CHAPTER 4
Morning dawned as sunny and bright as ever upon the scene of paradise where Pearl Nodrey slept. Birds twittered their morning songs to the sun as eagles soared high and cried to the world that they were alive. The light breeze picked up again and aroused the waterfalls into their mists and the leaves into playfulness. The breeze rustled Pearl's fur and the mists sprayed refreshingly on her face. She awoke with a feeling of determination, remembering the vow she had made the night before. She bounded up the tree from branch to branch, until she reached the very top. As was her tradition every morning, she took a deep breath of cool air and searched the southern countryside. Trees grew as far as she could see until they rolled themselves into a sea of deep green, flowing off toward the horizon. Pearl leaped back down the tree as fast as she could, smiling as she went. She was filled with enthusiasm as she exercised her abilities. That excitement, however, did not last long. Pearl stopped, dead in her tracks, suddenly hearing a sound. She was about three-fourths of the way down the tall tree and the noise she had heard was coming from the brush below. Her breathing was hard and rasping. She was sure whoever it was could have heard her from miles away. Pearl lay low on the branch and scooted closer to the trunk. She did not want to risk being caught by any enemy. Even though she was confident she could fight them off, there was only one of her and she would have little hope. Vermin who traveled that far north were usually accompanied by great numbers.
"Come on, Pearl Nodray! We know your there you great tree walloper!" The young squirrel's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice. She forgot all her fears as she rushed down the rest of the tree. At the bottom of the tree stood an elderly shrew, dressed in his tribe's light green colors, waving around a rapier. Around the old shrew stood about fifty other shrews who were short, stocky, and spike furred. The elderly shrew smiled fondly at Pearl as she flew down the tree. Pearl rushed to embrace him.
"Naldir you old Log-a-log! How have you been?" Pearl said smiling and gasping for breath. Despite the old shrew's un-intimidating stature and age, he had a very strong embrace.
"Never better, my dear! Pray tell me how have you been fairing? Pretty well I see, I've never set eyes on a prettier place!"
"Oh, I'm alright. This area is secluded, that's why I like it. In fact, I don't recall ever telling anyone I was moving here." Pearl held Log-a-log at arms length and eyed him in a suspicious, teasing manner.
Log-a-log shifted his weight from paw to paw in a nervous way, "Well I… er… that is to say I… Oh, I followed you when you came down last spring. I never stayed or anything but I wanted to make sure I knew where to find you if I had any news."
Pearl tried to keep a straight face but couldn't. She giggled childishly at the overly-protective old one. "I hope you have some news for me today?"
Log-a-log sheathed his rapier and grew very serious. "I have news indeed. First however, let us get some food and fire. After we set up camp we will have a tribal meeting."
It took less than an hour for the shrews to set up the tents and prepare a fire, but it felt like days to Pearl. She was so curious about what the news was that she could barely stay focused on anything she was doing. She also wondered what could have brought such a grave look to her friends face. Finally the work was done. The tribal meeting took place as breakfast was being served. Pearl and the shrews sat in a circle as two young shrewmaids served hot porage straight from the pot. Pearl thankfully received a bowl, realizing it had been months since she had last had a decent cooked meal. She sipped hers carefully as steam pored from it's top. She looked pleadingly at Log-a-log who looked back, smiled, and stood up.
"Attention! Attention, shrews!" The tribe of shrews ceased their chatting upon hearing their leaders commanding voice. "Thank you. First off I want to introduce every one here to Pearl Nodray."
Pearl stood for a brief moment and smiled. She quickly sat when the shrews started applauding.
"Now then!" the shrew chieftain continued, "I have no time to recount the tale of how we met but I will tell you this; Pearl's family were slaughtered by one known as Death Swift the Assassin."
The shrews roared their disapproval at the name.
"Now then!" the shrews quieted again. "Pearl, we know this name because of something that happened to us.
"On our way home from an exploration we ran into a threescore of vermin. We found them on the westernmost point of the forest Aurula, close to the broadstream. They looked diseased and sick. Their eyes had a hollow look and they were all very weak. They were laying around a campfire when we approached them.
"'Ho there!' I hailed them, 'what are you doing here? This is the property of peaceful beasts. You have no right to carry your foul carcasses past the edges of the forests of Mossflower or Aurula. Now either be gone or you'll feel the point of our rapiers!'
"One of the vermin, an evil looking fox, laughed at us saying, 'What are you? A bunch of sorry little mice with sticks in your hands?' he started a great coughing fit at which time we stepped back. When his coughing was done, he continued. 'You will not hurt poor sick creatures, if peaceful beasts you be. No, you will leave us and go on your way, for if you don't, the vengeance of Death Swift the Assassin shall be terrible!'"
Pearl Nodray felt her pulse quicken at the mention of her sworn enemy.
Log-a-log continued with his narrative, "We then asked him who this 'Death Swift' was. He laughed again and began to give a full description. I stopped him when he got to the part about the inscription on his sword. I had heard enough and was not going to be daunted by somebeast I knew was far away. I expected that Death Swift had left the vermin in that place to die anyway and would not care if I ended their life right there. However, I held my sword and did not take their life because I knew they would die very soon whether I killed them then or not. We were just about to leave when the fox called me back again. I hesitated but went just the same. He said in a rasping voice, 'Do you know a place called Redwall Abby?' when I nodded my head he continued, 'Not any more. That place is Death Swift's next victim.' With that he breathed his last and died. The other vermin around him gasped but did nothing else. I, and my shrews, hurried away in our logboats. At first we weren't sure what to do. Then I remembered you and thought you would like to hear this news first."
Pearl was at a loss for words. She had hopped to find Death Swift soon, but to hear news of his planned attack against another peaceful haven the very next morning? It was so sudden and unexpected that Pearl didn't know what to do. To the young maiden's relief, Log-a-log continued talking.
"I do have a plan, Pearl Nodray, if you will agree to it." Pearl nodded her head and he continued. "A brother of mine, also a Log-a-log, rules over a different tribe of shrews close to where the Broadstream enters Mossflower. His name is Haldir. Now I was thinking I could send you and twenty other shrews to Redwall Abby to tell them of their besetting danger. Ten other shrews would journey to Salamandastron and get help there from the hairs, we know the badger Lord that rules there now. The rest of the shrews would come with me and we would seek help from my brother. I could assign the different parties tomorrow morning and every beast could start out on their different journeys tomorrow afternoon. How does that sound to you?"
"It sounds like a well thought of plan, my friend. It is wise, and even though my plans would contain a riskier course of action, yours is the better of the two. You have ever proved to be a resourceful and faithful protector, and I thank you for the news."
The old shrew nodded his head in recognition, "You're welcome, my friend. Now then, we must get together food for our separate journeys so how about we find some, eh?"
Pearl stood up, a smile creeping along her face, "Follow me, I can show you where the best fruit trees lay."
Author Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! You guys are amazing! You don't know how much it helps me.