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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?

Sister May lifted her paw high. “Now, you villains, when I drop my paw the bells will ring and you will fly northwards as fast as you can. When the bells have rung three times, my friend Stryk Redkite will be right behind you, and you know what will happen to anybird who tries to stop or fly off in a different direction. So good riddance, birds. I would advise you to fly pretty fast.”

Sister May dropped her paw.

Bong! Boom!

The Methuselah and the Matthias bells tolled out across Mossflower. General Ironbeak’s depleted fighters flew off as fast as the burden of the iron neck collars would allow.

Bong! Boom!

The Abbey creatures watched them winging low over the treetops, flying north across the summer green fastness of the woodlands.

Bong! Boom!

The great red kite took off from the west wall threshold with the graceful soaring motion of a natural hunter.

“Kreeegah! Stryk Redkite fly, Sissimay. Look!”

“Yes, I see you, Stryk. But remember your promise. Let them leave our country peacefully.”

*   *   *

When the birds were lost to view, Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse took Rollo with them around the walltop to the south edge. The Abbot watched them go.

“Where do you think you’re off to?” he asked them.

“Now that the Abbey is safe, Father Abbot, we are going to keep a vigil from the south wall until Matthias comes home with our young ones. With your permission, of course,” Cornflower added.

Mordalfus smiled understandingly.

“Permission granted. You are excused all other duties. Keep a good watch with stout hearts. I know in my bones that our Warrior will return with the young ones.”

Cornflower shaded her eyes with her paw, repeating quietly to herself as she gazed south into Mossflower, “Martin, return our loved ones safe to us.”

Baby Rollo had not quite got the gist of Cornflower’s quiet words. However, he placed a chubby paw to his brow as he chanted with her, “Marto aturnd luv ones safetyus.”

52

The Kingdom of Malkariss was gone. So were the last remnants of old Loamhedge. Sunk deeper beneath the earth, the jumble of stones that had once been planned as an underground realm was blocked forever to the eyes of everybeast, choked and cemented in its deep grave by rocks, shale, soil and roots.

Matthias looked up to the rim of the crater, where trees leaned at odd angles in the sunken copse, and brown and black soil showed through the riven cracks in the grassy carpet. Wearily he sheathed the sword across his shoulders and turned to his followers.

“Follow me to Redwall!”

They were halfway up the steep hill when Vitch made a bolt. He dashed downhill, crossed the depression and began climbing the other side.

Mattimeo started to pursue him, but his father held him back.

“Let him go, son. He has no place among honest woodlanders.”