Big Oxeye picked up a longbow and arrows. Issuing slings and stone pouches to Pennybright and Lingfur, he nodded toward the clamor of battle echoing up through the passage outside.
"Right, hares, up on y' paws. Quick's the word an' sharp's the action. We'll have to go an' give oi' Barty a pull-out. His Lordship'11 be safe here until we get back. Young Pen, an' you, Ling, give me a big smilecome on now. That's the ticket. Now yell after me as we go. It's the Loooong Pa-trooool! Eulaliaaaaa!" Yelling like demons, they sped down the passage to Bart's aid.
Standing at the back of his command, Klitch watched as an ashen-faced Dragtail came running up from the lower levels. The young weasel eyed him cynically.
"Where in the name of Hellgates have you been? It's up here you should be, where the fighting's taking place, not down there in the peace and quiet!"
Dragtail was plainly scared and, breathing heavily, he hooked a paw back down at the lower levels. "Listen to that!"
Echoing hollowly up through the rocky corridor the sound reached the young weasel's startled ears.
' 'Logalogalogalogalog!''
Undecided as what to do, Klitch shrugged and smiled nervously. "Logalog? What's that supposed to mean?"
A well-aimed arrow took Dragtail through the chest as Log-a-log, Mara and Pikkle came hurtling along the passage at the head of a charging Guosssom band.
With a terrified yelp, Klitch took to his heels, fighting his way through the vermin crowding the stairwell until he was safely ensconced in the middle of the pack. Unreasoningly he grabbed a fox by the throat and shouted into his face, "No-beast told me about this."
The fox was about to reply when one of Big Oxeye's ar-
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rows snuffed out his life. Klitch looked wildly about as he moaned, "It's a trap. We're trapped!"
With a stentorian roar Lord Urthstripe burst through the restraining bandages, ripping his huge bulk up from the bed. Seizing a forge hammer, he lumbered off toward the upper levels. From some amazing reserve, the mountain Ruler had dredged up his wild strength; the madness of the warrior badgers was upon himnobeast could stand in his path now, even despite the fearsome wounds that scarred his giant frame.
Urthwyte's party had gained the summit, and now they were fighting around the top of the crater. Ferahgo stared at the white badger, a wave of fear sweeping across him.
"Kill the white one! Kill him! The one who slays the white badger is a richbeast!"
Twenty crowded round Urthwyte as he battled furiously. Roaring mightily, he swung his oaken club. Samkim forged around the crater top, his sword flashing in the sunlight, leaping, dodging, hacking, thrustingwith Arula covering his back, swinging her loaded sling.
"Goo on, Sanken, urr hurr. Make Redwell proud of 'ee!"
Alfoh and his shrews fought valiantly with rapier, paddle and sling. There was no quarter given; shrew and vermin alike died that day on the heights. The creatures of Ferahgo fought with the ferocity of despair, bemused by the strange force that had scaled the mountain to offer them battle. Seeing his chance, Ferahgo sneaked up on Urthwyte, knowing that if he could slay the white badger the fight would swing his way. Urthwyte had his back to Ferahgo, hammering relentlessly at any creature coming into club range. The Assassin drew both his best knives, the killer and the skinner, and crouched low, bunching his muscles for the spring that would carry him onto the white badger's back, where his blades could feast on the unprotected neck. Nerving himself, he made the spring.
In midair time seemed .to stand still. He heard the roar, saw Urthstripe appear in front of him and felt the shock as two fearsome paws caught him in their viselike grip. Ferahgo screamed with shock. Galvanized into action, he began stab-
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bing with both knives, plunging them into the body of the roaring badger Lord.
The massive injuries he had formerly sustained, together with the horrendous wounds of Ferahgo's daggers, now caused Urthstripe's fierce dark eyes to cloud over with death-mist, but his fate was not yet sealed. From the deep wells of strength within his gigantic frame he called up a last mighty surge that would enable him to rid Salamandastron of Ferahgo.
Crushing the blue-eyed weasel to him, Urthstripe leapt from the top of the mountain, yelling his last beloved battle cry:
"Eulaliaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
The knowledge that he had glimpsed his lost brother for a moment hit Urthwyte; the look on his face caused every creature who had followed Ferahgo to lose their nerves completely.
Alfoh pulled Samkim to one side. "Leave him here. Get Arula and my shrews down inside the mountain before he kills us all. Leave him here with the vermin!"
Samkim could readily understand Alfoh's meaning; the sight of the berserk white badger hurling himself bodily at the panic-stricken vermin was enough. Pushing Arula in front of him, the young squirrel followed the Guosssom band down the walkways that spiraled into the heart of Salamandastron.
Pennybright hurried up from the forge room with a quiver of arrows. She passed them to Oxeye.
"These are the last. There are no more!"
Oxeye grinned as he fitted a shaft to his bow. "Good gel. Keep slingin', Penny. Look at young Ling therehe's tossin' rocks like a good un. Want some good news, m'dear? There's a band of shrews an' whatnot attackin' from the lower levels. Listen to this." Oxeye shouted over the melee at the top of his voice. "Duck V weave! Blood 'n' vinegar! Long Patrol's here!" The sound echoed down the rocky stairwell.
A moment later there was an answering call.
"Jab an' move! Give 'em a towsin'! Long Patrol's 'ere too!"
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"Good ol' Sapwood." Oxeye's grin spread from ear to ear. "Knew I never sent him on that cruise for nothin'."
Lingfur looked fearfully over his shoulder. "Sir, look out! They're behind us!"
Carrying a heavy paddle and her sling, Arula bowed low. "We'm not behoind *ee, young un. Us'ns are with 'ee!"
Oxeye stifled a laugh as he shook paws with the molemaid. "Well, thank goodness for that. I'd hate to face a warrior like you, young molemaid."
Arula wrinkled her nose. "Thankee koindly, zurr."
"Pleased t' meet you, I'm sure." Oxeye clasped the paws of Samkim and Alfoh gratefully. "But could we leave the introductions until after the war, old lads?"
Samkim immediately liked the big hare. Gripping his sword in both paws, he took up a fighting stance and nodded. "That seems fair enough, sir. Shall we charge?"
Paddles, slings and rapiers waved behind Samkim and Ox-eye as the hare tossed aside his bow and picked up a lance.
"Well said, sir! Ready, chaps ... Then .. . charge!"
"Eulaliaaa! Redwaaaaall! Logalogalogalog!"
Taking up the call, the band at the bottom of the stairwell howled their own battle cries as they charged from their end.
The war was hopelessly lost for the once vaunted horde of Corpsemakers. Klitch killed the two vermin closest to him and fell flat on the stairs, pulling their bodies over his to act as concealment. The rocks echoed with the clangor of battle. Trapped and cut off on the long rambling flight of stairs, the last of the horde fought with desperation, but they were no match for the Guosssom, two badgers and the remaining hares of the Long Patrol. Mara felt herself swept along in the rush. Ahead of her she glimpsed Samkim, his face alight with the madness of battle as he fought his way through the tight-packed ranks of vermin, some of whom were standing dead, having no room to fall. At the center of the turmoil they met, the young squirrel and the badger maid. A sudden silence prevailed. The madness was over, Salamandastron stood free. Creatures who a moment before had been yelling and slay-