, ▁after ▁searching ▁for ▁Gran ' ma ▁Ben ▁for ▁two ▁days , ▁returns ▁to ▁find ▁the ▁town ▁bar ric aded , ▁and ▁orders ▁the ▁f ences ▁to ▁be ▁torn ▁down ; ▁but ▁the ▁towns folk , ▁ter r ified ▁of ▁drag ons , ▁refuse ▁him . ▁In ▁the ▁bar n , ▁Sm iley ▁B one ▁adopt s ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre ature ▁cub ▁as ▁a ▁pet . ▁F one ▁B one ▁meets ▁with ▁Lu cius , ▁who ▁fear s ▁that ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre atures ▁ev acu ating ▁the ▁valley ▁could ▁be ▁a ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁another ▁s ne ak ▁attack ▁like ▁the ▁N ights ▁of ▁Light ning . ▁Sm iley ▁is ▁shock ed ▁to ▁learn ▁that ▁Th orn ▁is ▁a ▁prin cess . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁H ood ed ▁One ▁addresses ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre atures ▁and ▁men ▁from ▁P awa ▁and ▁orders ▁them ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁war . ▁ ▁The ▁Mid sum mer ▁Day ' s ▁Plan ▁Ph oney ▁continues ▁to ▁press ▁the ▁town spe ople ▁for ▁his ▁“ drag on ▁sl ayer ” ▁fe es . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Th orn ▁dec ides ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁farm house . ▁In ▁the ▁mountains ▁en clos ing ▁the ▁valley , ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre ature ▁army ▁and ▁the ▁P aw an ' s ▁have ▁mass ed ▁under ▁the ▁instructions ▁of ▁the ▁H ood ed ▁One , ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁an ▁invasion . ▁ ▁The ▁Turn ing ▁ ▁F one ▁B one ▁and ▁Sm iley ▁s ne ak ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre ature