Pedat vs. Barr

It was in Mossflower, on the dirt road in which white slender stalks shone in the moon’s pale eerie light yet still the rich, warm, scent of the dry earth rose into the air. White and well-traveled, the road meandered north and south, with the pale scarlet silhouette of RedWall Abbey rising proudly against the dark sky in the north. The repaired section of the wall sticks out a little with its slightly different hue. A few tough clumps of grass had sprouted in the middle of the road on which Pedat the squirrel was walking south, looking right and left for the missing Dibbun; seeing a figure up ahead he broke into a run toward it, urging his tired and battered body to greater speed.

"Tam!"

Once he was close to it though, he sees the individual is much larger than Tam and slows to a walk beside the cloaked figure.

"Oh, sorry Mister, I thought you were someone else..."

The dark-clad mouse looked through slitted eyes at the squirrel. As Pedat ran towards him shouting some words, Barr the thief had tensed. He had abandoned the peddler’s wagon a few miles down the road. Yet, still, could it be possible someone had found that it was he who had robbed the travelling merchant of his wares? He had taken a few coins and a large rucksack, which was now slung on his back, as well as an ornate walking stick. Other than that the merchant had been as poor as Barr.

"Away from me, if you value your life,"

Barr whispered threateningly, yet he could not be sure the big squirrel had heard, it was said so low.

The squirrel slowed yet was still walking stride for stride with the mysterious figure. Pedat's breathing was heavy and loud in his ears from his day-long hike plus the sprint and he leaned his head down closer to the mouse, slightly miffed that it wasn't the young hare, but still his manners did not leave him as he spoke,

"What is that mate? I couldn't hear you."

Barr stopped his quick trot and looked at the squirrel, considering his situation.  He knew not what this stranger wanted, and it could be that he was on the verge of being caught for robbery.  His thin paw gripped the valuable cane tightly as Barr flexed his jaw muscles.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" He snapped.

Pedat halted as well; as something inside told him that this scenario was wrong somehow and although the squirrel was usually well mannered he had a short fuse and the mouse was getting the better of it.

"Never mind my name,"

He growled with a rumble, his mind flashing to the Dibbun, thinking about what Harper said about Tam being kidnapped and Pedat thought this darkly clothed and ill mannered mouse with the long hair would be the type of character to do it.

"Hold hard!"

He grunted to the traveler; grabbing the mouse's arm in a vice-like grip

Barr slowly looked down at the hand gripping his arm, and with his free paw he grabbed the squirrel's collar and although the mouse seemed thin, Pedat noted as he was almost lifted off his feet, that the traveler was amazingly strong.

"Jest what do ye think yer doin'?" The mouse demanded to know, glaring dangerously.

Something from a past that had tried to be forgotten rose in Pedat and he changed as an odd light began flickering in his eyes; he stepped back and knocked the paw off of his collar while simultaneously drawing the dagger from his belt.

"…Where is the Leveret?"

His gentle voice was still low but as hard as granite and cold as ice.

“Leveret? What in the world was this kook talking about?”

Barr decided a change in tactic against the aggressive squirrel. Hoping to get away from this situation as soon as possible although he couldn’t keep the ice out of his voice or the glare from his eyes as he spoke.

"Beggin' yer pardon, sir, I’ve no clue what ye mean."

Pedat fought to keep the anger flashing through him from expanding, now was not the time to lose his head to rage and he lowered his voice even more:

"Tell me-what you did-with the Dibbun!”

The traveler halted in the reply and although he seemingly changed his demeanor Pedat roared impatiently, ending the pause:

"WHERE IS HE?!"

Barr could no longer swallow his pride. He gritted his teeth together, growling menacingly as he yelled, and face showing menace,

"Are ye daft? What Dibbun are ye talkin' about?!"

The mouse clutched at his new cane with both hands, swatting the squirrel away from him.

"I ain't seen any dibbun, so back yerself off!"

At being struck the warrior squirrel sprung forward with a snarl; dagger held for a downward plunge as he hurled himself at the smaller creature.

Barr had expected a reaction of the sort, and his cane was ready. Swiftly with lightning speed he lunged as though he was a fencer, stabbing the butt of his makeshift weapon into Pedat's belly. The knife came down on his shoulder, but it was a glancing blow and the side of the blade smacked Barr loudly, but the expected laceration did not appear.

"Ha!" He cried triumphantly as Pedat groaned painfully; the wind was knocked out of him. The reddish-black squirrel cursed himself for his own amateur attack as he toppled to the ground and rolled to a crouch, peering around in the darkness for the dagger that had fallen from his stunned paw.

Then the cane came whistling down in a diagonal arc at the warrior's shoulder, Barr new that if he didn't end the fight quickly the squirrel was likely to get the upper-hand for not only was Pedat bigger, but he was also quite a lot more agile. While these thoughts circled in his mind and the cane descended, Barr's eyes darted around in the late evening light, looking for the dagger.

A strangled yell of agony ripped from the injured squirrel as the cane slammed onto his shoulder, which was just earlier that day dislocated, and he now fell face first to the snowy ground as his vision flashed black.

"Keep going..."

He ordered himself; sheer willpower keeping him from passing out out as he brokenly pushed himself up from the road, forcing himself to think of Tam and if the mouse with the cane had kidnapped him or not.

"You're finished, squirrel," Barr stated confidently, glaring down at the squirrel. He leaned casually on the cane, assuming victory. The cane had not broken - that in itself was a demonstration of the quality in the craftsmanship of the stolen item and the cunning robber eyed his booty appraisingly as he muttered to his fallen opponent.

"Give up."

The wounded squirrel looked up with a strange smile dancing on his face as his arm hung limp and useless,

"I'll give up right after I'm finished, mouse!"

Pedat moved quicker than Barr thought possible and kicked the cane out from under the thief, and since he was leaning on it he almost fell. When he regained his balance he seen the squirrel had awkwardly drawn a Long Sword from a sheath on his back and was now clumsily holding it in one paw.

"Give me the Leveret and I'll let you live!" Pedat rumbled warningly, although in reality it was barely more than a whisper.

"Fool! I told ye, I don' have no Dibbun!"

Barr cried out. He had not expected to be tripped up so easily, and he was angry at his mistake. The squirrel was weak looking, and desperate. The mouse smiled slightly,

"Yoe couldn' hit me if ye wanted to," he said, gathering his right paw into a fist.  He wound up, and struck the squirrel as hard and as fast as he could. The knuckles of the paw connected with Pedat's nose, making a sickening crunch.  The squirrel slumped to the ground; his Long Sword beginning to slip from nerveless fingers.

Pedat's head was swimming, he heard an odd voice floating through the thick fog and he vaguely felt the sword being lifted from his paws, but he didn't care; when the staff struck him it had also connected with the back of his head and neck, possibly doing more damage than he knew.

Barr had picked up the sword, examining it. He considered taking the sheath as well, but didn't want to risk being caught unawares once more and started to turn and run to the shelter of the woods.

Pedat sensed the mouse turning to flee and in his mind the voice exploded:

"Tam!"

With the last of his strength the squirrel rolled and flung out both arms: catching the large sack worn on the thief’s back and tearing it free. Pedat sank the ground clutching the bag as he very faintly heard the mouse’s feet running into Mossflower, then the night enveloped him; still gripping the sack tightly.

As Burr padded quietly through the woods all of a sudden it came to him that the squirrel had obviously thought that he had kidnapped a young one and was carrying him the sack of stolen goods worn on his back. The thief sighed regretfully then perked up slightly; the squirrel may have got the pack, but the mouse had the sword!