Mountain of the Fire Lizard

[Ashleg]

Snipper heaved the last barrel into the tunnel and then, once he was sure it was rolling, slammed the door of the cellars shut.

[Groddil]

The flaming barrels "barreled" down the tunnels, the tightly-packed ferrets screeched in horror when they were burned to death, unable to escape due to their huge numbers. When the barrels got past the main group of ferrets, they trundled into the main cavern. The ferret leader's eyes widened. The barrels splashed into the large pool in the centre of the cave. The ferret leader screamed and threw himself to the ground as the pool ignited. The sheer force of the explosion shook the mountain. Marshalpaw steadied himself as the entire cellar crumbled. He pushed Snipper away from the closed door and dived after him. Marshalpaw coughed and looked again. Pieces of the door littered the ground and the entrance was blocked with several tonnes of rock.

[Ashleg]

When all had settled, Snipper shakily lifted his head.
All of the previous joy was gone from the young hare's eyes. He looked terrified.
"...M-Marshalpaw...We're dead, aren't we? Oh, we're dead, dead, dead!" He sprang to his paws and ran towards the door, trying but failing to clear the rocks away.
Snipper was clearly in a state of panic.
"We're dead, we're going to die!"

[Groddil]

Marshalpaw held a torch to the shattered doorway.
"I don't think we're going to get out that way, but there are other ways. This way."
Marshalpaw tossed a torch to Snipper and carefully tiptoed down the now-crumbling tunnel. The general suddenly stopped. He inspected the large rockfall surrounded by burnt ferrets, and noticed an opening. The hare turned to Snipper.
"See if you can crawl through here."

[Lady Ashenwyte]

"A little trinket, belonging to one of the crabs in your tunnels. Looks like the skull of a ferret. The thing used to belong to me, and I wish to have it back. If I am denied this, I challenge you to honourable combat beneath the shadow of your mountain." The corsair said, carefully maintaining a cold face on the exterior, but grinning on the inside.

[Groddil]

Stripepaw turned his head as a hare scurried up urgently. He conversed with the hare, who saluted and loped away. The badger lord stared at his visitor.
"Bad news for you, I'm afraid. Something just happened, and it wasn't good. Apparently a whole system of tunnels have collapsed, on our end anyway. The cellar entrances are completely blocked. Now, you may be able to get into the tunnels from the outside. I will show you where, anything to keep your kind out of Salamandastron."
The badger lord signalled to Sundash and two other hares to follow him, and strode out the gate. As soon as the badger left, it was slammed shut. Stripepaw brandished his warhammer at Io.
"Follow me, and don't try anything."

[Lady Ashenwyte]

Io sheathed his sword. "Alright then." He said. "I did expect better manners from your kin. One of the Badger Lords in the North gave me this fine blade."

[Groddil]

The badger lord shrugged.
"And who was this? Badger lords don't normally go around giving weapons to pirates."
He pointed to a cliff in the distance.
"The caves are at the foot of yonder cliff. It'll take us about an hours hard marching to get there."

[Lady Ashenwyte]

"Lord Snowwyte. He was reputably undefeatable in battle, but he lost his war against time" Io smiled. "I was one of his personal retainers. In the North, one can never have too much protection. Now, let's get on with it!"

[Ashleg]

Snipper gagged when he saw the ferrets, covering his mouth with both paws.
"Oh, ugh, for all things good! I feel sick! I think I might throw up..."

[Groddil]

Marshalpaw, who was used to horrifying sights such as this, merely placed a paw over Snipper's eyes.
"Don't look then, young 'un. Climb over here and get through that hole."

[Ashleg]

Snipper did as he was told, though the eerie images of the dead ferrets remained a fresh sight in his mind.
He swallowed shakily. "I might wretch on your paw..."

[Groddil]

Marshalpaw gripped the recruit's paw and moved it to the hole.
"It's all right, climb up 'ere an through to the other side.

[Ashleg]

Snipper slipped through the hole with ease and turned around to see if Marshalpaw was coming with him.

[Groddil]

Marshalpaw stood on the cellar side of the collapse.
"I can't squeeze through, but there might be another way...How much space is there on your side?"