have gone on, but he stopped when he realized Mykola's blade lay upon his collarbone, it's keen edge a whisker away from his neck. The fox had drawn his sword and brought it to bear with such fluid speed that Wolfrum didn't realize what was happening until it had already happened.
Mykola regarded Wolfrum with outer coollness, but something dangerous smoldered in the depths of his eyes. "I'm not so lame or worthless that I can't handle my blade as well as any fox in my brigade."
And then his sword was resheathed at his side, as quickly as it had come out; the whole thing had happened so fast that it left Wolfrum wondering whether any weapon had even been brandished against him at all. No Redwaller had seen the sword drawn, and even Mykola's fellow foxes might have missed it, if they'd not already been looking in this direction.
"You ungrateful little wretch…" he growled at Wolfrum. "Do you have any idea how much I've done for you? I've worked my arse off from the day I met you, keeping you out trouble, convincing Cermak and Machus to let me talk with you rather than let you suffer some well-deserved lashings, protecting you, guiding you, comforting you, sticking with you through every ruckus and upheaval you cause within the army, standing by your side and never giving up on you after you return to your usual, irresponsible, selfish, vicious self!
"You think this gains me respect from my fellow officers? My coddling of you has only made them consider me soft and weak-hearted. And popular among the rank-and-file? I'd be much more popular if I devoted my time and energies to the well-behaved, orderly troops rather than troublemakers like you. And as for equality… let me tell you something: if I wanted the company of an equal, you'd be the last creature in the world I'd ever approach for that purpose!"
At first, Wolfrum simply stood looking shocked and frightened at seeing his friend address him with such open hostility. A wave of despair washed over him as he realized just what their angry exchange meant for their relationship and, just for a moment, shame tugged at his conscience over having said such evil things about his mentor. But his flash of insight quickly died out as his expression turned bitter again. It was as if he'd lost all hope of salvaging things, and was instead determined to run them into the ground out of pure spite. After all, if Mykola would dare to draw his sword against Wolfrum, then there wasn't much left to salvage, was there?
"Well, if y' hate my company so much," he muttered, "I ain't gonna torture you no more. You go be with all them fine, orderly soldiers an' get their respect 'n' devotion instead!" Shaking with a mix of indignation and nerves and cursing under his breath, the rat turned and stormed down the wall stairs, leaving both creatures in a turmoil of anger and sorrow; each knew that the consequences of their recent enmity could not be good.
One of the other foxes who'd witnessed their argument finally stepped forward. "Any problem?" he asked.
For a while, Mykola's expression shifted between various moods, from rage to irritation to sadness, before settling on a resigned bitterness.
"Just Wolfrum being Wolfrum."
"That could be bad. Here at Redwall, that could be very bad."
"Yes," Mykola agreed with a nod. "Yes, it could..."
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The summer afternoon was clear and bright, but wherever Wolfrum went there might as well have been stormclouds as dark and ominous as the ones that had swept over Mossflower during their tedious march to Redwall.
Having parted ways with Mykola on the southern wall (had that swordfox REALLY drawn his blade on him?), Wolfrum stalked across the western lawns, still trembling from that confrontation. The last thing he'd need now would be to run into Cadogan again, and he fervently hoped to avoid that shrew. In his current state of mind, he'd most likely slay Cadogan on sight, no matter the consequences. And those consequences - specifically, the punishments Machus would impose upon him - were the only things now deterring Wolfrum from such actions; any motivation to make Mykola or Liam proud of him had completely vanished. In fact, he might be more inclined to do something foolish now just to spite the fox.
In recent days, when things had seemed to be going so well, Wolfrum had begun to accept that other creatures weren't always to blame for his misfortune, that he should shoulder responsibility for his mistakes and strive to correct them. But now, as he trod the Abbey lawns with heavy, bitter steps, that insight was erased from his mind. Right now, everybeast was to blame except himself.
Seeking out the most solitary spot he could find on the northern lawns, he happened upon four of his fellow rats who'd just come down from lookout duty on the battlements, taking their rest in the shade of a tree near the gardens, about halfway between the wall and the main Abbey. One named Speeg beckoned him over, and while Wolfrum wasn't in the most sociable of moods at the moment, the group seemed inviting enough that he might be able to tolerate them. This part of the Abbey grounds was sparsely populated since the Redwallers preferred the sunnier east and south lawns for their leisure; the only resident Wolfrum could see was a hedgehog lady busily closing the shutters and panes of the Abbey's windows with a long pole. Judging the vicinity secluded enough for his purposes, he walked over to take a seat among his comrades on the soft grass.
"Hey, matey, sorry t' hear 'bout what happened," Speeg said, genuine concern in his voice.
"Yeah, downright indecent o' Cadogan, goin' 'round spillin' yer beans like that," agreed Speeg's companion Gorsul.
While this sympathetic camaraderie was a welcome change from the scornful mockery Wolfrum had faced all day, the rat couldn't help but shoot his comrades an irate glance. "Well, I sure didn't see any o' you goin' out o' yer way t' teach that shrew a lesson when he started spreadin' the word around!"
Gorsul took umbrage at having their attempts at solidarity greeted with such a sour and accusatory retort. "'ey, calm down there, Wolfie! What were we s'posed t' do? You know we can't go 'round dishin' out beatings to our fellow soldiers, no matter how deservin'. The officers would have our hides fer it."
"Yeah, well, nobeast ever went after th' hides of th' brutes who beat me within an inch o' my life after th' battle with th' ravens," Wolfrum groused.
His fellow rats looked rather uncomfortable with the turn this conversation had taken; they'd sought only to hearten their aggrieved comrade, but Wolfrum seemed intent upon spreading his misery even to those seeking to console him. Without stopping to think about the old wounds it might open, Speeg tried to defend the officers for their lack of action in the case Wolfrum had mentioned.
"Well, that did involve that whole thing wi' Kefrin … "
"Cripes!" Wolfrum shouted, drawing a quick glance from the hedgehog before she returned her attention to her windowing duties. "You gonna bring that up again? I already told you, I ain't responsible fer that idiot's death!"
"'ey, have a care there," Gorsul countered. "Kefrin were a friend o' mine, so don't go 'round callin' him an idiot, 'specially after he saved yer tail from those birds…"
"He did not save me! I coulda taken Girsha an' that crow by myself. T'was just Kefrin's foolish blunder that he ran blunderin' inta a situation he couldn't handle."
The companionly mood of the original quartet had quickly soured, the four Northland rats beginning to regret that they'd invited Wolfrum into their midst. The situation wasn't helped when Kharp gave into the temptation to throw another jab Wolfrum's way.
"So… that night during th' storm… Is there really anything going on 'tween you an' Mykola, or…?"
Wolfrum nearly unsheathed his blade at these words, but relented at the last moment. He was close to exploding with fury, but still possessed enough presence of mind to realize what a spectacularly bad idea that was.
"Lissen, just… shut up, awright? You c'n talk about whatever you want, but don't ever mention that, or Kefrin, or Cadogan again. I can't take no more o' it, so don't tempt me inta doin' something I'll regret!"
The mood between the gathered rats was tense, hostile and unpleasant. Wolfrum's temper balanced on a hair-trigger, and the slightest incident could serve to push him over the edge at any moment.
It was thus precisely the wrong moment for Droge the young hedgehog to come obliviously rolling towards them.
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"Banished?" Mykola repeated hollowly, a decidedly nervous air about the short-legged fox.
"Just for the night," Machus clarified, his manner firm and resolved. "And I'd say that's a very light punishment, considering his actions. To be honest, I don't think he should be allowed back inside this Abbey for the remainder of our stay here, but it would look strange if we had to keep one of our soldiers outside the walls all the time. Not to mention that it'll be easier to keep a close watch on him in here."
Mykola conferred with his captain outside the front door of the main Abbey building. It was just before dinner, and Mykola had been called down from his solitary patrolling atop the eastern and southern walls, where his conflicted feelings over the confrontation with Wolfrum had proved a constant distraction from his lookout duties. Now he stood at the steps leading up into Great Hall along with the Gawtrybe Lady and another fox named Andrus, having just been informed of the debacle Wolfrum had caused by threatening a hedgehog child with harm and nearly causing it to Balla, the Abbey's Cellar Keeper, when she tried to intervene. Only Machus' timely intervention had prevented the situation from escalating further, and now the rodent was to spend the night outside the Abbey unarmed as punishment.
Throughout Machus' account, the three creatures' gazes at Mykola - particularly Mina's - held unspoken accusations.
Once the Sword had finished describing the afternoon's events, Mykola could think of nothing to say. Bothered by his silence, Machus prompted, "Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Don't you have anything to say about the matter?"
Meeting the expectant stares of the others, Mykola decided to just be as forthright as he could.
"Yes. You think I'm partly to blame for what happened, don't you? That my 'soft' methods contributed to Wolfrum's behaviour. That I failed in my promise to keep him out of trouble and make sure he didn't step out of line in front of the Redwallers. Just like you said before we came here…"
"Not in so many words," Machus said, "but your assessment is mostly on the mark."
Before they could continue, Liam came jogging towards their gathering. Having heard what had happened with Wolfrum, the rat sergeant wanted to seek out Machus and add his own voice to the conferral. "Sir, if I may say a few things o' my own on the matter…"
Machus threw the rat a sharp glance. "Your presence was not requested, Sergeant. This is a private conversation between us and Mykola. It doesn't concern you."
Liam didn't back down. "Sir, I'm th' highest ranking rat at Redwall now, an' Wolfrum's my responsibility as much as it is Mykola's. I think I oughta be allowed t' say my piece on what happened."
The Sword didn't look happy about complicating this discussion with the addition of yet another voice, but nodded for Liam to continue. "Very well. Go on."
"Well, sir, you did hear the rumours about… what Mykola did t' Wolfrum that night a week ago, under that tree in th' storm?"
"Yes," Machus responded matter-of-factly. "As I understand it, that was a routine medical examination, nothing more. We foxes are trained in such procedures - as should be common knowledge throughout the ranks."
"Well, what's routine fer you may not be so routine fer us common beasts. From what I hear, it was the shrew Cadogan who snuck up on the two of 'em, overheard what was goin' on, and then went out o' his way this morn to spread the word around, solely t' embarrass Wolfrum. But he didn't stop there; once the rumors were flyin' all over th' place, he confronted Wolfrum about it, rubbing it in his face that he'd revealed his secret to everybeast, an' made all sorts of degrading insinuations about…"
Liam's words trailed off as he saw the cautionary stare Machus gave him.
"Sergeant, if you even begin to suggest that a mildly awkward personal examination in any way excuses Wolfrum's behaviour this day, I have to seriously question whether you are worthy of your rank."
Liam stammered, trying to explain himself. "No, I… That's not what I meant, I just…."
But Machus had already turned back to his short-legged subordinate, all but dismissing the rat as he waited to see if Mykola had anything further to say.
He did. "Sir, if I may be allowed to defend myself for moment…"
Machus nodded for him to continue.
"I confess that I did indeed fail to make sure Wolfrum didn't do anything foolish during his stay at Redwall, and not just in the way you might think. Earlier today, he came to me about the rumors Cadogan had started. He was hysterical and distressed and wanted somebeast to blame, and cast some flagrantly outrageous aspersions upon my character. I grew angry at this and threw back a few unkind words of my own, and I must've given him the impression that I no longer cared about him or how he behaved. That might very well have contributed to what he did later."
The two other foxes and Mina looked as if they agreed with this assessment. Liam just looked on uneasily from the side.
"But as for my past approach having been a catalyst for today's events," Mykola continued, "well, may I be so presumptuous as to ask what you would have done in my stead? What methods would you have used to make sure that he didn't behave like he did, once his secret got out like it did today?"
His companions didn't seem to appreciate Mykola's challenging tone, but Mina deigned to answer him nonetheless, taking over from Machus.
"We could have handled him," she stated simply. "We would have given Cermak greater liberty to punish him as he saw fit, and we would have made it more clear to Wolfrum just what reprimands he could expect if he did something as stupid as this. And we wouldn't have allowed him the luxury of such close camaraderie with his superiors, perhaps leading him to believe he'd be held less accountable if he had the protection of some of the higher-ups." She gave a disapproving nod to Liam as well as Mykola.
Mykola remained unswayed by her words. "With all due respect, My Lady, do you really think that would have improved matters any? Because in Wolfrum's case, I think it would only have made them a lot worse."
"Then perhaps he should have been removed from this army long before today. You are undermining your own argument."
Mykolya refused to concede. "Think for a moment about Wolfrum's behavior these past several days, ever since my heart-to-heart with him under the spruce the first night of the storm. Hasn't he been conducting himself quite well since then, all things considered? When Wolfrum felt happy, content and knew that he had somebeast on his side, he strove to better himself, and he succeeded better than I could've hoped for.
"It was only when Cadogan went out of his way to reveal a personal matter that Wolfrum understandably wanted kept private that his resolve faltered. If Cadogan hadn't done that, this might never have happened. How would any of you feel about having such a confidentiality breached by a third party?"
The gathering was silent for awhile, considering Mykola's points. Finally, Machus spoke.
"Mykola, you may be correct that your way of taking care of Wolfrum worked well in this instance. He did indeed behave civilized compared to how he'd been before - and how he behaved this afternoon. Perhaps we have been unfair in judging your methods so harshly, since we probably wouldn't have been able to handle the situation any better. We certainly were in no position to devote the time and energy to his cause that you have.
"But that doesn't change the fact that he was anything but civilized today. He threatened one of the children of Redwall and came close to drawing the blood of their Cellar Keeper. If I hadn't happened upon the scene when I did, who knows what would've happened? Fortunately, Balla has been able to put the incident behind her and won't pursue the matter, but do you have any idea how close Wolfrum came to ruining our relationship with the Redwallers completely? We would've been lucky if they allowed us to remain inside their walls any longer.
"And as for what happened between him and Cadogan, no matter how painful Wolfrum found the shrew's words, it in no way justifies or excuses what he did. We all hear distressing news or get insulted once in a while, and he's hardly the first soldier in this army to have uncomplimentary rumors spread about him, but we don't go around threatening other beasts with harm over it, least of all the ones who've invited us into their home and had no part whatsoever in these internal conflicts. Wolfrum's thin-skinned sensitivity is as much to blame for his attitude in this matter as anything anybeast said about him or accused him of. Remember, these unsavory rumors apply to you as well, but I don't see you raging around demanding Cadogan's head. That's because you know what's silly and trivial in the overall scheme of army morale, and apparently Wolfrum doesn't. He did a terrible thing, he has full responsibility for it and he deserves to be punished for it."
"With all due respect, sir, I can afford to ignore salacious rumors about myself, owing to my position. I've got authority Wolfrum doesn't. The lower ranks rub shoulders on the march and in battle, and what they say and think about each other counts a lot more between them than it does between them and us. Cadogan betrayed me by listening in on my examination and spreading these rumors - but he betrayed Wolfrum a lot more, because Wolfrum has far more to lose. That shrew should face discipline over this."
"Your point has merit. I will have a word with Cadogan, and make sure he realizes he's never to do anything like this again. But I still place the badger's share of the blame for Wolfrum's behavior with Wolfrum. His actions today, regardless of their cause, are inexcusable and cannot be undone, and for that, he must also accept the badger's share of the punishment. I am sure you can understand this."
Mollified by his superior's grudging agreement to take Cadogan to task for the shrew's part in all of this, Mykola nodded, accepting that Machus was probably right - or at least half-right - about Wolfrum as well. Even the short-pawed fox understood that sometimes his gentle methods weren't the best approach, that if a soldier had made such a monumental mistake like this, then that soldier and nobeast else would have to face the consequences for it. Besides, in his current state, the rat would be most likely be unwilling to have anything to do with his protector.
And to be completely honest with himself, Mykola wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with Wolfrum either. He was still angry with the rat over the things Wolfrum had said to him up on the battlements, and the sheer frustration of having the his charge return to his old vicious self had drained the fox's will to try and patch things up with the troublesome rodent right now.
Looking at his superior, Mykola asked in a resigned voice, "So what do you intend to do now?"
"For the remainder of our stay here," Machus said, "you will leave all matters regarding Wolfrum to me. He is no longer your responsibility. I will use traditional discipline to keep him in line. He's already jeopardized the trust our hosts have in us; our main priority now above all else is to make sure he doesn't do so again. He will be closely watched by my swordfoxes and not allowed the same liberties he's been enjoying with you. Are we clear on that?"
"Perfectly, sir," Mykola muttered.
"After that… I don't know what we'll do with him. He's shown today that he will relapse into bad behaviour the moment circumstances turn against him, even if he's been considerably improving before that. I've said before that I don't hold much hope of that rat permanently bettering himself, and that is doubly true now. I think the best we can hope for is that he'll be able to keep the worst of his resentment over this incident in check once we start travelling again, and that he'll die a sufficiently heroic death on a battlefield in the near future."
Mykola did his best to mask his resentment of the Sword's pessimistic attitude. What troubled him the most was that no matter how much he tried not to, he was beginning to share some of that attitude.
Shaking his head and sighing, Machus continued, "I still don't understand why Urthblood picked him to stay behind at Redwall in the first place. He knew about Wolfrum's character and predispositions, so why he thought it would be a good idea to have that rat dwell amongst these peaceful woodlanders is beyond me…"
Mina gave him a mirthless smirk. "Lord Urthblood makes those decisions, Captain, not you or I. Or do you doubt his… vision?"
Machus gave her a sour look. "Don't start." He turned back to Mykola. "As for you, I'm not about to issue any reprimand just yet, since I think you argued your case quite well that your methods actually did keep him on the straight and narrow for long enough. Maybe we couldn't have succeeded any better, and maybe we could have; I'm not Urthblood so I can't know. For the moment, just let me handle things my way, and we'll see what happens."
"Yes, sir," the short-legged fox reluctantly nodded.
"Now," the swordfox captain added, "I deem that spending just a night outside is much too light a punishment considering what Wolfrum has done. Tomorrow when we bring him back in, there'll be drilling on the Abbey grounds and I think Wolfrum should be given his very own spot in it to face off against several opponents… and I'll make it clear to them that they won't have to go easy on the rat."
Liam, who'd held his silence during most of this discussion, couldn't help but voice his concerns over this. "Sir, doesn't that kinda border on… abuse?"
Machus hesitated for a moment as if deliberating whether he was even going to acknowledge the rat's question. "Wolfrum gets to sleep through the night while his fellow rats stand sentry duty on the walltop," he replied at last. "I only think it's right and proper that he should compensate by practicing his quarterstaff and paw-to-paw skills while his comrades rest after their watch."
Signalling that this impromptu council was concluded, the swordfox captain turned and climbed the steps into the Abbey. Andrus and Mina followed, leaving the rat and Mykola behind.
Having found the entire conversation highly unpleasant, Liam looked to his friend with a face full of concern. "Mikky, are y' sure this's really fer th' best? I mean, treatin' Wolfrum like this right now after what he's been through…"
But Mykola dismissed him with a wave of his paw. "Liam, I don't have the strength to talk about this right now. Wolfrum deserves a punishment; Machus was right about that. And I don't know if I'll be able to approach that rat any more, at least not for some time. Please, just… just let me be alone for awhile…"
And with that, the mentally exhausted fox limped up the steps after the others, leaving the rat sergeant alone in front of the entrance to Redwall Abbey. Liam had lost his appetite and wasn't keen on rejoining Machus and his company, so he just stood there reflecting upon the day's events. And in spite of everything that had just been said, as much as he inwardly agreed that Wolfrum had committed a serious transgression and had to face the consequences of his actions, Liam felt a bitter hatred for Cadogan growing inside him, for he was convinced that if it hadn't been for that shrew, Wolfrum could've completed his path to redemption…