The Rogue Crew

Razzid stared, wiping moisture from his injured eye, dumbfounded at the sight which confronted them.

Standing astride the battlements was the mouse warrior from his dreams. He was wearing armour and holding forth a flaming sword.

28

Startled by the sudden invasion, Long Patrol, Rogue Crew, Guosim and hedgehogs ducked into the water. The very air above them thrummed with noise and ear-splitting squeaks. Gasping for air, Swiffo broke the surface, still holding the smouldering torch. Dimly he could make out masses of black shapes wheeling and swooping everywhere. He struck out with the dead torch, left and right, trying to defend himself. However, he hit only empty air, no matter how hard he tried.

Skor Axehound came up for air. Swiftly sensing what was going on, he grabbed the torch from his young son.

“Don’t harm ’em—stay still!”

Hugging himself and closing both eyes tight, Swiffo obeyed. One by one, the others emerged from the water, with Skor still calling the same advice to them. Everybeast stood stock-still, some covering their ears to shut out the deafening sounds. Then as suddenly as it started, all was normal again. They were left standing waist deep in the watery, dark tunnel. Fresh torches blossomed into light, bringing relief to the gloom.

Lancejack Sage shook herself. “I say, what’n the name o’ blinkin’, blitherin’ seasons was that, wot?”

Skor lifted her onto the ledge with a single huge paw. “That was bats, missy. Hundreds, nay, thousands o’ the things. They must roost up there inside yon hole.”

Captain Rake chuckled. “Och, ’tis nae wonder our foebeasts didnae pursue us. They’re affrighted o’ the beasties!”

Big Drander exclaimed, “Well, I don’t bloomin’ well blame ’em. They gave me a few nasty moments, I tell ye.”

Sergeant Miggory agreed. “Aye, me too, h’I must confess, but those batbeasts ’ave gone now. Let ’em go an’ frighten the rascals who were shootin’ poison darts h’at us.”

Lieutenant Scutram mounted the ledge. “Indeed! There certainly were a lot o’ bat blighters. How many would ye say, sah?”

Rake Nightfur scratched an ear. “Och, as many as ye like. Mahself, Ah wasnae countin’, just wonderin’ how we’re goin’ tae get oot o’ this place!”

Buff Redspore pointed up to the hole. “I’d say by that route, sah. The stream’ll only take us underground, an’ we ain’t otters. What if it goes deeper, maybe up to the tunnel roof? There’d be no room for us to breathe. I vote we go up through the hole. It’s drier, an’ there ain’t no bats up there right now, wot!”

Skor shouldered his great battleaxe. “We’re with ye. Sounds like a sensible idea. Huh, that’s if’n a beast like me will fit through that hole.”

Ruggan patted his father’s ample midriff. “Right, you go last. If ye get stuck, we can always pull ye through, ole wavedog!”

Skor pawed his axe, nodding at his son. “You ain’t so big I can’t clip yore rudder a touch. Now, move! Shrews, hogs’n’hares first, Rogue Crew t’the rear!”

Sergeant Miggory went first, setting a torch in a crack as he helped Uggo and Posy through into the dark, silent hole. Ever practical, the tough colour sergeant found some thick dead roots protruding overhead. These he pulled out, making more torches. Soon they were all assembled, even Skor, who had managed to bull his thick body through after two tries.

Buff Redspore, along with Gil and Dreel, the young otter scouts, went ahead whilst the others took a short rest.

Log a Log Dandy rubbed his paws together, shuddering. “Gloomy flippin’ place, ain’t it? Sort of eerie, eh!”

Captain Rake looked around at the thick-packed earth and rock, with roots dangling from the low ceiling. “Ah’m no’ verra fond o’ it mahself. We’ll move on soon, before the bats come back.”

Old Drogbuk, who had remained quiet so far, began grumbling. “Huh, stuck unnerground without a thing to eat or sup, an’ my rheumatiz is playin’ me up after sloppin’ through that stream. Wish I’d never come ’ere.”

Skor waggled his axe under Drogbuk’s snout. “Well, yore here now, ole pincushion, so stop moanin’ or I’ll land ye a smack that’ll knock all those spines out!”

The trackers returned. Buff Redspore threw Skor and Rake a quick salute. “Got to report more bats ahead, though they ain’t in our way. They’re in a sort of chamber off to one side.”

Captain Rake drew his claymores. “Right, let’s go an’ see. Try not tae make much noise, mah bonny beasties.”

Uggo grasped Posy’s paw. “Oh, no, more bats. I ain’t too fond o’ bats!”

Posy pulled him along with the others. “Oh, Uggo, they’re only creatures, same as us, an’ they haven’t done us any harm so far. Trust Cap’n Rake.”

The side chamber was off to the left of the winding uphill passage. Holding up a torch, Rake peered in. “Och, nothin’ tae fret aboot in there. ’Tis full o’ babes an’ a few auld batwives, all hangin’ upside doon.”

Swiffo pushed past him. “Can I take a look?”

Skor dragged him back by his rudder. “Leave them alone an’ get back with the Crew.”

Swiffo mumbled, “Huh, only wanted a quick peep.”

The bats began setting up a feeble clamour of squeaks.