PROLOGUE: LOUDER ECHOS
THE ALLEYWAY WAS DARK, LITTERED WITH HUGE SACKS OF grain propped against the walls. Lithe shadows played against the walls, elongated and slender- the small, agile shapes of rats, their bare tails swishing behind them as they streaked towards the tan bags of food.
"Rip the bag open," snarled the Alpha rat to this fellows. The others obeyed without hesatation, tearing the sack open with their long rectangular teeth. The rats then lined up, each snatching a mouthful of the tiny slender pieces inside, and dashed off, returning just moments later to repeat the process.
"OK, now let's go," the Alpha hissed as the patrol rats seized the last of the grain, panting.
"Wait!" Patch, his black and white fur bristling slightly, warned. The Alpha turned to witness the young rat as he crouched down on the dusty ground, sniffing a small cube of green. Patch nibbled at it, then took a larger bite, his eyes alight with interest.
"What in the heck is that?" The Alpha turned up his nose, taking a step back. "It smells putrid."
"Food." replied Patch. "You know, the mossy nuts you find in the woods the babies play with. That's what this is."
"Let's get back to the burrow," the Alpha insisted, but the rats were already following him into the woods. But halfway into their journey, the Alpha heard a pained gasp sound behind him, the breath hard and surprising. He twisted around, his eyes set on the black and white rat behind him. "Patch?" he inquired.
Patch gasped again. "N-n-nothing," he stammered in agony. "I'm fine, really-" but another bout of struggling for breath overtook him. "AAACCCCCK!" he moaned, collapsing in a ruffled heap on the ground, which was mossy and soft under their paws.
The Alpha stared hard at two golden brown male rats. "Get him to the burrow, now." he said calmly, his voice announcing his authority. "He might just be sick, but it could be something much worse."
The two rats nodded. "Yes, leader." Bracken confirmed, heaving Patch onto his and Blaze's broad shoulders. They departed quickly, bustling as fast as cheetahs into the forest, their bright pelts a blur against the light green background of the tall trees.
The others continued their journey more slowly. They retrieved the grain they had sheltered under a huge bramble bush thicket. They reached the burrow and the Alpha faced them.
"Go get some sleep," he instructed them. After the rats scattered, pleased expressions on their faces, the Alpha retreated to his own den, curled up, and drifted off to sleep.
↗⬇↖
The tang of death was strong the next morning. The Alpha woke up to see his brown and white mate pad up to him, her face grave and her whiskers drawn back on her muzzle. "Whose died?" he asked worriedly, knowing and dreading the answer.
"Patch." came the quiet, sobbing reply.
"What happened to him?" the Alpha whispered, straightening up in his nest. "Did he-"
"I don't know. No one does." sighed his mate."We think it was something he ate."
The Alpha stared hard at her, his amber eyes blazing. "I promise I will find out what happened to him if its the last thing I do," he vowed. "And I always keep my promises."
