Northland Fighters - Part 3
And the creed, and the colour, and the name don't matter
Were you there?
A/N: I love that song. That's all I can remember, but it's perfect for this.
Sorrel's hiding in a corner somewhere, sulking, along with Paris, Amine, and Darian. Hector was a little upset, but I explained everything to him. Clover is also sulking, because I let Sorrel be with Amine in her last moments, and not her. The first bit is a flashback as she travels to Mossflower with Clover and Hector who was found crying for Mama.
She collapsed half-dead on the ground. Around her lay the fruits of her massacre. She didn't know. She didn't care. All she knew was that three-quarters of the horde were dead, and now winter would take its toll.
Winter!
The word sent sudden shivers through her body. They would never survive the winter alone, not even with Foxwolf gone. There were no crops, (burned out of the Foxwolf's spite) no water collected, (the streams would be frozen over) no anything. Nothing.
They must …
She had fallen asleep.
Sorrel jerked awake. She felt so lonely. Three seasons travelling had increased her defensive attitude, and she could feel that they were being watched.
Sorrel rose slowly. She stooped to pick up a heavy climbing rope and knotted one end.
She swung it round her head and it connected with a thud.
"Whoever's there, it's cheek to copy someone's weapon," said a voice indignantly. "I'm Mariel Gullwhacker, so, vermin run for your life!"
Sorrel blinked. "I don't fight mousemaids, friend. And you needn't fight me. I only just made that weapon on the spur of the moment, since all our own are packed."
"How did you know I was a mousemaid?" asked the voice. "And why needn't I fight you?"
"Because I'm a squirrelmaid," retorted Sorrel. "That's Sorrel Swifteye, one of the only pair of squirreltwins in the world now. I come from the North Mountains, so Fur and Freeeedooooommm!"
"Swifteye Squirreltwin?" said Mariel, coming out of the shadows.
"That's me. Sorrel Swifteye. My twin's back there, sleeping. Our mother was a Reguba, our father a Swifteye, both warriors. And I am sworn to kill vermin all my life!"
Mariel smiled slightly. "Our camp is back there. Dandin and I have a fire going. Would you and your companions care to come?"
"Certainly. My nephew's just a baby yet - "
"So why did you bring him?"
Sorrel's eyes swam with tears. Mariel saw this, and abruptly wished she hadn't spoken.
"It's a long story," she choked out at last.
"Don't tell us if you don't want to," said Mariel sympathetically.
"I do want to. That's just it … I can't. Not until I know he's dead."
"He?"
"The impostor. The one who wore a wolf pelt, saying he was a great warrior to kill a wolf, even though he actually found a dead wolf on the frozen North Sea and skinned it. I should know. I pushed it out to sea."
"The Foxwolf? The Urgan Nagru?"
Sorrel raised her head.
"Yes."
"He's dead. Now will you tell us?"
Sorrel just wanted to know one more thing.
"Did Finnbarr kill him?"
"Finnbarr Galedeep? Yes. But he died just minutes after."
There was a long silence. Then Sorrel spoke again.
"Good old Finnbarr. I knew he'd never die in his bed."
~
They sat around a campfire, singing ditties to the music of Dandin's flute, and Sorrel and Clover had just finished a duet. They bowed as one and sat down, smiling.
So the squirreltwins were happy once more. They never forgot the north mountains and the Foxwolf, but their revenge had come, and they were at rest. They died on the same day, long seasons later, and were buried side by side.
A/N: This is very short. And it's also the end of the series. Bye, bye, Sorrel darling.
You haven't heard the last of me. Not by a long chalk.
Yes, Sorrel. Whatever, your highness.
Don't worry about Sorrel. She's just sulking because I told her I was finished.
Disclaimer: Sorrel, Clover, and Hector belong to me. Mariel, Dandin, and Finnbarr, also the Gullwhacker, belong to Brian Jacques.
Mariel Gullwhacker.