Chapter 42: One Step Forward

Three figures moved their way across the underground lake beneath the mountain of Salamandastron, their movements shallow and silent. Only one carried a torch, as it barely illuminated the dark rock around them. Salgor moved with determination, as his two companions loaded their crossbows and checked their bolts. Salgor guided them to a small rocky cliff, which ran down into a very well hidden tunnel. It didn't look made by any beast like a mole or badger, it was ancient looking and ruined. Salgor threw his torch down and began to slowly climb down a rocky cliff, hanging onto stalagmite which jutted up all over the cave floor as they reached the bottom.

"So. This is it?" Cemar switched his nose and had begun to sneeze from the dusty air Salgor blew up as he moved. Salgor coughed and picked up his torch, weaker in its light. "Yes. Dad used to take me through these tunnels so I knew them like the back of my paw. These tunnels were built ages ago, but are ill used for good reason." Salgor illuminated the stone, revealing it was hare make. "This will lead up towards the forest, but I'll need to come with you further."

"I don't think Dagor would allow that." Doufy quickly said. Doufy looked to Salgor with a brief concern, the adventure starved badger certainly had his temper, but Salgor only gave a sigh. "I wish I could join you two, but no. The entrance no doubt is blocked off by old rocks."

"Why didn't Galgor tell us about this?" Cemar questioned. Salgor gave him a questioning look, but before this awkwardness could cause trouble, Doufy immediately stepped forward and spoke up "Doesn't matter now, we can all get our answers from Galgor when we see him again in the dark forest." Salgor grunted at this, and shook his head. Cemar and Doufy followed him through the old tunnels, illuminated by only a small, dim light. The group came upon the end, which made both hares confused mostly because they saw no door, only a pile of rubble. Cemar frowned "Is it collapsed?"

Cemar's was answered by Salgor looking up. The badger pushed his weight into some smooth surface above them and moved upward. The ceiling slowly cracked as light flooded the tunnel as dirt and pebble began to fill into piles beneath the badger's feet. Salgor paused for a brief moment before pushing upward once again, and a loud cracking sound was heard. Salgor fully pushed upward until the ancient entrance opened.

Doufy and Cemar climbed out and looked around, half expecting their luck to turn on them with some vermin group nearby or worse. Yet, they were somewhere near the mountain, far enough away for enemy sentries to pass them by and not notice. Doufy instinctively made his way towards a tree and peered around, looking for signs of trouble, but was thankful he could find none.

"Clear." Doufy whispered. "Clear." Cemar whispered back. Cemar crept around as they marked the spot for themselves, as Salgor spoke up at them with an annoyed tone.

"Don't lead any beasts back here, Dagor would prefer the vermin don't know of this. Malgor for that matter." The badger's stern warning only got a roll of the eyes from Cemar who spoke back "Close it up, sar. We'll be back shortly no doubt."

The thick doors closed, the two watching the ancient bunker now closed and locked by some mechanism. Salgor would likely spend time waiting for their return, as Cemar and Doufy began to move through the brush.

Doufy and Cemar moved like shadows in the dark, barely visible to most beasts. It was like child's play as the two spotted vermin sentries and moved past them with relative ease. Doufy was somewhat annoyed, for all their skills, the vermin couldn't even give much of a fighting chance to show real initiative. It was no wonder to him why they relied so much on treachery and exploitation, since on the field of a grand campaign, the vermin suffered under the full force of even a single Long Patrol. The two continued onward, peaking out over the beaches and into Minto's camp which laid in the distance.

Doufy was focused and brilliant in his stalking, but Cemar was distracted. Doufy would look behind to see his friend pausing, eyeing with a hateful glance at the vermin camp, but at one thing in particular. Past the miserable vermin soldiers marching about, past all the pirates and foreign cats, they both could make out the distant figures of sea otters, shrews, dormice, and now their own hares working under the lash of cruel taskmasters. Minto's overseers oversaw the rebuilding of tents, the building of defenses, and restocking of food from supply ships which landed every so often on the shore. One pained cry from a hare nearly sent Cemar rushing out in anger, but he held himself back as he continued along with Doufy.

"We could do considerable damage to them in a night raid." Cemar spoke in a whisper. Doufy turned to him and huffed "Nay, nothing but dead hares I am afraid. Don't think with your eyes. With our situation, even if we could muster all of our dead back to life, we'd need a bleeden bigger army to deal with that lot, wot."

Cemar grunted "Spit in my tea then why don't you, Doufy."

"Later, but how about-" Cemar and Doufy stop, listening as they realized they stepped too far out into the open and heard soft footsteps and clanging of armor marching about. They turned to see one well groomed wildcat holding up his trident, walking along with some fox and stout of strange colors.

"Ya sure ya wanna cross dat wretch ya call kin, Tarlo?"

"I mean, I don't want to, but Minto is delaying us far more than he should. I'll speak to him again, see if he can see reason."

"Reason is a funny word to describe your brother, my dear Tarlo."

The cat turned his attention to the stout, but not in an angry tone. Cemar and Doufy could see them approaching, as Cemar instinctively lifted his crossbow. The two awaited, knowing if push came to shove, they would have to kill these stragglers before heading to safety. They awaited, but were relieved when Tarlo stopped by a few feet from the foliage Cemar was hiding in.

"I think he will see reason, Barbo. Maybe not today, but he will soon. However, do get your beasts ready, the both of you. We will head to Redwall, and we will head there soon, God willing."

The three nodded and headed back, as the fox raised an interesting question "What about the sea otter, matey?"

Doufy couldn't help but feel disgust as the group went off as Cemar shifted himself over to him. The two hares nodded to each other as they snuck on towards the south. Cemar grunted at him and spoke up once they were far enough away "Are you absolutely sure this is a good idea, Doufy?"

"Trust me, we won't regret it." Doufy smiled grimly and marched on.
_

Cemar was used to long walks through Mossflower, it usually put him in a generally decent mood. The flowing rustle of the trees, the peaceful and calm singing of birds, the cool wind from the west sea all made his years of hard training worthwhile. Yet, as he and Doufy marched through the forests, his mood dimmed as he knew exactly where they were going. It was night by the time they moved so far past the main enemy army that it was safe to be along the beaches again, staring out into plains and huge beaches which ran into the distant sea. Behind them, the mountain of Salamandastron disappeared into mist.

By the next morning, after a short and silent breakfast, they had made it to their destination. Before them, laying upon endless miles it felt like, began to muddy. Grass grew in tall lengths, and beneath their feet they could feel themselves sinking and being sucked into the salty puddles. Cemar looked down, seeing small ravines of wet sand parting for waters from some unknown source, and small fish distancing themselves from him.

They were heading into the great marshes, as the foliage grew worse, and Cemar's attitude soured with it.

"Why them, of all beasts." Doufy finally brought up the courage to ask, shouldering his crossbow.

Doufy stopped and turned to him, frowning a bit. The hare couldn't help but be a bit snarky with his good friend "Come now, Cemar. You bleeden well know why, unless you forgot we are at war an' all that. Biggum and I think we can reason with them, and they do have a considerable army in the marshes, if I remember the last war we had with them."

Cemar didn't appreciate the mood, gritting his teeth in an angry manner "Oh yea, I do bleeding remember it all too well, and how the southern villages barely were able to hold off their advances. Considerable army they certainly do have, Doufy. One which they used against us."

Doufy continued to frown and then stiffened up "Yes, I am mostly aware, Cemar. However, we could still use them, especially now."

Cemar looked about the marshes, coming up to Doufy as he began to chide him "Use them? Doufy, do you bleeding well know what those monsters do to woodlanders and vermin alike? They eat them. They'll kidnap any woodlander on the road and it would be my hares that has to track them down before they retreat to their inner marshes. Seasons help them otherwise."

Doufy turned about and follow Cemar now, as the hare continued to cautiously look around for trouble or danger. Toads and frogs could be difficult to spot in their own lands, they had long mastered the art of the ambush in the marshes, and Cemar knew two talking hares going deeper into their territory would alert some sentry if they weren't careful. Doufy annoyed his friend, being more relaxed "Yes, I am fully aware. If you had some other bleeding solution to getting allies, I'd like to hear it."

Cemar stopped and turned, giving himself a second or third thought before he acted. He brought his paw to his chest, rummaging through it and pulling out a small blue book. Doufy looked more and more annoyed as Cemar tossed it at him, at least expecting him to catch it. Instead, the book landed on Doufy's nose and casually fell into the mud as Doufy folded his paws with increasing disgust.

Cemar grunted and picked up Barfoof's little manifesto and shook it off as Cemar grumbled loudly to him "If you wanted my answer, least you could bleeden on do is understand it."

"Understand it?" Doufy scoffed, coming forward to him "Cemar, you bleeden ol' crumb monger. I know you and Barfoof did plenty of things together, but don't insult me with that drivel. We've discussed this already."

"We did." Cemar's voice grew more frustrated "Yet, I still do not understand what is so bad about reform. We need it, now more than ever."

Doufy came up threateningly to Cemar, pointing into him. Cemar was a bit surprised to see Doufy like this, he was usually a lot more coldly upbeat, not a beast easy to anger like others were. Yet, there was a tinge of fury in his crackling voice. "You know full bloody damn well why Barfoof and his 'reforms' are utter nonsense! You really going to go village to village to ever peaceful beast's home and tell them to fight an enemy they haven't even seen yet. You are Long Patrol Cemar, not a bleeding taskmaster. None of us are! What, you going to go tell the otters that they need to bend knee to the badger lord, their friend, and fight for our cause simply because we demand it so? If you bleeding well read that garbage, you'd understand you ask for nothing better than what the vermin bleeding do, conscription!"

"Then what in the hell is wrong with that, Doufy!" Cemar snapped back. Cemar backed off, fixing his red beret. "Look around you, you thick whispered mudsnout! We are in the second largest war in our bleeding generation. We are again at the edge of losing, and you want to march on as if nothing is bleeding happening!? Wot, you think once we somehow destroy those slaving cretans on the beach that some vermin horror isn't going to come and destroy us again?"

"Mossflower isn't our property." Doufy reminded him, but Cemar angrily spoke up again, louder and far less aware of his surroundings "And why bleeding well not? We protect Mossflower, we serve our lord, and for what?! So we can perish and die in some other close war we can't possibly win? If we lose, Doufy, beasts will perish. Or worse, toil and suffer because we didn't get them off the ground and brought them to the front! You think these cats would even be here if we didn't have a bigger fleet and army to deal with them, hmmm?"

Doufy squinted his eyes as Cemar turned around, reiterating their mission "But fine, Doufy. Fine, if these frogs can help us, then sure, they will help us! Better frogs than good ol' woodlanders, hmph? Better they be fodder than us, right ol' weaselface?"

Doufy didn't move at first, twitching his whiskers in anger but he followed. He didn't like this new mood, nor appreciated it as Cemar continued to rant on the subject "Ohhh, poor ol' me thinking if we had just a smidge of organization, we'd be better off! Now we got two entire bleeding vermin hordes, enslaving us and murdering us. Had we'd gone with Barfoof's plans and ideas, we'd likely even have Galgor bl-"

"Enough, Cemar!" Doufy's voice raised up, with an even worse spite. Cemar turned, feeling he may have gone too far, and realized he did when Doufy came closer to him and spoke harshly "Galgor was killed on all of our bleeding watches, be reasonable at least to think that not even Barfoof knew of that treachery."

"Would we?" Doufy had to pause to that statement, as Cemar began to explain "Doufy, do you think our lords are infallible? Galgor led us to several horrible defeats, and we all suffered for it an-"

"Cemar, don't finish that sentence mate. Or we'll truly be having more than words." Doufy threateningly pointed his finger at him, but he looked less angry than shocked. Cemar continued anyway, trying desperately to get on through to him.

"Galgor is our lord, yes, but even you have to admit he wasn't perfect. Nor is Biggum. Kasg nearly had us then because we had to learn the hard way of his tactics, and we still could barely beat him. He was an even worse father to his children, and overly trusting of his sons. Call Salgor a fool, overly eager zealot of archaic tradition, but he is right about Dagor. He's a butcher, who would gladly throw our lives away for his own glory. When me and Barfoof hunted down those vermin after Kasg's defeat, we at least were able to bring peace to this forest."

Doufy gave a blank stare to Cemar, although not in anger. Cemar looked about, his face full of stress and worry. Doufy could figure why this was, he had felt similar after all the recent terrors they had gone through, so he let him talk and bury himself in his words.

"We fight, and fight, and fight Doufy. We shouldn't have to, we don't have to. Mossflower would be safer if we just had reinforcements, of any sort! Not just us! You may think Barfoof is cruel for wanting to conscript, but what other choice do we have? Recruit the vermin? Toads? Anything to not challenge our way of life?! Doufy, you bleeding ol' grunt. You are smart, I know that, a lot smarter than most hares. But you and Biggum are blind it feels like, to all that is going on! Cato, he-"

"Cato is dead, Cemar." Doufy coldly stated. Cemar was taken aback by Doufy's statement, who continued with an increasing challenge to his voice. "He died in a plan we all knew was suicidal, as brave as it was. He was our friend, I know that, and he would have made a fine bleeding good ol' commando like us, but he died braver than most. You and Barfoof and your hares are giving into the same despair no better than the vermin fall into. Lest I need to remind you, we are Long Patrol an-"

"Don't patronize me." Cemar interrupted threateningly, but Doufy continued with firmness.

"We are Long Patrol. We aren't Mossflowers commanders, nor its rulers, we are its guardians. We help good beasts and protect it from the vermin, that is it. That is our purpose. If we die doing that bleeding purpose, so be it, we'll all drink in the good ol' black forest. We are do as our lord demands, because that is our oath to him, as all hares were before us. Don't dishonor their memory with this treasonous talk."

Cemar scoffed and turned, but Doufy caught a glimpse of something and began to unshoulder his crossbow. Cemar turned again, looking intimidated, but then his eyes widened as Doufy quickly aimed down his sights and fired. Cemar ducked into the mud, horrified at the implication of him being assassinated, but then he heard a thud as the bolt passed over his head.

Ribbets of anger began to bellow out, and Cemar knew what was happening soon after.

Several frogs and lizards all at once swarmed them, as Cemar and Doufy drew their rapiers and tried to fend off their attackers. The battle was fierce as Doufy was grappled by one frog, only to break free with a nasty bite to the webbed paw. Cemar did not fare better as he dodged javelins and slammed into a frog, trying to get a good handle on his crossbow. The two hares attempted to get away until one huge toad jumped through the bushes and landed between them. With a single lick of his massive tongue, the toad slung around Cemar's arm and pulled him into the huge frog, before bringing his massive slimy paws on top of him.

Cemar thought he was dead as he struggled to escape as the huge toad covered in red war paint brought his trident down towards his face, but stopped inches from him. The huge toad starred as Doufy who had gotten a hold of Cemar's unfired crossbow and was aiming down at the huge toad's head.

"Suurrbender." 'Red' said to Doufy, continuing to point down at Cemar with his trident. Doufy grunted and slowly began to lower the crossbow. 'Red' gave a dark smile, as if silently bellowing out a laugh as he proudly looked down at his newest capture.
_

Cemar and Doufy couldn't help but eye each other with increasing discontent and mutual worry, as they bit into the slimy reed rope around their mouths and paws bound in waterlogged ropes. The massive toad who led them and a team of warriors of his tribe looked happy and prideful, gloating in some foul language to his subordinates. Although bound in ropes prodded by the tridents of their captors, Cemar and Doufy looked at each other, blaming one another for their situation. They delved deeper and deeper into the marshes, their boots dredging against mud and sand beneath them. Only the frogs and lizards seemed unbothered by this, as both hares soon looked on at the wooden palisade of 'Red's' home.

Both hares found themselves being tied to poles inside the compound as the frogs went about their business. 'Red' was the first to leave, hopping his way up to the main grim hall of their lord as lizard thralls removed the gags at Cemar and Doufy's mouths. Cemar looked about with disgust, struggling against the bonds as he sat at the pole.

"Huh." Doufy said at first, calming down a bit as he relaxed himself. This was their destination after all, but Cemar was far less pleased.

"If you bleeding tell me you have a plan, Doufy, I'll kick you." Cemar grunted in annoyance. Doufy shrugged "Well, I do got tha-" Cemar harshly nudged him, which Doufy only grunted at. "I do have a plan, you blighter. However, tis a bit weird they didn't put us in a prison hole."

Cemar paused and did find that a bit weird. He knew of frogs somewhat well enough to know their habits. He looked for the prison hole, but couldn't find it anywhere until he noticed a couple lizards coming up from a small burrow near them, shaking themselves off from dirt and slapping the sand and mud from their rags. Doufy and Cemar gave each other weird looks, unsure what to make of that. The two waited in silence as Cemar sighed out after a time.

"Apologies, mate." Cemar grumbled. Doufy turned to his friend, and spoke up next with a sadness to his voice "No, I should be the one to apologize, Cemar. All this bad talk really doesn't give us the best spot light, eh?" Doufy was partly joking, as Cemar nodded in agreement.

"I know how you are feeling Cemar, don't think you aren't the only one brought low by these bad thoughts, I just hope you understand why I reject them." Doufy looked to Cemar and sighed "You are still the same weasel faced cheat who fought our way past those cats on Adam's ship and killed all of those Black Clads in that depot assault."

Cemar continued to nod in agreement and gave a small smile "Though, this ain't exactly the best way I wanted this to all end. Frogs of all things, Doufy. Frogs. On your bleeding whim."

Doufy smiled brighter and nudged his friend "I told you I got a bleeding plan, you nitwitted snot dripper. Just follow my lead."

Cemar blankly stared at Doufy, unsure how in the name of any of their ancestors and the seasons themselves they would be able to get out of this mess. They were in the open, tied to poles, surrounded by what they counted was six. No eight. Or maybe ten frogs? It was hard to tell which ones were guarding them or which ones were going about their business, stopping only to look at them. They croaked amongst each other in curiosity. One of the younger frogs hopped up, looking blankly at them with their cold eyes before hopping away in fright when Doufy grunted at him. There was a loud, bellowing croak from the central longhouse, followed by a loud burping and other unpleasant noises. 'Red' returned and came up to an increasingly terrified Doufy and Cemar, ordering them off the poles. The two hares were dragged upward into the main hall, with Doufy being the only one not resisting.

'Red' forcefully brought them before the salt drenched throne which laid the old and fat frog king. Husgolag stared down at them, and looked directly at 'Red' whom he grunted at. 'Red' growled a bit, but bowed his head and hopped out of the hall. The old frog loomed over the two hares, but both commandos fearlessly kept stoic looks despite the fear they felt for their possible fates.

"Longb Batrol." Husgolag spat at them, although not hostility as much as by nature. Globs of unsavory water sprinkled on both hares which made Cemar flinch back in disgust. The frog king had a great platter of terribly unpleasant things presented to him which he ate casually and without much worry. His guards surrounded the two hares who were forced to bend knee to him.

"King Husgolag, good to see you in good health, wot." Doufy attempted a weak smile, but the ancient toad grunted at him. "Kindb words areb useless hereb, hareb." Husgolag growled. "Yourb kind areb rarely seenb, rarer capturedb. Ifb you two foolb beasts bickeredb louderb in my landbs, you'db have awokenb me fromb my earlyb nap. Sonb demandbs youb be madeb into giftsb, orb eaten." Husgolag leaned a bit closer, his tongue flicked out at a fly which landed on his pile of 'food' before him which he ate with a satisfied gulp.

"Yourb seasonsb blessb you I haveb not passedb, and he rulesb thieb realm. Whyb does the badgerb lord sendb his pets to my realmb."

Cemar grumbled angrily at this speech, it was an insult he even had to listen to it. The frog king looked like he was holding back a cruel smirk, but he seemed to be more curious than he was angry. Doufy softened himself up and spoke up. Cemar expected some pathetic and faked whimpering from Doufy, as he suspected the frogs to respect such patheticness to them, since they themselves were pathetic creatures. Yet, Doufy began to stand and shake himself as he looked about and spoke with an authority which surprised and horrified Cemar.

"Seasons blessed bleeding indeed you fat ol' wallooper. We come at the behest of Badger Lord Dagor and the bleeding whole of Salamandastron as envoys, an' if you want to learn what we got to say, I say bleeding let go of our bonds, hmm?"

Cemar was beside himself, aghast at Doufy's almost suicidal proclomation. Plan!? Is this the plan, to get us both killed!? Yet, to Cemar's surreal surprise, the frog king paused and raised an eyebrow. One of the guards came over to force Doufy back down, but Husgolag croaked angrily at him and the frog guard slicked back.

"Well, we don't got all bleeden day, good King. The badger lord nor I got much patience for all this groveling when we got vermin to slay and woodlanders to rescue from their clutches."

Husgalog lightly grumbled at him in a bored manner "Anb how doesb thisb concernb me orb me landbs?"

"Well, admittingly, we aren't doing all too well ya bleeding well know. Though, why our good lord would send us here to get help from the likes of you folk is honestly quite beyond me, just let us go free an' we'll be out of your bleeding. . .erm. . .slime."

Cemar couldn't help but cringe, as Doufy prodded further. Doufy's rudeness had purpose to it after all, gaslighting the frog king without downright insulting him. He had hoped to do this as an envoy, not as a prisoner. The hare continued and looked about "Lord Dagor is-"

Husgalog interrupted him harshly, croaking loudly. "Lorb Dagorb? Isb Galgorb dead?"

Doufy grew silent, and that silence was Husgalog's answer. The frog put his webbed paw into his chin, stroking its massive and bumpy warts as the ancient toad questioned them. What neither hare was prepared for was the toad being not as angry nor petty as his predecessors had been.

"Interestingb. Galgorb is dead, youb haveb my small sympthatiesb. Whyb are youb here, hareb." Husgalog was more firm in his answer. Doufy had to think it through at first, but Cemar quickly spoke up in his attempt to play along.

"You are smart, guess frog."

Doufy shut his mouth as the Husgalog went into his thinking mood. He thought and thought before speaking up "Yourb under siegeb."

Cemar didn't really actually suspect the right answer, and again his silence answered Husgalog. The frog king shook his head "Ifb youb are hereb to seek usb out, youb had not broughtb something of equalb value to be worthy of myb time."

"Not any worthy of your bleeding time? I told you this was pointless."

Doufy said.

Cemar looked at him confused, but Doufy seemed to speak up suddenly and unsure, trying a new approach as he spoke loudly and informatively. Cemar knew this tactic well enough, as Doufy kept speaking and speaking, trying to find something to hook the frog king's attention.

"Whole bleeding mountain is under siege. Should have tried to find those otters and shrews, hmph! Maybe even tried to catch up with Naus, but noooo, bleeding ol' slime paws over there is closer and 'stronger' or whatever all that huba baloo means! Bleeding cats and their pirates are at our door step, and to think we'd have likely trade half of Mossflower to even get a small army on our side? Shrews are known to demands less I'd thinks."

Cemar was about to respond to this supposed throwing of him under a runaway wagon, but the frog king's eyes widened and loudly croaked, drawing their attention. "Catsb." Husgalog's wet paws crumpled into a small fist, lightly gripping the edge of his clattered throne. Doufy shaped himself up and spoke with authority "Aye, cats an' other vermin cretans it looks like. Most of them corsairs and pirates, you bleeding well see. Surprised they didn't come after y-"

"Howb many." Husgalog began to sit up from his throne and moved over to them, his fat intimidating both hares. Cemar spoke truthfully "Many. A lot more than we can handle without our full force."

"Catsb." The frog king angrily spat "Slaverbs! Murdererbs!" Husgalog angrily croaked to the outside, piercing the sound of both hares who covered them. 'Red' came quickly inside as the two croaked and groaned in their language. Cemar didn't fully understand them, but he could see Doufy's face brighten and begin to smile. Cemar whispered to him "Bleeding hell, you can understand them?"

"Aye, took a few classes on frog languages when I was training under Naus. Can't speak the blighter's language well, but you can understand them."

Cemar looked at him mystically "So? What they bleeding saying?"

Doufy only smiled as Husgalog came up to them. He croacked at his minions who came over and cut their bonds, but pulled the two close to him. "Web must talkb."
_

Cemar and Doufy stood outside of the main frog encampment as the two hares enjoyed their last ration of bread. It was hard, partly wet, but it was at least edible. Behind them, they could hear the slow beat of a war drum echoing in the settlement and a loud croaking. Cemar nudged Doufy in a partly playful mood.

"Your a real snot nosed wallooper yourself, Doufy von Evergreen."

Doufy chuckled a bit as he looked behind him, with a foreboding toad approaching them, surrounded by his warriors. From the gates, a large host of toads were gathering in the marshy waters as 'Red' came out with his full regalia of tribal armor, and a war paint of green and red covering his body and face in archaic symbols of conflict. The toad gripped at a well covered wound which he hid underneath all manner of armor, something which both hares had noticed but did not bother to comment about. The frog warrior hopped to them, with both hares now knowing the full extent of their willingness to help.

"Kingb demandbs coordinationb, longb ears. Web keepb prisonersb, an'b lootb. Takeb weakb to gatherb full forceb. Otherb kings willb bow orb perishb. We attackb catsb campb togetherb at yourb signal."

"You'll know when we attack?" Cemar asked.

"We'llb know." 'Red' gripped his trident harshly and looked over his warriors. The frog grunted and looked at the two hares as he made his own demands of them before they can leave.

"Therb catb prince. Ifb he isb in camp. I wantb him."

Doufy nodded "That can be arranged, good frog. How long will it take for your forces to muster fully?"

"Weeksb." 'Red' boringly responded as continued to stare at the warriors who didn't get into line. When they noticed him, they quickly took their place. A drummer amongst them began to drum out a beat for the frogs to get into as 'Red' croaked loudly for his campaigners to join him in mustering the frog hordes to Husgalog's banner. Doufy and Cemar looked at one another as Doufy smiled widely.

"You see, me friend. Diplomacy does work."

"Barely." Cemar confidently said, as the two commandos turned and disappeared back into the reeds.


Minto looked over a map of Mossflower, a crude copy of a Redwall drawing he was given to help plan out his campaign. The angry wildcat tapped on the mountain and looked over the whole of Mossflower, marking off villages and hamlets his beasts had already captured. Once Salamandastron was taken, the campaign was much easier from there, as the last major stop he would even have to go to was Redwall itself. He would have to divide his forces, with him leading a main battle group to campaign against the Gousim and the otters specifically. Minto wondered who would lead his main force into the south and north. He wondered if there was some hidden enemy he'd need to knock out of the war before they caused trouble.

He wondered who could possibly even stop him at this point, and he chuckled to himself.

Minto had a lot of time to think and rest with his vermin burrowing further into the mountain, all with the backs of slaves from Green Isle, one of Salamandastron's allies. The otters were weak, and now the hares were weak as well. He day dreamed what he would do to them all once he got inside. Maybe throw them all off the roof? Save that idiot traitor for last and give the mountain to, hmmm, maybe Kain and hope he rots there with a useless garrison. The shrews and otters of this place I might spare, just so they can build a big statue of Riggu Felis on top of the ruins of their beloved abbey. Ohhh, maybe spare the hares as well, and work them to death building my new city on Green Isle once I take it! Ha! Minto's claws further went into his desk, as his eyes veered softly towards the one question mark he had floating in his head.

It was a small spot just above the river Moss, far into the east. It was the place where that hare scout had told them of what happened to their army. Minto had no idea truthfully what to make of it, because he still hasn't heard anything of the vermin there. He supposed Tarlo could get himself killed by talking them down, but it was just a future threat, not a current one. Vermin hordes in his experience were notoriously slow, even Kasg had to slow down his horde to allow others to catch up, otherwise they would be hounded and massacred by Gousim or the Long Patrol. Not to mention the local otters. There a flapping sound of someone entering the tent, as Minto didn't even bother to look up, knowing who it was already.

"Unless its one of my captains, slave. Tell them I am busy."

"My lord Minto." The sea otteress courier bowed her head sadly and raised it to speak. "It's, erm, your brother. Tarlo Gre-"

Minto looked up with fury in his eyes at her, and she instinctively backed away, but Minto calmed himself and grunted "Fine. Tell him he can come in, and go back to looking for seagulls from Sandbeach."

She nodded and quickly left. Minto grumbled at the inconvenience of having to train some new laborering slave, only meant for toiling to his bloodline, now had the responsibilities of a courier. Minto could only partly curse Kain for his incompetence, but at least he couldn't continue to muck things up while he was leading now.

Instead he had to deal with his increasingly impatient brother.

Tarlo Greeneyes walked into the tent and frowned a bit. Minto gave him a bored look, and could see Tarlo was wearing his warrior garb and wielding his trident. Tarlo looked ready and willing, but Minto could see his brother looked more sour than his usual happy and charming self.

"Tarlo." Minto said in a bored tone, looking back down at his maps. Tarlo firmly spoke, clearly upset about something.

"Minto, I was hoping you would speak to me. You know, after the first few days, or week. As much as I enjoy your carnival of torture you made our father's horde into, I have been waiting to go into Mossflower to do as father bids."

Minto looked straight into his eyes and blinked, as Minto grumbled at him "No, you and your crew of idiots can stay right here, where I don't have to worry about you."

"Minto, please don't imply something so nefarious." Tarlo warned. He further invaded the tent and sighed "Minto, at least let me help with the siege. I am here to help our family reclaim our homeland, not sit and let the others do it for us."

"You can help by intimidating the troops into being obedient, or if that isn't much your style, you can intimidate the slaves to be less troublesome." Minto grumbled, looking over his maps. Again his eyes veered to that big black mark on it where this Markem had won. He had scoffed at it before, but now he wondered where this vermin warlord would head next. Redwall was a likely target, but the vermin no doubt would have suffered some manner of horrific losses, and need to conscript in order to return to their full strength. It was likely by the time they reached Redwall, Minto would have taken the mountain fortress.

Tarlo grew impatient, and in a rare fit of anger he slapped Minto's table to get his attention "You can at least be cordial with me, Minto. Being petty because some western cat tried to have you killed doesn't make me more your enemy."

Minto slowly growled with frustration "If you think of me being that daft, Tarlo, our lineage truly is lost. You are not above suspicion, nor would father appreciate it much if you marched off into Mossflower while an assassin strikes at me here! My own bodyguard betrayed me! If there is an assassin after me, there is likely one after you as well."

Minto had to partly pause, and wonder for a moment. A nasty thought entered him, one which saw his brother in a much more estranged light. Tarlo wasn't targeted, the heir to Milo's realm. No, it was him. Minto felt he would have felt more unique if it didn't mean his brother held something grander to be spared before he was.

"The assassins are dead, Minto. You made sure of it. Let us go and do something."

"What part of 'no' do you not understand, Tarlo?"

"The part where you won't let us conquer Mossflower because my brother is having a paranoid fit!" Tarlo growled. Tarlo frowned and spoke up to Minto, his voice being more authoritative than ever "I am going, brother. Out into the country, to see the realm I will rule. Languish as you wish on this beach, but we are taking a number of vermin to conquer inland."

Minto rolled his eyes "Try it, Tarlo, and you'll be having a-"

"No brother, you don't understand. I am seriously going." Tarlo reaffirmed.

Minto paused, his own frown forming as he finally gave Tarlo his deserved attention. Tarlo had his stoic look, as he spoke with a stronger voice than before. "I won't tire myself while work can be done, if you want to stop me, then we can duel here and now, or in some field. Though I doubt your vermin will respect either of us much with such infighting."

Minto hissed "Disobey my orders, Tarlo. See what happens!"

"I will." Tarlo smirked "If you need me, I'll be further inland. With Al'zanyan and his forces."

Minto's eyes went almost bloodshot with anger as it built up in him, his face reddening with rage as he looked straight at Tarlo. He was tempted to throw his own trident at him, but the pause came before the rage. He growled and hissed at his brother, holding back far stronger words "Fine then you spoiled fool, get out of my damned camp and stay out in the wilderness to rot for all I care! Go and conquer some bleeding villages, but if you perish out there, don't think I'll shed any tears ove-"

Tarlo's mood immediately lightened from his more stoic stance "Ah, thank you dear brother! Glad you can see it my way!"

Minto paused, knowing now he had been had "You-what-"

"See, isn't so hard to just let us go, your orders will be fulfilled, dear brother." Tarlo turned and took up his trident with a breath of fresh air, leaving Minto in his poor mood. Minto was less angry, giving a loud and audible sigh as he gripped his aching scarred head. Mountain will be mine soon, and by the cursed seasons or god himself, I will have that wretch out of my fur!

Minto returned his attention to his maps, and again his eyes fell on that black spot. He grunted and made note of it for now, a future problem he'd just have to deal with later.
_

Tarlo and Barbo stood at the far edge of the Greeneyed camp, looking over at the divided forces. Tarlo couldn't help but sigh as he looked far into the distance as vermin soldiers set up stronger covers at the edge of the mountain, building a base of operations which would protect themselves and their masters. The pirates under Gashan lounged in bored moods around fires, occasionally exiting towards their ships to rest somewhere more close to home. Barbo commented to Tarlo, seemingly amused by what he saw.

"Your brother is quite an ungrateful creature, my good Tarlo. Not to say its rude, its just I'd suspect at least a nice 'thank you' or a 'Good job Barbo Senger, Corsair Scourge of the Western Sea!' with a nice captaincy I would deny to impress upon him. You know Tarlo, your brother. Quite a butcher, a true villain, but such a boring one. I mean, if he really wanted to be such a creature, maybe I could give him a few pointers."

Tarlo gave a weird look to a happy Barbo, already thinking of some manner of ways to 'improve' Minto's increasingly brutal means "I think i'd advise against it, good Barbo. Besides, we are heading towards Redwall after all. We'll likely need a nice supply line to make sure any siege of that enemy stronghold is secure at best."

"Oh? So he agreed to that?" Barbo questioned. Tarlo cringed and shrugged "Well, no, but he'll come around. Minto has always been a beast who can't really stand me, so getting me towards Redwall is the better option than me returning to camp. Just need to push his button a bit more."

Barbo smiled at this and nodded "Not the most immaculate way to go about it, but acceptable. Probably will need to rewrite that part of your story to give it more flair." Barbo looked around and tapped his foot "Sagan sure is taking quite a long time."

Tarlo sighed again and looked at Barbo "Oh, it's because of Canton."

Just as Tarlo had mentioned, Canton was being dragged by Sagan through the dirt, kicking and trying to scream through a gag which covered his mouth. Yet, what was perhaps preventing him from scratching the fox pirate was the yoke he was wearing which kept his paws still. Canton tried to fight against this contraption as Sagan growled angrily at him "Scartch me mate ya did! Ya land lubber an blighted fool beast! If Tarlo weren't briben me wit a ship, i'd have yer tail cropped!"

Canton had tried to escape recently, his eyes fell upon in anger and terror at Sagan's beloved Stout. Brea angrily nursed a small scratch at her arm and kicked Canton while he was being dragged. Canton dared not kick back as Sagan threw the sea otter at Tarlo's feet. "Welp, I dink I be done wit him for now, not dat dis fool beast can learn anyding. Yer turn Barbo."

Barbo looked to Tarlo and he nodded in agreement. Canton's eyes were wide with horror as Barbo came up to him and grabbed him by the gruff of his neck and forced him upward, but then had him kneel to Tarlo. "Ah, quite the specimen, and so full of spirit!" Barbo said with pride "Oh, if only this merciful cat didn't want you, dear sea otter. I'd have such a spurt of youthful vigor breaking you."

Canton wanted to cry for help if it wasn't for the gag, terrified of the Stout's casual sayings which he said with a childish cheer. Barbo looked one and could see his daughter lagging behind, joined by a group of cats who marched near her. Penolpe was joined by Morland and Gapper, but parts of Barbo's crew and some of his aligned lizards joined her as well. Penolpe was having some manner of conversation with a happy looking Al'zanyan who seemed much more relieved as he exited the beach.

"Tarlob." the western cat came up to Tarlo and looked about with a shining smile to his face "Yourb friends areyb quiteb interesting, ehb?" Al'zanyan was garbed in his war armor and held his favorite spear in paw, looking quite formal and eloquent as any Faris of the west. The western cat gave a cringed look to Minto's war camp which sat just below the mountain, and returned his look with a shaking hope to be out with the more reasonable Tarlo.

"Interesting? Far from interesting." Tarlo joked "I'd say we are beyond the point of interesting, i'd say we are blessed to have famed sea raiders Barbo Senger and Sagan Black to join us on our campaign. I mean, look at this forest, I've never seen such a thing."

Al'zanyan smiled at Tarlo's whimsy as the wildcat prince looked past the trees, gleeful at even the thought of owning all of it. He couldn't blame him, considering how this is the first time he had seen such strange lands himself. The foreign cat was partly disturbed however as he looked down at Canton, still trying to struggle in the yoke he wore. He gave a strange look to Sagan who quickly reiterated his troubles.

"Ya wanna keep dis one here, Tarlo?"

"No, probably safer this one is with us, but I think I'll have Grof take care of him, right Grof?" There was a silent grunt of approval from the marine rat who was the next set of beasts alongside his own marines who quickly took a hold of the Green Isle prince and forced him to come with him, although again Canton found himself being dragged by his yoke. Al'zanyan turned his concerned look to Tarlo who gave a weak smile "Oh, don't worry too much about that one, captain. He is my prisoner, its just be extra difficult to break that one in."

"Wellb, soy longb as yourb not doingb degenberate thinygs likeb yourb brotherb on this tourb, youb can bring an entireb army of bleebing slavyves forb all I careb."

Tarlo nodded as he looked at the growing forces before him, many of the soldiers were shouldering their sacks and his pirate allies were checking their weapons. Tarlo addressed them, his voice peaking so he could speak to those in the back.

"Friends! Allies! We march out towards the Redwall itself, but not before setting up a system of conquered towns and villages to support our war effort to it. We will get familiar with this land and bring the green flag of our emperor back to its oppressed peoples. This land is my home, and now it will yours as well! This land used to belong to the Greeneyes, and with our first step into these forests, it will belong to us again!"

Tarlo got reassured nods as he turned and led the group into the forest, only stopping briefly. He didn't turn as he awkwardly turned around again and kept up a much more faked smile. He realized something and motioned Sagan to him. With a couple whispers, Sagan lightly chuckled to himself and yelled at one of his following subordinates "Peg, yer der best scout here matey! Get to der front!"

There was a small groan of annoyance from Grof who watched the rat pirate waltz up to the front of the group and began to look around. He didn't look like he knew where he was going either it seemed, but he got a handle of what needed to be done. Then Grof had to charge his way up to the front when Peg paused, whispering loudly to his captain "Cap, I can tell ya where der wind blows to der stupid ports in der west an' east, I don't got nutten on dis Mossflower land. Maybe if we go straight, get der-"

"Followff me ladsff." Grof painfully said as he grumbled, going past them all. He looked about and pointed along the ground "Pathff to derff bleedenff village goesff that way, likelyff already raidedff. We'llff start thereff."

Tarlo was once again smiling with relief as the group of conquering vermin finally could march off. Canton continued to be dragged along by Grof's rats, who quickly tired of pulling him by his yoke, forcing him up and pushing him into their ranks. Morland and Gapper walked alongside the horde, looking into the trees of Mossflower, the home of freebeasts. Gapper only spoke briefly as they past the first line of trees.

"Hmph. Well. At least I got to see Mossflower once in me life."

"Same." Morland gulped.
_

Minto observed from a distance as the vermin war camp in front of him made progress. As he predicted, the hares were saving their arrows now that proper defenses were set up, and the vermin file and rank soldiers could get out of their trenches and wander about more casually. Minto was partly disturbed as another huge wagon full of food and supplies rushed past him, followed by the crack of whips as angry slaves tried to keep their heads down in his presence, pulling the cart into the camp. Overseers distributed shovels and picks to weary sea otters, shrews, and dormice who were set to work tunneling for Minto's army. Minto could casually see a couple of dead slaves being hoisted from the tunnels, their bodies dumped into a trench near the forest.

Yet, despite the progress, Minto growled as he looked up with disdain at the fortress of the badger lords, the mountain was not yet his. Breaching it could be costly, but he had numbers beyond numbers. He would win even if he lost enough vermin to make a mountain of bodies as tall as the dormant volcano itself! Minto gripped his trident harshly and turned, stopping only to see his courier staring up at him. He growled "My mood sours, slave. It better be a message from fa-"

The sea otteress produced a scroll for him, silencing the wildcat. Minto angrily took it into his paw and commanded her further "You at least listen better. Now go and greet my quartermasters and tell them I want our supplies we get from the Sultanate sorted through with due diligence."

She quickly went away as Minto grumbled and looked at the scroll, he could feel it intimidating him knowing what father would likely say of him. Yet it felt a lot more freeing knowing he didn't have to face him directly while he commanded here, much like he didn't need to face his increasing spite as he raided. Minto marched past vermin towards his tent and sat down at his desk, unfurling the scroll.

It was as he predicted.

He read the lines of his father, his paw on his chin as he read it silently and without much thought to it. Milo certainly had many long and delicate ways of saying 'you are an utter failure for losing so many vermin! I sent you to siege down the mountain, not lose it!'. It did not need to literally say that, but Minto could read between the lines. The easily angered wildcat slowly smiled, at just the thought of it all. He could do whatever he wanted here with Milo so far away. Milo could do whatever he wanted on his side of the world, and he would stick to his. Minto put a piece of paper before him, and began to write something down, a hollow apology and promise to do better. Yet, his mind was already made up, the vermin would have to siege down the mountain or perish. What is pa going to do? Come to Mossflower and slap me? Ha! I'd love to see him try.

Minto was about to lay the message aside, but he looked at his paw reaching for his quill, and he saw something red. It was rather sticky actually as he viewed his arm more. Odd. Minto sniffed it, it was blood alright, but it wasn't his and it was old. He looked at his father's letter with confusion and some curious wonder, turning it to reveal another letter. Minto lifted an eyebrow to a message written in a dried blood, which wasn't very eloquent and swiftly written, full of spelling mistakes and grammatical troubles.

My soun, Minto. Yuor bruther has somethin g of value to me. Arrest him. Find him. Do somet hing! He has a prince of Green Isle, ou r home! Urgently yo u must bring this prize tob me! I demand it.

-Your lovin g mother

Maria Felis

Minto blinked and read the letter again and again, unsure what to make of it at first. He slowly put the letter down, having a few sudden realizations all at once, and looked to the letter again to be sure he read it right. The paper began to tear in his paws as he gripped it, slowly being ripped apart at the seams before he downright snapped. He stood, and gave out an unholy wail of anger and spoke aloud "Tarlo! Tarlo you blasted idiot! Gaaahhhh!" Minto slammed the destroyed letter on the table before swiping it and all the things on his desk to the side, landing on the ground and he took up his trident and marched outside his tent.

"Where is he! Tarlo!" Minto marched about, looking for his brother, hoping the fool beast had not left just yet. Tarlo checked his brother's former camping spot, he checked Barbo and Sagan's ships, he stomped out in a foul mood as his closer advisors stood their distance as Minto seemingly had a breakdown of anger and fury. The remaining crew of Barbo and Sagan's ships, left to keep them intact, hid in the brig and watched Minto scream in anger and fury "Tarlo! Tarlo Greeneyes you idiotic wretch! Tarlo!"

Minto was beside himself. That idiot! Of course he'd do this to me and mum! Of course! Hide such an important prisoner from me, from mother! Green Isle could be ours, but no! That prideful brat has to muck things up with carrying such things around like some pet! Mum's island will be hers, and he knows this! Damn him! Damn Milo! What is that idiot thinking! When I get my paws on him, i'll rip him to pieces, and throw those pieces into the bleeding sea for good measure!

Minto calmed himself as his captains and advisors slowly began to follow him, unsure what he wanted nor what he intended to do. He looked at them, howling out "Get back to the siege, and find Kain! Get me Kain!"

Minto returned to his tent and again tried to calm down, slinking into his chair and pinching his nose. He had a big headache now, as he felt a lot worse now than fighting Galgor during his last bout. Minto looked on with an empty stare, he knew he couldn't just pursue Tarlo himself and leave this whole mess of a war camp in Kain's paws. He'd send out Gashan if the pirate wasn't so disinterested. No, this was a family matter, and Kain was about to become family.

The first beast to come into the tent wasn't Kain though, it was the sea otteress courier. Minto seethed at her "You best tell my idiot brother in law is outside that tent, slave. Or you'll be having living troubles."

The courier gulped and slowly nodded. Minto yelled angrily "Kain! Get the hell in here you blasted fool!"

Kain slowly entered the tent, shaking a bit as he tried to stand at attention. His usual pose of heroic brilliance was shattered by Minto's increasing rage as the wildcat tried to speak as if nothing troubled was happening. Kain felt intimidated no doubt, as Minto slowly got up and came over to him. "Kain, you and your useless cats are packing up, and I am sending you after my equally idiot brother. I want you to drag him back here, in chain if you have to, along with any of his sea otter prisoners or slaves."

Kain frowned "You want his slaves, Minto?"

Minto paused, gripping Kain's shoulders, talking to him as if he was on the border of snapping his neck "No, Kain. I want his trident." Minto harshly slapped Kain down, nearly sending him tumbling if Minto wasn't grabbing him "Of course I want his slaves! My idiot brother treasonously keeps important prisoners from me and your emperor. I can't just go after him, so you will have to."

Kain's eyes were wide with fear as he frowned still, not sure what Minto was going on about "I mean, my prince, my brot-"

"You don't get to call me that yet."

"My general." Kain gave a fake smile which Minto nodded in approval. "I mean, there are many important prisoners in that stout's ship, right? That is Barbo Senger, if I am not mistaken, I mean if you want important prisoners I can just impound his ship and gather-"

"He had a prince of Green Isle, Kain." Minto hissed "A kinsman of the king's own flesh and accursed blood! A bane of our family, and yours when you enter into this family, you imbecile! We all made a pact when the Felis joined the Greeneyes, that the Wildloughs who kicked us out of our home would suffer the ultimate price. That price is yet to be paid, and my idiot brother is now leading some bleeding beast around like some trophy for whatever stupid reason. Bring him back, Kain. Now."

"I mean, can't I lead the army and you go after him?" Kain asked, but Minto's dark and foreboding stare answered him. "Oh. Well, I'll be out in due time then."

"Now. Kain." Minto repeated. "Now indeed." Kain retorted in agreement, albeit forced. Kain quickly left the tent as Minto continued to stress over all this. He wanted to know why his brother would be this foolish, but yet there was some excitement. The courier looked a bit shocked, but not as shocked as Minto suspected. He looked at her and spoke more calmly, even though not by much "Did you know."

She blinked, unsure what answer she could say to save herself in case Minto became hostile. She was about to open her mouth, but Minto spoke first "You have my word as the master of this camp that if you speak truthfully, I won't have you lashed to death you miserable creature."

"Y-yes, sir. I saw him when I greeted your brother at the beach." She softly admitted. She looked up in fear at Minto who sighed deeply "Good. You can point him out to me then. Get out of my tent." The courier swiftly left, as Minto sat back in his chair, exhausted and gripping his head with his paw. Yet, before he could even pick up his map and return to his normal moody self, the courier returned a bit awkwardly to say something he did not really wish to hear.


Dagor looked longingly at the large chair his father once sat in, the court of all of Salamandastron with pews full of hares slowly coming into the room in their full regalia and sitting in their proper place. Dagor had to take a moment before he gave a depressed sigh, and climbed onto the ancient stone chair and got comfortable. He wanted to quip about the discomfort and how it made his father too cranky in life, but he felt it was inappropriate now with all they had gone through. As the hares moved on in, his mind raced with all manner of thoughts as he looked about at the generals and officers they still had left. His forces were still considerable despite the losses, but not considerable enough to deal with the major problem outside of his walls.

Biggum entered the room with his son Sarl at his side. Sarl looked uncomfortable, being a bit overweight as he looked down at his unfitting uniform. Biggum nudged his son to join the crowd of hares as he came forward and took his rightful place near Dagor's side, and looked on as whispers turned to grunts and partial gasps as Barfoof entered the room next. Barfoof looked around at his peers and equals, keeping his chin up despite their lessened opinion of him due to his outburst. Yet, a number of hares showed respect for him, nodding to him with approval.

"Are we all here, Biggum?" Dagor asked.

"Yes." Barfoof answered for him. "I have made certain of it, sar."

Dagor grunted, but Biggum nodded to Barfoof who took his place. Biggum spoke up first as hares came in and dropped a large map onto the stone floor, which depicted Mossflower. It was a truly massive and old map, one which all the hares could see. Biggum came over and pointed to the southern beach "Our enemy is here and only here, since the northern tunnels are all but destroyed. At the very base of the mountain is a siege camp, where the vermin are tunneling through our burned out supply rooms to reach into the main entrances. If they tunnel through enough, they will downright own this mountain."

One of the hare spoke up in disbelief "Own this bolly mountain?! These vermin rascals think they can burn us out of our own tunnels?"

Biggum spoke up again with increasing authority "Yes, they most certainly can. It is imperative they don't get a foothold in our port, let alone the entrance. This mountain held out against all manner of evil foes before, we shall do so again. Our clearest action is to dismantle the siege camp."

"You mean sally forth again?" Barfoof spoke up. Dagor gave him a critical eye, and other hares near him tried to shush him. Yet, Barfoof came forward and spoke up with his own authority "Unpopular as it may be, Biggum. We need to think of the larger picture, for we have all forgotten what our enemy has over us? They lack tactics, skill, and competence clearly. Yet they are not lacking in numbers, mouths to feed both free and slave amongst their own. Last I checked, Dagor, the seas of Salamandastron do not exactly flow with fish or crab for the vermin to munch on."

Biggum scoffed, partly regretting letting Doufy let Barfoof out of his cage. Biggum spoke up with another very clear speech "That is a future concern, even if valid. We have not forgotten their supply lines, and we know exactly where it comes from. Yet, we won't be able to do much if half the mountain is owned by our foes."

"Yes, but how can our enemy exist if they don't have even food to eat or water to drink?" Barfoof asked. He looked about the room and spoke up "We shouldn't throw our lives away for glory, we should be dealing with our foe in a much smarter way. A way which can only be dealt with by skirmishes and deceit. The vermin aren't clever, if we throw enough of a problem their way, they will foil and perish. Blighters barely can even wash their clothes without the help of some poor woodlander they need to force to do it. Any moment we delay means more suffering for our hares who didn't make it into the mountain in time. We need direct action, at the heart of their operation."

Dagor shifted himself on the stone throne, with Biggum looking insulted. He was about to speak up when Adam came forward next, the hare admiral smiling at the suggestion "Biggum, I think Barfoof has a point. We have vessels, and I have marines. We would do better out there in the open waters than staying put. If we can remove the debris and fix up our ships, we could outrun the pirates and destroy their supply lines."

"Supply lines which even if destroyed will last for weeks on end, when in fact we have but days before they breach through." Biggum revealed. There was whispers of concerns amongst the hares as Biggum continued "As admirable as this is, the forces at our gates is a primary concern. With the secret entrance revealed to us, we now have a place to sneak out to gather supplies of our own and conduct raids so long as we can keep it secret."

Dagor put his paw to his chin and stroked it, but he could barely pay as much attention as he should have been. He was more used to battle than this planning business. Dagor nodded in agreement "You are right, Biggum. Our enemies at the gate are far more important. Yet-" Dagor turned his attention to Barfoof.

"We must be aggressive on both front to win this war. We cannot ignore and hope for the best with those tunnelers, and we need to collapse the tunnels and drive the vermin to their other war camp. Adam, you and your hares will begin fixing ships and slowly remove the rot from our bay. Once the mountain is safe, you can ship off to deal with the enemy ships. Yet we must do more. Barfoof, you will lead a flanking assault on the enemy forces, dismantling their supply depots as I and the main army dismantle the siege camp."

Barfoof frowned a bit "My lord, such an act will be costly on us."

"It will be costly on all of us regardless of what we do." Dagor nodded in sad agreement "I will lead the charge myself, with our elite forces solely dismantling the war camp. We need to surround and starve out or foe to a point where they are under siege. Our stores will last us the season at least, but we cannot sit here forever."

Biggum nodded "As you say, my lord. I shall hammer out the details with Barfoof and-"

"Good and bad news, lads!" A call came down from the main hall all the eyes came upon the least likely creature to say it. Salgor entered into the main hall, but his usual cold self stood aside as Cemar and Doufy entered. Doufy was smiling widely and spoke up to Biggum "We got the bleeding frogs on our side, it'll take a bit for them to muster but they'll be with us!"

"Frogs?" Barfoof asked in partial concern and amazement. Dagor nodded "That is excellent to hear."

Biggum explained to the shocked hares in the room "The Frogs had been dormant in their marshes since their main attack on southern Mossflower long ago, and have been less likely to stir trouble. Their forces are considerable, and will provide a perfect distraction for our main forces to go out and dismantle the enemy. You will have considerable reinforcements, Barfoof, when you go out into the field."

Barfoof gave an odd look to Cemar who nodded at him back. Barfoof sighed and asked "What of the otters and shrews?"

"Likely still with Naus, attempting to destroy that vermin horde out east. We will have to call him back, but I do not wish to be out flanked by an entire country by another vermin host. Likely, the otters and shrews are with him and aiding in that effort. We will have to be content with frogs and other mercenaries if we can afford them."

Barfoof thought it over and nodded in defeat "Agreed."

"Good, now, prepare yourselves, for we will do all this soon. Make necessary arrangements, and be ready to-"

Doufy spoke up "Sir, we got, erm, bad news."

"Oh. Right. More vermin I take it?"

Biggum began to frown more as Doufy spoke "Aye. A lot more vermin, two entire armies in fact."
_

Above on the mountain terrace, looking down at the beach one could see a huge line of shining metal glimmering in the setting sun. It was a smaller host with a stronger reflection of metal, and a bunch of specks which clattered onto the beach. Barfoof and Biggum looked down with stoic eyes at the approaching forces which began to set up tents and pitch their structures about.

"Mulkan and Nattar." Biggum seethed underneath his breath. "Bleeding hell."

Biggum knew both these names all too well, and so did Barfoof. The lands of Ice and Snow had its strong and unbreakable vermin warriors, it was a land of wolverines and ermine who ruled a land of bone and blood. Cannibalism was as common as bread in that land, and now armored wolverines were on their beach and looked up at their mountain. Biggum was horrified by the implications of that. It was bad enough to fight such a large creature, but imagining an entire division of slavish warriors in heavy armor who could easily turn his Long Patrol into soup did not sit right with him. Biggum realized that if they had to fight Minto's full army, they would have to bring down wolverines before they tore apart exposed units who would be massacred under them, incapable of even touching such beasts.

Then there was Nattar.

"The Juska, Biggum. They have those slimy, rot ridden, blighted murderers underneath their thumb this entire time." Barfoof cursed "I knew we should have eliminated their tribes when we first heard of another 'Tapperung' amongst them."

"They had been so isolated before, this is curiously abnormal."

"Curious perhaps, but now they reinforce our enemy. The Juska are savages, no better than the Painted Ones we have to chase off from time to time. This is the worst bleeding possible scenario, Biggum. That is an entire united host, one which hasn't been seen in awhile. Even individually the Juska were trouble. Now they swarm out beaches."

"I'm more concerned about Mulkan." Biggum looked down trying to find that accursed white fox, but couldn't. "Mulkan is a barbarian, Biggum. Kill him, and his horde starts eating each other. Like all vermin hordes before them. Its the Tapperung you should be trying to find, or more specifically, that damned Nattar fellow."

Biggum sighed "Yes, yes, you won't forgive me for that one won't you."

Barfoof partly joked "I can't forgive you, because it isn't your fault. I didn't take him very seriously either, no one did. He massacred his entire tribe and last we saw him he was being chased by the Juskavarg hordebeasts."

Biggum would have smiled had it just ended there. Nattar's increasing list of evil and luck certainly made it suspicious how he was so successful. The Juskavarg chased him out of their homeland, and he returned and exterminated the clan outright with the aid of others. Nattar's reputation was built on a dead legend, and Biggum could only joke about it to Barfoof. "Well, perhaps we can get more lucky in removing him this time."

"I am thinking we should send Cemar and Doufy to snipe him during this mad dash of yours. Perhaps bait him into a skirmish line and put him down for good. Mad strength doesn't work well against arrows as it would seem."

Biggum smiled "Aye, though now we need to deal with the wolverines. Any other bright ideas?"

Biggum saw something he had not seen in awhile, the usually stone faced Barfoof began to smile, thinking to himself and coming up with an idea "Wolverines lust for blood, and are much more easily baited. Not really smart. Maybe we can try to get Mulkan out of the camp and into a river crossing, where we can sink his ships with Dakan's help. Dakan and his otters certainly would love the opportunity to see a bunch of blood thirsty hillbacks suddenly perish beneath the waters. If I had to guess, we could likely bait Mulkan into a goose chase, that beast being more brawn than brain. Most northern vermin are like that."

Biggum nodded "Baiting seems to be our one trick, though, having any plan at this point could certainly do us all good favors. Brights an old hare's mood."

Barfoof comically scoffed "Bah, you and your moods. We need more than-" Barfoof felt disgusted to even say it "Frogs. Frogs, Biggum? Really? That's our secret bleeding weapon." Barfoof was trying to hold back a laugh, but Biggum retorted in kind "Yes, but you can blame Doufy more for that one. I did want to find Dakan and his otters, or Logis and his shrews. But you know how the Gousim can be. And Dakan if he is in a really bad mood himself. Naus, oh, I wanted Doufy to find him but Naus is going to get the biggest talk down of his bleeding life from me and his good ol' pa before the end of all this."

"Save room for me as well, but do take some pity in him for having some initiative." Barfoof reminded him. "Though this wouldn't be a problem if we went through my reforms."

Biggum sighed at such a blatant attempt, disagreeing with his fellow hare "My good Barfoof, if you think I resist such reforms, wait till you try to enforce that foolery on Logis, let alone the Gousim. I know you mean well, but do take to note that such things are costly and harsh, our way has been able to fend off our foes before, do trust they will do so again."

"I think our old ways aren't always all that much the best for us, Biggum." Barfoof sighed, but he spoke calmly "I know my ideas are harsh, but we need harshness. Hares aren't automatons to throw into battle and expect perfect results. We defend these lands, and all I but ask is that these beasts we protect help us out. Could have you imagined if we had three whole armies out in the forest? Ready to go at a moment's notice? It would put a lot of trouble to rest, good sar."

Biggum shook his head "That is the trouble, Barfoof. The reality is, we are all peaceful beasts, and even if you mean well it won't bring more trouble than it is worth. I know what you'd want to do with that army. Barfoof, we don't need to be like this you know. You are a smart hare, we could be friends an-"

Barfoof began to frown again and his mood darkened. He squinted at Biggum who felt the hare give him a poisoned look.

"Biggum, you know how I found Dacks?"

Biggum nodded, but Barfoof repeated "Do you?"

"Yes, Barfoof. I know where Dacks comes from."

"Yes, but do you really know?" Barfoof repeated. Biggum became annoyed, but Barfoof continued "Biggum, my good sar, Dacks is a decent boy. A nice and intelligent squirrel who I call my own, but it wasn't always like that. When he was much younger, I found him in the rubble of one of Kasg's work camps, his parents nowhere to be found. Kasg, as we both know, was a truly evil creature, cold hearted even by vermin standards. He exterminated entire communities to prove his point. Dacks comes from that culture of evil, his life forever tainted. Biggum, you know what happened to his parents?"

Biggum grew silent, not sure if he was allowed to answer. After a pause, Biggum spoke lowly "No, Barfoof. You never mentioned it to me."

"Murdered. They were murdered, Biggum. They, Dacks' village, all of his family were gathered up into a town square and had grog poured over their heads as Kasg's beasts forced him and other youngsters to watch as they burned them alive." Barfoof quivered as he spoke these dark secrets to Biggum, his voice cracked with sorrow. Biggum tried to speak reasonably "It was a tragedy we avenged, we didn't even-"

"We were enjoying that nice strawberry schnapps back at home, Biggum. You, Me, my son. We were celebrating his 1st mission together, I invited you to it while all this happened. Dacks was sent to work and toil at such a young age like many others who would perish from vermin cruelty as we enjoyed our time in this mountain we call a home."

Biggum grew angry "Do not blame this on me, Barfoof."

Barfoof grew silent and frowned harder, his voice continued to quiver with sorrow "Biggum, sir, we could have stopped it before it even happened. We could have stopped all those terrible things if the vermin were stopped, if we did more. If we only helped goodbeasts instead of waiting for them to come to us. A lot of good hares would have been alive today if we had gone north when we first heard of this 'Kasg' and killed him. If we only listened and did what had to be done then, maybe then he-" Barfoof stopped himself from mentioning his name. Biggum tried to calm his friend.

"He was a brave hare, Barfoof. He would have been proud of you."

"I am sorry, Biggum. But you cannot speak for him." Barfoof retorted, his voice etched in anger. Barfoof turned back into the mountain and left Biggum to his thoughts.
_

Dagor sat on a small bench in the great smithy of Salamandastron. The scarred badger king turned a whet wheel as he grinded his battle axe to be sharper and more fine. Dagor admired his work, as he took the new information Biggum had shared with him to heart. He brought the sharp axe down once again on the wheel, working to grind it to a finer sharpness considering he would need it to chop at the weak points of an enemy wolverine. The thought partly excited him. He had earned quite a bit of glory himself fighting one wolverine, but a small army of them now lounging on the beach? Well, at least any stories about me won't be boring, heh.

The door to the armory opened, and Dagor turned suddenly to it. He half expected Malgor to reappear and challenge him, but instead Salgor stood in the door. Although the younger brother, Dagor childishly grunted and returned to his work as he focused on his task at hand. "Come in, but do keep the door closed. I am trying to enjoy the heat, you know."

Salgor nodded and closed the door. Dagor stood and put his battle axe aside. Dagor looked through a table of chainmail, looking down and trying to ignore Salgor, something Salgor took quick note of.

"Are you trying to ignore me, Dagor? Or am I that boring?"

"I live in a mountain, Salgor, I don't need another mountain telling me to think it's exciting, eh?"

Salgor grunted and folded his paws, leaning to the side wall as he watched his brother fumble about. Salgor knew what Dagor was looking for, but he thought it was more entertaining to see him struggle to find the belts he and Galgor made together in the forge. After a bit of time of Dagor getting colder in his search, Salgor finally spoke up "The buckles are in the box over there."

"Isn't that for hares?"

"No, I put those in the proper armory." Salgor shrugged. Dagor turned to him and frowned "You really are tidy, a bit too much honestly."

"Blame father." Salgor retorted in kind. Dagor went over to the box and picked out the heaviest buckle he would need. He began to put on his armor, Galgor's old armor which was just his size, although Dagor felt awkward in it. Dagor put on his own armor, as was badger custom, since hares found it difficult to help their lords in such affairs. Dagor frowned and looked at Salgor who was still leaning there, staring at him.

"Something you needed, brother?"

"Yes, an answer." Salgor quickly said. The badger came down from the walls and came over. "Naus is still out there, and Tussock still holds hares Dagor. Father promised a position, so let me go fulfill it. I am ready to help you, Dagor. Let me go and get Naus back here and-"

Dagor blinked before returning to what he was doing. Salgor paused, wondering if his brother was just trying to get ready for their big attack. Yet, Dagor seemed to shift away from him, as if not wanting to even hear this conversation. Salgor asked again "Dagor, I can go to Tussock and rally an army to help Mossflower, you and I know that-"

Dagor finally spoke up as he fixed up his armored belt "Salgor, your staying here."

Salgor blinked and looked beside himself, and tried to reason with his brother. Perhaps he had misheard or misunderstood. "Father said I would be going to eastern Mossflower, so shouldn't I be going? You went north to command a garrison, I can go and rally the hares here. Dagor, this is-"

"No, Salgor." Dagor spoke more firmly "What father said that day, I understand as when our victory felt more secure. Instead, Malgor betrayed us and we have no clue where Naus nor his forces are. You have to stay here and keep Salamandastron under wraps. It is what you do best."

"It's not what I want to do at all." Salgor dismayed as he spoke this "I am a warrior, Dagor. I can help."

"You can help here." Dagor put his battleaxe into his paw and looked to Salgor who looked a bit dismayed. Salgor grew more desperate as Dagor continued to put on his armor, trying to ignore the distressing mountain sick badger. "Dagor, I can go out into the country and rally support, I know those beasts well enough don't I? I am a skilled warrior as you saw out on the open ocean and in the field. I killed vermin, I need to do things other than sit down in this blasted mountain making sure rations are all well and good, or reviewing some blasted law! Dagor, I am re-"

Dagor turned around to Salgor, coldly speaking to him "Dagor, as your lord I demand you drop this issue and return to your post."

Dagor was about to exit the smithy before Salgor angrily blocked his way, moving between him and the door. The badger seethed as he spoke up in anger, yelling at him "Is this some joke, because I am not laughing Dagor! You can't just take this from me, I earned that position, I bled for it, I am rea-"

"You are far from ready, Salgor!" Dagor yelled back. Salgor growled "How am I not, Dagor?! How am I not!"

"It took seasons for me to earn the respect of my hares, Salgor. Seasons. Seasons which we no longer have. You did fight well, but commanding is more than fighting well."

"Of course I know that!" Salgor felt insulted, speaking with clear spite "I have learned every code, every tiny law in this blasted land, every small fraction of a punishment for breaking such laws! How can I not be ready!?"

"Laws?" Dagor scoffed "You think you are ready to lead hares because you study the law? Seasons, Salgor. You act as if the law is the only thing there bleeding is! You are breaking your own precious laws right now not obeying my direct order, so where are your precious laws then?"

"Cause I want to know why my blasted family wants me to suffer in this damned mountain, instead of helping them abroad!" Salgor angrily yelped "I put up with father's abuses while you and Malgor did whatever you wanted, i was the one who had to be the family's damned custodian! I am not ready? When will I be ready!? Now is the best time, when we need to most, to bring back our hares from across Mossflower to help us! And now you tell me I have to sit this one out!?"

"You'll be in the charge, freeing prisoners." Dagor retorted

"That's it?! While you go out and deal with the vermin, I am cleaning up after you! Again!"

"You are being stupid about this, its more than 'cleaning up'"

"Why can't some other hare do it!? Why can't you let me help you!"

Dagor shouted louder than before, silencing Salgor as Dagor's voice echoed in the room. Dagor's eyes nearly went red with fury before he tried to calm himself to speak "Because if I fall in combat, you blabbering pup, you will be the damned badger lord! Do you understand anything outside your little bubble, brother? Do you think I'm daft? I do not wish you to suffer, but one brother killed our father and your lord, and who do you think runs the mountain if I were to not come back!? Nazla? Mother!? Seasons help us if we ever place you in charge, and run this whole mountain into the ground with your idiocy!"

Dagor calmed himself as Salgor continued to be silent. Dagor pushed him out of the way as Salgor went to the forge to think, as the badger lord attempted to speak in a softer tone "You will stay here brother, as you always had. Maybe when this is all over, when things are calm and far from trouble, we will discuss your move to the east. Until then, you are the last bulwark if something were to happen to me. I don't do this because I hate you, but you need to set aside these ambitions of yours for the good of your family, this whole mountain. I am sorry, Salgor."

Dagor put on his helm and walked out the door as Salgor sat in the silence of his forge. He didn't move, he only felt a tingling across his body. He looked forward at the empty door now, wondering if his father would step through it, but nothing but wind came. Salgor sighed and got up, exiting the cold forge.


A small hamlet was on the side of the smaller mountain of the coastal chain, with Salamandastron in the distance. The villagers were a mix of mice, squirrels, hedgehogs, and an otter family. They had heard of trouble from the coastal villages, but the chief of the hamlet thought little of it. Long Patrol did protect them after all, and nothing bad ever happened with them so close to the badger lord. The hamlet's brewer was checking his cargo, planning to make his long trip to Redwall to trade, but soon the chief of the village was approached by one of the farmhands "Sir, sir! Vermin!"

"Vermin? Here?" The chief asked curiously. Vermin weren't abnormal, he knew a few sea rats who lived along the smaller river, boat builders by trade. "Cats, chief! Cats! I saw a lot of them, Cats. Lizards. Corsairs, all manner of strange beasts I saw!"

The chief smiled "Oh what foolery. There haven't been cats in Mossflower sin-sinc-since." The chief paused and looked on the horizon towards a barren hill, seeing a huge force coming down off of it, and one forward force trampling the fields itself. The chief's eyes went wide as he paused, uncertain what to even do. Did the Long Patrol fall? Were they foes? Did they need to run? Would running be pointless and hostile to these creatures? Whatever it was, he didn't have much time to say much before the village's outside was surrounded by bow wielding cats. The villagers all fled to the middle, where Al'zanyan marched up with his guard, pointing to them.

"Kneelb beforeb Prince Tarlob, Heirb to the Sultanate ofb Mossyflowerb!"

"But we aren't from Mossy Flourd." One of the villagers yelled back. Al'zanyan grumbled and turned. Tarlo came up with a smile on his face and trident in paw "Freebeasts of Mossflower, I am Prince Tarlo Greeneyes, Damager of-of-" Tarlo frowned and tried to think. The woodlanders blinked in confusion as Tarlo whispered to Al'zanyan. The two cats whispered back and forth, clearly uncertain of something. Tarlo turned to the woodlanders and spoke again "Apologies, give me but a moment, I don't think I did this right."

"Yourb fine, my princeb." Al'zanyan insisted. Yet another voice spoke up, annoying the foreign cat "Damager!? Tarlo! No!" Barbo came out with a huff, looking rather comically angry. He pulled Tarlo aside as Al'zanyan gripped his forehead with frustration. Tarlo came over and sighed, making his apologies to the baffled woodlanders.

"Apologies, you are now liberated from the cruel oppressors of the badger lords, and you now belong to Milo Greeneyes. We will be setting up a garrison and expect a large payment of grain and laboring beasts. Me and Al'zanyan will hammer out these details with your chief."

The woodlanders, terrified and not even certain what to do, just blinked as Barbo again pulled Tarlo to the side and spoke to him. The woodlanders returned to their homes as the Greeneyed horde moved in. Barbo chastised the wildcat "Damager?! Terrible for a title, Tarlo! You need finesse, maybe 'Badger Slayer' is a bit much, but isn't half bad."

"But Barbo, I never slew a badger."

"He said, she said. You need phinesse and tact, and you can do wonders." Sagan joined Tarlo next as he commented on the whole ordeal, trying to choke back laughter "Barbo, ya gotta be kinder to our good cat here, not even I can match yer little escapades."

"But its so easy! Watch this as I charm the village ladies with my spells of word and courtesy."

Tarlo looked at Barbo funny and looked to his daughter who was looking about the village in a bored manner "Ummm, that is, erm. Its not a trouble is it?"

"Oh far from it!" Barbo understood Tarlo's concerns as Sagan nudged him "Me first matey, an me most beloved, she could tell ya all manner of dem kinda stories. Could fill a novel an-"

"I apologize, Sagan." Tarlo nearly said a bit disgusted "I, uh, as much as I would love to hear such stories, I will pass on it. I just thought he loved his wife a bit more than that. Also, did he say he was charming the villagers? Isn't that, erm, uhhh."

Tarlo had a hard time to put it into words, a task he could imagine was probably impossible. Yet here Barbo was, swaggering up to two frightened but mostly calm maidens. An Otteress and a Mousess looked a bit frightened to see the corsair come up to them, bigger and menacing like, yet he gave a big dumb smile and gave a big bow to their presence. Penolpe came over to Tarlo and his group, and nearly gave a chuckle seeing her father work his magic.

"Oh my dears and sweets, I am certain you must be quite frightened. I am Barbo Senger, Corsair Extraordinar! Though, of those amongst us, I am called cold and heartless but to see you two fine maidens I must say I am blown away by thine beauty to warm a cruel stout's heart."

The two looked at one another, confused and utterly baffled. Yet, the soft but authoritative voice of Barbo as he maneuvered about them as he caught their names "My dears, could I perhaps grab your lovely names before we take our leave, so I may remember at least in this simple life one leads."

"Oh. Um. Vela."

"Narsi."

"Vela and Narsi, quite rare names indeed. Much more rarer than all the woman beasts I have met of course. Being a famed traveler of the open waters and ocean currents, oh such stories one could tell you. I am certain you are dying to know why I have come up to you fine flowers in the rows and fields of this wonderful land, and not others. It is fine to question such things as far as I am concerned."

The two felt awkward, but yet calmed by such a beast's strange causal talk. Tarlo and Sagan were beside themselves. Sagan knew Barbo was quite a sweet talker, but Barbo seemed to pry expertly into them. Narsi would ask this very question with Barbo simply answering.

"Well, how does one not approach the most unique and special tulip in the field of such generic roses?"

Narsi couldn't help but smile at this as Barbo laid even heavier on the charm. Yet, as he did, Canton, Morland, and Gapper looked on from their own distance as Grof shepherded them. Gapper looked with disgust at Barbo, knowing what he was doing, but he looked down in shame knowing there was little he could do against it. Barbo's words echoed with an enchanting melody.

"My dearest ladies, Oh how my heart turns black and cold to know such lovely creatures in all of Mossflower must toil underneath the new green banners." Barbo dramatically posed "That such a fineness should bloom without me to see it. Oh. In my many adventures I wish ones such as you could witness, sailing across the open waters. Oh I would be so honored if you would join me and the crew on such wild and opera worthy adventures, oh the sights I could show you my dears. One can find a place amongst my crew and I could make such room for such wonderful, and beautiful tulips. Like property to be displayed like any pet, and proudly shone to those who would be jealous to behold." Barbo kissed at the otteress's paw he held up, and it was clear she didn't fully understand his words. She blushed actually, and both maidens seemed to look at each other, wanting this supposed life of adventure and poetic beauty Barbo offered. Yet, before they could answer, the fathers of the two maids came over and seeing Barbo, immediately took the maidens in paws and escorted them back to their homes. Barbo sighed, nearly claiming such a victory.

Tarlo looked stunned.

"How. How did-How-"

"Oh it is quite easy my dear Tarlo, kind words go far indeed which hides the truest heart of any beast." He smiled quite proudly as Penolpe nudged him a bit "I do hope you keep Ma's promise to not go down that fool route again, Fasha."

"My dearest and lovely daughter, Oh I would never. Though, this is the first time it worked on woodlanders before. Maybe when we return to this village, perhap-"

Tarlo quickly squashed the idea "I think we should move on Barbo, to tell the truth, these things seem to make me uncomfortable."

"As you so wish, Tarlo." Barbo winked.

Yet not all was well. Canton couldn't help by spit in disgust, but not at Barbo himself but at the two fellow otters next to him. Canton was sitting with the yoke still at his neck between Gapper and Morland, with Grof who looked on in utter amazement at Barbo's dramatic show. Gapper looked down at his feet, seeing Canton's spit.

"Ya two cowards." Canton whispered "You sit there while the Greeneyes make slaves of this village! Like the others!? Where is your courage, the both of you! While that monster flaunts our misery, i'd have you both tied upside down back home for such things! You think thats bad, what do you think your king will do, hmm!?"

Gapper ignored the prince as he looked on. He was partly relieved that Barbo did not get what he wanted, not even wanting to think about what he would have done to those two maidens. Perhaps they would have more sense. As the cats further entered the hamlet, Al'zanyan commanded his cats in a language he half understood. Yet, Canton wasn't done as he looked to Morland next. Morland was frowning, trying to not think much. He itched at the cat eye brand at his cheek which he winced at.

"And you, aren't you a marine of Green Isle!? Help me damn you! Are you going to stand by while those monsters over there enslave good beasts? Enslave your prince!? Listen to me at least!" Canton grew more and more manic, as Gapper finally kicked him. Canton turned his angry attention to Gapper who spoke down to Canton.

"Have at least the sense to know your titles are meaningless here. To me, and likely him if he has sense. What do you want us to do? Get you and us killed running away into the forest they will own next? Tackle this rat in front of us?" Gapper was loud enough to get Grof's attention. Grof grunted and looked down at Canton, and got a stern warning "Youff be silentff, slaveffbeast. Orff I amff going toff haveff you talkingff likeff this."

Grof turned back around as Canton growled at Gapper "Traitor."

"Idiot." Gapper spoke back.

"You would really just let that monster take those two maidens or any other woodlanders into slavery!? So much of a warrior you used to be."

Morland spoke up with an admittance "I mean, how can we resist it? Tell them that Barbo is a liar and get Gapper killed or worse? Or endanger them? I'm sorry, but we both left a lot of otters on Sandbeach, and are far worse for wear. I mean, even if we do escape, where would we go? Redwall? They are going there anyway. If they won thus far, they'll win there as well."

"Hopeless fools the both of you." Canton seethed. Gapper grunted as Penolpe beckoned him over. He sighed and joined his mistress as Morland waited near Grof. Yet, as they did, they saw another force moving down from the blading hill going towards the mountains. Grof was on his guard, hearing the tumbling footsteps as the group got its much deserved attention. The cats quickly arrived, exhausted as Tarlo seemed to go into a sudden pace.

Morland turned to see Kain standing near him now, the cat wiping sweat from his brow as he came over to a concerned Tarlo. "Kain?!"

"Tarlo! Brother in law!" Kain coughed and cracked his neck. He tried to look intimidating and serious, but weakly shuffled a bit over as Tarlo came forward with genuine concern "Is Minto under attack?" Was his first demanding question. Tarlo knew Kain well enough to equally mock him behind his back, and figured if he was coming here in such an exhausted state he was likely retreating from something. Yet, Kain spoke up with some dramatic authority, his paws to his hips as he tried to chide Tarlo "Tarlo, I come at the behest of your brother and the emperor. I am here to pull you back to the main camp, along with your slaves. This one is coming with me." Kain pulled Morland to his front and held him tightly. Yet, Tarlo gave him a weird look.

Kain realized his mistake and then pointed to Gapper "That one. Thats the one I am here to get."

He pushed Morland aside, but Tarlo stopped Kain before he could embarrass himself further, realizing much to his own embarrassment he had been caught "Kain, this is the otter you seek." He pointed to Canton in the yoke. Kain whispered to Tarlo, trying to be a bit casual "Tarlo, I'm not one to say anything bad of you or your kin, but why get in such trouble over this? A slavebeast of all things?"

"It's. Complicated." Tarlo admitted. Kain nodded and spoke up "Take this one into custody, we return to camp at once."

"Now hold on!" Barbo dramatically marched over to Kain "I am sorry, my good sir. But that otter isn't yours to take, it is a rental from me. I am after all, by rights of looting, am its proper owner."

"Proper-what-now?"

"No no, it's fine Barbo." Tarlo calmed his friend "Minto, how does he know?"

"I don't know. He just says you have the Green Isle Prince and-"

"I am not invisible, ya blasted evil beasts! Stop speaking to me as if I am property!" Canton raged, trying to get out of his yoke, and failing miserably as it was held by some of Kain's cats. He got a brief bored look before Tarlo and Kain continued on quite casually, much to Canton's increasing anger.

"I had a plan, Kain. One of my own ambition, and one which I don't think my mother is being reasonable on. Just keep him in my custody for now, otherwise I fear Minto will kill him."

"Kill me then! Martyr me!" Canton screamed. Kain looked at him and shrugged "Fair enough, Tarlo. However, I will still be taking him, for erm, simplicity sakes."

Tarlo was about to argue when Al'zanyan approached. He wasn't alone either as he came with a rat covered in tribal tattoos and in little more than rags. The rat looked about and grunted as he was pushed forward by the cat "Youb twob best hearb this."

"Get off of me cat, I ain't yers to be troubled by! I am a scout of the Juska! I got important news for der Tapperung!"

"What news?" Tarlo and Kain asked together. The scout growled at them and spoke up. "I come from Redwall, der is a horde surrounding it, and it failed its first assault. Nearly had em too. Let me go ya crazy foreigner! I must report dis to der boss."

Al'zanyan looked to Tarlo who was shocked. He and Kain looked at one another and quickly decided to leave back to Minto's camp.
_

Kamala explored Minto's tent with a clear disdain, her eyes darted around the room as she seemed to grunt at Minto's living space since the start of the campaign. She showed her displeasure picking up the partly torn and sandy map from the ground Minto had thrown aside and gently placed it down, as Minto watched from a darker corner of a tent, like a ghast waiting to strike. He paced out of the shadows and growled at the foxess who chided him harshly.

"Seasons of blossoming an army, and you waste a fourth of it in a single day, Minto. I didn't spend half a life time training those slave catchers to bring all those vermin to Sandbeach just so you could kill them back here, cat."

"Just because you are Milo's favorite pet spy doesn't make you worthy of speaking to me in such a manner, fox."

Kamala shut her mouth and grumbled at him "I'd be more mad if your equally idiot brother didn't steal away such a valuable asset. Seasons, ya would think that cat would have known better."

"He'll be shipped to Sandbeach as soon as he arrives, spoiled or unspoiled." Kamala seemed to nod in agreement to Minto's gesture. As if on que, the courier entered Minto tent and attempted to speak up, but Minto yelled out "Tarlo! Get in here!"

Tarlo entered and the courier left. Tarlo tried to play dumb, perhaps this had all been a bad misunderstanding but then frowned when he saw Kamala looking at him disappointed. The foxess spymaster was well known to him, and Minto spoke to her quite suddenly. "Leave us, this is family business."

"Your business is mine, Minto." Kamala chided. Minto hissed at her and she took the hint, leaving slowly. Tarlo watched her leave and sighed, turning to his brother and commenting "You do know she will just listen in, right?"

Minto didn't care much as he pounded his desk in anger "You idiot! You had a prince of Green Isle this entire time! How dare you hide such a thing from me! From Mother! From Father!? Why did you hide it from father?" Minto was curious on that one, as he half suspected this was some manner of secret between Tarlo and Milo, but Tarlo confirmed his already made up mind.

"I didn't think he would understand. Let alone mum."

Minto pinched between his two claws "You are this close between me and you coming to blows, you fool. Where is he, cause I am sending that precious gift to Sandbeach!"

Tarlo held up his paw "Brother, wait-"

"Wait for what!" Minto angrily pounded his foot into the ground "You idiot, do you know how valuable a prisoner like that is! We could force Green Isle to submit to us with such a prize! Woodlanders don't just let their children die, and we could force that wretched sea king to bend knee to us! What, so you can keep this creature like a pet!? You already have one! I gave one to you, remember!?"

Tarlo waited for his brother to calm down, before trying to explain "I asked mum a question on what she would do to such a prince, and she answered she would revel in his death. Demoralize them, and that is it. Brother, we are not evil beasts, but you know how mum's. I was thinking, maybe I could break that beast down, into a servile creature like any other beast we have."

"We already have slaves you idiot." Minto grabbed Tarlo's shoulders, squeezing them harshly "If you wanted more serving beasts, I could have given you twenty more! You could raid for them yourself!?"

"It's not about that at all Minto." Tarlo frowned, thinking his brother perhaps didn't fully understand him. "Minto, mum is going to kill that otter if you send it to her. Dad would just have him languish in a dungeon forever if he could, useless to our cause of ruling this land and Green Isle."

"Oh? And what in the blazing fires of hell itself would you do!?" Minto mockingly said.

"Tame him." Tarlo said with a partial smile. Minto didn't look impressed, as Tarlo gained distance from his brother "Minto, what sounds better to you? A head on a spike that will rot away along with you in time? Or go down as the cat who showed off a tame prince bowing to us and being our servant, willing and able to do our bidding. Your bidding. Imagine for once in your life my joyless brother, that we could be marching into Green Isle with this beast introducing us to his home, a descendent of our mortal foe now bowing to us and praising us to the people you wish to rule. If mum had her way, that kind of beast would be dead, but the way I see it, it's worth the risk and cost. I mean, we are after all very rich cats, why not use our endless creativity and supremacy to such an advantage?"

Minto squinted his eyes at him "Why all this effort then?"

"We are teachers to lesser beasts aren't we not. We are here to take their freedom away, true, but it's for their own good. We are responsible for them, and it is our duty to bring them into the shining light. If all of Green Isle could see such a beast enjoying life under our servitude, broken into our way of life, we could show even our most vicious enemies deserve our mercy. Do you wish to be no better than the murderers who stole your precious ancestors from you, and our lands?"

Tarlo's genuine foolery played in Minto's mind. He found it quite amusing, cruel even, but he did think about it. He could see it now, a royal puppet to guide a terrible charming song for the sea otters of green isle into willing chains, a last king of a dead dynasty to wait on him on knees, fearful of the day his wrath would destroy him. The thought was dubious, cruel, sadistic. Stupid, but stupidly good if it all works out.

"You are certain you, of all beasts, can break this princeling?" Minto asked. Tarlo perked up and nodded "He is high in spirit, but we make progress. By the time our campaign in Mossflower is done, he'll be bowing to both of us brother."

"Tarlo, you're still an idiot, but you amuse me with this at least." Minto admitted "I want to see this slave personally first, and he remains in this camp. With me."

Tarlo only smiled which made Minto suspicious "Seasons, first I am assaulted by Mulkan and his crones, and Nattar brings that witch of a spymaster to me. Now my brother wants to play his paw at being a slaver. Next you'll tell me we'll be fighting an entire horde of vermin next!"

"Well brother, now that you mention it."

Minto was sitting down in his chair, and gave a dark look up at Tarlo who was frowning "Nattar sent some of his scouts ahead, likely to find raid spots for him and his Juska raiders. Al'zanyan found one. Minto, there is a vermin horde sieging Redwall Abbey, a large one in fact. The size of the host is truly massive as it would seem. They assaulted the abbey, but didn't succeed in entering."

Minto paused and cringed. Oh. "Well, good thing Kain caught you then, because that horde which beat the Long patrol is likely that same horde unless there is another. Tarlo, tells that courier outside to gather my war council. We have much to discuss."
_

The Greeneyed horde didn't have a large tent to gather in, nor did any beast feel comfortable in Minto's army that didn't appear with a host of bodyguards, captains, or even slaves. Minto stood at the head of a large bonfire, the only beast by his side was his personal courier who kept her head bowed as Minto stood and stoically awaited the groups to arrive. Night was falling, and like some dark host they all came from across the massive encampment on the beach, and one by one they took their places amongst a circle of darkness whose shadow fell over all of Mossflower.

Tarlo took his place beside his brother, with Morland to his side who bowed his head. Grof joined him, and from his back came Barbo and Sagan who both kept a short distance away. Kamala joined Minto from the side, giving him a harsh look for allowing Tarlo his little prize, a conversation she would chide him on later. Malgor awkwardly alongside his guards who watched him on Minto's behalf took their place next to the fox spymaster.

Gashan came next, alongside beasts such as Al'zanyan and Kain who were surrounded by their captains, officers, and other beasts. Gashan was loomed over by Scarn, with Pent and Zarkle to his sides. Pent gobbled down his favorite blue wine as he looked about with boredom at the gathered force. Gashan crossed his paws, his eyes set on Minto who looked less than impressed.

Nattar came next, his his host of vermin warriors. Nattar stood his ground to one side of the the fire, with his own captains sitting or standing to lean on their weapons. Nattar stared across the fire at Kamala who kept her own eye on him. She wondered if Nattar would be obedient enough to keep his mouth shut and nod to whatever plan Minto had. The group waited for a bit before their attention turned to the far end of Minto's bonfire where a pounding was heard.

Mulkan came in his full battle garb, his wolverine guardian overlooking him. Mulkan's most dedicated captains stood farther in the back from him, as full attention was on the white fox whose metal armor shone, and his fur garb blew with the sea breeze. He breathed in and out, holding out his paw in which the northern vermin were waved aside as a smaller white rabbit rushed to give her master his drink. Mulkan smiled and drank heartily of it before speaking first to break the foreboding silence.

"Wek herey, Mintoyk Greenkeyes. Oh Princek of Mossflowerk." Mulkan felt in a chiding mood, smiling as he took a big gulp of his drink. His vermin around him seemed to be in a mocking mood as they smiled gleefully at the gathered host. Minto was in no such mood as he looked for Kamala and predictably she was already gone. Minto nearly forgot that Kamala was in disguise as Nattar's dark seer and she had taken her place by his side, making him uncomfortable as the fox kept him close in paw.

Minto spoke up with authority over them all, informing them all of what he had called them for "Al'zanyan and I captured a scout who told us a vermin host defeated an army of hares, shrews, and otters in the north east, an impressive victory for lesser vermin. These future slaves of the emperor certainly are better organized and faster than I suspected, and now lay siege to Redwall Abbey, boxing our enemy in. Nattar's little initiative to find suitable raiding grounds works in our favor, as we also know they failed their first assault on that accursed ground."

There was a silence across the group, who looked at each other with concern. Redwall was known to all of them, all except one. Gashan perked up as the group fell silent "Abbey shamby. Ya all acten like little tikes crawling under yer covers at der sound of some monk comen out to get ya."

Nattar growled "Be silent fool. That abbey is more than cursed, and we all know it. This fool northerner should know well of this abbey as well, one of their kings died there along with their army. The Juska tried to assault it and failed, it was where the false Tapperung fled to!"

Tarlo sorrowfully butted in "Built over the remains of our dynasty, Gashan. An insult to our family's long legacy which had stood against foe after foe. Taking the fortress is not easy, and if a vermin horde surrounds it, it is no doubt sizable."

Gashan grumbled as he joked with his fellow pirates in private. Yet, even Mulkan kept silent as he took another sip of his mug. "Abbeyk or not, whyk does this concernk us?"

Minto rolled his eyes "Because you insolent buffoon, Emperor Milo has commanded me to be rid of them. We must subjugate or kill their leader and incorporate them into our standing forces, and one of you idiots needs to do it."

"Speak downk to a Kingk of Ice ank Snowk again, caytk, an' you'll have troublek with me." Mulkan warned. Yet, there was glint to his eye, even cracking a partial smile. Minto spoke again, angry as ever "I'll speak as I wish, you lesser cretan."

Mulkan again shrugged and turned, his vermin joining him back to their own tents as he left the seething Minto. Tarlo looked to his brother who was furious, but Kamala gave Mulkan a look which made her a bit more curious. It was strange that Mulkan would leave because of Minto's insult. Weirder still her advising beast over Mulkan had been mysteriously killed in a sudden assault. Now their only way to even contact the fox was through a traitor who joined his band quite willingly.

"Enough." Gashan spoke up "So dat abbey is under siege, ya call us all here to talk about der horde surrounding it?"

"Yes." Minto grunted. Kamala spoke up suddenly in a mysterious voice "Lord of the Greeneyed Camp, the spirits and bones tell you to listen to our wisdom. That one, the one who stands next you, will be the beast to help subjugate the abbey." Kamala pointed to Malgor, who was in on this charade. Nattar stood in silence, but his Juska were less sure. Kamala had to be careful not to give away how close she really was to Minto as the cat took her lead.

"Malgor, since you are useless in this camp, you can act as envoy to these vermin on my father's behalf. If I am not mistaken, the rest of our secret allies lie in that abbey, and we shall require them."

Kamala continued "The badger alone is not protected by destiny, he will need an escort, led by-" Kamal had to think for a moment. She wondered if Nattar would be willing to do such a task, but she needed him here to make sure Minto didn't kill all of her hard work. There was Gashan, but he was harder to control and less experienced in the grounded assaults needed to take such an abbey. She then pointed to Tarlo, since Mulkan was gone from this little charade. Tarlo was a good option, a good speaker. Maybe a bit quirky, but she had seen the naive beast turn foe into friend before.

Yet, Minto resisted "Your bones deceive you, witch." Kamala sighed. She hated that little nickname Maria had given her, and now Minto shared so willingly "Tarlo and his entire group stays here, we need him inspiring our troops."

Minto was lying, keeping his eye on his brother. His prize prisoners after all were with him. Kamala argued with Minto "The bones do not deceive you, oh greeneyed fool. The spirits insist that the one called Tarlo join with a host to escort the fallen prince. Only then victory is secured and-"

"No." Minto reaffirmed. Kamala was giving a more scornful look at Minto, as she reaffirmed her position with an increasing poison to her words "Do not think the spirits do not know you dark deal you keep from the Emperor, oh greeneyed fool. As stupid as it is, your blindness in such a matter should not divide your attention. Who else shall Malgor join with, perhaps Nattar?"

Nattar gave an equally scornful look to Minto who cringed. Tarlo came forward and spoke up suddenly, silencing them all. "Minto, we were already heading to such a place, with no danger in mind. Now that we know there is a horde there, perhaps they can be reasoned with. This badger traitor we have may not be enough."

Grof gulped as he realized what Tarlo was trying to do, the wildcat speaking fondly and softly "After all, if this seer is right, such a prize is not needed in my journey to such a camp. If something were to happen to me, my dearest would mourn me but all of my estate would go to someone else. Like Kain or Kurgle." Minto gave his brother a hard look and growled. He knew Tarlo's little game, but he stopped and realized something. Hmmm. He is right. He was next in line to the grand estate of his father after all. The thought was quite intriguing, but he was even more curious as Kamala pushed this "Yes, most indeed, but the prince and the emperor's envoy will need much protection. The Tarlo beast's friends will be enough, and his prize will remain here." Kamala smiled widely, at the prospect of breaking apart the brother's deal. Minto however looked to Tarlo, and though he despised him, he really just didn't like Kamala all that much either.

"You will go in full force, brother. Preferably with your small friendly forces to your back, and out of my blasted fur for good. Your little prize you can keep, as you escort this idiot to the ramparts of this siege. You will return immediately after you completed your task of bringing this enemy force into our forces and-"

"Ib will joinb you, Princeb Tarylo." Al'zanyan came forward. Minto paused and gave his dark look to the cat captain as Tarlo nodded "Your cats would be most appreciated, Al'zanyan. I've seen them do good work and-"

"I shall join Tarlo too." Kain came forward next, his paws to his hips. Minto gave a weird look to the three as Kamala wanted to speak up, but felt the eyes of the Juska upon her. Nattar folded his paws with impatience as Minto spoke to the gathered creatures "My brother doesn't need that much protection. Kain, your-"

"I insist, brother in law." Kain said with a fake smile "My forces languish on a beach without an entrance to even go into, not that we do much anyway. Besides, if worse comes to worse, our good Tarlo here will need a warrior's help."

Tarlo didn't smile at this as much as cringed. He knew Kain was a formidable warrior, but was also quite lazy and cowardly as far as he was concerned. Yet both cats seemed to insist and Minto reluctantly allowed this "Fine, you group of morons can go and march up to this horde, and you are to subjugate it. Find its leader, and make them bow to the emperor. If the horde becomes hostile, retreat to our camp and we shall have to deal with it in due time. Now, the rest of you fools. We have other battle plans to discuss, for our tunnelers will breach into that mountain sooner or later."

Tarlo smiled and left for his tent. Now doubt, he would need to hammer out the details with his brother, specifically over his prize now more known amongst an inner circle. Kamala was furious, she knew Minto was petty but not petty enough to allow a prisoner of such value to waltz around in the forest! Kamala wondered if Minto had some manner of plan already, but her eyes shifted with curiosity to Kain and Al'zanyan who had seemingly gone missing from this lessening war council.
_

Al'zanyan and Kain walked side by side by the beach, stopping at one spot in particular. It was an interesting spot, full of high rocks which face the shore, far enough from the camp to have a private talk. Kain kept his stoic look as the two walked along the beach, heading to Gashan's tents in a fake patrol. Kain's stoic pose failed and he finally spoke with a worried trouble to his trembling voice "By god himself, we really messed this up! If Milo doesn't have our head, the sultan will!"

"Youb worry toy muchb." Al'zanyan rolled his eyes with annoyance. Kain nudged him, angrily speaking "It was your bleeding assassin, how did he fail! I had to pull the bodyguard away and get him onto our little dark deed, so the fault isn't with me. Minto suspects me, and that is bad enough."

"Youb worry toy muc-"

"You don't worry enough!" Kain nearly yelped and closed his mouth quickly. He whispered, pausing between the large rocks as he spoke in a frightened tone "it was here we are supposed to kill that mad she-witch! If all goes well on the cleric's end, we'll be far behind our own plans! If Minto and his mother meet, they'll have heads rolling for sure! The horde already suffers as it is, we need to be rid of him quicker than this."

Al'zanyan gripped Kain and forced him upright and spoke with a bored authority "Yourb a caytb of the westb, actb like it. Mintob will dieb, but not by ourb pawsb. We'llb get himb soonb, onceb we findb this weirdb horde and forceb Tarlob into ourb little powerbplay. Youb worryb toob much."

"Wh-what if he doesn't agree?"

"Howb can he notb? The clericb will wisk his belovedb away, an' he willb have littleb choice. Againb, youb musb trustb in godb's plan, and thusb the sultan's. Thisb horde willb fallb to us, whenb we convertb its khan an'b useb its resourcesb to ourb advantageb. Mintob and all of his freindsb willb be dead by derb end of allb this."

Al'zanyan gave a confident smile and patted Kain on his back, yet the wildcat still had his doubts "If Minto kills his entire horde assaulting that mountain, what will we have left?!"

"The sultanb willb send moreb cats. Ifb derb Long Patroylb areb as poorb in performanceb as sinceb we've been hereb, then evenb I couldb lead this foolb host to victory. Letb Milo's beastsb die, an' makeb our job all derb more easier."

Kain looked about suspiciously, as if he heard something. "And Kamala herself, what of her? She'll no doubt be an obstacle."

"Itb won't matterb. Spiesb areb not immortal, yab know."

"How can you be so calm about this while all of our plans are in tatters! Kamala must know she is sending that kitten on such a dangerous mission, as if she wants him to die."

"I meanb, probably. Sheb likelyb suspects, anb that is whyb derb Sultan sentb you to guardb him, not thatb you do a goodb joyb of it."

"I mean, he's alive isn't he!?"

Al'zanyan shrugged. "He putsb himselfb into much dangerb, it is by god's grayce heb remainsb alive. Blessedb are derb foolsb."

Kain didn't feel blessed, in fact, he felt quite haunted. He half suspected to see Milo suddenly standing behind him, ready to strike him down. He fought beside that cat many time, but that was the thing. He always had to battle alongside him. He could butcher beasts protecting others, but Milo's inner circle taught him much about this long con business.

"I don't like it, I don't like it one bit." Kain kept repeating "Can't we bribe one of the captains to do Minto in? Maybe we can do it all from here ya know."

"Stopb bargaining."

"You're a real help, you know that." Kain scolded Al'zanyan shook his head in annoyance as he finally took the wildcat's paranoid troubles with a pinch of seriousness.

"Tarlob is still aliveb and whenb we kidnap him and takeb him west, web will haveb done our duty. You willb rule Mossflowerb till he returnsb and makesb this land oursb. Evenb if Mintob succeeds, the cleric's planb will progress. Allb we gottab do it holdb out and waitb for hisb word. Itb will come shortlyb." Al'zanyan mentioned this, as Kain knew what he meant. Hidden in some crate on the western ships were the cleric's letters and scribblings. Commands for them to follow.

The two continued on along the beach, as Kain had a sickening feeling in his stomach. He looked about, swearing he heard something, as a silence drew over the dark beach. The two walked toward Gashan's tents, speaking of more mundane things. In the waters, sneaking from a distance was Kamala. In a dark cloak, she hid, listening in with interest in the conversation. She smiled at this, not at all concerned for these two's bumbling plans.

Such meek fools spelling their own doom. She looked over at Tarlo's tent in the distance, seeing the outline of Tarlo and Minto arguing with one another. The shadow of Canton loomed in the tent, sitting down. Kamala scoffed at such a stupid display. Meek fools indeed. Minto is going to love this, but he won't know anytime soon. Only when I need it most. Kamala smiled and swiftly went back towards the Juska camp, her mind already plotting her next move.