tomorrow. Oh, Dinny, if only Gonff had been here to see this."
201
The escapers ran toward the outer gates in the perimeter walls, hotly pursued
by Cludd, Ashleg and a band of soldiers.
Tsarmina, keeping her usual vigil at the upstairs window, had armed herself
with bow and arrow in the hope that she might spot Argulor disposing of
Fortunata's remains.
When the hubbub broke out down on the parade ground; without hesitation she
fitted an arrow to her bow and took aim at Gingivere's back. Coggs slipped
from Gingivere's pawhold. He rolled into a ball, hitting the parade ground
harmlessly. Gingivere bent to pick him up, as Mask dashed up behind to see if
he could help.
The Queen of the Thousand Eyes had already loosed the deadly shaft. As
Gingivere picked Coggs up, he heard Mask grunt behind him. Thinking the otter
was urging him to hurry, the wildcat dashed for the gates with his precious
burden. He knocked the bar aside and pushed one gate open.
The woodlanders flooded in. Ferdy and Coggs were passed from paw to paw until
they were out of the danger zone. Freed of his burden, Gingivere turned to see
his rescuer staggering slowly across the parade ground as the Kotir soldiers
closed in on him. With a fearsome cry and a bound, Gingivere was at Mask's
side. Holding him up, he supported the injured creature through the gate,
while the otters and squirrels stood fearlessly in line on the open parade
ground, driv-
202
ing Cludd, Ashleg and the soldiers back to the barracks under a hail of
arrows, javelins and rocks.
Tsarmina joined Cludd in the main hallway with a band of reinforcements at her
back.
"Come on," she shouted furiously. "They're easily outnumbered. We're not going
to retreat from our own parade ground. Get out there!"
Cludd was enraged at being taken by surprise on his own territory. With a
bellow he dashed, recklessly out into the open.
Encouraged by Queen and Captain, the forces of Kotir flooded out across the
open ground. Madly Tsarmina raced ahead of them, spurred on by her own fury.
Skipper and Lady Amber decided it was time to make a tactical withdrawal.
Their mission was accomplished as far as getting the escape party out of Kotir
was concerned; besides, the woodland troops were far outnumbered by the hordes
of Tsarmina's soldiery. The far side of the parade ground was black with
soldiers who swarmed forward regardless of missiles. The woodlanders fired a
parting volley then ducked out behind the doors.
"Lively now, mates," Skipper roared. "Follow Gingivere and Mask. Make sure
they get home safe. Amber and me'll slow 'em up a bit here."
As the gates opened outward, it was but the work of a moment for the otter and
the squirrel to place two sizeable wooden wedges beneath each gate and bang
them home firmly with rocks.
Thinking ahead, Tsarmina guessed that the gates would have been barred to slow
her progress. Standing on the backs of several soldiers, she sprang up, gained
a clawhold on top of the gates and vaulted over with great agility. Tearing
out the wedges with feverish energy, she pulled the doors open.
The woodlanders had had no time to cover their tracks, so it was plain to see
which route they had taken. Tsarmina pointed east into Mossflower. "Follow me,
stay together and obey my commands. We might not catch them, but there's an
even chance these tracks may lead to their hideout!"
203
Deep in the woodland shade, Mask and Gingivere were traveling slowly. The
otter was breathing, laboriously, often halting to lean against trees, but he
insisted on walking unaided.
Gingivere was puzzled and concerned for his rescuer. "Mask, what's the matter,
friend? Are you hurt?"
The strange otter gave a wry grin and shook his head. "I'm all right. Listen,
that must be Skipper and the crew coming this way."
The otters were boisterously recounting their victory over Kotir.
"Ha, soldiers! Vermin, more like."
"Aye, it took two score our number to make us back oif, eh, Skip."
"I must have used two pouches of rocks on their thick skulls."
"Hoho, I could throw one of 'em further than they could hurl their own
spears."
"What a bunch of blunderers! Good job they've got the cat to lead 'em, or
they'd be lost in their own headquarters."
"Hey, you two. What are you doing hanging about here?" Skipper bounded up,
twirling his sling. "Mask, me old ship.-mate. You did us proud back there."
"I think he's been hurt," Gingivere whispered in Skipper's ear.
Mask straightened up and began walking doggedly forward. "Leave me alone, I'll
be all right."
"Look, Skip, it's his back!" Bula pointed to the wet patch spreading across
Mask's cloak.
Mask staggered a few paces, then fell heavily.
Skipper dashed across and knelt by Mask. Gently, he drew back the cloak to
reveal the broken arrow shaft protruding from the otter's gray fur. Tsarmina's
arrow had found its mark, not in Gingivere as she intended, but deep in the
back of Mask.
Skipper supported the wounded otter's head as he said encouragingly, "Hold on,
matey. We'll get you back home atid patch you up in a brace of shakes. Strike
me colors, one measly arrow isn't going to stop a freebooter like you."
Mask shook his head, a slow smile playing on his lips. "Someone at the gates
of Dark Forest must have put my name on that arrow. At least I made it back
into Mossflower.''
204
Hot tears sprang into Skipper's brown eyes. "Don't say that, messmate. It
wouldn't be the same without you."
Mask leaned close to Skipper's ear. "Do me one last favor, Skip."
"Anything. You just name it."
"Promise me that you won't tell little Spike and Posy about this. Say that
Uncle Mask has gone to live far away."
Skipper wiped Mask's brow gently with his paw. "On my affidavit, brother."
The gray otter nodded slowly. His curious eyes clouded over as he lay back
peacefully and went limp.
Skipper stood up. He sniffed, grubbing grimy paws against his eyes. "Listen,
crew. We're taking him back to the River Moss. He liked it there. We'll stow
him under a willow on the bank, and that way he'll always be near the sound of
the water he loved. Tie some slings together and make a stretcher, mates."
Gingivere stepped forward. He picked Mask up from the earth, holding him
firmly in his strong paws.
"Please let me have the honor of carrying him. He rescued us from Kotir
prison. Ferdy, Coggs and myself, we owe him our lives."
Skipper turned away. "So be it."
Thus passed the Mask, the strange one who lived alone in Mossflower, the otter
who was master of many disguises.
205
Dawn had scarcely broken when Log-a-Log put the finishing touches to the main
frame of the gate. Martin peered down from the edge of the hole in the
mountainside, holding tight to Dinny beside him.
"So, this is what the other side of the mountain looks like, eh, Din."
"Ho urr, baint much to be seen tho, Marthen."
The sloping side of the mountain was visible, but beyond that the bottomland
was a bed of thick white mist, as far as the eye could see.
Lord Cayvear joined them.
"What lies below, I do not know," he told them. "Thank you, Log-a-Log. Thank
you for your good work. Soon my tribe will be safe once more. We will be
complete masters of all Bat Mountpit, Bat Mountpit."
Log-a-Log patted the heavy timber frame, made mainly from the wreckage of
Waterwing.
"Aye, no sign of that owl now, though this gate should keep it away. That, and