The rats on the tideline had begun to move. Boar swung low at the feet of his enemies. As they jumped, he carried the sweep high, the immense war sword slicing through at head level. Blood-spattered, pierced by steel in a dozen different places, he fought on, oblivious to his wounds, trying to reach Ripfang, who stood at the back urging on his sea rats.

“Come to me, Ripfang,” the silver badger chanted as he battled. “Meet Boar the Fighter. I am the son of Old Lord Brocktree, ruler of Mossflower, Chief of the mountain. My blade is singing your deathsong. Let Boar take you and your vermin crew to the gates of Dark Forest this night. The summer sun cannot stand the sight of you darkening the earth!”

Now the rats packed in harder at Ripfang’s command. The roiling mass of enemies seemed endless. Martin and his comrades wiped sweat and blood from their eyes as they battered heroically away at the tide of sea rats which threatened to engulf them.

The warrior mouse found himself back to back with Boar. “Boar, we’re hard-pressed and outnumbered,” he yelled over the noise of war. “It’d take us all season to slay this pack, even if they stood in line and waited.”

The silver badger made a rat into two half-rats with his sword. “I know, little warrior. I told you this was my fight. I’m sorry I got you into it.”

Martin extinguished a spitting face with his blade. “Not your fault, Boar. It was written.”

The badger used his sword hilt to pulp a rat who came too near. “Listen, Martin. Get the crew around you. I’m going to force a way through, then we’ll run for it. There’s only that single group standing between us and Bloodwake. Are you ready?”

It took a few moments in the battle until Martin had mustered his comrades in a group. There was a momentary lull as they stood ringed on all sides by sea rats.

Like chain lightning, Boar made his move with a furious charge. The mad onslaught carried them forward to the edge of the horde. Hewing ceaselessly, Martin and the rest broke through. They began running toward the small advancing band of sea rats.

Pikes clashed with sickle swords as they met. The astounded vermin were so taken aback by the ferocity of the attack that they broke and scattered.

Rushing onward, the friends made the water’s edge.

Honeydew looked back. “We’ve left Boar behind!”

“No, he never came with us.”

“Let’s go back.”

“Stay!” Martin’s shout was a cold command.

They turned to stare at the warrior mouse.

“Remember your orders from Boar. Do as he said; it is the way of the warrior. Boar has seen his own fate written, there is nothing we can do to stop it. We must capture that ship.”

They slid into the surf with the sounds of battle still ringing in their ears.

* * *

There was only a token watch left aboard to guard the galley slaves. They leaped overboard at the sight of the roaring fighters who sprang dripping to the deck of Bloodwake.