Tada! New chapter! Was frustrated with one of my other stories so I took a break and decided to work on something else. So here you go!
The young mouse snuggled further down into his quilt. The air around him was chilly and the light around him was still dim. He could hear the birds chirping happily in the distance as they searched for their breakfast and the bustling about of some beast starting a fire in the other room of the cottage.
He stretched his limbs and gave a yawn, careful not to wake the mouse beside him. His brother, Jacob, let out a small groan but other than that he was dead to the world. His brother may have been four seasons older than himself, but he was asleep long after he himself got up.
The young mouse perked up as he remembered what day it was. With little hesitation, he climbed off the mat on the floor and scurried into the main room of the small cottage. A mouse woman was poking the flames of a small fire with a stick.
"Good morning Mama!"
The mouse turned around at her son's sudden appearance. She gave him a gentle grin. "Good morning Matthias. Happy Birthday."
Matthias smiled. Today was his special day. Every season he grew just a little bit older but this time he was older than ever. Four seasons old. Why, he was practically a man now. "Can I help you, Mama?"
She grabbed a wooden bucket from the corner of the room and handed it to the small mouse. It was almost as large as Matthias himself. "Could you fill this up with water? That would be a big help."
"Sure!" He half carried and half dragged the wooden bucket with him. He enjoyed doing this chore. It was a chance for him to show his family how strong he was. Yeah, he may lose half the water by the time he gets back to the house, but it's nothing that can't be fixed by taking two or three trips.
The small mouse arrived at the pump. After setting the bucket under the spout, he grabbed the handle and pulled it down with all his weight. A spurt of water came out.
"Hello, Matthias."
The little mouse let go of the pump and landed on his feet. Before him stood another mouse who wore a charming grin. He was fifteen seasons old and did a lot of work around the village. His kind and cheerful nature made him popular with the ladies, but it was quite obvious to the entire village that he had his heart set on one maiden in particular. Myrtle, Matthias' older sister.
"Hi, Harry."
The older boy put his hands on his hips, feet spread apart. "You're up early. Does it have to do with it being a special day or somethin'?"
The little mouse giggled. He grabbed onto Harry's arm and swung off. "It's my birthday!"
Harry feigned shock. "What? No way! It just can't be!" He measured the difference between himself and the young mouse with his hand. "Would you look at that, you're almost up to my waist."
Matthias laughed as he wrapped his arms around him and looked up. "I'm gonna be as big as you soon. Maybe even bigger! And I'm gonna be really strong and Papa will let me push the plow!"
"Well, until then, would you like a piggyback ride? I can get both you and the bucket home faster."
The little mouse cheered as the teen lifted him up onto his shoulders. He screamed and giggled as the older mouse made the ride bumpy and difficult to stay on. Their laughter and ruckus were heard by the entire village but nobody minded. They were all up by sunrise anyway.
Harry arrived at Matthias' cottage. He poked his head through the already opened door and smiled at the mother who was preparing the morning meal. "Good morning ma'am. I have come bearing a delivery that just might interest you." He set Matthias down and then handed him the bucket. It was a miracle that there was any water left.
Mariam smiled fondly. "Thank you, boys. It's a blessing having such nice strong men around." She then placed a large black kettle over the fire. "Would you like to join us for breakfast, Harry? You just missed Myrtle, but she should be back soon. She left to pick some berries by the stream."
Harry's face reddened slightly and he shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude. Besides, my Ma is expecting me back soon." He paused. "How did you know I was waiting for Myrtle?"
Mariam shot him a knowing look. "You two make it quite obvious my dear. And are you sure? She'll be rather disappointed that you didn't stay."
"I'm sure ma'am. And she shouldn't be too upset. I promised to take her on a picnic tomorrow." He nodded his head. "Thank you though. I'll see ya later." He then left.
The mother chuckled. He was such a good boy and she knew he would take good care of her daughter when they finally got married. It was too hard to resist teasing him though. He was very jittery when flustered.
Matthias tugged the end of his mother's apron. "Mama, what are you making?" His eyes were big and round as he looked up at her earnestly. Like most young creatures, his appetite was rather demanding.
Mariam fondly stroked his ear. "Oatmeal," she answered. "With walnuts, almonds, raisins, and fried apples. Think you can handle that?"
The little mouse's mouth watered. They usually ate oatmeal for breakfast but all those special add ons were a treat. They should have birthdays more often. Not wanting to delay eating any longer than necessary, he grabbed the wooden bowls off the shelf and set them on the table.
"One for Papa, one for Mama, one for Myrtle, one for Jacob, one for himself, and one for baby Jade." That was six bowls.
It was not long before all the mice were seated at the table. Matthias loved the noisy chatter of his family. He always felt so safe when they were all together. His father was strong and stern while his mother was soft-spoken and serene. Yet, all the children knew it was much easier to sway their father's heart with big eyes than it was their mother's. Myrtle was always there for Matthias when he needed help and never said he was a bother. Now Jacob, on the other hand, called him a bother. It did not phase him though. He also knew Jacob would be the first to come to his defense if he were ever in trouble. When Jade was born, Matthias had decided he was going to be the best big brother ever.
John finished the last of his oatmeal then pushed back the bowl. "So…" he began. "I was thinking about maybe going fishing today. I wonder if there would be anyone who cared to join me?"
Jacob's round ears perked up at this and he bounced in his seat. "Can I come, Papa? I'll come! I'm very good at catching fish!"
"And that you are," answered John fondly. "However, I was thinking about taking the birthday boy today."
Matthias' eyes grew wide. He had never been allowed to go fishing before. That was only something that the bigger mice we're allowed to do. "Can I?"
His father grinned and nodded his head. Matthias squealed and dashed towards his father and wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
"I already made some bread balls you can use for bate," said his mother. She cradled her son's face fondly before placing a kiss between his ears. "Now you listen to your Papa, you hear? If he says be still, you be still. I don't want you falling in the lake. The weather is far too cold for that."
Matthias hugged his mother. "I promise!"
Heaven, Matthias decided, would be similar to floating in the water on a boat while fishing with your father. It was the greatest thing ever. He and his father had followed a path in the woods covered in red and orange leaves that lead to a small lake. The water shimmered in the morning light and rippled in the breeze. He had helped his father push a small rowboat into the cold water. He had to be reminded several times to sit still. He truly tried, but his excitement made it very difficult and there was just so much to see under the surface of the water.
They spent most of the morning on the lake. Matthias was having such a good time that he nearly forgot that fishing involved actually catching fish. It was a great surprise to him when the pole he was holding was nearly ripped from his hand.
"Pull it in Matthias! Pull it in!" His father bent over to help his son hold onto the rod.
Matthias grunted as he pulled against the force of his catch. "I'm trying Papa!"
It was a struggle, but with the help of his father, he was able to land the fish in the boat. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Its silver scales glinted in the autumn sun in rainbow colors. Its tailfin was flowy as it flopped around on the floor of the boat. It may not have been as large as the ones that his father and older brother usually brought home, but it was still fairly larger than him.
A warm hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up into his father's proud face. "Well done, Matthias! You make an excellent fisherman!"
He beamed at the praise. Maybe he would become a fisherman. He could fish every day and bring home his catch for the entire village to eat. However, no one could cook it as well as his mama. She would fry it in chunks over the fire or put it in her stew. His mouth watered just thinking about it. "Do you think Mama would cook my fish today"
His father grinned and ruffled his head fur. "I'm sure she will if you ask her nicely, half-pint. That would make one good birthday lunch wouldn't it?"
The two walked home side by side. The chilly breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees leaving patterns of the forest floor. Matthias carried the fishing pole while his father carried the fish. It was much too heavy for him to do himself.
They had just reached the clearing of their home when one of the villagers came rushing towards them. He was a middle-aged mouse wearing a brown tunic who had two children of his own. "John!" he called. He stopped in front of them. He bent over as he tried to catch his breath. "John, you have to come see this."
Matthias watched as his father's face morphed into concern. He shifted uneasily. "See what, Herald? What's wrong?"
Herald's eyes met John's. They were hollow and tired. "The crops. They have a disease."
John dug in the dark soil and pulled out a potato. At least, it was supposed to be a potato. What was meant to be a brown skin covering a hard white flesh was replaced with a black goo. It ran down his fingers. He scrunched his nose at the stench. The entire field was rotten.
"And all the crops are like this?" he asked.
Harald nodded his head in the affirmative. "All of them. The potatoes, the wheat, the cabbage, the corn…. Whatever this is, it infected all of it."
John pressed his clean paw to his forehead. This was not good. It was the beginning of autumn. They did not have the time to clear the fields and replant everything. And even if they did, it did not mean the disease would not spread to the new crops. There is little food to scavenge in the winter and the fish do not bite as much in the cold weather. They would starve.
He stood up from the ground. His shoulders squared back and his muscles became tense. He turned to Harald who was beside him. "Gather the rest of the village. We need to scavenge what we can."
The Grey Coincidence: I'm glad you liked it. Yeah, I had fun setting up that tension. The other chapter I considered a prologue, so this one was longer.
Pyrah the Fox: So glad you liked it! I had been thinking about writing more to this story when your comment popped up. It was the deciding factor. Hope you enjoyed this new chapter!
The next chapter of Whatever the Cost is in progress. I have the ruff draft done. However,