Chapter 10 Fools and Wisdom

Martin awoke slowly, to hear the murmur of voices. Suddenly, something jumped on him, yelling, "Wake up ya sleepyhead, one a the boats has been stolen!"

The mouse pushed Plogg off, groaning, "What?"

"That's what he said!" Welko was standing nearby. "One of our boats has been stolen."

"And what's worse, it was the one with the supplies!" Tansy was sitting on a nearby log, and she sounded dismayed.

She shook her head. "It's going to be awful hard to cook breakfast."

Plogg flopped over, moaning, "I'm completely starvin'! It's terrible painful!"

"You ate last night." Welko rolled his eyes.

Plogg stared at the sky, groaning, "I know!"

Martin stood up, brushing himself off as he asked, "What happened?"

"Some rotten sneak stole our supply boat." Welko sounded disgusted.

Tansy looked hesitant. "Well .. we don't actually know that. Maybe it wasn't moored very well."

"Oh come on .. we shrews know how to moor a boat." Plogg looked up at this point.

Martin looked around, before walking to where Log-a-Log and Mattimeo were standing at the river's edge, conversing. The young mouse peered into the clear water, and sure enough, a cut piece of mooring rope trailed in the flow of the river beside the remaining boat.

"Oh that's great." He heard himself sigh, stopping as Sayna walked by with something that resembled a smirk.

"These sort of things happen on adventures."

Martin frowned, before Sayna nodded to him. "Better get your friends over there and see what you can forage up, eh?"

The mouse nodded, though he couldn't say he was at all excited about the prospect. Neither were Plogg or Welko.

"What? Ya mean we have ta find breakfast before we can cook it?" Plogg looked truly dismayed.

Martin shrugged, smirking at himself as he mimicked Sayna without meaning to. "These kinds of things happen on adventures."

Tansy stood, sighing, "Well .. come on, I can show you what kinds of berries and nuts are good to eat."

Plogg and Welko both groaned, before they gave in and followed her. Martin paused as he noticed the otter, Grath, had woken up and was watching them in silence.

The mouse felt a twinge of pity, and he didn't like to see her so alone. It wouldn't be right to just leave her .. she needed a friend. Martin walked over to her, asking, "Hey ... do you want to help us find some breakfast? We could use some help, and you look like you .. might want to."

Grath looked at him silently for a little, before nodding. "I'll help, if you want."

She got to her paws, keeping her eyes slightly averted, and Martin nodded. "Uhh .. ok, great. Let's .. go find the others, I guess."

=Next=

"This is the life mate .. ya sure picked the right boat!" Flairnose was basking in the glorious morning's sunshine, enjoying some bread and cheese.

Their stolen boat floated on the gentle yet surprisingly fast currents of the Moss, and the two weasels hardly had need to row, only to steer once in a while. Graylunk surveyed the stock of food and drink, mentally agreeing with his cousin .. he had picked the right boat.

What a stroke of luck!

Graylunk dug in a sack, pulling out some sort of bread, and bit into it. "Yea matey .. we sure is lucky."

"Lot's more lucky than that fool Conva an' his liddle demon kid .. I hope they both go ta Hellgates so I do." Flairnose smirked.

Graylunk frowned. "She's awful young though .. sorta sad ta think she'll get killed."

"Have ya gone soft?" Flairnose sneered. "She cut yer arm right proper, didn't she?"

"Yea .." Graylunk admitted, but something didn't feel quite right about Flairnose's calloused words.

The weasel yawned, stuffing the last of his bread and cheese into his mouth. "Mmmm .. best vittles I've had ina good while. I thinks I'll have a little nap .. see we don't run inta nothin'."

Graylunk nodded in reply, his mouth was too full of bread to properly answer. The weasel munched on it until he swallowed the last bite, then trailed his paw in the mostly clear water, staring at the rocky bottom quite a few feet below.

It wasn't long before Flairnose was snoring, lulled to sleep in the warm morning. Graylunk slowly sat up at this point, looking at his cousin. The weasel's satchel was sitting idly beside him .. holding those beautiful pearls, as Graylunk well knew.

In a sudden moment of decision, he reached for the object .. he wanted to see those pearls again.

Flairnose mumbled a little in his sleep, and Graylunk froze, his paw on the satchel. Flairnose settled into peaceful snoring again, and Graylunk pulled the satchel to himself, flipping open the top and reaching in.

Just one look .. just one more ..

The weasel pulled out the shell case, setting the satchel on the floor of the boat as he undid the clasp. The glorious sheen of those wonderful pearls greeted him, dazzling him. Graylunk picked one out of its red velvet bed, rubbing his fingers against it, before clenching it tightly in his palm.

He wanted it. Why should Flairnose have all of these .. Graylunk deserved at least three! Or maybe more .. maybe Flairnose didn't deserve any. He'd horded them, acted like he wouldn't give Graylunk even one ..

The weasel found he was fingering his dagger-hilt .. how hard would it be to sink this into Flairnose while he was sleeping .. kill him .. and have all six pearls all to himself?

Graylunk suddenly clamped his eyes shut, shoving the pearl back into the case and snapping the lid down. What could possess him to make him think of such an awful thing .. he and Flairnose had been best mateys forever!

"Hoi .. what's ya doin'?" Flairnose was sitting sleepily up, the snapping of the shell-case having awakened him.

Graylunk tried to stammer an excuse, but he couldn't think of anything, his thoughts were so muddled after thinking of murdering Flairnose.

His cousin snatched the shell case back, snarling, "Ya leave these alone, they're mine, ya hear me? So don't ya touch 'em again!"

Flairnose shoved the case into his satchel, fastening it about his shoulder defensively. Graylunk hung his head. "I'm sorry Flair .. I didn't mean nothin' .. I just .. wanted ta see 'em again."

Flairnose looked at him suspiciously for awhile, before sighing, "It's fine I guess .. just leave 'em alone after this, they're mine."

The weasel turned around, picking up one of the oars. Graylunk closed his eyes, a slow sort of fire seeming to grow in his innermost being .. he wanted those pearls.

No, he needed those pearls.

He didn't want to kill Flairnose though .. six pearls couldn't be worth his cousin's life!

Or were they?

=Next=

"Sire, I have the guard watching all entrances and patrolling every hall, that, coupled with your Monitors, should ensure none of the rebels gain entrance. Not with the losses they sustained, they've lost nearly twice as many as us."

Ublaz looked up from his crystal ball, amber eyes gleaming as he smiled ever so slightly. "That is not what I need to hear, general, and well you know it."

Sagitar dipped her head. "Yes sire, I simply believe in stating the facts first, as they help with plans. As for plans, I'll let you go first, if you so wish."

Ublaz looked almost patronizing. "General, defeat is not an option to me. The question is not if we will conquer these poor idiots, but how we shall do it. There are many ways. I'm looking for the most cunning, most memorable, and least damaging to our forces, you understand?"

"Of course sire. Something that will ensure their cooperation in the future." Sagitar smiled wickedly. "I have a few suggestions."

Ublaz turned his chair about, his smile never failing. "I know you to be a beast after my own heart, general. If it were not so, you would not have lived my conquest .. but a creature with your outstanding cunning and cruelty deserves to live. Go on."

Sagitar smirked in pleasure at Ublaz's flattery, pulling out a scroll. "As you know, I was protector of all Meili possessed, and so I alone aside from her knew of this. There is a network of escape passages at hidden points beneath this palace, some of which have been blocked off, but most of which remain. They come out in disguised areas outside the palace. Here is a map marked with all the existing ones .. I believe you will know what to do with this, so I needn't waste breath."

The pine marten studied the map, his smile widening. "You needn't. Divide the forces into fifths, one group for each of these four tunnels, and one for me in the palace. You may stay here if you so wish, to lead the attack from the front."

Sagitar twirled her trident. "If it pleases you, sire, I would wish to lead the main attack from behind. I would hit them first, cause confusion, and you could lead those in the palace and finish them."

"It matters not to me." Ublaz's smile never diminished. "If you wish to lead the first attack, do so. But general. If a beast surrenders, let them live, remember, we are fighting our own."

Sagitar paused, before bowing her head. "Yes sire."

Ublaz nodded. "And I can guess once you get a taste of blood, you'll need orders to curb your wake of destruction, so I will give them."

The pine marten's smile turned demonic with a flash of his pale eyes. "If at all possible, leave every instigator alive, and bring them to me. We seem to need some memorable examples."

=Next=

Rasconza awoke slowly, to realize it was truly morning now, not just pre-dawn as it had been when he'd fallen asleep. The young fox shook himself.

He'd fallen asleep?

He was leaning against the stable, half slumped upon the ground, a lead rope laying in his lap. Rasconza slowly stood, blinking, as the thunder of hooves rang out, and the courtyard door's burst open.

The fox whipped out his long knife, which he'd had the presence of mind to pull out of the dead rat's corpse .. though it had made him cringe slightly.

The rider pulled his horse to a stop, yelling, "Hey, stable boy! Git yer master now!"

Rasconza stared at the stoat, who glared at him. "By Hellgates, move! Or shall I thrash ya?"

Kastaa came running as best he could, Val behind him. "What news?"

"We're under attack .. they got out in the city .. no idea how. But we need ya sir, now!" The stoat kept a tight grip on his mount's reins.

Kastaa turned to Rasconza. "Son, my horse!"

Rasconza bolted into action, unbolting the stable door and grabbing his father's horse. Kastaa reached for the reins as he put a foot in one stirrup.

"Dad!" Rasconza seized Kastaa's paw. "I want to help you .. I could fight too."

Kastaa looked at his son as if pondering his offer, but he swung into the saddle, shaking his head. "No. If I die today, I will live on through my son. If my son should die, the house of the gulls would be gone forever, you understand me?"

Rasconza felt a little emotion rise in his throat as he let his paw drop. "Yes dad."

"Then carry on our legacy." Kastaa wheeled his horse about, kicking it and causing it to run for the gates.

The stoat followed him, and the courtyard was silent again. Val's voice broke through Rasconza's thoughts. "What .. do we .. um .. do now?"

Rasconza swallowed hard. "We lock the gates .. and hope for the best."

She suddenly grabbed his arm, looking more serious than he had ever seen her. "Conza, I can never go back ta the palace .. I can only hope Ublaz thinks I'm dead an' doesn't bother ta remember me. If they find me .. I'm .. he'll .. feed me ta those awful Monitors a his!"

Rasconza put an arm around her shoulders. "Val, he won't, I promise he won't. I won't let him .. I'll hide you. Now come on, help me with the gates."

=Next=

"Keep her on course, Rafglan, I'm taking this to Barranca."

Romsca looked up from where she and Xzaris were washing out one of the Waveworm's boats, watching as her father left Rafglan at the wheel, walking down the steps to the galley door.

Since the Monitors were so protective of their prisoner, Conva was about the only one that could visit him. Romsca looked over at where the Freebooter was sailing perhaps thirty yards away and a little behind.

They'd not gotten out of sight since their captain had been abducted by the lizards, and Romsca could tell everything was on edge.

One grain of sand seemed to be all it would take to tip this scale .. all Barranca needed to do was escape.

That was it! In a sudden flash of inspiration, Romsca had the answer. A way out .. there was a way out!

"Hey, I'm doin' all the scrubbin' over here, ya might lend me a paw .."

Romsca realized she was sitting motionless, and Xzaris was having to do half of her work. The ferret returned to scrubbing vigorously. "Xzaris, I have an idea!"

He raised an eyebrow. "A what sort?"

"Of how ta save my dad!" Romsca was excited, but she kept her voice low. "Look, the Freebooter's right there ain't she?"

Xzaris looked over at the ship, nodding. "Sure is."

Romsca looked around, stating, "So all we have ta do is get my uncle out, and all get on the Freebooter. Leaving the lizards here a course."

Xzaris frowned. "Well, ta be honest, I've thought a it. But how are ya gonna get Capt'n Barranca out without bein' seen? An' how is our whole crew gonna fit on the Freebooter with yer uncle's crew? An' what about vittles an' water, we can't have enough ta get back ta Mossflower."

"But it's a chance Xzaris .." Romsca swallowed hard, ordering, "Tell me it's a chance ... please!"

The ferret said nothing a moment, before shrugging, "It's a chance, I s'pose."

Romsca felt the warm feeling of hope as she dipped her rag in water, scrubbing at the grime encrusting the small boat's hull. "Then it's got ta work."

=Next=

Conva slipped into his cabin, walking slowly to the window seat and sitting upon it. Looking out of the window was a fine view of the seemingly endless sea, wave upon countless deep indigo waves that roiled restlessly in the Waveworm's wake.

Somewhere back there, far out of sight, was the shore of Mossflower. Somewhere .. truly anywhere now .. Flairnose and Graylunk were enjoying their stolen treasure.

The ferret sighed, looking down at his paws. He had to get ahold of himself .. had to find his passion for life once more. But even the joy of sailing his ship was stolen from him, with his impending doom nearing day by day.

In fact, all joy .. almost all feeling, had been robbed from him.

"I won't!" The voice was faint, but distinct and familiar.

It was the young black otter in the brig. Conva found himself kneeling, pressing his ear to the floor out of mild curiosity.

Coral's voice came to him now, obviously protesting against her brother. "Lutran, you've got to stop! I don't know how much the Captain will listen to me .. he may kill you next time. You're making me risk my neck for you!"

"Why do you bother?" Lutran's voice was sullen.

Coral's voice was somewhat cross. "Because you're my brother, and I love you. I haven't given up hope yet, and neither should you. Ignasa is still with us."

"Ignasa?" Lutran snapped back. "After what happened to our family, why do you even believe he exists? Why didn't he come and save us, if he loves us so much like mother and father said? He let our holt be slaughtered by a worthless pirate ... and you're still on his side?"

Conva waited for Coral's answer, and it came back softly. "Yes, Lutran."

Lutran was upset. "And to top it off, now you're friends with that polecat captain? Whose side are you on?"

Coral's voice was slightly angered. "Are you accusing me of treachery? I'm not his friend .."

"But you don't hate him!" Lutran sounded upset.

"No I don't! But don't think I'm his best friend! I feel like he ... needs to hear the truth. That is all, nothing more. If you think I've forgotten our family's fate, I have not."

Lutran was getting angry. "Then why will you even speak to him?"

"I said, I feel as though he needs to hear the truth." Coral sounded like her teeth were clenched together.

Before Lutran could retaliate, she did. "Don't say a word. I try my best for you, and all you can do is hate me for it? Where is the Lutran who was my brother?"

There was a moment of silence, before it sounded like somebeast was crying a little. "I .. I don't know."

There was a scuffling sound, and Coral spoke again, tired this time. "I'm sorry Lutran. All of us .. are lost."

Her voice was thoughtful. "Maybe even that captain. I can sometimes hardly make myself look at him .. but maybe there is a reason for all this. I have to believe there is. Maybe, as hard as it is ..."

Her voice trailed off, before she sighed. "Ignasa will punish him. It's not my place to."

There was no more conversation forthcoming, and Conva slowly sat up, returning to his seat by the window.

Maybe he should have been angry, but he was not. He was confused. Deep down, he was afraid.

Coral did not seem a silly girl, she seemed surprisingly wise. Now, even after he had dealt her one of the hardest blows that could be dealt, she trusted somebeast else to judge him .. this beast called Ignasa.

Why wasn't she taking matters into her own paws? This Ignasa must be powerful indeed. Was he more powerful than Astraria? Or Atlas, the lady of the sea? Was he more powerful than Fora, the lord of time?

He must be, because if he had been wronged, Conva would not trust any of Sampetra's deities to avenge him.

And yet this strange woodlander seemed to trust this strange Ignasa completely .. there had been only sorrow, no hesitation in her voice.

In that second, Conva knew he would have to speak with her. He had to find out .. what Coral had said he needed to hear.

The truth.

=Next=

On Sampetra, the insanity was complete. Vermin fought lizard, and vermin fought vermin. For Rasconza, watching from his tower, there seemed so end.

He could hear much more than he could see, but pirates fought ratguards and lizads alike in the street below the manor, and blood spilled freely. Part of watching this brutality made Rasconza want to be sick .. he'd gone on small raids with his father, yes.

But this .. were beasts that should have been allies were killing each other without pause or remorse .. and this much! The street below was littered with corpses and painted with blood .. Rasconza was no fool.

He knew they were loosing. They'd had the element of surprise at first, but now the tables had turned upon them, and Ublaz again had the upper paw.

It might take him several hours, but it was over. Already, some beasts were surrendering, and they who did were spared, though taken captive.

Others fought on, but they were few and far between, soon falling to the Monitors or ratguard.

Rasconza was glad he'd hidden Val in the cellar, in a storage room that was basically empty. She didn't need to see this. And what's more .. she needed to not be seen.

The slow realization was dawning upon him too .. his father was dead. Whether he was killed in battle or not, he was dead. And Rasconza almost wished Kastaa would die fighting .. if he was taken alive .. who knew how Ublaz would torture him?

The fox felt a breeze ripple through his fur, carrying scents of death and blood even more acutely to him. Rasconza felt like he was living in the darkest moment of one of those stories Romsca always used to read when she thought nobeast was watching.

Only in those, some great hero came rushing in at the last possible second, killed the dragon, defeated the evil king, and restored peace.

In this one ... Rasconza wasn't so sure. In fact he was positive .. nobeast was coming.

Nobeast at all. Things like that only bothered to happen in made-up worlds and to made-up beasts.

The fox felt tears welling up in his eyes, tears that fell with no sound. He was fifteen .. he had to be strong. Kastaa wanted him to be strong.

"Father .."

His voice was a soft whisper, chocked with emotion but still filled with meaning and power. "I know who the beast is you want me to be. And I am going to be that beast. I will not falter, I will not fail. I will be strong, deadly, and clever .. but most of all father, I will be noble."

Rasconza let his head drop to the sill of the tower's window. "I promise. I'll be just like you were ... and you always will be."

=Next=

"You fool." Ublaz's voice was sickeningly soft .. like silk. "Oh I'll admit you surprised me. But it never lasts long."

Kastaa sat in chains, bleeding from multiple wounds and so weak he could barely look up. The dog fox didn't even flick an ear to show he had heard the pine marten.

Ublaz surveyed him with a moment of silence, before turning to Sculrag and several other pirates. "And you. You also thought you could defeat me? Poor idiots."

Nobeast answered. Ublaz was standing in his marble-tiled throne room, Sagitar and a good number of ratguards standing around, not to mention the Monitors at the door.

Kastaa slowly looked up, one of his eyes sealed shut and leaking a little. "The spirit that possessed us will rise again."

Ublaz smiled ever so slightly, perfectly white fangs sparkling. "I think not. After I am done with you, all of Sampetra will know that I alone am emperor."

The pine marten walked forward, stopping in front of Sculrag. "Captain, I hear you were one of the best. You loved to sail the seas, you loved that feeling of freedom."

Sculrag swallowed a little, but said nothing. "All of you, was that what you wanted? Freedom? To sail the seas as you liked?"

One beast, a well-weathered weasel, looked up for the first time. "We are willing ta sail under a flag, but we ain't willin' ta pay yer taxes .. they're too much! Meili was bad 'nough .. yer worse! With yer awful lizards an' yer tryin' ta take everything we had ..."

The weasel ground his teeth together, looking angrily to the floor with stormy gray eyes.

Ublaz smiled. "But captain, don't you see? The more wealth and power you have, the easier it is for you to rebel against me. We've seen this, now haven't we? And what happens then? You fight amongst your own kind, and blood is spilled needlessly."

The pine marten turned his back to them, his voice gentle, yet somehow as sharp as a razor at the same time. "Have you ever heard of a saying, Let the punishment fit the crime?"

There was a moment of silence, before Ublaz turned around, smile never fading. "You do not answer? Perhaps I'll have to show you. Captain Sculrag, you want freedom to sail as you like? Your wish will be granted."

Sculrag looked slowly up, eyes glimmering with both confusion and dread as Ublaz continued. "All of you, that was your greatest wish? Then I will give it to you."

The pine martin stopped in front of Kastaa. "But you, captain. There is more to you than all these others, and I know why."

Ublaz let his words linger a moment, before he added, "You have a son, don't you?"

Kastaa looked up, pinning his ears back as Ublaz nodded. "As I thought. You think highly of the boy, I take it?"

Kastaa drew in a shaking breath, ears flattened to his head, and teeth clenched together in a grimace.

Ublaz smiled sickeningly. "I am seldom wrong. I assume you wanted to protect him from me?"

The pine marten rubbed his crimson-stained claws on his tunic, admiring them a moment. "Hmm .. as I thought. As I said before, let the punishment fit the crime."

Kastaa looked up, grinding his teeth together. "Don't kill him!"

"Kill him? Captain. Do you think me a fool? It might seem the worst possible fate in your mind, but it won't be in his. My friend, it is time you learned how terrible mental torture is. You may not know the difference .."

Ublaz's smile widened disturbingly. "But your son will."

=Next=

Conva slowly opened the door leading into the storage area that housed the brig, taking the key down from it's hook.

To his surprise, the brown otter was sitting up now, facing the hull. He looked over at Conva a moment, before dropping his head, a scraggly lock of hair falling over his listless greenish eyes.

Lutran looked up, the fur around his eyes slightly matted. "Oh what do you want?"

His voice was sullen and shaky, and Coral clamped a paw over his mouth. "C .. captain, sir ..?"

Conva opened the door, unlocking Coral's chains. "Come with me."

He grabbed Coral's paw, shutting the bars and locking them, before leading the otter out into the galley. She followed him in silence, before asking, "Sir .. who am I healing?"

Conva paused, before turning around. "Nobeast, I just want you to tell me something. About this Ignasa."

Coral stared at him, and Conva shrugged. "I may as well tell you, the brig is below my cabin and I can hear most of what you say, if I am there."

The otter swallowed hard. "Y .. you what?"

"I want to know who this Ignasa is, that you trust him to judge me." Conva raised an eyebrow.

Coral looked pale, before she stammered, "W .. well, he will. Kill me if you want, but you will pay for your evil ways."

Conva sighed impatiently. "I'm not going to kill you, will you just tell me? Is this Ignasa some sort of deity?"

Coral slowly looked up, asking, "You want me to tell you of him? Is this some kind of trick?"

Conva rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "It's not a trick. Look, I think you've gathered this anyway, but emperor Ublaz is going to kill me as soon as I return ... I need answers."

"Emperor .. Ublaz? Who is he .. I mean .. I'm sorry sir." Coral dropped her gaze, sighing, "I'll tell you."

Conva waited as the otter was silent for a moment, before she spoke. "Lord Ignasa made our world. He's the Lord of Light .. and he hates all evil."

Coral paused, before she added, "Killing innocent beasts .. stealing, lying .. that's all evil, sir."

Conva felt uncertainty growing in his heart. "I know what evil is, woodlander."

The ferret swallowed a little, closing his eyes. Had this Ignasa allowed the pearls to be stolen in order to punish him for destroying Holt Lutra?

Coral was speaking again. "To those who follow him, he is always by their side ... even in the most troubling times."

Conva raised an eyebrow. "Then he is with you?"

"Yes sir." Coral looked down. "I have to believe he is. And I do believe it sir, with all my heart .. he is the reason I .. can keep going."

Conva took a slight step back, for the thought of any deity being this close to him was disturbing. But the surety with which she said the words made him believe her .. and it sent a shiver down his spine.

"What would .. this creature do to one who had angered him?" Conva almost stammered.

Coral looked up. "Most of the time, sir, he seems to catch them in their own trap."

"Catch them in their own trap .." Conva muttered, looking down at his claws. "Yea .. I can see how he's done that."

The ferret looked up again. "Is there anything I could do to appease him?"

The otter's green eyes suddenly flashed. "Do you think you deserve his wrath to be appeased, sir?"

Conva stared at her, speechlessly shaking his head. This otter was full of surprises .. she was more akin to her black brother than he had thought.

"I don't know what to do, otter! In the next week, I will die, and I am afraid! Do you understand, afraid!" Conva burst out, eyes flashing with both fear and anger.

He honestly expected her to say, "It serves you right" .. but she did not. "I understand, sir."

Coral looked down, and Conva paused, as the weight of what she said sank in. He had manipulated her with fear for her life and the lives of her two brothers. He had slain all her other family and taken her hostage .. of course she understood.

It was a small revelation, but it was crystal clear in his mind, and for some reason, it made all the difference. "I ... deserve this. I see it now."

Coral looked up, surprised. "You .. what?"

"I deserve this." Conva repeated, looking away. "All my life, I've thought of woodlanders as inferior .. but you .."

The ferret sighed. "You make sense. You have just the same problem that I do .. only I ... brought it upon you."

It seemed the culmination of all the fear, all the anger, and newly awakened .. all the guilt. It was too much. "Woodlander, I don't know why I am being this honest with you. I am not myself .. I am terrified. I'm guilty. This must be part of the punishment your Lord has brought upon me, and it is worse than death!"

He felt his legs shake, and he laid a paw on his forehead, rubbing at it. There was a sudden, gentle touch on his shoulder, and Coral spoke again. "Sir .. it does not have to end like that."

"There's nothing I can do." Conva shook his head.

Coral's paw slipped away. "That's not what I meant. I don't know why I am telling you this .. but if you repent, Ignasa will forgive you. He will come to comfort you .. just like he does for me."

Conva opened his eyes, shaking his head. "That makes no sense. Why would a deity forgive anyone for simply repenting? They always wish for some sort of payment. Besides, I'm not a woodlander. Why would the Lord of the Woodlanders forgive a pirate?"

"I .." Coral paused. "I'm not sure, sir. I don't know everything about Ignasa .. nobeast does. But my old mentor .. she seemed to think that he forgives anybeast that truly wants forgiven, vermin and woodlander alike."

Conva looked at the otter awhile, before he looked away. What she said didn't make any sense to him, but he was coming to think of Coral as an honest beast. He wouldn't trust her as an acquaintance ... but he had no reason to disbelieve the things she said.

The ferret sighed, stating, "Come with me."

He led her back to the brig, avoiding Lutran's glare despite himself. Conva shut the door, locking it and quickly walking toward the galley again.

He didn't dare look back.

=Next=

Rasconza hadn't dared to tell Val she could come out, even now that the fighting had died down and been still for a good hour. The vixen was perfectly content to stay were she was.

He was walking through the foyer, stepping nearly soundlessly through the shafts of light that spilled from latticed windows, falling upon intricate carpets. The young fox paused in the middle of the grandeur of the hall, wondering what would happen once everything went back to normal.

Rasconza blinked away a tear, striving to straighten his shoulders, but they slumped miserably anyway.

As if anything could ever be normal again.

He found himself falling into a chair, huddling sideways in it as though trying to disappear as his tears threatened to spill.

No .. you can't act this. Dad wouldn't want it .. dad wouldn't want it ..

But how was he to keep the manor .. could he keep it? What about the Bloodkeel, his father's most prized possession? Would he loose that too?

"No .. I've sailed before .. dad took me on raids since I was twelve!" Rasconza muttered to himself.

But am I really ready to be a ... captain?

The thought worried him .. in fact it terrified him. Sure, he knew the basics of sailing .. and wasn't half bad at it .. but a captain? What pirate would obey a captain of only fifteen?

Nobeast would.

Maybe if I earned their respect ..

But even as he thought it, he knew that was futile. He might be tall, strong, and smart for his age, but he still looked far more a cabin boy than a captain.

Rasconza looked up, shaking his head as he whispered, "I can't do this."

As he stared at the floor, trying to untangle his despondent thoughts and plans, there was the sound of horse hooves on cobblestones. At first it was so seemingly routine and ignorable, he ignored it.

The pounding on his locked gates brought him back to reality, and the faint but commanding orders from outside kept him there. "Open up, by order of the emperor!"

Rasconza froze, his instant thought being Val's disappearance had been discovered and they were hunting her down. The pounding came again, more forcefully. "Open these gates or we'll enter by force!"

The fox stood, heading for the front door as his logic returned. How could they know about Val? She said Ublaz didn't pay attention to her, he probably thought she'd been killed in the battle.

But what if she was wrong about Ublaz? What if he had seen? What if he did care after all?

Rasconza drew one of the several knives he always carried, the longest one, and hurried for the gates. Because he was closer now, the next set of heavy knocks made him jump. The fox took a deep breath, knowing full well he couldn't hide .. there was literally no place to do so. "What do you want?"

A commanding voice answered him, familiar from the times he had heard it make announcements alongside Empress Meili. It was Sagitar herself! "Open the gates boy, now."

Rasconza readied his knife, swallowing hard. "What do you want?"

The answer was sharper than at first. "Now!"

The fox paused, thinking for a moment. If he let them in, maybe Val would have a better chance of not being found than if they tore the house to shreds because they guessed he was hiding something. "Alright! I'll open them."

He didn't sheath his weapon as he drew the heavy bolt back, and the second afterward Sagitar grabbed him, wresting the knife from his paw. Rasconza expected her to yell, "Search the house!" but she didn't.

Moments later there was the clacking of manacles being clamped onto his wrists, as another ratguard relieved Rasconza of his belt of knives, searching to make certain he had no other weapon.

"He's unarmed, general." The beast looked to Sagitar.

She nodded. "Good. Take him to Emperor Ublaz."

As Rasconza was practically dragged down the street, he stared back at the manor, which the ratguards seemed to have no inclination to search.

It was in that second Rasconza knew. Ulbaz wasn't after Val.

He wanted Rasconza instead.

The fox found himself being dragged toward the docks, and he quickly surmised he was on his way to his own execution.

Dad would have wanted me to be brave ... but I'm not! I'm just not!

Rasconza struggled little, mainly staring at the ground in a nearly insane manner.

I'm .. not ready to die!

They reached the finer part of the docks, to find a large crowd of beasts was awaiting them, most of them the regular population of Sampetra. However there were plenty of ratguards and Montiors to keep them in their place.

Most of the common beasts seemed to look at him with a certain amount of pity, but some wouldn't even meet his gaze. Rasconza strove to not look as terribly afraid as he felt, but he doubted it did much good.

Sagitar finally shoved him in front of Ublaz himself, sneering, "Bow before your emperor, dog."

Rasconza slowly looked up, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He'd never seen Ublaz this close before .. truly, he was an elegantly barbaric sight.

The pine marten smiled at him, in a manner that made Rasconza flinch. "I'm glad you managed to join us, young captain."

Rasconza blinked up at him in total, paralyzed fear .. what did he mean?

Why won't he just kill me? I just want it over with!

Ublaz raised one eyebrow, slowly, deliberately .. ultimately, cruelly. "Young captain, soon you'll be inheriting a ship. I'll give you two choices .. after all, it's only fair you should have choices. Will you swear allegiance to me and sail under my flag .."

He held forth one paw, palm side down, his ruby-set signet ring shimmering in the light, and with his other paw, he motioned. "Or will you join your father?"

Rasconza stiffened as he saw what Ublaz meant .. every sea captain that had rebelled and presumably lived was chained, and sitting in a small, rundown skiff. And Rasconza could guess, it was enough.

Ublaz moved his offered paw slightly, smile showing he was clearly enjoying this. "What will it be, young captain? You can think on it a little .. I think you'll find my offer quite generous."

Rasconza was breathing shallowly, and he stared at Kastaa, who weakly lifted his head to look back. The young dog fox looked back at Ublaz, as his father's last words to him echoed in his head.

"If I die today, I will live on through my son. If my son should die, the house of the gulls would be gone forever, you understand me?"

Rasconza closed his eyes, repulsed by the thing he knew he must do to save his own life .. it was the act of a coward, but he was one.

The dog fox looked up again, and in one swift moment, kissed Ublaz's ring.

The pine marten emperor smiled triumphantly, and Rasconza had the sickening feeling he had indeed lost .. that either way, he lost. That he would never win.

"You are a wise beast, young captain of mine. Won't you be joining us?"

Rasconza didn't look up as Sagitar roughly pulled him to his paws, yanking on his chains to make certain they were secure. He was determined not to look up.

However Sagitar seemed to guess his motives, and she lifted his chin. "Oh no. You'll be watching."

The skiff had already been towed out into the deeper waters of the bay, but the water grew deep quickly here. Rasconza guessed that was Ublaz's plan all along.

The pine marten looked to his audience, smiling all the while. "As I'm sure you know, these beasts thought they could stand against their emperor. They didn't want to have to give me what was due, they wanted to sail free. And so they shall."

Ublaz looked at Sagitar, who nodded to her captain of the guard. This seemed to be the signal, for one of the rats in the boat that had apparently towed the skiff out, threw a lighted torch in it.

Rasconza was frozen in place as flames leapt up, he was too shocked to turn his gaze away, or even cry. However it wasn't long before there was a shriek, and the fox's ears pinned flat to his head as he jerked his chin away from Sagitar.

The rat growled, and in the back of his mind, Rasconza expected her to strike him .. he didn't care. However a different paw slipped under his chin, not rough like Sagitar's, but completely in control and unable to be resisted.

Rasconza could see only blurrily through his tear-filled eyes, but it was more than enough. There was no way he could shut out the agonized cries, cries he knew would be seared into his mind forever.

Ublaz's voice was a soft, smiling one as he held the young fox's chin in an inescapable grip, one that felt like silk.

"Watch, boy. Watch and remember well. Never forget .. this is the fate of those who defy the Emperor."