The wrinkled old paws of Marlinga Reah trembled in the tight knot her captors had tied about them. The ancient vole sat in the corner of her cell, bound both paw and footpaw, and remembered better times. She had been the leader of Noonvale for generations, and kept peaceful the beautiful place. Until, she thought with a shudder, until these horrible crows invaded.
Nobeast knew how they had found Noonvale, but they had, and shattered the peace in the process. Their leader, Mercrov, had a heart as black as his feathers, yet constantly spouted sayings about honor in a very old-fashioned tongue. Marlinga attempted to make herself comfortable in the tiny cell as she remembered the slaughter that had accompanied Mercrov's arrival; Noonvale had no troops, no weapons, and no fighting skills. And why would they? There hadn't been any need...until now.
A sharp rap on the door and a rude voice interrupted her thoughts. "Mercrov wishes to speak to you!"
Her voice was a feeble, reedy cry. "Please come and help me to my footpaws; I cannot move in these bonds."
Derisive laughter came from the other side, but the door opened and a crow came in, heaving her roughly to her feet. She thanked him, but he only severed the rope tying her footpaws together and shoved her rudely with his beak. She made her slow way forward until coming to Mercrov's hideously decorated tent. Marlinga had to wrench her eyes shut as she walked in, so as not to burst into tears at the sight of her old friends' paws dangling morosely from the doorway.
Mercrov himself sat on a large leather chair, black feathers glistening with oil and grease. He gobbled down a plateful of candied chestnuts stolen from a babe's paws. "Be ye the Queen of old?"
She would have laughed at his quaint speech if she didn't know about his cruel interior. "Yes, I am the leader of Noonvale."
"Am? Thou darest claim leadership? Even whilst I sit on thy throne and eat thy food and speak down to thee?" He laughed throatily. "Thou art a fool, old one. Hast thou enough sense to now reveal to me, the leader of Talonperch..."
"It is called Noonvale and you know it!" Marlinga said, quietly yet defiantly.
"The leader of Talonperch the whereabouts of the great treasure?"
"There is no great treasure, Mercrov."
"Fool! Thou liest! I am merciful, so I shall ask thee once again: Where be the treasure?"
"And I shall tell you again, you foul bird, there is no treasure!" Marlinga exhausted herself in the defiant effort.
Mercrov threw his empty plate at her, and it knocked her head so hard she passed out. He turned to his guards. "Lock this bundle up for a fortnight. She be lying, I know it! Just wait! Mercrov shall reign!" All his guards raised their right talons and raked the air in salute.
"Mercrooov! Mercrooov!"
Nobeast knew how they had found Noonvale, but they had, and shattered the peace in the process. Their leader, Mercrov, had a heart as black as his feathers, yet constantly spouted sayings about honor in a very old-fashioned tongue. Marlinga attempted to make herself comfortable in the tiny cell as she remembered the slaughter that had accompanied Mercrov's arrival; Noonvale had no troops, no weapons, and no fighting skills. And why would they? There hadn't been any need...until now.
A sharp rap on the door and a rude voice interrupted her thoughts. "Mercrov wishes to speak to you!"
Her voice was a feeble, reedy cry. "Please come and help me to my footpaws; I cannot move in these bonds."
Derisive laughter came from the other side, but the door opened and a crow came in, heaving her roughly to her feet. She thanked him, but he only severed the rope tying her footpaws together and shoved her rudely with his beak. She made her slow way forward until coming to Mercrov's hideously decorated tent. Marlinga had to wrench her eyes shut as she walked in, so as not to burst into tears at the sight of her old friends' paws dangling morosely from the doorway.
Mercrov himself sat on a large leather chair, black feathers glistening with oil and grease. He gobbled down a plateful of candied chestnuts stolen from a babe's paws. "Be ye the Queen of old?"
She would have laughed at his quaint speech if she didn't know about his cruel interior. "Yes, I am the leader of Noonvale."
"Am? Thou darest claim leadership? Even whilst I sit on thy throne and eat thy food and speak down to thee?" He laughed throatily. "Thou art a fool, old one. Hast thou enough sense to now reveal to me, the leader of Talonperch..."
"It is called Noonvale and you know it!" Marlinga said, quietly yet defiantly.
"The leader of Talonperch the whereabouts of the great treasure?"
"There is no great treasure, Mercrov."
"Fool! Thou liest! I am merciful, so I shall ask thee once again: Where be the treasure?"
"And I shall tell you again, you foul bird, there is no treasure!" Marlinga exhausted herself in the defiant effort.
Mercrov threw his empty plate at her, and it knocked her head so hard she passed out. He turned to his guards. "Lock this bundle up for a fortnight. She be lying, I know it! Just wait! Mercrov shall reign!" All his guards raised their right talons and raked the air in salute.
"Mercrooov! Mercrooov!"