The Wheel of Fate is Turning

[Opal]

Posted on behalf of Rath.

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Truce.

The word was innocent enough, but something about it made Rath bristle. It seemed to sneer at him as he mentally circled it, and he tightened his grip on the axe haft.

But words didn't have necks to chop, and the mound of rocks and rubble that barricaded him from the outside proved itself the more formidable foe. Still, he glanced down at a pair of moles talking - if you could call that gibberish talking - beside him and bared yellowed teeth. Woodlanders.

"Och! Shift yerself, ye braw lump o' vermin!"

So loud. Rath half turned and directed a sullen glare down his scarred nose at the squirrel who stared impetuously back at him.

"Aye, I'm talkin' t'ye! If yer goin' t'stand there like soom stoopid boulder, then get oot the way, ye kin?"

"Leave it, Captain."

The ferret found himself bristling even more at the tempered feminine voice. He couldn't see her very well in the darkness, but he already knew who she was even before he saw the shadow of her bushy tail; the mouse-thing from earlier, that disgusting honorless creature. He'd have won if she hadn't cheated, and the thought sent fresh tendrils of anger wriggling inside him like worms in a corpse.

"Getting out is our first priority," she intoned. "And picking fights won't make this go any faster. We need to work together." The pointed look that very nearly stabbed out toward Rath added a clear for now to the end of the statement.

Rath returned the stare. Aye, for now. The ferret felt his anger cool, as if a bucket of water had been poured atop it, leaving nothing but a vaguely numb hiss. He trudged over to another part of the cavern and set his axe against the wall. Flexing his arms to regain a bit of lost feeling, the ferret nursed a bleeding pawpad as he narrowed his good eye and scanned the area.

Work was slow going. The former slaves had been freed of their chains in light of the truce, but both vermin and woodlander alike moved as if they were treading on eggshells as they moved bits of rock in search of survivors beneath the rubble. It would take seasons, at this rate. Or, at the most, a day. But Rath figured that, somehow, such a length of time in such a horrid, enclosed space was close enough to a season as to make no real difference.

Glancing off to the side, the warrior was met with a pitiful sight. The honorable Captain Venril appeared to be wrestling with a boulder, and rapidly losing the fight. Rath half-heartedly curled his lip. Some Captain. Sighing, he loped over to the scrawny stoat.

"Stop." The command cut through the air like a killing stroke, and from the way Venril flinched, it looked as if he had probably expected to have been treated in a similar manner. Rath sighed. "You're going to hurt yourself." He furrowed his brow. "What are you doing with this rock anyway? The entrance is over there."

"I know that," Venril panted. "Can you see this pathway? If we could only get this boulder out of the way, then it'd be large enough for a beast to get through. Then, we might be able to find a way out without resorting to potentially causing an even greater rockslide by attempting to move all those ones over there."

Rath had already prepared an objection, but was struck by the logic in the stoat's statement.

"Huh." He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at the captain, who was still huffing and puffing. Well. Looks as if you ain't so useless after all. "That's a... good idea."

"It.. it is?" Venril gawked but for a moment, and then cleared his throat officiously and stood just a touch straighter. "I mean, of course it is! I knew you'd understand, Rath. I've been trying to tell the others, but nobeast will listen to me. Insubordination is quite irritating, y'know..." he trailed off from the look that darkened the ferret's scarred face, and stepped away. "You'll help me, then?"

Why must this happen to me? Without a word, Rath set his shoulder against the boulder and pushed. Muscles standing out like whipcords beneath his fur, he heaved as hard as he was able until the pathway had widened considerably and the boulder no longer stood in the way

"Well done, you!" Venril beamed at the panting ferret, who resisted the urge to give the prat a good swat between the ears. "Now, to find some scouts..." He offered Rath the most hopeful of glances, and the ferret was about to make the urge a reality when an unfamiliar voice interrupted.

"Hello, what's this, then?"

Rath turned his head to get a glimpse of the owner of the voice: a female squirrel. Standing on tip-paw, she peered into the passage.

"I couldn't help but overhear you just now," she smirked, although Rath noticed that her paws were twitching, as if she was eager to be holding something. "Normally, I'd eat my hammer before I'd help vermin, but I wouldn't rightly mind being part of a scouting party. Better'n being cooped up here, anyhow."

Venril smiled. "Excellent." Although Rath detected a tinge of indignation in the stoat's voice as he looked the woodlander over.

At that point, several beasts had ambled over to the newly uncovered passageway. A lanky rat approached, narrowing his eyes as he peered into the darkness. "Well, I'll be. Wonder if dat treasure is down there?"

"Idjit!" A tough-looking old weasel smacked his companion. "How could ye think o' treasure at a time like this?"

"No, he's right."

Rath turned his head to see Captain Matukhana limp heavily into sight. The fox had been partially buried, and until recently had been flickering between sleep and consciousness. He looked just as keen and imperious as ever, however, and the outspoken weasel still flinched under his captain's hard gaze.

"As long as we're already searching for the way out, there's no harm in keeping your lugs peeled for the treasure as well. Right, birdy?"

The robin redbreast, who had been approaching the passage in a series of stealthy little hops, cocked his head toward the leering dogfox.

"But of course," he trilled, not appearing the least bit ruffled. "I was about to suggest the very same thing."

"Fancy! Think there's any vittles down there? I'll bet." Rath recognized the female stoat from earlier as she shuffled up from behind the weasel. Her whiskers twitched as she sniffed and snuffled at the air. "I'm right starved." She stole a greedy glance toward the robin and licked her lips.

"If you don't mind me saying..." Another female voice interjected. Rath's eye slit in consternation; of all the beasts to keep running into him, why did it have to be that ruddy dormouse? She took a stance beside the robin, staring levelly from the stoat to the fox. "I will accompany you."

The mouse's words were as unshakable as the stalactite that barricaded the way out, and it seemed unlikely that she would have swayed, even if Matukhana had minded. As it was, the fox just shrugged in reply.

"Go to it, then," he said. With that, Matukhana stumped over to Rath, who had surreptitiously moved away to observe the new scouts. The weasel, Greenfang, was passing out torches.

"I was watching you," the fox said, offering the ferret a weak clap on the back. "Good work at finding the hidden passage." Venril cleared his throat and raised a paw, but if the fox saw the gesture, he ignored it. "I'm glad to have you as a part of my crew. And with your help, I'm sure the scouting party will be a success, right?"

Rath shifted his good eye in the direction of the dormouse and snorted. The fox grinned sidelong.

"Or, you could always get to work lifting that boulder over there. Either way, get your paws dirty."

Rath's temples throbbed. He scowled at Matukhana's back as the fox limped off, wondering just why his conversations with the captain always seemed to end up this way. He was about to trudge over when his eyes locked on the dormouse, and he snarled. No. That's right out. He pounded a fist against the cave walls. Hellgates, I'm tired o' being pushed about. I'm not going, and that's that.

"Oy, Scars!" Rath turned to the chubby stoat who, after hailing him, stomped over and jabbed a claw at his chest. He blinked. "You missed dinner an' now I'm really 'ungry an' we're not allowed to kill th'woodlanders." The stoat sniffed imperiously. "Great job on bein' late an' forgettin' our dinner plans!"

"I didn't forget," Rath rebuked. "I just..." He faltered. Forgot. He stared numbly as the stoat pivoted and plodded toward the tunnel behind the scouting group. For a long moment he stood, watching, until the stoat's black tail-tip disappeared into the darkness.

"I think I should go as well," Venril was saying, looking towards Matukhana. "After all, it was me who - "

"Nay, Captain," the fox said, stifling a yawn as hunkered down beside the boulder. "Us leader-sorts need to stick together. Now, let's see you try your paw at some honest labour. Come on, grab the other side of this, over there..."

With a sigh of long-suffering, Rath gripped his axe and followed the scouting party.

Huh, those two can lift that boulder themselves. I'll do just as I please. And it was only natural to be curious about the new pathway, after all.

---

"Chivvers! It's like a big nose."

Rath struggled to look. Squinting over the heads of the scouts, he noticed a fork in the tunnel. The stoatmaid, having been the one to point it out, began wandering down the left-most passage. The accursed dormouse, whose name Rath had learned to be Bellona, spoke up.

"We should split up. Three each. There are six of us, after all."

"Fancy, so you can count. Leave th'thinkin' to th'beasts what can." Revel stuck her tongue out at her over her shoulder and darted onwards, torch raised high. "We only got three torches."

Rath couldn't help but grin at the dormouse's resultant expression. But both their faces fell into a frown of horror at a clattering sound echoing from the passage.

"Yeow-owch!"

"What, what is it?" Rath and Bellona spoke as one beast, bounding forward in preparation for the inevitable massacre that awaited their eyes. They relaxed upon finding Revel in one piece, but to judge from the stoat's caterwauling, such appearances were deceiving.

"My tail!" The stoat cried, pointing an accusing claw at the rock that had accosted her and trapped half her tail beneath the rubble of the collapsed passage. "My only tail!"

Both of the warriors glared at the stoat.

"Wonderful," Bellona said, looking beyond at the mess of rocks and dirt. She picked up the dropped torch to light it better. "What did you do, attack the ceiling?"

"I din' do nothin'," Revel whined, straining on all fours to get free again. Rath worked his axe haft against the rock pinning her, lifting it off her tail just long enough for the stoat to bolt back toward the rest of the scouts.

The weasel, Greenfang, found the entire situation hilarious, and broke into chuffing giggles.

"Haha! Lookit yew, Crinktail!" He pointed at the disfigured tail as he laughed, Birch joining in good-naturedly. Even Damask cracked a beaky smile and chuckled nervously, though he immediately stopped when the stoat turned her glare on him.

"Huh." Birch said, scratched her head after the laughter. "Crinktail... I know I heard that from somewhere. Probably from something I read." Apparently deciding it wasn't really all that important, she shrugged. "Ah well."

"Might I suggest we keep going?" Damask chirped. Bellona nodded, her expression positively frigid.

"Aye. We're wasting time. Down the right side, then."

And so they continued, with Rath bringing up the rear once again. After what seemed to be hours (or possibly just minutes, it was so dreary) of wandering through countless twists and darkened turns, the room opened up into another cavern, smaller than the one they'd been trapped in earlier. Rath could hear the sound of rushing water echoing from somewhere up ahead. By the light of their torches, he could make out several more exits leading off in all directions.

The scouts wandered carefully into the center, glancing all about at the pictures next to the dark holes. Rath stayed behind warily. Somebeast had to remember which was the way back.

Greenfang spoke up. "'ey! Anybeast seen th'stoat?"

The ferret narrowed his good eye and scanned the group. Me, bird, weasel, squirrel, mouse... "You're right; she's missing."

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say!" Birch scoffed. "Shame we couldn't lose another."

Greenfang glowered.

"Say what you wish," Rath said, his voice carefully level, "but beasts going missing ain't nothing to sniff at."

Bellona crossed her arms. "He's right. We need to find her before moving forward. She had one of the torches."

"I'll fetch her." The tough squirrelmaid raised her paw. Rath's ear twitched and he gave it a bemused scratch. Woodlanders. Changing their mind in seconds.

"If you would, milady..." the robin offered, hopping forward and performing a low bow. "Allow me to escort you. If there is indeed danger lurking about in these caves..."

The squirrel sniffed and puffed out her chest. "Ha! Thanks, but no thanks. Even without my hammer, neither vermin nor monster can take down the mighty Birch! Twice," she added, glancing off to the side. Her paws flexed longingly.

"Just go," Rath growled.

The squirrel 'hmphed' him soundly and then scampered off into the nearest passage. The next few seconds were spent in silence, broken abruptly by an 'oomph' and then an "Oh, I found her."

"Found who?" Revel asked, following Birch back into the cavern. The stoat was still coddling her tail.

"You, you ninny," Greenfang barked. "Get over here."

"Where did you go?" Bellona demanded. "And why? Only a fool recruit'd break off from a scouting party in a dark, unknown cave."

"Thought I saw somethin'," Revel said, sneering. "So I chased it. But it got away."

"What do you mean it got away..."

Leaving them to their argument, Rath tuned himself out and wandered off to a side of the cavern. His eyes had been attracted by the unfamiliar flash and sparkle of something embedded in the soil. Besides, there was nothing for him to discuss with woodlanders, two paranoid mustelids and what would have normally been dinner.

Chipping at the wall with the tip of his axe, the ferret's hopes fell when the sparkle turned out to be a fleck of mica. Plopping himself down, Rath dug patterns into the clay floor with a claw. Huh, as if there would be any treasure in this place. I just want to get out.

And then what? Back into the desert to be bossed about by incompetent or egoistical Captains and attacked by vengeful woodlanders, most likely. That sounded like loads of fun. Just absolute scads.

"Come on, Whirlwind," Greenfang said, prodding him with a footpaw. "We got some decisions t'make."

Rath stood up and hefted his axe over his shoulder.

"Right," he said. "Decisions."