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Back Mattimeo Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. CAPTURED!
  2. Other Books
  3. Title Page
  4. Map
  5. Introduction
  6. BOOK ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. BOOK TWO
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. BOOK THREE
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

Nadaz pointed the sceptre at the fox then swept around to point it at the sleeping captives. Turning again, he pointed between the twin rocks, indicating the direction they would be taking.

Slagar nodded his understanding.

*   *   *

Dark forms surrounded Mattimeo and those chained to the slave lines. The young mouse came half awake as he heard Tess give a muffled groan. Silent paws held his head still, and a pad of leaves holding the ashes of burned grass and herbs was pushed up against his mouth and nostrils. Mattimeo struggled, but the overpowering scent of the compress was too strong to fight against. Dark mists rolled in front of his eyes as his body slumped limply against the folds of a black robe.

The senseless forms of the captives were placed on large oblong shields. Eight rats bore each shield.

Vitch was awakened by a shake from Slagar.

“Ssshh, don’t make a sound. Follow me and keep quiet. We’re on our way,” the fox warned.

As Vitch rose, he accidentally stood on Damper’s paw. The weasel awoke with a whimper. Seeing the captives being carried away, he jumped up.

“Slagar! Where are they . . . aargh!”

At a sign from Nadaz, one of the rats slew Damper with a swift thrust of his stabbing spear.

Vitch shook with terror as a bag was placed over his head. Slagar whispered to him as his own head and mask was enveloped, “Don’t panic, they won’t kill us. Just go where they direct you.”

*   *   *

The silent army moved off south between the twin rocks with their unconscious captives and the two slavers.

The pale moon shone down on the body of Damper. He lay still in death, with his sleeping companions nearby unaware of what had taken place in the soft summer night.

41

The same moon that shone over Mossflower sent silver grey shafts of light through the windows of Great Hall. Two rooks perched in the upper galleries on sentry duty. Half awake and half dozing, they stared down at the scene below. Dark shadows softened the corners of the stones, with lighter areas where the moonlight shone in.

One rook shifted his claws uncomfortably. “Graah! It is better in the day when the sun shines warm and bright.”

His companion shook a wing to keep awake. “You are right, Ragwing. I do not like this place in the darkness.”

“The earthcrawlers are all asleep down in that Cavern Hole place. Why do we have to stand about here all night? Nothing ever happens.”

“Do not let the General hear you say that. If he says stay here all night, then we obey.”

“Aye, you are right. When the darkness comes again two others will have to stay guard and we will sleep upon the soft beds of the earthcrawlers.”

“Krakkah! They are good beds. There was nothing like them in the northlands.”

“What is that, Grubclaw? Did you see something move down there?”

“Graah! It is only shadows.”