Prologue[]
A rat limped over to his queen: "They `ave escaped, m'lady" The polecat seized him by the scruff of his neck. Looking into his eyes, she stared him down to his knees. "So" She started, "I guess I can't trust you as slaver anymore, my dear Grithumb." As quick as lightning, she took out a stake and slayed him, she smiled evilly at the blood dripping from it. Her officers stared in horror at the mad polecat. Nothing was going to stop her from getting those slaves.
Chapter 1, Queen Redstake[]
Potley opened his eyes. After hearing a scream, he knew what happened. Looking out the window bars of the slavehouse, the mouse saw something that made his blood run cold. A few tired slaves were being tied to a post and flogged for stopping their work, due to sickness. A one eyed, evil looking weasel walked over to his bars, pointing at the slaves. "Ya see dat, mousie? Dat's wot `appens ter lazy bums, keep dat in mind, fer I'm de new slave masta." He grinned and walked back to the post. The door opened and an otter stumbled in. Potley rushed over to him. "Yew alright, Stream?" The otter, who's name was Stream Rorcannus, shook his head sadly. "They've.." He burst out crying. Potley patted his friend's back. "Wot `appened, Stream, wot've they done?" The otter wiped a tear from his eye and mumbled, "They've sold me sister, Potley." He closed his eyes and painfully took a deep breath and fell into a light slumber. The mouse sadly shook his head at the sad otter. What could he do for him?
Bludrim the weasel entered the queen's chamber, a dark gloomy place with old rusted spear tips, rotted bows and other ancient weapons. A voice echoed through the dark chamber, "Speak, weasel" Bludrim slowly took out a scroll and passed it through the moth infested curtains of Redstake's bed and took a few paces back. "We have a message from the tribe of Windstorm, my queen" The curtains opened and the polecat's face appeared. "Good work, Blud, I believe yew have rightfully earned the title of captain in me royal army." Bludrim nearly burst with pride, he bowed and whispered near her, "Catlimb is going to steal from the armory tonight, m'lady" She chuckled. Then let's see `ow good y'are, Bludrim" He bowed again and left the chamber. The queen chuckled again, smiling up at her ceiling. "Wot an idiot, Bludrim is, he went right into me trap."
Chapter 2, Slaya[]
Horus awoke. What a strange dream he had. A mouse with a beautifully crafted sword spoke to him in his dream about an evil to come. He decided to leave it for the time being and start making breakfast. His daughter, Daisy, walked into the room. The ottermaid smiled at her father as she took a seat. "Mornin', dad. Why isn't mom, cookin'? " He smiled back at her. "Yer ol' ma's at grandpa's." Daisy looked at him as if she couldn't believe him until he set the porridge on the table. Crookhound, her older brother, took a seat. Then jumped out. "Oh no! Not yew! Not yew cookin'!" He dashed out of the room. Horus shook his head. "I'm really startin' to get tired of his jokes." Daisy laughed. "He's afraid ya burned the food! You'll burn the salad if we let ya cook lunch!" She giggled for awhile, until they heard someone pounding on the door. "Open up, Horus! `Tis me, Odin!" Horus opened the door and another otter came in. "Bad news, Horus. Really bad news." Horus looked at the trembling otter. "Wot's wrong?" Odin wiped his head then sadly looked at Horus. "Vermin, a whole crowd of `em, all rats, weasels an' foxes with strange tattoos on their bodies ." Horus shook his head again. "Great way to start a mornin'"
Slaya looked at the crowd of armed otters gathering on the riverbank. He snarled as squirrels joined them. "Nasty liddle things, them woodlanders are." He pointed to a rat."Tarstone, gather a few archers and wait fer me signal." Tarstone nodded and rushed over to a small group of weasels. Slaya the fox patted his tail. "Ah, wot a nice day, eh, Slittail?" His second in command smiled. "Aye, a great day fer plunderin'" Foyle the stoat, and her mate, Gailbitt, mercenaries who were paid by Slaya to act as scouts for the horde, who were hiding behind a a few willow trees, spied on the otters. Gailbitt shook his head. Them riverdogs an' treewhifflers sure are, uh, alot!" He whispered to her. She sighed and looked at her dull witted companion. "We ain't supposed ter say dat, we're supposed ter say `ow many dey are, dere weapons, dere uniforms an' dere leaders' names." Gailbitt nodded. "Uh, yeah, wot yew said, Foy" Foyle put a paw to her head, sighing deeply. This is going to be a long mission.
Chapter 3, Fur an' fang, tooth an' claw[]
Bluefurr drank the last of the grog, barfed loudly and patted his stomach, contently. "Ah, now that's `ow to finish a nice evenin'!" His pal, Catlimb, grinned in response, picking his teeth with a gnarled claw. "Aye, an a nice evenin' ter ye too." The pair turned to see Bludrim with a whip. He cracked it near Bluefurr and the rat squealed in fright, dashing away to the barracks. Catlimb, knowing instantly that Bludrim was sent by the queen, grabbed his dagger and knowing he was in trouble, his mate, Haulcray came over with a spear. Bludrim looked at the two for a moment then cracked the whip again. Catlimb kicked the weasel's whip out of his hand and threw the dagger. It landed in Bludrim's shoulder and Haulcray stabbed him with the spear. He tilted for a moment, then fell to the ground. The pair left, believing he was dead.
Potley slowly opened the broken door and waited until he was sure the guards had left to the barracks, then motioned the other slaves over. Stream looked sadder than ever, a squirrel kept on talking about how they were all going to get killed by the guards and scaring the others and this small shrew swore to never leave the slavehouse. Which made things alot harder. And to make things worse, when they were about to all escape,except the small shrew, a female weasel had exited the barracks and was walking over to where they were. "`Ello, Scarrtail, nice night, eh?" She patted the squirrel who was trembling uncontrollably. Potley could clearly see that the weasel was drunk. He walked up to her. "Hey, you!" He said in a gruff voice. The weasel turned to him. "M'lady?" She said in almost a whisper. Potley made a snarl that sounded like the queen's. "Aye, yew bloomin' idjit! Why ya outta the barracks!?" She took a few paces back. "Sorry, oh so sorry! I won't do it again!" She rushes back into the barracks. Stream shook his head. "Weirdos"
A few hours later, Queen Redstake was in a dangerous temper after hearing the slaves had escaped. "More slaves escaped, eh!?" She kicked the night guards. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!" She drew her stake and it went through the oak wood of the table. "Idjits!" A stoat started. "M'lady, will ya please listen ter me" She stopped all of a sudden. The stoat gulped, wishing he hadn't spoke. The queen looked at him with a crazy look in her eyes. "Yew know somthin'? Why don't ya show us `ow they escaped, eh?" He slowly stood up. "I...I don't know nothin' me queen." She grabs him by his snout and throws him into the slavehouse from the open door. She snarled at him. "Ya ain't comin' out `till ya find the way they escaped, not unless ye wants yer life to end with a crack of yer sorry skull."
The weasel, who's name was Loosejaw was still drunk. Looking around, she walked a few paces from the bunk and fell to the ground. "Oh..." A moan escaped her lips as she tried to stand upright. putting her paws against the door to stable herself, she slowly stood upright. "Dats better" but before she could say anything else, the door slammed open, knocking her to the ground. "Ow" Redstake was in the barracks. "Loosejaw! Loosejaw!!!" The weasel answered with a shake in her voice. "M'lady?" Redstake turned to her. "There you are, stupid weasel! Wot were you doing, just sitting there!?" She picked Loosejaw up by her neck scruff. "Ready to answer some questions?"