Part One
Mirror
Chapter I
Mirage awoke with a start and looked around at her surroundings. She had run for what seemed like days, though the heavy storm clouds had made any passing of time indeterminable during the day. She quickly surmised that she had slept through the night.
She remained on the ground, motionless, for a while, her thoughts never gathering on one single topic, but rather many things at once, so much that she closed her eyes and quickly forced them from her mind. She also believed she was crying, but even that was an uncertainty. The tears she believed were falling could not be felt on her numb cheeks, and the fur under her eyes was already damp from the rain.
As she slowly began to return to the world around her, she became of how cold she was. The rain, which had fallen relentlessly the day before, and probably all night, had soaked her clear through to the fur. The sensation became stronger the more she became aware of it, and she started to shiver. Instinct and training kicked in, and she pushed herself to her feet, determined to get somewhere other than where she was; her first notion was to find sunlight and a source of heat. Still shivering from the cold, she began walking towards the only sure place she knew: home.
No more than fifteen minutes into her walk, she came across a small clearing where the sunlight shone brightly and warmed her skin almost instantly. She removed the heavy, rain-soaked robe and let it dry while she sat and tried to think through what had happened the day before. More than once, while pondering over the events, she found herself crying, and would do so for a few moments before stopping herself and attempting to move on. She quickly came to realise that the key for her house was probably ruined in the fire, and the only other way in was to pick the lock, though to do that she needed something that only her father had carried, a dagger, and the only way to get that dagger was to return to Garret's home, where there could be anything awaiting her arrival.
In an effort to get her mind off the worries and help prevent a flood of emotions, she checked to see if the robe had dried. It had, so she quickly put it on and set a course for Garret's.
The trip was monotonous, and hardly a moment passed when her mind did not shift towards her parents. Oddly enough, now most of her thoughts were memories, not of the events that happened the day before, but from long ago. Dinners, events, even tea with the odd rabbit, who had also died at the cruel claws of the fox, Drek. She growled as his image entered her mind and silently swore that she would have her revenge. Then a more sobering thought struck her, telling her that she was hardly ready to take on a fox, much less Drek, who had his Foxtribe to protect him.
She shivered, in spite of the warmth from her robe and the heat from the sun. Up ahead, she could see a familiar landmark, and knew where she was. Her pace slowed, then stopped, and she stood for a moment. Her mind was divided, half wanting to go; half wanting to stay and avoid what was most likely waiting for her. Timid, she took a step forward, then two, all the while trying to catch a glimpse of anything that would justify her turning back. None came, and she continued slowly.
When she reached the area, nothing that she was expecting greeted her. There were no bodies, and the clearing was void of any sign of Drek and his brutes. Shocked, yet still frightened, she stepped further into the clearing. Logic and common sense told her that her parents would be here, since they had died. Unless, by some stroke of luck, her father had lived and managed to get back home. A moment of elation and hope flashed through her, but was silenced just as quickly when she saw the graves.
They were simple, marked by nothing more than a pair of crosses crudely fashioned from fallen branches. The dirt piles were fresh, and were probably dug in the rain. From one of the crosses hung a small medallion, which Mirage recognised as belonging to her mother, and resting in a cross over the other grave were her father's daggers.
Shaking from the realisation that they were truly dead, Mirage sank to her knees and cried, the emotions of despair and sadness, accompanied by a hatred for Drek and a fear of what might come flooding over her. She managed to choke the tears back long enough to stand and walk to the graves, but they quickly overtook her again, and soon she found herself kneeling beside the final resting place of her parents.
"Mum...dad, I'm sorry..." she bit her lip until it bled, trying to fight the tears off. "I didn't mean t' fight with you...it was my fault."
She wiped her teary eyes with the sleeve of her robe and made an attempt to gather her thoughts together.
"I'm sorry...I'm ..." she paused a moment, tasting the blood from her lip. "Why'd you have to die?"
There was silence, and Mirage closed her eyes, as if listening to an answer.
"Why'd Drek choose you? You never did anything to him...." She reached out and took one of her father's daggers. "I'll kill him...if you want me to. I don't have the training, but I'll try."
"You'd best get the training first."
Mirage jumped and whirled around, bringing the dagger up to defend herself from an attack. She found herself facing a figure in an all black cloak. From the voice she had heard, she knew that it was female, but everything beyond that was hidden under the cloak.
"Who are you?" Mirage demanded, narrowing her eyes and pointing the tip of the dagger at the beast.
"A friend. I need not say anything more. I want to help you, Mirage," the figure paused and chuckled at Mirage's shocked expression. "Yes, I know you. You don't know me, though. Put the dagger down, Mirage, I mean you know harm. It was I who laid your parents to rest, and you can trust me."
There was something in the voice, an underlying kindness, that caught Mirage's attention, and silently she obeyed. The dagger slipped from her paw and thudded against the ground as Mirage looked down at her paws and began to cry again. The figure knelt and placed a gloved paw on her shoulder.
"You'll be fine, Mirage. I'm going to take care of you."
Mirage looked up and thought she caught sight of two amber eyes glinting from within the dark shadow of the hood.
"Listen to me, Mirage, okay?"
Mirage nodded.
"I am going to take care of you, if you trust me. Do you trust me?"
Mirage nodded again.
The figure wiped a tear away from Mirage's eye as she stood. "Good. You're going to be just fine, dear."
The figure reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing her true form. Mirage gasped and shuffled back away from her, grasping for the dagger she had dropped. Standing in front of her was what she had feared running into most. Not more than three steps away, red fur and all, was a fox.
Chapter II
The vixen smiled and nodded slowly as Mirage raised the dagger and pointed it at her.
"I thought just as much would happen. Mirage, listen to me carefully, and please believe me when I say I will take care of you." She leaned against a nearby tree and clasped her paws in front of her. "I knew of your family, and I know that Drek had been planning this for a while. As soon as I heard Drek boasting about what he had done, I rushed here fearing to see all three of you dead. I buried Storm and Shadow, your parents, and considered looking for you, but I knew you would return, so I waited."
Mirage stared past the dagger she was holding at the vixen, not knowing whether to trust and believe her or not. "Who are you?"
The vixen smiled warmly at the question. "My name is Lady Argent Silverblade, and believe me when I say that I despise Drek as much as any woodlander in these parts. He is cruel, conniving, and one day his ways will get him killed." Argent drew a rapier from under her cloak and admired the silver blade as it shone in the sunlight. "I just hope I get to see that day myself."
Mirage stared blankly at the blade for a moment as her mind registered what Argent had said. "Why do you want him dead?"
"He took something from me that was rightfully mine." Argent sheathed the rapier and looked down at the ground. "My Foxtribe. You see...I know about the histories of your family, and of mine. They were once rivals, but when both chanced to end up in these parts, they formed an alliance of sorts. It was really a treaty, but as time went, old grudges were amended. Not long after Spectre, your grandfather, died, I met Drek. I knew when I first set eyes on him that he was no ordinary fox, and that his intentions were far from what my Foxtribe considered honourable, but his sly ways and uncanny sense of cunning and charm lowered my defence.
"He was quick in taking over Foxtribe, and pushing me out of power by show of force and brute strength, and soon he had a few of his friends from the far north as second in command and chief advisor. My comrades were helpless as more of them showed up, and whenever we showed signs of resistance more of us would vanish. Now, he has his own Foxtribe, full of his own kind, and there are only a handful of my tribe. I stayed with them the longest, knowing that Drek would not see me harmed, but yesterday was my last day with him. Now, I am going to join my comrades in our hideaway."
Mirage slowly lowered the dagger as she stared at Argent. Something had caught her eye while the vixen had been talking, and had moved her to a point where she felt like the two of them were friends. A solitary tear had formed in Argent's left eye and vanished into the red fur. Mirage swallowed the lump that was in her throat and decided to voice a thought that had come up.
"You thought you loved him?"
Argent nodded without looking up. "Yes...and in all respects, I think I still would had he not turned into what he is."
"But you want him dead?"
"He is a murderer. He killed a score of my friends, and your parents, as well as many of the other woodlanders in this area. He deserves to die."
Mirage looked back at her parents' graves. "Why did you bury my parents?"
Argent looked up and eyed the ferret, a look of sympathy on her face. "Because, it was right. I knew what your family stood for, and I thought it honourable and just."
"What did they stand for that was so important?"
Argent smiled slightly. "I'll tell you, but you need to come with me first." She walked over to Mirage and placed a paw on her shoulder. "Trust me, I'll teach you everything you need to know."
Mirage nodded absentmindedly. Though she was far from tears, she was still feeling lost and overwhelmed. "What about my parents?"
"They will be remembered, but their time is over. Now, you need to take their place." Argent removed the chain from Storm's grave and studied the pendant that hung from it. "An eagle. You know what it stands for?"
Mirage shook her head.
"I'll tell you. Here, put it on and take those daggers. Then, come with me. I have something to show you."
Mirage stared at the small, silver eagle dangling in front of her before she reached out and took it from Argent. She hung it around her neck and took the twin daggers that had belonged to her father. Argent showed her how to tuck them safely in her belt so that they did not cut her while she walked, and the two silently walked towards the far end of the clearing. Mirage stopped at the edge, but only long enough to look back at the two crosses, and then she sighed and sniffed back a tear before following Argent into the forest.
Chapter III
It was not far to Argent's den, the entrance of which was nothing more than a hardly noticeable hole between two roots of a tree. A fox was standing guard, hidden just within the entrance, and he gave them both a brisk salute as they entered. All was dark, and Mirage was forced to keep a paw on Argent's shoulder to keep from becoming lost.
"We do this as a safety precaution," Argent explained. "If there is no light, then there is no sign that someone is living down here. This place is, to my knowledge, unknown to Drek and his band. Unfortunately, only five -six now- know about it, and that is yourself, and all that is left of my Foxtribe, including myself. That was Slick you met at the entrance. His real name is Caerus, but we call him Slick because he's good at conning others. That's how he managed to stay alive when he still worked under Drek."
Mirage just nodded as Argent led her onward through the dark tunnel. After what seemed like hours, but was probably no more than a minute, Argent stopped and opened a door. Mirage was blinded momentarily by the sudden appearance of light as Argent led her into the room.
"Sorry about not warning you. This is the main room. We usually eat here, and the different doors lead to our individual rooms, and the one in the back leads to the kitchen. Kassander, Kass for short, was rather smart about the kitchen. He set it up so all of the smoke from the stove and oven gets filtered out through multiple ventilation shafts that are actually in a tree overhead. He made an arrangement with a squirrel to help."
Mirage blinked and her vision slowly returned. They were standing in a plain-looking, circular room, void of furnishings save for a table, six chairs, and a few stands with low-burning lamps. Several holes, which were no doubt ventilation shafts, were spread out along the top of the wall, running along the uneven ceiling. There were seven doors, one of which led back the way they had just come from, were arranged at uneven intervals around the room.
"What's behind those doors?" Mirage asked.
"Well, Slick and Shara have that room there," she pointed to the door nearest Mirage's right and continued in order, "that next one's mine. That one's the kitchen, and Kass has a small room and bed in there, hmm...the next one is empty, and that last one belongs to Mikael. He's nice, you'll meet him soon."
"Why is that room empty?"
Argent nodded slowly. "It belonged to another fox, Garrad, but Drek killed him a week ago. That room will be yours now."
There was a moment of silence, and Mirage used it to look around again, this time putting names to the doors to help make things more familiar. Curious, she wandered over to the room Argent had said was hers, and opened the door. It was dark inside and she could not see anything. She slowly closed the door and walked about the room. Though small and simple, a sense of homeliness drifted about, and in spite of its strangeness, Mirage felt welcome and safe.
"Dinner will be soon. You have whatever you need in your room, save clothing. Running water, though admittedly not very much, is courtesy of Kass' ingenuity yet again. If you like a good, challenging puzzle or riddle, he's the one to ask. I have some business to attend to and it will probably last until dinnertime. I will introduce you around the table then, and you'll get a chance to meet everyone. Then, I have something I want to show you after dinner. There should be a lamp on a small stand just inside the door to that room which you can light off of the ones in here. Make yourself at home, Mirage, you are more than welcome here."
Mirage nodded and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Argent."
Argent smiled and bowed in return. "It is the least I can do, m'lady."
Mirage watched the vixen leave through Mikael's door and she heard a muffled 'hello.' Then, the door closed, and she was left alone. Glancing about one more time, she walked over to her door and opened it. The lamp was where Argent had said it was, and she lit it with another lamp just outside her door before walking into her room.
The room was not impressively large, but not cramped and small either. The foxes, probably Kass, had spent a lot of well thought out time planning, digging the place out, and making the accommodations comfortable. Two lamps, the one from the stand and a larger one hanging from the centre of the ceiling, lit the entire room with a faded, dim light that gave everything an off-yellow hue. Running water was indeed available, and as Argent had said, in a small yet useable amount. A basin was located in one corner of the room which was slightly larger than a normal washbasin, and was accompanied by everything needed to clean one's self up. The drain could be stopped up to fill the basin, and the waterspout, which normally ran at all times, could be blocked as well, to prevent overflowing. When she first approached the basin, both were stopped up, and she discovered their uses and operations by curiously pulling at the stoppers.
At the sight of running water, and soap and a towel, Mirage felt more than obliged to clean up somewhat. Once she was clean, she stopped up the running water and dressed up in the black tunic and slacks that she usually wore under her robe, and opted to leave the heavier garment on the bed. The robe had taken in most of the mud and muck from her aimless wandering the night before, and had worked to preserve the rest of her clothing fairly well, so tracking mud was not a problem. She then put her mother's necklace with the eagle on and spent the rest of the time until dinner exploring the room and finding out where everything was.
Chapter IV
The call to dinner was not long after Mirage had finished cleaning herself up, but still long enough that she was able to familiarise herself with the room. She had been more curious about its previous occupant than anything, and had spent most of her exploration time looking through the drawers of the dresser than anything. Her most exciting find, however, was the long, thin-bladed rapier and matching dagger, which hung on one of the walls. When she set eyes on them, a desire to learn the trade behind using them snatched her, and she resolved to ask Argent about it later that night.
When she came out of the room, Argent was already sitting at the table, emerged in conversation with another fox. The other fox was rather odd in appearance. One eye was a pale blue, while another was a soft brown. The two colours seemed to blend with his fur, which was a mix of greys, blacks, and dark browns. He was wearing a simple tan vest over a white tunic and tan slacks, bound by a black sword belt. When Mirage entered the room, both of them stopped talking and looked her way. Argent said something to the fox and waved the ferret over.
"Mirage, this is Mikael."
Mirage walked over to the two of them and bowed politely. "Hello, sir."
When Mikael spoke, it surprised Mirage. His voice was soft and gentle, far more so than she had expected, and it seemed to come out as a loud whisper.
"My, my, such a polite little lady." Mikael chuckled. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Mirage. I hope you enjoy it here and find us as hospitable as we hope we are."
"We were just discussing you, Mirage." Argent stood and pulled a chair out for her. "Here, sit down. Mikael and I were wondering about you and your own personal belongings. Both of us agree that a trip back to your house might prove beneficial, and you could bring whatever you need back here. We could go tomorrow."
Mirage nodded. "Alright, that sounds good."
Mikael grinned. "Then we will leave tomorrow morning?"
Argent nodded.
"Good," Mikael's grin spread. "Now then, where is everyone else?"
Argent thought for a moment. "Well, I imagine Slick's up in the main passageway; he'll be down as soon as the food catches his nostrils. Kass is in the kitchen, and I had Shara helping him."
Mikael leaned over and whispered to Mirage, "That means we will get a good meal tonight."
Mirage grinned and looked around, feeling slightly nervous at being in the company of the foxes.
"Comin' down!"
All eyes turned towards the main door as it swung open and an all black fox wearing a dark grey coat over green entered. Argent rolled her eyes as Mikael nudged Mirage and whispered to her again.
"That is Slick. Watch out for him or he will have you doing his bidding before you know it." He winked and chuckled as Slick approached the table.
"Well, nothin' to report, as usual." He nodded to Mirage. "Hi there. M'name's Slick, I don't believe we've met formally." He offered a paw.
"Mirage," she said, taking his paw and giving it a soft shake.
"Nice meetin' ya, Mirage. So, how're you likin' it here so far?"
Mirage shrugged. "It's nice, I guess."
Mikael shot Slick a glance and pressed a finger to his lips. "Her parents died yesterday by Drek's blade. Calm down just a little for now."
Slick nodded and gave Mirage a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry none, dear. We'll take care of ya, and see to it that Drek gets what's comin' to him." He sighed and took the seat opposite Argent. "So, what's the general talk for tonight?"
"We are going to visit Mirage's house tomorrow morning. Argent, Mirage, and I will be going to pick up a few things for her, and that should be it. Otherwise, I would expect more of the usual routine."
Slick nodded. "Alright, be careful, though. Drek's probably going to be prowling about for someone's hide."
Argent shook her head. "I hope not. I'm actually considering sounding alarm and trying to get everyone to move north again."
Mikael frowned. "That failed last time. I do not expect it to work this time."
"Well, you never know." Argent rested her head on the table. "Redwall would be safer for them than living here."
Mikael rubbed Argent's back and nodded. "True, but you are asking them to leave their homes. Most, if not all of them, do not know what Redwall is, or that Loamhedge is even gone."
Argent sighed and closed her eyes. "It might be worth a try."
Mikael nodded and looked ready to say something, but the door opened and cut him off. Two more foxes entered from the kitchen. One, obviously Shara, was carrying four pitchers, which she set in the centre of the table before taking a seat next to Slick and brushing back her red headfur.
"Hi dear,"
"Hello lovely," Slick chuckled and gave the vixen a quick kiss on the cheek. "So, Kass, what're we biting into tonight?"
Kass, a respectfully older fox, whose fur, originally red, was tinged with grey, stood tall and proud as he presented his dish. "Well, thanks to the rain we had a good fresh crop of mushrooms, so I borrowed ol' Halbrow's recipe and cooked up a mushroom an' leek soup."
Mikael rubbed his paws together slowly and smiled. "Good, one of my favourites."
Kass nodded and caught sight of Mirage. "Well, well, a newcomer. My name's Kass, an' don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."
Shara turned and spotted Mirage. "Oh, I missed you. Please forgive me." She offered a paw. "Shara."
Mirage nodded to both of them, giving Shara's paw a quick shake. "Mirage. Nice to meet all of you."
Kass smiled and started walking back to the kitchen. "Guess we'll need an extra setting tonight."
"I already took care of that, Kass." Argent smiled and waved the cook back. "And she'll be staying with us until further notice."
Kass nodded and returned to the table, counting out the place settings as if to reassure himself that there truly were six out on the table. "Bloody...well, guess I won't worry 'bout that. Right then, guests an' ladies first." He grinned as he served Mirage a portion of the soup, then poured the second serving into Slick's bowl.
Slick shouted out in mock protest and chuckled sarcastically. "Funny, Kass. You still have the same sense of humour,"
"And the same old joke." Shara grinned and took Slick's bowl, giving him her own which had yet to be filled.
Argent grinned as soup was poured into her own bowl and thanked Kass politely. "Well, you know, Slick, I was one to always trust Kass' judgement."
Slick snorted and shook his head. "Well, he's not always right, an' he can't judge a good joke from a bad'ne."
Kass waved the ladle in front of Slick's nose. "One more peep out o' you an' I'll forget t' serve you."
Mikael said something that was apparently only heard by Argent, and she laughed. Slick and Kass got into a wrestling match over the ladle, and while they were preoccupied, Shara finished her first serving and helped herself to a second, using Slick's bowl in place of the ladle. Mirage was at a loss for words at the whole scene, and after no more than a few seconds, she found herself unable to suppress a chuckle, and when Kass managed to drench Slick with a water pitcher, everyone ended up on the floor laughing, except for Mikael, who just grinned and chuckled in his chair and continued to eat his soup.
Chapter V
"Mirage, Mikael, please come with me."
Dinner was over, and save for a drenched Slick, there were no accidents. Now, Argent was standing by her door and motioning for the two of them to follow. Slick and Shara had already left the table and were in their room, and Kass had busied himself with clearing the table and planning the next morning's breakfast menu.
Mikael pushed his chair back and waited for Mirage before making his way over to Argent. Once the two of them arrived, she opened the door and walked in. She waited until both of them had come in before closing the door.
"Mirage, I told you I had something to show you. I need you to focus, though, and you will learn something. Come over here, please."
Mikael sat down on the bed while Argent slowly led Mirage over to a wall-mirror that was next to the washbasin. Mirage stared at her reflection for a moment before looking at Argent.
"You wanted to show me a mirror?"
Argent shook her head. "Look. What do you see?"
"I see me."
"Who are you?"
"Mirage." Mirage gave Argent a curious look, but the vixen pointed back to the mirror. "What am I supposed to see?"
"I can't answer that. Now look at yourself. What do you see?"
Mirage stared at the mirror, and the reflection of herself. "I see me."
Argent nodded. "What do you know about you?"
"Everything, I guess."
"Even your history?"
Mirage was silent.
"I am going to teach you to see more in that mirror, but it will take a while."
Mirage nodded and looked back at Argent. "Why?"
"Because, it is the only way you can learn to accept yourself, and with it comes knowledge and wisdom."
Mirage looked back at the mirror and gazed at the reflection. "How?"
"That comes in time, Mirage." Argent walked over to a bookshelf and pulled a worn journal out from among several. "I want to read something to you, and maybe you will be able to see a little of what your own history is like. This was the log book of my own ancestor, one who knew yours very well." She cleared her throat and started.
"Things are working well with the plan, and I hold no doubts that we will come out of this on top. Ghost suspects nothing, and the rest of Eagle Watch is all but worried we will try something. Well, all, that is, save Celleste. She is, perhaps, the most doubtful of all of them about our alleged alignment. That could present a problem, and I must express concerns that if she convinces Ghost to see things how she does, then he could easily convince the rest of his group. Other than that, Eagle Watch is of little trouble, and all should run smoothly."
Argent stopped and closed the journal. "The rest is of little importance right now, but you will read it later. Did you ever learn about Ghost?"
"Only that he was my ancestor, and lived in Loamhedge for a while."
"What about Eagle Watch?"
Mirage shook her head.
"Alright, then I will have to teach you about Eagle Watch as well. There is a reason you have the eagle embroidered onto your robe, and on that necklace you now wear. It is significant to your past, and all that your family has stood for through the ages. Tell me, what does the eagle represent?"
Mirage shrugged. "I don't know. Hunting, maybe?"
Argent shook her head. "No. It represents proud dignity, cunning and great skill. The eagle is often used to describe those noble in nature and honourable in action. Eagles are keen, quick, and deadly."
"What does that have to do with me and my family?"
Argent walked over to her bed and sat next to Mikael. "The eagle is a symbol of something your family, Ghost to be specific, started. They made a vow to stand up for all that was honourable and true, and to watch the lands like an eagle, searching for any signs of misdeeds and unjust actions. Ghost is directly responsible for the downfall of one horde, and for once rescuing slaves from another. He formed a group of beasts, mostly woodlanders, to fight against the likes of my ancestor, Trent, who wrote that passage. Trent betrayed Eagle Watch shortly after writing it, but that will come later. I just want you to grasp the basic about what your family is all about, and why you were raised to be the way you are."
Mirage blinked and nodded. "I...see."
Argent smiled and stood to give Mirage a quick embrace. "Good. Now rest easy, we have an early morning."
Mirage nodded and waved good night to Mikael before leaving Argent's rook and heading into her own. She quickly undressed and climbed into bed, her mind too full of what Argent had just said to her to care that the bed was unfamiliar and not the one she had grown used to sleeping in most of her life. In just a short time, she was asleep and dreaming of eagles, and of a ferret named Ghost.
Mirror
Chapter I
Mirage awoke with a start and looked around at her surroundings. She had run for what seemed like days, though the heavy storm clouds had made any passing of time indeterminable during the day. She quickly surmised that she had slept through the night.
She remained on the ground, motionless, for a while, her thoughts never gathering on one single topic, but rather many things at once, so much that she closed her eyes and quickly forced them from her mind. She also believed she was crying, but even that was an uncertainty. The tears she believed were falling could not be felt on her numb cheeks, and the fur under her eyes was already damp from the rain.
As she slowly began to return to the world around her, she became of how cold she was. The rain, which had fallen relentlessly the day before, and probably all night, had soaked her clear through to the fur. The sensation became stronger the more she became aware of it, and she started to shiver. Instinct and training kicked in, and she pushed herself to her feet, determined to get somewhere other than where she was; her first notion was to find sunlight and a source of heat. Still shivering from the cold, she began walking towards the only sure place she knew: home.
No more than fifteen minutes into her walk, she came across a small clearing where the sunlight shone brightly and warmed her skin almost instantly. She removed the heavy, rain-soaked robe and let it dry while she sat and tried to think through what had happened the day before. More than once, while pondering over the events, she found herself crying, and would do so for a few moments before stopping herself and attempting to move on. She quickly came to realise that the key for her house was probably ruined in the fire, and the only other way in was to pick the lock, though to do that she needed something that only her father had carried, a dagger, and the only way to get that dagger was to return to Garret's home, where there could be anything awaiting her arrival.
In an effort to get her mind off the worries and help prevent a flood of emotions, she checked to see if the robe had dried. It had, so she quickly put it on and set a course for Garret's.
The trip was monotonous, and hardly a moment passed when her mind did not shift towards her parents. Oddly enough, now most of her thoughts were memories, not of the events that happened the day before, but from long ago. Dinners, events, even tea with the odd rabbit, who had also died at the cruel claws of the fox, Drek. She growled as his image entered her mind and silently swore that she would have her revenge. Then a more sobering thought struck her, telling her that she was hardly ready to take on a fox, much less Drek, who had his Foxtribe to protect him.
She shivered, in spite of the warmth from her robe and the heat from the sun. Up ahead, she could see a familiar landmark, and knew where she was. Her pace slowed, then stopped, and she stood for a moment. Her mind was divided, half wanting to go; half wanting to stay and avoid what was most likely waiting for her. Timid, she took a step forward, then two, all the while trying to catch a glimpse of anything that would justify her turning back. None came, and she continued slowly.
When she reached the area, nothing that she was expecting greeted her. There were no bodies, and the clearing was void of any sign of Drek and his brutes. Shocked, yet still frightened, she stepped further into the clearing. Logic and common sense told her that her parents would be here, since they had died. Unless, by some stroke of luck, her father had lived and managed to get back home. A moment of elation and hope flashed through her, but was silenced just as quickly when she saw the graves.
They were simple, marked by nothing more than a pair of crosses crudely fashioned from fallen branches. The dirt piles were fresh, and were probably dug in the rain. From one of the crosses hung a small medallion, which Mirage recognised as belonging to her mother, and resting in a cross over the other grave were her father's daggers.
Shaking from the realisation that they were truly dead, Mirage sank to her knees and cried, the emotions of despair and sadness, accompanied by a hatred for Drek and a fear of what might come flooding over her. She managed to choke the tears back long enough to stand and walk to the graves, but they quickly overtook her again, and soon she found herself kneeling beside the final resting place of her parents.
"Mum...dad, I'm sorry..." she bit her lip until it bled, trying to fight the tears off. "I didn't mean t' fight with you...it was my fault."
She wiped her teary eyes with the sleeve of her robe and made an attempt to gather her thoughts together.
"I'm sorry...I'm ..." she paused a moment, tasting the blood from her lip. "Why'd you have to die?"
There was silence, and Mirage closed her eyes, as if listening to an answer.
"Why'd Drek choose you? You never did anything to him...." She reached out and took one of her father's daggers. "I'll kill him...if you want me to. I don't have the training, but I'll try."
"You'd best get the training first."
Mirage jumped and whirled around, bringing the dagger up to defend herself from an attack. She found herself facing a figure in an all black cloak. From the voice she had heard, she knew that it was female, but everything beyond that was hidden under the cloak.
"Who are you?" Mirage demanded, narrowing her eyes and pointing the tip of the dagger at the beast.
"A friend. I need not say anything more. I want to help you, Mirage," the figure paused and chuckled at Mirage's shocked expression. "Yes, I know you. You don't know me, though. Put the dagger down, Mirage, I mean you know harm. It was I who laid your parents to rest, and you can trust me."
There was something in the voice, an underlying kindness, that caught Mirage's attention, and silently she obeyed. The dagger slipped from her paw and thudded against the ground as Mirage looked down at her paws and began to cry again. The figure knelt and placed a gloved paw on her shoulder.
"You'll be fine, Mirage. I'm going to take care of you."
Mirage looked up and thought she caught sight of two amber eyes glinting from within the dark shadow of the hood.
"Listen to me, Mirage, okay?"
Mirage nodded.
"I am going to take care of you, if you trust me. Do you trust me?"
Mirage nodded again.
The figure wiped a tear away from Mirage's eye as she stood. "Good. You're going to be just fine, dear."
The figure reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing her true form. Mirage gasped and shuffled back away from her, grasping for the dagger she had dropped. Standing in front of her was what she had feared running into most. Not more than three steps away, red fur and all, was a fox.
Chapter II
The vixen smiled and nodded slowly as Mirage raised the dagger and pointed it at her.
"I thought just as much would happen. Mirage, listen to me carefully, and please believe me when I say I will take care of you." She leaned against a nearby tree and clasped her paws in front of her. "I knew of your family, and I know that Drek had been planning this for a while. As soon as I heard Drek boasting about what he had done, I rushed here fearing to see all three of you dead. I buried Storm and Shadow, your parents, and considered looking for you, but I knew you would return, so I waited."
Mirage stared past the dagger she was holding at the vixen, not knowing whether to trust and believe her or not. "Who are you?"
The vixen smiled warmly at the question. "My name is Lady Argent Silverblade, and believe me when I say that I despise Drek as much as any woodlander in these parts. He is cruel, conniving, and one day his ways will get him killed." Argent drew a rapier from under her cloak and admired the silver blade as it shone in the sunlight. "I just hope I get to see that day myself."
Mirage stared blankly at the blade for a moment as her mind registered what Argent had said. "Why do you want him dead?"
"He took something from me that was rightfully mine." Argent sheathed the rapier and looked down at the ground. "My Foxtribe. You see...I know about the histories of your family, and of mine. They were once rivals, but when both chanced to end up in these parts, they formed an alliance of sorts. It was really a treaty, but as time went, old grudges were amended. Not long after Spectre, your grandfather, died, I met Drek. I knew when I first set eyes on him that he was no ordinary fox, and that his intentions were far from what my Foxtribe considered honourable, but his sly ways and uncanny sense of cunning and charm lowered my defence.
"He was quick in taking over Foxtribe, and pushing me out of power by show of force and brute strength, and soon he had a few of his friends from the far north as second in command and chief advisor. My comrades were helpless as more of them showed up, and whenever we showed signs of resistance more of us would vanish. Now, he has his own Foxtribe, full of his own kind, and there are only a handful of my tribe. I stayed with them the longest, knowing that Drek would not see me harmed, but yesterday was my last day with him. Now, I am going to join my comrades in our hideaway."
Mirage slowly lowered the dagger as she stared at Argent. Something had caught her eye while the vixen had been talking, and had moved her to a point where she felt like the two of them were friends. A solitary tear had formed in Argent's left eye and vanished into the red fur. Mirage swallowed the lump that was in her throat and decided to voice a thought that had come up.
"You thought you loved him?"
Argent nodded without looking up. "Yes...and in all respects, I think I still would had he not turned into what he is."
"But you want him dead?"
"He is a murderer. He killed a score of my friends, and your parents, as well as many of the other woodlanders in this area. He deserves to die."
Mirage looked back at her parents' graves. "Why did you bury my parents?"
Argent looked up and eyed the ferret, a look of sympathy on her face. "Because, it was right. I knew what your family stood for, and I thought it honourable and just."
"What did they stand for that was so important?"
Argent smiled slightly. "I'll tell you, but you need to come with me first." She walked over to Mirage and placed a paw on her shoulder. "Trust me, I'll teach you everything you need to know."
Mirage nodded absentmindedly. Though she was far from tears, she was still feeling lost and overwhelmed. "What about my parents?"
"They will be remembered, but their time is over. Now, you need to take their place." Argent removed the chain from Storm's grave and studied the pendant that hung from it. "An eagle. You know what it stands for?"
Mirage shook her head.
"I'll tell you. Here, put it on and take those daggers. Then, come with me. I have something to show you."
Mirage stared at the small, silver eagle dangling in front of her before she reached out and took it from Argent. She hung it around her neck and took the twin daggers that had belonged to her father. Argent showed her how to tuck them safely in her belt so that they did not cut her while she walked, and the two silently walked towards the far end of the clearing. Mirage stopped at the edge, but only long enough to look back at the two crosses, and then she sighed and sniffed back a tear before following Argent into the forest.
Chapter III
It was not far to Argent's den, the entrance of which was nothing more than a hardly noticeable hole between two roots of a tree. A fox was standing guard, hidden just within the entrance, and he gave them both a brisk salute as they entered. All was dark, and Mirage was forced to keep a paw on Argent's shoulder to keep from becoming lost.
"We do this as a safety precaution," Argent explained. "If there is no light, then there is no sign that someone is living down here. This place is, to my knowledge, unknown to Drek and his band. Unfortunately, only five -six now- know about it, and that is yourself, and all that is left of my Foxtribe, including myself. That was Slick you met at the entrance. His real name is Caerus, but we call him Slick because he's good at conning others. That's how he managed to stay alive when he still worked under Drek."
Mirage just nodded as Argent led her onward through the dark tunnel. After what seemed like hours, but was probably no more than a minute, Argent stopped and opened a door. Mirage was blinded momentarily by the sudden appearance of light as Argent led her into the room.
"Sorry about not warning you. This is the main room. We usually eat here, and the different doors lead to our individual rooms, and the one in the back leads to the kitchen. Kassander, Kass for short, was rather smart about the kitchen. He set it up so all of the smoke from the stove and oven gets filtered out through multiple ventilation shafts that are actually in a tree overhead. He made an arrangement with a squirrel to help."
Mirage blinked and her vision slowly returned. They were standing in a plain-looking, circular room, void of furnishings save for a table, six chairs, and a few stands with low-burning lamps. Several holes, which were no doubt ventilation shafts, were spread out along the top of the wall, running along the uneven ceiling. There were seven doors, one of which led back the way they had just come from, were arranged at uneven intervals around the room.
"What's behind those doors?" Mirage asked.
"Well, Slick and Shara have that room there," she pointed to the door nearest Mirage's right and continued in order, "that next one's mine. That one's the kitchen, and Kass has a small room and bed in there, hmm...the next one is empty, and that last one belongs to Mikael. He's nice, you'll meet him soon."
"Why is that room empty?"
Argent nodded slowly. "It belonged to another fox, Garrad, but Drek killed him a week ago. That room will be yours now."
There was a moment of silence, and Mirage used it to look around again, this time putting names to the doors to help make things more familiar. Curious, she wandered over to the room Argent had said was hers, and opened the door. It was dark inside and she could not see anything. She slowly closed the door and walked about the room. Though small and simple, a sense of homeliness drifted about, and in spite of its strangeness, Mirage felt welcome and safe.
"Dinner will be soon. You have whatever you need in your room, save clothing. Running water, though admittedly not very much, is courtesy of Kass' ingenuity yet again. If you like a good, challenging puzzle or riddle, he's the one to ask. I have some business to attend to and it will probably last until dinnertime. I will introduce you around the table then, and you'll get a chance to meet everyone. Then, I have something I want to show you after dinner. There should be a lamp on a small stand just inside the door to that room which you can light off of the ones in here. Make yourself at home, Mirage, you are more than welcome here."
Mirage nodded and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Argent."
Argent smiled and bowed in return. "It is the least I can do, m'lady."
Mirage watched the vixen leave through Mikael's door and she heard a muffled 'hello.' Then, the door closed, and she was left alone. Glancing about one more time, she walked over to her door and opened it. The lamp was where Argent had said it was, and she lit it with another lamp just outside her door before walking into her room.
The room was not impressively large, but not cramped and small either. The foxes, probably Kass, had spent a lot of well thought out time planning, digging the place out, and making the accommodations comfortable. Two lamps, the one from the stand and a larger one hanging from the centre of the ceiling, lit the entire room with a faded, dim light that gave everything an off-yellow hue. Running water was indeed available, and as Argent had said, in a small yet useable amount. A basin was located in one corner of the room which was slightly larger than a normal washbasin, and was accompanied by everything needed to clean one's self up. The drain could be stopped up to fill the basin, and the waterspout, which normally ran at all times, could be blocked as well, to prevent overflowing. When she first approached the basin, both were stopped up, and she discovered their uses and operations by curiously pulling at the stoppers.
At the sight of running water, and soap and a towel, Mirage felt more than obliged to clean up somewhat. Once she was clean, she stopped up the running water and dressed up in the black tunic and slacks that she usually wore under her robe, and opted to leave the heavier garment on the bed. The robe had taken in most of the mud and muck from her aimless wandering the night before, and had worked to preserve the rest of her clothing fairly well, so tracking mud was not a problem. She then put her mother's necklace with the eagle on and spent the rest of the time until dinner exploring the room and finding out where everything was.
Chapter IV
The call to dinner was not long after Mirage had finished cleaning herself up, but still long enough that she was able to familiarise herself with the room. She had been more curious about its previous occupant than anything, and had spent most of her exploration time looking through the drawers of the dresser than anything. Her most exciting find, however, was the long, thin-bladed rapier and matching dagger, which hung on one of the walls. When she set eyes on them, a desire to learn the trade behind using them snatched her, and she resolved to ask Argent about it later that night.
When she came out of the room, Argent was already sitting at the table, emerged in conversation with another fox. The other fox was rather odd in appearance. One eye was a pale blue, while another was a soft brown. The two colours seemed to blend with his fur, which was a mix of greys, blacks, and dark browns. He was wearing a simple tan vest over a white tunic and tan slacks, bound by a black sword belt. When Mirage entered the room, both of them stopped talking and looked her way. Argent said something to the fox and waved the ferret over.
"Mirage, this is Mikael."
Mirage walked over to the two of them and bowed politely. "Hello, sir."
When Mikael spoke, it surprised Mirage. His voice was soft and gentle, far more so than she had expected, and it seemed to come out as a loud whisper.
"My, my, such a polite little lady." Mikael chuckled. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Mirage. I hope you enjoy it here and find us as hospitable as we hope we are."
"We were just discussing you, Mirage." Argent stood and pulled a chair out for her. "Here, sit down. Mikael and I were wondering about you and your own personal belongings. Both of us agree that a trip back to your house might prove beneficial, and you could bring whatever you need back here. We could go tomorrow."
Mirage nodded. "Alright, that sounds good."
Mikael grinned. "Then we will leave tomorrow morning?"
Argent nodded.
"Good," Mikael's grin spread. "Now then, where is everyone else?"
Argent thought for a moment. "Well, I imagine Slick's up in the main passageway; he'll be down as soon as the food catches his nostrils. Kass is in the kitchen, and I had Shara helping him."
Mikael leaned over and whispered to Mirage, "That means we will get a good meal tonight."
Mirage grinned and looked around, feeling slightly nervous at being in the company of the foxes.
"Comin' down!"
All eyes turned towards the main door as it swung open and an all black fox wearing a dark grey coat over green entered. Argent rolled her eyes as Mikael nudged Mirage and whispered to her again.
"That is Slick. Watch out for him or he will have you doing his bidding before you know it." He winked and chuckled as Slick approached the table.
"Well, nothin' to report, as usual." He nodded to Mirage. "Hi there. M'name's Slick, I don't believe we've met formally." He offered a paw.
"Mirage," she said, taking his paw and giving it a soft shake.
"Nice meetin' ya, Mirage. So, how're you likin' it here so far?"
Mirage shrugged. "It's nice, I guess."
Mikael shot Slick a glance and pressed a finger to his lips. "Her parents died yesterday by Drek's blade. Calm down just a little for now."
Slick nodded and gave Mirage a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry none, dear. We'll take care of ya, and see to it that Drek gets what's comin' to him." He sighed and took the seat opposite Argent. "So, what's the general talk for tonight?"
"We are going to visit Mirage's house tomorrow morning. Argent, Mirage, and I will be going to pick up a few things for her, and that should be it. Otherwise, I would expect more of the usual routine."
Slick nodded. "Alright, be careful, though. Drek's probably going to be prowling about for someone's hide."
Argent shook her head. "I hope not. I'm actually considering sounding alarm and trying to get everyone to move north again."
Mikael frowned. "That failed last time. I do not expect it to work this time."
"Well, you never know." Argent rested her head on the table. "Redwall would be safer for them than living here."
Mikael rubbed Argent's back and nodded. "True, but you are asking them to leave their homes. Most, if not all of them, do not know what Redwall is, or that Loamhedge is even gone."
Argent sighed and closed her eyes. "It might be worth a try."
Mikael nodded and looked ready to say something, but the door opened and cut him off. Two more foxes entered from the kitchen. One, obviously Shara, was carrying four pitchers, which she set in the centre of the table before taking a seat next to Slick and brushing back her red headfur.
"Hi dear,"
"Hello lovely," Slick chuckled and gave the vixen a quick kiss on the cheek. "So, Kass, what're we biting into tonight?"
Kass, a respectfully older fox, whose fur, originally red, was tinged with grey, stood tall and proud as he presented his dish. "Well, thanks to the rain we had a good fresh crop of mushrooms, so I borrowed ol' Halbrow's recipe and cooked up a mushroom an' leek soup."
Mikael rubbed his paws together slowly and smiled. "Good, one of my favourites."
Kass nodded and caught sight of Mirage. "Well, well, a newcomer. My name's Kass, an' don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."
Shara turned and spotted Mirage. "Oh, I missed you. Please forgive me." She offered a paw. "Shara."
Mirage nodded to both of them, giving Shara's paw a quick shake. "Mirage. Nice to meet all of you."
Kass smiled and started walking back to the kitchen. "Guess we'll need an extra setting tonight."
"I already took care of that, Kass." Argent smiled and waved the cook back. "And she'll be staying with us until further notice."
Kass nodded and returned to the table, counting out the place settings as if to reassure himself that there truly were six out on the table. "Bloody...well, guess I won't worry 'bout that. Right then, guests an' ladies first." He grinned as he served Mirage a portion of the soup, then poured the second serving into Slick's bowl.
Slick shouted out in mock protest and chuckled sarcastically. "Funny, Kass. You still have the same sense of humour,"
"And the same old joke." Shara grinned and took Slick's bowl, giving him her own which had yet to be filled.
Argent grinned as soup was poured into her own bowl and thanked Kass politely. "Well, you know, Slick, I was one to always trust Kass' judgement."
Slick snorted and shook his head. "Well, he's not always right, an' he can't judge a good joke from a bad'ne."
Kass waved the ladle in front of Slick's nose. "One more peep out o' you an' I'll forget t' serve you."
Mikael said something that was apparently only heard by Argent, and she laughed. Slick and Kass got into a wrestling match over the ladle, and while they were preoccupied, Shara finished her first serving and helped herself to a second, using Slick's bowl in place of the ladle. Mirage was at a loss for words at the whole scene, and after no more than a few seconds, she found herself unable to suppress a chuckle, and when Kass managed to drench Slick with a water pitcher, everyone ended up on the floor laughing, except for Mikael, who just grinned and chuckled in his chair and continued to eat his soup.
Chapter V
"Mirage, Mikael, please come with me."
Dinner was over, and save for a drenched Slick, there were no accidents. Now, Argent was standing by her door and motioning for the two of them to follow. Slick and Shara had already left the table and were in their room, and Kass had busied himself with clearing the table and planning the next morning's breakfast menu.
Mikael pushed his chair back and waited for Mirage before making his way over to Argent. Once the two of them arrived, she opened the door and walked in. She waited until both of them had come in before closing the door.
"Mirage, I told you I had something to show you. I need you to focus, though, and you will learn something. Come over here, please."
Mikael sat down on the bed while Argent slowly led Mirage over to a wall-mirror that was next to the washbasin. Mirage stared at her reflection for a moment before looking at Argent.
"You wanted to show me a mirror?"
Argent shook her head. "Look. What do you see?"
"I see me."
"Who are you?"
"Mirage." Mirage gave Argent a curious look, but the vixen pointed back to the mirror. "What am I supposed to see?"
"I can't answer that. Now look at yourself. What do you see?"
Mirage stared at the mirror, and the reflection of herself. "I see me."
Argent nodded. "What do you know about you?"
"Everything, I guess."
"Even your history?"
Mirage was silent.
"I am going to teach you to see more in that mirror, but it will take a while."
Mirage nodded and looked back at Argent. "Why?"
"Because, it is the only way you can learn to accept yourself, and with it comes knowledge and wisdom."
Mirage looked back at the mirror and gazed at the reflection. "How?"
"That comes in time, Mirage." Argent walked over to a bookshelf and pulled a worn journal out from among several. "I want to read something to you, and maybe you will be able to see a little of what your own history is like. This was the log book of my own ancestor, one who knew yours very well." She cleared her throat and started.
"Things are working well with the plan, and I hold no doubts that we will come out of this on top. Ghost suspects nothing, and the rest of Eagle Watch is all but worried we will try something. Well, all, that is, save Celleste. She is, perhaps, the most doubtful of all of them about our alleged alignment. That could present a problem, and I must express concerns that if she convinces Ghost to see things how she does, then he could easily convince the rest of his group. Other than that, Eagle Watch is of little trouble, and all should run smoothly."
Argent stopped and closed the journal. "The rest is of little importance right now, but you will read it later. Did you ever learn about Ghost?"
"Only that he was my ancestor, and lived in Loamhedge for a while."
"What about Eagle Watch?"
Mirage shook her head.
"Alright, then I will have to teach you about Eagle Watch as well. There is a reason you have the eagle embroidered onto your robe, and on that necklace you now wear. It is significant to your past, and all that your family has stood for through the ages. Tell me, what does the eagle represent?"
Mirage shrugged. "I don't know. Hunting, maybe?"
Argent shook her head. "No. It represents proud dignity, cunning and great skill. The eagle is often used to describe those noble in nature and honourable in action. Eagles are keen, quick, and deadly."
"What does that have to do with me and my family?"
Argent walked over to her bed and sat next to Mikael. "The eagle is a symbol of something your family, Ghost to be specific, started. They made a vow to stand up for all that was honourable and true, and to watch the lands like an eagle, searching for any signs of misdeeds and unjust actions. Ghost is directly responsible for the downfall of one horde, and for once rescuing slaves from another. He formed a group of beasts, mostly woodlanders, to fight against the likes of my ancestor, Trent, who wrote that passage. Trent betrayed Eagle Watch shortly after writing it, but that will come later. I just want you to grasp the basic about what your family is all about, and why you were raised to be the way you are."
Mirage blinked and nodded. "I...see."
Argent smiled and stood to give Mirage a quick embrace. "Good. Now rest easy, we have an early morning."
Mirage nodded and waved good night to Mikael before leaving Argent's rook and heading into her own. She quickly undressed and climbed into bed, her mind too full of what Argent had just said to her to care that the bed was unfamiliar and not the one she had grown used to sleeping in most of her life. In just a short time, she was asleep and dreaming of eagles, and of a ferret named Ghost.