Swartt grabbed the flagon and drank it empty. “Anything else ywant me tdo, rat? he sneered.
Anger was rising in Greenclaw. He snatched the flagon from Swartt and hurled it away, growling, “Youre too smart for your own good, ferret. Why did you come here in the first place, tell me?
Swartt spoke loud, so that the hordebeasts crowded outside the tent could hear him. “I had no need to come here, I was doing well with my own band. Then one night I had a dream. Lord Bowfleg appeared to me and implored me to come to his side with all speedhe said that he needed my help.
Greenclaw curled his lip derisively. “A likely story. Bring in the fox!
Nightshade was prodded in at spearpoint by several soldiers, who did not want to get too close to her. Greenclaw asked Swartt, “Have you ever met this vixen before?
“Never in the light o day, though I often see her in dreams.
“This is all nonsense! snapped Greenclaw as he paced the dais steps angrily.
The vixen shook her staff warningly at him. “Do not mock what you cannot understand. None has seen me in this camp before, yet I knew of Lord Bowflegs death long before I came here. I am the messenger of Death and Fate. I see visions in the stars, the wind, and the eyes of many!
Greenclaw had heard enough. Drawing his sword, he came at the vixen. “Did your visions tell that youd end up dead today?
Scraw stepped in the way, knocking the sword aside. “Put up your weapon, stoat. The fox is a seer. It is bad luck to slay one with gifts like hers.
“A seer, huh! sneered Greenclaw as he sheathed his sword with bad grace. “Well, tell us what you see, vixen!
Nightshade shook her staff until the shells and bones attached to it clattered ominously. She shut her eyes and wailed:
“Seasons of glory will come to the horde, Nobeast will lack plunder while Sixclaw is Lord!
Greenclaw was furious. He turned on Swartt, but the ferret was ready, and before the stoat Captain could unsheathe his sword, Swartt grabbed the carved spear from Aggal and slew Greenclaw.
Nightshade was still chanting and wailing:
“Allbeasts who challenge the Sixclaw will die, Dark Forest gates will reflect in their eye!
Swiftly she moved among the Captains, staring wildly into their eyes. To a beast they believed the seers words, and all looked the other way, avoiding Nightshades mad stare.
Then Swartt Sixclaw strode dramatically forward and, holding the vixens face between both paws, he stared steadily into her eyes, saying, “You shall be my eyes and see all for me; nobeast will be able to hide secret thoughts against me!
Thus it was that the ferret Swartt Sixclaw became Warlord of the great horde, with only a few gifts: two belts, a spear, a good flagon of wine, and one other thinga silver drinking cup whose rim and inside had been smeared with deadly poison!
With that and a clever vixen he had won the day.
The entire horde gathered around a small hillock to hear their new Warlord announce his plans. Swartt had repainted the green and purple stripes upon his face and coated his fangs with fresh red dye. Drawing his curved sword from the wide snakeskin belt, he whirled in a circle, and a magnificent bright blue velvet cloak, which he had plundered from Bowflegs belongings, swirled around his muscular body. He pointed the sword at the main tent, which still contained the bodies of Bowfleg and Wurgg, and cried aloud, “Burn!
From high on the cliffs a score of weasel archers fired flaming arrows down into the brushwood-laden tent. In moments the whole thing was ablaze. The firelight danced in Swartts eyes as he held up his six-clawed paw for all to see.
“This is what you follow from now on: sixclaw! No more lying about in these hills and scrublands, no more idling under a fatbeast who was too lazy to move! Take down your tents and pack them for traveclass="underline" today we move west and south to the lands of plenty. Food, plunder, captives! All of these you will have if you follow me into the sunwarmed lands. Aye, me, Swartt Sixclaw the Warlord!
The earth trembled as the massive horde stamped their foot-paws and hammered down their spearbutts. A mighty roar rose up like thunder as it echoed from the cliffs.
“Sixclaaaaaaaw!
Tents were flattened and rolled, drums beat ominously, and banners with the new Sixclaw symbol unfurled on the autumn breeze.
The ferret bared his reddened teeth at the vixen by his side. “Now lets see if Sunflash the Mace can pick this lot off one by one. Hahahahahaaaaa!
6?
The year turned, and bright spring became bounteous summer. Sunflash the Mace straightened up from his labors, arching his mighty back. The two little molemaids, Nilly and Podd, imitated his movements impishly.
“Thats enough potatoes for one day, good work! he said, winking at them.
“Hurr, an thurr be lots o taters left furr another toime. “Ho aye, leavem in ee ground tget ooj an gurtly tastyful.
The big badger looked around at the neat rows he had created last autumn, clearing bush and moving rock until a sizeable food garden bloomed in the forest amid the hills and woodland. Bordered by several fruit trees, plum, apple, and pear, already growing there, plus a couple of horse chestnuts farther back, the crops cut straight furrows. Leek, onion, potato, turnip, peas, and cabbage all thrived, with mushrooms to be found every few days in the dark shelter of a rocky slab to one side of the chestnuts. There would be berries later, red currant, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry. Sunflash had worked hard alongside his friends, and they had taught him about growing things. He liked cultivating the land, finding he had a natural flair as a farmer.
Sweeping the tiny molemaids up with both paws, Sunflash deposited them on top of the basket of vegetables they had gathered. With a single swing he lifted the basket onto one shoulder and strode off toward the dwelling cave of the Lingl and Dubbo clan. Sunflashs deep voice blended harmoniously with the two moles as all three sang the riddle song:
“Arm not alas sand, way south in the west,
So star land a mat, theres where I love best,
Sand not as alarm, lone seabirds do wing,
And alas most ran, list to me whilst I sing.
Skarlath was sunning himself in the rocks above the cave, watching Dearie Lingl, Aunt Ummer, and Bruffs wife, Lully, preparing lunch on the grass. Old Uncle Blunn came coughing out of the cave in a cloud of dust, followed by the four small hoglets with Tirry and Bruff. They sat on the grass, dusting their coats down.
Tiny sneezed and blinked, saying, “Bright ole day out ere, aint it!
Sunflash marched up, nodding to one and all. Carefully he lifted the basket down, with the two molemaids sitting atop. “Some nice button mushrooms in here for you, Dearie, he said. “Hows the store chamber coming along, Bruff?
The mole pawed dust from his eyes as he answered, “Near dunn, zurr, wem jus abowt finished. Lined et wi those rock slabs youm found larst wintur, lukfcs andsome, bo urr!
Lully used her apron to protect her paws as she gingerly removed a large flat pie from the rock oven Sunflash had made. “Usns got lots o things dunn since ee been yurr, zurr. Lookit, applenblackbrry pie, yore favrite!
Sunflash sniffed the aroma, his gold-striped face alight with pleasure.
“Come away, oglets, youll burn yore snouts agin1 that ot thing. Dearie shooed the four hoglets off as they crowded round to smell the pie. “Wait11 it cools an Ill give ye a big slice each.
Old Uncle Blunn took the hoglets and the two molemaids off to the stream, which was only a short walk away. Flagons of dandelion-and-burdock cordial, brewed by Blunn, were submerged in the streamwater to keep cool.
“Wash ee dusty pawsVsnouts in yon stream, ee mucky liddle vurmints, aye an ee too, Blunn Dubbo! Aunt Ummer called after them.
Dearie bustled about, preparing salad from the fresh vegetables while Skarlath waddled off behind Lully, who was going to test a cheese she had been turning since early last winter. The good molewife smiled fondly at the kestrel, whom she considered to be her special friend. “On moi loif, zurr, oi never seed an awkburd oo luvved cheeses moren ee. Cumm naow, usll try et furr taste, hurr.