Chapter 20

Sam, Elmtail, and Harlan stood over the recently slain corpses of Xaviel and Feraug, as well as the other stragglers that ran from the battle with Orlando. Sam sat down on a log close to the vermin's fire. He grabbed his haversack and dug for any remaining food. His paws felt an apple and two scones. It was time to return to the Abbey. Elmtail sat next to his comrade and warmed his paws by the fire.

"Well, we did it, Xaviel and his beasts are dead and we can return home."

"Aye, that we can, Elm. I can't wait to see the surprised gestures our fellow Abbey Dwellers will have once they see us returning."

Harlan grabbed a flagon of ale and took of a swig of it.

"Hmhmhm, I can't wait to eat Friar Jube's delicious home cooked vittles, he's got some of the best vittles around."

Sam laughed and responded in a joyous tone.

"Hmhm, yep, Jube has a talent, that's for sure."

Sam finished the scone he scoffed on and Harlan corked the flagon. Sam rounded up his troops and told them they were heading back home, each and everybeast accountable shouted, and cheered. Everyone shouted their home.

"REDWAAAALLLL!"

Sam then told his creatures to march back East, they complied with no second guesses or thoughts. Flugg and his Guosim joined Sam to the journey back home. The two hiked through the wilderness, sang songs, and told stories of their epic quest to stop evil vermin and Corsairs. Harlan's maid, Honeycomb, stuck to her loving spouse, she rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. Harlan started to blush a pinkish red, and he clasped his paw over his mouth stiffle any giggling he produced.

"My big, strong Northern. Do not ever leave me."

She said in a loving and soothing voice. Harlan continued to blush and kept silent. He did want to show the otherbeasts his affectionate side. However, Honeycomb had other plans. The patrollers and Guosim eventually crossed the river and were getting closer to their destination. However, night was falling upon them. They decided to putch camp, luckily for them, Redwall was a day's march away. The campers started fires and sat, and relaxed near the toasty blazes. The fighters of Redwall started to become sleepy, one by one they all drifted off to sleep. Sam, Elmtail, and Harlan, along with Flugg and Honeycomb were the last to shut their eyes. Sam was rudely awakened by kick to his stomach, he noticed his paws were bounded once again, a river rat wearing a tattered vest prodded the squirrel with his pike staff. He laughed nasily at his captives.

"Herr, herr! Youse in trouble now, bushytail, herr, herr!"

The river rat propped Sam up, and made him kneel, the other Mossflower Patrollers were also tied up and were forced to kneel. A tall and sinewy weasel with brown and black fur, clad in a tunic with chainmail sleeves casually waltzed up to the captives. He fiddled with his adderskin belt and toyed with the long dagger dangling from his belt. The weasel spoke in a sly and quiet tone.

"Hmmhmm, my name is Illyn and I am the Second-in-Command of the Deathbringers. You are all of our slaves and prisoners. However, who am I to say, I am the voice of many, but Nikos' is the voice of all, so let's meet the beast."

Illyn announced to everybeast there. Out from the shadows walked and stood a tall and burly red fox, he was clad in a long sleeved jerkin, with leather gloves, belt and wielded a curved dirk on his hip. He had a baritone voice.

"So, you're the ones who killed Xaviel and his horde, eh? Well, that is not gonna fly with me."

The fox said, then he continued.

"Oh and my name is Nikos, I am... was the younger brother of Chickenhound, also known as Slagar the Cruel. Now let's get down to business."

Nikos walked down the line of prisoners, he inspected each one.

"Not bad, not bad, tiny creature such as yourselves have got a lot of guts to take big vermin down. Like I said, that is not gonna fly. As the saying goes, 'an eye for any eye,' one of you is going to have to die."

He said with no emotion nor hesitation. Everybeast kneeling before him shuddered and exclaimed shocks of horror. Nikos walked over to Sam, Harlan, and Elmtail. He kneeled down in front of them.

"You three must be this posse's leader, you are, I know it."

He stated with a big grin upon his face. Sam looked at his captor.

"You foxes are all the same, sneaky cheats, who lie and steal."

Nikos laughed off the insults and put a paw on Sam's shoulder.

"Oh ho, you. We've got a winner everybeast, he wins, nothing."

He nonchalantly announced to everyone, he then stood up and clasped his paws together.

"After carefull inspections on our prisoners, I've decided to kill..."

He then pointed to Harlan.

"You. Boys, bring me 'the Sword.'"

Two weasels understood and they brought their Chief a longsword. Harlan looked over to see Honeycomb balling and pleading for her lover's life. Nikos simply ignored her cries. The fox stook the huge blade into the ground.

"Ready?"

Nikos whispered to his next victim. Harlan looked up at Nikos with a spiteful gesture, clattered his buckteeth and spoke in a hateful tone.

"Just do it, you repulsive bag of fur."

"Alright, as you wish."

Nikos took the sword from put of the ground and lifted the sword. He lifted it until he couldn't lift it higher. Harlan looked over to the sobbing Honeycomb and mouthed the words, "love you," before the giant blade fell upon him and sliced off his head. The Deathbringers cheered and hollered as the longsword had did it's deed. Niko picked up the severed head of Harlan and showed it to everybeast, comrade and captive. Nikos then glanced overvhis shoulder to see Honeycomb wheezing and sobbing. He cocked his eyebrows and walked over to her.

"Oh, was he yours, hmm? Was he? Well, I suggest you take a good long look atvhim, cherish this moment."

He taunted. Honeycomb shutted her eyes and placed both paws on her mouth to prevent any vomiting. Nikos became frustrated with her and raised his voice.

"Take a good look!"

"STOP THIS!"

Sam cried out. Nikos ran up to Sam and slapped him across the face.

"You don't tell me what to do, squirrel, I run the show!"

"You don't run anything, fox."

Nikos laughed off the remark Sam made, everybeast in the Deathbringers laughed with him. The laughtered died down, Nikos then signalled for his mate, another fox wearing a gown and cloak to come where he stood.

"This ladies and gentlebeasts is my mate, Janos. She's going to be in charge of where you all hang your hats, and how many of them are there. This may take a while, but, we've got to get started."

He said in a joyous tone.

To be continued...