Part 9 (1/2)

plunder attracted. He held out his claws to the seven Captains.

”Every bright star has seven true points. You, my s.h.i.+pmasters, my good an' trusty mates, come an' take what you want from this lot. What use is booty an' plunder if a rat ain't got friends he can trust?”

The Captains stumbled and tripped over other searats in their haste to grab what they could. Ripping silks and tossing all they could hold into makes.h.i.+ft carriers, the seven s.h.i.+pmasters bit, scratched and jostled silently as each strove to grab what he thought was more than his fair share. When they drew back, dragging their portions with them, there was still a large mound of loot upon the floor.

”Why, you greedy old plunderers,” Gabool laughingly upbraided the Captains. ”Snafflin' away without a thought for your crewrats. See if you can clear this lot away, lads. Come on, it's all yours!”

With a wild howl, the searat crews threw themselves upon the remainder of the booty. Scrabbling, kicking, screeching, clawing and ripping, they fought for baubles all over the hall. Gabool laughed madly as he plowed among them. He had won. The plan was working like a charm. Now he sowed the seeds of dissension as he roved among the crews, whispering, ”Is that all you got, matey, a few earrings an' a dagger? If I was your Cap'n I would have give you first pick. Ah, but Cap'ns is Cap'ns-they was ever the greedy ones. Hoho, Halfnose, me ol' messmate, did you see that Cap'n Hookfin? He was a-shovin' an' a-pus.h.i.+n' your Cap'n Orgeye like he didn't want him to get his proper share. I'd tell Orgeye that if I was you, mate. 'Here, Shornear, what good is two earrings to you, eh? You 'ark t' me, s.h.i.+pmate-that Garrtail, he looked as if he were tryin' to grab everythin' for hisself, an' him only a new Cap'n. I'm sorry I chose him now. If I'd been thinkin' aright at the time, I'd have made you master 100.

of the Greenfang. Never mind, matey. There'll always be another day, eh?”

When the plunder had all been claimed, the searats threw themselves upon the food ravenously, each one mistrusting the other and all of them feeling more loyal to Gabool than to their own Captains.

The Warlord had yet to play his final card. He banged the bell for silence.

”Now, me lucky rats, I'm goin' to let you in on a secret, so c.o.c.k yer lugs! There's another traitor, more black'earted than any, but he ain't here this day. What's his name? I 'ear you ask. . . . 'Tis Graypatch-aye, Graypatch. There's a name for the Dark One's book. We sailed fair seas an' foul together since we was both liddle sloprats, an' now the foul blaggard has robbed the best craft in the fleet for hisself. Aye, the Darkqueen, Saltar's s.h.i.+p. Graypatch crewed her an' sailed off in Darkqueen behind me back, an' I trusted him like a brother. But here's the worst of it, lads-that s.h.i.+p's carryin' three times the loot in her hold, on my affidavy it is, more plunder'n you could clap eyes on. . . . And I want Graypatch's scurvy head! You can do what you will with the booty-first one to it gets it all-as long as you bring me back the Darkqueen with Graypatch's head nailed to the bowsprit. How's that fer an offer, you h.e.l.lsc.r.a.pin's?”

Tables were overturned, food scattered, furniture smashed as the Captains and their crews made a hasty exodus from the hall, jamming in the doorway, cursing and fighting in an effort to be first to weigh anchor and hunt down Graypatch and the Darkqueen.

”Hoist sail, Ledder. I'll be down straightways!” ”Weigh anchor, Froat. We'll get 'im first!” ”Get the crew aboard, Bullfang. Hurry!” ”Come on, you wavesc.u.m. Stir yer stumps-there's prize to be had!”

Weltskin was one of the last to leave, striding impor- 101.

tantly with Gabool's fine curved sword over his shoulder. Gabool called him back.

”Weltskin, matey, c'mere.”

The searat marched back and saluted his King with the sword.

”D'you want somethin', sire?”

Gabool stroked his beard thoughtfully. ”Let's see you swing that sword.”

Weltskin swung the sword several times. Gabool looked worried.

”No, matey, no. That's no way to twirl a blade. Here, let me show yer how to use that sword.”

Weltskin gave the sword to Gabool. He watched fascinated as the Warlord wove patterns in the air with the glittering weapon. Weltskin' s fascination suddenly turned to agonized shock as Gabool snicked the tip from his ear with the sword. Smiling wickedly, Gabool flashed the blade a little closer to Weltskin's throat.

”That's how t'do it, matey. Now do you want to lay about while I does another liddle trick with yer neck, or do yer want t'board s.h.i.+p an' leave this 'ere carver with ol' Gabool?”

A second later the Searat King was listening to the mad patter of Weltskin's paws as he dashed headlong for the harbor and the safety of the open sea. Thrusting his regained weapon into its waist sash, Gabool threw back his head and roared with laughter.

Redwallers gathered in the open doorway of the infirmary sickbay, anxiously peeping in at the still figure of Storm laid upon a truckle bed. Saxtus gnawed at his lip.

”It must have been something I said in that poem. Oh, I wish I hadn't recited the blinking thing now. In fact, I wish that I'd never seen it!”

Dandin patted his friend rea.s.suringly. ”Don't be silly. You weren't to know that the poem would have that effect upon her. It's not your fault. Though I must 102.

say, Storm is the last creature you'd expect to fall in a faint like that. I've never met a rougher, tougher mousemaid in my life.”

Simeon turned from a corner table where he was concocting something from strange-looking herbs and roots.

”Rough and tough she is indeed. I think Storm has been through things that would have killed a lesser creature. She has tremendous spirit.”

The Abbot agreed. ”She has indeed, though I don't think her real name is Storm Gullwhacker. I wonder who she really is.”

Simeon turned back to his bowl and pestle. ”That's what we're about to find out if we can. Are you ready, Sister Sage?”

Sage went to the door. ”Mother Mellus, Abbot and Brother Hubert, you'd better come in and watch. Saxtus and Dandin, you can come in also, and you too, Tarquin, but you'll have to be very quiet. Now the rest of you, please go to bed. It's only two hours until dawn. There are visitors' beds set up in Cavern Hole for the woodlanders.”

Storm lay very still. Sister Sage placed a fresh damp cloth across her brow, noting the deep scar which ran across her skull. Sage lifted Storm's head slightly as Simeon administered a small dose of the mixture from a beaker. The mousemaid licked her lips, made a small noise of satisfaction, then settled back as if in a calm sleep.

Simeon took a seat near Storm's head and spoke gently into her ear.

”You are with friends, little one-good friends. I want you to tell us what happened to you. Go back to the beginning and tell us all. Can you hear me? Do you understand what I am saying?”

Storm's eyelids flickered. She sighed and then began talking as if she were telling a story to a friend. At his 103.

table in the corner, Brother Hubert wrote swiftly with quill on parchment, recording the strange tale.

The mousemaid called Storm Gullwhacker. Her story written down by Hubert, Brother Recorder of Redwall Abbey.

After moving about restlessly for a short while, the mousemaid appeared calm and spoke quite clearly.

We are half a season out from the deep coasts in the far south, my father Joseph and I. The s.h.i.+p we are sailing in is called Periwinkle. It is crewed by shrews. They are a bit scared because they have never sailed upon blue waters before, but Captain Ash is bold and adventurous. He says the only way we can get the great bell to Salamandastron is by sea. I have never sailed the deep waters before, nor has my father. Every day we see new wonders-great fish, huge seabirds and wonderful sunsets.

The great bell is tied on deck; my father and I sit to watch the sun's dying rays reflected in its s.h.i.+ning metal. I can hear the pride in his voice as he speaks to me.

”Mariel,” he says. ”Surely this is a bell fit for Rawnblade Widestripe, the great badger Lord. See how the sun sinking in the west turns it to a fiery color. That is the copper, bra.s.s and gold, Mariel; the silver I put in to make its voice sweet.”

My father is strong and very wise; he is the cleverest bellrnaker in the world. When I tell him this he laughs and says, ”No no, the nicest thing I ever made was your name -Mariel. It sounds like a bell ringing clear across meadows on a soft spring morn. Can't you hear it ... Mariel! Mariel!”

Now we have had to stop hugging the coast and put out to sea because of the reefs insh.o.r.e. All around me is nothing but waves and water. It is a bit frightening at times when the big billows ride high with the wind. The crew are not very happy now they 104.

have lost sight of land. My father says everything is s.h.i.+pshape-he learned that from Captain Ash. I like the Captain and I am sure he will deliver us safely to the mountain of the badger Lord.

Something is wrong. A great black s.h.i.+p with red sails has been following us since dawn. I heard Captain Ash whisper to my father the word ”searats.” My father has taken me below to a cabin. I have to lie on the deck underneath a bunk and hide behind some blankets. My father tells me to lie still and not move. I am not afraid now; I am angry. I do not think I will like searats. I want to come out and fight them if they try to harm us, but my father has forbidden me.

Cras.h.i.+ng above on deck, screaming, yelling, paws pounding everywhere, harsh voices shouting bad things! Clas.h.i.+ng of metal, splintering of wood, moaning, horrible cries. I must get out of this place to help against the searats. Silence now, just some cries of injured creatures and the creak of ropes. I am trying to lie still but I tremble and shake with rage. Why am I lying here doing nothing?

Pawsteps, banging, the cabin door crashes open! As I peep between the blankets, I can see three big rats fighting over some wine on the cabin table. One called Gripper s.n.a.t.c.hes the wineflask, but the biggest one, called Saltar, kicks him hard and grabs the wine. Gripper falls to the floor. As the s.h.i.+p heaves he rolls under the bunk and b.u.mps into me. I yell, he rips the blankets off and says, ”h.e.l.lseyes, look what I found-a pretty mousemaid!”

He tries to grab me but I bite him, kicking him hard in the neck. Gripper makes strange sounds and clutches at his throat where I kicked him. His eyes turn up and he is still. Saltar laughs and says to the other rat, ”A warrior maid, eh, Ledder. She's slain old Gripper. What a wild one!”

They both pounce on me. I cannot fight back 105.

because the dead rat is in my way. Saltar and Ledder throw the blankets over me. I am bundled up, and they punch and kick at the blankets until I go still, but I am half conscious.

Now they have taken me on deck. I can see through a rip in the blanket that my father and Captain Ash are tied to the bell. They must have fought hard because they are both covered with cuts and bruises. The crew are all lying about, dead, wounded or tied up. Saltar is saying something to Ledder about feeding the fishes. Now they are ... Oh no! . . . No, please! . . . Noooooooooo!!!