User blog:Piece-of-Eight/Pieces of Eight

Chapter One

The last time the weather was this bad, the oldest creatures said they were still sprightly and agile, their muscles young and strong. Wind howled in the crevices and cracks in the cliffs, blowing stinging snow and hail into the driest caves and shelters. Our shelter was no exception; normally safe from the wind and rain, now the elements unleashed their rage even in there. We were a sorry picture indeed; both old and young huddled in corners, desperately trying to keep warm with the few rags we had. A few of us were trying to light a fire, or trying to erect some sort of barrier in the mouth of the cave. I was in the former category. Richard and I were trying to cover the fire from the wind, while Cubert was doing the actual lighting. It was, rather obviously, unsuccesful. A few sparks feebly came up when he hit his flint against a rock, but the wind quickly blew them out.

"By the gods, I dont see why were wasting our time trying to make this stupid fire! We should be helping the others make a barrier first!" Cubert chuckled darkly, and bitterly replied, "Like that's going any better!" I looked unsurely, but he was right. Four mice were trying to hold up an oaken beam, while a fifth was directing them where to push it. However, each time they let it go, it collapsed with a crash, twice nearly hitting someone's foot. Sighing, I said, "Let's face it, guys, half of us are going to freeze to death before the night is over!" Just then, our leader, a scarred and grizzled otter, walked in from an adjacent cavern and said, "All right guys, it's time to relieve our sentries! Cubert, how's it going with the fire? How about the barrier?" Both shook their heads, signifying a no, and the otter sighed, pulling out a golden coin and nervously fingering it while he said, "Robert, Evang, you're next on sentry duty! Come on!"

Robert and I (my name was indeed Evang) stood up and walked to the mouth of the cave, grabbing two spears on our way out. When I say spears, I actually mean an old, beaten stick with a rusty dagger tied to it. Robert looked back and snarled, "All our problems are because of that old otter and his "piece of eight"! If he had handed his precious little coin to the vermin right then and there, we would be still living in our beatiful homes instead of being in this cursed valley!" "Come on, buddy, you know Rachet has reasons for everything, and he means the best for all of us!" Sullenly, Robert muttered, "Yes, I'm sure it's a good idea for half of us to die before the night is over! Anyway, hes went loony for the last couple of years, but no one payed any attention until the vermin came and he made us run away instead of giving them a piece of rusted metal!" As if in afterthought, he bitterly added, "And now its too late to turn back!"

I said nothing, probably because he was partly right. We walked out of our cave, and instantly, I felt the wind increase a hundred fold, as snow practically blanketed us. The two sentries whirled around, and both gave happy exclamations at seeing us. "See anything?" I asked, wrapping my cape around my shoulders even tighter than it was earlier. One of them, an old warrior hare, loudly said, "Listen, mate, you should sit down in one of the corners and try to keep warm as best you can! No idiot would attack in this type of weather!" "Obviosly, Rachet thinks someone will, cause he wouldn't have posted us if there was no threat!" I replied, in turn yelling to be heard. "Listen, my little mole buddy, Rachet has gone wierd this past year; I'm telling you, no one, no idiotic moronic stupid creature was have the brains to stage an attack when you can't see two feet in front of yourself! So get as warm as you can and here's to hoping you'll get relieved soon!"

With that cheerful comment, he walked into the cavern, while Robert and I miserably huddled down, ready to do our two hours of sentry duty. I already felt frozen, with both the blanket and my body being completely drenched. Seeing my discomfort, Robert let out a hollow laugh, calling, "What did you excpect, Evang?!" I only sighed and sat down, staring into the darkness, where, indeed, I could only see a few feet in any direction before blankets of snow obscured my view.