Goody chuckled and winked at Soll. “A long time ago, eh? Like as not two seasons back. When yore old as me, then y’can talk about long times, my beauty. Come, sing for me.”

Song began tapping her footpaw, and they all tapped along with her until the rhythm was just right to start singing.

“Who taught the birds to sing?

Why Mother Nature dear.

Who told the winds an’ breeze to blow,

Rain to fall an’ snow to snow,

Rivers to run an’ streams to flow?

Oh Mother Nature dear!

Who colored grass so green?

Why Mother Nature dear.

Who tells the moon, come out at night,

And teaches stars to shine so bright,

Then orders sun and clear daylight?

Oh Mother Nature dear!

Who makes the seaons change?

Why Mother Nature dear.

Who says the seas must ebb and flow,

An’ tells each tree how tall to grow,

Then lets the days pass fast or slow?

Oh Mother Nature dear,

I see her plain an’ clear,

She’s all around us here!”

Song held the final note, letting it rise, holding it a touch longer, then ending with a double tap of her footpaws. Goody Brimm was smiling, yet she wiped her eyes with a small kerchief. “I never ’eard that tune sung so sweet in all me days. ’Twas a rare treat jus’ to sit’n’lissen to yore voice, young missie!”

Soll rose reluctantly. “That’s true, m’dear, but these young ’uns got a ways to go afore nightfall. We best leave now if’n we want to make it to the stream by twilight. So we’ll be biddin’ ye goodbye.”

Goody Brimm hastily started wrapping scones for them. “Goodbye nothin’! I’ll walk with ye as far as the stream. A stretch of the ole paws’ll do me good!”

Afternoon shadows were growing long as they strode through the woodland in double file, chatting away animatedly. Dann watched the old otter, leaning for support on Soll’s sturdy paw, both solitary creatures united for a short time. Song already had an idea of what Dann was going to say to her, but she let him speak his thoughts as they walked together.

“I can’t help feelin’ sorry for Soll an’ Goody. You can tell they lead a lonely life, by the way they love company an’ want us to stay an’ visit longer. I think they’d be far better off livin’ at Redwall Abbey. There’d be lots o’ new friends there, an’ things t’do. I bet they’d soon forget their loneliness at the Abbey.”