Marlfox

Silth listened to the splash as the rat's body was dropped to the waiting pike shoal. She shut the curtains with a triumphant chuckle. "I knew he was lying all along. If I've seen the White Ghost, then others have. Right, Lantur?"

The vixen Marlfox smiled slyly. "It is as you say, O Great One!"

Two water rat Guard Commanders unspiked the torches and extinguished them, sizzling, in the lake.

"Is she still up at the window watchin'?"

"I dunno. Keep yer eyes front, mate, unless you wants ter feed the fish. You know 'tis death to look upon the Queen."

"Huh, 'tis death to do anythin' on this cursed rock. In fact ye can get slain fer nothin'. Lookit pore ole Rigglent, all he did was drop his shield. That ole Queen was just lookin' for a chance to pick on somebeast. This place gets worse!"

The other rat finished stacking the torches in a pile. "Don't tell me, cully. Why don't yer leave? Lake full o' pike an' the sky guarded by magpies, wot's to stop yer, eh?"

In the slave pens there was speculation over what had taken place at the lakeside. An ancient mouse rubbed the area above his footpaw, where the manacles had worn through his fur, causing a sore. "Sounded like one o' the water rats bein' fed to the Teeth o' the Deeps. Better one o' them than a slave, that's what I say."

A lean, tired-looking otter stared longingly through the bars at the water rat barracks. "Aye, yore right there, matey. I don't suppose there's any chance that the one who got slung in the lake was Ullig?"

Sitting up in the straw, a sturdy hedgehog maid muttered, "No such luck, friend. Y'best keep quiet, 'ere comes the bully hisself."

Slave Captain Ullig rattled the bars with his whip butt. "Silence in there or I'll pick a few of you lot out to feed the Teeth o' the Deeps. Those pike ain't fussy wot they eat. Even a couple of scrawny slaves would taste good to 'em."

Ullig sauntered off back to the barracks, watched by the silent slaves. When he had gone a gaunt-eyed squirrel smashed his chains against the bars in helpless rage. "Swaggerin' scum! I'd teach Ullig a lesson if I was free of these chains just fer a moment!"

The ancient mouse shook his head in despair. "Free? There ain't no such word for a slave. I've been on this island so long I've forgotten wot free means."

"An' you've never seen any slave break free in all that time?"

The old mouse smiled grimly at the young hedgehog who had asked the question. "I saw lots o' slaves break free, like that'n in the corner." He pointed to an emaciated vole, lying in a huddle shivering so hard that his chains rattled constantly. Two other slaves were bathing his feverish brow with damp rags. The vole's eyes rolled wildly, and he whimpered and coughed as another tried to force water between his trembling lips. The old mouse nodded knowingly as he explained to the hedgehog maid, "That pore beastll be free afore dawndead free. That's the only way you'll leave the Marlfoxes an' Slave Cap'ns an' this island, matey, tail first!"

Chapter 9

Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop walked along the west walltop, calling out for Dwopple at the top of his voice. They had searched all morning but not a trace of the little one could be found. Stopping briefly at the threshold over the main gate, the hare breathed deeply. Despite his constant chastisement of the mousebabe, he was secretly very fond of him. He did not notice the Marlfox emerge from the ditch until the creature hailed him.

"Hey, rabbit!"

Florian stared regally down his nose at the Marlfox. "Huh! Rabbit y'self, you speckled scrap o' jetsam. I'd come down there an' drub some manners into y'hide if I had me bally stick with me, wot. Count y'self lucky, measle-f eatures!"

Rusvul, who had just emerged from the gatehouse, heard Florian's voice and called up to him. "Hi there, mister Florian, who are ye talkin' to, yoreself?"

The hare was in no mood to be bandied with. "M'self? Pish tush, sah, never! Actually I'm exchangin' insults with one of those Marlfox types down on the path, doncha know."

Rusvul dashed off, roaring at the top of his lungs, "Marlfox out on the path! Marlfox outside the gate!"

The Abbey bells boomed out an alarm. In a short time most of Redwall was atop the wall, armed with anything that came to paw: ladles, shovels, curtain poles and sundry everyday implements. Mokkan the Marlfox leader backed off to the ditch edge on the path's far side, ready to flee if things got more dangerous. Cregga's voice was low and menacing, but quite clear as the exchange took place.

"You've got a mousebabe, one of our young 'uns."

"Aye, that's right, had him since yesterday noon."

"Clever of you, and now you've come to bargain. What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know yet. What've you got in there? A rich Abbey like yours, should be something valuable enough to save a life."

"We do not hoard treasure at Redwall. If you need victuals we can give you a supply of the best food prepared anywhere."

Mokkan shook his head, almost pityingly at the simple offer. "No, no, food doesn't interest us, there's plenty in Mossflower. Let me gather my brothers and sisters, we'll come into your Abbey and take a look around. I'll wager Marlfoxes could find something of value as a ransom for your babe."

Skipper of otters wiggled a paw in one ear. "Did I 'ear that right? You want t'bring a pack o' your kind inside Redwall an' take a root about? Lissen, snotnose, 'tis only the grass that's green round 'ere, not the Abbeybeasts!"

Mokkan drew his ax and tested the blade edge. "You have until midnight. After that you won't see Dwopple again!"

Shouts of indignation rang from the walltops.

"Don't you dare touch that Dibbun!"

"You stinkin' coward!"

"Hurr, big bravebeast loik ee, slayin' liddle 'uns, you'm nought but sloim'n'mud!"

"Harm not my precious mite, sir, I beg you. Take my life instead!"

"For shame! You, sir, are nought but a scum-wallower!"

Janglur Swifteye held up his paws for silence. "Save yore breath, friends. 'Tis wasted on the likes of that 'un. Lissen, fox, we'll meet you at the southwest corner of this wall at midnight. I'll see these Redwallers bring lots o' pretty things to trade for Dwopple. Agreed?"

Mokkan smiled up at the squirrel. "I'm glad there's one creature at Redwall with a bit of sense. I accept your offer, squirrel, but make sure whoever comes is unarmed. One false trick will cost the mousebabe his life!"

As the Marlfox vanished into the ditch the Abbey gates burst open. Log a Log and his Guosim shrews came pouring out, rapiers drawn. They leapt into the ditch, but there was not a trace of the Marlfox. Rusvul patted the shrew's back as he returned through the gate. "Tough luck, matey. You was just a smidgen too slow there."

The shrew Chieftain sheathed his rapier and helped to bar the gate. "The fox just disappeared. Vanished."

Rusvul snorted. "They ain't magic. I know 'cos I pierced one of 'em through the shoulder with my javelin. Hah! That'n didn't look too magic, scrabblin' off on all fours!"

Janglur bounded down the wallsteps. "Let's go to Cavern Hole. I've got a plan!"

Rusvul called Dann, Song and Dippler to him. "Right, 'tis about time you three started to grow up a bit. I've got a meetin' with Janglur an' the others in Cavern Hole, so that means we need to mount a guard on the ramparts, in case Marlfoxes or water rats come back. How d'you feel about some sentry duty?"

The three friends were proud to accept. Dann spoke for them. "You can trust us, we won't let Redwall down!"

Rusvul nodded approvingly, at his son. "Spoken like a Reguba! See what ole Butty has at the gatehouse in the way of weaponry an' arm yoreselves. Keep a sharp eye on the woodlands an' don't be afraid to yell for help if'n you needs it."