47 Ducks 1.14

14.

Caesar had the ducks moved on their front with the legs drawn back like in a swim. Their feathers not used to the rough terrain, but they made advance on the pebbles and sands. Their numbers are small but they intend to breach the perimeter to rescue the ducks. London was with them but the task was suicidal.

The creek was a small pool shared by the several hundred ducks there, trampling the muddy grounds and seeking the corner to rest. The pool was big enough for the ducks but they had organized themselves with rotation to use the pools. The ducks had their wing clipped with the vines while their legs were weighted down with rocks. The ducks were dispirited and weak from their measly diets.

“Caesar, I counted twenty guards.” Brutus reported in. “There are too few.”

“Not few but with the conditions of those ducks even five will suffice.” Caesar sounded out its arrogance and nodded before crying out the battle cry. The sixteen ducks rushed out towards the perimeter. The three chickens there saw the attack and sounded the alarm.

Brutus silenced the three chickens with its fast moves on the reeds, while the other ducks flew towards the other approaching guards. The ducks were in a fighting mood and wanted to remove the chickens with deadly forces. Cleop landed on one of the chicken but the later had flown up with its shorter wings but its claws were the real weapon. The chicken used it leverage to claw the duck but it used its sweeping wings with the reeds to block the claws. The reeds cut into the claws which caused the chicken to cry out. Cleop followed through with the wings on its body to do a wipe sweep. The move severed the chicken’s throat. The duck looked to the Caesar which had removed the last sentry. Neither Caesar nor Anthony looked at it.

“I will be there forever.” Cleop muttered to itself while looking at Anthony. It then heard the alarm of the other chickens approaching. It saw Anthony moving to the attack and chose to assist. The battle was to be won when the new surprise came.

“Ducklings, prepared for thy’ death.” It was Sukiyaki, the Yokoyama chicken. It was a rare breed and held some exquisite skills. Sukiyaki was not alone; there were two others with it. They were all covered in mud.

“死ぬまで” Translated meaning To the death. The three chickens stood on their right leg with their wings spread.

“The dark form of the Yokoyama Clan.” Caesar quacked out. “The deadly stealth form of fighting. Sukiyaki is mine.”

Brutus and Anthony stepped forth to challenge the others. The chickens used their claws to dig up a small pile of mud and then kicked it towards the ducks. Caesar rushed to Sukiyaki with both clashing in midair. The chicken used its claws to slash at the duck’s bill. Caesar reeled back from hit but it hit low with the wings. It turned to look and saw the Japanese chicken had disappeared. It was the Sukiyaki skill; the art of stealth but Caesar had seen its fair share of battles with many foes.

“Darn!” Caesar quacked out but it kept its eyes closed with the ears peaked for sound. It then lashed out with the right wing and barely missed the fleeting chicken. The duck moved its body to charge at the chicken. The forceful move knock both of them down. Sukiyaki hit out with the claws and got the left wing feathers spilled out but Caesar had used its right leg to step on the chicken left leg. The bone there snapped while Sukiyaki pulled away in pain. Caesar was relentless, and pursued with reeds on the right wing into the chicken rear. The chicken went down in its death throes. The other chickens were killed by the ducks before they could harm any of them. They then went to rouse the other ducks. The imprisoned ducks took some time to realize their change of scene. The Niles ducks bowed to their Queen, while the others took to wreck the creek.

“Ducks, we need to hold up here until the reinforcements arrived.” Caesar told them but they were past listening and waiting. The newly released ducks marched towards Kentucky Court. Caesar followed suit to help them. Across the creek, the Guards were lined up against a rise of rocks facing Kentucky Court. They heard the alarm and saw the scouts rushing to fetch the chickens. It was expected but Othello misjudged the reinforcement numbers. They came in a group of five hundreds. It was led by Colonel Saunders.

“Othello, I presumed.” Colonel Saunders greeted the other. “We are more than your match. Surely you could count. One little duck, two little duck…”

“Attack!” Othello quacked out. The ducks did not rush out but retreated to the rear. The ducks waddled off while the chickens pursued them. The ducks led the chickens to their trap. It was a spring and there the ducks held an advantage. The banks of the spring were trampled on by the ducks until it was soft. When the ducks arrived there they slide across the wet ground. The chickens got their claws stuck in the mud while the ducks moved in between them to slash at the chickens. The chickens had little balance on the mud and then they held back. The ducks then kept to the spring and taunt the chickens.

“You chicken. Come out here.” Othello and his ducks quacked out. Some of the chickens came but they stopped before the spring water. It occurred a few times, and then the chickens stood their ground.

It was a standoff.

It was until the imprisoned ducks came at them to reinforce the Guards. The reinforced ducks with the added numbers rushed towards the chickens. Othello saw Caesar and approached the other.

“What’s with them?”

“Lack of fighting, I guess.” Caesar replied. It was looking at Cleop with her new assembled army of the few hundred. It was back in its regalia as a Queen. “Shall we move with the ducks?”

The battle was brief when the chickens withdrew. Othello looked the Colonel who stood over on the flank of retreating chicken. It looked towards Othello.

“Fancy a bout, huh?” Colonel Saunders called out. “I am not keen today. Maybe tomorrow when you are at Kentucky Court.”

Colonel Saunders then took leave with other chickens. Caesar managed to round up the ducks and formed a proper army out of them. It had counted the ducks and the numbers came to six hundred excluding the three hundred and six of the Niles ducks. Soon they were joined by the army led by Augustus.

“Caesar, good task done. I will take over now as the Commander of the Ducks Nation. We are twenty thousand but the chickens are more than us by half. We are however higher in bravery and morale. For El Gluck and the others. For the Duck Nations.” Augustus was from the finest breed among the Mallard’s best. It looked to the Legionaries Commander. “Your three thousand Legionaries are here.”

Caesar was to protest but it saw that Augustus was the elected and given the honor. It swallowed its pride and walked to the Legionaries.