Chapter 5

The three stopped around midafternoon at a squirrel's residence with his family of five in some pines.

"Do you know anything of Salamandastron?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Salamandastron has fallen. Lady Velvet is either captured, dead, or worse."

"I know worse."

"Oh, no."

"What? More news?" Balinger asked.

"Has the rat got your-oh, no no no no no no no," Al said.

Coming towards them were a pack of rats, no doubt from Salamandastron, and they were in full sight!

Back in Salamandastron, Disodeum was reporting the night's captures to Monofluro, who was dozing on Velvet's chair.

"Everyone of the enemy on dungeon level, except for -three."

"Yesssssss, the sspy and the outcasst. Hee. Who issss the thirdsssssss?"

"The d-dog, Sire."

"Ah, presssumed with the other twosssss?"

"Yes."

"I trussst you ssssent out a patrol?"

"Yes."

"We don't need to worrysss thenssssssss."

Disodeum nodded, and turned to go.

"Disssssodeum..."

***-***-***-***-***-***

"Oh, no," Fleetfoot moaned. She and Balinger began to draw their swords.

"No," the squirrel said behind them, "My family and I have our own methods of escape. Go!"

"If you get captured I will never forgive myself!"

"GO!"

Fleetfoot, Al, and Balinger took off at a full tilt run. It was hard for Al to keep up, but pushed on by fear he joined the two hares in a headlong sprint towards Mossflower Woods.

An old hollow tree***** Fleetfoot knew of stood at the outskirts of the woods. She was leading them strait to it, hoping that they could reach it before...

"Oh no! Fleetie, they have arrows!" Al moaned.

"Keep going... keep going..."

They made it to the tree and threw themselves in it, all while kicking up sand into the rat's faces, so that when they cleared their eyes, Fleetfoot, Al and Balinger were invisible in the tree.