“Well, I never! Sister May, you’re getting a dreadful name around here. Knocking birds out with herbs and cooking pots, helping ghosts to walk, now fishing half the night after grayling on the Abbey pond. What next?”

“Taking my paw to your young Mattimeo’s ear, if he keeps upsetting my candied chestnut display. If you’ll excuse me,” Sister May said, and hurried off.

*   *   *

Baby Rollo had finally succeeded in diving from the pear tree straight into the center of an oversized sliced apple and wild plum crumble. He sat smiling and eating his way out, a mass of sweet acorn crumbs and sticky fruit.

Basil Stag Hare wagged his ears in admiration. “Now there’s a buck with the right idea. Here, Rollo old messmate, chuck Uncle Basil a helpin’, will you? I say, marm, this Mossflower salad is outstanding. Is that fennel you’ve grated in with the carrot? Excellent. My, my, what a pretty pattern of parsley and cucumber around the edge. Talented gel!”

Sister Agnes blushed at the compliments. “Oh, Mr. Stag Hare, have you tried my orchard fruit cake with the buttercup cream center?”

“Lead me to it, marm!”

*   *   *

Jess and Sam had taken the young squirrel Elmtail in tow. They laughed at his curiosity as he sampled everything put in front of him.

“What’s this one called?”

“Blueberry cream tart.”

“Mmmph, great! What’s this nice drink?”

“Oh, that’s cold mint and apple tea. D’you like it?”

“I’ll say I do! Can I have some of that funny-looking pie?”

“Ssshh! Don’t let the Abbot hear you, that’s his new invention, wild cherry and glazed plum gateau with elderflower cream. He’s very proud of it.”

“Mmmm, so he should be, tastes marvelous. D’you use paws or a spoon?”

“Try using your mouth. Hahaha!”

*   *   *

Morning slid into afternoon. A gentle breeze drifted small white clouds across the serene blue expanses of sky, and the autumn sun shone down kindly upon the happy scene as the creatures of Redwall feasted through noontide, across the balmy evening until the night fires and lanterns in trees illuminated the joyous scene below. The half moon came out to watch for the sun. It shed pale light upon baby Rollo, fast asleep on Orlando’s lap. The big badger’s battleaxe hung from a beech tree nearby. He turned to Matthias, who was drifting off into sleep, holding Cornflower’s paw.

“Warrior, I have never seen such a wondrous place as this. Look at the beautiful building, those huge safe walls, the fruit and food growing from the ground; and that pond, it glows like a silver plate in the moonlight. Aaaahhh! These contented old ones, peaceful, wise, and your young ones too, they look so happy and good. Even when I lived out on the Western Plains with my Auma, we never knew such wellbeing as this. Can you explain it to me?”