Chapter V: Hard Times Ahead
The night ended and Jezerah continued to execute her malicious plan. Iya stood beside her as she addressed her captives.
"How are my captives today?
Gideon and Deborah said nothing. "I found Samson yesterday."
"What have you done with him?" asked the cheetah.
"That‘s none of your business."
The judges wondered what fate was before them. There was a silence that would cause any creature to go mad. Jezerah paced the room in deep thought. She stood in front of Gideon and revealed her plans.
"I have a very special surprise for you, Gideon," said Jezerah rubbing her hands together, "This afternoon you will travel with Barewolf."
"Where are you taking me?"
"Well it wouldn‘t be a surprise if I told you now would it?" Both foxes laughed. Jezerah called her guards to take Gideon away.
"Jezerah you will pay!" said Gideon shouting, " The Holy One will see the judges victorious again."
"Be gone, rabbit, the country is mine now." Jezerah turned her attention to Deborah, "You‘re the worst of all. You have been given the opportunity to save yourself yet you refuse. Don‘t be stupid, serve me. I‘m the only one that can save you. Times are changing. Serve me and all will go well with you."
"My answer is the same as last night."
Jezerah laughed and waved her soldiers in. Deborah was lead out of the council building. The soldiers placed her in a boxed cart and took her to Shavron‘s port where a ship was waiting to leave. Two soldiers led her aboard, took her below deck, and locked her in a small cabin. The smell of the cabin, the rocking of the ship, and her overall pitiful state, made Deborah ill. Three days she stayed in the cabin, not getting fresh air and only a slice of bread for her meal, yet to her it felt like an eternity in darkness never seeing the light. One soldier came down below to check on her. He looked through a small window with a candle for his light.
"We have arrived at your destination," the soldier said opening the door, "Get up."
The soldier came in and yanked her to her feet. The sun blinded her and she shielded her eyes from the light. On deck, a small boat was lowered into the water. The two soldiers and Deborah got in. An island was about a half a mile away. The boat slowly made its way to shore. The cheetah was taken out of the boat; and without warning, one of the soldiers cuffed her in the back of the head with is hilt of his sword knocking her senseless. The two returned to the ship. Deborah remained there alone and forgotten.
Over the past three days, Gideon was released into Barewolf‘s custody. The rabbit was chained by his neck and arms. Two soldiers watched over Gideon intently preventing him from any attempt at escape.
"Pick up the pace," said Barewolf, "It‘s getting dark I want to find a good spot to camp tonight. Pull the prisoner along."
After a few more hours of walking, the group found a resting spot for the night.
"You two go and find wood for a fire. I'll keep watch over the prisoner." The two soldiers left quickly. Gideon was wondering for sometime about Barewolf‘s promotion. He looked at the crest of battle and knew that the bear did not fit the part.
Barewolf adjusted the tight band around his neck to relieve some of the tension around his throat. Gideon saw this and threw a sarcastic remark to him.
"Looks like a good fit."
"Shut your mouth, Gideon! You‘re jealous that‘s all," he said tugging at the crest.
"Of what, you?" Gideon was quiet for a moment then he spoke again, "Barewolf, you know this is wrong. The Holy One watches us right now. We can stop this."
"You would like to stop this wouldn‘t you? Well that‘s too bad. Jezerah has some good plans for Shavron. She wants to make out country bigger, stronger, and more glorious than what the Holy One could ever do."
"What has happened to you?"
"I‘ve made up my mind and so have the citizens," said Barewolf "I see my troops have returned. Tomorrow we pick up the pace, prisoner."
The night was long and harsh. It rained during the night making the ground soft, muddy and hard to track through. Gideon found it hard to keep up with the pace. He was frequently tugged by the chain to keep up. The marching took them over hills, across streams, and through dense woods. After the wood, they came upon an old bridge. It rest squarely over a deep chasm. Barewolf and one of the soldiers stepped forward to look at it.
"Wait, it doesn‘t look stable." replied Gideon nervously.
"I think the prisoner has a point," Barewolf said in agreement, " We need someone to test it out---Start walking, rabbit."
The solider holding Gideon by the chain quickly jumped in.
"But that means I have to go with him," said the soldier reluctantly, " I don‘t feel comfortable—"
"Pull yourself together! Take the rabbit across the bridge or would you like to explain to the queen that one of her royal troops was scared."
The soldier reluctantly took the rabbit up to the bridge. Both of them looked over the side; both were petrified. The two inched along the bridge's creaking wooden slabs. Ever step was uncertain. Finally, they made it across safely. Now it was time for the other two. The bear and the soldier walked over; but when they made it half way, the bridge didn‘t sound good at all. Telling from the noise, it was at the point of falling apart right from under them.
"Sir, what are we to do?"
"Don‘t move," said Barewolf looking over the edge, "Let the bridge settle." The bridge continued to creak and crackle. The soldier‘s nerves got the best of him and he ran for the other side. The bridge broke away. Barewolf took a great leap grabbing the edge of the cliff. The soldier was not as fortunate.
"HELP ME, I CAN‘T GET MY FOOTING!" cried the bear.
The soldier, not thinking clearly, dropped Gideon‘s chain and went to help his captain. Gideon saw the opportunity of escape. He gathered the metal links in his arms and proceeded to slip away.
"I can‘t hold you, sir, you‘re too heavy."
"Keep pulling, don‘t let go!" cried Barewolf, "Don‘t let go!"
"I‘m sorry I—"
Gideon turned back to the dreadful scene and then back to his freedom. He paused for a moment and made a crucial decision. Barewolf was slipping. The soldier was losing his grip; but just before Barewolf fell over the side, Gideon jumped in to help.
"Come on, pull---PULL!"
After a tedious amount of pulling and tugging, Barewolf was safe. The bear looked at the rabbit, flummoxed by his actions. There was a part of Barewolf that wanted to let Gideon go, but Jezerah would not be pleased with this; it was better for the rabbit to suffer rather than him. Without any words they continued on another three day march until they came upon a prison that was embedded into a mountainside. The prison stuck out quite a bit and the only way there was to be guided over in a carriage across a deep canyon. A horn was tide to a post. Barewolf blew into it. Two prisoners turned a large gear that sent the carriage across the gorge. As they crossed, Gideon could hear the moans and cries of the inmates and the smell was trifling.
"I almost feel bad for taking you here," said Barewolf , "---almost."
The group reached the entrance with ease and the warden was waiting to meet them. The prison was old. It had stones that were cracked and the walls ran with water. The warden was a tall jackal by nature. He looked on Gideon with the utter most of hatred.
"Good morning, sir. I believe you are expecting us. I‘m here to drop this criminal off."
"I‘m no criminal," said Gideon, " I‘m here under false judgment."
"That‘s what they all say," the bear said rolling his eyes, "This will prove his guilt."
Barewolf took out a letter and gave it to the warden. He read it and crumbled the paper "A traitor! I have just the place for you."
Gideon was handed over to the prison guards. He struggled to break free, but he was hit in the head with a club and everything went black. Barewolf and the soldier left the prison.
"Take him to the Underfloors." was the warden‘s command.
The Underfloors were reserved for the worst offenders. The criminals were taken deep down into the mountain were the temperature was extremely cold. There was a saying that many of the inmates had: Once in the cold your body quickly grows old, never to see light not a hope in sight. The guards stripped Gideon of his raiment and placed a thin garment over him. A trap door was opened and Gideon went into the deep.
At the bottom was a corridor of cells. The guards threw Gideon in one of them. There were no beds to sleep on, only flat mats that were dampened from the trickle of water that ran out of the mountain's wall. Gideon rose to his feet. He was still shaken from the blow to his noggin.
"LET ME OUT! LET ME GO!" shouted the hare, " I‘VE DONE NOTHING WRONG!"
He yelled a few more times until a few prisoners told him to shut his mouth. Oblivious to Gideon was his cell mate that was hidden in the shadows. He approached the rabbit and placed his hand on Gideon‘s shoulder. Gideon jumped to the side and clinched his fists ready to defend himself. Another rabbit stood in his midst. He was about his same height, but his fur was gray.
"You can drop your guard whenever you‘re ready," said the other rabbit, "I mean you no harm. My name is Tiber. I have to say you don‘t look like a criminal. Look at you…shaking like a leaf on a tree."
"Why is it so cold down