Chapter Twenty-Five: Friends New and Old
"Katt, I can't believe you. Now we have to follow these beasts halfway across the world!" Tiona said to Katt as they sat on the beach close to Salamandastron.
"Hey! At least they didn't go all the way to Redwall! At least they got stopped by that stupid rabbit," Katt said angrily.
"Well, if you didn't come out of the trees, then we wouldn't be here!" Miranda said as she chewed on a root.
"Well, actually, chapesses, I'm a hare, not a rabbit, wot!" Tibbs had just finished running, and he was going for a walk on the beach when he saw the three squirrels.
The three whirred around. Who are you?" Tiona asked.
"I'm the 'stupid rabbit' you were just talkin' 'bout!" he said.
"Well get outta our faces, rabbit, can't ya see we're busy?" Miranda asked.
"Some lass got up on the wrong side of the tree dis mornen, eh, miss?" Tibbs asked tauntingly.
Tiona grabbed the young squirrel by her paw, and whispered harshly in her ear, "Are you outta yer tree, Miranda? Do you know what one o them hares could do to you?" Miranda nodded her head fearlessly.
"Yup."
"Then why don't ye put some sense into that head, and stop mouthin' off?"
"Mum! You know I haven't seen a good battle on seasons! Why not let me shut the stupid rabbit's mouth ferever, eh?" she asked nudging the dirk at her side.
"No." Miranda and Tiona turned back to the hare, "You'll have to excuse this one, hare. She's still a bit green behind the ears," she said as she threw Miranda in the sand.
"OK, miss, yer escused. Now, would you like some eatin's back at the mountain?"
Katt's eyes had an evil glint in them at the thought of goin' back to the mountain. She didn't say a word, but Tiona knew what she wanted.
"Why of course! We haven't had a decent meal in a few days. We are very thankful, sir."
"Please, call me Tibbs. I've had quite some luck with findin' 'ungered squirrels of the late, wot! Ya know, I found a trio of them yesterday, too!" he said.
"Well, looks like we found em, eh, Katt."
Katt nodded silently as they were led to the mountain.
Just then. Something dawned on Miranda. "What about them? They'll see you for sure!"
Katt look at her fiercely, "Don't worry. I've given up bein' shy." A faraway glance was in Katt's eye. Miranda looked puzzled, but pushed that to the back of her mind.
* * *
Within the mountain of Salamandastron, Neema, Bailey and Kenji were getting some vittles for their trip to Redwall.
"I'd hate to see you go so soon, friends," Ritachio said as the three zipped up their bags.
"Yes, sah, 'tis a pity the good chap and chapesses must leave so soon, wot! And Tibbs is out on runnahs duty!"
"Well, when he does come back, will you tell him we're sorry we left without saying goodbye?" Neema asked.
Just as the three were about to leave, Tibbs came in the door along with three other squirrels.
"Hi!" one squirrel said kindly.
"Hi!" another said.
The third, a smaller one, didn't say anything. The first one nudged the third in the ribs. "Hi."
"Do I know you?" Kenji asked the second one.
"Me? Maybe." she said with a mysteriousness that was familiar to Kenji.
"What's your name?" Neema asked the first one.
"Tiona Riverwatcher, at yer service. This is my daughter, Miranda Swiftrunner, the fasted squirrel in the lands." Miranda nodded politely to Neema.
"Who's your friend?" Bailey asked.
"Y'all know me. The shy one from the trees?" The three looked puzzled. "It's me, Katt!"
"Oh, Katt! How ya been, friend?"
"Katt, I can't believe you. Now we have to follow these beasts halfway across the world!" Tiona said to Katt as they sat on the beach close to Salamandastron.
"Hey! At least they didn't go all the way to Redwall! At least they got stopped by that stupid rabbit," Katt said angrily.
"Well, if you didn't come out of the trees, then we wouldn't be here!" Miranda said as she chewed on a root.
"Well, actually, chapesses, I'm a hare, not a rabbit, wot!" Tibbs had just finished running, and he was going for a walk on the beach when he saw the three squirrels.
The three whirred around. Who are you?" Tiona asked.
"I'm the 'stupid rabbit' you were just talkin' 'bout!" he said.
"Well get outta our faces, rabbit, can't ya see we're busy?" Miranda asked.
"Some lass got up on the wrong side of the tree dis mornen, eh, miss?" Tibbs asked tauntingly.
Tiona grabbed the young squirrel by her paw, and whispered harshly in her ear, "Are you outta yer tree, Miranda? Do you know what one o them hares could do to you?" Miranda nodded her head fearlessly.
"Yup."
"Then why don't ye put some sense into that head, and stop mouthin' off?"
"Mum! You know I haven't seen a good battle on seasons! Why not let me shut the stupid rabbit's mouth ferever, eh?" she asked nudging the dirk at her side.
"No." Miranda and Tiona turned back to the hare, "You'll have to excuse this one, hare. She's still a bit green behind the ears," she said as she threw Miranda in the sand.
"OK, miss, yer escused. Now, would you like some eatin's back at the mountain?"
Katt's eyes had an evil glint in them at the thought of goin' back to the mountain. She didn't say a word, but Tiona knew what she wanted.
"Why of course! We haven't had a decent meal in a few days. We are very thankful, sir."
"Please, call me Tibbs. I've had quite some luck with findin' 'ungered squirrels of the late, wot! Ya know, I found a trio of them yesterday, too!" he said.
"Well, looks like we found em, eh, Katt."
Katt nodded silently as they were led to the mountain.
Just then. Something dawned on Miranda. "What about them? They'll see you for sure!"
Katt look at her fiercely, "Don't worry. I've given up bein' shy." A faraway glance was in Katt's eye. Miranda looked puzzled, but pushed that to the back of her mind.
* * *
Within the mountain of Salamandastron, Neema, Bailey and Kenji were getting some vittles for their trip to Redwall.
"I'd hate to see you go so soon, friends," Ritachio said as the three zipped up their bags.
"Yes, sah, 'tis a pity the good chap and chapesses must leave so soon, wot! And Tibbs is out on runnahs duty!"
"Well, when he does come back, will you tell him we're sorry we left without saying goodbye?" Neema asked.
Just as the three were about to leave, Tibbs came in the door along with three other squirrels.
"Hi!" one squirrel said kindly.
"Hi!" another said.
The third, a smaller one, didn't say anything. The first one nudged the third in the ribs. "Hi."
"Do I know you?" Kenji asked the second one.
"Me? Maybe." she said with a mysteriousness that was familiar to Kenji.
"What's your name?" Neema asked the first one.
"Tiona Riverwatcher, at yer service. This is my daughter, Miranda Swiftrunner, the fasted squirrel in the lands." Miranda nodded politely to Neema.
"Who's your friend?" Bailey asked.
"Y'all know me. The shy one from the trees?" The three looked puzzled. "It's me, Katt!"
"Oh, Katt! How ya been, friend?"