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33

The mood of the resistance that same morning were sombre as the body of Sandokhans' father Christos was paraded to a grave freshly dug outside a tunnel that led to the sanctum of the resistance. When the body was laid into the grave, the monks chanted a prayer as Sandokhan tossed flowers onto the linen wrapped body. When the grave was filled in with earth and a headstone erected the fox addressed his friends. "I refuse to eulogize my father, because that would be accepting the fact that he has died. My father was a noble and wise fox. He taught me many things, how to respect other beasts and not to discriminate because they're not my species. How to tell what is right and what is wrong. But the most important lesson he taught me was no matter how many times you are knocked down or held back in life, you keep getting up. You keep going on, the past can never predict the future. For as long as I remember these teachings and keep them in my heart, my father is never truly dead. The first noble truth says, "Existence is suffering." And my father is not suffering anymore." The fox wiped away a tear from his cheek as one monk passed him a bowl of red dye which the fox used to write his fathers' name on the headstone as Fujokai lit some sticks of incense and planted them in the freshly dug grave. Then one by one, each of the resistance fighters paid their respects to Sandokhans' father.

"Wake up, rat!" Gashs' sight was a heavy blur that eased itself in time. Gash found himself surrounded by Samurai warriors all of them had their weapons drawn. Gash tried to sit up but the pain became too great for him to ignore and he slumped back down on his bed. "Squirm all you want," Fujokai snarled, "it won't help." "Samurai! What is this? Where am I? I demand to -" "You're in no position to demand anything, rat!" "Then kill me or release me, mountain dog. But don't waste my fleeting moments of life with talk!" "We have some questions to ask you. Chief among them, why has your master turned on your kind?" "That is no concern of yours," Gash snapped. "We're making it our concern when we thought we could help each other out," Sandokhan called from behind the wolf. Gash laughed, "Hahaha! And why exactly should I forge an alliance with you?" "We both have a common enemy. Do we not?" Gash nodded dumbly. "I... suppose so. Go on," "This resistance movement has been trying relentlessly to think of a way to overthrow your former master. Then our spies got word of the little rift between you and the Honoured Claw. Now, you would have the Samurai on your side and I think you'll be able to get to whoever it was that wronged you," the fox explained. Gashs' face twisted with scorn as he spat the name of the wearet chieftain, "Roygel! Why does the Honoured Claw trust that simple minded thug?!" "Think of it; Stormvermin and Samurai fighting together and dying together for the same purpose; vengeance." Gash stroked his beard thinking hard, "State your terms." "When the Honoured Claw has fallen, Jima will belong to us again. Once victory has been declared I want your entire garrison to withdraw. You may return to Eshin and spread the word of what has happened and take your fight to the wearet tribes on the mainland. But you are never again to return to Jima. If you do, you have my word of honour that we shall not hesitate to slaughter you," Sandokhan replied. "You would've made a good Stormvermin officer, fox," Gash remarked as he wearily stretched out his paw. "You drive a hard bargain, but your reasoning is just. Deal?" The fox took his paw and shook it firmly. "Deal." As Gash slumped back into his bed the council of warriors conversed nervously to themselves. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Fujokai enquired in a gruff tone. "How do you know these vermin won't turn on us after we're done with their old master?" Elmtail asked. "Intimidate those who intimidate others, my friends," Sandokhan answered. Farlo however did not leave with the others. Instead he stood over Gash with his paws crossed eyeing the general moodily. Gash opened one eye, "Why do you glare at me so?" "Because you are the butcher that ordered the invasion of my home," Farlo said between clenched teeth. "You are mistaken, dormouse. I did not butcher anybeast, my paws are clean. I can't be held responsible if my troops carry out their tasks with an... overzealous attitude," Gash replied. In a fury Farlo drew his scimitar, "If you weren't lying wounded in that bed I'd kill you right here and now!" "FARLO!" Sandokhan called out behind him. "If you kill him, you would prove that I haven't taught you anything. There are far more important battles for you to fight." With that the dormouse sheathed his weapon, "You're getting off light!"

In the next days that followed, Mattimeo and Wataru had returned with Tigerlilly. When the mousemaid saw Sandokhan she leapt at him and hugged him tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again," she said. "I promised I'd come back and I have." The fox had to break the news of his fathers' passing. "Sandy I'm so sorry. I knew that your father was all you had left of your family," said Wataru sympathetically. "That's not all, friend. We've got ourselves a new ally," Sandokhan continued. "Who?" Dressed in full armour, Gash emerged from the shadows. Mattimeo, Wataru and Tigerlilly drew their weapons. "What is the meaning of this?" Said Wataru. "Hold on now. He's our newest friend," "Oh! I didn't realise! He's your pal, is he? Your chum," said Mattimeo in a very sarcastic tone. "Have you completely forgotten what that rat is doing in your country?" "Problems with discipline I see," said Gash mockingly. "Enough! Wataru, Tigerlilly, Mattimeo lay down your arms at once!" The trio did as they were ordered as the fox explained. "Even with our numbers as they are we are still too weak. With Gashs' Stormvermin we can wipe out Claw and his wearet monsters. Since you're all now here, we can finally come up with a battle plan. Everybeast meet me in the atrium chamber after you've all refreshed yourselves."