“Mind how ye go, lads. Rocangus, ye young rip, watch yer manners an’ be civil tae other beasties. Guid luck walk with ye, Sir Thrugg. Yer a braw riverdog an’ Ah’m proud tae call ye fren’.”

“Och, mah faither’s no’ a bad auld stick,” Rocangus whispered to Thrugg. “Just o’er fussy.”

Thrugg chuckled as he swung his sling. “Listen, matey, d’you think by chance we could drop in on them crows an’ whack the features off ’em? Make the journey back to Redwall a bit more interestin’, eh?”

Rocangus flexed his good wing. “Ach, yer a wicked riverdog, Thrugg, but et’s a braw idea!”

*   *   *

The two logboats were about to be lowered from the cliffs in the early dawn when a scream from the rock ledge below cut the still summer air.

“Eeeeyaaahhh! It’s the Deepcoiler!”

Log-a-log’s face was ashen. “That’s Nordo down on the ledge!”

Urthwyte and Loambudd tore into action. Shoving Mara and Pikkle aside, they grabbed the lowering ropes and scrambled down to the ledge, Mara and Log-a-log following them as soon as the ropes were clear.

Like some grotesquely twisted tree trunk, the reptile lay half in and half out of the water, its tail trailing off into the lake depths and its monstrous head laid flat on the rock ledge.

“Stay clear! It’ll kill you all!” Ashnin yelled down after them.

Mara ventured forward cautiously, staring into the wide-open eyes that were glazed over with a milky film. “It’s dead!”

Pikkle stood pressed against the rock face with Nordo. “Dead? I wonder what killed the dreadful old blighter?”

Mara moved around the lifeless head until she could touch the cold steel that stood out from the center of the skull. “This is what slew the Deepcoiler. Urthwyte, Loambudd, lend a paw here—we’ll get the head on its side and open the mouth.”

Between the three of them the badgers managed to push the wet scaly head on its side. It was a repulsive dead weight, and foul-smelling water gushed from the mouth as they prised it open. Urthwyte propped the jaws apart with his club as Mara reached in with both paws. She began tugging. The steel that protruded from the skull waggled back and forth. Loambudd struck the pointed steel with a rock, driving it downward as Mara pulled and tugged with both paws, setting her footpaws against the sides of the fearsome rows of teeth framing the mouth. Finally the object came loose and the badger maid fell backwards onto the rock ledge with a beautiful sword in her paws.