The Lengthening Shadow
Chapter 21: Duel of Chieftains

The pirates stopped for a rest on the morning of the murders. Alrack consulted Uldrich and Crowblood on their present course. “Me ol’ foxy, an’ you, marten, what’s the next route?” Crowblood spread out a map on a tree stump. “All right. ‘Ere’s us, there’s that Bluff place, an’ there’s that stoopid castle. If we keep on goin’ towards the sea, we’ll go straight ta the Bluff. Are we sure that we wanna take that route?” Swift as the wind, Alrack whipped out a dagger and stabbed down, pinning the map to the table. “I don’t care what the route is. As long as we get out o’ this world, maybe to the Red Isles up northwest, in a good ship on a good ocean, I’m fine. But we will go east.”

Crowblood looked like he wanted to argue, but held his tongue for the moment. The other two left the tent, leaving Alrack with his maps. Uldrich stalked to the Vengeful’s tents, calling out “Vinsley! I need you in my cabin right away!” The ferret and the fox leaned over a table full of charts. “Now see ’ere. Alrack wants ta go east ta the sea, but ’e doesn’t ’ave a ship. This is my plan for the new craft. I’ll call ’er the Bane. Get the crew together. We will build it an’ make Alrack beg ta get a ride!” Work started that afternoon; wood, nails, and sailcloth were covertly gathered and stored in packs for the journey, Uldrich keeping the plans hidden from the Ragsail’s crew. The fox had already made a deal with Crowblood to join forces in construction and combat against Alrack, if that occurred.

Tensions were running high. All three commanders, Alrack, Uldrich, and Crowblood, had their own secret plans. Alliances, betrayals, and treaties were flowing in force from the three tents of planning.

Glinger surveyed the force, and found it formidable. Three hundred hand-picked Thazancians, two Wyrms, and a grendana. The jackal was close to Samuel’s position now; the only way the mouse could escape was by fleeing up the Shadow Pass into the high mountains. He called his lieutenant Killcat over to discuss the plan. “Killcat, get Belan and Taktor to form the force into a wedge. Push through the foothills into their area, then spread out and flank them. Have Rendwire and his engineers get the grendana to the higher peaks over them and fire down. Ra’vok’s orders are to kill them and make sure of it. Get to work. You have two hours to form the attack.” Killcat hurried off, calling over Rendwire as he went.

Samuel had seen the dust of Glinger’s force for three hours. Though he did not know the plan of attack, he ordered everybeast to pack and head for Shadow Pass, and continue to the mountain of Hallowspike. There, he reasoned, they could defend themselves well. Aidan and his new good friend, Grace Ainsleylin, along with Malcolm and Glid, led the wounded and not battle-ready part of the company up towards the cleft, while Samuel and Tarsch mustered the rest for a battle. Crackwillow cast several protective spells around the company and gave weapons to those who had none. Samuel formed the squadron into a circle, with part inside, and waited.

In two hours, Glinger judged the time ready. “Rendwire! Prepare the grendana!”

“Aye, sir.”

The engineer cat ran over and pulled a lever, spraying oil from a large tank onto the boulders, followed by a small burst of sparks. The huge rocks roared into flame as a weasel called “Ready!” and Rendwire pulled another lever, releasing counterweights that hurled the boulders forward. They smashed down as Crackwillow, Tarsch, and the others fled up Shadow Pass, leaving Samuel alone. He climbed on top of the small barricade left behind and waited. Glinger’s force moved forward until they were standing in the small valley facing the mountains and the stone blockade. The jackal’s army parted ranks to let him through, where he, Killcat, and Taktor addressed the silent hills. “Come out, mouse! I wish to speak with you!” Samuel poked his head up. “I will offer you a choice, jackal.”

“Well? What is it?”

“I know why you are here, Glinger. You have come to kill me, haven’t you?”

“Yes. So what?”

“I offer you redemption, a chance to repent.”

The tensions in the pirate camp had mounted until all three forces camped apart. Alrack’s meetings often ended in stony silence, with Crowblood and Uldrich getting up in disgust. Slashtooth had found Karakssass’s abandoned wagons and took them to the pile of wood and supplies. Unbeknownst to Alrack, the Bane’s hull was completed, along with the deck and cabins. The three days were still ticking. Uldrich and Brownfleck, one of Alrack’s riflebeasts, had raised two of the three masts and carried them to where the ship was hidden.

Later that day, Twiner was out foraging when he found something surprising. He ran pell-mell to Alrack’s tent and breathlessly panted out his report. Uldrich was talking with Crowblood in his tent when a blade pierced the tent’s side. Alrack and ten of the Ragsail’s crew stepped through the rip, weapons drawn. Uldrich and Crowblood stood up, knocking the table over as the whipped out their blades. The black weasel was furious. “What’s this I ‘ear about a ship bein’ built in secret?” The fox and marten had no answer. Suddenly, twoscore of the two’s force burst in. The thirty-three animals stood on alert, nobeast moving.

Alrack stated his question again. Uldrich pondered this for a moment, then sheathed his sword. Then, he punched Crowblood and Alrack in the face before running out of the tent. He turned back and called: “Alrack Bloodfen, I challenge you to a duel!”

“I’ll duel you both!” screamed Crowblood.

That afternoon, a ring of vermin encircled the battleground. Crowblood had discarded Gra’zoth and had chosen a heavy metal club. Uldrich and Alrack both had their swords. Standing nearby, Saltytongue the fox officiated. “The rules are clear. No guns. One winner takes all; crews, command, etc. No cheating, just fair-and-square blade combat. Unnerstood?” All three nodded. “Then begin!” Crowblood swung at Uldrich, narrowly missing his head and instead slamming into Alrack’s side. The weasel staggered, then countered by swiping off part of Uldrich’s ear.

Uldrich ducked a vicious swing from Crowblood and stabbed the marten in the side. Crowblood had to duck Alrack and Uldrich’s swords and grab some moss and twine to staunch it. Then he was back in. Alrack thrust and parried, swinging two-handed until Crowblood’s club broke his left arm. Alrack feinted towards Crowblood, then cleaved through Uldrich’s leg. The now-crippled fox retaliated by running Alrack through. For his skinny frame, the weasel had surprising endurance. He merely winced and then swung downward and left a large dent in Uldrich’s metal plating.

By now, all three combatants were bleeding and tired and covered with dust. Venge called a time-out, and the three went to their seats for bandages and medicine. In two minutes, they were back in. Uldrich stabbed at the weasel. His blade went in, re-opening the wound. Alrack gritted his teeth and chopped off Crowblood’s hand. The marten swung right back, a long gash appearing on the black weasel’s cheek. Uldrich, the only one not gushing blood, backed slowly away, putting his feet on a slanted rock. As both rushed at him, he jumped over their heads, turning around and parrying Crowblood’s club. As he did so, Alrack stabbed the fox in the back. This did not deter the fox, for right after the thrust, Uldrich wheeled around and impaled Crowblood. The marten stabbed him in the stomach with a dagger.

Uldrich fell onto the red-stained dust, groaning in pain. As Crowblood slid the dagger into his belt and raised his club to finish the fox off, Alrack’s sword poked through his body. The fox jumped up and ran Alrack through again. All three wounded fighters circled each other once again, looking for weak points. Suddenly, Crowblood took both dagger and club and swung. Uldrich was pierced in the gut while Alrack took the club in the ribs. The marten smashed Alrack’s gauntlet, completely flattening half of it and the arm inside.

Uldrich sliced with his curved blade, cutting Crowblood’s thigh to the bone. Venge called for a time out again, and the three retired to the sidelines for another medical treatment. In a minute, Crowblood called a halt to the fighting.

“I propose that we…” He stopped short as he bashed them both with the club and ran off with the rest of his gang. Alrack and Uldrich stared after him with disgust. “Coward, not enough nerve ta fight wid the best o’ us. Let’s leave ’im.” suggested the fox.

The pirates turned their backs on the marten, leaving him to go off north into the distance. Alrack turned to Uldrich. “How about this. We combine our forces ta build the ship and get outta here. Sound good?”

Uldrich nodded. Alrack and his crew combined with the Vengeful’s, and they went off to the place where the ship was being completed. The tension was over with the pirates, but they were to play a part greater than the one that both Alrack and Uldrich had expected. It was to be both in the south and the north, embroiling them in the great peril and complexity that was the continuing war of the Destromancers and Verdancers, between Thazanc and its dark empire, and Korana, the land of goodness and magic, still stained from the war against the greatest villain yet known to the world.