Blacktail looked on in grim satisfaction as the four ships Gutcutter, Plunderer, Pikeshaft, and Raven's Beak attacked Vale Island's fortress. Their ballistae pounded the walls of the fortress, and he allowed a thin smile to find its way to his lips as he watched the fortress begin to return fire. Huge fountains of water exploded near the ships. They were inside their range, but the islanders still were not aware enough to know where the boulders that the ballistae were firing were coming from.
On the fortress walls, Blackreed hurried by, calling a report to Ryon. "Story's different outside, Cap'n! The defenses caught the Sea Hordes off guard, and they don't know where to shoot!"
Ryon nodded, and along with Sharpear ran about the walls, bellowing orders.
"Ready another shot!"
"Aim for the masts!"
"Order any guard not on wall duty down to the shore to defend if they try to land!"
Lucar and Birchleaf came out, just as a boulder smashed into the room they were staying in. Lucar pulled the squirrelmaid down, shielding her with his body from the falling rocks.
Ryon ran past them. "All crews to the ships! Move!"
More islanders began pouring from the fortress, heading towards the cove. Ryon went with them.
Blacktail watched as the longboats that carried hundreds of Sea Horde crewbeasts moved towards the shore. He also watched the islanders running towards the shore, readying their weapons as they charged the enemy. The Pikeshaft's first mate looked at his Captain. "Should we fire on them, Cap'n?"
Blacktail shook his head. "No. We'll concentrate on the fortress." He turned and walked the length of the ship, issuing orders. "Move us starboard and have at them with the chasers. Fire them before you shoot. Run in the side ballistae."
Ryon watched the Sea Horde vermin begin to pour off their boats. He held up a paw, stopping creatures that were following him. He shouted to the archers. "Make ready!"
They pulled shafts from their quivers and laid them on their bows. Ryon swept his paw forward. "Fire!"
The arrows zipped down to the beach, cutting down the first rank of vermin as the islanders charged at them. Ryon walked down an alley, gesturing for the crews to follow. "To the ship. This way!"
A flaming boulder struck the fortress walls, shattering against the stout stonework. Sharpear ran the walls regardless, bleeding from a sharp piece of rock that had sliced his cheek open. "Keep at them! Aim for where the flaming boulders are coming from! Keep at them!"
The Vale Islanders also had archers, which were exchanging shafts with the Sea Horde crews.
The crew of the Javelin had reached the shore, and was moving towards the ship. Ryon noticed a rat on one of the stone jetties. He pulled the boarding axe from his belt and hurled it, taking the rat in his chest. The rat gurgled and fell into the water. The crew thundered aboard the ship, pulling the mooring lines loose and unfurling the sails. Ryon shouted out. "Run out the ballistae! Prepare to fire!"
Blacktail noticed the Javelin moving towards them. He halted the bombardment of the fortress. "Run out the port side ballistae! Run in the chasers! Hard to starboard!"
Birchleaf and Lucar went to a turret in the fortress, looking out on the battle. Parts of the village were in flames, and the clash of arms sounded from the beach. Lucar looked at Birchleaf. "Do you think we should try and find something to do?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. The Vale Islanders seem to have everything under control."
A flaming rock hit a cliff somewhere above them, showering the two with dust. Lucar looked up, his face coated in dust. "I think we should move."
The Javelin and the Pikeshaft approached each other. Ryon and Blacktail stood at the bows, watching, with their paws ready to drop. The two ships crossed paths, and the crews shook their weapons and roared at the foebeast. Both captains shouted the same order.
"Fire!"
Both sets of ballistae shot, tearing into the wood of the ships. They were quickly reloaded, as above them archers, slingers, and javelin throwers fought each other. Ryon drew an arrow from the quiver on his back, aiming for one particular spot. A lantern. He aimed, but at the instant that he was about to fire, a ballistae bolt hit the deck behind him, throwing up slivers of wood that cut into the squirrel captain's back. The arrow went high, slaying a ferret that was descending the stairs by the wheel. The ferret fell dead over the side. Ryon, his back bleeding from the wood, readied another arrow. This time, nothing interrupted him.
Blacktail saw Ryon aiming for the lantern. Before the squirrel fired, he hooked the lantern on his sword and hurled it into the space between the two ships. The arrow struck it, blowing it open and blinding anybeast foolish enough not to duck their heads.
Ryon narrowed his eyes. Picking up a fallen spear, he hurled it with deadly accuracy at one of the archers on the deck. The rat fell slain to the deck. The battle continued as other Vale Island ships exited the harbor. The Sea Horde crews had been driven off of the beach and were going back to their ships, trying to avoid conflict as they rowed back.
A ballistae bolt buried itself in the bulkhead by Blacktail. Ignoring wounds from flying shards of wood, he shouted above the noise of battle. "Put your backs into it, you ugly-mugged cockroaches! All paws, grapples at the ready! Prepare to board!"
Crewbeasts grabbed grappling hooks as they prepared to board the Javelin.
Ryon heard the order, and grabbed a boarding axe hurriedly from the ship's armory. As the wavescum began to board, Ryon hurled the axe at a stoat. It caught him in the chest, and he let go as he thudded to the deck. Ryon pulled the axe out and fought with both his sword and the axe as the vermin stormed aboard. "Break off! Repel boarders!" He caught a rat across the chest with the axe and stabbed a weasel in the throat as he thrust to his right. He then parried a blow from his left, ducked down, and swept with the axe. His opponent fell screeching until Ryon finished him off. Seeing a rat about to slay a mouse, Ryon hurled the boarding axe. The rat went down.
Suddenly a ship's bell began ringing. The vermin began to retreat, swinging back aboard the Pikeshaft. Ryon wiped blood from a wound on his forehead as he watched the Sea Hordes pulling back. He sat down tiredly, listening to the fortress's bell tolling out victory.
I got this scene from the first POTC movie, when the Black Pearl attacks Port Royal. R and R!