Predak stood in front of Eric, who was staring at the ground as he gave his report on the catapult.
"Okay, let me get this strait," Predak said, sighing. "There is no wood to make a good catapult, and there is no sign of any returning patrols."
"No, there isn't, but there just isn't any wood around her--"
"Then, idiot, send them out further! Use your brain, if you have one!"
Eric saluted and stumbled off.
************************************************************
Flatnose finally reached the front of the ship, while Tyra and Katzey stared forward at the wall.
"There isn't supposed to be any talking around 'ere, youse twos."
Suddently the rat found himself staring into Tyra's face-and in it he saw the only resistance that he ever had.
"Rat," Tyra said angrly, "I have never taken orders off a flippen' vermin, an' I am not starting now. Especially if that stupid vermin is tellin' me who I can talk to or when."
"You'll 'ave ta get used ta it, 'are, because--"
But because why no one ever found out, for at that exact moment Tulia leaned over and with a spare block of driftwood she struck out heedlessly at Flatnose, hitting him hard on the back. He turned quickly, unwrapping the whip he had curled around his paw.
"Just fer that, otter, you're gettin' punished afore dis 'are does!" He swung the whip up high, but it never came down.
In turning the rat had let Tyra grab her blade from the back of his belt. After freeing herself she lept forward and caught the whip, then used her sword to cut it off.
Flatnose just stared dumbly at the cut whip, before turning to Tyra, who just pushed him against the wall and placed her sword at his throat.
All of the oarslaves stared in shock at the pair, now up against the wall of the ship.
"Now, rat, throw your key ta me friend Katzey dere. Unless..."
Flatnose threw the key to Katzey, who unlocked the others and herself, and all of the oarslaves ran up to the deck to take care of those on deck.
Suddently the Bloodfarl heaved, and Tyra stumbled back and fell onto one of the now-empty oarslave benches. Flatnose dashed forward, and drew his sword. He swung it down.
Tyra rolled off of the bench, the sword catching her ear by an inch. She lept up and swung her sword at the rat, who pulled his out of the bench in the nick of time and met Tyra's sword in a loud clash.
Flatnose spun around and ran to the ladder that lead to the deck. He climed up it, closely followed by Tyra.
They met back on deck, Tyra swinging her sword and catching the rat on his chest, causing only a shallow gash. He met her thrust and she lept back.
************************************************************
Katzey had found Cap'n Bicharia.
He had been trying to run off of the ship, to one of the small escape boats he had tied to the side. Heedlessly he ran, trying to escape the battle raging on deck. But suddently he turned, strait into Katzey. He had no time to draw his sword before she stepped back and stabbed forward, taking him through the stomach. The last thing he ever heard were her words.
"This is for my mother and father!!!!!!!!!!!!"
**************************************************** ********
By the time he knew that (the former) Cap'n Bicharia had fallen, Flatnose stood with half of one of his paws shorn off, and Tyra was bleeding freely from her shoulder. Finally, after he noticed that time stood still as all fighting stopped, dashed forward for the boat that Bicharia had been heading for. The rest of the crew joined him. He shouted back to Tyra "I will have my revenge, hare! Do not sleep easy at night!!!!!!!!!!"
As time began to move again, Tyra staggered back against one of the masts, holding her shoulder. Tulia, Katzey and the other Redwallers moved through the remaining oarslaves, taking stock of injuries and pushing vermin overboard.
"Well," Tyra muttered as Katzey walked by. "We're free now, now wot are we goin' ta do."
************************************************************
"Okay, let me get this strait," Predak said, sighing. "There is no wood to make a good catapult, and there is no sign of any returning patrols."
"No, there isn't, but there just isn't any wood around her--"
"Then, idiot, send them out further! Use your brain, if you have one!"
Eric saluted and stumbled off.
************************************************************
Flatnose finally reached the front of the ship, while Tyra and Katzey stared forward at the wall.
"There isn't supposed to be any talking around 'ere, youse twos."
Suddently the rat found himself staring into Tyra's face-and in it he saw the only resistance that he ever had.
"Rat," Tyra said angrly, "I have never taken orders off a flippen' vermin, an' I am not starting now. Especially if that stupid vermin is tellin' me who I can talk to or when."
"You'll 'ave ta get used ta it, 'are, because--"
But because why no one ever found out, for at that exact moment Tulia leaned over and with a spare block of driftwood she struck out heedlessly at Flatnose, hitting him hard on the back. He turned quickly, unwrapping the whip he had curled around his paw.
"Just fer that, otter, you're gettin' punished afore dis 'are does!" He swung the whip up high, but it never came down.
In turning the rat had let Tyra grab her blade from the back of his belt. After freeing herself she lept forward and caught the whip, then used her sword to cut it off.
Flatnose just stared dumbly at the cut whip, before turning to Tyra, who just pushed him against the wall and placed her sword at his throat.
All of the oarslaves stared in shock at the pair, now up against the wall of the ship.
"Now, rat, throw your key ta me friend Katzey dere. Unless..."
Flatnose threw the key to Katzey, who unlocked the others and herself, and all of the oarslaves ran up to the deck to take care of those on deck.
Suddently the Bloodfarl heaved, and Tyra stumbled back and fell onto one of the now-empty oarslave benches. Flatnose dashed forward, and drew his sword. He swung it down.
Tyra rolled off of the bench, the sword catching her ear by an inch. She lept up and swung her sword at the rat, who pulled his out of the bench in the nick of time and met Tyra's sword in a loud clash.
Flatnose spun around and ran to the ladder that lead to the deck. He climed up it, closely followed by Tyra.
They met back on deck, Tyra swinging her sword and catching the rat on his chest, causing only a shallow gash. He met her thrust and she lept back.
************************************************************
Katzey had found Cap'n Bicharia.
He had been trying to run off of the ship, to one of the small escape boats he had tied to the side. Heedlessly he ran, trying to escape the battle raging on deck. But suddently he turned, strait into Katzey. He had no time to draw his sword before she stepped back and stabbed forward, taking him through the stomach. The last thing he ever heard were her words.
"This is for my mother and father!!!!!!!!!!!!"
**************************************************** ********
By the time he knew that (the former) Cap'n Bicharia had fallen, Flatnose stood with half of one of his paws shorn off, and Tyra was bleeding freely from her shoulder. Finally, after he noticed that time stood still as all fighting stopped, dashed forward for the boat that Bicharia had been heading for. The rest of the crew joined him. He shouted back to Tyra "I will have my revenge, hare! Do not sleep easy at night!!!!!!!!!!"
As time began to move again, Tyra staggered back against one of the masts, holding her shoulder. Tulia, Katzey and the other Redwallers moved through the remaining oarslaves, taking stock of injuries and pushing vermin overboard.
"Well," Tyra muttered as Katzey walked by. "We're free now, now wot are we goin' ta do."
************************************************************
