Note: Sheesh, ok I finally updated that only took what…two months *rolls eyes* Believe me I've been writing this along with a lot of other stories…just sort of..kind of…forgot to post it…uh hehehe. Anyway here's chapter Ten.
Claimer: I own CrimsonRay, Ebonia, Sprypaw…well basically all the characters in here lol
Disclaimer: I do not own Redwall
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Two As One Chapter 10
Flames were dancing all around, shining as brightly as the first rays of the sun. Crim saw himself standing out on the lawn of the abbey, looking around at the flames that engulfed him. Suddenly, three squirrels stepped into the fire. One was muscular black male, one was a beautiful female with fur just like his own and the other looked like a shadow squirrel, but he couldn't make out what color it was.
The young squirrel moved towards the two adult squirrels, feeling a familiarity with them, when they were swallowed up by the flames and in their place a mouse in armor emerged. Crim backed up, startled as he realized that the mouse standing before him was Martin. The flames flashed brighter and illuminated Martin's armor, reflecting the flames. The shadow squirrel that stood nearby stepped forward and looked into the metal. Crim looked at the armor also and gasped as he saw a black, female squirrel staring back at him. The sun squirrel gulped and opened his mouth to speak just as Martin raised his sword and pressed it to his head. A cold shock ran through Crim's body and forced him to close his eyes. When he opened them, he saw his paw holding the sword with Martin. The mouse warrior looked down at him with kind eyes and spoke in a compelling voice.
"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"
The words echoed over and over again in Crim's head as the eyes of the female black squirrel burrowed into his heart and soul. She watched him and raised her paws up into the flames and as she pulled them back down a bow appeared in them. The flames of the fire grew bigger and suddenly swallowed Martin in it's blazing fury. Crim was left staring at the black squirrel until she turned on her heel and walked into the flames as well. Crim began to back up but the fire surrounded him and-
"Wakey wakey you bally chap! You're going to jolly well miss breakfast, wot wot! Can't sleep the whole flippen day away now can we, eh wot?" Crim practically jumped right out of his skin as Sprypaw suddenly yelled right into his ear, waking him from his fiery dreams. The young squirrel sat up swiftly and before Sprypaw could get a chance to move, Crim head butted the hare and sent him reeling back onto another bed. There was a short silence before both began rubbing their heads painfully.
"Egad…ouch…what in the bally world was that for oh chap, wot?" Sprypaw asked, wincing as he tried to stop the bump on his head from rising. Crim lay back down on the bunk ruefully, his eyes shut in pain.
"Uhhnn….sorry Sprypaw, you just surprised me." He muttered beneath his breath as the stars in front of his eyes began to disperse. In a few moments time, the young squirrel slowly sat up again with one eye closed and the other looking at Sprypaw. The hare stood cautiously, his ears flopping to the side as a small bump began to rise.
"You had that whole flippen thing planned didn't you?" He asked pointedly of the young squirrel. Had Crim woken up from a normal dream he would have laughed at his friend's antics but this time, he merely shook his dazed head and mumbled.
"No Spry, I didn't. Sorry bout hitting you there, you startled me." A cold breeze ruffled the sheets around him and Crim rubbed his arms as he stood fully awake. Sprypaw could sense the oddness in his friend which made him cross his arms in concern.
"Something jolly well wrong Crim, wot?" At first Crim was just going to come out and say what his dreams were about, like he would normally do, but something told him to keep quiet and he simply shook his head while a light smile toying at his lips.
"No, I'm fine. Come on, let's getting something to eat, you must be starving." He said playfully and jabbed his friend in the stomach, none to gently.
"Oofff!" Sprypaw pretended to flop on a bed in agonizing pain, groaning loudly at the squirrel. "Owww, I think you jolly well damaged me ol stomach, wot. Be a jolly good lad and get me some jolly scoff and bring it up here, wot." Crim quietly snorted and began to walk towards the door in a quick stride.
"Oh Sprypaw, if your stomach hurts I don't think you should be eating anything, friend." It took but a moment for the hare to leap out of bed and practically barrel over the squirrel as he went tearing down the steps.
"On second thought, I've jolly well never felt better wot!" Crim laughed and began to descend the stairs, his mind reeling back to the dream. What could it mean? And why would Martin visit a squirrel like he? It just didn't making any sense.
With an exasperated sigh, Crim walked off towards Cavern Hole.
Malya sat at the table directly across from Ebonia while the squirrel picked at her food with a wooden fork. Pieces of scone fell to the side as she swirled the fork in her paw, her head resting on her fist in a deep thought. Malya was looking over some of the herbs she was stocking up in her healer's bag when she noticed how lost the squirrel seemed. Being ever the friendly one, the otter set aside her herbs and looked up at her.
"You alright, mate?" Ebonia continued to pick at the scone without even answering. Her eyes were half closed between sorrow and lack of sleep as she stared at her plate in thought. Malya raised an eye and gently reached out to tap the squirrel on the shoulder as she spoke. "Ya can talk to me about it if`n ya want mate." As Malya's paw touched her, the squirrel seemed to jump in fright. She looked up with surprise on her face and dropped her fork which clattered to the ground.
"Wha…what…I mean…uh…did you say something Malya?" The otter giggled quietly with a light smile on her face, and plucked the fork from where it had fallen.
"Yes, I asked if ya were alright and if ya wanted to talk mate."
"Oh, oh I'm sorry I must not have heard. Um…yes I'm fine, just a bit overtired I suppose." Ebonia mumbled, not even caring about using a kind, sweet abbey squirrel voice. Malya seemed a bit worried about the squirrel and opened her mouth to speak when just then Sprypaw came tearing in the room and jumped on the bench next to her. He breathed lightly and had a quirky grin on his face.
"Hey there me gel, saved any jolly tucker for me wot wot?" Malya rolled her eyes up to the sky and shook her head sadly at the hare.
"Oh I knew that I shoulda saved some fore ya mate but I was so hungry." She replied with mock sadness in her voice. Sprypaw sat completely still for a moment when a frenzied look covered his face and he looked as if he were to explode. Ebonia caught the look and quickly shoved her torn apart scone to him.
"Here Sprypaw, you can have my breakfast." The hare's bulging red face stopped growing and a big smile crossed his lips as he began to munch happily on the scone.
"Why thank you wot!" He said happily around the scone, which made him sound rather hysterical. Crumbs trickled down his fur as he began to hum happily while he ate. Even Ebonia couldn't conceal the laugh that was growing in her throat and she began to giggle, followed quickly by Malya. Crim entered the room just as they broke out laughing and he chuckled quietly.
"Aww, too bad, guess I missed something good huh?" He asked quietly of them. The moment Ebonia saw the squirrel she quieted down and stared at the table stone faced again. She couldn't look up at him, she really couldn't look at any of the abbey beasts knowing what she had to do that night.
Crim noticed the immediate change in the squirrel maiden as he entered and it made him sigh. What was it about him that made her get so upset at times? The squirrel glanced over at Sprypaw as he scoffed down the scone then went and collected another plate of food while Malya just sat there laughing. While he watched them, Ebonia stood up and left the room, feeling truly sick to her stomach. The squirrel moved passed the abbey beasts, trying to ignore the kind looks that plagued her eyes. The pain in the squirrel's heart and the butterflies in her stomach just made her want to throw up with guilt.
Crim watched her go for a moment with a sad look upon his face.
"Hey Malya, did she say anything to you?" The squirrel asked as he collected some food and put it on a plate. Malya ceased her laughing fit a bit as Sprypaw sat and ate his food in silence. Only then did she notice that Ebonia had left. With a confused look in her eyes, she glanced up to the squirrel and replied,
"No mate, she looked so upset though, I'll tell you what. I tried to ask her what was the matter but she said she was just tired." Crim nodded once and glanced up as he saw Jenkins and SilverStreak start to walk over to the table. The two otters talked amiably as they strolled over, both turning their gaze on Malya. The squirrel looked over at the otter maiden and grinned.
"Well I'm going to go and talk with her. Oh, and Malya, just to tell you, your aunt and dad are coming over." Crim picked up the plate of food quietly then walked toward the Great Hall where Ebonia had headed. Malya watched her friend go and glanced at the two elder otters as they came over.
"Malya, want to do a little guard duty with us mate? You could keep us company." SilverStreak asked of her young niece as Jenkins came up beside her. Malya took a quick draught from her mug then stood with a smile on her face.
"That sounds like fun. Spry, you want to join us mate or are ya to busy fillin that belly o yers?" Sprypaw glared up at her indignantly and bit off another piece of scone.
"Are you calling me fat, missy?" Malya giggled as she started to walk away with her family.
"Yep!" Well that had done it for Sprypaw. The hare dropped the plate on the table and went chasing after her.
"I'll show you fat, wot! I'll jolly well kick your flippen tail ,wot wot!" He yelled and both hare and otter went running out the abbey with Jenkins and SilverStreak shaking their heads in mirth.
Ebonia stood staring at the mouse warrior once again, a weird feeling of sorrow and hate coursing through her veins as the burden of the last few days began to weigh heavily on her shoulders. Her eyes shined with a sadness that could even make the hardest of beasts feel sorry for her. The squirrel sighed deeply and shook her head.
"What am I going to do, I'm so lost."
"Ivy, what are you so lost about?" Ebonia jumped quickly and stumbled over her tail, making her fall flat on the ground. As she rubbed her back side, she looked up at Crim who set the plate of food on a table beneath the tapestry and knelt down beside her.
"Ivy are you alright? Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The female groaned as she stood up and straightened out her fluffed up tail, accidentally making the black that was coming through show. Crim looked at her tail, a bit confused, just as Ebonia noticed her mistake. She quickly swished it out of the way and smiled innocently.
"Oh don't worry Crim, I'm fine, just have a lot on my mind is all." She replied softly, a worried look still upon her face. Crim knew better than to press creatures if they were upset about something, but in this case he continued. He wanted to know exactly why the squirrel had been acting so weird lately.
"Ivy, I know something's wrong, now what is it. You can trust me, I'm your friend. You know I trust you." The squirrel's words made Ebonia jerk back as if she had just had a dagger stabbed in her heart. He trusted her? How could he trust her when she had to betray him?
The sadness struck her hard and she couldn't help but put her head in her paws as if she was going to cry. Crim quickly walked forward and threw his paw comfortingly around her shaking shoulders and looked down at her. "Ivy, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you. Please, tell me what's wrong."
"Everything Crim, just everything's wrong. I have so much to think about and I don't know what to do about it!" She almost cried out as the squirrel held her. Crim sighed with sympathy and patted her back kindly.
"It's alright Ivy. Do you want to know what Abbot Welkum always says to me when I'm upset like this, or when I have a lot on my mind?" Ebonia placed a paw on her face to hold back the tears of anger and frustration that she could feel waiting to pour out of her eyes.
"What does he say?" She asked in a voice that was contorted with a tightness, like some beast in great pain. Crim looked over his friend worriedly and continued to rub her back, hoping that in some way he could ease the pain or whatever it was that plagued her.
"Well, when we have problems, he always says to follow our hearts. To let them guide us into doing what we feel is right to do. I don't know if you understand that but…" His words grew silent as he watched her, his eyes shifting constantly back and forth. Ebonia suddenly stopped shaking and she slowly pulled her paws away from her eyes. Follow your heart? Why did that seem so familiar? The squirrel closed her eyes for a moment and turned away from Crim. When she opened them, she found herself standing right before Martin.
Seek the answers in your heart
Then you'll play your given part."
Ebonia jerked back startled as the words filled her mind. Who kept saying that? Why were the words engulfing her mind and making her more troubled than she already was? Crim watched the squirrel worriedly as she began to back away and he moved forward to put a comforting paw on her shoulder.
"Ivy are you al-?"
"Crim just leave me please. Go to your friends, I need to be alone." She interrupted suddenly and fled from the room before he could speak. Crim stood dumbfounded as he watched the squirrel go. What was wrong with her? He thought to himself.
Shaking his head, Crim plucked the food from the table and walked back toward Cavern Hole, figuring it was better not to press the squirrel any more. As he left, three pairs of eyes watched Ebonia run through the door. Once both squirrels were gone, Abbot Welkum, Kenyo and Renla stepped out of the shadows quietly. All three had heard what the squirrel had said. Kenyo looked after the squirrel quietly and shook his head.
"The one shrouded in darkness, is the key to Redwall's fall." He muttered beneath his breath. Abbot Welkum glanced over at the warrior as he spoke, his spectacles sliding down his face slightly. There was a wise look in the old Abbot's eyes as he glanced towards the main doors.
"I'm going to talk to her, maybe I can find a way to help her." Renla peered over at the Abbot and creased her great brow.
"But Abbot, are you sure that is a wise idea?" There was a brief silence before the old otter spoke again.
"Yes I do Renla, there is something about her. Now, why don't the two of you go about your business and I will speak with you later." He said in a gentle voice before heading towards the door. Kenyo watched the abbot for but a moment before turning on his heel and strolling back towards Cavern Hole. Renla put her paws on her hips and stared after the warrior.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to talk to Crim. If Ivy is up to no good I want to make sure Crim doesn't get hurt." The badger shook her head with sadness and began to walk away to think.
"Alright Kenyo, do what you think is right, I just don't want you to put any unnecessary pressure on him." The warrior stopped in his tracks for a moment and sighed.
"I know, I'll be gentle." He said quietly then turned and left, leaving Renla to do her own biddings.
Deep in Mossflower, the sound of steel against steel reverberated through the air as the vermin prepared their attack on the abbey. Stelumos stood near a fire, sharpening 'Doomsfate' as Bemal glided past him, her eyes gazing over him as he peered into the flames. The mink seemed to be in a foul mood, but then again wasn't he always? The vixen shook her head slightly; she did not want Ebonia to have to go through with this. She knew the squirrel's heart, she knew Ebonia was no true killer but that Stelumos had made her that way. It was almost unbearable to think about how the one she cared for all those years had to go through this kind of mental torture on what to do.
She stared at Stelumos for a moment and in that moment, the mink stood up and tapped the blade against her neck.
"Tell me wot you see, does she go wit it?" Bemal lightly shoved the blade to the side and closed her eyes as she spoke. A temper arose slightly behind her words for she didn't feel like telling the mink anything, especially if it was going to cause her young charge harm.
"I have told you what I've seen and I can say no more." Stelumos snarled furiously at her but didn't attack. If what the vixen said was true, then what she told him about not being able to kill her would be true also. A growl rose in his throat but he slowly pushed it down and turned to his vermin. They all growled and spoke to one another while clashing their blades around, ready to fight and take over the abbey. Stelumos glared at his troops for a moment before belting out.
"Alright ya lot! The time is drawin near! Get yer weapons ready! Get yourselves in line! We're attackin tonight!" A loud cheer rang out from the vermin, at last they were going to overthrow the abbey and be able to live in a nice warm place. At last they would have a kingdom of their own. At last, they would have slaves to work for them!
Stelumos paced back and forth as he yelled at his group. "Everythin has to be in order fer it to work! All o ya have yer parts to play, the squirrel lets us in, we attack! Ya got that! Ya take da abbey beasts alive! If the warriors fight, ya do wot ya kin to get dem to stop fighting! If they be to bothersome then just slay em!" The cheer rang louder among the vermin. Hensfloral and Deathfang stood near the slaves and listened to their chief. They were both assigned to take hold of the slaves while the battle went on. The large weasel glared down at the tiny rat as he stood with his paws on his hips, making Hensfloral cringe slightly. The weasel grinned. This was going to be fun. He always loved to pick on the pathetic rat, even if he was one of Stelumos' little right pawed captains. He glared over at the rat again who gulped nervously in his throat before looking back at his chief.
The mink strolled back and forth, his eyes glaring. This was going to work, it had to work. He had the force, he had the power and he had the squirrel who would make it all possible. Stelumos almost smiled. It would work, all of it. With a wave of his paw he began to go over orders again to make sure that they would be ready for the night.
Bemal stood quietly off to the side. Her eyes blazed with an eerie light and she slowly crouched down in the snow and set the golden squirrel tail on the ground, the same tail Stelumos had chosen before. The sun glinted off of the gems and stones she threw, making her blink against the light. When she could see again, a startled gasp escaped from her lips. Her visions were different now. She read through them continually, praying that they were wrong, but no matter how hard she looked, they came out the same.
The old silvery vixen looked up at Stelumos than at his sword as a lump caught in her throat. If her visions were correct, a creature was going to fall by that sword, and very soon.
Tellio looked up at the vermin next to Log a Log, his face mixed with fear and anger. He couldn't believe that this was going to happen, that his beloved abbey would fall to these monsters. The young mouse moved closer to Log a Log, a worried look upon his scar whipped face.
"Log a Log, what are we gonna do? We have to help them." The shrew chieftain merely shook his head as he looked down at his raw wrists. The punishment from running had been a hard one and both had been beaten severely, almost to the point that their hope of being free was shattered. In a quiet voice the shrew replied, anger tipping on his tongue.
"There be nothing we can do Tellio, but wait and see what happens. I wish I could say otherwise but I can't." Tellio stared at the shrew in disbelief. They couldn't just sit there and let the Abbey be taken over by a deranged maniac. They had to do something! But how could they do anything when they were surrounded by vermin and chained together? A dejected look came over Tellio's face as he slowly slumped down onto the snowy ground, his heart broken, his spirits shattered and his hopes dispersed. They could do nothing, the Abbey was lost.
Kenyo walked around Cavern Hole for awhile as he searched for Crim, but the squirrel couldn't be found. Several creatures said that they had seen him go up to the dormitories while others said that he had gone outside. The warrior mouse exhaled quietly and was just about to go up towards the dormitories when his eye caught a red flash from beside one of the windows. He quickly backtracked and looked outside as Crim leapt into a tree then landed on the ramparts next to Malya, Sprypaw, Jenkins and SilverStreak. Kenyo smiled lightly and headed towards the stairs.
"Hey Crim, everything alright mate?" Malya asked as the sun squirrel landed beside her. Crim merely shrugged his shoulders and set his head and paws on the upper wall.
"Yeah I guess, just worried about Ivy." Sprypaw snorted as he held a javelin in his paw. He looked quite honorable as he stood beside Jenkins.
"Will ya jolly well stop worrying about her wot? She's able to stand on her own flippen paws, Crim." The young squirrel sighed and glared up at the hare a bit bad temperedly.
"I know Spry, but if you had seen her….never mind." Jenkins looked over at Crim as the squirrel turned away and spoke quietly.
"Crim, why don't you guard with us, might take your mind off of things, mate." But the squirrel didn't even turn. Instead he began to walk down the ramparts, only to meet up with Kenyo. The mouse spoke to him quietly and with a sigh Crim nodded and headed down with him. Jenkins watched them go before turning as a voice hailed him.
"Hey Jenkins, anything wrong mate?" The otter turned around and almost died from laughter as the red and green Skipper walked towards them. The otter chieftain's fur had started to turn back to his normal brown but the other colors could still clearly be seen. Malya and Sprypaw looked also and had to hold their mouths shut to keep from laughing. Skipper simply winked at them.
"Wot? Never seen a green and red otter befer?" Malya shook her head quickly as laughter bubbled from her throat. Even Sprypaw had to turn away as his face turned a bright red. Jenkins shook his head quietly with amusement and nodded after Crim.
"He's just a bit upset bout that Ivy character." He said between quiet chuckles. Skipper winked at him then glanced over as Malya and Sprypaw started to head towards the steps.
"Where are you mates going?" Malya couldn't even turn as she tried to leave for her face was bright cherry red which made her look almost as red as Skipper.
"Oh, nowhere, hehe, just going to check the perimeter and such hehehe." Before another word could be said, both disappeared from the ramparts, leaving Skipper grinning and Jenkins and SilverStreak biting their lips so as not to burst out laughing.
Kenyo gently lead Crim over to the frozen pond and had the squirrel stand beside him. A cool gust of wind ruffled their fur as warrior and novice stood in silence together. The sun glinted on the pond and reflected across Martin's sword before Kenyo spoke in a gentle voice.
"Crim, I want you to be careful. I'm not sure if you should trust this squirrel." Crim immediately went on a defensive side and glared up at the warrior.
"What are you saying? She's some kind of vermin? How could you think that?" Kenyo looked over at his young charge and shook his head.
"Crim, I'm not saying that, I just think that you should be careful alright, you don't know much about her and-"
"I know enough about her to know that she's not evil!" A whistle of air flowed through the trees as Crim stared at Kenyo with a startled look on his face. He had never spoken out against the warrior before, what was making him do it now? The squirrel waited for Kenyo to reprimand him but all he did was speak in his same soft voice.
"I'm not saying she's evil, all I'm trying to do is protect you." Crim nodded slowly and placed his arms across his chest with a determined look in his eyes.
"And I'm just trying to protect her from you all." He replied shortly. Suddenly he looked down at the ground with confusion on his face. The words were familiar but he couldn't recall why. Maybe it was in his riddle, he couldn't remember.
Instead of pondering it over he glanced up at Kenyo and was surprised to see the mouse smiling slightly. His paw moved to his back and skillfully unsheathed Martin's sword. Crim watched with fascination as the sun glinted across it for it was the most astounding blade that he had ever set eyes upon.
Kenyo looked over the keen blade then handed it to Crim.
"Here, I want you to hold it." The young squirrel looked at the blade completely surprised and wanted to pull back, thinking himself unworthy to hold the sword, but he couldn't will himself to do so. He slowly reached out and took the sword in his own paws, expecting to fall over from its weight. But instead he stood tall and proud, the blade glimmering in his paws. Kenyo looked at the squirrel as he held the sword and he nodded his head once before slowly taking it back and sheathing it. "I want to tell you something Crim. A warrior tries to do what he or she feels is right. They follow their instincts and follow their hearts." He began to turn away but looked at the young squirrel for a moment longer. "But Crim, don't follow your instincts more then your heart, and don't follow your heart more then your instincts."
With that Kenyo turned and strolled back towards the abbey to leave Crim in his thoughts. The young squirrel looked after the warrior then sighed deeply as he sat down in the snow. Maybe Kenyo was right, maybe he was letting his friendship with the squirrel cloud his mind from the truth, maybe there was something wrong with her. But she was so nice, how could anything be wrong with her? The squirrel just didn't know what to think so he merely sat in the cold snow and listened to the trees rustle in the wind and the different sounds of nature around him.
Ebonia sat against an outside wall, her head in her paws. How could she even think of betraying these creatures who had been so kind to her. It wasn't fair. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice Abbot Welkum approaching her until he laid a gentle paw on her shoulder. Ebonia rightfully jumped out of fur as she looked up at the Abbot, a lump of surprise caught in her throat.
"A..abbot?! I..I I mean sorry, I didn't know it was you I…-" Welkum smiled gently and knelt down so he was face to face to her.
"My child, calm down. I didn't mean to frighten you." Ebonia leapt to her footpaws with a bit of gulp and nodded to the Abbot before her.
"Well, it's alright, I was um…just kind of lost in thought your abbotship." Welkum chuckled quietly and folded his paws slowly within his habit sleeves while his spectacles slid down his nose a tiny bit.
"Just call me Welkum, I wish every beast would." Ebonia nodded very slightly then gently leaned against the wall with a sad look in her eyes. Welkum studied her face with wise eyes for a moment before speaking again. "Something is troubling you. Might I inquire what it is?"
Ebonia snorted quietly at his comment but then realized who she was in the presence of and quickly changed her attitude.
"Umm…yes something is troubling me but it's nothing for you to be concerned about abbo….er Welkum." The abbot continued to look at her but she diverted his eyes, refusing to look into the friendly face of the one she was to betray. Not a word came from either of them and Ebonia could feel the awkward silence that seemed to linger for ages. The chirp of a sparrow made the squirrel look up towards the sky, her eyes glittering with an odd light. Welkum watched her in silence, as if trying to figure the young maiden out. Ebonia took notice of the abbot's curious eyes so she looked back at him and tilted her head. "What?"
"Oh nothing, I am just trying to piece something together." The Abbot replied in a gentle voice. As he spoke, the words seemed to have struck a cord in Ebonia's mind for she looked at Welkum for a moment and thought of something that she had told Crim. 'We are all pieces in a tapestry, we all play an important part.' Was that what Welkum was trying to do, was he trying to find her place in the tapestry of life?
The question died on her mind as quickly as it had come, though. It was absurd. Her part was the confusing one. In her mind, her piece could either make or break that tapestry. Whatever she chose to do, she felt that her piece of life would look like a loose thread that needed to be plucked out of existence.
Ebonia's head lowered quietly in sorrow as her thoughts flowed endlessly through her troubled mind. Abbot Welkum looked at her again then slowly placed a paw on her shoulder.
"Ivy, you know that we are here for you right? That you could trust us with anything?" The young squirrel looked to him, her heart urging to tell him of what would transpire that night but she kept her mouth shut and just nodded her head.
"I know," came her reply though her voice sounded so pitiful that it only made the abbot's frown deeper. With a half hearted sigh, Welkum stood and offered his last condolences to the young squirrel.
"Ivy, if there is anything you need, please come to me or the others, they'd be happy to help you," he peered over his spectacles at her "especially if you are in any type of trouble." Ebonia's ears almost shot up as he spoke but the feeling shook off and she simply nodded her head to the elder otter as he turned to leave.
"As you say Abbot." Welkum watched her for a moment longer then turned and ambled away quietly through the snow. Ebonia watched him with tear filled eyes but couldn't bring herself to tell him, she couldn't put the slaves or Bemal at risk. With a pain filled sigh she sat in the snow throughout the day, the brown in her fur slowly melting off of her body to reveal her black fur. She crept a bit more into the shadows of the Abbey and watched the sun as it passed over in the sky, waiting for her doom to come.
The sun slowly began to set beyond the horizon. Ebonia sat in the snow throughout the day, thinking of what was to come while Crim pondered near the frozen water. Both were lost in their thoughts, wondering what was going to happen in the next few days. Out in Mossflower, Stelumos organized his troops and prepared to march, gloating now that his victory awaited him. Deep in the woods, Bemal stood worriedly in the shadows, her visions playing over in her mind. Everything would come into place that night, life or death would be determined. Victory or defeat would be revealed.