At last the weary travelers Have reached their hearts' desire.

We quested overland to reach The mountain of the fire.

To meet with Boar the Fighter, Who knows secrets dark and deep- Gonff sat upright scratching his whiskers, "What rhymes with deep, mateys?" Three wet towels knocked him flat. "You'm moight troi sleep!"

263.

The woodlanders were caught completely unawares in the early morning.

Led by Bane and Tsarmina, the joint forces. .h.i.t swiftly. Luckily the little ones were still abed at Brock hall and the Loamhedge mice were preparing breakfasts. The only creatures at the diggings were moles, otters and a few squirrels.

Bane's mercenaries dashed in, hacking madly, backed by Tsarmina's spears. Urthclaw, Billum and Soilflyer were deep underground. The rest were caught in the open.

It was chaos!

Skipper took an arrow in his side. Lady Amber lost an ear to a fox's sword. The woodlands were alive with yelling, slashing animals. There was only one thing to do: retreat with all speed. Disregarding his wounds, Skipper stood fast with a small band of otters, hurling stones as he roared aloud, "Get away, quickly!"

Amber and her squirrels managed to escape through the treetops, leaving two slain on the ground. Skipper and his otters saw to it that the few moles were safely carried off across the river, before vanishing into the water themselves.

Tsarmina gave out howls of victory across the now silent woods.

Bane leaned on his curved sword breathing heavily. "See, I told you they're no match for us. Phew! But they can put up a tidy fight, even when they're outnumbered."

264.

Brogg swaggered up and saluted.

"Two squirrels, three otters and a mole slain, Milady,'* he reported.

He was about to turn away when Bane tugged on his cloak.

"How many of ours lost?" he asked tersely.

"Three ferrets, a stoat and a weasel, four rats and a fox."

Bane shook his head in amazement. "Good job, we outnumbered them. No prisoners?''

'.'No, sir, not a one."

"Hmm, pity."

Ratflank limped up, nursing a cracked paw.

"We've found three big holes over there by the river," he said.

The commanders strode across to the spot. Bane bent down and sniffed the earth around each hole, while Tsarmina stood watching.

"What d'you suppose they were up to?" she wondered.

Bane spat into one of the holes. "Your guess is as good as mine. We didn't get time to chop the trees or fire the woodland. Maybe there's some of 'em still down these holes."

"Then we can fill them in." Tsarmina grinned wickedly. "Brogg, get some big rocks, fetch that timber lying about there, use the spears, fill them in well and press the earth down hard. They'll be imprisoned down there until the air runs out."

Bane wiped his sword and sheathed it.

"Well, that's that. There's not much my band can do around here. We'll head back to Kotir and try another dawn raid tomorrow."

Tsarmina was right beside the fox leader. She was not about to stop out in the woods with her soldiers, leaving Bane to take over Kotir in her absence.

"Right, Bane. I'll leave Brogg with some of the others to get on with the job. The rest of us will go back to Kotir with you."

As they marched off through the morning brightness of Mossflower, one of Bane's foxes sn.i.g.g.e.red as he trod on the back of Ratflank's cloak.

"Yah, I think your p.u.s.s.ycat Queen's frightened of us locking the fortress door on her."

265.

Ratflank tugged his cloak free, sneering. "Oh yes? Well, you just try calling her p.u.s.s.ycat to her face, hero!"

The first Bella knew of the attack was when the Corim leaders re gathered their crews at Brockhall. Abbess Germaine and Columbine organized bandages and herbs, Loamhedge mice bustled about ministering to the wounded. Skipper refused to stand still, and Goody Stickle chased about after him, dabbing at his injury, trying to get a bandage around it.

There were tears of rage in the otter's eyes. "Six lost, by the fur. Where did they come from? Who was that fox with all those scruffy murderers? Tsarmina could never have done this on her own."

Lady Amber adjusted the bandage around her head so she could see properly.

"I heard someone call him Bane," she told him. "Get Chibb. Tell him to go to Kotir. He'll have to be very careful, but we've got to find out all we can about this other lot."

Foremole tapped a digging claw upon the table.

"Us'll avter do summat 'bout Urthclaw, Soilflyer V Bil-lum. They'm stucken down 'oles. Oo be a-tellen wot they villyuns do to *ee."

"Yes," Bella agreed, "it's most important that we rescue the moles from the tunnels. Next on the list is to make sure that the area around Brockhall is completely hidden. If they don't know where we are, they can't attack us. Furthermore, we will need to find a second hideout, somewhere deeper into the east of Mossflower. If ever Brockhall is discovered, another refuge will be very necessary."

Messengers were sent out to find Chibb, and the wood-landers set about erasing the tracks around Brockhall, while Germaine and her mice tended the wounded with dedicated care.

The memory of the murderous ambush still lingered.

Lady Amber was not one to forget.

Neither was Skipper.

Before noon, Chibb had reported back to the Corim, but the news was not good.

"Er, ahem. Very serious, very serious. It seems that this fox Bane is an expert, a mercenary with a band of about 266.

sixty. Harrumph. 'Scuse me. Evidently they are planning another ambush, as deep as they can get into Mossflower in one early morning march. Tomorrow, they plan to set out at dawn in a skirmish line, killing or capturing all before them."

Columbine held up her paw. "Then we must not give them any targets. Everyone should stay here, completely out of sight, in case Brockhall is discovered."

Bella nodded approvingiy. "I second that. Good thinking, Columbine. Are we all agreed?"

There was a low murmur of a.s.sent. n.o.body noticed the look that pa.s.sed between Amber and Skipper.

In the early afternoon, Bella left command of Brockhall to the Abbess and Columbine. Alone, the badger set out eastward into the woodland depths to find a second place of refuge.

267.

37.

Martin woke feeling pleasantly fresh. He opened his eyes to see Boar supervising the laying of a beautiful breakfast table. Hares were wreathing flowers across the board; the food they brought had been grown in small gardens dotted about the landward side of the mountaintop. Boar had small rosebuds and sweet peas twined in his beard, and a garland of ivy leaves sat on his head. The huge badger looked like some benevolent spirit come down from the mountain, holding a green wand in his paw.

Pointing to a high arrow window that streamed down golden sunlight on him, he boomed out to the waking travelers, "Welcome to Salamandastron on the first day of a new summer!"

Young Dinny's heart leaped at the sight of Boar and the mention of his favorite season. "Burrhoourr, oi dearly loiks summertoid, Zurr Bowar!

During a fabulous meal in which all took part, they were introduced to the other hares who lived in the mountain. Besides Trubbs, Wother and Ffring there was also Harebell, Honeydew and Willow, three doe-eyed beauties who could render Trubbs and company speechless with a single flutter of their eyelashes. There were four others, a huge fellow named Buffheart, his wife Lupin and their two young ones, Starbuck and Breeze.

"These hares are my eyes and ears," Boar explained. "I 266.

can stretch out my paws through them and feel what is going on for miles around. They are also fearsome fighters. Yes, every one of them. Don't let silly talk and pretty eyes fool you. They'll show you later. As for the present, they'll take your friends off and show them something of this mountain we live on. Martin, will you come with me? I would talk to you alone."

The warrior mouse followed the silver badger up through many caves, flights of rock stairs and long pa.s.sages. High up die pair went, into the topmost cave. It was still warm from the heat of the forge. Martin looked out of a long open window to see the beach below and the waters beyond, sparkling and glinting in early summer sunlight.

"This is where you heard my voice when you were down on the sh.o.r.e last night," Boar whispered to him. "I must whisper now because if I were to raise my voice, the echoes would deafen you."

Martin nodded, fearing to speak lest his voice did the same.

Boar smiled, patting the mouse warrior lightly. "You are wise beyond your seasons. Now, do not be surprised by what I am going to show you. This is for our eyes alone, Martin- we two warriors."

The badger went to the left wall between the entrance and the window, where there was a long, deep crack that appeared to be a natural seam in the rock. Setting his great blunt claws deep into the fissure, he began to pull.

Martin stood in awe at the frightening brute strength of Boar the Fighter. Steely sinews and giant muscles bulged and strained as the badger pulled, grunting quietly deep in his chest. Froth appeared on his jaws with the exertion; still he pulled with might and main, platelike back paws set flat on the rock floor, ponderous claws gouging at the bare stone. With a low rumble, the entire wall started to swing outward.

Martin watched wide-eyed, paws and jaws clenched tight, willing the silver badger to perform this great feat of strength. Boar set his shoulders against one side and his paws against the other. He pushed hard, and the secret doorway stood wide open. Without a word they walked inside.

269.

It was a narrow hall. One side of the wall was covered in minute carvings, the other was smooth, whilst the far end was a rounded alcove. What Martin saw there stopped him in his tracks so fast that Boar stumbled on him.

A badger in full armor was seated on a throne in the alcove! Martin felt Boar's paw upon his back. "No need to be afraid, little friend." The badger's voice was calm. "This is my father, Old Lord Brocktree."

Boar padded silently forward. He touched the armored badger reverently.

"I went questing for Salamandastron, just as my father did," he explained. "When I found this place, he was still alive and well. He ruled here, and we were happy together for many seasons. In the end he was called to the gates of Dark Forest because of his great age. Now he is part of the legend of the mountain, as he wished to be. I did this for him; this is his tomb." Boar gave the armor a gentle rub; it glowed dimly. Walking back to the entrance, he called Martin over.

"Let us start at the beginning. See here?" Boar indicated a carved line of badger figures. "Our kind have come here since creatures first felt the sun. Only warriors, the brave of heart and strong of will, are listed here. See: Urthnin the Chipper, Speariady Gorse, Bluestripe the Wild, Ceteruler . . . the list goes on and on. Look, here is my father, Lord Brock-tree; here I am, next to him. There are the s.p.a.ces for those to come after us. I see you wish to ask me a question. Carry on, Martin. I release you from your silence."

Martin did not need to speak; he pointed at a block of picture carvings set apart from the others.

"They are good likenesses of you, I think," Boar whispered.

The scene was a small frieze depicting the activities of four creatures. Three were intentionally small, but the fourth was unmistakably Martin, even to the broken sword about his neck. Boar looked at Martin with a strange expression on his face. "Friend, believe me, I did not carve these pictures here, nor did my father. How long they have been here, I do not know. I accept it as part of the legend of Salamandastron; you must, too. You are the largest figure, and here are your friends. See, here you are leading them toward the mountain. Here is Salamandastron, and here are you again, emerging 270.

from it with your friends. You no longer carry the broken sword about your neck; you are holding a bright new sword. As for the rest, well, your guess is as good as mine."

Martin studied the picture closely. ' 'Here is the sea, there is a ship . . . Over here looks very faint. It could be a group of trees, a wood or a forest. This looks like a whip and an arrow. What does that mean, Boar?**

"Your eyes are far better than mine, Martin. The whip is the scourge of the sea rats, a sign of evil. As for the arrow, which way does it point?"

"Down the hall to where your father sits."

Boar indicated the room of echoes. "Martin, you must go out there and wait for me."

Without question, Martin went, glancing backward once, to see Boar stooping in the alcove behind Lord Brocktree's throne. He was studying something carved low down on the wall.

Sometime later the badger emerged. He seemed older and tired-looking, and Martin felt concern for his friend.

"Are you all right, Boar? What was written there?"

The great silver badger whirled upon Martin, his face a mask of tragedy.

"Silence! Only Boar the Fighter must know that!"

The sudden shout caused a thousand echoes to boom and bounce off the walls with startling intensity. The sound was deafening. Martin threw himself to the floor, covering both ears with his paws as he fought against the flooding crescendo of noise, Boar's voice reverberated like a thousand cathedral bells. Sorrow and contrition ceased the big badger's face; he swept Martin up with a single paw, bearing him swiftly from the room.

When the warrior mouse recovered, he was lying back in the badger's cave. Boar was bathing his brow with cool water.

"Martin, forgive me. I forgot to keep my voice down. Are you hurt?"

Martin stuck a paw in his ear, wiggling it about.

"No, I'm all right. Honestly I am. You mustn't blame yourself. It was my fault."

Boar shook his head in admiration. "Spoken like a true 271.

warrior. Rise up, Martin, and follow me. Now I will give you the means to fight like one."

Trubbs, Wother and Ffring met them at the forge. There was lots of giggling and winking between the hares.

"Well, does he know about you-know-what, eh, Boar?"

"I say, let's show it to him now, Boar. Be a sport."

"Yes, otherwise the poor old bean might keel over with suspense."

There was a twinkle in Boar's eye as he turned to Lupin, the wife of b.u.t.theart.