Author's Notes: This chapter dedicated to Eve because it's her birthday/ almost her birthday! Stay crazy, 'cos we like you the way you are, Ada! *Huggle*
*Now on to the story*
Finally they got down to business, and Mordalfus regained his full attention again. Pushing aside his beaker of hotrooted ale the elderly mouse pushed his glasses and stared around the room in the most intimidating manner a mouse could.
Evelyn nearly toppled off her chair giggling as the minute creature (which was now her height in Mossflower) turned his stare on her for a split second. Sam Cheok hauled her back onto her seat and impatiently jabbed the sniggering girl in the ribs in a bid to keep her quiet. "Calm down, you idiot."
"Why are we here in this Mossgrass place thingy?" Shu Ning asked, addressing the very question that had been on her classmates' minds.
Before Mordalfus could reply, Diana turned a death glare on Shu Ning. "Honestly! This place is Mossflower, Shu Ning, not Mossgrass!"
"As I was about to say, before I had been interrupted – " Diana snorted at this, "You all have arrived as guests to our abbey. We have requested help, and you all have arrived as apparently planned, although I did not expect so many other people to some along as well." The Abbot fixed the teachers with a bemused smile. Miss Ng shrank back into her corner.
"Why? And – And how?" Sam Wong asked.
"We need help, you see, since vermin are probably going to try to invade the abbey again. And thus you have come." Mordalfus said very simply, as though the matter was as simple as Dibbuns traipsing to pick strawberries, which it probably was to him.
But to the Mother Badgers, Dibbuns traipsing to pick strawberries was not at all a simple matter, and thus they were rightfully concerned.
"Why can't we ask Salamandastron for help like we always have done? I mean, we lodge and feed them for quite a while whenever they come by, and that is no mean feat."
The badgers shuddered simultaneously at the fond memories of half a mountain of hares during the last feast. The three friars never really got over the shock, and they would jump and protectively run to the kitchens now every time the word "Salamandastron" was mentioned. Counseling seemed to be the most feasible option now…
At this question Abbot Mordalfus looked sheepish. "Well, it's not so simple, you see. The last time Rawnblade came here, he woke up in the morning to find his fur dyed bright yellow. He questioned all the Dibbuns about it, since it was quite a humiliating experience, but all of them swore upon raspberry cordial that they did not do anything. I think he would have figured out the culprit by now, so…"
The badgers smiled indulgently at this, while the others looked amused.
Mordalfus calmly continued. "Well, and as for *how* you got here, I'm sure Martin has his methods."
"Martin?" Sara asked blankly. "I thought he's dead."
"Yes I am." Came a distorted voice from somewhere in the ceiling. The humans jumped and looked up as Yvonne shrieked.
There was Martin the Warrior, as was depicted in the tapestry. Except that well, he was a ghost.
Shimmering, the dead mouse floated down and scowled at Sara. "I *am* dead, human girl whatever, I'm a ghost. And yes, I was responsible for landing you here." Then his demeanor changed and he leaned forward. "Did the explosion turn out fine? I tried to make it erupt purple smoke instead but it messed up somewhere on the third red wire. Oh well, you're here, and that's what matters, I guess."
"Well, that's nice," Kylie muttered. "Can he send us back?"
"In due time I will." Martin replied huffily, as though mortally insulted. "Oh, and by the way, Mordalfus, I was one who put that frog under your blankets last night, in case you were wondering."
The Abbot looked rather embarrassed.