Chapter 8
Sam and company packed their belongings and readied themselves to march.
"If my memory serves me right, in a few miles of hiking, we should reach the river, hopefully, a Log-a-Log or group of Guosim are there."
Sam stated as he slung his pack over his shoulders. Elmtail and Harlan were in charge of extinguishing the campfires, so they dowsed the flames with dirt and water.
"It's done, let's move."
Elmtail said dusting his paws. Harlan picked up his bow and arrows, slung them over his shoulder and hurried along. Sam puffed out chest and breathed out. He was the last to march with his comrades. Eventually, Sam was able to make it to the front. The Mossflower Patrol wasn't headed to where Xaviel and his horde were, but West to Salamandastron. Elmtail decided to ask why this occurred.
"Excuse me, Sam. But, why are we headed West, instead of Southeast?"
"Because, somebeast I used to know might be able to help us."
Sam Squirrel said to his brethren.
"Who might that be?"
"Do you remember a badger named Orlando the Axe?"
Elmtail cocked his eyebrows.
"Uhm, wasn't he the one with Matthias, and the others. They came to Malkariss and freed us?"
"Yes."
"Of course I do! But, what makes you think he will help us? He may not even be alive."
"I have a feeling in my bones, that he is still around. Badgers live longer lives than us squirrels and mice."
Elmtail nodded and replied.
"True, but even if he still is alive, he may not be able to help, because of old and feeble he may be."
"Ohohoho, Elm, you underestimate the power of a badger, no matter how old they get, they still have their characteristics."
"We'll see."
Elmtail mumbled.
Xaviel, Feraug, and a river rat named Myka geared themselves up to ambush Sam and Elmtail a second time.
"Okay, now let's do this again. We must tread carefully and silently. Take 'em by surprise, attack during night, got it?"
"Yes, absolutely, Captain."
Feraug and Myka both said simultaneous. Xaviel smiled at them, exposing his pearly whites.
"I'm delighted. Let's move."
Before they went off, Myka threw on a chainmail vest, blue scarf, and belt. They were ready to move out.
Sam spotted the river, it was a good distance from where Sam stood.
"If we move now, we'll move now, we might make it right as the sun sets!"
Sam called out, the mid adolescent squirrel was determined to reunited with his old pal. Unfortunately for some, they weren't too keen on marching for an entire day. Among the crowd were both Elmtail and Harlan. Elm sprinted to Sam, and tapped on his shoulder.
"Hey, listen, I know you want to see Orlando again, but we've gotta rest, we've been marching for a couple of hours, let's take a brief lunch."
"Sorry, I got carried away."
Said Sam in an apologetic manner. The patrol of squirrels, voles, hedgehogs, and some mice sat down, started a few fires and began eating.
In Salamandastron's war room, Alvadian and a small group of hares, the same ones from Winkler's squad were shaking and sipping on mugs of hot tea.
"Report, what had happened?"
One of the hare's swallowed hard, he stammered and stuttered as he made the report."
"We-we-well, sir. Glennie, an-an-and another hare followed down the bl-bl-blinkin' mountain. All of, of, of, a blo-bloomin' sudden, all two of our officers vanish without a trace, and Ser-Sergeant Winkler was, was, was..."
"Was what, lad?"
The hare didn't stammer anymore and blurted out the answer.
"Slain! He was brutally slain by a searat! Stabbed multiple times in his scoffbag!"
Alvadian adjusted his monocle.
"So you are saying, this blighter searat came up to him and stabbed the former Sergeant in his stomach, wot?"
"Yes, however, Sergeant was able to put up a good wallop, just as he was about to reprimand the vermin he was caught off guard by his own heroism and stabbed repeatedly."
Listening on the conversation currently being held by the hares was Harlee.
"I will do it alone, I will kill them all."
Harlee returned to his quarters and waited for the sun to set. As he waited, he geared up with as many throwing javelins, stone arrows, stones and rocks for his sling, and a long rapier at his hip. Harlee peered out from his wind and saw his captured brethern. He saw Glennie and another hare, tied to rocks with ropes tighly wrapped around the necks, and they were geing pelted by rotten fruit and rocks. This made Harlee resent the Corsairs even more, he shook a fist at the ones hurting his comrades.
"You vermin will pay tenfold for the things you are doin' to my comrades, and what you did to the ol' Sarge."
Harlee harshly whispered as he grinded his teeth. The young Lieutenant threw the bow and quiver around his shoulders, strapped the scabbard to his hip and slung the sack full of javelins around his shoulder, the hare was too blinded by revenge and resentment he didn't want anything to do with his companions of the Long Patrol.
Sam, Elmtail, and Harlan dusted their tunic and extinguished the blazes.
"Are we ready?"
Asked the adolescent squirrel. The former slave and Northlander both nodded.
"Good, then let's be off."
Sam lead the march, Elmtail and Harlan stayed in the rear to make sure no foebeasts had followed them, from their point of view, it didn't look like anybeast had followed them, friend or foe. Come night and the Mossflower Patrol made it to their destination. Sam turned around and jumped with glee, his bushy tail waving in the air.
"Whoopee! We did everybeast, we made it to our objective."
Sam cheerfully. Harlan let out a hearty chuckle.
"Aye, we sure did, ya rascally treewalloper."
Elmtail crossed his arms and smiled.
"Never underestimate the determination of Sam Squirrel."
He whispered to himself. Sam turned back to the moonlit river, hearing the water ripples put him at ease, it was unknown why, but the calm sounds of running water made the youngster a bit sleepy. Sam gave out orders and yawned while doing so.
"Yuuuah, alright, everybeast, let's set up camp here for the night, tomorrow at the crack of dawn, we cross the river."
Everybeast in the party pitched campfires and their tents, some unfortunately didn't have the leisure of sleeping in a tent, so they rolled out their sleeping bags and laid underneath the stars. Sam found a nice patch of grass to sleep on, he nestled down, threw his blanket over him, and used his tail as a pillow. However, before he drifted off to sleep, he had two woodlanders, a mouse and watervole stanf guard for the night. Later that night, Xaviel, Feraug, and Myka were just a few yards away from the camp.
"Remember, swiftly amd silently."
Xaviel whispered to his henchbeasts. The three tiptoed towards the sleeping Mossflower Patrol, and their sleepy guards. Xaviel equipped himself with a makeshift club, he snuck up from behind the mouse and delivered nasty blow to his head. The same went for the vole, now nobeast was safe. Sam was tossing and turning, his face scrunched in terror.
"Sam, you must wake! Evil is near your friends and comrades, wake, Sam, wake!"
Called a mouse wearing armor, branding a shield with the letter "M" on it. Sam shot up like a rocket, his eyes wide with horror. He then saw Feraug tie his sleeping Mossflower Patrollers up while they were unconscious. Sam was about to shout at the top ov his lungs, but suddenly, a cloth was tied around his mouth. Xaviel came from behind Sam, and spoke to the squirrel.
"Well, well, well, looks like the squirrel's been caught, it's over, you've lost. You now belong to Nikos."
He whispered. The sable reeled his fist back and suckerpunched the squirrel out. He was once again, captured.
