The Rogue Crew (17 page)

Though they shouted until they were hoarse, there was no sign of their otter friend anywhere amidst the wild world of trackless heaving sea.

 

Aboard the
Greenshroud
Razzid Wearat and Mowlag fought to master the swivelling tiller arm to hold the vessel on some kind of course. Rigging sang, and drenched sails ballooned out tightly as the corsair galley flew through the storm-wrenched seas like a great green-plumed bird.

Blowing spume from his muzzle, Razzid snarled orders at his crew. “Set up those pawlines runnin' fore to aft—make fast every sheet an' sprit. We'll keep her out to sea an' ride this storm out, 'tis the only way!” Shielding his good eye, he peered up to the mainmast head. “Ahoy, what d'ye see up there? Is there any break ahead?”

Jiboree had lashed himself into the crow's nest. Dashing spray from his eyes, he peered about, then his paw shot out. “Ahoy, the tiller, south an' east! I can spy the edge o' the gale. See, there!”

Razzid passed his hold on the tiller to a searat. Making his way for'ard, he limped out onto the long prow. Clinging to the rigging, he stood upright, staring southeast. There it was, the end of the cloudbanks. Long rays of early evening sunlight shafted down, like golden slides from sky to sea.

He laughed triumphantly. “Take 'er on a tack, port an' ahead as she goes!”

Shekra the vixen looked distinctly wan; she was no lover of storms. A grizzled searat clapped her on the back.

“Haharr, we'll be outta this by nightfall, fox. There ain't a ship on the seas like ole
Greenshroud,
aye an' not another master to 'andle 'er so well as Cap'n Razzid!”

Shekra leaned over the starboard rail gloomily. “Aye, an' nobeast has any idea where Redwall Abbey is. I've a feeling we'd be better off taking to the land.”

The ship dipped suddenly into a trough. Shekra floundered halfway over the rail before she was yanked back by the grinning Searat. “Haharr, the only land ye'll find down there'll be the seabed. Ain't no Abbey down there!”

The vixen smiled weakly. “You're right. I'd better stay amidships.”

The seas calmed as night fell. True to the searat's prediction,
Greenshroud
had weathered the storm. Razzid and his crew were so fatigued from fighting the elements that they did nothing further that day. A sounding line was lowered, and the water was found to be of a suitable depth for a kedge-anchor. This was an anchor on a long hawser, which stopped the vessel drifting too far in any direction.

It was past midnight when Shekra, still feeling queasy, could no longer abide the muggy surroundings of the galley. Leaving the grog fumes, the smell of cooking fish and stodgy skilly'n'duff, she wandered out on deck. Being Razzid's Seer, the vixen did not want to go to the captain's cabin. It would only mean a further round of questions as to the location of the fabled Redwall. Razzid would want her to start casting spells and reading omens, a dangerous thing to do if they did not agree with his ideas.

She was leaning over the stern gallery, staring into the dark waters, when something hit the starboard side close to the stern. It was not a great impact, merely a gentle thud. Unhooking a lantern, Shekra moved around to locate the object.

There it was, rocking against the hull—a battered pine trunk, with two senseless little hedgehogs draped over it. Shekra quickly got a boathook, a long, pikelike implement. Using the point and the hook, she maneuvered the log easily along, until it was amidships.

The searat she had spoken to previously lurched out onto the deck. “Still a touch wobbly on the ole paws, are ye, fox?'Ere, take a swig o' this grog, that'll set ye right!”

Shekra declined the offer. “Put that stuff aside and help me to get these two creatures aboard.”

 

Razzid Wearat sat at his cabin table, staring at the two bedraggled young ones. They lay on the decking in a pool of water, still senseless. He touched Posy with his footpaw.

“Ye say ye found them adrift on a log? Now I wonder what two liddle 'edgepigs would be doin' out at sea alone. They're still breathin'—see to them, Shekra. If they come around, maybe they've got a tale to tell.”

The vixen had Uggo and Posy carried to the galley, where it was warm. She laid them on a worn rope fender in a corner. The cook cackled as he honed his skinning knife. “Brought 'em for the pot, 'ave ye, fox? I never peeled one o' those spikybeasts afore. Still there's always a first time, eh. Wot say ye, shipmates?”

The crewbeasts guffawed coarsely, commenting, “'Tis a while since we 'ad some fresh meat!”

“Huh, they'll make skinny pickin's, I'll wager!” Shekra stood over her charges, snarling, “Git back, ye seascum. These two ain't t'be touched or hurt—cap'n's orders, so stay yore distance!” She whipped out a thin, keenedged blade, menacing them.

A slobbering weasel gave her a look of mock alarm. “Ho, deary me, ye've got us all frightened, marm!”

The vixen jabbed her blade, making him stagger back. “Better t'be frightened than dead, grogsnout. Then cooky would have t'cook you. Anybeast fancy weasel stew?”

Her remark appealed to the corsairs' macabre humour and made the atmosphere more cordial. They began bantering.

“Ahoy, mate, 'ave ye ever tasted weasel stew?”

The fat greasy cook, himself a weasel, shook his head. “Nah, us weasels don't taste nice. I bit me tongue once, an' I tasted 'orrible!”

Even Shekra had to smile at that. Taking down a wheezy and tattered concertina, the greasy cook sang in a raucous tone a ditty he had composed.

Several irate searats whipped out their blades. The cook hopped out of the galley smartly, shouting, “Wot's the matter, mates—can't ye take a joke?”

Uggo opened his eyes. Spitting seawater, he sat up gingerly, gazing around. “Where am I? Wot happened? Posy, are you alright?”

The pretty hogmaid attempted to rise but fell back. “Oh, my head. I feel awful, Uggo!”

Shekra hauled them both up. “Come on, you two. Now yore awake, the cap'n will want a word with ye. Come on,'tis not good to keep him waitin'.”

The vixen shoved them out onto the deck, still half dazed and bewildered. Uggo was looking up at the mainsail when Shekra chivvied him along. “Stop gawpin' about an' move yoreself, 'edgepig!”

Posy heard Uggo murmur to himself, “That sign on the sail—where've I seen it before?”

They were bundled roughly into the captain's cabin. Razzid had his back to them but turned at the sound of their entry. The truth hit Uggo Wiltud like a thunderbolt. Before he could think properly, he blurted out, “I've seen you before, an' that sign on the sail—a big fork with evil eyes starin' through it!”

The Wearat hooked a claw about Uggo's neck, drawing him close. “Where was it ye saw all this?”

The young hedgehog quailed as he gazed at Razzid. The burn-scarred features, the weeping half-closed eye and the other one, which bored into him like a gimlet.

He answered in a faltering stammer. “I—I don't mean I really saw you, like now. It was in a dream I had at Redwall Abbey, sir.”

Owing to his facial wounds, Razzid's smile was more of a wicked grimace. He pulled the young hedgehog closer. “Redwall Abbey, eh? I like the sound o' that. We've got a lot to talk about, my friend!”

 

Queen Dukwina was sleeping soundly when she was ambushed by Captain Rake and his hares. She was immediately smothered by rugs, a lot of them, cutting off her muffled cries. The queen's retinue slumbered soundly on, unaware of the incident. Silently, the hares carried her out of the dwelling. The empraking followed them, hopping excitedly alongside Miggory.

“I hope you're going to take her far away so she won't find her way back here. Promise me you will.”

The sergeant chuckled quietly. “Keep yore voice down, Majesty. Now, could ye point out this place where they've taken our maids?”

Empraking Dibby skipped eagerly along in front of them. “I'll show you, follow me. Though I don't know the way in—it's a secret, you see!”

He led them to another dome, virtually unnoticeable to the casual observer. It looked like a solid wall connecting two dunes, much smaller than the main construction. Corporal Welkin, Flutchers and the captive stoat Crumdun staggered up, bearing the hulking form of Drander between them.

Welkin let Drander's footpaws drop to the floor. “Whew, stripe me, that big buffoon weighs more'n three of us put t'gether! Is this where they've got our maids locked up, sah? How do we get into the confounded place? Can't see any doors as such, wot!”

The little empraking kicked the bundle of rugs lightly. “She knows. Make her tell you—stick things in her that'll loosen her tongue!”

Scutram chuckled. “My word, Dibby, you're a proper little savage. Fancy doin' that to your beloved!”

Captain Rake began undoing the rug bundle.

“Och, Ah've nae doubt the wee lad's had plenty o' provocation. Ah'd no' like her tae be mah queen. The auld biddy has a tongue like an adder!”

He hauled the kicking Dukwina out of the rugs.

“Now, marm, will ye no' open this thing for us?”

The queen straightened her wrinkled finery, then let out a piercing yell. “Guards! Heeeeeeelp meeeeeee!”

The empraking remarked wistfully, “I told you sticking things in her would've been best.”

Sergeant Miggory poked his head around the main dwelling entrance. “Sah, we'd best do somethin' sharpish. They're comin, h'armed t'the teeth an' lookin' like business!”

Captain Rake acted swiftly. “Lieutenant Scutram, hauld ontae the queen! Sergeant Miggory, take the column an' keep them off! Young Bawdsley, stay by me. Ah'm goin' tae force an entrance tae this place!”

The horde of shrews and lizards advanced, waving their weapons and hissing viciously. However, they halted short of the Long Patrol hares, who stood resolutely, ready for trouble. Dukwina's army danced, bared their teeth and threatened, but they did not seem disposed to charge the young warriors.

Trug Bawdsley ran his paws over the smooth sandcemented surface in front of them. “Not havin' much luck, sah. Can't even find a flamin' crack!”

Dukwina smirked. “Hah, an' you won't find a crack, either!”

Captain Rake replied coolly, “So we won't find a crack, marm? Och, then Ah'll just have tae make one!” Drawing both his claymores, he attacked the wall, striking it repeatedly in the same spot using the butt of his left blade as a hammer and the point of the right as a gouge. It produced a curious sound on the hardened shell.

Wilbee came from the entrance to report, saluting smartly. “Beg pardon, sah, but the sarn't told me t'tell you that we can't hold the foebeast off much longer. They're gettin' rather jolly close to us now. Sah!”

Rake left off his assault to spit on his paws. “Is that a spear you're carryin', young Wilbee?”

The young hare hefted it. “Rather, sah. Jolly heavy one, too—belonged to my pa, wot!”

Captain Rake took the weapon from Wilbee. “Aye, so'tis, a braw, hefty spear, Ah'd say.”

The captain paced back a few steps, then launched himself at the wall, gripping the spear with both paws. “Eulaliiiiaaaa!”

Rake's mighty blow sent the point right through the wall, almost a third of the length of its shaft. He winked at Wilbee. “Nought like a guid spear, tell yore pa. Now give it a sidelong push wi' me!”

As they pulled it sharply to one side, there was a rending crack. The wall split from top to bottom. Another two solid thwacks with the spear, and a big triangular piece of the structure fell away.

Rake pointed to the entrance he had made, bowing mockingly to Queen Dukwina. “After you, marm!”

As the column filed in, the captain kept Dukwina at spearpoint, in view of her army. He called out harshly to them, “Ah'd stay back if'n I were you, or ye'll get yer queen back wi' an awful hole through her, ye ken?”

The queen sneered. “You're an officer and a creature of honour. You wouldn't dare harm me!”

The captain jabbed her lightly with the spearpoint. “Marm, Ah'd dare anythin' tae preserve the hares o' mah platoon. Now, call yer beasties off!”

Dukwina squeaked hastily at her army, “Stay back, all of you—that is a command!”

The lizards and shrews were still hissing and wielding their weapons, but they made no move to charge.

Scutram picked up the large, triangular fragment of broken wall. It was surprisingly light. He blocked the aperture with it.