Rikki and Avíá were heading out when they were interrupted by Chalícává. "We've found a mouse. We were going to eat him but he seemed to want to see you. Could you see if he really knows you?" he asked. "I'm quite hungry to tell the truth." he whispered. Rikki came and looked at the mouse and realized that it was Tucker. "Please, Mr. Rikki, don't let them eat me. My wife Tréa would be heartbroken." squeaked Tucker. "You are really bold to come here. You know they don't like outsiders. And it doesn't help that they find you edible either." said Rikki-tikki-tavi. "The Emperor and the snakes aren't getting along really well, Mr. Rikki-tikki. However, they seem to be united against you, whatever their differences." he said. "He's my friend, Tucker the mouse, he's not to be eaten." said Rikki to the other Giant Spiders.
"Thank you O Great Rikki-Tikki!" said Tucker in gratitude. "I need to rest. I've been going all day, avoiding snakes and spiders." he said. "I'm afraid we're about to leave. You can stay with Avíá. We were, er, about to go hunting a late night snack of mice and I don't think you'd like to watch anyway." said Rikki. "No. Most certainly not." said Tucker. He moved next to Avíá and lay down next to her. "Hello Ms. Avíá." said Tucker. "How you doing Tucker?" she said. "Very well, thanks, Ms. Avíá-tía. My wife said to thank you for killing that krait that was going to eat my daughter Eliza and I." he said. "No problem." said Avíá, yawning from sleepiness. "The kraits have eaten our other seven children. It was quite painful. Thank you so very much for saving my daughter and I and ensuring that those kraits will never eat a child again. I've come to help because Rutukas told me you actually were going to go to Kalindo and defy the Tarantula Emperor. I thought the least I could do is try and help you out." he squeaked. "You lost seven children to the kraits?" said Avíá. "Yes. Nearly lost my daughter too." he said. "I am really thinking Nagasta is jealous and is taking it out on everyone else." said Avíá. "Jealous? About what?" asked Tucker. Avíá explained about Karait, Nag, and Nagaina. "So, she lost a lot. Though, I admit, I don't feel sorry for her, after what she did to me and so many others." said Tucker. "I know what you mean. I've lost my parents and my brother and sister to Nagasta." said Avíá. "You lost some family too?" said Tucker. Avíá nodded sadly. "I hate her for what she did to me, yet my father and mother always told me that I must always forgive. It's so hard." she said. "Anyway, I'm beat. I'm going to take a snoozer." said Tucker, falling asleep from exhaustion.
Avíá talked to Sciurus. "So, how is the progress going on the tunnels? How far up have they gotten it?" "Quite a bit ma'am." he said. "You don't have to call me 'ma'am'." she said. "I'm not an adult yet technically." she said at his look of incredulity. "So, you're only a teena-" he said, pausing and turning pale white. "What is it?" said Avíá. "Where is that wicked Rikki-tikki?" came the voice of a snake. "The one who ate my husband Kinsta?" A pale gray king cobra came toward them. "Oh, look a tasty little squirrel!" she hissed, spotting Sciurus. "Don't eat me, I'm only a kid!" said Sciurus. "I frankly don't care. You look tasty enough." said the snake. "Back off Jane!" said Avíá. "Who are you?" she hissed, trying to find Avíá. "I see that you're looking for Rikki-tikki-tavi. I'm afraid my dear Rikki is away getting a snack. I can take a message." said Avíá. "I take it you're Kinsta's wife. I'll tell Rikki that Kinsta's wife wants to kill him." "You aren't funny." hissed the snake. "Nobody appreciates my humor." said Avíá. "I'll deal with you." hissed Kinsta's mate. "Oh please don't. Not in front of the kid. I killed Ragiva and I can kill you too. It would be best if you just left. I won't chase you." said Avíá. "I'll kill you and your squirrel friend, and later Rikki-tikki!" said Kinsta's wife. "You just have to do this the hard way, don't you?" said Avíá. The two fought. "You shall not stop me, whoever you are, for I am Shída The Terrifying. I've killed over a dozen mongooses. Prepare to meet your maker!' she hissed. "I am. I've done a few things I'm not proud of, but I can say that I've lived like I ought to and followed the Golden Rule. If I die, I'll be back with my family, if I don't die, in which case you most certainly will die, then I shall continue on to Kalindo. However, I don't think it's my time yet. And, I intend to settle the score with you for killing my mother." said Avíá. The two continued to fight. Sciurus looked away while the battle was fought, too frightened to watch. Shída nearly bit Avíá several times. However, Avíá finally jumped through the air, biting Shída in the neck as she passed. Shída fell down, paralyzed. Avíá ate the snake from the tail up after swiping her throat. "You can look now." said Avíá. She belched. "Excuse me." she said. "You ate a snake!" said Sciurus. "Yep. I'm a mongoose. That's my business in life." she said. "What else can mongooses do?" asked Sciurus eagerly. "Killing snakes is what we do best. However, we can catch mice and birds too. And we can run fast. Not as fast as lions I'm afraid, though we're still pretty quick." she said.
"Can I see?" asked Sciurus. "Certainly." said Avíá. She ran around a nearby tree as fast as she could. All Sciurus saw was a brownish-white blur. "Wow!" said the young squirrel in awe. "I'll bet nothing can kill a mongoose!" he said. "If only that were true." said Avíá sadly. "What do you mean?" "Snakes murdered my family. If I didn't have to poop, I'd be dead too." she said.
"That's terrible." said the squirrel. "Yes, but I have met them in Dark Forest." said Avíá. "The Dark Forest? I've heard there's one quite a ways northeast of here But it's haunted. But then, you said your family was dead! You met them?! So is it true about the ghosts?" asked Sciurus. Avíá explained about her adventures there with Rikki. "But you don't have your family now." said Sciurus when she had finished. "I carry their memory inside of me. I'll see them again, someday. Hopefully later rather than sooner. Anyway, I do have Rikki." she said. "Shida killed my mother, but she won't be killing anyone ever again. My mother is avenged." said Avíá. "I've heard all sorts of stories about Rikki-tikki." said Sciurus. "The stories only tell but a bit about him." she said. "So do you love him?" he asked. "I think that's a rather personal question, don't you think?" she said, eying his suspiciously. "Sorry, Ms. Avíá." he said. "I was just wondering." "Yes, I really do. And please call me Avíá. 'Ms. Avíá' makes me feel old." she said.
Meanwhile, Rikki was walking with Chalícává. "So, what do you think of your companion Avíá?" asked the spider. "I love her more than anything in the world." said the mongoose. "Any plans to marry her? Maybe I'm getting too personal here." said Chalícává. "Yes, I've considered it many times." said Rikki-tikki. "Well, she's in good hands." said Chalícává. Suddenly, they saw a black male king cobra moving toward them. "So, you killed my father Kinsta?" he said. "Kinsta was trying to kill the innocent." said Rikki. "I'm Rácá, his son! I've come to avenge him and kill you!" he hissed. "Don't. Please don't." said Rikki. "Scared?" said Rácá. "No, you don't have to do this. It's not worth it. Don't be like Nagasta." said Rikki. "My Grandmother is a great leader! Far greater than you!" he hissed.
"Are you going to take that?" said Chalícává angrily. "Patience." said Rikki. "You don't have to fight me." said Rikki-tikki. "I killed your father because I had to. He'd have harmed the innocent if I hadn't. Also, once paralyzed, it was better that I ate him than leave him to starve to death." "I'll kill you!" cried Rácá. The young snake charged at Rikki-tikki, who pinned him down fairly easily. "Going to eat me like you did with my Father?" said Rácá. Rikki released him, backing away to avoid being bitten. "Please son, don't force my hand." he said. The snake sat there, not moving. Rikki and Chalícává turned to go. However, Rácá came at Rikki, who didn't notice. However, Chalícává interposed himself, and was bitten, which didn't kill him, though he certainly didn't like it. He fought the young king cobra and killed him by strangling him with his legs. Rikki-tikki-tavi shook his head. "Is there no end to this war?" he said.
"Would you marry Rikki?" asked Sciurus. "Pretty personal now, isn't it? We mongooses choose our mates carefully. Yes, Rikki is an excellent candidate." said Avíá. Imagine me asking Rikki-tikki to marry him. I might die of nervousness. Sciurus seems to know a good deal about Rikki and I. Clever boy isn't he. she thought. "How do mongooses pick their mates? We squirrels try to collect nuts for each other. And we build nests and stuff like that." said Sciurus. "Well, catching snakes is a part of it. Another part is proving yourself to be brave, loyal, compassionate, and an able provider." said Avíá. "When a mongoose has chosen a mate, he or she lets out a high-pitched sound, a giggle if you will. It is unique to each mongoose." she said. "The other mongoose then can either accept, returning a giggle, or refuse." "Fascinating." said Sciurus. "Sciurus. Bedtime. You can ride the mongooses. Mr. Rikki is back. It's time to go." said Andara. "Mom, I like talking to Avíá-" he protested. "Bed, now mister! And call her 'Ms. Avíá'. How many times do I have to tell you to be polite to your elders!" she scolded. "Actually, I told him to call me Avíá and to drop the Ms. part." said Avíá. "She saved me from a snake!" said Sciurus. "Thank you deary!" said Andara, hugging Avíá tightly about her middle. "The snake wanted to kill Rikki. It was Kinsta's wife." said Avíá. She explained about Rikki's defeat of Kinsta and her fight with Shida. "Shida killed my mother. She'd have killed Sciurus without shedding a tear. I had to do something. I had him look away. Too much for him to see at his age." said Avíá. "Glad you're around, Avíá. Otherwise poor Sciurus would be in her belly right now instead of the snake being in yours." said Andara. "He's so sweet. Why any snake would want to kill him is a mystery. Then again, snakes murdered my parents and my brother and sister. They don't care how young you are." said Avíá.
Rikki and Avíá headed onto the base of Spider Mountain. They quickly exchanged their stories about their snake encounters. "At least they're both dead." said Avíá. "It's amazing how far this garden war has gone!" said Rikki. Sciurus lay, dozing, on Rikki's neck, hanging on by his paws. He seems to be fine with children. thought Avíá. Who am I kidding? He's a really great mongoose. There are far better girls out there for him than me! They came to the mouth of the tunnels. "I'm afraid we could only get near the middle of the Mountain. We lost five squirrels. They dug too far, and came out to see where they were at, and were eaten by a snake and also by the Emperor's new Enforcer, Eradá." said a squirrel. "So, he's flattered the Emperor with his smooth talk, eh?" said Cáöné contemptuously. They crept as still and silent as death through the tunnels. About three in the morning, they reached the end of the tunnel, coming out halfway up Spider Mountain. "We need to rest." said Chalícává. They hid in some trees. All of them fell asleep, except for Cáöné and Rikki-tikki. At about five in the morning, they heard a noise. A tarantula and a snake came into view. "Eradá!" whispered Cáöné. "Well, I hope the Emperor gives me Swívíla as my wife. He says that I have to get rid of these rebels, particularly Chalícává and Rikki-tikki-tavi. We'll search the lower levels of the forest and get them. We've got spiders everywhere looking." "Glad we came up here when we did then. They won't think we'd come here." whispered Rikki. Cáöné sat, fuming with rage. "He dare he think of taking her?! She's never trusted him. She knew he wasn't to be trusted. I just wish that I was as wise at spotting that!" said the teenaged tarantula. "We've searched everywhere for Rikki-tikki as well. He always manages to get away." said the snake. "Yeah, it seems you've chased him for a thousand miles and not killed him. Leaving it to us of course!" said Eradá. "Don't underestimate him!" hissed the snake. "Also, the Emperor has received a message from the Cobra Queen Herself. It seems She's suggested that He attack the animals around here. Squirrels and spider dissenters and such. Kill families. It seems your Queen and our Emperor think alike." said Eradá. "Oh great! Killing Krädós is going to be harder than I thought!" Rikki whispered. "We'll start the attack in an hour and they won't know what hit…." said Eradá. Cáöné couldn't take it any longer and threw a small branch down at them. Eradá ducked, but the snake got hit directly in the head and was dazed. Rikki seized the opportunity and slew the snake before he could recover. "So, you're the mongoose?" said Eradá. He charged at Rikki-tikki, who tried to fight him off. However, he was quicker than Rikki-tikki thought. Rikki moved away from him, hoping not to be bitten. "You're finished. I know there are other ways besides fighting you." he said. "They're all h…." he yelled, trying to expose Rikki, but Cáöné had spun a web and threw it down on him. Eradá, however, broke free before either could attack him and scuttled off. Once safe away from Rikki and Cáöné, he yelled "They're here! Rikki-tikki-tavi and the traitor Cáöné! They're here!". He headed out of sight. The others had woken at the commotion. "What's up Rikki?" said Avíá, yawning. "Get everyone ready for an attack. We don't have much time." said Rikki.
Fifteen minutes later, a patrol of snakes and tarantulas came at them. Rikki and Chalícává had set up booby traps around the perimeter of their camp. "At last, we've found those infernal pests!" hissed a snake. He slithered forward and fell into a pit, which had been covered by a bunch of leaves. "Get me out of here!" he hissed angrily. "All right. All right." laughed a tarantula. He started to spin a web. However, halfway through, Rikki leapt down onto the ground. The spider turned toward Rikki to attack, but Rikki and Chalícává had loosened the soil around the spot and Rikki hit a crevice, causing a large amount of dirt to give way and the spider to fall into the hole and the spider and snake to be buried and killed by rocks and dirt.
"What in the name of Anansi[i] is going on?" said a spider. "Nothing." said Rikki, pretending to be a snake. "Well, keep it quiet. We don't want to be heard." said the spider in annoyance. Cáöné lowered a web that he'd been spinning, and put it around the spider's neck and tied the other end to a tree. He did it so subtly that the spider didn't notice. Rikki then jumped at the spider, who tried to jump down a hill to get away, but was hung by the neck from the spider web. "Nice job!" said Rikki. A dozen spiders came up the Mountain toward them. "Time to get rolling boys!" said Avíá, pushing a log down the hill with the help of Rikki, Sciurus, Tucker, and several other squirrels and mice and flattening all the spiders.
A snake tried to eat Sciurus but the young squirrel jumped, seemingly off a ledge. When the snake went to go past the ledge, Sciurus pulled on her tail, and yanked her off the edge where she fell off of the mountain to her death. Avíá pulled Sciurus back up from the branch that he had grabbed. Several spiders came at Rikki. "We're faster than the snakes! You won't get away this time!" said their leader, a large male with long muscular legs. "Well, you'll have to get up pretty early to catch a mongoose!" said Rikki. He ran around the spiders. Though he was a brownish-red blur to them, they spun webs and tripped up Rikki. "Now you die mongoose!" said the leader. Before he could bite Rikki, however, Avíá came from behind and bit him in the thorax,[1] killing him. She tried to eat the spider, wondering what a tarantula might taste like. "Ick! Sour flavor!" said Avíá, swallowing the dead spider with a grimace. Three spiders tried to bite Avíá from behind. Rikki, however, saw them and pushed Avíá out of the way. "Hey!" she said to Rikki, not noticing the spiders that had been about to kill her. Rikki swung his left forepaw at the nearest and grabbed him by the leg. He held him down and smashed him with his paws. "I wonder if these really do taste bad." said Rikki, before eating the spider. "Ech! A bit sour, but not too bad." he said. He and Avíá darted left and right, killing spider after spider. They frequently saved each other from attacks that the other couldn't see.
"It seems that those two make a great team." said Chalícává to Chínselháüst. "I think they'd make a great couple." said Chínselháüst. Cáöné fought a snake and a tarantula. Both bit him but neither was able to harm him with their poison. He slapped the snake across the head, with each of his eight legs, dazing him. The spider grabbed Cáöné and started choking him. It looked bad for Cáöné until Alana jumped into the air and landed with a thud on the spider, injuring her. Cáöné tied a web around the spider and the snake. They tried to break free but he pulled very hard and broke their necks.
After hours of fighting, in which several brave squirrels and spiders lost their lives, the enemy was vanquished. "We did it!" yelled Sciurus. "We kicked their butts!" said Alana. "It's only a small victory I'm afraid." said Chalícává. "Krädós will be back with greater numbers." "You've said His name!" said Adrian. "It's time we stop giving Him the satisfaction of being so afraid of Him that we're too afraid to say His name! Somebody has to stop him!" said Chalícává. "Who? You?" said a spider. "Me? Me lead this?" Chalícává said incredulously. "It was you who wanted Avíá and I to help you. It's your daughters Krädós has taken." said Rikki. "Yes, you helped us. You didn't betray us to Krädós. You should lead the resistance movement against the wicked Emperor! You should be the new Emperor I think!" said Avíá. "Me? The Emperor! Ridiculous! How could I….?'"said Chalícává. "You've always said you'd wished you were in charge so you could make things so much better around here!" piped in Chínselháüst. "Wishful thinking dear. Me the Emperor?" he said again, incredulous. "You can do it Father." said Cáöné. "Let's dethrone that atrocious[2] tyrant!" said Chalícává.
Meanwhile, Eradá and a crow came to a large male tarantula. They both bowed low before him. He stared at them, eyes gleaming with evil and malice. "What news do you bring?" he said in a cold, high-pitched voice. He was Krädós, the wicked Tarantula Emperor. Once the Land of the Giant Spiders lived in peace. Everyone got along. Then one day a spider rose up and took power over the other spiders. He gathered followers and his secret police forced the others into submission. Since that day, females lived in subjugation and almost nobody truly knew what it meant to be free. That spider, the wicked Calvón, was the first Emperor and an ancestor of Krädós. Since Calvón, the Emperors only became wickeder and more oppressive. Krädós had spent time in council with his wicked advisors. They had agreed that Nagasta's plan was a brilliant one. Wiping out the opposition was something Krädós always believed in. What were a few squirrels and spiders more or less? After all, their only purpose was to serve him. "I'm afraid it's bad." said the crow. "Bad?" he said. "The rebels have won. Not only did they free the prisoners yesterday but now they've come up here onto Spider Mountain." said the crow. "So, you didn't get reinforcements? You could have tried to fight…." said Krädós angrily. "There was nothing I could have done Your Highness. I barely got away. They would have killed me." said the crow. However, he couldn't say anything more. Krädós bit into his throat. He turned pale and fell to the ground. "I tried Your Highness." he gasped. "You're useless Paróc. You'll make a nice meal though." said Krädós as Paróc stopped moving and died from the venom. Even as Paróc breathed his final breaths, Krädós started tearing the crow apart. "Fool! If they didn't kill you, you should have realized that I would!" he said. He ate part of the crow and gave the rest to Eradá. "Dinner." he said. "So now what My Liege[3]?" said Eradá, devouring the dead crow. "We cause mayhem. I've heard of these types. Young fools. Think believe that it's their duty to help others. Some of them could be very great indeed, if only they would look out more for themselves. Let's go rabbit hunting." he laughed. Once the two were done eating the dead crow, they left.
After some celebrating over their victory, Rikki and Chalícává were met by a tailorbird. "Mr. Rikki-tikki-tavi." he sang. "Yes." said Rikki-tikki. "The Emperor has killed several families of rabbits! And he's capturing several more!" said the tailorbird. "Curse him!" said Rikki-tikki. "I'm on it!' he said. "It sounds like a trap." said Chalícává. "I know it's a trap!" said Rikki-tikki-tavi. "But I've got to go anyway." Rikki went up the Mountain and came to a horrible sight. "Give up mongoose, or we'll kill them!" The spiders had a family of rabbits trapped in a web. "Fine. I give up. Just let them go." he said. They released the rabbits, who moved a short distance away, but then halted, looking at their deliverer. The spiders were going to bite Rikki, when Avíá, Chalícává, Chínselháüst, and Cáöné attacked them. Rikki also fought them in the confusion. Rikki and Avíá tore at the spiders, darting left and right, their eyes as red as blood, furious at the spiders for threatening a family. Rikki and Avíá killed several. Chalícává and Chínselháüst killed several spiders as well, breaking their necks by slipping web rope over them and pulling until their necks snapped. Cáöné ran from the final spider, but grabbed a tree branch and pulled on it, releasing it when the spider got near, and hitting him directly in the head, snapping his neck. "Come on. The Emperor will keep this up till we're dead or He is!" said Chalícává.
Nagasta and Karistan had reached the northeastern side of the Wet Lands. They were within a few miles of the Land of the Mice. Soon the rebels would pay. "I'm going to enjoy eating Darzee. He's friends with Rikki-tikki and also was one of the loudest on the day my parents died. Perhaps I can find that Coppersmith too. He was most certainly the loudest." said Nagasta. "Yes, they'll all pay for this. Those worthless birds." said Karistan. "I wouldn't say worthless Karistan. They were most useful. How else could I have gotten my parents' names? It may be some comfort to him when he is dead to know how much of a help he's been to me." laughed Nagasta. It was near dark. They would attack in the night. "I'm going to eat well." she said to her husband. They both laughed. An own and a raven flew overhead, flapping their wings frantically. "What are they in such a hurry for?" said Karistan.
The two birds got to the Land of the Mice about two hours before Nagasta and Karistan and the other snakes did. "What is it?" squeaked a mouse, who had been about to go to bed, the sun having gone down an hour before, preferring to get up at sunrise or a bit before, as had been the custom of his family. "They're coming!" hooted the owl. "Who's coming?" squeaked the mouse, yawning. "King Bahaxur sent us to tell you that the Cobra King and Queen are coming back to put down your rebellion!" croaked the raven. "I don't know who this Bahaxur is, we'll have to thank him for warning us!" squeaked the mouse in horror. "Stay here with the mice. I'll warn Darzee." said the owl to the raven. "Fine by me. I'm getting tired." he yawned. "Where is Darzee?" asked the owl. "Northwest of here. Not more than a few miles. On an island in the middle of a lake. Please hurry!" squeaked Karl the mouse.
A while later, Nagasta and Karistan came. The mice were prepared, but it was horribly one-sided. Nagasta came and ate several mice, including several children running from her. Karistan swallowed a young mouse whole after biting him, leaving him to digest slowly in his belly before dying from the poison. The owl grabbed a few mice, Karl among them, and flew off and brought them to a tree in order to save them. Several mice fled but many were killed by Nagasta and her minions. "Warn Darzee!" said a mouse to the owl before being devoured by a python. The owl saved about 30 mice and the rest hid in mouse holes that the snakes couldn't get into, but over 1000 mice were dead, a victim of Nagasta, Karistan, and their army of over 100 brutal, heartless snakes and Dark Mongooses.
Darzee and Biwi were sleeping. An owl came and woke them up. "What is it?" said Darzee sleepily. "I'm afraid the mice have been attacked." said the owl. "Attacked by whom?" said Biwi. "The Cobra King and Queen. King Bahaxur and Queen Shujaa sent me to warn you. We got here a bit ahead of the snakes, but we didn't get here fast enough to set enough traps. They killed a few of them with traps that Rikki had used many weeks ago. Anyway, the snakes are going to stop your rebellion. You'd best lie low for a while." said the owl. Kíja the mouse woke up. "What's going on?" she said sleepily. "The Land of the Mice has been attacked by the King and Queen!" said Darzee. "That's terrible! Karl were there helping with the resistance. He wanted me to stay here for my safety. Is he all right?" she squeaked. "Karl was one of the ones I rescued. Over a thousand mice have died though." hooted the owl. "This is simply awful!" said Biwi. "I hope Rikki-tikki gets back soon."
Nagasta belched, having eaten her fill of the rebels. She and Karistan would need to sleep off their meal. They would make sure the rebellion quickly died. Darzee would not dare come out of his hiding spot again. If he did, they'd be ready. Once the rebellion was totally crushed, then she could deal with the humans perhaps. But then, Rikki wouldn't be there to see it, and she so wanted to make him suffer before his death. If he survived his little journey into the realm of the Tarantula Emperor, he'd have to come back here and she'd be waiting. She fell asleep, a wicked grin on her face.
"So who are you?" asked one of the rabbits. "Rikki-tikki-tavi. The son of Rímíra and Rédari." he said. Rikki-tikki-tavi, of course, knew that rabbits are always interested in family history. "I'm Avíá-tía-tárá, daughter of Alanda and Amíra." said Avíá who also knew the proper thing to say. "What are you?" asked another one of the rabbits. "Mongooses." said Avíá. "What's that?" said a young rabbit. Rikki and Avíá explained the best they could. "So, you kill snakes for a living." said the father rabbit. "Yes. And we hunt mice too." said Rikki. "What about spiders?" said the mother rabbit, Barda. "Not as well, though we can handle them, since we're fast. However, they're definitely more dangerous than snakes." said Avíá. "Most snakes. Probably not Nagasta." said Rikki. "We've heard horrible things about that Cobra Queen." said the father rabbit, Streda. "However, we've seen the Emperor do terrible things too. Actually seen them mind you." said Barda. "I'm afraid I've seen far more than my fair share of acts of atrocity as well." said Avíá. "I've witnessed my own family being murdered." "Goodness, you're an orphan?!" said Streda in shock. "I'm afraid Nagasta has been killing mongooses to try to turn my own people against me. She said she'd stop if they caught me. Fortunately I think she stopped anyway. She got many mongooses to join her and I think, that, other than my family and maybe a few other mongooses, and Avíá and I of course, none of the others are openly opposing her. Many like her idea of killing people. And I think I should explain about that." said Rikki. He told them about his fateful encounter with Karait, Nag, and Nagaina.
"You did the right thing. I can well believe the stories about you. That you are so brave and selfless, though they don't seem to do you much justice." said Streda. "So if she's after your human family, why are you so far down here?" asked Barda. "The Magical Herb of Kalindo." said Avíá. "But you have to get past the Emperor to get into there!" said one of the rabbit children. "I'd like to talk to Krädós anyway. He needs to know that females are a lot stronger, more intelligent, and valuable than he takes us for!" said Avíá. "He's very dangerous! He ate my sister's entire family!" said Barda.
Meanwhile, Eradá returned to the Emperor. "They've fought back. We've lost more spiders." said Eradá. "Increase the killings. I want Rikki-tikki and Chalícává out of hiding and dead!" said Krädós. "There's something else." said Eradá. "What?" said Krädós. "There's this girl I've always wanted. Well, you've kind of taken her, but you haven't touched her yet." said Eradá. "Which one? I have several wives." said Krädós. "Swívíla." said Eradá. "Kill Chalícává and his son Cáöné and bring me Chínselháüst as a captive and I'll let you have her!" said Krädós. "With pleasure. I shall take Cáöné's girl and be rid of him!" laughed Eradá.
"I am Streda, son of Algána and Reginleif. My Mother, Reginleif, is the daughter of Odin, who is famous around here from single-handedly killing 12 warriors of the previous Emperor's by knocking rocks onto them." said Streda to Rikki and Avíá. "I am Barda, daughter of Creon and Eurydice. My sister Antigone[4]was killed by the Emperor, along with her husband Haemon. said Barda. "My brother Oedipus[5] tried to crush the Emperor's minions that helped capture them, figuring that he could be like Odin I guess, but it didn't work too well and they ate him too." said Streda. "I'm going to kill the Emperor." said Rikki.
"You will try!" They all turned around to find the source of the voice. Eradá came toward them. I'm going to finish you and kill your friend Chalícává and his son Cáöné!" he said. Chalícává and Chínselháüst had decided to rest before their planned attack on the Emperor the following day. Cáöné, however, was still awake. "Hello Cáöné. I've brought a friend of yours!" His twenty bodyguards came, forcing the miserable Swívíla along. "Kill Chalícává and bring me his wife!' he said to them. They took off and Rikki and Avíá ran quickly after them. He moved next to Swívíla. "I think she'd make a great wife. Come and fight me Cáöné. I want to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend!" he laughed, pinning her down with his legs. "Let her go now!" said Cáöné. "Come and get her!" taunted Eradá. The two fought. It was quite an ugly fight. Eradá seemed to have the upper hand. Whatever he had learned in the Emperor's service, it was something Cáöné was unfamiliar with. It looked very bleak, especially when Eradá gave him five black eyes.[6] "I'm going to kill you. You and your friends will die!" taunted Eradá. "And Swívíla will be mine!" 'Never!" yelled Cáöné, who seemed to have gained a second wind.
Meanwhile, Rikki and Avíá raced after the spiders, who had a head start. "We must stop them!' said Avíá. The spiders were ahead of them; however, Rikki and Avíá yelled to Chalícává and Chínselháüst at the top of their voices. "Wake up! They're coming!" The two spiders woke up and tried to fend off the attack. Rikki and Avíá sprang and pounced upon them. Two spiders were flattened. "Hey, webheads! We're over here! I think the Emperor would want us dead more than them!" sang Rikki and Avíá. The spiders came after the two mongooses, who had an idea. They had seen a sudden drop off the mountain, one they had discovered earlier, and decided to lead the spiders to their doom. The spiders ran after the mongooses and came to the edge. Rikki and Avíá jumped onto a tree hanging over the edge. When the spiders went to see where they'd gone, Rikki and Avíá quickly and quietly jumped to another tree. "They must have jumped. What idiots!" laughed a spider. Rikki and Avíá landed softly a little bit behind the spiders. "Actually, you guys are the boobs in our booby trap." laughed Avíá as she and Rikki came up from behind and shoved them off the edge to their deaths. Rikki and Avíá came back to Chalícává and Chínselháüst, who were still fighting ten spiders. Chalícává tied one up with a web. He slashed his throat while the spider tried to break free. "We're going to take you, girly!" said a large male to Chínselháüst. "You'll learn your place soon enough!"
"Chauvinist pig!" yelled Avíá. She came at them, her eyes bright red, and snapped at them angrily. She tore two spiders to bits quickly. Another came at her and would have bitten her, but Chínselháüst came and stuck her claws out and he ran right into the sharp end of them and was impaled. "Men, so stubborn!" she said. "Kill the leader!" said one of them and they all came at Rikki. Rikki ran as fast as he could around them until they were all dizzy from watching him. He flattened them all one by one while they were still dazed. "Where's Cáöné?" asked Chalícává.
Cáöné was backed up against a deep chasm. "At last, I'm going to finish you and take Swívíla to be my wife! So long fool!" Eradá laughed. Cáöné in desperation spun a small web thread. Eradá tried to push him over the edge, but he pushed back with all of his strength. Eventually, Cáöné prevailed and moved Eradá back. He moved the thread over Eradá's neck and pulled. Eradá struggled, his claws inches from Cáöné's heart, poised to strike a fatal blow. Cáöné and Eradá moved to the edge. Eventually Eradá died from strangulation, being unable to breathe, and Eradá fell off the edge. "Cáöné, you came for me!" called Swívíla. "I'd do for you!" he said, and the two embraced.
"So, Eradá is dead?" asked Chalícává. "He was going to forcibly make Swívíla his wife. That and he tried to kill us. So now what do we do?" asked Cáöné. "We'll have to confront Krädós." said Rikki-tikki. "Are you sure about this?" said Swívíla. "We need to stop him before he hurts anyone else. Anyway, we're running out of time with the Cobra Queen." said Avíá. They came to the top half of the Mountain. "What is this white stuff? And is it my imagination or is it a bit cold?" said Rikki, shivering. "It's called snow. And yes it is cold up here." said Streda. Rikki-tikki put the snow in his mouth and ate some of it. "It tastes like frozen water." he said. "I think it is." said Streda. "Well, I've eaten mice roasted on liquid fire and now I've eaten frozen water while on this trip. What next?" said Rikki while Avíá tried the snow as well. "Liquid fire?" said Barda. "I'll explain later." said Rikki. "We have to stop Krádös! You have to challenge him, Chalícává. It's you who we're going to make the new Emperor!" said Rikki. "I'll do it. I've always wanted to tell him what I thought of him to his face!" said Chalícává. "Good, then let's hope we can survive this Emperor. He might be more dangerous than a snake." said Rikki. "He can move faster. And he's fast with webs." said Swívíla. "And very ruthless." "He's made honor killings the norm, not the exception." said Swívíla. "Honor killings?" said Avíá. "It's ok to kill females if they don't follow all the stupid restrictions He puts on them. No punishment for brutally murdering your wife or daughters for crossing the line. You can even kill your mothers I've heard." said Swívíla. "Outrageous!" said Avíá. "We need to stop him! He's as bad as Nagasta and Kikatili! He must be stopped in the morning! I trust he won't be able to kill much tonight. We need rest. Tomorrow is going to determine the fate of the Land of the Tarantulas." said Rikki.