Chapter 5 Mud piles and secret doors

Ferret awoke once again but this time in a dark hole.

“That food must have gone bad” He thought to himself. as he sat up from lying in the mud.

“Hey you, you're finally awake” could be heard from the other side of the pit.

“Hello?” Ferret said, confused as he could not see anyone there.

Suddenly the mud started moving and stood up forming the shape of a creature. The abomination walked forward a couple of steps then sat in front of Ferret.

“Why do you look like you have seen a horrible monster” The mud pile said sounding a bit angry

It then looked around, well it looked like it had no eyes after all. “Ah sorry i remember i have my disguise on” The mud pile took one of its mud arms and wiped off the mud in the face area, revealing a peculiar creature.

“I'm sorry i didn't realize you were new here, i will also ask who got you the squirrel or the spider?”

“There is a spider?”

“So the squirrel, I see” He said while grumbling to himself.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Constant because I'm a constant failure, Well that's what my parents said any way my name is Constant”

“Nice to meet you Constant im Ferret, not to sound rude but what kind of creature are you?”

“Oh you don't know a mole when you see one” Constant immediately turned to the side and murmured something.

Constant gazed up to the top of the pit and back to Ferrer as if he was thinking deeply about something. He then got a serious face. “If you want to live follow me”

Constant then turned around and walked straight into the wall and disappeared. But there was only mud and roots there.

“Are you a ghost?” Ferret asked, still holding his gaze at the wall.

“Just come through its very simple”

“Walking through walls is simple?”

“Well it's not really a wall, just walk into it and it should work”

Ferret following the advice of Constant walked straight at the mud wall and nothing, it was like an illusion he passed right through.

“So ummm how does that work exactly?”

“you really are not that smart are you”

Ferret just looked at Constant the mole with a clueless expression.

“i take that as a yes, Its illusion magick by one of the mages that reside here”

“There are more people down here?”

“Quite a lot actually, You would be surprised how many rodents that get captured by the trio in the woods”

“the trio?”

“Yes the trio, Cashew the merciless, Octra the silent one, Samien the blessed”

“Oh Cashew i met him earlier today he was pretty nice to me, He gave me some of his food but unfortunately it had gone bad”

“You ate food from the merciless?”

“Yes, it was quite good but as i said it had gone bad so i fainted and woke up here”

“It had gone bad……” Constant looked deeply at Ferret to figure out if he was lying or not but I bore no fruit.

“But what are the other two”

“Octra is a spider she and Cashew go out every now and then to hunt for food in the woods bad for us as the food is unsuspecting hamsters and other creatures, Not much to say about her she is ,called the silent one because you rarely hear her before it's too late. And finally Samien…..” Constant paused thinking.

“The thing is no one has ever seen Samien and lived to tell the tale, as to why he's called the blessed its what cashew and octra have called him, They are under him you could say it's their boss”

“But don't worry about them now they cant get you down here, we better get moving we have to get back to camp before dark”

Constant turned around looking down what was a narrow tunnel leading into darkness. “It's just this way: take a right turn then a left then another left and finally go right twice” Constant then sat off into the dark tunnel, Ferret not wanting to go alone in such a dark place followed closely behind Constant.

After making many turns they finally arrived at what seemed to be a dead end. Constant went up to the wall and knocked 6 times with equal time between knocks. “Keyword” could be heard from the other side. “Secret doors” as soon as Constant said the words, the wall began to shimmer and become transparent. It had opened up to a giant cave, the opening was on top of a small cliff and just down below there were multiple huts and tents set up in a general area around what seemed to be an oasis of some kind. But the centerpiece of it all was an opening at the top of the cave that had a shimmering crystal that was emitting light to the cave.

“Welcome back constant” The hamster said while also looking at Ferret that was standing behind Constant.

“Hello Ryan, I thought you were on watch at the other gate”

“I was but we finally decided to close it, it's only this gate now”

“I see” Constant now grumbling to himself again.

“And who are you?” Ryan said while switching his view to Ferret.

“Im Ferret nice to meet you” Ferret then made the motion for a handshake by moving his hand forward. Ryan took it without hesitation “it's nice seeing new faces around here the latest one was a month ago i think”

“I don't mean to be rude but how do you live in a cave?”

“We barely manage, but it works out these tunnels are filled with goodies” Ryan said while looking past Ferret and Constant into the tunnel behind them. He then walked past them to a weird looking stone and placed his paw on it. The opening started to flicker and then it was solid once more.

“Follow Me i'll lead you down to town”

“But were you not on watch duty?” Constant asked, looking at Ryan with a concerned expression.

“I will be fine nothing really happens anyway”

The trio walked down the hill on the path that had been made by frequent travel. Ferret looked all around him to take in the surprisingly beautiful environment. a small brook going through the field that was mostly mud with the occasional grass patch.

“We are here” Ryan said, turning around and looking at both the mole and the friendly hamster.

It was like a camp, mostly tents and the occasional house made of mud but at the center directly under the crystal in the ceiling was a house made out of stone and wood.

“We are going to the tavern its the only real house in the camp you can't miss it”

It was true it stuck out like a sore thumb in the mix of tents and huts.

The door was already open when Ferret and his newfound friends entered. The tavern looked pretty simple on the inside, round tables with a mixed amount of chairs at each one. In one corner there was a board with notices on it. but in the middle of the tavern a crystal was placed that also emitted light that illuminated the tavern.

“Lara we found a live one” Ryan said to the bartender.

“Oh really,” The bartender said, while scanning Ferret up and down.

“Welcome to the shard tavern, Named after the light shard that gives us light. Take a seat i'll give you a drink on the house”

Ferret and his companions sat down at a table.

“So how do you like it so far?” Ryan said, looking at Ferret.

“It's definitely different from hamville where i come from but it's surprisingly nice so far for being a camp in a cave”

“That's the usual response”

“But one question, How come if you were all taken by the trio why haven't you gone home?” Ferret asked.

“I….. there have been attempts, believe me but the only tunnel that leads to the surface goes through Octras nest, and no one has ever made it through. You might wonder how not a single person made it through. It's filled with spiderlings,” Ryan said while looking sad mixed with regret.

“And lately the spiderlings have gotten closer to the gate so we closed it by collapsing the tunnel, so right now there is no way up we are stuck”

“But I have to get out, my wife and kids are out there…” Ferret said with a determined tone.

“I'm afraid it's too late now, you will most likely never leave,” Constant said with a somber expression.

In the midst of this depressing topic Lara swooped in. “Here are your drinks'' followed by an uncomfortable silence

“Thank you Lara” Ryan broke the silence

Ferret took the initiative to drink from the wooden mug, it had a surprisingly nice taste to it.

“It's actually pretty good,” Ferret said now with more happiness.

“Glad you like it” Lara gave Ferret a big smile and returned to her post behind the bar.

Suddenly a hamster fully clad in iron armor stormed into the tavern. The soldier quickly scanned the entire tavern quickly, when he finally spotted Ferret and company he ran over.

“They are through” He said while out of breath.

“What is?” Ryan asked now with a concerned expression.

“The spiderlings, they removed the rubble that was holding the tunnel shut, we need you now there are hundreds of them”

Ryan immediately got up “Go get the swordsman, and fast i'll go to the frontline” The soldier immediately ran out as quickly as he came.

“Will you help me?” he asked the two individuals that were still sitting.

“Of course it's my home” Constant got up and mentaly prepared himself for battle.

“Ferret, will you help us?” Constant asked.

“I will help where i can” He quickly responded and so Ferret also stood up.

The trio hurriedly sprinted towards the opening where the sound of battle could be heard clearly.

“My first real battle” That was the only thing that was going through Ferret's mind.