Jack and the Bard
A Samurai Jack Fanfic
By Laura McDaniel


The Carthwyr

The Planes of Unigedd were strangely desolate. The ground was dry and cracked and the only vegetation was sparse and brown. All around him, a cold wind blew, howling in his ears and blowing his robe. For the two hours that he had been traveling, he watched for any signs of the Carthwyr tribe, but the only animals he saw were the vultures that soared over him and squawked mockingly down at him while he doggedly continued his trek to Lloches Forest.

After a while, he heard a new sound in the distance: the sound of water running. He was certain that it meant that he was getting nearer to the forest since anything growing on the empty plane would require a water source. He was so confident that he was near that he stopped to rest on a cluster of rocks that was positioned under a thin tree that had died a long time ago.

While he sat there, he suddenly found the wind's lonely howl combined with the distant sound of running water to be very soothing. In fact, he felt his eyelids grow heavy and probably would have fallen asleep, had he not felt something cold and leathery coil around his neck, which made his eyes snap open.

"Do you realize that you are trespassing on Carthwyr territory?" a voice snarled.

Jack cringed inwardly, but did not let his fear show. It was his own fault since he had been so careless. He couldn't turn around to see what had entangled him, but he gathered that it was the slender, whip-like tail of some kind of mammal and at the end of the tail was a sharp, silver spike

"Well?" the voice hissed.

"Yes, I am aware that I am on Carthwyr territory, but I do not wish to remain on Carthwyr territory. I am merely on my way to Lloches Forest so that I may..."

"It doesn't matter where you're going!" the creature hissed, uncoiling his tail from Jack's neck and slapping him in the face with it. "You are here now, thus you must pay the toll for passing." He stepped in front of Jack, and stood there, impatiently placing his hands on his hips. Jack assumed that this creature was a Carthwyr, since it was a bipedal rat that was slightly over five feet tall. He had slightly matted gray fur and wore an open red vest that exposed his muscular chest. His legs were covered by loose-fitting brown pants from which his bare, rat-like feet extended. From a thick black belt her wore, a dagger and a few small pouches dangled.

Not wanting to start an unnecessary fight, Jack replied, "Then, I will give you what little I have." He reached into his robe and took out his coin pouch, which he held out for the Carthwyr.

The rat rubbed his handpaws eagerly and greedily snatched the pouch. He excitedly shook it and smiled. "Ah, the rest of the tribe will be upset at me for getting separated from my horde on my first patrol, but they will be pleased to know that I brought back cold, hard cash!" However, his smile faded the moment he opened the pouch and saw how much money was inside. He scowled and threw it on the ground, the coins scattering everywhere. "I've no reason to spare you! There's not even so much as a googol in here!" His tail smacked Jack in the face again. "Surely you've got more on you. What's in the bag?" He started rummaging through Jack's bag. Jack looked uncomfortable, but he remained silent. "Hmph, nothing of value!" Suddenly, a grin crossed his muzzle when his small black eyes caught sight of Jack's sword. "Well, now, what have we here?"

He reached for the black and gold hilt, but Jack leapt up and kicked the rat in the stomach before landing on his feet. "Do not touch my sword unless you wish for me to use it against you."

"Use it against me? Ha!" the Carthwyr laughed, holding his aching gut. Even though he was flinching some, he rose to his feet and wrapped his tail around Jack's neck again. "I'd like to see you try." He threateningly inched the spike on the end of his tail towards one of Jack's eyes. Reacting quickly, Jack drew his sword and sliced the creature's tail clean off.

THWACK!

The tail fell on the Carthwyr's feet and he snarled angrily. "Why you...!" He drew his dagger and charged straight for Jack's heart. Jack quickly swung sideways, knocking the rat head first into the dead tree.

Grunting, the Carthwyr rubbed his head. "Ow...that was quite a hit, I must admit." He looked around him for his dagger, which had fallen out of his hand. "Great...where's the rest of my horde when I need it?" he muttered.

Jack rolled his eyes. Just as Rhan had said, a single Carthwyr was weak.

"Waitaminunte!" the Carthwyr exclaimed, picking up his dagger again. "I knew you looked familiar! That sword! You're on Aku's hit list, aren't you? I think saw your picture tacked to a wall the wall back at the Ridge!"

Jack didn't reply, but the mention of Aku's name immediately heightened the tension within him. If the situation grew more drastic, he was prepared to kill the creature.

"Ha! I knew it! Just wait'll I get you back home!" he glanced down at his disconnected tail and grinned slightly. He picked it up and said, "Well, perhaps that wasn't such an unfortunate accident after all." He reached for Jack's sword again. "I'll just take that accursed weapon of yours and tie up your hands. Then I'll--AWK!"

Jack's sword had gone right through the creature's heart. The samurai quickly withdrew his weapon and watched the injured rat fall limply to the ground. "I told you not to touch my sword," Jack snarled.

"I...will...be...avenged for!" the Carthwyr coughed, placing a hand over the wound. "My...tribe...will...find...you!" He coughed a final time and then his breath ceased.

Having nothing with which to wipe the blood off his sword, Jack simply sheathed it again while he looked at the rat's corpse. Killing such an unskilled fighter almost seemed unjust, but the threat of being taken to Aku more than justified it. Without any more second thoughts, he quickly gathered up his scattered coins and returned them to his coin pouch, which he stuck inside his robe again. Then, he continued traveling northwest, towards the sound of the water he had heard before.

As he drew closer to the sound, the terrain around him gradually started showing signs of life. Grass had again started growing beneath his feet and the sound of songbirds filled the air. When he finally reached the river, he saw that it was flowing away from a large group of lush trees that he assumed was Lloches Forest.

It was then that he heard another sound and it was far more beautiful than anything he'd heard before. From his days spent training in Greece, he recognized it as the sweet music of a syrinx, but he thought that only Pan himself could play the pipes so beautifully. Or perhaps, he suddenly realized, Arvel also had such a talent.

"We're rats! We're rats!
We're furry and forlorn!
We live in sewers, love in sewers
And our hearts are torn!"
--
Hey Arnold!--