Ungatt Trunn was relaxing on his luxurious yacht, the Trunn Princess. The wildcat's fur was dyed blue, but you could tell that it was orange underneath. He didn't dress like a typical warlord, wearing only a dark suit with a pink tie, but you only had to look at his face to see that he was a ruthless conqueror. Beneath the striped brow, permanently creased in a frown, the wildcat's fearsome black and gold eyes remained hooded and unblinking, his stiff white whiskers overhanging two sharp amber fangs, which showed even when his mouth was shut. He sat at a table made from the skulls of his enemies.

The Grand Fragorl entered the cabin, trying to avoid the spider webs that festooned the floor.

Ungatt said in his coarse rasping voice, "Did you see my mountain? What took place there? Tell me all and speak true, or flies will be born from your carcass to feed my spiders."

Though the heat in the cabin was stifling, the ferret felt cold sweat break out beneath her long robes. She spoke, fighting to stop her voice trembling.

"O fearsome one, I saw your mountain, though not all of it, only what the mists would allow. I was not invited inside. It is called Salamandastron, just as you said. The place is defended by inferior species, rabbit things, who all appear to be well on in seasons. They are ruled by a stripedog called Lord Stonepaw who is even older than they. He said many insulting things, which I fear to repeat, but mainly he said it would be to your cost if you dared to land upon his shores. I followed your orders, O Ungatt Trunn, and not stopping to bandy words with the stripedog or his creatures, I returned to you immediately."

Only the flies could be heard as they buzzed around the Conqueror's stateroom. A fly swooped across Ungatt's vision and his paw shot out like greased lightning as he caught it. Holding it to his ear, he listened to its anguished hum, then tossed it swiftly upward, where it lodged in a cobweb. In a flash two voracious spiders were upon the trapped insect. Ungatt never looked up, his hooded eyes fixed on the ferret.

"You did well, my Fragorl, you may rise and go now."

After the Fragorl left, Ungatt Trunn strode over to an armoire in the corner. He gazed at his reflection in the mirror. "The Blue Hordes have been crippled ever since my father died, but I will make them great again. I will establish my own realm, ruling it from a mountain that is greater than any other. Tonight I shall make the stars fall from the sky!"

He reached into a drawer and took out a box. The Elements of Harmony were inside. He put them all on, saying, "Necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace, weird crown thingy. I'm ready to go!"

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Rats, weasels, ferrets, and foxes came marching up along the shores, carrying blue banners that said TRUNN in big white letters.

Flanked by two score of vermin soldiers, Ungatt Trunn strode up to the rocky fortress. The cat's keen eyes flicked up to the long open rectangle of Stonepaw's room. There stood the Badger Lord of Salamandastron, clad in war armor, holding an enormous javelin.

"So, you are still here, stripedog?" Ungatt Trunn called cattily.

The reply was immediate. "Aye, to the death, stripecat!"

The wildcat's fangs showed in a sneer of derision. "So be it. Twill be your death, not mine!"

"Big words," Stonepaw returned mockingly. "I've already heard big words from the bad-mannered scum you sent here earlier today. They mean naught to me, the ravings of fools and idiots. Your messenger said you would make the stars fall from the sky. Look up, braggart. They are still there and always will be!"

"Wrong!" Ungatt Trunn yelled.

Like a ghost, a hooded figure materialized out of the night.

Dotti's Aunt Blench was standing next to Stiffener by a window. "Is that the Grand Fragorl?" she asked whisperingly.

Stiffener squinted. "I can't tell. It looks like her cloak, anyway."

"These are the days of Ungatt Trunn the fearsome beast," the figure said. "His glorious hands hath conquered many lands. Know you that he always speaks truth. If he says the stars will fall from the sky, then even they must obey. Look!"

Ungatt Trunn held up the Elements of Harmony, and instantly, countless lights appeared on the horizon. Land and sea were ablaze, as far as the eye could gaze. Stiffener peered up at the sky. Because of the intensity of light below, not a single star could be seen, just a wide black void.

The cat's voice echoed off the mountain in the awestruck silence. "I see you have no scornful comments to make, stripedog. You have witnessed the power of Ungatt Trunn. You have left it too late to retreat from the mountain as I commanded you to do. Now you must reap the penalty. I will make you pay."

Bramwil, the oldest hare on the mountain, came shakily forward to clutch Stonepaw's paw, his voice trembling like a reed in the wind. "Lord, I would not have believed it, had I not seen it with my own eyes. What can we do against one who is truly magic?"

Stonepaw patted Bramwil's stooped back gently. "The stars are billions of miles away. They could never fall to earth, and if they did, we would not still be alive because the earth would be instantly destroyed. Stars are great balls of fire you know. What we saw was merely an illusion."

Stonepaw was right. It was an illusion. But Ungatt Trunn was not the one who had created the illusion, though he thought he was.

The voice of Ungatt Trunn rang out again. "Let the enemies of Ungatt Trunn feel the earth tremble!"

The vermin army began to jump up and down in perfect unison, chanting as they did, "Ungatt Trunn! Ungatt Trunn! Ungatt Trunn!" Water splashed high on the tideline and clouds of sand began rising.

Though he could scarcely be heard above the din, the hare named Bungworthy funneled both paws around his mouth and shouted at Stonepaw, "Look, lord! The earth is shaking! See! Great ripples are spreading seaward! The shore is shaking where they jump! Great seasons, the earth is shaking. It's shaking!"

As suddenly as it had started the demonstration stopped. Ungatt Trunn stood smiling grimly up at Stonepaw as the sand clouds settled and the ripples receded.

"Well, stripedog, did you feel the earth shake? Did I not speak truly? Throw down your arms and come out!" Ungatt climbed down from his rock perch and stood at the head of his army, confident he had made his point.

Lord Stonepaw merely grunted. "Hah! You might have felt the earth tremble, cat, but Salamandastron remained rock-firm- we didn't feel a thing. Now let me show you something!"

Stonepaw hurled his big war javelin right at his foe. The ranks closed around the wildcat. A rat, transfixed, fell dead, another behind him sorely wounded. No matter how fearsome the foe, or how great their numbers, when it came to fighting, Badger Lords were renowned. Old as he was, the present ruler was no exception. Lord Stonepaw of Salamandastron had begun the war.