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31

"Up! Up everyone," said Fujokai clapping his paws together. Some lifted their heads off their pillows, rubbing sleep from their eyes while others just muttered as they rolled over. "The Guardian of Yoshino gave you an order," Sandokhan shouted as he hobbled into the dormitory. After breakfast, the slaves and fighters all chose their combat disciplines. Log-a-log Flugg and Cheek were in line with the other resistance trainees, practicing downward slashing movements with their wooden bokkens. Sandokhan limped in-between the ranks and files correcting stances. When he passed by Cheek the fox paused and urged the otter to stop. Sandokhan then adjusted Cheeks' grip, making his paws further apart. Cheek bowed to the fox before continuing his training. In the adjacent cavern, Fujokai and Elmtail had prepared wooden targets for the bow-beasts to practice. Elmtail and the wolf were having a light competition of marksmanship. Elmtail released the first shaft and struck a bullseye. Fujokai looked on, "Not bad," he commented before notching an arrow to his bow. The wolf however, paced back another ten feet before taking aim. Elmtail looked on completely puzzled, thinking the wolf could never get a good shot from that far away. Fujokais' aim was true, the arrowhead skimmed Elmtails' shaft and embedded in the bullseye next to the squirrels'. Elmtails' jaw dropped open, "Whoa!"

In the next cave, George was training some of the freed slaves in some paw-to-paw combat moves. The monks had made a wooden effigy of a Stormvermin rat. "Now then chaps, what I'm about to show you is -" the hare looked around only seeing blank stares. George sighed wearily, "Ahh, you bods don't even have a clue of what I'm going on about. Where's a flippin' translator when you bally need one, wot!"

Meanwhile Wataru and Mattimeo were entering the foothills of Kuma Mountain The ginormous rock loomed on the horizon with wisps of clouds shrouding its' summit. Mattimeo peered off into the distance, "And that's where the dragon lives?"

"That's it, Kuma Mountain," Wataru replied. "If I remember my Jimanese, 'Kuma' means 'Bear'," Mattimeo remarked. "Why do you call it Bear Mountain?"

"You'll know when we get closer," said Wataru. The mouse and the otter were making good time. By twilight the pair had made camp on a gentle slope near the top of the first hill they had to climb. They lit a small fire and Wataru put some rice to boil. Mattimeo lay on his back letting the flames warmly refresh his aching feet. The moon was bright, radiating the earth with its' ghostly aura as stars made patterns in the sky. "How much further do we have to go?" Mattimeo asked. "Not much further now. Should take another day at most," the otter replied, stirring the simmering rice. "Supper's nearly done," he added. "This place is strange," said Mattimeo. "I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched." Wataru filled a bowl and handed it to the mouse warrior, "I know what you mean. But whatever it is I doubt it's malevolent. If it were we'd be fighting for our lives right now." After supper Wataru and Mattimeo retired to bed. When the pair awoke, they noticed that somebeast had been rummaging around their camp. The knapsacks that were once filled with food were empty, but mysteriously their weapons had been left alone. "Paw prints!" Mattimeo called out. The otter rushed to Mattimeos' side as the warrior mouse pointed out two sets. One set looked like they were made by a small creature like a squirrel or a mouse but the second set were huge. "They seem to lead west, towards the mountain," said Wataru. "Tigerlilly?

"I don't know. Perhaps we should follow them," said Wataru.

In time the two warriors had found a paved road, there the paw prints stopped. "Can't track prints over stone," said Mattimeo. "Perhaps we should follow the road," Wataru motioned. "Are you sure that's wise? What about Stormvermin patrols?"

"I don't think there are any Stormvermin around Kuma Mountain Ever since the war they've been giving the mountain a wide berth. It's like they're afraid,"

"Afraid? Of what?"

"I don't know. Maybe we'll find out when we get closer."

When twilight arrived Mattimeo and Wataru had taken shelter in an old monestary. With the food gone, the two warriors had to settle for what they found off the land along the road. Back at Redwall, Mattimeo had learned how to make a good soup. As Mattimeo slurped the remainder in his bowl Wataru was sharpening the edge of his sword with a grindstone. "Urp! That was nice. What's wrong Samurai? You've been quiet ever since we sat down to supper."

"That feeling you had last night about being watched. I feel it even stronger now."

"Do you mean like somebeast is here in the room with us?"

"Like they're right outside the front door peering in at us." Mattimeo took a piece of firewood and lit it like a torch. He walked out into the chilled night air and looked around him. Satisfied by the lack of activity Mattimeo retired back inside and threw the wood on the fire. "No-one there," he said. Wataru tried to put the feeling from his mind, but when the otter retired he slept with his wakizashi under his pillow. When Mattimeo awoke the next morning, he was staring into the eyes of a ginormous creature.