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Ch.21

Battle at Sea Pt.2

Welcome to the second part of the 'Battle at Sea' section of my fic! I only have about four days of vacation left, but I'll try to update once more before my summer comes to a close. Please R&R!

Ignatius and Sarika charged at each other, partially blinded from the onslaught of Mother Nature. The ferret suddenly stopped, crouched down, and shoved her weapon at the advancing hare. Luckily, Ignatius hopped over her, performing a somersault before turning around and thrusting his blade at her. Sarika managed to roll out of the way, but not before the Corporeal nicked her right thigh. The ferret quickly hopped to her paws as Ignatius made another dash at her. This time she was ready, sidestepping out of the way. Having trouble stopping due to the wet conditions, the hare didn't have time to guard as Sarika quickly slashed him across the back.

The ferret was about to deliver the final blow, raising her hula-hoop-like weapon over the hare's neck, but Ignatius still had plenty of fight left in him. Flipping himself onto his back, he kicked out with both of his strong foot paws, knocking Sarika backwards before tripping over a dead rat. Ignatius was quickly advancing, but the ferret thought quickly. Grabbing the dead rat's shield, she tossed it like a Frisbee at the hare. The Corporeal had to display his maximum flexibility, nearly bending himself in half as he leaned backwards. His tactic worked, completely missing him, but striking a weasel in the head, sending him overboard.

"That's was actually kinda neat," Ignatius muttered to himself as stood up straight. Sarika quickly rushed up to him, kicking him in the gut. The hare doubled over, his eyes towards the ground, unable to see Sarika's next move. The ferret kicked the hare onto all fours before slipping her ring-like weapon over his head. Placing her foot paw on the back of Ignatius's neck, she yanked upwards with her weapon, the dull, inner edge of her weapon strangling Ignatius.

"Don't die too quickly," said Sarika as she pulled tighter. "You've barely bled!" Grasping the outer edge of his foe's weapon, Ignatius's tried to find some way to get some air. However, he didn't have much luck, merely managing to makes his paws bleed from touching the sharp edges of the blade. Finally, the hare jerked to his left forcefully, causing Sarika to lose her footing and topple over. He immediately untangled himself from her blade, crawling away from her while coughing and taking deep breaths.

Not pleased that her 'toy' was trying to escape, Sarika quickly got back on her paws and charged at Ignatius, who was beginning to rise to his paws. She was about to decapitate him when her face met his foot paw, knocking the ferret on her back. He grinned victoriously as he pointed his rapier at his down opponent. However, Sarika swept her blade at his foot paws, causing him to flinch.

Taking this to her advantage, Sarika quickly staggered to her paws and retreated a few steps. She stuck her tongue out at the hare impudently. "Yer a tricky one, aren't ye?" Her smile was quickly replaced with an enraged grimace. "Why aren't ye dead yet?"

Most creatures on both ships were busy fighting off adversaries, focused on trying to keep their lives. They didn't even notice as Enric, a brown stoat clad in a dark cloak, hurried though one of the doors of the Waveshark and hurried down the stairs into the basement.

Enric gazed about the dimly area, which contained several barrels and crates. Hurrying over to the corner of the room, he undid his cloak, revealing a belt with several pouches. He dug his paws into the pouches, removing a dark powder, a thin rope to work as a fuse, and flint. "Hehe, this'll make a nice boom!"

Over on the Tyderider, Aeneas thrust his halberd at Tamar's stomach, but she quickly sidestepped, swiping horizontally at her attack. The otter quickly duck, spinning around in the squatted position and swinging his weapon at her waist. Defending herself with one sword, she poised her second sword for her next attack, targeting the otter's plank-like tail. Aeneas quickly jerked his tail out of the way as Tamar stabbed the deck when the otter's tail had been a second ago.

"I need that!" shouted Aeneas as he swung his tail back around, knocking the sea rat face first onto the deck. Looking upward, Tamar shoved both blades upwards at her foe. One blade only managed to touch air while the second carved into Aeneas's inner left arm, causing him to detach his left paw from the shaft.

Rising to her paws, Tamar slashed at the halberd, snapping it in two. Aeneas looked at his shattered weapon in disbelief before looking back up at the dangerously grinning sea rat.

"Say goodnight," said Tamar as she poised her swords for the strike.

From the other side of the deck, a hare and a weasel with throwing knives squared off, battling for their lives. The weasel withdrew another dagger, throwing it at the hare. Due to the downpour, his vision was a bit blurry, causing him to miss his target. However, he unknowingly struck another target.

Tamar gave a yelp of pain as the knife slashed her leg, causing her to go down on one knee. Grabbing the sharp end of his halberd, Aeneas stood over the sea rat. "You were saying?"

'KABOOOOOOOOM!'

A thunderous explosion shook the bottom half of the Waveshark, causing those on it to wobble.

Aeneas, distracted momentarily, didn't realize Tamar rise to her paws until she whacked him in the head with the hilt of both her swords. "I said good night!" Tamar took a deep breath, composing herself before barking out orders. "Somebeast take th' tiller!" She gazed over the deck of her ship, spying some hares that didn't have time to make it onto the sinking Waveshark. Chain up th' remainin' hares and this riverdog!"

"What in Hellgates was that?" asked Wyatt as he withdrew his rapier from the corpse of a fox. He could already feel the ship beginning to sink.

Enric crackled wickedly as he dashed across the deck, hopping back onto the Tideryder before it floated away. "Retreat! Retreat!"

"B-But I'm not done playing yet!" whined Sarika. Growling angrily, she quickly turned to Ignatius, kicking him in the groin. "I hope I smushed them!" She quickly hopped back onto Tamar's ship, followed by several frantic vermin. Some were able to make it over in time, some fell into the unforgiving ocean in the process, while some didn't have time to attempt to escape.

Edith gritted her teeth as the ship began to tip. "What do we do now?"

Hardy got on one knee, sinking his blade into the deck of the ship. He closed his eyes while grasping his paws together. "Martin, please watch over us."

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! You might see Enric in future chapters, so keep your eyes open for him. Please R&R!