The Outlander 1 11
#12 of The Outlander
Book 1 Chapter11
11
It was some time in the late morning as Sandokhan waded along the shallow waters of the Oda. It would be difficult for trackers to follow him without pawprints. He tried to make sense of all the events of that day. He couldn't figure out why he was running. He had done nothing. If he could only explain to Wateru and the others then maybe he could clear himself. Then the images of what he saw in the dojo flowed into his mind like a raging torrent. The bodies, the blood, who would do something that unspeakable? Stormvermin? No, to his knowledge nobeast had seen any of Claw's troops enter through the gate. So who was it? The fox's ears perked up as he sensed movement around him. He stopped in his tracks and unsheathed his blade. Suddenly four stormvermin rats, one a superior officer, revealed themselves from the rushing waters. The fox looked up and saw a musket team in the rocky overhangs of a cliff to his left. The gunner trying to balance the black powder weapon on the edge of a wooden support which his spotter had balanced on the rock. Sandokhan was sizing up the position and was about to make a move. "Don't even think about it," the gunner called down. "One move an' I'll turn yer brains to pulp an' I never miss!" Sandokhan just called him bluff as he made a lunge at one of the rats. The musket fired with a sound like booming thunder, the lead ball only found the rat directly behind Sandokhan as he ducked. The Stormvermin fell with a high pitched yelp and his body was carried off by the current. Both gunner and spotter were in deep shock. Impossible, nobeast has ever dodged a lead pellet. Another rat fell while the other two backed off. The musket rats fumbled furiously trying to reload the weapon, but the Samurai was on them in a second. He bounded and leaped up several small ledges until he reached the musket team and skewed them both with one thrust of his katana and cut upwards. From the bank of the river, the two rats still alive conversed in hushed tones. "He really is a deadly warrior," "Aye, almost too magnificent ter kill!" "Well thank you!" Both rats turned around and saw the fox standing behind them. With their trump card now subdued, the will to fight had left the two Stormvermin. They disarmed themselves of their weapons and begged the Samurai for mercy. "Don't slay us!" Sandokhan for a second took pity on the rats that cowered at his footpaws. He sheathed the sublimely crafted weapon and glared coldly at them. "No, I won't kill you. That would be cowardly, I just want to see you squirm. Now you've lost some comrades, but I suggest you leave before you lose your heads!" The cowardly pair needed no second bidding as they scurried off northward up the river. As they ran, the pair conversed on what excuse they should tell Jagee. That was when one of the stormvermin, Deadpaw, had a brainwave. "'Ere, listen. All dat he said was he just wanted 'is sword, right?" His comrade Fang nodded dumbly at him, "Yeah, so?" "Woi don't we get dat ferret a sword dat looks exactly like it." 'What about a 'ead? I mean that Jagee gonna want proof he's dead." "He said sword, nothin' about a 'ead, didn't 'e?" * Sandokhan washed the blood off his blade in flowing waters before continuing on. The banks of the river had began to widen meaning he was close to the mouth of the River Oda. He had thought of turning back when he saw a medium sized junk on the low tide with blue sails. This was a sea guard ship. The fox waded through the waters towards the junk, waving his paws as he got closer. The goodbeasts of the sea guard accepted the fox amongst them as Sandokhan related the tale of what happened and his intentions. The captain of the junk, a stout but good hearted otter named Tsuzuku sucked on a pipe of herbal mixture. "That's an interesting war story, but tell me why must you leave here?" Tsuzuku asked. "My enemies have taken up positions of status in the power vacuum left by Lon's death. One of my friends, a beast I have trained with all my life has turned his back on his fellow warriors and is now spouting lies about me being a traitor to my own cause." "You would never turn over to the Eshin Army," the otter said. "Anyway Lord Sandokhan, his Lordship's sea guard is at your disposal." The fox shook his head wearily, "I know Tsuzuku. But your sea guard alone is not enough. I need more fighters." Tsuzuku expelled grey smoke from his mouth, "But where will we get more fighters from? I have a feeling that most of Eastern Osea will be in the same predicament we're facing. I've heard news that before Claw invaded he ransacked Lanka and butchered the Maharaja's army and his family. Face it, we're on our own." "Then we'll have to push further west for our salvation." The otter scratched his head puzzled, "Do you mean the Sultans of the desert lands?" "All that the Sultans care about is gold," Sandokhan scoffed in reply. "They would give us an army if the price was right!" "So where would you go to raise an army?" Sandokhan started thinking hard of a solution, then a thought crossed his mind. "There is... one place that comes to mind." "Where?" With that, Sandokhan rummaged around in his satchel producing one of his great grandfathers' journals and started flicking through the pages until he came across an illustration of a grand sandstone building. The fox pointed at the picture, "Here. To the far west of here is a land called Mossflower. There is an abbey in Mossflower with a long and proud warrior heritage. This order isn't as old as the samurai but they are as wise as they are brave and honourable. This is the place I need to find, Redwall Abbey." Tsuzuku was the picture of disbelief, "You cannot be serious," "I am completely serious," "That's further west than anybeast has ever travelled. Also I've heard tales that the seas around that region of the world are swarming with corsairs and pirates." "Then I will need a fast ship. Loaded with armaments, extra food and I'll need a good crew, one that knows how to pull through in a scrap," said Sandokhan. Tsuzuku paused to think hard about the request. "Alright ma, I mean my lord, I'll see if I can get hold of one of my cutter vessels. It may be small but it's quick and should be small enough to avoid unwanted attention," he said. Sandokhan shook paws heartily with the otter, "Thank you Tsuzuku, you're a true friend... matey." Tsuzuku chuckled lightly in reply. * Tsuzuku was true to his word. To took him four days to assemble what was left of his fleet, eight ships remained out of a fleet of twenty. All the captains donated their rations to Sandokhan's mission and an elite crew was hand picked. All seasoned veterans of the sea and hardened fighters. When the wind changed direction mid morning on the fifth day, Sandokhan bade his farewells to Tsuzuku. "Goodbye Sandokhan. It'll be a struggle, but I believe when you return victory will be assured," Tsuzuku said as the pair embraced. "Travel north up the river until your ships can go no further. Then travel east and seek out a temple. There you'll find an old monk called Tin-Jin, he's the only one who can help you now. Go to him and seek his wise council," Sandokhan advised. Tsuzuku bowed respectfully as the fox donned his helmet and walked up the plank to board his vessel. The small ship then hauled anchor and cast of into the wind. "Fair winds and good seasons to you all," Tsuzuku called out. "Good fortune to you too. I will come back, I promise," Sandokhan called back. The small vessel was indeed swift, clearing the headland in a matter of minutes and set on a south-westerly course around the south cost of Lanka and to push on further west.