User blog:Laria Wavedeep/Redwall's Taggerung

Prologue
The Juskamor had come to Mossflower Woods! They were from the south, where it was all too peaceful and quiet, so they decided to come to Mossflower, where they knew was the fabled Redwall Abbey! Redwall was famous for their hospitality and good food. Aye, the Juskamor had come to Mossflower!

Chapter One: The Juskamor
Trumin Mor was the clan leader of the Juskamor. He was an evil stoat, and deadly with a cutlass and two daggers, each with a pattern on the hilt with two red stones. He was grey all over except for his brown head, which made him odd out of the whole clan. This was made more barbaric by his tattoos on his face. He was short but sinewy, and his eyes were green. His horde was full of murdering foxes, stoats like himself, ferrets, rats and weasels, each of them born killers, but none like their Taggerung. The Taggerung was a weasel called Trun Juskamor Taggerung, or Trun for short, which was his original name as a babe. He had had an argument with the old Taggerung, and the old one had thrown a dagger at him, but Trun had ducked and run the old Taggerung through. He had grey eyes, so grey eyes that they looked like black. His fur was a reddish brownish colour, one of his footpaws were black and the other white. He was a better fighter than Trumin, though no one could best Trumin but Trun. Trun used a long sabre. The clan was fivescore altogether. They had been travelling for a few days in Mossflower when they came to a ford. They made camp there and started fishing, while some collected berries and edible roots to eat. Others collected cool sweet water in tankards, bowls and tins. Trumin sat in his tent trying to figure out what to do. Finally he gave up and went outside. He snatched a few berries and took a gulp out of a tankard. He shouted out for the horde's attention.

"Juskamor!" They turned and looked at their leader. "Juskamor! This will be our main camp, because there is water and food here. I will select a score of the best to scout out the land around and beyond us, and I will go along. My captain, Klotch, will be in charge of this camp while we're away. Our Taggerung, Trun, will come with us too. If Klotch reports any mutinous talk or rebellious things in this camp, I will deal with them." Trumin then picked the score and set out, exploring Mossflower.

Redwall Abbey gleamed in the sunlight. It was mid afternoon, and the night before there was a huge storm, and the garden and the lawns needed to be cleared up. The Head Gardener, a middle-aged mouse named Brother Dermin, had everybeast out and helping, even the Dibbuns, which are the Abbeybabes. Abbott Merlo watched as everybeast dashed about. He was an old mouse, and he soon was going to retire, and pick another Abbott or Abbess. He was so old that he needed a strong yew staff to support him wherever he went. The Skipper of Otters, a male named Romarc, got his otters to clear the debri that were floating on top of the pond's surface. Foremole Munjil and his crew were picking the unripe fruits and nuts that had fallen into wheelbarrows. The rest of the Abbey, which included the Dibbuns, cleared the branches and leaves that lay strewn on the wet grass. The Dibbuns were running around willy nilly, running and jumping on the leaf piles. The elders were getting frustrated, and had to keep sweeping up the leaves, which were just jumped on again. Finally the Abbey's cellarhog, Pirrel Barrbrew, straightened things up.

"C'mon ye rascally Dibbuns, I know that Friar Nirpol has baked some damson and cream pudden, mabbe if ye help us clean up these branches and leaves, and stop jumping on them, I'm sure he'll let ye have some pudden!" This got the babes excited, and they started running around collecting leaves and twigs to dump on the piles. An otterwife, Felia, whose husband was Skipper Romarc, with their fifteen season old daughter, Melba, and Melba's seven season old brother, Dayl, were helping to clear the leaves. Dayl was very energetic, and was the fastest runner in the whole Abbey. He could swim as fast as his dad, and he could throw a dagger accurately, which Skipper had taught him to do, and he practised on a leaf pinned against a tree trunk. He was that good! Melba had her father's eyes, but her mother's gentle and kind personality, while Dayl had his mother's eyes and was becoming muscular and sinewy for a young one. He was tall and had blackish greyish fur, while Melba was light brown and nearly cream coloured. Abbott Merlo walked up to them.

"Hello you three. Good to see you helping out. Enjoying it?" Dayl pulled a face and replied, "No Father, not one little bit. I'm bored and my paws hurt from carrying tree branches." Abbott Merlo patted Dayl's head and smiled. "Helping doesn't do any harm Dayl. Help others as much as you can and you'll get rewarded by being admired by elders and young 'uns. You'll be teaching Dibbun's good manners, even though you are still a Dibbun yourself. But you are growing up, and the elders need somebeast young nearby to help them out sometimes. Don't forget what I just said to you, young Dayl, because it will help you throughout life."

"I promise I won't forget what you said Father, but I'm still young and want to play before I'm too old like you to play any more." The Abbott chuckled and replied, "You are like an old head on young shoulders!" Next Abbott Merlo went up to Skipper Romarc, who had finished fishing everything out of the pond, and said, "Your Dayl and Melba are rare treasures Romarc, you are lucky that they are your son and daughter." Skipper puffed his chest out proudly. The Abbott continued. "I heard Sister Alkina say that she needed some herbs, because she is running out. I was wondering if you would like to go with Melba and Dayl to pick some. Would you consider it?" Skipper replied.

"Hm, yes, they would love a walk outside the Abbey, they haven't been anywhere y'know, I think they'll love that very much Father!" Abbott Merlo nodded. "Good. Pick half a score of your otters to go with you, in case you run into any trouble. I'll write down the things you need to get. Don't forget to bring Hunto along!" Huntilop Crunsaw Kerscutt, or Hunto for short, was the resident hare of Redwall. He was an unusual creamy brown in colour, and had arrived at the Abbey covered in wounds and bruises from a fight with a pack of toads three seasons. A while later they set off with a list of the supplies they needed, some afternoon tea packed by Friar Nirpol, a few tankards of dandelion and burdock cordial and cold mint tea and a basket to carry the herbs in. Dayl carried his dagger, which was not a fancy blade, just a normal dagger with some patterns on the hilt. Melba carried a sling which was loaded with a pebble. Skipper and the rest of the crew carried throwing javelins, pointed at each end. Soon they had the herbs they needed.

Meanwhile, Trumin and the score of hordebeasts had got a sack of crab apples growing wild north of their camp. Trumin bit into one, the juice squirting from the apple. He munched thoughtfully. Soon he would try to conquer Redwall Abbey, but he was not going to be added to the lists of dead warlords who tried. Cluny, Gulo, Kurda, Slagar, Vizka Longtooth and others. He had heard that there were many warriors in there. He decided he shouldn't try until he had at least tenscore more warriors.

Chapter Two: Dayl's Capture
Skipper told the gathering party to sit and have a bite to eat. Everybeast immediately flopped down, and started unpacking the food. There was new baked bread with some cheese, some berries and nuts, apples, and dandelion aand burdock cordial and cold mint tea to wash it all down. They ate quickly and soon they cleared up. Skipper winked at them and said, "C'mon mates, lets go home now." They had walked only a couple of spear lengths when suddenly they walked right into Trumin's group. At first there was confusion, then Skipper roared, "Vermin! Up an' at 'em mates! Redwaaaaalllllllll!!" Trun started drawing his sabre and yelled, "They're on'y riverdogs! Charge!" Melba started swinging her loaded sling, thwacking at the foe. Dayl didn't know what to do, but he saw his sister and his father fighting, so he started to parry and thrust, which Skipper hadn't taught him yet. Suddenly something came over him, and he saw the weasel fighting his dad with a long sabre. He had no idea what he was doing, but he threw his dagger at the weasel. Trun ducked from a thrust and stood up. He stopped and gurgled, Dayl's dagger in his throat, and fell dead. Skipper recognised his son's dagger and looked at Dayl, suddenly realizing what he just did. Dayl tried to run, but Trumin shouted, "Capture the liddle riverdog! Quick! 'E just killed the great Taggerung!" A fox came from behind Dayl and brought his sling crashing down on the young otter's head. Skipper could feel his rage boiling when he saw his son being knocked out cold, and he charged, biting and kicking, snapping everything that came to cut him. He shouted out, "Daaaayyyll!" But it was too late. Melba screamed as she saw Dayl being dragged away. Something hit her on the head, then she fell unconcious. Trumin had ordered his crew to knock out the otters, and they ran back to their camp. But Skipper had not been knocked out. He lay stunned, tears running down his face, mingling with the blood that was around. Then he wept, weeping for his captured son, Dayl, whom he would probably never see again. Weeping for his lost son, Dayl.

Trumin and the group didn't stop running until they were just half an hour's walk from their camp, half dragging and half carrying Dayl with them. They sat breathing heavily, eating crab apples to calm them down. Trumin inspected their prisoner. He was wearing a dirty habit which he wore to go out in. Trumin could see that he was a good swimmer, because of his thick rudder. He would have to test him in running. Trumin could not believe that this young otter was to be their new Taggerung, but he did half believe it because he had seen Dayl throw the dagger, and it hit Trun right on the throat. But the otter was only about seven seasons old, so how could he kill a living beast? Trumin told himself that Taggerungs showed talent at an early age. He suddenly remembered the otter's name. The big otter had shouted out his name, which was Dayl. Trumin smiled. A good name for a Taggerung. When they got their breath back, they started to walk back to camp. They arrived panting, and ran to the ford. But the rest of the camp could only stare at the otter prisoner. Trumin's Seer vixen, Zarol, could see that Trun was not there. She approached Trumin and spoke, "Where is our Taggerung, and what have yew brought here Sire?" As she kicked Dayl's footpaw. A hush came over the horde. They had to wait until Trumin had finished drinking his fill of water and replied, "This riverdog killed our Taggerung." There was a shocked silence. Trumin continued, "We walked right into a group of riverdogs, from the Redwall Abbey I assumed. They charged at us, and we started fighting. This young one threw a dagger at Trun's throat, and it got him right in the gullet. Trun fell dead, and he was fighting a big riverdog, this one's dad I think. Anyways, we knocked him out cold, and the big riverdog started shouting 'Dayl!' and so I figured out that was this one's name. We knocked all the other riverdogs out, so they couldn't follow us back. So this is our new Taggerung." The was a silence. Zarol walked up to Dayl respectfully, and even though he was unconcious, she spoke out loud, "Dayl Juskamor Taggerung!"

Skipper Romarc was still weeping when the others awoke. They saw their chieftain crying. Melba started crying when she realized Dayl was gone, and she sobbed next to her father. The rest held a repectful silence until Skkipper stopped. He dried his tears, and clenched his fists. He shouted to the heavens, "Dayl, I promise that one day, I will find you and kill the scum that took you! I will make that promise to you my son! Dayl!" He stood up, shaking with rage. He calmed himself down, and said, "Pick up the basket. We're gonna have to tell them the news." On the way back, Skipper stopped talking to everybeast. He had his paws clenched the whole time, and his teeth gritted. He kept whispering to himself, "I will find you my son. I will find you." They arrived at the Abbey. Abbott Merlo had noticed they had been gone for a long time, and he organised a party to be on the walltops to see if they were coming back. One of the party, a squirrel named Regan, dashed down the steps and opened the gates. Soon Abbott Merlo was there with Felia. She could see that Skipper had been crying. When she was about to ask why, she noticed Dayl was not there. She cried out and flung herself into Skipper's arms, crying into his shoulder. Abbott Merlo didn't know what the crying was about, so he asked, "Felia, why are you crying?" Skipper replied for her.

"Dayl was captured by some vermin. We fought with 'em, and suddenly he threw his dagger at a weasel that I was fightin'. Got him right in the throat, Dayl's a real thrower. Anyways, he kills the weasel, and I realize what he did. "He has never harmed anybeast, I swear, but he killed a weasel! Then I think the leader of the group shouted out, "Capture the liddle riverdog! Quick! 'E just killed the great Taggerung!" and then they knock Dayl out cold, and I charges at them, but they knocked out all of us. They hit me with a stone, but I was just stunned. Then they retreated, the cowardly scum! And Dayl with 'em!" His voice rose to a deafening roar. Then he broke down sobbing. "Why Dayl, why, why must they take ye from us! Oh Dayl!" Suddenly the Abbey's Recorder, a middle-aged bankvole called Grollen called out, "Excuse me Skip, but what did the vermin look like?" Skipper looked up surprised that he should ask. "Well, they were tattooed like Juska clans, they had two black rings on their cheeks, with orange dots in the middle of each one, then a strip of red going down from their forehead to the nose, with green circles around the eyes and I think thats it. Why?" The Recorder answered promptly, "Well, Skip, as you said, Juska clans have some sort of clan tattoo. So the Juska clan that took yore son is the Juskamor! And also, I remember reading somewhere that a Taggerung is a warrior, somebeast who can outrun the wind, swim as fast as a pike, has eyes as keen as a hawks, and can be silent as a shadow. It also said that if the Taggerung gets killed by another beast, the beast who killed it becomes Taggerung himself!" A gasp arose from the crowd. Skipper yelled out, "So that means that my son is a Taggerung of the Juskamor! As soon as we can, we're setting off to find this Juskamor, and get my son back!" Abbott Merlo stepped forward. "But Skip, our Abbeydwellers are not warriors. There is only your otters and Foremoles crew, besides some others. We have no idea how many Juskamor there are Skip, we cannot just dash out and start fighting. I'm sorry Skipper, but maybe we won't be able to until we get enough warriors." Skipper saw that the Abbott was right, and they walked back to the Abbey building, for it was getting dark and it was near dinnertime.

Chapter Three: The Juskamor's New Taggerung
Dayl woke up to a massive headache, but he could not remember his name, where he came from or what had happened. He pushed himself upright and looked around. He was in a cave, and a vixen and a stoat were watching him. He looked around in confusion and said, "W-who am I? Who are you? Where am I?" The stoat glanced at the vixen and said to her, "Thank goodness he has amnesia. What a fortunate thing!" He turned to the bemused otter. "Can yew not remember who yew are? Or where ye from?" Dayl shook his head. The stoat continued, "Yew are the greatest warrior of our clan, Dayl Juskamor Taggerung, an' yew are seven seasons old. We was out scouting when yew were 'it on the 'ead and knocked out cold." Dayl clasped his paws to the side of head and fell back on to the pillow and groaned. Trumin and Zarol rushed over and said, "Are ye alright Dayl? Is ye head painin' ye?" Dayl slowly nodded and closed his eyes. Zarol soaked a towel in a bowl of cool water and layed it on Dayl's head. "Are ye tired Taggerung?" Dayl nodded again. Zarol and Trumin crept out and sat drinking water and nibbling some cooked fish that some Juskamor had caught.

Dayl fell straight asleep. In his dreams a mouse walked up. He was dressed in armour, and in his paw he held a magnificent sword. He looked strong and firm, but yet friendly and kind, and for some reason, Dayl seemed as if he had knowned him for countless seasons, and his face was familiar, but he could not remember where he had seen it. He said to Dayl, "Dayl." Dayl answered back, "Who are ye?" The mouse shook his head angrily and said, "Do you not remember me Dayl?" Dayl shook his head. The mouse started fading away. Dayl shouted, "Come back! What is your name?" The mouse did not reply and faded away altogether. The dream turned pitch black and Dayl tossed fitfully for the remainder of his sleep. He was woken by Zarol, and she asked, "Is yore headache still hurtin' yew?" Dayl shook his head. Zarol lead him outside in the warm night. Everybeast was chatting, eating or sleeping. They all grew quiet and watched their new Taggerung. He sat down next to a dish of roasted trout and a tankard of water from the ford layed out for him, and he picked up the fish and started nibbling and commented, "This is good fish. I like it." He resumed eating it and spat out some bones. A while later it was gone, and he was swigging water. He sighed contentedly. Trumin nodded at Zarol and she said, "Now is the time to realize yew are the true Taggerung of our clan." She held her paw over the campfire and suddenly opened it, and the fire rose in a green flare. She started to chant:


 * "Who can run like the wind,
 * Yet turn on a single leaf?
 * Stand silent as a firefly,
 * And steal the breath from a thief?
 * The Taggerung!
 * Who can outswim a pike,
 * Has eyes as keen as a hawks,
 * Who brings death in his wake,
 * Yet leave no trail where he walks?
 * The Taggerung!"

Zarol started painting the clan's tattoo on his face. A black circle on each cheek, a blue lightning bolt in the middle of each one instead of an orange dot, to signify that he was different. A red stripe going down from his forehead to his nose, and green circles around his eyes. Dayl had been staring right into Zarol's eyes, and he sat there unblinking while she painted his face. His eyes meant that he was scared of nothing. They shone brightly, the campfire reflecting in his eyes. Zarol shuddered. They were so...intimidating. Nearly hypnotising. Dayl was now part of the Juskamor clan! His face was a frightening sight. They were made more frightening because of his blackish greyish fur, and you could hardly see him if it was pitch black. He melted right into the shadows of trees, bushes, and shrubs. Trumin went into the cave, and swigged some grog, thinking on what to do next. He would have to gain more hordebeasts if he wanted to conquer the Abbey. He suddenly realized that the Abbeydwellers would probably come out and search for him and the Juskamor, looking for Dayl. He decided he would tell his clan on the morrow.

Skipper Romarc could hardly eat anything, nor could Felia or Melba. She had been treated by Sister Alkina for a few cuts and bruises, so was Skipper. Abbott Merlo could not help but notice their faces, and he put his paw on Skipper's shoulder. "You are welcome to take your crew out tomorrow and search, but you can't fight them. Just spy on them, and see if your son is there." Skipper nodded but said nothing. He could not even eat a bowl of watershrimp and hotroot soup, which he loved the most. Dayl's best friends, a squirrel named Brill and a mousemaid called Swerl sat stone faced. They were the same age as Dayl, but they could not get over their best friends capture. Brother Junish, an old mouse, shook his head sadly. "Pore Skip and his lovely wife Felia, Melba and Brill and Swerl too. Pore beasts!" Sister Velio the hedgehog answered, "Aye, what a shame. They'll never get over it. Dayl was the nicest Dibbun, never upset or down." Skipper pushed away his plate of food, and Hunto the hare shot off with it. Normally Skipper would have shouted and chased him, but today was different. Hunto noticed this, and he came back with the food, munching on the salad leaves.

He sat down next to Skipper and said, drooping his ears down, "Are you alright Skip? I know you lost yore son an' all that, but ye need to at least flippin' eat sumthin' y'know, otherwise how are you gonna find yore son on a empty stomach? Food is jolly well important doncha know?" He left off eating and brought Skipper a bowl of shrimp and hotroot soup with heaps of hotroot, a beaker of elderberry and burdock cordial and a few scones spread with rosecream and plum preserve. He tried to coax Skipper to eat, and everybeast watched in astonishment as the hare of Redwall got Skipper Romarc to eat a few scones.

Hunto continued, "I have seen many mates of mine lose their son or daughter, but they still eat so they could hunt down the foebeast, and that they won't die of starvation and not find they're son or daughter at all. Which one would you prefer, sir, t'flippin' die of starvation and not find yore son at all, or bloomin' eat somethin' so you can track the foebeast down and get yore son back? Which one would you prefer, eh Skip?" Skipper, for the first time since Dayl's capture, smiled and started spooning shrimp and hotroot soup down. Hunto nodded and said, "Good, I like t'see that, mind if I take some of yore soup, mate?" Skipper had no time to reply when Hunto grabbed a spoon and ate the spicy soup. He stayed still for a moment, then you could see his face go red as a strawberry, and he ran outsde, clutching his throat, yelling, "Me pore mouth! Its burning! Its on fire! Hothothothot! Ouch! Oowww! Me burning mouth, move out of the way, chaps and chappesses, a hare is coming to the pond! Me throat's on fire! Heeelp!" He made an undignified charge at the Abbey pond and made a dive, well, more like a belly flop. He started drinking it, and then he was flopping his arms around and shouted, "Help! I'm drownin'! I can't swim! Skipper, come an' help yore ole mate Hunto out o' this flippin' pond mess! Huh, leavin' a drownin' chap in the bally pond! Cads! Why aren't ye helpin' a chap? Heelp! I'd rather die from eating too much flippin' hotroot soup than die from drownin'! I'm gonna get eaten by the flippin' grayling! Ahhhh!" Everybeast watching could only laugh helplessly, and Skipper was laughing so hard he could hardly dive into the pond to fish Hunto out. In the end Skipper just managed to control his mirth and dove in to save the 'drowning' hare. Hunto had drunk so much pond water that he had gone slightly green in the face. He said weakly to Skipper as he was hauled out and lead dripping to the infirmary, "If ye ever eat shrimp and hotroot soup, don't drink the bloomin' pond. Its not for drinkin'! Uh, does this mean I have to go to the infirmary? I'd rather die drownin' than take a fizzick from that Sister Alkina! Blurrggh! I sure don't want a dose of agrimony and nettle soup! Take my advice ol' chap, never take a fizzick, wot!" Unfortunately the hare did go to the infirmary. When he realized this, he started to struggle, but Skipper had a strong grip on him.

When they got to the infirmary, Sister Alkina said, "Open your mouth wide Hunto!" The hare refused and shut his mouth. Sister Alkina nodded to Skipper. Skipper held Hunto's nose until Hunto took a quick breath. The Sister poured near half a bowlful of the strong medicine down Hunto's throat. The hare's ears shot straight upright and he leapt out of Skipper's hold and ran out. He ran to the kitchens and said to Friar Nirpol, "I need somethin' to eat! Jump to it sir! The taste of that fizzick near killed me, wot! I was nearly killed by eating shrimp'n'hotroot soup, I nearly drowned and I was just fizzicked by the Sister!" Friar Nirpol, the middle aged squirrel, chuckled and replied, as he set some cheese and bread out for the hare, "I see Hunto. I would die of anything than get physicked by that old mouse." The gluttonous hare shoved it into his mouth and said, "I'm grateful to ye, old chap, grateful for these vittles!" By then it was late in the night, and everybeast was starting to go to their beds and sleep. Melba could not sleep that night, so she wandered down in front of Redwall's greatest treasure, Martin the Warrior's tapestry. She stared at him and softly asked, tears coming to her eyes, "Martin, where is my brother Dayl? Will Dad, Mum and I never see him ever again? Please tell me Martin." She stood there waiting for an answer, and when she decided he was not going to reply, she went back to her bed and cried herself to sleep.

Chapter Four: Dream Riddle
Dayl immediately made friends with a ferret called Juvern. Juvern was about the same age as Dayl, and his fur was a orange reddish colour, his eyes were as blue as the deepest ocean, and his weapon was a wooden club. Trumin gave a kilt and a brown belt to Dayl to put on, so his habit didn't give away that he was an Abbeybeast. The next morning, Trumin roused the tribe with a kick of his footpaw.

"Up on yer hunkers, ye lazy beasts, or I'll bury yew alive where yew sleep!" The crew hastily gobbled down some water and roots. Dayl was the only one who got some apple and a porridge made by Zarol. Trumin shouted, "We are goin' to march south for a week, then return here, explore the land a bit. Any objections?" Some of the non brighter ones, such as a weasel like Fretrip, asked, puzzled, "Why are we goin' south again Chief?" Trumin answered, rolling his eyes, "'Cause I said we are goin' to explore a bit, and 'cause those are my orders. Understood?" The weasel nodded. "Now, let's go! March!" The Juskamor set off at a fast pace, going south.

Skipper had his crew search around the Abbey and nearby areas until lunch. With no luck, the dispirited searchers wandered back to the Abbey. Abbott Merlo welcomed them with a worried look on his face. "Still no sign of him?" Skipper shook his head and let a tear drop from his eye. "Don't worry, you tried your best, all of you did." They walked to Great Hall for lunch. The rest of the Abbey were eating anxiously for Skipper and his crew. Melba and Felia were picking at their food and playing with it, and when they saw Skipper, They knew the search was in vain. Melba sighed wearily and said, "I wonder where he is. I miss him." Felia answered sadly, "I miss him too Mel, we all miss him." Skipper sat down and munched on a leek and mushroom pastie. "Ye still have t'eat, otherwise Hunto will be after ye!" The trio chuckled, remembering the nights events. "I heard that y'know, ole chap, these earlugs o' mine haven't failed me yet, wot wot!" Hunto came over to them with a massive plate of salad, cheese, bread, a few scones, a carrot and turnip turnover, a huge slice of woodland trifle, some pear crumble, some bilberry pancakes with syrup and cream and a beaker of dandelion and burdock cordial. He sat down next to Melba and devoured the carrot and turnip turnover in a matter of seconds. Melba watched in amazement as he ate his salad with surprising speed and started on the crumble. Melba asked, "How could you eat that much sir?" Hunto answered while nibbling on a scone. "I just get really hungry at mealtimes. Don't ask me how, even if Im just readin' somethin', I always feel a little peckish. Weird, eh wot?" Melba brought up a subject that interested the gluttonous hare immensely. "It's soon going to be autumn, and we're going to have our Nameday feast soon, how long 'til, Mama?" Felia answered, "I think its about a week and a half. I wonder how we're going to get through it without Dayl." There was an awkard silence. Hunto interrupted it by saying, "Well, if its a feast, I'm jolly goin' to be there, wot! I won't miss it for nothin', absobloomin'lutely nothin', wot!" Friar Nirpol was walking by just then, and he clapped a paw to his head, remarking, "If that hare is goin' to be at the feast, I'll just go on a holiday on some rainy isle away from that hare. I'd much rather do that then cook for an Abbey for a feast plus a hare!" Everybeast who heard the remark laughed.

Trumin had ordered his weapon master, a fox named Shawrin, to instruct Dayl the use of swords, spears, slings, bow and arrows, and to teach him strategies and skills. Dayl was willing, and he learned quickly. He soon was challenging the best fighters in the clan. Dayl now carried two daggers, a sling and a stonepouch and a cutlass. Klotch, Trumin's captain, was fighting Dayl. The vermin had formed a ring around them, and Dayl and Klotch were circling each other, blades flickering, looking for an opening. Trumin was watching his Taggerung and his captain. Suddenly Klotch charged at Dayl, and he locked blades with him. They parried and thrust, Klotch with the upper hand. Klotch thrust his rapier at Dayl's head, but Dayl ducked and punched Klotch in the stomach. Klotch wheeled back, gasping for air. That was when Dayl made his move. He charged at Klotch, and Klotch managed just to block his adversary's cutlass from slicing his head off. But he could not block his opponents fierce onslaught. Their blades locked, then Dayl disarmed Klotch with a flick of his wrist. Klotch's rapier flew through the air and landed outside the ring of watchers. Dayl smiled and said, "D'ye still want to challenge me?" Klotch stubbornly nodded. But he added, "Yew must fight widout any weapons now, 'cause me rapiers gone. Deal?" Dayl answered by giving his daggers, sling and cutlass to Juvern. He turned back and and said, "I'm ready for ye now." Klotch ran at Dayl with his claws stretched. Dayl skipped to one side and his rudder dealt a blow to Klotch's legs. Klotch collapsed and fell down. He turned over as Dayl's rudder hit the space where he was a moment ago. Dayl placed his footpaw on Klotch's chest and said, "D'ye still want to fight Klotch?" Klotch was panting, and he shook his head. Dayl smiled and took his footpaw off his chest. He helped Klotch up and said, winking at him, "Ye lucky that yer not my enemy, otherwise you'd be dead by now." Klotch grinned back and said, "Yer a tough riverdog no mistake, mate, we're lucky to have ye in our clan!" Dayl retrieved his weapons from Juvern and gave Klotch's rapier back. Trumin walked up to him and said, "Yew are getting very strong for yore age and size Dayl. When yore fifteen seasons, imagine wot yew will be like!" Trumin indicated a few crab apples and some water. "Thats the only thing we got, sorry, yew'll be without some nice food for a few days." Dayl replied munching an apple, "No problem Chief." He walked over to Juvern. "Did I have a good fight back there mate?" Juvern shook his head in wonder as he hefted his club. "I've never seen anybeast as strong as yew Dayl. No wonder you're Taggerung!" Dayl laughed and swigged soem water from his tankard. "I'm sure you'll be as good a fighter as me when we're older Juvern!"