A/N: On with the show! Note to the cast of the story, Brake a leg! For those who don't know what that means, it's just a theatrical saying. It means Good luck! Because in theater, it's bad luck to say 'Good luck'! So here we go!

Chapter 2. Torture and An Unexpected Turn

( Also titled The New Ruler of the Fortress )

Shasta was expecting the following events to happen. The first event, Bloodrose had been named Lady of Fort Caladeer and the Eastern Coast. The second, was torture. He had was thrown into the wretched prison-pit of Fort Caladeer.

"Am I ever going to get out of here?" Shasta asked hopelessly.

"No. We're stuck 'ere forever." said a voice.

"Who's there?!" Shasta asked, startled.

"Jus' me." said a young male otter. "My name's Gobo. An' this is Willow. Wot's yours?"

"Willow? Is that you?" Shasta asked, unbelievingly.

"Shasta? Can it be?" Willow said.

"Yes! It's me!" Shasta replied.

"Oh Shasta! What ever happened to you after Bloodrose picked you?" Willow asked.

"I escaped from this place for a while..."

"You mean you got out o' 'ere?" Gobo asked, Wow!

"Yes I did. But Bloodrose caught me." Shasta finished.

"Wow messmate! I never knew a creature could escape this place!" Gobo said.

"You know, my great-grandfather escaped from this pit." Shasta said.

A look of glee came over Gobo's face, "Really? Who was 'e?" Gobo asked.

"Martin the Warrior." Shasta replied.

Gobo's eyes grew wide.

"You're serrious roight? You're not kidding around are you messmate?" Gobo disbelievingly.

"Ask Willow if you don't believe me." Shasta replied.

"Is 'e Willow?" Gobo asked.

Willow shook her head.

"Then whoy are we waitin' for the grass to grow? Let's go!" Gobo exlaimed.

"No! Not yet!" Shasta said.

"Whoy not?" Gobo asked, puzzled.

"We need to wait until nightfall, so nobeast will see us." Shasta replied.

"Oh alroight. You escaped last toime. You know 'ow to get out. By the way, jus' 'ow do you get out messmate?" Gobo said.

"Well, Martin got out of here through an escape tunnel..." Shasta's voice trailed off as he set to work finding the tunnel.

Gobo and Willow joined in and before long Shasta found it. Crawled in as he called back, "I found it! I'm going to see if it caved in!"

"Alright!" Willow called back.

Shasta crawled through the tunnel, he was very far in when he came to a dead end. They're only escape rout had caved in. Shasta stared at the hunk of rock that was blocking their way to freedom in dismay.

No! He thought.

With sunken hopes, Shasta crawled back to the pit.

Well?" Willow asked impatiently.

"It caved in." Shasta replied.

Willow and Gobo looked like they would let out howls of dismay. Shasta felt like he would cry. Now I'll never see my beloved Santhy again. I'm stuck here forever!

Suddenly, the grating on the pit was being lifted. Shasta, Willow, and Gobo looked up and saw Felisto and Tinamenso standing there.

"Come on Mouse, on thy footpaws." Felisto said.

Shasta stood up, and attempted to climb out of the pit. He was half way up when Felisto grabbed Shasta by his scruff and pulled him up out of the prison pit. They took Shasta, bound in chains, to Bloodrose's new quarters.

"Tie him up on the torture-rack." Bloodrose said.

"Yes Lady." the two cat-fighters replied as they tied him up.

Shasta knew what was coming. When the cat-fighters left, Bloodrose picked up her whip...

Swish, CRACK! Swish, CRACK!

"AHHOW!!" Shasta yelped.

Bloodrose laughed at Shasta's misery.

"Ha. Thee will ne'er leave my fortress alive Mouse. Ha ha!" Bloodrose taunted.

Oh you just wait Bloodrose, we'll see who emerges victorious in the end. Shasta thought to himself.

Bloodrose continued to beat Shasta until he fell unconscious. When Shasta was unconscious, she yelled for her guard.

"Hades! Get this bit of scum into the pit, and out of my sight!" Bloodrose shouted.

A big, burly barrel-chested tom-cat came into the room and grabbed Shasta's scruff and dragged him out saying, "Yes Lady."

Bloodrose smiled, it felt good to have power. To have total control over Fort Caladeer and all who lived in it. Ha ha! Power! The absolute, power! Bloodrose thought.

Santhy was sitting on her bed running her paw down Shasta's sword and crying. Her mother, a kind and

good natured mousewife named Priscilla, came into her room and put her arm around Santhy's shoulders trying to sooth her.

"It'll be alright Santhy. There will be other males..."

"No there won't be! I will never love any other male! I love Shasta!" Santhy shouted, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Santhy you mustn't dwell on Shasta. He's gone. He's never coming back." Priscilla said.

"How can I help doing anything but dwell on my one true love Mother?" Santhy shouted in agony.

Santhy fell into her mother's lap, sobbing her heart and soul out.

"Oh Santhy, I wouldn't have suggested forgetting him if I knew you cared so much of him." Santhy's

mother replied.

"I love him Mother." Santhy said simply.

A/N: Soooo, how did you like it? Come on fess up! Tell me how you liked it! I need reviewers! Chapter 3. Will be up soon.