Big plot twist in this, although I've given big hints towards it. Debated whether ot not I wanted to even do it now, and still am. Hopefully it'll work out though. :)

Chapter 17

Night fell upon Redwall peacefully, but not without alerting those within of the dangers that lay just out their doors. As the sun set, it's final rays of light for the day lit up the forbidding looking catapult, reminding those that looked at it of it's destructive capabilities. Worse still, was the fact that members of Toka's horde circled it, guarding it, standing ready to use it at a moment's notice.

Normally, Basil would've looked at the situation with a light hearted manner, trying to find the upside to it. But he already exhausted his supply for it, and rather disgruntled, stared at the catapult, blaming it for his depressed mood.

He was also puzzled. He knew that the catapult was ready for action this time around, and anyone could see it. So why hadn't this Toka fella done anything to use the confounded thing?

Cheek, who stood on guard next to him, was apparently thinking the same thing. "Wot are they waiting fer?" he asked, curious.

"I'm sure I don't know, lad." Basil replied, ears drooping slightly. "Makes me wonder if they're up to something."

"When aren't they?" Cheek asked, snorting.

"Good point." Basil said. "Such a point deserves a snack."

He walked across great Hall to where they had set down a sack of food for each of them. Picking up both of them, he hopped back over, tossing one to Cheek.

"Let's see, cheese, fruit, bread..." Basil murmured as he rooted through his sack with one paw. "Bother! No cordial!"

Cheek pulled an apple out of his sack and began to slice it with a knife. "You know, Basil, if yer really want that cordial, the cellars are just down those steps." he pointed at the doorway that lead into Cavern Hole.

Basil gave Cheek and odd glance. "We're on guard duty." he said. "Not supposed to leave our posts until we're relieved of it. Bad form, y'see."

"But it wouldn't take long to get it, would it?" Cheek stated. "Besides, I don't 'ave any cordial either. If we're goin' to 'ave anythin' to eat, we need somethin' to drink as well, don't we? Someone will 'ave to go get some."

Basil pointed a fork at Cheek slyly. "I like your logic, Cheek." he said, mischievously. "Okay, you stay here and stand guard, I'll go get the cordial, wot?"

But no sooner had he vanished down the steps he was back up them.

"Oh, no you don't Basil, you're needed up here." Constance said as the escorted the hare back to his post. "Besides, I want a word with you."

"Couldn't it wait?" Basil asked picking up a pear to eat, "We're in the middle of a midnight snack, dontcha know."

"No, it cannot." Constance persisted. "It's very urgent."

"It's always urgent with you, my friend." Basil said, probably more hotly than what was wise. "You need to stop overreacting, enjoy life, eat like there's no-mmf."

Constance had shoved the pear into the hare's mouth to silence him. "Shush!" she exclaimed. "Now I mean it, this is very important!"

"Wot is it, Constance?" Cheek asked.

"It's the abbot." Constance said. "He's planning something without the consent of the others, I know it."

"Well, isn't that the bloomin' job of an abbot?" Basil asked, taking the pear out of his mouth.

Constance shoved it back in. "No, it isn't." she said. "Not in times like these. Now don't interrupt."

"Is the abbot doing something he shouldn't?" Cheek asked.

"That, I can't tell." Constance admitted. "Whatever it is that he's doing, he's keeping it secret. But I don't like the direction it's taking already. He told me to dismiss all of the guards along the right-hand side of the abbey's south wing, with no one to replace them with."

"Yes, I wondered about that." Basil remarked, taking the opportunity to throughly enjoy the pear. "Was there no one on hand who could replace 'em?"

"No, they were plenty of able-bodied beasts that could do it, but Mordalfus specifically said not to replace anyone." Constance said. "He gave no reason why."

"But that means we're blind on that side of the abbey!" Cheek exclaimed. "If Toka notices..."

"He'll use it to his advantage." Basil finished. "The blighter's not blind either, he's probably already noticed and is planning accordingly."

"Wot should we do?" Cheek asked, worried.

"The sensible thing to do." Constance said, taking a glance at the other groups that were on guard in Great Hall. "We'll guard the right side of the south wing ourselves. Right now."

Weylan looked skyward at the starry night. "You know, mate, I don't get a chance to be up an' about this late at night." he said. "But I've 'eard there are lots of stars in the sky at night, although I never imagined there'd be this many."

Mattimeo said nothing, just continued forward in silence.

Weylan stifled a yawn. "We really should rest mate." he said, stretching. "We're no good to Redwall if we tire ourselves t'death."

"We're close." Mattimeo said determinedly, the first time he had spoken in hours, "We're very close."

"I can see that." Weylan agreed. "Look, I'm glad you've got a renewed spirit about all of this, an' I know we 'ad estimated that we should've gotten there by nightfall, but that really shouldn't mean that we-"

He was cut off when Mattimeo suddenly stopped as they walked into a clearing. At first, Weylan wasn't sure why Mattimeo had stopped, but after looking around in the dimming light, he quickly found out why.

They were at the hill, the one they had been journeying for.

The two looked at one another with surprise.

"It looks just like it did in me dreams." Weylan remarked. "Only it's really real this time."

Mattimeo bent down and felt the grass that grew upon the hill. "Very real." he said. "So much so it seems like a dream itself."

"But it isn't." Weylan said, racing forward, "And this time there'll be nothin' to interrupt us."

They quickly jogged up the hill. Weylan half expected to meet up with his father at the top, but the hill top was empty, which seemed like an odd sight for Weylan, who was used to seeing someone at the top. The stone slab that covered the entrance, however, was there, and the two quickly bent down and jointly lifted it up, setting it aside.

Mattimeo peered into the dark tunnel beyond. "This feels odd." he said, "to actually be doing this."

"'bout time in my opinion." Weylan said. "We've both waited a long time to get 'ere. I 'ope it was worth it."

They lowered themselves into the stone staircase and walked down it into the chamber. They instinctively went of the lantern, right where it was supposed to be, and lit it. The light swelled outward, lighting up the vast chamber that contained the treasure.

It was even bigger than Weylan remembered it from his dreams. The chamber was almost as big as the hill itself, half of the entire hill hollowed out to make room for the treasure. From the point at which the stone stairs ended extending out into the middle of the room was stone walkway, very carefully carved out and maintained by generations past.

Surrounding the walkway completely was the treasure itself, containing every object of wealth Weylan could imagine. It completely buried the floor of the chamber, hiding it from sight under several feet of riches. It gave Weylan the impression that it was some kind of odd lake, one that you could swim in.

And all of it, by right, was his.

Awestruck, Weylan turned around and around, trying to take it all in at once. But Mattimeo brought him back into reality by grabbing his paw and stopping his turning.

"Look for something that could stop Toka." Mattimeo said. "Then we'll worry about the rest of the treasure."

Weylan nodded, and they split up, looking for anything they could use for such a purpose. Half tempted to see if he could swim in the gold and silver that lay before like swimming in a lake, Weylan peered across the chamber.

"There seems to be more than one way to get in 'ere." the otter announced, pointing at a partly concealed passageway on the other side of the treasure. "But no sign of somethin' to stop Toka."

Mattimeo started forward to look, but stopped halfway when he felt a stream of dust and dirt land on his head. Brushing it from his ear, he looked upward at it's source.

"Weylan." he said slowly, "I think I've found it."

As Toka's forces began preparations that signified the nearing of battle, Mokeet wasn't surprised to find himself being brought before Toka once more. The warlord was still in the gatehouse, and was probably the only one who wasn't gearing up for war.

"Care to see my latest victory, Mokeet?" he asked the otter rhetorically as he waved the Mokeet's guards out of the room.

"Ye haven't won yet, lord." Mokeet stated. "As the saying goes, 'don't count your sparrows until they've hatched.'"

Toka grinned, and watched his forces prepare out the gatehouse window, clutching one of Redwall's recordbooks in his paws. "You're very wise, Mokeet." he said. "And of course, you are right. No outcome of a battle can be determined until after it's fought." he paused, sighing satisfactorily, "Still, I expect a victory of some sort out of this battle, because I've become very well learned in Redwall's inner workings."

Mokeet couldn't help but snort. "I doubt you could've learned that from these recordbooks yore so fond of readin'" he said.

"True." Toka agreed. "And I didn't. I learned all about Redwall a different way."

The ferret looked out the window for a period of time. "Mokeet," he began, "Come here, and I'll show you something."

Mokeet, suspecting a trick, approached cautiously, careful to not get too close to the warlord. Toka, however, did nothing of the sort.

"Look at the right side of the abbey's south wing." he requested. "Tell me what you see."

Mokeet looked at Toka, then peered at the building. "There are no guards." he noted, with dismay.

"See?" Toka said. "I was right to hold off on the attack. They did let their guard down, giving me an excellent window of opportunity."

He sat down at the nearby desk, leaving Mokeet standing. The otter found it odd to be the one staring down at the other; usually it was the other way around.

"So, if you've got this opportunity, why 'aven't you taken it?" Mokeet asked.

"Because I'm waiting for someone first." Toka said, watching his prisoner. "You know how I got the idea Redwall would let it's guard down?"

"'ow?" Mokeet asked. "Lucky guess?"

Toka chuckled, ignoring the fact that Mokeet seriously meant what he said. "No, I got the information from within."

It took a moment for Mokeet to comprehend what Toka was indicating. "Wait, you've got a spy?"

"Yes indeed." Toka said. "Someone who can observe what happens in that abbey and relay all of it to me. And thus far, none of that information has failed me yet."

Mokeet gaped at him. "For 'ow long?"

"Couple of days now." Toka said. "Visits me every night, usually just after we chat."

There suddenly came a knock at the door.

"Come." Toka ordered, then turned to Mokeet. "I held off on our chat tonight, because I wanted you to meet the creature responsible for...our...success."

The door opened, and in came the spy. Mokeet gasped in astonishment at what he saw.

"Lord, everything is ready." announced Marigold. "Redwall is ripe for the taking."