The Outlander 2 14
#15 of The Outlander
Book 2 Chapter 14
14
The fox's sight was a heavy blur, his body felt numb and weak from the poisoned dagger. He could hear voices around him speaking in the western tongue, but his mind was too weak to comprehend what they were saying. His vision had returned slightly. He realised he was in a great room, mouse-maids in strange dress were passing bowls of poultice and healing balms and an old mouse was looking down on him. As his senses returned he noticed above all, that the walls were made from red sandstone. "How is he?' the old mouse asked. "His wound is healing well, but he's been in and out of..." "Ugh!" "I think he might be coming around." The fox warrior managed to muster enough strength to speak, however his speech was broken. "What... place this?" One of the mouse-maids cradled his head. "Hush now, don't get up. You've been badly wounded and poisoned." "Well friend, welcome to Redwall Abbey. We're here to make sure you're properly looked after. I'm Abbot Sedge," the old mouse replied. His eyes snapped open. Redwall! As if the name of the place sparked a memory. The fox then drifted back into unconsciousness, thinking there would be time for questions later. * "Why are we treating a fox of all creatures?" Mattimeo sneered. "Have we forgotten the misery they tend to bring upon this abbey?" Tim Churchmouse was busy examining the fox warrior's possessions. The sword indeed was a wondrous find but Tim was more interested in the books the stranger had brought with him. "It is one of our most upheld oaths that we help anybeast in need. You of all Redwallers should know that," said Tim. "Besides, if he were a bandit why did he help that family of voles? Furthermore, why did he get stabbed?" "Ah, they're all alike y'know. Weasels, foxes, ferrets, they're all the same. They murder their own mothers just to make a point," Mattimeo replied. Tim looked up from the books and examined the katana on his study desk. "My sister wanted me to talk to you. Auma has found you again sleeping on the floor in great hall right in front of the tapestry. Are you sill having bad dreams?" "I... keep getting images of my father. Sometimes it's when he rescued us from Malkariss and most of the time it's him on his deathbed. It's almost as if he's haunting me for something I've done wrong." Tim put a reassuring paw around his friend's shoulder. "If your father could see you now he'd be so proud. Anyway, you should see this," he said picking up the katana. "I've seen it before. I must admit, it is the most exquisite sword I have ever seen. The beast that crafted it is truly a master." "Not a master, an artist," Tim presented it to his old friend, "Try wielding it." Mattimeo removed the blade from its scabbard slowly and balanced it in his paw. "It's so light," he commented as he started to twirl it slowly in his paw. "What does the writing say?" "Don't know. I haven't seen a script like that before. Also it's doubtful if any other recorder has documented it. So I can't translate." Mattimeo raised the sword above his head as he started to twirl faster. The ancient blade was lost from sight as it changed into a whirl of metal that made the air hum eerily. Mattimeo then made a downwards slash at a random stack of books. The blade cut through the stack of dusty tomes with ease and through the table they were sat on. The mouse stood in awe as the stack fell apart in two halves, Tim leapt on the remains of his once cherished abbey annals and documents. "No! Some of these books were written by Father many seasons ago. Matty, how could you?" "Sorry Tim, I had a moment of madness," "Madness? Try complete insanity! I'm going to have to make copies of all of them..." "See? Your books can be salvaged," Mattimeo said comfortingly while sheathing the fox's katana. "That'll take two seasons!" "Better get started then," said Mattimeo as he left the study. As the abbey warrior progressed down the corridor, Tim thought out loud to himself. "Ever since his father died he's become a totally different mouse."
Within time the fox's strength returned. The sun rays of the late summer afternoon flooded in through the infirmary windows and danced across the stone floors, as he sat up in his bed eating a bowl of hot root and pepper soup with shrimp. He sat conversing and chatting with Francis Vole, the father of the family of voles he had helped that day. "How could you have heard us? I mean you were a good long ways from where we were." "Be that as it may, I heard the young one cry out," the fox replied between mouthfuls of soup. "That's absolute rubbish! I mean you couldn't have. Ivy's a mute, she can't say a word. She's not my real daughter you see. My family and her family were friends, then a few seasons ago slavers had come to take her. Her parents had hidden her away and she watched as the slavers tortured and killed both her parents and she hasn't spoken a word since. But I have to say thank you, if you hadn't had come along I don't know what we would've done." The fox slurped the remainder of his bowl, "You have no need to thank me. I was merely following my code of honour." Francis scratched his head puzzled, "a fox mention honour? Bless my soul, I'd never thought I'd see the day!" "Glad to see you on the road to recovery, my son," said Abbot Sedge as he entered the infirmary. "Good day Father Abbot," the fox replied. "My compliments to the otters, the soup was sublime." "Friendly AND well mannered. I have a feeling we're going to have no problems at all. Anything we can do to speed up your recovery?" "Father Abbot, I'm afraid I must ask for my weapon back," "I am sorry friend, but we are peaceful creatures here at Redwall and weapons are not permitted. We only take up arms if we have no choice. Even our warrior hangs up his sword in times of peace," Abbot Sedge explained. The fox tried to explain his side of the argument. "And I apologise Father Abbot, but I give up my blade for nobeast." "Spoken like a true warrior!" A young mouse-maid called out from the opposite bedside. "Sister Stephanie, I would appreciate it if you did not eavesdrop on my conversation," Sedge said. The mouse-maid hung her head, "Yes Father Abbot, I'm sorry." The fox passed the bowl to Sister Stephanie who walked out of the infirmary to take the bowl back to the kitchens. The fox watched her closely as she closed the door behind her, "Who's she?" "Oh that's Stephanie, one of our order. Daydreams most of the time but she has a good heart. Oh! One more thing friend, I don't even know your name. I'm sure that Mr. Vole would like to know the name of the beast who tried to save them." "My name is Sandokhan," the fox replied.
On her way back to the kitchens Stephanie bumped into Mattimeo, who eyed the bowl angrily, "So we're feeding him from our table are we?" "Yes, and he thoroughly enjoyed his meal as well," "How long until he's well again?" "Oh, he should recover fully in the next few days," the sister replied. "Good, as soon as he's well I want him out," Mattimeo replied. "Mattimeo, that's not fair! After all he did-" "Save a family of voles. I know," the warrior mouse butted in finishing off Stephanie's sentence. "I don't like it." "Mattimeo what's the matter?" "I've never trusted foxes and I never will," Mattimeo replied before storming off in the direction of Cavern Hole.