Chapter 9: The Green Tide

Five ships left Salamanderstron in the late afternoon, the port had been busy as five whole divisions of Hares had been loaded onto ships with the lord of Salamanderstron himself riding along with the command ship, The Mountain of the Sea. The ship was of Hare build, a large and well armed Carrack, with a full crew of marines and expert sailors. To it's right flank was a shew galley called the Battle Log, led by Adam's commodore Shren. The shrew galley aggressively kept up the flank on the Carrack, and its reinforced haul would serve as a shield against the surprise ramming tactics of corsairs, an issue which nearly cost Adam and his crew their lives. The next ship over was the smaller carrack Shedog, commanded by the fairly new and younger otter Uldan. To the left flank was the larger ships, and transport vessels, Bloodriver and Coralscrub, both commanded by hares. Adam had chosen these ships not for their speed, but for their larger storage. Other Hare ships were down south, keeping shipping lanes safe for merchants from Southward.

Adam may have stood valiantly on deck, watching the waves in his stoic fashion, but two other hares were not having a good time at all. Barfoof was seasick, puking over the side of the rail, and was soon joined by the Long Patrol's most infamous son, Sarl Bigtail. Sarl was a younger and slightly overweight creature, a fact which the other soldiers in his barracks constantly tormented him about. While Hares had large appetites, most Long Patrol worked off that weight. However, Sarl had two unfortunate problems; He wasn't a soldier, and he was mostly an over glorified secretary to his father.

"I don't understand it, wot! How can Adam even stand being on this cursed deck! I feel like me stomach is going. . going to. . ." Sarl hacked up and spat out some more vomit into the sea. The miserable hare looked terrible, and Barfoof knew it. However, one question gnawed at his head.

"My good Sarl, to what pleasure did your father think of bringing you here? I don't mean to be rude, but this isn't exactly a. . .diplomatic mission."

Sarl wasn't offended and answered rather dutifully, or at least the best he could with a part of his uniform being tattered in his evening brunch. "My good sir, you know my father as good as you do, he thinks being at sea will build up my character. With jolly smile, I obey my superior."

Barfoof would have mocked him had he not been sick himself, or thought it was very bad form. He simply got off the ship's railing and began to maneuver down to the brig. As he did so, a call came from the otherside of the ship, Biggum's voice. The older general wasn't much of a sea hare himself, but he was fairly expert at keeping his toes up and abound on the ship. "Stand at attention, Sarl! Time for your inspection!"

Sarl stood at a barely feasible soldier's salute, his face pale and sickly. His small overweight chest bursted out as Biggum looked his son up and down with disdain. "Once again eating poorly, my good boy. You look pale? Pale and barely able to stand! Would you look at this, vomit on your own sweater?! Did I raise a common recruit, or a fat lard? No wonder your comrades call you 'Big Yum'." Biggum began to straighten his son's vest, correcting his pose harshly. Barfoof looked on with some intrigue and pity. He had taught his own son very well, the young soldier an impressive captain in his own right. Yet Biggum's son was an embarrassment, at least in Biggum and his Long Patrol's eyes. Despite his secret hate for his general, Barfoof couldn't help feel sorry for Biggum's son.

"I'm sorry father." Sarl saluted, but Biggum didn't salute back. He instead pointed to the quarters below deck "I won't have you lollygagging abound, you will be scrubbing the decks of this ship for the rest of the night, at least until you lose some weight. You will scrub your good vestments, expensive and prestigious vestments, till I am no longer embarrassed to have you wear them. Hop to it, Sarl."

Sarl was off, he felt he should have been use to his father's words, but they could claw into him like a dagger. He weakly went below deck to do his tasks and Barfoof came beside him, walking with him. He took out his little blue book, passing it to Sarl. "A little bit of reading for later, my dear boy. I think you might like it, wot."

Sarl looked down at the little blue book, Barfoof's infamous manifesto which has been passed around to a number of other Hares. He was confused at first, his father warning him of Barfoof's nastiness towards him, but the Hare could only give a friendly stride as he went about his business on the deck below.
_

Biggum was exploring the deck of Adam's ship, with the badger king and his two sons pouring over old sea maps and islands. Biggum knew full well where they were headed to, a old forested isle far off called Black Beach Isle, named after an Green Isle otter who discovered it and built his Holt on its shores. The island is a large sea otter colony, mostly bringing in wood, wheat, and fish to Green Isle, its small noble family were well known to travel the high seas and even bring in ships from Southward. Biggum came up to Adam who was looking out over the sea, and despite looking stoic and grim in his duties, Biggum knew him well enough to know the admiral of Salamanderstron's fleet was happy and content.

"Black Beach Isle, you think our answers will be there, Adam?"

"I should know. Its one of the few otter holdouts that hasn't entirely disappeared or we saw abandoned. We were out looking for Barbo, hunting for his cursed isle. We went to Ruddaring first, and found the Holt nearly deserted. Only a few survivors, explaining of pirate attacks and worse. Many of their older males were taken, but the second wave of slavers nearly wiped them out for good, taking away most of their tribe to places unknown. I was able to bring the remainder of the Holt to Green Isle, which is where our troubles truly began."

"I read the report. Those poor creatures." Biggum couldn't help but feel terrible regret. In all his years, protecting Mossflower was his duty, but the loss of Holt Rudderwake was a terrible thought to bear. Adam continued. "I left out some things in my report, Biggum."

"Such as?"

"Green Isle. . .was decimated. I told you all that the isle suffered from Barbo's attacks, and a second wave of pirates descended on the Isle. What I didn't tell you was the horror wrought in its wake, the details you know. The cursed beasts, those vermin, those cretans ill deserving of a swift death burned and pillaged a great deal of the settlements. The Green Clan regiment was decimated, their entire settlement raided and brutalized. It was personal, it looked like, they didn't even leave the little ones alive. The rest were claimed to be boarded onto galleys, taken to seasons known where. Green Isle has been suffering for years, right under our whiskers!"

"That would explain why the island had been silent for so long, I thought they were faring well against Barbo?"

"They were. At first. The stout had been bold and confident in his raiding, but his age catches up with him. He moved back I believe to his hideout with his cursed daughter, along with his small army of the damned. Then came the green flagged ships, they came in numbers. Sea scum, common vermin rabble from the north and western Mossflower. . .cats."

Biggum's eyes widened a bit "Cats? You definitely didn't mention them. Why did you leave them out of your report?"

"Wildcats and ferals, both were at beaches, raiding the otters." Adam lowered his voice "I didn't wish it mentioned just yet, but I think we have a bigger problem at sea then I suspected. Time is of the essence, and Black Beach is their most likely target. I know not what kind of evil is brought across the western sea, but do you see the eyes of these hares and shrews? They just came out of a war, Biggum, and I fear many would be ill if they thought we were out here looking to start another one. I don't even think the Wildlough high king knows the true extent of what is happening, and neither do I. However this threat is bigger than warlords running around in Mossflower. This threat is far larger, and I apologize profusely for the deception."

Biggum looked surprised at Adam, but then came to realize something. "Adam. Have you been reading Barfoof's book, have you?"

Adam cringed a bit, but tipped his head. "Its a goo-"

Biggum raised his voice "Adam Waterblow, Fourth to a name, you know full well that this whole thing undermines the authority of the Long Patrol! I'll have to have that talk with Barfoof again, but do me a favor and burn that thing. Consider yourself lucky we are on your ship, otherwise I would have you instantly demoted! Factionalism. Factionalism and bungling. I know this threat is real, but you should have told us so we could be more prepared for it!"

Adam shot back "This wouldn't be a problem if I was given the beasts to man ships and fight them to start with, General."

"I will hear no more of these ideas of 'reform' and 'expansion' under my watch. We are defenders of Mossflower, not its army to send out to fight other's wars and conflicts. Dismissed, admiral."

Biggum was too dignified to storm off, but he would have a lot of words to say to Barfoof soon enough. Adam looked back to the sea, his paws clasped behind his back.
_

Three friends, sitting below deck, were comfortably sitting between a barrel. Two are hares, the other a squirrel, all were playing a game of cards. It was a game and invention from Southward, but the hares had come to love it, an easy to appreciate and understand game, especially on longer voyages and patrols. One hare, in a green beret, looking fairly grim and experienced, began to stroke a thick set of his whiskers.

"Cemar, you sly weasel. If I knew better, i'd say you were cheating, eh?"

Cemar gave a grim smile, another hare in a red beret but looking a bit more younger. He gripped his cards in his paws and place a fold down "Doufy, if I knew better, i'd say you were just a sore loser, eh Dacks?"

Dacks could only help but smile, placing a winning streak of cards down, surprising both officers. Dacks knew both well, although both were from very different camps. Cemar Briggs is a Mossflower hare and is Barfoof's second in command, an experienced scout and soldier in his own right. Dacks knew him well personally, as Cemar had personally seen to the destruction of the slave caravans which once fueled Kasg the Craven's armies. Doufy von Evergreen was a more strange beast, a northern Hare with a gray tint to his fur, a much older and experienced commando who spent a lifetime fighting for the Long Patrol. Doufy has a rather odd reputation of being Biggum's favorite secretary, but also being his personal assassin which he lugs around. Doufy fixed up his green beret and flicked his whiskers.

"Well Dacks, once again you beat us, and now I can accuse you of cheating." Doufy said with a smirk. He picked up the cards, expertly shuffling them.

"How long till we get to Black Beach, anyway? It feels like it's been ages."

"It's been only a day or two, but Adam thinks another couple of days will pass before we see it. There are a lot of isles in the western sea, you know." Cemar relaxed as Doufy continued to shuffle.

"You think we'll run into pirates? Adam was attacked by the buggards."

"No doubt, my good Dacks." Cemar shrugged "Although we have five well armed ships full of hares, and even a lone pirate or two with their fleets will find it difficult to make us prey. Especially with three angry badgers on board. Or until they start attacking each other first."

Doufy grunted at the comment and began passing out cards "You have too much ill will, you and Barfoof, towards the good badger folk."

"I don't have any ill will towards my lord, Doufy, I just wish they listened to Barfoof more. Even you have to agree, we need to recruit more than just Hares into the Long Patrol, and drive the cursed blighters from the sea."

"Nay." Doufy replied, setting up for another round. "I've read that little blue book of his as well, old bean." His low pitched voice betrayed his grim attitude, setting his cards to the side. "You must at least find that whole hogwash as bit jingoistic, Cemar? I'd even say it be half traitorous if you read between half of those lines."

"Yet here we are, our professionalism alone does not win battles, and you know that Doufy."

"Nay, but tactics win wars. Numbers and battlefield tricks sound great on paper, but a good scout can quickly turn an army into a graveyard. Vermin conscript, but they also march and train their armies, don't ya know. Every blasted blighter isn't a young scallywag who marches to the tune of their starving stomachs, murdering and pillaging for their master's sake. No, the vermin have professionals just as us. However, they lack one crucial problem that Barfoof looks over."

Dacks spoke up in defense of his adoptive parent "And that is?"

"Positioning. Supply lines. Understanding of their enemy and their own surroundings. Vermin warlords see their mad battlelines clash into one another, but yet refuse to understand why their forces rout so easily. They always come ill prepared, with poor morale, and a terrible fighting spirit. Gentle Beasts like us ultimately win, and send them packing."

"Yet." Cemar began to correct him "Each time, far beyond our own seasons, beasts and murderers like Kasg come again. You hear the tales from our parents Doufy, what would you say is the solution is to deal with the vermin?"

"They are beasts, Cemar, me old chum. Like you and me. Biggum didn't go abound slaughtering the vermin who surrendered to him, and spared those who wished for life. They were allowed to leave the forest for good."

"But didn't." Cemar almost raised his voice. "I spent seasons my good fellow. Seasons. Hunting down their rabble with Barfoof, the ones who got away and still fought, and even still there were too many. Gandal was still live, and still causes us trouble to this day." Doufy was silent. Cemar came back from Barfoof's campaign against Kasg's stragglers a very different hare. Cemar would tell Doufy all manner of terrible tales. Orphans he had rescued from Kasg's slave catchers, only having to tell them their parents were butchered. The trails he couldn't catch up to of enslaved creatures dragged away to indomitable vermin settlements likes Jusbrag. The violence depressed the creature. Doufy patted him on the back.

"We can never avenge them all, but we can give the vermin a good kicking. Come, play a good game, me lad."
_

"That is all I have to report, sir."

Galgor did not look happy, as Biggum explained to him several of his concerns. They were using Adam's cabin on the Mountain of the Sea. The office wasn't large enough for the badger, but the Hare kept it very tidy. It was also the only place the badger could fit, along with his two ever angry sons who could only stare with dagger at one another. Dagor angrily spoke up. Salgor was the first to speak up, in anger.

"Adam and his entire lot should be demoted to the lowest rank! To leave these crucial things out of the report is unacceptable! We could be heading straight for a trap, or worse, a slaughter! If Adam thinks this enemy is far larger, we should have brought more ships, and more hares."

Dagor then angrily boomed his voice to his brother "Don't speak like you command this lot! This threat is as clear as day, if wildcats are especially involved we need to come to the aid of the otters! You heard Biggum, if we don't deal with this threat now, it will come up later!"

Biggum felt he had made a slight miscalculation. He had just informed his lord of Adam's general information left out, and Galgor could only stare with more questions. "Why did my own Admiral leave out such an important piece of this report? Even if he had added it or not, I would have sent my armies after these barbarians. Wildcats or rats, we will slay them regardless. We are here to investigate and destroy this enemy, but yet my own hares fear me like some bumbling warlord like Gandal? Biggum, may I ask why."

Biggum may have been highly dignified, but he had to balance out several things, especially knowing Galgor. For seasons now, Barfoof had been spreading an idea amongst the hares of Salamandastron, through a small blue covered book which Biggum kept finding on his hares. Biggum had long known Barfoof's factionalism with his lords, but he still respected the Hare and felt his grief. It was Biggum's biggest secret and necessary sin, keeping Barfoof and his hares safe by not keeping his lord in the loop of the growing discontent. Many hares died or were grievously injured in the war with Kasg, and for a short while, many had felt they were losing. Biggum knew Galgor would never understand, and would have insisted on stopping all manner of business to end this factionalism and cause an uncomfortable scene. Biggum could only give a half baked lie to his overlord.

"Adam does not fear your wrath my lord, as much as he didn't want to bother with the details. I gave him a good show of that mistake, and it will not happen again. He feels his report would have soured too many. . .moods." Biggum gave the most impressionable fake smile of his life, and thank goodness Galgor had bought it.

"Hmph. Fine then. Do be sure to remind Adam Waterblow that he should not delay with such information again. If I knew we were facing wildcats, I would have brought more ships. However, time is wasting, and we must be prepared to make camp at Black Beach."

Dagor shot up an eyebrow "Black Beach? Why there? It's an otter colony, you would think that this strange threat would be bounded elsewhere. It sounds like they are nearly finished with destroying Green Isle."

Biggum corrected Dagor "Not exactly, my lordling. Adam helped the otters form large defenses and was able to successfully defeat several of the gangs. The real threat was from raiders destroying lone and distant communities, as they didn't seem much of a threat to the main body of otter clan warriors themselves. The Galedeep clan for instance was able to fend off several attacks on their Holt, but the Green Clan suffered a strange number of tragedies."

"Strange?" Salgor spoke up

"Aye, young Salgor. The otters have suffered, along with all manner of merchant ships and shrew vessels. Many not from Mossflower itself, but from other parts of the bloody world. They came all at once, in great numbers, and with iron weapons. That tells me a lot about this force, their attacks are well planned, but they are not a perfect force. They are raiding for captives, likely to take on as slaves, for an unknown purpose. Pirates usually ransom their prisoners, not keep them. It means whatever this green horde is doing, its preparing for trouble. Taking Green Isle alone perhaps isn't their main concern."

Galgor spoke up "Black Beach is a particularly large, and supposedly still safe, otter colony. If Green Isle was hit for seasons, then Black Beach is simply in the path of a larger game. We must start preparations for the colony's defense, and when the enemy reveals itself, we will strike. Hopefully we will get a full picture and meet at Green Isle to figure out what to do next."

Biggum agreed, and as Galgor rose he dismissed his sons. "You two best start preparing for a fight, and I know that while you have stayed in the mountain Salgor, you have fought and trained with Hares. Perhaps your brother could teach you a thing or two." Salgor and Dagor exited the cabin and Biggum and his lord prepared their next moves.

"Cats. I've never heard of their kind in ages. They say they were all nearly wiped out in the isles and do not cross the western sea. Not since the Greeneye dynasty settled themselves in Mossflower and conquered Mossflower. Green Isle was conquered by the Felis family, what do you make of all this nonsense Biggum? Are we being invaded?"

Biggum looked up with a smile "Invasion or not, me good lord, we will kick them straight back westward we will, wot!"
_

Salgor and Dagor may have been on deck, but each brother was preparing their weapons in their own way. With their father and Long Patrol general discussing, and Black Beach still a day or two out, the two brothers remained at a relative distance. Both prepared for what was to come in their own way. Dagor stood on deck, testing his battleaxe and gleefully showing off, as Salgor kept his own blade, Slayer, clean. With a washcloth and a bucket of water, Salgor sat and cleaned his blade with diligence, and occasionally sharpened it. The hares on deck went about their business around the two, with Dagor already well prepared.

"Salgor, father would like me to teach you a few things before we end up in Black Beach. Come, little brother, so I can show you how a real warrior fights." Dagor was half joking and half mocking. He would obey his father's directive, but he had no wants to keep to it seriously. It was good reason for Salgor to ignore his brother, and kept on cleaning his sword.

"Salgor! Come over here, or is my little brother have too much yellow in his coat of fur to learn?" Dagor raised his voice, making sure the other hares heard. Salgor lazily turned his eyes to his brother and paused. He got up slowly and came over, with Dagor giving him a grin.

"It is bad form for a son of Galgor to listen to a command and only obey it when heard twice. When I am badger lord, that will change. Now. I haven't seen my brother give a good fight before, let me see what he is made of. Not sure if I will be starting from scratch or not." Dagor lifted his battleaxe with malicious intent. Even though he had no intention of harming Salgor, he certainly wanted to see him snivel, but Salgor the Stone stood unfazed. He leaned on his claymore, looking fairly calm but annoyed. Dagor at first hesitated as Salgor spoke to him.

"Perhaps if you wish to teach me, Dagor, you'd best find some practice weapons. Father isn't watching now, and even I know he would be disappointed that his elder son, heir, and hero of our great and glorious mountain is using a real weapon to fight. On the deck of a ship, mind you."

"This is how I trained my hares, they will be fine." Dagor grunted

Salgor breathed harshly and called out to the hares on deck "Make way, Long Patrol." A circle had formed, giving brothers some room. Others watched on, such as Adam who lazily turned to the bickering badgers. Dagor and Salgor got into the middle of the deck as Dagor began raising and lowering his axe.

"Now remember, my little brother, you have raise and lower your weapon in a downward swing, using your muscle and weight to-"

"I know how to fight, Dagor. Now get into a stance." Salgor snapped. Dagor grunted and did so, looking a bit amused. He sarcastically got into a defensive stance as Salgor gripped Slayer and strode forward. Dagor would softly go for a wide swing, expecting his brother to try to parry so he could rebound and strike him while he recovered. Instead, Salgor swiftly evaded and went for a downward cleave, with Dagor barely bringing his battleaxe to his brother's sword. The clangs of their weapons deeply annoyed the admiral on deck, who looked down from the tip of his ship at them calling out.

"Do not duel on my ship! Take your arguments to shore or whatever, but if you give one scratch to the Mountain of the Sea I will have you both thrown overboard, badger lordlings or not!"

Neither immediately relented, as Dagor had no intentions of letting his brother not come out of this with humiliation. He again struck at him, unconventionally using his battleaxe to push Salgor away and then charged. He swung down, but again Salgor evaded to the side and quickly regained balance. Dagor went to attack again, but Adam's voice boomed at the two.

"Stop this immediately, you two petty, bungling, fools! Continue with this foolishness and I will personally see both of you swimming for the rest of the way!" Both had stopped, but now more angry at each other then ever. Dagor growled and went below deck to cool off as Salgor returned to his station near the edge of the ship, got down, and began to clean his sword. It may have been one more day, but both knew it was going to be a long, and awkward trip.

On a different ship, in a different place, a single warrior stood pacing up and down the large war galley of the Pike's Revenge. It is a massive galley, and a personal favorite of the warrior's father, as his orange and black striped paws paced about. The warrior is a cat, a wildcat, and he gripped an iron trident with viciousness and impatience. Minto, Minto Greeneyes, began to pace up and down the ship as vermin of all manners went about their business. They were the scum of the earth, western vermin who were sharpening hooks and barbs, preparing arrows, drinking grog, and being generally undesirable. Minto paced, as he looked about him, the galley's inhabitants had a number of cats with them as well. Wildcats, feral cats, and even some strange mixes. Most wore the same outfit, greencloaks with chestplate armor, wielding sabre and iron tipped spears. One warrior caught his eye, a younger warrior who had dared to drink of the pirate's alcohol in a friendly manner. He jumped at the poor creature and shook him, clawing into his throat.

"You will not drink on duty, you ill suited vermin! If I see any of you drink this fecal dung again, I will tie you to rocks myself and throw you overboard!" The soldier looked on wildeyed and begged.

"Of course my lordship Minto! Minto Greeneyes, my lord!" Minto dropped the soldier to the ground and angrily began pacing again. The pirates around him continued to work, but perhaps not as hard as the galley slaves below, who gave miserable cries and yelps.

Minto was no captain of a ship, he was a general, a conqueror, and his father would not be pleased if he was late in his duties. He angrily called out to the captain's deck, with a single overly dressed weasel looking out over the waters. He was a strange creature, fairly tall with a purple headband, an overly large captain's jacket and a dirty vest beneath. Parts of his paws were scarred, and some fur was shaved off where manacles had used to be strapped to, a permanent reminder of his younger years.

"Gashan! Are we there yet!"

"Nay my lord, but soon!" Gashan said with a friendly demeanor. Minto angrily called out "Then whip that lot below to push harder! I want to be there even quicker!"

"Be patient my lord, Minto. You will get your prizes an' I will be gettin me loot. Isn't that right, me pretties!" The pirates all gave a collective "Aye!". Minto continued to pace as he looked out over the sea. Gashan couldn't help but snicker to himself, Minto was fairly young for his command, but he looked much older. He was orange with black stripes, but had a tuft of gray fur in between. He wore a large green cloak, connected by a golden and elaborate pin, with a western helm. It had a plume of feathers and much of it was clawed and scratched. His trident was gripped firmly in his hands as he strode.

Minto looked out over the sea and called out to his warriors "Remember, you useless lot. Father wants fresh slaves for his armies! Kill those who resist, but you are to leave enough alive! I want Black Beach to burn, you hear me! To Burn!"

The warrior saluted, as Minto looked outward in the distance. Many other ships were following behind, 9 in fact. They were all filled with vermin and under his command. Two were transport vessels, one filled with a decent crew of soldiers. The other empty. He gave a cruel and wicked smile.

The green tide comes for you, little otters. Green isle and its people will suffer more indignities before I am done!

Morland was comfortably fishing along the coast of Black Beach. He found the name rather odd, because Black Beach wasn't really black, and had more cliffs then beaches. It was a small island off in the middle of the sea, as the sea otter sat with little more than a fishing pole, and couldn't help but observe his surroundings. Black Beach, the island, had no natural harbors, it had a small inland area with palm trees and small woodlands, mostly empty except for a few native birds. The beach itself had fairly clear water, and even though it was far more south then what the Green Isle otters were used to, it was far out of the way. Terrible news often came from Green Isle and its other colonies, attacks from pirates and raids had grown more frequent. Morland's commander had even privately told him and his regiment of marines that the Green Clan had suffered horrifically, and most of the clan had to flee inland. Yet, the clan's survival gave Morland hope as he caught a smaller fish which he quickly pulled up and ate.

Morland took up a small battle hatchet and kept his sling to his side, as a marine he and his five others compatriots had the relatively simple and mundane task of keeping order. Black Beach, the otter colony, was growing. The otters had just finished building the foundation to a wooden palisade, the shrew quarter of the village where merchants began to settle bustled with life, and the clans were getting ready for the day. Not too far off, a large household where a small noble family of Streamdogs. They were cousins of the direct family, and had been commanding the isle successfully. Morland went up to a pier of the settlement.

"Hey der mate." Morland began, speaking to an anxious new marine guard. He was a younger creature named Mak, although his full name wasn't known to Morland, since he was too shy to speak of it. Mak turned and saluted "Here to relieve me, mate?"

"Aye. Go an' get some clams an' fish, lad."

Mak went off and eagerly went to the bustling village behind him, leaving Morland to keep guard. His commander wanted to keep an eye out on the sea for merchants, with another scout in a camp on the other side of the isle. They had a ship the group could quickly climb into if a merchant ship bashed into rocks on accident, or if pirates started roaming nearby. Morland sat, and sat for hours on the pier.

Then a shape began to form on the horizon. It was still light out, but the sun was setting and it was hard to make out. Ah, must be the merchants from Southward again. They got big ships and all. Morland sipped on a small cup of ale, a gift from some shrews he had once helped save from a shipping accident off the coast. He didn't mind, it was just one ship after all. He continued to drink, but then odd things he started to notice began to appear. The ship was a galley, not the large sailing ships the Southward folks used. Maybe its another shrew ship? He thought. Then he saw shifting oars, and large light green sails. It was still one ship, but it gave Morland pause. Then he heard the very distant crack of a whip and the pained scream on an otter in the distance. He shot up straight away.

No. No! Barbo Senger! He comes! Morland rushed to his commander, the ship coming in faster and faster, the distant laugh of a high pitched stout brought a swift and dreadful aura of fear across the whole of the colony.
_

Morland was wrong in one thing, it wasn't Barbo Senger, the Stout Corsair, the Prince of the Morbid Dance, The Wretched Slaver and Murderer of Green Isle. Far from it, it was his daughter, Penolpe Senger. The daughter of the Corsair stood on the edge of the ship, watching as the cries began to ring out from the village, as she watched the otter clansbeasts run. She began to count them, and counted into her paws. Penople wore a silk tunic covered in a tight chest plate, a sash kept her favorite sabre to her side along with a whip, both gifts of her father. She was hooded in a burka, and looked outward at the otters and called out to her crew of slavers. "Look at these little children run, along with their actual children! See how they cower lads, father is goin to want good ransoms and slaves from this lot! Or mostly slaves. Ya know what to do! Get in yer boats an-"

"My lady!" One of the crew members shouted. She gave a glance at him as he pointed "Look! Ships on our rear! They look to be from Salamanderstron!" Penople came to the side quickly, seeing a larger ship in the distance which was bearing down on them, with two ships flanking each side. She instantly recognized The Mountain of the Sea. The slow warship had not spotted them yet, but in the open water, they may as well have.

"Delay that order! Damned hares, ruining good fun. Get us out of here, and triple whip the gallery for good measure! We'll give them a chase around the isle!"
_

Adam had seen the galley in the distance, it may have been one long and awkward day when they spotted land, but Adam was quick. One of Barbo's fleet was a worthy prize to slay, even if it wasn't their intended target, the ship trying to spin itself around and move away, as the Mountain of the Sea drew ever closer. Galgor joined Adam on the edge of the ship, the admiral and badger lord looking down over the smaller vessel trying to hurry itself off.

"Barbo's ship, I presume?"

"Nay, just one of his fleet. Although I think I do see a stout on that ship. Either him. . .or his daughter." Adam gave a crooked smile "May I suggest a swift attack?"

"Nay. Those oars aren't pulled by free beasts. Send in your marines first, and we'll take them." Adam had nearly forgotten, Barbo was more then just sea scum, but was a prolific slaver. He looked to a signaler and ordered his right flanking ships forward, the Bloodriver and Coralscrub unfurled their sails and began making their move. With orders, two divisions of marines on the hare ships were reading weapons, arrows and javelins to make their first move, while another division was getting hatchets and short swords ready. The vermin vessel was gaining some distance, as the transport vessels were clearly catching up. Adam was confident in their victory, the transport ships themselves were light and could at least harass from a distance, his own ship being much slower and more armored.

"Signaler, tell Uldan to turn his vessel around and begin chasing the others. We will dock in port and keep the otters safe for the time being. Tell him to chase around the other side of the isle."

The signaler waved flags at the Shepdog and it began to turn. The ship was out and circling the island to help the two transport ships. Adam knew his prey well, it was a tactic the Sengers used before. They would keep close to an island shore and then use their galley to rocket themselves around the island, using cover to keep their pursuers second guessing. Once they made a mistake, they would be home free. Galgor didn't understand such tactics, but he simply remained content as he looked out "The plan will be simple. We will help evacuate the otters and plan our next move. Once this enemy reveals themselves, so shall we. Capture a few of their captains in the process."

"Aye, my lord." Adam said aloft. However, Galgor began to look out to sea. He began to see several ships approach, large ships.

"Adam, how many ships do you think this strange enemy has?"

"From Green Isle, I would say about 5-8 smallery galleys, three pirate allies. Quite a large number to be certain, but not unheard of. Give or take a few."

Galgor turned his admiral around, Adam's face growing pale. An entire fleet, sizable warships and all, were upon them. There was a call from the other side of the deck as a Long Patrol marine came over "Admiral Adam! There are three vermin ships coming up from behind!"

The signaler came in next "Shren reports four ships in front of us!"

Adam and his lord paused. They had not come to save Black Beach, they had come to die alongside them it seemed.
_

"Ah, me maties! Reinforcements!" Gashan smiled, looking forward. However, Minto was not so happy, and angrily called up to the weasel pirate "No you fool! That is the Long Patrol ship your lot ambushed! Look at the colors of its flag, the Hares on the ship bounding around! Its the Hares! Kill them! Order the attack!"

Gashan sneered at Minto "Don't ya command me so quickly, ya daft landlubber. The Hares be splittin off der forces, an' even with me mates an' der ships we won't be able to do much but flounder around! Grab yer marines an' hang tight! Gustang, start loadin the arrows! Bring up good rope fer me boarders, were gonna ram em!"

The taskmaster down below whipped Gashan's rowers to action, as the galley pulled forward as his ordered his signaler around "Tell der other ships to keep distance, but fer the transports to be close by! Once we ram into em', they need to surround an' attack! Long Patrol make poor slaves, don't ya agree Minto? Kill em' an any onboard!"

Minto gleefully smiled as the ship pulled forward to the Mountain of the Sea. The Pike's Revenge continued onward, with the green flagged ships obeyed Gashan. Minto may have privately cursed the pirate for not fully obeying him, but he looked onward to destroying Salamandestron's flag ship.
_

Adam stopped pausing, watching the large war galley get closer, they were at a brisk pace, their side of the ship facing the otter colony. The otters were still running for safety inland, with some of the otter marines conscripting their adults for war. They were jubilant to see the hares here, but the rings of battle and panic from them made their commander cautious. Adam looked to his lord and asked but a simple question. "Do you trust me my lord. We must flee, if we stay here, we will all die."

Galgor paused and turned to the otter colony. To flee now would doom them as Biggum and Barfoof were already coming on deck. Gaglor angrily grunted "If we leave them, we are dooming them to this lot! Can we defend the shores?"

"Nay my lord, not with our transports chasing one the corsairs." Adam looked mortified, his dignified pose looked to shatter "We must leave. We can return with reinforcements and a plan, but to stay here will leave us all vulnerable."

"Can we help them?"

Biggum nodded "We would be sending them to their deaths. Galgor, my lord, know that this isn't where we can fight them. You know this, we will return to aid these creatures, but no one can aid them if we are dead."

Barfoof looked on flabbergasted "How can you lot say any of this! Galgor, my lord, if you leave now, we are dooming these otters to a fate worse than death! How can any of you even consider this!"

Adam raised his voice "The choice is yours my lord, and be swift, that warship is getting closer."

Galgor was thankful his two sons were not here to voice their opinion, their attention to a group of ships kept their distance to their backside. One of the pirate ships felt it was necessary to give chase to the Shepdog and after a volley from the hares on the ship, was quickly and clumsily pulling back to its main group. Galgor gave a loud sigh "You are my best hare for this job, Adam Waterblow. Do as you must."

Adam gave a grim bow to his lord and began calling out commands "Keep those sails unpulled, but keep us at a short pace! Keep us close to that beachhead, and prepare for full sail! Signal Shren to keep these wretches off of our backside, and try to signal the otters to make for the inland! We cannot help them, but they can hide!"

Barfoof came over to Adam as Biggum and his lord went to prepare for an inevitable battle. They could see from the distance grappling hooks and other ropes. The vermin were getting ready to board. The two superior rabbits bickered.

"You damned idiot, I will not let those creatures die or face their fate!"

"Then join them Barfoof." Adam snapped "And give them less hope. We have a job to do, and our lord is on this ship."

Barfoof silently cursed "Damn the lord then, we can fight them on the ground! We will be supported by the otters, and we can make our stand! Let the corsairs come, we will-"

"Your tactics are brash, the same brashness if I remember doomed your son if I recall. Now stop complaining, you impotent boy, and start rallying the hares!"

Barfoof gritted his teeth in anger and was off, trying to find Dacks and Cemar below deck. Adam looked at the approaching war galley, getting ever closer.
_

"The fools aren't even lifting their sails to escape!" Minto cried out "Faster Garshan! We need speed! I am ready!" The wildcat gripped his trident in his full paws, his warriors preparing grappling hooks and ropes along with Gashan's crew. Gashan himself looked worried, something was wrong. Normally, in such a situation, the Hares would be trying to get full speed with the wind. Gashan looked down at his crew and yelled "Be waiting mates, somethin be wrong. Signaler, try an' get the other ships closer an' surround em, den we ram em!"

"Delay that order!" Minto screamed "Ramming speed! Now, or I kill the lot of you!" Gashan looked down at the wildcat annoyed. Gashan ordered his signaler again "Do as I say, rat, or I'll chop ye into fish bait." The signaler looked between the both of them. Gashan offered death, but so did Minto, and he knew both would readily do it to a newer crewmate like himself. Ultimately however, Minto had more fire in his eyes, and he obeyed. Gashan angrily spat "Ya do poor, me lad, consider yerself fish meat when we gets back to harbor! Fine Minto, if this goes poorly fer ye, don't tell yer damn father I didn't warn ya! Taskmaster, I don't be hearing whipcracks and pained groaning! Full speed, mates! Full speed!"

The Pike's Revenge pulled forward with a harsh crack of the whip, reducing the space between it and the Mountain of the Sea. Gashan knew full well how close the ship had come towards the shore of Black Beach, and knew if he missed he would smash straight into the sandy shore. Gashan's ship charged, as Minto prepared for impact, the feral cat marines and pirates preparing their grappling hooks. A volley of arrows from the Mountain of the Sea disorganized some of the prepared vermin who took over as best their could, but Gashan looked on like a mad beast, his eyes set on one particular Hare who was watch the ship come ever closer. Gashan recogonized Adam Waterblow almost immediately, and yelled to his taskmaster below.

"He is here, I see! Whip the beasts harder, Teru! Prepare fer impact, maties!" The war galley gained a slight boost of speed with the pained yelps below. The carrack soon became a shadow over the war galley, both sides preparing for a vicious impact. With a loud, booming crunch, the Pike's Revenge smashed its ram into the back end of the carrack, but as it did so, Gashan began to notice Hares were up above, fiddling with the sails of the Mountain of the Sea. The wind picked up, the two ships locked into each other, but with a sickening crunch of wood and timber, the Mountain of the Sea slammed itself shifted its sails in a harsh turn, the carrack slamming into the side of the Pike's Revenge. The galley slaves below panicked as oars shattered and broke, while others were violently thrust upward, much to the annoyance of their taskmaster, but those in the galley were the lucky ones on this day. The crashing between the two ships sent hares and vermin alike flying.

When it was done, there was a silence, but the captains of both ships were quick to realize what had happened. The longer and heavier ram of the Pike's Revenge had broken off when it had rammed into the Mountain of the Sea. Gashan felt like a fool when he returned to normality, his ship awkwardly facing the sandy beaches of Black Beach.

Adam smiled, turning his attention to the open waters. It was risky, stupid, and foolish. However, he called out "Turn the sails, lads! Turn the sails! Get us out in open water!"
_

Minto recovered slowly, but he soon found himself and his crew being suppressed by a volley of arrows and javelins being thrown from up above. The cat barely rolled out of the way as a javelin thrust itself into the deck of the Pike's Revenge where he was resting from being thrown from side to side. Minto's warrior prowess and experience helped him survive the first moment of battle, as the feral cat quickly realized how bad the situation was. He looked abound, as the deck of the Pike's Revenge was far below of the taller and more armored carrack, and while the Pike's Revenge was a large vermin galley in itself, it was still a galley and laid lower in the water. The Hares were quick to attention and began to exploit their opportunities, exchanging volleys with the pirates. The corsairs had few ranged units, some having resorted to throwing stones or their own weapons, the one knife thrower on the ship struggled to get enough height to even challenge the skirmishers.

Worse yet, the Hares were quick, their crew was using the wind still blowing this day to fix the sails to get back out into the open water. Vermin galleys may be faster than the Mountain of the Sea, but the ship was better armored, highly supplied, and difficult to challenge. Minto realized they were getting away.

"Gashan! Call the other ships! Stop them! Stop them now!"

Gashan was busy, trying to steer his ship, but the hares were having none of it. Adam had brought his archers to fire on the captain's bridge, forcing Gashan to flee. Gashan's ship was aimlessly scratching against the surface of the Mountain of the Sea. Gashan cursed himself and called out to Minto "Fine! Give me cover, ya landlubber!"

Minto hated pirates, seeing them as lazy and useless minions, but Gashan at least he could trust so far. He called out to his feral cats "Get up! Get up you useless cretans! To me! To me! Board their ship and join me, or I will have your tails flayed and hung on the side of my father's ship!"

Minto's call wasn't very motivational, but it did not matter, his cats obeyed without question. Taking some small injuries, Minto ordered a hasty volley from the pirates to keep the Hares busy. Personally grappling a hook onto the side of the railing himself, he tugged at it and began to climb with brutal efficiency. The Hares tried to fire down at the boarders, but Minto and his marines were swiftly taking care of them. When Minto was finally on the ship, angrily swapping aside the skirmishers, he was met with an array of characters. Galgor had just recovered as a tide of cats in green cloaks and pirate scum began to pour out onto the deck. Minto looked surprised, seeing a badger lord onboard. He gripped his weapon and gave an evil smile.

"Badger lord. I am Minto Greeneyes, descendent of your wretched victims! Long have I, and my family, awaited for this day! Face the wrath of a true warrior, and face the wrath of the Green Eyed Horde!" Minto's green eyes rose and shrank, burning with fiery pride and hate.
_

Impossible. They should have all been dead, an ancient dynasty long lost to time! How are they still alive? Galgor thought, staring as Minto and his posse of boarders began their attack. The Hare marines were caught off guard, they were used to fighting corsairs and vermin sea scum, the feral cats brought something far more different. They were well armored, well trained, and were wiping the floor and swiftly slaying any hare that they could isolate. Dagor sprang forth from the group, his battle axe in paw, quickly turned the tide and cut into his foes. A ring of battlecries were launched from the deck of Mountain of the Sea.

"Blood and Vinegar!"

"Loot an' Pillage, me laddies!"

"Eulalia!"

"For the Green Eyed Horde!"

Hares and vermin locked themselves into battle as Adam stood aloft, having been able to make his way to the bridge, steering his vessel and keeping his eyes vigilant on the sea. The battle on the deck was only a minor concern, the main true battle was out to sea. The hares were in a bad spot, even as they were slowly scraping their way past the Pike's Revenge. There were a large number of green flag vessels which had descended upon this small otter settlement, most surprised to see war galleys here, and only few were actually brave enough to join in, mostly from the PIke's Revenge's group. Two smaller war galleys were closing the distance, their captains already preparing to ram into his ship. He commanded his hares above "Fix the sales again! Those galleys can quickly sink and push us if we are not careful! We need to swiftly move through the gap!"

The Mountain of the Sea was able to thankfully free itself from the side of Pike's Revenge, and the war galley was unable to avoid crashing headlong into the beach. It seemed that Gashan had whipped his rowers a bit too harshly, as some oars were still uselessly paddling the sands. Gashan cursed and raved, calling out to his crew to begin reforming the gallery below to fix up the broken oars, but his luck wasn't changing for the better. Black Beach otters came out of the brush, firing all manner of stones and javelins at the pirates, pinning them. Adam listened to the screams of the vermin, happy that the otters still had some fighting spirit in them.
_

Onboard the ship of Shren, the shrew commodore of the fleet, watched as the tormented form of the Mountain of the Sea began to rear out. His own ship was chasing away a more braver pirate vessel which received heavy damage when he and his crew crashed into their rudder and forced them to row their way back to a more defensive line. Shren angrily spat as he saw the Mountain of the Sea come close to the enemy ships and expertly maneuvered around, but was struggling to avoid getting hit or having more vermin pour onto its deck. It was a slower ship, but Gashan was commanding them from the shore line, ordering them about to begin surrounding and taking down the Mountain of the Sea. Shren turned to his crew and yelled out.

"The sea scum be trying to make fools of us, and all of Salamanderstron! You hares better be worth as much as any Gousim sailor an' marine, you lot! Turn this thing around, we have a battle to win! Bring me close to their ships, I want to see the boarding parties ready! They may think they got us, but we are going to show them what real marines can do!"

The hares, and several shrews close to Shren and had joined him, obeyed. The free oar beasts rowed themselves around and were swiftly gaining speed and traction. Shren tapped his paw in anger, stewing as he awaited to get closer. They targeted a vessel which had not noticed in time, another war galley seeking to try to get into a position to ram into the Mountain of the Sea and instead was smashed into by the Battle Log. The boarders swiftly unleashed a volley onto the vermin pirates who were rather surprised, and were swiftly boarded. The shrew galley, once satisfied it had wiped out the vermin on board, left the boat there to sink, and was soon off again.

The Mountain of the Sea was being trailed by the two war galleys it had just evaded, its crews having spent time swiftly turning around their ships and making their way to again charge headlong into the hare carrack. Shren sat aboard his own ship, watching with impatience. "You lot are lucky I don't have you all whipped, speed up those oars lads! I want to see vermin heads roll!"

The rowers gave a brisk pace, exhausted as the Battle Log crashed headlong into a larger target. Again, like clockwork, the hare marines would unleash a swift volley and then board, but were this time not as well prepared. These were more experienced pirates and sailors, and most were well armed. The pirates put up a decent fight, fending off a wave of Shren's marines, only to have to face Shren himself. The shrew led a detachment of shrews and angrily leaped onto the deck of the vermin galley, commanding as he did.

"We have little time! Kill these wretches, and get below in their gallery! Free those chained beasts. Now come you vermin lot, face a swift end at the edge of my rapier!" Shren stabbed upward into a vermin pirate, and his elite shrew marines would unleash a swift volley of sling stones, followed by a thrust of short spears if the pirates ever came close. Shren knocked vermin off ships as Hares swiftly went down below, slaughtering the ship's taskmaster, and freeing several grateful oar beasts from their imprisonment. That thankfulness ended as soon as they met their rescuer.

"You lot are under new management, get to my oars, and start rowing, or you will be helping me board the rest of the ships! Get to it! Now!" The former slaves soon found themselves conscripted, replacing several hares and shrews which found themselves unluckily conscripted to replace any of the boarders and marines who had previously died. Just as swiftly as the Battle Log had unlatched itself from the dead galley, it was rammed by its sister vermin galley from the side, unloading a wave of vermin onto its deck. Shren smiled with glee, yelled out, and lead the charge.

"Come here, you wretched lot! I'll send you personally to your masters in pieces! Rip into them lads! Rip into them!"
_

Uldan was swift to notice the approaching vermin from the side of his ship, and anxiously looked out. He gritted his teeth, as his Hare first captain explained "I think Adam is in a bad place, captain. What shall we do? Should we go help him?"

Uldan fixed himself up and turned to his anxious hare friend "No, not yet. We have to collect the Bloodriver and Coralscrub from chasing Senger's ship. With three ships at our side, we can help Adam more. Quickly now, keep us moving forward. Get my signaler too!"

The otter strode the deck, his blue handkerchief and long fitting clothes. He was young, but not young enough to not be well trained and experienced, raised from a young age by Adam as his adoptive parent. He may have lost his family in the wars with Kasg the Kraven, but he was about to repay their kind with a terrible vengeance, a plan forming in his mind. His ship reared to the back of the isle, with the Bloodriver and Coralscrub having slowed. From a distance he could see his friend and captain Karner looking out into the distance. Uldan had him signaled and the two ship came around, flanking his own. The Shepdog continued to sail around the isle, with the vermin raiding ship having long since disappeared. Senger again escaped, but now was not a time for such thoughts, as Uldan kept his eyes on the four frontal vermin ships which were cautiously approaching the Mountain of the Sea.

"Bring the two transport ships around and have them begin pouring into the smaller vessel, we can use more ships to help break this blockade. Have the Shepdog continue hounding that larger one, we'll draw off the pirates from bothering out own! I want full sight on the Mountain of the Sea and The Battle Log!"

The ships did as ordered. From the distance, Uldan could see the work his adoptive parent Adam and his commanding office Shren had been doing. The Battle Log had seen better days, sinking low into the water and its deck a ripe red with the blood of good and evil beast alike, but Shren was alive, as the ship maneuvered away from yet another victim of the shrew commodore's fury. Seeing two warships so swiftly decimated kept a lot of the other vessels cautious in approaching, but several others were closing in on the Mountain of the Sea. A group of feral cats and their commander were doing far too well, swiftly taking control of the deck itself, especially when reinforcements came from another vermin vessel which came up to the Carrack's side and unloaded another party of pirates.

Uldan however was soon in a much better position to help, as the hare transports swiftly unloaded its marines and some sailors onto a smaller vermin sailing vessel and drove its crew overboard. Now Uldan had four ships at his disposal and ordered the ships forward to protect the Mountain of the Sea, using the new founded vessel to protect the transports. Uldan was near, but was harassed by vermin pirates the entire way. His ship was suffering smaller blows as he motivated his crew forward.

"We are nearly there, once we get within a good range of the Mountain of the Sea, these cowards will back off, mates! Keep at it!"
_

Adam was surprised to see Uldan, he had suspected him to be much later. Shren's ship was fairly done with battle, but the shrew was scaring off smaller vermin vessels as it continued to hamper the left flank of his own ship. Adam looked below, half expecting the battle to already be finished, only for a javelin to whizz near his face and graze his cheek. It was a close call, but the pirate who threw it was already climbing the stairs to the captain's bridge, and was attacking him. Adam calmly pulled out his rapier and skewered the vermin sea scum through the eye, letting the body drop to the ground.

The battle was not going well. Galgor and his sons were barely holding onto the deck as Hares began to drop left and right, his own crew reduced down to the sailors themselves and his marines nearly gone. The hares had somehow ended up losing and he had no idea how. Minto was directly challenging the lord, with Barfoof and Biggum holding out with their own band at the corner of the ship. The pirates and feral cats were using some strange tactics he had not seen before, using their numbers to a clear advantage. Hares could swiftly, and easily drop several vermin at once, but Minto didn't really care for losses, and instead would often leap himself to struggling vermin soldiers in the midst of battle. His presence alone drove the vermin onward, and often to their deaths.

The cats themselves were mortified, despite winning. They were dropping like flies all around, as three badgers would slay one of their numbers with a swift swing. Dagor was enjoying the fight a bit too much, often picking up the vermin and chucking them overboard, screaming all the way into the water. Salgor was perhaps more graceful, carefully picking his targets as he would slay one vermin and then move onto the next. Despite not having fought vermin before, Salgor was turning out to be a natural, and Galgor was becoming more proud of his boy.

Minto looked on, seeing the situation quickly deteriorate, especially as two Hare vessels were coming up the sides. Yet that wasn't the reinforcements which would doom him. Down below deck, two Hares in berets charged out of the brig with several other sailors, wielding crossbows and skirmishing weapons. Doufy and Cemar fired into a group of vermin. Minto thought fast, but not smartly, as he wheeled around and called out to his minions.

"Take down the hated enemy! Kill that badger lord! Death to the stripe dogs!"

Galgor was barely able to turn around as Minto and some companions were swiftly upon him. Minto thrusted his trident upward, and was caught by Galgor's longsword. The huge badger weapon parried Minto's weapon to the side as he and his minion continued their assault, slaughtering the defensive hares around him. Dagor gathered his strength and charged headlong into the group, but Minto remained undistracted. In a swift swing at the badger's face, Galgor felt a sharp pain and was half blinded as the feral cat's trident ripped into his snout, and stepped back. Minto looked on with glee, and realized he could impale his trident into the badger lord. Even if he died today, his dark memory would be having slain a badger lord, a glory which he long sought. He jumped up into the air before Dagor could reach him, and softly (and accidentally) landed into the waiting paws of Salgor who had come up to defend his father.

Minto looked into Salgor's harsh eyes for a moment, burning with hatred as Salgor took the wild cat and crushed him into the side rail. Minto tried to stab at the badger's arm, but could only flail around doing so. Salgor then threw the cat from the ship. Seeing this, the other vermin were swiftly retreating, just in time for the hare transports to unload reinforcements. The Mountain of the Sea was free, the Carrack and its fleet were soon disappearing into the horizon, worse for wear.

Barfoof had sustained an injury or two, one in the arm and another on his hind leg. Dacks was helping him bandage himself up, the squirrel knew how to help him. Biggum and Adam were perhaps the only non-injured Hares on the ship, with Doufy and Cemar looking a lot less worse. Yet the pain Barfoof had felt paled to his anger and frustration, standing up and looking out over the ocean, looking into the distance and hoping to see Black Beach. It was not there, and Barfoof began to mumble to himself in anger. He turned to the crowd of injured Long Patrol, looking a bit defeated despite their tactical victory.

Galgor sat stoically, as Salgor began to help apply a salve to his father. He may have been an overgrown secretary, but Galgor began to make mention of Salgor's performance in battle.

"You did well today, Salgor. A lot better than I suspected." Salgor kept his mouth shut, stewing over something that his father did not understand. His brother came over, wiping blood from his battle axe, almost impressed. "Well indeed, you fought like I had when I first began my adventures in the north."

Salgor broke the mood of the two, with a harsh speech. "None of this was necessary, and we still have a problem which we cannot even comprehend. That wasn't a full force we fought, it was a raiding party, a raiding party which got reinforcements from the western sea. Had we been more well prepared, we would have dealt them a critical blow AND saved those otters. Now we are stuck out here, with all the glory we will ever need and no means to fight this foe. Our navy should feel ashamed for what has happened here today."

Dagor shot daggers into his brothers eyes, shocked and dismayed that despite surviving a difficult situation, he still would say such cruel and heartless things. Galgor had to think a bit more on what his son said.

"Salgor, now is not the time for such talk! We must plan, and move swiftly against this enemy. We can do little with the state of our ships so far, but now we have at least a name to our enemy." Dagor shot back.

"Dagor, you don't understand. We would have been more swift if Adam had given us the information we needed from the start! This atrocity should have never happened to start with." Salgor looked around the deck sadly, watching as Hares dragged former comrades, covered in bloodied sheets, down below deck. At least some would get a proper funeral.

"Dagor is right, my son. Now is not the time for such talk."

"When will it ever be time, badger lord?" Salgor angrily ripped himself away from the two "Had we been even a fraction more prepared, we wouldn't be running from this enemy! We should have not been in a battle to start with, and you know it! This fault lays at the feet of our admiral, and our admiral alone."

Adam remained silent, with Biggum coming to his defense "Salgor, my chap, Adam Waterblow IV just saved you and the rest of us, if anything I'd give him a metal if we had them. This defeat was tragic, yes, but we cannot stew on lost issues now."

"I will hear no more of this, Biggum, and defending that incompetent should have seen you demoted as well!"

Biggum felt insulted, and was about to speak. However, Galgor spoke up angrily "Salgor, enough! You may be a leading member in this family, but only I have the right to promote and demote, as are our traditions! You will not speak poorly of my officers again, or I will beat you here and now."

Salgor grunted and relented, he knew his father all too well. Galgor had beaten him before for such misbehavior, and in front of the Long Patrol no less, Galgor folded his paws angrily, looking down at his son as he accepted defeat. He silently pushed them both aside and went down to the brig to stew, all while the rest of the crew watched. Adam gave an agreeable glance to his commanding officer who tipped his hat at him. Barfoof however soon broke out in a yelp.

"You ignorant pups and children! I have had enough of this." Barfoof took his sword and began going over towards a small sailboat, and began to unlatch it. Adam called out to him. "Barfoof, stop that this instant. We aren't retreating from the Mountain of the Sea just yet."

"I am not retreating, you damned fool, you lot are! Cemar, help me! We are going back, and we are going to help those otters before it is too late!"

Biggum spoke up harshly to Barfoof, watching as Cemar went over to help his superior officer. Several hares followed. "Get back here, Barfoof. There is nothing we can do for them now. I order you to return to your compartment."

"No. I will not, Biggum Bigtail." Dacks slowly joined over to Barfoof's side, the hare looking onwards at his general. Galgor had not seen this side of his hares before, as Doufy and other hares looked on. Barfoof began a speech, on which the badgers listened on with worried intent.

"We abandoned them, we abandoned all those poor beasts in the north to a fate worse than death, and now we are doing so again. Many of you fought in Kasg the Craven's war, you saw as his black clad tide of vermin stomped into Mossflower! I've led campaigns against them, for vengeance for my dear boy and son, left to die at a beach head, to distract that vile foe! I ask you now, to join me and help those creatures. We will go into the night, and-"

Biggum interrupted "And you will all die, fighting that endless tide alone, and doom them anyway. We cannot help them now, but we can help them later, when we have a better position and a plan."

"You aren't doing anything now! We need to go and help them, each moment wastes our time and-"

Biggum angrily strode forward, his paws clasped behind his back "And you will die, Barfoof. You can kill yourself if you wish, but you will not take my Hares with you."

Cemar shot back, angry "You are damning them, general. They will be abused, tortured, and broken down into cogs in whatever isle they end up in. You may not wish to know it, but we never recovered all the slaves from even Kasg's black horde. If we do nothing now, you are sentencing them to death. Nay, worse than death, in my bloody opinion."

Doufy shouted up "You lot are going to get yourselves not only killed, but captured, and what then mates? You'll be giving the same speech to the other imprisoned beasts? Come on Cemar, you know full well that this suicide mission ain't worth it."

The bickering arose, as Galgor looked on with silent abandon. The hares and others around him began to act like bickering vermin, or worse, acting like his bickering sons. Both sides were accusing each others and Galgor shouted loudly to the whole group "Enough!"

The crowd went silent as Galgor came over to Doufy and slammed his weapon into the lifeboat, it clattered and shattered, falling into the sea. Barfoof's group looked downward and back up at the badger lord who sickeningly began to speak to the group "Enough, I will not have any of you bickering at a time like this. I will not send you lot to die at the hands of vermin, but we are not giving up the chase so quickly, not until we deal this enemy a critical blow. Adam, turn this ship around, we are going to Green Isle and we are going to meet up with the otters. We'll repair our ships and get help from their high king. Barfoof, Biggum. You two are going to speak to me on this stupid, petty foolishness." Both followed into the badger's cabin as the Hares went about their business and obeyed.

Cemar came over to Doufy, a bit ashamed, and apologized for the tense situation. However, Doufy gave him a crooked smile.

"I understand mate, I do. No reason we cannot be good friends with different opinions. We do have no time to waste."

"I fear for those otters, Doufy. I do."

Doufy sighed "I know. I do as well, but Biggum is right. We can do nothing for them now. Seasons willing the vermin just execute them."

Cemar looked shocked "Execute them, mate? That is the best you can hope for them."

Dacks interrupted them both, a sadness in his voice "Aye. What the vermin will do to them could make even The Stone shiver."

Minto was half dazed, but he could only recover quickly as he could. He had been taught how to swim by his mother, a lesson needed to be learned long ago. Thinking swiftly, being pulled beneath the darkened water, the feral cat thrust open his armor and let it drop, and gasped for air. The only thing he held onto was his trident which had fallen with him. He swam and trudged towards the isle of Black Beach, the sun setting in the distance.

Minto came onto the shore, scraping by shells and rocks in the clear water, coughing and gagging. His fate hurt. It hurt a lot as he felt it. A blunt scar had formed across his face, and as he touched it he winced in pain. He gagged up fur and blood into the water, looking onward as Gashan and his pirates had set up camp nearby. The Pike's Revenge had been able to get out to sea, as other pirates were ordered to drop anchor and begin unloading their host. The feral cat transport slowly unloaded over 100 fresh troops, as Minto went over to the camp to swiftly take command. Many arose in both terror and admiration as the green eyed commander, soaking wet and bloodied, strode by as if nothing had happened.

Minto entered the command tent, with Gashan already putting on his best gear, the weasel played with a silver coin. He looked on surprised at the feral cat. "Ye are alive, Minto? Bless the sea an' call me a scrubber! I thought ya be dead, in all honesty!"

"I'm going to start killing a lot of otters now, Gashan. I don't know when I am going to stop. Tell me there are some left."

"Don't be takin yer father's new servants in scraps of gore just yet lad, and nay, we haven't even started. Most of the otters fled inward, toward the middle isle, but we gotz dem surrounded like a wall of galleys! We killed a few marines, took some prisoners, but der still out there. They an' der families all."

Minto gripped his trident harshly "You do not command me, weasel. As a prince of the Green Eyed Horde, I do as I please!"

"Ye, but ya try explain to yer father ye lost all yer new slaves to a fit of rage."

Minto relented, he hated pirates, and he especially hated them being right. He shook off the wet fur and sand from himself, some of it splattering on the annoyed weasel. "Gather your soldiers, and I'll gather mine. They are camped likely in the middle, with no escape, right? We'll attack tonight, while they are weak. Take as many prisoners, but spare none that try to openly fight back too much. I want them in chains and being loaded into the slave ship by next dawn."

"Yes me lord, Minto. Shall I send ye fer a towel as well, some grapes perhaps?" Gashan mocked. However, the cat didn't get the joke and sneered "Yes actually. You have an hour to prepare, and be swift."

Minto walked out, as Gashan flipped the coin into the air and it landed softly on a wooden table. He smiled and gleamed at it. It was a little trophy, a silver coin of green isle, looted from the small settlement.
_

Morland did not have a very good day, let alone a good night. The sea otters and their shrew allies were cheerful to see a Long Patrol warship rear around to help defend their home, but as soon as the the warship was rammed by the vermin galley, Morland had known things were turning south, very quickly. The otters had used the tactics which worked best to them, using a heavy skirmish line to harass and injure their opponents from afar, with Morland and his four other marines killing any vermin who dared to get into melee range. It worked well, up until it didn't, when the pirates began to tear apart planks of their own ship to use as cover and chase the otters further inland.

Under orders from the Streamdog noble clan family which lived nearby, the settlement was evacuated and moved further inland. The dense trees hid a small clearing and outpost in which the otters and the shrews quickly set up their camps, hoping the badgers of Salamanderstron would return, or that Green Isle would send reinforcements. Morland's commander however informed them that this would not be the case, and that their only hope was to hide. Otters could do so, but not swiftly, and began to build defensive ditches and traps to ward off the enemy scouts. Morland was in a small bunker, a hole, along with a younger marine. It was Mak, the frightened creature barely able to hang onto his own weapon.

"Get comfortable Mak, doesn't look like the cats will be haunting us. Their scouts walked straight into one of the pitfall traps we dug out, and are licking their wounds."

Mak sat uncomfortably "Me Ma was right, Morland. I should have joined the Merchant Guard patrol! There not even be five of us anymore since Pipat and Logan died."

Both names were known to Morland, two marines who died of their injuries in the fight with the pirates. Both were given good burials, along with several others. He shuddered to think what would come next, but yet Morland felt confident. He was a skilled fighter in himself, and had been capable of dispatching several vermin. Yet for cowards, the sea scum had been bold, driven on by more than the usual lust for loot and treasure.

"Just shut your trap and keep yourself calm, I doubt we won't see much action till tomorrow. The nobles say they scouted out an old smuggler's wharf with a system of caves on the other side of the isle, and we will move the folk in there tomorrow night, when we are all well rested and these vagabonds think we are all well scattered."

Mak had calmed down, but as he did, both heard a distant scream. It wasn't an otter yelp, but a shrew scream. Then there was another, and Morland looked up to investigate. He couldn't seem much except the distant lights of the camp. Then the light kept lighting up, and some were moving. Morland widened his eyes in a sudden and terrible realization. The pirates were attacking tonight, and they were descending on the camp.

Morland took up his hatchet and called down to Mak. "We need to move, get your sling ready annnnn-" A blade slowly drifted itself to Morland's throat and he stopped. As Mak came out from his hole, another slid to his throat as well. Both otters looked up terrified, seeing the face of several black cats in black hoods, with longbows strapped to their backs. Morland gritted his fangs in anger, but he could not do much but surrender.
_

Morland had known the cruelty of the vermin, he had seen the signs and victims of their terror, but to a victim himself was slowly breaking him down. The loud jangle of chain along with the whimpering cries of otter mothers holding dearly onto their youngest, while the males held down their sight to the cats who watched over them. Morland and Mak were brought that night to the feet of Minto Greeneyes, who had led an ambush of the camp along with a strange legion of black cloaked vermin, his army bolstered by all manner of evil creatures. They swiftly rounded up the otters and shrews and spent much of the night shackling them in chains, only to now lead them in the morning mists to a waiting transport on the shore. Morland could barely move, let alone speak, he had been harshly beaten by the angry wildcat, along with Mak. Mak did not survive it, and it tore at Morland's heart. Yet he did not pity Mak for knowing what he was seeing and going through now.

Minto watched over the slave line, being loaded on the ship, cracking a whip at the backs of every creature who dared even look at him let alone showed a sign of resilience. Morland may have been black and blue, but he did not envy the whip marks on those in front of him. One child who lagged fell at the side as the line pushed forward. Morland looked at the child, a shrew who was struggling to keep up to her mother, but a swift lash from Minto's whip sent her back into the ground.

"Get that wretch up and moving!" Minto smiled cruelly, but the shrew child only kept crying on the ground, writhing in pain. Minto came over, the father and mother shrew begging the line to stop so they could come and bring their daughter towards them, but the cats kept the line moving with whips and shoving. Minto angrily strode up to the child and called out to a guard "Put this one in the gallery of the ship as a rower, give this work beast something to really cry about." The cats dragged the poor creature away, much to the dismay and misery of her parents. Morland faced forward, the shackle of his neck was more heavier as he approached.

Minto's cruelty was still fresh in his mind, taking the Streamdog family aside and slaughtering the chief of the settlement without even a second thought, sentencing the rest to a gallery of the Pike's Revenge. As more and more of his people were loaded onto the ship, Morland sniffled pathetically and closed his eyes, tears streaming down as he heard the cruel laughs and jests of the vermin around him, and the weeping of others, resigning himself to the fate that awaited him.