Chapter 6: Kasg's Shadow
"Useless, ungrateful, weak willed welps!" Screamed the rat.
The sun was shining in the far southern Mossflower, its hills and forests were bright, and even though fall had not begun thus far, it was colorful. Southern Mossflower was always dangerous land, much like the north, but the Long Patrol's southern quarter had been busily hard at work taming the land and driving out the vermin. The land was looking better and more populated, with farmstead and villages. Eastern parts of southern Mossflower on the other hand was a bit of a different story, especially towards the great lake. Gandal Blackfur, former captain of Kasg the Craven's horde, was angrily waving his sabre at his vermin layabouts and hordebeasts, having brought him the bodies of two others.
"You idiots! How do you all die so quickly! It was a mole! A damn mole! They be shorter then mice an' terrible warrior the lot of them! I want you all back out there, finding that cretan and kill him! Dead! Dead!" He screamed and ranted. Gandal was annoyed, deeply frustrated at the defeats he had just been handed to him. His recruitment was poor, and his raiding went poorer. The Long Patrol may have had only few resources, but the hare commander Numbat and his badger lieutenant Balon were right on his tail. It would be any day before they hatched a plan to destroy him utterly, and now an old enemy had come back to haunt him.
"Find Borbon! Find Borbon Rocklore! I want that mole's head on a spike!"
The vermin left his presence. The warband had been setting up in a wooden camp for some time, the horde was growing slowly, but Gandal was losing vermin faster than he could recruit. It wasn't that the land was not rich in vermin homes, the creatures were honest to god afraid of Borbon. The mole had made it his personal mission, his warhammer in paw. It was a sorry day when Gandal saw vermin slink away in fear of a mole then the badger which also actively hunted him.
Gandal paced into his pavilion, cursing the day he was not only born, but did not speak up when Kasg had called for a great war to claim some damned and stupid prize in Mossflower. He fondly remembered the black rat well, and now so many vermin had forgotten him. We were so damn close, Kasg. You idiot fool! We had em' by the tail, the whole north! We could have crushed Noonvale an' made it a true vermin paradise! Forts an' homes for the lot of us. What was so important about that treasure of yours?
Gandal began to fix up his black cloak and shove the dust and dirt from his favorite black armor. He looked menacing, if he could see himself, and looked over his horde. He was growing older, fatter, and he felt his years coming upon him. If there was one last thing before he died, it was going to be putting his blade into Borbon's throat. Much like how he had murdered Lorgar! He smiled with a wicked grin, he began to waddle down from his pavilion.
_
"Put yer backs into it, water dog!" There was a yelp of pain as the otter hit the ground. He and other captured woodlanders were trying to bring in logs from a forestry to Gandal's horde, as a sadistic ferret unfurled his whip and gleefully laughed. This otter had been his favorite victim, mostly because he always knew what came next.
The otter stood up and tried to rush into the ferret, screaming angrily and was held back by other nearby vermin. The ferret's name is Jano, Jano Whiplash as he preferred to call himself. The ferret was Gandal's favorite taskmaster, the slave driver personally oversaw the construction of the wooden walls around the horde's city of tents. Jano had come to get used to his abuses, for just as the otter was settling into his role as work beast to the horde, Jano would find new and creative means to mindlessly antagonize him. It worked often.
The vermin held the otter down, looking up in pure hate at the ferret. He grimly smiled "What's the matter Loy Watertrot? Ya not use to the lash yet? Ya mum did, an' as ya know, she be takin a nice long rest in the dirt, eh."
The comment made the otter nearly break free of his captors and stangle the ferret right then and there. Loy, son of the famed Lorgar Watertrot, hero in the war against Kasg the Craven, was now forced to serve his father and mother's murderers. It had been an entire season since those fateful days, he had cried over their passing. Gandal had come to his farmstead and ambushed his father unjustly, killing him while he was least defended. The monster hunted him, and when he found out he had a family, Gandal had gleefully enslaved him and his mother, forcefully marching back to his horde. His mother had been worked to death, a grim fate which the taskmaster had gleefully tortured the otter over.
Gandal had come up with his black clad guard, who stood by as he saw Loy struggling to break free of Jano's minions. The other slaves watched on, far too weak and ill armed to help the otter.
"I see ya are doin well for yourself, Jano. How is our little water dog doing today?"
"Still as disobedient an' as ungrateful of yer presence as the day we brought him in, my lord. Shall I have him scourged again?"
Gandal ignored his taskmaster coming over and looking down at Loy. The otter hated seeing the rat's face, he knew he was sadistically happy to see him suffering. Gandal was a veteran of war, and his many scars showed, some caused by his father. Others by Borbon. The rat had long awaited to avenge Kasg, and now he was just one step closer.
"Stop strugglin, water dog. I won't kill ya yet, maybe skin ya later if I am bored. Yer father, that wretch Lorgar, did terrible of things, he did. If ya stop strugglin, I might even make ya me water carrier!" He laughed at the thought. Lorgar's son, his personal servant to do Gandal's bidding. Loy was having none of it, and in a rush of rage broke free of his captors and with a swift punch flattened his fist into Gandal's mouth. The vermin quickly grabbed back onto him as Gandal whirled around in pain.
"Thats it, ya damn water dog!"
Jano came over with a knife, ready to put it into Loy's throat. Yet, Gandal stopped him "I don't want him dead yet! I will not let the likes of ya ruin Kasg's vengeance on his murderers! I'll have ya gutted an' hanged an' quartered if ya lay a single paw to kill that beast! Tie him to the pole for the night, let him sulk an' put em' back to work tomorrow." Gandal spat out, recovering from the otter's mark. Loy was dragged off, giving a rare smile as he watched the rat go off. He had long wished to punch him. It was worth the punishment.
_
On that night, Loy was strapped to a pole with his arms and legs tied behind it. It was simply torture, but it sure was effective. His limbs went numb and he looked into the night sky, wondering if he would just pass away in the night. Better to pass than to live like this. I miss ya mum. He thought to himself. His father had taught him well, on many things, but he couldn't use it in such weakness. Gandal didn't need a lot of chain or ropes to keep his slaves in line, he used starvation and exhaustion. He had tried to escape, seek out his father's friend Borbon for help. Yet his mind was only on one thing. Damn Gandal. I am going to kill that rat, one way or the other! I'll avenge us all pa! I wish you could hear me. Loy knew it was going to be a restless night, as the pole didn't exactly let him sleep, as he waited for exhaustion to ultimately overcome him.
However, a scurrying nearby kept him awake. From out of the brush, a mouse and slave of the horde approached, with a small ladle in his paws. Loy gave a weak smile as his friend Glain approached him.
"Ya shouldn't let that wretched ferret get ya like that." Glain commented, holding up the ladle to Loy's mouth. The otter weakly sipped the water from it and gave a pained gulp. "I hope you brought some sharp rocks, Glain. If I could, I would be bounding out of here!"
"Couldn't even get me paws on anything! Besides, we wouldn't have gotten far with those sentries." Glain looked beyond the trees of Mossflower, as a small patrol of vermin was soon passing by. He would have to leave his friend soon, as Glain came up with a plan. "I don't wanna see ya die out here, Loy. I gots a plan, but ya may not like it?"
"I already don't like the sound of it, so ask away."
Glain came close and hide behind the pole, the distant patrol was still circling the camp. "I gots a plan to escape, Loy. It'll be tricky, but there be a path, right out the north side! But ya gotta play along an' get down from that pole! Tell Gandal what he wants to hear, an' we can make it out in less then fortnight!"
"Ya certain? The inland lake be swarmin with more then just Gandal's minions."
"Ya, but ya gotta let Gandal hear what he wants to hear and give him no trouble, until we are all good and clear."
The otter nodded "I'm in. So what I gotta say to him."
The mouse shrugged "Tell him he gotta pretty face and his swings his sword like a murderin slaver he is, I don't know. I don't talk to vermin very much, even when surrounded by em"
The otter stood there and listened as his mouse friend disappeared back into the underbrush. Once I am down from this pole, Gandal will rue the day he was born. I get him for you pa! I swear it!
_
Gandal was looking over maps of southern Mossflower. The eastern forests were his to be sure, at least for now. However, out west was a larger concern. The Hare commander Numbat Vigor von Biggerplume III, or just Numbat for short, was holding out in a camp called Palewind. Palewind was large and defensible, not like his ramshackle walls and poorly trained guard. He outnumbered the Long Patrol, he knew that, but he lacked skilled hordebeasts. He had experience fighting hares, and a single creature could easily spell doom for him and his horde. Gandal worked away into the night, and was joined by the slinking form of his captain, Olan Krepter.
"Olan, look here. We got scout reports that the hares are movin in closer. They'll soon be on us. I want ya to lead me elite black shirts to smash up their camp. We need em' to be driven away."
"Me lord, if I may say, I got good news fer once!" The large black cloaked rat smiled grimly, his old friend had been with him since they were but common sentries in Kasg's horde. Gandal patted his friend on the back and gave him a stern warning "Tell me ya ol' mud snouted wretch, what good news ya got fer me?"
"Me lord, the mole has been spotted. He is spotted nearby! A weasel caught onto his scent, he comes alone! The fool comes alone!"
Gandal nearly jumped out of his tent, the mole had finally made a mistake! "Gather the horde! We leave tonight! Grab me best soldiers, grab a score! Borbon dies tonight!" Olan and Gandal rushed out, gathering nearby vermin. There would be no time to waste. Borbon would die tonight.
Farther off in the distance, between two hills sat two moles They were grimmly looking at a campfire. Two armored moles had no eyes above the hills or beyond, but they sat with their weapons close to them, waiting. Borbon Rocklore, the hero in Kasg the Craven's evil conquests, cleaned his grand warhammer with a rag.
"Oy, guud nught fer a smakun dat varment! I hup yur plun works, ol' frund." Borbon smiled at the mole across from him, who had been counting out crossbow bolts. His large crossbow laid to his side, the weapon with a deep shine. He smiled back and pricked a bolt with his paw's finger "Auh we'vn be buck in ol' Nuunvale, ya huv dreadud comun un deez advenuturs, ol' Borb!"
"Aye, buut, ya knuw ull too well I'll nut muss the chance to avunge me frund, Lugur! I'll huv that wruch's fur fer carpet, I swore!"
"Aye yu swure! Hupefully, this ull wurks out, frund."
The two sat, they had purposefully lit a fire so close to the vermin camp for this purpose. High above the hills, in the hills itself, Borbon's trap was set. 12 Long Patrol Hares and a badger waited with weapons, half had bows. The rat warlord could not resist the allure of killing Borbon. The mole had humiliated him and his horde many times, slew his vermin one by one. Yet, the rat had escaped time and time again. Almost on cue, shadows began moving towards Borbon and the other mole. The badger from beneath the brush whispered to a Hare who held onto a spear, his blue and purple vestment and light armor bounced off poorly with the starry night. The moon was not out, so darkness and the light of the badger's camp fire below was all that could be seen.
"You think Borbon's plan will work? It's dangerous."
"My big black striped friend. If this doesn't work, I will start pulling out my poor fur! Gandal is cautious, and isn't as idiotic as Kasg's other commanders. Yet he and his lot are quite predictable."
Balon Blackpatch didn't like the odds, Gandal was outmatched, but the rat knew how to quickly make an escape. They were betting a lot of odds on using Borbon and his friend as bait. Gandal escaped thrice, and his Hare commander Numbat Vigor von Biggerplume III, or just Numbat for short, was confident. All they had to do was keep the rat from escaping this time, ambush him and his lot, and then smash up his captains. If they were lucky, they would even free his slaves by today's end!
_
Gandal had originally requested a score of vermin warriors to join him, and again he was impressed when his captain brough him 24. The vermin left in good order, with weapons at their backs and belts. Olan Krepter krept close to his friend and boss, explaining to him what he and his scouts saw.
"We ya saw that wretched mole waltzin down in the hills, boss! Scouts say he made camp not far off, likely on the tails of those poor raiders we sent out. I think he may of gotten lost, not sure. He was alone chief, me vermin swar!"
As the vermin task force scoured the area, Gandal's scouts found their target, although when they returned, they seemed skittish. "Aye chief, there be anudder' mole wit Borbon!"
"How ye know it be that mole, scum. Speak!"
"Big warhammer, boss, armor critter! The udder one got a big ol' crossbow!"
Gandal spat, he knew this mole as well, a mercenary amongst the mole colonies who wandered across Mossflower, and friend of Rocklore. Siegfried, a dangerous one. "Follow me closely lads, we'll ambush em both! The mole warrior dies tonight!" The vermin were off on the hunt, their shadowy forms moving in the brush of the forest and hills, weapons clattering with the wind. Gandal licked his lips with anticipation at killing Borbon. For too long has the mole denied his victory, thrice he defied death itself to fight another day, seasons of humiliation for the one survivor of a collapsed mole colony he had personally snuffed out from existence.
Gandal was coming.
_
In the brush beyond, another group of vermin were watching, but not one aligned with Gandal. A group of ferrets watched the moles from a distance, their weapons already at the ready as they hid in the bushes. Mercenaries from southern Mossflower, bearing good weapons and better armor, stood by as a Long Patrol hare lorded over them.
"You lot better have been worth the money and vittles sunk into you, wot."
A ferret warrior and maiden of the group shushed the Hare "Be silent, long ears! Brothers, look! Our prey be in our sight! Ready yer spears an axes! We move on Numbat's orders! Leave the rat alive, I wanna get paid extra fer his head!"
The mercenaries grinned and chuckled in a low tone, unsheathing blades. The Hare who was babysitting the vermin looked on with disgust. They were a cursed lot, but each was well armed and was bought with good intentions. He watched as Gandal's long shadow pierced into the valley, the rat had come and from his cloak a dark host of ill trained rabble came. They clumsily bounded about, zeroing in on the moles below the two hills.
_
Borbon was cleaning his warhammer and began polishing it, he was fairly ready for what was too come but grew bored. "Ay, Siugfrud. Got any ol' mole songs?"
The mole was about to sing, but the two heard a sickening crunch of a stick. Siegfried had scattered debris around the camp beforehand, allowing him to listen in on where the vermin ambushers were coming from. They silenced themselves and didn't move. Gandal shot a deadly glance at the vermin who had broken a stick with his foot and began already slinking away. Gandal cursed him and crested the hill, calling out to Borbon below.
"Borbon Rocklore, ya bounder, ya bandit an' rebel! Behold the Black Banner of Kasg the Craven reborn! I, Gandal, slayer of Lorgar Watertrot, Servant of Kasg, an' captain of the Black Clad Horde, seek yer death! Forward vermin! Cull an' Kill! Cull an' Kill!" Borbon more than just recognized the cowardly voice of Gandal, as Kasg's war cry rang across the small horde of vermin. They had fully surrounded the moles, as Siegfried quickly fired a bolt into a faster vermin who was half way already down the hill. Borbon looked up, seeing Kasg looking onward. Of course he would not personally slay him, he would have his horde do it. Borbon whirled his warhammer down onto a vermin soldier who tried to cut into them. Now all Gandal had to do was wait, commanding his vermin as he did.
The moles were not overwhelmed as Gandal hoped, and put up a decent fight. They may have been good warriors, but numbers can quickly whittle them down, as the vermin weaved and shots were missed. Siegfried especially struggled as vermin closed the distance, as Borbon again personally slew another hordebeast. The creatures wanted to retreat, but Gandal's harsh looks and Olan driving them on with his sword prevented them from being too cautious.
Then, from a sudden distance Gandal heard an all too familiar battle cry "Blood an' Vinegar, lads!"
A shot of arrows flew from bushes and into several vermin, killing and maining them. The scream cries of the vermin soon was mixed in with the battle shouts of Hares. Borbon raised his warhammer and called out to Gandal "Oy rat! Com here! Gunna make yu pay fer Lurgar's sake, I will!" Borbon looked on with a dark fury as he slowly but surely began to crest the hill. Gandal knew he was had, lost heart, and pushed one of his nearby guards down the hill at Borbon. "Keep em' busy! Everyone else, retreat!" Gandal yelled, quickly running away. Olan followed, and began to rally the other vermin to him who were not engaged yet.
"Follow yer warlord!"
The battle was going well, as Borbon crested the hill, he saw below the Long Patrol quickly dispatching the vermin. Balon the badger lieutenant ran out and swiftly ended several lives with a single swing. If the abandoned hordebeasts were not demoralized before, they were now. Borbon called out to Numbat "Hurry, Lung ers! Gundul be guttun away!"
Numbat was about to comply, but an eager vermin warrior appeared from the mists of battle and tried to gut the hare. Only another fellow Long Patrol soldier came out and took the hit instead. Numbat looked on in shock and quickly rebounded and parried the vermin. He slashed the vermin into a corner in which Balon lobbed his head off with a swing. The vermin mercenaries who had been hiding swiftly began trailing Gandal, following close behind, they had been key to the whole ambush, but something became clearly wrong.
The ferret mercenary, Toila Longspear, jabbed her spear forward to her gang, and pounced on the retreating Gandal. The rat cursed and wheeled around. Toila expected an easy kill, a swift end to a coward and a simple minded former captain. What she did not suspect was Gandal weaving around with a sabre and cutting into one of her gang members so quickly and expertly. Ganda was still trailing off as he parried blows from spears and swords, screaming as he did. Borbon was too slow to catch up, his warhammer and armor now a hindrance in his pursuit despite how quickly he tried to catch up.
Toila nearly had her prey, but as soon as she tried to jab her spear into Gandal's chest, Olan had appeared and knocked her on the head from behind, the rat captain quickly scattering her gang. Despite all their bravado, the mercenaries collected their leader and injured and kept a distance. Gandal was escaping again.
Desperately, Borbon looked around for the hares, for any sign of his friend Siegfried. The mole was trying to line a shot, and fired clumsily, flying far enough to only hit the ground harmlessly far off from Gandal. Borbon raved and cursed the rat "I'll huv ya head un a pike, murderer!" Borbon shouted, but the rat didn't hear. He was already disappearing into the night.
_
Borbon depressingly began to climb back down to their ambush site and quickly began to raise his hope. Gandal was still far off from his horde, his vermin scattered, and he was mostly alone with a captain of his. The mole joined up with his friend and looked for Numbat, who was helping a Hare who had just saved him clean his wounds.
"Be sure to put these herbs every half day into the wound to help it better heal, chap. You don't want it to get lobbed off for infection!" The Hare nodded and limped off. Borbon angrily yelled at the Hare.
"Grub yur hares an' muv out! Gundul is still ut dur! We gut em buy du ropes! Lut us funish thut varment! Yu dur, murksbeasts! Fullow me an hulp me truck him an-" He was cut off by Numbat "I am sorry Borbon, but this was a risk, and we failed. We are leaving back to Palewind camp, and you should join me there to plan our next manuevers."
"Wuz gut no time fer dut! Gundul is gutten away, Numbat! I wull nut let that varment live one duy mure!"
"I am sorry." The Hare replied sadly, looking upon the mole who had a deep anger in his voice. The once gentle warrior had long abandoned any form of decency, and dedicated much of his life to hunting Gandal. Kasg's memories loomed large over Mossflower, and the evil beast may have been dead, but his presence was still felt, especially in his minions such as Gandal. Borbon had tears in his eyes, angrily shouting and raving.
"Yu! Yu dumb buest! Yu dulay an' dulay an' he guts awuy again an' again! Gundul murdured me family, murdured me whole clan, an' now he murdured me friend and hus family! We shuld have moved agunst him seasons ago, an yu sat on it, thunkin he be a minor threat, we'll guss whut, he nuw be killun an' pillagun unprovoked, unchallunged! He is nuw alun, in dem wuuds, an all we gutta do is get at em!"
"I will not leave my injured Hares here in this part of the country on a fool's mission, Borbon, no matter how much I want him dead as well. He is my responsibility, and we simply have not enough hares to challenge him directly. Trust me, we need to whittle him down, the bloody blighter will make a terrible mistake one way, or another."
Borbon was furious, this was the 4th time this has happened. Each time Gandal escaped him in this land, each time because the Long Patrol wanted to play games of tactics while the rat prodded and poked at the borders of the country. The excuses continued to pile up, and injured hares was a joke to him. He relented and angrily gripped his warhammer and began cresting the hill. He would not be returning to Palewind anytime soon, and was joined by Siegfriend.
Numbat began commanding his hares to move out "Gandal will likely return to his horde before daybreak, and if we are well on our toes, he won't scour us out here. Return to Palewind at once. Balon, come with me, we will lead the flank and help the injured back to camp. With any luck, we will bring that wretch to justice some other way."
Balon sighed "Yes, sir. If I may ask, Numbat, we could have sent the archers after Gandal?"
"Nay. Gandal's horde is not far off. Trying to hunt him in the dark, running as fast if not faster, with his horde on high alert will only endanger their lives. Borbon will have to wait till we thinned their number and chipped off their experienced creatures. Unlike Kasg, Gandal has only so limited resources."
"And the ferrets who failed to kill or even slow the damned cretan down?"
"Remind me to quarter their pay and harshly tell them that if they were hares, I would have had them flogged. Once we return to Palewind."
Gandal returned to his horde by nightfall, his first act was heading to bed and demanding Olan to fix up an army by the time he awoke. The vermin warlord was not surprised, Numbat was cautious and had returned to the safety of Palewind. Of the 24 other vermin who had been roused for adventure, only two had come back. Gandal was down another group of vermin, and he was losing patience. The only thing that kept him alive for now was the fact his camp was walled, he knew the Long Patrol were skilled but a prolonged siege would quickly doom them. He also knew that sieging them wasn't an option. Maybe that fox in that damn ruin will help me? No, nevermind. That degenerate can rot there with his horde of cursed beasts for all I care.
Gandal was in a sour mood, and paced in his tent. However, as he was looking over his maps, trying to plan out his next move, his taskmaster Jano swaggered on in, with a black clad guard keeping the two company. Gandal dismissed his guard as he looked at Jano "Ya bet'a got good news ferret. Very good news, or ya will be personally emptying me latrine for the rest of the season!" Gandal angrily spat. The ferret slinked down in fear of the warlord and arose "Me worship, maybe I got some good news, a bit ol' interestin news from a slave."
"An what news is that?"
"The waterdog, Loy, asked his mornin guard if he could speak with ye, beggin an' cryin he did about wantin to behave if ya let him off the pole. I be thinkin it be nonsense, but I know ya be saddened by last night's offense, so let torment Lorgar's brood eh?" The ferret smiled greedily. Gandal looked at him awkwardly. He found such talk degenerate, but Jano was half decent and did build the walls in a timely manner, even if he did do it with high casualties amongst the slave stock. Gandal was quick to question him.
"You be thinkin it nonsense, but many ah beast break on dat pole. Kasg showed me that trick."
"Aye, but this be that waterdog, Loy. He' gives a song an' dance since he got here! I'm just gonna flog em an' put him back up."
"Nay. Show me. I wanna prolong his torment, not kill him. It be a long time of vengeance for Kasg to see the enemy's sons an' daughters livin as work beasts under his banner!"
Jano cringed "Ya still on that Gandal, Kasg be dead an' gone. We got our own thing now!" This had been the worst thing to say as Gandal's anger issues flared up and flipped his table of maps. It would have crushed Jano in an instant had he not nimbly dodged out of the tent, his master close behind and grabbing him by the gruff of his shirt collar.
"Speak ill of the master again, ferret, an ya will be joinin em' slaves of yers with whiplash an all! No beast here talk ill of Kasg, an especially be callin him dead! Kasg gave us armor, weapons, an' tools to wage war in his name, an as his captain, ya will respect him. Now slink off, Jano, an' if I see ya again today, I will spill yer innards!" Gandal let go and threw Jano to the ground. The rat returned inside and dressed in his fine armor. He was going to see if the otter already broke, and try to enjoy his day torturing Lorgar's brood.
_
Gandal stood with a guard as he approached the pole, Loy looking tired and dejected. He had cursed himself for begging and giving a tearful act to the guard who came to feed him, but now he had to give that same act to Gandal. He hated nothing more than being a slave, begging for mercy from creatures who had barely a definition from it, obeying their orders mindlessly, and being punished if he for a second stepped in the wrong direction. Yet, creatures like Gandal reveled in such cruelty and misery, the rat giving a wide smile.
"Jano be sayin ya begged an' cried fer me to let ya go, usually it be takin a few days before ya just outright collapse, eh? Has be pole broken the Watertrot spirit so quickly?"
Now came the act "I be tired. . ." Loy gulped in disgust "Master, Gandal. I be tired an' I wanna eat. I'll obey if ya let me go!"
It was like a sweet and cruel sound to Gandal's ear "Ya want off of dat pole, otter, I gotta here ya beg fer it! I want ya to swear to me an' Kasg, here an' now, to serve the horde till yer bones be shaken an' yer days grow dark! Swear it, an' i'll consider it."
Loy held back a sigh "I swear on me rudder, tail, heart, an' paw that I will swear an' serve to Kasg an Gandal till me bones be shaken an' me days grow dark."
Gandal gave a crooked grin "Now. Swear on yer cursed father."
Loy cringed, his face broken to bits. Gandal was having his way, as the oath was mostly meaningless as he came to realize. He just wanted to torture him, get him to break on his own words. Loy could barely collect himself and huffed "I swear on me father Lorgar Watertrot. . .to serve an' beckon to Gandal Blackfur. Capt-"
"Warlord" Gandal snickered and corrected, joined in by his guards.
"Warlord of his horde." Loy gave a weak and faked smile, hoping Gandal had bought it. His goal was to get down from the pole and join with Glain. This better have been worth it Glain!
Gandal laughed "Ya put up a good show, otter, I'll put ya to it! Ya might be just learnin yet! Boys, cutt'em down!" The vermin guard cut at Loy's bonds as he dropped to the floor. He was about to get up, but a guard pushed his boot down on the otter's back. "Stay there peon!"
Gandal had to think it over. He wondered if this otter was just trying to say all these nice things to trick him, but he was too gleeful in his hollow victory to be really thinking beyond 'I couldn't have asked fer a better day! Lorgar's son swearin to obey an' kneel to me horde. One issue down, an' maybe I will kill Borbon soon enough!'
Gandal snapped at his guards "Put em' back in the pen, if he be true to his word, let him work! I wanna see ya smilin an' happy as ya work, otter! I wanna see ya given praise to Kasg every day that I spared yer life!"
Loy was about to sneer in response, but again had to push hard to collect himself. He meekly only replied "Yes, master Gandal."
_
Loy was thrown into a pen of other camp slaves of the vermin, a very small covered pen. It had been his home for a season now, and the others looked on in utter misery. Loy was off the pole as he came close to Glain who greeted him "Loy! Ya made it!"
Loy looked angry and miserable, and Glain could see it. The otter replied "The things I said to get off that pole is goin make me vomit! Callin that damn murderer 'master' this and 'swearin on yer father' that! It ain't enough for him! Now he wants me smilin as he abuses me! Tell me this was worth it Glain, or I will just tie meself back on that pole!"
Glain shushed him and had him creep closer. In the pen, others were listening on in, as Glain laid out a plan to the other woodlanders. Many were listening on, especially two others who joined them. One was a mouse named Mela who was recently kidnapped from her homestead, a younger creature who Glain had convinced to join them. The other was a wild squirrel from far off, a squirrel named Tera Reekspit. Tera had limped over, having received another bout of blows from the vermin who tormented her often. She looked on at Loy and Glain with hope in her eyes.
"Ya think we can all make it?!"
"Be silent Tera! This will be a difficult escape to be sure, an' Jano's eyes an' ears be everywhere. We need to sneak past the sentries, an' run around the inward lake, but the shores be filled with more then just vermin. Horrible things they say live in a ruin not far off, so we best be avoiden them. Gandal lost a couple sentrybeasts recently, which is why his northern patrols be slacken. If we are goin to escape, those of us doin the loggin there will need to be less watched. If we try to run, we will be be caught and dragged back to Gandal! So here be the plan, we are goin to give the guards the slip in the night, smash open the tent, and disguise ourselves as' vermin. Pretend we are in the patrol."
"Disguise ourselves as vermin?" Loy said concerned "Aye, it will be risky, but if we do it during the day, we will be caught for sure! We won't even need to break open the ol' pen, cause that is were ya come in, Loy."
"How so?"
"Get promoted, become the horde's torch lighter. They be usually tame an' trusted they say, an' thats what we will use to get out."
Loy scratched his neck "That is. . .a bit risky, ain't it? Ya sure ya thought all of this well out?"
"Trust me, Loy. Been plannin this since we got here. It be dangerous, but when we get free, Gandal won't touch us once we be headin north. There be lies Redwall itself."
A memory flooded back to Loy from when he was but a pup, having visited Redwall before. The memory of his proud father talking to the skipper, the excellent food, the tales of Jue the Warrior flooded his mind. If this insane plan of Glain's worked, they would be free. They would be in Redwall, and get help! Maybe Jue the Warrior was there, awaiting to help him. Loy looked into the group and gritted his teeth "So be it."
_
Loy and other slaves such as Glain were brought out into the northern side of the camp, mostly chopping down a tree and picking up barrels of sticks and branches. Watching over them was Jano who looked on with an annoyed expression. Loy had been smiling, although it was clearly a very much faked smile. The numb skulled vermin came over, whip in paw, and angrily spat out "What are ya smilin about, waterdog?"
Loy didn't answer, he only pointed at an older vermin, a black clad rat. Jano was frightened of the black clads, and for good reason. Veterans of Kasg's dark conquest, and Gandal's eyes and ears. Each one had followed him, brutally loyal and skilled in their own right. Most had large broods with them, their families having journeyed down from the north. The black clad vermin gave a sneer at both Loy and Jano, but only the Mossflower ferret stood a few feet back further in fear.
"I be smilin Jano, as you should as well, servin Gandal an the like. Ya have more cause to do so then I!"
Jano wanted to just end Loy right then and there for daring to talk back. He hated the otter's continued defiance, but was again held back by the sight of Gandal's eyes and ears. The bored veteran picked at his fangs. Loy got back to work as he came closer to Glain and whispered to him.
"Hopefully, your plan works Glain. A lot is riding on the fact Gandal takes a particular interest in my torment."
"Well, it was either you or trying to get ol' Biech to join us, and you know him."
Loy did know him, another fellow slave of the camp, but not the normal kind. Biech is a rat, a gray rat who had been unlucky enough to be conscripted into the horde by Kasg, and was a slave in all but name. He was mostly a silent beast, the only vermin who didn't actively cause Loy to despise all vermin existence. The black clads treated him very poorly, and if it was possible, he mostly ate his rations near the slave pen, since it was the only place he wasn't actively bullied. He was trusted enough to light the torches for the horde.
"Right. And of course-"
Jano cracked his whip in the air "Enough murmuring to yerself! Keep workin!"
The two parted and began collecting branches. Jano watched eagerly for an opportunity, as Loy fumbled and struggled to carry a larger cart of sticks. He came over and smacked the otter's head into the bundle harshly. Loy for once did not resist, but faltered in keeping his fake smile.
"Whats the matter, waterdog? Too weak to even carry a pile of sticks? That be a whippin, ya layabout!" Jano was ready to crack his whip to again restart his routine of getting Loy to react. However, this time, Jano's paw was caught by the black clad vermin guard and twisted. Jano let out a harsh yelp of pain, dropping his whip as the guard sneered at him.
"Gandal demand ya to keep slavebeast smilin. Final warning, ferret." The guard dropped Jano to tend to his paw as he turned to Loy who was still keeping up his fake smile. The guard looked tired, annoyed, and old. "Work beast. Make oath to Gandal an' Kasg. Continue. Now."
Loy got back to work. He didn't like the black clads, the tyrannical creatures treated even the most common vermin like slaves themselves. Yet he couldn't help but feel thankful for seeing Jano be given his just reward.
_
Night had rolled around again and Loy was slumbering, however, a light kick to his stomach awoke him. He squinted his eyes in the dark, seeing a torch light. Just as Glain had suspected, Gandal was promoting Loy to the torch bearer. He was tired and slowly stirred to attention, seeing a single guard and an old gray rat he recognized as Biech. The other slaves in the pen awoke and looked on with tired eyes as Biech looked over the otter, handed him a unlit torch, and grabbed him by the shoulder "He'll do." He said simply, and was nearly pushing the otter out of the slave pen. Glain looked on with hopeful sight, if all went well, they would be free beasts tonight.
Glain awaited in patience. A lot was riding on Loy being able to swiftly get away from Biech and rejoin them, untying the knots of the cage's door. From there, it was just a swift sprint to the armor, putting on some vermin garments, and marching out like a patrol and into Mossflower itself.
Biech passively began to help Loy look for lanterns and torches to light. He was silent as the gray rat kept mumbling to himself. Loy didn't feel like having a conversation anyway, often looking back and forth for a chance. Biech didn't care much however and began chiding the otter "Be sure to light the torches outward an' then inward. Lest the sentries get rowdy."
"Biech, if ya don't mind me asking, but where is our guard?"
"Gone."
"Gone where."
Biech shrugged "Gone."
Loy sounded annoyed "Gone where? I suspected Gandal to have me practically on a leash, ya know? I know it be dumb to say, but being trusted with the torches of the fort is a big promotion from branch fetcher."
Biech grunted "Get use to it, he won't need a lead once ya are broken in. Once he sees yer head be down in the dirt, an' stopped resistin em', he knows he broken ya in. Some beasts takes years. Others days. Those that never do it usually end up dead."
Loy snorted at the comment "I won't be a slave forever you know, I won't break. How long have you been like this Biech, anyway?"
Biech gave an answer which broke Loy "Since I was a wee led about ye' high. Been workin an' lookin at dirt fer a long time, waterdog. Ya will live, an die, callin another creature master." Biech had brought his paws to a miserable pup's height. Loy always knew from stories of his father that the vermin, lacking woodlanders to enslave, would enslave one another. Biech was old, long gone from the world itself, his younger years stolen under the lash. All that remained was a boredom, wishing to leave the world utterly and swiftly, but having no strength or bravery to do it. Biech eventually called out to "Ya start on the eastern part of de't camp. Keep yer head down or the sentries there will beat ya."
"Is Gandal watching me, or having me watched you think?"
"Probably. If he were smart. Probably not, what ya goin do? Run past the guard?"
Loy was thankful as Biech was off to do his own bidding, and that the rat was partially right. Gandal wasn't as smart as he thought he was, and he and his friends would use that to their advantage.
_
Loy stopped about half way lighting the torches, he wanted to go to the north side of the camp and start putting out some, but he didn't want to look suspicious. The otter waltzed past the camp, the vermin who would have usually had grabbed and thrown back into the slave pen only looked up and sneered at him as he walked by. Loy was learning a small trick to this new position as torch lighter, it kept the vermin at bay. He was careful to avoid Gandal's Black Clads and eventually made it to the pens. A single sleepy guard stared back and began muttering at him
"Oy! Slave beast. Ain't ya suppose to be lighten the torches?"
"Aye, I am taking a short cut." Loy wheeled his head to the side, with Glain and other looking onward. Without words, they had a plan. Glain snuck up with some other slaves and yanked onto the vermin's clothes, ripping them to them. Glain put his paw over the vermin's mouth as Loy swiftly came over and bashed him with the torch in his hand. It put out the flame, and the vermin slumped to the ground.
Loy rolled the vermin to the side, and they would have to hurry. Gandal had kept the slaves locked up with a strong knot on the door to the pen, although to Glain, this was easy to undue. It was the vermin guards they had to worry about. With Loy's help, they finished untying the knot. Glain harshly shushed the joyful slaves in the pen.
"Everyone, we must make our way to the armory. It is a short step away, but the path is filled with vermin. Half of you stay here."
Mela gave a frightened but brave confirmation "We will stay here, please hurry." She closed the pen's gate in the hope that any vermin who came on by would not and discover half of the slaves missing. Loy, Glain, and some others were soon rushing off, sneaking off to the armory and past groups of sleeping vermin.
_
Loy and Glain had made it to the armory unharmed, and were thankful most of the horde was drunk, sleeping, or too busy talking around campfires. Most the Horde as Loy heard was concerned, their fight with the Long Patrol was going poorly, and Gandal was wasting time skulking around. The vermin were confident at first when they joined the great Gandal, Captain of Kasg's Horde, the Black Clad Rat. Now they were mostly disillusioned and even frightened. Some talked of mutiny. Others talked of just going home. None of however would remain serious for long, as the long tyrannical shadow of their master loomed with each boot step of the black armored vermin which patrolled in the night.
Loy peered into the armory and saw a Black Clad, a younger one and likely a newer recruit or the son of one, taking inventory. It weas a weasel, humming to himself as he touched each weapon, but his distinctive black painted armor easily identified him. Loy and Glain watched from the corner of the tent, and dreaded to know he would likely not leave any time soon.
"We have to get rid of him." Glain whispered. Loy only nodded. Without much thinking or planning, the otter rushed in when the weasel turned around to take stock of arrows and crossbow bolts. Loy had hoped to bash the vermin's head into the barrel to knock him out, but the otter was surprised when the warrior strongly resisted. He yelped and turned, seeing a gaggle of freed slaves and his eyes widened. "Help. Help! Help! Murder! Murd-" The weasel croaked as Loy took an arrow from the barrel and shoved it into the weasel's throat before he could draw his weapon. Loy looked shocked, dismayed even, but yet a tingle of happiness overcame him. The vermin looked on with horror and fear as he slumped down and died, crumbling onto the floor. Glain shook Loy back to reality.
"Well, were in it now! Grab his gear, its a good fit." Loy had gotten use to seeing death in the vermin camp, but he began looting the weasel's corpse, taking on the black armor as his disguise. Glain and the others began dressing themselves in vermin rags and garments, holding weapons poorly. Glain commanded them as he took a pile of clothes and shoved them into Loy's paws. "We break for the pens, an' free the others. Then we will march out into the forest an' hope we don't get spotted."
The group was off, clattering their weapons on accident and leaving the armory. Vermin did notice them, but seeing the weapons in the dark and shadowy forms, they paid them no mind. "Bah. Just another patrol likely." One vermin said. Loy and Glain were anxious and paranoid, but soon both stopped. They looked onward at the slave pen, with a large group of guards pulling out slaves and angrily looking around. They had not sounded the alarm yet, but the captain rat Olan was there. Jano had been pulled from his sleep, angrily pacing and thinking. They had been found out.
Loy angrily gripped his stolen weapon, a spear, in his paw. Glain however fearfully whispered to the group "We can't help them now, we'll have to come back. If they find out what you did Loy, they will kill you."
Loy agreed with his friend, but was sickened to leave so many behind. The group backed off and began making their way out towards the north gate. As soon as they reached the gates, the sound of alarm was called. Vermin scurried and stood at attention, and even though Loy could not see Gandal, the rat's presence could be felt. The vermin guard at the gate stopped the group from approaching further.
"Ay ya lot! Get back inside, alarm be soundin an' the captains will need ya!"
Glain answered in a vermin accent, although it was fairly poor, even by vermin standards "Oy you lot, wez gouts to start searchin out here! Jano's orders, you know. Ay!"
"Jano ain't no captain, welp, an' I don't take order from the like of ya!" Loy knew time was running out, gave a look of confirmation to his friend and then struck the guard with his spear in the side. "Run! Run for it! Leave everything behind! Meet at the inland lake!"
The other guard caught a slave, but had let go when bitten. The slaves were running into the forest, and vermin were soon after them. Abandoning their gear and clothes, the group frantically began to run, some trying to keep together. Some ran into sentries, some were accidently speared to death for trying to resist. Glain and some others had made it, but Loy lagged behind, with faster vermin catching up. Once inside the forest itself, it was a different situation. In the darkness, Loy could quickly hide in the brush, sneaking away as he made it more and more north. I'm nearly there, I hope Glain made it to safety! What a disaster, and I pray this is the last bad thing that happens tonight. Loy was free.
_
Loy continued to go through the undergrowth, avoiding the vermin expertly as he did. He may have been a otter with little skill, but the vermin were frantic and tired of their search. Gandal had been walking around, being chided by his taskmaster "I told you, chief! Did I not tell you! All of it cherry words an' silver lies! Now he be escapin to this neck of the wood. Keep searchin!"
"Enough, Jano, you bumbling fool. I'll deal with that otter personally. Drawn and quartered seems like a fittin end! Ya find him Jano, an' find him quickly!"
Jano was not the best tracker, but Olan was. Olan was hunting for other slaves, finding their hideouts fairly quickly as Loy was heartbroken to see those who had followed him hauled off. He would be next of Olan found him. Loy continued to move unseen, careful with each step he took. As the vermin moved on, there was a sound from another group "Found another one!"
Glain, the mouse, looked defeated as he was dragged forward to Gandal. The mouse thrown at his feet as he looked up a bit bruised. Loy had nearly crested a unlit hill, but seeing Glain, his heart sank. Glain had been able to see Loy bumbling around, giving him a short sighted look but turned his attention mostly to Gandal and Jano. The ferret taskmaster unfurled his whip and began to spat and curse "Glain ain't it? I should have known all too well! I'll strap ya to a rock an' throw ya in the lake fer this mess!"
Glain shot up with a pained look. "Aye, it be me. Ya caught me."
Gandal didn't care for some mouse, let alone one of his own slaves. He cared about Lorgar's brood. "Just put em' back in the pens. When we find that otter, bring em' to the twin trees. He can watch as that cretan is killed fer killin one of me Black Clads!"
"Nay, that be me too." Glain smiled. No. Don't do it. Not now. Loy thought, looking on from the brush. Once again Glain was taking a hit for him, as Gandal raised his eyebrows with surprise. "You killed one of me lads?"
"Loy just be followin me, chief. He even had been fully serious in servin ya, till I convinced him." Jano wasn't impressed and yelled at him harshly "Liar! That otter be the real mastermind, Gandal! When I find him, I will tear out his rudder I will!"
Gandal had to think over it for a minute. Even if it were not true, the mouse had just given him an excuse to continue prodding and goreing the brood of Lorgar for the remainder of his life. If not, then that means his camp of misery was working all too well. Gandal shook his head at the thought. Glain looked up as Gandal made his decision.
"Burch. Yer son's murderer be here. Kill him."
An older and angry weasel came over with a spear, and without a second thought, stabbed the mouse in the gut. It was a deep and untreatable wound, a slow and painful one at that. Gandal and Jano watched, although Jano was annoyed. "He be lying ya know!"
"Ya can crop Loy's tail if ya wish me bucko, but leave him alive fer me, or I will claim yer head fer me drinking glass. Now, find him. An find em' quickly. Or there will be consequences, mate."
Gandal was off, and the guards disappeared. They knew their quarry was dead and no creature alive or otherwise could save him. Loy could not risk it, he had to go on, as Glain crawled into a fetal position and stopped moving. He was gone now, and the torch light of Olan was coming around the corners. Loy continued to sneak through the brush, tears in his eyes. Again he had lost a close creature dear to him, and Gandal stood over him again. Curse them! Damn them! Kill them!
_
Loy was alone at the shores of inland lake, he was free, but was as thoughtless as he had been trapped in the pen. He watched the lake's shores. Redwall was due north, but he had other plans. Collecting a small sack of nuts and berries, carving a small stake to use as a short spear or javelin, he began packing his things. He would avenge his family, his friends, and all those who suffered under that evil oppression. He looked to the sky swearing a single oath to himself.
"I swear by whatever gods there be, to every star in the sky, I will avenge ye, pa, mum, and Glain! I'll drive the vermin out, an' end that ol' enemy once an for all! I swear it! No matter what happens, no matter what it takes! I'll avenge ye!"