A/N: Yes, I've updated. I finished this chapter, as many of you know, the day I updated last. And no, Chapter Seven is not written. Not even started. But ideas are flowling, albeit a bit sluggishly and with hints of doubt, so I really hope the wait isn't as long as last time.

I also hope that this chapter isn't anticlimatic from your points of view. I do not want you to feel put out and, as Oreramar said, have a mob after my blood. I do look out for myself.

Without further ado...


Chapter 6:

She'd been called down to the birthing room, surprised. That vole was going to look over the little ones, apparently. Still…she didn't like the way that they flanked her, two in front, two in back, one to either side. It spoke in volumes that they either didn't trust her or other beasts were going to attack her.

Jess personally suspected the former. They really wouldn't care what happened to her; she was a slave.

Rolling her eyes, she kept in line with the soldiers, stumbling at times because of the stupid, cumbersome dress. Why couldn't she wear something sensible for once?

Grumbling in annoyance, she stayed at the trot, but was genuinely surprised when a sweat broke out on her forehead.

What in all Hellgates? I'm not supposed t'be sweatin'! I didn' do it before!

There was silence as she was escorted out into the chilly spring. Faintly surprised it wasn't, as it had been the last time she'd checked through the little hole she'd made; there had been flurries of snow and huddled figures in the slave compound.

Which was, apparently, where they were headed.

As she was escorted into the compound, the noise hushed as the woodlanders stared at her.

Jess didn't remember seeing anything primal and uncivilized in their eyes when she was one of them. But all she saw was hate, anger, cruelty, and barbarism.

They continued to talk, but in low, heated murmurs. Then somebeast came up to her and the ratguards.

"Yer scum!"

Another piped up, standing and baring crooked teeth.

"Traitor!"

A rock came flying towards her, and she wasn't able to duck before it clipped her ear.

They hurried her to the back of the compound, where the female badger lay panting, the male hovering over her protectively.

The ratguards pulled the male away brutally, but Jess had been expecting it in the back of her mind. It was how things were. How things were accepted.

But should they be? A sly voice in the back of her mind asked.

Jess shook it off, and snarled at the rat that pushed her towards the badger, itching to just rake her claws across his face and disfigure the muzzle. But that would not go over well, and she'd learned if only a little bit from that last encounter. She may find herself in a worse position, though she doubted there was one, than the last time.

The badger looked at her, anger and distrust flashing through her eyes. She wasn't as uncivilized as the rest of the slaves, but still…she was nowhere near the majestic being of that Warrior.

"She's almost ready to give birth. Stay here. You must witness it."

The badger cried out and twitched. Jess's stomach flipped as the realized that this was going to get messy…

''-''-''

A long time of standing around, being forced to move because of the spectators, and the complications that their detainment of the male badger proved finally bore fruit.

A wailing, furless babe was born, and the ratguards relentlessly slapped it into breathing.

A slave entered with towels, and Jess was handed the babe, obviously meant to dry it. As she was busy with this, and the ratguards were trying to hold back the badger, the slave struck.

Quickly, it pulled out a small, sharpened stick from the dangling rags and struck the badger in the heart, letting her gasp and stiffen. Jess didn't know how he'd hidden the weapon, but before she knew it, he was leaping towards her, trying to kill the child as well.

And then a ratguard impaled him on the tip of his sword.

Athed died, still reaching to deliver the killing blow as Jess instinctively turned and shielded the child.

Angry, the rat had turned on her and slammed a fist into her face, giving her a black eye. It then proceeded to yell at the other Chosen, who lost their fight with the badger as it stormed into the room.

Utter silence ripped through the room as he looked at the badger, and let out a howl. It was cut short as the same Chosen slammed his blade through the badger's heart, commenting as he withdrew it, "What good is one badger without the other?"

Another ratguard hit him over the head with the hilt, and, as the Chosen crumpled, he remarked, "But what good is no badger, Ash?"

He jerked his head towards the door. "Go."

She was all too happy to comply.

''-''-''

Jess did not lay the babe down in the not-quite-box the Chosen had provided. It was too hard, too cruel. Flat. No sides to stop it from rolling over and falling out. Instead, she wrapped it in blankets, and paced around the chair she put it in.

One circle. Two.

She could not believe the Chosen.

Three. Four.

They were supposed to be civilized. Sophisticated.

Reverse. Five.

And yet, they kill a badger, then knock out their own? How is that supposed to be good and…Chosen?

Six. Seven.

And that slave…why? Why had Athed done that?

Reverse. Eight.

But then again…She remembered that one time…

watched Athed show the badgers who was boss around there…The male badger snarled at the mouse, and Jess cringed. She was suddenly aware that these badgers shouldn't be messed with, if only for the reason that they had sharp-looking fangs…

"Go, little cur. Weasel away in fear."

…But Athed, uncharacteristically with no sense of self-preservation, snarled and took a step forward that should have been menacing…

What did he have against them?

Nine.

She stopped, and looked at the door.

Without hesitating, she scooped the babe up and hurried out, not paying mind to the wailing in the background.

She walked down the hall quickly, and placed the babe below the Warrior's tapestry, then took a step back.

"Why?"

He didn't answer.

"Why didn't you stop them? Y'should have shown me, should have guided me to stoppin' it from happening!"

She stomped her foot. "You know what? You're just a stupid mouse, who doesn't know anything!"

She paused, then laughed out loud. "I'm really goin', aren't I? Blamin' you, a bloomin' tapestry, for not doing the impossible."

Silence fell, and she reminded herself of what they did, over and over and over…Athed and that…Ash…those idiots…

The child would have known his parents were it not for stupid, rash, barbaric actions.

Anger built up, and built up, and she needed a way to get it out.

Her eyes flew all over the place, seeking out something to punch, to pound, that wouldn't hurt her. She turned, and saw the pent-up window.

Without thinking, she was over there and slamming the rocks out, muttering under her breath as she did so.

Later, she sent the last rock tumbling down, silently turned and picked up the child. Without a word, she walked back into her room, and Martin saw full light for the first time in so very long.