Chapter 13: Unexpected Friends
It had been two weeks after his capture and later labor in the Abbey, and for once, Cluny felt lonely. He worked day after day, helping the Cellarhog Ambrose Spike with carrying barrels of drink up the steps to the kitchens. And yet, Ambrose was kind enough to let him drink some strawberry cordial after the work each day, and so he was grateful enough to begin to think life at the Abbey was not as bad as he first thought.
Yet every day he faces the fact that he'll never be free until Constance and Matthias agree to it. And they are most likely not going to.
As he continues his work everyday with a grim face, he sometimes just relaxes near the pond in the shade of a tree, leaning against its trunk.
On this particular day Cluny is dead tired and glum. He has never smiled yet and goes on with his existence with no purpose. A few of the animals notice this, but most ignore it. But a few animals do, and so take action.
As Cluny stares silently into space, Basil and Maria walk by, and notice his predicament. And so, with a grin on his face, Basil kicks Cluny in the back of the head, causing him to stumble over and land in the shallows of the pond. Spitting out water, he yells "What in Hellgates was that for, you rabbit?!"
Offended, Basil purposely replied "Because you were acting like a rat again!"
As Basil and Maria stood at the edge of the pond, waiting for a reaction, Cluny simply fell face-first back into the pond, this time in the deeper section of the pond.
As the two roared in laughter, Cluny did not pull his face up. This worried the two, and so they headed for his submerged body. As they began to search, the two felt a tug on their ankles, and then they were pulled under.
As Basil quickly scanned the depths, he saw that Cluny was the one holding on to their feet, and he seemed to be holding his breath unsuccessfully. He quickly broke free and started to swim back, holding onto the rat and Maria.
As Basil made it back to the shore, the mouse and rat were dragged out. Maria gasped out she was fine, but Cluny was not breathing. And so Basil was stuck with the job of trying to revive him.
After many minutes of pumping his chest and mouth to mouth, he was still not breathing. Was the great Cluny the Scourge dead?
"Here, let me give it a try." Maria said, and Basil let her.
She tried to pump the water out of him, and it didn't work. So she then gave him mouth to mouth. Right when she was going to pump his chest again, a fountain of water spewed out of his mouth, catching her in the face.
As Cluny opened his eyes, he weakly said "I can't swim," and passed out.
As Cluny opened his eyes, he looked around to find himself in a large room filled with beds and cupboards. As he gazed around, he saw Basil, Maria, Friar Hugo, and Ambrose Spike in the room also.
"Well, looks like the old codger is awake, wot wot." Basil said.
"Who are ye callin' an old codger, you ancient excuse for a rabbit, eh?" Cluny weakly replied.
"Well, looks like his attitude is intact." Maria said, and then chuckled.
"Why are ya all here, anyway?" Cluny asked.
"Well were your friends, you old rat, we can't just let friends be alone in their time of need. Friends stick together, what what!" Basil answered.
"Friends…" Cluny mumbled. He actually had friends. After all he did, Redwallers were willing to be his friends?
I will not make another chapter until I get a review, since I have not gotten any in a while.