Epilogue: Come to Me

[Crue Sarish]

Crue paused, staring at the large white and yellow flower she cradled in her paws. It was lovely, colorful, and fragile. Just like life, she thought before putting it into a nearby basket and going back for more. It would make a fitting addition to the pyre being constructed by the men.

Over the last few days, the mongooses scoured Dead Rock in search of their fallen warriors. Their corpses had been pulled out of the mountain and covered in a large, shallow grave until a proper funeral could be prepared. The bodies of the dead pirates were loaded aboard the last of the ships, set adrift, and having been rigged by Blade?s followers, summarily sunk to the bottom of the sea. Crue waited impatiently for the funeral and spent that time salvaging supplies from the pirate?s leftovers, including paper and ink from Blade?s office.

But now the waiting was over. Tears slipped down her face as she collected flowers and sweet-smelling herbs with the mongoose women. She stuck close to the other healer, Moka, who kept her occupied with the names and attributes of each plant, but also shared in her grief. Once the baskets were filled, the women made their way back to the village. The mongooses wailed with all their might, their loud cries a reflection of their grief as well as letting the others know of their return. Crue wept, but in a quieter fashion, wiping her nose with a spare bit of cloth she used as a handkerchief.

All of village stood ready as the women entered. The warriors brandished their weapons, cleaned and polished after the recent battle, and fell in line as the flower bearers made their way toward the beach. A low, rhythmic chant was taken up by the men, their voices conveying an old language that coursed through the evening air. Crue listened to the wailing women and the chorus of men, hearing her own emotions reflected as they walked.

As they arrived at the beach, the noise ceased and Crue faced a massive structure and wondered how they had been able to erect so large a pyre so quickly. A large, red shroud had been placed over the bodies, but now that they had arrived, it was pulled away by two priests. Reverently, they folded the shroud and placed it before Dekeft.

?Eet es reminder,? began Laika, who stood with the other wailing women, ?of te cost of loyalty. Te First Atilak must lead te village vit honor. He must protect t?e village from danger, en show honor to t?ose who fall en battle.?

After Dekeft accepted the shroud, he brought it over to Laika and placed it in her paws. Leaning in close to Crue, he spoke quietly, ?I not know your customs vit? te deed. Monkoozers may keep te skull or te claws. Do you vant part of Tooley to keep vit you, Crue??

Crue?s stomach jumped at the suggestion. She forced down her repulsion of the idea, fully aware that Dekeft was sincere in his desire to honor her wishes. After swallowing, she replied, ?No? thank you.?

The leader of the mongoose tribe nodded solemnly. He made a motion toward a few others and when they came back, Crue saw them carrying Tooley?s body on a stretcher, also covered with a red shroud. This was folded by another priest and set before Crue as the weasel?s body was placed with the other brave hunters who?d lost their lives. Having given his hat to Tooley?s father, she was glad to have something with which to remember her friend? even if she would have to wash it.

The squirrel and the group of mongooses who?d collected flowers now set about placing them around the sides of the pyre and up among the corpses, creating a display of beauty among the fallen. Once the baskets were empty, they rejoined the throng. Dekeft and Laika then turned and led the group back toward the village while the priests performed the cremation. Once they returned, they were greeted by the sound of drums beating out a lively cadence.

Under the roof of the meeting hall the celebration began. The drummers drummed and singers sang ballads of great exploits and great hunters. Those that did not dance were treated to a grand feast: roasted fish cooked with cayenne and pineapple, whole boiled crabs, sliced yams, coconut cream pudding sprinkled with cinnamon, and other delightful dishes.

Crue tried to take part in the celebration of life, but after a short while, she knew she wasn?t up to swapping favorite memories of lost loved ones. While everyone was distracted with their dancing and conversations, she slipped away.

Inside what was once Shuga?s den, twelve of the fourteen woodlanders who had been released from Dead Rock attempted to heal. Two had died on the first day, free to pass on without the threat of the whip to bring them back. Two more were not long far behind, their bodies too badly damaged by years of servitude. The other ten encouraged her with their progress. While they were loathe to remain on the island, Crue assured them that another ship would come soon enough.

?But what if,? a mouse asked, pausing to catch another breath, ?they were? killed??

Crue poured the mouse another cup of water. ?Have faith, Quinn. If they were able to drive Blade and his pirates from this island, they won?t be easily defeated. They will reach Mossflower, and soon enough they will send someone to come for you, ayah!?

She covered her mouth with a paw and smiled as that last word slipped out.

Once she had seen to her patients, she retreated to the small room that was her own and sat down at the small table that had been brought in for her use.


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Dear Feorag,

I?m writing this letter today in the event that a ship comes soon and I?m able to send this to you. Today was difficult for me, and writing down my thoughts makes it seem like someone is listening. If you?re reading this, I can only assume that you?ve heard all about the fate of Lord Atlas?s expedition. With events still fresh in my mind, I don?t care to relive them in this letter. Instead, I will focus on what I have left: my new life here and the beasts I?ve come to live with.

The mongoose tribe I?ve been ?adopted? by has an interesting set of deities. Unlike some gods that demand worship and sacrifice, these people believe it is their responsibility to care for their gods, even to the point of sending the deceased to provide these gods with company. There was more to it than that, but it?s something along those lines.

The cremation process is in honor of their Fire God; not the one that Captain Blade pretended to be, but a... normal one that they can?t actually see. Today we scattered the ashes of the warriors who were killed in battle, spreading some in the ocean for Mai?ryg, some buried at a shrine for Ku?ryg, and still more we took to the top of that forsaken mountain and scattered ashes to the wind for Lo?ryg. While it was difficult to say goodbye, it?s almost as if the ones who were lost are now a part of the earth, alive in the natural processes that take place all over the world.

I?ve changed, if you can?t tell. A year ago, I would have told anyone who would listen that all of this superstitious nonsense was worth as much as a pet hagfish. I told you your ?show? was excessive and unnecessary, and while I still think you were over the top, I can see now that your methods have a spark of truth to them. The woodlanders who were too sick to go are having a hard time believing that someone will come and rescue them, and I find myself having to believe for them. I?m having to distract them from their fear of dying here on this island, and I?ll admit, some days it?s hard to get creative.

It makes me wish you were here. It?s strange that after we parted ways last year, I hardly thought about you until just recently. If you are able to come here, there?s so much I could show you. This island affords innumerable research opportunities, and I know you would be fascinated by all it has to offer.

If nothing else, please write back. There?s not much to read here.

My sincerest regards,

Crue Sarish

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Dear Feorag,

Thank you for sending that chest. Those herbs will be invaluable and it feels good to have a couple of books in my paws

Yes, I know I?ve been here for a month. No, I?m not coming back yet. Yes, I still want you to come here. No, I don?t believe you?d currently be in a relationship with anything that wasn?t at least silver-plated.

While I?ve always been ?useful? wherever I go, I?ve come to realize that here, among the mongooses, I am making a positive difference. If you met these beasts, you?d see how full of life they are! They love my stories of Mossflower, of Salamandastron, of the huge cities and structures that have been arisen, and of the vast woods where you see nothing but trees in every direction. I?ve had the honor of bandaging their wounded, of comforting those still mourning their lost loved ones, and even of witnessing the birth of one of their infants. Even though I?m teaching a few of them how to read and write, I?m learning more from them than I could possibly teach.

They have shown me far more respect and trust than I could ever hope for, and I wouldn?t trade that for all the gold coins in the world.

Speaking of gold, I had a surprise visit from the Waverunners a short time ago, among them Chak Ku?rill. If any beast has been changed by what we went through, it?s him. When I first met him, he was a pirate, a slavedriver, a cold-blooded killer, a beast with a hole where his heart should be. Now he has life in his eyes, a penitent spirit, and a drive to rectify past wrongs.

He informed me that he dove down into the sea to recover the treasure that the pirates were bringing with them to Salamandastron. I don?t know if it was his idea, but after the loot was brought up from the depths, it was divided among those who survived this ordeal, everyone from Colonel Swiftpaw - who gave his away, if I recall - to the Loamara family, still mourning their loss of Tildy.

Chak said that Blade?s treasure did not only consist of gold and silver and jewels, but also of books filled with pages and pages of lost information. It broke my heart to hear that the books went down with Blade and the Zephyr, but he informed me that not all of the treasure was taken off of the island. With his help, we were led to a secret chamber deep within Dead Rock, lit by a bioluminescent fungus I have yet to study, and there we discovered what had been left behind. It was enough precious metals and jewels to sink a galleon, which makes sense that Blade left it behind.

While I wish that I could have seen my friend Robert Rosequill again, I understand that his injury prevented him from coming. And with what the others who escaped went through, I don?t blame them for not wanting to return. The new Waverunners were swift and efficient in their collection of Blade?s remaining loot, and I am hopeful knowing it is in far better hands now. I just hope that it?s use this time around will help make up for all the damage it caused before.

Now, if you?re wondering whether or not I received a portion, I did accept a small sum. If you?re considering visiting me to gain access to my newly acquired hoard of riches, you will be disappointed.  Given the amount of blood spilled over it, I returned most of what was offered. However, I retained a small sum and would pay you well if you would perform a few small tasks. First, I would like for you to deliver the attached letter to my family, informing them that I am well, and retrieving letters from them in return. Second, I would like for you to purchase supplies from an enclosed list and hand-deliver them to me. I know you will ensure that they arrive undamaged and? unsampled.

The former woodland slaves are well on their way to recovering, and with their departure aboard Chak?s vessel, I am the only squirrel here. I miss the companionship of other woodlanders, and yours especially. Please come. Without stooping to begging, I can?t ask you to come more emphatically.

Waiting impatiently,

Crue Sarish

P.S. If you?re heard stories about snakes here on the island, it?s entirely possible that they?re true. Having developed a true with the mongooses, they now reside within Dead Rock. Anyone who would want to turn the mountain into their own personal Salamandastron again would find its residents to be highly disagreeable.