Ok, OK, sorry about the wait . Expect an update a week apart at most, I think, cause I have this planned out but have a gazillion other ff's (not on this site)

Special thanks to: otters, Zaran Rhulain, and Lady Storm for (you guessed it) reviewing! You people rock!

Chapter Five: Attacked

Dawn's early light shone down into Noonvale. The newly erected walls cut off much of the sunlight. Noonvale's life style continued as usual, ave the sentries onthe walls, and the fact that nearly all the creatures were armed. Keyla, Ballaw, Urran Voh, Brome, and Rowanoak were attempting to dissolve that last couplet.

"Then the thrower of javelins- my words thou shalt heed,

Freed slave from Marshank, your presence we need."

Urran Voh shook his head in puzzlement. "Whose presence? That's a question we need an answer to."

Tullgrew poked her head in the door. "Breakfast has been ready for an hour now." There were murmurs of "wait another second" "Just a minute." Keyla looked up as she turned to go. His eyes widened as they lighted on the bundle of javelins strapped to her back.

"Tullgrew!"

"What?"

His voice was low. "I think you're the one."

"Don't grasp at straws, Keyla."

"I'm not! Do you think I'm happy about this? It has to be her. She escaped from Marshank and I bet you a pot of shrimp an' 'otroot soup that all the other Fur and Freedom Fighters forwent the javelins in favor of a bow and arrows- at least, the ones who escaped from Marshank."

"He's right," Rowanoak said, "Almost everybeast selected a bow and quiver of arrows. The few who didn't were myself, Ballaw and Tullgrew here."

"We better leave soon," Brome said, "Say, about noon. We can get it together by then, right?"

Urran Voh nodded. "I think so."

"Tullgrew, wait." The female otter swept by Keyla, ignoring him. He stared after her, confused. "What did I do?"

"I think it's what you said earlier- that you weren't happy that she was coming. Why did you say that anyways?"

"Brome, at the end of this, three of us are going to be dead. Three out of five creatures. I don't like those odds."

"Oh."

"Not that I can tell her. She's not listening to anything I say. I don't think she's been this mad since the prank war."

An involuntary giggle escaped Brome. "Oooh, that was fun. Even Father started pranking people!"

Keyla smiled. "Don't you wish we could start another one and just forget this whole thing?"

Brome nodded.

"Keyla, Brome! Time to go!" Keyla shouldered his pack.

"Come on, mate."

Keyla and Grumm were pulled aside by Aryah. "Will you do something for me? Please, take care of Brome. Don't let anything happen to him, like Rose . . ." her voice trailed off and she bit her lip, fighting back tears.

"Hurr, oi'll guard him with moi loife."

"Marm, I swear it on me 'onor- I won't let anythin' 'appen to him while I'm with him. I will protect him as if he was my brother."

She smiled through the tears. "Thank you." She broke away and rejoined the main group, with Grumm in tow.

"Farewell, Brome."

"Be careful, son!"

Urran Voh and Aryah embraced their only child, tears running down their cheeks. Keyla felt a hot stab of envy, watching his friend enjoy what he himself could not. ''He has a father and a mother to worry about him and to comfort him when he's sad. Somebeast who loves him. Me, I have no one. I did . . . once.''

''Pain shot through my arm as I was thrown roughly to the deck. Screaming in pain as the barbed whip was brought down on my back. My father lay on the deck, blood running down his face like a river. I shake him, futily calling him. No answer.''

Angrily, the otter dashed the hot tears from his face. Tears were a luxury he could no longer afford. He felt a paw on his shoulder. Without turning he knew it was Tullgrew. "I'm sorry. I know why you said what you said. I shouldn't have reacted that way. We've known each other forever and I should know better." He looked at her and she saw the faint echos of the liquid sadness in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothin' ye could help with anyways," he muttered, adjusting his pack.

The five questers slipped towards the exit tunnel under the wall, as it had no gate.

Aryah stared after the questers, eyes filled with worry. ''Is my son one of those fated to die?''

'

***

"My lady!" Fatgutt stumbled into Zounzdican's room, panting. "Five woodlanders have broken away from the rest of the populace. They're going to get help. What do we do?"

Zounzdican pounded her paw on the stone wall in anger. Her army had moved into the ruins of Fort Marshank as a means of beginning occupation. "Ripred, take ten fighters, pursue those woodlanders and stop them. Kill them, capture them- I don't care how, just do it!!!!"

***

Sharp voice grating and scraping, she called her challenge. "I would speak with your chieftain!" After a pause, Urran Voh's figure appeared on the walltops, high above her head. Zounzdican stared him down, eyes poisonous green with hatred. A shudder raced through him at the way she looked down at him despite him being at least 16 feet over her. The wind billowed, spreading her black cloak and revealing her ebony armor, evilly twisted and spiked. Her barbed sword glinted in the red light of sunsety, lusting for blood and death. ''You are a filthy worm,'' her eyes seemed to taunt, ''I will crush you and yours under my paws.''

"I gave you every chance for you and yours to surrender. Lucky for you, I will give you one last chance. Surrender and I will spare you miserable lives!"

Urran Voh felt a burst of anger. And subject those in his care to slavery? Never. "Go to Dark Forest!" he spat. The Noonvalers flinched, unaccostomed to hearing him speak in such a violent manner.

She raised her sword and dropped viciously. "''Fire''!"

Arrows hissed through the air, mingling with the battle cries and the screams of the wounded and dying.

War had come to Noonvale.

___

Click the green button. Please?