"Laydeez an' gennelbeasts, watch closely! As you see, we are all holding a large magic wand each. That is, with the exception of my good friend the magic badger there. Now watch closely please, as my old uncle Flob-bears used to say. The speed of the paw always deceives the eye, an' more often than not blackens it. Are you ready? One, three, two four, whatever. Chaaaaarge!"

The huge female badger threw all her weight and speed against the shafts, sending the cart forward like a runaway boulder on a mountainside. It smashed through the surrounding corsairs, sending them scattering like ninepins as the troupe flailed and thwacked away at searat heads with their large magic wands.

160.

Clogg was taken aback momentarily, then he was up and pursuing the cart as it headed for the open gate of Marshank.

"Stop' em. It's a trick!"

Ballaw caught Gruzzle a hefty blow, sending him ears over tail. "Of course it's a trick, old lad. I told you it was!"

Tullgrew gave a shout of alarm from the walltop as she saw the horde pounding towards the compound. "Lookout, Felldoh. They're coming!"

Only half of the slaves were over the wall. Felldoh looked around in desperation as Hillgorse and Barkjon came running to him. The horde were now pelting around the outside of the compound towards them.

Barkjon groaned aloud. "There's too many and we have no weapons!"

Felldoh gritted his teeth. "At least half of us got away. Wait, this might hold 'em off a bit!" Grabbing a chunk of rock, he called up to Tullgrew, "Throw that rope down!"

Catching the rope, Felldoh secured the rock to one end of it and began swinging it as he advanced on the horde. It took out several of them before they hurriedly backed off. The chunk of rock circled and whirred in a deadly blur as Felldoh roared, "Come on. Who's next, you stinking bunch of cowards! Come on!"

"Get him, you dolts! Rush him!" Badrang howled with rage as he pushed his creatures forward.

Grabbing a spear from a weasel called Rotnose, Bad-rang hurled it. Still swinging the rock, Felldoh leaped to one side. The spear missed him but took Barkjon through his shoulder. Immediately, Hillgorse pulled the spear from his friend. The hedgehog was powerfully built despite his age. Wielding the spear with a strength born of desperation, he launched himself at the horde of foe-beasts, plunging and stabbing wildly. In the narrow s.p.a.ce between stockade and wall they were driven back 161.

by the spear and the swinging rock. Hillgorse stuck the spear in the ground by Felldoh.

"Give me the rope, young un. Take the spear and get your father away from here, he's been wounded. Do as I say, quickly!"

Felldoh grabbed the spear as he felt the rope taken from his paws by Hillgorse. Tullgrew had climbed halfway down the two log steps on the wall, and between them they hauled the semiconscious Barkjon upwards. Two arrows found Hillgorse as others clattered and bounced off the walls around Tullgrew and Felldoh, who had succeeded in gaining the walltop with the limp form of Barkjon held between them.

Bravely Hillgorse swung the rock, his strength failing as he shouted at the walltop, "Get away from here, Felldoh. Save your father and the others!"

Another arrow struck Hillgorse, and the rope slipped from his paws. The old hedgehog's eyes were misting over as he gave a final roar and hurled his spiky body into the ranks of the enemy.

Felldoh tried to scramble back down to Hillgorse, but Tullgrew hung on, pulling him back. "We must escape. He gave his life so we could be free!"

Felldoh bit his lip until blood showed. He took one last look at the scene below. Badrang and his horde were beginning to mount the logs and scale the wall, and the slaves who had not managed to escape were forcing their way back into the compound through the gap they had made. Felldoh still had the spear in his paw when he noticed who the last of the slaves was and shouted his name.

"Druwp!"

The treacherous bankvole did not turn. He knew who was calling him. He tried to squeeze through the gap back into the stockade but found his way blocked by the slaves inside.

"Out of my way or I'll report you!"

Those were the last words that Druwp spoke. Felldoh 162.

threw the spear, harder than he had ever thrown anything. It found its mark between the traitor's shoulder blades. *

"Jump!"

Holding Barkjon between them, Felldoh and Tullgrew leaped from the walltop into the night. It was a good drop, but the straw-packed mattresses broke their fall. The others were waiting for them. They looked this way and that, unsure which would be the best direction to take in the darkness. Suddenly a nearby rumbling caused them to crouch down in the wall shadows, and a voice rang out.

"What ho, is that the disappearin' fox?"

Felldoh gave a sigh of relief. "Ballaw! I see you managed to escape safely."

"Rather! Though at the moment there's a posse of pirates hot on our paws. I say, have you got ladies an' young uns there?"

"Aye, and a wounded father, and any moment now Badrang'll be coming over that wall with his horde."

"Calls for a bit of quick thinkin', wot? Righto! Get the babes, mothers an' wounded into the cart. Everybeast fit to run get pushin', but wait until I give the word.. . Wait for it..."

The sound of Clogg's crew rounding the outside of the back wall blended with the shouts of Badrang and his horde, who had now reached the walltop. Ballaw kicked the last of the straw mattresses away into the night and joined his friends at the cart.

"Head south smartly now. Look alive, you chaps. Go!"

The wheels of the small wagon nearly left the ground as it shot forward, propelled by every able-bodied creature. In moments it had clattered off into the darkness.

Badrang pushed Hisk and Gurrad off the walltop. Grabbing others, he began shoving them off into s.p.a.ce.

"Jump, you lily-livered toads. The slaves did it easily enough. Come on, you there, Nipwort, Fleabane. Jump!"

163.

Bodies went flying from the walltop. Horde soldiers shut their eyes and leaped, preferring the drop to Bad-rang's towering anger.

The removal of the cushioning straw sacks made the landing hard for those who did not land on the heads of Cap'n Tramun Clogg and several of his crew members.

Ballaw had judged his timing right. Confusion reigned in the darkness as the corsair crew and the Tyrant's horde fought each other tooth and claw in the night.

164.

A monster stood on the path in front of Rose. It had the body of a fox, the talons of an owl and a huge snakelike head with three big goggling eyes surmounted above rows of fearsome teeth. Dashing madly along to where the dreadful screams were issuing from, the mousemaid tried to stop at the sight of the horrendous apparition. Grumm and Pallum cannoned into her back, sending her staggering straight into the arms of the nightmare beast. She screamed aloud in terror as she blundered into its embrace.

Then it collapsed on the path in a dusty heap. Straw, gra.s.s, bark, dead ferns and feathers swirled everywhere.

Rose sneezed, spitting out a mouthful of downy fur as Pallum and Grumm came gingerly forward to help her up.

"Burr, wot be et?"

"Huh, Mirdop, it's nothing but a great big doll hanging from the trees by bits of creeper!"

Rose dusted herself down, looking around wildly. "Where's Martin?"

The horrendous screams had stopped. To one side of the path Martin sat upon a great hollow log, chuckling 165.

quietly. "Bravo, Rose. You've just slain your first Mirdop!"

The mousemaid looked fl.u.s.tered. "But how ... and you ... those screams ... ?"

"Come over here and I'll show you."

Martin bent beside the hollow log and called aloud, "Go back, for I am the Mirdop and I will slay you!"

The sound thundered and reverberated around the forest, magnified by the hollow ash log.

Grumm uncovered his ears when the noise faded.

"But oo wurr a-doen all 'ee shouten?"

Martin took them around the other side of the big log to where four rabbits, obviously mother, father and two young, were lying slumped.

"Oh dear, you haven't killed them, Martin?" Rose gasped.

The young mouse shook his head and smiled. "Of course not. I couldn't harm creatures like these. I sneaked up and saw what they were doing, so I thought I'd take a leaf out of your book, Rose."

The mousemaid looked mystified, then Martin explained. "Remember, the warrior who uses the voice instead of the sword? Well, I crept up behind them and started yelling as loud and horrible as I could. Of course, being new at this sort of thing, I suppose I underestimated the power of my cries. The rabbits seemed to freeze then fainted right away!"

Rose hurried to the side of the two babes. She stroked them tenderly until they began whimpering and moving. "Poor little things. You great bully, Martin. Fancy doing an awful thing like that!"

Grumm and Pallum had to hide their faces to stop bursting out laughing at the sight of Martin, paws outstretched in bewilderment.

"I didn't hurt them. What was I supposed to do, set about them with my sword, or ask them nicely to please stop terrorizing travellers? You're the one who went and destroyed their Mirdop. Bully yourself!"

166.

Rose fussed about, wetting the older rabbits' mouths with water until they revived. Instantly they drew back in horror.

"Aagh! Go away, you savage creatures. Which one is Grumm the Growler, and who is Pallum the Mighty and Rose the Slayer?"

Grumm tugged his snout respectfully at the female rabbit.

"Hurr 'tis oi, marm. But oi doant mean 'ee no 'arm."

Martin took a slightly stronger line with them. "Er, just a moment, please. I think it's we should be asking the questions. What d'you mean by shouting threats and trying to intimidate travellers on this path?"

The father rabbit held a shaky paw to his brow. "Please, not so loud, we're really delicate creatures, you know. Allow me to introduce us. I'm Fescue, this is my wife Mildwort and these are the twins Burnet and b.u.t.tercup. Mirdop's the family name, hence the, er, figure we have to keep away intruders."

"Oh yes, it was Fescue's great Grandpa who built it," his wife interrupted. "One never knows what horrid types of beast want to wander abroad on our path. Please don't harm us, we were only protecting ourselves."

Rose sat by Mildwort Mirdop and spoke soothingly "We wouldn't dream of harming a nice little family like yours. I'm sorry we frightened you, but we were rather scared ourselves with all that threatening and roaring you were doing."

Fescue laughed nervously. "Er yes, haha, rather good, wasn't it? By the way, have you had tea yet?"

Grumm's stomach made a small gurgle as he rubbed it. "Us'ns be allus ready furr vittles, zurr. Do you'm 'ave zoop?"

Mildwort stared down her snub nose at the mole. "Hardly. Soup is not good for one at this time of day. Follow me, please."

They followed the Mirdop family down into their burrow. It was large, comfortable and spotless. Behind 167.

their backs, Pallum made a snooty gesture with paw to nose, and Grumm nodded in agreement.

Tea was a very formal affair in the Mirdop burrow. First the guests were given lavender-scented soap, warm water and soft barktowels to wash and dry their paws. The two young rabbits were sent back several times until their parents were satisfied that their paws were cleaned properly, then they all sat down at a small table.

Mildwort Mirdop brought a large pot of steaming mint tea with honey to go in it, a platter of wafer-thin cuc.u.mber sandwiches and seven tiny oat scones, each lightly spread with raspberry preserve. She seated herself, and in the silence that followed murmured quietly to her husband; "The grace before tea, dear."

Fescue coughed gently to clear his throat. They all stared down at the spotless tablecloth while he repeated the grace.

"For all we receive for tea, Thanks to the seasons be. Partake we sparingly Of this good meal."

As they each chose a cuc.u.mber sandwich, Mildwort scolded Burnet. "Sandwiches first, scones later. Put it back please."

Baby Burnet scowled slightly. "Scones are my fav'rite."

Fescue tweaked his ear lightly. "Baby bunnies should be seen and not heard, Burnet. Don't talk back to your mother. How many times must we tell you!"

The meal was eaten rather quickly in polite frosty silence. Grumm made a sucking noise as he drained his teacup and sat back. "Hurr, they'm noice scones, marm. Oi'm partial to a noice scone."

Mildwort sniffed. "So are we, Mr. Grumm. There are more in the cupboard for tomorrow."

Fescue smiled nervously as he nodded agreement.

168.

"Indeed there are, dear. No sense in overstuffing with food. Er, you say you are bound for Noonvale. I've no idea where the place is. We've always lived by our path, never moved away. I'm afraid I can't give you any directions, but I'm sure that from here you'll have to cross the west marshes. My advice to you is watch out for lizards. Nasty things-cannibals, I might add!"

Baby Burnet nodded and agreed with his father. "Cab-binals!"

"Burnet!" Fescue looked severely at him. "Do not interrupt your elders and betters. You are excused from the table. You too, b.u.t.tercup. Don't stray far from the burrow and try to keep clean. Bedtime soon."

Like two silent shadows, the little ones got down from their chairs, bobbed a curtsy and a bow to the guests and left the burrow with their mother's voice ringing in their ears.

"Walk, don't run. How many times must I tell you!"

As she cleared away the tea things from under the noses of the still hungry travellers, she said in a strained voice. "You are welcome to stay the night in our burrow."

Rose kicked Grumm beneath the table as he searched for crumbs. "How nice of you, Mrs. Mirdop, but we wouldn't dream of imposing upon your good nature. Besides, we have a long journey ahead of us and we must go while there is still daylight. Er, you mentioned cannibal lizards, Mr. Mirdop?"

Fescue Mirdop helped his wife to fold the tablecloth. "Oh yes, so I did. Right, here's what you must do. At the edge of the forest the marshes begin. Find the place called Marshwood Hill. If the lizards trouble you, then strike the gong you will see hanging from a hornbeam tree. The Warden will take care of you. He's such a nice creature, isn't he, dear?"

Mildwort Mirdop nodded vigorously. "Oh yes, the Warden of Marshwood Hill, a very, very nice creature!"

169.

They took their leave of the Mirdops, thanking them for a pleasant stay. Mr. and Mrs. Mirdop waved before retreating back down their burrow. Grumm rummaged through their ration packs until he found some candied acorns and chestnuts. The two baby Mirdops were playing in front of the burrow, and he gave them a pawful each of the nuts.

"Yurr, babbies, eat'm oop noice'n messy loik. They'm guid'n sweet."