《The Charm Fable: Mousey and the Golden Book》


 Chapter One

    Copyright ? 2018 Alpine Line Publishers LLC / Nicholas S. Casale


    In those days, a wrong-hearted Cat Sorceress named Felicia Muur ruled over all mice.


    Our people were slaves, forced to surrender the fruits of their labors to Queen Felicia''s minions whenever they demanded. Mice were forced into one of two professions: farming or scavenging. The farmers worked their paws to the bone every day, and kept only the smallest part of their harvest. Scavengers had an even more dangerous existence; traveling into the ancient, ruined cities of the tall apes to seek treasures they would never be allowed to keep.


    It was on one such scavenging mission that Mousey''s father, Topo Souris, had disappeared without a trace.


    One day, when Mousey was just a pup, after his daily chores were done, he wandered away from his mother''s farmhouse, down to the creek to play. He kept an eye on the shadows cast upon the ground, knowing that if he stayed out until after sundown, the Queen''s Nocturnal Patrol, vampire bats, would soon fill the skies, and he''d be fair game for them to snatch up to a place from whence he''d never return.


    Mousey was never one for sports or competitive games. He did not play ball with the hedgehogs, squirrels, or even his twelve brothers and fourteen sisters, for even among other mice he was quite small. Instead, he liked to let his imagination carry him away to flights of fancy.


    Sometimes he''d imagine himself as a noble warrior, or the pilot of an airship. Other times he''d imagine he was anythingbuta simple mouse.


    At the creek, he hopped from one round stone to another, gripping the rocks with the pads of his paws. He pretended he was a bear, leaping from one mountaintop to the next while the ocean raged below him. Of course, as a child he had so little understanding of how large bears truly were. Fish far larger than he swam by, and he pretended they were whales, though he had only ever heard stories of such sea beasts.


    His game of "Bear Jump" came to a halt, however, when a groan of pain fell upon his large ears. He hopped back to shore and followed the sound, until he found the source. Lying upon the shore was a frog, dressed in shining, silver armor. The frog was nearly twice Mousey''s size, and his face was covered in bruises. He croaked in pain again, screwing his eyes shut.


    Mousey glanced back and forth for any sign of an adult, someone better fit to help this poor amphibian, but he soon realized that if anyone was going to help this stranger it would have to be he.


    "Always be wary of strangers."


    This proverb was not just something his father and mother had taught him, but was well-known among mouse-kind in those days.


    Even so, he could not leave this green amphibian to his fate.


    "What''s wrong?" he squeaked as he drew near.


    "Oh, wee one," croaked the frog. "Great is my woe! I have been defeated this day in dreadful battle against insidious toads! Ten terrible toads trounced me at once, the cruel knaves! ''Twas an unfair fight, and I fear without healing I am not long for this world!"


    "That''s terrible!" squeaked Mousey. "But, I think I can help you. My Mom is a healer."


    "I would be most grateful to you, little mouse!" croaked the frog. "But, alas, I am afraid I cannot walk. My injuries are too... injurious!"


    "I can help with that, too," said Mousey. He hopped over to the opposite shore, where he''d spotted some driftwood. He took a stick with a Y-shape at the top, then brought it back to the frog. In Mousey''s pocket were bandages his mother always made him carry with him, lest he skin his knee. He wrapped the bandages around the top of the crutch to make it softer under Sir Ranae''s arm. Once he''d gotten the frog up to his feet, he slipped the stick under his arm, allowing his new, amphibious friend to use it as a crutch.


    Mousey stood on the frog''s side, opposite from the crutch, and supported him under his arm as they made their way back toward the town of Okber.


    "You show great kindness to strangers," said the frog. "''Tis a rare thing, truly. Surely, one so virtuous will be blessed. Might I know my new friend''s name?"


    "I''m Mousey. Mousey Souris."


    The frog nodded his head. "An easy name to remember. I am called Sir Ranae of the Dank Marsh." The frog tapped the symbol on his breastplate, which was a tree with vines hanging from its branches.


    "Sir?" Mousey looked up at the frog''s bruised face. "So, you are a knight?"


    Sir Ranae faltered. He would have tumbled into the stream, had Mousey not caught him. "Have you not heard of my mighty deeds? The tales of Sir Ranae, Salamander''s Bane? The stories of Sir Ranae, victor of the Slimey Swamp? The Champion of the Fearsome Fen? The Hero of the Black Bog?"


    "I... I''m afraid I haven''t," said Mousey. He scratched one of his ears and bit his lip. "Forgive me, we here in Okber do not hear many great tales. We only hear what Queen Felicia allows us to."


    "Oh?" croaked Sir Ranae. His nostrils flared. "She must be a truly terrible tyrant to deny you such epics! When I am well again, I shall repay your kindness by showing her what is what!"


    "Shhh!" Mousey glanced back and forth to be sure that none of the villagers nearby had heard the frog knight''s words. Mousey had drawn enough attention to himself by helping this outsider. He didn''t need to add talk of rebellion to the list of reasons for the weasels of the Day Patrol to pay him a visit. "Queen Felicia is a powerful sorceress," he whispered. "Her magic is great, and her wrath is terrible! You''d best not anger her!"


    Sir Ranae sighed and nodded his head. "I see. She truly has a hold on your people." His tongue slipped out and licked one of his eyeballs. "Very well, I shall strive not to cause trouble for you, my friend."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Mom!" Mousey called out, as they drew near the farmhouse.


    Mousey''s mother looked up from her plow. Her eyes widened and pupils narrowed when she spotted the frog in armor her son was helping limp towards their house.


    "Mousefred Souris! What are you doing?" she cried, pulling on her own ears.


    "He''s hurt!" Mousey squeaked back. "Please, help him!"


    His mother groaned and rushed to the front door of the house. "Get him inside! Hurry!"


    Always an obedient child, Mousey did as he was told. He brought the frog inside and eased him onto the top of the dinner table. As far as he could tell, it was the only surface big enough to support Sir Ranae.


    Mousey''s mother dug through the cupboards until she found a medicine bottle, one Mousey knew that he was never to touch without her permission. She filled a ladle with the contents, and held it up to the frog''s lips. "Drink this. It will help with the pain."


    "I thank ye kindly, ma''am," croaked Sir Ranae. He sipped the medicine and his face contorted in disgust. "Blech! Begging your pardon, ma''am, but might you have some that''s gnat-flavored rather than... whatever this is?"


    "I''m sorry, but blackberry flavor is all we have," said Mousey''s mother, resting her paws on her hips. "We''re not used to treating frogs in this house. If you don''t want it¡ª"


    Before she could finish her statement, Sir Ranae gulped down all the medicine in the ladle at once. His whole body shook and he made a clicking sound at the back of his throat. "No. Thank you kindly, ma''am. I just need to be grateful for what help I can get."


    "Yes," Mrs. Souris said, flatly. "Where does it hurt?"


    "My face, my head, my right ankle, and my elbows," croaked Sir Ranae.


    "Oh? Is that all?" said Mrs. Souris. She and Sir Ranae shared a chuckle.


    She lifted Sir Ranae''s leg and slipped off his boot. The frog winced as she did so, and his fingers gripped the edge of the table. "Looks like a sprain," she said. "Nothing broken, thank Heaven. Mousey, go fetch the splint and bandages."


    "Yes, Mom." Mousey rushed off to retrieve the supplies she requested. As her treatment of Sir Ranae''s injuries went on, he worked as her assistant, bringing whatever she said she needed. Soon, all of his brothers and sisters returned to the small hovel, all rattling off questions about the green beast who lay upon their dinner table.


    "Children," said Sir Ranae, "I assure you, I mean no harm to you or your home. Your brother rescued me from a lonely demise, and your mother has been gracious enough to help heal my injuries."


    Button, Mousey''s oldest sister, scowled at her brother with arms folded. She shook her head, her great, round ears flopping back and forth.


    Mousey had broken the cardinal rule that all mouse pups knew: he''d brought a stranger into their home. He gave his sister a pleading look in hopes that she would understand his act of compassion.


    Soon, Sir Ranae had all of the children distracted as he told his own stories. He told of a time when he fought five toads himself, swinging his sword as effortlessly as a conductor''s baton.


    He told them of the time a bass had very nearly eaten him, but he fought his way back out of its mouth. Later that same day, he''d served the bass to his comrades for supper.


    He told them of something called an "octopus," a creature that sounded far too bizarre to be real.


    He spoke of the desert Snake King; a cobra who could spit his venom and kill his prey from afar. Sir Ranae had barely escaped that encounter with his life.


    Most intriguing, though, was his tale of the Summer Fireflies. Thousands of luminescent bugs filled the air, and Sir Ranae felt as if he were walking among the stars. Each firefly told him a prophecy of the future, and since then he had seen all but two come true.


    Like his brothers and sisters, Mousey hung on the frog knight''s every word, excited to hear tales of lands so far away from the little town of Okber. They could hardly imagine just how enormous the world truly was, and what sorts of wonders it held.


    The sun set over the horizon, and Mrs. Souris got to work on preparing bread for her children''s supper, when there was a knock on the door.


    All of the children fell silent in an instant.


    "What is it?" Sir Ranae said, glancing up at the door to see what had them all so frightened. Mousey slipped a paw over his lips and motioned for him to be quiet.


    Mrs. Souris trembled as she approached the front door. She rested her paw on the handle and asked, "Who''s there?"


    "Lieutenant Nycht of the Nocturnal Patrol," came a low voice from the other side of the door. "Open up. Now."


    Mrs. Souris glanced back at her children and Sir Ranae, bit her lip, then slowly opened the front door.


    Just outside the door stood six bats, each clad in black armor, with black helmets covering their faces. The one at the front was the smallest of any of them, and he shoved his way past Mrs. Souris as he entered their hovel.


    Under the visor, his red eyes settled on Sir Ranae. "So, it''s true."


    Sir Ranae sat up, his fists clenched and his eyes narrowing to slits.


    Nycht drew a sword from his belt and pointed the tip at Sir Ranae. "We''ve been looking all over for you, Ranae. The Toad King has offered a great reward to Queen Felicia for your capture, as I''m sure you''ve guessed by now."


    "I will come quietly." Sir Ranae groaned as he stood from the table. "But only if you promise not to hurt these mice."


    "Most of the family can go about their lives as before," said Nycht, his voice reverberating behind his steel visor. "But there is one we must take in for questioning. Which one of you pups is named ''Mousey''?"


    All of the pups were silent, as was Mrs. Souris. Sir Ranae also kept his mouth shut, and sneered at the bat.


    Nycht waved his claw to the other bats, and they all barged through the door of the hovel, crawling on all fours. Each stood on his hind-legs, drew his sword, and pointed it at the family of mice. "I don''t want to get violent, but my subordinates do," said Nycht. "Mousey, whoever you are, you have until the count of five to step forward, otherwise we will put your entire family to the sword!"


    "You wouldn''t dare!" croaked Sir Ranae. He raised his fists. "I''m far bigger than any of you! I''ll crush you all if you dare try!"


    Most of the bats cackled under their steel helmets, their voices high-pitched.


    Nycht shook his head. "Ranae, don''t be a fool. You are injured and unarmed. Any fight would be one-sided. You will not save these pups, so do not give us more reason to use violence." Nycht turned to the mice again and said, "One... two... three..."


    Mousey jumped to his feet. "I''m the one you want! Don''t hurt my family!"


    Nycht reached out and seized Mousey by the shoulder.


    "No!" Mrs. Souris shouted. She reached out to push Nycht away from Mousey, but Nycht struck her face with the pommel of his sword. The blow sent her sprawling back onto the ground.


    "Don''t try that again, vermin!" growled Nycht. "I''m warning you!"


    Mousey looked over at his mother, trying to see if she was still moving. She appeared to be breathing, but her eyes were shut, and she made no attempt to move.


    The other bats all gathered around Sir Ranae, their blades still pointed at his face in case he tried to fight back. One slipped around to his back and clapped his wrists in manacles behind him.


    The bats all pushed Sir Ranae and Mousey out of the hovel and out to the streets of Okber.


    Mousey''s skin felt cold under his fur as he looked up at the night sky. How many times had he heard a mouse scream in terror as bats carried them away into that blackness? Never once had he seen any of them return. What terrible fate awaited him? To what dark dungeon would these bats take him?


    Nycht bound Mousey''s hands, ensuring that the knots were tight. "If you do not struggle you will not fall," he said.


    "Do not fear, pup," Sir Ranae whispered to Mousey. "I''ve been in far more dangerous situations than this."


    Those were the last words Mousey heard before Nycht took off into the air, carrying him in his claws.

 Chapter Two

    Distant echoes in the darkness.


    A voice down the hall. "Take this one!"


    Was it day? Was it night? Was it sunny outside, or was it raining? Mousey felt as if he''d entered the realm of the dead as he sat in that clammy prison cell. How long had he been there? He couldn''t know. Every so often, the guards would come by with a crust of bread so hard he feared he''d break his teeth on it. The pain of those rock-hard rations in his stomach was almost as bad as the hunger itself.


    If he assumed that the guards dropped off his rations once a day, then it had been three days in that cell. But that was only a guess.


    The sound of footsteps approaching.


    There was a flickering light moving down the hall.


    Were they coming for him?


    He was determined not to go down without a fight.


    Mousey bared his teeth and clenched his paws into fists. His ankle was still chained to the ground, but whoever had come to collect him for whatever fate they had in mind would not walk away unscathed.


    The footsteps drew closer. The sound of steel boots on the brick floor.


    Clang.


    Clang.


    Clang.


    Lieutenant Nycht stepped in front of Mousey''s cage, his body covered head to toe in black armor. He held up a lantern in his left claw. "Mousefred," he said, "If you do not resist me, I will not harm you."


    Mousey sneered at him, his lips curling up over his teeth. He stood as tall as he could, trying to look as menacing as possible.


    Nycht chuckled. "I''m serious. You are not to be executed, neither are you to be tortured. I simply wish to talk. I promise. Now, will you cooperate?"


    Mousey thought about it for a moment. Truly, he had no reason to trust this bat; Nycht was a member of the Queen''s Nocturnal Patrol. Many a mouse had disappeared when these beasts snatched them off the ground in the middle of the night simply for violating curfew. Then, there was the undeniable fact that Nycht himself had struck Mousey''s mother in the face.


    Now that he thought about it, though, Nycht could have simply slain her, were he truly as malicious as the others. Had he run her through with his blade he wouldn''t have suffered any consequence, but he chose to strike her merely with his weapon''s pommel.


    Perhaps he''s more merciful than the others?


    Did Mousey dare to think it? Did he dare trust someone who was both a stranger and part of the Queen''s army?


    He unclenched his fists and closed his lips. Now that he thought about it, even if he did try to fight back he probably wouldn''t even hurt Lieutenant Nycht. His teeth would never pierce his armor, and fighting an armed foe bare-handed was beyond foolish.


    "Good boy," said Nycht as he unlocked Mousey''s cell and opened the door. He stepped inside and unlocked the chain around Mousey''s ankle as well. "You can carry the lantern," he said, holding it out to him.


    Mousey reached out his paws to grasp the bottom.


    "Not from the bottom!" Nycht shouted at him. "Think, pup! Grasp it from the ring at the top! Otherwise you''ll burn your paws!" Mousey grasped the ring of the lantern in both paws as he was told. Nycht groaned and shook his head. "How have you survived this long without any sense?"


    Mousey really didn''t think this insult was at all fair. Since mice were forbidden to leave their homes after night fell, they had little need for lanterns. At most they used candles around the house when it got dark. Even so, he wasn''t about to argue with one who could take his life so easily on a whim.


    Mousey followed Nycht down the halls of the dungeons. His eyes occasionally wandered to the other prisoners in their cells. Sick and starving mice, squirrels, hedgehogs, shrews, and gophers sat in each. In one cell, Mousey spied a gray rabbit, curled up in a ball, muttering to himself and crying. In another he spotted a shrew scratching away at the back wall of his cell, but it was his claws that were wearing down, not the bricks.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Nycht opened a wooden door at the end of the hallway, one without a window. "Inside. Now."


    Mousey obeyed, entering the room with his lantern still firmly in paw.


    Nycht closed the door behind them and gestured to the table in the middle of the room. "Have a seat."


    Again, Mousey did as he was told. He pulled up his tail, so as not to sit on it, and seated himself at the table.


    Nycht latched the door shut, then reached up to remove his black helmet.


    Mousey''s mind was abuzz with questions when he saw Nycht''s face for the first time. The Nocturnal Patrolbeast did not have the long, pointed ears that Mousey had expected of a vampire bat, but rather round ears, much like his own. His nose was not a short snout, but rather came down to a narrow point, with whiskers drooping downward. When he smiled it seemed that his lips had not concealed fangs, but rather four incisors.


    Nycht then reached over to his left wing and unclasped something from his armor. The leathery wing fell away, revealing that it was fake. Nycht then did the same to the other side and held up his paws for Mousey to see.


    "You''re... not really a bat?" Mousey tilted his head to one side, thoroughly confused.


    "No, I''m not," said Nycht. "Like you, I am a mouse." His eyes, so fierce and terrible before, now softened, and a friendly smile pulled on the corners of his lips. "We have met before. Do you recognize me?"


    Mousey stared for a moment, trying to remember where he might have seen this mouse before. "I''m sorry... should I?"


    Nycht grunted in disappointment. "Never mind. You''ll figure it out in time." He began to pace the room, all the while resting one paw on the hilt of his sword. "Years ago, I was a scavenger. In the ruins I discovered an old, magical relic; something capable of allowing even a mouse to fly. I used it to make for myself artificial wings, and presented them to Queen Felicia, along with my request to join the Nocturnal Patrol. She accepted my gifts; both the relic and my own life. In this way, I became the first mouse to rise above his station and become truly valuable to her majesty."


    Though he would not let his face betray his rage, Mousey felt a deeper anger burning inside of him once he learned the truth about Nycht. He''d betrayed his own kind, joining Queen Felicia''s army. Here he was, someone who''d suffered under the cruel and oppressive rule of that sorcerous cat, and now he had become a part of it.


    Nycht continued. "It took me years to rise up to the rank of lieutenant, but now that I''m here I have been granted a special authority; I can recruit others into the Nocturnal Patrol. Mousefred, I want you to be my first apprentice."


    "Why me?" Mousey asked, wringing his paws together under the table. "What''s so special about me?"


    Nycht stared at Mousey for a moment, as if confused by the question. Had he not expected skepticism? Or anything other than total gratitude for such an offer? "Why you?" Nycht repeated, his brows furrowed. "Well... I have my reasons, but... consider this: you brought that frog knight back to your home completely on your own. You helped him walk from the creek all the way back to your mother''s farmhouse."


    "Isn''t that why I got in trouble?" Mousey asked. "I helped a stranger."


    "Yes, but what interests me is that you were able to do it," said Nycht, pointing a claw at Mousey. "Clearly, for one so small, you have strength beyond that of other mice. You and I have that in common. The Nocturnal Patrol could use a strong recruit like you. What do you say, Mousefred? Will you join us?"


    "No!" said Mousey, shaking his head. "Snake''s teeth, no!" His mother had warned him not to use such language, but under the circumstances it seemed appropriate enough. "I''m not going to join the same army that snatches wayward mice up in the middle of the night and throws them into dark dungeons!"


    Nycht groaned and folded his arms in front of his chest. "I was worried you''d say that..." He tilted an ear towards the door, then leaned in closer to Mousey and whispered. "I want you to think a little more carefully about your situation. That frog was a foreign knight. By helping him you harbored an enemy of the crown. Do you realize what that means? Your actions were treason, and the usual punishment for treason is death by petrification."


    "Petri... what?"


    "They''ll turn you to stone," Nycht hissed. "They''ll force you to drink a poison that will turn your whole body to solid rock, then they''ll post your statue... well, if they don''t post it in the Gray Menagerie outside the Queen''s castle, then in your hometown as a warning to anyone else who commits treason. Think of your mother! Think of your brothers and sisters! Do you really want them to see that?"


    "I..."


    Nycht grasped Mousey''s shoulder. "Listen to me, pup. Join the Nocturnal Patrol. It''s the only way they''ll allow you to live. Petrification is a slow death. First your stomach turns to stone, then your guts, then the inside of your throat, and it just spreads from there. It takes hours before it''s over... I told my commander that I was going to recruit you, and he agreed to tell the executioners to hold off for now. This is your only chance!"


    Mousey hung his head in defeat. He knew that he was destined to suffer a terrible fate the instant Nycht had carried him away from his home. For a moment, he''d dared to hope that Nycht was merciful enough to let him go or release him after just a few lashes of a whip. Now he realized that his fate was crueler than he could have imagined: he had to choose to either join Queen Felicia''s army or suffer a slow death.


    Then again, when he thought about it, if he were to undergo some of Nycht''s training there was bound to come an opportunity to escape sooner or later. Certainly, the first time he tried on those false wings he would be a free mouse.


    "Fine," said Mousey. "I''ll join the Nocturnal Patrol."


    Nycht breathed a sigh of relief and nodded his head. "Good! Pup, we will start your training right away. As of this moment, you are my apprentice."


    Mousey''s guts turned at the words, but he buried his emotions deep. He had a feeling he''d have to stomach a lot of wrong before he got his chance to flee.

 Chapter Three

    With a painful groan, Mousey rose from his cot in the barracks.


    He¡¯d barely heard the wake-up bell. The alarm¡¯s tone had been chosen specifically to wake bats, creatures with far better hearing than Mousey had.


    As he looked around the barracks at the other trainees, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how so many of them seemed unaffected by the many weeks of arduous training they¡¯d all gone through together. Perhaps it was the way they all hung upside-down at night, while Mousey was curled up on his cot. The cot itself was an uncomfortable thing that the other recruits had begrudgingly made for him.


    Every night they got up at the crack of dusk, while just a hint of golden light still peered over the western sky and jumped into their physical exercises.


    On the positive side, those first few minutes did allow him to see the sunlight, even if it was only briefly. How he missed blue skies.


    Like the rest of them, he was up and into his training uniform by the time Lieutenant Nycht entered the barracks, his paws folded behind his back.


    The Lieutenant stood five paw widths shorter than most of the recruits. All except Mousey, actually. Still, not one of them dared eye him as he passed by. Even fur-less pups knew that could lose them a day¡¯s rations.


    Lieutenant Nycht walked by each of the recruits, looking them up and down. He stopped at one, leaned up, and shouted in his face. ¡°Recruit, you were denied rations yesterday. Why do I smell fish on your breath?¡±


    ¡°I do not know, lieutenant,¡± said the recruit. All the while he stared straight over Nycht¡¯s head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, pup!¡± shouted Nycht, his saliva speckling the recruit¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Who shared their rations with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not say, sir,¡± said the recruit.


    ¡°Well, you are about to, pup!¡± said Lieutenant Nycht, ¡°Or I am about to deny this whole unit their rations!¡±


    ¡°It was me!¡± Mousey cried out. He glanced back and forth at the other recruits. Though none looked at him, he could tell that a few of them had winced, knowing the fate that likely awaited him. ¡°I mean¡­ it was I, Lieutenant.¡±


    Lieutenant Nycht stomped over to Mousey and glared down at him. He lifted the visor off his nose and snarled. There was a rage in those eyes. Mousey felt as if he were staring into an avalanche, about to crush him.


    ¡°Did I address you, recruit?¡± Nycht yelled.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± said Mousey, struggling to keep his gaze away from Nycht¡¯s face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, recruit!¡± Nycht shouted again.


    ¡°No, sir!¡± Mousey squeaked, a little louder this time.


    The other recruits stifled their giggles, clearly all amused by Mousey¡¯s small voice. All too often he¡¯d heard their mixed jabs and adoration. At best, his voice was simply ¡°cute¡± or ¡°funny,¡± at worst it reminded them that he was not truly one of them, and it was reason enough to bully him.


    ¡°You will speak when spoken to, recruit!¡± Nycht yelled. ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I do, sir!¡± squeaked Mousey again.


    More stifled laughter from the recruits.


    Nycht turned back to the rest of them, ¡°Even so, this recruit¡¯s honesty is to be admired. For his sake I will not confiscate anyone¡¯s rations today. However, since none of the rest of you were loyal enough to your comrade to sacrifice any of your meals for his sake, I will make everyone fly an extra lap before breakfast. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, lieutenant!¡± the recruits all said in unison.


    ¡°Fly an extra lap.¡± Mousey thought he¡¯d never see the day when flight was considered a punishment. One more thing he knew separated him from his peers; since they¡¯d been able to fly most of their lives, it was nothing special to them. But, as a mouse, he could enjoy experiences the other recruits took for granted.Stolen novel; please report.


    At least, that was how it used to be. He flew four laps around the tower that night before breakfast. That many times in such a wide circle, he felt he could begin to understand why this was punishment.


    How much easier would this be with an airship?


    Furthermore, there was the humiliation of being so far behind any of them, out of breath by the time the third lap began.


    Worst of all, flight was such a tease. Flying around the outside of the tower was a cruel reminder of how free he should have felt. There were no walls between him and escape, but he knew the woods were full of archers, lying in wait, who would shoot any attempted deserter out of the sky.


    Then came breakfast itself; always fish. Mousey hadn¡¯t minded fish when he first arrived at the tower, but after so many weeks he¡¯d grown so sick of it, and longed for fruit, nuts, or honey. He¡¯d even settle for cheese, terrible as that stench was.


    All day he trained, improving the strength of his muscles, though he was far behind the other recruits. He sparred with wooden swords, which usually meant he was on the receiving end of a terrible beating from his fellows. He climbed ropes, and over walls, ran on an enormous wheel, and all the while every other recruit was so far ahead of him.


    After physical training, they listened to a higher officer drone on about how some groups of rebels were meeting in secret. The teacher reassured everyone that the rebels were no real threat, but that this could change at any moment, and the Nocturnal Patrol needed to be ready to deal with that threat when the time came.


    Then there was dinner.


    Fish.


    Again.


    Mousey wished he was training in a tower with fruit bats rather than vampire bats.


    But there was his one solace of the night: study time. The bats were each sent to the library to spend time poring over the books.


    Technically, they called that room ¡°The Archives,¡± but Mousey preferred to call it a library.


    Most of the books there were tomes on tactics, or the dull writings of previous Nocturnal Patrol commanders. Every now and then, though, Mousey would find one about older history.


    Most such books had simply been forgotten somewhere in the library. Mousey knew that if the archivist learned of these older books¡¯ existence, he¡¯d have them replaced by newer editions right away.


    But the history was so different in the newer editions, and certainly nowhere near as exciting. Only the older versions of these stories told tales of heroic knights standing up for the weak, or famous artists changing society. Only the older texts told stories of the brave knights Sir Charles the Bold, Sir Xerus the Quick, Dame Prevosti the Fearless, and Lord Cingulata the Unstoppable. Certainly, the newer books were replete of the most interesting of tales: that of a book that could teach one the secrets of immortality.


    Mousey had been careful to keep his reading choice a secret, but Lieutenant Nycht still caught him one night.


    To Mousey¡¯s surprise, the lieutenant only smiled at Mousey and whispered, ¡°Be more discreet.¡±


    That same night, Mousey found a hollowed out, newer edition book in the library. From then on, he hid the books he was truly reading in the larger book¡¯s gaps.


    But there was one such night in this library that proved to be far more precious than any of the others.


    Mousey had just finished reading the history of the Bear King. When he set the book down, he looked out the window and saw gold peering over the eastern horizon. ¡°Dawn¡­ I have to get to bed¡­¡±


    He closed the book and crouched down in the aisles. So often he¡¯d hidden his more valuable finds in this way. Bats had such a natural tendency to look up, to the books on the top shelf. They barely even noticed anything around their feet.


    As Mousey crawled under the bookshelves, searching for a place to hide his new favorite history, he spotted a book he¡¯d never noticed before.


    It was strange that he¡¯d somehow missed it, for the book¡¯s cover was gold in color, as were the edges of each page. Glancing back


    and forth, to be sure no one was near, he pulled the gold-colored book closer to himself. He slipped it open and found himself nearly blinded as the white pages inside the book began to glow.


    ¡°Mousefred Souris,¡± said a female voice from the book.


    But there was no echo. Underneath that bookshelf there should have been an echo when the book spoke.


    Now that he thought about it, books typically didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Only you can hear me, Mousefred,¡± said the voice from within the book.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Mousey thought. If the book could speak directly to his mind, maybe he could do the same back to it.


    ¡°My name is Sopher,¡± said the book.


    Mousey gasped and smiled widely. ¡°Well, you are a rare find indeed! I have read about magic books, but I never truly believed¡­¡±


    ¡°You believed something, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t hear me,¡± said Sopher, her voice starting to sound desperate. ¡°Mousefred, you need to take me with you! If the archivists find out about me they¡¯ll burn me!¡±


    ¡°Why would they burn you?¡± Mousey asked.


    ¡°Is it really such a wonder?¡± came an almost sarcastic reply. ¡°Mousefred, you know they replace old books that say things they don¡¯t want you to read. You cannot be so na?ve, you must have noticed.¡±


    Mousey stared at the book in puzzlement. He¡¯d never really stopped to consider why the archivists were so adamant about getting rid of the old books.


    ¡°You¡¯re just now realizing?¡± the book said, her voice sounding a touch sad. ¡°Oh, dear¡­ I¡¯ve much work to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Work to do?¡± Mousey asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What exactly are you trying to accomplish?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rescuing you!¡± said Sopher.


    Mousey paused for a moment, considering her words. ¡°I thought it was you who wanted rescue from me?¡±


    ¡°Rescue me so I can rescue you,¡± said Sopher.


    Before Mousey¡¯s eyes, the book shrank until it was small enough to fit on the pad of his paw. ¡°Put me in your pocket. Get me out of this library, and I will save you from this tower!¡±


    A distant alarm sounded, the signal that all recruits had only minutes to be in bed or they would be punished severely. He shoved the tiny book into his pocket and rushed off to the barracks.

 Chapter Four

    She appeared to him in a dream as he slept the next day.


    Sopher¡¯s form had the shape of a mouse in a long, white dress. The folds and ribbons of her gown were rolling sheets of paper, covered in the most elegant calligraphy. Her tail was a long, red ribbon; just like the book¡¯s attached book-mark. Her face and paws were made of golden light, and her eyes were like splatters of blue ink.


    Under Mousey¡¯s paws the ground felt like parchment, and as he took in his surroundings he realized that the two of them stood upon the open pages of an enormous book.


    ¡°Thank you for rescuing me,¡± said Sopher, her voice as soft and warm as it had been when Mousey had first heard it.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± said Mousey, scratching behind one of his ears.


    ¡°As I said, in turn I shall rescue you,¡± Sopher spoke. ¡°Our time together has been brief, but I already know this much about you: you are far too kind of heart to want to be part of the Nocturnal Patrol. Or any of Queen Felicia¡¯s army, for that matter.¡±


    Mousey sighed and nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s true. I want nothing to do with it, but I haven¡¯t found an opportunity to escape yet.¡±


    ¡°I will provide you with your escape,¡± said Sopher. ¡°But I must know where to start. Tell me, Mousey, what do you know about magic?¡±


    ¡°I know that it exists.¡± Mousey shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve read many stories about famous wizards, sorceresses, and enchanters who¡¯ve had great influence over history. Beyond that¡­ I don¡¯t really know anything.¡±


    Sopher nodded her head. ¡°So, you have much to learn. Let us start with the basics. Magic is based on two things: imagination and knowledge. You bend reality to your will using the force of your imagination, but in order to change the world you must also understand it. Furthermore, the more you know, the more you can imagine.¡±


    Sopher raised her right paw, gesturing to the pages upon which they stood. ¡°Here, in my world, magic comes far easier than it will in the real world. Mousefred, I want you to imagine something for me. Something from one of the other books you¡¯ve read, or something from your past. Just make sure that whatever it is, it makes you feel safe.¡±


    Mousey looked down at the paper floor and thought for a moment. Something that made him feel safe. He¡¯d not thought about anything pleasant for a long time, aside from what he read in books. But now, as he thought back on it, he remembered his mother¡¯s farmhouse. He recalled the dandelions growing all around that little hovel, and the sounds of laughter whenever his brothers and sisters were at play. He recalled the smell of baked bread, just fresh out of the oven, and the sound of distant sparrow songs.


    He could almost hear the sparrows¡¯ songs now, almost smell the baked bread. When he looked up he realized why. Just beyond Sopher, there sat his mother¡¯s hovel, surrounded by dandelions. Smoke rose from the chimney, carrying the scent of bread.


    Tears welled up in Mousey¡¯s eyes as he stared at this haven of peace. Home. Oh, he had no idea until today just how delicious bread could smell, and how beautiful that little farmhouse could look.


    He walked forward and stopped just outside the front door.


    Sopher placed a paw on his shoulder. ¡°You were able to create this place in such detail because you¡¯re so familiar with it. You know this house more intimately than any place, or anything, in all the world.¡±


    ¡°Will it disappear if I touch it?¡± Mousey asked, his paw hovering over the door handle.


    ¡°At your current magical proficiency? Yes,¡± said Sopher. ¡°If you want to be able to open the door and walk around inside you have to get better at magic. Practice more. I¡¯ll guide you every step of the way, Mousefred.¡±


    ¡°Can you call me Mousey?¡± he asked. ¡°I always feel like I¡¯m in trouble when I hear my full name.¡±


    ¡°If it will please you, I will,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Mousey, I want you to try imagining a few more things. Let¡¯s try... something that makes you feel excited¡­¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    And so Mousey¡¯s magical education began. Every night, he endured Nocturnal Patrol training, but daylight hours he spent his time learning magic; whether through dreams or by expanding his knowledge in the library. Weeks went by, and Mousey started applying what he learned in small ways in his everyday life. Even in his training with the Nocturnal Patrol he found himself doing better every day.


    He¡¯d never forget the night that he was among the first three recruits to finish their laps around the tower, and he saw a look of pride in Nycht¡¯s eyes. He never thought of himself as seeking the lieutenant¡¯s approval, but the moment he got it just felt so wonderful.


    ¡°Remember,¡± Sopher said one day, ¡°I¡¯m not teaching you magic so that you can use it as a beast of the Nocturnal Patrol, I¡¯m doing it so you can escape from them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course I remember,¡± said Mousey.


    At the time, he thought it strange that Sopher felt the need to remind him of the true purpose for his magical training. Had he not shown every day that he wanted to leave this place? Had he not re-created his mother¡¯s farmhouse nigh every time he dreamed? Why remind him of his own goal?


    His answer came with the next sunset.


    Mousey shuffled out of the barracks with the rest of the recruits, ready for another arduous night of training. He was already planning out what he¡¯d do. He¡¯d cause little gusts of wind to help him fly faster, or warp the climbing ropes so he could get a better grip.


    But, as he came out the door, Lieutenant Nycht pressed a paw to his chest, preventing him from following the rest of the recruits. ¡°Not this time, Mousefred,¡± he said.


    Mousey looked up at the lieutenant in confusion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need any more training,¡± said Lieutenant Nycht. ¡°You are finally ready to become a member of the Nocturnal Patrol. Follow me.¡±


    Mousey felt an uneasy mix of disgust and pride as he followed Lieutenant Nycht up the nearest spiral staircase. They were headed to the roof, where many a young recruit before him had sworn their oaths of loyalty and become Nocturnal Patrolbeasts.


    ¡°The Queen herself has come here for this moment,¡± said Lieutenant Nycht.


    Mousey¡¯s mouth fell open, but he quickly snapped it shut again. His mind was abuzz with questions about the Queen, but he had learned better than to speak out of turn.


    Nycth continued. ¡°Make sure you bow when appropriate, and avoid looking her in the eye, like we taught you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, lieutenant,¡± said Mousey.


    As they climbed ever upward, Mousey looked out each and every window they passed. There had to be some way out of this place. But the windows were all barred, and the gaps between the bars were too small even for him to climb through. Even if he could get through, it was a long way to the ground. And even if he could get to his wings -which were still in the armory- and fly away, there were the archers in the surrounding woods to deal with.


    Sopher had taught him some truly amazing magic, but never anything so incredible that it would allow him to fight off so many archers at once.


    Maybe he could escape the first time he was sent on patrol?


    Mousey and Nycht finally arrived at the roof of the tower. On either side of the two of them dozens of bats stood at attention. Each were clad in black armor, with swords in hand, held out above Mousey and Nycht¡¯s heads as a salute.


    Up ahead, Mousey saw a prisoner wearing brown robes, with a burlap sack over his head. The prisoner had been forced onto his knees, and his wrists were tied behind his back.


    Beyond the kneeling prisoner stood the Queen herself.


    She was a cat with long, black fur, and was far larger than Mousey had imagined. She stood, towering over every other beast on top of that tower, wearing a red and gold dress. She grinned at him, bearing a set of perfectly white, and perfectly sharp, teeth. Mousey shuddered as he realized how easily his whole body could fit in her mouth, trapped between those fangs.


    It was an Unpardonable, a deep wrong to eat a thinking beast, but mice could not survive betting all larger animals kept such morality in mind at all times.


    ¡°There is no reason to fear, my servant,¡± said Queen Felicia. Her voice was so sweet that it made Mousey¡¯s stomach turn. Even one so na?ve as he could tell when kindness was false. ¡°This night, you will join my army, and help maintain order in this realm. No longer are you a lowly mouse; you are a bat of the Nocturnal Patrol.¡± She raised a paw and extended a single claw. ¡°There is but one more test. Lieutenant Nycht, would you do the honors?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your majesty,¡± said Lieutenant Nycht. He turned to Mousey, drew his sword, and placed it in Mousey¡¯s paws. ¡°Every initiate has to execute a prisoner, to show that they are willing to do what is necessary.¡±


    Mousey felt his gut drop. They expected him to spill blood? Truly there would be no turning back if he went through with this.


    He looked down at his reflection in the blade. If he went through with this, he¡¯d be a true monster, just like the rest of the Nocturnal Patrol. The blood would never truly wash off his paws.


    Or his soul.


    This isn¡¯t what Sopher trained me for¡­


    Nycht walked over to the prisoner who knelt before Queen Felicia. He yanked off the burlap sack, revealing his face to Mousey.


    Mousey gasped.


    His friend looked even worse than he had the day they first met. His cheeks were sunken in, and his skin was a paler shade of green, but it was definitely him.


    Queen Felicia expected Mousey to execute Sir Ranae.

 Chapter Five

    ¡°The Toad King let us do as we wished with him.¡±


    Mousey wasn¡¯t sure why Lieutenant Nycht volunteered that information, but he forced a smile and nodded, the sword still in his paw.


    Nycht walked over to Mousey and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Since saving this frog¡¯s life was your crime, ending it shall absolve your guilt. This is how you make things right.¡±


    ¡°Secrets don¡¯t make friends!¡± Queen Felicia giggled. ¡°Come now, pup, show me that you¡¯re ready to join the Nocturnal Guard. Slay this frog and swear your oath to me.¡±


    Mousey approached Sir Ranae. Under his breath he muttered, ¡°I thought you¡¯d been in worse situations than this?¡±


    ¡°How wrong I was,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°I trust as my friend, you will make it quick?¡±


    Mousey drew in a sharp breath. Faced with certain doom, this frog seemed unfazed. He didn¡¯t beg or plead for his life, nor did he bargain, as Mousey would have done.


    Mousey bit his lip and fought back the tears.


    All he wants is a quick end...


    With all eyes still upon him, Mousey raised the sword high over his head, gripping it firmly in both paws.


    What could he possibly do to help his friend? Truly, this was the point of no return. If he slew this frog he would be just as wrong as the rest of the Nocturnal Patrol, but if he did not he was sure they¡¯d execute him alongside his brave friend.


    ¡°Remember everything I taught you,¡± Sopher¡¯s voice rang in Mousey¡¯s head. ¡°Use what you know to get you out of here.¡±


    Mousey thought back to any memory that could get him out of this. He hadn¡¯t yet learned to travel great distances in an instant, so going home was not an option.


    He stared down into Sir Ranae¡¯s eyes. He thought back to that day, when he¡¯d first met this frog by the stream.


    The stream!


    Of course! The stream that ran near Okber, the place where he¡¯d played so many times as a young pup. He knew it so well, and held so many beautiful memories of that place.


    Mousey closed his eyes and focused on those memories.


    This would be their salvation.


    He heard the roar of rushing water, and when he opened his eyes a charging stream poured over the battlements of the tower and spilled over the roof, like a dam had just broken. As the bats all took off into the air in panic, and Queen Felicia fled hissing and cursing from the rushing river, Mousey used the sword to cut Sir Ranae¡¯s bonds.


    ¡°Brace yourself!¡± Mousey shouted, just as the cold, fluid wall crashed into them.


    At first, the waters pulled them under. Mousey didn¡¯t know up from down, and flailed his arms frantically, not sure which direction to go. But Sir Ranae grabbed hold of him and pulled him to the surface.


    The force of the stream carried them away, toward the other edge of the tower. Only then did Mousey realize how ill-thought-out his plan truly was. Once the water spilled them over the edge they would have a long way to fall.


    ¡°Hold on to me!¡± Sir Ranae shouted.


    Mousey wrapped his arms around Ranae¡¯s torso and held on as tightly as he could.


    The water broke through the battlements on the other side of the tower, and Mousey and Sir Ranae spilled over the side. Mousey closed his eyes, terrified of the impending fall into oblivion.


    But they¡¯d stopped falling almost instantly.


    Water still poured over their heads, but they did not plummet, as Mousey expected.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw that Sir Ranae had caught himself on the wall of the tower, and, with great difficulty, was able to hold on in spite of the waterfall beating down on them.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Sir Ranae leapt from that spot on the wall and attached himself to a window a little further down.


    Of course! Mousey had read about this! Many frogs had fingertips that could stick to smooth surfaces like suction cups.


    ¡°A mouse dares to use magic in my kingdom?¡± came Queen Felicia¡¯s roar from above. ¡°Find them! Slay them!¡±


    Bats flew out all around the top of the tower, and their high-pitched screeches filled the air.


    ¡°Flee! They¡¯ll find us!¡± Mousey squeaked, a little louder than he¡¯d intended.


    One bat turned his head to the two of them and, with sword in claw, dove at them.


    Sir Ranae pushed off the wall and allowed the two of them to drop two stories before clinging to a window again.


    The sudden jolt at the end of the drop caused Mousey to lose his grip, and he fell from Sir Ranae¡¯s chest. Below him was the ground, and Mousey could do nothing but watch as it hurtled towards him.


    Another sudden jolt yanked Mousey back up into the air. Something sticky and slimy around his ankle ripped him back up to Sir Ranae¡¯s shoulder. When Mousey looked at his amphibious friend¡¯s face, he spied the frog¡¯s tongue slipping back into his mouth.


    ¡°Hold on as tight as you can!¡± Sir Ranae croaked. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to hurt me.¡±


    Mousey nodded, climbed onto Sir Ranae¡¯s back, and wrapped his arms around his torso again. He couldn¡¯t lock his paws together on the other side, for they didn¡¯t quite meet. Instead, he gripped the rope belt around Sir Ranae¡¯s waist, and prayed it would be enough.


    A bat dove at them.


    Sir Ranae ducked under the bat¡¯s stab. As the Nocturnal Patrolbeast flew past, the frog lashed out with his tongue and snatched the sword from his claw.


    With a sword in one hand, Sir Ranae dropped again, but only fell one story before he gripped another window. The sudden stop wasn¡¯t quite so jarring, and Mousey was able to hold on this time.


    Another bat swooped down to attack Sir Ranae.


    The frog knight parried with the sword he¡¯d stolen, and bashed the bat on the helmet with the pommel.


    The bat, disoriented by the blow, crashed into the wall, then plummeted to the ground beneath them.


    Another drop brought the two of them closer to the ground.


    Then another.


    And another.


    An arrow snapped on the wall beside them, and Mousey looked down to see a cadre of weasels with long-bows down below. They each nocked arrows and took aim at Sir Ranae and Mousey.


    Sir Ranae would never be able to get them down in time. Mousey had to solve this problem himself.


    He looked down at a window below them, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again the window shattered as a river poured forth from within the tower.


    The waterfall crashed down on the archers below, and they scattered out of the way.


    ¡°Amazing!¡± croaked Sir Ranae, climbing down the wall toward the rushing water. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a wizard!¡±


    Mousey simply nodded.


    ¡°Can you freeze the stream?¡± Sir Ranae asked.


    Mousey closed his eyes and thought back to last winter, when he¡¯d gone ice-skating with his brothers and sisters on the shortest day of the year. It was so cold, but Mousey thought the ice and snow were beautiful. The way the icicles hung off the tree branches, the way the frost sparkled in the sunlight, and the patterns of ice in the stream near Okber.


    When he opened his eyes again, frost clung to the tower¡¯s wall, and the stream below had turned into a frozen waterfall, with icicles hanging below.


    Sir Ranae dropped down onto the frozen stream and crouched, allowing himself to slide down it on his feet.


    As the two of them rode the ice downward, Mousey¡¯s heart raced, and in a flash he remembered the time the ice proved thinner than he and his siblings had expected, and Button fell through.


    No sooner had the memory wormed its way back into the forefront of his mind, then the ice crackled and popped.


    Mousey yelped and flailed, terrified that the ice would shatter underneath them, but Sir Ranae held him fast until they reached the ground.


    Mousey slipped off Sir Ranae¡¯s back, and his paws met the solid ground. For the first time in months, he touched free soil.


    But he had no time to celebrate just yet.


    There was a bright flash of light behind him.


    Followed by the deafening roar of thunder less than a second later.


    Mousey clasped his paws over his ears and started to run. Sir Ranae followed.


    Another bright flash, this time right in front of them. The thunderclap shook Mousey¡¯s whole body.


    ¡°You were right!¡± shouted Sir Ranae, as the two of them continued to flee. ¡°She is a terrible sorceress!¡±


    The Queen called the storm? The young mouse found himself in a mix of awe and terror at such power.


    Mousey and Sir Ranae soon reached the cover of trees, where the Queen and her minions were less likely to see them. But Mousey remembered one of his mother¡¯s lessons: never hide under a tree in a lightning storm. They were hidden, but far from safe.


    Another thunder clap, and a burning branch fell in Sir Ranae and Mousey¡¯s path.


    Sir Ranae grabbed Mousey and leapt over the flaming limb, through the pitch-black smoke.


    Mousey coughed and rubbed his eyes to be rid of the tears.


    ¡°We need another river!¡± Sir Ranae shouted.


    Another thunderclap, and a tree nearby split in half. Sir Ranae covered both his own and Mousey¡¯s faces as splinters flew at them.


    ¡°Can you do it?¡± Sir Ranae asked.


    Mousey nodded. He looked up at the canopy of trees, then closed his eyes and focused again.


    One of the trees burst open, and a waterfall poured forth. The river ran along the forest floor, until it found Sir Ranae and Mousey. The waters caught them up and rushed them away.


    More trees fell as lightning struck all around, but the branches kept the bolts from reaching the waters.


    The river Mousey had conjured soon fed into another river, one that had already been there, and he and Sir Ranae swam away, letting the river take them far from Queen Felicia and her minions.

 Chapter Six

    The next morning, Mousey awoke to find himself wrapped in leaves. He looked up to see a ceiling made of twigs and branches. He could hear the sound of rushing waters. Then there was that smell. Not fish, though he smelled fish too.


    Mousey jolted up from his foliage bedroll, a wide grin on his lips.


    Was it real? He hadn¡¯t just imagined it? Or, perhaps, conjured it in his sleep?


    He left the hut wherein he¡¯d slept and walked out to the riverbanks, where Sir Ranae sat upon a rock, his tongue lashing out to catch gnats and mosquitos.


    On a pile of leaves just beside Sir Ranae¡¯s rock sat a gathering of berries and nuts.


    Mousey leapt upon the pile and stuffed his face with the food his dear friend had gathered for him. His cheeks were soon full, and he savored the deliciousness on his tongue. Tears fell from his eyes as he chewed, and the sugary juices squeezed out of the berries.


    Sir Ranae looked down at him and smiled. ¡°Truly, there¡¯s nothing like a great feast after so long a captive.¡± The frog knight hopped down off of the rock and wiped Mousey¡¯s mouth. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree, my friend?¡±


    ¡°Yeth,¡± said Mousey, his cheeks still bulging.


    Sir Ranae chuckled. ¡°I will spread tales of your heroic deeds at the tower. Truly, young Mousey, you have proven yourself both courageous and capable. I thank you kindly for your¡­ kind¡­ kindness once again.¡± Sir Ranae¡¯s smile faded, and he rubbed the back of his head. ¡°But¡­ for now we have other matters to worry about. We have to hurry back to your mother¡¯s home. Hopefully, we can reach her before the Nocturnal Patrol does.¡±


    Mousey dropped the dripping remains of his breakfast and scurried off down the riverbanks.


    ¡°Hold, pup!¡± Sir Ranae croaked as he chased after him.


    ¡°We have to¡­ get to my¡­ house before the¡­. Nocturnal Patrol!¡± Mousey squeaked back between huffs.


    ¡°It¡¯s at least a day¡¯s journey by leaps!¡± Sir Ranae yelled in turn. ¡°We need to pace ourselves! Already you are winded!¡±


    ¡°Listen to the knight!¡± Sopher spoke in Mousey¡¯s thoughts.


    Mousey felt as if a great weight sat in his pocket, and it only grew heavier with each step he took. Soon, he realized that weight was Sopher, working to slow him down.


    Sir Ranae caught up with Mousey and scooped him off the ground. ¡°Consider this rationally, wee one!¡±


    Mousey squirmed and wrestled to get out of his friend¡¯s arm. Yet, no matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t get Sir Ranae to budge an inch, and he couldn¡¯t find any way to simply slip out. Mousey had thought himself so tough after all his training with the Nocturnal Patrol. It seemed he was still no match for a real-life knight.


    If my family is in danger, he¡¯s exactly the sort of person I want protecting them.


    Mousey sighed and stopped struggling. ¡°We need to get there faster¡­ faster than we can on foot. The Nocturnal Patrol can fly. That already gives them a huge advantage.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, lad, but I left Bahamut in the Dank Marsh.¡±


    ¡°Bahamut?¡± Mousey asked, with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°My riding iguana,¡± said Sir Ranae, ¡°His family and mine have fought together for generatio¡ª¡±


    ¡°We need a plan now!¡± Mousey squeaked and stamped his paw. ¡°My family is in danger!¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Sir Ranae said, scratching under his bulging chin.


    Mousey looked down at the stream running beside them, ¡°Maybe I can just use the river again. I can overflow it, and make it carry us down.¡±


    ¡°We were fortunate not to drown last time,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you? The waters turned violent when we arrived at the stream. We were pulled under¡­ you almost didn¡¯t make it, pup.¡±


    Mousey stared at him, certain that the frog had lost his mind. Yet, as he thought about it, there were gaps in his memory of the events from the previous night. He remembered being swept away, beyond the reach of the Queen¡¯s magic, but he couldn¡¯t recall what happened after that. His next memory was waking up the following morning.


    Or was it the next morning? Mousey looked up at the shelter Sir Ranae had constructed.


    How long have we been here?


    Has the Nocturnal Patrol already beaten us there?


    ¡°Be mindful of your worries!¡± Sopher warned.


    No sooner had the thoughts entered his head, than his ears twitched at the sound of the roaring river. A wall of water crashed around the bend and galloped at them, with mist spraying out in all directions. The raging current carried with it twigs, stones, and terrified fishDid you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Both Mousey and Sir Ranae turned and fled. Yet, soon Mousey felt the water splashing on his tail. Then he found himself kicking it with every stride. Finally, the water engulfed him. Up was down, down was up. He couldn¡¯t orientate himself to escape.


    The stream tore down the banks, dragging Mousey along.


    Until two green hands snatched him out of the water¡¯s flow.


    ¡°Tell me you¡¯re still breathing, wee one!¡± cried Sir Ranae, perched atop a bull-rush stalk.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mousey squeaked back.


    At least he would have, had his nose and mouth not been filled with water.


    He choked and coughed, as it poured out his nostrils.


    Sir Ranae chuckled. ¡°If you can cough you can breathe.¡± The frog set him down on the stalk next to his own.


    ¡°Your thoughts bend reality!¡± Sopher said. ¡°You must keep them under control!¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Mousey replied.


    ¡°And why is your solution to every problem ¡®add water?¡¯ You¡¯ve nearly drowned yourself twice, and you¡¯ve soaked my pages. Now they¡¯re all curled up and stuck together!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry! Will you be alright?¡±


    There was a brief pause, then Sopher said in a softer tone. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be fine. My ink won¡¯t run and my binding will hold.¡±


    Mousey hacked and fought for breath a little more and looked up at his friend. His paws grasped the bull-rush stalk even tighter as he said, ¡°Thank you, Sir Ranae. I¡¯m sorry I put us in such danger.¡±


    ¡°What danger have you put us in, pup?¡± Sir Ranae asked, giving a confused look.


    ¡°I summoned the river,¡± said Mousey. ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that was your doing?¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite alright, lad. You¡¯ve endured enough peril to win my friendship, the least I can do is endure the same for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mousey sighed and smiled.


    ¡°You are not wrong,¡± said Sir Ranae, ¡°We must get there swiftly, as we¡¯ve already lost some time, and raising this river is not truly a bad idea. We just need time to make a raft.¡±


    ¡°A raft?¡± Mousey repeated. ¡°I can make one!¡± he squeaked.


    ¡°Can you just¡­ make anything you want?¡± Sir Ranae asked.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Not really,¡± said Mousey, scratching one of his ears. ¡°I¡­ I can conjure up things I¡¯m familiar with, if I remember them fondly enough. But, even then, it¡¯s only temporary.¡±


    ¡°It should work well enough for this,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°Have you any fond memories of boats?¡± Sir Ranae asked. ¡°And can you conjure one for long enough to transport us back to your house?¡±


    ¡°I do have one memory¡­¡± said Mousey. He closed his eyes and thought back to when he was still a furless pup, and his father gave him a toy sail-boat. He recalled taking it down to the stream by his village, and letting it ride the waters.


    He heard Sir Ranae gasp, and when he opened his eyes he saw a sail-boat, just big enough for the two of them, sitting on the riverbank.


    Sir Ranae smiled and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Glorious! Climb aboard, captain.¡±


    Mousey grunted as he pulled himself up. Once over the boat¡¯s wall, he flopped onto the deck. Sir Ranae pushed on the boat, until it started to move with the rushing river. Mousey hurried to the helm to keep the boat in place by the shore as Sir Ranae jumped aboard.


    Wind filled the sails, and the vessel glided down the river.


    With his paws on the helm, Mousey steered them past rocks along the way. The same wind that filled his sails blew through his fur and whiskers. ¡°We¡¯ll make it there long before the Nocturnal Patrol arrives!¡±


    Sure enough, the town of Okber was as boring and peaceful as ever when Mousey and Sir Ranae sailed up to its stream-banks.


    No sooner had the two of them stepped onto dry land than the boat vanished into thin air.


    Both Mousey and Sir Ranae ran to the Souris farmhouse.


    Mousey threw the door open, ¡°Mom!¡± he shouted. ¡°Mom, we¡¯ve got to leave!¡±


    But his call echoed in an abandoned home.


    ¡°Heavens! Are we too late?¡± Mousey squeaked, and rushed around the house for any sign of his mother or siblings.


    ¡°Calm yourself,¡± Sir Ranae croaked. ¡°And take a moment to study your surroundings. There are no overturned tables or chairs, no broken windows, no sign at all of a struggle. When your family departed they likely did so by their own agency.¡±


    ¡°But, where did they go?¡± squeaked Mousey. He tore through the cupboards. It seemed they¡¯d taken the food with them when they left. ¡°Where could they have gone?¡±


    ¡°If they took the food they did not expect to return soon,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°I know not¡­¡± said Sir Ranae, giving Mousey an apologetic look. ¡°Have you any relatives nearby?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know of any¡­¡± said Mousey, still searching behind every door and under every piece of furniture. ¡°Wait! Here¡¯s something!¡± he said, as he pulled a slip of paper out from under the dinner table.


    ¡°A note?¡± Sir Ranae croaked.


    ¡°This looks like Mom¡¯s hand-writing.¡± Mousey unfolded the paper and read.


    Mousey,


    I have gone out to search for you. The other townsfolk tell me you are likely dead, but I don¡¯t believe it. I won¡¯t give up until I¡¯ve seen you again. I¡¯m leaving this note here in case you somehow escape and come back here looking for me.


    Your siblings are staying with an old friend of mine, a rabbit named Mr. Lapin. I¡¯ve hidden a map to his hutch in your favorite book. If you arrive home, please go there immediately. I will check Mr. Lapin¡¯s hutch every couple of weeks to see if you have returned.


    My dear son, I love you, and I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t strong enough to stop them from taking you.


    With All My Love,


    Mom


    ¡°Your favorite book, hmmm?¡± said Sopher, a tone of feigned jealousy in her voice, followed by a giggle.


    Sir Ranae approached Mousey, holding in his hands the stick that Mousey had fashioned into a crutch for him. The bandages were still wrapped around the Y at the top.


    Mousey took the stick from Sir Ranae¡¯s hands and smiled at it. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±


    Sir Ranae shrugged, ¡°A memento of your kindness. I found it on the floor back there. I still don¡¯t have any real reward to offer for all your help.¡±


    ¡°You helped me escape too,¡± said Mousey. ¡°I think we¡¯re even. But, if you want me


    to, I¡¯ll hang onto the stick.¡±


    ¡°What did the note say?¡± Sir Ranae asked. Rather than repeat everything to him, Mousey simply gave him the paper. Sir Ranae read it over, then said, ¡°It appears your Mother wishes you to go to this hutch, where your brothers and sisters are.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she wrote.¡±


    ¡°But with the Nocturnal Patrol out searching for you now¡­¡±


    ¡°I need to find her first,¡± said Mousey, ¡°And make sure she¡¯s safe.¡± He folded up the note and shoved it into his pocket, then produced Sopher from that same pocket, setting her down on the dinner table.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? A book?¡± Sir Ranae asked.


    ¡°A very helpful book,¡± said Mousey. He gestured to the front door, which caused it to close, then waved at the curtains, which drew over the windows. Once he was sure they were hidden, he opened the cover and leaned in close to the wet, wrinkled pages. ¡°Sopher, I need your help.¡±


    A wind swirled around the hovel, and Sopher¡¯s spirit appeared in front of Mousey, clad in a dress made from white pages, as before. Mousey glanced back at Sir Ranae, and saw that his friend could, indeed, see what Mousey saw. The frog¡¯s mouth hung open, and his eyes were so wide Mousey half-expected them to fall out.


    ¡°How may I help you?¡± asked Sopher.

 Chapter Seven

    ¡°I need advice,¡± Mousey said to Sopher.


    ¡°Ask away,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°I need to find my Mom before the Nocturnal Patrol does.¡±


    Sopher nodded. ¡°I can help with that. First of all, you¡¯ll need something to hold in your paw. Something to focus your magic.¡±


    Sir Ranae still stood nearby with his mouth hanging open. Whenever Mousey had gaped like that, his Mom always told him he had to be careful not to catch flies that way. Mousey considered making the joke here, but realized that it would not be as funny for his frog friend.


    He returned his attention to Sopher. ¡°Will this do?¡± he held up the stick that Sir Ranae had given him.


    ¡°You have a stave already?¡± Sopher asked. ¡°It seems you are a few lessons ahead of me.¡±


    ¡°Not really a stave, it¡¯s a crutch,¡± Mousey giggled. Then he stopped and looked at the stick. Its top reached up to the tips of his ears, and his paw naturally rested on the middle. Now that he really thought about it, in his fingers the crutch did resemble a typical wizard¡¯s stave. Mousey laughed again and turned to Sir Ranae, ¡°Well, it seems you¡¯ve given me a wonderful gift after all. My very first wizard¡¯s stave!¡±


    Sir Ranae tilted his head to one side, then chuckled. ¡°Oh? Well, much obliged to be of assistance.¡±


    Mousey turned back to Sopher. ¡°So, I have my magic stave. How will this help me find my Mom?¡±


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± Sopher said.


    Mousey did as he was instructed.


    ¡°Now, hold the stave in both paws, and try to picture your mother in your head,¡± said Sopher. ¡°You¡¯ll feel the stave start to pull in her direction. Tell me when you feel it.¡±


    Mousey focused for a moment, recalling his mother¡¯s face and voice. After a short while, he felt as if someone had grasped the other end of the stave, and pulled it in a new direction. ¡°There!¡± he said, holding the stave pointed at the pull. He kept his eyes closed for the moment. ¡°I feel it!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± said Sopher, an almost giddy tone in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re doing beautifully, Mousey! You catch on quickly.¡±


    Sir Ranae chuckled, ¡°He¡¯s a special young mouse, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t interrupt,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, then Sopher said, ¡°All right, now, Mousey, I¡¯m going to hold a map under your palm. Without looking, I want you to put your paw down where you think your mother is.¡±


    Mousey heard the fluttering of paper, followed by Sir Ranae¡¯s gasp. Soon, he felt a piece of parchment under his paw. He slid his pads along the parchment, until he felt a fluttering in his chest.


    He tapped that part of the map. ¡°Right there.¡±


    When he opened his eyes, he saw the map floating in the air in front of Sopher, and a quill moved of its own accord to mark the spot he¡¯d touched. The map fluttered as the wind blew under the door, and golden sparkles fell from underneath it.


    Sopher held the map out to Sir Ranae. ¡°I know you¡¯ve seen more of the world than he has. Do you think you can find that spot?¡±


    ¡°Find it?¡± Sir Ranae repeated, his chin bulging out. ¡°I know it well! ¡®Tis the Trembling Bog, where the Toad King lives!¡±


    ¡°The Toad King?¡± Mousey gasped. ¡°Aren¡¯t his minions looking for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain,¡± said Sir Ranae, licking one of his own eyeballs. ¡°If he let Queen Felicia keep me as long as she did, he probably assumes I¡¯m dead. More to the point, if your mother has wandered into his territory she may be in danger from more than just the Nocturnal Patrol.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s hurry!¡± Mousey said. He picked up the book from the table, and Sopher¡¯s spirit disappeared back into its pages, just before he returned her to his pocket.


    Outside the farmhouse, Mousey asked Sir Ranae, ¡°Can we sail to the Toad King¡¯s lands?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Terribly sorry, but no,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°Not from here, in any case. We¡¯re going to have to walk most of the way.¡±


    Mousey groaned. ¡°I was afraid of that.¡±


    They walked all day, and Mousey soon found himself further from home than he¡¯d ever been by his own choice. So often his mother had told him, ¡°Don¡¯t wander too far,¡± when he¡¯d gone out to play. Now that Okber, and any of the surrounding, recognizable features were out of sight, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixed sense of adventure and unshakeable guilt.


    ¡°Your life is different now,¡± Sopher whispered in his mind. ¡°All of the boundaries that


    once held you in are gone. Now you just need time to realize what that means.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little confused at Sopher¡¯s words. What boundaries held him before? He knew that in the tower he was trapped, and Sopher helped him escape that prison, but he¡¯d never felt like a prisoner before that.


    ¡°In time you will understand,¡± she reassured him.


    When night fell, Sir Ranae immediately took to picking up sticks from the ground, holding them in a bundle in his arms. ¡°Mousey, I¡¯m going to build us a shelter,¡± he said. ¡°Find some smaller twigs for a campfire.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± said Mousey, and he immediately set out to gather as many twigs as he could.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been fortunate, so far, to be surrounded by so many berry bushes and apple trees,¡± said Sir Ranae, as he built their shelter. ¡°But, as we get closer to the Trembling Bog, we¡¯ll have a little more trouble finding food for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of something.¡± Mousey shrugged. ¡°Right now, all that matters is that we get to my Mom before the toads do. Frankly¡­ I¡¯d really prefer we didn¡¯t even stop to camp.¡±


    ¡°You need sleep,¡± grunted Sir Ranae. ¡°It will not do for you to find her while weakened by fatigue. What help would you be to her then?¡±


    ¡°What help am I to her if the toads get her first?¡± Mousey retorted.


    Sir Ranae frowned and shook his head. ¡°I understand you are worried, but remember, the toads aren¡¯t looking for her. We have at least that advantage.¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Mousey sighed and dropped the twigs he¡¯d been gathering into a pile on the ground.


    ¡°Gather some rocks around that, if you could,¡± said Sir Ranae, putting the finishing touches on the hut. ¡°I¡¯ll light the fire in a moment.¡±


    ¡°I can light it,¡± said Mousey. He gathered a few stones around the pile of twigs, then held out his paw. He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking back to the candles his mother would sometimes light at night, then opened his eyes again to see a small flame floating over his paw.


    ¡°Be wary,¡± Sopher said. ¡°Fire is unpredictable and hard to control. The tall apes ruled the world using its warmth, but even they sometimes had to fight it when it grew out of control.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Mousey told her.


    When he held the flame against the twigs, though, they smoked but did not burn. Mousey grumbled indignantly and held the flame against some of the larger twigs. Still nothing.


    Sir Ranae walked over and sat beside him. ¡°Here, let me help.¡± Sir Ranae rearranged the twigs into a shape where they all built to a point in the center, then scooped up bits of dry grass in his hand and held them out to Mousey. ¡°Light this.¡±


    Mousey held the flame to the kindling Sir Ranae had gathered, and Sir Ranae placed the kindling under the pile of twigs.


    A short wait later, the campfire was started, and Sir Ranae beamed at Mousey. ¡°This is your first campfire, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Very first one,¡± said Mousey with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ve never traveled before.¡±


    Sopher spoke from within Mousey¡¯s pocket. ¡°Watch the fire tonight, before you go to sleep.¡± Sir Ranae jumped a little at the sound of Sopher¡¯s voice. It seemed he often forgot she was there. ¡°Get used to the way it moves and dances. Remember the smell of the smoke, and the feel of the fire¡¯s warmth. Then, next time you need to make a campfire,


    you can use magic.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Sopher¡­¡± said Sir Ranae, ¡°Might I speak with you for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± came Sopher¡¯s voice from within Mousey¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ in person¡­¡± Sir Ranae rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Could you¡­ appear¡­ before me?¡±


    Mousey¡¯s pocket glowed for a moment, and Sopher¡¯s spirit emerged between the two of them, as before. She turned her golden face to Sir Ranae and said, ¡°Does this make it easier?¡±


    ¡°Far easier,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°I was just thinking, you¡¯ve taught Mousey some practical magic, but maybe it¡¯s time to teach him some spells to use in battle?¡±


    ¡°I do not teach spells,¡± said Sopher, an indignant tone in her voice. ¡°What I teach is¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± Sir Ranae interrupted. ¡°If we¡¯re going into the Trembling Bog, Mousey will need to know how to use his magic to fight.¡±


    Sopher grunted even greater indignation at this and folded her arms. ¡°You want me to make him into a destroyer?¡±


    Sir Ranae frowned. ¡°Well, yes. He will traverse harm¡¯s way. Knowledge of some destructive magic might be in order.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t choose to teach him magic so that he could cause hurt,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°Then what is it for?¡± asked Sir Ranae, his tone growing increasingly agitated.


    ¡°To help,¡± Sopher responded, as if Sir Ranae¡¯s question had been the most foolish thing she¡¯d ever heard.


    ¡°Knights help folk too,¡± Sir Ranae croaked in disgust. ¡°And sometimes we do so by fighting.¡±


    Mousey could sense that this argument was bound to get uglier if he didn¡¯t step in, and he hated the idea of his two friends fighting. ¡°Sopher!¡± he squeaked, then cleared his throat. ¡°Sopher, I understand why you don¡¯t want to teach me to hurt others. I remember how much destruction the Queen¡¯s thunderstorm caused. I don¡¯t want to be like her. But, maybe you could teach me ways to¡­ well, protect myself? A knight like Sir Ranae usually uses a sword and a shield. Maybe you can teach me how to use magic like a shield?¡±


    There was a brief pause, and finally Sopher said, ¡°I can teach you that. And, maybe someday I¡¯ll teach you destructive magic too, but not yet. I want you to be ready to learn that kind of power before I teach it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sopher,¡± said Mousey, patting his pocket, where the book still rested.


    To his surprise, some of the gold on Sopher¡¯s face, just under her eyes, turned red. ¡°No, thank you,¡± she said. ¡°Tonight, in your dreams, I shall teach you how to defend yourself. Sleep well.¡±

 Chapter Eight

    ¡°Using your stave, you should be able to wield magic


    without closing your eyes.¡±


    Once again, Mousey and Sopher met in the young mouse¡¯s dreams. Mousey still wasn¡¯t sure if their surroundings came from his own mind, if they were something Sopher constructed, or if they were some sort of mix of the two.


    Sopher¡¯s spirit floated in the air before him. Her shape resembled that of a mouse, wearing a dress made from the pages of a book. Where fur should have been, there instead was a glowing gold, and her eyes were two blue splotches of ink. Though there was no breeze, the pages of her dress fluttered.


    Just like the folds of Sopher¡¯s gown, the ground beneath Mousey¡¯s paws was made up of the pages of a book, folded open. Between Mousey and Sopher was the divot where the pages bound to the spine. In the air all around them swirled letters, symbols, diagrams, and pictures. They flew by so quickly and in such a great multitude that Mousey hadn¡¯t the time to recognize any of them.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Sopher asked, her paws folded in front of her lap.


    Mousey nodded to Sopher and held his staff out in front of him, ready to practice. He spread his stance on the pages and prepared himself for whatever Sopher was about to send his way.


    ¡°Look just past the end of your stave,¡± said Sopher, ¡°And when you see something dangerous coming your way, imagine a wall between you and whatever it is.¡±


    Mousey narrowed his eyes, focusing on a point just past the Y at the top of the rod. ¡°I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Here it comes,¡± said Sopher. In the air, off the edge of the book upon which Mousey and Sopher stood, formed the shape of a rhinoceros beetle. Mousey shuddered at the sight of it.


    The beetle faced Mousey and rushed toward him, its horn ready to attack.


    Mousey aimed his stave at the approaching bug and tried to recall the walls of his farmhouse.


    Before his very eyes, a wooden wall sprung up in the beetle¡¯s path. There was a loud crack as the creature collided with the barrier, and Mousey breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone now.¡± Sopher gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.


    Mousey lowered his stave, and the wall disappeared. She was right, the beetle was gone. He smiled up at Sopher. ¡°Thank


    you.¡±


    ¡°Just remember that trick when you¡¯re in danger,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Keep barriers between yourself and your enemies. Walls aren¡¯t the only sorts of barriers you can call upon, either. Waterfalls -of which you¡¯ve conjured plenty- a strong gust of wind, a door, a shield, anything that creates a barrier between yourself and those who wish to do you harm.¡±


    Mousey reached out one paw and held hers. ¡°You know something, Sopher, you make me feel¡­ umm¡­ less afraid. There¡¯s so much in this world to worry about, but what you¡¯ve taught me¡­ it makes me feel like I¡¯m not just at the mercy of others anymore.¡±


    Red replaced some of the gold on Sopher¡¯s face. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because you¡¯re not, Mousey. You have power now, real power, and that will help you look after those you love.¡±


    ¡°Those I love¡­¡± Mousey thought about all the ones he cared for deeply. His mother, his siblings, Sir Ranae, and now Sopher. He cherished each of them. But there was something special about the way Sopher made him feel. Something different.


    Sopher simply stared at him, with that face he found so impossible to decipher. Ironic that the spirit of a book should be so unreadable.


    A strong hand on Mousey¡¯s shoulder made the dream fade, and Mousey looked up at Sir Ranae¡¯s face.


    Sir Ranae held a finger to his lips.


    ¡°What is¡ª¡±


    The frog covered Mousey¡¯s mouth with one hand and shook his own head vigorously. He then pointed off to Mousey¡¯s right.


    Mousey turned his eyes and beheld the source of Sir Ranae¡¯s worry. In the distance, he could see five leathery toads, each clad


    in bronze armor and carrying spears. The tall grass around Mousey and Sir Ranae¡¯s campsite concealed them, for now, especially in the low light of the dawn. Unfortunately, the toads had clearly spotted the shelter, and headed their way.


    Sir Ranae gestured for Mousey to follow him and crawled away through the tall grass.


    Mousey could hear the toads drawing close, and his fur stood on end. He imagined the grass slightly taller and hoped that he¡¯d successfully made it grow just enough to keep them hidden.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± one of the toads croaked.


    For a moment, Mousey wished he knew some curse words.


    ¡°Aye, you!¡± the toad shouted. ¡°Stand up, vermin!¡±


    Mousey jumped up and stood at attention. ¡°Y-yes, s-sir!¡±


    ¡°And your green companion,¡± croaked the toad. ¡°Stand!¡±


    Sir Ranae rose to his feet and held up both of his hands.


    The five toads walked around to circle them, each pointing a spear at Sir Ranae and Mousey. They each stood a few strides away, but Mousey was sure with a good leap they could close that distance. ¡°Frogs aren¡¯t allowed in the Trembling Bog.¡±


    ¡°Are we in the Trembling Bog?¡± Sir Ranae said in a confused tone. ¡°I hadn¡¯t seen any of the typical signs of a bog. Mud, vines hanging off of trees, mosquitoes¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on the border,¡± croaked the toad, his nostrils flaring. ¡°And everyone knows frogs aren¡¯t welcome.¡±


    ¡°Terribly sorry,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Boss,¡± croaked another one of the toads. ¡°They were crawling away, methinks these two is spies.¡±


    ¡°Come now, spies?¡± Sir Ranae said with a chortle. ¡°I understand why you might think that of me, but my companion here? Who sends a mouse pup as a spy?¡±


    Mousey simply nodded and pointed to Sir Ranae.


    ¡°We¡¯ll decide what you are or are not,¡± said the leader. He gestured to one of the others, and the toad approached Sir Ranae with a pair of manacles from his belt. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for trespassing.¡±


    Mousey glanced back at Sir Ranae, hoping for some hint of what to do. The frog knight watched the approaching toad. When he was within arm¡¯s reach, Sir Ranae smacked him in the head, snatched his spear, and tripped his legs out from under him with the


    shaft.


    ¡°Slay them!¡± the toad leader shouted.


    ¡°Graaagh!¡± all the toads cried out as they charged.


    Mousey stared at the spear-point rushing towards him. His body shook as he realized the impending doom that awaited him.


    ¡°Remember your training!¡± Sopher said in his mind.


    Mousey held his stave out in front of him and imagined the wall of his home, just like before.


    The wall rose up in front of the approaching toad, and Mousey heard a loud smack. He almost laughed at the sound, until he realized that another toad was coming after him from the other side.


    Mousey spun around, aimed his stave, and a metal shield the size of the toad¡¯s face appeared in his way. First, the shield broke the toad¡¯s spear. Then, as Mousey waved his stave, the shield zipped through the air, around in a circle, and smacked the toad in the face.


    Sir Ranae picked up his sword from the ground and, with his blade in one hand and a spear in the other, he fought back against two toads. Jabs with his spear kept one at a distance, and the other¡¯s lance he fended off with his sword.


    The leader leapt at Mousey, a ferocious croak erupting from his throat.


    Mousey whipped the shield around and caught the toad in the chest. The blow knocked the wind out of the leathery amphibian, and he fell on the ground, clutching his ribs.


    Sir Ranae finished off the toad to his left, then, unable to remove the spear from the fallen enemy¡¯s armor, took his sword in both hands.


    The other toad leapt at Sir Ranae, who, in turn, leapt out of the way.


    The two stood face to face and hurdled toward each other again. Whilst in the air, Sir Ranae kicked aside his enemy¡¯s spear-head and ran him through with his sword.


    This battle had Mousey so enthralled, that even his great, round ears did not hear the one last toad coming up behind him.


    The toad snatched one of Mousey¡¯s paws and attempted to wrestle him into submission. Mousey turned and bit the toad¡¯s wrist,


    forcing him to let go, then kicked him away.


    The toad stumbled back for a moment, then lunged at Mousey again, with a dagger in his hand.


    Mousey aimed his stave, ready to defend himself.


    But, at that moment, an image flashed in Mousey¡¯s mind. That of the campfire he and Sir Ranae had built on the first night of this journey.


    Fire enshrouded the toad¡¯s face, and he fell back, shrieking in pain.


    ¡°Oh, Heavens, no!¡± Sir Ranae croaked loudly. ¡°Don¡¯t let him suffer! Put it out!¡±


    Sir Ranae picked up handfuls of soil and flung them at the fire burning the toad¡¯s face.


    Mousey aimed his stave again, and water splashed over the toad, instantly extinguishing the flames.


    As steam rose from the toad¡¯s body, Mousey turned to Sir Ranae and asked, ¡°Is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s still breathing,¡± said Sir Ranae.


    The toad sniveled and pressed his fingers to his burnt face. ¡°You¡¯re a monster!¡± he croaked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± said Mousey.


    Sir Ranae grunted. ¡°What¡¯s your name, toad?¡±


    ¡°Krote,¡± the toad whimpered,


    ¡°Krote,¡± repeated Sir Ranae. ¡°Well, Krote, I¡¯ll tell you what you¡¯re going to do. You¡¯re going to report to your king. You¡¯ll tell him about what happened to you today, and that he should beware the mouse wizard. Tell him that he¡¯d better not incur this mouse¡¯s wrath, or he¡¯ll suffer far worse, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± croaked the toad.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Sir Ranae. He pulled the toad up to his feet. ¡°Now, get moving, before I change my mind and run you through like the others!¡±


    After the burned toad was gone from view, Sir Ranae turned to Mousey, ¡°A battlefield is full of pain, pup. But soldiers doing their duty don¡¯t deserve to suffer.¡±


    Mousey winced, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, and you¡¯re not to blame. If you acted on instinct. You did your duty and protected us both. He patted Mousey on the back and said, ¡°Let us depart, my friend. The less we linger in the Trembling Bog, the fewer toads we¡¯ll encounter.¡±


    The two of them continued their journey, but all Mousey could think about was what he had done. Sir Ranae had told him over and over that he shouldn¡¯t blame himself, that he¡¯d acted on instinct.


    Mousey tried to tell himself the same, but he just couldn¡¯t shake the guilt. That poor toad¡­ he was sure this would haunt his sleep for a long time. The toad was right; at least for a moment, Mousey was a monster.


    ¡°I can sense your turmoil,¡± said Sopher in Mousey¡¯s head. In spite of her comforting tone, hearing her speak only caused tears to flow from Mousey¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to teach you how to fight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Sopher,¡± Mousey said aloud, wiping his snout on his sleeve. ¡°I know y-you didn¡¯t t-teach me m-m-magic so I c-c-could use it t-t-to hurt.¡± His paws shook and his voice wavered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± said Sopher. ¡°This is my fault. I should have taught you other things you could use to defend yourself. Other ways to make enemies leave you alone if they¡¯re being unreasonable.¡±


    Mousey nodded and sniffled. He tried hard to swallow the lump in the back of his throat and took three deep breaths. ¡°I never want to burn anyone ever again.¡±

 Chapter Nine

    Mud gripped to Mousey¡¯s paws with each step.


    Bright green algae floated on the surface of the water around them.


    Vines hung from the branches of trees above.


    There was a foul stench in the air, like sewage and moldy cheese.


    He could hear the buzzing of mosquitoes and dragonflies nearby.


    And every so often, the mud would grow warmer as the ground shook.


    There was no doubt about it now; they were in the midst of the Trembling Bog.


    Sir Ranae kept an eye out for approaching toads, and led Mousey along paths where the roots of trees kept them out of the muck. Most of the time, anyway.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop thinking about your mother,¡± Sopher said from Mousey¡¯s pocket. ¡°Keep her image in your mind, and trust your feelings. You already know where she is, even if you don¡¯t know you know.¡±


    She was right. The further they walked into this swamp, the more he knew that his mother was not far. There was that warmth and comfort he always felt whenever she was near. Though he¡¯d had little to eat in the swamp, except for the occasional grasshoppers Sir Ranae had helped him catch, his belly felt as if it were full of his mother¡¯s bread.


    Sir Ranae¡¯s tongue lashed out every few seconds, enjoying the feast of mosquitoes all around them. He¡¯d been in an unusually pleasant mood, even compared to usual, ever since they¡¯d entered the swamp. Mousey found this quite odd, given that they were deep into enemy territory at this point.


    At a certain point in the bog, Mousey stopped walking, for he felt a pull in his chest, directing him straight downward. He stared down at the mud under his paws and cocked his head to one side. Why was he sensing his mother below him?


    Sir Ranae halted and turned to him. ¡°Mousey, what is it?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right below me¡­¡± said Mousey, giving Sir Ranae a confused look.


    Sir Ranae walked over to him and tapped the ground with his feet. ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± squeaked Mousey. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it¡­ but I know she¡¯s down there. How is that possible?¡±


    Sir Ranae rubbed his chin for a moment and stared at the ground. Then, under Mousey¡¯s paws, the ground began to shift, and Sir Ranae¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Mousey, run!¡± he croaked.


    Mousey moved to do as he was told, but tripped when part of the mud under his paws shifted. He crashed snout-first into the muck, and flailed to get his nose out of that foul-smelling mess. His paws frantically wiped the mud away from his nostrils, desperate to be rid of that horrible stench.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± came a booming, deep voice from behind Mousey. His whole body trembled, and he slowly turned his head to see the source. There stood an enormous four-legged creature, with pitch-black skin covered in yellow stripes. The creature had a long tail, eyes that bugged out, and a wide smile that reached back to where Mousey imagined ears should have been. ¡°Well, hello, there,¡± said the beast. As it spoke, its breath came out as a foul-smelling, green haze.


    Mousey stared up into one of the creature¡¯s black eyes, too frozen with terror to move. Soon, his eyes drifted down to the creature¡¯s gaping, open mouth, and the saliva already pouring over the beast¡¯s tongue.


    He was snapped back to reality when Sir Ranae grabbed him and leapt up onto the branch of a nearby tree. ¡°A salamander!¡± Sir Ranae croaked. ¡°Stay away from these monsters, Mousey! Their breath is a plague, and they¡¯ll eat anything weaker than they!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Oh? Fleeing before our battle¡¯s even begun, are you?¡± The salamander grinned, revealing a set of sharp teeth, just behind his lips. ¡°Sir Ranae Salamander¡¯s Bane, I expected better of you! Was it not you who slew Emurth the Clever in single combar?¡±


    Sir Ranae drew his sword, but said nothing.


    ¡°And, little Mousey¡­¡± the salamander cooed. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me eavesdropping, but it seems you were looking for your mother?¡± The salamander moved off to one side, revealing that he had been resting upon a small cage, in which lay a mouse, covered in mud and slime.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Mousey shouted, as Sir Ranae struggled to hold him back.


    ¡°We need a plan,¡± Sir Ranae whispered to him.


    The striped beast below them roared with laughter. ¡°Oh, yes, indeed. You will need a brilliant plan if you intend to survive, Sir Ranae. See, we salamanders have a certain¡­ sense of pride. Where Emurth the Clever failed, I, Mogur the Swift shall succeed. All will know of my story; the salamander who ate Sir Ranae!¡±


    Sir Ranae leapt from the branch with Mousey in his arms, just as the black salamander¡¯s tongue snapped the spot where they¡¯d stood just a moment ago. With Mousey in one arm and a sword in his other hand, Sir Ranae struggled to land his feet upon the nearest branch in reach.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mousey?¡± Mogur taunted. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your poor mother? I agreed to spare her life if she sung to me every day, but now that I think about it, a she-mouse would make for an excellent dinner.¡±


    ¡°YOU MONSTER!¡± Mousey squealed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Sir Ranae whispered again, still trying to hold Mousey back. ¡°Don¡¯t play his game his way! It¡¯s a trick! We¡¯re out of his reach here.¡±


    Mogur roared with laughter again, then tore the roof off the cage. Mrs. Souris moaned and squirmed, her eyes barely opening to look up at the salamander. Mogur wiggled his fingers in delight, then scooped up Mrs. Souris in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve tasted mouse flesh¡­¡±


    Mousey made the closest sound he could muster to a snarl and aimed his stave at Mogur. A round, river stone flew through the air and cracked the salamander¡¯s side, causing him to drop Mrs. Souris as he stumbled away.


    Mogur glared at Mousey, fury in his eyes, let out a low hiss, then charged at the tree wherein Mousey and Sir Ranae stood. When he reached the trunk, his fingers stuck to it, and he ran straight up the front.


    Mousey turned to Sir Ranae, ¡°Get my mother! Now!¡± he commanded. ¡°I¡¯ll hold him off!¡±


    Sir Ranae nodded to Mousey and leapt from the branch to the back side of the tree.


    Mogur was half-way up the trunk when he looked up at Mousey again and opened his mouth.


    Seeing what was coming, Mousey raised his stave again and a large shield appeared between him and Mogur. Mogur¡¯s tongue smacked the shield.


    The salamander hissed again and continued his ascent.


    Mousey aimed his stave and recalled a snow storm from years ago, one that had all but buried his mother¡¯s house, allowing he and his siblings to play in the powder. Frost and snow blasted Mogur¡¯s face.


    Groans and hisses poured from the salamander¡¯s lips, but he continued up the tree. Even so, the beast had closed his eyes to protect them from the freezing onslaught.


    Perfect.


    Mousey swung his stave.


    A sword appeared in the air, and the blade severed Mogur¡¯s front, left leg. Mogur hissed in pain, but did not fall from the tree as Mousey had hoped.


    Then, to Mousey¡¯s horror, a new leg grew to replace the one Mousey had just severed.


    Mogur¡¯s tongue lashed out and stuck to Mousey¡¯s chest. He whipped through the air, straight at the salamander¡¯s mouth.


    Yet, Mousey was not swallowed whole, as the salamander intended. He swung his stave again, and another blade severed Mogur¡¯s tongue before Mousey could reach the beast¡¯s mouth.


    Mousey plummeted toward the muck below, the creature¡¯s tongue falling with him.


    But, again, he felt something jerk his body away from the ground.


    Sir Ranae now held Mrs. Souris under one arm and Mousey in the other as he leapt up to the branch of another tree.


    ¡°I kee you!¡± the salamander screamed, his missing tongue making it difficult to speak. He turned and ran along a tree branch that led to the tree Sir Ranae had chosen.


    Sir Ranae set Mrs. Souris down on the branch and drew his sword again. He held it firmly in both hands and said, ¡°Conceal me from his sight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± squeaked Mousey. Mousey aimed his stave at the charging salamander, whose new tongue was curled in his mouth, ready to strike again. A torrent of pebbles filled the air, pelting Mogur¡¯s face. Once more, Mogur was forced to close his eyes to protect them from the rocks.


    Sir Ranae took a deep breath, held it, then leapt at the distracted salamander. His body blocked some of the pebbles as he sailed through the air, allowing Mogur to open his eyes again at the last second.


    But it was too late.


    Sir Ranae¡¯s sword pierced Mogur between the eyes, and the salamander fell dead. The frog knight kicked the beast off the tree branch, letting his body crash into the mud below.


    He turned to face Mousey with a grin on his lips. ¡°We did it!¡±


    Mousey nodded,¡± Yes, yes, we did. Now, please, help me find a place she can lay down.¡±

 Chapter Ten

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, pup!¡± Sir Ranae¡¯s tone was almost pleading.


    Mousey stared up at the frog knight, confusion in his eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s caught Mogur¡¯s plague, m¡¯friend,¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t notice sooner! Please, forgive me¡­¡±


    ¡°How can it be cured?¡± Mousey asked, staring up at the frog.


    Sir Ranae hung his head. ¡°I... There isn¡¯t a cure, pup¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± came a voice from Mousey¡¯s pocket. ¡°There is.¡±


    Mousey reached his paw into his soaked coat¡¯s pocket and produced Sopher. The book was still dry as could be, as if none of the water had even touched either her binding or her pages.


    Sopher¡¯s spirit appeared before Sir Ranae and Mousey again, now appearing as if she had long hair, made of so many scrolls. ¡°I know of a cure!¡±


    ¡°Has there been one all this time?¡± Sir Ranae croaked. ¡°Oh my! This is dreadful! So many have already died from not knowing!¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ll know now, and we¡¯ll save my Mom!¡± said Mousey, practically jumping with excitement. ¡°Yes! Please, Sopher, tell us of this cure.¡±


    ¡°First,¡± Sopher began, ¡°We will need Blister Rue, Icri Bud¡­¡±


    Sir Ranae grunted, ¡°Icri bud? Now there¡¯s a rare herb. The only pace we could find Icri Bud would be in¡­ the Toad King¡¯s own garden¡­¡± As the realization hit him, Sir Ranae looked up with a twinkle in his eye. Then in his other, after he licked it.


    Sopher continued, ¡°¡­and the silk of a golden orb spider.¡±


    ¡°The spiders as big as me?¡± Mousey squeaked in shock.


    ¡°No, my friend,¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°You just found your mother. You need to do everything you can to protect her. Be here for her, and I will fetch what we need.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going into the Toad King¡¯s palace on your own?¡± Mousey squeaked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the way it has to be,¡± said Sir Ranae with a shrug, but the smirk on his face told Mousey that Sir Ranae longed for the adventure of being the hero again.


    Mousey knew the smart thing to do would be to reprimand him,


    tell him he was foolish for risking his life. But when Mousey thought back to everything that had happened to the two of them since they¡¯d escaped the tower he understood the call to adventure.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    And that call made one long to be great.


    That longing had its own kind of power.


    ¡°Before you leave, there is something I wish to try,¡± said Mousey. He turned to the spirit, ¡°Sopher, I have read stories of noble knights wielding magical weapons, wearing magical armor.¡± Mousey looked over to Sir Ranae, grinned, then back up to Sopher. ¡°How can I bestow such enchantments on Sir Ranae¡¯s sword?¡±


    Sopher nodded. ¡°Ah¡­ I must teach you how to enchant items. First of all, the item in question must represent something between you. Something that strengthened your bond as friends.¡±


    Sir Ranae held up the sword he¡¯d been using throughout the trip. ¡°Mousey, this is the very same sword placed in your paws when that bat ordered you to execute me. You refused, and now I carry this blade to remind myself that I owe you my life twice over. That sort of thing is how friends become comrades at arms.¡±


    ¡°Then I will enchant the sword,¡± said Mousey. He pointed his paw at the ground. ¡°Please set it down a moment.¡±


    Sir Ranae nodded and placed the sword on the ground in front of Mousey.


    Mousey turned to Sopher, ¡°Now what, do I just¡­¡±


    ¡°Focus on the sword, and speak to it,¡± Sopher said. ¡°Tell it of what you¡¯ve heard about legendary swords, give it a name, and what you want from this one.¡±


    Mousey nodded, then turned his attention back to his own reflection in the gleaming blade. ¡°I know of swords that warriors used in battles where they were outnumbered one-hundred to one, but those swords got them through that battle. How? They never broke, for one thing. In fact, they usually break their enemies¡¯ weapons. So¡­ I ask you¡­¡±


    Mousey struggled to think of a name. What could he come up with that would fit so important a blade? After much thought, he eventually decided on, ¡°Worthy.¡± Yes, because Sir Ranae had recognized that Mousey was worthy.


    He nodded his head, loving the name, now that he thought about it. Sir Ranae would wield a blade called ¡°Worthy.¡±


    Mousey continued, ¡°May you protect my friend from his enemies in such a way. Never break, but always break his enemies¡¯ weapons. Umm¡­ please.¡±


    Mousey paused for a moment, just staring at the blade. He had hoped that it would start to glow or show some sign that his magic had worked. At first, Mousey feared that he had failed.


    But he gasped as his reflection within the blade moved on its own accord and said, in a voice so different from his own, ¡°I swear it.¡±


    Sir Ranae¡¯s jaw dropped, and he picked up the sword in his hands. ¡°My dear friend, you have given me a truly wonderful gift! With this I shall retrieve what we need to save your mother! I will not be long!¡±


    Without another word, Sir Ranae bounded off into the distance, with Worthy tight in his hand.


    Mousey let out a sigh of relief, certain that everything was going to be fine.


    He took leaves from the ground nearby and did his best to clean himself off. He then grabbed a few more and turned to wipe his mother off.


    Only then did he stop to really take a good look at her face.


    She was not just sleeping, there was no mistake about it. She was sick.


    Mousey recalled the way Button, his sister, had looked when she came down with pneumonia, and they were certain she was going to die. It was then that Mrs. Souris had become a healer. She studied medicine day and night, all the while caring for Button. After that, it seemed there was no ailment she couldn¡¯t cure, no wound she couldn¡¯t patch up.


    At the time it had seemed like magic.


    With the memories now back at the forefront of his mind, and his mother looking so weak in his arms, great tears poured forth from Mousey¡¯s eyes.


    He felt as if something in the back of his throat were choking him.


    His lower lip pulled itself downward


    Some invisible force push him down to his knees.


    And he wept.

 Chapter Eleven

    Darkness settled over the Trembling Bog.


    Did Mousey dare light a campfire, and risk giving away his position?


    Did he dare not?


    Sir Ranae had been gone all day.


    What of his mother? Would it put her in more danger to leave her wet and cold, or to risk being caught by the toads?


    Or worse?


    ¡°She needs warmth,¡± Sopher said, clearly having heard his thoughts.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mousey asked, looking down at his mother.


    ¡°Yes, without it she won¡¯t be able to hold off the disease,¡± said Sopher with a nod. ¡°You need to give Sir Ranae as much time as possible.¡±


    Mousey nodded, then gathered together a few twigs and sticks for the campfire. The problem, as he immediately found, was that all of them were wet and muddy.


    Even so, he got the ¡°lumber¡± set up and ready, then aimed his stave and focused on his memory of that first campfire he¡¯d built with Sir Ranae. A few flames rose, then died again, and finally there rose one that stayed.


    Mousey stripped of his wet coat and hung it from a nearby vine, then removed his mother¡¯s and did the same.


    ¡°Sopher, do you have a blanket?¡± Mousey asked. ¡°Or dry clothes?¡±


    ¡°No, but you can surely make one,¡± said Sopher with a chuckle.


    ¡°Can you truly think of no comforting memories with a blanket?¡±


    Mousey laughed a little at Sopher¡¯s comment. ¡°Good point.¡± Mousey held his stave over his mother and thought about all the times when he was still a fur-less babe and she wrapped him in blankets. He even remembered the pattern on those blankets, little blue stars woven into the fabric. Back then, the world seemed so much colder, but every night was so much warmer, no matter how dark.


    Before his eyes, a blanket covered in blue stars appeared and wrapped itself around his mother.


    Mousey gasped and looked up at Sopher.


    The creases under her blue, ink-spot eyes curved up, which made it look like she was smiling.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mousey said.


    ¡°Any time,¡± Sopher replied.


    Mousey took a seat on a root protruding from the ground, and Sopher sat next to him. The two of them were silent for a long while, before finally Mousey broke that silence with a question.


    ¡°Why did you choose me?¡± he asked.


    Sopher looked at him with her head tilted to one side. ¡°Why not you?¡±


    Mousey chuckled. ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t have been the only one in that tower who needed help. As far as I can tell, there¡¯s nothing special about me that I should have received help when they did not.¡±


    ¡°Nothing special about you?¡± Sopher giggled, raising her paw to where her mouth should have been. ¡°Oh, dear one, you saved a stranger when he needed your help, knowing that you¡¯d likely be punished for it. Then, in that tower you proved that you had a unique mind and sought out older histories. Then there is the simple fact that you saved me, so I returned the favor.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I helped because you asked for help.¡± Mousey shrugged. ¡°You could have asked anyone, other than the archivists.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± said Sopher, her tone turning sad. ¡°Not true at all. Think about this; I was not always the only magic book in that library.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Sopher nodded. ¡°Years ago, that tower belonged to a wizard named Erinac. In those days, the library was full of old books, and


    at ten of them were magical. My sisters¡­¡± Sopher¡¯s voice trailed off, but when she spoke again there was great joy in her voice. ¡°We were happy in those days. Erinac created us, just as you created Worthy. He was certain that one day he would marry and have kits. He intended that each of us would be companions for his kits, to teach them magic.¡±


    Mousey nodded to her. ¡°But¡­ things didn¡¯t turn out as planned?¡±


    Sopher sighed and shook her head. ¡°Erinac stood up to Queen Felicia. I¡¯m sure you can guess what happened to him. When she took the tower, she ordered all of his magic books burned. Her minions snatched us off the shelves, but one dropped me, and someone else kicked me under a bookshelf.¡± Sopher¡¯s voice wavered again. ¡°I¡­ I can guess what happened to my sisters¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sopher!¡± Mousey said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    Sopher leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m just so glad you came, Mousey. You were someone who could help me and, better yet, someone I could help. I was created for the purpose of teaching magic, and you have a natural talent for it. Sometimes, you remind me a bit of Erinac.¡±


    Mousey felt his cheeks warm at her words. ¡°Well¡­ maybe I¡¯m somehow related to him?¡±


    Sopher gave a small laugh. ¡°No. He was a hedgehog.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Sopher touched a single digit of her paw to the tip of his nose and said, ¡°But, you are kindred in spirit. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°I wish I¡¯d known him,¡± said Mousey with a smile. ¡°For you to have such happy memories of him, he must have been great.¡±


    ¡°He was,¡± Sopher said. ¡°As are you.¡±


    Mousey stared into her golden, glowing face. He felt a fluttering in his chest, but he also felt total peace and serenity in Sopher¡¯s presence.


    But the peace of the moment broke as the world tore from Mousey¡¯s sight, and he felt his body tumble off the root and into the mud.


    He scrambled to his feet and raised his stave to defend himself


    against his assailant. ¡°Who are you?¡± he demanded. ¡°Show yourself!¡±


    Mousey¡¯s eyes searched the camp for any sign of movement. Was it a toad? Another salamander?


    He saw that his mother still lay where she had before, still wrapped in the star-covered blanket. Sopher¡¯s spirit had vanished, likely back into the book.


    The campfire¡¯s light glimmered on something black and metal nearby. As Mousey stared at it, he recognized that this was a bat, wearing black armor. Mousey aimed his stave and took note of the bat¡¯s height.


    ¡°Nycht¡­¡± Mousey muttered under his breath. His eyes fell to the sword Nycht held in his claw, and the fire-light gleaming off it.


    ¡°Why did you have to do all that, Mousey?¡± Nycht asked, his deep voice rattling the visor on his helmet. ¡°You were supposed to be my apprentice! The glory of my career! And you threw that all away to help some swamp hopper!¡±


    ¡°You wanted me to murder an innocent.¡± Mousey shook his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Use your sense, pup!¡± Nycht shouted. ¡°Sometimes, one must do a little wrong for a much greater right!¡±


    ¡°You call serving Queen Felicia a greater good?¡± Mousey scoffed.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Nycht yelled back. ¡°You might think it cruel, the way she reigns over our people like she does, but it¡¯s far better than any of the alternatives! Without her, there would be other tyrants, far worse, who would come and wipe out all of us!¡±


    Mousey stopped and considered Nycht¡¯s words for a moment, then said, ¡°Is that really what you think? Or is that what they taught you?¡±


    ¡°Things are the way they are for a reason,¡± said Nycht.


    ¡°Things need to change,¡± said Mousey, his eyes narrowing to slits. ¡°Mice cannot go on, living in fear! Sir Ranae was right¡­ Queen Felicia is a truly terrible tyrant and must be show what¡¯s what! Abandon the Nocturnal Patrol, Nycht! You¡¯re one of us, and you know their secrets. We could use your help to overcome¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ordered to kill you,¡± Nycht interrupted. ¡°My superiors were furious with me because of what you did. They said that if I


    don¡¯t slay you¡­¡±


    Mousey dug his paws in the ground, readying himself to move when Nycht attacked.


    Nycht pointed his sword at Mousey. ¡°It¡¯s your fault it¡¯s come to this, pup. You should have just obeyed me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always obedient,¡± Mousey said, ¡°Unless I¡¯m told to do something wrong.¡±

 Chapter Twelve

    Nycht fell back and disappeared into the shadows.


    Mousey felt a sense of dread wash over him, and his eyes searched the edges of the campfire¡¯s light for any sign of his foe. He thought back to the tactics he¡¯d been taught while training to join the Nocturnal Patrol.


    Bats had an advantage in the darkness, for they could use not only their eyes and noses, but also their ears to find their prey. Bats could emit high-pitched shrieks, which allowed them to map out their surroundings far better than mice could.


    Of course, Nycht wasn¡¯t a real bat. His only advantages were his dark armor and the fact that he¡¯d trained in darkness longer than Mousey had.


    Mousey¡¯s ear twitched, and he turned to aim his stave at the noise he¡¯d heard. Just as he looked in that direction, mud fell over his campfire.


    Nycht had robbed Mousey of his primary light source, but he¡¯d also given away his position. Mousey aimed at the trees just beyond the campfire and sent a volley of pebbles flying through the air.


    Tink!


    One of the pebbles struck metal.


    Mousey adjusted his aim to the source of the sound and launched a larger stone.


    The stone cracked the trunk of a tree, but it seemed Nycht had moved out of the way in time.


    Mousey thought back to the candles that lit up his house when it got dark. He held out one paw, and soon, dozens of candle flames


    danced over his pads.


    Mousey flicked his paw towards the trees nearby, and the flames all scattered. Within a few moments, hundreds of candle flames danced in the air all around and above him. ¡°You can¡¯t hide this time, Nycht.¡± Mousey walked into the more well-lit areas of the camp. ¡°Face me.¡±


    Mousey heard the flap of leathery wings.


    Nycht lunged at him, his blade pointed at Mousey¡¯s heart.


    With a wave of Mousey¡¯s stave, a shield knocked aside Nycht¡¯s attack.


    Nycht spun with the momentum of Mousey¡¯s deflection and brought his sword around at Mousey¡¯s head.


    Mousey raised his stave, and a sword appeared beside it to block Nycht¡¯s attack.


    Nycht planted his foot firmly on Mousey¡¯s chest and kicked him back, onto the ground.


    No sooner had Mousey fallen in the mud, then his opponent was after him again. Their blades clashed together over and over, as Mousey searched for any opportunity to escape. Nycht had him trapped.


    Every time Mousey flailed to defend himself, he felt he was sinking deeper and deeper into the mud.


    All the while, Nycht continued his vicious assault. Every swing struck harder than the last as his rage boiled over.


    Then, as just as Mousey had blocked another of Nycht¡¯s thrusts, the lieutenant kicked the stave from Mousey¡¯s paw.


    Nycht pressed the tip of his blade to Mousey¡¯s throat. ¡°Enough!¡±


    Terror gripped Mousey¡¯s heart, as if in a vice, and he trembled. He stared up at his foe with pleading in his eyes, but he knew better than to expect mercy. Not long ago he¡¯d spoken like a warrior. His victory over Mogur had made him arrogant, and now he was about to pay the price.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Nycht towered over him for a moment, still holding the blade to his throat. Then, to Mousey¡¯s surprise, he pulled away, ¡°By the Heavens! I can¡¯t do it! Gah!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± squeaked Mousey. Without letting his eyes leave the


    lieutenant, his paw searched the ground for his stave. ¡°Not that I¡¯m ungrateful, but¡­ why not?¡±


    Nycht rounded on him again and lifted his visor. Mousey¡¯s paw stopped its search while his foes eyes were upon him. ¡°You still don¡¯t recognize me? How could you not remember?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mousey looked up at the other mouse¡¯s face, trying to recall where he¡¯d seen him before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I don¡¯t know you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Topo Souris!¡± Nycht yelled. ¡°Mousey¡­ I can¡¯t kill you because you¡¯re my son!¡±


    Mousey squinted as he looked up at Nycht¡¯s face. After a moment, he finally recognized features he¡¯d seen in all his brothers¡¯ faces, as well as in his own reflection. ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Nycht threw up his paws in exasperation. ¡°How could you forget me?¡±


    ¡°You disappeared just after I¡¯d started to grow fur!¡± Mousey yelled back. ¡°And I thought you were dead! How was I supposed to remember¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Never mind!¡± Nycht scratched at his scalp and paced back and forth.


    Mousey grabbed his stave and used it to help himself up. ¡°If you¡¯re really my father¡­ why did you hit Mom?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Mousey glared at Nycht. ¡°You hit my Mom in the face with the pommel of your sword! Why?¡±


    Nycht groaned. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry I hit Xandra.¡± Since Mousey had never heard his mother¡¯s first name spoken out loud, it took him a moment to realize who he was talking about. ¡°My subordinates would have run her through had I not,¡± said Nycht. ¡°It was regrettable¡­ but it had to be done.¡±


    ¡°Bah!¡± Mousey groaned, then glanced back at his mother to see if she was still where he¡¯d left her. She still rested in the blanket Mousey had provided.


    ¡°The more important question,¡± Sopher spoke in Mousey¡¯s mind, ¡°is why did he leave? Why didn¡¯t he come back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± squeaked Mousey.


    ¡°What¡¯s right?¡± said Nycht, giving Mousey a look as if the pup had lost his mind.


    ¡°Why did you leave?¡± Mousey yelled. ¡°If you¡¯re really my Dad,


    really Topo Souris, why didn¡¯t you come back home?¡± Tears started to form in Mousey¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why did you¡­ abandon us?¡±


    ¡°Mousefred¡­¡± Nycht said, a sad look claiming his face. ¡°I had a chance to make something more of myself, more than just a mouse¡­ please understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it was all about you?¡± Mousey yelled. ¡°You left so that you could be¡­ more than us?¡± He felt a burning rage build inside of him, one far worse than he could recall ever feeling before. He was so betrayed, abandoned by his own father, who left his mother to take care of all 27 pups by herself. Mousey¡¯s paws balled up into fists, and he fought back the urge to set Nycht on fire.


    ¡°Mousefred!¡± Nycht snapped. His brow was furrowed in his own rage, repaying anger with anger. ¡°Watch your tone, pup!¡±


    Mousey cowered from Nycht as the lieutenant approached him again.


    Nycht drew close to Mousey and grasped his wrist so tight Mousey could swear the bones inside were grinding together. ¡°If you¡¯ll just listen to me you¡¯ll see that all I¡¯ve done was for you. You selfish pup! Look past your own problems for just a second and think about it!¡±


    But before Nycht could offer an explanation for his actions, there was a flash of green, and Nycht tumbled away from Mousey.


    Sir Ranae pinned Nycht to the ground, drew his sword, and held it to his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch him, fiend!¡±


    ¡°Stop him, or you will surely regret it,¡± Sopher whispered in Mousey¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Sir Ranae!¡± Mousey yelled.


    ¡°Look away, my friend,¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°I shall dispatch this knave shortly.¡±


    Mousey ran over and pulled on Sir Ranae¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Please, don¡¯t! He¡¯s my Dad!¡±


    Sir Ranae gave Mousey a questioning look. ¡°Your father? Oh¡­ oh, dear¡­ Mousey¡­¡±


    Sopher¡¯s spirit appeared beside Sir Ranae and Mousey. Nycht stared up at her with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open. ¡°Nycht,¡± she said. ¡°Do you swear never to hurt Mousey or his family


    ever again?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Nycht said, pulling his neck away from Sir Ranae¡¯s blade as far as he could. ¡°Yes, I swear! I shall never hurt Mousey or Xandra again!¡±


    Mousey looked at Sopher, then sighed and nodded. ¡°Good. Sir Ranae, please let him go.¡±


    Sir Ranae pulled his blade away from Nycht¡¯s throat and brought him back up to his feet. ¡°Be grateful your boy¡¯s such a saint,¡± he croaked, then turned Nycht around and kicked him in the rear. ¡°Now, get out of here!¡±


    Nycht stumbled a bit, then started to run, then took off in flight.


    Mousey watched the lieutenant disappear into the night sky. Was he truly his father? Why else would he have spared Mousey? Then again, it could just as easily be some sort of trick, or a game Queen Felicia was playing. Mousey wasn¡¯t sure what to think.


    But he didn¡¯t have long to think about it, as Sir Ranae said, ¡°The Toad King¡¯s army is out looking for me, and the Toad King is with them. Let¡¯s hurry and cure your mother so we can get out of here!¡±


    Mousey nodded. ¡°Right. Right.¡±


    The three of them hurried back over to the campfire, and Sir Ranae laid out the ingredients on a cloth.


    Mousey looked up at Sopher and asked, ¡°How do I do this?¡±

 Chapter Thirteen

    A porridge bowl and spoon for a mortar and pestle.


    A soup pot for a cauldron.


    Mousey had never brewed medicine before, nor seen it done. So, as he conjured items to aid in the mixing of the elixir that would save his mother¡¯s life, he had to think of the best substitutes that came to mind.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Sopher, ¡°Stir the ground blister rue in the icri bud nectar until it becomes like a paste. Then boil it with the spider¡¯s web.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± said Mousey. The simple, stirring motion reminded him of the times he¡¯d mixed the dough to help his mother bake bread. A smile forced itself to his lips, as he found himself thinking that some day soon he¡¯d do that with her again.


    Sir Ranae paced back and forth nearby, with his sword in hand. He¡¯d claimed earlier that he was ¡°patrolling,¡± not pacing, but his route was too short.


    Once the mixture had become a paste, he scooped it out into the boiling pot and mixed it with the spider¡¯s web. ¡°How long does it need to boil?¡± Mousey asked.


    ¡°Just a few minutes,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Then you need to bottle it and find a way to cool it. All three of you will need to drink it.¡±


    ¡°All three?¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°I beg your pardon, but why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because you might have caught it too,¡± said Sopher. ¡°You know how contagious Bog Plague is.¡±


    Sir Ranae turned a paler shade of green. ¡°Oh¡­ I see¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any of the early warning signs, do you?¡± Sopher asked. ¡°Have you lost your appetite?¡±


    Sir Ranae¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Umm¡­ I¡­ I haven¡¯t eaten anything since I left to get the ingredients we needed.¡±


    ¡°You might have caught it,¡± Sopher said with a nod. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be cured soon enough.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Don¡¯t worry?¡¯¡± Sir Ranae croaked. ¡°Just now, you told me I might have caught a disease which I have never seen cured!¡±


    Sopher shook her head at him. ¡°With all the things you¡¯ve seen in this world, is it really such a wonder that there may yet be truths beyond your experience?¡±


    ¡°I can only hope so,¡± said Sir Ranae, resuming his patrol.


    ¡°The elixir should be ready,¡± said Sopher.


    Mousey produced a large, glass bottle, grasped the pot by the handles, and poured its contents into the bottle. He was especially careful not to let any of it spill, for fear that they may end up with too little medicine.


    Once all the medicine had poured into the bottle, Mousey aimed his stave at it.


    Sopher held her paw in his shoulder. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I can make it cold faster with snow,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°No!¡± said Sopher. ¡°If you try to cool it down too fast it will break the bottle.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Mousey looked up at her. ¡°So¡­ we just have to wait for it to cool?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know of a better solution,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°The Toad King and his soldiers are out looking for us!¡± Mousey squeaked.


    ¡°I know.¡± Sopher patted his cheek with her paw. ¡°Believe me, I know. But we can only handle one problem at a time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to get caught¡­¡± Mousey whimpered.


    ¡°Be brave,¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°We defeated Mogur together, remember?¡±


    ¡°And then Nycht beat me up by himself,¡± said Mousey. ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder if it was just luck when we defeated Mogur.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Luck¡¯ is a simpler way of saying you doubt yourself,¡± said Sopher. ¡°You have no reason to do that.¡±


    In spite of Sopher¡¯s comforting words, Mousey joined Sir Ranae in his ¡°patrol.¡± The two of them paced around the camp together, though Mousey had to take two steps for every one of Sir Ranae¡¯s, given how long the frog¡¯s legs were.


    Finally, when Mousey stopped seeing steam rising from the bottle, he rushed over to it and placed his paws on the sides. ¡°Still warm, but not hot.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s time,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°Remember,¡± croaked Sir Ranae, ¡°All four of us need it.¡±


    ¡°Only you three,¡± Sopher said. ¡°Sir Ranae, I¡¯m the spirit of a magic book. I can¡¯t catch Bog Plague.¡±


    Sir Ranae licked one of his own eyeballs. ¡°¡­Right¡­¡±


    Mousey brought the bottle to his mother¡¯s mouth, and tilted her head back. He did his best to only pour one-third of the bottle¡¯s contents, and watched his mother¡¯s eyes.


    She swallowed the medicine, and, after a few seconds, her whole body shook, and her eyes opened wide. ¡°Mousey!¡± she squeaked, just before throwing her arms around him.


    ¡°Mom!¡± he squeaked back, and held her tightly. He buried his face in her shoulder, wiping his tears there.


    ¡°Thank the Heavens!¡± Sir Ranae croaked. He grinned widely at Sopher. ¡°Your cure really worked!¡±


    Sopher folded her paws in front of her lap and nodded to him.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Mousey said, gently pushing away from her. ¡°Just a second¡­¡± He drank some of the medicine from the bottle, then held it out to Sir Ranae. The frog knight happily took the bottle and drank the rest. No sooner had the bottle left his paw, then Mousey hugged his mother again.


    Mrs. Souris looked down at him. ¡°Oh, my sweet pup!¡± She planted many an embarrassing kiss on his forehead. ¡°How did you escape? No one has ever escaped from the Nocturnal Patrol¡¯s dungeons!¡±


    Mousey wiped his forehead and stepped back from her. ¡°Magic,¡± he said. He gestured with his paw to Sopher, to make sure his mother knew that wasn¡¯t a joke.


    Mrs. Souris¡¯ jaw dropped and her eyes widened. ¡°Oh¡­ what¡­ oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, this is Sopher,¡± said Mousey, guiding her closer to the book spirit.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± said Sopher, bowing her head to Mrs. Souris. ¡°Your son has been a dear friend to me, and, in return, I have taught him magic.¡±


    Mrs. Souris stared at the book spirit in awe.


    After a few moments, Sopher said, ¡°Please, don¡¯t stare too long. You¡¯re making me self-conscious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, terribly sorry,¡± said Mrs. Souris, turning her face away. ¡°You¡¯re right, that was terribly rude of me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, Mrs. Souris,¡± said Sopher.


    Or Xandra¡­


    It was then that Mousey remembered everything Nycht had said, claiming that he was really Topo Souris. How could anyone resist the curiosity? He wanted to know if Nycht had been telling the truth, but given that his mother had never seen his face she couldn¡¯t confirm that Nycht was, in fact, Mousey¡¯s father.


    But, she could at least confirm whether or not Nycht really knew her first name.


    ¡°Mom,¡± he said, tugging on her sleeve.


    ¡°Yes, pup?¡± She turned to face him, still struggling to take her eyes off Sopher.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know your first name,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Souris said. ¡°What a strange thing to think about at a time like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, my brothers and sisters all just call you ¡®Mom,¡¯ and all the adults in our village call you ¡®Mrs. Souris.¡¯ But I may have heard someone say your first name.¡±


    Mrs. Souris raised an eyebrow. ¡°Again, this is an odd time to talk about this. Shouldn¡¯t we worry about getting to your brothers and sisters?¡±


    ¡°Is your name Xandra?¡± Mousey blurted out.


    Mrs. Souris stared at him, her head cocked to one side.


    Sir Ranae tucked his lower lip under his upper one and looked away from the two of them.


    ¡°Alexandra,¡± Mrs. Souris said. ¡°My first name is Alexandra. Most people call me Lexi, though.¡±


    ¡°Lexi,¡± Mousey repeated, smiling up at her. There was something nice about the sound of it. ¡°But¡­ I won¡¯t call you that. To me, you¡¯re still Mom.¡±


    ¡°Good pup,¡± Lexi said with a chuckle. ¡°Xandra, though¡­ where did you hear that? The only person who ever called me Xandra was your father.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen

    News like that was hard to ignore.


    Though Mousey¡¯s mother didn¡¯t know it, she had just revealed to him that Nycht had been telling the truth. Only his father had ever called her Xandra, and that was the nickname Nycht had used.


    He did his best to keep his mind off of that terrible revelation and on the journey in front of them. They still had a day¡¯s walk until they were out of the Tembling Bog, and into the outskirts of the Toad King¡¯s realm.


    They¡¯d traveled all night, which hadn¡¯t helped to keep Mousey¡¯s mind off of his encounter with the lieutenant.


    The day was foggy and miserable. Nature itself seemed to match Mousey¡¯s confusion and uncertainty.


    Mousey thought about the dried mud on his clothes. And in his fur. And between his toes. He thought, then, about how good it was going to feel to take the time to really wash off. He was sure with all that swamp muck on him that he smelled putrid.


    Lexi and Sir Ranae certainly did.


    ¡°Try to remember more pleasant smells,¡± Sopher whispered in his thoughts.


    Mousey recalled the scent of peanut-butter spread across freshly-baked bread. Saliva gathered in his mouth, recalling the flavor whenever he bit into those tasty treats. He understood that the reason he¡¯d eaten it so often was because so often it was all his mother could afford, but he never stopped loving it.


    ¡°Does anyone else smell peanut butter?¡± said Lexi.


    Mousey chuckled. ¡°Sorry. I was just thinking about home. I must have used magic without realizing it.¡±


    ¡°Please stop¡­¡± said Sir Ranae, holding his nostrils. ¡°The stench is terrible!¡±


    It was truly puzzling to Mousey how this frog could be so at home in a swamp but find the smell of peanut butter to be odious.


    Sir Ranae held up his hand to stop the two mice, and then gestured to the ground before them. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to walk much further. The ground¡¯s already getting too wet here, and up ahead lie deeper waters. Mousey, can you conjure that boat, like you did before?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Mousey. He stepped out to the edge of the water and pointed his stave. He thought back to the toy boat he¡¯d owned a long time ago.


    The toy boat his father had given him.


    His paw tightened around his stave.


    The boat appeared in the water, but its sails were black and leathery, with holes torn in them. The hull was full of holes, and Mousey watched the boat sink within seconds. The mud sucked down the remains.


    Lexi stared at her son with confusion in her eyes. ¡°Mousefred¡­ what was that about? Why did you destroy your boat?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mousey paused for a moment, just staring back at her.


    Sir Ranae approached. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Mousey stared up at them, struggling to think of some explanation for what had just happened.


    ¡°The memory no longer brings you joy,¡± Sopher whispered in his mind. ¡°So, you want to see it destroyed. That¡¯s why it won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong,¡± Mousey lied.


    Lexi¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits. It was the look she always gave him when she knew he was hiding something.


    ¡°Can you try it again?¡± Sir Ranae asked.


    ¡°Probably best if I don¡¯t.¡± Mousey shook his head. ¡°Umm¡­ because, I don¡¯t know what will happen. Maybe next time I try to summon a boat it will be full of pirates firing their cannons at us.¡±


    Lexi raised an eyebrow. ¡°That can happen?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± said Mousey, scratching the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯m still learning how magic works.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± said Lexi, giving a nod. She turned to Sir Ranae. ¡°In that case, we need to get to work making a raft.¡±


    ¡°I know not how to make a raft,¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°I usually swim, but I know that swimming that far might be dangerous for the two of you.¡±


    ¡°I know how to make a raft,¡± said Lexi. ¡°I just need you to gather


    some reeds for me. We need materials.¡±


    ¡°That I can do, m¡¯lady,¡± said Sir Ranae. He hopped off, to where there were more reeds beside the still waters and started gathering all he could. Lexi took the reeds as he handed them to her and started weaving and binding them together.


    But Mousey¡¯s ear twitched when he heard something drawing near. There was a new smell in the air. It was distant, but coming from all directions, including the water. ¡°Mom! Sir Ranae!¡± he called out. ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡±


    Lexi and Sir Ranae stopped working on the raft immediately and looked off into the distance. Lexi¡¯s whiskers twitched, and she said, ¡°Toads¡­ a lot of them¡­ and geckos.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve sent the cavalry for us!¡± Sir Ranae shouted. ¡°Quick, let¡¯s get this raft ready to go immediately!¡±


    ¡°I think boats are coming too,¡± said Mousey. ¡°They have us surrounded.¡±


    Sir Ranae bit his lip and whirled around, as if trying to spot the enemy before they drew near. ¡°Mayhap¡­ we can swim for it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± came a croak from nearby. Mousey nearly jumped out of his fur when he saw the source. A body rose from the mud nearby, one so covered in mud and filth that Mousey and Lexi had neither spotted nor smelled him before. Mousey could only guess that this was a toad, one who held a blow-gun to his lips, prepared to fire poison darts at them should they attempt to run.


    ¡°Curse it all!¡± Sir Ranae yelled.


    Lexi and Mousey raised their paws over their heads. Sir Ranae kicked at the mud, then did the same.


    Within a few minutes, more toads arrived, each on the back of a riding gecko, and holding a spear in one hand. Boats pulled up behind them as well. Toads lined the decks of each boat, aiming blow guns at Mousey and his friends.


    Mousey trembled as a large shape moved through the fog. He could only make out the silhouette at first, but soon this beast came into view. He was a toad, like the others, but he was at least three times the size of the rest. Upon his head sat a tiny crown, clearly meant for someone far smaller than he. In his hands he held a


    hammer, but not one meant for building. No, by the shape of it, this hammer was clearly meant for war.


    ¡°Trespassers!¡± the Toad King croaked. The mud shook as he spoke, as if the bog itself were afraid of him. ¡°You! Mice! You may go, as long as you promise never to come back to the Trembling Bog again. All I want is Ranae¡¯s head.¡±


    Mousey tightened his grip around his stave and tried to think of anything he could use to fight off this amphibious horde.


    ¡°Mousey,¡± Sopher whispered in his thoughts, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish. Even with magic you cannot fight this many.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just let them kill Sir Ranae!¡± Mousey thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re a wizard, Mousey! Surely you can think of a better solution than simply fighting everyone you meet!¡±


    ¡°I have a counter offer,¡± Mousey said to the Toad King.


    His eyes kept stock of every armed toad all around them. He¡¯d tried to count just how many there were, but he¡¯d lost count somewhere around thirty.


    ¡°An offer?¡± the Toad King croaked. Low laughter rippled through the ranks of his cavalry. The Toad King chuckled as well. ¡°Very well, little mouse, let us hear what you think is more valuable to me than finally slaying my long-standing enemy.¡±


    Mousey bit his lower lip, silently begging the Heavens to work in his favor. He took a deep breath, then said, ¡°I can cure the Swamp Plague.¡±


    There was a murmur among the toads, but the Toad King silenced them when he raised his hand. The fleshy sack under his chin expanded and flattened a few times, and then he spoke, ¡°How do I know this is true?¡±


    Mousey gave his stave to his mother, then stepped forward and held out both of his wrists. ¡°Take me prisoner and bring me to


    someone who is sick with Swamp Plague. As long as you bring me all the ingredients I need, I will cure them, and then you will know you can trust me.¡±


    The toads all murmured again, and their king stroked his chin in thought. His tongue slipped out and licked his own eye, and every other toad in the circle did the same.


    ¡°Come now,¡± Mousey said, a smirk starting to form on his lips. ¡°Are you telling me you know of no one who has the Swamp Plague?¡±


    ¡°One of my tadpoles has it,¡± said the Toad King, gravely. His lower lip quivered, and his hands tightened around his riding gecko¡¯s reins. ¡°My poor little Bufo¡­¡±


    The riding gecko looked up at the Toad King and said, ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be fine, sire.¡±


    The Toad King smacked the riding gecko on the top of his head and croaked, ¡°You¡¯ll speak when spoken to, Migale!¡±


    The gecko turned his face away from the Toad King and said, ¡°Yes, sire. Thank you, sire.¡±


    The Toad King deliberated for a few more moments. All the while Mousey¡¯s tail wagged back and forth, keeping his balance in case he needed to jump back, grab his stave, and try to fight off the soldiers.


    Finally, the Toad King said, ¡°Tie his wrists.¡± As one of the toad soldiers approached Mousey with a rope in hand, the Toad King looked down at him with narrow pupils. ¡°You will cure Bufo for me. If you fail, I will slay the other mouse and Ranae. Then, you will be slow-roasted on a spit while still alive and fed to my soldiers.¡±


    The toads all cheered at the prospect, raising their spears high over their heads. One of them caught Mousey¡¯s eye and stuck out his long tongue, wagging it back and forth. Mousey cringed but did not fight back as one of the toads tied his wrists.


    More toads moved in and tied up Sir Ranae and Lexi as well. The toads pushed them along forcing them to march through the mud.


    Sir Ranae leaned in close to Mousey and said, ¡°You cannot trust these beasts! They¡¯re nothing but liars and murderers!¡±


    ¡°Silence, you!¡± shouted one of the toads as she smacked Sir Ranae on the back of the head.


    Toads lifted both Lexi and Mousey onto the backs of riding geckos, and three toads worked together to do the same for Sir Ranae.

 Chapter Fifteen

    Moss covered the trees and algae concealed the waters.


    The riding geckos carried Mousey and his traveling companions through the swamp. Up ahead, Mousey saw a long, winding bridge over black muck filled with worms and snakes. At the end of the bridge sat a strange structure, something Mousey could only assume had been left over from the tall apes.


    The structure was an enormous metal box, with square windows at the top far larger than any wall in any house Mousey had ever seen. The entire structure rested on four, black, rubber wheels; each with a rusted, orange plate in the center. The toads had cut out several smaller windows throughout the walls of this metal box, and Mousey could see the lookouts peering through.


    ¡°Open the gate!¡± the Toad King shouted as he drew close.


    There was a clicking sound, and a section of the wall closest to them slid open. Inside the Toad King¡¯s castle, Mousey could see that the bottom floor was covered in mud, but that the toads had built several more floors above that, each with a different purpose. On one floor, dozens of toads gathered around gambling tables, playing with dice made from bones. On another floor, toads practiced with rods and dulled swords.


    Once inside the castle, the Toad King dismounted, as did his cavalry. Mousey felt a toad lift him off the back of the gecko he¡¯d been riding and set him down on the muddy floor. Smaller toads hurried over to take the reins for each riding gecko and lead them away.


    The Toad King looked at Mousey and gestured for him to follow. Mousey scurried along to catch up with him, his paws sliding in the mud. Once he¡¯d caught up, the Toad King walked over to a door inside the castle and opened it for Mousey. ¡°Bufo is in there. Don¡¯t you dare try anything stupid.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± squeaked Mousey, nodding his head. He entered the room, and saw in it a ceramic pool, in which floated a tadpole whose skin was almost white, rather than brown or gray. The tadpole had two legs tucked under his tail, and huge, bronze-colored eyes. Bufo stared up at Mousey but said nothing.


    ¡°So,¡± croaked the Toad King. ¡°Can you cure him?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mousey, nodding his head. ¡°I can. I just need a few supplies.¡±


    The Toad King¡¯s minions all brought Mousey everything he requested, and he got to work brewing the cure for Swamp Plague. Throughout the process, the Toad King paced back and forth in that room, and Mousey would occasionally look down at Bufo. The tadpole barely moved, and the expression on his face looked defeated.


    Once Mousey was done mixing the cure, he poured it into a bottle and held it out to Bufo. ¡°Open your mouth, please.¡±


    Bufo looked up at him, then shook his head.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Mousey scratched behind one ear. ¡°Please? It will make you feel better.¡±


    Again, Bufo shook his head.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± squeaked Mousey, turning to face the Toad King, ¡°he won¡¯t take the medicine.¡±


    The Toad King took the bottle in his hand and looked it over. HeIf you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    pressed his nostrils to the lip and sniffed it, then shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why not,¡± he croaked. ¡°Let me try.¡±


    The Toad King sat next to Bufo¡¯s pool and held out the bottle. ¡°Come on, now, son. Open your mouth.¡±


    The tadpole shook his head again and moved a little further away from the Toad King.


    ¡°Open your mouth!¡± the Toad King shouted. He reached his hand into the pool and pulled Bufo closer. The tadpole tried to hold his lips together, but the Toad King squeezed his cheeks until his mouth finally opened. As soon as it was open, the Toad King held him and poured the medicine in. ¡°There! You¡¯ll thank me some day, my grodling.¡± He released the tadpole from his grip, and Bufo swam away from him.


    Within a few moments a brown color returned to Bufo¡¯s skin, and he swam around the pool.


    ¡°He¡¯s cured!¡± the Toad King croaked. ¡°Ha ha! He¡¯s cured!¡± He smiled down at Mousy. ¡°You¡¯ve done it, little mouse! You¡¯ve saved my son! Whatever you want, it¡¯s yours! As long as it¡¯s within my power to give.¡±


    ¡°I want to go free,¡± said Mousey, ¡°Along with my mother and Sir Ranae.¡±


    ¡°Why did Bufo refuse the cure?¡± Sopher asked in Mousey¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°That was already part of the deal,¡± said the Toad King, rubbing his hands together. ¡°No, I want to give you a real gift. What would you like? Gold? Precious gems?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mousey scratched his own chin, then the back of his head, and said, ¡°How about just a moment to speak with Bufo? I haven¡¯t talked with anyone close to my age in a long time.¡±


    The Toad King stared at Mousey for a moment and licked one of his eyeballs. ¡°You have the gratitude of a king¡­ yet the only reward you want is a moment to speak to¡­¡±


    ¡°A prince,¡± said Mousey, with a grin.


    The Toad King chuckled. ¡°I see. You want to make friends with my heir. Very well. But¡­ if anything happens to him while I¡¯m gone¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± said Mousey, ¡°I¡¯ll be slow-roasted and fed to your soldiers. I swear by the Heavens I only wish to talk with him.¡±


    The Toad King nodded, then left the room, closing the door behind him.


    Mousey turned to Bufo and gave the most sympathetic look he could. ¡°Hi, my name is Mousey. Umm¡­ Your father¡¯s not very kind to you, is he?¡±


    Bufo stared up at him but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Mousey continued, ¡°That¡¯s why you refused to drink the cure? Your father makes your life miserable?¡±


    Again, Bufo merely stared.


    Mousey sighed. ¡°I swear, I won¡¯t tell anyone what you told me. Did I guess right?¡±


    Bufo stared a little longer, then nodded his head.


    Mousey sighed and hung his head. ¡°I was afraid of that. My Dad¡¯s not very kind either.¡±


    Bufo tilted his head to one side.


    Mousey chuckled. ¡°Do you speak at all?¡±


    Bufo pushed his head out of the water and said, ¡°Yes,¡± then ducked back in.


    Mousey thought, ¡°Sopher, is there anything we can do for him?¡±


    ¡°If you try to take him out of here you¡¯ll be killed.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± thought Mousey. ¡°But¡­ he needs a friend, with what he¡¯s going through. You got me through my time in the tower, maybe I can get him through this?¡±


    ¡°We have to leave soon,¡± said Sopher, ¡°But you can enchant an item and give it to him, and then he can speak to you through it.¡±


    Mousey nodded, took the mixing bowl in his paws. He cracked the bowl in half against the side of the ceramic pool, then held the pieces together, closed his eyes, and whispered. ¡°Please¡­ be a means for me to continue speaking with my new friend, Bufo, no matter how far apart we may be. May he be able to speak into one half of you, and I into the other, and it will be as if we are in the same room. I give you this purpose, broken bowl, and name you¡­¡± Mousey struggled to think of an appropriate name, but nothing was coming to mind.


    Bufo stuck his head up out of the water and said, ¡°Link.¡±


    Mousey smiled at him, nodded his head, then turned back to


    the broken bowl. ¡°Yes, Link. Your name is Link, for you shall link the two of us together.¡±


    A voice spoke from the mixing bowl, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mousey took one half of the bowl and placed it in Bufo¡¯s pool, then tucked the other half into his pocket. He looked into Bufo¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Now, any time you need a friend to talk to, you have me. I¡¯ll even try to teach you a little bit about magic. Would you like that?¡±


    Bufo nodded his head vigorously, causing waves to splash against the ceramic walls.


    Mousey laughed and gave Bufo a gentle pat on the head. ¡°For now, though, I have to go. It was good to meet you, Bufo.¡±


    Bufo popped his head out of the water and said, ¡°Good to meet you too, Mousey.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen

    Even as Mousey reached the edge of the Trembling Bog, he felt terrible for leaving Bufo behind.


    The Toad King¡¯s soldiers had escorted Mousey, Lexi, and Sir Ranae to the border, and even given them food supplies for the road. Several times during that journey Lexi had asked Mousey why he looked so troubled, but he¡¯d always responded, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡±


    Once the toads were long out of sight, his mother said, ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to tell me what¡¯s bothering you, right?¡±


    ¡°I admit, I¡¯m curious too,¡± croaked Sir Ranae. ¡°Did that vile Toad King force you to swear some terrible oath? Did he threaten you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mousey. He glanced back, making sure that the toads were nowhere near close enough to overhear him. ¡°It was the way he treated Bufo.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Bufo?¡± Sir Ranae asked.


    In unison, Mouse and Lexi responded, ¡°His tadpole.¡±


    ¡°More specifically, his heir,¡± said Mousey with a sigh.


    Lexi patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You can tell me anything, pup. How did he treat Bufo?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I actually didn¡¯t see him do much¡­¡± Mousey paused, then continued. ¡°When I finished brewing the cure, Bufo refused to drink it, so the Toad King got angry and forced him to open his mouth. Later, I talked to Bufo alone, and he confessed to me that his father¡¯s cruel to him. So cruel that Bufo didn¡¯t want to be cured¡­¡±


    ¡°Figures!¡± Sir Ranae croaked. ¡°That blasted monster! He¡¯s cruel to everyone, it¡¯s no surprise he has no mercy upon his own tadpoles either! Why, I have half a mind to go back there and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Half a mind indeed,¡± Lexi interrupted. She placed a paw on Sir Ranae¡¯s hand to silence him. ¡°Mousey, do you remember when you caught falling tongue?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mousey, nodding his head. ¡°It took me weeks to recover, and you took care of me the whole time.¡±


    Lexi nodded in turn. ¡°Do you remember why it took so long?¡±


    Mousey scratched behind one of his ears. ¡°Because¡­ it¡¯s a hard sickness to cure?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, it is,¡± said Lexi. ¡°But, more importantly, you stopped taking the medicine. The fever got to your head, and you were convinced that what I was giving you was just making it worse.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Mousey didn¡¯t remember that detail at all. Now that he thought about it, he barely remembered anything from the second week until he¡¯d been cured.


    ¡°Sometimes when we¡¯re sick,¡± Lexi continued, ¡°we stop wanting to get better.¡±


    ¡°But falling tongue isn¡¯t a life-threatening sickness like swamp plague!¡± Mousey protested.


    Lexi stared at him a moment, as if he¡¯d just claimed to come from the moon. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course it is!¡±


    ¡°It is?¡± Mousey squeaked. ¡°You never told me that!¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°You were a pup, and you were sick,¡± said Lexi. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to be scared. But¡­ you learned enough medicine to cure swamp plague, I thought for sure you would have learned how dangerous falling tongue is by now! Mousey¡­ you very nearly died just as your fur was coming in.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mousey felt a chill wash over him. He¡¯d had no idea that he¡¯d had such a close brush with death so early on. But, then again, he felt a little warmth return as he realized it was his mother who¡¯d saved his life back then.


    Sir Ranae chimed in, ¡°So, you believe Bufo¡¯s confession came from fever rather than suffering under his father¡¯s cruelty?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± said Lexi. ¡°I just think it¡¯s best not to jump to conclusions. Certainly, we shouldn¡¯t assume the Toad King is so bad to his own tadpoles to make them want to¡­ well, die of plague.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± Sir Ranae croaked, indignantly. ¡°He¡¯s a monster! He¡¯s proven that time and again! The Toad King is vicious, and mean, and greedy¡ª¡±


    ¡°All parents care for their children,¡± Lexi snapped. ¡°Some may have a funny way of showing it, and some may be horribly misguided, but they love their children.¡±


    ¡°Not all,¡± Sir Ranae mumbled under his breath.


    Lexi ignored him and turned back to Mousey. ¡°You did the right thing, telling us. Though, I¡¯m not sure what we can really do about it. I just wish there was a way we could find out more about what goes on in that palace.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I have a way,¡± said Mousey. He reached his paw into his pocket and produced his half of the mixing bowl. ¡°This is Link. It allows me to talk to Bufo. Also, he can talk to me with his half.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Lexi squeaked. ¡°Good good. You can check in on him now and then, see how he¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°And if the Toad King is truly a demon even to his own kin,¡± croaked Sir Ranae, ¡°then I shall swoop into the Trembling Bog with many frog knights beside me! We will storm the palace and defeat the Toad King once and for all!¡±


    Lexi rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s always the warrior¡¯s approach.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, ma¡¯am,¡± began Sir Ranae, ¡°why have you such an aversion to a knight¡¯s way of fighting wrong?¡±


    ¡°A knight¡¯s way of fighting wrong?¡± Lexi repeated, one eyebrow raised. ¡°I have no problem with right-hearted knights fighting true wrong, but oftentimes calling someone, or a group, ¡®wrong¡¯ is only done to justify your own dislike for them.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve made it no secret that you think toads are wrong,¡± said Lexi, folding her arms.


    ¡°Well¡­ I know not all toads are wrong¡­¡± Sir Ranae said.


    ¡°But you see those who aren¡¯t as the exception to the rule, am I right?¡± Lexi said, pointing at him.


    ¡°Well¡­ yes¡­ generally toads are terrible creatures¡­¡±


    Lexi sighed. ¡°An opinion you¡¯ve come to, I¡¯m sure, because of how many you¡¯ve fought on the battlefield.¡± She held out her paws to both Sir Ranae and Mousey to stop them for a moment. ¡°Now, listen to me, and listen well, both of you. There is wrong in this world. Wrong-hearted beasts do exist, but they can be any beast. What¡¯s more, the truly wrong are the rare ones, and if you start to think of toads, bats, salamanders, or even cats¡­ yes, Mousey, even cats, as wrong then you start down a dangerous path. That way of thinking often leads one to become a wrong-hearted beast themselves. Understand?¡±


    Both Mousey and Sir Ranae nodded their heads.


    Lexi¡¯s eyes met Mousey¡¯s. ¡°Right-hearted cats are not the exception to the rule. Quite the contrary, wrong cats are the rarer ones.¡±


    Sir Ranae licked one of his own eyeballs, and said, ¡°Then, how is it that an wrong-hearted cat rose to become their queen? Or a wrong toad?¡±


    ¡°Because the wrong know how to create fear,¡± said Lexi. ¡°And fear is the most common way to make people obey you. Respect and love are far better, but fear is easier.¡±


    ¡°How do you know so much about this?¡± Mousey asked.


    Lexi smiled and folded her arms. ¡°I raised twenty-seven pups. I learned a thing or two about leadership.¡±


    Sir Ranae chuckled. ¡°I have no pollywogs myself, so I must defer to your wisdom, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Lexi. ¡°Speaking of the pups, we really need to hurry. Lapin¡¯s family must have their hands full caring for them. Even to a big family like his they can be troublesome.¡±


    Mousey nodded his head. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s hurry to his hutch.¡± He had almost forgotten about the rabbit who had been looking after his brothers and sisters. As they continued on their way, now moving faster than they had been before, Mousey could almost picture the disapproving face Button was sure to give him.

 Chapter Seventeen

    Two days on the road brought them to the rabbit colony, Fluffle.


    Along the way, Mousey had stopped at a stream to wash out his clothes, and rinse the dried mud out of his fur, but now that he had arrived he¡¯d have a chance to take a real bath. He could already see steam rising from tin chimneys as they drew close.


    Each of the hutches appeared to be grass-covered hills with doors, windows, and slanted wooden roofs.


    And in the streets between those hutches stood the colony¡¯s rabbits. Their eyes all turned to face Mousey, his mother, and Sir Ranae as they came down the hill toward Fluffle.


    There approached a rabbit wearing a gray suit, a top hat, a monocle, and carrying an umbrella under his arm. Most of his fur was white, except what was just under his nose and over his lip. There the fur was black, and the dark spot curled up on either side of his face, like a mustache.


    ¡°Oh, I say!¡± said the rabbit as he approached them. He cleared his throat and adjusted the monocle on his nose. ¡°Weary travelers, welcome to our colony. ¡®Tis jolly good to have visitors here, wot wot!¡±


    ¡°I thank you kindly, ol¡¯ chap,¡± said Lexi, matching the rabbit¡¯s strange accent. ¡°We¡¯re here to see Mr. Lapin. Is he present?¡±


    The rabbit¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Ha ha! You must be the mother of those little rapscallions he¡¯s been caring for! Adorable little ones, I must say! And too small to cause too much trouble around here.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Tis good to hear they have behaved themselves,¡± said Lexi. ¡°Sometimes they can be positively beastly, the way children are, you know.¡±


    ¡°Quite right, quite right,¡± said the rabbit. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let me keep you. Lapin is in his hutch, tinkering away at some new invention, no doubt.¡±


    ¡°No doubt,¡± repeated Lexi.


    The three of them continued further into the village. Once Mousey thought they might be out of ear-shot of the rabbit who¡¯d come to greet them, he whispered, ¡°Why talk like that?¡±


    ¡°Around here, they consider that the proper way of speaking,¡± said Lexi, ¡°And they like it if you at least try to speak as they do.¡±


    ¡°Such an outlandish way to communicate!¡± croaked Sir Ranae.


    The three of them soon arrived at the door to one of the hutches, and Lexi knocked four times.


    A few moments later, the door creaked open, and in the doorway stood a gray rabbit wearing a red military uniform. The collar was popped up around his cheeks, and the right side of his chest was covered in medals. On his chin rested a tuft of brown fur, and one of his ears was just slightly shorter than the other, as if a part of it were missing. For a moment, he looked over all their heads, not noticing them. Then, his eyes fell to Sir Ranae, and finally to Lexi and Mousey.


    ¡°Dearest Alexandra!¡± he said, a smile across his face. ¡°It has been an honor watching your little ones during your time away, I must say.¡±


    ¡°Lapin! It pleases me that they¡¯ve been such a joy,¡± said Lexi. ¡°How can I ever repay you for all your help?¡±


    ¡°Oh, pish posh!¡± said Lapin, folding his paws behind his back. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I owe my very life to your kindness, dear girl.¡±


    ¡°Well, just know that your hospitality is appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, quite, indeed.¡± He cleared his throat and sniffed, then his eyes fell to Mousey. ¡°Ah, and who is this strapping young chap?¡±


    ¡°The only one of my pups you¡¯ve not yet met,¡± said Lexi. ¡°This is Mousefred Souris.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± said Lapin, nodding his head. He offered a gloved paw to shake Mousey¡¯s.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± said Mousey, allowing the rabbit to


    shake his tiny paw.


    ¡°And you, young sir,¡± said Lapin. ¡°I say, but you do look much like your father, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Mousey¡¯s heart sunk, but he forced a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Lapin¡¯s ears drooped. ¡°Terribly sorry, lad. Didn¡¯t realize that was still a sore spot, your father being gone and all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± said Mousey, scratching behind one of his ears. ¡°I¡­ I guess I should be over it by now. He disappeared so long ago¡­¡±


    ¡°No, lad, listen to me,¡± Lapin pointed a finger at him. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone tell you that you¡¯ve mourned too long over the loss of someone dear. Only you can decide how much time you need to properly work through your emotions.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ thank you,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Lapin, turning back to Lexi. ¡°Do come in! I¡¯m sure your litter will be joyful to see you, wot wot.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yes,¡± said Mousey, ¡°Tallyho!¡±


    Lapin stared at Mousey as if he¡¯d just grown a second head.


    Mousey folding his paws in front of his lap, looked down, and walked into the hutch.


    Sure enough, no sooner were Mousey and Lexi inside Lapin¡¯s home than a stampede rushed to greet them. All of Mousey¡¯s brothers and sisters nigh smothered them with hugs. Even Button had put aside all judgments for a moment and showered the two of them with affection.


    That is, until she actually caught whiff of them. ¡°Oh! You smell like garbage!¡± she said, holding a paw over her nostrils.


    ¡°Buttondale Souris!¡± Lexi scolded.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t my fault you both smell horrible!¡± Button said, retreating from them.


    Mousey chuckled and shrugged. ¡°I could use a bath.¡± He turned his gaze up to Lapin. ¡°If that¡¯s alright, Mr. Lapin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, lad,¡± said Lapin. He pointed a paw down the hall. ¡°Just over that way, the room on the right, you¡¯ll find a bathtub. If you need any help lighting the coals underneath just let me know.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mousey. He walked down the hall to the bath,


    and on the way noticed that the door to the room across the hall was open. Up on the walls in the room across the hall, he saw a plethora of schematics hanging on the walls, designs for all sorts of odd inventions. Curious, he entered that room to look over the plans.


    Mousey tilted his head to one side and smiled when he saw Lapin¡¯s schematics for a flying ship. The shape looked mostly like any other boat, but instead of sails on a mast it had sails upon wings stretched out from the starboard and port sides. He laughed lightly at the idea of flying in a boat that soared among the clouds and did his best to memorize the calculations and schematics before him. Maybe, someday, he could build the flying ship with Mr. Lapin.


    But then another schematic caught his eyes. The drawing pictured a mouse, but he wore something on his back. In one iteration it looked like a cape, but in another spot the mouse stood with his arms outstretched, and bat-like wings hung below his arms.


    ¡°He said he found his wings in the ruins¡­ He claimed they were old magic¡­¡±


    Mousey sighed, realizing that this was yet another of many lies surrounding his father. That was, if Nycht really was Topo Souris.


    He resolved not to think about it too long, if he could help it, and crossed the hall back to the bath. The tub inside that room was enormous, big enough for seven of him to fit inside. Above the tub was a pump, like one often found on a well, and below it was black coals.


    Mousey closed the door, undressed, then held his paws over the tub and recalled steaming hot water, and all the baths he¡¯d taken before. Soon, the tub filled up with hot water, and Mousey climbed in.


    ¡°Mr. Lapin can probably answer some of your questions about your father,¡± Sopher spoke in Mousey¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know,¡± Mousey thought.


    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± said Sopher. ¡°At the very least, you want to know if Nycht was telling the truth.¡±


    Mousey whispered, ¡°If he really is Topo Souris¡­ then that means he abandoned us. If he became Nycht that means he did so for his own, selfish glory. He¡¯s no father of mine.¡±


    A landscape of black and red.


    Sopher looked around at their surroundings and sighed. Mousey¡¯s mind had twisted his dreams into something grotesque and terrifying. The pages of the book upon which they stood now appeared charred. The sky above them was blood red, and streams of black in swirled all around them.


    ¡°Mousey¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Sopher asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± he said, looking at the dreamscape with as much confusion as she had.


    ¡°You¡¯re holding onto anger, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sopher asked, her blue, ink eyes scanning their surroundings. Faces of snarling beasts appeared in the black ink floating all around them, and she cringed.


    ¡°This is because I¡¯m angry at someone?¡± Mousey ducked as some of the black ink flew close to him. ¡°How¡­ how does that work?¡±


    ¡°Your imagination shapes both your dreams and your magic,¡± said Sopher, constantly watching the swirls of darkness around them. ¡°If you¡¯re angry you¡¯ll conjure up these terrible images. That¡¯s why the boat sank, Mousey. You¡¯re angry with your father.¡±


    Mousey looked away from her, and both of them heard a screech from one of the dark streams. Smoke billowed all around the book, rising from some glowing blaze far beneath them.


    ¡°Mousey¡­¡± Sopher floated over to him and held both of his paws in her own. ¡°Let¡¯s talk through this. If you hang onto anger like this the results could be disastrous.¡±


    He refused to look her in the eye. The ink swirling around them turned into hundreds of vampire bats, each clad in black armor. Then, in an instant, they were all engulfed in flames. Their high-pitched screams gave Mousey chills, but also brought a smile to his lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start down that path!¡± Sopher pleaded. With a paw on his cheek, she forced him to turn his head and look at her. Even so, his eyes avoided hers, staring instead at her chin. ¡°That¡¯s the difference


    between you and Queen Felicia; your magic isn¡¯t tainted with hate. You said yourself that you never want to burn anyone again, and now¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one more I want to see burn,¡± Mousey said, pulling away from her. ¡°He abandoned us when we were young. There were some nights we went to bed, our tummies aching from hunger, because Mom couldn¡¯t get enough food to feed us all on her own. There were some nights when I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I¡¯d get up from my bunk and go to find her. She¡¯d be in the kitchen, sitting at the table and crying her eyes out.¡±


    Mousey paced back and forth, wringing his paws. All around him bats appeared in the ink and smoke, only to catch fire again, and turn to ashes. ¡°All the while we thought he was dead. My Mom¡¯s friends would come by, and they always spoke about what a great mouse Topo Souris was. ¡®Your father was a good soul. Wish he were still here,¡¯ they¡¯d say.¡±


    An ink bat swooped down at Mousey, with a sword in its claws. Mousey held up his paw, forcing the bat to stop in mid-air, merely hovering above him.


    Sopher rested a paw on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    ¡°Then he comes back into our lives,¡± Mousey continued, his nostrils flared in rage. ¡°And he hits Mom in the face, then takes me off to some prison, where he tries to make me just like him! Why should I not hate him?¡±


    ¡°Because it will torture you!¡± Sopher yelled, forcing him to look at her again. ¡°Holding hate in your heart is like swallowing poison because you expect someone else to die. Ultimately, you are the one who suffers from your anger, not them. Not your father.¡±


    Mousey groaned, then lowered his paw, and the ink bat disappeared. The smoke started to die down, and Mousey hung his head.


    ¡°No need to be ashamed,¡± Sopher said. ¡°You understand justice, so you recognize injustice when you see it. What your father did to you and your family was terrible injustice, but you mustn¡¯t obsess over it. Most beasts are good in their own eyes, so understand that, to him, he did what seemed right at the time.¡±


    Mousey scoffed. ¡°How could what he did seem right? How could it ever seem like a good thing for a mouse to abandon his wife and


    pups?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I understand it,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Just that he must have had reasons at the time. And, even if he didn¡¯t, it doesn¡¯t do you any good to hang onto your anger. You¡¯re letting him hurt you, even when he¡¯s not here.¡±


    Mousey nodded, and the swirling ink faded from the air all around them. Soon, the red sky turned white again, and the pages of the book on which they stood were no longer black and charred.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sopher,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re right. I want to be better than this, I really do.¡±


    ¡°You are better than this,¡± said Sopher, as she pulled him into a warm embrace. ¡°You¡¯ve always been better. That¡¯s why I chose you, Mousey.¡±


    Mousey held her tight. ¡°I wish I could see what you see. Right now, all I know is that there¡¯s a monster within me, the same as there is in him. Now that I realize it¡¯s there¡­ I¡¯m terrified that it will get out. By teaching me magic you may have made someone far more dangerous than he ever was.¡±


    ¡°An oven can be dangerous too,¡± said Sopher. ¡°But how often did warm bread make you smile?¡±


    Mousey chuckled. ¡°I see your point.¡±


    Sopher kissed him on the forehead, causing Mousey¡¯s cheeks to flush and his heart to tremble. She looked him in the eye again. ¡°This is my charge to you, cause far more smiles than frowns in this world. There¡¯s enough anger and cruelty. Show the world kindness.¡±


    Mousey was about to say something in return, but a high-pitched screech snapped him out of the dream. He jolted awake and sat up in his bedroll.


    It was still dark, with only a little starlight pouring in through the window. His brothers and sisters lay all around him, snoring.


    Again, he heard the high-pitched screech, and he recognized the sound.


    The Nocturnal Patrol¡­


    Mousey stumbled through the room in the dark, trying to find his stave. He tripped over one of his brothers and crashed down on


    another.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mousey, what are you doing?¡±


    All of them started to squirm and wake up.


    Mousey finally found his stave. ¡°Stay here,¡± he told his siblings. He stumbled out into the hall, then created a small, candle flame to light his path. First, he hurried to the front door, and peered through the small peephole.


    At first, all he saw were the colony¡¯s streets, lit by a few lamp-posts. He could only barely see the sky but could not tell if any bats flew in it.


    Then, black, leathery wings wrapped around one of the lamp-posts, and the light went out. Then it happened again, and Mousey could only watch as what little light had shown on those streets died out, and darkness consumed the colony.


    They¡¯d only put out all the lights if they intend to attack¡­


    Mousey grabbed his coat off the hook by the door and threw it over his shoulders.


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t have to fight them,¡± Sopher whispered in his thoughts. ¡°Wake Mr. Lapin, Sir Ranae, and your mother. They may know of another way out of here.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Mousey thought. ¡°Perhaps an escape tunnel.¡±


    Mousey hurried over to Mr. Lapin¡¯s bedroom and rapped the door three times with his stave. Before he heard an answer, he did the same to the adult guestroom door, where Lexi and Sir Ranae slept.


    In a few moments, all three of them came out to greet him, rubbing their eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sir Ranae croaked.


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Mousey held a paw to his lips, then whispered, ¡°The Nocturnal Patrol is outside. We need to leave immediately.¡±

 Chapter Eighteen

    In darkness they fled, through tunnels underneath the colony.


    Yet, even through the earth, Mousey and his family could hear the shouting and screams overhead, as the Nocturnal Patrol ransacked the town.


    Lapin led the way. ¡°Quickly now, little ones! This tunnel opens up in the woods outside town. There we¡¯ll have a chance to escape.¡±


    Mousey brushed away gnarled roots and hanging earthworms as they ran through that underground path. Up ahead, just past Lapin¡¯s silhouette, he could see some starlight pouring in from outside the tunnel.


    Lapin burst through the tunnel¡¯s exit first, followed closely by Mousey, his mother, Sir Ranae, and his siblings.


    But while their eyes still adjusted to the light, Mousey heard Lapin yelp. He had no time to call out to see what the problem was, for claws seized his shoulders.


    They were waiting for us!


    Mousey kicked and flailed as two bats lifted him just above the ground.


    One bat snatched up Lexi, and three more swooped in to fight Sir Ranae. Steel clashed with steel, and Mousey¡¯s siblings scattered.


    Mousey held up his stave, closed his eyes, and recalled the time he¡¯d made the mistake of looking directly into the sun. Even through his eyelids he could see the bright flash, then hear the bats screech and moan in pain as the light blinded them.


    He opened his eyes again and struck with his stave both bats who held him above the ground. As soon as their claws let go, Mousey held his stave over his head again and tried to recall the alarm that went off every morning in the Tower. The sound had been so high-pitched he could barely hear it, but the bats heard it just fine.


    Once he could barely hear that ringing coming from his stave, he then focused on making it as loud as he could imagine. The bats writhed on the ground, covering their big, pointed ears the best they could.


    A bell resembling the one in the tower formed in the air, swinging back and forth to maintain that terrible sound that deafened the bats.


    ¡°This way!¡± Mousey shouted, then rushed off up the hill, further into the woods. He could hear his family¡¯s many paw-beats as they followed him, as well as Sir Ranae¡¯s sticky foot-steps.


    Mousey heard a screech overhead, and a bat swooped down at him. Again, Mousey closed his eyes, aimed his stave, and recalled the sun.


    A bright flash.


    The bat missed Mousey and collided with a tree nearby.


    Another screech. Mousey ducked and rolled as another bat slashed a sword over his head.


    The bat turned and attacked again. This time, Mousey raised a brick wall between him and his foe. A loud smack on the other side of the wall told Mousey all he needed to know of that bat¡¯s fate.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to keep coming,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Unless you do something. They¡¯re using sound to figure out where you are.¡±


    Mousey stopped dead in his tracks, allowing his family, Lapin, and Sir Ranae to catch up. All of them stumbled to a halt.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Mousey said, raising his stave. ¡°Dig a hole to hide in. I¡¯ll hold off the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Mousey!¡± his mother protested.


    ¡°Trust me!¡± Mousey yelled back.


    Without another word, Lapin led the Souris family and Sir Ranae in a frantic dig.


    Mousey, in the meantime, focused his attention on the tree branches above. He waved his stave about, and dozens of bells appeared, hanging from the tree branches. Each one let out that same high-pitched tone.


    Lapin folded his hears down on his head. He groaned in pain, but continued the dig.


    Bats circled overhead. Though they were in pain, they knew Mousey and his family were somewhere around this spot. Their ears folded down on their heads, and they hung from tree branches, their eyes scouring the forest floor.


    Mousey aimed his stave downward, and turned his eyes away as dozens of bright, white lights lined the ground. Bats groaned and looked away, now both blind and deaf.


    Mousey looked back at his family. They still frantically worked on a hole big enough for all of them to hide within. They¡¯d need more time to make this spot safe.


    Though the threat from the air had been neutralized, Mousey soon realized they were not out of danger yet.


    In the distance he could spot something enormous walking the forest floor. When the creature stepped into the light, Mousey was shocked at both the size and appearance of this beast.


    Most of its body was covered in gray fur, but the fur on its face was winter white. Its eyes were black, and its mouth was full of jagged crooked teeth. Its tail resembled that of a snake, or perhaps a giant worm. On the end of that tail, the beast carried a lantern. In one paw it held a spear, in the other a shield. The beast wore white armor over its body, but the style much resembled the armor of the Nocturnal Patrol.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    A possum? Mousey thought. He¡¯d read about such animals, but had never actually seen one before. To him, it looked like a giant mouse, twisted by darkness and wrong.


    The creature looked over the lights on the ground, and straight at Mousey. ¡°You!¡± the possum bellowed, before running across the field of lights. The tip of the spear was pointed straight at Mousey¡¯s racing heart.


    But before the possum could draw close, Sir Ranae leapt into action. He landed between Mousey and the possum, and used Worthy to cut the point off the possum¡¯s spear.


    The possum snarled, then smacked Sir Ranae with the shaft and pushed him back with the shield.


    Mousey held out his paw, and the lantern slid off the end of the possum¡¯s tail and smacked him in the head. Sir Ranae used the momentary distraction to run his sword through the possum and kick him away.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready!¡± Mr. Lapin shouted.


    Mousey and Sir Ranae turned and ran over to the hole in the ground Lapin had dug. Both slipped under the soil, and Mousey pulled a pile of fallen leaves over the entrance.


    Once he was underground, the bells stopped ringing and, presumably, disappeared. The white lights on the ground faded out.


    Mousey and his family waited in total silence. When they heard bats land nearby and start searching the forest floor, some of the pups held their breath.


    But he kept his eyes and stave on the leaves that covered the hole¡¯s entrance. He could hear the Nocturnal Patrol crawling around the forest floor on four legs, and their short, sharp sniffs as they tried to pick up any trace of Mousey¡¯s family.


    Another landed. This one directly on top of them.


    ¡°Report!¡± came Nycht¡¯s familiar voice from above.


    ¡°We lost track of them,¡± one bat shrieked back.


    ¡°They could be anywhere,¡± shrieked another. ¡°We don¡¯t know if they ran or hid, or what direction they could have gone.¡±


    ¡°Incompetence!¡± Nycht shouted and stamped his foot. Bits of dirt fell down onto Lapin¡¯s head, and his ears twitched. ¡°You! Lead a patrol to circle the forest. They can¡¯t have gotten too far. You! Report back to Commander Delphis. He¡¯ll get the Day Patrol here soon, in case Mousey isn¡¯t found tonight. We cannot let him escape!¡±


    ¡°Yes, lieutenant!¡± both bats shrieked, before flapping their leathery wings and taking off.


    Nycht paced on top of their hole for a few moments, causing more dirt to fall on Mousey¡¯s family, then spread his wings and flew off as well.


    Though the momentary danger seemed to have passed, Mousey kept his eyes on those leaves that blocked their hiding place off. He and his family were up for hours after that, unable to take their eyes off the thin layer keeping them out of danger.


    But, at some point, sleep must have claimed them, for Mousey awoke to warm sunlight on his face, shining through the leaves. He heard bees buzzing nearby, but no bird songs.


    The Day Patrol must have arrived, he thought to himself. Those weasels would circle the area on foot, and some were surely searching the woods for Mousey even then.


    But for how much the Day Patrol was worthy of their fear, Mousey felt a much deeper terror grip him when he heard his mother say, ¡°Where¡¯s Button?¡±


    He whipped his head around and looked over the faces of his brothers and sisters. He silently recited each of their names in his head, and found that his mother was right, Button wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°No!¡± Lexi squeaked and started scrambling towards the entrance. ¡°We have to find her! Button!¡±


    Lapin held her back and covered her mouth. ¡°Shh!¡± he whispered in her ear. ¡°If you call out for her they¡¯ll find us!¡±


    Lexi squirmed and fought in Lapin¡¯s arms, but her strength was nowhere near enough to overpower the rabbit.


    Though, all of her flailing came to an abrupt stop when they heard paw-steps treading on the roof of their hiding place. Everyone went silent and still as they saw the leaves shift. Mousey held tight his stave, Sir Ranae to his sword, both prepared for a fight if they were discovered.


    ¡°Mousey,¡± came Nycht¡¯s voice from above. His tone wavered, as if he fought back sobs. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you or anyone in there with you, alright? I just want to talk. I¡¯m going to move some of these leaves, please don¡¯t attack me.¡±


    Sir Ranae looked at Mousey, his eyes implying his request for permission to attack the Nocturnal Patrol¡¯s lieutenant.


    Mousey shook his head, but kept his stave trained on those leaves.


    One leaf fell aside, and Nycht looked in, his face covered with his helmet and body with black armor. But he held up both paws, showing that he was unarmed. Well, he wasn¡¯t holding his weapon, anyway. In his belt rested a longsword.


    ¡°Mousey, I need you to come with me,¡± said Nycht.


    ¡°I¡¯m never going anywhere with you!¡± Mousey hissed. ¡°You¡¯re one of them! Just one more predator to feed off the suffering of our kind!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about your sister,¡± said Nycht. ¡°I think it¡¯s important for you to see this.¡± Nycht tossed a black cloak with a hood down into the pit. ¡°Put this on, and I¡¯ll take you right past the Day Patrol. Leave your stave here.¡±


    ¡°How can I trust you?¡± Mousey asked.


    ¡°Will you just put on the dumb cloak and come already?¡± Nycht snapped, his voice sounding even closer to sobs. He swallowed hard, and wiped his eyes on the back of his paw.


    Mousey¡¯s stomach felt like a pit far deeper than the one in which he and his family hid. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ll come¡­¡± he said. He threw the cloak over his shoulders and pulled the hood over his ears.


    Lexi stood and started towards the hole¡¯s entrance.


    Nycht held up a paw to stop her. ¡°I can only sneak one of you there. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You cannot keep me from my daughter!¡± Lexi snapped.


    ¡°No, but the Day Patrol can,¡± said Nycht. ¡°And you have other pups to think about.¡±


    ¡°Get out of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Mousey interrupted her, ¡°please, wait here. I swear I¡¯ll be back with news soon.¡±


    ¡°Mousefred¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the best we can do to get Button back,¡± Mousey said. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He held out his stave to her.


    Lexi sighed, then kissed Mousey on the cheek. ¡°Hurry back.¡±


    Mousey nodded, and when his mother took his stave, he turned to follow Nycht.


    In short time, the two of them arrived back at Fluffle.


    As they walked, Nycht on all fours, his father said to him, ¡°You should have listened to me from the beginning. You never should have left the Nocturnal Patrol!¡±


    ¡°You never should have joined them,¡± Mousey retorted.


    ¡°You may not understand this,¡± said Nycht, ¡°But we do more good than harm.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Mousey scoffed. ¡°You arrested me for helping a stranger, then tried to force me to execute that same stranger. Some good you do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than what¡¯s happened as a result of your rebellion,¡± Nycht snapped. ¡°Queen Felicia only wants you, only you. You have a chance to swear your allegiance to her. You can serve the queen yourself, but instead you choose to put your family in danger!¡±


    ¡°I will never serve the Queen!¡± Mousey snapped back. ¡°Her wrongness is¡­ beyond¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Nycht cut him off, then pointed with his paw, ¡°And look at the cost of your rebellion!¡±


    Mousey looked where Nycht was pointing, and his heart felt as if it would fall into an infinite abyss.


    He thought, at first, that it was a round stone with rags resting upon it. Then he recognized the rags as his sister¡¯s patched dress. Then he realized that the shape of the rock was that of a mouse pup curled in a ball. Finally, he recognized the face on that statue as Button¡¯s.


    ¡°No!¡± Mousey cried and ran to the statue. ¡°No! Button! No! Oh, Heavens, no!¡±

 Chapter Nineteen

    With eyes closed and pain in his heart, Mousey pressed his paw to his sister¡¯s stone forehead.


    He tried to imagine all of her turning back to normal. He¡¯d never seen a mouse¡¯s stomach before, but he did his best to envision a cure for petrification spreading from that point.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone!¡± Nycht hissed.


    When Mousey opened his eyes he could see that, indeed, he had failed to turn his sister back to normal. More tears flowed from his eyes, and he closed them and tried again.


    ¡°You cannot undo the harm you¡¯ve done!¡± Nycht said. ¡°Just accept it. This is the damage you¡¯ve caused.¡±


    Mousey¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he swung his stave at Nycht¡¯s head. The lieutenant fell back and drew his sword.


    ¡°Is that the way it¡¯s going to be?¡± he said. ¡°I swore I wouldn¡¯t hurt you again, but if you attack me then I have little choice.¡±


    ¡°You seek to blame me for this?¡± Mousey yelled. Nycht glanced back and forth and raised a claw to tell him to be more silent. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to shush! You¡¯re part of the army that did this! You commit atrocities like this all the time!¡±


    ¡°Watch your tone with me, pup,¡± Nycht yelled back, his brow furrowed in anger. ¡°I¡¯m still your fa¡ª¡±


    ¡°You were her father too!¡± Mousey interrupted, pointing at Button. ¡°You should have stopped this!¡±


    Nycht sneered. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have stopped it even if I tried! We both would have ended up dead! You are the only one who could have done anything to prevent this!¡±


    Mousey aimed his stave at Nycht. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear¡­¡±


    He trailed off when he heard paw-steps approaching. Before he could even find a spot to duck behind and hide, a dozen weasels surrounded him and Nycht, each with spears pointed.


    ¡°Mousefred Souris!¡± shouted one of the weasels. ¡°We knew you¡¯d come for your sister. Surrender and your life will be spared!¡±


    Mousey felt that familiar rage burning inside of him. For a moment, he imagined all of the weasels bursting into flames then and there.


    No¡­ never burn anyone again¡­


    It was then that he recalled Sir Ranae¡¯s story about the ¡°octopus,¡± and got an idea.


    He aimed his stave at the ground in front of him, and a strange creature formed on the spot. The body looked like a giant ball made of gelatin, and the arms looked like Sir Ranae¡¯s arms, though far longer. Since Mousey had never seen an octopus before, this was the best he could conjure.


    The weasels shrieked and scattered as the creature¡¯s arms reached out for them.


    One of the creature¡¯s many arms seized a weasel and tossed him high into the air.


    Another arm grabbed a weasel and repeatedly beat him against the ground.


    One of the weasels attempted to fight back, only for the creature¡¯s arm to seize the shaft of his weapon and break it over his head.


    As madness ensued all around them, Mousey pointed his stave at a horrified Lieutenant Nycht. ¡°Consider yourself lucky. As you said, you are my father, so, even though you¡¯ve done so much wrong to me and those I love, I cannot bring myself to end your life. And I never will.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    With his stave in hand, Mousey walked away from the scene, wiping tears from his eyes.


    How am I going to tell Mom? Button¡¯s gone¡­


    ¡°There may be a chance to save her,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°Really?¡± thought Mousey. ¡°How? Is there a spell?¡±


    ¡°Not one that I know,¡± said Sopher. ¡°But, before he died, Erinac, my first master, knew of a book that taught powerful healing magic. If we can find it we can save Button.¡±


    Mousey breathed a sigh of relief and wiped more tears from his eyes. ¡°Good! Just tell me where this book is. Maybe I can get it and hurry back before Mom even knows what¡¯s happened.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the ruins of the tall apes,¡± said Sopher. ¡°It¡¯s day¡¯s journey on foot from here.¡±


    Mousey felt a chill creep up his back. The ruins of the tall apes. Every mouse knew the ruins were dangerous. The place was a graveyard for all manner of beasts, including the tall apes themselves. Then there was the Domesticult, beasts who called themselves ¡°Pets¡± and guarded the ruins from beasts they considered too wild. Furthermore, the ruins were where Mousey¡¯s father had disappeared.


    Supposedly disappeared.


    Mousey looked back at Nycht, who still stood where Mousey had left him, staring at Button¡¯s statue. All the weasels were long gone, having fled from the octopus¡¯ attack.


    I need someone to show me through the ruins¡­


    Mousey hurried back over to a confused Nycht. ¡°Were you really a scavenger? Or was that a lie too?¡±


    ¡°What has that to do with¡ª¡±


    ¡°There may be a way to save Button!¡± Mousey interrupted. ¡°Now, were you really a scavenger?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± said Nycht. ¡°But, Mousefred, no amount of old magic from the tall apes is going to save her. No one has ever cured petrification before!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a book that teaches the magic I need to save her,¡± squeaked Mousey. ¡°But I need help getting to it. I need to fly there, so we can arrive as soon as possible, and then I need help getting through the ruins. Can you manage it?¡±


    ¡°This is a fool¡¯s errand.¡± Nycht shook his head.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Mousey groaned. ¡°You can give up if you want, but I¡¯m not going to! The book in the ruins is the only hope we have! Now, are you going to help me or not?¡±


    Nycht sighed and nodded. ¡°Fine! We¡¯ll chase after fairy legends and fables if you wish. Maybe then, when we¡¯ve proven the book doesn¡¯t exist, you¡¯ll be an adult and own up to what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Mousey cringed, tightened his paws around his stave, bit his lip, but ultimately said, ¡°Yes¡­ if we fail I¡¯ll accept full responsibility for Button¡¯s fate.¡±


    Nycht spread his wings and gestured for Mousey to climb onto his back, which Mousey did. The lieutenant beat the air, until the two of them left the ground, and started on their way to the ruins.


    They soared over the canopy of the trees, and cold wind rushed all around them. From so high up, even the biggest trees looked like they could fit in Mousey¡¯s paw.


    The sun was still rising over the horizon, its light illuminating the gray and brown clouds that hung low in the sky. Those dull colors turned to gold, red, and pink when the rays hit them a certain way.


    In the distance, Mousey beheld a bizarre sight. There stood great, gray pillars, far taller than the tallest trees. When the light hit them a certain way, something on them glimmered. Some of the pillars were broken, with jagged edges and gaps.


    ¡°Are those the ruins?¡± Mousey asked, his voice drowned out by the roaring wind all around them.


    ¡°What?¡± Nycht yelled back.


    ¡°Up ahead!¡± Mousey yelled, trying to be louder than the wind this time. ¡°Are those the ruins?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Nycht shouted. ¡°If you¡¯ve never been there before, how do you know that¡¯s where the book is?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him about me,¡± Sopher pleaded. ¡°It¡¯s still his job to see me burned.¡±


    ¡°I read about it once,¡± shouted Mousey, ¡°Back at the tower.¡±


    Nycht shook his head and groaned. ¡°You could have learned so much more if you¡¯d stayed!¡±


    The green and brown paths beneath them soon turned to black, and the air stung to breathe. Down below, Mousey could see hundreds of those odd boxes, much like the one in which the Toad King had made his palace. Some of them were overturned on their backs, others smashed into each other. The white bones of some animal Mousey did not recognize littered the black below.


    The ground below them was broken up, and cords protruded from underneath. The wires were split in places, revealing copper beneath, which sparked and fizzled. Arcs of what almost looked like lightning leapt out at anything which moved near them.


    ¡°We have to land soon,¡± yelled Nycht, ¡°Or some of the Pets will spot us. Which direction are we going?¡±


    Sopher whispered to Mousey, ¡°According to what Erinac said, the book¡¯s keeper should be northwest from here.¡±


    ¡°Northwest,¡± said Mousey, pointing with his stave.


    Nycht glided down, and found a place to land just beside an impossibly tall, steel pole. ¡°Alright. Lead the way.¡±

 Chapter Twenty

    ¡°Awooooooooooooo!¡±


    Mousey shook when he heard the sound and ducked his head low. ¡°What was that?¡± he whispered to Nycht.


    ¡°A dog,¡± Nycht whispered back, glancing over the cinder-block in their path. ¡°Have you never encountered a dog before?¡±


    Mousey shook his head.


    Nycht groaned and rolled his eyes. ¡°Have you been living your life with your head in the sand?¡± Nycht stared at him for a moment, and when Mousey said nothing he shrugged, glanced over the cinder block again, and scurried off to the next shadowy spot he could find.


    Mousey followed, not even daring to look up at the sky, lest he spot a hawk swooping down to snatch him up in its talons.


    Just as the two of them had safely reached their hiding place, Mousey heard a licking sound in the distance. His eyes scanned his surroundings and fell upon a cat on a window sill, licking his own paws. Most disturbing was the fact that, unlike most beasts, the cat wore no clothes. The feline was completely naked, save for a collar around its neck.


    ¡°Cat¡­¡± Mousey whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see many of those around here,¡± Nycht whispered back. ¡°And they¡¯re far more savage than the ones where we come from.¡±


    ¡°More savage?¡±


    ¡°They eat thinking beasts, if those beasts are wild or vermin, like us.¡±


    Nycht scurried off to a long stretch of tall grass, and Mousey followed. With this new cover, they could sprint far longer than they had before, and be fairly confident that they weren¡¯t spotted. Part of the trick, as Nycht had told him, was to keep moving whenever you were concealed, but stay mostly still when out in the open.


    Eventually, they came to the end of the tall grass, and in front of them lay a mess of rubble. Without hesitation, Nycht pulled himself up onto one of the broken stones and slipped through the tiny gaps between them. Mousey struggled to follow, finding it difficult to pull himself up as quickly as Nycht had.


    Once Mousey had reached the shadows between the stones, Nycht shook his head at him. ¡°You¡¯re terribly out of shape for this sort of thing.¡±


    Mousey wanted to protest that of course he wasn¡¯t as fit for something like this as someone who¡¯d made a career out of it. However, he remembered Sopher¡¯s words about anger, and resisted the temptation.


    Nycht continued through the crevices between the stones, grunting and groaning as he squeezed through.


    Mousey followed as best as he could.


    His paw found something sticky.


    A spider¡¯s web!


    Mousey flailed, trying to get the web off his paw, and squeaked in panic.


    Nycht hissed at him, ¡°Keep it down! You¡¯re going to get us caught!¡±


    ¡°Spider web!¡± Mousey whimpered. ¡°Are there spiders in here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± whispered Nycht with a shrug. ¡°What do you expect? If they show their ugly faces, we¡¯ll kill them. Simple as that.¡±


    Simple.


    As Mousey got clear of the sticky web, he thought on his father¡¯s words, and caught a glimpse of the fate he would have suffered had he continued with the Nocturnal Patrol. He¡¯d have gotten to a point where killing was ¡°simple¡± for him.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Then again, he¡¯d taken the lives of a few beasts himself. How much had life lost its value in Mousey¡¯s own eyes?


    Nycht pushed through, until they reached a spot where light poured in from the outside. ¡°You¡¯re sure we¡¯re still heading the right way?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Yes,¡± whispered Mousey, pointing his paw. ¡°The book is in that direction.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Mousey thought for a moment. In truth, Sopher told him where to go. She¡¯d been speaking in his mind the entire time, but he couldn¡¯t tell Nycht about her, lest he seek to burn her, as was his duty.


    ¡°I read about it and saw a map,¡± Mousey whispered.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have that map with you.¡± Nycht folded his arms and shook his head. ¡°How can you be certain?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I use magic to guide me, alright?¡±


    Nycht snorted, a smirk on his lips. ¡°Oh, really? Magic is based on your imagination, isn¡¯t it? How do you know you¡¯re not just imagining it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mousey shrugged.


    ¡°Glad you really thought this out.¡± The lieutenant rolled his eyes and pointed out of the pile of rubble. ¡°There¡¯s a hole in that wall over there, just big enough for us to squeeze through.¡±


    Without another word, Lieutenant Nycht dashed across the black street, and Mousey chased after him.


    No sooner had Mousey left the pile of rubble, then his body shook as a huge animal shouted at him. ¡°Mouse! Hey! Mouse!¡±


    Mousey scurried faster and glanced over his shoulder to see the beast thundering after him.


    A mouth full of sharp teeth, with four long fangs.


    Frosty blue eyes.


    Ears that flopped down on either side of its head.


    The clamoring noise of the copper name-tag under his collar as it flapped up and down.


    Though he had never seen one before, he was certain this was a dog, and that he¡¯d surely die if it were to catch him.


    With his eyes back on the path ahead of him, Mousey silently prayed he¡¯d make it to cover quickly enough.


    The dog¡¯s hot, wet breath fell on his back. Mousey leapt into the hole just as those vicious jaws snapped at him.


    Both Mousey and Nycht sat inside the hole, just outside the reach of the dog¡¯s digging paws. The two mice did all they could to catch their breath after that brush with doom.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t spot that¡­¡± Nycht said, once he¡¯d caught his breath. He drew his sword and walked closer to the entrance to the hole, where the dog scratched and clawed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mousey asked, shaking his head frantically.


    ¡°Teaching this savage, a lesson,¡± said Nycht.


    Just as one of the dog¡¯s toes crept in, Nycht stabbed him on the pad.


    The dog yelped and scampered away.


    Nycht laughed. ¡°Idiot pets!¡±


    Mousey shook his head at Nycht. ¡°That was just cruel¡­¡±


    ¡°He would have done far worse to us,¡± said Nycht, cleaning and sheathing his sword.


    ¡°We were safe,¡± Mousey protested, stamping his foot. ¡°There was no reason to hurt him!¡±


    ¡°I very much disagree,¡± said Nycht. ¡°Now he knows mice can fight back, and he¡¯s less likely to chase us again.¡±


    ¡°Or he¡¯s just angry.¡± Mousey threw up his paws and paced back and forth. ¡°Maybe now he¡¯s even more likely to chase and kill mice!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to argue with you about this,¡± said Nycht. He turned and started walking further into the building, his eyes and ears searching for any sign of movement within. ¡°Come on.¡±


    The two of them walked for several minutes in near silence, before Mousey whispered, ¡°Last time we met you said you had been ordered to kill me. Then you didn¡¯t. Why didn¡¯t they throw you out of the Nocturnal Patrol?¡±


    ¡°I told them you defeated me and fled,¡± whispered Nycht. ¡°They


    find failure easier to forgive than insubordination.¡±


    ¡°How did you even find me in the swamp?¡± Mousey asked. ¡°Did you use magic?¡±


    ¡°What? No. Aside from being able to fly, I can¡¯t really use magic. I followed your tracks from your house like a normal beast.¡± Nycht looked back at him. ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy to track someone in a swamp. Mud holds prints well. It¡¯s just common sense.¡±


    Looking back on it, Mousey wished he¡¯d walked backwards for at least part of the way, just to throw Nycht off his trail.


    But then, something else occurred to him.


    ¡°How did the Nocturnal Patrol know where to find my family?¡± Mousey said, a hint of accusation in his tone. ¡°Did you guess they¡¯d go to Mr. Lapin¡¯s hutch?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± said Nycht, ¡°But I kept that information to myself. No, the Day Patrol ransacked your house and discovered a crudely-drawn map in one of the books.¡±


    A chill like ice water washed over Mousey. His mother had told him, in her note, that she¡¯d hidden a map to Mr. Lapin¡¯s hutch in one of his books. But Mousey had been in far too much of a hurry to find his mother to worry about the map.


    The Nocturnal Patrol found the map he¡¯d left behind.


    It really is my fault Button was turned to stone¡­


    A hideous screech snapped Mousey out of the moment. He leapt out of the way just in time as a pipe nearby spat burning steam from its gaps at him.


    ¡°We¡¯ve gone about as far as we can go inside,¡± said Nycht. He climbed up on the window sill, and then motioned for Mousey to do the same. Once Mousey was up as well, Nycht pointed to a series of houses 100 times larger than the one Mousey had grown up in. ¡°I¡¯m guessing your book is in one of those?¡±


    ¡°The blue one on the right,¡± Sopher whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in Erinac¡¯s dreams.¡±


    Mousey pointed at the house Sopher had indicated. ¡°That one.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± said Nycht. ¡°Let¡¯s see how this goes. I should warn you, there are Pets living in most of these.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-One

    Brown skies overhead, and air that stung the throat.


    The two mice made their way across the last black street between them and the blue house, wherein lay the book that would teach Mousey how to cure his sister.


    They hopped through the gaps in the chain-link fence surrounding the front yard, and into the tall grass.


    Overhead, they heard a hawk screech, and both mice laid low.


    The bird circled high in the sky over the ruins. With all the brown smoke in the air, they could barely see the avian predator.


    Mousey felt his heart stop when the bird dove, its talons outstretched.


    Then, his heart started again when he saw the hawk snatch something off the ground far away from them.


    His relief was short-lived, replaced by guilt that he¡¯d been happy, even for a second, that some other poor beast had died in his place.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get inside,¡± Nycht whispered.


    Mousey nodded and followed him but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a whimper from nearby.


    His ears perked up, and he stood tall to see if he could spot the source of the sound.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Nycht hissed. ¡°Stay low!¡±


    Mousey ignored him and continued to search for the source of the cry.


    When he finally spotted her, he wasn¡¯t sure how he hadn¡¯t noticed her before. In the grass, across a cement walkway in the same yard, lay a red vixen. She wore around her shoulders a tattered cape, which meant she was a scavenger, not a Pet. Her back, left paw lay in a pool of red.


    Mousey glanced back and forth for any sign of other foxes nearby, someone else who could help her. Or, someone lying in wait to take advantage of kind strangers.


    No, of course this isn¡¯t a trap. Lying wounded like that is just likely to get you killed around here.


    Mousey crept to the edge of the tall grass and stood beside the cement walkway.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think it!¡± Nycht hissed. ¡°She¡¯s a fox! You¡¯ll be dead for sure!¡±


    Again, Mousey ignored the lieutenant, and scurried across the concrete.


    ¡°Sopher,¡± he thought, ¡°Can we heal her?¡±


    ¡°You can try,¡± Sopher responded. ¡°Usually to use healing magic one needs to know more about biology¡­ Just try to imagine her leg without the wound. Maybe that will be enough.¡±


    Mousey approached the vixen and laid his paws on her leg.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me!¡± the fox begged, with tears in her eyes. She trembled as he approached, and her face held the most pathetic expression Mousey had ever seen. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll never eat another mouse again as long as I live!¡±


    ¡°Shhh!¡± Mousey responded. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what her leg would have looked like before the wound. He recalled all he¡¯d learned about biology from books he¡¯d read back home. The subject had never been so interesting to him as stories, but he¡¯d learned a little.


    When he opened his eyes again, the wound had closed.


    The vixen rose to her feet and shook herself off. ¡°You healed me? You¡¯re a wizard¡­ and you actually used your magic to help?¡±


    ¡°Better hide,¡± Mousey said. ¡°There¡¯s a hawk nearby. He¡¯ll snatch you up if you¡¯re not careful!¡±


    ¡°Then we better get inside,¡± said the vixen. Before Mousey could say or do anything more, she picked him up off the ground in her mouth. Mousey shrieked and flailed, but soon realized that she was not closing her teeth, she merely meant to carry him.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The vixen trotted to the house¡¯s front door and waved her front paw at the knob, which was far from her reach. The knob turned, the door swung open, and she trotted inside with Mousey in her mouth.


    Then, once she was inside, she spat Mousey out onto the cold, tile floor and the door shut behind her.


    ¡°You¡¯re a wizard too?¡± Mousey asked, looking up at her.


    ¡°I prefer the term ¡®trickster.¡¯ Makes me feel beautiful and dangerous,¡± she said with a wink. Mousey felt his cheeks burn a little, and he looked down. ¡°My name is Vulpa. Tell me your name, cutie.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ er¡­¡± Mousey stammered for a moment. Normally, he¡¯d been somewhat offended at being called cute, but for some reason he just felt flustered. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m Mousefred Souris.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so formal!¡± Vulpa said with a giggle. ¡°I like to think we¡¯re friends now.¡± She patted him on the head with one paw. ¡°What do your friends call you?¡±


    ¡°M-Mousey¡­¡±


    ¡°Mousey,¡± she repeated. Whenever she grinned, Mousey got a look at her sharp teeth. Yet, the sight didn¡¯t fill him with dread, like it normally would. ¡°I like it. It¡¯s adorable. You¡¯ve come from far away, it seems. You must know about the treasure in this place.¡±


    ¡°Is it real?¡± Mousey squeaked. ¡°A book that can teach me how to reverse petrification?¡±


    Vulpa nodded, a wide grin on her lips. ¡°Oh, it is very real. Very real indeed, honey. And I have a feeling you¡¯ll be the first beast in many years Dot lets anywhere near it.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± Mousey asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the first beast in a long time to pass the test,¡± said Vulpa. ¡°Most creatures, upon seeing my little trick, either try to eat me or just walk on by. You thought I was hurt, knew I was a beast typically known to prey on your kind, and still tried to heal me.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t actually hurt?¡± Mousey said, tilting his head to one side.


    ¡°No.¡± Vulpa giggled. ¡°It was just a trick. I am a trickster, after all.¡±


    ¡°Stop flirting and get to the book,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°Right¡­ Well, if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡± Mousey said, wringing his paws together. ¡°Please take me to the book. I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry. My sister was turned to stone!¡±


    ¡°I can only take you to Dot,¡± said Vulpa. ¡°She decides whether or not you get to read even a page of Zoi.¡±


    ¡°Zoi¡­ is the book?¡±


    Vulpa trotted off to a door further into the house. The knob turned, and the door swung open, revealing a dark hallway and a wooden staircase leading down. Mousey crept over and peered down into the darkness. Each step was split down the middle, and the gap from one to the next was three times Mousey¡¯s height. The doorway itself had been broken long ago too, and the walls on either side of the staircase were pushed outward, as if something truly enormous, even compared to the house¡¯s original owners, had moved through here.


    Mousey took a deep breath and started down the long staircase. He strapped his stave to his back, and carefully hung down from the edge of the first step. His feet dangled high over the second. He had to simply let go and hope that he wouldn¡¯t slide off because of the forward slope of the staircase.


    Thump.


    And down, down, down he climbed.


    The room grew darker and darker as he descended. He held out his paw and imagined a candle flame. One appeared above his paw, but immediately faded again.


    No light? I¡¯m supposed to do this without light?


    Mousey looked down at the staircase again. He could barely see the next step, but after it was pure blackness.


    He slipped down onto the next step and glanced back at the light peeking under the doorway up above. It could be so easy to go back. After all, he had no way of knowing what was at the bottom. Maybe the fox really had tricked him.


    Of course! She did call herself a ¡°trickster!¡± he thought.


    But this was definitely the right house, as Sopher had told him. His only hope to save Button was to descend into the uncertainty below.


    Mousey swallowed hard, hung off the stair, and let go.


    He fell.


    Further than he was expecting.


    The last step he¡¯d seen was the bottom one, and now he fell into a black abyss. For just a moment, he was sure he would never stop falling.


    But then he landed on something soft, warm, and covered in bristles.


    A large broom?


    A rug?


    Mousey walked around on the surface of whatever it was, feeling its contours. Whatever he¡¯d landed on, surely it was bigger than a mountain.


    Then the furry mountain moved.


    Mousey slid down the mountain¡¯s side, and tumbled across the cold, stone floor below.


    Mousey scrambled to stand.


    A blue flame appeared on the ground in front of Mousey, and he saw that the floor all around him was littered with the bones of many different kinds of beasts. Mostly fish, but also many far larger creatures. Some Mousey guessed were cats, dogs, birds, and even a few mice.


    But he didn¡¯t have long to stare at the graveyard all around, as his eyes were drawn ever upwards to the furry mountain, which had now risen on all four legs.


    Two eyes gleamed in the light of the fire. Shadows fell between the tufts of fur, illuminating that some of the hairs were golden, while others were bronze. Its ears were discs Mousey swore could dwarf the moon. The beast had a wet nose, but its nostrils were bigger than the front door of his house. In its mouth were teeth that looked to him as fence posts, and a tongue that looked like a long, wet highway. Its claws were great enough to tear the Nocturnal Patrol¡¯s tower to oblivion.


    The creature¡¯s breath felt like a, strangely humid, blast from a furnace, and smelled of berries.


    And then the beast spoke. Her voice was so deep, Mousey felt rattled to his bones, and his heart pulsed with every syllable. ¡°Little one. Why have you come?¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Two

    ¡°Speak, mouse! And, for that matter, speak up,¡± said the bear.


    Dot shifted her weight and dropped her giant haunches on the basement floor. Mousey felt a tremor move through the ground beneath his paws, and the bear continued, ¡°For just as the tiniest whisper from my lips is as the roll of thunder to you, so your loudest roar is barely above a whisper to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Um¡­¡± Mousey stammered.


    ¡°Shout, little one,¡± said Dot. ¡°Belt from your chest and tell me why you have come.¡±


    His paws shook, and his teeth chattered. All those times he spent imagining he was a bear who took no abuse from anyone. As a pup he¡¯d constantly played as if he were a mighty grizzly and thought of such a beast as the greatest being he could fathom.


    Now he was face to face with one.


    But he had to remember; he was there with a purpose.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he shouted up to the bear, ¡°To learn the secret to reversing petrification.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± said the bear. Her paws, which held claws like the hulls of longboats, moved across the ground, knocking bones out of her way. She reached up and plucked something from the shadows over her head, then placed it on the ground.


    The book was larger than the floor under the Souris¡¯ dining room, and the binding glimmered like jade.


    Dot continued, ¡°But you have only told me what you came here for. That much I could have guessed. I asked you ¡®why.¡¯ Why have


    you come here? Why has someone brave enough to pass Vulpa¡¯s test braved all the dangers of the ruins?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Mousey pondered the question a moment, then said, ¡°Because my sister has been turned to stone.¡± He bit his lip. ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s my fault. I have to make it better.¡±


    Dot pointed one of her claws at his chest, looked him in the eye, and said, ¡°That is a noble reason, if ever I heard one.¡± The corners of her mouth curled up in a smile, and Mousey reluctantly returned the smile. ¡°Still so terrified?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ y-yes¡­ sorry,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°Never apologize for wisdom,¡± said Dot. ¡°If I am to allow you to read from this book, there are many things I must make you understand first.¡±


    Dot hooked a claw between the book¡¯s pages and flipped it open. There shone from inside the book a beautiful blue light, and the air above it sparkled as if filled with tiny diamonds.


    ¡°Her name is Zoi,¡± said Dot, ¡°And she is different from any other magical book ever written. I inherited her from her previous guardian, a butterfly sorceress named Papillon.¡±


    Dot paused, as if allowing Mousey to speak. He merely stared in silence.


    Dot sighed, her hot breath snaking along the ground in clouds. ¡°Surely you have a question about that?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Mousey thought for a moment, holding his paw to his chin. ¡°Oh! Right! You said the previous guardian was a butterfly! But¡­ most bugs are not thinking creatures.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Dot. ¡°But you have undoubtedly heard of the summer fireflies, who speak their visions of the future? They were once unthinking creatures, but they came across a book of prophecy, and that was how they became so changed. Papillon reacted in a similar fashion to this book, Zoi.¡±


    Mousey craned his neck to try to sneak a peek at Zoi¡¯s pages, but Dot moved her paw in the way, then continued, ¡°She teaches far more than how to heal those who have been turned to stone. She teaches the greatest secrets of medicine, healing, resurrection, and life. With her, any beast can learn how to increase their life span


    many times over. Butterflies¡¯ lives are short, and yet he had watched over this book for ages beyond counting.¡±


    Again, Dot paused. It took Mousey a moment to realize that she was politely pausing for questions when they seemed most warranted. ¡°Oh¡­ Why is he not still the book¡¯s guardian, then?¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°He told me he was ready to pass on,¡± said Dot. ¡°He told me, ¡®When I was but a caterpillar, I thought my days would always be the same. Then I felt different. The world grew dark around me, and my body started to shut down. I felt I was dying, and on pure instinct I built what I assumed would be my coffin. Only to awaken soon after to discover I¡¯d grown wings and was as beautiful as any star in the sky. Now, I¡¯m curious what wonderous change I¡¯m delaying by prolonging the inevitable.¡¯¡±


    Dot raised a single claw into the air and made sure to look Mousey in the eye. ¡°Now, I was just a cub at the time, but I sought the secrets of life because I feared the approaching winter. I was not old enough yet to realize that my hibernation was not only not permanent but would seem far shorter than I expected. I agreed to take this book because I feared an end to what I knew.¡± Dot brought her paw down to the ground again, and Mousey heard the bones underneath grind on the basement floor. ¡°Now, hundreds of battles and countless hibernations later, I realize that new life follows death. It¡¯s a change, but change is usually good. Things need to change, it¡¯s how we know we¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°My sister¡¯s change has stopped,¡± squeaked Mousey. ¡°She isn¡¯t changing into something new, she¡¯s stuck! That¡¯s¡­ worse than death!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± said Dot. ¡°And, for that reason, it is imperative that you restore her. But, understand that someday you may take her place in what may seem like a fate worse than death. If I let you read what you need from this book, you will agree to my terms. This book will one day need a new guardian when I have had enough and wish for the Long Hibernation. Once you have healed your sister, you must come here once a month to study Zoi¡¯s pages, and I will teach you what I have learned.¡±


    Mousey smirked, hardly feeling this was a sacrifice.


    But Dot pressed the end of her claw to his chest and said, ¡°For you will take my place when I sleep in the ground. You will


    outlive everyone you know now, but if you have pups you will live to see their pups, and their pups, and their pups, down to the hundredth generation, or more, if you wish. Yet, you will never have peace.¡±


    Dot gestured to the bones that littered the ground. ¡°You need only look around you to realize just how coveted this books secrets are. And they must never fall into the wrong hands! I understand that mice now live as slaves? Imagine any of your slave masters with the secret to eternal life, and what a terrible world would result. But, this means you must never become such a tyrant yourself. Be wary of the reasons you call others wrong, lest you fail to realize when you follow the same path as they. Do you understand?¡±


    Mousey scratched behind his ear. ¡°I think so. You¡¯re saying that if I read from the book for what I need, I need to come back to learn all its secrets. But that comes at a greater price; when you pass on I will become the book¡¯s new guardian. I need to be careful not to become a bad ruler or¡­ guardian during that time, because if I do it will never end. Then, I have to live long enough to find someone who can do the same. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Dot, raising one claw. ¡°You said ¡®become a bad ruler.¡¯ You are not to become a ruler of any sort, mouse. Do you understand? Power is a temptation to do wrong, and you will have enough temptation without inviting more. No, you are not to be a king, an emperor, a prince, a lord, or any sort of ruler at all. Do I make myself clear, mouse?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, ma¡¯am,¡± said Mousey, folding his paws in front of his lap.


    ¡°Swear it to me, Mouse!¡± growled Dot. She held out her paw and a piece of parchment appeared there, next to a quill and ink-well. ¡°Better yet, put it in writing that you will never ever use your magic to rule over others. Once you have signed this promise, it will be binding, to take your life in an instant should you break it.¡±


    Mousey took the quill in his hand, dipped it in the ink-well, and immediately began scrawling his promise as quickly as he could. He never had any intention of ruling over anyone, and he had a hard time imagining such a thing as possible anyway. Even with


    all this power Dot was talking about, he would still be a mouse.


    ¡°No hesitation,¡± said Dot. ¡°That¡¯s good. Now, if you are ready, sign another promise: that you will never allow this book to fall into the hands of those who would use it to do harm. You shall not die if you break this promise, but rather shall live long enough to hunt them down and destroy them for their wrongness.¡±


    Sopher whispered in Mousey¡¯s mind. ¡°I did not teach you magic, so you could destroy¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, Sopher,¡± Mousey thought back, ¡°But it sounds like I¡¯ll fix far more than I destroy¡­ infinitely more!¡±


    ¡°Please keep that intention in mind,¡± pleaded Sopher.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Mousey thought.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°After all this time together, have you not come to trust me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have,¡± Sopher said. She giggled for a moment, then said, ¡°Very well. I will trust you in this as well.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hesitate?¡± Dot growled, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I only pause at the thought of having to slay other beasts,¡± said Mousey. ¡°But, I understand it may become necessary.¡± Mousey took the quill and signed his next promise.


    ¡°You hesitate to take life,¡± said Dot. ¡°That is a good quality for the guardian of the secrets of life but mind you it does not keep you from your duties.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± said Mousey, nodding his head.


    ¡°Now, sign a new promise to me,¡± said Dot. ¡°Promise that you will come to learn the secrets Zoi has to teach, and, when the time comes, you will take my place as this book¡¯s guardian. Know that this means that you will live hundreds of lifetimes before you may pass her on, outliving everyone you love.¡±


    Mousey¡¯s paw hovered over the paper. He trembled, and spots of ink fell onto the page.


    For Button¡­


    Mousey wrote out the final promise and signed it.


    Dot folded up her paw around the paper. ¡°Very well, pup. Let us begin with the secrets you need.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Three

    Mousey sat up on a mattress made of straw, with a blanket draped over his body. The room was dimly-lit by a single candle in the corner. When he looked down, he saw that he was clad in dark green robes that he¡¯d never seen before.


    He stood from the mattress, and the long sleeves fell over his paws.


    ¡°They have to be too big for now. You¡¯re still growing, cutie.¡±


    Vulpa?


    The vixen walked into the room with a lantern in one paw. She set it down on the table, and beside it she set a dusty, leather-bound book, almost as small as Sopher in Mousey¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°What did Dot say?¡± asked Vulpa as she climbed into a tall apes¡¯ chair across the room.


    ¡°She said¡­ I¡¯m to learn Zoi¡¯s secrets¡­ but one day I am to replace her¡­¡±


    Vulpa smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Well, now, isn¡¯t that nice.¡±


    Mousey glanced back and forth and peered out the door. ¡°Where is she? She said she was going to teach me.¡±


    ¡°She is here,¡± Vulpa said. ¡°If you know where to look.¡±


    Mousey gave her a frustrated grunt. ¡°Oh, so helpful! Vulpa, my sister¡¯s been turned to stone, can¡¯t we be at least a little serious here for a second?¡±


    Vulpa¡¯s smile faded. ¡°I had hoped you¡¯d ask the right questions and figure it out by now, but I understand your need for haste.¡±


    Mousey raised an eyebrow at her and tilted his head to one side.


    Vulpa waved her paws, and in an instant Dot stood where she had been but a moment ago. Then, in a flash, Dot was gone, and Vulpa stood where Dot had been.


    ¡°Y-you?¡± Mousey squeaked. ¡°The whole time?¡±


    Vulpa nodded. ¡°There were so many more things I needed to know about you before I was certain I could trust you with this.¡± She took the dusty, leather-bound book off the table and tossed it down to him.


    Mousey caught it, and a cloud surrounded him. He coughed and sneezed.


    Vulpa giggled. ¡°Still adorable, but you have a lot to learn about the tricks your new enemies will pull. Does it not occur to you that I may not even truly be a fox?¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Mousey gasped as the thought hit him. Truly, with enough magic, this animal could be anything; a fox, a bear, a cat, a tall ape, a butterfly, or even...


    A mouse?


    Vulpa nodded to him as she saw his jaw fall open and his eyes widen. ¡°Now,¡± she climbed out of the chair and opened the book in his paws. ¡°Let¡¯s find what you need to cure your sister.¡±


    ................................


    ¡°A fang from the mouth of Nakash?¡±


    Mousey looked up at Vulpa with confusion. He had never even heard of Nakash, and now the trickster told him he needed its fang.


    Vulpa nodded. ¡°Yes. Nakash¡¯s fangs will never stop producing venom, and that venom can be used to cure your sister¡¯s petrification. It¡¯s the only thing still left in this world with that kind of power.¡±


    ¡°What is Nakash, then?¡± Mousey asked. ¡°A spider? A lizard?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a cobra,¡± said Vulpa. Mousey shuddered. ¡°Have you truly never heard the tale of Nakash?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± Mousey shook his head. ¡°He wasn¡¯t mentioned in any of the history books I¡¯ve read.¡±


    ¡°Odd¡­¡± said Vulpa, stroking her chin with one paw. ¡°Well,


    Nakash is both a serpent and a powerful sorcerer in the grasslands out west. Centuries ago, he was the ruler of that land. His venom could bring both life and death. Those subjects who served him well would live long, healthy lives. Those who disobeyed him would die from his poison.¡±


    Mousey groaned. ¡°More tyrannical beasts¡­ imposing their will over others¡­¡±


    ¡°He was not always a tyrant,¡± said Vulpa. ¡°Don¡¯t be too quick to judge him. There was a time when Nakash thought he was doing right. He healed the sick and the dying and ate only the worst criminals from among his subjects. But, as he grew, so did his appetite, and crimes previously considered minor became major offenses so that he could feed enough to survive. Eventually, his subjects rose against him. They drove off his hatchlings, destroyed his palace, and forced him into hiding.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t slay him?¡± Mousey asked.


    ¡°Not for lack of trying,¡± said Vulpa with a chuckle. ¡°No, based on visions I¡¯ve seen, Nakash lays in wait in a hole in a cave, and eats whoever comes to test their mettle against him.¡±


    Mousey sighed, ¡°And¡­ in order to save my sister, I need to be the first beast to succeed where others have failed, and slay the serpent?¡±


    Vulpa laughed. ¡°Now, when did I ever say that? I just said you needed one of his fangs.¡±


    Mousey couldn¡¯t see how that was any different, but he decided not to argue with the trickster. ¡°I¡­ I was hoping I¡¯d just learn a spell, then hurry back to heal my sister. Now you¡¯re telling me I have so much more to do¡­¡± Truly, he¡¯d hoped he¡¯d be able to get back just as his mother discovered what had happened to Button, or possibly before, so she¡¯d not have to deal with that grief. Now he realized what a mistake it was to leave his family behind without a word.


    ¡°Did you really expect healing petrification to be simple, darling?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± Mousey wrung his paws. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯d better get going on my journey, then.¡±


    ¡°You should get her to point out Nakash¡¯s location on a map,¡± Sopher whispered.


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Mousey thought. He held out his paw, and the same map Sopher had produced for Mousey to find his mother appeared in that paw. He held it up to Vulpa and said, ¡°Can you mark where I need to go?¡±


    Vulpa touched her paw to a spot on the map, and a small, red X appeared in a location west of the ruins.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mousey. He stared at the map for a moment, before rolling it up and slipping it in his pocket. ¡°Thank you for everything, Vulpa.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± said Vulpa. ¡°Just remember your promises.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Mousey nodded his head.

 Chapter Twenty-Four

    When Mousey left the front door of the blue house, Nycht stood in his path, with arms folded. ¡°Well? You going to explain what all that was about?¡±


    Mousey considered for a moment how much he could tell his father. On the one hand, he¡¯d brought Mousey here, and gotten him past all the dangers on the way. He wanted to trust his father, even with a secret of this magnitude. On the other hand, he was still part of Queen Felicia¡¯s army, and if he knew about a book that could grant immortality to the reader he¡¯d be obligated to tell her.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Nycht said, waving a paw in front of Mousey¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at nothing for the past several minutes. It¡¯s a miracle nothing¡¯s come by and eaten us both!¡±


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Mousey turned his head and looked back where the house should be, but the house was gone. The two of them stood in a large, grassy area surrounded by a chain-link fence. As far as Mousey could tell, there had never been a house here.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Nycht said, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get your attention, but you just kept¡­ staring at nothing.¡± Nycht raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°There¡¯s never been anything here?¡± Mousey asked, gesturing


    to the spot where the house should be.


    ¡°Not since we arrived,¡± said Nycht. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Nothing,¡± Mousey said, shaking his head. He could only assume Vulpa was hiding the house for the time being. ¡°I know what I have to do to save Button.¡±


    Nycht chuckled. ¡°Really? Learned that while you were in deep thought, did you?¡±


    ¡°Deep thought?¡± Mousey repeated. ¡°Umm¡­ yes, I was in deep thought, and I learned the secret to reversing petrification.¡±


    The look on Nycht¡¯s face was still skeptical, but he said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s get back to Fluffle, then, and test what you¡¯ve learned.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s somewhere else I must go first,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°Of course, there is,¡± groaned Nycht.


    ¡°I need a fang from¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mousefred, grow up!¡± Nycht hissed. ¡°There is no magic that can reverse what happened to your sister! You¡¯re living in a¡­ a dream world! A fairy tale! You stared at nothing for a few minutes, then came up with a new way to stall for time rather than face reality!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring at nothing!¡± Mousey said. He pointed his paw where the house should be. ¡°I went somewhere, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°You went nowhere!¡± Nycht interrupted. ¡°You¡¯ve been here the whole time, just imagining things. You imagine yourself as some great wizard, some kind of hero. Sure, you can cast a little magic, I¡¯ll give you that, but you¡¯re no hero. You¡¯re barely even self-aware! You accused me of abandoning my family, but what do you call what you¡¯re doing right now?¡±


    Mousey bit his lip as Nycht¡¯s words hit him. He¡¯d been wrong about so much of what he said, but he was right about one thing: Mousey had abandoned his family because he thought he could make things better for them. He¡¯d followed in his father¡¯s paw-steps.


    Nycht shook his head at Mousey, his nostrils flared in both anger and disgust. ¡°It¡¯s time to face the truth like an adult, Mousefred. You¡¯re on the cusp of growing up, becoming a buck. It¡¯s high time you faced the world like a buck does rather than chasing your silly dreams.¡±


    ¡°What I did was wrong¡­¡± Mousey said, hanging his head in


    shame. ¡°And there is some truth in your words¡­¡± He thought about it for a moment. It was entirely possible that none of what he saw was real. After all, Vulpa herself confessed herself to be a trickster. Who ever heard of healing and life from a serpent¡¯s fang? Vulpa could have told him that as a cruel joke, intending to send him to his death.


    But it was such an elaborate show for her to put on, if that was the case.


    And why wouldn¡¯t she simply eat Mousey herself, if she meant him ill?


    ¡°Well?¡± Nycht said, glaring into Mousey¡¯s eyes. ¡°Make a decision. Are you going back with me? Or am I leaving you here?¡±


    Mousey folded his arms and said, ¡°I¡¯ve abandoned my family, just like you did. I did something wrong, and I know I¡¯ll have to do much to make up for that. But¡­ you¡¯re asking me to trust your judgment¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking,¡± growled Nycht.


    ¡°In any event, you want me to trust you¡­¡± Mousey fidgeted with his own tail in his paws. ¡°Then, here¡¯s where trust begins for us. Real trust. I want you to admit that what you did was wrong. Leaving us, letting us think you were dead, joining the Nocturnal patrol, hitting my Mom, all of it. I want you to admit that it was all wrong. If you can do that, and apologize for it, then I can trust you. Then we can start our relationship anew.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time for this silliness!¡± Nycht said. ¡°Everything I did was to make the world better for you and your siblings.¡±


    ¡°Your motives were fine, your actions were wrong,¡± Mousey snapped. ¡°Can you admit that to me?¡±


    Nycht shook his head at him. ¡°You really are still just a pup after all. You can¡¯t understand why adults do what they do. Your mother did a poor job raising you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Mousey yelled. His voice echoed off the walls of the buildings nearby. Nycht glanced around, nervously, his ears twitching. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk about her that way!¡± Mousey did not lower his voice. ¡°She raised us without any help from you! Don¡¯t you dare speak ill of her!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Nycht hissed. ¡°You¡¯re going to get every predator in the ruins after us!¡±


    ¡°Apologize!¡± Mousey said. ¡°Now!¡±


    Nycht flapped his wings and took off into the air, flying away as fast as he could. Just as he cleared the nearest rooftops, a hawk swooped down after him, and he narrowly evaded its talons.


    Soon, Nycht was out of sight, and Mousey was left alone in the ruins.


    .................................


    Every tiny sound made his little heard jump.


    Shouts and screams echoed down the city streets.


    A cry cut short.


    Wind howled through the holes in the walls.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get through this,¡± Sopher reassured him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to guide you through it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mousey responded. But, truly, the reminder that Sopher was in his pocket just made him fear those ruins even more. If he was caught it wouldn¡¯t just be his life lost.


    He¡¯d tried to follow the same path Nycht had shown him. He moved through the tall building, past the pipe hissing with steam, and to the hole through which the dog had chased them. Gouges on the floor reminded him of the beast¡¯s long claws, and its attempts to reach him through that gap.


    ¡°I¡¯ll scout ahead,¡± said Sopher. Her spirit manifested in front of Mousey, and she started to float toward the opening.


    Mousey reached out his paw and grasped hers. ¡°Wait! What if some beast sees you!¡±


    ¡°They cannot hurt my spirit,¡± said Sopher. ¡°I¡¯m safely in your pocket, remember?¡±


    ¡°¡­Right¡­¡± Mousey was a little embarrassed that he still didn¡¯t


    fully understand how all this worked. He needed to remind himself of the difference between Sopher¡¯s body, which was the book, and her soul, which took a mouse-like form.


    He released her paw, and she disappeared through the gap.


    ¡°Mousey? Are you there?¡±


    The voice made him jump, and he whipped his head around to search the room for the source of the sound. When he saw no one nearby, he said, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Bufo,¡± the voice replied.


    Of course!


    Mousey reached into his pocket and drew out the broken half of a mixing bowl that was his Link to his tadpole friend. ¡°Bufo! I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t check on you sooner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Bufo. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Where are you?¡±


    ¡°In the ruins of the Tall Apes,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°What?¡± Bufo croaked. ¡°What in the world are you doing there?¡±


    ¡°I needed something to help me save someone I love,¡± said Mousey, holding the broken bowl in front of his snout. ¡°What about you? Has your father been treating you kindly?¡±


    ¡°He left,¡± said Bufo. ¡°Just about an hour ago he told me and my brothers and sisters ¡®goodbye.¡¯ Said he was going to rescue you from a tower somewhere.¡±


    ¡°A tower?¡± Mousey repeated.


    ¡°Yeah, a tower,¡± said Bufo. ¡°I don¡¯t know what all that was about, but I heard him and the rest of his army riding out on their lizards. Actually, it sounded like he had twice as many soldiers as normal. Are you not in a tower?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not in a tower,¡± said Mousey. ¡°I have no idea where your father got that idea.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I.¡± Bufo grunted. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for my legs to grow in, so I can go see what¡¯s going on in the world!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in too much of a hurry to grow up,¡± said Mousey with a chuckle. ¡°It comes with a great many responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± said Bufo, clear annoyance in his voice. ¡°You¡¯ve been able to walk since you were born.¡±


    Mousey chuckled. ¡°You have me there.¡±


    Creak¡­


    Mousey jerked his head back and looked up to the source of


    the sound. Dust fell from the ceiling above him as something moved on the floors above. ¡°Listen, Bufo,¡± he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to go for now. I¡¯m trying to find my way out of the ruins.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Right. Don¡¯t let me keep you.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Mousey stuffed Link back into his pocket and listened carefully for more sounds of movement. There was the distant buzzing of a fly¡¯s wings. Then the sound of eight legs scurrying away, followed by creaking boards as something far bigger made its way across the upper floor.


    Mousey hid behind a broken piece of dry-wall, but kept his ears aimed at the sound from the upper levels.


    A paw pressed down on the stairs across the hall.


    Mousey seized a nearby piece of gray paper and covered himself with it.


    Creak.


    Creak.


    Creak.


    Did he dare to look? Whatever this beast was, he had never smelled anything like it before. His whole body trembled, causing the paper to rustle.


    The creaking stopped suddenly.


    Had the beast heard him?


    He held tight to his stave and silently begged whatever powers would listen that the creature would not find him.


    Creak.


    Creak.


    Thump.


    Thump.


    Thump.


    He could hear the beast¡¯s paw-steps grow closer. Then there was the sound of it sniffing the air, and a low growl from its throat.


    Mousey froze. Even as still and silent as he was, he feared that his own heartbeat would give him away.


    Thump.


    Thump.


    Thump.


    Sniff.


    Sniff.


    Sniff.


    The creature was right over him now, and its big nostrils would surely pick up on his scent. The piece of paper with which he concealed himself from sight would not hide him from the beast¡¯s nose.


    Mousey remembered the pipe that screeched its steam at him earlier.


    The beast was right next to that pipe.


    He closed his eyes and tried to recall every detail of that moment. The way the hot steam felt, the high-pitched scream as it escaped, the moisture in the air.


    BOOM!


    The pipe exploded.


    Mousey jumped.


    The creature yelped and scampered off.


    Steam filled the room, and Mousey ducked as low as he could to keep out of the intense heat.


    ¡°I found a way out!¡±


    Mousey shrieked at the sound of the voice, only to realize a moment later that it was only Sopher, returning through the hole.


    ¡°Oh, sorry¡­ didn¡¯t mean to startle you,¡± she whispered in his thoughts. ¡°I found a storm drain you can follow that will lead you out of the ruins. Follow me, quickly!¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Five

    A terrible roar echoed down the storm drain.


    Mousey¡¯s ears drooped as he turned to face the approaching danger with wide eyes and trembling paws. A wall of water rushed


    around the corner. The waves splashed against the walls and swirled together.


    In pure instinct, he turned to run, but he¡¯d only taken a few steps before he realized that he could not possibly outrun the deluge on his tail.


    With stave in paw, he tried to remember the toy boat he¡¯d had as a child. When he blinked and opened his eyes again, the boat was in front of him, the stern facing towards him.


    He leapt onto the deck of the boat, just as the rushing waters swept it away.


    As the vessel tossed and rolled back and forth, Mousey fought to gain footing. His nails dug into the wooden hull, and he strained and pulled to get to the helm.


    A wave struck the walls beside him, and water covered the deck. Mousey slipped and slid across the deck to the starboard side. Had his tail not caught the mast, he would have flown off the edge and into the rushing waters.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got this!¡± Sopher reassured him. ¡°Get to the helm. This is your boat, not the flood¡¯s!¡±


    With new determination, Mousey pulled himself to the mast, then ran to the helm. The handles and spokes were a blur when he drew near, and yet he caught them in his paws.


    With a loud groan, he forced the handles to turn where he wished; away from the storm-drain¡¯s walls.


    And, for a fleeting moment, he felt triumphant.


    Snap!


    The sound rang out from behind him.


    He jerked his head around to the source; a board in the hull which had broken in two. Water spurted up from the hole.


    Of course.


    He¡¯d forgotten since last time he¡¯d tried to conjure this boat; it was the boat his father had given him. What was once a happy memory was little more than a painful reminder now.


    Mousey¡¯s paws clenched into fists on the helm¡¯s handles and he ground his teeth.


    A bright flash, and the sail caught fire.


    ¡°Let go of your anger!¡± Sopher said. ¡°Remember why this memory once brought you such joy!¡±


    Right. What had he enjoyed so much about this boat when he was a young pup? Was it purely the games he played with it? No, something more.


    A turn up ahead in the tunnel.


    The water was sure to smash him against the wall before him.


    Mousey pulled on the helm as hard as he could.


    Less than a paw¡¯s width from the wall, the boat changed direction, and followed the rushing waters around the bend.


    Snap! Snap! Snap!


    More boards sprung loose, and little iron nails sprayed through the air.


    ¡°Please, remember something good about this boat!¡± Sopher said. ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Mousey looked ahead at the long tunnel still before them, and the darkness at the end. It would be a long time before he escaped this death-trap. They needed the boat intact.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He closed his eyes and tried to think back. Some happy moment.


    ¡°Did it hit the rocks?¡±


    He could see it now, in his mind¡¯s eye; an early memory. His father stood at a workman¡¯s bench, where he kept a supply of tools, and in his paw, he held the broken toy boat.


    Mousey felt tears building up in his eyes. Was it a bittersweet memory?


    No. He¡¯d been crying when he presented the boat to his father that day.


    ¡°We can fix it,¡± his father said. ¡°Hand me those nails over there, would you?¡±


    Mousey¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°He fixed the boat!¡±


    He glanced back at the holes broken in his hull. New boards appeared to cover those holes, and hammers materialized, and nailed the boards in place.


    The mast snapped in two and toppled into the water with the flaming sail.


    Mousey gave the helm another sharp tug, steering his boat away from waves that would have surely pulled him under.


    Then again, just as he approached the corner.


    The boat followed the flow of the rushing stream, turning sideways as its rudder scratched the steel walls.


    Then he was right-side up again.


    His knuckles were white, his every breath labored, and his fur soaked. The water gave him a chill like the wintery hand of death holding him between its bony fingers.


    But ahead he could see light.


    He smiled as the rushing water spilled him out into the daylight again.


    And then he fell.


    The ground was far below him, and his boat plummeted, sure to crash into pieces on the rocks below.


    ¡°Mr. Lapin¡¯s schematics!¡± Sopher said. ¡°Do you remember?¡±


    Mousey held fast to the helm, even as his body lifted off the plummeting boat. He closed his eyes and thought back to the schematics on the rabbit¡¯s wall. There were the wings his father had stolen. No, that was no good. Surely those wings would simply tear apart in the wind. What else had he seen on Mr. Lapin¡¯s wall?


    Eureka!


    He thought back to all the formulas, calculations, and equations he¡¯d read. The measurements, and the overall shape of the thing. His body flopped on the deck, paws released the helm, and he opened his eyes again. Great wings extended from the starboard and port sides of the boat, with a wooden frame holding the cloth sails in place.


    The boat, now turned into Mr. Lapin¡¯s airship, caught air, and glided down towards the ground.


    When Mousey looked where the helm had been before, there was now a set of levers and controls, with a captain¡¯s seat swiveling just in front of them. Mousey leapt into the captain¡¯s seat and spun around to grasp the controls. He pulled back on two levers, and the wings shifted.


    The air ship soared into the air, climbing higher and higher as it went. Wind rushed through Mousey¡¯s whiskers, and the water that had gathered in pools on the deck dried out.


    ¡°Ha ha!¡± Mousey danced in his chair. ¡°We did it, Sopher! Oh, Heavens! I can¡¯t wait to show Mr. Lapin!¡±


    ...........................


    But Mousey¡¯s celebration was short-lived.


    He recalled, once more, both the quest that lay before him and the mistake he¡¯d made. From this height, he beheld the grasslands out west, where lived the serpent whose fang he would need to steal if he was to save Button. To the south he could barely make out Fluffle, where he¡¯d abandoned his family without a single word about where he was going.


    ¡°Sopher¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    Her spirit appeared before him on the airship, and she sat upon the bow with legs crossed. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What do you have to be sorry about?¡±


    Sopher exhaled long and hard. ¡°When you decided to run off to find Zoi and save Button, I thought we should tell your mother where you were going, but I kept my thoughts to myself.¡±


    Mousey shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t take the blame for this¡­ I should have known better. How many times did Mom scold me for not telling her before I went out to play somewhere? This time I went out to do something truly dangerous, with treacherous beasts out searching for me, and I didn¡¯t tell her.¡±


    Sopher rested her chin on one paw. ¡°Well, now we have to decide what to do from here. We can go to your mother now, tell her what we¡¯re doing, then leave again. Or we can hurry to the west, get one of Nakash¡¯s fangs, then rush back, heal Button, and reunite the whole family.¡±


    Mousey scratched his chin, then promptly placed his paw back on the airship¡¯s controls. He kept the vessel flying in as small a circle as he could. ¡°Well¡­ if I tell Mom what I¡¯m doing she¡¯ll probably want to come with me. Nakash sounds dangerous¡­¡±


    ¡°But so are the beasts out looking for your mother,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°True¡­ but now she has Sir Ranae and Mr. Lapin protecting her,¡± said Mousey. ¡°Besides, I think Nycht will probably tell his superiors I¡¯m not with my family anymore, and they¡¯ll search elsewhere for me.¡±


    Sopher nodded. ¡°But that also means that once you do reunite with your family they¡¯ll be in danger again¡­¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Mousey groaned and rolled his head back. ¡°Agh! Is there nothing I can do to get Queen Felicia to call off her armies? I just want to live in peace!¡±


    ¡°Well, she feels threatened,¡± said Sopher. ¡°That¡¯s why her beasts pursue you. She feels you could cause trouble in her realm.¡±


    ¡°How do I get her to stop feeling threatened?¡± Mousey asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe the best you can do is make her afraid you might actually overthrow her.¡±


    ¡°How would I do that? Ah¡­ never mind. One thing at a time. First¡­ off to the west. I¡¯ll retrieve Nakash¡¯s fang and save Button. It¡¯s the only way I can make all this right again.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Six

    Mousey followed the markings on his map Vulpa had given him and found a bustling city in the grasslands. After landing his airship behind a tall hill just outside the town¡¯s outskirts, he hurried down the road and onto the busy streets.


    At the edge of town, he saw a sign that said, ¡°Welcome to Zucker.¡± Below it sat a pile of skulls from various rodents, and another sign that said, ¡°Thieves, Ye Be Warned.¡±


    He shivered and pulled his eyes away from the ghastly sight.


    On either side of the entrance stood two rats in ill-fitting chain-mail armor. Both of them chewed on pieces of blood root and held


    in their hands long spears. The rats eyed Mousey as he passed between them, and he gave them each a polite nod.


    Dust fell upon Mousey¡¯s head as one of the townsfolk shook out a blanket through an open window. At first, he was irritated at this rude act, but soon found himself thankful as it drew his attention to the chamber pot emptying out the next window over, giving him enough time to dodge out of the way.


    Along the streets, rats, squirrels, hedgehogs, and porcupines stood, chattering away in their local gossip. In overshadowed alleyways nearby, Mousey spied rodents in black cloaks, exchanging goods wrapped in burlap.


    ¡°Fresh fish!¡± a merchant shouted.


    ¡°Herbs and spices!¡± shouted another.


    Mousey had barely thought of food since setting out to find a cure for petrification. Now that the merchants¡¯ cries reminded him that such a thing existed, his stomach rumbled.


    A porcupine backed away from a merchant¡¯s stall, and Mousey yelped as the quills touched his skin. The porcupine jumped away from him, then shouted, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, vermin!¡±


    Mousey scurried away from the porcupine, muttering apologies as he went.


    A lizard with a patch over his left eye and blue ink covering his chest spat at Mousey as he passed. ¡°Vermin!¡± he growled.


    ¡°T-terribly s-sorry¡­¡± said Mousey, bowing his head to the reptile and scampering away.


    ¡°Pickpocket,¡± Sopher warned him.


    Sure enough, as Mousey looked up, he saw a squirrel snatch a chipmunk¡¯s grain-purse and slip it into his own coat pocket.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Not a single grain lined Mousey¡¯s pockets, but he still kept his distance from the thief, lest he steal Sopher and sell her in a back alley.


    ¡°Hey, mouse!¡± came a raspy voice from nearby. Mousey turned his head to see an old rabbit with a scarf wrapped around her head. She sat at a table, upon which rested a black ball with the symbol for infinity upon it. ¡°Want your fortune told? For only 10 grains you can find the answers you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ no thank you,¡± said Mousey with a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t have any grains with me.¡±


    The fortune-teller sneered and rolled her eyes. ¡°Only thing more worthless than a mouse is a poor mouse!¡±


    Mousey¡¯s paw tightened around his stave and he ground his teeth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Sopher whispered in his thoughts.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to. But I¡¯d sure like to¡­¡±


    As Mousey reached the districts with the more beautiful homes, he finally beheld some of his own kind. Dozens of Mice sat beside the road, wearing tattered rags and holding out tin bowls for grains from any passerby generous enough to feed them.


    One rat, upon bumping into a mouse beggar¡¯s bowl, turned and knocked the bowl from his paw and hissed, ¡°Vermin!¡±


    Mousey reached the fountain in the town square and circled it a few times. The city just seemed so overwhelming. He wanted to ask someone, anyone if they knew where he could find Nakash, but everyone seemed to hate him on principle.


    On his fourth time around the fountain, he spotted a building that looked different from all the others. It had a tall steeple stretching up into the sky, with a golden star sitting atop the highest point. The windows were round, with the patterns of stars and flowers upon them. The building¡¯s walls were covered in horizontal, wooden slats, painted white, and the doorways were arched rather than square.


    A church?


    He¡¯d never actually seen one before, but he¡¯d read all about them. It was said that these buildings were places of peace and sanctuary. Anyone with any problem, no matter how great or small, could come here and find someone willing to help.


    The bell in the tower rang, and Mousey hurried along the streets to the church, and up the steps to the front door.


    .......................


    Once inside, Mousey was surprised at how well the church¡¯s walls blocked out the noise of the outside world. The only sounds he heard inside were soft paw-steps, the whispers of those in the pews, and the voices of a distant choir, practicing their songs.


    On the ends of the pews sat fish-scale-books with the word ¡°Hymns¡± written across the front.


    At the end of the aisle, below a stained-glass window depicting the night sky in splendorous colors, stood an altar. Behind the altar stood a pygmy owl wearing a robe the color of the sky at dusk. In front of the owl¡¯s golden eyes sat a pair of tiny, round spectacles, and he tilted his head completely sideways as Mousey walked up the church¡¯s aisle.


    Everyone else had looked on Mousey with such disgust, but this bird had a kindness in those enormous eyes.


    ¡°You look lost and troubled, child,¡± said the owl in a soft, cooing voice.


    ¡°I am¡­¡± whispered Mousey, not wishing to disturb the peace in the sanctuary. ¡°I just arrived in town, and no one has been very kind.¡±


    The owl sighed and nodded his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just the way of things? Well, if help is what you seek you¡¯ve come to the right place. My name is Glic.¡±


    ¡°Mousey.¡±


    Glic chuckled. ¡°Well, if you want to go by an obvious alias that¡¯s fine. A lot of people come to Zucker seeking redemption and a new start. No matter, no matter. How may I help you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t have any food or grains¡­¡± said Mousey, just as his stomach growled again.


    ¡°Oh, dear!¡± Glic hooted. ¡°Come with me, then. Let¡¯s get you fed right away!¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Seven

    Wheat porridge had never tasted so delicious before.


    Glic looked on with a smile on his beak as Mousey helped himself to another bowl and slurped it down with glee. The owl had prepared the meal himself, and was, no doubt, flattered that someone actually enjoyed this simplistic supper.


    ¡°So,¡± said the priest as he took a seat across the table from Mousey. ¡°You¡¯re obviously not from around here.¡± He slid the lit candle a little closer to Mousey, illuminating all the porridge that was still left. ¡°Why have you come to a place like Zucker? And all on your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for some-beast,¡± said Mousey between mouthfuls. ¡°His name is Nakash.¡±


    Mousey hadn¡¯t thought it possible, but the owl¡¯s eyes grew even wider at the sound of that. ¡°We do not speak that name in a sacred place,¡± whispered the owl. Then he looked up to the ceiling and said, ¡°Dear Heaven, forgive us!¡±


    Mousey wrung his paws. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Glic¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Glic waved a wing, dismissing Mousey¡¯s apology as unnecessary. ¡°What do you need with the Pale Cobra, child?¡±


    ¡°Pale Cobra?¡± Mousey repeated. ¡°His name is too wrong to speak here, but I can call him that? Okay. I need to take one of the Pale Cobra¡¯s fangs, so I can save my sister who was turned to


    stone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt the wrong-hearted beast¡¯s venom has such power,¡± said Glic. ¡°But¡­ do you understand the manner of wrong you seek to encounter?¡±


    ¡°I understand he¡¯s a sorcerer of some kind,¡± said Mousey, scratching behind his ear. ¡°Beyond that¡­ I guess he was a tyrant at some point.¡±


    ¡°Far worse than any tyrant!¡± said Glic, raising one of his flight feathers to emphasize his point. ¡°Many a tyrant is full of wrongs, but Pale Cobra has even committed Unpardonables! He has poisoned water sources, eaten countless thinking beasts, and some of those he¡¯d eaten were winter night guests!¡±


    Mousey¡¯s jaw fell at the last of these. Though all were Unpardonable wrongs, the first two he¡¯d heard of beasts committing in times of war. But the third was one truly beyond the others. Every beast, no matter how young or savage, knew to be courteous to anyone who came seeking shelter in the winter, and, if one was the winter guest, to be gracious to one¡¯s host.


    The Pale Cobra had violated such a basic moral of their society. For a moment, Mousey doubted such a creature had a soul.


    Glic continued, ¡°You say you need this to save your sister¡­ please, be honest with me, are you truly just seeking the reward for slaying the serpent?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reward?¡± Mousey asked, his ears perking up.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ve just made it worse¡­¡± groaned the owl priest. ¡°Yes, the mayor is offering a reward of ten-thousand grains to anyone who can slay that snake. Don¡¯t give me that look! It¡¯s not worth it, child! The Pale Cobra has killed and eaten every hunter who¡¯s come his way. He¡¯s grown fat on rats, weasels, ferrets, and even sparrows. A mouse is surely no match for such a monster!¡±


    ¡°That may be so,¡± said Mousey. ¡°But I need to save my sister.¡±


    Glic gave a skeptical look. ¡°What¡¯s your sister¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Button,¡± said Mousey. ¡°Well, really, her name is Buttondale, but everyone just calls her Button. Sometimes when I¡¯m mad I just call her Bu¡ª¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Glic interrupted. He attempted to roll his eyes, but they were far too large in his sockets to do so. Instead, he rolled his whole head. ¡°You said she was turned to stone¡­ how are you


    certain the Pale Cobra¡¯s fang will help?¡±


    Mousey didn¡¯t dare betray Zoi¡¯s existence, even to a priest who seemed so kind.


    I read it in a book once? No, even that raises too many questions.


    ¡°I heard a rumor,¡± Mousey said, confident his lie would be enough.


    ¡°Rumors aren¡¯t always the best source of information,¡± said Glic with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I know¡­¡± said Mousey. ¡°But¡­ I mean¡­¡± Come to think of it, how did he really know Zoi was telling the truth? No, worse, Vulpa had read Zoi¡¯s words to him. How did he know the self-confessed Trickster was telling the truth? For all he knew, Vulpa was someone with a personal vendetta against Nakash. She could be trying to use Mousey to take revenge for her.Stolen novel; please report.


    Glic still stared down at Mousey, waiting for him to complete his thought. In those golden eyes, Mousey saw a soft sympathy. This owl was someone who had surely seen many foolish beasts go off to their death against Nakash. Mousey had no doubt the priest¡¯s heart had been broken many a time, when young, foolish beasts went after the snake and never returned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to go on,¡± said Mousey. Tears started to well up in his eyes, and he sniffed loudly. ¡°If I want to save her, this is my only hope. I have to believe it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there there!¡± said Glic. He pulled Mousey under his wings and patted his back. Mousey buried his face in the owl¡¯s soft chest and wiped his tears on the front of his robe. Glic held Mousey out at half-wing¡¯s-length. ¡°I¡¯ll help you find the Pale Cobra, but I have one condition.¡±


    Mousey nodded and wiped his nose on his sleeve. Then his eyes on the other sleeve.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard there is a professional snake hunter in the city today. Ermine Dwyn, they call him.¡± Glic raised a single flight feather in front of Mousey¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want you to get Ermine to go with you¡­ or, maybe, convince him to go with you. Once you have him with you, I¡¯ll tell you where to find the serpent.¡±


    There was raucous laughter, the sound of dishes clinking together, and the music of minstrels by the lit hearth as Mousey entered the tavern.


    The trio of bards across the room were each pigeons. One beat drums with his feet, one played a stringed instrument with his wings, and a third blew into a flute built special for the shape of his beak.


    Patrons giggled and gossiped. Servers hurried along from one table to the next with drinks in their paws. The drinkers at the tables slipped them a few grains in turn, and the servers were off again to the next table in what appeared to be a rehearsed dance.


    Two rats pointed at Mousey as he walked in and snickered to one another.


    A lizard at a nearby table, playing dice with a few surly-looking beasts, sneered at Mousey and threw his fork at him.


    Mousey ducked under the fork, just as the lizard, predictably, shouted, ¡°Vermin!¡±


    Up ahead, Mousey saw a group of beasts all gathered in front of someone seated under the mounted head of a massive, northern pike.


    ¡°Why, sure, I¡¯ve slain many a black mamba!¡± came a gruff voice from just beyond the crowd. ¡°My fair share of blue kraits and vipers too!¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± said one starry-voiced ferret girl.


    ¡°You betcher tail, Jill!¡± said the scratchy voice. ¡°My crossbow never misses.¡±


    Mousey tried to see if he could spot the speaker through the gaps, but there weren¡¯t any gaps in the crowd big enough for him to peer through.


    In that moment, he¡¯d had enough of being ignored, stepped on, spat at, and ridiculed. Someone in this city was going to listen to him. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re Ermine, the snake hunter?¡± Mousey yelled out. His voice squeaked loudly, far less commanding than he¡¯d intended.


    Even so, the crowd parted, revealing the beast around whom they¡¯d gathered.


    A weasel sat upon a chair covered in fish scales and beetle shells. He wore a round, wide-brimmed hat; a red, cotton scarf


    around his neck; and a long, black, wool coat to cover his body down to his ankles. In his belt sat many vials full of liquids of various colors. Each vial bore the name of a different snake upon it.


    Venom or anti-venom?


    ¡°Surely anti-venom,¡± said Sopher.


    The weasel held in one paw a crossbow made of stained and polished wood. Just above the bolt, which was ready to launch at the pull of the trigger, was a circle with cross-hairs in the middle. The tip of the bolt appeared to be sharp as a razor.


    But the look upon his face was not curiosity, it was an amused smirk. ¡°Yeah, pup. I¡¯m a snake hunter. Ermine Dwyn¡¯s my name. What? You want an autograph or something to show to the other slum-babes?¡±


    The beasts gathered around Ermine snickered, as did the weasel himself.


    A female server bumped into Mousey, and he staggered for a moment to stay on his feet. ¡°Umm¡­ no, sir,¡± Mousey said.


    Ermine chuckled and nodded his head.


    When the weasel¡¯s ears perked up, Mousey continued. ¡°I¡¯m here because I wish to help you hunt Nakash.¡±


    In an instant, all the hubbub and clamor of the tavern went silent. Even the music had stopped, leaving only the crackling of the fire and a few distant whispers to be heard.


    ¡°You want to help me?¡± Ermine repeated, a snicker hiding behind his words.


    Every beast stared at Mousey as if he¡¯d just announced he wished to visit the moon. No, they stared at him as if they¡¯d just heard a mouse say he wished to be king.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mousey. ¡°I wish to help you.¡±


    Ermine snickered and nodded his head. ¡°Very well, mouse, let¡¯s hear it. How do you intend to help me? What do you have to offer?¡±


    The tavern¡¯s patrons returned to their conversations and drinks, but now they kept their discussions to hushed tones.


    ¡°I know someone who can tell us exactly where Nakash is,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°I do too,¡± said Ermine, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t get to be a famous snake hunter without knowing helpful people.¡±


    ¡°I can also do this,¡± said Mousey. He waved his paw, and a tiny, candle-flame appeared above his palm. Ermine gasped. Mousey smiled. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a wizard. I¡¯d think magic like this would prove quite handy against a sinister, sorcerous serpent.¡±


    Ermine grinned widely and nodded. ¡°Very well. We shall hunt this monster together. What¡¯s your name, mouse?¡±


    ¡°Mousey.¡±


    ¡°Mousey?¡± Ermine chuckled. ¡°I almost feel guilty calling one of you creatures a name like that. Just¡­ far too on-the-nose. Who named you? An uncreative cat?¡±


    Mousey stared at Ermine in silence, showing no sign that the weasel¡¯s jabs bothered him.


    Ermine paused a moment, then snapped two fingers and stood from his chair. ¡°Let¡¯s get going, Mousey. The sooner we leave this place the sooner we can split that reward.¡± Ermine leaned his head back and took a sip from his drink.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the reward,¡± said Mousey. ¡°You can keep it all.¡±


    Ermine¡¯s eyes widened, and, in his shock, he spat the drink out over Mousey¡¯s head. ¡°I can keep the entire reward for myself?¡±


    Mousey nodded to him and wiped some of the wild-berry juice out of his ears. ¡°I just want to take one of his fangs.¡±


    ¡°Oh? So, you¡¯re a trophy hunter now?¡± Ermine chuckled again and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just remember to do as I say, and you might actually live through this.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Eight

    A pile of rodent bones marked the path up the hill.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re getting close,¡± said Ermine, casually.


    Mousey stared at the bones as they passed, then looked up at


    Ermine¡¯s face. The weasel seemed so unnervingly calm at the sight of such carnage. Those must have been the bones of dozens of rodents, yet the snake hunter treated it as tracks, leading them to their true goal.


    ¡°Why do you suppose he left so many bones there?¡± Mousey asked, keeping his voice to a low whisper.


    ¡°What are you on about now?¡± Ermine grunted.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mousey thought for a moment, then continued, ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Nakash engages in savagery¡­¡±


    ¡°Engages in savagery?¡± Ermine chuckled. ¡°For such a tiny beast you have a large vocabulary.¡±


    ¡°It means he eats thinking beasts,¡± said Mousey.


    ¡°I know what it means,¡± Ermine snapped.


    ¡°But, snakes eat their pray whole. Why are there bones left over?¡±


    ¡°Probably trying to scare us off,¡± said Ermine. ¡°Why? Is it working? You need to go home to mama, little mouse?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Mousey squeaked. ¡°I just think it¡¯s curious.¡±


    ¡°Well, wonder to yourself,¡± said Ermine in a lower tone. ¡°The closer we get to his den, the more likely he is to hear us.¡±


    ¡°Snakes can¡¯t hear anything,¡± said Mousey, ¡°They feel vibrations through the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Ermine hissed. ¡°You intolerable little know-it-all! I¡¯ve been hunting snakes for years. I know all about them!¡±


    Mousey would have liked to pay Ermine back for the insult, but he knew it would not do to fight with his traveling companion. No matter how rude he was.


    The two of them continued up the hill in silence. They found along the way many more piles of bones. Some of various birds. Some of various reptiles. Each time they passed a pile, Mousey had a hard time taking his eyes off the skeletons and wondering what horrors these beasts had experienced in their final moments.


    Soon they reached the crest of the hill, and on the other side stood a dead tree, with gray branches reaching down like talons. In the trunk there was a great hole, with dried sap around the edges.


    Ermine held out his paw as a signal for Mousey to stop, and


    Mousey did as he was bid. The weasel crouched down low, allowing the tall grass to hide him as he crept up on the tree. Mousey followed suit, his stave at the ready.


    Both rodents arrived before the gap. Ermine, being the taller of the two of them, peered inside and aimed his crossbow.


    ¡°He¡¯s not in there¡­¡± Ermine whispered.


    One of the tree¡¯s roots shifted.


    Mousey leapt back and took cover under a fallen tree branch, just as the root snapped Ermine¡¯s crossbow in half.


    Ermine stumbled back and drew two daggers, pointing both at the coiled cobra, ready to strike, just before him.


    ¡°Tresssspassssersss¡­¡± came a voice from the snake¡¯s throat, though its open mouth did not move. Its fangs aimed at Ermine, both dripping with red, gleaming venom.


    ¡°Should have killed me on the first strike, snake,¡± Armine chuckled. ¡°Now you¡¯ve missed your chance.¡± He dug his feet into the dirt and bent his knees. ¡°Go on, old beast. Strike again. I dare you!¡±


    ¡°Have you not ssseen the plotsss of bonessss¡­¡± hissed Nakash. ¡°It isss you who should fear, not I.¡±


    The serpent¡¯s low hiss made Mousey¡¯s spine tingle and his fur stand on end.


    ¡°I have seen the bones!¡± Mousey called out. He stepped out from under the tree branch, dropped his stave, and raised both of his paws. ¡°You are truly a fearsome beast, Nakash.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The snake gave him a quick glance, before returning his attention to the weasel. ¡°I am indeed. Yet, there is no shortage of foolsss who come ssseeking death.¡±


    ¡°I do not seek death,¡± Mousey said.


    ¡°Coward!¡± shouted Ermine.


    ¡°Wise,¡± said Nakash. ¡°There isss no need to ssseek death, for if you wait it will find you eventually.¡±


    ¡°I know death will find me one day,¡± said Mousey. ¡°But it be peaceful when it happens.¡±


    Ermine snorted. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to die in glorious battle, when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Nakash, ¡°The time isss now!¡±


    Nakash struck at Ermine. The weasel rolled out of the way of


    the serpent¡¯s fangs just in time but tripped over a stick on the ground and toppled down the hill. His daggers flew from his paws in two different directions.


    Nakash¡¯s hissing laughter felt to Mousey as if dozens of tiny spiders crawled all over his body. ¡°Oh, sssilly ferret,¡± said Nakash. ¡°You¡¯ve picked a fight you cannot win.¡±


    ¡°I doubt any could win against you,¡± said Mousey. ¡°But I imagine all this violence becomes tiresome at times.¡±


    Nakash rounded on Mousey, the great fan around his neck spread wide. His black eyes were two pools of pure darkness, as if Mousey stared into an infinite abyss. The serpent spoke again, ¡°Why have you come, little moussse? Obviousssly, you are no hunter, or you would have ssseized the opportunity to ssstrike while he dissstracted me.¡±


    Mousey¡¯s body froze in terror, and his paws shook as he saw his reflection in those black orbs. ¡°I w-want to m-make a d-deal,¡± he said.


    ¡°A deal?¡± Nakash repeated with a chuckle. ¡°What have you to offer me?¡±


    ¡°I offer¡­ Ermine, stay back!¡± Mousey raised a paw just as he saw the weasel crawling back up the hill.


    Nakash turned and glared at the snake hunter, his eyes moving back and forth between him and Mousey. ¡°Go on. Let¡¯sss hear it, moussse.¡±


    ¡°I offer peace, for the rest of your days,¡± Mousey said, his paws still raised where Nakash could see them. ¡°The beasts in Zucker, they want revenge for what you did to them so long ago. That¡¯s why they keep sending hunters, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Yesss¡­¡± said Nakash. ¡°They¡¯ve forgotten what their ancessstorsss knew. I was their ruler, and I brought them order for ssso long¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, they would stop hunting you if they believed you dead,¡± said Mousey. ¡°So, I would propose that I show to them proof that you are gone. I just want one of your fangs.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Nakash hissed. ¡°One of my fangs?¡±


    ¡°You have four,¡± said Mousey, ¡°Which means you can spare one.


    Nakash rose higher, his black eyes watching Ermine for any hint of movement. ¡°Ssso, your plan isss to take one of my fangsss, present it to the beastsss of Zucker, and tell them I am dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mousey. ¡°They will never send another hunter after you again. You can live out the rest of your days in peace.¡±


    ¡°Peace¡­¡± Nakash almost whispered. ¡°Sssuch a dissstant dream¡­ I remember it, ssso long ago I had it. It¡¯sss been gone for agesss¡­¡±


    ¡°It can be yours again, Nakash,¡± said Mousey. ¡°I just need one fang to make it happen.¡±


    ¡°Or, you wish to take one ssso you can weaken me!¡± hissed Nakash. ¡°Do you truly expect me to believe you¡¯re offering peace merely out of the goodness of your heart?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± said Mousey. ¡°Of course not. I need your fang because my sister was turned to stone, and it¡¯s the only thing that can heal her.¡±


    Ermine and Nakash both turned to look at Mousey with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°Really?¡± Ermine grunted. ¡°You¡¯re going to cure petrification? No one¡¯s ever done that.¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± said Nakash. ¡°But from where did you learn of such thingsss?¡±


    ¡°My secrets are my own,¡± said Mousey. ¡°If you make this deal we all benefit.¡±


    ¡°All of us?¡± Ermine snorted. ¡°You get your sister back, Nakky here gets a peaceful life, but I¡¯ll be left with nothing!¡±


    Mousey tried to chuckle, but the sound came out closer to a giggle. ¡°You¡¯ll get the reward. 10,000 grains. Or have you already forgotten?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ the reward¡­¡± Ermine mumbled.


    ¡°Or you could keep trying to fight him,¡± said Mousey, his voice oozing sarcasm as best he could. ¡°It¡¯s worked out so well for you so far.¡±


    Nakash laughed, his whole body shaking with each guffaw. ¡°Oh, the moussse hasss you there, ssstoat.¡±


    Ermine grunted and folded his arms. ¡°Fine. Just take the tooth so we can get out of here.¡±


    ¡°The only thing I missss more than peace is being a force for


    life and healing.¡± Nakash lowered his face to Mousey¡¯s level. ¡°You¡¯ll have to climb inssside my mouth to get what you want. Do you trussst me?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± said Mousey, lying to both the snake and himself. ¡°You¡¯ll have to let me in, so I can take it. Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± said Nakash. He opened his mouth wide, dislocating his jaw bones to extend the gap as much as he could.


    Mousey climbed inside and conjured a saw into his paws. ¡°This may hurt.¡±


    ¡°I imagine it will,¡± came Nakash¡¯s voice from down the back of his throat.


    Mousey got to work cutting the fang as close to its root as he could manage. Nakash grunted and groaned in pain, but kept his mouth open as Mousey worked.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ermine drew another dagger from within his coat and rushed at Nakash.


    ¡°No!¡± Mousey cried. He held out his paw and a wall appeared between Ermine and the snake. ¡°Stop! There¡¯s no need to attack him!¡±


    Ermine slid to a stop, his shoulder colliding with the wall Mousey had raised.


    ¡°Out!¡± Nakash hissed. ¡°Out, now!¡±


    ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need to fight!¡± Mousey pleaded.


    Ermine rounded the wall and rushed again, his paws kicking up dirt as he ran at the snake.


    Nakash spat Mousey out of his mouth.


    There was a snap so fast, Mousey couldn¡¯t see what had happened at first.


    When Nakash was still again, his mouth was full, and Ermine was nowhere to be seen. The serpent gulped, and a great lump moved down his throat. On the ground before him lay Ermine¡¯s wide-brimmed hat and the dagger he¡¯d intended to be the snake¡¯s demise.


    Mousey shuddered. He wanted to grab his stave, in case the serpent was still hungry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± Sopher whispered to him. ¡°He¡¯ll assume you were


    trying to help the weasel.¡±


    The stave would have to remain where it was for now. Mousey stood perfectly still, staring up into Nakash¡¯s black eyes. He was certain now that any sudden movements would cost him his life.


    Nakash slithered over to him, lowered his face to Mousey¡¯s level, then opened his mouth wide again. ¡°Continue.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Nine

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. The little beast slipped right past me!¡±


    Mousey strode into the office of the mayor of Zucker, holding in his paw Nakash¡¯s fang, wrapped in strips of cloth made from Ermine¡¯s hat.


    The mayor was a large, brown rat, and he sat behind his desk with a quill in hand, scribbling away at various documents. Without looking up from his work, he said to his assistant, ¡°Remove the little pest, immediately.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s assistant reached out a paw to grab Mousey, but Mousey again slipped past her grip and tossed the fang up on the mayor¡¯s desk. ¡°I insist you take a look at that before you throw me out!¡±


    The mayor looked at Mousey, his nostrils flared with annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time with your garbage.¡±


    ¡°Unwrap it,¡± said Mousey, ¡°And tell me if you still think it¡¯s garbage.¡±


    The mayor bit his lip, squinted his eyes, then took the fang in paw and removed the cloth from it. His eyes widened when he saw what lay under the rags. ¡°Is this¡­¡±


    ¡°One of Nakash¡¯s fangs,¡± said Mousey with a nod. ¡°You can tell it¡¯s his, for the tooth still drips with his crimson venom.¡±


    ¡°You slew Nakash?¡± the mayor didn¡¯t even bother to hide his incredulity. ¡°Where countless others failed you somehow prevailed?¡±


    ¡°Would it be easier to believe he just gave it to me out of theYou could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    kindness of his heart?¡± asked Mousey.


    ¡°I suppose not.¡± The mayor chuckled. He looked Mousey over, and his eyes found the stave in Mousey¡¯s paw. A look of recognition crossed his face, and the rat nodded. ¡°To think¡­ after all this time¡­ that serpent finally paid for his crimes. I suppose you¡¯ll want your reward now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mousey, ¡°All I want is this fang. For¡­ wizard stuff.¡± Mousey reached up across the desk and slid the fang back into his own paws. ¡°I only stopped here to show this to you so the citizens of Zucker will sleep easier tonight.¡±


    The mayor snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t want the 10,000 grains? Truly?


    If word gets out, you slew that monster but didn¡¯t take the reward everyone¡¯s going to assume I cheated you.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t have that, can we?¡± said Mousey. ¡°So, why not give me 200 grains, and give the rest to the city¡¯s beggars? 200 is probably all I can carry anyway.¡±


    ¡°200 grains to your pocket and¡­ oh¡­ how many is that for the beggars?¡±


    ¡°9,800, sir,¡± said the mayor¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°9,800¡­¡± the mayor chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you want it distributed evenly?¡±


    Mousey nodded. ¡°Yes, distribute it evenly among anyone who begs by the side of the road and anyone who sleeps without a roof over their heads. There are far too many poor beasts in Zucker.¡± He raised a paw and pointed it at the mayor, ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed that most of them are mice like me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said the mayor, nervously scratching the back of his head. ¡°But¡­ you must realize, those mice can hardly defend themselves from anyone who seeks to rob them. By giving them so much money you¡¯re making targets of them¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe Zucker has a city guard?¡± Mousey said. ¡°And you command the city guard, yes?¡±


    ¡°More or less¡­¡±


    ¡°Then ensure that they protect the poor.¡± Mousey kept his voice level and calm, but with the look he gave the mayor he ensured that the rat understood the threat he implied. After all, as far as this rat


    knew, Mousey had just slain a cobra who had killed countless rodents before him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the mayor, looking even more nervous. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the guards to protect the beggars and ensure they don¡¯t get robbed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mousey. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I must be going.¡±

 Chapter Thirty

    Lexi was not where Mousey had last left her. Neither was the rest of his family.


    While maintaining the airship in flight, Mousey had focused on a compass to point him to where he could find his mother and siblings. They were far from Fluffle, so Mousey assumed they¡¯d returned to Okber.


    But, as his airship neared Okber, he found the compass directing him somewhere else. Somewhere further away.


    ¡°Where could they have gone¡­¡±


    Sopher looked out to the horizon. ¡°Maybe she went looking for you again?¡±


    ¡°And took all my siblings with her?¡± Mousey asked. ¡°No. I can¡¯t imagine her putting them in harm¡¯s way.¡±


    A cold wind blew over the airship, and Mousey fought the turbulence.


    In the distance he could see the tower of the Nocturnal Patrol, and he feared his family had been taken there, thrown into those dingy, dank dungeons.


    But as his airship drew closer to the tower, he realized the compass did not point that way.


    And then he saw the smoke billowing out of the tower¡¯s windows.


    ¡°What in the world?¡± Mousey stared at the tower, puzzling over what could have happened there.


    ¡°Perhaps we should fly closer?¡± Sopher asked. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get a glimpse of what caused that.


    Mousey nodded and directed his airship closer to the tower, soaring with the air currents.


    ..........................


    When they drew close, Mousey saw that the tower was damaged far more than he¡¯d anticipated. Great holes were broken through the walls, smashed through with huge boulders. Pieces of the spire ramparts lay at the base in heaps of rubble. The stronghold swayed ever so slightly in the wind, and Mousey could easily see the thing ready to topple at any moment.


    ¡°What could have done this?¡± Mousey mused.


    ¡°An army,¡± said Sopher. ¡°Perhaps someone laid siege to it?¡±


    ¡°Who would have¡­¡± Before Mousey could finish his sentence, he knew the answer. Bufo had told him the Toad King believed Mousey was held in a tower, and that he had left his palace.


    Was the Toad King¡¯s army enough to do this?


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mousey bit his lip, feeling a pang of guilt, knowing he¡¯d accidentally started a war. If the Toad King had, indeed, lain siege to the tower he did so in hopes of rescuing Mousey, who was not there. ¡°Oh, Heavens! What have I done?¡± Mousey cried.


    ¡°Probably given freedom to everyone in those dungeons,¡± Sopher said, flatly. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll stop being melodramatic, let¡¯s find your family and quickly! Whatever army did this moved on from here, which means their war isn¡¯t over.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ of course.¡±


    Mousey turned the airship and followed the compass again.


    .........................


    He flew over the hills and fields of the kingdom, looking down upon all the cities and towns below. A shudder came over him as he realized that had he stayed in the Nocturnal Patrol he would have been flying over these towns looking for anyone violating curfew. He¡¯d have been a terror who swooped down to snatch up those who dared violate Queen Felicia¡¯s laws.


    But, as things were now, the beasts below had nothing to fear from him.


    Possibly, not from anyone in the Nocturnal Patrol anymore.


    ...............................


    A few more hours and he knew where the compass was pointing. There stood atop a mountain a great castle made of white marble. Each spire had a golden dome atop its roof, and the windows arched, with round columns on either side. Narrow bridges connected the towers to one another across great expanses of open air. A long, marble staircase led up the face of the mountain, winding back and forth as it went, with cliffs on either side.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    At the base of the mountain was a camp with hundreds of tents.


    No. Not one camp, three camps.


    In one camp the tents were red, in another they were green, and in a third they were the color of burlap sacks.


    Mousey looked up at the compass.


    It pointed at the white castle.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s Queen Felicia¡¯s castle¡­¡± Mousey said. ¡°Oh¡­ what is my family doing there?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re lucky¡­¡± Sopher began, ¡°they¡¯re bait in the Queen¡¯s trap.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ if we¡¯re unlucky?¡±


    Sopher said nothing in response to Mousey¡¯s question. She merely stared ahead, wringing her paws.


    ¡°I should have been there¡­¡± Mousey groaned. ¡°I should have protected them!¡±


    ¡°Could you really have fought off so many of the Queen¡¯s minions on your own?¡± Sopher asked. ¡°Even with all your magic, you couldn¡¯t defeat an army by yourself.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Mousey sighed. He looked down at the camps at the base of the mountain. ¡°One of those camps probably belongs to the Toad King. Maybe he can help me¡­ or tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ......................


    Mousey found a clearing in front of the three camps and started his descent to land his airship. As he drew closer and closer to the ground, many beasts emerged from the tents to greet him. There were toads, frogs, rabbits, lizards, mice, hedgehogs, moles, and many others all gathered to see who flew this strange vehicle.


    Just as the hull touched the ground, Mousey spied in the crowd a face that made his heart soar.


    Sir Ranae ran up to the airship, clad in a full suit of silver-colored armor. At his belt was a longsword, and on one arm a kite shield.


    Sopher¡¯s spirit slipped away, back into Mousey¡¯s pocket.


    Just as Mousey stepped off the airship, allowing it to disappear behind him, Sir Ranae threw his arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± he croaked. ¡°Oh, my dear friend! You¡¯re alive!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mousey squeaked out, trying to peer his face around the frog knight¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alive. But my family is in that castle. What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ..........................


    In the Toad King¡¯s tent, where the Toad King, Sir Ranae, Mr. Lapin, and many others gathered, Mousey listened to the tale of everything that happened after he left Fluffle. Shortly after Nycht led Mousey away from his family, the rest of the Nocturnal Patrol caught up with them and carried them all away.


    ¡°I assumed you¡¯d be taken back to the tower,¡± croaked Sir Ranae, ¡°And they would be there too. So, I spoke with Mr. Lapin and we came up with a plan. I returned to the Trembling Bog and told his majesty what had happened.¡±


    The Toad King nodded his head in agreement and croaked, ¡°I couldn¡¯t let someone who¡¯d done so much to help my son just die in their dungeons, so I gathered my armies and we marched out to set you free.¡±


    Sir Ranae nodded. ¡°And I told my comrades in the Dank Marsh about you, and the terrible fate that likely awaited you. Many a Dank Marsh knight owes me a life debt, and so they agreed to come and assist in your rescue. Meanwhile, Mr. Lapin¡­¡±


    The rabbit puffed up his chest. ¡°Grand stories of your heroic feats had already spread. You¡¯d become somewhat of a legend among the small beasts of this kingdom; a mouse who could use magic. One who defied the Nocturnal Patrol in their own tower. The Day Patrol had gone from town to town asking if anyone had seen you, and the stories grew with each telling.¡±


    Mr. Lapin chuckled. ¡°They knew so little about you, pup, but they understood that you made Queen Felicia nervous, and that was enough for me to rile them up. The rodents you see here, armed with pitchforks, shovels, and whatever make-shift weapons they could get their hands on are all here because of the hope you


    inspired in them.¡±


    ¡°This is a rebellion?¡± Mousey squeaked. He looked around at the handful of squirrels, chipmunks, and mice around the tent. ¡°Your aim is¡­ to overthrow Queen Felicia?¡±


    Mr. Lapin patted Mousey on the back and laughed again. ¡°Is it truly so hard to believe? The spirit of rebellion has been stirring under the surface for years, ol¡¯ chap. The kindling was always there. You were just the spark that started the fire!¡±


    Mousey felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe. This was far too much for him. All he wanted to do was save his family and¡­ well, he hadn¡¯t thought about what to do next.


    Now that he thought about it, they would never be safe so long as Queen Felicia remained in power.


    He looked around the tent again, at all the faces of those rodents who¡¯d lived under that cat¡¯s cruel reign. He saw tears in their eyes, but not tears of sorrow, tears of joy at finally glimpsing hope after all these years.


    How many of them had lost loved ones to the wicked queen? Had this young hedgehog watched his mother as she was turned to stone? Had this squirrel lost her husband to those vampire bats? Had this mouse lost her brother to the weasels of the Day Patrol?


    Up until now, Mousey had only been thinking of the injustice he¡¯d suffered because of Queen Felicia. All over one act of kindness to a stranger. Now he realized that his experience was far from unique. Countless others had suffered just as he had.


    He nodded his head and turned to the Toad King. ¡°Your majesty, I know that you only came here to rescue me¡­ but can I count on you for one more thing?¡±


    ¡°I came here to keep you safe,¡± said the Toad King. ¡°I owe you that and so much more for saving my Bufo. If you intend to fight Queen Felicia, I will fight by your side.¡±


    ¡°As will I,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°As will my comrades. Every knight swears an oath of chivalry; to uphold justice, defend the weak, and vanquish those who do wrong. Now that we truly know how much wrong Queen Felicia has done, we cannot call ourselves knights if we let it pass.¡± Sir Ranae laughed. ¡°Besides, I owe her for the months I spent in her dungeons.¡±


    Mousey beamed at his amphibious friend and nodded. ¡°Thank


    you, Sir Ranae.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡±


    Mousey turned his attention back to the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m glad to have you all standing behind me, but battle and bloodshed may not be necessary. I have heard of a place near Queen Felicia¡¯s castle called ¡®The Gray Menagerie,¡¯ and if I can get there I think I can get her to surrender without a fight.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-One

    A hundred faces frozen in a moment of anguish and terror.


    For all the horrors Mousey had seen, the Gray Menagerie was the worst. Some beasts had curled into the fetal position on the ground as they turned to stone, others stood with their arms spread wide and their wrists limp, as if bound that way as they met their terrible fate.


    Sir Ranae shivered and turned his eyes away. ¡°Oh, Mousey¡­ let us not linger here! My heart cannot take it!¡±


    Mousey could understand why Queen Felicia placed this garden at the base of the mountain, straddling the road leading up to her castle. Any army intending to lay siege to her seat of power would surely be demoralized by such a sight. Even the bravest of warriors would search for excuses to turn back upon seeing the anguished faces of these poor, petrified beasts.


    ¡°Take heart,¡± said Mousey, as he drew Nakash¡¯s fang from within his coat. ¡°There is a reason I was gone so long.¡±


    Mousey approached a petrified otter, who stood taller than most of the other beasts in the Gray Menagerie and pressed the tip of the fang to his chest. Mousey closed his eyes and tried to imagine what the otter might have looked like before he was turned to stone.


    He heard a gasp from Sir Ranae, followed by coughing. When


    he opened his eyes again, the otter staggered for a moment, holding his forehead with one paw. He was disoriented, but very much alive.


    Mousey smiled, and moved on to the next beast nearby, answering the otter¡¯s slew of questions by demonstrating his magic on another of Queen Felicia¡¯s victims. Then another, and another. The gray stone which encased them melted away like frost before the rising sun. Each of them took in deep breaths of sweet air once they were free. Some turned immediately to others nearby and embraced loved ones.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± many cried out to Mousey.


    ¡°Yes, thank you, dear mouse!¡±


    ¡°And thank Heaven for you!¡±


    Mousey¡¯s paws had started to shake by the time he had only a few more petrified beasts to save, and tears streamed down his cheeks. After all the hardship he¡¯d gone through, it was now all too easy to save these beasts, just as it would be easy to save Button.


    Just as it was for so many of these he¡¯d just cured, his family would be reunited and whole again.


    Soon.


    .......................


    The touching reunions continued as Mousey returned to the war camp, where those who¡¯d come to fight Queen Felicia stood in wait. Beasts who¡¯d previously done little more than stare up at the white castle on the mountain with rage in their eyes now cast down their weapons and ran to embrace loved ones returned to life.


    Sir Ranae stood beside Mousey, looking down at his friend with a wide grin across his green face. ¡°Look at all the joy you¡¯ve spread, my friend! Is there any reward greater than this?¡±


    Mousey returned the smile, ¡°I can only think of one.¡±


    ¡°Surely, you will see them again,¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°Heaven


    rewards those who strive to do good.¡±


    Mousey looked up at the sky and nodded.


    Without any warning, Sir Ranae lifted Mousey up off the ground by his shoulders and shouted, ¡°Cheers for our hero!¡±


    The crowd erupted into applause, and four rodents approached Mousey carrying a chair. They scooped him into the seat, and paraded him around the camp, holding him as high as they could. Soon, two rabbits came to take their place, and raised him even higher, until he could see over the head of every beast in the camp.


    ¡°Mousey!¡±


    ¡°Mousey!¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Mousey!¡±


    The crowd shouted his name over and over.


    And even with all the noise he still heard Sopher when she whispered to him, ¡°THIS is what I trained you for, Mousey.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mousey responded. ¡°This is better than anything I ever imagined. And, as I¡¯m sure you know, I have a great imagination.¡±


    Mousey raised his paws and looked down at those all around him. ¡°My fellow beasts!¡± he squeaked. ¡°At a time like this, I think it¡¯s only fitting to give credit to someone dear to me, someone without whom none of this would be possible.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sopher asked, her voice sounding somewhat nervous.


    ¡°I cannot take all the credit for this,¡± Mousey told her, ¡°You deserve their praise too, and they deserve to know you helped me so much.¡±


    As the crowd hushed, Mousey reached into his pocket and produced Sopher, holding her up for all to see. ¡°I had help from the spirit of this book. Her name is Sopher, and she taught me the secrets of magic!¡±


    The crowd stared at him for a moment, then turned to each other and murmured.


    ¡°Sopher,¡± Mousey said, ¡°Please, show yourself to them. It¡¯s alright, we¡¯re among friends.¡±


    ¡°What if they don¡¯t like me?¡± Sopher whispered. ¡°They might


    burn me!¡±


    ¡°I am their hero, and you are mine,¡± said Mousey. ¡°No one¡¯s going to harm you.¡±


    There were a few more moments of silence, and several of the beasts below gave Mousey pitying looks.


    ¡°Please, Sopher¡­ they¡¯re going to think I¡¯m crazy otherwise¡­¡±


    A swirling wind, followed by a sound like chimes, and Sopher¡¯s spirit appeared in the air over the beasts who¡¯d lifted Mousey high for praise and adoration. Gasps and chatter rippled through the crowd. Sopher folded her paws in front of her lap and bowed her head. ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Sopher. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all.¡±


    Mousey held one of her paws in his own, gave her a reassuring smile, then turned to the stunned and silent crowd. ¡°Without her help I would have been slain by the Nocturnal Patrol for refusing to execute Sir Ranae, there¡¯s not a doubt in my mind. She deserves as much credit for this as I do.¡±


    Again, the beasts of the crowd said nothing, instead merely staring upon the white and gold spirit floating in the air above them.


    After several seconds, Sir Ranae shouted, ¡°Sopher! Sopher! Sopher!¡±


    Then, Mr. Lapin joined in. ¡°Sopher! Sopher!¡±


    And soon, all the beasts in the camp joined in, cheering her name as they had Mousey¡¯s.


    Sopher let out a sigh of relief and turned her blue eyes to Mousey, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    .....................


    The celebration went on for over an hour after that, and would likely have continued much longer, were it not for the cry which rang out through the camp.


    ¡°Bat!¡± someone shouted.


    The moment the word was spoken, Sopher¡¯s spirit faded from view.


    All eyes turned to the sky, and paws pointed as a single bat descended toward the camp, circling on his way down.


    The Toad King turned to Mousey, ¡°Shall I have my archers shoot him down for you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Mousey shook his head. ¡°I think he¡¯s a messenger. If so, my plan is working.¡±


    As the bat drew closer, Mousey recognized that this was no bat at all.


    ¡°Nycht¡­¡± he whispered under his breath.


    Nycht landed in front of Mousey. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve developed quite a following,¡± came his deep voice from behind the visor of his helmet.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mousey, folding his arms. ¡°Amazing what a few good deeds will do.¡±


    ¡°It may have done more than you realize,¡± said Nycht. ¡°Queen Felicia wishes to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing,¡± said Mousey with a nod. ¡°Tell her to come on down, and I will speak with her.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Nycht. ¡°She told me to bring you back to the castle. She will negotiate there.¡±


    Mousey snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not the na?ve pup I was when you arrested me, Nycht. I know she just wants me to go up to the castle, so she can kill me.¡±


    Nycht groaned. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t make this difficult! I¡¯m sure by now you know she¡¯s holding your mother and siblings in there? She says she¡¯ll kill all of them if you don¡¯t come to negotiate. Not turn them to stone, for now she knows you can cure that. She¡¯ll actually kill them.¡±


    Mousey clenched his paws into fists. ¡°You¡­ you still stand by her?¡±


    ¡°Your defiance got them into this mess in the first place,¡± said Nycht in a hushed tone. ¡°Are you willing to negotiate on her terms or not?¡±


    If I go alone she¡¯ll kill me¡­


    ¡°You won¡¯t be alone,¡± said Sopher.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ll be with me,¡± Mousey responded.


    ¡°No. Well, yes, I¡¯ll be there too, but take Sir Ranae with you too.¡±


    Nycht folded his arms in front of his chest, his wings becoming like a cape to cover the lower half of his body. ¡°Well? Are you done daydreaming?¡±


    ¡°I have but one condition,¡± said Mousey. He turned to Sir Ranae. ¡°Would you be willing to come with me?¡±


    ¡°I would follow you into a burning forest!¡± said Sir Ranae. ¡°Or under a frozen lake. Or into.¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then my condition,¡± Mousey interrupted, turning back to Nycht, ¡°Is that Sir Ranae be allowed to accompany me.¡±


    Nycht nodded his head. ¡°She did say you were allowed to bring a bodyguard, but only one. She is not about to invite an enemy army into her halls.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± croaked the Toad King. He stomped forward, his great steps shaking the ground. ¡°Mousey, be reasonable! Surely you know this is a trap!¡±


    ¡°I will negotiate with her in good faith,¡± said Mousey, looking up at the Toad King. ¡°It¡¯s that or total war. I¡¯d rather we not shed blood this day if we don¡¯t have to.¡± Mousey turned back to Nycht. ¡°I trust she understands this. With my help, this army could destroy her castle. Maybe she might think she could win the battle, but she¡¯d suffer tremendous losses, to be sure. I¡¯m agreeing to negotiate so no beast needs to die today.¡±


    Nycht nodded. ¡°That is what she told me. She wishes to solve this peacefully before it gets out of hand.¡±


    Mousey turned back to the Toad King. ¡°If I don¡¯t return you know what to do.¡±


    With another disgruntled croak and a roll of his eyes, the Toad King said, ¡°I do. If anything happens to you, we will grant no quarter.¡±

 Where Can I Find the Ending?

    Dear Readers,


    Thank you for reading this far into The Charm Fable: Mousey and the Golden Book. I have shared the majority of the story for free on Royal Road. You may be wondering what happens next. Well, I''m afraid for that you will have to actually get a copy of the book. You can find the book on Amazon.com via the following link: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/1722225394</a>This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    I can also send you the ending of the book in exchange for signing on as a patron on my Patreon page and donating $2 per month, or for a one-time payment to my PayPal account of $5 or more.


    I should also note that a cast of voice actors is currently working on an audiobook, and they have been doing a marvelous job. When that is finished, I will update this chapter with a link to that audio book.


    Again, thank you for reading this far. I truly appreciate it.


    Best Regards,


    Nicholas S. Casale


    Author