User blog:Gandr Adderbane/Two Swords; Revenge is Sweet

This is my third, and probably final, story about Beechtail, Maplefur, and Lutran. If you have not already read Two Swords; The Return of the Rapscallions and Two Swords; Descent, you probably should before reading this.

I don't know how much time I will have to write when school starts, so updates will be very irregular. If you want to be updated, please say so in a comment.

This story is dedicated to everyone who commented on my other stories, especially Skipper Rorc, because if he hadn't been commenting I probably wouldn't have finished the first one.

Prologue: The Sibling
Nettleclaw was not the only survivor of the day the second Great Rapscallion Army fell to the blades of the Long Patrol. There was another ferret; Bloodeye. He had been knocked unconscious by a slingstone early on in the battle, and was hidden under several slain rats. He had awoken at the end of the battle just in time to see Nettleclaw sneaking off into the woods. Once the woodlander army had left the battlefield, he rose and ran after his leader. Being an excellent tracker, he had caught up with Nettleclaw just outside Redwall. The ferret warlord had instructed his one remaining servant to wait outside for him, while he “negotiated” with the Redwallers for their safe passage south.

Bloodeye had remained hidden, and witnessed the whole incident; from Aspen’s suicidal attack on Nettleclaw to the ferret’s duel with Beechtail atop the bells, and finally Nettleclaw’s subsequent death after a long and horrible fall. Bloodeye had fled immediately afterwards; he didn’t want to be within a day’s march of the Long Patrol any longer than he had to be. He had traveled southwest; towards the sea. He had been one of Nettleclaw’s original followers, and was a decent leader in his own right, but there were better; one in particular, who was almost as clever as Nettleclaw.

Two weeks later; Bloodeye was hiding behind a small boulder overlooking a hidden cove. There was a ship moored there; a medium-sized one with a reinforced iron prow used for ramming. The ship was too far away for Bloodeye to make out the name written on the side, and there was no breeze causing the flag, which would have otherwise identified the ship, to hang limply down. Bloodeye still knew that it was probably the one he was searching for, but on the other hand, if it wasn’t, the crew probably wouldn’t like a strange ferret snooping around.

Suddenly something smashed into Bloodeye’s wrist, sending his sword flying. He tried to rise, but somebeast’s knee pushed him flat. A cold metal blade pressed into the back of his neck. The ferret froze, not daring to breathe. For a minute nothing happened, then his unknown assailant spoke, “Well, if it isn’t Bloodeye the tracker. So, has my brother finally conquered Redwall and Salamandastron? Or did you just drop by to say hi?”

Bloodeye relaxed; he knew that voice. The blade and knee were removed, allowing the ferret to move. He rolled over. A ferret stood over him.

She was tall and slender with a brown back and a creamy throat. Her green eyes glittered dangerously below a black silk headband that encircled her brow. A scimitar was thrust through a thick belt with a golden, jewel-inlaid, buckle. She wore a dark red silk coat, with a brass spyglass sticking out of one pocket. Several gold pawrings and bracelets adorned her paws, one of which carried a coiled whip. She was hauntingly beautiful, if you ignored the crescent-shaped scar running from her cheek to her temple.

“Hello, Deathrose, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Bloodeye replied, he glanced at her various gem-studded pieces of jewelry, “I take it you’ve been doing well lately.”

“Yeah, being the most successful corsairs on the seas has its perks, and they’re usually better than what you get robbing travelers like my brother does. By the way how is he?”

Bloodeye opened his mouth to reply, but then paused; he really didn’t want to have to tell her bad news. Deathrose noticed his hesitation, “Well, are you here for a reason, or did you just come out here to stare at me?”

“He’s...uh...I mean…He was…slain,” Bloodeye stammered.

“WHAT!!! NETTLECLAW WAS KILLED!!!” Deathrose shouted. She grabbed Bloodeye by the shoulders and pulled him upright, “Tell me everything! Everything!”