Chapter 9
Lanara kept pace with the large dark shape flying ahead of her.
"Impressive!" Gerard laughed. "I've never encountered a creature that could keep up with me."
"You haven't seen anything yet!" she called to him with a laugh. Even though she hardly knew the owl, she felt a kindred spirit with a fellow hunter.
The two of them made their way through Mossflower Wood with Gerard in the air and Lanara running and leaping until the owl landed in a tall tree. Lanara crouched under it and looked to see why he'd stopped.
There before them was a large number of shrews in a camp. Many of them wore colored headbands, kilts, and short rapiers on their belts. Lanara had a good idea who they were.
"Are those—" she started to ask.
"Guosim shrews," Gerard said, clacking his beak. "What luck. Shrews are quite tasty, but they're so small it takes several to make a decent meal. Plus, the more we kill, the fewer allies Redwall will have. You should probably go back to Brockhall and get reinforcements."
"No. They'd only get in the way and run the risk of giving us away."
"But there are so many shrews."
Lanara gave him a lynx grin as she looked up him, her eyes glowing with excitement. "You are going to witness the power of a lynx. Though should we attack now or later?"
"They're cooking, so I say we wait. All the more to eat, you see!"
"Should we go in after they're asleep?"
"That would make things too easy. Where's the fun and the thrill of killing sleeping prey?"
Lanara decided she definitely liked this owl. They waited for the shrews to finish their meal. As the dishes were cleared away Lanara asked. "How would you like to begin?"
"Hmm…a couple of them have taken spots to be sentries. Best to take care of them first before they can give an alarm."
"I'll take one, you take the other." Lanara notched an arrow on the string of her bow. It was an odd shape, with two curved halves. This allowed the string to be pulled back farther and the arrow to fly fast and hard.
"Ooh-hoo-hoo, this should be interesting!" Gerard called out as he resumed flight.
The two guards looked up as the shadow fell over them. One opened his mouth to ask what it was when he fell with an arrow in him. The other shrew barely had time to react to his comrade's sudden end when the shape swooped down on him. He didn't even have time to cry out before the strong, razor sharp talons ended his life. Gerard let the body drop from his claws as he flew towards the camp. The assault had happened so quickly and quietly that the other shrews hadn't even known it had happened. Lanara leapt from her hiding place and ran towards the camp, getting ready to fire more arrows as she ran.
Screams erupted in the night air as three more shrews were felled by arrows and a large, dark shape came down to carry two more into air with short lived screams. Chaos reigned as the shrews ran this way and that, some trying to get weapons while others tried to run away.
Lanara looked to see shrews fleeing towards a group of log boats on the river shore. She ran to them, pulling out her sword as she did. She slashed at anything that moved in front of her. She spotted a campfire and grabbed a piece of wood from the edge. When she was close enough she threw the burning piece of wood at towards the boats. It landed in one and the flames spread. A shrew stepped forward, taking his vest off in an attempt to put out the fire before it started. A throwing knife made sure he wouldn't stop it…or do anything again.
Lanara got between the group of shrews and the boats and threw more knives into the boats to poke holes in them. Sure enough, water started to trickle at each knife and boats slowly started to descend. She turned in time to pull out her sword and slashed a shrew as he charged at her.
The shrews gasped and stepped back at the sight of her blade. It was long, thin, flat, and slightly curved. It was a katana, a blade from far off lands that could extremely lethal in the right—or wrong—paws. Several shrews stepped forward, rapiers in hand. The sound of metal hitting metal filled the air as blade met blade, along with the snap as several rapiers broke apart.
Over the din of battle, a voice loudly shouted "Take the women and babes and run!"
"Ooh-hoo-hoo!" a voice laughed from on high. "A chase with babes as the reward? How fun!"
A large number of shrews gathered together to run into the woods as a group. The women and babes were together in a tight group while other shrews were round them in a circle, armed and ready to fight. A dark shape swooped down and carried one of the guards off with a scream even as arrows and sling stones were fired at it.
The remaining shrews grabbed their weapons and stood before Lanara. One pointed his blade at her.
"You will pay for the Guosim you killed tonight, cat!"
"There are many of us and only one of you!" another shouted.
Lanara smiled as her vision clouded with a red mist.
"I've heard of you, Guosim shrews," she told them as her smile grew. "I've heard that your mantra is 'the only good vermin is a dead vermin'. Let us see if you have what it takes to make a good vermin out of me…"
Darkwind flittered and flapped his way through Mossflower woods. He had heard stories of Mossflower country, but never would've guessed it was so vast. He flew over the trees, looking for any sign of something that would stand out such as Redwall. Still, it was a beautiful night in beautiful country. The other bats thought him odd for being so fixated with the outside world, but there was so much to see and do!
He heard something below that sounded like some kind of commotion. He went down to investigate and the commotion got louder. It was the sound of many voices shouting or crying out.
"This way! The Abbey is this way!"
"But we'll never make it!"
"WWWAAAAAAHHHHH!"
"We have to try! It's the only chance we've got!"
"Doe anybeast see it?!"
"No, it's too dark! It could be right above us and we wouldn't know!"
"Keep your eyes peeled and your shafts ready!"
"MMMAAAAAMMMMIIEEEE!"
Darkwind could see the shrews now. Many of them, including babes, were walking close together while others had arrows notched to their bows or slings loaded with stones, looking up into the darkened treetops as best as they could. Darkwind looked and listened and realized something was chasing them in the air. A large dark shape swooped down at the shrews. One of them fired an arrow at it, but missed. At least the arrow forced the thing to not complete its attack. The group moved quickly, arrows and sling stones being fired at every move their pursuer made. As Darkwind watched, he realized they were being chased by…AN OWL!
It finally gave a screech as it plummeted toward the main group. The guarding shrews couldn't fire to risk hitting their wives and babes. Darkwind flew toward the scene, flapping his wings as fast as he possibly could.
"SQQQAAAAUUWWWKKK!"
The owl gave a shout of surprise and pain as Darkwind rammed into it. The impact sent the bat twirling through the air to grab the nearest tree. The owl went into a dive, but pulled itself up just time to keep from crashing.
"Go, go!" Darkwind shouted toward the shrews. "I'll hold him back, hold him back!"
The shrews didn't ask what was happening, but instead ran as fast as they could. "Thank you, friend!" one of the guards at the rear called as he left.
"No you don't!" the owl declared as he tried to follow them.
Darkwind flew at his large eyes. At first all the owl could see was black, leathery mass, then was slapped in the eyes several times. Darkwind went backwards with a flap just in time to avoid the cruel hooked beak.
"If I can't have shrewbabes, a nice, tasty bat snack will do!"
Darkwind turned and flew fast and hard as the owl came at him with beak and talons. The young bat flitted among the limbs and branches of the trees, the owl hot on his trail at all times, snapping and clawing at everything that got in his way or just plowing through it. Darkwind would turn and spin as only a bat could in mid air, but the owl wouldn't give up. Every time Darkwind thought he'd lost him, the owl would almost immediately reappear behind him.
"Why don't you just give up, give up?!"he called in frustration
"Because nobeast gets between Gerard the Gourmand and his food and gets away with it! And it's been a while since I had bat."
The chase continued until they were out of the trees. There was little Darkwind could do but dive and duck as fast he could, and he was already tiring.
"I have you now, snack!" Gerard declared as he closed in.
Then Darkwind saw it. Several shrews were coming towards them. He dived down towards them.
"Fire, fire!" he called out to them as he closed his wings and even pinned down his ears.
Realizing what he wanted, they fired a volley of arrows and slingstones to go around him. In his rolled up state, they missed Darkwind to sail at Gerard. The owl gave a squawk of surprise and pulled up, but not without receiving damage to his tail feathers. Darkwind unfurled his wings to glide down and land.
"You'll pay for this, snack!" he called to Darkwind as he flew away.
Darkwind hung his head, breathing heavily.
"Someone get this brave beast some water," a voice ordered.
A shrew held a water sack to Darkwind's mouth and he bit down to drink greedily. When he was done he gave the shrew a grateful, fanged smile.
"Thank you, thank you," he said.
"No, thank you," the shrew replied. "If it hadn't been for you, that bird would've gotten some of our little ones for sure."
"How can we thank you?" another asked.
"Can you tell me how to get to a place called Redwall, Redwall?" Darkwind asked.
"Even better, we'll take you there!" the first shrew told him with laugh.
"Would you like us to carry you?" another shrew asked with concern.
Darkwind leapt up with a shout of surprised as he realized he had been touching the ground, something no bat ever did. The way their bodies are made makes it to difficult for them to be on it.
"I can glide, I can glide," he told the concerned shrew. "Just please take me there, take me there."
"This way," the shrew who seemed to be in charge told him.
"Where are others, others?"
"The main group went ahead while the rest of us went back to help you. We couldn't get a good shot in the trees, but out in the open we could see better thanks to the moon and stars. Plus, no Guosim could ever leave a beast behind that tried to help us. Though I gotta say, I never thought we'd be helped out by a bat of all creatures. Nothing against bats," he hastily added, "it's just that we're not use to seeing any around here."
"I am on a mission, on a mission. I had a dream…I was told to go a by mouse in armor with a great sword…a great sword…"
"Well, the Abbey folk will sure be interested to hear that!" the shrew said with a laugh.
Gerard returned to the site of the Gusiom camp to find that Lanara had stacked the slain shrews in a pile. She was sitting by with a contented smile on her face, despite having several wounds.
"Ooh-hoo!" he remarked. "I never would've guess that one beast could slay so many!"
"It just happens to me from time to time," the lynx stated simply. "I'll get carried away or just enjoy it so much that I go into a frenzy. Everything turns red and my foebeasts just become shapes for me to attack. I feel no pain no matter what they do to me. I've even attacked comrades."
"That—that sounds like the fabled Bloodwrath! I've heard many stories of warriors being in such states where they become nigh-unstoppable by flying into a rage. Mainly badgers and hares, along with otters, squirrels, and the occasional mouse. All great warriors, so the stories say."
Lanara shrugged. "If that's what it is, that's what it is. All I know is that I slain many foebeasts when it happens…and that I enjoy it."
"Ooo-hoo! Impressive! Now, let's get started."
They threw some more wood on the fire while Gerard went over the cooking supplies to find the best ones to use. Lanara smiled from ear to tufted ear at the idea of the shrews being cooked with their own gear. She watched in fascination as Gerard started to cut one up with his beak and a knife. He noticed her.
"Would you care for some?"
"Actually…I think I'll try it, since we're here. I killed many of these shrews, so I suppose I've earned it. I am a feel hungry."
"Have you ever eaten another creature before? I mean one with sentience."
"Only in the most desperate of circumstances. Never thought about doing it regularly…"
"Well, it looks like there's plenty to go around. There may even be leftovers!"
"We may even be able to share with Salazar's carrion birds."
"Perhaps, though I'd rather save it for later. A little something to tide me over until Redwall is gone."
She had to admit he had a point there. As soon some meat was ready he offered it to. It amused her that the shrew smelled better than when he or she had been alive. She certainly never would've imagined a feisty, filthy shrew would taste SO good.
"MMMM!…I might have to try this more often…" she mused.
Redwall's gatekeeper was very surprised to hear the banging at main so late at night. He was even more surprised when a large number of shrewwives, babes and elders came pouring in. Within minutes the tranquil night Abbey was filled with noise as everybeast came to see what the matter was. Some wanted to see babes, elders and wounded while others wanted to know what was happening. Shrewbabes cried and wailed out of fear and hunger. Shrews turned to each other asking if their friends or loved ones were there.
"Calm down! Stop all that racket, what!" a voice yelled over the din.
Everybeast stopped talking as Fleming and his hares surveyed the scene.
"Order, friends, order is what we need right now! Somebeast see to those babes while others check on the wounded!" he pointed his swagger stick at a shrew. "You! Just what in the name of fur and thunder is going on?"
"We were attacked, sir!" the shrew responded. "We don't know how many there were, but we know there was a cat and an owl!"
A concerned murmur ran through the Redwallers.
Fleming rubbed his chin and exchanged a glance with Sommers.
"A cat, you say?"
"It too dark and chaotic to get a good look, but it looked like a cat, sir," the shrew replied.
"Also, you say…an owl attacked you?"
The shrews nodded. "Aye! It was too late to be any other bird of prey and we recognized the silhouette!"
"But there hasn't been an owl that eats beasts since…since ever!" a mouse said in alarm.
Everybeast was very surprised when Snowflake spoke up.
"No. There have been times owls and hawks act as they should…it's just that they've been few, far in between, and never target woodlanders. The last known records are of an owl and a sea hawk who helped woodlanders, but ate preyed on vermin. Though that was long ago."
"Still," mousewife Drulia remarked, "the idea of an owl preying on good beasts…" she shuddered, as did several others.
"It's true!" a shrew said with a horrified expression. "I saw it swoop down and take my brother!"
"How did you get away?" Sammen asked.
Before he could get a reply, there was another knock on the door and a gruff voice called out to be let in. The shrews confirmed it was one of theirs and the gate was opened. As the other shrews joined their comrades, a winged figured flew in with them. The Redwallers ducked and shouted, then looked up stare at the bat hanging upside down from the nearest tree looking back at them.
"Every beast," Log-a-Log said gesturing to him, "this brave beast is Darkwind from Mount Batpit. He was a great help to us. If it hadn't been for him there'd be a lot less shrews here now. Treat him as you would any friend."
"Hello, hello," Darkwind told the various beasts with a wave of his wing claw.
Fleming stepped forward, staring intently at the bat. "Bless my scut…is that really little Darkwind?"
Darkwind looked back the hare in curiosity, then his eyes widened as much as bat's can.
"Major, Major?!" he cried out, almost falling out of the tree in surprise.
Fleming clapped as he gave a loud laugh. "So it really is you! What a fine specimen of bat you've become! And saving creatures in need too! I always had a feeling you'd go on to great things, and here you are! What brings you so far from home?"
"I had a dream, a dream. A mouse in armor told me to come and…I felt compelled to come, compelled to come…"
The Redwallers exchanged meaningful glances. Abbot Alphonse stepped forward and opened his mouth. Before he could speak, a different voice spoke.
"Really?" Snowflake said as she walked toward the bat, their eyes locked. "Martin spoke to you?"
This time Darkwind really fall out of the tree, flapping just before he hit the ground to avoid a nasty fall. "That was really him, really him?!"
Snow nodded.
"You mean even bats know of Martin?" Sammen asked, cocking his head.
Darkwind nodded. "It is because of him that we bats are the masters of the mountain and all within it, within it."
Snow held out a paw to him. "We have much to discuss."
He looked at her outstretched paw, then took it in his wing claw. Like a large black kite, he let Snow lead him into the abbey.
Alphonse stared at them as they went. "Night and Day, earth and sky…" he whispered.
