Chapter 33
The scouts Sargeant Barkpaw had sent out were returning bar one as was soon known when he finished the headcount. 'Alright, who's the missing one you lot?' the scouts shuffled their footpaws until one finally answered. 'Sir! Clovesfoot is missing sir!' The sargeant waggled an ear before replying. 'Oh yes, her. She was supposed to have returned first. Did'nt send her no more than half a league out from this place.' He then selected two hares. 'Arm yourselves and follow that gal's trail. bring her back if you can. Dismissed!' The scouts saluted and left. He'll have to report this to Spearpaw. Spearpaw however, was busy elsewhere talking to Glen about how best to setup defences where they were. 'I think the best we could do is use the terrain against them. Not much else there is to use out here.' glen nods as well. This place just wouldn't be safe if it came to a fight. 'There are only two doors into this place, but one's mostly glass. That's the weakest part.' Spearpaw was about to reply when Sargeant Barkpaw interupted him. 'Sir! One of the scout's is missing. I sent two out after her.' Spearpaw nods and continues his discussions, now bringing Barkpaw into the planning of defences.
The two scouts saw the camp from afar, looking at the oddly clad humans looking about. They were about to go further when they saw vermin nearby watching the humans intently. Suddenly, they piled out after them, hemming them in on all sides surprisingly quick. The trooper tried getting his sidearm out but he got hit on the back of the head and he dropped the weapon, and it was lost to sight, falling into an old groundhog hole that noone could see. The humans were quickly tied up and led in front of Sharpclaw as he tried to see if these were the humans he was after. The scouts had seen enough and headed back. The horde had stolen a march on them and time was of the essence. they rushed back, the commanders needed to know this and soon, who knows what the vermin would do to their human captives. When the scouts arrived back at the house they blurted it out quickly, leavign all in attendance stunned sient for a few moments. Spearpaw got out of it first and rapped out orders to his hares. Sharpclaw had pushed the issue and now outsiders knew about the evil in the woods. Sharpclaw was inspecting each of his new prisoners, one tried calling in on his radio but was hit on the head and the equipment removed from everyone, there was no possibility of their station knowing for a good long while. i went over to Glen and Spearpaw. 'This isnt good, we have to save them by tomarrow!' Glen looked at me oddly. 'Why? They won't be missed for a few days.' 'No, no no! The scouts described what sounds like firefighters! If they don't report in by the end of today, then there'll be a search party sent out to look for them. Questions will be asked, we could be found out!' Glen looked at Wyatt, realizing that he must be correct, unlike in Mossflower, his kind kept up constant contact and if someone didn't check in, they would be looked for until found. Their stayin his world was suddenly cut very short indeed. 'We'll need a plan.' Said Glen. 'This isnt going to be easy.' Spearpaw nodded his agreement. 'only too true, we'll have to strike hard and swift. when would the best time be?' Glen and the rest thought but it for awhile, trying to think of the right time to attack.
meanwhile, mary was trying as well as the rest, to rationalize what had happened to themselves. They were putting out what looked like a clear and cut campers fire and they were suddenly ambushed by animals! 'No, no,' she thought, 'Ritual cultists or psychopaths dressed up like animals nothing more.' A moan from one corner of the cage snapped her out of her thoughts. Something was moving. She went over to he corner, trying to sound professional. 'Now sta still, tell me if you're injured...' She put her hand on the person's shoulder to turn it's face towards her, and gasped. She was looking at another creature, locked up in the cage with her and the others. 'What the hell is going on around here?' she thought to herself, this couldn't be possible, but her thoughts on what should've been odd people in costums was brought to a crashing halt as the hare captive groaned and awoke, stting up and rubbing it's head. mary was stunned by this, animals couldn't do those things. they couldn't walk upright, cook food or handle weapons like the swords and spears she's seen some handle. This all couldn't be real, and yet it was happening all around her. Most of her crew were probably thinking the same thing. Clovesfoot however, was thinking much more useful thoughts. She examined the cage and noticed the other humans in here with her. She looked towards the more attentive looking one nd tried to talk to her, not knowing that she wouldn't be able to her or speak back.
Mary couldn't tell if the creature was talking or just making noises like most animals do. But on look into the hare's eyes told her it was very much aware, and very intelligent. She wondered what caused the hare to be like that. Maybe some wierd experiment or maybe even a chemical spill, but it just didn't look like it was the result of either. Clovesfoot decided after a couple of tries that this human couldn't communicate with her, but that didn't mean she couldn't get her point across to the human. She tried pantomiming but the human just stared back at her. She could tell it was female like herself but unable to understand. She sighed and sat up a bit, waiting for whatever might happen next.
Spearpaw and Sargeant Barkpaw, along with Glen and the scouts, came up with a plan of attack. They all agreed to go in immediately and after gathering arms and supplies, set out into the woods at a silent double-step, everyone's face grim. Liz and Sister Elm had opted to stay behind at the house just in case anyone showed up. Sharpclaw was sharpening his sword, ready to start 'questioning' his new captives. 'Bring out the blue one!' he called, and got ready to extract information, in any way he could. The cage door was opened and a crude rope noose was thrown around the troopers neck. He struggled with the help of some of the firemen but one of the guards slashed at their arms with his sword, inflicting some deep gashes. Soon however the guards won out and dragged out the trooper, gasping for air, and brought him to Sharpclaw's feet. Sharpclaw brought his blade to underneath the human's chin. 'Stand up. Let's see what ye are.' He pressed the tip of his sword into the human's flesh, threatening to harm him. The trooper sullenly got up, not really wanting to be injured like most would. 'Now tell me... human, were you the one at edwall Abbey? Were you?' The trooper just stared back at him, not comprehending a single word. 'Well? Are you going to answer?' The trooper said nothing, he could tell that this was some kind of interrogation but it was pointless using a language he couldn't speak. Sharpclaw suddenly took his sword and using the flat side, hit him across the face, leaving some cuts on his jaw. 'Answer!' Clovesfoot, mary, and the other firemen watched. Clovesfoot tried her best to stop things before they got any worse. 'Stop! They can't speak our language! Stop it you stupid beast! Sharpclaw growled and lashed out, leaving the trooper with a deep gash on his right arm. 'useless offal. Take him away and bring the hare to me! I'll soon tickle out a story from her!' Some of the vermin laughed as two guards threw the bleeding trooper in, and took the hare out. That was the last thing that Spearpaw's advanced scouts saw before reporting back. Things had gone worse and if they didn't show up soon, there might not be anyone left to save