"Hmm, tain't too bad, mayhaps ah'll give 'em a song later."
Maudie muttered under her breath, "I blinkin' well hope not!"
The owl craned his head forward. "Wot did thee say?"
Maudie smiled. "I said, save it for tomorrow, wot!" She watched the little shrewmaids dancing as Dinger and his friends sang the melody.
"Honour your partner, hop one two, twirl round twice, now tap that paw, curtsy low, my pretty shrew, altogether turn once more.
"Guosim maids are small and fair, nimble as the day is long, they wear ribbons in their hair, as they dance we sing this song.
"Two steps forward, one step back, point that footpaw, shake it round, grace and charm you'll never lack, tripping lightly o'er the ground.
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"Guosim maids are neat and bright, such a lovely sight to see, spinning round in pale moonlight, pray, miss, save a dance for me!"
Two elders continued the air with flute and drum, whilst the singers joined the maids, each taking a partner and twirling gracefully off around the lakeshore. Luglug nudged Maudie, whispering quietly, "Ole Asio's fallen asleep, now ye won't 'ave the pleasure of 'earing him sing."
The haremaid whispered back, "I've already heard him sing, an' it wasn't any bally pleasure!"
Luglug chuckled. "Aye, so have I, an' I'd much sooner put up with his snores than his singin', thank ye!"
Gradually the usual Guosim hubbub died down, the dancing ended, and the musicians ceased playing. Round the fire, and the lakeshore, Luglug's tribe lay down for their much needed rest. There was no need of coverlets, it was a warm, windless night. Maudie stretched out on the moss, imagining what Redwall Abbey would look like, as she fell into a slumber. Soon the only sound in the woodland depths was the gentle snoring of Guosim shrews, and the odd crackle as the campfire died into embers.
It was in the gray gloom which precedes dawn, when everybeast was wakened by the piercing wail of a shrewmum.
"Waaaaah! Where's my liddle Dupper?"
Maudie knocked Asio sideways as she sprang up. She joined Luglug, and several others, who were running to the lakeside. The Guosim mother was scurrying about distractedly, waving her paws.
"Dupper, where's my baby? Waaaah 'e's gone!"
The haremaid took charge of the situation. Grabbing the shrewmum by her flowery apron, she halted her, calling sternly, "Please be still, marm, you'll mess up all the tracks. Now, when did y'last see Dupper, wot?"
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Guosim scouts spread out into the surrounding trees, as the mother explained tearfully. "I 'ad Dupper in me paws last night, when I went t'sleep. Oh, where's the pore liddle tyke got to?"
The gruff voice of a Guosim scout came from the north corner of Bulrush Bower. "Over 'ere, mates!"
Maudie bounded to the spot, ahead of everybeast. She could tell, by the horrified look on the scout's face, and the ominous drag trail of tracks, what the shrew was going to say.
"The liddle 'un's been taken by a snake!"
The word struck terror into the Guosim, just the word snake sent them into a gibbering panic. It was Asio who got order, with a deafening hoot. "Whooooohooooo!"
Maudie could see by the state of the shrews that they would not be of any use to her. She nodded to the owl. "Right, quick's the word an' sharp's the action, laddie buck, we've got t'get that babe back, and jolly well soon!"
Luglug countered grimly. "Not much chance, miz, once a snake's got ye, that's that!"
The haremaid grabbed the rapier from Luglug's belt, and thrust it into his paw, whispering to him, "Bad form, sah, wot? You're supposed t'be a blinkin' chieftain among shrews. Look at the example you're settin' 'em. A little baby'll die if ye don't do anythin' about it. Now c'mon, stiff upper snout, wot!"
Luglug gritted his teeth. "Yore right, Miz Maudie, let's get after that evil worm right now!"
The owl, the haremaid and the shrew chieftain sped off into the still darkened woodland depths.
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10
Bludgullet was now sailing through the Mossflower woodlands, away from its normal habitat of the open sea. It was a novelty to the vermin crew, sunlight and shade, the absence of wind and tranquil, waveless waters. The only bar to their pleasure was that the ship had to be poled upriver. Without the aid of sail, and with the current, however gentle, running against them, they were forced to propel their vessel to its destination.
Vizka Longtooth kept to his cabin, leaving Codj and a stoat named Bilger in charge of the crew. The pair patrolled up and down the ranks of vermin crewbeasts, who were sweating at their long paddles, punting the ship along. Codj flicked a knotted rope's end about idly, he was secretly scared to use it. Some of the crew were vicious, bad-tempered beasts, who would not take kindly to being whipped. It was slow progress, and the crew soon became disenchanted with the rustic surroundings. They began complaining aloud.
"Yowch, I'm bein' eaten alive by h'insecks!"
"They ain't h'insecks, they're midges."
"Huh, they might be midgets, but they got giant teeth!"
"Ain't there no cool water t'be 'ad aboard dis tub?"
"Aye, an' we ain't stopped once fer vittles, I'm 'ungry!"
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"I'm gittin' splinters offen dese paddles."
"Yew ain't gittin' splinters offen der paddles, dat's wid scratchin' yore 'ead, mate!"
Codj sniggered openly at his clever remark. The recipient of it, a hulking, boulder-headed weasel, snarled at him.
"D'yer think yore funny, Codj Stumple? 'ow would yer like me t'bust dis paddle o'er yer stumpy be'ind?"
Codj was nettled by the remark about his lack of tail, but he did not fancy his chances against the big weasel. Pretending he had not heard the insult, Codj stalked off to his brother's cabin.
Vizka was rocking in a hammock, sipping grog. He eyed Codj irritably. "Worrizit now, annuder mutiny on our paws?"
The smaller fox fidgeted with the strands of his rope end. "It's dat lot out dere, nothin' but moan moan, alia time. Wot am I s'posed ter do? Yore der cap'n."
The golden fox heaved himself from the hammock, and peered out the open door at the sky. "It's gettin' on fer eventide, tell 'em t'down paddles an' rest fer the night. Anythin' else ter report?"
Codj shuffled his footpaws awkwardly. "Ain't much drinkin' water left."
Vizka lashed out, cuffing his younger brother's ear. "Well, don't tell me, thick'ead, lower der barrels inta der river. Dis is fresh water we're sailin' in, or didn't dat thought seep into yer brain?"
Codj tried to leave the cabin quickly, but Vizka caught him tight, by his tail stub.
"Next ye'll be tellin' me we're low on vittles. Organise a shore party, an' gerrinta dat forest out dere. Huh, d'place must be fulla fruits'n'roots, birds, an' eggs, an' all kinds'a vittles. Do I have ter tell ya everyt'ink, eh?"
Codj tried to justify himself. "But warrabout der stripe'ound, who's gonna watch 'im?"
The golden fox shoved his brother contemptuously out through the cabin door. "Don't talk stupid, dat ole Rock-
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'ead ain't goin' nowheres, wid an iron chain holdin' 'im t'the mast. Der stripe'ound'll be dead inna few days. I wuz watchin' 'im dis mornen, 'e ain't gotten long ter go now."
Gorath lay slumped alongside the mast, largely forgotten amid the new surroundings. The huge scab on his forehead protruded even further, his matted fur clung to his bones, like an ill-fitting garment. The young badger looked for all the world like a beast close to death. However, behind his closed eyelids, a fierce glimmer remained in his eyes. Deep inside Gorath, the will to live, and the desire to avenge his kinbeasts' deaths, burned like an unwavering flame. He did not fear death, his only concern was that he might die leaving his enemies alive.