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A Fort Ruddler mission by Mackbry Taffellappen

Relentless waves battered the coast, their icy fingers lashing out at anything in its path. A harsh wind swept across the coast, uprooting bushes and stripping trees of any remaining leaves. A blizzard of snow blocked out all knowledge of night and day as it hurled itself upon the coastal fortress of Fort Ruddler; so was the first winter storm of the season.

Huddled inside a small cozy meeting room inside the main building of the fort, two creatures, hares, sat at a small table near a low burning fire conversing quietly.

“Ok Mack,” the younger of the two commented wearily, as if tired from a long day. “Ye’ve got your orders. Pick two others before leaving, this isn’t the kind of trip one would want to make alone. Ye might consider that squirrel, Colonel Riala Goldentail for the job. If she’s goin’ to stay in our infantry, she’ll have to learn to work as a team, I want you to teach her.”

The older gray hare plaintively stroked his long mustache-like whiskers and ran a paw through his silver headfur. He adjusted the small crystal spectacles perched low on his nose and stood up. Retrieving his faded blue cloak from its post on the door, he wiped the thin sheet of ice still covering it away before doning it and settling his blue cap down firmly upon his head. He saluted the younger hare, Drill Sergeant Sandfur Dunerunner.

“Yessah, I’ll leave first thin’ on the morrow. Anythin’ else, Sergeant?”

“No, no, you’re dismissed Colonel. Good day to ye, an’ good luck!”

Colonel Mackbry Taffellappen strived to keep his blue, ice-covered cap planted firmly on his head, the wind constantly threatening to whip it away into the howling mass of ice, sleet, and snow. Suddenly a new gust of wind slammed into him, driving his shoulder left where it slammed into a building of sorts. The metal edge of the hare’s spectacles tapped against something sounding like a window and he immediately began tapping on it furiously, hoping to draw somebeast’s attention.

Momentarily a bright, welcoming light greeted his vision but quickly disapeered. Just seconds later a harsh paw grabbed Mack’s arm, pulling him into the warmth of the building where a fire crackled and popped cheerfully inside the fireplace and a number of animals sat around it. The building was a barracks, there was no doubt about it, it looked exactly like Platoon Five barracks, they were all identical. But alas, it was Platoon Four barracks Mack realized as he spotted the large red ‘4’ above the fireplace.

Mack rubbed small ice particles from his eyes as the assembled animals gazed in question at the commotion that had entered. “C’mon, tis just the Colonel, no need to gap.” A familiar female voice sounded on Mack’s left as a creature stood up from where he sat near to the fire. Mack’s vision was bleary-eyed and could not tell who the figure standing was, but he did notice him follow behind as the creature on his left pushed him forward towards the back of the barracks where no beast was.

“Honestly Mackbry, you do tend to have a way of getting’ yourself into trouble.” The annoyed voice sounded on his right this time as he felt a warm blanket drapped around his shoulder and a towel thrust in his face.

“’Abit doncha know! Most ‘ares ‘ave it, tain’t that right Colonel?” The second creature to have followed him to the back of the barracks now spook, his voice much lighter and merrier than that of the first.

“Oh be quiet, both of ye, I need te talk te ye both, an’ it isn’t a matter of jokin’.” Mack wiped the water from his eyes as looked at the two beasts standing before him, Colonel Riala Goldentail and Major Teltoli Riverbuck. They both sat down on a bed opposite Mack, Tel’s face that of shock of and surprise, Riala’s grave and distant, betraying no thought.

“I’m sure both of you remember jest afore this storm struck that it was a rather nice day. Well, seems a few of the oulder ‘un took a group of our babes out fer a picnic, we’re jest now findin’ out they never returned. Rumor has it that a band of slaves been in these parts lately, not a good sign, my friends. I’ve been assigned to go out an’ look fer ‘em, you two are comin’ with me.” Tel just gapped at the news, shifting uncomfortably and wringing his paws as he digested the news.

“I work better solo, Mackbry, you know that, why come to me?” Once again the squirrel’s eyes betrayed nothing, her face straight and unreadable. Mack glared at her, shrugging off the blanket on his shoulders and wiping more ice from his cloak. “Because yer a good soldier Riala, an’ you’d be even better if’n you learned t’work with other beasts. Yer more than a soldier, yer a born leader, an’ life ‘as led you in that direction, so y’best get used to it, an’ workin’ solo ain’t helpin’.” Mack turned away from Riala and addressed the now recovering Tel. “Don’t gap about it Major, cheer up, tis likely only t’be slavers an’ they don’t come in large groups. Afore the day’s out,” here the older hare gave a grim smile and patted his ever present spear, “Y’may have the bounders responsible fer this at the end of yer blade.”

The storm had subsided dramitically since Mack had taken to his bunk. Only a slight breeze with snow flurries remained as the older hare stared out his window and out at the snow-covered parade grounds of Fort Ruddler. Mack dressed quickly, donning a heavier traveling cloak than that which he normally wore and shouldered an enormous haversack, its sides bulging with food, the normal traveling provisions for hares.

In only a short time after, the three officers chosen to find the missing group of picnickers set out from Fort Ruddler, bundled in a heavy aray of cloaks and tunics to keep themselves warm.

Rarely had anybeast seen Mack in such a put down, joyless mood. No longer were his normal jokes present, or his comforting smile. Even Tel, who’s merry spirit was hard to throw down, had only a solemn frown across his face, grave worry dully showing in his downcast eyes. Most suprising of all, though, was Riala. Most of the fort found her to be uncomfortable to be around, a solitary squirrel if there ever was one, but if one could see her now, they would see only worry and a creased frown. Missing young ones was not a subject to joke of, but it was also not one to become cold and distant on. And so, each with their own thoughts and struggles, the three trudged onward, hoping to find a secluded woodland where tracks might possible be seeable.

“Get some sleep whilst y’can you two, we’ll be early, sometime afore dawn. I’ve only jest picked up their tracks, an’ even now they’re a few days old.” Said Mack to the others, mumbling the last bit to himself. He unrolled a few blankets and using his haversack as a pillow promptly settled himself against a tree. “C’mon then, I’ll take first watch, don’t stay up thinking. Now is time fer sleep.”

The morning came soon, too soon for the weary trackers for it seemed only minutes after they closed their eyes, they were back up and trekking, Mack in the lead with his eyes plastered to the ground. The older hare stopped abruptly, the bleary-eyed Tel running into him. Tel immediately sprang back, seasons of training causing him to instinctively snap to attention saluting Mack. Finally Mack gave a small smile, patting Tel on the shoulder.

“Very good, if only others could do that like you. Alrighty, now look here you two, seems about a dozen of the bounders went off the path and there’s little pawprints among them. My guess is that the dozen or so are bringin’ our captured ‘uns back to some sorta camp whilst others go on t’find more. C’mon, we’ll follow the dozen that are supposed t’have our picnickers.” Mack said as he started off the trail.

“Mackbry, what about this?” Riala held up a piece of cloth, its original color of green hardly recognizable for it was covered in mud and dirt, even a few specks of blood on one side. All three suddenly turned very grave, a deathly silence falling over them. “Nevermind, forget I mentioned it, it’s just another clue as to where they’re going.” Riala said, her voice surprisingly softer than normal as she tucked the cloth into her green and brown cloak. Mack turned on his heel without another word and began tramping after the trail once more.

WHOOMPH! Suddenly with a great rush of air Mack seemed to sink into the ground, a very surprised Riala following soon after, and an even more surprised Tel after her. Mack felt himself falling what seemed a great distance, ever deeper into an unknown darkness, air whistling through his ears. Freezing cold water hit his footpaws and he had only a moment to let out an anguished squeak before plunging into the deep depths of the icy cold water.

Mack broke the surface of the dark water only to find himself once again in darkness. He heard heavy breathing to his right and instantly began to swim for that direction. Much to his surprise though he suddenly felt firm sand beneath his footpaws and greatfully flung himself ashore. A paw clasped on his shoulder and a quite voice echoed around him. “Colonel, that you? Tis Tel, I don’t know where Riala is sah!”

Mack grabbed Tel’s paw so as not to lose him and began speaking urgently to the fellow hare. “Don’t shout, we don’t know where we’ve landed, but quietly call out Riala’s name, we’ve got to lead her to us. I’ve got matches in a watertight tin in my haversack, hold a sec.”

Mack pulled out a small tin from his haversack and opening it, pulled a small match out from within. He pawed through his bag again and his paw finally clasped around a small candle. The older hare lit a match as Tel softly began calling out every few seconds, “Riala, we’re over ‘ere, can ye ‘ear us Colonel?” Mack’s candle sputtered for a few second before finally springing to life, casting a comforting glow around what seemed to be a large cavern with a murky lake in its center.

“Put it out, put it out!” A tiny voice hissed from somewhere in the shadows. “An’ do be quiet, no use callin’ fer yer friend, she’s been caught. Put it out!” Mack licked his finger and extinguished the small flame. “Who are you? What do you want? I warn ye, we’re armed!”

“Sssshhhhhh!” Once again came the hiss of a desperate creature. “Foller my voice, we’ve got to get out the hole. Without much any other choice, the two hares followed the voice which quietly murmured to keep them on track.

For what seemed an eternity they followed the quiet voice until finally a small candle was lit in front of them and the two had to thrust paws in front of their faces for the light stung after hours in the darkness. “Quickly quickly, into here, they don’t know of my humble abode, nay, they don’t.”

The two followed the creature, which turned out to a rather small male hedgehog, into a smaller room, but large none the less. The hedgehog, without even offering the two soaked hares a seat or something to dry off with, launched into an explanation.

“From the looks o’ ye, I’d say yer after one o’ Kerno’s new ‘uns. Oh! Birnen yew fergetful ol’ spikedog! Kerno be the weasel what leads the bunch that took off’n wit’ yer buddies. Newest group be a bunch o’ old ‘uns and babes what he found picnickin’. Then come yew two an’ yer squirrely frien’, well, they ‘eard ‘er an’ she’s likely in the pit right now. Oh! Fergetful yew are Birnen, swear ye’d lose yer ‘ead if’n it weren’t attached! The pit be where the slavers put them slaves what be captured. Other vermin what need them slaves jest come ‘ere an’ buy some o’ them out’n that there pit, fer ‘igh prices o’ course. Whilst Kerno sit round on his lub an’ watches ‘is gang toll them poor beast in. Used t’be one o’ them m’self, ‘scaped though, can’t get out o’ course. Oh, there I go again, m’name’s Birnen, made it m’self, y’like it? Oh, no time fer small chat, yer squirrely frien’ be in the pit an’ yew never know when ol’ Kerno feels like judgin’ a new slave, off we go!”

Mack would oft recall afterwards that he never believed any hare could talk faster than the Birnen the hedgehog, for only a split second after he had finished, he was away again, this time thankfully with a candle. The two hares had immediately trusted Birnen, he seemed only a friendly soul hoping for a bit of conversation (although his excitement prevented this from happening most of the time) and willing to help, for he too wished to escape.

Through another series of tunnels the three went, these seeming damper and less used. Light suddenly shone ahead and they soon found themselves on a narrow ledge looking down on a horrifying sight. Torches lined the walls of an immense cavern, and even from where they stood towering over ground level, the wall seemed to go upwards for miles. Looking down they saw the toils of many scrawny and ill-treated slaves, many with bent backs and sunken eyes. They seemed to be doing nothing but moving giant boulders from one huge pile to another, while others moved rocks from the opposite pile to the one where the boulders had just come. In a dark corner of the cavern, just under the ledge on which they stood, lay a dark pit, so dark even the bottom could not be seen.

Birnen suddenly seemed to slow down as he explained. “They move them boulders from one pile te the other an, back again. Kerno says ‘e ‘as te keep us slaves in shape if’n we’re t’be sold fer high prices. That pit there be where yer friend is. Not much shines on this wall, an’ I’ve a bit o’ rope wit’ me if’n yer lookin’ te get’jer way down there. I’m willin’ t’help ye in any way.”

Tel, who had been deep in thought for quite some time, finally looked up and spoke to Mack in a grave voice. “Colonel, we can’t get all these poor slaves out of here. This isn’t a band o’ slavers if ye catch my meanin’, they ‘ave lots of guards.”

He saw a more grave and destroyed look on Mack’s face before and that he never would again. “I know, but we have to at least get our own out. Maybe the fort will send back some to rid the world of this place, but fer now we must stick to our mission, Major. Birnen, hand me that rope.”

Mack and Tel had descended the rope, Birnen inbetween them as he was much heavier than both of them. They now stared down into the dark pit which seemed to have no end. A faint, yet unmistakable voice called up to them. “Well, dinnae stan’ their starin’ ye great gobs, ah dinnae plan on stayin’ mae winter here!” It was Riala, her voice strained and showing her northern accent as happened when she was greatly stressed. “The others are down here, now willae ye hurry up!”

The pit was indeed a dark and secluded spot, and very few creatures came near it, acting the rescuers advantage. It proved not long until all beasts were out, three old otters, a mole babe, a small leveret, and two otter kitts. With the help of Riala, Mack, Tel, and Birnen, the old ones soon made it back to the ledge as the babes wrapped tiny paws around the necks of the strong foursome.

Birnen led them through another series of hidden tunnels, much to the discomfort of the dibbuns, but the prospect of seeing Fort Ruddler again gladdened their little hearts. When the rescue team returned to Fort Ruddler they were greeted with hearty cheers and much patting of the backs. Soon after a large force of freedom fighting Fort Ruddler soldiers left for the doomed cavern beneath the ground, but that, my friend, is another tale to tell.