Constance hurtled from the tunnel and was upon the rooks before they knew what was happening.

She bulled the first one straight into the pond and cuffed the next one high into the air with a quick hefty paw. The third rook took off, leaving most of his tailfeathers between the badger’s teeth. The attackers flew squawking through the broken dormitory window, terrified to look back lest the big badger was coming after them.

Swiftly Constance began dragging the great red bird to the tunnel. It raised its head feebly and tried to attack the badger. Constance narrowly avoided the fierce curved beak but took several scratches from the powerful talons before she stunned the already half-unconscious bird with a smart tap of her paw between its eyes.

“Sorry, but it’s for your own good, you silly great thing. Here, Foremole, which end do you want?”

Foremole scrambled from the tunnel, leaving three of his crew ready to receive the burden.

“You’m leave et t’me, marm. Yurr, Jarge, oi’m asendin’ burd in ’ead furst, save reverse feather draggen. Chuck yon rope round they claws. Oi’ll tie beak. Gaffer, be you’m ready wi’ grease case’n et be too woid in beam.”

*   *   *

Ironbeak and Mangiz flew through the dormitory window with several rooks. They landed where the attack had taken place. The General looked particularly bad-tempered after being disturbed at his noontide roost.

“Yakkah! First it is ghost mice, now we have a great disappearing red bird. Where is it, fools?”

“It was right there, General. We pecked it and scratched it—”

“Yes, yes. And what happened then?”

“The big earthcrawler, the stripedog, it tried to slay us.”

“So you turned tail and flew off,” Ironbeak said scornfully.

“Chief, there was nothing else we could do. That stripedog is a wild beast!”

“How long ago did this take place?”

“Only a moment back, Ironbeak. We were at the dormitory window when we saw this big rusty-looking bird come over the wall. It must have been ill because it flapped and flopped about like a new eggchick.”

“So you attacked it?”

“Oh yes, Chief. We gave it a good clawing and beaking—”

“And you killed it!”

“Yes, er, no. I mean, we were going to, when the earthcrawler came.”

“Where did the stripedog come from?”

“Search me!”

Ironbeak buffeted the insolent rook flat. He ground his talons against its beak and pecked it hard upon its leg.

“Kaah! Out of my sight, nettlehead, I think the sun in this warm land has addled your brains. First you see a great bird, then you are attacked by the stripedog, and that was only the flick of a feather ago. Now there is no sign of the earthcrawler and the big bird has vanished too. Maybe they are both hiding underwater in that pool. Shall I throw you in so that you can search them out?”