“Move away,” Dog growled, echoing Twelve’s thoughts exactly. “We do not want to meet it.”

It was as they were leaving that they heard the voice.

“Help,” it called weakly. “Please help me!”

It was so quiet that Twelve thought she’d imagined it, until she saw the same hesitation in Six’s stride. Dog’s ears pricked and Widge twisted around to gaze behind her. For a moment, the group stood frozen, listening.

“P-please!” the voice cried again, its words muffled. “I don’t want to be alive when it eats me. You have arrows—it would only take one. Surely that’s not too much to ask?”

Six caught Twelve’s eyes. “Could it be a trap?” he whispered.

“Of course,” she hissed back, sudden terror breaking over her in a wave. Hadn’t the Ygrex been enough? She pulled herself up furiously. They were in the Frozen Forest: of course there were going to be other creatures. Fear wasn’t rational though. It flooded her body, screaming at her to run and not look back. Six looked the same as she felt, his face pale and a sheen of sweat on his brow.

Twelve saw one of the bound shapes wriggling furiously, sending ripples across the web.

Dog nudged them both with his nose, a growl building in his throat. “Keep moving.”

“No,” the creature cried. “Please! My name is Foxpaw. I—I can’t get out—I’ve tried everything! I just . . . I just don’t want to be awake when it comes back again. Please don’t leave me like this! I’ve been here for days.” A shiver rippled across the taut threads, away from his bound form.

Twelve’s eyes widened. “Days? Did you see goblins come this way? And a girl with red hair?”

“No, I’m sorry.”

Dog growled a warning, but Six’s face had softened. “What are you?” he called.

“I’m a moxie,” the muffled voice called back. “From the Winterdown set.” A sob broke its voice. “They’re not expecting me home until next week. The deathspinner will have eaten me by then.”

Nausea rolled in Twelve’s stomach. The memory of the Ygrex flying at her with teeth bared was too fresh. It would have eaten her alive too. Its poison brought death quickly, but not quickly enough. She felt her resolve harden. Almost before the thought had formed in her mind, she was swinging her bag off her shoulder and fishing out her copy of A Magical Bestiary.

Six knelt next to her. “What do you think?” he whispered.

Slumped on Surefoot’s back, Five mumbled something incoherent, his gaze full of malice as he watched them.

“I think we need to find out what we’re dealing with,” Twelve replied, fingering through the pages until she came to the entry on moxies. Widge placed both paws on the page, examining the drawings with interest.