Chapter 2

Sam and Elmtail sat next to a well lit campfire, seeing as the morning sun shined upon their faces. A squirrel named Harlan handed the two warriors tankards of October Ale. He was dressed in a kilt, with sash, belt, and cap. The squirrel spoke in a thick Northlandish accent.

"Mornin' yah wee scabs, ye ready tah start a marchin'?"

Harlan asked his the young squirrels. Elmtail gave out a quiet chuckle before sipping his tankard of the tasty beverage. Sam looked up at his bushy tailed comrade, and nodded. Harlan bowed and casually walked away from the young Commanders.

"That Harlan sure is something else, huh?"

Elmtail said as he sipped on his beverage.

"Oh, I second that."

The two enjoying their tankards, they weren't paying attention to the rat hiding behind the foliage of the forest. Hulgo snickered to himself and quietly slipped away back to his camp.

Xaviel and Faraug sat in the tent discussing their plan of action.

"Once, Hulgo returns with the intelligence, he'll lead us to where those squirrels are, we ambush them, and take them in for the reward our Chief is paying."

Faraug said to his Captain. Xaviel added his piece to the conversation.

"After we are all filthy rich, we help the boss go after the place they hang their hats. What was it, Redwall?"

"Alright, let's get to work."

Hulgo ran right into the torso of Faraug, this angered the weasel, upon doing so, he grabbed the skinny rat by the scruff of his chest and lifted him up. The wretched vermin struggled to break free from Faraug's grasp. Faraug dug his claws into the rat's hide, causing pain and agony.

"What is your problem, rat?"

"Ack! The squirrels! Gurk! Are here! Daah!"

Faraug released Hulgo, he landed smack dab on his bottom, massaging his chest. Xaviel kneeled down and patted the shoulder of his spybeast.

"You've done well, my spy. Now, lead us to their camp."

Back at Salamandastron, Orlando and his posse of hares sat at the long table in the Meeting Hall. To Orlando's right sat his trusty adviser and Second-in-Command of the Long Patrol, General Alvadian Ruckscut. Sitting to the left of the Badgerlord was Colonel Julian Grendell. Orlando took a sip of damson wine before taking about the issues at paw.

"Last night, my sentries spotted a beached ship, apparently it was the ship of an army of Corsairs. We may have a war on our paws."

Alvadian adjusted the monocle on his right eye, he then twiddled with mustachioed whiskers.

"Well, Orlando, sir. I suggest we post a few guards at the entrances of our mountain, both front, back, up, and blinkin' down. Every day and night a patrol comes out of the mountain and scans around the mountains, mayhaps they find some bloomin' vermin, take 'em in for questionin', wot."

The old General suggested. Orlando looked around room.

"Would anybeast here like to suggest something else?"

A young hare named Harlee Crinshaw, of the rank of Lieutenant stood up.

"I do, it'd be daft to have a patrol hoppin' 'round this big ol' mountain, I say we place our best archers around the bloomin' mountain, wot. As soon as the buffers try and charge us, we turn the bally blighters into pincushions, problem solved."

A hare of the rank of Sergeant supported Harlee's idea.

"I second his opinion."

At least three more hares stood up and supportered the young Lieutenant's idea. Orlando took a glance around the room.

"Anyone else?"

The rest of the hares didn't stand.

"Alright, we shall take a ballot, those who support General Alvadian's suggestion raise your right paw, those who support the young Lieutenant's suggestion, stand up, please."

All of the hares were looking at each other, left and right. Only two more hares stood up, leaving the other eight there with their paws raised in the air.

"It is carried, we follow by General Alvadian's idea, meeting adjourned."

Orlando announced. As the hare's left the room, Harlee glanced over his shoulder to see Orlando and Alvadian having a private discussion. He closed the door behind him and stormed off to his quarters.

"Didja see the way Harlee looked at us, this is the second time he's given us that hateful stare, wot."

"Afraid you're right, it seems that when he tries to suggest aomething, he gets turned away."

"He means well, but his methods aren't sold, wot. We need fighters not only guarding the mountain, but around it as well."

Orlando nodded at Alvadian's remark.

"Yes, I'm afraid we may have to banish the young hare from the Long Patrol and our mountain."

Orlando regretfully said to his top advisor.

At the shores of the Western Coast, the weasel Captain named Sibo Silverclaw stood right under the ship's mast. He paced around while relaying his plan of action.

"Since we are shipwrecked, be buckos, I've decided we take this mountain. Last night, our spies saw what looked to be hares coming out of the mountain, and patrolling the area. So tonight, we investigate further, once the night patrol does its rounds we sneak up from behind them, and take 'em prisoner."

A tall searat named Tavadar. Dressed in a belted sleeveless tunic walked up to his Captain. He twiddled with the mace and chain he had looped through his belt.

"First Mate, any thing else to add to our discussion?"

"Harrgh, I do, I think we should wait a lil longer, study these landlubbers' patterns and movements. Then we search for the entrance."

Sibo pursed his lips and contemplated what his First Mate said.

"Alright, then for the first few nights we are here, we only speculate and watch. Now set up your camps, surround the mountain, we will take the place and all of it's treasures!"

Sibo shouted as his arms became outstretched. All of the beasts there chanted their war cry.

"Silverclaw, Silverclaw, kill, kill, kill!"