“They’re out of luck with us, then,” said Giles. “We don’t even have any food for them to steal. Do you think we should warn them we’re bad pickings? I could sing very loudly about how much my stomach’s rumbling. I’ve been practicing a song about it in my head for the last few hours.”

“I expect I’ll just have to fight them off.” Rosalind straightened, holding a fallen branch, and started busily stripping off the leaves. “Don’t worry, Giles. You can write an even better ballad about that. In the meantime, though, I don’t want either of you hurt—so you stand back and hide with Cordy while I take care of all the fighting.”

“What? No!” Giles squawked. “Why would you pick a fight with grown-up bandits? That makes no sense! You don’t even have a real sword!”

Cordelia didn’t bother to argue. She just shifted into bear shape, big and clawed, looming over both of them … and not about to hide from anyone.

Rosalind shook her head pityingly. “Oh, I know you look fierce now, Cordy. But if any of those bandits had ever practiced wrestling with you …”

Cordelia growled down at her arrogant sister and lifted her muzzle in a sneer.

“Couldn’t we just walk a different way and avoid them?” Giles was still protesting as Rosalind stalked down the hillside five minutes later with Cordelia padding in her wake. He followed well behind them both, streaming complaints at his sisters with every lagging step. “If we only went around instead—”

“They probably have lookouts waiting to ambush travelers at several different points.” Rosalind didn’t even slow her confident stride. “Best to face them head-on so we know exactly where they are.”

“But what travelers could they be waiting for?” Giles tripped over a rock, but it didn’t slow his argument. “How many travelers ever come out of our forest? We’re the only ones who live there!”

“Well, then maybe they’re hoping to kidnap their new queen.” Rosalind smacked her stick menacingly against her side. “We’ll see how they like the ransom we’ll give them!”

“But—”

“Who goes there?” It was a man’s warning shout, high and angry.

Cordelia’s bear nose caught something unexpected in the air: the scent of fear beneath the anger. She tilted her big, shaggy head, sniffing harder.

Why would ferocious bandits be frightened of any passersby?

“Stand back if you value your lives, villains!” Rosalind shouted. “You’ll regret it if you try to face us down, I promise you!”

Giles let out a heartfelt groan.

Cordelia huffed warningly at her sister. There was more going on here than they’d realized …

But as usual, Rosalind was barreling ahead without bothering to ask any questions first. “Lay down your weapons, now!” she bellowed.