(A/N- Meryl's POV)
I slowly closed the journal; I never really realized what had led to the deaths of so many beasts on both sides. I mostly just felt sick at the knowledge, at lunch I'd heard about the ship being full of dead oar slaves, they'd wiped out any other beasts. I had to go see it, just to calm the thoughts about what could have happened; in Hale's journal he'd mentioned old beasts and children aboard the ship. Had they escaped, I wondered and in that moment I moved to my desk to grab my small knife so I could make the trip to the ship.
"What the?" I murmured confused, the drawer was empty of the blade, in its place was small piece of paper on which was Hale's neat handwriting.
"I'm sorry for taking this Meryl, but you don't need it. One who cherishes life doesn't need the means to end it. Signed your patient Hale. PS- Forget this and just be good." He had done it neatly, but towards the end there was a nervous waver that gave me some unpleasant thoughts. I tore the paper to pieces and went to the armory for a stout staff telling the guard simply.
"I have to gather some herbs and the jolly lot." I said it cheerfully and he stepped aside smiling even suggesting what I should carry. "Thank you sah."
"Have a jolly day miss." He saluted me and I was off to the stores grabbing food, mostly at random, sneaking a few into my mouth in the process, until I had a full haversack. I left the mountain giving the same excuse to the guards.
"Got to get herbs n' wotnot." They waved me off and I began feeling sick only a few yards away, the sands were still stained from the battle and scattered thinly were the bodies of the dead. The ship that had been beached upon the shore was gone, its mast stuck up from the depths of the ocean. Shreds of the sails bobbed on the waves, light shimmered off the ocean giving me a silhouette of the ship.
"You all right?" One of the hares on duty shouted as I swayed visibly.
"I'm jolly good sah!" I waved as I called back and hurried off down the beach following Hale's footprints, which still seemed fresh in the bloodied sand, they seemed to stop every once in a while and then joined a set of bloodied footprints and disappeared into the forest. By now I had made my mind up, I couldn't take living at Salamandastron any longer, I couldn't take it. Every time I had looked at the hares around me, I saw those lying dead upon the beach; they had a right to live as well.
I couldn't bring myself to take it now that Hale had opened my eyes; perhaps that was why he had told me to forget it so often. But I couldn't forget it, since the day of the war; the sights of the dead and wounded had dominated my thoughts and dreams. The faces passed through my mind, visibly sending chills down my spine, giving me little or no rest.
I had made up my mind as I read through the pages of what Hale had written, I knew of the peaceful counties in the east and sought refuge from the fighting. I hoped I would see my new friend again, perhaps we could find some peace with each other. I wondered about the other set of footprints, were they the weasel Hale had spoken to before the ill-fated troop had engaged the badger lord's forces. I banished all thoughts and just kept one goal on my mind, to find some peace in the world. And so I set off through the woods, on my way towards a new peaceful horizon and with some luck, true happiness.
I slowly closed the journal; I never really realized what had led to the deaths of so many beasts on both sides. I mostly just felt sick at the knowledge, at lunch I'd heard about the ship being full of dead oar slaves, they'd wiped out any other beasts. I had to go see it, just to calm the thoughts about what could have happened; in Hale's journal he'd mentioned old beasts and children aboard the ship. Had they escaped, I wondered and in that moment I moved to my desk to grab my small knife so I could make the trip to the ship.
"What the?" I murmured confused, the drawer was empty of the blade, in its place was small piece of paper on which was Hale's neat handwriting.
"I'm sorry for taking this Meryl, but you don't need it. One who cherishes life doesn't need the means to end it. Signed your patient Hale. PS- Forget this and just be good." He had done it neatly, but towards the end there was a nervous waver that gave me some unpleasant thoughts. I tore the paper to pieces and went to the armory for a stout staff telling the guard simply.
"I have to gather some herbs and the jolly lot." I said it cheerfully and he stepped aside smiling even suggesting what I should carry. "Thank you sah."
"Have a jolly day miss." He saluted me and I was off to the stores grabbing food, mostly at random, sneaking a few into my mouth in the process, until I had a full haversack. I left the mountain giving the same excuse to the guards.
"Got to get herbs n' wotnot." They waved me off and I began feeling sick only a few yards away, the sands were still stained from the battle and scattered thinly were the bodies of the dead. The ship that had been beached upon the shore was gone, its mast stuck up from the depths of the ocean. Shreds of the sails bobbed on the waves, light shimmered off the ocean giving me a silhouette of the ship.
"You all right?" One of the hares on duty shouted as I swayed visibly.
"I'm jolly good sah!" I waved as I called back and hurried off down the beach following Hale's footprints, which still seemed fresh in the bloodied sand, they seemed to stop every once in a while and then joined a set of bloodied footprints and disappeared into the forest. By now I had made my mind up, I couldn't take living at Salamandastron any longer, I couldn't take it. Every time I had looked at the hares around me, I saw those lying dead upon the beach; they had a right to live as well.
I couldn't bring myself to take it now that Hale had opened my eyes; perhaps that was why he had told me to forget it so often. But I couldn't forget it, since the day of the war; the sights of the dead and wounded had dominated my thoughts and dreams. The faces passed through my mind, visibly sending chills down my spine, giving me little or no rest.
I had made up my mind as I read through the pages of what Hale had written, I knew of the peaceful counties in the east and sought refuge from the fighting. I hoped I would see my new friend again, perhaps we could find some peace with each other. I wondered about the other set of footprints, were they the weasel Hale had spoken to before the ill-fated troop had engaged the badger lord's forces. I banished all thoughts and just kept one goal on my mind, to find some peace in the world. And so I set off through the woods, on my way towards a new peaceful horizon and with some luck, true happiness.