I think this Chapter is a little fast, and needs more discription towards the end...so let me know!
Captured in the Dark Chapter 10
Taft sat on his bed in the infirmary, looking in wonder at Sister Cria's healing book. She had seen that he was bored and alone in the infirmary, as no other beasts were ill, and had kindly given him her book of herbs to look at. Skipper had told her that the little mouse could not read or write and so she thought the book was perfect, as it contained pictures and samples of herbs and plants used for healing rather then just words. The little mouse had shaking taken the book from her paws when she offered it to him, not sure of what to do.
The first time he had opened it, it was upside-down. However, Sister Cria said nothing, as he seemed to be a little relieved with something to do. As a slave, he had always had a job to do or at least one in mind, and Taft's small head was just getting used to having nothing to do but heal.
He was now, (having looked over the book three or four times already) staring hard at the lines and shapes that covered the pages. The strange markings may have meant something to Cria and other learned creatures, but to a mere slave, they were scribbles. He peered hard at the words, wishing his brain would finally see the meanings, only to sigh and let his shoulders sag in disappointment.
He had seen writing before, of course, Slickcast sometimes had scrolls and books in his tent. However, the tiny mouse was rarely permitted to touch them, let alone study them without receiving a beating. He had always wondered how his master could sit there, hours at a time, staring at a scroll, his eyes moving across the lines. Taft was usually curled in a corner or working in the fox's tent when his master would sit down with one of them. Occasionally he would glace at the mouse to see that he was working or to bark an order to him, but for the most part, he stayed quiet, reading the parchment easily.
Taft had thought about learning to read and write before, but that was all in his 'fairy tales' that he thought up while locked in his cage. Alone in that wooden prison, he knew the facts in his heart. Slaves don't read and write, they work, they have no use for such things. Besides, what vermin would want to waste their time teaching him anyway? Maybe now...now that he was here, in an Abbey, they would teach him...No, why would they? He was an inconvenience to them, a burden. Taft felt tears well in his eyes, was it so much to ask? Would they bother? How could he ask beasts he was scared to death of to teach him to read?
Closing the book sadly, the small mouse laid on his side, letting tears of loneliness and longing roll down his cheeks.
To his fright, the door opened, a hedgehog and red squirrel entered. The squirrel was holding a smaller squirrel about Taft's age. He looked extremely ill and pale, despite his golden-red fur. He was semi-conscious as he was carried to the beds. The hedgehog and squirrel laid him on the bed next to Taft, their eyes reflecting worry for the young beast.
"Get Sister Cria." The older squirrel told the hedgehog, and the beast went scurrying out of the infirmary in search of the old healer.
Sighing as he covered the younger beast with a blanket, the squirrel bit his lip.
"You'll be fine Token, don't worry. Sister Cria will take good care of you. She always has."
Taft studied the look of sadness on the older squirrel's face. Not the type you'd see on slaves, like the hopelessness he was used to, but a caring sadness. Something unknown to him. He stared intently at the squirrel's face, trying to understand the emotions that played there.
He jumped with fear as the beast suddenly looked over at him. His kind blue eyes drained their sorrow at the sight of the scared mouse. Who now hiding partly behind his covers and staring with frightened green eyes.
"Well, hello there." The squirrel said gently. "You must be Taft. Skipper told me about you." His eyes fell on the ill young squirrel on the bed. "He said that you and Token would get along great." The last sentence contained a tint of dread and coated of sadness.
At that moment, Sister Cria came hurrying into the room, wearing a face of worry.
"How is he Kirtan?" She asked, addressing the squirrel.
Kirtan shook his head, brushing his paw through Token's headfur.
"He's bad Cri, and it just keeps getting worse."
Cria nodded then put a steady paw on the squirrel's shoulder.
"I have to treat him again. Go wait get some rest, Kirt. You need it after all that scouting. I'll call you when I'm done."
The red squirrel hesitated then nodded sullenly, his face pale with concern. He took one more look at the little squirrel and left the room in a strained silence.
Taft watched as the healer did her work. She often muttered to herself as she set about mixing herbs and looked over the young beast on the bed. Shaking her head gravely, she approached the young beast and lifted the squirrel's head. She gave him a cup of strange mixture to drink.
"Come on, Token, drink it up. Kirt's worried sick over you."
Taft silently observed the healer as she worked further, restlessly. He began to feel his eyes droop and unintentionally let out loud yawn. The young mouse slapped his paw over his mouth as Cria looked up in his direction. She smiled and nodded over to him.
"Ya best get some rest, Taft." She said kindly. "Skipper said he'd come to see you in the morning. I don't want him to think that I didn't take care of you. So just ignore me and sleep, alright?"
The young mouse nodded slowly and shifted further into his covers and pillow. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the bed over his body. He thought of his cage and how cold it had been in the winter. It was so different being comfortable, filled and warm. It was a secure feeling in a way. Letting out a sigh he laid still, allowing the cloud sleep to cover his mind.
Taft's ears caught the sound of muffled voice, talking quietly to itself. He groaned and pried his eyes opened. Realizing that his head was under the blankets, Taft peeked out from under the covers. Sunlight streamed through the windows and stained the stone floor. And sitting on the bed next to Taft was the young squirrel.
He was muttering and munching on a scone dripping honey onto the sheets. He had a scrawny and skinny frame, and was indeed a frail looking beast, now that Taft got a good look at him. He had sea-green eyes and his golden-red fur glistened in the morning sunlight. The squirrel looked a lot healthier then he had the night before. He seemed, obviously to be more alive and not as pale. Humming to himself, he nonchalantly licked his paws and looked down at the sheets to see the mess he had made. Mumbling something about 'how sister Cria would thrash him' he began looking about for something to wipe the covers clean. It was then that he noticed the young mouse on the bed beside him.
"Hello." He said with a warm smile. "My name's Token. Do you happen to have a kerchief or something? I need to clear this honey before Sister Cria gets back."
Taft hesitantly shook his head, his head still partly under the blankets.
"Are you scared of me?" The squirrel asked with a smirk.
Taft nodded, sliding further into the bedding.
"Well, you're the first." Token sighed. "No one really even notices me anyway, not enough to be sacred of me. Though, Dellon would certainly find that amusing. So don't tell him you're scared, ok?"
Taft nodded a second time, though he didn't even know who Dellon was.
"Can you talk?" Token asked, cocking his head. "Because you certainly don't seem like you can."
"I-I can..." Taft stuttered.
"So what's your name?" The squirrel obviously had an outright personality.
"T-taft."
Token grinned.
"Ok Taft...you don't need to hide from me. I doubt I could harm you even if I wanted to. Come on out."
Gingerly, the young mouse slide out from under the covers and sat up. He looked down at his paws, not sure of what to make of the squirrel.
"So why are you here?" Token asked, hugging his knees. "Where'd you come from? I've never seen you before."
Taft stared at his paws, not wishing to meet the squirrel's eyes.
"I-I was a Slickcast's slave." He bit the side of his lip in nervousness. "Skipper brought me here."
Token's eyes went wide.
"You were a slave?" He asked in a shocked tone. "Did they whip you? Is that why you're up here?"
Taft nodded, causing Token's eyes to flash in anger. He ground his teeth and clenched his paws in fury.
"Dirty vermin! I would've killed them for hurting you! I'm not afraid of them! I wouldn't have let them whip you!" He looked at the small mouse with sincere young eyes. "You're safe here Taft. If those vermin ever try to come and get you back I'd lay them flat!"
Taft looked at the squirrel in shock. He'd never heard of a beast not being scared of Slickcast, or willing to hurt the fox! Instantly, he felt that the squirrel was a trustworthy and brave. He'd never let Slickcast hurt him! He was a friend, just like the Abbot had said. Just like Skipper!
"S-so w-hy are you here?" The mouse asked hesitantly. He watched in shock how the squirrel suddenly became downcast and angry.
"I'm a cripple." He spat in a angry voice. "I was born this way and Dellon loves to use it against me. I'm always getting dizzy spells and sometimes I just collapse when I'm upset. Kirtan doesn't know what's wrong with me. He said I've been this way since birth."
Taft gazed strangely at the squirrel. Every cripple he had ever heard of in his life were slaves, and they were usually killed because they were considered useless. Seeing one before him alive and untouched was strange to him. Obviously these beasts didn't kill the useless.
Token caught Taft's gaze and glared at the mouse.
"What? Are you going to hate me just because I can't walk like you?"
Taft quickly shook his head, not wanting to anger the squirrel.
"Good." Token nodded. "Because that's what everybeast else does and it gets lonely with nobeast to talk to besides my brother."
Taft didn't make a reply, but his head shot up as the door opened and Skipper walked in.
At the sight of the strong otter, the mouse nearly leapt for joy and hopped off his bed. But the squirrel was there, so instead he sat quietly, gazing happily at Rogth as he walked into the room.
"Hey Skip!" The squirrel said with a grin. "Uh..you don't happen to have a kerchief on you do ya? I got honey on the sheets and Sister Cria will boil me if she sees it."
The otter chuckled as he sat of Taft's bed.
"Aye, n'she'd skin ya first little mate!" He laughed. "Luckily I do just happen to have an answer to your pleas."
He pulled an off-white kerchief from his shirt and handed it to the eager squirrel.
"Thanks Skip!" Token replied as he began scrubbing away at the honey stain.
While the red squirrel dealt with his sheets, the otter turned to Taft with a smile.
"So, how have you been, eh?" He asked gently. "Getting along with 'Token the Terror' well?
The little mouse nodded but said nothing.
"I ain't so terrible, everyone just thinks it." Token said with a flashing grin, then his brow darkened. "It's Dellon whose the monster, Skip. He just won't leave me be."
The Skipper raised an amused eyebrow.
"Now then, is that so? I 'eard it was you that dumped the soapy water on the stairs while it was dark, causing Brother Dirius to slip."
Token scowled.
"Aye that was me, but t'was an accident, Skip." He scrubbed viciously at the sheet. "It was intended for Dellon, not Brother Dirius. I was trying to get him back for tripping little Felisa. You know, 'let the punishment fit the crime'. At least I owned up to it. That's what a true warrior does. Believe me, I got far more punishment then needed for that. Dellon and his group tortured me for days after that."
Skipper grinned at the notorious squirrel and turned to Taft.
"Like I said, he's Token the Terror."
"Fine." Token said with a defeated smile. "But I'm Honorable Token the Terror." He gazed at the mouse beside the otter and nodded. "And he'll be Taft the Tame, my assistant."
"What'd you think, mate?" Rogth asked the small mouse. "We'll ye be Taft the Tame the assistant of Token the Terror?"
"-Honorable!" Token cut in.
Taft looked at Skipper then at the squirrel, a bit unsure of himself. He'd never been an assistant before, and he had no idea what it was. But Skipper seemed to like the idea, so the mouse guessed it was ok. After a few moments he nodded, much to the joy of the Rogth.
"Good!" The otter said happily, slapping his knee. "I'm sure to hear of your ventures of terror and crime when I get back from the holt."
"You're leaving?" Tafts asked in dismay.
The otter nodded seriously.
"Aye, I've gotta make sure my friends n'family are safe when the fighting breaks out." He tweaked Taft's nose playfully. "Don't worry, I'll be back. You just enjoy you're time with Honorable Token the Terror, ok?"
With a sigh, Taft let his shoulders sag.
"Ok."
"No need to worry Skip." Token said with a smile. "I'll watch him for ya!"
The otter stood up and grinned at the squirrel as he rustled Taft's headfur.
"I know he's in good paws with ye, Honorable Token the Terror!"
Was it horrible? Ugh. I like this chapter but I think it needs work. Don't be afraid to tell me! Reveiw!
-Ireland Ranger-