Squirrel Patrol: Thousand-Yard Stare

What Part of 'Nuthin' Do You Not Understand?

Corporal Berries could see that the crow was hurting. The large bird's claws were bent incorrectly, and bloodyThat was about all Berries could see through his mostly swollen right eye. His left eye, or more accurately the eye socket, was sewn shut. On the first day, one of his interrogators got too excited and pecked him off target. An unbelievable pain shot through him. He passed out apparently, because when he woke up, he found himself on the dirty floor of a windowless cell with a partially shaved head and his eyelid sewn up.

That was a few days ago. Or was it longer? He didn't know and wasn't sure he cared anymore. Berries thought he could judge the time at first. The avians had their routine with him: cell, escort guards, torture, repeat. It was when they brought him to 'the room', he could see daylight through a window. That schedule worked for the first couple of days. Then they started mixing it up, or at least Berries thought so. It was difficult to focus his thoughts. Probably got brain damage from the peckings. He giggled aloud, the idea of dying from a pecked brain was somehow amusing to him.

On hearing the noise, the bloodied crow waddled back, cawing in anger, readying to strike Berries again. Before he could complete the attack, a warning caw sounded from the doorway of the room. Major Orn entered, repeating the warning a second time.

"Sergeant! Enough! The rodent is not your personal play toy!"

The crow stepped back from the attack, assuming a deferential position. Even though he was the larger bird, he knew what a gyrfalcon was capable of, when antagonized.

"Major! I have to report no change with the prisoner. The rodent is exceptionally stubborn."

Orn moved closer to look at Berries' condition, then looked at the crow's feet and beak. "Were you able to remember to ask it questions?", he said accusingly.

The sergeant began to reply, but Orn waived him off. "We will just work with the information from the other one, then." He shifted around the squirrel, looking for a reaction, but Berries was barely conscious. "Ah, well.", he said as he made to leave. "Have that mouse nurse fix him up before you cage him. We may still find a use for him that doesn't involve information."

....

He smelled smoke, porridge, and herbs. His first thought was a remembrance of the past; smells of smoke, herbs, his siblings, but never of porridge. He hoped that the birds hadn't added him to their morning meal. That would be a suck start to his day. Berries started to roll over, but the pain that shot through him only brought out a loud moan. Falling back, he realized he was in a bed this time, and not on the cold concrete floor. Good, he thought, before considering he might be one of the side dishes. Chancing a peek, he managed to open his eye a small amount. Though blurry, he saw the face of a cute white mouse against a backdrop of grayish white.

He closed his eye again. "I actually made it into Heaven.", he mumbled to no one in particular. He tried to take a deep breath, which only brought a spasm from his ribs forcing another grimace.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you corporal, but we're a long way from Heaven's graces.", the diminutive mouse replied. "You're still a 'guest' of the Great Major Orn. Along with about a hundred or so others. The majority of us are civilians."

She dabbed a rag on his side for a moment which came off slightly bloody. "Well, you've managed to come through this round a little better than before." Folding the rag into a small square she pressed it back onto the wound and moved his arm to hold it in place. "Try not to move this. The bleeding will probably stop shortly. Direct pressure and all that."

Berries did as instructed when the mouse started to stick a reed in his mouth. He fidgeted for a moment, his pains forcing him accept the object.

"It's just some broth, soldier.", the mouse said. "Take it slowly. You're not going anywhere, and neither am I."

He took a short sip, not knowing what to expect. It tasted of salt, herbs, and maybe some boiled nuts and was pure nectar to his stomach. After taking a longer sip of the broth, he nudged the reed aside with his chin. "Thank you, for the soup and everything.", he wriggled the arm wrapped in the makeshift bandage, "I don't recall booking an all expenses paid torture trip, but could you maybe explain where is here?" Tilting over, he took another pull at the reed.

She kept the reed near his mouth, having to lean in a little closer to him. He could pick up her scent, a mix of fear, tiredness, and confidence. It was enough to make him want to get up and protect her, regardless of his present condition. Instead, he politely carried on drinking, waiting for a response.

"Well, you're certainly getting the royal treatment.", she replied. "As I said, you're here at Major Orn's 'palace'." On the word palace, she smirked and gestured at the bare room with her head. "This is one of the luxury suites, of course. The majority of us are kept in a larger room, a really large one that has 'old ones' stuff in it. Smells terrible. Some of us get the 'privilege' of working for the birds here in the buildings, but the rest are taken out for daily food scavenging." She paused for a moment, looking at the floor. "Some days, new captives arrive, replacing the older, sicker ones that can't collect enough food."

"And the ones that die off?", Berries asked apologetically.

"The ones that die here, we have half a chance to give them a decent burial. The avians don't like that. Those that pass away in the fields, they're free pickings for the fowl that can grab them." She closed her eyes and shook her head sadly.

Berries felt bad pushing her for the info, but he needed to know what he had gotten himself into. He also realized he didn't even know his caretaker's name.

Hey lay back down and looked at her warmly.

"Here I am, giving you the third degree, and I don't even know your name. I'm Corporal Berries, 3rd Infantry."

"Pleased to meet you, Corporal Berries.", she said while reaching out and grabbing his hand gently. "I'm Flower Petal, nurse - or doctor - in training, whichever title makes you more comfortable. Actually, my given name is 'Sunflower', but it's just easier and less formal. Have you got a first name?"

He got a little uncomfortable with the question, which Flower could see. "Well, we don't go by first names too much in the infantry.", he said, hoping she'd let it drop.

"Come on, Corporal." She then said, coyly, "I told you mine, it's only fair for you to tell me yours."

"Promise not to laugh?", he said cautiously. She gave him a smiling nod, not knowing what could be so terrible for a name.

"Blue."

She knew better than to laugh or giggle, in fact, she didn't think it a bad name at all. She replied, "Well, at least we make a colorful pair."

They both grinned at that, when they heard noises in the hall outside the cell. The door opened quickly, a beefy crow entered first, followed by an adult robin. One crow remained in the corridor. The robin addressed Nurse Petal.

"Phew weel coom kake ka ur uph aer wen, nowph, pweeeze."

As best the two mammals could decipher, the dinky, little bird had said 'you will come take care of airmen.' At least he did say please.

Flower let go of Berries' hand and got up from the chair. "No rest for the imprisoned, is there?", she said sarcastically.

He watched her leave the cell without replying. As the door closed, he thought about what was worse, getting mangled by these turds, or getting broken enough to do their bidding. Closing his eye, he put the thoughts away, focusing only on resting and hopefully healing.