After telling Martin's story, Erra promptly fell asleep, exhausted from the feast and the excitement. Arethra carried her up to the dormitory and walked off to take another look at Martin's tapestry.
The vermin horde was just awakening. Gellar, too excited to be patient, snarled at everybeast who seemed sleepy or sluggish. He repeatedly had to shout in order to wake them up. Sandero was coiled around his shoulders. "Massster, we mussst hurry before the sssun risssesss." The duo had planned to surround the Abbey with vermin in case the Abbeybeasts didn't give in to their demands.
Gellar nodded. "This might wake them up a little." He looked about till he found a stoat who was still lying in his bed of rushes. "You there, why aren't you out of bed yet?" he snapped. The stoat began to tremble.
"Ch-chief, I was one of the nightguards you posted. I'm still sleepy." he stuttered. Gellar smiled and grabbed the stoat by the ears. "I've told this miserable horde to get out of bed and prepare time and time again," he hissed. Everybeast turned to watch. "Perhaps you're having trouble hearing me. Maybe I'll clean your ears out in order to help you listen to me better." Gellar drew his dagger from his belt and stuck the point cruelly down the unfortunate stoat's ear. He twisted it, relishing the screams of pain that the soldier let out. Finally, his terrible task was finished, and the stoat lay on the ground whimpering, his ear almost completely skinned by the fox's blade. Gellar turned to the rest of the vermin. "Does anybeast else need trouble hearing?" he demanded. Nobeast replied; instead they hastily returned to their business. Gellar's victim cradled his ear, moaning. On the way back to the rock where he'd been surveying his horde, Gellar kicked him, sending him sprawling. "You've still got one ear to hear with, don't you?" he growled. The vermin only stared with fear.
They began the march to Redwall, Gellar leading the horde. He was ecstatic. "You were right, my friend," he said to Sandero. "I will soon be the owner of the sword. I will show these vermin what real pain is. But first, I will conquer Redwall Abbey. Once the sword is in my paws, nothing can stop me, not even that stupid mouse ghost. Mossflower is rich and fertile, and lies near many a traveler's route. The Abbey's walls are impossible to scale. It will make a great fortress!" Sandero wanted to protest, but said nothing. Gellar was in a good mood now, and if Sandero burst his good feelings, he would probably end up as Gellar's next belt. Instead, the snake began forming plans in his own mind, of how he might trick the vermin Chief out of the sword and use it to bring himself to power.
Arethra, while examining Martin's tapestry, happened to look out of the window. She saw an enormous vermin horde marching towards Redwall. Curious, she looked around for a knife, something she could use to defend herself in case the vermin attacked her while she investigated. Arethra's eye fell upon the sword of Martin the Warrior. She decided to borrow it for a while. Alas, being the innocent young ferret she was, Arethra did not know the difference between borrowing and stealing, nor did she understand the concept of "treasured relics". She took it down from its mount upon the wall. Deciding not to bother the Abbey Gatekeeper at that time, old Kelo the mouse, she opened the window and placed Martin's sword in her teeth. With the dexterity of a cat, she leapt through the window.
Meanwhile, Erra was still sleeping. She dreamed that she and Arethra were romping around the Abbey grounds, helping the Abbeybeasts harvest for a feast. Suddenly, a dark, ominous shadow fell over the place. Erra could see a vermin horde appearing over the horizon, screaming and brandishing bloodstained weapons. A fox sprang up in front of them, waving nothing other than Martin the Warrior's sword. Everybeast screamed and ran in terror. Erra cowered behind an apple tree, but suddenly a bright, golden light chased away the darkness, and Martin the Warrior appeared next to her. He looked ready to fight, but was unarmed, showing the mousemaid his empty paws. "Help," Martin pleaded. "My sword has been stolen, by one you consider a friend. She meant you no harm, but my blade will fall into evil's paws if you do not wake up."
Erra bent her head. "I wish I could help," she replied. "But what can a mere mousemaid do against an entire vermin horde?" Martin clasped her paw. "You have friends, good friends. Tales of old will not hinder friendship and loyalty anew. Be strong, my friend!" He vanished and suddenly everything turned dark as night. Erra felt pain, throbbing pain.
The mousemaid woke up, snug in her bed. She had banged her head into the bed's headboard. Without thinking, the first words she shouted were:
"The sword! The sword of Martin has been stolen!"
Jana and Abbess Loran heard Erra. They raced up the stairs, speeding into the dormitory. "What happened?" asked Jana breathlessly. "Are you alright?"
Erra panted. "I saw Martin in a dream," she gasped. "He said that his sword was stolen, and that it was going to fall into the paws of evil." Jana held her paw. "You must have had a bad dream," she said. "Don't worry, just go back to sleep." "Stop treating me like a Dibbun!" Erra protested. "It wasn't just some silly old nightmare, Martin's sword really is gone, and we need to look for it. NOW!"
Loran took her paw and led her downstairs, murmuring, "See, young mouse, the sword of Martin isn't really stolen. It's just-WWWHOOOOAA!!!!" She froze at the sight of the empty space above the tapestry. Refusing to believe her eyes, she ran to the wall, staring at the blank spot. She calmed down and turned to Erra. "Go and ring the bells. Martin's blade is gone!" she shouted.
The Abbeybeasts gathered in Great Hall. Abbess Loran stood at the front of the hall, on a wooden platform. She waited until the hubbub subsided, and announced, "Beasts of Redwall, please calm down. Erra had a visit from Martin the Warrior when she fell asleep after the feast. It appears his sword is gone."
A hush fell over the crowd of creatures as many pairs of eyes turned to the stretch of wall above Martin's tapestry. Loran continued. "I will ask several beasts to step up onto the platform and answer my questions. First up is Erra. Erra, would you please come up?"
The nervous mousemaid got up from her seat at the table and walked to the Abbess. Loran smiled encouragingly. "Go on, describe your dream." Erra cleared her throat and relayed the events of the vision. Everybeast shuddered at the mention of the vermin and gasped when she described Martin's empty paws. Finally Loran stopped her. "Thank you, Erra. Can anybeast take a guess as to who this swordthief is?"
Wora the squirrel stood up. "I'll tell you who I suspect," she declared. "The sword was taken by none other than our honored guest, Arethra the ferret!" Silence rang throughout the room. Then Loran spoke. "Wora, do you have any evidence that Arethra took the sword?" The squirrel placed her paws on her hips. "Evidence? Evidence? Arethra is a ferret, and ferrets are vermin. She probably just wanted to get in our Abbey so she could take what she wanted. You don't need evidence to prove that. How many times in history has Martin's sword been stolen? Dozens! Now it's been taken again, and it's our job as Abbeybeasts to get it back."
"No!" Erra cried out. "Martin said in the dream that whoever took it meant no harm. Maybe she just took it down from the wall to inspect it, and real vermin came in to kidnap her." Wora shook her head. "I don't want to contradict you, Erra, but this abbey is surrounded by sturdy stone walls. How could any amount of weasels, stoats or ferrets just come in and take something? Yes, perhaps Arethra doesn't mean you any harm. But she might be working for a horde and wants to take Redwall, or something. Again, it is our job as the beasts of Redwall to restore one of our most treasured possessions to the Abbey!" A cheer sounded through the hall as Wora finished her speech. Loran began to speak. "Very well, then. Arethra couldn't have gotten very far, so we can send out search parties. We must send one out first thing tomorrow. Who will volunteer?" Nearly the entire Abbey raised their paws. As Loran picked the first search party(Wora and Drugann) Erra slunk away, forming her own plan to bring Arethra back to Redwall.
Arethra scampered along the tops of the trees, enjoying the view of Mossflower. As she listened to the horde marching below her, she caught the words "sword", "Redwall", and "plunder" spoken from a muscular fox who seemed to be their leader. They were going to attack Redwall Abbey! Panicking, she attempted to scurry away, but her head bumped against a large tree limb. Senselessly, the ferret fell down to earth, right in front of Gellar and Sandero.
Everybeast halted. The fox warlord stared down, shocked. As soon as he recovered from his suprise, he looked up. Eyes glittering maliciously, Gellar issued orders to his horde. "We'll stop here awhile. You, Bloodsnout, tie her up with that whip of yours. Several of you, dig a pit back in the forest and throw her in. I want her alive for interrogation. I'll take that," he added, and drew the sword from Arethra's belt. Laughing, he and Sandero went to the back of the horde to discuss their next move.
The next day, Wora and Drugann set out from Redwall. They combed every inch of Mossflower. Suddenly, they came upon a horde of vermin, lying in the forest.. "You go up in the trees," Drugann carefully whispered. "I'll hide in the stream. Look for anything significant." They sped to their hiding spots.
The first thing Wora saw was a crude tent, with two sentries on either side of the opening. She jumped off her tree branch, landing behind the tent. The squirrel placed her ear on the ground, listening to the dialogue between the inhabitants inside. This is what she heard:
"Those Abbeybeasts were kind enough to send a ferret blundering around Mossflower with the sword."
"Yesss, we are very fffortunate. But how did a ffferret manage to get the sssword from Redwall?"
"As soon as the prisoner wakes up, we'll have to ask her some questions. Obviously, she'd have to had been inside the Abbey in order to steal it. She'll know if the Abbeybeasts are just peaceful bumpkins like the legends say, or if they're really warriors. We cannot fail, Sandero. Some say that Redwall has a special warrior in it who fights off vermin. Well, that's only one fighter, and there's over fivescore in this horde. We'll easily overcome them, and be as rich as kings!"
"But othersss have fffailed in the passst, Gellar. Cluny the Ssscourge, the Marlfffoxesss. They were great, yet did not sssuccceed."
"You forget one thing, my friend. We have the sword. The magic sword. It is supposed to bring victory to its master, and I am the master. Today we plan, tomorrow we march. Come, Sandero! Let us toast!"
At this, Wora heard the sound of two cups clinking together. She tore her ear from the ground and dashed up the tree. Her worst fears had been confirmed. It was none other than the feared Gellar the Slayer and his seer, Sandero the Fearbringer, who had come to Mossflower!
She clambered about, looking for Drugann, when she spotted the pit with Arethra held prisoner inside. The sentry guards posted around it were either fast asleep or drunk. Wora cut free a vine hanging nearby and tied it to her tree branch. Then she lowered herself inside.
Arethra looked up. Her voice was weak from lack of water, but her eyes were open wide. "What are you doing here?" she croaked. The squirrel jumped off her vine.
"I might as well as ask you. Marching around with Redwall's treasured sword! What were you thinking?" She glared at the ferret. Arethra replied, "I saw this vermin horde marching towards the Abbey and took the sword to investigate. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." Wora's heart softened a bit. " I know about the horde already. We of Redwall are goodbeasts, and will not leave you to suffer. I promise that tomorrow we'll rescue you! However, next time, ask before you take Martin's sword. Do you need anything?" Arethra swallowed. "I could use some water." Withing moments Wora had swung off, plucked a leaf from the tree, twisted it into a cone, and dipped it into the nearby stream. She offered the cone to Arethra, who gulped it down greedily. Wora climbed up and scurried off to find Drugann.
She relayed to Drugann the facts about the dialogue she had overheard, and her conversation with Arethra. The otter listened gravely. When she finished, he whispered, "We haven't got much time. We have to tell the Mother Abbess!" They snuck away, hurrying to Redwall Abbey.
Arethra chewed hungrily at the leaf and stared at the ground. Her heart was hammering, as she thought of her friend, Erra. Erra, who trusted her. Erra, who pleaded Abbess Loran and the rest of Redwall to take her in. Erra, the one she had betrayed by taking from her home. The ferret put her head in her paws and began to sob. Perhaps she was better off as a vermin, serving Gellar and the rest of his accursed horde. Suddenly, something wet and slightly mushy rapped her in the back. Arethra opened her eyes to find an apple core lying on the ground beside her. She looked up and saw a ferret's ugly face leering down at her.
"Shut yer gob!" he snarled. "Nobeast has time to listen to some wimp howlin' like a babe. Toughen up!" Arethra shook a paw at him. "You leave me alone, vermin!" she yelled back. "You're not the one stuck in a filthy pit, without any food or water. Tell your dumb leader to let me go!" The ferret was about to reply, when he was shoved out of the way. The fox she had seen earlier walked up, with a snake by his side. Gellar smiled down at her.
"You do have a short temper for one your age. Too bad none of my horde has your spirit. I'm Gellar, the Chieftain of these lunkheads. This is Sandero, my seer." Arethra glared at him. " Enough games, fleacoat. That sword is the property of my friends. Give it back, or you'll suffer." Gellar pawed the hilt of the weapon. "This? Afraid not. Finders keepers, my friend. Now, answer my questions. Most of them are about your acquaintances back in that abbey, but one thing provokes my curiosity. How did a ferret come to be living in Mossflower? Arethra disliked talking about this subject, but she replied as she scoured the walls of the pit for a pawhold, something she could use to climb out. "My business, vermin. Let me out this instant!" The fox drew Martin's sword and held it threateningly over the stream. "You will answer properly, with respect. Otherwise, your friends will never see their precious blade again!" The ferret drew a deep breath. "I was here for as long as I can remember. I do remember somebeast carrying me, but then they fell, and I can't remember the rest, just that I crawled to Mossflower woods. I haven't had a family since then, except the birds whose eggs your damned vermin are cooking for food, curse you!" Gellar drew back, shock written on his harsh face. A distant memory brought him back to the day he had first attempted to take Martin's sword. He peered at the scowling ferret. Could this hotheaded beast really have been the ferretbabe whose parents he'd murdered?
"Well?" Arethra demanded. "Why in the name of the Dark Forest are you gawking at me like that? Are you done asking me nosy questions?" Gellar recovered himself and laughed snidely at the ferret. "Why? I know who you are, child. Once, long ago, two beasts, a ferret and his wife, decided to desert us. They didn't have a single chance, though. My bow and arrows took care of them. When I went up to their corpses, guess who I found? A crying ferretbabe! It wouldn't have taken long for a babe to crawl from the spot my vermin were, all the way to Mossflower. You should thank Sandero. He was the one who persuaded me to spare you, saying that nature would soon take care of you. Well, I'm glad it didn't, then. Otherwise I'd have wasted time and energy taking the sword from Redwall!" Now it was Arethra's turn to be stunned. She now knew who had taken her family from her, two of the few who had truly loved her. Deep inside her heart, looking at the ground, she swore that she would someday destroy the one who orphaned her. Suddenly, she felt a stinging blow on her head and jerked her face up. Gellar cackled. "Good, you're finally paying attention. Now, about the other questions. How many are in Redwall, and how many are warriors?"
The ferret jutted out her chin angrily. "Over sixscore, and all of them would take up arms to defend their home. Your horde will never take the Abbey. RREEDWWAAALLLLL!" She closed her mouth, taken aback, not certain why she had screamed that last word. Gellar simply snickered. "Tomorrow my horde will come for Redwall Abbey. I have heard many things about that building, and one thing is certain, it houses healers, not warriors. Enjoy life as you know it-as soon as Redwall is mine you will become a demonstration to the entire Abbey. Goodbye!" He withdrew his head from the pit, still laughing.
Arethra put her head against the side of the pit, tears streaming from her eyes. She glared her hatred at the retreating fox's back, murmuring, "Laugh while you can, fox, but you won't be laughing when I avenge my family, both of them!"
A/N: Meh, longest chapter yet. Due to the fact that my area just got a big snowstorm and school is cancelled all the way through winter break, I'll be able to start the next chapter soon. Hope you enjoy the suspense!