A/N
Hello again,
Welcome to Of Fur and Flame Book Two: Passages. I'm sure there are a few of you who have been looking forward to this. With exams just around the corner (and the fact the second half of this book isn't written yet) chapters will be a little slower going. Your patience and encouragement is appreciated.
In this book time goes by very quickly. Some chapters will take place weeks after the previous one, others seasons after. I will make note of any time jumps.
As always reviews are welcome. Constructive criticism is most welcomed, don't fret I don't take anything personally.
Well…that's enough from me.
Chapter 1: A Fresh Start
Preparations for Oranna to take over her father's position were well under way. She and her mother Emerlan awoke when most of the hares were still dreaming, and the two badgers made their way to the mess hall. While Emerlan prepared a cup of hot tea for each of them, Oranna unfolded her parchment and set to work.
"I think it is time to expand the infirmary. Would it be unreasonable to add a second wing in the spring?" The young badger peered up at her mother, accepting the steaming mug of hot comfrey tea.
Making herself comfortable Emerlan nodded slowly. Tipping the cheerful, albeit slightly chipped blue teapot, towards her own mug. "I don't think it would be unreasonable. Whatever gave you the idea to modify the infirmary?"
"Oh, I was just listening to some of the healers talking about the lack of work space they had. I overheard them say we needed a proper surgery."
"Well, aren't you attuned to the needs of your mountain," Emerlan said with a smile.
Blushing a little behind her stripes, Oranna studied Salamandastron's floor plan. "Not really, Mother. Although, after the formal business is taken care of, I would like to take into account more of what the hares wish. After all, it is their home as much as ours."
Using her stick of charcoal, Oranna made a slight alteration to the floor plan, indicating where the new sickbay wing would be located. At that moment, Colonel Hardan arrived at the mess hall, humming one of the old Long Patrol ballads as he walked. Seeing both of the badgers busy at work he strolled towards them. Looking over the Oranna's alterations, the senior hare twitched his waxed whiskers in an approving manner.
"Top hole architectural doodlings, Oranna m'gel. Those saw-bones have long been dropping hints about wanting more of the jolly ol' wiggling room. This will please them greatly … an', more h' importantly, get them off my blinking tail wot wot."
Emerlan poured the hare a hot cup of tea and pulled out a chair for him to join them. "My daughter is planning for many new changes, so I suggest you get ready for builders and engineers in the upcoming season."
"Oh, goodness me! I dread to think of the calamity an' din an' racket all that will make. Not to mention the flipping mess. Lack 'a day, the price we pay for progress, wot wot?"
"Oh, you know you'll love it when everything is over, Hardan. You'll wish you thought of it yourself." Oranna laughed sweetly at the hares complaints.
"An' who's to say I won't be taking some of the jolly credit h'anyway, wot?" He sipped his tea and nearly choked on it from his chuckling. "But in all seriousness, there is still a lot to be done. Must get those boring formalities over with and wotnot. Bally waste of time if you ask me."
"Then why not drop half of it?" Oranna asked exasperated.
"Now, young lady, when have we military types ever done anything sensible like that? This mountain is made of courage, grit and the ability to make utter fools of ourselves, but at least we look flippin' formidable while doing so. Why else do ye think the chaps get landed with buff uniforms wot?" The old hare struck what he thought to be a rather dashing pose; chin up, ears back and right paw tucked into his tunic over his heart.
"But all the formalities are really unnecessary. A Badger Lady is always humble; she has her hares to take care of the pomp, circumstance and snobbery for her."
"Thank ye m'lady," Hardan said, fixing his waxed whiskers.
Sighing heavily, Oranna winked to her mother taking a different approach to appeal to her Colonel."Besides, if we shorten the parades and ceremony, we can make the feast last longer."
"An' why didn't ye bally well suggest this in the first place?" The hare smiled, knowing that Oranna recognized the one thing hares loved most: food.
"So you agree, then? We shorten the ceremony and lengthen the party following it?" The badger grinned broadly, eyes lit up hoping he might agree.
"Did ye really need to ask, Oranna?" From within the kitchen the serving staff had begun setting out breakfast. Hardan stood and snapped off a salute. "Well, it appears time to break my fast. I bid you both a pleasant morning." Without wasting time he made his way towards the food, moving with surprising speed for a creature of his seasons.
Emerlan stood, but noticed her daughter remained seated. "Don't you want something, dear?"
"No, Mother, I have work to do. But if you can grab me one of those scones before they vanish forever, that would be appreciated."
Emerlan smiled and left her daughter to her work.
…
Tutsan carried Blyth while Peony bore Letitia as the newly-expanded hare family came down to the mess hall for breakfast. Having gotten little sleep, both parents were bleary-eyed and bedraggled. The babes, by contrast, were cheerful and jubilant. Taking his seat, Tutsan struggled to balance both babe and breakfast, marveling at how his wife skillfully managed both. Hardan, having finished his breakfast, relieved Tutsan of his charge and sat beside him. Blyth appeared most content to be bounced on the Colonel's knee, making no fuss once parted from her father.
"I am anxiously h'awaiting the h'arrival of the rest of your patrol, Tutsan. Wotever creatures are committin' acts of arson have to be stopped h'immediately. I took the liberty of sending out a small party of trackers to follow the route Blodwen told us about. They will relieve your hares, and rally around, t'seek out any suspicious vermin."
"I wish I could lead that patrol, Colonel." Glancing at his wife, he added, "But I think the missus would jolly well slaughter me."
Hardan smiled and nodded. "I'd say you were on the mark there, Tutsan. Besides, a break will do you good wot. I don't suppose ye ever fancied yourself landed with two leverets in the span of a few days." The old campaigner, lifted little Blyth up till she was nose level with him. Crossing his eyes and wiggling his ears in comic fashion he set her down upon his knee once more before repeating the action, much to the leveret's delight.
Watching the antics with a smile about his face Tutsan replied. "No, sah, I didn't. I love them dearly but I miss the sleep."
Passing little Blyth back to her father, Hardan patted the Captains back heartly. "Get used to it, laddie buck. It will get worse before it gets better."
Aubery had nominated himself as guide to the otter family. He and Keelee were getting along famously, owing to their shared offbeat sense of humour. Pushing and shoving his way into the breakfast line, he made way for his companions.
"Hold fast there, chaps! Guests first, don't'cha know. These jolly otter types have traveled long to be with us. Must make sure they get the best of the best manners and all that, wot."
There were muffled grumbles from the assembled hares as the cheeky lieutenant escorted his otter companions into the lineup.
Soon he was balancing a heavily laden breakfast tray in one paw and young Kale's bowl of oatmeal in another. Setting the food on the officer's table, he helped settle the young otter kit into a chair. Noticing there weren't enough chairs for the entire otter family, Aubrey turned to go in search of more seats - but not before assigning an important task to the otter pup.
"Kale, my lad, are you ready to take on the most important operation of your life?" His voice carried a tone of mock seriousness.
The young otter - who had in the past few hours made up his mind to be a warrior - saluted, wriggling his nose and trying to look more like a hare. "Yes, sir!" he shouted.
Returning the salute and nodding, Aubery smiled at the young kit. "Very good, sah. Be sure no blighter takes a bite out of your officer's breakfast. Yer first bit of guard duty. Best of luck, old lad." With that he made an elaborate about face, then marched off to collect the required chairs.
Colonel Hardan watched the young otter hovering over Aubery's tray. Unable to resist he crept up behind the young one."My word, that raspberry scone does look good, doesn't it?"
Kale nodded. "Oh, yes, Mister Colonel sir, it does look good. But Aubery took the last one and he asked me t' guard it, so guard it I will."
"Took the last one, did he? Well, that wasn't very nice, wot with a young laddo like yer self having none. I bet he won't notice if you take a little taste, wot." The kindly elder hare nudged him encouragingly.
Kale looked around to see if Aubery was watching. Not seeing the hare, he followed Hardan's advice and took a bite out of the scone. Finding it to be tasty beyond imagining, Kale couldn't help but finish it off.
The Lieutenant returned with the extra seats, throwing a comedic glance at Kale. "Hmmm ... something seems to be amiss here wot wot. Have you kept a watchful eye on the tuck as I instructed, young lad?"
The otter nodded quickly brushing crumbs from his whiskers.
"Then why, pray tell, is that little scone gone?"
Pointing innocently at Colonel Hardan, Kale sputtered. "Mister Colonel told me to, sir. Please don't be cross with me, on me rudder I didn't wanna do it."
Taking his seat and patting the young otter's head, Aubery smiled. "You're going to be a regular rotter of an otter one of these days."
" Aye, sir. And I learned from the very best." Kale grinned shoveling large spoonfuls of oatmeal into his mouth.
…
At the conclusion of breakfast, Margie and Peony retired to the peaceful side gardens with their children. The gardens were a calm sanctuary amidst the endless hurry of mountain life. The two mothers sat on the stone benches that many seasons ago were built into the mountain face. Nursing their respective offspring they listened to the cry of distant seabirds, and the crash of the waves below. No words were exchanged for a while as they relaxed in the quiet realm of understanding that only two mothers could enjoy. At length, the otter wife to broke their silence.
"What a beautiful view ye 'ave from this mountain. Ye can see clear out to the horizon, and nearly to the forest edge."
"It is both beautiful and practical, as Tutsan always says. But all I see is the beauty of a sunrise over the woodlands and a sunset into the water. If it wasn't for the sea raiders it would be absolutely idea."
Margie rocked little Alton, patting the kit's back. "Ye sound almost as though ye regret yer life 'ere. But I knows that isn't true. Yer just like the others 'ere, Peony. Ye wouldn' 'ave it any other way."
"Ah, the plight of the perilous hare. Woe to the corsair that bothers a hare with two leverets in her care. The Colonel always jokes that he should send an army of mothers into battle, for they fight harder than anybeast." The harewife laughed closing her weary eyes a moment.
"Aye, 'tis true. If anybeast dared threaten 'arm t'my boys, I would fight to the death and then some to protect 'em."
Peony nodded in agreement, setting the two leverets down in the soft grasses that grew in tufts along the mountainside. Margie placed her offspring beside them, smiling as the three young babes watched their mothers in loving admiration.
"I mus' t'ank ye for yer hospitality," the otter wife added.
"And I must thank you, Margie, for saving the life of Letti. I dread to think what would have happened if you and your family had not come to the rescue. I do hope you will spend the season with us. It would be an absolute honour to both Tuts and I."
"No, I really can't, although will be 'ard for the ole Skipper to sail from 'ere. We 'ave a home to return to, even if it hasn't seen us in quite some time. But don't ye worry - our paths will cross again someday." Glancing down at the cuddling infants, she smiled. "I don't think little Alton will stand to be far from your Letti for long."
Three weeks later.
Lieutenant Brea arrived at Salamandastron shortly past dawn, accompanied by Mayweed and Levkin. The patrol was greeted by the watch at the main entrance and immediately escorted to breakfast.
Levkin had never experienced such a hasty reception. The young galloper had often dreamed of the day he would be invited to sit at the officer's table and served a scoff befitting a hero. In all those fantasies, he never pictured having to answer questions between hasty mouthfuls. Perhaps this officer business wasn't as grand as he had originally imagined.
Hardan scarcely gave the Lieutenant time to breath as he continued to press for more information.
"An' ye are positive there was no unusual vermin h'activity after Captain Tutsan departed?"
"No, Sah, everything continued the same. We made contact with several local clans and tribes and none had seen anything out of the ordinary. One tribe of voles told us of some disturbance in a local vermin settlement. Something to do with a chap by the name of Jallgo. This fox wallah ran a sort of merchant operation, trading goodness knows wot. The locals didn't seem to bothered with the fellow. Shortly after that we met with ole Patchwill's patrol and informed him of the little flap that was on. The old lag relieved us of our duties and we nipped back t'Salamandastron to make report sah."
Hardan nodded, finishing his morning mug of tea. "Just as well, Lieutenant. I've heard of this Jallgo chap. Hasn't ruffled the ears of the jolly ol' intelligence yet, so it's best not to waste the effort. Finish your breakfasts now, and I'll expect a full written report before you sit to lunch, wot wot?"