Chapter 2.

Goldmar the Slayer was the fiercest corsair to ever roam the seas. His left eye was missing from its socket. A black eyepatch covered the place where his eye once was. His fur was full of rings and all of his teeth were gold. He lead a vast army of water rats which were currently on board with him upon the Shallow. He his self was a weasel. He urged his vermin to sing a chanting ditty as they paddled their way across the ocean.

"Bend your backs, you scurvy dogs, vermin we be!

Stronger than an army of hogs, that would be we!

We push and pull , all day long,

Why else would we sing this song,

We're vermin corsairs, truly!"

They finished up their ditty with rousing cheers. Goldmar took a swig of the seaweed grogg that he had and turned his tiller a bit to the left. They were headed south, it was there that Goldmar's father had left all of his treasure. Goldmar was determined to find it before his brother, Elfing did.

A stoat called Rangear marched smartly up to his captain and saluted. "I've spotted a ship oi have cap'n. It belongs to your brother, I believe, and it's coming up fast." Goldmar pushed the stoat out of the way, issuing orders to his crew. My idiot brother's at it again. When will he realize that I will be the one to get the treasure? C'mon me mateys, today let's send Elfing and all 'is crew to Hellgates! How about it, mates?" The crew yelled with delight. Goldmar raised a paw.

"Archers, ready!" He let his paw drop. "Go!" A volley of well-aimed arrows struck Elfing and his crew. Three vermin were slain, two more being injured. Elfing snarled at his crew.

"What are ye waitin' on, me buckoes? Send them back what they gave you!" Elfing picked up a bow and notched an arrow to it. He lined it up directly between Goldmar's first mate's eyes. His aim was true and the arrow struck him, slaying him instantly.

Goldmar had turned the ship around to face his brother's ship. When the ships were almost touching, Goldmar hopped aboard Elfing's. He slashed out with his sword powerfully. Anyone who got in his way instantly regretted it. When he had made it to his brother, Goldmar grinned a wicked grin.

"C'mon, me ole tater, fight me!" He swished around with his sword a bit, but Elfing made no attempt to fight. In a second he found out why. There was a hole in the bottom of the ship, with a shark charging through it. He quickly jumped the railings, to land safely among his ship. He rerouted the tiller once more and his crew went at a breakneck pace. The shark was not after them though. It had the crew of Elfing's ship to worry about. Goldmar was safe, and now he didn't have to worry about his annoying little brother.

The crew sat about enjoying theirselves. They had won the battle of the brothers. Most of the pirate rats swigged at their ale and grog, while others ate vittles aplenty. In a cabin on the far side of the ship, three vermin sat conversing in silent whispers. They didn't want their captain to know what they were saying. They were planning on killing their captain after obtaining the treasure. They would each be captain of the ship, though they knew that would not work out. After obtaining the booty and killing the captain, each one had their on plans of killing the others. Two of them were foxes, slyer beasts than most. Their names were Wingflap, and Mangepaw. The water rat's name was Cringetooth. Each one had their back covered when they left out of the cabin door, making sure that their enemy went out before them.

The stars twinkled in the dark night, casting their needed light over the still, translucent waters. Most every vermin aboard were asleep. Goldmar was one of the few awake. He lashed his tiller in the direction of his treasure, unaware that it was also the direction of Redwall Abbey. He remembered what his father had told him about the land. He had said that there were vast woodlands there with plenty of vittles. It was warm, unlike the cold, hard northlands from which he came. He was getting older. He decided that he would retire there, him and his crew. They would find or build themselves a fortress. There he could live peacefully. The seagoing stuff was getting to be to much for him nowadays.

Mangepaw was another that was awake, plotting the death of his two closest comrades. He knew Cringetooth would be easy to defeat, but Wingflap was different. He had all of the cunning a fox could, and he wouldn't be fooled easy. fox while he was asleep, or when he had his back turned. A wicked smile crossed his face as he thought of this. Himself, being captain of the Shallow, it almost seemed like a dream. He drifted asleep with those thoughts in his head.

Another vermin that was awake, and the last one on the ship, was not a member of the crew. He had jumped from Elfing's ship onto Goldmar's. He too had dreams of captaincy. He would avenge his captain Elfing, he would kill Goldmar. He snuck along the boat, headed for the front, where Goldmar sat- ready for anything.

Goldmar looked up to find Ragsear, whos' dagger was in paw, ready to kill the captain by surprise. Goldmar looked half amused.

"Harr, so ye've come ta slay yer c'pn? I'm fair game if'n youse can beat me." Ragsear smiled wickedly. He snarled as he launced himself at Goldmar, who smartly dodged. Goldmar took his emareld pommelstone sword out. With a quick, clean swipe he severed his attackers whiskers like lightning. He slammed his opponet up against the mast. He growled out a challenge.

"Nex' it'll be yer ears! Then yer paws! Got that?" Ragsear felt his breath hot on his face as he answered, "Aye, aye, c'pn!' Goldmar let go of him and he scampered off, quickly filing himself among the ranks of Golmar's crew. The evil weasel laughed dangerously. No one could kill him. He was Goldmar the Slayer, and he ruled the seas.

When the crew awoke, a soft drizzle was falling from overhead. The seas were beginning to look a bit restless. A big storm was brewing. Goldmar stayed in his cabin, making sure he didn't get wet as his workers slaved around him. He speared a piece of roasted gull with a heavy, pointed claw. He ate reflectively, remembering the last nights events. He would have to be doubly sure he was safe. There was mutiny on board. It wasn't the fact that the big seabeast could not handle a few fights, it was that he was ready for it to end. The next one who tried to kill him he would kill in front of his whole crew, to show that he could deal with them.

He looked up as Wroggle walked in. Wroggle was a female fox, a vixen, and a seer. She wore many strange robes and carried many different pouches. Her eyes were hooded from view. She was ancient. She looked at Goldmar, though he could not tell by the way her hood covered her eyes.

"Thou art troubled." She spoke to the weasel captain. He looked her in the eye as best he could.

"Aye, there be mutiny aboard. Have ye any news, Wroggle?" He continued eating his seagull.

"The omens aren't good. I seen two seagulls fighting over food, I suspect that that means your crew will undergo starvation. They will fight for rations. I also seen a vision of thou brother. He will be back." She looked at him seriously. He scoffed.

"My brother? 'E ain't comin back, I'll garauntee that. Starvation, eh. We got plenty of vittles, don't worry." Wroggle walked out of his cabin.

"Ye'd be wise to heed my words. I am not a fool, and neither thee. Thy future is as laid out before you."

Goldmar heeded the message. Thoughts ran through his head. Nothing his seer said had ever gone wrong. He would just have to wait it out.

Page 3.

Sorry it was so short. I will continue this chapter for probably until page 6. Please read and review!