“Listen, weasel, will you stop waffling around and tell us what you’ve got, instead of standing there looking pleased with yourself?”

Cludd beckoned with his spear. “Right. Show ’em lads.”

The ranks of the patrol parted, revealing two small hedgehogs. They were gagged and trussed upside down, slung upon poles carried by four soldiers.

Ferdy and Coggs were well and truly captured!

Bella paused, gazing at the run of the grain on the tabletop. She was remembering times long gone.

“Where did old Lord Brocktree and Boar the Fighter go questing?” Martin asked softly. The badger gave her answer in a single word: “Salamandastron.”

“Salamandastron?” Martin repeated the strange-sounding word.

Bella nodded slowly. “Aye, the fire mountain, secret place of the dragons.”

Martin’s eyes went wide with wonderment. “Bella, don’t stop now. Carry on, please.”

The badger smiled wistfully. “Ah, little Martin the Warrior, I see that same strange fire kindled in your eyes, just as it was with my father and his father before him. Why must Salamandastron always weave its spell upon the brave? I can see your desire to travel there; that is as I wanted it to be.”

Martin furrowed his brows. “You want me to travel to Salamandastron? But why?”

Bella leaned close, emphasizing each word with a tap of her paw on the table. Since Boar left Mossflower, we have lived under virtual siege. First there was the rebellion, when many brave woodlanders lost their lives; then there was the settlement with its slummy hovels and tolls, and soldiers harassing the creatures that had to endure living there. I know it seems fairly safe out here in Brockhall, but will it always be so? Now that Tsarmina rules Kotir, we can never be sure what she will do next. Ben Stickle hit the nail on the head when he said Kotir could not last without creatures to supply it with rations. Will the cat start to search Mossflower for us? She will have to do something before next winter; she has a full army to feed. Martin, I feel that we are living on a knife’s edge here. Ben Stickle wants peace, Skipper wants war, the Abbess wants peace, Lady Amber wants war. Boar the Fighter is the rightful ruler of Mossflower. I cannot leave here; I have responsibilities to our friends the woodlanders and the Corim. Who could I send? Martin, there is only you. You have traveled, you are an experienced warrior, you are the one I will stake my trust on. Don’t rush to give me your answer now. I want you to think about it. This is a very dangerous mission, and I will understand if you wish to stay here. My home is your home!

“I believe that my father still lives. You must bring him back to Mossflower to break Tsarmina’s regime. Together under the leadership of Boar the Fighter we will defeat Tsarmina.”

The spell was broken by Lady Amber, who came striding in with a face that was so grim it heralded bad news.