Freedom

Chapter 1:

The red-gold squirrel sat cross-legged on the top of a small hill, gazing longingly at the forest a great distance away. They were only a green-brown fringe, far away. She sighed, and tore her distance from the quiet glen to her surroundings.

There were many beasts around her, all sleeping peacefully. She shook her head mournfully, and laid down on her back, staring up at the cloudless blue sky for a moment, then closing her eyes lightly. After a few minutes of peace, her keen hearing caught the sounds of casual foot-paws strolling up the hill. Her emerald-green eyes snapped open, and she laid there, stock still and breathing lightly, though inside, her heart was racing.

Soon, a rat ascended the hill, a whip in one paw, and a dagger in the other. Seeing that the squirrelmaid was awake, he grinned wickedly, and squatted down beside her as she slowly sat up.

"Well, my pretty, 'ave you rested enough? I 'ope you don't collapse on the march, 'cause then, I might have to slit yor throat, and then, we wouldn't have as many slaves, would we?"

She spat at him maliciously. "Oh, aye. Would you like me to slit your throat for you, eh? Coward!"

The rat reeled back, stung by her bitter words and retaliated quickly by whipping her once.

Her short cry of pain echoed all over the hills, startling the woodlanders into wakefulness. Chains rattled, keeping them together as they, in their confused states, tried to run in different directions, of course, they were sent sprawling as the chain lines went taunt, and their momentum carried them forward to have them fall flat on their faces. This was met with loud hoots of laughter from the slavers nearby.

The rat next to the young squirrel had a wave of astonishment cross his face, as he checked to see if the chains were connected to the line. They weren't. His face quickly changed to rage as he faced her.

"You filthy bunch of droppings!" He swung hard at her with his palm open.

SMACK!

The squirrel didn't even flinch as she sat there unmoving. The jewel-green eyes glowed with a burning hatred as she glared at him.

"A slaver undid them, just to let you know. And if you looked, there are ropes tied lightly around my feet and my waist." Her words felt like ice to the rat slaver, and he shuddered.

"Who did that?" he asked her.

She smirked impudently. "Go ask them yourself, Peabrain!"

He stood up, and whispered to her, "You're going to pay for that."

"I know."

The rat turned away, and shouted to the slavers. "Which one o' you unchained this slave and lightly roped her? Speak up!"

"I did."

The rat whipped around quickly, and instantly, turned pale under his fur.

"C-c-c-captain! W-w-w-w-" the tall weasel held up a paw to stop the stuttering rat, and beckoned to him.

Once they were out of the slaves hearing range, the captain seized the rat by the shoulders.

"Don't you see? That slave is very precious! You know that she's beautiful. And I know a certain warlord that would like a personal slave to wait on him. And he wants her beautiful."
The rat's face erupted into a grin.

"You mean Oveliene?"

"Exactly."

---

At that very time, Oveliene the fox was tapping a windowsill in his chambers as he impatiently asked his commander a single question.

"When is Secdar coming with the new slaves he has apparently rounded up?"