((Sorry it took so long. Was being leeched off of by a friend (wanted an idea, she said, would take five minutes, she said) and got myself a bit too involved in the world she wanted me to help create. Now I want my own world. Pfft.

I proved Sade wasn't perfect in this chapter. Figured it was about time. After all, perfection is annoying.

Darkwing shows up again. Poor birdie.

The Cleansing continues.

Err…

Oh, yes, and the re-introduction of a rather popular character who seems to have earned himself a bad reputation.

And I have also, I noticed, grown far too fond of leaving chapters off at the beginnings of dreams.

Good news, though. Fatefiend shows up.))

Darkclaw stalked into the tent to find Redsplash asleep. Sade was nowhere to be found, at first, but Darkclaw waited patiently for several long seconds, and then the otter slithered in from where he had been standing somewhere near the tent entrance. The black otter's eyes flickered to Redsplash for a second and then settled on the wildcat. "What is it that you want, wildcat?" The otter demanded quietly.

"Many things, otter. Few of which you'd understand." Darkclaw retorted and unsheathed one of his broadswords, sitting down easily on the ground and beginning to clean the immaculate blade.

Sade responded by pulling a throwing knife out of its sheath on his calf and proceeding to test its perfect balance. "I understand more than you will ever guess."

"And do you understand her?" Darkclaw inquired innocently as he gestured idly with the sword at Redsplash, who was snoring contentedly.

Sade glanced at the otter and Darkclaw watched his expression carefully. But no emotion was revealed and, inwardly, Darkclaw rolled his eyes. The wildcat waited several long minutes for a response, but knew all along that he would not get one.

"Tell me about this tribe of yours." Darkclaw commanded.

Sade's eyes flickered back to Darkclaw and Darkclaw caught the slightest glint of emotion. Hatred. Well, that was certainly surprising. But, then, Darkclaw was not sure if the otter's hatred was directed at him or at his tribe. Perhaps both. Perhaps neither. The otter was damnably hard to read. "What do you know of my tribe?"

"Rumors." Darkclaw answered. "Lies."

"What lies have you heard?"

"Lies I will keep to myself."

"How can you be sure that they are lies?"

"Because I know lies when I hear them."

"You know nothing." Sade replied blankly.

Darkclaw bared his teeth in a grin. "You must be a grave disappointment to you tribe."

Sade looked up at him, and this time his gaze stuck. He did not speak, but, then he did not have too.

"Even I can see your emotions." It was a lie, really. Darkclaw had only seen one…that hatred. But, still that was far more than could be expected.

Another flicker of something in Sade's eyes, but this was harder to read. Darkclaw puzzled over it while Sade responded. "You are lying, wildcat."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

Darkclaw laughed. "But you were a disappointment, were you not?" Sade's gaze was still locked on him, still emotionless, and still unblinking. No answer, but no denial. "Dangerous, isn't it, for a failure to be guarding the Carrier?"

Sade's entire face shifted for the tiniest of seconds. His lips drew back in a snarl, his blue eyes burned, and now Darkclaw realized what the flash of emotion a second ago had been. It was a warning, but it was a warning too late to heed now. Because, now, the otter's wrist was twitching and the knife was flying. The hilt slammed into the wildcat's skull and he had half a second to marvel at his own stupidity before he collapsed, knocked, to his eternal embarrassment, unconscious. At least the otter had the skill not to slice Darkclaw's skull open. That would have been too embarrassing to live through.

But Sade, who still had not even begun to heal from last night's encounter with Aysini's beasts, had finally managed to cross his own limits. His vision swam wearily for seconds and he fought to stay conscious, but it was a fight he knew he would lose. Slowly, he buckled and found himself asleep.

Redsplash, who had been woken up by the wildcat and the otter's conversation, scowled at the both of them. "Idiots." She grumped and climbed to her feet, figuring she might as well get Root. After all, one of the lunatics could have actually gotten themselves hurt and the last thing she needed right now was a corpse in her tent.

…

"What is your name?"

"I have no name."

"What is your name?"

"I have no name."

"What is your name?"

"I have no name."

…

"Is he progressing?"

"Yes."

"How well?"

"Surprisingly well. Basic torture does not affect him anymore."

"This is disturbing."

"Indeed."

"Proceed with the training. Extend the amount of energy."

…

"What is your name?"

"I have no name."

"What is your name?"

"…I have no name."

"What is your name?"

"I…have no name."

"What is your name?"

"I don't have one."

"What is your name?"

"I don't have a name!"

"What is your name?"

"I have no name!"

"What is your name?"

"You know what my name is!"

"What is your name?"

"You should know."

"What is your name?"

"I was named after you."

"What is your name?"

"Do you really wish to know?"

"What is your name?"

"Sade. What's yours?"

…

"Is he progressing?"

"The progression is slowing."

"Good. I was worried he would turn out like his father."

"His mother is docile. The Betrayer has limited affects on his son."

"He has enough of an affect to be worrying."

"We could execute him."

"Havoak would not allow it. We cannot go against the Carrier's wishes."

"The Carrier is missing."

"Are you suggesting that the simple fact that we cannot find our Carrier gives us leave to go against his wishes?"

"No. But this one is still dangerous."

"Indeed. Continue with the torture resistance training, but be careful with this one. Leave out the Fifth Level. If this one ever turns out like his father, we do not want him to be unbreakable."

"He might be already. There is a chance he is simply playing with us."

"If that is the truth then he is exactly like his father and the Fifth Level will be the Level that breaks him. Avoid it and do not question me again."

…

"Where are you going?"

"Away."

"Why?"

"To learn to be a warrior."

"Aren't you already?"

"Not in the eyes of the tribe."

"I think you are."

"You are biased."

"What's that mean?"

"It means your opinion is slanted unfairly in my favor."

"You use a lot of big words, you know that?"

"I've been made aware, yes."

"Oh, well. I still like you."

"…"

"Are you gonna find Havoak?"

"I do not know."

"Please?"

"It is not something I can promise, Dwynwen."

"I'll be good if you bring him back."

"He might be gone forever."

"He wouldn't leave me. Cuz if he did, I'd never talk to him again."

"A torture too terrible to bear."

"You're leaving too. It's not fair. Who'm I gonna talk to?"

"Otters your own age?"

"They're all boring and grown-up like."

"Then it is time you grow up, too, Dwynwen. You cannot be a child forever."

"I can, too."

"You can try. But they'll take it from you eventually. Better to let it go than have it taken from you."

…

"You never smile."

"Is there some reason I should?"

"It makes you real. Emotions make you real."

"Not where I am from."

"Does this mean you were born among bastards?"

"Don't question my kind. I don't question yours."

"You don't question anything. You just kill whoever you think needs killing and call it a good day."

"No day is good."

"You're also pessimistic…What I can't understand is why you stay around here if you are searching for that Havoak of yours."

"If Havoak wants to be missing, I will never find him."

"I thought you said he was not trained as a full warrior of your tribe."

"No, he was not."

"Then how…?"

"He was trained as a tracker, so he knows some tricks."

"Enough to trick you?"

"No."

"Then why wouldn't you find him?"

"Because he is the Carrier. If he makes it clear that he does not want to be followed, I cannot."

"Sounds oppressive."

"You spend your life sending creature after creature to his death."

"Point taken."

"Who are you?"

"I have no name."

"What a coincidence. I have many."

"What are they?"

"I will exchange mine for yours."

"I will consider it."

"I have many, but one of the first was Slay."

"Ah."

"You have heard of me, then?"

"I have heard of you."

"Will you tell me your name?"

"No."

"Will you at least tell me where you are going?"

"Nowhere."

"You'll have a hard time finding such a place, I'm afraid."

"And where are you going?"

"Someplace unpleasant."

"You will have a far easier time finding your destination."

"Unfortunately. I find it strange, though, that we should meet here, where there is nothing."

"There is always something."

"I suppose."

"I will be going."

"Not one for conversation, are you?"

"I was never trained in it."

"And were you trained in everything else?"

"Everything that matters."

"Well, then, I suppose this is goodbye."

"There was never a hello."

"Then we have no need of a goodbye."

"Exactly."

"Perhaps I will meet you again, nameless otter traveling nowhere."

"Doubtful."

"I find that the more doubtful an occurrence, the more likely it is to happen."

"You speak a contradiction."

"I speak the truth."

"Then you speak a contradiction."

"If that is how you see it."

"I see many things."

"Goodbye, then."

…

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"Redsplash."

"I've heard some disconcerting stories about you, Redsplash."

"Are you obsessed with the color black?"

"Very disconcerting."

"You've heard stories about me? What kinds of stories?"

"Disconcerting ones."

"Yes, I think I get that part. Now, lower your bow and let me leave or shoot me. I don't have an ample amount of time set aside for lunatics."

"You are a lunatic."

"Very well, then. I don't have ample amounts of time set aside for other lunatics."

"I'm afraid you'll have to set aside some for me."

"Will I? Well…wait! You're an otter!"

"Where did you get the Stone of Khalidian?"

"It was given to me. By an otter who died. His name was Havoc."

"Havoak?"

"No. Havoc."

"Did he have white fur?"

"Yes…"

"Then it was Havoak. How is it that he died?"

"He jumped in front of an arrow."

"Did he take his own life, then?"

"Yes. In a way. No. There was an arrow, and it was coming at me, and he jumped in front of it."

"And when he died you took the Stone?"

"No! I don't rob corpses. The arrow didn't kill him immediately. He gave it to me right before the poison killed him."

"Poison?"

"It was on the arrowhead."

"So, he did it on purpose, then? He died…for you?"

"Yes."

"That's the first time the Stone of Khalidian has been a death-gift for over two centuries…Havoak must have seen something in you that I do not see to give such a gift to you. Did he ask you to give it to anyone?"

"No. Why?"

"Because then you would be simply a Transporter and that would make far more sense. Anyone can Transport the Stone to its proper owner, but if he gave it to you…"

"So, what can this necklace thing do?"

"The necklace cannot do anything. It is the Stone that holds the power."

"What can the Stone do, then?"

"What do you want it to do?"

"I don't know. I haven't really thought of it. I haven't seen another otter since Havoc died. If I asked you for your sword…?"

"I'd give it to you."

"You'd choose to give it to me?"

"If you wish to think of a moral obligation as something you have a choice in."

"It's just a moral thing?"

"For most, yes. For those that refuse to obey its power there is a tribe of warriors that will enforce its will."

"An entire tribe?"

"Of warriors. Havoak was one of them. I am one of them."

"You are? Does your tribe not stay together?"

"There are several levels of warriors among my tribe. I am training to reach the last level, and must learn from the world for five seasons."

"How does one 'learn from the world?'"

"By traveling across it."

"What's your name?"

"Sade."

"Sounds like sadist."

"Yes. Well."

"Are you? A sadist?"

"Occasionally."

"Where's this tribe of yours?"

"A season's travel away for me. Perhaps three seasons for you."

"What's that mean?"

"What do you want it to mean?"

"Not what it sounds like it means."

"Then it means nothing."

"I've had a wonderful time here, but I've got to leave now. I might have a few beasts hunting me by nightfall and would like to be a few miles ahead of them."

"Who will be hunting you?"

"Vermin, most likely. I'm leaving their army."

"Do you wish for me to kill them?"

"You would do that?"

"If you wished for me to kill them, I would."

"I've changed my mind. I'm going back to the vermin army. And you're going with me."

"Of course."

…

"Somehow a half-drunk squirrel doesn't seem like the best option for medical care."

"You forgot the part where I'm half-sober."

"And mostly incoherent."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Where'd Darkclaw go?"

"Off to catch himself a birdie, I think."

"A what?"

"Well, I saw this big bird flying in circles overhead and I pointed it out to Darkclaw and he got up and left."

"I hope the bird pecks his eyes out."

"Oh, come on, Red, you saw what happened. The otter threw the first punch…or, you know, dagger."

"Like Darkclaw didn't deserve it! Don't defend him!"

"Why are you attacking him? Just because he made your slave faint-"

"He's not my slave."

"If you say so. But, as former slaves, I think we should recognize slavery when we see it."

"If it's slavery, it's self-enforced."

"Oh, really, Red. He was probably brainwashed as a cub. Wouldn't know true freedom if it spat in his face."

"Don't call me Red."

"You need to get past Fate's death, Redsplash."

"Don't tell me what I need to do."

"No, really. Dwelling like this is only harming you."

"I'm fine."

"You're a liar."

"You're a drunk."

"Half-drunk, thank you."

"For two nights in a row?"

"Maybe."

"Hmph."

"Jealous?"

"Insanely."

…

Darkwing's right wing was bloodstained, as were his beak and talons. When he folded his wings in, he folded his right awkwardly, as if it pained him. He carried no letter, and he looked fatigued and harassed. Darkclaw watched him curiously as the hawk caught his breath.

"What has happened, hawk?" The wildcat asked as soon as the hawk was breathing passably.

"You have been betrayed." Darkwing announced.

"What?" Eyes narrowed, Darkclaw reached for one of his broadswords.

"Not by me, idiot wildcat." The hawk snapped waspishly. "By Ijuiline. Your brother swayed her loyalties."

Darkclaw let his arm fall to his side. The hawk would not lie to him, he knew that. But Ijuiline betraying him? He had thought it impossible. Apparently, she had developed a new personality trait since his last visit. He had not known her fierce loyalty could be melted. "How?"

"Bluefang has hostages. Children of hers, I believe."

"Ah." Darkclaw's lips drew back in a sneer. "I warned her that the brats would become a liability."

Darkwing stared at him. "Never bring children to this world, wildcat. You don't deserve them."

Darkclaw scowled. "And how are your children?"

"I do not know." The hawk snapped. "I have not seen them for two weeks."

"I do hope one of them hasn't died." Darkclaw remarked.

"I doubt they have. Sorrowsong would not let harm come to them."

"Ah, yes, the albino hawk. Is she in good health, then?"

"She still bears the scars you put on her, cat."

"I still have hers." Darkclaw responded with a feral grin.

"Tell me, where is the ferret? I did not see him…"

"He was killed."

"So the rumors are true…" Darkwing muttered quietly and then glanced guiltily up at Darkclaw.

Darkclaw's green eyes narrowed. "Rumors?"

"I heard…from a passing otter that the ferret was dead and that the otter had joined with a vermin army. It was how I knew to search for you here."

"How would the otter know such things?"

"I do not know how he knew. I didn't even know if he knew for sure."

"Do you know the otter's name?"

"No." Darkwing answered truthfully. After all, no one knew the Ghost's true name.

"Could you find him again?"

"Probably not. And I do not think I would have the time to search." Darkwing gave an odd shrugging motion. "I thought you would like me to check and see if any of your other allies had been…compromised."

Darkclaw nodded. "Yes. At once."

"I will need time to recuperate." Darkwing announced suddenly. "Ijuiline's archers have grown more accurate."

Darkclaw remembered the bloodied wing. "Your wing?"

"It impairs my flight little, but enough. If I do not rest, I will die."

Darkclaw tilted his head. "Then I will allow you a week to rest, and I will allow you to rest with your family, but remember that you owe me a very large favor that I will one day call in, hawk."

Darkwing felt, oddly, like he was selling his soul and like he didn't care. He had expected the wildcat to order him to the nearest vermin ally the next day. A week…"Let it be a favor then, wildcat." The hawk replied and waited until Darkclaw was a safe distance away before, a little less gracefully than normal, taking to the sky.

…

"All right, we've got to stop this." Root announced wearily, scowling up at Redsplash.

"Stop what?" Redsplash inquired as she watched Root finish bandaging the last of the slashes on Sade's back that the otter had, apparently, not been able to reach to bandage.

"Letting that one get himself nearly killed." Root told her as he climbed up the mountain of pillows to perch beside her. "He's really going to die, eventually."

"Oh, I don't know. He might be invincible." Redsplash responded sarcastically.

"I can see how it would be easy to think that." Root replied far more seriously. "What with the way he keeps getting up every time he gets knocked down, but he's just like you, Redsplash. He's just like the rest of us. He's got a heart that pumps blood and a stomach that digests food and lungs that pump air. Damage any of those organs and he's out. Gone. Dead like the rest of us would be. And it doesn't even have to be a major injury. Infection and blood loss kill too. As does exhaustion."

"As does what?"

"You know the way he keeps skipping along with all those cuts of his? While he's off jumping around and throwing pointy things at beasts, his body's trying to heal. Doing one or the other is fine. Doing both can wear you out to the point you get too weak to do either. Those wounds don't heal, he dies. Simple, really."

"Huh. Well, I figure he knows his limits better than you do, Root."

"Yes, I think he does. I just don't think he cares."

"You think everyone's suicidal." Redsplash snapped, remembering when he thought she was going to throw herself off the cliff after Fatefiend died. Never mind the fact that she almost had.

"I don't think he's suicidal. You have to be alive to want to die."

"He is alive. You said he was fine."

"Really, Redsplash, you don't pick up on subtleties very well, do you?"

"No one likes you anyway, squirrel."

"I don't know why I tried to talk to you anyway. You're hopeless."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Anyone ever told you that you were childish?"

Redsplash blinked and looked away. "Fate called me immature a lot."

"Wise ferret, that one."

"He was."

"And if he were still alive he'd tell you how stupid this really is."

"What is?"

"This. Everything. The whole thing." Root waved his arms in a circle to emphasize his point. His brilliant use of body language seemed only to confuse Redsplash further.

"Whole thing?"

"Yes. The army. The plot for revenge. Sade. Darkclaw. Everything."

"Oh? And how is wanting to avenge Fate's death stupid, squirrel?"

"Because what's the point in avenging his death with your own? How exactly are you supposed to kill a badger?"

"I'll have some help." Redsplash snapped, anger blazing from her eyes now. She had grown far more prone to great fits of anger since Fatefiend died and it was become more and more apparent.

"Will you? And who's going to help you on this suicidal jaunt of yours? Who're you gonna take with you, Redsplash?"

Redsplash glared at him and glanced around furiously, knowing the answer but not about to say it aloud. But her gaze settled on Sade for a second longer than was necessary and Root followed her eyes.

"You're gonna send him to die, aren't you?" Root was furious now as well. The complete injustice of the circumstances was starting to get to him. "Aren't you?"

"It's not-"

"There is a line, Redsplash. There is a line you do not cross, and sending someone else to die is pretty far over the line!" The squirrel was practically raving. Redsplash had no idea he could get this angry.

"If he doesn't want to die, he won't obey the order!" Redsplash snapped back.

Root's eyes blazed and then the fire suddenly died and he slumped, looking defeated. "You just don't understand, do you? It's just completely out of your faulty mental grasp…"

"Understand what?"

"He doesn't have a choice. Whatever you tell him, he has to do. It's not slavery, Redsplash. Not like ours was. We could choose if we did or didn't do what we were told. We'd get punished for it, but we still had a choice. He has no choice. There's no will in him to disobey. I said it was slavery, but it's worse than that. It's like…like…" Root trailed off, his face contorting into a grimace as he searched for the right word.

"Like?" Redsplash questioned.

"I don't know, Redsplash. You figure it out." Root snapped and hopped off the cushions, going in search of his ferret friends and their supply of alcohol. This situation was killing him.

…

The first coffin they popped open appeared to only surprise Rekth. The ferret inside was one big bloody gash. It took the fox several minutes to realize the ferret had slit his own throat. Aysini was watching him for some kind of reaction. Rekth swallowed his disgust and winked roguishly. "Forgot how much blood ferrets had in 'em." He remarked cheerfully.

"You need not lie, fox. I can see your emotions." Aysini told him.

"But if I didn't lie, would I even be a fox?" Rekth retorted.

"Yes."

"Never were one for battles of wits, were you?" Rekth mumbled under his breath as he watched several brawny creatures pick up the mutilated corpse and take it off for burning. They said something about waiting, but Rekth was watching the other coffin being opened.

Inside lay was weasel, curled up like a cub, asleep. Rekth frowned, wondering how someone could manage to sleep while buried underground, but it soon became clear when they rolled the corpse around a bit, that this one had died of lack of air. Asphyxiation. Disgusting way to die. Especially in such a small space. Inwardly, Rekth shuddered, but he did not think Aysini noticed. Her eyes were trained on the corpse of a weasel that had been in her army for less than a day and was already dead.

Her soldiers dug up coffin after coffin and paused, waiting, for Aysini to approach. The next five were all dead, each having run out of air. One of them had slashed the top of his coffin with his nails, nearly breaking through. Rekth swallowed and scowled. This morbid little "Cleansing" was beginning to make him nervous. What was the point to it? If she wanted to weed out the weaker ones, couldn't she have ordered mass executions? Or was that what Aysini was doing?

Suddenly, the group of soldiers pulling a coffin out of a hole drew back, fusing with the group of "children" watching the proceedings silently. It took Rekth a while to figure out why they had not stayed by the coffin as the others had. This coffin was moving. It jerked and twitched, rolling completely over twice. The foxes eyed it, Aysini's stare cold and calculating, Rekth's wide and startled. He knew at least one of the beasts had to survive, but how many beasts actually got to see a coffin jumping around? It was sickly funny, is what it was, and Rekth had to bite back a hysterical chuckle.

Aysini stalked over, kicked the coffin once, and then ripped it open. A ferret lay within staring up at them. His shoulders were raw and bleeding, perhaps from slamming them against the coffin walls so much. He did not seem to comprehend what was happening. Aysini looked down at him, her golden eyes blazing into his brown ones. Rekth stood back, not part of this, but not exactly being excluded. He felt that if he spoke up, though, Aysini would rip his tongue out.

After perhaps a full minute, Aysini reached in and pulled the ferret out of his coffin. He staggered, nearly falling over, and Rekth, reacting on instinct, caught him. Aysini turned quickly, her bloodstained cloak whirling, and gave Rekth a look of confusion and resentment. Drawing back quickly, but not so quickly that the ferret fell over, Rekth shrugged, feeling a bit of anger starting up inside him. This wasn't funny anymore. Burying others alive was all well and good, but when Aysini started glaring at him for common courtesy, Rekth had to draw the line. Of course, considering that courtesy was not at all common among vermin, Rekth was willing to let it go this once. Oh, and Aysini had her entire army and, currently, Rekth just had himself.

"Do not interfere." Aysini hissed to the fox as the ferret was grabbed by another group of Aysini's army and dragged off, screaming in high pitched wails, to some unknown place within her camp.

"Where's he going?" Rekth demanded, ignoring her command.

"If you wish to find out, do not interfere."

"Fine, fine, I won't touch anything." Rekth rolled his eyes and stuck his paws into his pockets. "Happy?"

"Be silent." She ordered and looked to her children. More coffins were dug up and waiting to be opened. It was time to move on. With a final warning glance to Rekth, Aysini moved to the next coffin.

…

"Advigilian?" The voice was quiet, tentative. Well, Advigilian supposed they had a right to be. He'd been downright testy for weeks.

"What is it?" Advigilian demanded softly, not even bothering to lift his head to see who was at his door. Leria, the sole survivor of the last Long Patrol mission Advigilian had sent his hares on before calling every single one of them back. Leria's face was marred permanently by the torture the vermin had put her through. She'd been beautiful once. Now even that beautiful voice of hers was ruined and she spoke in a harsh rasp. All of the children were terrified of her, including her own.

"There's an otter outside." The badger detected minor confusion in her mutilated voice. "He says he would very much like to come in."

"Tell him we're full up." Advigilian replied. "He needs to march on to the next death trap."

"Sir…" Leria did not approve of his humor. She never had.

"I did order that no more were allowed in the mountain." Advigilian told her.

"But Riscon claims to know this one." Leria replied. "Says he fought with him to liberate some oppressed rabble."

Advigilian blinked and stood slowly. "I suppose I had better send him away personally, then. Riscon will sulk like a newborn if we don't respect those he thinks he knows."

"Yes, sir." Leira replied and Advigilian smiled at her as he passed through the doorway she was standing just outside of. She might have smiled back. Her face was so disfigured it was impossible now to know.

…

Fallen stood outside the mountain, alone and annoyed. The badger had closed the mountain off completely. He was not allowed in. It had taken him a full hour just to get a hare's attention, though he was pretty sure they had known he was out there all along. After all, how could they not? He'd practically been throwing rocks and shouting. Perhaps this was all Riscon's doing. The hare seemed to have an odd sense of humor. But surely the hare understood that at times like this, nothing was left to laugh at.

"He's out there, is he?" Questioned a voice Fallen did not recognize.

Mumbling.

"Makes sense, I suppose. Riscon! What's this about fighting against him?"

"With him, sir."

More mumbling.

"Well, send him away. We don't need another Liy incident."

"-couldn't possibly-"

"-could. Minds break, Ris. Loyalties fail."

"Not this one's."

"Oh, really? Did you think Liy's could?"

"-promised not to bring it up again."

"We all nearly died thanks to that one. If you think there's anyone out there that can't be persuaded to betray, you are far too naïve to have lived this long."

"And what about you?"

"I've never been put in that situation, Ris."

"-bloody-"

"You'll scorch the children's ears off with language like that."

Silence.

"I think I've offended him."

"Yes, sir." An odd, rasping voice.

"Well, where's this otter than?"

"Staring in our direction, sir."

"Is he really? Oh, yes, I see." A pause and Fallen narrowed his eyes, but was unable to see anything through the miniscule slit in the mountain. "Go home, otter. There's no room for you."

"I'm not the vermin, badger, I did not come here to lay siege to your mountain. Let me in. I need to speak with you." Fallen replied.

"Rather commanding, isn't he? Almost makes you think he's smarter than he looks."

"Sir, I am sure he can hear us."

"Oh, what? So am I. Now, otter, what is it you need to speak with me about?"

"Your stupidity."

There was a sigh. "Then why should I let you in?"

Fallen sighed, blinked, and decided to see if his name could get him in. "Do you know who I am?"

"Do you know who you are?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you asking me?"

Fallen blinked and decided to move on. "Some call me Ghost."

There was another sigh, this one followed by a muted curse. "I don't suppose you'll just go away, will you?"

"It is not in my plans."

"Might as well let you in, then. Can keep a better eye on you that way." A brief pause. "Leria, get him inside before the sun drives him crazier than he already is."

"Yes, sir."

…

"The ferret you killed had friends." Fallen told the badger as he sat in a small room full of maps and a large table, upon which an old map was placed. Various black rocks were set out around the map, and all of the white rocks were clustered in one place, except for a single white rock far removed from both black and white.

"Of course he had friends. He was the son of the Unnamed One. Besides that, he was traveling with a squirrel, an otter, and a wildcat. Obviously, he had friends." Advigilian retorted.

"They'll try and kill you." Fallen warned.

"Of course they will. It's what friends are for."

"Do you know who the wildcat is?"

"Looked to be one of the Warheart's span. Possibly their recently exiled Northern prince. Why?"

"Because it was."

"Why would he be traveling with the son of his greatest enemy?"

"The same reason he was traveling with a squirrel and an ex-otter slave."

"What reason would that be?"

"One only they would understand. The problem is, badger, that they will want you dead, and they will want you dead soon."

"He killed one of my hares. Was I supposed to let him get away with it?"

Fallen watched the wide brown eyes of the badger lord narrow and tinge the faintest bit red. "No, I don't suppose you-"

"And if they decide to kill me, let them come. Better I die than anymore of my hares." The red became more prominent.

"They will bring destruction for your entire mountain."

"There are ways out of this mountain that they enemy will never discover. If the situation gets bad enough, I will find a way to get my hares out alive."

"How would you manage that?"

"You said they wanted me dead, did you not?" The broad shoulders lifted in a shrug and the laughing brown returned. "I will challenge them to a battle."

"They will slaughter you."

"But my hares will escape."

"There's only a slight possibility that they will."

"Which is more than they would have if they stayed in the mountain if the siege is successful. Starvation is not an easy death."

"Will your hares abandon you?"

"Not willingly. Not the lot of them, anyway. But I can make them listen if I wish. Besides, they will have the children with them. They will not want to take risks with the children."

"Or let the little ones see you ripped apart by the vermin."

"No. I don't suppose they'll want them to see that either. Too bad, though. I imagine it'll be quite a show if it comes to that."

….

Redsplash was finally getting back to sleep. Sade was still unconscious, in a deep silent slumber that Root assured her was perfectly natural. Darkclaw was nowhere to be found, and Root was, predictably, out with his ferret buddies. Stupid squirrel.

She had not thought herself tired, but, as soon as she closed her eyes, darkness bloomed in her brain and dreams commandeered her mind.

…

Fatefiend was standing where the mouse usually stood, and he had, clutched in his paws, the mouse's sword. His grin was mischievous as he tossed the sword from paw to paw. "Oy, Red, look what I stole."

"The mouse is gonna kill you." Redsplash observed, not bothering to remember Fatefiend was dead. Why think such disturbing things? Was Fatefiend not standing right in front of her?

"Mouse can't do what the badger already did." Fatefiend retorted cheerfully and then, suddenly, winced. "Oh, right, I've got to talk to you about somethin', Red."

"Talk to me about what?" She asked, easily ignoring the cheerful reference to his own death.

"Everything. And we've got to do it quick, while the mouse is distracted with all those new vermin arrivals. What're you doin' runnin' around with foxes who bury their own anyway?"

"Who's burying what?"

Fatefiend rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Red, I'm gone for two weeks and you've already messed up your life."

"It's your fault. You died."

Fatefiend waved the sword at her. "Be quiet. We've only got a few minutes before the mouse realizes what I'm doing."

"He doesn't know?"

"Of course not. We're not supposed to be talking. You're not dying, are you?" He snorted. "Well, so you are, but he says it's not enough yet, that I've got to wait. Idiot mouse."

"Wait…" Redsplash blinked, surprised and definitely unsettled. "I'm dying?"

"Oh…oh, damn." Fatefiend winced, blinking. "Wasn't supposed to tell you that."