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Two weeks after the winter solstice, Fone and Phoney Bone were splitting firewood outside the cottage where they were spending the winter in. Thorn was along side them.
“Mild winter, indeed!” Phoney huffed.
“And there's a blizzard coming through!” He said.
“If that's a mild winter, I wonder what a strong one is!” Thorn swung her hatchet down on the firewood.
“It is normal for blizzards to come by every so often. Gran'ma says it really freezes up at Old Man's Cave sometimes and that if it gets bad there, it gets bad everywhere else.” She said.
*insert description of noise here*
“What was that?” Fone Bone asked.
“I thought I heard something in the barn!” Phoney and Thorn looked over at it.
“Come to think of it, I thought I heard something too.” Phoney said. “Should we see what it was?” Thorn asked.
Fone Bone and Phoney opened the door, and were surprised to see one of the two “Stupid Rat Creatures” hiding inside.
“Um...hello, Small Mammal.” The blue-gray Rat Creature waved, grinning modestly.
“What are you doing in here? And where's your buddy that's always with you” Fone Bone asked. Phoney rushed inside the house.
“Hiding from the blizzard, of course!” The Rat Creature said.
“Do you really think we'd stay in it?” He asked.
“Well...no.” Fone Bone said. Thorn leaned against the door. “But why here?” Thorn asked.
“We weren't sure how the town would accept us. And your barn was closer.” The Rat Creature answered.
“But you see, I don't think this shelter is suitable, especially with our new traveling partner expecting. My comrade is with her on the other side of the haystack.” He continued.
“Huh?” Fone Bone asked. Rose stepped into the barn, Phoney trailing behind her.
“Hm. If it isn't our old prisoner.” She said.
“If it isn't the old cow woman.” The gray Rat Creature shot back. Rose crossed her arms.
“So, what is he doing here, Bone?” She asked Fone Bone.
“He and his comrade hiding from the blizzard.” He answered.
“They have another with them.” He looked at the Rat Creatures.
“They're both behind the haystack. My comrade's making sure she's alright. I'm starting to think he's sweet on her.” He said, sounding a bit gruff. Suddenly, the second of the duo jumped on top of the haystack with a shout, which startled Phoney and Fone Bone.
“Comrade!” He exclaimed.
“It's sooner than we thought!” He said.
“And she said that she might need help!” His gray comrade's jaw dropped.
“She needs HELP!?” He asked.
“I thought they could do it on their own!” His comrade looked around frantically.
“Oooh, this is bad!” He groaned, clapping his hands to the top of his head.
“Can you carry her?” Rose asked.
“Why?” The brown Rat Creature asked.
“We'll all help her. Besides, if Thorn's going to be a good Queen, she'll need to know how you work.” Rose explained. As the two Rat Creatures scampered behind the haystack, Rose looked at the two Bone Cousins.
“Alright boys, go inside of the house and tell Smiley and Bartleby to start gathering spare blankets and put them at the corner of the fireplace wall.” She said.
“Then I need you two to start boiling some water.” Phoney raised an eyebrow.
“'Boil water?' Isn't that just an excuse to get us out of the way?” He asked.
“And it's good for anything!” Rose said.
“Now, hurry!” She pointed out the door.
“Thorn, as soon as the Rat Creatures get out, I need you to help me bring the animals to the extra shelter.” She said.
The two Rat Creatures came back from behind the haystack. The brown one was stooping on his hind legs, carrying a much smaller Rat Creature.
“She agreed to going indoors and receiving help from humans.” The gray male said.
“I'll take help from anyone at this point!” Said the small third.
“Wow. Your females are small.” Phoney said.
“Get going!” Rose demanded. Fone and Phoney bolted at once.
“Here, let me take her.” Rose said, holding out her arms to the brown Rat Creature. For a moment, he held the female defensively, but then he gently lowered her into Rose's arms.
“What should we do?” He asked.
“I need you two to help Smiley and Bartleby set up the blankets.” The two Rat Creatures, not
questioning their strong former enemy, rushed into the house.
Inside, Bartleby and Smiley were coming down the stairs carrying blankets down.
“Why do we need all these blankets, Phoney?” He asked.
“Your two Rat Creature friends have a pregnant girl with them that just popped.” Phoney said, shuffling the firewood with the poker, hoping to increase the flames. “You hear that Bartleby? We're going to help a baby comrade of yours be born!” Smiley exclaimed. Bartleby's ears perked up.
“Really?” He asked.
“Yes, young comrade.” Said the brown Rat Creature, taking two blankets from Smiley and setting them across the floor behind the fireplace.
“What are we going to do?” Bartleby asked Rose, who came through the door carrying the yellow female.
“I need you to help your comrades.” Rose replied.
“The cub's in a bad position to be delivered in and I need you and the other two to help hold her.” Smiley gulped.
“You mean Bart's going to be there when the blood is everywhere?” He asked, clutching his stomach, knowing it was a sickening topic. “
It's not going to be everywhere,” Rose said.
“I'm not scared of that, Smiley.” Bartleby said.
“I think I can handle it.”
And for the next several minutes, the cabin was extremely busy. The Bones arranged the blankets in a “nest” for the female, while she was being comforted by the brown Rat Creature. His comrade was helping Bartleby, Thorn, and Rose move to animals into a make-shift shelter in the cabin. And when the commotion was completed, the Bones had been banished by Rose to sit in front of the fireplace and wait for the water to boil.
During their time of uselessness, the three Bones sat in front of the fire, tightly packed together. There was little sound, except for small conversation and an occasional snarl (the cousins guessed it was from the female Rat Creature). Occasionally, Thorn would hustle to the animals' shelter, then come back with a cup of milk. At one point, Bartleby came dashing to the Bones and laid across all three of their laps, expressing his panic at how the female had suddenly started bleeding under the blankets. Fone Bone, knowing what had happened, slowly pulled himself out from under Bartleby and crept up the stairs. A few moments later, he returned with an armful of towels and rushed behind the fireplace. When he came back, he sat by Bartleby's head and ruffled his ears.
“It's okay, Bartleby. You should see how scared the Stupid Rat Creatures are.” He laughed reassuringly. Finally, Bartleby had been called back.
“I'm kind of glad I'm not over there.” Phoney said.
“I'd probably get sick.” Smiley shrugged. He stood up and watched the blizzard.
“It's so thick out there. I can't even tell where the barn is. I'm glad the cows and chickens are okay.” He said.
The Bones waited longer. They could hear Rose giving commands behind the fireplace wall.
“You're holding her too tight!” They heard her say. About that time, the water was boiling. Smiley left the window and peered over the wall.
“The water's boiling, what should we do-o-o?” He had noticed something unpleasant.
“Mix it with cold water and put it in a smaller container.” Rose replied.
And the Bones took a bowl down from above the mantle and carefully divided the hot water with the cold, so that it was just cool enough to keep the newborn warm, but not scalding it. Smiley carried the bowl behind the wall, then returned.
“It's getting bad.” He said.
“Bartleby and the Stupid Rat Creatures are having to hold her pretty tight, and Thorn looks like she's going to faint.” He said, sitting beside his cousins. Just as he said that, Thorn leaned against the corner, clutching her forehead.
“Are you okay?” Fone Bone asked.
“Yeah...I'm fine.” Thorn forced a smile, pushing her bangs of her sweaty forehead.
“I just need a break.” She said.
“Gran'ma wanted to see if I can utilize the Dreaming to help.”
In a few minutes, she disappeared again.
“I can't take the suspense.” Phoney said.
“Neither can I.” Smiley nodded in agreement. There was a hiss; they knew it was the female Rat Creature. Then Rose gave a shout.
“Hold her feet.” She said after a pause. And a few minutes later, there was a shriek that made the Bones jump.
“Well, that settles it.” Smiley gasped, clutching his chest.
“Get that blanket, Thorn!” Rose commanded. The Bones listened to the squeaks that resounded from behind the wall, looking at each other incredulously. Rose came from the wall to the Bones.
“You can come back, boys.” She knelt behind them. The Bone cousins peeked around the corner and slowly crept across the floor. The female Rat Creature, who was limp in the arms of the brown male, was breathing heavily and whispering to him nervously.
“It's alright, Miss. You did alright..except for kicking the Cow Woman.” He replied softly, stroking her cheek gently.
“If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were married.” His comrade huffed to Bartleby.
“They aren't?” Bartleby asked, dropping his browns in confusion. The gray adult sighed, pressing his palm to his forehead.
Thorn was kneeling at the makeshift waterpot, gently running her fingers through the little cub's fur, thoroughly rinsing out the blood and mucus off it.
“Can I help?” Fone Bone whispered, standing beside her.
“Here, hold her back.” Thorn carefully slipped the cub into Fone Bone's hands. He gently held it upright as Thorn proceeded to clean its underside.
“Ew.” Phoney grimaced, leaning over Fone's shoulder to see.
“They come out like that?” He asked.
“She was worse earlier.” Thorn lifted the cub out of the water.
“Smiley, I need a fresh blanket.” She said, bundling the wet cub close to her. The cub was barking and squeaking, distressed
by all the unfamiliar scents around her. Smiley snatched a blanket that was hanging off the fireplace hurried to Thorn, opening it to have the cub placed in it. “He's cute.” He smiled as Thorn wrapped the cub in the blanket as Smiley held it.
“It's a girl, Smiley,” Rose chuckled.
“Oh,” Smiley looked at the cub closely.
“Happy birthday, kiddo!” He said to the cub.
“For goodness sake, Smiley, give the cub to her mother!” Rose said. Smiley, realizing the urgency, sat down beside the Rat Creatures and handed the female her cub.
“There you go!” He said.
“One pretty little baby straight from the delivery service!”
The female looked incredulous for a moment, delicately holding the cub, whose crying was subsiding.
“That's better, isn't it?” She asked, timidly stroking her cub.
“Yes, that's much better.” She said with more confidence, smiling strongly. The brown Rat Creature carefully propped his female comrade against his shoulder.
“If you like, I can bake a quiche for you tomorrow.” He said, leaning close to her ear.
“Comrade!” His gray travel-mate groaned.
“Do you really--” He was interrupted by the female, who smiled and said, “That actually sounds nice.” She said.
“You see, comrade?” The Brown Rat Creature asked.
“Someone appreciates my offer!” He said, putting his hands on each side of her shoulders.
“It's a much better breakfast, anyway.” The female said, half to herself.
“Was I that tiny?” Bartleby asked timidly, leaning over her arm to look.
“Most cubs are, Young Comrade,” the gray one said.
“They're actually much smaller than that, but the fur hides it.” He continued.
The Bones noticed that the cub's eyes were sealed shut and did not appear to be in any state to be opened. In the mean time, the cub had started rooting around her mother's fur. It took a moment for all of them to realize that the cub was trying to start nursing.
“Over here, silly cub.” Rose gently adjusted the way that the mother Rat Creature was holding the cub, so that the cub would latch properly. The mother twitched and gasped slightly, but then she relaxed her shoulders, holding her arms stiffly.
“Don't hold her too tightly.” Rose said, patting the female's arm.
“Just relax.” She stood up and sat down at the table, wiping her brow. The Bones sat against the wall, watching the new mother nurse her cub for the first time.
“That disgu-” Phoney was smacked over the head by Smiley.
“-Owww!” He exclaimed. (The mother Rat Creature growled defensively at his outburst.)
“No it's not.” Smiley hissed.
“It's perfectly natural!” Fone Bone said firmly. Phoney rolled his eyes.
“Whatever.” He huffed, watching glumly. But after a moment, he cracked a small smile.
Thorn joined her grandmother at the table and held her hand.
“I feel really good after doing all this.” Thorn said. Rose chuckled and embraced Thorn.
“I do too, dear.” She said gently.
“You know,” Rose sighed, letting Thorn go.
“This has been a very special day for me.” She smiled.
“Why is that, Gran'ma?” Thorn asked curiously.
“It's your mother's birthday, Thorn.” Rose watched the Rat Creatures and Bones interact with the mother Rat Creature and her cub.
“And...it was very much like this day.” Rose looked out the window.
“The blizzard has slowed down, just enough that you can see the moon.” She said.
“Your mother would have done this all on her own if she had been here.” She chuckled.
“She would have been so proud of you, Thorn.” She put her hand on Thorn's shoulder.
“Alright boys, off to bed.” Rose called to the Bones.
“But...” Smiley started.
“No buts.” Rose said.
“They'll be here tomorrow.” She looked under the table.
“That goes for you too, Bartleby.” She said.
“I want to stay with the others!” Bartleby protested.
“We'll stay in here,” The gray Rat Creature said.
“Besides, my comrade has already made himself comfortable.” He looked at his brown companion, who had curled up beside the mother and fallen asleep.
“Let me know if she needs anything.” Rose said.
“Can I trust you two down here?” She asked.
“I imagine it would be hard for you to. But I swear we'll try to stay out of trouble, though I can't guarantee it.” The Rat Creature replied. He circled around and laid down beside his comrade.
“Are you coming, Thorn?” Rose asked.
“I'll be up in a minute.” Thorn replied. She sat at the table, watching the mother Rat Creature. She then went to sit beside the mother and watched the cub nurse for a while. At that point, the gray Rat Creature had fallen asleep. Now Thorn could try to talk to the mother.
“Do you name your cubs?” Thorn asked. The mother shrugged.
“Not always. We're never sure how long a newborn will survive.” She stroked the cub's ear tenderly.
“Sometimes we do and sometimes we don't. We usually name ourselves if we want. I haven't found any names that I like, though.” She looked at Thorn.
“Why do you ask?” Thorn stroked the young Rat Creature gently.
“I wanted to ask if I could name her.” She said.
“Oh?” The mother tilted her head.
“What do you have in mind?” She asked.
“Luna.” Thorn smiled innocently. The mother smiled and nodded.
“She does look like a Luna.”
“I heard what your grandmother said. Your mother was Lunaria, wasn't she?” The female Rat Creature asked. Thorn nodded.
“Your mother tried the hardest of all her ancestors to make peace with us. It obviously didn't work out, considering how our dearly departed chieftain blamed all humans for the suffering upon his people.” She said.
“Your mother did become friends with the small colony of Rock House.” The mother continued.
“Unfortunately, the colony was killed by a group of farmers who did not want the group close-despite the fact that Rock House was not in the treaty zone.” The female looked at Thorn.
“Though our Queen is upset that you killed Kingdok, she hopes that you and her son can form an alliance—end this war as your mother dreamed.” She turned her attention back to the cub.
“I thought that she'd be feistier.” She mused.
“Perhaps when she's bigger,”
Thorn stretched. “I suppose I'll see you in the morning,” She smiled. The mother nodded.
“Good night, Harvestar.” She said.
Thorn went up the stairs, her mind boggled with confusion and satisfaction for giving aid to what she thought would be her enemy. But not for long, if fate allowed.