Gonff was first to complain as evening fell over the woodlands. "Phew, it's a while since I trudged this far, mateys. What d'you say, this looks a likely place for the night, then we can get a fresh start in the morning?"

Young Dinny inspected the site. It was a dead chestnut stump, with a small hole between the two main roots.

"Hurr, oi knows this yurr gaff. Slep' yurr many a noight. 'Ee'll do."

Martin crouched as he made his way into the confined s.p.a.ce. "Just about enough room for the three of us. We'd better call it a day. Break out some supper, Gonff."

While Gonff set the food out, Dinny scooped loam around the entrance, leaving a small s.p.a.ce for observation. The mole had no sooner finished his task when he held up a paw.

"Usher now. c.u.m by 'ere an' lookit."

Silently they gathered round and watched as Scratch blundered noisily through the undergrowth, followed by Splitnose and Blacktooth.

"Haha, look out. The bogey Cludd's behind you."

"Fat chance! He'll probably be stuffing his face back at Kotir."

"Aye, and getting ready to sleep in a dry bed, too,"

"No sign of the mice and the mole yet, Scratch?"

"It's getting so dark I can't see my own paws, let alone a mice and a mole. Come on, let's get clear of this forest while 130.

we can. If we reach the road, there's a dry ditch where we can camp the night."

"Hey, Blacktooth, stop scoffing those rations. There'll be none left for us."

"Aah, there's plenty. Anyhow, I'm starving."

"You're starving! I haven't had a bite since breakfast myself. Here, give me that food."

"No, I won't. Leggo, you big grabber!"

"Here, I'll take charge of that, you two. Garr, you greedy nits, it's spilled all over the place now. You've dropped it."

"It wasn't me, it was him. He shoved me, clumsy paws."

"Clumsy paws yourself, greedy guts. Take that!"

"Owoo! I'll report you to Cludd when we get back."

"Oh, go and report your mother."

In the hole beneath the chestnut tree the three friends held their sides in silent mirth, tears running down their whiskers as they watched the antics of the searchers, who fumbled and *bungled their way off into the darkness, still arguing and fighting.

"Gurr, moi goodness, us'ns been 'unted by those 'oller'eads. Burr, yon vermints cudden 'unt their way outer a shallow 'ole."

Gonff handed cheese to Martin. "No wonder. Did you bear who their boss is, matey? Old Cludd the clod. He couldn't order his own two ears to stand up straight."

Martin put his supper to one side. "Maybe not, but he was smart enough to spy on us without our knowing it. I think we should treat them as enemies. That way we won't be ,j caught off guard. Anyhow, let's get some supper and sleep.

: WeVe got a long day ahead tomorrow."

5 From the window of her high chamber, Tsarmina's eyes ^pierced the night with the keenness of a predator. She saw '*iCludd and his special patrol hurrying to Kotir from the north ^'fringes, then sweeping her gaze in an arc she noted a move- at the south edge of the forest. Woodlanders! Tsarmina rushed to the table and rang her little bell vig- . A ferret named Raker came scurrying in. _ "Quickly, alert the entire garrison. Have them form up 131.

inside the barracks awaiting my orders. Tell them to be silent. Send Cludd to me. He'll be arriving shortly."

Raker wondered how Tsarmina knew of Cludd's imminent arrival, but he did not dare ask her how. He held up his Thousand Eye shield in a smart salute.

"Right away, Milady."

Tsarmina peered intently at the band of otters, mice, and hedgehogs. She noted the ripple in the treetops-squirrels too. This time she had the element of surprise on her side. She did not intend wasting it. Now they would leam the meaning of the word fear.

Halfway down the stairs she b.u.mped into Cludd, who was dashing up to her chamber to make his report.

"Milady, I have gathered some expert knowledge on the movements of the woodla-"

"Yes, I already know. Form your patrol up and get down to the main barracks quickly."

"But, Majesty, there was a robin flying through the woods and I told Thic-"

Tsarmina whirled upon the slow-witted weasel. "Robin? What rubbish are you spouting now? What d'you think I care about a robin? Get out of my sight, you useless lump."

Cludd stood, bewildered, on the stairway as she brushed past. There was no point in trying to talk to Tsarmina when she was in one of her moods.

The highest tree near the south side of Kotir was a stately elm. Chibb was perched in its branches when he sighted the woodlanders.

"Ahem, harrumph! Over here, please, and keep quiet. We don't want any eagles waking up."

Skipper threw a smart nautical salute with his tail. "Ahoy there, mate. Is everything shipshape?"

Chibb paced to and fro upon the branch. "Ahem, well I must say it appears to be, harrumph. Though I have my doubts."

Lady Amber dropped in beside him, and the nervous robin leaped with fright.

"Madam! Ahem, kindly have the goodness to announce your presence in a less startling manner."

132.

Ben Stickle and the rest were unloading packs of rations at die foot of the elm. Columbine looked upward at the robin.

"D'you know, Ben, for some reason I feel as uneasy as Chibb."

Ben loaded the packs on the squirrels, who scampered up the trunk as if it were level ground.

"Aye, m'dear, I know 'xactly how you feel. I don't like this place one little bit meself."

As if to punctuate the hedgehog's remark, an arrow whistled out of the darkness to stand quivering in the elm bark.

"Ambush! Everyone take cover!" Lady Amber called aloud from her vantage point.

Immediately, the mice and hedgehogs were screened by a wall of otters. Skipper bounded to the fore, ducking a spear as he swung a sling loaded with several stones.

"Over yonder, crew. By those thickets. Give 'em a rattlin' good broadside, mates."

Ranks of brawny otters made the air rain heavy with hard river stones.

The dinting and thudding of rock upon armor and pelt was mingled with screams and cries from the ambushers.

When the fusillade slackened, Tsarmina sprang forward, urging her attackers onward. "Charge. Rush them now. Up. Charge!"

The soldiers pounded toward the woodlanders, yelling and shouting threats as they waved pikes, spears and javelins.

*Lady Amber watched coolly. She notched an arrow to her *iwwstring as, all around her in the high branches, squirrels L followed her example. She laid her tail fiat along the bough Cof the elm.

"Steady in the trees there. Let them get well into the open, Jfaen watch for my signal."

Though one or two otters were down with spear wounds, "Skipper had heard Amber and he backed up her strategy. ;**Otter crew load up. Don't sling until the arrows are loosed."

>w the Kotir army had covered over half the distance, For-lata slacked off, dropping back with Ashleg and Cludd.

133.

Tsarmina alone led the field. Confident that the charge would carry the full distance, she turned to yell further encouraging words to her troops.

Lady Amber decided they had come far enough. Her tail stood up like a banner as she called, "Archers, fire!"

The waspish hiss of arrows halted the advance in its tracks, the back and middle ranks colliding with the fallen in front.

"Slings away hard, crew!" Skipper's wild call boomed out across the melee.

A second volley of stones flew thick and fast into the confused soldiers.

Now Tsarmina was forced back into her own ranks. Furiously she began snarling out orders.

"One rank crouching, one rank standing. Give me a wall of shields to the front and carry on advancing. Poke spears out between the gaps in the shields. Quick, fools. Foitunata, group archers at the rear. Tell them to fire over our heads into the woodlanders. Hurry!"

Realization that they were in danger of being under serious attack galvanized the Kotir troops into action.

Ben Stickle and Columbine were crawling about, whispering to the noncombatants, "Friends, help the wounded. Go with them quickly and quietly around the back of this tree. Foremole has arrived with help."

They slid away, with Skipper's crew masking their retreat.

The soldiers were firing arrows now. They rattled off tree trunks and stuck into the earth, some finding their mark among the woodlanders. The shield-fronted advance moved slowly but steadily forward.

Skipper and Amber had coordinated their firepower. After the otters loosed stone and javelin, the squirrels shot their arrows, each giving the other a chance to reload, while keeping up continuous fire.

"Slings away!"

"Archers, fire!"

Brush and Birch were two big competent squirrels. Following Lady Amber's directions, they swung off toward Kotir's 134.

furthest side, carrying as many ration packs between them as possible. Chibb flew with them. All three were silent, and unseen by those in the fray below.

Cludd's bellow urged the soldiers forward. "Come on, you lot. Stir your stumps, you laggards. Keep pushing on. We'll have 'em soon. You can have an otter apiece shortly."

A stoat winced as a rock bounced off his spearshaft, sending shocks of pain through his claws. "Huh, I'll have a mouse or a wounded hedgehog, mate. Let Cludd and the Queen tackle those big otters."

His companion, a weasel, nodded agreement. "Aye, let them have the glory. We'll be satisfied with the pickings."

Seconds later he was silenced by an arrow.

Lady Amber was beginning to get worried. She called down to Skipper, "We're almost out of arrows up here, Skip. There's too many of 'em. We can't stop their advance; it looks as if we've had it."

Skipper's tongue was lolling as he tore off two large rocks from his sling.

"There's nothing for it, marm. We'll just have to see how many of 'em we can take with us."

135.

21.

Early morning was enveloped in white mist. It clung to tree and bush like a gossamer shawl, sparkling with dewdrops in the promise of a hot sunny day ahead.

Eager to be on their way, the three friends broke fast as they traveled. Martin unpacked scones for them, Gonff doled out a russet apple apiece, and Dinny vanished into the mist, reappearing with a canteen of fresh spring water.

Limbs loosened as the night stiffness receded. They stepped out at a brisk pace to Gonff's latest marching cttant.

Sala-manda-stron, look out here we come, A thief, a warrior and a mole. Though the quest may take its toll, We'll march until we reach our goal, Sala-manda-stron.

The flood of morning sun penetrated the mists, melting them into a yellowy haze. Martin and Gonff struggled to keep straight faces, listening to Dinny chanting the marching verse in mole tongue.

"Salad-anna-sconn, lookit yurr'ee come."

Still in fine fettle, they reached the outskirts of Mossflower Woods. Pushing on through the fringes, they found themselves facing a brown dirt road, which curved and bent like a snake. Beyond it lay the far dim expanses of the flatlands 136.

shimmering in the heat. Between the path and the flatlands was a deep ditch, though because of the dry weather it contained only the merest trickle of water.

The companions kept silent, remembering that Scratch and his aides might well be somewhere nearby.

Gonff went back to the woods and returned with a long stout branch. Taking his knife, the mousetnief trimmed off the twigs.

Martin watched with interest. "What are you up to, matey?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Young Dinny knew. "Ee'm maken a powl t'jump ditcher. Squirrelbeast do et iffen they baint no tree to swing offen."

Martin took the pole and felt its balance. "Oh, I see. A vaulting pole. Good idea, Gonff.''