<HTML> **** "Yes, Dad?" they both chimed, their high piping voices well formed from out of their rodential snouts. "Would you get these three gentleman something to eat. And don't fight over who gets to carry the extra plate this time." His voice carried that weariness only a father with mischievous sons could have. Both of the young squirrel's tails twitched as they looked at each other and then back at the three Sondeckis.  Their eyes settled on the rat and then grew very large, nearly popping out of their head. "Charles!" one of them shouted in delight, skittering over, almost on all fours to be at the scout's side. "You came back!" the other added as he joined his brother. Charles looked at them both, trying to decide which was which and failing completely of course, and then smiled affectionately, giving them both a pat on the head. "Good to see you two as well.  Are you being good little helpers for your Father?" One of them, Darien he thought, nodded and wrapped his tail about one of the table legs. "We're helping to make the arrows!" "Oh really?" Charles aid, letting his eyes widen in amazement. "That takes a lot of skill, why you two must be very talented." He could hear Brian stifle a laugh over his shoulder.  Both the other two Sondeckis were grinning as they watched.  Angus and Garigan nodded in agreement with Charles though, congratulating the two young squirrels for their efforts. "Mr. Berchem says in another year we'll be making them for the whole Glen!" Christopher proclaimed proudly, or was it Darien?  They'd both grown several inches since the last time Charles had seen them, he could not even guess which was which! "I'm sure he's right," Charles said, smiling that huge grin which encompassed his thick set of whiskers.  His stomach then offered an indignant growl, and he had to chuckle. "Now, would you do us three a favour and bring us something good to eat?" "I'll do it!" one of the two shouted, darting off towards the kitchen behind the counter.  However, his brother was following right after him, protesting that he'd be the one to get their food.  Lord Avery sighed, shaking his head, his tail laying against the floor in defeat, but laughing lightly with the others around the table. Jerome watched their long tails dart behind the counter and out of view and then looked at Brian whimsically. "Those are your children?  They're adorable, and slightly incorrigible too, I might add." "And they're a bit taller than I remember them," Charles added, looking back to the exasperated father. Brian nodded a bit, leaning back in his chair slightly. "Yes, they've grown nearly half a foot since April. They don't even go around in clothes during the summer, because they keep outgrowing them!  I think Walter stitches them new outfits every four months." "Why are they growing so fast?" Zagrosek asked, even as he drew his cloak tighter about himself, as if the mention of heat had left him chilled. Lord Avery turned to the lack-haired Sondeckis, his face gone curious. "Aren't you from Metamor?" Zagrosek shook his head, "No, Charles is an old friend who we're visiting.  You'll have to bear with our ignorance, I'm afraid." Angus and Brian looked at each other quickly, their faces suddenly very serious. "You do realize that if you stay here for long you may end up like us?  We are still inside the radius of the curse here at Glen Avery." "We know," Jerome said, glancing back at the kitchen door once before turning his wide face to look at the three Glenners seated across from him. "We are willing to take that risk." "We'll help you in anyway we can, and stay for as long as we are needed," Zagrosek added, favouring them a tight grin. Angus nodded approvingly, while Lord Avery smiled. "I'm very glad to hear that.  We can use all the help that we can muster up here.  What can you do?  Are you good fighters, scouts?  Can you use a bow, staff, sword?  What are your specialties.  We're going to be making our plans soon, and I'd like to know what you are capable of." The two Sondeckis flashed glances at each other, smiling slightly, while Charles just chuckled to himself.  Jerome, then spoke, his voice certain, "Whatever Charles is capable of, we can match it.  Our strong suit though is close combat.  We could wield bows if necessary, but I'm afraid our accuracy leaves much to be desired." Lord Avery shook his head then. "We have more than enough archers.  What weapons do you use?" Zagrosek set the retracted Sondeshike on the table and just gave them a rather amused smile.  Jerome held out his hands and favoured them with a similar smirk. "We don't need much, Charles can tell you." Angus reached out and plucked the small cylinder from the table, and examined it in his paws.  He traced two thick, hairy claws across the smooth surface, twisting it about, but he did not press the catch set in the middle.  Setting it back down before the black-haired Sondeckis, he gave the man a very dubious stare. "Show me what you can do with that." Zagrosek took the Sondeshike and extended it with a flick of his wrist, spinning it over his head in a graceful arc before stashing beneath his arm and shoulder. "Something along those lines." The badger laughed quite loudly, while Lord Avery just stared in disbelief at the large staff that had suddenly appeared in the Sondecki's hand. "If we had the time, and Nasoj's army wasn't marching over top of our home, I'd take you out to the fields and spar with you a bit, just to see how good you really are with that thing.  What do you call it?" "A staff usually," Zagrosek said, returning it to its compact form and slipping it beneath his robes once more.  A plate suddenly found itself in front of him, as the two young squirrels returned with their breakfast.  Charles grinned at the two boys, but they quickly ran off back behind the counter, probably to work on more arrows.  They'd been served a large helping off eggs, with a biscuit on one side, and a small portion of warm oats.   "I see Mrs. Levins has taken over all the cooking for you." Charles spooned some of the eggs into his muzzle, and knew instantly he'd been right.  There was some flavour to them that he'd never known in simple scrambled eggs before. Jerome and Zagrosek were too busy feeding their faces to add to the rat's peroration, but Brian Avery nodded emphatically. "She has a way of making even the simplest of meals taste like a banquet." His dark eyes trailed after his sons, and then his face lit up with a forgotten question. "Oh, you wondered why they are growing so fast.  Because they were born as squirrels, they age faster than normal children would. It is a burden that Angela and I are happy to bear, except that it makes them twice as hyper as normal children too." Zagrosek chuckled between mouthfuls, and grinned, "Well, they are adorable." Then, he paused a moment and swallowed the last of his eggs. "Now, you said you've been discussing what you are going to do about this supply line.  What have you thought of so far?" Angus, Garigan, and Brian Avery leaned over the table further.  A few of the other Glenners that had been mired in their own conversations stopped and turned to watch them as well.  Charles chewed down a bit of the oats as he gazed down at the map of the northern Valley before them.  He recognized the ravine between Mount Nuln and Kalegris that Misha and he had scouted last April, where the Lutins had been building catapults.  However, where the squirrel's paws were was atop the forests near the Giant's Dike. "Our scouts have found that Baron Calephas is making his camp just south of the Dike.  They've got provisions there to last at least a month, and every few hours or so, a wagon is loaded and sent south to Metamor along the old North Road.  As Garigan has informed us, and our scouts have confirmed, there are about twenty Lutins guarding each transport, with ten covering each flank." "Yes, we found that out the hard way," Jerome muttered as pushed his plate aside. "Now, Calephas's camp appears to be well guarded, and there are several hundred Lutins stationed there.  They're going to Metamor piecemeal, but as it stands, we do not have the manpower to assault his camp.  But we do need to stop those supplies from reaching Metamor." "So what are we going to hit instead?" the skunk named Berchem asked. "I think we should try to destroy the bridge." There was a bit of a gasp from several around the room. "It is the easiest way to cross the gorge in the hills without going to the eastern side of the Valley.  Without that bridge, Calephas won't be able to get the supplies to Nasoj's troops for some time, hopefully long enough for the Metamorians to turn back the assault.  Now, it is being guarded, several squadrons of Lutins on both sides, and several hounds with them, so we'll have to be cautious in our approach.  We cannot be certain how many patrols they have circling the area either." Angus tapped the line of the gorge that drew up into the Western mountains. "Perhaps we could come in from below?  Torch the bridge, let it burn.  It is made from wood after all." "We'd need an awfully hot fire in this weather," Berchem pointed out, his monochromatic tail circling behind his head. Avery glanced over his shoulder at the woodpecker who was hopping from one foot to the other so he could see. "Burris, do you think you could help there?" "I think so yes, I'd just need a few moments free from distraction to convince the wood to burn hot enough." "Good, then we'll definitely have to send a team down into that ravine.  Unfortunately, that means they'll need to leave several hours before the rest.  We'll have to have an attack up above as well, to keep the Lutins occupied while Burris destroys the bridge.  Bercham, I would like you to take several of your archers and accompany Burris in the ravine.  Charles, why don't you and your friends accompany them, you may run into some unpleasant company on the way." Charles nodded and hen glanced at the skunk, who was grinning slightly, "We'd be delighted to do so.  When are you planning to attack?" Brian Avery gazed at him, his face set in a firm moue. "As soon as you can reach the bridge.  It takes three hours to walk there via the road.  You'll have to take the long way around, so you had best leave within the hour.  Once we are finished making our plans, we'll get you powdered up and then you can be off." "Powdered?" Jerome asked suddenly, noting the amused grin that had crossed the skunk's face.  Angus wore a similar one, and as he looked about, he noticed that almost every Glenner wore that mischievous smirk. "Of course, you'll need to blend in, and you are not quite white enough to do that yet," Lord Avery said, his own smile quite large. Jerome and Zagrosek looked at each other uncertainly, but then shrugged, and turned back to the map.  Charles had to stuff his biscuit into his mouth to keep from laughing. End part 55</HTML>