Chapter 18: The Friends You Make

Jarolom took in the fresh air from his march southward, the morning sun above him and the dry ground below he marched out with his division, followed by his new host of vermin. It was serene, even as his larger than normal host marched southward with their new found minions and conscripts in tow. Jarolom had all the information he could ever need, he had not only completed his task, but with several deadly bruises he had gathered a horde in his own right. Had Jarolom not been a loyal fox, a laughable notion to him, he would have set out on his own, to forge his own horde. Jarolom, leading from the front, looked behind him. His sister and his other sub captain were following behind, with the wolverine Wulvog angrily trodding behind them at a good distance. He called back "Hurry up ya lot, including you Wulvog! We stop by Jusbrag first an' foremost!"

There was a mixture of collective cheers and groans. Some of the vermin who were ignorant of Jusbrag were excited to get new supplies and to drink within a proper vermin settlement. The stories of Jusbrag were many, a collection of vermin homes, surrounded by a dry moat and a true vermin settlement. Those who knew better were not looking forward to it, a vermin den of thieves and a mixture of unstable types from all across the highlands. The slaves of the group especially dreaded going to Jusbag, a place which they knew would abuse them if they could. Many mentally prepared themselves to face a lash upon their backs the moment they arrived. Jarolom didn't care much, he had a larger host than usual, and he didn't wish to starve the moment he entered back into Mossflower.

Jusbrag had issues, all manner of issues, but it had food at least. Several small farmsteads and fisheries supported the large vermin population, most of it farmed by vermin families and slave communities. If Markem's horde was cultured, Jusbrag had been a mockery of its society. Jarolom had remembered the day Markem besieged the fortress, and was excited to see it again under Kylan's care. Kylan had expanded out Jusbrag, a wide net which drew in unfortunate and curious vermin into its streets. If highland vermin made it past noonvale, the small hordes likely would be consumed into the brutal life of Jusbrag. A paradise for beasts like Jarolom and his horde.

As the group continued to march on, Wulvog was annoyed by the increasing heat. He sighed, his personal honor in tatters and his ability to fight questioned. He turned to his brother beside him, walking proudly with a smile on his face, his bright blue cloak as clean as ever as he waltzed unnoticed by all there. "You look down brother, you act like something terrible has happened."

Wulvog rolled his eyes "It's one thing to lose a finger on me paw Yulfang, it's another to lose one to some southern fox! Me horde was decimated, and I feel humiliated. I honestly would prefer to be dead, brother."
_

"Oh don't be like that, Wulvog. One day you'll be free of the bond, and then you can be off on the road again with me. Until then, keep one step infront of the other and keep on going. If you don't, pa's spirit will be most unhappy! Wouldn't want that little brother."

Wulvog gave a short chuckle, much to the disturbed looks of those around him. "I wouldn't want that at all." He commented. He turned, his brother was gone once again and he continued his march.

The grand vermin settlement of Jusbrag laid in the distance, the mountain fortress reaching out like a cancer upon the dry flatlands. Jarolom and Niala looked over the city in the distance. Kylan had truly been busy, the main fortress still stood, but a new series of walls surrounded the fort, containing a large number of houses, barracks, and storage areas. The vermin settlement's high walls jutted out, the dry moat surrounding the walls slashed across the plain. Jarolom looked on from a high and rocky hill, looking out towards the mountain where the fortress laid. He gave a weak and exhaustive smile, his healing bruises still tingled him as his vermin were preparing to enter the city. He coughed in the cold wind as he was joined by Niala. She pressed her halberd into the ground and looked over Jusbrag. "A pretty big fort, if I gotta say so. Nearly got conscripted by their patrols just comin on down here, eh."

"Not a surprise, my sis." Jarolom shrugged "Kylan does like his press gangs, an' his chain gangs as well. Speaking of which." He turned to Wulvog and motioned him over. Wulvog approached, and looked over the city, looking even less impressed.

"Ya ever been to Jusbrag before, Wulvog?"

"No, and I am not interested in going. I will sta-"

"You will join us inside, whether you like it or not. Tell your hordebeasts that while we are in the city to not get too lost, or you folk may end up getting conscripted into Jusbrag. Last thing ya want."

Wulvog folded his paws "Is that so bad? Is it any worse than you lot?"

Jarolom gave a sarcastic smile, amused by the wolverine's ignorance. "Jusbrag be a true vermin city, a grand haven of scum an' wretches the world over. It will chew at us while we get food fer our journey back, considering ya folk eat like hungry babes! If ya get lost in the city itself, consider yerselves lost for good."

Wulvog patted his large falchion on his belt "I think me and my beasts can handle ourselves."

Jarolom grunted and was return to peace between him and his sister. Niala huffed "Ya sure we cannot just stay out here?"

"I'm sure, Jusbrag vermin don't like stragglers camping outside der fort, an' get a bit nosey. Just keep everyone in tow an' together. Last thing we need is our entire horde getting consumed while staying for a day or two in der." The group headed down towards the gates of Jusbrag.


Jarolom and his group came up to Jusbrag's gates, which were not as busy as they had been in the past few weeks. With most of the horde now in Gholand, the remaining garrison and families had turned the vermin citadel into a sleeping giant. The small stone bridge over the dry and gaping moat looked makeshift and unprofessional, a deep ditch for which at the bottom laid some meager wooden stakes. The stone gatehouse with its dirty wooden gate, supported by earthworks, creaked a little bit open as a swaggering corsair looking ferret came out to greet them. The ferret looked colorful, dirty from years of service in the drylands, but colorful from his vibrant cloth which covered him and the curved sword at his side. "Aye, mates! Ya look like Markem's beasts, what can Jusbrag do fer the likes of. . of. . ." He paused, looking up at Wulvog who in turn looked down at the ferret who couldn't help but freeze in fear of him.

Jarolom put his paws on his hips, although his gritted his teeth with some pain "Aye, lad, we be returning to Gholand an' got some new guests an' friends. I am Jarolom, Cap'n of this division. Me sis, Niala, me captain Bleakpaw, and me new hordebeast Wulvog an' his mates. We'd like to buy some supplies an' food fer our journey back, our horde has grown quite a bit all of a sudden, matey."

"I see." The ferret called up at the gatehouse "They be fine, mates! Open the gates!" There was a creaking as several vermin on the other side pushed to open the gates for the group to enter, although the Jusbrag ferret kept a good distance from the angry looking wolverine in the blue cloak.

Wulvog had seen many villages before, but a city was a new experience, one for which his first visit in Jusbrag made him almost instantly depressed. The small streets of the vermin settlement were busy with vermin families, mostly elderly vermin who could no longer fight drunkenly littered the streets, unattended vermin children ran past the small horde in mock games or thieving from others, and talkative vermin wives pretended to be quite helpless and useless so they could stay away from Kylan's campaigns and run the city for themselves. The stone houses looked all the same and impoverished, most lacking roofs except for dirty cloth tents which acted as roofs. Luckier and richer structures had thatch roofs, although this was disturbingly rare. The overhanging fortress above the city laid far off into the distance, as Wulvog stepped through the streets, occasionally stepping in puddles of things that best remained undescribed.

"This is Jusbrag?" Wulvog said, his voice creaked with uncertainty. Jarolom smelled the air of the city, as if enamored by it. "Can't ya just smell it. The fresh air of civilization, eh! Markets, taverns, guilds, all what one could need! An of course, an absurd amount of thieves, poverty, an' wretches of the earth to make life all the more interestin. Not many times I get to come here, but Kylan certainly expanded the place, that be fer certain." It was hard to tell if Jarolom was being sarcastic or not as he turned to his horde. "We stay here fer a night, so just grab an empty barracks an' kick our any stragglers an' sleep in it fer tonight. Bleakpaw, take our slaves an' throw em in the pens. Niala. Wulvog. We need to gather an' buy our supplies from the steward here."

Bleakpaw chimed in "Chief, why don't I pick out a barracks first an' foremost, an get our new slaver friend here. . .eeehhhh, well rested. I think it be best if we keep our slaves wit us, cause ya know how Jusbrag can be."

Jarolom had to think it over, Wulvog looking on with no clue what was going on. "Why do I need to come with you? These creatures be your friends, right?"

"If dey were friends, we'd be asken the boss Kylan Bignose left behind fer room an' board in the upper fortress, not the barracks an' garrison down here. Trust me wolverine, we gotta be careful."

The wolverine scoffed "What could be so bad about a bunch of penned up vermin anyhow?" His questioned wasn't answered except for a vermin wife above him emptying a bucket of god knows what onto his head, not knowing what she had dumped on. The wolverine stood silently and looked himself over before trying to shake himself off. Niala couldn't help but give a chuckle at Wulvog's misfortune. "Maybe brotha we best go alone, an' let him wash off."

"Nay, the smell alone will drive the prices down. Alright ya lot, get moving!"
_

Jarolom and his companions walked upward towards the original vermin fortress of Jusbrag, upward into the cliffs where the grand protective keep was kept. Jarolom was in a rather nostalgic mood, remembering fondly the day the horde was homeless and their greatest achievement was taking Jusbrag for Kylan. The assault into Jusbrag had shown several key weaknesses in the vermin fortress, one for which was unsolvable. The vermin themselves tended to be an issue, their constant betrayal of one another with no good ways to secure loyalty had kept the city in a constant state of ceaseless intrigue and warfare. Kylan had somehow kept control, a mystery which Jarolom did not want to know how it was achieved, for he was half certain it was through the means of Scarl's meddling.

Upon getting near the gates of the main fortress, Jarolom and his companions were inspected by the limited group of guards. Wulvog angrily pushed aside vermin with a snarl, as Jarolom snapped at him "Give em' yer weapons mate. Not reason to be startin a fight."

"Easy for your to say, mud sniffer." He groaned. The group handed over weapons and were led inside by the guards. Of the guards stationed, most looked overly old or overly young, most new to their elite positions or were too weak to march. Their armor and weapons, like much of Jusbrag, was a mix and match of various gear from across the vermin world. Northern garments and kilts clanged to corsair colors and headbands, chainmail and scalded mail of various kinds and shapes were hidden of various qualities beneath the guard's favorite vestments, as the group was led inside a grand hall. Wulvog turned his eyes to notice large numbers of exhausted slaves in chains, pulling up stone and materials for what was a bitter and ceaseless renovation, which never stopped and likely never will.

Niala also noticed "I thought Markem's horde had been soft on woodlanders?"

"Markem is, Kylan ain't." Jarolom reminded her "This Great Vermin Band be a alliance of warlord an' warbands, united as one under Markem. Markem's isn't Jusbrag's boss. . .or well, not yet anyway. Don't try to use yer authority on em, it won't work. Let me do the talken."

"If ya say so brotha." Niala turned her own attention to a group of younger hordebeasts, who looked like miserable conscripts who were being lorded over by their own new masters, forced into a marching line as they were inspected by the elite garrison.

Shepherded in by a local guard who asked them some basic questions of 'who they were' and 'what they wanted', the group revealed themselves to be a mission from Gholand. Jusbrag's warlord may have been a happy ally of Markem, but his vermin found it weird and less than suitable. The three were brought into a great hall, with Wulvog looking up impressed at the ceiling. Immortalized in mouse art was a overly strong and buff weasel, slaying a gray fox with a spear, and surrounding it were unfinished mosaics of Kylan's barbaric achievements; his slaying of enemies who in gorey detail were butchered in increasing morbid ways, the enslavement of woodlanders from northern villages unlucky enough to be victims of Jusbrag's raiding, and one mosaic which fascinated Wulvog the most. It was a Kylan, pictured far in the back of the great hall, in delicate tiles with a hammer in paw, lording over a great and shining city, commanding it to arise.

Sitting upon the ancient stone throne of the mountain, all the way in the back, was a less than impressive creature. It was a large rat who sat comfortably on the arm stools of the stone throne, lazily lounging and snoring, his breath raising a big golden nose ring up and down on his face. The guard who had brought the group in rushed up and whispered in his ear and looked lazily at the group with an uninterested and bored expression.

"What ya Gholand runts, want? Can't ya see I am busy, mates?"

Jarolom breathed in and came forward, trying to act like an old friend "Bigring ain't it? I am Jarolom, captain under Markem Brownnose, our mutual boss. I must get back to Gholand soon, but me horde had grown in me travels an i wish to buy some food an' supplies."

"Yea, well, why didn't ya go to the markets then." Bigring dismissively asked. Jarolom looked bothered and raised his voice "Markets always be jumped up in prices, an' I don't got a lot of coin on me."

"Then sell yer vermin an' slaves to an buy yer food, you nitwit." Bigring glared, but sat more properly on the throne "Gholand be Kylan's ally, not mine. If ya want a good price on food, or charity fer that matter, go raid a woodlander village."

"But there be no woodland-"

"There be out there, trust me. There will always be vermin holes and woodlander hamlets scattered all across." Bigring turned his eye towards Wulvog and immediately smelled the air, the unmistakable scent of fecal matter and piss assaulted him. Wulvog came closer, angry and quickly disillusioned.

"Give us your grain, little rat." He threatened. Bigring whisked his paws and the guards lowered their weapons on the group. Bigring yawned and took up his whip and cracked it loudly in the air. One of Kylan's mice who had been helping him with his renovations came over with a pitcher of wine for Bigring to drink, looking beaten and weary, demoted to serving creature in Kylan's absence.

"How about this, ya get out of me keep an' turn yer pathetic little horde around an' I won't have ya all slapped in irons an' added to chain gangs, eh? For old times sake."

"Markem will hear of this." Niala cursed him. Jarolom tried to wave his paws to keep his companions calm, but the rasping laugh of the cruel rat angered him as well.

"Markem will be dead when he marches against Salamanderstron, ya idiot fool. If ya were smart, ya would join us in Jusbrag first an' foremost. Kylan won't hear of this, cause he'll be dead as well, an who he goin to believe, eh? You? Some lowlife captain over me? Now, I am growin bored, an if ya don't get out of me presence, I'll just have ya skinned an' beheaded."

Jarolom angrily sighed and made a humble bow "I am sorry to bother ya then, we will leave. . .shortly."

"Don't matter to me none." Bigring grumbled and drank his drink. The group left in a poor mood, and Bigring lounged a bit more on the ancient stone throne. Ahhh, the good life of a captain with no master to order him around.
_

Jarolom's horde did as they commanded as Kag and the other slaves of Jarolom's division waited patiently outside of a run down looking stone building which didn't look any different from anywhere else. The young sea otter looked up along with others with partial disgust as the vermin practically fought for the right to invade another's home, with the northern vermin throwing some unfortunate and confused Jusbrag vermin out of their barracks and into the streets. The slaver Mikov awaited outside as well, although he had kept close to Jarolom's horde mostly due to not trusting the vast number of other vermin beside him, and was occasionally bullied by some of his former captures, particularly an angry black squirrel.

"Bad enough getting shackled by you an' your lot, rat. Now here I am in Jusbrag, being dragged into some other misbegotten horde, with some cannibals to boot! If I had a good spear right now, i'd gut you."

"You be silent, this isn't exactly good for me ya know!"

"Good for you? You aren't the one getting enslaved, you idiot." The squirrel was only kept back by the fact Mikov and his tribesbeasts were at his side, claiming to keeping watch over the slaves while the horde claimed their temporary home. One poor Jusbrag ferret was flung out of the barracks at horrifying speeds by Wulvog's captain Dakar. Dakar laughed cruelly as he slapped his paws and motioned the group to come inside.

"At least you lot don't have to join some foreign horde, we are all conscripts in arms now, work beast." Mikov noted. Herded inside, the Gholand vermin and their new conscripts smashed up old beds and made room for themselves, throwing out rotting furniture and trash. Having been in Gholand's horde, they had become quite picky with how they lived, and began cleaning up the barracks till it was little more then an empty room and began camping inside. Mikov perked up a conversation with Bleakpaw who was helping his vermin to build a small fireplace to begin cooking their evening meal.

"These Jusbrag vermin, they don't mind you invading their little barracks, right?"

"Its Jusbrag, this kind of thing happens all the time! If they try to come on in an' try to force us out, we'll know an' we could probably fight em'. Besides, that lot were mostly stragglers an' deserters anyway, what are they goin do, complain?"

"I'd just prefer not to die is all, stout."

"Ya won't, not if I can help it." The sizable host of vermin crowded into the hall and began to rest from their long march. The new vermin conscripts were enamored with the city. The young conscripts were peaking out the door of the barracks and into the streets, fascinated by what they saw. Having seen nothing but forests and small hamlets all their lives, the city had been a new experience. Of the northern vermin, only Dakar was overly cautious and kept close watch on the door.

The group was getting close to relaxing themselves when rather suddenly and bombastically, the door swung open and Jarolom, Niala, and Wulvog came in, although the wolverine partly got stuck in the door and pushed himself into the already crowded room. None of them looked in a good mood, with Jarolom and Niala yelling curses and obscenities wildly into the air.

"Flea bitten, mange furred, head cracked dirt sniffer!"

"Barrel nosed, stomach smelling, god of idiots!"

Bleakpaw at first though it was a family dispute as Wulvog went towards his own vermin and sat down next to them, the two foxes angrily shoving and cursing still. When Bleakpaw perked up to say something, both siblings exploded onto him with a singular "What!"

"Somethin happen?" The stout captain tried to calm down the situation and the two's anger turned to him instead "Of course somethin is wrong, you damned idiot! Why ya think we be cursing as we do!" Niala followed up with an angry snarl, and Bleakpaw shrugged back to a little to keep his distance. Jarolom paced as Niala spoke up "Bigring rebuked us, the captain an' tyrant who was left in charge of this damnable place. We cannot get our supplies or food so easily it seems. Not unless ya wanna start sellen yer supplies to the market."

"Not to mention it take too long, which be my main concern." Jarolom noted. "I suppose plan B is a option."

Wulvog grunted "And what pray tell is 'Plan B'?"

"We steal the supplies we need, of course. Although even this be risky an' difficult. We could raid the houses fer our supplies, but that could cause more problems."

Wulvog shrugged "Why not use the market?" Wulvog wanted to sound more reasonable, but was also soundly slapped down by Jarolom. "Unless ya wanna pay fer a day's worth of food with the prices they have here, I doubt we'd get anywhere. Last time I tried to buy somethin here, the merchant scammed me out of sizable part me pay. If we sold our slaves to the taskmaster here, we'd not even get a meager amount to pay fer half. We'd lose have the horde an' likely get conscripted here, which to be honest Wulvog, would look bad on me good record! Believe me, it saves me a lot of trouble just to steal."

The woodlanders looked at each other with disgust and cringe, especially the new comers who just could not believe that the most reasonable solution to the vermin was to automatically steal. It also confused them what Jarolom was in a hurry about, a concern which Niala spoke up about "We in a hurry, brother?"

"We don't got long before Markem starts marchin out to war, an' I'd like to get back home before those Hares or Lefen does. Who knows where that lot went to."

"Noonvale." Wulvog noted "They are likely resting there."

"Then it won't take em' long to rest up an' move out. I'd like to not get ambushed again by that rebel, or get trapped forever in Jusbrag. Niala an' I will go out an' see what the markets are like, an ya will join us Wulvog."

"What. Why?" The wolverine angrily chided.

"Yer a big scary cannibal, an' the market isn't always too friendly. Everyone get some rations an' some sleep an' we'll figure out somethin tomorrow."


Having retreated to lick their wounds, the eastern Mossflower rebels and the Wild Hunt were in poor but unbreakable spirits. Led on by sheer determination to put distance between them and the two vermin hordes, the group had forced marched towards the mountains and found themselves climbing up a less than used flight of stone stairs and towards a large tower set upon a grand cliff. The forests were foreign to both Lefen and Loudaxe, but it was a natural cakewalk for Gale and his hares. The hares were truly a strange and grim lot, joking about the battle the entire way up, helping the freed slaves whenever they could while also chiding them for supposed weaknesses. Loudaxe struggled to climb, which Gale was swift to chide him for.

"Laddie, ya be actin like stairs be yer largest concern! If ya don' start makin yer way up, I'll have to have ya hacked to pieces and brough up one by one!"

Loudaxe knew it was joke, but he still snarled at the hare who laughed cruelly at his plight. Lefen calmed his friend and gave him some advice "Try to lodge your foot into the stone if you can, like this. Try not to look down, and focus on the stairs themselves."

"Easy for you to say Lefen. You aren't as big as me, and certainly not. . ." Loudaxe nearly slipped on a wet spot and grappled onto the stairs with dear life. He gripped his battle axe, which he used to primarily slam into the rock to act as a handle to pull himself. "Certainly not lugging both my weight and this axe around. You sure there was no other way?"

Gale answered for Lefen "Nope! This be the best means of getting to Noonvale from here, an the commander of the tower owes me a drink!" The Hare cheered, effortlessly climbing to the face of the cliff itself. Seeing that, Loudaxe had regained some of his strength, hurrying upward to admire the flat ground above him. Loudaxe felt he could kiss the ground had he not been watched by the mice of Noonvale looking out at him. Gale lacked exhaustion, and made a comfy greeting with the mice commander of Sunwatch.

Lefen came up to see Sunwatch in all its stoney glory, a beautiful looking stone tower built into the mountain, which guarded and walled off a large cavern. Lefen had heard the stories of Martin the Warrior using these tunnels to reach Noonvale, so it was quite a shock to see such a fortress at all. Gale explained to him that Noonvale was set with all manner of issues, as vermin populations spread like a plague across the northern mountains, highlands, and coasts. Several hordes had moved through these caves before, and the mice began to guard it religiously. It was a defensive position for which the stone tower could spy on the vermin activity on the eastern coasts, towards the base of a ruin called Marshank.

"Mice be all manner of cautious, laddie." Gale said, although not so respectively. The commander of Sunwatch shared a drink with Gale. "That caution be deserved, Gale. Our wars with Kasg had put a lot of good creatures in the ground."

"Had ya folk been more aggressive, ya wouldn't have had such a high body count an' killed Kasg dead." Gale reprimanded. The commander ignored his comment and looked to Lefen, noticing his roughed up shape and the demoralized companions he brought with him.

"Gale, who be these folk?"

"Commander Maurce, this be Lefen of Mossflower country an' his gaggle of misfits. We encountered a rather nasty little party of vermin, an' deez poor fools had a spot of bad luck alongside us. Wolverines, foxes, an all."

Lefen was joined by Loudaxe, and both bowed humbly to the commander. Maurce looked them over and gave a short chuckle "Welcome to the north, gentlebeasts. What brings you all the way up here?"

"Retreating primarily, and hunting."

Gale smirked as the commander shook his head in disbelief "You hunt for vermin I take it, not all too similar to this gaggle of misfits and spawn of the north coasts."

Loudaxe broke apart the conversation, looking exhausted "I hate to break it, but we are in dire straits. Half starved and half tired, we need a place to rest our heads and recover."

"Then you will, I'll have you escorted to Noonvale proper. Don't stray from the path, I won't have any of that trickery like last time Gale."

The northern hare couldn't help but smirk again, lead inside Sunwatch to prepare for their long, and uneventful, journey to Noonvale.
_

Lefen felt like he was on a holy pilgrimage of sorts, his journey into the heartland of a mouse kingdom was peaceful and serene. Even in the tunnels which led to the mouse country, he felt he was at peace as he and his companions had to not fight or live in misery. When the group exited into farmlands and country lanes of Noonvale, the fresh and free air almost overwhelmed him and his friends. It was far different then that of his own home, the days before Kasg the Craven was but a whisper, or when the vermin didn't come down from the north to pillage and torture his people. It was a peaceful land of farmers, fishers, and common folk. Noonvale had its issues, its years of brutal fighting against the vermin which stormed down from the north had been well known, but to see the villages and tranquil lanes of the country itself made Lefen's heart soften.

Led through the cobblestone paths to the capital of Noonvale, the settlement which bore the name of the country itself, Lefen and his company were occasionally greeted by mice, otters, and squirrels of all kinds. Several shrew children rushed by the roads, connected by their own small farming families which happily waved to the group as their passed. Lefen smiled and waved back, although Gale grimly strode onward. Lefen noticed that something bothered him and asked as they marched off.

"You seem bothered, I thought you hares would be happy to be surrounded by food and happy faces."

"Maybe yer hares, lad, but not me. I didn't come here to help you, Lefen. I came here to hunt, one particular vermin."

"The wolverine?"

"Nay, a worse creature believe it or not."

Loudaxe grunted "I don't know how any creature could be worse than that lot of cannibals, murderers, and slavers. Although in this age, I suppose its hard to separate any of that from any vermin wretch."

Gale breathed in with a clear sign of annoyance. "You know little den, lad. The beast I hunt is a northerner much like me self, an evil and vile beast who with axe an' blade slaughtered his way through me clan. . .killed a lot hares i cared about an' escaped unharmed. I an' me clan came here for blood an' vengeance. The wolverine followed us, an I would had left em' alone had they not been gaining speed. Wolverines be gluttonous cretans, dumb and easily bribed by food."

Loudaxe looked sad and spoke with regret "I would have like to save that poor sea otter, if we could. I am glad you helped while you could." Gale nodded in agreement and the group continued to march off down the road, the settlement of Noonvale and its high stone and wood hall laid far off in the distance.
_

Coming into Noonvale was a new experience for Lefen and Loudaxe, the largest settlements they ever saw in Mossflower were walled off vermin settlements and the occasional motte and bailey. Loudaxe once cut down timbers for a mouse lord named Veekun, having watched the foreign noble build his family and subject a nice eastern fort. Lefen was perhaps the only one of his family who saw Redwall Abbey, but what they both saw in Noonvale made their own homes feel pale in comparison. Large stone walls surrounded the main settlement, with large gates with iron bars, each led through cobblestone paths into rows upon rows of houses, shops, and barracks. The rich and noble of Noonvale lived in such places along with all the urban poor who toiled around them, the main keep of Noonvale laid off as a central plaza. Lefen, Loudaxe, and Gale made their way past several well armored mice who stood vigilant, their orange capes fluttered in the low wind. Grimly, they stood at attention as the group waited in the beautiful gardens of the courtyard, awaiting to be called in to meet with the ruler of Noonvale.

Some times passed before a mole chamberlain came out to greet them all, and ushered them inside. "Mu ludy will greut you nuw, she be in hur study wit der abbus of Ruftgurd." Lefen and his company felt honored, but the majority were stopped by the chamberlain who bid them to await outside. Only Lefen, Loudaxe, and Gale were permitted to enter. As they walked, a young and groomed looking mouse awaited for them. He was flanked by several unarmed guards. He introduced himself "I am prince Nasan Voh. I hear you are warriors from many lands, but here in Noonvale, I would ask you to please turn over your weapons while in the presence of my mother and the court. Especially you Gale."

Gale rolled his eyes and began taking out his claymore, handing it over harshly to the mice. Lefen and Loudaxe did the same, but without Gale's hostility. Nasan herded the group inside, entering a beautiful looking court and dining area, one for which resembled the stories Lefen had once heard of. However, the court was empty, and Nasan and his guards motioned the group to enter through a doorway. The group was led into a study of grand proportions, a library where bookshelves upon bookshelves of lore and history were stacked high and where a elderly mouse maid, a well dressed older otter, and a vole abbess were finishing up a previous discussion and looked upon their crowding of new guests. The older mouse, dressed royally in Noonvale's colors and in which set a tiger's eye diadem upon her brow, looked over at the newcomers and motioned for them to enter. Her sight wandered over to Gale, making her give a swift frown.

"Ah. My favorite northern hare. How goes the Wild Hunt these days, Gale?"

Gale gave a humble bow "Me lady Wila Voh, the Wild Hunt survives as usual, but lacken in good drink! May I say ya look most beautiful these fine evening."

The mouse queen did not laugh and looked to Lefen and Loudaxe next. She had been informed that strangers from Mossflower had arrived, looking for help and rest, but was shocked to see how scared they looked. "It is rude for me not to introduce myself. I am Wila Voh, queen of Noonvale. This is Abbess Ruma, and this is Skipper Kaspan." Ruma and Kaspan introduced themselves silently, but the otter skipper spoke up first. "You haven't happen to have seen my nephews, have you? Two younger otters, looking well armed." He spoke with concern. Lefen recognized the otter almost immediately, for his features reminded him of the two otters brought before Markem during his dark feast. Lefen slowly nodded and began to speak to the group of what was happening, what had happened, and what was likely to come.

The group stood dumbstruck by Lefen's long winded descriptions of what was happening in eastern Mossflower, how despite a shot at ending a terrible threat he had failed to kill Markem Brownnose, and listened to Lefen's long winded tale and his impromptu pact with another rat warlord named Luzgot. All of them listened intently and in silence, only occasionally speaking up to figure out any confusing details. Ruma listened intently to the descriptions of her old rival Kylan Bignose and of Markem's alliance with another warlord named Pelchovmar, while the skipper sadly listened to the fate of his nephews in the paws of an evil zealot and unrepentant murderer Hazul Leffer. The grim news struck the group like a lightning bolt.

"In all, me and my friends need a dire amount of help. We cannot face neither our enemies or our 'friends' alone, and we lack supplies, weapons, and numbers to face Markem and his horde. I'd be on paws and knees begging for help, if I may."

"That won't be necessary." Wila ordered "Noonvale helped escaped slaves before, and we shall do so again, with what limited resources we have at our disposal, but know we cannot offer much help. Our beasts are peaceful, and our lands suffered heavily from attacks from Kasg the Craven and his dark horde, along with the prodding of raiders. I wish I had more soldiers to block off the slaver caravans from heading through the eastern corridor, but I simply have none to spare."

Skipper Kaspan looked defeated, but suddenly and angrily slammed onto the table of the mice queen's office, giving everyone a bit of a spook. "Damn it all then! I will not let my nephews or any family remain in chains or captivity! By the oath of my holt, I am going to go down there and rip those vermin limb from limb!"

"Kaspan!" Ruma said, shocked. The otter's fury impressed Gale who practically goaded it on "I say, ya should join us then! Lefen I am certain would appreciate any an' all!"

"Us?" Loudaxe interrupted. Gale looked at the less than cheery badger forester and gave a wide smile "Aye! More likely den not, me query heads south an' into the dark heart of dis vermin host no doubt. The Wild Hunt would enjoy a time of smashing in vermin skulls, I say!"

Wila silenced the room "Kaspan, I know you would want to go down as well, but your duties are here. However, if any of your otters wish to join in your stead, I will allow it." The skipper reluctantly agreed with the queen's logic, knowing full well his home was in grave danger of being overrun by vermin hosts. Ruma came up and offered her own support. "Riftguard use to be run by a vermin warlord and kept good beasts as slaves, and it is within our duty to aid Mossflower from suffering a similar fate. We do not have much in the way of soldiers, but we came with food."

Lefen smiled, joyous with such high and good beasts willing to come to his aid. He turned to Wila who offered her own support "Markem's alliance with Jusbrag is a danger to us as well, but let us not forget the beasts he keeps in captivity. I will send out the word for volunteers, but do not suspect an army. Many of my soldiers are already conscripted and keep patrols on our forts and castles, keeping our lands safe from the vile threats up here. Will you have enough to face the enemy that is Markem and his ally Kylan?"

Lefen was at first very confident, but his mind wandered a bit to his failure to kill Jarolom. Lefen and Loudaxe knew they were not the best commanders, but Gale promised his hares to his side. The web of alliances and responsibilities increased, but Lefen could take anything at this particular moment, no matter how small it was. Lefen agreed "I will personally free the slaves of Markem, and lead eastern Mossflower against this enemy. Jusbrag will be grounded to rubble, or I will die trying."

Wila frowned, but nodded her head "Good. Take some time to rest, and be ready to move. I will bring what I can. If this Markem moves against the people of Mossflower, with the numbers you say he has, then you will have a lot going for you. May the seasons be merciful to you, Lefen of Eastern Mossflower."


Bigring was relaxing on his throne, or more accurately, he was resting on Jusbrag's throne. It was a cold and cruel thing, a throne where blood spilled often. It was a common superstition amongst the lower caste of Jusbrag's vermin and children of the hordebeasts that the throne was cursed, sometimes even haunted. Bigring didn't believe such nonsense, and found it rather ironic, considering he had never slept so soundly in seasons. Some vermin claimed to see the ghosts of dead warlords wandering the inner stone walls, slaves claimed to have entire conversations with regretful masters of Jusbrag who warned of hellfire which awaited the vermin upon their demise. It was all nonsense to Bigring as he sipped drunkenly on a goblet of fine wine, Noonvale wine captured from raids against their northern neighbor. He was partly snapped back to reality by the shoving of one the guards who pointed to another vermin. Bigring squinted his eyes, he knew it was a Jusbrag vermin by his mix and matched armor and uniform, but what confused him the most was that he thought he saw his fellow captain Baskerclaw, a fox captain. The fox had a long and estranged history, a newer captain by Jusbrag standards and a former Black Clad soldier in Kasg's army. He was rather meek for a Black Clad, and still wore a black gemstone pin, a partial reward from his service. He was older then Bigring, by a lot, but held his head low often for reasons that Bigring could only guess.

"Baskerclaw? The hells, what are ya doin here? Ya haven't tried to desert Kylan have ya?" Baskerclaw was one of the captains who had been tasked with leading the army down into Gholand, so it was quite a surprise he was here. Baskerclaw looked tired and ill. Even at a full pace, it would have taken days for him to reach Jusbrag.

"Nay." The fox huffed "I bring a message from Kylan. As steward of Jusbrag, he expects ya to fulfill his command, an I am sent to aid in his. . .request."

"Wait. What?" Bigring motioned him closer as Baskerclaw handed him a scroll. It wasn't in Kylan's writing, but rather it looked like a more formal beast. Bigring read over the scroll, but realizing he didn't know how to read, he grunted and shoved it towards the Noonvale mouse who was fetching him more wine "Read it, round ears, an' make it snappy."

With an annoyed grunt, the Noonvale mouse recognized the writing and began reading. "To my captain and regent Bigring who I placed in command of Jusbrag in my absence, I have had a discussion with Markem Brownnose, Great Warlord of the Great Vermin Band. Under his advice and my logic, you are to do the following; Half of the slaves are to be freed from the pens, with the remaining half to be freed of shackles and be given proper housing and regular rations, the half that is freed will be sent out to the villages under strict guard to aid in food production, mining, and forestry to help further along the construction of Jusbrag. Conscription is to end immediately, and proper wages from my own personal loot will be handed out to loyalists and captains. In conjunction with Markem's horde, all slaves are here by to be put in rope collars, and their treatment give priority along with the wellbeing of the vermin families in Jusbrag. Your chief, Kylan Bignose."

The slaves who were working stopped in sudden silence, along with the vermin in the hall. Bigring needed time to process what he just heard, grabbed the scroll from the mouse's paw and slapped him to the ground harshly. "Liar! Tis not what it says! Now read it proper, or ya will get yer tail cropped!"

Baskerclaw coughed and spoke up "Bigring. . .that be what the chief wants."

Bigring looked grimly and horrified at him, not at first believing what he was hearing. His first thought that this was some absurd trap, or some kind of test. Bigring quickly got up and took the scroll and rolled it up. He passed it to Baskerclaw "Burn it."

"Bigring, ya can't jus-"

"Do it, Baskerclaw, or yer getting thrown off the cliff. I don't know what idiot gave ya this sheet of paper, but what is being asked is madness! Freeing half the slaves, treating them right? What kind of warlord does this Markem take the boss for!"

"But it be the boss's orders!"

"Well I ain't enforcing it till the boss get backs an' tell me personally, an ya are staying here till he does." Bigring snapped at some guards "Boys, put this fool under house arrest. Also get me some guards, cause I have a couple foxes to visit."
_

It was early in the morning, with Wulvog looking the most bored he had ever been in his entire life. He wondered why any creature of any kind would demote themselves to living in a city. It was dirty, foul smelling, and dull. Nearly every vermin he met was rude, feared him, or just generally looked displeased with their own lives. They spoke in annoying languages, were completely trivial, and were more likely to speak about last night's bar conversation then anything of note or worth. He, Jarolom, and Niala were in a market farther off on the western end of Jusbrag, although to call it a market would have been an insult to markets elsewhere. It was more like a group of badly strung together shops and tents, where vermin merchants bickered with each other over all manner of mundane things. The merchants were more like thieves, having stolen most of their wares and re-sold them at higher and higher prices, guarded by some of Jusbrag's most incompetent and easily offended guards who made their own riches off the bribes by these merchants. Jarolom was trying to keep himself smiling as he discussed with a food merchant, a task easier said than done.

"As I said before, fox, I ain't goin any lower! This is some of the best fish in Jusbrag an' if ya wanna buy it, I need some money, eh? If ya don't have money, ya can bugger off."

Jarolom looked at the rancid 'fish' before him, giving it a cringed look. It was, or used to be, a fish. It was small, barely worth even a penny. It was cleary trashed, with some light nibbling on its throat and smelled awful. Niala felt she was going to be sick, considering that she swore that its stomach wiggled for a split second.

"Mate, I doubt this fish isn't even the best in Jusbrag."

"I don't know what to tell ya then fox, ya are free to find yer own food, but as me friend here will tell ya, it ain't cheap." The merchant patted another vermin on the back, a local thug and guard who looked up mortified at Wulvog. Wolverines are a very rare oddity amongst vermin hordes, so this was a new experience. However, the bored creature looked down at the merchant and his guard and both were slowly backing away.

"Look, I don't wanna cause trouble." Jarolom noted "But me horde be pretty big, perhaps we can come to an arrangement?"

"Eh? If ya want proper vittles, ya are goin to have to talk with Bigring."

"I tried that an' he turned me away."

"Have ya tried bribing him?"

Jarolom gritted his teeth in frustration "Bribe him wit what?"

The merchant leaned closer, clearly having hooked his frustrated customer "Fer a price I can tell ya."

Niala was about to yell at him, but Wulvog acted first. The wolverine kicked down the merchant's stand in frustration. He took the rotting fish, ate it, and then looked at the terrified looking guard. The others in the market also looked on, Jusbrag's guards not sure what to do as the group made a scene. Jarolom was frustrated, but all he could do was let out a defeated sigh. The group left the market, lacking in either food or respect, and hoping the guards wouldn't follow them to try to arrest them.

The group was making its way back with Niala quick to complain "Ya dumb brute, what was that all about?"

Wulvog angrily snarled "I was hungry, and clearly it wasn't going anywhere. If I am hungry, my horde is hungry. We need to think to of something else."

Jarolom shook his head "Well, I don't know what else we can do. Not unless we want to try to steal from Jusbrag's warehouses and granaries. We don't have a great deal of time to waste. Well. . .at least we still have our horde."

Jarolom was swift to regret those words, as the group came back to their temporary holdings. Bigring was there, along with a large group of his vermin, angrily looking over some new captives. Jarolom's entire horde, including his conscripts and slaves, were being forced out and into the street. One of Jusbrag's taskmasters was removing the rope collars from the necks of Jarolom's slaves and putting shackles on their feet, including a terrified looking Mikov and his clanbeasts who found themselves chained next to an increasingly annoyed black squirrel. The captains Dakar and Bleakpaw were held by swordpoint by several hordebeasts. When the sea otter Kag was being put in chains himself, this made Wulvog nearly charge with rage, and was swift to turn the attention of the vermin to him as his blade slid out of his sheathe.

Bigring veered around, but cowardly backed up behind several of his vermin as the wolverine angrily made his demands "Let my hordebeasts and thrall go, rat! Or I will make your bones into soup!"

Bigring slowly regained his courage, especially as the hordebeasts of his own group lowered spears and sword at the approaching captains "Let down your arms, wolverine, or ya will be conscripted as well."

Jarolom raised his voice angrily at Bigring "What in the hells are ya doin, cap'n! Why are ya arresting me beasts!"

"Don't play coy with me, fox." Bigring called out and put his paws on his hips, sneering viciously at them "I know full well ya bribed Baskerclaw to sent that little message of yers, trying to usurp Jusbrag again I sees!" Jarolom looked at him confused, unsure what he was speaking of. However, he and Niala were snapped to attention as one of their new conscripts with hit harshly on the back by one of Jusbrag's vermin soldiers. Niala yelled out "Let em' go, rat, or I will cut yer head in half!"

"Keep calm then, mercenary. I do as I wish, an ya broke into one of me barracks and kicked out me own vermin! As is me right, I am confiscating yer slaves, yer vermin, and yer weapons."

Wulvog angrily approached, but as he did Bigring snapped at his guards. In the crowd, several bows were drawn. Wulvog stopped and looked around, angrily snarling at the vermin who were confident in their numbers. Bigring snidely remarked "Ya can keep yer captains, Jarolom, and yer wolverine, the rest of em will be joining Jusbrag's horde. . .an' work crews. Move em' out!" The groups of vermin and slaves were led away. Jarolom was surrounded by vermin as Bigring snapped at him "Yer weapons. Consider dis punishment fer takin over a barracks without me permission."

Jarolom stood there, and angrily handed over his sword to Bigring. Niala was resistant, and so was Wulvog, but Jarolom called out to them "Give em yer weapons."

"Jarolom, ya can't just. . ." Niala was silenced by Jarolom's stare, who gave wink in her direction. Realizing that her brother had a plan forming in his mind, Niala angrily let over her halberd and bow over to the vermin brutes. Wulvog allowed his own blade, massive in size, to fall into the open paws of two awaiting vermin who quickly put distance between them and the wolverine.

Bigring left with a smile on his face, and true to his word, he left Jarolom with the captains Bleakpaw and Dakar. The stout and rat, deprived of their weapons, were powerless when one of Jusbrag's cruel vermin guards punched both in the gut and laughed maniacally as they led their horde away. Jarolom gave Bigring a vicious glance, the Jusbrag captain confident in his victory.
_

Jarolom and Niala were alone, going through Jusbrag's streets as the two talked over their issues. Niala was saddened and angry especially, weaponless and hordeless, she felt like she had been demoted even further and was tempted to leave back for the north. What made her stay was Jarolom who was hurrying down the streets at a brisk pace. Niala complained openly, passing by several vermin in the busy stone streets. "I cannot believe this, how low do we have to go before this 'Great Vermin Horde' downright kills the both of us! I say we take our chances an' run Jarolom. I lost me weapons, an' me entire command! Next thing ya know, me own life!"

"Oh calm yerself, sis. I got a plan. Ya hear what that rat said, I recognized the name. Baskerclaw. A captain of Jusbrag. Normally such actions as ya should know don't just happen cause the beast in charge had a sudden taste of greed. More likely den not, he disarmed us cause there be assassins outside the city."

Niala had to think it over "Why kill us, this Bigring gotta know facing off againt his own boss, an Markem, be sounding like a big ol' dumb idea, right?"

"It is a big ol' dumb idea, sis. Not unless this other cap'n be alive an' kicking. We are goin to the officer district to interrogate em', an hopefully get our weapons, our horde, an hopefully our slaves back in one piece."

"Oh I hope so, cause I am having some real second thoughts about all this."

"Have a little faith, Niala."

The two went into the officer's district, but kept to the shadows. Being unarmed in a crowded vermin settlement was a recipe for disaster, enough so for which Jarolom took up a dirty and discarded plank of wood with a nail in it which was slathered on the ground as his weapon. The officer district was where the captains set up their homes in, although the casual differences between the poorer sections of the vermin settlement did not exactly look all that different from where the officers lived. The homes were noticeably bigger, but still had that grainy stone housing with cloth roofs. Perhaps the only major difference was that more soldiers were patrolling the streets, and various rabble were shooed away. The captains themselves were down south with Kylan, with their families mostly keeping to themselves within the homes.

Jarolom asked around to find where Baskerclaw lived, and was pointed to a well guarded house at a farther end. Jarolom and Niala looked on to see several well armored guards who had been originally in the main fortress's garrison outside, with Jarolom quickly guessing what was going on. "Poor cretan must be under house arrest."

"What, they didn't just kill'em?"

"Not yet anyway, more likely the captain's own vermin are throwing a fit and it would look too suspicious as a coup. Bigring is just biding his time for somethin. We have to find a way on in."

"I have an' idea." Niala commented. Niala pointed to a window on the farther and open side. Jarolom could see it, but didn't understand what Niala wanted of him. If he made for the window to sneak on in, he would have been caught by the two guards. Before he could even ask, Niala strode forward to the guards and began hurling all manner of insults. "Hey ya, muck racking slime suckers! Ya an' yer boss be nothing but a bunch of bandits, smellin like ya just pissed yer own sheets!"

Insulted, the vermin began cussing back "Why, I'll teach ya you bush tailed scum! Get back here!" Niala nimbly led the two idiot guards off on a chase, the two straddled behind with weapons drawn as Niala swiftly and nimbly ducked in and out of the way. Before the guards could perhaps realize what was happening, Jarolom dashed to the window and crawled in. With a misjudged height, he fell with a thud onto a couple barrels and froze, listening for movement outside. Getting up and brushing himself off, he was about to move through a rotten wooden door of the house's storeroom, only to come face to face with an angry looking older fox and his wife, Baskerclaw and his missus.

"Thief! Ya idiot thief! Ya think ya can just steal from me!" Baskerclaw angrily jabbed his sabre lightly into Jarolom's stomach. Jarolom backed away, but not as far as he wished as he quickly explained "I am not here to rob ya, I am here to help ya!"
_

Niala was losing the guards quite well at first, her plan seemed to work well. However, she began to feel a bit exhausted as the guards were slowly but surely catching up. Turning over carts, pushing vermin out of the way, Niala found herself soon face to face with the possibility of being caught. Not burdened down by weapons, the guards were a lot more disciplined then she originally thought, but were dumb and brutish. They crashed through the masses of urban vermin and tight streets with ease, with Niala calling back occasionally at them to goad them on, and hurling a rock at them to keep them focused. However, one guard in particular soon was catching up with her and nearly grabbed onto her tail.

Niala felt she needed to act fast, and in a sudden and different amount of pace burst through a door of some living area. Moving through rooms, the guards giving chase were slowed down while Niala seemed to speed up. Nimble and quick to take opportunities, Niala doubled back into the streets via an upper window and climbed into a box. Taking off her orange cloak, she struck at a corner and hid herself inside a pile of discarded trash. When the guards finally found themselves in the alley which she had jumped into, their first instinct was to go over to the cloak. The guards were short in temperament, and agreed their prey had gone out towards the southern end of the city and gave chase, thinking they could catch and beat their tormenter. Niala saw that the guards had taken her cloak, but was thankful she was still alive. Shoving off the dirt and trash from her fur, Niala made her way back to the officer district to meet back up with Jarolom.

Niala had made her way back up to the district and came up to the house, and make one final disgusted dust off of her unkept fur, she knocked on the door, and was greeted by Baskerclaw's face. He looked her over, and quickly let her in. However, before he did, he would ask "Ya weren't followed, right?"

"Nay, those dumb louts will be back eventually." The older fox looked out the door, only seeing one patrolling guard who didn't particularly notice anything was off. Letting Niala in, she was invited into a simple living quarter, with her brother Jarolom sitting down with a mug of grog in paw. Baskerclaw's other family was about, with an older child enjoying some food, and Baskerclaw's missus feeding a fox cub. The only non-foxes in the room was one of Baskerclaw's lieutenants, a rat who was angry as the captain was about the house arrest, and a personal mouse slave who was leaning up against a wall, almost as old and gray as the captain was.

"Niala! Ya weren't followed right?" Jarolom said happily, noticing his sister had lost her orange cloak.

"Nay. Lost me favorite cloak and my dignity."

"Ya smell awful." Baskerclaw's missus noted. Niala shrugged and sat comfortably down. Jarolom put down the grog and looked unusually unhappy despite the current situation they had been thrusted in. Niala was swift to notice. "Alright, mate. What makes ya all smiley."

"Information, sis." Jarolom cheerfully chuckled "Bigring be actin against us cause he blames us fer this beasts foolery."

Baskerclaw sighed "It wasn't foolery, I was just thinkun Bigring had more sense, ya know? I came back with a message fer him from Kylan, Markem is implanting all manner of reforms, an Kylan sent me to help enforce em. Bigring think this be all some kind of fool trap or worse, so he put me under house arrest."

"An he put us on his black list." Jarolom quickly added "I am right though, Baskerclaw here says several archers be out an' about outside, waiting fer us to leave. So question is, what can we do about it?"

"Yer a cap'n, ya got authority right?"

"I do, but me horde is back in Gholand, so all I got here is me family, a couple vermin under Rudra here, an' this ol' bug eyed wretch over there." Baskerclaw pointed to the mouse who only gave a clearly annoyed grunt. However, Jarolom popped an idea into his head "Only a few vermin eh? The rest here, a lot of conscripts an' slaves right? The orders Kylan sent, half of em to be freed right?"

"In general a bit more den dat, basically to treat em' as they do in Gholand. Bigring I guess took a great deal of offense to dat."

Jarolom snickered "Den we might have a chance yet. Niala, gather up Wulvog an' friends. Me an' Baskerclaw here are goin to gather up some younger vermin an' some supplies. I gots a plan, but we need to do this all at once."


Bigring's busy day had left him exhausted, but as a captain, he had duties which tore him away from a life of constant lounging. He looked over his new conscripts with an increasingly critical eye in the main fortress's courtyard, a mix of northerners and angry looking Gholand vermin. Of the vermin who had followed Wulvog specifically, their blood stained lips personally terrified him as Bigring looked through the troop. One particularly small white fox took his eye and looked down, who looked up at him dumbly. Bigring growled and angrily called out to his guards "These pathetic wretches ain't even worth me time. Just have em' put in a barracks an' let em stay there. We'll whip em into line soon enough."

Bigring looked overly happy with himself as he looked over the conscripts. However, as he walked amongst them, they vermin gave him angry glances. Bigring felt a bit uncomfortable, the fur of his neck stood up as he continued to walk amongst what he considered new troops. The cruel tyrant he was, he unfurled his whip and cracked it over the heads of the vermin, expecting them to scatter before him like meek slaves. Yet, none did.

"Are ya all blind an' deaf! Get to yer barracks an' await yer orders, scum!"

One of the vermin of Jarolom's division spoke up "We don't take orders from ya, rat." The older vermin was an archer, but deprived of their weapons and surrounded by guards, the division was powerless to face the wannabe warlord. Bigring his claws to the archer's throat, Bigring attempted to intimidate the conscript. The cruel rat smiled widely, he would enjoy beating and whipping the common vermin like all the others into line, yet in a different pace, he was harshly pushed by one of the northern conscripts that Jarolom had saved.

Bigring unfurled his whip, ready to strike the vermin, but was shoved again, this time by one of Wulvog's cannibals. The group resisted him, and refused to budge. Bigring called out to his guard, angry and terrified "B-but them in chains and leave em in the dungeons! I want em' starved an' weary before they join Jusbrag proper! Get to it!"

The guards of Jusbrag did as ordered, but some looked on impressed by a show of bravery that they had only ever seen in brave and foolish woodlanders. The group went along quietly. Bigring had never lost control over others before, and he wondered what kind of training these creatures had gone through to show such fealty to some common southern warlord.
_

Kag had never felt like more of a black sheep in his whole life, and was rather speechless. The vermin guard had practically dragged him and the others into Jusbrag's slave pen, a large walled off stone barracks where the other slaves seemed to regard him and the Gholand slaves around them like foreigners. Kag and the others sat on one side of the pen, facing the curious and disgusted faces of the other slaves on the other. The black squirrel who was with the group was keeping a rather dangerous look eye on the rat Mikov, who was now in a rather powerless position. Mikov himself felt awkward, he had tried to side with Jarolom's vermin, and for his resistance, was not enslaved amongst his own slaves. The northern rat looked terrified as he and his chained clansbeasts kept to a corner of the pen. Only Jarolom's slaves were chained by their feet, the others had been let go of their chains but the scars of their shackles left empty tufts of fur on their paws and feet.

Kag whispered to Wesk, a fellow otter who was cringing at his situation "Why they be lookin at us like dat? They lookin at us like we be foreign. Which I mean, I suppose we are, but like, they aren't gonna kill us, right?"

"Oh, I think not, but I think they are noticing how. . .uhhh. . .clean we be." Wesk noted. Kag could see the comparison as he looked back and forth. Jarolom's slaves looked healthier, well fed, and lacking (for the most part) harsh lashes and injuries. Jusbrag's slaves looked miserable, exhausted, and starved. Most wore rags and were furious looking, while Wesk and others looked fairly tame and couldn't help but pity them. After some awkward silence, a large one-eyed squirrel came forward, slashes from whip marks all across his body. He looked down at the captives and cruelly greeted them.

"Welcome to Jusbrag fellows. I am Grifkan. I can see ya folk are from the south, recent captures I take it?"

Wesk shook his head and answered for the group "Nay. We be slaves ourselves, from Gholand if ya heard of it."

"I have, from a hedgehog friend whose been there. Another vermin fort. Kylan, that wretched tyrant speaks much of it. What manner of business brought ya here. Tried to escape?"

Wesk again shook his head. The squirrel looked at him like an oddity "I see. Why are ya here."

"Confiscated, good sir. Some rat took us, an' now we be here."

"Well, ya lot best get comfy then, cause you will all likely be put in the building teams tomorrow." Kag looked mortified, but the squirrel came over and offered his paw and helped the group find some place inside the slave barracks. Mikov however kept to his corner, pouting and keeping a healthy distance from the black squirrel who blamed him for her current issues. The group settled in, as conversations broke off into various topics. Neither spoke highly of their vermin masters, but the Jusbrag woodlanders listened to descriptions of what felt like a paradise in comparison to their own misery. The Gholand woodlanders listened in horror of the stories of misery suffered by those in Jusbrag. Of the three woodlanders who had been recent captures, neither of them were thankful for anything, complaining often how much they simply wished to return home or exact revenge on the vermin.

The group was suddenly interrupted when there was a tap on some other side of a stone wall near the barracks. The slaves of Jusbrag removed a small stone brick, revealing a peephole into what was assumed to be an abandoned house on the other side. A older voice rang through "You lot, scram! I need to speak to Grifkan."

The squirrel came over and wasn't happy to hear the voice on the other side, he called out in a mocking tone "Ah, what can I do you for, you round eared traitor."

Ignoring the insult, the older voice was joined in by another, one for which Wesk and Kag instantly recognized as Niala's. The fox spoke out angrily "Speak softly, ya blooming idiot! Are you Grifkan or not?"

The squirrel snarled "Bluster, this better be some dumb trick of yours, or do I hear some vermin on the other side!"

"Hear her out, Grifkan." The voice begged. However, before anyone could really react, there was a pounding and concerned yell on the other side. The slave watched at the stone on the back wall began to crumble, and fell over, with Wulvog crashing partly onto the ground to reveal Baskerclaw's mouse servant and Niala looking mortified and shocked. Shaking himself off, the slaves looked up horrified to see the wolverine casually shaking off dust from his fur.

"Wulvog you idiot! What was that for!" Niala spoke furiously, but in a low tone so others could not hear.

"What? What are these work beasts goin to do, escape?" Wulvog retorted. He moved over to Kag who looked up at the wolverine and who dragged him over to one of the open slave cooking fires set up inside, ordering him to begin cooking his meal which the young otter obliged.

Grifkan looked utterly shocked as Niala gave a weak smile and came through, meeting the slaves. "Now this be soundin odd, but we got a proposition fer ya."

"Well make it quick, cause the guards are going to want an explanation. . .for that." The squirrel pointed to the now massive gap in the pen. Niala and Bluster looked at and looked back a bit embarressed. "I know we don't get along, but do hear her out. Ya will be interested." The mouse grimly said

"Interested in some slaver's proposal?"

Niala interrupted "Yes. I come from Gholand, and we were returnin till we got embroiled in some local dispute. Me vermin be gone, me slaves be gone, even me weapons and cloak. A captain by the name of Baskerclaw came with word from Kylan to free half of ya, an the remaining to be treated like those in Gholand. Bigring be denyin that request an we are punished fer it. Me brother gots a plan however, a plan to get inside an' enforce Kylan's request on Bigring, but we need yer help to do so."

Grifkan angrily rejected this request "You think me stupid, fox! You want us to help you reclaim your horde just so half of us get to be freed, and the other half get a simple taste of getting less whipped if we get out of line! Bluster, I knew you and your meek foolishness would go along with this, but don't insult me. I won't trade unless all of us are freed."

Niala raised her voice "Are ya daft, half of ya will be free to start communities around Jusbrag, this be the best chance any of ya will get!"

"Oh, worse yet, it's not real freedom. Its serfdom under the lash of working without a taskmaster lookin over us, and will beat us anyway if we don't produce for them!"

Bluster spoke up "Grifkan, listen to reason. Look at these folk, they have families, and this is the best chance they will get!"

"Don't talk about family with me Bluster. You may have sold your soul for better treatment when we were slaves in Kasg's horde, but I got the front row seat to watch mine torn asunder." Grifkan seethed "Don't think I am not thinking about the youngsters here. Ya want our help, total freedom for us all, or none. Ya can keep Bluster here."

Niala was ready to head back, telling her brother she had failed, but Wulvog spoke up as he began to feast on the slave's few rations. "Squirrel, if you don't help us, I am going to start killing you all. One by one." The wolverine glared at him. Grifkan looked back as the wolverine chewed down another stale piece of bread. "Starting with your youngest. You can try to stop me, call the guards, but I don't think it will help. I am hungry, miserable, and covered in all manner of things I'd rather not speak of. However, I am still very hungry."

"You wouldn't dare."

The wolverine glared at one of the youngsters, a fellow squirrel who backed its way towards his mother as the cannibal gave a wide and evil smile. Grifkan stood in front of them both as the wolverine grunted in annoyance "All this talk of bravery and you work beasts forget one thing, you all talk brave, but it sounds like a mercy to kill you lot then to let you live like this. Now, my brother over there makes a valid point. You can make friends with us today, or watch yourselves waste away bravely working yourselves to death." The wolverine would occasionally glance towards an empty corner, confusing the slaves in the pen. Grifkan however relented and looked to Niala "Okay, what do you want of us?"
_

The guard who came for the work crews in the slave pen were dumbfounded to find a part of the wall into another house completely knocked over. The slaves in the pen explained that the old building just collapsed and that they were lucky to even get out of the way, but the guards were swift in action and began beating some of the slaves for not warning them sooner. The newer and fresher slaves were lined up, with a taskmaster looking over Kag and Wesk with a happy and cruel smile "Ya lot will be fine workers I bets, don't die on yer first day now." The vermin shackled the group and led out the slaves in two teams; one going to the work site, and the other towards the quarry. Grifkan was shackled with Kag who was a part of the building team, the anxious otter frightened of what could happen next. The squirrel attempted to give advice "Just keep your head down and don't look them in the eye, think of them like that angry wolverine. Always fiery in temper that lot."

The group was led to the main fortress of Jusbrag, shifting out a large work crew of injured and dejected fellow slaves. Kag looked at them depressed, wanting to ask if this was the fate of all good beasts like himself. However, he kept his tongue shut as Jusbrag's vermin guards looked diligently over them. Once inside, Bigring himself came out with a whip and cracked it over the heads of the slaves. "You slave beasts will be working on the eastern barracks today, I want the work to be done in a timely manner, or heads will roll." Bigring looked a bit different, a bit more fearful and concerned. Yet none of the slaves objected and simply got to work. Given a couple heavy baskets of tools, the group was led up to a eastern barracks, being on the lookout for one supply box in particular.

This box came, as the new slaves from the quarry brought up some loads of stone and materials from a steep climb from a mud ramp upward towards a broken piece of wall. Using the traditional stairs was a pain, so a use of pulleys and ledges helped bring up materials from the main ground and into the main fortress. A box, used for storing straw for which brick could be made in a small section of the barracks, was carried by Kag and Grifkan towards a shadowy area. Grifkan kicked the box lightly, for which a weasel leaped out. It was one of Baskerclaw's vermin. He grumbled at the squirrel "Be on the looked out fer the others, an especially towards the one with a bad smell. Get yer work beasts ready, cause this won't be an easy fight." The weasel gripped a scimitar in paw and hid in the shadows as the two work beasts went back to their duties.
_

Bigring would have normally been outside, whipping the slaves to action and overseeing Kylan's work projects. Bigring may have thought Kylan was a big, boisterous fool, but he did enjoy the fat weasel's love of building. Kylan had turned the stone fortress into a city, and ruling it had been an enriching experience, but a stressful one. Food shortages wracked Bigring's mind, and he had stolen so many responsibilities he had no clue what to keep up with. He showered his boss in all manner of sweet nothings, but now that he was in charge, he was in a different realm. Bigring's mind wrapped around Kylan's 'reforms', he could still not believe it, and his encounter with Gholand's vermin had shaken him. How can such a group of strong and healthy blumpkins fill their heads with such nonsense.

A vermin guard came into the grand hall, with a grin on his face. Bigring was on the throne of Jusbrag, but was not lounging in it for once. He turned his head, seeing a vermin waltz up to him "Me lord, ya in a sour mood, but I think I knows what will cheer ya up." The ambitious soldiers said.

Bigring snapped at him "Well, speak up den!"

"Me lord, while our archers be waiten outside fer that fox, the wolverine is outside our gates now. . .holden that fox lady in his paws, asken to join our horde!"

The opportunity hit Bigring like a fast moving cart and he nearly jumped out of his throne in a happy mood. If he was a failure as an administrator, he could certainly succeed at least as a recruiter. He hurried along outside, not noticing the growing shadows along the walls of the great Jusbrag's side halls and barracks. Bigring ordered the gates opened and being forced inside was Niala and Wulvog. Wulvog kept a firm paw on Niala and pushed her inside, as the wolverine made a barely humble bow to Bigring "Bigring, right? I am Wulvog, and I would like to join your horde."

"I see." Bigring said with a smile. He could see it now, Kylan coming home to Jusbrag, to see not only more of his palace being done, but at his side a big and strong wolverine in Jusbrag armor, and loyal only to him. He could daydream even harder, Kylan not coming back home at all, and he alone on a stone throne, ruling Jusbrag as his horde regrew, and at the head of that horde was this wolverine, a big and brutal pet bearing an iron collar in fealty to him. It made Bigring give a wide smile, putting his paws to his hips. "Well, I don't let any an' all traitors join me horde in ease, but come inside. What manner of reason ya bring this fox maiden."

Niala cursed at Wulvog "This dumb brute thinks you can free him of his bond to my brother! Oathbreaking traitor!"

Wulvog grasped Niala harder and she relented. Bigring motioned them inside as Wulvog explained "This wretch claimed she was going to usurp you along with Jarolom. I figured it would be a good time to end such things."

"It is good ya bring em as ya did. She can rot along with the rest of Gholand's traitorous vermin in the dungeons as well. Guard, chain this beast up an' prepare her to be executed for treason against Jusbrag. Come wolverine, I will have ya swear to Jusbrag in the grand hall, where we have drinks!"

Once in the great hall, the guards slapped Niala in irons and led her away down into the dungeons. In the throne room, alone with Bigring, Wulvog was offered a drink. It was small by Wulvog's taste, but as Bigring sat comfortably on his throne, Wulvog suddenly spoke up. "Before I join, I want a couple things. Small things."

"Ya, speak up." Bigring said. Wulvog looked up sadly at him, thinking some things over "I want my vermin host back, all of them, and under my sole command. I also want my thrall back, and the freedom to eat what I want, when I want. Can you make this happen when I join you."

Bigring chuckled "Ya are swearing to me as a hordebeast, wolverine, but under me ya will only the vermin I give ya and the slaves I desire ya to have! Now bend yer knee to me and make yer oath to ol' Bigring." Wulvog looked over at the rat, suddenly cringed, but did as instructed. Well. It was worth a shot.
_

Niala was dragged down into Jusbrag's dungeon, and was led down a dimly lit stone path and thrown into a cave-like cell for which her own vermin were there. The vermin in the division were at first happy to see her, but realizing she was in chains like them, that hope quickly vanished. The young white fox Loik came up to her, to offer her what little water he had hidden from the guards which she took thankfully. She got up and brushed herself off. "Don't look so down, me lads, things are about to change soon."

One of the newer conscripts spoke up "How? Where be Jarolom, an' der wolverine?"

"Well the wolverine be up stairs I presume, licking Bigring's boots fer the time being. However, we got a plan to get ya out of here, but its gonna be a bit risky."

One of the northern cannibals spoke up "Wulvog? He be a wolverine, not a god! He'll be slaughtered the moment he gets down here, there be many vermin guards about. With big spears an the like."

"We are counten on that." Niala got herself comfortable. "However, we got some reinforcements. Wulvog is gonna free us, but once he does, we gotta rush out an' help him and the others. Any of ya know where the armory is?"

"I saw a prison armory farther down, past the cellblock."

"Good, we'll make fer that first. I was hoping to rely on ya lot outside, but this will work too. Now everyone get ready, and be prepared. Some of ya youngers, we will need ya to take the keys and free our stronger beast from their bonds. Archers, take up any weapon ya can throw. You stronger lot will need to be rushen outside, Jarolom an Dakar will tell ya what to do." Niala looked to the door, awaiting patiently. Loik came over, a bit frightened in which Niala comforted the young fox.

"Don't worry, we'll be done with this lot in no time."
_

Grifkan and Kag were smoothing down stone in the upper part of the barracks. A lazy taskmaster came above to check on the work and beat one of the hedgehogs who was working on some stone bricks with the butt of a willow cane. Grifkan angrily snarled, but continued his work in peace. The taskmaster came over, with Kag working slowly in which the taskmaster put a scar into the back of his shirt. Yelping in pain, the younger sea otter quickly ducked down as the cruel taskmaster looked to the older squirrel "Ya should have warned him about worken slow, Grifkan. He won't last even a day if he works like some cripple."

Grifkan looked at him, but shifted his attention with a smile behind him. The taskmaster noticed and turned, seeing a large gray rat standing behind him. Dakar opened his mouth and chewed into the taskmaster's neck and stabbed his chest with a sword. Dakar came over and a set of keys and began unlocking the chains in a fumbling manner. Grifkan looked with a dark joy, seeing the taskmaster's grasp on for his last grip on life and perish. Kag looked to Dakar who angrily took him and sat him in a corner of the upstairs barracks "You stay there, thrall. Wulvog may be some blasted ol' fool, but ya are still the only good cook I know. Squirrel, there be weapons downstairs. Grab one an' stay hidden fer now."

Downstairs in the construction area, the slaves were arming themselves along with Baskerclaw and his loyal vermin. The group was prepared but unorganized, and very much outmatched and outnumbers. Jarolom was there as well, but was actively looking out a window. He looked about, his plan having some minor complications. Half of the slaves were on the other side of the compound, being forced to deal with a collapsed roof, thus halfing his force. Jarolom cursed his luck and turned to his conspirators "Bleakpaw, ya lead to main charge against the gate itself, I want those walls removed of archers. Dakar, grab the main vermin an' rush the main force. Ya slave beasts rush toward the door. Holding it shut be critical, an help where ya can. Bigring is likely inside with Wulvog, but I was hopen me own division would be out here."

Dakar nodded and gleefully tipped his sword, calling out suddenly "Alright! Grab yer arms! We attack now!" Impatiently, Jarolom was about to speak up, but the rat and his group was already off, followed by Baskerclaw and his division. Cursing his luck, and his companions, he and Bleakpaw rushed out as well. Grifkan was pulled aside by one of the mice, a fellow slave who was having second thoughts.

"I don't know, is this worth it?"

"No, but we don't got much choice. Either we improve our station, or we die regardless to Bigring's cruelty. Now lets get this over with! Come, our freedom awaits!"
_

Wulvog was finishing up his oath to Bigring when the group heard a clammer outside, Wulvog got up and turned and looked to Bigring to see his response. Bigring had no clue what was going on, but the once ambitious vermin who was willing to side with him came in, looking bloodied from a devastating wound to his face. "The slaves are revolting! The slaves are. . ." He coughed up some blood and slumped over. Bigring quickly grabbed his sword and bid the wolverine to follow "Come Wulvog, we got a revolt to put down!"

"I need my sword first."

Bigring had no inkling of trust towards the wolverine at first, but he was desperate "Well, can't ya use yer paws?"

"No." Was the wolverine's answer. Bigring glared with anger at the wolverine and reluctantly obliged him "Yer weapon be down in the armory, first door past the inner barracks. Most of em' are outside, but we'll be reinforced soon enough by the guardpost below. A couple exhausted slaves won't kill us dead, that be for certain." Bigring didn't go out to meet them, and instead waited patiently at the door for Wulvog. The wolverine went towards the armory at a speed and quickly ran inside. Picking up his weapon, he spotted Jarolom's and Niala's weapons as well, and came back out. He was happy to have his falchion back in his paws, but as he came out, he saw Bigring awaited desperately for the wolverine to come to his aid. The wolverine looked at him, sighed, and then calmly walked down into the dungeons.

Bigring was dumbfounded, and realized a bit late how duped he was when he began to hear the pained screams of his guards. He packed away out the door only to find the slaves and traitor vermin wiping the floor with his elite guard. Jarolom wasn't a skilled battle commander, but the vermin were able to push into the guard. A stout and his small detachment of slaves and vermin climbed up into the walls and began to wiped to throw the vermin over the cliffs to a terrifying fate. The slaves were holding the gates closed with their dear lives, as more and more vermin began to try to bust on in to reinforce their dying comrades. Jarolom and Baskerclaw were forcefully marching themselves towards the other group of slaves, getting them ready to fight as well. Bigring could see the writing on the wall and slowly closed the doors.

Inside the dungeons, Niala heard the screams of vermin as several loud thuds and yelps of horror reached them. Niala was at first frightened despite knowing Wulvog was on their side, but as the wolverine burst on in, gripping a vermin guard by the neck only to snap it with his mighty paws, did the vermin in the cavern freeze in terror. Wulvog's own vermin snapped them back to attention as Wulvog looked to have several jab wounds across his body. "Ya take a rest, wolverine, we'll take care of the rest."

"Hurry up. I want to be out of here, fox." Wulvog commanded and rest in the cell, tending to his own wounds. Niala and her division began gathering weapons from dead vermin, fighting through demoralized Jusbrag guards who were cornered in the armory. Had it been any other vermin, the guards would had been slain, and they knew this. Yet, Niala had them disarmed and left them alone as the group gathered weapons and were being unchained. Niala looked over the frightened guards and sneered at them "Ya best lock yerselves up if ya know whats good fer you." The guards meekly nodded and exited towards a cell which she locked herself. Once the division of vermin was set, the group charged out of the dungeons, and shifted the tide of battle further outside. Bigring hid behind the stone throne, as his remaining elite guard was butchered.

Bigring tried to make his escape, thinking he could perhaps climb down the pulleys and cliffs to safety and meet up with his vermin host in the main city. Instead, Jarolom was already in the room with him, pulling him away from the stone throne, with a new facial injury of his own to boot. Bigring looked fearfully into Jarolom's eyes as the fox chuckled to himself.

"This is what ya get fer crossing Jarolom Foxtrot, The 'Jacks' of our age, eh."


The following evening was quite a show, as Bigring was carried off by Baskerclaw to the walls in which the rat's ruthless lieutenants were still trying to bash their way in, a line had formed on the stairs leading into Jusbrag's grand mountain fortress as the vermin looked up to realize the battle was already lost. Bigring was hoisted over the walls and held looking down as Baskerclaw slapped him "Well! Tell em, mate! Or I am throwing you down to meet em' yerself!"

Bigring yelled out with a raspy and fearful voice "Let yer arms down! Let em down, before they kill me!"

"I should have ya killed, you useless wretch!" Baskerclaw was not in his normal meek attitude, looking gleefully and with pride as the vermin below began to let down arms. Bigring was pulled back as Jarolom looked down at the group. "I am Jarolom from Gholand, we are just havin a disagreement wit yer boss! Get back to yer posts. Yer captain Baskerclaw will be with ya soonish." The vermin didn't move, but some gave up and just began to crest back down the stairs while Bigring's supporters remained outside. Bigring was brought back into the main hall and was forced to kneel before Jarolom who sat comfortably on the stone throne, admiring his victory. There was a pause before he got up and shifted himself over to Baskerclaw "I trust ya will help me, since I helped ya?"

"Aye. Although, I don't know what to do wit this fool."

"I'll be sure to tell Kylan when I return to Gholand what happened, but fer now, let him continue bein cap'n of a. . .smaller band. Fer now at least." Jarolom patted Bigring on the back who was silent. Jarolom took his attention to the injured slaves who now crowded the room and looked to Baskerclaw "Ya deal with this why don't ya. I came here fer food an' to get me things. I won't got any trouble, right?"

"Nay. I'll have some thugs gather ya some food fer ya, an' it be ready in a cart the moment ya leave. Ya can stay, under personal care, in the tavern in and where ya were before. Yer slaves will be returned as well, but it will take a little bit of time to gather em' from the quarry."

"Take yer time, a little quarry work don't hurt any work beasts." Jarolom swaggered out, followed by his company of vermin at his back. Baskerclaw turned to Bigring and scowled him "I should have ya hanged, but I won't. Yer gonna go back to yer home an' stay there for a nice long time, eh."

Grifkan came forward with the older fox looking him over "I'll deal with ya lot tomorrow, but ya still got work to do. However. . . .do take a short rest an' bandage up any injuries on yer own accord. I got me own work to do."

"And the freedom Kylan promised." Grifkan interrupted him. The fox shrugged "We'll see. Now get movin. Yer last on me list."
_

Jarolom, Niala, and Wulvog were in one of Jusbrag's many taverns, enjoying free drinks as a ferret served them what ale he could at Jusbrag's expense. The ale flowed into their gaping maws as the Foxtrots and the wolverine were enjoying their victory. Jarolom felt at first guilty, being delayed and all, but he was happy to finally get a much deserved rest. His horde was resting, with fresh food of their own, and Jarolom was content. Even though Kag, Dakar, and Bleakpaw had joined them, Dakar and Bleakpaw had turned in for the night early with Kag helping the bartender cook in the kitchens to fix up his master's meal along with his own. Jarolom, Niala, and Wulvog were happy with themselves as Jarolom drunkenly motioned to his sister "Ya flea bitten, rascal. I could smack ya for the stunt we pulled today, eh."

Niala pushed her brother backward who nearly fell off his stool "My stunt, it was yer idea brother!"

"Ya, well, at least my idea worked, eh! Here i am thinkin we are the luckiest pair alive, but if dat were true, I'd already be in Gholand by now!" Jarolom hicked on his drink. "But ya, sis, that whole thing with the guards! You say ya lost yer cape! Well, I say we get you a new one. One big, huge looking cape." Jarolom slurred his words, trying to imagine a massive cape as his companions looked on with enthusiasm. Jarolom was quick to learn that Wulvog could not hold his liquor and fumbled often. The wolverine drank down an entire bottle, and casually smashed it without thinking.

"Ya know, I nearly betrayed you two." Wulvog blurted out "You wanna know why I didn't?"

"Go for it, buddy!" Jarolom cheered. Wulvog slapped the air to his left "Cause me brother. Me brother tells me, if I cannot get a better deal out of some Jusbrag rat, maybe a Gholand rat will do me better! Here I am thinken, maybe I need to stop making deals with rats, you know? Small, stinking creatures rats are. No good, dirty, rotten rats!"

Niala hicked "Hey, I know a good friend who was a no good, dirty, rotten rat! Ya take dat back!" Niala slumped over and was caught by her brother, both laughed as the drunken lot moved out into Gholand's streets, enjoying their free alcohol much to the amazement of the bartender who could not believe how much the group had already drunk. Kag peaked out to see Wulvog barrel his way into the nightly streets of Jusbrag, as the group began to sing a drunken vermin song together.

Oh ho, what a day to drink

A day for a few chums, in the morning air

Await by the wall with the evening bare!

With rations in paw, with fur a musk

A bottle for me best of chums

Till the day grow dark!

Oh no, what a day to drink

Swords in paw, we fight all day

For a bottle of grog, to wash away our pay!

Neither could barely understand each other as they caused a ruckus through the dark streets, uncaring about the number of angry vermin wives and kids they awoke with their singing. Jarolom and Niala shared a final drink and chuckled of old jokes and better days. Jarolom felt at peace as Wulvog wandered off into the night and collapsed in an alley. Smelling of booze, and comfortable in their impoverished drunkenness, Jarolom felt at peace with the world and went to sleep.
_

Jarolom felt a slight kick to his gut as he awoke to see the face of the mouse slave Bluster who looked down at them with an annoyed glance. The mouse didn't look very different, a mean and disgruntled creature whose age escaped him, but he looked old and weary. The only difference from his previous meeting with him was that he now wore a rope collar. The mouse spoke to him without confidence "Your horde has been waiting for hours, and Baskerclaw sent me to find you."

Jarolom smacked his lips, an overwhelming pain throbbed in his head as he awoke grasping it. Niala was face down on a dirty street, being poked in the snout by a small vermin child who ran off as soon as he figured she had no coin purse to steal. She also awoke and grasped her head, yelping in pain. Jarolom yawned as he got up, brushing off his damp clothes which were soaked in spilled alcohol, mud, and something else he rather not have thought about.

"I see Baskerclaw be enforcing Kylan's. . .or well, Markem's demands." Jarolom noted. The mouse rolled his eyes "This really ain't much of an improvement other then it chafes me neck now. I'll never understand why ya bother with this."

"Ya can ask Markem if ya ever see him." Jarolom helped his sister to stand, as she spoke up "An our slaves, they be with us along wit our food, right?"

"Aye, although the one ya call Wesk got a rough beating by a taskmaster while mining." The mouse spat. Niala felt a sudden twinge of concern, but Jarolom grunted in annoyance "Well, he be alive at least. Right?" The mouse nodded. Jarolom went over to an alley, seeing Wulvog laying down, facing upward into the sky. Jarolom kicked his feetpaw and yelled out "Ya awake, wolverine?"

Wulvog gurgled out "Ya."

"Well, come on, we're being waited on."

"Give me a second. Head hurts. A lot."

"Yea, well me too, an' I don't wanna keep Markem waiting for even a second more!"

Wulvog gave a thumbs up on his paw and slowly arose, his mud caked blue coat weighed him down as he looked up to see his brother tapping his foot in impatience. Arising from the alley, Wulvog grasped his head and joined Jarolom and Niala. Neither could remember the night before, but despite looking like they had delved head first into poverty, they all felt well rested. The group eventually was led through the streets by Bluster which Niala struck up a conversation with "Those slave beasts didn't like ya all that well. Ya mentioned ya were part of Kasg's horde."

"Part of? I was stolen from my home along with Grifkan and his family. Baskerclaw and his lot of black clads led us along when the horde fell, so now I am here."

"Ya don't sound very happy, despite our victory. I would have thought ya would be happy to know some of yer lot are going free."

Bluster angrily sighed "It ain't freedom fox, it's just servitude with extra steps."
_

Jarolom and his company rejoined their horde which was looking over their fresh supplies. Bleakpaw and Dakar were dividing up the proper rations, with the company's conscripts and slaves loading the remainder into larger packs and sacks, all except Wesk who looked rather disillusioned and was stroking his paw with a nasty gash in it. Niala would learn the otter had fallen out of line with a quarry's taskmaster during the whole coup, and his beaten harshly for it and wasn't in his usual high spirits. Baskerclaw and parts of his division of vermin were happily helping to pack up Jarolom's horde, eager to see them off as the Jusbrag vermin already discussed what they were going to do now that their boss was in power. Jarolom came over to the older fox, clapping his back.

"I see all goes well, eh?"

"Well, fer now. Kylan's orders aren't me specialty an I am down a cap'n to help enforce things. As a reward fer helping us, Grifkan an his fellow work beasts were allowed to divide up on who would be getting their freedom today, an they made their choices. Mostly large families an' such. I gave em' a couple days off to rest an' mourn fer those we lost during the fighting, but otherwise I think all is well."

"Well, I care none what ya do to be honest, I'm just glad to have me horde back." Jarolom smiled. Baskerclaw shrugged "Enforcing all of the demands will be as difficult as seeing em' through. Ya are in Gholand's inner circle, right? How did ya folk do it over there."

"One step at a time, usually. Its takes a lot of time mate, believe me. Although as advice, make sure yer tributaries be well guarded, otherwise ya know. . .they kind of escape like slaves try to do." Baskerclaw noted this with all due seriousness. The two shook their paws in respect as Jarolom looked around, wondering if he would see Bigring.

"The rat with the gold earring in his nose, where he be?"

"In his own home fer now, I am hoping ya will tell Kylan what happened here so I can get confirmation to put him down. If this had been Kasg's horde, he would dead. One of me pals, Thiefp-I mean Nosecheese would love to know what happened as well."

"I promise to try, although yer boss can be a bit. . ."

"Dumb an' easily swayed?"

"Yes. Dat be it."

Niala and Wulvog were not waiting patiently as both now wished nothing more then to get out of the accursed city as quickly as they could. However, their need to leave was joined by a group of crowded vermin guards escorting large packs of former slaves who rushed by the group on their way out through the gates of Jusbrag. Many were a part of large families, grasping little ones as they were led out of the city by small vermin divisions and some recently promoted lieutenants. Grifkan was amongst them, although he did not join them as they went out of the city and had to slide next to Niala and Wulvog. Wulvog was first to notice that he too was now wearing on of Markem's rope loops around his neck, and instinctively chided him "I am surprised squirrel, you wouldn't take a chance to get out of here."

"It's my responsibility to those still here, cannibal."

Niala grunted "I don't know if dat was wise, cause I've been in this place fer more then two days an all I want to do is leave!"

Grifkan sighed deeply "You and me both."

Jarolom called to his sub captains as he began to get in the front of his horde "Alright, lads, we got a long march ahead of us and I want to hear no complaints from any of ya! We March to Gholand! Niala, Wulvog, get everyone lined an' ready to march! We are leaving this wretched city behind us, fer good!"
_

Bigring was seeing the changes of Jusbrag right before his eyes, and was dumbfounded by what he saw. He had spent seasons organizing the rations, work details, and slave quarter of Jusbrag under Kylan's watch. He may have been watching outside his massive stone house in the officer's district, but below him he could see the changes unfolding like a wave. He knew he had a limited time before the fool Baskerclaw sent a courier to Kylan, and Kylan would likely send the wretch Nosecheese back to Jusbrag just to collect his head to add to the morbid banner of Kylan's horde. The rat however was trapped, as he had fewer friends, and was guarded by double the guards within his own home. Bigring shookly drank a mug of grog in the morning, and examined what was happening outside his window.

Two slaves, having rekindled their former companionship, walked together down the streets of Jusbrag and through the cobblestone districts, discussing things openly with one another. Grifkan and Bluster would occasionally glance up at Bigring's home, with Grifkan especially taking a cruel jest at the rat overseer he had grown to hate. Baskerclaw was not swift in enacting the reforms for the slaves, but had given them some reprieve. The new regent of the vermin settlement began to enforce new laws and orders on his own lieutenants, building a base of power for himself, and the enacting of the reforms from Gholand was more of a reward to the slave beasts who aided him. Grifkan and Bluster were not happy however, they knew they were all still bound to Jusbrag's misery, but at least now they wouldn't be work to death as was Markem's objectives. Grifkan, for his part, was allowed to even lead a project in tearing down their own slave pen and to rebuild it into proper homes and huts, which he considered perhaps to be the only good part of this demonic deal.

Bigring found it disgusting, slaves walking freely in the streets as Bluster and Grifkan snidely jested on Bigring's fate. They purposefully had decided to do this outside his home, even though the rat could not hear them since they were far off. Bigring exited his window, and began to pace around his home, thinking of what to do. He was thinking of a speech to give to his chief, perhaps even escape and head westward. However, as he was pacing, one of his guards stepped through the door of his home and closed it behind him. Bigring looked at him, and realized something rather quickly; It wasn't a Jusbrag vermin.

He looked cleaner and more awkward looking, a not so-fierce looking bandit who fumbled getting off his armor. Bigring thought it was an assassin at first and rushed over with a kitchen knife but the vermin lifted his paws "Wait! Wait! Mercy! Be quiet, rat, I am trying to help ya!"

"What ya mean help me, who are you!"

"I am Sharptoe, sir! I am from Luzland! Under a ferret named Garzlo!"

Bigring looked at him awkwardly "Eh? What is some Luzland vermin doin in Jusbrag? I've had enough of you Mossflower scum."

"Then ya best hear em' out! I am just a messenger, or well, was. I was hoping to meet ya yesterday, but well, ya know. . .this whole thing happened an-"

Bigring pulled the kitchen knife closer to the vermin "What does dis Garzlo want?"

"He wanted Jusbrag's help mate, a cap'n who would be willen to overthrow Kylan! Luzgot be promisin big reward, mate. Look, I'm just here to get an answer, alright?"

Bigring looked at the struggling vermin flabbergasted, Betray me chief, at this time an' hour? What dumb. . .idealistic foolery. Although if Kylan and Markem are in the sights of Luzgot, perhaps a little change of loyalties wouldn't harm me. I'm a dead beast anyway if Kylan finds out about what happened here.

Bigring smiled and loosened his grip "Ya can tell this Garzlo I'm in, but I wanna know details. I'm not in the best position now, but that could change at a whim in Jusbrag. Now go, before ya get accidentally conscripted ya fool."


Jarolom could not have been a happier beast, as his army stepped into Mossflower once again, and began to shift its way around the plains of Fort Tussock at a breakneck pace. The group only slowed to rest once, and once the threat of being stopped by any Long Patrol groups, Jarolom was happily taking a headcount. His own division suffered horrifically, but of the survivors, they were still in high spirits. Wulvog's hordebeasts were doing less fine, although many had taken on strange friendships with the conscripts they had gotten. Dakar and Bleakpaw, captains in different cultures and respective hordes, had joined in a odd friendship of their own, speaking about their time in Jusbrag like a bad dream. Jarolom's slaves were less happy, keeping their heads down as they marched past him, but were for the most part just happy to be returning to Mossflower. Only the northern slaver Mikov looked truly miserable, his time spent mining in a quarry along with his clansbeasts, along with being so far from home, had made ironically even more miserable than his slaves. This wasn't lost on the single black squirrel who pestered him constantly, which Jarolom noticed but had no intention of stopping.

Jarolom was happy with his mission, having lost some hordebeasts but gained others as well. He rejoined Niala and Wulvog as he whispered to them. "I know our horde be a bit larger then usual, but we are going to make a quick stop before we return to Gholand."

Wulvog stopped him "Our last stop was in Jusbrag, I'd prefer to not be out on another one of your adventures."

"I gotta agree with the wolverine, brotha. I'd just like to head to Gholand now."

"Nay sis, I be in charge. Besides, where we are stoppen, it be to collect a beast who be. . .special."

Niala widened her eyes at the comment with Wulvog looking at the pair awkwardly. Jarolom sighed "I know she be not the most dutiful beast, but she be our beast. Me time in Jusbrag got me thinken. I'd rather have her in Gholand ya know, with us, not out here in the wilderness when things start to go south."

"I suppose, but are you fully sure about this. Once ya do, we cannot go back."

Wulvog had not seen the two foxes so frightened before, wondering what kind of manic horror they spoke of. What kind of depraved and evil beast who they aligned with. The group headed deeper into the woods.
_

Wulvog and the large party of vermin were anxious, camping in a small clearing farther off from whatever place the two Foxtrot siblings had gone to. The wolverine followed the two, but was confused when Jarolom specifically asked Wesk and Kag to follow as well. Wulvog's imagination was out and about, imagining that some fellow cannibal was aligned to these foxes, or they were part of some evil cult. Yulfang appeared beside his brother, patting his back without much weight "You look like you have seen a ghost, young'un? What, you afraid or something?"

"What? No! Of course not. I am Wulvog, I fear nothing."

"Oh, then why you swear, eh? Come little brother, whatever terror is in front of you, you will face with the dignity afforded to you by Pa and Ma. Don't choke now, otherwise you'll embarrass me!"

Yulfang disappeared again, and Wulvog went forward. Niala gave him a sharp glance "Will your 'brother' be here often, Wulvog? The creature we be meeting won't like that kind of thing."

"He comes and goes as he wishes, much like me. Why you'd bring these two slave beasts along anyhow?"

"Ummm. . .you'll see." Niala sighed. The Foxtrots opened up the brush to another more serene clearing where an old oak tree held firm in the middle of a small and fenced off hole. Wulvog looked confused at first, it was a nice looking hamlet of sorts, built right into the tree, with a single latch door leading into a sizable underground hole. A window was hanging up over a hollow part of the oak, with a lopsided mound not far off. The Foxtrot siblings made themselves at home as Wulvog sat at the border, wondering if he was witnessing some witch's house. He imagined if he stepped closer, lightning would strike him. Kag and Wesk leaned on the fence, the two whispering to each other, unsure of what they were witnessing.

Jarolom looked like he was preparing for a fight, pacing a bit before coming up slowly and knocking on the door to the home. A voice rang out, an old and raspy voice "Go away! Ya ain't stealing me vittles just yet, ya dumb and oderless rats! I'll gut ya with me knife I will!"

Niala called out "Ma! Its us. Jarolom an' Niala! An Company!"

"If ya were really me boisterous an' plump kids, ya wouldn' had needed to knock ya would! I ain't no fool!"

Jarolom sighed "Ma! Tis us, really! Ya can come up!"

The door slowly opened and a old and dirty looking fox looked out, widened her eyes, and grasped her children in her paws. The old fox, in a foul smelling dress and looking like an ageless hag was quick to embrace them, but soon released them and slapped them both harshly.

"Seasons, seasons ya two go off to gods know where! Ya leave yer poor ma behind like a piece of discarded bird, an I am here cleanen up an' worrying if ya would ever come back! Niala, where be that cloak I gave ya! Jarolom, ya should be the most ashamed of all, getting yerself got like that by a rat no less! Where have you all been!"

"Well Ma, like I said, I went wit Taban up north." Niala began, but was sniffed by her mother who recoiled in dramatic disgust. "Ya smell like a Jusbrag rat! Ya haven't been to that wretched city, have ya? I know a evil ferret who lives der, some big ol' thief who tried to force his way in he did."

"Well, you see. . ." Jarolom was cut off as she sniffed him too "You two smell awful, an I got only so little water to clean ya both! Now you two, come inside before ya muck about me decent kitchenware! If yer father were alive today, he'd be hopping mad he would! Dragging yer foul tasting air about our good home!" Both were dragged inside, even though stronger beasts, they allowed their mother to drag them in for a long needed bath. Wulvog looked on with amazement, with Wesk chuckling to himself. Wulvog approached and sat outside with the two slaves. After a bit of time, Jarolom and Niala came out, looking much more groomed. Niala was fixing up a new colorful cloak of red and brown. The fox mother was peeking her head out of the hole in her home, with Wulvog looking back at her.

"Ma. This is Wulvog, our hordebeast. Wulvog, this is me Ma. Margatha." Wulvog didn't say hello, but Margatha called out in a terrified whisper "Jarolom, dat be a wolverine he be! A big on at dat! Ya sure he be yers?"

"Aye mum, he swore to me."

"Ya know full well swearing to another be as pointless as trusting a fox wit yer kitchenware! Your pa would slap ya silly if he could!"

"Oh I sure he would be. Ma, come out, we need to talk." The older fox took up a cane and came out in a slow manner. Approaching them, Margatha sat down in the grass as Niala and Jarolom continued to explain to her all that had happened. The overly worried Foxtrot matriarch angrily would chide them, as they tried to desperately explain their actions. Their tales went on for hours, and eventually Jarolom got to a point.

"Ma, we got a bigger, an' better hut fer ya in Gholand. With lots of vermin. Me boss Markem will be goin to war soon, an' I am just thinkun ya best be away from both Long Patrol an' vermin alike. Ya know how the lot can be. Don't want to be skirmishing in yer own home, eh?"

"Ya come all the way here just to concript me I bets! Well I ain't leavun without all me things, ya can forget it!"

"I know, which is why these two slave beasts will help ya gather yer things." Margatha looked to Kag and Wesk and scoffed "Well I still ain't movin. Slave beasts or not, yer pa an' I built this home fer ourselves to get away from der hordes an' foolishness. If ya were smart, ya two would be living wit me! I ain't leavun, no sir!"

"I ain't giving ya a choice ma, I ain't goin to have ya on me conscious. I'd move pa too if I wasn't in a hurry to get back." Jarolom glanced over at the dirt mound, with a makeshift looking wood marker. Niala looked over as well, giving a depressed sigh. Jarolom returned his gaze to his mother "Either ya come, or Wulvog is carrying ya there. I'll help pack yer things. Please ma, don't make it difficult fer me."

"Difficult fer ya? Yer the one kicking me out of me home! Fine, I'll join you in this 'Gholand', but only cause I am frankly more scared of that beast then ya!" Margatha pointed to Wulvog who was touched by the comment. She came over to Kag and Wesk and pulled them by their ears and into her hole "Ya two are going to pack up me things proper, or I'll tan yer hides an' cut off yer rudders I will!"
_

Wesk and Kag set a sack of delicate plate down on the ground outside, their exploration of the Foxtrot home was on which amazed them, as it was almost like a museum of vermin thievery. Niala and Jarolom 'helped' as well, although they were mostly enjoying a last cup of tea in their childhood home with their mother, who continued to berate them the entire time much to their casual dismay. Sets of delicate and fragile plates, pots, pans, and silverware were all collected, along with all manner of stolen bags, sheets, and clothes. Niala looked over her favorite set of toys her father had stolen over the years, and the comfortable set of childish clothes she had. Her memories of him had faded, but the adventurous and arrogant 'Jacks' would always return and raise his youngsters. Niala and Jarolom remembered the days when he would take them both on one short trip around Mossflower, exploring the country and scamming poor creatures out of their earned wages. Niala and Jarolom learned much in those years.

The number of things Margatha wanted to bring to Gholand shocked Wesk and Kag, who looked over piles upon piles of heavy artifacts, which included a window pane from the upper part of the home. Wulvog took the majority of the things, but was not as gentle as the otters had been, aided only partly by Niala and Kag. Jarolom whisked Wesk over to him, ordering him to help his mother and to tend to her needs. Margatha looked over the otter with a clear disgust and began ordering him about "Be sure ya carry me things, these ol' bones don't heal in time like you youngsters! Never had a slave beast tend to me before, but don't mean I won't cane ya fer falling behind I will!"

Jarolom was the last to leave the clearing, his home now cleared out he went over to his father's grave. He smiled, patting the marker with his paws. I'll make ya proud pa, don't you worry one bit. I wish you were here.