31?

In the orchard of Redwall Abbey the tables for the owlchicks feast had been laid. Friar Butty supervised his helpers round a firepit, over which the hot dishes were being kept at a good temperature. Apple, pear, and plum blossoms were shedding their petals thickly on the heads of the feasters. It was a joyous sight.

The three owlchicks sat on cushions inside an empty barrel alongside their mothers place at the table; the badgerbabe lay in an old vegetable basket lined with sweet-smelling dried mosses. Tammo and Pasque sat together, with Arven and Dig-gum Foremole on either side of them. Mother Abbess Tansy occupied her big chair, which had been specially carried out. She looked very happy, clad in a new cream-colored habit, belted with a pale green girdle cord. The Dibbuns had made her a tiara of daisies and kingcups, which she wore proudly, if a little lopsidedly, on her headspikes.

Good Redwall food had the tables almost bent with its weight. Rockjaw Grang grabbed spoon and fork in a businesslike way. Gurrbowl Cellarmole nodded to him as she and Drubb rolled a barrel of October Ale up to its trestle. “Hurr, ee lukk ready tdo a speck o dammidge to yon vittles, zurr!

Sergeant Torgoch eyed a large spring salad longingly. “Youll scuse me sayin, marm, but e aint the only one ereabouts whos lived on camp rations fer a season, eh, Rub-badub?

The fat hares smile matched the sun in the sky. “Rubbity dubdub boomboom!

Abbess Tansy nodded politely to the Major. “As our guest, sir, perhaps youd like to say the grace?

Perigords mouth was watering furiously, but he wiped his lips on a kerchief and drooped an elegant ear in Tansys direction. “Quite, er, thank ye, marm!

“Thanks to seasons an jolly good luck, Weve all got a sword an a head, An the way well tuck into these vittles Will show that were living, not dead.

“Haharrharr! Shad the Gatekeeper chortled. “Shortnsweet, thats ow I likes it, mate. Dig in!

Everybeast did so with a will. Redwallers had no strict rules about dining: sweet was as good as salad to start, stew as acceptable as cake, and all shared the feast with one another.

“Here, mate, try some o this plum slice with black-currant sauce!

“Whoi thankee, zurr mate, mayap youm aven summ o moi deepern ever turnipntaternbeetroot pie. Hurrthat be thstuff!

“Mmmm! Well, what dyou think of our Mossflower, Wedge, eh, Pasque?

“Excellent. I never knew I was such a jolly good cook, wot!

“I say, this Abbey Trifle is absoballylutely top hole!

“Just give me good oP fresh crusty bread an ripe yellow cheese, oh, with some o these tangy pickles, an a plate o salad, an maybe some stuffed mushrooms. Put that fruitcake ff oh the side, Ill deal with it later. More October Ale, please!

“Damson an gooseberry pudden with meadowcream, thats fme!

“Ahoy, Dibbun, drink any more o that strawberry fizz an youll go bang!

“Awright den, me go bang. Ooh, likkle berryfruit tarts, me like em!

Taunoc dropped in and peered at the owlchicks in their barrel, saying, “Goodness, what handsome chicks. I think they resemble me strongly.

“Wot a pity, a raucous voice called out. “Shame they dont look more like yore missus, hahaha!

The Little Owl sniffed pityingly. “There speaks a beast with all his taste in his mouth.

“Have you decided on names for the little ones yet, marm? the Abbess called across to Orocca.

Orocca took her beak out of a hazelnut turnover long enough to reply, “Owls never name their eggchicks. Theyll tell us their own names once they are ready to speak.

Tansy gave her a charming nod and a smile, then, pulling a wry face, she turned to Craklyn. “Oops, excuse me for asking, but what about our badgerbabe? Were going to need a name for him soon. Anybeast come up with a good idea yet?

Craklyn paused from her rhubarb and maple crumble. “Dyou see the giant hare over there, the one they call Rock-jaw? Well, I think hes thought up a name for the little fellow.

At their request, Rockjaw emerged from behind a pair of platters piled high with salad, bread, cheese, cake, and pasties and wiped his mouth daintily on the tablecloth hem. “By ecky thump, marms, theres only one thing bettern foodmore food! Sithee, Ive dubbed yon likkle tyke well. Es to be named Russano.

Captain Twayblade nodded her agreement. “Aye, tis a good strong name. Russa Nodrey saved his life, so her name11 live on in the badger. Twas clever of oF Rock, really, he took Russas first name an the first two letters of her second. Russano, I like it. Heres to Russano!

Everybeast raised their drinks to toast the babes new name. “Russano! Good health, long seasons!

“May he always remember his pretty ol nurse, Rockjaw Grang! Lieutenant Mono added, then ducked quickly beneath the table as Rockjaw picked up a pie.

“Ahve never struck a hofficer wi an apple an red-currant pie afore, but theres alms a first time, tenant Morio!

Amid the general laughter, Craklyn got up and sang an old Abbey birthing song.

“O heres to the little ones,

Sunshine on all,

As we grow oldnsmall,

May they grow tall,

Not knowing hunger or winters cold bite,

Fearing no living thing, by day or night,

Strong in the heart, and sturdy of limb,

Making us proud to know of her or him.

Heres to the life we love, honest and new,

Grant all these hopes and dreams come true,

With each fresh dawn may joy never cease,

Long seasons of happiness and peace!

Perigord thumped the tabletop with his tankard. “Splendid, well sung, marm! Long Patrol, let us honor little Russano in Salamandastron style. Draw steel!

Tarnmo was not sure what to do, though he felt privileged to be part of the hares brief ceremony. Pulling forth his blade, he held it flat over the vegetable basket like the rest. Gazing solemnly up through a crisscross of deadly steel, the badger-babe watched Major Perigord as he intoned:

“We are the Long Patrol, these are our perilous blades, Pledged to your protection across all the seasons, Our lives are yours, your life is ours. Eulali aaaaaaaaa!

“Blister me barnacles, mate, Skipper of Otters whispered to Arven. “I felt the fur rise all along me back when those warriors shouted their battle cry!

The Champion of Redwall smiled. “Aye, me too, but did ysee the little Russano? He never batted an eyelid. Hell grow to be a cool un, I wager.

“Ive heard that hares cant sing, Ginko the Bellringer called out. “Is that right?

Pasque Valerian threw a paw across Rubbadubs shoulders. “An where pray did yhear that, sir? Everybeast up on ypaws an form two rings, one inside the other. One ring goes left, the other circles right. Midge, Riffle, you show em. Rubba-dub, you beat time an Ill do the singin. Hares on the Mountain.

Whooping and leaping, the hares gripped their Redwall partners paws.

“Hares on the Mountain, beat it out goodnfast!

Rubbadub grinned massively, striking up his drum noises. “Rubbity dubbity dumbaradum, rubbity dubbity dumbar-adum ...

Both circles began moving counter to each other with the beat, at every third step banging both paws down hard and doing a double clap. Soon the Redwallers had the hang of it. When the circles were moving to Pasques satisfaction, she sang out loud and speedy:

“O mother, dear mother, O mother come quick, Calamity lackaday bring a stout stick, Theres hares on the mountain, theyre all roughnbig, A cuttin up capers an dancin a jig!

They wear rusty medals an raggy old clothes, Theres one with an apple stuck fast to his nose, Anothers got seashells all tied to his back, Theres hares on the mountain alas an alack!

O daughter, my daughter, now listen to me, Such rowdy wild pawsteps I never did see, Run into the house quick an cover your eyes, An Ill give those ruffians such a surprise!

A hare in a frock coat so fine an so long Scraped on a small fiddle an banged a big gong, He seized the poor mother an gave a loud cry, Lets warm up our paws with a reel, you an I!

O mother, sweet mother, oh may I look now? “Come stir ystumps, daughter, an look anyhow,

As she whirled around the good mother did call, Theres a handsome one here with no partner at all!

So batter that drum well an kick up your paws, Im reelin with mine an yore jiggin with yours, A leapin an twirlin as cares fly away, Those hares on the mountain can call any day!

All through the grounds of the Abbey, the warm sunny afternoon resounded with the joyous sounds of feasting and laughter. Sloey the mousebabe filled her apron pockets with candied nuts and dashed off with the other Dibbuns to play hide-and-seek.

Gubbio and the rest drew straws to see who would be denkeeper. A tiny hedgehog named Twingle drew the short straw. Covering his eyes with a dock leaf, he began counting aloud in baby fashion.

“One, three, two an a bit, four, sixty, eight, three again, an a five-seventy-nine ...

Squealing and giggling with excitement, the little creatures dashed off to hide before Twingle finished counting.

“Four, two an a twelve, dont knows any more numbers, Fm a cummin tfind youse all now!

Back at the table the moles were broaching a great new cask of October Ale, singing uproariously along with the Redwallers, showing the Long Patrol hares what good voice they were in.

“October Ale, tis brewed when summers done,

From hopsnyeast an barley fine,

With just a pinch of dandelion,

A smidgeon of good honey, a taste of elderflower,

An dont forget the old wild oat

Culled at the dawns first hour.

We puts it up in casks of oak,

All seasoned well with maple smoke,

Then lays it in cool cellars deep,

Ten seasons long to sleep.

October Ale, no drink so good ncheery

In winter by the fireside bright

To warm your paws the whole long night,

Or after autumn harvesting, to rest an take your ease.

Just sip a tankard nicenslow.

With crusty bread an cheese.

Tis wholesome full an hearty

For any feast or party.

Wed tramp oer forest hill an dale

For good October Ale!

Gurrbowl wielded her mallet, knocking the spigot through the bung with a satisfying thud. Skipper and his otters lined up with tankards and beakers as the foaming dark brew splashed forth. Sergeant Torgoch brushed his bristling mustache with the back of a paw, smacking his lips and clunking beakers with Galloper Riffle as they sampled the new barrels contents.

Torgoch placed a coaxing paw around the Cellarmoles shoulders, saying, “Wot dye say, marm, ow about comin to be Head Cellar Keeper at Salamandastron? Just think of all those poor hares who aint never tasted yore October Ale. Take pity on em, I beg yer!

The molewife was so flustered by the compliment she threw her pinafore up over her face. “Hurr, go way, zurr, youm a tumble charmer, but oi wuddent leave this yurr h Abbey for nought, so thurr!

With a twinkle in her eye, Abbess Tansy chided Torgoch: “Shame on you, Sergeant, trying to rob us of our Cellar Keeper! But seeing as you like Redwalls October Ale so much, heres what I propose. You may take as many barrels back to Salamandastron as you can carry.

Rockjaw Grang placed his paws around a barrel. Grunting and straining, he was barely able to move it. The Sergeant pulled a mock mournful face. “Thankee, marm, yore too kind, Im sure!

Suddenly, Twingle the hedgehog Dibbun came stumbling up to the table, waving his paws wildly and shouting, “Come a quick, urry urry!

Arven picked him up and sat him on the tabletop. “Now then, you liddle rogue, whats all this noise about?

Twingle struggled down from the table, yelling urgently, “We was playinide-seek an Sloey failed down dbig ole!

Shad the Gatekeeper lifted the Dibbun with one big paw. “What, ymean the pit under the south wall, Sloey fell down there?

Breathless and tearful the Dibbun nodded. “All a way down inta the dark she gone!

Like a flash the otters and hares were away, running headlong with Arven leading them.

Sloeys fall was broken by the rushing waters far below. The swift current was about to whip her off into the bowels of the earth when suddenly she was plucked from the roaring torrent by her apron strings and flung up on the bank. Half conscious, the mousebabe struggled upright and screamed with fright as a coil, heavy and scale-covered, knocked her back down. Something licked her paw, and she caught the dreadful waft of stale breath, hot against her quivering nostrils. A long, satisfied sigh sounded close to her face. “Aaaaaahhhhnhh!