by Nigel Hinton
‘Why are you all crying?’ he asked.
‘It’s Mick,’ sniffed the little hedgehog as a tear ran down his cheek. ‘He’s been my friend for ever and ever and now he doesn’t like me any more. And he says I am a henemy and it’s not true because I’m not a henemy, I’m me.’
‘Oh, don’t be sad,’ Baby B said. ‘It’s not the proper Mick. It’s only a hippotrized Mick, and that’s not the same. It’s like my mummy and daddy and Mrs Badger and Mr Stripe – they all love us really. But when you are hippotrized you don’t know what you are doing.’
Nick had stopped crying but Baby B could see that his friend was still sad so he reached over to give him a little pat.
‘Ow!’ Baby B squeaked as his paw touched Nick’s sharp spines. ‘Why are you always so prickerly?’
‘Because I’m a hedgehog,’ Nick said. ‘And if you haven’t got any prickles you can’t be a hedgehog.’
The idea of a hedgehog without any prickles made Baby B giggle and soon Nick saw the joke and started to giggle too. The giggles turned to laughter and they laughed so long and so hard that they both felt cheered up and they started to hum Baby B’s tune again.
Then Baby B began to make up words for the tune and very soon they had a whole song and they sang it together. Baby B sang the long lines and Nick sang the short lines.
This is how it went:
Nick is a hedgehog who’s prickerly,
It’s true!
He’s covered all over so thickerly,
Like glue!
With spines that lift up very trickerly,
They do!
Don’t tickle him to make him feel tickerly,
Or you
Will soon run away millions quickerly,
Toodle-oo!
With a poor paw that feels very sickerly,
Boo-hoo!
They sang the song for the rest of the night and most of the morning too. It made them feel happy and it helped stop them from nodding off to sleep. Then, around lunchtime, they both started to get hungry and the gnawing pain in their tummies meant that they couldn’t have fallen asleep even if they had wanted to.
‘I’m starving,’ Nick groaned towards the end of the afternoon.
‘So am I,’ said Baby B. ‘Let’s go and see if Mr Edgar has left anything in his cupboard.’
They crept upstairs to the cupboard but it was bare. They went into every room hoping to find something to eat – perhaps some nuts or even a few crumbs from one of Mrs Badger’s delicious chocolate cakes that Mr Edgar loved so much – but there was nothing.
Then Baby B peeped out of the window to make sure that nobody was coming to search for them. He looked across the fields and noticed all the apples lying on the ground in the orchards.
‘Oh Nick, look!’ he called.
Nick pressed his nose to the window and licked his lips. ‘Yum, yum! I love apples. Can we go out and get some?’
‘It’s a bit too very dangerous,’ Baby B said, shaking his head, but the apples looked too crisp and crunchy to resist. ‘I know – we can wait until it’s night, then we can run out and pick up some apples and come back before anyone sees us.’
‘Yes, good idea,’ Nick agreed, his mouth watering at the thought.
They sat by the window watching the sun sink oh-so-very slowly down behind the trees. Their tummies rumbled and grumbled as they waited but, finally, the last bit of light faded from the sky.
They opened the front door. It was dark, dark night out there and they were both scared, but their hunger was stronger than their fear.
They took a deep breath and ran out into the darkness.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It was dark and dangerous out in the orchard and the plan was to dash back to the Manor as soon as possible. But when Baby B and Nick smelled the apples, they couldn’t resist taking a little bite. And once they had taken that first bite, they couldn’t resist taking another. And another and another.
They quickly gobbled their way through one whole apple each – stalk and pips and all. It was so delicious and juicy that they forgot about everything else and stayed there, munching and crunching their way through a second apple and then a third. It was only when they heard a faint drumming sound in the distance that they stopped eating and looked up.
The noise grew louder and louder and the earth started to shake. It was the pounding of hooves. Some creatures were galloping towards the Manor and they were coming fast. Nearer and nearer. There wasn’t even time to run back indoors and hide.
Nick gave a little squeak of fear and rolled up into a ball.
‘No, Nick,’ Baby B said quickly. ‘You’ll get all treaded on there. Quick, grab hold of my tail!’
Baby B felt Nick grab his tail, then he sprang on to the nearest tree and scrambled up the trunk. They had just reached the first branch when they saw six sheep burst round the side of the Manor and gallop towards them through the orchard.
Baby B and Nick hid among the leaves and watched as the sheep thundered under the tree.
‘Hurry, hurry!’ the first sheep called to the others. ‘Everyone to the castle! Retsnom is waiting.’
‘Retsnom! Retsnom!’ the others bleated as they raced away through the orchard and across the fields towards the forest.
They waited a while to make sure the sheep had gone and then Baby B climbed back down the tree. As soon as they were on the ground Nick let go of his tail and started running towards the Manor.
‘Wait! Come back!’ Baby B called.
‘Why? We must go and hide again,’ Nick said.
‘We can’t hide for ever and ever. We must do something. You heard the sheep – everybody is going to Beaver Towers. We must go and find out why.’
‘Oh no, Baby B, I don’t want to!’
Nick started running back to the Manor again but when he saw Baby B walking towards the forest, he turned round and ran after him.
‘I don’t like this idea, Baby B,’ Nick panted when he caught up with him at the edge of the forest.
‘You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,’ Baby B said and he kept walking down the path into the forest.
He hadn’t gone very far, though, when he suddenly got scared. It would be horrible to go through the forest on his own. And it would be even more horrible to be at Beaver Towers all by himself.
He was just about to turn round when he heard a rustling noise in the leaves behind him.
‘I’m coming with you,’ Nick said, taking hold of Baby B’s paw.
‘Hooray!’ Baby B said.
‘It’s best when you’ve got someone to be with you, isn’t it?’ Nick said.
‘Yes,’ Baby B said. ‘Yes, it is.’
The two friends hurried on towards Beaver Towers.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Baby B and Nick peered out from their hiding place in some bushes just outside Beaver Towers.
Lights were shining from all the windows in the castle and animals were filing across the drawbridge into the courtyard. Soon everybody was inside and the drawbridge was empty. Only a buzz of excited chatter could be heard from the courtyard.
‘Come on,’ whispered Baby B. ‘Let’s go and see what’s happening.’
They crept out from the bushes and tiptoed across the wooden drawbridge. They hid in the shadows of the archway and peeped into the courtyard.
All the animals of the island were there, crowded round the steps leading to the main door. Suddenly, the door opened and a hush fell over the crowd. Retsnom hopped out of the Great Hall and stood on the top step. He glared down at the animals with his glittering eyes. They all bowed their heads as if they were afraid to look at him.
‘Who is your master?’ screamed the raven, and his croaky voice echoed round the courtyard.
‘Retsnom! Retsnom!’ the animals shouted.
‘Yes, for the moment I am your master. I have spoken inside your heads and you are mine. But I serve a greater master and when he comes here, he will be your master, too. I spea
k of … the Prince of Darkness!’
The animals all shivered at the sound of this name and they bowed their heads even lower.
‘You do well to tremble,’ Retsnom croaked. ‘He is all-powerful and he shows no mercy to his enemies. For many years he has yearned to rule over this island. His servants, Oyin and Nomed, were sent to win it for him, but they failed. I, Retsnom, will not fail. Soon he will arrive, but before that glorious moment there is work to be done. You are all my loyal followers but there are some creatures of the island who still refuse to bow to me. You, badger! Come up here and tell us the names of these traitors.’
Baby B and Nick gasped as they saw Mrs Badger climb the steps and turn to face the crowd. She opened her mouth to speak but something stopped her. She shook her head as if she was confused.
Retsnom squawked angrily and flew up and dug his claws into her shoulder.
‘Speak the names!’ he screamed.
‘Baby B and Nick,’ Mrs Badger said.
‘And what are they, these two creatures?’ Retsnom demanded.
‘They are traitors,’ Mrs Badger said.
She said the words but tears were filling her eyes and Baby B and Nick knew that deep down she must still love them.
‘Yes, traitors,’ Retsnom shrilled. ‘They are the ones who killed the trees. They are the ones who cursed the water and made it go bad. They are your enemies and you must hunt them down. What are their names?’
‘Baby B and Nick!’ the crowd chanted. ‘Baby B and Nick!’
‘And what must you do?’ Retsnom demanded.
‘Hunt them down!’ the crowd howled. ‘Hunt them down!’
Poor Mrs Badger was still standing on the top step. She was saying everything that the others were saying but she was shaking her head as if she didn’t believe it and tears were running down her cheeks.
Retsnom saw the tears and flew up again and pecked her cruelly on the side of her face. The poor badger fell to the ground in pain and a line of blood trickled across the black and white fur on her cheek.
‘Oh, Mrs Badger!’ Baby B cried, stepping forward out of the shadows.
All the animals were so busy chanting that none of them heard Baby B’s cry. None of them except a small rabbit with very sharp ears – Rufus Rabbit. He heard the cry and turned just in time to see Nick rush forward and drag Baby B back into the shadows.
At this very moment, Retsnom pulled himself up proudly and spread his wings wide to get everyone to be quiet. Silence fell. And in the silence, Rufus Rabbit pointed to the archway.
‘Baby B and Nick! The traitors! There they are!’ he piped in his high voice.
All the animals turned and looked at the archway.
For a second Baby B and Nick were frozen to the spot but then they spun round and dashed away across the drawbridge.
‘Hunt them down!’ screamed Retsnom as he flapped into the air. He soared high above the castle wall and then dived.
Baby B and Nick had just reached the end of the drawbridge when there was a whirring of wings and a flash of black. Retsnom landed in front of them and they both skidded to a stop.
They could hear the animals running across the drawbridge behind them but Baby B and Nick looked only at Retsnom. His cruel beak was open and his eyes were glittering with triumph.
‘I’ve got you!’ he hissed.
Strong paws grabbed hold of Baby B and Nick from behind and they were lifted up into the air.
‘To the dungeons with them,’ Retsnom croaked. ‘Lock them in and leave them. Soon they will sleep. And when they sleep I will speak inside their heads and they will obey. Take them away!’
Baby B and Nick were carried down to the dungeon and thrown inside. The big iron door was locked and they were left alone.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Baby B wasn’t frightened. Baby B wasn’t sad. Baby B was angry.
‘That Rufus Rabbit!’ he growled as he paced up and down in the dungeon. ‘That pesky Rufus Rabbit! The next time I see him I’m going to give him a big biff right on the end of his silly twitchy nose. I know he’s only a hinfant and Mr Stripe says you must be kind to hinfants, but look what he’s done. We’re both locked up in this gungeon and it’s all his fault!’
Nick didn’t say anything. He was frightened and sad. He sat in the corner and wished it could be like the old days when he was one of the Mechanics, polishing with Ann and Mick. How lovely to be out in the open air making Doris’s paintwork shine, rather than trapped here in this damp and gloomy prison.
Nick looked round and sighed. The thick metal door was locked. The walls were carved out of solid rock. The one tiny window, high up near the ceiling, had iron bars so close together that even a small hedgehog wouldn’t be able to squeeze through.
It was hopeless to think of escape. And Retsnom was right – sooner or later they would have to go to sleep and he would be able to think-talk to them and make them do anything he wanted.
Bit by bit, Baby B calmed down. He stopped grumbling about Rufus Rabbit and looked round the dungeon as if he had only just realized where he was. He shook the door then he banged his paws against it. He tapped the walls and he scratched the rock floor with his claws. He even tried jumping up to reach the window but it was much too high.
‘Oh, Nick,’ he said. ‘What we going to do?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t think. I’m too tired.’
Nick yawned a big yawn and closed his eyes.
‘No!’ Baby B shouted. ‘No, don’t go to sleep. Come on, get up. We must do walking up and down.’
He pulled Nick up and they started walking round the dungeon.
They walked and talked.
They walked and sang their song.
They walked and told silly jokes.
Up and down. Round and round. They walked until their paws ached.
‘I got to sit down,’ Nick puffed.
‘Me too,’ Baby B said. ‘But we mustn’t go to sleep. I’ve got a good idea – I can sit on you.’
‘Sit on me! Why?’
‘Well, if your prickles stick in me, I can’t sleep. And if I squash you, you can’t sleep as well.’
They tried it. But Nick was much too prickly and Baby B was much too squashy so they had to stop.
‘We must do walking again,’ Baby B said.
‘I can’t,’ Nick groaned. ‘I want to sleep.’
‘No – we can’t. If we sleep Retsnom will get us. We can sit down a little bit but we must sing the song to keep us awake. One, two, three. “Nick is a hedgehog who’s prickerly …”.’
‘It’s true,’ sang Nick feebly.
‘He’s covered all over so thickerly …’
‘Like glue.’
They sang the song all the way through and then started again but their singing got slower and slower as their eyes got heavier and heavier. First Nick’s eyes closed and a moment later Baby B’s head nodded forward and his eyes closed too.
A few minutes after they had fallen asleep there was a flapping of wings and a bird flew into the dungeon.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Baby B could hear a voice calling in his ear.
‘Wake up!’ the voice was saying.
‘Leave me alone, Nick,’ he mumbled. ‘I’m too sleepy.’
‘It’s not Nick. Wake up at once or I’ll peck you,’ said the voice.
Baby B felt a sharp nip on his ear and he jerked awake to find a bird perched on his shoulder.
‘Sergeant Robin! How did you get here?’
‘Through the window, of course,’ chirped the robin, then he flew down and began gently pecking Nick on his nose. The little hedgehog twitched and opened his eyes.
‘No more sleeping – it’s time to go,’ said the robin.
‘Have you come to take us to Retsnom?’ Baby B asked, suddenly afraid.
‘Retsnom? Take you to that old lump of evil? Of course not. We’ve come to set you free.’
‘Who’s we?’ Nick asked.
‘Me and Ann – she�
�s getting the key to the door. She’ll be here in a minute.’
‘But why aren’t you hippotrized like everybody else?’ Baby B asked.
‘I’ve been away, visiting some friends on another island. And Ann was so busy polishing Doris every night that she was never asleep when Retsnom did his think-talking.’
There was a clicking noise as a key turned in the lock. A moment later the dungeon door swung open and there was Ann standing on a chair.
‘I couldn’t reach the lock,’ she explained. ‘I’m all puffed out from pushing the chair. Come on, no time to lose. Nearly everyone’s asleep but Retsnom has left some animals on guard so we’ll have to be careful.’
‘I’ll meet you outside,’ chirped Sergeant Robin as he flew out of the window.
Ann jumped down from the chair and started climbing the stairs. Baby B and Nick ran out of the dungeon and followed her.
At the top of the stairs, Ann stopped and they all peered along the corridor. In the flickering light from the flaming torches on the wall, they could see a large rabbit who had been left on guard. It was Maxi, the laziest rabbit on the island, so they weren’t surprised to see that he was leaning against the wall, asleep.
They held their breath and began to tiptoe along the corridor towards him. As they got closer, they could hear Maxi’s gentle snoring and they could see his whiskers twitching in his sleep. Just as they passed him, he began to slide down the wall.
They froze and watched Maxi slip lower and lower until his bottom bumped on to the floor. He was so deeply asleep, though, that he didn’t even open his eyes. He just rolled over and went on snoring. They hurried quietly along the corridor and up the next staircase towards the Great Hall.
The Hall seemed empty. They were just about to run across it when they saw the two badgers, Loco and Chez, standing in the shadows near the main door. It was a good place to stand guard – anybody who took one step into the Hall would be spotted at once. Baby B and the two hedgehogs just had to wait and hope that the badgers would go away or fall asleep.
They waited and waited.
The clock near the stairs chimed four o’clock, then half past, then five o’clock.