A/N: Sorry it took me forever to update things, but here's an extra long chapter. Also, from here on the chapters will be less frequent. =( Not that the last update was very recent.
Chapter 8
Snoutface had returned to Rerthan.
"Good work Snoutface, captain Snoutface."
Snoutface grinned. "At your command m'lord, I'll do anything ye say!"
"Good again. The first thing I want you to do is train my troops, I want more like you. Smart enough to do orders right away."
Snoutface wasn't very excited about training the troops. "Yes lord, but..."
"No buts! I want you to do what I say, when I say! Now go!" Rerthan roared.
Snoutface needed no second bidding, he knew there was no point in arguing. It almost seemed like he flew out of Rerthan's chambers.
Bern had just finished telling them about Rerthan.
"How awful!" Brinkel exclaimed. "I don't know how those vermin can be so heartless!"
The Abbess rubbed her spectacles against her habit. "You must be very sad Bern, tell us the story from the beginning."
Bern began, "It all started long ago, before I was born, my mother has told me it over and over. The chieftain of our tribe, Johona, was once an archenemy of Rerthan's father, one-day Rerthan's father, Grolduz, challenged him to a dual. Grolduz said that the winner takes all, that they would have the other's people as slaves. Johona accepted.
The day of the dual, I was born. I wasn't allowed to see the fight since I was so very very young, that kept my mother from knowing what happened until it was over.
Fortunately we won, but Rerthan was watching too, he was only a young Weasel, but he knew about war. When he saw his father fall he and every other vermin ran for freedom.
No one knew what happened to Rerthan or the other vermin, they were rumored dead so long, until one day he came, dressed in army with a full horde." Bern looked at the ground, "The first thing he did was search for Johona, although at that point he had passed away and there was a new leader, my brother..."
Bern told the rest of the story.
Abbess Falkir, Alko, and Brinkel were sniffing at the sad story.
"Mother Abbess, I know you want to talk to me further, but I have had a very long week, with little sleep.
May you be so kind as to let me sleep in your dormitories?"
The Abbess looked at him thoughtfully.
"If you have heard anything of our abbey before, you would know that in the past we have fed and sheltered many creatures who were not as fortunate as us. Of course you may use our dormitories."
Bern thanked her and was being led to the dormintories by Alko, when Sister Kenda appeared.
"Mother Abbess, have you seen young Beckles, Gringle, Denski, or the friar?" she asked.
Falkir looked up at her. "No, why?"
"They went to go berry picking and haven't come back yet. And I'm getting worried."
The three Dibbuns awoke the next day, the friar was still asleep, just to find that they were all tied to a post. They saw a strangely large weasel talking to a rat talking together.
"Looks like they're comin' around lord." The rat said, giving them a chill, knowing that he was talking about them.
The rat looked at them smiling, hoping that they were the average dumb Dibbuns, who would tell anything to see their parents.
"Hello there young mice, could you be so nice as to tell me who each of you are?" Rerthan asked, trying to sound kind and gentle.
Beckles glared at him.
"You nwasty verwin! Iah choppy your tails'm off!"
The other two Dibbuns joined her. "You leaw us awone! Wee'm not stoopid!"
"Well, do what you wish, unless you want to see your family and friends again."
The trio fell silent.
"Dwon't hewurt us mistwer, we oonny Dibbuns!" Denski said, trying to wipe away a tear.
"Yea, I wann see mommy again."
They all started crying.
"Mister, wer oney Dibbuns! Wike Demskie said! Don't 'urt us! Peeeeeeeease!!!!
Rerthan smiled at them. "Demskie, one of you is called Demskie?"
Denski glared at the weasel. "Noot Demskie, Demski! G. D. M. Z. C. Y. Swavige!"
Gdmzcy sounded rather peculiar to Rerthan. "Uh, what about you two?"
"Wime not goin tell ya what my name is, Beckles won't wheithir!"
"Gwingle! We no wann tell 'im oar names! Dwen he 'ill azk uz aboot Wedwall!"
"Redwall, did you say you come from Redwall? Would you show me to it?" Rerthan said.
All three Dibbuns were sure of their answer.
"No!"
Rerthan beckoned a rat with a bag to come to him. Rerthan took the bag and emptied some of it's contents. The Dibbuns gasped.
"What about for these candy chestnuts? There is plenty for all, you just have to bring me to the abbey."
The Dibbuns looked to the ground, as if asking it what to do. Then they started conversing.
"Waht shood we doo?"
"I weawy wove chestnuts! But he luuks me-hean!"
"Weht would 'ee Abbess do?"
Whi doon't we wake mister frooyer!"
Denski and Beckles were pleased with Gringles idea.
"Yes, froyyer would know what to do!"
Without Rerthan realizing, the Dibbuns woke Friar Nobell.
"Wha, huh, where am I?"
Before any of the three Dibbuns could reply, Rerthan was talking loudly to a rat.
"I told you to tie those… those Dibbuns away from that fat mouse, not right next to him!"
"Sire, it wasn't me, it was him who you asked to do that." The rat pointed to a fox.
The fox looked at the rat. "Liar! I didn't even know of those captives until a few minutes ago!"
"Liar yourself, you were one of the ones with the patrol that brought them back!"
"That's impossible! I haven't left camp for days, and they just got back!"
"Well, anyone could tell, you're incredibly un-honest! You - "
"Enough!" Rerthan roared.
All was quiet.
"Gag the mouse and tie him to another post! And you rat, you're the liar! Leave me!"
Everyone followed his orders. Nobell was too stunned to stop the vermin who were gagging him.
All was as Rerthan wanted when he continued tempting the Dibbuns to take him to Redwall.