Brian Jacques - Redwall #06 - The Outcast of Redwall

Sunflash half raised his mace. “March at the double now! he ordered.

The pace speeded up, Sabretache and other officers calling, “Keep those lines straight, weapons down. Wait for it!

Sunflash raised the mace higher and shouted, “Forward at the half run now!

The paws of the advancing warriors broke into a fast lope.

“Archers ready at flanks and rear. Fire!

A broad half moon crescent of shafts cut into the blue afternoon air, whirring angrily over the advance at the front ranks of the waiting vermin.

Sunflash swung his mace high.

“Chaaaaaaarge!

Breaking into a headlong run, the warriors from the mountain brought their weapons up. Spears and javelintips glinted, swords and rapiers flashed. Amid the thunder of paws, wild war cries and battle shouts rent die summer air.

“Eeulaliaaaaa! Logalogalogalogalooooog! Firjak Greenstone! Whump! Whump! Whump! Bloodnvinegaaaaar!

The hordebeasts banged their shields and yelled back.

“Swartt! Swartt! Sixclaaaaaw! Kill! Kiiiiiillll!

Like a tidal wave against a rocky shore, Sunflashs command crashed into the horderanks, the shock of the impact driving the vermin back ten full pawlengths. Like a madbeast the Badger Lord plunged deep into the enemy lines, his mace whirling as he fought toward the distant figure of Swartt perched on the rock at the rear. Sabretache led his troops in to protect the badgers back. Already limping from a spear wound, the saber master dealt death to any who came within range of his curving blade. Arrows and sling stones from the rear of both forces zinged overhead like maddened wasps.

The might of the horde, having taken the initial shock of the charge, now began pressing forward, and many a good warrior fell to vermin spears and cutlasses. Lady Firdance was having more success than most; forming a fighting triangle with Folrig and Ruddle, she hit hard at the hordes right flank, driving deep in an effort to meet up with Sunflash, whose huge form could be seen like a landmark as he ploughed forward. Bradberry went down with an arrow in his shoulder, and Forty stumbled and tripped, falling upon his friend. He turned to rise as a searat swept a large scimitar at him; the rat gave a shriek and fell dead at his side. Folrig pulled his javelin free as Ruddle assisted both hares up, winking at Forty.

“Up yget, matey, mustve been the weight of that rock-cream pulled you down. Get Bradders beind our archers, see you later, good huntin, eh. Whump-whumpwhump! Firjak Greenstone!

The vermin on the opposite flank charged the shrews glee-folly. Attacking small creatures with small swords was better than facing hares. They did not reckon on an old shrew maeuver known as the Guosim Windmill. Three tight circles of shrews in one, whirling madly, some cutting low, others at stomach height, while more worked at head and neck level, the vicious little rapiers went in and out, round and round, scything at everything in their path, while a row of Guosim shrews at the center of the ring continuously slung rocks over their comrades heads.

Swartt stood tip-pawed upon his rock, shouting, “Were pushinem back, vixen, I told yer, weve got the numbers on our side!

Nightshade climbed up to appraise the situation. “Aye, but only in the center, Lord, and thats because the badger made his move too early and allowed them to close in around him. See the flanks, the horde is crumbling and giving way on both sides. We may have the numbers, but theyve got the heart!

Swartt sent her flying with a kick. “When I want yore opinion Ill ask fer it. Get me that bow an1 arrers, the badger11 soon be in range!

Sunflash was like a great seabeast surrounded by waves of foebeasts, but all he could see through the red mists of blood-wrath was the ferret, perched on the rock down by the tideline. His great speed with the heavy mace was causing destruction among the horde. Up and down, left and right, swinging in a huge blur the mighty war club battered horde vermin, sword, spear, and dagger without regard to any. Snapped blades, shattered hilts, and splintered hafts flew high in the air around him. Sabretache wisely kept his force behind the berserk Badger Lord. Rockleg fought alongside Hedgepaw. Both would take a short run, vault high on their spear shafts, and come down with long hind legs kicking savagely into the faces of the vermin.

The hordebeasts fought fiercely, with the strength of desperation. Most were experienced warbeasts, determined to push through their attackers and gain the mountain, where there would be shelter, food, and plunder. But Nightshades judgment had been correct: the mountain warriors all had brave hearts. The tide of the battle began to turn when the Guosim shrews broke through to the center and joined up with the hares and Lady Firdances squirrels, who had been holding the middle with the otters. Now the flanks of the horde had been well battered, and the attackers massed in the centre. Leaving any vermin who had broken past them to be dealt with by the rear lines of archers, the entire force turned to fight their way through to Sunflash, raising one mighty cry. “Eeulaliaaaaaa!

Swartt cursed as his arrow took a searat in the back of the skull instead of striking Sunflash. He notched another shaft to his bowstring and fired. This time he did not miss: the arrow pierced the Badger Lord high on his shoulder, where the chain-mail tunic ended. Still swinging the mace, Sunflash gave a deep roar and tore the arrow out with his teeth. Spitting the shaft away, he waved the battle club in Swartts direction, his voice thundering out over the melee.

“Im coming, Sixclaw, wait there!

Then the horde broke and began retreating, battered and defeated by the relentless mountain warriors. Sunflash was suddenly knocked down from behind as milling, panicked hordebeasts fled toward the sea. Sabretache stood with one foot-paw on the Badger Lords back, wielding his saber like a maddened drum major as he shouted orders.

“Up an at em! Forward to the sea! Chaaaaarge!

Hedgepaw and Rockleg were at his side in an instant. Between them they managed to drag the dazed Sunflash upright. Rubbing sand from his eyes, the badger bellowed furiously, “Wheres Swartt?

The rock stood empty. Swartt Sixclaw and his vixen had gone!

39

Evening crimsoned into purple; on the horizon, a blood-colored sun dipped slowly into the dark, tired sea. Spears with thick rush torches tied to them stood upright in the shore along the tideline. Sunflash the Mace sat with his head buried in both paws; his war weapon lay on the sand beside him. Colonel Sandgall had come down from the mountain; he threaded his way through the exhausted warriors, shaking paws, patting shoulders, and giving credit where it was due.

“Well fought! Good show! Stout feller! Brave gel, wot! Sabretache was cleaning off his blade in the sand. He stood smartly to attention, saluting the old Colonel.

Sandgall nodded. “Did any of em surrender? Prisoners? The hare Captains saber pointed to the sea. “None, sah, fraid not, it was a no-surrender situation. Most of em retreated too far an too fast, dragged out by the undercurrent. As for our own, we got off surprisin light, sah, though theyre still takin count on wounded an slain.

Sunflash joined them. The red light of bloodwrath had faded from his eyes, though they were still dark and troubled. “Six-claw wasnt lost in the sea, Im sure of it, hes too cunning for that. Swartt has escaped, and he cant have got very far. Its my job to go after him and finish what he started!

Sandgall gave his monocle a quick polish and looked the badger up and down from head to footpaws. “If I may make so bold as tsay, mLord, youre in no fit condition to go chasin off anywhere. Head wound, arrow hole in yleft shoulder, spear thrust to footpaw, deep slash across mace paw. How far dyou think youll get in that state, eh? Sundew, Ryeback, fetch your box of medical tricks an patch this beast up! . As the hares ministered to his wounds Sunflash protested, “Dont you see, I must go after Swartt. The more time I spend dawdling here, the farther away hes escaping!