Chapter Twenty: Tibnetle McKintly
"I wonder if we'll ever see her again?" Kenji asked to nobeast in particular as they watched the leaves move as Katt went farther and farther away.
"I hope not," Bailey said in disgust. Her face looked like she just smelled something bad.
"Why's that, Bailey?" Neema asked, coming back to Earth after daydreaming.
"I don't know. There was just something I didn't like about that one."
"Now that you mention it, there was something weird about her. She was just too secretive." Kenji had gone deep into thought. They all stood, staring at the trees.
"If'n I was ya, I'd be jolly well away from that 'un, wot."
"Who said that?" Bailey exclaimed, turning on her heels.
"Show yourself!" Kenji exclaimed to the surroundings. They stood stock still, looking around cautiously.
"Ya know, ol' chap, Whatcha lookin' for may be right un'er yer bally nose!" the voice came again. Kenji looked down. Sitting right between his footpaws was a gray-brown hare. He jumped up, and nearly landed on him.
"W-who a-are you? And what's th-the meaning of sn-sneaking up on u-us?" Kenji said after coming over his shock.
"Well, this bally tree jumper has some nasty stutter! Whatcha say, ol' gel, wot?" the hare said, leaning in Bailey's direction.
"You best answer his question, sir," Neema said, "Kenji gets a tad impatient."
"Righto. Sorry 'bout that. I'm Tibnetle McKintly, eighth runner of Salamandastron. I'm jolly well sorry 'bout sneaking up on you bunch. Curiosity killed the 'are s'what I always said, since now 'least. Anyhoo, what might you chap and chapesses be doin' 'round these parts? I believe it my duty ta bring ya back to the jolly ol' mountain with me."
"Begging your pardon, sir-"
"Call me Tibbs, please."
"OK, then, begging your pardon, Tibbs, but we don't have any time to spare at this mountain you speak of. We are in quite a hurry-"
"Say no more, marm! I'll take yuz back to the jolly mountain, then you can go to Redwall!"
"How'd you know we were going to Redwall?" Bailey asked quizzically.
"Known fact. Anybeast traveling this ways bound ta Redwall!"
"But sir. I mean Tibbs, you don't understand!" Neema argued, "Our tribe is on an isolated island dying of some disease at this very moment! If we don't get the right herbs soon, then they all will die! We must get to Redwall!"
"No can do, missie. Cuz there be some bad stuff goin' on there in a liddle while."
"Then more the reason to go! We're all good fighters!"
"Pish tush! You don't even have any bally weapons! And you call yerselves fighters! Huh! What is this world coming to?" Tibbs threw up his paws in disgust. He began running off towards the mountain. Kenji nodded to Neema.
"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea, going to this mountain of yours! Lead the way, Tibnetle McKintly!" Tibbs stopped, allowing the others to catch up.
"I wonder if we'll ever see her again?" Kenji asked to nobeast in particular as they watched the leaves move as Katt went farther and farther away.
"I hope not," Bailey said in disgust. Her face looked like she just smelled something bad.
"Why's that, Bailey?" Neema asked, coming back to Earth after daydreaming.
"I don't know. There was just something I didn't like about that one."
"Now that you mention it, there was something weird about her. She was just too secretive." Kenji had gone deep into thought. They all stood, staring at the trees.
"If'n I was ya, I'd be jolly well away from that 'un, wot."
"Who said that?" Bailey exclaimed, turning on her heels.
"Show yourself!" Kenji exclaimed to the surroundings. They stood stock still, looking around cautiously.
"Ya know, ol' chap, Whatcha lookin' for may be right un'er yer bally nose!" the voice came again. Kenji looked down. Sitting right between his footpaws was a gray-brown hare. He jumped up, and nearly landed on him.
"W-who a-are you? And what's th-the meaning of sn-sneaking up on u-us?" Kenji said after coming over his shock.
"Well, this bally tree jumper has some nasty stutter! Whatcha say, ol' gel, wot?" the hare said, leaning in Bailey's direction.
"You best answer his question, sir," Neema said, "Kenji gets a tad impatient."
"Righto. Sorry 'bout that. I'm Tibnetle McKintly, eighth runner of Salamandastron. I'm jolly well sorry 'bout sneaking up on you bunch. Curiosity killed the 'are s'what I always said, since now 'least. Anyhoo, what might you chap and chapesses be doin' 'round these parts? I believe it my duty ta bring ya back to the jolly ol' mountain with me."
"Begging your pardon, sir-"
"Call me Tibbs, please."
"OK, then, begging your pardon, Tibbs, but we don't have any time to spare at this mountain you speak of. We are in quite a hurry-"
"Say no more, marm! I'll take yuz back to the jolly mountain, then you can go to Redwall!"
"How'd you know we were going to Redwall?" Bailey asked quizzically.
"Known fact. Anybeast traveling this ways bound ta Redwall!"
"But sir. I mean Tibbs, you don't understand!" Neema argued, "Our tribe is on an isolated island dying of some disease at this very moment! If we don't get the right herbs soon, then they all will die! We must get to Redwall!"
"No can do, missie. Cuz there be some bad stuff goin' on there in a liddle while."
"Then more the reason to go! We're all good fighters!"
"Pish tush! You don't even have any bally weapons! And you call yerselves fighters! Huh! What is this world coming to?" Tibbs threw up his paws in disgust. He began running off towards the mountain. Kenji nodded to Neema.
"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea, going to this mountain of yours! Lead the way, Tibnetle McKintly!" Tibbs stopped, allowing the others to catch up.