Brambles Air Troop.

            Chapter One

            One warm summer evening in the olden days all was peaceful at Barnfield by the Beck.  Bramble the field mouse had taken advantage of the warm long day to repair the thatch of his straw round house where he lived with his wife Whibsey.

            He was weaving the very last straw into place when a shrill scream filled the air and all the other animals darted into their homes.  Bramble slid down from the top of his house and into the door that Whibsey was holding open for him; because she knew from past experience what had happened; she wanted her husband safely indoors as soon as possible.

            Bramble slammed the door behind himself.

            ‘We will have to do something about those falcons Whibsey; they have snatched little Bunsy Rabbit now.’

He said.

            Whibsey was concerned,

            ‘Now don’t you get taking things on by yourself Bramble; you are not big enough to fight those falcons on you own; they strike so hard and fast with their great big talons.

            Bramble was not listening. If only I could fly. He thought to himself, as he peeked around the curtains and looked up to the sky.  As soon as it was safe again he scampered outside; ignoring Whibsey’s plea that he should be careful.

            When the other animals saw Bramble outside they felt safe to venture out and join him; their noses were twitching and their glinting eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of the falcons.  No one said anything; the only sound to be heard was the sobbing coming up from the warren home of Bunsy Rabbits parents who were so upset at the loss of their little girl.  Bramble knew how they felt because the falcons had taken his little boy away two winters ago; in fact most of the animals had lost at least one member of their family who the falcons had taken to use as slaves to be used in their cold mountain fortress in the Northlands.

                                    Chapter Two

            ‘Friends.’ Bramble squeaked as loud as he could  ‘I think the time has come when we must fight these vicious falcons.’

Bruce Badger grunted,

            ‘Huh, and what do you think you are going to do?  A little thing like you. - why even I can’t stand up to them and I am not frightened of anything normally…  But those falcons they are awesome things.

            ‘I did not say, I, - Bruce.  I said we.  We must get organized.’

Bramble retorted sharply.  He turned to the other animals who had gathered around.

            Won’t we.’

He said but they all turned away laughing and went back into their homes.

            ‘That is it laugh; laugh.’ Bramble screeched after them.  ‘The Rabbit family is not laughing.  Neither were any of you when they took your own relations away!’

            The laughing ceased but they all carried on walking back to their homes, muttering to one another and shaking their heads.  Bramble was disappointed. How can I even start to organize the neighbors if they do not listen to me, Whibsey is right I can’t go doing it all on my own; in fact I don’t know how I could do anything about it with any one else.

            He was about to go into his house when a voice said, ‘Hey, Bramble, here a minute.’  When Bramble turned around he could not see anyone at first, then the voice said, ‘here, it’s me; Stevie.’ Bramble saw a movement from the corner of his eye.  Stevie Stoats face appeared through a clump of grass.  When he knew that Bramble had seen him he grinned in his usual cheeky way and did a forward roll towards his little pal.

‘Dar-daar.’  He said as he stood up on his hind legs and bowed.  Because he is a member of the stoat family he is always happy go lucky and proud of his acrobatic agility.

            Normally Bramble would have applauded him on his face Stevie tried cheering him up.

            ‘What’s up with you, seen your reflection in the beck or something?’  He asked.

            ‘Didn’t you know that the falcons had struck again?’

Bramble asked him.  ‘No!’  The surprised Stevie gasped.

            ‘Who have they taken this time?’

            ‘Bunsy Rabbit.’

            ‘Oh it must have happened when I was in that drain, having a poke around.  I enjoy exploring places like that; it is the safest place to be when those Falcons are around; that’s why we made our home in that wall over there.  The wife and kids are safer in there.  We moved in there when Uncle Freddie was snatched by the falcons.’

            Bramble looked surprised, ‘I didn’t know they had your Uncle Freddie; when did that happen?’  He asked.

            ‘Oh, that was last year.  They didn’t keep him long though, us stoats can get out of anywhere; he was back home within a week.’

            ‘Hang on there a minute Stevie , I’ll just tell Whibsey that I will be out for a bit; I’ll come home with you and have a word with your Uncle Freddie if I may?’

            ‘Sure your welcome around our place anytime Bramble.’ Stevie said as Bramble scurried across the clearing to his house.  He was back out within the tick of a clock, with Whibsey squealing after him,

            Now just you remember Bramble Fieldmouse, don’t you go taking things on by yourself.’

            I am only going to Stevie’s place to see his Uncle Freddie.  I will be back by ten o’clock.’

            Bramble said as he scurried back to Stevie, who shouted’

            ‘Ello there Whibs!’

            ‘My name is not Whibs it is Whibsey.’  She replied sharply as she did not have any time for the Stoat family.

            ‘And don’t you go getting my Bramble into any trouble Steven Stoat.’  She added.

            ‘Righto Whibs.’ Stevie answered with a cheeky grin.  ‘Oh!’ Whibsey exclaimed in a huff as she turned away and went back into her house.

                                    Chapter Three

            Bramble followed Stevie along the dark alleys and tunnels that wind through the middle of the old dry stone wall.  He could hear a lot of shouting and laughing. Stevie opened a door in the brickwork the noise became deafening and the light that flooded out hurt Brambles eyes that had become accustomed to the dim light of the passageways.

 Once his eyes became accustomed to the bright light inside the Stoats home he saw six young members of the stoat family playing leapfrog, jumping from one piece of furniture to another and rolling around the floor wrestling. Five older stoats were playing snakes and ladders at a table in the far corner; they were telling jokes and laughing loudly.

            ‘I am home!’ Stevie shouted.  No one heard him.

            ‘I’m home!’  He shouted louder.  The noise ceased for a second as they all stopped whatever they were doing and looked towards the doorway.  On seeing Bramble they all shouted together, ‘It’s Bramble Fieldmouse!’ Whilst the children carried on with their boisterous games the grown ups shouted things like,

            ‘Now then little legs!’

            ‘Well, if it isn’t little bramble patch!’ 

                        And

            ‘Whatever it is you’ve lost, we aint got it!’

            All the remarks were accompanied by loud guffaws and laughter as they laughed at their own jokes.

            ‘Take no notice Bramble.’ Stevie said as he could see that they were embarrassing his little friend.  Stevie’s wife –Jill- asked, ‘What do we owe this rare visit to then?’

            ‘I’ve come…er.’  Bramble muttered nervously as he picked his way through the unruly children.  He flinched when they flew past him; almost knocking him over.  They tugged at his fir shouting,

            ‘Watch me mister, I can do a triple somersault!’

            ‘He can’t do it as good as me; watch me mister.’

            ‘Hey, mister watch me swing on the light and bounce off the settee with a triple somersault!’

            When he reached the table he couldn’t make them hear his squeaky voice over the racket.  Stevie did the speaking for him,

‘He’s come here to speak to Uncle Freddie!’ he shouted.  Uncle Freddie was in the process of shaking the dice when he heard his name mentioned, ‘Eh?’ he said as he took his thumb off the top of the cup whilst still shaking it, the dice shot across the room causing an instant uproar from the other players.  The table was tipped up in the playful mêlée.  Someone hit Uncle Freddie on the head with the snakes and ladders board,

            ‘Now look what you’ve done you stupid stoat you!’

            ‘You’ve gone and lost the dice now!’

They shouted, Uncle Freddie retorted with,

            ‘What about you lot then?  Look you’ve thrown the counters all over!’

            ‘SHARRRD UP!’

Stevie yelled; silence fell on the whole room; excepting for the sound of a counter rolling across on the floor.

            ‘I’m trying to talk and so is Bramble.’  He said; in a quieter voice for a change.  Every one looked at Bramble.  Bramble turned to Uncle Freddie and said,

            ‘I hear that you escaped from Falcons Fort Uncle Freddie?’

            ‘Sure did.’

Freddie answered proudly.

            ‘Well I wondered if you would mind going back to help me find a way of getting the others out?’

Every beady pink eye in the stoat household fixed on Bramble; menacingly; Bramble felt uneasy.

            ‘Well, err… I thought I would ask, – perhaps it is a tall order.’

Bramble said and turned to walk out the door.

            Ere, hang on a minute, where are you going?’

Uncle Freddie asked.  Bramble turned back quickly.  ‘Then you will help me?’  He said hopefully.  ‘Ye course I will.’  Uncle Freddie said.  Stevie agreed. ‘Me too.’  He said.

            ‘Well that’s it,’ said Uncle Freddie.  ‘Me and Stevie will call round your place about six o’clock in the morning.’

Bramble thanked them gratefully and left for home to have an early night in bed so that he would be able to get up in the morning.

                                        Chapter four

            The next morning Bramble was up at half past five.  Whibsey was still fast asleep, so he left her a note saying that she must not worry too much if he was away along time as he had gone to bring their little boy home.  Then he tiptoed silently from the house.

            It was now six o’clock, Stevie and Freddie met him outside as they had promised.

  They set off for Falcons Fortress, taking care to stick to the tunnels and passageways that that run through the middle of dry stone walls and hawthorn hedgerows out of sight of the airborne Falcons that may be hovering around above them.  Whilst they were walking along the bottom of a hedgerow they came across an elf eating dandelion broth from a wooden bowl.  He was sitting on a toadstool at a sawn-off tree stump that he was using for his table.  He was so engrossed in eating that he did not notice our three friends approaching, until Uncle Freddie –who knows everyone- said ‘Hello Sam.’  Sam looked up startled.

            ‘Well golly gumdrops,’ he said, ‘if it isn’t Freddie Stoat.  What are you up to at this time of a morning?’

            Uncle Freddie told him all about the falcons and how they had taken so many animals to their mountain fortress.  Sam listened intently.  ‘Phew,’ he exclaimed.  ‘Well whistling whippets and you three are going up there to get them all out?  No chance.  Don’t you think that you are going to need a little help then?’

            ‘Why?  Do you know any else who will come with us and help?’

Bramble asked.  Sam thought things over for a minute before answering.

            ‘You will need air power as well as ground attack,’ he said.

            ‘Well I only had to sneak out of a crevice in the rocks.’

Uncle Freddie said.  That annoyed Sam who shouted.

            ‘Well jumping jelly beans!  You can’t go squeezing all the animals through small crevices in the rocks; what about the badgers and the foxes?  They can’t squeeze through small crevices.  Another thing,-don’t you think the falcons are going to notice that every single animal has gone missing; huh?  They are not doo-lally-tapped you know; they are too clever by far; that is why they take others to do their work for them.  This expedition has not been thought out properly; you need planning; a strategy…Yes, what you need is a fighting force…Give them what for; something to think about whilst the prisoners escape; yes, it is time they were taught a lesson.  Yes indeedy.  What you need is an army and a well thought out plan.  We need air power to combat their air power.  Keep their eyes on the skies whilst the animals escape along the ground.  Yes we need flying animals.’

Bramble, Stevie and Uncle Freddie stood silent; dumfounded with their mouths gaping open wide with astonishment at Sams long outburst of words.

            ‘I wish I could fly,’ said Bramble wistfully, thinking aloud; rather than actually speaking to anyone.  Sam pointed at Bramble excitedly and had to hold on to his pointed hat with his other hand as it almost fell off with the sudden movement.

            ‘Aha a wish, now that is what I like to hear.  And for a worthy reason.  I have not known such a worthy reason for a wish to be granted since the year yan-tan-tethra.

            When?’ Stevie asked in bewilderment.

            ‘Oh, that is us elves way of counting years; to difficult to explain now.  I have more important things to do.  Come you are all invited to The Land of Yonderill.’

            ‘But we have to go to Falcons Fortress.’  Bramble protested.

            ‘All in good time, all in good time.’  Sam said as he slid down from the mushroom, straightened his hat; because it had cocked over to one side.  He strode off with Stevie and Uncle Freddie following whilst Bramble tagged on at the back protesting to Uncle Freddie,

            ‘You know we ought to be getting to-‘

Uncle Freddie jabbed him sharply in the ribs with his elbow.

            ‘Shush,’ he whispered, ‘if anyone can help us it is Sam.  He can make magic and Yonderill is a magic place; we are lucky to be invited there.’

So the worried Bramble followed on muttering under his breath; rather upset about what he thought was the rude; and painful way that Uncle Freddie had jabbed him in the ribs.

                                         Chapter five

            Sam took them all into a tunnel that went into the side of a hill.  Now then, as well as being a magic place Yonderill is also a really secret place.  So, when they were in the mouth of the tunnel, Sam asked them to wait for a moment and swear on oath that they would not tell a single person how to get there.

            ‘Repeat after me,’ he said solemnly,

            ‘We have been granted the honor.’

            ‘We have been granted,-err- the honor.’

            ‘Of that that is only granted to those who are interested in helping those unfortunate souls who are in distress.’

            ‘That is only given to them that help folks who are in a mess.’

            ‘We will not tell a single soul who is not present here of the location of the magic land of Yonderill.’

            Stevie, Freddie and Bramble scratched their heads in bewilderment at such a long sentence to be repeated.

            ‘We won’t tell anyone where it is.’

They all mumbled.  Sam cast his eyes up to the roof of the tunnel.

            ‘I suppose that will do.’  He said.  Just when the three friends thought that he had finished he carried on with the rest of the swearing in ceremony.

            ‘We also promise.’

The three friends reluctantly repeated his words because they knew that they would not be allowed further into the secret magic land unless they did.

            ‘We also promise,’ they said.

            ‘That any powers we are given.’

            ‘Powers?’ Stevie asked; it was getting more interesting now.

            ‘That any powers we are given!’  Sam repeated loudly.

            ‘That any powers we are given.’  They answered quickly and enthusiastically; even Bramble.

            ‘By the magical powers of the Elfinian Race.’

            ‘By the magic elves.’

            We shall only use to help others when they are in distress.’

            ‘We will only use to help others when they are in a mess.’

            ‘And!  If we break any of these promises.’

            ‘And!  If we break any of these promises.’

            ‘One.’

            ‘One.’

            ‘We will lose our magical powers.’

            ‘We will lose our magical powers.’

            ‘Two.’

            ‘Two.’

            ‘We will have terrible tooth and earache.’

Stevie, Freddie nor Bramble liked the sound of that.  They hesitated.  Then in a faint whisper they repeated it.

            ‘We will get tooth and earache.’

            ‘Three.’

            ‘Three.’

            ‘All our teeth will fall out’

They hesitated again.  ‘How much more is there?’  Bramble asked.

            ‘Just six more words and I take you to Yonderill.’ Sam said.

Uncle Freddie had heard so much about the magic of Yonderill that he was determined to go there.

            ‘All our teeth’ll fallout.’

He said hurriedly.  Bramble and Stevie followed suit by mumbling the words quickly.

                                        Chapter six

            As soon as they had sworn on oath not to tell, Sam took them down such a maze of tunnels that they could not have possibly have found their way on their own.  Just when they thought that they were never ever going to get to the end Sam stopped all of a sudden.  Bramble Stevie and Freddie had to stop too; as they were in single file due to the tunnels being so narrow.  Uncle Freddie could not see what was happening because he was at the back of the queue; he looked over Stevie’s shoulder and asked, ‘what’s up?’  ‘Don’t know.’ Stevie answered and asked Bramble because he was in front of him.

            ‘What have we stopped for?’ He asked.

Before Bramble could answer there was a ratta, tat, tat sound of a drum being played.  Bramble stood on his toes so that he could look over Sam’s shoulder.  Then Stevie and Freddie had to jump up and down to try and see what was happening.  ‘Ouch!’ said Uncle Freddie because he bumped his head on the low ceiling of the tunnel.

            ‘What the heck is happening?’  He asked Stevie impatiently.

            ‘How do I know?  I can’t see either’ Stevie answered as he squeezed his head between the tunnel wall and Brambles body.  Uncle Freddie started pushing and trying to squeeze between Stevie, Bramble and the tunnel wall.  The tunnel widened all of a sudden and Bramble and the stoats tumbled down in a thrashing heap on the floor.  Sam looked back at them with an annoyed expression on his face.  ‘Tut, tut twittering twits!’ he said.

            When they stood up they still couldn’t see what who it was that ratter tat tatted on a drum; although they could still hear it.  Then as suddenly as it had started it ceased.  Aloud voice said,

            ‘WHO GO’S THERE?  ADVANCE FOUR PACES AND BE RECOGNISED.’

Sam held his hand up in a, you stay there motion, ‘You three wait there.’ He said.  Samuel stepped forwards four paces and stood still; the voice said, ‘Samuel Elf; who have you got with you?  Friends or foe?’  Samuel answered.  ‘Friends, on a mission of mercy.’

            ‘Well let them advance and be recognized.’

Sam waved them to come forward; which they did; cautiously, sniffing the air with twitching noses and their eyes darting around in their heads; wondering who owned the loud voice.  When they stood alongside Sam the voice said, ‘Drummer rabbit, sound the all clear.’  Ratta tat, tat, tat, tat, tatter, tat, tat, tat, tat. Went the drum and a rabbit marched out from a dark alcove at the far left hand corner.  He was playing a mud brown drum that was hung round his neck on a plaited grass strap.  Then the walls seemed to move as twenty elves appeared from small alcoves that ran right along them.  They were carrying long bows and had sacks of arrows slung over their shoulders on grass plaited straps; they all wore mud brown uniforms and their faces were smeared with mud, which as well as making them look rather fearsome, also served to make them blend in with the background so that they could not be seen until they moved.  They formed a column of two rows of ten on each side of Sam, Bramble Stevie and Uncle Freddie.  The rabbit drummer stood at the front ready to lead them all.  The loud voice said, ‘FORWARD MARCH!’  They marched towards what looked like a solid mud wall; only as they approached it opened up and a very bright sunlight shone into the tunnel.  They went through the doors and they were closed behind them by two elves who were dressed very much the same way as Sam, in leaf green pointed hats, grass green suits and mud brown boots that turned up at the toes; the reason elves always dress in these colors is so that they so that they blend in with the trees and grass when they are outside Yonderill where they will not be seen in case human beings happen to come across them.

                                    Chapter Seven

            Not only was the sun very bright this side of the doors, the sky was also bluer than a normal sky in our world and the grass and tree’s were greener, the flowers were shiny bright colors that shone like a rainbow; and there was also a tall waterfall that that glittered like silver and cascaded into a crystal clear stream that sparkled with shiny colored pebbles.

            Sitting beneath the canopy of a large, broad trunked oak tree was a full size human, dressed in a white smock coat, an extra broad brimmed straw hat, brown corduroy trousers and big black boots.  You could only see the nose on his face because he had a thick curly ginger beard curly ginger hair that bushed out from under his hat and enormous bushy eyebrows that hid his small blue twinkly eyes.

            Bramble, Stevie and Freddie stopped in their tracks; because like most other animals they were very wary of the human race.  The two elves who had opened and closed the doors were now following behind them.

            ‘Do not be fearful little creatures you are not in any danger,’

They whispered as they gently ushered the trio forward.

            ‘WELCOME TO YONDERILL!’

The loud voice boomed from beneath the bushy beard.  It sounded louder than it did in the tunnel because they were nearer to the source with their highly tuned delicate hearing, which caused them to instinctively duck down.  The human pointed to Sam and felt his own hair within the vicinity where his ears were buried.  Sam turned to all three in turn, felt their ears and chanted the words, ‘Inctum dinctum luggy lugs, listen in through magic plugs.’

            ‘Is that any better?’  The human asked.

            ‘Hey, ye!’ Uncle Freddie exclaimed in surprise; his two accomplices agreed in equal surprise.

In his newly sensitized voice, the human said, ‘about spin.’  The soldier elves and the drummer rabbit turned around.  They marched smartly back to their places in the tunnel; lead by the drummer rabbit ratta, tat tatting on his drum.

            ‘Follow me. Sam said as he strolled over to the oak tree; he sat down next to the human.  When the human saw Bramble, Stevie and Freddie hesitate, he said ‘don’t be afraid my little friends.’

Very slowly and without taking their eyes off the enormous man they walked over to the oak tree; making sure that Sam was in between them and the human before they sat down.

            ‘Now then, tell me, what are your names and what is this mission of mercy you intend to go on?’

            ‘Er I’m Stevie Stoat… This is erm my Uncle Freddie and’- Bramble interrupted him because he was stammering so nervously.

            ‘I am Bramble Fieldmouse and we were on our way to Falcons Fortress when we met Sam who brought us here… But I want to go to the fortress now because my little boy is being held there against his will.  And so are many of my friends and neighbors and their children.’  He said in an angry voice; annoyed at the delay.  The human ignored his ruffled tones.  Looking at Stevie and Uncle Freddie he asked.  ‘And you two, why are you going to Falcons Fortress?’

            ‘T-to help Bramble’ Stevie stuttered.

            ‘Well are the falcons holding any of your relatives there?’

            ‘No.’

The human was impressed.  ‘Oh that is very commendable.’ He said as he struggled to get his massive frame up off the ground.  Sam stood up with him and the others followed suit; making sure that they were still behind Sam.  The human leant on the tree trunk until he got his breath back; he pulled his hat down tight on his head and proclaimed.  ‘I Benjamin Doogood, having been bestowed the honor of judging deserving causes, do declare that Bramble Fieldmouse along with Stevie and Freddie Stoat are a most deserving case to receive magical powers to help them in their mission of mercy.’

Then he told them

‘You are right to be wary of humans my little friends, as they are indeed a race that is not to be trusted; however I am the exception I am the only human that was ever admitted into Yonderill because I can be trusted not to harm any creatures; or give away the secrets of this wonderful place.  I came here one hundred years before your time and it will be the same time as it was when I entered; if was to leave.  Do not concern yourself about the time Bramble, because it stands still here and when you leave it will be exactly the same time as when you entered the tunnel mouth.  Now come with us we have work to do; for believe it or not we are prepared for your arrival.  We have known of Falcons Fortress for some time now and have been waiting for someone like you three to come along.’

            Bramble, Freddie and Stevie followed everyone else across a small footbridge that crossed the stream, and then they walked along an avenue of trees that were crammed full with every kind of fruit.  There were so many different colors that they reminded Bramble of the toys that Whibsey hung on the tree at Christmas time.

‘Where are your houses?’ Stevie asked Sam.  ‘Houses?  Hovels yuk!’

Stevie answered with an expression of a person sucking on a sour lemon.

‘There are no houses here as we do not need them, there aren’t any predators like your falcons, or thieving jackdaws who one has to lock the doors against, plus the weather never changes, if it rains, the clouds gather over the stream so that it only go’s in the stream.  Jack Frost isn’t allowed in here so we never get snow; or ice, therefore we are able to live outside, in the fields at all times.’

            ‘Well if it only rains over the river, how do all these beautiful flowers and trees grow?’

Bramble asked.

Benjamin turned to look at Bramble; he lifted his large bushy eyebrows revealing his small piercing light blue eyes for the first time.  He said excitedly,

            ‘Aha, that is a very good question!  You are a really clever field mouse to think of that.  The water seeps under the ground and the trees and flowers drink it up through their roots.  It also comes up at the lily pond where the frogs and lizards live; we will be passing that place soon.’

He paused a moment and looked Bramble up and down, making him feel uneasy.

            ‘Yes!’ he exclaimed, ‘at last I believe that we have found a clever leader for our air troop.  Don’t you Sam?’

            ‘Indeed I do.’ Sam answered and then he added, ‘he also made the wish that we have been waiting for.’

Benjamin raised his eyebrows again and asked, ‘the flying wish?  Sam nodded his head.

            ‘At last!’ said Ben, snapping his fingers.  ‘Come and meet your comrades.’  He strode off with Sam whilst Bramble, Stevie and Uncle Freddie trailed behind.

                                    Chapter Eight

            Our little trio were so taken in by the beauty of the surroundings that they kept on stumbling into one another through not watching where they where going.  There were giant butterflies fluttering around and floating on the air like multi colored kites.  Choirs of birds sang beautiful songs, honey bees buzzed around collecting pollen from the flowers; some of which were as tall as the trees.  Everything looked as though it had been painted brightly like newly painted toys in Santa’s grotto.

They passed the pond that Benjamin had mentioned, where the frogs and lizards swam leisurely too and fro; or lounged about comfortably on the large shiny green leaves of the pink, blue and yellow lilies.  Then they descended a grassy slope at the bottom of which was a densely thick wood.  Benjamin led them along a narrow path until they came to a clearing in which there were hundreds of toadstools of all sizes and colors.  A mole popped his head up out of the ground and greeted Benjamin and Sam.  Sam introduced Bramble, Freddie and Stevie.

            ‘This is Major Mole.’ Sam told them, ‘he is in charge of the underground reconoitoring force.  He will dig escape tunnels into the fortress and find out how many guards there are inside; plus any other useful information, then it is up to you three along with the air troop of whom Bramble will be the leader…’

            ‘How can I lead an air troop when I can’t fly?’

Bramble enquired, and then regretted it as he had cut Sam short and Benjamin turned to him once more with his piercing blue eyes.  Sam asked him, ‘What was it that you were muttering under your breath when I first met you in the hedge bottom?’

Bramble thought for a minute, but he could not remember muttering anything.  Sam refreshed his memory.

‘Didn’t you say, “I wish I could fly”?’

‘Oh that muttering, well yes, I am always wishing that; I would like to fly so that I could be at least a tad more equal to those falcons.’

‘Well fluttering flutterbys!’ exclaimed Sam with a smile.  ‘Then wish it again.’

            So Bramble- not knowing that all wishes came true in Yonderill, said, ‘I wish I could fly.’

Suddenly, his toes began to tingle and his front legs began to swell up; almost as big as Bruce Badgers. Then wings began to form on his front feet, down his legs, then right down to his chest.  He flapped his front legs and his back legs lifted off the ground; catching him by surprise and startling him.  He regained his composure and flapped them faster. He soared up into the sky.  And then, there was a loud fluttering of wings and two hundred winged mice rose up from the trees that surrounded the clearing.  They hovered above the treetops until Bramble landed, then, they all landed in neat rows behind him.

            Major Mole said out of the corner of his mouth –he had formed this habit over the years through having to talk whilst pretending not to be talking at all, in case he is being watched by enemy agents- ‘I’ll be on my way, I’ll see you chaps outside the fortress, toodle-pip old beans.’

Before anyone could reply he had disappeared beneath the soil.  Benjamin and Sam turned to talk to Uncle Freddie and Stevie; they were staring open mouthed at Bramble and his air troop in disbelief.

            ‘Are you two alright?’

Benjamin asked but they didn’t hear him, so Sam nudged them both.  They almost jumped out of their skins as if they had been rudely awakened from a deep sleep.

            ‘Are you alright?’

Benjamin repeated.  ‘Cor!’  Stevie shouted.  ‘I told you this was a magical place!’

Uncle Freddie shouted excitedly to Bramble.

            ‘Would you like to have magical powers?’

Benjamin asked them

Too right we would.’  Stevie answered.  ‘Yes too right we would; can you make us fly like Bramble?’ Uncle Freddie enquired.

‘No, no.’ Sam said as he shook his head, ‘You like to do somersaults, don’t you?’

‘Well erm Yes.’  They both agreed; they wondered what that had to do with anything though.

            ‘Well,’ said Sam as he leant on a pink and blue spotted toadstool, ‘how would you like to be able to run so fast that a falcon would find it much too hard to catch you; or even see you for that matter?  And how would you like to do cartwheels so fast that anyone who watches you falls into a hypnotic trance?’  They both nodded their heads eagerly.

            Sam placed his right hand on Stevie’s head and his left hand on Uncle Freddie’s head.  Then he chanted the words, ‘Inctum dinctum fitherol fin you can move like lightening.  They both felt tingly from head to tail.  Benjamin said to them, ‘Run to that pink and blue toadstool on the other side of the clearing, then back here and see how long it takes.’  They did as asked, and set off at such a rapid pace that it took them by surprise causing them to almost fall over.  On the return journey they managed to get the hang of moving their little legs at such a speed that they were back before they were seen to set off.

 Benjamin stepped onto a giant toadstool to make a speech.

‘Before you go on your mission of mercy I would like to have a word with you,’ he said, ‘now that we have prepared you the rest is up to you.  I have chosen Bramble Fieldmouse to lead you because he is clever, honest and genuinely concerned about the welfare of others.  From now on you will be known as Brambles Air Troop; BAT for short.  Are there any questions?’

Stevie put his hand up, but put it back down when Benjamin turned those clear blue piercing eyes towards him.

‘Well? Tell mister Doogood what you need to know.’ Sam said.  Stevie fidgeted nervously, ‘Well what I was thinking,’ he said hesitantly, was if you can make Bramble fly and me and Uncle Freddie send others into an hypnotic trance, why don’t you just magic all the animals out of the fortress and save us all a lot of trouble?’

            ‘Trouble?’ Sam bellowed with a thunderous expression on his small bewhiskered elfin face.

            ‘No, no, do not be cross Samuel.’  Benjamin said and he turned to Stevie.

            ‘Yes we could do that; but, it would make things too easy, then, you would not get the sense of achievement that you will get from defeating the falcons.  And, I might add that if life was made so easy everyone would become lazy and selfish.  We gave you these magic powers in order to give you an equal chance against the falcons; had you not been given those talents it would all have been an impossible dream.  However, with a bit of hard work and Brambles leadership qualities I think you may triumph…as long as you are careful.  Remember that those falcons are not an easy touch; magic powers or not you will have to fight them.  If you doubt yourselves for one moment you will lose the fight and no one will be free.  Now be gone and good luck.’

            The flying troop gave out an ear piercing scream and flapped their wings noisily; an action that was designed to strike fear into the bravest of hearts.  Bramble felt very proud as he stood at the front of them.  Sam joined him and together they lead the troop out of Yonderill in a long file; their wings were folded neatly against their bodies so that they could pass through the narrow tunnels easily.

            Stevie and Uncle Freddie followed at the back practicing their cart wheels as they went.  Benjamin watched them go, then he went back to sit beneath the great oak tree.

                                    Chapter Nine

            Sam took them as far as the tunnel mouth where they had sworn the oath of secrecy, then he went back to his dandelion broth; it was still hot as time really had stood still whilst they were in Yonderill.

            Stevie and Uncle Freddie joined Bramble at the front of the column of troopers so that Uncle Freddie could lead the way via the route he had taken when he escaped from Falcons Fortress.  This would be known in the future as the great march on Falcons Fortress.  Bramble decided that they would be best off if they kept in single file, keep to the tunnels and passageways in the dry stone walls as they had done before; taking care o tread carefully and refrain from talking so that they could get as close as possible to the fort without alerting the falcons too soon.

            Two hours went by before the long winding column of air troopers settled down in a dried up ditch at the beginning of a vast open moor; of which the falcons had an excellent view from their high battlement walls on the edge of the mountain range.  With its  backdrop of snowcapped mountains the place looked cold and bleak.

            It would be impossible to go any further without being seen by the guards; then they would have time to lock all of their captives up in the dungeons and make it difficult to free them.  Bramble turned to Uncle Freddie, ‘How did you get across there without being seen?’ he asked.  ‘I hid in the rock crevices until it got dark, then I nipped across to this ditch and went home the way we have just come.’  Uncle Freddie said.

Bramble didn’t want to wait until dark because Uncle Freddie had told him that the falcons lock all the prisoners up at night time.  He scrambled up to the top of the bank to survey the scene by gingerly peeking over the edge.  Two falcons took off from the rocks and and glided as silent as ghosts towards him, he ducked down and buried his face in the clumps of heather that were growing on the bank side.  Then after waiting a couple of minutes he plucked up the courage to take another peek.  The falcons were patrolling too and fro across the moor searching the scrub for any animal that may have strayed onto the bleak moorland.  Bramble slid down to the bottom of the ditch on his back and sat there trying to think up a plan.  ‘What’s up?’  Stevie asked.  ‘They are patrolling the moor now; I hope they have not sensed our presence.’ He said in a worried tone.  ‘Spread the word down the line and tell them to rest up whilst I try to think up a plan of action.’  Stevie passed the information to Uncle Freddie who passed it on to the nearest trooper, so they all sat down as the word went along the line.

            Bramble thought to himself, I hope this all go’s well I would hate to fail and have to face all the ridicule and laughter back home; lead on by that bully Bruce Badger.

                                                Chapter Ten

            Bramble was disturbed from his thoughts by one of the air troopers.  ‘Sir!’  The trooper said in a low voice, as he shook Bramble’s front leg before springing back to attention and saluting smartly.   Bramble raised his head, ‘yes?’ he asked.  The trooper answered, ‘I was wondering if you would like me to order the troop to cam up sir?’  Bramble looked puzzled.  ‘Cam up?’  he asked.  ‘Yes sir, camouflage sir, we could pick some heather from the bank side  and stick it in our fur, then whilst the stoats keep the falcons busy we go over the top sir.  The heather in our fur will help us to blend in with the heather on the moor; sir.  Then we will be able to reach the fortress without being seen too soon; sir.’

            ‘But if the stoats hypnotize the flying falcons; which is what I believe you are suggesting.  Don’t you think that the guards on the battlements will see them fall from the sky and raise the alarm?’

            ‘No sir, you don’t get my meaning sir, as well as being able to hypnotize the falcons by doing cartwheels, don’t forget sir, they can also run magically fast.  So, all they have to do is get the patrolling falcons to chase them.  The guards are used to seeing the patrol chase any unfortunate animal that happens to stray onto the moor and close to their fortress.  And because they love to watch a good case their attention will also be taken up by the stoats.  And then - we sneak up closer sir.’

Bramble was impressed.

            ‘What a good idea.  What’s your name?’ he asked.  ‘Corporal Keen sir.’

            ‘Well you give the order to erm… cam-up corporal, then I think you must stay by my side; I could do with some more of your advice.’

The corporal stepped back smartly, saluted and said, ‘yes sir thank you sir.’

He whispered into the air of the nearest trooper, ‘Spread the order down the line to cam-up.’  As the order went down the line everyone in the troop began picking heather from th bank sides; at the same time they were careful not to stray too near to the bank top where they would be seen by the falcons.  Bramble picked some heather for himself; when he found it difficult to reach his fur on his back since his wings were in the way.  He noticed that the others were helping one another, so he asked Uncle Freddie and Stevie to help him.  Before they could answer his request Corporal Keen pushed them aside,

            ‘That’s alright sir, that’s alright, I will help you with your camouflage sir; I know how to do it sir.’ He said.

            ‘Oh… right oh corporal.’ Bramble replied in embarrassment.  He had never had anyone fawn over him before. Not only that he knew that Stevie and his uncle were having a good laugh at his expense.

            ‘Please yourself mate.’ Uncle Freddie said as he stepped back and winked at Stevie who was grinning broadly.  The corporal put the last piece of heather in place, ‘Right oh sir, I think that will be ok sir.’ He said.

            Every one was ready to go over the top as Corporal Keen put it; which in civilian language meant get out of the ditch and run towards the fortress.

Whilst everyone else had been busy putting camouflage on, Stevie and Uncle Freddie had taken the opportunity to take a nap in a sunny spot that they had found half way up the bank.

            ‘Where’s them stoats?’

The corporal hissed before he saw them curled up fast asleep.

            ‘Just you look at those two sir; what do they think they are up to?’

The corporal scrambled up the bank, ‘pst, pst, you two…you’ll give our position away up here; what do you think your on with?’

            ‘A? What?’

            ‘What’s happening?’

Stevie and Uncle Freddie muttered in that order,

‘Oh, hi the sun was warmer up here, than in the bottom of that ditch.’

 Uncle Freddie told him.

‘You are not here to sun bathe, get back down there.’

The furious corporal told them.

‘All right; don’t get your wings in a twist; Tell sir we will be there soon.’  Uncle Freddie said and before the corporal could tell them to get down there immediately they were in the bottom of the ditch at super speed whilst Corporal Keen was still turning to to go back down.

            ‘Come on corporal what’s keeping you?’

They said cheekily beckoning with their hands and laughing.

            ‘Don’t muck about lads, let’s get on with it.’

Bramble said to them as he was feeling quite nervous and wanted to get it all over with.  However, Stevie and Uncle Freddie were enjoying themselves.  They looked at Bramble with amused expressions.

‘Blooming heck , a talking heather bush.’

Stevie joked, and Uncle Freddie went into fits of laughter.  Corporal Keenan had arrived at the ditch bottom in a terribly bad mood.  ‘Look you two,’ he said, ‘either you get up there and attract those falcons attention, or stay here and I will see to it that you are stripped of your magical powers.’

‘Oh alright, can’t you take a joke?’

Stevie asked them before they both shot up to the top of the bank at supersonic speed.

                                    Chapter Eleven

Before proceeding any further than the top of the bank they peeked over to see what the falcons were up to.

            ‘Now.’

Uncle Freddie shouted as he slapped Stevie on the shoulder.  They ran so fast that the patrolling falcons did not notice them until they stopped running half way between the ditch and the edge of the mountain range.  It was only when Stevie shouted, ‘Hey up, big head, How about a punch on the beak then?’

            When Bramble heard him shout he ordered the troop to move up to the bank top.  Both patrolling falcons halted in mid air and changed course. Uncle Freddie’s voice came from a different direction as the falcons pounced on the empty spot.

            ‘Over hear ugly!’

He shouted.  The falcons headed in that direction.

            ‘Not there feather brains!’  Stevie shouted from the foot of the fortress walls where the guards peered down craning their necks as they tried to pinpoint exactly where he was at before diving down on top of him.  Bramble took the opportunity to order his troop forward.  The patrolling falcons realized that there were two stoats so they decided to split up. Stevie and Freddie ran towards one another at half magic speed. They were just out of beak grasping range and the falcons were getting confident in the belief that the stoats were tiring.  The guards on the battlements cheered them on and were too engrossed in the spectacle to notice Bramble and his troop.  The patrolling falcons were also too engrossed in their targets to notice that they were on a collision course, when Stevie and Uncle Freddie veered off to one side at full magic speed the falcons collided in a cloud of feathers and dropped to the ground like stones.

            Six battlement guards took off and went in pursuit in the belief that all six of them would soon be able to surround two stoats and leave them without an escape route.  Bramble and the air troop were now close to the mountain range; Bramble was laying as low as he could get on his belly, he froze as a falcons shadow passed over him as the falcons passed over in pursuit of Freddie and Stevie who were now leading them away from the mountain range, by running at magical speed towards the unoccupied ditch.

                                    Chapter Twelve

            Bramble was about to stand up and call his entire air troop into battle when the ground began to break up around him like a mini earthquake.  Major Moles head appeared two feet away from him with soil on his nose and on the top of his head, he rubbed his eyes.

            ‘Pst, Major Mole.’  Bramble whispered.

The major squinted around, brushing the soil from his head and nose as he did so.

            ‘Oh, hello old fellow I could not see you with so much dust and soil in my eyes; unavoidable problems in my job, the old blinkers are not as good as they were; all this dammed digging.’  As his eyes came accustomed to the day light and the dust cleared from his eyeballs he noticed that they were also wearing camouflage too.  ‘Dammed good camouflage that old chap no wonder it was more difficult to see you,’ he said.  When he saw the unconscious patrolling falcons lying beside his crater, he gave each of them a poke, with a yucky sort of expression, he said. ‘I see that you have already counted for two of the rotters.  I am sorry I wasn’t here sooner, only this dammed rocky ground takes some penetrating.’

Corporal Keen crawled forward and began to brush the soil from Major Mole’s shiny-velvety coat.

            ‘Good to have you here sir.  The camouflage was my idea sir.’  He said,

            ‘Shut up corporal, and stop fussing; get back in the ranks.

He turned to Bramble, and said from behind his hand and out of the side of his mouth, ‘could I have a word with you commander; in private?’  ‘Certainly,’ Bramble answered and crawled after the major, down into his tunnel where he had excavated a large square chamber.  He snapped a tree root from the side of the chamber and used it to point at a map that he had impaled on another root that stuck out of the wall.

            ‘Most of the prisoners are laboring here; however, they have six more of them working in the kitchen which is here.  The dungeons are over here; they are empty at the moment; I know that because I burrowed up into them through the floor and took a look around.  There are about fifty guards strutting about like tin gods, confident that no one has ever tried to free their prisoners, who are all working on the rock piles in the compound; they are breaking rocks up and sawing trees to build a more elaborate castle for the falcons...They believe that they are invincible, don’t you know?’  You should be a big surprise when you attack and you know what they say about surprise being the best form of attack.  Oh and there are also six others on the battlements; I expect you already know about them.  It is a wonder they haven’t seen you advance this far forward?’

            ‘Oh that will be because we have got rid of them.’  Bramble informed him proudly.  ‘Have you by Jove?’  The major asked surprised, then he added, ‘well I have to go .  You have the tunnels and the gen on the inside of the fortress; it is up to you know toodle pip!  I have to keep my anonymity don’t you know? So I must make myself scarce.’

He turned to the wall and disappeared beyond heaps of soil that he tossed over his shoulders.

                                    Chapter Thirteen

            Meanwhile Stevie and Uncle Freddie had been having a really good game with the falcons, who had zoomed after them with the belief that it would be safe to leave the battlements unattended.  They ran along the ditch so fast that whilst the falcons were still flying along it Stevie and Uncle Freddie were peering over the top of the bank teasing them.  When the falcons were exhausted Stevie and Uncle Freddie put on a hypnotizing acrobatic show.  They rolled over at great speeds, they did forward backward and double somersaults as the falcons tried to keep them in their sight line, then they finished the show off by dancing along on tippy-toe’s as a glazed look came across the falcon’s eyes and they sat down on the bank with silly expressions on their feathery faces.

            ‘Not so proud now.’

Uncle Freddie said as he marched up and down in front of them.

            ‘Thought you would keep me in that fortress, working did you; eh?  Well I got out and now I am back you will wish you had never set eye’s on Frederick Albert Stoat by the time we have finished with you.’

Stevie followed his uncle, looking them up and down he said, ‘they look ugly close up, don’t they uncle?’ ‘Ugly!’ exclaimed his uncle, ‘they frightened the life out of me when they swooped…’He stopped suddenly, causing Stevie to bump into him.

            ‘YOU!’

He shouted with a curled up lip.  He stuck an accusing finger on one of the falcon’s beaks.

            ‘You’re the one what picked me up aint you; just as I was showing the kids how to do a double somersault and you made them cry because they thought that their Uncle Freddie wasn’t coming home any more.’

He turned to Stevie and said, ‘we’ll leave them sitting her in a trance.’

Then he turned to the falcons and told them, ‘maybe we will be back maybe we won’t, if it was up to me I would leave you here for ever…especially you!’  He jabbed his finger into the chest of the one that he recognized as his kidnapper.

                                    Chapter Fourteen

            They ran back to Bramble, who shook their paws gleefully, saying, ‘well done lads. Now we have to attack the fort whilst the battlements are clear; there are fifty more of the devils inside.  I need you two to enter the fort through the crevice that you escaped through Uncle Freddie.  Major Mole has opened up a tunnel that leads into the jail house so that when they start ushering them into the dungeons they will have an escape route.  Don’t go inside until you hear our war-cry because you could never hypnotize fifty falcons at once; not only that you could send some of the prisoners into a trance; then we will have to carry them out.  With a bit of luck the falcons will rise straight away to do battle.  That will leave the way clear for you two to nip in and lead all the prisoners to safety…Good luck lads.’  Uncle Freddie and Stevie disappeared into the crevices amongst the rocks that formed the walls of Falcons Fortress.

            Bramble was about to unfurl his wings and start the war-cry going when a large, grizzled old falcon appeared above him on the battlements.  It craned its neck and immediately spotted the air troop; due to them having discarded their camouflage so as to free their wings for flying.  The falcon screeched,

            ‘ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK!’

            Suddenly the walls were full of falcons; those who did not rush to the walls began to franticly usher the prisoners towards the dungeons.  Bramble unfurled his wings; this gave the troop the signal to do likewise.  They gave out their ear piercing battle cry and flapped their wings noisily.

            The sky turned black as the two hundred strong bat-troop obscured the sunlight that mirrored back from the whiteness of the snow capped mountains.  The enslaved animals panicked and stampeded off in all directions with their fingers in their ears.  Their falcon guards were confused; they left the prisoners to run around and took to the air to join their battlement comrades in battle.  Bramble and his two hundred strong troops outnumbered them easily.  Feathers floated down everywhere as the air troop clung onto some part of the falcon’s anatomy; some of them actually plucked feathers out of their bodies, causing them to squeal and squawk threateningly; they were unable to retaliate with their powerful beaks and claws; no matter how they twisted and turned.  The bat troop clung onto their wings tails and backs until they plummeted to the ground or zigzagged off dazed and confused on their way to crash into the sides of the mountains.  Brambles little heart pounded at a rapid rate as one of the falcons soared up to him like a guided missile with five troop members hanging onto its body and wings like a crazed pack of terriers.  Bramble swerved off to one side and grabbed its wing.  Corporal Keen had already clung onto its tail, ‘We’ve got him commander!’  He yelled as he tweaked the tail and screwed it as though he was ringing out a wet dish cloth.  Of course this changed the falcon’s flight path; it started to spin round and round until it was dizzy an did not know where it was going, it was so dizzy that it zigzagged of towards the mountain side as Bramble and his troop members bailed out.  It disappeared into a deep snow drift at the side of the mountain.  Bramble and Corporal Keen flew into the kitchen with what looked like the king of the falcons in pursuit; it had shrugged eight bat troopers off its muscle bound body and was shooting after them like a rocket.  Corporal Keen slammed the door too.  The door cracked straight down the centre, splinters flew past Bramble and the corporal, rattling the pots and pans around the kitchen as they hit like wooden darts the massive beak of the falcon appeared in the hole that had materialized in the door, there was a thunderous thud on the outside as the falcons body slammed into the door, the door flew open and Bramble and the corporal gaped wide eyed at the giant bird hanging down on the door like an enormous doorknocker.

                                    Chapter Fifteen

            Whilst the bat troop were dealing with the falcons some of the animals had escaped down Major Moles tunnel others had clambered over the rocks and found a way between the battlements and the sloping rock face, whilst the smaller animals squeezed through the small crevices like Uncle Freddie had done; they were panicking so much that they didn’t need anyone to lead them, wherever they saw a way that lead from the raging battle behind them they followed it.  Stevey and Uncle Freddie ran around them at magical speed as they ran across the open moorland. They would have run all the way to Barnfield by the Beck had they not seen the three hypnotized falcons sitting at the edge of the moor on the bank of the dried up ditch.  To the animals it looked as though they were there  to stop them fleeing by cutting their escape route off, they huddled stopped in their tracks and huddled together; terrified.

 ‘Don’t be afraid of them!’  Uncle Freddie said. .’They are just harmless Stevey assured them as he strolled up to the giant birds and pulled funny faces at them.  He opened and closed their beaks and flapped their wings up and down.

            The animals watched in astonishment, they looked back at the fort where the noise of battle had begun to die down.

            ‘What are those creatures?’  Holly hedgehog asked.  ‘They are Brambles Airtroop.’  Uncle Freddie informed her.  ‘B.A.T.; bats; that’s what they are.’

‘My daddy is called Bramble.’  A squeaky voice said from somewhere in the middle of the throng.  “Don’t be ridiculous that isn’t your daddy.  It must be someone else with the same name.’  Billy Badger –the son of Bruce Badger- said.  Everyone laughed until Stevey said, ‘oh, but it is.  Is that you Tiny Fieldmouse?’  The crowd parted and Brambles little boy scampered forward.  The air troop came swooping over to them, looking like a black cloud.  All the falcons that were left in one piece had scarpered off to the mountains.  They landed in neat ranks at the back of Bramble who stepped forward proudly to greet his long lost friends and neighbors.  Tiny ran forward,

            ‘Daddy, daddy I love you daddy.’

            ‘Tiny.  My baby boy I love you too.’

Bramble said with tears of glee and emotion flowing down his face.  He wrapped his wings around his child and hugged him for a whole five minutes.  Another little voice said, ‘Hello Mister Fieldmouse.’  Bramble looked down and Bunsy Rabbits big blue eyes looked back up at him, he opened his wings and cuddled her to his chest along with Tiny.

            Suddenly the air troop took off and disappeared over the horizon in the direction of Yonderill.  Bramble looked down at the two infants and noticed that his wings had disappeared and left him with his two normal front legs that were wrapped around Tiny and Bunsy.  When Uncle Freddie and Stevey saw this they did a short sprint along the edge of the ditch, to the astonishment of the other animals; who would have been more astonished if they were still able to run at their magical speed; but like Bramble they had lost all magic powers now that their mission was complete.  That is until their services are required again, because Brambles air troop will always be lead by Bramble and supported on the ground by Uncle Freddie and Stevey Stoat.

                                    Chapter Sixteen

            That night when Whibsey Fieldmouse tucked her little boy up snug and safe in his cot, he said, ‘Everyone says my Daddy, and Stevey Stoat and his Uncle Freddie are the bravest animals in Barnfield by the Beck.’

            ‘They are.’ His mum answered, and then she added, ‘They will not laugh at your daddy again.’  Tiny had already dozed off fast asleep, comfortable in his own clean straw and fir lined cot.  His mum tiptoed out of his bedroom.  She thought to herself, I will have to invite those two stoats to tea; and to think I never did have time for them before; yet they were the only ones who had confidence in my Bramble.

            When all of the animals were safely at home the hypnotized falcons came out of their trance and sped off to join their friends in the mountains, where they stayed; never to venture near Barnfield by the Beck ever again.

                                    The end