Chapter 1-Please be done *Chapter 2-I hope you're through *Chapter 3-too painful to see *Chapter 4-please no more! -hehe yea...thats not really how you feel is it? I hope not...

Captured in the Dark Chapter 4

Taft ran as fast as his paws would go. Slickcast had seen him slipping out of the camp after darkness had fallen and now had four hordebeasts casing after the little mouse. He ran and ran, his paws were sore and his sides hurt, but he didn't stop. Slickcast was behind him! If he ever caught the starved mouse...Taft shook at the thought.

"I sees 'im Slick!" A creature shouted, not far behind Taft.

"Right, keep up the fun of the chase me lads! After him!" Slickcast's unmistakable harsh voice sounded through the forest. "We can't let him alert the target!"

Fear and horror at the sound of the fox gave Taft an unbelievable burst of speed. He glanced behind him to see his pursuers, thankfully they were nowhere in sight. He dogged trees, hopped logs and ran so fast his tears of terror flew off his fur. He wanted to be anywhere besides sprinting for his life in an unknown wood, even in his accursed cage awaiting torment.

After about a half an hour of dashing and scurrying nonstop the mouse could run no more.

He fell to the ground on paws and knees, panting and gasping in the frosty air, causing his lungs to burn and ache. The fresh layer of winter snow beneath his paws, melted at the heat of his body. He was in a cold sweat, and his eyes were bloodshot. Looking about in desperation for a place to hide from the fox and his vermin, he spotted a hollow tree trunk, maybe just big enough for him to squeeze into. A shout from the distance sent the young beast diving for the tree.

He pushed and squeezed and struggled to pull his weak body into the tree's hollow trunk, but it was no use. He couldn't do it, even being as skinny and young as he was. He would be caught and, and...Taft closed his eyes and bit his lip. Hot tears found their way out of his eyes and down his face. He didn't bother to brush them away. He had wept more times then he guessed he had eaten, and he had found the warmth of the salt water an odd comforter. Curling up into a ball, he gave a shuddered sigh and looked down at the satchel Copper had given him.

He hated the thought of failing the fox who had promised him freedom. Freedom that he would never get because of Slickcast. Copper wouldn't help him again, he knew. He was alone, waiting for the cruel fox to catch and beat him to death. All he had ever wanted was a chance for freedom, and now it had come, and soon it would be destroyed. Shuddering, Taft put his head in his paws and began to weep bitterly.

"Psst!"

"Wha-?" Taft's head perked up and he looked about. "Who made that noise?"

"It's me, over here."

Taft swung his head around to see two black eyes staring at him. He screeched and squirmed backward fearfully.

"D-don't hurt me!" He squealed in terror, throwing his paws up in front of his face and shutting his eyes tightly.

"Hurt you?" The creature said coming closer. "Why would I hurt you?"

Taft carefully eased his eyes opened. He was surprised to find that before him was an otter, squatting down to the mouse's level. He wore a broad and genuine smile, his fur was dark and glossy, and his torso was muscled and stout and frightful to the little slave. The otter lifted a paw to gently touch the terrified mouse on the shoulder, but Taft squeaked and drew back until he felt a tree from behind preventing further escape.

"There, little guy, I won't harm you." The big otter said soothingly and in a kind voice. "I'm Skipper Rogth, but you can call me 'Skip'. What's your name? What are you running from?"

Slowly, Taft forced himself to gulp down his horror and speak.

"I-I'm T-t-taft. Are y-you f-from R-redwall?"

Skipper continued to smile cheerfully and warmly at the mouse, making some of Taft's fear die down. He couldn't remember the last time a beast had ever looked upon him with that kind of smile, that is, a warm smile rather then a malicious and cruel one.

"No, but I know the way there." The otter raised his eyebrow slightly. "Are you heading there little friend?"

"Yes, sir." The little creature said.

"Well then." The otter stood up and held out a paw to help the small beast up. "You should come with me. From the looks of you, you need a good bath, fine meal and long night of sleep."

Taft shook his head.

"No. I-I have to get to R-redwall, it's important." He paused in thought and terror before quoting Copper. " 'The lives of many beasts d-depend on me. This massage is of the u-ut-tmost impor-t-tance'." He struggled with the last two words as they poured from his mouth.

Skipper stared at the mouse for a few seconds; paw still extended, and then chuckled.

"Well, you're a determined little beast, aren't you?" He knelt down next to the mouse and grinned, ignoring the fact that the little creature pushed his back as far as he could into the tree. "Fine then, I'll take you to Redwall. But we should go back to my camp, not wise to sleep out in the open ya know."

Taft watched the otter rise again and put his paw out a second time. Unsure of how the water-dog would treat him if he refused, he took hold of the paw and was pulled upright.

"Here, follow me." The otter said, turning and marching off into the forest.

Reluctantly, with no better plan, Taft followed the beast back to his camp.

Taft had been fed and given a place to rest in the small tent the otter used. The otter watched the terrified mouse closely. He often peered around at the trees and shuttered at the slightest sounds. It was certainly clear that he didn't know whether to trust the otter or not, the fear Rogth read in the young beasts eyes was enough explanation for him. It took a long while for the little mouse to finally fall into sleep, keeping his green eyes always on the otter.

Now Skipper Rogth watched the young mouse drift into sleep, shuttering and flinching at the slightest sound from the surrounding wood. He felt pity for the young beast as he listened to his whimpers and cries as he slept. However he thought it better to simply let the mouse sleep then wake him to see what was wrong. But when the shivering creator's sniffles grew louder and stronger, the otter sighed and went over to Taft, hoping to calm the tiny creature down. Touching him lightly on the shoulder, Rogth was surprised when the mouse woke, squeaking with terror and began crying out pleas and scrambling to get away.

"No! Don't hurt me! Stop! Please! Let me go! Don't whip me!" He threw his paws over his head in horror, tears running free down his cheeks.

Skipper quickly took the young mouse in his grasp; he regretted waking the young beast so suddenly. The little form quivered in his arms, in fear and in confusion. Rogth gently rocked him back and forth, his voice lulling the crying mouse back into reality as best as he was able.

"Calm down little fellow. It's alright, nobeast can hurt you. I'm here to protect you." He wiped the mouse's tears away with his finger and pulled a blanket over the shaking creature in the freezing night air.

Taft grabbed tightly onto Rogth's fur and pressed himself against the big chest, quaking and sobbing.

"Don't let me go! Please don't let them get me!"

"Hush, I won't." The otter said, he was surprised at how mouse grasped him like he was a long lost friend, not willing him to let go. "Go back to sleep. You're safe now."

After a long while Taft had drifted back into his troubled slumber. He had never known what it felt like to be safe, but somehow he guessed it felt like being held in the arms of a strong otter, who would take him to Redwall and freedom.

Taft woke and pulled his blanket tighter about his body, as a gust of wind pierced him. The cold penetrated his skin mercilessly regardless of the blanket and rags wrapped about his small body. He whimpered slightly and opened his eyes. Though he knew where he was, he was still surprised to have been allowed to sleep until he woke, rather then be dragged out of sleep and put to work. Waking without seeing wooden bars surrounding him also made him feel odd.

"Ah, you're awake! Good! Come eat something, little mate."

Taft jumped at the voice and quickly sat up. He looked around, finding himself in a small travel tent. He was amazed at how drained he felt.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up by opening the tent flap and letting that cold breeze in." Skipper said smiling at the mouse. "But now that you're awake, might as well get some food into ye, eh?"

Taft made a move to leave his place and became aware that he wasn't feeling so well. He shivered, wrapping his arms about him. He was freezing and yet ever so hot, a terrible feeling. It didn't take long for the otter that the mouse hadn't moved and came to the mouse's side.

"Hey mate, you don't look so good." He said as he put a paw to Taft's burning forehead. "Seems you've got a fever. Lie back down, I'll be right back."

"But I have to get to Redwall!" Taft croaked. His mouth and throat burned and scratched as he spoke, causing him to wince.

The otter gently laid him back down and put another blanket over the mouse.

"You're sick mate; we'll get there by noon today. So don't you worry about that. Try to rest while I make you something warm to drink."

"Can I have my sack?" Taft groaned hopefully as the otter pulled the blankets tight about his body.

"I'll bring it." Rogth assured him. "Now lie still and keep those blankets on, you're ill enough."

Taft happily obeyed. He never recalled being given a blanket for warmth in any season and looked after with real concern. It was a warm feeling to know that maybe this strange otter cared about him, even in a slight way.

Skipper came back into the tent a few minutes later gripping Taft's satchel and a cup of green-oak tea, which he made the little mouse drink before he let him have the sack.

Once the tea was done, the otter handed the satchel to the mouse. Taft opened it eagerly and looked through it's contents, searching for something. It was not long before he found what he wanted. Pulling out a warm tunic, just his size, Taft gave a small yelp of joy as he inspected it. It was clean and unfrayed with a dark green color and brown stitching around the edges. Any other beast would have thought nothing of it. But to Taft, it was his very own unscratched tunic.

The smile was so bright on the mouse's face; Skipper thought he was looking at a long lost treasure, rather then a new tunic.

"Here." He said softly. "I'll help you put it on."

He helped the little mouse removed his ragged tunic and then he washed him off with what water he carried in his canteen. The little mouse looked as though he hadn't been cleaned in seasons, because he was crusted with dirt and mud all over. However that could not compare with the horror, the otter saw nasty scars that could only have been caused by a whip or rod, over Taft's pelt. Some of them were newly crusted with blood. He was also very much bruised up, making the otter wonder where this mouse had come from. He at first thought Taft might be a runaway, but after the previous night's terrors and the scars, he knew the mouse had just escaped slavery.

He had nothing to bandage Taft's back with so he tore an extra blanket up and used it's peices instead. At first Taft wouldn't let the otter touch his back, sliding away from the Skipper, but he was too weak to fight for long, and reluctantly allowed himself to be cleaned and bandaged. The little creature winced at times but how the little mouse didn't cry out in pain, the otter didn't know. Slowly, trying not to disturb the home made dressing on Taft's back; he helped the little mouse slip on his new tunic.

"It's so warm!" Taft croaked and smiled, brushing his paw over the material in awe. Then his face became serious. "We have to go to Redwall, Skip."

"We're going to." Rogth once again assured the mouse. "But we need to take it slow, you're ill.."

"No." The mouse said painfully, shaking his head. "We have to hurry, or I'll never get the message to Redwall and I'll never be free."

Skipper raised an eyebrow.

"Free?"

Taft nodded stiffly, but said nothing.

"Well...what's this message you have to take?"

"I don't know." Taft shrugged. "It's in the satchel. Copper said to give it to Redwall, and that it was important."

Now Skipper raised both eyebrows with concern.

"Can I read it?" He asked gently, trying not to raise alarm for the mouse.

"I guess." Taft shrugged again. "I don't know how to read."

He reached into the sack and produced a small, sealed paper. Carefully, he handed it to the otter as though it was a relic. Rogth took it, smiling warmly at the mouse and then opened the seal. Unfolding the paper he read it's contents and his brow darkened.

So, again, how was it? BTW I must thank Fresianroses for being brave and reviewing *cough cough* (looks accusingly at audience). Don't make me brainwash you into reviewing, or make me use the force...mwahaha I'm a Jedi! FEAR ME!-erm...uh..nevermind...just Read and review-remember-INVISABLE COOKIES!

-Ireland Ranger-