| Subject: Taggerung? Hmmm, I actually didn't have that in mind. But now that I look at it, it does have similarities....Oh, well, prologue thingy inside>>>> |
Author:
Rosella
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Date Posted: 21:42:54 02/17/03 Mon
In reply to:
Rosella Guillemoss
's message, "Teaser: One Love" on 20:03:49 02/16/03 Sun
A breeze flowed calmly through the light morning air. The faint trill of birdsong could be heard in the woods. The grass flowed and rippled as waves roll and break. Rosebeam smiled happily. This day could not be more complete. The small band of squirrels stood patiently as two talented members of their clan finished the remaining marks on two small bundles. One of the bundles giggled, almost causing her artist to err. The other bundle glanced over, and the two small pairs of eyes met. Dahlia quieted; even so small, she was entranced by her neighbor's eyes. Rosebeam smiled again. Perfect. The two tattoo beasts stepped back; their job was done. Tears streamed down Rosebeam's cheeks as she stepped forward, followed by Thornbent and the young male's parents. Rosebeam held her baby close, as Thornbent leaned forward and peered at the young squirrel's hand. There was no mistake that he could see. It perfectly matched the one on his own hand, showing that Dahlia was the true ruler of their clan.
He sighed, and glanced up at the beasts around him. The smile melted on his face, his ears perked, and a frown began to crease his aging features. Rosebeam also glanced around, then asked with a voice tinged with worry, "What is it, dearest. What's wrong? Surely everything is fine?"
Thornbent motioned to a guard near him and whispered a few quick words, then placed a protective arm about his wife and their daughter. "Come, darling, it's time to go inside now. Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing. Nevertheless, we must present some caution. Come now, quickly."
The murmuring of worried voices accompanied the small party as they retreated from the meadows and entered the woodlands. They walked hurriedly, all knowing what to do. Raids were not uncommon in this area, so far south. Numerous vagabonds who had been pushed out of the world to the north were always trying to prove themselves. They came to a large oak tree, then stopped as one body. Thornbent knocked a few short, paused, then added a few more. The bark pushed away from the tree, revealing an entrance. The party formed a single-file line, and made their way into the tree, up the spiral stairs, out onto the branch, up the ladder, and into the dense foliage above.
It was now impossible to see the ground, and vice versa. All communication to the world below now relied on their guards. The two young squirrels were placed in a single room. The curtain was closed, and guards were placed at the entrance. Likewise was done with the rest of the young ones, and the adults armed themselves, ready to defend their home and families.
Rosebeam oiled her bow, then strung it. She nervously sharpened her arrows as Thornbent put a deadly edge back on his sword. "Don't worry, dear. It will just be like last time. We'll go down, surprise them in an ambush, kill the obvious leader, and the rest will flee, never to bother us again."
"And how will we know the leader, Thornbent? Tell me that again," replied Rosebeam's nervous voice.
The male squirrel's muscles rippled as he laughed, then his strong voice carried and comforted the smaller female, "Because he will be the one trying to hide. And they will follow their leader, like the cowards they are. It will be easy to defeat such cowards."
Such is the way it had gone before. Many, many times before.
Thornbent lay next to Rosebeam, their hands clasped together. Together, the tattoos on their hands made a symbol: the symbol that had meant "one love" since their clan had existed. Even in death, that love endured. The mighty sword of Thornbent had whistled over Rosebeam's body, until it, too, fell. This fight had not gone as all the others. One of the cowardly soldiers of history had indeed returned. But he knew their tricks. He had fought, and he had conquered.
Rin Var stood now, as a conqueror. His gaze swept the woodland floor. These miserable squirrels had acted just in the way they had scorned their enemies for acting. Once their leaders had died, they had been lost. He now had a front line for his coming attacks, in which Rin Var would take over all of Salamanca. And if any survived, then they could start his slave colony. Yes, things were looking up.
His own personal guards came down out of the tree, leading the group of younglings. They looked as if they had had a scuffle, but no matter. They were alive, and they both carried a bundle in their arms.
"Put them with the others, but bring those babies to me." The two rats came forward and kneeled, offering their bundles up to the weasel that towered before them. He glanced deviously at the two babes, then shrugged. "Nah, not worth torturing. They can only scream; they are unable to curse." He glanced more closely at them, then pointed to one. "Leave her with me, give the other to his parents. My slave population has to start somewhere!"
One hour later, all was quiet. The bodies of former squirrel warriors lay about the ground, unburied. The birdsong had moved from this place of carnage. A bloody stench lay in the air, warning any traveling beast that dared to even come this far south.
**constructive criticism appreciated, but straight criticism is not wanted, please (and it's only the prologue)**
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