Bone #23 1996 FN

The Hooded One brings news to the Lord of the Locusts that the armies of Pawa in the South have joined their cause, and the kingdom of Atheia has fallen to them. The Lord of the Locusts fears Thorn's power is awakening and their opportunity to seize control of her is slipping away, instructing The Hooded One to succeed soon or else kill her.At Barrelhaven, Phoney Bone has the town in his thrall with his tales of dragons, and has stockpiled many of the townspeople's goods in payment for his “protection”. Late one night, Fone Bone finds a baby rat creature scrounging in the garbage. Staying at the inn that night, Thorn is once again visited by The Hooded One in her dreams, this time revealing its face like Gran'ma Ben's. She is only saved in the nick of time when Fone Bone wakes her to tell her about a Rat Creature cub that has found its way into the town. Thorn threatens to kill the cub so Fone Bone takes it back to the barn only to wait in agony for Thorn to kill it.