XII

Stripepaw's forces were outmatched. There swords fell short of the black bird's beaks,

and their arrows could not reach the heights that the creatures took. Stripepaw knew they

couldn't win, but he knew how he could try. Looking around, he saw his prey: Quickwing.

If he could take out the leader, the flock would fall. He slunk through the other vermin,

slowly making his way to the bird leader. Before the creature could move to attack, his

head was severed by the vermin's blade. The battle ceased for one brief second, as the

birds turned to see Quickwing's severed head. As he had done to Lashclaw and his horde,

the sly marten would per sway these beasts to join him. He spoke. "Now listen you black

feathered fowl, your leader is dead. Join my horde or join your leader!" The birds spoke

amongst themselves. A large Raven steeped forward. "We join no horde. And we not join

Quickwing. We fly. And you die for threatening Hellbeak's flock." The all the creatures

flew off, leaving the beaten horde to worry about this "Hellbeak" creature.

Brother Tadle led the group down into Brother Figgle's cellar. Past all of the barrels,

Past the barrel that Skivel had found the Rose in, to the back. In front of them stood a

large stack of barrels. The old mouse walked to the wall where the barrel's sides

touched, and pushed a little. The stack moved! Tadle didn't have the strength to move it,

but Lashclaw did. The large mink pushed the stack to the side, showing a large entrance.

The group walked into the darkness, and Barkquill lit a candle. Inside was a large stack

of parchments, maps and manuscripts. Sitting in chair in the room was a mole.

"Sister Roa, have you found what we asked for?" asked Brother Tadle.

The mole looked up from the manuscript in her hand. "It's good to see you too Tadle,"

spoke the old mole, "I found the old map you wanted. Hasn't been used in years."

She passed the old parchment to Tadle, and her showed it to the gathered beasts. It was

an old map of the Banarang forest, the Roonca river, and the Willow forest. Brother

Tadle pointed to the area that the village now sits. He traced a line straight through the

forest, to a clearing in the centre. "This," he spoke in a low tone, "This is the first place

they would make camp. Then, the horde would likely head to through the valley, and then

straight into the thicker backwoods. You should make It there in a week. Once you catch

up to them, you can track them the rest of the way."

The villagers gathered food, arms, and supplies for the four travellers. The Council gave

them the map, along with a manuscript detailing the way to go. Skivel's family bid her

farewell, as did Driff's and Barkquill's. At the village gate, Lashclaw and the elders

spoke of the mission. The others joined him at the gate, and they were off into the forest.

A squirrelmaid, a baby shrew, a hedgehog and a trained vermin warrior, journeying

through the deep Banarang forest.