They walked into the barn. "Hmm, no sign of an owl in here," said Joshy.
Matthias heard snoring coming from behind a pile of hay bales. "Maybe he's behind here." He climbed up the stack.
Suddenly he slipped and fell, and landed in the gaping mouth of a huge orange cat! He screamed aloud with fright.
"I'll save you, Matthias!" Pinkie Pie cried. She leaped over the hay bales and started jumping on the cat's stomach. Matthias went flying out of the cat's mouth and landed against the wall.
"How rude!" the cat exclaimed. "First a mouse leaps into my mouth, then a horse jumps on my stomach!"
Matthias managed to stand again. He bowed shakily. "I beg your pardon, sir. It was purely accidental. I fell, you see. Being in a cat's mouth is every mouse's worst nightmare."
"I simply cannot abide the taste of mice," the cat said. "I gave up red meat years ago."
Pinkie Pie took her hoof off his stomach. "Sorry about that. I was afraid you were gonna hurt my friend Matthias."
The cat sniffed distantly. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Squire Julian Gingivere."
"Gingivere- I've heard that name before," said Matthias. "Wasn't that the name of Tsarmina's brother?"
"Yes, but he was a good guy, so he helped Martin the Warrior against Tsarmina," said Julian. "He was my ancestor. What brings you to my barn?"
"We're looking for an owl named Captain Snow," said Twilight. "We heard he lived here."
"Captain Snow, eh? That old maniac! He eats anything that moves or crawls. I've forbidden him the use of my barn, you know. What do you want with him?"
"He knows where the serpent Asmodeus lives," said Matthias. "Asmodeus has the sword of Martin. I need to get it back."
"Asmodeus, eh? Well, Snow lives in a hollow tree these days. I'll stretch a point and take you there. But please don't expect me to introduce you or even talk to him. When I barred Snow from 'ere we had a dreadful quarrel. Things were said that cannot be rescinded. I vowed that day never to speak to the old owl as long as I lived."
Cluny and Darkclaw were outside, listening under the barn window. They had heard every word.
"So, Matthias is looking for Martin's sword, is he?" Cluny murmured. "If I could reach Asmodeus before he does, I can take the sword for myself! Let the mice keep Martin's tapestry. When I have Martin's sword, nobeast alive will be able to stand against me!"
"But Chief, you don't know where Asmodeus lives," said Darkclaw.
"I can tell you where he lives," said a voice.
The rats spun around to see a fox standing behind them. He wore a mask on his face and an amethyst brooch on his shirt. Cluny thought he seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place him.
"Asmodeus lives in the old sandstone quarry across the river," the fox said.
"Come on, you cringing load of catsmeat," Cluny told Darkclaw. "Let's beat that mouse to the sword!"
They hurried off. Chickenhound watched them go with a smile on his face. The foolish old rat had taken the bait. With any luck, Cluny and Asmodeus would kill each other and he would be revenged on both of them. "Who's the idiot now?" he murmured.