~Theft Of The Sword~
~Chapter Thirteen~
The rest of the night passed over the Abbey of Redwall slowly as the rains of sling stones began once again as the moon reached its highest point. It was a lighter shower for the enemy horde was conserving its resources, but still enough to drive every beast to cover as the night went on. Outside the infirmary abbey beasts waited nervously on news of who had been injured and who had perished during the night. Finally Sister Alkanet came out to give the news of who had been slain just as the moon had begun to descend down into the horizon.
Almost a dozen beasts had been slain, a half dozen otter guards, three of the abbey brothers that had been up doing they duties in the kitchens had been slain as well as two others that had been wandering through the dark halls, assuming their safety within the walls of Redwall. The infirmary now held four more patients in addition to her previous two, all of them suffering from badly inflicted wounds to the neck, but the Sister was confident that they could survive the wound given the proper care and rest. In the meantime however the Abbey readied itself for the ensuing battle, most of them trying to get some sleep, but no beast involved, whether inside or outside Redwall got much sleep that night.
Finally, as the moon began to dip below the horizon, Pearl's forces had readied themselves hiding in the woods just to the south and north of their enemy, preparing to hit them from both sides. The sat, clutching their weapons, preparing themselves mentally for the horrors that were to come in the hours before them, as they waited upon the signal from Redwall, a whistling arrow that was to be shot by Skipper as Redwall exchanged shots with the vixen's horde. It would either be a bloodbath of a battle or there would be a quick and decisive battle depending on how the shadows worked.
In the moments before the sun began to rise into the sky, Kyin moved through the shadows of the wood, being careful to remain silent as he search for his prey. Keeping to the shadows the ferret moved among the vixen's horde unseen, but Arrikaj was no where to be found, a ghost in the night. Making his way to the back of the troops he decided that he would dig in and wait for the vixen to make her appearance in the morning. It was his duty and desire to end the vixen's life. He was to cut the snake's head from its body, hopefully ending the siege of Redwall before too many perished. As he waited he listened intently to the soldiers, watching them as they prepared themselves for the battle.
"So what d'ye think o' our new leader?" One of the horde beasts, a short rat, asked his companion, a female stoat.
"I dun think too much of 'er. Fancy wit that blade o' hers, but she's still got ta prove 'erself. Ye think this is so wise?" The stoat replied, leaning back against a tree as she looked over her sword.
"Ye mean attackin' Redwall? Maybe not the smartest idea a beast 'as ever 'ad, but if we win look at the rewards, even if the stories ain't true." The rat said, smiling slightly, probably imagining the spoils of war that were to be his.
"Yeah, but still. . .it's Redwall." She said it as though it were a fact, enough reason contained within those two words for them to rethink their plans.
"Aye, I know. We've all heard the stories. Hordes numbering thousands of beasts come to take Redwall and are turned away by the supposed peaceful beasts, coming back with mere handfuls of survivors." The rat glanced down at the stoat maid to find a worried look on her face. "I know what yer thinkin', but remember that that is just what they are. They're stories."
"Yeah, but still . . ." She murmured, not really able to believe her friend.
"They're jus' normal beasts jus' like you or me, it's not like they're magic or anything. You seriously don't really believe those sorts of stories?" The rat glanced at the stoat to find a slightly embarrassed look on her face, unable to contain himself the rat chuckled at the maid, patting her on the head to humiliate her further.
"So what if I do? You've heard the stories, they're not beasts ta be taken lightly." The maid replied with a huff, glaring at the rat.
"Here, I'll tell ye what, if the battle goes south we can always jus' retreat, I'll even go wit ye." The rat smiled reassuringly at the stoat that sighed before nodding her consent, with those words they disappeared away into the darkness, bound for the front of the horde, leaving Kyin alone.
"Interesting . . ." The ferret muttered to himself before he too disappeared into the dark.
~~~~~~
As the sun began to rise over Redwall, turning the sky a fiery red as it cast its glow upon the newly formed storm clouds that stirred violently in the sky, It felt as though nature itself were preparing to do battle as well as the winds began to blow and the first drops of rain began to fall upon the decided battlefield. Skipper and his crew stood upon the western wall, slings and javelin at the ready as below Deyna and a small force of Redwallers waited behind the safety of the main gate. Before them the vermin horde began to come out of the forest and he vixen finally revealed herself, concealed mostly by a ring of guards that stood protecting her. There it began, the first volleys of the battle, the first blood to be drawn.
"Redwaaallllll!!!" The ancient battle cry rose high above the battlefield as the main gate was flung open, arrows and sling stones flying high above them, the whistling arrow cutting through the air, soon enough the battle was in full swing, Redwallers fighting alongside Pearl and her forces, rain mixing with blood as the carnage ensued. The sky turned dark and the rain began to fall in sheets, lightning turning the battlefield an eerie white.
Sitting on a tree branch at the back of the battle, Kyin quickly leapt from his perch, both of his twin daggers drawn. With hesitation he landing on an unsuspecting weasel, driving both daggers through its back as the young ferret began to fight his way through the battle towards the vixen. Moving around the outskirts of the battle he soon found himself in the company of allies as they found on in the storm, arrows flying from Redwall, killing indiscriminately.
"Lookout, duck!" Somebeast called out and the ferret complied quickly, falling all fours as a spearhead scraped along Kyin's back, what would have been a deathblow. Out of the rains came Deyna, running through the attacker with his own spear as Kyin rolled forwards out of harms way.
"I see her, the vixen!" The ferret called, pointing in front of him where the sword of Martin could be seen, flashing in the lightning as it cut through the air.
"I've got her, you stay here." Deyna ordered as he began fighting his way towards the vixen.
"Not likely, mate." The ferret replied in a low voice as he dodged away from another spear thrust, plunging his dagger into another enemy as he too fought his way towards the vixen.
~~~~~~
Slowly the battle raged on until the first hour passed and the storm worsened, the rains began to fall ever harder, creating a fog of water as blood ran upon the ground, coursing over the fallen and through the long dead bodies of the slain. Arrikaj found her circle diminished to only a pair of guards that found hard, but she knew that they would fall eventually. During the first part of the battle she hadn't been fighting, saving herself for the time when it would be absolutely necessary and she had realized that the time had come. The might blade of Redwall in paw she fought fiercely, calling upon the training she had received in the southlands as she struck out with the sword, cutting down her enemies.
"Vixen!" A voice called and Arrikaj looked to find Deyna rushed at her with his spear ready, a red fire burning behind his eyes as he rushed at her. Hefting the sword the vixen quickly blocked the otter's blow, cutting the spear in half in the process, smiling she lifted the sword high into the air for the kill as Deyna stood with the broken pieces of his spear in paw.
"Die, otter!" The vixen cried out as her sword cut downwards towards the otter, but before the blade even made it halfway to its target, she was knocked to the ground by what seemed to be a blur of black. Growling angrily the vixen quickly jumped to her foot paws, holding the sword of Martin before her as she found her assailant, a young ferret in a drenched black cloak.
"Bastard!" She cursed, striking out with her blade. The ferret jumped back quickly, just avoiding the blade, but the vixen swung the sword around for another strike, drawing a long diagonal slice across the ferret's chest, driving him to the ground. The vixen swung the sword high into the air once more, going for the kill as her eyes burned red and then it happened. A sudden flash of light lit up the entire battlefield in a blinding white, a deafening thunder crackled in the sky and then all was silent and still on the muddy path. The light faded, the wind began to die down, the rains ceased and the battle was over.
~Chapter Thirteen~
The rest of the night passed over the Abbey of Redwall slowly as the rains of sling stones began once again as the moon reached its highest point. It was a lighter shower for the enemy horde was conserving its resources, but still enough to drive every beast to cover as the night went on. Outside the infirmary abbey beasts waited nervously on news of who had been injured and who had perished during the night. Finally Sister Alkanet came out to give the news of who had been slain just as the moon had begun to descend down into the horizon.
Almost a dozen beasts had been slain, a half dozen otter guards, three of the abbey brothers that had been up doing they duties in the kitchens had been slain as well as two others that had been wandering through the dark halls, assuming their safety within the walls of Redwall. The infirmary now held four more patients in addition to her previous two, all of them suffering from badly inflicted wounds to the neck, but the Sister was confident that they could survive the wound given the proper care and rest. In the meantime however the Abbey readied itself for the ensuing battle, most of them trying to get some sleep, but no beast involved, whether inside or outside Redwall got much sleep that night.
Finally, as the moon began to dip below the horizon, Pearl's forces had readied themselves hiding in the woods just to the south and north of their enemy, preparing to hit them from both sides. The sat, clutching their weapons, preparing themselves mentally for the horrors that were to come in the hours before them, as they waited upon the signal from Redwall, a whistling arrow that was to be shot by Skipper as Redwall exchanged shots with the vixen's horde. It would either be a bloodbath of a battle or there would be a quick and decisive battle depending on how the shadows worked.
In the moments before the sun began to rise into the sky, Kyin moved through the shadows of the wood, being careful to remain silent as he search for his prey. Keeping to the shadows the ferret moved among the vixen's horde unseen, but Arrikaj was no where to be found, a ghost in the night. Making his way to the back of the troops he decided that he would dig in and wait for the vixen to make her appearance in the morning. It was his duty and desire to end the vixen's life. He was to cut the snake's head from its body, hopefully ending the siege of Redwall before too many perished. As he waited he listened intently to the soldiers, watching them as they prepared themselves for the battle.
"So what d'ye think o' our new leader?" One of the horde beasts, a short rat, asked his companion, a female stoat.
"I dun think too much of 'er. Fancy wit that blade o' hers, but she's still got ta prove 'erself. Ye think this is so wise?" The stoat replied, leaning back against a tree as she looked over her sword.
"Ye mean attackin' Redwall? Maybe not the smartest idea a beast 'as ever 'ad, but if we win look at the rewards, even if the stories ain't true." The rat said, smiling slightly, probably imagining the spoils of war that were to be his.
"Yeah, but still. . .it's Redwall." She said it as though it were a fact, enough reason contained within those two words for them to rethink their plans.
"Aye, I know. We've all heard the stories. Hordes numbering thousands of beasts come to take Redwall and are turned away by the supposed peaceful beasts, coming back with mere handfuls of survivors." The rat glanced down at the stoat maid to find a worried look on her face. "I know what yer thinkin', but remember that that is just what they are. They're stories."
"Yeah, but still . . ." She murmured, not really able to believe her friend.
"They're jus' normal beasts jus' like you or me, it's not like they're magic or anything. You seriously don't really believe those sorts of stories?" The rat glanced at the stoat to find a slightly embarrassed look on her face, unable to contain himself the rat chuckled at the maid, patting her on the head to humiliate her further.
"So what if I do? You've heard the stories, they're not beasts ta be taken lightly." The maid replied with a huff, glaring at the rat.
"Here, I'll tell ye what, if the battle goes south we can always jus' retreat, I'll even go wit ye." The rat smiled reassuringly at the stoat that sighed before nodding her consent, with those words they disappeared away into the darkness, bound for the front of the horde, leaving Kyin alone.
"Interesting . . ." The ferret muttered to himself before he too disappeared into the dark.
~~~~~~
As the sun began to rise over Redwall, turning the sky a fiery red as it cast its glow upon the newly formed storm clouds that stirred violently in the sky, It felt as though nature itself were preparing to do battle as well as the winds began to blow and the first drops of rain began to fall upon the decided battlefield. Skipper and his crew stood upon the western wall, slings and javelin at the ready as below Deyna and a small force of Redwallers waited behind the safety of the main gate. Before them the vermin horde began to come out of the forest and he vixen finally revealed herself, concealed mostly by a ring of guards that stood protecting her. There it began, the first volleys of the battle, the first blood to be drawn.
"Redwaaallllll!!!" The ancient battle cry rose high above the battlefield as the main gate was flung open, arrows and sling stones flying high above them, the whistling arrow cutting through the air, soon enough the battle was in full swing, Redwallers fighting alongside Pearl and her forces, rain mixing with blood as the carnage ensued. The sky turned dark and the rain began to fall in sheets, lightning turning the battlefield an eerie white.
Sitting on a tree branch at the back of the battle, Kyin quickly leapt from his perch, both of his twin daggers drawn. With hesitation he landing on an unsuspecting weasel, driving both daggers through its back as the young ferret began to fight his way through the battle towards the vixen. Moving around the outskirts of the battle he soon found himself in the company of allies as they found on in the storm, arrows flying from Redwall, killing indiscriminately.
"Lookout, duck!" Somebeast called out and the ferret complied quickly, falling all fours as a spearhead scraped along Kyin's back, what would have been a deathblow. Out of the rains came Deyna, running through the attacker with his own spear as Kyin rolled forwards out of harms way.
"I see her, the vixen!" The ferret called, pointing in front of him where the sword of Martin could be seen, flashing in the lightning as it cut through the air.
"I've got her, you stay here." Deyna ordered as he began fighting his way towards the vixen.
"Not likely, mate." The ferret replied in a low voice as he dodged away from another spear thrust, plunging his dagger into another enemy as he too fought his way towards the vixen.
~~~~~~
Slowly the battle raged on until the first hour passed and the storm worsened, the rains began to fall ever harder, creating a fog of water as blood ran upon the ground, coursing over the fallen and through the long dead bodies of the slain. Arrikaj found her circle diminished to only a pair of guards that found hard, but she knew that they would fall eventually. During the first part of the battle she hadn't been fighting, saving herself for the time when it would be absolutely necessary and she had realized that the time had come. The might blade of Redwall in paw she fought fiercely, calling upon the training she had received in the southlands as she struck out with the sword, cutting down her enemies.
"Vixen!" A voice called and Arrikaj looked to find Deyna rushed at her with his spear ready, a red fire burning behind his eyes as he rushed at her. Hefting the sword the vixen quickly blocked the otter's blow, cutting the spear in half in the process, smiling she lifted the sword high into the air for the kill as Deyna stood with the broken pieces of his spear in paw.
"Die, otter!" The vixen cried out as her sword cut downwards towards the otter, but before the blade even made it halfway to its target, she was knocked to the ground by what seemed to be a blur of black. Growling angrily the vixen quickly jumped to her foot paws, holding the sword of Martin before her as she found her assailant, a young ferret in a drenched black cloak.
"Bastard!" She cursed, striking out with her blade. The ferret jumped back quickly, just avoiding the blade, but the vixen swung the sword around for another strike, drawing a long diagonal slice across the ferret's chest, driving him to the ground. The vixen swung the sword high into the air once more, going for the kill as her eyes burned red and then it happened. A sudden flash of light lit up the entire battlefield in a blinding white, a deafening thunder crackled in the sky and then all was silent and still on the muddy path. The light faded, the wind began to die down, the rains ceased and the battle was over.