K
Chapter Eight
iiryan had never been so afraid. The otters were big and fought fiercely.'They're also fighting with honour,' he thought. Rikar had ordered them to attack the camp, kill as many as possible, and take any survivors captive. The soldiers were also given permission to steal anything they wanted.
The young fox only fought against the otters in defence when they came at him. So far, every time they did, other soldiers were nearby and took care of the otter. No blood had been spilled by Kiiryan's sword.
A thought flashed through Kiiryan's mind. This could be his chance to escape Rikar's tyranny. It would be mutiny if he was caught, but the way these otters were fighting, Kiiryan would most likely be assumed dead.
He picked a direction and ran into the bush. Straight into the back of an otter.
.::.
Something slammed into Theo, and he turned around prepared for a fight. Instead, he saw a fox about his own age. The fox threw his sword to the ground and raised his paws in surrender.
"Kill me if you like, but know that my paw brought no harm to your families," the fox said. Theo put his own sword to the fox's throat. He hesitated and looked down. The fox's tunic was almost completely free of blood, as was his sword. Theo couldn't kill him if he had spoken the truth, and it appeared that he had. Withdrawing his blade, he dealt a blow to the back of the fox's head with the handle. The fox dropped to the ground unconscious.
.::.
Upstream from the camp, Pippin waited with the majority of the group that had gone fishing the day before. Many of them had had the sense to hide in or by the river, Pippin found them and passed Theo's message along.
A noise from the bushes alerted her that someone approached. She drew her knives silently, and then breathed a sigh of relief. It was only Theo returning. He was dragging the unconscious form of a fox.
"Why did you bring him?" Pippin asked.
"Information," Theo replied bluntly. Removing his belt, he bound the fox's paws behind his back, and around a tree. Another otter, Draye, contributed his belt as a gag.
"What do we do now?" Draye asked. The question was repeated by a few others.
"We wait," Theo said, "My father said that he would send somebeast for us by midday." Everyone try to get some sleep. Pippin, Draye, and I will take the first watch."