**********

Whitney sat in the bushes taking in very sound. She shivered. What happened to Mateo and Bushtail? Bushtail ran to where he left Whitney, relieved to see she was still there. "Whitney are you ok? "Whitney jumped up and hugged Bushtail. "I'm fine! But you're hurt..." A hare emerged from the trees. "Aye! Bushtail and Whitney! I heard there was trouble round here!" Tacy ran over to them. "Is everything ok?" "Tacy! What are you doing here?" She glanced around. "Bushtail where is Mateo?" "I came because word of Death Shadow and Kaden reached our parts." She looks at Bushtail. "Mateo was here as well?" "Mateo..was with me...he jumped out the ship's window..said he would meet me.."
"I've heard much of Mateo. Did he fight the Slayer of Salamandastron?" She asked. "The Slayer of Salamandastron?" Whitney made a compress of moss and dock leaves and pressed it onto Bushtail's shoulder. "Who is that?" Her eyes widen. "You mean you have not heard of the Slayer?" she asked. She shudders, thinking of the story. "Come on, everyone knows that tale. The Slayer who killed all those creatures of that town on Salamandastron. Kaden." "Kaden?! Kaden is the Salamandastron Slayer?" Whitney covered her mouth with a paw. "Oh my goodness" "Yes. So I fear for any beast who must face him. I believe Mateo is the only one who has ever done so successfully." Tacy looked around. "Where is he, anyway?" Whitney blinked, realizing just how close to death she had been. "I-I don't know where Mateo is..." Bushtail winced at the pressure Whitney was putting on his shoulder. "Mateo's fine. I know it. He's strong, I bet he's on the way now.." "I don't know..." said the hare. "The ocean is rough..." Whitney grabbed Tacy's paw. "Oh what do we do?!" "What do you think we do?" she asked. "I say we go look for him from the shore." Whitney nodded. "Yes! But we must be careful not to be seen" Tacy nods as well. "Yes. Let's go"

********

The hare appeared at the beach, and looked round. In the distance, she spotted two huge ships: the Nightshade and the Absolution. She shuddered and looked around for any sign of Mateo. Whitney walks onto the beach, still holding the compress to Bushtail's shoulder. "Hold still...you are worse than a dibbun moving around like that" "Whitney! I'd stop moving so much if you'd lighten up! That hurts ya know!" Tacy looks around in the moonlight. Where could Mateo be? A long ways down the beach lay a still form in the surf. Waves rose up around the figure, but it lay unmoving. "Hmph. Fine." She put the compress into Bushtail's paw. "You do it yourself." Whitney looked around the moonlit beach. She continues to walk down the beach, and after about ten minutes, she called back to the others. "Guys?" She waved her paw, gesturing for them to come. Whitney picked up her skirts. "Come on Bushtail. She must have found Mateo!" She ran over to Tacy. Bushtail scurried after Whitney, trying to hold the compress to his shoulder at the same time. "I must go to Redwall and inform the Abbess you're coming," she said. "There's no time to loose." She bounded off. Whitney kneeled beside Mateo. "Mateo wake up!" He was laying on his stomach, and his eyes were closed. Blood oozed from his nose and mouth from being hit with the sword, and from a gash across his face. His fur was soaked, and his clothes were drenched. Bushtail touched Whitney's shoulder. "We shouldn't have let Tacy go. It's gonna be a task to take Mateo home.." "But we can do it..I know we can" Whitney stood up and looked at the moon, then the ships. She silently swore, one day Kaden would pay.

********

Whitney pounded on the door, pulling her cloak up against her. "Please let us in! It's pouring!" She looked over at Bushtail and Mateo. "Just hold on..both of you.." Bushtail held onto Mateo, looking up at the sky. "For heavens sake why doesn't anybeast open the door?" The pain in Bushtail's shoulder had grown from carrying Mateo... The rabbit opened the huge doors and cried, "Thank heavens, you made it!" She bid them in and called for the Abbess. The Abbess came into the gatehouse. "Oh Whitney!" She hugged the maiden. "Thank heavens you are safe!" Whitney hugged the Abbess, crying into her robes. "Mother Abbess! You must help Mateo and Bushtail! Where is Sister Aolia?!" "I'm fine. Whitney's taken care of my shoulder. But our friend Mateo..." Bushtail carried Mateo inside the gatehouse out of the rain. Mateo's still form does not stir, and is limp. His bloodied fur is soaked and chilled from being in the ocean and the rain for so long. Now they can see a long gash on his chest. The gash on his face runs from above his right eye, over the bridge of his muzzle, and to his cheek below his left eye. "Oh my..I want the three of you in the infirmary now. And no buts either just go! Tacy will you help them get upstairs?" Tacy nods. "Yes Ma'am." She takes one of Mateo's arms and slings it over her shoulder, helping Bushtail carry him to the Infirmary. Whitney sighs and looks at her paws. They had Bushtail and Mateo's blood on them. She looked at the Abbess "Good night ma'am" She curtsied and went to the Infirmary.

*******

Tacy entered with Bushtail, Whitney, and a bleeding Mateo. She looks around for Sister Aolia. "Sister?" she calls, struggling with Mateo's dead weight. Whitney looked around. "Sister Aolia isn't here..." Tacy gritted her teeth, and looked at Mateo. "He needs help now. He's been in the ocean, and the Slayer got him good. The wounds are deep..."
Mateo groaned, and his head lolled to the side. He was starting to come to... "Mateo! Mateo wake up!" Whitney looked at Tacy. "I think I can do something..at least until we find Sister Aolia..." Tacy gently set Mateo down, unable to carry him anymore. It had been a chore to get him up the steps. "See if you can stop the bleeding..." she said to Whitney.
Mateo's eyes fluttered open slightly. He moaned again as his mind came around. As he became more awake, the pain from his wounds came flooding at him. He moaned something that wasn't audable. Whitney dunked a cloth into a bucket off water and laid it onto Mateo's forehead. Then she got more damp cloth and started to wipe blood off the wounds. Mateo tries to wake himself up, but his head spins. His breathing is raspy and he coughs, having inhaled seawater, no doubt. Tacy props him up against the wall. Whitney kneels beside Mateo, continuing to clean the wounds. "He's coming to. Thank heavens.." Mateo opened his eyes slightly and blinked trying to clear his vision. "Whitney..." he said weakly. "sssh. Mateo it's ok..I'm here." Whitney laid a clean cloth against the gash on his chest. "How are you feeling?" He could not yet respond, and her form went in and out of focus. He closed his eyes once more. Whitney leaned against the wall. She had done all she could. Now she'd have to wait until Aolia returned. "How are you doing Bushtail?"
"I'm fine. But you look like you could use some rest Whitney" he replied. The hare sat down as well. 'Where could the nurse be? There was always someone here to care for the ill and injured at Redwall…' Mateo's eyes remained closed, but his breathing steadied a bit. Whitney yawned and fell asleep leaning on the wall as Mateo slipped into unconsciousness once more. Bushtail sat on the edge of a cot watching his two friends. "I think we just lost Mateo again...he's gone unconcious..." "So it seems..." said Tacy. "I hope he's ok.." "I think he'll be alright....Great seasons, where is the nurse?" she wondered aloud. Bushtail sat on the cot thinking about his friends, watching them carefully. Mateo opens his eyes a bit, beginning to come to once more. Bushtail looks at Mateo. "Hey Mateo..." He moans. "Where in the good Lord's name am I...?" he asks weakly. Bushtail smiles. "Heh good to have you back Mateo. You're in good ole Redwall with all your pals" "You mean I'm not dead?" he asks flatly. "Do you think you are dead Mateo? If you were then so would me and Whitney here." Mateo gives a weak, lopsided grin. Then he turns his head to Whitney. "You okay?" Whitney opened her eyes and nodded. "What about you?" "Well..." he said. "I've been better..." He brought his paw to his face, gingerly touching the gash. He cursed. It would surely scar... "Don't touch it Mateo.. you'll make it worse..." Whitney scolded. He grinned. "It can't get worse, don't worry." Whitney smiled and looked at her friends. "Thank you both for coming for me" Bushtail smiled. "It was Mateo not me Whitney" Mateo shrugged, and immediately regretted it due to the pain that shot through his chest with the movement. But he smiled to Whitney and Bushtail. "Well, I couldn't leave you there...and we'd all be dead were it not for Bushtail." Bushtail smiled.
"Aw..thanks Mateo. I told ya I'd come in handy" He gave a small, weak laugh. "It appears I underestimated you, my friend. Forgive me," he says with a smile. "You're forgiven Mateo..just helping a friend out"