3
"Ho, mates! Lower that anchor, we don' want the ship ter drift durin' our stay, do we?" Rife called. His crew had landed a little far away from Salamandastron. Even so, he could see the great hulking figure of the Badger Lord running towards them.
"Lord Hawthorn, me ol' messmate, how ya bin?" Rife called out, jumping off his ship. He was almost suffocated in Hawthorn's hug.
"Rife, you seadog! Why haven't you visited, eh?" Hawthorn said, laughing. He dropped Captain Rife, who rubbed his poor ribs.
"Sorry, Lord Hawthorn, got lost at sea! Haven't seen land fer a season," Rife said, grinning up at the big badger. Hawthorn's eyes grew wide.
"A season? Well, come inside, I had my hare cooks start cooking a feast. And we have another beast with us, you might've seen her before now," Hawthorn informed Rife. He started off, Rife following in his wake. Rife's crew also jumped off, and quickly followed their captain.
Once inside the mountain, the crew of otters dispersed to find old hare friends. Hawthorn led Rife to where Finn was entertaining Emiro, Mir, and the little hares. Finn was wrestling with Emiro, pinning him to the ground.
"Finn!" Hawthorn called out. Finn looked up, but stayed where she was. "I want you to meet Captain Rife. Rife, this is the beast I told you about, Finn."
Finn stood up, and smiled. "T'is a pleasure to meet thou," she said, bowing.
"And same to ye, mate!" Rife said, saluting. He studied Finn, her white fur, and blue eyes. "Ye know, I think we met afore, at sea," he said.
"Mayhap, thou look'st familiar," Finn replied. "Sire, thy cooks have finished dinner," she said, the wonderful smell of many foods reaching her nose.
Hawthorn nodded. "Well, then, let's go! We all need food, and there will be a feast to celebrate Rife's arrival," he announced. Emiro and Mir herded the small hares to the dining room. "Are you coming?" Hawthorn asked Finn.
"Let me change," she replied, and headed back to her room. Scruff and Hawthorn shrugged, and went upstairs to the feast. It was packed with crew beasts and hares alike, all chattering in anticipation for food.
The cooks brought out the food, just as Finn entered the dining room. She sat down next to Scruff and Rife, who were already eating. Scruff turned to her.
"Who are ye, me pretty one?" he asked, giving a small bow. Finn smiled at him.
"My name is be Finn. Pleased to meet thou," Finn replied, smiling. She started eating, stalling further conversation. She was eating like a hare, knowing the journey she would undertake soon.
"Marm, why is yer fur white?" Rife asked her. He had finished eating already, having shoved food in his mouth.
"Thou hast asked a good question. I know not," she replied, much to Rife's and Scruff's amazement.
"Ye mean ye dunno? Were yer parents white like ye?" Scruff asked. Finn shrugged.
"I never knew my parents. I don't remember my past," she said, blue eyes switching back and forth between the two. Finn shoved another tart in her mouth and stood up. "I arf goin' foo pack," she said around her tart.
Turning, she headed down the stairs to her room. She put her cloak on, grabbed a rucksack, and headed back upstairs.
Scruff saw her go up to the Badger Lord. He saw Hawthorn nod, then Finn disappear into the kitchens. He stood up, and followed her. Upon entering the kitchens, he saw Finn packing her sack with food and flasks of cordial.
"Marm, are ye 'eaded fer some place?" he asked, surprising her.
"Aye, Scruff. I am headed for thy Redwall. 'Tis a mighty place and I hear there is a beastie there opposite looking from me," Finn replied. She finished packing, and pulled her hood over her head.
Scruff turned at the sound of somebeast entering the kitchen, to see Mir.
"Father told me you were going tonight. I already filled my pack, because I knew you would be leaving soon," Mir informed Finn. She took a rucksack from a cabinet, and slung it over her back.
"Mir, I thank thee. Now let us leave," Finn said, passing by Scruff.
"Wait, marm, can I come with ye?" he asked hopefully. But Finn shook her head.
"It took a lot of begging for Mir to go too," Finn said, not looking at him. Mir passed him too, and the pair left the kitchens out the back. "Tell thine captain goodbye," Finn said over her shoulder.
Scruff watched in misery as the pair left, feeling depressed at being denied an adventure.
The old Seer walked into Lith's tenth. "Sire, do thou wish for thy answer?" she asked. Lith nodded eagerly.
"So you figured it out so soon? That means that we're even closer to Finn," she said. The Seer raised her paw, and he fell silent.
"I have thought about it. The triangle doth mean a mountain. The water and sand together mak the sea," she said, drawing the symbols on the floor.
"And the fire? What's the fire mean?" Lith asked, impatient.
"The fire tells of a mountain. 'Tis the fire mountain, Salamandastron," the Seer finished. She drew the fire symbol above the triangle, so it looked like the triangle was spouting fire. She erased the symbols with her foot, and left the tent.
"So, Finn is at Salamandastron, eh?" Lith said to himself. He chuckled. "Lookout, Finn the albino. Lith Strye's comin' for ya!"
Blackfire sat under a tree, alone. In her paws was a plate laden with food. It wasn't as good as Redwall's food, but it was pretty good for cooks who had never made that much before. She took a bite of a cherry tart, and savored the taste. Above her, Crow watched the horde.
"Crow, ye want summat ta eat?" Blackfire called up. Crow shook his massive head.
"No thanks, Blackfire. I ate on the way back," he said, looking down at her. She smiled up at him. The rest of the crew was lounging back, having slowed their eating. Never had a leader commanded a feast for the whole horde.
She set down her plate, and stood up. "Watch it, Crow," Blackfire said. Crow nodded, and Blackfire walked off.
Blackfire stood holding a fox and a stoat by the scruffs of their necks.
"Wot 'appened?" she growled, bearing her fox-like teeth. "A fight betwixt two beasts ain't welcome in me 'orde," she added, glaring at first one then the other.
"He started it!" the stoat said. Blackfire shook him, and thrust him onto the ground.
"Wot's yer name, stoat?" she asked, her voice harsh.
"G-Garu," he stuttered, looking up at his leader with fearful eyes. He was still on the ground, and therefore in no position to argue. He saw her come closer, and felt her footpaw press against his back.
"Garu, eh? An' ye, fox, wot's yer name?" she growled at the fox. She was still holding him by the scruff of his neck.
"Enem," he replied, struggling against her grip. He felt her claws dig into his pelt, and he yelled in pain.
"I wos eatin' me share o' food, an' I took the last cherry tart. Enem wanted it, an' 'e grabbed it off'n me plate. I grabbed it back, an' 'e 'it me!" Garu whined, hoping the leader would see his side.
Enem, not one to be blamed, chimed in, "T'ain't true! I wos the one who grabbed the last tart and Garu took it from me own plate!" He struggled again, and again yelled in pain.
"I don' care who grabbed t'e tart!" she shouted at them. "Neither o' ye idjits 'ad a right ter attack each other. T'e penalty is starvation 'till further notice, aye? Ye're gonna 'ave guards," she informed them. Dropping Enem, she strode off.
"Garu, mate, she's worse den Stripheth, eh?" Enem commented, rubbing the back of his neck. Garu nodded in agreement. Blackfire strode back through the camp. It was almost wintertime, and these buffoons were surprisingly ready for it. She sighed, sitting beneath Crow once again.
"Blackfire," Crow said, "What will happen when the week is spent? I mean, your shift as leader is almost halfway done," he inquired.
"Crow, it ain't gonna end in a week," Blackfire replied, chuckling. She sensed Crow was confused. "Look," she explained, "Stripheth's gonna be a deadbeast soon, aye?" she looked up at him.
Crow nodded, his bright eyes shining with the realization of what she had just said. Stripheth, meanwhile, was in the High Captain's tent. His horde wasn't doing any better than when he had tried to train them. Well, they were more obedient. He shivered from the cold, noting the almost bare trees. He was becoming suspicious of the pretty Blackfire. He laid down on his bed, thinking how soon he would be back in command.
Finn slid down a sand dune, Mir following close behind her.
"Finn, please, let's stop! My footpaws hurt, and we've been going since dawn!" Mir complained. It was now high noon. Finn sighed, and Mir saw her stop. They both sat down, Mir with a small sigh. Finn had not spoken this whole time, and Mir didn't think she would talk until they reached their destination. She sighed. Taking off her pack, she and Finn set out a lunch.
"Finn, please talk to me!" Mir pleaded. To her dismay, Finn shook her head. Suddenly, she stood up. Mir heard the noise too. But it was too late for both of them. Mir felt a heavy blow to the back of her head, and fell unconscious. Beside her, Finn lay with her eyes barely open, almost as if she was dead.
The two burly squirrels roughly dragged Mir and Finn along, taking no care for them whatsoever. They, the squirrels, wore only a kilt and a belt, with one or a few daggers.
"We'm gotted Spikedsoul?" the first one asked. The slightly smaller one shrugged.
"Dunnno, we'm just look forum whitefur," the second one replied. "We'm also getted big bonus," he added. He looked behind his back, watching the otter's head acquire several cuts.
The first one grunted in agreement. "King suremake bigun warriors now," he said, thinking out loud. The second one nodded.
"Yis yis, suremake bigun warrior. Why wantum whitefur agin?" he asked. The first one shrugged.
"Notta worry 'bout," he said. After that, the two were silent the rest of the way.
After awhile, they stopped. "Whereum bigKing?" the first one shouted.
"Innum tent," a reply was shouted. The two nodded to each other, and began their ascent into the trees. They entered into a large and well-hidden log cabin.
"You broughted Spikedsoul?" a squirrel said. He was bigger than the others, more powerful looking. He eyed the two beasts lying on the floor.
"King, we'm broughted whitefur, stripedog as bonus," the second squirrel said. He kicked Finn, who just barely flinched.
The king smiled. "Could be Spikedsoul, notsure," he said. "Tie up both, wakeum," he ordered. The first and second squirrels grinned.
"Yis yis, gettun water," the first one told the second. "Wakeum beasts!" he chuckled happily. The second one bounced out the door, laughing happily also. He was soon back with a pail of ice cold water.
The first one tied them up with skilled paws, making sure the knot was tight. "Okay, Onue, poor water!" he commanded. The second one tipped the pail over the two captives' heads. The water merely ran over Finn's thick fur, but her eyes still opened. Mir, however, was soaked. The king sighed heavily and left them, deciding this wasn't interesting enough for him.
Letting out a gasp of shock, she took in her surroundings. "Wh-what's going on here?" she asked, immediately putting on her tough face,
"Mir, dost thou understand why no sound came forth from my mouth?" Finn asked in her ear. Mir didn't reply for a second, and nodded.
"You were hoping I would be quiet," Mir muttered. She glared up at her captors, scowling. They just laughed.
"Take off thy masks, fiends," Finn said. Her face split into a grin. "My bad, those are your faces." Mir laughed. She hadn't known Finn to have a sense of humor. The two scowled.
"Waterdog be quiet, bad talkback forun," Onue growled. "Gettum club, killee quick," he threatened.
Finn cleared her throat then asked, "Why wantun Spikedsoul?" All in the room stared at her, surprised. Not a sound was made. "Quickspeak, why wantun Spikedsoul?" she asked again.
"Rid world of legend, make safe," the first squirrel said. Onue slapped him.
"Iub not talk truth, makun biglie!" Onue chattered fiercely.
Finn narrowed her eyes. She quickly cut in before Iub had a chance to reply. "No biglie, tellun truth. Nottum Spikedsoul, let gofree," she said. The two shook their heads.
"Why wantun gofree?" Onue asked.
"Take stripedog 'way, not hurt king," she replied. Mir leaned close to her.
"What are you talking about?" she asked quietly. At a look from Finn, she figured she would be told later.
"Thatta fair, but only if nottun Spikedsoul," Iub replied.
"Cutfree, nottum Spikedsoul. Big legend, not real," Finn said. She smiled as they began to saw through the ropes. "Finn thank strong beasts for lettum gofree," she said, once they were free. Mir stretched, looking at Finn with a curious eye. Finn bowed to them, Mir quickly following her lead.
The pair descended to the ground, aided by the squirrels. Once they were left alone, Finn grabbed Mir's paw and took off running.
Finn slowed down when they were well away from the camp, and even far beyond that of the territory. Breath was ragged in both chests, both breathing hard.
"Wh-what was that about?" Mir asked, gasping for breath.
"It won't be long fer them to realize they were tricked," Finn replied. "Gotta be well away, cos it won't be pretty when they do," she added.
"Hey, Finn, why are you talking differently now than you were when we left?" Mir asked.
"Cos I wos usin' a fake accent, missy," Finn replied. "Not like you'd notice, me voice is flawless in diff'rent accents," she said, patting Mir's shoulder. She took deep breaths, trying hard to calm her breathing. Mir did likewise.
Once they had both caught their breath, they sat in a small glade, talking and chatting. Their laughter rang around the isolated space, contributing to the beauty held there. A bright sun shone down onto them, and sounds of the forest helped to ease any worries. The crystal blue sky was like a giant sapphire, welcoming them into the rest of their lives. Only Finn knew that happiness never lasted; she just laughed and talked with Mir, enjoying the time they had.