//------------------------------// // Chapter 73: In the tunnels // Story: The Reader // by GnollReader //------------------------------// Scar eyed the two rats with unease, he had wanted to kill them but the ponies had insisted on tying them up for questioning. He didn't approve of it at all, "Purple Haze, gnoll should kill evil little rats. Is too difficult to drag rats along!" "We need to get as much information as we can." she answered with a serious face before turning to one of the unicorns, "You, send a message back to the surface and inform the troops stationed in Manehatten we found the rats, we'll need all guards here as soon as possible. Also, tell them to send a letter to Canterlot. The princesses must be informed." "Yes, sir!" the guard replied and started to get out pieces of parchment. Short-distance messages were a fairly easy task for a trained messenger, but to send a message as far as from Manehatten to Canterlot required more magic than one pony could muster. She turned to the two rats, "I need information. How many of you are down here?" One of the rats gave her a sneer, "We's not tellin' you anythin' ya stupid pony! Ya thinks we's scared of you? Ponies don't kill or torture, and we's knows that." "Is twenty rats, Scar can smell... maybe one or two more." The gnoll stepped up to the two captives, "And Scar is no pony..." the rats started to shiver. Purple Haze eyed him carefully as he stood above the two, "Alright, then we just need to know where..." "Scar can find rats with ease, smell is strong down here. Is not far." the gnoll bent down and picked up one of the rats by its neck, "What Scar wants to know is why rats have ponies." Purple Haze looked at Scar with shock, "They have captives?" The gnoll held up the rat a bit higher, "It isn't sure, Scar can smell at least two ponies on rats but Scar can't say if ponies are alive or dead..." he brought up the rat close to his face, "If rats killed little ponies..." his hand started to squeeze down on the rats throat. "No... Wait's!" the rat managed to croak, "Is three ponies, still alive... waiting for..." he shut his mouth again as if suddenly realizing he had said something he wasn't supposed to say. "Waiting for what?" the gnoll grumbled as he started to shake the rat, "What do rats do with ponies?" the rats eyes were full of fear but it remained quiet. Scar shook it harder and bared his fangs at the rat, "Tell Scar, or it will rip off little rat's legs!" "For feeding the gators..." the rat croaked weakly. The gnoll stared at the rat in silence as shocked gasps escaped the guards. Then, without warning he simply dropped the rat on the floor again. He turned to Purple Haze, the fury burning in his eye reminded her of their meeting with the changeling. "Scar has heard enough. Ponies can keep these two for Celestia, but Scar will not wait any longer. Not if evil rats are feeding ponies to lizards." "Wait! We need to have a plan first! We can't just go rushing in!" "Scar can." he replied flatly as he picked up his hammer and started walking down one of the tunnels. Purple Haze watched him, furiously trying to come up with a plan. She knew him well enough by now to know that arguing would be useless at this point. She turned to the guards, "Alright, here's the new plan. You two, get the prisoners to the entrance and guide the troops when they arrive. The rest of you, stick close. Once the fighting starts Scar and I will handle the rats, you make sure to get those captives out first. Avoid combat if possible and concentrate on the ponies first. Is that clear?" "Yes, Sir!" the guards answered as one. She made sure her helm was still strapped on tight, "Good, let's move out and keep silent." A bit further down the tunnel the hammer trembled slightly as it felt the murderous mood of its master. It spoke up softly, "Is it time for work, master?" "Is time." the gnoll replied with an even voice. "Splendid." --- "T'is boring as hell..." complained one of the rats, "We been sittin' down here for days now, when's we gonna get to do some real slittin'?" "Pfff, the Fat Mother would have your hide if it weren't so ugly..." the other rat commented sourly, "Sides, we could have some fun later, gators are looking hungry again." they shared a laugh. "Last one was screamin' like a pig!" they laughed even harder, the sound echoing in the tunnels and blocking all other sounds as the rest of the rats busied themselves with other things. They had been stationed in the chamber for several days now, spending their time sleeping, gambling, lazying around or tormenting the captive ponies. "Yeah, remember the one the one that..." the rat stopped, "Wait's... you hear's running too?" The other rat held a hand to its ear, "Dunno, maybe the two useless ones found someth..." He was cut short as a shadow shot out of the darkness before them. A huge rock whirled through the air and connected with the head of one of the rats. As the rat's head exploded and covered the other rats in the chamber in blood and bits of bone and tissue a voice could be heard singing in the air, "Lo and behold! The master has brought you the present of his art!" the stone sailed through the air again and struck down the other dumbfounded rat, driving it into the ground like a stake with a squashing sound, "And it is glorious!" The gnoll gave a savage roar as he pulled his hammer back up and flung himself into their ranks like a lion into a flock of pigeons, Purple Haze at his side.