Where the Skaven Aren't

[Closed]
[For better understanding of the following events,]
[it is recommended to skim through this character’s History]

It was evening by the time the two rodent creatures had reached the surface lands. Their escape had proven to be more difficult than the two deserters expected. The group of pursuing Skaven had at one point of time almost reached a distance where they could have snatched either tails of the two newfound companions. Tharzu was forced to detonate one of the two rather precious pest grenades that he had taken along from Skavenblight, his kin’s capital. The greenish gas emitting from the most peculiar fluid within the glass ball, after it shattered on the tunnel floor, had forced the chasing Skaven patrol to recoil somewhat, giving both Tharzu and his companion time to lose them. Truly they had made it by the length of a rat’s tail…

“Me thinks we made it…” Tharzu breathlessly squeaked, observing what they stood upon with wide eyes, “This big rock nice, see much from here. Air is also nice, but why the ceiling orange? Why the ground green and soft?”

Skarsnik looked around jotting down notes as he said, “Think that is sky Skarsnik hear about. Nothing over head, so only air up there. Ground have mossy like stuff, need to look at more to figure out.”

“You is intelligent.” Tharzu remarked as he looked over at his new acquaintance, and possibly only friend.

“You smart too, in own way. White furs like guys like you, not hurt experiments...” Skarsnik replied offhandedly as he continued jotting down things.

Having regained a regular breathing tempo the brown furred creature jogged towards a lifeless tree. It stood as the only one of its kind upon the small, round plateau unto which the two Skaven had fled. After having tested the trees consistency and dryness with a few knocks and brushes the small critter began to swing his blade relentlessly at its branches. By the time he had managed to chop almost the entire tree to firewood the sun had gone down and granted view on its many distant brethren.

“What is shiny things in…um…sky, Skarsnik?” Tharzu questioned after dropping his equipment, beginning to gather the firewood into the center of the flat lesser mountain’s peak, “And why is all dark blue now?”

Skarsnik looked up as he sighed looking at them a long time. Finally he said, “My mentor spoke of Sky and stars, and a sun, perhaps these stars? And Sun gone, so its night now, unlike Skavenblight. Skaven blight always dark, always night...”

“It look nice.” The Skaven warrior mentioned.

With a quiet squeak he gestured at the stacked firewood within the center of the location. Turning, unknowing if Skarsnik had taken notice of his gesticulation the brown furred creature returned to what was left of the tree and gathered his equipment from the grass. With big, jumpy, and gleeful steps the brown fur trotted once more to the center of the plateau.

“We no have…” Tharzu paused, an uneasy expression drawing itself across his snout, “We no have grey fur to make fire…how we do fire?”

Skarsnik looked at the wood before he thought to himself. They definitely needed fire. The white fur sighed before offering a solution, "Maybe warp thing help..." He then drew the warp-thing from its holster and fired it at the wood. The sparks hit the wood but failed to ignite the logs as he sighed, "How we make fire without grey fur...maybe strike metal to metal?"

“It no work, sparks from metal no hurt…no burn…maybe…” Tharzu held out the flat of his blade towards Skarsnik, angling it slightly as if to deflect something from it, “Shoots me’s sword.”

Skarsnik aimed for the blade as he said, "Me no used to hitting small-thing. Me sorry if hit Tharzu." He then leveled the warp-thing at Tharzu's blade as he fired, the first shot hitting the blade, deflecting from it, and then hitting the pile, causing smoke to rise. As he looked at it, Skarsnik hoped, until the smoke cleared and did nothing. He sighed before he tried again firing the gun, this time sending a bolt right at Tharzu on accident.

"Skarsnik sorry!" He cringed as he watched the bolt fly at Tharzu.

With a squeal Tharzu flew backwards, his body twitching spastically in mid air. Then with a thud he went down, his fall cushioned by the grassy surface of the plateau. Quickly he pushed himself up and jumped to his feet, his eyes shooting from corner to corner trying to find his blade. With a seemingly joyful squeak he acknowledged having spotted it. After grabbing it from the ground he hopped back to his prior position. Without further hesitation Tharzu angled the blade once more in order to deflect the bolt, this time ready to twitch his blade into a different direction would the shot suffer under the poor aim of his white furred companion de novo.

“Me’s no hurt, me feel not much. Me invincible!” Tharzu remarked as his tail twitched straight once more with a blue flash of light, “Again!”

Skarsnik looked at Tharzu again as he promised to remember to jot down things about him for later in his logbook. Aiming the gun carefully he fired it one last time as he hoped it would spark the sword and the fire.

With a bright flash and a burst of smoke the pile of wood before Tharzu went ablaze. With a wide grin, flashing his sharp teeth, Tharzu dug the tip of his blade into the ground beside his buckler. After positioning his blade in a prominent position he trotted to his gadgeteer friend. Coming to his side he turned into the same direction as Skarsnik, propping a hand on his slightly smaller companion’s shoulder.

“We best. Better than human-things, better than elven-things, greenskins. Best.” The brown furred rat remarked joyfully as he peered into the growing fire.

Skarsnik smiled as he added, "Yes, better than grey furs! We don't need grey furs tell us what to do."

“Better than grey furs!” Tharzu repeated as he trotted from his white furred ally’s side.

Skarsnik departed to the eastern most edge of the peak, drawing book and writing utensil in the go. It was more than obvious that both were happy with their current situation, a relieving dream had come true for the two, accordingly large where the grins on their ratling faces. Tharzu had by now gathered up his buckler and shield, standing somewhat perplexed next to the fire for a moment. Suddenly with an outburst of joy he held the buckler in front of his chest and began to slam the flat of his blade against it. Relentlessly banging his sword against his shield he began to trot around the fire in circles, pulling each step as high as he could. The night went on with Tharzu light-heartedly trotting around the fire, chanting Skaven songs at full volume with his squeaky voice, a beaming smile across his face during the pauses between words or the change of songs.

It took a fair account of hours until the Skaven was finally so exhausted that he simply fell back into the grass with a sigh and drifted into a well deserved sleep…an unceasing smile across his lips.

Out of Character:

Bunny Approved

Skarsnik meanwhile was over in the corner jotting down more notes. He would occasionally check on his brown furred compatriot, only to find him doing something like building the fire, or dancing about. He only shook his head as he muttered, "Skarsnik think Tharzu counting chickens before hatch. We not free yet."

The small epiphany came form the fact they were still near the tunnel entrance. If the Black Furs were to stumble upon them, they would be dead before they could put up any sort of a fight. Skarsnik knew this much from what Snick his master told him. Black Furs were usually dispensed to eliminate threats as quickly as possible, and Skarsnik was surprised that they didn't already have a black fur on their tiny hands.

Still he continued to jot down notes as he sighed. It would be important to keep notes from here on out, as the Skaven weren't well known in this new world, and further, were not known for exploring. He would have to be the eyes and ears of his brethren until that day he returned and would be killed, but his research would live on. It was important that Skaven with their short life spans get as much knowledge as he could muster.

Finally once the first few pages were filled of the empty logbook he stretched looking around. Tharzu was singing songs now about this or that. His head held high and his voice rising to the heavens. Remembering his promise to jot things down on Tharzu he opened up to his log book and wrote down a few things, most importantly his immunity to warp-things shot. While he saw Tharzu had been hit, the rat had shrugged it off immediately. A very good ability, but what it meant was a mystery to Skarsnik, and he liked mysteries. While he wouldn't dissect Tharzu to get the secret, he figured asking questions and watching would be a good proxy for the process.

As he let out a small rat-like yawn he stretched once more as he shook his head, trying to stave off sleep. As Tharzu finally collapsed, Skarsnik had to follow suit, sighing as he made himself comfortable on the ground. As he absently tugged on the "moss" on the ground he sighed before he finally closed his eyes and went to sleep. It had been a long day for the rats, and it was tough for him to keep his eyes open any longer. As he let out another squeaky yawn he curled his tail up around him before he drifted off into dreams which no human could fathom, filled with the things rats love.

As Tharzu awoke he rubbed his eyes and opened them to find one of the most tranquil scenes he had seen so far in his life. The brown furred creature wriggled, stretched, and squeakily yawned before pushing himself upright. With a sudden yelp of fear he scrambled backwards, toppling and flipping through the grass. His body shivered as he slowly led his gaze upwards from the ground. Something he didn’t know slowly fluttered closer and closer, unknowing of how to escape the vile creature, Tharzu squinted his eyes and hoped for the best. Only moments later the butterfly had landed and settled upon his snout, only slowly beating back its wings and therewith revealing their multicolored beauty. Slowly the ratling opened his eyes, the shivering sensation of fear fleeting from his body.

With a shallow gasp Tharzu concluded his impressions, “Nice. What is it?”

Carefully he outstretched a clawed finger to the unknown being, not wanting to damage its frail body. Quickly the tiny creature hopped onto his furry finger. With a wide grin Tharzu wanted to spin around and show his companion, who must have awoken by the entire hassle, his new discovery. Yet as the Skaven spun around the butterfly departed from his finger and took off into the sky.

“Nooooo~!” Tharzu called and ran after insect, only to have his foot caught on his rather sizeable shield.

With a thud the rodent hit the ground and rolled forward a small account of times. Finally having regained posture he concluded it best to take in his surrounding a little more before running around aimlessly. Having brushed the dirt and grass from his rags he scanned the area thoroughly. The fire had gone out overnight, the thin line of smoke still rising from deep within being caught in the gentle breeze that swayed over the plateau. Even the sky above had once more changed its color completely, something that hadn’t ceased to amaze the ratling thus far. With yet another astonished gasp he observed the pure, white, cottony clouds as they passed between him and the endless blue beyond. As turned around he found himself completely blinded by the brightest light he’d ever seen, quickly he shielded his eyes with a hand. Then, as his gaze fell beneath the beauteous blue above and beyond the flattened peak he stood upon, his jaw dropped.

“There no wall…there no end…” Tharzu muttered in disbelief as he trotted, as though in trance, towards the edge of the plateau, “…it infinite niceness…”

Standing at the very brim, his toes curling over for increased halt, he observed the awe inspiring landscape of Tular. It seemed endless, the lush green grass that filled the countless plains and hills beyond. No matter in which direction he would send his gaze, the green met the horizon. Whenever a wind brushed over the land it created a lively ocean of the vivid green, bending the grass to the side in wavy lines. He’d never seen anything like it, the underground denizen, and the more he saw the more he came to like it. Tharzu could take deep breaths now, and be awarded truly fresh air. No longer would he have to fear drawing in a whiff of poisonous gasses lingering in mid air. He could now truly look as far as the eye could see. Not a wall, tunnel, or ceiling was currently there to limit his view. He knew, most certainly there were other places where he had to fear the similarity they shared with his old home, but for now there wasn’t – for now the ratling felt not a single emotion but happiness.

“Looks Skarnsik…there much, so much of freeness…there being so much to discover,” Tharzu began as he turned to his white furred brethren, “We find everything! We become most legend-thing Skaven! We go to horned-rat after life…we become horned-rat’s friend!”

“Tharzu silly, horned rat no have friends. Horned rat need no friends, Horned Rat take what Horned Rat need! That why Grey Furs incharge, give much to Horned Rat,” Skarsnik replied.

“…you’s must be right Skarsnik.” The overzealous brown fur concluded with sigh, “But we’s still being discovering all of this! Skarsnik and Tharzu become legend-things!”

Skarsnik nodded as he said, “Yes, Tharzu and Sarsnik become Legend-things. First Skaven not afraid of Man-things and their lands. We find much about Man-things tell others, make them see wrongs of Grey Furs!”

“How’s about we rest here a little more…it nice here, then we going back down and we’s discover more?” Tharzu suggested, slowly trotting towards a boulder at the end of the pathway winding up the lesser mountain.

Skarsnik stopped looking in thought a moment before he sighed and nodded, “Alright we rest here more. We go when Tharzu ready.”

With a muffled squeak of joy Tharzu picked a tall blade of grass from the ground and stuck it into his mouth. Chewing on the plant, of which he seemed to like the taste, he scrambled up the boulder he had set towards. Standing atop it his view of the area had become even better. The ratling dropped to his hide, and then fell backwards laying himself down flat upon the top of the boulder. Chewing on the grass blade, eyes set skyward the brown fur watched the fluffy white formations above his head pass by, form shapes, and dissipate. In complete awe he had almost forgotten one last question before sinking into tranquil thoughts once more.

“Tell’s me Skarsnik. Does you know what bright thing up there is?” The brown fur asked with his arm pointing upwards, his curiosity unceasing like that of a child.

“I don't know, that look like big lamp,” Skarsnik said as he jotted down notes, “I think that another star Master Snick talk about, but not sure if have name.”

“It big.” Tharzu mentioned quietly and returned to observing the clouds he didn’t know the names of.

"Big indeed," Skarsnik echoed as he put his logbook away. He was through writing for now as he observed everything about him. He watched the plains he watched the sky and he watched everything about him, the peaceful tranquility with a keen awe. He had only heard stories of the upworld, but here he was actually living in it. Perhaps for the rest of his fourteen years, but the thought didn't scare him, no it thrilled him.

"Where we go now?" Skarsnik asked softly to his burly companion.

"We's go back down, and then-" Tharzu squeaked as he jumped to his feet, "Then we goes over there!" Tharzu then pointed off to the west as Skarsnik looked in the direction he pointed. It was as good a plan as any and especially with everything they had endured going in a perfectly random direction could be the best course of action. Skarsnik nodded thoughtfully as he contemplated the action a bit more.

"Yes, you right, go that way and see what we find!" Skarsnik said as he added mentally, And hope you find village or food. With the idea set forth in motion Skarsnik relaxed, feeling a bit safer, he hadn't been sure how long they had left Skavenblight. He did however know one thing; he refused to be another black fur victim. As he moved about the plateau he sighed as he said, "How we get down Tharzu? I no see path!"

"Did's running making you blind last day?" Tharzu snickered, clutching his belly with one paw, pointing to his left with the other, "We's uses same path we ran up when orange sky. It winding like snake around mountain, it bringing us back down too, Skarsnik."

Skarsnik's ears flattened onto his head in embarrassment as he realized how stupid he had been. Of course there was a path to the ground. He was simply too caught up in his own scribbling to remember such a trivial thing, and it cost him. Silently he vowed to be a bit more aware of his surroundings, because if he missed the trail, he could easily miss a black fur. Moving over to the trail he said sheepishly, "Skarsnik was tired. Make me's forget things, me sorry!"

"Not matters Skarsnik! It my fault of asking so many stuff that make you not think of other things. Let's go! Conquer Man-Thing land now!" Tharzu muttered and hopped from his boulder, "You know, green ground taste good - you should try."

Skarsnik looked to see that Tharzu was still chewing on the green plants. He frowned as he picked up one of the plants and plucked it form the ground before he said, "Me nots so sure, may be poison Tharzu. Maybe should wait till I get time to check out?"

"Look, path winds around mountain there!" Tharzu squeaked having gathered up his equipment, zealously trotting down the path with large steps.

"There goes most ignorant Skaven," Skarsnik muttered as he quickly gathered the few things left and ran after Tharzu not used to so much physical activity. As he caught up he said, "Alright Tharzu lets go."

They made their way down the plateau until they finally were at the bottom. As they made their way across the open fields in the direction Tharzu chose however, something appeared in the distance. It was large and black, and Skarsnik squinted trying to get a better look before he patted Tharzu on the shoulder and said, "Hey, what that?"

“Hm?” Tharzu turned to his slightly shorter comrade, soon following the direction of that one’s pointing finger with his eyes.

Now the brown furred ratling too squinted as he tried to decipher what there was. Across the countless green hills, at where they now for elevation deprived Skaven met the horizon, stretched a large black line. It moved, up and down, and was jagged at its upper side.

“Good’s question. It rough on tops, bouncing up and down. Maybe it some thing green ground does during day?” Tharzu muttered and began to trot towards the unknown source of interest, “Let go see from near, maybe it taste good too!”

Skarsnik looked at Tharzu before speaking, “What if bad thing? Where we go?”

Chewing on fresh blade of grass, or better said a whole handful he had just newly plucked from the ground Tharzu answered in a muffled tone, “So good…Um, oh! Then we turn around and run in other direction, after’s all we gets away from black furs – nobody gets away from black furs. We fastest Skaven, nothing catching us!”

Skarsnik nodded before he said, “You expert on fighting Tharzu, Skarsnik trust you on that.”

With smacking sounds his jaw slammed onto the grass, which tasted oh so good, relentlessly, “You shoulds really try, but for now we go over there!”

Skarsnik sighed as he said, “I not sure about green stuff Tharzu, perhaps we should stop eating until we find out what dark things are?”

“Perhaps.” Tharzu squeaked with a fat grin as he peered at his comrade in escape.

Skarsnik shook his head as he followed Tharzu, he then said, “Lets go check out dark things then...”

Always trying to motivate his friend to also chew on the green plants from the ground, Tharzu started into the direction of the unknown darkness at the horizon. Neither of the ratlings knew what awaited them, but thanks to the brown furred one’s overzealous demeanor concerning the discovery of the new world he found himself within, they could possibly even find an untimely end where they stood – whilst then again they could come across the most astonishing things that not even the ancient inhabitants of that very world knew of.

Pointing into all sorts of different direction with his sword so rapidly that it almost seemed as if he was fighting an unseen enemy, Tharzu shot about with questions of “what is this” and “what is that”. Then suddenly he came to a halt and peered down at the ground, starting to dig the tip of his sword into it. Moments later he lifted something familiar from the soil and held it in front of his comrade’s face with a grin.

“Ulkgraber!” Tharzu shouted, it was the Skaven word for worm, “He seems to think same as us, down there boring and not nice!”

Skarsnik jumped back at the sudden display as he snapped, “Tharzu stop playing like baby. Serious work ahead, black things might want kill us!”

The scolded brown fur flinched together, “Me’s sorry, Tharzu stops…me promise on claws of horned rat!”

Skarsnik sighed in relief, “Good, what you think black things are?” Skarsnik then looked expectedly at Tharzu.

“Me’s not know, have to get nearer to see.” Tharzu replied as he flung the worm into the sky, “Be’s free ulkgrab-“, Something to him unknown, a hawk, had caught the worm in mid air, devouring it in the go, “Big bat with hard pointy mouth, you shoulds write down Skarsnik…”

Trying to pretend as if though he had done nothing stupid, Tharzu spun on his heels and continued into the direction of the actual matter at hand. Skarsnik looked at the bird as he absently took out his notebook and chased after the bird writing frantically as he tried to get down the information.

It had wings with weird protrusions. While at first it looked like a bat, the similarities were soon fading as he saw the aforementioned growths. Still jotting things down without even looking he was making a quick drawing when he realized he had run far away from Tharzu. As he began to get frightened he jotted down a few more notes before he began to run right at the brown furred compatriot, "Wait for Skarsnik!"

"Me's not go far, no worry!" Tharzu squeaked back in a light-hearted tone. Skarsnik sighed in relief as he reached his friend. Huffing slightly he leaned over not used to the heavy running that seemed to hallmark his time above ground. Squinting his little rat eyes he saw the black stuff coming at them before he began to scribble things down in his logbook. There was no sense not writing things down when the opportunity was so ripe.

He drew another quick sketch as he began to describe the thing, pointy stuff on top, the movement up and down. His little Skaven brain began to work overtime when he looked up his eyes wide, "Tharzu, did you run skaven army?"

"Hm, me's good warrior. Grey Furs accept master's proposal of Tharzu become leader of great battalion...Grey Furs murder master...Tharzu was to take place of master..." The muscular warrior Skaven slowed his pace, his voice became deep and gravely, unusually calm and sullen. The hand on his left arm, from which his buckler hung, clenched into a shaking fist, “I hate Grey Furs..."

Skarsnik could feel a bit of the Skaven's fury and made a small footnote of it in his logbook before he pointed at the black thing, "Maybe you can see what black thing is now. Look like sharp pointy things on top, but they moves up and down, like moving towards us. Is that an...." For once he was at a loss for the word he looked at Tharzu hoping he could get a clarification on it.

"Pennant. Maybe spears. At speed we move, thing become too big to fast - Tharzu estimate it moving to our direction. Thinking it spears and flags...only logic it be army." The combatant rattling mentioned, cocking his head forward slightly, squinting his eyes, "Very large army, go from far left to right of direction Tharzu look. What you thinks Skarsnik?"

"Skarsnik think you right Tharzu. Maybe we run and hope we don't become dead Skaven?" Skarsnik replied. He had escaped the black furs alright, but it was now a case of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. If this was to be the new trademark of his life, he was most definitely going to have to learn how to start running. Perhaps all those years in the lab had been a bad thing.

Skarsnik was now stretching his mind, trying to figure out if they could even kill an army if they had to. His mind was racing and it always came to the same conclusion, they were goners. He wasn't brilliant enough to use the green ground nor anything else for that matter to defeat an entire army. Skaven logic was when the enemy comes running, get more Skaven. If you outnumber, you win. While solid tactics, the problem lay not in the logic, but the execution. They really couldn't run for more Skaven, and it was just two against an army.

Perhaps he should have stayed home yesterday...

“Running for weak Skaven.” Tharzu declared as he set off a good distance before his disheartened companion.

Skarsnik looked at his fellow skaven before he said, “And for smart Skaven...”

The young ratling walked preposterous and ignorant, his sword risen heroically as he marched towards the ever so pitifully outnumbering force beyond. They were only thousands, as far as the slightly self-overestimating brown fur was concerned. Suddenly the Skaven’s inflated ego was crushed beyond the shrapnel that was earth, sputtering upon him from head to toe. A heat wave engulfed his small body along with a cloud of dust thrown up from the scorched earth. The furry little creature stood still in his tracks, the only movement he could manage to force upon his body being the sniffling of his nose. Slowly a shivering sensation passed over the small brown fur, taking its place as a chill down his spine at the clearing dust. Tharzu gulped heavily, trying to bypass the choking fear that consumed. His squinting eyes crept sheepishly over the smoldering pothole to his left. Smoke gusted from the depression as the last straws of the well tasting green ground were baked to inedibility. The ringing in his ears slowly dissipated. The fact that he could actually hear again put the Skaven’s shocked soul at ease a little. Though that comfort was taken again as he could listen the ever louder growing cadence of the horizon.

“You’s know Skarsnik. When other thing shootings fireball over big area, it best Skaven run.” Tharzu squeaked in a monotone voice, finally complying to his slightly brighter comrades implications, “Yes, it best little measly Skavens run for life.”

“I hope we not dies...” Skarsnik muttered under his breath. He hadn't come this far just to get killed by some army, and currently was sharing the exact same thought as his brown furred companion.

With that said, the humanoid critter scrambled backwards all the while spinning in the go. His buckler he had swung over his back to offer additional protection, an instinctive reaction for a Skaven warrior brood. With his now free hand he grabbed and spun around the still slightly perplexed Skarsnik, pulling on his rags as he ran as fast as his little legs carried him. Another explosion sounded behind them, bits of earth cluttering onto the back of Tharzu’s shield as he ran. Psychological warfare or simply bad aim? It didn’t matter, both of it was either taking, or would take effect soon enough – and the Skaven didn’t plan to sit around and wait for the results.

“Mes wish I didn't have to run so much!” Skasrnik breathlessly said as he found himself running for the fifth time today.

“We rest when in high green stuff, but if stopping now, we baked Skaven!” Tharzu squeaked at the top of his lungs, grabbing the heavy log book from his companion’s arms and thus making things easier for the slightly weaker one of the two.

Skarsnik looked at his fellow Skaven worriedly before putting his head down focusing on running, “Be careful with that, not easy to get new one!”

“No worry, me strong enough. If difficult running I drop sword first!” The warrior brood re-assured his friend, he knew very well that ultimately their log book was more important for survival in this new world.

The two scurrying ratlings were sitting ducks upon the vast open fields of Tular. Salvation was in sight, yet still a good account of three hundred yards away. Massive brown logs with deep green…green stuff getting thinner towards the top stood in a myriad yonder. The only trees Tharzu had known thus far were dead, rotting and falling apart by themselves. Yet it was far, his astonishment not the matter at hand, and exhaustion was slowly descending upon the Skaven the closer they came. Obviously the creatures that couldn’t be clearly distinguished had seen a threat within the small ratlings, should it make them proud though? Tharzu was certain to later fall to what he considered flattery, though one could rely on the sincerely logical and bright mind of his companion to keep them alive. Well…at least one could hope.

Skarsnik continued to run ahead of the monstrous horde of Demons as he tried to keep up with the brown furred compatriot. While he was glad they were running, he wasn't glad to see that even as the forest got closer he was getting more and more tired. The times in the labs were just getting to him as he continued to redouble his efforts. It was quite clear that the army would provide any motivation needed as another fireball scorched the ground right behind the white furred skaven creating and exploding force that pushed him forward with renewed vigor.

"Me's not liking this Tharzu!" The skaven squeaked to his friend.

"It too warm, me no likes too!" Skarsnik's brown furred companion acknowledged. The two of them continued to push forward as it seemed the army was all too keen on throwing fireballs to try and roast them alive. Skarsnik by now was beginning to feel a burning in his muscles as he tried to push forward. He simply had nothing left in the tank. However he knew he was dead, and so even when it seemed it was over it was not. Pushing forward he could see them a hundred feet out from the trees.

It seemed that all was safe, that they could make it. It seemed that they could even enjoy some of the green stuff if they made it for the forest was deep. It could easily provide places to hide the rats. Even now he was beginning to think about logging all the flora and fauna of the up world when he realized the truth; he wasn't in the woods yet. Still the excitement caused him to push his frail body further as he squeaked, "We almost there!"

"We good safe now! Only little bit, we make it!" Tharzu squealed at the top of his lungs as he ran.

Skarsnik was about to agree until he realized just why so many fireballs had been sent at the rats. One of the mages finished his arcane ramblings before he shot forth with a fireball that made the others seem like small rocks. The size making sure that even if the Skaven tried to dodge, they would be unlucky to still be in the blast radius. As it came from behind the tinkerer only got a brief glimpse before he tried to run faster, "Big ones! Gonna get us!"

Slowly the warrior breed turned his head, his legs becoming a blur as they carried him faster and faster, "Me no want to be roast rat...me no want to be put in great swamps of horned rat yet..."

Skarsnik had no breath to agree and as he tried to keep pace with the rat outrunning him the fireball hit. In a squeal of fear Skarsnik was lifted up and out as he flew right by his friend, making only brief eye contact as he tried to think of anything to say. That one moment in time, with him upside-down and facing his friend seemed to last an eternity, before he finally had to keep going with the flow of time. Immediately he watched as Tharzu too was picked up by the exploding inferno and carried with him. Flying deeper into the woods they land in perhaps one of the softer spots in the forest. Behind logs and in a bed of moss Skarsnik landed right next to Tharzu. Exhausted and traumatized he could not push himself anymore and finally gave into the sleep that came to claim him.

With a last, passive glance into the eyes of his upside down companion Tharzu too gave into the blast force, although rather involuntarily. Bits of charred earth, catapulted by the explosion, dashed by his ears and pelted unto his rear. Dust and smoke filled the air within seconds. A thick cloud was formed that soon surpassed the humanoid critters in speed, encompassing them in a nebular of disorientation. Then, like shooting stars, the two furry creatures were lunged from the turmoil in a brilliant spinning manner. Tharzu flew for yards on, twisting and twirling whilst grabbing onto all he carried with utmost strain. Over fallen logs the critter sore, over patches of ground cluttered with a myriad of fallen leaves.

Bewitched by the situation, his mind unable to focus on a single thing, everything about him became fuzzy. It became as fuzzy as the soft green ground that seemed to carpet the entire forest, moss, not to mention another thing he didn’t quite know. With a sudden thud the Skaven impacted on the ground, leaving behind an imprint of his figure before rolling onwards. All air was forced from his lungs, making him a rolling furball gasping for air with every second. In his go a whirlwind of fallen leaves arose, something of a poetic touch that didn’t quite matter at the moment.

With a following, rather harsh stop the brown furred critter crashed into a large tree. The diameter of the faunic beast probably stretched twice the length of Tharzu. Unable though, to simply brush away the heavy hits that had recently befallen his head, the furry creature drifted off into a strange sleep. Not even the awe inspiringly golden rays of light that shone through the trees and down upon him managed to keep him conscious at this moment. Not even the wonderfully dancing leaves slowly hovering to the ground caught his eye now. The quiet plashing of a nearby stream, it went unheard. And all that the tranquilizing smell of the forest did was guide him into optical darkness further. Weapon and book clutched tighter than ever, the ratling had set foot into the world of dreams.

…

“Strike left!” A dreadfully gravely voice squeaked, its orders followed by squeals and the battering of wood, “Strike low, left then low!”

Tharzu’s arm sped from left to right, the sword in his hand splintering the hip of the wooden doll before him. Not even an entire second later the burly Skaven, almost indifferent amongst so many others of his kind, had already thrashed his blade into the legs of the figure. With a cry of rage he dragged his blade from its wooden aim. His feet shuffled as his body fulfilled a full turn, the dirt around him scoffing into the air. Then, an unaccountable second later, the torso of his wooden obverse flew from its affixed position and knocked down a Skaven to his side. With a squeal his kinsman went down, tossing his weapon aside. Propelled by the fall, the oversized kitchen knife lodged itself into the stomach of his backer. Another squeal, though this time a fatal one, and another brown fur dropped. Everything grew quiet, seconds of silence ensued as the blood seeped from the ratlings stomach into the dry, dusty floor beyond.

Almost instantly ten of the red furred breed sped into the sparring arena and began to clean the mess their stronger brothers had created. A set of four exchanged Tharzu’s broken training doll. Two plucked the old one from the ground whilst the other two plunged a new figure into the same place. All this happened simultaneously with the other six scurrying over the dead body to Tharzu’s somewhat distant right. Two freed the body of any equipment, though they soon split up into pre-destined jobs as well. One returned the killing blade to its previous owner, who had risen from the dirt by now, before disappearing with the upper half of the recently broken training doll. The other gathered all equipment of the fallen ratling and disappeared into a distant cave with it. Wasting no time, the left over red furs dragged the body of their rather sizable kinsman away, leaving behind only a cloud of swirling brown dust.

Seconds after there had been no further trace of the red furs, the countless red eyes of the warriors situated in the training pit shot upwards. Their attention was once more drawn to their drill instructor, and so the scruffy and battle worn Skaven, shot a fist into the air. A hundred followed his gesture in the pit, before the silence was broken by a dreadful wall of sound. Squeals and squeaks at highest pitch and lowest roar emitted from the brown furred horde beyond. Suddenly their stillness broke into a wild and aimless sequence of both hopping and dancing.

“To horned rat he go!” Tharzu boomed, a dozen voices followed.

“To horned rat he go! To horned rat he go!” The igniting spark to the whole misery boomed once more, this time at least half the pit followed his call.

It didn’t take long for Tharzu to motivate his brothers to all beckon a safe place in the “Great Swamps” with the Horned Rat for their accidentally fallen brethren. The drill instructor stood in awe, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Where all his kinsmen should have been upon him, tearing him limb from limb, the burly brown fur stood as the center of attention. The drill instructor dared not interrupt the raging horde beyond. Instead the elderly warrior brood joined in on the beckoning, a wide grin drawing itself across his face. It was the moment where the plea of Tharzu’s master, concerning a promotion of the talented ratling, was granted its ultimate piece of support.

The training of the brown fur horde continued long after their drill instructor had left the pit extremities to speak with a council of grey furs. Almost off handedly they had finally accepted the recommendation, and thus the drill instructor returned to his pit with a joyful message for Tharzu. Upon his arrival the Skaven trainer quickly climbed upon the pit walls, aiming to spot the young hopeful. With a raised hand the bulky, scruffy, and worn rat silenced the pit.

With a grin that flashed his yellow fangs he beckoned for Tharzu to leave the pit, “You’s Tharzu Severfang, you’s leaving pit now. Me’s say to you important things.”

“Important.” The bulgy brown fur mused as he glanced to his right, smiling at the Kinsman he had earlier knocked down.

“Importants Thing. You go quick! Horned rat be with Tharzu Severfang!” Was the supporting reply he received from a ratling that should have hated his guts, yet it was all but that.

“Yes, me’s go. Good fun you have still.” Tharzu squeaked absently as he turned, his miniscule mind trying to play out what the message could be.

Short moments later he had exited the pit through a little cave to his left, the drill instructor too had disappeared from his recent position. A few turns and swivels later the two met outside of the pit walls with equally big smiles.

“Me’s pleased to meet Tharzu Severfang. You has showed great talent in before years, me have good things to tell you. First things be you calling me Brekgnaw Bograt. Gnaw is being good too.”

“Ok.” Tharzu squeaked almost under his breath, taken over by anxiety, his tail twitching from left to right.

“You’s personal master sent a plea to grey furs,” Brekgnaw continued, “He say you good to become Skaven horde leader, he said you having very good leading force. I see today how you makes Skaven not kill you but like you, evens me follow your chant! Anyhow…”

Tharzu stood with a perplexed and puzzled face and interrupted “That be special?”

“Yes that special, now keep fangs shut.” His former instructor snapped, “You see, me’s speaking with grey furs before. Me tell them you master Skaven is right about you. Now greatest thing…you be prome…prom…promte…you be put in higher position! You lead Skaven horde!”

With a gleeful jump Tharzu propelled himself into the air, his squeals of joy ringing through the entire cave. Passing Skaven simply shook their heads and giggled, others simply wondered and turned around. The burly brown fur grabbed his drill instructor and began to carry him around. It was always astonishing how strong Skaven could become when under the influence of extreme emotional fluctuations.

“Yes! Yes! You letting me down, go say good news to your master now!” Brekgnaw complained as he pried himself from the overzealous warrior brood.

Instantly Tharzu loosened his grip and turned, “You right, he need to know!”

With that said the young ratling took off. In his go he rammed aside any Skaven in his way, though most caught themselves again before hitting the floor. Cursed and swears followed the young brown fur as he sped through the many tunnels. His planned destination was the office of his master. A few bustling streets, stinking alleyways, and lightless, damp tunnels further and he came to see the entrance of his masters office. With a squeak of joy his legs began to carry him even faster through the shadows, towards the sickly green light that emitted from the cave entrance. Green was a Skaven’s favorite color, it mesmerized them somewhat, thus one would not find a single private cave without a glowing green ball within.

“Masters! Raknar! Tharzu haves great news!” The speeding Skaven screamed at the top of his lungs few yards before his destination.

Abruptly he came to a stop. The young Skaven skidded only few meters as his claws protruded further into the ground by the second. Tharzu was bereft of any breath, though that was his most meaningless concern as of now. Everything became silent, only the constant dripping of some underground water source could be heard. Not a single wind blew through the tunnels, it was as lifeless as everything else about. ‘Twas As lifeless as the trees of the swamp, exclude the maggots within, or the body of Tharzu’s master beside its desk. Raknar swam in a pool of his own blood and guts, facing the floor, tail curled around him.

…

Tharzu’s red eyes shot wide open, almost instantly he began to squint as his eyes were not yet used to such immediate light. Shivering as he recalled his dream he emitted a quiet sob, emotions that he quickly tried to brush aside. Moments later he also remembered what had just recently happened. Shocked he jumped into an upright position, his eyes only slowly attuning the bright light shining through the treetops. The book was there, he acknowledged with a sigh of relief. His sword, buckler and rope, it was all still with him. Then a notion of panic set in, where was Skarsnik? Tharzu squealed in desperation, uncertain of his only friend’s whereabouts.