I hope you all are enjoying this story so far!

It's a lot of fun to think about and write! I'm also ironing out which books I'm going to put her in, and where she'll be in those books so I have a solid plan going forward.

Anyway, without further delay, here's the next chapter!

God Bless and Good Day!

~The Lupine Sojourner

Dawn comes soft and slow, Rose and Grumm having to shake me as they dig a hasty breakfast out of their haversack.

The rain, thankfully, had stopped during the night, but that was the least of our concerns at the moment.

"The birds are starting to gather." Rose murmurs grimly. "We have to move."

I eat some of the food in my satchel quickly, gulping a bit of water as we slowly pick our way into a good position to sling or throw from.

It's then I see other people gathering on the walltop behind Martin and my jaw tightens at the way they look at their victim (judging by the way they sneer at him and laugh, I'm assuming these are the captors, not prisoners), reveling in their own cruelty. They're even laughing and rubbing their hands, ready to mete out a truly horrifying fate on an innocent person.

Anger boils hot in my veins and the fridges of my eyesight is slightly red. How dare they do this to someone! How heartless can they be?!

"Ayana?" Rose asks, grabbing my hand, which I just now notice is rising with a fairly big stone in it. "Are you alright?"

I shake myself. "Y-yeah. Sorry. Just got a bit carried away." I settle the rock quietly back where it was and force myself to try and calm down.

I couldn't blow our cover yet.

My anger rises again as a rat starts slapping Martin with a piece of cloth until Martin wakes up, but I manage to keep myself still.

Thankfully, the rat gives Martin some water, laughing cruelly.

He says something taunting to Martin, but I can't quite make it out. Something about the birds, I think.

Martin then spits a bit of the water at the rat, who recoils, his voice rising in his anger. "Tough, eh? Well, I 'ope they takes yer eyes first!"

I swallow hard as the birds start to take notice of Martin, wheeling lower.

The birds won't touch him if Rose, Grumm, and I have anything to say about it.

Martin starts struggling, helpless to stop the birds as they prepare to dive at him.

But still Rose and Grumm were motionless, eyes on Martin, who continued to struggle feebly against the ropes.

"Aren't we going to do something?" I ask softly.

"Not yet…" Rose murmurs back, eyes narrowing in anger and focus as we await some sort of cue.

As the birds start to wheel and dive lower, my heart starts beating quicker.

Grum nudges Rose urgently. "Aow, do 'asten an' 'urry, mizzy. They birds be a-goen t'peck Marthen to death. Aowurr, oi carn't lukk no moare!"

As Grum squeezed his eyes shut, the birds began diving to begin their assault on the still struggling Martin.

Suddenly, right before the birds would have made contact, Rose inhales and let out a screech that sounds exactly like an eagle's cry!

It's incredible! I do an automatic scan of the sky just to double check, it's that realistic!

The birds break off their dives and bump into each other as they look for the supposed eagle.

A second screech made the birds back off even more, making me sigh with relief and Martin slowly stops struggling as hard when he doesn't feel the birds attacking him.

The people other than Martin on the walltop start looking around in confusion.

One of them, sitting on a carved chair, grumbles aloud. "What's the matter with 'em, why aren't they tearing him apart?"

I smile in satisfaction. If that's Badrang, I look forward to seeing his face when those birds try again and we drive them off.

Provided he doesn't send anyone out to find us, we should be able to hide here as long as it takes to drive off the birds and make Badrang realize the death sentence will not be carried out.

Rose, as if to prove our determination, lets out one more screech, this one louder and more angry than the other two.

The birds disperse then, wheeling away lest they get caught by the fictitious eagle.

Badrang stands, furious. "What in the name of Hellgates is going on?!"

A nearby creature (maybe a ferret? I can't tell…) scratches his ears. "That's the hunting cry of a great eagle. I heard it afore!"

The rat who had slapped Martin awake shoves the speaker. "Garn! There ain't no great eagles on this coast!"

A small bird dives down, having just arrived, apparently, dives for Martin when Rose screeches almost reprovingly at it and it flies off as quickly as the other birds had.

"That's a great eagle's hunting cry, I'd stake me oath on it!" The one who'd identified Rose's imitation insists, glaring at the rat who'd shoved him.

The rat merely raises his spear menacingly. "Listen, addlebrain, I've said there ain't no gr-"

Badrang interrupts the argument. "Gurrad! Stow that gab and get over here!"

Gurrad, the rat, scurries over obediently.

Badrang is scanning the skies with a dark expression. "Nevermind what it is, there's something about that's scaring the sea birds witless." Badrang's voice then drops and I can't make out what's he's saying.

Gurrad leaves and disappears behind the walltop.

"What're they up to?" I grumble, knowing Badrang wouldn't just give up. But at least Martin was safe for the moment.

So I return Grumm and Rose's smiles, despite feeling like it wasn't quite over yet.

But Rose and Grumm weren't aware of that yet, Rose scanning the sky before massaging her throat with a grimace.

"Thank goodness I won't have to do the eagle call again. It was beginning to strain my throat."

Grumm chuckles. "Hurr hurr, oi be glad too, mizzy, 'twere a vury froightenen sound. Oi didden loik et one liddle bit, hurr no."

I smile. "I think it's impressive, but it's not over yet." I nod up to the walltop and Grumm is first to see what's happening.

It hadn't taken long before Gurrad arrives back and things start happening again.

"Mizzy, Roser, 'earken! Wot be they villuns a-doin' to Marthen?"

Gurrad is trying to put something on a string around Martin's neck, but Martin wasn't having it.

Rose twirls her sling. "I don't know, but whatever it is, we'll have to stop them!"

She lets fly and the stone hits Gurrad's paw, making him drop the fish and dance around in pain.

"Nice shot!" I grin, but any reply Rose might have made is drowned out by Badrang's angry shout.

"Stop playing the fool an' get that fish round his neck before I come up there and batter some sense into you with it!"

As Gurrad bent to grab the fish and try again, Grumm and I throw or use a ladle to hurl rocks at the unfortunate rat.

He screams in pain and overbalances, toppling with a crunch to the ground on the inside of the walls.

I flinch. I'd just indirectly killed someone!

I know he was evil, but still…I hadn't meant to knock him off the wall.

There isn't a lot of time to dwell too much on what I had done, however, as Badrang realizes what's happening and calls for his horde.

Soon a few heads poke up and Grumm and I soon have them ducking down, one rubbing his chest, the other (hopefully) unconscious.

Badrang is trying to figure out where we are as Grumm, Rose and I send another volley of stones to keep the people pinned down.

"Must be somebeast hidin' out there, lord!" A fox replies, standing briefly to scan the rocks. I duck a little to make sure we won't be spotted.

I gulp, knowing Badrang would likely send out some of his soldiers to find us soon.

But then, the fox gets hit with a stone from inside the fortress, the rock hitting the unfortunate fox's ear, ripping half of it off. I wince as the fox screeches in pain.

Rose slings a stone at a soldier (possibly a ferret or something similar) who stands to look at the slaves to see who'd thrown the stone. "The stones are coming from inside our own fortress!" The stone struck the soldier square on the back, causing further confusion.

The one who'd been hit on the chest, still rubbing it, scowls darkly. "Rubbish! They're coming from the shore, I tell yer! I was hit meself-eeyowch!"

Whoever among the slaves was throwing stones hit the soldier on the tail, furthering the confusion.

If I find out who the slave is, I'll shake them by the hand! Their distraction is preventing the horde from pinpointing us and stopping the rocks, which stung and hurt from both sides of the wall.

Suddenly Badrang is calling out roughly as he slips behind the wall. "Cut that mouse down from there and bring him with you. Get down into the fortress, quick!"

I smile in relief. Finally, we'd gotten it into that tyrant's head!

"We did it! Look, Rose!" I cheer, trying not to be too loud, as a few soldiers quickly run up to Martin and cut him down, hauling him back into the fortress, haggard, but alive.

"Ha! They've had enough! They're cutting Martin loose and retreating into the fortress! Thank the seasons we were able to help that poor mouse, eh, you two?"

I nod, laughing. "Yeah!"

"Yurr, boi 'okey, us'ns serpintly gave they vurmints summat to think abowt! Oi gave 'em billyoh wi' my ole ladler, hurr hurr!"

"So you did, Grumm!" Rose replies, chuckling. "That ladle comes in handy for other things than stirring soup with. And you weren't so bad, either, Ayana!"

I smile, but my mind replays the crunch of Gurrad's body as it hit the ground from the high walltops.

Maybe I just care more cus I knew his name, but I can't help it. I'd had a part in taking a life…

Unfortunately, our happy mood suddenly dies as Rose notices Grumm, pointing out to sea with a scared expression.

I look where he's pointing and feel a thrill of fear up my spine.

That was definitely a pirate ship! And it's sailing here!

"Lookit, missus! Searatters an' vurmints, oi'll be bounden!"

In moments, we have our bags and other belongings ready to move.

"Let's not hang about here, you two! Come on, we'll lie low in the marshes behind the fortress."

We hastily made our way through the rocks as the soldiers on the wall retreat into the fortress and prepare for the imminent arrival of the ship.

It rolled in to the shallows and a few longboats were rowed ashore with several evil looking pirates aboard (I can't identify what species they are). They disembark and march up to the gates of Marshank.

We wait tensely until the pirates are inside the gates, but we aren't close enough to hear anything anymore.

Once we can relax, I dig out a little food, my stomach growling.

"We may as well eat." I murmur, taking a drink of water. It was a little after noon, if I'm not mistaken, and I'd not eaten much at breakfast.

Grumm chuckles and nods. "Buurr aye, you'm gotten a gudd sense 'bout 'ee, miz 'yana. Them vilyuns bain't bothering us out yurr."

"We'll have to move back to Marshank once the corsairs have gone." Rose muses as she digs some bread and cheese out. "We still don't know if Brome is inside the fortress."

I sigh. "True, but if he's in there, we'll get him out somehow. Him and Martin." I feel more determination than sense at the idea. I have no idea how we'll manage to confirm if Brome is inside, or how we'll get them out, but somehow, some way, we'll get it done, that I'm sure of.

Finally, the gates of Marshank open and the crowd of pirates leave, all of them looking angry and ready to fight.

They file into the longboats and sail back to their large ship.

Rose, Grumm, and I watch them from the edge of the marshes, careful not to get too close to Marshank.

I bite my lip. "They're not leaving…"

"Hmm…" Rose stares at the ship. "They're probably planning something."

I nod. "Agreed, which means we're stuck here for a while."

No one likes that notion, but we don't have a choice.

=#=#=#=#=

The hours crawl by, hot and slow, the pirates' ship still off the shore, which means more sentries on the walls, which means we can't get closer to somehow see if Brome's inside, which I'm becoming increasingly convinced is, unfortunately, the case.

I spend some of the time trying to come up with a plan to somehow sneak into the fortress and see where they'd be keeping Brome, but each idea has to be discounted, seeing as the ship and the sentries are still there.

I feel my eyelids droop in the midday heat, even in the shade.

Finally, they close.

Next thing I know, the sun has set and Rose is shaking me.

"The ship is finally leaving!" She cheers and we all move to the shore, out of sight of the fortress, to watch the ship head what I think is south, out toward the open sea.

"Thank goodness." I yawn and stretch. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. How long was I out?"

"The sun's a few hours set, but that's alright. There wasn't much else to do, so Grumm and I napped, too." Rose assures me, then looks at the ship again.

Grumm frowns. "Yurr, mizzus, worr'm you surpose 'ee villyuns wanted?"

I sigh as Rose chucks a stone into the shallows. "Probably some kind of booty or something."

"Whatever it was, they didn't seem too happy leaving here." Rose adds, then starts heading back toward Marshank, noting the sentries posted on the walltops.

We all look up at the posts where Martin had been strung up, noting the loose rope ends flapping in the wind.

"I hope Martin is alright. Trust Badrang to think up something cruel like that, binding a poor creature up there in the middle of a storm-"

I notice the sound of someone singing at the same moment Grumm does and we gesture for Rose to be quiet.

"Shush naow, Roser. Do 'ee 'ear that? Somebeast a-singen'."

It was a deep, clearly male voice that carried clear over the walls to us.

"I know a mouse called Martin,

And a young un who's named Brome,

Captured by some vermin scouts

as he strayed far from home.

So if you're out there listening,

I'll pause a while and wait,

For I've been singing half the night

On this side of the gate!"

I can't help chuckling. Whoever came up with the idea of singing is a genius! Wonder if it's the same person who was throwing rocks this morning..?

Rose hugs Grumm, tears of relief welling in her eyes as she sings back in her clear, beautiful voice.

"My name is Rose of Noonvale,

The tribe of Urran Voh,

My only brother is named Brome,

And Martin's name I know.

We're here so we can help them,

So please, friend, tell to me,

What we can do to aid these two

And try to set them free?"

"Her voice is as pretty as ever." I murmur softly, but anything Grumm might have said in reply is lost as the voice sings quickly back, voice urgent now.

"A vermin guard approaches!

Quick, get yourselves from sight!

I'll try to get back to you

This time tomorrow night!"

We withdraw to the rocks we'd hid behind this morning to save Martin just in time to avoid being seen by the guard patrolling the wall.

We spend the night in the small outcropping, not daring to light a fire as we drink a little water and huddle down as best we can.

Thankfully, our combined body heat kept us decently warm and we slept more or less through the night.

=#=#=#=#=

I wake just in time to see dawn breaking on the horizon.

As I sit up to grab some food, Rose and Grumm come awake.

We eat a sullen breakfast, all three of us frustrated and helpless.

There is a constant patrol on the walltops, so any singing is out of the question.

I can't think of any ideas on a different way to communicate to whoever was singing last night.

Sneaking closer to the wall is impossible, even though I spent nearly an hour timing out the patrols to see.

Besides, none of us have any writing material to write a note, or even an idea where to put it to get in touch with our singing friend.

We all have to sit and do our best to think of something, but none of us can.

"With those two up there we won't be able to communicate with our singing friend." Rose all but moans, sighing heavily as she glances at the sentries on the wall. "What can we do?

I put my hand on hers. "We'll think of something."

"That we will, Roser." Grumm adds, smiling at the mouse. "Oi says we sit'n toight an' wait. You'm friend be a cleverbeast. 'Ee'll think of summat, miz, you'm see, hurr aye."

And by midday, Grumm was proven right.

All of a sudden, an incredibly loud young male voice screamed out in pain. "Somebeast, anybeast, can you hear me? Help us, there's fever down here!"

I stand in shock. Who was that?!

Rose and Grumm, however, laugh into their hands.

"What is going on?" I hiss, confused.

The voice then yells in apparent reply to a threat of beating, yowling about slowly dying of fever. It's a little unsettling to listen to…

Rose was now laughing openly, clutching her sides. "That's my little brother, alright! Remember he used to scream and shout like that til Mama let him have his own way?"

Grumm nods, trying to contain his laughter enough to reply. "Yurr, oi amembers, miz. Oi used to plug moi ole ears oop wi' grass. If'n yon child 'as fever wi' a voice loik that, oi be a taddypole!"

Before more yelling from Brome, Rose holds her throat, throws back her head, inhales, and lets out her eagle screech to let Brome know we're listening.

Grumm winces, his hands covering his ears. "Moi moi, wot a fambily for noisenen! Maister Brome'll know furr sure us'ns kin 'ear 'im naow, miz."

On the walltop the sentries, their backs to us, start grumbling at someone down in the fortress, and I laugh as they mention whoever they're talking to 'upsetting that eagle bird' and demand whoever it is leave.

Then they start debating whether or not to go down and stop Brome yelling, which makes us all snicker.

"Roseyrosey rosey, Grummgrumm Grumm! Lissenamee, lissenamee!"

They were scared to death of the 'fever', but were mad at the yelling.

Eventually, they stuff the ends of their cloaks into their ears and try to keep watch on the shore.

"In the middle of the gate set your faces! Oh, I'm dying of the fever! Walk south about twenty paces! It's a terrible thing this fever! There are three of us in this awful pit!" I smile. Whoever thought of convincing the guards the prisoners have fever is very clever. Wonder if it's the same person who sang last night? I shudder at the thought of being in a pit, though. "The fever the fever! As deep as three mice and a bit! I'm going to die of the fever! We need the claws of a good ole chum! The fever the fever! I know that you can do it, Grumm! Don't let me die of the fever!"

Rose replied with three eagle screeches, then all was quiet again.

"Face the center of the gate and walk twenty paces to the south. Brome says there's three of them in a pit that is as deep as three and a bit mice." Rose muses, looking over her notes.

"Should be fairly straightforward, I think." I muse, smiling.

"Agreed, and if we, or should I see you, Grumm, dig down twice my height then straight tunnel from the twenty-pace mark, sooner or later you'll break into the pit at about head height. Can you do it, Grumm?"

Grumm snorts, winking and eyeing his powerful looking claws with pride. "Can oi do et, miz? Can birds floiy in sky, can fishers swim in 'ee seas? Hurr hurr, 'twould be easier'n eatin' yore mama's lil' apple puddens!"

Rose laughs, hugging Grumm and rubbing his back fur the wrong way. "If you rescue brome, I'll see that my mama bakes you more apple puddings than you can shake a stick at, when we get back to Noonvale."

Grumm laughs, wriggling as Rose continued messing up his fur. "Ohoohoohurrhurr, mizzy! Daon't you'm do that! Et tickles hoohoohurrhurr!"

Laughing myself, I pull Rose off Grumm easily. "Rose, if he gets any louder, we'll alert the guards!" I help Grum up and smooth his fur with a quick swipe.

Grumm catches his breath. "Thank 'ee, miz 'yana."

We start settling down to time the rotation of the guard.

It doesn't take long to notice that there is a length of time where no one is watching our section of the wall, so when the next patrol leaves, Rose jogs over to the center of the wall, then turns to face what I assume is south and measures twenty even paces, marks an 'X' where she stopped and scurries back before the next patrol has even started.

"Be that et, miz Roser?" Grumm asks, nodding at the 'X'.

Rose nods.

Grumm sizes the area up shrewdly, determining where to start the tunnel that would be directly ahead of the mark Rose had made.

Finally, he seems to make up his mind.

The tunneling was about to begin!