Hey all you beautiful people!

Thanks for all the comments and faves and follows and for just dropping by to read this story!

I had a little trouble writing the new chapter and in the end decided to change the scenery, literally and we'll learn about the famous Camp... It has been referred to many times now, so why not go and have a peek at what's happening in there, right? Also, there are a couple of mice who we have heard of already but who are only now making their entrance into this story. There's also a bit more history and traditions and all that introduced in this one...Just building the world here where this story takes place in.

I hope you like the chapter and leave a comment if you please.

I swear we will hear what's happening back at the humans' base camp in the next chapter...

Meantime,

enjoy!

Peace

-SpaceFlora

The Story of Rebellion and Hope

14.

Meanwhile at the Camp:

It was easy to get lost here inside of this big underground town called the Camp. It actually didn't have a name but the folks who lived there had started to call it the Camp, it was a nickname or even a slur for this city full of Cave Mice refugees from all over Mars that had had to abandon their homes due to the war reigning the planet years and years on, quickly destroying towns and habitations, leaving clans homeless. As the planet consisted basically of deserts and open land, it was a priority to keep the folks safe and this town built under the Martian soil was the safest place to live right now and had been for centuries as it had gradually grown from a small settlement to a very packed and rapidly expanding town. Nowadays there lived nearly every mouse who had survived to this day. The Cave Mice population still was many thousands' heads strong even if the war had taken its' toll on their numbers, but that could give the visitors a rough idea of just how big of a complex this underground city actually was.

The Camp was a labyrinth of tunnels of different lengths and caves of different sizes dug and detonated through the hard volcanic basalt rock that the Red Planet's crust was mostly made out of, underneath the layers of iron-colored dust and sand. The basalt rock gave the interiors a dark atmosphere as the colors shifted from dark grey to black, but it was somewhat bright nonetheless as the lights that had been installed to go through the long tunnels mirrored back from the stone's shiny surface, a very lucky incident for the population that spent most of their time inside the Camp as it was considered dangerous to go outside, not just for the battles that took place on the top ground but also for someone not-welcomed to the Camp could see them and find out the location of the Camp. Occasionally they got a few hours to roam the top ground, though, whenever the scouts had declared it to be safe to do so.

The layout of this underground city would be a bit hard to comprehend if one just happened to drop in the middle of it but the Cave Mice population that lived here had already learned to find their way around in the belly of this unlogical yet amazingly functional maze. Most of the mice had lived here already years, babies had been born here, and elders died. It was already considered home by most of the residents as time went by and the said times didn't exactly get easier quite the contrary.

There were quite a few exits to enter this town if one only knew where to look. One could enter the city by foot, using the smaller and more narrow tunnels that had numerable exits scattered around the deserts. The narrow pedestrian tunnels were more like a labyrinth of their own, and there wasn't a day when a search party wasn't ordered to go look for a lost child or an adult from the tunnels that were intersecting with one another all the time and sometimes even ending in a dead-end.

The visitor could also enter by vehicles like motorcycles and trucks driving the wider tunnels, like underground speedways. The transportation tunnels circled the city and had many intersections, depending on which part of town one wanted to visit but first they'd have to get through a couple of Army-guarded checkpoints, just to keep the intruders and unwelcome guests away.

The first intersections lead way to the residential districts that circled the actual town center, like shielding it. Along those narrow wavering tunnels were thousands of caves of different sizes, the homes of the Cave Mice. To get from these habitational areas to the actual town center, one had to take the more straight tunnel lines that could be found here and there and that will lead one to these large well-lit, and high-ceilinged caves that were that much brighter than the tunnels that it almost felt like one stepped outside. These larger town center caves were usually very packed, too as there really wasn't any other place where to hang around if not staying at home, behind closed doors and the mice spent most of their time in them, hanging out, meeting friends, and doing the grocery shopping.

Some of them were working in this area as in the center there were many shops, workshops, and market booths that employed sellers, makers, and craftsmen of all trades. Mars wasn't producing much nowadays but the Martians were highly resourceful with their scarce resources, they've had to learn to be in order to maintain life on this harsh planet. They were using their limited resources thoughtfully and through and through, not leaving one piece of bone or hide of a Sabre squid left behind. It wasn't anything fancy or luxurious but one could basically get what they needed to survive from these shops, for free. Technically. As there was a shortage of basically everything their humble plan had been to use a stamp system to keep everyone fed and everyone's basic needs secured, so the goods were distributed equally and evenly, that was the theory. In practice, there was a whole black market evolved around the system and the stamps were highly sought after, meaning: some still got more than the others.

In addition to the shops and all, they even had a school and many administrational offices in these larger town center caves. The Army also had one of its branches here underground as the Army was also part of the Cave Mice governmental branch.

Even if the city was underground the facilities were quite modern, the cave home units were closed with sliding doors made out of steel that opened with codes, everywhere one looked there was fancy technology and the town squares had even big screens where they would make announcements and send important messages to the citizens. The Camp was a mix of black shiny basalt rock and steel and high-tech pieces of equipment, it looked like a race from the future had found a time machine and shipped themselves to the medieval times to spread the joy of technology.

All in all The Camp was a very busy and lively place.

So, like it was said: it was easy to get lost here, even the most experienced could go a little overwhelmed sometimes when for example trying to find the right door in the residential district, mainly because there weren't names on the doors but numbers and when you had to remember all your aunts' and siblings' and friends' cave numbers… One got a bit distracted at times…

And that's exactly what happened to the reddish-brown colored female Cave Mouse who had yet another door closed right in front of her face while trying to locate the right door, the right cave home. It was the third time she had rang the wrong doorbell. She sighed in annoyance burying her face momentarily in her palms and let out a frustrated yet muffled scream. Gods damn it! Why they couldn't even write their clan names to the doors or something, or paint the doors with different colors instead of them all being identical steel doors. Whoever had come up with the idea to build this city to mimick the continuous feeling of déjà vu should be put to face his errors. And the female was sure it had been a man. Of course, she was sure. Not like the women could ever decide on anything else except what was for dinner around here…Sienna, as the female was called, and who had had her name after the shade of reddish-brown fur she had been gifted at birth, sighed deeply. She felt tired after her workday and would've wanted nothing more than to just eat and get under the covers and sleep before it would have been time to wake up and start all over again. Except she didn't really want to go home. And also she had made a promise to visit someone and even if she was drop-dead exhausted, she was excited to meet this special someone after a couple of months.

A younger female, a teen, past her and gave her a bit weird look. Not because Sienna obviously seemed lost and maybe the girl did know as a fact that she didn't live around this neighborhood…But as she walked by the already a bit annoyed, tired, and lost Sienna she stared at her face, and Sienna who was not in the best mood right now only glared at the girl back.

"What?!"

The girl only looked away and continued her walk, leaving Sienna to shake her head unsatisfied. The reason why the young girl had stared at her had been because of her traditional face tattoo, which consisted of three thin lines, that ran down her forehead and stopped just right above her brow, and two small leaf symbols that decorated her both temples. Her clan's tattoo. Of course, her face seemed weird as these modern teens didn't know a thing about their roots and where they came from. The Camp was the only place they've ever lived in, in this big complex where all the clans were jammed together and nearly entirely melting into each other, leaving many traditions only as curiosities, a thing in the past that wasn't a part of their daily lives anymore.

But Sienna was highly interested and invested in cherishing and embracing her roots, which wasn't that hip nowadays amongst the younger folks, and not even amongst the older mice either as they had seemingly wanted all to just move on, maybe in scare of what the future was to bring…And maybe Sienna was really digging deep with her enthusiasm for traditions as not even many of the older folks had a clan face tattoo, the collapse of their rich clan history had started a long time ago. And certainly, the young ones didn't carry symbols right there on their faces for all the world to see, Sienna knowing only a couple of others, all of them her friends who were together trying to bring these traditions from their clan pasts alive, spreading some awareness and knowledge on the matter at least, so it would not feel like a thing in the past, anomaly or strange and unrelatable.

But as for now, she was maybe considered as this "odd girl" and her face tattoo got confused looks wherever she went. It was a shameless symbol of where she came from and she was proud of it. Sienna thought one could be a modern badass babe while embracing your roots simultaneously. She was proud of her roots. And she was glad that her mate was digging the traditions as well, and who let her be who she was. Oh, how she missed Modo...

She continued her walk along the winding tunnel, reading the numbers that stood there in metal letters above the doors. 1205….1206….1207….1209...Wait, what happened to 1208? Well, never mind… Just goes with the same unlogical city planning...Come on, what was the address… She had thought the address she was looking for had been 1202 but apparently, it wasn't, so… Could it be that she had mixed up the numbers…? Maybe it wasn't starting with 1 after all, maybe she was even in the wrong district entirely… But she thought she had heard that the address she was looking for was in this area, so here she was after she had been given a scooter ride here by her little brother. Luckily she didn't have to go guessing any longer as a door opened a little further down the tunnel and she stopped to wait for who came out and as soon as she saw an old grey-furred female mouse step outside and start to sweep the front of her cave home with a broom that was as tall as she (or as short as she was because she was not tall at all) and it looked more like the broom was taking the lead in this dance of dusting while the old woman had a hard time even standing up without falling. Even if this whole scene made Sienna's heart slump while regarding the old lady who had aged a lot since her last visit, a smile still crept to her face as she had found the one she had been looking for and she sprinted to her.

"Finally! I thought I'd have to start screaming out your name to find out where you lived!"

"Oh, Sienna! Is it you? Ah heard rumors you were coming over!" The old lady squinted her eyes behind the glasses and a smile appeared on her slightly wrinkled face and for a second she looked much younger as she embraced the burnt sienna-colored young female who hugged her back with a hug that was so full of love that Sienna forgot all her day's troubles. The young female gave the older mouse a look from head to toes.

"You look great!"

The old woman only waved her hand dismissively while leaning on the broom, maybe to keep her on her feet.

"Oh, hush now! You know Ah don't like it when you young people are lying to make the old woman happy!"

Sienna giggled back but then took the old lady's hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

"It's been too long...I'm sorry it took me this long to come and see you again..."

"Oh, don't make a frown now, we all have our parts to fill in this society..." The old woman replied with a warm smile.

"That's a poor excuse to not visit my mother-in-law..." Sienna muttered as she gave her mate's old grey-furred Mommah a little remorseful look.

"So, come on in! Ah'll put the kettle on and we'll talk! Ah'm sure you'll have a lot of stories to entertain me with!" Mommah urged the young female to step into her cave while pushing her past the doorway and into the warm little cave home. Sienna was only glad she didn't use the broom to push her over the threshold, not that wouldn't have surprised her either.

"Oh-yeah, yeah, I do… But first, I gotta ask: Have you heard anything from that son of yours?" Sienna asked feeling how the worry that had been buried deep within her with hard labor started to gnaw in her stomach again.

"Hm? Modo?" The old woman asked a bit absent-mindedly as she closed the door with a push of a button and put the broom back to its' place.

"Yes, your only son..." Sienna had to let out a little amused laughter.

"Oh, there's another busy bee who can't find the time to call his Mommah..." The old mouse stated and searched for something with her look before noticing a walking stick made out of saber squid bone leaning against the wall nearby and she grabbed that while starting a little wobbly walk towards the little kitchen nook.

"Oh..." Sienna darted her gutted eyes away from Mommah."

"Ah take that sigh as in you haven't heard of him either?"

"No… But to be fair… He told me how bad the receptions are. I mean we are living underground and they are somewhere deep in the planet's sand-filled ass..." The young mouse mumbled crossing her arms.

"Language, now lady! Ah didn't appreciate that language when you were five and Ah still don't!" Mommah turned to hold the walking stick up and Sienna took a step back but smiled at her own reaction.

"Well, you're the only one who I will clean my mouth for..." She smirked but continued to walk deeper into this small cave that consisted of a kitchen nook, a small living room, and a bedroom. Sienna looked curiously around the apartment.

"So, this is the new flat, hu?"

"Unfortunately." Mommah sighed, sounding somewhat bitter and Sienna gave her a look from the corner of her eyes while still roaming around the apartment, looking into cabinets and nooks, she had never been a shy one.

"Why? You hate it? I think it's cute." Sienna sauntered on the colorful thick rugs that were covering nearly every inch of the stone floors before walking to the living room's couch that was carved out of the same basalt stone but was covered with more thick rugs and pillows to make it soft and comfortable and she sat down.

"The old one just had so many memories..." Mommah sighed while looking around like looking for something familiar.

"We can start creating new memories here?" Sienna tried to cheer the older woman who only sorrowfully shook her head but turned to put the kettle on.

"So, how's your new work?" The grey-furred woman raised her shaky voice from the kitchen nook.

"Oh, I love it so much!" Sienna praised, looking just as excited as she sounded.

"Thanks for putting the word up there...That I was looking for a job. Really needed something to occupy my mind with." She added.

"Anything for my precious daughter." Mommah stated like it was a given fact and Sienna felt her heart swelling for the special pronunciation of "daughter" the way her own mother never could manage.

"Those poor little children… Ah'm only happy that they have you there, as you'll surely be a great comfort and guidance to them." The older woman kept on not being aware of the effect of her words on Sienna.

"Yes, it is awful what has happened to these poor orphans… But there's just so much joy in these tiny critters! I mean, it's actually very inspiring…The place even if there's much sadness, it's still very much a hopeful place. The kids are incredible survivors. I was actually thinking to bring Modo there to see them, whenever he gets his ass here…" Sienna babbled while still regarding every little item and photo arranged on the shelves and walls.

"Ah'm sure he would love it, dear...He loves kids." Mommah talked absent-mindedly still having her back turned to Sienna while measuring tea leaves into the little teapot.

"Yeah..."

Mommah came back to the living area and sat down on a comfy chair that was covered with an old woolen hide from an animal that didn't roam the surface of Mars anymore. The chair itself looked very old like it had been there at the beginning of time on Mars. She suddenly had a little playful look and a twinkle in her eyes.

"Or are you having an ulterior motive to bring him there?"

"Hm?" Sienna looked up quickly, to meet those sweet elderly pair of eyes, Sienna's own brown eyes now big like suddenly caught up doing something naughty.

"No..."

"No?"

"I don't think so..."

"These kids all deserve a loving home..." Mommah talked now looking around the room, too, not trying to say anything with that sentence, just putting it out there…

"That is true..." Sienna nodded, also not trying to mean anything by it, just stating like it is and now suddenly very interested in the ceiling that was actually not really much to look at… Just a simple ceiling, same as in every apartment. Boring. She carefully turned her head to face this old woman again, to study her. She looked so fragile, even if there was still a spark in her eyes. This woman who had been there whenever she had needed help, comfort, guidance, or just food..., The unconditional love Mommah had shown her from the moment they'd moved next door when she had been just a whiny little kid never ceased to amaze her. Modo was right. This woman was a saint and she held her in the highest regard. And because Sienna knew Mommah knew her through and through there was no point keeping a facade up and playing games.

"I don't know… I don't know if I have a hidden agenda here..."

"Well, let's just hope the boy is coming home soon. He's been gone for too long, gods know." Mommah said willing to leave that talk for later when she would be ready and poured tea into two little cups and Sienna could see her hand trembling.

"Yes. He has." Sienna mumbled, trying to hide that arrow of emotions that suddenly hit her stomach, and heart. The deep longing to bury herself in Modo's big arms was nearly overwhelming. This was why she had craved something important to do. She didn't want to wallow on sadness and grief her whole life.

"You worry about him?" She asked carefully, like introducing these sad topics would somehow make the whole cave home crumble down.

"Sure Ah worry. But worrying doesn't help him or anyone else." Mommah stated and leaned forward, now very near Sienna who studied the old woman, and while regarding the older woman this close, Sienna could make out the lines of her old face tattoo that had been buried underneath the grey hair and gotten worn out during the time.

"What does help?" Sienna asked, her voice now quieter as there was no need to raise her voice while the old lady was so close to her now.

Mommah gave her a warm smile but then she suddenly remembered something and hit her thighs so hard that Sienna startled backward and the woman got up in a rush.

"Cupcakes!"

"Cupcakes?" Sienna raised her eyebrow, not really following that train of thought.

"Ah left them in the oven!" Was all she heard the old woman cry from the kitchen nook where she got in so hurry that she left her walking stick in the living room.

The young woman let out a sigh while leaning back, letting her eyes wander on the room again. It looked so cozy, she would love to live in this kind of a home…

"You know who moved into your old apartment?" She asked, raising her voice a little as the older woman's hearing wasn't like it used to be in her younger days.

"Some couple with seven children..."

"Geez..." Sienna made a face regarding the statement.

"Well, it was quite big an apartment for me to live in there by myself now that the kids have moved out of the house..." Mommah's voice was heard from the kitchen nook.

"Modo hasn't moved out..." Sienna declared referring to the fact that she and Modo didn't have a flat of their own, she was also still living with her parents, which was just very inconvenient at times.

"Well, he's also never home. Ah guess he can sleep on the couch whenever he decides to visit the Camp..." Mommah thought out loud.

"I don't think they get to decide on the matter..." Sienna said looking around her and measuring the said couch with her eyes, not really sure it would fit a man of her mate's size...She turned her eyes to observe the old lady bringing a plateful of oven-fresh cupcakes to the living room's side and she rushed to help but Mommah only waved her hand at this gesture and she managed to put the plate full of hot cupcakes on the table while Sienna was in an alert mode ready to jump up and help if needed.

"Now, take a cupcake.

Sienna snuggled in her seat to a more comfy position while taking the offered cupcake and after blowing a few times around it but quickly gave in to her cravings and took a bite and closed her eyes in pleasure.

"Good gods… This tastes like heaven."

"Made it with my grandmother's recipe." Mommah stated proudly.

Sienna took another bite and savored the taste in her mouth.

"Can I just move in here? I could help you around and get paid with cupcakes." She talked her mouth full and Mommah let out laughter.

"I don't think your parents would take that too kindly for you to move in here with me..."

"Oh, please, they'd just be pleased to get rid of me..." Sienna talked while crumbs fell off her mouth and she hurried to clean them off her lap.

"Still trouble with your mother and father?" Mommah asked with a concerned face.

"It never has been smooth sailing with them...In fact, I think we would very gladly throw each other overboard..."

"Ah'm sorry to hear that, dear..."

"Well, kind of the reason why I always came to your place when I was a kid... I just always felt welcomed, your home oozed love. Maybe it was my great scheme to start dating your son to get into this family..." Sienna joked when regarding the cupcake in her hand.

Mommah listened to her talk and after she had said what she wanted, the old mouse reached to Sienna's hand and stroked it.

"Like Ah've said before, you've always been part of this family, dear. And you're welcome under my roof anytime."

"Thanks." Sienna answered suddenly feeling a little shy but cleared her throat, taking another cupcake.

"I might take on that offer sooner than you think..."

Mommah only smiled back and left the chair again, now remembering the walking stick, and returned to the kitchen nook to fetch something else and Sienna looked after her, as her walk didn't look too easy, in fact, it looked like it hurt to move around but the old lady didn't make even a whimper.

"Yeah...Sooner than you think..." Sienna whispered, already decided on the matter.

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well, that's it for now,

stay safe and please review, I'm always eager to hear what you think.

:)