Beyond The Pale
The beginning? For me, I think, it was when Brome was captured. I set out, then, and eventually saw Marshank from the top of the sand dunes. I knew that we would find him there, and I was right.
It's strange how things mould together. Grumm and I had crept up to the rocks by the shoreline, when we heard a voice from high above us. I thought then that we had been seen, but when I looked to see who it was, I realised that either he had seen us and didn't care, or he was too preoccupied with his own affairs to notice. I think it was the latter – it couldn't really have been anything else.
His name was Martin, son of Luke. He seemed to be calling out to someone called Badrang, I later found out that he was the tyrant who had sentenced the mouse to such a terrible punishment. I personally think he was foolish to do so, because it would have lost him a slave if the torture had worked.
After all that, everything seems like a strange dream with it's ups and downs, escaping from the Gawtrybe, finding Noonvale again – possibly for the last time.
No! I've never been a pessimist, and I'm not going to start now. I know that I may die in battle, but I'm not going to brood on it. My death will almost certainly be quick, and Dark Forest does sound peaceful, like Noonvale, only dark and mysterious.
I'm determined not to think about the coming battle, all I know is that we have a 99.9% foolproof plan. We can fight against tyranny and slavery.
But is killing right? Even when we're doing it for freedom? Is killing worse than slavery? I have no idea. I can fight – but I don't know if dying fairly young in battle is better than living long in slavery. I think – but I admit that I don't know – that the former is better. At least you don't suffer.
What would happen if Badrang died? Normally, of a sickness, I mean. Would all the vermin fight to the death over the leadership? Or would one of the high-ranking horde captains take over? Or would the vermin simply run away?
I must stop all these doubts. I will never fight properly if my heart's not in it. These vermin would have killed everyone here – all my friends and family, and other creatures who never harmed anybody – without blinking. That's what we're fighting against, not only the tyranny of Badrang and his minions, but the cold, impersonal way in which they would kill us.
Sometimes in Noonvale they use a euphemism for dying – `going beyond the pale.` I have a feeling that I am going to do just that.