CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

When he alighted on the lawns in the middle of Foxguard's courtyard, Klystra was surprised to find not a squirrel in sight.

Tolar was soon on the scene to greet the falcon captain. "Fly from Salamandastron at sunrise to come show Gawtrybe to site of Gawdrey, but no Gawtrybe here." Klystra's simple statement stood as both an obvious assessment and a demand for an answer.

Tolar was joined by Sappakit and several of the other senior swordfoxes as they clustered about the falcon on the sun-drenched greensward. "An unforeseen development has come up," the Sword explained. "A large company of rats came upon Redwall, and Lieutenant Custis took his brigade there to sort out the situation. Surely you noticed something when you flew over the Abbey? I'd hoped you would be bearing news of the state of things there."

Klystra shook his great feathered head. "Flew around Redwall, Lord Urthblood's orders, after running into Sparra last time, taking no chances - "

"MistaKlystra MistaKlystra!"

The falcon twisted his head around, suddenly finding himself being buzzed from all sides by the enthusiastic trio of Harpreet, Brybag and Skytop. Clacking his beak and looking stern, he waited for the Abbey birds to work off the worst of their immediate excitement and plop down onto the grass among the foxes. "Hmm. Always seem to be finding these unruly chicks where ought not to be, whether here at Foxguard or flying too high over Redwall."

"Lady Mina dispatched them here to alert us to the rats," Tolar clarified. "That's how Custis knew to take his force there."

Klystra cocked his head askance. "Mina sent youngbirds with such important summons, not older, more experienced Sparra?"

"Hey!" Skytop protested. "We got message here fine!"

"In good time too!" added Brybag.

"Didn't even tire us!" Harpreet boasted, then hung her head, sheepishly looking up at all the foxes who stood scowling at her. "Well, maybe just a little," she added in a timid cheep.

"There are indications Lady Mina may have been acting on her own, independently of the Abbey leaders," Tolar elucidated. "She might have sent these Sparra without the Abbot's knowledge, or blessing."

Klystra gave the fox chieftain a searching look. "Redwall not want to send for help with rats?"

"We think the rats may have gone there to seek sanctuary - and that the Abbey leaders may be considering their request."

The falcon was silent for a long time, digesting Tolar's words. "Sounds like things all of sudden very complicated. Very ... messy."

"I would agree with that, Captain."

"What Custis plan to do at Redwall?"

"Carry out his orders, of course. He was very clear on that point."

"Even if Redwall protecting rats?"

"He seemed very determined not to let anything get in his way."

Tolar's tone told the falcon all he needed to know. "Very messy," Klystra repeated. "You not go with squirrels?"

"Mina's summons was for the Gawtrybe, not us. We could not have kept up in any case - and I wasn't about to leave Foxguard understaffed."

"Ah. Good sense. So, no word from Abbey since?"

"No word, no. But I was up in the observation deck at first light to see what I could, and it appears the rats have been admitted to the Abbey. It's hard to tell for certain, even with the long glass."

"And the Gawtrybe?"

"Nowhere to be seen. Either they're on their way back here, or else they're camped out under the trees where we can't see them. I hope it's the former explanation; if Custis is keeping his Gawtrybe at Redwall, I fear nothing good will come of it."

"Lieutenant dedicated. Could be, too dedicated. Messy messy messy. How many rats?"

"A large company. We think at least a hundred, perhaps as many as twice that."

Klystra's eyes widened. "All at Abbey now?"

"So it would appear."

The falcon ruffled his feathers. "Must fly there now, see what is what. Then decide what to do." He looked to the three Sparra, and castigated them in a frustrated tone, "You featherfools cause much trouble. Never should have flown here with message of strife. Could now be clash between Redwall and Gawtrybe."

"We didn't know!"

"Only trying to help!"

"Important mission, Lady Mina said!"

"Important, not wise," Klystra scolded. "Now might have to undo what foolishbirds did, before can even decide what to be done."

"Will you be leaving at once, or will you need to rest, Captain?" Tolar asked. "If you need food or drink, we'll be happy to provide it."

"No, Sword. Caught fish, drank water from stream on way here. Could use rest, but Redwall short flight. Will rest at Abbey."

Tolar nodded toward the Sparra trio. "Will you be taking them with you? They were getting ready to fly back on their own, but I think it might be better to have a more experienced flier escort them. If you wouldn't mind?"

"Reasonable request. Don't mind." Klystra looked down his sharp, hooked beak at the Abbeybirds. "Have experience getting these ones out of trouble. Will see to it they get in no more!"

Soon after, the four avians were airborne, Klystra purposefully winging his way toward Redwall with measured flaps so as not to outpace his youthful companions. Harpreet, Skytop and Brybag, upon seeing the falcon's limited speed and altitude, made great sport of this latest adventure, swooping and circling around the larger bird as if it were just another of their games of tag. Indeed, anybeast watching them recede would have been hard pressed to tell that Klystra was the escort and the three Sparra were his charges of the moment.

"It's only going to get worse, you know."

Tolar glanced aside at the speaker, and realized that the limp-afflicted senior swordfox Mykola had joined him and Sappakit. "The rats are all inside the Abbey, or so our observations indicate," said the Sword. "At least armed conflict with the Redwallers seems to have been avoided. Or do you believe the Lieutenant will press the matter with the Abbeybeasts, even now that the rats are beyond his reach?"

"It gets worse no matter what he does. War with Redwall, or strained relations with Redwall - take your pick."

"I've never known you to be so pessimistic, Mikky. Now that Klystra is on the scene, the tensions may be diffused, and the situation salvaged. At the very least, Custis will have to stay his paw until orders arrive from Salamandastron, and that might keep him from doing anything rash. We should be thankful the Gawtrybe didn't overtake those rats while they were still in the open, and start a massacre with the Redwallers and the Guosim caught in the middle."

"How can we be sure that didn't happen? The spring forest canopy can hide a lot of corpses from our view."

Tolar grimaced. "We can't know for certain, of course, but until we receive confirmation to the contrary, I will assume there has been no undue loss of life, and this crisis has not passed the point of salvation."

"That can only be hoped. But even if no lives have been lost, if the Lieutenant is denied at Redwall, he will have no choice but to return here - and he will be most unhappy. Extremely unhappy - and looking for somebeast to blame."

Tolar dismissed this. "I can handle Custis."

"Even if Lord Urthblood takes his side over ours?" Mykola asked.

"What? In not slaughtering Redwallers, or destroying relations with that Abbey?"

"This campaign is very important to our master. He's made that very clear, both in his dispatches and through Custis. Perhaps he would sanction steps against Redwall, for harboring so large a number of rats. He may not be able to let such a thing stand."

"Then that will be between Lord Urthblood and his Gawtrybe. I will take part in no action against our Abbey allies."

"Even if ordered?"

"I seriously doubt any such orders will be forthcoming. In fact, I am counting on them not."

"Let us hope you are right, My Sword. But, if crisis is averted at Redwall, I still see things getting very troubling around here. Custis will not soon forget it if he feels he was undermined by us, and he'll be downright insufferable if Lord Urthblood backs him up in any way. Either way, I am not looking forward to his return."

"On that, at least, we agree, Mikky. But he and his Gawtrybe will soon be leaving to found Gawdrey, and then to focus on their campaign. Their trouble will be of limited duration, so we'll just grin and bear it, and they'll soon be out of our fur."

"Will they? Mossflower may be big, but I'm starting to wonder whether it's big enough for both Foxguard and the Gawtrybe."

Tolar shot an appraising glance Mykola's way. "In spite of any feelings we might have about this campaign, Mikky, and despite the current mess with those rats at Redwall, we and the Gawtrybe are on the same side."

"I wish I could feel as sure of that as you sound, sir," Mykola said dourly, then gimped off to oversee the cadets' morning drills.

00000000000

Alexander carried his muffin outside with him, presenting the baked good to Harth as the kitchen trolleys were pushed across the lawns to serve the rats and their Guosim guardians.

The rat general graciously accepted the offered food, breaking the large muffin in half and passing one section to Grota. His underling was not quite so gracious about his late breakfast.

"Hey! This half's been gnawed on!"

"I'd call it lightly nibbled," Alex jibed, helping himself to a seat on the grass alongside the rats. "And by the cream of Redwall's squirrel crop. Don't worry, I'm not contagious - you won't catch Greenwood Fever from me, or suddenly sprout tufted ears and bushy fur on your tail!"

"I'd call that an improvement, if'n y' ask me," opined Log-a-Log, who'd come over to greet both Alex and Geoff, who'd accompanied his squirrel friend outside - mainly to escape Lekkas, who'd appeared in Great Hall perfectly timed to the Abbot's first bite of breakfast, and who had proceeded to harangue Geoff about letting the rats stay in Redwall.

"No offense," Harth said to Alex around a mouthful of his muffin, "but last thing we need 'round here is any more squirrels. So, Abbot, now that you've had a night to sleep on it, have you reached any firmer decision what's to become of us?"

"To be fair, friend Harth, it's only been half a night's sleep, if even that. I'm not inclined to commit to any course of action under duress - which means that as long as those Gawtrybe are outside out walls, threatening you with forced relocation and us with a siege, they are rather defeating their own purpose. I'll not give anybeast over into instant captivity and bondage."

"Well, I don't figger they're goin' anywhere, so you may be puttin' off that decision fer some time."

Latura arose and wandered over to the nearest trolley, all but drooling over its contents, as were the gaggle of other rats drawn to the food carts. Sister Apricot raised her ladle - which she'd brought along purely for brandishing purposes, since none of the breads and scones and cakes and muffins were anything that could be ladled - and admonished, "Stay your greedy paws, and no grabbing! You'll all be served in good order ... unless you make a scene, in which case these trolleys will go right back to the kitchens, and you'll not see them again until lunch! So line up properly, and mind your manners!"

Harth harrumphed a laugh through his full mouth. Swallowing, he observed, "Y' may've made us give up our weapons, but I see yer kitchen staff's well-armed with theirs!"

"I'd say 'er tongue's a sharper weapon than 'er big dipperspoon," Grota grumbled, painstakingly eating around the nibbled portion of his half-muffin.

Latura, having secured a scone for herself, ambled over to join them. "Hey, Abbotmousie! Why can't we eat inside on those nice benches 'n' tables, an' that big towel with th' Warrior on it?"

Geoff blinked at Alex. "Did ... did she just call our Abbey Tapestry a 'towel'?"

"Oh, sorry. Um, blanket?" At a recriminating glare from Geoff, Latura tried again. "Sheet? Anyways, why ain't we eatin' in there?"

Geoff drew himself up taller, placing paws in his sleeves. "That's because there are a great many creatures currently living at Redwall - some of whom you got to see yourself last night in Great Hall - who have grave misgivings about having rats in the Abbey, and they have good reason not to wish to mingle with you. It's best for everybeast if you remain out here, and they stay in there."

"That's all fine, Abbot - until it storms," Harth pointed out, finishing his muffin and wiping his paws on his tunic.

"We'll see about setting up some tent shelters for you out in the orchard," Geoff responded. "That will have to suit your needs for now."

Harth let slip a minor scowl. "Shelterin' under trees in a lightnin' storm ain't exactly my notion of smart ... "

"We don't get many thunderstorms in the spring."

"And if we do," Alex added with a mischievous grin, "you can always pop down into the Long Patrol tunnels to ride it out. I'm sure they'd be happy to host you."

Two of the hares making their rounds shot Alex a mortified look upon overhearing this, then moved on, muttering darkly between them.

"Any chance we'll be able to get our things back from outside?" Harth inquired. "We had some food provisions of our own, along with beddings, tentings, spare clothes an' some other things that might come in useful, an' make us less of a strain on you."

"Ah, about that," Alex replied, and proceeded to describe to Harth what he and his fellow squirrels had observed from the walltop earlier that morning.

The rat's face clouded over, although he kept his outward calm. "Shoulda known. They're not gonna do anything t' make it easy on any of us, are they?"

"I appears not." Geoff turned back to Latura, who'd plopped down onto the lawn between Harth and Alex. "My child, there was something I needed to ask you about. I didn't get a chance to go into it last night with so much else going on, but I need to know what you meant about Vanessa. You called her a deadbeast. Is she in peril?"

"Um ... wouldn't say that," Latura replied as she absently nibbled her scone.

"Then, why did you say what you did?" Geoff asked, surprised.

"'Cos it's true."

"I'm confused. Are you saying she's going to die, or not?"

"Course not."

"Well, that's a re - "

"She's already dead," Latura interrupted as she polished off her scone. "An' if ye're dead, y' can't die. That'd just be silly."

Geoff looked to Alexander, totally befuddled. "Am I the only one here who hasn't a clue what this creature is talking about?"

Alex only shrugged, at a loss himself, but Harth said, "Welcome t' my world, Abbot. Now y' see what I've been dealin' with ever since this simpleton fell inta my life ... "

Shouts from the walltop drew their attention then. As both Abbeybeasts and rats looked up, Brybag, Harpreet and Skytop came winging in over the east wall, playfully buzzing the lookouts there and wheeling over the lawns and orchard with the free-spirited, unbridled exuberance of their young seasons. Even before they could flutter down to greet any of their fellow Abbey creatures, Elmwood yelled down from the walltop, "One of Urthblood's big birds just arrived outside! Looks like he's flown down to consult with the Gawtrybe there!"

This alert was quickly relayed across the grounds to where Geoff and Alex tarried with the Guosim and Harth's rats. Abbot and Forest Patrol leader looked to each other. "Well, I wonder what this portends?" Geoff mused.

"It could be good," Alex surmised. "Or it could be bad."

"Yah, I'd say that pretty well covers it," Harth assessed.

"Big bird serves th' bad red," said Latura. "Don't mean us well, whatever he's doin' out there."

"That's likely as true as not," Alex agreed with a nod. "One thing's for sure: Urthblood is going to know about all of this pretty soon, if he doesn't already."

"Yes," Geoff concurred, "the question now is, is Klystra or whatever bird that is out there here to issue orders, or take a report? Urthblood may have learned of the Gawtrybe's move on Redwall from Tolar, using that signal mirror atop Foxguard, or he may be aware of it through his prophetic vision. With that badger, you can never tell."

"I don't think it could have been Foxguard," said Alex. "Whenever Tolar uses that giant mirror, whether it's reflecting sunlight during the day or firelight at night, we've always been able to see it before. And Foxguard has been silent in recent days. Not sure they've sent any messages so far this season, in fact."

"Hmm. Yet, if he did foresee this present impasse, you'd think he would have taken steps to keep it from happening at all."

"He did try 'n' stop us!" Latura impatiently reminded Geoff. "Tried t' get us all turned 'round an' lost an' walkin' inta his badred squirrelies, but the other warrior helped us get here anyways. Think he's more powerful than badgery brute - least 'round here."

"Ah, we're back to that again, are we? Martin and Urthblood fighting off in some sphere beyond the physical world." Geoff looked over the top of his spectacles at Latura. "That's something else I really need to speak with you about, since so far Field Marshal Traveller and Brother Winokur are the only ones you've revealed this to directly. However, that shall have to wait. Right now we've got a raptor warrior outside our walls - and what comes next depends very heavily on just why he's here, and what precisely he - and his master - have in mind to do about all of this."

00000000000

Lieutenant Custis didn't know whether Klystra's appearance was a positive sign - but he did know it was a necessary one.

The falcon captain alighted on a stout ash limb hanging low over the former rat encampment, now occupied by the Gawtrybe. Custis had deployed his squirrels both along the forest floor and throughout the lower canopy, surrounding Redwall on two sides with additional scouts scattered in the south meadow and Western Plains, to make sure no rats tried to escape from any of the Abbey's gates. Custis and Mina perched upon a slightly higher maple branch adjacent to Klystra's ash, and both hastened over to the raptor officer with a rapid series of leaps and bounds.

"Captain!" Custis greeted. "What news from Salamandastron?"

Klystra gazed around him at the trees full of Gawtrybe, then looked back to Custis and Mina. "Hardly any, compared to news I find here. Flew out to guide you to Gawdrey site, instead find no squirrels at Foxguard, only Sword Tolar with report of many rats at Redwall and you rushing here to engage them. Appears you were too late."

"Too late to catch them in the open," Custis concurred with a nod. "But we've got them pinned down inside the Abbey, where none can venture outside the walls without us spotting them. The former searat slaves we escorted here from the coast clearly don't want to share Redwall with rats of any stripe, and it won't be logistically feasible for those rat fugitives to remain for very long - the Abbey simply doesn't have the space or the provisions. Especially if the Abbeybeasts aren't allowed outside to forage for extra food."

Klystra cocked his head. "So, is siege then?"

"We are still ... debating the merits of that," Mina answered.

"I honestly don't anticipate much of one," Custis explained in defense of his preferred strategy. "I'm sure the reality of their untenable situation will hit them soon, if it hasn't already. I suspect it won't take too many days before those rats come streaming out of the Abbey gates like a panicked river ... and we'll be here to collect them, or leave their arrow-filled bodies behind to decorate the ground of forest and field if they resist. A few may immediately elude us - but not for long."

"Many rats, from what Tolar said?"

"A hundred and a half to two hundred. And Captain Truax is in there too."

Klystra blinked in surprise. "From Northlands?"

"Aye. Somehow he avoided the sweeps up there, and was able to make it all the way to Redwall - with firstpaw accounts of the operations there. We may have wanted to spare Redwall the quandary of this campaign until it was fully underway, but that's no longer an option. They know all about it now."

"Then they will protect rats. Know Redwallers. That is what they will do. Think Mina will agree."

She nodded. "I'm afraid I do, Captain. But, then again ... "

"They won't protect them for long," Custis asserted. "Not if I can help it."

"Not sure siege wisest of ideas, Lieutenant."

"What other choice do we have?"

"That, Lord Urthblood's call."

Custis gave a nod of assent after a long pause, while Mina maintained her silence. "Yes, he must know of this. Your timing was most fortuitous in that regard. We'll hold here until you return with orders. Tell His Lordship we'll not let him down."

"Might say already did, scores of rats escaped into Redwall."

The Lieutenant reared back, stung by this haughty reprimand, while Mina stood impassive, knowing she'd done all she could to keep the rats out of Redwall and summon the Gawtrybe in good time, and had nothing to be ashamed about herself. "That is not on us!" Custis protested. "Crucial information which may have averted this standoff was withheld from us - and if you want to know what I mean by that, ask Tolar the next time you see him. And while you're at at, ask him how a hundred and a half rats even knew to flee to Redwall for sanctuary in the first place."

"Now, Lieutenant ... " Mina cautioned. "We don't know that for sure."

"Am not understanding. Did Truax not warn other rats?"

"No," Mina answered, "he seems to have arrived separately, and from a different direction than the main company. We don't think they learned of this campaign from him."

"Then perhaps some other escapee from North?"

Custis shook his head. "Maybe, but I doubt it. Not when there's a much more plausible and obvious explanation at paw."

"Mean Foxguard?"

"Yes. I mean Foxguard."

"Makes no sense. Only informed Foxguard of campaign start of spring, my last flight out, not too many days ago. Not enough time to alert and mobilize so many rats, for them to get here by now."

"Unless they were already mobilized, and gathered together at one place. Their leader and fighters seem to have come from a horde, on the other side of the River Moss. Do you know anything of such a horde in nearer Mossflower?"

Klystra was a moment in replying. "Been watching horde in valley northeast of Foxguard. Not deemed threat."

"Were there rats among that horde, perchance? Say, a hundred and a half, including family beasts?"

"Could have been. Never flew low enough to count."

"Well, I bet there aren't now. And tell us, did Foxguard know of that horde?"

Another avian pause. "Foxguard knew."

"Then I think that says it all." This time, Mina voiced no dissent toward the Lieutenant's implied accusation.

Klystra ruffled his plumage and shifted from talon to talon in preparation for flight. "Must go into Abbey, speak with creatures there, see with own eyes."

"Into the Abbey? To what purpose? You'll learn nothing more than what Lady Mina and I have just told you."

"Am to report to Lord Urthblood. Must know all, so can report all."

And with that, Klystra launched himself from the branch, leaving Custis and Mina and the other nearer Gawtrybe swept up in the wind wake of his flapping departure.

00000000000

Alexander looked up from his seat on the lawn. "Well, that didn't take long. If Klystra stopped stopped to confer with Mina and the Lieutenant at all, it must have been pretty brief, because here he comes now." Glancing at the company of rats, he added, "And there they go."

The fugitive rodents, already nervous from reports of a large hunter bird just outside the Abbey, went into a panic at the appearance of Klystra flapping low over the east ramparts. While some sat or stood paralyzed with terror, alone in their fear or gripping onto friends or family, many others went into a blind frenzy, running this way or that with no particular aim or objective in mind, responding automatically to their instincts regarding so mighty a winged predator. Only the trained fighters, more disciplined in matters of confrontation and conflict, held their ground to a rat, perhaps confident in their military abilities, or perhaps merely aware of the fact that so large an assemblage had little to fear from the falcon.

Many of the Guosim and Long Patrol guarding Harth's company sought to calm and reassure the alarmed rats. "Settle down, settle down!" snapped off Sergeant Peppertail. "This's no wild scoffbeak prowlin' the skies for prey! He's an officer of Urthblood's - you've nothing to fear from this bloomin' pillowstuffer!"

"You so sure 'bout that, Sarge?" countered his fellow hare Telemaque. "If Bloodface's roundin' up all the rats in Mossflower, maybe this featherbag's got orders to start pluckin' 'em up one by one an' bear 'em off to Salamandastron, wot?"

"Oh, that's spiffin' smart in the ol' brainbox, Tells. Here we are tryin' to get this bunch o' uglies calmed down, an' you pop off like that! That'll really help our jolly cause!"

"Well, I was only sayin' wot could be true, Sarge ... "

"Do us a bally favor, then, an' from now on, keep your flippin' thoughts to yourself!"

As the rats scattered and cowered, Klystra gracefully set down on the lawns before Geoff and Alexander, oblivious or uncaring of the commotion he had caused. His keen aerial eyesight had allowed him to pinpoint the Abbot upon first cresting the walltop, and he wasted no time in making his way to Redwall's leader.

"Abbot," Klystra greeted with a respectful nod.

"Welcome, Captain. Although perhaps I should withhold any welcome until you've stated your purpose here."

The falcon glanced at Harth and Grota, who'd come to their footpaws with the proximity of the imposing raptor, and past them at all their fellow rodents. "Many rats here."

"Is that a problem?" Geoff asked searchingly.

"Yes. Is problem. You know of Lord Urthblood's newest campaign?"

"Giving all the land's rats to Tratton as a condition of peace? Yes, we know - and it seems to us that even Urthblood may have overreached this time."

"You intend to let rats stay?"

"They have asked for sanctuary, and they appear to have very compelling grounds for doing so. Now, if you have come from Salamandastron bearing threats and ultimatums ... "

"Came to guide Gawtrybe to site of Gawdrey. Did not find them at Foxguard, where supposed to be. And did not expect to find ... this." Klystra swept a wing toward the distressed rats.

"So, Lord Urthblood did not know of these rats coming to Redwall?"

"Appears not. Did not tell me."

"So much for his prophetic powers," Alex muttered to Geoff.

"Do you know what Urthblood is likely to make of this situation, or want to do about it?" the Abbot inquired of Klystra.

"Cannot say. Was not to involve Redwall."

"So we keep hearing. Honestly, Captain, how did Urthblood imagine he would be able to embark upon such a thing here in Mossflower without us becoming involved at some point, in some way? Redwall is known far and wide as a haven of safety for creatures in need, so it seems almost inevitable that some would have tried to make it here. Did that not occur to him?"

"Not this many, not this soon. Too many rats here, will upset entire campaign. Must tell Lord Urthblood of this, let him decide." Klystra leveled a probing gaze at Geoff. "Abbot, what shall I tell him is Redwall's position?"

"We will not hand over creatures to a fate of possible bondage, slavery and gross mistreatment. If these rats prove they are able to live among us in peace and follow our rules, we will have no cause to turn them out ... and doing so would violate everything we stand for."

"And if he decides otherwise? Any room for negotiations or compromise?"

"Tell Lord Urthblood that we were never a signatory to his Accord with Tratton, nor were we consulted about anything to do with it, before the fact or afterward. We therefore feel no obligation to observe its conditions. We will not compromise our morals or principles, and we will not negotiate away the freedom of anybeast within our walls."

Klystra digested this, then gave a nod of understanding. "Straightforward. Will be easy to convey. I fly to Salamandastron now, inform Lord Urthblood of situation, take his orders once decision made what to do, return here with word, maybe today, maybe tomorrow. Until then, do nothing to provoke Gawtrybe or aggravate situation."

Alex snorted. "I think we've already provoked Lieutenant Custis as much as he can be provoked, just by sticking to our beliefs. And aggravated him too."

"Will tell him to stand firm and take no further action until I return."

"Will he listen to you?" Alex worried aloud.

The falcon ruffled in agitation. "Klystra captain, Custis lieutenant. Will listen."

"Captain," said Geoff, "please impress upon your master that we do not agree with what he is doing, and think he has exceeded his authority here in Mossflower with this so-called Purge of his. We can't help what he does in the Northlands, but here in our local forests and fields, Redwall has always held greater sway than any outside power. If he seeks to prevent refuge-seeking rats from reaching our gates, or tries to prohibit us from sheltering even those we've already taken in, then we will be left no choice but to oppose him. Make sure he is aware of this."

Klystra's beak gave a wry twist. "Suspect Lord Urthblood will know without Klystra having to tell. But he must decide what to do about this."

"And if he decides to do what Custis wants, to place us under siege - or worse?" Geoff pressed.

"Decision his," Klystra repeated noncommittally. "Will return when I return." And with that, the armored falcon sprang from the ground with a powerful kick of his talons and a tumultuous flapping of his wide wings, lifting off from the Abbey lawns and rising skyward until he cleared the east wall. The lookouts there saw him swoop low over the assembled Gawtrybe and call out something curt to Custis and Mina, and then Klystra rose higher and turned west, clearing the highest roofpeaks of Redwall and pushing through the clear spring air toward Salamandastron.

"Well, I suppose we'll soon know which way this is going to go," Alex remarked as they all stood watching Klystra dwindle into the distance.

"What if that badger presses th' matter, an' insists you turn us all over to his squirrels?" Harth asked Geoff.

The mouse gave a shuddering sigh. "Then we shall have to wait and see just how badly Urthblood wants to force the issue, and risk his relations with Redwall. I must say, standing up to Klystra like that just now - and, by extension, standing up to Urthblood himself - has my heart hammering inside my chest and my paws a little sweaty. I just hope the defining moment of my tenure as Abbot doesn't boil down to the moment I declared myself opposed to Lord Urthblood, because I'm not entirely sure how that would work out."

"Might be the best thing any Abbot or Abbess could have done under the circumstances," Alex backed up Geoff. "Urthblood's got to learn he doesn't have free rein to do whatever he wants to anybeast, anywhere in the lands. The line has to be drawn somewhere, and if we don't, who will?"

"Perhaps." Geoff turned to leave. "For now, I must consult with Highwing and see what's to be done about disciplining three very naughty Sparra students of ours!"