Suru twirled his whip thoughtfully. After leaving the grove for Redwall, he
discovered a well-used path, and ordered his five score crew to the path.
It was easier walking, and the soft dust stirred, sending up motes calmly.
He had known tales from being a simple bilgerat, in front of the sea coal
fire and roasting sea birds. Redwall was famous from badgers to sea rats,
ferrets to voles, stoats to mice.
He eyed the sun, shielding the brightness with the bottom of his stolen tunic. "Ahoy, Cuttail, me heartie, is it midday yet?"
Cuttail, good at time and the position of the sun, replied, "I figger one good league of walking and we'll be near-"
Suddenly, a stoat that had turned the bend of the road cried, "Look, there's a big rock building up there!"?
Suru, when he had caught up, cuffed him soundly. "Wot else would it be, dummy? C'mon, mates, draw yer weapons and charrrrrge!"
The crew of fivescore rushed to the Abbey, but was greeted by yells, slingstones and arrows of contempt.
The former crew of the CrabCarcass backed off into the ditch. Suru, rubbing his tail, which was throbbing from a slingstone, snapped. "Those Redwallers are gonna pay!" He swiped a rusty and cracked shield from a gaunt rat and jumped out of the ditch, deflecting an arrow.
Oplleas snorted and lowered his yew bow. "An' I nearly 'ad 'im there!"
Deyna raised a paw grasping a barkcloth sling. "Wait, let's see what the vermin have to say."
Sister Sicily grimly chuckled. "Vermin don't say, they attack!"
ShadowSong placed a gentle paw on the mouse. "Wait, they're speaking!"
Suru shouted out from behind his shield. "Yew Redwallers are going to pay fer this, yew 'ear!"
The Abbess, about to load her sling, replied. "Redwall does not pay to vermin and searats. But what do you want here?"
Holding up a splintered spear to repel any projectiles, Cuttail yelled, "We want yon Redwall place, so haul yer tails out of there, ruddertail!"
Deyna skillfully launched off a big round river pebble. It shattered the spear blade, sending sparks and shards of steel on the unfourtunate rat. Cuttail yowled in pain.
Abbess Mhera shouted from the battlements, "We do not give up to rats, stoats, ferrets and foxes. Go, before we give you something to really think about!"
Suru signaled for the crew to dive into the forest. Still clutching the battered shield, he threw himself in the thick foiliage, bellowing, "We'll hold yer siege, and then youse'll be begging for mercy!"
*** Skipper of the Otters was in a pine grove, coming back from a river trip with the Guosim, when he heard the bells. He turned to his compainion, a stout female shrew wearing a headband of green. "Ahoy, Log-a-log, I thinks Redwall is calling!"
The shrew, Log-a-log Marlonm, nodded. "Best 'urry up then, mate!" He turned to his shrews. "Git ready, mates, we're going to Redwall!"
Cheers and much talk about the food and fare of Redwall Abbey greeted this.
*** Log-a-log was near the back of the Abbey when an arrow bounced of the wall near her. She yelled out, "Let us in, mates, afore we gets slain!"
Mhera raced to the back gate, and swung it open. A stream of shrews and otters poured in.
Log-a-log bit her lip. "Marm, why are there vermin out there? Is that why you called?"
Mhera shook her head wearily. "Not really, but come in."
He eyed the sun, shielding the brightness with the bottom of his stolen tunic. "Ahoy, Cuttail, me heartie, is it midday yet?"
Cuttail, good at time and the position of the sun, replied, "I figger one good league of walking and we'll be near-"
Suddenly, a stoat that had turned the bend of the road cried, "Look, there's a big rock building up there!"?
Suru, when he had caught up, cuffed him soundly. "Wot else would it be, dummy? C'mon, mates, draw yer weapons and charrrrrge!"
The crew of fivescore rushed to the Abbey, but was greeted by yells, slingstones and arrows of contempt.
The former crew of the CrabCarcass backed off into the ditch. Suru, rubbing his tail, which was throbbing from a slingstone, snapped. "Those Redwallers are gonna pay!" He swiped a rusty and cracked shield from a gaunt rat and jumped out of the ditch, deflecting an arrow.
Oplleas snorted and lowered his yew bow. "An' I nearly 'ad 'im there!"
Deyna raised a paw grasping a barkcloth sling. "Wait, let's see what the vermin have to say."
Sister Sicily grimly chuckled. "Vermin don't say, they attack!"
ShadowSong placed a gentle paw on the mouse. "Wait, they're speaking!"
Suru shouted out from behind his shield. "Yew Redwallers are going to pay fer this, yew 'ear!"
The Abbess, about to load her sling, replied. "Redwall does not pay to vermin and searats. But what do you want here?"
Holding up a splintered spear to repel any projectiles, Cuttail yelled, "We want yon Redwall place, so haul yer tails out of there, ruddertail!"
Deyna skillfully launched off a big round river pebble. It shattered the spear blade, sending sparks and shards of steel on the unfourtunate rat. Cuttail yowled in pain.
Abbess Mhera shouted from the battlements, "We do not give up to rats, stoats, ferrets and foxes. Go, before we give you something to really think about!"
Suru signaled for the crew to dive into the forest. Still clutching the battered shield, he threw himself in the thick foiliage, bellowing, "We'll hold yer siege, and then youse'll be begging for mercy!"
*** Skipper of the Otters was in a pine grove, coming back from a river trip with the Guosim, when he heard the bells. He turned to his compainion, a stout female shrew wearing a headband of green. "Ahoy, Log-a-log, I thinks Redwall is calling!"
The shrew, Log-a-log Marlonm, nodded. "Best 'urry up then, mate!" He turned to his shrews. "Git ready, mates, we're going to Redwall!"
Cheers and much talk about the food and fare of Redwall Abbey greeted this.
*** Log-a-log was near the back of the Abbey when an arrow bounced of the wall near her. She yelled out, "Let us in, mates, afore we gets slain!"
Mhera raced to the back gate, and swung it open. A stream of shrews and otters poured in.
Log-a-log bit her lip. "Marm, why are there vermin out there? Is that why you called?"
Mhera shook her head wearily. "Not really, but come in."