Doomwyte

35

Evening had fallen over the wooded hillside above the caves of Korvus Skurr, but its tranquil charm was lost on the black otter. Zaran alternated anxiously betwixt the spot where Spingo was trapped beneath soil and stone, and her lookout post on the sloping poplar trunk. Sword in paw, she perched, peering fretfully for signs of any assistance arriving. Thumping her rudderlike tail on the tree trunk, Zaran hurried back to the two air vents she had made, her fierce eyes creased with worry as she whispered to the Gonfelin maid entombed below the earth and rock. “I think they will be here soon, Spingo, hold on!”

Lack of air was taking its toll on Spingo. She could hear Zaran’s voice, as if from far off, though she was drifting into blackness, cramped almost double now, pressed in on all sides by sandy, sifting soil, and the mighty sandstone slab. Avoiding thoughts of her inevitable fate, the young mousemaid pictured images. Her father, Nokko, the Gonfelin Pikehead; Filgo, her mother; Bisky, the young Redwaller who had become her dear friend. Special moments of her brief life, feasting in the Abbey orchard, surrounded by happy creatures. A tear squeezed out onto her dusty cheek at these fond memories.

Then the voice came, soft as misty summer morn. “Friends are near, live to enjoy life in my Abbey with one who cares for you.”

Hearing no reply to her words, Zaran called louder, “Spingo, hear me, I am Zaran, your friend. Speak, say something!”

“I’ve brought help, Zaran, is she still alive?”

The black otter turned to see Bisky, flanked by Nokko and Dubble, emerging from the trees behind her. She cautioned them, “Stay clear of the airholes I have made. I cannot get Spingo to answer me.”

Nokko bit down hard on his lip. “She’s me daughter y’know, marm, she’s got t’be alive, d’ye hear me, Spingo’s too precious t’lose!” He made a move to shout down the two tiny vents.

Dubble locked his paws about Nokko, lifting him clear. “Stay clear, sir, leave it t’the molecrew, they’ll soon be ’ere.”

Bisky sat down on the ground, staring westward at the last scarlet tinges of a descending sun. Zaran stared curiously at him—his eyes seemed distant. “Friend, are you alright, what is it?”

The young Redwall mouse blinked, coming out of his sudden trance. He grabbed the black otter’s paw. “She’s alive, I know it, Spingo’s alive!”

Zaran pulled him upright. “How do you know this?”

Friar Skurpul came trundling onto the scene. “Hurr, prob’ly ’cos Marthen ee Wurrier spake to ’im, marm. Naow, all you’m guddbeasts coom out’n moi way!”

Without enquiry or question, Bisky, Dubble and Zaran moved aside as the molecrew came in, with Guosim shrews bearing their digging gear. Skurpul moved rapidly about, marking the earth with a small pawpick.

“Roight, naow, iffen ee maid bees stuck unner thurr, we’m gotten to be diggen two long, slopen tunnels. Lissen naow, yurr’s moi plan.”

Nokko was not very familiar with moletalk. Bisky could see how anxious he was about Spingo, so he translated Skurpul’s scheme to the Gonfelin Chief. “Friar Skurpul plans on having his crew dig two tunnels, one from the left, the other from the right. Owing to the soft earth, they’ll start a short distance away. The tunnels will slope gradually, instead of going straight down, with molecrew shoring up the holes as they go. Spingo will be reached from both sides when the tunnels are completed. Do you see the oak tree on the left, and the big sycamore on the right, sir?”

Nokko looked from one tree to the other. “Aye, I sees ’em Bisko, are they part o’ the plan?”

Bisky nodded. “Right, sir, the moles will attach two of their longest ropes, one to each tree, as a safety measure, that way they’ll be able to haul Spingo, and themselves, back out again. Don’t worry, if anybeast can reach your daughter it’ll be Friar Skurpul and his molecrew. There’s no better diggers in all Mossflower!”

By now, the full complement of Guosim and Gonfelins had arrived. Nokko turned to Skurpul. “Is there anythin’ we kin do to ’elp youse?”

The black otter Zaran answered for the Friar. “We help by letting moles do their job. If you need something to do, then arm yourselves and watch the cave entrance below. Danger could come from that place. Baliss is in there, and Wytes, carrion birds, many reptiles also.”

Garul, the new Log a Log, drew his rapier, nodding to Nokko, who was stringing a bow. “Wot d’ye say, Pikehead, shall our buckoes stand sentry?”

Nokko fitted a shaft onto his bowstring. “Right, mate, an’ if’n just one snotty snout pokes outta there, we’ll show ’em the meanin’ of slaughter!”

The long ropes were in place, secured tightly to both trees. Bisky saw the debris of loose earth, pebbles and broken roots, showering out from two directions as the molecrews commenced their dig, Rooter and Soilclaw from one side, Grabul and Ruttur from the other. Friar Skurpul assisted Frubb and Burgy, dashing from one tunnel to the other, with pawsful of green willow boughs. These were quickly fashioned into rough frames, and forced into the sides of the diggings, shoring them against any sudden collapse.

Spingo was wakened from her semiconscious reverie by heavy snuffling, and a paw scraping her back. The Gonfelin maid squeaked in alarm as loose earth began cascading in on her. Then the reassuring rumble of a mole voice made itself known.

“Yurr, likkle miz, doan’t ee be a-frettin’, we’m soon have ee owt o’ yurr!”

The huge stone slab shifted above them, dropping lower as another mole enquired from the other side of Spingo, “Yurr, Grabul, have ee reached ee pore creetur yet?”

Grabul spat out sandy soil, gathering in the slack of the rope on his side. “Burr aye, she’m been a-sufferin’ down yurr. Oi’ll just get ee rope abowt ee, missy, doan’t ee be afeared, young un!”

Soilclaw burrowed through from the other side. In total darkness he fumbled about until he found Ruttur and Grabul. Soilclaw passed them the other rope. There was a rumble as the rock slab slipped even lower.

Realising there was no time left for further manoeuvre, Friar Skurpul dug furiously, pulling himself along by the rope from the left, hawking soil and bellowing, “Get ee owt! Save ee maid an’ you’m selves!” His last words were drowned out as the entire hole collapsed inward, soil, sand, stone, roots and the massive rock slab.

Pandemonium reigned in the vast, sulphur-clouded cave. Baliss was on the loose within. Crazed with agonising pain, the monster reptile charged around like a juggernaut, scattering heaps of bone and slime widespread, lashing the filth-encrusted walls with a whiplike tail. Insects and small reptiles were crushed beneath the thrashing coils as the adder went on in a quest to find cool water. All else was wiped from the snake’s senses, only water, to rest the hideously infected head in. Cold water to ease the torment of embedded hedgehog spines, suppurating pus from nosrils, mouth and blind eye sockets.

Regardless of the sanctity of Korvus Skurr’s inner retreat, frogs, toads, lizards, grass snakes, smoothsnakes and slow worms slithered into the rear cavern. Korvus Skurr, the great raven Doomwyte, was powerless to stop anything now. He cowered behind the broken stalagmite which had once been the perch he ruled from. From the other cavern he could hear Baliss charging about insanely.

Then an unearthly sound rent the air, something like a hissing screech. The snake had found water, but it was neither cool nor soothing. Baliss had dipped briefly into the boiling pool, recoiling swiftly, badly scalded. Storming off with lightning swiftness, the mighty adder came rushing into the rear cave.

Birds and reptiles stopped in their tracks at the sight of the disfigured snake. Then a strange occurrence took place. Baliss halted, the blind head reared, turning slowly back and forth. It was as if some sixth sense had taken over, letting the great reptile know relief was close by. Baliss came forward then, still weaving from side to side, but slithering inevitably toward the icy cold of the bottomless lake. Korvus Skurr watched, his beak pointing forward in anticipation, as he saw salvation from all his problems. The inevitable was about to happen. This was indeed the answer he sought.

Baliss found the water. At the first touch of its soothing, cold caress, the monstrous snake lowered its head deep. Korvus Skurr hurried out of range, as the coiled scales wrapped around the stalagmite he had been hiding behind.

Seeing food, Welzz moved at eye-blurring speed. The giant black catfish struck its prey, seizing the serpent’s head in a remorseless grip. Baliss went rigid, the snake’s tail anchoring itself tight about the rock as it heaved upward. There was an almighty splash, then a loud flop, as the fish was hauled clear of the surface, only to dive back down again.

Baliss repeated the process with ferocious strength. Yanking the fish clear of the lake again, the snake sought to release the hold Welzz had on its head, pulling back sharply as the fish tried to dive a second time.

An enormous slap echoed as Baliss slammed Welzz down hard upon the rocky cavern floor. The force of the impact caused Welzz to release its hold; the big fish flopped about, seeking to reach the safety of its watery lair. But Baliss was on it, like a hawk upon a dove. The eyes of Welzz popped wide, as reptilian coils closed around its body like a vise. The snake’s fangs sank deep into the smooth body.

Korvus Skurr saw his hopes dashed by the snake’s triumph. However, there was an alternate plan already forming in his fertile mind. He went, half-running, half-flying toward the big cavern, calling to the carrion, “Haaayaaaakkah! The tunnel is free to the outside!”

They followed him in a rush to leave the caves. Out from the gloom of the rear chamber, into the polluted atmosphere of the main cavern they went. Every inhabitant of that underworld who valued their lives rushed out to fresh air and away from Baliss. They were halfway through the sulphurous smoke when the roof caved in.