User blog:Number15BurgerKingfootlettuce/Róża’s Marshank

“My name is Róża. Róża Kowalczyk. Fort Marshank was a horrible place for many beasts but for me it was a place of refuge. I had fled my native home in the Far North as it was taken over by a feared group called the Blutrubin. Recently, I discovered my accounts of that time among my (too) many papers. My best friend told me I should make it a story so I have. Beasts need to know that Marshank wasn’t as bad as it seemed.”

March 22: Dear Diary, It has been almost a month since I was forced out of the Far North. All my friends...my family....all of them are dead. They came in the night, our murderers.... I was woken up by my mother telling me to run......There was no warning; there had been no prior attack.... One day my village was a happy place and the next it is probably a ruin.... I ran out of the house... others were burning all around me.... there were flashes of light and horrible screams... I saw a fox in a black robe throwing another back into the flames..... The whole night was black and red..... A female was shouting that the Blutrubin would win..... Something really hot hit my face.... I don’t know how I got out and fled down the mountain but I did. I am a bleeding coward. Everybeast I care for is dead and I did nothing. And my face..... Half the fur on my muzzle is burned off and the skin is now scarred. I can’t eat nor can I look at myself without feeling guilty.... My poor loved ones.......

March 24: I can’t... I can’t go on like this. These scars are such a reminder of what happened.... I have to cover them up....

March 26: Dear Diary, I have found a way to hide my scars! I passed through a village earlier today and purchased a green silk scarf. Tied around my face it makes a perfect coverup although I do resemble a bandit! I did get some strange looks from the villagers though. Am I strange looking or is my outfit or my scars? I mean light grey fur with red headfur isn’t too odd.... The scars on my muzzle are covered up but is it the one near my eye? Or am is it because I am a vermin. I heard them say “What is a vermin doing here?” It isn’t fair! In my home, vermin lived peacefully by woodlanders. But my home is gone, destroyed by the Blutrubin. Speaking of that group, I overheard some villagers say that a group with evil magic was looking for someone. They aren’t looking for me... are they?

March 26 (night): Excuse my handwriting, diary but I am writing with no light. I had a horrible nightmare that the Blutrubin had caught me. They took me to their leader who was hooded but then it took off the hood.... It was so horrible that I woke up but naturally I can’t remember what it looked like! I had to leave the little camp I’d made. Somebeast was wandering around in the woods nearby.... maybe it was a Blutrubin member.... I’m so scared......

March 27: Dear Diary, What a horrible night! I’ve never been so frightened because of a dream. Why does everything look so much better by the light of day? I’m sure the noises I heard last night was just some night bird or somebeast on their way home. It’s ridiculous thinking that the Blutrubin would want one silly ferretmaid. Anyway, the woods here are very different. In the Far North, there are huge pine forests in the dips between the mountains and it is always cold. Here it gets hot! Really hot! These green leafed trees provide almost no shade and the sun seems so much stronger here. There’s been a weird smell in the air too. It’s not the smell of pine-sap and snow, it’s different.... Sort of salty. I wonder...... could I be near the coast? I certainly have walked far enough and the elders always said that the sea was full of salt. How does one get salt into such a huge body of water?

March 29: Dear Diary, I’m sorry for not writing yesterday but well the night noises came back. It could be a member of the Blutrubin and I’m beginning to think it is very likely that it is. So, when I woke up, I traveled hard and fast for a full day. The salt smell is stronger then ever and this morning, I saw a big white bird. Perhaps it is the seagull of the stories of old. I don’t think any Northern beast has been this far in seasons. Maybe it isn’t a story...

March 29 (evening): Dear Diary, I’ve done it! I’ve reached the sea! The trees had started clearing and then opened out onto a beautiful sandy beach. I always wanted to go to the sea. Holly and I used to pretend we were riding the waves on one of the mountain lakes. Poor Holly..... All my poor poor friends...

March 30: Dear Diary,

I’ve been walking along the beach for quite some time. Great Seasons, it is sooo hot right now! I did mention it was hot earlier but it has gotten far worse. In the North, it was never like this. The coastline is getting rockier; I must stop writing for fear I will twist my ankle on one of the many rocks that are sticking up.

March 30 (evening): Dear Diary, There’s what appears to be a building in the distance. I’m going to try to go there before it gets dark. For anybeasts wondering why I hate the dark then please understand the noises I hear. You probably have never woken up to hear someone walking around the area you are sleeping. Seasons, I’m such a blatherer. That’s my greatest flaw; I’m too chatty. And I’m scared of the dark and spiders and the Blutrubin and drowning and oh there I go again. I fear I was spoiled a bit as child and never learned the virtue of silence. Now that I’m a little closer, that building looks like a fort. Just like the ones Holly and I built as children...

March 31: Dear Diary, As you can guess, I was unable to get to the building before darkness fell. On the plus side there was no night noises but I discovered a problem when I woke up. I’m out of food and water. Sure hope I reach that fort soon...

March 31 (noonish): Seasons am I hot! The sun has been beating down on me for hours and I’m dreadfully thirsty. The fort is closer than ever but I’m not sure how much longer I can make it. I’m getting very light-headed. (About three hours later) I’m at the....base of the....hill...that leads to the....fort. Think I’m gonna....pass out. Almost there.....

March 31 (evening): Dear Diary, I’m in the fortress! It’s called Marshank and it’s huge! The wall guards saw me pass out on the hill. They brought me in and gave me water. Thank the seasons for their kindness; had they not taken me in, I’d be dead. I’ll admit I was a bit tongue tied at first when a guard told me where I was because he was kinda cute.... There I go again, blathering away. Oh, here’s some important looking weasel says I must meet Lord Badrang. Wonder who he is. I think I’ll start putting in dialogue and sort of a story otherwise this will be a bit dull, all this meeting beasts and such. “Are yer ready maid?” I put down my quill and stood up. “Of course.” The reddish weasel led me across a wide courtyard into a longhouse. I was quite nervous by this point as a few woodlanders I passed looked sympathetically at me. Who was Badrang? My (silent) question was answered almost immediately as dumb questions usually are. Badrang was a large blackish grey male stoat and he looked mean. “Who are you and where did you come from?” he barked. “I’m Róża from the Far North” I stammered. He nodded. “Good, Far Northerns are usually good fighters. Why aren’t you still there?” Oh no. I didn’t want to answer that but I had too. “I was driven out of my home by a group called the Blutrubin.” Badrang glared at me. “And your kinsbeasts had no weapons to drive them out?” “We had weapons but they were using and manipulating some kind of fire. We had no chance.” I was full aware of how pathetic this sounded and so was the weasel, judging by the look he shot me. Badrang however, was oblivious to my misgivings and gave me a knife-edged smile. “Then should I say welcome to Marshank, Róża.” He turned to the weasel. “Take her to meet the rest of the horde.” Hisk saluted. “Yes sire.” He turned to me. “Come on you!” I followed him out of the longhouse. Hellgates, that stoat was not one to cross. But why did he ask me if we had hade weapons to drive out the Blutrubin? Couldn’t he see my dagger? I was interrupted from my thoughts by a comment from Hisk. “‘Ere’s where the horde lives ‘n sleeps.” A brown ferret was emerging from one of the tents that stood in front of me. Another question crossed my mind mainly along the lines of am I the only female here?! “No, yer ain’t.” I turned to the weasel. He jerked his head in the direction of a few beasts standing around. “Those are the rest ‘o the females.” Great. I, a young pretty (well formerly) maid, was about to be living with a lot of male beasts and only a few females. “Wot’s yer name, ferretmaid?” The brown ferret had made his way over and was now standing in front of me. “Er, it’s Róża” I answered, backing up a bit. The male ferret picked up on this. “Don’ worry, I gotta a mate, I ain’t goin’ after yer.” He gestured to where Hisk had pointed out the maids. “‘Er name’s Zofia.” He turned back. “I’m Stumptooth by the way.” A shout drifted down from the walltops. “Hoy Stumpy, yer on duty!” Stumptooth heaved a sigh and looked at me. “Well see yer ‘round.” He trotted off towards the ladders. Suddenly I remembered that Hisk was supposed to be showing me the fortress. I looked about me but couldn’t see the red weasel anywhere. I turned around on the spot, looking up at the high walls. A paw laid on my shoulder made me jump rather badly. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean ta scare yer!” The voice was female. I found myself looking at a light brown ferret with blue eyes and long white headfur. She smiled at me. “I’m Zofia. What’s yer name?” “It’s Róża.” I answered a bit warily. Zofia then surprised me by giving me a big hug. “I think we’ll be friends, seeing as most ‘o the females ‘ere is nasty.” I found myself smiling as I looked at her sparkling eyes. The ferret’s friendliness was heartwarming after so much pain from losing my home. Another maid, a vixen, was walking over. Zofia grabbed my paw and dragged me over to her. “Dis is Crimson, the only other nice female ‘ere.” The dark red vixen smiled at me. “Hey!” I shook her proffered paw. “I’m Róża.” The vixen cocked her head and shook her short black headfur out of her face. “‘Ow do yer spell dat?” “R, o, z, a. Róża!” Crimson still looked confused so I elaborated. “It’s Polish.” “You’re Polish?” An excited squeal from Zofia made me turn around. “I am too!” Crimson looked between us. “Well I ain’t Polish, I’m a former corsair; do dat count as exotic?!” We all burst out laughing. Soon, the three of us found we had a lot in common. All of us loved the sea, we all fought with daggers, and we all had lost our families. As we were walking along the walltops, Crimson spotted a group headed towards us. We stopped walking and my companions tried to indentify the beasts from where they were. They drew nearer, and I realized it was Stumptooth and that blue furred ferret guard who had carried me in (supposedly). “Hey Stumpy!” Zofia ran into her mates’ arms and was swung around. I suddenly found myself very self conscious about the green kerchief covering my face and my red headfur. Seasons, I wish I had headfur that was like Zofia’s or Crimson’s. Red headfur combined with light gray fur is a rather jarring combination. A paw grabbed mine and pulled me forward for the second time that day. “Dis is Róża!” Stumptooth winked at me. “We’ve met after Hisk dumped her near der tents!” Zofia frowned a bit. “That was rude of him!” I shrugged. “Eh, it’s nothing.” To tell the truth, I had been offended but nobeast needed to know that. “Oh, I’m forgetting me manners!” Zofia’s voice close to my ear made me jump a bit. “Dat’s is Bluehide.” I looked up at the blue ferret who was smiling at me. Oh seasons, let’s hope I don’t say anything stupid right now... Before I had a chance to embarrass myself, Zofia and Crimson were dragging me down the ladder again. “Come on slowpoke” Crimson teased. “Yer needs a tent!” So here I am in a tent in Marshank. What an eventful day! I never did find out what the sad looks from the woodlanders were about... I’ll ask Zofia tomorrow. It’s shocking to believe that I may have friends here and maybe a potential.. No, that’s silly. Why would a ferret like that want with me and besides he might already have a mate. Well I probably should get to bed seeing as I have an early start tomorrow. Goodnight!

Update: I was actually productive and finally got a really good start on this. The Blutrubin comes back as do some of the ancestors of Scarlett, Hemlock, and Midnight from Black as Night and Red as Blood.