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SAVING ROSE

Chapter Two

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Aryah was in the kitchens, looking friendly and chirp. The few beasts that were up were running about the kitchen, trying to get a start on cooking breakfast. When she was sure everybeast was too busy to pay her attention, she looked around and located a lone figure watching the ovens in a small corner. She silently slipped by the kitchen workers and stood beside the beast.

"Good morning Lyn, early and diligent as ever."

The beast called Lyn looked up and smiled. She was an old squirrel, quiet and in love with food. "Ello there, Aryah m'dear. Ye keep getting prettier each time I see ye," she beamed.

Aryah blushed. "Silly beast, stop it. I'm an adult now," she reminded Lyn. "I just had a sudden thought – do you happen to know where the old sleeping powder is?"

Lyn leaned over the oven to see if the pastries within were ready. "Oh, that ol' bottle of ugly grey stuff? Nah, threw it out long ago, couldn't bear to think that such things within Noonvale. Why would ye want it?" She peered curiously at Aryah.

Aryah's stomach twisted and she began to feel sick. "Ah, nothing important. I just thought Martin and company might need it to sneak into Marshank, if need be," she uttered a calculated lie with difficulty.

The old one shook her head. "Nah, sorry m'dear. They'll have to make do without." Aryah's face twisted into a picture of misery.

"Make do indeed," she said faintly as she stumbled out of the kitchen.

Martin was still sitting by Rose's room two hours later. The plate of food that was supposed to be brought up had still not arrived, and the warrior worried that Rose would wake soon.

At long last, Aryah walked up to him, a plate in her paws and despair on her face. Martin looked at her questioningly and she shook her head in defeat. "They threw it out," she whispered, and Martin's shoulders slumped. "I tried looking around the infirmary, but all I found was-"

She and Martin jumped when they heard yawning without the room, and the sounds of somebeast getting up. Aryah handed him the breakfast plate and said quietly, "I'll tell you later. Maybe there's still hope."

Martin gritted his teeth and nodded at Aryah as she quickly turned to leave. Then he knocked on Rose's door, and came in when she bade him to. "Breakfast, O sleepy one!"

Urran was shocked to see Rose after breakfast, along with Grumm and Pallum. He looked to Martin and Aryah for an explanation, but they were too many beasts to speak privately with. Both had dejected looks on their faces. Once he had a free moment, he dashed towards the two and they excused themselves to the orchard, where they surrendered to an unoccupied corner.

"I was just telling Martin," Aryah filled her husband in, "that the sleeping powder was thrown out long ago. I found the recipe in the infirmary, but it takes much too long to prepare now. All we have left is this." As she spoke, she took out an omnious bottle of thin clear liquid from her sash.

"Chloroform?" Martin and Urran said together.

Rose's mother nodded. "I don't see what else we can do. Martin and I will have to lure Rose, Grumm and Pallum away from the others, one at a time, and drug them. Meanwhile, you'll still do your part," she looked at her husband.

They were all quiet as they thought over this harsh change of plan. "And if that also fails?" Martin said quietly. Aryah sighed.

"You'll have to take the bottle with you to Marshank and keep watching for an opportunity," she said miserably. "Here, I brought another empty bottle, and some pieces of cloth. We'll each take care of one of them, so as to not draw suspicion to one of us. Good luck," she added.

Martin and Aryah got up and went their separate ways, watching, while Urran Voh hunted out the one who would help them carry on the plan.

Josephine was a young mouse maid, out of dibbunhood but not yet an adult. She had a shadow, her dearest friend, a male otter named Alexei. As most best friends go, they were complete opposites. While Josephine was responsible and quiet, Alexei was loud and out of control. Yet they could not imagine life without the other. Alexei had thought it mighty strange when Urran Voh bade Josephine to see him, and forbid him to come. Therefore Alexei didn't see the problem in putting his ears against the door as the two spoke. The conversation was muffled, but he could understand bits of it.

"…Bury him?"

"Yes, precisely. You'll leave a sac of provisions by his belongings, and when dawn comes…"

"…I'll be crying…"

"Yes. Claim to have wanted to prove yourself at Marshank, but you couldn't take it –"

"…Where will he be at that moment?"

"…Running away …Rose mustn't know at all costs."

Alexei head snapped from the door, staring at it with wild eyes. Something about a plot to kill a beast! And Rose was involved somehow… they were going to kill Rose! His thoughts raced and tripped over themselves in his mind. He wasn't sure, of course, but… he must warn her. He slipped silently from the ruler's home, and started running madly once he was out. Where could Rose be at this time of day? With that warrior, no doubt. She never left his side…

The otter, for a rare moment in his life, was as focused as ever, intent with a wild desire to save Rose. He ran through the entire of Noonvale, never uttering a word. When he finally found her, she was as predicted: right by Martin. She was explaining to him the dilemma with the dead sycamore. While he was unsure of Martin's position in this plot, he was the only character that fit the description. Pallum and Grumm were too peaceful, but the male mouse was wild like himself…. Preparing to think of the worst so as to not be disappointed, he asked for a minute alone with Rose, and saw with relief that neither she nor Martin minded.

Not good. This is not good. Martin pretended to be absorbed in the current task, but secretly paid extreme attention to Rose and the otter.

"Rose, listen," Alexei rasped as he clutched her paw. "Be careful. Something's going to happen, Rose, and it involves you. I overheard your father talking, and he mentioned something about an oncoming death, in which you and Martin are involved. Oh Rose, please watch out!"

Rose looked at him in a startled manner, then laughed. "Goodness, Alex. Mind your words! You must have heard wrong. I mean, this is my father we're talking about! And Martin would never do such a thing, either." She smiled at him and calmly pried her paw from Alexei's clutch.

As she walked back to Martin, Alexei bit his lip. There was a possibility that Rose was right, of course. But if she wasn't, this ignorance could get her… killed.

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