Lord Brocktree

Plot summary

This story follows the Eurasian badger Lord Brocktree, who is the father of Boar the Fighter, the grandfather of Bella of Brockhall, and the great-grandfather of Sunflash the Mace. He travels to find the ancient badger mountain fortress Salamandastron, helped by the fast-talking haremaid Dorothea Duckfontein Dillworthy and the European otter Ruffgar Brookback. At the same time, trouble arrives at Salamandastron for Brocktree’s father, Lord Stonepaw. Because the mountain has enjoyed years of peace, it has very few fighters left, and those who remain are well past their best, including Stonepaw himself. The European wildcat Ungatt Trunn, son of Mortspear, Highland King of the North, attacks the fortress with his Blue Hordes. The mountain is eventually taken over, causing the deaths of many hares and Stonepaw, who dies bravely while defending his hares and taking many vermin with him. Trunn captures at least sixty hares, but the warrior Stiffener Medick and his otter friend Brogalaw help them escape. Brocktree gets an army from the hare Bucko Bigbones after Dotti beats Bucko in a contest. The Bark Crew, a guerrilla group set up by Stiffener and Brogalaw, wears down Trunn by cutting off his supplies and starving his forces. Trunn tricks the Bark Crew into making a final stand, but Brocktree arrives with the hares and turns the tide. The story ends with a huge final battle where many notable characters die, including Jukka and Fleetscut. When the fight reaches a near-stalemate, Trunn and Brocktree duel. After a failed attempt by the searats Ripfang and Doomeye and the corsair captain Karangool to assassinate Brocktree, the badger wins by snapping Trunn’s spine and leaving him on the sand. Trunn survives but is drowned by his former advisor Groddil. The book closes with thousands of hares gathering to form the Long Patrol under Brocktree and Dotti, whom Brocktree names the first Long Patrol General.