Mama always say, "When trouble stop chasin' ya, don' run back to say hello."
So after da fight, or da weird non-fight, whatever ya wanna call it—Mama made sure we got far away from dat arena.
Didn' wanna talk.
Didn' wanna look at nobody.
Didn' wanna hear Rusty brag about winnin'.
She just wanted us back in da den.
Da tunnels was quieter den before.
Didn' mean nobody was watchin'.
I could feel it. Little eyes peekin' from cracks in da walls. Mice, rats, squirrels, all whisperin' about us.
Rusty was eatin' it up.
"SWEEEEEK!" ("Ya see dat?! I bonked a rat so hard he took a nap!")
Mama ignored him.
Rusty turned to Grizz. "SWEEK!" ("Wasn' I da best fighter ya ever seen?!")
Grizz snorted."Ssssqueak." ("Ya best at bein' an idiot.")
Twitch whispered. "Sqwek." ("Can we walk faster? I feel… watched.")
I did too.
We reached da den without trouble, but not without notice.
A group of chipmunks scurried past, glancin' at us real quick before disappearin' into a side tunnel.
A rat pup peeked out from behind a rock, starin' at da Silent Three, but ran off soon as Grit twitched his ear.
Even da market vendors was talkin'—low voices, tails flickin', exchangin' seeds an' stories.
Rusty grinned.
"SWEEEEEK!" ("We famous now!")
Mama sighed so hard, I thought her lungs might quit workin'.
"Squeak." ("We need a break.")
Our den was small but safe.
Dirt walls.
Little piles of cloth in da corners, just soft enough to be beds.
A hole near da top, lettin' in a faint breeze from da surface.
Felt like home.
Or… at least, da closest thing we had to one now.
As soon as we got inside, we collapsed.
Sumo flopped onto his back. "Sqwek." ("I nap now.")
Peanut curled into a ball."Sqeek." ("If anyfing touch me, I bite it.")
Twitch was still shiverin'."Sqwek." ("I fink my soul left my body.")
Mama rubbed her face.
Rusty stood tall.
"SWEEK!" ("We need a victory speech!")
Mama threw a pebble at him.
Meanwhile...
Poppy was still mad.
She sat by da wall, fumin'.Paws crossed. Tail twitchin'.
She was so mad dat even her fur looked fluffier dan usual.
Her lil' nose scrunched up as she muttered.
"Sqweeeek." ("I shoulda licked dat prairie dog back.")
I sighed, rubbin' my face."Squeak." ("Let it go, Poppy.")
She snapped her head toward me.
Eyes burnin'.
"Sqweeek." ("NO.")
Cricket chuckled, stretchin' out her back."Sqeek." ("She gon' hold a grudge forever.")
Peanut peeked up from where he was curled. "Sqeek." ("How long forever?")
Cricket grinned."Sqeek." ("Forever-ever.")
Poppy huffed, puffin' up like a berry about to burst.
Mama looked exhausted.
Didn' even lift her head.
Just sighed deep.
"Squeak." ("Ya can get revenge later. Right now, we rest.")
Poppy grumbled.
"Sqweeeeek." ("I'll find 'im. An' when I do—")
SMACK.
Mama's paw hit da back of her head so fast, Poppy let out a startled squeak an' fell right over.
Rusty laughed."SWEEK!" ("Poppy got bonked instead!")
Mama picked up a pebble.
Rusty shut up.
For two seconds.
'…'
I was finally startin' to relax.
Da tension was fadin'. My heartbeat was slowin'.
Everythin' was quiet.
Til Rusty stood up.
Bright-eyed. Wide awake. Tail waggin'.
"SWEEK!" ("Let's talk strategy!")
Sumo groaned.
Didn' even open his eyes. Just rolled over.
"Sqwek." ("Da only strategy I got is sleep.")
Rusty ignored him.
Hopped onto a rock like he was some big-shot leader.
"SWEEK!" ("We should make a battle team! Like—da Bonk Brigade!")
Mama picked up da pebble she was holdin'.
Rusty dodged.
"SWEEK!" ("C'mon, Mama! We makin' a name for ourselves!")
Mama huffed, tail flickin'.
"Squeak." ("Ya makin' a problem for us.")
Rusty pouted.
Folded his lil' arms.
Plopped down.
Grizz stretched out his paws.
"Ssssqueak." ("If we stay here, we gonna need to fight more.")
Twitch whimpered.
"Sqwek." ("I dun wanna fight more.")
Da den got quiet again.
Den—
Gale spoke.
Real soft.
Real matter-of-fact.
"Squeak." ("We will. Whether we want to or not.")
Den—he went back to bein' silent.
Da air shifted.
Nibbles frowned.
Mama frowned.
Nobody else said a thing.
Da Silent Three Are Too Good At Bein' Creepy
Speakin' of da Silent Three…
Dey was fine.
Didn' look tired.
Didn' look worried.
Didn' even look like dey just walked through chaos.
Just sat together in da corner, cleanin' demselves like nuffin' happened.
Mama watched 'em.
Eyes narrow.
Didn' speak for a moment.
Den, finally—
"Squeak." ("Ya three feelin' okay?")
Grim nodded.
Grit shrugged.
Gale licked his paw, wipin' his face.
Didn' even look up.
Just muttered.
"Squeak." ("It's quiet now. We like it.")
Mama frowned.
A real deep frown.
I could tell. She was thinkin'. Hard.
I knew what she was thinkin'.
She was still tryin' to figure 'em out.
We all were.
I had too many questions.
Where was da Silent Three durin' da Mole-Rat fight?
Why did da rats back off?
Why did da Capybara watch 'em so close?
Why did I feel like somethin' big was comin'—somethin' we wasn' ready for?
Rusty had no questions.
Rusty had one thing on his mind.
"SWEEK!" ("I wanna fight sumthin' else.")
Mama nearly threw a whole rock at him.
*****
Da night passed peaceful.
But peace never lasted long.
Next mornin'—
We got a visitor.
A beaver.
Big. Broad.
Fur patched up wit' scars.
Teeth yellow an' sharp, always grindin' together.
Eyes cold.
He stood at da entrance of our den, watchin' us.
Didn' say nuffin' at first.
Didn' have to.
Mama stood up slow.
Didn' flinch.
Didn' back down.
Just faced him.
"Squeak." ("Who are ya?")
Da beaver's big, flat tail lifted.
THWACK.
It slammed against da ground, dust bouncin' up from da impact.
Den—he finally spoke.
His big teeth clacked together, slow an' deliberate.
Ch-ch-ch-ch.
Voice deep. Gruff.
("Chop.")
Mama's ears twitched.
She kept her voice calm.
Didn' show no fear.
"Squeak." ("All of us?")
Chop snorted.
Didn' even blink.
His teeth clicked again.
Ch-ch-ch-ch.
"THWACK."
Tail slammed da ground again.
Louder.
Dirt shook under our paws.
("Jus' you. An' dem three.")
His head tilted toward da Silent Three.
Da den went quiet.
My fur bristled.
Mama glanced at da Silent Three.
Dey didn' react.
Didn' look surprised.
Didn' say a word.
Rusty frowned.
"Sweek?" ("Why only them?")
Chop didn' answer.
Didn' have to.
We already knew.
Mama sighed.
Didn' argue and Didn' ask questions.
Just nodded.
"Squeak." ("Fine. We go.")
Grim, Grit, an' Gale stood up slow.
Didn' hesitate.
Didn' even look back at us.
Just followed Mama an' Chop into da tunnels.
Den—
we was alone.
An' I had a bad feelin'.
We wasn' gonna like what happened next.