8

When the sun was past its zenith, Russa woke Tammo. He felt marvelously refreshed and immediately shouldered the haversack, saying, “My turn to carry this awhile. Come on, pal, where to now?

Still traveling south, the squirrel took him to the top of the next rise and pointed with her stick. “Little patch of woodland yonder, we should make it at twilight.

The going was much easier for Tammo. He enjoyed the sight of new places and fresh scenery, learning from his experienced traveling companion all the time. Russa seemed to come out of her normally taciturn self and was much more verbose than usual.

“Skirt round this patch, Tamm, dont want to disturb that curlew sittin on er nest, do we?

“Of course not, jolly thoughtful of you. Leave the poor bird in peace to sit on her eggs, wot?

“Nothin of the sort. Ifn we crossed there thatd upset er, and shed fly up kickin a racket to warn us off. Thatd give our position away to anybeast who was trackin us.

“Oh, right. I say, dyou suppose there is somebeast after us?

Russas reply was cryptic. “I dunno, what dyou think?

The squirrel was as good as her word. Long shadows were gone and twilight was shading the skies as they arrived at the woodland patch, which was considerably bigger than it had seemed from afar. Russa allowed Tammo to pick their campsite, and he chose an ancient fallen beech with part of its vast root system poking into the air.

Russa nodded approval. “Hmm, this looks all right. Want a fire?

Tammo shrugged off his belt and weapon. “If you say so. Spring nights can be jolly cold, and besides, Id like to have a hot supper, if yhave no objections.

Russa shook her head vigorously. “None at all, matey. Theres plenty o deadwood an dry bark about. Ill see tthe fire, you unpack the vittles.

Flint and steel from Russas pouch soon had dry tinder alight. Clearing a firespace around it, she added fragrant dead pine twigs, old brown ferns, and some stout billets of beech. Tammo found a flagon of elderberry wine in the pack. He warmed pancakes before spreading them with honey, and set two moist-looking chunks of plum cake near the flames to heat through. They sat with their backs against the beech, pleasantly tired, eating, drinking, and chatting.

Russa picked up Tammos dirk and inspected it closely. “This is a rare weapon, mate. Is it your fathers?

“No, it was my mothers. She was a Long Patrol fighter, yknow. She said a Badger Lord made it for her in the forge at Salamandastron, the great mountain fortress. Can you tell me anythin of the mountain, Russa? Ive never seen it.

Reflectively the squirrel balanced the blade in her paw, then she threw it skillfully. It whizzed across the clearing and thudded point first into a sycamore trunk.

“Sometimes a thrown blade can save your life, she said. “Ill teach you how to sling it properly before long.

Tammo had to tug hard to pull the dirk from the tree trunk. “Id be rather obliged if ydid. Now what about Salamandastron?

Russa took a sip of wine and settled back comfortably. “Oh, that place, hmm, let me see. Welt, a mountains a mountain, much like any other, but I can give you the chant I heard the Long Patrol hares sayin last time I was over that way.

Tammo piled a bit more wood on the fire. “You know the Long Patrol hares? Tell me, what do they chant?

The squirrel closed her eyes. “Far as I can recall it went somethin like this:

“O vermin if you dare, come and visit us someday, Bring all your friends and weapons with you too. Youll find a good warm welcome, let nobeast living say That cold steel was never good enough for you.

You wont find poor helpless beasts all undefended, Like the old ones, babes, and mothers that youve slain, And youll find that when your pleasant visits ended, Youll never ever leave our shores again.

All you cowards of the land and you flotsam of the sea, Who murder, pillage, loot wheneer you please, Theres a Long Patrol a waitin, well greet you cheerfully, Youll hear us cry Eulalia on the breeze.

“Tis a welcome to the bullies who slay without a care,

All those good and peaceful creatures who cant fight,

But perilous and dangerous the beast they call the hare,

Who stands for nought but honor and the right.

Eulalia! Eulalia! Come bring your vermin horde,

The Long Patrol awaits you, led by a Badger Lord!

Tammo shook his head in admiration. “By golly, thats some chant! Are they really that brave and fearless, these Long Patrol hares?

Russa threw a burning log end back into the fire. “Ruthless, they can be, but they keep the shores defended and the land safe fer peaceful creatures tlive in. Cmon now, mate, yneed yore sleep for tomorrows trekkin. Stow yself over there in the dark, away from the flames.

Tammo pulled a wry face at this suggestion. “But Im nicenwarm here, whyve I got to move?

The squirrels face grew stern. “Because I says so, now stop askin silly questions an shift!

Tammo retreated into the surrounding bushes, muttering, “Nice warm fire an Ive got tsleep back here, a chap could catch his death o cold on a night like this, taint fair!

Sometime during the night, Tammo was awakened by a bloodcurdling scream. He leapt up, grabbing for his dirk, which he had left within paws reach. It was not there.

He stood in the firelight and looked around. His friend was missing too. Cupping paws around his mouth, the young hare yelled into the night-darkened woodlands, “Russa, where are you?

With a bound the squirrel cleared the fallen beech trunk and was at his side, wiping the dirk blade on the grass. “Im here. Keep yvoice down an get back under cover!

Together they crouched in the bushes. Tammo was bursting to question Russa, but he held his silence, watching the squirrels eyes flick back and forth as she craned her head forward, listening.

From somewhere in the midst of the trees there came a shriek of rage. Russa stood erect and shouted in the direction whence it had come, “Yore mates dead, ferret! Take warnin an clear off, cos Im comin after you next an I dont take prisoners!

Skulkas answering call came back, thick with rage: “It aint over, old one, well get you an yer liddle pal! Jus waitnsee!

This was followed by the sound of Skulka crashing off through the ferns. Then there was silence. Russa gave Tammo back his dirk, saying, “It was those two ferrets we tangled with earlier today, mate. I knew theyd be back, specially after they saw you take our avvysack o vittles out o the bushes back there.

Tammo felt weak with shock. “Russa, Im sorry. If I hadnt let them see the haversack they wouldve gone off none the wiser.

The wily squirrel shook her head. “Wrong, matey, they wouldve tried to get us whether or not. I knew they was followin us all day. Twas logical theyd make their move tonight when they thought wed be asleep. So I took off into the trees wid yore blade an bumped straight into the one called Gromal, armed wid a long sharpened stake, if yplease. So I had to finish it then an there, twas him or me. But Im a bit worried, Tamm.

Tammo was puzzled by this statement. “Whats worryin you, Russa?

“Well, did yhear the other ferret shoutin, she said well get you. We. Its like I thought, there must be a band of em somewheres about. I had a feeling I knowed them two from long ago, they always run with a robber band.

Tammo gripped his blade resolutely. “Right, mate, whats tbe done?

Russa ruffled Tammos ears rather fondly. “Sleeps to be done. Shouldnt think theyll be back tonight, but well take turns standin guard. More likely theyll try an ambush us out in the open tomorrow, so get ysleepyoull need it.

Night closed in on the little camp. The fire dimmed from burning flame to glowing embers, trees murmured and rustled, their foliage stirred by a westering wind. Tammo dreamed of his home, Camp Tussock. He saw the faces of his family, and Osmunda and Roolee, together with the young creatures with whom he had played. Elusive aromas of Mem Divinias cooking, mingled with songs and music around the fire of a winters night, assailed his senses. A great sadness weighed upon him, as though he might never see or feel it all again.

Russa climbed into a tree and slept the way she had for many seasons, with one eye open.