Tussock Terror Part Three
The reign of terror continues! But will the Tussock terror claim another victim or will he be a victim himself?
The mines of Tussock are not a pleasant place. Little light, thick, stale air, and the constant, omnipresent clanking of pick on stone. Needless to say, it was a job that Will the little black mouse excelled at, despite his size. It's the kind of work that it's easy to get lost in, a steady, repetitive activity where it's easy to forget that the world outside exists, beyond the sprawling, dimly lit tunnels of the mine. For most beasts, it would be tantamount to torture. To Will...it was the best job in the world.
The mouse is just wrapping up his shift, packing up his pick and lunchbox, getting ready to head to the tavern for a hot cup of cocoa...
The passage way on the left opens up into a dimly lantern lit dead end. There are three beasts here in various stages of working, for lack of a better term. The three miners, a silver coated squirrel, a brown furred marten, and the familiar sight of max the fox are each standing, sitting, or leaning on their pix ax. Max is sitting on a rock, a sorrowful expression on his face and holding a canteen in both paws. "I can't believe that dolt actually did it..." the marten says. The squirrel snorts in replies, "Yeah, talk about fairness. All he ever does is sit, eat, and yell at us. I guess he will make a GREAT leader."
Will stops dead in his tracks, staring at the other beasts from the dim passage he emerges from. Clarence got the job. That idiot /actually/ got hte job? The mouse will have to address this immediately...but he can't have anyone suspecting him. Well...more. Despite how good throwing hot liquid on the ferret's face felt, it wasn't necessarily the lowest profile thing he could have done. So, instead of showing his internal, roiling rage, the mouse does his best to express an air of mild disappointment, instead...
The fox's ears twitch at the mouses approach. Max looks up and smiles. Setting down his canteen the fox nearly shouts, "Will? Fancy meeting you here! I suppose you hear the news?"
Will folds his ears back, and feigns his best look of disappointment. "Y-y-yes, I did. Such a s-shame. There really were so mant better b-beasts for the job, but I guess C-clarence won..." /Don't let anything on/, the mouse keeps telling himself. /Don't let them know you'd kill for the job.../
The fox shrugs, "Yeah...just goes to show how fair life is." Max stretches his neck to one side with a loud pop. His tone loses his usual jovial attitude however when he asks, "Hey, have you seen Theo around? I've been looking for him but...no one has seen him in almost a week."
Ah. Now this act, Will has been planning for a while. First, the mouse quirks his head to the side ever so slightly, a look of confusion drawing across his muzzle. "N-no, I haven't seen him since l-l-last week, either. I-is he sick?"
Max shrugs, "I don't know. Theo can be a air head sometimes, but now I'm getting worried. Maybe we should head to his house and see if he is alright after work today." behind them the squirrel and the marten argue over apparently the better choice of canidate for fore beast. Both agree someone besides Clarence should be in charge.
Will nods slowly to Max, though he keeps an ear on the conversation behind him. Well, at least they're not complete idiots. "T-that sounds like a gooc plan, M-max. I h-hope he's okay." The rodent swishes his furless tail behind him, still trying to keep up his air of innocence. Admittedly, the stutter helps. "M-maybe Clarence knows somthing? He and T-theo got along p-p-pretty well."
Max snorts, crossing his arm he replies, "Honestly I could care less if someone tossed Clarence fat hide down a mine shaft right now. You can only imagine what the promotion is going to do to his ego." The gold furred fox sighs, "Oh well, guess we might as well congratulate the ferret...for worming his way up the ladder..." Max passes a wave of the paw to the squirrel and marten as he begins walking.
Will lets out a dry chuckle, seemingly appropriate for the fox's dark joke. Not a half bad idea, though.... The mouse follows after the fox, trying to formulate a plot for when he finally gets to the forebeast.
A few left turns through the narrow, poorly lit mineshaft brings the two beasts to Shaft D. A large and spacious cavern with a low celing. Sveral support coloms line the sides along with one large stone pillar in the center. On it for all beasts to read is a wooden plaque with removeable numbers. It reads, " 23 days with out accident." Clarence is here infront of a group of assorted beasts. The ferret looks the same as before. His fur is dirty, his clothes are blackened with soot, and his grating voice can echo down the caverns as he tries out ordering beasts around for the first time.
Will scowls as they enter the chamber, his beady eyes locking onto the forebeast. He's disappointed the cocoa to the face didn't cause more damage. Ah well, a petty concern compared to what he has planned for the ferret now. And perhaps he can use it to cover his tracks. Though, he'll need to wait for Max to say his piece and leave before he can enact it. "Uh...M-max? Maybe you should g-go on ahead. I'm kind of af-fraid to talk to Clarence, after what I d-did in the tavern." The mouse looks down, apparently ashamed.
The fox chuckles, "I don't know. I think the ferret should thank you." The fox smiles at the mouse, "Ever sense then the ferret hasn't stepped foot in the tavern. It's done wonders for his diet." Giving the mouse a pat on the back Max heads off towards Clarence. "Howdy hi oh fearless leader!" the ferret scowls at the fox and replies, "Hello Max. Have you heard from Theo? I havn't seen him all week." The fox shakes his head and the ferret sighs. "Can you get yer tail down his place then and make sure he is at least still breathing?" The ferret shakes his head. Must he do EVERYTHING. His eyes glance up away from the small crowd of miners and he locks eyes with Will. It is not the most pleasent look he shoots him.
Will gives the ferret a small, reluctant, disarming smile, in an attempt to hide his seething hatred for the beast. If he can somehow convince them that he should help search, or that he found some trace of the hare in an old, abandoned mineshaft, well...things will sort themselves out rather nicely...
The mouse might get his chance. Clarence turns to the beasts around them, shooing them away, including Max, to their duties. Once alone he gestures for Will to come forward. "Hello Will." The ferret smiles happily at the mouse. "What is your work load like today?"
Will nervously approaches the ferret, refusing to make eye contact. That should get the smug beast off his guard. "G-good, Mr. Forebeast s-sir. I just got done with my shift." Here's his chance. "I h-heard that Theo was m-m-missing, and I was wondering if I could help. Do you know w-where he was assigned to, l-last time he was at w-work?"
Will nervously approaches the ferret, refusing to make eye contact. That should get the smug beast off his guard. "G-good, Mr. Forebeast s-sir. I just got done with my shift." Here's his chance. "I h-heard that Theo was m-m-missing, and I was wondering if I could help. Do you know w-where he was assigned to, l-last time he was at w-work?"
The ferret grins evilly. "I'm glad you brought that up Will. Since Theo has left unexpectedly we have a lot of slack to pick up. You're a pretty good worker. Do you mind working a double tonight and taking care of where Theo left off?" Clarence points to shaft C down the corridor to his right, "Bentley and James can help you out once they come on shift."
Will stands there sulking as the ferret walks away. Soon. Soon enough he'll get his. The mouse patiently waits for Bently and James to arrive - though he's not familiar with either beast, even by name. Hopefully they're competent, and quiet...
A few moments go by. Two beasts, a lanky white furred stoat, and broad shouldered weasel make their appearence behind Will. "Will, right? Clarence said we need to help yous work the C shaft?"
Will turns around to face the beasts, looking at them curiously. "Y-yes. Clarence s-s-said I should help you out, since Theodore is mis-mis-miss-- Indisposed."
The weasel shrugs, "A real pitty." The stoat nods, "Aye, since now we have to do his work as well." He sighs, "Come along Bently, we have work to do." The two beasts move in practical mozy speeds, slowly, lazily with their pick axes over their shoulders towards shaft C.
Will grabs his pickaxe, and pads along after the larger beasts. "S-so, do either of you k-k-know when Clarence got the job? Or wh-why?"
James gives a nother shrug, "Who cares. As long as the money is good I will work for a toad." Bently rolls his eyes, "Not sure. He started yesterday though. Came in this mornin yelling and ranting and puting on a great show." The beasts head deeper into the mine shaft. James points with his pick axe to a smaller corridor leading away from the main path.
Will nods slowly, not that the other beasts are likely paying him any mind. But it makes him feel like he's participating, at least. The mouse runs a paw along the egde of his pickaxe, commenting, "The p-p-pay is alright, but I don't think most beasts enjoy working for someone like that..."
The beasts ignore the mouse for the most part as they navigate the twisted maze of corridors. They pass by a section where the wall to the left has crumbled out into an open pit with no see able bottom. Further down the line they come to a dead end. The stoat puts down his pick ax. "Alright. This will do the trick." The weasel nods, putting down his pick axe as well. He turns with ferocious speed, aiming a quick punch to Will's stomach.
Will is quite, quite stunned by the sudden strike, not expecting anything like it from the beasts. Why?! As the mouse drops his pickaxe, the small creature reeling from the blow, the question answers itself. Clarence. Apparently, the ferret planned this as payback for the cocoa. Well...that complicates things. First things first, though - killing these morons. The mouse stumbles backwards onto a knee, acting more winded than he admittedly is. Now, all they have to do is approach him...
The weasel cracks his knuckles, "Nothin personal lad." James the stoat snickers, "But, new boss in town...and it pays to be on his good side." The stoat's snicker fades away as he approaches, "Now be a good little mouse and take your lickens..."
Will intends to do no such thing! But luckily, they're out in the middle of a rarely traveled mineshaft, with a convenient pit nearby. At least their deaths will be easy to cover up. The mouse looks around while he's doubled over, and glances at one of the pickaxes these idiots leand against the wall - and begins backing towards it, as if scrambling away from the larger creatures.
"My what a clutz you are Will...tripping down the mine shaft like that...repeatedly even." The stoat chuckles, Bently however just rolls his eyes, "Let's just hurry up and end this. No need to rough the kid up too much...." To prove his point the weasel takes a step forward, reaching out to grab the mouse by the scruff of his neck and rough him up. Not too much though.
Will would rather not be beaten, even lightly. He shies away from the beast's outstretched paw, cowering against the wall - and swinging his own pickaxe at the weasel's neck when he least expects it!
Will is quite pleased as the pickaxe slips right past Bentley's guard, the pointed end of the pick sailing right towards the beast's neck. *SHHHINK!* This is then followed by a distinct thud as the weasel falls over, dead. The mouse takes a moment to pry the pickaxe out, placing a paw on the ex-mustelid's chest and having to give it a few yanks before he gets it out. "N-now then," the mouse states, bloody mining tool in his grasp, "What were you s-saying about about /roughing me up/?"
Jame's jaw drops. In retro spect he didn't see this coming. As it is the stoat backs away from the mouse, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" he shouts. He backs up until he reaches the dead end wall behind him...and his own pick ax. "We were only going to rough you up you freak! Not kill you!" The logic doesn't make sense but the idea to grab the weapon behind him and try to burry it in the mouses chest does. "GAAAAAAAAAH!" the stoat cry's as he lunges at Will
Will really doesn't understand why beasts will not just die /peacefully/ when he wishes them to. You'd think they had something to live for! The mouse, on the other hand, does have something to live for. That promotion. And as soon as that fat, obnoxious ferret is out of the way, what could possibly stop him? He uses his inferior size to his advantage ducking down as he swings Bently's pick at the stoat.
A look of shock crosses the stoats face. He gasps and drops his pick, clutching at the gash that has appeared on his belly. He stumbles backward slumping against the wall of the cave and sliding down, "W-why would...I..." The stoat is running short on breath until finely he has none left to breath.
Will stands there, panting, looking over at the two dead beasts. Well. That was an unexpected snag in his plan. But, two more nuisances out of his fur, and these should be /much/ easier to cover up. He wishes that the weasel hadn't punched him so hard, though. The bruise on his stomach is going to hurt... The mouse sets gown the pick against the wall, letting the blood drip off, and begins the arduous task of dragging the beasts to the edge of the 'bottomless' shaft, starting with Bentley.
Note: Just a quick explanation of events. Everything that you just read. Has no actually predetermined plot. All the other beasts have equal chance of escaping just as Will has equal chance of getting caught. Will the Tussock Terror get away with his crimes? Will he get caught? Will he return home in time for Cocoa? Find out next time!
