Free The Siege of White Deer Park by Colin Dann

remembered his recent experiences and wondered if Adder were in pain or feeling unwell.
    ‘Are you all right, Adder?’ Toad asked with real concern.
    The snake looked up again. ‘I’m perfectly well,’ she answered smoothly, ‘though I must confess I’m somewhat puzzled at your interest.’
    Now Toad realized his mistake and, quite unconsciously, hopped a little further away. A strange snake was always a potential enemy. ‘I – I took you for another,’ he muttered and began at once to move off.
    ‘I think I met him,’ was the unexpected reply. ‘He won’t be far off, I should say. He was here, but somehow I seemed to upset him.’
    Toad was most intrigued, but his discretion kept him moving. He would have dearly loved to have known what had happened at the meeting. Adder had never been known to consort with females, though his private activities were largely a mystery. But Toad was well aware that, even if he found his friend, the snake would give absolutely nothing away. He plodded on in a reflective mood.
    From his solitary resting-place Adder heard the toad’s rustlings through the leaves. He waited until he was closer and then made himself visible.
    ‘You needn’t have come looking for me,’ he hissed.
    ‘I didn’t,’ said Toad, ‘I’ve had to abandon my little roost temporarily. I expect you can guess why.’
    Adder’s face was a mask. His impassive features did not show a flicker of comprehension. He remained silent. Toad said no more, but started to dig himself down into the leaf litter. His back feet worked vigorously.
    ‘Are you burying yourself?’ Adder asked curiously.
    ‘Oh no. But I never squat quite on the surface,’ Toad explained. ‘You don’t know what creature might come along.’ He shot a sly glance at the snake but Adder made no response.
    Later, when it was still dark but in the early part of the morning, they were aroused by the sound of running feet. They soon discovered the cause. It was Friendly and his group of followers.
    ‘They look as if they have some purpose in mind,’ Toad commented.
    ‘Yesss,’ drawled Adder. ‘And I don’t think it’s a hunting trip.’
    They watched the band of foxes move on their way.
    ‘They don’t often travel together like that,’ Toad said. ‘They’ve been on some errand or other.’
    They had seen five of the foxes. Ranger had broken away to search for much-needed food. Some time afterwards he came right past the two animals, quite oblivious of their nearness. He was not one of the Farthing Wood community of creatures, but Toad and Adder were both impatient for information. So they halted him.
    ‘Oh,’ said Ranger, when he saw them. ‘I hadn’t realized. My mind was on other things.’
    ‘We’ve just seen Friendly with a group of youngsters,’ said Toad. ‘Quite a bunch of them. We’ve been pondering the meaning of it.’
    Ranger had no qualms about waiving secrecy, particularly as he had lost a lot of enthusiasm on this nightfor the idea of cornering the stranger. ‘Yes, we made a party,’ he told them honestly. ‘We’ve been tracking the Beast.’
    ‘I suppose you had no luck then,’ Adder lisped, ‘since there is no sign of any injuries?’
    ‘We did and we didn’t,’ Ranger returned cryptically. ‘It’s all Friendly’s idea. He wants to get the Beast away from here and he thinks a group of us can do it. I doubt if he’s right. It escaped us easily. But I agree with him that something has to be done.’
    Adder displayed his wounds in an elaborate exhibition of what could happen to them too. But they were lost for the most part on Ranger who, even in the moonlight, could scarcely see their severity.
    ‘Do you mean to go on with this?’ Toad asked the fox.
    ‘Friendly wants to. I’m beginning to have doubts,’ Ranger replied. ‘But I’ll stay with him a while and see what turns up.’
    ‘I’ve just shown you what will turn up,’ Adder hissed acidly. ‘You won’t be warned. So try and think