Breakfast at Salamandastron the next morning was a very quiet affair. Everybeast was happy that Ripfang had been defeated and the slaves were free, but they were also sad because Boar was dead.

"What are we going to do now, matey?" Gonff asked Martin. "We failed in our quest. We're not gonna be able to bring Boar back."

"I'll have to go back to Mossflower and fight Tsarmina myself," Martin told him.

"You won't have to do it by yourself," said Lola. "Boar the Fighter might be dead, but the Long Patrol is still here. We'll go back with you and help in any way we can."

Trubbs and company voiced their approval.

"Count me in, old chap."

"Rather, what ho!"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, wot!"

"Martin, you and your amigos helped me save my amigos," said Speedy. "Now we will help you. Together we'll bring down the gringo pussycat!"

Martin looked at the circle of eager faces all around him. "I'm so lucky to have such good friends. Thank you."

"Ya know, we can ride Ripfang's ship back to Mossflower," said Bugs. "After the battle last night, I went back to the Bloodwake an' got a map out of the cabin. It looks like if we sail north a piece, we'll come to a river that leads back into Mossflower."

"Good, that means we won't have to go through the hot desert again!" Gonff exclaimed.

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Back at Kotir, Tsarmina thought up a brilliant plan to kill the alien leader Marvin. She gave him an old cloak that had belonged to Ashleg and led him out into the courtyard.

"I want you to take a look at the front gates," she said. She pushed hard against them. "See, they're rocking on their hinges. Those woodlanders have been meddling with them, I'm sure of it."

Marvin gave the gates a kick. "Do you think so? They seem solid enough to me."

Tsarmina unbolted the locks. Opening the gates cautiously, she peered around them at the woodlands. It was safe.

"All clear out here, but I don't like it. I'm sure they've done something to those hinges from outside. Just think, if those gates blew down during the autumn, we'd be at their mercy."

"Huh, I don't know what you're fussing about," Marvin said, swirling Ashleg's cloak impatiently. "The gates look all right to me."

Tsarmina gnawed her lip. "Are you really sure, though?"

The alien sighed in expiration. "Oh, I suppose I'll have to go and take a look to keep you happy."

He strode briskly outside.

Tsarmina dodged inside, slamming the gates and bolting them.

Marvin was puzzled momentarily. "What's the matter with you, Tsarmina?"

There was no reply. Tsarmina was racing across the courtyard to watch from her high window.

Marvin began trying to climb the wall to get back in. Suddenly he heard a voice. "I want a chicken now!"

Henry Hawk came swooping down. He thought Marvin was Ashleg because he was wearing Ashleg's cloak.

"Who are you?" Marvin demanded.

"A guy who eats chickens!"

"Well, I'm no chicken. I'm a man from Mars."

"That's even better! That's something no hawk has EVER eaten before!"

Marvin tried to make a run for his spaceship, but Henry was too fast for him. The hawk struck the Martian hard from behind, burying his talons and beak in Marvin's back.

As he was lifted into the sky, Marvin pulled his laser pistol out of his belt and fired at Henry once, twice! Doggedly the chicken hawk sank talons and beak into his prey, beating the air with his wings as he did. Both hunter and quarry rose skyward.

Tsarmina at her window danced up and down in fiendish glee.

Far above Mossflower, Marvin gave a final shudder and went limp, his blaster falling from his hand. Henry's eyes shut as his great wings folded in death. Tsarmina watched as both creatures plunged earthward.

Two enemies defeated in a single brilliant stroke.

Later that day, she instructed Fortunata.

"Take Skalrag, and find the bodies of Marvin and the hawk."

"Yes, Milady. Shall I bring them back here?"

"No, Fortunata. Bury them."

"As you say, Milady."

"And bury Skalrag too. I think 'tis time for him to go. I'm sure he's the one that leaked the news of the ambush to the Corim yesterday."

Fortunata's expression was inscrutable as she replied once again, "Yes, Milady."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Skalrag and Fortunata walked into the woods together. Skalrag had a shovel and Fortunata had a spear. They were still within sight of Kotir when they found the bodies.

"You're takin' me for a ride, aren't you?" Skalrag said.

"What do you mean?" Fortunata said.

"You're takin' me for a ride. A one-way ride. I bet as soon as I bend down to sink this shovel into the earth, you'll stick your spear into my back."

Fortunata smiled. "Nobeast can surprise you, can they, Skalrag. You're right. Queen Tsarmina ordered me to bring you out here and kill you." She dropped her spear. "But I'm not gonna do it."

Now Skalrag was surprised. "Why not?"

"I've done a lot of nasty things on Tsarmina's orders. I even helped her kill her father. But I draw the line at killing another fox."

"Well, that's very noble of you. I've known plenty of foxes who wouldn't think twice about killing another fox."

Fortunata glanced nervously up at the fortress. "Tsarmina is probably watching us from her window. If I don't kill you, she'll kill me."

"So, what are we gonna do?"

"We've got to run. Now, while we've got a head start. It's the only chance we have."

They took off, running east.

Tweety heard everything from a tree. He flew to Brockhall to carry the news to the Corim.

"So that vixen had a tiny bit of good in her after all. Who would've thought it?" Amber said when she heard the story.

"Does this mean we won't see Mr. Skalrag again?" Ferdy asked.

Goody shook her head. "Doesn't sound like it. Mercy me, we never did get to thank him for rescuing you."

"Aye, or for warning us about the aliens," said Skipper. "I hope he makes it."

"And I hope Martin makes it back to Mossflower soon with my father, Boar the Fighter," said Bella.

As it turned out, Tsarmina wasn't watching from her window, and she didn't notice Fortunata was missing for several hours. So, the two foxes got away. I don't know where they went, but they were never seen in Mossflower again.