When Nuri the Lance appeared the next morning, Captain Thayne knew that Nuri had drastically changed whatever plans he might have had, because the badger had his "I just had a life-changing dream" look Thayne's suspicion was proved when Nuri announced, "My plans have changed."
Kleon Cornelius Elwinerry, Salamandastron's best scout, voiced the thoughts each hare was thinking. "How did they change?"
Nuri closed his eyes, as though trying to remember an elusive fact. "I was going to keep all of you here for a bastion of strength, but now that planned has been scrapped. Vasilis, you will go to Bat Mountpit to ask Lord Shadwing to aid us in this campaign. I know his bats won't be able to make day attacks, but they will be good night strikers."
Vasilis saluted and ran out of the mess hall. Nuri continued.
"Vassily, you must hasten to the Northern Otter River Tribes's holt. Alert Queen Garralway that wildcats will be going through her territory. Also ask if she can spare some warriors."
Vassily nodded and rushed off to do his task. Nuri turned to Vera and Ula. "You two shall go to Camp Tussock. Request that Lord Fircone sends his entire army to Salamandastron. If he does, lead them here. If he doesn't, then head to the Northern Mountains. Even if he does, go to the Mountains. Tell Krucko Bigbones that Nuri the Lance is requesting that the debt be paid. He will understand." Vera and Ula both curtsied and headed out the room. The Lord of Salamandastron looked around at the remaining hares: Kleon, Selig, Captain Thayne, Pandora, Raphael Grandis, Fordpetal, and old Brigadier Aglador Woodsorrel.
Raphael spoke the questions lingering in each mind. "What are we who remain to do? And, what caused you to change your mind about the plans?"
Nuri gestured to Thayne, who took this to mean to explain. "Lord Nuri wishes us to stay behind to prepare weapons, shields, etc, for the war that will come."
Nuri nodded, and cut Thayne as he began to expound. "Yes, you remaining hares must work for the war ahead. Now, to answer the second question."
Nuri gazed into space as he told the onlookers the story. "I dreamt that Martin the Warrior came to me. His message was simple: Prepare for a war. When I asked him what he meant he smiled in his way, and disappeared. Lonna Bowstripe then appeared. He went on to explain that my previous plans would not work, and that I needed to gather warriors. He told me where to find them. Then, Lonna disappeared. I woke up and realized that this was what did need to happen."
All around the mess hall heads nodded in understanding. Aglador was about to stand up when a loud knock echoed around the room. Aglador looked quizzically at Nuri, and the badger held out his giant paw. Aglador shuffled to the entrance at this affirmation, swung open the oaken door, and promptly fainted. Fordpetal rushed over to Aglador, bent to check if he was okay, and immediately saw that Aglador was alright. She looked up to the door, and let out a piercing screech. This was the last straw. All the others ran over to see what was happening, to find Fordpetal hugging the life out of a jet-black otters.
"Hey, Lord Nuri," the otter lifted his arm and waved to the badger. Nuri's face creased in a large grin.
"Dark Streambattle! What a pleasant surprise. Fordpetal, stop squeezing Dark. We don't want to kill him yet." Fordpetal let Dark go. He wheezed, and grimaced when he touched his chest.
"I think that might have cracked my ribs, Fordpetal. Let's forego any more welcomes."
Right then, Aglador regained consciousness and, upon catching sight of Dark, jumped up and started pumping the otter's paw.
"Dark, my old friend, you decided to visit!"
Dark managed to pry his paw from Aglador's grasp with help from Nuri. As he massaged feeling back into his paw, Dark wryly commented, "Yes, it seems so. Now my paw is going to bruise. Ah well. I actually came for two reasons. One, Colonel Rafe says hi."
"He does?" Nuri asked.
"Yes, he does. Two, I must speak to you in private, Nuri. You too, Selig. Can we go up to your chambers, Nuri?"
Nuri nodded, beckoned to Selig, and led the way up to the top of Salamandastron. When they had reached Nuri's room, Dark closed the door and turned to Nuri and Selig.
"What are the other hares doing?" Dark asked.
"They are preparing for war," Nuri replied, somewhat mystified as to why Dark was asking about this.
"Good," Dark said. "We're going to need all the preparation we can get. Selig, do you remember the shadowy presence you felt in Zeltawnis's throne room?" Selig inclined his head. "Do you know what it is?"
"No, I really don't. Do you?" Selig asked.
"I do. Nuri, do you recall when Nehelami killed Sarahn?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember what he said?"
"Didn't he say that he would return?"
Dark nodded. "Yes, that is exactly what he said. Do you know what this means? The presence and Sarahn's words?" The two Salamandastron dwellers shook their heads. "It means that Sarahn has fulfilled his promise. He is the shadowy presence. I have no idea how he managed to return. But, you need not worry about the how. I will work with that. What you, and I, need to worry about is the fact that Sarahn has somehow come back, and is helping one of the most powerful villains work on conquering Redwall. I have nearly no doubt as to what Zeltawnis promised Sarahn in return for his aid. She promised him control of the entire land, if she could rule Redwall. At least, that's what I believe. With this in mind, what has happened to your other hares, Nuri?"
"They are gathering reinforcements. Vasilis is going to Bat Mountpit to get help from Lord Shadwing. Vassily is going to the Northern Otter River Tribes's holt to get warriors from Queen Garralway and to tell her that wildcats will be treading in her territory soon. Vera and Ula have gone to Camp Tussock to request aid from Lord Fircone. They are also going to the Northern Mountains for Krucko Bigbones's help."
"Good," Dark mused. "Perhaps this will be enough." They lapsed into a silence. A moment passed, and Dark's eyes refocused.
"Nuri, send messengers to the Southwest Lands for King Oakheart, Shoredog's Holt for Shoredog III, Broadstream River for Clearwort and Log-a-Log Kintus, and Araltum's Groves for Squirrelking Araltum V. Also tell the messengers to pick up any loners or groups they encounter on the way."
"Are you sure this is wise? If I do this, I'm left with three hares, most likely Aglador, Thayne, and Selig. Three is not enough to prepare for war."
Dark smiled. "I have taken the liberty of finding six other hares to help you. They are already polishing spears."
Nuri was speechless. Selig answered for him. "Thank you, Dark. Nuri will send the messengers out as soon as possible." Nuri had finally recovered enough to nod his head.
"Good," Dark said brightly. "I must be going now. Good luck." In the blink of an eye, Dark had disappeared, and the badger and hare could hear his scream of delight as he, they supposed, jumped off the mountain.
Selig glanced at Nuri. Nuri caught the look, and grinned while shaking his head. "Well, you know, when you're somewhat immortal, you need all the fun you can get."
"What? Dark's immortal?"
"I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to get those hares out.
***************************************
Nuri entered the mess hall just as breakfast was beginning. He noticed that six new hares were indeed in the throng of eating beasts. Nuri cleared his throat, and all activity ceased.
"Dark has told me that more messengers are needed. He says that asking more leaders for help will give us a better chance of winning this war." In reality, Dark never said that, but Nuri knew he was thinking it. "So, once you are finished eating, will the hares I name get rations from the chef and head to their assignments? Good. First, Kleon will go to the Southwest Lands and speak to King Oakheart. Pandora will head to Shoredog's Holt and find Shoredog III. Raphael, you will seek out Broadstream River. There, talk with Clearwort and Log-a-Log Kintus. Finally, Fordpetal will make her way to Araltum's Groves and get help from Squirrelking Araltum V. Along the way, if you find loners or groups, be sure to get their help if possible."
Kleon, Pandora, Raphael, and Fordpetal inclined their heads in acknowledgment. All the hares turned back to eat, but were stopped by Nuri.
"I believe we have six newcomers. Will they stand up?"
The six hares Dark brought stood up; two were patched in white and tan, one was pure gray, one was jet-black, and the last two were covered in white, gray, tan, and black splotches. The jet-black hare spoke.
"My name is Jorniks. My companions and were picked up by Dark on his way here. We're actually quite glad to be here. We've always wanted to come to Salamandastron. The tan and whites hares are Holint and Fleetpaw, brother and sister." The named hares waved to the assembly, then sat. "Our gray here is Grathkus." Grathkus saluted, and sat back down. "Finally, the multicolored wonders here are Shornul and Seytha, twin sisters." Shornul nodded, while Seytha practically bounced off the walls with enthusiasm. Shornul had to manually pull her sister down to her seat. Jorniks shot Seytha a disapproving glare, and sat down.
"Welcome, Jorniks and company. I hope no harm befalls you. Now, if there is no further business to complete, you may continue eating," Nuri said.
Selig, at a nod from Nuri, went to get breakfast. On an impulse, Nuri left the mess hall. Right then, Kleon and Thayne got into an argument over a celery and gravy turnover. Nuri shook his head and went to take a quick nap.
*********************************
Clang clang clang. The methodic beat of hammers on metal soothed Flanna into a semi-conscious state. Clang. Flanna lifted her hammer as Sephira let hers fall on the project. Clang. Flanna brought it down with an air of finality. She held up her paw to stop Sephira from giving the spearhead a potentially fatal hit. Too many strokes and the metal would become brittle, not at all made for a weapon.
Sephira grabbed the fire tongs and threw the spearhead into the neighboring bucket of water. The hot metal gave off a hiss and steam when it hit the water. She waited for a second, then plunged her paw into the bucket and grabbed the spearhead. She handed it to Flanna, who inspected the head before tossing it into a pile of similar implements.
"That's the last of them," Flanna said with a sigh of relief. "The heat is making my fur stick up all over."
Sephira blinked once. Flanna knew this meant "I concur," or "Yes." Sephira never spoke, and she communicated through gestures and eye movements. If you didn't know her speech, you would be lost. Sephira could hear just fine, but she couldn't speak. At least, that was the talk in the chambers in the night.
Sephira tilted her head to the left and twirled her hand in the Vulpes Felis manner.
"Yes, we are going to report to Zeltawnis," Flanna replied. "Then we will see what she needs for us to do next."
Flanna and Sephira headed up to Zeltawnis's chambers, quietly conversing. The foxes that passed gave them strange looks, but not too strange; it was a well-known fact that Flanna was fiercely loyal to Sephira, enough that she would sacrifice her life to keep Sephira alive. As they neared the throne room, they unconsciously stopped talking. When they were three feet from the entrance, a low, disturbing hiss could be heard. It was clear that Zeltawnis was elsewhere.
"The foolish Zeltawnis thinks I will allow her to rule Redwall? Ha! I will never let her do that. If I did, I would not be worthy of my name." It sounded like Akili, Flanna thought, and she could tell that Sephira thought that too. The two wildcats slunk away from the throne room, reeling in the revelation that Akili was planning to betray Zeltawnis.
Sephira pulled her paw across her face while winking. Flanna knew exactly how she felt.
"I have no clue, Sephira. How can we tell Zeltawnis that her shadowed right-paw is a traitor?" Sephira flicked an invisible piece of dust. "No, I don't know who Akili is actually working for. I plan to find out, though. Come on, Sephira. We need to speak with the four who might be able to figure it out. Do you know where Celka, Selestina, Halona, and Rhiamon keep their quarters?"
