The Rogue Crew

“He’s my son, but a courageous fool. The lesson will do him good.”

Skor Axehound had arrived whilst the contest was on.

Rake Nightfur called out to all the hares present. “Attenshun, High Chieftain present!”

Members of the Long Patrol, who had been watching the spectacle, came swiftly to attention, including Sergeant Miggory, who took a sudden punch on the chin from Ruggan.

The veteran hare smiled crookedly, waggling his jaw from side to side. “Good shot, young sah, but ye should’ve hit my bread basket to double me h’over first, like this.”

Miggory’s right whacked into the otter’s midriff. Ruggan doubled up, going down on all fours as he fought for breath.

The sergeant lifted him upright, massaging his back. “You alright, sah? H’I tried not to ’it ye too ’ard.”

Skor Axehound was all that a sea otter Chieftain should be. Garbed in a chain-mail vest, with a cloak of vermin hide down to his footpaws, he had a long shield tied by a thong to his shoulder. In one paw he carried a huge double-headed battleaxe, which any normal beast would have trouble lifting. Above his grey-streaked beard, which bushed out over a barrel-like chest, Skor’s eyeteeth stuck out like fangs. He had two of the brightest barbaric green eyes.

Captain Rake Nightfur felt himself enveloped in the massive sea otter’s embrace. Skor laughed boomingly. “Ho ho! Still the same old longears, eh? Slim as a rake an’ dark as thunder. How are ye, my friend? Ye look as if ye haven’t aged a day since we last met long ago!”

Rake returned the hug, extricating himself neatly. He held the huge beast off by grasping his paws.

“Och, Skor Axehound, ye bonnie old wardog. How d’ye manage tae stay so young lookin’?”

Skor patted his bulging but rock-hard middle, chuckling. “Hah! Young lookin’. Me? I leave bein’ young to beasts like my son there, Ruggan. Hoho, ye never met a boxin’ hare afore, have ye, son? Come on, now. Shake paws with an ole warrior who could’ve slain ye with a real blow.”

Ruggan gasped Miggory’s paw, managing a weak smile. “My thanks for the lesson, friend. Mayhaps one day I could show ye a few tricks with sword or bow?”

The tough sergeant grinned. “H’I’ve no doubt ye could, sah, an’ I’ll look forward to it!”

A sizeable breakfast was served out on the sunwashed beach by their hosts, the pigmy shrews and sand lizards. Otters and hares dined on soft cheeses and flatbreads, fresh fruit and a honeyed coltsfoot cordial. Rake explained the mission that Lady Violet Wildstripe had sent him on, telling Skor all that had taken place to date. The chieftain listened intently.

When Rake had ended his narrative, Skor scratched his beard reflectively. “What ye tell me makes sense, my friend. I rue the day I never finished Razzid Wearat off for good, but I swear to you that I’ll put that right before I’m much older. I saw the villain when he returned to seek vengeance on me. Hah, Wearat, he’s the same as any coward or bully. Took one look at me an’ my Rogue Crew, then turned tail an’ fled.”

Lieutenant Scutram, who was party to the conversation, enquired, “We knew he was sailin’ north, sah. Trouble is, where’n the name o’ seasons has he jolly well gone to after turnin’? We’ve not caught sight of his vessel.”

Ruggan had a suggestion. “Mayhaps he’s gone back to attack your fortress, Captain Rake.”

The dark hare chuckled briefly. “Ah think not, laddie. Since he was last at Salamandastron, our Badger Lady is on the alert. Yon Wearat’ll no’ get a chance tae sneak in an’ murder our young cadets. Razzid isnae a fool. He wouldnae try tae attack the mountain.”

Sergeant Miggory posed a question. “Beg pardon, sah, but if’n ’e ain’t h’interested in meetin’ Lord Axe’ound agin h’an’ ’e won’t be h’attackin’ our mountain, where does ’e h’intend going to? Sailin’ h’off ’ome to his den, maybe?”

Scutram shrugged. “Who jolly well knows. Where else could the blighter go to, wot?”

Skor winked knowingly. “We’ll know in a short while. I’ve had two o’ my best trackers shadow the vermin ship since it turned away from the High North Coast. Kite, Endar Feyblade, go an’ see if there’s any sign o’ Gil an’ Dreel returnin’.”

Rake stood up, pacing about and scanning the sea. “Ah hope yore scouts have found where the green-sailed ship is. Bear in mind what I told ye—yon craft has wheels now. It can go by land or sea, which has me sair bothered, ye ken?”

Skor nodded in agreement. “Aye, it worries me, too. In a way I feel guilty. We’ve never had need o’ ships—’twas enough just to defend our coast against enemies. I know your Badger Lady was hopin’ sea otters had vessels. I want to help her, and I will, truly. Argh! But a ship that can sail on land or sea, that’s somethin’ I never reckoned with. Any sign o’ those trackers yet, Ruggan?”

Skor’s son scanned the beach both ways. “Not yet. We’ll just have to wait, sir.”