“Ragen is dead!” Damon yelled above the noise.
Instantly, the fighting creased and the vermin looked around is shock and fear.
When their eyes rested on their fallen leader, they begun to back away, fleeing in all directions.
“Damon!” Kelley rushed toward him. “Damon, we won!” she cried.
Damon dropped the broken sword.
“You did it!” she said, hugging him.
“It ain't o'er yet.” growled a voice from behind him.
“No!” Kelley gasped.
He turned to see Aviso, saber dripping with blood, standing over Mika’s unmoving body.
Damon reached for Ragen’s sword and charged towards the rat.
Aviso raised his saber just in time, sending a shock threw Damon’s arm.
Everything save for his enemy faded from the black otter’s view as he slashed at him.
But the rat was able to black most of Damon’s blows easily.
Damon could feel his strength leaving him and knew he must end the fight quickly.
He aimed at Aviso’s knees, and as the rat prepared to block it, Damon raised his sword, slashing across the rat’s face.
With a howl, Aviso dropped his saber and held his hand to his eye.
Blood splattered onto the leaves as he fled threw the forest.
Damon, determined not to lose him, chased after his former guard.
But although he dodged around the trees and leaped over bushes to keep the rat in sight, he failed to notice a half rotten stump until it was too late.
He lay facedown in the dirt, the wind knocked out of him.
“'Tis nah o'er, Black Iron! Ne'er forget that. In yer weakest time me shall come fer ye. Me shall make ye regret that ye had ever heard o' me!” He heard Aviso call.
Damon rose to his feet but the rat had vanished. “Coward!” he shouted.
Damon watched absent-mindedly as Garfin carefully carved letters into a large stone.
“Rest in Peace, Mika Sharpshooter.” he read.
“It’s me turn!” Mickley said, trying to pull the knife from his brother’s hand.
“You ain’t getting a turn.” Garfin growled as he snatched it back.
The knife’s point raked across the stone, leaving a long gash under the name.
Mickley let go and shamefully reverted his eyes to the ground.
“Now look what ya did.” Garfin complained.
Mickley studied it, running his finger up and down the mark thoughtfully. “I can fix it.” he announced.
“Prove it.” Garfin challenged, tossing him the knife.
“I will.” Mickley promised.
With a sigh, Damon walked over to where Athaliah, Sinwell, Redlark and a few otters stood, talking quietly.
They all had sighs of the battle, ranging from bandaged arms to scratches.
“How were they able to capture you?” Damon interrupted.
Redlark did not answer exactly. “They slew most of the Wave Warriors including Garcon and Eban and burnt everything that they didn’t steal.” he answered.
“The Wave Warriors are no more.” Athaliah said sadly.
“We shall sail north to the Kingdom of Nythan where Garcon’s brother rules.” the mouse warrior told him.
Damon helped the two shrews role the stone onto Mika’s grave.
“She would of liked that.” he said, referring to the scratch that Mickley fixed to look like an arrow.
“Damon, us leave!” Swuro called, standing at the edge of the cliff.
Damon glanced one last time at the smoldering ruins of the slave compound and headed down the path leading to the shore below.
Kelley and Rippler were waiting when he climbed aboard the ship, watching as the shrews bickered on the deck.
“I’m captain!” Mickley exclaimed, standing beside the will.
“No ye ain’t.” Garfin said, poking his brother in the chest.
“Help, mutiny!” he cried.
Redlark cracked a whip inches above their heads. “Below deck, both of you.” he growled.
“Aye, aye, captain.” They saluted before bounding off.
Damon walked over to the railing and starred out at the sparkling blue water.
“How long ‘till we get to the kingdom?” Rippler asked, his eyes shining.
“Depends on how fast the wind blows.” Damon answered.
THE END
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