47 Ducks 1.10

10.

A few mornings later, the ducks were shouldering up their packs for the final journey to Kentucky Court. It will be a hazardous journey but one that must be taken for the honor of their Emperor. The ducks lined up to thank the Master when the Sansei Mouse made the surprising announcement.

“Ducks, your training is over and the weapons ready. All of you have the reeds in your wings. Now here’s your final test.” Sansei Mouse told them. “None of you ever questioned how the chickens got so close your land. I will answer that now.”

“It was me. I am the Rat. Always will be.” Sansei Mouse told the ducks. “I led the Colonel there.”

“Sansei Mouse, why?” Othello asked back. “We thought you were a friend. We let you live here in isolation.”

“Why? Othello, you are a good leader but not a very smart one. You do not see the evils in others, and yet you were to guard against it.” Sansei Mouse explained. “Colonel Saunders approached me and offered me an offering I could not refuse.”

“Speak no more, traitor.” Commander Caesar quacked out. “No mercy will be given to you.”

“Mercy? Who needs it? I am old and soon to leave this meaningless world. However I have a  last task to complete. You will do it for me.” Sansei Mouse replied.

“You take us for fools?” Caesar quivered on its bill. “Who will serve the one who betray them?”

“You when your life is at stake.” Sansei Mouse told the Commander. “See my last task had arrived. Meet Master Ssss of the Serpent.”

The serpent was a huge one; it was a python measuring over twelve feet with a wide jaw for one duck. The serpent was an enemy of the ducks but it evaded their patrol by hiding deep under the lake water.

“Master Ssss and I go back some seasons.” Sansei Mouse explained. “We are the balance of nature here. It feeds and I ….betray them. See those serpent skins. They are the master’s rivals which needed some trimming. I fed on the leftovers while Master Ssss holds the main dish.”

“Master Ssss, I am dying. I do not want to die alone. Send them with me or yourself, I needed the company for tea time.” Sansei Mouse took one last breath of the lake before it left for the other universe.

“Sansei Mouse, you old fool. I will live on without you. For your death, I will celebrate with a ten servings of the ducks.” Master Ssss hissed out. “Tell me, duckling. Who’s first?”

“Legionnaires formed the Cannae.” The Cannae calls for a weak center with both ends reinforced. The move was for the enemy to come forth in the center and then be out flanked from the sides. It normally called for a reserve line to assist in the center.

“Othello, I need you as the flankers. “ Caesar called out. Othello nodded and move the Guards to the two extreme ends. They then marched towards the serpent. The python was unlike a viper which will coil up for attack, but move forward to grab its prey. It grabbed the duck at the center but it found itself attacked on both sides. The ducks there used the shaven off reeds with the venom to stab at the serpent scaled body.

“The scales protect its skin.” Othello called out. “Use your bill to pry it open.”

The ducks did as instructed but the pace getting through was slow. Two more ducks were consumed before Caesar made it through. It released the first batch of poisoned reeds. The python reacted to the stabbings, and moved to retreat towards the lake. Caesar gave out the order to form the Testudo so that the combined force will push the serpent towards the tree lines. Meanwhile Othello and the other two ducks trained in the new move flew up and harassed the serpent at its crown. The numerous stabbing of the ducks at the python caused it to be injected with the venom thus causing it pain. It slowed down in its struggle and begged for mercy.

“Spare me, ducks. I meant no harm except to survive.” Master Ssss hissed out with a raspy voice.

“There is no mercy for you.” Caesar rushed forth and used its bill to take out the left eye of the serpent. It hovered over there and then used it the right wing to blind the other eye.

“That’s for the young ducklings.” Caesar called off the attack. “Let the serpent live. It’s crippled and will be in pain till death.”

The serpent had feigned and rushed for the Commander when Duff Duck rushed in. The stealth duck to do a land fall on the serpent crown and then used its bill to break the serpent’ neck.

“Pardon me for being late. I was pre-occupied by another duck on the other side.” London pouted up the bill towards Morgan. Every other duck ignored London.

“We are down to only sixteen each” Caesar did the count. “And we have not even started our journey.”

“No, we already started when we agreed to do it. This is only part of that journey.” Othello defended the action that had taken fourteen of theirs. “Now for the coming journey, we will have to fight more foes and also at ourselves to win this battle.”

“Not me.” Caesar quacked out in arrogance. “I came, I saw and I take what is mine.”

“Is that so?” One of the Legionaries stepped. It removed the disguise to show its true crown.

“Cleop?”Caesar was dumbstruck.