A Sly Fan: Thank You, I wish I had more.
Songbreeze Swifteye: You are the one who doles out the pity, I'm eager to see who you feel sorry
for this chapter! J/K, but anyway, thanks for reading still, I know I'm kinda dragging, but keep in mind this is only a rough draft. You made me laugh about the oxymoron thing, look closely in the chapter ;D
A1: I feel so bad that I didn't get the last chapter to you. If you knew me in real life, you'd know
that this would be a normal occurrence, but thanks for editing it anyhow!
Acoustical Ferret: About Ira--- that's what I'm going for. Someone who's annoying and
childishly cruel. I bet next chapter you'll get the first taste of how cruel. Yeah, descriptions, bah. We
were reading Romeo and Juliet in English and if you know Shakespeare, you'd know where those weird
descriptions come from. Sorry about the awkwardness! On the final, they'll be re-worked.
Arwen-Galadriel: Hmm, I always thought that Outcast made vermin seem even more heartless, but
oh well, glad you like what I'm doing! Did I say glad, I meant EXTACTIC!
Kayla Silvercat: I re-read the Twyler scene, and must agree. I did a very bad job of portraying her.
I hope you don't think less of Twyler because of how I wrote her! Jk ;D
Of Morning and Mourning
By: Catty Engles
Dawn had broken not so long ago. The sky was still gray but rent with slender fingers of light lancing across the barren island's cruel terrain. Jyda heedlessly sat on a rock, in full view of the castle. She closed her eyes and listened to the waves pummel the coastline, mentally tasting the brine and feeling the sway of the deck beneath her paws. She hugged herself in the cool air, more for comfort than for warmth. Thinking of the Queen meant thinking of Twyler. Thinking of Twyler meant thinking of Nanda. Thinking of them both meant thinking of capture, cruelty, torture...abandonment.
And she was sitting on a rock.
There was a storm beating inside Jyda's breast, raging around her heart and tugging at it cruelly. The storm had always been a familiar part of Jyda. It was a reckless feeling of boldness and brashness combined. But why don't I do something... Why don't I... The seed had been planted and took root amazingly fast. Jyda's breath came rapidly as she began to realize the audacious idea that was forming in her mind. From ignorance to knowledge is an easily made transition, but the converse is another matter entirely. Jyda was no exception. She stared unseeingly at the castle for a time, her brain whirring and calculating. She blinked.
It was final. She had to go through with it now. It was one of Jyda's peculiarities, resisting a challenge was difficult, bordering on impossible. This challenge was issued by her own mind, and as she slid down the side of the rock, she grinned to herself. The adrenaline started to-
"Jyda, hey."
She turned abruptly, loosing her balance for a moment. Ren grinned amiably "G'mornin'."
Jyda shook her head slightly and regained her footing. Her mind was fixed on one idea, and Ren's appearance wasn't it. Her mouth wasn't working properly, but Ren didn't seem to notice.
"Your Da would kill me if he found out I was out here." He shook his head mournfully, "He's got some crazy idea about us in his mind." Jyda didn't care if Da thought she was a purple ermine, and Ren had sprouted wings. "Nice day." Ren remarked nonchalantly, taking up Jyda's former position on the rock. Jyda must have grunted something intelligible because Ren nodded and lay back, folding his arms behind his head. Jyda found herself thinking funny thoughts.
He had very muscular arms...
"I love this kind of morning, seems to me, everything is just waking up, including the sea and the earth and the sky. This day has promise." His eyes were slit against the brisk breeze.
He had very warm, nut-brown eyes...
"We better go in soon, breakfast is being prepared by your brothers. They would be irate if you missed it, not to mention if they had to come find you." He smiled at his own joke, flicking some flyaway fur out of his face.
He had a very nice smile and a very nice face...
Jyda's storm came back with a vengeance, pulling at her heart again. This time it hurt. Jyda had a feeling that her heart had become more tender within its absence. But the challenge still remained and Jyda was not one to pass a challenge up.
"You go along, I'll catch up. Nutpaw makes great pasties, you'll have to try them."
With a sigh Ren jumped from the rock, landing neatly at Jyda's side, "You mean, we'll have to try them." Her heart gave a flutter through the gale tearing through her. 'We' was a wonderful word. "I hope your brothers are bigger than poisoning those who pose the threat of taking you away from them." Realizing what he had just said, Ren backtracked quickly. "Well, I mean in terms of us taking off on the Queen again, or something. You will sail again. I can see there's saltwater in your blood." Jyda nodded dumbly. 'Us' was a wonderful word too.
Ren suddenly looked awkward. He scratched his cheek and sighed deeply. Jyda could feel his breath. "Well, um, I'll meet you back at the cave. I can see you want to be alone."
The challenge kept her from contradicting his wrong statement.
"All right, meet you then." Jyda heard herself say.
"Yeah."
As Ren turned back towards the cave, Jyda turned towards the castle. Emotions were running high, tearing through her unchecked, and for one instant, Jyda liked the feeling. Especially the feeling of one that seemed to nestle in the confines of her heart, carefully wrapped up for later use, but still undeniably there.
Jyda smiled at its silent reassurance, and without a glance over her shoulder, began to run towards the castle.
***
Fletch the weasel had talked with Twyler long into the night. He had been thankful for friendly companionship after a season of imprisonment. Twyler could feel the air of unease from both Delair and Redick, the two hares, from either side of her. They couldn't quite seem to grasp the concept of "good vermin," however much of an oxymoron they believed it to be, Twyler couldn't help but sympathize with Fletch. It was good to have friends.
Twyler had long since fallen asleep. Fitful dreams assailed her troubled mind and she groaned. Fletch had his face pressed against the bars of his cage. It was always the same. They all went silent after a while, a season for some, days for others. Fletch smiled to himself, Twyler would break that easy. Even he had found that out in the few moments they had talked. He looked towards the graying morning through an arrow slit high above his position. The view was not tremendous. A sliver of light was the only contact with the sun he had.
Footsteps on the staircase that led to the dungeons made Fletch instantly alert. He intended to wake Twyler, but the badgerbabe's wail was enough. "Daaa daaaaaaaaa!"
A spearhead was thrust through the cage's bars and was wriggled around until the babe fell silent. Twyler's eyes popped open and for the first time, she laid eyes on Fletch without the night to distort his features. She smiled crookedly and yanked herself to her feet, gripping the bars of her cell with both paws as well. Twyler had taken this stoat to be a sentry, duty-bound to trudge the corridors of the dungeon. But that was before he pulled out a key.
Twyler was just beginning to understand this was no ordinary check up visit when all went black. The stoat dropped the spear while he fumbled with the key and the lock. There was a purpling mark on Twyler's forehead, between her eyes where she had been knocked out.
"Coward! Couldn't stand for a bit o' rightful competition, eh?"
"There's a gel who could buff up a score of the likes of you and still come home for a hearty dinner, wot? You scurvy knave how 'bout tryin' that little trick on me? You'll find that spear haft up a most unpleasant place!"
"That's the stuff, Major. True blue and never fail! Where are ye takin' our Twyler you stout stoat?"
The stoat, who had been quiet throughout the ordeal, obviously accustomed to a hare's mannerisms, didn't reply to any of the questions. Instead, he manacled Twyler and began to lug her to the staircase.
"Hey, HEY! Turn and fight you blistering bloated bilge rat! HEY!"
"Give it up, Delair. He's not coming back." It was the first time Fletch had spoken.
"Do not address me so informally, sirrah!" The female hare bellowed back.
"I'll address you however I like!" Fletch's ire was roused. After talking to Twyler, he believed some things could change.
"Ye don't have the rank and ye never will!"
"It doesn't matter! What does rank mean when you're stuck in a cell?
"What else have we got? What else matters?! You tell me 'cus I haven't found a flamin' thing lately!"
"I have! Her name's Twyler!"
***
I'm glad you guys have stuck it out with me! Thank you so much for reading!
Songbreeze Swifteye: You are the one who doles out the pity, I'm eager to see who you feel sorry
for this chapter! J/K, but anyway, thanks for reading still, I know I'm kinda dragging, but keep in mind this is only a rough draft. You made me laugh about the oxymoron thing, look closely in the chapter ;D
A1: I feel so bad that I didn't get the last chapter to you. If you knew me in real life, you'd know
that this would be a normal occurrence, but thanks for editing it anyhow!
Acoustical Ferret: About Ira--- that's what I'm going for. Someone who's annoying and
childishly cruel. I bet next chapter you'll get the first taste of how cruel. Yeah, descriptions, bah. We
were reading Romeo and Juliet in English and if you know Shakespeare, you'd know where those weird
descriptions come from. Sorry about the awkwardness! On the final, they'll be re-worked.
Arwen-Galadriel: Hmm, I always thought that Outcast made vermin seem even more heartless, but
oh well, glad you like what I'm doing! Did I say glad, I meant EXTACTIC!
Kayla Silvercat: I re-read the Twyler scene, and must agree. I did a very bad job of portraying her.
I hope you don't think less of Twyler because of how I wrote her! Jk ;D
Of Morning and Mourning
By: Catty Engles
Dawn had broken not so long ago. The sky was still gray but rent with slender fingers of light lancing across the barren island's cruel terrain. Jyda heedlessly sat on a rock, in full view of the castle. She closed her eyes and listened to the waves pummel the coastline, mentally tasting the brine and feeling the sway of the deck beneath her paws. She hugged herself in the cool air, more for comfort than for warmth. Thinking of the Queen meant thinking of Twyler. Thinking of Twyler meant thinking of Nanda. Thinking of them both meant thinking of capture, cruelty, torture...abandonment.
And she was sitting on a rock.
There was a storm beating inside Jyda's breast, raging around her heart and tugging at it cruelly. The storm had always been a familiar part of Jyda. It was a reckless feeling of boldness and brashness combined. But why don't I do something... Why don't I... The seed had been planted and took root amazingly fast. Jyda's breath came rapidly as she began to realize the audacious idea that was forming in her mind. From ignorance to knowledge is an easily made transition, but the converse is another matter entirely. Jyda was no exception. She stared unseeingly at the castle for a time, her brain whirring and calculating. She blinked.
It was final. She had to go through with it now. It was one of Jyda's peculiarities, resisting a challenge was difficult, bordering on impossible. This challenge was issued by her own mind, and as she slid down the side of the rock, she grinned to herself. The adrenaline started to-
"Jyda, hey."
She turned abruptly, loosing her balance for a moment. Ren grinned amiably "G'mornin'."
Jyda shook her head slightly and regained her footing. Her mind was fixed on one idea, and Ren's appearance wasn't it. Her mouth wasn't working properly, but Ren didn't seem to notice.
"Your Da would kill me if he found out I was out here." He shook his head mournfully, "He's got some crazy idea about us in his mind." Jyda didn't care if Da thought she was a purple ermine, and Ren had sprouted wings. "Nice day." Ren remarked nonchalantly, taking up Jyda's former position on the rock. Jyda must have grunted something intelligible because Ren nodded and lay back, folding his arms behind his head. Jyda found herself thinking funny thoughts.
He had very muscular arms...
"I love this kind of morning, seems to me, everything is just waking up, including the sea and the earth and the sky. This day has promise." His eyes were slit against the brisk breeze.
He had very warm, nut-brown eyes...
"We better go in soon, breakfast is being prepared by your brothers. They would be irate if you missed it, not to mention if they had to come find you." He smiled at his own joke, flicking some flyaway fur out of his face.
He had a very nice smile and a very nice face...
Jyda's storm came back with a vengeance, pulling at her heart again. This time it hurt. Jyda had a feeling that her heart had become more tender within its absence. But the challenge still remained and Jyda was not one to pass a challenge up.
"You go along, I'll catch up. Nutpaw makes great pasties, you'll have to try them."
With a sigh Ren jumped from the rock, landing neatly at Jyda's side, "You mean, we'll have to try them." Her heart gave a flutter through the gale tearing through her. 'We' was a wonderful word. "I hope your brothers are bigger than poisoning those who pose the threat of taking you away from them." Realizing what he had just said, Ren backtracked quickly. "Well, I mean in terms of us taking off on the Queen again, or something. You will sail again. I can see there's saltwater in your blood." Jyda nodded dumbly. 'Us' was a wonderful word too.
Ren suddenly looked awkward. He scratched his cheek and sighed deeply. Jyda could feel his breath. "Well, um, I'll meet you back at the cave. I can see you want to be alone."
The challenge kept her from contradicting his wrong statement.
"All right, meet you then." Jyda heard herself say.
"Yeah."
As Ren turned back towards the cave, Jyda turned towards the castle. Emotions were running high, tearing through her unchecked, and for one instant, Jyda liked the feeling. Especially the feeling of one that seemed to nestle in the confines of her heart, carefully wrapped up for later use, but still undeniably there.
Jyda smiled at its silent reassurance, and without a glance over her shoulder, began to run towards the castle.
***
Fletch the weasel had talked with Twyler long into the night. He had been thankful for friendly companionship after a season of imprisonment. Twyler could feel the air of unease from both Delair and Redick, the two hares, from either side of her. They couldn't quite seem to grasp the concept of "good vermin," however much of an oxymoron they believed it to be, Twyler couldn't help but sympathize with Fletch. It was good to have friends.
Twyler had long since fallen asleep. Fitful dreams assailed her troubled mind and she groaned. Fletch had his face pressed against the bars of his cage. It was always the same. They all went silent after a while, a season for some, days for others. Fletch smiled to himself, Twyler would break that easy. Even he had found that out in the few moments they had talked. He looked towards the graying morning through an arrow slit high above his position. The view was not tremendous. A sliver of light was the only contact with the sun he had.
Footsteps on the staircase that led to the dungeons made Fletch instantly alert. He intended to wake Twyler, but the badgerbabe's wail was enough. "Daaa daaaaaaaaa!"
A spearhead was thrust through the cage's bars and was wriggled around until the babe fell silent. Twyler's eyes popped open and for the first time, she laid eyes on Fletch without the night to distort his features. She smiled crookedly and yanked herself to her feet, gripping the bars of her cell with both paws as well. Twyler had taken this stoat to be a sentry, duty-bound to trudge the corridors of the dungeon. But that was before he pulled out a key.
Twyler was just beginning to understand this was no ordinary check up visit when all went black. The stoat dropped the spear while he fumbled with the key and the lock. There was a purpling mark on Twyler's forehead, between her eyes where she had been knocked out.
"Coward! Couldn't stand for a bit o' rightful competition, eh?"
"There's a gel who could buff up a score of the likes of you and still come home for a hearty dinner, wot? You scurvy knave how 'bout tryin' that little trick on me? You'll find that spear haft up a most unpleasant place!"
"That's the stuff, Major. True blue and never fail! Where are ye takin' our Twyler you stout stoat?"
The stoat, who had been quiet throughout the ordeal, obviously accustomed to a hare's mannerisms, didn't reply to any of the questions. Instead, he manacled Twyler and began to lug her to the staircase.
"Hey, HEY! Turn and fight you blistering bloated bilge rat! HEY!"
"Give it up, Delair. He's not coming back." It was the first time Fletch had spoken.
"Do not address me so informally, sirrah!" The female hare bellowed back.
"I'll address you however I like!" Fletch's ire was roused. After talking to Twyler, he believed some things could change.
"Ye don't have the rank and ye never will!"
"It doesn't matter! What does rank mean when you're stuck in a cell?
"What else have we got? What else matters?! You tell me 'cus I haven't found a flamin' thing lately!"
"I have! Her name's Twyler!"
***
I'm glad you guys have stuck it out with me! Thank you so much for reading!