The Sound of Silence (Brooga Delfan)

[Substitute Author]

Hello, darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again...



Brooga watched Cricket as the ratmaid stalked off ferociously, probably still muttering things under her breath that no beast, vermin or woodlander, would feel comfortable uttering within three miles of polite company. Not that that was a problem here, of course. The mole let a pensive scowl creep across her features.
Home seemed dearer now than ever. Now, when they were stranded on an island, with no obvious means of transportation, and with a band of fierce vermin between them and the sea.

The molemaid stood in silence for several moments, letting her scowl fade back into the cheerful expression she usually wore. They were free, after all, and that was a good start. And so was the exploring that had already begun.

A start.
Sparse and muted conversation floated back from the direction of the tunnel, and Brooga squinted towards the dark opening. While they were gone, those who were left would do well to make themselves busy in other ways. The barricade was as strong as it was going to be, but even a gentle creature like Brooga could tell that it would only slow the vermin crew down, not stop them if and when they attacked.

Brooga looked back across the cavern and caught sight of the badger's dim outline. She slowly stumped towards him.

Her injuries didn't feel like they were getting any better. The various cuts and wounds she had received during the battle were not particularly deep, but she had not had a chance to patch them up. They stung. At least it was something to dull the pain that throbbed from the bumps and swollen bruises that Cricket had given her. The sleep had helped, even if it only meant that she had strength enough to bear her troubles even longer.
She cautiously placed a digging claw on the badger's arm.

?Maister 'Ammerpaw, mizz Shelby,? she began, tugging her snout politely at both beasts. ?Do 'ee know whurr Oi could foind mizz Tassle? Oi think thurr's -?
A paw appeared on Brooga's own arm, and the mole looked over her shoulder to see Tassle herself standing there.

?I'm right here, Brooga. Now, what were you thinking??

Brooga smiled gratefully at the shrewmaid, then turned back to the other beasts and the point at paw.

?Whurr is the rest of 'ee plan? We still 'ave to get off'n the oiland.?

?Well...? Tassle spoke first. ?We're exploring now, to discover any new options. And we've made this barricade, so we'll have half a chance to fight off the slavers if they find us, and -?

?When they find us.?
Tassle glared impressively at Shelby before continuing. ?- And for now we're just lying low, waiting for our strength to return before we make our next move.?
?Shelby's got a good point. They will find us, sooner or later.? Ulrick growled a little as he shifted his position, leaning in closer to the others. ?And I for one do not plan on being captured again.?

?Oi doan' think any of us do, zurr badger.?

?So we don't let them find us! We attack them, just as soon as we have the strength!? Tassle slammed a fist vigorously into her paw.

Shelby snorted. ?Shrew, they've got a whole crew. There's only a half dozen of us, maybe one or two more than that.?

?And all the other slaves that didn't escape! We could free them when we attack, and there'll be that many more of us!? Tassle's voice fairly quivered with hope and young bravery.

?Burr, aye, mizz Tassle. 'Tis a bold plan, but too bold with so few of us. Oi say we wait, even if it means they foind us. They woan't all be surching, not all at the same toime.?

?Our barricade still won't be enough to stop them. All they'd need is a dozen fresh beasts, and we're finished.? Ulrick growled again.

Brooga didn't respond immediately. ?Bo hurr... bo hurr. What koind of weapons do we have??
?It's not really a question of weapons. We don't have enough paws to wield them.? Shelby grunted as she slumped back against the barricade.

All four beasts fell silent for a few moments. Between the shadows and her own nearsightedness, Brooga couldn't tell whether the beasts next to her were angry or disappointed, or something else entirely.

?Purrhaps not. But 'ee must r'member that we managed to escape anyways.? Her cheerfulness wrestled and clawed its way forward, and Brooga's velvetty muzzle crinkled up in a magnificent smile. There was hope. Some beasts just had an easier time seeing it than others. ?Oi still say we should wait here. Oi could troi to help 'ee maken the barricade stronger, zurr badger. And we shudd see what the explorers foind before we decoide anything.?
For whatever reason, no one seemed to complain, and Brooga counted it among her blessings. She could explain her ideas to herself fairly easily. Unfortunately, when it came to explaining her thoughts to other beasts, things took a turn for the worse, and the situation was hardly helped by her accent. But still, she had said what she needed to say, and it was out of her paws for the time being.

The mole felt her eyes drooping rapidly, despite the short nap she had been able to take earlier. Her wounds seemed to hurt more, too, or at least she was noticing them more. She gingerly rubbed one digging claw across her shoulder, testing the shallow gash she had received there during the battle. A dock-leaf would at least ease the pain. But there were no dock-leaves here.
The wounded squirrel gave a sudden moan, and Brooga started up, limping to his side just as quickly as she could. Dock-leaves would help him, too. She doubted they would save his life, now that he was this far gone, but they would ease the pain. Poor beast.

?Thurr, naow. Doan't 'ee fret.? Brooga knelt down next to the squirrel and gently brushed her digging claws across his forehead. ?An doan' forget that you'm a free beast.? She smiled a little, and patted the squirrel's shoulder. ?Let Oi get 'ee some woitter.?

She pushed herself slowly to her footpaws once more and started stumbling towards the pool. As she bent down to scoop up the precious liquid, a faint, eerie wailing wafted and echoed up from the other passage. Brooga stood up suddenly and listened.

It was gone.
A sudden shiver tumbled down her spine as she returned to the wounded squirrel with the water. She wasn't sure she had heard anything. It had vanished so quickly ? yet the uncomfortable fear that had clawed at her the moment the cry had started was still fading. Something was wrong.