Thorn Valley is a paradise. It's a
national reserve, which means that it belongs to nature and it's animals and
not by men. There are trees everywhere you look, and lots of waterfalls,
crystal clear rivers and mountains embracing the Valley, to keep everyone and
everything inside, safe. The world was on the edge of Spring and the sun was
getting stronger and stronger each day. Even though Thorn Valley was filled
with breathtaking scenes, there was someone who didn't enjoy it. Justin was
sitting on a rock far from where the new colony was settled. He was wearing a
brown uniform and a white sling around his left arm. His arm was nearly fully
recovered although it had taken one-and-a-half whole weeks to get the way it
looked now. Justin was extremely lucky for not falling down the rock when he
fainted. He was even more lucky to have a strong rat like Brutus amongst them,
so he could carry Justin to Thorn
Valley. But he didn't
feel lucky at all. He felt humiliated because of his fainting and because of
the fact that another male had to carry him to his new home. What kind of
leader was he? He wasn't even able to lead his people to Thorn Valley,
he needed another, much younger male to finish his job. Men don't faint,
especially not when this particular man was recently chosen to be the most
powerful rat-male of the colony. He knew he couldn't help it. Gabriel, Mr.
Ages' assistant, told Justin that his situation had become critical. He was
suffering from a severe form of blood-poisoning. He knew all that, but he
noticed the fact that the rats of NIMH didn't show the same type of admiration
to him than they did to Nicodemus. He hadn't proven himself enough. He didn't
kill Jenner, Sullivan did, he didn't prevent the Brisby home from sinking, the
Stone did, he couldn't even safe Nicodemus from the attack, Wendy did... and he
was even physically too weak to lead the rats to safety... Brutus did. He sighed
and felt bad, real bad. What was he going to tell Wendy? Wendy... just another
week and he'll be able to hold her again. Perhaps the rats would respect him
more once he was married...if she'd say ‘yes' of course.

 

The Brisby home was surrounded by
beautiful flowers. They were snowdrops, which grew early in spring. Wendy was
sitting outside the house, enjoying the sun. She was doing a lot better in
spite of some headache-attacks and periods of dizziness. She didn't worry too
much about it, she still had a week and a half to recover completely. However
the fact that she loved her stay at the Brisby home, she also longed to go to
her new home...with Justin.

The Brisby children were playing
near the house. Wendy started giving them reading lessons as soon as she was
well enough to get out of bed. Especially Theresa and Timothy were fast
learners. They were also the most motivated children. Cynthia was far too young
to read, although she tried. Martin didn't care about reading. He was far more
interested in playing with the other children in the area. Timothy was the
biggest storyteller she ever met in her entire life. She had enjoyed his
stories when she was still attached to the bed, and she had to admit that she
was bonding a lot with the kid. Theresa was a wise girl, always trying to keep
an eye on the boys and her very small sister. She always tried to keep Timothy
away from Wendy because she was afraid he'd tire her too much with his stories,
but she loved them. She was also very fond of Mrs. Brisby. Mrs. Brisby was a
very intelligent mouse with the courage of a lion. Jonathan certainly left an
independent family behind with interesting personalities in it. Wendy silently
hoped he was able to see his family, from wherever he was...

 

Nicodemus sat down next to Justin.
‘My son, the rats wonder where their leader is.'

‘No, they don't wonder where their
leader is, they wonder where their ‘Loser' is...'

‘Justin, that's not true and you
know it. You might have had a bad start, but you can still...'

‘Prove that I am a good leader
after all? I have no idea how I should prove that. Look at this place! We have
neither enemies nor problems here. ‘ Justin answered sadly.

‘We might not have problems
now...but we will in the future.' Nicodemus said, and he looked intensely old
after saying these words.

‘What do you mean?' Justin said,
with a tense of confusing in his voice.

‘I cannot tell you that, Justin...
you'll have to find out yourself. Time will tell.'

Justin felt pretty uncomfortable
after hearing these words, but he was even more concerned about Nicodemus'
expression. He only looked like that when he sensed something, something really
wrong. Nicodemus had the so-called ‘sixth sense.' Some rats claimed that he got
it ever since he was born, other rats say that it is the Stone which caused it.
Nicodemus touched Justin's shoulder and got up. He started moving in the
direction of the other rats. Justin followed him. He decided to work some more
on Wendy's room. He did as he promised her a while ago, he made sure their
rooms where right next to each other. He figured that she needed time to get
used to the idea that the two of them might share a room one day, so he thought
this was the best solution. He already spend a lot of time in her room. The other
rats were decorating their own rooms and trying to make themselves home in the
new home. For some rats this was a real struggle, for other rats a relieve. The
rats had to get used to the fact that they were living above ground instead of
underground, and for some rats that was hard to except. Fortunately Justin
wasn't the one who made that decision, otherwise he was in a lot more trouble
than he already was.

 

Wendy picked some snowdrops to
decorate the Brisby home a bit when suddenly she felt a shiver. She had one
like this before, the first night she stayed at the Brisby home. She had a
vision of a black rat that night. It was only a shiver this time, she also felt
that she was being watched. She carefully looked around but she didn't see a
living sole around. Her heart started beating faster, she didn't at all feel
comfortable. Was the black rat that she was seeing supposed to be Jenner? Was
she haunted by some sort of ghostly vision or was there a chance that he wasn't
dead at all? They undressed him, so they would have noticed the fact if he was
still alive, wouldn't they? But what about his body? Wendy decided to walk
towards the stone where the fight took place. She didn't find Jenner's corps
there, she also didn't find Sullivan. Perhaps NIMH took their bodies away to
examine it. Perhaps the cat ate them... Perhaps they were both still alive... The
Rosebush was completely destroyed. NIMH had taken the entire thing away and
cleaned it out entirely. It was a tragic sight. The sight would have probably
been worse if the sun didn't shine. But that strong sunshine didn't take the
shivers away. It made them even worse, especially when she moved near the barn.
The feeling of the presents of evil there grew so large that she had to leave
the place, back to the safety of the Brisby home.

 

Justin looked around in Wendy's
room-to-be. It was nearly finished, he only needed to unpack the back Nanny
packed on Wendy's behalf. He opened her bag and picked out one of her dresses.
This was a nice dress which she didn't wear while taking the minutes... well,
there will be a lot less minute taking around because Justin wanted to get rid
of the Council. He didn't want another ‘new' Jenner-figure to stand up.
Meeting...okay, Council... no way. Of course a meeting would require a minute-taker
as well, but Justin would risk a few more bloody scratches if he gave that job
to Wendy again. No, he decided to give that job to Isabella. That way she'll
learn to become more responsible. He had other plans for Wendy; he wanted her
to become HIS Personal Assistant. He sure as hell needed one....

He opened a closet in Wendy's room
and put the dress in it. He did the same with some other pieces of clothes and
then he found a small book. He examined. He never saw this book before. He
opened it but closed it almost immediately: it was her diary.

He knew he couldn't read it, even
taking a peek in it would be a violation of her trust. But he failed in
resisting it.

He chose a page and his eye
immediately fell on his own name. He turned the page and there he saw his name
again. He skipped a few pages and there was his name again! Happy confusion
rushed through his head and body. He decided to read a bit. It was a page
written about their trip to London.

 

'I
never thought Mrs. Jones was going to tell me who my parents were. Justin,
however, told Mrs. Jones that we couldn't get married if I didn't know my
family-name. Can you believe it!? Married! If that were only true... would he
have said it because... no, probably not. I'm seeing things I want to see...'

 

He didn't even know she kept a
diary at all. His heart filled with love. ‘Oh no, Wendy, you don't see things
you only want to see...I would be honored to be your husband.'

Justin closed the diary and put it
in a drawer. A few women passed her door. They paused in front of her door for
a moment and had a conversation about Justin. Justin couldn't help overhearing
it. ‘Thorn Valley is definitely an improvement, but the new leader definitely
isn't.'

‘Oh, we should give the boy a
chance, he just has to get used to it.'

‘Well, I still think Nicodemus
ought to pick an older man.'

Then they moved away from the door
and left a confused, very young rat behind. This was all he could handle, he
was going to pick Wendy up, and was going to get her NOW!

 

He needed her, more than he ever
needed anyone in his life before. There was something about Wendy which
comforted him. She was a strong woman, young herself, but strong. He went up to
Nicodemus' room, to tell him that he was going to pick up Wendy. Nicodemus was
sitting in an old chair, similar to the one that was back in the Rosebush.

‘But it's been shorter than two
weeks, my son. Perhaps she's not well enough.' Nicodemus said.

‘I know that, but I have to take
the risk. If she's not well enough, I'll stay at the Brisby home until she is.'
Justin answered.

‘My son, why do you need to go
now?' Nicodemus asked, but the question didn't need to be answered; he already
knew the answer. He knew Justin wasn't accepted by the rats of NIMH and that he
missed Wendy like crazy. When Justin confirmed what Nicodemus had thought, he
didn't hesitate. ‘Justin, my son, if you feel you need some time away from the
colony, that you should. Things won't get better when you come back here, but I
won't think about changing my mind, Justin. I've chosen you to be the leader of
the rats of NIMH, above other male rats who are much older and larger and
stronger than you are. I did that with a purpose. You'll prove that you are the
best leader the rats ever had and will ever have, but that takes time. Don't look
for danger, the danger will come to find you, and if it does, you'll be
prepared for it, and you'll succeed, together with that very special lady of
yours.'

‘Wendy? Will she be playing a part
in this... future thing?' Justin asked, hiding his very uncomfortable feeling.

‘Yes, Wendy will play a very
important part in it... the leading part I fear...'

‘The leading part? Of what?! Is
she in danger? Nicodemus, I HAVE to know!'

‘I'm sorry Justin, I cannot say
more... I don't know more...but for now, go...go and find your Wendy. She'll be very
pleased to see you.' Nicodemus closed his eyes, which inclined that the
conversation was over. Justin walked out of the room. His head was hurting
because of the odd conversation he had with Nicodemus. What kind of danger was
he talking about? When will this danger arrive to destroy everything? But he
didn't want to think about that right now, all he thought about was packing his
back to leave for the love of his life.

 

He ran upstairs to pack some
clothes. Then Philip knocked on Justin's door. ‘Sir, the rats ask you to... why
are you packing?'

‘I'm off to get Wendy.' Justin
answered without looking up to Philip.

‘But, you are the leader, you
cannot just leave like that. The rats need you!' Philip asked, and Justin
stopped packing and looked at him.

‘Philip! The rats don't need me!
Come on! They don't accept me to be their leader! You could take over all the
duties I'm having without any effort! I'm sick and tired of being the leader!'

‘Justin! Calm down. I..I think
you're a bit stressed because of all the things that have happened to you the
last few weeks. And you know, the rats are stressed too. They need some time,
and so do you...'

‘Maybe that's it, maybe it's not.
But the last thing they need right now is a depressed Leader. I've already
asked Nicodemus for permission. I would like to ask you to take over my duties
while I'm gone. You've done so before and you've done great.'

‘Yes, but... you were the Captain of
the Guard back then... you are the First Rat now... I don't know if....'

‘Yes, yes you can. I want you, and
no-one but you to take my duties. Can you inform the rats of my decision? I'll
try to be back as soon as possible.'

As night fell, Wendy twisted and
turned in a restless sleep. She was outside, outside near the big stone in the
farmers' garden. It was a rainy evening, with lighting and thunder on some
occasion. She could clearly feel the rain on her fur, she saw the lighting and
she heard the thunder, but she knew she was sleeping, she knew she wasn't at
the stone... or was she? A pinch of panic rushed through her body.  She looked around in the dark, trying
desperately to get used to the dark. Why was she here? Why this place?
Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a sound somewhere to the left of the
stone. Although she didn't wanted to find out what it was, she had to. There
was this certain desire to take a look.

She slowly moved closer and closer
to the spot where the sound came from.

Did she see a movement? Did she
hear breathing? And what was that sound? A moan?

She moved closer to where the
moaning sound came from. At that moment the lightning lit the sky clearly, only
for a second, but that second made Wendy gasp in terror; it was Jenner! He
stood up from the dead! She turned around to make a dash towards the safety of
the Brisby Home, but her foot got caught in a branch and she fell. Her right
ankle got scratched but she didn't have time to worry about that. She pulled
herself free and started running...