It was dawn when the Death Watchers made their first move against the
'helpless travelers.'
The landscape worked to their advantage, many dunes and hills to keep the Death Watchers hidden. Algan wasn't with them of course, the rat had decided to keep himself and Meras back behind the lines in the extremely unlikely prospect a fight did occur. Despite his superior scouting and fighting abilities Algan had a coward streak that showed in battle often. He would never display it in front of the General however, that was an easy way to get oneself killed.
The rat Larken was leading the group of ten creatures, had led them through a two day trek. All were well armed, mostly with the traditional long blades that most of the Death Watch beasts carried. Larken himself favored a cutlass from his searat days.
Pawing the cutlass edge he rapped out quick orders to the other nine beasts along with him. "Right, mates. I want to make this quick.take prisoners if y'can.if there are too many te 'andle, then we get back to the others and hit 'em with everything we got! I doubt it'll come to that though...if the commander is right then these ain;t proper fightin' beasts."
The other nine grinned to themselves, each had their blades drawn and out, eager for slaughter. Larken didn't particularly like Algan, but loyalty to a superior officer was important if one was going to advance through the Death watch ranks.besides, the Death Watchers rarely lacked in money or killings.
"Ready, mateys?" Quick nods were all the answer the rat needed. "Oy.you, weasel.whats yer name?"
The shifty looking weasel he addressed stood up. "Garlaw, seargent..."
Larken nodded. "Well, Garlaw. You just take a run up that hill.I want you to run up those hills and take a quick look.if there is anything behind them, then report to me immediately.
Garlaw nodded and scrambled up the hill, eager to end this journey under the hot sun. ***
Deran Ariakas hadn't slept the previous night, neither had any under his command following Sydas's report. It was the summer now and his fur had turned a rich red, he liked his white coloring much better.
"Alright, mates.any sign of any Death Watchers?"
A smattering of irritated no's greeted the young ermine.
Deran had taken his archer command along with Jald Nightson's sword beasts. Eroket and Talrid had gone east and Kalis, Sarhein and Kallen scouted west, as they had just come from the north it was useless to travel that way again.
Deran noticed a fox scout with exceptionally good eyes walking to him. "Hey, Sharpeye.see anything intresting?" Sharpeye was small in stature and a bit skinny for a fox but he was an exceptional scout and had amazing vision. He wasn't a bad archer either. "Yeah, Deran.a weasel about a hundred feet off.dressed in Death Watch scout uniform." Deran was up immediately, if Sharpeye said anything else, he didn't hear, instead he scrambled over to the archers he had appointed to stand near the ridge, hidden by the dune, invisible to the casual observer Jald and his melee fighters were thankfully guarding the rear near the forest to their backs. Deran couldn't bear the ferret's company. "Alright, mates.we have an enemy scout coming from the front.that emans there are more beyond.lets make sure he doesn't make a report back." The skilled archers nodded, except one, a young looking ferret about Deran's age. "You're Balif, right?" "Yessir." Deran nodded. "How long have you been a Calpathion, Balif?" The ferret thought. "A year tomorrow, commander." "Have you ever shot at another beast before except in practice?" Balif shook his head. Deran assumed a stern glance. "Nock an arrow." Balif did as he was told. "Aim it forward." The young ferret did so.Deran drew the long sword he always held, despite being an average swords beast, and put it against the bow, carefully nudging it. "Little to right.good! Pull back." Balif pulled the arrow back so the blue fletching touched his brown furred cheek. Deran withdrew the blade so as not to hamper the arrow's flight. Garlaw had been going slow as to not draw attention, he had already walked a good three hundred feet and was considering turning back, he wasn't an experienced scout, more of a fighter but a careless mistake had brought down the wrath of his former commander Geras upon him, only through Meras, Geras's twin brother, who had always been against the killing of subordinates, Garlaw had survived and been transferred to Algan's troops. Garlaw wiped a paw against his brow, the sun as rising and it was merciful in this damned area, a small glint of metal caught his eye. Was that.a sword? And by the looks of it a red paw holding it.and a bow.with an arrow nocked to it The next thing Garlaw heard was. "And release." "Lar-" Garlaw's cry to his seargent, who wouldn't have been able to hear him anyways due to distance, was quickly cut off. Its hard to talk with a blue fletching arrow in your skull. Deran sheathed his sword. "Nice shot, Balif." Balif smiled. "Thank you, sir..." The young ferret withdrew a new arrow and placed it to his bow. Deran replied quickly. "Three of you get the corpse and take it over here-put sand over the bloodstains.we'll bury him when you get him over here." Three archers silently crossed the dunes to collect Garlaw's corpse. The day was becoming more interesting by the moment.
The landscape worked to their advantage, many dunes and hills to keep the Death Watchers hidden. Algan wasn't with them of course, the rat had decided to keep himself and Meras back behind the lines in the extremely unlikely prospect a fight did occur. Despite his superior scouting and fighting abilities Algan had a coward streak that showed in battle often. He would never display it in front of the General however, that was an easy way to get oneself killed.
The rat Larken was leading the group of ten creatures, had led them through a two day trek. All were well armed, mostly with the traditional long blades that most of the Death Watch beasts carried. Larken himself favored a cutlass from his searat days.
Pawing the cutlass edge he rapped out quick orders to the other nine beasts along with him. "Right, mates. I want to make this quick.take prisoners if y'can.if there are too many te 'andle, then we get back to the others and hit 'em with everything we got! I doubt it'll come to that though...if the commander is right then these ain;t proper fightin' beasts."
The other nine grinned to themselves, each had their blades drawn and out, eager for slaughter. Larken didn't particularly like Algan, but loyalty to a superior officer was important if one was going to advance through the Death watch ranks.besides, the Death Watchers rarely lacked in money or killings.
"Ready, mateys?" Quick nods were all the answer the rat needed. "Oy.you, weasel.whats yer name?"
The shifty looking weasel he addressed stood up. "Garlaw, seargent..."
Larken nodded. "Well, Garlaw. You just take a run up that hill.I want you to run up those hills and take a quick look.if there is anything behind them, then report to me immediately.
Garlaw nodded and scrambled up the hill, eager to end this journey under the hot sun. ***
Deran Ariakas hadn't slept the previous night, neither had any under his command following Sydas's report. It was the summer now and his fur had turned a rich red, he liked his white coloring much better.
"Alright, mates.any sign of any Death Watchers?"
A smattering of irritated no's greeted the young ermine.
Deran had taken his archer command along with Jald Nightson's sword beasts. Eroket and Talrid had gone east and Kalis, Sarhein and Kallen scouted west, as they had just come from the north it was useless to travel that way again.
Deran noticed a fox scout with exceptionally good eyes walking to him. "Hey, Sharpeye.see anything intresting?" Sharpeye was small in stature and a bit skinny for a fox but he was an exceptional scout and had amazing vision. He wasn't a bad archer either. "Yeah, Deran.a weasel about a hundred feet off.dressed in Death Watch scout uniform." Deran was up immediately, if Sharpeye said anything else, he didn't hear, instead he scrambled over to the archers he had appointed to stand near the ridge, hidden by the dune, invisible to the casual observer Jald and his melee fighters were thankfully guarding the rear near the forest to their backs. Deran couldn't bear the ferret's company. "Alright, mates.we have an enemy scout coming from the front.that emans there are more beyond.lets make sure he doesn't make a report back." The skilled archers nodded, except one, a young looking ferret about Deran's age. "You're Balif, right?" "Yessir." Deran nodded. "How long have you been a Calpathion, Balif?" The ferret thought. "A year tomorrow, commander." "Have you ever shot at another beast before except in practice?" Balif shook his head. Deran assumed a stern glance. "Nock an arrow." Balif did as he was told. "Aim it forward." The young ferret did so.Deran drew the long sword he always held, despite being an average swords beast, and put it against the bow, carefully nudging it. "Little to right.good! Pull back." Balif pulled the arrow back so the blue fletching touched his brown furred cheek. Deran withdrew the blade so as not to hamper the arrow's flight. Garlaw had been going slow as to not draw attention, he had already walked a good three hundred feet and was considering turning back, he wasn't an experienced scout, more of a fighter but a careless mistake had brought down the wrath of his former commander Geras upon him, only through Meras, Geras's twin brother, who had always been against the killing of subordinates, Garlaw had survived and been transferred to Algan's troops. Garlaw wiped a paw against his brow, the sun as rising and it was merciful in this damned area, a small glint of metal caught his eye. Was that.a sword? And by the looks of it a red paw holding it.and a bow.with an arrow nocked to it The next thing Garlaw heard was. "And release." "Lar-" Garlaw's cry to his seargent, who wouldn't have been able to hear him anyways due to distance, was quickly cut off. Its hard to talk with a blue fletching arrow in your skull. Deran sheathed his sword. "Nice shot, Balif." Balif smiled. "Thank you, sir..." The young ferret withdrew a new arrow and placed it to his bow. Deran replied quickly. "Three of you get the corpse and take it over here-put sand over the bloodstains.we'll bury him when you get him over here." Three archers silently crossed the dunes to collect Garlaw's corpse. The day was becoming more interesting by the moment.