Urchin and the Raven War Read Online Free

Juniper carried off and a mole invasion.”
    “And a queen,” said Crispin.
    “And freedom for my home island,” added Cedar.
    “Aye, well, I’m not saying we shouldn’t help,” said Docken. “I’m just saying we have to be wary, that’s all.”
    “We have to know they’re telling the truth, Your Majesties,” said Mother Huggen the hedgehog, folding her paws neatly. “The last lot didn’t, begging your pardon, Queen Cedar.”
    “That’s quite all right, Huggen,” said the queen.
    “But, Your Majesties, these are swans,” Urchin pointed out. “They’re proud and bossy, but they believe in honor and they respect you, sir. I’m sure they’re telling the truth.”
    “The truth as they see it,” said Docken. “If it’s just a skirmish between ravens and swans, they should be left to sort it out themselves.”
    “I can’t see Lord Arcneck coming all this way for our help because of a bit of a skirmish,” said Crispin. “He’s too proud.”
    “And they look terrible, sir,” said Urchin. “Worn out and in a mess. And thin.”
    “Yes, that’s what I thought,” said Crispin. “They wouldn’t let us see them in that state if they weren’t desperate for help. He wouldn’t ask if he didn’t have to. Tay, you’re sure his cause is fair?”
    Tay frowned so that her whiskers stood out in a thin, dark line. “As far as I can judge, yes,” she said. “A thorough examination of history as revealed in the most ancient of the Threadings would clarify the situation.”
    Urchin caught the queen’s eye, smiled, and looked away quickly. Tay couldn’t just say, “I’ll see what the Threadings say,” could she?
    “Then, assuming that a good look at the Threadings proves us right,” said Crispin, “we have to help Lord Arcneck, and not only for his sake. If the ravens are as bad as he says, they won’t be content with one island. When they’ve finished killing and feasting there, they’ll start on the next, and the next. Sooner or later it would be Whitewings, Mistmantle, and every other island in the sea. Battle plans, then. There are only two ways to travel—underground, or flying on swans. Swans such as Lord and Lady Arcneck don’t normally allow themselves to be ridden on, but they have been known to cooperate”—he smiled at Urchin—“and they certainly will, to save their own island. Are there any tunnels—Moth, do you know?”
    Moth the mole was the daughter of Captain Lugg, who had taught his family a great deal about tunnels under the sea. She had spent much of her life looking after other animals’ babies before marrying Twigg the carpenter and having two little daughters of her own.
    “We can’t get to Swan Isle that way, Your Majesty, at least not quickly,” she said. “Father said all the tunnels going that way were ancient, and a long time ago the swans stopped anyone using them, so they’ve collapsed. They’d need digging out again and putting new roof supports and everything in.”
    “So we fly on swans!” said Crispin, and smiled brightly up at the Circle animals. Some gasped with excitement, while others looked worried or, like Tay, appalled. “But we can’t send much of a fighting force with only five swans, even if one can carry two of us. Tactics, anyone? Very good tactics?”
    “They’ll have to be brilliant tactics,” said Captain Arran, Padra’s wife. Her gold circlet was half hidden by the rough, tufty fur around the top of her head. “A lot of vicious creatures who can fly against a handful who can’t.”
    Silence followed as Urchin tried hard to think of an idea, and couldn’t. He could see that everyone else felt the same.
    “No ideas?” said Crispin. “Then we all have something to exercise our brains with.” He stood up, and so did everyone else. “Tay, Whittle, kindly go now to check the Threadings. The rest of you, think. We need to move quickly, if anyone on Swan Isle is to be left alive. You may go, all of you, and Heart keep