Sunrays filtered through the slitted windows of the tower room onto the besieged friends. Nagrus gray packed the narrow winding stairway outside, with the wolf exhorting them on to slaughter. “Come onenough of you! Hack that door to splinters and kill them off. Sourgall, you and Wetchops go and fetch a battering ram. Thatll speed things up!
The chamber was home to one piece of furniture, an old wooden bench. Meldrum and Dandin held it wedged against the door as a temporary measure. The old hare looked worried.
“Hear that? The blaggards have gone tget a batterin ram. Theyll smash this door tsmithereens! Look out!
Dandin hopped to one side at Meldrums warning, as a spear plowed through the damaged woodwork, protruding almost half its length. Nipping in smartly, Mariel grabbed the haft and tugged the weapon through, then began jabbing through the slits in the door at the enemy outside.
“If Ive got to go, Im taking a few with me! she shouted.
Gael Squirrelking stared despairingly round the small tower chamber. “Theres nowhere else for us to go. Once theyre through that door, were finished!
The red-backed shrike Glokkpod had been hopping about excitedly, waiting to give good account of himself when the rats came through the door. At Gaels announcement he ceased his dance, flicking hither and thither with his head as he searched for an avenue of escape. “Good littil nest uppa thirr! he croaked.
Gael followed the shrikes eyes upward. “Of course! he cried out. “This is a tower with a pointed top; theres a small cone-shaped attic up there!
Meldrum the Magnificent grabbed the crosshilts of a long pike that came thrusting through the door, wrenching it forcibly from its owner. “Any port in a storm, wot? Lets give it a try!
It was a simple cross-planked ceiling, resting on thick wooden beams. Using the butt of the pike, the hare soon knocked two of the center planks loose. “Cmon birdie, do your stuff; up there an push those planks tone side! he shouted.
There came a cry from Nagru out on the stairway. “Out the way, you four. Get on that battering ram with Sourgall an Wetchops! Give them space there!
Anxiously, Mariel watched Glokkpod flap awkwardly upward. “Hurry, birdtheres not a moment to lose. Theyre going to start battering the door!
The shrike shoved and pulled until he had moved one plank aside. Wedging himself in the narrow space he had created, Glokkpod used both talons and beak to shift the other ceiling plank. Suddenly it shot aside with a clatter, and he disappeared through the opening, cackling, “Kchakcha, eazy, wassa eazy, good nest uppa hirr!
Meldrum shot an irate glance at the attic. “Glad youve found yourself a good nest, old chap. Now dyou mind oppin down here an helpin out?
Surprisingly the shrike did hop down. Flashing his bright savage eyes at the hare, he demanded, “Wharra it, longirrz?
“I say, less of the longears. See if ycan help our ids up into the attic, mattressback!
The shrikes feathers bristled dangerously as he glared Meldrum. “Donta call Glokkpod mattrissback! With a boom and a crack the battering ram struck the door, sending splinters flying. Mariel placed herself between Meldrum and Glokkpod. “Are you two going to stand here insulting each other, she said, her voice tight with anger, “or do you feel like helping out around here before were all killed?
The shrike made a circular movement with his beak, saying “Uppa thirr, leave thizz ta me!
The ram thudded against the door a second time. Meldrum took the now-useless bench and, laying it ladder-fashion against the wall, he scrambled ponderously up into the attic. Leaning out, Meldrum thrust both paws down to assist the other three. Helped by Dandin and Mariel, Gael climbed quickly into the small conical room.
The ram struck the door a third time, creating a gaping hole at its center. Backing out of spear-thrust range, the great red-backed shrike stood in full view of the rats outside. Glokkpods mad eyes shone with joy as he gave vent to his battle cry.
“Kachakachakiiirrrrr! Hirrs a butcha bird, ratzz!
There was an immediate scramble as the horderats retreated from the door at the sight of the Butcher Bird. Nagru was almost knocked flat. He pulled himself upright, raking wildly with his metal wolfclaws, and screaming, “Charge the door, or Ill flay you alive. Charge!
Urged on by the claws of Nagru, they rushed the door. Riveneye kicked aside the loose door timbers; swinging a sword, he rushed into the tower room. Death was on him in a blur of feathers, talons, and stabbing beak. Nagru pushed two more rats through immediatelythey were slain before they had time to draw breath. Glokkpods talons rattled against the floor as he spread his pinion feathers in a war dance. One wing had been badly torn by a rats spear, and several feathers were missing. Glo-kkpod was infuriated by this injury.
“Kirrchakkachirrr izza good day to fearrrrr me!
Silvamord pushed her way through the rats on the spiral staircase. She whirled on Nagru, berating him. “Fool! Cant you see that bird can hold the doorway as long as it likes while you send in hordebeasts a few at a time?
“Well, theres the Butcher Bird, my dear, said the Foxwolf, his voice dripping condescension. “Whats your bright idea?
Ignoring his patronizing tones, Silvamord gave her orders: “Back out of sight, all of you. Hooktail, pick out ten good archers, get on the third and fourth steps down, and keep firing heavy volleys until youve made a pincushion of that bird!
The friends in the attic had heard Silvamords commands. Mariel called out urgently to Glokkpod, “Quickly, fly up here before they start shooting!
But the shrike continued his dance, challenging the rats. “Kirrchakachirrr! Glokkpod fear no ratzz!
“Its no good talking to that one. Dandin sighed wearily. “Hes going to get himself killed. Save your breath.
Meldrum solved the problem with a few barbed insults. “I say there, ygreat flyin featherbed, dyou keep your brains in your beak or your bottom, nestnoddle!
With a lurch and a flapping leap the shrike was up in the attic with them, standing eye-to-eye with Meldrum. Quickly, Mariel and Dandin slammed the attic floorboards back in place. Not a second too soonthe planking quivered to the thud of arrows.
“Hullo, thats a bit much, Meldrum called out to them moodily, “leavin a chap in the dark with a bally Butcher Bird. Shed a bit o light on the subject, someone. jits pitch black in here!
Dandin had brought a spear up with him. Using the itt he knocked a few of the rooftiles aside, dodging as they fell in. Sunlight streamed in, flooding the attic. Mar-rfel looked around at their reftige. It was the inside of a conically tiled towertop and through the broken roof she could see a tiny flagpole flying a gaily colored pennant.
The commanding voice of a rat sounded from the room below. “My Lord and Master, Urgan Nagru, King of all Southsward, Foxwolf Supreme and his Queen Silvamord send this message to you! Be it known that if you surrender yourselves to his mercy, the Urgan Nagru will spare your lives, all save that of the Butcher Birdthe creature is too dangerous to live. Hear this and know these are the words of the Urgan Nagru, all powerful in battle and ruler of all he sees!
Hefting one of the red pottery rooftiles, Meldrum shifted aside a floorplank. He flung the tile accurately, laying the rat low.
“ All merciful* indeed. Poppycock! Did yhear that, Glokko?
The shrike bowed, deferentially. “Nize shot, Meld-erin!
“Oh I dunno, you couldve probly done as well yself, old lad. The hare shrugged modestly. “By the way, its Mel-drum, as in boom boom. Drum!
The shrike nodded understandingly. “Derrin, bum bum, like in drim!
Gael stared up at the cloudless patch of blue sky that could be seen through the hole in the roof. “Well, were free in a way I suppose, he said, “free to stay up here and starve until the Foxwolf and Silvamord find a way of winkling us out and killing us all.