Part 35 (2/2)

45.

It was midafternoon, and Redwall lay quiet under the heat haze. Hardly a leaf stirred in the vasmess of Mossflower beyond the north and east walls, and the plains s.h.i.+mmered and danced, making the horizon indistinguishable.

Down below in Cavern Hole depression had set in. It had started when little Rollo and a baby fieldmouse wanted to go out to play. Naturally the Abbot had to forbid any such idea with the birds about, so Ambrose Spike took them to play down in his wine cellar. Cornflower fanned herself with a dockleaf. The heat seemed to have penetrated the stones, even down to Cavern Hole, where it was usually cool.

”Poor Rollo, he did so want to go out to play on the gra.s.s. I remember Mattimeo, Tim and Tess used to go out in the orchard. Sam Squirrel would teach them to climb the apple and pear trees, and that sweet chestnut over by the gooseberry patch.”

Abbot Mordalfus mopped his brow with his habit sleeve. ”Ah yes, he was a scamp, that Sam Squirrel. Mind you, so was I at their age. I used to get sent off to bed for das.h.i.+ng around the top of the outer wall when I was a young one. Ha ha, old Sister Fem used to say it gave her dizzy spells just watching me. Phew! I don't know about 358.

359.

Rollo, but I could certainly do with a stroll outside in the grounds. If s hot in here.”

Mrs. Churdunouse dosed her eyes dreamily. ”Mmmm, I'd love to be sitting dabbling my paws in the pond on an afternoon like this.”

Foremole tugged his snout obligingly. ”Burr, ifn you'm laydeez ud loik to wet you'm paws, oi'll take you'm thro' yon tunnel to pond.”

Winifred the Otter sprang up. ”What a good idea! Oh, would you please let us go. Father Abbot? We'll be careful, I promise we will. The first sign of a rook and we'll pop into that hole like moles, pardon the expression.”

Abbot Mordalfus took his spectacles off. Smiling indulgently, he settled back in his chair.

”Well, if s pretty certain I won't get any rest with you chattering creatures about. Of course you may go, but don't stay out too long and be very careful. I'll stop here and take a nap.”

Foremole was first into the tunnel. ”Age afore booty. Foller me, gennelbeasts.”

The Abbot settled back in his chair with a sigh. A ray of sunlight crossing Great Hall penetrated down the stairs across the barricade top and shone in his eyes. He watched the small golden dust flecks dancing in it, his eyes gradually dosing as he drifted into h;s noontide nap.

Cornflower came wriggling back down the tunnel, followed by her companions. She scurried from the entrance and, not bothering to dust herself down, began shaking the sleepy Abbot by the paw.

”Wake up, wake up, Father Abbot, quickly! They're attacking it, the poor thing. Oh, ifll be killed if we don't do something.”

The Abbot blinked and jumped up. ”Eh, what? Attacking what poor thing, where?”

Winifred grabbed his other paw. ”A big rusty-colored *ft f bird, much bigger than Ironbeak's lot. If s over by the pond and the rooks are attacking it. Oh, I'm sure it isn't an invader. We've got to help it.” The Abbot leapt into action.

”Find Constance quickly. Get any available moles and v bring them here.”

* A moment later, Constance rushed in from the I kitchens, covered in flour with a bunch of scallions in her f paw. She dimbed into the tunnel, shouting orders: '”, ”Everybeast stay here except the moles. Send them after me. I'll deal with this!”

V In front of the pond the great red bird lay. With one final * effort she had flown over the outer Abbey wall, landing I with a thud on the soft gatehouse garden soil. Seeing the ~ water glint in the afternoon sun, she hauled herself ;; painfully over to drink at the pond. The throat of the ^ great red bird was dry, her tongue parched, spots ; danced before her eyes. Crazily she staggered and I wobbled towards the water. Next instant she was harried by three rooks who descended upon her. They pecked and dragged at the great red bird, las.h.i.+ng out ' with their clawing talons. Half unconscious and defenceless, she lay at their mercy. ; Foremole was awaiting Constance's arrival up the tunnel.

r ”O'er thurr, stroipmarm,” he said, pointing to the 5 scene of the attack. ”They'm akillen yon burd, they gurt bullies!”

Constance hurtled from the tunnel and was upon the ;, rooks before they knew what was happening.

' She bulled the first one straight into the pond and cuffed the next one high into the air with a quick hefty , paw. The third rook took oft, leaving most of his tailfeathers between the badger's teeth. The attackers flew squawking through the broken dormitory window, * terrified to look back lest the big badger was coming after ; them.

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Swiftly Constance began dragging the great red bird to the tunnel. It raised its head feebly and tried to attack the badger. Constance narrowly avoided the fierce curved beak but took several scratches from the powerful talons before she stunned the already half-unconscious bird with a smart tap of her paw between its eyes.

”Sorry, but if s for your own good, you silly great thing. Here, Foremole, which end do you want?”

Foremole scrambled from the tunnel, leaving three of his crew ready to receive the burden.

”You'm leave et f me, marm. Yurr, Jarge, oi'm asendin' burd in 'ead hirst, save reverse feather draggen. Chuck yon rope round they daws. Oi'll tie beak. Gaffer, be you'm ready wi' grease case'n et be too woid in beam.”

Ironbeak and Mangiz flew through the dormitory window with several rooks. They landed where the attack had taken place. The General looked particularly bad-tempered after being disturbed at his noontide roost.

”Yakkah! First it is ghost mice, now we have a great disappearing red bird. Where is it, fools?

”It was right there. General. We pecked it and scratched it- ”

”Yes, yes. And what happened then?”

”The big earthcrawler, the stripedog, it tried to slay us.”

”So you turned tail and flew off,” Ironbeak said scornfully.

”Chief, there was nothing else we could do. That stripedog is a wild beast!”

”How long ago did this take place?”

”Only a moment back, Ironbeak. We were at the dormitory window when we saw this big rusty-looking bird come over the wall. It must have been ill because it flapped and flopped about like a new eggchick.”

”So you attacked it?”

”Oh yes. Chief. We gave it a good clawing and beaking-”

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”And you killed it!”

, ”Yes, er, no. I mean, we were going to, when the earthcrawler came.”

”Where did the stripedog come from?”

”Search me!”

Ironbeak buffeted the insolent rook flat. He ground his talons against its beak and pecked it hard upon its leg.

”Kaah! Out of my sight, nettlehead, I think the sun in this warm land has addled your brains. First you see a great bird, then you are attacked by the stripedog, and mat was only the flick of a feather ago. Now there is no sign of the earthcrawler and the big bird has vanished too. Maybe they are both hiding underwater in that pool. Shall I throw you in so that you can search them out?”

”The stripedog has already done that, by the look of Grubclaw,” Mangiz interrupted.

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