Sapwood’s reply was calm and reassuring. “Just stick by me an’ Hoxeye, missie. We’ve fought our way out of tighter corners than this’n, believe me.”

*   *   *

Now the circle was drawing tight. Klitch stood outside it, his blue eyes shining triumphantly in the torchlight.

“Well well, what have we here? Three bold warriors sent by the badger. No doubt you’ll be wanting to fight. Sorry to disappoint you, though.”

Oxeye hefted his spear, chuckling with anticipation. “Oh, don’t fret, laddie buck, we won’t disappoint you. Come on now, step up an’ taste some cold steel from Salamandastron. Or haven’t y’ got the nerve for it, you slimy little weasel?”

Klitch had been stalling for time, but now he saw his soldiers had found the rope ends poking up out of the sand he gave the signal.

“Now!”

They tugged hard and the net was unearthed from just beneath the sand. With a yell they charged inward.

The three hares fought to keep their balance as the heavy twisted fibers of the net appeared through the sand beneath their paws.

In the confusion that followed, Sapwood yelled to Oxeye, “We’re trapped. See if y’ can get Penny away from ’ere!”

Oxeye dropped his spear, knocking the javelin from Pennybright’s paws as the Sergeant lashed out all round at the yelling mob that scrambled forward holding the net high. Exerting his great strength, Big Oxeye grabbed Pennybright and lifted her bodily over his head. Jumping high, he hurled her over the heads of the vermin and the closing net.

“Run for home, gel! Eulaliaaaaa!”

Sapwood went down under the weight of creatures who piled in throwing the coils over him and Oxeye. Seconds later they were clubbed senseless and wrapped in the snares of the fiber mesh.

*   *   *

Pennybright hit the sand in a stumbling run. A stoat managed to grab her, but she bit his paw to the bone and he let go with a squeal of pain. The young hare righted herself and ran flat out for the mountain, the breath sobbing in her throat as she thought of her two friends lying trapped. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Klitch and Dragtail speeding after her. Sand flew beneath her paws. Three stoats were racing madly, trying to cut her off before she could reach the mountain. An arrow whizzed by Pennybright’s head, and Dragtail was notching another shaft on his bowstring. She swerved, ducking left and right. An arrow hummed viciously by, clipping her ear as she went. The mountain loomed large as Pennybright yelled with the last of her lungpower:

“Eulaliaaaaaaa!”