I couldn't have said something wrong. Did I? I was only trying to help!

Samuel's head was filled with self-chastising thoughts as he hurried to find the weasel. He had run throughout the dormitories, into the infirmary and nursery, then into the Cavern Hole and the kitchens but couldn't find the little hob's ears or tail. He hoped he didn't hurt the vermin's feelings too badly; Samuel certainly couldn't sit and sing the praises of some villainous vermin.

The mouse had to find the weasel before he disappeared or damaged the book. He ran from hall to hall desperately searching for the vermin. As he entered the abbey's grand entrance his pitter-pattering of steps was drowned out by the thumping of boots from beasts trying to knock the snow from their laces. Several tall otters were drying themselves and greeting a small welcome party. Samuel didn't recognize them but, he thought that they all looked hungry.

As soon as visions of fresh bread and vegetable soup entered his mind the bell for lunch echoed through the hall. There was a small cheer from the unfamiliar otters and Redwallers as they started toward the kitchens. The mouse paused and took a deep breath the spicy aroma of hoot root soup tickled his nostrils.

The weasel's a dibbun. His stomach is bigger than his head. He's probably one of the first in line for food.

Samuel chuckled at his thought as he joined the rest of the beasts on their pilgrimage to the kitchen. The otters joked between themselves and the Redwallers, their merriment and hearty laughter growing as they got to the kitchens.

"Rivers and streams! I'm famished t' drink the ocean dry and eat whatever's left!" A heavy-looking otter said as he licked his whiskers in anticipation.

"Ye were eatin' everything we packed Mattock." A skinny wet-eared she-otter ribbed. "Ye haven't stopped eating' since we left the holt at dawn!"

"Me mum just packed enough fer the whole trip. Yer jus' jealous me mums the best cook in the holt!"

"You look like ye ate all o' Mig's vittles while ye were at it!" Alaric joked.

"Aye, it takes a lot o' vittles to keep this much charm afloat!" Mattock laughed as he puffed out his chest with pride.

"You look too big to float!" A small voice squeaked followed by hearty laughter from the other otters.

"Who said that!" Mattock snapped as he searched the crowd like a sailor scanning the seas from a crow's nest.

"I've seen stones float better than ye ottur! I bet I kin swim better den yew!" The voice chirped which elicited another laugh from the throng of beasts.

"Ha! Only a dibbun would dare challenge me, Mattock the King of Giant Waves! Show yerself, ye fiend!" Samuel couldn't help but laugh. The dibbuns loved the otters, they always cheered when Samuel announced that an otter troop was on their way for a visit. Even now several circled the otters looking for one to play whatever game they suggested.

"You don't scare me riverdog!" The voice squeaked. The beasts parted and Twinetail puffed out his chest.

"A weasel?" Mattock balked.

"Yarr yew don't scare me yew blubbery whale! I'm Twinetail the most ferocious pirate in the seas!" The weasel raised his finger to the skies like a flag and stood on his toes to try and match the larger otter's height.

"When in the briny deep did they start lettin' vermin into Redwall?" Mig spat as her paw found the hilt of her dagger. Samuel was ready to step between the two beasts, but Alaric had beat him to it.

"Aww, he's not that bad." The red-furred squirrel laughed as he ushered the crowd toward the kitchen. "I don't think you should be too scared of him. Unless ye think he could challenge ye t' the throne o' great King o' the Waves?"

Mattock frowned and walked past Twinetail who bounced on his toes ready to scrap. The large otter shook his head. "I just wanna eat. I'm too tired t' play anything right now."

Twinetail's smile disappeared as the other beasts walked by him in an awkward silence. Alaric was swiftly by his side. "Let's grab a bite t' eat an' then ye kin find some otters to play pirates with."

Twinetail's gloomy mood didn't last for long. "Aye! I wanna find some big nasty lookin' otters t' plunder wif the other Dibbuns Against Bedtime."

"Twinetail," Samuel asked, stepping between the duo and Cavern Hole. "Have you seen your brother?"

The weasel squinted at the mouse like he was another stranger.

"Who are yew?"

Samuel gave a half laugh. His pride hurt more than he wanted to admit.

"I'm Samuel Greyfur. I'm your friend's teacher, I'm sure they've mentioned me before."

The weasel scrunched his brows in painful thought. "Nope. They've never said anything about you."

Samuel sighed, feeling a little crushed. "Well, have you seen your brother? He has something of mine."

"I think 'e was wif me Pa, an' neither of them would miss lunch."

"Good to know," Samuel sighed before impatiently hurrying away from the confused beasts.

Samuel wasn't more than three tail lengths into the cavern when he heard his brother call out to him.

"Samuel! Come here!"

When Samuel turned, he couldn't help but break out in a wild smile. "Dane? Eli, why didn't you tell me he was coming?"

The mouse and otter were sitting at a table near the doorway. The otter broke into a half smile as Samuel hurried over to greet him.

"Glad to see old faces, friend." The otter said as he wrapped the smaller mouse in a hug.

"I'm not that ol' rudder rear. You're the one with greys in your beard." Samuel quipped as he broke away from the otter.

"What! Where?" Dane feigned shock as his paws rushed to his face. The trio laughed as Samuel took his seat. Ripeye and the book would have to wait.

Eli must have been expecting guests, as several rolls of bread, sliced cheeses, butter, and jam were spread across the table. Friar Willard appeared to have known of Holt Surebrook's visit and requested the table set up for the two heads of the Woodlanders to share a meal in peace. Fine green placemats, the color of dry grass were set beneath otter-sized bowls of Hootroot soup that Dane was eagerly eyeing. Samuel grabbed a roll and slathered it with butter and honey.

"How's life been in the holt?" Samuel asked as he took a big bite from the roll.

"Oh Aye! Things haven't changed much since you've visited. The biggest scare we had was almost losing a pup due to thin ice on the river," Dane shook his head as he brought the bowl to his lips. "This winter's weather's been as indecisive as me auld missus. One day the rain comes and melts the snow and thaws the ice. The next morning everything was covered in a new blanket and the ice was thicker than before!"

Dane cocked his head back and drank several gulps of the spicy furrowed his nose.

"It's been a challenge that's for sure," Eli said as he took a hesitant sip of the spicy vittles. He smacked his lips and smiled pleased with its mild heat.

"It's unbelievable, this damn cold is never-ending!" Dane sputtered a response as he dropped the half-eaten bowl of soup back to the table. He had a red ring above his lip. "I haven't seen the river freeze solid all me life and yet now it has! Ye can't even cut through the ice in a few places t' fish. Me father says it means we're in for a brutal few moons."

"Foremole Grumm thinks the cold is what caused the cellar to collapse. Water is freezing and pushing against the stone within the cracks." Eli responded.

"Aye, the ice is a strong mistress," Dane said before wiping his mouth and eating a spoonful of soup. "Bah! It's not hot enough!"

"Have ye had a run-in with any vermin?" Samuel asked. He was eager to know if there had been other wayward vermin aside from those they had taken in.

"Naw," Dane responded with a darkened expression. "Not since we ran those vermin out with you and Brin."

Dane took another sip of his stew before narrowing his glare toward Eli. "If you were plannin' on lettin' them inta Redwall with open arms ye could've told me before I scared me holt!"

"We didn't make that decision," Eli responded without pause. "Abbot Micah did while we were gone. Turns out we ran them straight to Redwall's gates."

"So Redwall can aide some vermin but won't help their allies?"

"No," Eli responded quite bluntly.

"If you need our help then you only need to ask." Eli shot back at Dane. "There's no need to freeze for the sake of pride. The cold spares no beast, good nor bad."

"We're doing better than you Eli!" Dane snapped. "We haven't got this vermin filth running about our home causing fights with our honored guests."

"We've started most of the fights," Samuel said defensively. "They've

"Well, that's not what I saw today." Dane snapped back.

"What happened?" Samuel asked.

"That Corsair started a fight with Corporal Trilloway." Eli responded as he chewed on some food. "The rats in the infirmary and the hares in the dungeon without any vittles. I think that's a fair punishment for the lad."

"Is it similar to what happened with Ruddy?" Samuel asked. Eli glowered at him while Dane scoffed.

"Ruddy? Is that a vermin? Since when are we calling them by their names?"

"They've always had names." Samuel responded. "Besides, we're the reason they're here. Eli's javelin-"

"Shut up!" Eli snapped slamming his mug on the table. A few beasts looked at the angry Greyfur before returning to their meals. Even Dane appeared shocked at the outburst. To their right a weasel slipped into Cavern hole followed by a gaggle of Redwall ladies.

"Don't speak of that night, not with them around!" Eli ordered as Samuel swallowed the bile building in his throat.

"Why not?" Dane asked with a disgusted snarl. "Are you afraid they're gonna stab ye if you do? They're the evil ones! They would've attacked me holt if we didn't stop them! They should be fearful of you not the other way around! If I were you Eli I'd cut that rats-"

"You'd cut off his ears if he called ye something nasty. I've heard that more times than you can fathom over the past fortnight." Eli slouched back into his seat, the life from his outburst drained from him. "Truthfully, I want them gone but they're here until the end of winter. You're only wasting your energy worrying about them."

"They've actually been a surprise blessing." Samuel said to Eli's chagrin. "There's a ferret whose saved countless lives in the infirmary and a weasel has helped me sort the library. Even Eli's taken a crippled fox under his wing and is teaching him how to walk. They're not all bad just misunderstood."

Dane shook his head in disgust. "We're all misunderstood by someone, but we're not all evil. They might be your 'friends' now but they're still evil."

"We're just as bad as they are." Samuel said so only his brother and the otter could hear. "They weren't going to bother anyone, we attacked them. Eli's brought more pain onto them than they've done to us."

Eli's forearms strained as he held his mug tight enough to crush it. Dane snorted his disgust as he stood up with his bowl. "Only a pampered fool with walls for protection and cellars holding enough food t' feed the Blue Horde for a year would say something as stupid as that! But of course, you're nothing more than a well-read fool."

"I know the Abbeys charter and the tenants. We'll help any beast in need. You can do what you wish but don't expect Redwall's blessing if you try and hurt innocents." Samuel spoke from his heart and what he knew was true, but he was unsure if anyone outside Abbot Micah believed or followed it. Eli certainly had his reservations.

"Ha! I don't need your blessing Sammy! Besides if the vile beasts act afoul, Eli will let me run the vermin out." Dane responded slapping the grey warrior's shoulder with the back of his picked up his half full bowl of soup. "Now I'm going tell your Friar how to make this soup the right way. While you can wallow in your pity."

Dane whipped about with his bowl of soup, slamming into a beast that had snuck up behind him. The bowl of soup spilled all over the front of her blue dress and green habit staining it a reddish orange. She yelped in shock. Dane flew into an apology.

"I'm so sorry I didn't see you! I'll clean this up at once!" Dane said as he took his cloak and tried to wipe the beast down. Samuel offered her his cloak as Eli left to grab a towel.

"I'm so, so sorry ma'am. It was my fault I didn't even-" Dane's voice caught in his throat.

"It happens. I've got three kits, so this is hardly the worst thing I've been covered in," Slivertongue responded as she wiped her face with Samuel's cloak.

"Y-You're vermin!" Dane snapped.

"Yes. An' you're an empty-headed riverdog who just covered me in soup." Silvertongue replied with an arrogant smirk. "An why are ye acting so surprised? Me an' me family have been living here for over a moon."

Dane opened and closed his mouth trying to word an appropriate response.

"Well once you're done gawking at me like a fish. I must know if you have seen my son?" Her pretty arrowlike face and teal blue eyes turned to Samuel. "You mouse!"

"Me?"

"You're the librarian so I've been told." The weasel asked. She bore into him with cold, unwavering eyes and frowned with the unspoken promise that she would tear the truth from the meek librarian. "Me mate said 'e was with ye."

"Ahh well…" Samuel hesitated not wanting to tell the mother weasel that he had lost her son. "He ran off after spending some time in the library. I've been looking for him since and well I…" Samuel trailed off.

"You what?" The vermin mother asked. Her hands planted firmly on her hips as stew dripped from her elbows. She reeked of wine although she didn't sound drunk.

"Well, I can't find him. He was angry with me and stole a book of mine. I was looking for him before I was pulled away to eat."

There was a disgusted grunt from Silvertongue. "Ripeye's got his father's brains. I'll find him and get him to give yer book back."

The weasel whipped the soup from her arms as she stared back at Dane. "After I clean meself up."

"Ye have kits?" Dane asked, he still looked flustered.

"Thank ye." Silvertongue responded with a fluttering of her eyelashes. "I've been told that I look good for a beast who had her third at the beginning of this season. By both vermin and you Redwallers."

Danes' confused expression didn't leave his face although a frown began to form. Eli returned with a towel and handed it to the mother weasel.

"Since when were vermin kits here? Sounds like trouble just waiting t' happen." The otter said with a restrained hiss.

"My babies are better behaved then half of your guards and the Long Patrol!" Silvertongue snapped as she glared at Eli and wiped the soup from her fur and dress. "Ripeye might've stolen a book but yew Redwallers were the ones who called a ghost t' try an slay 'em and destroy our food in the cellar!"

"I can assure you, I've got beasts searching the Abbey for any sig-"

"For any sign of the ghost." Silvertongue finished his sentence as she did her best naisally mocking impression of Eli. "You've said that every day since Sathe was attacked and yet you still found nothing! I knew putting that failed Long Patrol hare in charge was a stupid idea! Of course, yew goodbeasts are better at stuffin' yerselves with vikkles like a puffed up toad than t' lift a paw for me lost child! Tell me again how yer doin' good t' yer long dead mousie warriors lettin' some beasts run about tryin' t' slay kits!"

"Let me do my best." Eli responded with a hardened edge in his voice. "And you do your best keeping your little miscreants from stealing."

Silvertongue bristled with anger. "Worthless fool!" She snapped as she scrunched her nose before raising it and storming off to find her son.

"Eli," Samuel started.

"I don't want to hear it," Eli said with an annoyed growl.

"She's been drenched with stew and has lost her son. Give her a little grace." Samuel scolded.

"She's also been drinking since dawn by the smell of her." Dane quipped as he wiped the liquid from his coat.

"Let her drink." Eli grumbled as he glared at the weasel from across the room. "If she gets drunk and strikes a beast then we throw the lot o' them out."

"Was she one of the beasts we ambushed? I don't remember seeing her before." Dane asked as he sat down.

"She was lying in a tent when we found them." Eli replied as she watched the weasel march out of the Cavern Hole.

"She had hurt her paw and was trying to warm her kits." Samuel added hopeful that Dane would see some wrong in what they had done.

"Since when did vermin ever care about their young?" Dane asked, confused at the thought.

"She might be the first." Eli responded.

"I'm sure vermin care more than we know." Samuel interrupted. "She's very protective of them. Especially after her son was attacked."

"Is this the one who stole from you?" Eli snapped as he took a swig of his drink. "Wonderful little creature isn't he?"

"Ripeye is confused. That's all." Samuels annoyance was turning to anger with his brother. "You'd be confused and scared too if you were his age surrounded by vermin. And that's no reason he should've been attacked by whoever's running around like Martin's Ghost."

"If I were surrounded by vermin at his age, I'd be a dead beast." Eli said. "But I'd be sure to take several of them with me t' the Dark Forest!"

"Aye! As would I!" Dane barked as he rose his mug. Eli tapped it with his own.

"Martin? Has someone spoken to him?" Dane asked, before taking a swig of his drink. "A riddle or vision of Martin can warn of danger!"

"No, Martin hasn't said anything to anyone." Samuel waived away the thought. "Someone's been running about the Abbey attacking vermin and dibbuns alike. That 'ghost' is the reason the cellar collapsed."

"He's the reason I requested your support, Dane." Eli grumbled. "The cellar must be repaired before the weather gets worse or our food rots. We've had to move food from the storerooms to keep them from falling into the cellar. Several farmers have agreed to store our foodstuffs, and Friar Willard has worked all day to organize what will go with who."

"So, it's not to rid the Abbey of these vermin pests?" Dane asked. He sounded a bit relieved as well as a twinge disappointed.

"No, Abbot Micah has invited them in as our guests." Eli spat. "You're to treat them as such."

"Do they know?" Dane asked as he looked for other vermin. "Does anyone know that we're the reason they are here?"

Eli shook his head. "Samuel, Brin and I are the only ones who know. The vermin haven't got a clue who attacked them, and we swore an oath to secrecy to keep it as such. I expect you will keep quiet about it. We've got enough to worry about, I don't want to add vengeful vermin on top of that."

Dane huffed as he leaned back. He grabbed a bruised apple and bit into it. He chewed pensively as he mulled the idea around in his head.

"Aye, ye can count on me t' keep me lips sealed. I would've liked t' have known about the vermin and ghost and cellar earlier. Would've made this all less of a surprise."

"That my fault Dane." Eli said as he chivalrously braved Danes wrath. "I've been trying to keep everyone from tearing each other apart. I didn't want to burden you with my worry."

Dane half laughed. "You were going too eventually. My otters have been dreaming about the Midwinters feast since last winter! So, I hope you don't mind if we stop by when that day comes."

"It would be boring without you all!" Eli smiled.

"Good! I was afraid you tell us t' run off-"

"Excuse me mouse." Silvertongues snarky voice chirped from behind Samuel interrupting their conversation. The grey mouse spun about. Silvertongue stood behind Ripeye with both paws on his shoulders.

"I found the thief!" Silvertongue cheered. Ripeye tried wriggling away, but his mother's claws dug into his fur. He did his best not to look the mouse in the eyes."Did better than any o' yew Redwallers. One weasel's cunning's better than the wit o' Redwalls best warriors."

"Hello Ripeye." Samuel said, ignoring Silvertongue's barbs. He leaned onto his elbows. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I didn't know how much you wanted to be a pirate."

Ripeye groaned. Silvertongue cuffed her son to keep him quiet. A low grunt of disapproval emanated from Dane as a flash of darkness endered his cold eyes. "He don't mean that. He's just a stupid leetle mite. Now give tha nice mouse his book."

"I'm not stupid yer stupid!" Ripeye cried out as his mother pinched and twisted his ear. "An' I don't have his book!"

"Watch yer mouth yew rude snipe!" Silvertongue snarled at her son, before her smiling at Samuel.

"Kits jus' say the scurrilous things!" The weasel mother said with a laugh. "Now Ripeye tell this kind beast where yew hid 'is book."

Silvertongue looked down at her son hoping he wouldn't make her look like a fool in front of the champion and his brother. Eli looked disinterested in the odd vermin while Dane eyed them with tangible distrust.

"I didn't hide it!" Ripeye snapped back as he looked up at his mother.

"Then where is it?" Silvertongue hissed. She looked like a snake coiled around her prey rather than a weasel with a troublemaking son. "Yee stole it, where did yew put it?"

"I gave it t' another beast why d' yew care? Yew told me t' steal from stupid beasts." Ripeye frowned and crossed his arms.

"I didn't say that!" Silvertongue looked horrified as she glanced at Dane and the two Redwallers. "Yer father did!"

"Who did ye give the book to Ripeye?" Samuel asked with a calm voice. "I'm not angry that ye took it. I just want to make sure it's in good paws."

Ripeye flinched as if he expected another swift swat from his mother. "It's with Sathe."

"Well then I'll just-" Samuel was interrupted by an irate Silvertongue.

"Sathe! Are yew mad! Yew blitherin' idjit she could've cut ye t' ribbuns! Once yer father finds out about this, I'll make sure he whips ye raw!"

"No, no! It's quite alright!" Samuel said, trying to save Ripeye from any unnecessary punishment. "I'll get the book from her after our meal."

Samuel looked into the little weasels eyes. "I am sorry about what I said earlier. Perhaps you would want to come by later for tea? I can tell you more about some pirates and vermin warriors of the past."

Ripeye looked away from Samuel as he scrambled free from his mother's grasp. "Mebbe. But I wanna hear all the battles an' how they fought. Not any ov yer mousie warriors or stupid stripedogs!"

"That's more than fine with me." Samuel laughed. "I'll look for more stories within' the library. Whenever you're ready you can find me there."

Ripeye nodded before bolting towards the kitchen to fill his plate with food. Silvertongue watched him momentarily, her face sour at her son's disobedience, but her eyes were filled with a motherly love. When she looked back at Samuel, they were hard and filled with concern.

"I don't trust that ferret and neither should you! She's an evil beast with vile intentions!" Silvertongue warned.

"Who is?" Dane asked. "You?"

The weasel laughed. "The three of yews has more blood on yer paws than me entire family! Yer less of a good beast than me mate, fool."

"That's splendid t' hear coming from a drunk vermin wench." Dane ripped. "Tell me how does it feel t' bully yer kin like that? Does slapping him, calling him names and threating t' whip him fill the hole where your heart should be?"

"Ha!" Silvertongue laughed a light yet bitter laugh. "Me kits have it better than most other vermin. They're lucky I'm their mother; else they wouldn't have survived without me."

"You're all vermin scum!" Dane snapped before Samuel could stop him. "I always wondered how such beasts became evil, seems their mothers had everything to do with it."

Silvertongue laughed aloud which seemed to infuriate the Skipper even more. "Such kind words! Do you have children?"

"Not yet, but me mate is a far kinder beast than you."

"Poor beast. T' be hitched t' a sour, clumsy riverdog!" Silvertongue snapped with a menacing smile. "I hope ye never have kits. What horrible beasts they may turn out to be with you as their father!"

"Stop fighting." Eli said with a tired sigh. "We've had enough of that today."

"Why? Did one of your guards decide they needed to prove themselves today?" Silvertongue barbed as she planted her paws on her hips.

"Nobody from your family."

"Family? You mean there's more than that one kit?" Dane scoffed disgustingly.

"Are ye deaf? I told ye earlier I've got three." Silvertongue said with a hint of annoyance. "I'll go grab another one t' show ye!"

Eli, Dane, and Samuel watched as Silvertongue marched across the hall to a table with several otters, squirrels and a single weasel kit. Twinetail had challenged the round otter Mattock to a noble duel to determine the true King of the Waves. The otters watched in a mixture of horror and disgust as the short stick colored vermin stuck a spoon in the barrel-chested otter's face. He chattered about a pirate's honor, and how Mattock had more rolls of fat than he had drops of courage. The only beast who seemed to be amused by the spectacle was the red furred squirrel Alaric. Twinetail didn't notice the incoming threat until his mother plucked him from the table and stormed back to Dane. Seabane thought of a dibbun with such energy he was surprisingly calm during the matter.

"See!" Silvertongue chirped as she held Twinetail out in front of her for Dane to observe. "He's mine and he's far better than anything you or any other otter could make!"

"Hallo." Twietail sheepishly called out as his mother held him from beneath his arms. Samuel waved at the weasel kit.

"He's well-behaved for a little villain." Dane said as he cracked a whisper of a smile.

"He's not a villain Riverdog!"

"Yeah! Ima pirate!" Twinetail added with a playful smile.

"Are you now?" Dane said as he placed his sword on the table.

"Dane," Eli said as he placed a paw on the otter's weapon. "Not here."

Silvertongue looked unimpressed. "Are ya that afraid of me children? You're a dirty coward."

"I'm just gonna tell the little vermin a story." He looked back at Twinetail. "I've dealt with pirates before."

"You have!" Twinetail almost broke free of his mother's grip. His face suddenly fell. "Then that means… you're a-a um… what are you then?"

"I'm Dane Surebrook, Skipper of Holt Surebrook."

Silvertongue's face immediately turned to one of horror and disgust. Twinetail's mouth dropped open in awe.

"Aye, that means yew met pirates!" Twinetail said practically bubbling with glee. "You must be really lucky t' have lived as long as yew have."

Samuel looked away as to stifle a smile. Twinetail was a precious but odd little creature.

"They've been lucky to escape from me!" Dane corrected. "I've cut down every pirate an' bandit crew that've sailed down me waters! I follow in the footsteps of my father, and my grandfather, and his father before him. Hardly a single vermin has escaped me grasp!"

Twinetails eyes bulged from his head as the otter spoke. Samuel thought it might have been his first time seeing a Skipper of otters and he was happy it was done on friendly terms. The little hob was doing his best to take in the sight of the burly beast scanning him from ear tips to tail, before breaking out in a cocky smile.

"Yarr aren't Skippah's supposed t' look intimidatin'? Yew look like a baby eel, ye stinky barnacle nose!"

Dane pulled his sword from its sheath. It was double-edged and shorter than Eli's and far narrower than Samuel expected. The width of the sword carried a slight curve that ended abruptly at a deadly point. The hilt was warped with carvings of fish and waves. Silvertongue took a step back while Twinetail's mouth dropped open in awe once again.

"I took this sword from a pirate captain. He was weasel not unlike yerself. Annoying, short, and with horrible breath!" Dane smiled as he pointed the sword at the two weasels.

"Whaddid yew do to him?" Twinetail asked, eager to hear more of the story.

"I turned him and his crew t' food fer the pike that swims in my river." Dane laughed as he sheathed his sword. Twinetail was incensed.

"You fiend! Murderous bully! Cowardly Riverdog! Toadsmelling, squirrelnosed, fish-eyed, bildge-dweller! I'll take back that sword and cleave ye in two with it!" Twinetail shouted before his mother could cover his mouth. Dane laughed aloud as Redwallers, and holt otters alike looked toward the odd spectacle. Eli looked as if he wanted to hide beneath the table.

"Of course, ye will!" Dane laughed before glaring at Silvertongue. "What a well-mannered kit ye have! I'm sure he'll turn inta one terrible pirate one day!"

Silvertongue scowled and snapped at Twinetail to be quiet.

"Like I said, I hope ye never have kits otter!"

Dane howled with laughter as Silvertongue carried her thrashing kit to a table with several other Redwallers. Samuel watched Twinetail broke free of his mother's grasp. He tried charging toward Dane and slammed his head into the corner of the table which sent him to the stone floor. Twinetail sat on the ground dazed for a moment before his mother scooped him up and held him as he began to cry. Dane just about tumbled out of his seat he was laughing so hard.

"Poor creature." Dane said as he laughed as he wiped a tear from his eye. "Lads got as much brains as I'd expect."

"They're a good family." Samuel said, straightening himself in his seat. "There's no need t' scare or threaten any of them!"

"The lad wants to be a pirate." Dane chuckled before biting into an apple. "There's not a good fiber in the weasel's body, an' it's a shame because if he were an otter he'd make a great skipper."

"How come?" Eli asked with a raised brow.

"He wants to' be a sailor, he's a fool but seems t' be fearless, and he already knows how t' curse like an otter as well!" Dane joked.

"Well why can't he?" Samuel asked. "He's a sweet lad and his par-"

"He's a vermin, Samuel." Dane sighed. "He'll always be vermin and he'll always be evil. If I had the stomach or the courage, I'd run him an' his mother through right now."

"What?" Samuel almost shouted. "He's a dibbun! You wouldn't slay a dibbun because he's a weasel, would you?"

"I should." Dane responded with a frown. "No vermin have grown out of their villainous ways, and that little mite might grow up to be the next Cluny if we let him!"

"No, you wouldn't." Eli interjected. "You've always had a soft heart, Dane. An' if you didn't like the kits then you wouldn't have challenged Silvertongue when she cuffed his brother."

"Are ye saying that I'd cozy up to vermin?" Dane asked menacingly. "Like you and the rest of Redwall?"

"I didn't say that." Eli said disarming the bristled otter. "I know you wouldn't hurt a dibbun, vermin or otherwise."

"I don't like bullies," Dane growled as he crossed his arms. "I'll do whatever it takes t' protect my holt even if it's stopping that weasel before he gets the chance to hurt another beast."

"He's a child. He can be taught right from wrong!" Samuel said with renewed conviction. "I've seen troublemaking Dibbuns turn into beasts Martin would be proud of. You're proof of that! You just must give them time and a chance."

Dane shook his head. "They're vermin. All of them are. They'll always be evil."

"That's not true!"

"Yes, it is. You two know that better than I. You also both know how dangerous that thinking is." Dane turned a vile eye to the two mice. "Esther knew better, I don't want to see the same fate befall you."

"Whether it's true or not you're not to harm the vermin while they're our guests." Eli ordered as he straightened from his slouch. "Samuel and I have said this multiple times, make sure you and the rest of your otters know this."

"I know and I will." Dane said as if he waved them off. "I think Redwall is purposefully endangering itself, but I'll let you learn that lesson."

Samuel was beyond furious. "The vermin aren't the problem it's beasts like yourself that we've got to worry about! I hope that you come to that realization before you and Layla have any young of your own!"

Dane surprisingly laughed at the mouse's comment. "You and that weasel must've read my mind. How'd you know?"

"Know what?"

"I was going to keep it a secret, but seein' that the two of you are me best friends I'll tell ye if you promise to keep quiet." Dane said with a sheepish grin.

"Keep what quiet?"

Dane looked like he was about to explode with excitement. "I'm going to be a father this spring!"

This took a lot more re-working than I anticipated which is why it took so long to post. I hope you enjoy it! The next chapter might be delayed a bit since I am starting a new chapter in life. I will do my best to get that out as I can.

As always please let me know what you think and what can be improved upon. Any and all feedback is appreciated!