The Bellmaker

17

Bird flew off a short while ago. It headed north and east slightly. I watched until it was out of sight.

Pouring a beaker of wine, the vixen pushed it toward the rat. “You did well, Bluebane. Go now and say nothing of this to anybeast. Taking the beaker of wine with him, Bluebane slunk away.

The vixen turned to Sicant. “Your mate, Graywort, hes willing to serve me?

Sicant nodded eagerly. “To the death, my Lady. He is like me; he knows that you are the real power on the throne of Southsward.

Silvamord took a dainty sip of wine. “Good! Riveneye was slain today, and we need a new horde Captain. Ill see that Graywort is promoted. Now, tell him to post six lookouts around the castle and keep one full squad in readiness night and day. The Butcher Bird is bound to bring help for the prisoners in the tower attic. When the lookouts spot them coming, tell them to report to your Graywort. As soon as he hears that help is arriving he must come directly to me and no other. Is that understood?

Sicant knelt and kissed the vixens paw gratefully. “I understand, Majesty.

A small mole almost bowled Furpp over as he dashed into the mole dwelling. The old fellow kept himself upright by catching hold of the youngster and said, “Yurr Bruggit, whurr be ee astenin off to?

Bruggit saluted the oldster hurriedly. “Zurr, thurr be a gurt burd out yon, eem be a-callen sumthen fearful furr ee otter an maister Bowly!

Furpp took Bruggit outside. “Naow, whurr be ee burd?

Bruggit tugged on Furpps digging claw. “Oer this way, zurr. Youm can ear im, “earken!

Furpp listened carefully. On the mid-morning air the sounds of Glokkpod came drifting clearly over a dune.

“Kcha kcha! Irriz otter, Bowly Pintip, whirr are yirr?

The Butcher Bird hove into view over the hilltop, walking with his customary swagger as he called out the names.

Furpp had seen Butcher Birds before. Carefully stowing Bruggit behind him, out of the birds view, he called, “A women to ee, zurr burd. Whurr cum ye frum?

The shrike cocked a bright eye toward the mole. “I, Glokkpod, come from Miriel and Dindin, Meldrin and Squirrelking, they say find otters.

“Burr, youm foller an oill take ee to otterfolk, said Furpp, turning toward his dwelling. “Usll feed ee, too, ifn youm promise not to go an eaten of uz.

There were mixed emotions inside the cavernous mole dwelling. The Squirrelqueen and her little son were overjoyed at the news that Gael was still alive. However, the feeling swiftly changed to one of anxiety when they were told of the peril that Gael and their friends were in. Iris soon took command of the meeting.

“Well go to Castle Floret tonight, as soon as it gets close to dark. If they havent been recaptured well see whats the best way to get them out of there. Glokkpod, how long do you think they can hold out?

The Butcher Bird was hastily gobbling cold turnipnta-ter pie, and he shrugged as he explained between beak-fuls, “Dont know, mibbee long time, mibbee not so long. Lotsa ratz, lotsa weapinz!

Bowly Pintips, who had placed himself in command of the four leverets, hefted his two hard scones. “Rats dont bother us, we be warriors!

Glokkpod choked on a piece of pie as he laughed. “Kchakcha kcha! Yirr only infints! The young hedgehog ignored the gibe, but the leverets were indignant.

“Steady on there an have a care, sir!

“Aye, you wouldnt like to tangle with these infants!

“Infants, indeed. Infant yself, sir!

“Great feathered windbag!

The shrikes bright eye rested on Foghill, the last one to speak. “Meldrin yirr father?

Foghill treated the question with the contempt he thought it deserved. “Tchah, old Uncle Mel my pater? I should think not!

Iris ignored the interchange as she started arrangements. “Troutlad, Greenbeck, get the others together. Wed best start out now. Bring all the ropes you can find.

Bowly insisted that he and the hares go along, too. Iris refused flatly but softened the blow by telling him that he and the hares should stay behind to protect the Squirrel-queen and her young one.

Firgan was a big, tough rat; he patrolled silently around fV. the east side of Castle Floret, as Graywort had told him If, to. Confidently he strode the valley floor, poking and Is prodding at bushes with his spear. It was early evening, f still light, when Firgan sat down to take his food. Tilting a flask of water the rat drank deeply, unaware of the huge f paws that came silently from behind his neck. He managed one startled gurgle before the flask slipped from his lifeless claws. The huge paws receded, accompanied by cracking snap as the broken spear was tossed carelessly aside into the bushes.

On the south side another of the rat patrol heard a noise fbehind a nearby rock. Padding stealthily forward he went to investigate, a long curved sword held ready. A large stone hit him at the base of his skullhe fell pole-by the missile. A smaller, sleeker pair of paws took sword and, wedging it between two rocks, they ped the blade effortlessly.

Night was starting to set in when Silvamord grew impatient. She snarled at Sicant, “There should be some news by now of rescuers coming. Whats Gray wort doing out there, dreaming?

The female horderat went to the door and looked out. “Here he comes, my Lady, she said, relieved.

Graywort entered the chamber carrying a ruined pike and a snapped sword. He was frightened, breathless, glancing back over his shoulder as if he were being followed. “MLady, theyre dead, Firgan, Gringol, and the rest of them, slain!

Silvamord sprang up, knocking the useless weapons from the horderats dithering paws. “Stop babbling and talk sense, you fool! Here, sit down, drink this and pull yourself together!

Elderberry wine slopped down Grayworts chin as he drank greedily. Having finished, he told his story.

“I posted the six guards, just as you commanded, told them twatch for a party of otters. Later I went out to see if they had anything to report ...

Silvamord leaned closer, staring hard at Graywort. “And?

“Majesty, they were all dead, the six of them! First I found Gringolhis neck had been snapped like a twig! Look at this pike; its shattered, broken in two places. What sort of wild beast had the strength to do that? Then I ran to find the others. They were either killed by sling-stones or their necks had been busted like Gringol and Firgans. I heard a noise in the bushes, a rumble and growling, and I ran for my life. Somebeast was tryin to track me downI never stopped to look back, just dashed straight into the castle!

The vixen hastily armed herself from a wall cupboard, buckling on a sword and grabbing a bow and arrows. “Wheres that special squad I told you to have standing by? Get them up on their paws! Ill find out what sort of beast is at the bottom of all this!

Meldrum leaped to one side as a pikehead came smashing through the floorboards. Gael had taken to sitting on the upper beams where the rooftiles had been removed and staring down at the steadily deteriorating floor, and the arrowheads, spearblades, pikeshafts, and swords that were reducing it to splinters. Dandin tapped the Squirrelkings paw lightly.

“Move over, Sire. Im coming up there with you, its safer! Mariel followed suit shortly, then between them they hauled Meldrum up to the relative safety of the sloping roof.

Meldrum pulled a tile loose and aimed it between a rift in the floorboards. “Take that, yblighters! He was rewarded by the sound of an agonized rat squeal.

Mariel watched gathering cloud masses being swept in from westward, and she groaned, “Oh no, rain. Thats all we need! Still, I suppose itll provide us with a drink. No sign of Glokkpod yet?

Dandin scoured the sky to the north. “No. I wish hed hurry up. Dyou suppose hes found the otters yet? He could be completely lost.

“Wouldnt surprise me, Meldrum the Magnificent snorted. “Ill wager the rogues flown off someplace to fill his stomach. Never met any Butcher Birds before, but if thatn is a specimen, then theyre a pretty shabby lot, if yask me.

Nagru stood in the doorway of the tower room, out of the range of rooftiles. The Foxwolf was confident that he would recapture his prisoners. “Wetchops, Ragfen, keep *em stabbing upward. That ceiling wont last much longer, then we can bring them down with arrows. Dont kill them; just wound them a mite. I want our friends alive for a bit of fun.

Bluebane came scurrying up the stairs and tugged at Urgans wolfhide. The Foxwolf smiled. “Ah, my little eyes and ears, what is your lovely Queen up to now that I should know about?

They held a short, whispered conversation together. Nagru patted his informants back, saying, “Well done, Bluebane. Now go and find Graywort. Tell him I want to see him up here, right away.

Bluebane stood on the lower stair as if waiting for something. Nagru looked at him curiously. “What are you waiting for, my little spy?

Bluebane fidgeted with his tattered tunic. “Sire, Queen Silvamord rewarded me with a beaker of elderberry wine, see.

The Foxwolf smiled understandingly. “Ah, I Youd like a reward from me too, is that it?

The spy nodded eagerly. Nagru spoke softly, dangerously.

“Life is the highest reward of all, my friend. Double dealers and traitors often receive death as their payment. But I will not slay you for your treachery to me and my QueenI give you your life as a reward. You are spared. Now go and do my bidding. Without another word, Bluebane sped gratefully away.