He swayed slightly in the breeze, the ropes cutting into his skin. Rolan hung from a tree by his wrists, ropes tied cruelly tight round his wrists. Hanging by his wrists from the branch of a tree had worn him out, possibly because he'd been hanging for nearly two straight days. Blood had soaked the parts of the rope around his wrists and his trousers were filthy with dirt and his waste. Head hung and eyes closed, eyes, encrusted with tears of pain and hate.
CRACK!
The whip fell quick across his back, snapping him back into consciousness as he cried out in pain and arched his back. "Tell me what you did again?" said the hedgehog. He was older and fatter than the others, wearing more jewelry and elaborate clothing. His voice carried haughtiness, and his actions giggles of delight from the younger hogmaids.
Trying to lift his head, Rolan swallowed and replied with a weak voice, "I-I spilt tea on the Lady Jiz's gown…"
A young hogmaid ran up from the small crowd assembled to watch and squeaked to the older hedgehog, "I don't think he's sorry daddy, whip him more."
The older hog smiled softly and stroked her spikes and soothed, "Don't worry darlin, I'll make the dirty squirrel pay for ruinin' yore dress." The little maid smiled with delight and went back to her mother as her father's face became grim and he raised his arm…

~

Autumn leaves, yellow and brown, fell slowly to the ground as Serin and Enoch took a picnic on the White Cliffs. The cliffs which Serin and his family resided in were composed of pure white marble and limestone, it was an incredible sight at sunrise and sunset. A large oak shadowed them against the heavily clouded sky and it's massive limbs shook lightly with the wind. They were eating a light picnic of fruits and breads, with some cheeses. Serin poured his comrade another helping of cool mint tea and remarked lying on his side with pitcher in hand, "Don't the Clansou's have slaves?"
Enoch nodded in thanks and sat up with his back to the trunk of the tree and his legs stretched out, "I think they just recently lured in some forest orphans, befriended them and all of a sudden did their 'hedgehogs are superior' routine, brainwashed 'em like that and forced 'em into servant-ship."
"What are you doing tomorrow?' asked Serin, resting on his back watching the clouds roll by through the bare tree branches.
"Nothing…why?" replied Enoch, turning his head and eyeing Serin, wondering what the odd mouse was plotting.
Placing a small celery stalk between his teeth to chew, Serin answered him, "Seeing how's your doing nothing tomorrow, and how those Clansou's probably got some slaves or creatures working for 'em without consent…"
Serin's voice trailed on and a smile spread across Enoch's face, "I see what're your plannin', what time should we strike?"
Serin sat up, spit the celery out and grinned, "Late, I was thinking sometime round midnight, while they're all sleepin'."
"I agree, sleep all day, kill all night."
Smiling and nodding, Serin had no problem with this notion. Ignorant creatures that had no idea why they were doing what they were doing, like at the compound, was one thing. When one creature rules over another, that is completely different.

~

Night masked the land in complete darkness, there was naught but a crescent moon out giving weak light. But weak light, was enough light for Enoch and Serin. The two creatures stalked slowly and silently through a large overgrowth of bush and weeds as they carefully crept up to a group of small shacks. Three large canyon walls encompassed the Clansou's settlement making attack a troublesome affair, but the same was with escape. Rather than dealing with the meddlesome sentries and having to kill more creatures then necessary, Enoch and Serin had decided to scale down the side of the west cliff wall. It was on the south side that the large wooden perimeter fence ran. And it was on the west side of the settlement where the Clansou's kept their servants in poorly constructed huts and shacks, if they could be called that. Little more than flimsy and thin sheets of bark held together with sap, the shacks gave nothing but superficial protection from the elements. Breaking free from the bushes, the pair of trained killers looked around, allowing their eyes time to adjust. Five shacks, surrounded by a perimeter wall with guard posts. Serin strained his eyes as he peered into the guard posts and whispered to Enoch, "Three guard posts…six guards…" a smile then slowly formed on his lips, "…all asleep."
Enoch squatted down into the soft earth and continued catching his breath as quiet as possible, he wasn't used to climbing as much as Serin was, he gasped out in response, "G-good, that should make o-our job easier…"
No light reflected from either creature's weapons thanks to a mixture of black ash and oil Enoch's wife had made for them before they left. Males weren't the only ones who helped in the Great Revolt. Serin squatted next to his friend, his blade resting easily on his shoulder and the handle butt inched into the ground. A filmy black substance rubbed off onto his shoulder, but he didn't mind. "You 'bout ready to go?" asked Serin, keeping his voice near silent.
"Ready as ever." Replied Enoch, slinging his ax off his belt and gripping tightly to its leather wound handle of horn.
Words from this point no longer needed to be spoken. Both of them knew each other's thought when they were in a situation like this and when one moved the other followed simultaneously with no delay.

Nolan still hanged from the dead tree limb, like a piece of meat. Head hung down, and body stiff with pain and tire, Nolan was in terrible condition. The strong young squirrel was now emaciated from being starved three days straight, after already being malnourished. The gentle breeze of nature acted as his cushion, and the quiet warm night and stars were his blanket. Torn to shreds and soaked in dried blood, his tunic was nothing more than rags being loosely held to his thin and naked body.
"Oh my lord, what have they done to him…?" whispered Serin to Enoch with barely any breath as he looked upon the squirrel's limp form hanging from a tree in the orchard with horror held hazel eyes, fixed on the injuries that had been inflicted.
"I don't know, c'mon, we have to get 'em down." Replied Enoch, standing from his crouch quietly, and then stealthily with Serin stalked up toward the tree until they were only a few paces from the squirrel whose feet only were a few spaces from the ground. Enoch moved to behind the squirrel and positioned himself to catch him, "Okay now, cut the rope."
Instantly, Serin in a blur of motion slashed at the rope with his massive blade in an arc and cut the rope.
Enoch gently caught Nolan in his strong beefy arms and then with care undid the rope tied to his wrists. The ropes around the squirrels wrists, to Enoch's horror, where saturated with blood. Enoch then softly patted the haggard creature on the cheek with his palm, "'Ello, 'ello there? Wake up mate, we're gettin outta here."
"Mmm..." hummed the creature as he slowly stirred, then felt himself being held and then his eyes immediately shot open as he realized he was about to be put to death, and also realizing that it wouldn't matter, started yelling out while thrashing about, "No! No! You're not going to kill me!"
Serin smartly conked the squirrel over the head with his blade handle after Enoch had bravely fought off the weakened squirrels' feeble attack.
The two warriors were about to smile in humor but they heard a-
SNAP!
It was merely a twig, but the sound reverberated throughout the twos' ears. Soon, more sounds flooded their sensitive ears and they started counting up the numbers.
Three, no, soon five. The numbers steadily increased. Ten, then fifteen. All moving closer, moving slowly toward their position. Serin, voice raked with urgency whispered out, "Time to fly friend..."
"I roger your wilco." Replied Enoch as he picked up the squirrel in his arms and followed after Serin, back the way they came.