Inescapable

[Silus]

Rebellion!  The moment the rats moved towards him and the crew, Silus drew his sword; the first beast to die was the stoat standing a pace in front of him.  The pathetic creature was impaled by three spears before the natives moved to the next beast?him.

Silus dodged the first thrust, and the second, but when he tried to defend against the third rat, he was tackled by another; the spear grazed his left shoulder as he fell.  A rat jumped before him, weapon raised.  A quick thrust felled the rat, but Silus was soon assaulted by two more.  Kicking the native in front of him, Silus rolled to dodge the spear of another.  Grabbing a pawfull of sand, Silus tossed it into the eyes of a gray rat.  It snarled in fury and tripped over a body.

Silus used the momentary distraction to rise to his feet and cut away a black rat?s throat.  Before it crumpled, he drew his dagger and stabbed the blinded rat.  Dagger in left paw, sword in right, Silus managed to deflect two attacks, slaying an assailant in the process.  Taking a glimpse around him, Silus saw many of the crew staring dumbfounded, standing along the walls and buildings watching their mates die. Anger and adrenaline swelled inside. 

?TO ARMS!  BY FATES, FIGHT! FIGH?? Silus yelled before being attacked by a rat.  He swung his sword and ended its pathetic life.  Two more rats quickly fell, and in the midst of battle, between the islanders fighting and dying with the crew, Silus saw Obligo chanting and dancing over the body of a ferret.

You?ll die.  With the rush of the remaining crew members into the battle, Silus fought his way towards them.  Parry.  Dodge.  Parry.  Thrust.  Each move brought the weasel closer, one body at a time?but not without his own injuries.  Twice Silus felt the searing pain of a blade cutting his flesh.  A rat ran a fox through his stomach.  The fox screamed in agony as Silus raised his blade to strike.

Then the unexpected happened:  Obligo was on top of Silus, clawing, biting, scratching.  Dropping his dagger, Silus reached and with adrenaline-induced strength, grabbed the rat and threw him off.  The rat landed on his feet, grabbed a spear, and chucked it at Silus.  He dodged, but Silus heard the painful cry of somebeast behind him.  Obligo charged Silus with another spear, which he again sidestepped, but the rat grabbed the dagger from the dirt.

The two leaders?rat and weasel?faced each other.  Although Silus? primary focus was on Obligo, he did notice that the natives were winning, but Obligo forced Silus concentrate when he attacked with the dagger.  Parry.  Obligo jumped back and came again for a thrust.  Sidestep.  Thrust.  Obligo rolled under the blade, came up and stabbed Silus in the stomach.  Gritting through the unbelievable pain, Silus brought down the hilt and smashed Obligo?s skull.

~

?Silus,? Vonni began, ?I want you to ensure that by the time you return, the ship?s captain, is dead.  Her debt can only be paid in blood.  Just don?t do it on the island, which brings me to my next request.  If there are any beasts on the island worthy, you are to act as my liaison.  I have heard rumors that Sempetra may be a civilized extension of another kingdom, and I want contacts!  If it?s true, I want you there to be the first to mark my territory.  Lastly, you are to??

~

Silus crumpled to his knees, the dagger still buried in his stomach.  Blood oozing from the wound, he looked around.  The remaining five crew members were backed against a wall against the dozen remaining rats.  It was slaughter for both parties, but the surprise swarm from the rats won the day.  He watched in regret as the rats? spears could reach further than his crews? sophisticated weapons.  In turn, each was stabbed, and then re-stabbed while they writhed on the ground.

The pain quickly left Silus.  From where the cool metal pierced his body, a cold crept to the other parts of his body.  It reached his feet first, then his arms; it became difficult for him to continue resting on his knees.  Then a shadow leapt over him from behind.

Coughing, he looked back as the last crewbeast died and then back at the shadow.  It raised an exaggerated weapon to strike.

Fates be cursed.

The rat stabbed.