14. Ghosts and Guilt

[Abrahem]

The bashing of rapiers against wooden spears raged on, as shrew and otter slew toad, and toad slew shrew and otter. Red painted the snow, warm blood chilled on the frosty ground, and slimy amphibian bodies had slowly begun to freeze to the ground.

Rubtus glared forward at the fat, cowardly toad chieftain. He was guilty of countless crimes, but would die for one he did not commit.

Orpah dashed frantically; the taste of  battle was new to her, but her training paid off well  enough, she had sent five toads to Hellgates.

Now she ran to Rubtus' side.  "Please, allow me to run him through."

He looked at her and gave an approving nod.

"Toads!" A loud croak came from the Chief. "Retreat!" he cried pathetically, sobbing a little.

But in front of them, they were blocked by a battalion of shrews, a badger recorder, and Skipper Ash and his otters.

"Pppplease..." muttered the toad chief "you have the child now! We didn't hurt him, we swear!"

"Silence, coward!" Orpah interrupted. "You slaughtered my father, our tribe's heart and soul, our leader, and you were willing to take and harm a young dibbun too! We made sure that dibbun wouldn't be harmed. Now I'll make sure you will never harm anyone again!"

"What father? Who are you? Before you kill me I need to know!"

"No one can save you, don't bluff your way out of this."

"I'm not! I know I'm done for! Just let me have clarity!"

"You wicked little goblin you...you've ended so many lives, you don't remember them? My father was Log-a-Log! You and your lot killed him from the shadows because you're cowards who always die in open combat! Like you will now!" She lifted her sword, but the toad chief went on.

"I've killed numerous shrews, it's true, but your leader? No, if I had done that, I'd be named the shrew chief slayer, and all in the land would know we brought the Guosim to its knees! I don't know who told you I or any of my band killed him, but they're lying!"

"Still trying to buy himself time." Rubtus shook his head. "Go on Orpah how will his life end? A thrust? Maybe a decapitation? We could get a different sword, he's not going anywhere."

While the toad in truth hadn't killed old Log-a-Log, he had admitted to the deaths of other shrews, no doubt other beasts. Rubtus felt no pity.

"I've killed many shrews! Not that Log-a-Log. Kill me, but know that" The doomed chief croaked one final time, before Orpah's rapier silenced him forever.

"Why did he insist he didn't kill the chief?" Elsine, the recorder, asked.

"Burr aye! 'Twurr strange." The foremole agreed.

"He was paranoid." Rubtus replied "It's one thing to kill a tribe's beast, another to kill the chieftain. He probably believed that if we thought he only killed beasts besides Log-a-Log, we'd let him off easier. That's how those toads function:, underlings die for the Chief, rather than the other way around like it should be."

The other beasts didn't know any better explanation, so they shrugged and went along with it. Now the ordeal was over, and soon celebration could come.

"I was wrong about you, thankfully." Rubtus smiled at Orpah. "You're ready as a warrior!"

She hugged him, and his smile faded. He knew deep down, as much as he felt fondness for her, he didn't deserve her admiration.

He was the one who took her fathers life. Justified as he thought himself to be, he did not like having to lie to Orpah.

"Lies!!" A choked yell called out to Rubtus "All lies!"

Turning himself to where he heard the voice, he saw a cloaked shrew stumble slowly toward him, like he was injured. Rubtus could not tell which of his shrews he was, his hood obscured his face.

His clothes were ragged, and dripping wet, and his hoarse voice made Rubtus shudder.

"You a Log-a-Log? You who drew your chief's blood? Your own father in all but blood? He who you loved you!" The condemnations came out in raspy gasps, and Rubtus was scared at how the stranger had known the truth.

Still he tried to deny it. "It is you who lie!! Fool, who are you anyway? Everything I do is for the Guosim, regardless of my own happiness. Do you dare to imply that I did it?"

"Rubtus?" Orpah said confused "Who are you talking too?"

"This liar! The one right in front of us!"

"They can't see me, only the guilty one can see me." 

"What do you know? Who are you?"

The figure raised his arms and slowly peeled the raggedy hood, revealing the rotten face, dripping wet, with a hole straight through his neck, pouring an endless fountain of blood.

It was Log-a-Log, the deceased shrew chieftain, father of Orpah, yet here he stood, and Rubtus could see his decayed body, and heard his scratchy voice.

"I loved you, and you did this to me." He pointed to his throat.

Confused beasts stared at Rubtus, as he lowered his head in shame. "I did it not because I didn't love you, but because I loved the guosim more. You were not the right beast for it."

Rubtus felt dizzy, and fell face forward to the ground.  Orpah lifted him back up "What's wrong friend?"

Rubtus knew he could no longer lie to Orpah, so he told her "Follow me please, in private." None of the other beasts paid any mind. They were about ready to sojourn back to redwall after the day's victory.

"What's wrong? I followed you like you asked, now tell me."  Orpah asked.

Rubtus was starting to second guess himself, but behind Orpah, the dreaded figure of her father stood, glaring at him.

He couldn't take it any longer.

"Orpah...would you do anything for the guosim? Even if it meant breaking your own heart?"

"Of course, you always put your friends and family's needs above your own."

"Would you? Would you sacrifice one of them, to help the others?"

Orpah took a few steps back. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when those independent shrews asked for our protection? Your father gave it, but then more of our own beasts died protecting them then there were the lone shrews themselves? Because they cockily thought they could pass through that vermin territory with out help?"

"Yes. That was an unfortunate mistake." Orpah nodded.

"You remember that most beasts voted against helping them? But he passed the order anyway?"

Another nod.

"You believe that we all have votes right? And that's the most important part of the guosim?"

"Of course I do! What're you getting at Rubtus?"

"Well, I loved your father, I did, like he was my own, but he did not want us to elect the very beasts who lead us. He wanted to bring back inheritance of the chieftain title through bloodlines. Do you believe in that system?"

"No, I don't agree with that, why are you saying this Rubtus? What do you really want to say?"

"I did it Orpah." The male shrew admitted.

"Did it....did what?" Orpah's mind was racing with horrible thoughts.

"I killed him, your father, I'm sorry. I only did what I thought was best for the guosim."

Orpah bit her lip till it bled "What's best for the guosim? You treacherous scum! My father acted like he was your father, and I always considered you my closest friend, and you've done this to us? And you cowardly blamed it on another beast?"

"That toad was murdering innocent beasts Orpah, he didn't care about his own tribe, just himself. We're blessed to be rid of him!"

"We'll be blessed to be rid of you!" Orpah drew her rapier, ready to kill.

"Perhaps we will be. I loved your father Orpah, and you always were my best friend, but I wouldn't let other shrews die to make myself happy."

"There was a time when you were my closest friend, but you blew that chance."

"I deserve whatever you wish to punish me with, I understand." He stepped forward.

"If you must kill me, pierce my throat, that's how I killed Log-a-Log."

Orpah went back to the group, alone. And she told them all that happened. "I want to hear no more about it, I dealt with him. He has been banished from the guosim, and will wander mossflower homeless and without protection." Hot tears stained her face.

The beasts all took the information with surprise, sure Rubtus was rough around the edges, but they never expected such a devoted guosim member to commit such a horrid crime.

A few of them doubted Orpah's story about banishing him, as her rapier had water droplets dripping from it. As if she had to clean something off of it.

That was the last beasts heard of Rubtus, Log-a-Log of the guosim.