Part 6 (1/2)
As Skalrag hurried to do his master's bidding, the Tyrant dashed up the ladder to the walltop and joined the melee.
Arrows whistled through the night from both sides. Clogg was trying to keep up heavy volleys of shafts and slingstones to make the defenders keep their heads down. Badrang seemed to be everywhere at once, hacking at grapnel ropes, hurling boulders and roaring orders.
”Don't let them grapplers get ahold, slash the ropes! Push that siege ladder over! Risk, get to the north corner, 64.
use the big spears and long pikes to stab downward! You there, take four more and get down into the courtyard. Reinforce the gates with anything-rocks, timber, sand- anything you can lay paws on!”
Cap'n Tramun Clogg howled aloud at his archers and slingthrowers as he awaited the upside-down longboat that was being trundled over the beach towards him.
”Give 'em blood an' brokenbones, ye black-livered flotsam! Growch, keep those arrows a-flyin' an' make every one count! Haharr, Badrang, I'll soon be wearin' yer guts fer garters! Bring that longboat t'me, 'earties. We'll knock on the Tyrant's door, haharrharr!”
The longboat's keel was plated with a heavy sheath of copper that culminated in a lump at its prow. Upside down, it made a battering ram. Twenty or more vermin stood underneath the boat, using it as an umbrella against missiles from the walltop. Tramun Clogg joined them, heading the operation, roaring orders gleefully.
”Straight ahead as she goes, buckoes. Pound that ole door to splinters, mates. Charge!”
Paws grasped the undersides of the craft tightly as they raced madly across the sh.o.r.e. Arrows, spears and rocks bounced vainly off the plated keel, unable to stop the corsairs' battering ram striking Marshank's gates with tremendous force.
Whump!
Most of the ram crew fell flat under the impact as thick copper plate met door timber with a splintering crash. Paws a-tingle from the reverberation, they hoisted the boat aloft under Clogg's triumphant commands.
”Hoho, cullies. Back 'er off an' let's do it again! Gruzzle, Dedjaw, Floater! Up front 'ere with me. Arf a dozen whacks like that'n an' we can use yonder gates fer toothpicks at our victory feast! Nothin' can stop wavebeasts such as us mates. Chaaaaaarge!”
Gurrad slashed at a climbing rope with his cutla.s.s. Feel-65 ing the walltop shudder slightly as the ram struck once more, he looked anxiously towards Badrang. The Tyrant had a stack of light javelins at his side, and he was throwing them with deadly accuracy, snarling with satisfaction each time he was rewarded with the screams of another searat impaled by his good aim. Pausing momentarily, he grabbed a pa.s.sing ferret.
”Tailwart, get down below and see that the gates are well sh.o.r.ed up with rock and rubble. Clogg can batter our doors until his whiskers turn grey. If there's enough packing behind 'em he'll never break through.”
The battle raged on into the night, its infernal din of roaring clangour overriding the hiss and swell of the restless sea.
Brome was last to enter the escape tunnel. Grumm hauled the young mouse in alongside him.
”Gudd to see you'm, maister. You be looken fitter'n a b.u.mblybee.”
Martin and Felldoh pounded the mole's furry back joyfully. ”Well done, friend. Brome was right, you are a champion digger!”
Grumm wrinkled his nose modestly. ”No more'n moi job, zurrs. You uns get along naow, Oi'll bide yurr awhoil an' patch up yon 'ole so's n.o.beast be a-knowen 'ow him'n excaped. Hurr hurr, 'twill give they Bardang vur-mint sumthen to puzzle o'er, a hempty pit wi' no marks o' breakout, hurr hurr.”
The three friends crawled on all fours through the darkness, Felldoh's tail touching the tunnel top and brus.h.i.+ng down a light drift of sand. Closing their eyes, they pushed forward in the eerie underground silence, their bodies quivering with the antic.i.p.ation of freedom. It was the battlenoise and a soft breeze tickling his whiskers that told Felldoh they had made it. He sneezed and rubbed fine sand from his eyes as Rose helped him out.
”Up you come, treejumper. Is Grumm with you?”
The squirrel rolled to one side as Martin pulled him- 66.
self from the runnel. Together they hauled young Brome out as Martin answered, ”He'll be along shortly when he's blocked off the hole. Phwah! I've swallowed so much sand I'll be spitting it out all season.”
”Here, wash it out with some cold mint tea.”
Martin rubbed dust from his eyes and stared at the mousemaid as he accepted the canteen of liquid. He was thunderstruck.
”You must be Martin.”
He stared silently into the most gentle hazel eyes that ever reflected starlight, lost for words as a quiet smile spread over the mousemaid's serene features.
”Drink up, Martin. Your friend and my brother are waiting their turn.”
He took a quick mouthful, suddenly finding his voice as he did. ”Yurn b'rosty nose!”
”I beg your pardon?” Her laughter was like a summer breeze among bluebells.
Martin took another gulp and cleared his throat. ”Sorry. You must be Rose.”
Felldoh grinned as he grabbed the canteen from his friend's faltering paws. ”Aye, she is. Remember me? I'm Felldoh, and this other creature is Brome. Your name's Martin and the beast whose head you're standin' on is our rescuer Grumm.”
Martin hastily s.h.i.+fted his footpaw, mumbling an apology as the mole levered himself from the tunnel.
”Thankee, maister. Hurr, et be gurt 'n' noisy out 'ere wi' they vurmin a-killen each other o'er yonder.”
Suddenly Martin became aware of the battlenoise around Marshank. It shook him out of his daze and he began thinking clearly.
”Oh er, right! Well, I think our best bet is to put as much distance between ourselves and that lot right away!”
Felldoh bristled slightly. ”I can't leave until my father is free. I'm staying.”
Martin gripped his friend's paw. ”We won't be a bit 67.
of help to anybeast if we get killed or captured in the midst of a battle. Listen, Felldoh, I'm with you. One day we'll free all the slaves from Badrang's clutches, but right now we're only five, too few to stand against the Tyrant's horde. I say we should go to Noonvale. Brome and Rose's father is a Chieftain, and surely he will tell his tribe to help us. Then when we are strong in numbers we can return and defeat Badrang and all his vermin, wipe them from the face of the land and free our friends. What do you say?”
Brome shook his head. ”My father Urran Voh is a creature who goes his own way. He will never leave Noonvale. As for our tribe, well, they generally do what he tells them to.”
Rose spoke up. ”Aye, brother, our father is as stubborn as you-that's why the two of you always quarrel. But maybe I can persuade Mother. She'd ask him to help you. I know she would.”
Martin held the squirrel's paw tighter. ”What do you say, Felldoh? Shall we give it a try?”
There was a moment's silence, then Felldoh nodded. ”I'm with you. If we can raise an army at Noonvale then one day I'll return to dance on Badrang's grave!”
Martin's eyes shone at the thought of it. ”And I'll be dancing with you, friend, holding the sword that once belonged to my father!”
Rose, Brome and Grumm clasped their paws with Martin and Felldoh over the escape hole. ”We'll do it, friends together!”
68.
8.
Cap'n Tramun Clogg was beginning to feel discouraged. No matter how hard and long he beat at Marshank's gates with his battering ram, they seemed to hold up. Gruzzle, Dedjaw, Floater and the rest were seated on the sh.o.r.e beneath the upturned boat, blowing for breath as they ma.s.saged weary paws. Clogg struck the side of the boat with his cutla.s.s.
”Wot's the matter, yer lily-livered seasc.u.m? Weary already? Come on now, 'earties, up on yer paws an' give it one more go. She's splinterin', I tell yer. Why, a couple more bangs an' we'll be through inter the fortress!”
Gruzzle sucked noisily at a skinned paw. ”Ahh, Cap'n, I thought you said one more go arf an hour back, an' we're still chargin' those gates like madbeasts.”
Clogg c.o.c.ked a fierce eye at the complaining sea rat. ”Yore grizzlin', Gruzzle, always grizzlin'. Now up off those hunkers, mate, an' charge that gate, afore I charges you wid this frogsticker!” He waved his cutla.s.s threateningly.