Chapter 2

Day became night and it was time for the fifth anniversary of Brome being elected the new Chieftain by Urran and Aryah. Both of the parents were well within their late seasons, and both leaned on canes to support them. Urran wore a blue robe with red velvet cloak, while his wife wore an orange gown with red velvet cloak. Usually the Chieftains gave up their cloaks to the next leader of the village, but Brome and Sharon steadfastly refused. The two former Patriarch and Matriarch sat at a long oak table next to their son and daughter-in-law. Sitting by Brome's side were his mother and father, Pallum, Ballaw, Rowanoak, Teasel, Ballaw's daughter Laycee, and Keyla. Sitting by Sharon's side were Celandine, Grejor, Tullgrew, Martin and Jewel Skipper, Florence and Gemini, Laycee and her mate, Vinsar's brood of leverets, Rowanoak's son, Grayhound as well as his young ones. Pallum stood up and raised a tankard of Celandine's famous blackberry cordial.

"I like to propose a toast, to the new leaders of our beloved village, Noonvale. May the summers be warm and the winters short. May no harm come to our fellow creatures, to Brome and Sharon."

He said, the rest of the beasts attending the feast repeated the last three words. Everyone there clinked their cups, chalices, and tankards. They guzzled down the content in their cups, afterwards a symphony of belches and foamy mustaches around their whiskers and lips. Brome smiled and sighed in relief.

"So glad our creatures can live in harmony."

"I second that love. It's been 18 seasons since evil has surfaced here."

"Yes, I'm quite glad, no vermin have tried to find our little safe haven for everybeast with a good heart."

Sharon replied. The cooks of the village brought out the main course. A whole feast, plates of scones, pasties, and biscuits piled up on each other, cauldrons of potato and leek soup, bowls of berry medley trifle, blackberry pies, jugs and beakers of strawberry cordial, blueberry cordial, blackberry cordial, and a gigantic roasted fish, about the size of the long table Brome and his friends were sitting at. Before anybeast could gorge. Brome sat up and raised his right paw.

"Friends, before we eat let us say grace."

He announced. All the friends and families of Noonvale bowed their heads, clasps their paws, and closed their eyes. Brome began the prayer.

"Oh, ones who are not with us today, we thank you for this feast, may it replenish out stomachs and hearts, amen."

"Amen, let's eat."

The citizen of Noonvale piled their plates with the content from the platters, cauldrons, and bowls of everything their. One beast took a bite of Celandine's blackberry pie, as soon as he took that first bite, he knew he was in heaven. His lips quiver and his eyes twinkled. He slowly swallowed the piece and dug in for more. Celandine saw the mouse pigging out on her pie, and she laughed out loud.

"Hahahahaha, my pies are too good, hahaha."

Grejor put down his tankard of his wife's blackberry cordial.

"Hey what about me, I helped pick them."

"Hmhmhm, but I did most of the work, you silly treeclimber."

"Touche, Celandine."

Brome stepped in the conversation.

"Friends, it doesn't matter who made what, all that matters is that we are amongst friends and families. Let's eat, drink, and be merry."

All the beasts their agreed and resumed eating and drinking, to their hearts content.

Near Marshank, a young mouse named Keller, well within adulthood was running through the forests.

"I've got to get back home, my wife and child will be worried sick."

The mouse ran as fast as his paws could carry him, as he jogged back to where he was destined, a large rock appeared and tripped the poor creature. Keller took a mighty tumble, as soon as he got up, he saw his knee was chafed, but this didn't stop him from resuming his trek back home, but what did was as soon as he took off running, Golfang and his lackeys caught him by the scruff of his neck. As soon as Keller saw the tall searat he gasped, and attempted to cry out for help, but Golfang clasped his paw around the mouse's muzzle.

At Marshank, Damien threw a tray of vittles across the room.

"Blah, this fried gull is charred to a cinder, and this dandelion wine taste more like dandelion vinegar! Doesn't anybeast here know how to cook a proper meal, am I to do it?"

The hordebeasts there looked at each other in puzzlement and shrugged to their leader. Damien slapped a paw to his forehead and ordered them to come to the kitchen. Everyone there surrounded their Chief and watched as he prepared what a proper meal was supposed to look and taste like.

"Oh, when you bread the gull, you want to make sure the batter is thick and it coats the piece of seabird that you intend to cook. Next oil the pan and make sure it's heated up at a reasonable temperature. As soon as the oil begins to sizzle, place the piece of meat. Now, I need something to flip it, a fork, a dagger tip, anything so the meat doesn't burn on the bottom, anything!"

He screamed, a weasel handed a small dagger to his leader, and Damien snatched it from him. The stoat flipped the piece of meat and everybeast there saw the side he flipped was golden brown. He waited for a while for the otherside to cook and he flipped it over and they saw that both sides were cooked to perfect. When Damien put his piece on a plate, one of the sentries atop of the ramparts called out.

"Chief, Golfang and his crew have returned!"

Damien handed his plate to a random weasel and ran up the stairs leading to where his sentry stood. They both peered down from the main wall and saw Golfang carrying a young mouse. Damien ran down the stairs and stood near where the gates once stood.

"Chief, I have brought back, a little Moush."

Golfang threw Keller to the ground, he looked up and saw the tall, burly stoat staring down at him. Keller shuddered in fear as Damien smiled down upon him. Damien then kneeled and spoke in a soft voice.

"Don't worry, young mouse. I apologize if my Captain treated you a bit poorly. My name's Damien the Beastslayer, I am the leader of this bunch, we're short on one member, a Cook. Would you like to be ours?"

Keller he knew he had nowhere to go, and if he tried to escape they'd either capture or kill him. His answer came out in a stammer.

"Y-y-yes, sire."

Damien smiled brightly and tussled the top of Keller's head.

"Good, mouse. You my friend, shall be my new best mate."

Damien stood up and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"If anybeast here tries to hurt this poor creature, by Hell's teeth I will not be merciful to you!"

All the beasts replied.

"Yes sir."

"Golfang, show where our new recruit is destined to be."

Golfang smiled and saluted.

"Yesh shir."