The warrior squirrel’s heavily lidded eyes flickered but once. Grabbing the otter’s javelin, Janglur leapt on the battlement top above Skipper and threw out a challenge to the Marlfox. “Are you the beast who wants t’meet me? Stay right there, patchbottom, I’ll come down an’ sort it out with yer, jus’ me’n’you!”

Jumping from the wall he made for the wallstairs, only to be stopped by Brother Melilot. “I know ’tis hard for a warrior to resist a challenge, Janglur, but only a fool rushes into an ambush. You’d be slain as soon as you stepped outside our gates. Let Skipper do the talking.”

Rusvul Reguba patted Janglur’s back. “He’s right, mate.”

Skipper called out to Gelltor, “Sorry, mate, you can’t ’ave ole Janglur. We need ’im at Redwall, to slay any more Marlfoxes who come callin’. So wot now?”

Gelltor pointed dramatically, letting his paw sweep the walls. “So now you must all die as a penalty for the death of a Marlfox!”

As Gelltor let his paw fall there was a brief pause, followed by a loud whirring noise. Skipper flung himself down onto the parapet. “Lay low, ’tis archers!”

A flight of arrows, like angry wasps, buzzed viciously over from all points, most of their shafts thudding into the lawn inside the Abbey walls. Gelltor waved his ax aloft. “Now ’tis war. Your Abbey is surrounded, and we will stay here for as long as it takes to slay you all or make you surrender!”

Skipper reappeared on the wall, holding an arrow. The otter Chieftain’s face was a fearsome sight to see. He snapped the arrow contemptuously, tossing the pieces down onto the path. “Hearken, fox, you want war? Then by the thunder you’ll get it! Redwallers are peace-lovin’ creatures, until they’re attacked. Start diggin’ yore graves now, ’cos we ain’t goin’ t’dig ’em for ye!”

Bargle detailed his Guosim back to their wallguard, then followed Skipper and the others down to the gatehouse. Rimrose and Ellayo were waiting for them.

“Did they mention our daughter or her friends?” Song’s mother inquired anxiously.

The lazy-lidded eyes smiled comfortingly at her. “No, me pretty one, course they didn’t. They don’t even know Song an’ ’er pals are away from the Abbey, or they would’ve used ’em to try an’ draw us out, ain’t that right, Skip?”

“Correct, mate. Those young ’uns ’ave got the sense not to get theirselves captured. They know wot they’re doin’.”

Rusvul went out. Sitting on the wallsteps, he buried his head into his paws. Ellayo came and sat by him. “No good frettin’, Rusvul Reguba, you can’t do nothin’ about yore son now. We’re stuck in ’ere for better or worse, surrounded.”