We Can't Work It Out

[Bellona Littlebrush]

You?d best see it my way, 'cause I ain't gonna try to see it your way.


?You?re one to speak about sense, vermin!? Bell snarled as loud as she dared. The chittering of the revelers could still be heard from the direction in which Deadtail retreated, but echoes tended to carry in tunnels. She whirled back to her commander, paw raised and opened in a gesture of annoyance.

?What was that, sir?? the dormouse demanded quietly, lips pulled back and teeth bared despite her best efforts to conceal her resentment. ?Are we working on our friend and foe routine? Why didn?t you say something??

?Wha? would ye have me say, Bell?? Sailpaw raised his shoulders, then let them slump back down. ?I agree with him.? A low growl in the squirrel's throat offered some satisfaction that he was as disgusted by that statement as she was.

?Sir, I?? she tried.

?Bell,? the captain held up his paw, then coughed wetly for a moment. He shook his head and continued, ?I take yer advice t?hart, aye. There?s nae denyin? yer twice as clever as me? Boot ever since we stroock tha? truce, ye?ve been off yer mark. Firs? ye kill tha? wildca???

?He was going to kill you!? the dormouse protested hotly. Of all the things to complain about! "And since when have you had a problem with killing vermin?"

?Since I gave me word t'work with 'em.? Sailpaw rolled his neck and winced. ?I'll grant ye, tha' kitty was mebbe trying t'kill me. Boot mebbe it would?ve been better t?jist cut his tail off, or somethin?. Tha? ferret had murder in his eyes when ye tol? the fox cap?n aboot it. I?m only thinkin? o? ye, Bell, lassie. Like allus.?

?Like always, sir?? She narrowed her eyes and spoke softly, forcing the squirrel to lean in to hear her.  She?d learnt long ago that a whisper could hold thrice the command of a shout. ?Like with Freyr??

?Bell! Where?s tha? worthless hoosband o? yers?? She heard Sailpaw carelessly kicking bits of pottery aside as he strode in. She did not look at him, but kept her eyes fixed on Freyr?s corpse. Maybe if she stopped blinking the shock of seeing his lacerated body each time would wear off. ?Ach? Tha?s a pity.?

Words spoken less like a comrade, more like a commander. The squirrel had never loved Freyr -- had known this was coming. He?d tried to stop her. Told her she would regret not listening. Oh, how she?d hated that tone in his voice -- that needling tone that smirked and mocked ?I told you so?.

?Oh, you?re a right piece of work, sir.? Bell felt her anger building, but didn?t care as she completely peeled off her cool demeanor like a blood-soaked bandage. Nobeast to impress. No more decorum. Who cared who heard? There was too much at stake here. ?You say it?s for me, but you?re siding with that -- that vermin. There?s a day.?

?Och!? Sailpaw sneered as his ears came forward and his fur bristled. He coughed heavily again, but stood his ground, brow furrowed in the darkness. ?Says the lassie who asked -- nae, strike tha? -- tol? me the only way t?get oot was t?work with those boggin? beasties. Guh! Do us a favor, Bell! Yer thinkin? like a fool-headed recruit! The ra?s right! We shood jist leave well eno? alo??

Bell didn?t bother with her blade; she went straight for paw-to-paw combat with her friend. But he insolently caught first one balled paw, and then the other. Half shouting an inarticulate curse, half snarling in frustration, the dormouse kicked him in the stomach and stumbled back as he released her and doubled over, coughing much worse than before. She glared at him for a moment and tried to reign herself in as he dropped to all fours. If screaming at her captain wasn?t ridiculous enough, wounding a competent fighter was plain stupid.

Shut up! the dormouse howled at the voice of reason guiding her actions and thoughts. Always analyzing, always logical, always stopping her from doing the things she wanted -- needed -- to do. Oh, she listened to the voice, of course. It kept her alive, but it didn?t let her live.

?If you say that rat?s right one more time, Sailpaw,? she warned -- no, threatened, ?I swear I?ll??

?Captain, Bellona, is there something the matter?? A skittering of claws and a ruffle of feathers alerted the warriors to the presence of another unwelcome spectator. Sailpaw was right about one thing: she was off her stride if both a seedy rat and a twittering robin could sneak up on her.

?Go away, Damask.? Bell took a conscious step back, further into the shadows, where the bird could not see her annoyed grimace. The squirrel had yet to rise from the tunnel floor, though labored breathing, like the gasps of a drowning beast, had replaced his hacking fit. That was a bit disconcerting. She?d kicked the green-eared idiot hard, but certainly not that hard?right? ?This isn?t your concern.?

The minstrel?s bright eyes flickered from the rigid dormouse to the wheezing squirrel, then back again in the gloom. ?Comrades come to blows are heroes in death throes,? he quoted, and Bell felt her hackles rise at the old saying.

Stalking forward, pulling a determined mask over her features, Bell grabbed Sailpaw?s arm and hauled him up roughly. The squirrel?s head rolled to one side and she could see drool dripping from his chin before he managed to stand on his own.

?Are you?all right, sir?? Although her anger simmered like a banked fire, the Captain?s sudden deterioration had her on edge. The skin beneath his damp fur burned.

?Fine,? the Highlander replied huskily, jerking away and jamming himself up against the wall for support. ?Fine?guh??

?Sir?? The dormouse leaned forward, but he placed a paw on her chest and pushed her gently, but firmly away.

?I?m fine?I said.? He sounded thoroughly unconvincing. ?I jist need a mom? -- geh! -- t?catch me breath.?

?Really?? Damask pried and Bell had a mind to flash her blade at the intrusive nag. ?You don?t look all that ?fine?, Captain. Perhaps I could??

?Speak yer peace, birdy!? Sailpaw?s exclamation devolved into hacking, but he recovered quickly. ?Hihn? Yer here fer a reason, aye? Speak!?

?Or leave us alone if it?s nothing of consequence,? Bell added, not looking at Damask lest it be encouragement.

?But?!? The urgent tone dragged her gaze to the robin.

?What?? the dormouse asked when he did not continue immediately, her mind jumping to the most dire conclusions. Had something happened while she was trying to convince Sailpaw to see reason? Oh, Fates? What if Deadtail was already making good on his threat. ?What is it? What?s happened? Something back at the feast? Tell me!? she ordered, body tensing, ready to spring to action.

?Oh, I apologize for the intrusion, Bellona!? Damask lamented. ?But it?s terrible!? Her paw came up to the hilt of her dirk. This was bad. Very, very bad. Sailpaw didn?t sound like he was fit to fight, and if the other slaves had been hurt somehow? ?That wretched stoat has stolen my beloved!?

It took a moment for this outrageous statement to make any sort of sense. Five seconds passed, then her brows furrowed and she demanded incredulously, ?What??

?I know.? The bird nodded miserably. ?I couldn?t believe it either. I turned my head but for a moment from her radiant visage, and before I could rise from my seat, the cretin clad in chain had his dirty paws and eyes all over her. Oh, Bellona, you?re a?? he considered something for a moment, then nodded dubiously to himself and continued in a voice that dripped honey, but buzzed with wasps beneath, ?a fair maiden. What must I do to bring my beloved back to my wings? Should I challenge the foul interloper to a duel? I do apologize for interrupting, but I so desperately needed the council of a creature I could trust.?

?Hrgh!? Sailpaw?s pained gasp as he clutched at his own throat saved the dormouse from having to brain the bird for the back-pawed compliment in his tone. The squirrel fell again to all fours and Bell and Damask approached quickly. ?Stay?geh?stay back!?

The dormouse froze instantly at the command, but the robin was not so clever.

He hopped closer. "Err... Captain? Sir? You look --" The bird took another hop, dipped his head down and turned his beak up, peering into the squirrel's eyes. "Your eyes look red, sir, like you've--"

He trilled fearfully and skipped back in a most undignified way as the captain?s teeth snapped shut where his face had been only moments before.

?Sir!? Bell?s fur bristled as she caught the stench of some sickness rolling off her old friend. It was stronger even than his usual musk, or she wouldn?t have noticed it. ?What?s wrong??

?Wrong?? Geh!? His tongue lolled out and saliva dripped from the end as he panted harshly. ?Lotta thin?s wrong, lassie. I?m no? feelin? -- gurh! -- I?m no? feelin? meself, ye ken? I?m like as t?say? ungh, I want t?bite ye, lassie. Oh, me teeth?re itching somethin? fierce an? I cannae swallow withoot it burnin? Geh??

?I?ll fetch help, sir!? Damask offered, whether out of concern or cowardice, Bell could not tell.

?Stay yerself, birdy!? Sailpaw snarled, fixing the robin with a feral grin as he spoke through clenched teeth. ?Nae need -- guh -- t?leave a bonnie wee lassie?alone with me. Heh! Urk! I have t?say? I?ve nivver felt like this b?fore. Bitin? beasties?? he licked his lips and more spit oozed to the stone floor, ?s?fer vermin, aye? Like tha? weasel. Tha? boggin? -- ergh -- fish-eyed toad o? a weasel. Only tryin? t?reach fer a bit moor vi?dles. Guh! Ye cannae blame a lad fer fillin? his? his stoomach. Hihn??

Bell drew her dirk and moved to place herself between Sailpaw and Damask. Something was terribly wrong with the squirrel and from the look in his eyes, this did not bode well for the robin. ?The wretch, tho?. Ye know,? the captain continued, holding up his paw and looking at the back closely, ?he bit me. How?s tha?, eh?? He coughed weakly, then his head shot up with an unnatural energy.

?Hihn?hihn? I think I ken anither beastie wha? deserves a bite.? He rose on unsteady footpaws, teeth glistening, fur dark with sweat, the sweet scent of disease pulsing from every gland.

?Stand down, sir.? Bell growled, stepping fully in front of the minstrel. ?Stand down, now, or else!?

?Moor threats, lassie?? the squirrel panted, a genuine note of hurt in his voice. ?Guh? Ye?d best run, Bell.? His ears went flat along his skull and he grabbed his head, grimacing. ?I?m no? meself.?

?Bellona, get out of the way!? Damask tried to shield her with his wings as Sailpaw lunged recklessly forward. This only succeeded in hindering her movements and sending them both crashing to the ground, the Highlander?s oppressive weight crushing down.

?Get off, you bla?!?

Boomboomboom!

The rapid drum beats halted Bell mid-curse as she struggled with Sailpaw?s? unmoving form. Every fur on her body stood on end.

Boomboomboom!

The wild fever that had lit the captain?s eyes a moment before had been extinguished. She felt a wetness seeping into her fur from him. No longer just sweat, but something more. The metallic tang of blood invaded her senses.

Boomboomboom! The drums insisted, drawing closer from the opposite direction of the cave city.

Oh, Fates, Bell thought, the horrible realization dawning on her as she shoved the squirrel?s corpse aside and scrambled to her footpaws. She shuddered when she saw the spear thrust through his chest. The last thing I said to him? This was why she didn?t care. Not at all!

Liar. Sailpaw?s glassy eyes accused as another spear came whistling out of the dark and nearly impaled her. She had no tactics, no idea what was going on. Only the blood and the dark and the drums.

A feeling she had not felt for fifteen seasons rose up and threatened to consume her.

I?m not afraid, a very small voice whispered inside her.

Another spear skimmed her shoulder and she more sensed large creatures moving just out of sight. Roused by the distraction from her stupor, the dormouse yanked the still-dazed Damask to his footclaws, screamed at him to follow, and fled back toward the underground city. Whatever was coming, she had to warn everybeast.

At least while she had a goal, she could pretend that adrenaline and purpose drove her footpaws, not the terror of an unknown foe. One whose powers extended to stealing the life of an invincible creature.

The old warriors died together. He?d promised after Freyr. Promised he wouldn?t leave her alone.

She hated him even as her eyes and throat burned, betraying her common sense. The lying blackguard!