The dibbuns conversed quietly as they left the Great Hall. Badgermum Cregga had told the story of Martin the Warrior to them that evening, much to the delight of everybeast. She was a wonderful storyteller, and dibbuns love nothing more then a good story on a cold winter's night,expect maybe a pillow fight.
As the youngsters headed to the Dibbun Dorm to play and eat, they talked of Martin the Warrior's ghost. He rarely appeared these days, on account of how peaceful Mossflower had become. As Valnire chatted to Metter and Songrose, her favorite pals, she thought of a most wonderful idea.
That night the foxbabe pulled an old sheet from under her bed, folded it in half and sewed it, so it was no longer see- through. She then borrowed Songrose's reed-dyed markers. She pulled the black one from its barkcloth case and sketched two emormous alond-shaped eyes on the sheet, as well as a curved, wicked-looking mouth. She then folded the cloth up and stowed it away under her bed.
The next night, the young vixen carried a pawful of strawberries, a long birch branch, and a pouchful of fish scales up to her bed. She crushed the strawberries in a wooden bowl, and used their juice to stain the sheet's eyes and mouth bright red. Using her dagger, she whittled the birch branch into ten sharp-looking teeth. She stuck them on the mouth sketch using pine sap. Lastly, Valnire pasted fish scales onto the sheet, to make it appear luminous and ghostly.
The next evening, as the dibbuns scuttled into their dorm, Valnire snuck into the grownbeast's dormitory. She hid the "ghost" under her cloak. When she approached the middle of the floor, the foxbabe tossed the sheet over herself, capped her paws to her muzzle and howled an eerie, drawn-out cry. Several elders tossed in their sleep.
A couple sat up in bed, rubbing their eyes. They gasped at the sight of a white wailing ghost watching them from the center of the floor. Valnire giggled under her costume, then slipped under a bed in the blink of an eye. The beds were so close together that she could get away without being seen. The elders thought the ghost had disappeared.
The mischevious foxbabe played this clever trick many a night, scampering into Great Hall at night and scaring a few late-night chatters, rushing up to the elders' dorm and pulling at their covers as they slept, moaning all the while. She would often race out to the grounds and howl, walking back and forth on the misty grounds, to make it look like she was wafting along in midair. The elders never quite figured out that there was no ghost, even after it stopped appearing, much to Valnire's delight.
The End
"Dat's th' fourth time dis week!" grumbled Tangle as she paced the gatehouse, hitting her paw with her ladle. " Firs' Ferdy's faverit ink pot, den Furrtil's shiny new shovel, now my bestest necklace!" Slamming her wooden spoon down on the table, she gathered the DAB dibbuns to her. "Sumbeastie's bin stealin', an' I know it ain't one o' ya. None o' ya would steal frum me, or da other DAB leaders. I say a couple of ya should track down da thief as soon as possible."
Finnbarr the otterbabe gathered the dibbuns round, then led them to the grounds. He assigned, Metter, Valnire, Streamrun and Songrose to hunt down the thief, or thieves. After a bit of scouting, nobeast spotted anything save fleeting shadows and swirling cloaks. They returned their findings to Finnbarr, who was just as puzzeled as anybeast. Suddenly, Valnire spoke up.
"Marlfoxes!" she cried. "Marmfloxes?" asked Metter, cocking his head in confusion. "Aye, Marlfoxes. The abbey waged a battle agin them a long time ago. Cregga tol' me da story one nigh' las' winter. They're thieves, an' they wear shadowy cloaks." "'We'll ave to find dere hideout!" said Streamrun, heading into the forest. The others followed silently, alert as ever.
To the west of River Moss they spotted the foxes, ringed around a fire and emptying canvas sacks. Clad in swirling drab cloaks, their pale fur glinting in the firelight. There were three of them, and each was guarded by five water rats and two crows. The dibbuns watched from their hiding places as contents of the sacks were dumped to the grass. They gasped! There on the ground was Furrtil's shovel, Ferdy's inkpot, and Tangle's necklace! The youngsters scampered away, marking the spot.
Songrose had been quiet the whole time, deep in thought. Now she spoke up. "I gots an idea. Let's make Valnire look likk a Marmfloxe! She can sneak inta dere camp and git da stuff back!' Everybeast agreed with the plan, then got to work. They headed to the ovens and covered Valnire from head to toe in ashes. She looked just like a Marlfox. Songrose brought her blanket from the dormitory. It was made of green weave, and, when smeared with mud, looked just like a Marlfox's cloak.
That night, the dibbuns revisited the thieve's camp. Valnire stole back the items just as the Marlfoxes returned from their hunting expedition. She raced back into the trees, her disguise camoflaging her perfectly. The dibbuns returned the stolen items, then told Skipper about the Marlfoxes. The otter crew and the squirrel band drove the foxes away, and the thieving stopped. All thanks to a brave otter, a courageous shrew, a bright mousemaid and a disguised foxbabe.
The End
Violett and the other dibbuns in DAB had been noticing strange things about the black mouse who had come to the abbey. DAB knew something was wrong. The mouse,whose name was Gungle,had been listening to the adult conversations and stealing all the food meant for the DAB to steal! One night,Violett,who was chosen by Tangle to investigate,snuck into Gungle's room and saw that he was a dibbun rat! Violett quickly alerted the Abbey Warrior and he looked into the bedroom and saw nothing more than a dibbun mouse sleeping soundly. The warrior told Violett not to make false alarms. Gungle had heard Violett creak the door open and knew she would get help. So he put on his fake mouse ears and looked like he was the mouse sleeping soundly. Violett had to get Mother Mellus! Gungle,not knowing what Violett was doing,thought she had went back to bed. So he took off his fake mouse ears and laid them on his bedside table. Mother Mellus and Violett looked into the room and sure enough,there was a dibbun rat sleeping there instead of a mouse. And Mother Mellus saw the fake ears! Violett alerted the warrior again and he too saw the real thing. Gungle was marched out of the abbey. He had attempted to spy on the abbey but luckily, thanks to Violett,it was discovered and he had left his notes behind at Redwall so he did not get anything.
Mother Mellus had sent me up to the Infirmary to do chores because I was stealing candied chestnuts. I had to stay there for 2 whole days! I said to myself, "There's no way Mellus is going to get me to do chores for two days". She had just told me to arrange all the medicines in the cupboard neatly (they were sprawled everywhere at the moment), then to sweep the floor, while she went down to the orchard to pick some apples. At first I thought that this would be a piece of cake to escape then she told me that Friar Hugo would be guarding the door until she came back. I looked in my trusty haversack and sure enough I found my rope and grappling hook. So I started my escape.
I took out my rope and grappling hook as quietly as I could (unfortunately that wasn't very quiet) from my haversack and I hooked the hook around the bed nearest the window. I then opened the window and dropped the other end of the rope out the window. However I was careless in doing so, that I didn't notice that there was a window looking out of the Great Hall directly beneath the Infirmary window and the end of my rope banged against the window. I pulled my rope up and out of view just before Winifried the otter looked out to see what made the racket. Once she looked away, I dropped the rope down again (more carefully this time) so that it did not bang against the window. I pulled on the rope to see that it was hooked against the bedpost and I started my decsent. I held on to the rope and jumped out the window.
Everything was going fine until I was about half way down the rope, when I slipped and lost my footing and shouted "Whooooaaaa!", without thinking about how Friar Hugo might hear. I clued in when I heard him say, "Is everything going on fine in there? I think i'll come in and check on you." So as fast as I could, I scrambled up the rope to the Infirmary window, unhooked the rope and hid it under the bed, just as Hugo walked in the door. "What?" he said "You haven't even started!". I said "I was taking a nap and I rolled off the bed." Friar Hugo started to walk out the door, "Oh, ok then. But you better get started right now or Mother Mellus won't be to pleased!" He stepped outside and shut the door. "Phew!" I said to myself "That was close." So I took the rope and hook out from under the bed and hooked it around the bedpost again and jumped out the window holding on to the rope. This time I made it down to the ground without any troubles. I took the end of the rope and jiggled it around until the hook came free of the bedpost then I pulled the rope down and put it back in my haversack.
Then for the rest of the two days I hid in the woods with some other dibbuns (but they would go back at meal times to sneak us some food)Then when we came back again Mother Mellus wanted to put us all back in the Infirmary for 2 days for running away, but we threatened her that we would run away again. So in the end none of us did any chores.
Having appointed herself wallguard for the day, Theena grabbed her trusty bow and arrows from the barracks and headed up to the wall above the gatehouse. She grabbed some snacks along her way.
5 minutes and 3 honey-covered oat scones later, Theena made it to the top of the wall. Picking a spot where she could easily look out onto the road, Theena spread her blanket on the floor and began guarding. Arrow nocked on bow, the ferret babe peered intently down the path, searching for signs of creatures coming.
After half an hour or so, Theena's sharp eyes spotted a cloud of dust from down the road. In a few minutes it got closer and Theena could see what was making it. The realization made her feel a little scared. For when she wnet up to guard the walls, how could she have known that a band of 9 villinous-looking ferrets would show up.
Gathering up her courage and her lungpower, Theena shouted at the ferrets, "Halt and be reco-be reca-be recognized!" stumbling slightly over the big word she used. " You are at the Abbey of Redwall. Why?" Theena felt very important as she watched the ferrets stop and look up at her.
One ferret, bigger than the rest and tattooed ear to tail, stepped forward and called, "Hello there, pretty one. I'm Skarlug. Me'n my mates here are tired and hungry. We simply want to rest and heal. Can you open the big gate and let us in?" He seemed very sincere, and topped it off with a dashing smile. Theena noticed he was also quite handsome.
Had Theena had a different past, she would have tried to let them in. but one look at the tattered silks, tattoos, scars, earrings, and notched weapons of this lot said 'Corsairs'. The dibbun thought frantically. An idea came to her. Theena said, "I can't let you in. The Abbot might not like it, and besides, I can't reach the lock on the
gate."
The dashing smile dissapeared instantly, to be replaced with, "Is there another way in? Can you get one of your elders to settle this? Don't bother getting the Abbot, get one of the really old ones."
Theena realized their plan. A very old Elder couln't see the ferrets very well.Theena suddenly had anither idea."I'll go get Skipper. He's very old. Stay there!" With this, Thena dashed down the stairs and ran to the Abbey pond, where she could see Skipper fishing with other otters.
Panting for breath, Theenawent over to Skipper and said, "Mister Skip, sir, there's nine ferrets on the road.They want to come inside the Abbey. I can't let them in. I said only elders could do that. They wanted to see a very old elder. I came and got you." In Theena's mind it worked, For Skip was very old, by Dibbun standards at least.
Skip had heard stories of Dibbuns telling elders about vermin they had seen, which the elders didn't belive, and turned out to be true. Fighting usually followed.Skip also trusted the youngster's stories ( excluding anything concerning food or bathing, of course). So the otter went with the ferretbabe, saying, "Ferrets that want to come in, mate? Well, let's go talk to'em an' put them back on course."
Upon arriving on the wall, Skip took one look at the ferrets and said, "Me mate Theena here said you want to come inside. Do you think us Abbeybeasts, even the babes, are as green as the grass?" Pulling his sling from his belt, Skip signaled to Theena to get her bow ready. "Well I'll tell ya somthing, mates. If you don't get yore mangy hides down that road in 10 seconds, I'll hit you with stones and Theena will turn ya inter pincusions. Ten, nine, eight , seven..." The ferrets did not hang aroud. They could be seen running rapidly down the road.
Skip and Theena shook paws and went down to lunch, laughing.
THE END
It was the summer Nameday feast, and little Elsie was in her bed, a place she seldom went. She had gotten in trouble earlier that day when one of the cooks had caught her stealing tastes out of one of the bowls. For punishment, she was sleeping while the rest of the Abbey ate to their hearts content. Or at least that's what Mother Mellus thought.
Actually, Elsie had just pretended to go to sleep while Mother Mellus sang to her. When Mother Mellus had FINALLY left, Elsie lay staring at the ceiling for a few minutes before jumping up and running to the door. She stretched her paws to try to reach the doorknob, then jumped. "Darn," she thought, "I bes too short!" She ran over to bed, pulled off the pillow, and tried to use it for a stool. But that didn't work either. Giving a sigh but not quite giving up, she looked around the room for something else that she could use. A few beds, more pillows, some blankets, a few clothes chests, some shelves...THERE! There was a small stool for reaching the shelves. Elsie ran over and began to push the stool towards the door. It wasn't very heavy, but neither was the squirrelmaid. It took a few hardearned grunts and heaves before it was underneath the doorknob. Elsie jumped on the stool, then jumped up once, twice, and there! she got it! She twisted the knob then jerked back and opened the door a crack. After that it was easy. Just slide the door open and she was free!
She skipped down the stairs and made her way into Great Hall, where everybeast was feasting to much to notice a little squirrelmaid coming down the stairs. Elsie put her paw to her mouth to stop a giggle as she ran behind Mother Mellus's chair. Making her way to where the rest of the dibbuns were sitting, she filled her plate high and took a bite. Aaaah, the sweet taste of victory!
It was 2 hours after nightfall. Mother Mellus had put me to bed. The problem was that I had a meeting with my Shrew friend, Nordo, in 1 hour and 15 minutes! And the meeting place was deep in Mossflower Woods. So about and hour after Mother Mellus had tucked me into bed and left the room, I started my escape.
I reached under my bed to where I hid my flint and tinder and my stick. Sure enough, it was still there. So I crept off down the stairs. I stopped for a moment to ignite the stick. It was dark and quiet in the abbey. I heard a sudden noise, jumped, but then realised that it was just some Redwall beast snoring in their sleep. I reached the end of stairwell. I jumped out into the Great Hall, "Pheww" I said without thinking, "slap me rudder, that ws close!" Then I realised that Abbot Mordalfus was sitting in front of the tapestry, talking to Martin, "Huh-wh-what?!" he whirled around just as I put out my stick and dove under a table. "Huh, I must be hearing things these days." I chuckled to myself "That Abbot is so blind, he probably can barely see the whiskers on his face!" The Abbot turned back around and resumed talking to Martin. I crept off down the dark, long hall. I heard some other voices and saw Ambrose Spike and Mother Mellus coming towards me. There was nowhere to hide! I thought that surely I would be caught. I flattend myself against the wall, "Whooaa!" The red stone bricks turned inwards and I fell into a small cavern in the wall. I looked around to see my surroundings, then "BAAAMMM" the stones turned back in place. "Oh-no, I'm trapped!" I said to myself. I heard some voices outside, "I say, Ambrose! I could have sworn I heard a voice a few seconds ago!". "Yes, I believe you're right, Mellus!" I continued looking around until I found a small tunnel. I lit up my stick again. I crawled down the small cavern, until I came out of the tunnel. I was somewhere in Mossflower Woods! I heard another voice, "There you are, Finnbarr, I've been waiting for you!" It was Nordo.
I had a long meeting with Nordo, then when it was time to go back, I used the same tunnel and crept up back to bed. And in the end, Mother Mellus didn't even know that I was gone!
The End
It is the nameday feast and the last summercream pudding is at the end of the table, where Basil Stag Hare is just about to scoff it down after he finishes his last 2 bowls of Hotroot Soup. I need to get it because some of the other dibbuns said they would pay me 5 candied chestnuts if I could steal it for myself! So I set off on the mission.
I grabbed my trusty blanket and snuck under the table. I had to dodge and weave through paws sticking out from under the table. I was about 1/2 of the way when I bumped into Jess Squirrel's footpaws. I lay flat under the table, pulled my blanket over my body and made snoring noises. Jess looked under the table, "Ooh, how cute! Finnbarr's snoozing under the table."
As soon as she looked back up to the table and resumed eating, I continued my mission. I crawled down along under the table until I heard Basil say, "Aaaahhh, that's bally good food, that Hotroot soup! Only one more bowl of it until I'll have that blinkin' ould Summercream pudden."
I mentally told myself to hurry up before Basil gets at that pudding. I rushed down the under side of the table. Finnally I was there! "Now," I thought to myself, "how to get that pudding away from him."
So I hatched a plan. I reached up to where Basil was sitting and dropped his fork on the floor. He reached down to pick it up, and at that same moment I snatched away his Summercream Pudding and crawled as fast as I could back to my seat. Basil went back up to his seat and continued eating his Hotroot soup. When he finished that he finally realised that his Summercream Pudding was gone, but by that time I had already scoffed it and the plate was gone without a trace to the kitchens. "Now where did my bally pudden go to?" said Basil.
I went up to the dibbun who made me the deal and showed him the remains of the pudding on my cheeks. And he gave me the 5 candied chestnuts!
The End
Mission 22: Drive History teacher crazy
Sister Berryblossom led a group of six dibbuns to the dormitories...for a history lesson. She pushed the door open, and picked up the dibbuns and set them on the bed.
"Now, Dibbuns, today we are going to learn about Matthais the Warrior...what, Thistle?"
The tiny mousemaid giggled, "Did Maffawis wike sta'bwies?"
Berryblossom sighed. "Yes, Thistle, I'm sure he did. Now, Matthais defeated Cluny the Scourge...Thistle?"
"Wuz Cluny d' Scwurge mean? Wotsa scrwurge? Is it a sta'bwy?"
"No, Thistle, Cluny the..."
"I gots it! Cwuny a' scrurge be a bigga giggigwantic sta'bwy!" Thistle yelled, hopping on a desk.
Berryblossom ran over to the desk and started lifting Thistle up. "Get off! You little wretch! Owch!" She put a paw to her rump and turned around to face the otterbabe who hit her, completely lettting go of Thistle.
"That was not a nice thing to do, Riverrush. Sit on the Bed!!!
"An' Maffawis, he choppa up bigga sta'bwy an evvy'one getsa sta'bwy pie an..."
Berryblossom was tired after dealing with Thistle, she lay down on the bed and went to sleep, leaving Thistle to tell everyone what was in her vivid imagination.
I had just fallen asleep when I wandered into dreamland. I was in the Infirmary, making the big folk work. I went to the Great Hall. I sat in the Abbot's chair, and said,
"Let the feast begin!" All the cooks and Frairs brought out bowls of candied chesnuts.
"When the dibbuns finsh with these," they told me,"We will bring out the scones." Suddenly, all the DAB members ran into the hall, scoffing candied chesnuts. Soon they and I were done (in 25 seconds, to be exact) and out came the scones. Ah, we ate to our fill!
I wandered outside. There, some dibbuns were having "horsey" rides on the teachers. It was there that I saw the best thing of all: Mother Mellus being scrubbed by my own friends! Using extra soap, I grabbed a small broom (there were no more brushes) and joined the fun!
I woke up smiling!
Burry, Hedgehog, Giggling Gang
dream.
Elsie and the rest of the dibbuns had been taken out berry picking by a brave group of adults. The dibbuns
all scattered in different directions, with their baskets in one paw. Elsie ran along a path through
the bushes, getting more berries in her mouth than in her basket. After a few minutes, she began to get a
little drowsy, what with running and eating a lot. She lay down, thinking it would do no harm to rest for
a few minutes. Before she realized what had happened, she was asleep (since it wasn't bedtime, she wasn't
breaking any DAB rules!).
Elsie walked along a dirt path, with woods on either side and no visible end to the road. "Hmmm, I wish I
'ad a nice basket o' Can'ied Ches'nuts right now," she said aloud to herself as she tried to see the sky
through the foliage. Then she was flat on her face, facing in the opposite direction. She picked herself
up and looked behind her to see what had tripped her. It was a basket of Candied Chestnuts! "Wow! My wish
came true!" Elsie giggled with delight as she sat down to enjoy her snack. "Yum, dese arwe good! Jus'
wish I 'ad a nice cup of stwawbe'y fizz t' go wif it." She looked down at her hand, and there was a cup
filled with strawberry fizz! Elsie giggled again, then made another wish. "I wish dat I 'ad a basket o'
stwawbe'ies, lotsa fwans, tarwts, meada'cweam�" As she spoke, these things appeared; in front, behind,
and all around the little squirrelmaid. Soon, she was surrounded by food. She ate and ate and ate until
every last bit of it was gone, but she didn't feel sick or full. She wanted more! "Bu' furs' I gots t'
get sums ex'e'cise!" Elsie bounded off through the trees, then, without really thinking, said, "I wish dat I coul' fin' Wedwa' Abbey." She had to stop very quickly as the woodlands ended and she came to a clearing, a clearing with Redwall Abbey sitting in the middle! As she scampered down the tree, Mother Mellus came out the front gates. "Uh oh!" though Elsie, but before she had time to run, Mellus had scooped her up and was carrying her back to the abbey. "Now," said Mellus, "I want you to hurry up and get really dirty so that we can throw a feast in your honor!" She set Elsie down on the ground, and Elsie scampered of the garden, where she played around in the dirt. When she felt good and dirty, she ran into Great Hall. The Abbot was standing by his chair, gesturing for her to sit down. Elsie laughed out loud, and started towards the chair. Suddenly, the otherbeasts in the room began chanting Elsie! Elsie! Elsie!�
"Elsie! Elsie! Wake up Elsie, it's time to go back to Redwall now." Elsie sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Huh? Wherwe am I?" She rubbed her eyes once more, trying to wake up. "Silly little squirrel!" said
Mother Mellus, and picked her up, basket and all, to carry her back to the Abbey. Elise thought of her
dream, and held her breath while Mellus spoke. "You're going right into the tub, young lady. You've
got berry stains all over you!" Mellus heard Elsie sigh, and laughed. "What did you think I was going to
say? To get good and dirty so we could throw a feast? Silly little squirrel!"
Mission 30: Lost in the Cellars
Lilybil the baby otter crept down the cellar stairs, trying to avoid the watchful eye of Friar Hugo. When she finally got all the way down, she heard a BANG from upstairs. "Ohno! D'meanie Fry Huggo 'as cwosed d' door. Now I nev gon gets out!!!" Lylybil crid. Then she saw her predicament could be turned into a great "aventure". Lylybil was going to explore the cellars! She ran around, climbed over barrels, and once even got stuck in an empty one! But the otter did not know the way back to the door. She was hopelessly lost! Lilybil was not aware of this at the moment, so she strayed farther and farther away. Then she looked behind her and saw..."Monstas!" The resourceful otterbabe started pushing one of the barrels. It gained speed, and knocked into some more, so that a whole avalanche of barrels was falling on the "monstas". Lilybil rushed over to see what she had knocked over. It was a hole gang of evil searats! "Dey musta dugga twunnl," she said to herself. Then she felt big strong paws grab her. At first she thought it was an escaped searat, but then she realized it was Martin, the Abbey Warrior! She was taken back up and sent to bed, because Martin did not see the vanquished searats. He thought she had made a mess for no reason!
Mission 18: Seaside mischief
"We's be gosins onna seaside twip!!!" Thistle the baby mousemaid cried joyfully. Sister Clivia put a paw to her head.
"What was the Abbess thinking when she told me to do this. A Dibbun is going to drown, I know it!!" the paranoid old mouse groaned.
Lilybil, Thistle's otter friend, and the other Dibbuns raced to the shore.
But not Thistle. She hid stealthily behind a tree, and watched Sister Clivia anxiously sit down on a blanket to watch the Dibbuns. "I's a gonna pway a twick on mean ole Sissy Cliv." She got out a piece of rope she had been saving and tied a rock to it. Then she crept over to Sister Clivia's basket. When she got up and left the blanket to scold Lilybil for going out too far, Thistle saw her chance.
The mousemaid opened the basket, and grabbed fishing pole out of it. She hurtled back to the tree where the rock was, and brought all of her stuff up the tree. Then Thistle tied the rope onto the fishing pole.
When Clivia came back, Thistle lowered the rope until it was just behind Clivia. Then she swung it the teeniest bit, and it hit the old mouse's back. "Owch, who did that?" she exclaimed. Thistle quickly reeled the pole in, as Clivia moved the blanket closer to the water.
Thistle noticed a baby mole that had gone too far out. Clivia couldn't see the mole, because a hedghog was pestering her about snacks. The mouse maid shouted to Lilybil. "Go getsaa likkle moley out dere!" Lilybil saw him immediately, and she dove in the water and rescued the little mole.
When they returned to the Abbey, the Abbess was so proud of them, she gave them a pawful of candied chestnuts each.
Mission 63
by Valinre
Valnire peered curiously into the murky depths of the pond. Long, snaky-looking shadows filtted throught eh reds, and bubbles floated up from the silty pond bottom. "Yep, dere's summat down dere," she muttered, looking over at the surrounding dibbuns. "Hurr, me'm bets itsa snakey-fisherf, Valnoire," cried Waterlily. Nutty nodded in agreement. "I say we check it out." suggested Metter, an adventurous gleam in his young eyes. "Me an' Finnbarr'll go!" cried Slipstream. "Metter too!" "I'll git Skipper!" yelled Songrose, heading for the Abbey.
The mousemaid returned grasping Skipper's paws. "Good mornin', young'uns. Watcha stanin' around fer?" "Dere's a snakey-fisher in 'ee pond." replied Waterlily, pointing to several ripples disturving the surface of the water. "Th' h'otterbabes wanta find out what's makin' da ripples, but ya gotsta cum wiv 'em, Skip!" Valnire eplained. "Righ' then me liddle mateys, let's get ecplorin'!" With a leap and a splash the muscular otter was in the pond. The otterbabes followed, peering about.
They skirted past reeds, peeked into murky corners and stirred teh silt. Suddenly, a stream of bubbles exploded from a nook in the stone. Skipper hefted a pebble and thumped his rudder threateningly. Two eyes gleamed in the darkness and a slash of fangs greeted the warning. The otterbabes gasped and headed to the surface. "Dere is a snakey-fish down dere!" cried Metter. The others nodded furiously. Skipper's head broke the pond's surface. "Aye, there's a creature down there alrigh'."
Down below, in the reed-filled nook lay a grayling, its shining scales glinting as it chuckled quietly to itself.
The End
Giggling Gang
Mission 22: Annoy history teacher
Sister Berryblossom led a group of six Dibbuns into a dormitory for their weekly history lesson. Lilybil and Thistle were among them.
She had the dibbuns sit on the floor whlie she spoke. "Dibbuns, we are going to learn about Matthias the Warrior today...what, Thistle?"
The tiny mousemaid gigled, "Did Maffywas like sta'bwys?"
"I'm sure he did. Now Matthais defeated Cluny the Scourge...yes, Thistle?" Berryblossom sighed.
"Wha' duz Scqurge mean? Is a Scwurge a sta'bwy?" Thistle questioned.
The old squirrell glared at Thistle. "No, a Scourge is not a strawberry. A scourge is a..."
"Bu' a Scwurge IS a sta'bwy. Itsa bigga gigwantik sta'bwy!" Thistle scurried on to a bed. Berryblossom rushed over and started lifting the mousebabe off of the bed. Lilybil the otter ran to help her friend.
SLAP!
Berryblossom whirled on Lilybil, holding her rump and completely forgetting about Thistle.
"That was NOT NICE, Lilybil. Young lady, I'm taking you up to the sickbay to talk to Sister Aspasia. Come on!" Berryblossom walked out of the room, leaving Thistle to talk to the other Dibbuns.
"An' ole Maffywas, 'e choppa up Cluny d' sta'bwy, an' evywun at sa abbey got sta'bwy pies an' cakes an' nummy stuff!"
When Berryblossom came back, Thistle had taken over the history lesson, and she was talking about giant strawberries that ate everyone up. Berryblossom sighed in defeat. What harm could it do, after all, it was just one lesson!
Mission 25: Find Shelter in a Storm
When I was berry picking a storm hit, so I flew to a cottage and knocked on the door. An old hogwife answered the door. She gasped and said, "Oh, you pore little birdie. Com in, have some hot cider. I'm Olive Pricklette. And you are?" "Imma likkle Dibbun an' my name be's Win'bike. Sank u, I like hotcida vurry much," I yawned sleepily. Olive set a plate down with hot cider and cookies, and I ate them all up in 30 seconds. "You must be very hungry, youn'un. And sleepy, too," Olive crooned. "Here's a blanket, now go to sleep, and I'll tell Peaches the Bluebird to go to the Abbey and tell them you're here." So Peaches got my mommy, Ayrborn, to come get me. She was very happy that I was all right.
"Sports day, sports day!" shouted Tree Blossom and Tangle and all their dibbun friends. "Meesa doin da boat racer first," said Tree Blossom as she got into a boat. "I will racer you," said Fwirl. They got into the boats and Skipper shouted, and he gave the boats a push. "Weee!" shouted Fwirl as she jumped up and down. Suddenly the boat tipped which Fwirl wa in and she fell in the pond. "HEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Fwirl as she fell. Just as she fell Tree Blossom reached the finish line and shouted "YIPPPIE!". Skipper dived in. "Hold on Fwirl, I'm comin' mate." "Wee look at me, I'm riding on Skip's back, this is fun." She reached the finish line and she and Tree Blossom lifted the cup together. We Winned The Boat Racer Together. Tree Blossom and Fwirl together.
Mission 5: Perfect dream
Once my mommy made me take my morning nap (she said if I didn't sleep, she wouldn't take me to go berry picking that afternoon with Thistle and Lilybil, so I'm not a DAB traitor) then I had a good dream. It wen like this:
I had berries, candied chestnuts, cake, and all sorts of nummy stuff. Then my mommy said I would never have to sleep again!!!! She gave me my very own big boy bow and arrow set! In real life, she said I couldn't have them cuz I was too little. Then my daddy took me to a gigantic archery place, in our own backyard, and I hit all my arrows in the very midle of the targets. My daddy wouldn't let me have even one target before, but now he let me shoot anything I wanted. He gave me a big hug.
I suddenly opened my eyes. "Aww, dat wuz jwuss a dweem," I sqwawked. My mommy said, "Silly birdie, come on, it's time t ogo berry picking with your friends!"
