Yep, like I said, since I've been working on this story for a while, I just have to edit the chapters. I already have six to edit and publish. So you don't need to worry about updates until all six are published.
Captured in the Dark Chapter 2
The mouse, who Slickcast had named 'Scum', wondered about the camp of hordebeasts in search of the winer, Getter. He hoped he could find the stout soon, for his master had long finished the wine he had stolen in the latest raid, and he didn't want another beating. After a few minutes he spotted the fat stout within a group of vermin, laughing. It was clear, to Scum's disappointment that Getter was drunk, and disturbing him would probably end in a whipping. But, his master could and would beat him harder then any beast in the whole raiding horde, so Scum advanced.
Curiously, Scum reached the drunk stout and his glaring companions. How the mouse wished he could be somewhere else, even in his wooden cage, rather then approaching drunk, violent beasts!
"What do ye want?" One of them spat at the slave.
"I...Master wants some more damson wine, sir." Scum looked at his footpaws, not daring to meet the eyes of the stout.
"Does 'e now? Well there's a payment for it ye know, mouse." Getter said grabbing the frightened mouse by the arm and squeezing it so he cried out in pain.
The vermin lounging about laughed and snickered at his pain.
"Please sir," Begged the mouse, struggling a little. "I must take the wine to my master!"
"Devoted creature aren't ye?" The stout mocked. "Or is it simply, that ye don't want another beating?"
Scum's lips quivered in terror, but he said nothing in reply.
"Well," Continued Getter. "Ye just go n'tell yer master that there's no more wine left!"
He threw the mouse onto the ground and kicked him in the face. The horde beasts laughed and jeered as Getter continued to lay out blows and kicks on the slave over and over. Scum cried out and gasped in pain, once again he went to put his paws over his head in protection. But before he could, a rat stepped on his paw and dug it into the hard ground. Scum screeched loudly at the pain and tried to pull it away, but it was useless.
"I came to see what was taking the slave so long, now I see." The voice was Copper's. "He was on his way to find wine for my brother, and you dared interfere?"
"Aw Cop, we were just having a little fun!" Getter stressed, then lied through his teeth. "Besides, he insulted me!"
Scum was now panting in fear, he hadn't insulted anybeast, but it was doubtful that fox would care. He'd listen to the stout's word over a slave's anyway.
"I don't know how he managed that, Getter." Copper continued. "But he's my brother's property to punish, not yours."
Getter snorted and looked away in anger. The vermin began grumbling, it was clear that they hated to have their fun busted by their leader's son. The rat who stood on Scum's paws dug the small creature's paw into the ground with all his might, trying to channel his anger over their spoiled games.
Copper glanced at the frightened mouse, who lay, biting his lip to stifle whimpers of agony as his paw was crushed further into the dust. Hot tears were silently rolling down his face as he tried in vain to pull his paw away. What Copper said next, he couldn't understand.
"Get off him, Bloodshot." He ordered the rat that had his footpaw on Scum's paw. "I need to take him back to my brother's tent for...other punishment for being late."
At first Bloodshot seemed as though he was going to be defiant, as Copper wasn't the most popular leader in the horde. But after gazing into the flames of the fox's eyes he obliged reluctantly and huffed away.
Getter and the other vermin glared at the fox a few second's before turning to follow the rat. Leaving him with the miserable slave on the ground.
Scum looked up at the fox that had spared him from being beaten. He was confused as to why the fox had gone and done it, but then again, foxes are unpredictable. He caught the vermin's eye and quickly looked away, holding his injured paw to his chest. One beating was enough, he didn't need another simply for making eye contact.
"Get up and come, mouse." Copper commanded as he turned and marched off.
Scum struggled to stand and follow. He had a deep feeling of dread when he thought of Slickcast's angry face. He could hear the whip whooshing through the air, feel the sting of pain on his back. He shuddered and shut his eyes tightly, willing the thoughts to go away.
Once they reached the tent, Scum slowly followed the fox inside, glancing to and fro to see if his feared master was there. Thankfully he was not back yet.
"Sit." Copper said, making a motion to a nearby stool.
Reluctantly, Scum made his way to the stool and sat down, squeezing his eyes shut in terror and confusion. He had no idea what the fox wanted from him, and he was scared to death to think about it.
"Give me your paw." The firm voice commanded.
The mouse, thinking his injured paw had suffered enough torture, shaking he put his other paw out. What the fox had in mind, the little slave didn't know.
"No mouse, you're hurt paw!" The voice hissed.
Scum opened his eyes, pleading filled them.
"Please sir, don't hurt it more!" He begged, tears filling his eyes. "It hurts enough! Please sir, anything but that! Plea-"
"Silence!" Copper growled and held out his paw for the mouse's. "Let. Me. See. Your. Paw."
Head down, suppressing his tears, Scum extended his injured paw, wincing as the fox took it into his own. He closed his eyes again, expecting a fresh wave of pain to course up his arm. But it never did. Something cool and moist touched Scum's paw making the pain cease a little. Then something was being wrapped around his paw. He opened his eyes. The fox was bandaging his crushed paw!
"There." Copper said quietly when he had finished, and then turned to put a bottle of cream back into his satchel he always carried. "Your paw will be fine."
"But..." Scum looked up; fear was still present in his eyes.
"You'll be fine." Copper repeated, ignoring the mouse's 'but'.
"T..Thank Y..You s..sir." Scum said lowly, looking at the ground.
"Yes, well...go get some sleep until Slick comes back."
"No! My Master will beat me if I'm caught sleeping!" The mouse bloated out, then realized what he did and added a quick 'sir' on the end, fearing a beating.
Copper raised an eyebrow.
"How can you work if you don't sleep?" The fox asked opening the tent flap, and a gust of frigid wind burst into the tent.
"I...I...d..don't know...s..sir..." The mouse was shivering fiercely in his rags.
"Well, at least rest for a few minutes." Copper turned away and began to leave the tent, he turned back to see the mouse still sitting on the stool. "Did you hear me?"
The mouse jumped, startled.
"Yes sir..but..."
"'Yes but' what?"
"I can't go outside while my Master is gone...he'll..w..whip me..." The mouse gulped, shuttering a bit..
"Why would you need to go outside?"
"My Master puts me in the cage...its outside."
"Can't you just lie on the ground somewhere in here?"
The mouse's eyes went wide with fear.
"No sir! My Master..."
"Ok, ok, ok! I get it, he'll beat you. Fine stay up, can't say I didn't try."
With that, Copper huffed out, leaving Scum alone in his master's tent. The mouse got off his stool and went over to the corner of the tent and curled up, awaiting with dread, his cruel master's return. Tears filled his green eyes, rolling off his light brown facial fur as he looked at his bandaged paw. Why had the fox done that to him? Why had he been so...nice? Scum didn't understand it. Slickcast was so cruel, yet his brother...? The tears fell onto his ragged tunic. They were tears of confusion and loneliness.
Tell me how it was. Come on, I was brave enough to post, be brave enough to review.
-Ireland Ranger-
