“If were to be rewarded with such a splendid spread every time we defend yore Abbey, marm, then we opes the next passel o villains is eadin down the path tomorrer!
Meriam shook her head. “Fate and fortune forbid such a thing, my friends. You do not need to fight for food at Red-wall; our table is here for you any time you call by our gate. You are always welcome.
As the night wore on, Meriam took Bryony to one side and led her from Great Hall, saying, “Come with me, missie, I have something to show youa surprise.
Together they mounted the stairs and made their way to a chamber close by the sickbay. Meriam tapped upon the door. Bryony thrilled to the mellow sound of a deep voice, that of tire beloved Redwall Badger Mother, Bella.
“Enter please, there are no locks on my door.
Bella was massive with age. Her silver fur shone in the lantern light, almost creating a nimbus of radiance around her. Raising a huge, age-worn paw, she adjusted small, thick, crystal glasses from her muzzletip up to her eyes.
Arranging a shawl about her friends shoulders, Meriam whispered, “I thought you might be asleep, Bella. Are we disturbing you?
The great shining head shook slowly. “No, no, not at all. Theres no need to whisper, MeriamI sleep when I like and stay awake as I want to these days. Hello, Bryony, my pretty little mousemaid, come and sit with old Bella.
Bryony sat upon the broad soft lap, her favorite place since she had been a Dibbun, and she looked questioningly at Meriam. “What is the surprise, Mother Abbess?
Meriam placed a paw to her lips. “Sshh! Not so loud, mis-sie.
Bella nodded to a cradle within easy reach of her paw. “Oh, dont worry about him. Hes wide awake and taking all in. Leaning over, Bryony saw what the cradle contained. She jumped from Bellas lap and swept the babe into her paws, hugging it. “Oh, its a babe, a little one! Is it male or maid? Whats it called? Whose is it? Where did you get it from? Oh, Mother!
Meriam allowed Bryony to hold the babe. “Not so fast, missie, maybe you wont be so quick to cuddle him when I tell you. He is the young of a vermin, abandoned when they retreated from the path, a male ferretbabe.
Bryony continued nursing the ferret, rocking back and forth. “Poor little thing! He looks so alone and lost! Is he not beautiful, Bella, see!
The ancient badger smiled wisely, saying, “All little creatures are beautiful, Bryony, every living thing when it first sees life is bom in beauty. What they grow to be is a different matter. I have given the ferretbabe a name; he shall be called Veil, because there is a veil over his life before he came here. We know nothing of him.
Bryony looked down at the little ferret. Its sharp slitted eyes were watching her intently. She tickled its nosetip gently with her paw, saying, “Veil, Veil, its a lovely name. Hello, little Veil. Owch!
Bella exchanged glances with the Abbess before speaking. “He has bitten you, Bryony.
The mousemaid sucked her paw briefly, smiling. “No, not really, it was more of a nibble. Perhaps hes hungry.
Bella closed her eyes and leaned back. “Some creatures are always hungering after one thing or another. I have a feeling about this one, and if I am proved right in the seasons to come, I will tell you why I really called him Veil. But it is far better now to hope for the best that can happen, so we will say no more about it. You are a good mousemaid, Bryony, that is why the Abbess and I decided that you shall have Veil, to bring up and care for. He may benefit from you.
Bryonys eyes were shining, and she hugged the small bundle close. “Oh, Mother Abbess, is it true? I will be like his mother, no, more like his big sister, no, more like his good friend!
The Abbess smiled at her friend the mousemaid. “Make your mind up, missie. Best be a little of all, mayhap thats what Veil will need to grow up good. Put him back in his cradle now and take him up to the dormitory with you. BellaIm too old to care for him, and I have my Abbey to look after. From this day forth he is your responsibility.
When Bryony had taken Veil and gone from the room, Ab-Meriam stooped and dabbed a tiny spot of blood from rush mat. It had spilled from the mousemaids paw when ferretbabe bit her. She sat on the arm of Bellas chair, staring at the crimson dot, and said, “Did we do the right thing, old friend, or will this ferret cause more blood to be in Redwall?
The great silver badger bent down and wiped away the speck with her apron corner. “Only time will tell, Meriam!
25
As the earth turned slowly, time passed and season followed season many times. Swartt Sixclaw and his horde wandered the land, through woodland, across rivers, over mountains, often lost and frequently sidetracked by dissent and mutiny. But his obsession, to avenge himself upon the badger who had maimed and deadened his famous sixclaw, drove the Warlord onward.
Many things happened to swell the infamy of Swartts name. He lost some of his horde in marsh country, fighting a long and protracted battle against toads and reptiles, emerging victorious but with a depleted horde.
Then chance brought him into an alliance with Captain Zigu and his Corsairs. Zigu was a ferret like himself who, having lost his ship on the rocks in foul weather, was forced to range the coasts with his motley band of vermin, some searats, but mainly Corsairs, creatures of any species that chose the marauding life. Zigu was no stranger to Salamandastron; he had seen it from the sea and knew its exact location. He was a valuable, if untrustworthy, asset, and joining forces with him meant that the horde would be lost no more. For Swartt, this sealed the pact.
Southward down the coast the horde ranged, being joined by deserters, mutineers, and other vermin who had been marooned by their searat brethren. Swartt sat upon the beach one morning at the start of summer, picking at a roasted mackerel.
He glanced across at Nightshade, who was tossing shells into the air and watching in what position they fell upon the sand.
“Never mind the stupid shells, vixen, look at my hordejust cast yer eyes over em. Every one a murderer, theyd slit their own mothers gizzards over a morsel of food, hah! Arf of em probly did, killers all! Now Im a real Warlord, the best of a bad bunch, an I could lick any six of em single-pawed!
Nightshade went back to her conjuring. “Aye, Lord, well do great things together. Shells are magic, they dont tell lies. See these here, they are our horde. But see this big curling conch; you can hear the tide come and go if you put it to your ear. Look though, it fell standing straight up in the sandits the mountain. See the distance from it that the horde lies; we cannot be far from it now.
Swartt shook his head as if in disappointment at his seer. “You know that because of what Zigu told youhe knows how close to Salamandastron we are. Go on, then, if your shells are so clever, what else do they tell you? That little red shell that fell far apart from the rest, what does that say?
The vixen looked at the small red shell and shrugged. “Though it doesnt say anything, it tells me a great deal. You once had a babe, a male? This shell represents him and you would do well to beware of it.
Swartt stared at the little red shell, his lip twisting contemptuously. “Oh, yes, I remember the brat, but that was long ago, hes probably dead by now. We lost him after the battle on the path.
Nightshade narrowed her eyes, staring hard at the shell. “You never really lost him. Seehes come back!
Swartt kicked sand at her. “Idiot! How can a little red shell hurt me?
“Pick it up and see, its not so little anymore.
Swartt picked the shell up and found it was quite a big one. In falling it had been almost covered by the soft sand, allowing only a small part of it to remain visible.
The vixen nodded. “It was a little shell once, but it has grown, Lord. Beware of it, I say. Turn it over and look.