[center][h3]R A T S   I N   T H E   M A L L  [/h3][/center] [center][b][i]The start of the NOW-NOW time[/i] [/b][/center]
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[center][b]The Cellar, far below the Rat-Sea, a bit before the NOW-NOW times[/b][/center]

[center][i]..and so, his magnificence, he-he who speaks for the Creators themselfs, glory-glory be his name, declared that a punishment-ment shall be unleashed onto the Clans of Sinners on the Ground floor, while the Faithful shall be rewarded! It was the Pious-Pious Warband of the Noble-Noble One-Eyed Heesh, who would purge in the Creators name! Many-Many was his Pack, endless-endless his Might-Might! Death-Death he shall bring! Glory-glory be the Creators... [/i] [b]Slave-Scribe, Uz-Softpaw, Chronicles of the city of Glass[/b][/center]

[center][i] Hundred...Thousands...cant-cant count! Found way through Tunnels! Soon be here! Will kill us all...[/i] [b]Irrek Many-Litter, last survivor of the Tush-Tush Clan, destroyed by the Warband of One-Eyed Heesh[/b][/center] 


Squeek Twich-Jaw, had always been an curious rat! Far braver, then most of his littler, he had ventured below the security of his Clans Burrow. It was this bravery, that had made him into this excellent scout, and got him a place on the side of their glorious leader, the great One-Eyed Heesh! And just like he, Squeek Twich-Jaw, was his right Claw, their clan soon would earn their way onto the side of the City of Glass, becoming the embodiment of the will of the Creators themselves! Soon, the drums of war would roar through the first floor, and all who defied the Creators would be punished for their wicked ways! The Ratpublic would be purged of all Heretics, washed clean from all who defied the will of the City of glass! Cutlak would been made an example off, and not even the Litters would be left alive...Squeek could feel his fangs twitch by the thought of the feast that would follow the butchering. 

Sniffing the winds, Squeek once more rested on his spear, before allowing himself a moment of rest. He knew these tunnels well, having rushed through them a thousands times, or maybe even more, for he never had been good at counting. He knew how to sniff the wind for the stench of the Clickers, or how to sniff out a Many-Eye, the dangers that lured below! They no longer could suprise him, like any ordinary rats! For him, they were nothing more, then a welcome snack, even through, he longed for a different kind of Prey. 

It had been not long ago, that he had found them, in form of a small group of Hunters from the despicable Clan Cutlak! Two died quickly, yet the last one, Squeek had questioned, a task that brought him endless joy! And like all Heretics, he had caught in his life, the Scout had made him spill out all his secrets in time! Indeed, Squeek would have much-much to tell to his masters, and once more secure his position in the clan. A short shiver ran down his fur, as he shortly hissed. Raising his spear, he quickly jumped onto two Legs, aiming at the shadowy vastness in front of him. For a moment, he thought to see something, yet then, he calmed himself. Just his old mind, playing a trick on a Tired rat! "Last-Last time for me to be here-here! Soon-Soon, i will be in City of Glass! Feast-Feast and Sleep-Sleep.." A chuckle escaped him, before he quickly turned around, stabbing into the darkness behind him. He had felt the movment in the ground, yet to his surprise, his Spear had hid nothing, and once more he stood in silence. 

Breathing faster now, the Scout growled. "COME-COME OUT! I AM SQUEEK TWICH-JAW! I KILLED MORE RATS THEN I CAN COUNT-COUNT! NO..." His challange was interrupted, as something reached for his Legs, pulling him off his feet, and sending him flying. A sound of fear, escaped him, as he tried his hardest to escaped the cold grip that had layed onto his legs. 

Then he saw what had taken hold of him, and Squeek screamed. With a kick he could free himself, before quickly turning onto all fours, and running blindly into the darkness, away from the Nightmare that had taken hold of him. Few things in this world were faster then a scared Rat, and Squeek, even in his older age, still could run like a fresh born litter. Then, he felt the cold sting of something in his shoulder, a coldness slowly taking hold of his body. In pure terror, he tried to fight against the coldness that took over his body, yet he couldnt move a muscle, as the nightmare once more moved closer, before another one moved behind him, followed by another one. Silently, they glared at him, before a ice-cold voice whispered into Squeek´s ears. "You will answer-answer all my questions..." 

[center][b]The whole Mall,the NOW-NOW times[/b][/center]    

Clans fall apart, succumb to war or sickness, or simply starve, yet at least some degree of them always survive! Even the Night of Death, and the loss of the World Below must have had some survivors, as all Rats still know about it. As such, the horrors of the discovery of what had happened to the Massive Warband of One-Eyed Heesh was indeed unsettling, even for the ones that would have fallen victim to its assault! 

Be it to their own scouts, through rumors or to other ways, all clans would in the end learn about what had been found in the old Metal Room, between the two Floors. Thousands of corpses, displayed in an almost marcabre looking scene, piled high onto three piles. Cruelty among Rats was nothing new, yet the way these Corpses had been abused, was even for the most Ferocious of clan, a horror to behold. All Eyes had been taken, even the sole good one of One-Eyed Heesh, who lay in the mid of his army, cold as ice, his fur already falling off his body. Yet most unsettling of all, was a strange stench in the air, sweet, yet at the same time abhorred. 

The blood, was already thick and reeking of Death, just as the corpses did, all in different stages of losing their fur. This, had not been a battle, but a massacre, a trap to kill this army in one swift strike! Yet, even while inevitably some Clan will claim this attack for them, the implication of this terrible assault now lay obvious. Something is out there, something strong, powerful and deadly....

Something that hates eyes, as it seems!