The Prince of Darkness
A Continuation of The Slash Saga: My Funny Friend and Me and Birds of A Feather
By Roaming Tigress and Tammy Wraight who gave permission to use the character of Faith Mallard


Chapter Ten:
Into the Woods





Exhausted from running, Steelbeak found a wooden crate in the alleyway and sat on it. It was a grungy piece of junk, reeking of fish and stained with the blood of goodness know what. Negaduck probably used the thing for a chopping block at some point, the rooster thought. He made a face, hoping whatever was on it wouldn't stain his jacket. He was getting back to his usual self, up until he heard the whispered voices and footsteps of Faith and her "Featherbuns."

Jeesh! What kin a rooster do to 'ave a little time by 'imself?

Much to his liking, they passed right by him, with the male duck muttering about letting his quarry escape. When the coast was clear and his lungs and legs had recuperated from the run, Steelbeak took off once again, determined to stay one step ahead of the two. He had no place in mind were to go, until he thought of his beloved Bushroot.

Reggie's ol' place. Youse'll find sanctuary dere, plus, I t'ink his ol' buddies could do wit' some companionship dere.

It didn't take long for Negaduck and Faith to relocate Steelbeak. From behind a parked car, they watched him leave through the alleyway, and keeping a low profile, they followed him.

"So, Steelbeak thinks he can get away from us!" Negaduck scoffed, rolling his eyes. "He can certainly try, but nobody can escape from the clutches of Lord Negaduck!"

The light was beginning to dim as the ex-F.O.W.L agent came upon the plant-duck's abandoned greenhouse. Although the place had only been abandoned for a few months, it looked as if it was left desolate for decades after a war. Vandals have hit the place that was once Bushroot's pride and joy, smashing out a few glass panels and spraypainting on a few others. The few plants that the hooligans didn't steal were nothing more than wilted sticks, and smashed clay pots and dirt littered the floor. Spike was nowhere to be found, and Steelbeak assumed that he was dead.

Steelbeak was beyond devastated with what happened to Reggie's retreat. Tentatively, he searched through what was left, reluctant to leave it even now that it was nothing more than a shell of its former glory. He was hoping to find something that was left untouched, but alas, there was nothing. Not even the metal watering can or even the annoying aphids that used to annoy Bushroot to no end.

"Bastards . . . !" He hissed, clenching his teeth so hard that he nearly chipped his teeth. He gave a violent kick to an empty spray paint can that was sent flying out through an empty window panel. Finally, he succumbed to his feelings, sinking to the ground and letting out a good sob. He didn't feel ashamed to release his feelings now.

The Prince of Darkness and his mate were not far behind. Negaduck heard the crying of the rooster, and quietly he snuck in from the front entrance.

Steelbeak felt his presence, and whirled around with a defensive snarl. His imposing frame was posed in a pouncing position, but it was more of a bluff than anything. He wanted to flee more than he wanted to fight, for he knew he was in no metal shape for a real brawl.

"Get . . . De fuck . . . Away from me!" He yelled at both of them, tears still streaming down his face. "Leave me be!" He was an emotional wreck at this point, wanting them to go away yet while he yearned for their companionship.

Negaduck remained where he stood, not the least bit threatened. This irked the rooster, and he merely sidestepped as he got inches away from getting bitten.

"You lay a hand or beak on my husband, and I'll -- " Before she could finish her sentence, Faith slapped the rooster across the face before he had the chance to attack Negaduck. It wasn't the hardest slap she could muster up, but enough to make Steelbeak cringe away run out the door.

It wasn't sheer cowardice that made Steelbeak flee so easily like that, nor was it because he was outnumbered and down in the dumps. He could've held his ground and slapped her back with neck breaking strength, but thanks to his mother's treatment, getting struck by women was a greater fear than whatever High Command threatened to do to him.

"Well, that was a sudden change of attitude!" Negaduck remarked with a growl, prowling back outside with Faith.

"Quite right! You've got to love schizophrenia!" Faith added in a perky, singsongy voice. She found his shoe prints in the dirt just in front of her, unaware that they've been there for some time.

"Looks like he's headed to the park!" Negaduck remarked, rubbing his chin. "Probably making a shortcut to his place. We'll get there faster if we go through the woods."

"Sounds like a good plan," Faith whispered, looking around now and then as they moved away from the greenhouse.

"Just how do you know were he lives, anyways? The Internet?"

"Nah," Negaduck said with a smirk. "Went hunting through that rooster's jacket when he was asleep one time and found it there on an old dry cleaner's bill."

It was close to midnight when Steelbeak found himself lost in the woods. There was a full moon out, giving him just enough light to find his way about but dark enough to stay in hiding. Every nightly nature sound, be it a snap of a twig, a cry of a coyote or a cricket call, unnerved him. He hated nature, and wanted nothing better to do than to return back to the city and relax in the comforts of his own home.

A gust of wind passed him, calling his name in a whisper. "Valentino . . . " The voice sounded like it belonged to Bushroot, but it couldn't be him. Steelbeak didn't believe in all that ghost stuff. He was just hearing things.

"I coulda sworn I hoid de wind call my name . . . " He said to himself, shaking his head. "Man oh man youse are messed in de 'ead."

Steelbeak wasn't imagining things; the wind, or rather, the voice in the wind, was really calling out to him.

"Valentino . . . ?"

"Yeah, yeah, what is it?" He asked in a cranky tone, looking around to see where the voice was coming from. He jumped as he suddenly felt a vine touch him on his shoulder.

"Look ahead of you . . . " The voice said gently as the vine touched his beak, coaxing him to look straight ahead of where he was standing.

There, in front of Steelbeak, stood the ghostly figure of Bushroot. He was hazy blue in colour and partially obscured by a soft fog that moved through the woods. It was a hauntingly beautiful sight, one that no amount of computer generated imaging could ever reproduce. At first Steelbeak was understandably frightened, but soon settled down.

"Don't blame yourself with what happened to me . . . " He whispered, approaching the awed rooster. "It was my time to go, and there wasn't anything you or I could do. It was just fate."

Awe turned to sadness when Steelbeak heard this. "B-But youse were so young, so healthy! How could youse say such a t'ing?"

Maybe it wasn't Negaduck who killed Bushroot after all. Maybe 'e was really sick, wit' cancer or Dutch Elm disease or somet'ing like dat. Maybe 'e didn't want to break my heart wit' de news, an' so 'e never told me about it.

"It was a choice made by The Prince of Darkness," Bushroot explained. "He hit me hard and fast."

"Negaduck?" Steelbeak asked, no hint of surprise to his tone of voice.

Bushroot nodded, placing his hand over his heart. "He makes the decisions on who gets to live and who gets to die. He is an Angel of Death."

The spirit's touch was cold but comforting. Steelbeak wanted to feel angry and wanted revenge, but he just couldn't. It was as if his anger was lifted away from his reached and locked in a safe. He was the calm, collected Steelbeak everyone was familiar with, and the only sign of his previously distraughtly emotional state were dried tears on his cheek.

"What am I to do, Reggie?"

Bushroot's spirit placed a finger under his beak just like he did in the good old days. "Take my place in The Fearsome Four. You will do a far better job there than I ever did."

Steelbeak looked away, heaving a heavy sigh. "I . . . I don't t'ink I could do dat. I'd jus' be . . . Well, replacin' youse."

"It will be an honour, my love," Bushroot pleaded, moving his hand up toward his face. "I've done my job, it's time for you to start anew."

Steelbeak raised an eyebrow. "You'd really want me to woik for your moiderer?"

"I don't blame him for killing me," Bushroot said quietly. "Don't you seek revenge on him. He will get you before you get him. I don't want what happened to me, happen to you. Take my place, and be at peace." Slowly, his image faded back into the mist.

Steelbeak knew just what to do now. "Will do, Reggie . . . "

Most characters mentioned in this chapter are © Disney. However, Faith Mallard belongs to Tammy Wraight. If you steal or copy her, expect to die a horrid death.