Samuel felt himself choke on his tongue. The fox's wound was a gruesome red and charred black. The tinny taste of blood filled his mouth and flooded his nostrils. He had to turn from the room to keep from retching. He didn't remember feeling as disgusted by Eli's amputation. Albeit everything had been a numb blur on that terrible day. The grotesque reality of the injury had been lost until Samuel watched the fox burst into tears at Abbot Micah's mention.
There was an ominous silence as the abbot's words hung in the air like a stone. Samuel looked toward Eli. He stiffened like he had been struck with an arrow. The sea rat had rushed to the bedside to comfort the fox as he burst into tears.
Samuel fought back the haunting memories of that day. He had carried Eli back to safety praying that he had done enough to stifle the bleeding from the stump of a leg. For several days he sat at Eli's bedside and watched him, all he could do was watch his brother and hope for the best. The healer had assured Samuel that he did everything he could, but even Mildred, Brin, and Dane's reassurances couldn't help. Samuel had been asleep by his brother's bedside when Eli awoke. Samuel would take his brother's terrified screams with him to the grave.
"Now tell me again Dokkur. How could the fox have barricaded the door?" Abbot Micah asked, his disappointment echoing in every syllable.
Dokkur bit his lip in fury refusing to respond. Abbot Micah's frustrated glare wafted to Maslow, Captain Santain, and the other Redwallers who had been present in the infirmary.
"I expected so much more from all of you." Abbot Micah sighed. "But to attack an injured, unconscious beast for no other reason than blind anger is nothing less than evil. I would expect that from a warlord or worse!"
There was no response from the scorned beasts. Samuel didn't know if that was an indication of their guilt or not.
"Eli take Dokkur to the dungeon." Abbot Micah snapped. Eli nodded and grabbed Dokkur's collar pulling him to his paws. "He'll stay there overnight to calm his whiskers and think long and hard about what he has done."
"Abbot Micah." Maslow started but was quickly cut off.
"If you're not helping an injured beast or have a specific reason to be in the infirmary then you are to leave immediately! There's far too many beasts here than is needed!" Abbot Micah snapped, his sweetly weathered face was a mix of sadness and action. The Redwallers, spurned by the Abbot's harsh words trickled from the room like naughty dibbuns.
"Captain Santain, Sergeant Danbur, Marrow, Samuel. I'd like a word with you all."
Samuel swallowed as he stepped into the room. Maslow brushed by him with a vile glance. Abbot Micah softly cleared his throat as he walked to the four beasts. There was an uneasy stillness that remained in the room after the chaos that had unfolded a few minutes prior. Now the gentle blowing wind from the incoming storm permeated through the infirmary.
"The storm's going to make these sick beasts worse." Abbot Micah started. "Sergeant Danburr take Marrow and a few hares to Foremole Grumm. We need to board up these windows before the winter weather strikes."
"Why d'ye want me tah take the rat?" Sergeant Danburr thumbed his claw at the giant white rat.
"He was supposed to be helping the Foremole today. Besides I've come to understand that he's quite skilled with a mallet."
"And the other rat, wot?"
"Seabane is going to stay with the fox and make sure that he gets the rest and the explanation he needs." Abbot Micah responded looking at the two vermin. Seabane wrapped his arm around the young fox's shoulders as he sobbed into the rat's chest. Samuel's heart sank.
"Understood sah." Sergeant Danburr snapped to attention. "C'mon rat let's hop too-"
"Before you leave, I am going to remind you for the last time that I will not tolerate any verbal barbs or quips between you and the vermin."
"Whatevah do you mean sah?"
"Talk from your hares has done nothing but exacerbate the situation here. I know you have a report to send back to Salamandastron and I hope you make clear the role you have played. Whatever Lord Bromwell thinks of our guests will not sway our decision to house them."
"You mean your decision to house them, wot." Sergeant Danburr responded.
"There's a sealed letter on the desk in my quarters where I explain the details of our situation to Lord Bromwell. I would like you Captain Santain to ensure that it is personally delivered to him."
"I'll complete my report to Colonel Iskar tonight and see that Corporal Thimblebrand-"
"You and Corporal Thimblebrand, Captain." Abbot Micah interrupted. "I want you to go with him."
"W-What?" Captain Santain sputtered before collecting his wits. "I can't leave! I'm needed here whether you like how I have handled these vermin or not!"
"This isn't a slight against you Captain; I just need you to personally ensure my letter gets to Lord Bromwell."
"We don't have any clue when Lord Bromwell will return to Salamandraston. We also have several vermin who've proven to be dangerous in Redwall, not to mention the potential threat of a horde lurking in the area. I can give you my word that Corporal Thimblebrand will not look at the letter and I'll even send Sergeant Nettlewick or Danburr along with him."
"Your mother-in-law is dying Captain."
"Well, if I'm being perfectly honest, she never took a liking to me."
"Camella did, and she will need you there as much as you need her now."
Captain Santain shook his head. "She understands why I'm gone and knows it's only temporary. Have you even floated this past Eli, I'm certain-"
"He'll come to accept my decision. Aside from your presence being missed, I expect not much to change."
"Sah," Sergeant Danburr interrupted. "With all due respect Abbot, the Long Patrol is to be led by one of our own. If the Cap'n leaves, we all leave with 'em."
"Captain Santain is not being demoted or thrown out, I have not mentioned a word of promotion or demotions in my letter. I have strictly written about the matters essential to the survival of Redwall and the protection of her many good friends and allies. If you all wish to follow your Captain, I will not stop you, however, I still require that you take the letter along with you."
Samuel could scarcely believe what he was hearing. Sure, the hares were at times obnoxious, and Captain Santain was the most boisterous of them all. But their intentions were for good even if they had been a bit rough with the vermin. The abbey had never turned down the Long Patrol's aid! The Abbot had to be mad to send the officer away, especially considering he hadn't even spoken to Eli about it. Samuel felt a sour feeling growing in his stomach, like rotting wood that festered underneath healthy bark.
"The Long Patrol will not leave Redwall unprotected." Captain Santain's expression had grown as dark as the storm clouds that gathered in the distance.
"Even if we aren't wanted. I'll gather my things and let the other hares know. Sergeant Danburr will continue to work alongside Eli in my stead."
The hare turned and walked from the room, as he did so he called after the abbot. "I'll be sure Lord Bromwell gets your message!"
Sergeant Danburr was quick to follow, snapping at Marrow to join him. Abbot Micah watched his friend go with a saddened frown.
"Why did you-" Samuel started, as the Abbot wiped at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. Samuel thought it best to change the subject.
"You called for me abbot?"
"Ah yes," The old mouse placed his small spectacles upon the bridge of his nose. "With Marrow helping Foremole Grumm and Seabane with the fox, I need you to stay here and maintain order in the infirmary."
"What do you mean?"
"You we're more than happy to volunteer to be the vermin's guide, and I know you wouldn't dare trouble them. I would like you to simply be the kind and loving beast that I know you can be."
"Aye, will do sah!" Samuel had no idea what the abbot wanted him to do.
"Thank you. You're a much bigger help than you realize."
Smiling Samuel turned with a stupid grin on his face and left the room. He was still oblivious to what he should be doing but assumed that doing something was better than doing nothing at all. As the abbot remained in the room to speak with the corsair and the fox, Samuel went about cleaning the rest of the infirmary. Grabbing a broom and a small waste basket he skipped about the waiting room cleaning up and knocked over jars of herbs and bloody bandages. Since he was alone much of this was done in silence as the small grey mouse hummed a tune from his days as a dibbun. Samuel checked each private room, the ones on the south side of the infirmary were empty so there wasn't anything to clean. The north side was a different story.
As the small mouse carefully stepped over the broken door, he peered into the room where Abbot Micah sat aside from the sobbing fox. Seabane watched the old mouse like a mother gull watching her chicks. There was glass on the floor beneath the old grey mouse, but he determined that it wouldn't be the best to interrupt them. Samuel expected the old mouse was explaining the abbey's rules to the fox, an unnecessary interruption would be less than ideal. He didn't want the ire of three beasts trained on him, nor did he think he had the courage to face the vermin.
Samuel opened the door to the next room. Sister Beryl lay on her back, her neck draped in bandages with her eyes closed. Samuel would've rushed to sound the alarm if it wasn't for the gentle rising and falling of her chest under the mountain of blankets. The room was bitterly cold, and Samuel looked to shut the window. To his dismay, the window was gone. He swiftly searched for additional blankets for the badger, removing some from a vacant room across the hall and placing them on the nightstand next to the bed. After sweeping aside bits of broken glass and wood the small mouse took a thick quilt and draped it over the broken window. It wasn't much but it was better than having nothing to protect from the wind.
Samuel breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the door to Sister Beryl, thankful to not have woken her. He didn't know where a mop or a sponge to clean the blood off the floor could be and he frankly didn't feel up to the challenge to do so. He was content with picking up the larger bits of debris without disturbing Sister Beryl; some other beast would have to do the rest.
With his spirits renewed Samuel threw open the door to the next room. He was surprised to see three pairs of teal eyes looking back at him.
"Good morning," The mouse called, almost forgetting his manners. "I'm just her-"
"Where's Crooksnout?" The female weasel snapped as she pulled her two kits tightly to her. "He was suppostah bring us back some vikkles! He had Fenril, I don' know where she is!"
The grey-furred mouse's smile dropped. He didn't want to tell her about Crooksnout, he didn't want to be the target of her wrath. But a bit of Samuel knew that it was all his fault, and anything she did to him was well deserved.
"Your mate's reinjured his arm. He ran into some of the Long Patrol." Samuel slid his way towards the panicked weasel mother. She appeared to be more terrified than her kits did.
"Please don't throw us out! I don't know what happened there but Herrik's a mad beast that Seabane was forced to bring along with us. Crooksnout's just tryin' tah feed me and the little'uns!"
"You're not being thrown out! He's being tended to as we speak. As far as food I'm just here to sweep, but I can find some beast to fetch you some lunch when it's ready."
"Arr dere any candies?" One of the weasel kits asked before being hushed by his mother.
"What happened tah Crooksnout! Where's Fenril? Tell me, mouse!"
"Your mate fell that's all," Samuel responded. "And Fenril's with him. They're both being taken care of by your ferret healer."
The weasel's eyes sharpened to dangerous points. "That's what I'm worried about yew daft mouse! She's a monster, she'll kill ye when yer not lookin'. I swear she kin see right through stone!"
"Samuel laughed. I'll be sure to mention that to the hare guarding her. I'm sure he'd love the privilege to watch such a fearsome beast."
The weasel fell silent as the mouse went about the room. Samuel felt odd having three pairs of guarded eyes watching him. He was worried that the kits might jump out of their bed and attack him. Some conversation should lighten the mood.
"How are ye feeling ma'am? Could ye use another blanket?"
The weasel eyed him with a wary animosity. "Mebbe one fer me kits."
"Of course!"
There was a prolonged silence as Samuel walked to an empty room and returned with two large, quilted blankets. The vermin said nothing as they snatched them from his paws.
"Once you two get better then I can introduce you to the rest of the dibbuns."
"How many ov them are dere?" The larger of the two asked to his mother's chagrin.
"Quite a few." Samuel smiled as he swept the dirt and dust in the room into a neat pile.
"You look like yer a few seasons old, there's probably just under half a score o' dibbuns yer age. They'll be done with their lessons by the time you're fully well. Then the lot of yew can play all winter."
"Yarr d'ye know iv dey play pirates?" The smaller of the two weasels asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised. If they don't then I'm certain they'd be happy if you showed them how to play it."
"Oh, it's super easy." The larger of the two kits spouted. "Deres pirates and deres hares the hares hide their treasure while the pirates try an take it. Tha pirates and hares can fight each other and hide tha treasure wherever they'd like. Iv the pirates find tha treasure then they can keep it! Me n' Twinetail are tha best at it and we always win! We're never tha hares 'cause we never lose!"
"That sounds like a game the dibbuns would love!" Seabane cheered. "Once you two get better I'll introduce you two to my class, I can think of three dibbuns you'll get along with swimmingly!"
The two vermin cheered and started to wrestle with each other while they were on their mother's lap.
"Didja hear the mouse fools? Ya gotta get bettah, now go tah sleep if ya want tah get bettah!" She pinched and twisted both their ears to get them to stop.
"Ow leggo!" The weasel kits chimed as they stopped their fighting and snuggled closer to their mother.
"Sleep is the best thing for all of you. I'll try and find a beast that'll bring ye lunch, but you all need some rest."
"Bring tha food quickly mouse! And me mate when ye find him!" Silvertongue snapped at the grey mouse as he transferred the rest of the dirt into the wastebasket.
"Will do!" Samuel forced himself to smile, much like any other beast he didn't like being ordered about.
"And mouse," the weasel barked at him as he stood to leave. "What's this class you're speaking ov?"
"I teach the dibbuns how to read and write and the history of the abbey." Samuel was always happy to speak of his area of expertise. Even if it was to a beast who didn't look like she understood or cared.
"I teach them other things as well like counting and how we grow our food."
"What about fighting?"
"I don't do that, when they get older, they can learn from Eli or one of the guards."
"Why don't yew teach them how tah use a blade first?"
"There's no need to. If they want, they can find somebeast to teach them. When they're old enough, they can become an apprentice to a trade or a guard."
"What's your name?"
"Samuel Greyfur."
Silvertongue's eyes narrowed as if she were discerning whether he was lying to her. Samuel waited patiently for a moment expecting another question.
"What is yew waiting for I'm starvin'!" She snapped pulling the small mouse from his thoughts.
Samuel turned about and left the room. The weasel mother's downtrodden teal eyes watched him go.
Samuel breezed through the remaining rooms, it helped that they were vacant, before turning his focus toward the general infirmary. A duo of conflicting voices battled each other in the great hall.
"His arm's broken again because of yew maggot-brained hares."
"It's yer weasel who caused all this, wot."
"Yarr and I'm tha one who's gotta fix it. Iv ye wanna follow me around 'cause yer cap'n said so go ahead but shut yer large gullet when I'm tryin' tah help beasts!"
"I'm jus' makin' sure ye knows what yer doin' yew masked marauder. Now tell me what ye want tah do wid 'em, wot."
Samuel rounded into the infirmary as the ferret plucked a wailing weasel from her unconscious father.
"Shuddup yew mite, 'fore I toss ye from the window." Ferret snapped holding the beast away from her like a moldy bit of bread.
"Yew certainly have a way with dibbuns don't ye." A large hare quipped at her.
"Shuddup an hold 'er!" She snapped as she thrust the wailing kit into the unexpected arms of the hare. The weasel kit thrashed about and cried even louder. The hare held the kit away from him the same way as the ferret.
"Quiet down now vermin, we're gonna help yer daddy, wot." The weasel thrashed about in his outstretched paws, kicking and clawing whatever she could.
"Get her out 'o here yew dull brick, I'm trying tah work!"
"I'm not leavin' yah yew sharp-tongued fiend! Iv I leave then yew come with me, wot!"
The ferret whipped about a murderous look upon her face. The hare didn't react as the two locked themselves in a furious battle of wills. The ferrets broke first after spotting Samuel from the corner of her eye.
"C'mere mouse!" She snapped and waived him over.
The weasel kit continued to wail as the ferret plucked her out of the hare's arms and thrust her into Samuel's.
"Take her to her mother, d'ye know where she is?" She asked as she wiped her claws on her red cloak.
Samuel nodded as he wrangled the unwieldy beast.
"Good now gerrout ov me sight 'fore I make ye regret it mousie!"
Samuel spun on his heel not wanting to bear the wrath of the ferret, even if the hare loomed over the both of them.
Samuel struggled to carry the little weasel in his arms. Even after assuring her that she would be with her mother and brothers she still had the audacity to bite his claw. Samuel bit his lip as she dug into his claw with her sharp teeth as he picked up his pace. The little weasel only let go when her mother called for her. The crying dibbun practically lept into her mother's arms when she was close enough. Her two brothers looked at Samuel with groggy eyes as they were awoken from their short naps by their crying sister. Samuel quickly departed from the room before any questions could be asked.
Samuel wrapped his claw in his shirt as he hurried back into the main ward. There was a hollow popping noise as Samuel entered. The ferret had her arm wrapped around the weasel's broken arm and her paw holding his shoulder. The hare leaned on the other side of the weasel's bed holding his other shoulder and legs. The ferret sighed and released her grip on the weasel, wiping her brow with the back of her paw.
"Arr, grab mandrake and willow bark. Yer a dumb brute, use some muscle and grind it tah a fine powder."
"While yew do what ferret?"
"Aye gotta re-stitch his wound. Yew frog-faced fool!" She snapped, unraveling the bloody bandages from the weasel's arm. Samuel started to halfheartedly sweep about keeping his ears and eyes trained on the ferret.
"D'ye know if deres any sparrow eggs or an aged wine in this worthless place?"
"This is Redwall if there's no wine then there's no abbey!" The hare chortled. "Are ye trying tah make a meal?"
"No yew stupid fleabag! How else am I gonna clean tha wound?"
"With water?"
"Yer mother musta been as thick as a damp log, or yer father's brains were full of cobwebs."
"I know my parents' ferret, can ye say the same, wot wot?"
"Shuddup and bring me the wine!" She snapped at the hare.
He chuckled as he made his way to one of the many shelves lining the ward. He reached up and grabbed a dark blue bottle from a shelf high above Samuel's head. Corporal Trilloway walked back to the bed as the ferret dabbed at the cut with a pawful of moss.
"Gimme that!" She snapped as she snatched the bottle out of his paw. She looked at it for a moment before uncorking it and sniffing the contents. With a rebellious smirk, she put the bottle to her lips and tilted her head back. Corporal Trilloway snatched the bottle from her.
"Whadda think yer doing vermin!" He held the bottle as if he were about to smash her over the head with it.
"I'm tasting it to see if it's right yew stupid hare!" She snapped as she snatched the bottle from him. "Besides I'm gonna need more than just a bottle tah deal with yew for tha winter."
With another swig of the wine, the ferret poured the remnants of the bottle on the weasel's scar.
"The wine cleans the cut better than water. If he were awake he'd be complain' about burning in 'is arm."
"Why'd ye need a sparrow egg, wot?"
"It helps close the wound and keep it closed. Why d'ye feel tha need to say wot after everythin'?"
"It's how civilized beasts speak, wot!"
Samuel could feel the ferret roll her eyes at him. "Yer a fool."
Samuel turned from the two bickering beasts as he continued to sweep about the ward. His heart sank as he passed by Mildred and Brin. The two squirrels were neatly tucked into their cots. Mildred had a heavy bandage wrapped around her head while nothing out of the ordinary appeared to be wrong with Brin. Samuel's heart lept with joy when he heard the rhythmic rising and falling of their breaths. He scanned the ward, there weren't any other beasts about and the ward didn't look like it needed any cleaning. There was an unkempt bed near the end of the hall, with a large basket on the nightstand and clothes scattered about. It looked like a dibbuns messy room more than anything else. Samuel heaved a sigh realizing that he could probably use some rest.
Pulling a stool between the two squirrels he leaned against the nightstand. From this position, he could continue to watch the ferret and hare and quickly interfere with the loving grace Abbot Micah claimed the older Greyfur brother had.
He held each of the squirrel's paws in one of his own. He couldn't help but feel a crushing weight of guilt in all of this. First, it was the fox and the weasel family and now Brin and Mildred were hurt because of him. Eli might tell him that he's overreacting, that Samuel would be innocent in all of this. But after Eli's outburst the night prior he didn't know what his brother thought. He squeezed their paws in his own hoping for a sign of life. The maddened weasel had been struck in the head and was unconscious for several days. What if they woke up and were completely different? Samuel heard of an otter who hit his head on a stone and was unconscious for several days, when he woke up he went mad and killed several beasts before being put out of his misery.
But a haunting thought entered Samuel's head. What if he was wrong about the vermin? The weaselmaid had told him that her mate would do anything for his kits. She had also warned against the ferret who was argumentative even when she was on her best behavior. What about the fox? He always wanted to be a warlord. Eli was right when he said good beasts don't dream about such things. What if the fox looks for revenge for his leg? Could Samuel have inadvertently dangered the whole abbey because of some stupid idea that the vermin could somehow change? Esther would tell him he was overreacting but Esther was gone killed by the same beasts that he rallied to protect. Was he just that mad?
Samuel squeezed Mildred and Brin's paws hoping that one of them would wake up and tell him everything was going to be alright.
Turns out I had another chapter in me before the end of the end of the year. This is the last one for real tho.
As always please let me know what you think and what I can improve on. Any and all feedback is appreciated!