Eroket Nightblade awoke in a small bed in Shadows Keep, blinking away the last vestiges of a long sleep from his eyes, restraining a wide yawn.

"Thought you'd never wake up...." Eroket looked up to see Jald Nightson sitting in a chair over the bed, watching Eroket sleep with an odd expression: one of worried fondness Eroket never before believed possible upon the face of the swordsbeast.

A small smile appeared on Jald's face, "They tell me you killed Davrag Joris out in Kolma. Good work. There were witnesses," He swallowed, "Who saw you chase him after he killed Deran."

The memory of his friend's death caused Eroket to shut his eyes tightly and clench his fists, wincing as a sudden jolt of pain shot through one paw. Recalling the memory of his rather tight grip on the jagged rock he had defeated Davrag with, making a mental note to avoid major usage of that paw until the wounds healed. His eyes met Jald's and the young ermine nodded. "Killed him in front of me...I chased him down-how long, I don't know-to Kolma's wilderness. We fought and I crushed his face with a rock."

Jald nodded, taking the information in. "Good, good work, Eroket. The others are fine. Snowshadow survived the battle, took care of healing the wounded after he killed Vandashira. Boneflower and Morik were present when she died and Cadion's recovering well."

"Survivors? Prisoners?" Any from Vanda's group?"
Jald shook his head, "None I've seen. It wasn't that sort of situation and Skola's vendetta wouldn't have allowed him to settle for anything less but the complete and utter annihilation of Vandashira's forces. Eroket had to admire such zeal.

"So, you're ok, Jald?"

The ferret grinned, "I'm not so badly hurt that I'm gonna take up a Redwall habit and preach that sickening thing called peace."

They shared a laugh and Eroket smirked, "Not much money in peace, is there?"

"I've never made a copper off it. But greed is really overrated, Eroket; Chaos, anarchy and disorder...that's where the fun is!"

The two shared another laugh and Eroket pulled himself into a sitting position. "How soon can we leave this place? I hate it."

Jald started to reply when the door open and Boneflower rushed in, eyes wide and her face frozen in an expression of concern. "Ero!!"

Her arms flung around his shoulders, causing choking and probably making some of his healing completely void. Jald hid a snicker as Morik entered the room. "Umm, Boney? I think that's bad for him."

"Get off...please..." Eroket managed to get out and Boneflower released him.

"Glad to see you two are alright. Where's Cadion?" Jald replied, keeping his face expressionless.

Morik shrugged, "He's fine, with the soldiers currently. He said he'll be in soon. He was disappointed that Ero killed Davrag; meant he wouldn't be able to get him. That mouse must have hated him after what he pulled in Kolma."

Nods passed between the others and Morik sighed. "The fallen were given pyres. Skola lit Deran's personally. Deran was well respected among Skola's troops, top operative I heard."

Eroket nodded. "How soon until I'm up and about again, Jald?"

Jald replied, "About three days, give or take a day."

Eroket nodded, not surprised in the least. "I thought so. So, what else's new?"

Morik and Boneflower exchanged a small look and small smiles and Eroket's jaw dropped. "Don't tell me, you two are..."

They nodded and Eroket groaned, lying back, forcing himself to smile lightly, "Well, I'm happy for you two then."

A surge of hot jealousy and emotional pain went through him, but it was gone the instant it occurred. With the typical mercenary ruthlessness, he told himself it didn't matter. If Boneflower was happy, so was he.

Boneflower's face almost took on a look of guilt until Eroket shot her a look and she, recognizing the look, brightened.

Eroket folded his arms, moving onto more important matters. "When we're done here, we say goodbye to Snowshadow, drop off Cadion at his home, send you two to Targas and safety at Roz's with the gold from this mission, and then," His eyes hardened and he looked to Jald, "You and I are going to Calishan and we're going to bring Crimson Tears to the ground."

Jald smiled lightly, "Is this for Eroket or for Aleran?"

Eroket replied evenly. "Both."

Jald nodded. "Before we go there, we're going to Meridian. There's a beast there I have to see."

Morik and Boneflower didn't protest, both knowing it'd be utterly and completely futile to try to stop either Jald or Eroket.

"Geras Iridanis and the rest of the Five, then. So, will we be paid for this?" Jald replied with a small smile.

Eroket grinned lightly, "I am quite and utterly certain plenty of beasts would love to see Geras Iridanis and the Five dead if Davrag was a representation of their group. What do you know of the Five, Jald?"

Jald frowned. "A lot. With Davrag gone, the new head will be Hallic Thargo or Arredon Toroth."

"Give me information I can use."

"Hallic Thargo is a barbarian from the north. He's a weasel, but not like any weasel you've ever seen. He's big, very, very big, even bigger than Skola Snowshadow. He uses war paint, files his teeth down and he's a mass of muscle and destruction. He uses a trident and a weighted net in battle and he wears a ridged headpiece that he uses to head butt his enemies, hence his nickname: Threefist. He's not very bright, but he's savage and egotistical. It's rumored he took apart two of the Iridian otter warriors' ruling council members apart with his bare paws."

"Good." Eroket's eyes narrowed as the Iridians were mentioned, "And Arredon Toroth?"
"Street urchin whose parents crossed the wrong beast in Calishan; Davrag took him in when he was really young and made him a pupil of sorts. He's a bit shorter and younger than you and favors twin swords like Davrag. He's not as good as his late mentor, but he's just as sly, clever and immoral. You know Geras Iridanis already."

Eroket nodded, "There are five of them. The other two?"
Jald nodded. "Verria is a weasel from the same region as Hallic. She's smaller, clever and her mastery is with poison. Arithia is Calishan and Crimson Tears's executioner. She's a ferret, always carries around a whip and she's sadistic to the extreme. Davrag valued her as interrogator. She's also Geras's lover."

Eroket nodded. "Who is the most dangerous of this little quin-quartet?"

"Arredon or Hallic are the most dangerous without a doubt. Eroket, even without the Five, Geras's organization is one of the largest and deadliest around. It won't be easy."

Eroket looked over the faces to his friends and a small grin appeared on his face. "That's our life then, Jald. We'll keep going until those lives end. It's just the hunter's way."