Urthstripe woke up in a cage. He rubbed his head ruefully, surprised to find himself alive after he'd fallen into the paws of the vermin. "What are they cookin' up for me?" he wondered aloud.

Goffa jabbed a spear at him through the bars. "Wouldn't ya like ta know! Well, you have a nice sleep an' you'll find out tomorrow!"

A wave of water splashed over the badger's footpaws and he realized the cage was right on the tideline.

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At Salamandastron, Joshy was introducing himself to the other hares. "My name is William David Truman Joshua Stag Hare an' I'm a wizard. But you can call me Joshy, wot."

"What happened to Lord Urthstripe?" asked Sapwood.

Ember hung her head. "He was captured by Farrago while we were trying to rescue Joshy."

"So, you saved this one, but we lost our Badger Lord. We got the worst of the bargain if you ask me," said a hare called Windpaw.

"Well, I'm sorry if you feel that way, marm, but I can assure you, I bring many useful skills to the table," said Joshy. "For instance, I can conjure food out of thin air."

"You can make food out of nothing?" Ember exclaimed.

"That's right."

Ember clasped his paw in her hands. "Well, that's just what we need right now! We don't have any food here because a fox poisoned it all."

"Seems I showed up at the perfect time, wot," said Joshy. He went over to the dining table and raised his wand in the air and a whole bunch of food appeared on the table.

They all sat down to eat. "Well, at any rate, we shan't starve, wot," chuckled Corporal Token.

"Who's going to lead us now that Urthstripe is gone?" Ember wondered.

Sapwood cleared his throat. "If you'll pardon me sayin', marm, I believe that should be you. You've led beasts in battle before, and didn't you say dragons used to rule Salamandastron before the badgers came? You'd only be stepping back into your rightful place, wot."

"Okay," said Ember. "If you want me to lead you, I'll do the best I can."

Just then a rock came crashing through the window. Ember jumped up and ran to look out.

Farrago was standing on the shore right beneath the window. "Did you throw that rock?" Ember demanded.

"Well, I had to get your attention. I want to have a little talk with you."

"Ha! I don't talk with vermin, I bury 'em!"

Farrago's voice carried neither menace nor challenge. "If you wanted to fight, you would lose sorely. We've got you outnumbered a hundred to one."

Joshy appeared beside Ember at the window. "Hundred to one? There are about 40 hares in here. If you really outnumbered us by a hundred to one, that would mean you had 4,000 beasts in your horde. That seems a bit much to me, wot? I'm guessin' you don't have any more than 100 creatures at your back, maybe 200. You've got us outnumbered by five to one at most."

"Somebody gimme a bow and arrow," said Ember. "I'll drop this little snotnose where he stands."

Farrago took a step to the side. "Fire away. Go on, kill me! But the moment you fire your arrow you will slay your beloved Badger Lord. Look out by the tideline, you stupid dragon!"

Ember saw Urthstripe's cage at the water's edge. "If anything happens to me, my soldiers will kill him," said Farrago. "And by tomorrow evening, the tide will come in and he'll drown anyway! But if you surrender now, I'll let you, the badger, and all the hares go in peace."

Ember shook her head vehemently. "You will never have this mountain, no matter what evil plans your twisted mind can think up. You will never be master of Salamandastron. Never! Do you hear me?"

"Oh, I hear you all right. I guess I'll just go ahead and kill the stripedog right now."

"No! Don't!" Ember cried.

"There is one other option, dragon," said Farrago. "Tomorrow morning, you can come out to meet me in paw-to-claw combat. We will duel to decide whether Urthstripe lives or dies. If you win, I'll go back where I came from and never bother you again. But if I win, the mountain is mine."

"Just you and me?" Ember said. "Your vermin won't interfere?"

"Of course not, my lady. I give you my word of honor," Farrago said slyly. But he had his fingers crossed behind his back. "Are we agreed?"

Ember knew she was probably walking into a trap, but she couldn't see any other way out. "Agreed!"