Author's Notes and Disclaimer: Hello, readers! I hope you're enjoying the story. Tell me, as you're reading this can you actually picture all this in your mind? It certainly feels that I can at times. Then again, I guess it's because I watched "The Secret of NIMH" so many times while writing this last year.
Here's the disclaimer: I do not own the movie "The Secret of NIMH" (owned by MGM/UA Entertainment Co., Aurora Productions, and Don Bluth Productions), the characters of "Loonatics Unleashed" (owned by Warner Bros), or the "Tiny Toon Adventures" character Calamity Coyote (owned by Warner Bros and Amblin).
Recap: Day one for the Loonatics and Calamity on this adventure has them meeting Mrs. Brisby, Mr. Ages, Jeremy, the Brisby kids (Teresa, Martin, Cynthia, and Timmy), and Auntie Shrew, and has them encountering Dragon, as well as finding out that Timothy has pneumonia, Toon physics don't apply in this world, and about Moving Day, which is when Farmer Fitzgibbons plows the field. The adventure group also learn a bit about each other and Duck begins his development unknowingly thanks to Mrs. Brisby.
The start of day two, however, has them going up against the tractor, which the Loonatics and Calamity manage to stop. However, it's evident that the damage they inflicted will soon be fixed, so a new solution needs to be found. Auntie Shrew suggests going to the Great Owl for advice…and so does Nicodemus, who has reached out and managed to touch the mind of young Calamity Coyote. But it seems that Nicodemus is concerned that the seven visitors may not be strong enough yet for what lies ahead, but that'll have to wait. Now, how are they going to get to the Owl…?
Chapter 6: The Great Owl
By evening, Mrs. Brisby, Ace, Lexi, Duck, Slam, Tech, Calamity, and Rev were on Jeremy's back, flying to the Great Owl's tree. And hanging on for dear life.
"Now I can understhtand why you're afraid of heightsth, Mrs. Bristhby!" Duck shouted as he clutched Jeremy's feathers from the spot on the crow's back he was sitting on.
"How you doing there, Rev?" Tech called to the rather light-blue-looking roadrunner. (A/N: Rev's a bit pale from fright.)
"Fine!" Rev called back nervously. "Just…not how I'm used to flying!"
Jeremy laughed in delight as he turned upside down and right-side up again, seemingly oblivious to his passengers' fright.
"Nice evening, huh?" the crow smiled. "I told you you'd love flying!"
"I don't know how I let you all talk me into this!" Mrs. Brisby gasped.
"I'm really sorry, Mrs. B, but I warned ya you wouldn't like it!" Ace told her.
"Well, I'm not too big a fan of this, either!" Lexi gasped.
Slam groaned; he was not enjoying this, either.
"Ah, don't thank me, guys," Jeremy said as he made like he was running on the clouds before coming out above them. "When we get to the Great Owl, he'll know just what to do about everything!" he promised.
"Owls eat mice!" Mrs. Brisby said nervously.
"Um…only after dark," Jeremy said.
'Owls are nocturnal,' Calamity reminded her as he tightly held Tech's waist like a lifeline.
"Then we'd better get to his place and fast; we're losin' daylight here!" Ace urged the crow.
Jeremy flew with his passengers over some farm fields before going into a forest. After passing some trees that looked quite dead, they came to light on a branch. Mrs. Brisby slid down to Jeremy's left foot, leaving the adventure group still on the crow's back.
Jeremy took a few steps forward as a bird cried out and a wolf howled, giving the forest a more suspenseful atmosphere. A shiver spread throughout the group of seven, but was it because it was getting cold, or because they were getting scared?
"That must be the Owl's tree over there," Jeremy indicated, looking at a rather gnarled and sinister-looking tree.
"Nice real estate," Lexi commented sarcastically.
"Whoo!" Duck shivered. "Now that isth the definition of a creepy crib! You look up the word in the dictionary, I'll bet you'll find a picture of that!"
They then flew over and landed on a branch leading to a dark hole that led inside the tree. One by one, the passengers disembarked.
"Must be da maid's day off," Ace remarked about the cobwebs, trying to keep himself calm.
A sound that could be thought of as breathing was heard, making the group more nervous. Slowly, they stepped towards the entrance, Mrs. Brisby in front, the adventure group in the middle, and Jeremy behind.
Another breathing sound was heard. Of course, everybody hoped it was just the wind. Those with long-range superpowers were resisting the urge to fire on nerves.
"I hear a heartbeat inside," Lexi whispered to Ace. "It's a little slow, but someone's definitely alive in there."
"Hello!" Jeremy called. "Hello!"
"Anybody home?" Duck called. "Well, the plac-th-e looksth destherted," he then said, his fear influencing him. "I guessth we'd better get out of here."
There was a loud hooting sound and the sound of wings flapping, which sent out a breeze that blew everyone backwards and off their feet; most of them with a loud yelp.
"Step inside my house," came a deep, ominous voice from within the tree, presumably the Great Owl.
"Yep, somebody's home," Ace chuckled nervously, his voice slightly higher due to fear.
Calamity clung tightly to Tech, having scampered into the older coyote's arms after quickly recovering from being blown backwards.
Everybody stood up, a little more frightened now. Ace and Lexi were holding each other's hands. Tech held Calamity in his arms, and Rev was behind Tech, hands on the brown-furred coyote's shoulders and trying to resist the urge to use his speed powers to run away from this place. Duck was shivering like a leaf. Slam tried to stand bravely, but he couldn't help but tremble slightly. Jeremy's knees were knocking. Mrs. Brisby felt too scared to move.
However, Jeremy gently pushed the adventure group and Mrs. Brisby towards the entrance, then silently gestured to them with his head to go in.
"Come inside or go away," came the Owl's voice once more.
'We'd better do as he says,' Calamity spoke timidly.
Duck started taking a step back.
"C'mon, guys, remember who we're doing this for," Lexi reminded the group.
"Timothy," Mrs. Brisby said quietly. "Remember Timothy."
Duck deeply inhaled and exhaled twice, putting on a determined expression on the last exhale. Mrs. Brisby was right; they came here to the Great Owl to find answers on how to save Timmy's life. This was not the time to run away! Duck almost stopped following the others in when another voice came into his head, asking him what thing possessed him to start acting like this; a more…subdued, pragmatic version of himself. Not that it was a bad thing, but it didn't feel like…him.
Duck had no time to think further on the subject because after walking in a bit, Lexi and Mrs. Brisby gasped, having seen the bones of small animals littered about. A moth then flew in their faces and Lexi screamed, making everybody else cry out in fright.
By the time the moth had flown away, Ace was holding a whimpering Lexi close.
"Breathe, Rev…Breathe," Tech slowly told the heavily-breathing roadrunner.
"You…breathe," Rev retorted between breaths, his coyote friend almost hyperventilating himself.
Calamity gulped, feeling his heart pound against Tech's chest.
Slam looked in the direction the moth had gone, as if to make sure it had left.
When everybody turned to check on Mrs. Brisby, they found Duck wrapping his arms protectively around her.
When he noticed everyone staring, he said slowly, "Uh…I think it'd be a good idea if…if sthomeone staysth closthe to Missthusth Bristhby. If thingsth get hairy, then we need sthomeone to get her out in a sthnap."
Ace gave the anthro mallard a look that was a mix of "good idea" and surprise before leading the group on, keeping Lexi close.
They went further in, with no sign of any life. That is, until…
"We're not alone," Lexi said, her voice a barely audible whisper.
"You said that already!" Ace whispered back.
"No…I mean…I think…" Lexi hesitated, growing very scared again.
Calamity chanced to look back over Tech's shoulder and saw a large, moving shadow with beads of light on it. One, two…four…? There were things on the sides that moved; appendages? One, two…four…six…eight-Eight?! Calamity began tapping the back of Rev's right shoulder.
Rev only needed to see the look of panic on Calamity's face to notice something was wrong. He turned around to see what Calamity had seen: a giant spider. Now it was his turn to tap someone on the back in panic; this time it was Tech.
"What?" Tech whispered.
Everybody stopped. They were at a more open area in the tree with a small, risen area near the wall at this point. The others were about to turn and subsequently see the spider that Rev and Calamity had spotted, but that never happened, because a rather gnarled part of the tree's wall that looked like a claw raised itself and crushed the spider with a sickening squish.
All eight turned around then, and saw what was indeed a claw with a crushed arachnid underfoot. And it was attached to a leg. Which led to a spiderweb-covered body of feathers. Which led to the ancient-looking visage and glowing eyes of the Great Owl himself. The Great Owl moved twisted his head from its apparently upside down position to right-side up, his neck bones cracking.
They were no longer scared. They were terrified.
Ace and Lexi held each other close. Duck ended up falling on his backside from trying to look up at the Great Owl in front of a very frightened Mrs. Brisby, but he didn't move. Slam froze up. Rev grabbed onto Tech, who held Calamity tighter.
The Great Owl turned to face Mrs. Brisby and the seven visitors, making them shrink back.
"Why have you come?" the Owl asked them.
Mrs. Brisby, who stood behind Duck, was the first to respond. "Please, for…forgive us…for disturbing you, but…my son's life is in great danger," she said timidly as the same moth she and her friends saw earlier fluttered by and up to the Owl.
When it got too close, the Owl snatched it in his beak and ate it. The gruesome sight made everyone look away for a moment before Mrs. Brisby continued, "The plow has come early this year, and-"
"Move your family," the Great Owl said, his eyes shining brighter.
The aged nocturnal avian then beat his wings, creating a strong breeze that blew some cobwebs, bones and feathers around, also forcing everyone to get down and try not to be blown away.
After that was over, Calamity was the next to speak. 'She…She would move, sir, but her son Timothy has pneumonia. He can't even get out of bed.'
No-one could tell if the Owl was considering what Calamity was saying, or if he was surprised by Calamity's telepathy. Or maybe it was both.
"You must move to a place where it'll be safe from the plow," the Owl then said, addressing Mrs. Brisby.
"Ahem," someone else in the group began; it was Duck this time. "Sthir, we came to you for advic-th-e on how to sthave Timmy," Duck said slowly as he stood up, trying keep his voice steady. "She knowsth she hasth to move her family to where they'll be sthafe from the plow, but if Timmy can't leave his bed, and she can't leave Timothy…then…then…" Duck almost lost his resolve, but he pushed forward with, "Sthir…pleasthe…there hasth to be a stholution that can stholve both problemsth."
"My friend Duck is right," Mrs. Brisby said, putting her hand on Duck's. "There must be another way."
"There is no other way," was the Owl's reply.
Mrs. Brisby began to look downcast, feeling that she had failed. Duck looked at her, saw this, and felt his heart squeeze. He felt terrible for her, and so did the others; they had apparently made the journey for nothing.
"I must bid you good evening, Mrs., uh…?" The Owl trailed, wanting the name of the widowed field mouse before he left.
"Mrs. Brisby," she answered sadly.
The Owl stopped. Calamity perked up, sensing familiarity in the Owl's mind associated with the name "Brisby".
"Brisby?" the Owl asked, turning around. "Mrs. Jonathan Brisby?" he inquired, voice booming and leaning in so close to the group that they could see their reflections in his eyes, startling them.
"Um, 'sthcusthe me, I thought her name wasth Eliz-th-abeth," Duck whispered, confused.
"So did I," Ace replied, finally speaking for the first time since before the Great Owl appeared.
"No, wait, he's identifying her by her late husband's name," Lexi explained.
"Why, yes! He was my husband!" Mrs. Brisby gasped to the Great Owl.
"Wait, how do you know Misthter Bristhby?" Duck asked the Owl.
"That is not important," the Owl dismissed, his deep, booming voice making Duck jump a bit. "I will say this: His name is not unknown in these woods."
"Well, looks like somebody's got a reputation," Ace remarked as he and the others began to stand up again.
"Please sir, I'll do anything to save Timmy," Mrs. Brisby begged the Owl, beginning to cry. "Anything."
Duck took her hand and squeezed it in comfort.
The Owl looked intently at the group for a moment, considered something, and only spoke again when he saw the motley group accompanying Jonathan's widow nod their heads, as if agreeing that they would also do anything to save Timothy.
"There is a way. Go…to the rats," he began advising them.
"But I don't know any rats!" Mrs. Brisby said.
"In the rosebush," the Owl added.
"Oh yeah; there's a big rosebush in the front yard of the house," Rev finally spoke. "I did a little aerial scouting before Jeremy picked us up," he explained.
"Go there. Ask for Nicodemus," the Owl then instructed.
'Nicodemus,' Calamity repeated. He had a feeling that he knew the being behind the name, somehow, but he couldn't put a finger on it.
"Nicodemus," Tech also said, committing the name to memory.
"But how can they help?" Mrs. Brisby asked after ducking to avoid the ends of the Great Owl's beard that had swung around when he spoke.
"They must move your house to the lee of the stone," the Owl told them.
"'Lee'?" Slam queried.
"What's a 'lee of the stone'?" Lexi asked aloud.
"No rat could move my house!" Mrs. Brisby protested. "It's-"
"They have ways," he said, looming in on the group one more time before pulling back.
"I don't understand, but I will do as you say," Mrs. Brisby conceded.
The Great Owl seemed to wait for the seven visitors to nod again before taking his leave and moving away. "It is night. I must go."
Mrs. Brisby and the adventure group moved out of the way as the Great Owl began to walk with a limp to the outside.
He stopped to remind them before finally leaving, "Remember: The lee…of the stone."
The Great Owl limped out onto the branch past a cowering Jeremy, his small visitors following a distance away. Once fully out, the Great Owl spread his cobweb-covered wings and flew away.
'Thank you,' Calamity said telepathically to the Great Owl.
"Well, at least one of us remembered to do that," Ace grinned.
Calamity's eyes widened as he heard the Great Owl's voice in his mind.
"What'd he say?" Tech asked.
Calamity smiled. 'He said, "You're welcome",' he answered. 'And "Good luck".'
"Dat's good. We'll need it," Ace said.
"I didn't hear that," Jeremy commented, not having heard the telepathic exchange. "So what did he say?" he asked.
"He said to go to the rats," Lexi answered.
"Rats. Um…uh, what rats?" Jeremy asked.
"The lee…of the stone…" Mrs. Brisby said thoughtfully.
"Well, dis sure ain't a good time for dat kind of expedition; it's gettin' late," Ace noticed. "We'll head over dere in de mornin'."
"Right…" Mrs. Brisby said.
"Frankly, after what we just went through, I don't think any of us are gonna sleep a wink!" Lexi exclaimed, having been thoroughly rattled by the encounter.
Duck was about to follow the others to board Jeremy for the return trip when Mrs. Brisby cleared her throat, getting his attention.
"I…I just wanted to say thank you…for protecting me…and…for your support," Mrs. Brisby said softly and motherly.
"Oh…you're welcome," Duck smiled. He then shook his head and said a little louder, trying to get back to his usual self, "I mean, any of the othersth could've done it; I wasth…justht closther, that'sth all."
"Of course," Mrs. Brisby nodded, not quite believing the anthro mallard.
There was definitely something odd about Duck, thought the widowed field mouse as she climbed on Jeremy. From the way the others seemed to regard him, it was like he was a troublemaker or someone trying to be fearless, a little like Martin. But around her, he wasn't like that at all; he acted genuinely concerned for her and her family, the way Duck had pleaded with the Great Owl not minutes ago was proof of that. And what was that memory of Duck's that Calamity had read and gotten him so upset last night?
One thing was certain: There was more to Duck than met the eye, and she, Mrs. Elizabeth Brisby, was going to find out what it was.
And done. This chapter was probably a bit shorter than the others I've put up so far, but I hope what goes on here more than makes up for it.
Boy, what these guys have to endure; first Jeremy's flying, then the spookiness of the Great Owl's home, and finally the imposing visage of the Great Owl himself. I'm sure you can picture the group's terrified expressions in that moment; I sure could!
And it seems not only do the local field animal folk and Nicodemus know about Mrs. Brisby's husband, but so does the Owl. Which brings up something I think I should've cleared up earlier; I know in the movie Mrs. Brisby is referred to as "Mrs. Jonathan Brisby", but here I gave her the first name Elizabeth. That's because for the former, they're referring to her by her late husband's name, and for the latter, I've read that "Elizabeth" was given to her as an homage to her original voice actress; I just decided to use it.
Also, it seems Duck is becoming cognizant of the change in his personality, and Mrs. Brisby is becoming more curious about Duck, which sets the scene for the next chapter, which is completely off-book.
Until then, please read and review. Thank you.
