The Bonds That Break Us

[Minerva]

"Jossia's shorter than I pictured her t' be."

"What?" The steel clang of two training swords only punctuated Komi's laugh.

"I'm just sayin'..." Minerva jeered, parrying the stoat's blade, "...when I was still just a little cub, my mum told me tales of all the warlords like Cluny the Scourge and Swartt Sixclaw. I always pictured 'em tall. I mean... what leader ain't tall? Our Skipper was tall. But Jossia... eh... was her brother as short as she is?"

"No," Komi answered, lashing out with her weapon. "Shorter."

"Hahaahaa- ow!" Minerva rubbed where Komi's sword struck her arm and chuckled. "That one didn't count. Got me while I was distracted."

"No, that's two-two. Next one decides it."

Minerva rolled her eyes and took back up her stance a few taillengths from her partner. With a determined look, the stoat did the same.

The night of Jossia's arrival brought forth more songs and stories from their lips, but, when the morning came, Minerva woke to see a new, fierce look in Komi's gaze. The stoat trained harder in the following days than she ever had before, and Minerva followed her example. Together they worked, ate, talked, and sparred, and not once did the chain grow taut. Only the shackle biting at her ankle even reminded the otterwife it was still there.

In all this madness, Minerva was happy to have another beast she could call an ally.

Komi's sword touched fur and Minerva sighed. "Gah, you win this time, stoat. I still say ye cheated last round though."

Her partner shook her head, smiling triumphantly. "No such thing as cheating in a fight. Now say it."

"Ugh, fine..." Minerva grumbled. The otterwife looked around her at the other sparring gladiators before clearing her throat and stating loudly, "Komi Banton- who ain't a coward- is better with a sword than the Monster of Mossflower..."  When the snickering died down, Minerva added slyly, "...but I'm still better with a spear.?

"Oh, really now? Would you like to put that to the test?" Komi growled.

"With pleasure.?

The chain rattled beneath the two beast's footpaws as they set away their swords and strode across the training grounds towards the rack of weapons. Both of them selected a spear and took their places a few taillengths away from the other.

Before they could strike up their stances, however, Trainer Hapley?s booming voice carried over the training grounds. ?Monster! Coward!? The fox broke away from where he had been talking to Commander Nix and strode towards the two chained partners. As he walked, something caught the vulpine?s eye in the staff observation platform above. Minerva followed his gaze, noticing a trio of beasts in blue sweeping through the platform while a fourth kept scrutinizing watch on the processions below. Kentrith looked away then, as did Minerva.

?Apologies, didn?t mean to get distracted,? the fox said. ?I meant to congratulate you. I saw what you two did against the scorpion. Good, quick thinking. It doesn?t surprise me to hear you earned a sponsor.?

?Aye, though I wish we could?ve gotten one who was at least somewhat right in the head,? Minerva complained. ?Vixen?s dopier than Kali.?

?Lady Eve?? Kentrith asked. ?Aye, she?s a strange one, that fox, but she?s been around the Crater as long as I have. Not one to sponsor fighters very often either- something about some financial problems, she says - so if she?s taken a liking to you, don?t treat it lightly.

?Anyway, you must have impressed her because she?s sent you both a package. Lunch bell?s about to toll, so if you two want to take a breather and report to the Drag, it?s there waiting for you. I?d escort you, but?? The fox glanced to where Kali was wildly flailing a battleaxe two times too big for her, ?I have other problems I need to deal with.?

?We know the way,? Minerva said.

?Good. Don?t get lost,? Kentrith said to Komi.

The stoat scowled.

The fox let them, and the two partners set aside their weapons once more and strode towards the long corridors leading to the Drag. A guard waited by the gate and let them in, leading the otter and stoat to one of the storage caverns where two long crates lay waiting for them.

?Think there might be a spear in one of those?? Komi asked, exchanging a look with Minerva.

The otterwife started forward. ?Only one way t? find out, I s?pose.? Minerva popped off the top of the crate and peered inside.

Placed in bundles of hay, the gifts Lady Eve sent them were two sets of sturdy, leather armor, each set in two pieces: a chestplate and armguard. The chestplate was thick and sturdy with adjustable straps along the sides that allowed Minerva to easily slip into it and still breathe, while the armguard was segmented and traveled from her shoulders to a vambrace at the wrist, with a strap at the elbow to further secure it. Connecting the plate and guard was another leather strap, held together with a simple circular clasp with a hollowed hole in the center.

The armor was surprisingly comfortable and a quick roll of her arm showed to the otterwife how much flexibility it allowed. She?d have no trouble wielding a spear with it, that was for sure.

Minerva turned to Komi, who was already donned in her own armor along with a new tunic. The otterwife was about to say something to her when she stopped, seeing the stoat turn over something in her paw.  ?What?s that??

?Dunno.? Komi held the object out for the otterwife to see. It was a wooden medallion embossed with the image of a cracked shield.

?Knowin? Nire, that?s prob?ly yer Sigil,? Minerva said.

The stoat furrowed her brow. ?Aye, but? there?s something on the other side too.? Komi flipped it over and revealed the image of a drum. She continued turning it over in her claws, watching the symbols change. ?Do you have one, too??

Minerva blinked in realization and scoured through the crate in curiosity. It didn?t take long for the otterwife?s sharp eyes to find another of the coins in the hay and she quickly grabbed it up, turning it over in her paws. Like Komi?s, her coin bore her Sigil of the hook curled like a noose, while the other side? was a blooming water lily. She touched it with a claw and traced the petals, knowing it was the same as the stitching on her dress.

?There?s a note here, too,? Komi said.

Minerva looked towards the stoat, who pulled a piece of parchment from her crate. ?What?s it say??

The stoat smoothed out the edges of the paper and read quietly. ??The beasts in the crater all carry two sides of a coin. Wear the face like a mask but, I implore you, Coward and Monster, never to forget thy names. Lady EVEneda Persa.??

?She wrote that? That bumblin? vixen?? Minerva wondered. ?What?s that even s?posed t? mean??

Komi furrowed her brow and tucked the parchment into her tunic pocket. ?No idea.?

Minerva repeated the vixen?s words in her head as she flipped the wooden medallion over in her claws once more, before looking at the clasp of her pauldron. For the first time she noticed a thin opening in its side. Glancing to the coin, she experimentally pushed it into the opening. In the hole in the clasp, the image of the lily now shone through.

The otterwife rolled her eyes. ?They?re just decorations. That?s all.? At a confused look from the stoat, Minerva pointed to the clasp.

?That?s it? Really?? Komi turned the coin over to the image of the drum and pressed it against the opening.

Wear the face like a mask. Before the stoat could slide it in, however, Minerva recalled Lady Eve?s words. ?Wait, Komi,? the otterwife said. ?I don?t know but? somethin? tells me that Nire wouldn?t like it if the Coward got rid of her shield.?

Or the Monster, her hook. Minerva quickly pulled the coin out from the clasp, and flipped it to the other side. Komi did the same.

?We should go back,? the stoat said suddenly. ?Lunch bell?s about to toll, but we can still get another round of sparring in before it does and get this armor broken in.? The look of determination that Minerva had grown so used to returned to Komi?s face as she started towards the gate, but the chain grew taut when the otterwife didn?t move.

?Komi. About Aldridge.?

?What about him??

?I know ye?re scared about fightin? him,? Minerva said. ?But ye don?t have t? work yerself so hard. Hapley was right, maybe we could use the time for a breather.?

Komi shook her head. ?No, I?m not training to fight Aldridge. It?s Jossia I?m after. When this is done, I?m going to prove to her I?m not a coward and it?ll be her who?s running with her tail between her legs.?

?Her very short legs.?

Komi laughed. ?Aye.? The stoat paused for a moment before asking quietly. ?Minerva, you like stories. Tell me. Do you think this one will have a happy ending??

Despite the darkness of the Drag, Minerva smiled. ?Aye, every good story?s gotta happy endin?.?

?Good, because when we escape from here, I might need you to hold down Jossia for me,? Komi said. ?She might be short, but she?s a fast runner.?

Minerva shook her footpaw, sending a ripple through the chain. ?I don?t think I?ve got much of a choice. And you?ll cover me when I?m carryin? Fable, right??

Another ripple of the chain. ?Does that mean I get to have the spear??

Both beasts laughed. ?Only if ye prove ye can beat me with one.?

?Then let?s find out. Best of three??

?Best of three.?

~~~?~~~

Minerva and Komi?s new armor held up well through their sparring and the two beasts battled on and on with neither willing to admit defeat. Best of three quickly became best of five, and five became seven and nine. By the time the lunch bell tolled, both the otter and stoat were rightfully exhausted and happily took their places in line.

Minerva took a bite of fish, savoring the tender taste on her tongue, before washing it down with a gulp of fresh water. Beside her, Komi talked with Kali between mouthfuls and congratulated her on her fight with the Crimson Tiger, but the bat quickly changed the subject to something about music before the otterwife could join the conversation.

There was a clatter as a rat Minerva had never seen before set his plate down and sat in front of her. The otterwife scrunched up her gaze at him as he ate in silence, realizing she was wrong. The beast was familiar. Even though he traded his rags for a set of scaled armor, his face looked the same as it had during the Culling.

A name came to Minerva?s lips. ?Silas?? Hellgates, is that you?? The rat looked up from his meal. ?I hardly recognized ye.?

?Hmm? Oh, aye,? Silas said. ?Minerva, right? With everybeast calling you ?Monster,? I almost forgot. I saw what you did to that scorpion.?

?Aye, and I saw what you did t? that snake.? Minerva?s eyes flitted over Silas? armor. The rat looked down at it with a frown. ?And ?parently, everybeast else did. Hellgates, I thought my armor was nice. Did ye get a ?sponsor?, too??

Silas nodded. ?Aye. Blasio Timberfell.?

Blasio Timberfell? That was the beast Nire told her called for her death. Minerva still didn?t know who the beast was, but the shadow that fell over Silas? normally calm gaze told the otterwife all she needed to know about him.

The rat didn?t say anything after that. He looked down and picked at the remaining food on his plate with hardly another look towards the otterwife. Minerva wondered if Silas was purposefully trying to avoid speaking to her.

Silas set aside his plate and pulled out a folded piece of parchment from underneath his left gauntlet. Minerva watched as the rat squinted at the paper, moving it closer and then further out. ?I?ve seen ye read those in the Drag,? she said, trying to disguise the hint of envy in her voice. ?What are they??

?They?re letters? from my wife.? Silas may not have wanted to talk to Minerva, but it seemed he was still too polite to simply ignore her.

?From yer wife?? A multitude of questions rose up, but, one by one, they withered and died on Minerva?s lips as she looked at Silas? letter. The parchment was yellowed with age, bearing permanent creases from where the rat must have folded it closed hundreds of times. Small stains blotched its surface. From the rain? No, Minerva didn?t think so.

At a look from Minerva, the rat merely nodded.

?I?m sorry,? she said.

?We were forcefully separated. These letters kept me going for a long time. Still do.?

?What happened??

Silas hesitated.

?It was seasons ago. All the crops had failed after a drought and we had nothing to eat, sell, or plant. I had to borrow food, fuel, and other supplies to make it through the winter. Normally, we relied on runoff from the mountains to irrigate our crops, and with all the snow we had, it seemed the drought was over. So I borrowed new seed and planted again, but the runoff dried up too soon and the crops failed again. In the end, I didn?t have the money to pay back what I?d borrowed.?

Minerva furrowed her brow. There was that word again. Money. The same thing that had broken Adeen.

?The collectors came with orders to stand before the local magistrate. From there they took me, her, and my two children away in chains. My pregnant wife and children were forced to wait in a debtor?s prison while I worked off the debt, but they were too weak, and I? I was too late. Only graves remained by the time I returned.?

Minerva gave Silas a sympathetic look, but a feeling tugged at her throat. While the ending of the rat?s story was clear, some of the words made hardly any sense to the otterwife. She let the grieving beast collect himself before she asked, ?Silas. Who?re the ?Collectors?? When Nire?s beasts captured me, one of ?em mentioned them. Are they some kind of horde??

There was a pause as Silas looked at her much like Adeen had in the caravan. ?What? Are you... Are you serious??

?Aye. I?ve never heard of any ?Collectors,? or debt, or whatever a bloody magistrate is,? she answered. ?Or money for that matter. Where I come from, we didn?t have that.?

Silas laughed, running a paw across his face. A moment passed and his expression began to soften. Minerva frowned, realizing the look was something like that of a patient father talking to their child. ?No, they?re- they?re not a horde. They?re just beasts, the same as you or I. While I?m a farmer and grow crops, they?re collectors.They make sure beasts who have borrowed money, pay back their debts. It?s their job.?

Minerva was silent as she recited the words of Silas? story again in her head. A moment passed, and then she said, ?Ye let? just some regular beasts take yer wife? yer children? and put ?em in chains?? The otterwife couldn?t help it as a low growl rose in her throat. ?Why??

?What do you mean??

?When Nire?s beasts tried t? take me and my daughter, I fought as hard as I could t? stop ?em. I?m still fightin? t? stop ?em,? Minerva said. ?But, these beasts, these ?collectors?? ye just let them walk ont? yer farm and take you and yer family??

?Nire?s beasts are slavers,? Silas said.

?And these beasts aren?t?? Minerva replied. ?They took yer family in chains. They made ye toil for them t? pay off these? ?debts.? And for what, because ye didn?t have enough money? Why did nobeast help ye??

?They did,? Silas explained. ?That?s why I was in debt.?

Minerva shook her head. ?That ain?t helpin? a beast. When ye help somebeast, ye don?t ask for anythin? in return. Ye just do it because it?s the right thing t? do, like when ye brought me Adeen?s note. I was rude, I was? bein? a vermin, but ye still read it for me. Those beasts though, they must?ve had plenty t? spare, but they still put ye in ?in their debt,? they still took yer bloody family and watched ye suffer.?

?Aye,? Silas said, ?and those beasts also had families to feed and debts to pay.?

?What kind of beast slays another?s family t? support their own? Those beasts are vermin,? Minerva said. ?What good is ?money? if all it seems t? do is let the beasts who have it take advantage of beasts who don?t??

?Money bought the armor me and you are wearing. Money is helping us to survive.?

?Money?s the whole reason we?re fightin? t? begin with, Silas.? She paused there for a few moments before she said, ?Ye never answered my question. Why?d ye let those beasts take yer family? Why?d ye allow yerself t? be chained, t? be owned??

Silas retained his look of patience as he answered. ?I?m not the Monster of Mossflower Woods, Minerva. I?m a farmer, not a warrior. I fought, I did, but I did in the ways I knew how and, that meant, doing what they asked and following the law. If I worked hard, if I paid my debts, then my family would be free and we?d carry on as we had. Sometimes, you have to let yourself be chained.?

Minerva thought of Fable then. How close Nire?s knife had come. The click of a lock as he made her put the collar around her neck. Then her fight with Hammerpaw, and the look of surprise on his face when she brought three weapons instead of two.

The otterwife shook her head. ?No, ye don?t. There?s always a way t? game the system.? The hidden sigil on her coin burned hot against her skin. ?There?s always a way to rebel. There?s always a choice.?

?You?re a kind beast, Minerva, and I understand what you?re trying to say,? Silas replied, ?but the world isn?t as simple as you?ve come to think secluded in those woods. This isn?t about rebelling against ?evil? beasts. Sometimes, when the leash tightens around your neck, you have no other options. You have to answer it.?

The bell tolled, signalling the end of lunch, and Silas tucked his letters securely back into his gauntlet. He took his plate and stood to leave without a word, but Minerva stopped him.

?Silas, wait,? she said. ?When I started talkin? t? ye, this isn?t what I meant it t? be about. If I offended ye, I?m sorry.?

The rat turned. ?You haven?t offended me. What did you want to talk about??

?I was meanin? t? ask ye?? Minerva started, ?would ye be willin? t? teach me t? read??

?To read?? Silas said. ?I don?t know how I would. I?ve hardly anything I could teach you with.?

?Ye have yer letters.?

?I suppose? but there?s only so many words on them.? Silas pondered for a moment, raising a claw to his chin. ?I think Darby has some chalk. It?d be hard and I could only teach you the basics, I think, but perhaps? Why do you want to learn??

?When we?re free from this place, I?d like t? try and teach my daughter,? the otterwife explained. ?Ye?re right. The world ain?t what I thought it was. It?s a cruel, dark place. It ain?t like what I?ve heard in stories from her father. I want her t? be prepared t? face it, should I...? Minerva trailed off.

?Tonight in the Drag then, before they separate us for bed,? Silas said.

?Thank ye, Silas.?

The rat only nodded, striding back towards the training grounds.

When he was gone, Minerva nudged Komi and the two followed suit back towards the rack of spears. They were only halfway there when the otter and stoat?s legs suddenly snagged out from under them and they plummeted face first into the dirt.

Minerva spat out a glob of sand and glared angrily at Hargorn. The slavemaster weasel smirked and stepped lightly off the trailing chain. He hobbled towards them, glancing at the otterwife up and down with a hungry look in his eyes.

Komi got to her feet immediately. ?What do you want??

As if finally noticing the stoat, Hargorn looked away from Minerva towards her and growled. ?Nire wants t? see th? Monster.?

He pulled a ring of keys from his belt.

?Alone.?

~~~?~~~

While Minerva was originally anxious at the thought of following Hargorn alone through the Crater, she quickly changed her mind once the Drag gates were closed behind them.

If it was anybeast else, they?d have likely whisked her swiftly to Nire without a second thought. But Hargorn was stupid. Often, he stopped in his tracks to make snide comments, and, when he did walk, his missing leg made his pace slow and lumbering. Slowly he led her through wide corridors and up stairwells, and, while Hargorn was busy eyeing her tail, Minerva?s observant gaze was focused only on her surroundings, noting every detail.

Banners hanging on the walls. How many? What color? What sigil?

Windows. How many? The Crater was round. What landmarks were visible outside?

Doors. If they were open, where did they look to lead? Did any look more important than others?

They ascended a stairway. A beast in blue, rolling a cart of swords, walked past along with a trio of guards on high alert. When they were gone and Hargorn wasn?t looking, Minerva slipped her fishhook from around her neck and carved a small but noticable X into the first door she saw. Weapons on this floor.

By the time Hargorn knocked on the door to Nire?s office on the fourth floor, Minerva had created a map in her head leading from the Drag straight to where the lynx resided. Now she just needed to find Fable and an exit.

?Come in, come in,? Nire?s voice came from the other side of the door.

Hargorn pushed open the large, oaken frame. ?Got ?er right ?ere fer ye, boss. One Monster, like ye asked, heh heh.? The weasel clasped the back of her neck and dragged Minerva roughly forward towards the center of the room.

?Yes, thank you, Mister Hargorn,? Nire said, standing up from his chair. ?If you?d please return to the training grounds and keep an eye on the Coward while she?s away, it would be very appreciated. We wouldn?t want her to escape now, would we??

?Nah, ?course not,? Hargorn replied with a sly laugh. ?Don?t?cha worry, I?ll keep an eye on ?er.?

Minerva cast a nervous glance at the weasel as he turned to leave, but knew Komi could take care of herself. As the door shut behind him, the otterwife turned back to face Nire.

?Did you know Hargorn is the reason why we separate the males and females in the Drag?? Nire asked. Small talk like usual, but there was something off in his usual tone, Minerva realized, and still no smile on his maw.

Minerva replied. ?Aye. He?s a real piece of work. He should keep his paws t? himself, lest he wants t? end up like Hammerpaw.?

The lynx ignored her, his eyes drifting from the tattered hem of Minerva?s dress to the armor she wore over it. ?What. Are you wearing?? Nire?s voice was now cold and humorless as he stared at her and, for the first time, Minerva realized just how big the cat was. ?I thought I told you to wear that dress.?

?I was sponsored,? Minerva said simply.

Nire?s gaze narrowed, but then a look of realization suddenly washed over him. ?Oh. Right, right?? He sighed deeply. ?I apologize, Monster. This last day has been? stressful to say the least. It must?ve slipped my mind. You must be wondering why I had you brought here, yes??

Minerva nodded.

?Let?s take a walk then. I?ll show you.?

The lynx strode past her towards the door.

?Have you ever seen the Hall of Greats??

~~~?~~~

Of all horrors Minerva faced in the Crater so far, no wearet or scorpion could ever hope to be as terrifying as the Hall of Greats.

What Nire was describing to her as a ?Memorial of Legends? was simply a museum of death.
Preserved skulls and bones laid behind viewing glass while the pelts and tails of fallen gladiators hung like banners from the ceiling. Paintings depicted bloodshed and former Cullings. Hundreds upon hundreds of small, golden plaques lined the walls around the otterwife. Like gravemarkers they stood vigil, each bearing a name of somebeast- names that Minerva couldn?t even read.

Like a demented child seeing it all again for the first time, Nire guided the way in front of her, pointing at each and every artifact and talking giddily about them. That pelt hanging from the wall? The son of a badgerlord. He killed seven beasts- his friends- with his bare paws. Those two fox skulls? The Gemeni Twins. Perfectly identical, even when they stabbed each other to death. That sword? It belonged to a Highlander warrior?

A lump rose in Minerva?s throat as she looked towards the mounted claymore and realized a child had lost their father. It was Kentigern?s sword. The last time she saw him, the hare was alive. What happened? What battle did she miss?

?So, what do you think?? finally came the expected question. Nire held his arms out in a wide display of everything around him. ?Isn?t it fantastic? Storytellers always weave tales of kings and warriors, but, here, in the Crater, everybeast can be a legend. Here they can be remembered as fondly as Martin the Warrior.?

Minerva said nothing as they kept walking.

Nire suddenly looked over his shoulder towards the otterwife. ?But enough talking about dead beasts. That isn?t why I brought you here,? he said. ?Why don?t we talk about you? I want to know more about the Monster of Mossflower.?

Minerva stopped. ?What- what do ye wanna know??

?I?ve been thinking,? Nire started, ?since your match against Hammerpaw. He asked you a question. He asked if all of the vermin you had killed around your farm, if you merely stabbed them in the back when they weren?t looking.? He paused. ?When Nix brought you, she told me you lived alone, yet, there were countless bodies decorating the trees. How did you do it??

?I took ?em by surprise. Like ye said, it?s my specialty,? Minerva said.

?Is that really it??

The strange tone was back in his voice and a dangerous look from the lynx urged the otterwife to reiterate.

?Sometimes,? she began, ?I didn?t even need t? kill ?em. A few noises, a howl or two in the night, was all it took t? send somebeasts packin?. The persistent ones though? well? it depended. Some nights, I could just stalk behind them and take them out one by one if they weren?t very observant. If there were a lot of beasts, I?d wait for some t? wander off. And if they had a leader? well, vermin are predictable. If ye kill the beast in charge first, every other beast thinks they should be the one t? take over. They start t? argue. Swords get drawn, and then I just had t? take out the beast who was still standin?.?

?Fascinating,? Nire said. He began to walk again and asked another question. ?And what possessed you to become the Monster of Mossflower.?

Minerva frowned. ?I never chose t? be the ?Monster of Mossflower.? The forest has always been ridden with brigands. I just did what I needed t? do t? protect my home, and keep me and my daughter safe.?

The smile returned upon Nire?s muzzle. ?I see,? he said. ?You know, Monster. You and I are alike in some ways. For one, we would both do anything to protect our homes.?

Minerva wondered what he meant, but it seemed it wouldn?t be long before she found out.

?Follow me. I want to show you something.?

Down the hall they continued, but Nire kept silent. No longer did the lynx comment on the names lining the walls. He narrowed his gaze. He moved with purpose. He moved with rage.

At the end of the Hall of Greats was a dead end, and Nire stopped lengths away from it. Painted upon the wall was a depiction of the Crater?s own sigil, but somebeast had desecrated it with whitewash. Just below were three emboldened letters, and beasts in blue with chisels and sponges struggled to scrub them away. Minerva didn?t know what they were, but she traced their shapes.

FTN.

?FTN. Free the North,? Nire said. ?For seasons now they?ve been trying to destroy the Crater and free the beasts in Northvale. They call it a plague, but I just think they?re upset beasts who?ve lost family. We?ve stopped their revolts before, but every few seasons they seem to come back to try and fight again. Bloody cowards never show themselves though. Instead, they do this.?

The lynx gestured at the ruined sigil.

?Scrub FASTER!? Nire suddenly screamed down the hall at the workers. All of them squeaked and obeyed as quickly as possible.

Minerva took a step back from the crazed lynx, but his words remained in her head. There was a revolt? For once, hope began to come back to the otterwife?s eyes. Maybe they would be able to escape after all. A question, however, still tugged in her mind.

?Why are ye tellin? me this, Nire??

Nire turned towards her then, his smile returned. ?Because, like I said, we?re alike. We would do whatever it takes to protect what we love and keep it safe, and having beasts just? waltz into our homes uninvited to try and rip it from our claws? No. That won?t do. That won?t do at all.

?So, I have a proposition for you, Monster,? Nire said. ?You?re going to help me snuff out this rebellion once and for all. You?ll join FTN and, from there, you?ll tell me everything: their plans, their leaders. All of it. Do that, and you will be rewarded.?

The words hung in the air and Minerva could only stare at the smiling lynx. ?Ye want me t? be yer spy? How would I even find them?? she asked, desperately looking for some kind of escape.

?You wouldn?t have to. You told the whole crowd your story, remember? You?re a poor, innocent mother who will stop at nothing to save her child. You?re the very kind of beast those mongrels want to protect. Knowing them?? Nire said, ?they?ll find you.?

Lady Eve?s double sided coin burned hot against Minerva?s flesh as she realized its significance.

They already have.

No words came to the otterwife, only pictures. Fable with a knife at her throat, Komi singing to Aldridge, Silas and his letters, Innocent Kali, Adeen, and the thousands of names in the Hall of Greats.

?And if I do this?? Minerva said. ?What do I get in return??

?What else?" Nire said. ?Your freedom.?

As Minerva stared into the crazed eyes of Nire Borean, Silas? words made sense to her. Sometimes, you couldn?t rebel. Sometimes, there wasn?t a choice. If she said yes, she would doom everybeast she knew and hundreds of others to die in this place, but if she said no, she knew full well what Nire would do.

And the leash tightened around Minerva?s neck.