Chapter 3. The Guest at Salamandastron

The sun was setting over the mountain of Salamandastron. The waves lapped restlessly against the shore. The wind chased the spray off the top of the waves. The light reflecting off of it was an orange colour mixed with shafts of pink. The sun shone brilliantly on the other side of the horizon. Night was coming to Salamandastron.

Inside the mountain hares were everywhere. The boisterous kitchens were packed slam full with hares eager to eat. A small, fat haremaid, named Molly, wrung a gong. Everybeast in the room was silent, even the great Badger Lord Beggum. The creatures bowed their heads and the haremaid said grace:

"Thank you, Mother Nature, for this food we eat tonight.

Thank you for the seasons of work put into its growth,

May we eat it with all our might.

And let justice be done to it and us hares both.

Amen"

By the time she had set down the hares were already eating like they had been through a seven season famine. They ate trifles, flans, soup, and all manner of dishes. Beggum chuckled as he watched his garroulous hares eating. He began tucking in his food with a will. A hare spoke up between mouthfuls of food.

"I say, old thingummy, pass the bally salad. A chap can't eat without one of those, wot wot!" The hares name was Rettersfur Cangsfuffle Audibe Sortingsfil, Ret for short. He grabbed the wooden salad bowl hastily from a fellow hare. He topped a large portion on his plate. As he piled the greens into his mouth, Beggum addressed him.

"Colonel Sortingsfil, I assume you have set the guards I asked of you." He looked at the hare seriously. The hare nodded.

"Aye. But there ain't been a blinkin' sign of them vermin blighters. Awful chaps." He put the rest of a huge trifle down his throat. Beggum smiled.

"That's good, it 'tis. I don't suppose those hares are 'ungry. Go an' feed 'em, matey." The hare nodded again, then set off with a tray of food.

Outside the wind whipped around like a slave master driving his slaves. The first stars were appearing, and you could see the moon in the sky. The waves had become calmer. It was a peaceful night. Ret walked up to the hare guarding the patrol, Seargent Jacques and saluted.

"Permission to hand out the vittles, sah!" Jacques nodded.

"Permisson granted, sah!" Ret began handing out the victuals. The hares took them gleefully. They gave their thanks to the hare.

"I say, old thing, top notch, wot!"

"Rather, these scones taste jolly good!" Ret swelled out his chest with pride. He bowed eloquently to the hares. He heard a voice out from the waves. It was singing. He listened.

"I was born on a night of thunder and white light,

Sailor I was to be, indeed, thats me,

And if ever the choice to voice my voice,

I'd not live on land but sea!"

The voice was a clear bass one. Many of the heads turned and looked out to the horizon. There they saw a small craft heading towards the coast. It was a strange craft, having a cabin only in the middle of it, where you slept and dined. The hares could not make out what kind of creature was on it, but they knew he was friendly. As the little raft came closer, they began to make out the silouhette of an otter.

"Ahoy, there, chap, what brings ye to Salamandastron?" Jacques said when the otter was in earshot. The otter looked up from something he was whittling, as if just noticing he was heading toward the ancient stronghold. He looked at them quizically, then smiled.

"So this is Salamandastron, eh?" he said, more to himself than to the guard of hares.

"I most certainly say it is, sah!" said Ret.

"Is Lord Beggum here?" asked the otter.

"Who are you- tell us your name," said Jacques. He looked at the strange otter. The otter was covered in scars, one ran deep from his missing eye, covered by an eyepatch, to the edge of his chin. Part of one of this ears was gone. He looked the regular old seadog.

"Me name is Trew." Jacques bowed elegantly, then shook Trew's proferred paw.

"What business do you have here? Come along, I'll show you to Badger Lord Beggum.

Thus Trew Rudds came to Salamandastron.

The assembly of hares in the mess hall quieted down when Trew walked in. Salamandastron hadn't had a visitor in a long time. They watched as Trew made his way up to Beggum. He bowed politely.

"Nice to finally meet ye, Lord Beggum. I trust ye'll have this talk with me?" He looked seriously at the Badger Lord. Beggum nodded. He spoke.

"I see there is something that troubles you, my friend, please share. I will have my cooks send you out food. You must be utterly famished." He smiled at the scarred otter.

"Thank ye, Lord Beggum, I'll gladly do justice to any food ye bring out. But first there is some grave news I have to report to ye." Beggum nodded again. He continued. "My tribe and I were wondering close to the shores of Mossflower. We seen a ship, a huge vessel, teeming with vermin and all sorts of scum. My tribe and I, well we hid in some bushes. There was nothing we could do as we watched the vermin slay a couple of shrews. They're heading to Redwall Abbey." There was a brief silence. Then the Lord of Salamandastron spoke.

"Hmm. Redwall Abbey. I was once there when I was a child. These vermin, was their leader called Goldmar?" He continued after Trew's nod. "I've been preparing to battle the scum for years- since he took my sons life."

"What do ye think we should do? We can't let the Abbey get attacked." There was no questioning the bloodwrath in his eyes as the giant Badger Lord spoke.

"We go after them. Sergeant Jacques, sah! Get the Long Patrol ready. We've got a score to settle. Trew felt pity for Goldmar when Beggum caught him.

"Long Patrol, ranks of a score wide and a score back. Attention! Stay in line, sah! We've got a long march ahead of us, wot. Steady in the ranks!" The Long Patrol left the mountain of Salamdastron headed by Lord Beggum, Trew following in his wake.

5.