Chapter Three
Dawn broke softly over the vermin horde bringing with it a bright sun. Weasels, ferrets, rats and stoats rose from their sleep and broke their fast with porridge warmed over the fire or any fruit they could find along the woodland border. They all wore golden colored jerkins. The jerkins served a double purpose: to show they were part of the Golden Hordes of Vulpes Fulva and so they would not strike each other in combat. Five stoats stood by the biggest fire, leaning on spears. These were Vulpes' captains, and they wore golden capes to show their rank.
A weasel named Gilleyes sat alone by one of the fires, eating porridge out of a seashell. He was a strong looking beast, muscular, but not overly so. Tattoos covered his arms and his right ear hung half on, half off his head. He brought the shell close to his face, trying to eat the mess before it cooled. A rough paw pushed shoved in the back and his snout dipped into the mixture. He pulled it out, sputtering,
"Who did that?"
"I did, blubberbottom!" said a voice behind him. Gilleyes turned and saw the culprit, Lousefur. Lousefur was a rat, lithe and mangy.
"Wot did ye do that for? I could've choked t'death!" exclaimed Gilleyes, his paw slowly reaching for the dagger in his belt.
"If only I was that lucky," sneered the rat. "Then I wouldn't have to bother with you trippin' over me backpaws every time we march."
Gilleyes lunged suddenly, the point of the dagger stretched toward the rat's throat. The blade was knocked aside by a mailed paw. Gilleyes reached for his blade but stopped when he saw the fox gazing disdainfully down at him.
"What is this about?" asked the fox. Both creatures looked at their leader, both admiration and fear in their eyes. Vulpes Fulva was a magnificent beast. Tall and powerful, handsome and charismatic, the black fox was a natural leader. A green cloak hung over the red jerkin and golden armor crafted especially for him. His paw strayed towards the large jeweled axe hanging at his side. His anger began to rise. "I said, what is this about?"
Lousefur and Gilleyes began to speak, the words falling from their mouths.
"'E dunked my face in me porridge an-"
"That weasel put a carp in my bedroll!"
"Only 'cause 'e calls me names!"
"Enough of this!" shouted Vulpes. He grabbed both beasts by their necks and held them off the ground. "If I hear anymore whining from either of you, I will see to it that both of you are, let us say," the fox smiled, showing a row of white teeth, "taken care of. Do you understand me?" Gilleyes and Lousefur nodded dumbly, their bodies shaking with fear.
The fox slammed the two into each other and dropped them on the ground. Lousefur scrambled away from his leader. Vulpes looked down on Gilleyes. "You, go and look after that squirrelmaid you're taking care of. Gilleyes grabbed his dagger as he went. The fox laughed as he saw Gilleyes run. He shouted, "That's right! Nobeast disobeys the orders of Vulpes Fulva!" Hordebeasts began to clamor around the fox. "And why is that?"
The horde answered back in unison, "Because Vulpes Fulva is leader of the Golden Hordes!"
Vulpes called, "And if they choose to disobey, as did that squirrel and his tribe?"
"Then they shall meet Brockkill, the taker of life!"
Vulpes smiled. "That is correct! Captains!"
The five stoats rushed towards Vulpes. "Line up your troops! We march! On to Redwall Abbey!"
The captains called out orders and fires were extinguished. The horde quickly formed ranks and began marching. A cloud of dust slowly rose behind them. The whole while they chanted; "Redwall! Redwall! Destroy! Vulpes! Vulpes! Vulpes Fulva!"
A league or so south of the horde, a lone figure crested a hill. He stumbled this way and that. Wounds caked with dried blood covered his body. The bushy tail that showed him to be a squirrel was near gone. He gave a cry of pain and fell. Rolling down the hill, he was stopped by a rock. He lay quite still, his breath shallow. He coughed fitfully aa the world slowly turned black.
Dawn broke softly over the vermin horde bringing with it a bright sun. Weasels, ferrets, rats and stoats rose from their sleep and broke their fast with porridge warmed over the fire or any fruit they could find along the woodland border. They all wore golden colored jerkins. The jerkins served a double purpose: to show they were part of the Golden Hordes of Vulpes Fulva and so they would not strike each other in combat. Five stoats stood by the biggest fire, leaning on spears. These were Vulpes' captains, and they wore golden capes to show their rank.
A weasel named Gilleyes sat alone by one of the fires, eating porridge out of a seashell. He was a strong looking beast, muscular, but not overly so. Tattoos covered his arms and his right ear hung half on, half off his head. He brought the shell close to his face, trying to eat the mess before it cooled. A rough paw pushed shoved in the back and his snout dipped into the mixture. He pulled it out, sputtering,
"Who did that?"
"I did, blubberbottom!" said a voice behind him. Gilleyes turned and saw the culprit, Lousefur. Lousefur was a rat, lithe and mangy.
"Wot did ye do that for? I could've choked t'death!" exclaimed Gilleyes, his paw slowly reaching for the dagger in his belt.
"If only I was that lucky," sneered the rat. "Then I wouldn't have to bother with you trippin' over me backpaws every time we march."
Gilleyes lunged suddenly, the point of the dagger stretched toward the rat's throat. The blade was knocked aside by a mailed paw. Gilleyes reached for his blade but stopped when he saw the fox gazing disdainfully down at him.
"What is this about?" asked the fox. Both creatures looked at their leader, both admiration and fear in their eyes. Vulpes Fulva was a magnificent beast. Tall and powerful, handsome and charismatic, the black fox was a natural leader. A green cloak hung over the red jerkin and golden armor crafted especially for him. His paw strayed towards the large jeweled axe hanging at his side. His anger began to rise. "I said, what is this about?"
Lousefur and Gilleyes began to speak, the words falling from their mouths.
"'E dunked my face in me porridge an-"
"That weasel put a carp in my bedroll!"
"Only 'cause 'e calls me names!"
"Enough of this!" shouted Vulpes. He grabbed both beasts by their necks and held them off the ground. "If I hear anymore whining from either of you, I will see to it that both of you are, let us say," the fox smiled, showing a row of white teeth, "taken care of. Do you understand me?" Gilleyes and Lousefur nodded dumbly, their bodies shaking with fear.
The fox slammed the two into each other and dropped them on the ground. Lousefur scrambled away from his leader. Vulpes looked down on Gilleyes. "You, go and look after that squirrelmaid you're taking care of. Gilleyes grabbed his dagger as he went. The fox laughed as he saw Gilleyes run. He shouted, "That's right! Nobeast disobeys the orders of Vulpes Fulva!" Hordebeasts began to clamor around the fox. "And why is that?"
The horde answered back in unison, "Because Vulpes Fulva is leader of the Golden Hordes!"
Vulpes called, "And if they choose to disobey, as did that squirrel and his tribe?"
"Then they shall meet Brockkill, the taker of life!"
Vulpes smiled. "That is correct! Captains!"
The five stoats rushed towards Vulpes. "Line up your troops! We march! On to Redwall Abbey!"
The captains called out orders and fires were extinguished. The horde quickly formed ranks and began marching. A cloud of dust slowly rose behind them. The whole while they chanted; "Redwall! Redwall! Destroy! Vulpes! Vulpes! Vulpes Fulva!"
A league or so south of the horde, a lone figure crested a hill. He stumbled this way and that. Wounds caked with dried blood covered his body. The bushy tail that showed him to be a squirrel was near gone. He gave a cry of pain and fell. Rolling down the hill, he was stopped by a rock. He lay quite still, his breath shallow. He coughed fitfully aa the world slowly turned black.