Two days had passed since Martin had agreed to train the two wildcats and coyote. Marisol had decided to postpone her training until she could return to her tribe to let them know she was alive and to contact Gingivere and Sandingomm so that they knew too that their young ones were safe. She promised to return in a few days.
Before she left, Abbess Hilda pulled the coyote aside.
"Marisol, it may be wise to have your tribe and the wildcats return with you to the Abbey. Who knows how far the rats will roam. I'm sure your family is capable of defending themselves, but Gin's and Gen's family are alone. It would be safe for them here."
Mari nodded.
"I had thought of this also. I will discuss it with Gingivere and Sandingomm and bring it up with my tribe. The cats would probably come, but I doubt my tribe would. We keep to ourselves."
"I know. I was friends with a young female coyote in the Southern Lands, until the plague drove us all out."
"My tribe is from the south. I was born here though. What was the coyote's name, do you remember?"
"Her name was Mayra."
"My grandmother's name is Mayra. She still lives. She was born with a floppy left ear, other than that she resembles me."
A smile spread over the Abbess' greying features.
"She was my friend. I do hope you can convince your tribe to join us."
Mari nodded once again and started off for her home.
Ranulf silently walked ahead of the group of tracker rats. He didn't need them to show him the way. He had been the one to discover the large sandstone building in the first place.
Denfoil was walking about three yards behind him, the rest followed closely behind her. While she remained silent, her five trackers were muttering to one another. She wasn't surprised by their topic of conversation.
"Can you believe this?" Joro, Denfoil's son and apprentice, said. "Bein' led by that brat?"
The female rat sniggered.
"Tis only cuz 'e be the leader's son. If 'e was a lowly rat, 'e'd be killed."
"Pro'ly by one o' 'is own," another rat chimed in.
"Wot do ya think we're gonna find at this fortress or wotever it be?"
"Oo knows? Sure's 'ell it'll be better dan trekin" round dis jungle or da wastelands."
"Hmmm, Joro, wot do yah tink will be in the fortress?"
"Dunno, but I 'ope there is a great pond where I can soak me paws, gardens as far as the eye can see and apples, many apples."
"Den we'll have ta keep some Woodlanders 'round. I wunder if dere be any wildcats still 'round dese parts?"
This got Denfoils attention.
"Wildcats, what do you mean wildcats?" she asked, grabbing the tracker rat.
The tracker was known as Saul.
"Afore I was part o' Lupus' 'orde, I was part o' a small raiding party. De leader was a ferret by de name o' Follo. He was from dese lands, born an' raised. 'E was part of Verduga's of the Thousand Eyes horde. 'E was the ruler o' a fortress called Kotir. De Woodlanders overdrew 'is 'orde and destroyed his castle. Follo went nort' after dat. 'E didn't know what became o' de two last cats or most of de oder 'orderbeasts."
"Wildcats!" Ranulf exclaimed. "I saw them as I was fleeing the lizard horde. Didn't stop to talk with them though. I wouldn't think they would associate with Woodlanders."
"I saw them too," Denfoil said. "Saw one kill one of my trackers with its claws alone. They would most likely be the lords of this fortress. The mice and moles we saw could have been the cats slaves, but they did look well cared for. Let's press on. We will find out the truth about this building when we get there."
She released Saul and walked on ahead of the others. After several paces, she stopped dead and turned to face Ranulf, face pale. She bowed.
"Sorry, sir," she said, still bowing. "I'm used to leading, I beg your forgiveness."
"Rise Denfoil," he said. "My father places great trust in you, I feel it is well placed. You have never failed him and know your duties. He was right having me learn from you. You may walk with me. I do know the way though."
The middle-seasoned rat fell in step with the young wolf. The five other rats followed at a good distance. The wolf and rat didn't speak for some time. Ranulf finally broke his silence.
"You think I'm a fool, just like the others. I heard what Joro said."
"You did?" Denfoil said, rather unsurely.
"Yes, but I don't care. All the other horderats say it. I admit, I have done nothing to make the horde think differently than they do. A rat such as you would think that as well. Cromm made me feel like a fool. My father, cousins, they all share the same opinion of me."
Denfoil pondered what to say next for a moment."
"My lord, I will tell you something if I may," Ranulf nodded, "I learned to track from my mother and her brother. They were very hard on me, we come from a long line of trackers and hunters. I had a lot to live up to. I always felt that I was walking on needles. My brother, while a skilled fighter, never had the intelligence for my work. They were very hard on me, and I hated them for it for a long time. It took me a long time to figure out that it is the ones who are the hardest on you that care the most."
Ranulf thought about this for a moment. Then he chuckled.
"Even Cromm?"
"Well, maybe not Cromm," Denfoil chuckled.
Silent as a wraith, Denfoil made her way around the south side of the high, red sandstone wall. She could see the eaves of a tall building peeking over the top of the wall. There were mice and few hedgehogs and squirrels positioned every so often around the perimeter. They were all scanning the forests and plains that surrounded them. It was clear that they knew that there was a threat to them nearby. Denfoil met up with her trackers and Ranulf in a dense part of Mossflower Woods, far from the eyes of the mice.
"Do ya t'ink dey know we are 'ere?" a tracker asked. "Dey are on de alert."
Denfoil nodded grimly.
"They may 'ave found the bodies of those mice and moles from a few days back…Or they knew of the lizards me and Ranulf saw."
"Wot's our next step?" Joro asked her.
The female rat motioned to the young wolf.
"What do you want us to do, sire?"
"I say we wait until nightfall and then use a tree I found that is close to the wall to enter the grounds. We still don't know what type of building this is or what types of creatures live here. This could be a wildcat's fortress or a resting place for peaceful travelers. We have no way of knowing with the amount of information we have at the moment."
Denfoil nodded.
"This sounds like a sound plan. I think only two of us should go inside. I'll go."
"I'll go as well," Ranulf said. "It's my plan. I will share the danger. Denfoil and I will go in at midnight. If we aren't back by the first streaks of dawn, make your way back to the horde and give them what information you can."
Shhhthunk!
"Good shot!" Karra exclaimed. "A hair's breadth from a bullseye!"
Gingivere smiled wide and held his long bow up proudly. He had never used a bow before, but he had discovered that he had a natural gift for it.
"Gin, try this!"
Genevieve tossed a ryebread roll high into the air. In a flash, Gin had put an arrow to his bowstring and aimed.
Shhthiip!
The roll was jerked out of the sky and hit the ground with a soft bounce. Gen picked it up from where it landed. The arrow had pierced the center of the bread and gone part of the way through, exiting the other side.
"Wow!" Martin exclaimed from behind the group of youngones. "Gingivere, you are a natural."
"Thank you sir," the young wildcat said. "I did a bit of archery back on the farm. Me and my father chased off a group of ravens one time."
"I helped too," Genevieve spoke up, "but, I was out classed by him with the bow."
Martin picked up a wood staff and got into a fighting stance.
"Genevieve, pick up that staff and face me."
The wildcat did as she was bidden. Choosing a strong staff that fit her height, she tested its heft quickly before standing to face the warriormouse.
"Take the staff in both your paws," Martin instructed. "Make sure that there is equal distance from the end to your paw, between your paws and from your other paw to the other end. Then raise your staff horizontally above your head and bend your knees with your footpaws wide apart."
Gen followed his instructions and stood still for a few moments.
"Why am I doing this Martin?" she asked.
Martin answered by rushing at her and bringing his staff down overhead in a chopping motion. Gen was quick on her feet and saw it coming, so she braced herself with the staff in the position she had been directed to have it in. She was easily able to deflect Martin's swing.
"Now lower your staff to a ready position, like you were holding a walking stick."
Gen held the staff in one paw with one end of it on the ground. Martin walked a few paces from her and turned to face her again. He gripped his staff in both paws and looked at the cat intently.
"Ready, go!" he shouted and rushed forward towards Gen.
Genevieve raised her staff above her head again in the two handed position from before, catching Martin's downward chopping staff. They repeated this exercise several more times, each time Martin increased the power of his swing.
"Very good, Genevieve," he said, putting one end of his staff on the ground. "What you are doing is called a rising block. It is a very simple defense technique. Probably the most simple."
"Can I practice striking at you?"
"Striking is far easier than blocking, we will keep working on blocking for the time being. A good defense can throw an opponent off balance and open them up for an attack."
"I see," Gen nodded, "A good defense is the best offense."
Martin smiled.
"Exactly and I hope by the end of this day I can teach you how to do this effectively."
"I will take anything you teach me to heart, Martin. But, staves are different than swords. I was hoping to learn sword fighting techniques."
"In time, I will teach you that, but you must master the staff first. It will help you with building up your strength and balance. Now, resume the rising block position."
Tendrils of orange and pink streaked the sky as the sun made its final appearance for the day. Martin and Genevieve had been sparring with their staves all day. Abbeydwellers of all shapes and sizes had stopped to watch them on and off. It was a rare treat to see their champion in action these days, even if it was just with a staff.
Genevieve had mastered the rising block and gone on to learn how to counterattack with a reverse strike, fake striking Martin in the side of his head. She also learned a leg sweep, a downward thrust attack and a variety of other blocks that would defend against attacks from other angles besides from above.
"Tomorrow we will work on more attack moves and how to work the various attack techniques we worked on today with these new attacks. Also, Gingevere," the male wildcat looked over to the warriormouse from where he was stringing a bow, "I will be working with you on these techniques as well once I get Gen started on them. Gen, I want you to then start teaching our more able bodied Abbeydwellers how to use the staff. Gonff has been teaching them to use a sling and stones"
Gingivere gave a smile of excitement.
"Yes, Martin," he said happily. "I will be an attentive student."
"I'm sure you will. Now, we have been working hard all day. Let's get some food and a good night's sleep."
As he was walking behind the two wildcats to the Great Hall, Karra ran to join Martin. She had been instructing Gingivere and a few squirrels and mice in archery all day, but had kept one of her eyes on Martin and Genevieve.
"Gen is very good."
"Yes she is."
"Why haven't you ever taught me to fight with a sword? I've asked at least fifty score times."
"Karra," Martin sighed. "Violence is something that worms its way into your soul. Once you have looked into the eyes of someone you have killed, you will be changed. I don't want that for you. I've watched beasts I cared deeply about be killed horribly and I know you have too…Your parents, Soilburr and Aster. I want better for you than what I have had to go through."
Karra's shoulders slumped and she stopped walking. Martin stopped walking as well.
"But Martin, you can't ignore what's going on outside our Abbey. I want to protect our home and our friends."
Martin opened his mouth to say something.
"You're teaching Genevieve. How is she different? How are Ginge and Marisol different?"
"Karra, they're…"
"They're what? Vermin? Is that what you were going to say? They are prone to violence already so what difference does teaching them more violence make? Are you just making them into weapons to use against their own kind, other vermin?"
Martin sighed again.
"I don't know, maybe."
Karra shook her head and stepped away from her mentor.
"You know that those two wildcats aren't like that. You do them a disservice by treating them like that. The senior Gingivere is your friend. He would never teach his youngones to be vermin."
Martin closed his eyes and scratched the fur at the back of his head.
"You're right, you're right. Very well, Karra. I will teach you tomorrow along with Gingivere as long as you are at a point with your archery lessons that you can leave your pupils to practice on their own."
Karra started walking towards the Great Hall again.
"They are doing very well already. I will begin my lessons with you and Gingivere tomorrow then."
The final rays of the sun were disappearing over the tops of Mossflower Woods. Ranulf, Denfoil and their tracker rats were all hunkered down in the shrubs near Redwall's north wall. Their sharp eyes were tracking and noting the goings on with the guards on the wall tops.
Denfoil used a rock to sharpen her claws. Sharper claws made it easier for her climb trees. She had instructed the young wolf to do the same and to get some rest. She and Ranulf were going to be scaling the tree he had found and scouting the Abbey's grounds. They had both agreed that there would be no plundering or killing while on the grounds. It would tip them off that someone was watching them.
Denfoil looked to Ranulf. His eyes were half closed, but he was still watching the battlements above them. This would be his final test, Denfoil figured. If he messed this up, she had no doubt that his father would do away with him.