Ch.14

Night of the Assassins Pt.2

Dang, homework's really making it hard for me to update, but despite that I've been able to bring you my latest chapter. Please R&R and enjoy!

Cade's heart pounded like a jackhammer as he rushed down the hallways of Redwall Abbey. He knew instinctivly that there were other vermin present, though he couldn't see them, planning their next attack on whoever they found. He gripped the handle of his axe, hoping he wouldn't have to use it.

After turning past another corner, he pounded on the door to the left of him, not caring who answered. "Wake up, wake up! For the love of all good things, please open up!"

Skipper finally answered the hedgehog's pleas, opening the door as he rubbed his weary eyes. "Wot's with all the noise? The sun ain't even up yet, mate!" The otter Chieftain's eyes went wider than a hare's dinner plate as he grabbed the cellarhog and pulled him out of the way, narrowly dodging a thrown dagger.

"Does that answer yer question?" asked Cade as he rose to his paws. Three dark-furred ferrets emerged from the darkness, one with a scimitar, one wielding a cutlass, and the other with a belt filled with throwing daggers.

The one wielding the cutlass swung his weapon menacingly. "Death has come for you!"

Adela sat up in her bed, looking about frantically. Something just didn't feel quite right to her. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. "H-hello? Is somebeast there?" The sound of something falling outside her door reached her ears, causing her to flinch. She held her breath, hoping that was only her imagination. Her ears perked up once more at the sound of footsteps. Each step grew louder and louder as somebeast drew closer. Knowing that her life was in danger, Adela got out of her bed, grabbed a nearby footstool, and hid behind a shelf of medical supplies. If somebeast came in, she'd let them have it. The footsteps finally ceased as somebeast grabbed her doorknob and gave it a twist. As the creature stepped in the infirmary, the mouse reemerged, letting out a growl of might as she swung the footstool at the intruder's body repeatedly.

"Ouch! Adela, stoppit!" cried the beast. "'Tis me, Log-a-log!"

Upon recognizing the intruder's voice, the infirmary keeper did as she was told. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she was able to make out the bruised and battered form of the shrew Chieftain.

Adela allowed the broken footstool to slip out of her grasp. "Oh my goodness, Log-a-log I'm so sorry! You aren't too badly injured are you?"

Log-a-log gave a weak smile. "Don't worry, 'tis nothing you couldn't heal."

"I don't know what came over me," explained the mouse. "Something just didn't feel right so when I heard you coming, I thought it was vermin."

"If ye want vermin, look over yonder," said Log-a-log, pointing to a slain, dark-furred stoat. "One of the scum tried t' kill me in my sleep! Good thing I 'eard 'im afore he could!"

"Do you think there's more in the Abbey?" asked Adela.

Dawson struggled helplessly in the grip of the noose, the stoat who wielded it still slowly throttling the life from his body. The fox pulled out a cutlass and lunged at Keith, who quickly blocked the thrust. The ferret rushed the preoccupied skunk from the other side, slashing at him with his dagger. Keith, using his other dagger, blocked the dagger from its deadly strike. Both vermin tackled the skunk to the ground, overwhelming the younger creature.

The otter couldn't bare it any longer. With a combination of elbows to the head and hits to the chest with his plank-like tail, the stoat finally loosened his grip on his captive. Punching the stoat aside, Dawson dove into the melee. "Get off o my son, vermin!" Grabbing the fox and the ferret by the scruff of their necks, he threw them both forcefully against the wall.

Dawson knelt by his "son's" side. "Are you alright?"

His question was met by only one word. "Duck!" Once the otter obeyed, Keith threw both of his weapons, one embedding itself into the throat of the fox, the other into the head of the ferret.

The stoat, who had recovered from the punch delivered to him by Dawson, lunged at the two, only to once again be met by the otter. The gatekeeper shoved his knee into the stoat's chest, causing him to double over. Using this to his advantage, Dawson got behind the vermin and put him into a headlock.

"You might wanna look away" warned the otter. With a sharp twist and an ominous snapping noise, the stoat's body went limp. Letting the slain creature fall to the ground, Dawson walked over to Keith. "I snapped 'is neck. He won't be botherin' us any longer. Are you alright?"

The skunk nodded. "I'll live. How 'bout you?"

"I'm alright," answered the otter. "It's been a while since I've killed vermin, though."

The skunk's tail waved about eagerly, curious about the otter's statement. "You used to fight vermin?"

"Why're ye so surprise?" asked Dawson with a chuckle.

Keith poked the otter's pudgy stomach. "Seems kinda hard to do with a girth like that!"

"But Isaac's a good sword slinger an' he's got a belly you can spot from a mile away!" replied the gatekeeper, now grinning widely.

At the mention of his friend, Keith headed for the door. "What are we doin' hangin' around here for? The Abbey's probably in danger!"

Meanwhile, Isaac wondered the halls of the Abbey, looking for any remaining vermin. He knew that underneath it all, vermin were nothing but cowards and bullies, looking for somebeast weaker the themselves. They wouldn't have the guts to go after him, Alastair, or any other beast bigger than they were.

"Och, ah wonder where all thae vermin are hidin?" Issac muttered to himself. As if on cue, a cry rang out from further down the hall. Issac gritted his teeth and rushed to find the creature in need. "Och, when will thae vermin learn thae they'll ne'er win?"

Alastair rushed headlong, hoping he could make it to the Abbot before anything happen to him. The Abbot was always a figure of great wisdom and peace amongst the Abbeybeast. If anything happened to Abbot Grayson, Redwall would be in great danger, nigh chaos.

Upon reaching the door to the Abbot's room, Alastair barged through, ready to take down any vermin that dared to go near him. Panic rushed over the mouse as he saw who was in the room. Shyamel had the Abbot in a tight grip, his curved dagger dangerously close to Grayson's neck.

"Don't even think of harming the Abbot!" roared the warrior.

The assassin gave a wicked grin. "I have no interest in killing this fool…yet. He is merely bait."

"Bait for what?" growled Alastair.

The weasel's grin grew even wider. "For you! With your death, no beast in the abbey will be able to stand up to Hallthor!" Shyamel pushed the Abbot away from him.

"Run Father!" shouted Alastair. "Get help!" The Abbot did as he was told, racing towards the door as warrior faced assassin, both creatures' weapons at the ready.

Ha! Silly reader, you think I'd stop at pt.2? Don't worry, pt.3 of Night of the Assassins is coming soon! Please R&R!