Chapter Ten
Sparver
Ferall wondered where the tapestry was. As soon as he had word of Kanyker's troops coming, he had hidden it and run off. Now, as a scout, he couldn't find it again. Blundering about nervously, he found the clearing that his band had camped in. Now, where was that rock he had hidden it under?
He spotted it, but overturned, the hole he had dug was empty. The tapestry was gone!
------------------------|------------------------
The six friends were in a tough position. They had their few weapons, and they were all somewhat decent fighters, but it was six against about twoscore. Catari held a whispered conference with Stamm, and they agreed upon whatever the whispering was about. While Stamm delivered the message to the group, Catari strode boldly out of the cave.
He held up Martin's sword. "Is this the sword you're looking for?"
Kanyker glared at Catari. "Yes, squirrel, that is indeed the sword. We were wondering where you stole it from; it is obviously too good for a treewalloping squirrel like you!"
Catari laughed. "Treewalloper, aye, that's me." He turned serious. "But this sword was not stolen. It is the Sword of Martin, and it belongs to no one person, but it can still be stolen. In fact, I can point out to you who did it!"
Catari drew his dagger, and pointed it at Darkon. "There is your criminal!"
Kanyker faked a look of shock. "Not him! He's a faithful member of my horde!"
"Yes, indeed. And he stole it for you, marten! Trust me. I'll kill him, instead of you! You're lucky this time, marten. I am the descendent of King Catari, the magic squirrel!"
Kanyker breathed with relief. "Fine, work your pitiful, what you call magic, squirrel. Let me see you prove yourself!"
"For that insult, I will slay more! King Catari, hail to me!" Catari shouted. He lifted the sword.
Slingstones rained from the trees. Amidst the yelling, somebeast heard a high-pitched scream. Kanyker shot a look to where Darkon was. He was lying on the ground, slain, with no apparent marks.
"Retreat! Get away from here!" Kanyker yelled. The group started to retreat, their numbers already cut in half.
As the vermin ran off, Catari yelled, "You see? I am MAGIC!"
After the coast was clear, Stamm, Crekk, Ellom, and Reed appeared from some bushes. Terinn dropped out of a tree. The six smiled, laughed, and celebrated in victory.
It had been an hour since they had left the cave. Catari led the way, with Martin's Sword.
"That was hilarious, mates!" Stamm laughed.
"Did you'm see the way oi sawed them run?" Ellom gasped, out of breath with laughing.
"Aye, and Terinn dropped that black 'un! Good job, matey!"
"I can't believe he thought you were magic, Catari! It was so funny!" Terinn added.
Suddenly, a baritone voice called out of the trees.
"Who's trespassing on mah land?"
Catari nodded to the rest, telling them he would take care of this.
"'Tis I, Catari! Descendent of King Cataractus the Just! Who speaks to me?" he called.
"Ach, 'tis Sparver the falcon! Trespassers do no good, you must die!" Suddenly, a dark shape swooped out of the trees, right at Catari. Quick reflexes swung his arm up and back, slashing the bird's underside with the sword. It screamed, and climbed for a dive.
Catari stood at the ready, sword down. The falcon stooped, and dove straight at Catari. Before he struck, he lifted the sword.
At the last second, the bird shifted sideways and made a grab for the sword. Catari lost hold, and watched desperately as the bird flew off.
Sssssss! "ARRAWK!" the bird squawked in pain. One of his wings flapped, but had its pinion feathers neatly cut off. Terinn's dagger could be seen stuck in the bird's wing. He flapped down.
"Arrawk! Because you have shown me that you do not give up easily. I will talk to you, tomorrow at sunset. Rest here and I will give you back your sword then. This is the word of Sparver the falcon!"
The six friends made camp.
"Great shot, Terinn!" Catari said.
"Thanks for telling me to do it, 'Tari!" Terinn answered.
Catari looked confused. "But, er, me?"
"Well, then it must've been you, Stamm. Great idea!" Terinn said.
Stamm shook her head, as well as Crekk, Ellom, and Reed.
Crekk smiled. "Musta been our Martin the Warrior, then!"
Sparver
Ferall wondered where the tapestry was. As soon as he had word of Kanyker's troops coming, he had hidden it and run off. Now, as a scout, he couldn't find it again. Blundering about nervously, he found the clearing that his band had camped in. Now, where was that rock he had hidden it under?
He spotted it, but overturned, the hole he had dug was empty. The tapestry was gone!
------------------------|------------------------
The six friends were in a tough position. They had their few weapons, and they were all somewhat decent fighters, but it was six against about twoscore. Catari held a whispered conference with Stamm, and they agreed upon whatever the whispering was about. While Stamm delivered the message to the group, Catari strode boldly out of the cave.
He held up Martin's sword. "Is this the sword you're looking for?"
Kanyker glared at Catari. "Yes, squirrel, that is indeed the sword. We were wondering where you stole it from; it is obviously too good for a treewalloping squirrel like you!"
Catari laughed. "Treewalloper, aye, that's me." He turned serious. "But this sword was not stolen. It is the Sword of Martin, and it belongs to no one person, but it can still be stolen. In fact, I can point out to you who did it!"
Catari drew his dagger, and pointed it at Darkon. "There is your criminal!"
Kanyker faked a look of shock. "Not him! He's a faithful member of my horde!"
"Yes, indeed. And he stole it for you, marten! Trust me. I'll kill him, instead of you! You're lucky this time, marten. I am the descendent of King Catari, the magic squirrel!"
Kanyker breathed with relief. "Fine, work your pitiful, what you call magic, squirrel. Let me see you prove yourself!"
"For that insult, I will slay more! King Catari, hail to me!" Catari shouted. He lifted the sword.
Slingstones rained from the trees. Amidst the yelling, somebeast heard a high-pitched scream. Kanyker shot a look to where Darkon was. He was lying on the ground, slain, with no apparent marks.
"Retreat! Get away from here!" Kanyker yelled. The group started to retreat, their numbers already cut in half.
As the vermin ran off, Catari yelled, "You see? I am MAGIC!"
After the coast was clear, Stamm, Crekk, Ellom, and Reed appeared from some bushes. Terinn dropped out of a tree. The six smiled, laughed, and celebrated in victory.
It had been an hour since they had left the cave. Catari led the way, with Martin's Sword.
"That was hilarious, mates!" Stamm laughed.
"Did you'm see the way oi sawed them run?" Ellom gasped, out of breath with laughing.
"Aye, and Terinn dropped that black 'un! Good job, matey!"
"I can't believe he thought you were magic, Catari! It was so funny!" Terinn added.
Suddenly, a baritone voice called out of the trees.
"Who's trespassing on mah land?"
Catari nodded to the rest, telling them he would take care of this.
"'Tis I, Catari! Descendent of King Cataractus the Just! Who speaks to me?" he called.
"Ach, 'tis Sparver the falcon! Trespassers do no good, you must die!" Suddenly, a dark shape swooped out of the trees, right at Catari. Quick reflexes swung his arm up and back, slashing the bird's underside with the sword. It screamed, and climbed for a dive.
Catari stood at the ready, sword down. The falcon stooped, and dove straight at Catari. Before he struck, he lifted the sword.
At the last second, the bird shifted sideways and made a grab for the sword. Catari lost hold, and watched desperately as the bird flew off.
Sssssss! "ARRAWK!" the bird squawked in pain. One of his wings flapped, but had its pinion feathers neatly cut off. Terinn's dagger could be seen stuck in the bird's wing. He flapped down.
"Arrawk! Because you have shown me that you do not give up easily. I will talk to you, tomorrow at sunset. Rest here and I will give you back your sword then. This is the word of Sparver the falcon!"
The six friends made camp.
"Great shot, Terinn!" Catari said.
"Thanks for telling me to do it, 'Tari!" Terinn answered.
Catari looked confused. "But, er, me?"
"Well, then it must've been you, Stamm. Great idea!" Terinn said.
Stamm shook her head, as well as Crekk, Ellom, and Reed.
Crekk smiled. "Musta been our Martin the Warrior, then!"