DID YOU KNOW!! Aislinn is actually a real name. It's Celtic for inspiration. I THOUGHT I MADE IT UP!!! (Those of you who already knew, score.)
Howdy, Howdy!! An author with an outrageously unpredictable mixed personality has written you another chapter! Now, people seemed to have lost their touch in reviewing again. Work on that, eh? Three or more reviews before posting! AND DON'T FORGET TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS! Now here are the answers to de last question:
Spirit- Not quite, but Danlek is a relative.
Storiewriter- Haven't a clue.
Chap. 7
Saphira ran, dodging other creatures while doing her best not to ruin the contents in her basket. It was the Wolfslayer's lunch, and he made it very clear for it to be absolutely perfect. Or close to perfect. As the two days passed, it became part of Saphira's life that she followed orders and obey without question to her superiors. In other words, to fear them. To fear the punishments that came after something wrong. She could feel it. She could feel Faolan and his horrible followers slowly taking control of her; slowly controlling her life. 'No. I won't let him! I can't!' Then another thought came to Saphira. But you can't defy him. There is no way.
Caught up in her own thoughts, Saphira dashed faster across the camp, not noticing the line of pit slaves hustling by in front of her. Then the line ended, leaving only a slow moving slave and soldier behind. The rat soldier was kicking and pushing the slave forward. Saphira assumed that he kept the slave there with him just for his amusement. Saphira felt anger again. She looked away, and then looked back again. Saphira skidded, and ran smack into the pit slave. Hard. She was faster than them, and had underestimated when they would be out of her way.
Saphira had managed to keep herself from falling, but the slave, who was a squirrel, was not so lucky. His face was astonished, but then changed into annoyance and a little anger. Saphira mumbled her apologies and held out a hand. The squirrel slave did not take it. He lay there, just looking at her with contempt.
"What are ye doing, rampaging 'bout causing disturbances? I should beat ye silly!" The rat yelled. Saphira backed up a bit.
"I'm sorry, sir. I was just bringing the lord a bit of scoff…well, I mean food." Saphira bit her lip until it bled when she finished. She could very well imagine him laughing while he kicked at her ruthlessly. But all the rat did was grunt.
"Well den, bring de lord his food." He yelled. Then he brought her closer to him until Saphira could smell his foul breath. "But if ye cross me again unguarded, ye will feel the brink of eternal peace, eh?" The rat let her loose. Twitching her nose, Saphira turned and raced off, but not before she heard and saw the soldier beating the fallen slave.
-0-0-0-
Saphira ran slower than before, watching for any unexpected surprises coming round. Finally, she arrived at the large and dark green tent of the Wolfslayer. Quietly entering through the flap, Pearl wasn't there. Saphira looked around wildly, fearing for her friend.
"Your friend is quite well and resting, Saphira. No need to worry." The low, growling sound of Faolan's voice channeled from the left dark side of the tent. Saphira and Pearl managed to get him to use their names, instead of "mouse" and "otter". The only thing that discouraged Saphira was that they had to call him master. Every time she said it, her spirits would lower. "You are late, my servant." Faolan stepped out from the shadows. "You know that is dangerous."
"Yes, master. Forgive me." Saphira said clearly. She held out the basket she was carrying. "Here is your lunch, master." He looked at her strangely, then took the basket in one swift motion.
"You should fear me, Saphira. Do you?" He waited her reply. Saphira clenched her fists and looked down.
"Of course, master." Faolan nodded smugly.
"And for a good reason. I killed a wolf. I am the greatest leader of them all. And I will let you in on a little secret." Faolan leaned close to her ear and barely loud enough for Saphira to hear, he whispered, "After the next load of slaves, I will conquer other lands and make them mine. I will be ruler over all Mossflower." He grinned wickedly, and turned. Then suddenly turning back to his old self, Faolan dismissed Saphira.
Recovering from her shock as Saphira was rushed out of the tent, she ran into another creature for the second time in that day. Except the creature was younger than the other one, and Saphira caught her. It was a squirrel only about eight seasons old, clutching a folded piece of paper to her chest. Saphira sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry. I haven't been paying attention today. Are you alright?" Saphira brushed the dust and grit off herself and the squirrelmaid. When the squirrel didn't answer, Saphira eyed her gently. "You don't have to be afraid of me. Here, my name's Saphira. I'm the Wolfslayer's personal slave. What's yours?" The young squirrel looked at Saphira's smiling face and smiled shyly back.
"My name is Annis, and I bring messages to and from one of the captains." Annis looked through the many dark red tents and pointed to a tent with a blue cloaked weasel standing in front of it. "That one there, he's the one." Saphira eyed the ugly looking weasel.
"What, ol' fatty? Well bless my heart. That one's so fat he waddles instead of walks. That's why his name is Captain Chubbs." Saphira laughed quietly.
Annis shook her head. "Oh, don't speak of the Captain like that. He's a fierce one, he is. You should treat him with respect."
Saphira grinned and winked. "Oh yes, I'm sure I should. Why don't we walk over together and deliver the letter, and then slide over to the tent for an afternoon's kip? How does that sound to you?" Annis nodded to her new friend and walked timidly behind Saphira.
Captain Chubbs was the biggest beast in the horde. He waddled like a duck and ate whatever he could. Some creatures wonder why he was made Captain while others don't question it because of his higher rank. Some rumors say that he was made Captain because he killed some big beast and impressed the warlord. Some say it was because he's a good tracker. Others say that it was just because there was no one better at the time, but no one ever said that to him. Even if he does look a bit pathetic, Captain Chubbs was a good shot with a dagger when he wanted to.
Chubbs spotted a mousemaid and his slave walking towards him slowly. He scowled and walked with much effort to meet them, dagger drawn. The mousemaid stood patiently with the small squirrel standing beside her, looking down nervously.
"About time! Ya have been taking breaks again! Give me that!" The fat weasel grabbed the paper in Annis's paw. Then, turning to Saphira, he faced her, still scowling. "Who do ya think ya are? 'Plain yarself, slave, or I cut yar with this here knife." His voice was slurred by his vast size and tiny head.
Saphira stared up at the sky. "Oh, I don't think you will. You see, I'm the lord's personal slave. He chose me personally. I don't think he would be very happy if you cut open one of his." She said calmly, staring at a passing cloud. Chubbs lost his nerve and sheathed his knife with an angry frown.
"Right den. Go to where ya need to be, and take the pitiful thing with ya." Annis hung her head ashamedly. Saphira glanced at her and she boiled with anger.
"Why would I want to bring you with me, sir? It would look wrong." Saphira said calmly, her anger hidden by her innocent smile. She took Annis's paw and flounced off, leaving behind a very angry weasel captain.
Annis looked up curiously at Saphira. "What did you mean by that?" Saphira merely chuckled and winked at the little squirrelmaid.
Inside the tattered green tent, trouble awaited Saphira and her new companion. Ferdimon was back from the stone quarry, dusty and temperamental. Pearl sat with her chin on her paws watching the outrageous hare pacing back and forth muttering to himself.
"Flippin' too dirty down in that bally hole I say. Bloomin' dark there too. Could of just flippin' let me up above and nothing would have been bloomin' wrong, but the chaps were very stupid and didn't let me, so they started everything, not this chap. The bloomin' vermins' heads are screwed on the wrong way, I say, and too tight as well."
Saphira and Annis sat down next to Pearl. "What happened this time?" She sighed.
Pearl waved a paw aimlessly. "Who knows? All I'm getting is that 'e pushed some 'water-headed rat with water in his brain that swallowed a blinkin' spider that spun webs in his blinkin' empty head' in the pit." Saphira leaned forward.
"Interesting how the rat had a water-filled brain with an empty head full of spider-webs." She stated, amusement tinting her voice. Pearl nodded.
"That's wot I said!" Saphira, Pearl, and Annis continued to watch Ferdimon muttering and pacing. After a few minutes, Amabel came rushing in.
"You guys, you will never guess who talked…WHOOA!" Amabel yelped as she slipped on some mud and fell onto Ferdimon, both tumbling to the ground. Ferdimon howled as the hedgehog's sharp spines stuck into his fur. Pushing Amabel off, he stood up clumsily. No more was he muttering to himself, Ferdimon was all out cursing. Annis's eyes widened as the words spilled out of his mouth.
"Back home, my momma would give my brother and me a bath and wash our mouths out if we ever said any of that." Pearl looked at Annis as if she had just noticed she was here.
"Well, his daddy is a Sergeant, Ferdimon says. Rather nasty language his daddy gives out too, 'e says." Pearl looked thoughtfully at a beaker of dirty water. "Maybe your mother's scheme might come in handy." Grabbing the beaker, Pearl snuck up behind Ferdimon's back and the moment he turned to pace back Pearl threw the water over his head. Laughter broke out among the four beasts as Ferdimon sat drenched, gaping at the she-otter laughing hysterically.
"Steady on there, ol' gel. What was the bally water for?" A picture of innocence on the hare's face only brought more laughter until tears were streaming down their faces. It took a long time to gain control again.
-0-0-0-
'I…I was dreaming. And in my dream the beast was very happy, happier then ever before in her life. It makes me so glad that she could still smile, and it made me smile. The beast found another creature to be with and make her laugh. All her problems were forgotten for that mere moment, and she wished that it would last forever. Maybe…maybe it will happen again. Maybe…just maybe.'
Now I have two things to ask you. One, do you think I should change Uggir's name to Faolan Wolfslayer? It is a Celtic name that means "wolf". What do ya think? Next is the question of the chapter. What do you think is going to happen next chapter, fellow fanfic fanatics (ALLITERATION!!!)? Till next time!!