Blacktooth was skeptical. “Oh yes? Let me tell you something, Scratt. That’d be worse than going off on your own, it’d be mutiny or mass desertion—and you know how Tsarmina’d punish that little lot.”

Scratt knew only too well. “Death!”

Blacktooth chuckled humorlessly. “Right. Deader than a fallen log. Huh, you’d be glad to be so when she finished with you, bucko.”

Cludd’s heavy voice bellowed out across the parade ground, “Silence in the ranks! No talking back there!”

Scratt muttered under his breath, “Oh dry up, slobber-chops. You weren’t even out in the forest when we had to fight.”

“No, he was back here with his nightie on, snoring like a dead dog,” Splitnose sniggered.

“I won’t tell you again. I said, silence in the ranks!”

From the rear of the army a complaining voice called out, “I reckon we’ve been stood here nearly two hours now. What for?”

Other voices began complaining before Cludd could silence them.

“Aye and why the full uniform and rock packs? Are we supposed to roast alive?”

“Pretty daft, if you ask me. I’m only a storeroom guard.”

Tsarmina prowled silently out of the main door onto the sunlit parade ground. An immediate deafening silence fell over all.

She signaled to Cludd.

The Captain of the Guard bellowed to the sweating troops, “Tribute to the Queen followed by twelve circuits of the square at the double. Begin!”

With a loud shout, ferrets, stoats and weasels roared in unison.

“Tsarmina, Queen of Mossflower!”

“Slayer of enemies!”

“Lady of the Thousand Eyes!”

“Conqueror of all creatures!”

“Ruler of Kotir!”

“Daughter of Lord Greeneyes!”

Breaking off, they commenced running in a swift trot around the parade ground, paws punished by the harsh gravel, muscles aching with the strain of the heavy packs and cumbersome weapons.

Tsarmina watched impassively, remarking to Ashleg, “Daughter of Lord Greeneyes. Who said that was to be kept among my list of titles?”

Behind her back, Ashleg looked at Fortunata and shrugged.

The wildcat Queen stared fixedly ahead as her troops lumbered by on their second circuit. “Well, I’m still waiting for an answer. Who said that my troops should be shouting about my dead father instead of me? Am I not capable of ruling Kotir alone?”

Fortunata got in ahead of Ashleg. “There has never been a more capable ruler than you, Milady. On my oath as a healer, it was not I who arranged your title list.”

Tsarmina rubbed her injured paw thoughtfully. Behind her, Ashleg’s wooden limb made nervous little shifting noises.

“What have you got to say for yourself, marten?”

“Your Majesty, I thought that—”

Tsarmina’s snarl overrode Ashleg’s nervous muttering. “Thought? Who gave you permission to think? Get out on that parade ground this instant!”

The unhappy Ashleg stumped out, knowing it was useless to plead or argue.

Tsarmina halted the march on its next circuit. They ground to a halt in front of the marten. She called out to Cludd, “Keep Ashleg in front of the army. First rank, point your spears at that marten. All of you, remember this: I am no longer called Daughter of Lord Greeneyes. That title is dead. It will be replaced by the name Tsarmina the Magnificent.”