Following the message that a Rat Creature army is crossing the Eastern border- Fone Bone- Thorn and Gran'ma Ben travel off-road to the Barrelhaven. Gran'ma Ben suffers an attack of her ?gitchy feeling? - a dizziness that has long been her omen of impending trouble. Meanwhile- at the Barrelhaven tavern itself- Phoney Bone's tales of dangerous dragons make his end of the bar the most popular- but Lucius gives him a stern warning about messing with them.