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Chapters (64)
  1. CAPTURED!
  2. Other Books
  3. Title Page
  4. Map
  5. Introduction
  6. BOOK ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. BOOK TWO
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. BOOK THREE
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

“The stripedog has already done that, by the look of Grubclaw,” Mangiz interrupted.

Ironbeak shook his head sadly. “Gaah! You too. You make me sick, all of you. Watch this.”

The raven spread his wings and hopped about near the pond cawing aloud, “Earthcrawler! Rustybird! Come out and fight me. It is I, General Ironbeak, terror of the northlands!”

There was no response. The raven turned to Mangiz and the rooks.

“See? It is the same as the ghost mouse. Get out of my sight, the useless lot of you!”

*   *   *

From the hidden tunnel entrance in the shrubbery by the rushes, Brother Sedge chuckled quietly.

“Oh dear, oh dear, whatever next?”

*   *   *

The great red bird was taken into Ambrose Spike’s wine cellar. It was cool and spacious there.

John Churchmouse walked around it awestruck. “Whew! That is a large bird. I’ve never seen one like it before. What sort of bird do you think it is, Mordalfus?”

The Abbot looked up from the deep scratch he was attending to. “I don’t know, John. This is a very strange bird. It is not a woodlander, nor does it live on the plain, or we would have seen it from the Abbey walls. I wonder what brought it here.”

Sister May worked at the other side of the bird. She laid herbs and dabbed lotions on wounds, bandaging wherever possible.

“Poor thing, she’s taken quite a savage beating.”

The bird kicked and tried to raise its head. Sister May leapt up.

“Oh dear. Look out, she’s coming round!” she warned.

The huge flecked eyes with their dark irises snapped open.

Constance beckoned the onlookers away. “Sister May, Abbot, would you carry on with your healing? The rest of you go back to Cavern Hole. I don’t want this creature to feel surrounded. Cornflower, pass me those scissors, please.”

She snipped at the beak and leg fastenings. “We mean you no harm. You are among friends. Lie still,” she said gently. “You have been hurt.”

The bird groaned and lay back. “Werra diss?” it asked, in a strange accent.

The Abbot recognized the tongue. “She speaks like the mountain hawks and eagles. I’m sure she understands us, though. Hello, I am called Abbot, she is Sister May and she is Constance. This place is Redwall. We will make your hurts better. Who are you?”

Sister May worked on a deep gash in the bird’s leg. “This will take a stitch. Be still, please. I want to help you.”

The bird lay patiently watching her. It spoke again: “I be still please. Diss bird called Stryk Redkite, comin’ from allrock allrock.”

The Abbot wiped grease from a neckfeather. “Ah, a great red kite, a mountain bird. I’ve read of them in our old records, but I’ve never seen one until now. Most impressive. Well, Stryk Redkite, lie quiet while we try and heal you.”

“Stryk need waterdrinks.”