19

On the afternoon that the weather cleared and brightened up, there was great activity in Redwall Abbey. Armed with axes, saws, and pruning knives, the creatures set about the task of dismantling the beech tree mat had collapsed upon the already unstable south wall. Arven and Shad the Gatekeeper took a long, double-pawed saw, and between them they tackled the heaviest limb they could reach.

Viola Bankvole stood by as Infirmary Sister, with an array of unguents, salves, bandages, and medicines, in case of injuries, Mother Abbess Tansy had given her permission for any willing Redwallers, young or old, to join in. She remarked to her friend Craklyn as they watched the beech being decimated, “Far better to let everybeast take part, dont you think? It makes a heavy chore into more of a social activity.

The squirrel Recorder had her doubts. “We need more organization, Tansy. Look at Sloey and Gubbiotheyre sitting perched up on that branch with hammers, knocking away at twigs, the little turnipheads!

Tansy smiled fondly up at the two Dibbuns. “Oh, leave them, they cant get into much mischief doing that.

Craklyn pointed lower down the same branch. “But see, Brother Sedum and Sister Egram are trying to saw through the bottom of the same branch. Look outthere it goes!

The branch snapped with a sharp crack, Sedum and Egram fell backward with a joint yell, and the two Dibbuns squeaked in dismay as they plummeted earthward.

“Haharr gotcha!

Lithe and brawny, Skipper of Otters dropped his ax and leapt beneath the branch to catch Sloey and Gubbio in his strong paws. Giggling helplessly, the three of them fell into the mass of leafy foliage, the Dibbuns crowing aloud with excitement, “Again! Do it again! More, more!

Skipper sat up rubbing his head. “Ouch! You liddle coveswatch where yore a wavin those ammers!

Viola was over tike a shot. “I knew it, some creature was bound to get hurt! Come away from there, you naughty babes! And you, call yourself a Skipper of Otters, have you no sense at all? Stop scrabbling about in those leaves with the Dibbuns this instant!

She swept Sloey up in her paws, and the mousebabe, who was still waving her hammer, which was no more than a small nut mallet, bopped the good Sister an unlucky one between the ears. Viola turned her eyes upward, gave a faint whoop, and sat down hard.

Skipper shook with laughter as he gave orders to some other Dibbuns who had just arrived on the scene. “Ahoy, mates, git bandages an ointment, fix pore Sister Viola up, shes sore wounded!

Full of mischief, the Abbeybabes needed no second bidding.

Viola floundered about helplessly on the grass as they poured ointment on her head and dashed round and round her until she was swathed in bandages. Tansy and Craklyn had to turn away, they were chuckling so hard. Then Tansy caught sight of the cook.

“Mother Buscol, perhaps you and Gurrbowl would like to Set up the evening meal out here? Theres lots of deadwood from the tree for a fire. Couldnt we have a chestnut roast and baked parsnips? Craklyn and I will helpI know, well make honey and maple apples. Is there any strawberry fizz in the cellars? That would be lovely for our workers!

Grumbling aloud, the fat old squirrel trundled off to the kitchens for her ingredients. “Lackaday, an whats wrong with a kitchen oven, may I arsk? Indeed to goodness, look you, a full picnic meal for who knows ow many creatures, an everywhere tis nought but bushes an bangin. Come on, Gurrbowl, well ave to see what can be done!

Goodwife Gurrbowl the Cellar Keeper shook her head severely at Sister Viola as she passed. “Moi dearie me, baint youm gotten no sense, Viola, a playin wi ee Dibbuns an gittin eeself all messed oop loik that!

Skipper and his crew, with Arven and the more able-bodied Redwallers, set to with a will, chopping, sawing, and hauling heavy branches. The work went well. They struck up a song as they toiled:

“Oh, seed is in the ground an up comes a shoot, Seed is in the soil an down goes a root, Here comes a leaf an there goes a twig, Seasons turn as the tree grows big!

Saplin bends with the breeze at dawn, Wearin a coat of bark tkeep warm, Growin lots o green leaves stead o fur, Birds go a nestin in its hair.

Some gets flowrs as they spread root, Some gets berries, some gets fruit, Trees grow tgether in a glade, All through summer thats nice shade.

Lots o trees do make a wood, Just the way that good trees should, Ole dead trees when they expire Keep my paws warm by the fire!

They had scarcely finished the song when a voice rapped sternly from the deepest section of the foliage, “Thats still no reason to cut down a tree, is it?

Skipper looked at Arven strangely. “Did you say somethin, mate?

“No, I thought it was you for a moment, Skip.

The voice sounded out again, quite irritable this time. “Honestly, where theres no feeling theres no sense. Im trapped in here, you great pair of buffoons. In here!

Skipper thrust himself into the foliage. “Sounds like an owlbird tme!

A deep sigh escaped from the leafy depths. “Owlbird? Did I call you an otterdog? No! Then pray have the goodness to at least get the name of my species right. Owl, say it!

Skipper shrugged his brawny shoulders. “Owl!

“Thank you! the voice continued. “Now are you going to stand about jawing all day or do you think you and your friends can muster up the decency to get me out of here?

Right at the heart of the foliage was a thick dead limb with a deep weather-spread crack in it, and wedged there was a female of the type known as Little Owls. She had wide gray eyebrows and huge yellow eyes, which were fixed in a permanent frown.

Arven climbed over a limb and nodded amiably at her. “Good day to ye, marm. Youll excuse my sayin, but we never cut down your tree, the storm knocked it down.

The owl moved her head from side to side huffily. “So you say. All I know is that Im not three days in this nest, hardly settled down, Taunoc gone hunting for beetles, when the whole world collapses in on me. Knocked unconscious, completely out! Ive only just regained my senses, due to your infernal banging and knocking, of course!

Skipper put down his ax guiltily. “An are ye all right, marm?

The owl was a very small one, but she puffed herself up Until she filled the entire crack, glaring at the otter. “All right? Do I look all right? Clutching on here, half upside down, doing my level best to stop three eggs spilling out and breaking all over the ground. Oh, yes, apart from that and being knocked out, I suppose Im all right!

Tansy and Craklyn pushed into the foliage, all concern for the owls predicament.

“Oh, you poor bird! Three eggs and your homes de

Viola, come quick! Arven, Skipper, hold this branch steady. Stay still, my dear, well have you and your eggs out of there safely in no time at all!

The Redwallers flocked in to help; carefully they extricated the Little Owl from the crack. The nest, with its three eggs intact, was lifted out as gently as possible. Then, chopping away twigs and foliage, they led the bird out into the open.

Tansy found out that the owls name was Orocca. They brought her to the fire, placing the nest on a pile of blankets. Orocca was small but looked formidably strong and fierce. She ruffled her feathers and sat on her nest, staring aggressively at everybeast, the pupils of her immense golden eyes dilating and contracting in the firelight.

Mother Buscol gave her warm candied chestnuts, hazelnuts crystallized in honey, and some strawberry fizz. “Indeed to goodness, bird, you need sweet food to get over your shock. Eat up now, look you, theres plenty more.

As Orocca ate voraciously, Viola approached her with herbs and medicines. The owl shot her a glare that sent her scuttling. Timidly she stood behind Skipper and called to Orocca, “When will your egg babies be born?

The answer was terse and irate. “When theyre ready, and not a moment before, silly!

Foremole Diggum and his team arrived at the fire. Diggum clacked his digging claws together in delight. “Hoo arr, loo-kee, Drubb, unny apples an chesknutters by ee foire! Gurr, usns be fair famishered. Scuse oi, marm, opes youm doant objeck to molers settinlongside ee?

To everybeasts surprise, Orocca actually smiled at Diggum. “Please be seated, sir, I enjoy the company of moles immensely. I find them wise and sensible creatures, not given to ceaseless chatter and inane questions.

Foremole and his crew sat, heaping their platters with food.

Arven scratched his head in bewilderment. “Orocca doesnt seem too fond of us, yet she took to you straight away. Whats your secret, Diggum?

Foremoles homely face crinkled into a knowing grin. “Hurr, oi spect tis our andsome lukks, zurr!

Striving to keep a straight face, Arven sat next to Diggum. “Oh, I see. But pray tell me, sir, apart from admiring yourself in a mirror, what else have you been up to this afternoon?

The mole poured himself a beaker of strawberry fizz. “Usns been a diggen, oill tell ee wot oi found, zurr!

Later on Arven sought out Tansy, who was in the dormitory with Mother Buscol, bedding down Dibbuns for the night. Peeping round the door, Arven watched in silence, recalling fondly his own Dibbun times. The Abbeybabes lay in their small beds, repeating after Abbess Tansy an ancient poem. Arven had learned it from Auma, an old badgermother, long ago.

He listened, mentally saying the lines along with the little ones.

“Night comes soft, tis daylights end,

Sleep creeping gently oer all,

Bees go to hive, birds fly to nest,

Whilst pale moon shadows fall.

Silent earth lies cloaked in slumber,

Stars standing guard in the skies,

Til dawn steals up to banish darkness,

I must close my weary eyes.

Safe dreams, peace unto you, my friend,

Night conies soft, tis daylights end.

Mother Buscol stayed with the yawning Dibbuns while Tansy drifted quietly outside to see what her friend wanted. Together they descended the stairs and strolled out into the beautiful spring night, and Arven related what Diggum Foremole had told him.

i;V “Diggum and his team located the exact spot where the f frouble with the south wall began. Today while we were deal-jpng with the tree, he and his moles began excavating. Ive “arranged with him to show us what he found.

Holding lighted lanterns, Diggum and his stout crew waited them at the edge of a sloping shaft they had dug into ground near the wallbase.

Tugging his snout courteously to Tansy, the mole Chieftain sted her. “Gudd eventoid to ee, marm, thurr be summat yurr oi wanten ee tcast thy eye ower. Oill go afront of ee an moi molesll foller, keepen furm old o yon rope.

Sensibly the moles had pegged ropes either side of the shaft walls, forming a strong banister. Gingerly, everyone followed Diggum into the shaft. The earth was moist and slippery un-derpaw.

Following Diggums advice, Tansy held tightly to the ropes. By lantern light she saw that the shaft leveled out into a small tunnel, where she was forced to crouch, her gown sweeping its sides.

“Burr, oim sorry youm “abit be gettin amuckied oop, Foremole murmured apologetically. “Tis only a place fit furr molefolk, marm.

The Abbess patted the broad back in front of her. “Oh, tis nothing a washday wont solve, friend. Lead on, Im dying of curiosity to see what youve discovered.

When she did see it, Tansy was almost lost for words. She stood awestruck at what the flickering lantern light revealed.

“Great seasons o sun an showers, what is it?