Eulalia! (23 page)

Alarm bells began ringing in the golden fox's head. Suddenly he was looking at the weasel Magger in a new light, and he did not like what he had just heard. Magger was calling him Vizka now, not Captain. Also, he had referred to Vizka Longtooth's vermin as
his
crew. Now Magger was setting himself up as a favourite with Vizka's creatures, providing warm fires, and good vittles, even a keg of grog from the ship. Vizka continued eating in silence.

Though he did not know it, Magger had overplayed his cards. One thing a Sea Raider captain had to be constantly aware of was any threat to his authority. Vizka put aside his supper, lying back he half-closed his eyes, murmuring gently, “I'll let ya know me plans in der mornin'.”

Magger nodded and turned away. He did not see Vizka smile, that long, toothy, dangerous smile, which always meant death for somebeast.

From their hiding place beneath the dead leaves in the curve of the dry ditchbed, Maudie saw four hulking Brownrats leaving the campfire. She covered little Yik's head, stopping him from bobbing up.

Alongside her, Luglug hissed urgently, “Y'see, I told ye the vermin heard us. Look, they're comin' over here, I'm sure we've been spotted, what are we goin' to do, mate?”

The haremaid instinctively knew their hideout would be discovered. Yik was wriggling to get out of her grasp, and the snake was moving, too. It had begun to come around, and was writhing feebly to rid itself of the halter, with which Maudie had bound its jaws shut. It was a time for rapid action. She swiftly imparted a scratch plan to the Guosim chieftain. “Got to get out of here jolly fast, old lad. Create some sort of diversion, then make a flippin' run for it, wot?”

The four Brownrats were already descending the far side of the ditch.

Luglug stared wide-eyed at Maudie. “Diversion, wot sort o' diversion?”

The haremaid hardly stopped to ponder the question. “We've got two things goin' for us, bucko, the advantage of surprise, an' this whoppin' great snake. Time for gossipin' is done, grab that confounded Yik an' follow me….”

The Brownrats were completely taken by surprise. Whirling the maddened snake with both paws, and yelling like a banshee, Maudie rushed them. “Gangway, chaps! Eulaliiiaaaaaa!”

Two of the rats were knocked aside by the reptile's flailing coils, the other two stood rooted to the spot in dumb shock. With Luglug holding Yik tight to his body, running crouched behind her, Maudie breasted the ditchbank. The haremaid charged straight through the centre of the Brownrat camp, still flailing the big reptile. Gruntan Kurdly almost choked on the hard-boiled egg he had just popped whole into his mouth. Maudie looked like something out of nightmare as she bounded out of the night into the firelight. “Yahaaar! Blood'n'vinegar! Eulaliiiiaaaaa!”

More rats went down beneath the windmilling snake's body, then she flung it right at Kurdly. It was not a totally accurate throw, most of the reptile hit the Brownrat leader, but its tail landed in the fire. This move did not improve the snake's temper, it latched furiously onto the Brownrat's body, constricting as its tail shot out of the flames and beat a frenzied tattoo on Gruntan's head.

Spluttering hard-boiled egg widespread, he whooped aloud in terror, “Gerritoff! Waaaarrrgggh! Oo…oo! Gerritoffameeee!”

Clear of the Brownrat camp, Maudie slowed her pace for Luglug to catch up. From behind them she could hear angry shouts.

“Kill it! Slay the thing, ye mudpawed oafs!”

“Wot was it, 'ow many of 'em was there?”

“Round six if'n ye ask me, seven countin' the snake.”

“It was the punchin' rabbit, I saw it with me own two eyes, came straight out the ditch it did!”

Gruntan Kurdly's voice rose to an enraged shriek. “I don't give a bee's be'ind who it was. Gerrem! Killem! Skin 'em alive an' bring their 'eads to me! Don't jus' stan' there, idjits, go. Go go go!”

Luglug gave a weary sigh as he heaved Yik up onto his shoulders. “We better git movin', fast.”

Maudie held out her paws. “Give me the little chap, he'll hold you back.”

For some reason best known to himself the Log a Log snapped back at her, “I said we'd better git movin', I can manage him!”

Yik tugged Luglug's ears. “I wanna go wiv 'er, she can run fasterer!”

The shrew chieftain growled at him. “Keep yore mouth shut an' stay up there, young 'un!”

Maudie shrugged. “As you wish, old chap, but let's be goin', wot. Don't want t'get collared by that scurvy lot!”

The haremaid took off at a brisk lope, but soon had to wait for Luglug to catch up again. They pounded on through the darkened woodland, with the noise of pursuit growing behind. Maudie adjusted her pace, running alongside Luglug. “Y'know I can run just as easy with Yik on my back, why don't you let me carry him, wot?”

Yik hauled on his bearer's ears, haranguing him. “Flippin' bloomin' wotwot, I wanna go wiv 'er!”

This made Luglug even more stubborn and irate. “You stop tuggin' my ears, an' watch yore language. I can carry ye as well as anybeast can.”

An arrow zipped past Maudie, it quivered in a beech trunk. She glanced anxiously over her shoulder. “They must have a few fast front runners ahead of the rest. I wonder how far from Redwall we are?”

Luglug was beginning to pant, but he strove onward. “Keep to this trail an' we'll soon see the two-topped oak. After that we'll come out o' the woodlands an' cross some open fields t'the southside o' the Abbey. I remember this route now, came this way once afore when I was younger.”

Maudie nodded. “Save your breath, old chap, those blighters are closer than you think.” An arrow buried its point in the ground, narrowly missing Maudie's footpaw, another flew close by Yik's ear.

The little shrew shouted, as if it were all some kind of game, “Yah, y'missed me! C'mon, we havta run fasterer!”

Luglug pointed ahead. “See, there's the two-topped oak, straight ahead, not too far now!”

Maudie spied the big, lightning-riven object. Even in the night it stood out above the other trees at the woodland edge. Wild cries of the Brownrats could still be heard behind them, but she knew the front runners would keep silent, hoping that they could outpace their quarry. On an impulse, she slowed, letting Luglug carry on ahead. Crouching down, Maudie scanned about for movement.

There they were! Two Brownrats, tall, slim vermin, running swiftly from tree to tree, pausing briefly to loose off arrows in the direction of the runaways. Now Luglug stopped, looking back at Maudie and calling, “What are ye doin', miz?”

Both the Brownrats were close enough to hear him. In a trice they had loosed off the shafts, which were lying ready on their bowstrings. Maudie ran without looking back, straight for the rats. The first one had another arrow almost ready to fire as the haremaid hit him like a thunderbolt. He collapsed to the ground immediately. Maudie grabbed his bow, whipped about to face the other, sighted and fired. The shaft struck true. With a strangled cry the other rat went down, grasping the shaft, which protruded from his neck.

Then the main body came running into view. Maudie dropped the bow and ran. Luglug was leaning against the riven oak, with Yik still on his shoulders. He was gasping heavily. Grunting with the effort, he lifted Yik free, holding him out to the haremaid. “You'd better carry…”

Maudie grabbed the Guosim infant, then saw the broken arrow buried deep between the Guosim chieftain's shoulder blades, as he turned and slid slowly down the tree trunk. Half drawing his rapier, he gasped, “Take it to Osbil, save the little 'un….” His head fell limply to one side as his eyes clouded over and he gave one last sigh.

There was no time to think. Maudie could make out the faces of the vermin as they came hurrying forward, shouting and yelling. Grabbing the rapier from Luglug's lifeless paw, she swung Yik up on her shoulders and ran. The sight of their victims-to-be spurred the Brownrats forward. However, they reckoned without the speed and determination of a Long Patrol hare. Mad Maudie Mugsberry Thropple ran as she had never run before. The shrewbabe on her shoulders hung on for dear life, with the night breeze blowing his fur back flat.

Out of the woodlands the haremaid rocketed, onto the flatland facing the Abbey's south wall. Her footpaws drummed the earth as she sped onward, with a screeching horde hard on her trail. “Eulaliiiaaaa Redwaaaaallll!” Maudie roared.

Skipper, Benjo, Barbowla and several stout young otters of the Boulderdog family came hurtling out through the south wallgate, running toward the haremaid who was speeding toward them. They shot right past her, halted, then flung a salvo of otter javelins. Unable to stop, the Brownrats stumbled over the bodies of the leading seven vermin who had fallen to the deadly, light throwing weapons.

It halted the horde only for an instant, but that was the short, vital time that saved Maudie and Yik. They were hauled through the gateway by willing paws, who slammed the little door shut as soon as the otters were safe inside. Now slingstones pelted like rain from the walltops, driving back those they did not slay or injure. A great cry rang from the ramparts. “Redwaaaaaaalllll!”

A shrewmum took little Yik from Maudie's shoulders as the haremaid collapsed upon the ground. She was sucking in great gulps of air, her entire body quivering from the heroic efforts of her mighty run. Rangval and several of the Guosim defenders hastened from the walltop to congratulate Maudie.

The roguish squirrel pumped her paw and pounded her back heartily. “Ah shure, that was a grand ould run, with a horde o' rascals behind ye, an' carryin' a passenger, too. Not even their arrows could keep up with ye!”

Osbil was among the welcoming committee, Maudie passed Luglug's rapier to him. A silence fell over the shrews. Osbil stared at the blade for awhile, then his eyes met Maudie's gaze. Their exchange was subdued and brief. “Luglug?”

The haremaid nodded. “He was slain by an arrow. I had to leave him by the riven oak. They were almost upon us, I had to run with the little 'un.”

Osbil ran his paw gently along the blade. “Did he die instantly?”

Breathing easier now, Maudie hauled herself upright. “He did indeed, or I wouldn't have left his side. We might've made it if he hadn't insisted on carryin' Yik. Right up to the moment he was hit, he refused to pass the little chap over to me. Why?”

Osbil was blinking back tears, but his voice was steady. “Because every Guosim is the responsibility of his chieftain. Luglug was duty-bound to carry Yik. Now I must go an' tell the rest of my tribe. Thank ye for bringin' me his blade, miz.”

Maudie watched Osbil ascending the wallstairs. “Wonder why Luglug wanted me t'give him the sword?”

Teagle, one of the coracle paddlers, explained. “Luglug wanted Osbil t'be our new chieftain. That's Guosim law, the father passes his title on to the eldest offspring.”

Maudie was surprised. “You mean Osbil is Luglug's son?”

Teagle wiped a paw across her eyes and sniffed. “Aye, an' a good son, too, miz, an' he'll make a fine Log a Log, just like his ole dad. Ye'll excuse me now, I've got to join my tribe for the Bladechant.”

Piqued by curiosity, Maudie followed Teagle up to the south rampart, where she witnessed the strange Guosim ritual. Osbil was standing up between the battlements, in full view of the attacking Brownrats, singing a loud, dirgelike challenge, kissing the rapier blade, then pointing it toward the foe as he sang out threateningly. The Guosim warriors swayed slowly, chanting the chorus.

It was the most eerie thing Maudie had ever heard. Osbil was pointing at the Brownrats with his rapier, as the Guosim fighters either side of him swayed like a field of corn before the gale. So uncanny was the sight and sound that both the Redwallers on the rampart and the Brownrats below on the common land ceased fighting, they stood silently watching.

Then Osbil broke the spell. Leaping down from the battlements, he shook his blade on high, and roared in an ululating voice, which was taken up by all the shrew tribe, “Logalogalogalogaloooooog!”

Then the horrifying reality caught Skipper, he thundered down the wallstairs, shouting, “Bar the gate, they're goin' to charge out an' meet the vermin head-on!”

Rangval swiftly shot the bolts tight on the wallgate. Maudie, Skipper and Benjo ran ahead of the Guosim to render assistance. Barbowla and some of his family joined them, the big otter shook his head in disbelief. “Those shrews must be mad. They're outnumbered by vermin at least ten to one, an' they want to charge out an' do battle with 'em!”

Osbil came pounding down to the gate backed by his tribe, every one of them brandishing drawn blades. He bared his teeth at the guardians of the gate. “Stand clear, ye can't stop a Guosim once the Bladechant's been given. We'd be cowards if'n we didn't fight those stinkin' vermin after our Log a Log's been slain by 'em!”

Maudie stood forward until Osbil's blade was touching her. “Aye, and you'd be fat-headed dead fools if you did. Take it from me, old lad, you ain't goin' anywhere, an' I'm jolly well sayin' that for your own good, wot!”