"No others that you noticed?"
"None but the two, Lord. We circled the place to make sure."
The Tyrant stoat stood upright slowly. "Follow me. I'll gut anybeast who makes a sound. Clogg has got to learn that he is only an idiot corsair. I am Badrang, master of all this coast. He'll soon find that out!"
29
"Give me a bunk up, Martin. I'm a bit short in the paw for this."
Martin shoved his sword flat under Pallum's footpaws and heaved.
The hedgehog scrambled swiftly on to a higher ledge. Bringing up the rear, Martin hoisted himself alongside Pallum, halting a moment to note the progress of the Gawtrybe. The squirrels were catching up quickly, far too quickly for Martin's liking. He looked up to where the cave loomed like a black eye socket on the mountain in the night. Rose and Grumm were in the lead, assisting each other as they scrambled up the brown rocks which still radiated heat from the day's sun.
"Hurry, Martin," the mousemaid called down urgently. "With a bit of luck we might make it to the cave."
Grumm peered down at the crowds of nimble, screeching figures advancing upwards like the waves of a spring tide.
"Us'ns needen more'n a bit o' luck, mizzy. Need a gurt 'eap!"
"Don't stop, keep going," Martin yelled up to them. "Take Pallum with you! I'll act as rearguard. At least I'll stand a bit of a chance being above them with a sword in my paw. Go on, Rose. Do as I say!"
The mousemaid sat down firmly on an outcrop, her footpaws dangling over the landscape far below. "Oh no, if you don't start climbing I'm stopping here. Either we go together or not at all, Martin!"
Now the squirrels' wild faces could be picked out in the darkness, illuminated in silvery moonlight as they chattered and shrieked.
"Good game, good game!"
"Catch em an' throw 'em off, throw 'em off!"
Martin put up his blade and began climbing fast. "All right, I'm coming. Keep moving!"
Grumm slid back on the scree. Only the outcrop that Rose had been seated on saved him. Martin arrived behind him with Pallum, and together they shoved Grumm upwards. The mole was trying hard not to show his fear of high places, though every so often he clamped a digging paw across his eyes, moaning softly, "Oi carn't lukk up nor daown. Et makes oi vurry sick, oo urr!"
Rose reached down to grasp his paw. "Please, Grumm, keep climbing. It's not far to the cave now!"
Martin found a loose rock and hurled it down at the leading squirrels; they skipped aside with superb agility.
"Heehee, good game. We'll catch you, mousey!"
His paws aching from the strain, Martin pulled himself onward and upward, grunting with exertion as he shoved Pallum ahead. Suddenly Martin felt his footpaw being grabbed. One squirrel, faster than the rest, had sprinted up and caught him.
"Heeheehee, gotcha!"
With furious energy, he kicked back with his free footpaw.
"Yeeeeeeeeee!" With a drawn out howl of despair, the squirrel hurtled out into empty space and was lost in the night. Shaking himself, Martin clambered on with the shouts of the Gawtrybe ringing in his ears.
"Heehee, sillybeast fell. Yeeeeeeeeeee!"
Martin could hear the swift nimble patter of their paws on the rocks behind him. Glancing up, he saw that Rose had made it to the cave mouth. She pushed Grumm inside and reached her paws down to help Pallum, who was blowing and panting as he strove to gain the opening. The Gawtrybe were within a paw's length when Martin arrived at the cave. Pushing Rose inside he stood in the entrance and drew his sword. Chest heaving, limbs trembling, Martin still managed a short laugh of triumph.
"Hahah! Come on, you thick headed rabble. You can only come two at a time, and I'm more than a match for any two of you!"
Inside, the cave was like a huge rock faced tunnel. The first thing Rose saw were two great luminous orbs. She jumped back in fright.
"Who's there?" The voice was awesome, harsh and thundering. It echoed around the rock walls.
Rose shrank back in terror. "Please, we're only harmless travellers hiding in here from the squirrels. They're trying to kill us!"
An enormous short eared owl waddled out of the gloom. Rose cringed as it lifted a heavy taloned claw. It smiled, lowering its tone to a kindly whisper. "Don't be feared, mousemaid. We must act with all haste. Tell your friends to heed me not when I put on my great voice.
Come."
The Gawtrybe leaped and chattered on the narrow escarpment at the cave mouth. Martin bared his teeth, slashing the air menacingly with his small sword. "I am Martin the Warrior. Anybeast who is fool enough, come and meet death!"
The squirrels screeched and leaped, pushing one another forward, but for the moment it seemed that none were too keen to encounter the foemouse who stood defending the rocky entrance. However, Martin knew that it was only a matter of time before the frenzied squirrels were pushed to attack him. Still facing his enemies, he tried to communicate with Pallum in a low murmur.
"Hurry, get rocks to throw, sticks to beat them off, anything.
They're getting ready for a charge. I'll be overwhelmed!"
A mighty bark brown wing enveloped Martin, sweeping him lightly aside. The short eared owl filled the cave mouth, its legs thick as yew branches tipped with lethal talons.
A wail of fear arose from the Gawtrybe. They fell flat wherever they stood, pressing their faces down on the mountainside.
"Eeeeee! Skyqueen! Eeeeee!"
The massive feathered head swivelled back and forth, huge golden pupils distending as its glittering black irises reflected the moon at their centres. Hunching over, it glared murderously at the quaking squirrels. "Boldred sees all! I was many leagues from here, yet I winged high and watched you torment these travellers. Brainless ones who live for pleasure without any thought of others, did you not think I would return?"
A moan arose from the prostrate squirrels. The great owl repeated her question, raising her voice to a maniacal shriek. "Answer me, did you not think Boldred would return?"
The mob remained silent.
"Where is your Chieftain?" Boldred screeched at them.
She turned a squirrel over with a swift flick of her beak. Its terrified tear stained face stared pleadingly at her as it pointed in Martin's direction. "The mouse defeated him, Skyqueen. Eeeeee!"
Boldred gave a short coughing noise as if reassessing the situation.
"This I already knew. Do I not know all? Answer me truly, why were the Gawtrybe persecuting these travellers?'"
The squirrel Boldred had elected spokesbeast hung his head, like a naughty young one caught with his paw in the cream. "Skyqueen, it was a game, we were only playing."
With a speed that the eye could scarce follow, the short eared owl pinned the nearest six squirrels by their tails with her flashing talons, calling out over their cries, "Shall I play my game?" She spread her wings and rose from the ground, lining all six with ease as the outspread pinions beat slowly in the night. "Speak! Shall I play my game ... Or will you obey me?"
Rose clutched Martin's paw. "Is she going to kill them? Oh, I can't watch!"
"Don't fret, Rose," the young mouse whispered reassuringly to her.
"The owl knows what she's doing. Leave it to her.'"
The Gawtrybe cowered on the rocks sobbing piteously, "Do not slay us, Skyqueen. Mercy. Eeeeee!'"
She dropped the six on to the heads of the others. Landing, she resumed her stance, accentuating her words with clacks of the dangerous hooked beak.
"You are dull, witless beasts with short memories, but I will not slay you this time. Next time I will, every one of you! Heed my warning! As punishment you will all stay on the ledge below here until sunset on the morrow. You will neither eat, drink, move or talk. Go now!"
Without a sound the entire Gawtrybe vacated the space in front of the cave entrance, dropping to the lower ledges where they sat in utter silence. Boldred flew out, hovering low over their heads. "Remember and obey, or Boldred will return!"