The North Mountains

The five travelers huddled around one of the fires in the Guoraf-Goat camp, discussing their new allies.

"They're great, and, wow." Rivertunnel held up his bowl. "I have never tasted such great hotroot soup. And I think it has more than just hotroot in it, all sorts o' peppers in here! Keeps ye warm on this mountain!"

Bungle nodded, slurping down his bowl. "Bo urr, you be roight there."

Rivertunnel leaned into them. "However, I'm not much a fan of the leaders. Log a Log Brus is friendly to us, and he can rally his shrews together, but he's rather ditzy, a bit of a fool, and hopeless at fighting. When we battled Balefur's group he mostly stayed back and slew injured vermin, not fighting any himself."

Mervo shivered at Balefur's name and pulled the cloak Brus had lent him closer, leaning over the fire. Erzvin looked at the hefty otter. "And Arro? Is it because he dislikes foxes?"

Rivertunnel nodded sadly. "He's a great fighter, smart too. But he openly dislikes us."

Bungle growled. "Burr, we be's focusin' on the wrong thing. We came to this hoigh mountain, which oi hate bein' so hoigh up, but wot d'we need?"

Erzvin smiled. "No denying good mole logic. Bungle's right. We need to get those flowers, if we want to give the vermin of the future a choice."

Rivertunnel looked around to the setting sun. "They're all falling asleep. Should we go without them?"

Zeela sighed. "Do you want to explain to Arro why we're here. We go, now."

They immediately demand the vixen's forceful tone. Erzvin splashed water onto the fire, but remembered to light a torch, first. They got up and huddled in their cloaks, and walked into the frigid snow of the North Mountains.

ooooooooooooo

The shrew was dead, long frozen. The travelers found them, lying there in the snow, frozen solid.

Erzvin grabbed his paw. Shrews were not built for the mountain ice, but the Guoraf roam everywhere. Leaving the shrew in the snow, they continued, keeping their eyes out for anything that looked like Rivertunnel's description.

Mervo huddled next to his father's torch, fear on his face. He kept seeing Balefur's doomed expression as the big dogfox fell through the mountain. He was probably frozen solid now, just like the poor shrew.

Mervo was also worried with another thought. A possibility he just couldn't throw off. In the back of his mind he was afraid of something.

"Father?" he asked to Erzvin.

"What is it?" replied the fox.

Mervo bit his lip. "So you know how that the cure will reverse all the effects of the spell?" Erzvin nodded, so he continued. "Wasn't one of the effects of the spell one that stopped Salamandastron from being a volcano?"

Erzvin nearly tripped as he fumbled the torch. "What? Hold on. Wait... Salamandastron, a volcano?"

Mervo nodded. "Yeah... I mean, maybe not..."

Erzvin chuckled, then sighed. "I doubt it, but... hmm..."

Mervo shrugged. "Ah well, we'll find up if we're blasted alive once we free vermin."

Erzvin laughed. "Hah! Though, seriously, the volcano needs time to prepare to blow up. It wouldn't just happen then and there."

Mervo nodded. "But... what if it's been building up this whole time? At Redwall, I read an account of Russano the Wise, he said that he noticed a strange, small bulge in the side of the mountain, like a volcano preparing to blow."

Erzvin shrugged. "We don't need to worry about that now. Let's just hope we find those flowers. Come on!"

ooooooooooooo

The North Mountains Crow Brethren watched the cold, weak travelers climbing the mountain. There numbers were few, they had lost many to the cold, the eagles, the shrews, and the goats, especially one in particular that attacked them alone. Those in the pine groves were faring much better, but the ones in the north mountains had resorted. To easy prey. And five travelers that were cold and weak climbing a mountain were perfect targets.

The leader, a black crow called Kielo watched, his eyes smiling inwardly. He called to his mate, Muera. "Gather the brethren! It seems fortune has favored us at last. We strike!"

The Crows came from their caves, watching the five travelers on their climb, waiting for their leaders' instructions. Kielo held his wing until he was sure the travelers were as close as possible. Then he dropped it. "Fly!"

ooooooooooooo

Bungle the mole was keeping as close as he could to the mountain. He hated being so high up. He hated the cold. But he was glad he could be here with his friends on their mission. He figured when this was finished he'd bring some of the molecrew down to Hodbar, Foremole would love it. He smiled as he forgot the height and his mind wandered to happier times. Warm, fresh scones with jam and meadowcream, strait from the oven. With summer strawberries on the side and some of Cellarhog Corbo's good October Ale to wash it all down. Ooooh… But he would be here for his friends.

Rivertunnel was in front, with Erzvin just behind him. Mervo was huddled near Erzvin's torch, and Zeela was behind the both of them. Bungle was in the back, but not lagging too far.

"C'mon, we're not far from the top! Let's keep goin'!" called Rivertunnel.

Erzvin continued forward, but Mervo tripped and fell shivering. His parents immediately grabbed his arms.

"Mervo, you okay?" asked Erzvin.

The fox nodded slightly. "I-I-I d-d-don't f-feel v-v-very g-good."

Erzvin held the torch in front of Mervo's face. "Come on, son. We have to do this, for all vermin and goodbeasts."

They trudged onward, at a slightly slower face.

"Wot was that?" called Rivertunnel, looking out. They all turned their heads to see two-score crows flying towards them.

"Burr, when will we get outta these mountens. Oi wish Owd 'Arry on 'em, 'tis terrible! Firs' verminbeasts, now crowbeasts! Boohoohurr!"

"Unsheath yer weapons!" called Rivertunnel. Erzvin and Zeela pulled their weapons out, sabre and dirk, but Mervo just took a couple steps backs and sat down, shivering and going pale. Bungle took his hammer out with one paw, the other with his claws locked into the mountainside.

"C'mon!" encouraged Rivertunnel, brandishing his axe. We can take a few little crows!"

The crows hit hard, but the big otter was ready. He swung his axe, dropping the crows. Erzvin and Zeela stabbed, and Zeela took one, but Erzvin just injured one, keeping true to his family vow, though the rest of the family had broken it: Slay no beasts.

Kielo noticed how the light-furred fox was refraining from slaying his birds. Taking full advantage, he flew claws outstretched, at the fox.

Erzvin, standing around a bunch of injured birds was taken aback by Kielo's fierce attack. The claws drove into his shoulders, and his peak ferociously pecked at Erzvin's face. The fox raised his sabre to strike at the bird, but just as quickly as he had came he had left.

Erzvin dropped to the snow in pain. Slowly, but then becoming quickly, he began sliding down the snow. Grasping desperately, he gave a yelp of fear as his sabre plummeted down below and the birds began attacking. "Heeeelp meeee!"

Mervo yelped and jumped forward on his knees, grabbing ahold of his father's arms. They both began going, down, though slower, as the birds took advantage. Rivertunnel was swinging his axe and Zeela stabbing her dirk to get to them, but it was hopeless, the birds had them.

Kielo gave a caw of triumph as he flew back down, striking Mervo. The young fox gave a yelp of pain. Kielo called to his crows, "Drop 'em! Drop 'em, then we'll feast!"

The crows began lifting them up slowly when they heard the cry.

"Redwaaaaaaaall! C'mon, vermints!" Bungle ran, eyes closed, and leapt at the crows, his hammer flying. Taking down the birds, his hammer plummeted as the mole forget it, instead using his digging claws to latch on to Kielo and Muera's wings. The crows were taken aback by Bungle's onslaught. The valiant mole was using all he had to grab at them as they fell through the air.

"Redwaaaaaaall!"

Kielo gave a yelp. "No! No!"

But it was too late. Him, Muera, and sixteen other crows were falling through the sky towards the rock-and-snow covered ground, weighted and pulled down by Bungle. They hit the ground hard, all instantly dying.

Everybody, even the crows stopped at their deaths. Gaping, the crows flew down over their leaders.

Hurriedly Rivertunnel grabbed Mervo and Erzvin and pulled them up. They all leaned against the mountain, pale and shocked at what happened.

Finally, Erzvin said, "Bungle... was a valiant mole. He knew what he was doing. He gave his life... for us."

They nodded sadly. Rivertunnel choked out, "He didn't enjoy any of this except our company. He went on this journey because of us, because he was our friend. He just wishes to live at peace in Redwall."

Zeela nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh, even though we were foxes, Bungle knew we were good. He was there when we read Arbor's script, he knew what we were trying to do."

Mervo said nothing. Instead, he took out his hard sgian dhu and brushed away some snow to a part of the mountain that was more tough dirt than rock. He carved away, writing:

In Memory of the mole Bungle

A wonderful and modest friend

Who saved my life.

Mervo then took his sgian dhu and threw it from the mountain, and turned back, not watching it fly through the air. They wordlessly continued up the mountain, on their quest to find the flowers of Icetor, unaware of a different bird watching them.

ooooooooooooo

"Log a Log! Come quick!" called the Guoraf scout, Welo.

Welo led Log a Log to a spot covered in dead crows. Followed by other shrews and goats, he showed them what he found. "This is the Sabre the fox had here, and this is the mole's hammer."

Arro strode forward. "Ach, this is the Croo Brethren, 'ere's their leader, Kielo." The goat kicked away the dead crow. "By 'ecky thump, look wot's under 'im! 'Tis the mole!"

The shrews crowded around where bungle lay, his claws still buried in the crows' wings. Log a Log Brus quickly made a decision. Pointing east, he said, "They went this way then the crows came down and attacked them, I'm sure of it! C'mon!"

Welo shook his head. "No, look. A lot o' these crows died from impact, they fell. I think they attacked them while they climbed the mountain." He pointed upwards.

Brus's face went slightly red as he tried to cover his error. "Yes, yes. Welo's right, up Mount Duboch it is! Come, we'll catch up with 'em soon enough!"

In the back Arro muttered to his friend, the goat Urthaxe. "Ah knoo wot's goin' on, those foxes betrayed 'em! Turned 'em into the croos, then dropped their weapons so we think they died too. They probably killed the otter too, an' took his axe."

Urthaxe nodded. "Be 'eck, we'll catch 'em. Once we catch oop to 'em there won't be 'nuff left to feed a croo."