"It's Stone Hill," the guard responds breathlessly, "all Hell's broken loose." You recognize Stone Hill as a district of Boryg sharing a border with Rodenttown. "Feral preds starting tearing stuff up, eating everything in their path...and now they're coming this way!" At this, the guard runs off to help carry a barricade.<br/><br/><br/><br/>The barmouse emerges from the staricase with his chainmailed entourage and exits the Cellar. In a matter of minutes, the square has gone from a marketplace to a makeshift fortress. As soon as he comes into the lantern light, the rushing miltiamen stop and listen; evidently this bartender is also a leader among mice.<br/><br/>"Friends, allies, the very worst has happened. We are about to face an enemy who has completely abandoned the Pact. Our foe will not be interested in terms of surrender, or rules of engagement; should you fall and no one be near to aid you, you<span style="font-style: italic">will</span>be eaten." Faces across the square darken at this thought.<br/><br/>"Like our ancestors, we will be fighting for our very survival. But in the end, we will drive them off! Boryg will not be lost like Jejuna!" A cheer raises at this, the militiamen rattle their weapons. The leader, who has now began donning his own chainmail armor, gestures for the attention of his former patrons Takal and Sashi.<br/><br/>"Ah, sorry I had to close early on you there. I would love to have you fight beside us, but I understand that this isn't your home. If you're fixing to make a quick exit, the tunnels under the Cellar will take you out of here." turning his head then, he exclaims "Geno!"<br/><br/>Geno immediately recognizes Cecil, the white-furred leader of the mice, having met him on many occasions before. Once again, however, he finds himself on the business end of a friend's crossbow.<br/><br/>"Are you yourself, Geno? Please tell me all this madness hasn't gotten to you too. I know you've got a taste for it, that predatory instinct. I've seen the hunger in your eyes...but are you still one of us? A Pact-loyal citizen?"