Making Plans (Ulrick Hammerpaw)

[Substitute Author]

We few, we happy few,
We band of brothers...



Ulrick slowly eased himself into the chair Silus had offered him. The rickety piece of furniture was only just big enough to take his solid frame without collapsing into a shower of splinters.

The weasel watched with interest. Ulrick met his gaze and stared back at him, unblinking for a moment. There was a pause, then the atmosphere suddenly snapped back. Silus raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, resting his head on his paws.

?You intrigue me Ulrick. Of all the badgers I have ever heard of, I have never heard of one like you. You seem less??

?Heroic?? Ulrick volunteered with a derisive snort. ?If you are looking for one of the noble Lords of Salamandastron, I suggest you look elsewhere, weasel. I came here to talk business, not exchange pleasantries.?

?Direct and to the point, admirable.? Silus smiled coldly. ?Very well, let us be plain with one another. What is your proposal??

The chair creaked as Ulrick shifted slightly. ?Just because I was on the oar deck does not mean I do not have ears. I heard the crew talking while we were aboard, and I know that you are not the Captain we set out with. I presume you disposed of your rival??

?If you must know, I was hired to protect Dr Lowri. Unfortunately he was putting himself in a position where he had to hand over power or face a dagger, and he is worth far more to me alive.?

?Mercenary to the end,? chuckled Ulrick. ?Well then, I assume that our former Captain still has his enemies among the crew? My offer is this.? The badger leaned forwards in his seat. ?I help you keep Jonas alive, and in return, you ensure my passage aboard the rescue vessel that is bound to appear. That is, if your charge is as valuable as you claim.?
?And what of your friends?? Silus asked.

?They are not my friends,? Ulrick grunted. ?We were forced together by circumstance. Let them make their own arrangements.?

The weasel shook his head slightly. ?You continue to surprise me Ulrick. Just when you think you understand a beast somebeast like you comes along and throws all your assumptions out of the window. I admit, your offer is an attractive one. Certainly, my crew would think twice about attacking Lowri with a great warrior like yourself at my side.?

?I am not a warrior.? Ulrick growled, a paw clenching into a fist.

Silus gazed at him evenly. ?Come now, I saw you fight in the hall when the slaves escaped. Anybeast with an eye could see you had fought before.?

?I have fought vermin before,? conceded Ulrick, grudgingly.

?And yet you push away the title ?Warrior?? And you woodlanders are famous for your love of heroes.?

?Heroes die,? grunted the badger sullenly. ?Life goes on without them, what they fought against returns, and they are not there to defeat it. And now we shall change the subject, before I withdraw my offer.?
There was a brief gleam in the badger?s eye. Silus caught the briefest flicker in the otherwise stony countenance facing him.

What is he thinking?
~ 

?The enemy are not far away now. Listen.?

The beasts of the council of war turned their ears to the sky. A low, steady rhythm drifted ominously across the field. The sound of pounding drums mixed with marching footpaws.
?They will be upon us before nightfall,? declared Simeon. The mouse stood looking towards the horizon, his sword hanging at his side. ?We shall be ready for them. Just as Martin drove Tsarmina?s army into the waters of Kotir, so we will drive these vermin back to the sea.?

A low murmur ran through the group of woodlanders that hung slightly back from the mouse. Simeon was their undisputed leader. He had done more to galvanise the resistance to the vermin invasion than any other since he had arrived with a small band of warriors from Mossflower by boat about a month after the vermin had landed.

The mouse shaded his eyes with a paw and gazed across the field. ?Are all the local companies assembled, Ulrick??

The badger stepped forward, leaning a large warhammer against his shoulder. ?They have mustered in the forest Simeon, their leaders say they await your orders.?
Simeon nodded. ?Very good. Now, do any of you want to say anything before the fight begins??
There was another low murmur, respectful mutterings of support. Only Ulrick looked uneasy.
?Simeon, I don?t think these beasts are ready yet. Yes, they have been harrying the vermin for weeks, but they are no army! The enemy have lifelong soldiers; they came in ships much larger than ours. The last time my band ambushed some of them, they had taken one of the ballistas from their ship and rigged it on a cart! We have nothing that can match that.?
Simeon turned to face the rest of his warriors, his face grim. ?It is true, these Imperials, as they style themselves, have the advantage in soldiers and weapons. But we have two things they do not that will see us to victory. We have a cause worth fighting for, and we have a band of heroes willing to fight for it! Let them come, with all their hordes; this is where we shall make our stand. Not one more step backwards! Together, we shall drive them back to the sea that spawned them!?

The other warriors cheered, raising their weapons in defiance of the approaching vermin army. Now the tops of their banners could be seen over the horizon, the sound of the drums was becoming louder. Simeon drew his sword, the blade glinting in the sun.

?Go to your companies!? he called. ?Wait for my signal!?

The warriors split up, vanishing into the undergrowth of the woods that bordered the field Simeon had chosen to engage the vermin. For a while there was a hushed calm among the trees as the woodlanders watched the Imperials march over the crest of a small hill and into view. The army juddered to a halt as individual captains tried to keep control of their formations.
Ulrick watched intently, his paws gripped tight on the handle of his warhammer. Any time now?
Away to his right, the sound of a horn. Simeon?s signal. Almost as one, the woodlanders leapt from their hiding places and, with a great roar, charged the startled vermin. Before the Imperials could deploy from their marching column, the woodlanders and their warrior captains were among them.

The vicious battle raged for hours. Ulrick?s arms ached from swinging his hammer. For now, it seemed like the woodlanders had the advantage as Ulrick and Simeon had fought their way across the field to each other and now stood at the centre of a circle of crushed and bleeding bodies. On the other side of the field though, Ulrick could see the vermin had managed to organise and were unleashing volley after volley of arrows into the unprotected woodlander ranks.

?That?s Obadiah?s company!? the badger roared over the noise of the battle. ?The vermin have them pinned down in the ditches!?

Simeon nodded, panting for breath. ?Victory is still in our grasp,? he gasped, raising his sword and striking at a stoat that had made a leap at him. ?Their leader is close. Kill him and the enemy will collapse!?
Ulrick quickly scanned the battle. Standing apart slightly from the fighting was a fox, dressed in some kind of uniform and wielding a pair of cutlasses. As the badger spotted him, the fox hollered a command and another mob of vermin joined the fray, pressing hard into the woodlander?s faltering centre.
?I see the one,? growled Ulrick. ?Are you ready??

?Of course.?
The two friends lifted their weapons and cried out as one, charging through the vermin ranks towards the fox.

~ 

It was the merest flicker, and then it was gone. Ulrick?s face returned to its usual stony scowl.
?Well Captain Delmore, will you accept my offer or not? Or are you just going to sit there and stare at me??

Silus stood up, and the badger did the same, the chair creaking even louder as he did so.
?We have a deal,? he said, holding a paw out to Ulrick. There was a moments pause before the badger clasped it roughly, then dropped it like a hot coal.
He is certainly no businessbeast. Silus thought as the badger stomped away. But it is worth it, even if just to see the look on Ashira?s face when she finds us against her?