Inside the cave, there were upward of twelve or more watervoles seated round an enormous fire eating bowls of stew. The old one called to them. “Our Burble’s brought some travelers for a bite o’ supper, so he has.”

A fat, motherly-looking vole in a woven rush apron bobbed a curtsy. “Yiss yiss, so he has, sit ye down an’ a thousand welcomes to ye!”

Song touched the greenstick to her forehead in a salute. “And a thousand thanks for your kindness, marm!”

Suddenly all the watervoles threw themselves facedown. Paws outstretched, they set up a wailing din.

“Whooooaaaah!    Gorramahooogly!    D’Leafwood!    D’Leafwood!”

“Did I say something wrong?”

Dann looked perplexed at the prostrate Riverhead tribe. “I don’t think so, Song. Wonder what a Leafwood is?”

Burble was only too willing to explain. “Do ye not know what a Leafwood is? Ah, ’tis a wunnerful thing, yiss yiss, so ’tis. D’Leafwood is carried only by the highest Chiefs an’ greatest vole Warriors who live on the waters. Dippler, yore a water creature, shame on yer for not knowin’ of the marvelous Leafwood. Why, meself has known of it since I was born, an’ my father an’ his father before him an’ his father before him an’. . .”

Burble caught the look in Song’s eye as she raised her Leafwood. He went silent with a meek grin, but only after having the last word. “An’ so on an’ so on!”

The old gray watervole’s voice trembled as he addressed Song. “Ah, a Leafwood could surely make the Riverhead tribe famed an’ feared by all. We would give anythin’ to be ownin’ such a marvelous thing.”

The young squirrel’s reply was instant. “I would trade it for a good boat, sir.”

The old one’s face lit up with joy. “Now isn’t that a wonderful thing t’be sayin’, for ’tis meself who owns the greatest boat ever t’sail on water!”

Dippler gave Song a warning glance, then stepped in to take charge of the trade himself. “Let’s take a look at yore boat first, sir. No offense given, I hope.”

The gray vole’s stomach wobbled as he chuckled. “Yiss yiss, an’ none taken I’m sure, for who better t’look at a vessel than the grand Guosim himself? Foller me, young travelers.”

Taking them out onto the bank, he passed a lantern to Dann. “Here now, great sword-bearer, hold on to that while I show y’me boat.”

Pulling aside clumps of bog willow and saxifrage, the oldster heaved forth a type of oblong coracle, fashioned from osier boughs covered with rowan bark and held together by layers of pine resin. He tapped a paw alongside his snout, winking slyly. “Never leave boats moored out on water for allbeasts t’see, like the dreaded ould Marlfox an’ his water rats who passed here t’day. Oh yiss yiss, it pays to keep yer boats hidden!”