The Past for an Eternity

Ripred's Past

Ripred slowly moved his snout closer to the fruit before him; its colour so golden, that it looked as if it was a source of light within the darkness that surrounded it. Its sweet aroma travelled up his nostrils, enlightening his senses and making him drool. He poked at the apple with his snout. The tree was only a foot taller than him; he was approximately two feet.

The pup looked around. He stood amongst the grove of apple trees. The trees were about three feet tall. The grove was protected on one side by a stone wall that the humans called a 'dyke.' They had built it to stop the grove from flooding by the river. There were sluice gates along the dyke that could be opened and shut to provide water.

As Ripred was about to lock his pup-sized jaws on the golden apple, he was suddenly pushed by another pup, and both of them rolled in a fight, away from the apple that Ripred had almost claimed.

"Razor!" Whined Ripred. "That was my apple!" Ripred pushed the other pup off him.

Razor frowned, "But I saw it first! You outran me!" Even though Razor was on his hind legs, he was a little smaller than Ripred.

They circled for some time until Ripred pounced on Razor, knocking him off his paws.

Ripred pinned Razor down with a paw, "Ha, the apple is mine!" With that, he dashed for the golden apple that awaited him.

It wasn't long before he was knocked off his feet, and was once again, fighting with Razor. It wasn't the type of fighting where one of them could get hurt; just play-fighting. They leapt at each other, trying to pin each other to the ground while the other made a run for the apple.

"Ripred?!" Boomed a voice from next to them. Ripred flinched and let Razor go. "How many times do I have to tell you?" Sighed his father. "Don't fight over the apples. There is plenty for all." Ripred's father gestured to the rest of the garden. "We are honoured with the presence of these luscious fruits."

Ripred looked up, "Yes father."

His father looked pleased, "Now that's my good boy." Ripred's father went off.

Ripred and Razor eyed each other.

"Let's get the apples and go," smirked Ripred. Razor grinned in response. They each locked their jaws on an apple and dashed for the southern caves.

No rat went into the southern caves since they believed that the troublemakers nested there. It was partly true; it was considered 'Gorger's territory.' A silly thing that the pups believed in. A place that they avoided. But Ripred knew his father wasn't keen on letting him stroll there. Gorger meant trouble.

As they arrived at the caves, Ripred looked back at the garden of golden apple trees.

"What? You're scared?" Teased Razor.

Ripred grinned, "No."

They scurried down the familiar tunnels and it wasn't long before they had reached their destination. They stood at the mouth of a large tunnel; they knew that it had a dead-end. Ripred rushed in, followed by Razor. They approached the old rat and dropped the apples in front of them.

Ripred spoke up, "We're back, Sagewit."

The old rat was hunched in the corner, lying on his nest. His fur was almost completely light-grey. His beady eyes looked between the pups which stood before him. "What have you got there, pups?" He sniffed at the golden apples that the pups had put before him. "Apples? What do you want in return? You know I'm too old to get these myself." He was right. The old rat had a broken hind leg, which wasn't useful anymore. He usually sulked in the tunnels, finding food wherever he could. Or sometimes he would stay at his nest, and Ripred and Razor would bring him an occasional fish from the river or a golden apple.