"Brian Jacques - Redwall 06 - Martin The Warrior" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jacques Brian)

Badrang moved swiftly in his anger. Seizing a pebble, he hurled it, striking
Hisk on the jaw. The weasel Captain stood dumbly, blood trickling from his lip
as the Tyrant

berated him.

"Excuses! I don't want to hear complaints or excuses, d'you hear me? What I
need is a fortress built before autumn. Well, don't stand there snivelling,
get on with

it!"

Immediately, Hisk got to work, flaying about with the whip as he passed on his
master's bad mood.

"Move, you useless lumps! You heard Lord Badrang, Marshank must be ready
before the season's out! It'll be double the work an' half rations from now
on.

Move!"

An old squirrel was staggering by, bent double under the burden of a large
rock. Hisk lashed out at him. The whip curled around the aged creature's
footpaws, tripping him as he dropped the rock. The weasel began laying into
his victim, striking indiscriminately at the old one's frail body.

"You worthless layabout, I'll strip the mis'rable hide

off yer!"

12

The lash rose and fell as Hisk flogged away at the unprotected creature on the
ground.

"I'll teach yer a lesson yer won't ferget..."

Suddenly the whip stopped in midswing. It went taut as Hisk pulled on the
handle. He tugged at it but was yanked backwards. The young mouse had the end
of the whip coiled around his paw.

Hisk's eyes bulged with temper as he shouted at the intruder, "Leggo my whip,
mouse, or I'll gut yer!"

The weasel reached for the dagger at his waist, but he was not fast enough.
The mouse hurled himself upon Hisk. Wrapping the whiplash round the Captain's
neck, he heaved hard. Hisk thrashed furiously about in the dust, choking and
slobbering as the lash tightened. Gurrad blew a hasty alarm on a bone whistle
he carried slung about his neck.