The next day Tsarmina was woken up by a weasel knocking on her door. "Milady, they're out there!"

"What are you yammering on about now, Brogg? Who's out there?"

"Woodlanders! Go and see for yourself!"

Tsarmina came bounding down wide awake. Recalling the last woodlander raid, she acted with caution. She poked her head around the castle doorway nervously, ready to pull back swiftly in case of arrows.

The main gates had been flung agape. Standing in the open with the dawn mist evaporating in the sun around them were a number of creatures. Mice, otters, squirrels, hedgehogs, hares, even shrews. Tsarmina recognized Martin immediately, also Bugs Bunny standing behind him. She curled her lip in scorn. "Escaped prisoners and woodland rebels, what do you want?"

"We are the leaders of the Corim come to deliver an ultimatum." The warrior mouse's voice was hard and clear.

Tsarmina's mind was racing. All the leaders here in one place; they must not be allowed to escape alive. "Get the archers," she whispered to Brogg. Out loud she said, "Well, here I am, speak your piece."

Martin pointed a paw at her. "Listen carefully to what I say, cat. You and your creatures have no right to tyrannize or try to enslave woodlanders. We are honest and free. Mossflower is our home."

"Ye insolent upstart!" Tsarmina laughed harshly. "I should have killed you when I had the chance. Do you realize who you are threatening? I am Tsarmina, Queen of the Thousand Eyes, Ruler of Mossflower."

Her adversary did not seem impressed. "I am Martin the Warrior, and I did not come here to make idle threats. This is what I have to say: leave this place by sunset today, take your army with you, go where you will, but stay clear of Mosslower and do not try to harm any woodlander."

Tsarmina glanced over her shoulder; she could see the archers standing inside the doorway.

"If I do as you say, what then?"

"You will be allowed to leave in peace and none of your creatures will be harmed. You have my word as a warrior."

Tsarmina shrugged. She held her paws open wide. "What happens if I choose not to leave?" she asked.

Martin's tone was like Boar's hammer striking the anvil. "You will die here, you and all your vermin. I will bring this evil place down on your heads. Again, you have my word as a warrior."

Tsarmina remained silent for a moment, as if considering both offers. When she spoke again her voice was flat and dangerous. "Big words for a little mouse. I will make no promises save one: you will all be slain where you stand."

At her signal a score of archers leaped forth, ready to fire.

She folded her paws, smiling sarcastically. "What do you say to that, little warrior?"

Martin stood like a rock, showing no trace of fear. "Then we will stay here and be killed by your arrows. But look behind me at the trees and on your outer wall. Every woodlander who can draw bowstring or throw javelin is aiming straight for your treacherous heart. You would not get a paw's length before you were sent to the gates of Dark Forest. So, carry on, cat. Tell your archers to fire. We will die so that Mossflower can be rid of you."

Tsarmina looked at all the animals with their weapons pointed at her. "Down bows!" she called urgently to her archers.

The soldiers pointed their bows to the ground, allowing the strings to slacken off.

The Corim leaders began walking backward out of the gateway.

Tsarmina extended a quivering claw. "This isn't where it finishes," she threatened. "Oh no, this is only the start."

Martin's response rang back at her. "Until sunset tonight. We will wait outside for your answer."

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Bugs stood in the shadow of a sycamore with Martin.

"Well, Doc, it's done now. We're all in it, win or lose. No second chances. You hoid the cat- this is only the start."

"She's planning something, Martin," Lady Amber said from up in the branches. "It's gone too quiet in there for my liking."

Martin looked up. "Mine, too. Tell the leaders to draw their companies back under cover. Let us wait and see what move she'll make."

Whispered orders went out, and the woodlanders moved back, blending into the green shade and mottled shadow. And just in time too. Tsarmina had led her soldiers out onto the roof of Kotir. They fired at the area where the woodlanders had been, but there was nobeast there anymore.

"Shouldn't we be firing a few arrows back?" Speedy asked.

Gonff shook his head. "No, matey. Waste of time. Too high. Besides, we'd give our position away to them. Let 'em waste more shafts awhile yet."

"Unless we could get high up in those trees on the north side," a squirrel named IQ said.

"Could you hit them from there?" Martin asked.

"What? Good squirrel archers? O' course we could, Martin."

The warrior mouse pondered. "Hmm, possible, I suppose. But we'd need something to decoy them into concentrating their fire over this way. Any ideas, Bugs?"

"Yeah, I got some ideas, Doc." Bugs smiled.

Up on the roof, Tsarmina waved her paw for the archers to cease fire. Some of them did not see her and kept shooting.

"Stop, that's enough, fools!" she shrieked. "Can't you see they're not there?"

Suddenly one of the Instant Martians started hopping up and down. "What are you doing?" Tsarmina demanded.

The alien bird pointed with his green wing down at the bushes at the wood's edge. They were shaking and rustling.

Tsarmina smiled with satisfaction. "So, we weren't just wasting arrows; some of them are hit. Over here, you lot. Give those bushes a good raking with arrows. I don't want anything left alive down there. Ready, fire!"

The shafts went through the bushes like a shower of rain.

Bugs and Lola sat some distance from the bushes. Well hidden, they tugged vigorously at lengths of rope that were attached to bush and branch.

Meanwhile, the squirrels had climbed up into the trees, and now they let fly a volley of arrows at the vermin on the roof, killing about twenty of them. Before the vermin could retaliate, the squirrels dropped back down to the ground.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Good decoy, Bugs," Lady Amber said. "We gave them something they won't forget in a hurry."

"Si, a clever strategy, but you must keep on trying to think one jump ahead of this Tsarmina. That cat is as cunning as any sea rat," Speedy warned.

Tweety came flying in. "I just hoid da puddy tat giving orders," he said.

"What was she saying?" Martin asked.

"Well, most of it wasn't fit for da ears of any decent cweature, but she's weft a token force on da roof and is taking da west downstairs."

Martin unsheathed his sword. "That may mean she intends coming out to make an attack on us."

"This is what I've been waiting for," said Trubbs. "We'll be there, old bean, pikin' away with our pikes."

"Rather. Done this sort of thing before, don't ya know," said Wother.

"Jab, thrust, and whatnot; all part of the game," said Ffring.

"I'll be right beside ya, Martin. Wouldn't miss it for nothin'," said Bugs. It was the first time Martin could recall the hare calling him by his actual name, instead of "Doc."

"I want no pitched battle or wholesale killing," Martin told everybeast firmly. "You must do just enough to defend our position. Lady Amber, keep squirrels high in the trees; have them take brushwood shields for protection."

Soon, the soldiers of Kotir came pouring out of the gates, led by Brogg the weasel. (Tsarmina had cravenly stayed behind up on the roof.)

"Troops charge! Death to the woodlanders!" Brogg yelled.

The rebels responded with battle cries of their own.

"Martin for Mossflower!"

"Eulalia! Blood and vinegar!"

"Logalogalogalog!"

Weapons clashed as the two sides met.

The vermin were surprised to find themselves outmatched. Otters were hitting them with sling stones and javelins, and squirrels were hitting them with arrows. The Long Patrol hares were causing devastation with their pikes, as well as the Guosim with their shrew rapiers.

Martin whirled his sword madly, striking down any weasel, stoat, ferret, or alien who came near him. Soon he found himself face to face with Brogg. Brogg swung a curved sword at Martin, but Martin's sword was sharper, and he brought it down on top of the weasel's weapon, cutting off the blade. Brogg backed up against a tree. Martin pointed the sword at his throat.

"Get back in there. Now!" The warrior mouse's voice snapped like a whip.

To Brogg's surprise, Martin lowered the sword. The weasel didn't waste any time dashing back inside the gates, shouting aloud, "Retreat, retreat! Back to Kotir!"

Skipper hefted a javelin, taking aim at Brogg, but Martin pushed the weapon aside.

"Enough, Skip. Let them go."

The vanquished troops fought tooth and claw among themselves to be first over the wall lest the warrior mouse change his mind.

Loamhedge mice moved in to help the wounded.

Skipper stood breathing heavily. "You should have let us finish it, Martin."

"No, Skipper," Martin said. "The only time I would have allowed that was if the cat had been here."

Gonff sheathed his fighting dagger. "Blow me, matey. We had them whipped there. Why did you let 'em go?"

Martin wiped his sword on the grass, staring at the slain of both sides strewing the woodland floor.

"To show them we are not evil," he said at last. "We only want what is ours, and now I think they know we're strong enough to get it. Could you not see, the fight is going out of those soldiers? They are beginning to look as though they need food. Their larders must be just about empty, and only the fear of their cruel queen keeps them going. Besides, when I put my plan in motion, Kotir will be truly broken and defeated until it is only a bad name to frighten little ones off to bed with in the seasons to come."

"Ya did right, Doc," said Bugs. "There's nothin' eviler than killing. I don't care whether they call it war or justice; life is precious."

There was no more fighting that day. Both sides halted to lick their wounds. Martin waited for sunset, whilst Tsarmina berated her soldiers as she tried to think up fresh schemes for victory.