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Chapters (50)
  1. TRAPPED
  2. Title Page
  3. Map
  4. BOOK ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. BOOK TWO
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. BOOK THREE
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44

But a swift plan had already formulated in Urthstripe’s mind. “Permission denied, Sergeant. I want this poisoner myself, but if we are to capture him we must act with all speed. Right, here’s the plan. Split into two groups—Oxeye, you take one group up to the crater top immediately. Keep low so that Ferahgo’s army cannot see you. I want that crater top sealed off like a bottleneck so that the fox cannot get away. Sapwood, take the rest and follow him. When you reach the top, pair off in twos and start searching the mountain thoroughly from top to bottom. Wedge off all exits, window slits and the like. If you do the job correctly, the fox will have only one way to run—down! I will be waiting in the cave where Shorebuck and Windpaw are lying. Off you go now!”

*   *   *

Ferahgo had been searching the base of the mountain, poking, sniffing and prying all around its mighty circumference. A sizable contingent headed by Doghead and Dewnose followed him. They watched as the Assassin halted at a spot on the north side and marked a cross in the sand with his dagger.

“Here! See the cracks and loose boulders? It’s a fault in the rock. This is where we’ll tunnel in. Hah! They should have eaten and drunk their fill by now in there. Thirsty work, heaving all those boulders about and defending a mountain against my horde. The poison should be working well, if I know Farran!”

Klitch perched on a rock slightly above his father’s head. “Tunnel in? Seems a lot of unnecessary work when we could find a window slit, or even attempt unblocking the main entrance. That’d save a lot of digging.”

Ferahgo toyed with the gold medallion around his neck. “Don’t worry, Klitch my son, you won’t be asked to get your paws dirty. We’ve got an entire horde to do the job. Have you never heard of the element of surprise? If there is anybeast left alive in there and they still happen to be in fighting form, they’d expect us to try unblocking one of the entrances, but we will be doing the unexpected. Doghead, Dewnose, make a start here. There’s loose boulders and lots of wide cracks. Use spears, pikes, knives, swords—anything, but keep them at it.”

*   *   *