* * *

The three female hares were not fond of the idea that prisoners should be fed and cared for. Prodding the defeated troops of Kotir with their pikes, they drove them ten at a time to the lake. Harebell, Honeydew and Willow thoroughly approved of cleanliness.

“Come on, slimeface. Get in there—you won’t drown.”

“Use plenty of sand and scrub hard, you mucky lot.”

“You there, fox, wash behind those grubby ears.”

The fox turned away muttering insolently, “Huh, why should I?”

Trubbs and company were practicing with slings. Ffring bounced a sharp pebble off the fox’s bottom, causing him to jump.

“Because you won’t get any tuck if you don’t, you filthy rogue.”

“Hear hear! Now get those ears washed—both of ’em, laddie.”

“Then you can wiggle ’em in the sun until they dry, what!”

Skipper inspected a rat. “Show me those paws. Turn ’em over. Right. Go and get fed. Hoi! Where d’you think you’re sailing off to, scruffbag? Get back in and scrub those whiskers, or I’ll come and do it for you with a cob of spruce bark.”

He leaned on his pike, discussing the prisoners with Dinny and the hares.

“This miserable lot will eat us out of crop and woodland, the way they’re scoffing,” he objected.

“Burr, they’m gotten a dozen stummicks apiece, narsty vurrmen.”

Log-a-Log pushed a half-washed weasel back in with his stave. “Not to worry. I heard Bella mention to Lady Amber that we’re marching them out of Mossflower tomorrow.”

“Urr, zooner th’ better, sez oi.”

“Any news of Martin yet?”

“Bella said he’s still the same, no change, though the Abbess has decided to have him moved down here after this lot have been banished.”

“I still find it hard to believe that he slew the big cat. That must have been a battle and a half, matey.”

“Urr, ee’m a wurrier, our Marthen, tho’ the battle be furr ’ee loif of ’im now.”

* * *

It was noon of the following day. The sun beat down on the dusty path that separated Mossflower Woods from the flatlands rolling away to the west.

On the far side of the ditch stood the defeated army of Kotir, each one carrying two days’ supply of food and water. On the woodland side of that same ditch stood the hordes of Mossflower: shrews, mice, squirrels, hares, otters, hedgehogs and moles, together with Gingivere, Sandingomm and Bella.

The badger stood tall. Pointing to the horizon, she addressed the freed prisoners.

“You must go now. Travel together or split into groups, as you will. If any of you are thinking of finding more weapons and coming back here, I would strongly advise you to listen to what these creatures have to say.”

The six hares stood forward, brandishing their long pikes.

“Hello, you rascals. We’re the border patrol now, y’know.”

“Yes, first regiment Fur and Foot Fighters at y’service.”

“Woodlands are splendid, but the old flat country, this is the place to be, what!”