Mable: Hey there! Another overdue chapter, but I can proudly say that the thing I was distracted with is finished, so this has returned to being one of my top priorities. ^-^ Regardless of that, I don't own 9, Enjoy!
When the Wolf Watches
Chapter Eight: Time Reveals More
A sudden yell of horror awoke most of the Stitchpunks with a jolt. Eight especially found himself startled, and grabbed for his knife. He was sitting by the door and closest to the possible Beasts so it was understandable that his defenses would be high. After a few seconds he identified the cry in the dark room; it was Six's voice. Almost immediately he relaxed as he knew it was possibly just a nightmare. Slowly he dragged himself upwards and stumbled around in the dark, "Just a nightmare," he slurred out. Someone else was wandering around as well.
Eight collided with another Stitchpunk in the dark. "Oh, hey! Uh, Eight?" None greeted in an almost anxious fashion. The guard grumbled back a, "Yeah?" None quickly finished with a quiet, "Careful. Moss is right under our feet." Eight looked downwards, though naturally couldn't see anything, "At least he's sleeping. Someone ought to be." He continued to wander around, but it was Two who managed to get to Six and reassure him. The striped male was still looking quite disturbed.
"I want to go home," the Artist murmured and nuzzled into Two's front in distraught. "Something's terribly wrong. I need to go home." The Inventor want to reassure him and say that they would, but they couldn't yet. They knew there was still danger from the Wolves and that leaving wouldn't fix it as they could very well follow. Six's sudden concern did make them feel quite a bit less comfortable though. Two gave him a warm hug, "It's only a little longer, Six. You just need to stay strong while we pull through this."
Finally Eight got over to them and in his tired state offered, "Here, Six, just come sleep with me." Almost right afterwards he realized what he had offered and mentally questioned himself. "You… You wouldn't mind, Eight?" Six's soft voice was a bit more relaxed and filled with a sort of adoration. Regardless of Eight no longer bullying him and being somewhat friendly, this was still quite a big step. Before Eight could answer, a dim light filled through the room and was cast over them. Now he could fully see Six.
He could see the mismatched optics that had been only staring in his general direction, wide with hope and a need for comfort. He found himself staring back. The light had appeared from Child who had lifted the boards blocking the window and let some early morning light in. "It's dawn…" he announced to the others. "Shut that," One grumbled and rolled over on his bed. "We need more sleep. That can wait… Two?" The Inventor got an amused smile, "I'm coming, I'm coming." He coaxed Six forward a bit, who got to his feet and approached Eight with wobbly steps, and returned to One's side.
Eight decided to continue going with the more comforting manner and laid a hand on Six's back to guide him. They returned to where he had been sleeping and he sat down against the wall, letting Six sit beside him before tossing the blanket around him. Six cuddled into the blanket before leaning against Eight in a bold fashion. He pressed into his chest and tiredly yawned; he had probably been awake more than once that night. "Get some sleep. I'll be watching you," Eight murmured quietly as the room went dark again.
He was still tired as well, even though jolted awake, and felt a serene feeling from having the Artist resting against him. Six murmured something that he didn't hear fully and started to already nod off. After a short while Eight did as well.
When Eight awoke again the room was partially lit with a candle in the corner and some of the others were awake. Six was still asleep against him, the twins were in their bunk beds, and None and Moss were together on the floor, but most of the others were in a period of rousing. Though the Guard was sort of stuck; he knew if he moved the striped artist would awaken, and that was the last thing he wanted after a night like that. As Crochet and Martlet entered the room he considered moving him in their bedroom.
"…Eight?" Eight winced as he heard Six's soft voice quietly ask. "…Yeah?" There was a brief silence before Six squeaked out, "I… I fell asleep on you." The embarrassed tone actually caused Eight to get an amused smile, "It's no problem." The striped one couldn't even look at him. "…Are you sure?" Something in the question made the larger hesitate as though he was considering it. It didn't really surprise him when he answered with, "I'm sure." Suddenly Six stretched and very boldly seemed to put an arm across Eight.
"You shouldn't let Stitchpunks take advantage of you…" Six quietly suggested. "Or they might do it again." This roused an actual chuckle out of Eight, one that vibrated through his chest enough that Six could clearly hear it. Then neither of them made an effort to continue to stand, not when they knew what was coming soon enough. The others continued to get ready; Seven sharpened her spear, the twins helped Martlet with the music box, while Five and Velvet got their weapons ready.
Nine took the time to rouse None and Moss, the former who was quite embarrassed and the latter sleeping like a log. Eventually everyone was ready to go and holding their weapons ready. "Everyone whose prepared to fight should come with me, everyone else will go with Martlet, and be prepared to distract," Crochet insisted as she lifted her axe, her coat already on and almost making her look identical to Martlet. The other female nodded in agreement and the Stitchpunk divided accordingly.
One, Two, Three, and Four stuck to the distraction, with the twins carrying the music box. The rest joined with Crochet and prepared to leave. Six made a motion to follow after the group when Eight stopped him. "No, not this time," he laid a hand on Six's chest and gently pushed him back. "You do the distraction thing, alright? I'm not having you getting in danger." The Artist optics were wide in surprise. Not by the fact that he was being stopped, but the actual tenderness in the tone. He numbly staggered back to the other.
"Alright. Let's move," Seven announced and led the others out the door. With that they started through the forest towards the den. Eight seemed to be lagging so Moss looked to him in concern and attempted to verbally soothe him. "It's a better option. Six is safer now, don't feel badly." Yet Eight still seemed rather lost in thought, staring downwards and keeping rather quiet. "Yeah… That's not it, though." He now looked to Moss and considered asking him his advice. Moss stared back silently and waited for the question to present itself.
In the last moment Eight decide against it. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine. Just thinking about the Wolves." Moss knew he was lying but respected his wishes not to dwell on it. They continued ahead quietly as the others softly murmured. Five risked speaking as well even when the Wolves could be nearby. "Velvet, you could've stayed. Your attack was only yesterday." Velvet considered this, but shook her head. "I'm alright, I can handle it..." Her voice sounded uncertain and Seven glanced back before adding in.
"We know you can. Don't worry, we're all going to be doing this together." Her comment was a bit of a comfort. Though suddenly Crochet seemed to become alert on the conversation and paid a bit more attention to Velvet after that point. Her optics repeatedly flickered back to the female in thought. Eventually they came to a stop underneath some thick bushes; thick enough that they had to crouch to get under comfortably. "We'll wait here until the Wolves are alerted," Seven instructed and crouched down to wait, Child and Nine beside her.
"I just hope that music box is loud enough that it will be heard…" The Warrior finished with concern and Crochet insisted, "It will. Why, the last time we used it- Oh!" She ducked down as Moss used his scythe to clear some of the lower twigs and leaves so that they would be more comfortable. She was cut off of her current point and decided to simply not finish it since what would follow was mostly an anecdote. Instead she decided to approach Velvet who was sitting beside Five and nearly disappearing into his side.
"Velvet…" Crochet began as she turned on the younger with a sigh. "Since we're about to go into this it's only fair that I tell you a bit more of the truth… If you're ready for this then you, and the others, are ready to know things I was hesitant to bring up." This immediately caught both the Storyteller and the Healer' interest. "The truth?" Five asked in confusion and the older lady gave a nod. She tiredly crouched in the moss beside them, closer to the female's side. There was a slight upset on Crochet's face as she pushed her hood back and revealed her face.
In a way the Storyteller began to dread what she was going to tell her. "Alright, Grandma. What is it?" The other Stitchpunks seemed to go a bit more silent as though they were listening in. "I know more about your creation than I said before. I was thinking about it all night, I mentioned it to Martlet, and she assured me that it would be best to tell you. I was still unconvinced… But I will. In case something happens." She fiddled over her axe handle and Velvet moved a bit closer to listen, fidgeting her legs that were starting to become slightly sore.
"Your Creator had sketched outlines for all of her creations before she created them…" The older female wouldn't look at her as she explained. "She was thinking that this would either influence her creation or thinking that, like her husband, she would simply know which Stitchpunks were like what… I saw Martlet's design before she was created, as I did with the rest of the girls who were supposed to be created. There was a lone male as well; picture it as being a mirror towards Ju- The Scientist's own… Julius' own."
She seemed to awkwardly speak the name, uncomfortably shifting a bit and now resting against the axe which rested on the ground. "Your design was of the third creation. If I recall correctly, her name, your name perhaps, was to be Corset and I believe she was made to be a seamstress with the fourth Stitchpunk. Her name was Doublet or Quillet, I can't remember anymore and it really isn't important. The important part was that you were to be the third of many… But unfortunately she passed on before she could finish."
Velvet reeled briefly and pondered over this sudden reveal of knowledge. It made a bit more sense to her design, why she didn't have a name, why she wanted to make clothing, but it didn't explain everything. "But that can't be right. I was created to sew, but I can't sew worth a stitch! The only way I can sew at all is because Five and Two worked with me." Crochet gave a nod, "I can only assume that the talents she planned to give didn't make it… Then again, she could've made a mistake. Some things she never intended." She inhaled, paused for a few seconds, and then exhaled wearily.
Silence covered them briefly. Velvet had a feeling that Crochet was hiding more, she was quite certain of it, and she gave a light push. "What other things?" The older Stitchpunk gave in rather easily. "You were supposed to get a motherly figure, a grandmotherly figure, someone to protect and teach you and the younger Stitchpunk… But as much as I try I cannot be what I wanted to create." Velvet looked slightly disturbed by the revelation, "What does that mean?" The elderly female didn't continue at this point.
Suddenly Child chimed in, "I knew it." He looked to the older woman and announced, "I knew you were Helen. Thank Creator I called it so everyone knows I was right." Nine gave him a light glare before it sunk in with surprise. Five even had his mouth agape, "But why didn't you say anything earlier?!" Crochet didn't answer this question. Finally Seven started to move closer, moving in her crouched position, "That doesn't matter." She looked awkward enough moving that Velvet actually had to hold back a light giggle, even if a nervous one.
The Warrior rested her hand on the older female's back, looking at her in a new light. Her optics was filled with admiration. "We become our own people. Just because we were created one way doesn't mean we can't change. Velvet already figured this out." She glanced to the female and gave her a small smile that was returned. Then she continued, "Crochet… Helen, you didn't need to keep this from us. We wouldn't persecute you for doing something that brought around your own survival and the creation of others. We respect you. I respect you."
Crochet took a moment to catch her voice again and looked back to the younger female, "Thank you, Seven." There was nothing more she could say at first, but then added in. "I would like this to somewhat stay between us. I don't want the others thinking less of me; I have tried for years to become the being that I wanted to create and unintentionally became." Eight found the time to speak, his first time in quite a while. "…So we keep it from One, Two, Six, and the twins?" There was a slight bit of amusement in his voice and Seven frowned at him.
Then Child chimed in with, "You know what One will do with this information; he will find some way to use it against us whenever we try to leave the Sanctuary... I am not kidding, Nine, don't chuckle at me." Finally Crochet seemed to regain her normal behavior and took hold of the conversation once more. "Well, I'm not keeping a secret from five people. Someone tell them the truth and tell them I don't want to talk about it… I'll do it myself, second thought. I can just ask Martlet."
She straightened as she heard a soft noise through the forest. Seven tensed as well, "Is that singing? The music box can't play voices." She pointed out, but shockingly Velvet recognized it. "It's… Martlet? Martlet's singing." Crochet gave a nod, "That's our cue to start moving. Come along." She stood and started out from under the bush, Eight behind her, then the others. When Velvet didn't immediately stand Five laid his hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright? That was a lot to take in…" His face was filled with concern and she nodded.
"She'll be okay," Seven assured, patting Velvet's other shoulder and then starting forward. "We need to hurry." Then she was out of the bush. The Storyteller looked after her with a look of awe; the Warrior always managed to keep faith and confidence and it impressed her greatly. "…I'm okay. Let's go." Five followed her lead as they followed the trail of the other Stitchpunks.
"This is far enough," Martlet announced and the twins set down the music box. It was still beside the lake so they hoped they would have good enough acoustics to carry the voice. One and Two followed next while Six trailed in the back looking worried and miserable. "Nobody get comfortable. As soon as we see the Wolves we will need to begin running," One announced and looked around through the trees. "And returning to the cottage is not an option. We need to plan this out before we begin." He fell silent when Two's had rested on his arm.
"One, just calm down. Breathe." One frowned at him, "I'm breathing just fine, Two." He received a pat on a shoulder, "And I'm proud of you for that!" The teasing was lightly growled at before they both noticed that Six was standing nearby looking downtrodden. Both felt their parental instincts start to hone in and Two murmured softly, "We should keep an eye on him. I don't want him running after Eight. Before he made the right choice and helped them, but with the Wolves running about… I fear it could be much more dangerous."
One nodded in agreement and prepared to continue, but fell silent as the music box started to lightly play over them. The Leader suddenly jolted forward and strode over to the Artist's side. His parental side set in and he grabbed ahold of Six's arm in a relatively gentle but still assertive way. "Come closer, Six. We don't want you falling to the wayside and being snatched by Wolves." Six tensed visible and Two rubbed his forehead tiredly. One in his most basic form; couldn't be subtle and happily remained blunt. Two chuckled to himself at the thought.
Martlet gently turned the crank as the twins watched the inside of the music box with interest. Seeing them caused the female to perk a bit more, and she pushed her hood back. Even knowing what was coming she couldn't help but try and appeal to the little females. She lightly tapped on Three's shoulder as she was closer, as though to catch her and her twins' attention, and began to hum. After a few soothing notes of humming she starts to sing. "On dit qu'au dela de mers, las ba sous le ciel clair," she begins in a language that the twins identify as French.
The excitedly flickered their optics and listened closer to her soft tune. Her smile slightly widened in delight at having an audience. "Il existe une cite au sejour enchante." Her actual words seemed to overtake the quieter music box tune as it grew higher in volume. If the music box didn't attract the Beasts then they would certainly hear the tones. "Et sous les grands arbes noirs, chaque soir. Vers elle s'en va tout mon espoir." Two and Six watched in interest while One kept his slanted optics trained on the trees.
"One, you can translate French, right?" Two asked his mate curiously before suddenly flinching as he heard a distant howl. Immediately his focus went back to the Beasts that would soon be coming in on them. Panic set into One who looked towards the shorter and the two briefly locked optics, then hurried closer to the music box with Six in tow. One watched the trees and Two and Six looked over the lake as Martlet continued to sing. She plainly heard the Wolves but knew that they weren't close enough that the others were out of danger.
"J'ai deu amours, mon pays et Paris. Par eux toujours, mon Coeur est ravi." Six pointed out as a Wolf Beast could be seen sprinting along the far other side of the lake to circle it, "There!" Its red optic glowed brightly and was soon joined with others as a second and third Beast appeared from the woods with it. Now the twins noticed and fear took their optics. They backed away from the lake and right into One's waiting arms as he protectively held them. "We need to start running; those Wolves will be on us any second now."
Martlet made almost a shooing gesture, as though trying to tell them to go, and yet she made no motion to herself. One still turned on his heel and began to hurry off while dragging the reluctant twins. Two and Six both followed behind him. The forest was almost like a maze as they searched for shelter. Eventually One led them to an abandoned burrow. They darted inside and One corralled the others behind him. "Stay back and don't make a sound," he commanded in a hushed whisper. Six peeked over his arm as he clutched his key, "What about Martlet?"
"She will be fine. She fell silent without a scream; she has most likely hidden as we have. Now let us stay quiet or they will find us!" He glared out of the hole and waited for a Wolf Beasts to come. Two glanced back into the hole, noticing something and yet unable to see well. He finally struck a match and lit his hat to see. As soon as One noticed the light he spun around, "Two, what did I just-?!" He froze as he saw a glint of something back in the hole. "Oh Creator…" Though Two raised a hand to quiet and calm his mate.
"I caught sight of it. It's a Rabbit. A live Rabbit." Immediately Three and Four started around the Inventor who only barely managed to grab ahold of them and yank them back. "No, no, you two! You both surely know that Rabbits are timid creatures, and there may not be another exit. We don't want to frighten it into a corner." The Librarians reluctantly nodded; Three still staring after the animal while Four looked to Two. Six peeked around as well with interest. One turned back towards the mouth of the hole, "That is all well and fine, but we are still in danger."
At this a Wolf Beast suddenly dashed by in the distance and One backed further, pulling the Stitchpunks deeper into the hole. He tensed with widened optics as he stared and waited for the Beast to move in closer, but it didn't seem to. A few seconds passed and it didn't so calmness overtook the group once more. "We need to stay in here, Rabbit or not," One assured the others. Surprisingly Six was quick to agree, "Right, it's safe. Underground is safer, right? They can't get down here." He looked at the others, breathing heavily, "Even if it's a tight space…"
"Just slow, deep breaths," One nearly commanded. "We don't need you to-." At that sudden moment the quietness was abruptly broken with a roar and a large, mechanical and bone head that shoved itself into the gaping hole of the entrance. Its red optic alit the Stitchpunks inside who all stumbled back. Six let out a horrified cried and raised his hands as though to mentally shove it back, but the Wolf Beast wasn't going anywhere, violently biting at them with its sharp teeth. Suddenly Two sprang into action.
He pulled out his lance and unfolded it quickly before slicing forwards at the Wolf Beast. One of the metal blades came in contact with the area that would be where its nose would be located. "Back!" Two cried to it, stabbing forwards aggressively. "Get back, you rusty contraption of scrap metal!" He tried his best to sound unafraid as he lashed out. Three and Four turned back further down the tunnel and noticed the bunny was gone. Three's optics alit and she led the way as the two hurried further into the hole.
"Wait!" Six cried after them and sprinted after them, the three of them hurrying along the tunnel. To their surprise it split further down. One of the tunnels curved off to the left and headed into a downwards slope into the dirt. The further one led a little farther before ending in another exit; one moss covered and blocked from the outside. Three let the light in her optics die as she crept forward and pushed open the moss a bit to peek her head out. They looked to be on the other side of the slope that the den led into originally.
It was a steeper slope on this side, which was why the moss hung over and blocked it from the outside. Three didn't see and Beasts and turned to alert her twin who gave a nod. Then Four dashed down the tunnel as fast as she could back to the others. Six stood almost petrified mid-way, too afraid to go forward or back. Four made it back to One and Two, grabbing One's arm and shaking him before pointing back. The Leader caught on immediately. "Two, there's another way out! Pull back away from that thing and we'll go!"
Two gave one last swipe before hurrying back before he could get nipped at. Considering his limp, Two was surprisingly quick and managed to outrun One as they dashed through the tunnel and to the other side. He also pulled Three back from the opening. "Wait!" He then looked out himself, checking for any signs of the Beasts, some sort of adrenaline in his body that Stitchpunks weren't supposed to have. After making sure it was safe he beckoned the others and slid down the small slope, stumbling at the bottom but righting himself.
He beckoned them down and they followed suit, now somewhat away from the Wolf Beast and able to hurry back towards the cottage. They arrived safely and locked themselves inside. Two and One were both panting while the twins peeked out and Six sat against the wall, curling together fearfully. "I-I didn't see Martlet," Two panted out and straightened. "Hopefully she went after-Mmph!" He was cut off as arms suddenly tightened around him. One embraced him tightly and tugged him to his chest.
He felt all of the concern from earlier dissolve into this, clinging to the smaller male and ignoring that his head was resting on his hat. Two looked upwards at the leader before closing his optics. He pressed tighter into One's front and hugged him back. "You nearly scared my soul out of me, Two. You… You could've be killed by that Wolf." Two shook his head, "I wouldn't have let that happened… The others are much more at risk than I was; it was worth it to protect you, Six, and the twins."
One tucked Two tighter against him before looking to the twins, "Keep an eye out for Martlet. I have a suspicion she went after the others." Six quietly added in with, "I think so. I think she went after them… I hope she's okay…"One gave a nod to him, "She's fine. They all will be fine… We just have to take care of ourselves." Three and Four ducked down when they saw a Wolf Beast moving closer, as though it would be able to see them through the door, but it then wandered by without noticing them being there at all.
One was further concerned by it, but knew there was little he could do except hold them together here and hope that they were safe enough.
Mable: When we come back with the next chapter we shall finally see to the Stitchpunks going through with their plan; but will it succeed or will it fall into failure? Their fates are decided on the edge of a Wolf Beast's claw, and whether enough it's a hair too fast or too slow may see to the outcome of the battle. I hope everyone enjoyed!
