Dannflor held the blind Badgermum’s paw as he spoke. “A path runs from north to south, and Redwall stands by the side of it. Mossflower Wood grows around the north and east walls and partially on the south. A big main threshold gate faces the path, with a little gatehouse just inside; the outer walls are high, thick and solid, built from old red sandstone, like the rest of the Abbey. Battlements and a wide walltop run round the outer walls, making it like a safe fortress. Inside there are gardens and lawns, a pond and this orchard. But in the middle of it all stands the Abbey. It is a huge old building, very high, with a weathervane atop the great long roof, and marvelous stained-glass windows, great arches and columns. Built against one side is a belltower with two bells inside, which are tolled at dawn, midday, twilight and softly at midnight. I like the bells. They have a warm, friendly sound, as if they’re watching over us.”

Cregga squeezed the young squirrel’s paw gently. “You have a good eye and a kind heart, Dannflor. Your picture of our Abbey is the same as the one I carry in my imagination.”

While they had been talking the sky was starting to cloud over from the southeast, gradually at first, but the clouds increased as a breeze sprang up to drive them along, blotting out the blue summer noon. Friar Butty felt his footpaw twinge again.

“Hah! I knew it. We’ll have rain before long, friends.”

Splot! Splack! Two large raindrops hit the leaves of a plum tree, one of them rolling down to burst on Foremole Gubbio’s nose.

“Ee rain bain’t awaitin’ on yore word, Butty, et be yurr right naow!”

As the mole spoke, long-awaited rain came splattering and battering suddenly down, a proper summer storm, driven sideways on the wind. Thunder rumbled afar, with a distant lightning flash flaring briefly in the east. Dust turned immediately to mud, dry yellowed grass was flattened against the wet earth, and a tremendous din of countless large drops pattering against foliage and rapping upon treetrunks as it hissed around the Abbey virtually drowned out all other sound.

Brother Melilot and Rusvul swept the linen spread off the ground, and knotting it loosely into a large sack with foodstuffs and dishes inside they bore it off between them to the Abbey. Cregga Badgermum boomed out over the din, “Everybeast inside!” Ambling sideways, she shielded many elders and young ones with her bulk. Sister Sloey tugged at Tragglo’s apron, rain pouring down her face into her open mouth as she called to him.

“Mister Tragglo, there’s two Dibbuns not here!”

Dannflor joined them, his fur plastered flat by the downpour. “That’ll be the two molebabes, marm, Wugger an’ Blinny. They went off toward the gatehouse as my father an’ I were comin’ up from the pond.”