Chapter 2
Excerpt from the diary of Oakflyer, Recorder of Redwall Abbey:
Oh, it is great to be alive in the summer, especially at Redwall. It was declared the Summer of the Noisy Bee, because the bees in the hives have been so busy that it could wake Dibbuns inside this gatehouse! Thankfully the Cellarhog has quieted them down so we could get some sleep. Oh, I almost forgot, the squirrel archers are coming for the feast tonight! They say the leader is a descendent of Lady Amber from the war for Mossflower's independence. I've got to go help in the kitchens
Oakflyer.
"'Ey Oakflyer, when are ye goin' to get out of that dusty gatehouse, huh? The squirrels will be here soon, I thought you wanted to meet them!" An otter called from the doorway.
"I'll be there in a second, Rockrudder!" Oakflyer yelled to the otter. "Just let me get these things put up. Stupid tail, it always twitches when I'm in a hurry."
"Hey, how did you get in here? I didn't open the gate." Rockrudder yelled to a red squirrel that was wearing a beret and a tunic of brown barkcloth that had appeared next to him. "Wait, are these the famous archers of Mossflower? I know someone who'd like to meetcha." The squirrel winked and pulled a whistle out of the beret and blew. The sharp high note signaled and six squirrels dropped down to the abbey grounds. Each had a longbow across their shoulders' and a quiver of arrows with red and gray fletching on their belts.
"'Tis us indeed. I would be pleased to meet this beast." The first squirrel said. Oakflyer walked out of the gatehouse, his paws black with ink. He saw the archers and blushed a shade of red so bright that it could be seen under his gray fur.
"Rockrudder! Why didn't you tell me that they were here? I could have washed the ink off in there if I had known!" She yelled at the otter.
"Oh, you're a beautiful specimen of a squirrel, if you ask me. But I've had nothing to look at but these archers for many seasons." The one in the beret said. "My name is Robin, and what may I ask is your name?"
"Uh, Rockrudder, what's my name?" She asked, apparently Robin had hit a bull's eye in here heart.
"'Er name's Oakflyer. She has been waiting for you, if fact she's the beast who wants to meet you."
"Er, eck." She answered. This made even Rockrudder perplexed, he knew more about that squirrel than even the Abbot, but he didn't know what 'eck' meant.
"I'm sure she will be able to talk at the feast tonight." Robin said and walked off with his archers.