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Blazeback was furious. Seven wildcats attacked his mountain. Seven! He smashed the sword he was crafting into fragments in his uncontrollable fury. He panted as he dropped his enormous war hammer on the ground. He decided it was time to take action. He was Blazeback the Untamed. Badger lord of Salamandastron. He slowly glanced around him. Broadswords, pikes, spears and all kinds of lethal looking weapons hung from the walls. He was in his smithing chamber. Blazeback would often come here to seek solitude when he was deep in thought. Even the hares of the long patrol could not follow him here. But this time things were different. His eyes clouded over as he reached for another dull, unfinished sword. Darkstripe and his band of wild cats had attacked his fort three moons and three suns ago. They used guerilla tactics and they quickly overwhelmed the fighting hares. They slaughtered at least a dozen hares where they stood. Merciless killers. Blazeback continued to pound at the sword, his rage building. The gang of vermin were extremely skilled in the art of war. They were armed to the teeth. The badger lord recalled the battle perfectly from the beginning in his mind

It was a scorching day in the southeast at Salamandastron. The perilous hares were getting ready for another patrol around the fringes of Mossflower when a dark hooded figure strode out of Mossflower Wood and stood in front of the colossal mountain. The badger lord quickly noticed the creature from his bedchamber window and gave orders to his fighting hares. They circled the figure and finally Blazeback marched out of Salamandastron. The shadowy figure pulled the hood back to reveal his face. It was an evil looking wildcat armed with two deadly looking curved swords strapped to his back and a sling with a pouch of pebbles at his side. What instantly struck the badger about the beast was his deep blue eyes. They looked cheery and innocent yet dangerous. This was not a creature to pick a fight with yet Blazebacks pride was at stake and he feared no one. What brings you to this part of Mossflower country and what do you want vermin.' He stated firmly. The black cats face creased into a an almost friendly smile. I want your mountain.'

Puzzled thoughts raced through the badger's mind. Why would a single creature simply invite himself into Blazebacks beloved mountain and take over. Was he simply out of his mind? Or was there more to this shady character than met the eye. He kept a serious face as he tried to hide his astonishment. He wasn't armored at all except for his giant war hammer which he held tightly. Are you going to state your real business or are you going to stare at me all day with those pretty eyes of yours. I'm in no mood for jokes coming from scum like you. Talk or I'll slay you on the spot.' To all the hares bewilderment, the wild cat actually chuckled. He slowly drew both of his deadly blades. Blazeback swiftly noted the mysterious badger markings that overcast the swords. I am Darkstripe the Swift. Get out of my way you big clumsy stripedog. I'm after the treasure that's buried in your precious mountain. Now step aside and be spared.' He hissed venomously. The hares circling the badger and the wild cat, pointed their pikes and spears closer as if to display their authority. Darkstripe made no move.

A hare named Boltpaw finally lost his temper with the confident Darkstripe and decided that this was a perfect time to gain respect from his master. Jolly bad form sah, strollin' in here like you own the place wot, wot. I'll knock some bloomin' manners into yer thick skull!' Before the badger lord could stop him the reckless hare dashed forward with his pike held high ready to strike when an arrow zipped by from a near by tree like an angry hornet. Boltpaw fell like a log before he knew what hit him, the shaft transfixed through his throat. Darkstripe chuckled and darted into the woods. That was the final straw. The bloodwrath had come over Blazeback the Untamed. The berserk badger stormed into the forest dealing out chaos to anything in his way. As the hares crowded around Boltpaw's body a hare captain, Windpetal, quickly issued orders. Reckla, take half of the forces back to guard the bally mountain wot, I'll take the rest and follow Lord Blazeback.' Reckla nodded grimly. I never thought I'd see the day when the awful bloodwrath would come over poor Blazeback since his family was slaughtered by searats. I wouldn't want to be in that cats fur when m'lord gets his paws on him, no way sah.'

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As dozens of hares hit the forest in a wave, Blazeback ploughed through the trees in search of the murderer who killed Boltpaw. The scum obviously was not alone. After leaving a path of destruction behind him, the maddened badger finally sighted his enemy. The black cat stood grinning, his piercing blue eyes glimmering and his weapons not drawn. Unwary of the trap awaiting him he charged at his hated foe. In a blink of an eye, a net of thick vine shot down on the lord of Salamandastron. As he battled his way through the heavy net shafts pelted down on him from the trees. The badger lord slowly drifted to unconsciousness as arrows pierced his body. His blood red eyes started to close and the last thing he saw before he drifted away was his blue-eyed enemy laughing as he faded into the distance.

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Blazeback the Untamed continued to pound away at the dull sword as the rest of the battle drifted back to him. A trio of hares that had not been injured during the battle found Blazebacks body and made a stretcher for him. His body resembled a pincushion but it looked as if he was going to be fine. Others though were not so lucky... Three quarters of the hares that followed him were slaughtered and the rest badly injured. One of the survivors was Windpetal who was slowly dying of blood loss. She said there were only seven attackers in the woodlands and after they finished off her comrades they ganged up on her. She took out three of them single-handedly before she was knocked unconscious. The badger slammed his war hammer against the red hot sword as he remembered Winpetals courageous face as she drifted off to Dark Forest.

Suddenly Blazeback grabbed the finally finished sword and flung it with all his might. It ended up buried up to its handle in the thick oak door. His paw reached for his war hammer. I'll get you for this, cat! I shall follow you to Hell Gates and back to hunt you down, I swear this upon my war hammer which was passed down to the bravest badgers lords of Salamandastron for generations! I will get you for this!!!' The echo of Blazebacks voice echoed through the woodlands but was not heard by Darkstripe who had fled the scene of battle. He would return to conquer the legendary mountain of Blazeback even if he had to get through the badger lord himself to get it...