Welcome one and all to the first chapter of From Southsward. Hope you jolly well enjoy, wot wot?

—¤·Θ·¤—

Chapter 1: Introductions

—¤·Θ·¤—

The sun's rays reflected off the brightly polished brass medals of the Long Patrol Captain Sandlim. He got his name for his looks for he was dark sand colored and slim. Right now, he was looking out the window in the Badger Lord's bedchamber. He saw what he had hoped not to see; three pirate ships heading for land. Most likely comm'in to take over the bally ol' Salamdawotsit, he thought. The last thing he wanted to do was to tell the lord of the mountain, Lord Urthord the Mighty. Sandlim hated to tell the "his lordship" anything to do with pirates. He shuddered at the thought of the last time Lord Urthrod was informed of sea going vermin heading toward Salamandastron.

The moment the great badger heard the word "vermin" he had rushed to his foraging room and grabbed his best weapon, a club, and ran out the mountain yelling a loud "Eulaliaaaaaaaaaa". Any hare brave enough to stand in his way was bowled right over. Lord Urthrod had been full of the bloodlust and fought his way through the sea rats until he was broadside with their ship. One mighty swing of the club and the great gapping hole in the ship was sucking in water (and sea rats) so quick, that the badger was sucked halfway in. The ship kept sinking. It took a score of hares to pull Urthrod out, but not before he had been submerged. It was a day after before Urthrod finally woke up.

Sandlim was joined by a beautiful haremaid and a hare. "Reportin' fer duty, ssssir!" They both threw sharp salutes at their captain.

Sandlim nodded at them then out the window, "At ease Jaclyn and Yipper. Tell me, me ol' runners, what do ya see out yonder?"

The haremaid Jaclyn took a peak out the window and replied, "Yikes! Is that really three blunders out there, sir? The vermin wont get within a paws breath o' the mountain once his lordship 'ears o' that mob, wot wot?"

"Aye that's true, Jaclyn, it's a pity his mightiness ain't away, Id love to see his face if we told him he'd missed a great party here, wot?"

The three hares laughed their way down the corridor to prepare for that battle, and tell Lord Urthord of the vermin approaching from the south.

—§·§·§—

At the red stone Abbey, all was peace and quiet. Skipper of otters and Log a Log, with two other otters and shrews, had taken the Dibbuns out on a brisk walk to the ford. Foremole and his crew of six moles were just finishing up the repairs from the last battle.

"Ee be a gurt wall that un."

"Hurr, you'm doan't say. Oi need a bit more er thot red staon thurr plz."

"Ere oi ar, Blurr."

Foremole passed the last of the red sandstone to Blurr. It had been dug out of a quarry where snakes had lived before. The same quarry that the legendary Matthais had found the Sword of Martin the Warrior generations and generations ago, and where Redwall's stone had come from when the founders of Redwall built the Abbey. Now, the sword found itself in the trusty paws of Redwall's mouse Champion, Triebane.

Just then, Abbot Sathodus walked up. "Is everything fine, Foremole? Do you need anymore sandstone?"

"Hurr hurr, ebryting ois goin qouit fine, yer Abbotship. No no, oi doant be needen anymer sandystaone, sir. Blurr thure is poutin on dur final touchers, hurr hurr."

"Ah! Very good! Tonight I was planning on putting on a great feast, in your honor, to celebrate the end of repairs on our Abbey. I thought that would be a great treat for you and your moles. Sort of like a thank you, if my thank you is no good."

Foremole looked down at his fore paws and shuffled his hind paws. "Oi wouldn't moind both yur thanx an' yer feast, if yur doant mind, Fauther."

Sathodus looked surprised. "Oh of course you can have both! Tonight in the orchard, is that fine?"

Now it was Foremole's turn to look up. "Burr ho it is."

The Abbot nodded toward the main gate. "See you then Foremole, I have to keep watch for Skipper and Log a Log and the Dibbuns. They're coming back today. Wouldn't want dirty paws at the table you know." As he walked toward the threshold, he noticed a mouse watching down the south path. Sathodus knew it was Triebane, by the sword strapped across his back, and wondered if the vermin were coming back so he hastened up the steps quickly.

He looked south down the road, "Isn't Skipper and the others coming from the north? Why are you looking south?"

Triebane sight never left the road as he spoke. "Everything is fine, Father. At least I think it is. Martin the Warrior told me in a dream last night to come up here and watch the road. He said something or someone would come by today in dire need of help. He said so in a riddle or something."

The older mouse looked questioningly at Triebane. "Well, what did he say?"

Now Triebane looked straight at the Abbot. "The problem is that I can't remember what he said. The only way I know whatever it is, is coming from the south because Martin waved his sword south. That is all I remember. So I strapped on Martin's sword and came up here to wait."

Sathodus sat pondering. "Hum… I wonder what could be so important that Martin warned," At Triebane's narrowed-eyes-look, he quickly put in, "or um told you about, something coming from the south."

Triebane's sharp hearing detected a sound from the north, upon which he turned to hear it better. "Oh look, Father, Skipper and Log a Log and the others are returning from the ford."

The Father of All Redwall craned his neck as far out over the battlements as possible. "I can see, Triebane. And yes, they are returning, and oh no, by golly! Four hares! Poor Friar Cupcud! You can imagine what will happen to him once he sees a bunch of hares roaming around these grounds. Jacalem," he called down to the gatehouse, "Open the gate please, our friends are returning."

At this call, an ancient female squirrel and a middle seasoned badgermum exited the gatehouse; they were talking as old friends often do.

"Now now deary, ya don't have to stand or' me as if I were some cripple! Move aside and I'll show ya da strength I 'ave left!" The squirrel half limped and half trotted to the main gate. Behind her every step of the way, the badgermum followed.

"But Jacalem, you are nearly thirty-six seasons old! How do you maintain the strength and swiftness of a young one?"

"Patience, ma deary, patience. Everybeast always says I am 'swift o' paw' and 'strong o' paw', but as ya con see, I con no longer raise da bar holding da gates shut. Ya must lift them ma deary."

The badgermum sighed and lifted the bar with ease. "Jacalem, I am concerned for you, trying to prove you are younger then you really are. Try not to run as fast, or lift heavy things. We need you as our Recorder and we don't have any replacements. Our Abby cannot afford your loss."

As the badgermum was talking, Abbot Sathodus was starting down the steps. Glancing back at the mouse still on the wall, he said, "Well Triebane, are you going to stand there all day? Come and welcome our friends back."

"I'm sorry, Father, but I must stay here. Something in the way Martin spoke bade me to stay here until the thing comes, or happens. I will stay here even if it means skipping the feast tonight. By the way, would you tell Friar Cupcud to send up some food and drink? Thank you much Father, and pray have a good feast."

The Abbot mumbled something unintelligible and continued down the steep steps without a backwards glance. If he's that persistent, then I'll just leave him, he thought to himself.

—§·§·§—

Out on the path, coming toward Redwall, the otters and shrews had the Dibbuns marching in four rows with a hare at the beginning of each row. As they marched, they sang part of Seven Seasons Gone in honor of the hares and to keep in step.

"Seven seasons gone, oh seven seasons gone,

But now I'm commin' home, me dear ole mate,

Over valley hill'n'field an' me foot paws didn't

yield,

Get some vittles on the table, I can't wait!

Go t'the left right left Go t'the left fight left!

Bong boom! Bong boom! Bong boom! The Abbey's twin bells rolled out the welcome toll. Skipper of Otters called a halt right out side the gate where Abbot Sathodus, badgermum Cythel, and Recorder Jacalem stood waiting.

Sathodus spoke first, "My my Skipper, where have all these hares come from? And thank you much for taking care of the Dibbuns and bringing them safely back to our Abby."

Skipper was about to reply when he was interrupted by a hare in the second row. "Yeeooooooooow! Ach! Come back here y' flippen little fibber, you!" He began to chase the Dibbun behind him. "Skipper let y' off easy like but not me!"

The squirrel babe ran off laughing. "Hehehehe, mista Glooten wanna catchame? Den climb up here tree wid me! Hehehehe!" He climbed up the nearest tree faster then the eyes of the hare could follow, laughing down at the poor hare as he through down acorns at him. Two other Dibbuns, obviously his pals, cheered him on.

"Datta way, Elmortal," another squirrel shouted up at him.

A young ottermaid laughed happily addressing Elmortal, using the nickname she had thought up for him. "O lookie Mortie, bigy hare hoppin about! Hahahehehehehe!"

"Yeeoooooooooooooooww! Ya did it again blasted little skaligen!"

"Stop this at once!" The Abbot raised his voice about the screaming hare, stopping all action. The hare stopped yelling, the Dibbuns stopped cheering, and little Elmortal stopped throwing acorns after he threw one more that bounced off the hare's head. This earned him a chiding look from the Father Abbot. "Elmortal, Buttercup, and Ionaca, don't treat a guest with such profound behavior! What happened Skipper? I want a full account."

At this point, all the Abbybeast inside had run to the gate, aroused by the yelps of the hurt hare. They all were curious to know why.

"Tell us please Skipper!"

"Burr hurr, oi neber 'erd anybeasty scrm soi loud afrore."

"Skip, plz tell all o' us awaten."

"QUIET!" Everyone stopped immediately at Cythel's shout and listened. "If you let the Skipper breathe, he'll tell you all! You know he is so why make all the noise?"

Skipper flashed a thank-you-look at the badgermum and began. In the background, the Dibbuns shuffled their paws impatiently while the hares wiggled their ears in silent laughter.

"We were at da stream, when me ol' otter senses told me we were bein' watched. So we'n'Log a Log had our troops gather up the Dibbuns and guard them while we looked 'round. We hadn't gone more 'an two steps when we heard Glutton," he waved at the hare that had been shouting, "shouting what 'e had now. Log a Log ran over to were the shoutin' was and found three hares tryin' to snuffle the yelps of Glutton. Then wes tells 'em we're friends and they smiled an' introduced 'emselves." He pointed at each hare as the walked forward. "That lady is Danndelion, beauty ain't she? The one right there is Dobtail, he is a gallant fighter, or so his pals say. This other female is Windixie; they say she is a ferocious fighter when her blood's aroused. And y' already met Glutton; Danndelion told me that 'e eats more than da three o' them combined!"

At this statement, the good mouse Friar Cupcud fainted. All the onlookers shook with silent mirth.

His wife Faillip wailed, "Oh gracious me! My dear husband's fainted! Somebeast help me please!" Skipper signaled to two of his otters to take the Friar away to the sick bay.

He continued, "Achim, anyway, the hares said they ran away from the great mountain Salamasdastron, and were lookin' fer a place ta stay. So I told 'em to come to Redwall, where they could mayhaps stay awhile. They agreed, as ya can see. On our way here, the same thing happened ta Glutton as it did here, he was poked by da likkle tike behind 'im an' Glutton said that little Elmortal did it. Elmortal says he didn't an' I don't know who ta believe. You can settle accounts with it later, Father. Right now all I want is a little bite ta eat."

Sathodus showed no sign of what he thought. All he said was, "Good job Skipper and Log a Log. You may take your new friends, the hares, and wash up and have a bite to eat. As of you Fikkle and Glutton, I will see you both straight away in the gatehouse. Cythel will you accompany me?"

Glutton looked fearful as he followed a drooping figure of Elmortal, the squirrel babe, to the gatehouse. The rest of the Redwallers went back to their duties. All except one mousemaid. She was looking up at Triebane. All she could think about was what she wanted to ask him. She hastened to the kitchens to make him a nice lunch. Then, she thought, he will, I know he will.

After preparing a little something, she loaded it on a tray and took it back up the wall steps. She saw him gazing south and placed the tray on the battlements next to him. "I brought you something to eat, Triebane." She spoke and was surprised to see that Triebane turned around quickly. He looked at her carefully.

"Hum… I was just getting lonely up here. Would you like something Marion?"

Marion was surprised that he knew her name. "Why yes actually, though I'm surprised that you know my name. Would you be so kind as to accompany me to the banquet tonight? It would mean a lot to me."

Now it was Triebane's turn to look surprised. "Accompany you? A lady never asks that. Only the gentlebeast ask that to the lady. What makes you ask me that?"

"Only that I have admired you from the day I was born! I have watch you, and asked questions about you, and learned from out side sources the ways of warriors. I don not want you to accompany me to the feast for love, I just want to learn more about sword play."

The answer came back like the warm sunlight after a rainy day. "Then why not just ask me to teach you?"

That had been exactly what Marion had wanted. But she still played her act. "Of course! Why had I not thought of that myself? Will you teach me, Triebane? Please will you?"

He smiled at her, "Tomorrow, in the orchard, by the Dibbuns Tree House. They probably would want to watch."

Skipping away, Marion laughed and shouted back over her shoulder, "Hahaha! I'd new I could count on ye, Triebane! I'll even have my own sword! Meet you there at high noon!"

—§·§·§—

In the gatehouse, Abbot Sathodus was giving the hare and Dibbun a lesson.

"Look at me Elmortal, not at your paws. In this Abbey, we have an Order, right?

"Aye sir."

"We expect you to follow the order, right?"

"Yessir."

"Good, now run along and tell Friar Cupcud he has two more paws, and a willing heart to help him in the kitchen until he dismisses you. Understand Elmortal?"

The Dibbun's eyes were wide with shock. "But but sir! All day long?"

"Not necessarily, it's until he dismisses you."

In his heart, the Abbot felt sorry for the youngster but, he knew it was the best up bringing for a small one to know he cant get away with everything.

"Righto Father Abbot! Nice going! I knew you'd understand ma!" The hare watched the small figure stumble off to the kitchens. He got up to go see what was there.

"Now, just a minute," the Father of all Redwall called to the hare, "Glutton, I want to make sure that you don't intrigue the small youngster to do things bad. I know I can have faith in you. That is all, you may go now, but don't head for the kitchens and cellars."

"The very idea of it, wot! Me? Of all hares? Putting bad ideas into Dibbuns instant likkle minds? Just watch me, sir…Yeeoooie!"

He had been backing out of the gatehouse until he tripped on a branch just outside the door. The Abbot laughed puddles as the outraged and embarrassed hare stumbled off in the direction of the Abby pond. Still laughing, he walked up the steps to talk with Triebane awhile, however, he found the Warriormouse asleep. He ambled off to snatch a quick bite from the kitchens thinking, I wonder if everyone is at the kitchens today.

—¤·Θ·¤—

Yo ho, and a bottle of rum!