Chapter 12 Princess Pursued
Mara's force had been on the march for about a score of days now since they left the Castellum. The going seemed to be getting better. As the vermin army progressed southwards, the air warmed and the snow gave way to green grass. The sun's pallid rays became warmer and less harsh. Instead of clear skies, little cotton-like white clouds dotted the blue landscape. The problem was that the icy road now became a mudslide so they had to abandon it.
On the bank of a stream they had just forded, Mara's 'vermin' took a break to rest their aching foot paws. Lewis and Abby weren't getting any rest though. Mara and Nibbleteeth immediately took them off the side for another training session.
"Can we please do this another time?" gasped the mouse. Mara wasn't in the mood for Abby's whining and snarled, "If you want to continue relying on my protection for the rest of your life, then yes we can do this another time!" Abby was taken aback by Mara's sudden anger and scampered to Nibbleteeth.
"On guard Lewis!" instructed the ferret raising her falchion. Lewis hefted his shield and short sword. He feinted with his shield and cut left. The ferret blocked the blow, barely. Excited by the result, Lewis pressed his attack and utilized a pattern of cuts and thrusts that forced his opponent backward. As the bout continued, Lewis continued to pressure Mara, who was beginning to show signs of frustration.
"Strange, it's not as if she's got any holes in her defence or that she's not trying to go on the offense...It's more like she's not focusing on the fight," thought Lewis as he attacked again. His sword was deflected, but unfazed, the squirrel used his shield and bulled into the ferret, knocking her off balance. As the ferret regained her footing, Lewis sheathed his sword.
"Mara, whatever is on your mind, get it off. You can't train me properly," said the squirrel.
The air seemed to crackle and almost evaporate as Mara's eyes widened in rage and frustration. For a moment, it looked as if the ferret was going to start roaring at Lewis. With almost superbeast control, the ferret took a deep breath and sheathed her weapon.
"One hundred push-ups with the shield on your back Lewis, that'll be all," said Mara. Though annoyed, Lewis nodded and proceeded to the task while Mara walked off.
By a stream, the ferret knelt and washed her face. The feelings of anxiety that the ferret felt at the challenges of the task given to her by the mouse warrior were enveloping her mind like darkness around a small candle.
She didn't even know where to find Redwall! Her soldiers knew almost nothing about the legendary place except for fantastic tales that had been passed on by word of mouth. Todd, who had been present at the meeting with her father, only knew the approximate location. Even worse, these tales seemed to illustrate one indisputable fact. The Redwallers do not take lightly to vermin, leading onto her other worry, winning the trust of the inhabitants of Redwall. How could she do that when they had been attacked by her family only a few seasons ago? Then there were her soldiers. She highly doubted, no matter how loyal Todd, Nibbleteeth, Blacktail, Metalclaw and Bladepaw were, there was no way each of them would unconditionally decide to aid the Redwallers who were known to have killed many of their species. Even if her captains did support her unconditionally her soldiers' loyalty would be stretched to the limit. And even if everything someone turned out fine and she was able to resolve all these problems. How was she going to defeat her father's army that would outnumber anything that she and the Redwallers could field?
"STUPID, STUPID MOUSE! How am I supposed to do this? " cursed the ferret. Slouching down, the princess stared at the horizon in exasperation that quickly vanished as she saw a large group of grey birds approaching from the north.
Todd was munching on stale bread when Mara came running in at full tilt.
"Todd! Get me my telescope!" roared the princess. Immediately, the ferret marshal rummaged through the supply packs and tossed Mara the device. Acquired through a raid on a caravan of a marauding warlord, this device was one of Mara's most prized possessions aside from her falchion. Quickly, Mara extended the tool and trained it on the approaching birds. To the ferret's despair, she saw exactly what she had guessed through the lenses of her telescope.
"Dammit! It's Screamclaw and his Sky Strikers!" groaned Mara. Todd gritted his fangs and without being ordered, immediately began giving orders to other 'vermin'.
"I see those traitors!" screeched Screamclaw.
"I see them too! Now can you slow your Strikers down Screamclaw!" roared Taron. The Northern Harriers were flying in a V formation ahead of the jogging ermine company and leaving them behind.
"KRREE, as if you landgrubber. We'll hit them hard and you follow up! Don't be late ermine!" screeched the harrier. With that, the formation of birds increased their speed, leaving the ermine jogging far behind.
"You are an overblown featherbag Screamclaw! Mara is going to massacre you!" panted Taron. The harriers didn't listen and winged ahead, leaving the ermine scampering after them.
Within half an hour, Mara's entire force was lined up and battle ready. Lewis was standing beside Mara and Todd in the centre of the first rank. Abby was with the archers and slingers who were in the rear. While Abby and Lewis were curious on why the ferret princess was trying to observe the advancing enemy through a long tube, they didn't ask, but gripped their weapons tightly while Mara and her captains engaged in fast-paced conversation.
"Looks like Screamclaw's Strikers have an ermine company with them Todd. Looks like the company is lagging behind," observed Mara.
"Hmm. That company is probably led by Captain Taron. He's one of the more experienced ermine captains. Good news, he is rather disillusioned and tired of war, and thus, is sympathetic to our cause. I actually considered approaching him before we left, but decided against it. He's still capable though and his troops are famed for their loyalty to him," commented Todd.
"Even if Taron is unwilling, Screamclaw seems to be rather eager to sink his talons into us. We're going to have trouble with him," croaked Metalclaws worryingly.
Nibbleteeth grinned and caressed his yew longbow, "He doesn't stand a chance against my archers and slingers."
"That's still a hundred Harriers rat. We shouldn't take them lightly," remarked Bladefur. Blacktail's black coloured tail suddenly stood erect and he quickly asked if the ermine company was lagging behind. As soon as the fox asked this query, the white ferret began to smile
"Indeed they are. Are you thinking what I'm thinking Blacktail?" Mara inquired to her captain with a wink.
"One at a time eh?" chuckled the fox. Recognition dawned on the other captains and they began to chortle to themselves.
"We take them on one at a time. Metalclaws, please lure those harriers in," ordered Mara.
"Why am I always luring our enemies in?" groaned the crow as he took off.
Alrighty! Sorry for the late update! Please review this chapter well!