Book 2, Chapter 15
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the known characters/places of Redwall or in MLP:FIM, I do however own Shooting Star, Colonel Ashpaw the Brave, Braveheart, and Princess Rosethrone.
Skipper Brogalaw was never a beast to run for his life, at least when it came down to normal foes. His group of otters were completely caught off guard by a strange zombiefied monster. Luckily none of his otters fell victim to the beast just yet. They clearly had a slight lead and the sea otter Skipper began wondering when his band of Otters were going to make a stand against such a creature. Finally knowing this beast wasn't giving up chasing them the sea otter Skipper decided to try to make a stand. They distanced themselves in the river a fair distance away from the monster.
"How much of a bet you'd wager that Princess Rosethrone sent this thing on us Skip?" Konel the Ottermaid asked.
Skipper Brogalaw clinched his teeth "I ain't waging anything on it Konel...I'm almost positive this is this Princess Rosethrone's doing..."
"Poor creature" Konel told him "Looks like it's suffering from being plant zombiefied."
"I'd be suffering too if that happened to me Konel" Durvy admitted "Clearly this Princess has no respect for the dead to be using them even in death...So Skip, what shall we do?"
"We'll have to do what we can to hold this thing off mates" Skipper Brogalaw told his clan "Because while we can continue to go towards the Castle of the Two Sisters, this thing will no doubtingly attack it...We have to make a stand. Luckily it doesn't seem to be too weary of fighting us in the water."
Howling sounded and the otters soon found themselves surrounded by Timber Wolves at their backs almost daring them to make a move."
"Skip...These must be...The Timber Wolves Princess Luna told us about before we left the Changeling Hive." Konel muttered biting her lip not liking the odds one bit now...the monster to the front of them and these Timber Wolves to their backs.
Skipper Broglaw took the time to look back and see the Timber Wolves's eyes, Shooting Star had indeed told them that Rosethrone could control the Timber Wolves "Aie, missy, and they seem to under her control too."
He then addressed an otter "Don't go too close to the shoreline mate, or those wooden foxes might catch you."
The young otter nodded obeying his leader.
"What's the plan Skip" Durvy inquired "We don't have much to offer against that monster, with only a few javelins."
"But there are plenty of pebbles in the stream" Konel told Brogalaw.
"That thing doesn't seem to want to chase us into the stream" Brogalaw noted "But we are cornered by those wooden foxes to our backs. These pebbles Konel, give me an idea, perhaps we can deter it from chasing us further by pelting it with slings."
"Worth a shot Skip!" Konel admitted."
"Then get some of those stones missy" Brogalaw ordered her "We make our stand in this river otters! Those of you still near the shoreline use your javelins to repel the beast but don't throw them while Konel gets stones for our slingers.
Three strong otters were the closest ones at the shoreline towards the plant zombiefied maulwolf...So close that it tries to chase them and slash at them with it's wicked claws. Only to find itself impaled by three javelins. It gives out a roar but nurses both it's paws and it's leg where an otter javelin and spiked it. Despite it being zombiefied it still felt the pain as it's flesh was still a bit skin, muscles and bone. After recovering from being impaled by three javelins it tries again only to get the same results. While this was going, Konel swam down to the bottom of the river getting stones and giving them to at least twenty otter slingers and gave some of them to Skipper Brogalaw. The Sea Otter Skipper shouted out the command "ALRIGHT MATES! FOLLOW MY LEAD! You three otters closest to that monster be prepared to back away a bit."
The three otters give their leader a thumbs up with Skipper winding up his sling "HERE WE GO MATES!"
The twenty other otter Slingers winded up their slings as well then wait for Skipper Brogalaw's command. The Sea Otter gave it "SHOOT IT MATES!"
The sea otter Skipper unloaded his sling as does twenty other otters. Twenty-one sharp stones flew out towards plant zombiefied maulwolf and all twenty-one struck it with impressive accuracy. The monster roars in annoyance as the projectiles hurt it slightly. It tries to get closer but is repealed a third time by three otter javelin's. As it is backing up a second row of pebbles pelts it. It begins to fall back a bit then after a third wave of pebbles it seems to fall to the ground with a massive thud onto it's back.
Some of Skipper's Otters give off cheers that it seemed they had fought off the beast. However Skipper Brogalaw kept his eyes clearly on and waved a paw for silence "Settle down mates! Something tells me that this fight isn't over...It's just beginning."
The Sea Otter Skipper would be proven right, as the beast gets back up now determined to kill. It hurries itself into the water even despite the three otters trying to repel it backwards. Instead it roared swiping out at the three Otters. The otters avoid any real damage from it's claws but the force of the swing caused them to fly and land in the water behind them almost close to the Timber Wolves. Three timber wolves attempted to attack the downed otters but they just like the Maulwolf got a neck full of Javelins decapitating the three Timber Wolves. Not even looking back to see if the Timber Wolves were now going to chase them, the otters went back to repel the maddened beast. Skipper Brogalaw continued to fight bravely against the beast while keeping his crew from getting too close to the shore where the Timber Wolves stood waiting despite losing three of their number.
Luckily for him, Colonel Ashpaw the Brave with his Long Patrol members and the Guosim were arriving onto the scene with as shrew scout approaching the army to inform them "Colonel Ashpaw, sir! The situation has gotten worse! Skipper Brogalaw and his crew are fighting against the beast but are surrounded by Timber wolves to the back!"
Colonel Ashpaw shielded his eyes and looked in the direction of where the shrew was pointing sure enough he was right. Colonel Ashpaw wasn't afraid of these Timber Wolves, after the first experience they knew what to do to them "Log-A-Log Grenn, get a fire going and get some fire arrows going, but due try not to have smoke gain the attention of Princess Rosethrone."
"On it at once!" Log-A-Log Grenn said scurrying off to do the deed.
"Just ten Timber Wolves" Sergeant Snow muttered to Ashpaw while waiting silently.
Colonel Ashpaw saw two more waiting for back up and three dead ones decapitated by something "Actually there seemed to be fifteen of them but three are down for good and two others are at the back of the other ten. Sergeant! When those fire arrows are ready, get nine other archers and be prepared to fire at my shout."
"Yes sir!"
Colonel Ashpaw carefully and quietly sneaks forward drawing his swords going to need to defeat the two Timber Wolves closest towards his forces. The brave hare Colonel was going to time it right. He approached the Timber Wolves from the back and while the two Timber Wolves had the mindset to look back and see the Colonel by that time it was too late, Colonel Ashpaw's swords flashed once and two Timber Wolves' heads were cut off with the Colonel muttering "We aren't afraid of you no more stick foxes!"
He had a plan to deal with the monster beast too, he beckoned half of his Log Patrol Hares forward. They were still hidden and moved forward. The Colonel waved his hand to half of the GUOSIM shrews whom moved forward and the Colonel explained his plan "Alright here's the deal, you GUOSIM Shrews I need you to get to the right of the beast do not be seen, you Long Patrol Hares I need you to get to the beast's left. We'll try to catch it off guard by a pincer movement with the only way to escape is from the back with it concentrating it's actions on the otters it will be completely caught off guard."
The hares and Shrews nodded carefully going off in their directions. At this time, the fire arrows were ready, Sergeant Snow and nine other archers equipped them to their bows and the Colonel nodded "Good timing Sergeant!"
He moves forward waiting for his forces to get into position. Once everybeast was in position Colonel Ashpaw gets closer to the Timber Wolves that were too focused on the Otters to react to what was really going on.
Skipper Brogalaw and his otters attempt to repel the beast by barricading it with another barrage of stones. This had very little effect but made the beast angrier. It comes closer as the Timber wolves start to get courage to try to come into the water as well when "EULIA! Now!"
This caused the Timber Wolves to look upward seeing Colonel Ashpaw but not ten fire arrows which struck all remaining Timber Wolves setting them ablaze burning them to nothing. At the very same time Long Patrol Hares charge the monster's left flank echoing the warcry of the Long Patrol and Badger Lords with GUOSIM shrews rushing at the monster's left right flank shouting "LOGALOGALOG!"
The monster seems to pause with surprise. Then it was attacked by both Long Patrol hares and the GUOSIM shrews all at one time. Hares expertly wielded their long pike while the shrews stabbed it with their rapier, and even bit it at times aggressively. Despite the number of opponents that the Monster was up against it still stood up straight and it tried to attack them but they avoided the claws.
Colonel Ashpaw jumps into the river water talking to Skipper Brogalaw "Thought you could use a hand chap!"
"Why if it isn't Colonel Ashpaw!" The Sea Otter chieftian said clapping paws with the hare Colonel "That thing was closing in on us."
"Make your way to the shoreline we took care of the Timber Wolves!"
"Gotcha!" Skipper Brogalaw said "Alright mates get to the shoreline! We're almost in the clear! Konel, you and twenty others get it with more rocks."
"On it!" Konel said.
Colonel Ashpaw nodded watching as the brave Hares of the Long Patrol fought the beast amazingly well. Even when it was zombiefied it was what the Colonel expected, sure it might have been resistant to magic but not weapons. Heck even the GUOSIM shrews were having a decent match against it. Even when every now and then it threw a shrew off it, the shrew would come back and still fight it. The beast's point of view on things the shrews and hares were fighting together against it. It tries to swipe but two hares swung their pikes in a way that the weapon's spear point dug right into it's shoulder piercing it. The Monster gives off a howl of pain as it's arms were disabled almost cut off. Then it was pelted by the Otter slingers causing it to get annoyed and take a step back. Colonel Ashpaw turned to Snow "Now Sergeant Snow! You and the other nine archers take aim and fire! Finish it off!"
"Right on!" Sergeant Snow said she turned to the other nine archers "You heard the Colonel! Take aim and fire!"
Ten fire arrows were shafted to the bows aimed at the Zombiefied maulwolf and fired. The fire missiles hit home instantly putting the creature ablaze. It stumbled backwards defeated and burning rapidly. Even when plant zombiefied it still acted like a Maulwolf when it came to certain defeat. It roared in fear raised it's claws and began digging underground trying to get away. Colonel Ashpaw gave out the order "Don't follow it! Let it get away!"
"Hopefully we don't see that thing again" Skipper Brogalaw said to Colonel Ashpaw.
"Agreed" Colonel Ashpaw admitted "But knowing Princess Rosethrone, she'll get this creature back and certainly correct her mistake making sure her monster doesn't act the same way again. For now friends follow me back to the Castle of the Two Sisters."
"Right, alright mates! Let's follow the hares and shrews back to the castle!"
With that said the two armies now went back to the Castle of the Two Sisters unknown to them that Braveheart had been dispatched as a scout/spy and had seen the whole thing. Colonel Ashpaw was victorious over the maulwolf. The young colt now runs back towards Princess Rosethrone whom was getting closer back to the Castle of the Two Sisters. He had to tell her what had developed. When he did however the look on her face gave him, crept him out. Oh she knew he was coming with bad news. He knew that when one often gave bad news to the Princess it was most certain death. He gulps but walks towards her. She needed to know "Princess, the zombiefied Maulwolf was defeated."
"By the Otters?" She demanded.
"Not really, although the Otters held it off to a certain extent but a rabbit lead a successful rescue mission on it."
Rosethrone growls "Looks like I got somethings to improve on."
She turned to Ripfang "Captain! We're going hunting for my monster! I want it found so I can upgrade it. I'll teach it to run away like it did."
"Yes ma'am!" Ripfang smartly said.
Princess Rosethorne glared "This is just beginning Princess Celestia. The monster may have been defeated today but with a few upgrades it'll be unstoppable."
With this Princess Rosethrone's forces spread out to search for the zombiefied Maulwolf while on it's way to the Castle of the Two Sisters.
This chapter is over! Skipper Brogalaw and his crew have survived and Rosethrone is about to upgrade her Maulwolf, what is her upgrades? And how far has Shooting Star gotten? More questions to answer in further chapters!