Dippler cringed, putting paws to his ears. “Well, you don’t ’ave t’shout about it, mate. Wot d’you remember?”

Dann got up and went to the sword, as if drawn to it by a magnet. “When I was knocked senseless, he spoke to me, Martin the Warrior!”

Song was curious. She watched Dann attentively. “Well, don’t stand there gawping at the sword, tell us. What did he say to you?”

Dann automatically spoke the words triggered by the sight of the marvelous blade that Martin had once wielded.

“Four Chieftains going forth,

To bring back Redwall’s heart,

Vengeance, honor, friendship,

Each will play their part.

The flower bears my blade,

And greenstick, Warrior’s daughter,

Join with the shortsword bearer,

And one who lives by water.

Before the herald lark,

Ere night’s last teardrop falls,

With none to bid you fond farewell,

Go! Leave these old red walls.”

Dippler stared at his two friends. “Sounds great, but what does it mean?”

Song shook her head in despair at the young shrew. “Honestly, Dipp, you’re the blinkin’ limit. It means we three are going to go out there and bring back the tapestry!”

Dippler thought about this a moment. “But we’re not four Chieftains?”

The pretty squirrelmaid shrugged. “Well, I can’t help that. If Martin has spoken we must obey. Though you’re right, Dipp, there are one or two things about the verse that puzzle me. For instance, Dann said, the flower bears my blade. Who in the name of acorns is the flower?”

“Well, don’t go shoutin’ it all around the Abbey, but it’s me.”

Song stifled a giggle at Dann’s reluctant confession. “You? I never knew you were called flower?”

Dann looked defiant. “’Twas my mother’s idea. Dad wanted me named Dannblood, said it was a proper warrior’s name, but Mum wouldn’t hear of it, she insisted I be called Dannflower. So that’s my real name, but Dad an’ me shortened it to Dannflor after my mother died. Well, Song, you carry the greenstick an’ yore a warrior’s daughter. Dipp, you got the rapier, that’s a shortsword, so that’s the three of us, even though we ain’t Chieftains. Who the fourth is, the one who lives by water, huh, who knows? But ’tis plain we three must go!”

Dippler brightened up as the poem’s meaning began to sink in. “Aye, Redwall’s heart is the tapestry. I understand now, mates. We’ve got to leave the Abbey before dawn!”

Song interrupted the young Guosim excitedly. “Of course! Listen, here’s the first few lines from an old song, one of the first I ever learned, called ‘Daybreak.’”

“Before the herald lark,

Ere night’s last teardrop falls,

Like dewdrop from a rose,

The rising Minstrel calls . . .

“That’s the first bit. Oh dear, I wonder why we’ve got to go with none to bid us farewell?”