Bella came forward, spreading her silver-furred paws. “First, let me say that I take responsibility for what will happen here today. Any resentment or grievance you hold must be against me, and not our Mother Abbess. Bella looked directly at Bryony. “Is that clear?
Bryony nodded, looking stricken, and the ancient badger continued. “You see before you a young ferret called Veil. I gave him his name when he was brought to this place many seasons ago. Abbess Meriam, myself, and one other, our friend Bryony, aye, and all of you for that matter, showed him every kindness. The goodbeasts of Redwall helped Veil to grow from a Dibbun to a youngbeast, trying to teach him the values of the life we live here, to honour, help, befriend, and never to harm others. Sadly he ignored all advice and went his own way, lying, cheating, stealing and creating bad feeling among otherbeasts. All this could have been forgiven, and has been countless times in the past. However, now Veil has passed the point of forgiveness. He tried to kill one of us, and there is no absolution whatsoever for a creature who would do this to a Brother or Sister of Redwall. Had he lived among badgers, who have a far more rigid code, I tell you, he would have been slain instantly. But this is not the way at our Abbey, though nothing as terrible as this has ever before occurred here.
“Therefore I must say something to you, Veil, that has never been said to another creature within these walls so far, and it is a hard thing for me to say. You are no longer one of us: there is no place for you at Redwall; once you are put on the path outside the Abbey, our gates are closed to you for ever. Veil, you must go now. I declare you Outcast!
A cry like that of a wounded animal broke the silence. Bryony dashed forward, trying to get hold of the young ferret. “No, no! Not my Veil. Please, let him stay. Ill look after him, hell change, youll see, Ill talk to him... !
Meriam got to Bryony before she reached Veil; wrapping her in the folds of her gown, the Abbess hugged the mouse-maid tightly. “Hush now, be still, little one, he is a poisoner and would have murdered had he not been stopped. There is nothing more you can do for him!
Veil looked stunned as Jodd cut the bonds from his paws, and he stared at the old badger on the steps, crying, “What about me? Wherell I go now? Ive got no family, Im alone. WhatIl I do?
Seizing both the ferrets paws in a viselike grip, Skipperjo brought his face close and said through gritted teeth, “Little sixclaw the poisoner, eh? I knowed who you was, matey, from the day I picked you up suckin frogspawn in a muddy ditch! Yore the whelp of that other six-clawed vermin, Swartt the Warlord. Aye, the one whos over at Salamandastron mountain right now, fightin the great Badger Lord. Why dont yer travel over thatways, due west and through the mountains, they say, an take a look at some real slayin, or would onest warfare be too noble fer a sneakin poisoner!
Then, dragging Veil by bom paws, the big otter lugged him through the gateway and flung him on the path. “Go an work yore evil someplace else, scum!
As the gates of Redwall slammed shut on him, Veil stood quivering with rage, shaking his six-clawed paw at those inside. “Stupid oafs! he yelled. “Bumblin fools! You aint heard the last o me! See these paws, well, you dyed them red, an red theyll stay, to remind me that someday Ill be back! Aye, with my own horde, Ill tear this Abbey apart, stone by stone, then Ill slay every livin one of you, I prom-ise!
Inside on the lawn, Bella and the Abbess held Bryony close between them as she pleaded, wept, and begged for them to give Veil one last chanceVeil, the ferret she had reared and loved from a babe, despite all his evil ways.
Book Three: The Warriors Reckoning
31
The absolute size and majesty of Salamandastron staggered Swartt Sixclaw when he first saw the mountain. From behind a rocky groyne that stretched lengthwise across the shore, the Warlord sat in counsel with his Captains, while the horde sprawled across the sands, eating, relaxing, and readying their weapons. Zigu could not resist sneering at Swartts strategy, which was to take the mountain from behind in a pincer movement. The Corsair ferret lolled indolently against the rocks, making parries and thrusts at midair, practicing with his long, basket-hilled rapier.
“Zounds! Listen to himattack the mountain from behind. Methinks Ive heard some half-witted schemes in me time, but strewth, thisn takes the biscuit!
Swartt faced the sardonic Corsair, holding his temper level. “Well, you were clever enough tlose yer ship on the rocks, lets ear yer plan ifn you dont like mine, Capn Zigu.
Stung by the barb about the loss of his ship, Zigu sketched a swift plan on the sand with his rapier point. “Right you are, Warlord, heres my scheme. The sea at our back is a natural ally; wait until the last of ebb tide, then form the whole horde up in ranks below the tideline. Obviously the defenders of yon mountain have nothing like the numbers we possess, and mayhap Salamandastron will fall to us by a mere show of power. When they see the might of our horde advancing up the beach, perhaps their nerve will fail.
A murmur of approval rose from the Captains, but Swartt drew a line through Zigus plan with the tip of his curved sword. “What was wrong with my plan, whys yores any better? he said.
Zigu was enjoying his verbal victory over Swartt, whom he considered a savage clod. “The fault with your strategy, my good Warlord, he said condescendingly, “is that we leave our backs unguarded. Who can tell what lies in the hills behind the mountainwe could be attacked by those who are friendly neighbors to the Badger Lord. However, if you take my way it is a two-edged blade: first, we have nothing to lose by a show of strength; second, it will put fear into the hearts of our enemy.
The horde Captains nodded vigorously; they liked Zigus idea. Swartt gestured at the mountain with his chain-mailed paw. “Fair enough, but what if they aint scared of us, what do we do then, march upndown on the shore lookin fierce? That aint goin to conquer no mountain. Yore plan aint bad, Zigu, but it needs a bit of work doin on it.
The Corsair sheathed his rapier and performed a flourishing bow in Swartts direction. “Be my guest, Sirrah, by all means. Plan away!
Playing him at his own game, Swartt bowed back. “Righto! Ifn they dont come flockin out terrifiednsurrenderin like you say they should, then eres wot we do. Split up an attack, usin the pincer movement I was goin to use from the back, this time at the front, but wid a difference. This time we mount a charge, straightforward at the front entrance, same time as the pincers hit both sides. Now, itll need a clevernfearless beast tlead that frontal charge. Captains, who dyou say it should be?
The Captains replied en masse without hesitation, “Zigu! The Corsair smiled and saluted them with his rapier, inwardly seething that he had allowed himself to be outwitted by Swartt.
The midday sun was at its zenith. Sunflash the Mace stood at his bedchamber window with Colonel Sandgall, Sundew, and Sabretache. Together they watched the seemingly endless ranks of hordebeasts marching out to line up below the tide-line. War drums pounded relentlessly, and conch shell trumpets brayed aloud over the barbaric banners streaming high over glinting spearheads.
Colonel Sandgall watched them coolly through his monocle. “Dyou know, I do believe the blightersve brought enough troops along tmake a decent scrap of it, eh, Tache?
Sabretache the swordhare tutted indifferently. “Tchah! Lets hope they fight bettern they drill, sloppy lot, no right markers, no proper dressin from the right. Id smarten em up if I were their Captain, believe you me!
Sunflash smiled at Sundew. “Afraid, missie? he asked.
She looked up at the Badger Lord, his golden stripe showing through the open visor of a high black war helmet, massive chest covered by a fine chain-mail tunic, and the great mace balanced easily over his broad shoulder. “Not while youre around, Sire! she said.