Hoffy, Sareen, Pipsey, and Bankley strode through southern Mossflower, all eyes peled for the "triple cherry spray". However, while the youths tried to stay serious and keep the gravity of the mission in mind, they couldn't help but engage in fun. They rolled and threw snowballs at each other, skipped stones on the pools not covered in ice, and sang a quaint Redwall ditty, taught to them in their Dibbun days:

"The warmth, the safety, the lovely feasts

All offered to every beast,

The love, the family, all that's good,

Are all in this building of stone and wood.

"Redwall, Redwall! Our home is Redwall!

"Founded by the brave Martin sir,

Who rid the land of every foe and cur,

We celebrate and give our thanks,

Bells echo through woods, shores, and banks!

"Redwall, Redwall, our—"

"Shhh!" Bankley held a paw to her muzzle and pushed the young ones into a group. "Stay here." She sniffed the air cautiously and drew forth a small dagger. Leaving the path, the otter crept over the snow to a medium-sized copse of pine trees. The three travelers hunkered down and watched Bankley curiously.

"What's she doing?" asked Sareen.

"No idea," said Pipsey. "I hope missus Bankley's not in danger."

"Nonsense, Pip," said Hoffy. "That otterlady is Skipper's gel, no need to worry about her."

There was reason to worry, though. As Bankley entered the copse, she faced nearly five score vermin, who had made the grove their winter camp. Bankley was quickly spotted and charged by several varmints. Brandishing her blade, Bankley stabbed out and about, wounding a couple. However, the enemy overpowered her too much, and Bankley was soon taken prisoner.

The three Redwallers huddled together, shaken up after seeing the incident. Pipsey's bottom lip quivered.

"Waaah, she's been taken captive, and she'll be killed, and all of Redwall will blame us!"

Sareen hugged her friend. "No, Pipsey, we need to save her."

"The mouse is right, Pip," said Hoffy. "We are now on a double mission, friends: To save madam Bankley, and then look for the triple cherry thingy. Come on, chins in, chests out, all that military hoo-haa. Now, first, we need a plan…"

Back at Redwall, Skipper went adamantly to work on the armory. Foremole Prum and his moles had helped build shelves and brought in barrels and replaced rotten woodwork in the old closet. Skipper had brought in some of the wooden staves and javelins he had made, and a few old bundles of arrows and a few ancient bows found in the cellars. The closet stood ready to be filled with all manner of weaponry.

"It'd be nice if the Redwallers knew much about weapon makin', though," muttered Skipper.

"Zur Zkipper, daon't be worried," said Foremole, smiling. "Those young'uns and yore missus'll come back with lodes of swords and bows and whatnot."

Skipper gave a faint smile. "Yes, but will it be in time?"

Neetlebud stood off to the side with Song, watching Skipper and Foremole conversing.

"I just don't like it, Song," said the hogwife. "My little Pipsey is off who knows where to search for weapons, Skipper looks more worried than a fish in a dry spell, and those birds keep clustering in the branches near the Abbey."

"What birds?" asked Song, alarmed.

"Haven't you seen them, Song? They're always coming and going. Oh, it makes me so worried! I told Poppleleaf to help me keep the Dibbuns inside, but you know how they are, always wanting to go visit Dobbin in the gatehouse, and with all the comings and goings, they're likely to slip out any door."

"Show me the birds, please, Neetlebud." The hogwife led the abbess up the passageway to the infirmary. Neetlebud pointed out the large sickbay window.

"See? All those black birds are always flying about or perching in those oak branches."

Song peered out the window at the black birds. They cawed mightily and flew about, pecking at each other and wheeling high above the Abbey. An especially large fowl seemed to be the center bird, and always pecked the others in a berating way.

"That looks like an eagle, but it looks much too dark," observed Song. Neetlebud joined Song at the window and looked out.

"Yes, I never really noticed that big fellow before. I suppose it could be an eagle." They both looked at each other, their eyes widening, and they let out a gasp, remembering the attack on a certain dibbun.

"Dweemo!"

Juniper sat by herself, watching Clemm and Alec make stew over a cooking fire. She stared at the scars and imprints on her wrists, remembering the bonds that cut the hide when she was younger. Her thoughts wandered to her father and mother, long gone, but still imprinted in her memory. She had not spent much time with them, except for the short time as a babe before her capture, and the short time after her rescue. Her thoughts were interrupted, though, when Erwin made her scouting report.

"I've got some good news and bad news, Juniper," she said.

"Well, let's have the bad news first," the squirrel said, trying to put on her brave face.

"The bad news is that Vandar traveled through here a few days ago, so he's still a ways ahead of us. But the good news is, I found this lovely being." She looked up into a nearby tree and signaled to a creature in its branches. Juniper smiled and stood up as the Wandering White Dappo scurried down and nodded to Erwin.

"Name's Dappo, one of the southern Wandering Whites," she said briskly. She looked at Juniper studiously, then a smile brightened her face.

"Strike me! You're Juniper, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Deeply honored to meet you. This is great news for your brother."

"Birchbark? Where is he?"

"He was posted further south, but he and the rest of the southern Whites have been summoned north. That's where Vandar will be going, you see."

"Of course."

Dappo sat on the ground and accepted a bowl of stew from Clemm after introducing herself. "Let me start at the beginning," she said between sips. "This last autumn, our scouts picked up Vandar's trail, studied the camp, learnt about Vandar wanting to come back and wipe us out. So this winter, we've been pulling our numbers, knowing we'll need to stand and fight. We've chosen waiting until Vandar gets farthest north, since that's where most of our numbers live, and that's where his troops will be most challenged. Your brother's been so positive during this time, Juniper, because he's had visions and dreams, saying you're returning. It's all so exciting, ain't it?" She finished off her stew and handed her bowl to Alec.

"How many Wandering Whites are there to fight, Dappo?" asked Juniper anxiously.

Dappo's smile faded. "Not many, I must say. Probably not more than three score, and that includes old and young ones."

"I've heard Vandar has ten score vermin in his forces," Juniper muttered. "We simply need more." She sat and thought quietly for a while. "Dappo, do you see much of the Guosinom hereabouts?"

"The Guosinom? Sure, but they've become rather stubborn and argumentative these days; you'll never get them to join with us."

"Excuse me, but what is the Guosinom?" asked Clemm.

"The Guerilla Union Of Shrews In Northern Mossflower," replied Dappo. "They're fierce warriors, the lot of them."

"Can we at least see if they'll help us?" asked Erwin.

Dappo looked at their expectant faces, and finally relented. "Alright, you can try. But don't expect much."

"We'll expect nothing, and therefore be even more glad when they agree to come with us," said Juniper with a confident smirk.

Dappo understood Juniper's meaning. "Aye, it'll will be such a surprise when they do just as we ask."

The other three did not quite understand the squirrels, but felt that the northern natives would handle the situation well.