Two As One Chapter: 3
The celebration in the abbey lasted long into the night, none of the creatures aware of the happenings that had taken place just beyond their walls. As the last candles began to burn out, Abbot Welkum strolled into Cavern Hole and clapped his paws to silence the creatures within the room.
"Now I know you have all been having a lot of fun but I think it is time you all got some rest." Various moans and groans sounded through the room as the younger beasts protested.
"But Abbot, we not tired yet!"
"Yeah! We want to stay up later"
"Burr, hurr, not everyday we harv a feast!"
"Jolly well right wot wot!" Welkum shook his head and the elder otter could not help but chuckle. Renla strolled into the room and sighed heavily. She raised her large paws into the air and bellowed.
"The next beast that protests won't be going to the next feast!" Every single beast in the room silenced immediately, Sprypaw being one of the first. The jolly hare grabbed a pastry and stuck it in his mouth to make sure he wouldn't speak out. Once the room was hushed, Renla lowered her paws and smiled.
"Good, now, if there are no more arguments, then I think it is time for you all to go to bed." All the younger creatures nodded at the badger and one by one they left the room in silence. Malya smiled at Crim as they watched Sprypaw grab a bunch of food off of a table and run out of the room, just barely missing the badger. Renla put a paw to her head and chuckled to the Abbot. "Guess I'm good for something, eh, old friend?"
Welkum smiled at the badger as he pushed his spectacles closer to his eyes.
"I believe you're good for a lot more then that, my friend. Now, we had better get this room cleaned up if we are to have breakfast in the morning," Renla nodded obediently to the abbot, a smile playing on her large face. Crim was just leading Malya towards the stairs when he turned around and tapped the abbot on the shoulder.
"Um…Abbot Welkum, is it alright if I help clean up also?" A small clatter was heard as Renla dropped a wooden plate and put a paw to her heart.
"Why bless my soul, that's the first time he's actually asked to do a chore," she said in mock surprise. Welkum chuckled and patted her on the back then nodded to Crim.
"Of course you may help young Crim." The squirrel grinned at the abbot and began to clear off a table. Malya walked back into the room and started to help also, a suspicious smile playing on her face. Both walked into the kitchen and set the dishes by the tubs of water that lined the walls, one for washing and one for rinsing and drying. Crim set himself beside the drying side while Malya went to the washing bucket. As she worked, she kept smiling at Crim until the squirrel finally sighed and looked at her.
"Why do you keep smiling at me like that?" He asked. Malya giggled and pawed him a plate.
"I'm just wondering why you offered to help, mate? Trying to score points for messing up today?" Crim rolled his eyes and tossed a towel at her, which she caught in her paw.
"No I'm not trying to score points, I just thought it would be nice to help out." Malya put a paw to her head and made a fainting motion.
"Oh dear, it's finally happened. You've lost your poor little mind." She said and laughed. Crim rolled his eyes again and began to dry another plate.
"You scare me sometimes, you know that right, Malya?" The otter maid smiled as she washed another dish.
"I scare myself sometimes too mate." She replied with a wink and both creatures broke down laughing.
Pondara, an old mouse wife and mother of Redwall paced nervously back and forth near the doors of the Great Hall. Her paws constantly rubbed together as she looked out the windows near by and whispered frantically to herself.
"He'll be back any second, I know it. He'll be back, he has to come back." She watched as another light snow storm began to blow across the land and she sighed deeply, leaning back against the wall.
Kenyo was walking down the hall towards Cavern Hole for a light snack when he saw Pondara near the door. His brow furrowed deeply and he changed his course and walked up to the mouse.
"Is everything alright Pondara?" He asked in a kind and concerned voice, typical of the warrior. Pondara sighed and looked at Kenyo, her eyes full of worry and unshed tears.
"No, my son Tellio went out earlier to explore Mossflower and he hasn't come back yet. He's been missing since this morning but I just figured he had taken refuge from the storm in the Log a Log camp. But that was hours ago, he would have been back by now. I'm so worried Kenyo, what if he's hurt?" Her paws began to shake worriedly and she looked pleadingly to the warrior. Kenyo put a comforting paw on her shoulder and smiled to reassure her.
"Don't worry, you just go right up to bed and I'll watch out for Tellio. I'll even go out there to find him myself. I'm sure he's just resting with the GUOSIM because of the storm earlier. Don't worry, he'll come back." Pondara seemed to find comfort in his words and she nodded to him.
"Thank you Kenyo, I feel much better now that you'll look for my Tellio." Kenyo patted her shoulder and steered her towards the stairs.
"That's right Pondara, I'll find him, now you just rest," With that, the old mouse walked up the stairs to the dormitories. Once she was gone, Kenyo sighed and headed towards Cavern Hole.
Crim was just putting a clean dish into the cupboard when he heard Kenyo walk into the dinning area. The squirrel bit his lip slightly and looked out the door to see what the warrior was doing, curiosity written on his face. Malya turned her head to glance at the squirrel and she rolled her eyes as she stood next to him.
"Bein a peeping Tom mate?" She asked as she dried a dish with Crim's dish rag. The squirrel shook his head.
"No, I was just wondering what Kenyo was up to," Malya raised an eye and pointed a claw at him.
"That would be a peeping Tom mate." She said just as Kenyo passed the door and went towards the abbot and Renla. Both squirrel and otter ducked from the warrior so they wouldn't be seen and hurriedly scooted towards an area of the kitchen so they could hear what was happening.
"Abbot Welkum, Renla, can I have a word please?" Kenyo asked as he neared the two. Just by the look on the warrior's face, they could sense that something was wrong. Welkum pulled forth a chair for Kenyo and held out a paw.
"Proceed," he said, watching the mouse closely. Kenyo sighed and instead leaned against the table as he spoke.
"Well, evidently, Tellio was out in Mossflower early this morning and he hasn't been seen since. Pondara was down by the Great Hall doors, pacing around and it took me awhile to get her to stop worrying." He blinked a couple of times as the low torches in the room bothered his eyes. "I told her that we would send a couple beasts out to find Tellio, though I imagine that he's probably at the shrew camp, but we can't be to sure." Welkum looked very unnerved by this news and he cleaned his spectacles, like he always did when he was troubled.
"You don't think that there were vermin out there that could have taken the lad do you?" Kenyo blew out a breath and shook his head.
"It's possible but I'm not sure. All we can do is go and find him." He stood tall again and looked at the abbot. "With your permission, I'd like to arrange a small search party to find him." Welkum nodded instantly.
"Of course, of course but I think it best that we wait till morning. We may have already lost one, we don't need to lose any more beasts." Kenyo nodded.
"As you wish Welkum." He said then frowned deeply. "We're going to have to tell Crim about this, you know that right?" The abbot sighed and nodded.
"Yes, I know."
Crim jerked back slightly in the kitchen and looked at Malya.
"Why do they have to tell me this? I mean, yes I would want to know but so would every beast else. Why single me out?" Malya grumbled and threw a paw over his mouth.
"Well we'll never know with ya yakkin like an old hare wife. Now, shhh and listen." Crim pushed her paw away and did as she bade.
Renla put her paws on her hips and shook her head.
"Figures that this had to happen now. I mean, he just got a little more situated around here and now we have to give him the scroll?" Welkum nodded gravely.
"I'm afraid we do. We knew this would happen, the poem in the scroll said-"
"Oh to Dark Forest with the poem and the scroll, just another way to spread more heart break and misery," the badger interrupted heatedly. Kenyo sighed then looked up at her.
"And I thought you were the one that wanted to give him the scroll in the first place." The badger rolled her eyes.
"I just thought he should know and that we should stop lying to him."
"Lying to me about what?" Crim asked suddenly, to intrigued to keep quiet. Kenyo, Welkum and Renla all turned as one to look at the squirrel as he stood at the kitchen door, Malya peeking out. Welkum put a paw to his head.
"I forgot they were in there," He muttered quietly. Crim took another step towards the group, a curious look on his face.
"What have you been lying to me about?" He asked again. Welkum looked at Kenyo who nodded slowly then to Renla who did the same. Sighing quietly, the abbot withdrew a scroll from his habit and handed it to Crim, a grim look on his old features.
"CrimsonRay, this is what happened the night that you came to us. A young squirrel came and dropped you at our door in the middle of the night and gave this scroll to Kenyo to give to you when you got older. Well, according to the scroll, the time for you to receive it is now." The abbot sat down on a chair and watched Crim as the squirrel slowly opened the scroll.
He first removed an intricate fabric that had been wrapped around the scroll, and dropped it to the ground. The old bark scroll crackled as he unrolled it slowly, revealing the age of it. As he opened it, an oak leaf fell to the ground at his footpaws. Delicately, the squirrel picked the leaf up and looked at it. Welkum tapped him on the shoulder gently.
"Read the scroll first young one." Crim nodded slowly and looked at the scroll as Malya came up behind him and put a paw on his shoulder, reading also.
Dear CrimsonRay,
You may not know me, but my name is Valena, sister to your mother Sunbeam, a very sweet and kind squirrel. She was the healer and the seer of the family, strange to believe but true. She had the most beautiful sun ray fur that has been passed down to you. Your father was a warrior, very strong and fierce with the darkest fur that you would have ever seen. His name was Punico the fierce. I, on the other hand, am a light brown squirrel, very different then your mother.
CrimsonRay, when you read this, I am sorry to say that your parents, they will be gone, as will I most likely. Your mother told me of the events that are going to happen the night that I take you to Redwall abbey and it is important that you know. This is what she has told me:
In the dead of winter, a mink will come with the name of Stelumos. He is an evil mink who will kill any beast in his way. He will come to our village and burn it to ashes and enslave the inhabitants. What will happen is, he will take me and my husband captive and take young CrimsonRay and his sister away from us. He will keep our daughter but leave CrimsonRay to die in the cold. Valena, you must take CrimsonRay to Redwall abbey and let him live there until the time comes when the mouse of Redwall goes missing on the same night, seasons later, that he arrived, when he must read this scroll. Our fates, my husband and I, have been decided and we will die the night that Stelumos comes. Valena, you must take CrimsonRay to Redwall and he must grow in peace there until the time comes when he must read the scroll.
These were the words of your mother as she told me. CrimsonRay, the time has come for you to know what you must do in your life. You must find your sister, and you are the one who must help defeat Stelumos and free Mossflower. This is a heavy burden for one so young but your mother has seen it and she has never been wrong before. She doesn't know where your sister will go, she doesn't know what will happen. All she knows is the poem that she heard in her dreams by a warrior mouse. Read the poem CrimsonRay, and may the fate's be with you.
All our love,
Valena, Punico and Sunbeam
Crim blinked several times after he read the letter, as if trying to dislodge something from his eyes. He looked at Welkum, Kenyo and Renla.
"This really happened, didn't it? My parents were killed and the town burned?" All three looked at one another and as one they nodded. Crim stared down at the parchment and slowly sat down, his face a mask of anger, confusion and sadness. He then looked at the oak leaf that had fallen out earlier and began to read the content.
In the mist of winter
When the young mouse goes amiss
With the warrior you must go
To solve his disappearance
Trouble you shall find
When you scout the frosted land
The one cloaked in ebony
Will be close at hand
Follow true, your senses
And follow the one lost
Try hard to befriend her
Try this at any cost
The one shrouded in darkness
Is the key to Redwall's fall
Be watchful of the black one
And protect her from them all
You must find this lost one
And bring the lost one home
Redwall will be betrayed
And then you two must roam
Look for new protection
From across the sea
Defeat the sword of Doomsfate
And set Mossflower free
Some will fall in battle
And some blood will be shed
Some will kill the living
Some will mourn the dead
All will appear hidden
Until the battle's won
Until the ray and ebony
Become two as one
Crim stared at the poem, utterly confused and unsure of how to react. In just a mere few minutes, his life had been shattered as his eyes were opened to his past. At first all he could feel was confusion, then suddenly out of the depths of his heart, he felt an unspeakable rage well within him, directed at who, he didn't know. But he did not let the anger get the best of him and he slowly folded the poem within his tunic, strapped the scroll to his belt and turned to leave the room.
Abbot Welkum frowned a deep frown and placed a comforting paw on the squirrel's shoulder.
"CrimsonRay, you must understand that we wanted to tell you but, it was not the time. I am truly sorry my son." Crim stopped for a moment then turned to face the Abbot, a strange, almost frightening look on his face.
"Don't feel sorry for me, abbot, I don't want pity." That was the last that the beasts heard from Crim as he left the room towards the dormitories. Malya lowered her head in sadness and saw the fabric binding the scroll lying at her footpaws. She plucked it up from the ground and looked at Abbot Welkum, Kenyo and Renla, who all acted as if the world had come to an end. Malya cleared her throat to catch their attention and spoke in a soft voice.
"I'm gonna go and check on Crim mates, make sure he is alright." Renla shook her great furred head at the young otter maid.
"No, let Crim have some time to-" She was cut off as Welkum put a paw on her shoulder.
"Go on my dear, speak with him." he said kindly. Malya smiled one her of beautiful smiles, curtsied to the three creatures and left the room. The badger looked down at the Abbot, a bit confused.
"I thought that Crim needed time to think this over." She said as she watched Malya close the door. Kenyo spoke up for the first time since he walked in the room.
"Sometimes when something unexpected happens, something that is so disturbing or shocking, a friend is the best medicine." Welkum nodded instantly at the warrior.
"Aye, couldn't have said it better myself Kenyo, me lad." The warrior mouse nodded then let out a sigh that he had been holding back.
"Would you like me to talk to Skipper and see if I can get a couple beasts to come with me to look for Tellio? Obviously Crim is going to have to go with us, or at least I believe what the poem means." Welkum slowly nodded and yawned.
"That would be my desirable action Kenyo. We'll arrange the party in the morning, now, let's all get some sleep and hope that this thing will, well, blow over slightly in the morning." The abbot cleaned his spectacles for about the fifth time that day and the three abbey dwellers bid each other goodnight, to go about their business, Kenyo to speak with Skipper, Renla to the kitchen to start preparations for the morning breakfast, and Abbot Welkum to the tapestry in the Great Hall.
Abbot Welkum strolled quietly down the hall, his thoughts mingled together so that he couldn't figure out what he was exactly thinking about. He released a quiet sigh and went to reach for his spectacles again when he stopped himself and chuckled
"Enough of that Welkum, you're going to end up putting a whole in the lens." He said to himself then turned to look at Martin. The warrior stood as proud as ever, his faithful sword in his paws. The abbot looked at the pictures on the tapestry for awhile when he noticed a piece that was missing from the lower corner. He frowned deeply and walked over to it. It was as if the ones that made the tapestry had forgotten to make a piece for it. What was odd to him was that he had never before noticed it until now. Thinking he was just overly tired, he yawned and walked towards his room.
"Good night Martin, sleep well." He said as he disappeared around the corner. A soft, almost melodic voice seemed to answer into the night.
"Good night father abbot," then all was quiet. The moon shone brightly on the tapestry, and reflected off of the wall where the missing piece of the tapestry was suppose to hang.
Malya walked quietly up the stairs to check on Crim, her footpaws taking each step with care. She was just about to round the corner when Sprypaw suddenly bumped right into her and almost sent the otter maid into a whirl. She let out a cry of dismay which was quickly silenced as Sprypaw cupped a paw to her muzzle.
"Shhh! Are ye trying to wake up the whole bloomin abbey, wot?" Malya rolled her eyes and shoved his paw away quickly.
"What are you doin up mate?" She asked as the hare looked around as if he was nervous about something. Malya looked suspiciously at him and folded her paws across her chest. "You wouldn't be chancing to go down and steal some food would ya mate?" She asked as the hare began to creep down the stares. Sprypaw chuckled nervously but with humor and nodded.
"Um…shh, that's where I'm bally well be goin me gel, wot wot!" He said and began to steal down the stairs. Malya frowned suddenly and grabbed his paw.
"Sprypaw wait. Has Crim been up here?" Sprypaw rolled his eyes and pulled his paw away.
"Yes, yes, yes now off with ya me gel," He said and kept moving but Malya grabbed his paw again. Sprypaw let off a loud huff and stared at her.
"Now what in the bloomin world do ya-" his words died on his tongue as he saw the heartbroken look in Malya's eyes. The hare stepped up and looked her up and down. "What's up me gel, wot? Something the matter?" Malya nodded slowly and spoke in a hush.
"Crim found out the origin of his family, Sprypaw. They were murdered, mate, murdered!" Sprypaw looked down at her in disbelief and glanced up at the dormitories worriedly.
"Well, Crim did looked rather bally upset when he came in wot. What should we bally well do?" Malya sighed quietly then nodded slightly to the hare.
"I..I'm gonna have a talk with him, mate, see if I kin bring him round," the hare nodded and patted her shoulder, a smile on his face.
"Yer a good one me gel, wot. I'd bally well talk with him but, ya jolly well know me, probably make him cry, eh wot, wot wot!" Malya grabbed his mouth and nodded, annoyance in her look.
"Well if ya don't get out o here so I kin talk to him, I'll give you something to cry about mate," Sprypaw looked at her with mock horror.
"By jove, where has the jolly maid gone, I fear she has been jolly well replaced by a grumpy otter maid, wot!" Malya rolled her eyes, while giving him a light shove towards the stairs.
"Off with ya, ya great foodbag you, afore I tan your hide with me sandal." Sprypaw stood at a mock attention pose.
"Yes sah! Sah! Malya sah! I'll get right o mmmpphhh" Malya giggled as Sprypaw stood dumbfounded with her sandal, which she had thrown, stuck in his mouth. The hare put on a face of fake indignation and started down the stairs, the sandal still in his mouth. Malya laughed then walked into the dormitories to find Crim.
CrimsonRay sat with his back to the door and his footpaws pulled up to his chest on his bunk. He stared out into the snowy night as the crescent moon shimmered across his fur, almost appearing to make him glow a faint, blue light. His paws clutched the scroll and poem that had just shattered his mind, his heart, and his feelings. How could they not tell me? He thought to himself in anger. Why hide it from me and lie?
His sun red tail twitched agitatedly back and forth as the thoughts ran through his head. Malya took a cautious step forward and whispered his name.
"Crim? Ya alright, mate?" Crim sat rigged for a moment, and completely silent, then arched his back and shook his head.
"No Malya, I'm not," was all that came as a reply. The otter maiden sighed quietly as she walked over to his bunk, and sat at the edge, quietly staring at him. Neither spoke. Malya watched her friend worriedly while Crim merely looked out into the night sky, the moon flashing in his eyes dangerously.
"Why didn't they tell me sooner?" Crim asked suddenly. Caught off guard, Malya wasn't ready to answer the question and she merely shrugged in reply. Crim nodded then stood up and moved towards the door, his paws clenching and unclenching. Malya stood up quickly and barred his way.
"Crim, mate, wait a sec and talk to me." She pleaded with him. Crim looked her over and shook his head slowly as anger began to take over his mind and heart. Malya shook her head and put a paw on his shoulder. "Crim, tell me why your are so angry mate" She said quietly to him. The squirrel stared at the otter maid and shook his head yet again.
"You wouldn't understand, now move Malya." Stubborn as can be, the otter folded her paws across her chest, her eyes burrowing into his.
"Not until you tell me why you are so upset" Crim suddenly hurled the scroll across the room in anger and stared at her, his eyes welling with tears and the unmistakable glint of hatred.
"Why am I so upset? I'll tell you why Malya. All these seasons I had believed them, thought that I was just dropped off to be taken care of. My life was fine, was going the right way then all of the sudden I find out my parents were murdered, my sister, whom I never knew about, was kidnapped and now I have to rescue her plus help save Mossflower and all I have to aid me is a….a stupid poem and scroll! That's why I'm so upset now ju….just leave me alone!" The squirrel sank weakly to his knees, grief taking away all his strength. Malya glanced at all the beasts that had awakened because of his yelling and gently kneeled down beside him while wrapping her paws around his neck.
"Come on Crim, let it out, it's alright mate" Crim pulled away from the otter and sat cross-legged on the floor.
"What am I supposed to do Malya? What am I suppose to do?" The otter maiden sighed as she stood, walked over and retrieved the scroll then dropped it back into his paws.
"I think you know exactly what you are suppose to do Crim. Follow the poem and the letter. Find your sister, help save Mossflower." Crim put a paw to his face and grumbled.
"I'm not a warrior Malya, and I've always wanted to live a peaceful life, so why do I get picked for this?" Malya shrugged her shoulders a grin creased across her pretty face.
"Don't know mate, fate's a funny thing, ain't it." Crim rolled his eyes as he stood back up, his tail twitching in a thoughtful way.
"Oh yes, it's hilarious." he muttered then fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Life just isn't fair" He said in a hushed voice. Malya giggled beneath her breath and she pounced on his stomach.
"Then ya just got to make it fair mate!" She yelled and her cry was met by ssshhhhhhhsss! from the other abbey beasts that were in the dormitory, as well as a pained oomph! from Crim as she pounced on his stomach. The young squirrel stared at his friend and finally sighed and smiled
"Ya know what Malya, you really have a way with words, did you know that?" The otter maid smiled cheekily as she pulled off of her friend, fixing her fur as she did so.
"Well of course. It be one o me best attributes. Now come on, buck up Crim and take a nice long-"
"Help! Bloomin badger loose in the hall wot! AHHHHH!!!" Crim and Malya looked at one another at the yell.
"What in the world?" Malya asked and they both opened the door to the dormitories as Sprypaw went tearing past them down the hall, a basket filled to the brim with left over food clattering in his paws. Crim laughed as Sprypaw ran then glanced down the hall to see Renla dashing after the hare, a rolling pin in her paw, and flour all over her face.
"Get back here you little snip! I'll teach you to burst flour bags just to get food!" The badger went racing past the door with Malya and Crim having to hold onto one another to keep from doubling over in laughter. A loud clatter was heard and Sprypaw's protests rang through the hall.
"Now I say marm, this is bally undignified, wot! Let me go you..you, wot wot!" Renla came walking calmly back down the hall, holding Sprypaw around the waist by her side. The hare had the basket stuck over his head, jelly pastries and candied nuts sticking to his fur. He had his paws crossed and as the badger started down the stairs the hare began to get nervous.
"I say me gel, where we jolly well goin?" He asked, trying to sound as innocent as he could. Renla jerked him slightly as she headed towards the abbey doors, Crim, Malya and a whole bunch of abbey dwellers close behind,
"Don't you 'me gel' me you flopped eared food bag." She said and Crim could tell the badger was having a tough time keeping a straight face. She opened one of the abbey doors, the cold winter air billowing into the abbey and making every beast shiver. The badger picked up the hare off the ground. Sprypaw, lifted the basket slightly and caught on to her plan. He held up his paws pleadingly.
"Now, now you wouldn't jolly well throw a chap into the bally ol snow would ya, wot?" Renla grinned and started to heave him up.
"1" Sprypaw's eyes grew wide.
"Now, I…I'm sure we kin work something out wot?"
"2"
"Please, please, no, don't you even think about it wot!"
"3!"
"AAHHHH" On the count of three, Renla tossed the hare out the door and right into a huge snow bank. Sprypaw landed head first into the snow and all that could be seen of him were his hind legs and his fluffy tail. Half of the abbey members fell over laughing, their sides aching as they watched the hare dig his head out and glare at them.
"I say bally bad form letting a chap stay stuck like this. Bally bad form wot!" Renla turned, dusting her paws and bellowed.
"Alright, now all of you off to bed, before I decide to throw you out like Sprypaw. Go!" Still laughing, the abbey beasts climbed the stairs back to their rooms. Renla chuckled as Kenyo walked up to the door and looked questioningly up to the badger. "Think I over did it this time Kenyo?" She asked the warrior. Kenyo looked out at the hare then up to the badger with the flour covered face and even the warrior couldn't keep himself from laughing.
"No, no, I think you did just what you should have done." He laughed and looked at Crim and Malya. "Come on, we better dig him out." Renla put a paw on the warrior's shoulder and winked.
"Now why should we let the young`ns get their paws all wet? Why don't we let Sprypaw dig himself out?" The hare heard the comment and yelled.
"Hey! Shame on you marm, bally bad form! You'll be hearin complaints from Salamandastron itself for the treatment of it's youngest recruit, wot, wot!" Renla rolled her eyes and started to shut the door.
"You forget Sprypaw, the badger lord's my cousin, I think he would hear me out more then a simple hare," Sprypaw sputtered in the snow and grumbled.
"Flippin rude of them, wot! Teasin a chap while he's jolly well stuck up to his flippen ears in this frozen snow, wot" Crim shook his head and walked outside.
"I'll get him out," he said and walked over to the hare who still had his paws folded. Kenyo chuckled again and helped Crim with digging the hare out. It wasn't long till Sprypaw was on his own two footpaws and stomping off towards the dormitories.
"Bad, form, bally bad form," he muttered but ran as Renla gave him a wicked grin. Warrior and novice entered back into the abbey and Renla shook her head.
"I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with him." She said in mock despair. Malya giggled.
"Just threaten to chuck him in a snow bank mate, and that'll do the trick." Renla patted the otter on the head then yawned.
"Well, I'm off to bed, you three ought to be too. See you all in the morning." She bid them good night then walked up the stairs. Not but two minutes later was there a growl and a startled cry from Sprypaw then all was silent again. Kenyo shook his head and nodded towards the dormitories.
"Alright you two, get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning Crim when we go on the search." The young squirrel nodded and walked with Malya up the stairs. Kenyo smiled then walked off to do his own bidding.
The scroll had been revealed and the poem was read. Now it was up to Crim to figure out the rest.