"Brian Jacques - Redwall 02 - Mossflower" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jacques Brian)

Ferdy jumped up and down. "Let me see, I want a look!"

Urthclaw turned slowly away from the door. "Baint much

use, liddle 'edgepig. They'ra gorrim down now, aye, an*

roped up too. Hurt, worra pity, they be too many fer 'im to

foight, ee'm a gurt brave wurrier tho."

Ben was momentarily crestfallen, then he clapped his paws together. "Now is
the time, while the patrol's busy with the fighter. They Ve got a job on their
paws, draggin' him back to the cats' castle. Come on, let^s get a-goin' while
the goin's good."

A short while later, the fire was burning to embers in an empty hut as the
little band trudged into the vast woodland sprawl of Mossflower, blinking
water from their eyes as they kept their heads down against the keen wind.
Urthclaw followed up the rear, obliterating the pawtracks from the snowy
ground.

Gonff the mousethief padded silently along the passage from the larder and
storeroom of Kotir. He was a plump little creature, clad in a green jerkin
with a broad buckled belt. He was a ducker and a weaver of life, a marvelous
mimic, ballad writer, singer, and lockpick, and very jovial with it all. The
woodlanders were immensely fond of the little thief. Gonff shrugged it ail
off, calling every creature his matey in imitation of the otters, whom he
greatly admired. Chuckling quietly to himself, he drew the small dagger from
his belt and cut off a wedge from the cheese he was carrying. Slung around his
shoulder was a large flask of elderberry wine which he had also stolen from
the larder. Gonff ate and drank, singing quietly to himself in a deep bass
voice between mouthfuls of cheese and wine.

The Prince of Mousethieves honors you,

To visit here this day.
So keep your larder door shut tight,

Lock all your food away.

O foolish ones, go check your store

Of food so rich and fine.

Be sure that I'll be back for more,

Especially this wine.

At the sound of heavy paws Gonff fell silent. Melting back into the shadows,