Chapter 10 is here. The big, big big, battle. Of course, the Abbeybeasts must've gotton slow in their soft living and many, many seasons of no war...But whatever. This'll be my favorite part to write! Hurrah! I love battle scenes! As before, I don't own Mossflower, it's inhabitants, or any Redwall copyrighted stuff. Or any Redwall stuff at all, actually.
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Skipper shattered a javelin over a weasel's head, and flung the remainder into a rat's neck. He grabbed a fallen cutlass and went slashing at vermin heads that popped up on the ladders. How had the vermin snuck up on them so easily? He mulled over this as he slit the throat of another horde soldier, who fell from the heavy ladder with a bloody gurgle. The remaining otter crew put up quite a fight, although they were outnumbered by more than seven to one. Daniel ran around on the wall, using a makeshift spear made from a staff with a knife tied to the top. He slashed a grapnel rope, wincing as he heard the vermin fall to theiur doom with sickening wails. However, battle rage had filled the young mouse's veins, and he ignored their screams as he continued to stab and slash.

Brothers and Sisters could tell that the battle was going against them. There was nothing else they could do but help the fighters on the walltops. The mice had no skills in war, but they would give up their lives to save their abbey. Anything that came to paw was used; knived, staves, brooms, torches, shovels and mallets were seized and brandished as the mobs of mive came charging out, running up the stairs to the walltop.

Boris didn't car about what was going on along the wall. He was about to sneak in the abbey. He just had to wait until all of the mice had gotton out of the door. Then he would seize his chance. The weasel didn't have to wait long. The threshold was deserted as just about all of the abbeybeasts (excluding Dibbuns, of course.) fought along the walltop. Smiling, the crafty animal snuck inside with his small band. A new plan was formulating in his mind. There had to be some young creatures in here who couldn't fight. "SPlit up, look for young beasts. When I say young, I mean babbies. If you find any, come back to the great hall and tell me where they are."

Daniel impaled a rat on his spear, kicking him off over the edge. The blood of Brothers and Sisters mingled with that of the Otters and hordebeasts. The walltop's stones were slippery. The night was heady and had an air of opression. He wondered what compelled creatures to cause such death. "Skipper! We can't hold 'em for long! There's too many!We've got to find a safer defense area!!!" He called to the otter chieftan.Skipper wasn't listening. He was busy strangling Wymheist to death. He hurled the limp Captain into a ladder, knocking the seige weapon and it's load of vermin to oblivion. It looked as if to him that the tide may yet be turned, for the Brothers and Sisters of Redwall were making good accounts of themselves.

Boris did a small dance of joy. He didn't mind that much of his forces had been decimated on the walltops. He was happy because he'd found a way to win this battle without loss of another hordebeast. His small squad had found all of the Dibbuns, who were hiding in the dormitories. Boris had memorized the map he had made so thoroughly that he had no trouple getting to the higest ppoint inside of the Abbey. Seizing a small, sobbing squirrel by the tail, he dragged her to the window and held her aloft, roaring. "Throw down your weapons, Abbeybeasts, or the little beast'll fall to 'er death!" To his dissapointment, he could barely be heard over the noises of fighting, and he nearly blew out his lungs by screaming and waving the infant around like a doll. Eventually, the fighting ceased and everyone was watching him. "Abbeybeasts! Hearken to me! I command your pitiful remaining forces to leave this place now! You may take these squabbling brats and some food with you.. I won't take you as slaves, because then my own soldiers would get fat and lazy!" Some of his hordebeats shot glares in his direction and began muttering to eachother about "Inconsistant leading" and "Bein' too merciful".

Of course, Bortis could hear them, or really see them for that matter, but he continued to rant on about how he'd let them all go. And, within the hour, The once peaceful Abbey of Redwall had come under control of the Corsair Boris, first vermin creature ever to conquer the abbey.

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Well, I know that the Abbeybeasts got conquered kinda easily, but around eighty seasons of no warfare or vermin sightings can do that to a beast, or rather, beasts.

Keep the reviews flowin'!-Kickoutthejams