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Chapter 53. Stars, Hide Your Fires

by Dànaidh

The stone Aya threw blindly at Dànaidh sailed through the darkened cavern and struck Juniper on a burned paw with a soft thwack. The otter soared off his footpaws with a yap that threatened to bring the ceiling down on their heads, releasing his hold on Daskin's paw and clutching his wounded appendage.

"YoooooooooW!" he cried.

Hector grimaced at the otter. "What is it now, June?"

"He's lost it," said Gergreg.

"Might as well put him down," Gergreg said.

"Aaaaaaahhhwwww…" Juniper's moaning disappeared into a sudden shower of tears. He babbled and garbled in snot-laden heaves as he held his paw like a dead kit to his chest.

"He's girn oan somethin'," Dànaidh said, twisting a digit in his ear.

"What's wrong with you, June?" Daskin asked, looking up at the weeping otter.

Juniper's lips bubbled as he whispered, "Mah pfaw."

"His what?" Fjord asked.

"He said 'fall'," Daskin said, shrugging. "I don't know."

"Gob shite, are ye all daft?" Dànaidh shouted. "We barely started spring."

"Pfaw! Pfaw!" Juniper bellowed. "Some'ing hih mah PFAW!"

"Cor, lookit th' size ay his paw!" Dànaidh said, pointing. "June, did ye ken yer paw's huge?"

"Come to think of it, it is rather swollen looking," Fjord said.

"Not another step, or swollen paws'll be the least of your worries." Aya and Cecil appeared from the darkness, armed with a spear and dagger.

The troupe froze in a single, gasp-filled moment. Their synchronous reactions filled Juniper with a thick, bloody sense of déjà vu—it was better than anything they'd rehearsed together before. And to think, all it took was a pair of squirrels—an angry cook and a goofy bard—to get the troupe harmonious—

"The blade," Aya said, nodding to Hector. "Let's have it on the ground."

Hector drew the knife and tossed it onto the rocks. The tinny pitch of the ricochet disappeared in the distant rumbling of thunder. A storm was coming…

"What do you want?" Alastia asked, her paws trembling by her throat. She looked on the verge of tears.

"Fjord…please," Cecil said, looking at the hare. "Mary can wait. Let me help you prove your innocence. Please, just let Aya and me take you back to Skipper…it won't take long."

Aya frowned at Juniper. "I won't be as careless with my knots," she said, gesturing to him. "On your knees, riverdog."

Juniper sniffed and straightened his posture, careful to stand between the pursuers and Daskin.

"Cec," Fjord said. "You don't understand—"

"Shut up!" Aya barked. Blue light flooded the cavern for a moment, and vanished; a louder crash of thunder followed. The squirrel cook tightened her grip on the spear. "Too much chatter, not enough moving. Get up to the surface, all of you—now!"

"Bit persnickety for an armed squirrel, don'tcha think?" Fjord observed.

"Aye, her wheat haggis's in th' fire f'sure." Dànaidh sniffed, wiping at the dried blood spattered across his face. "Nae gonna happen, lass." He turned his head and spoke over his shoulder. "Get 'em goin', Hector. We'll bade 'n' keep these company."

Cecil blinked and turned to Aya. "Looks like they're going with Plan 'B,' Miss Aya."

"There is no Plan 'B,'" Aya retorted.

A flood of vivid blue light bathed the room again, and Aya squinted against the surprising brightness. Shapeless orbs of varying color floated against her shut vision, and she heard Dànaidh's voice echo in her ears among the rumbling thunder.

"Tairible pity…when ye cannae see what you're searchin' fer."

"I hope you have another idea," Cecil mumbled.

Aya opened her eyes and blinked rapidly. The hedgehog and hare stood six paw-lengths apart, each stealing sideways glances at the other as they blocked the path of the retreating troupe. The actors had retreated through one of the tunnels leading into darkness. The otter backed away slowly towards the tunnel, shielding the ferret kit behind him.

"Stoppit!" Aya barked, stepping forward. Dànaidh and Fjord took a pawstep towards her in response.

"Easy naow," Dànaidh warned, a slow grin growing over the side of his face.

"Cecil, listen to me," Fjord said, his eyes seeking Cecil's. "I've only known you a month, but well…Dash it! I feel like I've known you for nigh on a thousand seasons, sah. If I had to stand before the Fates and take an oath, I'd lay you down as the most honorable sort of chap a beast could know. And I know you wouldn't want to keep another chap from his beloved. Romantic souls we are, wot. I just…I need to see her. To make sure she's safe. You can understand that, old top. Please, try to understand."

"Quiet, you!" Aya said, taking another pawstep. Dànaidh and Fjord followed in suit, Dànaidh flexing his paws as Fjord extended his towards Cecil.

"We're all a bit on edge here, old top. Why don't you just let us pop off to Salamandastron? Two shakes about the fire mountain and Robert's your mum's brother! We're back at Redwall with Mary in tow and ready to give this murder thingummy all the attention it rightfully deserves. Wot d'you say to that?"

Blue light flooded the room for an instant, and disappeared as quickly. The odd globs floated in Aya's vision, blurring everything else. A terrific crash tore through the hole above their heads, followed by the soft sizzle of fresh rain falling to a thirsty earth. Aya searched the darkened cavern and saw nothing.

"Damn it," she hissed.

From somewhere in the shadows, a soft voice began singing:

"By yon bonnie banks where the flo'ers touch the skies,
'N' the streams flow breight 'gainst the mountain.
Where me 'n' my true love were ever wont t' fly
'Cross the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Martin."

"Not bad," Cecil said.

"Not now!" Aya chided, moving forward through the shadows. "They're in here…somewhere." She spun her head from side to side, searching for any sign of movement. "Look around…find them!"

The cascading rain fell harder against the rocks. Cecil stepped into the path of the rain and squinted as he raised his head towards the churning clouds high above, shielding his eyes with a damp paw. "Even if we do, by chance, find them…I highly doubt that we will be able to travel in this kind o' weather."

Aya bit her lip to avoid throwing a rock at Cecil. "We can find them and bind them," she said deliberately, "and wait until the weather's calm. We shouldn't let them try and escape in this storm."

"Jolly good trying to escape with a spear through the leg, wot?"

Aya roared and sprinted towards the voice, leaping into the air with her spear raised high. Lightning accented her descent and revealed a plain rock outcrop that greeted her spear point and forehead. She bounced off the wall and collapsed loudly, a paw clutched over her forehead as she winced her inhale.

"Sorry about the forehead, miss," Fjord said from somewhere. "But I'm relieved it was the wall you poked, and not me."

"That'll teach her nae tae gang up 'gainst rocks bigger'n her." Dànaidh chuckled from another spot in the darkness and continued singing:

"O ye'll tak' the high road 'n' I'll tak' the low road,
'N' I'll be in Mossflow'r afore ye;
But me 'n' my true love will never kiss again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Martin."

Cecil shook his head. "That's not how it goes," he chided to the shadows.

"Will you stop?" Aya said, rubbing at a discolored knot growing out of her forehead. Cecil hoisted her to her footpaws. "And stop singing!"

"I don't think she enjoyed your serenade," Fjord said.

"Mist nae be a fan o' the classics," Dànaidh conceded.

"I thought it was spiffy," Fjord said. "Care to try another?"

"After you, lad."

"Oh no, sah. After you."

"Na, na, na, gae afore me. I'm nae guid at the high bits. I'm a sight better low."

"Oh, we'll see." Fjord cleared his throat and began humming. "Hm, hm hm, hmm!"

"Oh, for the love of—" Aya groaned. She rolled her eyes at Cecil. "Find them!"

"What do you suggest?" Cecil said, shielding his eyes from the stinging rain. "All I can see is what the lightning shows me."

Fjord's voice rang confidently in a true tenor: "The western wind is blowing fair, across the dark and distant sea…"

Dànaidh answered:"'N' at the secret marble stair mah Lutran galley waits fer thee…"

"I can't believe this," Aya muttered.

The hare and hedgehog combined their voices and sang in powerful unison: "Come down, the ancient sail is spread, the watchmole sleeps within the town. Oh leave thy lily flowerbed, oh lady mine, come down.

"Come down,
Lady come down.
Come down,
Lady come down!"

Another peal of thunder echoed off the walls as the wind howled across the top of the hole. Aya gestured to Cecil, directing him to the southern end of the cavern, while she slowly crept towards the north and the location of the tunnel where the troupe retreated. She held a digit to her lips to signify silence, and Cecil nodded.

"I think your high notes may have damaged our chances, old bean," Fjord said sadly.

"Well, she's ne'er gonna calm doon if ye'r singin' lik' that. Ye'r completely oot o' tune."

"How dare you," Fjord shot back. "And don't you scold me, spineback—you're getting the flipping lyrics wrong! It's not 'Calm Down,' it's 'Come Down.'"

"I'll tak' the next bit."

"You're always talking nonsense."

"Well, 'tis better than listenin' tae it."

"You leave this to me, you old pincushion. You go lie down."

"Na, I'll tak' this bit."

"We'll take both of you!" Aya snatched Dànaidh by his collar and tickled his throat with the spear's tip. "And not too soon…that 'Gates-awful song was making me deaf."

"'Tis a shame," Dànaidh said, grinning at her.

"Grab the other one!" Aya shouted to Cecil.

"I dinna think you'll find him," Dànaidh said. "He's already goan. 'Tis jus' me y'got."

Aya's eyes narrowed. "Two can play that game, hedgepig, though I'm pleased to see you're not above lying."

"I'm nae above a lot o' things," Dànaidh said, twisting his neck and snatching the spear shaft in a moment's breath. He pulled the spear past his shoulder, drawing Aya closer to him with a gasp. "'Cause I'm usually oan the bottom. Love tae shew ye som'time." He winked and pecked a kiss on her unprepared lips before shoving her backwards, relieving her of the spear as she fell. "Las' call, longears!"

"Too slow, you rancid ragmuffin!" came the reply from the tunnel. Dànaidh hefted the spear in his bent arm, whistling to Cecil.

"Let's see ye dance, lad!" He threw the spear short, laughing as it crashed into the shallow pool below the hole in the ceiling and covered Cecil with water. "Nae bad, but werk oan it, aye!" He turned and dashed for the tunnel.

The narrow passageway rewarded Dànaidh's darkened trek with sudden blows from the winding, curving walls and suddenly lowering ceiling. He bobbed and barked as he felt bruises break out across his arms, legs and footpaws. At one junction, the path veered savagely to the right and Dànaidh collided with a solid wall; he pushed himself off and used the momentum to speed up along the correct path. Up ahead he heard pants and distant shrieks; behind him he heard curses and shouts. He grit his teeth and pushed himself faster, bending lower at his waist. He struggled up a steep incline, reaching forward with his paws to pull himself up, and slid down the decline at an angle, landing on his footpaws at the bottom. He found the troupe struggling up a rain-slicked cliff that led to the surface; Hector was assisting Thera from behind while the Gergregs hoisted her by her paw and arm. Juniper, Daskin and Fjord remained below, ready for their turn.

"We cannae wait," Dànaidh said, breathing fast. "They're nae far behind."

"I know," Hector said sharply, turning his attention back to Thera. "That's it, keep going."

"We'll may ih," Juniper said, nodding. He lifted Daskin about the waist and gave him to Hector, who in turn passed the kit up to the Gergregs.

Dànaidh mopped his brow with a paw and nodded to Fjord. "Cheers."

Fjord scoffed and smirked. "Just helping out was all…glad I could be of assistance."

"—those damned beasts I'll rip them to pieces first!"

Dànaidh glanced over his shoulder at the hill he'd climbed. "Tae late."

"Dànaidh!"

Dànaidh turned and saw Fjord half-way up the cliff, paw outstretched. "C'mon!"

The hedgehog ran and leaped up, grasping Fjord's paw as the hare held on to Juniper's arm. The trio slowly ascended up to ground level, but as Dànaidh reached the ceiling, Aya and Cecil slid down the decline. Aya's face was a mixture of rage and pain, her cheeks covered in sweat and soot, her forehead a solid mass of red swelling. She growled as she pointed at Dànaidh.

"You're dead!" she shouted, snatching the spear from Cecil's surprised paw.

"Wha hae!" Dànaidh cried, grinning from ear to spiked ear. "What have ye got thare, lassie? A shillelagh?"

Aya bent back and threw the spear at Dànaidh. The hedgehog leaned out and caught it before it struck the wall, nodding to Cecil and Aya. "Cor bless ye fer th' stick!" he called, raising the spear up to Daskin. As he broke the surface, the wind threatened to flatten him. The rain slapped at his fur and quills and kept his eyes mere slits. Brilliant, deadly lightning bleached the sky, and deafening thunder shook the ground.

"We need to find cover!" Hector yelled, pointing to a distant grove of trees. "Make for the forest!"

Dànaidh landed on all fours and scrambled to his footpaws, slipping in the soaked grass. Savage forks of lightning fell towards the ground and exploded in a brilliant flash, forcing the troupe to cover their eyes as they sprinted blindly towards the trees. In the reverberating thunder, Dànaidh noticed he'd passed the Gergregs and Alastia; Juniper held Daskin in his arms, and Hector was carrying Thera across his back. Fjord leapt like a trout through the grass and water, and Dànaidh admired the dancer's grace.

He turned his head to shout and—

THUNK!