Rulango the heron stalked into the cave. Log a Log Grenn took a backward pace at the sight of the fearsome bird. "Where did that monster come from?"
Brog went to Rulango and stroked his neck. "I forgot to tell ye about this 'un. He's Rulango, the eyes'n'ears of the Bark Crew. Where'd you get to yesterday, mate?"
He cleared a patch in the sand, and Rulango sketched out several fishes. Brog nodded. "Fishin', eh? Well, you've got to eat, just like anybeast. No need to tell us wot's down on the shore, we know."
But the heron kept dabbing his talons down on the sand, until it was covered in tiny dots.
"See all these dots? Each one's a bluebottom," Brog explained.
Rulango scraped out a row of scratches.
"He says that for every scratch there's that many again. Too many for 'im t'sketch!"
Brocktree shouldered his sword. "Come on, I've got to see this. Bring your weapons!"
Brocktree took with him a selected small band, Dotti and the twins among them. Using the dunes as cover and keeping low, they threaded their way south, between the sandhills at the base of the cliffs. When Durvy judged they had gone far enough, he led them west toward the shore. Dotti wriggled her way forward, joining Brocktree and Ruff in the long grass on top of a high dune.
"Oh my giddy aunt, look at that lot!"
Rank upon rank of Blue Hordebeasts lined the beach, twenty wide and ten deep, almost as far as the eye could see. Each section comprised vermin carrying different weapons. One group had pikes, another javelins, yet another was made up of archers; there were slingers, swordbeasts and club wielders, each headed by a captain. Ruff started a hasty calculation in the sand, but he soon gave up.
"'Tis no use, matey. They'd eat our little army alive."
Bucko and Fleetscut crawled up beside them and lay gaping.
"By the left, sah, I didn't imagine there were that many blinkin' vermin on earth!"
"Och, 'twould be plain suicide goin' up against yon vermin!"
However, the Badger Lord took no notice of their comments. His eyes roved slowly over the scene below. "I don't see their leader. Ungatt Trunn isn't there!"
Dotti pointed out a figure standing at the head of a group of officers below the tideline. "I say, sah, what about that chap? He looks like a sort of commandin' type, wot?"
The Badger Lord studied the one Dotti had singled out. "He's no wildcat. Looks like a fox to me. Anybeast know who he is?"
Durvy shaded his eyes against the sun. "That's Karangool, Cap'n in Chief of Trunn's fleet."
Bucko was halfway up, his eyes blazing madly. "Aye, so 'tis. Bide ye here. Ah'm bound tae kill the scum that slaughtered my family!"
Brocktree and Ruff bore the mountain hare down forcibly, though he struggled like a wild beast. "Take yer paws of fa me. Ah hae business wi' yon fox!"
Brocktree leaned heavily on Bucko, pinning him firmly. "Your business is our business, too, friend. I'm not getting this party slain or captured because of you. Now, do you want me to sit on you? I'm quite heavy, you know."
Bucko spat out sand, but did not attempt to move. "Ach, ye can let me go, Brock, ah'll deal wi' yon scum another time. Ah wiz behavin' like a fool!"
They released him and continued watching the vermin.
"What are you thinkin', sah?" Dotti murmured to Brock.
The Badger Lord never took his eyes off the Hordebeasts. "Right at this moment I'm thinking lots of things, miss. My first thought is that Brog and the Bark Crew have been doing an excellent job. Hah! That's what I was waiting for. Did you see that rat? Front rank third column, there!"
"I see him. He's just fallen over. Tripped on his spear, d'you think, sah?"
"No, Dotti, he's fainted with hunger. The captains seem well enough, but take a good look at the rank and file vermin. Ruff, what do you see?"
"Look like they're 'avin' a pretty thin time o' things. I'd say they was starvin', the whole gang of 'em!"
Brocktree glanced back at the clifftops. "Right, but more of that later. I think we'd best make ourselves scarce. I can see your bird hovering up yonder, Broghe'll be flying over here to tell you that there's more vermin leaving the mountain to come along the clifftops. The wildcat is a clever general. He wouldn't miss the chance of hitting us from behind, while we're busy watching his troops. Let's get out of here quickly and quietly."
As they slid down the rear of the dune, Brog gave orders. "Everybeast keep low. Back to the caves now, quickly. Durvy, take Urvo, Radd an' Konul an' cover our trail!"
Ungatt Trunn sat in council with Karangool and Fragorl. Ripfang was present, too. They waited respectfully until the wildcat spoke. "Do you think they saw the parade?"
Karangool shrugged. "Might'ness, who can tell? I did not see them."
Trunn nodded at Fragorl to make her report. "They could not have been there, O Great One. I led the ambush party along the clifftops. We searched the dunes, and there was no sign of them, not even pawprints, sire."
Ripfang put in his opinion. "I did like you said, Mightiness, took a ship along the coast. There was no sign of 'em watchin' from the sea."
The wildcat paced the chamber, shaking his head. "But I know they were there, spying on my Hordes. The badger is no fool. He would have taken the opportunity to assess our strength, I know it!"
Ripfang gave voice to what the others were thinking. "That 'orde on the beach t'day, they coulda swept up both sides o' the cliffs an' scoured yore enemies out."
Ungatt Trunn sat down, looking thoughtful. "Yes, I could have done that, but it would leave the mountain undefended. Any good commander knows that this mountain is the prize; the beast who holds it fights from a position of strength. I want them to come to me."
"Might'ness, what if they don't?"
Trunn's claws drummed a tattoo on the tabletop. "Then I will have to do as Ripfang says, send the Hordes to root them out, eh, Ripfang?"
The other two were surprised that Trunn should ask the former searat's opinion. So was Ripfang, but he answered readily enough.
"Aye, yer right there, sir, but I wouldn't leave it too long if'n I was you. Every day yore beasts are gittin' more 'ungry. Yew can't afford a long drawn-out wait."
Ungatt Trunn turned his eyes to his source of inspiration. "Spiders are like that, too. They will wait, but not for long. The moment the time is ripe, they pounce!"
Back at the store cave, Jukka gave out the last bundle of weapons, to be distributed around.
"There, 'tis empty now. This will be thy home for a while."
Frutch held her lantern up to get a better view. "I like the other cave better. This 'un's a bit poky!"
Blench tightened her apron strings resolutely. "Don't fret, dearie, we'll soon make this comfortable. I'll get some moles to scoop out the back there, where the rocks are loose. We'll put the ovens agin that wall. Woebee, what d'you think about that ledge yonder?"
"Spread with moss an' sailcloth 'twill make fine seats'n'beds. I'm glad we used up the last o' the shrimp mayhap we can get some decent meals cooked. Shall I ask the shrewcooks to lend a paw with the dinner, Frutch?"
"I'd be beholden t'them if'n they did. Such good cooks!"
Lord Brocktree was addressing a meeting in the big valley between the dunes outside the old cave. Everybeast fit to march or fight was in attendance. They sat on the dunesides and hilltops, listening to what their leader had to say.
"We saw many vermin on the shore this morning, more than a beast could shake ten sticks at. It was meant to be Ungatt Trunn's show of force, though the vermin looked so thin and starved that it was more a show of weakness! But still, they are far too numerous for us to meet in open warfare. Now I have some ideas of my own, but I am open to good and sensible suggestions as to how they can be defeated."
Brog immediately held up his paw. "I says we carry on cuttin' off their supplies. The Bark Crew was doin' a first-class job, you said it yoreself."