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Back Marlfox Save as PDF
Chapters (79)
  1. CHARGE!
  2. THE REDWALL BOOKS
  3. Dedication
  4. Map
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. ACT ONE
  7. 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 3
  13. 4
  14. 4
  15. 5
  16. 5
  17. 6
  18. 6
  19. 7
  20. 7
  21. 8
  22. 8
  23. 9
  24. 9
  25. 10
  26. 10
  27. 11
  28. 11
  29. 12
  30. 12
  31. 13
  32. 13
  33. ACT TWO
  34. 14
  35. 14
  36. 15
  37. 15
  38. 16
  39. 16
  40. 17
  41. 17
  42. 18
  43. 18
  44. 19
  45. 19
  46. 20
  47. 20
  48. 21
  49. 21
  50. 22
  51. 22
  52. 23
  53. 23
  54. 24
  55. 24
  56. 25
  57. 25
  58. ACT THREE
  59. 26
  60. 26
  61. 27
  62. 27
  63. 28
  64. 28
  65. 29
  66. 29
  67. 30
  68. 30
  69. 31
  70. 31
  71. 32
  72. 32
  73. 33
  74. 33
  75. 34
  76. 34
  77. Epilogue
  78. Epilogue
  79. What’s next onyour reading list?

Fenno ignored him and carried on. “See wot ’appened today. One of you was bashed agin’ the rocks an’ drownded gettin’ over them rapids, the logboat was near wrecked an’ we were almost lost altogether. But did yore Marlfox worry about that, eh? Ho no! All ’e was thinkin’ of was that tapestry. Then Mokkan ’ad us breakin’ our backs ’eavin’ on those paddles to escape the vole crews. You there, I saw ’im whack you a belt wid ’is ax ’andle ter make you paddle faster. Wot sort of a leader is that, I ask yer?”

The rat he was addressing merely shrugged. “We serve the kin of the High Queen Silth. ’Tis no business of yores.”

Fenno curled his lip at the water rats scornfully. “Huh! ’Igh Queen Silth! Look at yerselves, soakin’ wet an’ wearied t’the limit, crouchin’ there on a damp bank widout a bite between yer or a fire to dry out by. You must all be crazy. D’yer think yore Queen cares the drop of a leaf about you lot?”

The rat called Gorm banged the side of the logboat to silence Fenno. “All yore fine talk’s doin’ you no good, Guosim. Don’t y’know that Marlfoxes are magic beasts? ’Twould do us no good at all tryin’ to run from them. Where would we go? No creature can escape the magic of Marlfoxes.”

Fenno strained against the thong that bound him to the boat. “Magic my whiskers! You water rats are really stupid!”

“Not half as stupid as you, shrew.”

Fenno actually jumped with shock. Mokkan was standing behind him, holding aloft a whippy branch he had cut from the elm with his ax. The shrew covered his head with both paws, crouching in a ball as blows rained heavily on him.

“Pain is the best teacher for stupid idiots. Marlfoxes are magic! Say it! Say it!”

“Aggh! Yeeeagh! Marlfoxes are magic, sire! Yaaargh!”

Mokkan threw the broken branch savagely at Fenno’s head and kicked his sobbing prisoner brutally. “You’ve learned a valuable lesson, oaf. We’ve got all night—shall I cut myself another switch to remind you of it, eh?”

Crouching in the damp logboat bottom, Fenno wept brokenly. “Mercy, sire, please. Marlfoxes are magic! I won’t forget, sire!”

Mokkan lost interest in his captive. Turning to Gorm, he said, “Break out supplies and light a small fire. Keep it sheltered in the lee of the boat and don’t let it smoke.”

The water rat bowed. “It shall be done as y’say, sire.”

Mokkan stroked the intricately embroidered tapestry roll. “Keep this dry and in perfect condition. High Queen Silth would be angry if it were damaged.”

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