Ch.49

The Thief

Welcome to the next chapter of this fic! Please R&R!


Cedric, Isobel, and Darius had reached the one hour mark on their search for Lemuel, but the runaway mouse was still nowhere to be found. As the hunt dragged on, other matters came into the hare's mind, as well as his stomach.

"Um, I don't suppose we can spare a bit of time for a bite to eat," said Darius hopefully.

The mouse warrior shook his head. "We can eat after we've found Lemuel."

Isobel nodded in agreement. "Aye, an' hare ne'er 'ave jus' a 'bite'. 'Tis more like ten score bites."

Darius's long ears drooped dejectedly. "But we could be out here all bloody day! Besides, you can't think clearly on an empty stomach, wot!"

"Well, ye do 'ave a point," noted the hedgehog upon realizing how hungry she was. "Mayhaps a wee snack break will do us some guid. Wot do ye say Cedric?"

Cedric shrugged as he placed his claymore on the ground while removing his traveling pack. "I guess you're right, but let's make it a quick one, okay?" His two companions nodded as they took their seats on the grassy flooring. Cedric took out a few slices of cheese while Isobel opted for a bit of pear cordial.

The cadet eyed his companions oddly as he placed his traveling bag on the ground. "That's all you're having? I could eat everything in me blinkin' bag wot!" He went to open is bag when a paw shot out of a nearby bush, grabbing the bag. A figure emerged from the bush with the bag in his paws before rushing away from the group.

Darius's ears stood erect, turning a shade of dark pink as rage began to consume the hare. "Hey! That's my tuck you're swiping! Get back here!" The hare sped off after the thief, leaving Cedric and Isobel to hastily repack their bags.

"So much for snack time," grumbled the mouse as he slung his claymore over his shoulder.

Although Cedric and Isobel were nowhere close to slow, they had little to no chance of catching up to the hare as he hurried after the bandit. Having been a runner for the Long Patrol in his younger seasons, Darius was already a speedy individual. However, somebeast had robbed him of his meal and stealing food from a hare could have dire consequences. The thief, cloaked in an oversized ragged cloak, continued to push past bushes and hop any fallen logs that got in his way. This is where the hare's powerful legs came in handy. With enough speed, he was able to leap over the bushes altogether, continuing his run without losing any of his momentum.

The robber looked back to see Darius continuing a steady pace onward, coming closer and closer with each passing second. However, by looking back at his pursuer, the thief made a punishable mistake. With his eyes on Darius, he wasn't watching where he was going. Stumbling over the ill-fitting cloak, the bandit flipped head over tail in a forward tumble. Upon rolling to a stop, the thief attempted to rise to his paws, only for the irate hare to tackle him back down.

Isobel and the warrior mouse came panting to the scene where the hare and the cloaked figure went tooth and claw at each other. Long paws kicked rapidly at the cloaked figure while Darius's opponent struck out with several smacks from his plank-like tail. Cedric and Isobel quickly got in between the two, pulling the combatants away from one another.

"Filthy thief! Bloody bandit!" spat the cadet as he fought against Isobel's strong hold. "Ye don't go around swiping tuck from a hungry soldier! Bad form wot!"

"I'm 'ungrier than ye are fuzzbutt!" snapped the thief. Although somewhat high-pitched, the voice was undeniably male. Cedric pulled down the hood of the cloak, revealing the head of a young otter boy.

Darius ceased his struggling as he saw the otter. "Wait, you're a kid?"

"Of course I am stupid!" barked the otter as Cedric released him. The otter turned to his former captor. "Can I go now?"

The mouse looked down at the kid's waist, noticing the oversized belt. "Lemuel has a belt just like that. That's a funny coincidence."

Isobel joined the mouse as she took a glimpse at the belt. "That's because that is Lemuel's belt!"

"It's mine!" shouted the kid as he took a step back. "I found it!"

"I think you should start talking," said Darius as he gave the belt a yank. "Where'd you find it?"

"Get offa me!" spat the kid as he backed away from the hare. "First ye take food away from me an' now yer tryin' t' takin' me clothes! Yer th' thief!"

Darius balled his paw into a fist, showing off his spiked brass knuckles to the young otter. "How about I steal a couple of your teeth?"

Cedric quickly stood between the two, grasping the hare's shoulders. "But you already have a full mouth of teeth."

"Och, don't 'ave such a fiery temper," warned the hedgehog. "Let me try talkin' taw 'im." She knelt down to eye level with the otter, throwing on a motherly smile. "Sorry aboot that. Hares get a wee bit miffed when they ain't got full stomachs. My name's Isobel. Wot's yer's?"

"Gad," replied the otter.

"Alright Gad," replied the hedgehog mother. "Me friends an' I are lookin' fer th' muse who was wearin' that belt. Can ye show us where ye found it?"

The otter crossed his arms, lowering his eyebrows. "Wot's in it fer me?" Isobel removed her traveling pack and began to grope through it until she produced a few small hunks of cheese. Offering them to Gad, the ravenous otter took little time in consuming the snack.

"If ye 'elp us, ah'll make sure ye get much more tae eat," replied Isobel. "And not jus' cheese either. There'll be fruit, cordial, sandwiches, fishes…"

Gad nodded vigorously with saliva building up in his mouth. "Okay, I'll show ye!" He hurried off to the left, beckoning the three to follow him.

"Impressive work Isobel!" replied Cedric as he hurried after Gad.

"Comes wi' bein' a mother," explained the hedgehog before turning to Darius. "Ye can catch more flies wi' a spoonful o' 'oney than a barrel o' vinegar."

The cadet merely grumbled as he raced alongside his companions. "Where I come from, givin' 'em blood an' vinegar's a good thing."


I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please R&R!