with an expression of heroic duty upon its face jumped out into midair,
straight into the talons of the wheeling eagle.
Argulor gave a screech of delight, which contrasted jarringly with the stoat's
ragged squeal of dismay. The old eagle flapped joyfully off to his spruce
branch with the tasty burden.
Gonff wiped perspiration from his whiskers. "In the name of mice and crab
apples, that big feller nearly had us there, matey!"
Martin pointed to the open window. "It's not over yet. Look!"
Tsarmina stood glaring at them. The mess was crowded with frightened
creatures, none of whom would venture near the window.
Ashleg shuddered and clutched at his clammy fur.
"Did you see those claws, ugh, the size of its beak!"
48
Tsarmina swung him round by his cloak. "Shut your blathering face and get me
my bow and arrows. Just look at that for a prize piece of impudence."
Gonff was pulling faces at the wildcat Queen. He blew out his cheeks, stuck a
paw to his nose and rolled his eyes in the most ridiculous manner.
Tsarmina snatched up a spear and flung it, but the weapon was deflected by the
close-knit yew branches. A well-aimed arrow would do the trick, she thought.
"Where's that dithering woodenleg with my bow and arrows?"
Eight sturdy red squirrels came bounding through the yew branches as easily as
walking a paved path. They split into two groups of four, each taking charge
of the two escapers.
Lady Amber came swinging in. She spoke sternly to Gonff. **Now none of your
shenanigans, young thief. You, whoever you are, just relax and leave the rest
to us. You're in safe
Before he could say a word, Martin was seized by paws and tail. He felt
himself tossed about like a shuttlecock. Never in his life had he descended
from a height so swiftly, or with such ease; it was like being a flower petal
on a gentle breeze. In a trice he and Gonff were on firm ground.
A horde of armed soldiers poured out of Kotir. Martin sought about for a
weapon, anything to defend himself with. There was a whirring sound, and the
first four soldiers running forward seemed to relax, lying down upon the grass
as if they were taking a nap. Two more went down. Martin saw a line of otters
swinging slings; they were hurling large river pebbles with deadly accuracy.
A big burly otter came running to them. GonfF clasped his strong tattooed
paws. "Skipper, I knew me old messmate wouldn't leave his favorite thief in
the lurch. Oh, by the way, this is Martin the Warrior. He's my friend,
y'know."
Skipper signaled his crew to retreat, waving to Lady Amber as he lifted
another stone to his slingshot. "Ha, welcome aboard, Martin. Though how an
honest fellow like you came to be mixed up with this little buccaneer, I don't
know."
Skipper introduced Martin to Lady Amber, who said rapidly, glancing anxiously
about her, "Pleased to meet you, I'm sure, Martin. Skipper, I don't like this,
they're planning something ..."
49
As Amber spoke, a horde of soldiers bearing Thousand Eye shields came
streaming out of the main door with Tsar-mina leading them. There were far too
many to contend with.
Amber muttered to Skipper, "Take Martin and Gonff. Break and run for it. We'll
cover you."
Tsarmina was furious. She guessed what was happening: the squirrels were
taking a stand while the otters slipped off into Mossflower with the
fugitives. She issued orders to a ferret Captain named Raker. * 'Stop here
with a platoon and face the squirrels. I'll take the rest and circle around
them, and we'll cut them off. They won't realize I'm following, so they'll
slow down a bit when they think they're in the clear."
Raker saluted. "As you say, Milady. Here you, Scratch, and you, ThicktaU, take
your squads and follow the Queen."
The two weasel Captains saluted with their spears, then detailed their
creatures to follow Tsarmina. The wildcat had bounded off alone, taking a wide
loop south and back east.
Nothing aggravated Raker more than squirrel resistance fighters; they were
like smoke in a breeze, here and gone. He took aim and heaved his spear at
their leader, but it was a complete waste of time. Amber stood back drily,
twirling her sling, and ducking as she let the spear graze harmlessly past.
Directing her troops back across the open ground, she loosed a heavy pebble at
tremendous speed. Raker threw his shield up in the nick of time, staggering
backward as the stone struck his shield and bounced off. When the ferret
lowered his shield it was as if there had never been a squirrel inside Kotir's
grounds.
They were gone into Mossflower.
High in the branches of the trees that fringed the woodland, squirrels shook
with silent laughter at the dumbfounded expression on Raker's face. He shook a
mailed paw at the trees. "Come out and fight, you cowards!"
One last thunderous hail of stones, arrows and javelins sent the Kotir
soldiery scurrying for cover.
The treetops rustled and swayed. Distant laughter told the enemy that the
squirrels were swinging away through the sunlit upper terraces of leafy
Mossflower.
50
Bella of Brockhall's huge striped face lit up with pleasure. "Well, this is a
rare and unexpected pleasure, Abbess Ger-maine. Come in, all of you, welcome
to Brockhall."
Abbess Germaine led me Brothers and Sisters of Loam-hedge into Bella's
ancestral home, down the long twisting passage into the massive cavelike main
hall, whose ceiling was the arched roots of the great oak above Brockhall.
They made themselves at home around the wide hearth, whilst Bula die otter and
Pear the squirrel, who had acted as their guides, explained to Bella what had
taken place.
The badger listened carefully, settling back in her old armchair. "I had an
idea something like this would happen. That's why I left Goody Stickle's and
came home here. Nothing ever goes as planned with Gonff. Still, not to worry,
that young
•lip will be as right as rain, you'll see. First things first. Let's 'get you
all fed. You must be famished. I was baking a batch of chestnut bread. It'll
be ready soon. I'll make some celery and fennel stew with hazelnut dumplings
and get a cheese up from the storeroom. Now stop looking noble, the pair of
you. I know what growing otters and squirrels are like. You can
*ait here after you've eaten until the rest get back. Fetch bowls from the
shelf for our guests. That's it, make yourselves useful."
Eagerly the woodlanders did as they were bid, then they Sat with the Loamhedge
Brothers and Sisters.
51
Bella rose and embraced Abbess Germaine. "My old friend, we were many summers
younger when last we ate together."
The Abbess placed a thin, worn paw over Bella's hoary pad. "Yes, the seasons
are born anew, but alas we grow older, my friend."
"But not you, Germaine," Bella chuckled. "You look as young as ever. What news
of Loamhedge?"
The Abbess could not prevent a tear trickling onto her gray whiskers.
"Loamhedge, what magic in that name. But the happy times there are gone like
leaves down a stream. You heard of the great sickness?"
Bella nodded. "I had heard something from travelers, but I thought it was far
south. I did not think it had found its way to your home."
Germaine shook and closed her eyes as if trying to ward off the memory. "Only
those you see here escaped. It was horrible. Everything it touched withered
and died, I could not . . ."
Bella patted the old mouse gently. "There, there, no need to say more. Try to