Mattimeo

Chapter 47

Sister May and Cornflower had tried to feed Stryk with Abbey fare, but the red kite was no vegetarian, so

they finally compromised by giving the great hunting bird a net of watershrimp. Stryk had taken to the

corner of the wine cellar, and she settled down to sleep on a pile of moss and sacking.

“Stay out of Mr. Spike’s wine cellar, little one,” Sister May warned baby Rollo. “Never go down there

alone. We can’t take chances with a bird like that one.”

“Huh, hope it doesn’t get a taste for October ale or elderberry wine, great hulkin’ thing like that’d

empty my cellar,” Ambrose Spike grumbled into an apple and blackberry pie wedge.

The Abbot looked over the top of his spectacles. “No quicker than the average cellar-keeper could

empty a larder. You’re right, Sister May, Stryk is a fine big bird, but she is not used to our ways. Pity about

her wing. She’s very proud. Did you see the way she got huffy when I remarked that it was broken? I’d like

to take a look at it sometime.”

Cornflower stopped Rollo roaming in the direction of the wine cellar and sat the mischievous infant on

her lap.

“Poor thing,” Sister May said sympathetically. “Apparently she built her nest on a piece of branch

sticking out from the mountain. Then one night the branch rotted and the nest fell. She struck her wing

awkwardly on a jagged rock and broke it. Stryk said that she lay in the ruined nest for many days, unable

to move. She had no mate to defend her and she was attacked by other birds. Finally she forced herself to

fly. Bit by bit she made her way across the western plain, looking for somewhere to shelter, and that was

when she saw our Abbey.”

Constance came in mopping her brow. “Still hot out there. Where’s the big bird? Asleep? What a size!

I’ll bet she could almost lift me. D’you think she’ll ever fly again, Abbot?”

“I don’t know, Constance. Maybe if we could look at her wing we’d be able to tell. However, big red

kites aren’t our present worry, it’s ravens, crows and rooks I’m concerned with. Cornflower, you must stop

this masquerade as Martin the Warrior. I know it annoys Ironbeak, but it isn’t getting us anywhere. There’s

another reason also. That raven is no fool, and sooner or later he’ll be a bit quicker than us and he’ll catch

you. There’s too much risk involved, you’ll have to give it up.”

Cornflower became indignant. “But Father Abbot, when I get dressed up as the ghost I know it upsets

Ironbeak, and that’s why I must continue. It has also started to demoralize his rooks. They’re scared, and

the crow — wotsisname, Mangiz — he’s frightened of me too, I can tell. That crow is a very superstitious

bird and the others take notice of him. Let me do it just one more time tonight. Please!”

Mordalfus polished his glasses. “Cornflower, you’re a bigger mischief-maker than your son and a

fighter as brave as your husband. Make tonight the last time that you haunt our Abbey.”

Baby Rollo had dozed off, and Cornflower placed the sleeping infant in the Abbot’s lap.

“I will, thank you, Father Abbot. Sister May, come on, we have work to do if the ghost is to walk again

tonight. Come on, Constance, we need you for the voice of Martin.”

The Abbot stroked Rollo’s head. “And I’m left holding the baby, as usual!”

Ironbeak sat at the broken dormitory window and related his troubles to Mangiz.

“Warrior mouse ghosts, big red birds; what next, my seer? The earthcrawlers are down in that Cavern

place where we cannot get at them. I have conquered nearly all this great redstone house from the roof

down and I cannot let it slip away from me. If I were forced to leave here, we would have to go back to the

northlands. They are cold and hard, Mangiz, and it is all fight and no food. We are getting older and could

not face many more winters in the north. Tell me, Mangiz, have your visions come back? Are you seeing

anything in the eye of your mind again?”

“My General, you were right,” Mangiz said readily, glad that he was back in favor. “I see the ghost

mouse was only a trick of the earthcrawlers to frighten us from here. As for the great rustybird, kachah! It

was only the imagination of scared rooks. The heatwaves shimmer and dance in this country, and you

could see more strange things than on a dark night in the northlands.”

Ironbeak was heartened. “Well spoken, Mangiz, my strong right wing. What else do you see? Are the

omens good for your General?”

“The omens are good. It all becomes clear as water now. Ironbeak, you and I will live a good and easy

life in this redstone house, the food will be plenty and the seasons good, winter’s cold will not harm us in

this place surrounded by tall woodland. When the earthcrawlers get tired of playing their silly little games,

we will catch them all out in the open, and that day they will be slain. Then there will be none left to

oppose us. This I see truly, my General.”

Ironbeak stood and stretched his wings, and Mangiz ducked to avoid being knocked out of the

window.

“Kachakka! This is good, Mangiz. I feel good in my feathers too. I think I will fly up and perch awhile on

the roof of my big redstone house. Tell the rooks to rest well, and sleep yourself. You look tired and hot.”

Ironbeak launched himself from the sill and spiralled up to the Abbey roof.

Mangiz blew a great sigh of relief and settled down to nap in the hot sun. It was the first time he had

lied to Ironbeak about his visions. They were still clouded by the warrior mouse, but the crow was not

going to tell Ironbeak that. What the General did not know for the moment would not harm him, and

compliments were better received than kicks.

When night fell over Redwall and the Mossflower country, Cornflower began buckling on her armour.

However, Sister May had a better idea, so Cornflower unbuckled it and listened. Constance covered her

mouth and shook with suppressed laughter when the ruse was outlined to her.

“Oh yes, let’s do it. I wouldn’t miss this for a midsummer feast!”

The rooks perched in the dormitory, half dozing, half awake, none fully asleep since the General had issued

the order for them to have the rest of the day off. Most of them had slept all afternoon, and they found it

difficult trying to sleep in the night also. It was hot and airless for birds who had lived their lives in the

cold northlands. A full moon beamed down through the dormitory window, bathing the entire room in

pale bluish white light.

“Leeeeave ooooour Abbeeeeeeeeey!”

“Yaak! What was that?

“Death is neeeeear!”

The rooks froze on their perches.

“Death waits outside this rooooooom!”

A black shadow cast itself across the beds and the floor. There was something at the window.

The rook Ragwing turned his head slowly and fearfully until he could see the window.

Framed by the broken pane, with cold moonlight surrounding it, was the head of the Warrior, the

helmet with no face; pale grey mist hovered in place of the Warrior’s features. Ragwing and his companions

were in a state of panic bordering on hysteria, and the words of the bodiless phantom were like some dread

puzzle: “Leave our Abbey. ” How could they leave the Abbey, knowing that the ghost had said “Death waits

outside this room”? There was only the window, and the horrible head was floating about there. Even the

bravest rook would not venture out that way. It was more than the terrified birds could stand, so they

scrabbled underneath the beds, afraid to look or move.

As they stole back to Cavern Hole, Constance shook the window pole that had supported the ghostly head

at Sister May.

“One more giggle out of you, Sister, and I’ll have you put on cooking duties with Ambrose Spike!” she

said menacingly.

Cornflower held a kerchief to her face, pretending to blow her nose. She was, in fact, biting the material

to stop herself roaring with laughter.

Constance waited until they were out of earshot in the tunnel, then she laughed.

“Heeheehee! I took a quick peek through the window, and the rooks were underneath the beds trying

to make themselves invisible.”

Sister May shook her head in mock sympathy. “It’s no wonder. You didn’t give them much choice:

leave the Abbey, but don’t leave the room. Really, Constance, what made you think that one up?”

“I don’t know. I suppose I just lost my head. Hahaha!”

Cornflower wiped tears from her eyes, realising that the fun had turned to sorrow and longing for her

family.

“My Matthias and Mattimeo would have appreciated a joke like that. Dear me, I can’t get them out of

my mind night or day. Oh Matthias will be able to take care of himself, no matter where he is, but what

about my little Mattimeo, I wonder what he’s doing right now, I hope he’s safe and well fed. I’m sorry my

friends, I’m an old wet rag these days, moping about like I don’t know what.”

Sister May began weeping herself. “There there, we understand, don’t you worry, your young one will

be all right.”

Constance sniffed loudly.

“Of course he will.”