Disclaimer: Yeah yeah I don't own Redwall, the usual
Author's Note: I know you've all been waiting for this and I know that some of you hated the cliffhanger but hey, all writers do it and it adds more, how should I put this, flavor to story lol. Anyway, hope you enjoy and please R&R, it really helps to know people are reading it. Chapter 15-19 are currently still in the making. 15-18 are done, I just need to go over them and look for changes, while I'm still writing ch. 19. 19 would have been done already but I have exams this week sooo.. That says it all.
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Two As One: Chapter 14
Snowflakes swayed upon the winter wind, causing vision to become obscure. They whipped across the Abbey lawn, toying at the barren trees and stirring the fur of the freezing vermin guards. Stelumos stood with sword unsheathed, staring with eyes of fire at the ramparts where Ebonia had leapt to what he hoped to be her demise. His maroon eyes simmered with an unmistakable anger as crimson blood dripped from his several wounds. The blood soaked into the pearly white snow so that it no longer held it's untainted appearance
There was dead silence on the grounds with every creature staring nervously over at the mink. They knew how bad his temper was and that it could flare at any moment. No beast wanted to be in the way when that happened.
Wraith took a cautious step toward his chieftain, wary of the blade that was held in a death grip. He kept his paws at his side and in full sight so that Stelumos wouldn't have any reason to attack him. As he reached the mink's back, he made a quiet coughing noise to alert Stelumos of his presence.
"Me lawd, why don't ya come inside so that we kin take a look at your wounds?" Stelumos continued to stare forward, ignoring the ferret completely. Wraith gulped quietly but wouldn't leave his chieftain standing and bleeding in the snow. Going against his will, the ferret slowly slinked in front of the mink and tried again.
"Stelumos sah, perhaps ya should come in--arggg" Wraith gasped out in pain as Stelumos' paw suddenly flew to his cloak and yanked hard. The breath in the ferret's lungs caught in his throat, causing him to choke. Though not one to be frightened easily, Wraith couldn't help but begin to sweat as the mink's dark maroon eyes burrowed into his own.
"Listen to me, and listen to me good. Go out and find her. I don't care what ya have to do, just find `er and bring `er back to me. I doubt she killed dem other abbey beasts so if you find dem, follow them, make sure there ain't others. Find her Wraith, or it'll be yer head on me sword, not hers."
Stelumos' lethal voice came to a close and he gripped Wraith's cloak a little harder before releasing the ferret. Wraith fell to the ground and rubbed his neck slowly as he watched the mink step back into the abbey.
"What ever ya say, yer chief ness." He snarled beneath his breath. Hensfloral stood near by and watched the ferret slowly rise to his footpaws. The rat grumbled quietly and turned to head inside, when suddenly a dagger ended up right at his footpaw. He jumped with a start and whirled around to find Wraith staring at him.
"What did ya do dat fer?" The rat snapped indignantly but quickly silenced as he realized who he was talking to. Compared to Wraith, Hensfloral was merely a foot soldier and really didn't have any authority to talk to the ferret. He took a nervous step back, but Wraith merely smiled and tapped the rat's chin gently with the tip of the dagger.
"Now listen here mate, I have a job fer ya. Ya know the slain vixen in the abbey? I want ya to take her and bury her in the graveyard over yonder. We all know that killin a seer brings bad luck but iff`n we bury her on holy grounds, maybe the bad luck will just go to Stelumos, and not us." The fur on Hensfloral's brow began to dampen from perspiration as Wraith spoke of his plan. The rat was a very, very superstitious creature and to him, just touching a slain seer was bad luck. With a nervous gulp, he shook his head at the ferret.
"No..no, I don want to be da one getting da bad luck. I touch dat fox and I'll be da one dats going to die-"
"You're going to be the one that dies if you don't bury her." Wraith snapped and toyed with his dagger at Hensfloral's throat. The rat stared down in fear as he watched a small trickle of his own blood slide down the tracker's blade. The ferret grasped the rat's cloak and hissed in his ear. "You do what I say Hensfloral, or I'll send Deathfang after you, and I know you two don't get along."
"Alright I'll do it, I'll do it!" Hensfloral shouted. Wraith grimaced as the fearful rat's paws flailed in the air. With a grunt of disgust, the ferret let Hensfloral drop to the snow covered ground.
"See that ya get it done befer I get back rat, other wise I might just use you for target practice." Hensfloral needed no second bidding. With a quick nod of his head, the rat leapt to his paws and dashed to the Abbey. A hefty breeze blew across the lone ferret as the storm intensified. Wraith's eyes stared coldly at the Abbey for a moment. I should have the power to lead the horde, not Stelumos. He'll bring destruction on us because of the seer's death. He thought to himself. With an angered sigh, he turned on his heel and headed towards the gates of the Abbey wall.
Hensfloral slunk through the Abbey hall, his footpaws nervously treading against the cold stone floor. He did not want to have anything to do with the dead fox. In fact, he didn't want anything to do with any of the vermin. Ever since Stelumos killed the two adult squirrels years ago the rat seemed to always have bad luck. First it was the arrival of Deathfang who just found pure delight in torturing him. Then he was ordered to be the second hand slave master. Unlike the other vermin, he didn't really find delight in torturing other beasts.
The rat shook his head. Bad fortune had fallen upon him to many times and now he had to touch a slain seer.
As he entered the Great Hall, he saw Stelumos seething upon a chair. A young vixen worked on the vermin's wounds, though she was careful not to speak. One word could mean death for her. Hensfloral gulped quietly and glanced across the room. Bemal still lay on the ground though some beast had placed a white cloth over her body; out of respect or fear, the rat didn't know.
Hensfloral looked up to Stelumos nervously as he passed by the mink and went to the vixen.
"What are ya doin rat?" Hensfloral froze in his step.
"Ju…just taking da vixen der and buryin her is all." He rattled off and continued to move. Stelumos eyed him closely but strangely enough didn't object. He knew as well as any vermin that killing a seer was not a good thing, and the fact that he had killed her made it worse for him. He watched the rat gently pick Bemal up from the ground then head towards the open door.
"Make sure ya put a marker on `er grave, rat." Stelumos growled quietly. Hensfloral looked up in surprise at his chieftains words. The mink glared over at him and suddenly stood. "What ya looking at rot face?! Get yer tail movin afer ya join the vixen in the grave!" Hensfloral gave off a tiny yelp and was gone in a flash.
Stelumos stared after him as he slowly sat down upon his throne. The mink's eyes roved from the retreating rat back over to his slaves. Strangely enough, Stelumos found his gaze met by that of Kenyo. The warrior mouse sat on the ground, rechained and bleeding from several whip wounds. The mink had to admire how the warrior was able to stare up at him.
"What are ya looking at, mouse?"
"Nothing..nothing but a cold blooded murderer." Kenyo spoke softly but it was a softness that could cause fear to grip the hearts of others, even vermin. Stelumos narrowed his eyes at the mouse but he couldn't stare at him too long. There was just something about the warrior that scared him. With a growl, he turned his head away to look at Deathfang.
"Why don ya teach this mouse some manners." He hissed. The weasel chuckled with delight and withdrew his whip. Stelumos stood with a frustrated sigh and walked out of the room as the first whip lash came down.
The light snow storm had begun to turn into a blizzard. The barren trees were whipped around like twigs in a gale. Wood groaned as it was bent beyond capacity. The wind howled as it raced through the flailing branches. The wind though, wasn't the only thing that was howling.
"When are we jolly well going to find shelter ol lad, wot? I'm jolly well freezing my flippen footpaws off!"
Crim looked over at Sprypaw with an agitated expression on his face. The squirrel was frozen to the bone as well. The storm had been a lot stronger then he had expected.
"For the last time Sprypaw, we'll find shelter as soon as we can. I know where there's a place to rest now please ju-, wait a sec, where's Malya?"
Crim stopped in his tracks and gazed through the snowy torrent. It was so hard to see anything as his eyes were stung by the frozen rain.
"I don't jolly well know. I thought she was bally well right behind us, wot." The hare replied with a nervous tone in his voice. Crim sighed to himself and began to walk against the wind.
"Well come on, we have to find her before she gets hurt or-"
"Crim! Sprypaw, where are you?!" The squirrel stopped speaking as Malya's terrified voice rang out over the storm. Sprypaw looked at Crim as he took off running towards the sound of the voice. The hare rolled his eyes and began to follow though at a slower pace.
"Confound it. My bally paws are already frozen, wot. Dash rude of this snow wot wot!" He grumbled. Crim ran as fast as the snow permitted him. Time and again his footpaws would get hampered from the mounds of frozen snow but he wouldn't stop. Malya stood between two tall trees as she looked around for her two friends. Her footpaws were frozen to the ground and small icicles began to form at the tips of her fur. She called out to her two friends in a shuttered voice again and was rewarded by the sound of footpaws tromping through the snow.
"Malya hang tight, we're coming!" The young otter laughed quietly to herself and called back.
"Like I have a choice mate?" Crim chuckled and leapt over a rather large mound of snow. Though the windy storm was forcing him to stumble backwards time to time, he still managed to make his way to the otter maid. The moment Malya saw him, she went to his side and gave a weak smile.
"Sor..ry mate. Go.got a little l..lost." She stuttered as her teeth clattered together. Crim placed a paw around her shoulders and began to steer her in the direction they had been going.
"It's alright Malya. Come o..on….we're almost there. Let's get Sprypaw and w..we'll g..get to shelter."
Sprypaw tripped and stumbled through the snow as he made his way towards the other two. A tree branch over head snapped from its trunk and flew at the hare, forcing him to drop to the ground near the mound of snow that Crim had leapt over. With a grumble, Sprypaw got to his footpaws.
"Dang flippen snow. Bad form that's wot I jolly well say wot."
The hare dusted some snow from his tunic and went to trample through the mound but soon found out that it was solid. With a cry of dismay, the hare stumbled to the ground again, kicking up snow behind him. As he fell, Crim and Malya came into view right beside him. The red sun squirrel bent down to help the hare up while Malya looked over at what Sprypaw had tripped over.
"Spry, are you alright there?" The hare spit some snow off of his mouth and glared at the squirrel.
"Does it look like I'm flippen alri-"
"Crim! Sprypaw! Oh by the claw look!" Malya began to leap up and down as she pointed frantically at a prone black figure in the snow. Both creatures looked over and before Sprypaw could make another complaint, Crim leapt to the snow covered creature. With diligent paws, he shoved the snow away, trying to see what Sprypaw had tripped over. The hare and Malya stood quietly beside one another, waiting for Crim to finish. Suddenly the squirrel released a gasp.
"Crim, what is it mate?" Malya asked nervously. The squirrel sat still for a moment then moved aside to show the still figure of a black squirrel.
"It's Ivy! I..I mean Ebonia!"
"What?!" Both otter and hare yelled at the same time. Crim shoved some more snow away from the squirrel and gently cradled her head on his lap. She was cold to the touch and made no reactions to Crim's presence.
"I..is she dead mate?" Malya asked and crouched down beside the squirrels. Sprypaw snorted and kicked a bit of snow bad temperedly.
"She jolly well deserved it if she is flippen dead wot-ouch! Watch it with the tail marm, ya hit me in the jolly rump."
"I know, that was the point." Malya retorted. Crim leaned down a little more and listened for any sign of life. As his whiskers brushed against her nose, Ebonia's eyes suddenly snapped open and she groaned in pain. Malya shrieked in fear and watched as the female squirrel slowly fell unconscious again. A deep frown came across Crim's face. Very gently, he placed his paws beneath the female squirrel and lifted her up in his arms. As he held her to his chest, Crim felt something warm drip down his arm and onto the ground. When he looked down, he gulped fearfully as the white snow was stained with blood.
"She's hurt pretty badly. Let's get going, she's going to need help from you Malya."
The otter and hare looked at each other in shock. As Crim turned to walk again, Malya grabbed his shoulder and gulped.
"Mate, are you sure that's such a good idea?"
"What would you have me do? Let her die here? There's something about her Malya, now come on or we're going to freeze in this storm." With a sigh, the otter followed a short distance behind Crim. Sprypaw shook his head slowly and fell into step beside Malya.
"I don't think it's a bally good idea."
He muttered. As he shuffled his footpaws along, his claws clinked against something hard. The hare looked down and saw a silver blade sticking out of the ground. With a curious look in his eyes, the hare plucked the blade from the ground and stared wide eyed at a wondrous sword.
"Spry, come on!" Sprypaw licked his lips for a moment and tucked the sword in his habit cord as he ran after them.
An hour later saw the four beasts sitting within a small cave on the edge of the woods. Little did they know, it was the same cave that the long patrol and Valena had spent a cold winter's night within. Sprypaw quietly struck up a fire with what little bits of dry wood he could find. Crim had taken off his outer cloak and laid it upon the ground so that Ebonia could rest on it. He had no idea why he wanted to help her. Here was the creature that had been responsible for the Abbey's fall, and maybe even the death of some of his friends.
Malya placed her herbs near the fire and looked over the squirrel. The whole time she examined Ebonia's wound, her face was drawn up in a frown. Crim sat against the cave wall, watching his friend work.
"Well, will she be alright?" He asked, to eager to know the truth. Malya blew out a sigh and looked up to him.
"If she survives the night mate, she will be." She replied. Crim didn't find too much encouragement in her words but he didn't say so. The otter maiden slowly began to work on the deep wound on the squirrel's stomach.
Crim watched for a little while but found his attention pulled over towards Sprypaw as the hare shined the sword that he had found. The squirrel looked at it curiously but didn't really have the urge to ask about it. His mind was running with too many thoughts and a sword was the last thing on his mind.
Malya worked for quite some time on the squirrel before finally snipping the thread away with her teeth. She looked over her work quietly and began to wash her paws off with the snow.
"I guess Sister Shlamele did teach me something important, asides from turning an otter's fur green that is." The maiden joked. Crim smiled quietly as he folded another small cloak over the freezing squirrel's body. Sprypaw watched his friend and shook his head.
"I don't think it's jolly well safe to keep her here wot. What if she bally well leaps up and tries to cleave our heads off?"
"Sprypaw, with the damage done to her stomach, I don't think she can leap up mate."
"She could be jolly well faking it though." Malya and Crim stared up at the hare with quizzical expressions on their faces.
"Spry, how could she fake a sword wound to the stomach?"
The hare shrugged his shoulders lightly and began to toy at a small twig with his paw.
"I'm just bally well worried is all wot."
He replied. Crim stared at his friend for a moment and sighed. With a flick of his wrist he unbound the habit cord at his waist and knelt down beside the unconscious squirrel. Ever so slowly, he took her paws and bound them together so that even if she could leap up, she wouldn't get very far. Once he was satisfied that her paws were secure, he put a paw to his hip and looked up at Sprypaw.
"There, that better?" The hare nodded his head slowly and curled up in a small ball to get some sleep. Malya smiled at the hare and did the same, leaving Crim awake with the sleeping Ebonia.
The warmth from the fire flickered across Ebonia's face as she slept in comfort. Her mind had swam in darkness the whole time Malya healed her and it still couldn't quite cling to consciousness. The squirrel's body moved around a little bit as she tried to wake but it was no use, something was keeping her in the dark.
Suddenly, she felt something cool dab at her forehead. For a moment, she thought that she was just feeling it in her dreams. But when the pain of the wound suddenly struck her, she realized that she was coming around.
The squirrel flicked her eyes open slowly and saw a blurry red figure dabbing a damp piece of tunic to her face. Ebonia groaned very quietly and reached out to shove the paw away but she found that she couldn't. That set off an alarm in her head. The squirrel blinked several times rapidly and looked down at the habit cord that bound her paws. Crim stared at her and leaned against the wall.
"Well, looks like Malya was right. I guess you are going to survive." He said as he deposited the damp cloth at his side. Ebonia stared at him for a moment then let her bound paws rest on the ground.
"I take it you brought me here to watch me die slowly?" She asked in a strained voice. Crim chuckled quietly beneath his breath and fiddled with a loose piece of fur. His blue eyes watched the bound squirrel before him with interest.
"If I wanted to watch you die slowly, I would have left you in the snow Ebonia. Why don't you take a look at your stomach and decide if I'm waiting for your death."
The black squirrel gave Crim a quizzical look and slowly looked to her wound. It was bound with bandages and the squirrel couldn't see a trace of blood upon the snowy white cloth. Confusion shown in her eyes as she peered up at Crim.
"You healed me? Why?" The sun squirrel shrugged his shoulders lightly.
"What was I suppose to do? Leave you out there to freeze to death in the snow? Unlike some creatures, I try to prevent them from dying for reasons that can be helped."
Ebonia stared up at him with rather confused eyes, but she wasn't about to object to being alive. The black squirrel shifted where she lay and wriggled her paws lightly within her bonds.
"Are you going to keep me a prisoner then?"
Crim peered over at the squirrel for a moment then reached behind his tunic. Ebonia tensed for a moment in fear of him pulling a dagger on her. The sun squirrel turned back around and instead tossed her a bag.
"There's some nuts in there. You need something to eat to regain your strength. And…about keeping you a prisoner…that's up to Sprypaw and Malya too, not just me."
The black squirrel maiden slowly nodded her head and pulled out a nut. It had been crystallized in honey and sugar, making it rather delectable. Ebonia popped the nut in her mouth then glanced up at Crim as he stared at her. Suddenly she could see in his eyes what Bemal had told her about. His eyes just seemed so familiar as if she had seen them before. Crim caught her staring at him and shifted his eyes away slightly.
"Why did you betray the Abbey?" He asked bluntly. Ebonia lowered her eyes to the ground and shoved the nuts to the side. She had suddenly lost her appetite.
"I see there is no use lying to you Crim…I…I betrayed the Abbey because the mink Stelumos threatened to kill a friend of mine as well as the shrew chief and a group of slaves. If I told the abbey, he was going to murder them- then he would have attacked anyway. You all wouldn't have been able to stand against him"
"We could have at least tried, Ebonia." Crim retorted sharply. Ebonia narrowed her eyes at him.
"And you would have been killed in the process. Crim, I did this so you all could live alright. If you had fought, so many would have died but he instead made them slaves. At least they still have life!" The squirrel replied stridently. Her voice echoed a bit through the cave they were in and almost aroused Malya and Sprypaw, but they slept on. Crim glanced at his two friends sleeping quietly.
"Get some rest, Ebonia.", was all that he would permit himself to say. His mind ran like a wave on the stormy sea. So many thoughts over her words just flooded his senses. Ebonia closed her eyes with frustration and allowed herself to rest on the ground again. She wasn't going to be able to do anything anyway.
Four figures stood before her in the winter snow. The snow storm bashed the trees cruelly until their boughs were forced to touch the earth. Ebonia looked around and shivered from the cold. As she shook, she stared up at the four creatures. One was the armored mouse, Martin the Warrior, which Crim had called him. The black and sun red squirrel stood beside the warrior like before, but now, she could see that the fourth creature was Crim. His eyes stared into hers and she shuddered with guilt. Young Ebonia took a step forward to speak, when suddenly the snow swallowed her parents up and a fire formed on the ground between Martin and Crim. The sun squirrel bowed down to the ground and lowered his head to the fire. The warrior mouse though stepped forward and placed the cold sword upon Ebonia's shoulder.
Maiden of the blackened wood
Do what you feel's right and good
With my words your brother sleeps
Leave this cave without a peep
Take my sword and find the squirrel
Seek hares in the snowy whirl
Lead your brother and his friends
Don't ever let them meet their ends
Tell your brother that in time
In his dreams, his path he'll find
Help the good increase their might
For then you'll have done what's right
Ebonia awoke with a start as the last cords of the poem faded away into the recesses of her mind. The black squirrel's eyes surveyed the open cave closely. What she saw rather surprised her. Like Martin had said, Crim was sitting with his head bowed to his chest, lost in a peaceful slumber. Sprypaw snored uproariously and Ebonia had to wonder how the other two beasts weren't awakened by the sound. A breeze from the storm outside ruffled her fur and stirred the squirrel enough to sit up, despite her wound. The slash to her stomach was still painful but not nearly as bad as it was before Malya had placed the herbs on it.
"Hmm yes…umm..I'd like some of that jolly trifle eh wot wot." Ebonia froze and looked over at Sprypaw. The hare was scratching his gluttonous stomach with a paw while talking in his sleep. Ebonia shook her head and went to turn away when the light from the fire glinted across a piece of metal. The squirrel maiden snapped her head back towards the hare and saw the wondrous sword of Martin rising and falling with each breath.
"Take my sword and find the squirrel
Seek hares in the snowy whirl." She whispered to herself. Ebonia looked over at Crim for a moment and had the urge to lie back down and forget the poem. But then again, Crim had said Martin's words always held a purpose. The squirrel sat indecisively for some time before finally deciding to go with Martin's words. Ebonia looked down at her bound paws and slowly edged towards where Sprypaw was. Her eyes were riveted upon the gleaming sword at his waist. If she could just get it free, she'd be able to cut the bonds away.
Sprypaw turned on his side, muttering incoherent remarks to himself. Ebonia watched him closely and quickly swung out her tail. It latched around the hilt of the sword, and ever so slowly, she pried it from the habit cord. Without warning, Sprypaw shifted in his sleep, causing Ebonia to lose her grip on the sword. The weapon fell from her tail and hit the ground of the cave with a loud clang. Ebonia froze with worry and watched as the hare sat up. Sprypaw turned his head and stared right at the squirrel. A scowl formed on his face and he placed a paw near his stomach, as if going for the sword. The squirrel scooted towards the wall and waited for him to attack her. Suddenly, a comical look came over the hare's face and he muttered.
"Hey, you're not the bally chef, wot. Oh well, now where'd me trifle go?" The hare fell backwards with a plop and continued his snoring. Ebonia stared at him with a confused expression on her face but shook it off as she pulled the sword towards her. Within a matter of seconds, she cleaved through the habit cord around her forepaws then snapped them off of her hind paws. Carefully, she placed the sword tip into the ground and helped herself stand. Pain coursed through her stomach but she paid little heed to it.
Ebonia turned and slowly walked to the entrance of the cave. She placed the sword in her belt and sighed.
"I'm sorry for all I've done you three, I'm going to set things right, though."
With one last glance at the sleeping beasts, Ebonia turned on her heel and dashed into the snowy storm to find the squirrel and the hares. Little did she know that a pair of eyes had spotted her as she ran.
Wraith crouched down in the snow beside the cave. He had seen the three creatures bring the squirrel to the cave for treatment. It angered him that she was still alive but he wouldn't dare betray his position with trivial curses of fury. Instead, he just sat and watched the creatures. Once the squirrel left, Wraith pulled out a twin pair of daggers and made sure that his blow dart was close to his side. He probably wouldn't be able to fire at the squirrel because of the windy weather but he could at least try. With a snicker, he took off after her.
Snow flakes struck Ebonia's face like icicles as she ran through the densely populated woods. She had no idea where she was suppose to go to find the squirrel or the hares. All she knew was that she had to follow the poem, she just had to. She leapt over a log and ducked beneath a branch as the snow pelted her body. It was rather amazing that the squirrel could still move with her wound.
Wraith watched her run and cursed quietly as he followed. His footpaws got trapped within the snow several times and the wind continued to batter his body. He had no idea where the squirrel was leading him, but one thing was clear; he had to get her back. With a growl, the ferret put on an extra burst of speed and soon began to close in on the squirrel maiden.
Ebonia panted as she moved through the snow. Her wound was beginning to act up and the worry that she felt was draining her mentally. She turned her head to the side to make sure Crim wasn't following her. Her momentary elapse of attention caused her to miss the branch that swung down right towards her face.
WHACK!
The squirrel fell backwards, stunned by the force of the blow. She watched her breath float in front of her in white puffs. With weariness, she closed her eyes and just thought What am I suppose to do now, Martin?
"Get up." Ebonia's eyes snapped open as she heard the warrior's strong voice. The squirrel sat up quickly and saw the apparition of the mouse before her. He stood in the snow, his strong and wise eyes staring at her. Slowly the armored mouse raised a paw and pointed towards a small section of trees. "Get up Ebonia. Find the squirrel, find the hares."
The squirrel looked off into the distance where Martin pointed and without a second thought, she shoved herself to her footpaws and ran again. The moment she did, Martin nodded his head and disappeared.
Wraith watched as the squirrel dashed off again. He had been so close to snaring her, what made her jump up so suddenly? The ferret cursed and leaped over the snow bank, intent on following her tracks until he caught her.
Ebonia ran through the woods on the path that Martin had pointed to. The sword at her side clinked against her leg. It felt heavy to her, heavier then a sword should feel. Her eyes glanced down at the weapon. It was truly a marvelous sword, one that only a true warrior should wield.
The squirrel frowned at the thought and looked up ahead at a large snow bank. With a sigh, she picked up her speed, knowing that she'd have to move rather fast to leap over it and not sink. Her black fur stood out like a sore thumb in the white snow and as she readied herself to jump, a sling stone came hurtling through the air and clanked against the sword at her side. The squirrel stumbled with surprise and was caught within the paws of another creature. Ebonia looked up slowly and found her eyes meeting those of an older squirrel. With a start, the black squirrel moved backwards, only to feel the cool blade of a spear prick her neck.
"Don't make one more bally move wot, we have you surrounded. Valena, are you jolly well alright?" The elder squirrel nodded her head, eyes riveted upon the squirrel in front of her.
"Yes Fleetfoot, I'm fine. Weave! PeriNickel! SkyBreeze! Ballard! Come on out, it's just the squirrel." Ebonia watched in disbelief as four hares leapt out of the woods, Log a Log, Lezlo, Tellio and a red squirrel following close behind. Her eyes locked with Tellio who stopped in this tracks at seeing the squirrel again. Before she could react, Fleetfoot grabbed the sword from Ebonia's belt and shoved her to the ground.
"So vermin, why don't you jolly well tell us why a woodlander such as yourself is fighting on the mink's side, wot."
Ebonia looked up at him and tried to explain but Tellio spoke first as his eyes met Martin's sword.
"What are you doing with Martin's sword?!" The black squirrel maiden looked up at the mouse.
"I stole it from Stelumos right after he killed Bemal." She replied and stared directly into his eyes. Log a Log took a step beside the mouse but allowed Tellio to speak his part.
"Why'd he kill her, squirrel?"
"Because she saved my life! I fought him and she took the blow!" She shouted at him and looked away. The last words the vixen had spoken to her ran through her mind again and she just wanted Fleetfoot to shove the spear in her neck. Tellio was a bit taken back by her words. He slowly went to Fleetfoot's side and took the sword in his paws. With a deep breath he looked over to Valena.
"I heard you talking to the hares, saying that this squirrel was related to you somehow. I think it should be up to you what we do with her." The elder squirrel stared at the mouse closely then down at her niece. Ebonia's face was contorted with complete confusion. Valena slowly crouched down beside the squirrel and pushed Fleetfoot's spear aside. She tilted her head to the side and then lifted Ebonia's head up with her paw.
"Tell me, who do you think you are and what you know." The black squirrel sighed and turned her eyes away.
"I don't fully know who I am but from the words of a vixen, my name's Ebonia, daughter of two slain squirrels and sister of one named CrimsonRay." Valena almost smiled as the words of truth filled her ears. The squirrel pushed against the spear again and took the younger creature in her arms. Ebonia stared up in surprise at Valena, as did the other hares.
"Let her be, she tells the truth, she tells the truth. Ebonia, you're right, your brother is CrimsonRay. Your mother and father were Punico and Sunbeam. I'm your mother's sister, Ebonia. I thought I'd never have you back."
SkyBreeze watched the procession with tear filled eyes. She leaned against her brother and threw her paws around his neck.
"Isn't it just so jolly well beautiful wot?" She asked batting her eyelashes. PeriNickel smiled like his sister then quickly shoved her away.
"Yeah yeah, jolly beautiful, just don't bally well grab me like that again, ick." The young hare giggled and tweaked her brother's ear.
"Aww wot wrong Peri Berry? Am I jolly well embarrassing you, wot?" Her brother took a swipe at her ears and was rewarded with a light cuff at the head from Ballard.
"Mind your bally manners." SkyBreeze giggled and began to trot away but Ballard caught her with his paw. "That goes for you too missy wot. Now hush."
Ebonia looked at Valena in shock and slowly let her rigged body melt within her aunt's arms.
"Is Crim still at the Abbey?" Valena asked in sudden worry. The black squirrel shook her head and pointed through the gale.
"No, he and his two friends are in the caves over yonder." Weave glanced up at the heavily snowing sky and shook her head.
"If we jolly well try to find the trail there, we're never going to make it wot. The storm's getting too bad."
Log a Log held up a paw and voiced his opinion quickly.
"I know where there's a cave close to here. We can stay there until we meet up with Crim and his friends."
"Absolutely, positively, jolly good idea wot." Weave said with a smile to the shrew chieftain. Log a Log nodded his head and pointed off to the right.
"This way, come along then." Ballard stepped over towards Valena and helped the elder squirrel and Ebonia to their footpaws. He looked down and noticed the cut at her stomach. Though it was bandaged, he wanted to look at it to make sure the wound wasn't infected.
"Let me have a bally look at that when we're in shelter wot." The black squirrel didn't argue. Tellio watched her closely and looked into the sword blade. The form of an armored paw seemed to take shape in the sheen metal. Tellio jumped back in surprise and a claw slowly pointed towards Ebonia. Then it was gone.
Tellio looked at the blade then up to the squirrel maiden. Without even thinking, he moved to her side and tucked the sword in her belt. His eyes met Ebonia's for a brief moment and the young squirrel could almost catch a glint of trust. It surprised her but Valena gently squeezed her paw and drew her attention away.
"Soon Ebonia, we'll be together with Crim. We'll be a family again." Ebonia smiled at the thought but soon shook her head.
"Not until this land is rid of the vermin and the Abbey is free." Came her response. Ballard looked back at her as well as did Tellio and Log a Log. All three creatures nodded.
"Well said young`n, jolly well said, wot." Ballard commented.
Slowly, the congregation of beasts disappeared into the snow to find shelter and wait out the storm.
Wraith stood fuming as he watched the creatures move away. They had ruined his chance of getting the squirrel. No matter, I have enough useful information to relay to the chief. Not to mention the squirrel and his friend's locations. Ha, they'll be ours soon. The ferret wrapped his cloak around his body, and slowly moved back towards the Abbey to tell Stelumos of his news.