Chapter 6
Plans on Top of Plans
A feeling of dread was taking a slow but steady root in Abbess Songbreeze's heart. From the moment she saw Terra doing something so utterly uncharacteristic of herself up on the wall Song knew something was terribly amiss. Of course getting Terra down was as simple as running up there to pick her up. Song had not really been worried about Terra falling, for she knew well that the young ratbabe was quite nimble, it was instead what the act signified that made Song's heart sink.
When an old hedgehog reported that he saw the south gate open Song did not have to think long on what had happened. Terra would only have done what she had if Leon had asked her, and the fact that she'd done it on the north wall directly opposite the opened gate was too much of a coincidence. Song knew without doubt that not only her Leon, but two other of the abbey's dibbuns were now outside in Mossflower Wood. Cali and Gil could not be found anywhere either, and it was no secret that they were close friends with Leon.
So it was that Abbess Songbreeze found herself trying to organize a search party to go find the wayward babes when matters suddenly went from bad to truly worse than she would have been able to imagine. Dann, Cregga, Liliam, and Halem were all there along with Florain and a number of the Wandering Noonvale Companions. They were all out in the courtyard circled around Song who was holding a frightened looking Terra. The young ratbabe did not speak, but it had not taken more than a few quick questions before she had confirmed what they all feared with a few paw gestures and nods or shakes of her tiny head.
Florain was of the opinion, and stated it quite loudly, that they should immediately band together and go find the dibbuns "…post haste, wot wot!" as he put it. Though his sentiment was shared by the rest of the troupe, and both Sister Liliam and Halem who both could not stand the idea of such young ones being in danger, Dann and Cregga were of slightly cooler mind. Charging out in force would only attract attention to the abbey and cause an overall panic among the abbeybeasts. Besides, a large group that looked about all willy nilly was not going to help much. Dann suggested a few beasts well versed in quick and silent movement in the forest, like himself and Janglur, would have far better chances at finding the three dibbuns and bringing them back safely.
Song of course insisted on going along, which was what was the focus of argument between her and Dann as a otter wall guard came rushing into the scene.
"Dann I'm going! I'm not going to sit here and wait while Leon and-"
"Blast it all Song you can't! What do you think the rest of the abbey will think of their Abbess up and runs off into the forest all of a sudden? I thought you wanted to keep a panic from starting up."
"I do, but I…"
"I know Song, I know…huh? What's this?"
The otter was huffing, and paused a second to catch a breath as the gathered group all stared at him with wide eyes. "Sorry Abbess marm, I don't mean to break up anythin' important but you got to come up to the wall."
"Why," asked Song, ice growing in the pit of her stomach "What's happened?"
"You'd best just see it…I don't know how to rightly describe this."
Song and Dann exchanged a worried look. A low murmur swept through the gathered Noonvale Compainions, with Florain's face becoming grim set. Cregga kept her face schooled into an unreadable mask.
"Lead the way then," Song told the otter.
"Da ye be thinkin' they'll like the show?" asked Eies in her standard mind wrenching screech of a voice. Darr snorted and ran a finger over the edge of his battle-axe, wondering if Eies saw the gesture as him showing his general contempt for woodlanders or the fact that he was seriously considering burying the brutal device into her little skull. Before him and the female ferret a line of his hordebeasts stood in a relatively neat line, maybe fifty altogether, dressed up in the cleanest bits of leather armor and armed with the least rusted of the horde's weapons. Past that was a small clear space with a deep ditch in it, a path beyond that with a rise that lead up past a space of sparse green grass, and finally the red sandstone walls of the great abbey of Redwall. Darr could see the small forms of woodlanders up on the wall scurrying about, some standing still and pointing in their direction. He could hear their distant shouts but couldn't make out words. It wasn't necessary though, he could tell just by the tone of the shouts that the 'show' was having the desired effect.
Behind him and Eies was a truly odd device. Constructing it had taken several days of non-stop work but it had paid off. It was a platform of wood logs, supported by cross-beams beneath that formed a kind of boxy structure. From the base of the platform were large spokes where hastily crafted wheels made from sections of log were in place, allowing the fifty hordebeasts now arrayed up front to pull it out into view of those on the abbey wall. The platform itself was even and planked, and what was on it was the cause of the woodlander's distress just as Darr had planned.
A wooden beam held up by smaller twin beams on either side of it stretched across the platform's near thirty foot long and ten wide surface. On this beam was a lovely display of local woodlanders strung up by their necks on thick rope. Only small logs under the feet of the woodlanders kept them from strangling to death. All of these woodlanders were adult, a mix of species and gender. Dar was saving the younger ones captured for a last resort if this first demonstration did not work out.
Nearby Darr could see that the little dark firebrand, Diane, was leaning against the construct with a sour look on her face. Of course she almost always had a sour look on her face as far as Darr knew, and he cared not at all. The dark furred squirrel was always in a bad mood, another thing the Darr couldn't bring himself to care about along as Diane did what he told her to do when he told her to do it.
"Now that we got them woodsies' attention we might 's well get things started," he said, walking forward towards the line of his soldiers. Eies was only a few steps behind him.
"What is this?" Song asked to none in particular, here eyes fixed upon the wooden construct that these vermin had wheeled in front of her abbey. The sky was clear of clouds this day, the light of the mid-morning sun casting a light that did not fit with her sinking mood. To her left and right creatures of the abbey either stood gaping or murmured amongst themselves in hushed tones, the very air around them seeming heavy with their anxiety that Song herself keenly felt. Where could Leon be? Song's thoughts skittered about, unable to keep the ratbabe's image from crossing her mind. A sharp stab of guilt accompanied this, in part because she knew she was responsible for the young ones of the abbey, the other part being that she was thinking more of Leon that the other two dibbuns who were also missing.
Cregga was trying to get the wall clear of anybeast who as she put it 'could be minding their business elsewhere,' though the badger was meeting only limited success with word spreading quick throughout the abbey that something strange was happening outside the walls.
"Its all too blasted obvious what these vermin are doing," growled Rusvul who stood nearby next to his son, "That's a whole bunch o' hostages they got strung up in front of us, too far away for us to do a bloody thing about it."
Dann looked as if he agreed with his father, but wasn't saying anything as he stared intently at the vermin who were standing in front of the huge hanging platform. He counted about fifty, about as many as there were capable fighting beasts inside the abbey. That was a pretty small group as vermin groups went, and they never would have been able to pose a threat to Redwall if it wasn't for those hostages. He wanted to curse as his father was, for not thinking about this possibility sooner. Though he knew full well there was no way to protect all the creatures who lived in Mossflower, he still felt as if he should have done something to prevent this.
"Looks like tha' one's comin' up ta' have a bit o' a chat, must be the leaderish type o' the lot." Said Florain as the hair pointed out a pair of vermin walking towards the abbey gates with a detachment of about ten of the armed vermin following them. Song couldn't tell until they got close enough, but once the miniature procession had started to make its way up the path she could see that the two in the lead were both ferrets, a tall imposing male and a bulky female. The others comprised of a mixture of vermin, all clad in ramshackle armor and carrying worn looking spears, some of them carrying a shield as well.
Though most of those on the wall were normal abbeybeasts, Song noticed a few of the refugees as well among the clumped groups of squirrels, mice, hedgehogs, and otters. The only shrew there was Dippler, whom Song hadn't seen much off since he first arrived. She knew he had been busy about the abbey, but she just wasn't sure what he'd been 'busy' doing. Dippler noticed her look and gave her a reassuring smile, though she could still see that he was just as troubled by what was happening as she was.
She managed to return it just in time to hear a gruff and deep voice bellow upward from the path below.
"Who be th' woodsie n' charge up der!"
It was the male stoat who had spoken, and Song gave him a careful look over. The massive bulk of the stoat and the confident manner he carried himself said everything she needed to know. This was the one who lead the band of vermin and likely had ordered the hostages to be taken. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed several creatures, her and Dann's fathers included, had readied slings or bows. She raised a paw to keep them steady, though she knew it was not needed. None of the abbey would fire knowing the lives of the hostages were at stake. This warlord, or whatever he was, had thought this through enough to ensure the abbeybeasts would not be the ones to fire first.
Song took a deep breath and in a steady voice, the voice of an Abbess, called out clearly. "I am Songbreeze Swifteye, Abbess of Redwall Abbey. Who are you and what brings you to our gates?"
She couldn't hear it, but seeing the shaking of the vermin's shoulders said they were all laughing among themselves. The same rough and gravel voice of the stoat replied to her, and Song could imagine there was as much insult just in the voice than anything that the vermin could say.
"Are ye now? Abbess, what a' grand an' lovely title. Well, 'Abbess', I am Darr Notch, leader o' this little band ye see lined up nice in' pretty in front o' yer abbey. As fer what it is I want, well that's a' simple matter to be sure. I want yer abbey to empty itself, clear on out an' take a long walk…preferably without the whole comin' back concept."
There was a long pause as a rift of murmurs went through the crowd on the wall. Song heard Rusvul hiss out a "Bastard," and her own father whisper something to the elder Reguba that sounded like "Wait," then before she could make any reply Dann yelled down.
"And let me guess vermin, if we don't abandon our home to you then you'll put that 'device'," he practically spat out the word with enough venom to make an adder envious, "to use on your captives!"
This time Song did hear the stoat Darr laugh, a sound like blood soaked rocks slapping together. "Harharhar, ye got it right n' yer head treewholoper! Ye don't get yerselves gone n' a day ye'll get a good view of a hanging 'er two, ye try an' make a' move on us or get any funny ideas 'bout using them bows o' yers then I'll treat ya to a even grander show!"
"Is there any depth a vermin won't slink to?" Rusvul had his hackles standing on end, the old squirrels face a twisted parody of its normal calm, now painted with rage and hatred. His knuckles were white around the grip of a bow, one paw twitching with the urge to draw an arrow. Song hoped that he could keep himself controlled, at least until…until what? This Darr had just effectively tied their paws with bonds of moral conscience, a binding tighter than anything else that could be used upon a Redwaller.
"For now we don't have much choice," she said to those around her, gaining looks from Dann, Rusvul, Janglur, Florain, and Cregga.
"Pardon marm but t'blighers playin' a' perilous game. 'E can't 'arm them folk long as 'es got a' use fer 'im, cause ifin' he did go through wit 'is threats in' such he'd be witout th'leverage 'e needs ta make demands," said Florain, jabbing a thumb over the wall in the rough direction of the vermin band.
"Don't state the bloody obvious hare," muttered Rusvul in a low tone "He knows full well he can't just kill them without losing his only advantage on us, but don't fool yourself for a second that he won't follow through with what he says if he thinks we won't comply. He'll kill them a few at a time, until guilt forces our move…"
"Enough with the pessimism," said Song firmly, though she knew Rusvul was speaking the truth. "We must find a way to free those this Darr Notch holds captive…for now we'll have to play along to buy time."
She turned and raised her voice to be heard by the vermin below. "You give us little choice. We shall begin preparations to leave, but understand there are many in here…it may take more than a day."
"Day 's what ye gots 'Abbess' so ye'd better get workin'. Fer each hour after t'next dawn a woodsie is gettin' a stretched neck. Think o' it as extra motivation ta work fast, hehehe."
With that Darr Notch gave a mocking bow and turned away, his small entourage following him back to the silent line of vermin waiting across the path by that contemptuous execution platform. Song watched with her dark eyes bordering between despair and anger. It burned inside her gut, the idea that this stoat would have such little concern for anybeast's well being, not even that of his own. She had seen those who surrounded Darr Notch, vermin who looked thin as rails, more tattered and ragged than any she had seen before. Even with his own obviously suffering Darr Notch wasted time and lives upon petty acts such as this. All he had need to do was ASK and Song would have opened the gates and given them all sanctuary. What make them think they had to take it? No answers came to her mind, and her heart sank. She showed none of this on her face however, keeping a steel look of calm as she regarded Dann.
"We have one day then, we'd best get everybeast off the wall and then start planning on a way to save the prisoners."
He nodded once, his face drawn in a comforting smile that Song appreciated. He had such confidence in her. "Will do Song. Hey no need for the teary face, we'll figure something out."
Song felt a paw on her shoulder and turned her head to see her father was right beside her, giving her much the same look of confidence and comfort as Dann was. He laughed heartily and patted her shoulder heftily. "He's right, won't do no good worry, just put our heads together and put these vermin in their place. And don't worry daughter, we'll get little Leon and the other dibbuns back as well."
She started, surprised he'd been able to read her worries so easily, but then he was her father after all. A slight smile made its way to her face, more a trial of will than she would have imagined. "Thank you. Well, if we're to decide upon a plan we'd best get to it…looks like Friar Kal will have to boil enough hotroot tea to last the night."
Leon didn't know whether to be frightened or giddy, so the ratbabe just settled on both. There were so many new sights, sounds, and smells to take in, but at the same time he knew with the feeling of cold pin pricks up his spine that this was a very dangerous situation. The tall and rather unpleasant smelling creature that by now Leon had figured out was named Rasp still had a firm hold on him as he and his partner, the one disturbingly similar in appearance to Leon, brought him and Cali into what looked like some sort of camp.
There was no real clearing for the clumps of tents and small campfires to be set up, so Leon only caught glimpses of parts of it through thickets of trees and brush, though what he saw fascinated him enough. Creatures of which he'd never seen the like were gathered around their fires, bodies that Leon's nose could tell were poorly washed being clothed in little more than a few dirty rags and strips of cloth. What was wrong with them? Didn't they have nice clean abbey cloths? This puzzled Leon but he put the question aside for the time being. From what little he could tell most if not all the creatures here were female, or very young like Cali and himself. There were only a few adult males, and the ones Leon saw were all armed, though for some reason each one had a barely noticeable aura of fear around them. The only reason Leon even noticed it was that he'd seen so much of the same slight uneasiness in posture among those inside the abbey recently.
There was a break in the trees and a larger clearing opened up before them, and Leon blinked in surprise. A circle of tents made a kind of make-shift barrier around a large group of creatures seated on the ground. Leon saw that they were all familiar creatures, the ones he had grown up with, and that each one was bound tightly by rope. This did not bode well at all…
Rasp and the one called Touse were approached by another of the smelly and strange creatures, who gave the two what seemed to Leon like an annoyed look. This one's voice was different from the others though, not rough or even all that mean, but more like the kind of voice Leon had used once or twice himself to convince mother to let him stay up a bit later at night when he wanted to play.
"What hath our tardy scouts gathered up for us? You two are quite late you know."
Leon felt Rasp's chest rumble, though he did not hear the growl. Leon thought that over for a second, deciding that the only reason somebeast as big and scary looking as Rasp might not audibly growl at another creature was because he was scared of them. Upon making this conclusion Leon studied the one who spoke in such smooth and honeyed tones, knowing that this was one he'd have to be extremely wary of.
The creature looked down at him, the eloquent and smooth features so similar to an otter yet different in a way that Leon could not place turned into a curious half-smile. "Well no matter I suppose, place these two with the others and once you are done come to me and give your report. Lord Darr wishes this abbey's perimeter secured within the hour."
"Righ', we'll git the twerps tied up then Hal," said Rasp, his voice low. Leon could tell these two did not like each other…or at least Rasp did not like the one with the silky voice. This suspicion was only confirmed to Leon when once 'Hal' had turned to leave and Rasp muttered under his breath. "Pushy stoat, like t'blighter tinks 'e owns us."
"'Old yer tongue Rasp," hushed Touse, still with Cali slung over his shoulder. "That ones gots ears too keen ta be talkin' like that."
Raps just snorted in reply and stared walking once more, Touse following behind. Leon's mind worked over what he'd just heard, still unsure of what to make of it. 'Stoat', that's what Rasp had called Hal. Leon felt his heart pick up speed, and an odd ache in his chest as a single realization struck his mind like an arrow. These creatures were vermin! Vermin like the ones in the stories badgermum Cregga always told, or the many other times he'd heard tales during dinner or from his friends in the abbey. Vermin…the creatures who were so bad and mean that even Redwall didn't have any in it. Leon felt his blood run cold, turning his head with wide eyes to look at Touse, looking over the long and angular features that seemed so familiar to him, sparking memories long since buried.
Leon felt cold, wet, and frightened. Fear he remembered more sharply than anything else, but what memory was this? He was so cold, and somebeast was nearby…was it Terra. Yes, his sister was cuddled up next to him, but what memory was this, why was he so scared? Loud crashing sounds, yells and screams, somebeast holding him and his sister tight, so warm and protective, like his mother. Mother? His mother was a squirrel, a very gentle and kind squirrel…Leon's head felt light as the strange memory faded.
He felt himself being roughly dropped to the ground, and he looked around to see he was among a cluster of creatures, the bound woodlanders. Rasp's rough paws held him down as Touse brought some rope over from somewhere that Leon could not see, confused and dazed as he was. Despite the fog in his mind though Leon had time to think a few quick strings of thought; one, he was about to be tied up, two, he didn't want to be tied up by vermin, and three, he had one way of avoiding being tied up without his captors knowing it. He took in a huge lungful of air and held it just as the rope was wound around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. Touse tied Leon's upper body througuhly, then moved on to the babe's footpaws. Once that was done he turned his attention on Cali, and soon enough both babes were as much prisoners as the woodlanders tied up around them. Rasp laughed gruffly, and left, Touse following at his heels, neither giving the babes a second thought.
"My, this is just terrible. I can't believe those beasts would stoop to taking captive poor defenseless dibbuns!" Leon looked up to see many faces older than his looking down at him and Cali with sympathy. It had been an elderly female mouse who had spoken, but it was the younger male mouse next to her that spoke to him and Cali.
"Take heart young ones and do not be afraid. I'm Samson, and you are among friends here," his voice was warm and relaxed, but Leon could hear a tremor behind it that said that this mouse was putting on a very brave face for the sake of ones he thought too young to understand what was going on. He heard Cali sniffling, and Leon looked over to see his friend's eyes watering as she struggled with the rope around her chest and legs.
"There, there, don't struggle young one," said the old female mouse, "You'll be alright as long as you don't attract attention to yourself. Oh dear, Samson what are we going to do?"
"Wait, for now, mother. There is little else we can do." Leon saw a pawfull of agreeing nods from the other woodlanders. They were all from what Leon could tell adults, many quite old. He'd thought he'd spotted a few much younger ones when he and Cali were being brought up, but he'd been too distracted by that terrible and odd memory to have paid enough attention to know. Oh well, he was running out of breath and he needed to do something soon or otherwise he, Cali, and all these nice creatures were going to remain captives of vermin. He pushed away the flood of questions that came into his head at the thought of that word, and started to exhale slowly, as not to make it obvious what he was doing.
The ropes that a few seconds ago were so tight around his puffed up body width now began to loosen as Leon let the air out of his lungs and let his chest shrink back down to its normal size. The ropes fell slack around his arms. Glancing around the ratbabe saw that the adult beasts had not noticed his sudden inventive escape, most of them talking quietly among themselves, a few working to comfort Cali. That was fine with Leon, he didn't want any extra attention directed towards him right now anyway.
He took a minute to size up his surroundings, trying to plan out what his next action should be. The mass of prisoners were kept in the center of the clearing, and he was somewhere near what he was dubbing the 'southern edge', never mind the fact that he had no idea which way south was. Vermin armed with what to Leon realized were weapons, the purpose of which he did not really wish to dwell on much, were standing at odd intervals of about twenty feet around the group of prisoners. The guards stood in pairs, and Leon noted they were only paying half attention to those they were supposed to be watching over. It looked like a bit of luck was on his side decided Leon as he planned…
"We shouldn't be doing this Halem…" said Lilaim as she hunkered down even lower in the bushes, fear plain in the female hedgehog's pale brown eyes. She kneaded the hem of her habit nervously, and Halem found himself thankful she'd lasted this long, and guilty that he'd asked her to come with him in the first place. "We really shouldn't…" she repeated in that same low whisper, her eyes darting around like bees buzzing around a flower.
Halem himself did not really know why he was doing this. By all that was good and right it wasn't even logical! But a strange sense of obligation, and raw determination to make things right, had set the young mouse into action. When he'd learned of how Leon had snuck out of the abbey he'd been truly mortified and utterly shamed that he'd allowed it to happen. Abbess Songbreeze had given him the responsibility of looking after the two rat dibbuns, and Halem had failed miserably in that task. A part of his mind had tried to see reason, tell him that there had been no knowing that Leon would have gone so far as to actually leave the abbey…but Halem knew better…he should have known better. Now the entire abbey was at risk, and though it was not logical, Halem blamed himself for it. So now here he was, huddled between some unpleasantly thorny bushes in the middle of the forest with his closest friend on a truly suicidal errand of rescue without anybeast back at Redwall knowing about it.
"Halem are you listening to me? We should go back…I mean…I want to help those poor dibbuns…but what can we do against vermin?" she squeaked in alarm and covered her mouth with both paws, hoping no unsavory vermin had heard her brief outburst. Halem, glancing through the bushes at the seemingly massive encampment that sat not more than a score of yards away from where they hid, saw that none of the creatures there had seemed to have heard Liliam.
"I'm sorry Lil, I know you're right, but this is something I have to do," he said, scrutinizing the camp with an intense gaze. If only he knew where Leon and Cali were being held! Seeing anything clearly was hard enough in these bushes while trying to remain unseen, but seeing two dibbuns inside what looked to Halem like a small horde of vermin was like trying to spot a specific blade of grass in a whirlwind of leaves.
"Even if we do find them…" went on Liliam, "How are we going to free them?" When Halem did not respond she sighed heavily and leaned forward a bit to join in his observation of the vermin camp. She had never known Halem to act like this, not at all, but she was still his friend and would not let him down no matter how crazy he acted. The thought of the scolding they were going to get if…when, they got back to the abbey made her wince, but she'd take that over being discovered and put at the mercy of vermin any day.
She was about to suggest that they move to a new hiding spot and try and look at the camp from a different angle when she noticed that Halem had an odd look on his face, his gaze turning upward as his nose wrinkled, sniffing the air. His whiskers twitched and his eyes gained a confused look. Liliam started to sniff too and almost instantly found out what had gained Halem's attention. Smoke. Something was burning…
Leon didn't really know how this happened. One moment he'd just finished biting through the bonds on his legs, the next an unfriendly paw had lifted him from the ground. All, including his fellow prisoners, had been surprised and shocked that he'd freed himself from the ropes, the ferret guard who had by chance spotted him not the least of which. Leon had not waited to see what the guard would do, or hear what kind of exclamations or questions the ferret would ask, Leon had just quickly sunk his teeth into the guard's wrist, eliciting a rather loud scream and a instant drop to the ground.
Leon hit the soft grass of the clearing running on all fours. Where he was running he had no clue but staying put certainly didn't strike him as a good idea.
"Gah! Me paw! Ye little' runt git back 'ere!" the ferret was shaking his bitten paw vigorously as he lumbered after the scampering Leon, calling out for his fellow guards. Leon didn't even bother to look back as he darted across the clearing, heading right for the cluster of tents around the edge of the forest. He blurred right past a startled stoat guard who barely had time to register that a prisoner had escaped, and then Leon was inside one of the larger tents.
The inside was gloomy save for some light cast by a small makeshift lamp consisting of a small fire burning in a waxed wood bowl sitting upon a crate that was next to a cot that was currently occupied apparently by a now very disgruntled rat who just woke up.
"Wha' this 'ere now? I'm tryin' ta slee-what the?"
Leon practically flew across the tent and up onto the cot when the ferret guard burst into the tent behind him. "Got'cha now!"
The ratbabe barely avoided the reaching paws of the guard by leaping up on the tent canvas, tiny claws tearing into the fabric as he clamored up, still not knowing where he was going or how he was going to escape. The rat in the cot who had just gotten such a rude awakening had also apparently not fully realized what was going on and snarled at the ferret who had ended up sprawled on him after narrowly missing Leon. "Hellsteeth Dobbs! Git' offa me 'fore I clobber ya!"
Dobbs apparently didn't pay his fellow hordebeast much mind as he scrambled up off the cot and made another leaping grab for Leon, who was now dangling from the roof of the tent, trying to tear a way through with his teeth. Apparently the rat noticed Leon about then and let out a loud curse, confusing apparent on his unwashed face.
Leon's mind was racing as fast as his teeth were to get a hole through the tent canvas. What was he going to do now? His plan to free the other prisoners one by one without the guards noticing was quite thoroughly shot right now, and he did not relish the thought of what these…vermin…would do to him if they caught him. He could feel the grimy paws of the ferret Dobbs almost touching his dangling legs. He had to hurry! Cali was counting on him. His jaw and teeth ached from his gnawing, but for a brief instant Leon felt exhilaration as the canvas gave way and he dared to think that he might manage to get through, though he had no idea what he'd do once upon the roof of the tent, when his tail went taunt and it was suddenly taking every ounce of his limited strength he had to hold on while Dobbs tried to pull him down by the tail.
"Yer' all mine runt!" the ferret gave one last mighty pull and Leon felt his claws slip free of their grip and he tumbled downward, the world spinning around him as he fell. The air fled his lungs as he smacked onto something hard, and by pure instinct he kicked his legs, scrambling upright, and still in a daze he moved without even being able to see where he was going.
What Leon didn't notice was that he'd landed on the crate with the make-shift candle on it while Dobbs had fallen back on the floor from his own pulling momentum. As Leon rushed off the crate he knocked over the candle, spilling fire all over the tent canvas, which went up like dried grass. Before anybeast even realized what was happening the tent was ablaze. Dobbs leapt to his feet, ignoring the spreading flames and searching for Leon, who had in his daze ran haphazardly out of the tent and back into the open.
"Ye brainless fool!" yelled the rat at Dobbs as he rolled out of the cot, giving the ferret a smack across the back of the head, shouting orders in the ferret's ear to stop wasting time on the 'runt' and get some water to put out the fire, which had already spread to a nearby tent.
What neither vermin, nor Leon, knew was that the fire in the tent was just one cause for chaos in the horde camp. As Leon scampered out of the tent he could see vermin running about almost at random it seemed. The ratbabe's mind could not quite make sense of all that was happening, his senses overloading. He heard the sound of metal hitting metal, yells and screams, and saw that somehow the prisoners were no longer prisoners but were free and attacking the guards around them. On top of that there were a bunch of strange creatures in the clearing, forming a circle around the prisoners and attacking any vermin they saw with slings and small thin blades. A small back part of Leon's mind took note that these new creatures all wore colorful headbands and looked a lot like his mother's friend who had come to visit not too long ago.
The vermin that Leon saw were either fleeing the clearing or running around in a daze, much like he was. It wasn't long though before Leon heard somebeast with a gruff voice shouting orders behind him, and the vermin started to form into groups, firing back at the prisoners and their strange saviors with bow and arrow. Already bodies were scattered around the clearing, and more were piling up as sling stone and arrow flew across the area like bees buzzing around a hive.
Leon didn't pay it any mind though as he ran on all fours towards the group of now ex-prisoners, finally letting his mind focus and plan. He'd find Cali, and then lead her out of all this, lead her back home. With all these crazy adults running around with weapons killing each other it just wasn't safe for her. He almost made it to where the prisoners were, when a pair of paws seemed to come out of nowhere and scoop him up. Leon panicked and almost bit into the arm of this one as well, until a face filled his field of vision that calmed him almost as much as seeing his mother would have.
Halem smiled worriedly at Leon, the mouse's arms making a protective cradle around the ratebabe. His voice was soothing but strained with anxiety, which was not lost on Leon. "You're okay, it'll all be okay Leon, the Guosim are here to help us."
Elise was in a roundabout mood, but at least things were calmer now than they were a few minutes ago. For vermin those sods had put up quite a scrap. Around the female shrew her Guosim tended to their wounds while others kept watch, just in case the vermin got any funny ideas about a counterattack. The clearing was now theirs, though it had cost a few good shrews to do it. At least those hostages were now safe, thank goodness. The last thing Elise needed to worry about were the vermin killing off prisoners. Now the prisoners looked ready to take the few weapons they pilfered from fallen vermin guards and go take on the rest of the camp. Elise had calmly explained to them that doing that would have to wait until more of her shrews arrived.
The Guosim were a nomadic group, often living in various tribes all along the rivers and forests of Mossflower. Elise just happened to be the wife of the local leader, Log-a-Log, though she preferred calling him Dippler. Poor fool sometimes let the title go to his head and needed her to remind him where he was. She'd come all the way out here just to see what had been keeping him so long when THIS happened!
With all the vermin running about Mossflower she'd had Dippler send out word to the other Guosim tribes to all meet, a rare occurrence indeed, so they could either sit this threat out or deal with it as needed. Of course the crazy shrew had had to go off on his own to Redwall to warn his friends first! It wasn't as if she didn't understand that Dippler was fond of the abbey, hellsteeth she was too! But his first responsibility was to the Guosim and she had wanted to make sure the 'Log-a-Log of all Guosim' would be there for the blasted meeting of the Guosim tribes!
So off she'd gone with two score of her tribe to go grab up their Log-a-Log when they run smack dab into a blasted vermin camp sitting right in front of Redwall abbey! To make the matter worse the vermin had had a clump of captured woodlanders sitting tied up right in the middle of a clearing. So of course they had to do something about it, couldn't very well let innocent beasts stay in the grip of vermin, it just wouldn't reflect well on Guosim character. Not to mention she felt like biting nails off at the time and was looking for a good fight. She'd have a few choice words for her husband when she saw him again. It didn't help that she knew all her bluster was just advertising to the other shrews that she was worried about Dippler.
She heard footpaws approaching her and turned about to see Olio trotted up in his standard cocksure manner. As shrews went Olio was on the tall side, broad shouldered too. He had a reputation for being quite the charmer, though he'd learned a long time ago not to bother on Elise. Besides that she trusted him as a second in command when Dippler wasn't around to give orders.
"Well ma'am, iffin' our job here was to scare the livin' daylights out a' them vermin then I'd say we done a good job. Just look at 'em." He gestured at the tree line on the other side of the clearing. Elise looked and found she couldn't disagree with Olio's statement. A small tattered looking line of vermin stood just inside the cover of the trees, watching the shrews and the woodlanders on the other side of the clearing. A few were armed, most the others were females or children, staring wide-eyed. Elise saw the fear plain in most of their eyes, while the few that weren't afraid just looked plain confused. Maybe none of them had seen shrews before…Elise had gotten a close look at one or two vermin in the melee that had ensued when she and her shrews first charged into the clearing, and these vermin had an odd look about them.
It wasn't anything too noticeable, an odd patch of dark fur here, an exotically colored pair of eyes there, or maybe just a strange smell to them underneath all that stench. Elise just had the feeling these vermin weren't from around Mossflower, or anywhere close to it for that matter. Not that it really mattered, vermin were vermin after all. Well…mostly…that babe still confused her, as did the story the abbey mouse had told her. She would have thought him daft if the female hedgehog with him hadn't confirmed the story. The Abbess of Redwall abbey taking in ratbabes as her own? Odd vermin running about all over the place, scared as witless geese and scrawny as twigs to boot? Was the whole world going mad? Elise wished she knew, but couldn't worry on it. She had things to deal with in the here and now.
"Let them sit there scared all they want," she told Olio "Just keep an eye on them and make sure that if they make a move to attack that we'll be ready for them. Have the scouts come back yet?"
Olio gave a quick nod, "Just now. They saw even more vermin near the abbey gates, apparently with more hostages all lined up to be hanged. They didn't see much activity in the abbey itself, 'really quite like' they said."
"Blast it, more bloody hostages to deal with. Alright then, here's the plan," Elise drew Olio over to the side, waving he paw to bring over a few more Guosim shrews that she trusted to do their job right. She knelt down and they formed a circle to either side of her, listening and watching her. "We could try hitting the vermin head on, but I don't want to risk those creatures they got lined up to be hanged."
"I saw the device them vermin are using, big hulking wood platform, pretty well guarded," said one of the scouts who had gone to check the abbey. Elise nodded.
"Right, meaning we'll have to do this subtle like. We pull back from this clearing, make it look to the vermin that we've left for good, and wait 'till night. At the same time I'm hoping to sneak myself into the abbey have a little chat with my husband, maybe find out a bit more about what's going on here. After that I'll meet back here with all of you and work out the plan from there."
" 'Scuse me ma'am," said Olio "But what are we gonna' be doing while you go off on your own? Just sit around and wait for you with all these woodlanders milling about?" Elise knew he was talking about the prisoners they'd liberated. He wanted to know if they were to use them in any fight they might get into, or keep them out of it, which could mean more Guosim deaths.
"Those who want to fight let them, the others you keep under guard. These vermin don't seem to be looking to fight us any more than they have too, so I don't think you'll all be followed if we just pull back for now. I can get into the abbey unseen, so no worries there…"
"No worries, eh?" whispered Diane as she listed to the female shrew jabber on, telling the other shrews where they were to go and how long they were to wait for her to come back. The dark furred squirrel was hidden quite well up in a tree above the group of shrews. Darr was furious about this recent development, practically spitting acid at every hordebeast that went by. Diane almost chuckled at hearing the female shrew say that it didn't look like the vermin here wanted a fight. If only that shrew could see Darr Notch right now, storming about with his battle axe, looking like he'd like nothing more than to hew somebeast in half. Diane had to give the burly stoat credit though, he was smart enough not to attack these shrews directly again. They were pretty well organized, and knew how to use those rapiers they carried at their sides.
Not that Diane was worried about it. This whole plan was falling apart, pretty much as she had predicted it would, but it was still salvageable as long as these damnable shrews kept out of the picture. Diane could already tell that the best way to do that would be to take out this female shrew, who was obviously the leader. No leader, no threat. Or at the very least no threat until the shrews realized their leader wasn't coming back from the abbey, but by then, assuming Darr didn't screw things up, the horde would be inside Redwall settling into their new home.
The meeting of the shrews down below came to an end, and Diane watched them break up to go take care of whatever other orders the female had given them. Diane had heard snippets of it, something about hitting the vermin at dusk tomorrow with the help of the woodlanders in the abbey. A plan that would only work assuming Darr didn't take the abbey tomorrow with this whole hostage gambit of his. Also assuming that female shrew got into the abbey at all to coordinate the abbey's help, without which the shrews would likely be slaughtered. Diane smiled thinly and fingered one of the many daggers strapped at the belt around her waist…
