Rupert the Rat’s Beginning - Part 1 (Original fiction)

Each strike of the hammer rung throughout the fortress. Each blow that sounded upon the anvil was carried through the many corridors, courtyards, chambers, and a curtain wall. The fortress had long been abandoned, and had become home to all manner of creatures.

The rats, being ever curious and drawn to the presence of humans, made their way to the newly lit forge. There they sat in the shadows, watching the towering human work. They watched for hours as the human repeated the same task over, and over. First, the human would stand by the forge and hold something in the flames, pushing up and down on a large leather device. Then the human would take a small sun out of the fire, place it upon a great metal cliff, and smash a small metal object on the end of a stick into the sun. Over and over the human repeated this action.

With their curiosity sated many of the rats left, just about all of them, leaving a single rat, a freshly weaned pup, to watch with fascination and awe. Eventually he could no longer watch the human, as his small belly began to shout and scream about food. The massive burrow in which the human worked had no smell of food about it, so the little rat left in search of a meal.

The little pup found himself in a courtyard, eating a berry from a bush that towered over his head. “Little rat, knowest thou the maker of this repetitive beating?”

The rat turned around to find a fox sitting beside the berry bush.

“Greetings,” squeaked the pup.

The fox cocked its head to the right, “Thou believe have come to feast upon you. Neigh I have not. I was drawn here by the strange beating. Knowest thou what makes it?”

“It is a human, a human who can make small suns from fire.”

The fox lay down and put its head between its paws.

“A human who makes small suns?”The fox laughed, “Usually it is the fox that jests with others, whilst it is the rat that burrows.”

“Kind fox, I do not jest! For with my very eyes I saw the human create suns, and upon a metal cliff did it turn these suns into great red berries.”

“Strange indeed, little rat. I hear in your words, and in your eyes, do I see the truth.”

The fox climbed to itsfeet, “Come with me little rat, for I have smelt that there are two wolves that guard this human. Should we petition of them, we may receive an audience with the human.”

The rat and the fox now found themselves in front of two great wolves, one was as white as pure snow, the other was as dark as the deepest shadows. “State your business!” said the wolves as one.

The fox spoke, “Little rat and I have come to see the suns made by your human.”

The dark wolf drew in a deep breath, “The little rat has already been within the Master’s Chamber.”

“Indeed, sir wolf, we wish an audience with the Master.”

The white wolf spoke at this, “You both wish to meet with our master?”

The pup spoke up, “I wish to become a student of your Master.”

The dark wolf looked at the little rat pup, “That is for the master to decide, come, follow us.”

The rat, the fox, and the wolves stood before the human, the one the wolves called ‘Master’. The Master looked upon the creatures gathered in his presence.

“I have been waiting for you, all four of you...”

by Michael Warner Molema