Abbess Turzel motioned for Log-a-log to sit down. “There is a young one in our abbey, a small mischievous squirrel: Stardust, son of Samkim the Warrior. Yesterday he injured a dibbun mole by firing three stones at once from his sling. Goli was not the only victim.” The Abbess delicately pawed the lump on her head. “However, Thrugg and Thrugann got the Sword of Martin down for Star to play with and they say he was visited by Martin the Warrior himself! What does this mean? I wonder.”
Log-a-Log twirled Steelfate in his paws. “It means that ‘tis possible ta save yor Abbey from Sultor,” the shrew Chieftain said. “If’n you start trainin’ t’young’un, then ye might ‘ave a warrior on ye paws.”
“Toadsfeet!”
“Puddenheads!”
Sultor was not amused.
“The shrews ‘ave got inta Redwall! Tonight’s raid will ‘ave ta be cancelled. There’s no way we’re gonna get in thar with all t’shrews about!”
“Yessir.”
“Sorry sir.”
The fox threw a wine cup across the tent, the red liquid spilling out and staining the wall. Sultor’s captains backed towards the entrance. Sultor himself paced back and forth for quite some time. The captains grew nervous. Suddenly the fox stopped in mid-pace.
“Unless, o’course, we git them OUT of the Abbey! Make a diversion! Capture a shrew and ‘ave some conditions for giving ‘im back! Burn Mossflower! Yes, ‘tis it! Burn Mossflower! Burn Mossflower! Harharharr!!”
The captains stared. Sultor beckoned them to a long table. On it was a map of Mossflower Woods.
“Now, we’ll catch a shrew, some’ow, t’should be a stoopid one somewhar, then we’ll tie it ta a tree and set t’woods on fire! Those shrews won’t like losing thar matey, and thar’ll need more’n one to put outa fire, so, the whole load’ll go save thar comrade! That’s the time WE go in an’ rob the Abbey! Harharharharrr!!! Lesse......we’ll start burnin’ about here........tomorra we got a shrew ta catch!”
Early the next morning there was a knock on Redwall’s gate. Thruggann peeped through the cracks then opened the large gate. A small band of shrews entered.
Thruggann looked suspiciously at them. “Where are ye from, and why do ye come? ‘Tis in my knowedge there is only one tribe o’shrews ‘round ‘ere, and they’re eating breakfast in Cavern Hole.”
“Mayruil at ye service, otter,” the lead shrew bowed, “And would ye kindly take us to Cavern ‘ole? Me grand old pater ‘tis Log-a-Log.”
“Well, if ye pater’s Log-a-Log, that’s alright then. Come along.”
The small band followed the old otter towards Cavern Hole and down the stairs to it. Mayruil blinked in the half-light, then ran towards one of the shrews who recognized him.
“May! Didn’ think ye be back so soon!”
“Ye didn’ think so? Why, two seasons ‘ave past, father, an’ that’s when we agreed to meet in Redwall!” “Why, so it is. I would’a fergotten but I came ‘ere to warn them Redwallers about Sultar t’fox. Ah well, tell me whar ye went exploring.”
Delilah was determined to do something right, so she agreed to help Sister Elsia gather flowers for a new arrangement. Yet the shrewmaid was bored walking slowly through Mossflower, dutifully holding out a basket for Elsia to put flowers in. Soon the basket was brimming with colour, and the pair began to walk back towards Redwall.
Sister Elsia was quite a young mouse; not much older than Delilah herself. She had a fragile personality, just like a glass bowl that could easily break, Delilah reckoned as she watched Elsia daintily step through the grass.
Suddenly, a net descended and tighted around the shrew and the mouse. They felt themselves lifted off the ground and left swinging high in the trees.
Elsia peeped out of the mesh and promptly fainted.
The glass bowl has broken, Delilah thought as she too peeked out. The shrew immediatly regretted it. Her head swam. They were pretty high up off the ground!
About twenty minutes later the shrew felt the net begin to lower. At last she felt a bump as it hit the ground. The mesh loosened and Delilah looked up. She saw a evil-looking fox and a band of vermin for a split second before a thick blanket was thrown around her. She kicked and thrashed as she felt rope tied around her. It was hot......she struggled to breath. I’m getting suffocated........... She thought as she dropped into senselessness.
