Happy to get this one out! Definitely having some issues with the dialects for the characters but I'm working on it.
Please let me know what you think and what I can improve on. Enjoy!
Seabanes eyes slowly slid shut as he warmed himself with the scant precious rays of sunlight. A light and fuzzy feeling slowly rose from the tip of his tail to the end of his oak-colored ears as he drifted into the warm embrace of sleep. He began to dream of seasons long past where the food was bountiful and the world around him was as rich and bright as the treasure stored in the heart of Salamandastron. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his chest. The place he had dreamt of for seasons swirled away and vanished into the darkness. Seabane opened his eyes and broke into a bitter coughing fit.
It had been two days since Seabane had almost smooth-talked his way to food, supplies, and a chance of survival. It had also been two days since he came within a hair's breadth of being slain by the squirrel Ferris, and the deserters had squandered their golden opportunity. He hadn't rested since.
After burning the squirrel's home to the ground, they fled into the night. Seabane had urged them onward harder than he had done before, aware of the danger they were in, and furious at their failure at the squirrel's home. It wasn't until Silvertoung collapsed in exhaustion did Seabane realize he might have pushed them too hard. Even then he wanted to continue until they were well away from the danger. Seabane tried threatening Silvertoung to keep her moving, but she could barely rise to her footpaws, much less carry her wounded mate. Muckfur had silently suggested leaving the weasels and their kits behind. As he said, "they're nothing but deadbeasts walking." Seabane knew he was right but didn't want to openly admit it. After Muckfur had ruined their opportunity the last thing Seabane wanted was input from the dark-furred weasel. Seabane also didn't want to leave behind his oldest friend from the horde. Especially since he was the one who put Crooksnout and his family's life at risk. Amidst the howling winter snow that assaulted the woods around him, Seabane felt a dark and bottomless void of hopelessness grow from within.
Thankfully, the silence didn't last long as Ruddy tumbled into the remains of the old home they were currently living in. To call it home was a stretch, all that remained were the stones of the fireplace and two walls, which were precariously close to collapsing under their own weight. Seabane was leaning on one as he watched Ruddy sharpen several sticks into spears and javelins.
He still fumed at Ruddy's disobedience to him, along with that of Herrik and Muckfur. Seabane couldn't help but blame it on the fox's overzealousness and lack of experience, along with having a poor influence in Muckfur. Unfortunately, it was always a combination of those three traits that get vermin killed. Herrik had learned that the hard way. He hadn't stirred since getting brained by the female squirrel, and the silence had been strangely lovely. Seabane admitted that Herrik was the least useful out of the deserters. He usually stayed far from the other vermin muttering incessantly to himself. But out of everybeast Herrik responded the best from a little threatening from Seabane or Marrow. He was the easiest to control that is. Unfortunately, Seabane didn't think he would wake from his slumber; Sathe thought the same.
That damn ferret! He was doubtful of her abilities as a healer, much more so as a seer. To her credit, she hadn't been asked to do anything aside from healing on their journey. Perhaps he should ask her if she could see what the future held. If she actually succeeded in predicting something, then maybe they had a chance to survive the winter. After all, he had only trusted her as a healer, not as a seer.
Seabane thought hard, biting his lip until it bled. No. There was no way he was going to trust Sathe. Not yet. Not when she hadn't proven herself doing the one thing, he knew she was good at, healing.
Seabane kicked at the snow that lay in piles around him and sent a tirade of curses out as he stubbed a toe on a piece of ice. The pain brought up more memories of that terrible night. Memories of fire and deceit with one name returning to his mind, Muckfur!
Muckfur was the reason they were freezing their tails off! He was the one who had convinced Herrik and Ruddy to attack the house. Even if he was the only beast that was bringing them vittles, he was hardly trustworthy or humble about it. Shortly after Sathe and Ruddy had left on their ill-fated scavenging, Muckfur had brought back a magpie and other foods he had foraged from the surrounding woods. He wouldn't shut up about it. He was further boldened when Sathe returned with a battered Ruddy.
His mocking of the two of them seemed to hurt Sathe more than the injured fox. Seabane hoped Sathe and Muckfur would see the squirrel as a bargaining chip and at least try to make things work. Instead, they had fought and snapped at each other to the point they had almost come to blows. Seabane didn't blame Sathe entirely for what happened at the squirrel's cottage. But he was still irate she almost led them straight into a holt of otters. However, his point was made with the baby squirrel. Aside from complaining to him about the herbs or leaves she claimed to need. Her spats with Seabane had gone away for now. Perhaps like Ruddy, she was growing smarter. But that probably wasn't the case.
Seabane realized he despised everybeast in his rough band. Every clumsy scrape of Ruddy's axe on the wooden sticks aggravated his throbbing head even further, reminding him of their pitiful state. The vermin were either too young, too prideful, too incompetent, or too injured to be anything other than a burden to the rest of the deserters. Perhaps this was why warlords like Zidar treated their hordebeasts like filth. If that was the case Seabane felt a slight shred of pity for the warlord and his officers. Getting these beasts to do anything beyond stuffing themselves and bickering with each other was akin to pulling teeth. On top of that, Seabane wondered who he could really rely on. Any smart vermin knows that the only beast one could fully trust was himself. Stories of vermin being backstabbed by those they thought of as allies were commonly heard around campfires. They were thrilling stories of rising to the top of a horde's hierarchy, and warnings about being too trustworthy of your own kind. As nice as it is to have another pair of claws at your disposal. One needs to make sure that those claws won't someday be wrapped around your throat.
"How's your head feeling, mate?"
"It's fine." The fox said without looking at Seabane.
The poor beast's pride was hurt, Seabane thought. All the vermin who were well enough to stand berated the fox upon his return. Ruddy took it without much complaint but moved about the camp like the slaves on the deck of The Damnation. Carefully watching and waiting for the next lash of the whip or rapt of the blade.
Hopefully, Seabane thought, it was a sign he was maturing.
It's humiliating when a beast is only known for his failures or his fears. It's even worse when he's named after it. It's something both he and Bloodclaw shared. It's one of the reasons Seabane had a soft spot for the fox. At least Ruddy could remember what his given name was, that was something Seabane envied about him. He was young enough to remember what life was like aside from all the violence and scheming that living in the horde brought. Seabane was too old, or his memory was too clouded to recall what life was like before his time in Zidar's horde or on The Damnation. All he knew was that it just felt better, peaceful even.
Seabane shook the memory from his head. Sure, reminiscing when he was just a babe in a vermin tribe was nice, but his premonitions were something else. His premonition saved him from certain death on The Damnation.
Besides, Seabane thought to himself, memories mean nothing if you're dead. He needed to survive to enjoy them. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed all the deserter's support to survive.
Ruddy turned and handed a spear to Seabane.
"D'ya thinks this one'll be good for Crooksnout, cus we lost his sword an' all that?"
Seabane studied the spear. In their rush away from the burning cottage, the vermin had forgotten to retrieve Crooksnouts short sword he had lost with his skirmish with the squirrel.
"Aye looks good to me. When you're finished with those spears, you'll want to heat the sharp ends in the fire to harden them."
"How d'ye do that?"
Seabane sighed and looked up above the treetops to quell his annoyance with the young fox. Didn't he know how to do anything?
"Yar, ye slowly cook the end, like yer cooking a fish. Ye don't want to burn their ends, or it'll become useless."
"Ok, I have a few more to go."
"Wait, only do that to the javelins, not the spears. The heat will make them crumble like wet sand."
"That's not what you said earlier."
"Forget it! I'll just show ye what to do with 'em when you're done."
The fox turned back to his work with somewhat less enthusiasm than when he began. Seabane watched him with similar emotion.
Although Ruddy couldn't do much without help, Seabane was proud of what he had been able to accomplish with nothing but Marrow's brute strength and his own wits. Seabane and Marrow had gathered branches and moss from the surrounding grove to make individual tents and beds for the vermin. The sick tent, which was formerly made from the squirrel's blanket, was replaced with sticks and limbs from the surrounding pine trees leaning in a 'V' shape with one of the remaining walls. Seabane had done his best to fill the gaps with some mud to provide more protection from the wind. It wasn't much but it worked far better than just the blanket, which was currently wrapped around a sick Silvertoung. They had also removed the snow from the inside the foundation of the house or trampled it down to cold mud. Crooksnout sat at the entrance of the tent, absentmindedly stroking his mate's fur.
Bored with watching the fox, Seabane strode into the camp. He called Ruddy to go to the fire once he was done with the weapons. Crooksnout rolled his head over to watch Seabane saunter towards him.
"How's th' arm?"
"Broken cus of that squirrel."
"It'll get better, jus' don't try an use it."
"I wish you'd have said that after ye' had me build the fire!"
Seabane had Crooksnout and his one good arm gather stones to build a new firepit. It was an easy task, although it didn't stop him from muttering oaths under his breath the entire time. Eventually, he had finished building it, just in time for Muckfur to return with a magpie.
"Iv ye' didn't then we'd have nothing to cook our bird last night. So, thank ye." Seabane said as kindly as he could muster.
"Aye…but it still didn't help me fix my arm!"
"But it helped me, Silvertoung, yer kits, and the others fill der bellies, which'll give all of us some sort of chance, aye?" Seabane shot with a twinge of annoyance.
"Sure," Crooksnout said rubbing his crooked nose after a moment's pause. He was more focused on comforting his mate than on small talk with Seabane. Seabane in turn had nothing more to say to the weasel.
"Where're my thanks?"
"Huh, what?" Seabane spun around searching for the voice.
Muckfur squatted awkwardly at the fire and picked at the leftover meal from the night before. He was trying to suck the marrow from the remaining bones. Muckfur eyed him oddly as he did so.
"You thanked that lazy fool for moving some stones around. I caught us a meal where're my thanks?"
Seabane snorted. "Thanks? Thanks for killing those squirrels who were going to give us supplies. Thanks for burning their home down with their vikkles inside. Thanks for almost getting Crooksnout an' me killed because you were too arrogant to follow orders again! What else should I thank you for?"
Muckfur had saliva dripping from the magpie bone in his mouth. The fur around his mouth and on his chin was wet and held remnants of his meal. For a moment Muckfur's eyes looked glassy, but Seabane must have been imagining things. He shook his head and Muckfur's spiteful glare met his own.
"I caught the bird yesterday, and I've been finding most all our food up until now. I would also remind you that I've been the only beast to do so without getting hurt." He said thumbing at Ruddy, who approached them. His arms were overburdened with homemade javelins and spears.
"Any beast could've been hit by a falling branch, there are plenty of dead and dying trees in these woods." Seabane gestured to the bare branches above them.
"No, only fools would be caught unawares by a tree of all things!" Muckfur snarled. "If they weren't as careful as me, they could've run into the otter holt just south of here."
"What!" Seabane roared his heart leaping into his throat.
"An otter holt. But there's no need to worry."
"No need to worry! If that holt knows we're here, they'll slay all of us!" Snapped Crooksnout from the sick tent.
"No, they won't. They don't have enough beasts to do so."
"How'd ye know that!" Spat Seabane, his head swirling at the news. Muckfur seemed to be unworried but that was exactly what concerned Seabane.
"Because when I scouted them yesterday all I could see were some otter babes and about two er three beasts that were warrior material."
"The two or three you saw could be more than enough to destroy us."
"Yes, they could. If they catch us unawares."
"How d'ye know no beast followed ye?" Ruddy interjected curiously.
"Because I would've heard em followin' me. Clumsy oafs would've torn up the whole forest following my trail if they found it, just like they did with Sathe. But I covered my tracks just in case."
Ruddy looked appeased at the answer. He searched Seabane's expression for agreement.
"That's good, right? They don't know where we are."
Seabane rubbed his eyes ignoring the fox. His head pounded, the lack of sleep, exhaustion, cold, and hunger had taken its toll. He just needed to calm down and think.
He said nothing for a minute as he weighed their options.
"We're going to need to move farther south again."
A shocked cry rose from the vermin.
"We just got here!" Ruddy complained.
"I just spent all day making that fire pit with one arm! Now ya tell me to move my sick mate and kits to some far-off place they won't live long enough to see!" Crooksnout snapped at Seabane.
"Thanks to this fool!" Seabane pointed at Muckfur. "We're dead if the otters find out where we are. Those brutes hate vermin to their core. If we don't leave, they'll find us and slay us all."
Muckfur was ready to take a stand.
"No. We've been traveling south for far too long and what have we gotten? Nothing! We've been freezing and starving to death because you promised a better life in the Southlands! What d'ya think will happen when we finally make it far enough south? Are all the woodlanders going to disappear? D'ye even know where we're going?"
Seabane shook his head, "I'll know when we get there."
"You'll know but we won't! We could've been living in that squirrel's cottage if you didn't have to complicate things! Why didn't ya wanna slay those squirrels anyway?"
"We didn't attack the cottage because we didn't know what was in it!" Seabane said through gritted teeth. "Turns out it was just some squirrels, but you didn't have to go in an' slay'em an' almost get me killed! How many times do I have tah tell ya before it gets inta yar thick skull!"
"That's not the reason ye didn't want to attack them. Ye was soft in the horde and terrified of woodlanders."
"There's being soft and being smart, idiot! An' I didn't burn the squirrel's home down when we didn't have any of their goods."
"I told you it wasn't me who started the fire, one ov the squirrel's musta bumped inter it when we were fightin' them! Ye could've helped, but instead, ye got tossed around by a lame old squirrel!"
"Yew ran from the cabin leaving Herrik to burn to death and Crooksnout to be gutted!"
"Yes, I did. If ye were smart ye would've done the same. If ya wanted us to leave the camp, then ya should've done so the first night here. You would've let Crooksnout and his miserable lot freeze to death, but we would've escaped from the danger. But you didn't! You're weak Seabane, and that'll get us all killed!"
Crooksnout got to his feet and shouted at Muckfur. The yelling and shouting amongst the vermin had risen to the point Seabane didn't hear a small babe begin to cry.
"Shaddup all of you!" Sathe yelped as she barged back into the camp her hood falling off her ears as she did so. She had been busy grounding the herbs and plants she and Ruddy had found. Sathe did it away from the other beasts as she claimed she could think and work better without them pestering her.
"I kin barely think with yew idiots fighting." She turned her nose to Muckfur. "You woke the squirrel, now you go an' take care of it."
Muckfur drew his knife. "Yew don't order me around ferret! Ever since we left the horde you've been nothing but a spoilt wench!"
Sathe slapped Muckfur across the face.
"Don't you ever talk to me like that you disgusting toad! I'll-" Sathe was cut off as Muckfur landed a fist into her stomach.
Sathe doubled over gasping for breath as Muckfur pounced atop her. Seabane rushed over to separate the two. Aside from Sathe being slightly taller than Muckfur, the weasel held the obvious physical advantage. In addition, Muckfur had been in far more scraps than Sathe and it showed. He had pinned Sathe by kneeling on her chest and had one paw clawing at her face while the other, which still held the knife, repeatedly punched her.
Seabane struggled to pull the furious Muckfur off Sathe, thankful that he had managed to at least loosen the blade from his grasp. Muckfur continued to struggle in Seabane's arms as Sathe lay in the mud, shaking with tears.
"Stop ya stupid beast!" Seabane dodged a claw intended for him as he struggled to wrangle the weasel. Muckfur responded with a palm into Seabanes chin loosening a few teeth. He continued to thrash about, kicking, and hitting at Seabane whenever he could.
"I'll kill you rat!"
"Stop or I'll cut yer tail off and stuff it down yer throat!" Seabane tried rolling on top of Muckfur to pin him into submission.
Muckfur reacted quickly, propping himself on one elbow preventing Seabane from completely rolling over the top of him and keeping his head out of the mud. Suddenly Muckfur whipped his head back right into Seabane's snout. Seabane roared curses as his paws instinctively went to his nose, losing his grip on Muckfur who kicked hard at his chest. A savage coughing fit ensued from the rat.
Catching his breath Seabane got to his knees and pulled his cutlass free, he intended to kill the weasel. Muckfurs face twisted into a rage, and he snarled. He scrambled through the mud to grab his knife as Seabane staggered to his footpaws and struggled to control his coughing fit. Muckfur pulled the knife from the slurry of ice and snow around the fire and started slowly towards Seabane. Playfully tossing the knife between his paws as Seabane struggled to breathe.
"Ye know I liked ye Seabane. In the horde, you seemed like one of the few smart beasts. But now I know yer nothing but a mad, wet-eared, coward!" Muckfur mused inching closer.
"It's a shame, ye could've been such a great warrior." Muckfur hurled a paw full of snow and mud into Seabanes eyes blinding him.
Muckfur leaped forward with the killing blow as Seabane staggered back. Seabane grit his teeth and lashed out with his cutlass, hoping to hit the weasel. He felt nothing but heard a terrified squeak and rush of air.
Seabane quickly rubbed the mud and snow from his eyes. Marrow held Muckfur by the scruff of his neck. His knife lay harmlessly in the mud at Marrow's footpaws.
"Leggo yew mute, toadlicking, oaf!" Muckfur managed to gasp out.
The weasel wore a petrified expression as Marrow hoisted him up and threw him into the mud, with enough force to shatter boulders.
Muckfur lay spasming and gasping for breath. He tried to get up as Marrow put a footpaw between his shoulders and pushed him back into the mud. Seabane released a breath he didn't realize he was holding and started towards Marrow.
"Thank ye. I owe ye another don't I?" Seabane said as he retrieved Muckfur's dagger. Marrow nodded silently his red eyes focused on the weasel underpaw.
"Now if ye don't mind getting off of him, I'd like to have a word." Marrow's red eyes moved to Seabane as he slowly stepped off Muckfur.
"Thank ye." Seabane smiled at Marrow. It was always good to have vermin on your side.
Muckfur coughed harshly as he pulled himself from the mud. Seabane put his knee into the center of his back forcing him down again. He pressed Muckfurs blade to his throat. The struggling stopped.
"Now Muckfur me matey. Why would you do something as stupid as attack yer mates like that?" A venomous grin wore on his face as he talked down to the weasel.
"Yer going to kill us! Every one of you would be dead if it wasn't for me!"
Seabane pressed the knife harder to the weasel's neck cutting him off.
"Now is this what that was about? Now ye could've just told somebeast ye were mad about it instead of attacking Sathe n' me. You'd probably be in a better spot than this." Seabane said standing upright.
"Hold on to this." Seabane threw Muckfur's knife to Crooksnout who eagerly picked it up.
"I've been patient with ye for long enough, we all have." Seabane pressed the tip of his cutlass against Muckfurs throat.
"N-no please." Muckfur couldn't meet Seabanes gaze. Seabane smiled wickedly.
"I've given ye plenty of chances, but in lookin' back, I should've killed ye at the squirrel's house." Muckfur remained silent.
"But because Marrow spared yar life then I will as well. However, if I ever see your dirty rotten hide again, I'll skin ya alive!" Seabane kicked the weasel.
"Now get out of here!" Seabane snapped at Muckfur who scampered up and away from him.
"You'll regret this! All of you will!" Muckfur shouted over his shoulder before disappearing into the woods.
"I doubt it." Seabane huffed quietly to himself as he watched the weasel flee. He turned to the other vermin. Crooksnout bounded up to him.
"Thanks for the dagger, mate. I was wonderin' when ye were gonna get rid of that rotten beast."
Seabane pushed past Crooksnout.
"Pack everything you can carry. I want to leave this place as soon as we can."
"What! Silvertoung and Herrik aren't well enough to move and-"
"That's an order Crooksnout!" Seabane whirled around.
"Unless you want to argue with Marrow instead of me?" Crooksnouts face turned from astonishment as he looked at Seabane to one of despair.
A deep voice resonated behind Seabane.
"No."
"What?" Seabane turned into the hulking mass of the white rat.
"We stay. Here." He growled.
Seabane was at a loss for words, this was the first time Marrow had openly challenged him.
"We must leave. If we don't, they'll find us, and we'll be killed. You all know what they kin do!" Seabane was frantic. Constant fighting with otter holts to the north should've shown these fools what could happen if they were careless in otter territory.
"No. We stay." Marrow's red eyes narrowed as if he were planning what cruel punishment he would enact if Seabane should disagree.
Standing in the shadow of the white rat was an eerie feeling. Even more considering Marrow wasn't on his side. Seabane looked to somebeast for support.
His eyes landed on Sathe who still lay gasping for breath. A stream of blood trickled down her nose. She looked nothing like the dignified and mysterious seers from the horde. Seabane realized Sathe was only a few seasons older than Ruddy and just as inexperienced as the fox. She appeared to be nothing more than a scared babe.
He looked at Ruddy, who stood just a pace away from him. He held a bundle he had retrieved from the sick tent.
"Ruddy, last time ye fought an otter-"
"That won't happen again!" Bloodclaw snapped.
"I'm not some scared kit anymore! In fact, I'm glad they're this close, cus now if they show up I kin cut them to pieces." Bloodclaw jutted his jaw to the side and spat. His green eyes burned gearing for a fight. Seabanes stomach churned.
"I'm tired of running. If Redwall knows we're here, then let them come! We survived Zidar and his horde, how can some puny Redwallers threaten us? I'm not leavin' and I don't care who they send or who knows it!"
"But…"
Seabane was at a loss. With Marrow backing the others it seemed like they were trapped no matter what they did. There was another shot of pain in his chest and Seabane once again began to cough bitterly.
Crooksnout swung his good arm around Seabanes shoulders and led him away from Ruddy.
"The fox has a point ye know. Besides we can't keep moving we're already hurt enough as it is." His voice was calm yet rough as if he were scolding his kits.
"They could find us. If they're out there, then there must be others traveling through here." Seabane's throat was raw, and his head pounded. He looked desperately for understanding from Crooksnout.
"Yer worryin' too much. We'll be alright, this area has plenty of vittles to forage and there's nothing about us, save Marrow that's threatening enough for Redwall to send its warriors. Besides, with that cur Muckfur gone, it means we have one less backstabbing mouth to feed."
Seabane opened his mouth to protest but Crooksnout started before he could. "Ye need to sleep ye old searat. You've been thinking too much and haven't eaten. Sleep and Ruddy and I can see to finishing the spears. We need ye to survive this winter."
The exhaustion from the past few days hit him like a rogue wave. Seabane's shoulders drooped and the world around him seemed to wave in and out of focus. Defeated and exhausted Seabane only nodded as he was led to his crummy tent.
"Wake me if ye come across that dirty toad Muckfur or any other beasts." Seabane slurred as he collapsed onto his bed of pine needles and mosses.
"Aye. Now sleep, ye need it." With that Crooksnout left him and in a few fridged breaths Seabane was fast asleep.