Chapter Text
Ratau’s heart ached as he took in the destruction. He stood in the ruins of town. The deceased bodies of sheep littered the ground. Not for the first time, the old rat had to keep his one good eye closed as not to cry.
Well, there’s no point in staying, the Red Crown’s vessel thought as he shambled through the town. Still, it couldn’t hurt to look around. He doubted there were any survivors. Perhaps there were some supplies he could round up though.
Quickly though, Ratau grew to regret that decision. It was hard enough seeing one body, much less a whole pile of them, and especially when there were children. As he passed by a lone house, Ratau’s heart broke.
At the rat’s feet, was an ewe, clutching an infant to their chest. A few feet away, a ram lay on a cellar door.
Ratau had to look away as he considered the merits of sending some of his cultists this way. Leaving the bodies, especially those so young, made the vessel sick. Would they have time to bury all of them individually? Or would it be better to create a shared grave? Did they even have time for that?
Just as he was about to leave the grizzly scene, a noise reached the old rat’s ears. The cellar. The noise came from the cellar. Had someone survived? Or was it maybe one of the Bishops’ cultists, lying in wait?
Ultimately, the rat chose to investigate. If they were someone who needed help and Ratau did nothing, he would be devastated. Ratau didn’t want to touch the ram’s corpse, but it was only way in. He supposed he could go through the house, but that didn’t feel right either.
Carefully, gently (completely grossed out), Ratau moved the body. It takes about another minute for the rat to put his hand on the bloody handle. (“You’re the vessel of the Red Crown,” Flinky teased once. “Part of that job is slaying heretics. How can you fear blood?” Ratau hadn’t always. But that was before he watched his brother rip his heart to give to that damn Fox.)
As he finally got the door open, the whimpering he heard before grew louder. Sitting alone in the corner of the dark basement was a lamb. The little one huddled further into themself as Ratau descended the steps.
“Hello?” They cried harder. “I’m sorry if I startled you. I mean you no harm. Are you hurt?” The lamb shook their head nervously.
“Well, that’s good. Listen, this place probably isn’t the best place to stay right now. How about we get out of here?”
The lamb stared as the rat outstretched hand. They didn’t want to leave. They heard the screams from above. Knew the danger of the above world. But…
The little lamb took the rat’s hand. They also didn’t want to be alone.
“I suggest you close your eyes. It’s a rough scene out there.”
***
Flinky glared at the sleeping lamb in his bed. He couldn’t believe his husband was this stupid. It was bad enough that they were dissenters against the Old Faith. But this? Oh he could kill this foolish rat.
“Stop glaring at the kid.”
The snake’s eyes traveled from the lamb to the rat. Ratau looks tired. He had already told Flinky the story of how he came to find the lamb. Flinky felt bad for the kid, honest he did. But if any of the Old Faith found out they harbored a lamb, they’d be killed at best and tortured at worst.
“We can’t keep them.”
“And where would we send them? We can’t guarantee someone else will take of them.”
Flinky sighed. That was true. They could very well hand the little guy over to someone who could just turn around and handed them over to the Bishops.
As the couple continued to quietly grumble to each other, Flinky felt something shift closer to them. The snake looked down to find the little lamb snuggling into him. Flinky sighed. “No one outside the Cult can know about them.”
“I know.”
“You planning on letting one else inside the Cult know?”
“Shrumy and Klunko obviously. Honestly there’s not much we can do to keep their existence secret. But yeah, the guys first obviously.”
“Obviously. Does the little guy have a name?”
“Solstice.”
Solstice. What a pretty name, Flinky thought as he pulled his husband and the little lamb closer.