"Waaah waaah! Dinjergone himdead likefather, likefather!"
"I remember that when I was younger," Pallum whispered to Rose.
"Dinjer's father was taken by a big gannet like that one. Poor little mite, he's as good as dead now."
Amballa had slid down from her seat on the rocks. She covered her eyes and wept inconsolably. "Nomore Dinjerbabe! Himgone, deadnow!"
Martin grabbed her by the paws, pulling her upright. "Notdead, Ballamum, Dinjer notdead. Biggamouse savehim!"
Seizing the Queen's sword, which was no more than a dagger in his paw, Martin bowled the nearest two pigmy shrews over and snatched their fishing net. Dashing off along the shore after the gannet, he called back to his friends. "Get more nets and follow me. Hurry!"
The gannet soared upwards, wheeled, and dropped down on to a high ledge in an isolated part of the cliffs. Dinjer was stunned by the landing. The infant lay limp between the big bird's well clawed and webbed feet. There was a large untidy nest on the ledge, with two scrawny half feathered gannet chicks in it. On seeing their mother they set up a cackle.
As he ran, Martin watched the bird descend and alight on the high ledge. Without pausing, he ran to the cliff face directly below it.
Pausing only to grip the sword blade in his teeth, he hurled the fishing net upwards. The meshes caught on the rocks. Giving a quick tug to check its firmness, Martin began climbing, pulling himself up paw over paw on the tough kelp net. When he reached where the net had caught, he disentangled it, whirling it around his head he hurled it aloft, catching another rocky crag. Again he began hauling himself up over the meshes.
Below on the beach, the whole of the Highbeast pigmy shrew tribe had gathered. They watched as Martin continued his ascent. Rose began spreading the other nets on the sand, lashing four of them together. The pigmy shrews were getting in her way, ignoring her as they trampled the nets and gazed up. Rose, Pallum and Grumm bulled into them, pushing them backwards.
"Get out of the way. Can't you see we're trying to help him?"
One of the Highbeasts kicked out at Rose. "Cheeka mouse! Notalka me likethat."
Amballa bit him savagely on the neck and knocked him down.
"Gettaway quicknow like mousesay, allayou!"
A piercing cry came from Dinjer as he woke and saw his predicament. "Eeeee! Helpme helpmeeeeee!"
Martin heard the cry and redoubled his efforts, throwing the net upwards and scrambling over it. He chanced a quick look up only about three more lengths to go.
Dinjer's tear stained face appeared over the rim of the ledge.
"Eeeeeee helpadinjer eeeeeee!"
He was dragged back by the formidable beak of the gannet. The huge bird tossed him against the side of the nest. Dinjer curled up tight as the two hungry chicks tried to crane their floppy necks over the edge of the nest to get at him.
Below on the shore, Amballa hid her face in horror of what might happen to her little son. Rose put a comforting paw around the Queen's shoulders.
"Nocry, Ballamum. Biggamouse Martin is mighty warrior. He will get your Dinjer back, yousee, yousee!"
Amballa seemed to understand Rose. She clung to the mousemaid as she anxiously watched the high ledge.
Breathing raggedly with exertion, Martin pulled himself up on to the ledge, hauling the net up after him.
Dinjer saw him and jumped up, yelling. "Biggamouse Martinmouse, savemeeeee!"
The gannet turned its bright dangerous eyes on Martin as he took the sword from his mouth.
"Dinjer, nomake nonoise, bestill, still!"
The gannet took a stalking stride towards Martin, lowering its lethal yellow beak. The young mouse swung with the little sword. It clacked harmlessly off the great bird's beak, but caused the gannet to stop where it was. Now Martin shook the net out and swished it at the bird's feet. It took a step back. Behind him he could hear Dinjer sobbing with terror. Working his way across the ledge, jabbing with the sword and sweeping with the net, Martin gradually got himself into a position where he was between the gannet and its nest.
Sensing danger to its chicks, the gannet began spreading its wings, lowering its neck and opening its beak wide as it hissed at the intruder. Martin knew there was not much time, it was getting ready to attack. He would have to act quickly. Throwing back his head, he shouted aloud into the gannet's face, hoping that he could be heard below on the beach.
"Stretch the nets! Hold them up, lots of you. Be ready!"
Rose heard him. She had thought of giving her eagle call, but if Martin or Dinjer were in the nest they would be crushed under the gannet, which would naturally sit on its nest to defend the chicks against anything. Grasping a corner of the net, Rose held it high, yelling aloud, "Holdup net. Stretch it tight. Now!"
The Highbeast tribe stood uncertainly for a moment, until a harsh order from Amballa their Queen sent them scurrying to the edges of the net, with Rose, Pallum, Grumm and Amballa at each corner.
The Queen snapped out directions. "Holda netup, upup! Stretcher tightnow!"
The net was ready, up and tightly stretched.
Martin reached back with his footpaw, keeping a wary eye on the gannet as he kicked Dinjer lightly.
"Movenow, Dinjer. Get over to the edge ..."
Dinjer began crawling on all fours. The gannet, sensing it was being robbed of its prey, tried to pass Martin to get at Dinjer. Martin jabbed with the sword. This time he nipped the bird in its open mouth. It retaliated with lightning swiftness, pecking him sharply in the side.
Martin drew his breath in short at the pain. He clamped his paw over the spot, feeling warm damp blood.
Dinjer was now at the edge of the cliff, peering over at the dizzy drop down to the shore.
"Jump, Dinjer, jump!" Martin hissed at him.
"Eeee nojump nojump, Dinjer 'fraid!"
There was nothing else for it. Martin turned swiftly and gave the baby pigmy shrew a hefty kick on the bottom that sent him flying outwards over the edge.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeehhhkkkk!"
Whump!
Dinjer bounced up and down in the center of the net. Saved!
The gannet gave a shrill squawk and attacked Martin. Leaping to one side, he whirled the net and threw it straight over the bird's head.
The kelp fishing net enveloped the gannet's head and one wing, and draped on the ground, trapping one of its webbed feet. Martin fell to one side, dragging at the net. The bird's head came awkwardly askew and it tried to pull its leg free. Martin kicked out at its other leg, sending the gannet crashing on its side, loosely trapped in the net.
The young mouse leapt up, his chest heaving. The net would not hold the big sea bird for long and he did not wish to kill it. The two chicks were squawking raucously in the nest. Turning to the fallen mother bird, Martin loosed off the net. Then he ran for the edge shouting aloud, "One for the net coming dooooooooown!"
He leaped into the blue summer morning, up and out. Momentarily he was robbed of breath as the wind whistled past his ears.
Spread eagled, with all limbs flailing, he dropped like a stone, plummeting down into the net.
Whumff!
A mighty cheer rose up from everybeast on the shore.
Rose, Pallum and Grumm hurried to help Martin from the net. The mousemaid tore a strip from her smock.
"You're hurt. Let me see. Oh, thank goodness, it's not serious!"
Martin let her bandage his side. Amballa came over, smiling through her tears. Martin offered her sword back but she refused.
"Martinmouse warriormouse, greatbrave, savemy Dinjerbabe.
Ballamum saythis. Warrawant? Anything foryou!"
Pallum nudged Martin as he whispered, "She's just offered you anything you want for saving Dinjer. I've never heard the Queen do a thing like that before."