Chapter 9

…

Over the next few days, news about Orak's troop movements from Long Patrol runners posted towards the northern border began filtering down through Colonel Buckshaw and Thorn to the abbeydwellers. This, coupled with Abbot Cyrus' double announcement about a potential attack on Redwall and Kyrin's disappearance, cast an air of gloom over the Abbey.

Many Redwallers didn't know what to do or think. However, the Abbot set an example with his level-headedness which was taken up by the MacBurls, Doogy Plumm, Tergen the goshawk, and the hares. The Abbey walls and ramparts were inspected and fixed up by teams led by Foremole and Skipper. Night sentries were doubled, and the hares, with the help of Doogy and Skipper, began training a small group of defenders.

Sister Armel sat in the Infirmary with her best friend, Brooky the otter, as she rebandaged Ferdimond's wound.

The Long Patrol Captain winced as Armel redressed the hole in his shoulder. "Ouch! Steady on, there, Sister, this is a near-fatal wound we're talking here, wot."

Brooky laughed uproariously. "Whoohahahahahoo! Stop complainin', y'big baby! I've seen Dibbuns suffer worse wounds than you!"

Ferdimond's ears shot up indignantly. "Big baby? Show some respect for a wounded warrior, m'gel! You lot are lucky I'm not the pushy type, wot! Otherwise I'd have ordered a great spiffin' feast in my honor three days ago!"

This sent Brooky into another fit of giggles. Armel hid a smile as she tried to appear businesslike and formal. "All set, Mr. De Mayne, sir. You should be back in action by tomorrow! How does that feel?"

Ferdimond moved his bad arm and grunted in approval. "Jolly splendid, wot. Tell that friar chappie to start cookin' some tuck. I expect a hero's welcome, doncha know!"

Shaking with laughter, Armel and Brooky had to bite the sleeves of their habits to prevent the stream of mirth spilling out. It was never good to offend an indignant, hungry hare.

Just then, Tam walked in through the Infirmary door to encounter Armel and Brookflow, their faces buried in their sleeves, shaking with laughter. Still racked from the recent incidents, he walked by them somberly and nodded a silent thanks to Ferdimond.

"Thank you, Ferdimond, for looking for my son. I've deeply considered what you've told me, and now I deeply regret m – "

Ferdimond waved a paw. "Oh, come on now, Tam, you rogue! Stop standin' there apologizin' like a frazzled frog! Your son definitely wouldn't 'ave liked that at all! Come on now, chin up, chest out, eyes forward! There! Now you don't look so much like a hedgehog who's lost all 'is spines, eh, wot? Cheer up, laddie buck! Cryin' won't do you any good at all!"

For the first time in about a week, Tam chuckled. "Thank you, Captain. You're right. Now, are you plannin' another search anytime soon?"

Ferdimond made a show of pulling himself into a sitting position on his bed. "First thing tomorrow, old boy, at the crack o' dawn. This time, we're bringin' Tergen, Doogy, Skipper, the whole lot! You're welcome t'come, if you're not sulkin' around anymore, wot wot!"

Tam clasped the hare's paw. "Thank you, Ferdimond. I'll make sure everybeast is well-rested tonight. We'll be up bright an' early!"

Ferdimond winced and flopped down exaggeratingly. "Steady on there, you fiend! Don't touch a wounded warrior like that! 'Specially when he hasn't had 'is recuperation feast yet! Bad form, y'know!"

Tam, Armel, and Brooky dissolved in helpless laughter. It was a welcome respite from the dreary atmosphere at Redwall lately, for a change.

…

Kyrin and Barulo stood side-by-side, balancing on a reed boat floating on the surface of an inland pond. Each squirrel clutched a fishing spear in his paw, in lieu of a rod and reel. Barulo never used conventional fishing rods. Kyrin listened as Barulo explained to him the whole story.

"Now look 'ere, young 'un, there's a pike in these waters, an' he's been eatin' all th' liddle fish in this pond fer as long as I can remember. I've seen 'im with my own very two eyes. 'E's a big fish, that 'un. Feed us fer days, he would. Anyway, I figgered that a young whippersnapper like you c'n help me out a bit. Wot d'ye say to that, eh?"

Kyrin was never one to back down from a challenge. "Count me in, old one!"

Barulo turned his attention to the placid waters ahead of him. "Right. Now I know the pike lives on th' other side o' the pond. But it's about midday right now, so I'm guessin' he's out lookin' fer food again."

Suddenly, Kyrin pointed in front of them, to their left, towards the reedy banks. "Look! Over there! That has t'be him!"

Sure enough, there was movement near the banks as the surface of the water bubbled.

Barulo put down his spear and picked up an oar, rowing the flimsy craft towards the disturbance. "Here, sonny, let's git closer. Slowly, though. We don't want ter anger 'im."

As the raft neared the left side of the bank, Kyrin noticed that the ripples in the water were also moving towards them. The young squirrel clutched his spear tighter as he got Barulo's attention. "He's comin' closer, old one. Be careful!"

Barulo picked up his spear. "Harharr, ye slimy monster, come ter me, eh?"

The two raised their spears up, ready to stab downwards as the shape got in range. However, a few feet from the raft, the bubbles suddenly stopped.

Kyrin grinned sheepishly. "Oops, sorry. False alarm. Heh heh."

But Barulo was intently scanning the waters. "No, no. 'E's a tricky 'un, this pike. In fact, 'e could be right behi – "

Just then, the pike lunged out of the water behind them.

Kyrin gasped in surprise, but Barulo, more out of surprise than reflex, turned around and caught the pike on the side of the jaw with his spearbutt. Kyrin only saw the speckled gray tail of the monster as it resubmerged with a loud splash.

"Great seasons!" the young squirrel exclaimed. "Was that – "

"– The pike," a grim-faced Barulo finished for him.

"It's comin' back!" Kyrin screamed, as suddenly, the pike jumped out of the water, this time from his right. He threw himself flat on the reed boat, jouncing the entire vessel as Barulo barely managed to swat away the fish and hold his balance at the same time.

"Oy! Watch it, ye scamp!" Barulo shouted as the boat shook violently. "Ye'll flip us right into th' drink!"

"I didn't sign up for this!" Kyrin wailed, still pressing himself to the boat as the pike breached out at them yet again. He could see the fanatic eyes and the dagger-like teeth. This time, Barulo's speartip caught the pike in its flank. The creature hit the water, trailing blood.

Kyrin removed his paws from his eyes. "Did you kill it, Barulo?" he inquired timidly.

Barulo shook his head. "On the contrary, young 'un, this is just th' start. Once that pike smells blood, even if it's 'is own, 'e'll come back with a vengeance. I've seen it."

Kyrin bit his lip as he tried to sink lower on the barge. Suddenly, he felt a jolt. The pike had hit the boat from the bottom! The next thing Kyrin knew, both he and Barulo were treading water for their lives in the frigid pond.

Barulo sputtered and gasped. "Ackk! Arghh! I'm alright! Kyrin! Kyrin, young 'un, where are ye?"

Kyrin couldn't have answered, because the pike had him by his tunic and was fast dragging him underwater, deeper and deeper.

This is the end, Kyrin thought, as his senses started to blacken. It's all over. I told my dad I wasn't cut out for this work.

The darkness began to overtake him as Kyrin felt his limbs go numb from the cold. Goodbye, everybeast. Goodbye.

Kyrin.

What was that?

Kyrin, the voice rang out loud and clear in Kyrin's head, despite the fact that he was quickly losing consciousness.

Who are you? Kyrin screamed back mentally.

Kyrin MacBurl, swim upwards and fight!

Suddenly, something unexplainable overtook Kyrin, and he began swimming upward with renewed strength. The pike seemed visibly surprised as it attempted to pull Kyrin down again. However, Kyrin kicked out with his back paw, getting the pike right in the eye. The killer fish reeled back and loosed its hold on Kyrin's tunic. Seizing his chance, Kyrin forced his numbing limbs to propel him upwards through the murky depths to the surface. He stole a glance behind him. The pike was still coming! Its vicious teeth were drawing closer by the second. Then…

Kyrin saw something sinking through the depths. It appeared to be a branch. No, even better. It was a fishing spear! He met it going up as it came down into his paw.

The pike was getting closer!

Rolling over on his back, Kyrin gripped the weapon with both paws, aiming its tip at the oncoming pike. Sunlight flashed through the waters. He was close to the surface.

The pike opened its mouth wide to swallow Kyrin whole. At the same time, Kyrin let out a violent roar and stabbed downwards.

Barulo was still calling out Kyrin's name as the young squirrel surfaced, gasping for air. To Kyrin's left, the pike surfaced, belly up, a fishing spear jammed down its throat.

"I h-heard ye sc-c-cream someth-th-in' down y-y-yonder," Barulo noted to Kyrin as the two dragged the pike's body out on the banks. Both were shivering uncontrollably from being thrown into the freezing pond. "W-wot happened? You were sc-sc-scared as a c-cricket in a th-thunderstorm on th'boat, ye w-were!"

Kyrin shook his head. "I c-c-can't explain it. The p-pike was pullin' me d-d-down an' I heard this v-v-voice loud and c-clear in my head, an' it k-k-kept s-sayin', 'Kyrin, swim upwards and fight!' I d-don't know who it w-w-was, but that's what m-made me f-f-fight back."

Barulo managed a smile through his chattering teeth. "W-w-well, whoever it w-was, y-ye s-s-saved our skins, y-young'un! L-let's git t-t-this fish b-back ter th-the hut!"

…

That night, Barulo made a stew from the pike, mixed with a generous amount of watercress and dandelion shoots. The delicious meal was served with oatcakes and elderberry juice. The two spent a good amount of the night conversing and laughing as they ate.

"Harharr! I still can't believe it! Ye speared 'im right down the throat!"

"Aah, I was lucky, old one. I don't know what came over me!"

"Well, keep it up! No more pikes'll eat our fish! We kin go fishin' tomorrow pike-free!"

"Sounds good! Thanks for this soup! Tastes great!"

"That's 'cos yer killed this fish yerself. Always tastes better when ye've catched it, that's wot I always say!"

Their stomachs more than filled, young and old squirrel hunkered down by a warm, flickering fire. Barulo was snoring loudly, but Kyrin stayed awake, envisioning shapes in the flames burning in front of him. For some reason, he kept envisioning a warrior mouse with a sword. There must have been a mistake. He was no warrior. Maybe the elderberry juice he had drunk was beginning to ferment.

…

Kirsharr cringed as Orak flung a goblet of wine at him. The Assassin was in a foul temper.

"B-but it wasn't my fault, Chief! D-der prisoner just escaped an' – "

Orak pinned the fat ermine down with a deft throw and pointed a rapier at his throat. "I entrust you with twenty more soldiers and this is how you repay me. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

At this, Kirsharr only started blubbering incoherently. Orak let him with disgust. The warlord knew that in this critical time, he could not afford to kill any of his own Captains.

"Bring Kirsharr's useless guards to me," he told a soldier standing by, "and get this blubbering lump of lard out of my sight."

Deatheye watched Kirsharr being dragged out of the tent by a few ermine troops, smiling. Kirsharr was taking the rap for everything. Now, it was time for part two of the plan. He stole off silently into the woods, still grinning inwardly, knowing that the bodies of two of Kirsharr's soldiers would be hanging from the trees tomorrow morning, for everybeast to see.

…

There's Chapter 9 for you guys! How did you like it? Feel free to leave feedback! Chapter 10 will be up next week! Thanks for reading thus far! ~The Ghost Writer