14

Judos was stunned. There, standing in front of him and Log-a-Log were Jander, Raga, Skipper and four of his otters, and, the most surprising of all, Mellor.

Marros and Redmund came out of the dark, and four shrew-guards came running up.

Raga pointed accusingly at Judos, "A fine and merry chase you've been leading us on. To think that I had to go through all this after a thief!"

Log-a-Log stared at the mouse warrior, "Hush, Raga of Redwall. I know you well, and I know as you do that now is not the time to discuss this. Come, we shall all get some sleep."

Reluctantly, the newcomers went off to the camp, guided by Log-a-Log and his guards.

Mellor stayed back with Judos. The hedgehog was obviously wondering whether to punch his friend, or give him a hug. On the one hand, Judos had escaped, leaving Mellor alone. Then again, it had given Mellor a way out.

Judos solved his friend's conflict, "Look, Mellor, I'm sorry for all this. It was a real hard moment…"

"Aw, save it, mate. Yore father an' all. But that's the past now; Judos, the two of us could get out of here now!"

Judos nodded. No question about it, he would get out of here. But Log a Log still had the sword, and he wanted to take Marros with him. If he had been the young shrew, he'd want the same thing.

When he explained, Mellor nodded, "So be it, then. But why do you want to take this shrew Marros along?"

It was a little hard for Judos to explain, for some reason. He liked the shrew, but he also had a strange feeling that he was made to be taken along by them.

He remembered a part of the fateful dream he had had. It had been after the vision of the strange weasel with the axes. Beside him, on a lower ledge, had been a young shrew, its face held low.

But that couldn't be explained, for then they would delve into something he held very personal. So he simply stated, "He's a good matey."

Mellor shrugged, smiling broadly, "Any mate o' yours is a pal of mine. I'll go get him, and you take that sword. If it means so much to ye." With that, and a clap on the otter's shoulder, the hedgehog lumbered into the night.

Judos stood still for a moment, stomaching the new plan of action. Then he sprang into the night as though automatic. He knew where Log a Log had his tent; he would take the sword fast, and get out quicker.

As he crept toward the tent, he suddenly realized; Log a Log would likely had given Raga the sword back! And he had no idea where Raga was at the moment.

Just then, out of the darkness came two figures. Judos froze, and then dropped onto the ground flat as a board.

The figures came closer. Judos tried to stay still, but he was sure they had seen him.

"Oy, Judos, why are you lying down on the job?" it was Mellor, with Marros! The two of them were carrying haversacks, and Marros was holding something with both hands.

It was the sword of Martin the Warrior.

Judos drew it, staring at the blade that was covered in runes. He felt a strange feeling inside of him as he gazed at the sword.

Then, without a word, he sheathed it, "Time to go."

It was a curious experience for them; there was little or no light, and often the forest played tricks on them.

Eventually, they made camp on a hill overlooking the shrew camp. The sun was rising, a beautiful tapestry of pink and a trace of gold in the red of the clouds.

Judos and Mellor stared at it, while Marros snored. They were careful to wake the shrew just after it had ended.

Now was the time of running. The Gousim and the Redwallers will have awoken. Judos fervently hoped that the boat they had sent adrift would be enough to fool them. Personally, he didn't think so. It was going to be a rough race.

They set off at a tremendous pace for their stature. They ran fast, dreading the sound of the others' footsteps. They did not even look at each other; so intent were they in trying to get away.

Judos was in the lead. He ducked as a branch came into his vision. A little voice inside of him was screaming to cover up their tracks, but due to the anxiety of being caught, and the exhaustion his legs felt, he was in autopilot.

Mellor and Marros were at the state of collapse. They were not able to match their companion in running, and were now falling behind.

Reluctantly, they lowered their pace into a jog, screaming at Judos to stop.

The young otter, however, mistook their voices for calls of the hunters after him, and anxiety began to kick in.

All of a sudden, his stomach rose up to his mouth. He tried to ignore it, and tried to move his feet, but they did not hit ground. He stopped in astonishment, but suddenly found he could not breathe. In growing panic, he kicked wildly, his rudder flailing.

Judos felt a surface break on his head, and he gasped air. It was then that he realized that he had fallen into a pit filled with water.

Mellor and Marros came up by the edge of the pit. They were bewildered, unsure of what to do now.

"What is this?" Judos spluttered upwards to his friend. Mellor shrugged, "I think we could help you out with some kind of stick."

It was the last thing he said before blood-curdling yells sounded. Marros leapt with fright. Mellor looked round wildly, terrified, "Hell's teeth, what is that?"

Judos knew no more, for something hard hit him on his head, half-stunning him.

The pit floor rose up, picking him up with it. A net!

Judos heard shouts. They were just as quickly replaced with jeers of triumph. Judos blinked, getting his eyesight back, and was filled with a dreadful sight.

Vermin. Weasels, ferrets, foxes, stoats, rats, and polecats. All were grinning and fingering weapons. Two were chaining Marros, a lump on his head, and a cut on his shoulder.

Suddenly, Judos was terribly scared. Was this what Varrus had always worried would happen if he would leave and try and find his mother's killer? Now he, Marros and Mellor were prisoners.

Mellor.

When the otter looked to the right, he saw that only he and Marros were prisoners.

Mellor was lying on his side, a deep gash in his neck. Judos' former friend's eyes were glazed in death.

Judos screamed, tears streaming down his face. Even as the nearest vermin knocked him into unconsciousness, he was weeping uncontrollably.

Mellor, the hedgehog who had been his first and only friend, had always been there, for him. The two had plotted uncountable escapes; they had hidden from punishment, and had always been together. Yet for all that, Judos had never been able to tell his friend about his past, or many other things.

Now it was too late to tell him, for he was dead.

The vermin carried their prisoners to a clearing in the forest. A small group was already there, and they marvelled at the sword brought in by the hunters' leader.

Together, the combined vermin band travelled over hills, across rivers, and all the while covering their tracks.

Eventually, they came to a wooden fortress, guarded by wooden palisades. Rooftops were plentiful, all wooden or pieces of shale. A cloud of smoke was coming out, as if there was a public fireplace ablaze.

Judos was still unconscious, having been beaten aplenty to ensure no help.

His captors took him and Marros to a cage at the far end of the fort. It was huge, with wooden bars covered with iron sheeting. Very sophisticated in its construction, it housed many different creatures, from mice to ferrets, even a leveret or two.

Judos and Marros were hurled into their new prison, the gate securely locked.

They were prisoners of the vermin now.