Battle of Ayman Lake

*"You should know, oh great Scribe of the Cause, that we each tell ourselves
a story about our place in the world."
"But the story needs to be true."*
Garten and Heather Longtreader, *Ember Rising*, p. 18
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## Battle of Ayman Lake

Fleck Blackstar attacks a raptor during the Battle of Ayman Lake, as illustrated by Zach Franzen in The Black Star of Kingston.

## Event information

### Notable participants

Fleck Blackstar
King Whitson Mariner
Rabbits

### Outcome

The Lords of Prey were driven back into the High Bleaks

## Book information

### Mentioned

*The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner*

The **B****attle of Ayman Lake** was a skirmish between the rabbits of King Whitson Mariner and Captain Fleck Blackstar versus Lords of Prey; it happened at the beginning of rabbit civilization in Natalia, only a little while after Whitson Mariner had brought his people from the Golden Coast to the settlement of Seddleton.

## Information

### *The Black Star of Kingston*

Fleck Blackstar led an expedition of brave rabbits from Seddleton across the waters of Ayman Lake to the site of the future settlement of Kingston to mine coal for the winter. One of Fleck's bucks, Gavin, ran into the forest and didn't come back, and Fleck suddenly rushed into the woods to look for him the following day.

When he found him, he took him back to the expedition's campsite; he was chased, however, by a group of the Lords of Prey - great, wicked birds who inhabited the mountain clefts of Natalia.

The rabbits made it to the boats, but *Vanguard* didn't take enough rabbits on board, leaving *Lillie* and *Natalia* overloaded. Onboard, King Whitson told the sailors to run ropes through the rigging to make it harder for the birds to attack them. All archers gathered on the port (left) side of the ships to fire at the swarm. When they came, Fleck climbed the rigging to get a better shot at them.

Leaping from the rigging, Fleck swung his sword errantly, trying to hit them, missing all but one, he fell into the water. Fleck, climbing a net slung over the side of *Lillie*, came back on board and to the aid of Massie Burnson, helping him drive off several birds. Next, he went to fill Burnley's spot defending Prince Lander. Fleck saw Galt, his childhood friend, being used as a plaything for a couple of birds. Hurling an ax at one of them, Fleck was attacked and lifted into the air by the other one. He was saved by a flaming arrow shot by Massie. After washing up on shore and witnessing Galt running off, abandoning Fleck, he turned and shouted Blackstar's oath and plunged into the water.

Fleck boarded *Lillie* and, with the aid of Gavin, lit the pile of blast powder barrels. Just before the blast, Fleck took King Whitson off the ship and Gavin took Prince Lander. The blast destroyed the majority of the birds and drove the rest back to the High Bleaks, winning the battle for the rabbits of Natalia.

### *The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner*

The battle is referenced by King Whitson Mariner as he recalls all that he and his subjects have been through in the past.

Later, Massie Burnson privately recalls the events of the Battle of Ayman Lake and how Fleck Blackstar had risked his life to save King Whitson Mariner.

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