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34

Ikkit Claw was finding it hard to sleep. In his mind, he felt as if something was in the room with him and staring at him as he lay dozing. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw a mental picture of his new palace engulfed in flame with the mouse in armour standing over him, sword drawn. Why is this apparition haunting me, he thought to himself. He was no seer, why was he experiencing all these terrible visions? The rat sat up and climbed out of his bed. He opened the door to his chamber and saw his two wearet bodyguards curled up on the floor, snoring loudly. Claw kicked one of the wearets coldly, "Wake up!" The two wearets sat bolt upright and scrambled to their feet. "Lord! Are you in danger?" "Should we sounds the alarm?" "Too late fools! If there were an assassin I'd be dead with you two sleeping on the job! Bring Roygel to me, now!" "Der Chief may be sleepin," "Then wake him!" Claw snapped back.

Roygel hated being woken up in the middle of the night, after being told the Honoured Claw wanted an audience with him Roygel delivered a hard head butt to his tribes-beast. Outside Claws' bedroom, Roygel yawned loudly before rapping heavily on the door. "Enter!" When the wearet chieftain opened the door, he saw his master standing on the balcony staring out at the horizon. "They're planning something," "Lord?" "The resistance. Also I'm thinking that the Stormvermin problem hasn't gone away either," said Claw. "Moi Lord, Oi put Gash ter death. He won't bother yous ag'in," the wearet replied. "It's not Gash I'm worried about. Whoever killed Jagee should not be underestimated. When the dawn breaks, I want you to assemble your entire tribe and make defensive plans for this palace." "Don't worry Lord. The wearets will not fail you," Roygel said reassuringly. "I hope so Chieftain for your sake," Claw sneered.

The atrium chamber was lit by laterns with fireflies trapped inside them. The rattle of wings against paper and canvas adding a sense of serenity. Sandokhan and the others sat around Gash in a semi-circle, probing the general extensively for information about their enemy. "I've told you everything I practically know!" Gash snapped. "That's still not enough. Just knowing how big the Jima garrison is? You'll have to do better than that," Sandokhan replied. "Forgive me Samurai, but I can't giveaway information of a sensitive nature to just anybeast," "We had a deal... apparently," Mattimeo perked up. "You help us overthrow your former master and in return, we help you hunt down the wearet high cheiftain." Sandokhan turned towards Fujokai, commenting in hushed tones, "What do you think?" "Perhaps we are asking the wrong kind of questions," Fujokai remarked in a whisper. "What do you suggest?" "Ask him about the wearets in general," "What?" Sandokhan enquired, giving the white wolf a puzzled look. "Humour him." "Alright General, let's change topics. The wearets; what's their story?" Said Sandokhan. Gash laughed, "Hahaha! Why?" "Know your enemy," Sandokhan replied. Gash sighed wearily, "Very well. My great grandsire knew that lot were going to get too big for their boots one day." "Your ancestors were the ones who first found them?" Wataru enquired. "They were just tribes of nomads wandering the northern desert when we first found them. The realm was first expanding its' borders and we thought they would become useful when we needed to expand further. An army of bloodthirsty brutes ready to do our bidding. However, we first had to gain their trust. There were about twelve tribes all of them ruled under a council. When it came to electing a sole representitive to be an Eshin governor, no tribe would trust the other. So the cheiftain of the smallest or weakest tribe would be put forward as a neutral party." "What went wrong?" Sandokhan asked. "Roygel. That's what! When he became Cheiftain of his tribe, he arranged a meeting of all the other cheiftains, or "crunch" as they call it. He offered them a wonderful banquet, only he didn't tell them he had poisoned their food. With all competition crushed, Roygel murdered the wearet appointed governor and took over. I wouldn't be surprised if he was waiting for this opportunity all along." Sandokhan stroked his whiskers, digesting Gashs' words in his mind. "So what's been stopping him?" Sandokhan asked. "US! The Stormvermin, I mean. We were the only force powerful enough to stop the wearets getting their noses in where they didn't belong. Now with the Honoured Claw wanting us removed, nothing can stop them." "Almost nothing," Wataru replied. "That's right. This is your chance Gash. How long will it take you to gather your forces?" "Wait a minute," Gash protested. "What about this great battle plan you were supposed to come up with?" "One step at a time," Sandokan replied. "Now, how long?" "About a night and a day, but I will have to find my old sentries to spread the word to my units and regiments. Do not fear vulpine, you shall have your army," Gash replied. "Do whatever you have to do." As Gash left the cavern Sandokhan gave the rat a reminder, "Remember Gash, betrayal will be met with savage resolve and furious retribution." As he walked down a rocky passage, Gash mused to himself when he was out of earshot of the others, "Savage resolve? Ha! You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard that in my career. After I finish off Roygel, I'll let the wearets and the Samurai destroy each other. Then, this land shall become the new homeland of the Stormvermin, The New Manchuria. Then I will raise a massive army, one the world has never seen, a number that can not be counted. Anybeast that stands in my way, Shogun, Emperor, Sultan, Maharajah, even the Honoured Claw, shall die!"

With Gash out of the way, Sandokhan and his council felt that they could conduct preparations more securely "There is still one weapon Claw has that can wreak havoc on our army and that's the black powder rifle. According to Gash most of his troops were stripped of these weapons and I think it's safe to say that the wearets are teaching themselves how to use them," Sandokhan mused. "So, I have asked Allyosha and some slaves to make barricades we can hide behind when the shooting starts." "And as soon as they reload we leap out and charge them," said Farlo. "Right. We charge as Fujokai, Elmtail and their archers cover us with a hail of arrows." "What about spotters?" Mattimeo enquired. "You've said rifle-teams are usually comprised of two. A gunner and a spotter." "Exactly," Sandokhan replied. "Which is why I'll need about twenty bales of hay or dry grass, anything that burns well. When they're set on fire they'll shroud the battlefield with thick smoke. As soon as the spotters catch another glimpse of us it'll be too late." "Stab 'em in the eyes, wot! Make it more of a challenge for 'em," George scoffed. "That's somethin' my ole nuncle Bas would do." "Which brings me on to our next problem, the wearets themselves. I've seen these monsters fight. They're as ferocious as they are intimidating. I'm afraid to say when it's time for close quarters we're on our own." "Don't worry Sandy, we'll be alright," said Wataru. "What about Gash? I still don't trust him," Flugg uttered. "Me neither," Tigerlilly seconded. "With any luck, Gash and his command unit will probably be killed in the first wave," Sandokhan replied morbidly.

Two days passed, and the autumn had properly arrived. The entrances to the caves were racked by fierce winds and rain and the task of finding anything dry was bleak. The barricades were coming along fine. Sandokhan patted his paws up against them as he inspected Allyoshas' work. "These will serve us well, Allyosha," the fox declared. "Well I can't take all the praise. Tigerlilly has been a great help to us," he added. "Any sign of Gash and his Stormvermin?" "None yet. But my friends in Yoshino say that most of the garrison there has left and are heading south for Mochizuki," "When was this?" "Yesterday." Sandokhan thought hard, "Hmm. Then they should be here by tomorrow at the earliest." Then the fox saw the wood shavings scattered on the rocky floor of the cave. "Allyosha, will this wood burn?" "Quite easily, yes. Why?" "Gather as much as you can. And whatever you do, keep them dry!"

With the time for battle drawing near, most of the warriors spent their moments in the shrine meditating whilst the warriors from the west mentally prepared themselves. Mattimeo sat sharpening the edge of his blade as he conversed with Cheek whilst George was having his armour fitted by the smith, "I'm telling you two, this plan of Sandys' I don't like it." "Ha! What's not to like? We're only going into battle with a band of ten score rats who'll turn on us as soon as their master is dead," said Cheek in a sarcastic tone. "I don't like it either but in hindsight it's the only plan Sandy could come up with." Just then, George had returned from the armourers wearing his specially made Samurai armour. The hare was checking his reflection in a paw-mirror, "I feel fantastic in this, wot!" "It's suits yer, flop-ears," Cheek remarked.

On the dawning of the third day, the Jimanese army assembled outside the main entrance. Five score of Liberated slaves, lesser Samurai, otters, GUOSIM shrews and archers. Some squads of troops carried the barricade emplacements while others doused the bundles of wood shavings with oil. Sandokhan turned to the massed army with Mattimeo and Wataru by his side and spoke in a loud clear voice, "We fight for liberation, not conquest. We fight in the name of Kenji and may the spirit of Masakado watch over and protect you in battle. FOR THE RED DAWN!" His war cry was heartily echoed by all, "FOR THE RED DAWN!" as the last vibrations died away, Georges' ears perked up. "Just a minute," he said. "What is it George?" "Marching, not far off by my reckoning," he replied. Sandokhan and his council went to investigate the noise, as they all peered into the plateau below the land rise they saw Gash at the head of a huge army of Stormvermin. All of them marching in perfect rank and file. "Gotta say those fellas 'ave got discipline down to a tee, wot!" The council of warriors descended to the plateau and went out to meet Gash. The fox stood surveying the assembly of fearsome looking rats massed behind Gash. "The last time I saw something like this was long ago. What was it you said to Lon? Surrender and the Honoured Claw in his infinite patience and mercy will allow you to live?" "Curse the Honoured Claw and damn his name," Gash spat. "I also have some more good news. You remember how we use desert creatures as our mounts?" Sandokhan nodded in reply. "You won't have to worry about them. We fed them all this..." Gash said, as he produced a phial of thick black liquid from his satchel. "The nectar of the black orchid," he explained. "Black orchid?" Mattimeo asked. "A flower that grows around the southern areas of Eshin. As soon as they ingest this nectar, every scorpion will fall into a coma and be dead hours later." "That's monstrous," Tigerlilly exclaimed in a shocked voice. "But it does give us more of a fighting chance," Fujokai motioned. Gash nodded in agreement before adding, "Now, the battle plan.." "Several of my scouts are out near Lons' palace setting up our little distractions. You have to tell us about wearet tactics. We're going to need all the help we can get." After a short while Gash turned to his horde, "I am your general and I am dead. You are Stormvermin and you are also dead. So there is no need to fear death, because not one of you has ever lived at all." A massive cheer rose up from the massed Stormvermin, George muttered to Elmtail, "Don't know about you tree-whalopper, but I'm alive and I bally well intend to jolly stay that way!" After all of the psychological preperations and the reciting of ancient oaths and warcries, the army of Jima marched for Ikkit Claw's palace.

The marching pace was proving too much for Flugg. The Samurai armour was light but the shrew didn't have the stamina to keep up the pace. The Log-a-log fell to his knees with exhaustion and by the time he regained his composure the army was a good league in front of him. Suddenly, he felt somebeast sweep him up and perched the shrew on his back. Flugg noticed he was on the back of a samurai in blue armour. "Don't worry Flugg, we'll be with the war host soon." Flugg recognised the Samurai's' voice, "My lady!"