Chapter Ten: The Execution and the Poem
"I'm very disappointed in you, Smidgum. But, I thank you for bringing me the poem. You have betrayed me, though I know it was an accident. I will not give in to your foolishness. What do you have to say for yourself?" The big black chipmunk starred at Smidgum, furious that he was betrayed. The chipmunk could only shiver. "Well.?" Sunfluke was getting anxious.
"I'm truly sorry, Sire. I didn't mean to say anything." Sunfluke nodded.
"Tell me, Smidgum, why did you run away?" The chief chipmunk had a tint in his eye that told Smidgum to speak up.
"I didn't want to die," he said quietly.
"Oh, is the lil' baby afraid to die?" the dark one said in a whining little mocking voice. Smidgum quaked with fear. "Darknose, I have another job for you." Sunfluke smiled evilly as Darknose entered the room.
"Aye, chief?" he asked has he stood beside his master, starring at the helpless creature tied up in front of him.
"Dispose of this creature. Tie him to a rock and throw him in the pond for all I care. Do what you want." With that, the pale chipmunk dragged the whining Smidgum out of the room.
"You know what, buddy?" Darknose asked the Smidgum, who was bound and gagged in a chair with a rock tied to it. Smidgum whined piteously. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. You can't talk!" He laughed in a very cruel way. "Anyway, I always wanted to throw you in the pond. You always got on me nerves. Any last words?" Smidgum tried to speak, the other chipmunk just laughed. "In the pond you go, friend." With that, Smidgum went into the deep, deep pond. Deeper, and deeper, and deeper.
Back at the leader's tent, Sunfluke was reading the poem. He knew it, for it was the ancient writing of the chipmunks that his father had taught him. As he read it, he thought to himself. Oh, Father, you were such a handsome chipmunk. You were so kind. That's why I hated you. I liked you for your good looks, though. If it weren't for you, I'd be as ugly as hell. Mum was far from beautiful. That's why I hated her. But, you two are gone now. Your heads are idols on my staffs. You and everyone else who objected that we take revenge. I will show you what it means to me that I take revenge on the Redwall Abbey. You will see!
The woodlanders returned to the hole to hear what the poem said.
"Go on, Nemisis, read it!" the Abbess urged.
"OK, OK. Here's what it says:
Amongst the shadows of the dark,
Where nobeast dares to go,
Lives a creature most feared by all,
Only the bravest know.
Only one will go there,
Only one will see,
Only one will face the shadows,
Daring to be free.
Towards the house where time stands still,
And only the brave will go,
To the hill where nothing stands,
Nothing, so lay low.
"Is there something I am missing?
Something long forgot?
Where the earth goes under?
Somewhere, where it is hot?"
A voice is asking many questions,
Only one may answer,
So to face death itself,
You're the one to save her."
"What does it mean?" Riddum asked Emiley, who was standing in front of the crowd.
"I'm not sure, but we best figure it out soon." The crowd left, all with one thing on their minds, What does it mean?
A/N- I love that poem! I thought of it myself. I just had to put it in the beginning. I really like it. I hope you do too. I hope you enjoy the rest of this story. Please R&R!!!!!
"I'm very disappointed in you, Smidgum. But, I thank you for bringing me the poem. You have betrayed me, though I know it was an accident. I will not give in to your foolishness. What do you have to say for yourself?" The big black chipmunk starred at Smidgum, furious that he was betrayed. The chipmunk could only shiver. "Well.?" Sunfluke was getting anxious.
"I'm truly sorry, Sire. I didn't mean to say anything." Sunfluke nodded.
"Tell me, Smidgum, why did you run away?" The chief chipmunk had a tint in his eye that told Smidgum to speak up.
"I didn't want to die," he said quietly.
"Oh, is the lil' baby afraid to die?" the dark one said in a whining little mocking voice. Smidgum quaked with fear. "Darknose, I have another job for you." Sunfluke smiled evilly as Darknose entered the room.
"Aye, chief?" he asked has he stood beside his master, starring at the helpless creature tied up in front of him.
"Dispose of this creature. Tie him to a rock and throw him in the pond for all I care. Do what you want." With that, the pale chipmunk dragged the whining Smidgum out of the room.
"You know what, buddy?" Darknose asked the Smidgum, who was bound and gagged in a chair with a rock tied to it. Smidgum whined piteously. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. You can't talk!" He laughed in a very cruel way. "Anyway, I always wanted to throw you in the pond. You always got on me nerves. Any last words?" Smidgum tried to speak, the other chipmunk just laughed. "In the pond you go, friend." With that, Smidgum went into the deep, deep pond. Deeper, and deeper, and deeper.
Back at the leader's tent, Sunfluke was reading the poem. He knew it, for it was the ancient writing of the chipmunks that his father had taught him. As he read it, he thought to himself. Oh, Father, you were such a handsome chipmunk. You were so kind. That's why I hated you. I liked you for your good looks, though. If it weren't for you, I'd be as ugly as hell. Mum was far from beautiful. That's why I hated her. But, you two are gone now. Your heads are idols on my staffs. You and everyone else who objected that we take revenge. I will show you what it means to me that I take revenge on the Redwall Abbey. You will see!
The woodlanders returned to the hole to hear what the poem said.
"Go on, Nemisis, read it!" the Abbess urged.
"OK, OK. Here's what it says:
Amongst the shadows of the dark,
Where nobeast dares to go,
Lives a creature most feared by all,
Only the bravest know.
Only one will go there,
Only one will see,
Only one will face the shadows,
Daring to be free.
Towards the house where time stands still,
And only the brave will go,
To the hill where nothing stands,
Nothing, so lay low.
"Is there something I am missing?
Something long forgot?
Where the earth goes under?
Somewhere, where it is hot?"
A voice is asking many questions,
Only one may answer,
So to face death itself,
You're the one to save her."
"What does it mean?" Riddum asked Emiley, who was standing in front of the crowd.
"I'm not sure, but we best figure it out soon." The crowd left, all with one thing on their minds, What does it mean?
A/N- I love that poem! I thought of it myself. I just had to put it in the beginning. I really like it. I hope you do too. I hope you enjoy the rest of this story. Please R&R!!!!!