::Pain::

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A/N: Visit the Redwall Fanfiction board! Go here: http://pub80.ezboard.com/bredwall58860

*

The sun had long set, and the hour was late, so late that the moon was already on it's downward path. The colonel tossed sleeplessly on his bed, unable to close his eyes. There was a concern at the back of his mind, refusing to go away, and troubling him to no end. It was there, inside his mind, telling him, whispering softly, urging him forward, as he saw the small, silver key on his table, glinting in the silver moonlight. The tiny piece of metal glinted maliciously in the moonlight, as if it held a power beyond imagination, and it did. It sat there like a pot of gold waiting to be claimed, but an inch out of reach. It was as if it were tempting him, willing him slowly forward to grab it and run down to the cells and let her out.

Daleria.

Mossflower knows what she must be thinking then. Rapieratce knew that she now hated him with all her heart, spitefully and without remorse. Not that he could blame her. Who wouldn't hate anybeast who hurt then threw you into a prison cell two times in a row? Running a paw through his ears, the vexed colonel turned over again, still unable to sleep, partially because of his current dilemma and partially because his ribs were still sore and felt extremely uncomfortable. Sighing, he turned again, trying to force his eyes close to no avail. Finally breaking, he grabbed a tunic, threw it on and went out quietly to think. Rapieratce did not even give second thought to that he was breaking another rule by doing this. Ever since Daleria had, how would one put it, influenced him, Rapieratce had laxed up a bit, not too visibly, but still... Trying to clear his mind as he approached the same balcony that he had found Daleria on a few weeks back, the colonel desperately tried to make up his mind.

To let her go or not to let her go... That is the question... (A/N: I succumbed to Shakespeare...) You know what you have to do, 'Atce.

Oh for the sake of Mossflower! Go away, you annoying conscience!

Daleria needs to get out of there, 'Atce. You know it. The captain will go insane if she does not. There is already too much on her mind.

She will cool off soon enough.

You try to lie to yourself, 'Atce. Never try to lie to yourself.

Sometimes a beast must.

Sometimes a beast must not.

The lady will not allow it. I would be leading her to her death. I cannot. By Mossflower, it would kill her!

It would kill her to leave her like that.

That is the bally problem! Either flippin way, she won't survive!

There is always a way, 'Atce.

The sea lapped onto the shore, oblivious to the torment the hare colonel was going through. Sitting on the soft moss, Rapieratce surveyed the scene before him. The area was calm, only a slight chilly breeze and the water affected the peace. The moon shone at a crescent, layering the scene in a brush of transparency, making the whole vision appear like liquid silver before his eyes. Eyeing everything, Rapieratce took the opportunity to sit back and think without anybeast interrupting him for orders for once. In fact, the colonel was so busy thinking, that he never noticed a slight shadow in the corner, coming up from the second floor and sneaking towards his own dormitory.

*

Sergeant Longrunn knew that the colonel had the key. He had seen him take it himself, just as he pulled the half crazed Joseph away from the scene. Longrunn knew that he would never give the key to Consellariel unless the lady forced him to, as Rapieratce would always fall into consideration about matters such as this. It was the colonel's weak point, and Longrunn was using it to his advantage. The sergeant knew that Daleria would not last down there, and aimed to get her out at all costs, even this. There was no way that he was leaving his superior in that condition. At least if he got her out, maybe he could convince her not to go and risk everything. Even if he couldn't, at least Daleria's mind would be slightly more at rest, and not intent on going off the edge and into partial insanity down there.

Creeping out of his own dormitory on the second floor, the sergeant had moved up the staircase as silently as possible, intent on not being found out. When he got to the top however, he nearly fell back down again in surprise. Did his eyes deceive him, or was that Rapieratce sitting out on the third floor balcony? Surely the colonel had not broken a rule and decided to come out for no reason?!

This night is getting odder and odder by the blinkin second!

Choosing not to disturb the colonel, Longrunn cast his confusion to the back of his mind, creeping past the other hare in silent hope that the usually observant colonel was preoccupied at that time. The sergeant was in luck, and he managed to sneak past Rapieratce without the other even looking up. Breathing a mental sigh of relief, Longrunn quickened his pace over to the colonel's dormitory, taking a left, then a right, going straight all the way to the other end of the long corridor. Quietly sliding the door open and slipping inside, the sergeant began to look around for the key. After opening a drawer or two, he managed to spot the small key on the table top, and grabbed it and shoved it into his pocket. Making sure that everything was in order and hoping that Rapieratce did not notice that anything had been moved, Longrunn crept out again, but froze in his tracks just as he cleared the first turn.

The give away sound of paws pattering across the rock floor stalled him, and the sergeant stood stalk still, fear coursing through his veins. It was obviously the colonel, no other hare would be up at this odd hour in the dead of the night. There was not escape, he corridor was narrow, and the path behind him was a dead end save for the colonel's dormitory. One way or another, he would be found out, and trouble was undoubtedly coming his way. All the sergeant could do was think up as feasible a reason as possible, hoping it would pass as an explanation as to why he was there. But Longrunn knew it would not work. All he could do now was try to be as unnoticeable as he could be and hope with all his heart that Rapieratce was really occupied that night.