by Lord TBT
The massive Badger Lord, Lord Trawnbull Thickstripe, gazed down from his mountain thoughtfully, wondering when his friend Erin the Swordmaker would return so he could finish his forging teachings.
“Lysander, come to my chambers,” he bellowed. A stout, broad hare wearing a chainmail vest walked into the cave. “Go to Redwall Abbey, and see how they are doing. I have a feeling they might need your war skills”, the badger commanded.
“No problem, Chief, sah. I can take the jolly old piece of metal with me, eh, wot?”
“Of course”, Lord Trawnbull laughed, “Take your stilleto. It may be thin, but its length can go right through a beast. See you in a few seasons, Lysander.”
“See you later, TBT”. The hare trotted off toward the Abbey jovially humming a tune.
The group advanced toward the hedgehog maid near the fire. “Marm, can we ‘elp you?” asked Gunthre.
“Oh, I don’t think you can be much help to be. My husband died and I’m burning his remains to ashes. This bandage is from a wound I recieved many years ago. Oh, I’m Dewblossom, who are you?”
“I’m Gunthre, the squirrel replied, ” and these are my friends, Daniel, Alfred, Gonjur, Erin, and Scamper.”
The ground started to rumble, and up popped a mole. “Burr hello maisters. I see you found my ‘edgy’og furnd. Perhaips now I can return ee faver too ee.”
“Its Gubble!” exclaimed Scamper.
“Come on into this ‘ere ‘ut and I’ll show ee where ee are”. The travelers obediently followed the creature through the doorway. Gubble pulled out a map. “This is where ee is,” he said, pointing to an area. “Where do you want ter be?” he asked.
Daniel took charge. “We are tracking a wolf named Trager. Has he passed this way?”
“Sorry maisters. ‘ee hasn’t. Oi suggest yew travel north’ard, to ee mountings.”
“Well” replied Gonjur, “thanks absoballylutely for the help old chap. Capital!”
“Yes, we must be going now,” said Erin. “Thank you.”
“Oh you can’t leave without food” said Dewblossom. “Here take these fresh haversacks filled to the brim.”
The group of seven left the devastating site with haversacks of food given to them by Dewblossom and Gubble. “North we go!” exclaimed Daniel as he adjusted his pack.
Around mid-day, Scamper trotted ahead to survey what lay in front of the beyond the path. He ran back so quickly his cap fell off. “Mateys, your not gonna believe this. Go look and see for yourselves!”
The party sprinted forward to see what the young otter was so anxious about.
Meanwhile, at Redwall, the elders were having a meeting about Trager the Beast. When the trio and the captives returned, many were overjoyed, but, upset at the theft of the great Sword. William came up the steps. “Blast me spikes if this isn’t a good brew,” he said. “October Ale for all!”
“We need to do something about the wolf” Abbot Cornelius said, quite concerned.
“I know”. said Alison, the mother of Redwall. ” Ever since that vole and those otters came here with the prisoners, and a story of this ‘Trager the Beast’, I’ve been worried.” The badger perked up. “We can have the Guosim help us. They’ve been essential in the past, they can help now.”
Foremole stood up. “Whoi that’t be a gudd idear, boi ‘ecky. I’ll tell ‘ee Skipper t’ get Glog-log. He can ‘elp us to. Gudd thing he’s here, hurr hurr.”
Foremole found Skipper in the kitchens with Friar Ansom making the famous watershrimp, bulrush ‘n’ hotroot soup. “Maister Skipper, culd you’m get ‘ee Glog- log to ‘elp us’ns with a problem.”
“Problem matey, what is it?” asked Skipper, ladeling more pepper into the concoction.
“A wolf stole Marthen’s Sword.”
“What?!” exploded Skipper. “Of course I’ll get Log-a-Log, and the Guosim. When did we learn of this wolf?”
“When a voler and to ‘hotters came by. Their in the infirmary if you must see them, burr hurr hurr,” Foremole coughed.
“You rascals!” yelled Sister Rose, infirmary master. “You must drink this dandelion petal and salt water soup. It will cure any diseases you may have picked on your way here.”
“Stay away from me, bankvole,” warned Nachoon. “I’m as fit as a flea, or better, I don’t have any diseases.”
“Neither do we!” said Forte and Frisk in unison. “Just send us some otter hotroot soup and we’ll be all right.”
At that moment, Skipper appeared at the door. “Mr. Skipper, sir,” said Sister Rose. “See you what you can do about these scoundrels. They’re driving me insane!” The bewildered creature ran out of the room screaming “Now I know what my grandmother Viola went through!”
Skipper chuckled. “So your the ones that saved these slaves and brought back information about a wolf?”
“Yes” replied Nachoon. “We met-”
“Whats his name? Where is he heading? Have you met Daniel?” Skipper excitedly interrogated.
“Whoa, whoa, not so fast, not so fast,” answered Frisk. “My brother and I, Scamper, met these two young mice, Daniel and Alfred, tracking a wolf who had stole some kind of sword. We agreed to help them. Presently, we were captured, by this wolf Trager, Nachoon here saved us, and him, me n’ Forte took the slaves back here, while Daniel, Alfred and some others we had met when after Trager.”
“Excellent” replied Skipper. “I’ll make sure all of you finally get some decent food instead of this junk from this dump. Thanks.” The otter leader ran off with his javelin, running to the Guosim Camp.
