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3

Out on the heaving waves of the East Sea, a flotilla of massive junks travelled eastward being propelled by the winds and tides. On the quarterdeck of the flagship a big stocky built black rat stood over an assembly of his most fearsome fighters. His right paw had been severed and was replaced by one made of brass and steel . He was very intelligent and ordered an air of decorum from his followers. Meaning that they were to speak and pronounce words properly, Ikkit Claw despised searat patois. Surrounded by a host of searats clad in grubby rusting armour, their master peered out at the mass of murderers and plunderers assembled on the deck below him. At the back, stood a group of brutish ginormous creatures. Sinew and muscle bulged from their powerful physiques adding to the ferocity of their appearances. These creatures were clad in more heavier armour than their smaller counterparts, but nevertheless still in the same poor quality. This was Ikkit Claw's army, the Stormvermin.

Massive pennants and banners, scrawled in their native language fluttered on the sea breeze. Claw breathed the sea air deeply before addressing his horde. "My brothers in murder, my congratulations to you for a very successful plundering of the principality of Lanka. You crushed the Maharajah's army as if they were insects! We will be arriving at the Mochizuki domain of Jima in only a few days, and I know that all of you are more hungry for slaughter than ever before. So rest while you can for we will have much to do when land hoves into view."

There was a massive cheer from those assembled. Claw smiled at the prospect of more plunder, trinkets and land. More than that, he had his followers in a berserk frenzy with the promise of slaughter. The captain of his bodyguard an evil looking Stormvermin rat named Gash praised his warlord master. "They're in high spirits, Honoured Claw. If this Jima place is as much as a pushover as Lanka we'll take all three islands in very short order indeed."

"Do not underestimate your enemy Gash. This order of the Samurai is supposed to be very relentless in their resolve. I once heard their sword strokes are as fast as the wind and can sever a creature from head to crotch in one blow. So it is better to urge on the side of caution. However, I leave total control of the army to you as I have always done," Claw muttered to his guard captain.

"Thank you, Honoured Claw."

The maniacal rat summoned the ship's boson. A young searat scurried to the warlord and saluted smartly. "Send a message to the rest of the fleet. We will travel eastward for one more day, then we shall drop anchor off the coast of the Mochizuki domain. I want all captains and commanders to be present. Have you got that?"

"Yes sir!" the boson replied. The sea rat scurried along the deck until he reached a chest beneath the foremast. He produced two small red and white flags and ran to the aft of the ship. There he stood on the aft guardrail and started waving them in a combination of arm movements to the other ships trailing in the flagship's wake.

*

On the banks of the river Oda behind the dojo, a small party of novices stood in the shallows spearing fish with their bokkens, whilst under the watch of a mouse named Ryu. Who was in the same senior class as Sandokhan and Wataru. With their duties completed for the day, both Wataru and Sandokhan sat on a large overhanging rock on the bank watching the fishing while sucking on their pipes of herbal mixture. The fox savoured the sweet tasting smoke in his mouth before expelling it in a thin plume of blue-grey that danced on the breeze. "Mmm, Bungler's Bane. The sweetest tasting leaf in all of Jima." The otter looked over in the direction of the fishing party and shook his head as he commented on the proceedings. "Ah, they're doing it wrong," he raised himself and shouted at the novices. "Ahoy mates! You're doing it all wrong. Let a proper waterdog show you how it's done!"

With that, Wataru shed his gii and handed it to Sandokhan before he dived head first into the flowing water. All present stood on the bank watching the waters with anticipation. It was always a spectacle watching an otter display his master skills in fishing. After a few short moments the otter showed his head above water with a large carp clamped between his teeth. He swam against the current until he reached the river bank, where he took the carp from his mouth and dropped it on the ground.

All of the novices gathered around the floundering creature, it's mouth opened and closed as the fish fought to breathe. Ryu praised the otter, "Wow Wataru, with a fish that big we can have a quintuple treat tonight."

"But there are six of us," said Sandokhan as he joined the others on the bank, throwing Wataru's gii at the otter. "Is there any chance of it becoming a sextuple treat?" The novices looked at the fox in confusion. Sandokhan started to feel embarrassed, he was about to rectify himself when Wateru held his sides as he shook with laughter, water droplets flew from his sleek coat. The other novices joined in, even Sandokhan couldn't help but smile. Just then a mighty screech rang out over the serenity and merriment of the six friends. They looked upward and saw a great eagle swoop over their heads. The massive bird perched itself on the broad windowsill of Master Krinz's dormitory, with a wooden tube grasped in it's massive talon.

The hare looked up from his calligraphy and took the tube from the eagle and read the rolled parchment, written in Jima's native script.

"Enemy abroad. Triad to assemble immediately.

Come armed and tread softly."

Supper that evening was a strange affair with the absence of their teacher. However, the meal was taken with the usual array of pleasantries and light conversation as the seniors knelt at the low dinner table. Wateru's carp was the centrepiece, garnished with bamboo chutes, water chestnuts, peppers, bean sprouts and drizzled lightly in a sweet sauce made from honey, coriander leaves and lemon juice. A very young mousemaid called Tigerlilly sat next to Ryu, who was demolishing his portion of carp on a bed of hot white rice with a pair chopsticks. The young one eyed the two bokkens thrust into the mouse's linen belt.

"Why do you have two swords Ryu?" She asked.

"It's just my style of fighting Tigerlilly. With two swords I can attack and defend at the same time and if one of my paws got cut off I can still fight. It's also good if I have to fight multiple opponents," the mouse replied. "I'm finished," said Sandokhan and he rose to his footpaws and bowed his head to the others who were still eating. "If anybeast asks where I am, I'll be at the temple on the hill," he added.

"Off to see Tin-Jin again?" Wataru asked.

"I don't know why you like the company of those monks," Ryu scoffed. "They're... well, odd," the mouse added.

"Is it so strange to attain wisdom, inner peace and enlightenment?" Sandokhan replied, before taking his leave. As the others ate, they didn't seem to notice the absence of Jagee the ferret.

*

Night had fallen and the stars shone like white gemstones forming constellations in the blackish blue sky as crickets chirruped noisily. Jagee was not taking in the natural splendour of the night time, he conversed in hushed tones with a vicious looking rat wrapped in a swirling cloak of exquisite darkness and a leather mask shrouding his vicious visage. "Even if your master does make landfall, he won't be able to take the Niji Gate without savage resistance. But that's where I think I can help you out. I've studied the Samurai art of war for many years. I can show your soldiers what to expect on the battlefield and show them the perfect defense techniques," said Jagee. "So we have a deal?" enquired the rat. "When Claw rules here, there's something I want."

"Gold? Gems?"

The ferret spat at the suggestions, "I don't want any of that worthless rubbish! Rumours are circulating round the dojo that our master is the Shogun's Head-taker. If this is true, I want his sword."

"Harharhar, a sword? Yer must be joking!"

Jagee hit the rat on the side of his head with the flat of his wooden bokken, the ferret's voice seethed with contempt. "Keep your voice down, fool! That's right his sword, are your ears made of cloth?" The rat held the side of his snout as he glared at the ferret who continued to explain. "Our swords are the reason why we Samurai are so proud, they are part of our very soul and if I were to possess the fabled Starfire katana, my power and status would be absolute throughout all of Jima."

"I cud get it fer yer now if yer want."

"Don't waste your efforts. Master Krinz is an expert swordsbeast, he'll sever you in two with just one stroke," said Jagee. "Ha! Yer wouldn't believe 'ow many times I've 'eard that un," the rat replied.

"Do not underestimate the resolve of the Samurai, rat. To us warfare is an art and we've become exceedingly efficient at it."

As the meeting ended, the rat sharpened his pair of skinning daggers and tested the sharpness of the blades by running claws along the cutting edges before licking the bloodstains clean.

Meanwhile under the same sky, Sandokhan made his way along a short dusty path heading south towards an ancient temple in the gently sloping foothills of a vast mountain. The architecture was similar to that of the dojo, sloping slate roofs with arching stone fishes on the corners of the roof beams where the adjacent slopes met. The fox slipped off his wooden sandals and placed them outside the entrance of the temple.

As he entered, the powerful smell of incense and wild flowers filled his nostrils and the sound of the monks chanting their mantras was heard more clearly. One monk, a stoat dressed in a long yellow and red gown, approached the fox and bowed. "Welcome Sandokhan. Tin-Jin has been expecting you."

"I had a feeling he was," the fox smiled.

"May I offer you some butter tea?"

"No thank you, I just ate," Sandokhan replied. The tinkling sound of a tiny bell was heard behind them and there, accompanied by his two aides, stood the old blind mouse. Tin-Jin was old, very old. His beard was so long that one of his aides had to pick it up off the floor and carry it behind him. He carried a great walking staff which could also be used as a bow staff. The old mouse wore a pair of heavy brass studs in both ears making the bottom of them elongated. The fox's heart leapt with joy at the sight of his friend and he embraced him. "Hehehe, hello Sandokhan my lad!" Tin-Jin chuckled. "Come, let us proceed to my sanctum. I do not wish to disturb the brothers while in prayer."

Tin-Jin's sanctum was out round the back of the temple. Here was the old mouse's private mediation space, next to a stone garden. The tinkle of wind chimes adding to the ambiance and peace of the cool autumn night. All four beast sat under an ornate gazebo, as Tin-Jin sipped at a small cup of herbal tea. "Is your mind troubled Sandokhan?" the old mouse asked. The fox knelt opposite to Tin-Jin as he voiced his concerns. "Well... graduation's in two days and I was thinking, what if I'm not ready? I mean, to actually go to battle when called."

"All Samurai must answer the call, my friend. Do you feel that Master Krinz's training is not preparing you enough?"

"Oh no, it's not that Tin-Jin. It's the thought of wielding a real sword that I can actually kill beasts with. It's a very daunting thought," Sandokhan explained. One of Tin-Jin's aides, a squirrel poured another small cup full of tea which Tin-Jin offered to the fox. "Have some of this tea, it'll clear your mind." Sandokhan looked at the blind mouse apprehensively. "Do you know if I'm going to take it?"

"I wouldn't be very enlightened if I didn't know!"

"But I have a choice to take it or not,"

"You didn't come here to make a choice. You already made the choice when you joined the dojo. You're here so I can help you understand why you made the choice."

The budding Samurai took the small cup and sipped at the hot liquid. "If you have doubts young one, remember the first two noble truths. Firstly, existence is suffering and secondly, the cause of suffering is desire. In this case, your enemy's desire is to conquer this land and to destroy everything you have accomplished. Samurai are not bullies or murderers. They are protectors and you must be strong, for I see dark things in the days ahead."

Sandokhan raised himself from the floor and bowed at the old mouse. "Thank you for the tea. I will meditate on your advice Tin-Jin."