Chapter 4
Weylan and Kesmin traveled for most of the day until they arrived at a worn and oft used path, leading from north to south. Kesmin had her son stop there, and next to the path, they set up a small camp for the night.
"Alls we got to do now," Kesmin explained, "Is travel up this 'ere path southward 'til we reach the abbey." She pulled out a loaf of bread and a flask of a drink out of her sack. "Should reach Redwall sometime tomorrow."
Weylan cut himself a slice of bread and nibbled on it. "Good." He said in-between bites, "I'm anxious to get there."
They were silent for a moment, watching the day fade into night.
"Weylan," Kesmin said suddenly, "Wot do ye think this 'award' yore searchin' for is?"
"I dunno, me dream never told me nor showed me." Weylan answered. "It's frustratin', it is."
"Perhaps that's the whole purpose." Kesmin spoke thoughtfully. "Yore supposed to figure it for yoreself."
Weylan didn't answer, and instead continued to eat. When they had their fill, they both laid down to sleep...
Weylan dreamt he was in the meadow again. Automatically, he wandered to the top of the small hill where the otter waited for him. Again, he spoke to Weylan, but this time it was different.
"Heed my warning,
Trouble is coming.
To the north,
The heir will be disruptive.
To the south,
A friend will be captive.
Both must be resolved,
for the award to be procured."
Then, like before, the otter bent down and lifted the flat rock covering the small hole. Peering in Weylan saw that there was a small set of stone stairs carved into the ground, leading further downward. He went to climb into the hole to see where the stairs lead, but then a sudden noise rang out.
Jerking awake, Weylan squinted into the dark night to see what had awoken him this time. He saw the path, the woods, and overhead, a bird flying by. Weylan couldn't tell what kind of bird, but it would let out a squawk occasionally. The young otter assumed one of the bird's squawks was responsible for waking him.
Settling back down, he remembered his dream, still fresh in his mind. Wondering what this new riddle relayed to him meant, he drifted back into a peaceful sleep...
Mokeet was wishing he could be doing the same, but he had been rudely awakened by two of his guards and was dragged into Toka's personal tent. It was time for the usual nightly interrogation.
As usual, Toka was to speak first, and currently he was finishing off an apple. He waited until he had bitten all of the fruit and tossed the core aside before speaking.
"Tell me of the treasure." he requested, beginning to pace, circling around Mokeet.
As always, Mokeet retold the tale, getting quite tired of having to retell it every night. And thus followed the usual questions Toka always asked Mokeet, such as where the treasure was in relation to their current position. But then Toka asked a question he hadn't asked before.
"What do you know of an fortress called Redwall?" he asked.
Mokeet was surprised at the question, but obediently answered. "I 'ave 'eard it's an abbey somewhere in this country." he said.
"Have you ever been there?" Toka asked next, continuing to circle around Mokeet, taking the time to purposely tread on Mokeet's rudder.
"No, lord." Mokeet answered. "You should know as well as I that I'm not native to these parts."
"I know you aren't a Mossflower woodlander," Toka said, "But that doesn't mean you haven't traveled up to these parts."
"I have always remained in the southlands, were ye found me." Mokeet explained.
"Do you know what's in this Redwall?" Toka asked, pausing in front of his prisoner.
"Not really." Mokeet answered. "But I know that peaceful creatures live there."
Toka glared at Mokeet, and Mokeet suddenly realized he had said something Toka didn't want to hear.
"In case you haven't heard, my scouts found a small scouting party of shrews today." Toka explained. "Just up stream from here. We caught them completely unaware."
"You must have killed 'em all, otherwise you would've locked 'em up with me." Mokeet noted.
Toka grinned and sat down in his favorite chair. "You're very perceptive, mate, I like that about you." he said, picking a goblet to sip from that sat nearby.
"I ain't yore mate." Mokeet stated. Toka ignored the statement.
"Actually, we caught two of the original twenty alive." Toka continued. "They were maids, frightened to death, but answered the question I asked them like a good beast, just like yourself." Toka leaned forward towards Mokeet. "They told me a little bit about this abbey called Redwall. Told me pretty much all you've told me tonight. However, they told me one thing that you haven't." He grinned a twisted smile at Mokeet. "Care for me to tell you?"
"Please." Mokeet said unceremoniously, returning Toka's constant stare.
"They said that there are warriors in that abbey." the warlord said. "Ones that they thought could beat me and my horde. And you haven't said a thing about them." he tilted his head. "Why?"
"I was unaware any such creatures were in the abbey." Mokeet lied.
Toka didn't buy it. Calmly pulling out his dagger, he pressed the tip against Mokeet's throat. "You will tell me all you know about this abbey called Redwall, and all you know about these warriors. Who they are, how experienced they are, everything."
Mokeet hesitated one second too long, for Toka pressed the tip of the dagger harder, almost drawing blood, and placed one paw on Mokeet's shoulder to keep the otter from pulling back.
"Tell me now, otter." the ferret warlord said, disposing of his fairly friendly attitude, "Or I will kill you. This Redwall sounds far more interesting than any otter treasure." he paused, then grinned wickedly, baring his pointed teeth. "Besides, you've gotten me this far, and judging from what you've told me about this treasure, you're not the only otter who would know about this treasure."
Mokeet eyes widened in horror upon realization of what Toka meant.
Toka took pleasure in that. "Mossflower seems to house quite a few other otters besides yourself..."
Abbot Mordalfus watched Matthias's wife and son wait outside the infirmary, both looking very grave. He wished there was something he could do to cheer up the two, but nothing came to mind. He thought of suggesting a feast to honor Matthias, if things came to that, but that seemed too much like saying Matthias was already dead.
Sister May had announced that wasn't the case. Yet. She had no idea if it will stay that way. Currently, May was more worried about making the illness didn't spread throughout Redwall and causing a plague, and that unknowingly made most of the inhabitants in Redwall feel somewhat better.
Still, Sister May had also pointed out that even though Matthias wasn't the eldest mouse in Redwall, for there were others, Abbot Mordalfus included, that were far older than Matthias, but he wasn't exactly young either. May worried that Matthias may not be young enough to survive the illness.
All of this Mordalfus didn't tell Cornflower or Mattimeo, for he knew that it would only make matters worse, not to mention that they were already probably aware of it themselves. He did tell them to keep their chins up, and hope for the best, but that would only go so far.
What they needed was good news, and hopefully, Sister May would have it.
She was just now exiting infirmary, removing the various devices she wore to keep herself from catching Matthias's illness herself. Her paws were wet, evidence that she had treated them with a herbal wash to prevent from spreading the illness, and as added precaution, kept her distance from the three waiting outside her infirmary.
"How is he?" Cornflower was first to ask Sister May.
The good sister lowered her head. "He is doing somewhat better, but he has a very high fever, cannot eat much food or drink, is constantly drifting in and out of consciousness, and is seeing things that aren't there." she reported. "I'm sorry Cornflower, but..." she trailed off, unable to bring herself to say it.
She didn't have to.
Mattimeo opened his mouth to speak, but failed, and instead slid down into a kneeling position, leaning against the wall. Cornflower followed her son's example.
Abbot Mordalfus turned to Sister May. "You're doing your best, Sister May, and that's all we can ask of you." he assured her.
Sister May forced a grin. "It's all I really can do." she admitted. "It's such a rare illness that there is very little I can do to treat it."
Mattimeo suddenly looked up. "If it's such a rare illness, how did Father get it?" he asked, curious despite his grief.
"Illnesses work in strange ways, Matti." Cornflower said, wrapping one paw around her son, "Not even the most expert healer could tell you that."
"But we can guess." Sister May said. "From what I've learned about the illness, vermin commonly are getting it, especially rats. Probably has something to do with the fact that they never bathe."
"And Matthias said he ran into a small tribe of vermin, no bigger than five in numbers, about seven days ago, while wandering the woods." Cornflower said, "He said that he didn't have to fight them, but..."
"It's just as you said, Cornflower, illnesses work in strange ways." Sister May said.
They were silent for a moment.
"Well, it's getting late, Matti." Cornflower said, getting up. "Time for bed."
"I don't want to." Mattimeo mumbled defiantly, but started to follow her down the corridor anyway.
"Wait." Sister May suddenly said. "There is one other thing I need to tell Mattimeo."
"What?" the young mouse asked, turning back.
Sister May clasped her paws together and stared at them for a moment. "As I said, your father has been very delirious, but he's aware as to what has happened to him. At one point while I was examining him, he apparently started seeing you in the room, and requested that..."
She trailed off. "Yes?" Mattimeo prompted.
"He requested that you take his place as warrior of Redwall." Sister May finished. "Right now."