"Lizards! What in bloody hell are they doing this far south?" Captain Santain boomed as he and Corporal Thimblebrand crept through the snowy undergrowth. They had been hot on the trail of whoever had destroyed the vermin camp almost four days ago.

"I bally well thought they hated the cold." Corporal Thimblebrand whispered.

"So did I!"

The two hares crept underneath the snow-dusted hedges and ferns that lined the edges of the frozen riverbed that ran a short way down from them. The river wasn't wide, just about a stone's throw to cross, and covered in ice. Santain suspected that if the two hares needed to cross, they could do so, only if they were extremely cautious. Marching in a line beneath them was a pawful of lizards carefully surrounding just over half a score of chained beasts in a single-file line down the bank of the frozen river. At the head of the procession led a giant monitor. He covered himself with various vermin pelts that were sewn together and had a score of tails of all species tied around his waist. Yellow bones from his previous kills were tied together and wrapped around his forearms and legs as armor. He carried a morning star in his claw that he used to swat away the shrubbery in his path.

"They don't seem t' care who they've captured, wot?" Thimblebrand whispered with a twitch of his nose.

"No, they don't," Santain mused as he rubbed his whiskers. "And I haven't got a clue why. These scalies oughta be snug as a bug inna rug, hunkered down fer th' winter, not gallivantin' 'round like they own th' place, makin' trouble fer every beast they cross paths with!"

The slaves were tied together with a thick rope that wound about their necks. Their paws were tied together in front of them and several looked like they were in various stages of starvation. Santain's eyes were drawn to a young hedgehog who stumbled and fell to her face. The procession buckled to a halt as a gnarled slaver trudged toward her. The hedgehog was a dibbun, probably the eldest of the family that was bound in front and behind her parents and siblings. The father quickly knelt over his daughter and said a few hushed words to her. The slaver promptly kicked him away swatting him with the flat of his blade. Captain Santain couldn't hear what the lizard said but the shouting had gotten several of the other slavers' attention as several crowded around the little hedgehog and began to kick her.

An infuriated Corporal Thimblebrand swore and began to leave the cover of the tree line. Captain Santain pulled the hare down before he could charge into the fray.

"Stay down Corporal!"

"Sah, they're gonna beat her to death, wot!"

"We charge 'em, but then wot? We're not gonna take all o' them without catching several o' 'em off guard. Can't do anything but trail and wait for them to stop before we free the slaves."

Corporal Thimblebrand begrudgingly returned to a crouch. Santain hated to wait and watch, it was cowardly, but it was a smart decision. Biting his tongue, he had to hope that the slavers didn't beat the little hedgehog to death. The hares had come across the desecrated corpses of a ferret and a squirrel about a day before catching up with the main group. Santain hoped the hedgehog wouldn't be the next.

The lizards stopped kicking the hedgehog and crowded about to deliberate amongst themselves on what the best course of action would be. The hedgehog family crowded around the dibbun and tried to motivate her to stand. The other slaves stood panting, grateful for a rest. Captain Santain and Corporal Thimblebrand were a stone's throw from the last few slaves on the ridge overlooking the river. Four vermin were tied in a row behind the hedgehog family guarded by a slaver who was all too happy to jab them with his spear.

"What's that otter doing?" Thimblebrand asked his paws at the ready for a fight.

Santain looked toward the group of lizards as an otter strolled up to them. One of the lizards shouted something at the barrel-chested beast but he didn't listen, a rat and mole followed closely to either side of him as they were all chained together. The gnarled lizard who had first kicked the hedgehog barked at the otter to get back in line. The otter ignored him as the two came within a whisker of each other. Spittle flew from the reptile's mouth before the otter headbutted him in the face. The slaver snapped back into the snow as his comrades jumped on the otter. A fury of snarling and hissing could be heard as the trio of slaves and group of lizards attacked each other.

Santain saw the monitor huff in fury as he began toward the brawling otter who managed to knock away another one of the lizards back with a ferocious kick. The last reptile in the procession stormed toward the fight as a weasel, whose fur was a dirty dark mud color, and a skinny vixen stepped in his way. The scrawny lizard raised his spear to push them aside when the weasel grabbed spear from the unsuspecting lizard and yanked it from his claws. Before the lizard could react, the vixen kicked her captor between his legs as the dark-furred weasel wrapped the rope connecting the two vermin about his neck. The two vermin bolted in the opposite direction tightening the line wrapped around their captor as he fell to his knees. The third prisoner, a rat, leaped onto the spear before turning it and plunging it into the lizard's chest. Ripping it free the vermin thrust it through the slaver twice more before he collapsed to the ground with a shudder. Quickly the vermin set upon the lizard's body searching for a knife to cut themselves free.

The giant monitor hissed as he grabbed the otter's head from behind and slammed him into the snow. The other lizards around him began to kick at the otter as he tried to push himself up. The mole and rat chained beside the otter fought with all their might but were quickly forced back by the heads of several spears. The great lizard's eyes were pitch black and found the escaping vermin who were now cutting their paws free. He roared and pointed at them giving the otter enough freedom to roll about and land several blows to his dark green skin. The vermin looked at the lizards who turned to look at their escaping prey, and a moment of confusion swept through the slavers.

"Run you vermin bastards! Run!" Santain heard Corporal Thimblebrand shout.

The weasel was the first move as he freed his paws and bolted away from the slavers, trying to save his skin. The fox and rat cursed him as he had taken the knife along with him. With fresh panic the rat finished sawing through his binds before slashing through the vixen's binds and bolting. The fox followed shortly behind. Before the vermin could get far three lizards were on their tails, shouting and hissing at them in their horrific voices. The fox quickly made up the distance between her and the shorter rat as they sprinted for the ridge and the safety of the tree line. As he ran the rat turned and hurled the spear, catching one of the lizards in the throat with a guttural squelch. Before he could rejoice one of the slavers' spears pierced his chest and he crashed into the ground with a mighty crunch.

The vixen's danced about franticly to keep from being hit by a potential spear hurled toward her. Her face was a mix between desperation and exertion brought on by what were most likely days of exposure to the harsh elements and a lack of food. Santain was so engrossed by the vermin's desperate attempts to escape that he barely noticed that she was rushing right at his position. The fox now was so close he could smell her.

"Corporal! Get ready for a scrap!"

"Sah, ye just said to stay low!"

"She's barrelin' right for us! We'll worry about her later, focus on those lizard scum!" Santain said as he tightened his grip on his halberd.

The shorter sturdier hare nodded and readied his spear.

"On my mark. Rush 'em and slay the lot of those bloody savages." Captain Santain quietly barked. "3… 2… 1! Now!"

"Eulalia!" The Long Patrol hares bellowed as they charged from the bushes. The startled fox tried sliding to a stop as she held her paws out in front of her. The hares rushed by her and skewered the chasing lizards before they could raise their weapons.

The lizards guarding the remaining slaves roared in anger and charged toward the hares. There was a cry of joy from the slaves as they realized the Long Patrol had come to save them. Captain Santain reached the bottom of the bank as the first lizard thrust his spear to meet him.

Santain deftly stepped to the left letting the spearhead hang weightlessly in the air as the hare propelled the tip of his halberd into the soft scales that covered the vile creature's upper neck. Pulling his weapon free Santain batted away the thrusts of another slaver before quickly slashing back at his attacker. The burly lizard forced the halberd askew as he leaped back from the hare who engaged a second lizard who rushed to attack the open Captain.

"Not today ye bally codger! Looks like the lot of ye need tah be taught a lesson, wot wot!" Captain Santain chirped as he drove the end of his halberd into the lizard's arm only to have to retreat as the burly lizard hurled his spear at the hare. The spear soared past the Long Patrol Captain and struck a lanky, green, and black lizard who was engaging Corporal Thimblebrand. The beast let out a piercing screech before he was silenced by the younger hare.

"Ya missed ye addlebrained pillock! Yer mum mustah dropped ye on yer head when yew was just a rotten egg!" Santain bellowed as he swung his halberd at the now unarmed beast. The slaver quickly unsheathed a curved sword and parried halberd at the last possible moment. Steel met steel in a clash that echoed through the icy river.

"Die haresssss!" The injured lizard rushed toward Santain with his spear in his uninjured arm. Santain swore as his halberd was locked against the burly slaver's sword and he dove to the side releasing his grip on the weapon and dodging the enemy's advances. Santain pulled his rapier free with a deadly hiss and used it to slow the lizard's attacks. Having stopped the lizard Santain drove forward slashing at the beast's claws and forearm hoping to eventually render it useless. The burly reptile from earlier had tossed Santain's halberd to the side as Corporal Thimblebrand charged at him with a flurry of thrusts of his spear.

Santain could see several other lizards biding their time waiting for the perfect moment to leap on the hares like cowards. Santain thought he'd finish the injured one before he got overwhelmed. The injured lizard thrust his stone spearhead at Santain who deftly stepped aside before slashing at his claw. The blade cut threw three knuckles and the spear as the beast cried out in pain. The captain slashed his throat and brushed him aside as he turned to face the giant lizard that rumbled toward him.

"By jove! Yew smell like a rotten ulcer ye, mountainous mongrel!" Santain barked at the giant lizard. The beast was a head taller than Santain and much bigger. His maw looked as if it had been torn apart before being stitched together again. Upon closer inspection the lizard had gnarled twisted yellow teeth dripping with saliva and three dark lines painted on the center of his face which ran from the top of his head to his mouth.

The lizard roared and rushed towards the hare. Santain bolted away from the river as the lizard slammed his morning star into the snow with an avalanche-like thud. Santain charged toward the great lizard trying to slash at his tendons and soft spots. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the glint of silvery steel headed toward him and ducked, sliding into the snow. Springing to his feet he was met with a flurry of slashes from one of the few remaining lizards. Santain backpedaled aware of the giant lizard who pulled his weapon free from the frozen earth.

Before Santain could go on the offensive a stone spearhead burst through the lizard's chest. The lizard stopped for a moment, his mouth wide as he looked between the hare and the spear extruding from his body before collapsing in a heap. Santain looked for Corporal Thimblebrand, but he was still locked in combat with the burly slaver who had taken Santiain's halberd. Instead, he found the eye of the grey rat who had been tied alongside the otter. She had freed herself and watched the hare with a curious expression as the mole and otter worked to overwhelm the last slaver.

Santain wondered whether the rat was intending to kill him or the slaver. It didn't matter as the giant lizard rushed toward him again with a terrible roar. Santain rushed to the side to avoid another stone-crushing blow. He poked and slashed at the beast but only dealt what felt like scratches to the giant beast.

"Corporal, I'm gonna need your help!" Captain Santain yelled as he ducked underneath yet another swipe from the lizard's club.

"Aye! Just a moment sah!" Corporal Thimblebrand responded as he poked the burly lizard's wild slash away before driving his spearhead through his neck.

"Good work laddie! Get on the other side of this brute. He can't take the both of us, wot!"

"Yes sah!" Corporal Thimblebrand cried as he ran to flank the beast.

Santain saw the lizard's focus shift to Corporal Thimblebrand, so he rushed forward and slashed at the monitor's leg. The blade cut through the bone armor and left a gash the length of his forearm in the thigh. The lizard swiped at Santain, who danced away as gracefully as a butterfly as Corporal Thimblebrand charged forward, stabbing the lizard's arm and shoulder. The brute roared in pain as he turned to face the springy hare who bounced back a safe distance as the lizards swung his weapon towards him.

"That's it lad!" Santain shouted as he charged toward the lizard striking his calf and back with long but non-lethal cuts. The lizard roared as he turned back toward the captain only to see him bounce back a safe distance before Corporal Thimblebrand drove the tip of his spear into the slaver's foot.

"Ha! Ya missed ye shriveled slug!" Thimblebrand taunted as he rushed free from the danger of the morning star.

Santain could see the lizard was becoming exhausted. Blood from his legs trickled into the surrounding snow. His vengeful eyes darted between the two hares expecting another attack.

We can't let this monster live; else he slaves another score o' good beasts.

Santain raised his rapier to his chest preparing for one final thrust when the lizard did something unexpected. With a surprising amount of speed for his injuries and size the beast charged at him. Santain backpedaled until he collided with someone he hadn't expected, an enslaved ferret.

"Wot in blazes are yew doin'!"

The vermin opened his mouth in a wide 'o' as the lizard stormed toward the two of them.

"Captain!" Corporal Thimblebrand shouted as he rushed toward his superior.

Santain saw what was coming but it was too late. The lizard's eyes widened upon hearing the voice behind him and he whipped about to face the hare. Corporal Thimblebrand was caught in the open a few paces from the beast. With no ability to stop his momentum, the great lizard's morning star collided with the young hare's midsection with a meaty crunch. The young hare spiraled to the side through the air, before landing in a perfectly still heap.

"Corporal!" Santain yelled as he rushed forward and plunged his rapier through the lizard's back. The brute howled in pain and fell to a knee as Santain pulled his rapier free and slashed at the reptile. He hacked into the fur pelts along the lizard's back cutting them into ribbons as blood and scales splashed onto his face.

"You bloody monster! Why won't you die!" Santain yelled as he continued to yell at the lizard's exposed backside. To his fury, the beast tried to stand and Santain leaped onto his back sending the brute back to a knee. The lizard grabbed the hare's coat and tried to rip him from his back, but Santain dug in with his claws and teeth. The lizard jolted upright and twisted trying to shake off the hare like one would do so a pesky fly, but the Long Patrol hare held on, wrapping his arms about the monitor's meaty neck. Santain's vision was a red-and-white blur of fury as he grabbed the blade of his rapier with his left paw. With the hilt of his blade in his right, he leaned back pressing the blade against the lizard's throat. The beast let out a gurgled cry as he thrashed about desperate to get the hare off him. Santain pressed his feet against the lizard's slippery hide and pushed pulling the blade through the beast until he felt nothing but air.

The headless lizard fell backward pinning Santain underneath his corpse. Santain let go of his sword and pushed the heavy carcass off him. He lay for a moment panting, feeling the cold snow cool every heated muscle in his body. The lizard's blood was warm, but his own blood ran hot with the thrill of battle. Then he remembered Corporal Thimblebrand.

"Tim!" Santain cried as he awkwardly rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself upright. His senses were at their peak, yet his body felt like he was at the bottom of the sea. He stumbled over to the Corporal's body but there was nothing that he could do. Corporal Tim Thimblebrand of the Long Patrol was dead.

Captain Santain's head fell into his paws, and he cried. He had lost friends and allies before, but it never got easier. It was easy in the heat of battle to shrug off watching a comrade be slain but it always fueled his fire for justice. It was different when a beast died that he was in command over. It was a personal failure on his part, and although there might have been nothing he could have done he was still their leader, and the loss was on him. Wiping his eyes clear of the blurry of tears he realized there was one more beast that had to be taken care of.

Rising to his feet he looked at the horrified faces of the hedgehog family, of the rat that had helped him, and of the ferret who caused the death of one of his men. The otter and mole struggled to wrangle the lone surviving lizard. Seeing the gore-splattered hare must have galvanized the beast as he ripped off the two beasts attempting to subdue him and fled onto the ice. Santain's blood boiled. With a new fury in his eyes, he strode toward the otter and plucked the spear he held from his paws, and with a grunt, he threw it. The spear arched high and sped swiftly through the air drawing a curve towards the ice and landing a pace in front of the lizard. The lizard laughed as he rushed by it but slid to a stop as he heard the first hollow crack. A malicious grin cascaded across Santain's features as several hollow twangs could be heard reverberating through the ice. The lizard looked back towards the hare as the ice broke and he plunged into the frozen river below.

"Good work." The otter said as he came over to congratulate the hare, but Santain didn't hear him. His attention was focused on the ferret using his rapier to cut the binds around his wrist. Santain stormed by the hedgehog parents who were trying to free their children.

"You rotten scum!" Santain hissed as he slugged the ferret in the jaw. The vermin cried out in pain before the hare stomped on his stomach. "You could've moved, or runoff, or tried to help! But yew stood there like a sniveling coward waiting tah die!"

The hare pressed his knee into the vermin's chest pinning his arms and letting him land a flurry of blows to the beast's head. "You did that on purpose! You wanted to get him killed!" Santain shouted as he continued to punch the vermin.

"I-I-I didn't mean tah trip y-y-ye. P-p-please, stop!" Santain punched the ferret in the nose to quiet his blabbering.

"So, yer a stupid one aren't ya!" Santain grunted as he continued to beat the shaking ferret. "Looks like I'm gonna 'ave tah knock some sense intah ye, wot!"

Santain stopped attacking the ferret and retrieved his rapier before cutting the rope around the groaning beast's neck.

"You smell downright dreadful! So, you're gonna need a bath 'fore I can thrash ye properly, wot!" Santain snapped as he hoisted the ferret to his feet.

"B-b-but it's too cold. I'll freeze!" The ferret stammered as he was pushed toward the river.

"Nonsense, the waters just balmy, an the cold 'll help clean what little brains ye 'ave." Santain gave him a stiff boot in the rear that sent him sprawling forward.

The hare captain looked over his shoulder at the other captive woodlanders and grey rat.

"Don't you lot worry I'll give this villain a taste o' justice and I'll get the lot of ye home, wot." Santain's eyes remained on the rat. "As for you, ratess I suggest you crawl back to whatever cave ye came from before I finish with this scoundrel ferret, or we'll be havin' ourselves a proper chat."

Santain goaded the ferret onto the ice with the tip of his rapier.

"What's yer name vermin?"

"D-Dronga."

"Dronga hmmm. What a terrible name." Santain responded, kicking the ferret in the rear.

"P-p-please I-I-I can't swim."

Captain Santain cuffed him. "This is the best way tah learn friend," Santain said with an unkind smile.

"B-but me paws-" Dronga raised his still-bound paws to show the hare.

"Ye don't need paws tah swim vermin, wot." Santain responded, halting their progress onto the ice. "Ye might need 'em if ye wanna survive the pike though."

"P-pike?"

Santain took his rapier and drove it through the ferret's calf eliciting a high-pitched scream and dropping him to a knee. In a fluid motion, he grabbed the back of the vermin's head and slammed it into the ice. The ice cracked but didn't break leaving a splatter of blood. Grunting Santain slammed his head into it again to no success. On the third attempt the ice broke and Santain plunged Dronga into the water. The hare laughed as the vermin began to thrash about kicking Santain with his bloody leg.

"Dronga ol' pal ye reek of somethin' vile. Looks like we'll need tah wash all of ye, wot wot!" Santain cackled as he forced the rest of the ferret underwater. The vermin tried to resurface but Santain held him under the water as the ferret thrashed about.

Santain was laughing to himself before being knocked to his rear by the otter.

"What in blazes are you doin' ye mad brute?" The otter snapped as he stood over top of the hare. The mole and rat desperately hauled the floundering ferret onto the ice.

"I'm knocking some sense intah the vermin you waterlogged fool!"

"You're torturing him!" The mole cried to Santain's surprise.

"Since when do moles talk like that?" Santain blurted.

"Since when d'ye care ye torturin' monster!" The mole snapped back. As he cradled the coughing and shivering ferret.

"Wungle, get 'em off the ice and cover him with something' warm. Moss, get somethin' tah start a fire. I know one of those scaled brutes got a flint n' steel somewhere. I'll make sure this Long Patrol fiend doesn't do anything stupid."

"Watch your tongue boy!" Santain snapped as he leapt to his feet. The ice beneath him groaned and popped under his weight.

"Let's get off the ice 'fore we do anything stupid shall we?" The otter asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fine, but I want answers! What's yer names anyway?"

"I'm Ramir and these are my siblings Wungle and Mosslyn Steeltail!"

Got this done sooner than expected. It's been almost 2 years since I started the fic and I would like to thank you for your support! Cheers to another great two years!

As always please let me know what you think and what I can improve on. Any and all feedback is appreciated!