Successors

[Shy-Guy]

EDIT: I am gonna post all of the chapters I have finished in one mega post, instead of spamming. I also noticed that a few of my chapters seemed a bit short, so I combined them. There are now five chapters instead of seven.

CHAPTER 1

Spoiler

A gentle rain fell over Redwall Abbey. It was around midday, with the sun peeking dimly through the soft clouds. It was more of a sprinkle than anything, but nonetheless, it was 'stay inside' weather. Most of the Redwall creatures were inside, going about their daily chores, or having a nice bit of rest and relaxation, except for one sneaky mouse. He ran across the lawn, hopping and splashing every puddle, absolutely soaking himself.

"Barnaby! What on earth are you up to, you'll catch your death out here!" The young mouse was suddenly picked up by an older, female mouse.

"I just playing!" Barnaby squeaked, struggling. "Lemme go, Carissa!"

"It's Sister Clarissa, young beast. With an L. I should take you up to Brother Mortimer for this misbehaving you've done."

"No! I sorry! Don't take me to, to Brother Mort... Bro.... Brother Mortimer." He stumbled over his words.

"Look at you, you're shaking like a leaf. I'll get you all cleaned up, and then I'll tell you a story." Clarissa smiled and walked back towards the gatehouse, Barnaby in tow.
------
"Sister, Sister Carissa, tell me about that one." He pointed to a picture while Clarissa was skimming through her many record books.

"This one?" She pointed to the picture, which depicted a rat fighting side by side with a fox, a mouse, and a hare.

"Aren't vermin bad?"

"This is quite the tale. We might not have enough time to tell it." She shook her head.

Just then, the rain picked up, coming down harder as thunder started to rumble.

"Well, we'll be here for a while. Let's get into it, shall we?" She smiled down at him
------
When a hero is born, or a legend at least, their birth isn't always dramatic. There might not be a raging storm, with dark clouds and loud lightning. Sometimes, It's a calm day, the sun is shining brightly, not a cloud in the sky.

The corsair ship Seaking was riding the gentle waves on a day just like that, along with the five other ships that were in tow; the Bloodwake, Frogscum, Ogreye, Crabclaw, and the Redfang. This formidable armada belonged to the notorious Ironclaw.
Ironclaw was a merciless pirate warlord, plundering seaside villages without a shred of mercy. He acquired his name after a nasty fight with an otter. He lost his footpaw and had it replaced with a metal prosthetic. He gained quite a following, having thousands of vermin scoundrels under his command. None of them mattered to him. He had his first mate, Firetail, take care of organizing the army, while he focused on where to strike, when to strike, the works.

Firetail was a cunning silver fox with a glorious red tail, dyed by the way, but any beast who knew that was forced to be silent. Firetail was as cunning as he was charming, and he's been by Ironclaws side since the very start. He always got a tenth of the loot, no matter what.

Although it was a quiet day, there was a buzz of excitement within the crews. They had stopped at a sunny seaside beach and had been given a day off. While most of the vermin meandered along the beaches, drinking, and gambling, a few had caught wind of what was going on, and stayed behind to bear witness to something truly important. The birth of the heir.

Ironclaw knew the risks of running an empire. Which is why he married, in hopes of having a son. Firetail also had a lady, and he too was aiming for a son. Three seasons later, he had a newborn son. That was a season ago, and now Ironclaws lady was giving birth.
------
In the main cabin of the Seaking, a sickly rat was being attended to by a vixen, and a mouse in chains.

"Do not worry, Lady Vinala, you are doing wonderfully, just keep breathing." The fox took her paw. "You'll need to start trying to push him out."

"I know that!" She snapped, her breathing labored. The mousemaid tried to wipe Vinala's brow, but the chains restrained her, and she could only dab at her cheeks.

Varuna growled. "He expects this mouse to help when she's practically tied up?" She took a key from out of her pocket and she unlocked the chains.

"Listen to me, I need you to bring me some Fenugreek, Black Cohosh, and Raspberry Leaf from the shelf." She grabbed the wet rag and wiped Vinala's brow. "Breath, My Lady, breath like this." She mimicked a breathing exercise while the mouse maiden went to grab the herbs.
------
Ironclaw demanded that no one stayed on the Seaking except for his first mate. He did not want the men to see him nervous. He was a mess. His face was pale, and he was trembling with excitement. "What if it dies durin' birth?" He grabbed Firetail. "Damnit, what if it won't be able t' survive on a ship?! I would 'ave t'... settle.." He shivered.

"Silvertongue seems fine living on the Seaking, Captain, I'm sure that your boy will be fine."

"And what if it ain't?! I'll be seen as soft! The merciless Ironclaw, stopping his terrorization of the shores to raise a babe!" He scoffed and leaned over the railing, before spitting into the water.

"Worse comes to worst, have Vilana live somewhere on the beach, leave a few guards with her, let her raise the boy on land, while you keep on plundering. Unless you want to be seen as soft." Firetail added at the end. Whenever he gave Ironclaw advice, it had to seem like he had thought it up on his own.

"Here's a thought." Ironclaw turned to him with a grin. "Vinala doesn't need to be by my side all of the time. I could drop her off with the brat on some tropical getaway island, we go back to plundering while she's stuck raising him! She'll need help, of course. A few men to watch her, a few slaves to serve her."

"An excellent idea, as per usual." he nodded.

Ironclaws' grin faded, and he huffed.  "How long does it take for a babe to be born?!" He looked back at his cabin.

"Captain, let Varuna do her work. She's the best medicine lady the Southern Coasts has ever had. And we paid her quite a lot, so she should work extra hard."

"She'd better work hard, or she's going to end up with a slit neck."
------
"Push, damn you, push! Your child's life depends on it!"

Vinala cried out in great pain, grabbing the mouse-maids hand and squeezing it.

"You, tell me yer name." She panted.

The mousemaid stared, wide-eyed and trembling.

"Answer me!" She snarled, before crying again.

"M-my name is Eira, My Lady." She gulped.

"Eira, this pregnancy has been heavy on me. I don't think I'll be makin' it." She whispered softly. "I want you to take care of my child."

"I-I am just a slave, I can't raise a baby."

"You're gonna have to. I don't trust that Varuna. She's been acting odd ever since she stepped foot on this ship. She might be up to somethin'." She was gasping for air, groaning as she tensed up, pushing with all her might.

"Th-the Captain won't allow it! He'll have me killed." She fretted.

"Ironclaw will come to his senses. The babe is more important to him than his lady."

"He's coming out! I see his face! Keep pushing!" Varuna pushed Vinalas legs apart, carefully getting ready to grab the baby.

Vinala screamed in great pain, pushing with all of her might, and they heard the soft wailing of the baby.

"Lady Vinala, you've done it! It's a boy!"

Vinala was pale, sickly looking, her eyes weary. "Eira... Ye.. you swear to me, you'll raise my boy well. I don't want him followin in his fathers' footsteps."

Eira shook her head, stumbling over her words. "I-I don't, what do you... Wh-why-"

"Swear to me, NOW." She squeezed the mouse-maids paw.

"I-I swear. I swear to you that I will raise him well." She gulped.

Varuna walked over, and she gently placed the newborn rat in Vinalas arms. "Congratulations, Vinala. What shall you name him?

Vinala looked down at her son.(Description of child, highlighting his eyes) "He's got bright green eyes like his father. I think I'll name him... Greeneye."
------
Varuna burst out of the cabin. "Captain, Captain! The baby! The baby is here!" She rushed up to him, grabbing his arms. "It's a beautiful baby boy, just like you wanted!"

"Gerroff me!" Ironclaw shoved her away, and he walked to the cabin.

"Wait, wait, don't go in there-" Varuna grabbed his arm, but he smacked her way.

Ironclaw opened up the door and walked in.

Before him lay his wife, Vinala, either asleep or unconscious. Standing next to her was the mouse slave, holding his son, and giving him nervous glances.

Without a word, he slowly walked in, taking his wife's limp hand.

Eira was trying not to shake fearfully, holding Greeneye carefully, cradling him and cooing softly.

"She was weak." He said simply, his cold voice chilling Eira down to the bone. "And yet I know she had the strength to survive this." He turned his gaze to the mouse. "Did Varuna do nothing to help her recover her strength?"

Eira averted her eyes from him. "She... She gave M'lady some medicine. Th-that is all, Captain."

"Attend to my son, for now, mouse." His voice was cold and angry as he walked out of the cabin.

Firetail knew as soon as Ironclaw walked out of the cabin that someone was in trouble.

"My son seems to be in perfect health." He stared down at Varuna. "And yet my wife has perished. And you call yourself the best medicine lady in the Southern Coasts?"

"Captain, I knew as soon as I saw Vinala. She was not going to survive for long after the birthing. I did not want to-" She stopped, gulping and adjusting her cloak. "There was nothing to be done, Ironclaw."

"What were you going to say? You didn't want to what?" Ironclaw seemed to tower above both Varuna and Firetail.

"I.. I-I did not w-want to w-waste any time on a lost cause. I.. I just thought you would care more about the babe!"

"My wife was a waste of time to you?" He asked calmly.

"N-no, of course not!"

"Then why did you not try to save her?"

"I-I had to focus on getting the baby out!"

"And you didn't have time afterward to make sure she was alright?"

"She was a lost cause! I did what I was paid to do, deliver the baby!"

"I didn't pay you to let my wife die." Without warning, Ironclaw had drawn his sword, and he impaled it in Varuna's stomach.

Varuna let out a gasp, looking down wide-eyed at the sword in her stomach.

Ironclaw withdrew the sword and pushed her away. She stumbled, clutching her stomach, and she ended up falling over the railing, her body tumbling into the water.

Firetail looked at Varuna's lifeless form bobbing in the ocean. "Well, now who will raise your boy? Marit has her hands full with my Silvertongue. And I'm not sure if there are any women in your army capable of caring for a child."

Ironclaw looked back at the cabin. "I'll have that mousemaid do it."

"A mouse, raising the son of the mighty Ironclaw?"

"It doesn't matter who raises him. I'm the one who's gonna show him how to follow in my footsteps."
------
Eira did not remember much about her past. She lived in a small coastal village, working the fields with her family. It was a simple life, and she was happy. Until they came along. The large ship could be seen coming from miles away, and the men armed themselves with what little weapons they had. She had been told to hide away in a closet, and she did. Later, she heard the fighting and screaming, and she closed her eyes and tried to wish it all away. But it didn't work.

She was dragged kicking and screaming from her home, her family and herself strapped to an oar on the pirate ship Seaking. For years she has been an oar slave, and she could only guess that some miracle was keeping her alive.

It had been just another day when she felt someone looking at her, turning about to see a vixen staring her down. She made her way down the aisle and leaned down.

"You were recently with child, weren't you?" She whispered.

Eira looked up at her, eyes wide. "H-how did you know?"

The vixen shook her head. "That doesn't matter. You'll be the perfect wet nurse for the child."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Eira asked as she was unchained, and dragged off to the captain's cabin. And the next thing she knew, she was helping Ironclaws' wife give birth. And expected to raise his son.

"I expect you to raise him the way his mother would, maybe even better."

"I-I understand, Captain." Eira said quietly.

She looked down at Greeneye, who stared blankly up at her.

Ironclaw gave her a cold look before heading out of the cabin.

[close]

CHAPTER 2

Spoiler

"Greeneye, how many times must I ask you to stay away from the rails? You could fall into the water."

Greeneye turned and looked at Eira. He was still growing, but he already looked so much like his father. Cunning green eyes, mangy gray fur that never seemed to stay clean, a thick, swishing tail.

"Where does Papa go all the time?" He asked her.

"Well... Papa and everyone else go onto the land... to get us food. You see, food comes from the earth AND the water. We get fishes from the sea, and we get fruit from the land. It's just easier to get things from the land. Now run along and play with Silvertongue."

She ran a paw across his cheek, a weary smile on her face.

"Are you okay?" He tugged at her shirt. "You look like you're sad."

"I'm alright, dear." She took his paw. "I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

"Why don't you take a nap?"

She laughed softly. "Adults don't take naps, Greeneye. Imagine it, Papa stopping the ship in the middle of the day because he wants to sleep. Wouldn't that be silly?" She started to tickle him.

He giggled and pushed her paws away. "Hee Hee! No, no tickles! I'll go play." He smiled and he headed to the cabins.

She trailed after him until he reached Firetails cabin and knocked on the door.

"Silva, Silva, I wanna play!" He started to pound at the door.

The door was opened, and Greeneye nearly fell into Silvertongue.

"Mama- Uh... Mother said that it would be alright if we played." He (which one) recited, looking back.

Greeneye smiled and waddled into the cabin. Eira stood at the door and peeked in, only to catch Marit glaring coldly at her.

"Greeneye, make sure you finish up in time to greet your father when he gets back." She said softly, before shrinking away and slinking down the hall, out to the stern, and leaned out over the railing.

After Vinala had been buried, Ironclaw didn't bother marrying again. He was a black-hearted creature, without a doubt, but that heart belonged to his lady, and his son, and no one else.

Eira was left to raise Greeneye on her own, and she found herself thinking on Vinala's words.

'I don't want him followin in his fathers' footsteps'.

She didn't understand. How was she supposed to be able to control that?

"Hey!" A voice snarled behind her, and she was grabbed by the scruff of the neck. "What are you doin-" She was face to face with a large stoat, the slaver Heskel.

He paled upon seeing who he was holding. "Er, er, Miss Eira. I didn't realize it was you." He dropped her, and she crumpled to the ground.

"L-Look, I didn't know it was you, the Cap'ns whelp wasn't with ya, h-how was I supposed ta know?" He stammered, gulping profusely and wringing his whip in his hands. "I-I didn't know, alright! And nobody needs ta be knowin about it! Pl-please don't tell the Cap'n I grabbed ya."

Eira just looked at Heskel as he groveled before her, too weak to respond. Soon, Heskel just sneered at her and scuttled away.

She turned back to see Ironclaws army pushing their rowboats off of the shore, jumping into them and making their way back to the ships.
------
Ironclaw had a frown on his face. They had found an abandoned village and gathered what little scraps they could find, and then they had been forced to... scavenge. The men weren't used to it, and their results were meager, pathetic, barely worth it.

"There's always the next time, Captain." Firetail gulped. He hated having to sit next to Ironclaw when he was angry. He could end up with a sword in his chest, or worse.

"You'd all be lucky if I even gave you a 'next time', understand?" Ironclaw looked out over the boat full of groveling, squirming vermin. "You are all cowards and fools. You haven't faced a real challenge in ages. You've gone soft! If any of you ever got in a real fight, you'd be killed in an instant!"

"Well, that ain't true, Boss!" A voice called out. That was followed by a hoarse; "Shut the hell up, mate!" and a thud.

Ironclaw glared at the men, trying to discern who had spoken back to him.

"Ahoy Cap'n, we're throwing down the ropes!" Vermin on the ship started to toss down ropes, and others tied them to the rowboats so that they could be raised up and onto the ship with the davits.

When the rowboat reached the deck, Ironclaw jumped off, causing it to sway dangerously. Firetail clung to the side of it for dear life, watching him storm off to the cabins. He didn't even bother slowing down, bursting into his room, the door slamming against the wall. Both him and Firetail had large, luxurious rooms, with a Queen size bed, large windows, a closet, and a small desk. Eira was standing next to the bed, Greeneye by her side. She had been whispering something to him, but flinched and startled when he came in, standing up straight.

"C-Captain." She stammered, nodding.

He ignored her, walking over to his desk and opening the drawer, digging around in there until he pulled out a ginger root, popping it into his mouth and chewing on it.

It was a never a good sign when he dug into his stache of ginger roots. Eira had quickly learned that he saved those for when he was VERY upset. He nearly went through the whole stache on the day Vinala died, and they had to sail to the foreign lands in the east to get more.

"Are you upset, Papa?" Greeneye asked, looking up at him.

Ironclaw stopped and turned. "Well, Greeneye, yes. Papa is very upset that we could barely scavenge a WEEK'S worth of supplies!" He snarled and kicked his chair over.

Eira was shaking with fear, and yet Greeneye seemed calm and collected. "If you didn't find a lot of stuff there, shouldn't you just look somewhere else?"

He shook his head, chuckling through a mouthful of ginger, before spitting it onto the floor. "The cogs are already turnin' in that little head of yours, aren't they?" He got down, putting a paw on Greeneyes' shoulder. "You see, I'm sure that there were a whole BUNCH of goodies out in them woods. But, the men aren't that good at finding em. Which is why they have to TRAIN."

"Train?" He tilted his head.

"Aye, I'll just have to train em at bein better scavengers, better fighters, everything! And if they still disappoint me, well." He shook his head. "I'll just have to teach them an even WORSE lesson." He grinned widely before standing. "I have a feeling you'll be an even better Warlord than me one day, boy." With that, he walked out of the cabin, leaving Eira and Greeneye on their own.

"I don't like when Papa gets upset." He turned to Eira.

"I don't like it either, dear. It's very frightening. Which is why I must ask you to make me a promise."

"What is it?"

"Promise me, Greeneye, that you won't act like your Papa when you grow up. Promise me that you'll be kind, and considerate, and you'll never get mad at someone unless it's for the right reasons." Eira smiled weakly, cupping his cheeks in her paws.

How had she let herself come to love him? He wasn't her son, and she wasn't his mother. Varuna had been right. She DID have a child, all those years ago, but he did not survive the birthing. He would be Greeneyes age around now. And poor Vinala passed during the birthing of her own son. In a way, they had bonded with each other, that way a mother bonds with their son.

"I promise I'll do all that stuff, Mama." He nodded, taking her paw in his own.

She bit her lip, turning away. Ironclaw had told her to never let him call her "Mama". A single tear spilled from her cheek. She decided she'd let it slide.

"That's right, Greeneye. You make Mama proud." She sniffled. "But you can't tell Papa about this, alright? It's going to be our little secret. Can you keep a secret?"

"Well, sure I can, But can I tell Silva?"

"You can't tell anyone, not even Silvertongue. The only beasts allowed to know are you and I, understand?"

He nodded solemnly. "I unde'stand."
------
"That kid of mine is gonna be the best damn Warlord these seas have ever seen. Hell, the best damn Warlord that Mossflower has ever seen!" Ironclaw exclaimed, tearing into his fish dinner.

He was down in the mess hall, where his vermin army was eating their rations.

They all stopped, gasping at his proclamation and chattering excitedly with another.

Firetail coughed, choking on his cooked seagull. "Er, Captain. You said Mossflower?!"

"Aye, what of it?"

"Well, before we can even get to Mossflower, we have to get past... Salamandastron."

"And you think we can't?" He stood, raising his glass. "There are thousands of us! We need 6 ships just to carry us all! We have the numbers! We'll overrun those snooty hares, and we'll chop off that badger's head!"

He laughed as his vermin cheered and toasted in his name.

"Captain, I must protest. That is a battle we can not win. We will all be killed, including you." Firetail whispered.

"Well, Firetail. This is why I'm the Captain and youre not. Do you expect me to tell these saps 'hey, this is a losing battle, fellas.'? They'd never want to do it. And if I forced them to, they'd half-ass it. You gotta convince 'em that it's a guaranteed win, that way they'll give it their all. And if I die, there's Greeneye."

"Greeneye is just a wee little kid."

"Well, Firetail. We have to WAIT. It'll take a few years to train up these slobs, and by then, Greeneye will be around my age when I started making my way to the top."

"You said you wanted a son so you'd have an heir to your supposed throne. You just want someone to replace you if you die? Why not me? I've been your matey since the beginning, through and through."

"Don't play the fool, my dear friend. If I told you that you'd be in charge if I died, I'd wake up with a knife in my back." He chuckled darkly and took a sip from his drink. "Remind me again why YOU decided to have a son?"

Firetail grimaced and he just finished up his meal.

"I know damn well why you did it. You had the exact same fears as I. You want someone there to replace you."

"Maybe, maybe not. I got my reasons."

"Oh, and you're gonna hide something from me? The Captain? That might not end well for that little family of yours-"

Firetail snarled, standing up "You leave your nasty claws off of them, Ironclaw, or I SWEAR I'll-"

"You'll what?" Ironclaw stood, staring him down.

Everyone had stopped eating, staring at them. Firetail gulped and patted Ironclaws shoulder. "You always make the best jokes, Captain." He laughed and quickly walked out of the mess hall.

He was pale and nervous as he entered the cabin, locking the door.

"Firetail?" Is something wrong?" Marit had been resting on the bed and sat up.

"It's nothing, love. Just a little spat with the Captain, that's all." He sighed and thudded his head against the door.

"Do you think it's time for us to move onto the Redfang?" She picked up Silvertongue, who had been dozing next to her.

"No. I don't want Ironclaw thinking that... I put my family first. I'll have to stick by his side even more than I have been lately. He threatened to harm you both, and I don't think we should risk anything."

"Seems to me that Ironclaw doesn't like foxes very much. You saw what he did to Varuna."

"Marit... That was ages ago."

"You honestly don't think he'd do it again?"

Firetail sighed, and he took Marit's paw. "Whatever happens, I won't let you or our son come to harm. I've worked too damn hard to throw it all away."

He leaned in and kissed her gently.

She let him kiss her, then pulled away. "I just hope that you're not in over your head, Firetail."

[close]

CHAPTER 3

Spoiler

As the sun set over the mountain fortress of Salamandastron, Lord Petram looked out from his window at the vermin armada that  was sitting at the shores of his home. Lord Petram was a Badger Lord in his prime, he was just a little smaller than most badgers his age, but he more than made up for it in unparalleled strength. Some said he had the strength of two badgers, and he didn't try hiding it. Under that shaggy fur, head to toe was a well toned, muscular body. He stood tall, never slouching, and almost always wore light chain mail, except when going to bed or preparing for battle.

"Colonel Heath, reporting in sah!" A voice rang out.

"Come in. The door is unlocked."

Colonel Heath walked in. He was a dark brown colored hare, with sharp blue eyes.

"Well, Sah. It seems to me that these ruffians are going to be here for a while. They've scuttled all six of their ships." He handed Petram a looking glass.

Petram brought the glass up to his eye, and he could see that there were some rats in smaller boats, using chisels and hammers to bust holes into the sides of the ships.

"Besides the obvious fact there are 6 corsair ships out there, the scouts have determined that Ironclaws' forces range around 3,000 to 4,000 strong."

"It amazes me how many of those vermin they can squeeze onto one ship." Petram huffed, turning to the Colonel. "If my math is right, that means there has to be around 600 vermin on each of those ships."

"4000 of them, 1000 of us, numbers don't necessarily mean anything, Mah Lord. What truly matters is skill. The members of the Long Patrol have more skill, grit, and determination than any vermin horde in existence, that is a guarantee."

"Numbers are important, my friend." Petram placed a paw on his shoulder. "We could very easily be overrun. And Ironclaw is powerful. His vermin hordes just might be skilled enough to give us a hard time."

"Don't talk like that, Sah!" Heath huffed. "I'm sure we're gonna wallop these scoundrels!"

"I'm glad you have faith in Long Patrol, but you have to realize the dire situation we're in."

"Well, I do, Sah..." He nodded. "And pardon my rudeness, but I don't like bein gloomy and doomy all the time."

Petram chuckled softly, turning back to the window. "Heath my friend, you somehow manage to lighten the mood, no matter what."

"Just doin' my job, Sah." Heath grinned. "If our Badger Lord is in a foul mood, EVERYONE 'll be in a foul mood." He jabbed Petrams side playfully with his elbow.

Petram grinned and gently flicked Heath's nose, sending him stumbling. "Go on, get out of here, you jokester. It's right around dinner time, right?"

"By Golly, Sah, I believe you're right. If you excuse me, I must take my leave." He made his way to the door.

"You're dismissed, Colonel." Petram nodded. "Tell them I'll be down in a bit."
------
"How long will we let those rapscallions camp in our waters?!" General Leon Lionel Lancaster was fuming, pounding his fists against the armrest of the chair as everyone waited for Lord Petram to come down. He was one of the oldest hares in the mountain, but he didn't look it. His fur was a shining silver, with light brown eyes that burned fiercely.

"General, I'm glad that you asked that."  Petrams voice rang out from the doorway.

Leon startled, turning around. "Ah, Mah Lord, I was just... uh, keeping the chair warm for ya." He grinned and climbed out of the seat and dusted it off.

Petram nodded and he sat down. "We will wait for them to make the first move."

The hall came alive with gasps and mutters.

"Wait?! Bloody WAIT, Sah?!" Leon sputtered, his mustache twitching. "Since when has the Long Patrol waited for the fight to come to them, it's completely absurd!"

"The Long Patrol has one singular duty, General. To defend the Western Shores. And that's what we will do: Defend. Let the vermin throw themselves at our mountain, and they'll see that our best offense is our impenetrable defense."

"What if they ignore us, and they head straight down the River Moss towards Mossflower?" An older female Brigadier named Juniper piped up.

"In that case, We will strike at them from behind, when they are least expecting it."

"Pardon my arguing, Sah, but that doesn't seem very honorable. Even a bit cowardly." Leon said.

"Do you expect Ironclaw and his hordes to be honorable?" Brigadier Juniper asked.

Petram held a paw up for silence. "I know that an attack from behind is a low blow, but if it does come to that, It may very well be the best move we have. We are heavily outnumbered here, 4 to 1. And I don't like those odds, General. If we start the battle out a full frontal assault, we could EASILY be overrun, and then what? If we lose, there will be nothing to stop Ironclaw and his forces from rampaging through Mossflower, and attacking Redwall. That is why I am suggesting that we hunker down and let them come to us."

There was complete and total silence in the dining hall, which is a rarity in itself.

"I understand what you're sayin', Sah, and well, you'll have to forgive me, Sah, but I just don't agree. I think we ought to accumulate our forces and wipe them out before they even think about attacking."

"No, General, I do not have to forgive you. You seem to be directly defying me. That is a losing battle. Sending our troops wading into the waters would leave them vulnerable to archer fire, and impair their attacking capabilities. Standing on the shore and waiting for them to come to us would still leave them open to archers. So, we will sit back and wait for them to attack. Is that clear, General?"

Leon stood before Petram, paws behind his back. He was trembling now, whether from fright or rage it was hard to tell. "Yes, Sah, it is." He turned and retreated to his seat.

Petram nodded and sat. "Now, let's dig in, shall we?"

Everyone quickly started eating, and soon the hall was filled with the hubbub and chatter that it usually was.

Petram was enjoying a freshly made vegetable salad when one of the guards came running. It was a younger tan hare named Sorrel.

"Sah, some of the vermin are comin' to shore in rowboats, and it looks like they have some prisoners with 'em!"

Lord Petram stood. "Major Wattle, assemble your company and meet me at the Main Entrance.

"Right away, Mah Lord." A younger male hare stood, nodded and headed off.
------
Ironclaw stared long and hard at the mountain. It was finally time to start the war against Mossflower. Years of vigorously training his vermin hordes, and his own son, will finally be put to the test.

"You could still call this whole thing off, Captain. We could forget we ever sailed up here, and head back South for easy pickings. No one would blame you." Firetail walked up next to him.

"Aye, Firetail. You know, that sounds like a wonderful idea. And I'll change me name to Ironclaw the Cowardly Warlord while I'm at it." He glared at Firetail. "We've already established a presence here. To leave now would be admitting defeat before the battle has even started. We're not leaving now. We're going to attack this mountain, and we're going to win."

Firetail returned the glare. "It's going to be your head on the line, mate. Not mine."

"And what exactly does that mean, mate?" Ironclaw laid a paw near his sword's heath.

"Nothing, Captain." He shook his head and he headed off to his cabin. "It's war you want, and now you're getting it."

"If you see that whelp of mine, send him out here."

"Why would I know where Greeneye is?"

"He's always hanging out with your kid."

Firetail didn't say anything as he walked down the hall to Ironclaw's cabin, opening the door.

Inside Ironclaw's cabin, Greeneye was sitting at the desk, practicing his calligraphy, while Eira watched. Greeneye was older now, nearly an adult. He had been terribly clumsy when he was younger, and suffered some nasty accidents during Ironclaws training. Setting gruesome details aside, Greeneye ended up needing an eyepatch, a footpaw replacement, and a metal hook for a handpaw replacement. The last one was Ironclaws idea, and no one argued with him. Greeneye certainly looked like the spawn of his father, but he didn't have the cold black heart of his.

"Greeneye." Firetail said. "Your father would like to see you."

"What does he need?" Greeneye sat down the quill he had been writing with.

"I think you should go and see what he needs."

Greeneye growled and stood. "Fine."

"We can keep practicing after you see what he needs." Eira placed a paw on his shoulder. "Go."

He shook his head and he shouldered his way past Firetail. "Scuse me."

Firetail turned and looked at Eira, who wilted under his stare.

"I know what you're planning." He closed the door.

"W-what on earth are you talking about?"

"No need to play dumb with me. I won't tell Ironclaw about any of this. I know that Greeneye plans on running away, and I know it's because you encouraged him too."

"I-I'm only doing what I think is the right thing." She said softly. "I'm only doing what I promised his mother I would do."

"I want Silvertongue to go with Greeneye. I don't want my son to die on the foot of this mountain. He deserves better."

"I think that's something you should talk to your son about, then. Greeneye might be his friend, but he probably won't be able to convince him to run off. And I certainly can't."

Firetail opened his mouth, but closed it. She was right. He was going to have to be the one to do it.
------
Greeneye walked out to the main deck, heading over to the stern. "What do you need, Da?"

"Greeneye, my boy." Ironclaw turned with a grin. "It's finally happening. We're gonna take over that mountain."

"And ye had to drag me out here to tell me that?"

"Yea, actually, I did. You see, you're gonna be playin' a bigger role in this than ye might suspect."

"Okay?" He shrugged, looking out over the waters. "Wait a second. What are Bloodsnout and Grubguts doin'?" He pointed to two vermin in a small boat near the Seaking.

"They're gonna scuttle the ships fer us. That way, we can siege the mountain, and still be able to retreat to a safe distance when we needs to."

"What about the galley slaves?"

"What about 'em?"

"They'll drown down there if we don't move 'em up another level!" Greeneye growled.

"That's the point, obviously. We won't be needin em' anymore. All they can do is row, and ye can't sail a ship on land."

Greeneye clenched his fists, storming over to the rail. "Hey, you two! Wait just a moment!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ironclaw demanded.

"I'm gonna let those slaves go. If we don't need 'em anymore, why can't we just set 'em free?"

"That's a ridiculous idea. I'm not gonna let ya do that."

"Look, when we conquer this mountain, and Redwall and all of that, you can just capture them again!"

"I said yer not gonna do that."

"Aye? I'd like to see ye stop me!" Greeneye drew his sword

Ironclaw could feel the eyes on him. His son was starting to challenge his authority. He needed to act, and fast.

"Ye know what. I got an idea, boy. Since you so desperately want to save these slaves, we might as well use 'em to our advantage. If'n ye really think about it, We now have a whole boatload of hostages to coerce that big dumb badger wit'."

"Hostages?"

"Aye, hostages. Ya see, now's my chance to teach ye about the more sophisticated type of war." Ironclaw drew Greeneye close to his side. "That Badger and them Long Patrol hares will be just as concerned about the safety of these woodland creatures as you are. And they'll do anything we ask to keep em safe."

"Aye..."

"So here's what I have ye do. You can get all the woodland creatures up another level. Then you and Heskel take four of five of em ta shore and tell em' my demands. And if'n they refuse to listen, ya start guttin the slaves."

"Wh-what?"

"Ye know, run one of 'em through, show 'em we mean business."

Greeneye paled. "I... er... alright, then." He nodded, and headed away.
------
Lord Petram had donned his chain mail armor, and placed his helmet over his head. Finally, grabbing his broadsword, he made his way down to the entrance, large and thick doors made of sturdy oak. Waiting there was Major Wattles' Company, 150 soldiers strong. Petram nodded, and the doors were pushed open.

They could see boats piled full of woodland creatures being rowed to shore by a few vermin.

"This could easily be some kind of trick, Mah Lord..." Wattle whispered.

"Just be ready for anything." Petram nudged him.

When the ships got into shallow water, the vermin climbed out of the boats, pushing them to shore

There was an awkward silence as a Greeneye stepped forward, bowing deeply. "My, My Lordship. Captain Ironclaw has some... demands... for you."

"Demands?" He asked with a scowl. "You come to my mountain and think you can demand something from me?"

"N-not me! Th-the Captain is the one demanding. J-Just don't kill the messenger."

"I'll humor the Captain, for now. Tell me his demands."

Greeneye gulped, taking a piece of parchment from his pocket. "H-he wrote them down on this."

Petram reached out and grabbed the paper away, and started to look it over.

"Leave your mountain with the doors open... leave all weapons, treasures, and other valuables here....  If our demands are not met, we will start killing our prisoners?!" He looked up at the vermin.

"T-that's what he said!" He grinned nervously.

"Well, you can take a message back to the captain for me. Tell him that he'll NEVER get this mountain, and if he starts killing prisoners, the might of a badger lord will rain down upon him, and he's going to wish he was never BORN!" He raged, his eyes already tinging red, a sure sign of the Bloodwrath.

"Aye, by Vulpuz, we get it!" He jumped away. "No need to get that upset!"

Greeneye retreated, hiding behind the other vermin.

A large stoat carrying a whip took a step forward. "Now, listen here, badger! Captain Ironclaw made his demands very clear! Now you better listen, or I'll gut one of these galley slaves. Startin' with this troublemaker!" He took a key and unchained a burly otter, grabbing him by the neck.

"This fellas' name is Sylas. I've been lookin' for a reason to run 'em through, and now I have it. If'n ye don't admit defeat right now, he's dead!" Heskel held a knife to the otters throat.

Major Wattle drew his rapier. "You scum!"

It was a tense stand-off, with everyone's weapons drawn.

In a sudden and unexpected movement, Slyas twisted himself out of Heskel's grip, turning about and struggling with him for the knife.

Heskel shoved Sylas away, dropping the knife and grabbing for his whip. "Ye 'ave fought with me fer the last time! I'll flay ye to death!"

"Stop!" Greeneye called out. He ran over, pushing Slyas away, and he cried out in pain as the whip connected with his chest, tearing into his flesh.

There was a thick silence as Greeneye dropped to the ground, biting his lip to hold back cries of pain.

"Wh-what... what... why did ye do that?!" Heskel exclaimed hoarsely. "Ye bleedin' idiot, why did ye get in the way?! The Cap'n will skin me alive! I-I wasn't tryin' to hit ye, but ye got in me way!"

Greeneye stood, shaking. "Y-you're a vile, cruel creature, Heskel. You've tormented these creatures for far too long, and now that they get to be free, I won't let you hurt them anymore. You can raise that whip to strike these innocent creatures over my dead body!"

Sylas placed a paw on Greeneye's shoulder. "What are ye doin', kid?" He asked softly.

"I'm doin' the right thing! Because... because I made a promise I would." He said in between quiet gasps of pain.

"Come on, Greeneye, we gotta get ye back to the ship, patch ye up." Heskel said. "Yer father's gonna be pissed. Ye tell 'em it was an accident. Cuz you all saw what he did." He looked back at the vermin.

"And what about the prisoners?" Wattle asked.

"Ye can keep the poor bastards for all I care." He growled. "That's five less mouths to feed."
Greeneye limped over to the vermin. Mudspit and Chokra walked up to him, lifting him up and carrying him to the boat, despite his protests.

"Ye gotta save yer strength, mate." Mudspit said.

"We're gonna get you all fixed up. It'll be like nothin happened." Chokra said with a chuckle.

Lord Petram, Wattle, and the rest watched the vermin retreat in their longboats.

"Who was that Greeneye?" Petram finally broke the silence.

A female squirrel spoke up. "Greeneye is Captain Ironclaws' son. He thinks that he's a 'good' creature, but he's nought but a fool."

"A fool?" Wattle asked with brows raised. "He took a lashing for you."

"Aye, but he didn't do anything fer us before that! He ignored us! He only ever came down to the galley to look for that mousemaid that raised him."

"A... A mousemaid raised him?"

"Aye, and every day she would babble about how he was gonna be raised a good creature, and not be like the Captain. And I said to her: 'Vermin can't be good, and it was a lost cause'." She crossed his arms.

Petram nodded to Wattle, and he had a few of his soldiers attend to the rest of the prisoners.

"My friend, I can not possibly imagine what you went through on that ship, but you're being a bit harsh on Greeneye. I mean, he's still a child."

"He's a pirate! He's a pirate like his father is, and he's pirated and pillaged side by side with that Captain Ironclaw."

"Amber." Slyas said coldly. "Greeneye went out of his way to take that whip in my place. And I know he's as rotten as any other rat, but what he just did for me earned him my respect."

"I-I just-"

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud trumpeting. Petram turned his attention to the ships, and saw Ironclaw was blowing a horn.

"You think he's mad at us, Sah?" Wattle chuckled softly.

"I don't think he took my response lightly." He drew his broadsword. "Wattle, send one if your runners to raise the alarm."

[close]

CHAPTER 4

Spoiler

"You're gonna be okay, Greeneye." Mudspit was cradling him in his arms while Chokra rowed the boat.

"Aye, it'll be fine, mate." Chokra said, looking back at him.

Greeneye was in poor condition. The large gash across his chest was seeping out blood, despite the attempts made to bandage it. He was trembling, his face was pale, and his breathing was labored.

Mudspit laughed nervously. "Aye, w-we just need ta stop tha bleedin', that's all."

Greeneye nodded weakly, grinning.

"Still, ye didn't need to be jumpin' in me way like that-" Heskel said.

"You need to keep yer mouth shut, Heskel." Mudspit growled at him. "Yer lucky he's still alive!"

"It wasn't my fault! It was his!"

"Lay of 'em, mate!" Chokra snapped. "Can't ye see he's in pain?"

Heskel bit his nails nervously as they finally reached the Seaking. Ironclaw was waiting for them with an impatient glare, but he's eye widened in shock when he saw Greeneye.

"What in the hell happened out there?!" He rushed over.

"It was a little accident, that's all." Mudspit said.

"Aye, it's just a little scrape." Chokra laughed nervously.

"You two miserable curs get out of me way!" He snarled.

The two of them scrambled away, leaving him be.

He crouched down, and he grabbed Greeneye by his shoulders. "What happened to ye, boy? Who did this?"

Greeneye sat up. He opened his mouth to speak, but could only pant heavily, trembling.

"That looks like the type of injury one would get from a whip." He turned and looked at Heskel.

Heskel was shaking. "C.. Cap'n. Just let me e-explain! It was an accident! The stupid little brat got in me way!"

"Stupid little brat?" Ironclaw asked, standing.

Heskel sobbed, getting on his knees. "I never meant to strike him, Cap'n! I swear on me life!"

Ironclaw smirked, walking over. "You swear on your life that you didn't mean to hit him with the whip?"

"A-aye, Cap'n! Y-ye see, he- GAH!"

He grabbed Heskel by the throat, lifting him up forcibly. Heskel choked, kicking and squirming. "C-Cap'n!"

"Let me make one thing clear, Heskel. When I'm through with you, you'll curse the day you were born!" He throttled Heskel, tightening his grip.

Greeneye struggled to his feet. He managed to squeak, a weak protest.

Ironclaw turned, looking at Mudspit and Chokra. "Take Greeneye down to that mousemaid. Get that gash covered."

The two of them nodded, leading Greeneye towards the Captain's cabin.

Ironclaw turned back to Heskel, throwing him to the ground, then kicking him squarely in the stomach.

No one looked while Ironclaw beat Heskel. No one spoke, or intervened.

The only sounds that were heard were the waves, and Ironclaws foot slamming into Heskels body again and again.

"C-Cap'n..." Heskel wheezed. Ironclaw grabbed Heskel by his shoulders, lifting him up and slamming him against the rails. He grabbed a knife from his pocket and swiftly thrust it into Heskels' stomach. His signature move was stabbing someone right in the gut.

Heskel groaned softly, feebly attempting to remove the blade embedded in his stomach.
Ironclaw pulled it out of him, shoving him over the railing with ease.

He turned to his crew, breaking the silence. "Let that be a lesson to the lot of ye. Any one of ya's that disrespects or harms Greeneye answers ta me, aye?"

"Aye, Cap'n!" The crew replied hoarsely.

Firetail swallowed a bit. Ironclaw never went back on his word. And when he was in a foul mood, creatures tended to end up dead, even if they had done something wrong or not.

"We've sat around for long enough, mates." He turned his attention to the mountain. "As soon as the sun sets, we strike!"
------
Eira was resting in the Captain's quarters when Chokra and Mudspit carried in Greeneye.

"Wh-what happened?" She exclaimed upon seeing his blood covered body.

"It was just a little accident, nursemouse." Chokra said. "He's fine."

"He's not fine, he's lost a lot of blood." Mudspit said. "He went and got himself hit by Heskel's whip."

"What happened? Did Heskel attack him?" Eira took some gauze and she started to cut it into bandages.

"One of the slaves, Sylas. He broke free and got in a fight wit' Heskel. Heskel went to whip him, but Greeneye jumped in between 'em and took the full of it."

Eira sighed softly. "Greeneye."

Their conversation was interrupted by the increasing noise of the crew shouting and jeering, followed by a loud trumpeting.

Eira's face paled, a cold chill shivering down her spine. "It's started."

"If ye want Greeneye to jump ship, ye'd better do it now." Mudspit said.

"Jump ship?" Chokra asked.

"W-what are you talking about?" She didn't look up from expertly applying the thick bandages, wrapping them around his chest.

"Greeneye told me about his plan. I agreed that I would help 'im."

"What? Well, why didn't ye tell me about it?!"

It was getting so loud that they had to yell at each other over the loud, hoarse war cries of the crew.

"Cause ye've got loose lips! I couldn't trust ye with keepin' it secret!" Mudspit snapped.

Chokra flinched, looking hurt. "I could've kept it secret..."

"Well, Greeneye is in no condition to be jumping ship. He can barely walk." Eira pointed out. "I want him to leave, but he's too hurt right now."

"That's the part where we come in, see? We can help him onto a rowboat and sneak 'im off the ship."

"Why do you want to help him?"

"Well, ye better not tell anyone, but I've got a little soft spot in me heart for the lad. Look, we shouldn't be dawdlin' on this. We need to get him outta here."

Eira nodded. She helped Greeneye up, and Mudspit wrapped an arm around him, lifting him out of the bed. "Come on, mate. Yer jumpin' ship."

Greeneye looked around. "My bag." He pulled himself from Mudspit's grip, picking up his knapsack and placing it on the bed. He limped over to the closer and opened the door, his eye stopping on a checkerboard. He grabbed the board, opening the attached drawers to make sure the small, wooden pieces were there.

"What on earth, Greeneye? Leave that alone!" Eira said.

"I'm taking this. The old curr says this is one o' his greatest treasures, and all it does is sit here an' collect dust!"

"Do you even know what it is?"

"Some sort of childrens game. I think he said it's called 'chess'. There's a book in here, it probably tells ya how to play."

"Well, put it in your pack if you want." She shook her head, peeking out the door.

He placed the board in his pack, hiding it under the garments.

"Come on." Mudspit and Chokra supported him, putting his arms over their shoulders and they hurried out of the cabin, smacking into Silvertongue.

"A-ouch! What in the blazes?" Silvertongue stumbled.

"Look, Silver, I've got no time to explain. I'm gettin' the hell away from this war, and if'n ye wanna stop me, then I'll have ta kick yer sorr-"

"So it's true. You are running away..." Silvertongue said quietly.

"Aye, I'm runnin' away! I don't want to fight them hares, OR that badger! And Ironclaw can't force me to if I ain't around, can he?"

"I'll go with you, Green." Silvertongue said. "We've always stuck together, through thick and thin. And if you want to stick it to the Captain, you're gonna need someone to support you."

"I knew I could count on ye, mate!" Greeneye grinned widely.

"Go!" Eira said.

"We'll get a rowboat ready." Greeneye nodded.

"I need to pack some provisions." He headed back into his cabin.

Eira followed the three of them out to the main deck. Ironclaw was standing on the bow of the ship, facing the crew.

Ironclaw was standing on the rail, waving his sword and jeering the crew on.

Eira shook her head, turning back to see Silvertongue walking over.

"Greeneye has a boat ready, right?"

"He said he did. Go, quickly." She ushered him along.

Mudspit and Chokra were pulling the davits, lifting up the rowboat they had attached to it.

"You need to hurry the hell up, mates!" Silvertongue started to pull on the ropes with them.

The three of them lifted the boat up and over the railing. "Hold onto the ropes, and we'll climb in!" Greeneye said.
The three of them lowered the boat into the water, watching as it drifted away.

"I meant to ask, What are ye gonna do when Ironclaw finds out?" Mudspit turned his attention to Eira.

"I have a plan. Don't worry about me." She said stoutly, wiping her eyes. "All that matters to me is that Greeneye and Silvertongue got themselves away from all this."

The three of them watched as the boat disappeared over the horizon. With everyone's attention on the mountain, they appeared to have gotten away safely.

------

Greeneye turned and looked back at the speck that was the Seaking as Silvertongue rowed their boat away. Greeneye waved to them once, before sitting down. "Well... now what?"

"N-now what?! Now what?! This was your plan, Green! You're supposed to know where the hell we're running away to! I mean, as far as I know, your plan was to join a frikken' circus!"

"Gerroff me ass and lemme think, mate!" He snarled. "Where can we go that Ironclaw wouldn't dare ta follow... Oh, ok, hows about that Redwall place?"

"Redwall?! You can't be serious! They hate vermin just as much as those hares do!"

"Aye, but the Redwallers are monks. They're creatures of 'peace and love' and whatnot. They'll let us in, even if they don't like us."

"You're mad to think that Ironclaw won't attack Redwall. He's already attacking Salamandastron. Redwall would be his next obvious target!"

"Aye, that might be true, but he ain't gonna win that mountain."

"What makes ye think that?"

"I got up close and personal with them hares. And that badger, that badger scared the livin' really bad stuff outta me, Silver. Da ain't strong enough to beat that thing. He's gonna get torn to shreds."

"Well, what do we do if your da inexplicably wins here?"

"Well, as you said, his next target is Redwall. He's gonna be so distracted with attacking Redwall that we'll be long gone. We'll find a nice little spot on the eastern plains, build ourselves a hovel, and live offa the land."

"That sounds... boring, Green."

"Boring? Silver, we'd be alive! Would you rather die here for no other reason than because some power-hungry jerk feels like he can take over a frikken mountain?"

"I- you know, you're right Green." He fell quiet as he rowed the boat.

"What, you'd rather get stabbed? Or sliced up or impaled or-"

"Green, stop."

"Why, just tell me how ye feel-"

"Green, we don't have time ta be squabblin'!" Silvertongue snapped at him, chest heaving.

Greeneye flinched, and he fell silent, sitting back in the boat. There was an awkward silence between them as Silvertongue rowed the boat along.

"It's going to take us a day or two to get to the river." Silvertongue had regained his composure and formal speech.

"I- I know that. Hopefully... nuthin' too terrible happens." Greeneye muttered softly, half to himself."

"Oh, come on, Green, you're acting like I went off and hit ya."

Seagulls cried overhead as the boat bobbed along near the shoreline.

"I-I'm just a little tense, Green. If you told me about your plan sooner, I would have been willing to join in! It's just that we ran off so suddenly, and I didn't even get to say goodbye to my mum and Da. Not that I liked them that much, it's just, what I'm saying... I'm tense, you're tense, we could both end up killed. Neither of us are having that good of a time right now."

"Yea, yer right." Greeneye huffed. "I should have told ye sooner..."

"Green, please, we can't afford to argue. Let's just figure out where we are." Silvertongue opened up his knapsack and grabbed a map, before looking out at the shore. "We, er, appear to be... here?" He muttered to himself, looking around. "Seems about right."

"Lemme see." Greeneye grabbed the map. "Aye, we're right near the marshlands from the look of it. Ye can see all the reeds and whatnot. We've still got aways to go before we reach the River Moss. We'll have to find someplace safe to camp, or just take turns sleepin an' rowin the boat."

"I'm not going to make you row with you being hurt. We'll find a camp." Silvertongue said.
------
Lord Petram stood at the foot of the mountain, torch in paw as he watched the small armada of rowboats, teeming with vermin, make their way slowly towards the shore.

"We've got a little bit of sunlight left, let's use it to our advantage if we can.

"Milord, it's right in our eyes. We can't even see anything." Colonel Heath replied.

"The archers aren't going to be able to properly aim, Sire." Major Wattle butted in.

"Aye, the archers on the shore may not be able to fire, but the archers in the mountain can still shoot down at them with a bit of accuracy."

He raised his paw, sticking his finger out and pointing it at the incoming boats. That was the signal the archers were waiting for. The archers posted at the windows were having a difficult time seeing, but they notched the bows, carefully aiming at the vermin before letting loose. The arrows sliced through the air, raining down on their targets. Some of them missed, sinking into the ocean, and a few of them hit their targets, vermin grunting and slumping over, but most of the arrows were blocked off by makeshift cover the vermin had shielded themselves with upon seeing the arrows flying down.

"Get the heavy infantry into position!" Lord Petram barked.

Colonel Heath nodded, turning to the soldiers. "You heard him, chaps! Heavy Infantry, form a shield wall! Pikes, pile up behind them and get ready to stab at the scoundrels! Archers, provide covering fire as best you can!" The Long Patrol hares nodded and got into position.

The heavy infantry was a new type of soldier thought up by Lord Petram, heavily armored hares equipped with shields and broadswords, best suited for a defense based fighting style, whereas most of the Long Patrol were offensive fighters with their rapiers and sabres.

The "pikes" were another special soldier, equipped with spears and bardiches, a secondary defensive soldier that paired well with the heavy infantry, stabbing at enemies either from a distance, or behind the safety of the shield wall.

The heavy infantry clanked over to the shore line, shoulder to shoulder and raised their shields up in unison.The pikes clustered up behind them, their polearms poking out in between the shields. The archers positioned themselves, aiming over the shield wall.

All along the shore, the shield walls would be a formidable barrier that Ironclaws hordes would have a difficult time breaking through. As the first wave of vermin reached the shore, Colonel Heath gave the command. "Fire!"

The archer fired, their arrows flying over the shield wall and into the oncoming vermin.

"Reload and fire again!" Heath ordered. As the archers reloaded, the first few vermin started reaching the shore and charging the shield wall.

[close]

Chapter 5

Spoiler

"It is The Summer of The Wilted Flowers." Bookkeeper Maurice wrote from the safety of his gatehouse. He was a studious otter, unlike the rest of his kin. He found solace in the novels and records kept at Redwall, he was simply fascinated with them.

"Abbess Faith has not decided on a title for this summer, but that's what I would go with. This years gardens have been coming along poorly. Not the produce, thank goodness, but the flowers. They have not bloomed. Those that did have wilted and died soon after. The elders see it as a bad omen, but I see it as the result of bad weather. The summer has been mercilessly hot, with little rain to ease up the heat."

There was a knock on the door of the gatehouse.

"Brother Maurice, supper is ready!" A chipper young voice called out.

Maurice got up, walking over and opening the door. He was greeted by a small mouse maiden. Her name was Amethyst, and fittingly enough she was wearing a purple blouse, unlike the standard green and brown robes the Brothers and Sisters of the Abbey wore.

"If you sit with your nose in a book all day, Abbess Faith will start dinner without you!" Amethyst giggled softly.

"I'd come out eventually." Maurice grumbled, grinning.

Amethyst grabbed his paw and dragged him towards the great hall. "What's so great about books, anyways? It's all boring stuff."

"If you took the time to read half of the books in there, you'd be amazed at what you learn. Redwall has so much history!"

"History is stuff that's already happened."

"It's about learning, it's about pride, it's..." Maurice shook his head. "It's important to learn about it, because it teaches us what our ancestors did. We can learn off of their successes and failures alike."

Amethyst just looked up at Maurice blankly, clearly looking confused.

Maurice just laughed and rubbed her head. "You'll understand one day. Let's go get dinner."

The two of them made their way into the Abbey, through the main hall to where the dining area was. The wonderful smell of  cooked food filled the air. The long dining table was lined with many plates of food, including the freshly made Summer Salad. The salad was a mix of strawberries, pecans, lettuce, and other fruits and vegetables within the Abbeys gardens. There were also a few plates of the spicy Hotroot Sunsalad, a variant preferred by Maurice and other otters that dwelled within the otters. It was similar to the Summer Salad, but with less fruit and more spices.

From end to end the tables were tightly packed with an array of fresh breads, salads, cheeses, and pies at the outer edges. Further in, there were platters of biscuits, tarts, candies cakes,each with a different filling, most topped with whipped honey or nutmeg cream. The seats were filled with all sorts of animals; otters, squirrels, moles, but mostly mice.

At the end of the table were two seats. In one of them sat Lilac, a young female badger. Lilac was one of many female badgers that had sat next to the mantle of the Abbot or Abbess. She served as an advisor and counselor, but most of her time was spent watching over the many 'Dibbuns', a term given to the younglings that lived in the Abbey. Next to Lilacs big seat was a small seat, which was occupied by a small female squirrel. Abbess Faith was a bit on the younger side, only having been an adult for a few seasons, but that was easily accounted for with her sharp mind, the squirrel easily being one of the most intelligent creatures in the Abbey. She had been chatting with Lilac when Maurice and Amethyst arrived and sat down.

"Ah." She nodded, standing from her seat. "Now that everyone is here, I have a few things to say before we start."

There were a few nervous murmurs as she said this.

   "Now, I know that this summer has been rough on all of us, being one of the hottest recorded seasons in our history. Some might think it's nothing less than a miracle that our produce has been able withstand the weather. I say that it's because of the hard work of every single one of you here." She held her paws out. "Let us give thanks to this bountiful feast that has been provided to us."

She sat down, and everyone bowed their heads as she started to say grace.

"May good fortune never cease, Where we build and till the soil, Mother Nature grant us peace, And reward us for our toil. Summer's come, now life is sweet, Food is here for one and all, In good friendship let us eat, As one family at Redwall."

As the prayer finished, Lilac looked up. "Well, as they say, let's eat!"

There were a few laughs, and soon the hall was filled with the sound of quiet chatter as their fanciful summer dinner started in full.

------


There was silence along the River Moss as a lone rowboat floated along the current. Silvertongue had stopped paddling, and was focusing on Greeneye. His wound wasnt getting any better, blood seeping through the bandages.

"Come on, Green. Hang in there..." He said worriedly. "Oh, I don't know what to do..."

Greeneye was trembling. His face was pale. "Hah... Silver, ye worry too much." He laughed weakly. "I've lost a paw, a foot, AND an eye. This is nothin'."

"You didn't lose as much blood back then as you are right now. This is bad." He dabbed at some of the leaking blood with a cloth. "Your mother did a good patch job, but we need a proper healer."

"Yea, and what healer is gonna help a rat and a fox?" Greeneye sat up, coughing roughly. "Urgh..."

Silvertongue fell silent, looking out into the dark forests that lay ahead of them. "I think I know just the folks we're looking for."

------

The battle at Salamandastron raged long into the night, with heavy losses on both sides. Ironpaw's forces fought in the choppy waters for hours on end, but they couldn't break through the shield wall that lined the beach. Eventually, Ironpaw ordered them back to the ship. Ironpaw paced the bow of the Seaking, his brow furrowed as he looked out at the shore. The hares of the Long Patrol were still holding their positions.

"They'll have to go back into that mountain eventually, Captain." Firetail said confidently. "The hares can't stand there, forever. They'll get hungry, or sleepy, and they'll back off."

"Aye, and that's when we strike!" Ironpaw slammed his fist onto the rail. "We'll set out the boats, and make a beach landing when they least expect it!"

"I think some of my intellect is starting to rub off on you." Firetail chuckled.

   Ironpaw said nothing, taking one last look out at the mountain before turning about and walking to his cabin. Opening the door, he was surprised to see both Eira and Greeneye gone.

"Boy?" He looked around. "Eh, he's probably somewhere with that mousemaid."

Meanwhile, down in the lower decks of the Redfang, Eira had gotten her paws on the former slaver Heskel's keys, and with the help of Mudspit and Chokra, snuck onto the ship.

"Now, er... Eira, is it? I really do think ye should wait until the fightin' picks up before ye do this." Mudspit and Chokra were keeping watch at the stairs.

"If'n ye free these slaves too soon, they could end up being slaughtered." Chokra piped up. "I dunno why we're even helpin'."

"It's what Greeneye would have wanted us to do." Eira turned back to the two of them. "Besides, the way I think most of us see it as, is that we are all already dead. Can you really be alive if your 'life' is spent in ##:1162?"

"Look, just make em promise that they won't kill me and Chokra 'ere, and I could care less." Mudspit shook his head.

Eira turned back to the enslaved woodlanders. "I'm sure that they'll agree to that, right?"

They all nodded solemnly, looking up at Eira.

She took a deep breath, going to the back row and starting to unlock the chains. As the prisoners stood, shakily at first, she started to hand out keys. "Start unlocking the others, quietly. The two rats there will show you where the weapons are.

The first to be freed, a tall, intimidating otter, nodded and went about unlocking others from their seats. Most of the prisoners were in shock. Some were crying. Some of them even thought it was a trick. One young mouse nearly started whooping with joy, but his mouth was shut by Eira.

Mudspit swallowed nervously as he was met with a horde of slaves who seemed less than pleased to see him. "Look, if'n it means anything, I never liked how poorly yous was treated..."

He bit his lip as he was met with silence. "Anyways... yous are on the bottom deck, and the armory is on the deck directly above us. Door's already unlocked, just don't hurt me and me matey."

"We won't. Unlike you, we have honor." The tall otter, possibly the leader of the slaves, spoke.

With that settled, they all walked past the two rats, heading up the stairs.

"I hope you understand what yous started, Eira." Chokra shook his head. "If'n Ironpaw figures out ye did this, he'll have yer guts fer garters."

"Well, that's just another secret we'll have to keep." Mudspit told him. "When the chaos starts updeck, we'll use it as cover to get Miss Eira here to safety."

"Sounds like we won't have to wait long." Eira said as there was a sudden commotion above them.

------

"What in the blazes is goin' on?!" Ironpaw demanded as yells rang across the waters.

"Slaves have broken free on the Redfang, Cap'n!" A rat called out. "They're tryin' to escape!"

"Vulpuz take them!" He snarled, clenching his fists. "Get the boats down and go stop 'em!"

"Captaim, a problem!" A weasel called out from the crow's nest. "The hares!"

"The hares?" Ironpaw ran over to the bow and peered over the railing. He saw the Long Patrol hares filing into boats of their own and making their way out to the Redfang. Growling, he stormed off, making his way to his quarters.

"Greeneye!" He barked out. Much to his enragement, he still wasn't there. "Where in the hell is that whelp?!" He slammed the door, going and pounding on Firetail's door.

The door was opened slightly, and Marit peeked out. "Captain-"

"Is the boy in there?!" Ironpaw snapped.

"No, Captain-" Marit replied meekly, but Ironpaw had already stormed off.

"Firetail!" He looked around the deck.

"Aye, Captain!" Firetail came running over.

"Where in the blazes is Greeneye?!"

"I saw Greeneye and Silvertongue hop into a boat, Captain! I think they're going to try and stop the fighting on the Redfang!" Firetail had to yell over the fighting.

Ironpaw looked over his first mate's shoulder. A fire had been started on the Redfang, flames licking at the masts.

"The bleedin' idiots!" He cursed, grabbing his looking-glass and peering through it. He saw his crew fighting with slaves, but no sign of Greeneye or Silvertongue. Turning his attention to the waters, he knew that the Long Patrol hares would arrive at the Redfang soon.

"You fat, bumbling wogs need to get around and get over there already!" He commanded. "Where are the archers at?!"

"We need to halt the advance of those hares, we can't let them reinforce the slaves!" Firetail spoke up. "Archers, to the bow!"

While the fighting was happening on the ships, a lone boat was speeding towards the shore.

"I hope we don't get shot." Mudspit said nervously as he paddled along.


"If anything happens, I'll vouch for you." Eira told him reassuringly. "You've done so much to help, even when you didn't have to."

"We ain't doin it fer praise, that's fer bleedin' sure." Chokra laughed a bit and shook his head.

As they approached the shore, the three of them noticed that they were going to be greeted by a wall of pikes, a few of the Long Patrol hares having noticed them.

"Wait, wait!" Eira stood up, waving her paws in the air. "We're not here for trouble." She let out a yelp as she lost her balance, toppling into the water.

"Miss Eira!" Mudspit exclaimed, dropping his paddle and diving into the water.

A few bubbles came to the surface, and moments later Mudspit came bursting above the waves, holding Eira tightly.

He looked about, and saw himself face to face with three pikes, the hares having waded into the water over to the boat.

"You'd best explain what's going on here." One of them said.

[close]

Please, PLEASE leave any comments you may have; criticism, complements or otherwise. As I finish more chapters, I will edit this post and add them. I may eventually add them to FF or AO3, but right now I'd rather focus on the writing.