Noonvale Returns Chapter 2
Bella of Brockhall, the Mother Badger of Redwall, took charge the second Martin showed the drenched, starving beasts into Cavern Hole.
The kind silvery old badger ushered the twenty or so odd creatures to the table and bellowed orders to the drowsy cooks, who set about fetching food and drinks for their guests.
Once Bella was sure that all the thin, ragged creatures were tucking in furiously, she turned her attention on Martin, who was drying off his sword and sheath with a tea towel. The sword was a wonderful thing. Its blade had been made from a shooting star, its hilt had belonged to Martin's family for generations, black and silver bound with a red pommel stone set in the top.
Bella tut-tutted at the sight of her warrior's rain-soaked fur.
"You ought to be looking after yourself," she growled. Martin looked up at her and smiled wearily.
"I will Bella," he assured her. "As soon as Gonff and Log a log get back, I'm off to bed." Bella snatched the tea towel.
"You're not waiting down here another second," she told him firmly.
"But I left Gonff and the Guosim out there in the rain! And I know Gonff mosses Columbine and Gonflet, and all the shrews have got dibbuns back here- "
"And you were up all last night thinking about your journey to the Northlands." Martin started.
"How did you know?"
"There are a lot of things that I know," said Bella, tapping her snout with a huge silvery paw. She pulled martin out of his seat with surprising strength for one so ancient, and gave him a little push in the direction of the dormitories.
When he was halfway up the stairs he turned back. "You are very forceful, old friend," he told her with a smile. "You remind me of. someone I knew once."
Bella stared after Martin as he walked slowly out of sight. "How odd," she said aloud. Who had he meant?
"What's odd Bella?" Gonff's wife Columbine had appeared at Bella's elbow. The badger was shaken out of her trance. "Oh, nothing Columbine," she answered. "Need any help in the kitchens?"
Something landed on Martin's stomach with a thump and woke him instantaneously. He sat up in shock and the baby mouse that had jumped on top of him fell off the bed and landed on his feet. He looked up at Martin indignantly, as did the young squirrel beside him, whose name was Chugger.
"Gonflet!" sighed Martin, flopping back onto the soft pillows. "Don't you have better things to do than jump on creatures when they're asleep? Isn't it time for breakfast?"
Chugger climbed up the sheets and sat on Martin's footpaws. "It past brekkist," he announced. "But all them thin beasties are still eatin'! Bagermum say, 'dibbuns never ever scoffs food like that you hear me? Don't look at poor hungry wretches'. But Chugger hide unner table an' watch. There are lots and lots!" he said excitedly. "Thousands an' millions!" he stretched his arms as far as they would go to show Martin just how many he thought there were. "There's even hares and a.a. badgerer!"
"A badgerer?" yawned Martin. "Why aren't you two in the orchard on this nice day?" The rain had cleared from the previous night. Gonflet yanked on Martin's sheets.
"Daddy asked us to common see if'n you were waked," he said proudly.
"Well I am now, thanks to you two," said Martin, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"Daddy says you comes quick or getta no brekkist he save for you."
"Your Daddy would say that," said Martin, as he kicked Chugger off the bed and climbed out himself. "Is he angry at me for leaving him to get wet?"
"He getta you back next time itta rain," said Gonff's little son.
"Wonderful," groaned Martin, slinging his sword over his back.
Bella of Brockhall, the Mother Badger of Redwall, took charge the second Martin showed the drenched, starving beasts into Cavern Hole.
The kind silvery old badger ushered the twenty or so odd creatures to the table and bellowed orders to the drowsy cooks, who set about fetching food and drinks for their guests.
Once Bella was sure that all the thin, ragged creatures were tucking in furiously, she turned her attention on Martin, who was drying off his sword and sheath with a tea towel. The sword was a wonderful thing. Its blade had been made from a shooting star, its hilt had belonged to Martin's family for generations, black and silver bound with a red pommel stone set in the top.
Bella tut-tutted at the sight of her warrior's rain-soaked fur.
"You ought to be looking after yourself," she growled. Martin looked up at her and smiled wearily.
"I will Bella," he assured her. "As soon as Gonff and Log a log get back, I'm off to bed." Bella snatched the tea towel.
"You're not waiting down here another second," she told him firmly.
"But I left Gonff and the Guosim out there in the rain! And I know Gonff mosses Columbine and Gonflet, and all the shrews have got dibbuns back here- "
"And you were up all last night thinking about your journey to the Northlands." Martin started.
"How did you know?"
"There are a lot of things that I know," said Bella, tapping her snout with a huge silvery paw. She pulled martin out of his seat with surprising strength for one so ancient, and gave him a little push in the direction of the dormitories.
When he was halfway up the stairs he turned back. "You are very forceful, old friend," he told her with a smile. "You remind me of. someone I knew once."
Bella stared after Martin as he walked slowly out of sight. "How odd," she said aloud. Who had he meant?
"What's odd Bella?" Gonff's wife Columbine had appeared at Bella's elbow. The badger was shaken out of her trance. "Oh, nothing Columbine," she answered. "Need any help in the kitchens?"
Something landed on Martin's stomach with a thump and woke him instantaneously. He sat up in shock and the baby mouse that had jumped on top of him fell off the bed and landed on his feet. He looked up at Martin indignantly, as did the young squirrel beside him, whose name was Chugger.
"Gonflet!" sighed Martin, flopping back onto the soft pillows. "Don't you have better things to do than jump on creatures when they're asleep? Isn't it time for breakfast?"
Chugger climbed up the sheets and sat on Martin's footpaws. "It past brekkist," he announced. "But all them thin beasties are still eatin'! Bagermum say, 'dibbuns never ever scoffs food like that you hear me? Don't look at poor hungry wretches'. But Chugger hide unner table an' watch. There are lots and lots!" he said excitedly. "Thousands an' millions!" he stretched his arms as far as they would go to show Martin just how many he thought there were. "There's even hares and a.a. badgerer!"
"A badgerer?" yawned Martin. "Why aren't you two in the orchard on this nice day?" The rain had cleared from the previous night. Gonflet yanked on Martin's sheets.
"Daddy asked us to common see if'n you were waked," he said proudly.
"Well I am now, thanks to you two," said Martin, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"Daddy says you comes quick or getta no brekkist he save for you."
"Your Daddy would say that," said Martin, as he kicked Chugger off the bed and climbed out himself. "Is he angry at me for leaving him to get wet?"
"He getta you back next time itta rain," said Gonff's little son.
"Wonderful," groaned Martin, slinging his sword over his back.
