Author:
Lettuceleaf, NK
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Date Posted: 17:00:46 12/31/06 Sun
The Unforgivable Saga
Prolouge: Sparks of the War
As you know, there are eighteen different “tribes” (for want of a better word) of Dibbuns: Tricky Tribe, Unbathable Bunch, Naughty Knot, Slippery Sneaks, Dastardly Dibbuns, Active Array, Giggling Gang, Clever Clan, Pesky Pack, Mad Menaces, Laughing Lot, Jumping Jokers, Fearsome Fiends, Bad Babes, Irresistible Imps, happy Horrors, Rambling Rascals, and Wicked Wastrals.
Well, imagine if the tribes turned on one another. Sibling turned on sibling, friend on friend. Well, that is what the Unforgivable Saga is about! When one Dibbun, Tarth Scorlath the good ferret, commits a crime worthy of Veil, the Dibbuns tribes divide, some siding on Tarth’s side, some against him. The leaders are in disarray, they no longer have any control over the Dibbuns. They are left to try and break apart the battle before it gets out of hand.
But now the battle has been going on for two seasons, and the reason for the battle is long forgotten. All of the tribes have turned on one another, with none “bad” and none “good”, all fighting to survive, bring peace, and dominate.
Because of the rule against excessive violence, instead of being “slain”, a Dibbun will be “tagged”, which means they join the leaders or the elders once they are tagged, both of which are trying to break up the fighting.
Look onward, and let the Unforgivable Saga begin!
Chapter 1: Tangle’s Misgivings
Tangle Tumblehog, the Supreme leader of all Dibbuns against Bedtime, sat brooding by the windowsill as a battle between Clever Clan and Happy Horrors raged on the battlements below. Tangle just wanted the fighting to stop, but she wasn’t exactly sure how to make it happen.
“Miss Tumblehog?”
Tangle nearly jumped out of her young spikes. She had thought that all of the Leaders and their helpers the Scouts were out trying to break up the fighting. There were four fights going on besides HH vs CC. In the kitchens, the Naughty Knot tried to remain in control of the food while they were battered by Giggling Gang’s ranks. Down in the cellars, Tricky Tribe and Mad Menaces were practically swimming, as the liquid was flowing out of the arrowholes in the barrels. Unbathable Bunch was under heavy pressure in the hallway, as both Laughing Lot and Jumping Jokers had pinned them from both ends. And, finally, the once warm and comfy Cavern Hole was now savaged by a fight between Rambling Rascals and Fearsome Fiends.
Tangle whirled around to find a Dibbun otter standing behind her. He was a bit battered, but none the worse for wear, with a cut sliding down one paw.
“Oh, it’s just you, Kromca. How goes the fighting Cavern Hole?”
Kromca grimaced. “Not too well, I’m afraid. I can’t get them to stop firing arrows. One of them took out half my tailfur. Aye, and poor old Silven Quickthorn got tagged, too. I offered her to come and help us, but she said she needed a rest. Good ol’ battledog, she deserves it, that squirrel does.”
Tangle bit her lip. “Kromca, I know you like to root for your own tribe, but we’re here to make peace, not to make sure one side or the other wins. I’m almost at the point of asking the elders for help.” At the disgusted look on Kromca’s face, she added, “Almost! Not quite!”
Kromca laid down on one of the springy dorm beds. He just wished the fighting would stop. Two seasons the Leaders had worked with hardly any rest to make peace. So far they had accomplished breaking up two or three fights, but not enough to end it.
As if to emphasize this, Midnight and Scout Aster staggered in, clothes in rags. Midnight shook her head in disgust. “Ah, we almost got tagged, rushing through there, Tangle. A wildcat c’n only accomplish so much. Well, NK is still holding the kitchins, but I saw a fair few of ‘em tagged. I’m telling you, Tangle, there’s nothing we can do, waving our arms about and hoping they’ll listen.”
Aster shook his head furiously in agreement. “I say we should just join our tribes and the fight for them.”
Tangle reached out a paw. “Aster, no! The Leaders are the only ones who stay united! If we separate, there will be no hope!”
“You can’t convince me, Tangle!” snarled Aster. “I’m leaving and joining good old Dastardly Dibbuns, if anyone deserves to win it’s them!” And with that, he stomped out of the room in high dudgeon.
Tangle bit back tears. If the Leaders were joining the tribes, then the battle would never end. The DAB needed to unite once more, or it would disappear for good.
OOC: Aster and Silven, if you don’t like how I used your character, see me.
Chapter 2: Battle In Cavern Hole
The Rambling Rascals were in a tight spot. RR’s main force was depleted, with half it tagged, and only a few dozen remained standing behind the crude barrier of tables.
And if anyone could be in bigger trouble than the main force, it was Dorm Leader Strawberry Belle Hopjump. Strawberry was behind the barrier when she spotted her old friend Beast the hare caught in the crossfire. Ignoring the warnings of her fellow Dorm Leaders the Goldbrushes, she rushed into the fray to save Beast, who was limping badly because of a thorn in her foot.
Finally, Strawberry reached Beast. “Alrighty, old chap, we’ll get you out of here just fine, wot wot. This bally battle is getting’ quite exasperatin’, don’t ya know!”
Then Strawberry caught sight of the delectable Hotroot Soup at her feet. She decided to have a lick, just this once. She bent over to slurp it. It was her biggest mistake.
She suddenly felt cold stone at her neck. The Fearsome Fiends Dorm Leader, Legolas, had a cold pebble leveled at her, stretched taut on her sling. She let out a triumphant grin.
“Tagged, Hopjump. Joining the Leaders or the Elders?”
“Elders.”
“Alright then.”
Strawberry disappeared, transported by tag magic to the Elder Place. Beast trembled as Legolas turned to him.
“You next, hare.”
“Not on your life, Legolas!”
Legolas whirled around to see Audrey Goldbrush, wielding a table leg at him. Legolas snarled. How many RRs were there left?
“I’m warning you, Goldbrush, Hopjump and Korobi have already been tagged. You wouldn’t want to leave Vinepaw handling RR alone, would you?”
Audrey adopted her Bambi Eyes. “You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?”
Legolas twitched. Audrey used to be her friend, before the Battle began. “Not if it wasn’t totally necessary, no.”
Audrey smiled. “Okay, I’ll hurt you instead.”
Before Legolas could realize what was going on, the table leg rammed into her. With an oof!, she fell to the ground, the breath knocked out of her.
“Tagged. Elders or Leaders?”
“Leaders.”
Poof.
“Well,” said Audrey, tired out. “That takes care of that.”
Beast trembled. “Aud?” he asked quietly. “I’m scared. When is the war going to end?”
Audrey did her best to look brave for Beast, but tears streamed down her eyes. “Soon, Beast. Soon.” She took a pause. “I hope.”
Chapter 3: Nearing the End
The Unbathable Bunch was, likewise, being battered. From two sides. They were pincered in the dorm hallway by LL and JJ. Now their numbers were receding back into their dorm.
The Unbathable Bunch was probably the most against the fight. This was, of course, because Tarth Scorlath was in their dorm. No one really liked UB, so they mostly stayed in their dorms. On this occasion, however, they had ventured out to get some food when they had been attacked from both sides.
Trath was sitting in a bed at the back of the dorm, bawling. The burly dormouse rarely ever moved away from that spot nowadays. It seemed that the only one who really understood him was his good friend, Nuik. Nuik was another mouse who was totally againt the fighting.
As Trath sat there, Nuik comforted him.
“Aw, c’mon buddy. T’Aint all ya fault. Alotto peples ‘ad to do wid itt.”
Trath wasn’t convinced. “It…..sniffle…..is all my fault. Because o’ me…..sniffle…. everyone hasta go to the eldas.”
“Nonononono. Not true. We UB peoples are gonna end dis here fite!”
BUMP.
“Wha…..whaat dwas dat?”
BUMP!
Suddenly, Dorm Leader Silus Gnoff rushed in through the hidden passageway entrance tunnel, the Unbathable Way.
“M—message f—rom T—angle.” Silus had an annoying habit of taking a breath in the middle of a word when he was tired. “G----ot to g---o t’Leader headquarters. We’re u—nder a—ttack from LL coming in.
Nuik and Trath followed Silus down the Unbathable Way, along withother Dibbuns from UB. But Trath kept his distance. Silus didn’t like him very much.
BUMP---KARASHSSSSSSSSSS!
Suddenly, the door splintered, and LL Dibbuns rushed in, wielding weapons. Those five or six who were not in the tunnel were tagged almost immediately, while the others stampeded down the tunnel, chased by LLs.
Trath felt his heart sink. If there was a fight in a dormitory, that meant that the rules were gone. There would no longer be a safe place in Redwall. Except, he thought, if I could find a secret passage and live wherever it takes me.
Then Trath saw an unfamiliar LL running toward him.
“Hello,” she said, panting. “My name is Willowflame. I was the leader of LL--- but now they’ve gotten out of control. I can’t tell them what to do anymore. Anyways, I’m taking you somewhere safe. No one likes me either, but I think we can both manage if we stay in a secret place. Follow me.”
And so Trath did. Unnoticed by LL or UB, they slinked out into the hallway and into the depths of Redwall.
Luckily, they just avoided another tribe flooding into UB dorm. JJ. Quickbow, who was part of the Leaders, had managed to get some of JJ to become anti-battle, but most had voted a squirrel named Rohanik the new leader.
Rohanik chuckled throatily, waving his hand to his followers. “C’mon, UB will be at our mercy. We’re right at their threshold!”
Rohanik’s followers poured in. The sudden reinforcements gave LL the upper hand. UB tried to ward them off, but to no avail. They were demolished in a couple of short minutes.
Rohanik shook the paw of the LL spokessquirrel, Dannon. “Well done, Dannon, we’ve completely finished off UB!”
Dannon grinned. “Yes, but if we wish to become dominant, we must band together and create one indestructible Dibbun horde. Ah, I think we’ll call it the Laughing Jokers, half of each, what do you say?”
Rohanik spat on his hand and rubbed the spittle into his tail. Dannon followed suit. Then they shook tails, the traditional Dibbun squirrel oathmaker.
“Aye, mate. Together we’ll be unstoppable.”
****************************************************************
Quickbow knew the secret passage just as well as Willowflame did, and he knew where Willowflame had gone.
Quickbow had a strange little band. He was the leader, with his five loyal friends that didn’t follow Rohanik: Slitaiban the hare, Tokie the mole, Kit Seafox the good fox, Hawkraw the hawk, and Fluffbelle the rabbit. He also had with him eight UBs that had escaped LJ and came to him from the Unbathable Way: Silus Gnoff, Arawn Trufflehop, Shah the Eagle, Furrtil the DAB Legend, Healpaw, Tesseri, Nuik, and Cyprus the DAB Elder. Now they were in the secret room behind the part of Martin’s Tapestry showing Bagg and Runn cutting the grappling hooks of Graypatch. As Quickbow suspected, Tarth and Willowflame were also there.
“Well,” Willowflame stated matter-of-factly when she heard from Quickbow what Dannon and Rohanik. “Things are changing. The old groups of DAB are unraveling. So we must become one new group, dedicated to peace, I think. We’ll call ourselves…eh…”
Tesseri had an idea. “Tarth’s Protectors!”
Arawn Trufflehop disagreed. “No, no. How about…..Peace Protectors! The PP!”
Everyone agreed. Now there were two more groups in play in the Unforgivable Saga, one for war, and one for peace. PP and LJ. The battle was coming to an end, after two seasons.
Chapter Four: Kidnapped Unto HH
The rumors spread like wildfire in the CC dorm.
“Did you hear?”
“Yes, yes, that Peace Protectors thing!”
“Aye, but how d’we tell them from the other PP dorm?”
“Er, I’m a-guessing we’ll jus’ call em PP2!”
“Hmm, yes. And what about LL and JJ? Marie Blue Eyes from DD is in a right old rage, I heard her across the hall. Don’t git in her way, mates.”
“Huh, like we could. If’n there’s one dorm into the fighting, it’d be DD.”
“Yikes, mates, I sure hope they don’t break inta our dorm. I shudder to think it….”
“You’re right on the ball on that un, mate. Wid Rohanik an’ Dannon in charge, no dorm is safe!”
There were four Dibbuns not talking about it- the war council, Raiden, Carrul, Rosabel, and Tumbletail Spikedog. They were huddled around one of the dorm beds, planning out safe routes to and from various rooms.
Raiden, being a leader, was for peace, as were Rosabel and Tumbletail. Carrul was neutral, and so sided with his friends.
“Yis, yis,” the fieldmouse Raiden was saying. “I’m athinkin’ that we could get to Tangle and the leader dorm from, hmm, ah! Over through the passageway of Ferdy and Coggs and through Elder Arven’s old room. We’d be safe from attack with the leaders.”
Carrul was in charge of seeking out everything that could go wrong. “Ho aye, it bees a gudd ol’ plan, bu’ our or we’s gurna gutt the ‘ole troibe oot thur? stan’ on moi tunnel, it goin’ too bees hard, burr aye!”
Rosabel, the Dorm Leader, was about to reply to this when the door shook. A sound like wood thudding against wood echoed in the hallway outside. A CCer named Inferno Claw stood at the ready, but Rosabel waved him aside and opened the door.
It was HH, with their Dorm Leader Bracken standing alongside a bat named Bay and a mouse named Fwirl. About a score of Dibbuns were clustered behind them. One of them, which Raiden recognized as the squirrel Eilla, was unsuccessfully trying to hide a net behind her back.
Bracken waved a paw to Rosabel. “Ah, Rosie, I’ve come to make a deal wid you.”
Rosabel squinted at her. “What sort of deal.”
Bracken smiled maliciously. “THIS sort of deal!” He dived away, allowing Eilla to launch forward and ensnare Rosabel. Inferno Claw darted towards the captured Rosabel, but was blocked by Bay and Fwirl, who had their weapons drawn. Bay stood with peashotter in her mouth and claws bared, while Fwirl handled a big wooden spoon. Inferno was a big badger, though, and swung his huge wooden sword at the two. He was reminiscent of Rawnblade Widestripe.
Bam! Fwirl had the breath knocked out of her by a vicious swing of the sword, flying backwards and colliding with Bracken. The Dorm Leader grimaced as his cheek suddenly developed a large bruise from the spoon.
Now it was Bay, the tiny bat, against Inferno, who had almost tagged both Fwirl and Bracken with one huge swipe. But Bay had guts and agility. She dived into the air, flapping her wings. She she shot a pea into Inferno’s eye. The big badger stepped back, momentarily occupied and blinking hard as his eyes watered. Bay took her chance, scraping her opponent with her claws. Inferno doubled over, clutching his stomach. Instead of blood, a sparkling silvery liquid poured out of the wound. It was Tagdust. If Tagdust was coming out of you, you were instantly tagged.
“Leaders.” He said hoarsly, and disappeared in a flash of silver. Bay bit her lip as she saw the angered faces of Carrul, Raiden, and Tumbletail. Raiden clutched his own sword to his chest. “Bay,” he said quietly. “I’m going to tag you.”
“You better do it quick.” Snarled Carrul. “Because I am too.”
Bay fled down the hall, crying.
There was no sign of Eilla or Rosabel. The first kidnapping of a Dibbun, unto HH, had just been performed.
Chapter Five: The North Tower
AA always held some interesting members. There was Moonflash, for instance, the mouse that swiped hard with her wooden sword. Or Tinsy, a badger. Some said that she was the Leader’s spy. Others said she spied on the Leaders. Still others argued that she was neither, and was just a plain old Leader.
Serum Bladethrower, the Dorm Leader, didn’t help matters. He was very angry at the so called “Peace Protectors”. Combining dorms? What kind of stupid idea was that? Marie Blue Eyes was probably Serum’s best friend.
Moonflash and Tinsy, that particular day, were having another fight with Serum.
“I’m telling you!” said Moonflash, who was for peace. “The Leaders have the right idea! We have to make peace!”
“Never!”
“Alright, there’s only one way to settle this!” Tinsy shrieked. “I challenge you, Serum, to a race down the North Tower!
The entire company drew a breath. A race down the North Tower? Dibbuns were rumored to go down it in a dare or a race and never be seen again.
Serum chuckled. “That is the most foolish idea I’ve ever heard of. I’m a squirrel. You’re a heavy, clumsy, badger. Who d’you think will win it? You’ll end up tagged, Tinsy, although that may be an improvement to you.”
“Ooh!” Tinsy cried. “You went too far that time. This race is on! When the sun reaches noontide, I’ll be waiting for you at the highest window of the North Tower.”
Serum could have laughed. He didn’t. “You’re on. If I win, you and Moonflashwill never discuss peace again. If you win, you will become the new Dorm Leader.”
Tinsy raised a paw. “How about we heighten the takes even more? Loser hands over their Chesnuts to the winner.”
Serum bit his lip. His entire stash of 550 CCs? But, he reminded himself, she has no chance of winning, and I’ll get her 139 CCs. Heh. I’ll have 689. This aught to be good.
“Alright,” he said smoothly. “The deal is made.”
They shook on it.
“Noontide,” Tinsy reminded him, “And you had better not be late.”
********************************************************************
Stellaria Polaris A. Lagopus, , Eragona, Rowanie Treerose, Banklilly, and Jim Sparkbow were on patrol duty outside the WW dorm. They heard every word as they passed AA’s dorm door.
Stellaria, one of the two Dorm Leaders of WW, looked expectantly at her four friends. Stellaria was a well-built fox, and so, naturally, he was quick-witted, sneaky, and intelligent.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” he whispered.
Eragona, a slim and pretty squirrel, nodded. “Yup. Ambush.”
Rowanie and Bankrose, a squirrel and an otter, echoed her. “Ambush.”
Jim whirled his sling. “Get the dorm ready.”
*******************************************************************
It was noontide. AA was trying to fend off WW, who had been waiting for them. Stellaria urged on WW with Kuunvarjo. Tinsy and Serum stood on the windowsill. The race had not been canceled.
Elmba, a squirrel, held the flag. She waved it in the air. “GO!”
Serum dived off of the sill and into the open air. He zoomed down about seven stories, and then grabbed onto a brick, stopping his descent. In about nine seconds, he had gone down almost eight stories. Tinsy was still climbing out of the window.
Serum scampered down the Tower. He had this race in the bag. He went down a story, then another, another……he was now only eight stories from the ground.
Then a massive shape flew by. It was Tinsy! The badger was using a wooden board as a sled, hurtling straight down the brick surface. Serum stared as Tinsy flew off of the board and onto a windowsill, only two stories from the ground! Serum’s eyes widened in amazement. He jumped down to the seventh floor window, resting on the ledge. Tinsy was now stuck on the ledge, not able to go down.
THUMP. Something landed on the ledge. It was a squirrel. Eragona. She drew out a slingshot, stretching it it’s full length. A stone flew towards Serum as time seemed to slow down. Serum ducked the stone, hearing a whirring noise as it grazed his fur and the muffled clunk as it hit the ground beneath them.
Serum stood back up, drawing himself to his full height as he faced his opponent.
BAM! Eragona threw another stone. The hard rock, with three points sticking out of it, hit Serum hard in the chest, knocking the air out of him. He flew backwards, hitting the wall with a sickening thud and landing on the edge of the sill. He toppled over, hanging from the windowsill with one paw. Particles of silvery Tagdust were floating around him, and it dripped from the back of his head where he had hit the wall.
Eragona leaned down. “Tagged.”
“Not on you LIFE!” Serum flew into the air, colliding with his squirrel foe. They collided to the ground, wrestling with their bare paws, unable to reach their weapons.
But Eragona got lucky. Serum’s back collided with the edge of the wall, sending waves of pain up his spine. Eragona grabbed her sling and hit serum between the eyes. Serum collapsed to the ground, breathing hard. The sill was covered in Tagdust.
“NO!”
The bloodcurdling scream echoed from the North Tower.
Tinsy stood on the windowsill, hunched in grief. Tears streamed down her eyes, falling from her face and mixing with the Tagdust.
“Before the war, you were my friend, Eragona!” she shrieked. “Why did you have to turn against me? This whole war is just stupid, stupid, STUPID! Half of DAB is in the hands of the Elders! Why do you fight?”
Eragona swayed slightly, but held her ground. “Say what you will. Stellaria warned me of this. You’re trying to get to me. well, it won’t work, so there!” Sticking out her tongue at the badger, she scampered back up the wall, where the battle was still raging.
“Tinsy.” The voice was weak, but there was no doubt it belonged to Serum. All of a sudden everything Serum had done made sense to Tinsy. If they didn’t fight back, AA would be destroyed. Serum, under all of the hardness, had just been trying to help them and protect them. And now he was slipping into the paws of the elders.
“Tinsy. I’m sorry. Forgive me. It’s all my fault.”
Tears were pounding the sill now. “NO!” Tinsy shrieked again. “You aren’t going! This is all a bad dream! I’ll wake up and the war will never have started!”
Serum smiled weakly. “You can’t change it, Tinsy. Just do one last thing for me. Lead AA out of this battle, this one last lattle, and them take them to the Leaders. The Leaders will protect them, and I will be with them.” Then, with one last painful breath, a last, sad word slipped out of his mouth. “Promise.”
Tinsy nodded. “I promise.”
Serum nodded. “Leaders.” He said, and disappeared in a flash of silver. He was with the Leaders now.
Tinsy began the long climb up the North Tower. She was going to carry out Serum’s last request.
Chapter Six: It Be Cold In The Cellars
October ale splashed on the walls and strawberry fizz sloshed onto Dibbuns as two Dibbuns from TT, Songwind the squirrel and her little brother Flexma, rushed through the maze of barrels. Poor Flexma, who was scarcely old enough to talk, was tired out from the twenty-two hour straight campaign of fighting. But Song and Flexma were the runners for TT: Their purpose was to rescue any Dibbuns in distress. And their target right now was Tiltainzia Eena Ingonsail. The poor sparra’s feathers were weighed down with liquids.
As song and Flex skidded to a halt behind their sparra friend, they drew out their weapons: Song her Gullwhaker string and Flexma his bow.
Tiltz was surrounded by the trio of two squirrels and an otter, Star, Wallie, and Kiri. Kiri, and otter, was directly across from the sparra, waving her wooden sword in the air menacingly, while Star and Wallie hacked in from the sides shooting slingstones and arrows. Tiltz was safe for the moment; she was using a barrel of mint tea for cover. But the barrel had been reduced to scraps of wood, and the threesome were beginning toscore hits on the bird.
Song and Flex charged forward, tackling Star and Wallie. As they were too close-range to fire arrows or slingstones, Wallie whirled her own sling like a mace. A thwack echoed through the cellars as the squirrel hit Flexma square on the jaw. Flex stumbled back, Tagdust dripping from the spot where she had been hit.
Meanwhile, Songwind was having more luck than her brother. She had managed to wrap her Gullwhaker string around Star’s unprotected wrist. Star fought against the pull of the string, but was forced to the ground as Song yanked on it. Stumbling and splashing in the pools of drinks, Star rose to face Song again. Her mistake was using a bow at such close range.
Song slammed a fist into her stomach as she stretched the bow taut. The breath was knocked out of the squirrel’s stomach and she dropped her precious weapon. Now Song stood over her, aiming at her with her own bow.
In the middle, Tiltz had broken cover and dived for the otter Kiri, using her beak as a weapon. She ripped open a gap in the otter’s shoulder, letting the Tagdust flow out. But Kiri knew she had the upper hand. As Tilts dove for her again, she slammed the sword hard over the sparra’s head. Tiltz crumpled to the ground in a heap of feathers.
Kiri leaned over to inspect the tagged bird. She grinned to herself as she saw the steady flow of silvery dust dripping to the floor and mixing with the mint tea.
Suddenly, a wing shot out from the crumpled form and wrapped around Kiri’s throat. Tiltz lifted her head up. Tagdust was filling her vision.
“Now, now, Kiri.” Said the sparra weakly. “You know me. I jist don’t go down that easy.”
Kiri kept on whacking the bird with her sword, but it was no good. The sparra had her in an icy death grip. As the two struggled together, the Tagdust flowed from their wounds. It was over. For both of them.
“Elders.” whispered Kiri as she began to feel faint.
“Leaders.” Tiltz shot back. And they both disappeared.
Song, Flex, Star, and Wallie all froze as they watched the battle. Then, as the last remnants of silver vanished, they slowly turned back to each other to continue their battle.
“MAD MENACES! WAAAAAHOOOODIBBUN!”
The Mad Menaces victory cry echoed through the cellars as MM Dibbuns began to rush forward towards the four Dibbuns. The MM Dorm Leaders, Rika, Liloukilani, and Kaikura Kaelas jumped over some barrels and hugged star and Wallie.
“We won the battle, mate!” Liloukilani cried out joyfully. She looked around. “Eh, mates, where’s Kiri?”
Star sniffled.
“Oh.” Answered Liloukilani, downcast. “Er, but we won, and when we win the entire war, we’ll get her back, eh mate?”
Star smiled half-heartedly. “Oh, I suppose so. So where’s TT?”
Rika waved a paw. “Ah, they retreated and went back to their dorm. We have the cellars now.”
Kaikura gestured at the broken barrels. “Huh, not that we own much. We’re going to have to clean this place up.”
Songwind and Flexma stared, dumbfounded, at the horde of MM Dibbuns approaching. Rika cocked an eyebrow at the two squirrels. “And these two?” she asked Liloukilani.
The Dorm Leader smiled. “They can go peacefully. You’re lucky I’m neutral on the war, or you would have been tagged by now.”
The squirrels stepped through the wreckage, meeting up with the mole Lin Urthclaw. As they stepped over what used to be a barrel full of apple cider, Lin shivered.
“Burr, it shur be’s cold inna cellars, burr aye.”
Chapter Seven: Strike of the Laughing Jokers
Tangle stormed down the staircase in high dudgeon, followed quickly by an alarmed Right Paw and Trillum.
Lauren, the massive badger, put a protective paw around her friend. “Tangle, are sure this is the best of ideas?”
Tangle hardly listened to her. “Ooh! Kidnapping, dorms combining, the Cellars destroyed, dorms intruded on…… this has gone too far!”
Trillum, by all means, was an outgoing Dibbun. “Tangle, get a grip! This is Tarth we’re talking about! Remember Tarth? The one who sparked the war? The one who almosty killed you?”
Trillum stopped herself too late. The mention of Tarth’s Unforgivable crime set off her highest temper.
“TARTH USED TO BE RIGHT PAW TO ELDER ARVEN! I RESPECT HIM!”
Lauren cocked her head. “Ringleader Tangle, you’ve got to get some sleep, methinks. ‘Twas Dumble who was his right paw!”
Tangle’s eyes misted over. “Nay,nay. Dumble took his leave from DAB once. Tarth took his place, pretending to be Dumble. Well, you can imagine….. he’s a ferret! But, somehow, he managed to pretend he was Dumble. Then, when the Right Paw Dumble returned, Tarth was forgotten and cast away. He has been in the shadows ever since. Why did he murder me? I don’t know. But now I attempt to find out.”
They reached the hidden hideaway of PP2. “Quickbow, of course, trusts me entirely. I know where their hideout is.”
Quickbow, Silus Gnoff, Arawn Trufflehop, Willowflame, and Trath were standing in the doorway as Tangle stepped in. Tarth backed away quickly as he saw the hedgehog he tried to murder standing alongside the huge frame of Lauren.
Quickbow and Willowflame, who were the Dorm Leaders, and Silus, who was Right Paw, shook hands with their Leader visitors. Tangle nodded to Quicky, Willowflame, and Tarth, gesturing them over to a deserted table.
“We need to talk.” Tangle whispered urgently. “It’s this LJ business. They are too close for comfort, and they’ve been recruiting.”
Quickbow was puzzled. He leaned on a tableleg, staring at the Dibbun who used to be the wise and good DAB Ringleader. Now her authority could scarce be used.
“Too close for comfort?” whispered the hare, his ears waggling.
Lauren had walked over to the place they sat. “Yes, too close for comfort. They know you’re in Great Hall, Tarth. They want you tagged and at the mercy of the Elders. So, I take it you found him, Furrtil?”
Furrtil the DAB Legend nodded from across the cavern. “’E be’s roight o’er thur, missie. Thurt zurr hare be’s ur strangest thing Oi’ve e’er seened.”
Willowflame looked around wildly. “Hare? Who? When did Furrtil go out and find him? Why a hare? We have plenty of hares!”
Tangle winked. “Not like this one.”
A shadowy figure stood next to the wall, completely ignoring all other Dibbuns. As he lifted his head into plain view, Trillum, who had joined them, snorted.
“It’s just that hare from NK, Lettuceleaf. What’s so special about this’n?”
Tangle nodded towards the shadowy, cloaked figure. “They say he c’n predict what’s going to happen in the war.”
Lettuceleaf cleared his throat. “I’d prefer if you used the name ‘Unforgivable Saga.”
Quickbow was bewildered. He hadn’t known Lettuceleaf very well before DAB, but he was sure that the hare had been cheerful and fun-loving, with a loud voice and silly attitude. This shadow had sad, drooping ears, with gaunt eyes and a small voice. Something had happened to Lettuceleaf.
Suddenly, the hare remembered the story that had passed around his dorm the night Tarth had tried to murder Tangle.
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“Did you hear it?”
“Yes, yes. That shady one, Tarth, he tried to murder Miz Tumblehog.”
“Wike dat undawated ferret could kiw my fwend da Tumbyhog. Hmph!”
“Yes, Tillee, of course.”
“Y’know what I heard? That the knife Tarth threw hit a hare, that one Lettuceleaf fellow, right in the brainbox.”
“Yes, poor hare passed by right when he threw it at Ringleader.”
“Hit ol’ Lettuce? Nope. I saw him passing in the hallway right after I got the news. Must have been some other poor ol’ creature.”
*************************************************************
Truth dawned on Quickbow. Could that knife blow actually have happened, and given Lettuceleaf insight into the war?
The shady hare interrupted his thought abruptly. “The time of reckoning has come. The Laughing Jokers are on your doorstep. Beware.”
“LJ? Finding our headquarters?” Willowflame asked, rubbing her temples irritably. “How in the world would they do that?”
Suddenly, the mole Tokie, who was on guard, screamed out, “Hurr, ee LJ be’s arroivin’, zurrs!”
As Tangle glanced backwards, she saw dozens of Laughing Lot and Lumping Loker Dibbuns flooding into the small space. Some Peace Protectors were carrying the battle outside to Great Hall.
Tangle fought her way across the crammed Headquarters, tagging two Dibbuns on the spot. Drawing her wooden spoon, she ran out into the mele in Great Hall. Spotting Rohanik, she charged to him.
“You’re a disgrace to DAB, Rohanik, I’m going to tag you once and for all!”
Rohanik was ready for the attack. He raised his bow and thumped Tangle on the head with it. The Tumblehog fell to the ground as the squirrel settled a footpaw on her stomach. The DAB Leader gasped for breat.
“Well, fancy that.” Rohanik said, sneering. “Me, tagging Tangle Tumblehog. Dearie me, that means I’ll have control of the Leaders, doesn’t it? Once I get that useless Dannon out of the way, DAB will be mine to control. Ah, Lauren Flame Eyes will be a good Right Paw, but I was thinking of making her a slave, along with all the other Dibbuns. Life will be much easier then, don’t you think? For me, of course.”
Tangle Tumblehog wasn’t Ringleader for nothing. She suddenly swung her spoon at the exposed ankle of the squirrel. Rohanik fell to the ground, swearing under his breath.
The Tumblehog set the spoon at his throat. “Tut, tut, Mr. Rohanik, it’s against the rules to curse. Ah well, I guess I’ll have to tag you.”
“Elders.” Breathed Rohanik. “I’ll get you, Tumblehog.” Which was followed by a number of unprintable words before he disappeared.
Dannon, who was far less bloodthirsty than his partner Rohanik, called a hasty retreat when he saw Tangle tag the squirrel. LJ ran down the corridors, shouting at yelling at their triumphs and defeats.
Lauren Flames Eyes reported back to Quickpaw, Tangle, and Willowflame. “Well, we had the fighting spirit, but the number show, Dibbuns. We lost Healpaw, Tesseri, Nuik, and poor Hawkraw. I’m not sure whether Lettucfeleaf was tagged or not, but he disappeared. Aye, PP2 ain’t going to last. Ye only got eight or nine members now, and the whole of DAB knows your headquarters.”
Tangle held up a paw. “But I think I know the solution. I welcome you to the Leader dorm as honorary guests until the war – this Unforgivable Saga – is finished for good.”
Willowflame extended a paw. Quickpaw and Tangle followed suit. Willowflame’s face lit up with a smile. “Then peace be with you, Ringleader Tangle. We accept!”
Chapter Eight: Kitchen fight, Part One: Standoff
Trapped in the kitchens. It was Lyman the Hare’s dream come true.
Right now, not so much. Lyman was trapped. Backed against the wall, three GG Dibbuns surrounded him: William, Wilbur, and Farrow. The garrulous hare warded them off with his knot of smelly socks, but he knew he couldn’t last long without reinforcements from NK.
William, a huge towering badger wielding a blowpipe, came at Lyman from his left flank. Lyman dodged the dive at him, but came straight into the paws of the otter, Wilbur. With a cracking noise, Wilbur’s loaded sling thudded down on Lyman’s head. Tagdust flowed from the wound as Lyman’s vision clouded.
Ka-whack! Bam!
Forgin, the NK Dorm Leader, dittoed Wilbur’s move, on Wilbur himself. The otter fell to the floor, tagged along with Lyman. Both were with the elders now.
Forgin’s eyes narrowed. “Oho, you’ll pay for that’n, mates. Lyman was a good hare.”
The skillful otter dived at Farrow and Wilbur, only to be met with the flat of the squirrel Farrow’s wooden sword. Forgin slid back along the floor of the kitchen, panting. A grim smile hung on his face.
“Two to one ain’t really fair, mates. Aren’t yeh sure you don’ need more Dibbuns to help you? I’ll take any number!”
William was stung by the insult. Diving at Forgin, his massive, blunt paws wrapped around the otter’s throat.
“Yer tagged!” the badger grunted.
“Aww y’ soo sure abowt dat? Da Tumblyhog saz to stoppa alla da fighting.”
Tillee. Sure enough, the hedgehog stood behind Farrow, a stick pressed to the squirrel’s back. William snarled.
“A standoff.”
Tillee nodded. “Dats’a wight, ya naughtee Dibbon. Izza standoff! An’ da Tumblyhog will come ‘ere to git riddo ya! Naughty Dibb’n!”
And so it was. As the battle raged all around the four Dibbuns, they stood rooted to the spot. There was only one cause of joy for Tillee and Forgin as they watched a claocked figure enter through the kitchen door.
Lettuceleaf had returned to the battle!
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