"Aaarr no, sir, y'wouldn't do that, sir!"
"Don't kill us, yer Lordship. We've got families!"
"Aye liddle uns an' wives. Spare us fer their sakes!"
Buckler's eyes went cold; he kicked them both. "Get up, up, both of ye! Snake-tongued liars. If I believed ye, I'd finish both of ye right now just t'save any poor beast the misery an' shame of havin' the like of you as fathers. Now, which way am I pointin'?"
"North, sir, yer pointin' north," wailed the fox.
Buckler growled through clenched teeth, "Aye, north 'tis. Go now, an' don't stop for the next three sunsets, or I promise yell be flybait!"
A few stinging smacks from the narrow flat of his blade sent them scurrying awkwardly off. Still tied back-to-back and paw-to-paw, they stumbled and tripped off into the falling dusk.
To say that Flib was impressed was an understatement. She sat wide-eyed, whispering, "I never seen anybeast that good wirra blade, never!"
Diggs patted the shrewmaid's paw. "Indeed, an' you ain't likely to, missy. You've just witnessed a Salamandas-tron Blademaster, the best there is. But y'must remember, he was only toyin' with 'em, right, mate?"
Buckler speared a slice of apple from the fruit salad, flipped it up with his swordpoint and caught it in his mouth. He sat down, winking at Flib. "Right!"
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5
Zwilt the Shade waited until three of his Ravagers, with their two small captives, stopped to rest. Then he made a silent and unexpected appearance behind them. The leader of the vermin, a weasel called Grakk, spun around as the polecat tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Lord Zwilt, we were just--" Zwilt silenced him by raising a paw. "I know, Grakk. You were just stopping to rest before you carried on to Althier. Where did you capture the shrews?"
Grakk pointed with his spear. "By the south bend of the River Moss. Their tribe were camped there, Sire. These two had strayed off into the trees, so we took them."
Tugging gently on the halter about their necks, Zwilt drew the young ones closer. They were gagged and blindfolded; both looked exhausted.
The polecat nodded as he looked them over. "Good work, Grakk. You did well. The Sable Quean will be pleased when I tell her. I will take them to Althier."
The weasel saluted with his spear. "Lord!"
Zwilt wound the halter around one paw. "Go back and see if the shrewbeasts have any more little offerings for us."
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Grakk and the other two Ravagers, both weasels, stole off into the woodlands.
Althier was the secret place. Only a chosen few of the Ravagers were allowed to be there. The main body of the vermin were camped half a league away in the depths of Mossflower Wood. In this way, there was no well-trampled pawpath, which would reveal the Sable Quean's location.
The two young shrews were stumbling with exhaustion as the Shade led them to the great oak. He tapped on the concealed door in its trunk. Two vermin guards admitted him, leading the new captives down a twisting tunnel into a large central chamber. The ceiling was formed by the arched roots of the mighty tree above. This was no vermin achievement--Althier had been constructed countless seasons before by far more noble beasts.
Prodding his little prisoners, Zwilt guided them to a side room. The Ravager standing guard stepped aside as Zwilt swept in with the shrews.
They blinked in the torch and lantern light as Zwilt flicked off their blindfolds with his swordtip. Both took a pace back at the scene which confronted them. Raised on two steps was a broad stone seat covered with soft mosses, dried grass and rugs made from the fur of beasts. Lounging gracefully upon it was a creature of barbaric beauty. Her fur was shining black and thick, with undertones of rich, dark brown. She was slender of limb, but lithe and strong. Her nosetip and ears were a dainty pink; her eyes, with a slight almond curve, glittered like two dark jewels. Beneath a fine silken cloak of regal purple, a necklace of snake fangs adorned her elegant neck.
The young shrews forgot their plight momentarily. They stared at her in awe. Crouched on the bottom step of the stone seat, an ancient rat clad in tattered raiment gave them a toothless smile.
"Is she not wonderful to look upon, my little dears? Bow your heads to Vilaya the Sable Quean!"
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Her words seemed to break the spell. The younger of the shrews broke out sobbing. "Waaahaaah, I wanna go 'ome to Mammy!"
Vilaya bared a set of perfect sharp white teeth at him. "Be silent or I will eat you!"
The venom with which she spat out the words frightened the shrew into silence. She gestured to a guard. "Put them with the others!"
They were hustled swiftly off. From a distance, the sobs of the little shrew could be heard afresh.
Zwilt leaned on his sword hilt as he addressed Vilaya. "There are more where they came from. Shrews always have big broods. I told Grakk to go back and look for others. Though I think you already have enough."
Vilaya replied scathingly, "I will tell you when I have enough. Your job is to obey my commands, not to stand here giving opinions and bandying words with your Quean."
Zwilt knew how dangerous the Sable Quean could be. Avoiding further argument, he shrugged. "What would you have me do, then, Majesty?"
Vilaya let Dirva, the old rat, speak for her.
"There's been reports of river rats down on the South-stream--Grullba's crew, they say. Quean Vilaya thinks they would be a valuable addition to our Ravagers. She needs somebeast to challenge Grullba and defeat him. The river rats would follow one who could do it."
It was a rare thing for anybeast to see Zwilt the Shade smile, but smile he did. Drawing his broadsword, he cleaved the air in a deft pattern, making the wide blade thrum.
"Grullba Deathwind, eh? I've heard of his skill with the battleaxe. When I've slain him, I'll take off his head with his own weapon and bring them both here for you to see, Majesty."
Vilaya shook her head at the grisly prospect. "Forget the head of some oafish River Rat Chieftain. All I wish to hear
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is that you've added his crew to my army of Ravagers. Only that will please me."
Zwilt extended his sword at eye level, speaking as he peered down the length of its blade. "Then we will be strong enough in numbers to conquer Redwall Abbey. It will fall before us like an old dead tree!"
Vilaya stared at him for a moment, then turned away. As if ignoring Zwilt, she remarked to the old rat Dirva, "Does this fool never listen to the wisdom of his Quean?"
Stung by the slight, Zwilt looked up from his sword. "Victory and conquest are the only things that are wise!"
The Sable Quean closed her eyes and waved a languid paw at her ancient confidante. "This beast is beginning to tire me. Dirva, explain our plan to him again."
Chuckling at Zwilt's humiliation, Dirva outlined the plan briefly. "There is no need for warfare. Battles are a gamble in which one side must be defeated. Redwall Abbey has never suffered defeat. The conquering tyrants and vermin hordes who have been vanquished from that Abbey's walls are lost to memory. Their bones have long turned to dust. So, how do we achieve a victory over Red-wall, and all the country of Mossflower?"
Zwilt's dead black eyes bored into the speaker. "Tell me."
The Sable Quean prowled down from her throne. Slowly circling the tall beast, she took up the explanation. "It's quite simple. We leave Redwall alone. They cannot fight what they do not see. The Abbey, and all this land, is inhabited mostly by woodlanders, would you agree? Good, honest, hardworking creatures, yes?"
Zwilt nodded, allowing her to continue.
"Woodlanders with families, relatives and friends. The young ones, their babes, their kindred, are the hope of the future, the very lifeblood of peaceful creatures. They would do anything to protect their brood, even fight. But how can they fight what is not there? The worry, the grief and sorrow at the loss of their dearest treasure. Where are
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their young ones? Are they alive or dead? No woodlander or Abbeydweller will know until I speak to them on my terms. Give me what I want, and your families will be allowed to live. They will, believe me, because the alternative would be too awful for them to imagine. That is my plan, Zwilt."