Martin felt the madness of combat searing through his veins. He leaped and struck, hacked and thrust, stabbed and slashed like a flash of hot summer lightning. Shields were shorn through by his flying blade. Sea rats went down before him like corn to a reaper.

The rats on the tideline had begun to move. Boar swung low at the feet of his enemies. As they jumped, he carried the sweep high, his immense war sword slicing through at head level. Blood-spattered, pierced by steel in a dozen different places, he fought on, oblivious to his wounds, trying to reach Ripfang, who stood at the back urging on his sea rats.

"Come to me, Ripfang," the silver badger chanted as he battled. "Meet Boar the Fighter. I am the son of Old Lord Brocktree, Chief of the Mountain. My blade is singing your death song. Let Boar take you and your vermin crew to the gates of Dark Forest this night. The summer sun cannot stand the sight of you darkening the earth!"

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In the galley of Bloodwake, Speedy had found a file, and he was using it to cut through the oarslaves' chains. They were a mixed bunch. Besides the mice from Loamhedge, there were ragged shrews, bedraggled hedgehogs, and the odd gaunt squirrel among them.

"Speedy! It's me, Columbine!" a mousemaid shouted.

Speedy waved to her. "Hola. I'm back now. Told you I'd rescue you, didn't I?"

"You guys look like ya haven't seen daylight in seasons," said Bugs. "How could they treat you like this?"

"See if you can find them some food in the ship's kitchen, amigo," said Speedy.

Bugs discovered some biscuits in a pantry and started handing them out. Once all the animals on the ship had been freed and fed, Bugs and Speedy left the ship and headed back to the beach.

They found the shore piled and littered with dead and littered sea rats. The fighting had stopped now; it looked like any rats that had not been killed had run away.

Boar the Fighter was lying on his back on the sand. Martin, Gonff, and the hares were standing over him.

"What happened, Doc?" Bugs asked.

"I killed Ripfang," Boar said weakly. "But he shot me before he died. Got me right behind the davenport. Did you free the slaves?"

"Si, senor," said Speedy. "We captured the ship."

"Good. Martin, hold my head up so I can see my mountain one last time."

"Don't say that, sir," Martin said. "You're not gonna die. We'll take you back to Mossflower and you can see Bella again."

But Boar knew better. As Martin raised the badger's head up, his eyes closed forever. He had given up his life for his mountain and his friends.

Lola's eyes were brimming with tears. Bugs put his arm around her.