Chapter Seventeen: A Bloodless Duel
Brutus had been awake for a short while, watching his bound crewbeasts lying, most of them unconscious, nearby. Small groups of ferrets stood around watching the corsair prisoners, chatting quietly and admiring their stolen apparel. The large black rat glanced out over the waters, then looked up to the moon. A silver lunar insignia emblazoned upon the banner of night, Brutus noticed that the crescent moon was low in the night sky, indicating it had not been dark for very long. He discerned that they had wandered and fought into the early afternoon, and had been efficiently knocked out throughout the evening.
Turning his dark eyes to the land again, Brutus quietly observed the groups of ferret islanders guarding the 'intruders.' Each little group had a large bucket with a dipper, as well as a fair-sized woven basket, and the rat couldn't tell what was in each. Brutus also noticed that there were a fair amount of female ferrets amongst the groups, and each was dressed in a similar warrior-like fashion as the males.
The twinkling lights from the caves dotting the cliffs above the beach drew Brutus' eye, and he sat upon the sand, contemplating the society they had stumbled upon. However, his quiet pondering was interrupted by a rowdy shout of a female ferret islander.
"Yarr! You gots two 'dem sashes! I s'posed t' get one!"
A male ferret, sporting two ridiculously clashing sashes, snorted and held up his large bone-tipped bamboo spear, and the female brandished her own. Another female shouted aloud, at which other ferrets began to assemble around the pair.
"Challenge!"
The gathered islanders spread out to give the challengers room, and the two young ferrets began to circle each other, spears held at the ready. The female lunged, pushing out with the tough bamboo haft of her spear, knocking her slightly unprepared opponent off balance. He stumbled back and barely missed the female's clumsy kick to his snout. Using the butt of his spear, the male launched himself forward again as he caught his balance, barreling into the female's stomach. She got the wind knocked out of her as she crashed to the sand, but skillfully rolled out of the way as he brought his spear point down to pin her. The other ferrets were egging them on.
"Yarr! You show dat young 'ot 'ead, Blade-of-Sea!"
"Show strength, Anger-Like-Wind!"
Blade-of-Sea, the female, sprung up and booted Anger-Like-Wind hard in his rear as he lifted his spear again, sending him sprawling to land facedown. Roaring and spitting sand, Anger-Like-Wind pushed himself up off the ground, only to be booted once more. The ferrets crowded around were laughing and shouting, and Blade-of-Sea rolled Anger-Like-Wind onto his back using her footpaw, her spear-blade resting against the young male's throat. The islander crowd cheered and Blade-of-Sea let her opponent rise. They shook paws and Anger-Like-Wind untied one of his sashes, passing it respectfully to the victor.
Brutus found it difficult not to cheer himself along with the ferrets. He was impressed with the civilized combat, which had not shed a single drop of blood. Also, the respect that the two young warriors gave each other after the duel was quite noble in Brutus' eyes. Perhaps these savages weren't quite as savage as they seemed? The pudgy black rat sat and continued to dwell upon his observations until he caught sight of Captain Morgan returning to the beach.
Brutus had been awake for a short while, watching his bound crewbeasts lying, most of them unconscious, nearby. Small groups of ferrets stood around watching the corsair prisoners, chatting quietly and admiring their stolen apparel. The large black rat glanced out over the waters, then looked up to the moon. A silver lunar insignia emblazoned upon the banner of night, Brutus noticed that the crescent moon was low in the night sky, indicating it had not been dark for very long. He discerned that they had wandered and fought into the early afternoon, and had been efficiently knocked out throughout the evening.
Turning his dark eyes to the land again, Brutus quietly observed the groups of ferret islanders guarding the 'intruders.' Each little group had a large bucket with a dipper, as well as a fair-sized woven basket, and the rat couldn't tell what was in each. Brutus also noticed that there were a fair amount of female ferrets amongst the groups, and each was dressed in a similar warrior-like fashion as the males.
The twinkling lights from the caves dotting the cliffs above the beach drew Brutus' eye, and he sat upon the sand, contemplating the society they had stumbled upon. However, his quiet pondering was interrupted by a rowdy shout of a female ferret islander.
"Yarr! You gots two 'dem sashes! I s'posed t' get one!"
A male ferret, sporting two ridiculously clashing sashes, snorted and held up his large bone-tipped bamboo spear, and the female brandished her own. Another female shouted aloud, at which other ferrets began to assemble around the pair.
"Challenge!"
The gathered islanders spread out to give the challengers room, and the two young ferrets began to circle each other, spears held at the ready. The female lunged, pushing out with the tough bamboo haft of her spear, knocking her slightly unprepared opponent off balance. He stumbled back and barely missed the female's clumsy kick to his snout. Using the butt of his spear, the male launched himself forward again as he caught his balance, barreling into the female's stomach. She got the wind knocked out of her as she crashed to the sand, but skillfully rolled out of the way as he brought his spear point down to pin her. The other ferrets were egging them on.
"Yarr! You show dat young 'ot 'ead, Blade-of-Sea!"
"Show strength, Anger-Like-Wind!"
Blade-of-Sea, the female, sprung up and booted Anger-Like-Wind hard in his rear as he lifted his spear again, sending him sprawling to land facedown. Roaring and spitting sand, Anger-Like-Wind pushed himself up off the ground, only to be booted once more. The ferrets crowded around were laughing and shouting, and Blade-of-Sea rolled Anger-Like-Wind onto his back using her footpaw, her spear-blade resting against the young male's throat. The islander crowd cheered and Blade-of-Sea let her opponent rise. They shook paws and Anger-Like-Wind untied one of his sashes, passing it respectfully to the victor.
Brutus found it difficult not to cheer himself along with the ferrets. He was impressed with the civilized combat, which had not shed a single drop of blood. Also, the respect that the two young warriors gave each other after the duel was quite noble in Brutus' eyes. Perhaps these savages weren't quite as savage as they seemed? The pudgy black rat sat and continued to dwell upon his observations until he caught sight of Captain Morgan returning to the beach.