Ed strolled casually into the clearing. Tyra, as usual, began looking for something other then decomposing leaves to concentrate on.

"Predak's told me that you're becoming hard to break."

Tyra stayed (guess) silent.

"And I see what she means." His eyes took in the rugged state of the branches and ruffled grass. Tyra hoped he wouldn't look at the crashed brush where Lenny had been.

"We aren't going to do anything to you, hare. It's not only you and your friends at stake."

Tyra frowned, but kept her eyes down.

"Look, Tyra, you know Redwall? Well, Redwall's at stake here more then you."

Tyra's mouth began to water, her thoughts turning to Redwall's food. But she kept her mind strait and began staring Ed down. He backed away from her visious glare.

"Look, hare. You need to learn who's in authority here--"

"And it's not you." Tyra said dangerously.

"Now I know what she means," he said in an undertone. He picked up the whip. Her eyes widened. Of course he took it in.

"You don't want more of this, do you? You got your taste of it yesterday. If you keep like this, this isn't the last piece you'll get."

Lenny, hiding in the bushes, trying to et in to talk to Tyra, widened his eyes as he saw Ed bring the whip down, and Tyra fell back against the tree, her eyes wide and flinching.

"I hate you," she said, and Lenny and Ed did not fail to notice the hatred in her voice and on her face. "And I hate everyone else who stands for what you do. I don't care anymore. I live to see you die."

At this, Ed turned and walked off, his pace trying not to show his fear. Tyra stared at the ground again, and drew her knees up as well as she could, laying her head down on them. Lenny shot out of the bushes.

"Tyra, are you OK?" He asked worridly.

"Of course I'm not ok." More blood was running down her back. "Should I be ok? Do I look ok?"

"Tyra, calm down." Lenny left.

Tyra stared after him, mentally chiding herself. She looked down again, as her eyes filled. She couldn't keep up anymore.

Chapter 34

Tyra awoke around noon later that day. Somebeast had ignorantly restrained her even more with a thick, long chain. Now, she could feel the rough bark of the tree against her throbbing back. She couldn't inch forward at all to give her paws a relief, as they were bound behind her back, and now pressed against the tree. She frowned. Rats. Literally.

She heard the swish of the tent flap and the thud of paws on the ground. Her heart racing, she hummed a little, her eyes falling to the floor. The chain was cold against her torn tunic. She couldn't press herself against the tree for safety...someone had thought of this. She couldn't move at all.

Predak stopped in front of her.

"Hare," she said, "You gave Ed a hard time this morning."

Tyra frowned.

"You really must learn to curb that wild tongue of yours. It causes you more trouble than anything else."

Tyra frowned even more.

"And, not to mention, the stupid habit of silence. If you're trying to press for information, it's quite hard."

Tyra snorted.

"Now when have I ever done that?" she said, sarcastically.

Predak again pulled down the whip. Tyra tried in vain to press herself against the tree, heart pounding and eyes wide and scared. Predak laughed evilly.

"Who's got the authority now?" she said, eyes narrowing. "Tell me, hare. Who has the authority?"

Tyra sighed and closed her eyes. Predak brought the whip down.

"Answer it, hare. Who has the authority!"

Tyra winced and shuddered. She wouldn't answer...

Predak brought the whip down again and asked. Tyra didn't answer, unless you call a short gasp in pain an answer. In only a matter of minutes that this went on, Tyra slumped in the chain; pain, stress, hunger, and hate taking their toll, finally. Predak turned to leave.

"We can continue, hare, or we can come to a point." Predak reentered her tent. Only then did Lenny even dare to enter the clearing.

"Tyra?"

She didn't answer.

He took her pulse. Unconsious. It figured. Sighing, he left.

************************************************************

Predak returned to Tyra a little later. The hare was still unconsious. Figured. She might as well wake her up. She had gotten what she deserved. And now she was going to get more.

Predak drew out one of the small vials of saltwater they had stored up for cases like this. Uncorking it, she turned it upside down over the open gash on Tyra's shoulders. She jolted awake, gasping in pain.

"What the--oh, it's you."

Predak grinned.

"So, do you want more, hare? Or do you want that cut open more? Or will you tell me what I need to hear from you?"

Tyra stared at Predak's footpaws.

"Do I even have a choice?"

Predak frowned.

"Just say it. I know you're in pain. It's the only thing that will stop it." She stooped down so that she was looking Tyra eye to eye.

"Listen," she said in a whisper. "You know Eric and Ed and Akhal and them? I'm--"

"NO!" Tyra said, before Predak finished. "I won't. I can't. I will not turn my back on my friends. You don't own me, Predak, like the other creatures you've tortured and killed. You're a liar. You promised them riches. What did it get them? Death. Death and/or misery. I won't fall for it like they did."

Predak straightened.

"Fine then, if you wish to die. You've had your chance to live." She strode back to her tent, and shouted for her captains. They came running.

************************************************************

Pred ak paced in front of her six captains, each of which stood at attention.

"All of you, tell the Redwallers that unless they surrender within seven days, we're going to start executions. I have a few that I have my eye on. One by one. And if they're all dead by then, we'll start battering down the walls. We'll get in there, whether or not they surrender. Go now."

All of them left but Ed.

"Which one is first?"

"You don't know? Of course it would be the hare. Other then being probably the most dangerous, she's probably the most ignorant too. She's first, then it's Katze, the traitor. I'm saving the warrior's son for last. That way we might have a trade."