The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett Page A

Peaches. “We were all like her!”
    â€œWe can think now, young female!” said Hamnpork, his hair rising.
    â€œYes,” said Dangerous Beans quietly. “We can think now. We can think about what we do. We can pity the innocent one who means us no harm. And that’s why it can stay.”
    Hamnpork’s head turned sharply. Dangerous Beans was still facing the newcomer.
    Hamnpork reared up instinctively, a rat ready to fight. But Dangerous Beans couldn’t see him.
    Peaches watched the old rat with concern. He’d been challenged by a weedy little rat who would not last a second in a fight. And Dangerous Beans hadn’t even realized he’d made the challenge.
    He doesn’t think like that, Peaches told herself.
    The other rats were watching Hamnpork. They still thought like that, and were waiting to see what he would do.
    But it was dawning even on Hamnpork thatpouncing on the white rat would be unthinkable. It would be like cutting off his own tail.
    He very carefully let himself relax.
    â€œIt’s just a rat,” he muttered.
    â€œBut you, dear Hamnpork, are not,” said Dangerous Beans. “Will you go with Darktan’s crew to find out where it came from? It could be dangerous.”
    This made Hamnpork’s hair rise again.
    â€œI’m not afraid of danger!” he roared.
    â€œOf course not. That is why you should go. It was terrified,” said Dangerous Beans.
    â€œI’ve never been scared of anything !” shouted Hamnpork.
    Now Dangerous Beans turned to face him. In the candlelight there was a glow in the pink eyes. Hamnpork was not a rat who spent a lot of time thinking about things he couldn’t see or smell or bite, but…
    He looked up. The candlelight made big rat shadows dance on the wall.
    Hamnpork had heard the young rats talking about shadows and dreams and what happened to your shadow after you died. He didn’t worry about that stuff. Shadows couldn’t bite you. There was nothing to be frightened of in shadows. But now his own voice in his head toldhim, I’m frightened of what those eyes can see.
    Hamnpork glared at Darktan, who was scratching something in the mud with one of his sticks.
    â€œI’ll go, but I will lead the expedition,” he said. “I’m senior rat here!”
    â€œThat doesn’t worry me,” said Darktan. “Mr. Clicky is going to be going in front in any case.”
    â€œI thought he got smashed last week?” said Peaches.
    â€œWe’ve got two left,” said Darktan. “Then we’ll have to raid another pet shop.”
    â€œ I’m the leader,” said Hamnpork. “ I’ll say what we do, Darktan.”
    â€œFine, sir. Fine,” said Darktan, still drawing in the mud. “And you know how to make all the traps safe, do you?”
    â€œNo, but I can tell you to!”
    â€œGood. Good,” said Darktan, making more marks with his stick and not looking at the leader. “And you’ll tell me which levers to leave alone and which bits to wedge open, will you?”
    â€œI don’t have to understand about traps,” said Hamnpork.
    â€œBut I do, sir,” said Darktan, speaking in the same calm voice. “And I’m telling you that there’s a couple of things about some of thesenew traps I don’t understand, and until I understand them, I’d very respectfully suggest you leave it all to me.”
    â€œThat is not the way to talk to a superior rat!”
    Darktan gave him a look, and Peaches held her breath.
    This is the showdown, she thought. This is where we find out who is the leader.
    Then Darktan said: “I am sorry. Impertinence was not intended.”
    Peaches picked up the astonishment amongst the older males who were watching.
    Darktan. He’d backed down! He hadn’t leaped!
    But he hadn’t cowered, either.
    Hamnpork’s fur settled. The old rat was at a loss to know how to deal