Ambrose wrinkled his snout at Mangiz. “Listen, maggotbrain, you just flap back to your Chief and tell him that we want to speak to the big fish and not the little worm. Hurry up now, don’t stand there gawpin’!”

The seer crow was outraged. “Mangiz does not forget an insult, hedgepig.”

Ambrose smiled cheekily. “Good, then here’s a few more for you to remember, you pot-bellied, cross-eyed, feather-bottomed excuse for a duck. Now be off with you before I really get goin’!”

When the crow had gone, Ambrose turned to Constance. “What d’you think, stripedog, was I a bit too hard on him?”

Constance thought for a moment. “No, no, on the whole I thought you did quite well, hedgepig.”

*   *   *

Ironbeak flew out with Mangiz and several of the rooks. They came down to the lowest roof. Constance did not mince her words.

“Hello there, Ironbum, or is it Tinbeak? I can never remember. Anyhow, about the three hostages you’re holding, don’t you think it’s high time you let them go?”

Ironbeak suspected by the badger’s tone that something was amiss, but he kept up a bold imperious front.

“If you have not come to surrender, they will die, earthcrawler.”

Ambrose wriggled his spikes. “I knew you’d do no good talking politely to that bird.”

Constance stopped her teasing. Now that she had drawn the raven out, her tone became harsh and serious.

“Listen to me, Ironbeak. We are holding your three magpies prisoner. If you harm a single hair of those hostages, I will personally drown those birds in our Abbey pond. Is that clear?”

The birds on the roof cawed and cackled in consternation. Ironbeak silenced them with a wave of his wing.

“You have captured Quickbill and his brothers? I do not believe it.”

Constance moved to the Abbey door. “Then I will show you the proof. We have cut your supply line; you will starve without the magpies.”

Constance went indoors. A moment later, she was dragging out the net with the three magpies inside.

“They say that seeing is believing, what do you say to that?” she called.

Ironbeak peered over the guttering. “I say that it was very clever of you, stripedog. But it will do you no good, I will send others out to forage.”

“Oh, as I understand it, warriors are warriors, not scavengers. Your fighters could not do the job, that’s why you had magpies.”

“Kaah! Then we will become scavengers, we will take the food from that place you call orchard.”

Ambrose pointed to the windows. “No you won’t, we’ve got archers, sling-throwers and javelins stationed at the windows facing the orchard. It is not as far to shoot from there as it is from the ground to the rooftop. Send a few of those birds into the orchard now and you’ll see what we mean.”