The bright, crisp, orange leaves of autumn blew off the enormous trees as the wind gently blew over them; carrying them along the current with grace and elegance of simplicity. Green grass also swayed in the wind, along with the bushes and flowers that existed in the quiet land of Nightdawn.
The quietness that was spread throughout the peaceful land, was soon disturbed by a shrill scream in the cold air; followed by a long howl from a rat in extreme pain.
Three young mice siblings from the legendary Oak tree Haven; were being brutally attacked by a large pack of angry rats that had been infuriated by the second oldest mouse, Fangbite.
Fangbite; was a headstrong mouse at the age of 14 with golden fur and dark blue eyes. He was a little bit shorter than his sister Rose, but was the same height of his younger brother, Darkmoon.
Darkmoon was at the age of 12 with dark brown fur and bright green eyes that would pierce into his enemies’ minds, scaring them off without effort.
Rose; the oldest of the group at 16 years old, had dark black fur with bright blue eyes like her brother. She was worried that they weren’t going to make it out of the battle at first, but realizing her brothers’ skills with swords and stones, she had the up most confidence that they would live to see another day.
The three mice were furiously fighting back with their swords, daggers, and whatever else they could use at the overwhelming pack of rats that were quickly coming back without pause.
Over the loud sound of metal clanging and ringing, the mice were shouting at each other while passing weapons back and forward with ease.
“Fangbite catch!”
“DarkMoon you got this?”
“What do you think?”
“Both of you look out!”
“Whew that was almost my head.”
“How many times am I going to save you two?
“CLANG!”
“How about we just saved you?”
“Oh shut up and just fight!”
Fangbite smiled and laughed loudly as he tucked and rolled through a large pack of rats, knocking them over as he went.
“At last you finally did something useful!” his sister Rose yelled while slamming her dagger into the nearest rat’s head and quickly pulling it out; causing a massive pour of blood to come rushing out of the wound.
“HA!” replied Fangbite, rolling between two massive on coming rats, cutting their lower legs off as he did with the two swords that were in each paw. “Admit it Rose, I so proved you wrong!”
The rats tumbled and fell to the ground, screaming and holding onto what was left of their legs while frantically searching for the severed limbs. Fangbite felt a twinge of guilt shoot through his body. He didn’t have to cut off their legs did he? He started to think about his actions and whether they were necessary or not, but was soon interrupted by a rats roar as it tried to slam the sword down upon him.
Parrying with ease, Fangbite blocked the attack and knocked the sword out of the rat’s paws. The rat was in shock by the little mouse’s great swordsmanship and realized he was outmatched. Without second though, it put its paws up in surrender.
Fangbite smiled, took the handle of the left sword and slammed the rat’s head with it; knocking the rat out instantly.
“I will spare you,” he said and immediately heard the cry of his younger brother Darkmoon calling for help.
Fangbite turned to see his younger brother covered by a circle of rats that were closing in fast.
Quickly he ran and jumped over the pack of rats, cutting and slicing at whatever he could while flying through the air. A moment later he landed beside his brother, giving a smile of re-assurance.
The brothers were soon standing back to back, stabbing and hacking at the onslaught of the never ending sea of rats, blood splattering on their brown and golden fur.
Darkmoon was furious about his green cloak getting splattered with the dark color of rat blood, but at the moment he was more worried about getting rid of the blood in his face while trying to block the rats’ attacks
“Mum’s going to be furious,” He barked.
“Eh she’ll get over it,” replied Fangbite, taking his sword and stabbing it through a black rat with large claws.
“And whose fault is it that all these rats are trying to kill us?” asked Rose while blocking a blow to her head.
“I know I know it’s my fault,” Fangbite murmured.
Hours passed as the three mice continued to hack and slice at the sea of rats, which finally seemed to becoming less and less in numbers.
Darkmoon was overjoyed when he realized that they were pushing the rats back, and screamed at the top of his lungs in praise, “They’re almost gone!” but immediately after his cry of joy, he was silenced by a rusty dagger that was stabbed into his throat from behind him.
He gave a small gag as he tried to cry for help and afterward quickly decided that he needed to take the dagger out. Taking his two small paws, he grabbed the handle that was behind him and on the count of three, gave a quick tug; the dagger leaving his neck without pain. He immediately felt light headed and dizzy, his vision going blurry and dark. He smiled as the darkness swarmed his vision and took one last breath of the cool autumn air, his body landing on the soft leaves that had fallen from the trees.
“NO!” Fangbite barked as he watched his younger brother pull out the dagger, blood spraying out on the power hungry rats. His heart hammered in his chest as he watched his brother fall to the ground, knowing that there’s nothing he could do.
Tears filled his eyes while anger filled his heart as he sliced off one of the rats head and split the body down in half, blood covering him and Rose. “Y-You MONSTERS!” he screamed, continuing to cut and slice at the rats, “YOU ARE ALL DAMNED FOR KILLING MY BROTHER!”
Rose who was taken by surprise of her brother’s anger, looked over her shoulder to see her brother weeping and holding his fallen younger brother.
“FANGBITE!” she yelled as she struck another rat and immediately having to block an attack to her head. “You have to fight. Don’t forget he was my brother to so I know you pain. But you have to get up and FIGHT!”
Fangbite continued cry and hold his brother, ignoring what his sister had told him for he knew what she spoke was the truth. He didn’t want to listen to her at the moment; all he wanted to do was cry and try to bring his brother back, even though he knew it was impossible. Without warning, he felt a sword cut into his right shoulder. He screamed at the pain and turned around, stabbing the rat with full force and dropping his brother’s body.
The rat gasped for air but only coughed up blood as it felt its heart beating slower and slower.
Fangbite pulled the sword out of the rat and stabbed it into the vermin’s throat, twisting the sword in a full circle and causing the head to fall off with a terrible ripping noise.
He then took the sword and shoved it behind him in a backwards stab, hitting a rat in the gut.
“FLEE YOU WORTHLESS SCUM!” a voice rang out as a large badger came out from somewhere in the northeast woods, taking huge swings with a giant sword and bringing many rats with them.
“DARKLEAF!” Fangbite cried and smiled while watching as the large badger came slicing through the rats and soon standing beside him.
Darkleaf was an old badger, but a wise one at the same time. Many years he had guarded the good creatures of Nightdawn and vowed to continue to do until the day he died. All the badgers, no matter how young or old, were sworn to protect the creatures just like their elders did.
“Sorry I didn’t get here soon my friend,” he yelled as he stabbed three rats in one go, flinging them behind his head.
“Do not apologize my old friend,” replied Fangbite. “It’s just good to see you again.”
“Well it certainly seems like you need my help desperately. Good thing I brought this.”
After cutting another rat in half, Darkleaf pulled out a small whistle from a sack around his waist and blew it hard.
Seconds passed and soon many creatures from every edge of the woods came running out to help the three fighters. Squirrels, Birds, Moles, Ferrets and every other type of creature were soon shooting arrows and throwing spears at the ever shrinking rat army.
Fangbite smiled, hopefulness and joy rising up in him as he watched their new army come swarming in.
A squirrel on a nearby tree branch shot an arrow straight through one of the rat’s throats causing immediate death. A ferret clawed out a nearby rat’s eyes out and bit its ears, the rat screamed out in agony.
“Eh I’ll let you live,” the ferret laughed and then stabbed another rat beside him.
Soon realizing they were outnumbered, Blackfang, the rat leader decided it was time to back off and let the rebels win the battle. “RETREAT!” he barked and left scurrying with the rest of the pack.
“Why are we retreating?” a rat named Tombstone asked as he came up beside Blackfang.
“Why do you think you bumbling idiot?!” replied Blackfang, stopping and grabbing the scared rat’s throat. “Can’t you clearly see that we need to come up with a new plan?”
“S-sorry Chief,” replied Tombstone, “I-I wasn’t t-thinking straight.”
Blackfang threw the quivering rat down to the ground and started to devise a new plan. “One thing’s for sure,” he thought, “I need more than just rats if I’m going to beat these ridiculous rebels…I’m going to need a whole army. Yes I like the sound of that; A whole army of not just Rats, but Ferrets, Stoats and maybe even Badgers!”
He smiled at that idea and soon devised a way to trick some of the woodlanders to follow him. Oh yes he would get his revenge on them soon enough. All it would take is a little patience and planning and soon he would have everything he had dreamed of. Blackfang the Deathking would not fail this time; not this time.