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The Captain looked at his Thousand Eye tunic and red velvet cloak.  But what will Milady say?
Emboldened by his companions actions, the weasel called Foulwhisker skimmed his round shield over
the battlements.  Don t listen to Brogg, mates. We ve heard enough lies. That mad cat will get the lot of us
killed to save this old ruin. The weasel whirled at a sound behind him, but too late.
Tsarmina was standing there. She dealt him a furious blow, killing him where he stood. Lifting the
body effortlessly, she threw it contemptuously over the battlements, then turned upon the rest.
 Who s next? she challenged them.  Does anyone want to join him? Come on, step up. Let s see who
wants to disobey the Queen of Kotir.
They backed off fearfully; the slightest scowl or mutter now would mean instant death.
Tsarmina snatched up a fallen spear and jabbed it toward one group, then at another. The troops
cringed, cowering close to the walls. She laughed insanely as she snapped the stout weapon with a single
fierce movement.
 Look at you! Call yourselves warriors! I could break you as easily as I snapped that spear. But I won t.
I m going to use you to break those woodlanders out there. The time has come for you to act like proper
soldiers. You ll fight or die, either victory or death. I ll show you how to make wa 
Whump!
The whole roof shook.
Terrified, the troops fell flat.
Tsarmina dashed to the edge, in time to see a second boulder come whizzing through the air like some
giant shapeless bird.
Whoom!
It struck halfway up the wall. Masonry fell, splashing into the water from the gap left by the striking
missile.
As the roof shook under the impact of another boulder, the wildcat Queen grasped the battlement,
staring wildly across the deep flooded area.
Skipper patted the rough timber frame.  What do you call this thing again, mate?
Timballisto was helping squirrels and otters to lay the next boulder in the cradle.
 A ballista, Skip. I built them in the wars up north many a time when I was young. Great idea, isn t it?
Skipper shook his head admiringly as the system of pulleys and counterweights creaked under the
winding handles, a long throwing arm fashioned from three silver birches strained and bent against the
brake lever.
 You re a cunning old wardog, Timballisto. Ha, a baby hedgehog could operate this big catapult.
Young Dinny jumped up and down, clapping his paws.  Let oi do et. Oh, please give thiz young mole a
shot, zurr.
Timballisto shut one eye, sighting along the line the rock would take when it was fired.
 Aye, why not? Be my guest, Young Din, he agreed.
The mole could hardly release the lever pin for chuckling. He threw himself face down in the grass as
the lever snapped back, the long arm pitched forward as the rock shot away overhead.
 O joy, O arpiness! Whurr d et go? Wot d oi  it?
The watchers on the shore saw the tower shudder. A hole appeared as the rock hit Kotir with
tremendous force. Rubble and masonry showered into the water as another gap was made.
A loud cheer went up from the woodlanders.
Chapter 48
Tsarmina turned from the battlements to give an order to her soldiers, but they were gone. The roof was
deserted.
Below in the water were foxes and weasels, ferrets, stoats and rats. Some were swimming, others were
hanging onto doors they had hacked off with their weapons. Wooden window shutters, tables, benches,
anything that could float was being utilized by the fleeing army.
The rooftop shook from yet another assault by the siege catapult.
Brogg stood faithfully at the head of the stairs.
 You had better come down, Milady. The whole building is starting to crumble inside. Hurry, before
the stairways collapse, he advised.
Tsarmina turned left then right. She ran to the battlements, looked over and ran back in agitation.
 You ll see, we ll win yet. It s that traitor brother of mine, Gingivere. He must still be alive. A single
mouse couldn t have thought all this up. I should have killed them both and made sure they were dead
when I had the chance, she ranted. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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