The Wylde Ones- Ch.1
[Authors note: Just so everyone knows, the word Wild in the title is spelled as Wylde on purpose. Thank you.]
Prologue
The young kitten runs from the vermin chasing her and her siblings, eager to kill them as they had their mom and dad. Her younger brother shivers and stops as they find the vermin in front of them too. A large wild cat steps out of the crowd of vermin. "Hold, I've decided not to kill these four. At least, not all of them." He nods to the biggest kitten, a little male four seasons older than the smallest two-the girl's twin-and turns to the rat leading the vermin. "Kill him. The rest will be our slaves."
"OO weave him awone." She growls sternly as the rat draws his bow back.
The rat slackens the bow string slightly and looks at his wildcat lord, who now has the two younger kittens in his paws.
"Wait until I leave, then kill them both. If she wants him alive so bad, she can die with him. Keep Stumptail and Vugar with you." He turns to leave as two young rats, one with only an inch of tail on him, step forward.
"Yes, Lord Trior," the rat says softly, watching his receding back, and waits for the rest of the horde to leave with his master before aiming at the kittens, who are now hugging each other, saying their goodbyes, knowing their fate's sealed.
He draws back his bow and fires at them; another arrow comes out of the blue and shatters his arrow, as a several more arrows slay him and Vugar.
Stumptail then removes his disguise, showing them that he's no rat, but a large hamster. "It's okay, kiddos. You're safe now," he soothes as a large old male badger charges towards the slain pair.
"Only the two left behind, Thyre?" the badger growls.
"Aye, Lord Mythis. Trior took the younger two kittens, but left these two to be slain. They are of Vyrin's blood."
"Then we will train them as we did Vyrin," Mythis agrees, lowering his voice and gentling his tone on seeing the golden kittens, one with black stripes, the other black spots, were staring at him in terror.
"I agree. Poor Vyrin. They attacked so suddenly that he didn't have the time to draw his blade before he and his mate were slain. Good thing Kiyar wasn't there, or they would've slain him too."
"That it is. He would've defended his family with his life, poor kid. I'll break the news to him. You kittens have names?" Mythis asks softly.
"EE Fywin, dat ee sissie, Eiwa," the boy whimpers. "Dey take bubbies Mafim an Bwywon way. Ee no no whew dey takes dem ow why."
"Don't worry Fylin, Eila. We'll find out what happened to Maxim and Bryron. Don't you worry your little heads about that," he murmurs softly, giving Eila a hankerchief on hearing her sniffles. "And don't be afraid to cry. It shows you truly care for those who died."
"Weawy?" she mews.
"Really. Your father was one of us, the brotherhood of freedom. We will avenge his death, no matter how long it takes, and no matter how far we have to go to do so we will get your little brothers back."
"Fank oo," she weeps into the handkerchief.
"You're welcome, Eila."
Trior smiles when his beasts salute him as he enters his camp. "Everyone. I have picked my successors," he calls victoriosly. "These two kittens here, will succeed me when I pass on. They will be the new Warlords of these eastern shores, and, should I conquer that far, all the way to the western shore. There is no force as big as ours, or as mighty. There is only one thing standing in our way: the Brotherhood. We have not managed to find their hideout yet, but we will. We found were one was housed, and took the children of the one known as Vyrin and killed him and the rest that lived there. We will wipe the rest out of existence as we find them. There will be no hope for them, and their children will be either as these two will, slayers, or slaves to serve us, as this one will." He beckons to two soldiers, who throw an unconscious young wildcat about fifteen seasons old to the floor. "This is Vyrin's youngest brother Kiyar. We captured him as we came back from our raid. He will be a slave to my soldiers, when he wakes. They will make an example out of him, to how slaves are treated here. Should he live, when they're older, he will be slave to my boys here."
His men cheer, pleased with his words, as one of the ferrets sneaks off into the woods.
He smiles and soaks in his beasts' praise. He turned to his advisor and second in command. "When he wakes, break him, but try not to kill him."
They nod and watch him walk away with the twin kittens.
Abbess Song looks out over her abbey as Cregga sits by her. "Something's on your mind, Abbess. Don't try to hide it," the old blind badger requests softly.
"Do you think what's going on in the east will ever come as far as here?" the abbess asks softly.
"Nah, I don't think so. Not as long as the Brotherhood of Freedom remains. And they won't go down without a fight," Cregga answers without a doubt.
"Oh Cregga, I do hope you're right," Song murmurs softly. "I'd hate to think what would happen if it did."
"As would I, Songbreeze, as would I. But the spirit of Martin will protect and guide us, no matter what."
"We'd need it if it ever did." Song returns her gaze to the window as the sunset blazes Redwall into flame.