Part 26 (1/2)

Tammo flushed to his eartips and gave a smart salute. ”Midge'11 be here soon, sah, our mission was successful. Da-mug Warfang is headed this way with the Rapscallion army. Sorry to report that we lost Rockjaw Grang...” Tammo's voice broke for a moment. ”He... he gave his life so we could escape. Brought a squirrel with us, name o' Fourdun; he was a prisoner, y'see. I cut your trail 'twixt here, south o' Redwall, and we've been runnin' like madbeasts all night t'get here. Sah!”

The Major turned aside and, taking out a spotted kerchief, he wiped his eyes. After a moment he faced Tammo again, his face pale. ”Big Rockjaw Grang, eh? A good an' perilous 287 hare. By my blood an' blade, we'll make the vermin pay heavily for him! Go an' get y'vittles, Tamm, you look quite done in. I'll get the fine details from Midge. Thank ye, y'may dismiss.”

Bluggach, the big stoat Rapmark, made his way to the head of the marching Rapscallions, pointing as he came level with Damug Warfang.

”See, Firstblade, fires burnin' on that ridge in the distance!”

The Greatrat kept his gaze locked on the trio of smoke columns rising against the distant sky. ”I saw them a while back. Send Henbit to me.”

Henbit was a wily-looking Rapmark officer. He appeared at Damug's side with scarcely a sound. ”Mightiness, you wanted to see me?”

”Aye, listen now. Take a score of trackers, good ones who are able to hide and run silent. Get over to that ridge, look for a rock like an otter's tail, and see how many are waiting for us there. Then check the valley, it should have a rift running along the far side of it. Take care that you are not seen. Go!”

Damug was confident that he could win. Who else could put an army of a thousand in the field? Where in all the country east of Salamandastron was any serious force of fighters to be found? As he strode at the head of his powerful force, Damug planned ahead.

He had learned the lesson of overconfidence from his father, Gormad Tunn, when they attacked Salamandastron with disastrous results. Though this battle would be different and his opponents fewer, that was no reason not to take precautions. He would split the army into two groups, sending them into the valley from both ends in a pincer movement. This would catch any of his enemy who were lying in wait on the valley floor and prevent the Rapscallions being outflanked.

Those Redwallers had a harsh lesson in death coming to them. Redwall-when the Abbey was his he would change its name. Fort Damug! That had a good sound to it. His name would live forever when the place was mentioned in far seasons to come. Fort Damug. Tales would be told of how he 288.

defeated the foe on open ground and took the Abbey without disturbing a stone.

A keen-eyed squirrel, one of the friends from Mossflower Wood, stood erect on top of the standing rock. Shading both eyes with a paw, he scanned all 'round. The way in which he halted, tail erect and head thrust forward, told Lieutenant Mono that he had spotted something.

Mono hailed him. ”What ho there, Lookout, any sign o' movement?”

Holding his position, the squirrel called back, ”Dust cloud comin' out o' the southeast, too faint yet t'see much!”

Morio's long face lit up momentarily. ”Keep your eye on it, bucko, looks like our visitors are on their flippin' way. Report if you note any change!”

The big pine trunk had become a kind of social gathering place; hares, mice, hedgehogs, shrews, moles, and squirrels grouped about it when they were off duty. Perigord sat scratching his initials into the wood as he listened to Morio's report.

”That sounds like the blighters right enough. When d'you think we can expect them to arrive?”

”Can't say, sah, have t'wait on the Lookout's report.”

The Major winked at his waiting warriors. ”Well, whenever it is, we'll give the blackguards a warm welcome, eh?”

Ribald comments greeted this statement.

”Aye, we'll feed 'em a nice 'ot supper o' cold steel!”

”Haharr, we'll rap their scallions for 'em!”

”Give the villains rock cakes served wirh spearpoints!”

Perigord looked down to the (hick end of the trunk. Several creatures were throwing weapons at a shriveled leaf, which they had pinned to the trunk. A selection of axes, knives, and javelins quivered from the wood all 'round the leaf.

A shrew called Spykel held up a ribbon of crimson silk. ”First to pin the leaf dead center wins this!”

Log-a-Log balanced his rapier and threw it like a javelin.

”A hit! The Guosim Chief's. .h.i.t it!”

Gurgan Spearback inspected the leaf. ”Nay, 'tis not dead center, a touch left, I'd say. Stand away now, yon ribbon'd look fetchin' in my wife, Rufftip's, spikes!”

Gurgan stood on the ten-pace mark. Closing one eye, he

289.

licked the blade of his ax, sighted, and flung it spinning. It struck the leaf, slicing it neatly in half through its middle. Gurgan pulled his ax loose and wound the ribbon on to his paw. ”See, that's how a Water'og learns to cast his blade!”

Midge Manycoats stopped Gurgan strolling off with the prize. ”If a chap could send his blade spot into the cut your ax made, would you give him that nice fancy ribbon, old feller?”

Gurgan chuckled so that his oversized boots quaked. ”Ho-hoho! Hearken to this 'un! 'Taint possible, master 'are! No-beast can cast a blade good as that in one throw!”

Midge winked at Tammo, who was standing nearby with Pasque. ”Show the Waterhog how our patrol chuck a blade, Tamm, go on!”

The young hare blinked modestly. ”Oh, really, Midge, I don't go in for showin' off.”

From his perch on the trunk, Perigord interrupted. ”Go to it, Tamm, win the ribbon for young Pasque!”

Three paces farther out than the mark, Tammo drew his dirk. ”Oh, well, if you say so, sah ...”

The weapon shot from Tammo's paw like chain lightning. It hissed through the air and thudded deep into the center of the split made by Gurgan's ax. A roar went up from the onlookers.

Bewildered, the Waterhog Chieftain inspected the throw. ”Lackaday, I never seen a beast sling steel like that, young sir! What manner o' creature taught thee such a skill?”

Tammo grunted as he used both paws to tug the dirk free. ”One called Russa Nodrey, a far finer warrior than I'll ever hope t'be. Keep your ribbon, Gurgan, 'twas you split the leaf.”

But the Waterhog would not hear of it. He draped the crimson silken ribbon on Tammo's paw and bowed formally. ”Nay, I'd like t'see thee give it to thy pretty friend!”

Tammo felt his ears turn bright pink as he draped the silk about Pasque Valerian's neck. Everybeast cheered him, and Perigord shook him warmly by the paw.

”Your mother'd be rather proud if she could see you now, Tamm!”

51.

Furgale and Atgador Swiftback had been out scouting the land ahead of the Salamandastron contingent. They returned at mid-noon and made their report to Lady Cregga and Sergeant Clu-brush.

”I'm afraid we haven't sighted the ridge you described, marm. It must be further than you estimated.”

The badger leaned on her fearsome axpike. ”No matter, 'tis there somewhere, I know it is. Did you sight vermin or anything else of interest?''

”Well, m'lady, about two hours ahead there's a dip in the land, sort of forming itself into a windin' ravine. It goes north and slightly west...”

Cregga exchanged a knowing glance with the Sergeant. ”Good work! We'll camp there tonight and follow the course of this ravine you speak of. That way we won't betray our presence; 'twill keep us well hidden as we march.”

Drill Sergeant Clubrush winked at the two recruits. ”Top marks, you two, that's wot I calls usin' the old h'initiative. Go an' join yore pals in the ranks now.”