Redwall #14 - Marlfox by Brian Jacques

Author:Brian Jacques [Jacques, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-11-15T20:42:38+00:00

As Vannan watched two new axbeasts take the place of two weary ones, Raventail scoffed, "Kye arr, we be oldbeasts by time bigtree fall!"

The Marlfox ignored the gibe, listening to the steady ring of axblades against oakwood.

Chop! Chop! Chop!

One of the water rats wielding an ax stopped suddenly, wincing as he rubbed furiously at his cheek. Vannan glared at him irately. "What have you stopped for?"

"Something stung me, marm!"

"Idiot! Get back to work or my ax will sting your neck!"

Chop! Chop! Chop! Thunk! Whumph!

The Marlfox's pale eyes shone triumphantly. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Swing those axes harder!"

As she spoke, Vannan drew in her breath sharply. Raising her left footpaw, she flattened the big termite that was biting her. At the same instant her right footpaw was attacked by several more of the angry insects. In no time at all, Vannan was hopping from one paw to the other, swiping at termites.

Raventail stepped back, laughing. "Kyaahahaharr! Bigmagic fox dancin' lokka lokka!"

Both water rats had ceased chopping and were ' slapping their bodies all over, maddened by the fiery stabs of pain. An ominous buzzing filled the air. Raventail was still laughing as a swarm of bees descended on his head, where they went to work with a vengeance. Now the very air hummed and the ground was alive. Insects flooded from the three-topped oak, biting and stinging anything they encountered. The moment they felt the first stings, Ascrod and Predak fled the scene, leaving Raventail, Vannan and the waiting crowd of barbarians and water rats to their tormentors. The would-be invaders screamed and roared, some throwing themselves flat on the ground, unwittingly escaping the bees only to writhe amid the termites. Others tried to scale trees, driven almost crazy with agony as bees swarmed all over them. Those who fled were pursued by the bees, and they ran as if they were dancing some insane jig, slapping at the termites that clung doggedly on. Bushes were trampled, low-hanging branches snapped, and the night air rang with screeches and yells.

Tragglo Spearback began herding everybeast down from the wall, cautioning as they went. "Go easy now. Don't 'urry, move slow an' stay calm. Those bees ain't flown up this 'igh yet, but they soon will."

Dawn arrived in pale rosewashed sky, scattered with small cream-hued clouds. Cregga Badgermum stood in the Abbey doorway with Ellayo, listening to the massed chorus of birdsong resounding in the woodlands. Ellayo looked over toward the north wall. "Birdies sound happy an' joyous this mornin', Cregga."

"Aye, so they do. I hear thrushes, blackbirds, finches and robins tooall manner of our feathered friends. Do you know what they're doing, Ellayo?"

"Oh, yes. They're thankin' the vermin for givin' 'em such a fine breakfast of bees an' termites. Kind of the foebeasts, wasn't it?"

"Indeed it was, though I don't think they'll be bothered about birdsong right now. Mud poultices and dock-leaves will be more their concern this fine morning."

"Let that be a lesson t'the rogues, I say. None of ours were stung, were they, Cregga?"

"Only one.

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