The Battle to Confession



  THE BATTLE TO CONFESSION

  The Second Codex of Evermore

  By

  Thomas Earl Rowe

  Copyright 2012 Thomas Rowe

  DISCLAIMER

  The following is a work of fiction. Any similarity to places, organizations, or people living or dead is coincidental.

  The Battle to Confession and all of the characters contained within the Evermore series are the exclusive property of Thomas Rowe. No content from these books can be copied for any reason or in any form without written permission from the author.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Disclaimer

  Thanks

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Afterword

  Other Books

  Thanks

  Special Thanks to my Mother for her support.

  Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but powers and principalities.

  BEFORE

  All the clans that were members of the Council shared the same training grounds. The training grounds were located in the middle of Council territory. At the present they were not in use. It was early morning and the only cats present were Cheshire and Commander Sage. It was the perfect time for Cheshire to practice. Cheshire wanted to show his clan that he was still strong enough to lead them. Cheshire was not the same cat that had been brought home on a travois. His wounds had healed and his strength had returned. It was now time to regain his confidence.

  The morning sun had been shrouded by gray clouds. Chesh suspected that it would rain before sunset. He stood at the beginning of the obstacle course. On the other end Commander Sage waited and watched.

  After stretching, Cheshire began. He scaled a wall of logs and then pounced around a series of obstacles. The more he exerted himself the more the injured muscles in his shoulder reacted. In the middle of the course he scaled a tall tree. At the top he was supposed to strike a target that hung from a branch. Upon climbing to the top Cheshire reached out with his right paw to touch the target. Jagged waves of pain radiated from his shoulder, causing him to withdraw his paw and cling to the tree as his muscles spasmed.

  “Will I never be free of this?” he grunted through tightly clenched teeth.

  Defeated, Cheshire cautiously made his way down the tree and then limped to where Commander Sage stood. Sage watched Cheshire’s movements with a look of concern. Cheshire had asked for his help and had also sworn him to secrecy. The commander respected Cheshire, but he could not watch him destroy himself.

  “Sir Cougar, you have done well so far. Please remember that the whole course is not navigated in a day,” he began.

  “I was doing well until my shoulder spasmed,” Chesh replied.

  “Have you had the shoulder looked at?”

  “I was told that rest and time were the only cure.”

  “Perhaps you may want to help the process along by not straining your body,” Sage suggested.

  “You have a good point. I have conquered this course before and I will conquer it again. For now it appears I must wait,” Chesh reluctantly agreed.

  *****

  Cold Brook lay just outside of Cougar Village. The stream’s water was cool and the slope was gentle. A pavilion with a straw roof had been built for the use of the clan. During bad weather the Duke or the Marquis would use the pavilion to hold meetings. The rest of the time it was available for public use. Presently the cougar elders were relaxing in the shade and were enjoying a chance to catch up on village news.

  Commander Sage and Xander Quartz had been engaged in a game of cat scratch when a newcomer barged in.

  “The Marquis of Cougars has announced that he is holding a dinner in honor of all those who helped him while he was injured,” the newcomer announced.

  “I had heard that something like that was in the works,” Xander interjected.

  “From whom?” Weaver Dogwood inquired.

  “Probably from Head Nurse Thistle. She’s been hinting at it long enough,” Elder Trueclaw rolled his eyes.

  “I don’t understand that. Nurse Longclaw went above and beyond the call of duty to bring the Marquis back to health. Thank the Master for that. How does the Marquis thank her? He believes everything that Head Nurse Thistle tells him. I have two fears. Either the venom has left him truly blind, or he is not as smart as I thought he was."

  “I have witnessed the Marquis limping around quite a bit. Perhaps he is still ailing,” Dogwood speculated.

  “You may be a gifted basket maker, but you are not qualified to diagnose your neighbor,” Sage replied.

  “Nurse Longclaw is your granddaughter, Commander Sage. Surely you are not without input,” Cropper thumped his tail against the ground and then wrapped it around his paws.

  Momentarily Sage sat frozen. Then the birch branch that he had been chewing stood straight up as he clamped his jaws down on the twig. He then looked up and made eye contact with Cropper. Sage’s ears lowered a fraction of an inch.

  “The Master blessed me with a wonderful daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and grandson. Do not think that I would ever stand by and let some scalawag hurt any of them,” Sage warned.

  “I did not mean that,” Cropper retreated.

  “I think we should all wait until after the dinner before we pass judgment on the Marquis’ intentions. None of us would want to be guilty of spreading false rumors,” Sage continued.

  “Agreed,” Cropper conceded.

  ****

  As a rule cougars like to have land around their dens. As a result the center of the village was the cougar seat of judgment, storage dens, and the nurses’ supply. The nurses’ supply was a large den used by the nurses to keep their healing herbs and scrolls. It was there that Leana and her fellow nurses were working diligently to resupply the baskets at the end of their shift.

  It was while they were working that a messenger arrived. The messenger delivered invitations to Leana and her fellow nurses--even Violet. They had graciously accepted the invitation and returned to work.

  “Ooooh, the Marquis of Cougars makes me so mad I could hiss. Lea, you and his family stood by him through the worst of it. He has betrayed you by giving Head Nurse Thistle the credit. How can he be our judge if he believes the rumors that are spread by Nurse Thistle?” a cougaress with a crescent shaped patch of fur above her left eye fumed.

  “I don’t listen to rumors. The feast is to honor every cat who helped. Eve, you and Violet are to be guests as well,” Lea repl
ied.

  “Will the menu include undeserved praise? That will be Thistle’s main course. I will go, but I will not enjoy a moment of it,” Violet added.

  “I believe in my friend more than in rumors. I am going to the feast with one hope and desire--that all will be honored equally. I may not have chosen this method, but I respect Cheshire’s decision,” Lea commented meekly.

  “Hun, he does not deserve your loyalty,” Eve stated as she followed after Violet who had finished work and was leaving.

  Leana, Eve, and Violet had become good friends during their time with the Council Nurse Corps. She knew that her friends meant well, but they did not know what Cheshire had planned. Leana knew that Cheshire planned to put an end to Head Nurse Thistle’s lies. The Head Nurse’s recent behavior had left Cheshire with few options. Leana prayed for her superior and hoped that she could change.

  On the evening of Cheshire’s feast, his guests arrived at the Cougar Family den and were greeted by a generous spread of fruits, vegetables, and various nuts. Cheshire stood in front of the den and welcomed his dinner guests as they arrived. Leana and her three nurse friends had been invited to stand with his parents while he directed the other guests to the court-yard behind the den.

  Head Nurse Thistle was among the last to arrive. She glided up to Cheshire with a self confident smile. Thistle had delicate features and would have been pretty if not for her behavior. Tonight all agitation was gone and the soft white bands of fur on her cheeks accentuated her smile.

  “ I would like to thank you for this invitation, Sir Cougar,” Thistle thanked her host.

  “ I could not leave out the cat that helped me see who my true friends are. Please enjoy the feast. The other guests are in the courtyard.” Cheshire replied.

  When the main group was seated, only Cheshire, Head Nurse Thistle, Leana, and the other three nurses were left standing. The space open at the head of the feast was Cheshire’s by right. The only question was who got to sit in the four spaces of honor next to Cheshire and who would sit alone at the far side of the group. Without an invitation, Sharon Thistle plunked down in the highest seat next to the Marquis. Seeing this, Cheshire burst into laughter attracting his guests’ attention.

  “You know what I love about our head nurse? Her eagerness to perform her duties,” He announced. Thistle merely gawked.

  “If you would pick up that scroll, Head Nurse, you can direct our guests of honor to their places,” Chesh informed Thistle, who was still in shock. To her surprise, Thistle found a scroll tucked into the food in front of where she had sat down. Cheshire had known where she would sit and had planned for it. Sharon did not like how Cheshire had tricked her, but she would never show it. Without a word, Thistle stood up and unrolled the scroll.

  “For their brave services during the Battle of Eastern Pass, the Marquis would like to thank the following nurses,” Thistle began and named all four nurses without showing any strain. The part that came next, though, almost made her choke.

  “For her steadfast aid and support, the Marquis wishes to give Leana Longclaw the highest seat of honor,” Thistle forced the words. The other guests cheered wildly. After seating the other three guests of honor, Head Nurse Thistle quietly went to the place that was left and sat down.

  CHAPTER 1

  Cheshire Cougar had been carried home from Eastern Pass nursing quite a few scars and a serious battle wound. He had been bitten by one of Griffin’s lieutenants and had received a drop of the serpent’s venom. The dose he got was not enough to enslave him, but it was strong enough to render him incapable of smelling those that are bound by the Dragon. Cheshire had become what the elders in Evermore called a half-bit.

  It had taken several weeks for the Marquis of Cougars to become well enough to undertake his regular council duties. The council had celebrated Cheshire’s return earnestly. However, a feeling of apprehension quickly crept into the Council Chamber. Cheshire was now suffering from a form of blindness of the nose. He could be easy prey for those who were venom slaves.

  Fearing the unrest that the loss of another council member would create, a secret meeting was planned. Runners were sent to all clans except the Cougars. The runners swore the invited dukes to secrecy and summoned them to the Council Chamber. It was on the way to the Council Chamber that the Duke of Lynxes and the Duke of Shepherds met.

  “I have no taste for this business,” the Duke of Shepherds confessed under his breath as they walked along.

  “Nor do I,” the Duke of Lynxes agreed.

  “Joshua, the Marquis of Cougars is my friend and my ally. I will gladly stand with him and his clan in all that is good. I am telling you this because I respect you as well,” the shepherd explained.

  “I too am a friend of the Cougar Clan,” Joshua replied.

  When all of the invited members were present, the Duke of Foxes began the meeting. Joshua, the Duke of Lynxes, stood at his post. In his position as Council Orator he is required to officiate over the proceedings--an honor of which he was not proud at the moment. He stood silently as the Duke of Foxes made his case as to why the Council had much to fear from the uncertainty of a handicapped council member who had no heir.

  “I am certain we all know about the time before the Cougar Family led their clan. The loss of a council representative without heir could drag us into a war,” the Duke of Foxes explained.

  “What is this? You publicly proclaim the Marquis of Cougars a hero, and then you privately say that he is a liability because he has an injury and no cubs.” the Duke of Shepherds snorted.

  “I have to agree with the Duke of Shepherds. Many other council members have been nose-blinded too. We are the ones who are sneaking around. Frankly I expected better from us,” Joshua added.

  “Here here!” the shepherds agreed in unison.

  “It’s not that we do not trust Cheshire,” the fox began. His sentence was cut short when Michael Shepherd stomped up to him and glared down at him. Michael’s cold gray eyes cut into the fox but could not break his resolve.

  “It’s just that you don’t trust him,” Michael growled down at the fox.

  “My family remembers the reign of William the Brutal,” the Duke of Foxes bristled.

  “As I recall the account, a member of the cougar family saved your ancestor’s life,” Michael rumbled.

  “This is not a battle field!” Joshua railed out at the two canines, coming close to a snarl himself. Having been distracted, the two canines turned their attention to the Orator.

  “William the Brutal was cruel to the Cougar Clan as well. Put your fears to rest, Sir Fox. They will not allow one of his kind to surface again,” Joshua assured.

  “Michael, have you any suggestions? You have known the Marquis of Cougars for a long time,” he asked Michael, who stood next to the fox in the center of the circle. One by one he studied his fellow council members. Michael paced around the circle as if seeking out any whom he might have missed. He then turned and faced Joshua.

  “This Council has no reason to fear the Marquis’ newfound limitation. The fact that not one member of this council knows about what precautions that the Marquis of Cougars has taken is creating this fear. He may have three assistants and a fiancée and yet we would still be here arguing this matter.”

  “What do you suggest that we do?”

  “Ask him what his plans are,” Michael suggested firmly.

  “That’s not the type of thing that you walk up and ask someone, “ Joshua commented with a sour expression.

  “No, it isn’t, but it is what needs to be done,” Michael responded. Then he shocked the whole group by walking to the entrance, pausing, and turning back toward the group.

  “And Cheshire would respect it far more than holding secret meetings behind his back!” Michael added and then stomped out. He would have nothing more to do with this cowering.

  ****

  “A line of succession is all the council wants. If Chesh were to wed that nurse he is so f
ond of, all would be well,” Ray whispered to Maxwell Panther as they filed out of the Council chamber.

  “You are right, my friend. That would restore the peace, but marriage is not to be for political gain,” Max replied in a hushed tone.

  “I know that, but look at them. They obviously care for each other,” Ray protested.

  “That they do, but these things cannot be rushed.”

  CHAPTER 2

  The afternoon was warm and sunny. A gentle breeze caused the leaves to flutter and played with the tufts of fur atop Joshua’s ears. As he walked through the Cougar Village, he returned the greetings of those he met with a smile. Joshua desperately wished his spirit matched the smile he wore while conversing with those around him. The citizens of the village were glad to have the Marquis of Cougars back. They went about their lives oblivious to the council’s worries, a luxury enjoyed by his own clan as well.

  Joshua, Duke of Lynxes, had been Gabriel Cougar’s friend since they had been in Council training together when they were young. Joshua had volunteered to talk with Gabriel about Cheshire because he knew that comments coming from him would be less painful and less controversial. If he could soften the blow dealt by the Council’s lack of confidence in his son, that would make the process of finding a solution to the problem easier.

  Joshua had expected Gabriel to be at his den, so he went there first. When Joshua arrived at the Cougar family’s den, he found out from Gabriel’s wife Elizabeth that he had gone to Trinity Pond for the afternoon. When Joshua finally found Gabriel, he was sunning himself on a bluff which overlooked the pond.

  “Joshua!” Gabriel called to his old friend after standing to greet him.

  “Gabriel, how are you, my friend?” Joshua asked after they were both seated comfortably and enjoying the afternoon breeze.

  “I have no complaints. How are you?” Gabriel replied.

  “Starting to envy your retirement,” Joshua answered, after seeing a way to approach the subject.

  “Is it that rough, or is there something else?” Gabriel asked with a sly feline grin.

  “What are you clawing at?” Joshua asked warily.

  “Is it that you noticed that you are getting grayer if that is possible?” Gabriel zinged his friend with a chuckle.