Mission:
The waves struck the rocks with all their might. Each one stronger than the last. A mild seabreeze continually brushed by my fur. I sat alone on the cliff, watching the sea rage its self-apon the rocks of Sampetra. I heard a noise behind me, like a beast who was not used to walking on the rocky cliff trying to steady itself with a long blackened spear, I knew it was a Monitor lizard just by hearing it. "What do you want?" I called without turning around. "Emperor Ublaz wants te speck with ye, and he says if ye don't come he'll have your guts for garters" said the lizard. I felt totally surprised at that. Last time I had seen Ublaz it was about some tavern brawl that some Marlfox has started and he was about te kill me before old Slash-eye came te me rescue.

I got up and followed the fowl-smelling beast. I could never stand them and I always felt uncomfortable around their barracks, which I always had to pass. This Monitor led me through a series of dark corridors lit only by fire torches at regular intervals. We stopped outside two large pine doors that were etched with carvings of battles long since fought. "Wait here until." started the Lizard. "Ublaz call's for me" I said finishing off the Monitor. It's long tongue flicked out at me and then it turned and disappeared down a corridor.

I stood there slightly nervous. I never liked being in the castle when it was dark. I'm not afraid, but I just don't like the dark that much. I know what your thinkin' but I just feel uneasy in it, I always think that one of Slith's rats is around. Suddenly the door's banged open and I got a fright and a half. A wide-eyed and tear-full fox stood there. He stared at me and simply nodded. I took a deep breath and went into the room. It felt like I had gone somewhere completely new. Two large windows let the fading sun sweep the room, large wall hangings fell from every wall and near the centre of the back wall was a grand throne covered with gold. It was a magnificent sight and sitting staring at me was Ublaz ruler of the seas. I bowed to him and said, "You wanted to see me sire?". "Are you Marlso Silverback of the ship Firestorm?" he asked in a gentle voice. 'What have I done now' I thought to myself but answered "Yes my lord". "Have you heard of the woodlanders and vermin that have kept being washed ashore appeared to have been hung but with slash marks on the back of their heads?" he asked in the same gentle voice as before. Had I heard of it, was he mad! It had gone around the crews like wild fire. "I have heard of it sire" I replied hoping that he didn't think it was me. "I sent out a ship several weeks ago to find out what was going on. Wine?" he asked. "Er.no thanks sire, I'm perfectly alright" I said starting to wonder if he was truly mad or not. "I insist that you have one, my dear for you will need something to calm you nerves after I tell you what I am going to tell you" he replied. I froze with fear for a few seconds. Ublaz never called anybeast 'my dear' in all of his life and insisting that I drink the wine, well anybeast would be scared if you know what I mean mates. He poured out two goblets of a fine red wine. He pushed the tray towards mw and I could see that he had placed a gold jewel studded goblet closest to me and a plain ordinary one closer to him. I was not about to be fooled so I took the plain goblet without showing any fear that I had within me. "Well done, most beasts would have tried to take my goblet" he said in a voice tinged with surprise. "Your slyer than any Marlfox and you still play the same tricks" I replied while smelling the wine. He looked at me as if unpleased and the a smile of realisation appeared, "If you think that there is poison in that goblet, then you must have used that old trick as often as I use mine" he said and then took a drink out of his own. I did likewise and found that I recognised the taste of it. "Now to business" said Ublaz wiping his mouth on a blue silk kerchief. "The ship that I sent out has not returned. It's crew. well the last lot of bodies that were identified were that crew, one of which being Dregore's daughter Alita" he told me nodding to the fox who was lingering at the door, "Now I want you to pay close attention to this Marlso, I want you to", he paused as I took a drink out of the goblet, "Go and find out who is doing this, by finding that ship" he said in a sinister voice. I chocked on the wine and coughed a few times. "Do not worry, I know its shock but only one creature came back alive from that ship by the name of Boulderhead, a Marlfox like you, he has lost the ability to talk but he is unharmed, do you accept to go?" he asked in a quite gentle voice. I nodded in response, as I couldn't speck that well. "I want you to go on the Wave-destructor with Admiral Slash-eye, I understand that you two are friends. Take Dregore with you as he'll want revenge. Good Luck my dear. DISMISSED" he said back to his old way of talking. I placed the empty goblet on the tray, bowed and left the room as quickly as I could. "C'mon best head to the taverns te find O'd Slash-eye, Dregore, that's where he usually is" I said to Dregore once we had been led out of the castle and into daylight.

As we walked along the open ground I saw Slash-eye sober and appearing to be looking out for us. "Ahoy there Slash-eye me old mate" I called out across to him. He looked up and smiled, "Ahoy young Silver and how be O'd Mad Eyes" he said. He's never called me by my real name, but he's always been a bit strange. "I take it ye heard about the mission" I said looking at the sunset. "Yes I have Silver me little sea beast. C'mon the Wave is ready te sail and all of me crew are ready te sail into whatever's out there" said slash eye heading down the harbour to the Wave-destructor followed by Dregore and me.

We sailed out into the sea following the same route as Boulderhead had taken with the seabird a few weeks before. It was a rough journey as we were caught in a tropical storm and it was all beasts on deck to make sure that we didn't lose the ship. When morning came, it was one of the best relief's that we had all experienced in a long time. The cooks made a fine sea-faring breakfast of fresh bread and muscle soup with seaweed scones and plenty of grog. We ate and talked merrily for some time but then the fog appeared. Not the usual fog that we were used te but thick white unnatural fog. We quickly got the crew to man all sides as me and Slash-eye didn't like the look of it.

I climbed the riggin to the crows nest. Dregore was up there and seemed relived at having some company, "Thanks, shipmate, I was beginning te worry" he said to me. "Its al right Dregore. But I don't like his fog one tiny little bit" I said while digging out a flagon of grog that I had been able to get pasted the cooks. "What's that smell?" asked Dregore. "Prob'ly this grog, me thinks it wasn't made that well" I told him. "Not that smell, Blacknose, but the other one. That's coming from the fog" he told me in an irritated voice. I smelt the air for a few seconds and there was another smell, but I couldn't work out exactly what it was. We continued into the unnatural fog for about two days, the smell becoming more intense along the way. It was the third day of our voyage that I was up in the stern with Slash-eye looking at the most peculiar sight that the both of us had ever seen. An ISLAND! I tell you mates a floating island. "I think we've sailed into the river of the Dark Forest, Silver" said Slash-eye. "Ship coming straight for us" came a voice from the island. That's when I realised. It wasn't an island at all but eight or more ships tied together. Its crew was busy rushing around getting something together. I knew that they would slay al of the crew so I quickly put a plan into action. Me and Dregore would stay on the deck with one of Slash-eye's best crew, while every other beast went down below decks.

Within minuets every crewmember, including Slash-eye, were down below with the slaves that rowed the boat. A rat remained on board with us. His name was Eye-patch Macgrey and he was one of the best dagger throwers on the island so it was good to have him along. "Er. Marlso how are we going te get on board that ship without them noticing that something's up?" asked Dregore in an interested voice. "Simple, me old mate. Ever heard of the Scavengers?" I asked. "Aye, I heard of them, terrorised the north of Mossflower, woodlanders, vermin an all" said Eye-patch while scratching his ear. "Well lets just say I was Silverback and me mate's name was Redback, so all we have te do is make up some story about how we got a new friend and stole this ship, eh Redback" I said to Dregore. "Yeah, Silverback" Dregore said te me.

The Wave- Destructor sail towards the ship's just at the same speed as it had done before but the voice that called out was different from the first one, "Identify yer-self or we'll blow you from the very water yer sailing in" called a battle scared and very large rat. "That's none of yer." started Eye-patch before 'Redback' silenced him with a long scimitar which he carried. "Ahoy there, me name's Redback and this is my best friend Silverback and we are know as the Scavengers of the North" he called in a vicious voice. I appeared right in front of the rat for the first time even though I had been standing there for all of the small conversation, "And who may you be?" I asked in the same voice. "My name be Grendle Rip-scar and it' s a pleasure to meet the Scavengers. Welcome aboard the Drowning Rat" said Grendle. We clambered aboard leaving Eye-patch on the Wave and walked along four of the eight ships. When we reached the last ship a horrible sight met me eyes and the smell of death filled my nose. "Ah these are the scum who aren't as nice as you two and most of the vermin worked for Ublaz and I have a score to settle with him. But te make sure he scared we're making it look like they all came from Salamandastron and of cause he'll send all able bodied beasts to rage war on the Badger and Hare army and that's when we'll strike him down, won't we mates" he told us and half the crew when Redback enquired about them. He invited us to a feast te celebrate the destruction of Ublaz but we said no thanks and headed back for the Wave.

"Right, Eye-patch, I want you to go and get those cooks drunk on the grog. Dregore I want you to stay here and be prepared te set sail as soon as I get back" I said while picking up my bag of poisoned herbs. "What are yer going te do?" he asked. "I'm going te make sure that Rip-scar can settle his score with Mad eyes in a way that he wouldn't like" I said disappearing back on board the Drowning Rat. "C'mon Dregore Marlfox magic will be happening soon" I heard Eye-patch tell Dregore.

Using the shadows, I made my way over to the feast. It hadn't started which helped me out. I pulled out a small red herb that was tinged with yellow leaves. Labreath I call's it, it puts anybeast te sleep until the antidote is fead to them. I slipped it into the drink and waited for the drinking to begin. I didn't have te long as everybeast started to snore in unison with each other. I got up and padded quietly along. I grabbed Rip-scar and pulled him back to the Wave. Slash-eye was surprised because he recognised Rip-scar as a rat he'd once known as Bloodstone. We sailed back to Sampetra and I brought him round. "Where am I? What have you done to me Scavenger?" he yelled. "Shh, I wouldn't yell too loudly because Ublaz is waiting te see ya" I said in a quiet voice. Dregore and Slash-eye appeared from the doors and Rip-scar was led to Ublaz by Slash-eye. "Want te go and get some grog from the tavern?" asked Dregore. "Why not, I need something to clam my nerves" I said chuckling to myself. I have no idea what happened to Rip-scar but I think O'd Mad eyes just might.