Chapter Six
The large gatehouse door slowly opened, and though it made only a small creak, everybeast on the field heard the sound of the rusty hinges echo over and over again in their ears. Fangarl's horde charged inside the Abbey grounds while Redwallers, squirrels, and otters dashed down the ramparts to fight at close quarters with the vermin enemies that so cruelly threatened the abbey that they all loved so much.
Rhyna was in the thick of it, flaying about with her sword. Kilt and Raze, vermin though they were, considered Redwall to be their home and were prepared to risk their lives defending it. The two ferrets stood back to back, Raze hacking away at vermin on one side while Kilt used his twin curved swords to cut down the enemy on the other.
Kyra's otters were also giving a good account of themselves in the battle, whirling slings and shooting arrows. Otters, who were bigger than almost any creature save Badgers and who equaled hares in size, were very dangerous. Most vermin steered clear of them, trying instead to go for the few abbey mice that were present.
These, however, proved to be dangerous too! Though the majority of the mice had stayed inside, the ones that had come out were fighting well indeed, the spirit of the Abbey filling their hearts and giving all of the abbey fighters the strength that they needed to cut down the vermin as well as Martin the Warrior himself had done many seasons ago.
Rhyna and her Squirrels had formed many deadly ranks on the ramparts, shooting down random arrows into the sea of vermin running about below, and smiling when they heard a scream. A few of the squirrels ran among the vermin below, their blades crimson with the blood of their enemies and their eyes alight with the fervor of battle.
Kilt and Raze continued hacking and slashing, though their little army was being slaughtered by Fangarl's superiorly trained and armed forces. Neither ferret remembered afterwards which one called out the message that then rang out clear and true through the ranks of tired warriors, but one of them yelled into the thick of the crowd, "Retreat! Retreat! Back to the Abbey!"
Despite their gallant fighting, the small army of Redwallers, Otters, and Squirrels had been cut in half, while Fangarl seemed to have fourscore beasts for every one that she had lost! They had all fought bravely, but there seemed to be no hope for them.
There was a feeling of sadness among the troops, and though they were all silent and did not discuss their feelings and emotions, every last creature felt a sense of impending doom rising within their breasts. No matter how well they fought, Fangarl's soldiers seemed to have defeated them in quantity, if not in quality.
Kilt and Raze were in the midst of all the other warriors, both with their own thoughts. They had just found peace at Redwall, and now they would be forced to have to surrender it to a ferret and her horde. What luck they had had! Kilt looked at his friend, and shrugged. "I don' wanna be an 'ordebeast again, Raze. Or a crewbeast neither. I didn't like it afore, an' I don't wanna do it again."
"Aye, mate," the ferret agreed gravely. "We finally get ourselves an 'ome, an' it gets taken from us. But, I know I ain't gonna die like no cowardly vermin. I'm gonna die upright, fightin' wid tooth 'n claw, like a warrior. Those high 'n mighty vermin hordeleaders 'ave no idea what real bravery means! I know that I probably won't live out this day, but I'm goin' t'fight until I die."
Though the ferret didn't know it, the entire remains of the brave but small army from Redwall had stopped to listen to his words. There was total silence as the last echoes of the ferrets loud and clear voice disappeared in the depths of the Abbey interior. Raze grinned a bit awkwardly, knowing that every creature had heard every word that he had said.
Slowly, the sound of a single pair of paws clapping together could be heard above the thudding of hundreds of weary and sore hearts. Then, the applause grew a bit louder, with the Otters and Squirrels joining in. And soon, though it seemed to the small army like no time at all, the entire war band was whooping and cheering, clapping paws and stomping feet, waving their weapons in the air.
Kilt grinned, and winked broadly at Raze. The ferret tried to ignore him, looking rather sheepish and embarrassed after his inadvertent speech to the small and weary Redwall Army. "Well, Raze," Kilt said cheerily, "it looks like we're goin' t'do somethin' about that ferret and her horde after all, doesn't it?"
Raze nodded, and the two ferrets ran towards the great abbey doors, each grabbing a handle and opening one of the great slabs of wood. The Redwallers charged out to their last and valiant fight. And so, the Abbeydwellers rushed out into Fangarl's waiting horde.
The fight that raged on then was one of the worst that had ever been recorded in Redwall History. Blood ran over the ground, screams, could be heard ringing throughout the grounds as swords hacked, sabers stabbed, flails swung, archers shot, and battlecries rang, many for the last time.
Fear of Fangarl and of death was what kept the vermin of Fangarl's Horde fighting with tooth and claw, using every last scrap of their effort to do their Mistresses bidding. Yes, fear and utter terror was what kept them going, and this same feeling turned them into fierce and desperate warriors who would stop at nothing to win, if only to preserve their own hides for a season or two more.
The few surviving Redwallers were in the center of the army, hacking and stabbing with a will, knowing that this was their chance to be warriors and fight for what they loved. Their glory would be told of with ardor and admiration for seasons and seasons to come, passed on to dibbuns from their elders by word of mouth on cold winter nights after being brought a hot drink.
A group of squirrel archers sent their shafts deep into the flesh of their enemies, determined to make sure that the blood of the Redwallers wasn't spilt in vain. Columns of otters clashed otter javelins against their enemies swords, whirling slings above their heads as their brave comrades died around them.
Redwall mice dove in to the fray with a will, while brave Sparra warriors swooped down onto the vermin from high above. Skystar flew above them in circles, screeching out orders and egging her brave little feathered warriors on. "Hurryup Sparra! Sparra warriors allbrave! Fight and killie wormrats! Killie! Killie for goodmice! Killie! Sparra warriors not give up! Defend Abbey!"
The vermin still outnumbered the goodbeasts at least twenty to one, and though many more of them had died, the woodlanders were still being slowly crushed in the center of the mob. It was then, at their darkest hour, that the woodlanders heard a faint rumbling from the distance. The clashing of sword upon steel stopped as all turned to see the source of the great noise coming from the far west.
As the hearts of the vermin were crushed inside them where they stood, the hearts of the goodbeasts soared as if they had grown wings and taken flight. Lucien Streambed, who was carrying one of his circular blades in one paw, looked up into the sky. The sight that he saw there made his heart lift in his chest, and all were silent as every head turned to look.
Hanging in the sky just above the setting sun was a golden eagle, his feathers resplendent in the evening light, his majestic head held high. His great hooked beak clacked angrily, his wings spread to their fullest extent, the sun just behind him, his great form dancing in shadow and his great beak opening to let out his ferocious northern warcry for all the vermin to hear. . . "KYYEEEEEAAAAAR!"
Following that warcry was an even louder one. This warcry was one that they knew all too well, and one that had defeated them when Fangarl had visited Salamandastron long before. "EULALIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The Salamandastron Long Patrol had arrived!
Their sabers drawn, the hares from the great fire mountain in the far west dove charged into the vermin. MacPhearsome flew above as the hares added a fresh wave of deaths to Fangarl's numbers. Kilt grinned widely, his cheeks hurting with the effort. The ferret dove into the fray, slashing about with his blade.
"Lookit that," he called out excitedly, his heart leaping inside him. "Those 'ares might be gluttons, but they sure c'n fight up a storm! C'mon, Redwallers, lets show these longeared saints that they aren't th' only ones what c'n fight! REDWAAAALL!"
Lucien jumped forwards, as did the rest of the small band of survivors, and grinned from ear to ear at Kilt as they started fighting together. He cast the hares an admiring glance as well before agreeing with Kilt wholeheartedly. "Aye, Kilt Fourclaw, so they can. 'Aven't ye ever 'eard th' term Perilous 'Are, mate?" Kilt hadn't, but didn't say so.
A rather pretty female hare who was fighting near by with many a fancy saber stroke grinned and winked after overhearing their conversation. "Aye, an' th' Long Patrol are th' most Perilous of 'em all, wot! I'm Cap'n Clairethye of th' Long Patrol, doncha know. These blighters here are m'regiment. As soon as that scallywag MacPhearsome showed up saying that Kys and Sky needed us, we got here as fast as we could."
It was after this that Lucien caught sight of something that made his heart leap almost as much as the hares had. Guosim Warriors! Hundreds of them, charging straight towards the fray, lead by Log-A-Log Raivine! And who else would be at their head, but Swifteye!
The Otter dove forwards, hearing the Guosim warcry ringing in his ears as he ran towards his squirrelmaid friend like a madbeast. "LOOOOOG-A- LOOOOOG!" The young squirrelmaid bounded straight over the vermins heads, ignorant of them as she sped towards Lucien. Then, the two friends stood back to back, fighting the vermin with all their strength.
Meanwhile, in Mossflower, Sky regained consciousness a bit before sunset. The first thing that the young Salamandastron Captain felt was pain. Her four paws had been bound to a tree, and were slightly bloated and numb because of their bindings. Her circulation had been neatly cut off.
Her eyesight was blurry at first as she finally lifted her heavy lids. It was only then that the battle she had participated in at Redwall came back to her. It came back slowly, and at first the haremaid saw only flashing images, all running through her mind at breakneck speed. Her most recent past was a blur, rushing by her as if soaring on eaglewing.
She had been getting arrows. She had been attacked by four vermin in all. She had slain the first weasel with her saber, and the two other vermin had followed swiftly. The fur on the back of her neck prickled as she remembered the next part. She had seen Kyra use her bow to kill three more vermin that had come up next to her. Then, a big muscular weasel had come up to her, sword drawn. And then. . .
And then, bursting realization thudded into her still groggy mind. Redwall! What was happening? Had any of the vermin escaped? Had they let in the army? Was Redwall, even now, besieged by the vermin? Had the Redwallers lost their abbey after seasons and seasons? Had Redwall, at last, fallen to the claws of the vermin? Was Fangarl its new mistress now?
Suddenly, her neck felt as if fire was running up it, as if molten led was coursing through every vein in her throat. The haremaid winced, gurgling in the back of her throat, her supply of oxygen cut off as the pain rushed through her neck tendons, coursing up into her aching head. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. She tried again, and still nothing happened. She was mute as a stone.
The weasel. . .
He must have hurt her neck so badly that she couldn't talk! The hare couldn't tell, but she could almost feel the lumps on her neck where future scars would be. She winced. Then, a slow smile of satisfaction crossed her lips. She had killed him, though. That weasel might have taken her voice with his sword, but she, Skythistle Morningdew Meadowsong, had taken his life.
Sky relived the battle she had had with the weasel, taking comfort from the only good thing that had happened. Despite her ferocious pain and almost blinding agony, the haremaid had charged at her weasel like a small furry hurricane, making short work of her larger and heavier opponent. She had killed him, right enough! But then, why was she here in Mossflower?
It was only then that the haremaid truly saw where she was. Her blurry eyes settled on a campfire nearby, and shadowy bodies sitting around it. She was in a vermin Camp! The haremaid would have screamed, but her throat would utter no sound. Vermin! What were they doing here? The haremaid opened her mouth to speak, but she did not make a single sound.
Then, straight through the twoscore vermin, strode a hare. Sky recognized him immediately. Woodshire! He had been at the meeting in Redwall, hadn't he? He was the one who had come to warn them of the vermin. But why was he here, of all places? Why wasn't he back defending Redwall?
The hare stretched out a paw, running it down his injured daughter's cheek. Sky was too stunned and surprised to protest, and she had no voice to protest with. The bindings on her paws severely restricted her movement. The hare opened his mouth to speak. Sky wasn't able to stop him. "So, I see that you've awakened at last. Hello, Daughter."
Sky stared. Even if she hadn't been mute, she wouldn't have been able to speak. She could only watch as he strode back and forth, pacing in front of her, his ears folded back and his hands clasped behind his back. She was stunned. Daughter? What had he meant by that? How was she supposed to be his daughter? Had Woodshire gone completely insane?
"Surprised to find out who I am, Skythistle?" Woodshire asked, a smile creeping across his lips. The hare stopped pacing and turned to face her. "Don't remember your old dad, do you? Well, Miss, I've got a short little story to tell you that I think you'll find amusing. I couldn't tell you at Redwall, of course. You wouldn't have listened. And even if you had listened to me, you wouldn't have believed me."
Sky glared at Woodshire, her eyes seemingly set aflame, her heart pounding within her and her stomach muscles clenching. The haremaid's expression was just as good as a voice. Its message was clear. 'Tying me isn't how to get me to listen.' Woodshire stepped forwards and placed a sympathetic paw on her shoulder.
"Sorry about the. . . inconvenience. I'm hurt by it as much as you are, my dear, but I could never have gotten you to sit still and listen except by holding you captive. You're not going to like the story I have to tell you. Roughly fourteen seasons back, I was a Captain of the famous Long Patrol of Salamandastron. I was young, foolish, as perilous and brave as they came. . .
"But, I suppose they told you that at the mountain. What a brave beast your dear dead daddy was. How he died in a vermin attack, losing his entire family except for you. How he gave his life for good. Well, let me correct your assumptions, then.
"Well, I was out on patrol those many, many seasons ago. Me and my troop were attacked by corsairs on the shore! Well, my wife and my older child were there. A big strong son. The battle between my patrol and the corsairs raged throughout the day and one by one my hares fell to their blades." He paused for a moment, and briefly, a look of regret crossed his hatefully and spitefully distorted expression.
"My patrol was as brave and skilled as they came, but the corsairs outnumbered us greatly. There was no chance of survival, but we all gave our lives anyway, trying to rid the sea and shore of the scum that were attacking Salamandastron. Now, all of my patrol was dead. All of my hares were stained with blood by the end of the day. A blood red sun rose the next morning, but only I was alive to see it.
"The corsairs found me and took me onto a ship, since one of their slaves had died and they were in need of a new one. They turned me into a galley slave. The evil scum put me in the front of the ship's lowest deck with my own oar huge oar to row their ship with. I'll never forget those times. Not ever. Not after what they did to me. The pain and torture that it brought. . .
"Seasons went by. Many seasons. Eventually, the corsairs picked up a whole group of new slaves from a trading island, and so they had no further need of the old and weak. Some of the older ones were thrown overboard once in deep water. They only kept the useful beasts. To my surprise, I was asked to join the crew, and I accepted."
Sky was transfixed, her eyes watching her long lost father as he paced back and forth. How could this be true? After all the stories that she had heard about him. . . how brave he had been, dying. . . how could he have joined up with vermin?
"Things went well from there. Oh, very well indeed. I was just an ordinary crewbeast for a while, the Cap'n testing my worth; making sure I would be loyal to him. Of course, I wouldn't, but I wasn't about to let him find that out yet. After a while, I got promoted. I grew in rank until I was one of the top beasts in the crew! In the end, I was second only to the ships Captain.
"Yes, life was good then. But that fool of a Captain should have realized that I would not be happy with only second best. I wanted it all; the crew, the ship, the plunder, the power. I didn't want to be second mate, kissing the captains boots.
"Mutiny was spreading throughout the crew, and I was at the bottom of it. I let a comment slip here, another there, spreading fear and discord throughout the crew. I thought I had it planned perfectly. We were going to take over the ship! But then, disaster struck. On the night before the attack, a spy that had been one of my most trusted informants betrayed us to the Captain!
"Before anything could happen, I was a galley slave once more. That didn't last long. Escape was easily once planned properly. I then left the ship, and made my way to Mossflower wood. Apparently, these vermin had their captain killed not long after, and came to Mossflower looking for me. Now, I have a crew again! All I need is a ship. And you'll come with me, Sky, now that you've heard my story. You c'n help me a lot, dear. What do you say, then?"
Sky spat on the ground near Woodshire's footpaws. The hare smiled. "Well, I'll give you time to think about it, shall I? Good. Oh, yes, you can't answer me, can you? Oh well. I'll just leave you here with my crew for a bit while you. . . reconsider." And, as swiftly as he had come, Woodshire was gone. The crew stayed still, not moving at first.
Woodshire looked about him as he stood ten feet away from the camp. His vermin thought that he was gone, and so did Sky. Good. The hare let out a low, soft whistle, his ear cocked for an answer. He didn't have to wait long. Soon, he could hear the trees and brush rustling slightly as the creature he had called came to him.
A large, sleek black scaly head poked out of the trees. An adder's head! Woodshire did not bat an eyelash. "Greetings, Meikariss Poisontooth."
"Greetingsssss longearssssss. Meikarissssss comessss for your bidding." The snake said in a low hiss. The hare nodded.
"Good, friend. Remember when I spoke to you last? How I said that I would bring you many good creatures to eat if you only killed them for me? Well, they are only a few feet away from here. You may eat all of them. You may do anything with them that you want. But, you must promise not to kill the haremaid tied to the tree. You got that?"
The snake nodded his big head. "Yesssss, longearssss. Meikarisssss understandsss you perfectly. I will kill and eat them all! Yessssss! And Meikarisssss will not eat the other longearsssss. I sssshall kill them now!" And then, the snake headed through the trees to the crowd of vermin that still surrounded Sky.
Meikariss the serpent lashed his tail, his yellow eyes mere slits as he entered the vermin camp. The vermin sitting around the fire were too stunned to move. They all stared up at the giant reptile before them, their eyes opened wide and their jaws agape. They were in complete and utter shock.
Skythistle reacted in much the same way. Though she could not speak, her eyes bugged out, and her heart rate increased rapidly. Beads of sweat broke out on her forehead, and her breathing became shallow and increasingly quicker. Meikariss watched it all with pleasure, drinking up the fear that the creatures emitted as if it were blood.
And then, he struck. His first victim was a hefty rat with grayish fur. The rat didn't even have time to utter a dying scream. Meikariss left the body where it was. He would collect them all and bring them back to his home later, after he had bitten the others.
Next, he sunk his fangs into a stoat. The stoat groaned, and collapsed to the ground. The remaining vermin were at last coming to their senses, and ran instead of standing around like fat chickens waiting for their turn at the chopping block. Meikariss struck as fast as lightning, snapping left and right, biting every vermin he could get his hands on.
Ferrets, weasels, stoats, rats, and a few foxes fell under the rain of stinging bites that Meikariss dolled out. Soon, every vermin that had been in the camp was dead. Only Sky was left alive.
The adder turned his wedge shaped head towards the female hair, sniffing the air and flicking his forked tongue in and out of his mouth. Yes, this haremaid was plump and juicy, unlike the other creatures that he had killed. Ragged bones, though they were still excellent food. This one was even better, though.
But, then the snake remembered his promise to Woodshire. He had promised not to kill the haremaid that was tied to the tree. He had promised on his life.
However, the snake decided that the haremaid might live without her legs. Woodshire had told him not to kill the haremaid, not to leave her completely alone. And so, he slithered forwards, his stomach growling hungrily as he approached the trapped and helpless haremaiden.
And then. . . the adder knew nothing but pain. He felt a furry body, the body of Woodshire, on the back of his neck, and he felt a sharp pain as the hare dug a shining dagger into his eye. Blood poured onto the ground, and the snake writhed in pain, throwing Woodshire off of his back. And then, he sped away from the clearing and slithered straight towards Redwall Abbey.
Fangarl and her horde were fighting for their lives. This time, it was the vermin who were surrounded! The survivors from the first attack, along with the help of the Long Patrol and the Guosim Shrews were closing in on them, and fast! Fangarl panted as she dueled with more than one beast at once. The ferretmaid was on a killing spree!
The vermin were too tired and busy fighting to shout warcrys. The battlefield that had once been the Redwall Grounds was naught but a once beautiful orchard covered in blood and dead bodies. Fangarl slew a warlike mouse with her great sword, running forwards to start attacking another goodbeast.
It was then that Meikariss came. The huge adder ran straight through the wall, oblivious to everything in its way, bowling over all sorts of creatures as he squirmed over the Redwall grounds, blood squirting from his blind eye. The goodbeasts and vermin alike were too stunned to do anything but move from the snakes trail of destruction.
That hare, Woodshire, was the cause of the adders pain and agony. Yes, that hare had done it. He had poked out the eye of the great serpent. All he had wanted was one bite of the haremaid. He didn't want to kill her. She didn't need her legs, after all. She could have lived. But no, that accursed hare had ruined everything! He had blinded him! He would pay for this treachery!
The snake suddenly veered left, bashing into the army as it tried to rid itself of the pain. The adder was driven mad by the pain in his eye! It felt as if someone had poured vinegar and salt into it and taped the lid down! Blood spattered everybeast as the adder wriggled on the ground, unsure of where he was or what to do.
Then he spotted Fangarl. He had no idea in his pain crazed mind why his single eye fixed on the ferret, but it did. At least having something to distract him from the pain for a moment, the adder jumped forwards, his fangs sinking deep into the ferrets flesh. She screamed, wriggled for a moment in his long sharp teeth, and then died, blood pouring onto the already drenched ground.
Everyone was silent.
Kyra Longfletch opened her eyes. Her head was on a soft pillow, and different creatures were around her bedside. She took a deep breath and tried to sit up, immediately wishing that she hadn't. The ottermaid put a paw to her forehead and winced. "Ohoooo. . . my achin' 'ead! Sister Lavender! Can'tcher gemme somthin' t'stop this pain?"
The good sister, a small mouse who ran the infirmary with a firm paw, came forwards with a dose of something in a tin cup. Kyra drank it down eagerly, not even spitting it out because of its awful taste. Once the slimy stuff had run down her throat, she gagged and sat up straight in bed. The room was in clearer focus. "Oh great seasons, Lavender, what was that stuff you jus' gave me?" The sister smiled.
"Never you mind, riverwhalloper. You just make sure you take it twice a day for a bit. It's a pain reliever. And you aren't the only one who's had to take a dose of it!" Kyra looked around, noticing that many other creatures were in beds next to her. The infirmary was packed!
Standing next to her bed were Sky, Lucien, Kilt, Raze, Swifteye, Log-A-Log Raivine, Skystar, Claire, Rhyna, and even Abbess Samara, though the good abbess was not there for long, instead helping Sister May with her other patients. Kyra smiled at her visitors and looked out of the nearby window, not able to see much.
"So," she asked, feeling a bit awkward. "What happened? All I c'n remember is these intruders. That's right! Intruders! In the Abbey! Sky! You saw 'em! They were tryin' to attack us, but I stopped a few. Then, there was this big ferret, an' I tried t'stop him, but he attacked me, and then I squeezed and I killed him and. . . and. . . and. . . that's all."
Lucien laughed, putting a paw over Kyra's mouth. "Stop talkin' so fast! We know there were intruders. One of 'em got away, an' he let Fangarl an' 'er 'orde in the Abbey. We put up a good battle, but were about to be cut t'pieces before the Long Patrol came an' saved our tails!"
"The Guosim too!" piped up Raivine, the female leader of the Guosim Shrews. "Your friend Swifteye brought us." Kyra looked confused, noticing the strange squirrel standing next to Rhyna for the first time. She gave her a quizzical look and offered her paw to shake. The squirrel took it and gripped firmly.
"Oh, hello there. I'm Swifteye, though most call me Swifty, or Sam, which is my proper name. I'm a friend of Luciens. I knew he had come to Redwall. I followed his trail through Mossflower, y'see. I saw the vermin, an' reckoned that I'd bring along some help for Redwall. Rainne an' I are friends."
Kyra smiled and gave the Guosim leader a grateful look. "I know Raivine too! Log-A-Log Raivine an' I go way back. She was the one who helped rescue me three seasons back when I was a slave! I'm Kyra, by the way. Kyra Longfletch, Skipper o' River H'Otters. I've met Lucien."
Claire stepped forwards, coughing importantly. Kyra laughed. "Oh, an' we can't forget you, can we, Cap'n? Everyone who doesn't know, this is Cap'n Clairethye of the Long Patrol from Salamandastron." Claire made an elegant leg to Swifteye and Lucien, winking broadly.
"So I am, m'buckoes! When Lord MacThingummy, that great bloomin' eagle bird friend of yours, Kys, came to ask us for help, Lord Seastripe sent me out right away t'come and see if I could give you chaps a hand, eh wot!" Everyone except Sky laughed, though no one noticed.
Skystar hopped forwards and stood next to the Ottermaids bed. "Sparra warriors and Goodmice fightum hard! We fight wormrats and wormweasels. We fightum good! But Leadworm Ferret, she no give up! She still fight! Allabrave, but badworm too! So, then big scaleworm with poisontooth came. Killed Wormferret! Bit her with poisonteeth. We kill alla other vermin."
Kilt grinned sheepishly. "I might be able to explain that, Kys. Y'see, I was out in Mossflower. I slipped away from the battle after I found you. I hadn't seen you or Sky at all for a while, so I was startin' t'get worried. I found you shoved in some bushes and got you up here with MacPhearsomes help. Then, I saw some hare tracks leading into Mossflower. I'm no expert, but I thought that they might be Sky's. Even though I was wrong, I found her anyway. But it's a long story. I'll let Sky tell you later."
Rhyna smiled and tucked the otter neatly back into her bed. "But, we're going to save that for tomorrow, you great lump of a riverdog. That ferret gave you quite a pounding! But, you got th' blighter. Now, you need to get to sleep, Kyra Longfletch!"
Lavender nodded her agreement. "Yes. The Reguba is quite right, Skipper. You ought to be in bed restin' that sore head of yours instead of running about in all directions. Besides, you've got nothing to worry about right now. The vermin are dead."
Raze laughed. "Sure, Kyra doesn't have anything to worry about, but the rest of us do! We're due for dinner after that battle soon, and the poor cooks are going to have to cater to an entire regiment of Clairethye's hares! All us poor abbeybeasts will be fighting again just to get a crumb!"
Everyone laughed, even Claire.
Meanwhile, far away, a certain Rat Warlord had finally recovered from the grievous injuries inflicted on him three seasons ago, and was preparing to go to Mossflower. He was searching for the creature that had almost taken his life. That creature was Kyra Longfletch.