Chapter Twenty-Six: Darkest Hour
Beechtail was in the thickest fighting. His earlier fears were forgotten, swallowed up by the thrill of battle. He swung both swords in a scissor-like motion and then stabbed with lightning speed, slaying three vermin at almost the exact same time. He was being driven backwards and sideways by the sheer weight of numbers. A hare on his right went down, Beechtail stood over him; holding the Rapscallions off until somebeast could pull him out of the battle. Suddenly the Rapscallions got in between him and Adaracor; they drove him back, widening the gap. The line was breached.
Adaracor was being similarly pushed back, at his signal, the woodlanders on his side of the breach ran east, forming one group. On the other side of the battle, Beechtail did the same. Next to him, Colonel Lupshaw was fighting with Mudeye. The weasel spun his spear expertly, blocking all of the hare's saber thrusts. Now Lupshaw's saber was locked against the crosstree of the spear. Mudeye seized his opportunity, and kneed the hare in the stomach. Lupshaw doubled over, the weasel plunged his spear into the hare.
"No!" Adaracor punched with all his considerable strength.
Mudeye flew twenty feet. His head went twice that.
Adaracor carried Lupshaw out of the main fight, "Don't worry, old friend, we'll get you somewhere you can rest."
The old hare shook his head, "No, let me stay here…to hold the line until…Currare returns." His eyes clouded over, and he went limp.
Adaracor set the body down gently, then went at the Rapscallions like a thunderbolt. He seized a long spear from the ground, and knocked several vermin over with it. He swung his giant flail, and kicked out at vermin when he had the opportunity. The Rapscallions were no match for him, but many of the woodlanders already lay dead. Remembering the plan, he led his half of the army towards the vermin archers.
Beechtail's group was trying to push through to the archers also. Beechtail jumped backwards to dodge a spear thrust, stepped on a dead rat, and fell to the ground. A stoat in front of him raised his spear.
"Fire!" Suddenly the stoat, and several other nearby vermin, resembled pincushions. Somebeast pulled him to his feet. It was Maplefur and Aspen.
"Ha, good to see your still alive, Beechtail," said Aspen. He turned, and shot an arrow into the vermin ranks.
Maplefur started to say something, "Beechtail, I wanted to te-"
"Look out!" Aspen shoved them both flat. Several spears passed right where they had been standing. Aspen shot two arrows at the same time, hitting two different vermin.
"Show-off," Beechtail muttered under his breath. He scrambled to his feet, and ran at the vermin again. He found himself fighting next to Lutran, who had armed himself with a large ax.
"Quite a few of the blighters, eh, wot?" commented Lutran while hacking at a nearby rat.
Beechtail sliced the blade off a fox's spear with the Sword of Martin, "What? Oh, yes, there are a lot of them."
Lutran spun the rat around, and pushed it into the one behind it. "Seems like it'll be a jolly old last stand soon."
Beechtail glanced around; the woodland army seemed to be reduced to around half its original size. By his estimate, it was getting close to dawn. Then the Rapscallion archers would start to really cause damage. Well, we'll just have to see how many we can take with us.