It. Has. Been. FOREVER!!!

And don't worry about the giant chapter length. Most of that is author note stuff at the bottom. ^^;

So, now I'm going back to updating and I apologize for the months of inactivity lately. I had some moments of writer's block, distractedness, and... let's just say that I stopped writing after my first calculus midterm... :/

(the devil invented math!)

So now here it is. I'm not very sure of this chapter. I kind of hate it, to tell you the truth. Everything here just seems so... explicit and melodramatic to me, but I really felt like I had to update ASAP so here it is. Not the best return for me, I'm afraid.

So special thanks to all who reviewed last time: Siran 774, Flipside Remix, Quavera Tava, Flash Stripes, Fwirl of Redwall, Jarrtail, Sanfrasm, Red Squirrel Writer, Ai-Am-Airan, Martin the Warrior of Redwall, Foeseeker, Lyrca, Dancing Sage, DgShadowChocolate, and Quinlan of Redwall.

I'm really really really really really *takes deep breath* really really sorry for not updating at all- or even replying to some of your fantastic reviews guys, but I'll get right back to that. Promise. Oh, and I'll review all the fantastic stories I've fallen behind on. I'm working on that right now. Geez, it seems that my procrastination has spread from school and chores and to fanfiction! :(



Coming of the Saviors

(and as you can see from my suckish chapter titles, some things never change :P )



There were just too many of them and they were all so heavy. He couldn't move. Couldn't fight them in this murk.

The more he spiraled down, the more the air was crushed out of his lungs. Brink clenched his teeth, refraining himself from gasping for the air so far away from him. Somewhere up there Sarrow was fighting against the mob of toads, and somewhere further down below Keetch was being ripped to shreds. Already he could feel his muscles going limp as all strength seeped from his limbs. All awareness ebbed from his mind.

"Cora! Cora!" He blinked the stinging water from his eyes, trying to focus his sight on the head that constantly dipped into the water before another wave enveloped her. Every time that happened he was afraid her head wouldn't resurface. Every time that happened she stayed down longer.

"Cora, I'm coming!" He wasn't sure he heard her past the cold wind and the waves beating against their tiny bodies. His sister flapped her arms against the water, trying her hardest to keep herself afloat before another foamy wave crashed over her head. It continued its path of destruction, dragging Brink under and pushing him back. He felt himself tumble in the water, spinning and spinning until he had no sense of direction. Which was up? Which was down? Where was Cora?

His elbow hit the sand and he pushed himself off the seabed and towards air. He could swear he could hear her crying. His head broke water just as she was sinking. He surged forward in one final burst of energy, diving under to grab at her wrist and tug her back to the surface.

She was so exhausted, she couldn't even help at all as he held her head above the water. And then Brink realized just how tired he was. His arms could hardly move and his lungs burned and his entire body just felt numb. He held onto her tighter as he forced his legs to kick. A wave pummeled the back of his head, forcing them both back under. He rose again, sputtering as he made sure Cora could still breathe.

The cruel force pushed them under again, the salty water filling their nostrils and burning their eyes. The cub berated himself inwardly as he fought to swim again. He shouldn't have called her a crybaby. He shouldn't have dared her to swim out here. Momma and Poppa always drilled it into his head never to swim on a stormy day. He held tighter to her, terrified that the current would pull her away.

And then strong paws reached down, grabbing his arm and hauling him up with tiny little Cora in tow.

He gasped and coughed, the air quickly swelling his lungs. The otter turned on his knees, retching up the filthy water. A part of him wanted so badly to collapse and rest, but the company here wouldn't allow it. It was dark, but he could still feel the creatures encircling him, their large webbed feet sinking into the mud and their muted croaking echoing in the damp atmosphere.

"Get back!" he snarled. His fur bristled, daring them to give it their best shot, but nobeast moved.

Splash!

Brink whirled around, but here in this blackness he couldn't tell anything. All he could hear was something moving in water and a gasping, sputtering noise. Whatever it was, it sounded familiar.

"Sarrow?" She's here, so where's Keetch? He reached forward, trying to find her arm. His paw grazed some wet, smooth skin and he pulled back. At that same moment, there was movement and all the toads started crowding around. Brink shouted something obscene, bracing himself on an attack of some sort as they all washed over them. Bald fingers touched his face, grabbed his arm, felt his fur. He kicked and punched, shouting curses at them as the hoard croaked in some chattery way and pressed him against the wall, their webbed paws tugging at his clothes and feeling every single inch of him- even so far as to stretch his mouth open to inspect his teeth, testing what his eyelids felt like or how deep his nostrils were.

"Sarrow!" he called, hoping she was conscious. "Sarrow, fight back! We have to fight ba-a--ack!" Another slimy paw filled his mouth, muffling his voice. It forced itself further in, its worm-like appendages tickling the insides of his cheeks and trying to crawl into the back of his throat. Brink's eyes watered as he gagged, his body convulsing as he tried to fight against the fingers that were now holding his jaws from snapping together.

Finally, the arm withdrew, letting him retch out whatever was left in his system. He was peeled off the muddy wall, still kicking and screaming as they moved him out, pushing him and prodding him and still inspecting him with their fingers all at the same time. Brink didn't know what he was doing or where he was going, but they all seemed to be urging him in the same direction. And again, they pushed him against the wall, each of them taking their turns to touch him and weigh his tail in their disgusting paws and tug at his whiskers and ears.

And somewhere close by he could hear Sarrow whimpering and Keetch's voice protesting. And then slowly, the crowd seemed to trickle out as they lost interest, allowing the torture to gradually become less painful and humiliating. There was no way to tell time, but when the last group parted, it felt like an entire day. Brink slumped down, trying to recover from the shock and register what the hell was going on. They should've been eaten by now. They should've been dead but now they were left all alone in the dark.

"You all alright?" he rasped.

"Y-yeah," the squirrelmaid replied shakily while Keetch heaved a long sigh. There was a scratching noise and they snapped back to attention, bracing themselves for another round of torture. But rather, the sound didn't come any closer or become louder.

"What is that?" Keetch whispered softly, as if afraid his voice would bring them all crawling back for more.

"It sounds like they're digging..." the squirrel replied, as she shuffled closer to the otter. "I don't get it. What do they want us for?"

"I don't know but... what the hell was that?! What happened?"

"You went under," Sarrow said. He imagined her shaking her head and curling her sopping tail around her cold body. "I just caught a glimpse of them, but they looked pale and- and a lot smaller than the toads we were running from."

"Great!" he hissed. "Just great! That means that we were caught by the midget toads and we get to be handed over to their Mommies and Daddies!" He rose to his paws, trudging in the general direction they all came from. He didn't have to walk far before he hit a muddy wall. He cursed, paws ripping at the loose earth.

"Hey!" he called to them. "Help me with this!" But just when he had a fist punched to the other side he felt something curl around his wrist. Brink shouted and tried to tug back, but the creature held fast. For all he knew, this toad was probably drooling over his claws- opening its mouth to gobble up his entire paw. But then it pushed his paw back, sending Brink staggering backwards as the wall crumbled. Even if he charged forward right then, it wouldn't have made a difference, for a heavy shower of mud pelted him, forcing him to step back as the wall was quickly repaired.

"Dammit, they're like moles!" he seethed, pacing around and feeling around the walls. Sturdy. Sturdy. Sturdy. Everywhere else was hard-packed and their only possible exit was heavily guarded. Weaponless, sightless, and clueless, what were they to do?

"So what do they want?" Sarrow sniffled. "We're obviously captives for something... probably a feast..."

"I'll make sure to choke them on my way down their throats," the otter muttered as he took a seat. "So is anyone injured?"

"No," Sarrow replied. Even though he couldn't see, Brink was sure she was crying. "No..."

"Keetch? What about you?"

"I'm... I'm fine," the fox replied. Of all of them, he seemed the least affected- probably still in shock or something. "Just a few bruises and cuts."

"Same here," Brink grunted. "Nothing broken." Except for Sarrow crying to herself, everything was silent.

"I miss my Mom and Da," she sniffled. "They would've noticed I was gone by now."

"Then what are you doing here?" the otter asked gently. "How'd you get out of the abbey? How'd you find us?"

"I don't know," she replied between sobs. "It's stupid."

"Well how?"

She muttered something incoherent.

"What?"

"I said that Martin told me," she sulked. "He told me how to get out, he told me where to find you and now we're stuck in this mess because you two wanted to go into the swamps! What kind of stupid idea was that?!"

"Hey!" Brink shouted. "Hey! Those things were supposed to be annihilated by us otters a long time ago! How was I supposed to know?!"

"It's common sense!"

"And it's common sense to listen to some crazy dead mouse in your dreams?! We were trying to avoid Greymorg soldiers! It was a good strategy!"

"No it wasn't!" she screeched. And then her voice dropped. "And I'll never see my friends and family again. All I got to do was write a short good-bye letter because I had no time. They're gonna wonder where I've gone and what's happened to me. My Mom's probably heart-broken. I'll never see them again." She broke off from the argument, sniffling and crying to herself all over again. Brink sighed, closing his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't stand tears.

I'm not going to see my family ever again either. I haven't seen them in seasons and I'm never going home. Cora would've grown so much by now and Mom and Pop would have a bunch of grey hairs. And I'll never see the holt again. They won't even know what happened to me. I've just vanished to them. I'm dead to all of them.

"Hey Sarrow?"

She didn't reply, though he knew she was still awake by all her sobbing. "Listen, whatever happens- whatever they're going to do to us, I'll make sure that I die first before they even hurt either of you."

"Thanks Brink," Sarrow whispered.

"And Keetch?" the otter asked. "Are you alright? You've barely said anything since we've been dumped here."

"I'm just... a little tired is all," the fox replied wearily. "My head hurts too."

"Did you hit your head or something?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Brink had nothing more to say, and if he did, it would probably be something depressing. Instead he lay down in the uncomfortable, cold mud and began to think. At first his brain worked out escape plans, and then he thought about home and his family, and then he thought about his friends, and then he thought about what he would do when he got back. There was a lot he would do, a lot he would say.


Brink awoke to the sound of the earth wall sliding down. He sat up sluggishly, licking his lips and finding them cracked. The soft croaking sounded and Brink narrowed his eyes.

"Well what now?" he asked, spitting to the side. "Here to eat us now?" The toads didn't say anything, though Brink was sure they were capable of speech the last time he encountered them.

"W-well what do you want?" Keetch asked. The toads remained silent, but they came closer, croaking quietly in some way. Probably discussing on whether they should chop us to bits or just swallow us whole. They shuffled closer and dropped something by the otter's footpaws. Cautiously, with his ears pricked, Brink reached down to see what they'd left. Whatever it was, it was on a leaf and had the strange texture that reminded him of cold porridge.

He tensed as another came closer and clumsily pushed something else at his footpaws.

"What is it?" Sarrow asked. The otter inspected the items, realizing he was touching a crudely-hollowed piece of wood that served as a bowl. "A bowl of water and some slop for food. Looks like they want to keep us alive... for now."

Brink did nothing, waiting for the creatures to leave so that they could eat their pathetic meal in peace. They wouldn't budge.

"What d'ye want, Glass Eyes?" he spat, hoping he was looking straight at a toad. But if anything, they didn't seem to care about his aggressive tone. Rather, one shuffled closer so that it was within an arm's length of the otter, and before Brink could comprehend what was going on, the creature actually mashed a wad of slop against his mouth.

"Cut it out!" Brink backpawed the creature in what he hoped was the eye. "I eat your disgusting food when I want to!" The toads panicked, their croaks intensifying as the injured creature scampered away.

"Brink, what happened?"

"Oh," Sarrow moaned. "Now you made them mad."

Brink grimaced. He expected a fight or a beating of some sort, but all the toads did was leave and pack dirt back over their wall.

"... What?" Something was definitely wrong with these toads. "These things are babies compared to what we had to deal with before!"

"Just count yourself lucky they didn't eat you," Keetch said angrily. "What did you think you'd accomplish by fighting them?"

"What do you think you can accomplish by letting them walk all over you?" he snapped back.

"So..." Sarrow asked, poking some of the strange substance on their leaf. "They were trying to make you eat?"

"Just smell this stuff. It can't be good."

"I don't know..." The squirrel sniffed it experimentally, finding a strange, faint odor. "What do toads eat when they don't have beasts to prey on?"

"Each other," the fox answered, crawling closer to them.

"Then this might be..."

"Toads." Brink finished the sentence with plenty of distaste in his tone.

"They could be roots for all you know," Sarrow replied. "... and it doesn't taste too bad. Just a little... tangy."

"You ate it already?" The otter would have rather starved than to try any of their so-called "food."

"They tried to feed you, didn't beat us... they can't be that bad," she reasoned.

"Then why are we here?" Brink scoffed. "Why are we locked up? They probably need us fat and they probably don't like their meat bruised!"

"While we're here we might as well eat something," Keetch said. "We should keep our strength up for when we see the opportunity to run." He made a good point. The otter wrinkled his nose at the very thought, but there really was no good starving himself.

"Ah fine," he snorted, taking wiping some of the cold slop off his face and holding it to his lips. "But if this tastes terrible I'm not eating it."

"It really doesn't," Sarrow said sadly. "It's really plain... nothing compared to the food in Redwall." Redwall. Brink would give his tail to turn back time and be at that feast right now. They ate their food in silent misery, taking turns and sharing the bowl of water.

Was it the next day or the day after? They couldn't tell. Time stood still in a place like this- a place like this with no sun, no stars, no breeze, no real sounds. It was unnatural, sitting in a cell like this and wishing the captors would come because then something was going to happen. It would change their boring routine of laying about and starting awkward conversations. But the second the walls came crumbling down the entire group stood to attention, holding their breath and preparing for something dreadful.

Brink swallowed, wondering if the outcome would be the same as last time. He actually hit one of the captors, but they did nothing to punish him. Could it be that those particular ones were simply cowardly or were they all generally like that? Only one way to tell.

A grubby paw grabbed his arm and tugged at it. The otter didn't even think twice before dealing a brutal kick to the stomach. The creature croaked in pain and surprise and he could hear the splash of a puddle farther off.

"So what now, wart-skins?" he whispered to nobeast in particular. "What are you going to do to me now?"

The others listened on in stunned silence, waiting for Brink to grunt and fall on his back or something like that, but all they heard was a sad, piteous croak from the far side of the room.

"I think you really hurt him," Sarrow said, stepping away from the entrance as some toads grumbled angrily in their own muted language.

"Everybeast get behind me," Brink ordered, holding both clenched fists up in case any of the slimeballs tried anything fast. Keetch and Sarrow gathered around him, trembling at the thought of all the possible outcomes. He told them once that he would die before anything happened to them.

The first toad that came was hit in the eyes, and the one after that was pummeled in the stomach. He ignored the details after that, cutting down any of those vermin that dared to come too close. They were a swarm, gathering about slowly and trying to seek their weakness, trying to pry a creature from their huddle.

There was almost no point in struggling- not without any sight. Brink knew that, but he never gave up without a fight and he didn't intend to start now. And, if anything, it seemed to embolden the others into fighting for their own sakes rather than sit around and let themselves be eaten. He leapt at a toad, wrestling it down to the mud and began pulverizing its face with his fists. It was at least twenty to three and they haven't died yet. Perhaps they could make it? Perhaps if they could run out of the dungeon and feel their way through the tunnels they could get out and be free? What if the exit was outside the swamp?

"Brink!" Keetch.

The warrior wheeled about, his fists flying and catching a toad in the mouth. Brink grappled for it and yanked its tongue out before throwing it down to the mud. The next few were actually pinning the fox face-down and suffocating him. With a few swift kicks, they were dispatched easily, but Brink had his back turned too long and he felt something heavy slam against his side. He grunted in pain, catching himself on his knees before he fell. But like a wave they all came crashing down on him. His arms trembled against the weight as he fought to stay up, but they were getting too heavy. And like a twig between his claws, his arms gave out and his face was pressed into the earth.

He tried to scream and shout and curse, but all he could do was snort mud as the air was pressed out of his lungs. The triumphant, frantic croaking of the toads were next to his ear- stifling whatever his friends were screaming. He exhaled sharply at another addition of weight on his back. It felt like his ribs were about to shatter. He struggled harder, his claws scraping against the ground in an effort to draw himself from under the suffocating pile.

Air. Air. Get off. Air.

"No! Get off him! Get off!"

"Please! You're killing him!"

The mob of toads froze and quieted for a second before a commanding croak sounded behind the two prisoners. The fox and squirrel jumped, eager to get out of its way, the other toads doing the same and getting off the unconscious woodlander. Keetch stayed where he was, not sure if it would anger his captors to check on Brink. The croak sounded again, this time following a shove that urged them out of their chamber.

His captors shoved him forward, causing him to trip over his legs in the blind darkness. "Brink! Brink!" No sound. He struggled then, trying to backtrack to his prison. "What did you do to him? What did you d- ugh!" His snout slammed into the wall and he immediately fell to miserable silence, allowing himself to submit to their commands.

"Keetch!" That was Sarrow's voice. He heard her stumble right alongside him, her gait clumsy in the slippery mud. He could tell she was close to crying again.

"Is Brink alright?" he asked urgently, still trodding along the tunnel. "Is he safe?"

"I heard him... I think. But where are they taking us? I don't want to die, Keetch." Her voice became high-pitched and panicky. "I don't want to be eaten alive."

"It's alright," he whispered, cringing as something slimy brushed by his arm. "They spared him, I think. They... I think need us for something."

The toads stopped abruptly and Keetch bumped into one, instantly flinching back as it turned around. He could see their faint outline- their bulging eyes, their webbed feet, and the fact that they were surprisingly small- about as high as his waist. But their mass, however, was another matter considering their plump shape. He counted them- counting up to ten of those small toads. And then they did something that surprised him.

Two toads in the back shuffled up to them clumsily, a messy bundle resting in their arms.

"My bow and arrows!" the squirrel exclaimed. She grabbed at them greedy, checking in the dim light to see if they were damaged. Keetch reached for his sword, eying the toads in case it was all some cruel joke. His paw rested on the hilt for just a second before he yanked it back, unsheathing it and pointing it towards the closest blob of fat.

"Keetch!" Sarrow gasped.

"What do you want?" he demanded, inching the blade closer to the tender throat. They ribbeted nervously, backing away from him. "You fight us and then give us weapons? What is this game?"

The toads croaked in their own distressed way, blinking up at him and licking their moist lips with their repulsive tongues. He couldn't make a word of what they were saying and it didn't seem that they had the brains to signal their intentions. Rather, they nudged at him cautiously, urging him forward with their webbed paws and making soft- almost encouraging- sounds. It would be so easy to run them through- so easy to slice right through their bulging bellies. But something still didn't make sense. Why would they do all this? What was their motive?

There could be a million things that were running through their minds. Perhaps they decided to let them go? That couldn't be it. But what was it? Begrudgingly, the fox dropped his sword, gripping the hilt and striding towards the exit without their consent. If any one of them tried to stop him he'd slice them in half.

The air was not much better than in the tunnel- all muggy and moist. Just as he expected, he was still in the swamp. But even so, he could see here and it felt so much warmer than in the drafty old tunnels. He wanted so much to dart right out of the close-spaced hole, but instinct told him to stay. Ears facing forward, tail bristled, he waited for any signs of life.

He practically yelped when the toads rushed between his legs and outside. Keetch had half a mind to yell at them, but instead he gaped at their horrid appearance. They were completely white- almost transparent and their large eyes were a pale pink color. If he thought that the larger counterparts looked strange and unreal, these were much much worse. He stepped away from them, flinching away as some tried to latch onto his arm.

"What are they?" Sarrow whispered.

"I'd rather know what they want," he hissed, shoving one away and into some ferns. "What's the purpose of us being out here in the first place?" He looked up, only to be confused at the creatures that had suddenly lost interest in them. More than half were out of sight, the rest of them either rooting around the mud or piling debris in front of the tunnel entrance. The prisoners stayed where they were, fully suspicious of their intentions.

"I think they might be letting us go," the squirrelmaid finally said, though the volume of her voice didn't carry out any sort of confidence.

"But why do they have Brink?" She said nothing to that, staring up at the gnarled trees while strapping her quiver to her back.

"What are you doing?" he whispered, raising his sword slightly in case those things tried anything.

"I'm just checking on something," she replied, keeping her head low- as if it made her any less conspicuous. Slowly, carefully, she inched her way toward a low branch, tail twitching as she watched for any reaction from the toads. If anything, all she got were a few curious looks, but no creature moved to stop her from leaping up the first bough, or the second, or the third. In fact, they simply stared in awe of her as she soundlessly ascended to the to. The squirrel stopped to take a deep breath before taking another leap to a nearby tree, waiting for the sounds of protest. Then she jumped to the next tree, and the next until she was sure she was out of their sight. She couldn't believe it.

Sarrow raced back, feeling swifter and sharper than any squirrel before her. By the time she reached Keetch she was panting and grinning like a fool.

"They're letting us go!" She could barely contain herself. "We're free to go, Keetch!"

"That's impossible." For every ounce of optimism she had in the moment, the fox destroyed it. "They probably know something we don't know. There could be some kind of river or barrier that's blocking us from leaving this place in that direction and-"

"And that's why they won't let Brink out? Because he can swim across?"

"It's what I think. Though... what if..."

"What?" she asked eagerly, eyes constantly darting towards the busy captors.

"What if they let us out simply because they know we won't escape. What if they know we won't abandon one of our own?"

"So that's why Brink is still in there..." she nodded her head, motioning at the concealed underground entrance. "He's not just an example for any resistance. He's a hostage."

"Right," Keetch said, shivering despite the tight humidity.

"You're not sure if he's even still alive. Why not just go your merry way?"

He shook his head clear, willing that voice away. If this was what "sacrifice" Vulpuz was talking about, he wasn't going to step down so lightly.

"You say that now, but you'll run with your tail between your legs at the first sign of danger."

"Sarrow!" He hesitated, realizing his voice was harsher than he meant. Even the pale-skinned toads looked up from their menial tasks. "Er... Sarrow," he said in a quieter voice. "You wouldn't leave him here, would you? Even if there's a chance... that he's already dead?"

"Never." The answer was automatic, though the way she kept staring at the trees gave the fox second thoughts.

"R-right. So I was thinking-"

"We should have a plan."

"If either of us has an idea," the vermin added. "We don't have time to come up with anything complicated right now- not when we don't have a clue what's in store for us. So I think that one of us has t-"

CLACK!

The toads reacted immediately, bowling the poor beasts over before they even had a chance to register the noise. The fox landed flat on his back, the wind knocked right out of him. The spinning image of a gray sky swathed in sickly branches danced before his eyes, and then something fluttered in front of his vision, clamping his snout shut. He blinked, suddenly finding himself being ruthlessly dragged through the mud.

"Mmmmmmfff!" Keetch squeezed his right paw, only to find that his sword was not there.

He kicked and squirmed, but the toads still held tight, practically shoving him somewhere dark and packed with those monsters. He gave up right then, his heart beating like a maddened war drum, the sparse light showing him nothing but a score of fat blobs moving clumsily as they tried to get a better look- but a better look at what? He gave a hushed yelp past his muzzle and tears sprung from his eyes as a heavy weight landed on his tail, settling there.

"Keetch!"

That was Sarrow's voice. The crowd went into a frenzy and he was relinquished. The fox sighed with relief as a particularly large toad stepped off his tail, allowing the pain to subside to a throbbing ache.

"Let go!"

Keetch stood up, easily towering over the toads so he could see the spectacle. Unlike he, the archer was unwilling to go without a fight- wrestling the amphibians to the ground and biting whatever paw that tried to silence her. "You're not getting me in there! NO!" She whipped out her bow, the bladed ends slicing her enemies. One fell, grasping at his throat while another hobbled away and towards the tunnel. The last toad barely got a croak in before she pinned it the ground, a knee on his chest and a paw curled around its throat.

The toads in the tunnel ribbetted maddeningly, many of them fleeing deeper into the darkness while others stayed to watch. Why aren't they going to help that one? Numb as his mind was at the moment, he caught the tiny flicker of movement just twenty paces from her. Sarrow's toad suddenly tripled his efforts to break free.

The ominous movement happened again, the creature responsible moving forward so everybeast could see the pink tongue that tickled the air and the jaws of which it belonged to.

"Run!" Keetch boomed, his voice so coarse, it sounded incomprehensible in his ears. "Sarrow, RUN!"

At that same moment the lizards charged, all three of them racing for the struggling pair. The squirrel immediately sprang to her paws, dodging a set of snapping jaws and up into a tree, a lizard climbing after her clumsily. The toad, however, was not so fortunate.

It gave a shrill, unearthly cry as a lizard sunk its pricked teeth into it, its mouth clamped on both its back and soft underbelly. The prey struggled at first, but the lizard loosened its grip to deliver a second devastating blow before shaking its head violently, thrashing the toad against the ground like a rag doll. Then its partner joined in the fray, its maw wrapping around the poor creature's head. It squealed, a mixture of a croak and a scream before the lizards pulled away from each other. Keetch had no idea what gave out first, but he heard both the snap of the spine and the painful rip the muscles before it finally went limp.

The lizards snapped hungrily at their food, attacking the chunks of flesh and ripping them apart. Everyone stayed completely still, drinking in the sight- watching in both fear and morbid curiosity. Then one of the lizards raised its head, its tongue flitting into the air for a few painful moments. The reptile continued carefully, contemplating its next move while the other finished its portion with ravenous speed. And then on unison they pointed their narrow heads at the tunnel where everybeast was hiding. They lowered their heads, tails lashing as they stepped over the ribbons of intestines and bile smeared on the ground.

Keetch swallowed, barely forcing down that dry lump in his throat. They just stared down the nest of prey, tongues tasting the air as they swiveled their heads. And then the charge came, both of them barreling at full speed. Everyone recoiled and the crowd raced backwards, forcing themselves deeper into the death pit as the lizards tried to bull their way through. Everything was chaos. The toads up in front fought to get to the middle and the ones in the back were stumbling over themselves to get away while the ones in the middle were buffeted and trampled by both sides.

All this while the fox was shaking uncontrollably as he tried to stay submerged in the safety of the crowd. However, he was soon fighting against the lot of them as they shoved him forward and towards the cruel fangs and the razor claws. He kicked, he punched, he shoved, he bit, but none of it made a difference. The seer screamed, though he couldn't hear himself above the toads' frantic croaks or the furious hisses coming from up ahead.

"No! Stop!" he begged. "Please!"

Keetch found himself facing the enemy, the toads shoving him forward while he dug his heels in the ground. He could hear their growls, their claws as they tore at the earth walls, and their jaws snapping together like a metal trap. He stopped just an arm's length from their reach and he pressed back, heart ready to leap right out of his chest. The fox waited for those things to rend his flesh and tear his head off, but all he could feel was the gust of wind that came from each of their failed swipes.

He opened his eyes. Out of their stupid greed, the reptiles had bolted into the hole at once, quickly becoming lodged against one another in the narrower parts of the passageway. It seemed as they were all trapped. But of course now he was on borrowed time.

A tiny wine glass appeared in his mind. Just a little empty glass floating in the air. But then it filled with a red, oozing liquid, a hot metallic smell emanating from it. Then the huge snake-like eyes blinked open in the shadows, watching him intently. Keetch ignored Vulpuz and instead lunged for the glass. If he needed it last time, he definitely needed it now. But before he could get to it-

"Keetch!" He could barely hear the call past all the deafening sounds. "Keetch!" The lizards suddenly started writhing, now trying their hardest to back out.

"I'm here!" he shouted back. "I'm here!"

He squirmed back some more, eyes wide in fear as a lizard clamped its jaws around its partner. The other hissed and retaliated, snagging a claw into its throat. Both hissed furiously, moving jerkishly as they attacked one another, both determined to destroy the other to make room for an escape. The tunnel echoed with their terrible cries and Keetch could feel tremors surge through the earth. And finally, it became silent. A low, weak rumble emanated from one of the predators before it fell still.

Nothing stirred.

"Keetch!" the squirrel yelled from the other side. "Keetch! Are you alright? Say something!"

"I'm fine," he called breathlessly, shaking uncontrollably as he sank to the floor, toads rushing past him to inspect the damage. "I'm fine. I'm fine..." Both lizards were horribly disemboweled, their innards and blood soaking in the mud. But given the carnage, the toads somehow managed to crawl between them and to the other side while others started collecting the chunks of flesh and organs.

The fox stayed where he was, still shaken by the memory. That was... the scariest thing I'd ever... the scariest thing that's ever happened to me.

He startled when something wet plopped heavily on his lap. He looked up, seeing a rough silhouette of a toad. Then he looked down at the mysterious object, picking it up carefully and gulping. He stayed quiet, not knowing what to do with the considerable chunk of liver.

"Ouch! Ouch! Careful!" Keetch's ears perked and he looked back at the entrance. The group that retrieved her let her rest by the wall, all of them crowding around her. He stood up and walked to her, dropping the liver on the ground. She was curled up, one arm supporting the other and her left eye closed.

"What happened?"

"Ugh," she groaned, touching her eye gingerly. "A claw caught me in the arm and my eye-"

"Don't touch it," he ordered, kneeling down and pulling her paw away from her face so he could get a better look. It was already beginning to swell up, but if anything, there didn't seem to be any cut or blood coming from it.

"Is it bleeding?" he asked. "Did they scratch you there?"

"No," she replied. "A lizard was climbing up and a branch snapped under me." She paused, wincing as he inspected the gash on her arm. "I was safe up there, but just my luck it was the one isolated tree around and- OW!"

"Sorry," he apologized, trying to blot out the blood with a bit of his tunic.

"I fell," she continued through clenched teeth. "I was near the top and saw those two get into the tunnel and I leaned over to look and a branch snapped under me. I landed on a lower branch just face to face with that stupid lizard that was chasing after my tail. Didn't have my arrows with me 'cause I dropped them, but I had my bow. Had to brain it with the daggers." Keetch nodded, remembering the way her bow was equipped with blades on each end. "After that I found my arrows and began shooting the scaly scumbags and they finished the job for us eventu- stoppit!"

Keetch glanced down at the bloody meat on her lap with curiosity while she tossed it away from her.

"Disgusting," she sulked. Keetch let out a relieved sigh, watching the toads harvest the flesh, some of them nibbling at the organs before another toad hopped up and began to- what seemed to be- admonish them.

"I think I know what's going on now," he said softly, his eyes never leaving the sight.

"What?"

"They were the ones that rescued us. They were aware that we were in the swamp, and they must have seen us fighting back the toads and salamanders and everything. What if..." he paused, staring straight at a toad as it dropped a strand of intestine at their footpaws and hopped away.

"These small toads are preyed upon by their larger counterparts. They live in constant fear, having to go forage outside and worry about their nest being discovered. That's why they rescued us. They-"

"They wanted somebeast to protect them," Sarrow interrupted, the realization sinking in. "That's why they didn't want to hurt us. They just kept us in a prison."

"It's also why they gave us weapons on their forage. And these," he nodded at the organs being piled beside them. "They're offerings. Some of the toads have been eating them, and it seems that they've been giving us the best parts. We're their saviors."

Sarrow grimaced, sending a scorching look at the growing group of toads that began tearing at the carcasses, carefully dismantling what was left of the organs and eyes and cracking for the bone marrows with rocks. "Their unwilling saviors."

"This is good news," Keetch said reassuringly. "If they need us that badly, they must keep as many of us alive so that there's a hostage to prevent us from running."

"That means Brink's alive!" Sarrow exclaimed, quickly hushing herself as the some toads jumped or skittered in fright.

"Which means we're safe," the fox continued, "as long as we continue to protect them. Now that we know what's going on, I think it should be easier for us next time."

"Maybe," the squirrel said darkly. "But it won't be long until somebeast gets seriously hurt."

"Or if they decide we're no use and..." he decided not to mention something so morbid, but even Sarrow knew what was on his mind. These toads, even though smaller and somewhat smarter than the average toads, were still subject to cannibalism.


As I said, not my favorite chapter. :(

OK, so to answer some of the questions you guys might have, the toads aren't some random result of my overactive imagination. They are based on some a pet frog my family used to have- the albino African Clawed Frog. I called it Ugly. :P

Unlike most girls, I actually like amphibians and reptiles (with the exception of snakes that eat mice... snakes that eat insects are ok to me). I had a chameleon once as a little kid. Its name was Rainbows. :) Eh... back on topic.

My albino frog looked more pinkish than white. Comparing the creatures in this chapter and the ones in real life (note that the albino ones are only sold as pets while the ones in the wild are darker), there are quite a few similarities, since the African frogs are social and live in colonies, they are scavengers and carnivorous, they are voracious eaters eat anything that they can cram in their mouths by stuffing food in with their front legs (it looks a little hilarious and cute... unless that "food" happens to be your salamander's tail... don't worry, the salamander was completely unharmed ^^;... but seriously, once Ugly ate a rock... ), they are burrowing creatures, and they do tend to be cannibals since they do eat the young of other frogs. One of the only things that are different between my frogs and the African frogs are their sizes. The real frogs aren't much smaller than the normal size of regular frogs, though they have a broader body that resembles toads. The animals that I described in my story, however, are based off the size of the African Dwarf Frog, which has the same colorations but are different altogether.

Interesting fact(s): It is actually an invasive species all over the African Clawed Frog was used as a pregnancy test experiment animal in the 1940's and 50's and were later released in the wild. What those stupid scientists didn't understand was the fact that introducing foreign species to nature is extremely dangerous and harmful to the native creatures. Because these frogs keep on escaping from their homes and because of the big release back in the day, these frogs have helped to spread diseases and fungi to the native population of frogs and they continue to eat their young, which is the reason to a lot of native frog population crashes... which is bad, because I live close to a small pond and Ugly escaped from our porch. Obviously, my dad wasn't thinking when he put our salamander out on our porch in a bucket and it escaped. Why he let our frog out in a bucket the very next day after our salamander escaped, I have no idea. It makes me angry.

Also, they are hardy creatures, and they can live up to 15 years! That might explain why my dad "lost" it... _ They burrow into the mud during dryer seasons, can survive mild freezes, sometimes "revive" after drying up (just soak them in water for a while, and they sometimes return from the dead!), and can go into a dormant state for up to a year.

Um... yeah, I think you get my geekiness up to this point. I'm sorry you had to witness that. :(

So, just how are Brink, Keetch, and Sarrow going to get out of this little mess? I already have a plan all worked out, and I'm just going to say that one particular character is going to have some serious trouble carrying out the strategy.

OK, see you all next time! :D

~Jade TeaLeaf