The vermin patrol was dodging highly aggressive toads. They tripped over dunes and ran slap bang into each other.

"Well," one of the weasels said when they got a chance to rest, "We can't return to Predak empty-handed, unless you want to be dead!"

"We can't stay here, either!" The leader said, "Predak wouldn't be any happier wid us iffn we stayed out 'ere, she'd think we deserted! We 'ave ta go back!"

"Would she be any happier wid us iffn we returned empty-pawed?"

"Fine! We'll stay out 'ere a season. Then we go back, seven captives or not!"

************************************************************

Tyra was chained in the front of the ship next to a reddish wildcat. The two pulled the 40-pound oar, and Tyra listened to what the wildcat remembered of her childhood.

"I am Katzey 'SeaQueen' Gingivere. My father used to be cap'n of this ship when she 'twas named the SeaQueen. When I was about five seasons old, this searat gang invaded our ship. They killed my father, along with Boulonnais the mole's, as they stood outside the barricaded cabin where me, Boulonnais and our mothers were. The searats burned down the cabin, killing our mothers, and pulled us out. They changed my father's pride and joy, this ship, into the Bloodfarl. Then they rebuilt the cabin, go a few more oarslaves, and now you see a cap'n's daughter pulling an oar, since before she was six seasons old.

************************************************************

"Ak hal, has there been no sign of your patrol yet?"

"No, Predak none." Akhal said, breathig a sigh of relif as she moved on to Eric.

"Is there any progress on the catapult?"

"We're still looking for wood."

"Well hurry up, idiot, and find some! We don't have fifty seasons!"

Eric saluted and hurried off.