I turned to look--and standing right outside in the tunnel was a quivering Rastokk, and behind him Crominus and Crunket (very much alive). My beak fell open and my mind went blank. How could they have survived? It seemed to me that the rat king would not laugh without reason.... By the time I shook myself back to my senses, Cragger had joined us at the bars. "How...are you alive?" he said with awe. "We heard the laugh and then..." Crominus let out a laugh himself, though rather a nervous one. "It was a close shave; one I wouldn't want to go through again, that's for sure." I looked carefully at Cragger, but thankfully I could see no signs of madness. "Are you quite alright?" I asked him, just to be sure. Cragger turned his head to me and gave a slow nod, then continued to question his parents: "So how did you get away?" "Whew," said Crunket. "Well, that giant rat told us he was waiting for his messenger to return with--with news." Cragger leaned further forwards. "News about what?" "About our value as prisoners, said Crominus grimly. "The rat's waiting to see if we are worth keeping." Cragger swallowed loudly. "How long before the messenger arrives?" he said quietly. "Two days, two days," said Rastokk, eyes shifting, ears twitching. Both Crunket and Crominus nodded to confirm this. "And--and who is this messenger bringing news from?" I asked, though I was afraid I already knew the answer. "The rat didn't mention a name," said Crunket, "But he did say it was a lion who could rid his people of their problems." "Loradus," whispered Cragger.
Rastokk nodded enthusiastically at the name, but Crunket and Crominus exchanged an uneasy glance. "You don't mean the lion who upset the balance?" said Crunket. "The...fairytale?" "Yes," said Cragger, "I do." Crominus cleared his throat. "Son, there's something you should know about that--" "I know, I know." Cragger bowed his head, and bumped to a stop against the bars. "You think it's just a story, meant to frighten--" "No," said Crominus softly, "That's not it at all." There was a silence. No one moved from where they stood, not even Rastokk. I took the time to think of home (oddly). My insignificant dwelling on the edge of the raven village, which was rarely visited or acknowledged. Much unlike Cragger, I knew nothing of my family. I had never seen my mother or father; instead, the tribe as a whole had brought me up. And after siding with Laval and Eris and the rest, my tribe would most likely not extend the warmest welcome if I returned. Still, I was beginning to miss the village. The world was catching up to me. My eye then fell to Rastokk, and I was brought back to the present. It was Crunket who finally broke the silence. "Hear you father out, Cragger," said she. "I promise you won't have heard this before." The father cleared his throat again. "You know the full story of the lion who upset the balance, I'm assuming?" The three of us this side of the bars nodded. "Then you'd know of the crocodile seer. Well, I--" He broke off, looking down. Only when Crunket nudged him would he try again: "I--I am his direct descendant."
Cragger was the first to react. "What? You're--?" "Why is this of importance?" I asked, stemming Cragger's random shocked outbursts. Crominus raised an eyeridge. "Because," he began, "I--" He turned to Crunket and murmured something like, 'Should I tell them about the . . . ?' Crunket gave her head the slightest of shakes, and while I was inclined to be suspicious, it seemed Crominus would still tell us something. He cleared his throat. "Some time ago, I learned that Crooler was teaching herself sorcery. "And she was learning fast. I didn't know why she was teaching herself, the whole business was shady; so I traced my ancestry back to that crocodile seer and his A--" Crunket shook her head again, and Crominus coughed and corrected himself. "I traced my ancestry back to the crocodile seer and decided it had something to do with that. I...also began to notice a slow but steady change in...her behavior." He shivered. "She became quieter, less...inquisitive, I guess I would say. More interest in controlling things around her. Manipulation. I didn't trust her any longer." "I still don't see why it's important," said Razar. Crunket smiled. "That's understandable," said she. Cragger's eyes turned sad. "You should've told me something..." he said to Crominus. "It would've saved me so much pain..." "I tried." Crominus sounded defeated. "Before we fell in the gorge." He then heaved a weary sigh. "So you found your way to us anyway, son. Sorry it has to be like this." We stood again in silence, Rastokk waiting with surprising patience. "What were those sounds we heard?" asked Cragger eventually (a question I had been wanting to ask, but for whatever reason I had not ere I forgot to). "You mean while we were with the giant rat?" said Crunket. "I'm sure that must've sounded bad from here.... Well, the rat started sharpening his sword right in front of us--" "Sword?" Razar scratched himself with his hooked hand. "All I remember was a staff."
"Oh, he definitely had a sword--it was long and rusty and bent--" "You can tell them another time," said Crominus. "Rastokk was kind enough to let us talk for this long, but he needs time to himself." ("Yeh, shure," said the rat, looking at the ground.) "Besides, we'll be here...for another two days, at least." "Perhaps not," I muttered. Rastokk stiffened and Crunket said, "What was that?" I bowed my head apologetically, at the same time thinking through multiple ways to escape. "A mere nothing, I assure you." Looking at Rastokk, I could tell he didn't entirely believe me, but also that he wouldn't question me. "Yer goin' back t'yer cell now, then?" said he, turning to Crominus and Crunket. The two crocodiles nodded and lowered their hoods, then allowed Rastokk to lead them back up the tunnel. Soon they had passed out of sight, and Cragger turned sharply towards me. "Why did you say that?" "What?" He gestured at the bars with a hand. "That 'perhaps not' thing...?" "Ah," I said. "Because we're going to attempt an escape." Razar crossed his arms. "Then why don't you tell us before talking about it in front of rats?" Oh dear. How could I go about explaining that we had to trust Rastokk for the plan to work? When it came to serving meals and taking care of prisoners, he was very reliable. But if we began to act out, trying to escape...things might be very different. And if the plan failed, many lives would weigh heavily on my conscience in what time I had left (if any). It would be a desperate gamble, hopefully one that would pay off. "Hello?! Are you even listening?!" Razar was looking at me angrily, and Cragger was drinking water from the bowl. I sighed. We had to at least try.
After several hours, I laid out the beginnings of a plan for Cragger and Razar. I didn't expect it to be well-received, and so I was not at all surprised when Razar went to stand in a corner and Cragger stared at me, jaws gaping wide. "You can't be serious?" said the latter. "It would be much safer to just stay here." I nodded, allowing myself a smile. "Perhaps for us. But your poor parents seem to have little time left." Cragger's facial muscles tightened into an ugly scowl. "You don't know what you're talking about!" "I'm afraid I do," I said, dropping the smile at once. "But besides your parents, there may be others in immediate danger. Ewa--" I tripped over the word, finally closing my eye and taking deep breaths; I didn't bother to finish the name, and instead continued, "Also, what if Loradus's forces were to come down this way? What would happen to us then?" Cragger still didn't look fully convinced. "If Loradus comes, we won't be able to do anything about it," said he. "It doesn't matter anymore." I stared deep into his eyes. "Your parents matter not to you anymore?" I said slowly. Cragger opened and closed his fists, as if he would like to have them around my neck. "Oh, they do," he rasped. "They do. You'll grow back that eye you lost before I take any part in this plan." And he turned and sat facing away from me. I knew not what to do. I hadn't lost my eye to begin with, but could showing Cragger what was truly beneath my eye covering convince him to follow my plan? If so, I knew I had to do it. But my eye had been covered for so long that revealing it would feel strange. I walked into the shadowy corner with the clump of fungus and clenched my beak. Then I slowly raised my eye covering.
Taking a breath, I closed both eyes and counted to ten; and I was just about to turn around when someone tapped my shoulder. "I changed my mind," came Cragger's voice. "I guess--I mean..." But that was all I needed to hear. Wondering why I had covered it in the first place, but also glad I need not reveal it right yet, I covered my left eye once more and stepped out of the corner to face Cragger. "You are willing to try my plan?" I asked. Cragger nodded, looking anywhere but at me. "What?!" Razar crossed the cell to where we stood, eyes wide in apparent disbelief. "Why bother trying to escape? There's no point." "We can reclaim your treasure," I reminded him. I thought this would be reason enough for him to join us; and yet, after much head-scratching and eyebrow-raising, he shook his head. I raised an eyebrow of my own. "Getting back our supplies would be useful," said Razar. "But we have nowhere to go with it. We might get out of this cell, but we're still chained to iron weights." I looked down at the length of chain coiled about my ankles: a detail that my plan did not address. Feeling rather foolish now, I said, "Rastokk may--" "Wait, I'm not done." Razar held up a claw. "You're forgetting--the map is gone. We're completely lost." As he said these words, my heart sank. I had indeed forgotten about the map. "Also," said Razar, "When would we start?"
"At once," I said glumly, "But put it out of your mind." I then turned to Cragger. "Apologies for raising your hopes. Razar is right: we have nowhere to go." Cragger, however, set his jaw and narrowed his eyes (the milky-white orb on his left side glinted fiercely in what light there was). "No," said he. "You convinced me that your plan was the way to go, and I'm not giving up on it now." I allowed my eye to close ere shaking my head. Of course he believed it could still work; but if he carried out the plan and perished in the process, I would never forgive myself. "It would rely too heavily on Rastokk," I said, "And we have nowhere to escape to." Cragger crossed his arms. "Well, I'd rather be wandering around in the sun and the breeze than sitting down here forever. Plus, as you kindly pointed out, my parents will probably die in a couple days--whenever the messenger gets back. I can't wait around for that to happen." Frustration welled up inside me, and I burst out, "Fine! If you would like to risk your life in that way, I only ask one thing of you: leave me behind. For if your lives do become imperiled, then I truly deserve to live the rest of mine in this wretched cell!" Cragger and Razar exchanged a glance. "Alright," said Cragger, not sounding entirely sure of himself. "We'll stay here. No escaping. It's all of us, or none of us." And finally, unable to bear it any longer, I turned away and wept. In my indecision and stubbornness, I had convinced Cragger and Razar to remain imprisoned. But what else could I do? Certainly, no longer did I want to escape. And if they wanted to stay with me, I couldn't stop them.
I sat against the back wall, my thoughts a jumbled mess, when Rastokk rapped on the bars. "Last meal o' th' day!" he called, and Cragger went over to fetch the tray that had been brought. As he pushed the tray from earlier off to the side and set the new one in its place, I saw that there were no mushrooms this time. Instead, laid out were three steaming lumps which I assumed were some kind of vegetable. "Turnips," said Rastokk. "Cook'd jus' right. Hope y'like 'em." He then pointed to the other tray. "Oh--certainly--" I said, moving towards it, but Cragger stopped me. I took a step back. "What--?" But then Razar snatched it up and handed it to Rastokk, and I sat back again. Razar lingered at the front of the cell, whispering to Rastokk, and a strange suspicion began to settle upon me. Then, guessing at what Razar would do, I scrambled to my feet and cried, "No!" But I was too late: Razar's closed fist flew between the bars and collided with Rastokk's head, knocking him out. I struggled with Cragger for a moment, trying to reach the front of the cell. But I couldn't overcome him, and so I stood down, refusing to meet his sorrow-filled gaze. How could I not have foreseen this? Had my mind been upset that badly? I cursed myself for sharing the plan with them. I would have been better if I had kept my beak shut. "I found the keys!" came Razar's voice. And sure enough, after various jingling sounds, I heard the door click open.
At last Cragger allowed me to step past him and towards Razar. "What are you doing?!" I hissed. Surprisingly, I was actually rather excited. Razar blinked. "I'm escaping," he returned. "Don't you recognize your own plan?" "Oh, I do," I said, squinting at him, "but as I recall, this wasn't a part of it." And I gestured to the fallen form of Rastokk. Razar glanced at him and shrugged. "Maybe. Now come on." He pushed the door open wide, dropped the keys on top of Rastokk, stepped into the tunnel, and beckoned for us to follow. But while Cragger joined him, I stayed where I was, struggling with myself. Staying had seemed to be the safer option; in fact, it had seemed to be the only option. But not now. Now escaping was certainly possible, if only one followed the plan exactly...something Razar was failing to do even now, in its earliest stages. "Are you sure you aren't coming?" said Cragger. I looked down, knowing I had to go with them. "I...thought I told you--" "OK, fine," said Razar, moving to close the barred door. I raised my head as it creaked and groaned on its hinges, finally making up my mind; and I jammed my claws in the door the instant it slammed shut. Letting out a dreadful cry, I attempted to pull my hand free, but this only caused more pain. "Open it, open it," I said in a desperate whisper. At once Razar swung it open, and I withdrew my crushed hand, which was throbbing so hard I feared it would burst.
Pain was now exploding up my arm, and I clenched my beak to keep from vomiting. It would be a long time ere I was able to move those left claws freely again. "Are you OK?" asked Cragger, moving towards me. I waved him off with my good hand. "No, I am not," I gasped, "But--nothing can be done for it--right now. Wake Rastokk." "What--??" said Razar, but Cragger pushed him away and bent down to shake Rastokk. The rat, however, could not be woken. He mumbled something, and Cragger placed his ear near to the mouth. He then stood and gathered the turnips from within the cell. Razar and I looked on, he with apparent impatience, I with a sense of urgency. Now I had no choice but to go along with the escape plan, for if my claws were not tended to soon (and I doubted there were any rat medics), they would get infected; and then I would become a one-legged and one-handed raven.... I couldn't even think about it then without waves of nausea washing over me. Finally Cragger bid us follow him up the tunnel, in the direction from whence his mother and father had come. "Not right yet," I said shakily, stopping him before he started. "Are we not taking Rastokk with us?" Razar clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Only if you think you can carry him...." "But we need him!" I insisted. "To direct us through the tunnels, remember...?" Cragger turned right around and heaved Rastokk over his shoulder ("Heavy for a little guy," he grunted), then went off up the tunnel with Razar alongside. I was left limping as quickly as I was able after them, the weight dragging on the end of its chain behind me.
Our progress was soon halted, however, when Rastokk at last woke up, screaming an alarm. I stepped forwards to calm him and explain the situation, but Razar shook his head and simply stuffed a turnip in the rat's mouth. I stood by to protest, but the others, fearing the rats would come in response to the alarm, perhaps, took off (again) and swiftly outdistanced me (again). Tears were flowing freely down my face now, as the pain in my hand intensified. But, knowing I had to press on, I took laborious step after laborious step, and eventually joined Cragger and Razar at our destination: the cell of Crominus and Crunket. "This is the place?" I croaked. Cragger's eyes were wide with anxiety. "It should be," he said quietly. The barred door was wide open, and there were no visible occupants. It was rather unsettling, as if the two crocodiles had decided to escape without us. Deciding there was nothing else for it, I said, "Let us--speak with Rastokk." Cragger looked at me uncertainly while Razar began to thoroughly inspect the cell. I cringed with a fresh surge of pain, my knee wobbling. "We have not the time for this!" I rasped. "Any--moment, a rat could come down this way and--sound another alarm!" "Alright, fine!" said Cragger. He then took Rastokk from his shoulder and set him on his feet, keeping a firn hold on one arm. "So, Rastokk," said Cragger. "If I unblock your mouth, do you swear not to call for help?" The rat's eyes shifted, but he slowly nodded.
Instantly, I was reminded of the times Cragger and I had been in the exact same position, blocked from speaking by the other; and how both of us had lied in order to speak again. My eye widened. I would have said, "No! Not yet!" to Cragger, but my beak seemed unable to open. And so Cragger returned Rastokk's nod and plucked the turnip from his mouth. I watched, shivering, as Rastokk licked his lips with his green tongue and swallowed. No alarm did he sound, and he made no move to run away. Turning to Cragger, he said, "Thank yew." And rocked back on his heels. Razar soon rejoined us, shaking his head. "You know," he said, "I don't think this is your parents' cell..." "Oh, 'tis," piped up Rastokk. "'Tis, but th' news came early, so the king ask'd fer 'em." Still rather puzzled by the rat's honesty (and ill with pain), I forced myself to consider what this meant. "The messenger..." muttered Cragger. "Back early..." "Does this mean your mother and father are being--evaluated for their potential uses?" I asked. One of Razar's eyes twitched, but Cragger's face was grim. "It has to," said he. "But we still have time to get them back before anything happens to them, right?" Rastokk shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "I don'no." Cragger's frown deepened and he began to pace, murmuring to himself. "Rastokk," I said, staring into his startling blue eyes. "Why are you not--sounding an alarm?" Rastokk met my stare, inclining his head as if he didn't understand my question. "'Cuz you wanna visit yer friends, izzat it? Then y'go back t'yer cell."
I was amazed at the kindness with which he spoke these words. All this time we had thought Rastokk wanted nothing more than to turn us in to his king. But while we had been thinking the worst of him, he had been thinking the best of us. Now how could I explain to him that we did intend to escape? With sadness in my heart, I began, "R--Rastokk--" But his eyes had fallen to my mangled hand with concern. "Where'd'ya get that?" he asked, extending his own left hand, palm-up. I shook my head and stepped back, but Rastokk didn't seem to notice. "Y'need th' bloom..." muttered he, shuddering, as if he hated the very idea. Though whatever he meant, if it had to do with healing my hand, I had no choice but to give it a try. It was then that a ghastly moaning echoed up the hall, turning into savage cries of apparent frustration. My mind froze mid-thought when Rastokk said, "'S th' king!" Instantly, Cragger rushed over. "My parents are with him! We have to get over there!" "And we shall," I said, wincing. "Rastokk, have you any--keys to unlock our chains?" His eyes narrowed as he began to realize what we were doing. "...Yesyes, a' do. Here." He pulled out a ring of long keys, some metal, some wooden. "Th' bigges' one's fer th' chains." As I took the keys, the realization of how much he was risking on our behalf fell upon me, quite an unwelcome weight, and so I passed them off to Cragger.
The rat king's cries continued to grow louder and louder as Cragger located the lock on his ankle. Hastily, with shaking claws, he fitted the key into it and twisted. The lock clicked. "My turn," said Razar when the chains fell away. Soon, all weights and chains had been removed, and I handed the keys back to Rastokk. "Now--" said Cragger, "To get to the main chamber--" "Jus' follow th' tunnel," said Rastokk, his head slowly bowing. Cragger nodded, turned about, and raced off down the tunnel; Razar followed after, but with less urgency. And now I was left alone, terribly injured, to wallow in the shards of my ruined plan. At length, I placed my claws on Rastokk's bristly head and asked, "Do you--know where the others are caged?" The rat raised his sad and fearful eyes. "Yer askin' me t'help you 'scape, yes?" I took an unsteady breath. "I suppose so." Rastokk snapped his mouth shut and wrinkled up his face. He knew not what to do at all, I could tell. "Th' king--" he began, "Th' king'll--" "Pay no--mind to what the king will do. Do what you believe--is right." Disease hung in the very air of the place, and already strangely-colored streaks and clouds were forming on the skin of my left hand. All I could do now was hope Rastokk would decide to help me. And he did. "Alright," he said with finality, his eyes alight with determination and sudden courage. "Follow me."
The cell door burst open with a clang that surely would have been heard in the rat king's chamber. But no longer did Rastokk seem to care as he urged Eris, Lennox, and Worriz out into the tunnel. "Rizzo!" said Eris. "Cragger's parents are here, and--" I held up a hand. "I know. There--may yet be time to explain--but not if we don't hurry." And once their chains had been removed from about their ankles, we took off down the tunnel at a run (which was problematic for me, but I kept up a fair pace). "Rastokk," I panted, "are any more of my friends being held...along the way?" Rastokk shook his head. "No, thassit fer this tunnel..." The rat king had ceased to cry out; instead, an even more unnerving sound echoed its way to us: a high-pitched screech, which, guessing from what Crunket had said, indicated the sharpening of a sword. Wheezing, my heart pounding erratically, I forced myself on. Strangely, all feeling in my left hand had faded, which was somehow more frightening than the idea of excruciating pain. If the "bloom" Rastokk spoke of did not help, that hand was gone. At last, we rushed into the rat king's chamber to find Crominus and Crunket, pulling furiously at their bonds, Cragger and Razar (who had since reclaimed their weapons) holding back a sea of rats, and the king himself lifting a monstrous, rusted, double-edged sword, murderous intent showing on his tear-streaked face. Such was the chaos of the moment that, at first, all we could do was look on in horrified awe, beaks and mouths alike hanging open.
