While Bill was busy trying to poison me and my mooks were up to no good (and very little bad by virtue of their incompetence) the Redwallers were beginning to stir. Too long they had sat idle, and impatient as they are, the brave heroes had conjured up a sinister plot to bring about my downfall!
The shadows had grown long and dark over the Abbey allowing the cloaked figure to slip between them unnoticed. After pausing momentarily to allow a pair of mice to stroll by, chattering about a new guest singing in the orchard, the wraith slipped out again and bobbed toward a darkened archway on the far side of Abbey. "Phyllis? Waterviolet? Y'all here?" Whispered Barley as she peeked out from under the hood- searching the twilight.
There was a clicking noise in the dark and a tall ottermaid clutching a staff slipped out of the shadows. "I'm here, Barley. What do ya need?" Her green eyes were easily recognisable in the dark, as well as the two scars adorning her chest. You could tell at first sight that she was determined to do whatever she was asked. She wore a simple tunic and faded leggings, with a pouch slung over her shoulder. She stood at attention, waiting for Barley to speak, but she was also waiting to spring at anything that might chance to attack them. Her rough early life had taught her how to stay alert-danger could be around any corner.
Typical, goodbeast arrogance. Sadly, there were no nearby vermin to test just how ready to spring into action she was...
Barley pulled her hood down, glancing up at the attentive otter with a chuckle. "I love yer energy sister but I think you can relax. Tides, yer bigger 'n you looked in that tent. Reminds me of someone.", said the rat nurse, glancing around for onlookers.
Waterviolet knelt down to get at eye level with Barley. "What's the news? Anything of dear import?" She said, trying to calm down a little bit, but Barley could tell, as always, she was ready for anything that might come her way.
And yet, not ready enough.
"Wow you are an eager one. I think though the more casual you act the less attention we'll attract." Barley side eyed a mole with a handful of rakes who stopped momentarily, curious about the two huddled figures. "Ha! Can you believe that!", She shouted conspicuously, "a super long hair right there in the middle of my morning bread, huh!" She winked at the tall otter.
Waterviolet gave an awkward grin and joined in. "Oh, dear, hair in the bread, eh? Looks like the food here isn't as good as everyone claims!" The mole looks at her, seeming grumpy. Violet leans closer to Barley. "Did I overdo it?" She whispers
She giggled. "Only if Clovis heard it." Barley turned to the mole with a grin, waving. After a moment of confusion a smile pulled across his velvety face and he returned the wave, trundling along on his intended way with the tools. Barley scanned around for the rest of the party again. "Well i guess we wait then." The rat noticed the otter still looked very conspicuous. Like a creature trying with all their might to not do so. She figured some conversation ought to help and so spotted a pretty purple ribbon that stood out on waterviolet's neck against her drab tunic. "That's a nice trinket ye got there.", she said, relaxing her posture as she leaned on the doorway.
Violet paused, flushing slightly as she gently tugged on the ribbon. She untucked the star from where it had been hidden in a fold of cloth and proudly displayed it on her chest. However, Barley noticed a change come over the otter as she glanced at the pendant. It seemed she was rather saddened by something-Barley couldn't guess what, however. "Ah, thank ye. It was my mother's." Violet put an emphasis on was, Barley noticed.
In case it was not clear, Waterviolet has a tragic case of 'I'm the main character and my parents are dead' syndrome.
Barley detected a change in her countenance. There was a pause before she smiled. "It's lovely.", she said warmly.
She decided to change the subject. "Ah, here comes someone now."
Phyllis did not even try to hide her approach. A scowl hung on the squirrelmaid's face. "You know, everyone else is waiting for you two at the other gate." She crossed her arms.
"Why?!", the rat asked with a huff, "I told them to meet me at the east g-" she paused and look at where the sun was setting, realizing her mistake. "Oh tides." She confessed flatly.
The squirrel grumbled "Fffffffffffffffine. I will get them." She left in a huff and came back with the others in about two minutes.
"There you happy?" she said upon return.
"Well at least we are all AAAAA-!" Oakwin did not get to finish his sentence because Phyllis wrung his wrist.
"Whisper nut brain," Phyllis hissed at him.
"All a y'all shush 'r i'll have my new giant friend here wring out the lot of ya." She looked around at the tiny group. "This all we got? Us three?"
"The others are slow." Phyllis stated.
Barley pulled a face. "Well that might not be so good for our purposes then."
"I'm here." said Disibod, removing his hood. His black habit made him blend in with the shadows a little too well.
The sound of the dormouse's voice made Oakwin physically jump.
"Tides!", barley cursed," when did you get here?"
"Five minutes ago... Sorry for not making my presence know." whispered the dormouse.
Melangell joined the group by dropping out of a tree beside Barley mae. (for Smudge)
Barley started. "Hellsteeth! Is Durley going to pop up out of the ground next?!" She hissed. Saracen stifled a laugh.
Phyllis hissed at the rat "SSssssssshhhhh! do you want everyone and their aunt to know where we are?"
Barley narrowed her eyes. "No...", she said a bit more petulently then she intended.
"Sooooooo..." Oakwin started, "Are we gonna head out? What is our plan?"
"No hell hounds, it ruined the first mission." Phyllis whispered.
"That is not a plan, that is the absence of an object." Oakwin replied.
Barley grinned. "Helped us see at least." She winked at Mel.
"Pardon Oi, zurrs and marms," young molemaid Bryn came trundling up to the group, dressed in a traveling frock and carrying a basket of provisions. "Oi cudden help but overhear ee an' Oi wuz hopin' Oi cudd tag along too." She smiled kindly, tugging her snout. "Ee Froir haz given Oi ee week off an' Oi wudd be dreadful bored shudd Oi have to stay here alone," winking broadly, she revealed a heavy iron pan strapped into her belt. "Oi be roight gudd with ee panner, burr aye! An' moi diggin' claws be moighty powerful!"
Barley considered the new applicant. Food was important but moles weren't known for their marathon running. "I'd love ta have ya Brynie...um, do ya think you can keep up?" She asked pensively.
She narrowed her eyes. "Ee be thinkin' Oi bees too slow? Mizz Snow bees moi friend as well! Oi'd run ee duzzen moiles to 'elp!"
"Well, Bryn, we know you have heart, but speed is important for this mission. Can you run fast?" Oakwin asked.
"Oi wun ee wall race when Oi wuz a likkle un!" She exclaimed, puffing her chest proudly. "Before ee Abbot Valentoine put ee stop to it..."
Barley nodded approvingly. "Well suits me then. Welcome aboard, Brynie. You'll get your commemorative team badge as soon as Phyllis makes them."
Her homely face split into a grin. "Boi 'ecky, ee can count on Oi!"
"Always could.", said the rat nurse. "Alright lets go while everyone is distracted by that bat in the orchard. We're going out THIS GATE..." she said emphasizing the words toward Phyllis as the group began moving in that direction.
Oh, right. None of it was particularly relevant to my story so I forgot to mention it until now, but a few of the Redwall elders were not so keen on Phyllis' treatment of Abbot Valentine and promptly had her arrested before she could wreck more havoc amongst my beasts.
Barley Mae stood after they were some distance away. She debated what to do in a rising panic but didn't get much chance as the remaining members of her party caught up, having completely missed the whole scene.
"Whuhhh.. why, di... you run... so fast?" Oakwin said before collapsing on the ground.
Bryn chuckled. "Ee bee's all toired out already, Oakie?" The molemaid jogged in place to prevent her muscles from seizing up. "Oi thought we wurr apposed to be a gurt tree cloimber!"
The squirrel groaned and covered his eyes with his paws. "Alright..., I misjudged you... You win."
Her snout wiggled joyfully. "Told ee Oi wurr farst! 'Ow do ee think Oi runs all over ee Abbey fur Froir Clovis?" As she turned back to Barley, she frowned. "Wurr bees Mizzy Phyllis? She wurr ahead of ee, aye?"
Barley attempted to wipe the worry from her face. Sensing she was unable to, she turned on her heel. "Ruttledge and Guido saw her and she uhh... Bought us some time. She said to go ahead without her so... C'mon, lets get outa here before they come back. Lead on Waterviolet." Not waiting for a response she shouldered her pack and started jogging down the path. "C'mon slowpokes! We gotta keep a good pace so sister Bryn doesn't get bored!", she called back as she went.
Oakwin groaned and got off of the ground to start the run yet again. Disibod had chosen the wiser route of hopping through the trees above and was keeping a steady pace at the rear of the group.
Eventually, Waterviolet told everyone to stop and take a rest by a small stream she had found. As she was handing out rations to everyone, she noticed how strange Barley looked. She was muttering to herself and wringing her paws. Violet walked over. "Are ye alright, Barley? Ye seem a bit nervous by something."
The rat smiled with only the lower half of her face which looked incredibly awkward and put-on. "Who me? Right as rain dear, just a bit winded. Not like Bryn over there, how is she not even outta breath?!"
Waterviolet was definitley concerned, but she said nothing more. "Alright, if ye insist. If ye are troubled, I'm here if ye need to talk alone." Then Waterviolet returned to her scant meal, keeping an eye on Barley, just in case.
Oakwin dramatically collapsed onto the ground with a huff. He then flopped an arm over his face, "Please tell me we are taking a break."
Barley playfully kicked a clod of dirt onto him from where she sat. " 'ats what all the sittin' and grubbin' is for."
He lazily wiped the dirt off of himself. "Thank the Seasons! I need a breather."
Mel tried to stifle a giggle, "Someone is out of shape."
Barley giggled. "We could just eat him an' be good fer days ey?"
"Mmmmmm... I've never tried squirrel before..."
"Nooooooo! I'm too gamy and tough. You wouldn't like it." Oakwin replied.
Bryn nodded sagely. "Burr aye, if'n we wants to eat Marstur Oak, we'd need to cook 'im fur a gudd long toime!" she poked the squirrel's stomach with a blunt claw. "Ee bees a roight tubby beast!"
Oakwin suddenly became very self conscious and sat upright and his eyes widened. "Am I really that tubby?" he asked with concern as he looked himself over.
The molemaid giggled. "Burr no, gudd zurr, Oi bee's only jestin'. Ee bee's gurtly strong, aye, ee wudd need slow roasted in ee oven to break down all ee sinew an' muscle!" She winked at her friends, eyes twinkling as she muttered darkly. "Ee squirrelie meat bee's too tough, burr aye, just loike ee 'arebeast an' otter. It bee's ee dormouse that bee's noice an' tender, boi 'ecky!" She exclaimed the last bit, staring pointedly at the trees. "Oi harve moi pan if'n ee wants zumm!"
Disibod's head popped out of the canopy above, a concerned look painted on his face, "Oh, mercy! What did I get myself into this time?"
Melangell laughed, "Now, don't cook the dormouse or you'll have an angry Rye with a potato knife after you."
"Boi 'eckie, I supposes we be roight," she tutted mournfully. "Come ee down, Bruther, an' get ee summ vittles in ee stumach! Ee Froir were tellin' Oi that ee bee's far too skinny, aye, an' Oi agrees with 'im!" She waved a freshly warmed hazelnut loaf at him. "Come ee down noaw. Or Oi'll cook ee up furr supper!"
"Alright, I'll come down." Disibod replied as he was descending the tree trunk. He sat down at the base of the tree and put his socks and sandals back on his foot paws, first the right then the left.
Bryn grinned and tugged her snout. "Oi gurtly loike ee sockers. They'm look gurtly warm an' comfy. Oi can't wear ee stockin's...moi claws be too big."
Saracen chomped happily on his portion watching the antics.
Oakwin turned to Barley "Am I fat?"
The rat bit off an oversized chunk and spoke through muffled dough. "No honey, you're Oakey."
And so the brave Redwall band settled down for the evening, readying themselves for a day of adventure- one that would not go quite the way they expected...
The next morning dawned dull and gloomy over Mossflower Woods, but Ace Murderbird awoke bright and cheerful- as he usually did. He brushed his beak, combed his feathers and made his bed neat and tidy. Stiffling a yawn, he ruffled his feathers and hop-skipped into the air. He was off once more on his usual patrol round the woods. Spying on the abbey and making sure nothing of import went unnoticed and unreported. And it was on his early-morning raptor-equivalent-of-a-jog that he came across the brave band of Redwallers, snoozing out in the open without a care in the world.
The hawk landed without a sound, his eyes widening in pleasant surprise. He took turns hopping round the camp, as silently as he could, staring with unblinking eyeballs at the flightless creatures- taking in every tiny little detail he could think of. The rat was sleeping soundly, a wide grin plastered to her muzzle as she murmured sleepily about a particularly fine set of molars. A fit otter lay draped like a wet towel over a log, snoring gently. The girl otter was strong and well-built, a pair of distinct scars on her chest.
Ace Murderbird tip-taloned with extra caution around her, and made sure to stay downwind lest the scent of hawk wake the warrior. The squirrel was young, plump and wore the now-familiar Redwall habit. Ace licked the slobber off his beak (glad that his mummy was not there to comment on his poor table manners) and resisted the urge to start the day with a filling breakfast. The mouse was small- barely a beakful- and had a knife tucked into her belt. The fluffy-tailed mouse looked oddly familiar, but Ace failed to place where he'd seen them before. In any case they were too scrawny to be worth his time. Finally the hawk came to a halt before the mole and his pupils dilated.
...
He'd always wanted a mole.
And he would simply never. stop. asking for one.
The molemaid's acute hearing awoke her, as did the vibrations of a new beast trembling in the earth. Slowly, she reached a paw into her bag and grasped her frying pan, before opening her eyes and coming face to face with the massive, yellow eyes of a hawk. Bryn shrieked in shock, bringing her pan up to cover her face. "Gurt seasons! Tis a h'eagle! Wake ee up, ev'rybeast!"
Oakwin promptly shot up a tree upon awaking, startled by the molemaid's voice.
Disibod woke up and unsheathed his knife instead.
Barley, seeing the giant predator hovering over Bryn shot up to a standing position, brandishing the pair of embossed clubs Oakwin had made for her out of the remnants of her staff. "Hey you! Geddaway from her! You wanna snack, come get it!", she cried in attempt to take the hawk's attention from Bryn.
"I am quite hungry," Ace said absent-mindedly, still eyeballing the mole.
Though, unbeknownst to them, for an entirely different reason.
Waterviolet awoke with a start and grabbed her staff. "Back away from her, right now!" she yelled, running up to Bryn and shielding her from Ace. She held the staff at the ready, prepared to hit him over the head if necessary.
"That's not a very nice way to say 'Good Morning'," Ace Murderbird huffed, crossing his wings over his chest. "'Specially when you're the ones snoozing in my territory." The hawk ruffled his feathers. "Lemme show you how it's done." Putting on his most charming smile, Ace Murderbird stretched his wings to the side, the better to perform the raptor equivalent of jazz paws. "GOOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOORNING!" he yelled, in a voice that was deafening.
Waterviolet cringed at the trumpeting sound. "Ye still haven't explained why ye were after our friend the molemaid."
"I'm not after any of you!" Ace shot back hotly. "You still haven't explained what you're doing having a lie down under my napping branch!"
Barley wiggled a paw in her ear, grimacing. She whistled shrilly to grab the odd bird's attention. "Hey look... Friend. We're just passin' through 'n stopped here to camp. If ya give us just a tick we'll be well outa your way." The rat put down her batons and held her hands out. "Look see? We don't want no trouble."
"Wheeeere ya goin'?" the hawk chirped, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Oh you know... see some friends and all." She responded casually. Saracen slowly began to make his way over to where Waterviolet stood, brandishing her weapon. His paws out to show they were empty."You uh, you hungry? I think we got some grub left if your interested. It'll probably be less gamey and definitely less fuzzy then my friend there.", Barley offered.
"I could eat!" the Murderbird chirped. "Don't like moles that way anyways. They taste too earthy. Kind of like mud."
Barley feigned casualness, though she struggled against instinctually tense muscles. "Well now who's the one bein' rude? She's perfectly fine eatin'." The rat nurse managed to walk to their makeshift campfire though very aware of the great raptor's gaze. It was odd. The deadly beak ensconced before the two piercing eyes on the head of this apex predator all in combination seemed... Dibbunly. What was he playing at? "I was simply suggesting something that'd take less work to eat."
"I'd be the judge of that. But my mummy says not to eat creatures that scream." Ace patted his tummy and gave Bryn a wink. "Mummy also said you Redwall critters know how to cook."
Barley cocked her head slightly a bit confused, her posture beginning to relax. "Oh your mum visits often does she?", never recalling a hawk of all beasts visiting since ahe'd been at the Abbey.
"He was only there the one time," Ace shrugged. "Still said it was to die for." He clacked his beak impatiently. "Come ooooon, I'm staaaarving."
Barley covertly scanned around for the others as she checked their supplies finding some vittles. "I gotcha friend. So, you got this whoooole big territory to yerself do ya?"
Saracen placed a paw over Waterviolet's, bidding her lower her weapon as he stooped to help Bryn up from under the frying pan.
"Weeeeell, there's this big, nasty camp of vermin somewhere over there-ish." He pointed a talon in the general direction of the camp as he chomped upon the rat's generous offering.. "But yes! This foresht ish all mine!" He said, voice full of pride and beak full of food, his chest swelling.
Barley instinctually tucked her paws in with each deadly clack of the beak. "Oh you seen that huh?", she asked.
"Course I did! I have very good eyesight!" he said, beaming.
Waterviolet lowered her staff and looked up at Ace. "As long as ye hurt nobeast, we'll share our vittles with ye."
Disibod sheathed his knife again and Oakwin made a slow dissent from the tree.
"Already eating," Ace teased the otter, blowing her a raspberry.
"Nice hawky," Oakwin said, sweating slightly.
"Hello!" Ace greeted the frightened squirrel, trying very hard not to drool over the delectable morsel. "I'm Ace Murderbird!"
Barley nodded. "Well that tracks I suppose."
Oakwin yelled and jumped into Barley's arms.
"Oof!"
The rat struggled to hold the ample dormouse.
"Murderbird?" Waterviolet asked, raising an eyebrow. "No wonder you almost tried to eat Bryn over there."
"If I was trying to eat the mole, the mole would have been eaten!" Ace snapped, furrowing his brow against the otter.
"Hey, no need to get defensive. I was assuming-I'm sure if ye intended to ye would've. I'm Waterviolet, and, er, it's a pleasure to meet ye."
"Ace," he grinned, offering a talon to shake.
Waterviolet gently took his talon and shook it, being careful of the long claw on the end of it.
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Ace suddenly remembered something and started hopping from foot to foot in excitement, clapping his wings together as he did so (thereby creating strong gusts of wind.) "I never thanked you for throwing me that nice and juicy abbot!"
Waterviolet froze, glancing at Barley. She slowly backed away from Ace, trying to keep a smile on her face.
Disibod, confused at why he was being held, freed himself of Barley's grasp and accidentally side stepped towards the bird.
"You ate the Abbot? Is that what happened to him?" Disibod asked before stepping away from the bird (and Barley).
"Yeeeesireeee! Raw and kicking!" Ace Murderbird, turning to the dormouse and summoning an impolite belch to better accentuate his deception, burped. "Might've disagreed with my tummy a little bit, but well worth the flavour!"
The dormouse frowned. "Are you here just to taunt us, then? He was a friend of a few beasts here, you know." Did Disi actually know if any of them liked the Abbot? No. But he sure as ever wanted the bird to leave.
Ace Murderbird blinked. Nononononobackbackbackbackback! "Oh- er- sorry. He- er didn't actually taste that good."
"But you ate him and had the gizzard to come here and tell these broken-hearted beasts that you did so." The dormouse crossed his paws like a scolding parent.
Barley froze and held her breath.
"I-it was an accident!" Ace squawked. "I-I-I tried to catch him as he fell b-but er- I tried to do it with my beak?"
Oakwin clung to Barley a little tighter.
Barley gulped. Even SHE hated to think of valentine going out like that. Phyllis on the other hand...
"A-a-and then he was in my throat a-and I swallowed and then I couldn't barf him out. I-it was traumatic! Y-you traumatised me! I demand an apology!"
At this point even Saracen was pulling a face, unsure of what was happening before him.
"Well that is just utter nonsense. All birds of prey can cough up pellets. You could have easily used those same muscles to barf him up. Where is that pellet, by the way? We need to at least put his bones in a proper grave. As mangled and deformed as they may be now." Disibod said.
Barley placed a hand on the DORMOUSE'S shoulder. "Hey friend, why don't we give the giant flying fella with MURDER right there in his name a bit of a break? Beside's you was just havin' some breakfast far as you know, right?", she grinned.
"Listen here fluff-tail!" snapped Ace Murderbird, now very cross with the deception-spotting dormouse, and ignoring the rat entirely. "I think I know a bit more about bird biology than you do. If I couldn't barf him out that means I couldn't alright? How do you think I felt, listening to his dying moans and screams of agony, eh? Give a bird a break, will you? If you want his horribly mangled skeleton, just follow me. I'll take you right to 'em. Just follow ole Murderbird!" the hawk huffed. "I still want my apology."
Barley looked at Saracen who shrugged.
Disibod brushed Barley's paw off of his shoulder. "Like I said, you will get none. But, if you show us where the pellet is, We may consider some sort of recompense for the bad taste." The dormouse was now set on finding the remains of the Abbot.
"Dizzy, you drowner, shut-up!", Barley hissed from behind him.
"Fine then, but if I don't get any recompe-wotsit I'll scoff up the lot of you, you hear me? Now come on slowpokes, a hawk hasn't got all day." So saying he hop-skipped and lead the way forwards towards a cave he knew about...
"Well?" Disibod said, looking back at the others while starting after the hawk, "Do you want to help me find the pellet or not? This shouldn't take all morning."
Barley collected her batons and followed, exchanging looks with the others.
Oakwin, who was now standing on his own two feet (shaking), said "M-might as well. Could help with Phyllis and the council... right?" he started to walk after the others. He caught up to Barley and whispered "That dormouse is crazy! He is going to get us all killed."
"You might be right, but this gives us a chance to come up with something." Barley kicked the dormouse in the haunch none too gently, holding her paws out silently for an explanation.
He whirled around and began to walk backwards. "Look, you guys might not have liked him in the slightest bit, but I want to help those at the abbey have some closure as to what happened to the Abbot. It might help with moral, if that is what you are more concerned about." He then turned back and continued his pursuit of the hawk.
"Just a bit more!" Ace called back to the party. "We're nearly there!"
"Good to know!" Disibod shouted back.
"You won't help nobeast from inside that big belly, smooth-brain. Be a little nicer wouldja?" She growled
"He'll be helping me!" Ace giggled, surprising the rat by appearing at her side. "Also, we are here!" he announced, using a wing to gesture towards a deep, dark, damp-looking tunnel set besides a tree.
Oakwin pulled a face when he saw the tunnel "There?" he asked pointing towards the tunnel in disbelief.
Barley leaned on Oakwin's shoulder gasping to regain breath. "I think I peed a little," she confessed.
"So do you remember where in the cave you coughed it up?" Disibod asked Ace.
"Nope!" Ace grinned. "But your precious abbot is in there alright!" He patted his belly. "Just like he was in here! Yup!"
Barley sighed. "Ok, Well I'm coming in. I'll recognize his old teeth."
Disibod motioned for the others to follow as he walked through the mouth of the cave.
"I'll just be out here waiting for you if you don't mind," Ace waved them along, clacking his beak at Oakwin as he passed.
Once the Redwallers had all disappeared inside, the hawk darted off as fast as he could in the direction of the camp. He had a surprise party to arrange!