The rest of the day pasted uneventfully for Lexi.
She, along with the others, rowed for a while, then let the river's current carry the boat as they rested, then rowed some more.
They pasted several other boats on their way down river, most going in the opposite direction.
The sun was beginning to set when Ozzy called a halt.
"We should spend the night here." he said.
They were floating towards a dock, to which was tethered several boats.
A well lit building stood a few meters from the tide line. Merry voices and laughter came from within the riverside inn and Lexi could fell her hunger increasing.
"Good idea." she stated.
The boat bumped against the dock and rocked as she stepped out, followed by the others.
Barwick tossed then their packs. As Lexi reached out to catch hers, the boat swayed, causing Barwick to loose his balance. Her pack flew through the air and landed with a splash. Lexi pulled the pack from the river and held it up as water poured from it.
"I-I'm sorry." the mouse stammered with a look of fear on his face.
"It's fine." Lexi reassured him. "This is not the first time it has gotten wet."
After Ozzy secured the boat, they started towards the inn.
Lexi, looking forward to a warm meal and a good nights sleep, was happy to be on dry land again.
After a warm and refreshing meal, the seven travelers gathered in a room upstairs.
Lexi finished laying the contents of her sodden pack around the hearth and joined the others at the table.
Ozzy cleared his throat. "Okay, here's the situation. We are about a good day's march from Zamari. To get there we'll have to cross the Great Divide. Now, last time we were there the bridge was fine, but if Mirrikh has taken the city it will be destroyed as it is the fastest way for reinforcements to arrive. The chasm is impossible to cross without the bridge, so in that case we would have to go around and by then it will be far too late. Our only hope is that the bridge is in-tacked."
"It will be." Cedric said softly.
"Once we reach the castle," Ozzy continued. "We will face the wildcat's army, which is said to contain around five hundred soldiers. We only have tow hundred warriors, all trained in swords and bows. If we can hold the castle long enough, they will have to give up. So, does anyone know something else about Mirrikh or have any idea about how to defeat him?"
"I don't know about Mirrikh, but I do know a little about his second in command." Lexi stated.
"Aviso the searat." Cedric growled. "From the stories I have heard, he is worse then Mirrikh himself."
"The stories might not all be true." Ozzy said.
Scowling, Rippler shook his head. "Oh, I'll bet they are. There is no cruelty he is not capable of."
Lexi listened closely as the otter explained.
"Several years ago, when I was just a little one, me and my family were captured by searats and taken to a far away island to be sold as slaves. Aviso was the one in charge of keeping us. If we did any little thing that he did not like, he would punish or sometimes kill us. If Damon - he's my mentor and the one who freed us from the searats- knew that Aviso was here, he would never of let me come."
As Rippler spoke, Lexi's hate for the rat increased.
"He is evil! He killed my family and destroyed the entire village, all because my uncle refused to feed him and his gang! That is way I was traveling towards Zamari to start with. I have swore to kill him." she exclaimed.
Aldah's chair clattered to the floor as the rat hurriedly arose.
"Something wrong?"Lexi questioned when she saw the look on her friend's face.
Aldah slightly shook her head and stumbled towards the door.
"You sure?" the vixen asked.
There was no reply as the rat left the room, closing the door behind her.
"Worse then Mirrikh?" "Evil?" "Killed my family?" "Swore to kill him?"
Alone, Aldah sank to the ground at the river's edge and berried her face in her hands.
As tears steamed down her face, she asked herself again and again if it was possible that there were two searats with the same name.
But that was very unlikely since Aviso was a very rare name. Did he really kill Lexi's family? Perhaps it was a mistake. Maybe there really were two searats with the same name.
But deep down inside she knew that it was him. He whom she had longed to see since the day he left. It was him!
She wiped the tear from her face and squared her shoulders.
She had made her choice, and it would cost her either her best friend or her long lost father.
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