The sun was slowly rising when Merlin came to Salamandastron. He had run
along the coast through the night, and when he saw the mountain looming in
the distance, he was relieved. Even though he had been trained as a
runner, the journey between where Sergeant Polwyn's had fought the previous
day and Salamandastron was more than enough to strain his legs, especially
paired with the exertion of being Sergeant Polwyn's primary scout through
the whole journey.
When Merlin walked toward one of Salamandastron's many entrances, he was greeted by a hare even newer to the Patrol than he was. The Long Patroller seemed unnaturally jumpy, and after Merlin introduced himself, he asked the hare about it. "Why so jumpy, friend? Th' vermin are a way south of here, an' it'll be a bit before th' war actually starts in full force."
The hare at the door shook his head. "That's not what I'm worried about, but thanks for carin'. My worries are more towards Sergeant Polwyn's hares. They're facing a horde of vermin with many times the amount of beasts he has with him. In fact, there are even more vermin in that horde than we have hares at Salamandastron. I know that th' Sergeant isn't down there to defeat th' vermin horde, but what if th' vermin decide t' track down the Sergeant's hares an' kill them? Would they be able to fight back?"
Merlin shook his head. "They wouldn't fight back, they'd run. No matter how many beasts are in th' vermin horde, there would only be a few that could keep pace with a hare. If there were any at all. So there's no way that Sergeant Polwyn an' his hares would be caught without an escape route. An' believe me, the Sergeant is too cautious t' be caught off his guard by those vermin. He was surprised by them once before, an' that was only because he didn't see any reason t' keep his guard up. This time, he'll be more careful, an' there's no chance that those scoundrels will find a way t' get at his hares."
"That's a jolly good thing t' hear," said the younger hare, seeming to be genuinely relieved by Merlin's words. "Now, what're you here for? I don't know th' sergeant personally, but I don't think that Sergeant Polwyn would send his runner back for no reason. Is there anybeast in particular you want t' see?"
So young, Merlin was surprised to find himself thinking. He had been given patronizing looks by the older Long Patrollers before, even those who were only a few seasons into their service at Salamandastron and had never fought in the Stormrat War. Merlin could understand why the older Long Patrollers would think less of a hare that had not yet proved himself to Salamandastron, but he started to wonder if the hares that were just a few seasons more experienced than he was really had any more experience than he did. Aside from a few skirmishes along the coast, the Long Patrol had stayed out of trouble, and there would have been no chance for the newer hares to prove themselves.
Lord Rocketh, too, was inexperienced, but Merlin found himself respecting the Badger Lord even more than the experienced Long Patrol hares. The badger had adapted to his position as Lord of Salamandastron quickly, and though he hadn't seen any actual battles yet, he still seemed calm even with a horde of vermin stronger than the Long Patrol a few days' march from Salamandastron. Merlin didn't doubt that the Badger Lord was feeling some pressure, but he seemed more able to deal with and ready for battle than all except the most seasoned Long Patroller.
When Merlin noticed that he was keeping the hare waiting, he nodded. "Yes. Sergeant Polwyn told me t' go directly t' Lord Rocketh. It's an urgent message. You could either lead me t' him or tell me where he is so I could find him myself."
"I think Lord Rocketh is in the forge room," said the hare. "He probably won't want t' be disturbed, but if your news is urgent enough that Sergeant Polwyn wanted you t' go t' him directly, I doubt he'll mind."
Merlin nodded his thanks and walked into the mountain. Hares glanced at him curiously as he passed, but they didn't ask any questions. The runner climbed up Salamandastron, and after about ten minutes he finally arrived at the door to the forge room.
Colonel Jeffrey raised a paw in greeting. "Hello, Merlin. Lord Rocketh is inside o' his forge room, but he isn't in a mood to be talkin' t' anybeast. He drove me out a bit ago when I tried t' make a suggestion 'bout our upcomin' war. He told me t' wait 'til later, but I have no idea when he's goin' t' be done. I'm waitin' out here for th' moment, so if you'd care to join me, you're welcome to."
"Thank you, sah," said Merlin, leaning against one of Salamandastron's walls. "What is it that drives Lord Rocketh t' try t' forge weapons? Th' armory has more'n enough for the entire Long Patrol, so I don't see why he feels he needs t' make more. I'd understand it if it was just him feelin' that he needed a good weapon, but he seems to want t' outfit the whole Long Patrol with weapons an' armor made with his own two paws."
The colonel nodded in agreement, and Merlin could tell that his mind was occupied by similar thoughts. "I think he believes that he isn't a good enough Badger Lord t' rule this mountain if he can't forge weapons an' armor of the same quality his predecessors made," said Jeffrey. "An' after you left for the coast south o' here, Lord Rocketh had taken to carryin' around that sword that Lord Rocketh had made for the next Badger Lord of this mountain. Before now, he'd refused t' touch the thing, but now that war is upon us I think that he's lost his reservations about usin' it. But he's still tryin' to forge weapons of his own, an' it doesn't sound like he's doin' a very good job of it."
Jeffrey's words were soon proved to be true. A cry of frustration could be heard from within the forge room, and Merlin could make out the sounds of metal crashing against rock and the swinging of a sword through the air. His eyes widened, and even Jeffrey seemed a bit startled by the noise that was coming from the forge room. The colonel reached out a paw and placed it on Merlin's shoulder, leading the younger hare away from the forge room.
"It might be best if you were t' wait to deliver your news t' him," said Jeffrey, leading Merlin back down toward the first level of Salamandastron. "Badger Lords can be nasty when they were in a temper. Now, would you mind tellin' me what this news you were sent to deliver is all about? If you can't talk to Lord Rocketh, you can at least tell it to me, wot wot?"
"Yes, I could, sah," answered Merlin. At Jeffrey's impatient nod, Merlin continued speaking. "We attacked the vermin horde, an' managed t' kill a few o' th' beasts. They got a few o' our hares before the Sergeant withdrew. But I don't think that it was th' battle itself that the sergeant wanted me t' tell Lord Rocketh about. I think he wanted him t' know what happened afterward."
"Well then, spit it out," said Colonel Jeffrey. "What is it that you think th' sergeant wanted Lord Rocketh t' know?"
"After we managed to escape, we regrouped further away from th' vermin horde. When we looked back at 'em, we saw a Stormrat. But it looked even more fierce than I had heard. He was twice as big as a normal searat, an' as strong lookin' as a badger. Even Sergeant Polwyn seemed surprised." Colonel Jeffrey was about to interrupt him, but Merlin raised a paw to stop him. "I know what you're goin' t' say, sah, but I'm not exaggeratin'. Sergeant Polwyn didn't tell me exactly what he wanted me t' say t' Lord Rocketh when I got here, but since it was the Stormrat that seemed t' shake him the most, I figured that that was what he wanted me t' tell Lord Rocketh."
"Sergeant Polwyn didn't tell you what he wanted Lord Rocketh t' know?" said Colonel Jeffrey, genuinely confused. "That was very unprofessional o' him. He must've been shaken to send you here without any idea o' what to tell Lord Rocketh. The Stormrat must've shaken him up bad." Merlin was relieved to hear this, since it gave the impression that Jeffrey believed him when he told about the Stormrat.
Colonel Jeffrey led Merlin to the dining hall, which was deserted except for a number of hares moving across the cavernous room and a few Long Patrollers eating at the tables. Jeffrey brought Merlin over to where oatcakes sat on one of the tables. After giving the other hares in the dining hall a quick glance to ensure that none of them were watching, Jeffrey grabbed two of the oatcakes, clutching one to his chest and giving the other to Merlin. "Nobeast'll miss these," he said quietly, and beckoned Merlin to go sit at the far end of one of the tables.
Merlin sat, and munched at the pilfered oatcake. It tasted heavenly after his run, and Merlin only regretted that he could not eat more of the Long Patrol cooks' fare. While not as good as the food that was reputed to be served at Redwall, the food prepared by Salamandastron's cooks had to sustain all of the Long Patrol. And while it was often said that hares would eat anything, it was a well-known fact that they preferred to have the best food available to them. Salamandastron's cooks catered to these needs as best they could.
The two hares finished their oatcakes, and sat in silence for a while. Merlin's hunger had not been completely satisfied, but he was glad for the chance to have eaten something other than the meager rations Sergeant Polwyn had taken with him on his journey south.
"Do y' think that Lord Rocketh has calmed down by now?" asked Merlin after several minutes of silence. He was getting impatient, and wanted to deliver his message to the Badger Lord as soon as possible.
"I don't know, Merlin," answered Colonel Jeffrey, shrugging his shoulders. "Badgers' tempers are unpredictable. One minute they're th' most calm and friendly beasts around, an' th' next minute they're in a battle-rage, killin' everythin' in their path whether it be vermin or goodbeast." Jeffrey glanced upward, as if he were trying to see through the rock layer of Salamandastron to the forge room. "Lord Rocketh hasn't succumbed to the Bloodwrath yet, but workin' with metals is enough t' drive him into a rage. He's a fierce temper as it is, an' I wouldn't want t' be in his way on th' battlefield if he should be taken by the Bloodwrath."
Every badger who had ruled Salamandastron had come under the influence of the Bloodwrath at sometime in his or her life, with only a few exceptions. The Bloodwrath filled a beast with a burning rage and a desire to kill. Anybeast under the grip of the Bloodwrath would slay anybeast in its path, friend and foe alike. Although Lord Rocketh had not yet come under the grip of this insane battle rage, there was no doubt that he would be more formidable than any vermin. Except, perhaps, a Stormrat.
"Should I go look for him, or wait a bit?" Merlin asked uncertainly. He had been trained in the ways of combat, but only the most experienced hare was able to deal with a Badger Lord of Salamandastron in a bad mood. Younger hares only stepped into the presence of an enraged Badger Lord when they were forced to, and even older Long Patrollers tended to shy away from such confrontations. "I don't want to cross paths with him if he isn't in the mood to talk to other beasts, but what I have to say may be urgent. What should I do, Colonel?"
Jeffrey's face adopted a contemplative expression, but he was saved from answering Merlin's query. Lord Rocketh walked into Salamandastron's dining room, just barely managing to keep his head high and not even trying to hide his tired face. Merlin guessed that the fires of the Badger Lord's rage had been burnt out on whatever he had been attempting to forge, and he was now left exhausted.
"Now's your chance, wot wot," said Colonel Jeffrey, standing and reaching down a paw to pull Merlin up beside him. "Go tell Lord Rocketh what you came here t' tell him. He might not like what you have t' say, but he's too tired t' do anythin' that th' beasts in this room can't deal with. That is, if they were given enough warnin'." Jeffrey chuckled when he saw the look of dread that crossed Merlin's face. "I was jus' kiddin' with you, lad. Now, go an' tell him what you saw."
Reluctantly, Merlin walked over to Lord Rocketh. It took all his will to keep his legs from shaking, and his paws clenched into fists at his sides. This is more difficult than seeing that Stormrat, he thought. And then, he was at the Badger Lord's side, and mustering up his courage, Merlin spoke. "Sire, this is Merlin, th' runner you sent with Sergeant Polwyn, reportin'. I got some news that you might want t' hear."
~~~
Lord Rocketh was more exhausted than he had been when he had awoke during the night with a burning desire to forge a weapon. Despite having just awoken, Lord Rocketh splashed water on his face from the basin that stood on the stand beside his bed and made his way up to the forge room. He had considered taking the great sword that Lord Sunforge had made for him with him, since he carried it almost everywhere he went, but decided against taking another badger's work into the forge room while he was working. Once he was there, he had heated a bar of steel in the forge's fire and begun to hammer it on his anvil. He had planned to make a magnificent longsword, but halfway through his efforts it had been plain that Lord Rocketh's efforts would not produce a piece that would measure up to his expectations.
But even after this realization, Rocketh continued to hammer at the metal, desperate to shape a weapon that would live up to his expectations. But when he had finished hammering and submerged the steel in the forge room's water tank. Once the hissing of cooling metal had ceased, Lord Rocketh withdrew the blade from the tank and hoped against hope that he would not find what he had expected. But the blade that had been forged was nowhere near his expectations, and he had submitted to his frustration.
If anybeast was to walk into the forge room right now, they would see hardly any evidence of the rage and frustration that Lord Rocketh had been feeling just minutes ago. The blade that he had forged lay bent next to the anvil, and he had thrown his hammer against the forge room's wall. But the rest of the racket that Lord Rocketh had made was caused by the Badger Lord's frustrated pounding against the stone floor of the forge room and his bestial exclamations of rage. By the time he had regained his senses, he had barely enough energy left in him to stand and walk out of the forge room.
The badger had considered going to his chambers to sleep, but he remembered that Colonel Jeffrey had wanted to see him about the coming war with the vermin horde. Nothing urgent, if he remembered correctly, but still important enough to merit his attention. If nothing else, talking to him would reassure the Colonel that Rocketh was recovered from his outburst. Lord Rocketh's first destination was the dining hall, since that was Jeffrey's favorite location within the mountain fortress. But when he finally reached the dining hall, Lord Rocketh had found himself unable to continue walking and had to slump down in a chair to regain his energy.
He was surprised when a hare approached him. His surprise grew when he heard that it was Merlin, one of the hares he had sent out to assist Sergeant Polwyn in his harassment of the vermin horde south of Salamandastron. The Badger Lord brought his head up and stared at the hare. "Yes, I would like to hear whatever news Sergeant Polwyn sent you to deliver," said Lord Rocketh, tearing his mind away from thoughts of rest and giving his complete attention to the hare.
"Yesterday mornin', the hares that you sent south under the command o' Sergeant Polwyn surprised an' attacked the vermin horde. After the initial surprise wore off, th' vermin tried to get in close, but we managed to turn tail an' flee before they managed to hurt us. But a group o' their archers managed to down a couple o' our hares, an' we had taken some losses before we managed t' get out o' arrow range an' regroup." Merlin shuffled his feet uncertainly, as if not sure of what to say next.
Lord Rocketh was willing to help get the information out of him. "I don't think that Sergeant Polwyn would send you here just to report the outcome of a single ambush," said the badger. "There must be something more that you haven't told me yet. What is it that the sergeant thinks I need to know?
"Well, sire... we saw th' Stormrat on the battlefield today. But it didn't look anythin' like what I expected it to. Th' whole patrol seemed awed, and even Sergeant Polwyn seemed surprised. I guess that not even Stormrats are usually that fierce an' strong looking." After Merlin had said his piece, he began to shuffle his feet again. He cast a nervous glance toward the main door of the dining hall, and Lord Rocketh could tell that the hare wanted to be out of his presence as soon as possible. Maybe he heard what I was doing inside the forge room? thought Rocketh, remembering his frustration and the noise he had made because of it.
"What exactly made this Stormrat so fearsome?" asked Lord Rocketh.
"The Stormrat was twice as big as a normal rat, an' looked about as strong as you. Sergeant Polwyn said that it was nothin' like the Stormrats he fought in th' war, but I don't think he meant for th' other hares t' hear what he said." Merlin looked up at Lord Rocketh, and made a visible effort to get himself under control. "Can I... leave now, sire?"
Rocketh nodded. "Thank you for delivering the news. Go to your dormitory and get some rest. I'll send out another runner to take your place. You're dismissed."
"Thank you, sah," said Merlin. The young hare turned and left, leaving Lord Rocketh alone to contemplate his failure in the forge room.
But Lord Rocketh was not left alone for long. "Lord Rocketh," said a hare's voice from in front of the Badger Lord. Before he even looked up, Lord Rocketh knew that it was Colonel Jeffrey. Probably here to scold me for losing my temper on hm, thought Lord Rocketh bitterly. The Badger Lord regretted sending the colonel away when he had come to the forge room, but he did not want to admit that he was wrong. Not yet, at least.
Wearily, Lord Rocketh raised his head and looked at Jeffrey. "Yes, Colonel?" he asked, trying to keep himself as civil as he could even though he was exhausted and the colonel was one of the last beasts that he wanted to talk to.
"I was thinkin' that when th' vermin get here, we're goin' t' have t' defend the garden on th' outside well t' prevent the vermin from destroyin' them. Normally, I wouldn't be worried about somethin' like that, but this horde is significantly stronger than we are. If they were t' burn our gardens, or worse, gain control o' them, we'd be hard-pressed t' keep ourselves supplied. We've got food in th' larders, but if th' vermin take control o' our gardens, I don't think that we'll be able t' outlast them. An' if they brought supplies of their own an' manage to burn our gardens, it'll be just as bad." Colonel Jeffrey looked concernedly at Lord Rocketh. "In th' Stormrat War, we didn't give them a chance t' get to the gardens, but we had the help o' Redwallers before the Stormrats arrived. This time around, it looks like the vermin'll get to us before the Redwallers, if they decide t' come at all. Do y' have any plans for defendin' the gardens?"
"None at present," answered Lord Rocketh, frowning. He tried to think of how to defend the gardens from a vermin horde, but his mind was exhausted and clear thoughts eluded him. "I'll think about it later, Colonel, and I'd appreciate your input. But at the moment, I'd like to sleep."
Jeffrey nodded understandingly. "Lost your temper up there in th' forge room? I heard it from outside, an' young Merlin did, too. Are y' still tryin' t' forge a weapon that'll meet your expectations, even with a vermin horde a couple days south o' here?"
Lord Rocketh smiled guiltily. "Yes, I'm still trying to make magnificent weapons. I might have my own sword, but I still want to be better than I am now. Well, that's not it. Almost every Badger Lord before me seems to have had a good paw when it came to forging weapons and armor, so why shouldn't I?"
The colonel shook his head sadly. "Perhaps y' were just not born with th' talent, as th' other Badger Lords seem t' have been. It may seem t' you that lacking that talent is enough t' make y' unworthy of your position as Lord of Salamandastron, but that isn't th' case. What other Badger Lords seem t' have been born with you could obtain with long seasons of practice. An' forgin' weapons is just one o' the skills that Badger Lords are famous in. You'll find somethin' else to specialize in."
"Are you trying to tell me something, Colonel?" asked Lord Rocketh, somewhat confused. He could sense a meaning in the hare's words, but he was too tired to be able to puzzle it out. And he had a feeling that even if his mind were fully awake, he still wouldn't be able to puzzle out the meaning of Jeffrey's words.
"Lord Sunforge was fond o' saying that everybeast had a talent, an' would find it if they tried," Colonel Jeffrey said, closing his eyes as if in memory. "He used that phrase t' inspire hares that couldn't master a particular skill. I'm usin' it t' say that there are more important things a Badger Lord can do than forge weapons an' armor. Y' might be a smith, but before that, you're a warrior. An' before that, you're a leader. You don't have t' be able to forge metals to be a Badger Lord of Salamandastron. If y' can lead us, it's enough. But it would be better off if y' were a warrior, too. An' a smith would most certainly be a great asset t' th' Long Patrol. Y' can try to be a smith, but not right now. Now, we need a leader an' a warrior. Save your frustration for those duties."
Colonel Jeffrey's words stung Rocketh, but the Badger Lord knew that what he said was correct. He was foolish to spend his time trying to forge weapons that the Long Patrol already had when what they really needed was a leader to rally them. He still felt the desire to make weapons, even though he knew it wasn't necessary, but... he needed to get his priorities straight.
"Thank you, Colonel," Lord Rocketh said gruffly. He stood, and pushed in the chair he had been sitting in. After taking a closer look at it, he was surprised that it had not cracked under his weight. "I'll take your advice to heart."
Then, he left, climbing though Salamandastron to his chambers. When he finally opened his door, he was exhausted from the walk and more than willing to go to sleep. But before he was able to drift off, he thought he saw a shadow in the corner of the room. It looked like a badger, older and stronger than he was.
You're on the right path. The thought came to Lord Rocketh forcefully, but it had a soothing effect. He closed his eyes, and let himself drift into a deep sleep. But before he passed into a world of dreams, he could feel the shadowy badger watching over him. Its presence felt comforting to him, and it felt as if there was some sort of pride in the way it watched over Lord Rocketh. But there was something else, too, a sense of urgency that was too fierce to be ignored. I know you can do this. I chose you for a reason. But you'll need all your strength, and all the help you can get, to do what we all need you to.
When Merlin walked toward one of Salamandastron's many entrances, he was greeted by a hare even newer to the Patrol than he was. The Long Patroller seemed unnaturally jumpy, and after Merlin introduced himself, he asked the hare about it. "Why so jumpy, friend? Th' vermin are a way south of here, an' it'll be a bit before th' war actually starts in full force."
The hare at the door shook his head. "That's not what I'm worried about, but thanks for carin'. My worries are more towards Sergeant Polwyn's hares. They're facing a horde of vermin with many times the amount of beasts he has with him. In fact, there are even more vermin in that horde than we have hares at Salamandastron. I know that th' Sergeant isn't down there to defeat th' vermin horde, but what if th' vermin decide t' track down the Sergeant's hares an' kill them? Would they be able to fight back?"
Merlin shook his head. "They wouldn't fight back, they'd run. No matter how many beasts are in th' vermin horde, there would only be a few that could keep pace with a hare. If there were any at all. So there's no way that Sergeant Polwyn an' his hares would be caught without an escape route. An' believe me, the Sergeant is too cautious t' be caught off his guard by those vermin. He was surprised by them once before, an' that was only because he didn't see any reason t' keep his guard up. This time, he'll be more careful, an' there's no chance that those scoundrels will find a way t' get at his hares."
"That's a jolly good thing t' hear," said the younger hare, seeming to be genuinely relieved by Merlin's words. "Now, what're you here for? I don't know th' sergeant personally, but I don't think that Sergeant Polwyn would send his runner back for no reason. Is there anybeast in particular you want t' see?"
So young, Merlin was surprised to find himself thinking. He had been given patronizing looks by the older Long Patrollers before, even those who were only a few seasons into their service at Salamandastron and had never fought in the Stormrat War. Merlin could understand why the older Long Patrollers would think less of a hare that had not yet proved himself to Salamandastron, but he started to wonder if the hares that were just a few seasons more experienced than he was really had any more experience than he did. Aside from a few skirmishes along the coast, the Long Patrol had stayed out of trouble, and there would have been no chance for the newer hares to prove themselves.
Lord Rocketh, too, was inexperienced, but Merlin found himself respecting the Badger Lord even more than the experienced Long Patrol hares. The badger had adapted to his position as Lord of Salamandastron quickly, and though he hadn't seen any actual battles yet, he still seemed calm even with a horde of vermin stronger than the Long Patrol a few days' march from Salamandastron. Merlin didn't doubt that the Badger Lord was feeling some pressure, but he seemed more able to deal with and ready for battle than all except the most seasoned Long Patroller.
When Merlin noticed that he was keeping the hare waiting, he nodded. "Yes. Sergeant Polwyn told me t' go directly t' Lord Rocketh. It's an urgent message. You could either lead me t' him or tell me where he is so I could find him myself."
"I think Lord Rocketh is in the forge room," said the hare. "He probably won't want t' be disturbed, but if your news is urgent enough that Sergeant Polwyn wanted you t' go t' him directly, I doubt he'll mind."
Merlin nodded his thanks and walked into the mountain. Hares glanced at him curiously as he passed, but they didn't ask any questions. The runner climbed up Salamandastron, and after about ten minutes he finally arrived at the door to the forge room.
Colonel Jeffrey raised a paw in greeting. "Hello, Merlin. Lord Rocketh is inside o' his forge room, but he isn't in a mood to be talkin' t' anybeast. He drove me out a bit ago when I tried t' make a suggestion 'bout our upcomin' war. He told me t' wait 'til later, but I have no idea when he's goin' t' be done. I'm waitin' out here for th' moment, so if you'd care to join me, you're welcome to."
"Thank you, sah," said Merlin, leaning against one of Salamandastron's walls. "What is it that drives Lord Rocketh t' try t' forge weapons? Th' armory has more'n enough for the entire Long Patrol, so I don't see why he feels he needs t' make more. I'd understand it if it was just him feelin' that he needed a good weapon, but he seems to want t' outfit the whole Long Patrol with weapons an' armor made with his own two paws."
The colonel nodded in agreement, and Merlin could tell that his mind was occupied by similar thoughts. "I think he believes that he isn't a good enough Badger Lord t' rule this mountain if he can't forge weapons an' armor of the same quality his predecessors made," said Jeffrey. "An' after you left for the coast south o' here, Lord Rocketh had taken to carryin' around that sword that Lord Rocketh had made for the next Badger Lord of this mountain. Before now, he'd refused t' touch the thing, but now that war is upon us I think that he's lost his reservations about usin' it. But he's still tryin' to forge weapons of his own, an' it doesn't sound like he's doin' a very good job of it."
Jeffrey's words were soon proved to be true. A cry of frustration could be heard from within the forge room, and Merlin could make out the sounds of metal crashing against rock and the swinging of a sword through the air. His eyes widened, and even Jeffrey seemed a bit startled by the noise that was coming from the forge room. The colonel reached out a paw and placed it on Merlin's shoulder, leading the younger hare away from the forge room.
"It might be best if you were t' wait to deliver your news t' him," said Jeffrey, leading Merlin back down toward the first level of Salamandastron. "Badger Lords can be nasty when they were in a temper. Now, would you mind tellin' me what this news you were sent to deliver is all about? If you can't talk to Lord Rocketh, you can at least tell it to me, wot wot?"
"Yes, I could, sah," answered Merlin. At Jeffrey's impatient nod, Merlin continued speaking. "We attacked the vermin horde, an' managed t' kill a few o' th' beasts. They got a few o' our hares before the Sergeant withdrew. But I don't think that it was th' battle itself that the sergeant wanted me t' tell Lord Rocketh about. I think he wanted him t' know what happened afterward."
"Well then, spit it out," said Colonel Jeffrey. "What is it that you think th' sergeant wanted Lord Rocketh t' know?"
"After we managed to escape, we regrouped further away from th' vermin horde. When we looked back at 'em, we saw a Stormrat. But it looked even more fierce than I had heard. He was twice as big as a normal searat, an' as strong lookin' as a badger. Even Sergeant Polwyn seemed surprised." Colonel Jeffrey was about to interrupt him, but Merlin raised a paw to stop him. "I know what you're goin' t' say, sah, but I'm not exaggeratin'. Sergeant Polwyn didn't tell me exactly what he wanted me t' say t' Lord Rocketh when I got here, but since it was the Stormrat that seemed t' shake him the most, I figured that that was what he wanted me t' tell Lord Rocketh."
"Sergeant Polwyn didn't tell you what he wanted Lord Rocketh t' know?" said Colonel Jeffrey, genuinely confused. "That was very unprofessional o' him. He must've been shaken to send you here without any idea o' what to tell Lord Rocketh. The Stormrat must've shaken him up bad." Merlin was relieved to hear this, since it gave the impression that Jeffrey believed him when he told about the Stormrat.
Colonel Jeffrey led Merlin to the dining hall, which was deserted except for a number of hares moving across the cavernous room and a few Long Patrollers eating at the tables. Jeffrey brought Merlin over to where oatcakes sat on one of the tables. After giving the other hares in the dining hall a quick glance to ensure that none of them were watching, Jeffrey grabbed two of the oatcakes, clutching one to his chest and giving the other to Merlin. "Nobeast'll miss these," he said quietly, and beckoned Merlin to go sit at the far end of one of the tables.
Merlin sat, and munched at the pilfered oatcake. It tasted heavenly after his run, and Merlin only regretted that he could not eat more of the Long Patrol cooks' fare. While not as good as the food that was reputed to be served at Redwall, the food prepared by Salamandastron's cooks had to sustain all of the Long Patrol. And while it was often said that hares would eat anything, it was a well-known fact that they preferred to have the best food available to them. Salamandastron's cooks catered to these needs as best they could.
The two hares finished their oatcakes, and sat in silence for a while. Merlin's hunger had not been completely satisfied, but he was glad for the chance to have eaten something other than the meager rations Sergeant Polwyn had taken with him on his journey south.
"Do y' think that Lord Rocketh has calmed down by now?" asked Merlin after several minutes of silence. He was getting impatient, and wanted to deliver his message to the Badger Lord as soon as possible.
"I don't know, Merlin," answered Colonel Jeffrey, shrugging his shoulders. "Badgers' tempers are unpredictable. One minute they're th' most calm and friendly beasts around, an' th' next minute they're in a battle-rage, killin' everythin' in their path whether it be vermin or goodbeast." Jeffrey glanced upward, as if he were trying to see through the rock layer of Salamandastron to the forge room. "Lord Rocketh hasn't succumbed to the Bloodwrath yet, but workin' with metals is enough t' drive him into a rage. He's a fierce temper as it is, an' I wouldn't want t' be in his way on th' battlefield if he should be taken by the Bloodwrath."
Every badger who had ruled Salamandastron had come under the influence of the Bloodwrath at sometime in his or her life, with only a few exceptions. The Bloodwrath filled a beast with a burning rage and a desire to kill. Anybeast under the grip of the Bloodwrath would slay anybeast in its path, friend and foe alike. Although Lord Rocketh had not yet come under the grip of this insane battle rage, there was no doubt that he would be more formidable than any vermin. Except, perhaps, a Stormrat.
"Should I go look for him, or wait a bit?" Merlin asked uncertainly. He had been trained in the ways of combat, but only the most experienced hare was able to deal with a Badger Lord of Salamandastron in a bad mood. Younger hares only stepped into the presence of an enraged Badger Lord when they were forced to, and even older Long Patrollers tended to shy away from such confrontations. "I don't want to cross paths with him if he isn't in the mood to talk to other beasts, but what I have to say may be urgent. What should I do, Colonel?"
Jeffrey's face adopted a contemplative expression, but he was saved from answering Merlin's query. Lord Rocketh walked into Salamandastron's dining room, just barely managing to keep his head high and not even trying to hide his tired face. Merlin guessed that the fires of the Badger Lord's rage had been burnt out on whatever he had been attempting to forge, and he was now left exhausted.
"Now's your chance, wot wot," said Colonel Jeffrey, standing and reaching down a paw to pull Merlin up beside him. "Go tell Lord Rocketh what you came here t' tell him. He might not like what you have t' say, but he's too tired t' do anythin' that th' beasts in this room can't deal with. That is, if they were given enough warnin'." Jeffrey chuckled when he saw the look of dread that crossed Merlin's face. "I was jus' kiddin' with you, lad. Now, go an' tell him what you saw."
Reluctantly, Merlin walked over to Lord Rocketh. It took all his will to keep his legs from shaking, and his paws clenched into fists at his sides. This is more difficult than seeing that Stormrat, he thought. And then, he was at the Badger Lord's side, and mustering up his courage, Merlin spoke. "Sire, this is Merlin, th' runner you sent with Sergeant Polwyn, reportin'. I got some news that you might want t' hear."
~~~
Lord Rocketh was more exhausted than he had been when he had awoke during the night with a burning desire to forge a weapon. Despite having just awoken, Lord Rocketh splashed water on his face from the basin that stood on the stand beside his bed and made his way up to the forge room. He had considered taking the great sword that Lord Sunforge had made for him with him, since he carried it almost everywhere he went, but decided against taking another badger's work into the forge room while he was working. Once he was there, he had heated a bar of steel in the forge's fire and begun to hammer it on his anvil. He had planned to make a magnificent longsword, but halfway through his efforts it had been plain that Lord Rocketh's efforts would not produce a piece that would measure up to his expectations.
But even after this realization, Rocketh continued to hammer at the metal, desperate to shape a weapon that would live up to his expectations. But when he had finished hammering and submerged the steel in the forge room's water tank. Once the hissing of cooling metal had ceased, Lord Rocketh withdrew the blade from the tank and hoped against hope that he would not find what he had expected. But the blade that had been forged was nowhere near his expectations, and he had submitted to his frustration.
If anybeast was to walk into the forge room right now, they would see hardly any evidence of the rage and frustration that Lord Rocketh had been feeling just minutes ago. The blade that he had forged lay bent next to the anvil, and he had thrown his hammer against the forge room's wall. But the rest of the racket that Lord Rocketh had made was caused by the Badger Lord's frustrated pounding against the stone floor of the forge room and his bestial exclamations of rage. By the time he had regained his senses, he had barely enough energy left in him to stand and walk out of the forge room.
The badger had considered going to his chambers to sleep, but he remembered that Colonel Jeffrey had wanted to see him about the coming war with the vermin horde. Nothing urgent, if he remembered correctly, but still important enough to merit his attention. If nothing else, talking to him would reassure the Colonel that Rocketh was recovered from his outburst. Lord Rocketh's first destination was the dining hall, since that was Jeffrey's favorite location within the mountain fortress. But when he finally reached the dining hall, Lord Rocketh had found himself unable to continue walking and had to slump down in a chair to regain his energy.
He was surprised when a hare approached him. His surprise grew when he heard that it was Merlin, one of the hares he had sent out to assist Sergeant Polwyn in his harassment of the vermin horde south of Salamandastron. The Badger Lord brought his head up and stared at the hare. "Yes, I would like to hear whatever news Sergeant Polwyn sent you to deliver," said Lord Rocketh, tearing his mind away from thoughts of rest and giving his complete attention to the hare.
"Yesterday mornin', the hares that you sent south under the command o' Sergeant Polwyn surprised an' attacked the vermin horde. After the initial surprise wore off, th' vermin tried to get in close, but we managed to turn tail an' flee before they managed to hurt us. But a group o' their archers managed to down a couple o' our hares, an' we had taken some losses before we managed t' get out o' arrow range an' regroup." Merlin shuffled his feet uncertainly, as if not sure of what to say next.
Lord Rocketh was willing to help get the information out of him. "I don't think that Sergeant Polwyn would send you here just to report the outcome of a single ambush," said the badger. "There must be something more that you haven't told me yet. What is it that the sergeant thinks I need to know?
"Well, sire... we saw th' Stormrat on the battlefield today. But it didn't look anythin' like what I expected it to. Th' whole patrol seemed awed, and even Sergeant Polwyn seemed surprised. I guess that not even Stormrats are usually that fierce an' strong looking." After Merlin had said his piece, he began to shuffle his feet again. He cast a nervous glance toward the main door of the dining hall, and Lord Rocketh could tell that the hare wanted to be out of his presence as soon as possible. Maybe he heard what I was doing inside the forge room? thought Rocketh, remembering his frustration and the noise he had made because of it.
"What exactly made this Stormrat so fearsome?" asked Lord Rocketh.
"The Stormrat was twice as big as a normal rat, an' looked about as strong as you. Sergeant Polwyn said that it was nothin' like the Stormrats he fought in th' war, but I don't think he meant for th' other hares t' hear what he said." Merlin looked up at Lord Rocketh, and made a visible effort to get himself under control. "Can I... leave now, sire?"
Rocketh nodded. "Thank you for delivering the news. Go to your dormitory and get some rest. I'll send out another runner to take your place. You're dismissed."
"Thank you, sah," said Merlin. The young hare turned and left, leaving Lord Rocketh alone to contemplate his failure in the forge room.
But Lord Rocketh was not left alone for long. "Lord Rocketh," said a hare's voice from in front of the Badger Lord. Before he even looked up, Lord Rocketh knew that it was Colonel Jeffrey. Probably here to scold me for losing my temper on hm, thought Lord Rocketh bitterly. The Badger Lord regretted sending the colonel away when he had come to the forge room, but he did not want to admit that he was wrong. Not yet, at least.
Wearily, Lord Rocketh raised his head and looked at Jeffrey. "Yes, Colonel?" he asked, trying to keep himself as civil as he could even though he was exhausted and the colonel was one of the last beasts that he wanted to talk to.
"I was thinkin' that when th' vermin get here, we're goin' t' have t' defend the garden on th' outside well t' prevent the vermin from destroyin' them. Normally, I wouldn't be worried about somethin' like that, but this horde is significantly stronger than we are. If they were t' burn our gardens, or worse, gain control o' them, we'd be hard-pressed t' keep ourselves supplied. We've got food in th' larders, but if th' vermin take control o' our gardens, I don't think that we'll be able t' outlast them. An' if they brought supplies of their own an' manage to burn our gardens, it'll be just as bad." Colonel Jeffrey looked concernedly at Lord Rocketh. "In th' Stormrat War, we didn't give them a chance t' get to the gardens, but we had the help o' Redwallers before the Stormrats arrived. This time around, it looks like the vermin'll get to us before the Redwallers, if they decide t' come at all. Do y' have any plans for defendin' the gardens?"
"None at present," answered Lord Rocketh, frowning. He tried to think of how to defend the gardens from a vermin horde, but his mind was exhausted and clear thoughts eluded him. "I'll think about it later, Colonel, and I'd appreciate your input. But at the moment, I'd like to sleep."
Jeffrey nodded understandingly. "Lost your temper up there in th' forge room? I heard it from outside, an' young Merlin did, too. Are y' still tryin' t' forge a weapon that'll meet your expectations, even with a vermin horde a couple days south o' here?"
Lord Rocketh smiled guiltily. "Yes, I'm still trying to make magnificent weapons. I might have my own sword, but I still want to be better than I am now. Well, that's not it. Almost every Badger Lord before me seems to have had a good paw when it came to forging weapons and armor, so why shouldn't I?"
The colonel shook his head sadly. "Perhaps y' were just not born with th' talent, as th' other Badger Lords seem t' have been. It may seem t' you that lacking that talent is enough t' make y' unworthy of your position as Lord of Salamandastron, but that isn't th' case. What other Badger Lords seem t' have been born with you could obtain with long seasons of practice. An' forgin' weapons is just one o' the skills that Badger Lords are famous in. You'll find somethin' else to specialize in."
"Are you trying to tell me something, Colonel?" asked Lord Rocketh, somewhat confused. He could sense a meaning in the hare's words, but he was too tired to be able to puzzle it out. And he had a feeling that even if his mind were fully awake, he still wouldn't be able to puzzle out the meaning of Jeffrey's words.
"Lord Sunforge was fond o' saying that everybeast had a talent, an' would find it if they tried," Colonel Jeffrey said, closing his eyes as if in memory. "He used that phrase t' inspire hares that couldn't master a particular skill. I'm usin' it t' say that there are more important things a Badger Lord can do than forge weapons an' armor. Y' might be a smith, but before that, you're a warrior. An' before that, you're a leader. You don't have t' be able to forge metals to be a Badger Lord of Salamandastron. If y' can lead us, it's enough. But it would be better off if y' were a warrior, too. An' a smith would most certainly be a great asset t' th' Long Patrol. Y' can try to be a smith, but not right now. Now, we need a leader an' a warrior. Save your frustration for those duties."
Colonel Jeffrey's words stung Rocketh, but the Badger Lord knew that what he said was correct. He was foolish to spend his time trying to forge weapons that the Long Patrol already had when what they really needed was a leader to rally them. He still felt the desire to make weapons, even though he knew it wasn't necessary, but... he needed to get his priorities straight.
"Thank you, Colonel," Lord Rocketh said gruffly. He stood, and pushed in the chair he had been sitting in. After taking a closer look at it, he was surprised that it had not cracked under his weight. "I'll take your advice to heart."
Then, he left, climbing though Salamandastron to his chambers. When he finally opened his door, he was exhausted from the walk and more than willing to go to sleep. But before he was able to drift off, he thought he saw a shadow in the corner of the room. It looked like a badger, older and stronger than he was.
You're on the right path. The thought came to Lord Rocketh forcefully, but it had a soothing effect. He closed his eyes, and let himself drift into a deep sleep. But before he passed into a world of dreams, he could feel the shadowy badger watching over him. Its presence felt comforting to him, and it felt as if there was some sort of pride in the way it watched over Lord Rocketh. But there was something else, too, a sense of urgency that was too fierce to be ignored. I know you can do this. I chose you for a reason. But you'll need all your strength, and all the help you can get, to do what we all need you to.