Chapter Eighteen
Colonel Tadaval stared up at the early evening sky, then turned and winked at Acanthus cheerfully. The Long Patrol had found the rat campout, and were getting ready to pass it.
"Everything ready an' accounted fer?"
Acanthus smirked slightly as he balanced a short, light-weight javelin on his paw. He gave it a small, absent twirl before saluting with it and winking back.
"Aye, everybeast has a weapon at paw, ready fer use. Well, everybeast except Jansorio, that is. He kin do widout one. Should we break camp, sah?"
The Colonel chuckled and, batting the weapon extraordinaire's ears as he walked passed, said, "That's fer the offisah's t'know, laddie buck, howe'er extraordinary you are."
Tadaval headed straight towards Starworthy. The Major nodded respectfully towards the Colonel, remarking without letting his eyes leave his fellow officer, "Everything ready?"
"Ready as it'll e'er been. Nightshift just set off, he'll be back wid the patrol soon." With that, Colonel Tadaval began marching around camp, hollering out in a baritone, "Right now, everybeast, break camp! Two lines, quick as y'like." The hare turned to Sergeant Ace, a small smile hovering about his face. "Would you like t'do the rest, Sarge?"
Ace winked swiftly before clearing his throat politely, then began roaring out fiercely like the Sergeant of every recruit's nightmares.
"'Ten…shun! Right now, you dozy crowd, ferget wot the Colonel said, two lines, right now. Back straight, good posture, no slouchin' in th'ranks now, Plucky. Whiskers stiff, chin up, ears erect! Chin up I said, Lerarel missie. I don't see wot's so interestin' 'bout the ground. Now, march! Left right, left right…steady on there, Reene, not so fast."
Corporal Nightshift peered through the shrubs at the small camp of rats, crowded around in a circle. Just faintly, he could make out what they were saying. The one that seemed like the leader of the group, whose name was Coilslash, glared at the other rats as he scoffed at them contemptuously.
"Ah, jus' lookit yew lot, a bunch o' snivelin' cowards, yew are. Couldn't e'en beat a haremaid, let alone a liddle mousey. Hah, she was th'one who frightened yew all!"
A rat from Coilslash's remaining group nursed his injured paw as he called out moodily, "Wot about yew, eh? Yew came runnin' up that hill faster than all o' us. Asides, yew was th'one who got caught by that big bird!"
Coilslash immediately set upon the hapless rat, punctuation each of his words with a hard punch.
"Jus' lemme hear yew talk nasty 'bout me agin, Thrath, an' I personally cut yer innards out an' feed'em t'the fishes! Yaarrghh!"
The Corporal chuckled softly as the rats began bickering and fighting, then he slid off, ready to report to the Major about what he had heard.
"Fifteen rats total, sah," Nightshift reported. The patrol had stopped at Starworthy's command as the Corporal had came bounding up. Major Starworthy stroked his whiskers absently as he pondered over this.
"Fifteen…right then. Colonel, gather a small group, three to six hares. Don't need that much. Run over to the camp, an' if they attack, you attack back. Leave some alive if you want, whatever you wish. This is no great slaughter. After your mission's done, report back and Fern here will bandage up the injured lot up if you have any. Clear?"
Tadaval saluted stiffly before pointed a paw at four hares, then setting off. Swiftspeed, Glory, Beynin, and Lerarel immediately followed.
Captain Glory turned to Colonel Tadaval and asked nervously, "What do I do?"
"Exactly wot the Major said t'do, m'lass," Came the kind reply. "Hmph, shouldn't be too hard. Six o' us perilous ones against fifteen o' them cowards. Wot chance do they stand?"
Thrash splattered mud onto his wounds as he peeked around the camp through his one good eye; the other one had been beaten severely by Coilslash.
"I tell yew, cullies, I dun want anything more t'do wid mousemaids or haremaids or th'lot o'em!"
Coilslash glared at him contemptuously, inwardly agreeing with the other rat's statement, but outwardly not showing it.
"Huh, coward yew are. If the big bird wasn't there, I coulda taken th'hare on single-pawed, I tell yew! Lousy bird, pickin' me up like that, I tell yew."
The rat's jaw flew open slightly as Swiftspeed strode purposely forward into the camp, ignoring the stares of the gawking rats. His rapier point disrupted the fire ashes as the bold hare commented airily, "So, does that mean you didn't save us anythin' t'eat? Hmm, wouldn't have been good anyway, based on th'fact that vermin don't cook."
"Come on, thar's only one. Charge 'im!" An angered Coilslash shouted out encouragement to his small group of rats. The hare smiled coolly as he flicked his rapier point out from his belt and called out loudly, as if to the bushes instead of the rats.
"Eulaliiiaaa!"
The war cry echoed back, filling the afternoon air.
"Eulaliiiaaa!"
Swiftspeed grinned grimly as he ran a rat through, then gave his rapier a small twirl.
"Hate to correct you, but you hear that? There's more than just one of us, you know."
As if to prove his word, a small volley of arrows flew from the bushes, piercing the four rats in the front one of them running a rat through the heart. Beynin. Coilslash looked at his remaining group and knew they didn't stand a chance. Drawing his cutlass, he addressed Swiftspeed, for he was the only one in the open who wasn't hidden in the bushes.
"Righto, y'bold bunny thar. Y'seen t'know wot'll happen if'n we charge. Y an' yore liddle hidden group thar'll slay us. So here's me proposal. Wot 'bout you an' I 'ave a liddle combat, one on one, eh?"
Coilslash was surprisingly good with his blade. He had defeated quite a few enemies with his cutlass, and was determined to make another win.
The hare shrugged, twirling his rapier slightly as he asked, "Winner take all?"
"If'n I win, ye lot leave us alone, an' if'n ye win, we leave. Battle's o'er when one o' us begs mercy, or one o' us dies."
Swiftspeed nodded and crouched into a typical Salamandastron fighting stance as he replied, "Fair enough. Your move."
Coilslash shook his head, as if expecting a trick or something of the sort, and grinned at Swiftspeed cunningly.
"I issued the challenge, rabbit, so the first move's yers. Go 'head now."
The hare sighed, somewhat disappointed. "Fine then, my move." Swiftspeed stared at the rat with the cutlass, for a moment, not moving at all. Suddenly, he leapt forward. Being taken unaware, Coilslash was slow to move, and the rapier blade took off part of his ear. Growling deep in his throat, the rat pressed forward, cutlass point flickering furiously as it sought out its foe. Swiftspeed kept a cool smile on his face, parrying each slash expertly. Blade clashed against blade as the two fought on, all eyes on them, the remainder of Coilslash's group, and the four hares in the bushes, Glory, Tadaval, Beynin, and Lerarel.
Coilslash was having a hard time with Swiftspeed. The hare didn't do any attacking, he only defended himself, and the rat was getting a bit weary. Still, the easy smile on the hare's face, as if mocking him, drove the rat on. Coilslash slashed his cutlass at Swiftspeed's swordpaw. Wincing slightly, the hare jerked it back, and the rat used this opportunity to send his blade flying at Swiftspeed's neck. The hare jumped back and flicked his head slightly, but the mark on his neck proved that he had not lived up to his name and had not been fast enough. With his free paw, the hare traced the thin scar on his neck, grinning wryly.
"Almost, but not quite!"
Coilslash scowled and plunged forward. His hilt locked with Swiftspeed's, along with their eyes. The hare's burning eyes cowed the rat slightly, his paws shaking slightly. Then suddenly, the Long Patrol Galloper jerked his rapier down and gave it a twist. The cutlass went flying from Coilslash's paw, and in less than a split second, Swiftspeed's blade was at his neck, pressing against it slightly. The rat's remaining courage was lost as he gurgled out, "Mercy!"
Swiftspeed pushed against his rapier, leaving Coilslash sprawled on the ground. With one quick movement, the hare had the rat by the scruff of his neck. He growled into Coilslash's ear menacingly.
"Right then, you an' your lot get out o' here. Th'Long Patrol's comin' through, an' it includes much tougher 'uns that me. So I suggest y'get out o' here an' warn any other vermin that you meet."
Swiftspeed dropped Coilslash and gave him a meaningful glance. The rat and his crew dashes off in a shot, almost as fast as the Galloper himself. Once he made sure they were out of sight, the hare returned to his comrades from behind the bushes.
"That wasn't very hard, now. Didn't need all o' us, really. Come on, got t'get back t'the rest o' the patrol."
Glory nodded, a hint of admiration in her voice as she said, "Yes. Come on, everyone. Back to the rest of the patrol. That was a nice battle you fought back there, Swift."
Swiftspeed just shrugged modestly, but Colonel Tadaval piped up.
"I have to agree that y'did great back there, but I've a question fer you. How come yer nickname keeps changin'? First it's Speed, then Swift, then it's Speed agin, an' now it's Swift!"
Beynin chuckled and slapped the Galloper on the back heartily.
"Glad I dun have any nicknames fer meself, eh!"
Swiftspeed laughed and backpawed the archer in the stomach playfully, which knocked the wind out of him.
"No nickname's, eh? What 'bout Skilled Archer, the Best o' Salamandastron? Well I say, y'sure lived up t'it!"
Soon Swiftspeed and Beynin were chatting away merrily, and Glory couldn't help but wonder how her friend Galloper could switch from cheerful to grim, then back again with so much ease.
Colonel Tadaval stared up at the early evening sky, then turned and winked at Acanthus cheerfully. The Long Patrol had found the rat campout, and were getting ready to pass it.
"Everything ready an' accounted fer?"
Acanthus smirked slightly as he balanced a short, light-weight javelin on his paw. He gave it a small, absent twirl before saluting with it and winking back.
"Aye, everybeast has a weapon at paw, ready fer use. Well, everybeast except Jansorio, that is. He kin do widout one. Should we break camp, sah?"
The Colonel chuckled and, batting the weapon extraordinaire's ears as he walked passed, said, "That's fer the offisah's t'know, laddie buck, howe'er extraordinary you are."
Tadaval headed straight towards Starworthy. The Major nodded respectfully towards the Colonel, remarking without letting his eyes leave his fellow officer, "Everything ready?"
"Ready as it'll e'er been. Nightshift just set off, he'll be back wid the patrol soon." With that, Colonel Tadaval began marching around camp, hollering out in a baritone, "Right now, everybeast, break camp! Two lines, quick as y'like." The hare turned to Sergeant Ace, a small smile hovering about his face. "Would you like t'do the rest, Sarge?"
Ace winked swiftly before clearing his throat politely, then began roaring out fiercely like the Sergeant of every recruit's nightmares.
"'Ten…shun! Right now, you dozy crowd, ferget wot the Colonel said, two lines, right now. Back straight, good posture, no slouchin' in th'ranks now, Plucky. Whiskers stiff, chin up, ears erect! Chin up I said, Lerarel missie. I don't see wot's so interestin' 'bout the ground. Now, march! Left right, left right…steady on there, Reene, not so fast."
Corporal Nightshift peered through the shrubs at the small camp of rats, crowded around in a circle. Just faintly, he could make out what they were saying. The one that seemed like the leader of the group, whose name was Coilslash, glared at the other rats as he scoffed at them contemptuously.
"Ah, jus' lookit yew lot, a bunch o' snivelin' cowards, yew are. Couldn't e'en beat a haremaid, let alone a liddle mousey. Hah, she was th'one who frightened yew all!"
A rat from Coilslash's remaining group nursed his injured paw as he called out moodily, "Wot about yew, eh? Yew came runnin' up that hill faster than all o' us. Asides, yew was th'one who got caught by that big bird!"
Coilslash immediately set upon the hapless rat, punctuation each of his words with a hard punch.
"Jus' lemme hear yew talk nasty 'bout me agin, Thrath, an' I personally cut yer innards out an' feed'em t'the fishes! Yaarrghh!"
The Corporal chuckled softly as the rats began bickering and fighting, then he slid off, ready to report to the Major about what he had heard.
"Fifteen rats total, sah," Nightshift reported. The patrol had stopped at Starworthy's command as the Corporal had came bounding up. Major Starworthy stroked his whiskers absently as he pondered over this.
"Fifteen…right then. Colonel, gather a small group, three to six hares. Don't need that much. Run over to the camp, an' if they attack, you attack back. Leave some alive if you want, whatever you wish. This is no great slaughter. After your mission's done, report back and Fern here will bandage up the injured lot up if you have any. Clear?"
Tadaval saluted stiffly before pointed a paw at four hares, then setting off. Swiftspeed, Glory, Beynin, and Lerarel immediately followed.
Captain Glory turned to Colonel Tadaval and asked nervously, "What do I do?"
"Exactly wot the Major said t'do, m'lass," Came the kind reply. "Hmph, shouldn't be too hard. Six o' us perilous ones against fifteen o' them cowards. Wot chance do they stand?"
Thrash splattered mud onto his wounds as he peeked around the camp through his one good eye; the other one had been beaten severely by Coilslash.
"I tell yew, cullies, I dun want anything more t'do wid mousemaids or haremaids or th'lot o'em!"
Coilslash glared at him contemptuously, inwardly agreeing with the other rat's statement, but outwardly not showing it.
"Huh, coward yew are. If the big bird wasn't there, I coulda taken th'hare on single-pawed, I tell yew! Lousy bird, pickin' me up like that, I tell yew."
The rat's jaw flew open slightly as Swiftspeed strode purposely forward into the camp, ignoring the stares of the gawking rats. His rapier point disrupted the fire ashes as the bold hare commented airily, "So, does that mean you didn't save us anythin' t'eat? Hmm, wouldn't have been good anyway, based on th'fact that vermin don't cook."
"Come on, thar's only one. Charge 'im!" An angered Coilslash shouted out encouragement to his small group of rats. The hare smiled coolly as he flicked his rapier point out from his belt and called out loudly, as if to the bushes instead of the rats.
"Eulaliiiaaa!"
The war cry echoed back, filling the afternoon air.
"Eulaliiiaaa!"
Swiftspeed grinned grimly as he ran a rat through, then gave his rapier a small twirl.
"Hate to correct you, but you hear that? There's more than just one of us, you know."
As if to prove his word, a small volley of arrows flew from the bushes, piercing the four rats in the front one of them running a rat through the heart. Beynin. Coilslash looked at his remaining group and knew they didn't stand a chance. Drawing his cutlass, he addressed Swiftspeed, for he was the only one in the open who wasn't hidden in the bushes.
"Righto, y'bold bunny thar. Y'seen t'know wot'll happen if'n we charge. Y an' yore liddle hidden group thar'll slay us. So here's me proposal. Wot 'bout you an' I 'ave a liddle combat, one on one, eh?"
Coilslash was surprisingly good with his blade. He had defeated quite a few enemies with his cutlass, and was determined to make another win.
The hare shrugged, twirling his rapier slightly as he asked, "Winner take all?"
"If'n I win, ye lot leave us alone, an' if'n ye win, we leave. Battle's o'er when one o' us begs mercy, or one o' us dies."
Swiftspeed nodded and crouched into a typical Salamandastron fighting stance as he replied, "Fair enough. Your move."
Coilslash shook his head, as if expecting a trick or something of the sort, and grinned at Swiftspeed cunningly.
"I issued the challenge, rabbit, so the first move's yers. Go 'head now."
The hare sighed, somewhat disappointed. "Fine then, my move." Swiftspeed stared at the rat with the cutlass, for a moment, not moving at all. Suddenly, he leapt forward. Being taken unaware, Coilslash was slow to move, and the rapier blade took off part of his ear. Growling deep in his throat, the rat pressed forward, cutlass point flickering furiously as it sought out its foe. Swiftspeed kept a cool smile on his face, parrying each slash expertly. Blade clashed against blade as the two fought on, all eyes on them, the remainder of Coilslash's group, and the four hares in the bushes, Glory, Tadaval, Beynin, and Lerarel.
Coilslash was having a hard time with Swiftspeed. The hare didn't do any attacking, he only defended himself, and the rat was getting a bit weary. Still, the easy smile on the hare's face, as if mocking him, drove the rat on. Coilslash slashed his cutlass at Swiftspeed's swordpaw. Wincing slightly, the hare jerked it back, and the rat used this opportunity to send his blade flying at Swiftspeed's neck. The hare jumped back and flicked his head slightly, but the mark on his neck proved that he had not lived up to his name and had not been fast enough. With his free paw, the hare traced the thin scar on his neck, grinning wryly.
"Almost, but not quite!"
Coilslash scowled and plunged forward. His hilt locked with Swiftspeed's, along with their eyes. The hare's burning eyes cowed the rat slightly, his paws shaking slightly. Then suddenly, the Long Patrol Galloper jerked his rapier down and gave it a twist. The cutlass went flying from Coilslash's paw, and in less than a split second, Swiftspeed's blade was at his neck, pressing against it slightly. The rat's remaining courage was lost as he gurgled out, "Mercy!"
Swiftspeed pushed against his rapier, leaving Coilslash sprawled on the ground. With one quick movement, the hare had the rat by the scruff of his neck. He growled into Coilslash's ear menacingly.
"Right then, you an' your lot get out o' here. Th'Long Patrol's comin' through, an' it includes much tougher 'uns that me. So I suggest y'get out o' here an' warn any other vermin that you meet."
Swiftspeed dropped Coilslash and gave him a meaningful glance. The rat and his crew dashes off in a shot, almost as fast as the Galloper himself. Once he made sure they were out of sight, the hare returned to his comrades from behind the bushes.
"That wasn't very hard, now. Didn't need all o' us, really. Come on, got t'get back t'the rest o' the patrol."
Glory nodded, a hint of admiration in her voice as she said, "Yes. Come on, everyone. Back to the rest of the patrol. That was a nice battle you fought back there, Swift."
Swiftspeed just shrugged modestly, but Colonel Tadaval piped up.
"I have to agree that y'did great back there, but I've a question fer you. How come yer nickname keeps changin'? First it's Speed, then Swift, then it's Speed agin, an' now it's Swift!"
Beynin chuckled and slapped the Galloper on the back heartily.
"Glad I dun have any nicknames fer meself, eh!"
Swiftspeed laughed and backpawed the archer in the stomach playfully, which knocked the wind out of him.
"No nickname's, eh? What 'bout Skilled Archer, the Best o' Salamandastron? Well I say, y'sure lived up t'it!"
Soon Swiftspeed and Beynin were chatting away merrily, and Glory couldn't help but wonder how her friend Galloper could switch from cheerful to grim, then back again with so much ease.