High Rhulain

Riggu Felis was screeching hoarsely as he ran hither and thither. “Over here, some of you! Scaut, split your troop, get half of them around to the left side. Hurry!”

Lorgo Galedeep and Banya Streamdog slashed through the captives’ bonds. In the chaos which reigned overhead, prisoners were the last thing on any foebeast’s mind. Chab’s young ones were strapped firmly to the backs of three champion Streambattle swimmers.

Banya and a few of her clanmates surrounded the two otterwives. “Don’t forget now, underwater an’ straight out. Follow the three carryin’ yore little ’uns. They’ll take ye over to the right shore. We’ve spotted a landin’ place there that’s well away from this lot, quiet an’ hidden. Move now, there ain’t much time t’waste!”

Lorgo and some of his stalwarts pushed Chab and Whulky after them. “Follow Banya. No need t’look back, we’re right behind ye, mateys!”

Out on the lake, Leatho was keeping the coracles chasing after him, making sure they held to the left shore, where he knew they would not come into contact with the escaping slaves.

Groodl was shouting orders to his coracle crews from the shore. “Don’t throw those spears, idiots! Hold on to ’em and try to stab ’im. You guards with bows, don’t go shootin’ at shadows, try t’get a clear target. D’ye hear me?”

What they did not know was that there were now eight otters in the water, not just one. They began popping up in different places, taking turns at mocking the catguards.

“Ahoy there, scruffywhiskers, I’m over here!”

“Ye don’t want him, fishbrain, I’m the one yore lookin’ for!”

“Belay there, I’m the Shellhound, not that ’un!”

Water sloshed over the sides of the flimsy craft as they wallowed about on the dark lake. Guards wobbled to keep their balance as they hurled spears and fired arrows willy-nilly, completely ignoring their scorecat’s orders as they sought to silence their foes.

Groodl was hopping and leaping about in the shallows, ranting hoarsely, “Ye bunglin’ mudheads, they’re makin’ fools of ye!”

Atunra came hurrying from the pier with Riggu’s latest order. “Lord Felis says you must break off searching for Shellhound. Call those boats in immediately. We need everybeast on the bucket line!”

Catguards were passing buckets, jugs, bowls and pails, paw to paw, in a line which stretched from the pier end to the fortress. Water hissed and sizzled as they threw it on the flames around the base of the fortress. The guards in the coracles had been lured a fair way out onto the lake. They were only too glad when they heard their scorecat yelling for them to return to shore.

Leatho surfaced and almost bumped heads with Kolun. The big fellow was grinning from ear to ear. “Felis ain’t holdin’ prisoners no more, buckoe. Our crews got ’em well away an’ safe. What now?”

The outlaw nodded toward the retreating coracles. “Let’s teach a few o’ those landlubbers a lesson!”

Big Kolun shot them a scornful glance. “My babes make a better shape at rowin’ than that lot!”

Only three vessels made it to the safety of land. Between them, the two otters overturned the other three. Yowls, splashes and splutters of cats rent the night air as they were tipped into the water. Leatho and Kolun swam smoothly off, satisfied that their plan to free their otterfriends had succeeded.

The last craft that the otters had tipped upside down was the one containing Jeefra and Pitru. Both cats went under immediately, but Pitru was the first to surface. He hauled himself up onto the hull of the coracle and grabbed a paddle from the water. He had made scarcely a stroke shoreward when the vessel heeled, lurching perilously over to one side. Jeefra had a tight hold of it, digging his claws into the birchbark covering as he strove wildly to pull himself aboard. He was in a mad panic, choking and spluttering between mouthfuls of water.

“Help me, help! Don’t let me drown, Pitru!”

Pitru glanced around at the other survivors. They were all floundering toward land, oblivious to what was going on behind them. Pitru bared his fangs as he brought the paddle down twice, as hard as he could—the first time, on Jeefra’s paws and the second on Jeefra’s head.

Throwing the paddle away, Pitru flattened himself on the upturned hull, staring into the dark waters that Jeefra had disappeared under. Then he began paddling landward with his paws, crying out pitifully, “Jeefra, where are you? Has anybeast seen my poor brother?”

Riggu Felis had spoken truly when he had said that one day his son would become a dangerous beast.

9

Brother Perant would not allow Tiria, Tribsy or Brinty back into his Infirmary, even though they pleaded with him. Standing in the doorway, he blocked the entrance, resisting all their efforts.

“No, no, ’tis out of the question, I’m afraid. Those two birds are under my care. I cannot risk you stirring up any more squabbles between them. Please go away!”