A young female hare named Deodar stood on a hilltop close to the west shore. She nibbled at a fresh-plucked dandelion flower, watching a Runner approaching from the northeast. Deodar knew it was Algador Swiftback, even though he was still a mere dot in the distance. His peculiar long leaping stride marked him out from all the others at Salamandastron.

Now he would appear on a hilltop, then be lost to sight as he descended into the valley, but pop up shortly atop another dune, traveling well, with his graceful extended lope serving to eat up the miles easily. The sun was behind Deodar now, hovering over the immeasurable expanses of sea that lapped the coast right up to the shore in front of the mountain. She waved and was rewarded by the sight of Algador waving back. Deodar sat on the sandy tor, enjoying the heat of the sun on her back.

Algador took the last lap at the same pace he had been running all day. He could run almost as fast as his brother, Riffle, the Galloper of Major Perigord’s patrol. Breathing lightly, he sat down next to Deodar.

“Hah! So you’re my relief. What’ll this be now, miss, your third run o’ the season?”

Deodar stood, flexing her limbs. “Fifth, actually. Where did you cover, Algy?”

Algador made a sweep with his paw. “Northeast from there to there. No sign of Perigord returning yet, and no signs of Rapscallions or other vermin.”

Deodar closed one eye, squinting along the pawtracks her friend had just made. “Righto, Algy, I’ll follow you out along your trail then cut west and come back, coverin’ the jolly old shoreline.”

Algador rose and turned to face Salamandastron farther down the coastline. Between patches of green vegetation growing on its rocky slopes, the mountain took on a light buff tinge. An extinct volcano crater jutted in a flat-topped pinnacle over the landscape. He nodded in its direction. “How’s Rose Eyes, showed herself lately?”

His companion shook her head. “’Fraid not, you’ll have to shout your report through the forge door. Lady Cregga sees nobeast while she’s forgin’ her new weapon. D’you recall the day she broke her old spear, wot!”

Algador could not resist a chuckle. “Hahaha! Will I ever forget it, missie! Standin’ neck high in the sea an’ sinkin’ two Rapscallion ships, was that ever a flippin’ sight. I thought she’d have burst with rage when the spearhaft snapped an’ she lost her blade in the water!”

Deodar took off into a loping run, calling back, “Can’t stop jawin’ with the likes o’ you all day, must get goin’!”

Algador waved to her. “Run easy, gel, watch out for those shore toads on the way back, don’t take any nonsense off the blighters. Take care!”

*

The sun’s last rays were turning the sea into a sheet of fiery copper as Algador entered the mountain. Without breaking stride he took hallway, stairs, and corridors as though they were hill and flatland, traveling upward from one level to another. Sometimes he swerved around other hares and called out a greeting, other times he caught a glimpse of the setting sun through narrow slitted-rock windows. Arriving at a great oak double door, he halted, waiting until his breathing was normal and mentally going over his report speech. Standing stiffly to attention, he reached out a paw and rapped smartly upon the door. There was no answer, though he could hear noises from inside the forge room. Algador waited a moment, knocked once more, and gave a loud cough to emphasize his presence.

A massively gruff voice boomed out, echoing ’round the forge room and the antechamber outside where the hare stood, “I’m not to be disturbed. What d’you want?”

Algador swallowed nervously before shouting back, “Ninth Spring Runner reportin’, marm, relieved nor’west o’ here this afternoon!”

There was silence followed by a grunt. “Come in!”

Algador entered the forge room and shut the door carefully behind him. It was only the second time he had been in there. A long unshuttered window, with its sill made into a seat, filtered the last rosy shafts of daylight onto the floor. Massive, rough-hewn rock walls were arrayed with weapons hung everywhere: great bows, quivers of arrows, lances, spears, javelins, daggers, cutlasses, and swords. A blackened stone forge stood in the room’s center, its bellows lying idle, the white and yellowy red charcoal fire embers smoking up through a wide copper flue.

The hare’s eyes were riveted on a heroic figure standing hammer in paw over a chunk of metal glowing on the anvil. Lady Cregga Rose Eyes, legendary Badger Ruler of Salamandastron.

Her size was impressive: even the big forge hammer in her paw seemed tiny, like a toy. Over a rough homespun tunic she wore a heavy, scarred, metal-studded apron. The glow from the red-hot metal caught her rose-colored eyes, tingeing them scarlet as she glared down at Algador. His long back legs quivered visibly, and he felt like an acorn at the foot of a giant oak tree.

The Badger Lady nodded wordlessly, and Algador found himself babbling out his report in a rush.

“Patrolled north by east beyond the dunes for two days, marm, spent one night by the river, saw no signs of anybeast. No track or word of Major Perigord so far, no sign of Rapscallions or vermin. Sighted a few traces of shrews yesterday morn, marm.”

Lady Cregga rested the hammerhead on the anvil horn. “You didn’t contact the Guosim shrews or speak to them?”

“No, marm, ’fraid I didn’t. Traces were at least three days old, campfire ashes an’ vegetable peelin’s, that was all, marm.”

Cregga took tongs and replaced the lump of metal she was working back in the forge. Then she gave the bellows a gentle push, flaring the charcoal and seacoal into flame.

“Hmm, pity you missed the shrews. Their leader, the Log-a-Log, might have had some information for us. Never mind, well done. Ask Colonel Eyebright to come up here, will you?”

“Yes, marm!” The young hare stood motionless to attention.

Lady Cregga watched him for a moment, then unusually she gave a fleeting smile. “If you stand there any longer you’ll take root. Go now—you’re dismissed.”

Algador saluted and wheeled off so quickly he almost tripped over his own footpaws. Lady Cregga heard the door shut as she turned back to her work at the forge.

Cutting straight through the main dining hall, Algador made for the Officers’ Mess. He accosted another young hare coming out, carrying tray and beakers. “Evenin’, Furgale! I say, is Colonel Eyebright in there? Got a rather important message for him.”

Furgale was a jolly type, obliging too. Placing the tray on a window ledge, he waggled an ear at the Runner. “Say no more, old pip, I’ll let him know you’re here.”

Flinging the door open wide, Furgale danced comically to attention. Closing both eyes tightly, he bellowed into the small room, “Ninth Spring Runnah t’see you, Colonel Eyebright. Sah!”

Eyebright was every inch the military hare, of average size, silver gray with long seasons, a smart, spare figure in plain regulation green tunic. Looking up from the scrolls he was studying, Eyebright twitched his bristling mustache at the messenger. “I’m not deaf y’know, young feller. Send the chap in!”

Algador marched smartly into the Officers’ Mess. “Lady Cregga sends her compliments an’ wishes you to attend her in the forge room, Colonel, sah!”

The Colonel’s eyebrows rose momentarily, then, fastening his top tunic button, he rose and put aside the scrolls. “Very good, I’m on m’way!”

He eyed the Runner up and down, a kindly smile creasing his weathered features. “Ninth Spring Runner, eh? Obviously enjoyin’ the job, young Algy!”

Algador stood at ease, returning his Commanding Officer’s smile. “Very much, thank ye, sah.”

Eyebright’s silver-tipped pace stick tapped Algador’s shoulder approvingly. “Good show, keep it up, won’t be long before we have y’out gallopin’ for a Long Patrol like that brother o’ yours.”

Algador swelled with pride as the dapper Colonel marched spryly off.

*

Cregga nodded her huge striped muzzle to the window seat as she poured pennycloud and dandelion cordial for herself and the Colonel. They sat together, he sipping his drink as he watched the parched badger take a long draught of hers. “Thirsty work at the ol’ forge, eh, marm?” he said.

The rose-hued eyes flickered in the forge light. “That’s not what I called you up here to talk about, Colonel. I had the Ninth Runner report to me this evening, and the news is still the same—all bad. No sign of Perigord’s patrol, no word of Rapscallions, everything’s too quiet. My voices tell me that big trouble is brewing somewhere.”

Eyebright chose his words carefully. “But we’ve no proof, marm, mayhap things being quiet is all for the best. No news bein’ good news, if y’know what I mean.”

The Colonel tried not to jump with fright as Lady Cregga suddenly roared and flung her beaker out of the window. “Gormad Tunn and those two spawn of his are out there getting ready to plunge the land into war. I’m certain of it!”

The old hare kept his voice calm. “Tunn and his army could be anywhere, far north, south coast, wherever. We can only do our best by protecting the west land and the seas in front of us. We can’t just go marchin’ out an’ fightin’ all over the place.”

Lady Cregga strode to the forge and, seizing a pair of tongs, she rummaged in the fire, pulling out the lump of metal she was working on. Laying it on the anvil she took up her hammer. “Colonel, how many hares would it take to guard Salamandastron and the shores roundabout?”

The Colonel’s eyebrows shot up quizzically. “Marm?”

Clang!

Sparks flew as Cregga’s hammer smashed down on the glowing metal. “Don’t ‘marm’ me! Answer the question, sir—how many fighting hares could do the job, and are you able to command them?”

Eyebright stood up abruptly. “Half the force would be sufficient to protect this area. As to your second question, marm, of course I am able to command. Are you questioning my ability or merely insulting my competence?”

The Badger Lady let the hammer drop. Leaving the anvil, she came to stand in front of the old hare, towering above him. “My friend, forgive me, you are my strong right paw on this mountain. I did not mean to question your skills as a Commander. I spoke in haste, please accept my sincere apology.”

The pace stick rose, pointing directly at Cregga. Eyebright’s tone was that of a reproving father to an errant daughter. “I have served you well, Cregga Rose Eyes. Anybeast, no matter what their reputation or size, would be down on the shore now to give satisfaction, had they called my honor into question as you did. I forgive you those words, though I will not forget them. Marm, your trouble is that you are eaten up with hatred of Gormad Tunn, his brood, and their followers. You feel bound to destroy them. Am I not right, wot?”

Cregga hooded her eyes, gazing out of the window at the night seas. “You speak the truth. When I think of the gallant hares we lost on the beach and in the shallows of the tide on those three days and nights—and what for? Because Gormad thought his Rapscallion forces great enough to conquer Salamandastron. Aye, he tried to make cruel sport of us, the same way he has done to other more helpless creatures all his miserable life. It will not go on! Soon I will have made myself a new battlepike. If there is no news by then I intend to take half our warriors and go forth to seek out and destroy the evil that goes by the name Rapscallion. One day they will be nought but a bad memory in the minds of good and honest creatures. You have my oath on it!”

Colonel Eyebright left the forge room in resigned silence. Nobeast could swerve the Lady Rose Eyes from her purpose once her mind was made up.

*

Down in the dining hall, Algador was taking supper with his friends, all young hares the same age as himself. Furgale tore into a large salad, speaking with his mouth full, as there were no officers present.

“I say, chaps, when d’you suppose the lists’ll be posted for new recruits to the jolly ol’ Long Patrol?”

Cheeva, a young female, flicked an oatcake crumb at him. “First mornin’ o’ summer, my pater says. Hope my name’s on it. I’ll bet Algy’s top o’ the bloomin’ list, wot?”

Algador sliced into a hefty carrot and celery flan. “Do you? I’ll pester the life out of Major Perigord until he takes me as Galloper with Riffle. I think I’m old enough to beat the ears off him in a flat run now!”

Suddenly the room echoed with banging clanging noises, the din reverberating off the walls. Cheeva clapped paws to her ears, crying, “Great seasons o’ salad, who’s makin’ all the clatter?”

Algador had to shout to make himself heard. He called to Colonel Eyebright, who was passing through on his way to the mess, “I say, sah, who’s creatin’ that infernal racket?”

The Colonel stopped by their table, gesturing to them to stay seated. “Some badger or other at her forge, why don’t y’go up there an’ tell her to stop?” He nodded at the smiling young faces turned toward him. “I’ve a feelin’ that you lot are goin’ to find yourselves Long Patrollin’ sooner than you think!”

At this announcement the young hares cheered wildly, eyes aglow, fired with hope and desire. Heedless of what lay ahead.