When The Black Rabbit Calls, He Must Be Answered

[Alan]

It has been said, that children are to be seen not heard.  Little ones are to eat quietly in the kitchen, they play outside out of the way of adults, and go to bed promptly on time.  They never, ever, believe that they are the equals of their elders.

?My da is gonna kill all of you demon fiends!?

Alan clenched his paw so tight that his claws dug into his pads.   He looked over at Rousseau.

?Why did you think it was a good idea to grab this snotty nosed scamp?? he growled.  

The rattess sniffed.  "Havin' a hostage puts us at an advantage, captain."  

Mirdros stomped his footpaw.  ?I am not a scamp!  And I refuse to be a hos..  hos?  thingy!  I?m third in line to become chief, and in?? he trailed off and counted on his claws, ?four seasons I take the rite of water and-?

Alan clapped both paws over his ears.  ?Radish!? he yelled.

The little mouse appeared at his elbow.  ?Yes sir??

?Radish!? Alan yelled again, paws still firmly in place.

?Sir,? said Radish again.

?Ra-?

Radish tapped his master on the shoulder.  

?What in the name-?  Alan whirled around and glared at the mouse.  ?What?s the big idea!?

Radish sighed and one of his ears tilted backwards, ever so slightly.  ?You called sir??

Alan nodded.  ?Yes, make that? horrible little creature stop talking.?

Radish looked at Mirdros who was now describing in graphic detail just how far below earthworms the demon fiends were, and what his da was going to do with them.

Radish dug into his pocket and pulled out a biscuit which he handed to the rat.   Mirdros promptly stuffed it into his mouth, and Alan was gifted with the blessing of silence?  That is, the silence of a small child chewing loudly with his mouth open.

?That?s disgusting.?

Radish shrugged.  ?You didn?t specify how sir.?

Alan rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes.  ?I know, I know.  Fates, get me a drink.?

?Yes sir, and the um?? Radish glanced at the rat, ?what do I do about the um? prisoner sir??  

Alan glared Mirdros who was licking crumbs off his paws.

?Drown it??

?They can swim sir.?

Alan sighed.  ?Put it in my quarters then.?

?Very good sir.?  Radish trotted off to complete his tasks, pulling Mirdros behind him by a reluctant paw.

Alan turned to look at Rousseau again.  ?Well??

She blinked at him.  ?Well wot??

Alan rolled his eyes.  ?You said that a hostage was a good idea.  I assume you have a plan.?

"Wot do I have t' have a plan fer?" she sneered. "I jest brought the kid along.  Lord Tirian said that our reward fer discoverin' the cause o' the deaths was not gettin' killed fer disobeyin' orders, an' our punishment was that you are in charge o' the little maggot."

?We.? Alan hissed.  ?We, are in charge of the little cretin.?

Rousseau shrugged. "That may be, but I watched 'im fer most o' today.  That means you get this afternoon at least.  Give 'im back tonight if yer gonna be such a baby about it."

?Just a minute-?

"Sorry, captain, I 'ave important things t' attend to."  And before Alan could protest, Rousseau had turned on her heel and vanished.

?Insidious wench!?  Alan yelled after her retreating pawsteps.  There was no reply.

Alan cursed and then stomped towards his quarters.  Was there no rest for the wicked?  He made a face.  Of course not, they were wicked.  Blast Rousseau for snatching that brat.

Radish was waiting for him when he arrived, a large bottle in one paw.  Alan took it and gave it a hard look.  

?This had better not be that cordial stuff Luka tried to pawn off on me?? he trailed off.  How many days ago had that been?  Two?  Fates.  Blast him anyway.  Idiotic fox should have known better than to throw his life away for beasts who? who had been summoned through death by Vulpuz.  ?Blast Vulpuz,? he muttered.

?I?ll make a note of it,? said Radish.

?Shut up.?  Alan pulled the cork out of the bottle with his teeth and spat it out.  After downing far more than was socially appropriate, Alan lowered the wine and squared his shoulders.  ?All right, where did you put the little monster??

?In the kitchen.  He was hungry so I left him in the care of Rallentando.  She informed me that she?s an excellent kitsitter.?

Alan leaned against the wall in relief and closed his eyes.  ?Thank the fates.?  His eyes snapped open.   ?Who the hell is Rall?  Rail?.  ?

?Rallentando.?

?Yes...  terrible thing to call a beast.?

?The rabbit you rescued, sir.?

Alan blinked.  ?Oh.  Yes.  Woodlander... that's all right then.?  He leaned back into the wall.

?Yes, I thought you had more pressing matters to deal with.  In fact if I?m not mistaken, here they come now.?

Alan looked up.  ?What??

There was the sound of clinking metal and heavy pawsteps.  Down the long hallway came Kurt, in chains, prodded behind by Yvo.  They stopped in front of Alan.

?Captain Blacktip??

?Overseer Yvo, why are you knocking my soldier about??

The wolf gave him a long look.  ?He has confessed.?

Alan felt his face twisting into a sneer.  ?What??  He took a closer look at Kurt.  The stoat?s face was heavily bruised and a long gash sealed with dried blood and matted fur ran from one of his ears down the side of his neck.  All over his body patches of fur were missing, and the naked skin was raised and blistered as if he?d been burned.    He looked back up at Yvo.  ?I told you I would carry out his interrogation myself.?

The wolf smiled humorlessly.  ?That was two days ago Captain.  Between then and now you deliberately disobeyed our good lord and lady, disturbed the peace and effectiveness of this garrison by recruiting a band of mutineers to aid you on your futile mission, and oh yes, failed to interrogate this soldier who has now openly admitted to the murder of Lady Kovari?s personal chamber maid.?

Alan spoke between clenched teeth.  ?A confession under torture is nothing more than a plea of mercy.?

?Of which I have none.?  The wolf?s gaze bored into Alan.  ?Again I present you with your duty, Captain.  You have failed it once already, I suggest you take the appropriate action this time.?

Alan set down his bottle and drew his sword.  ?And if I don?t??

Yvo lowered his head.  ?I will make him an example.?

The mink looked down into Kurts eyes.  They were glazed and listless.  Alan felt the rage bubbling up in his chest.  He had not been wrong the last time.  Without blinking he slashed his sword across the stoats throat.  Kurt fell without a whimper.  Through Alan?s mind flashed the image of two glowing red eyes, and his own words returned to him.

?I?ve been a captain for three seasons now, and I?ve seen what our esteemed masters are capable of.  Would you have had me put him up for trial, and turned him over to the mercies of our great overseer under Lord Tirian?  I spared him weeks of solitude alone in a cold cell, followed by Vulpuz knows the intensity of the torment that Yvo can dish out.  And you dare to question my authority concerning the promotion of a very promising young beast instead of putting forth your disgusting and self proclaiming carcass.?

He swallowed.  ?Radish, get me another drink.?  

Without looking at Yvo as he called for guards to come remove the body, Alan picked up his bottle, opened his door and slammed it behind him.  

?You will never be the officer your brother was!?

?Shut up!? Alan yelled.  He glared around his empty office.  

?Excuse me??

Alan?s head jerked up.  Cass was standing in the door leading to his bedroom.  

?What the hell are you doing here?? he snarled.

She took a step back.  ?I? I wanted to thank you??

?What for??

?Saving Kurt?s life??  She trailed off as she caught sight of the bloody sword in his paw.

Alan?s laugh caught in his throat.  ?Get out.?

Her face blanched white.  ?You didn?t-?

?Get out!?  He threw the bottle at her.  It smashed into the wall, and red wine drizzled down to puddle on the floor.

For a long moment, Cass stared at him.  Finally she crossed the room and pulled the door leading out open.  There was blood in the hall.  She turned back to him.

?I hate you.?

?I don?t care.?

The door slammed.

?And have someone clean up the mess outside!? Alan shouted at the vibrating door.

He threw himself into his desk chair and glared at the paper piled on his desk.  After a moment, he reached into his tunic and pulled out the crumpled letter.   The blue ribbon had gotten stained somehow and the edges were beginning to fray.  He cursed and pulled the ribbon off the paper.  It fell to the floor.

Alan stared at the folded paper.  Surely he deserved to read this one.  After all, he was already as miserable as a beast could get.  Something as trivial as a letter could hardly make it better.

He pulled open the loose edges and stared hard at the greeting that started the flow of words.

My dearest Alan,

The mink crumpled the paper up in his paw and put his head down on the desk.

Blast them all.
____

He woke up to Radish setting down another bottle of wine by his paw.  He lifted his head and peered at the mouse.  

?Konner would call me a coward.?

Radish handed him the wine.  ?So would I sir.?

?I didn?t ask you did I??

?And that sir, is why I didn?t say you were.?  Radish dodged Alan?s cuff and picked up the still bloody sword that the mink had cast aside.  ?I?ll just clean this.?

Alan uncorked the bottle and took a drink.  ?How long have I been asleep??

Radish shrugged.  ?Not long.  Twenty minutes at the most.?

?I?m thirsty too!?

Alan whirled to see Mirdros standing by the door.

?What is he doing here??  he demanded.

?Rallentando was called away,? said Radish calmly.  ?I thought it best to bring him here.?

Alan sighed, looked at his bottle, lifted it to take a drink, paused, and looked at it again.  A slow grin crept over his features.

?You?re thirsty eh??  He opened a desk drawer and scrabbled around until he came across an old quill holder.  He tossed out the contents and then setting it on the desk, poured a generous dollop of wine into it.  ?Here.?

Mirdros came forward and took it, slurping greedily.   Alan grinned.

?Now then Mirdros.  Why don?t you tell me more about your Da??