Skarlath eagerly assisted her to roll the cheese out of the caves dark recesses, where it had been maturing. He had helped make the oval-shaped cheese, right from the greensap milk stage, pounding tirelessly at the fat, white grass stems and special tubers, which only true woodlanders knew of. They had gathered nuts together in late autumn, hazel, almond, and chestnuts, to stud their cheese with. Between them, the kestrel and the molewife peeled off the thin layer of damp crack-willow bark that protected the cheese. It had no rind and was a delicate pale yellow color. A fragrance of almond drifted faintly about them.
Skarlath hopped from talon to talon, his fierce eyes shining. “Kraaaah! Is it ready, marm, shall we taste it?
The good molewife shook as she chuckled, “Aye, youm surpintly shall taste et, zurr, hurr hurr hurr!
Taking a thin, greased twine from her apron pocket, Lully wound the ends round her digging claws and looped the twine over the cheese just below its top, then, placing both footpaws flat against the base of the cheese, she leaned backward, pulling evenly on the twine. The molewife was well experienced in all aspects of cheesemaking. Skarlath watched fascinated as the strong twine traveled smoothly through the cheese, neatly cutting a large oval piece from the top of their creation. Standing on its edge, the slice resembled an oddly shaped harvest moon, with the white of the nuts and thin slivers of their brown skins highlighted against the buttercup hue of the cheese. Breaking two small pieces off, Lully gave one to her friend. They nibbled daintily, commenting.
“Bo IUT, ee be noicen moist wi gudd flavor, aye! “Mmm, wonderful nutty taste, good and firm! “Ho aye, none too solid, none too soft, usns dunn well! Paw shook talon as the cheese makers congratulated each other.
On the sward outside the dwelling cave, the older creatures lay about, watching the young ones play. It had been a satisfying lunch: summer salad served with Lully and Skarlaths new cheese, and fresh oatfarls baked by Auntie Ummer, followed by the magnificent apple and blackberry pie that Lully and Dearie had cooked, all washed down with beakers of old Uncle Blunns dandelion-and-burdock cordial, brought specially cooled from the stream. Sunflash stretched luxuriously and set his back against the sun-warmed rocks as he watched If the babes trying to lift his mace between them.
Tirry smiled at their efforts as he sprawled beside the big badger. “ Twill be many a long season afore they lift that thing, friend.
Sunflash shook his massive head. “Tiny, let us hope that they never have to. Learning the trade of a warrior and living in times of danger can rob a young creature of all its happy seasons and make it grow up fast and hard, as I did. Peace is a precious thing.
“You brought peace here for our families, said the hedgehog as he patted Sunflashs paw. “You look peaceful an well content, Sunflash. Mayhap you like our life.
The badger had a distant look in his dark eyes. “Oh, I do like the life here. I am happier in this place than I have ever been, and I wish dearly that I could live out all my seasons with you and your families on this very spot.
Tiny Lingl spread his paws at the happy scene surrounding them. “Then why not? You are greatly loved heremake this your home.
It was a tempting proposition. Sunflash thought of the crops and the garden he had created, and the dwelling cave, which was larger now and more comfortable due to his help. Fondly he watched the little ones, laughing and rolling about in the bright noon sun. The older ones too, Aunt Ummer, Uncle Blunn and the rest, were all firm friends, trusting creatures, taking their ease together. His loyal companion, Skarlath, a hawk, was happy to learn the simple life. It was idyllic. He knew it could not last.
Weighing his words carefully, he explained to Tirry. “Listen to what I must say, friend. If I stayed here it would mean great trouble, possibly death for those around me. I have told you of Swartt Sixclaw, the evil ferret. Make no mistake, if I make this place my home, then he will turn up here one day with his band. But even if he did not, my warrior spirit would grow restless and I would need to go and seek him ot. We are sworn lifelong enemies, he and I.
“However, beside all that there are my dreams. Always I see the mountain of fire looming through my slumbers, and strange voices of other badgers, Warrior Lords whose names I do not know, call me. Why I must go to the mountain, where it is, what name it goes by, I do not know. But I am certain that my fate and destiny are bound to the mountain. Each night I dream, and the urge to travel there goes surging through me. One morning you will wake to find me gone. I am as sure of it as the turning of seasons, Tirry.
Hiding his sorrow and disappointment the hedgehog murmured, “I knew all this afore you told me, I felt it every time I looked at your face. You have worked hard here, but only to put things from your mind. But enough o this, mate, were gettin so gloomy well ave it rainin afore nightfall! Youre still a youngbeast with a great life ahead of ye, Sunflash. But promise me thisyou wont go without sayin good-bye.
“I promise you, Tirry Lingl, I wont leave without a goodbye!
All through that afternoon they took their well-earned leisure, often joining the young ones at play. Skarlath took off to go on one of his high-flying, wide-ranging patrols, leaving word that he would be back by supper. Sunflash took himself off to the stream, where he sat cooling his footpaws in the warm shallows, trying to fathom out the riddle song.
“Arm not alas sand, way south in the west, So star land a mat, theres where I lo
Bruff Dubbos voice interrupted his musings. “Ho, zurr, youm seed ought o those two liddle ogs Gurmil an Tirg?
Sunflash stamped his footpaws dry in the grass. “Havent seen them since lunchtime. Why?
Bruff scratched his head with a heavy digging claw. “Seems ioik theym got theyselves losted, hurr!
Back at the cave, Dearie was questioning the other babes, without much success. Gurmil and Tirg were the two little malehogs. Their sisters, Bitty and Giller, had been playing with the small molemaids, Nilly and Podd, and none of the four was making much sense, as is usual with babes.
Dearie was worried but patient. “Now think careful, liddle uns, whered they two scamps go to?
Bitty pointed at the sky. “Flied way, up there! “No, no, they never, that was Mr. Skarlath, the awkburd. Lack a day, I do wish e were ere now. Nilly, do you know where GurmiFnTirg might be?
“Hurt, a playen in ee water, oi think. “No, that was Sunflash, e was at the stream. Oh, where ave those two liddle villains run off to?
She stared up at Sunflash beseechingly. The big badger radiated calm and confidence as he patted Dearies headspikes gently. “Never fear, marm, Ill find em. Tiny, you circle to the east. Bruff, take a wide loop west. Ill go due south, and well meet up where the big clearing is, the one with the pond, you know it.
Lully threw her apron up over her face to hide her upset. “Burr, theym rascals, oi do wisht zurr awkburd was ere!
Bruff twitched his nose comfortingly at her. “Doant ee fret, moi damsen, usll foind em. Youm stay by yurr wi Dearie an watch tuther liddle uns.
Sunflash did not travel directly south. The late afternoon sun played through the leaves, casting mottled shade patterns on his broad back as he weaved through the woodlands on either side of the faint south path, searching wherever he thought the two little hoglets might have strayed. Birdsong trilled in the stillness of the noontide heat, butterflies fluttered their quiet way from shrub to bush, and bees droned lazily amid clumps of bramble, honeysuckle, and dogrose. But the tranquillity of nature was lost upon the badger as he strode anxiously about, his great mace swinging from one paw, searching for signs of the hedgehog babes.