Thanks for reading! Sorry about the delay, college started again and time has become a scarcity. Expect a greater time between updates. A lot of new challenges in writing this chapter for me but for a lot of firsts I have tried as well!
As for all please let me know what you think and what I can improve on. Always open to feedback, comments, etc.
The scream startled Seabane, he was busy thinking about how he fooled this squirrel to notice anything amiss. He should have known better. He looked over at Crooksnout who appeared to be as surprised as he was. The two shared a moment of confusion. Something was very wrong. It was cut short by another scream of terror from some beast within the cottage.
"NO!" Cried the squirrel Ferris as he disappeared into his home, leaving Crooksnout and Seabane alone at the door. The screaming escalated. There were other sounds as well. The crashing of furniture, followed by a yelp of pain. The clanging of metal, steel upon steel. And above it all, Seabane could hear the mad laughter of a fox who had just made his first kill. "Those mud-brained idiots!" Seabane cursed aloud as he hurried to the door. He hoped that it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but he knew he would be wrong.
When Seabane peered inside the cottage his heart sunk. It was chaos. Flames from the fire had spilled over into the main room and were greedily consuming its surroundings and were beginning to crawl up the walls. Smoke was billowing up and quickly filling the cottage. Seabane had to crouch to see without burning his eyes. He could see beasts were furiously hacking and slashing at each other. He could hear groans of pain and the whimpering of a child. Seabane spotted Mukfur's dark fur, starkly outlined against the fire, which was growing evermore in size and strength. Muckfur had drawn his dirk and held a crude cooking knife which he used with lethal effect. He was locked in combat with the squirrel that had moments ago held Seabane hostage. Both the squirrel and weasel's blades were smeared in blood. Muckfur was faster and was desperately trying to slash at the squirrels' arms and throat. The squirrel was stronger however and tried to block or parry Muckfur's advances. Seabane knew the squirrel was waiting for the moment when he could break Muckfurs guard and land a killing blow. Seabane began frantically searching for his blade, knowing that he would very well need it soon.
Searching for his blade Seabane entered the cottage, but he didn't get very far. The smoke was choking him and blinded most of his vision. He crouched down to see what he could. There was a tall backed heavy oaken chair that would've looked more akin to a throne room than a cottage, it was partially on fire. There was also an elegant rocking chair so heavily ladened with blankets and pillows Seabane thought it would've collapsed under its own weight. It had been flipped over and broken apart in the chaos. The only thing that appeared to be untouched was a small table with a bundled-up blanket on top of it. Seabane could see several small bodies laying in pools of blood amongst the contents of the room.
Suddenly a flash of orange fur dart out the side of the cottage caught Seabanes eye. Looking up Seabane saw Herrik avoiding the blows of a rolling pin from the mother squirrel. The female squirrel had been wounded but was still bravely attempting to put up a fight against a seasoned hoard beast. Herrik was nimble enough to avoid the slow and heavy swings from the pin and used the opening to stab at the squirrel's unprotected waist. Herrik landed three mortal thrusts into the squirrel's midsection. The female squirrel staggered backward and collapsed into the highbacked wooden chair behind her. Herrick looked up and found Seabane and opened his mouth in surprise. Seabane cut him off. "My sword! Where is my sword!" Seabane shrieked to be heard over the sounds of dying beasts and a fire that had increased into a roar.
"Ruddy's got 'em!" Herrik responded and lowered his dirk.
Before the weasel could say more the mother squirrel rose up and landed a blow to the side of the weasel's head with a resounding crack. Herrick crumpled to the ground unmoving. The female squirrel stood for a moment with tears running down her face, then fell beside Herrik.
Seabane couldn't waste any more time, he wheeled about to face Crooksnout who was standing slack-jawed at the door. "Grab Herrik, I have to get my sword!" Ushering him into the burning building.
Crooksnout looked at the inferno in front of him, hesitated, and looked back at Seabane. "An whatabout-"
Seabane grabbed Crooksnout by his vest and lifted the crimson-furred weasel until his paws were off the ground. "Grab Herrik, or by the claws of Zidar I will make you wish you were burned alive in this cottage!" Crooksnout lost all color in his face before Seabane threw him down. Seabane was already rushing around the side of the cottage before Crooksnout forced himself to move.
Seabane whipped around to the side of the cottage frantically searching for any sign of Ruddy or the young squirrel who had taken his sword. It didn't take Seabane very long to find the fox.
Ruddy was laughing manically. Silhouetted against the glow of the fire which had reached the roof of the cottage, he stood over the quivering squirrel who was clutching the bloody stump where his right paw should be. The squirrel's paw lay in the grass still clutching Seabane's cutlass. The fox playfully tossed his axe from paw to paw relishing the moment before he raised it and forcefully drove it home. The young fox howled with glee; he had finally defeated his first opponent. Consumed with his bloody accomplishment Ruddy continued to hack at the body of the squirrel having not noticed Seabane watching a few paces away.
On a normal night Seabane would have congratulated Ruddy, then would have mocked how stupid the fox looked over a mug of whatever beer or ale was available once they returned to the hoard. But they can't return to the hoard, and whatever drink they could have was burning in the cottage. There also was Ferris the squirrel who needed to be dealt with. Seabane quickly grabbed his cutlass. He would let Bloodclaw have this moment, Seabane thought to himself as he turned away from the fox who was preoccupied. Before Seabane could disappear Ruddy finally noticed him and proudly called out.
"I kill't 'em Capt'n! Did you see it? Got'em nice an good just like I told ye I would!" Bloodclaws eyes were pridefully yearning for recognition. But Seabane had turned away and ignored him.
"Seabane?" Bloodclaw called. But he had already turned the corner to the front of the cottage leaving the confused fox alone with his kill.
Seabane rushed back around to the front of the cottage. The flames from the building singed his fur and he had to squint so he could keep the smoke from entering his eyes. He couldn't find any beast, friend, or foe. Seabane wondered if the vermin had fled back to the woods. He expected Silvertoung to as she had her kits to worry about and Seabane was beginning to suspect that Sathe was useless. Cowardly ferret probably fled the moment the skirmish broke out. Seabane reminded himself that he would deal with her but now Seabane could still hear fighting above the roar of the fire. Suddenly there was a crack followed by a scream. Seabane picked up his pace as he rounded the cottage once more. A grimace of horror showed on Silveroungs pale face. Illuminated by the fire which had consumed most of the cottage was the squirrel Ferris, his hatchet buried into the shoulder of Crooksnout. He held the other hatchet above his head ready for the killing blow. Seabane let out a shout and lept forward, poised to strike the exposed backside of the squirrel only to miss by a hair's breadth. The squirrel awkwardly danced backward a few paces then regained his balance and squared himself to face Seabane. Crooksnout slowly crumpled at Seabanes feet.
"MURDERS! I should have slayed you the moment you appeared at my door, vermin!" Ferris shouted at Seabane. Seabane didn't respond but instead, he stepped over the injured Crooksnout. He didn't know how to respond. Seabane didn't want to kill this squirrel's family. Or at least he didn't want to burn the squirrel's cottage down when the deserters desperately needed it. Seabane wanted to apologize and say that this wasn't what he wanted to happen, or that he wished that they could just have gone off with his vittles.
"Shaddup squirrel!" Was his response.
"Filthy vermin worm!"
Ferris rushed Seabane and was on him in a flash. Seabane nimbly darted away from the burning cottage, avoiding the downward strike. He quickly jabbed his cutlass at the squirrel's open ribcage, almost landing a blow before being parried away. Seabane continued slashing and thrusting at the squirrel with his cutlass searching for any opening. He was fast but Ferris was as well. Every attack from the rat was met with a sharp twang of metal or a rush of air after being parried away by the squirrel. The two beasts stood desperately hacking at each other. Seabane trying to keep his back away from the fire and Ferris slowly getting closer to the rat. After a flurry of blows, Seabane jumped away. Pointing his blade at Ferris forcing him to keep his distance.
"Cowardly Rat!"
They both had landed strikes upon each other but nothing devastating. Seabane wanted to keep the squirrels back to the fire to try and force him into it. But after every missed blow the squirrel gained ground and confidence. Seabane noticed that the squirrel was doing so laboriously. Every movement was fast but strangely off as if he was dragging an anchor with him. Although the Seabane struggled to land a blow on the squirrel, the squirrel couldn't move fast enough to get close to him.
Ferris began to close the distance, batting Seabanes cutlass to the side. Seabane noticed the squirrel was favoring his left leg, and that he moved with a limp in his right. He thought he could press the advantage. Ferris drove forward bringing his hatchets down in rapid succession. Dodging the attack, Seabane quickly shot to Ferris's side putting the squirrel between the injured Crooksnout and Seabane. Ferris was slow to react to Seabane who slashed at his left leg eliciting a cry of pain. Seabane had landed a strike on the squirrel, cutting deep. Seabane danced backward well out of the range of the hatchets. Ferris staggered awkwardly struggling to keep his balance. Seabane hurried to close the distance charging at the squirrel, slashing furiously, driving Ferris back. Seabane's blows became fiercer as Ferris's parries became weaker and slower.
Knowing that he had the upper hand Seabane furiously thrust forward driving for the squirrel's heart. He felt only air as Ferris desperately jumped aside at the last moment. Seabane tumbled over the prone body of Crooksnout, dropping his cutlass in the process, landing in a heap surprised to have missed. Regaining his wits, Seabane rolled around and saw Ferris starting towards him. Hatchets raised, shouting at the top of his lungs, the fire illuminating the figure of a terrible beast. Seabane frantically scrabbled in the dirt searching for his blade. Ferris was quickly on top of Seabane. Seabane managed to find his cutlass. With a weak grip, he thrust it towards the squirrel. Ferris reacted swiftly, locking the blade of the cutlass between the heel and handle of his hatchet, wrenching it from Seabanes grasp and sending it flying away. Seabanes eyes widened and tried to kick away from the squirrel as he stood atop him and raised his hatchet for the killing blow. Seabane desperately managed to land a blow on his right hip. The squirrel released a blood-curdling scream and dropped his hatchet. Suddenly a white blur came from behind and brained the squirrel sending him flying to the ground behind Seabane. Ferris lay motionless, he was dead.
Breathless, Seabane cowered beneath the massive silhouette of Marrow who stood overtop him. The albino was emotionless as usual but there was an inkling of questioning in his red eyes as he stared at the quivering vermin. Seabane managed to stagger upright. Marrow made no movement but contained to watch him. Seabane looked at the body of the squirrel, then at Crooksnout, then at the cottage still on fire. The cottage! Vittles! Food!
Seabane spun to Marrow, "Yew stupid beast! Get in there and grab whatever vittles ye can find!" Marrow blankly stared at him.
"...Please," Seabane added on for good measure. Marrow was still armed whereas Seabane was not. Without question, the white rat turned and ran into the burning cottage.
Dazed Seabane went over and knelt aside Crooksnout. The weasel's eyes were wide, and he was opening and closing his mouth like a fish gasping for air. Blood was freely spewing from a deep cut on his arm just below the shoulder. The weasel's arm was most certainly broken but Crooksnout would live. Silvertoung had rushed over to her mate, incoherently trying to comfort him as tears streamed down her worn face, her young followed closely.
"Hush up would ye, 'es not gonna die from a little cut like that," Seabane said as he searched for anything that would constitute a bandage. Seabane felt as if he was walking through a dream. The wails from the weaselmaid and her kits grew louder. Seabane groaned with annoyance and shakily moved towards the slain squirrel.
The squirrel lay face down in the grass, the back of his skull caved inward from the ferocious blow. Blood splattered across the grass illuminated by the burning cottage. Seabane held back the bile building up from within his stomach. He managed to remove the squirrel's thick overcoat which should be of some use to the vermin. The rat then proceeded to tear off a chunk of the squirrel's tunic as a bandage and retrieved one of the bloodied hatchets nearby. Robbing the dead and the living must also be as natural as groveling to vermin, he thought to himself. Although Seabane thought it didn't matter anymore, the squirrel and his family were dead and nothing would change that.
Seabane returned to Silvertoung still sobbing over her injured mate. He passed the squirrel's overcoat to one of the kits and went about bandaging up Crooksnout trying his best to put a collected disposition. A sudden crack of timber snapped Seabane from his work. He looked up to see the cottage collapse in upon itself. Logs that were once the framework for a home were now glowing red, orange, and black in heap amongst a still burning fire. Looking up he saw Ruddy cautiously following behind Marrow whose white fur had taken a sooty color. Marrow had Herrik draped over his shoulder. From behind him, Seabane heard Muckfurs mocking voice.
"I hope ye got some vittles mate. I'm ready for a meal!" In an instant, Seabanes blood was boiling. He wheeled around to see Muckfur watching him tend to Crooksnout, Sathe stood some paces behind him. Seabane jumped up and landed a blow on the weasel's chin sending the Muckfur to his back. Seabane jumped on a dazed Muckfur and landed blow upon blow on the weasel.
"You soggy, dung-eared, nitnosed, toad-legged, antbrained mongrel!" Seabane bellowed at Muckfur between blows. He was removed from the weasel by a breathless Ruddy. Seabane broke free of the fox's grasp and cuffed him as well sending him spinning.
Muckfur was on his feet but was again sent to his rear after colliding with Ruddy.
"You blithering idiots! What were you fools doing? Yew could've kill't Crooksnout n' me!" Seabane snarled at them.
Muckfur pushed Ruddy off of him with a grunt and glared indignantly at Seabane. "Yew was going to get yerself kilt by the looks of it. The squirrel had ye by yer neck didn' e'." Muckfur spat towards the body of the squirrel. "If one of those stupid squirrels didn't send the fire scattering then we would've had a home for the winter and ye wouldn't be complaining."
"We thought you two were as good as dead so we thought we'd go around back and surprise 'em." Ruddy trailed off after receiving a venomous glare from Seabane.
"Does it look like we're dead, you stupid runt!" Ruddy looked hurt and couldn't meet Seabanes furious glare. "We could've been sitting around a fire with vittles in our stomachs. Now Crooksnouts got a broken arm, Herrik's half dead and we still have nothing to show for it!" Silence was all that followed.
"We don't have nothin'. Marrows saved something from the fire." Sathe interjected with some annoyance.
She was right! Marrow was carrying a heavily ladened blanket in his free paw. Seabane eagerly gestured for him to bring it over. Hopefully, there were vittles or something to soothe the vermin's mood. Marrow obliged and brought the checker patterned blanket to Seabane. All the vermin who could walk gathered around Seabane, eagerly drooling over what vittles it could be. Seabane looked inside and gasped. The other vermin held their breath as he reached in the makeshift blanket. It wasn't vittles or tools or anything of use to the vermin at all. It was a baby squirrel who squirmed in its swaddling.
The vermin roared their displeasure at Marrow who remained sternly emotionless.
"You stupid mute, rat! What kind of joke is this!" Seabane shouted up at Marrow. "This isn't food you dirty savage!" Marrow attempted to hold back a snarl.
"Could we eat it?" Asked Ruddy.
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Maybe?"
"No we're not savages, we're vermin! Even Zidar wouldn't do such a thing," Seabane added disgusted at the thought.
"How would you know, rat! At least with Zidar, we had food and shelter!" Mukfur snapped. "It didn't matter where it came from but it kept us alive and that's better than where we are now!"
"If you would 'ave said that to Zidar he'd tear yar in two. We're not eating that thing."
"What do ye propose we do with it then Captain?" Asked Sathe. "After all we don't have enough food for ourselves much less this… thing." She spat at Seabane.
A crescendo of noise erupted from the vermin, each voice with its own ideas for what they should do with the squirrel and with their injured comrades. Seabane hated all of them. He hated Muckfur for attacking the cottage, he hated Ruddy for being young and naive, he hated Marrow for saving the squirrel babe and not any vittles, he hated Sathe for being a useless prig, and he hated the rest of them for grating his nerves. He just needed to think of a plan, a plan that wouldn't fail because of the incompetence of those around him.
A small flake of white lazily drifted past and then another. Amongst the arguing vermin Seabane looked up, dark clouds hung low above them. The season's first storm had finally arrived. Seabane drew his cutlass, the vermin quieted down. In the smoldering ashes of the fire, he addressed them.
"Alright, lads here's what we're gonna do." Seabanes tone meant that there would be no further questioning.
"I blame you two for what happened here tonight." He gestured to Muckfur and Sathe.
He cut them off before they could protest and pointed his cutlass at Sathe. "That squirrel that Marrow just slew claimed that any incompetent beast could find enough food to forage in this forest even at this time of year. We wouldn't have had to ask for help if you knew what yew was doing ferret!" Sathe opened her mouth to protest. Seabane ignored her. "Not to mention the fact that you lied to us earlier about the river and almost led us straight into a trap. And you abandoned Crooksnout and Silvertoung to be killed by that squirrel!" Sathe quickly shut her mouth.
Seabane began to inspect his blade amusingly then pointed it at Mukfur. "You didn't listen to me and now you destroyed our only opportunity for vittles or the like. You do understand that you would've been killed if ye did something like that in the horde. And I'm beginning to think I should slay ye to prevent any more trouble. Yer becoming more trouble than your worth, mate." Mukfur glared at Seabane. "But I would be stupid to deny your usefulness and I'm much more forgiving than Zidar aren't I?" Seabane received an angry glare.
"So, I'm going to give you two a test." Seabane smiled wickedly. "We're close to that cursed Abbey and we've just killed a family of squirrels so some beast is bound to notice us eventually. We aren't going to eat this squirrel and we're not going to abandon it either. In fact... you two are going to take care of it." Muckfur and Sathe began to protest but again Seabane cut them off. As he raised the bundled creature in front of them. "We can use this little squirrel for food and shelter, all we need is to show that we've taken good care of it since it was abandoned by its parents." He looked for understanding from the vermin of which there wasn't much.
"That'll never work, you fool. The abbey beasts would kill us the moment they saw us with the babe. It's better that we leave it to die then than risk our lives for something that would grow up wanting to kill us anyway." Sathe spat back at Seabane.
Deep down Seabane believed she was right. But he couldn't stop thinking that perhaps this was another opportunity to use these foolish woodlanders for his advantage. The deserters needed as much help as they could get.
"The Abbey beasts are weak fools, they wouldn't dare threaten us if we have one of their own. Especially a little babe."
Seabane looked at Muckfur who had fallen silent but wore a faint smile. Seabane knew what he was thinking.
"Don't think about killing it either Mukfur. If it dies before I say it can then I'll chop you both into pieces or let Marrow crush you two into stew." His smile was replaced by anger. "We'll just say that it'll be a wonderful lesson for the lot of you. Follow my instructions or we all end up dead, idiots."
The white specks had grown in size. "We have to leave now." Seabane handed the bundle of squirrel to Sathe who hesitated but took it after some anguished thought. Seabane moved to lift Crooksnout to his footpaws, as Ruddy silently moved to carry Twinetail and Fenril. Seabane motioned for Marrow, who still carried an unconscious Herrik over his shoulder to lead. Seabane led from the rear driving them forward while they hobbled through the dark in the worsening weather. He regretfully looked back towards the embers of what was left of the cottage and forced himself to hold back a cry, before dodging the weeds and shrubbery which impeded the vermin's journey southward.