Author Notes: Finally, I put a fighting scene in here. As always please
R&R. And PLEASE review my Martin/Rose fic, ``For the Sake of a Rose``.
DISCLAIMER: Basically, everything is copyright Brian Jacques. . .except, for Vega, Blade, and the plot.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Chapter VI: The Name Is Laterose
*****
Cluny glared furiously at Baneclaw. ``What, by hell`s teeth, is the meaning of this?!``
``I believe tis called mutiny.`` Baneclaw said with a mocking salute. ``It seems the great Lord Carouss will have two more slaves.``
The Scourge snapped his trademark tail menacingly. ``Go a head, try. . .let`s see what happens.`` His voice was deadly calm as he continued to swish his tail and draw a cutlass from the sheath at his side. Vega quickly pulled out the short sword he had armed himself with and stood ready to fight.
``Fine then,`` Baneclaw snarled. ``Ya shoulda surrendered!``
Cluny nodded slightly to Vega. Their former crew was hesitating. . .they were afraid to attack Cluny. This was all the time the Scourge needed. With ferocious yells, the fox and sea rat charged their former shipmates, sword, cutlass, and whip-tail swinging.
The Scourge leapt at Baneclaw aiming for his face, but the cowardly weasel - by dumb luck - slipped on a stone and avoided the blow that would surely have been the end of him. Baneclaw took this opportunity to kick out at his opponent`s legs, but Cluny was too fast for him. The sea rat jumped away and brought his tail around so that he could whack Baneclaw across the jaw line before he whirled to the side and beheaded a ferret who was trying to sneak up on him.
Vega was fairing pretty well too. He ran one of the rats through with his short sword before slashing violently at one of the shadowed figures.
Baneclaw couldn`t believe it. There was a chance, however slight, that Vega and Cluny could win! Their fighting-style was part of the problem. As long as they were somewhat back-to-back, they were able to watch out for each other, and Baneclaw couldn`t have that! He quickly darted forward slamming into a surprised Vega and knocking him away from Cluny.
The final attack came from behind. Once Baneclaw had managed to get Cluny and Vega side-to-side instead of back-to-back, two foxes who had remained hidden fired sling stones. The last thing the Scourge saw was Baneclaw`s putrid grin. . .then everything went black.
~~~
Cluny`s head throbbed unbearable, and he almost wished that he would pass out again. Then he heard voices. But everything was fuzzy and broken off. Even his returning vision was disoriented. Suddenly, two faces became clear. One was Vega and the other was. . .Blade! Cluny sat up sharply. He winced and clutched his head, the abrupt movement making it ache worse than before.
``Here,`` Blade said gently as she pushed a bowl of water to the sea rat`s lips.
Cluny sipped gratefully. ``Thank you. Where are we?``
Vega grinned lopsidedly, his voice practically dripping sarcasm, ``Welcome to Lord Carouss`s dungeons. Really great vacation spot from what I've heard -``
``Healer,`` Blade interrupted irritably, ``I think there are some others over there who need your help.``
Vega rolled his eyes, but went over to check on the slaves Blade had indicated.
The mouse-maid sat down next to Cluny. ``How`s yer head? That fox, Vega, told me it was pretty bad.``
``It`s a bit better now.``
The silence stretched on uncomfortable before Blade spoke again. ``I wanted to thank you for saving my life, so, um, thank you.`` She paused for a moment, not quite sure how to continue. "Er, why DID you save my life? I mean the real reason, not because Carouss was paying you.``
Cluny sighed. ``Because you. . .sorta remind me of someone.``
``Hmm. Well, I guess I believe that,`` Blade replied suspiciously. ``Do I remind you of a friend of yours?``
The sea rat chuckled slightly, ``Actually, no.``
``Oookaay,`` Blade`s surprise was evident, but she quickly ignored it. ``It`s your turn to ask one.``
Cluny raised an eyebrow. ``One what?``
``A question.``
``Alright. Why did your parents name you `Blade`?``
The mouse-maid rolled her eyes and answered evasively, ``I`m sure plenty of your people have names like that, Cluny. I don`t see how you find `Blade` to be and odd name.``
``As you can see, my people are rats. So, my question still stands. What kind of mice name their daughter `Blade`.``
``Blade`s not my real name,`` the mouse-maid grumbled.
``Then what is it?`` the Scourge requested almost politely.
`` `S a family name, but I`m not tellin`.``
``Come on,`` Cluny protested. With an exasperated sigh, the sea rat muttered, ``Please.``
``Fine,`` Blade spat. ``It`s. . .Laterose. Go ahead laugh. Don`t you think it`s stupid?``
``No, I don`t. It`s a nice name.``
The mouse-maid looked surprised, ``You really think so?``
Cluny nodded, ``Yes, why did you change it?``
Blade smiled sheepishly, ``Well. . .it really didn`t fit with my whole persona. I mean Laterose the Warrior, that`s not exactly going to strike fear into the hearts of vermin.``
``Uh-huh,`` the sea rat replied. ``And I`ll forget you said that last part, but I do understand where you`re coming from.``
The mouse continued to smile before she added, ``And if you tell ANYONE that my real name is Laterose, I`ll kill you.``
Cluny smirked and replied mockingly, ``I`d enjoy watching you try.``
``Be careful what you wish for,`` Blade retorted under her breath before she called the other slaves to attention and ended their private conversation. ``Listen to me everyone. We shall not be slaves to Carouss for long. We WILL have our freedom, but first we need a plan of escape.``
Vega stepped forward.
``I have an idea.``
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
More Notes: And next we will have Vega's escape plan. o__0
DISCLAIMER: Basically, everything is copyright Brian Jacques. . .except, for Vega, Blade, and the plot.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Chapter VI: The Name Is Laterose
*****
Cluny glared furiously at Baneclaw. ``What, by hell`s teeth, is the meaning of this?!``
``I believe tis called mutiny.`` Baneclaw said with a mocking salute. ``It seems the great Lord Carouss will have two more slaves.``
The Scourge snapped his trademark tail menacingly. ``Go a head, try. . .let`s see what happens.`` His voice was deadly calm as he continued to swish his tail and draw a cutlass from the sheath at his side. Vega quickly pulled out the short sword he had armed himself with and stood ready to fight.
``Fine then,`` Baneclaw snarled. ``Ya shoulda surrendered!``
Cluny nodded slightly to Vega. Their former crew was hesitating. . .they were afraid to attack Cluny. This was all the time the Scourge needed. With ferocious yells, the fox and sea rat charged their former shipmates, sword, cutlass, and whip-tail swinging.
The Scourge leapt at Baneclaw aiming for his face, but the cowardly weasel - by dumb luck - slipped on a stone and avoided the blow that would surely have been the end of him. Baneclaw took this opportunity to kick out at his opponent`s legs, but Cluny was too fast for him. The sea rat jumped away and brought his tail around so that he could whack Baneclaw across the jaw line before he whirled to the side and beheaded a ferret who was trying to sneak up on him.
Vega was fairing pretty well too. He ran one of the rats through with his short sword before slashing violently at one of the shadowed figures.
Baneclaw couldn`t believe it. There was a chance, however slight, that Vega and Cluny could win! Their fighting-style was part of the problem. As long as they were somewhat back-to-back, they were able to watch out for each other, and Baneclaw couldn`t have that! He quickly darted forward slamming into a surprised Vega and knocking him away from Cluny.
The final attack came from behind. Once Baneclaw had managed to get Cluny and Vega side-to-side instead of back-to-back, two foxes who had remained hidden fired sling stones. The last thing the Scourge saw was Baneclaw`s putrid grin. . .then everything went black.
~~~
Cluny`s head throbbed unbearable, and he almost wished that he would pass out again. Then he heard voices. But everything was fuzzy and broken off. Even his returning vision was disoriented. Suddenly, two faces became clear. One was Vega and the other was. . .Blade! Cluny sat up sharply. He winced and clutched his head, the abrupt movement making it ache worse than before.
``Here,`` Blade said gently as she pushed a bowl of water to the sea rat`s lips.
Cluny sipped gratefully. ``Thank you. Where are we?``
Vega grinned lopsidedly, his voice practically dripping sarcasm, ``Welcome to Lord Carouss`s dungeons. Really great vacation spot from what I've heard -``
``Healer,`` Blade interrupted irritably, ``I think there are some others over there who need your help.``
Vega rolled his eyes, but went over to check on the slaves Blade had indicated.
The mouse-maid sat down next to Cluny. ``How`s yer head? That fox, Vega, told me it was pretty bad.``
``It`s a bit better now.``
The silence stretched on uncomfortable before Blade spoke again. ``I wanted to thank you for saving my life, so, um, thank you.`` She paused for a moment, not quite sure how to continue. "Er, why DID you save my life? I mean the real reason, not because Carouss was paying you.``
Cluny sighed. ``Because you. . .sorta remind me of someone.``
``Hmm. Well, I guess I believe that,`` Blade replied suspiciously. ``Do I remind you of a friend of yours?``
The sea rat chuckled slightly, ``Actually, no.``
``Oookaay,`` Blade`s surprise was evident, but she quickly ignored it. ``It`s your turn to ask one.``
Cluny raised an eyebrow. ``One what?``
``A question.``
``Alright. Why did your parents name you `Blade`?``
The mouse-maid rolled her eyes and answered evasively, ``I`m sure plenty of your people have names like that, Cluny. I don`t see how you find `Blade` to be and odd name.``
``As you can see, my people are rats. So, my question still stands. What kind of mice name their daughter `Blade`.``
``Blade`s not my real name,`` the mouse-maid grumbled.
``Then what is it?`` the Scourge requested almost politely.
`` `S a family name, but I`m not tellin`.``
``Come on,`` Cluny protested. With an exasperated sigh, the sea rat muttered, ``Please.``
``Fine,`` Blade spat. ``It`s. . .Laterose. Go ahead laugh. Don`t you think it`s stupid?``
``No, I don`t. It`s a nice name.``
The mouse-maid looked surprised, ``You really think so?``
Cluny nodded, ``Yes, why did you change it?``
Blade smiled sheepishly, ``Well. . .it really didn`t fit with my whole persona. I mean Laterose the Warrior, that`s not exactly going to strike fear into the hearts of vermin.``
``Uh-huh,`` the sea rat replied. ``And I`ll forget you said that last part, but I do understand where you`re coming from.``
The mouse continued to smile before she added, ``And if you tell ANYONE that my real name is Laterose, I`ll kill you.``
Cluny smirked and replied mockingly, ``I`d enjoy watching you try.``
``Be careful what you wish for,`` Blade retorted under her breath before she called the other slaves to attention and ended their private conversation. ``Listen to me everyone. We shall not be slaves to Carouss for long. We WILL have our freedom, but first we need a plan of escape.``
Vega stepped forward.
``I have an idea.``
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
More Notes: And next we will have Vega's escape plan. o__0