I imagine it's pretty obvious where this is going to end up by now, and this chapter will only make it seem more obvious. :) Growing ever closer to the end, I anticipate the fanfic's conclusion long before we reach chpt. 70.

Chapter 61

The sun was beginning to set over Angola, not yet reaching the western horizon, but nearing it ever more closely. Juniper watched it through the large window of Methusael's study, trying to be patient while Methusael discussed their situation, remarking how he planned to have it all end very soon, and to emerge from it all victorious. However, Juniper suspected it was mere prep talk, and wondered if Methusael even really believed that. At least he wasn't drinking wine at the moment; the bottle of blackberry wine sat on the desk, and had been untouched by Methusael during the whole conversation. A filled glass sat beside it, but Methusael had set it down when Juniper had entered, and hadn't picked it back up again. Not that it really mattered. Methusael had been drinking enough of it lately that there was probably still some of the alcoholic drink somewhere in his system.

But Juniper wasn't really thinking too much about that. Nor was he thinking that much about what Methusael was talking to him about while he patiently listened to the fox's words.

All he could think about was the fact that Methusael had no right to this study, and that it should really be Lord Kani that was in this room.

Juniper had not forgotten the conversation he had overheard with Methusael's hidden mercenaries, but wasn't sure what he could do about it. It seemed he only had the two, but Juniper couldn't know that for certain. For all he knew, there could be dozens more of the vermin hidden away somewhere, likely outside somewhere, that could come crashing down on Juniper if he tried anything to insure that Methusael got his comeuppance. And anyway, Juniper wasn't entirely sure what would happen if he did, and succeeded. By all rights, Kani should at the very least be returned to his throne, but Juniper didn't know where the fox was at.

He knew that Methusael knew, or at least had a few ideas. He had never really discussed the matter of Kani at all with Juniper, but Juniper knew that it was a popular topic with Lady Adah. He hadn't thought much about it then, but now he had a pretty good idea why Adah acted the way she did, and had recently switched sides. Juniper was all for doing that himself, and for taking as many creatures he could with him, leaving Methusael shored up by himself in a castle he couldn't defend forever either way.

The problem was that he had no proof. All he had as evidence was a mere conversation that he had overheard, and not only was the nature of the conversation pretty shaky evidence to begin with, he had no way of prove that he wasn't just making it all up, to try and get at Methusael. Which was certainly more than logical, as Methusael hadn't been doing too good a job at winning any popularity contests lately. Most of the royal guard was quickly becoming dislike him and his choice of tactics.

But dislike of his tactics was one thing, while accusing him for high treason, attempted murder, and conspiracy was quite another. Most of the creatures in Midnight Castle didn't like him, certainly, but they still acknowledged and respected him as the lord of the land and their leader. None would dare plot against him, much less even accuse him of anything. Not without more proof.

So Juniper was looking for it. He knew that there were vermin mercenaries, at least two, that were being hidden within the castle, so he tried to arrange someway for them to be discovered. But that quickly proved to be a dead end. Either Methusael was playing it safe, or he had caught onto to the fact that someone suspected him, but the mercenaries had been moved. The dormitory they had been was now both empty and unguarded. Even the likely smell of vermin the mercenaries probably would've left was gone. Juniper had no leads as to where they might be now, or if they were even still in the castle (it seemed likely, though, as the vermin were likely to be just as bottled up in Midnight Castle as the rest of them. They would have to be magic to escape it undetected by both parties).

He didn't let this deter him, however. He also knew from the conversation he overheard that Methusael had signed a contract with the mercenaries for their services, and Juniper couldn't see any reason why he would dispose of it now, so it had to be somewhere. Find it and convince everyone that it was truly real, and Juniper would have more than enough evidence to convict Methusael, and maybe even end this whole conflict with the mice without another arrow being shot. In fact, he suspected the mice knew more about Methusael's betrayal than he even did, but seeing that no one would likely listen to them, they took matters into their own paws and rebelled.

Juniper actually felt a little sorry that it had to come to that, in fact. He hadn't realized that the mice had lost so much trust and influence in Angola that they had to resort to fighting and even bloodshed to actually save Angola from a danger no other creatures seemed to even be aware of. He did have to admire them, though. Here they had been put through a great deal of stress and troubles, even blamed for murders Juniper was quickly beginning to suspect they had no part in, and yet they were still working to protect Angola from danger, like they had always done.

If anything, it made the mice the good creatures, and not the royal guard.

Juniper hoped to fix that, however, and help find someway to make it up to the mice.

So while Methusael stood across the room, studying something on his face in a mirror and was babbling on about how he planned to find someway to strike at the mice and end it all, Juniper scanned the fox's desk for any sign of the alleged contract Methusael had signed. There were several parchments scattered all over the desk, even some that had been left over from before Kani left, it had to be there somewhere among them. So as discreetly as he could, he started sifting through the documents while Methusael was looking away, thankfully positioned in such away that he couldn't see Juniper, even when looking in the mirror's reflection.

After a few moments of searching, Juniper still wasn't coming up with anything that looked like a contract, and was starting to think that maybe Methusael had hidden it somewhere, when something caught his eye outside, through the large window that sat behind the desk. Looking up, he studied it...

...and realized this might be even better than finding the contract.

"Um...your lordship?" Juniper said aloud, waving one paw in the general direction of Methusael while keeping his eyes locked on what was happening in the village outside.

"...we know that Captain Moroni is leading the rebels." Methusael was saying, without listening to Juniper or even looking at him, and was in fact ignoring the fellow fox, "And they all seem to look up to him. So, I think, that maybe if we can find someway to draw Moroni, and only Moroni, on out into the open..."

"Uh, your lordship," Juniper repeated, a little louder this time.

"...then put a sniper up in one of the high towers, and have him shoot Moroni from afar, then we can take him out of the picture, and then the mice will be like a headless snake, completely unable to keep working effectively, and eventually become disorganized enough for us to come in and make the..."

"Your lordship!"

"What, Juniper? Do you have a problem with that idea?"

"Uh, no, your lordship, but uh..."

"Then please be quiet and let me speak."

"But...your lordship..."

"Anyway, where was I?"

"Your lordship, look out..."

"Juniper, would you please be quiet? I'm trying to think here."

"Yes, your lordship, just...look out the window please."

"Why?" Methusael finally turned to look in Juniper's direction. "What's out the window?"

Juniper looked back at him with a slightly stunned expression. "You're going to want to see this, your lordship."

Frowning, but clearly intrigued, Methusael stepped over to the window, and followed Juniper's gaze. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the streets of the village filled with mice gathering around the main road that led into the land. His surprise grew further still, when he saw who was now entering the village, apparently to the joy of the mice.

"Who are they?" Methusael finally managed to state after a moment of stunned silence. "Do we know that lot?"

"I cannot tell, milord." Juniper replied, straining his eyes to look at the newcomers. "Not very many of them appear to be Angolians. And look, some of them are wearing funny copper-colored uniforms..."

"They're the enemy, they have to be." Methusael quickly deduced, his claws fidgeting as he thought about this new development. "They're here to help the mice. Somehow they have come to their aide!"

They were both silent for a few moments, studying the newcomers stream into the village, both surprised and shocked at this new development. Then, Juniper saw something that made his heartbeat quicken in excitement.

"There's a fox leading them." he said to Methusael, pointing through the glass with one claw.

Methusael quickly moved to look, narrowing his eyes to see. As the distance was quite far, it was hard to pick out the individual creatures in the group, but the color of this creature's fur and the fact that he was marching just ahead of the group helped. It was much too far to tell accurately what the identity of the creature was with one's eyes, but Methusael didn't need to. So while Juniper's heart and soul soared at this new development, knowing that this could solve all the problems that had been plaguing his mind, Methusael's heart and soul sake, and grew angry, his eyes narrowing in response.

"Kani." he growled. "He has decided to return after all..."


Kani had indeed returned to Angola at long last, and the reaction was spectacular.

Anticipating this, Captain Moroni had hoped to sneak Kani and the forces he had brought with him into the village discreetly, so to be a surprise, mostly for Methusael, but somehow word of their arrival got out anyway, and the inhabitants of the Angolian village quickly started gathering to see if it was true. Kani also reasoned that there was enough of them that it probably would've been hard to sneak them into the village anyway.

So the once weak attempt to sneak them into the village quickly turned into a march of victory, a parade of sorts, and an impromptu celebration for all. It was clear what this implied. The end of Methusael's reign, and the return of peace to the land of Angola. And it heartened the mice to no end to see what was before them now.

Kani had returned. And he had brought help.

It was obvious what the mice felt about this sudden development, but the feelings were more mixed with the mixed numbers of Redwallers and the accompanying Quorum of Warriors being led by Melody. For instance, the Quorum of Warriors had never been this far east before, and were thus unfamiliar with both the land and the populace, and being surrounded by the cheering mice that were suddenly popping up everywhere to cheer on their arrival was unfamiliar to them, and little overwhelming. So they merely silently and timidly accepted it as they worked on through the crowds.

The Redwallers, however, were a little more welcoming of the cheering, and knowing the basics of what had been going on here from Kani, they understood the attitudes of the mice, and welcomed the support. But it was a little shocking for them, as well, for they all they knew about Angola was what Kani, Mathoni, and Skipper Rowe had told them about the place, and of the three, Kani knew it the best. It was bigger than they were expecting, more well organized than they were expecting, and it's populace much bigger than they were expecting.

As for Kani, he had mixed feelings himself. He was glad to be home finally, but something seemed...off. He couldn't place his claw on it yet. He was home, but it felt like something had changed while he was gone. That there was something here that he wasn't familiar with. His time with the Redwallers had affected him as well. He had gotten used to living their way, and disused to his past life as the heir to a throne. To see the mice standing all around him now, hailing him as their lord seemed shocking now, and Kani felt even less worthy of that respect than before.

Then there was Midnight Castle, standing on it's rocky ledge in the distance. Kani looked at it, and thought for the first time it's present there was painfully obvious. It now seemed to him to look bigger, darker, and more looming over the rest of Angola than he had ever thought it had before. He realized for the first time that from Midnight Castle, you could overlook Angola in it's entirety, and miss not a detail. Little could be kept secret from the inhabitants there. For the first time, Kani saw just how much power the royal family had held over the mice, and how little power the mice had in return. So if something bad were to happen to the royal family, and that power was corrupted...

He realized that it had been only a matter of time before a creature such as Methusael came along and tried something like this.

But first things first. Setting things straight at Angola again.

Moroni had briefly run him through the situation currently happening here at Angola, and very quickly summarized what Kani had missed. Things were actually going better than he had expected. In fact, it sounded as if Angola almost didn't need his help anymore. Moroni had managed just fine on his own, and in the end, got Methusael essentially in hiding. He was going to have to remember to give Moroni some kind of reward or acknowledgment for that. But first they were going to have to take Methusael out of the picture.

Which Kani planned fully on being there to participate in. For his dead family. And to get revenge. It was really all he had left to deal with now.

Interestingly enough, Mathoni's own chain of thoughts was thinking about a similar subject. He knew why Kani was here. He knew what the fox hoped to do, and that whatever it was, it was likely would be in revenge, and rightly so. But what puzzled the otter was several things. First and foremost, he wondered what Kani would do after all of that, once Methusael was taken care of. He supposed that the obvious thing for the fox to do was resume his role as the lord of the land.

But that was the other thing that was bothering Mathoni. He no longer viewed Kani as ruler, and hadn't since he and the fox had both left Angola all that time ago. He viewed Kani now as more of a friend, and an equal. The idea of Kani being of royal blood, and a creature that was hailed as being more or less better than the subjects he ruled over Mathoni suddenly found oddly...disturbing. Watching the mice hail Kani as their lord now only added to it. Even odder to the otter was that Mathoni wasn't sure when he first started thinking like this. He knew that when he first met Kani, he hadn't thought any of this. He realized Kani was the leader, and didn't question that.

But things had changed since then. He and Kani had literally been through life and death now. They had fought bad creatures, and freed many more already. They had had a great adventure together. As friends. He knew Kani much better now than he had before, as Kani now knew him better. And furthermore, Kani had been selected as their warrior of Redwall. Granted, Kani had been very hesitant about taking up the role, as were the Redwallers hesitant to accept this choice, but now Mathoni could see Kani as nothing less. He had proved himself worthy of the role. He was a leader, but not the kind of leader to rule over Angola. The kind of leader that would help them defend their homes, more like. And, as evidence by the fact that it still hung tightly beside Kani's hip, the fox still wore the fabled sword and it's scabbard.

But Angola was his home. Not Redwall. He had friends here. He belonged here. He had a duty here. Everything that Kani had left in the world was here, not at Redwall. To expect Kani to just forget it all and leave for Redwall because Mathoni thought he ought to was...unfair. Mathoni had no right to think about this at all. And he knew it. Kani already had his own life. His own destiny. And it just didn't include Redwall.

And the vixen that suddenly threw herself at the unsuspecting Kani and grabbed him into a heartfelt hug proved it.

"Kani!" Adah exclaimed joyfully, close to tears of joy, and without a second thought, kissed the surprised fox fully on the lips, to the amusement of some of the onlookers.

"Adah!" Kani managed to choke out once Adah pulled away, surprised. He managed a grin. "Good to see you too!"

And this time, he returned the kiss, going even more passionately with it than Adah had. It was a long moment before they pulled apart again, but even then, Adah wouldn't let him out of the embrace she was tightly holding him in.

"Kani, I'm so glad to have you back, I was starting to fear the worse." Adah explained, finally tearing up fully now, but it was for reasons beyond happiness. "Methusael had sent a mercenary to murder you, and..."

"I know, I took care of that, she won't be bothering anyone else anymore." Kani promised, whispering in her ear.

Adah seemed only slightly reassured. "Kani, I'm sorry, for everything that has happened to you, and for what I've done, not helping at all."

"Shh, it's okay, it's not your fault." Kani assured her. "Moroni told me a little bit about what you've been through. I don't blame you for anything."

"Not for those things, no." Adah murmured to herself.

Kani heard, and pulled away to give her an odd look. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Nothing." Adah quickly said. "It doesn't matter now." she grinned, and hugged him again. "All that matters now is that you're back."

"That," Kani said, in agreement, then added, "and Methusael."

And with that, he looked up at Midnight Castle with a glare...


Methusael was coming steadily closer to a panic. He knew that if he didn't do something now, it would be all over for him. He had to act fast, and make his move quick. He didn't have much of a plan, but he didn't really care any more. He just knew what he wanted.

Located in a tower room in an entirely different portion of the tower was Sais and Grim, and it was here that Methusael headed now. The guard stationed there saluted him with his paw as he approached, but Methusael barely acknowledged it.

"At ease." he barked just before he stormed into the room, flinging the door open with a bang, then slamming it behind him again.

The two mercenaries looked up at him in surprise and interest, Grim more bemusedly.

"Yes, Methusael?" the weasel asked calmly.

"I want you to slay Kani." Methusael stated breathlessly. "Tonight. I don't care how you do it, or if anyone sees it, I just want the blooming creature dead!"

Grim looked at him for a moment, then shrugged, and resumed what he was doing before Methusael barged in. Packing his bag. "A very interesting proposal, Methusael." he remarked. "Unfortunately, I cannot help you with it."

This brought Methusael up short. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't paid us." Sais summarized bluntly, also packing his own bag. "You have no way to pay us. You've broken the contract. Therefore, we are no longer going to help you anymore."

"What?" Methusael said, shocked.

"This is your fight now, Methusael." Grim said, shouldering his bag. "We will leave on the morrow."

And with that, the conversation was done. Methusael gaped at them for a moment, then fumed silently for a moment, but knowing that he couldn't win the argument, turned and left. Once outside the room, he simply stood at the door in shock.

"Milord?" the guard questioned after a moment.

"Find Juniper and have him meet me in my study." Methusael ordered suddenly, moving again. "It's going to come down to a fight after all."


Kani listened patiently to Moroni's plans later that night, after the sun had set. Sitting in the room with him was the other Redwallers, and Melody from the Quorum of Warriors. They had spent some time after their arrival to join in the celebrations the mice clearly wanted an excuse for (as there had been little cause to celebrate for awhile now) but Kani was anxious to get this done and over with, so after awhile, the important creatures called the impromptu festivities over, and back to business, and they had all gathered to hear what plans Moroni had for attacking Methusael, and ending the whole problem.

"First off, our plans are somewhat sketchy." Moroni began as a disclaimer. "Before your arrival here, we had enough forces to equal the forces of the royal guard Methusael has under his control, enough to keep them bottled up and at bay, but there was some doubt about whether or not there was enough to defeat Methusael altogether. We believe that it is quite likely that we can get most, if not all, of the royal guard to side with us with little show of force if the opportunity was presented to them, but I wasn't about to bank on that. Besides, information presented to us by Mordecai, Bluejay, and Mistress Adah have indicated that Methusael has members of the royal guard that are loyal to only him."

"However," Moroni, laying out hand-drawn plans of Midnight Castle on a table before his audience, "now that you have all appeared, and added significantly to our numbers, we don't really need to worry about any of that anymore. In fact, we can just about charge the castle from anywhere now, and not have to worry so much about the tide turning against us. We have far too many things going our way. However, it was decided that the best place to start any attack on the castle, would be to start here." he tapped a claw on the plans. "The barracks for the royal guard."

Kani picked up the plans and studied the location, nodding in agreement. "Yes, I see." he said. "Very good idea, captain."

"Well, I don't see." Mathoni confessed, standing behind Kani's chair. "Why th' barracks?"

"First rule of any invasion Mathoni is t' make sure that ye make sure th' enemy's forces are preoccupied an' out of th' picture as much as possible." Skipper Rowe commented, understanding. "Strikin' at that enemy's barracks is a smart move in that case."

"I fail to see the significance, however." Melody commented. "The castle is under siege, and it's inhabitants know it. Most of those forces are going to be on guard throughout the castle, particularly at its perimeter, to insure that we really don't try to invade."

"You're right, but hitting the barracks first would still be a good move." Kani said.

"His lordship is right." Moroni said with a nod. "We estimate that easily as many as a third of the royal guard's forces will be in the barracks at any given time. Methusael has been rotating them on shifts, to prevent any number of them being out on duty for too long. To do otherwise would have resulted in a mutiny by now, the very last thing Methusael needs."

"So we strike at the barracks and capture a third of the royal guard, that only leaves two thirds left to deal with." Charles reasoned. "And with most of them quite likely being ready to surrender without a fight, that would leave Methusael virtually defenseless." he nodded, understanding. "Yes, this will work."

"It can't be that simple, though." Adah objected from where she sat beside Kani.

Kani gave her a glance. She hadn't left Kani's side since he had arrived, which Kani had mixed feelings about. He more than liked Adah, and the attention she was giving him, but she was being unusually clingy, not to mention very edgy...particularly when the subject of Methusael came up, which she had been very reluctant to talk much about. Moroni had explained to Kani in brief that she had briefly teamed up with Methusael in an act of self-preservation as well as an attempt to try and protect Kani and the rest of Angola (but mostly Kani) by influencing Methusael's decisions. Kani could only guess what that might have been required from her, and he supposed she had every right to be very timid and hesitant to discuss the subject, but he still couldn't understand why she seemed so defensive about the matter. Or so argumentative, seemingly convinced that Methusael wasn't going to go out without of some kind of long and bloody last battle. There was probably some truth to that, but Kani wondered if Adah was more frightened of what Methusael might do in response to all of this.

He was a frantic beast who had been cornered with little hope of escape.

"I think it will be that simple, Adah." Kani promised anyway, defending the plan. "However, there are a few minor problems left to deal with still." he turned to Moroni. "Like, how are we going to attack the barracks? That portion of the castle faces the mountainside, leaving little room for large parties to maneuver around. Furthermore, we're bound to attract attention, just trying to reach that area, as we will have to approach the castle from the main entrance, as that is the only practical means of getting up on the ledge the castle sits upon."

"All very good points." Moroni agreed. "I think what we'll need is a group of forces that could come forward and distract the forces at the front of the castle, long enough for the rest of us to attack the barracks."

"It can't be too big of a force, however." Tobias remarked wisely. "If it is, then they'll only pull every creature they got t' deal with th' threat at their gates."

"Leavin' any attack on th' barracks virtually pointless as there won't be anybeast there." Illia concluded.

"Agreed again." Moroni said. "But it can't be too little, or they won't give the attack enough attention. And the mice would probably just be taken for granted by now."

"It's not the mice Methusael is going to want to fight anymore, anyway." Kani remarked. "It's going to be me. He has to know I'm here again."

"Yes, but your lordship, I would prefer you help attack the barracks with the others." Moroni said.

"So you can keep an eye on my and guarantee the safety of your lord?" Kani asked, a little flatly.

Moroni did not answer.

"I suppose I and the Quorum of Warriors can create the distraction." Melody volunteered suddenly. "I am missing half of my forces anyway, as half of them are at Redwall Abbey by now, insuring the former followers arrive there safely."

"I like that idea, mate, just by being strangers an' ye're showin' up at their gates should be distraction enough." Skipper Rowe agreed.

"Just be a threat enough to keep them distracted, but don't overwhelm them to the point that they need help." Kani instructed.

"Nor let yourselves be overwhelmed and start getting yourselves killed." Charles added seriously.

"Once the distraction is underway, the rest of us will hurry over and attack the barracks before word of the attack has had adequate time to reach them." Moroni continued, pointing at the plans again, pointing at various locations with his claw. "Half of us will attack from the front edge of the barracks through a series of windows located here. The other half will force entry into the castle itself, and cut off the barracks only other exit, here. Once that is done, we'll spread out through the castle, overpowering what remains of the royal guard, get them to stand down with as little fight as possible. With a little luck, we'll have control of the castle in a matter of moments with little fighting."

"That just leaves Methusael." Mathoni remarked.

"He's mine." Kani growled, staring at the plans of the castle, already picking out locations Methusael would likely be at. "Once he has lost control of the royal guard, he'll be defenseless, but ready to fight. I plan to give him that fight." he looked up at the others. "Alone."

No one disputed this request.

"Then it's settled." Moroni said, collecting the plans. "We'll attack before dawn."


Methusael was anxiously pacing his study when Juniper arrived there, looking a little puzzled.

"You asked for me, your lordship?" the fox asked, wondering if he dared guess what Methusael could possibly want him for now.

"Juniper, tell me truthfully." Methusael began, without slowing his pacing any. "Do we stand any kind of chance against the mice and the new recruits Kani has brought?"

Juniper straightened, and resisted the urge to grin in relief. Was Methusael finally seeing this was a lost cause? "No chance at all, your lordship." he replied, as gravely as he could. "They'll easily overpower us."

"But not without a fight, yes?"

"No, your lordship, most of the royal guard will not be very willing to fight a battle they know they cannot win." That, and the fact that loyalty to Methusael was at an all-time low, now that word of Kani's public return has gotten around. "Are you planning to surrender, milord?"

At this, Methusael snorted. "Ha! As if."

Juniper blinked, but fought to remain calm and not get angry at Methusael's stubbornness. "May I ask why?"

"They're the enemy, Juniper. I will not surrender to the enemy."

"With all due respect, milord..." which was next to none by now, "...the mice are not the enemy. All they want is peace..."

"There will be no peace, not until they recognize who is truly the ruler here!" Methusael interjected, thumping himself on the chest to refer to himself.

"Then we will never have peace as long as you live, your lordship, as the mice have never acknowledged you as their ruler, and the forces Kani brought are clearly sided with them."

"But I have the royal guard and the other creatures in this castle on my side, I have that much." Methuseal murmured to himself, as if in deep thought.

Juniper hesitated for a moment. "No, your lordship."

Methusael suddenly froze in his pacing, and looked at Juniper in surprise.

"Most of the royal guard is losing support in your cause." Juniper went on to explain. "Most of them are favoring Lord Kani now."

Methusael was silent for a moment, looking surprised, then he glanced doubtingly at Juniper. "And how do you know this?"

Juniper didn't hesitate to respond. Enough was enough. "Because I am one of them."

Methusael's eyes narrowed, and slowly and deliberately, he stepped up to stand before Juniper, glaring at the fox. Juniper narrowed his eyes back, and stood his ground. Then, without warning, Methusael curled one paw into a fist and punched Juniper in the face as hard as he physically could, knocking the fox off his feet and to the floor.

"Guards!" Methusael roared, turning his back on Juniper and stalking back to his desk to lean heavily upon it. "Get this traitor out of my study!"

The two guards that had been stationed outside Methusael's study, apparently among the few still loyal to Methusael, entered instantly, and grabbed Juniper without question and started to haul the dazed, but angry, fox off.

"You can't win this fight, Methusael!" Juniper shouted loudly, trashing against his captors. "Kani will win, and then justice will be served for the creatures you've murdered and..."

"Get him out of here!" Methusael roared, unexpectedly grabbing the bottle of blackberry wine that still sat upon his desk and hurled it in Juniper's direction. All three members of the royal guard had to duck the bottle as it hit the far wall and shattered in a brilliant spray of crystal and purple drink. They then continued on, Juniper still struggling, but he had said his part.

And Methusael knew he was right, too. Angry still, but also dejected, he returned to the desk, and stared out the window behind it, looking over the Angolian village in dismay, realizing that nothing he did now could prevent the inevitable. All of his support was falling out from under him. His mercenaries, the royal guard, everyone. They were all turning their support back to Kani.

Kani...

His expression turning into a deep scowl of hatred, Methusael turned away from the window and stomped over to a cupboard that sat to one side of the study. Throwing open it's doors to reveal a sword sheathed in it's scabbard resting gently on a stand, Methusael removed the blade and attached it to his belt, wrapping a paw tightly around it's hilt in reassurance. That done, he returned to the window and stared out it, envisioning wherever Kani might be, now anticipating the fox's inevitable coming.

Because Methusael had only one thing left to do...