The Outcast of Redwall

8?

Inside the cave dwelling, the squirrel, who was called Elmjak, rubbed his back ruefully. “Mine old bones be yet stiff from all that dragging and pulling, twas the hardest days work in many a long season, friends, thanks to thy rush mat, goodwife Lully.

The mole wife peeked over her apron top. “Hurr, ee ole rush matll be wored out arter draggen it all that way wi zurr badger layin on et, aye, wored out loik usns be.

Outside, the little molemaids and hoglets played on the sward under a soft morning sun. Unaware of how close to death Sunflash lay, they had invented a new game, as infants will, fighting off adders. The two little molemaids clung to each other, shrieking, “Eee! Elp elp, ee sunpints be a goin to eat usns oop!

Gurmil and Tirg were jointly pretending to be Sunflash. “Stop stillwell save ee!

Bitty and Oilier, the two little hogmaids, stood on the sidelines, yelling, “Better savem quick afore they get etted up!

“Gurr! Go way, nasty ole snakers! Gurmil and Tirg roared as they thrashed imaginary adders. “Yah, slinky stinky ole slimy snakes, take tha!

Dearie Lingl hurried out with a paw on her lips. “Shush, ush now, liddle, uns! Keep yore noise down, we got a very sick badger to nurse in there; do be quiet, please!

The babes halted their game and clung to her apron.

“Whoi do ee gurt Sunflasher be sicked, marm?

“Badgers be too big to get sicked!

“Ee surrpints bited im, twenny undred toimes!

“Will Sunflasher get deaded?

“Ee squirrel make im better oi thinks, hurr!

Dearie rummaged in her apron pocket until she came up with some dried apple pieces, which she gave them, saying, “Sunflashll only get well if you keep very quiet. Be good beasts now, try not to make too much noise, my liddle buttons.

They sat in a row on the grass, watching each other as they ate.

“Youm chewen orful loud, Maister Gurmil!

“I cant elp it, tis a noisy apple piece I got.

“Hurr, then keep ee mouth shutted!

“Then I wont able to talk!

“Gudd, that keep ee soilent, hurr hurr!

Elmjak the squirrel was old and wise. He sat at table with Tirry, Lully, and Bruff, and all four took a breakfast of mint tea and wild oat scones spread with honey. They ate in silence, watching the badger. Sunflash lay on his pallet of rushes and fragrant dried grass, and Skarlath hovered over him. The kestrel had not moved from his friends side for two days and nights.

Dearie crept softly in and tugged Skarlaths back plumage gently. “Come an eat now, sir awk, or well end up nursin you too.

Skarlath followed her reluctantly and they joined the others.

Sunflash moaned softly and tried to turn over. Elmjak hurried to his side and calmed him, bathing the badgers fevered brow with dampened dock leaves. He checked the poultices which he had applied to his patients wounds, saying, “This one will live, mayhap. Never did I see a beast of such strength; no creature known to me could live through even one adder bite. Look at him now, friends, sleeping like a babe!

Tirry poured a beaker of the fragrant mint tea for Elmjak. “More power tyore good poultices, sir, they seem twork right well indeed. You must tell us ow tmake them.

The recipe for the poultices had been in Elmjaks family for long generations, and now he recited it for his new friends:

“If beast be bit by fang of snake, And lying near Dark Forest gate, This ancient poultice you must make, To thwart the paws of fate. Find berries from the rowan tree, Add one small green pine cone, With young leaf of raspberry, Pounded flat beneath a stone. Heat oer a flame til colored dark, Stir fast to make a paste of it, Bind hot and tight with aspen bark, Unto the limb the serpent bit. Change oft from dawn until nightfall, Make sure the beast lies still, Mayhap hell live to thank us all, If he be strong of will!

Bruff Dubbo wagged a sizeable digging claw in the big badgers direction. “Burrhoo! Nobeast be stronger than ee gurt zurr Sunflash!

Dearie Lingl agreed wholeheartedly with him. “Great seasons! Who ever heard of a beast so mighty that he slayed two poisonteeth after bein struck twice by em?

It had been hard and wearisome getting Sunflash from the pond back to the cave and caring night and day for him, and sleep had only been snatched in fits and starts. Now, with the badger resting peacefully, there was some long-overdue slumber time. Midmoming was calm and warm, and the friends relaxed on the grass outside. Tiring of their games, the little ones sprawled beside their elders. It was not long before gentle summer cast its spelt and, amid distant birdsong and the lazy hum of bees, they were soon dozing off.

However, Gurmil and Tirg did not take kindly to sleeping all day. Shortly before noon they were wide awake. Whispering and chuckling to each other, they tip-pawed past the slumbering elders and made their way into the cave. But they had not gone unnoticed: their sisters, Bitty and Giller, followed by the molemaids Nilly and Podd, came hurrying after them.

They threw their little aprons over their faces in imitation of their mothers.

“Gurt seasons, youm villyuns, wot be ee a doin in yurr?

“Come away now, youm wake Sunflash!

But Gurmil and Tirg were determined to visit their hero. “Garr, we baint wakinim, ony comed to sing the song nice an quiet. Sunflash likes the song.

They gathered round the huge form of the sleeping badger. Nilly twitched her button nose cautiously, saying, “Usns best be singen quiet, lest ee awkburd ears an eaten usns all oop wi ee gurt beak!

Tiny paws stroked the great golden-striped muzzle as the babes sang soft and low.

Dark Forest and its dread gates had receded from Sunflashs (beams; now he wandered lonely through sunlit vales and flower-strewn hillsides. Lying down in the cool shade of a great oak, he looked up at the sky. A shadow passed over him and a face appeared; Sunflash found himself staring into the most beautiful face he had ever seen. It was a badger, wise beyond dreams and calm as a still lake in the dawn. He knew instinctively it was Bella, his mother. In that moment he felt sadness and joy, yearning and fulfillment. Comfort and serenity shone through her smile as she stroked his golden stripe and began singing:

Sunflash executed a great whirl, circling crazily until he fell on his back with an earthshaking thud. Caught up in the wild excitement of the moment, hogbabes and molemaids yelled aloud with their badger friend.

“Salamandastrooooooon!

“Arm not alas sand, way south in the west, So star land a mat, theres where I love best, Sand not as alarm, lone seabirds do wing, And alas most ran, list to me whilst I sing. Ill walk alongside you, my lost little one, Well find the mountain ...

“Salamandastron! bellowed Sunflash, finishing the song.

Wakefulness hit the creatures sleeping outside like a lightning flash and a thunderbolt all in one. They leapt upright, fur and spikes bristling at the sound of the booming roar from within the dwelling cave. Skarlath shrieked with shock and took off into the air like an arrow, and the babes came tumbling and howling into the open as the mighty shout reverberated once more:

“Eeulaliaaaa! Salamandastron!

Limping slightly and supporting himself on his hornbeam mace, the badger appeared in the bright sunlight. Tears flowed openly from his great dark eyes, yet he was smiling. Casting the mace aside, he scooped the petrified babes up in both paws.

“Salamandastrooooooon!