Running from the infirmary at top speed, paw still in sling, Daleria headed straight for cavern hole, where she found Major Clandestine talking with the abbess.

'Major!!!! Help! Crazed infirmary sister is trying to poison me to death! Help! Nettle broth 5 times a day! I can't handle it! Please! Abbess marm! Get her off me!'

At that time, Sister Reema charged in, a flask of nettle broth in hand.

'Where is my charge? She is running amok in this abbey with a wounded shoulder and needs her nettle broth!'

Daleria took off with all speed.

The Abbess had to stop the good yet fussy infirmary sister, Major Clandestine was laughing too much.

*****

As the latest guest of the feast, Lord Fegen was jumping from tree to tree at lightning speed, fearing what the abbess would say about his lateness. Suddenly, his paws caught on something, and a moment later he was on the ground surrounded by vermin.

Vaxial looked at his bound and gagged captive. This was his entrance to Redwall Abbey, or at least, Arielad. Grinning evilly to himself in the shadows, he made a lightning move his gave Fegen a rough and hard kick before retreating back into his personal quarters.

*****

'So the vermin have an unsuspecting Redwall under siege? We cannot charge them Colonel, we must enter the abbey without their knowing, that way we can confer with the Abbey elders and decide the best course of action. But of course, I shall not have all my hares go. A hundred with me, and the rest with you Galde, you must stay to lead them, in case of attack.'

When Colonel Galde heard this, he was stricken. Never before had he not been at Lady Consellariel's side during important and dangerous times. He badly wanted to go with the badger lady. His looked imploringly over at Rapieratce, then started protesting.

'But marm! Please why me? Couldn't I go with you? I mean Rapieratce here is capable of leading the hordes of hares perfectly well wot? Please!'

The badger lady looked at the Colonel.

'Galde, no. That's an order. Only you know who are the best of this army, and will be able to get in contact with me the best and lessen the risk of use being found out. You stay, and Rapieratce will help you.'

The Colonel knew that order was final. He could not question the orders of his Badger lady, nor disobey them. Saluting smartly, he left.

Shaking her massive head, Consellariel muttered to herself.

'Hares. Overly loyal. To the death.'

******

Daleria had finally shaken off Reema and was in council with Major Clandestine, Abbess Jemerian, Old Abbess Mhera, Lady Annabell, Skipper, Log a Log and the Foremole.

The Major started it off.

'Well friends, we have a thousand blinkin vermin at our footpaws and there's nothing we can do wot. Are we all here?'

Suddenly, Old Abbess Mhera gave a cry.

'Lord Fegen, of Mossflower Patrol'

Immediately, Daleria sprang up, heading for the ramparts, the fires of vengeance in her eyes. The major moaned.

'Not again! Lieutenant!!'

Running up she threw herself onto Daleria and forced the struggling hare still.

'You are a strong and brave fighter, Daleria, but you will have to learn how to control this temper. You are almost under a Bloodwrath. You cannot fight off that vermin horde single pawed. The best you can do is learn to stop marching off towards the vermin with a hot head.'

The young hare calmed down.

'Just let me talk to the scum, please?'

'Fine but we'll be there with you.'

******

On the ramparts, Daleria yelled out.

'Vaxial, you scum, you have Lord Fegen, don't you?'

The answer was shouted back.

'Yes I do long ears, well and alive.'

'What do you want?'

'Airelad!'

Suddenly, Daleria shrunk down back against the wall, pale and shivering. The Major and the Abbess fell to their knees.

'What happened? What is a Airelad?'

They reply they got was shaky and unlike the Daleria they knew.

'They only want me.'

*****

The Major and Lieutenant Dallaw and carried the quivering Daleria to the infirmary, and now they and the rest of the patrol sat with her. The Major started to ask Daleria softly about what happened. Daleria sighed.

'Now I owe you my history, at least. I think that will clear things up.

My family lived out in the Western Plains, and they were just about to send me off to join the Long Patrol when Vaxial came. He came, his vixen wailing off a prophecy about one called Arielad who would be the downfall of him and his vermin horde. He took my parents and siblings with that sleeping potion. When they woke, tortured my parents until they told him the names of all their children. When the told him my name, he killed them with a single stab of his jewelled dagger, right in front of my 3 brothers and sisters and myself. Then he had cruel fun with them while I was taken away.
But while I was taken away, I managed to escape when the rope that bound me came loose. When no one was looking, I took off as fast as I could, ducking, weaving and running through the night until I collapsed. So there I was, weaponless, family murdered before my eyes and homeless. Helplessly lost in Mossflower, trying to survive until I got to Salamandastron. That's when I came to Redwall Abbey.

So there you have it. They want me, to kill me at any cost.'

'But who is Arielad?'

'Me. My name, turned the other way around, read it from right to left and you get Daleria.'

Major Clandestine's patrol sat stricken. All knew that her past was horrible, but this was more horrible than they had thought. They felt their hearts go out to the young hare.

Now they understood why Daleria went off trying to murder Vaxial time after time.

'Well enough of that, I'm going down to the orchard before that Sister Reema gets her hands on me.'

As Daleria strolled around the red stonewalls, she heard something come from the east wicker gate. Rushing over, she nearly tripped on her footpaws when she saw who it was.

'Lady Consellariel!'

'Daleria. Where is the Abbess?'

'In Cavern hall, I'll take you there marm.'

*****

The Major was surprised at Lady Consellariel's arrival, but she hid it all the same. She and her patrol stood smartly to attention and saluted the badger lady as she entered.

'Abbess Jemerian.'

'Lady Consellariel! It has been a truly long time! How have you been?'

'Fine, really. You?'

'Alive, thanks to young Daleria.'

'Daleria? What did she do?'

'An arrow took her in the shoulder when it was meant for my neck.'

The badger turned to Daleria.

'Are you all right?'

'If I can survive the nettle poison I'm being given, yes.'

'If you don't mind me asking marm, but where is Colonel Galde?'

'Back in the Western areas of Mossflower, hiding out with a nine hundred more hares.'

'Pardon me, marm, but Vaxial and his horde have Lord Fegen.'

'Lord Fegen of Mossflower Patrol? The scum have him?'

'Yes marm.'

'That means we shall have to dispatch a rescue party.'

'A rescue party? But marm, how are we going to do that without being noticed by the blighters?'

'Clandestine, send me your fastest hare, I have a plan.'