The mouse stirred, as if his sleep had been somehow disturbed by the
approaching morning. His eyes flickered open, and in the slowly
brightening darkness that exists in the hours before dawn, he glimpsed a
lone ferret staring at him from between two trees. On his left, his
daughter slept peacefully, undisturbed by their silent watcher. The mouse
sat up stiffly, fixing his gaze upon the creature who had awakened him.
As the mouse moved, the ferret reached for a dagger which hung at his side. The mouse watched warily as the ferret lifted his weapon. He fought the urge to reach for his sword, which leaned against a tree to his right. Instead, he gazed calmly at the ferret, lifting both paws in front of him in a gesture of peace.
"My name is Agian," said the mouse, noticing the ferret's grip on his dagger tighten. "My daughter and I have journeyed here from across the mountains to the east, searching for a place called Redwall Abbey. I beseech you to let us pass in peace."
The ferret shook his head. "I don't see why I should jus' let ye pass. That blade ye have there don't look too shabby, an' if ye're well off enough t' be runnin' around with such a large sword, I'm sure yer daughter is carryin' some nice trinkets with 'er."
"I'm afraid that she has nothing of value, my friend," said Agian, feigning regret. "All we carry is my sword, her bow, arrows, and the clothes on our backs."
The ferret frowned, considering Agian's words. After several moments, he smiled. "I suppose I'll have t' settle for yer sword then."
Agian planted his footpaws on the ground, preparing to leap up. "I regret that I cannot give it to you. This sword was given to me by a beast who saved my life. I vowed to her that I would keep it safe."
"Ye don't have t' worry. That sword'll be jus' fine with me." The ferret's smile widened into a grin, and he moved forward. Agian sprung to his footpaws as soon as the vermin began advancing. His sword was too far away to reach, but the ferret's only weapon seemed to be the dagger he held in his paw. If the ferret was unable to stab him with his blade, he could easily subdue the beast.
"There's no reason for us to fight," said Agian dangerously. "If you leave us in peace, there will be no cause for bloodshed."
"The only blood shed here'll be yers and yer daughter's!" The ferret snarled and lunged toward Agian, thrusting his dagger out in front of him. The mouse dodged to the side, snapping his paw out to grasp the ferret's wrist. He felt his attacker's fur glide through his paw, but he only managed to catch several tufts of brown fur.
The ferret flew past Agian, and whirled around to face his target again. He still wore the vicious snarl on his face, but Agian's competence in battle seemed to shake him. "Don't come any closer, ye bastard!" he yelled out, thrusting his dagger in a manner meant to intimidate the mouse. "The rest o' my mates are sleepin' only a half hour away from 'ere. Come any closer, an' I'll lead them right to ye!"
Agian thought quickly, forcing himself to think over his rapidly beating heart. This ferret isn't that much of a threat, but a group of them... even with the sword that mouse gave me, Drema and I could only handle a few of them. I need to kill him now, before he can run off to his friends.
Agian leaped across the distance separating him from his attacker, moving far quicker than the ferret had. The vermin also lunged, driving his dagger toward Agian's chest. As he had before, Agian made a grab for the ferret's wrist.
As he and the ferret drew close, Agian felt his paw close around his opponent's wrist. Without pause, he yanked the vermin toward him, twisting the wrist which held the dagger. The ferret yelped in pain, but clung to his weapon with determination. He lashed out with his footpaws and twisted his head forward, snapping at the paw which was clamped firmly around his wrist.
The mouse's grip tightened, and tears of pain began to leak from the ferret's eyes. The paw which had held the dagger so firmly began to loosen. As Agian squeezed harder, the ferret began to whimper in pain. Finally, when it came too much for the beast to bear, he let go of his dagger. Seeing that the beast was no longer a threat, Agian released his grip on the beast's wrist.
"Please, don't hurt me," blubbered the ferret, holding his paws out in front of him in a useless gesture of protection. "I promise I won't bother ye again. I'll leave yer daughter alone, too! Jus' let me go back t' my tribe, an' I'll forget all this ever happened!"
A spark of pity formed in Agian's heart, but he squashed it firmly. This was no time to be feeling sorry for a beast who had tried to steal his sword and threatened to kill him and Drema. After all, hadn't the ferret said that he'd run to his tribe for help?
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go," said Agian. He rose a paw to calm the panic that rose in the ferret's eyes. "My daughter and I could take you with us until we get far enough past your tribe to safely risk letting you go. There's no reason for me to kill you, but I can't jus-"
The ferret spun around and ran for the trees. Agian was caught so off- guard that by the time he began moving, the ferret had almost ducked out of his vision.
But before the ferret could make an escape, an arrow flew past Agian and lodged itself in the vermin's leg. With a despairing cry, the ferret's knees buckled under him and he fell to the ground. Agian turned to behold his daughter Drema nocking another arrow to the string of her shortbow. Aiming carefully, the young mouse drew back the bowstring and prepared to let the arrow fly.
"Should I put him out of his misery, father?" asked Drema, keeping her piercing gaze focused on her target. Blood slowly leaked out of the wound caused by her first arrow, and the ferret continued to sob in pain and fear. Slowly, the ferret turned to face her.
"Mercy, please!" The ferret began to crawl forward, but stopped when he saw Drema adjusting her aim so that her arrow would pierce his throat. "I wouldn't wanna see a pretty mousemaid like yerself become a murderer. Please, look in yer pretty heart an' spare my worthless life!"
"Compliments will get you nowhere after you tried to kill my father," snapped Drema. "Do I kill him or not?"
After a long pause, Agian answered. "We must kill him," he said sadly. Silently, he berated himself for being such a fool. If he hadn't told the ferret that he and his daughter were searching for Redwall Abbey, there would be no reason to think of him as a threat. But without knowing how many companions the ferret had, it would be foolish to risk bringing their wrath down on themselves and Redwall. "I'm sorry," he said to the ferret, "but you know too much about us. Drema, please don't let him suffer."
The mousemaid's aim faltered. "Father... it would be more painless to kill him with your sword." She gently loosened the bowstring and removed the arrow. "I don't think I could bear to shoot another arrow at him."
Agian nodded, and walked over to the tree which his sword leaned against. He took the blade from its sheath and walked back over to the ferret. The mouse stared at the beast for a long time, holding the sword tightly in his hands. Finally, he let the sword sink to the ground. He kneeled down in front of the ferret, and placed one paw on his shoulder.
"It would be foolish to let you walk free, but neither my daughter nor myself can bring ourselves to kill you in cold blood. It was one thing when you had the dagger, but now that you're injured and helpless, it would be murder. That leaves us with only one choice. We must take you with us to Redwall."
The ferret stared into Agian's eyes. After several moments, he lowered his eyes to the ground and nodded. "Thank ye fer yer mercy... Agian. I vow I'll come quietly."
Drema snorted. "As if we can trust the word of a murderous vermin like you."
"Drema." The younger mouse, heeding her father's reprimanding tone, nodded slowly. "Fix up his leg," Agian continued. "Redwall will take a few days to reach, and I don't want the ferret's limp to slow us down. By the way, what is your name?"
"My name is Rithan," answered the ferret as Drema knelt next to him to tend his injured leg.
After their defeat at Salamandastron, the forces of Redwall marched slowly through the night. The seemingly superhuman speed and vigor which had possessed them as they rushed to the assistance of Salamandastron had fled them, and long hours of marching and the vicious fighting that had taken place began to take their toll. Still they pressed on, striving to put a safe distance between themselves and the mountain stronghold before they dared to rest.
On the other hand, the Long Patrollers marched onward with determination, although they were faced with a deep despair that none of them had felt before. Not only had their beloved stronghold fallen, but many of their most seasoned officers had been killed and their Badger Lord was brutally slain. Furthermore, many innocent hares were still trapped within Salamandastron, left at the mercy of the Stormbringer.
The two downcast armies seemed to blend together as they made their way toward Redwall. What little talking arose between the marching beasts was subdued. The swishing of footpaws moving through the sand filled the night air, occasionally pierced by a heart-rending sob or a bitter whisper.
Merlin had no idea how long he had been marching - judging by the faint light visible in the east, a couple hours had passed since the events at Salamandastron. The sword Salamander was strapped safely across his back, and Mianel walked beside him, easily keeping pace with the less experienced hare. Although only a few words had passed between them while they marched, they stayed close together in an effort to provide companionship to one another.
The young hare found Mianel's company reassuring, likening her presence to that of a watchful warrior guarding his sleep with a dagger in her paw. He supposed such a feeling sprung from their cooperation on the slopes of Salamandastron, where each hare placed their lives in the paws of the other. In less than an hour, their fellowship in battle and the occasional banter which they had exchanged amidst the fighting had created a bond as firm as the trust long-time friends bore for one another.
The beast marching in front of Merlin and Mianel sunk down to the ground. By the light of the approaching dawn, Merlin could easily make out the figure of a squirrel. Kneeling down beside the exhausted fighter, Merlin offered her his paw. Gratefully, the squirrel grabbed the extended paw and pulled herself to her footpaws. The Redwaller's eyes widened in surprise as she felt a paw grip her other shoulder. Glancing to his left, Merlin saw Mianel smiling at the squirrelmaid. "M' companion an' I will help you along if y' can't walk on your own." The squirrel nodded, and allowed the two hares to help her in their march.
Sarendy was the squirrel's name. After she had introduced herself to Mianel and Merlin, she hesitantly struck up a conversation with them. "I've never fought before," she confessed, a tear forming in her eye. "When I left Redwall to help fight the Stormrats, I never thought wars were like this." Sniffing, she continued. "During the battle, I was too nervous to shoot my bow properly. I took out my sword, but if it hadn't been for some of the older beasts I would have been killed."
Mianel squeezed Sarendy's shoulder sympathetically. "This is Merlin's first war, too. He has Long Patrol training, but I'm sure he was as afraid as you. Able t' control himself better, but deep down inside I'm sure he wanted to turn tail an' flee, wot wot?"
"Deep down inside?" said Merlin, smiling sheepishly. "Running wasn't th' first thing that leaped t' mind, but now that I look back on it, it was th' one thing I wanted t' do. If I hadn't been trained so well, I probably would've split."
His comment caused Sarendy to smile briefly, a gesture that brought a smile to his own face. "What about you, Mia?" he asked, attempting to keep the lighthearted conversation going. "You can't be more'n a few seasons older than me. How was th' battle for you, fighter girl?"
"I have a lot more bally experience under my belt than either o' you two leverets," said Mianel with a grin. "I can't say fightin' comes easy t' me now, but it's certainly less difficult for me than when I was your age."
Curiosity filled Merlin as his new friend mentioned her previous experiences. "Jus' wot sort o' experience d'you have under that belt, Mia?" he asked, feeling his ears perk up in response to his sudden attentiveness. "I wanna know th' kind o' edge your seasons have given you."
Mianel grinned. "I'd tell you, but I don't think I could make a decent story outta my life without some time t' think. Besides," she said, gesturing to the front of the group of marching beasts. "I think we're stoppin' here, an' I'd rather rest than talk."
Merlin nodded, and the Redwallers and Long Patrollers slowly came to a halt. All around Merlin, beasts dropped to their knees, thankful for the chance to rest. Gently, Merlin and Mianel lowered Sarendy to the ground. Once the squirrel had positioned herself as comfortably as possible, the two hares sat down next to her. Merlin shifted himself until he was comfortable, then lay down on his side.
"G'night," he said quietly, before sleep overtook him.
The Badger Lord's room was, in fact, nothing impressive. Although the room was spacious, and seemed welcoming enough, the lack of finery surprised Sunai. He felt a lingering disappointment at not finding a wondrous room, fit for a king of the shorelines. Was Salamandastron, the mountain fortress which struck awe into the hearts of searats when it first came into view over the horizon, so unimpressive?
However, another, more earthly part of Sunai approved of the room. The cushioned ledge that provided the Badger Lord a place on which to rest was simple, and without unnecessary comforts. Sunai had lived most of his life traveling, whether across plains, mountains, and forests, or on the deck of a ship. In that time, he learned that beasts who pampered themselves found it difficult to adjust to the realities of war. Over the seasons, Sunai had slept on beds of sand, forest needles, wooden decks, and rocky mountains. Occasionally, he had been forced to sleep through rainstorms without any protection from the elements.
Of course the badgers would sleep in rough rooms. After all, what use would a mountain fortress be if the Lord of the Mountain was fearful of discomfort? Sunai surmised that the dormitories used by the Long Patrol were similar, which would undoubtedly come as a disappointment to some of the vermin who had been looking forward to sleeping in a cozy bed.
As the Stormbringer assessed advantages and disadvantages of the Badger Lord's chamber, he was barely aware of a pair of paws softly padding across the stone floor behind him. A smile crept across his face. She sought to catch him unawares, did she?
Waiting patiently until the vixen was within his reach, he whirled around, grabbing Danni's wrist. She let out a startled yelp, but the expression of surprised on her face faded when she saw Sunai's face. The vixen smiled slowly, and Sunai grinned.
"What the hell am I thinking?" he said aloud, gesturing at the surrounding room with his free hand. "A badger's bed would be big enough for almost any two beasts, but there's no way it could comfortably fit both of us. We need to find different quarters."
Danni laughed. "That shouldn't be too hard. If all else fails, we can push two of the beds from the downstairs dormitories together."
"How big are the dormitories?" asked Sunai.
"Big enough to house us," said Danni. "I'm sure that if we talked to Laskit, he'd get us a room that we could share." Laskit was the most organized beast in the Stormbringer's army, so Sunai had instructed him to find rooms for the beasts who survived the battle, take stock of Salamandastron's supplies, and become acquainted with the layout of the mountain. Sunai made a mental note to find Laskit before he went to bed.
Without any hesitation, Sunai let go of Danni's wrist and headed for the door. As he moved toward the exit, he began to feel an overwhelming desire to leave the room. Not just the room, but the whole mountain. Unwittingly, he started to move faster.
Sunai darted through the doorway leading out of the badger's chambers, suddenly glad that he had left the doors open. The corridor was brighter than the Badger Lord's bedroom had been, partly because there were more windows and partly because there were burning torches placed at the corners of the hallway. As soon as his footpaws entered the hallway, his desire to leave faded.
Danni's paw reached out to touch Sunai's arm. "What's the matter?" she asked.
Sunai stared back into the room. "If I had to guess, I'd say that the Badger Lords were trying to chase me out." Sunai tried to laugh, but it came out shakily. Danni's face was a mixture of concern and confusion. Before the vixen could respond, Sunai grabbed her paw. "We'll find Laskit."
They found the searat tactician milling about in the corridors lower in the mountain, assigning everybeast a dormitory. He seemed nervous, and held something wrapped in cloth. When Sunai and Danni approached him, he straightened.
"There seem t' be enough rooms t' house everybeast in yer army with no doublin' up, sir," said Laskit. "I judge that there're enough supplies t' keep us fed fer at least a couple seasons. We've also found several hares still in th' mountain. Some groups o' hares were huddled in th' entrances that th' badger blocked. There were also a few tryin' t' set fire t' th' crops on th' side o' th' mountain. Yer soldiers managed t' put out th' fire before all th' crops were destroyed, but many were bunt before we could extinguish th' blaze."
Sunai smiled. "Keep the prisoners on half rations. If they're week, they won't be likely to stage a rebellion. Our own soldiers will need to rest as well. I think we can afford to keep the mountain weakly guarded for a few days. Then, we'll set somebeasts to guarding and some to recruiting. When do you expect my ships to get here?"
"It'll take 'em 'bout four days, sir," answered Laskit, shifting uncomfortably. "I'm sure th' beasts ye left behind'll be glad t' see that they don't need t' fight. Now, there's one thing that ye shou-"
"Danni and I also need a room," interrupted Sunai. "Preferably one with a large bed and a fireplace."
"I know one that ye'll like," said Laskit. He gripped the package in his hand tightly, and nervously led Sunai and Danni down the hall.
The room he recommended fit Sunai's criteria perfectly. There was a large bed, big enough for Sunai and Danni to sleep in, and a fireplace built near it with a chimney leading up through the mountain. There was also a small window at the other end of the room, far enough away from the bed that Sunai and Danni wouldn't get cold if the wind was icy.
"It'll do nicely, Laskit," said Sunai absently, starting a fire using the firewood stacked in the corner next to the fireplace. "Now, about Meist. We don't want him sleeping near the rest of the soldiers. Maybe further up the mountain?"
"That won't be necessary," said Laskit softly. He threw the package he had been holding to Sunai. The Stormrat caught it and looked up at Laskit. At the searat's nod, he opened it.
Sunai stared long and hard at the disembodied head inside. His brother met his gaze with sightless eyes.
"I found 'im in a chamber with some other deadbeasts. Some were from Redwall, some were ours. From th' looks of it, th' beast who sliced off 'is head was a mouse. That murderin' beast was long dead."
"You're excused," said Sunai. Laskit nodded, and hastened out, shutting the door silently behind him. Sunai turned to Danni, still holding his dead brother's head in his hands. "You got Meist killed?"
"I'm sorry," she answered. "I left him behind to hold off pursuers. It looks like the Redwallers got the best of him." Danni sat down on the bed, staring at Sunai. She seemed fearful of what he might do.
Sunai stood. "I should thank you," he answered. "The only reason I didn't kill him myself was that he was my brother. The beasts in my horde would start to wonder." Almost carelessly, Sunai tossed the head of his brother into the flames. He stared intently as the fur on his brother's face burnt away and his flesh began to burn. Flames crept into Meist's nose and licked at his eyelids. After several minutes, his eyes began to melt in their sockets, oozing down the Stormrat's already disfigured face.
The Stormbringer did not tear his eyes away from his dead brother's head until it was a mass of charred flesh. The stench of the beast's burning tissues filled the small room, slowly creeping away through the chimney and the window. Absently, Sunai reached for the stack of firewood and tossed a pair of logs into the fire. The burning wood which Meist's head sat upon shifted and cracked under the weight of the new logs, and the head dropped closer to the base of the fire.
Satisfied, Sunai stood and turned to Danni. The vixen was staring at the fire, enraptured by the flames. For the first time in a long while, superstitious feelings overtook her. Shivering, she grabbed the wool blankets on the bed and pulled them over herself. Sunai smiled, joining her underneath the covers.
"Now," he said, "I am the last Stormrat." With a gentleness and happiness that he rarely displayed, he reached out for Danni's shoulders and drew her close.
As the mouse moved, the ferret reached for a dagger which hung at his side. The mouse watched warily as the ferret lifted his weapon. He fought the urge to reach for his sword, which leaned against a tree to his right. Instead, he gazed calmly at the ferret, lifting both paws in front of him in a gesture of peace.
"My name is Agian," said the mouse, noticing the ferret's grip on his dagger tighten. "My daughter and I have journeyed here from across the mountains to the east, searching for a place called Redwall Abbey. I beseech you to let us pass in peace."
The ferret shook his head. "I don't see why I should jus' let ye pass. That blade ye have there don't look too shabby, an' if ye're well off enough t' be runnin' around with such a large sword, I'm sure yer daughter is carryin' some nice trinkets with 'er."
"I'm afraid that she has nothing of value, my friend," said Agian, feigning regret. "All we carry is my sword, her bow, arrows, and the clothes on our backs."
The ferret frowned, considering Agian's words. After several moments, he smiled. "I suppose I'll have t' settle for yer sword then."
Agian planted his footpaws on the ground, preparing to leap up. "I regret that I cannot give it to you. This sword was given to me by a beast who saved my life. I vowed to her that I would keep it safe."
"Ye don't have t' worry. That sword'll be jus' fine with me." The ferret's smile widened into a grin, and he moved forward. Agian sprung to his footpaws as soon as the vermin began advancing. His sword was too far away to reach, but the ferret's only weapon seemed to be the dagger he held in his paw. If the ferret was unable to stab him with his blade, he could easily subdue the beast.
"There's no reason for us to fight," said Agian dangerously. "If you leave us in peace, there will be no cause for bloodshed."
"The only blood shed here'll be yers and yer daughter's!" The ferret snarled and lunged toward Agian, thrusting his dagger out in front of him. The mouse dodged to the side, snapping his paw out to grasp the ferret's wrist. He felt his attacker's fur glide through his paw, but he only managed to catch several tufts of brown fur.
The ferret flew past Agian, and whirled around to face his target again. He still wore the vicious snarl on his face, but Agian's competence in battle seemed to shake him. "Don't come any closer, ye bastard!" he yelled out, thrusting his dagger in a manner meant to intimidate the mouse. "The rest o' my mates are sleepin' only a half hour away from 'ere. Come any closer, an' I'll lead them right to ye!"
Agian thought quickly, forcing himself to think over his rapidly beating heart. This ferret isn't that much of a threat, but a group of them... even with the sword that mouse gave me, Drema and I could only handle a few of them. I need to kill him now, before he can run off to his friends.
Agian leaped across the distance separating him from his attacker, moving far quicker than the ferret had. The vermin also lunged, driving his dagger toward Agian's chest. As he had before, Agian made a grab for the ferret's wrist.
As he and the ferret drew close, Agian felt his paw close around his opponent's wrist. Without pause, he yanked the vermin toward him, twisting the wrist which held the dagger. The ferret yelped in pain, but clung to his weapon with determination. He lashed out with his footpaws and twisted his head forward, snapping at the paw which was clamped firmly around his wrist.
The mouse's grip tightened, and tears of pain began to leak from the ferret's eyes. The paw which had held the dagger so firmly began to loosen. As Agian squeezed harder, the ferret began to whimper in pain. Finally, when it came too much for the beast to bear, he let go of his dagger. Seeing that the beast was no longer a threat, Agian released his grip on the beast's wrist.
"Please, don't hurt me," blubbered the ferret, holding his paws out in front of him in a useless gesture of protection. "I promise I won't bother ye again. I'll leave yer daughter alone, too! Jus' let me go back t' my tribe, an' I'll forget all this ever happened!"
A spark of pity formed in Agian's heart, but he squashed it firmly. This was no time to be feeling sorry for a beast who had tried to steal his sword and threatened to kill him and Drema. After all, hadn't the ferret said that he'd run to his tribe for help?
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go," said Agian. He rose a paw to calm the panic that rose in the ferret's eyes. "My daughter and I could take you with us until we get far enough past your tribe to safely risk letting you go. There's no reason for me to kill you, but I can't jus-"
The ferret spun around and ran for the trees. Agian was caught so off- guard that by the time he began moving, the ferret had almost ducked out of his vision.
But before the ferret could make an escape, an arrow flew past Agian and lodged itself in the vermin's leg. With a despairing cry, the ferret's knees buckled under him and he fell to the ground. Agian turned to behold his daughter Drema nocking another arrow to the string of her shortbow. Aiming carefully, the young mouse drew back the bowstring and prepared to let the arrow fly.
"Should I put him out of his misery, father?" asked Drema, keeping her piercing gaze focused on her target. Blood slowly leaked out of the wound caused by her first arrow, and the ferret continued to sob in pain and fear. Slowly, the ferret turned to face her.
"Mercy, please!" The ferret began to crawl forward, but stopped when he saw Drema adjusting her aim so that her arrow would pierce his throat. "I wouldn't wanna see a pretty mousemaid like yerself become a murderer. Please, look in yer pretty heart an' spare my worthless life!"
"Compliments will get you nowhere after you tried to kill my father," snapped Drema. "Do I kill him or not?"
After a long pause, Agian answered. "We must kill him," he said sadly. Silently, he berated himself for being such a fool. If he hadn't told the ferret that he and his daughter were searching for Redwall Abbey, there would be no reason to think of him as a threat. But without knowing how many companions the ferret had, it would be foolish to risk bringing their wrath down on themselves and Redwall. "I'm sorry," he said to the ferret, "but you know too much about us. Drema, please don't let him suffer."
The mousemaid's aim faltered. "Father... it would be more painless to kill him with your sword." She gently loosened the bowstring and removed the arrow. "I don't think I could bear to shoot another arrow at him."
Agian nodded, and walked over to the tree which his sword leaned against. He took the blade from its sheath and walked back over to the ferret. The mouse stared at the beast for a long time, holding the sword tightly in his hands. Finally, he let the sword sink to the ground. He kneeled down in front of the ferret, and placed one paw on his shoulder.
"It would be foolish to let you walk free, but neither my daughter nor myself can bring ourselves to kill you in cold blood. It was one thing when you had the dagger, but now that you're injured and helpless, it would be murder. That leaves us with only one choice. We must take you with us to Redwall."
The ferret stared into Agian's eyes. After several moments, he lowered his eyes to the ground and nodded. "Thank ye fer yer mercy... Agian. I vow I'll come quietly."
Drema snorted. "As if we can trust the word of a murderous vermin like you."
"Drema." The younger mouse, heeding her father's reprimanding tone, nodded slowly. "Fix up his leg," Agian continued. "Redwall will take a few days to reach, and I don't want the ferret's limp to slow us down. By the way, what is your name?"
"My name is Rithan," answered the ferret as Drema knelt next to him to tend his injured leg.
After their defeat at Salamandastron, the forces of Redwall marched slowly through the night. The seemingly superhuman speed and vigor which had possessed them as they rushed to the assistance of Salamandastron had fled them, and long hours of marching and the vicious fighting that had taken place began to take their toll. Still they pressed on, striving to put a safe distance between themselves and the mountain stronghold before they dared to rest.
On the other hand, the Long Patrollers marched onward with determination, although they were faced with a deep despair that none of them had felt before. Not only had their beloved stronghold fallen, but many of their most seasoned officers had been killed and their Badger Lord was brutally slain. Furthermore, many innocent hares were still trapped within Salamandastron, left at the mercy of the Stormbringer.
The two downcast armies seemed to blend together as they made their way toward Redwall. What little talking arose between the marching beasts was subdued. The swishing of footpaws moving through the sand filled the night air, occasionally pierced by a heart-rending sob or a bitter whisper.
Merlin had no idea how long he had been marching - judging by the faint light visible in the east, a couple hours had passed since the events at Salamandastron. The sword Salamander was strapped safely across his back, and Mianel walked beside him, easily keeping pace with the less experienced hare. Although only a few words had passed between them while they marched, they stayed close together in an effort to provide companionship to one another.
The young hare found Mianel's company reassuring, likening her presence to that of a watchful warrior guarding his sleep with a dagger in her paw. He supposed such a feeling sprung from their cooperation on the slopes of Salamandastron, where each hare placed their lives in the paws of the other. In less than an hour, their fellowship in battle and the occasional banter which they had exchanged amidst the fighting had created a bond as firm as the trust long-time friends bore for one another.
The beast marching in front of Merlin and Mianel sunk down to the ground. By the light of the approaching dawn, Merlin could easily make out the figure of a squirrel. Kneeling down beside the exhausted fighter, Merlin offered her his paw. Gratefully, the squirrel grabbed the extended paw and pulled herself to her footpaws. The Redwaller's eyes widened in surprise as she felt a paw grip her other shoulder. Glancing to his left, Merlin saw Mianel smiling at the squirrelmaid. "M' companion an' I will help you along if y' can't walk on your own." The squirrel nodded, and allowed the two hares to help her in their march.
Sarendy was the squirrel's name. After she had introduced herself to Mianel and Merlin, she hesitantly struck up a conversation with them. "I've never fought before," she confessed, a tear forming in her eye. "When I left Redwall to help fight the Stormrats, I never thought wars were like this." Sniffing, she continued. "During the battle, I was too nervous to shoot my bow properly. I took out my sword, but if it hadn't been for some of the older beasts I would have been killed."
Mianel squeezed Sarendy's shoulder sympathetically. "This is Merlin's first war, too. He has Long Patrol training, but I'm sure he was as afraid as you. Able t' control himself better, but deep down inside I'm sure he wanted to turn tail an' flee, wot wot?"
"Deep down inside?" said Merlin, smiling sheepishly. "Running wasn't th' first thing that leaped t' mind, but now that I look back on it, it was th' one thing I wanted t' do. If I hadn't been trained so well, I probably would've split."
His comment caused Sarendy to smile briefly, a gesture that brought a smile to his own face. "What about you, Mia?" he asked, attempting to keep the lighthearted conversation going. "You can't be more'n a few seasons older than me. How was th' battle for you, fighter girl?"
"I have a lot more bally experience under my belt than either o' you two leverets," said Mianel with a grin. "I can't say fightin' comes easy t' me now, but it's certainly less difficult for me than when I was your age."
Curiosity filled Merlin as his new friend mentioned her previous experiences. "Jus' wot sort o' experience d'you have under that belt, Mia?" he asked, feeling his ears perk up in response to his sudden attentiveness. "I wanna know th' kind o' edge your seasons have given you."
Mianel grinned. "I'd tell you, but I don't think I could make a decent story outta my life without some time t' think. Besides," she said, gesturing to the front of the group of marching beasts. "I think we're stoppin' here, an' I'd rather rest than talk."
Merlin nodded, and the Redwallers and Long Patrollers slowly came to a halt. All around Merlin, beasts dropped to their knees, thankful for the chance to rest. Gently, Merlin and Mianel lowered Sarendy to the ground. Once the squirrel had positioned herself as comfortably as possible, the two hares sat down next to her. Merlin shifted himself until he was comfortable, then lay down on his side.
"G'night," he said quietly, before sleep overtook him.
The Badger Lord's room was, in fact, nothing impressive. Although the room was spacious, and seemed welcoming enough, the lack of finery surprised Sunai. He felt a lingering disappointment at not finding a wondrous room, fit for a king of the shorelines. Was Salamandastron, the mountain fortress which struck awe into the hearts of searats when it first came into view over the horizon, so unimpressive?
However, another, more earthly part of Sunai approved of the room. The cushioned ledge that provided the Badger Lord a place on which to rest was simple, and without unnecessary comforts. Sunai had lived most of his life traveling, whether across plains, mountains, and forests, or on the deck of a ship. In that time, he learned that beasts who pampered themselves found it difficult to adjust to the realities of war. Over the seasons, Sunai had slept on beds of sand, forest needles, wooden decks, and rocky mountains. Occasionally, he had been forced to sleep through rainstorms without any protection from the elements.
Of course the badgers would sleep in rough rooms. After all, what use would a mountain fortress be if the Lord of the Mountain was fearful of discomfort? Sunai surmised that the dormitories used by the Long Patrol were similar, which would undoubtedly come as a disappointment to some of the vermin who had been looking forward to sleeping in a cozy bed.
As the Stormbringer assessed advantages and disadvantages of the Badger Lord's chamber, he was barely aware of a pair of paws softly padding across the stone floor behind him. A smile crept across his face. She sought to catch him unawares, did she?
Waiting patiently until the vixen was within his reach, he whirled around, grabbing Danni's wrist. She let out a startled yelp, but the expression of surprised on her face faded when she saw Sunai's face. The vixen smiled slowly, and Sunai grinned.
"What the hell am I thinking?" he said aloud, gesturing at the surrounding room with his free hand. "A badger's bed would be big enough for almost any two beasts, but there's no way it could comfortably fit both of us. We need to find different quarters."
Danni laughed. "That shouldn't be too hard. If all else fails, we can push two of the beds from the downstairs dormitories together."
"How big are the dormitories?" asked Sunai.
"Big enough to house us," said Danni. "I'm sure that if we talked to Laskit, he'd get us a room that we could share." Laskit was the most organized beast in the Stormbringer's army, so Sunai had instructed him to find rooms for the beasts who survived the battle, take stock of Salamandastron's supplies, and become acquainted with the layout of the mountain. Sunai made a mental note to find Laskit before he went to bed.
Without any hesitation, Sunai let go of Danni's wrist and headed for the door. As he moved toward the exit, he began to feel an overwhelming desire to leave the room. Not just the room, but the whole mountain. Unwittingly, he started to move faster.
Sunai darted through the doorway leading out of the badger's chambers, suddenly glad that he had left the doors open. The corridor was brighter than the Badger Lord's bedroom had been, partly because there were more windows and partly because there were burning torches placed at the corners of the hallway. As soon as his footpaws entered the hallway, his desire to leave faded.
Danni's paw reached out to touch Sunai's arm. "What's the matter?" she asked.
Sunai stared back into the room. "If I had to guess, I'd say that the Badger Lords were trying to chase me out." Sunai tried to laugh, but it came out shakily. Danni's face was a mixture of concern and confusion. Before the vixen could respond, Sunai grabbed her paw. "We'll find Laskit."
They found the searat tactician milling about in the corridors lower in the mountain, assigning everybeast a dormitory. He seemed nervous, and held something wrapped in cloth. When Sunai and Danni approached him, he straightened.
"There seem t' be enough rooms t' house everybeast in yer army with no doublin' up, sir," said Laskit. "I judge that there're enough supplies t' keep us fed fer at least a couple seasons. We've also found several hares still in th' mountain. Some groups o' hares were huddled in th' entrances that th' badger blocked. There were also a few tryin' t' set fire t' th' crops on th' side o' th' mountain. Yer soldiers managed t' put out th' fire before all th' crops were destroyed, but many were bunt before we could extinguish th' blaze."
Sunai smiled. "Keep the prisoners on half rations. If they're week, they won't be likely to stage a rebellion. Our own soldiers will need to rest as well. I think we can afford to keep the mountain weakly guarded for a few days. Then, we'll set somebeasts to guarding and some to recruiting. When do you expect my ships to get here?"
"It'll take 'em 'bout four days, sir," answered Laskit, shifting uncomfortably. "I'm sure th' beasts ye left behind'll be glad t' see that they don't need t' fight. Now, there's one thing that ye shou-"
"Danni and I also need a room," interrupted Sunai. "Preferably one with a large bed and a fireplace."
"I know one that ye'll like," said Laskit. He gripped the package in his hand tightly, and nervously led Sunai and Danni down the hall.
The room he recommended fit Sunai's criteria perfectly. There was a large bed, big enough for Sunai and Danni to sleep in, and a fireplace built near it with a chimney leading up through the mountain. There was also a small window at the other end of the room, far enough away from the bed that Sunai and Danni wouldn't get cold if the wind was icy.
"It'll do nicely, Laskit," said Sunai absently, starting a fire using the firewood stacked in the corner next to the fireplace. "Now, about Meist. We don't want him sleeping near the rest of the soldiers. Maybe further up the mountain?"
"That won't be necessary," said Laskit softly. He threw the package he had been holding to Sunai. The Stormrat caught it and looked up at Laskit. At the searat's nod, he opened it.
Sunai stared long and hard at the disembodied head inside. His brother met his gaze with sightless eyes.
"I found 'im in a chamber with some other deadbeasts. Some were from Redwall, some were ours. From th' looks of it, th' beast who sliced off 'is head was a mouse. That murderin' beast was long dead."
"You're excused," said Sunai. Laskit nodded, and hastened out, shutting the door silently behind him. Sunai turned to Danni, still holding his dead brother's head in his hands. "You got Meist killed?"
"I'm sorry," she answered. "I left him behind to hold off pursuers. It looks like the Redwallers got the best of him." Danni sat down on the bed, staring at Sunai. She seemed fearful of what he might do.
Sunai stood. "I should thank you," he answered. "The only reason I didn't kill him myself was that he was my brother. The beasts in my horde would start to wonder." Almost carelessly, Sunai tossed the head of his brother into the flames. He stared intently as the fur on his brother's face burnt away and his flesh began to burn. Flames crept into Meist's nose and licked at his eyelids. After several minutes, his eyes began to melt in their sockets, oozing down the Stormrat's already disfigured face.
The Stormbringer did not tear his eyes away from his dead brother's head until it was a mass of charred flesh. The stench of the beast's burning tissues filled the small room, slowly creeping away through the chimney and the window. Absently, Sunai reached for the stack of firewood and tossed a pair of logs into the fire. The burning wood which Meist's head sat upon shifted and cracked under the weight of the new logs, and the head dropped closer to the base of the fire.
Satisfied, Sunai stood and turned to Danni. The vixen was staring at the fire, enraptured by the flames. For the first time in a long while, superstitious feelings overtook her. Shivering, she grabbed the wool blankets on the bed and pulled them over herself. Sunai smiled, joining her underneath the covers.
"Now," he said, "I am the last Stormrat." With a gentleness and happiness that he rarely displayed, he reached out for Danni's shoulders and drew her close.