Sixclaw

CHAPTER 8

Sixclaw walked into the conference room. Upon entering, she found about twenty-five Skullians. Among them were her friends One-Eye, Crabfang and Red.

"What's going on?" asked Sixclaw.

"Apparently, there is a problem." replied Crabfang with his usual maniac grin

"I know that!" meowed Sixclaw

"ORDER IN LE COURT!" yelled One-Eye, commanding silence, in his joking way. "Alright. Apparently the Dragon Queen and Sunfur have decided to establish a new attack base in our forest. We must convince them that this is a very bad idea. I am going to lead a guerilla squad to do just that. Everybody in this room is going to go. Are you with me Skullians?!"

"YEAH!"

"LETS KILL 'EM!"

At that moment, Sixclaw realized what One-Eye meant. Holy crap, he wants me to go! she thought

Whirling his scimitar, One-Eye led the elite squad of fighters out of the Conference building, out of the main gate of Fort Skull, and into the forest. Caught up in the tide, Sixclaw ran with them. In doing this, Sixclaw had no idea what she had gotten herself into.

DEYNA & COMPANY

It was a beautiful morning out on the path to the Southlands. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and a rat was eating the three traveler's supplies.

To say that the weasel, otter, and mouse were not happy would have been a gross understatement. They were furious, and Nimbalo the slayer was the most angry out of the three.

"YOU STINKIN' VERMIN!" yelled the mouse, practically shooting sparks out of his eyes. "THIEVING OUT VITTLES, I OUGHTA-"

"I suppose you're calling me vermin too!" growled Blackpaw, who was not a morning weasel, and was also homesick.

"Woah, woah, guys calm-" the otter had to dodge out of the way, as the angry ball of fur, claws, and snarls that was Blackpaw and Nimbalo rolled by.

The young rat watched Deyna go chase after his squabbling companions and shook it head gravely in disapproval, and went back to eating all the supplies.

SIXCLAW

Sixclaw ran through the forest alongside Red, Crabfang, and One-Eye. She looked to her right, and met One-Eye's gaze. Or rather, she looked at his eye and almost got a heart attack.

His good eye, always cerulean blue, was blood red. Her friend had the Bloodwrath!

The Bloodwrath was a sickness, an affliction that causes a beast's eyes to turn blood red, and allow the beast to fight like a madbeast, regardless of wounds, enemy soldiers, or his own soldiers.

Sixclaw had heard tell of commanders with the bloodwrath turning on their own troops, and killing them. Will that happen to me? She dismissed the worry He wouldn't do that. I'm his friend.

She looked back at him, but his eye was normal. Maybe it was just my imagination? she thought

Suddenly, One-Eye stopped, and held up a clenched paw. Everybeast stopped short. They were standing on the edge of a crater, where a new enemy base was under construction.

"Alright, I want Cutup, Red, Sixclaw, Crabfang and Ironhook to come with me. Adran, Bootbrain, Longtail, pick 5 beasts each and attack from three sides. My party will go down the middle. Come on squad, move!"

"CHAAAAARRRRGGGEEEE" yelled the four fighters, thundering down into the basin.

Caught up in the rush, Sixclaw whirled her two sabres and yelled the Skullian war cry to the four winds, "SKULLLLL!"

Adran wreaked havoc with his mace and chain, and broadsword.

Bootbrain slashed left and right with his giant cutlass.

Longtail used whatever weapon came to paw to viciously dispatch any enemy that came in range.

One-Eye allowed the bloodwrath to flow through him. Coming near the half-mad wildcat spelled instant death, or a horrible maim.

But for all their valor, the Skullians were terribly outnumbered and that factor was beginning to show.

Through the blood-red haze in One-Eye's mind, a dim thought occurred. Oh no, thought One-Eye as he hurled a dagger into a stoat. Is this the end?

A/N

Alright, the ending was a bit cheesy, but I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot!

R&R!