Chapter 23
"So, let me see if I got this straight." Kesmin said, who had joined the meeting. "Mokeet is Toka's prisoner?"
"Yes." Mattimeo said. "I'm guessing that's what happened when Weylan's father went to meet Mokeet all those years ago and never returned."
"Toka's horde got 'em." Weylan said flatly.
"Then, if that's true, where's me husband?" Kesmin asked.
"No doubt killed by that son of a..." Weylan began, but Mattimeo cut him off.
"Weylan, this is an abbey." he reminded his friend.
"Oh, right." Weylan said, catching himself. "But ye'll 'ave to fergive me if I 'ate Toka's guts at the moment!"
Everyone stared at the otter for the outburst.
"Weylan, I understand if you're upset at the moment." Cornflower said soothingly. "But you must be calm until we work out a plan, and control your temper. Getting mad won't resolve anything."
"The vermin out there killed me father, and you want me to just stand by and be peaceful?!" Weylan roared, standing.
"Weylan, what else can you do?" Mattimeo asked. "Rush into this, and you'll simply get yourself killed too, and what good will that do you?"
Weylan sighed, and sat down in defeat. "Yore right." he admitted. "At least this is information."
"For what?" Constance asked, annoyed. "Granted, we know that Mokeet is a family friend to the Riverstrykes but what good does that do us? It doesn't do us anything to get rid of the vermin out there!"
"To be honest, all it does is bring up another question." Basil remarked, thinking the whole matter through.
"What do you mean, Basil?" Mordalfus asked.
"Why is Mokeet still alive?" Basil asked rhetorically. "If Toka went so far to kill Weylan's father, then why leave Mokeet alive as well? It's only hinderin' Toka."
"Yes, that is a good question." Mattimeo admitted. "There must be a reason."
"The only reason I can see, is that Mokeet is valuable in some way." Basil reasoned. "I'm guessing that Mokeet knows somethin' that interests Toka."
"But wot?" Weylan asked.
"The treasure." Kesmin answered immediately. "It's not just the Riverstryke's. Lots of otters 'ave donated to the treasure over the seasons. If anythin' it belongs to all of us otters. I wouldn't be surprised if Mokeet knew about it."
"And he told Toka." Mattimeo said.
"Which lead 'im 'ere." Weylan added.
"So this is all Mokeet's fault?" Constance asked, still wondering how this helped them.
"Not at all, Constance." Mordalfus said. "He probably only told Toka that in self defense, just like Marigold agreed to spy on us for Toka in her self defense. And just like in Marigold's case, bad results did come from that choice, but we can use it to our advantage."
"Tis simple." Weylan said, catching on. "If Toka already knows all about the treasure, then all we got to do is 'ave 'im convince Toka to go get the treasure. Now."
"Easier said than done, chap." Basil remarked.
"But it's a start." Cornflower said. "A few moments ago we didn't have any kind of a plan."
"But Toka won't go anywhere." Constance pressed. "Not until he has Redwall firmly under his control."
Suddenly, Mattimeo had a solution.
"Father Abbot," he said, "Has Toka's horde found the tunnels that were dug back in the time of General Ironbeak's siege?"
The abbot shook his head. "Not to my knowledge, no."
"Definitely not." Basil confirmed. "The blighters would've already tried to use 'em if they had."
"Then that's the plan." Mattimeo concluded.
"What is?" Constance asked.
"Do exactly what you suggested, Constance." Mattimeo said. "Give Toka control of the abbey. Or at least make him think that he does..."
Mokeet watched the sun rise higher into the sky, coming fully into view over the abbey walls. It was a truly beautiful sight, but it's beauty was lost on him at the moment.
"I wish there was somethin' I could do." he muttered to himself.
"Be patient." Marigold suggested suddenly, coming to again quite abruptly.
"You should be restin'." Mokeet said softly.
"That's hard, considering that I'm in total pain at the moment." Marigold replied.
"I wish I could do more to help ye." Mokeet said.
"You've done what you can." Marigold assured him. "That's good enough."
"No, it's not." Mokeet said, angrily. "Ye'll die if ye don't get the proper treatment soon."
Marigold let out her breath in a soft whoosh. "Better that than to spend the rest of my days in this cage." she said. "I'm surprised you haven't gone mad yet."
"I'm surprised meself." Mokeet answered. "I've wondered if it's just fate bein' mean to me."
"I'd think not." Marigold said. "Fate doesn't work like that."
"Ye've haven't seen some the things I've seen fate bestow upon creatures like ourselves." Mokeet said.
Marigold didn't answer. "I wish I could roll over." she said, changing the subject. "My side hurts. Problem is, though, is that if I roll over, my back will hurt even more."
Mokeet picked up his makeshift rag and studied Marigold's many wounds on her back again. "I'm not surprised." he said, running his paws over the long and jagged cuts. "Did they beat you with a whip?"
"Thankfully, I can't really remember." Marigold said. "Passed out too many times, I think."
"Either that or the shock made ye ferget." Mokeet replied, then added, "I'd be thankful too."
Suddenly, a loud shout rang out from across the grounds, drawing the attention of the two prisoners that their guards. Sounds of a commotion followed for several moments. Then a fellow hordesbeast arrived and motioned for the four guards to come help. They left leaving the prisoners alone.
"What's going on?" Marigold asked, trying to sit up.
Mokeet stopped her. "I'm not sure." he answered.
A sudden sound from behind drew his attention away from behind. Mokeet turned and faced the peaceful pond that sat there, just out of reach. It was quite calm, with small ripples bending it's surface.
Yet Mokeet sensed something was out of place. He was proven right when Weylan's head suddenly popped out of the water.
Moket gasped, and began to say something, but Weylan quickly shushed him.
"Time's short." he explained. "Redwall can't maintain the distraction fer long."
"Wot's goin' on?" Mokeet asked.
"We've got a plan to get rid of Toka." Weylan explained. "But we need yore 'elp."
"My 'elp?" Mokeet asked.
"Does Toka know about the otter treasure?" Weylan asked.
"Yes." Mokeet answered, puzzled. "'ow did...?"
"Never mind 'ow we know." Weylan cut him off. "But we need fer ye to talk to Toka again, and quickly. Can ye arrange it?"
"It's already arranged." Mokeet answered. "Toka talks with me every night."
"Then it should be easy." Weylan said. "We need ye to simply propose offering Redwall the chance to surrender. Hopefully Toka will agree."
"Surrender?" Mokeet asked. "Yore not goin' to surrender, are ye?"
"The idea is to make Toka think we are." Weylan said. "But don't worry about that. We'll handle that part. You just need to convince Toka to give Redwall one last chance to surrender, without arising 'is suspicions."
"Wot else are ye goin' to do?" Mokeet asked.
"Ye'll see, and I think ye'll catch on as things go on." Weylan said. "It'll take to long to explain everythin' to ye."
"Wot about Marigold?" Mokeet asked. "She needs to see a proper healer, and quickly."
"We'll see if we can free her." Weylan asked. "Pray that Toka will agree. Right now, 'owever, is that we make sure that Toka will agree to parley for our surrender."
The ruckus going on just out of sight across the grounds suddenly began to soften. Weylan gave a salute, then dived back under the water, and the pond was still again. Some moments later, the commotion ended all together, and the horde resumed it's normal duties. Mokeet saw their guards coming back to resume their posts.
"What was that all about?" Marigold asked, having heard the entire discussion with Weylan. "What's they're plan?"
"I dunno." Mokeet answered softly. "But I 'ave a feelin' that we're goin' to find out."