This is a rather monumental chapter. It's not terribly long, but it was difficult to write. See, PH wrote one version, I wrote another version, and then I put them together and came up with the final product (the actual chapter, obviously). It was hard. Anyway, read on, O ye intrepid ones! --points with sword--
yes, the amazing Billios the writer/editor/grammar teacher/ and many others strikes again! anyways, read please!
Chillaxe stopped when he heard a youthful voice from the surrounding forest yell out at him to halt. The rest of his horde didn't hear anything, but he instructed them to continue on, keeping a small contingent of twenty hordebeasts with him.
"Show yourself," he called lazily in return, "as I don't like dealing with enemies I cannot see."
There was silence, but still no creature was seen stepping onto the moonlit path. The voice spoke again.
"How am I to know that you will not ambush me the moment I am seen?"
The wolf rolled his eyes.
"Do you not know who I am? The mighty Chillaxe Otterbane has no need to make use of such unfair tactics – if I am to fight you, as you seem to imply, I shall win by skill."
This seemed to put some wary confidence in the other beast and he stepped out to reveal himself: a gangling badger child almost fully grown, and carrying a farming scythe, with odd blue eyes.
His eyes radiated fear, but, most of all, rage. Granted, they were not filled with the dreaded bloodwrath that sometimes would latch onto war creatures. They were instead filled with an inexplicable madness that overwhelmed the wolf.
This, he deduced, was a child who wandered too far from his family and managed to get a grudge against him one way or another. Chillaxe was sifting through his memories, trying to recall if he had killed any badgers, when an otter slipped out of the woods behind the badger and pulled his attention away from recollection. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the young otter before speaking again in a bored tone.
"What is your quarrel with me?"
"I, Skyborne, son of Sunflash the Mace, challenge you to a duel," the badger replied coolly, "to avenge the death of the otter clan that rescued me from a searat ship two seasons past. Do you accept?"
Chillaxe laughed dryly by way of answer and turned to his captain.
"Stay well away so the kit cannot accuse me of cheating. And you, otter," he raised his voice to shout at the otter, "stay back by the edge of the wood. If your compatriot does not live, you shall be the next victim of my battleaxe."
The otter spat contemptuously at the ground.
Skyborne hefted his scythe and walked toward the middle of the path. Chillaxe joined him there and they bowed marginally before raising their weapons and taking a step backward, each eying the other at they slowly circled.
Skyborne felt the revenge and anger swell inside of him and attacked wildly. Chillaxe easily deflected the blow with his monstrous battleaxe. Again and again Skyborne swung his scythe, and again and again Chillaxe blocked him. These crazy swipes went on for quite some time, only occasionally grazing their target, whereas Skyborne was now bleeding from several moderately sized cuts.
Then, Skyborne got a lucky hit that pierced the middle of Chillaxe's right ear and ripped up, out the tip of it. Chillaxe winced and growled as the blood dripped down into his eyes. He swung out hard with his axe, catching Skyborne off guard and whipping the blade clean off the scythe.
Skyborne's fury began to ebb, pushed back by a more real fear, as he quickly flipped the handle around to use the thicker end as a club. He actually realized for the first time that he might not win. He'd never imagined losing; he didn't think it an option.
Chillaxe suddenly tossed his battleaxe off to the side, skittering backward, and reached for the twin swords that lay sheathed across his back. Skyborne leaped forward and swung hard at Chillaxe's stomach just as the wolf gripped the swords and his arms were safely out of the way.
Chillaxe was quick, however, and brought the swords down to block the potentially fatal blow as he twisted to the side so he wouldn't skewer himself.
"At least you're not all stupid," he sneered at Skyborne.
Skyborne glared, reclaiming his footing and preparing for his next attack.
A ferret ran helter-skelter toward the fighting pair, pushing past the jeering score that were watching.
"M'lord! M'lord!" he shouted. "There's been a d'sturbance further up! A group o' woodlanders've attacked the horde, yer needed immediately!"
That being said, the warlord yelled at the idling soldiers.
"Club that otter good and hard, then run to help them. I'll finish this one and meet you there."
Skyborne hardly had time to react, throwing up his club as a sword embedded itself into it. The vermin jumped Glaybo and he went down with a fight, yelling "Wavelooooouuuuugh!" for the whole wood to hear.
Skyborne panicked, scrambling backward as blow after deadly blow struck the mutilated handle. Finally, it snapped again and Chillaxe pushed him down, kneeling heavily on his chest.
"Well, scumtripe, this is your end," he said.
Skyborne had an instant of pure terror before Chillaxe quickly slit his throat.
Well, Revenge of the Wolf has now come to an end. Thanks for hanging around, guys! We really appreciate all your reviews! Heh... --tap dances sideways off the stage to avoid tomatoes--
--peeking out-- Hope you enjoyed it! Look for a sequel! --pulls head back out of sight quickly--
Yes.. It was quite a tragety to end this fic... though it gave us some nice excuses to have plot parties... anyways, for our sentiments, I shall allow you to throw the things in this bucket--pulls out bucket of rotten fruits and veggies and sets them infront of reviewers-- at blow up versions of ourselves. enjoy!, oh, and flames are also accepted on this chappy, and please, do look for our next story together and seperate!
-PH