A/N Hello! My Microsoft Word is completely screwing up, I can't seem to get
it to work, I accidentally made page breaks, and can't get rid of them, and
it is really annoying me. Ughhh. Also, I can't use the tab key without it
going almost to the end of the other side of the page. Any help? Please,
you almighty Word wizards?
But whatever. This is the last chapter of Amber Blade, and I hope you like it and read all my other fics, please.
Read and review!
(Begin chapter four)
Tagg was sharpening Sawney Rath's blade on a large rock when the owner of that very knife came up, a crafty gleam in his keen eyes.
"Ah, Tagg, Zann Juskarath Taggerung, did you hear about the certain battle coming up?"
Tagg carefully kept a straight face, tattooed and stolid. "No, what battle?"
Sawney laughed. "There is to be a great battle with another clan today. I hope you choose to participate in it, my Taggerung?" A hint of challenge was in this statement.
Tagg shrugged. "If I face I foe, I guess I'll defeat him."
Sawney grinned; his Tagg was willing to fight. "And you will slay him?"
Tagg returned the grin. "If need."
Sawney's stomach twinged. Sawney knew Tagg would not take life unless needed; that was what bothered him these past seasons.
A shout from the camp came towards the Juska chief. "Sire, I sees a Juska scout not from 'hour clan!"
Sawney rubbed his paws together in excitement. "Great then. Tagg, come!"
Tagg reluctantly rose, feeling the edge of the blade, anxiously hoping that he would not have to use it.
(Later in the Juska camp)
A Juskarath scout came back, panting. "Juska coming... 'bout a score and a arf... coming!"
Sawney nodded. "You, Rikcle, take up your sword and six Juska to defend our front. Tagg, find their leader- you know what to do. Narha, take eight and help Rikcle in second rank. Scarwol, guard the rear from attack and stop them from getting to our camp. The rest of you, the sides!"
Tagg slipped off into the woodlands, almost glad he had gotten this. He could knock the leader unconscious, then tie him up tightly. That's what he would do.
There was a rustle behind him. Tagg stood as still as the amber fly (remember the poem? Hehe... had to add that in there), waiting.
A whirring sound warned Tagg to duck. The swift otter ducked and at the same time, leapt at the bushes, yelling, "I am the Taggerung Juskaaaaaa!"
His footpaws connected with something solid, like a head. A soft "uhh..." from the bushes alerted Tagg that he had hit a beast. Clasping his rough paws around the beast's neck, the otter dragged him out of the bushes with ease.
It was a male fox, bright red with a black tip to his ears and two dark green slashes, tattoos, across his face. Across his snout was a blue-ish triangle without a base. A wavy red line on the forehead proclaimed him the leader of that Juska clan, Tagg could tell, because the scout had described the Juska earlier.
The fox looked at Tagg and froze. The vermin must've know that I'm Taggerung, thought Tagg. Perhaps that's a good thing.
The Juska took no time. Even groggy and faint, he was speedy and tried to escape into the thick woodlands.
Tagg sped after him, faster than a hawk on a sparrow. The fox looked over his shoulder and saw the barbaric-looking otter coming after him. The crafty eyes widened at the fearsome sight, the Taggerung coming after him. Fear and natural speed quickened him.
But the Taggerung was faster than any fox, or beast for that matter. The young otter took the chance and leapt at the fox, flooring him with a fleet punch to the neck. The fox collapsed.
Tagg checked the fox's breathing with a blade of grass; still alive. He gathered some vines from the trees around him and tied up the fox, not even thinking about slaying the helpless beast.
After tying up the fox, he gagged him and bound the paws together, the same with the footpaws.
The fox was left to the oak tree, unconscious. Tagg sneaked off to see how the rest of the Juska was doing.
(Later, at the Juska camp)
Sawney Rath had blood-covered paws- Tagg did not ask. Only a few Juskarath were slain, and the bodies were tossed out into the woodlands to rot.
Sawney, after seeing Tagg come back, came up to the otter. "Ah, my son, Tagg. Did you slay the leader of the Duskiness?"
Tagg guessed that the Duskiness was the name of the clan that they had fought and said, "I didn't kill him, I knocked him unconscious. He won't wake for a while, and have fun untying the knots I made in the vines."
Sawney seethed inside. His father had been swift and deadly, and slew often without reason. Now his Taggerung didn't even want to slay!
"But, son, I said kill him."
Tagg shrugged his brawny shoulders. "His clan dead, he'll have nowhere to go. That's better than slaying him, I think."
The powerful otter walked off. The leader of the Juskarath stared, wondering. Perhaps it was because he was an otter, not a vermin. Perhaps it was because he was truly a Juska. Whatever it was, the next few seasons might be hard.
(The next day)
Tagg had the dreams again, but could not remember them. They troubled him in the night, nagged him during the day. And yet, the same dream always appeared. The pair of lovely otters, a huge beast, and at the end, the mouse wielding a sword.
Tagg was thinking about this when Grissoul came up, tugging on his kilt. "Thy father wants to see thee, Zann."
Tagg yawned and got up, stretching. "Hmph, most likely about last night's battle." He made his way towards the chief's tent.
Sawney saw the otter approaching and motioned for him to sit next to him, in a friendly way.
"Tagg, Taggerung, Zann Juskarath Taggerung. Do you remember last night's battle between the Juskasen and us?"
Tagg nodded. "Aye, Sawney, I do. What about that battle?"
Sawney noticed the aloofness in those words and said more sternly, "I deliberately said to kill that chieftain."
Tagg kept a stolid expression. Sawney was like a baby squirrel with a candied chestnut- he wouldn't let go. "Aye, Sawney. I remember. I said that I had no need to slay a helpless beast since I knocked him senseless."
Sawney nodded. "Well, next time I give a direct order-"
A crash from outside the camp startled Sawney. He leapt up and rushed outside. Tagg quietly crept off the other way, not wanting to know what his chieftain was about to say.
(Night in the Juska camp)
Tagg was sleeping under the stars like he did almost every night, staring up at the stars. How he wished he could be anywhere else but the Juska camp, but where could he go? Only him dreams let him escape from here, but he always came back.
The dreams. They started again, but tonight was different. There was no pair of otters, nor the huge beast, but only the mouse.
The mouse carried the sword aloft. Instead of being fierce, the mouse actually smiled. Tagg felt like this was a fatherly beast, but knew he was a warrior, from the sword to the eyes, which were bright and keen, used to battle.
The mouse, as always, spoke the word that puzzled Tagg for the past twelve seasons.
"Deyna!"
(End Story)
A/N Whew. What a story. Short, I know, but it was supposed to be a three chapter story. Think of it as a bonus chapter.
I'm going to be working on two stories at a time, Sleep over and the Redwall one-shot, Pearls of Blood. Please read PoB and if you like Super Smash Brothers, Sleep over. Both blurbs are in my bio.
See you next story!
But whatever. This is the last chapter of Amber Blade, and I hope you like it and read all my other fics, please.
Read and review!
(Begin chapter four)
Tagg was sharpening Sawney Rath's blade on a large rock when the owner of that very knife came up, a crafty gleam in his keen eyes.
"Ah, Tagg, Zann Juskarath Taggerung, did you hear about the certain battle coming up?"
Tagg carefully kept a straight face, tattooed and stolid. "No, what battle?"
Sawney laughed. "There is to be a great battle with another clan today. I hope you choose to participate in it, my Taggerung?" A hint of challenge was in this statement.
Tagg shrugged. "If I face I foe, I guess I'll defeat him."
Sawney grinned; his Tagg was willing to fight. "And you will slay him?"
Tagg returned the grin. "If need."
Sawney's stomach twinged. Sawney knew Tagg would not take life unless needed; that was what bothered him these past seasons.
A shout from the camp came towards the Juska chief. "Sire, I sees a Juska scout not from 'hour clan!"
Sawney rubbed his paws together in excitement. "Great then. Tagg, come!"
Tagg reluctantly rose, feeling the edge of the blade, anxiously hoping that he would not have to use it.
(Later in the Juska camp)
A Juskarath scout came back, panting. "Juska coming... 'bout a score and a arf... coming!"
Sawney nodded. "You, Rikcle, take up your sword and six Juska to defend our front. Tagg, find their leader- you know what to do. Narha, take eight and help Rikcle in second rank. Scarwol, guard the rear from attack and stop them from getting to our camp. The rest of you, the sides!"
Tagg slipped off into the woodlands, almost glad he had gotten this. He could knock the leader unconscious, then tie him up tightly. That's what he would do.
There was a rustle behind him. Tagg stood as still as the amber fly (remember the poem? Hehe... had to add that in there), waiting.
A whirring sound warned Tagg to duck. The swift otter ducked and at the same time, leapt at the bushes, yelling, "I am the Taggerung Juskaaaaaa!"
His footpaws connected with something solid, like a head. A soft "uhh..." from the bushes alerted Tagg that he had hit a beast. Clasping his rough paws around the beast's neck, the otter dragged him out of the bushes with ease.
It was a male fox, bright red with a black tip to his ears and two dark green slashes, tattoos, across his face. Across his snout was a blue-ish triangle without a base. A wavy red line on the forehead proclaimed him the leader of that Juska clan, Tagg could tell, because the scout had described the Juska earlier.
The fox looked at Tagg and froze. The vermin must've know that I'm Taggerung, thought Tagg. Perhaps that's a good thing.
The Juska took no time. Even groggy and faint, he was speedy and tried to escape into the thick woodlands.
Tagg sped after him, faster than a hawk on a sparrow. The fox looked over his shoulder and saw the barbaric-looking otter coming after him. The crafty eyes widened at the fearsome sight, the Taggerung coming after him. Fear and natural speed quickened him.
But the Taggerung was faster than any fox, or beast for that matter. The young otter took the chance and leapt at the fox, flooring him with a fleet punch to the neck. The fox collapsed.
Tagg checked the fox's breathing with a blade of grass; still alive. He gathered some vines from the trees around him and tied up the fox, not even thinking about slaying the helpless beast.
After tying up the fox, he gagged him and bound the paws together, the same with the footpaws.
The fox was left to the oak tree, unconscious. Tagg sneaked off to see how the rest of the Juska was doing.
(Later, at the Juska camp)
Sawney Rath had blood-covered paws- Tagg did not ask. Only a few Juskarath were slain, and the bodies were tossed out into the woodlands to rot.
Sawney, after seeing Tagg come back, came up to the otter. "Ah, my son, Tagg. Did you slay the leader of the Duskiness?"
Tagg guessed that the Duskiness was the name of the clan that they had fought and said, "I didn't kill him, I knocked him unconscious. He won't wake for a while, and have fun untying the knots I made in the vines."
Sawney seethed inside. His father had been swift and deadly, and slew often without reason. Now his Taggerung didn't even want to slay!
"But, son, I said kill him."
Tagg shrugged his brawny shoulders. "His clan dead, he'll have nowhere to go. That's better than slaying him, I think."
The powerful otter walked off. The leader of the Juskarath stared, wondering. Perhaps it was because he was an otter, not a vermin. Perhaps it was because he was truly a Juska. Whatever it was, the next few seasons might be hard.
(The next day)
Tagg had the dreams again, but could not remember them. They troubled him in the night, nagged him during the day. And yet, the same dream always appeared. The pair of lovely otters, a huge beast, and at the end, the mouse wielding a sword.
Tagg was thinking about this when Grissoul came up, tugging on his kilt. "Thy father wants to see thee, Zann."
Tagg yawned and got up, stretching. "Hmph, most likely about last night's battle." He made his way towards the chief's tent.
Sawney saw the otter approaching and motioned for him to sit next to him, in a friendly way.
"Tagg, Taggerung, Zann Juskarath Taggerung. Do you remember last night's battle between the Juskasen and us?"
Tagg nodded. "Aye, Sawney, I do. What about that battle?"
Sawney noticed the aloofness in those words and said more sternly, "I deliberately said to kill that chieftain."
Tagg kept a stolid expression. Sawney was like a baby squirrel with a candied chestnut- he wouldn't let go. "Aye, Sawney. I remember. I said that I had no need to slay a helpless beast since I knocked him senseless."
Sawney nodded. "Well, next time I give a direct order-"
A crash from outside the camp startled Sawney. He leapt up and rushed outside. Tagg quietly crept off the other way, not wanting to know what his chieftain was about to say.
(Night in the Juska camp)
Tagg was sleeping under the stars like he did almost every night, staring up at the stars. How he wished he could be anywhere else but the Juska camp, but where could he go? Only him dreams let him escape from here, but he always came back.
The dreams. They started again, but tonight was different. There was no pair of otters, nor the huge beast, but only the mouse.
The mouse carried the sword aloft. Instead of being fierce, the mouse actually smiled. Tagg felt like this was a fatherly beast, but knew he was a warrior, from the sword to the eyes, which were bright and keen, used to battle.
The mouse, as always, spoke the word that puzzled Tagg for the past twelve seasons.
"Deyna!"
(End Story)
A/N Whew. What a story. Short, I know, but it was supposed to be a three chapter story. Think of it as a bonus chapter.
I'm going to be working on two stories at a time, Sleep over and the Redwall one-shot, Pearls of Blood. Please read PoB and if you like Super Smash Brothers, Sleep over. Both blurbs are in my bio.
See you next story!