It was still three hours to dawn as the rescue party headed by Amber and Skipper left the Stickle dwelling. Goody pressed parcels of food upon them, clucking worriedly. “Now I don’t want to hear of anyone a-gettin’ theirselves catchered by those madcats. They’ll eat you for sure.”

Amber the squirrel Chief smiled as she hefted a pack of food. “Don’t fret your spines, Goody. We’re more likely to be laid low by the amount of rations you’re making us take than by an enemy.”

Skipper peeked inside his pack. “Marm, my old stummick’d sink in a stream if I ate half o’ this. I’d be down at the bows for a week.”

The small band of tough, capable woodlanders were paw-picked from Amber’s squirrel archers and Skipper’s otter crew. They stood about checking weapons. The otters twirled slings and selected stones, some of them balancing light throwing javelins. The squirrels waxed bowstrings and belted on full quivers.

Ben Stickle remarked to his wife, “As fine a body o’ woodlanders as I’ve seen. Let’s hope they can be of help to our little Gonff.”

Ferdy and Coggs strolled out to join the band. The two small hedgehogs wore cooking pot helmets and blanket cloaks, each carried a piece of firewood, and they scowled in a warlike manner as they stood among the squirrels and otters.

The Skipper of otters clapped a paw to his brow and staggered about in mock fright. “Strike me colors, if it ain’t two bloodthirsty savages. One glance at these two’d put a wildcat off his skilly an’ duff for life!”

Ferdy and Coggs strutted about, tripping on their blankets but still managing to maintain fierce grimaces. Concealing a smile, Lady Amber took the two would-be warriors by their paws and positioned them outside the Stickle house. She placed one on either side of the doorway, where they stood scowling and stabbing the air with their firewood weapons. The otter and squirrel band dutifully scowled back in recognition of two fellow fighters.

Skipper gave them a broad wink and waved his muscular tail for silence. “Belay the gab and listen to me now. These here rough-lookin’ coves has offered to spill some blood ’n’ guts over at Kotir, but what I say is, leave the easy work to us, we’ll manage that. What we need is two ruffians who’ll stop at nothin’ to patrol round this cottage and guard it while we’re gone. I’ll tell you otters ’n’ squirrels, ’tis hard and dangerous work, so I’ll leave my packet of tuck to keep you two villains alive while you’re on watch here. That’s if you think you can manage the job.”

Ferdy and Coggs stood to attention, spikes bristling, cheeks puffed out with authority, practically bursting with enthusiasm. They saluted officiously as the rescue party moved off in the direction of Kotir.

Amber sniffed the light breeze. “Not more than two hours to daybreak now.”

Skipper wound a slingshot about his paw. “Aye, marm. That’ll give us enough time if we move along handy.”