Encounter At Songmark

Songmark & Songmark Characters Copyright Mr. Simon Barber.

Used with permission

The Rotes Second Year

Both Songmark gate guards watched in amused interest as a tall, black and white clad hound approached their position. Sister Roberts, Mother Superior of the tiny Casino Island nunnery was making a beeline towards the open gate. Tatiana Bryzov-Wei quietly looked over to her classmate Brigit Mulvaney as the hound came close enough to be certain that she that had no intention of stopping. “By all means” the Erie born girl allowed, her green eyes flashing with something that wasn’t amusement, knowing exactly what her Russian classmate was about to do.

Sister Roberts barely had time to stop as Songmarks gate crashed shut in front of her, but a slightly loose wire attached to its solid wood structure had no problem reaching out, slapping her nose like a mother addressing an errant child, exactly as though a woman’s paw had done so the dark furred hound would realize later that evening. Exactly. “Be careful child” she admonished Tatiana, “You could have injured me with that gate.”

“Pravda. Had wanted injury to you” Tatiana answered. “Would have let Brigit slam in face.”

“I see.” She brushed herself of the roads dust for a moment before continuing. “Will you please now open this gate that I may enter? I have serious business with your instructors, very serious Church business.” She then pulled her black linen skirt straight, making certain that her solid gold crucifix was quite visible to the two young women.

“‘Es ah tryin tah impress us” Brigit announced. “Now Sister, what be yer reasin tah see one of us? Tah be sure none ah know attend tha place you claim tah be ah house o’ God.”

“It is none of your business insolent child” Sister Roberts answered sharply. “I must speak to your instructors about a servant of God, one imprisoned here against her will.”

Brigit looked at Tatiana and grinned, “Devinski” they both said at the same time. When it came to matters of Religion it was best to call in the hound both had discovered. Certainly in the least as she was best of friends with Tatiana’s adopted mother. Whatever she was, the hound had unshakable support by the High Priestess and every Priestess they ever met. “Even Odd” Brigit asked.

“Even” Tatiana decided.

As the angry Nun watched, both girls placed a paw behind their back then chanted something in Erie. When their paws returned to easy sight Brigit had two fingers up, Tatiana four. “Ah tis ah fool ye make of me dear Tatiana. Away I am then to bring her greatness.” Turning towards the nun Brigit gave her a warm smile. “Tis worthless tah try ahn impress mah dear fren this sable” she warned, “For er mother is ah native Priestess.” She then trotted slowly away towards the administration buildings, completely ignoring the fact that there was a direct phone line to the offices in Songmarks tiny gate-shack.

Reaching towards the gate as if to open it Sister Roberts found herself abruptly staring directly into Tatiana’s eyes through the gates peep-door. “Please to do” the Russian almost begged in an soft, icy cold voice. “I will then to break every bone in arm, from clawtip to shoulder. Mother not be to angry I think. You not permitted on grounds without special dispensation by Allthing decree.“ She smiled then, though the smile was not a friendly one as it showed many bright teeth. Teeth only Tatiana’s wife had ever enjoyed the touch of. “Please to tell about late night inspections of once innocent girls” the Russian continued in a soft, ice dry voice. “Of daily paw search girls under clothing, my wife much likes hear such things. It excites her.”

Stepping back from the abruptly dangerous creature Sister Roberts reached up to clasp her crucifix. “It is true as I have warned this place is a harbinger of foul evil. It must be cleansed.”

“Like mother at Sacred Island” Tatiana asked calmly, amused at the look of fear that came to the hounds face. She was aware that this woman and her adopted mother had faced off once already, and the self centered nun had come off a very poor second.

“Your mother she is the mouse? The sla.. Oriental mouse who did that?” the nun asked as she quickly recovered.

“Pravda, without effort. I watch, learn. Mother say I make good Priestess when done Songmark” Tatiana answered, to be further amused as the hound took several more quick steps back and began praying rapidly in a low voice. Slipping the lock closed then locked its padlock with a snap of metal against metal she turned away, leaving the peep hole door open when she returned to her post. Unless the hound was stupid enough to try and climb the gate she couldn’t get in now. She was still praying, though not as strongly when Brigit returned with Miss Devinski The older hound seemed a bit more peeved than expected Tatiana noticed.

“She did not enter” the Songmark instructor asked.

“Is still alive” Tatiana reported. “No Miss Devinski she did not enter. Try, fail most badly.”

“Two points then to your dorm” the hound announced as she slipped the lock and stepped out, closing the gate behind her. Silently Brigit slipped the lock closed again, listening to it latch tightly closed under her paws. How, both girls were wondering, did their instructor unlock that massive padlock without a key. However any conversation they expecting to hear did not occur as Miss Devinski simply pointed down the road and started walking.

The two would not stop walking until they reached a place still visible to Songmark’s gates, yet still far enough from any passerby not to be easily overheard. Sister Roberts made her demand instantly. “You must release her to me, she was chosen by God himself thus I must guide her. It must be why I was sent here, thus she is my responsibility not that defrocked nun on Main Island.” Sister Roberts paused, considering her next words carefully. “She has no time for your education dear Lady” she finished, tasting revolt at having to be pleasant to any lesser woman, especially one like this hound. But Devinski’s power base on this island was too great to insult without serious reprisal. For now. Soon though, when the Church took power upon this backwards island as it had on so many others. Then this hound and all like her would face the question at Sister Roberts non-too gentle paws. As had many others.

Miss Devinski had noted the flicker of her opponents eyes. A flicker that meant many thoughts were going through her mind. Not for the first time in her life did she wish that reading others thoughts was possible still a response was required. “Rule her” the hound snapped. “She is a second year, she chose to come back to Songmark herself, she BEGGED to return. If she had wanted your nunnery then she would have gone there.” Leaning forward just enough to be noticeable Devinski nearly growled her next words. “And I, nun, am no lady.”

Sister Roberts stepped closer to the yellow furred hound facing her, her attempt at intimidating Miss Devinski failing miserably as Devinski both stood taller than Sister Roberts and failed to even flinch at her presence. Nor did she withdraw a single hair of her private space. Roberts then found himself looking up into her eyes instead of the other way around as he was used too. “This is a matter of God woman, not mortals. She was chosen by God to be His Warrior therefore she must be trained by those best in position to teach her.”

“Heel dog” Miss Devinski snapped, her barked words actually causing the hound facing her to take a step back. “What would you teach her she does not already know, her Bible? I have listened as she quoted page by page from memory. How to treat others? That girl is better with people that most three times her age. How to fight? To stand upon her own feet against those who would rule her? Just what kind of school do you think Songmark is?”

“It is a place not for innocent young girls to be” the nun answered with acid in her voice. “It is a place of slavery, of debauchery, of turning innocent young women into the toys of other women. I will have her with your aid or against it.”

To Sister Roberts surprise Miss Devinski laughed, then turned around to walk back towards the gate. “If you want to declare war upon Songmark please ask your nuns to try not to bleed too much as they die. It is hard to get blood out of ones clothing all. You will wait at the visitors bench, I will send her to talk with you alone. But not unprotected.”

“She will come with me” the hound snapped.

“She will turn you into her pet” Miss Devinski laughed back. “Then sell you to Kuo Han for a farthing.” She was still laughing as Brigit opened the gate for her. “Bring Katrina Schmidt” she ordered the Erie girl. “Allow them to speak but be prepared to aid her should she need you, both of you.” Abruptly a dark shadow seemed to cross the hounds face. “She is physically unready, she will need you this time. Do not fail her, she is a fellow student and do not allow her to be harmed. That is an order.” Her voice echoed that shadow, hollow in its sound all with no emotion within it. “There are no points involved here as long as she returns to us of her own free will. No loss, no gain.” Then she giggled, a giggle that sent cold chills of fear down both girls spines. “No matter what you find yourself required to do in her protection there will be no... Rules.” Then she walked back to her class, that shadow seeming to stay behind her.

“Never see so angry” Tatiana whispered to herself as she prepared to defend the gate. Softly she repeated a chant her adopted mother had taught her from her home country. It was not for protection, but for calmness. Tatiana was certain that should any harm come to herself that her adopted mother would avenge her, she just wasn’t ready to face what Miss Devinski could easily throw at her. Maybe in fifty years the Russian thought, no, sixty. She stood waiting until Brigit returned with the rabbit. Maybe seventy.

“Is her to speak with” Tatiana explained, pointing to the hound standing by Songmark’s bench. “We backup are if need, we come no need to ask. This orders from Devinski.”

“I understand” Katrina answered “I am completely out of shape, physically” she warned. She was a second year, by less than a week yes but a second year. Spending her summer studying things not related to Songmark had allowed her muscles to weaken, but had done nothing to her skills. Still skills were useless without strength she knew. Walking out of the gate she began to approach Sister Roberts, this was a test this she was aware of. Everything her tutors did or required of their students was a test. ‘I must stand up to this woman and refuse her’ she told herself as the nun started walking towards her. “Tha’ is close enough” she ordered, though her knees felt weak and her tail would have dropped had it not been for her uniform‘s cut. “What need have you” she then asked, forcing her voice to remain polite. Alexia had warned her that this day would come and come again.

Ignoring Katrina’s order Sister Roberts walked up to the rabbit, stopping within paws reach of the silent southerner. “You will come with me now, away from this den of madness” she ordered, reaching out for Katrina’s paw. “I will teach you what you need to know.”

Katrina reacted without thinking, capturing and twisting that paw until the nun was forced to turn her back to the rabbit. Then Katrina pushed, watching with some pride as the hound staggered away two steps. Only two though, at the end of her first year she would have taken six. That realization frightened the rabbit, that she had allowed herself to become so weak physically. “You have nothing to teach that ah need to learn” she retorted, standing her ground. Behind her the gate opened as Tatiana and Brigit readied themselves. They knew that Katrina’s move had been correct, but that there had been no real force behind it.

Spinning around Sister Roberts glared at the young rabbit in front of her. “You were chosen by God to be his Warrior. I must train you that you will know who is your enemy.”

“Not who is my friend” Katerina asked, cocking her head to the right as if to see better. “That seems such ah strange way tah train some one. Ah belong to Mary, nah God. So it was decided.”

“Young lady” the hound snapped. “As the Holy Abbas direct representative on these islands I am ordering you to come with me. You have serious training that only the Mother Church can give you, certainly that defrocked nun cannot train you as well as I can.” She stepped forward again, her paw snapping out to slap her so fast that Katrina was unable to dodge it. “You belong to God not that base woman who’s only purpose was to bear the Holy Son. You will come now or I will most certainly drag you back with me, I will not be denied in this.”

Katrina’s knee snapped up, to encounter something hard. Before she could do more than begin to twist away the hound had struck her on the side of her head again, this time stunning her. Intending to throw the now senseless girl over her shoulder Sister Roberts found herself abruptly spinning into the ground. When she regained her senses she found himself facing two very angry third years.

“Ah, Sister, that would be ah no” Brigit explained gently. “Nah you just move away ahn we won hafta hurt you.“

Completely unused to having young women stand up to her the hound growled, then swung at the Erie girl. Her closed paw touched nothing, but the snap of shattered bone was very loud in this small area. Staggering back Sister Roberts looked down at her broken forearm, then up at the three young women in front of her. Only Katrina looked unsettled, yet that changed even as she watched.

“Sister Roberts” Tatiana announced, her voice a darkness the nun had not heard from a woman since she was seven. “You now blood enemy Songmark.” Stepping close the ermine gave that tooth filled smile again. “You wish fight paw to paw?” she asked softly, then held up her right paw. As Sister Roberts watched the fur on that paw snapped out, as if electrified, then a blue flame appeared, burning without harming a single hair on Tatiana’s body. “Or flame?” she asked.

Taking a deep breath Sister Roberts regained control of the pain. With a show of her own strength she pulled her broken arm with her good one, a soft crackling reporting the broken bone coming together. “You are not your mother” she answered, standing straight.

“Pravda” Tatiana agreed. “Mother not able kill, never cheat.” That flame built, now obvious to all four even in the bright sunlight. “Choose. Paw, flame.

Looking at what faced her the nun made her decision. “Neither today child.” Facing Katrina she stared at her, judging the rabbit as if she were one of her nuns. “You are not ready, when battle comes you will fall because you refused my offer. And you pitiful child of Erie” she continued, turning her gaze to Bridget. “The sisters await your return, there are many cloths to wash and your new name has been chosen.” She gave her own tooth filled smile to the red furred hound, enjoying the fear that touched those eyes. “You are to be called Joy and many will be the years you may reflect upon your loss of innocence.” Brushing her skirt with her one good paw the hound shrugged. “I wash my paws of you, all of you.” Turning her back on the three Sister Roberts returned the way that she had come. Without the prize she had so hungered for, at least for now.

“Brigit” Tatiana called, still standing where she had faced down the hound.

Walking to her dorm-mate, though with more than a little trepidation, the Irish setter stopped next to the sable. Her eyes were locked on that flame. “Tatiana?”

“Will to catch please” Tatiana asked. Then that flame went out and Tatiana Bryzov-Wei collapsed unconscious into the hounds arms.

Tatiana work to find herself in Mrs. Oelabe’s domain, and with a very sharp headache. About her were the trappings of Songmarks well stocked medical establishment. She herself was lying in one of the schools two so very soft beds. It was strange to be at Songmark, feeling fresh starched sheets on a soft bed with her nose filled by the scents of a hospital. For though Mrs. Oelabe was only a nurse it had been rumored that before joining Songmark that she had for years acted as doctor on one of the smaller islands near Spontoon. Beside her sat a mouse well known to her.

“Daughter” Oharu said softly.

“Mother” the sable answered. “Make mistake dah?”

“Hei. You are not ready yet, call up so much.” Oharu agreed. “No equal to black heart hound, that my destiny I think. To put in place, it will be entertaining I think.” She leaned over, kissing Tatiana lightly on her forehead. “If want do such things I teach, but must agree to be Prestress. Dah?”

Tatiana fought the headache, clarifying her thoughts. “I am to be new Anastasia” she explained softly. “Is my destiny. Not that of Priestess.”

Softly the mouse laid her cheek against the younger woman’s cheek. She held that position for some time, simply breathing with her adopted daughter. Finally the mouse moved away, reaching out to run her fingers through the sables hair. “Romanov, I think maybe you will do well that position daughter. If you take Millicent with you and she will be your anchor. All need anchor or face madness of a kind.”

Tatiana closed her eyes, giving in to the pleasure of Oharu’s fingers slipping through her hair. Abruptly she gave release to a very short burst of laughter, ignoring the pain that action brought. “Even you, mother why is destiny so hard?”

Still combing Tatiana’s hair with her fingers Oharu remained silent for a little longer, eventually taking a deep breath. “Is Destiny’s destiny to be hard” she explained. “No one understand ways of the Gods. When you know, I bow to you.”

“Then I never know” Tatiana decided. “I never want my mother bow to me, either my mothers.” She decided to change the subject. “I am still Songmark student?”

“Miss Devinski say you show great promise so not take points from dorm. It is Songmark girls purpose to stand against evil even to death. Is part of why they teach even you daughter. You do so well.” Then she giggled softly. “Katrina much impressed by you. Say her teacher be happy she has such guardian.”

“Lilith.”

“Lady of the Air. Yes” Oharu agreed. “Katrina tell me much about her. Say she is Satan’s sister. Is paying great punishment for all crimes. I must meet her”

“Hei” Tatiana agreed, amusing Oharu by using her adopted mothers native language. “And I, so now what mother?”

“You sleep. Return to duty when wake. Miss Devinski say you earn this rest. But if do again, one hundred laps of compound in daytime. In full pack. Without clothing.”

Tatiana snickered, tried to rise only to find that the world was not quite ready to accept her return. With a sigh she laid back down. “Millicent pay much to watch such. Catherine has strange sense of humor” she admitted. “I promise I rest.”

“Yes.” Lifting her fingers from Tatiana’s hair Oharu stood. “And not to call her Catherine again until earn right. Agree?”

“Hei. Akuseputo kochi.”

Oharu laughed again as she walked to the door. Laying a paw on the latch she looked down at her exhausted daughter. “Words almost right” she said in amusement. “Accent terrible. Now sleep.” Opening the door she left Tatiana on her bed, the young Russian already slipping back into sleep.

Outside Mrs Oelabe and Miss Devinski sat waiting. Only after the door had closed did either speak. “Honored Mother she awoke?” the nurse asked.

“Coherent yes. Much pain, she did what was not ready for. Draw too much into herself” Oharu reported. “She will survive.”

“Only after you gave her how much energy” Miss Devinski asked.

Oharu looked towards the watching nurse. “Must speak alone, please?”

“Of course Honored Mother” the feline agreed. She stood without comment, walking into the room were Tatiana lay sleeping.

As the door closed Oharu settled down on a stainless steel stool Mrs. Oelabe often used for special examinations. “Only enough wake up easily no more. She is a strong girl Catherine. If she would, she could be powerful priestess. Not as powerful as you, I. But strong. Strong as Amelia. Helen.”

“Mrs. Oelabe already knows this truth” the hound told Oharu. “Of course you know that. Then why ask her to leave.”

“When Priestess’s talk of certain things. Best it not be heard by those not trained. Catherine. I have found opening into ancient temple at Great Stone Glen.”

Devinski’s mouth opened, closed. “You have spoken with the Great Mother?”

“Twice now yes. Would have gone in today but daughter have need. I ask, you wish to come?”

Devinski’s grin could have lit worlds alight. “Such an invitation? Yes.”

Oharu stood, brushing her lavalava straight. “I wait at gate. You are good friend Catherine. Thank you.”

In her dorm room Katrina Schmidt watched out the window as Miss Devinski and the mouse Oharu left. Going she knew not where, still feeling within her that she much wished to go with them.

“Notready” a well known voice whispered from behind her.

Without turning Katrina knew who was behind her. Memory told her she had once been hopelessly in love with the shrew. Now. Now she felt nothing. Not even friendship though she had been promised that emotion would return. “So you read minds?” she asked.

“Surh. Alltime.” A sharp crack filled the small room as shrew paw met more than adequate rabbit buttock, causing Katrina to release a tiny squeal of surprise. “Noonereadminds” Alpha Rote continued. “Notevenpossiblemadscientist.” She stepped beside Katrina, looking out the window. “Iwantgotoo” she admitted. “Youpriestessyes? Youteachmemore?”

Taking her eyes off the two figures Katrina turned to face Alpha, finding that the smaller shrew was already looking at her. “In ah word, no” she answered. “You gave ah promise.”

Alpha shuddered in reaction to those words. “Yesdid. Forgot” she admitted. “Mustremember. NancynothappyIbethrownout.” Alpha took a deep breath. “Made other promise too.”

Reaching out with one paw Katrina gently placed a single finger on the shrews lips. “And you will at least ahtempt tah speak in single words?”

Alpha shrugged, her tongue abruptly whipping out to surround that finger for a moment, then was gone before the rabbit could snatch her paw back. “I... try” Alpha agreed. “Hurthead. Do tomuch.” Then she reached out, poking Katrina’s stomach with a finger of her own paw. “You softnow. Maybe have. Forsnack.”

Gently pushing that paw away Katrina shook her head no. “Last year darhlin, I probably would have agreed in a second. That time is past now, to my regret, I truly feel nothing for you noh. We best sleep. Tomorrow will be ah hard day.”

“Foryou” Alpha agreed as she turned to her own bed. “Marshmallow girl, but Ihavethat snack. I make promise.” ‘And I will feast long upon your sweet body’ the shrew/mink finished in her mind. As she already knew, sex and love though intertwined, they were not the same emotion. It would take an effort, but she would have that delicious rabbit for her own. She had made a promise and more importantly, she owed the rabbit a massive debt, a debt that Katrina had placed payment upon long ago and Alpha Rote never failed to make payment, in full.