Chapter…1!! Whoo! Thanks anyone who read it and special thanks to any who reviewed.
StripeEar: It is, isn't it?.. O.o I had just finished the last episode when I wrote it, so my mind may have been on the first…..I just thought it would be cool to use a bad guy whose main weapon was fire!
So anyway, please tell me what you think. Thank you!
Silver stars specked the bluish black sky like glitter on a sheet of soft velvet. A light breeze wound through the tall trees as it wove a blanket of cool spring air beneath the round full moon, whose white moonlight watched everything like a mother watches her child. At the center of it all lay a large sandstone building, whose once red walls were now faded to a paler rose-colored hue.
Two figures stood alone on the top of one of the walls, gazing out at the forest. One was a slender mouse, whose lean figure looked like it could be blown away at any moment like a leaf on the wind. Her companion was a tall otter with strong muscles, one of the younger beasts at the abbey. They watched the moon rise in silence.
After a few more moments of soothing silence, the mouse commented, "The moon almost tricks you in to thinking she is a guardian. She watches everything that we do in a silent protectiveness, but then when trouble does come, she can do nothing but continue watching."
"Aye," the otter agreed, then both fell in to silence again. Something flashed in the mousemaid's brown eyes, and for a moment the reflection of the moon in her eyes looked as if it were covered by smoke, but that quickly faded.
She sighed, then said quietly, "If only it could really be a guardian, rather than a watcher. I will be in the cavern hole, if you need me. Good night, Brother Tormund."
The otter dipped his head to her as she left replying, "G'night Abbess." He looked back at the moon. It lay huge just above the horizon, it's soft glow creating a ring of dancing silver flames around it, which made Tor wonder exactly what horrors it was watching and if perhaps the flickering glow was its way of laughter. "Whose side are you on?" he asked quietly, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
--
Up...down...up...down...
The steady beat of the waves against the hull of the ship created a metronome for the unchanging movement of the oars. Each beast rowing sat two to an oar, with one aisle on each side of the ship. They all wore ragged and threadbare tunics, with extreme slashes on the back. Some had been bought from a slaver barely a seasons ago and were unused to the labor of rowing.
Up…down…up…down…
One of which was a squirrel, who had been with the slaver for many seasons and not been sold for various reasons. The mousemaid beside her kept her eyes straight forward as she rowed and the squirrel whispered, "Don't you ever get tired?"
Up…down…up…down…
"No talkin' in the ranks!" croaked the slavemaster, a short fox with half a tail named Urvin. His whip lashed out a few times at the squirrel, who winced and muttered something, though she gritted her teeth together and kept rowing. The whip's sharp tip nicked the mouse's cheek, and a small drop of warm red blood rolled down to the bench.
Up…down…up…down…
Sanya – the mouse – raised a slender manacled paw to touch the scratch, and almost immediately sharp pain ran through her back like wildfire. "Why'd ye stop rowin'?!" Urvin barked out as the whip thrashed her again. Her paw shot back down to the oar but the flogging continued for another moment before he became distracted with another slave.
Up…down…up…down…
Tears coursed down her cheeks and blood coursed down her back. That was the worst beating she'd received since she'd gotten there so many seasons ago. The squirrel started to whisper something, but Sanya interrupted in a hoarse undertone, "Aspen just be quiet before we're both beaten to death." Aspen looked surprised and turned back to look straight ahead.
Up…down…up…down…
The only light was that that came from the lantern held by Urvin, gripped tightly in the paw that didn't hold his whip. More of the precious, intangible substance was let in when someone opened the hatch. Making sure she kept rowing, Sanya turned her face to the light.
Up…down…up…down…
A ferret called to the slavemaster, "The cap'n be needin' two slaves. He says ta make sure they're strong but small." Urvin thought for a moment then flicked his whip across Aspen and Sanya's back, signaling that they would do. The ferret and a weasel jumped down from the hatch and quickly unchained the two, taking off the manacles and replacing them loosely with rope.
Aspen was too shocked to do anything, and Sanya could cry with relief that she'd stopped rowing already. The slaves normally worked in 24-hour shifts, and I was only 6 hours in to this one. The ferret led Sanya, while the weasel pulled Aspen along, much more roughly.
They were escort to the main deck, were a tall fox stood with one paw on his hip and the other pointing at a rat, a new recruit who was untangling himself from the rigging. Aspen snickered as the fox yelled, "You idiot! If that happens again I'll personally skin you and burn you to a crisp before feeding you to the slaves for breakfast!" Sanya wrinkled her nose a little at the thought.
The fox was a Captain Elgan the Reaper, a warlord who was modest with his title – but that was it. He bragged about being the most feared on the seas, which was true, and that he had tamed fire and could make it do his bidding whenever he pleased. As far as foxes went, he was handsome, and though he was calm, controlled and a good leader, his only fault was that he had to have things of beauty. He turned to the two slaves, but Aspen cut in before he could speak.
"Wow," she commented, almost laughing, "I can see how ugly you are even while half-blinded by the sun!" Sanya's eyed widen and Elgan's expression darkened as a smirk spread across Aspen's face.
The Reaper's eyes blazed and everyone around them stopped and watched. Aspen's feet spread apart as she prepared for battle and thoughts raced through Sanya's head. "You'll die for that!" Elgan snarled and unsheathed a long rapier, lunging forward. Instinctively, the mousemaid took a step forward and to the side, in front of Aspen. Her stomach was sliced open instead.
Her paws went to the wound and warm blood spilled through them, rolling down them and forming a pool on the wooden boards. "Sanya!" Aspen cried but she was pushed away by the mouse.
"Run," she managed to gasp. "Run for your life." Aspen took a step back then raced towards the side of the huge ship, which was called The Bloodwake.
"Get her before she jumps!" Elgan yelled and vermin surged forward, a mix of ferrets, weasels and rats. Aspen's eyes widen and she leapt over the edge, her claws digging into the hull so that she didn't fall into the water. Before any saw her, the unusually pale-furred squirrel raced around to the figurehead, which was fashioned in the skull of a fox.
It was carefully and beautifully carved, and she climbed in to the open jaws and hid, one paw tightly wrapped around one of the teeth. A loud scream cut through the air then was silenced. Sanya! She peered around to see the small, limp body of the mouse tumbled through the air and land in the water below with a slight splash.
Roars of laughter erupted from the crew and Aspen settled back in the fox's mouth, closing her eyes. She was my only friend here, and now she's dead because of me. Oh, damn me and my sharp-tongue! A tear rolled down her face and she set her jaw. Elgan would die. His crew would drown. She would make sure of it.
--
Tor sat bolt upright in bed, unsure of why he had woken up. Any dream was forgotten and he laid back down, closing his eyes. Three small bundles suddenly pounced on him and he looked up to see three dibbuns, an otter, a squirrel and a mouse, all jumping on him and chanting, "Bruvver Tor! Bruvver Tor!"
"Geroffa me, you liddle imps," he laughed and sat up, looking at the floor to see the obvious ring leader smiling up at him, a mouse named Topaz.
"I'm notta imp!" she exclaimed, beaming innocently.
"Aye," Tor agreed sarcastically. "That you ain't. Now let's go see if the good friar has any strawberries, maties."
"Stawbees!" all four chorused and Tor led the way to the kitchen. The three who had jumped on him ran ahead, but Topaz hitched a ride on his rudder-like tail the whole way there.
Well? Review? winkwinknudgenudge Yes, the thingy with the slaves was a dream…sort of. It really happened, but YOU DON'T KNOW THAT. :D