Chapter 17

Sam, Orlando, and Flugg addressed their strategy to everybeast in the war room. They laid a parchment map on the table. Flugg and his Guosim would approach on the left side of their foes, Sam, right, and Orlando, center.

At the same time, Sibo, and Xaviel were discussing their strategy. They would approach the same way.

"You can keep the mountain, but the squirrel is mine."

Xaviel said in a heartless tone. Sibo simply nodded and smiled. He adjusted his chainmail vest, cloak, and sword, and stepped put of the Captain's quarters. He jumped up on a large rock buried within the sand.

"My fellow beasts, today is the day we help these lovely pirates take what is their's, in the meantime, they agreed to help us take out the squirrel and his friends. They've been a thorn in our sides for far too long. I will slice off his head, I will burn his corpse, and I will present the remains to his family and friends."

Hearing this made every able bodied vermin cheer, they raised their weapons and jumped up and down.

"Now, we attack!"

Xaviel screamed out. The hordes of vermin ran up the hill and charged up to Salamandastron.

At Salamandastron, Sam unsheathed his sword and held in both paws. Orlando popped the kinks out of his neck and skillfully twirled his double headed axe, all the rest were eager to bust some vermin skull. The leaders of each patrol spotted three waves of vermin headed their way.

"Here they come, places, everybeast!"

Orlando shouted out. Sam nodded to Orlando, he and his Mossflower Patrollers ran to the right of the mountain, he saw Xaviel and half of his horde run that way. Orlando saw Sibo and his vermin run up the center of the mountain, finally Flugg and the Guosim ran left.

Sam was in the lead, next to Harlan and Elmtail. Each creature on the battlefield got closer and closer, and closer with each huff of breath, each running step. Soon, Sam and Xaviel were just a few paces away from battling to the death. Sam looked straight into Xaviel's eyes.

"Who are you?"

"You first."

Sam took a deep breath and spoke.

"My name is Sam, son of Jess, and leader of the Mossflower Patrol."

"Well, Sam, son of Jess, my name is Xaviel, and once I've finished you, the lastvrhing you will see is your beating heart in my paws!"

Sam and Xaviel lunged out at each other clashing swords, soon the other warriors followed.

Alvadian squinted at the oncoming vermin, he drew his rapier and stood perfectly still. He readied himself and as soon as the first vermin came into contact, he lunged the needle like blade right into his chest, killing the searat.

"Anymore takers, wot?!"

Alvadian was craving a challenge, soon Sibo and Tavadar made it up.

"I'll gladly accept your challenge!"

Sibo said with an evil smile upon his face. Alvadian pointed his rapier at his adversary.

"Engarde!"

The hare and weasel slashed and swipped at each other. Steel rubbed against steel and sweat poured from both beasts. Alvadian jumped up and slashed downwards at his sinewy foe! Sibo shielded the attack and swiped at the hare's footpaws, lucky for the old General, he was still able to make ginormous leaps. He jumped up in the air and landed on the shoulder of his enemy. Sibo stumbled back and took a tumble.

Harlan and Honeycomb were battling waves upon waves of vermin. Honeycomb scurried up a tree and leaped off the top, she drove her sabre into a few unlucky rats. Harlan laughed heartily, he was enjoying his time watching and sending evil creatures to Hellgates.

"Hahaha, you stinkin' vermin, got to better than that, laddies!"

Hearing Harlan's taunt made the hordebeasts even more upset. They decided to change their attack patterns, but Harlan could easily read their mext move, "how predictable," he thought.

Flugg, half the size of a mouse, and quarter size of a vermin was holding his own. He hacked and slashed with his rapier, while chanting his war cry.

"Logalogalogalog!"

A few vermin beasts snickered and laughed, but their laughs of mockery would soon turn to cries of pain. Flugg flew out at them, he bit their ears, pulled on their whiskers, and began beating the tops of their skulls with the hilt of his sword. One rat got lucky, he flung the little fighter off of him, and Flugg flew into a treetrunk. Unfortunately for the laughing vermin, this didn't kill Flugg, but made him ore determined to kill each and everyone.

Sibo and Alvadian were still duking it out, each pawstroke from their blades felt as if they were getting heavier and heavy. Soon enough, both beasts backed up, huffing and puffing.

"Had... enough?"

Alvadian panted. Sibo scoffed off the remark.

"Ne-ver... rabbit."

Alvadian gritted his teeth and spoke.

"I am not a rabbit, good sir, I am a hare. I've been holdin' back, wot."

He then threw his monocle of his eye and took in deep breaths. Sibo was extremely shocked at the hare's outstanding feature.

"You can fly!?"

"No, laddie buck, jump proper, wot!"

Alvadian elbowed Sibo in the stomach, and then roundhouse kicked the winded weasel in the face. Sibo tumbled down, but was able to catch himself. Alvadian sprinted towards Sibo and delivered a hefty kick to the chest. Sibo wheezed out in pain, before stumbling down more mountain. How was this old animal this strong and agile? He need to gather his strength in order to beat this creature.

"What's the matter, can't keep up with an old one, like meself, hawhaw?"

Alvadian kept taunting the helpless weasel. Sibo kept getting kicked and punched away from the mountain. Sibo was so tired and winded and fell face first on a pile of dead leaves.

"Now to finish you!"

Alvadian took one giant leap and was falling footpaw first. Sibo smiled underneath the foliage of dead leaves.

"Gotcha."

He whispered, when the hare made it back to ground, the sounds of metal slicing through flesh sung out. Alvadian looked down and saw the cutlass blade protruding from his chest.

"I win, rabbit."

Sibo said in a singsong voice. Alvadian was flabbergasted at what just happened, was Sibo faking it? It seemed so. The Corsair Captain, picked the hare up by the collar of his uniform and lobbed the dying animal down the mountain. Sibo laughed maniacally as the carcass of Alvadian tumbled like a rag doll. It was time to kill the badger.