The Long Patrol Part 11

Rockjaw Grang plodded along with his burden, muttering a single word: "Spoilsport!"

24.

The remainder of the night pa.s.sed uneventfully, though Peri-gord's troop knew they were being watched from the treetops by the Painted Ones. Pairing off, the hares took turns to guard the camp and keep an eye on the still-unconscious prisoner.

Tammo and Pasque were on second watch. They sat together, keeping the fire fed with twigs and dried moss.

Tammo eyed the captive's slumped figure uneasily. "I say, d'you think the rascal will come 'round before momin'? He looks pretty much of a heap, maybe the fall finished him off?"

Pasque felt the pulse on the rat's neck and checked his breathing by holding a thin blade of gra.s.s close to his mouth and nostrils. "Not t'worry, he'll live, though whether or not he'll ever be the same after you an' Russa landin' atop of him remains t'be seen. Now-I'd best take a look at that footpaw you've been hobblin' about on."

Tammo dismissed the idea airily. "Oh, that? Hah! 'Twas nothin' really, I'm fine, thanks!"

Pasque Valerian began pulling herbs and dressing from her bag. "Sorry, but I've got to fix it up, Major's orders. If you 126.

127 : have to travel on that paw all day tomorrow it'd become worse ; an' you'd slow us all up. So hold still."

Pasque damped warm water on dock leaves and crushed f gentian stems, binding the poultice to Tammo's right footpaw with a thin brown cloth strip. When she was done, Tammo was pleased with the result. The bandage was firm but not tight, and he could use the footpaw quite freely without ; twingeing pains.

;'' "Golly, that feels like a new paw now. My thanks to you, i marm!"

: Pasque fluttered her long lashes comically. "Why, thank ye, young sir, though if you had any of your mother's pancakes (; left I'd charge you two of 'em for my services!"

The leader of the Painted Ones stirred. "Whuuchakka * huunhh! Whuuurrg! Shavvakamalla hurtened much lotsa!"

Pasque reopened her medicine bag, showing open disdain : for the creature as she treated him. "Hmph! Hurtened much ; lotsa, is it? Y'wicked little runt, I'd have hurted you much :. lotsa more if I could've got a clear shot at you. Here, sit ; up'n'drink this!"

-" Averting his head, the rat tried to push away Pasque's med-icine. Tammo came to her aid. Grabbing the protesting ver-& min's jaws he forced them open, pus.h.i.+ng the rat's head back. ' "Carry on, chum, pour it down the filthy ol' throat, an' I f * hope it tastes jolly awful. Give the bounder a bigger dose if 5 he tries spittin' it out!"

t Between them they fixed up the rat's injuries. Tammo, ' working under Pasque's directions, proved capable with ban-^ dage and splint, though whenever his friend was not watching, pphe would give the bindings an extra sharp tug, causing the rat '"' Vto groan. Pasque took the groans as a sign that more medicine was needed, and she dosed him well.

s, "Oh, do stop moanin' an' whinin', you cowardly little rbully. Thank the fates you're still alive an' bein' treated by : civilized hares!"

Morning dawned warm, with the promise of a hot sunny day. ?. Steam rose in drifting tendrils from the mossy riverbank as Corporal Rubbadub marched about, sounding reveille.

128.

"Rubbadubdub, dubbadubbity dub, baboom baboom ba-boom!"

The Painted Ones' leader clapped both bandaged paws to his aching head and glared pleadingly at Rubbadub, who merely smiled and leaned close to the rat's ear, to give him the full benefit of his skills.

"Boompity boompity boom!"

Major Perigord stretched languidly, issuing morning orders as he did, "Rise*n's.h.i.+ne, troop. 'Fraid we can't take the chance of breakin' our fast hereabouts, what with the flippin* forces o' darkness up there in the arboreal verdance, waitin' to take a crack at us an' rescue oP Shavvaka wotsisface. We'll cross the river lower down an' don the nosebag when we're well away from here. Those painted chaps can have their boss wallah back once we've crossed the river. Break camp, Sergeant."

Torgoch, looking fresh as a daisy, saluted stiffly. "Right y'are, sah! Midge, Riffle, move y'selves. Tare'n'Turry, make sure that fire's well doused before y'leave. Rockjaw, sling that h'injured vermin over y'shoulder. Officers lead off, other ranks bringin1 up the rear!"

Rockjaw threw the rat over one shoulder, chatting to Lieutenant Mono as he did.

"Wot does the Major mean by 'arboreal verdance,' sah?"

"Hmm, arboreal verdance, lemme see, I rather think it means treetops, leafy green ones."

"Oh! Then why didn't 'e say treetops?"

"Why should he when he knows how t'say words like arboreal verdance?"

Rockjaw cuffed the moaning rat lightly. "Hush thy noise, or I'll give thee summat to moan about an y'won't see your arboreal verdance again!"

They crossed the river at the ford, which was littered with huge rocks, providing good stepping-stones. Behind them the foliage rustled and trembled as the Painted Ones followed, anxious as to the fate of their Chieftain. Perigord soon dispelled their fears by frog-hopping the hobbled rat back to the last stepping-stone, where he left him to be rescued by his own kind. But not without a severe warning.

Fearlessly the Major drew his saber and pointed it at the 129 swaying tree cover. "Listen up now, every slackjawed one o' ye! My name is Major Perigord Habile Sinistra, but don't for a moment think that 'cos I'm left-pawed I can't use this blade! If y'don't improve your ways I'll return here, me an' my warriors, an' we'll chop y'all up an' eatcha, got that! We didn't eat your leader simply because he's a coward an' a bully an' that'd make him taste bad. If I were you chaps I'd set about findin' a new commander today! Now if you've understood all that, an' you probably haven't if you're as dense as oP Shavvachops here, then take heed because I'm perilous an' don't make idle threats. I bid ye good morn!"

Throwing up an elegant front salute with his saber, Perigord wheeled on one paw and marched back to his patrol.

Torgoch nodded admiringly. "Does yore 'eart good t'see a h'officer with steel in 'is backbone layin' down the law to vermin, don't it, Rock!"

The giant hare dusted off his shoulder as if he had been carrying some unspeakable bundle of garbage there. ' 'Aye, by *ecky thump! But if'n I'd a been him I'd 'ave told 'em I'd chop off their arboreal verdancy. Sithee, that'd make yon vermin sit up straight!"

Breakfast time slipped by unnoticed. Having picked up the vermin trail, the patrol marched swiftly onward over the gra.s.slands in the fine spring morning. Between them, the twins Tare and Turry struck up a lively marching chant.

"As I marched out one sunny day, O lairo lairo lay!

I met a hare upon the way, O lairo lairo lay dee!

With ears like silk, and eyes so brown, And fur as soft as thistledown, She smiled at me an' that was that, My poor young heart went pitter pat!

O pitter pat an' eyes of brown, She looked me up an' looked me down, I ask you now, what could I do, I said, 'Please, may I walk with you?'

We walked together all that day, 130.

O lairo lairo lay!

As laughingly I heard her say, O lairo lairo laydee!

'Pray tell to me, O brave young sir, Are you a wild an' perilous hare Who thinks of nought from morn 'til night But march an' sing an' charge an' fight?'

O march an' sing, O perilous hare, So I said to this creature fair, 'To march an' fight is my intent, 's my regiment!'

And then upon that sunny day, O lairo lairo lay!

She turned from me an' skipped away, O lairo lairo laydee!

She said, 'I fear that we must part, Sir, I would not give you my heart, That Long Patrol, alas alack, Those hares march off an' ne'er come back!'

O ne'er,come back an' Long Patrol, While rivers flow an' hills do roll, I'll march along my merry way, An' look for pretty hares each day!"

Two hours into noon, woodlands were sighted. However, this was no copse but vast expanses of mighty trees.

Russa picked up the pace, smiling fondly. "Yonder lies Mossflower, an' the Abbey of Redwall within a few days. What d'yer think o' that, young Tamm?"

Before Tammo could answer, Perigord interrupted sharply: "Only a few days to the Abbey, you say? By the left! We'd best put on a stride an' catch up with those vermin!"

Doubling the pace to a swift lope, they headed toward the shady green vastness of the sprawling woodlands. The first thing Tammo noticed on entering Mossflower was the silence. It was complete and absolute. The sudden call of a cuckoo nearby made him start momentarily. Overawed by the ancient 131 wide-girthed splendor of oak, beech, elm, sycamore, and other towering giants, the young hare found himself whispering to Russa, "Why is it so bally quiet in here?"

The squirrel shrugged. "Dunno, I've never given it a thought. May'aps because out in the open y'can hear the wind, an' distant sounds travel on the breeze, but in 'ere, well, 'tis sort o' closed in like."

Stirring the moist carpet of dead vegetation with his saber-tip, the Major commented, "Cap'n Twayblade, let 'em rest their paws awhile here and sc.r.a.pe up a quick snack-no cookin' fire. Russa, you come with me and we'll track ahead. They've left plenty o' trail in this loam."

When the pair had left, Tammo sat with his friends in dappled sunlit shadows. They munched dried apples, nuts, and oatcake, washed down with beakers of water.

"I've never been to Redwall Abbey, what's it like?" he whispered to Pasque.

"Can't help you there, chum. I haven't either. Neither has Riffle, Tare'n'Turry, or any of us younger ones. Cap'n Twayblade has."

The Captain put aside her beaker. "Well, I'll tell you, chaps, I don't wish to appear disloyal to Salamandastron, but Redwall Abbey, by m'life, there's a place an' a half! I was only there once, with Torgoch an' Rockjaw, we were carryin' dispatches from Lady Cregga to the of Mother Abbess, con-gratulatin' her on a onescore season Jubilee, as I recall. Anyhow, we arrived at Redwall in time for the feast. Remember feat, eh, Rock?"

The burly Rockjaw Grang grinned and nodded, speaking in his odd way. "Bah gum, that were a do I'll not forget! Sithee, I've ne'er clapped eyes on so much luvly grub in one place: puddens'n'pies, cakes, turnovers, pasties, tarts, you name it *an' it were there. Trifles, cream, cheeses, soups, an' more .kinds o' fresh-baked breads than y'could twitch an ear at! But by 'ecky thump, I've tasted nought like that October Ale they brew at yon Abbey. ..."

,. He sat with a dreamy look on his craggy face as the Sergeant contributed his reminiscences. "Ho yerss, they 'ad all ,'* manner o' fizzy cordials an' berry wines too. We sang an' danced an' feasted for more'n three days. I declare, you ain't 132 never met such obligin' creatures as those Redwallers, 'omely an' friendly as the season's long, they was. If'n I'm still around when I gets too old to patrol, I'd like nothin' better than to retire meself to Redwall Abbey, 'tis the 'appiest place I've ever seen in all me seasons!"

Riffle could not resist rubbing his paws together gleefully. "Good egg! An' we're going to be there in a few days, wot!"

Faint but urgent a faraway cry echoed through the woodlands.

"Eulaliaaa! Rally the troops! Death on the wind! Eulal-iaaaaa!"

Food and talk were instantly forgotten; weapons appeared as the Patrol leapt to the alert.

"Rally the troops! Eulaliaaaaaa!"

Captain Twayblade's long rapier thrust toward the cries. "Over that way, I reckon! Eulaliaaaaaa! Chaaaaaaarge!"

They took off like a sheet of lightning, blades and slings whirling, roaring aloud the war cry to let Perigord know help was on its way.

"Eulaliaaa! 'S death on the wind! Eulaliaaaaa!"

Despite his bandaged paw, Tammo was up with the front-runners, Twayblade, Riffle, and Midge. Straight on they raced, through bush and shrub, loam flying, leaves swirling, twigs cracking, and startled birds whirring off through the trees. Pawsounds thrummed fast against the earth like frenzied, muted drumbeats. Sunlight and shadow wove together as they hurtled onward, bellowing and baying like wolves to the hunt.

25.

Bursting over the brow of a humpbacked ridge, the wild charging hares crashed through a grove of rowans down into a narrow rocky defile and flung themselves like madbeasts into the fray. Major Perigord was backed into a small cave; beset by yelling vermin, he held the entrance gallantly. A broken javelin tip protruded from his right shoulder, and he was slashed In several places, but still he wielded his saber like a drum major's staff, fighting gamely against overwhelming odds, which threatened to bring him down and get at whoever was behind him inside the cave. Smas.h.i.+ng into the rear of the vermin and scattering them like ninepins, the Long Patrol Hares arrived to their officer's rescue.

"Eulaliaaaa! Give 'em blood'n'vinegar! Eulaliaaaa!" Tammo's dirk, Twayblade's rapier, and Riffle's dagger claimed the first three foebeasts. Rockjaw Grang slew two with ferocious kicks from his mighty hindpaws. Lieutenant Morio had his face laid open by a cutla.s.s slash as he brought down another with his lance. Perigord flung his saber after the remainder, who were scrabbling off up the far side of the small 133.

134 ravine. He fell on all fours, shouting hoa.r.s.ely, "Run 'em to earth, keep after the sc.u.m!"

More than a score of the remaining vermin ran off through the woodlands, with the hares hard on their heels. Sergeant Torgoch ran alongside Twayblade, trying to keep his eye on the escapers as they fled into the deep tree cover. "They're splittin' up, Cap'n. What now, marm?" he shouted.

Twayblade kept running, watching the vermin starting to fan out, issuing orders as she went. "Lieutenant Mono stayed behind with the Major, so with Russa that makes us eleven. Torgoch, you take Rubbadub and Midge ..."

Tammo interrupted, his face full of concern. "But where is Russa?" he said. "Has anyone seen her?"

' 'Probably off somewheres finis.h.i.+ng off a few dozen vermin with that stick of hers," said Twayblade, sounding more confident than she felt. "Torgoch, Rubbadub, Midge, keep after those to the left. Riffle, go after those who've gone right- Tare'n'Turry, go with him. Tammo, Pasque, Rockjaw, stay with me, there's about ten of 'em bunched together keepin' straight ahead. We'll stick with them, and everyone keep your eyes skinned for Russa."

Knowing they were running for their lives, the fleeing vermin dashed helter-skelter, south into Mossflower. Tammo was beginning to feel weariness weighting his paws, owing to the headlong dash to the defile and the subsequent fighting. However, he was running with the famed Long Patrol, so he tried hard not to show signs of fatigue. Keeping his mouth closed, he breathed hard through his nostrils and whacked both foot-paws down resolutely.

As Twayblade shot ahead, a rat tripped over some protruding tree roots in front of her. Before the creature could recover, she was upon him, dispatching him as he tried to rise. Tammo noted a weasel breaking off from the main body and slipping behind a hornbeam. Shooting off to one side, he watched the tree as his companions raced past it. Slowing his pace, Tammo came around the hornbeam. The weasel was smiling, thinking he had shaken off his pursuers. Turning to head east, he ran straight into Tammo. A look of surprise crossed the vermin's ugty face and he grabbed for the hatchet shoved through his belt, but too late. Tammo slew him with a single thrust. The 135 : chilling feeling took control of Tammo as he dashed to join the others, teeth chattering and limbs trembling uncontrollably. He sighted them up ahead; they were halted, retreating slowly. Rockjaw Grang saw him and called, "Stay where thee are, .Tamm, 'tis bad swampland 'ereabouts!"

Tammo walked forward another few paces until the ground became squishy, where he joined his companions. Farther out m the swamp the remaining vermin had rushed heedlessly into ; a dangerous quagmire.

Twayblade nodded in their direction. "Nothin' we can do about 'em now, chaps. Put up y'weapons."

Horrified, Tammo stood watching. Nearly all eight of the vermin were in over their waists. They shrieked and struggled, * making the position worse for themselves, grabbing at one ^another as the bottomless ooze sucked them remorselessly *-down. One, a nimble ferret, pulled himself up onto a rotting and managed to scramble along its length as his weight it down. Behind him, his comrades, who had only their I heads showing above the treacherous surface, yelled piteously ; to him.

"Rinkul, 'elp us, mate, do somethin', 'elp us!" But the ferret was intent on saving only his own skin. Hauling himself upright, he streaked the length of the sinking trunk, * flinging his body forward in an amazing leap. He landed in some bushes where the ground became tinner and ran off, hop-skipping wildly until he was clear of the main swamp. Tum-,ing, he watched, as did the hares, the remaining vermin gurgle * horribly as the muddy depths claimed them for its own. Sec- *mds later there was nought but a smooth gray-brown patch i;*mid the green rotting vegetation to indicate where they had gone down. The ferret, Rinkul, turned and shrugged.

As he squelched his way off over the swamp's far side, ;Tammo noticed that he was twirling something.

A sick feeling swept over the already trembling young hare, he fell down on all fours. Pasque was right beside him, wiping his face with some damp gra.s.s. "Tamm, what is it? Are you wounded?" Tammo's face seemed to have aged several seasons as he fought to stop shaking, muttering words at the ground in front ', of him.

136.

Captain Twayblade a.s.sisted Pasque to pull the s.h.i.+vering hare upright. She c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at the younger creature. "I say, can y'make out what he's chunnerin' on about, wot?"

Tears began br.i.m.m.i.n.g in Pasque Valerian's soft brown eyes. "Oh, Cap'n, he said that the ferret was carryin' Russa's stick!"

Twayblade sheathed her rapier, grim-faced. "Come on, Rock, we'd best get back to the Major, post haste. Stay with Tammo, young gel, take y'time bringin' him back, we'll go ahead. If y'see the others, tell 'em where we are."

The kindly Rockjaw Grang took off his tunic and draped it about Tammo's quivering shoulders. It was so large that it lapped his footpaws, but it was thick and warm. ' 'There thou goes, suns.h.i.+ne, thee tek it easy now!" he said, patting Tammo's face.

It was full noontide when Pasque and Tammo made it back to the defile, accompanied by Sergeant Torgoch, Rubbadub, and Midge, whom they had met up with on the way. Perigord was seated in front of a fire, his right paw in a sling that held a large herbal pad to the shoulder. On seeing the Major, Tammo was able to say only one word.

"Russa?"

Perigord's normally languid face was pale and drawn as he nodded toward the cave. Breaking free of Torgoch and Pasque, the young hare staggered into the little chamber. A strange scene confronted him. Lieutenant Mono, with a bandage 'round his face that ran beneath his chin and ended in a bow between his ears, was nursing a tiny badger. Looking for all the world like an old harewife, he placed a paw to his lips.

"Sshh! I've just got him t'sleep!"

In a corner there was a still form, covered by a ragged homespun blanket. Close to it, Russa, also wrapped in a cloak, was sitting with her back against the sandstone wall. Tammo gave a deep sigh as he sat down next to his squirrel friend.

"Whew! Thank the seasons you're alive, mate!"