‘What can we do? What can we do?’ Lug was starting to panic. Next to her, Liska could feel Fishbone’s tail, puffed up as every hair stood on end. A low yowl had started to build up in the kittimew’s throat.

‘Get behind us,’ Liska said to the others. ‘We might be able to stop it.’ A little cat and a fox against one of those creatures? They didn’t stand a chance, but what choice did they have? ‘Maybe you can call up that God Worm of yours. It could dig us a tunnel out of here.’

She said it as a half-joke but Lug started mumbling his incantations all the same.

‘WHAT IS THIS? WHAT HAVE YOU BROUGHT INTO MY FOREST?’

Their panic was interrupted by the giant’s voice. It sounded further away – outside the cave, maybe – but it was raised in anger. So loud it shook clumps of mud from the pit walls.

‘They are harmless, I assure you! Don’t hurt them! Please!’ Thresher was shouting too. The louder her voice got, the more strangled it became. The giant must have seen the seepers and, from the sound of it, wasn’t pleased.

‘MONSTERS!’ the giant raged. ‘EVIL THINGS! THEY MUST BE DESTROYED!’

A boom, followed by a small earthquake. The walls around them shook, the hatch above creaked. Liska and the others clutched at each other in terror. From outside they heard a screaming, screeching howl. Someone was shrieking in pain, but it was a noise that no normal living creature could make.

‘No!’ Thresher yelled again. ‘Stop!’

Another boom, followed by a second wail.

‘The giant is killing the seepers!’ Elowen shouted.

Liska had to admit that was how it sounded. Although she didn’t want to get too excited just yet. They might be next on the giant’s list.

‘Curse you! Away, girls! Away!’

The squelching sound from the side of the pit grew louder, and then abruptly vanished. In its place was a gentle pattering of falling mud. Liska padded forward and sniffed – the oily rotten stink had gone.

‘Thank the Tree, it’s run away,’ she said, letting all the breath she’d been holding out in one long sigh. ‘I think we might be safe.’

‘Safe? I haven’t been safe since I left my nice marshy burrow,’ said Lug before freezing in mid moan. The footsteps of the giant were stomping towards them again, and the wooden hatch of their prison began to lift. At the gap was a green-furred hand, gnarled fingers grasping, reaching to pull them out.

*

First Lug and Elowen were scooped, vanishing up out of the pit with Lug screaming as he went. Then the giant’s other hand dipped in and Liska felt the long, bony fingers wrap around her and Fishbone.