Chapter Text
The Darkwood was not a safe place.
At least that’s what Ratau’s been told.
He was born and raised in this small village, but not once has he ever been allowed to step foot out of it. As he’s grown and been given more responsibilities, he’s tried to push for more freedom, to get a chance to explore the woods outside the small confines of his village, but he was refused at every point. His daily chores included chopping firewood, but he was not allowed to follow the lumberjack out into the woods to help fell trees. He occasionally helped deliver medicines for the doctor in the sickbay, but it was someone else’s duty to gather camellias for poultices from the overgrowth outside.
He isn’t a child anymore, despite how small he is, but everyone still treats him like one. He isn’t going to lose himself in the woods, he doesn’t plan on going far. He just wants to explore a little bit, to follow the others just outside the village's borders. If his brother could leave whenever he wished, why can’t-
“Ratau. It is your turn.”
“Huh?!” Ratau snaps out of his sulking for a moment, looking down at the board on the table before him. Trying to clear his mind, Ratau grabs a die and rolls. For just a moment, his frustration bleeds away as he rolls a three, quickly placing it at the top of his second column which already has two dice of the same face waiting on it. “Ha ha! Three of a kind! That’s… twenty seven points, right?”
“That is correct, young one.” One of Ratau’s many duties around the village was assisting the village elder, the old owl Karacyth. Taking care of the old bird is probably one of Ratau’s favorite chores. Karacyth could be a hassle sometimes, but more often than not, all the old man wanted was company and someone to play Knucklebones with. Ratau’s still learning, but it looks like he’s finally about to beat the old man after being taught how to play weeks ago.
Though, with a single roll of the dice, all of his progress is reduced to nothing as the old bird rolls a three of his own and places it in the same column, clearing Ratau’s column entirely and wiping out twenty seven points.
“You should not commit so fully while my second column is still mostly clear.” Karacyth tuts, his beak tugging upwards in a cruel smirk as he removes Ratau’s dice from his side of the board. “Had you waited for my second column to fill, I would have had less opportunities to stop you.”
“Whatever.” Ratau grumbles as he clears his board completely. He isn’t going to win this match anyways.
“It would also help if you were focused on the game.” Karacyth comments, his voice a bit gentler. “Tell me, young one. Is there something troubling you? Something on your mind that you cannot shake?” Ratau grumbles once more, not wanting to part with that information. “Could it be… You have found someone special that you cannot take your mind of o-”
“I probably would if I was allowed to actually do anything!” Ratau blurts, unable to keep his thoughts to himself anymore. “I don’t mind my chores, everyone is busy every day, but Ratoo isn’t!”
“Your brother?” Karacyth tilts his head slightly. “He has a lot of responsibility as the guardian of our village. I would argue he is plenty busy.”
“Busy doing what?!” Ratau asks. “I have seen exactly two visitors come to our village in my life. I have been told time and time again that it is dangerous in the Darkwood and that this is the only safe place, but I know that isn’t completely true.”
“Ratau…”
“I know Ratoo doesn’t think that either.” Ratau continues to rant. “You know the shrew woman who lives near the farm. I saw him sneaking off with her during his patrols, retreating deeper into the woods where no one could see. He evidently thinks it’s safe enough to leave us without someone on watch, but gods forbid I want to walk and see what’s outside of our village. He’s only three years older than me, I don’t see why I can’t do his job.”
“Ah…” Karacyth hums after Ratau concludes his ranting. “So it is jealousy that eats away at you.” After a moment, Karacyth clears his board as well, gathering his dice for another game. “Do you have time for one more round?” he asks. “We could talk about this if you wish.”
“I just don’t understand why everyone’s so protective over me.” Ratau says, gathering his dice again as Karacyth rolls his first. “I am not a child anymore. I have as many responsibilities as everyone else, but I am constantly pushed away by my brother who seems to have plenty of time to do whatever he wishes. It doesn’t seem fair, his job seems pointless.”
“That is because he is doing a good job.” Karacyth explains, gesturing for Ratau to roll. He does and rolls a six, placing it in the same column where Karacyth rolled a four. “It is because of his diligence that you have not seen the same horrors I have.”
“Diligent my ass.” Ratau shakes his head. “If he is at his post, he’s talking to his sweetheart. He just gets to stand around all day while I’m forced to chop firewood for everyone.”
“Consider that his reward for a job well done.” Karacyth tries to reason with the young rat. “Just as you are rewarded with sweets from the baker for delivering her firewood, Ratoo is granted the peace and safety he works to maintain.”
“From what?!” Ratau demands again. “As far as I know, nothing is out there!”
Karacyth’s hand freezes mid roll, his die trapped within his clenched fist as his vision grows distant. Seeing that fist start to tremble, Ratau feels a lump of guilt form in his chest.
“I’m sorry.” He apologizes. “I-”
“It is alright, young one.” Karacyth assures him, letting the die fall from his hand before placing it on the board. “You are truly blessed to not know what lies beyond the outskirts of this village. Your brother only wishes to protect you from what lies beyond, from the Old Faith that still holds a grasp on the Darkwood. You should be happy for your brother that he feels safe enough to fool around. I can promise you, should trouble ever find us, he would gladly be in your position, though he would never trade places with you. He would never force the responsibilities he has on you.”
Ratau is silent for several moments, taking in what the elder has told him until Karacyth jostles the board in front of him slightly, urging him to keep playing. Taking a die, Ratau rolls, landing another six which he stacks in the same column where another rests.
He isn’t completely clueless as to what lies past his village, he’s heard the stories told by the elders. He Of Havoc, He Of Blight; She Of Hunger, They Of Might. The four bishops of the Old Faith who claim dominion over the Darkwood and its surrounding lands. Of course, those are just stories, right? His whole life, Ratau has only known this village and the humble work he does for it. Stories of ancient crowns and godlike abilities seemed too far fetched to be true and he chalked that talk up to the elders being superstitious.
Though it’s very clear that something bad happened out there. Is happening out there. He just wishes someone would tell him straight instead of treating him like a child with make believe stories about gods and magic.
Trying to focus on his game, Ratau rolls the dice once more and gasps as he rolls a third six. He moves to immediately place it in his center column with the other two sixes, but pauses when a chuckle escapes from the old bird. Glancing over at his side of the table, his center column still only has a single die. If Ratau commits too hard, one lucky roll from Karacyth will destroy him.
Examining the board for just a moment longer, Ratau places his die in his third column, forcing Karacyth to discard one of his own dice in the same column.
“You are playing smarter now.” Karacyth applauds. “Focus on the bigger picture. You are not the only one playing, you have to take my plans and actions into consideration as well.” He takes a die and rolls a two, placing it in the same spot he was forced to discard a die. As Ratau takes a die to roll himself, he pauses.
“Did you mean to turn this dice game into some kind of moral?” He asks accusingly.
The old bird lets out a bemused croak. “I have no idea what you are talking about. I am simply trying to teach you how to play.”
Ratau scoffs, rolling his die and landing on two, removing the old bird’s die from the board out of spite.
The dice hit the table several more times before a winner is declared. It is a game of luck more than skill, but with a change in strategy, Ratau claims his first victory over Karacyth, feeling his heart soar with pride.
“One last game before you go?” Karacyth pleads. “It is getting late, but if your brother is as lax in his responsibilities as you say he is, surely he will not notice your absence.”
“Alright, alright.” Ratau chuckles, clearing his board before rolling a die for one more round. “This is the last one though, old man. And no trying to spout life lessons, take this seriously.”
“Very well.” Karacyth hums, clearing his board and rolling his own die to take a turn against his young opponent. The percussive clattering of dice on wood fills the air as both players make their plays. As Ratau makes his moves, he considers getting his brother into the game so he could keep playing back home after his duties for the day are done.
Of course, he can’t get his brother in on this until he gets good enough to beat him over and over like this old geezer did.
---
Stepping outside after a long gaming session, the red glow of dusklight colors the sky as Ratau begins his walk home. His daily chores were done and the evening was his to do as he wished. With his skill in Knucklebones growing, he plans on whittling his own dice for when he’s ready to challenge his brother so he doesn’t have to bother Karacyth for his.
As he walks though, he can’t help but stare off at the trees in the distance. He can’t see the sun over the tall trees surrounding the clearing his village is built within and the massive pillars of wood obscure all of its light. Every evening and night, it was Ratoo’s job to patrol around the outskirts of town, venturing into those woods when he thought it was necessary.
Ratau wanted to see what was out there, to see what kind of flowers grew outside the small confines of his home, to see if there were other villages like his out there, but Karacyth’s words linger in his mind. They were all lucky things were this boring. If trouble ever comes, his big brother will be at the forefront of it.
Desperate to clear his head and keep himself busy, he hurries home. When the small and humble cabin he and his brother share comes into view, however, he can’t help but slow his pace when he sees who’s standing out in front of it. He’s sure his brother has his reasons for seeing her, but Ratau couldn’t stand the woman, and when she turns to face him, he can tell she can’t stand him either.
“Oh…” Hathor, the shrew who Ratoo has taken as his lover, shakes her head dismissively upon seeing the younger of the two rat brothers. “Don’t mind me.”
“I would, but you’re standing outside my door.” Ratau says, trying to weasel past her to get inside. “What are you doing here? I figured you’d be with Ratoo.”
“He isn’t at his usual post.” Hathor says, glancing out towards the woods in the distance. “I thought he might have slept in, but he isn’t answering the door.”
Upon hearing this, Ratau’s initial irritation melts away as is replaced with concern. Sneaking past her and opening his door, his home is dark and empty. Ratoo is not here and he isn’t somewhere where his lover can find him. Ratau looks back at Hathor, scrutinizing her to see if she was fooling with him, but the worry in his chest must be contagious as she’s now casting nervous glances out into the woods.
Karacyth’s insistence that the outside world was dangerous starts to plague Ratau’s mind once more. Surely nothing happened to his brother out there, right?
Ratau finds his feet moving without thinking, pushing him towards the woods.
“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Hathor calls out to him. “You’re not supposed to go out there!”
“You go out plenty with him, why can’t I?!” Ratau accuses, picking up his pace. “I’m going to go look for him.”
“I… How do you…” Hathor spats as Ratau hurries off to the edge of the village, gaining some distance before the shrew is able to recompose herself and chase after him. “You better not tell anyone that we go out there!” She demands.
“I doubt anyone wants to know what you do out there.” Ratau retorts. “Now either leave me alone or help me find him. He might be lost.”
Ratau continues to pick up his pace as troubled thoughts start to flood his mind. The urgency in which he moves gets the attention of other villagers and some of them call out in alarm, questioning him for why he’s running so fast and why he’s making a beeline straight for the woods. No one tries to stop him though, the closer he gets to the edge, the quieter everyone gets. Only Hathor follows behind him, sounding just as confused and concerned as he felt now.
“Slow down!” She tries to shout at him. “This is his job, he’s fine! He might not even be out there, he could be looking around my place for all we know! Just stop and think for a moment! You don’t have to go out there!”
Maybe he doesn’t, maybe he’s overreacting, maybe Hathor is right and he’s about to get the scolding of a lifetime when his brother finds him out here, but Ratau keeps moving. Whether or not Ratoo is out there, this is his chance to actually step outside, to explore the woods, to see what lies beyond the small clearing he spent his whole life in.
All of Ratau’s momentum comes to a halt once he actually gets close to the village's edge.
The number of homes dwindle, the beaten paths in the ground grow faint and overgrown with disuse, the little amount of sunlight that the clearing got is blocked out as trees begin to tower over the young rat. Standing at the threshold of the woods where there’s no path to follow and only tall trees growing out at random in front of him, Ratau starts to get cold feet.
“Are you going to listen to me now?” Hathor asks, breathing heavily as she finally catches up to him. “You shouldn’t be out here. Just go back home and I’ll let Ratoo know you’re worried about him when I find him, alright?”
Ratau considers taking Hathor’s advice for only one moment before taking a step forwards towards the woods.
“Come on!” Hathor pleads. “He’s going to get mad at me too if you end up getting hurt out there!”
That gets Ratau to pause again and look back at her. Was that why she was trying to get him to stop? He was wondering why she seemed to care about him so much all of a sudden. She’s just looking out for herself. Looking back into the woods, he takes another step, then another, letting his momentum carry him until he passes his first tree.
“Ratau, get back here!” Hathor demands, no longer trying to convince him amiably. “Just turn around and come back!”
“Make me!” Ratau challenges, taking a few more steps into the woods before turning back to look at her. When he does, he pauses once more. Despite yelling at him and demanding that he comes back from the woods, she makes no effort at all to actually follow after him. Is she scared to step into the woods? Ratau wasn’t even that far, she could surely just step in and grab him, but…
Ratau braces himself to take one more step into the woods when his ears catch the sound of leaves rustling from deeper within. He freezes in place, terror temporarily rooting him to the spot as something scurries through the woods towards him. Even Hathor freezes up behind him, unable to move as something charges at them, ducking beneath the branches and weaving between the trees.
Ratau might have stood petrified and unmoving right up until the thing caught up to him, but when the approaching figure in the dark speaks up, Ratau starts running.
“Get the elder and the doctor! Hurry!” It was Ratoo.
Hearing the urgency in his brother’s voice and noting that he seemed too busy to scold Ratau for being this close to the woods, the young rat bolts out of the woods to do as he’s told, knowing that this is something serious.
He rushes past Hathor who stays behind to check on his brother as he sprints back to the center of the village. His nimble legs carry him halfway across the village before he even loses his breath, but a cold sweat overtakes him from the moment he starts running. He doesn’t think he’s ever heard his brother yell loud enough to crack his voice. Why did he need a doctor? Was he hurt? Is someone else hurt?
He nearly slams face first into Karacyth’s front door in his desperation to reach him, but slows himself down just enough to knock on it. He waits impatiently for the elder to answer, though of course the old bird’s weak legs lead to him taking several moments to reach the door. As Ratau waits, he couldn’t help but cast nervous glances back the way he came. There’s a trail of curious villagers staring at him and even more wandering down in the direction he came from to see what was going on.
The door opens and Ratau returns his attention to his task as Karacyth looks down on him. “Oh, hello again Ratau.” He seems pleased to see the little rat again, though his expression quickly falls when he sees how scared the young boy looks. “Is something the matter?”
“I…” Ratau takes a deep breath to explain what’s wrong before realizing he’s still clueless as to what’s going on. “I think Ratoo’s in trouble!” He manages to spat out, going with what little information he was given. “He told me to get you and a doctor!”
“Well you got me.” Karacyth says with a pleasant hum in his voice, though his expression falls as he turns his attention up the path the young rat ran down. “Now go get the doctor.”
Ratau nods and hurries off again, just as he hears a commotion break out behind him as his brother finally makes it into the village proper. Ratau does not slow his pace or stop to check on him though and remains focused on the task given to him.
Doctor Ikko is thankfully not very far from Karacyth’s home as he makes frequent visits to check on his health. The commotion within the village is starting to pick up though and Ikko leaves his station to investigate on his own before Ratau can summon him. With it clear that his services are needed, he retreats back into his home for just a moment to step out with a few tools to try and help.
With his task done, Ratau follows after the doctor and prays that his brother is alright.
Half of the village has gathered in the center of the clearing now where Karacyth’s tall frame towers over everyone else. Everyone has fallen into a hushed silence. Ikko tries to make his way through the gathered crowd and Ratau keeps close behind him. People have made fun of him for his small frame plenty growing up, but it has its advantages. Ducking and weaving between his bunched up neighbors, he manages to force himself into the center of the crowd.
His eyes immediately lock with Ratoo’s and while the sight of blood temporarily stops Ratau’s heart, he’s relieved to see that it doesn’t seem to be his. His older brother gasps for breath from the run here, but he clings a wrapped bundle of cloth to his chest, rocking it slightly as he tries to compose himself. Ratau does not need to ask what it is, everyone around him voices his thoughts in hushed whispers as Ratoo composes himself.
“Ratoo. Are you alright?” Karacyth asks, kneeling down as much as his old knees will allow. “What is this you brought with you?”
Ratoo continues to take deep breaths to try and calm himself down. Ratau can’t help but wonder what he saw out there to leave him so rattled. How close was he to seeing the same thing had his brother not scared him away? Once Ratoo has mostly composed himself, he holds out the bundle in his arms to the elder. Karacyth cautiously takes hold of it, startling slightly as whatever is inside moves at his touch. Was there something alive in there?! Karacyth must have questioned the same thing as he reaches down to try and untuck the fabric to see what’s inside.
He nearly drops the bundle at the sight of wool.
Everyone gathered around gasps in shock as Karacyth unravels the bundle to reveal that it indeed was a person. A child.
A lamb…
Ratau has only been told stories, but judging by the look of sheer horror on the elder’s face, there must be truth to them. Ratau has never seen a lamb before and that was no accident. Their kind are a bad omen, a promise of death for all who see one, creatures who are hunted by those who worship the Old Faith.
If the stories are true, Ratoo might have just doomed them all.
“Ratoo! Take that thing back out where you found it and get rid of it!” Hathor demands, rushing past the crowd to urge her lover to act. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!”
“I had to.” Ratoo says through clenched teeth, shrinking underneath the countless shocked eyes leering down at him. “I couldn’t just leave them.”
“Ratoo…” After several seconds of hesitation, Karacyth hands the young lamb out to Doctor Ikko. “Check them over, make sure they are not wounded.”
“B-but Kara-”
“Treat them.” Karacyth urges. “I know you are scared, but please, let us do what we can.” Passing the lamb off to the doctor, he holds them as if they were on fire and that simply being in contact with them is enough to kill him. Approaching the doctor, Ratau tries to get a closer look at the child.
They couldn’t have been older than six. Soft, puffy white wool frames a dirt streaked, tear stained face that stares up at everyone around them with pure terror in their strange looking eyes. Red stains their left ear where a small cut bleeds into their wool. They look completely lost, unable to even register what’s going on.
“They were wandering all on their own, crying for help.” Ratoo tries to excuse his actions for bringing them here. “You told me it was my duty to protect the village and those who couldn’t protect themselves. I couldn’t just ignore a hurt and lost child all alone so close to home. Forgive me.”
Ratau can’t find any fault in his brother’s actions, but several murmurs rise from everyone around him. Whispers of bad luck and disaster, plans on ridding the village of this ill omen. They couldn’t actually be serious though, could they? They couldn’t be saying this about a scared little kid.
“Ratoo, I know your heart’s in the right place, but you have to put it back.” Hathor tries to reason with her lover. Ratoo looks almost pained to hear that coming from her, but before she can press him, Karacyth speaks up.
“We will care for the child.” Karacyth decides, immediately sparking debate from the others, though they all fall silent when the elder rises back to his feet. “Ratoo did the right thing, bringing an injured child to safety. Had it been me who found them, I would have done the same. This village has gone unbothered for decades, we will survive a while longer until this lost lamb can fend for themself.”
“But…” Many try to argue against the elder’s decision, but Hathor speaks up first. “Why was it even wandering so close to our village?! Something had to have sent it here! If we get rid of it now, we can avoid any conflict that-”
“No!” Ratoo snaps at her. “No, we can’t just leave them!”
“Then… Then maybe we can hand them over if-”
“Hathor, please!” Ratoo pleads with her. “I know you’re just thinking about our safety, but we can’t do that! I can’t do that.”
“There is no reason to argue. They are staying.” Karacyth declares, silencing most of the conversation around him. “They will stay with me. I have seen what the Old Faith does to their kind. If I can alleviate this child’s fear and suffering, even for but a moment, I must try to care for them.” Reaching back out to the doctor, he takes the child back into his arms. “Ratoo.”
“Yes, elder?” Ratoo looks up at Karacyth with a conflicted look on his face.
“You did the right thing.” The elder assures him. “Continue your watch. Your duties are even more pressing now. Be wary of outsiders, and if anyone comes looking for the little one, we have neither seen nor heard of them.”
Some of the villagers try to speak up and argue against the elder’s decision, but he’s already turned his back, gesturing for the doctor to follow him back home to tend to the injured child. His decision is final, he will not sway from his choice.
As Karacyth retreats back to his abode, the crowd starts to disperse. Ratau remains by his brother's side as he hears whispers and even curses thrown Ratoo’s way, questioning why he’d bring such a terrible beast to their home. Ratoo stands motionless, soaking it all in. It looks like he isn’t sure if he should be proud he saved the child or ashamed for bringing such an ill omen home.
“Ratoo…” Hathor tries to reach out to him, but he brushes her off.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He grumbles, frustration and anger rumbling in his throat. “I know you’re thinking of the village, but I couldn’t just… We’ll talk later.”
Hathor tries one more time to get his attention, but when he shrugs her off again, she knows she isn’t wanted here. She wanders off, leaving the two rats alone. Ratau tries to think of something to say, but he can’t think of anything that Karacyth hasn’t already said. What kind of monster would leave a terrified child all alone in the woods? The superstitions around the lamb are strong in the village, but that’s all Ratau believes the stories of the lamb are, superstitious tales. How could that little lamb possibly be dangerous?
Eventually, Ratoo seems to come to his senses as the sun starts to dip lower and lower over the horizon, the deep crimson in the sky fading into a deep purple. Looking up, Ratoo finds his younger brother standing nearby, waiting to hear that he’s ok.
Instead, Ratoo’s face scrunches up with disappointment.
“What were you doing out in the woods?” He demands and Ratau gulps to try and fight against the sudden dryness in his throat.
“I… I was looking for you.” Ratau tries to explain. Sure, he had ulterior motives for wanting to go into the woods, but it was his concern for his brother which pushed him to actually go for it. “Hathor was looking for you too so I thought something happened. It’s not like I would have gotten hurt stepping out a little ways in to try and get your attention.”
“Ratau…” Ratoo grumbles, not satisfied with Ratau’s excuse. “I told you not to step outside at all! You could have been hurt.”
“By taking like three steps into the woods?!” Ratau asks. There was still a lot of tension in the air and the whole lamb business has reinforced the idea that dangerous things happen out there, but Ratau can’t help but feel frustrated. “I’m not a little kid, I know how to take care of myself. It’s not like a short stroll outside of the village is going to kill me. Name one thing that could have happened to me on a short walk? It can’t be that dangerous if you go out there every single day!”
“Do you even need a reason after what just happened?!” Ratoo tries to argue, but Ratau holds firm. With a sigh, Ratoo folds. “Alright fine, you want a solid answer? A mile south of this village is a deep ravine. The woods surrounding the area are incredibly thick and if you aren’t paying close attention to where you’re going, you could easily trip and fall. I’ve been going out for over a year now and even I’ve had close calls. Someone who hasn’t left home like you would not be able to spot it or know how to save yourself should you fall in.”
“Do you know how you could help prevent something like that?” Ratau tries to argue, but his brother quickly shakes his head.
“I’m not taking you with me.” He says. “Especially not now, not when…” Ratoo looks off in the distance. “I should get going.” He says, turning to leave. “Please, please stay out of the woods. I don’t want you to get hurt. When all of this passes, I’ll take you out to let you sate your wanderlust, but it is incredibly dangerous to be outside right now.”
“Then why are you still going out there?” Ratau asks. There isn’t any hint of jealousy or frustration in his voice now, only genuine worry. “What happened to that lamb? Why were they all alone? Is someone going to try and hurt you out there?”
Ratoo doesn’t answer. Instead he steps forward and takes his brother’s hand before walking with him back home. “Don’t worry about me.” He tells him. “There’s a reason Karacyth chose me for this duty. I’ll be alright, I promise.”
Ratau wants to believe that, but worry starts to well up inside him during the whole walk. It’s almost enough for him to try and cling to his brother once he’s brought home to make sure he stays, but Ratoo quickly runs off back to the woods once his little brother is safe. With dusk light fading and orders to stay out of the woods, Ratau has no choice but to go inside and retire for the night.
As the evening ends and night settles over the village, Ratau can’t sleep. All of the running back and forth tired him out, but his mind races with thoughts of disaster befalling the village and his brother. All of this panic and chaos over a lamb? A child? Ratau didn’t understand. He wants to talk to Karacyth, to force the owl to explain what was so wrong about the lamb and what actually goes on in the rest of the world, but it’s too late now. He’d have to somehow force himself to wait until the next morning.
Lighting a fire in the chimney for warmth and light, Ratau grabs a pre-cut block of wood which he intended to whittle into dice, but looking at it now, he comes up with a much better idea that will kill much more time. With everything going on right now, it might be a while before he plays Knucklebones again anyways.
---
Ratau does manage to fall asleep that night, but only barely. Even after finishing and stashing away his project into his vest, he slept restlessly, constantly keeping an ear out in case anything happened outside. His mind lingers on his brother, praying that he’s safe as he patrols around at night.
Thankfully, it’s Ratoo who wakes his younger brother up the next morning, putting his mind at ease.
“Are you feeling alright, Ratau?” Ratau rises from his bed, rubbing his still tired eyes as his brother jostles him awake. “Did you sleep at all?”
“No.” Ratau answers honestly, curling back into bed in the hopes that maybe his brother will allow him to sleep in. “I was afraid something might happen to you overnight.”
“I told you not to worry about it.” Ratoo says matter of factly, nudging his little brother to force him out of bed. “Though, if it helps you sleep better tonight, I promise I’ll be extra careful, alright? Not that I’m not careful already.”
“You won’t go sneaking off with Hathor on your shifts?” Ratau asks as he forces himself to sit up, breaking into a wicked grin when his brother’s breath catches in his throat. “I won’t tell anyone if you let me have one more hour of sleep.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Ratoo challenges.
“What do you even see in her anyways?” Ratau asks his brother. “Things looked pretty bad between you two after you came back.”
“It’s… She’s…” Ratoo falters, unable to meet his brother’s eyes. “It was just a lover’s spat is all. Tensions were high, none of us were thinking straight. I’m sure you’ll understand all too well yourself whenever you find someone.”
“I think you have her intentions all mixed up.” Ratau shakes his head, pushing out of bed. “Maybe you’re right and I’m too young to understand, but right now all I see is a selfish woman who only cares about herself.”
“She isn’t like that.” Ratoo raises his voice, making it clear he wants this conversation to end. With a sigh, he moves towards his own bed. “I still need to talk to her, but I need to sleep. I had my eyes peeled all night, I need to rest them. I have a feeling I’m going to have a lot of rough nights for a while.”
“Sleep well.” Ratau tells his brother, lingering in their home for a while as he tries to think of something else to ask. Would it be right to try and press him about exploring the woods so soon? Before he can make up his mind, he hears a snore escape from his brother. It always freaked Ratau out that his brother could pass out so quickly. His slumber forces Ratau to move on though, he’ll have to ask later.
As Ratau forces himself to wake up and perform his morning chores, he notices a tangible shift in the village and its people. Conversations are hushed when he goes to get his breakfast. The lumberjack who is supposed to give Ratau wood to chop instead chops with him, refusing to venture too deep into the woods to fell a new tree for them to process.
Everyone casts glances into the woods, afraid that something might wander into the village.
It’s hard to get much work done with the amount of tension in the air. Ratau tries his best to remain productive, but all he cares about right now is waiting for the elder to wake so he can have an excuse to speak with him and learn more about what has everyone spooked.
Hours crawl by, but when the sun hangs directly over the village, Ratau hurries to the elder’s home to perform his duties as his assistant and to ask his questions.
Knocking on Karacyth’s door, he waits patiently for him to answer. A full minute passes before Ratau realizes that there didn’t seem to be any response at all from inside. “Karacyth?” Ratau knocks again. “Karacyth, are you alright? I’m here to assist you for today.” He expects shuffled footsteps or at least a word to get him to stop knocking, but there’s no response.
Is… Is he alright?
Reaching down, Ratau gently opens the door and lets himself in.
It’s still dark inside the small home, but the high noon sunlight shines in through the open door, giving Ratau just enough light to see inside. The room doesn’t look too out of shape, but as he creeps inside, he hisses out in pain as he accidentally puts his weight down on a die that’s lying on the floor. He tries to keep himself from cursing, knowing the elder didn’t like vulgar language, but his repressed sounds of pain cause something in the house to startle and scamper deeper inside.
“Hello?!” Ratau calls out, fear causing his voice to come out as little more than a squeak. That was way too small and fast to be the elder. Trying to let his eyes adjust to the dark, Ratau quickly creeps towards the old man’s bedroom when he finds that the door is open. If he sees something terrible inside, he’ll bolt back out into the light and get help.
Gently pushing the door open and straining his eyes, his breath hitches in his chest as more scampered movement dashes across the room away from him. He’s about to throw himself backwards back outside or towards the nearest curtain to let more light in, when a startled snort makes him pause.
“Hello?” Ratau lets out a shuddery sigh of relief when he hears the elder’s voice. “What time is it? Why is it so… oh. Oh you poor thing.”
“Karacyth, are you alright?” Ratau asks, happy to know that the old bird is alright but still terrified of what might be moving around in his home.
“Ah, Ratau.” Karacyth hums pleasantly. “Would you please open the curtains for us? Slowly, the poor thing is frightened.”
Ratau isn’t quite sure what the elder is saying, but he’s quick to do as he’s told, desperate to get some light into the house and get the old man out of the dark. Making his way to the thick curtains over the window, he slowly pulls them open, looking back as he does. Light filters into the room and Ratau finally sees what made the mess and scared him so much.
Curled up and hiding in Karacyth’s arms is the young lamb, cowering away from the light and Ratau.
“It is alright, young one.” Karacyth shushes them as he leans against the side of his bed, straightening himself out. “They kept me up all night. I assume you came to tend to me at the usual time?”
“Yes, it’s noon.” Ratau nods, unable to take his eyes off the child curled up in Karacyth’s lap. Despite Karacyth’s assurances, they remain huddled against him, refusing to even look in Ratau’s direction. “Are they alright?” He asks, still unsure of why everyone in town is so afraid of such a small thing.
“No.” Karacyth shakes his head after a moment. “It took me all night to convince them I would not hurt them. Whatever they have endured out there, it has left them broken and terrified.”
Ratau’s heart sinks at the thought. Half of the village was begging his brother to toss the poor creature back out into the woods where he found them. What could have happened to them before they were found? What led them to be lost in a place so dangerous? He approaches the elder and the lamb, meaning to help Karacyth off the floor and onto his feet, but the moment he gets close, the lamb bleats out in a panic, trying to shrink themselves down deeper into Karacyth’s lap.
“No no, it is alright, child.” Karacyth tries to console them. “This young man is a friend, like me. He is the younger brother of the man who saved you. Do you not wish to say hello?”
The lamb remains curled up in fear, flinching at every footstep as Ratau slowly approaches them. Seeing their reaction, Ratau stops and lowers himself to the floor, hoping that by leaving some distance between them he’d show that he was a friend. After a few more shushes and gentle pats from the old bird, the lamb musters enough courage to turn around and meet the sibling of their savior.
The lamb has been cleaned up and treated since Ratau last saw them with their ear bandaged and the blood and dirt cleaned away, but wet streaks still darken the fur on their cheeks. Wide, fearful, and strange looking eyes settle on Ratau, scanning him from head to toe. Ratau remains motionless as they do, sitting on the floor and giving them as much time as they need to get used to his presence.
After several seconds of quiet examination, the lamb curls back into Karacyth’s lap, still shying away from the rat, but no longer afraid to look at him.
“Do not be upset that they do not trust you yet.” Karacyth tells Ratau. “They will accept you in time, but the poor thing is slow to trust others.”
“I think I understand.” Ratau nods. In truth, however, all he could do was wonder why. Why were they so afraid? Why were they so scared of him of all people? He was a pipsqueak in comparison to many of his other neighbors, even his brother was surprisingly tall for a rat.
Where was this child’s mother? Did they not have a family to turn to? Someone they could trust?
“Karacyth,” Ratau looks up to the elder, “why is everyone so afraid of the lamb? Why were people trying to throw them back out? What’s going on?”
Karacyth looks down at the lamb in his lap, letting out a tired sigh. “I do not want to soil your innocence on the matter, but I feel it would be irresponsible to hide this from you considering what this could mean for our village. But first, would you be kind and fetch something from the kitchens for me and the child?”
“Of course.” Ratau nods, quickly pushing back to his feet. The sudden movement startles the lamb and Ratau flinches slightly out of guilt. Moving with a bit more grace, he exits the house, opening up more curtains as he goes to light the place up so he won’t trip on his return.
The trip outside is a brief one and within minutes Ratau returns to the house with two meals in his hands; grilled morsels for the owl and a small bowl of fruit for the young lamb. Stepping back in through the front door, Karacyth is on his feet and waiting in the main room. Hiding behind him and peering out from behind the elder’s robes, the lamb cautiously watches Ratau as he sets the two bowls onto the table.
“Thank you, Ratau.” Karacyth hums pleasantly as he steps towards the table, taking the small fruit bowl before offering it to the young lamb behind him. They seem hesitant, but a loud growl from their stomach pushes them to take the bowl before hurrying towards the corner of the room to eat. Satisfied, Karacyth moves to sit himself down at the table when he accidentally kicks a die lying on the floor. “Oh yes, Ratau? Could you-”
“Yeah, I got it.” Ratau nods, already kneeling down to pick up the scattered dice.
“Thank you.” Karacyth hums before settling into his seat and trying to eat his meal. Ratau has about half of the dice gathered before the elder speaks up. “I have been around for a very long time.” He sighs and Ratau looks up to see him gently rub the strange necklace of bone around his neck. “Long enough to remember stories of my elders sharing stories from theirs of a time long forgotten. A time where the gods’ rule over the lands was relatively peaceful, a time when lambs were no different from anyone else, a time when there were five bishops.”
“What happened?” Ratau quickly gather’s the rest of the dice and sets them on the table before taking a seat himself, listening intently. The young lamb in the corner pays them no mind, silently eating.
“I do not know the details.” Karacyth shakes his head. “I only know half remembered stories from several generations ago. Talk of this supposed fifth bishop is blasphemy. All I know are stories from ages long past where the Old Faith’s rule was once fair and benevolent. It no longer is. I have been told tales about lambs living amongst others as brothers and sisters, but I have personally witnessed what has become of them now.”
“Did…” Ratau glances at the lamb again and finds them staring back at him. “Did they do anything? Are they actually dangerous?”
“The Old Faith has ordered their extinction.” Karacyth says wearily, a haunted look in his eyes. “No matter how innocent, how young, the gods have demanded they die. I do not know if this is some form of punishment due to the actions of one, I do not know if the gods fear such beasts, but their rule is absolute, their word is law. I, and many of our neighbors fear that by sheltering this poor soul, we will incur the wrath of the bishops.”
“I…” Ratau feels his guts twist up with dread. This is why everyone was so afraid, this is why Ratoo kept pushing him to stay in the village and away from the woods. These bishops, whoever they are, are responsible for possibly orphaning this poor lamb. “Is there anything we can do to stop them?” Ratau asks, his dread bubbling up into frustration and anger. “Surely there are other people who see this is wrong who could overthrow their rule.”
Karacyth lets out a laugh as he shakes his head. There is no joy or mirth in it. “Oh, to be as young and naïve as you again…” He sighs before looking back to Ratau. “There is no overthrowing the bishops, boy. They are our lords, their will is law, their wrath is all consuming. We try our best to live outside their influence and they have left us alone, but by caring for this child, we act in direct defiance of their rule. If they ever find out, we can only pray that they will be merciful and only take the lamb. Knowing their capacity for cruelty, however, I know they will not show mercy.”
Ratau sits still, but a million different conflicting emotions clash within his heart. He feels grief for the fate of the lambs and the fear in the elder’s eyes as he tells his story, he feels rage for the injustice and cruelty of the bishops, he feels bone chilling terror for his brother and his neighbors, finally understanding why they were all so afraid to see the lamb. Above all of that, he feels frustrated that he can’t do anything about it. Someone should do something. Someone out there has to have the power to make this stop, right? If the bishops come looking, maybe…
During the long stretch of silence between him and Karacyth, the lamb wanders to the table with an empty bowl in hand. Ratau’s eyes are drawn towards them as they reach a tiny hand up over the table to play with one of the dice lying on top of it. The moment Ratau’s eyes are on them, they freeze up slightly, their body tense and ready to run at the slightest movement. Ratau remains still, showing them it is alright to play with the…
“Oh!” Ratau is suddenly reminded of his project from the night before and reaches into his vest to fetch it. The sudden exclamation and movement startles the lamb and they quickly move to run away, but Ratau calls out to them. “No no no, wait.” He pleads. “I have something for you.” His words don’t get through to the little lamb who quickly hides behind Karacyth once more, but the elder tilts his head in curiosity as Ratau reveals what he worked on overnight.
Pulling it free from the pockets of his vest, Ratau reveals a small, crudely carved wooden statuette of his brother. His whittling skills still need some work, especially for more complicated and larger carvings like this, but the challenging work helped take his mind off of his worries. He isn’t sure what compelled him to make it over the dice he originally planned on making, but seeing the look of surprise in the lamb’s eyes when they peek out from behind Karacyth, he’s glad he sacrificed the sleep to make it.
Karacyth reaches out for the statuette, taking it from Ratau before slowly lowering it down to the lamb. Their eyes go wide with wonder as they reach out, glancing between the elder and the rat seemingly for permission to have it despite being handed it directly. They take it and for the first time since Ratau’s seen them, he sees a smile start to form on their face. They retreat back to the corner of the room again, still shying away from Ratau, but seeing them play with the little carving puts a smile on his face too.
“Such a kind young man…” Karacyth hums, returning to his meal which he’s neglected up until this point. “I pray nothing kills the kindness in your soul, Ratau. This world is a dark and dangerous place, but people like you make it a little easier on us all. Please, do not let anything smother that kindness.”
“I’ll…” Ratau shakes his head, trying to hide his smile from the compliment, but he freezes when he sees the look on Karacyth’s face. He looks deadly serious. This isn’t him just saying he’s nice, this is a genuine plea. Ratau has learned much during this short visit so far and what he’s learned is that the outside world really is as dangerous as everyone says. There are monsters out there, monsters who want to hurt the lamb, Karacyth, him and his brother. “I will.” He promises the elder.
“Thank you, Ratau.” Karacyth gives him a solemn nod. “Now…” Taking a bite of another morsel from his bowl, he brings his arm across the table to gather up the scattered dice littering it. “I know it is quite early and you still have other duties to attend to, but would you-”
“Of course I do!” Ratau says with a wide smile. “I finally know what I’m doing now, I can beat you!”
“Oh?” Karacyth raises a brow. “Shall I start playing seriously then?”
“You…” Ratau pauses. “No way you were going easy on me this whole time, were you?!”
“I had to give you a fighting chance to convince you to keep trying.” The elder hoots. “I am glad you believe you can win, but I have been playing for longer than you have been alive. Victory will have to be fought for.”
“You’re talking out your ass, you old fart!” Ratau shakes his head, scooting his chair forward as he readies his dice. “You’re just trying to mess with me!”
“Excuse you!” Karacyth suddenly scolds and Ratau realizes why a second later. “In front of a child too, despicable.”
“One of your neighbors is an ass.” Ratau says in his defense. “Besides, I seriously doubt they care.” Before Karacyth can retort or scold him further, Ratau rolls a die, landing on an unlucky one which he puts in his third column. His play does the trick and Karacyth drops the argument to make a roll of his own.
The percussive clattering of dice against the wooden table fills in the quiet as both players fall into deep concentration, picking their moves carefully as they try to plot around each other's actions. As they play, the lamb is drawn in by the noise, their curiosity overpowering their fear of the young rat. Reaching for his dwindling pile of dice, Ratau looks over to find them standing beside him, looking at the board while clinging to the small statuette he made for them.
“I think they’ve already warmed up to you.” Karacyth says with a smile.
Ratau glances down at the lamb beside him and while the movement causes them to flinch, they do not run away. They remain at his side, looking up at him with his large, dark colored eyes. It still pains him to think that there are people out there, maybe even people in this very village who want to hurt this little thing. Karacyth says there’s no defying the bishops’ rule, but he refuses to accept that. Maybe there isn’t much he can do, maybe he can’t force the bishops to stop, but there is one act of defiance he can do reliably.
He’s going to show this lamb kindness. He’s going to follow in his brother’s footsteps and do what he can to shelter this lost lamb from the bishops who seek to slaughter them.
Though if he ever found a way to actually challenge the Bishops’ rule, he’d jump at the opportunity to correct this injustice.