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Back Salamandastron Save as PDF
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

The younger weasel leapt up and bounded athletically up the rocks to the opening, turning to address his father before disappearing inside.

“Once again we agree, old one. It is your horde . . . while you’re still alive!”

39

In the hour before dawn, Guosssom shrews leapt from the logboats into the shallows, willing paws pushing and tugging as they beached the five vessels on the shore in front of Salamandastron. Samkim and Arula looked up and down the empty beach, paws close to their weapon handles.

“Yurr, Sanken, it be turrible soilent ’ereabouts. Oi wunner where all ’ee vurmints be agone to?”

Sapwood was tracking through the sands. “Not too ’ard to tell Harula. I’m a-thinkin’ we might’ve arrived ’ere too late!”

Loambudd lifted Ashnin lightly from the logboat and set her on dry land. Hefting a paddle, she joined them. “No time for gossip now. Gather round, everybeast!”

Every creature present dropped what they were doing and crowded about the wise old female badger as she rapped out orders.

“Urthwyte, Samkim and Arula—go with Alfoh and his tribe and find out what the position is at the mountain. Pikkle, you go with them and act as runner. The rest of you stay here with me.”

*   *   *

Armed with rapiers and paddles, the tribe of Alfoh stole silently across the shore in the wake of Pikkle and the white badger. Samkim drew the sword of Martin as he hurried along with the frontrunners; Arula waddled alongside him, swinging a loaded sling. Automatically Pikkle made for the main entrance. He groaned softly as he saw the unblocked fissure yawning wide.

“Oh no, it looks like Ferahgo’s stinkin’ lot have found a way inside!”

At the opening, Samkim held up a paw for silence. “Hist!” Badtooth had taken an arrow in his paw. Hauling himself painfully through the opening, the stoat sought a soft resting place on the sand. He was halfway through the opening when a huge white paw seized him by the throat. Badtooth gave a terrified gurgle as he was dragged out onto the rocks. Samkim held the edge of the sword across his throat, growling viciously, “One false move or a wrong word and you lose your head! Now speak up, what has happened here?”

The unfortunate stoat gulped and whimpered out all he knew. “The horde are in there, tryin’ to fight their way through the mountain . . .”

Pikkle grabbed him by the ear. “Where’s Ferahgo an’ Klitch?”

“Klitch is in there, an’ Crabeyes, an’ Dragtail an’ the rest. I ’aven’t clapped eyes on Ferahgo since the attack started, I swear it!”

Urthwyte and Samkim exchanged glances.

“We’ll have to take his word for it,” the white badger grunted. He knocked the stoat senseless with a sweep of his paw, looking about as if undecided what to do next.