Only the old guard are left here with me on this mountain, dim of eye and feeble of limb, the seasons of their strength long flown." Peacetime makes young warriors restless they are gone questing afar for adventure. "If the gates of Dark Forest lie open for me soon, if the shadow of evil darkens our western shores, who will serve in my stead? My hares are scattered far and wide. Closing both eyes, he breathed in deeply and let his mind take flight. As the sweet-smelling incense of smoke wreathed him, he sat down upon a carved rock throne.
Then, taking a pawful of herbs from a shell he sprinkled them into the lantern vents. Guarding it in fearsome armored array stood the mummified bodies of past Badger Warriors: Urthrun the Gripper, Spearlady Gorse, Bluestripe the Wild, Ceteruler the Just and many other legendary figures.įrom his own lantern, Stonepaw lit three others. Ranged around the walls of the inner chamber were lines of little carvings, telling of the mountain's history. It was a place that would have made the hairs on any other creature's back stand stiff. Lord Stonepaw made his way to the secret chamber where countless other Badger Rulers of Salamandastron had gone to dream mysterious dreams. Bobbing a stiff bow he left the chamber, pushing his trolley. There are things I must do."įleetscut had never questioned his Badger Lord's authority, and was not about to do so now. Leave me now, I'll talk to you on the morrow. "Why indeed? They have no duty to protect this coast and they can always build nests elsewhere. The badger smiled at his faithful old friend. Stands t'reason, though, sire,why should they hang about if they know somethin' bad is due to come here?" "Who knows what goes on in the mind of a seabird? Maybe they know things we don't. Where do you suppose all the birds have gone? The skies are usually thick with gulls, cormorants, petrels and shearwaters in late spring."įleetscut shrugged expressively. "Blench was right, too, now you come to mention it. Lord Stonepaw stroked his long silver beard thoughtfully. Matter o' fact, I was thinkin' those very thoughts this afternoon, when old Blench the cook said to me: `Looks like evil comin' soon.' She says: `See for yourself, there ain't a sight or sound of a single bird anywhere on land or sea!'" Worst part of it is that I can't even guess what the future holds."įleetscut looked strangely at the Badger Lord, then shuddered and went to warm himself by the fire. I wished that we could live our days out without having to take up arms again, Fleetscut, but deep down I'm stone cold certain it won't happen. Something inside me says that trouble such as these shores have never known is headed our way. He stared out at the darkened waters as he replied. With a grunt, Stonepaw rose slowly from his chair and joined his companion at the window.
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