breathy. “And there are burrows and tunnels, so she can get straight underground. She’s as safe as she can be.”
“She could do with being farther inland,” said Crispin, “but the tunnels are full of animals being taken to safety just now. We don’t want any unnecessary movement cramming them. When everyone else has settled down, Swish, get her moved inland. Urchin, Juniper, I need you to witness that if the tower and everyone in it is lost, Catkin becomes queen. Cedar, Padra, and Arran should be regents for her, but if there are no captains left, it’ll have to be you.”
“But…” began Urchin.
“No time to discuss it,” said Crispin. “Obey orders.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Urchin.
“Juniper,” said Crispin, “we need prayer in every part of the tower and around it. No enemy is ever stronger than the Heart. And animals will want to come to you for a blessing.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Juniper. “I’ll go to the turret. It’ll be safe for the next few hours, then I’ll go to Fir. Heart keep Your Majesty.” He gave Urchin a quick pat on the shoulder as he left the Throne Room.
“Swish, you may go as soon as you’ve had some refreshment,” said Crispin. He took a leaf and scored his clawmark through it. “Take that to Brindle, tell him all I’ve told you, use that token if you need to prove the orders are from me. Heart keep you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Swish. “Heart keep you, too.”
She ran away, swift and sure, through the tunnels. Was there a vibration somewhere near? But the earth to her left smelled freshly dug. New tunnels were being built all over Mistmantle, and old ones filled in so that the ground would not weaken. There was nothing alarming about somebody digging one more. She ran on, clutching her token.
Crispin, Cedar, Padra, and Urchin remained in the Throne Room. Still awaiting orders, Urchin could feel the readiness in the air.
“Urchin,” said the king, “go straight to Curlingshell Bay. I’m sending Heath, too. I need a couple of good animals to lead the defense of the bay, if the ravens attack it.”
Urchin’s heart slumped. He wasn’t sure if Crispin really wanted him to serve as a warrior at Curlingshell Bay. Maybe he was just being sent to a place of safety, like the youngsters. With an effort, he looked Crispin in the eyes.
“Do I have a choice, Your Majesty?”
Crispin placed both his paws on Urchin’s shoulders.
“I’ll insist if I have to, Urchin,” he said. “I’d rather not have to. Cedar and I will feel a lot better about Catkin knowing that she has you close by.”
Urchin swallowed hard and nodded.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said. “I’ll guard her, and I’ll guard the bay, and thank you, Your Majesty, for trusting me. Only—only I have to say this, sir—I’d imagined myself fighting beside you, and I want you to know that I’d give anything to do that, and die, if I had to.”
“I know, Urchin,” said Crispin gravely. “Are you grieved that I’m keeping you safe? Listen. You’re right, I don’t want you in the tower if the ravens take it. I need good Circle animals in safe places so they can continue the fight if I fall. We’ve sent Oakleaf and Almondflower to the Mole Palace. Oakleaf wanted to stay and fight, but he’s young, Urchin. I want him to live, and I want you to live so that my son will have someone to look up to. Away you go.”
Urchin shook his paw firmly, and Padra’s, and kissed the queen’s paw before going to find his cloak. He could still feel the press of Crispin’s paws on his shoulders as he knelt to receive Juniper’s blessing, and left by the tower stair, glancing up at the sky.
Padra and Crispin left the Throne Room together.
“Where’s Prince Crown?” asked Padra.
“He hasn’t been seen since he came to warn us of the ships,” said Crispin.
“I’d hoped that he’d stay by us,” said Padra.
“We don’t know his reasons for leaving,” said Crispin.
“She could do with being farther inland,” said Crispin, “but the tunnels are full of animals being taken to safety just now. We don’t want any unnecessary movement cramming them. When everyone else has settled down, Swish, get her moved inland. Urchin, Juniper, I need you to witness that if the tower and everyone in it is lost, Catkin becomes queen. Cedar, Padra, and Arran should be regents for her, but if there are no captains left, it’ll have to be you.”
“But…” began Urchin.
“No time to discuss it,” said Crispin. “Obey orders.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Urchin.
“Juniper,” said Crispin, “we need prayer in every part of the tower and around it. No enemy is ever stronger than the Heart. And animals will want to come to you for a blessing.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Juniper. “I’ll go to the turret. It’ll be safe for the next few hours, then I’ll go to Fir. Heart keep Your Majesty.” He gave Urchin a quick pat on the shoulder as he left the Throne Room.
“Swish, you may go as soon as you’ve had some refreshment,” said Crispin. He took a leaf and scored his clawmark through it. “Take that to Brindle, tell him all I’ve told you, use that token if you need to prove the orders are from me. Heart keep you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Swish. “Heart keep you, too.”
She ran away, swift and sure, through the tunnels. Was there a vibration somewhere near? But the earth to her left smelled freshly dug. New tunnels were being built all over Mistmantle, and old ones filled in so that the ground would not weaken. There was nothing alarming about somebody digging one more. She ran on, clutching her token.
Crispin, Cedar, Padra, and Urchin remained in the Throne Room. Still awaiting orders, Urchin could feel the readiness in the air.
“Urchin,” said the king, “go straight to Curlingshell Bay. I’m sending Heath, too. I need a couple of good animals to lead the defense of the bay, if the ravens attack it.”
Urchin’s heart slumped. He wasn’t sure if Crispin really wanted him to serve as a warrior at Curlingshell Bay. Maybe he was just being sent to a place of safety, like the youngsters. With an effort, he looked Crispin in the eyes.
“Do I have a choice, Your Majesty?”
Crispin placed both his paws on Urchin’s shoulders.
“I’ll insist if I have to, Urchin,” he said. “I’d rather not have to. Cedar and I will feel a lot better about Catkin knowing that she has you close by.”
Urchin swallowed hard and nodded.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said. “I’ll guard her, and I’ll guard the bay, and thank you, Your Majesty, for trusting me. Only—only I have to say this, sir—I’d imagined myself fighting beside you, and I want you to know that I’d give anything to do that, and die, if I had to.”
“I know, Urchin,” said Crispin gravely. “Are you grieved that I’m keeping you safe? Listen. You’re right, I don’t want you in the tower if the ravens take it. I need good Circle animals in safe places so they can continue the fight if I fall. We’ve sent Oakleaf and Almondflower to the Mole Palace. Oakleaf wanted to stay and fight, but he’s young, Urchin. I want him to live, and I want you to live so that my son will have someone to look up to. Away you go.”
Urchin shook his paw firmly, and Padra’s, and kissed the queen’s paw before going to find his cloak. He could still feel the press of Crispin’s paws on his shoulders as he knelt to receive Juniper’s blessing, and left by the tower stair, glancing up at the sky.
Padra and Crispin left the Throne Room together.
“Where’s Prince Crown?” asked Padra.
“He hasn’t been seen since he came to warn us of the ships,” said Crispin.
“I’d hoped that he’d stay by us,” said Padra.
“We don’t know his reasons for leaving,” said Crispin.
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