Anger and Management

[Tassle Riverswift]

They killed Kelsey.

They murdered her without a second thought, and there was nothing she could do about it. Did they really think their little execution made up for what they had done? It didn't. They were a bunch of murdering, evil, selfish creatures. The only reason they hadn't killed the slaves already was because they needed as many bodies as they could get. And perhaps they thought it would be easy enough to recapture them after- if- they ever got off the island.

But they killed Kelsey anyway.

So many had died. Tassle remembered friends sickening onboard the ship and being tossed overboard when they were too weak to pull an oar anymore. She remembered those that had died in their desperate bid for freedom; the squirrel who had died of his wounds later. Shelby, torn apart by that creature below. And now Kelsey. No matter what she did or how hard she tried, they kept dying.

The execution and funeral passed in something of a daze for her. She went through the motions, spoke to people, and probably even cried. But she wasn't really there.

Because Tassle wasn't sad anymore, or afraid. She was angry.

So angry that it burned within her and she could barely keep it in check as she looked out at the smug expressions on the the vermins' faces. What was there to lose, anymore? They would never see their homes again. She, Roger, Brooga, and Ulrick were all that was left. How long would they last? Not long, probably.

They were facing so many dangers. The vermin- Tassle didn't trust Silus. He smiled and spoke politely, but there was danger in his eyes. The rats were among them now, too, and Wakeeha would probably feed them all to the monster, if she could. To Tassle, in fact, the Big Evil below was one of the lesser threats. She didn't have to speak to it and deal with it.

It seemed hopeless. But that didn't matter anymore, either. She was going to do whatever she had to do to protect the rest of them. If they kept dying... Then she'd protect whichever ones were left, until she herself died. It was as simple as that.

She wouldn't let them win. If they died, they would die free and brave. Nothing any of them- monster, rats, or vermin- could do would take that away from them.

When Cricket came to her, babbling a fantastic tale about conspiracy, Tassle listened cynically. She didn't remember what she'd said- she just tried to get rid of the brat. Finally she just walked away.

It was probably true. A cold feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she left. She might not have believed it before, but it was different now. Now she remembered all too clearly Ulrick's manner throughout their dealings. He would look out for himself.

This made her angrier, but it also hurt. Ulrick had almost been a friend, she had thought. Her heart clenched, but she shoved the thought aside. She would do what needed to be done, and Ulrick could no longer be trusted.

Tassle sat near the makeshift pile of their belongings with Roger, brooding as she watched the vermin camp scurrying about. Her goal was the same that it was since the moment they had been freed of their chains. To get off the island. Their one attempt at building a raft had failed miserably. Now, at least, they didn't have the immediate worry of watching over their shoulders for vermin. No, now they watched the vermin face to face, and pretended to smile and get along.

She must tolerate them now. But she must, by any means, contrive to make their escape without them. Once they were free of the island their doom was sealed.

Escape the island by themselves. It seemed impossible. But maybe this temporary truce would grant them the time to make plans and formulate an escape. Yes...

Tassle's reverie was broken by a familiar, rustic, voice shouting her name. A bolt of fear sprang through her and she leapt up.

"Miz Tassle!"

A whirlwind of events followed. Tassle clutched at Brooga and listened with horror to her gasped tale. Ashira- dead! The shrew couldn't help but feel relief and a little satisfaction. She would trouble them no more!

Brooga had such a narrow escape. Tassle tried to calm her down, tried to reassure her. She was alive, at least!

Silus showed up and Brooga told him the tale. Tassle, feeling strangely and icily calm, watching him.

He didn't seem sorrowful by the news of Ashira's death, but snorted disdainfully at Brooga's last announcement.

"Escape tonight? Clearly your fright has disordered your wits." He laughed shortly. "Unless you can produce a full-sized boat within a few hours?"

Brooga blinked tearfully, but Tassle patted her and started talking before the mole could reply.

"Taunts are all well and good," Tassle said, eyeing Silus sharply. "But it accomplishes less than nothing. So-" anger made her grit her teeth- "stop being such an idiot and try to help us!"

Silus raised an eyebrow at her and smiled slightly, making her even more angry.

"Getting off this island has to be our first priority," she continued, nodding at the mole. "I agree with Brooga. We can't survive like this much longer. Our supplies are running out... At least the monster's wounded."

"Yes," Silus said. "At least Ashira has done as that much before she had the bad manners to get herself killed."

Tassle stared at him. "Well, do you have any ideas?"

"Appease the beast." Silus' face looked suddenly harder. "It's hungry, I assume. So we feed it."

"Feed it what? We haven't enough to feed ourselves!"

"Oh, but we have food that we aren't yet hungry enough to eat, and the monster would want." The weasel grinned. "Tornear's body, for example. And what've you done with that otter?"

Tassle stiffened and Brooga gave a whimper. The shrew's eyes narrowed. "We gave Kelsey a decent burial, and she's going to stay that way. Do whatever you want with your own vermin."

"My dear, when worst comes to worst you might have to kiss your scruples goodbye. We must look out for the living."

Tassle let go of Brooga and stood facing Silus, staring up at him. The urge to hit him welled up so strong that her paw actually drew back a little, but she fought down the blind rage. This was not the time. Not the place.

"If worst comes to worst, Mr. Delmore," she hissed. "I'll keep my scruples and you can feed yourself to the wolves."

She whirled around, stalking off in a rage. If he was to be no help, she would do what she could by herself. They must find a way to guard against the beast. Brooga and Roger followed her, casting worried glances back at Silus.

"We need to move our camp," Tassle said, biting her lip. She rested her forehead on her paw, trying to think. But it was so hard, when all she wanted to do was hit something. She shook her head and tried to focus.

They were currently scattered all about the main hall, little minature camps edged around the debris. There were the rats, lurking in their own corner, and the vermin everywhere...

"We need to get closer together," Tassle said finally, putting a confidence she didn't feel into her voice. "There's safety in numbers, but we have to be close enough for it to count. Hey!" The last word was shouted as she strode towards the rats. The rat Obligo looked up in surprise at her voice.

"What?"

"We need to get closer together," she said, gesturing towards the rest of the group. "We'll put our camp against that wall and use the rubble as barricade. Start moving things."

They stared at her blankly and didn't move. Tassle's temper flared. "Get moving," she snarled. They traded surprised looks, and slowly began to move. Wakeeha didn't, and gave her a dark glare.

"Death," she moaned, beginning to shake. "Blood and-"

Tassle bounded across the short distance between them and cut her off, wrapping her paws around the rat's tattered robes and jerking her off balance. They were almost the same size, but Tassle managed to haul her upright anyway. Her eyes blazed.

"Shut up, rat! I'm tired of your whining. Now get moving, and remember- I haven't forgotten that you tried to kill me."

A vengeful light lit up in Wakeeha's eyes, but it was countered by the purposeful anger in Tassle's. Feeling strangely euporic the shrew watched the rat scuttle off. They could do this. This could work, if the would only start listening.

Roger and Brooga began to help her as she started in on the vermin, trying to get them to move. They proved harder. They rolled their eyes at her plan and a few of them reached for weapons.

Tassle finally turned back to Silus, who had been watching them with interest as he conferred with some of his crew.

"Tell them to move," Tassle demanded. "I'm trying to save everyone's miserable hide and so help me, if I didn't think your lousy crew would provide a nice shield for me and my friends, I'd let them die."

Silus looked at her and suddenly laughed. "Can't do any harm," he said dryly. He turned and addressed one of his crew. "Gather everyone together and at least try to fortify a camp, will you?" He turned back to Tassle. "Happy?"

"Thank you," Tassle said, rolling her eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

At least they were starting to move now. It wasn't much, but it might help. Tassle conferred with Brooga and Roger.

"Wurr be zurr Ulrick?" Brooga asked, scanning the crowd of moving beasts. A crease appeared in Tassle's forehead.

"We can't trust him anymore," she said softly, then explained what Cricket had told her. Brooga seemed a little gratified at Cricket's help.

"Is this all we do?" Roger asked, staring bleakly at the moving crowds. "Is this all we can do?"

"No," Tassle said after a moment, trying to think. "We can still try to get off here. Just us. And if it is just us... we might make it. I might have an idea."