The Outcast of Redwall

15

The following day was light and breezy. Patches of sun and shade stippled the grasslands as Swartt stood on a small knoll, his face and teeth freshly painted, cloak swirling on the wind. The Warlords tone had a fresh ring of confidence as he addressed the horde in a loud voice: “Ive been travelin due south because I know a great river runs west not two days from here. Well march to that river and follow it west, and if we make it to the river in good time, Ill allow you a couple of days rest, eatin, sleepin, and doin what you like. Now break camp and lets move!

A half-hearted cheer went up, but most of the horde did not seem in any hurry to march. From somewhere in the center of the horde, Balefurs voice could be heard clearly. “All those who want tae chase badgers, follow the ferret!

“If you think Swartt Sixclaw came all this way just to chase a badger, then youre slow in the head, fox.

Balefur stared at Nightshade curiously. “What makes ye say that, do ye ken somethin I dont?

Nightshade smiled craftily, tapping her muzzle with one paw. “I know more about Swartt Sixclaw than any beast living. Dont you believe hes down here on a badger hunt. Follow me if you want to know the real truth.

Balefur followed the vixen as she picked her way through the vermin throng until the two of them stood alone in an ash grove. She sat and patted the grass indicating that Balefur join her. The fox inspected the area, then sat in a place of his own choosing, back against a tree, axe lying close to paw. “Ye dinna fool me, lassie, he said, “ah know ye tbe Swartts creature.

Nightshades eyes were bitter and her voice shook as she answered, “For too many seasons, my friend, but now Im sick of being treated like a pawragvixen do this, vixen do that, fetch, carry, yes Lord, no Lord.

Balefur smiled as he toyed with the axe haft. “Och, then what changed yer mind all o a sudden?

Nightshade leaned forward and grasped his paw. “You did! Swartts afraid of you, its plain to see his days as Warlord are numbered. I want to be on the winners side. Everybeast knows you are the next horde leader!

Balefur pursed his lips shrewdly. “Tell me more, ahm be-ginnin tae like the sound o this.

Nightshades voice held an undercurrent of greed and excitement. “The badger story is just a ruse. Swartt wants power and wealth. The position of Warlord is his power, but the wealth lies hidden southeast of here. Searats sailed up the great river long seasons ago and hid their treasure in a secret place!

The big fox immediately became very attentive. “Aha! Treasure ye saywhere?

“Only Swartt and I know. We fought the searats and slew them many seasons ago on the east coast. Before their Captain died we squeezed the location of the loot out of him. However, I know now that Swartt has grown too powerful to share any loot with me. What Im looking for is somebeast I can trust, a fox like myself to share both the treasure and command of the horde.

Balefur spat upon his paw and held it out. “Play me false an Ill gut ye, but take my paw, tell me where yon treasure lies, an yeve got a bargain. I give ye my word, lassie!

Nightshade spat on her paw and joined it with the big foxs.

“Fox and fox together act,

Heres my paw and heres my pact!

“Right, when we reach the river, Swartt is giving the horde a couple of days rest, thats so he can slide off and get the loot. He wants the horde to move west, but if you follow the river east and come back north a bit, youll see a great hole scooped out of the earth, a quarry. That is where the treasure lies. Go carefully, and avoid an old sod dwelling where two stoat hags live. They act as sentries for the treasure, guarding the quarry. Those old hags are dangerous, they have knowledge of great spells, magic, and poisons. Keep away from them, and enter the quarry secretly from the opposite side of their dwelling. You will find many holes low-down in the pitfacechoose the biggest. Follow down the hole, it is a tunnel, and at the end of it you will find the treasure if you dig straight down. Take two trusty friends with you to carry it back, for it is a great hoard that took the searats many, many seasons to steal and plunder. They say there is a great jeweled axe made from gold there, bigger even than the one you carry.

Though Balefurs eyes shone covetously at the thought of such riches, still he asked the question, “An whatll ye be doin whilst ahm gettin yon booty?

The vixen nodded approvingly. “Good, I thought youd ask that! Ill be convincing Swartt that youve deserted with a couple of your mates; meanwhile Ill be slipping a potion in his food thatll weaken him a bit. No sense in taking stupid risks. Then when you challenge him for the leadership youll be sure to win. Now get going, take two of your foxes with you. If you leave now youll set paws on the treasure a full day before we arrive at the river. Ill meet you at the cave to split the spoils.

Balefur called back as he ran off toward the moving horde, “Ahm glad tae have ye as a friend an not a foe, Nightshade!

The vixen smiled and waved, knowing she was linked by destiny to serve only one. The Warlord Swartt Sixclaw!

Balefur chose two dogfoxes, young and completely in awe and admiration of him. Without telling them too much, he shepherded them away from the marching horde, and they slipped off south and slightly east, away from the main body.

Swartt was joined by the vixen as they forded a small brook. 4 Well, did our big-mouthed fish take the bait? he asked.

The vixen scooped up a pawful of water and sipped lightly. “Hook, line, and sinker, Lord; it was like telling a hungry ratbabe where cook hid the apple pie.

There was no breeze that night. It started to rain, with a slight nimble of thunder from the west getting closer. Balefur had traveled hard and fast, the two foxes panting to keep up with him. Completely drenched, they halted on a hill of shale and scree overlooking the quarry. Lightning crackled from the sky, illuminating the huge pit scooped out of the earth. Wiping rainwater from his eyes, one of the foxes stood back a bit from the edge, saying, “It looks too scary, I dont like it!

One hard prod from the battleaxe haft left him sprawling and nursing aching ribs. The big fox snarled contemptuously. “Ahm no bothered whether ye like et or no, laddie buck, up on yer paws now. Look down yonder, ye two, when lightnin1 flashes again, then tell me if ye see a big hole in the quarry-side.

Thunder boomed and a bolt of lightning cut the wet night sky.

“Aye, there it is, just off tthe left, see!

It was clear enough; all three saw it at once. There was a series of small holes, but one larger than the rest stood out like a great dark mouth, gaping wide. Balefur pushed the two young foxes ahead of him. “Shift yersels, mates, thats where were bound!

Still rubbing his ribs, the young fox protested, “We could do with a lighted torch to see the way....

Balefurs claws dug into neck scruff as he shook the protestor. “Are ye daft, laddie, wheres dry wood tae be found? Ahve flint an tinder wi me, dye want me tae dry yer tail out an set a light to et, eh? Now move yersels!

The lightning became more frequent, and their descent to the quarry floor was unpleasantly rapid as they skidded and slipped over rain-slicked stone and through patches of wet clay. Muzzle over brush they landed, soaked and dizzy on the quarry floor. Suddenly lit by lightning, the whole place looked unreal, a crater of banded pink and red stone enveloped by lancing rain. Balefur shouldered his axe, saying, “Keep those wide daggers close, yell be needin em to dig.

“To dig? What for, Balefur?

“Ach, never ye mind. Come onwe havent all night!

The hole entrance loomed dark and forbidding, but before either of the foxes could hesitate, Balefur had pushed them inside with his axe shaft. Once in, it was surprisingly dry and silent, and they took a moment to shake and wipe rainwater from their faces and paws.

“Och well, at least tis warm an dry, the big fox remarked cheerfully. “If ye feel anythin around thatll do fer a torch, let me know an well light one.

One of the two foxes sniffed the air and shuddered. “Ugh! Whats that smell? Its awful!

Balefur sniffed several times before pronouncing, “Ah dont know what et is, but mind, laddie, anyplace searats have been is bound tae stink a bit. Right, hang on to mah tail, yer pal can hang on to yers. Follow me.

The moment Balefur began to suspect that all was not right was when the tunnel took several twists and turns. Attempting to find his way back through the total darkness to their original entrance, he found himself caught up in a maze of chambers, cross tunnels, and dead ends. The two young foxes began whimpering.

“L ... lets get out of here, Im scared!

“Aye, we should never have left the horde!

Using his free paw, the big fox cuffed about in the darkness until he had soundly buffeted them both. “Shuttit! Dye hear me, belt up, yer snivelin gobs!

They went quiet. Balefur squatted in the darkness, trying to get his bearings, then he heard the noise.

Flip ... Plop ... Flip ... Plop!

“Hear that, et might be the rains stopped antis drippin from the rocks. Sounds like ets up ahead, right, lets go!

As they groped their way farther along the passage, one of the foxes yelled joyfully, “Light ahead, look!

Sure enough, there was a pale light to be seen dimly ahead. They dashed toward it, tripping, stumbling, and shouting, “It must be moonlight. Ill bet the rains stopped!

It was a cavern, a vast, high-ceilinged chamber in the nat-ural rock. Limestone stalactites and stalagmites could be seen everywhere, some of them reflected in the pale green luminous tight given off by a massive pond in the center of the cavern. The three foxes stood disappointed but spellbound at the glowing scene before them. The smell grew strongersweet, dry, cloying. Balefur had caught that odor before on the battlegrounds of the northlands. It was the scent of death!

Sss ssssssssssssttttttt!

It started gradually until the whole chamber echoed to the sinister hissing noise. Then they saw the snakes. Every exit from that dreaded place was blocked by them: adders, writhing and hissing, baring fangs as they slithered forward. Scaly, cold-eyed, oliveand black-chevroned reptiles; long, short, thick, fat, poison, toothed and sinuously evil. Rearing, bunching and swaying, they came. Balefur had never witnessed anything like it, not even in his worst nightmare. The battleaxe slid from his nerveless paws as he felt himself fixed by a thousand hypnotic eyes. One of the foxes at his side screamed and threw himself into the pool.

“Eeeeyaaaaagh!

There were only ripples on top of the bottomless pool to show where he had broken the icy surface, and a dark shape could be traced for several moments going down ... down ... down!

Then, without a sound, their faces frozen masks of terror, eyes and mouths wide open, Balefur and the remaining fox slid silently into the rustling, many-coiled embrace of the serpents of the cavern.