Nasturtium shook her head. "Strange, I can't remember a single word. I'm afraid the whole thing has gone clear out of my head. How odd! It's as if some other creature was in charge of my tongue, and my mind too!"
Friar Bellows came panting up. He was waving a ladle. "Come on, you lot. Nameday tomorrow. The food isn't going to prepare itself, y'know. Up on your paws and look busy now!"
There were a few groans, but most of the helpers went willingly. Dingeye and Thura were among the back stragglers.
"Huh, I wish we c'd train those pots V pans to scrub 'emselves. Hup there, cauldron, jump in the sink and give yerself a good scourin' now!"
Salamandastron
45
"Or maybe we could get that Martin spirit to wash a few. Owch!"
Dingeye had not realized Thrugg was still within hearing range. ^_
Earlier that morning a somber pall hung over the fortress of Salamandastron. Mara lay abed for as long as she could before rising to make her way down to the dining hall. Urthstripe sat in his large chair with Sergeant Sapwood and Big Oxeye on either side of him. Mara sidled in and took a seat at the far end of the big table next to Pikkle; Klitch and Goffa sat on her other side. Usually there would be lots of good-natured joking and chatter over the plain fare, but today breakfast was a dismal affair; silence hung broodingly over the assembly.
Pikkle passed Mara a bowl of wild oatmeal porridge and a beaker of sage tea, keeping his voice to a whisper as he said, "Jolly lot, aren't they, wot? I say, old gel, did you get an awful tickin' off from Lord Urthstripe last night?"
Mara's appetite had deserted her. She dabbed at the porridge with a crust of ryebread. "Oh, it was much the same as usual. One word led to another and I ran off to bed in the end because I couldn't stick it."
Klitch leaned over, the sly blue eyes he had inherited from his father Ferahgo now radiating candor and sympathy. "You didn't get into trouble because of Goffa and me, did you?"
The young badger maid shrugged. "It was nothing to do with you, Klitch. I just get tired of being pushed and bossed
46
Scdamandas tron
47
like a silly infant around here."
"Did you father shout at you?" Goffa refilled his bowl from a nearby serving dish.
Pikkie wiped his bowl with ryebread. "He's not her father."
Klitch stole a quick glance up the table at Urthstripe. "Then why does Mara have to do as he says? I wouldn't, me and Goffa do as we pleasenobeast gives us orders!"
Urthstripe sat looking at his untouched breakfast. Mara had not even acknowledged him this morning. One part of him longed to be friends with her, but the other half detested what he was seeing: a fine young badger maid, gossiping with a ferret and a weasel as if they were lifelong friends. The badger Lord caught the weasel stealing a glance at him. The creature had light blue eyes, shining as honest as a newborn infant. Some faraway faint memory was struggling to surface within Urthstripe's brain, but then it was wiped away as Oxeye nudged him and nodded down the table.
"That chap could charm the bally birds out of the trees with his baby-blue peepers. Still, I'd hate ter be the jolly old bird that fell into his claws. What d'you say, M'lud?"
A deep growl issued from Urthstripe's cavernous chest. "I once knew a searat who could sing like a lark, beautiful ballads. He used to sing to his victims as he cut them up. Vermin are vermin, no matter whatI've learned that much. Sap-wood, I cannot stand the sight of those two at my table any longer. Give them provisions and get them clear of my mountain. I'll feel easier when they've gone!"
The hare Sergeant stood up and threw a salute. "Yes, sir. I'll hescort 'em ter the door pers'nally."
The forty odd hares who lived at Salamandastron watched in silence as Sapwood made his way down the table. He nodded to Mara and Pikkle before turning to Klitch and Goffa. "Hare you finished with your vittles, you two?"
Klitch sniggered as he did an impression of the Sergeant's voice. "Yes, we have, hactually!"
The hare kept his face impassive and his voice level. "Right ho, then if you'd hallow me to show you out."
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Brian Jacques
SoJamandostron
49
"Show them out?" Mara placed a paw on Sapwood's arm. "But these are my friends, Sergeant!"
Sapwood stood stiffly to attention, avoiding her eyes. "Lord Urthstripe says they must leave. Don't worry, missie, they'll be given 'aversack rations and sent on their way unharmed. Come on, foller me, you two. Lively now!"
Goffa and Klitch rose, the latter smiling ruefully at Mara. "We'll be fine, don't bother your head about us. I wish you luck with Urthstripe. Goodbye, Mara. Maybe we'll meet again someday."
As Sapwood led them the length of the dining hall Mara could stand the tension no longer. The badger maid knew that Urthstripe loved and cared for her, as she did for him, but he was becoming like a dictator to her, ruling her life, saying how she should behave and conduct herself. Now in his usual heavy-pawed way he had insulted her newfound friends. It was too much! Without thinking, Mara suddenly found herself shouting angrily over the hushed assembly at Urthstripe:
"Go on, send my friends away. It's your mountain. You can do as you like and every beast has to obey!"
Every hare present jumped in their seats as the badger Lord's paws crashed forcefully on the tabletop.
"Mara, go to your room!"
But Mara was already up and hurrying from the hall, her mind finally made up as to what she would do. "I won't go to that room anymore. I'm leaving this mountain to go with my friends, and you can't stop me!"
Windpaw leaped up to intercept Mara, but Urthstripe shook his head. "Let her go!"
Pikkle dashed after his companion. "Mara, I say, wait, I'm comin' with you!"
When they had gone, Sapwood returned to his chair. The tough hare gazed imploringly at Urthstripe, whose face was set in a stony stare at Mara's empty seat. "She's gone, sir 'er an' Pikkle. Should I bring 'em back?" Urthstripe looked away, swiftly brushing a tear from his
;eye with a heavy paw. "No, I must let her go. She is not !3&ppy here anymore."
?-'' Big Oxeye stood up. The huge hare saluted his Lord. "Beg-
^gin* yer leave, sah! With or without permission from you, me
;;jfti* old Sappers here are goin' ter follow 'em. Watch that they
;don't get themselves in some bally scrape or other, keep an
eye on 'em. Wot?"
,- Urthstripe grasped both their paws. "Thank you, my /friends!"
gt;: Snatching a light throwing lance apiece from a weapon
jack, Sapwood and Oxeye set off at an easy lope on the track
"Of Mara and Pikkle. Urthstripe went to his forge. All that day
.vJfce mountain interior resounded with the pounding and bang-
;ing of his forge hammers, and chunks of red hot metal show-
'"*red sparks.as he battered them as flat as dead leaves.
Hiding among the dunes to the south of Salamandastron, IQitch and Goffa watched Mara and Pikkle getting nearer as ibey followed the trail.
.'; Klitch nudged his companion. "They'll be here any mo-Iftent, so listen. Don't you say a wordleave the talking to ^Ifte. My plan has worked well so far."
f; Goffa patted the two haversacks of food that lay nearby. ^lYour father won't think so. Two bags o' food isn't really .:$«l*dger's treasure, is it?"