Mouse opened his eyes and saw the woman from the garden sitting next to him.He heard his humming and tried to sit up and smile.
"Grrrr."
He looked at the woman. "Ahh you're awake. You've been asleep for quite a while. I was starting to worry that you wouldn't wake at all."
He touched his throat. "Don't try and speak… That poison that was used did some damage to your throat and legs. They haven't decided what to do, or how they can help."
Mouse nodded and pointed to the mug near him. "A drink… Here this will take the pain away for a while."
He drunk the medicine and sat up in the cot. He looked around and smiled at all the plants and flowers around him. He looked at the blanket and pointed to his legs.
"Yes… The poison was spreading fast, the people here didn't know what to do, so the plants looked after you… You may not be ready to see what's there just yet."
"Mmmmm…" He pleaded.
"What did I just tell you… Stubborn. Wait the others will talk with you about this. I don't know the full story, but you're safe. You can rest here, and then when you're able to move around we can talk some more."
Mouse leaned forward to touch his legs.
"Mmmmmmmm…"
"It seems you are very stubborn… Stop moving around… If you keep moving, I'll leave, and won't be back."
He felt tears forming behind his eyes and nodded at the woman.
"Good… That's a good mouse. Just lay in the cot. I guess that they'll move you when it is safe to move. Until then just wait."
He looked at the small plants and flowers around him and smiled.
"If you speak with your heart, they can hear you."
He looked at the woman with confusion on his face. "Don't worry you'll understand one day…"
He watched her stand up and walk to the door. "I have to go now, but if you behave, I'll be back. The others are coming… You'll know what to do after."
Mouse closed his eyes as he heard footsteps approach him.
"Ahh your awake… That's good news. We feared the worst after you came in with that thing in your back."
He frowned as Agune, the woman Agune called queen and another walked into view.
"Good you're awake. I have some questions you need to answer. I know your voice is damaged now, but a nod or a shake is enough."
Mouse's frown didn't leave his face as he stared at them.
"Did Borgis do this to you?"
Mouse shook his head.
"Then was it someone who was serving Borgis?"
Mouse nodded and felt his anger grow.
"Did you see the others before you were attacked?"
Mouse looked down at his legs and shook his head.
"Agune told me about Borgis wanting your blood… What did he want your blood for?"
Mouse lifted his hands slowly and drew on his hand.
"Get me some parchment… Let's see what this little mouse has to say."
Mouse slowly drew Borgis's office and the strange room he saw behind the wall. He pointed at it.
"Is this Borgis's office?"
Mouse nodded and put his finger on the room below it.
"So, there is a secret entrance to another room?"
Mouse nodded and dropped his head.
"Knock… Knock... My queen there are intruders, it seems they have finally found this place."
He heard the queen curse and a sharp shot of pain went up his spine. He rolled around in the cot, screaming with no sound.
"It seems Borgis is coming… He's not going to find you here. It seems we need to move you now."
Mouse opened his eyes in pain and nodded.
"oooookkkkayyyyy…"
"Cough… cough… cough."
He looked at his hands covered in blood as another shock of pain hit.
"Take him… It seems he needs their help… Hopefully they can do more for him then we can. We'll delay the intruders and give you time to get away."
Mouse felt himself being picked up and tied to someone's back. His eyes opening and closing. "Hold on kid… Lucky you're not heavy, or I wouldn't be able to carry you at all."
He looked down at his legs which were now exposed and tried to let out a scream, but nothing came out.
"We were going to tell you when you were ready, but the poison that they attacked you with destroyed all your leg muscle tissue and ligaments. I'm sorry, but your legs are now dead flesh, which will need to be removed."
Tears started to fall from Mouse. He shook his head and spasmed again from the pain. He felt his heart beating in his head as the spasms of pain hit him more frequently.
"Take… exit… closest out… We… evacuate… traps… delay… meet… there… hurry go."
"Grrrrrr…"
Mouse groaned silently in pain and closed his eyes. Everything around him fading into darkness.
"He's coming too… Hey kid… are you awake?"
Mouse shook his head slowly and nodded.
"Look around you… You're safe for the moment. We'll be moving again soon. It seems there are people following you both."
Mouse looked down at his legs and noticed they were now covered in roots and vines.
Mouse blinked and causing his blurred vision to fade. He stared at five people dressed in black and each wearing different types of masks. Mouse felt his heart rate increase and tried to move with his hands but fell over in pain.
"I told you to relax. We're here to take you with us and try and help you recover, but it seems we were too slow, and the plants have decided to move on their own."
Mouse felt a hand on his should helping him back to sit up. "Kid… A piece of advice I can give you now. What they take, they'll give back… There is a price for everything, especially when it comes to us black shadows. We've all paid a price… Just sometimes that price is more than others."
Mouse looked at the black shadow and stared into their eyes.
"Are you willing to pay the cost?"
Mouse turned and looked at the large trees around him and then looked at his legs.
"Mmmmmm"
"I take that as a yes… Then so be it… Trees you heard him."
Mouse felt intense pain at his hips and looked down at his waist as the vines and roots constricted around his legs and waist.
"…"
He tried to scream, but nothing came out. He watched as his legs were ripped from his body and crumbled into dust.
"…"
"The seed has been planted kid… Now you have to make it grow."
Mouse felt the hand release his shoulder as his eyes closed and darkness filled his mind.
"Don't worry child we've been watching you. You just need…"
Mouse opened his eyes and looked up in shock. He moved his arm over his chest feeling his heartbeat rapidly. He scratched his head and touched his throat. His eyes opened wide in shock.
"Hello Mouse… They took out all the damaged body parts. That means you've lost not just your legs, but your voice as well."
Mouse looked at the woman standing next to him scratching his head. "Maybe you don't understand what's happened, but one day you'll. I hope you're not angry or hate what has been done…"
Mouse smiled and shook his head. He took a mug from her and drank the cool water inside. He looked around in the room he was in. "You're in a safe place. Here you can heal and find your way… Until then rest."
He watched her walk out of the room leaving him alone. He sat up in the cot and stared out the window of the room with his eyes opened wide.
"You're awake… Welcome to your new home. This here will be where you live from now on. Also, while you were unconscious it was decided that I'll take you under my wing."
Mouse nodded at the black shadow. His mouth fell open as the shadow took off his mask revealing an aged man with piercing eyes. He looked at his waist and sighed.
"Lad… Don't worry about your legs. You've got a strong heart, and there are a lot of skills that you can learn to help the village here. You may not be doing missions as the others, but there'll be a place for you here."
Mouse sighed and looked out the window. He turned and looked at the shadow nodding towards the outside.
"Okay… Let's go outside. I'll show you the village…"
He wrapped his arms around the shadow and smiled as they walked outside.
Mouse held onto the shadow and looked around in amazement. His mouth fell open in surprise and shock.
"As you can see our entire village in hidden amongst the branches of the trees. That's why no one has ever found our village, and never will."
Mouse looked up and smiled as he felt a cool breeze.
"Grrrrrrrrrrrr."
"Hohoho… It seems your stomach can still make a sound. Let��s return to the house and eat. I have something for you there."
Mouse nodded and kept looking around him as they made their way back to the shadow's house. He smiled at the shadow as he put him in a comfortable chair surrounded by flowers and fruits.
"Wait here a moment… I'll be back with some food for you."
"Here you go."
Mouse looked up at the shadow as he handed him a book.
"Since you can't talk, you need to learn how to communicate. Here is the shadow's hand signals. You need to learn it, and then you'll be able to communicate again."
Mouse nodded and flipped through the book smiling.
"Also… Medics orders. You need to be eating this soup here to build up your strength again. Enjoy… I've been told it's quite bitter, so I'll give you some fruit tea when you're done."
Mouse took the bowl with both hands and took a sip, immediately screwing his face up at the shadow.
"Hahahaha… It's bitter right. Told you so."
Mouse put the bowl down and looked at it with a serious face. He took a deep breath and picked it up quickly drinking it all in one go.
"Stubborn and determined. Good qualities. You have another bowl to drink and then you get the tea."
Mouse looked at the shadow with anger in his eyes.
"Hahahaha… It looks like you're cursing me. Hahahaha… Youth these days. A lot of fun."
"Hey old man, I'm here because she asked me to come…"
Mouse looked up and saw a young woman staring at the old man.
"It's that time already? Wow, time passes so fast around here. Or maybe it's just me getting older… Give me a moment, I'll go get it…"
Mouse watched the shadow walk into the house and heard him moving around the house.
"Who are you?"
Mouse looked up and stared at the young woman and smiled.
"Hey… I asked you a question… Do you think you're better than me?"
Mouse shook his head and pointed at his throat. "Hey old man… Where did you find this ass? What can he do? He doesn't have any legs. Useless waste of garbage I think."
Mouse stared at the woman angrily. "Hahahaha… Youth. I'm glad I get to see all the youth around here." He turned and looked at the shadow and watched him hand a rolled parchment to the woman.
"Be nice to my student… He may not look like much, but he has it where it counts. Good luck with your task."
Mouse watched the woman turn and walk off. "Thanks, old man… I don't need your luck. You know who my master is…"
Mouse shook his head and looked at the shadow. "Don't worry about her. She sounds like her master… Here have some of the fruit tea and start reading the book… You're going to need to learn how to fight back with words around here…"
Mouse nodded and opened the book with one hand and holding the tea with the other hand.