Hey everyone, its SilverClaymore. Everybody, I'm sorry again for not posting in a while, but my school just started, and I haven't had much time to write. From now on, I'll be posting once a week, but sorry if I miss one or two weeks.

Thanks to Sarah R for some constructive criticism, and after reviewing Chapter 3, I see she is very right. That chapter is basically a summary of what could be three or four chapters. Actually, I liked what she said so much, I redid this chapter, split it into two parts, and added a bit more detail. So a big thanks to her.

This is a bit of a shorter chapter, but that is because I split it into two parts.

Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy!

Reminder: Brian Jacques owns these characters. I own like, three, all of which I made up. So thanks Mr. Jacques for making this incredible series, and Rest In Peace.

Captain Slathed strode around the slave compound early in the morning and woke the slaves. Kicking unlucky ones, he ranted, "You foul-gut, good for nothing, stupid, worthless scum! I asked you nicely to get up, an did yer? No! Get up! That is, unless yer want to taste my whip! Arrr! I'll skin da lot of ya!" Taking out his whip, he slashed at Leppina, who still slept in a corner. The whip caught her on the forehead and she slumped down, unconscious. The slaves growled at Slathed but still didn't dare speak to him. The biggest otter of the lot, Muldun, stepped forwards. "Get out of 'ere vermin. Leave us alone!" Snarling, Slathed whipped out, hitting Muldun in the chest. "How dare ye speak to a Captain that way!" he roared. "Quarter-rations and double workload from now. Also, yer wont be sleepin' wit yer parents, that is, if ye rave any! Dat'll teach you a lesson!" Slathed continued, whipping Muldun again, bringing the young otter to the ground. "Stop! Please!" she gasped. "T'aint gonna stop till yer've learned a lesson!" Blood was now starting to stain Muldun's cloak. Sobbing, she gasped, "T'Ive learned me lesson sire!" But still Slathed whipped. Muldun's cloak was now in tatters, skin visible in large chunks. She was sobbing with pain. Giving it one last whip, Slathed stormed off, remarking, "And otter, ye'll work 'morrow till I tell you to stop. Even when others have a break, ye'll keep on goin'! Don't cross Slathed!" Muldun was nearly dead for her injuries. Some slaves tended to her. "That was a brave thing ye did Muldun." One said as he applied some water on her back. Opening her eyes, the otter-maid spoke, absolute hatred in her voice. "Yes, and I'm sorry you were punished. Slathed is a cruel stoat. I swear one day I will kill him" The slave that had told her so, whose name was Libe, was shocked at the otter's remark. "Surley you don't mean that?" "Yes, I do. Aye, Slathed and the rest of these captains, as well as Theppler. They all sealed their fate when they slew two otters named Lilan and Butrate." With a dangerous look in her eyes, Muldun got up and said, "Yes, one day those vermin will die." Slathed was still in earshot. Striding back over, he stroked his whip. "Wots that yer say? Haven't had enough, Hmm?" Before Muldun could answer, a guard on the walltop called down to the Slavemaster. "Ahoy Slathed! Yer might want to see this!"

Cap'n Gulspin Wildar headed his horde of vermin in a charge. "Belay maytahs!" he roared. "No'n burns three o' Cap'n Gulspin's ships and lives to tell of it! Chaaaaarge!" As his horde ran forwards, two groups of twenty beasts, each with ladders, broke off and sprinted to both sides of the fortress. The groups were headed by Vethug Bowbeast, Gulspin's captain, and his boson, Bolblub. Bolblub, who was not very fast, immediately fell behind and tripped. Snarling, Gulspin, who was at the head of the charge, ran to where the boson laid. "Cap'n I-" He was silenced by a swift thrust from Gulspin's cutlass. "There 'tis no excuses during war!"

"Sire! Sire! Come quickly! Burnback!" Thepplers head poked out of his cabin. "Aar, wot is it you blithering idjit?" Slathed talked quickly. "Gulspin attacking… All his troops…Come on!" Pushing past the Slavemaster, Theppler rushed to the wallgates, roaring, "Allbeasts! Get to the wallgates now! It's an attack!" It was still relatively early in the morning, so vermin rushed out of the barracks, tripping over armour, still half asleep, and started towards the wallgates. Most of them started walking, talking to another. "Wots ole Burnback doin' now?" "Tis probably sum practice drill. I'm too tired for practice drills." "You an me both, mate!" "C'mon yer idjits!" Theppler yelled. "You'll defend this fort, come Hell or high water!" At that the vermin ran to him. As vermin arrived next to Theppler, the big fox started giving out orders to two of his captains that had arrived. "Gruza, an' you Slathed. Split up an' start throwing stones, shooting arrows, anything! They're in range for us, but we're not in their range." The two ran off. "You!" Theppler pointed at a random rat. "Go rouse my other captains. Now!" He said as the rat hesitated. "And will someone get that squirrel to shurrup?" A ferret tugged his ear in salute, then started shooting arrows at the beast that had not quit screaming sinc the earlier day.

"Aaaaaaaaaargh!" Razaful the squirrel screamed, tears falling openly down his face. "Die Burnback! Theppler! You will pay! I raised my daughter from but a mite. Now you have killed her! You will dieeeee! Theppppppleeeeer!" The shouts were to no avail. He was on the wall gates, raised twenty feet in the air and tied to poles, almost directly above where Theppler stood. He was immune to the noise of arrows being fired, vermin roaring, and feet pounding. The battle was nothing to him. An arrow thudded into his thigh, but even this he did notice. He thought of only one thing. Revenge.

Hope you enjoyed! Be sure to review!

Peace!

SilverClaymore