Lost-cape's Patrol

Red-paw and Sticky-mud sat on the sand looking out across the bay while munching the morning meal. Lost-cape was standing a few lengths up the beach on overwatch. Her eyes constantly flicking from sky, to sea, and to the trees behind. There wasn't much chance of a problem or threat here on the island, but that was because the Corp was here, and this patrol was one of the reasons the island was so safe.

Sticky-mud popped the last seed into his mouth. "Well, I guess we'd better get moving, they'll be expecting us in Small-on-sea by now."

"No." Lost-cape's one word put the other two mice on alert. They jumped to their feet as she continued. "There's a snake out there."

The snake wove across the water towards them. Red-paw's eyes narrowed. He slammed his visor closed and sprinted for the water. As he jumped out into the sea the other two moved to the water's edge unslung their power staffs.

The snake will be tired, thought Red-paw, it will want to get to land. It will strike, it will not hurt, I must not let it reach the beach. The snake saw him, veered away to one side trying to bypass him. Red-paw kicked hard and moved in its path. The snake kept coming, its tongue flicking out.

Red-paw couldn't get in front of it, he was moving too slow but he kicked harder anyway. With one gauntleted hand he pulled his bolas free. All within a half breath the snake's body was corrugating passed his visor, he swung the bolas over his head and it splashed down over the snake. With a dive Red-paw was under the snake and grasping for the other end of the bolas trying to create reins. His bemetalled claws brushed the weighted bolas before they bobbed out of reach. The snake slid on, he flailed, struggling to get a grasp on its slick surface but his suits paws found no purchase. With a yell of frustration he threw a punch at its tail before it passed out of reach, but if the snake noticed, it didn't show. Unwilling to give up, he kicked hard swimming after the enemy.

Lost-cape stepped to her left placing herself directly in the path of the snake, Sticky-mud took a position ten lengths to her side. Without taking his eyes from the oncoming enemy he slipped his bolas from their pouch and tied one end to his staff.

As the snake writhed from the water Lost-cape leaped at its face. It opened it's mouth flexing its fangs, but it didn't have time to strike before Lost-cape struck with her staff, driving the end into the beasts mouth sliding it up a wet fang. The staff discharged, the snakes poison sack pulsed splashing her mecha suit with poison. Sticky-mud was there too. With a mighty yell he swung his staff, the bolas tied to the end flailed for the snake's head. The bolas struck one of its eyes making it blink just as it lashed out at Lost-cape. With the shock the strike was misdirected and punched Lost-cape, sending her tumbling across the sand.

Sticky-mud struck again, and the snake slid away. It was trying to get away and across the beach. Running up the beach he put himself between the snake and the grassland above. The snake pulled back for a strike but suddenly flexed turning back to the water as Red-paw discharged his staff onto its tail. The snake's head whipped out at him and the impact sent him surging under the water.

When the beast turned back to the beach it found two Mecha Corp mice standing staunchly blocking its path. It wavered for a second undecided if it should attack or flee. When it slithered to its left, the mice matched its move blocking it.  In frustration it made a half hearted strike towards Lost-cape but it didn't connect. It moved left again, and again the mice matched it. There was a splashing to the snakes right and it's eyes flicked that way to see a third mecha emerge from the water. Red-paw marched up the sand and joined the others damning the way up the beach.
The snake suddenly back flipped into the water and started swimming for the opposite shore. Lost-cape issued orders, and Red-paw set off to warn the community of Small-on-sea while Sticky-mud found a high point from to track the snake's departure.

Remember Brown-pebble

Brown-pebble leapt across the rivulet, scaled the bank and turned to encourage the others.

"Come on! Not far now! You're nearly safe!" He checked his suit's power reading, only two pads green. Not good.

Three mice splashed through the water and raced passed him, he gave them a smile that was only painted on, and turned to scan the far bank. He could hear them coming. They were closer. Gaining on him and his charges.

He raced after the others darting through the grass and fallen leaves. He estimated the distance to the boats where his fellow Paw member, Shattered-egg, would be waiting. It was too far. The enemy would be tearing the mice apart long before they reached safety. As he ran he went over the path ahead in his mind. There was a stream with over hanging branches not too far from here, he could ambush the pursuers there, perhaps gain time for the others to reach Shattered-egg and the boat.

At the stream he jumped across and used the strength of the mecha suit to leap for the branches overhead. Swinging round a twig he ran along the branch back towards the water just in time to see the first three rats streak out of the grass. As they hit the water, he dived onto the back of the lead rat.

-*-

Shattered-egg snapped round as the three mice broke from the grass and raced down the beach towards him. He had the boat launched before they reached  him, and was waist deep in the water helping the  mice into the boat before he realised that Brown-pebble wasn't with them.

"Where's Brown-pebble?"

"He was right behind us!" All four mice stared up the beach hoping to see Brown-pebble appear. The mice in the boat gasped at the sounds of combat. Shattered-egg took one step towards the sand before remembering the mice in the boat. If he left them to help Brown-pebble they'd be defenceless.

-*-

Brown-pebble threw himself backwards as the rat jumped. He slapped into the water jamming the staff's base into the stream bed. The rat landed on the staff's point yelped and jumped back. Before brown-pebble could react he was grabbed by the leg and being swung through the air. The rat's teeth were clamped on his suit's foot and he could feel the beasts roar vibrating through the metal covering. It let go and he crashed face first into the water and a rat was on his back before he could rise.

-*-

Shattered-egg was torn. His duty was to protect the mice in the boat, but knowing his Paw-brother was fighting so near at hand wrenched at his heart. He pushed the boat a few more paces out onto the waters of the bay before halting head down with tears of frustration forming.

-*-

A space to breath. The rats surrounded Brown-pebble, five of them. They'd learnt that he was no simple mouse to be devoured as a meal, but now they saw him as a challenge to their honour. They circled, each looking for an opening.

Another pad on his power display faded to dark red. He didn't have long. He wondered if the others had reached the boat, had he given them enough time. With his power-staff lodged under one arm the power point forward, he reached in and unholstered his bolas, started them swinging.

The rat to his right was the first to move, he sent the bolas flying to entangle its feet. Another came from his right, Brown-pebble thrust the power staff into its face, the staff discharged with a crack. The third came from his front, its huge jaws closing over his face plate. He punched it in the throat as  the staff was ripped from his other paw. The warning beep sounded as the last pad of his power indicator started to fade.

The boat floated a mouse-jump from the shore. The sounds of battle continued. The mice behind Shattered-egg urged him to paddle, they wanted to leave, but he just couldn't bring himself to abandon his Paw-brother.

Duty finally won out and he picked up a paddle. Just as he slid it into the water one of the other mice silently thrust out an arm pointing up the beach. Shattered-egg whipped round to see Brown-pebble stumble without mecha suit, covered in blood onto the sand. Rats burst out of the grass to either side of him, themselves battered and bloody, but looking terrifying and huge.

Shattered-egg and Brown-pebble's eyes met, an understanding born of training and utter truth passed between them. Brown-pebble gave a yell of triumph and leapt at the nearest rat. Shattered-egg turned, furiously dug his paddle into the water as tears ran like rain over his his fur.

Audio treat - Joining the Commune

After a little prodding I have created a narration of the recent story "Joining the Commune". This is an audio reading with music and a sound effect or two added in for spice.

Take a listen

Joining the commune

Blowing-feather crouched on the fallen log scanning the trees and the sky overhead. Her eyes also watched the gaps between the trees, constant vigilance was a requirement of the Corp and the duty was her life. Her ears however couldn’t ignore the conversation taking place below.

“Why should I come with you?”

“I’ve told you. You’ll be safer as part of the community. You’re safer on the island. We don’t let the thousand enemies onto the island.” That was Daisy-petal repeating himself again.

“Over the water! Are you crazy? My family can’t swim that far and there could be anything is the water just waiting for the chance to eat us!”

“We'd be there to protect you, and we go over the water you wouldn’t even get wet. You’d be safe, not just on the way, but for the rest of your life.”

“So what about-” He stopped suddenly at a shout from above.

“Sir!” Blowing-feather pulled her staff from its sheath. “Owl.” The word was whispered as she snapped her visor closed.

“Down!” Daisy-petal thrust the outlander mouse into the leaf mould and turned following Blowing-feather’s gaze.

The owl was coming fast, swinging left and right through the branches with its eyes locked onto Blowing-feather. Daisy-petal unpouched his bolas and stepped clear of the log spinning them above his head. It would be mere breaths until it reached them, but enough time for him to wonder if the owl had met the Mecha Corp before. If it had, it would recognise the suits and swing away.

It started a dive and that answered the question, it was new to the area. A sly smile twitched onto his face. “Time to teach the beast a lesson.”

Blowing-feather raced along the log toward the oncoming owl, the last thing it would expect. Daisy-petal shouted as loud as he could and let his bola fly. The powerful arms of the Mecha suit gave strength to the bolas flight and as he had planned, his shout had attracted the owls gaze for a moment. A moment that gave Blowing-feather her opening.

In the that heart-beat she leapt, clearing the owls reaching talons and smashing into its soft underbelly. She thrust her power staff into the down and it discharged. The owl flinched at the shock just as the bolas whipped into its face. With a deafening squeal it turned suddenly away. There was utter silence for three breaths. The outland mouse gasped and lifted his head in time to see Blowing-feather smash in a tree and tumble to earth a good distance off.

"I've never seen any mouse stand up to an owl."

"It's what we do." Daisy-petal closed his bola pouch. He wrinkled his nose. They had been good bolas, he would regret their loss.

"It's a shame it killed you friend."

"Killed?"

"Yes. Were you good friends?"

"She is not dead." He rested a hand on the nervous outland's shoulder.

"But, the owl. She hit the tree."

Blowing-feather appeared back on top of the log. "We need to go."

Daisy-petal smiled up at her and noted the discharge burns on her staff. They were running out of weapons. "We're heading back to the island. Will you come with us?"

The outland mouse was staring open mouthed at Blowing-feather. He blinked, turned to Daisy-petal , nodded.

"Get your family. We need to move quickly and reach home before full dark."


This story is available in Polish!

Floating-seed and the Hawk

Floating-seed’s eyes were tightly closed and she really didn’t want to open them. However, the training given her as a member of the Mecha Corp was squeaking away at the back of her mind. “Open your eyes Floating-seed, see, assess, react.” Over and over the words bubbled up, but her eyes remained shut as her heart pounded so fast she thought she might die. Then the repeating words morphed, changing from her own voice into the sounds and words of her Paw leader.

She opened her eyes, and gasped.

Below her, so very far below, were the waters that surrounded Searbay island, the waters that kept them safe. As she thought of that she shook her head and felt the sad irony. She wasn’t safe now, the water hadn’t kept her safe from…A bird. A glance to her waist showed a taloned foot gripping her armoured waist. She turned her head straining to look upwards at the beast that had her. Grey and brown feathers and a great hooked beak. She started shaking, she’d never been so close to one of the enemies. In all her thirty days in the Corp she’d never once had had to use her weapons.

At the thought of weapons she  went to reach for her power staff, but her foreleg was pinned by the hawks massive foot.  Besides, she could see the staff was also pinned and bent out of shape, probably wouldn’t work. Her other foreleg was free and after a little effort she discovered she could reach her bolas.

See.

In the hawks claws flying away from Searbay.

Assess. 

Power staff useless, only one forepaw free, bolas to hand.

React.

She unbuckled the pouch and pulled the bolas free. She needed its full length so she let it slide though her metal gloved paw until she grasped the rope just above one of the balls. She got it spinning, and then keeping a firm grasp on the rope swung the other end to smack into the neck of the hawk. Nothing, no reaction. She swung again. This time the bird issued a tremendous screech and bent its head down. Floating-seed screamed as the huge pointed beak sped towards her face, only to be deflected from the suits glass helmet. Still screaming with fear she swung the bolas again, the far end swung around the pointed end of the beak and in the same instant she twisted her wrist , winding the other end around her suit glove.

The bird couldn’t pull its head free. It screeched again, flipped through a barrel roll, kept tugging at the wired bolas and then it let go with its claw. With a flick of its mighty head Floating-seed was whiplashed into freedom and flying through the air.

As Floating-seed tumbled through the air she realised the water of the bay was behind her and that below was a canopy of woodland trees. Somewhere above her the hawk screeched at its lost prey but she paid it no heed, she concentrated on the woods below looking for way to survive a landing. One problem at a time she thought

Wolf rock

Power indicator

Yellow-flower jumped the branch and landed in the grass beyond. He kept low as he ran through the grass, the green blades whiplashed across the glass dome of his helmet and he pushed onwards as fast as he could.

There was a deep bass grunt from behind, Yellow-flower didn't dare a look. He knew what it was, and he knew the wolf was close. It had been close all through the chase. He dived left round a small sapling, then right round an upthrust rock.. Yellow-flower tried to concentrate only on running, but when his suit beeped in his ear his eyes flicked to the power-paw next to his chin. Two pads of the display were red. Two power cells drained. Only one pad was flashing pure green, the others were draining fast. He dared not think about what it would mean if the suit lost power here so far from home with a wolf on his tail.

How far was it now, how far to the water? He had no idea, Butterfly-sky had the map, but Butteryfly-sky was gone, most likely dead. Was he even heading the right way? Just keep running, that was his only hope.

The grass started to thin, Yellow-flower could run faster. The pounding of the wolfs feet was there right behind him. The thinner grass could mean he was nearing the slope down to the water. The next power pad winked from green to red. No! Hope was dying as he neared safety.

Then he was out of the grass and the water was there below him only two throws away. He jinked left aware that in the open he couldn't out run the wolf. The monster's jaws snapped on empty air to his right, far too close. He needed a break, something to open the gap or he was dead before he reached the water.

A large rock loomed suddenly in front of Yellow-flower. Grasping his Power-staff he leapt for the rock, smashed into the surface only his power suit making it survivable, and with every ounce of strength jumped straight back towards the open mouth of the wolf.

Too quick for the wolf to react Yellow-flower rammed the staff up it's nose tumbled over its head and crashed to the ground behind it. The power-paw beeped as another indicator flashed to red. He didn't look at it. In an instant he was on his feet and running for the water.

Behind he heard the wolfs snarl turn into a yowl of pain as the power staff discharged. He leaped into the air to hit the water as far out as possible and plopped down at least a wolfs length from the shore. When he bobbed back to the surface already swimming for the island of Searbay he dared a glance back, to see the wolf prowling the shoreline and looking right at him.

Another beep drew hit attention back to the power display. Only one pad had any green left it it. Well, he thought, one problem at a time, and concentrated on swimming smoothly to make the power last.

Trouble Coming In

When the alarm gong rang Pine-needle immediately ran to the tower. The lookout pointed out into the bay. Pine-needle saw the danger immediately. In the water half way from the mainland to Searbay island he could see the bobbing head of a elk. He could even hear its heavy breath roaring through the beasts nostrils as it struggled through the water. He estimated it would reach the island in less than a thousand breaths.

He checked the tower controls and threw the switch that extended the threat flag from the tower's roof  in the direction of the danger. Every member of the Core within sight would see the flag and know which way to head. With the signal sent he ran to Core headquarters to get suited.

He could see other Paws suited up and already heading towards the danger as he rushed into the ready area to don his suit. Fortunately he'd finished maintenance on his mecha the day before and it was open and ready for instant use. He jumped into it and the body work clam-shelled shut around him.

When he reached the beach he could see that a plan was already being actioned. Squinting against the sun's glare off the water he could just make out a mecha suited mouse climbing around on the Elks antlers. His confusion at the sight lasted only a breath, when he spotted the trailing rope snaking across the water back to the beach and over to the...catapult.

An entire Paw of suited mice was working to prep the catapault to fire again. He followed the machine's aim. Out in the water was a tiny sharp upraised rocky spire. He grasped the intent and ran to the catapult. If the other end of the rope could be tied to the rock, it would be enough to divert the elk, not enough to hold, but enough to drag its head around.

Pine-needle grabbed the end of the rope and seeing everyone else was busy he tied the end around his armoured middle and climbed into the catapult pocket, ready to be launched out across the water...