Finally, a week passed. The sky was a brilliant blood red and a feeling of
uncertainty hung in the air. Salamandastron's forces had combined with
Redwall forces and were ready for battle. Dima Nero's one thousand vermin
slaves were all standing in straight rows, looking smart and sharp in their
uniforms. Lord Snowstripe had a feeling that he would be able to save his
sister and have a wonderful victory celebration back home at Redwall. Dima
Nero was confident the number of his troops alone was enough to shatter any
opponent's courage.
"Let me look upon your face, sea rat!" Lord Snowstripe shouted towards the opposing army.
"Not until I look upon yours, stripedog!" Dima Nero retorted.
Lord Snowstripe merely grunted. "First, let me show you something!" He fit an arrow to his bow and let it fly. It shot down one of the rats in the front ranks, and the rat fell with an agonizing cry. As always, the Badger Lord of Salamandastron had started the war.
The warriors of Salamandastron broke down the front ranks of the Rapscallion army quickly, while Redwall archers moved quickly around the bulk of the two armies and picked off as many vermin as they could. Then, suddenly, the Salamandastron and Redwall fighters moved back into the circle of archers at the sound of three shrill whistles from Lord Snowstripe. The Rapscallions were surrounded!
While the warriors closed in on their enemy, Justine and Callista were sent with a small band of fighters to go and find Lady Melanius inside the castle. There were, surprisingly, only three lazy dozing guards at the door of Melanius's dungeon. The rescue team quickly slew them, took the keys from one of the dead guards, and helped the Badger Lady out of the prison.
Lady Melanius, once so strong and beautiful, was now thin and had 3 years of torture etched on her frail body. Yet, still, once she was out of the prison cell, fire burned in her eyes, and after Justine and Callista fed her some food and told her of the battle, Lady Melanius was ready for war. She insisted that the girls help her find the hardwood stick given to her by her father, Lord Russano. They found it hidden in one of the storage rooms that the Rapscallion armies had for keeping their loot. Callista opened the door with one of the keys on the key ring they took from the guard. Justine, Callista, and Melanius armed themselves well with the loot that the Rapscallions took and took back the one hundred precious golden coins. Then they all went out of the Rapscallion castle to see what became of the battle.
"Let me look upon your face, sea rat!" Lord Snowstripe shouted towards the opposing army.
"Not until I look upon yours, stripedog!" Dima Nero retorted.
Lord Snowstripe merely grunted. "First, let me show you something!" He fit an arrow to his bow and let it fly. It shot down one of the rats in the front ranks, and the rat fell with an agonizing cry. As always, the Badger Lord of Salamandastron had started the war.
The warriors of Salamandastron broke down the front ranks of the Rapscallion army quickly, while Redwall archers moved quickly around the bulk of the two armies and picked off as many vermin as they could. Then, suddenly, the Salamandastron and Redwall fighters moved back into the circle of archers at the sound of three shrill whistles from Lord Snowstripe. The Rapscallions were surrounded!
While the warriors closed in on their enemy, Justine and Callista were sent with a small band of fighters to go and find Lady Melanius inside the castle. There were, surprisingly, only three lazy dozing guards at the door of Melanius's dungeon. The rescue team quickly slew them, took the keys from one of the dead guards, and helped the Badger Lady out of the prison.
Lady Melanius, once so strong and beautiful, was now thin and had 3 years of torture etched on her frail body. Yet, still, once she was out of the prison cell, fire burned in her eyes, and after Justine and Callista fed her some food and told her of the battle, Lady Melanius was ready for war. She insisted that the girls help her find the hardwood stick given to her by her father, Lord Russano. They found it hidden in one of the storage rooms that the Rapscallion armies had for keeping their loot. Callista opened the door with one of the keys on the key ring they took from the guard. Justine, Callista, and Melanius armed themselves well with the loot that the Rapscallions took and took back the one hundred precious golden coins. Then they all went out of the Rapscallion castle to see what became of the battle.