And We All Come Marching In

[Rousseau]

If there was anything that Rousseau had learned during the last five days, it was that Vulpuz had something against sleep. After retiring for the evening, the rat had barely enough time for two hours of rest before a cluster of rats had breached Kotir?s stronghold from the west wall, the hubbub of beast?s alarming yells rudely awakening her.  At first the corsair had merely shrugged it off, but after hearing the sounds of steel clanging against steel, she managed to drag herself out of bed with her newly-acquired cutlass gripped in her paw.

It had been a pointless effort.  By the time she had arrived at the sight of the commotion, the rats had already been dealt with by Tobias.  Rousseau had quickly congratulated the young mink at fending off the attackers and made to go back to the warm embrace of her bed, but, instead of getting that honor, the rattess had been chosen by Lord Tirian, along with Alan, to be among the beasts who would lead a charge against the rodents camped in the castle grounds.

Rousseau yawned and glanced around her. About five score of the Kotir beasts, donned in the carmine and black uniform of Kotir?s army and armed to the tooth, stood perfectly at attention behind Alan and Tirian as they awaited orders.  They were only contrasted by the ten roughly-dressed pirates of Terramort, with their crude weapons and lack of any real armor, who stood behind the rattess out of line. Although disorganized, the corsair had been careful with her choice of beasts, not wanting to bring all of the ones she still had or leave many out just so that if any more were killed or captured, she may still have a decent fighting force. With Tirian?s orders, it was probably a wise choice.

The wolf was mad. The beast, after some council with his wife, believed it would be possible to go through the hole the rats had created and launch an assault against them. After pondering what Tirian was proposing, Rousseau wondered how he could think it was a good idea.  The Children of the Water had more numbers, hostages at their disposal, and any sort of sneak attack would be impossible at this point.  With a happening as big as breaking into the castle stronghold, their leader had probably already been alerted. Morleo was probably already outside of the hole, waiting with an army by his side. Although she had no room to talk, Rousseau could sense bad leadership where it was near.  

The rattess sighed.

Either way, she knew she had no choice but to follow the beast.  He had said there was an opportunity to rescue some of the hostages being held by Morleo, and Rousseau knew the chance was too big to pass up. She just wondered what her own crew thought of the situation.

?We?re all gonna die, aren?t we?? a particularly loud stoat behind her answered.

A weasel harrumphed in response. ?Prolly, mate. With Will gone, all we got is her t? lead us an? she?s followin? him. I think we all know how well this?ll go.?

Rousseau twitched in annoyance and tried to shut out their conversation.

?Blast that weasel,? the stoat said louder than before. ?Beast shoulda let ?em keep ?er. We were better off without ?er. Jest think ?bout how easy it might?ve been t? rescue our mates had he not traded over. Now the odds are against ?em an? they?re all gonna die, probably. Not t? mention us.  Second we step out-?

?Quiet down, mate.  I think she?s listenin?.? The weasel glanced at her cautiously. ?Think o? Blacktail.?

The two beasts resumed their conversation in a hushed tone, making it easier for the rattess to stop listening in. Although trying to be indifferent to the insults they had thrown, Rousseau glanced at the floor anxiously.  The advice from Calder to give her crew a reason to follow her came to her head.  But how was she supposed to get a crew to follow her, when all they did was criticize her?

She would have to find a way of course, but, like coming up with some masterpiece of a painting, it was a delicate task that required time and patience, and one that was easier said than done.

?Tough crowd.  Are you fit?? Alan asked from beside her.

The rattess chuckled. ?Well, wot?s gotten int? you? Why so concerned?? Rousseau asked.

"My concern is more related to your head wound.  Can you fight?" the mink reiterated.

?Oh,? the rattess tried to hide the disappointment in her voice. ?I don?t really have much of a choice with them havin? my crew an? all.  I?ll be able t? manage, I think.?

Alan nodded and drew his sword.  ?Works for me.?

?Aye,? Rousseau said, following suit.  She turned to her crew.  They gave her a frown.

After a few moments, Tirian began speaking. ?Soldiers, whether from home or across the sea, I am greatly honored to have you all by my side on this dark morning. Together, we shall strike a blow for Kotir and make these intruders pay for invading this castle. There will be no prisoners, only blood.  So, let us take back my- no, OUR- castle.  Our home.  For castle Kotir!?

Rousseau was still unsure and gave Alan a look, but as the beasts around her all drew their weapons, she felt herself shoved forward by some invisible force towards the thick gap in the wall.  The energy the rattess felt around her stimulated throughout her body and all memories of having lost sleep were forgotten. After just a few seconds, she felt the soft grass of the lawn beneath her boot.

She sniffed, the pleasant cold morning air filling her nostrils. The stars were still hanging in the sky, she noticed, sparkling like the pearls of her necklace. From across the lawn, the rattess could see a few of the rat?s tents and the remaining embers of their fires from the previous evening.  The scene looked like the concept of something Rousseau might have painted.  A slumbering, unguarded campsite in the darkness, as seen through the eyes of the beasts who were going to attack it. However, she had to remind herself that this was a battle, not a search for Inspiration.

She looked around, hoping to see black shapes of sleeping prisoners in the darkness, huddled in some corner. She took another step.

Rousseau?s right footpaw trampled over something.

?Yowwch!? a once-asleep rat, probably assigned to guard the hole that had been made, yelped.  The sentry clutched at his tail that Rousseau had stepped on and blinked at the horde of beasts before him. ?What the???

Tirian acted faster than the rattess could, the blade in his paw slashing across the unfortunate guard?s midriff with lightning speed, felling him immediately. Wiping his blade, he said, ?Watch where you?re going.  You have a good eye, use it.?

Rousseau put a claw to her patch. ?Unfortunately, it ain?t on me right side like ?e was.?

He cursed. ?Unfortunately not.? He pointed to a fleeing shadow heading towards one of the tents. ?Otherwise, you might not have alerted the entire camp with that rat?s scream.?

Alan began barking orders. "Everyone spread out!  Crowded like this we'll get surrounded in no time.  He turned to a stoat and fox near him.  "You and you, stand guard.  Any water rat scum that comes near you, kill.  No questions.  Am I sufficiently clear?"

?Yes sir!? they both echoed at once.

Rousseau couldn?t help but be at awe at how easily the mink captain had commanded them.  She moved into the position Alan had advised, a loose formation away from the wall where they couldn?t be flanked, and exhaled a deep breath, watching as the horde of rats emerged from their tents and started moving towards them.

?Weapons at the ready,? she said, reaffirming her hold on her cutlass, however awkward the blade was. In five seconds at max, the beasts would be upon them.

She closed her eye and took a breath.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Rousseau?s eye snapped open and she quickly blocked a rat?s saber, parrying it with a swift thrust into the rodent?s chest. ?Five.?

The corsair looked to where Alan was, seeing him finish off his first opponent. The mink spared her a glance. "I must say your aptitude for alerting the enemy is- behind you!"

The rattess spun and blocked another blow deftly, fencing with the beast for a moment before dispatching him with a clean slice. ?I kin?t help that I kin?t see most o? my right side.?

Alan sent another beast to Hellgates. ?Noted, now pay attention or you'll die from said side."

Rousseau stepped backwards and narrowly avoided her death as a burly rat with a spear rushed from her right, skewering one of his allies instead.  The rattess brought her blade down upon the beast?s unprotected back.  She turned back to Alan. ?Aye, but our conversations are always so pleasant! Ya have such a way with words.? She chuckled, getting a rat stuck on the end of her blade.

?Go boil your head."

No enemies currently threatening her life, Rousseau twirled around.  The rat?s numbers hadn?t seemed to drop by so much as a fraction as they continued pouring in.  She watched as a Kotir beast fell with a spear sticking from his ribs.  To the unfortunate beast?s left was Tirian, battling against the fresh flood of beasts, his sword covered in red.  A distance away, Morleo chopped his way through the rabble.  But what Rousseau noticed was what lay behind the scarred rat.

From a faint glimmer of torchlight, she faintly made out the silhouettes of a group of beasts crouched on the ground and watching the chaos.

She turned to Alan. ?I see the prisoners.?

"That's nice, why don't you set up your easel right here.  Perfect scenario for painting.  What's your point?"

?I think, that if I kin get over there?? Rousseau said, before killing a beast, ?I might be able t? set them free.?

?Really?" he yelled, blocking a blow.  "One half blind rat with a knife, against trained guard rats who were ordered to stand to their death?"

?Hopefully two knives.?

He paused, understanding what she meant. ?I can't.  I have to ensure Tirian's safety."

Rousseau nodded, not having any more time for rebuttal, and sprinted as fast as she could, slicing through anybeast who dared stand in her way.  Skirting through the grass, past Morleo and his rats, she exited the fight and dashed across the lawn.

?Cap?n??

The rattess blessed her luck.  This particular bundle of prisoners was all made up of her crew.  However, looking through the beasts a second time, she couldn?t see Willump among them.  She cursed.

Panting, she walked toward the single guard posted over them.  ?I believe ya have some o? my beasts.?

The guard, a burly rodent with a scimitar, didn?t flinch.

Both rats moved against each other instantly, swords locked. The other rat took a step back for balance and stumbled over the outstretched legs of one of the prisoners.  Rousseau saw her chance and moved in, but the beast deflected her blow with a horizontal swipe and regained his balance. The corsair feinted to the left, but the guard saw through her trick and blocked his right side, protecting himself from an otherwise fatal blow.

?Yer slow, heathen,? he said.

She smiled. ?Well, at least I ain?t dead.?

?What??

A blade appeared between the beast?s ribs from behind as soon as he said the word.  With one dying groan, the rat fell to the dirt in a crumpled heap. ?Fer a moment there, I didn?t think you?d come.?

Alan wiped his dagger clean. ?Don't get used to it, I'm simply repaying a favor."

Rousseau nodded. ?Thank ya.?

The mink glanced towards the ongoing battle.  He immediately set to work on a beast?s bonds. "Whatever, get your tail busy, Captain.  We don't have much time."

Rousseau shared the glance.  The rats were beginning to overwhelm the Kotir soldiers with numbers and were pushing them back in the direction of the hole.  She grabbed her dagger and began cutting the bonds of the stoat that tripped her adversary for her, one of the few females aboard the Crimson Lass.

?Ya know, it?s funny wot somebeast will say when they?re losin? hope.  I doubt anybeast here thought you?d actually show up.?

Rousseau harrumphed. ?Wot?s yer name??

?Aryll.?

?Do ya have any idea where Will is, Aryll?? Rousseau said.

The stoat shook her head as her bonds slid off and the rattess moved onto the next beast. ?No, cap?n.  We saw ?im trade fer ya, but none o? us have seen ?im since.  He might be with another group.?

Rousseau cursed. ?Can ya fight??

?I got some spunk still left in me, I think.?

?Good.  Congratulations, you?ve been promoted t? First Officer.? Rousseau passed her the dead rat?s scimitar. She nodded towards the other, unarmed pirates that Alan was freeing. ?We don?t have enough swords fer them, so you?ll have yer paws full.?

Aryll nodded.

?Make sure they all get back inside.?

?Understood, cap?n.? She motioned to the rest. ?Get off yer rumps, let?s go!?

Rousseau watched Alan make to follow them but pause when she herself didn?t. ?Are you coming or what, Rousseau??

The rattess glanced towards another group of beasts some distance away.  She wondered if her first mate was among them. She only made it two steps before the mink caught her arm.

?What in Hellgates are you doing!??

?I ain?t leavin? without Will!? Rousseau snapped, drawing her sword.

"Damn well, you are!  Do you want to die!?" Alan glanced to the battle and saw beasts running back into the castle.  ?Tirian's called a retreat.  We have to go."

?An? wot if yer mouse is there too??

The words stung Alan, she could tell, but he tried to appear unfazed. "His name is Radish, and, like your first mate, we'll be no use to him dead. You've saved enough, we have to retreat.  Vulpuz knows we'll have another chance."

Rousseau lowered her blade after a few moments. ?Ya best not be lyin?, captain.?

Rat and mink sprinted across the lawn, hopping over the dead bodies of friend and foe alike, and toward the hole that led to safety.  Anybeast caught in their path was cut down.  After what seemed like an eternity of running and cutting, Rousseau and Alan arrived at the entrance of the hole, both panting for breath.

Alan gazed out over the lawn.  His breathing stopped.

Rousseau looked to where the mink was staring in time to see a club, held by Morleo, descend into the backside of Lord Tirian, felling him instantly.  The scarred rat?s eyes met hers for only a moment, but it didn?t stop him from smiling.

The battle ending in the rat?s favor, both Rousseau and Alan followed each other back into their sanctuary.