Chapter Thirty: No Escape
"No!" exclaimed Beechtail and Maplefur at the same time. They rushed to the fallen squirrel, but it was too late. Aspen had gone to the gates of the Dark Forest.
Nettleclaw fled out the door of Great Hall, grabbing a long window pole on his way out. He might need it.
Beechtail seized his swords from the ground, and took off after him. Emerging from the hall, he saw Nettleclaw racing for the still open gate. Something shot by him. It was Curra!
The speedy hare sped past Nettleclaw. Upon reaching the gate, he slammed it shut with a mighty effort, and then collapsed to the ground; thoroughly exhausted.
Nettleclaw swerved, looking for somewhere else to run. The bell tower was his only option. He raced inside, and swung the window pole across the doorway just as Beechtail reached it. Unable to stop, the squirrel went flying; losing both of his swords in the process.
The ferret slammed the door to the bell tower and bolted it. Dashing to where the Rapscallion sword lay, he picked it up, just as Beechtail scrambled to his feet holding the Sword of Martin the Warrior.
"Well, if it isn't the cowardly squirrel from the village," Nettleclaw sneered, "scared? Your friend isn't here to save you."
Beechtail knew the ferret was baiting him, trying to make him careless, but he stepped forward all the same. "You'll pay for killing Flodrun and Aspen."
Nettleclaw's sword moved in a blur. Barely having time to react, Beechtail flinched.
Clang!
Beechtail was shocked to find the Sword of Martin, locked against Nettleclaw's blade. Nettleclaw swung again, just as fast. The sword seemed to move of its own accord, when Beechtail realized what direction the next blow was coming from, the sword was there.
Nettleclaw made three lightning-fast slashes; Beechtail blocked them all, and then launched his own attack, a series of thrusts and slices that he would never have been able to duplicate with any other weapon. Martin's Sword was like a living thing, seeming to respond to thought, so that Beechtail only had to think about where he wanted the sword to move, and he instinctively knew how to move it there.
Nettleclaw, however, was an excellent swordsbeast, showing no real effort as he parried the squirrel's attack. He swung his blade in a figure-eight, causing Beechtail to hop back.
The squirrel landed on the window pole, which the ferret had dropped. His feet went out from under him, and he fell hard, knocking the wind out of him.
Nettleclaw leapt forward, raising his sword for the deathblow.