Had some free time on my hands and felt like writing some fan fiction, so here's chpt. 18 eariler than usual. Starting to get back into the action again, not to mention some suspense. Also in this chapter, Weylan's last name is mentioned, because I realized I hadn't done that yet.
Anyway, enjoy. ;)
Chapter 18
Toka stood from the desk, and pulled out his battle armor. "This settles it then." he announced to Marigold and Mokeet. "The battle will begin." he grinned as he started donning the armor, "Pulled the curtain over Redwall real nicely, didn't I Mokeet?"
Mokeet didn't answer, he was still in shock at the revealing of Toka's spy. "Why?" he finally managed to ask Marigold.
Marigold hung her head, and didn't answer.
"I left her with no choice." Toka answered for her. "She was caught sneaking into the abbey grounds by one of my guards a few days back, territory that I currently control. Normally, the punishment is death, but I deiced to let her live, if she did me one little favor."
"To spy on Redwall." Mokeet finished, turning to face Marigold, disgusted. "You, a woodlander, decided to do the work of a vermin rather than to be brave and refuse, regardless of the consequences."
Marigold's head drooped lower, and did not deny the accusation.
Mokeet shook his head. "Surely Redwall must suspect somethin'." he said.
Toka shook his head, his good mood not dampening. "Not when she got the information straight from the abbot himself." The warlord explained, picking up his sword.
"The abbot?" Mokeet repeated, even more disgusted now.
"She went right to the source." Toka said, now fully dressed and circling both of the beasts he had under his control. "Didn't you, my little charmer?"
He ran one claw along Marigold's cheek. The squirrel flinched, but did nothing to stop the motion.
"She knew exactly what to do." Toka went on to say. "Even if she is a squirrel, she would make for a very good full time member of my horde."
"She wouldn't." Mokeet said.
But Marigold gave Mokeet a pleading look, one that simply said to not get involved.
"We'll see." was all that Toka had to say about the matter. "Right now, I have an abbey to conquer, as well as bigger fish to fry."
The trio exited the gatehouse, Marigold donning a hood and cloak that hid her figure, quietly sneaking her way back towards the abbey. Mokeet watched as his two guards returned to stand on either side of him.
"You won't get away with this, Toka." Mokeet said, "Even with a spy."
Toka drew his sword and held the point at Mokeet's throat. The two guards grabbed Mokeet to keep him from avoiding the warlord's onslaught, but it was unnecessary. Mokeet did not even flinch.
"You watch what you say, prisoner." Toka growled. "Or I'll have your head."
"Better that than to live another day in this wretched camp." Mokeet declared, finally fed up with it all.
Toka made a motion that may have been in preparation to kill Mokeet, but after a long pause in which the warlord breathed heavily for several moments, he finally withdrew his sword and walked away.
"Put him back in his cage, and withhold all of his rations from him until I say otherwise!" Toka exclaimed loudly, "Let's see what that does to our friend's newfound spirit."
"It will do absolutely nothin' to dampen my spirit, lord." Mokeet spat, as he allowed himself to be carried away. "Though, I can't say the same fer yores."
Toka marched onward to where his troops were gathering with grappling hooks and rope. "We'll see, Mokeet." Toka grumbled darkly under his breath. "We'll see."
Mattimeo tied the rope off to a low hanging root in the entrance of the second tunnel that lead out of the treasure chamber. He twanged it with one claw.
"Good and taunt." he declared.
"Aye." Weylan agreed. "One good yank on that beauty should be all's that needed."
They turned and exited the underground cavern out through the secret tunnel, it's exit covered with moss to hide it.
"Now fer the hard part." Weylan said, covering the exit back up as they left, "Gettin' Toka an' his horde in there."
"Will the lot even fit in there?" Mattimeo asked, gathering his bearings.
"'ard to say mate, but one thing's fer sure, there's nothing else in there that would work." Weylan said. "We searched all over and found nothin' else that would work to get rid of Toka once and fer all that Redwall didn't already 'ave."
Mattimeo finally found the direction he wanted and pointed it out with one paw. "This way." he said, heading forward.
"Uh, Redwall's that way, mate." Weylan said, pointing in the opposite direction. "Trust me, I know."
"Oh, I know Weylan, but we're going to make a little detour first." Mattimeo assured the otter.
Weylan jogged to catch up with his companion. "But shouldn't we be gettin' to Redwall as quickly as possible?" he asked.
"Exactly." Mattimeo answered. "And that's exactly what we're going to do."
"How?" Weylan asked innocently.
"With the help from some friends." answered Mattimeo.
They marched through the dark woods for sometime, Weylan completely lost as to why they were heading in this direction, until he caught sight of campfires straight ahead. Soon, they were standing at the edge of a shrew encampment.
Mattimeo held up one paw to stop Weylan, then turned his head skyward, cupping his paws over his mouth as he yelled, "Redwall!"
There was a brief pause, then the war cry was answered by another; "Logalogalogalog!"
Suddenly all the attention in the encampment was turned towards the two travelers, and one shrew broke from the group to meet them.
"Log-a-log Flugg, nice to see you again." Mattimeo said, stepping forward to greet the shrew.
"Pleasure's all mine, Matti, nice to see yeh again as well." Flugg answered, returning Mattimeo's greeting. "Who's yore mate there?"
"Weylan Riverstryke, sir." Weylan said, unsure how he should greet the shrew leader.
"He's a friend." Mattimeo explained.
Flugg grabbed Weylan and braced him in a hug. "Any friend of Matti's is a friend of the Guosim, then!" he declared, then released the rather surprised Weylan and turned back to Mattimeo.
"Yore pretty far from Redwall Matti, what brings yeh out here?" Flugg inquired.
"Unfortunately not on better terms." Mattimeo admitted. "We're out here on a quest, and now need to get back to Redwall as quickly as possible."
"Yore in luck, we're just about to leave fer Redwall ourselves." Flugg said. "Turns out there's a new vermin horde in Mossflower, killed off a whole scoutin' part of ours few days back, an' found out from one of the lot that their headin' in yore direction."
"We, too, know of the horde in question." Mattimeo said. "They have already arrived at Redwall and have the abbey under siege, and if we aren't quick to provide aide before the next attack, it will fall to the vermin."
"Then we better set sail fer Redwall straight away." Flugg said, and turned to the encampment. "Shews, to yore boats! We have an abbey to defend!"
Scourge the rat was excited. Toka had granted him permission to lead one squadron of vermin in the attack against the abbey, since the warlord two usual captains were unable to. Knottail was still prisoner within the abbey, and Grim had not yet returned from tracking down the beasts that had snuck out of the abbey a few days back.
"Don't worry, sir, I won't fail you." Scourge promised his leader.
"You had better not, Scourge." Toka said, pacing past him as he conducted one last inspection of troops before the attack. "Failure is generally frowned upon in this horde."
Satisfied with what he saw, he stood where his troops could see him. "Okay, my horde, listen up!" Toka exclaimed, loud enough so he could be heard by his horde, but soft enough so that his voice would not carry within the abbey, "The plan is simple. This side of the abbey is unguarded. You will use grappling hooks to enter on the abbey's top floor from this corner of the south wing, where it's less likely those standing guard in the west wing will see you. Keep all combat to a minimum, and leave the beasts that are sleeping alone until all of the guards and creatures in that abbey who could sound the alarm are taken. Avoid killing for the time being, and take as many prisoners as possible. I'll decide if they live or die once we have the abbey."
Toka gave the horde one last looking over to see if there were any objections, complaints, or questions. As usual, there were none.
"Let's get started then." Toka said, stepping out of the way of his horde so they can do their work.
Scourge signaled to his group of ten to follow him, feeling very confident about this attack. He was hopeful that if he lead well, maybe Toka would make him a captain, as it seemed the warlord was lacking a few. Scourge doubted they would see Knottail again, for no one had seen him since the he was captured, and Grim had been gone for a long time. Chances were good that there was at least one vacancy.
One he hoped he would get to fill.
In position with the wall they were going to scale, Scourge indicated silently to beast who had the grappling hook and rope to throw. The beast obliged and did not miss, the hook latched onto the window ledge on the abbey's topmost floor of dormitories.
Wanting to look like a competent leader, Scourge lead the way up the rope, rapier gripping with his teeth, showing no fear. Reaching the barricaded window, he bashed it down with the butt end of his rapier. It fell with ease, and Scourge climbed higher to climb in through the window.
There was a suddenly flash of metal glinting in the moonlight, and a knife suddenly severed the rope from it's grappling hook. Scourge, without a chance to even gasp, plummeted backwards in a deadly fall to the ground, the last things he was aware of was Toka roaring loudly in anger the background and the face of a badger, hare, and a young otter watching him fall from the window...
Cheek let out a cheer. "Yes, that'll show the vermin a thing or two!" he exclaimed.
"That was the last of the bally ropes too." Basil added, gleefully. "They've got lots more of it, but we have all of their grapplin' hooks." he held up an armful so that they could see.
Constance removed the knife from where it had embedded itself in the windowsill. "Are the guards ready to resume their posts?" she asked.
"Ready and able." Basil reported with a salute. "Just give the word, marm."
"Basil, the word is given." Constance said, stepping out of the room. "Toka won't give up that easily. We need this blind spot covered again before he tries something else."
"Righto, I'll get the blighters on guard again lickety-split!" he hopped off to take on the task, Cheek trailing in his wake to help.
Constance marched down the spiral staircase, weary, and ready to call it for a night. She was getting too old for this, and she knew it, but if it threatened the abbey, that wouldn't stop her.
She suddenly stopped at the bottom of the stairs, interrupting her musings. She watched with interest with as the door leading out of the abbey creaked open long enough to admit a single beast, then closed again behind the beast. The creature looked both ways, and not seeing Constance, who had hidden herself in the shadows, raced down the hallway.
Constance was immediately on the alert. Whoever it was who just snuck into the abbey was a troublemaker, because if the creature wasn't, they would've announced their arrival. No, Constance was sure that this creature, whoever it was, was an enemy. The problem was that she couldn't tell who. The beast wore a cloak to hide it's face and body, and had it's tail tucked away out of sight, further protection against revealing itself.
But it wasn't vermin, for the only in the abbey was Knottail, and Constance knew he was still safely tied up, and if there were any other vermin in the abbey, they would've know about it by now.
This didn't decrease the possibilities in the slightest though, and told Constance little about who the best was. But she was going to find out before the sun set tomorrow...