Chapter Text
An eerie silence filled the lower part of the Maw. The soft swaying of the submarine-esk boat hardly being noticed. The smell of blood and death smothered the air of the lower levels, deep in the Lower Colony's territory and camp.
"Marigold?" squeaked a small rat, her rough brown fur almost being blacked out against the light outside from a overhanging lantern . The other didn't respond, curled up in her nest, back turned to the rest of the den. Her pink tail curled around the small cold bodies next to her belly.
"Marigold, come on, let's get you some fresh air ," she suggested. Marigold didn't speak, laying still. Her black fur was matted, wet circles around her eyes from her crying. Her paws gripped the bedding under her, her ears drooping down with obvious hurt and sadness. The smaller rat shuffled her paws slightly.
"Mari... please..." she muttered.
"Leave me alone, Violet..." Marigold whispered, her voice hoarse and quiet from her previous crying. She lifted her head, looking over to her sister with her dark doe brown eyes.
Violet looked at her for a moment, a frown on her muzzle. She didn't push the rat on, turning and walking out of the small hidden nest that in the metal walls.
The once formerly large colony was now something to laugh at. How could a colony of rats this small once be so large and empowering ?
They were located in the bottom of The Maw, where they could run freely without any worries... almost without worries. A dark gray rat stood next to another one, a soft black colored female.
"Mom, dad, she isn't coming out... any word about Rowan?" Violet asked.
T heir mother, Mulberry, shook her head. "No word... we can't tell her, she's already lost too much," she whispered, drawing up her pale colored tail closer to her , ears back in an upset manner . She pressed against the other, her mate, Thistle.
He was Captain, the leader of the colony. His fur was still wet from blood, his and his opponent's. Scars covered his flanks and right shoulder, yet there was an air of comfort in his words.
"Don't fret, dear, she'll be fine and back to her own self in a week or so. Rowan wouldn't want her to be so sad and down," he said, twinning his tail with his mate's.
Violet couldn't help but think about everything though...
Why did those rogue rats attack? Why did they have to come in the dead of night just to massacre them for no reason? So many lives were lost , as she looked around she saw the bodies scattered around them. Members of the colony were also missing, like Rowan.
Rowan was Marigold's mate, a normally flirtatious and hard working rat. He and Marigold just had their first litter , five healthy pups, the future heirs of the colony...
He gave his life to protect the colony and to keep his family safe; yet it was useless. A pair of rats had gotten into the nesting den and killed all the pups as quickly as they could. Mothers tried to protect, but their blood was shed just as quick as their pups'.
Violet was lucky to only have escaped with her minor cuts, she had jumped to her sister's rescue before they could lay a claw on her. The intruders got away before she could look at them and was too relieved she got there before any more damage could be done.
Violet felt her belly coils slightly. It was her fault, if she had just gotten then just a bit quicker, her nieces and nephews would be alive... wouldn't they?
The sound of pawsteps made the small rat turn, ears perking up to see who was coming. A black and white rat entered, a single blind eye told them who it was: Milkweed, a rat from the Upper Levels .
The small white body next to him followed close, a black patch on his muzzle; shy, baby blue eyes quivering. Milkweed's younger brother, Patch.
Hanging in Milkweed's maw was a bundle of bright yellow, holding onto it tightly. He didn't speak, walking passed them with a blank face. Violet turned from her parents, looking and watching as the newcomer made his way to the nesting den's entrance.
Her ears went up, beginning to follow him. Her mother and father followed her, the three waiting outside of the hole, looking in. The scent of blood was unbearably thick in the nursery den.
"Marigold, get up," Milkweed ordered. The female glanced up, before looking away, laying her head back on the ground.
Milkweed didn't speak for a moment, before reaching down and grabbed her by her scruff, pulling her up and away from the small balls of still, cold fuzz.
Marigold went to turn around and claw at the other, before Milkweed dropped her. Violet put her tail out, keeping her father from charging in.
"What is your problem?" The grieving mother asked, her ears pinned back. Milkweed flicked his tail, not caring about the hurt and pleading look of her. Patch's fur stood on all ends, slightly shaking as he spotted the bodies.
"Mother this," Milkweed stated bluntly, dropping the yellow bundle in front of her. Marigold stood still for a moment, before lowering her head, sniffing the small thing.
Her brown eyes looking up at the black and white others.
She glanced down, nos ing the yellow rubbery material out of the way. In it was a small, pale colored pup.
Marigold had never seen a rat like this before, but it had to be some kind. Why else did she have grabby paws?
Where were her ears though? Or her tail? Why was her muzzle so short? She only had fur on her head, and no where else.
"I found her when we chased the last of the invading forces out. She was in the vacant room a bit aways, she must of just been dropped; or else those rogues would have killed her already," Milkweed explained. Marigold held the pup close to her, looking up.
"What am I supposed to do with her?" the female hissed, her eyes narrowed.
"I just said to mother her. She's old enough to be weaned it seems like, but she still needs a mother's attention," he said, before casting a glance to the nest Marigold had been laying in.
"You have plenty of time on your paws now anyways..."
Marigold didn't say a word, looking to the five dead bodies of her litter. She forced herself to look away, bringing the pup to her side. The small pup stirred for a moment, shivering from the cold floor.
Marigold drew her closer with her tail, leaning down, rubbing her muzzle against the small creature's head. The warm, soft fur of the rat slowly lulled the pup back to sleep, tiny body still wrapped in the yellow rubbery cloth. Marigold smiled, before looking up to them.
" I'll take her," she whispered under breath. "I'll name her Six. She'll be my sixth child and my sixth responsibility. She may be strange , but she'll be a member of this colony like everyone else."
"Good to hear," Milkweed said, turning and leaving, Patch behind him. He passed by Violet and her parents, a look in his blind eye telling others business was dealt this and it was final, whatever it was.
Two small gray heads poked up, looking out from a small, turned over, empty can that they had hid in. Their dark colored fur let them spy on the monarchs much easier then it would Frost or Wilt.
"What was that?" The first asked. He had a dark stripe from the base of his nose to his tail, tiny paws a dark color as well. His dark green eyes bore into his brother's dark gray-blues.
"No idea," his solid colored twin muttered.
"Wanna sneak in n' spy?" The rat with the stripe asked, a wine grin on his muzzle.
"Nah, last time we did, we got caught by Captain Thistle. Remember? He nearly skinned us alive, plus right now isn't a good time," the other squeaked.
Before more could be said, a thump made them let out a small frightened noise , the solid gray rat's fur spiking up, trying to look ferocious with his still soft baby fur.
Patch dropped down. "Y-you two, aren't very good at hiding when you're arguing," he mumbled under his breath. The two smaller rats let out a breath of relief.
"You won't tell Captain Thistle or Mulberry we were spying, right?" the rat with the stripe asked.
Patch sighed. "I'm not gonna tell , Droplet, you can c-clam down..." he whispered, fur flattening as he stood uncomfortably in front of the pair. He was never a socal pup, normally too wrapped up in worry of making others disappointed. The fact he stood here long enough to speak with them surprises him.
"Oh, good. Hey, what was that thing Milkweed brought?" the solid gray rat, Splash, the older of the pair, asked. His brother, Droplet, crane his neck to look over to the mouth of the nursery.
Patch felt his fur heat up, before shaking his head. "I- I'm not allow to say."
"Aww, c'mon! Tell us, tell us!" Droplet squeaked loudly, his ears pushed up and forwards towards the other with a look of curiosity. Patch shook his head again.
"No, Milkweed told me not to say. I have to go, s-so don't cause any trouble for M-Marigold or the rest of the colony," he said, his voice too shaky to be taken serious.
"So a bunch of rogues attacked, so what. Our fighters and soldiers are super strong, we sent their tails running!" Droplet chimed again.
Patch lowered his ears, blue eyes looking over the two. Barely a year old, too naive of the major loss the colony took tonight. The heirs almost being slaughters, dozens of rats laying dead scattered a few walls from here, how lucky they were to be alive...
He wished he could be the stupidly bliss again, but someone had to stand up and help Milkweed with everything. Had to help...
He shook his head, snapping himself out of the thought. His eyes scanned to the others.
"You'll learn one day... just how cruel this world is..."