Up in the trees....[Green Isle Plot!]

[Prankster101]

Danju Tobias Wildlough hummed cheerily as he treewiffled briskly through the foliage of Mossflower. He couldn't stop thinking about seeing his mum again!!! Silenis and Renny promised to take him, and he had the pretty little knife! The wind brushing through his fur, the rough feel of the bark beneath his paws. He didn't even feel any pain from the injuries he had received before, everything was just so happy!

The warm summer sun was gently beginning to rise as the sky began to flush with vibrant colors. Renaud Wildroar loved looking at the pretty colors. Birds chirped out their beautiful songs. Bees buzzed and droned about the pretty flowers still covered in dew. And there was Danju who was straying away through the trees.

Renny rolled his eyes and called out to him. "Danju mate! Dan't wander off ta far naw!!" Danju stopped for a moment, but continued to leap around. Renny sighed, and continued to walk along. The bandage on his leg gave him a small limp, but it wasn't horrible, and plus, his ribs really didn't want him running just yet, after he broke them and fixed them with in an hour.

Renny also wanted to keep a steady pace with Silenis. He wanted to make sure she was ready to travel like they were going to have to, and she seemed really upset last night, so he just wanted to make sure she was alright.

The group had left the little cave early that morning after the storm had finished it's course. It was almost impossible to calm Danju down after he woke up. Renny was able to make him eat a small breakfast, but then he was bouncing off the walls again. Now out in the forest, Danju had some more bouncing room, but Renny was sure Danju was going to get into trouble again....

Right paw grip, launch. Left paw grip, swing. Rudder wrap, right, left. Danju felt so comfortable up in the trees, swishing back and forth. The only reason he was even able to swing through the trees like he could was the recuperation time with the squirrel family. He liked them very much, and treewiffling felt like he was with them again. But he really wanted to be with his mother and father. They are alive you know!!

Truthfully Danju wasn't even sure where he was going in the first place, but it didn't matter to him, he was to full of joy to comprehend much. He was brought back to reality when he happily lept form tree to tree and wasn't really looking where he was going. As Danju lept from an old Maple to a tall Spruce, he ran smack dab into something...or someone.....

WWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

Danju, not being the most graceful when slammed went tumbling down to the forest floor. Thankfully he landed on a large fern and bounced to the ground with only some scratches and bruises.

"Uugghhh." Danju moaned as he gingerly sat up rubbing his head. His eyes spun and he couldn't see straight. What did he hit?

Renny heard the crash and saw Danju fall from the tree. "Aww, naw!" Renny instinctively grabbed his Katana from it's sheath as he sprinted over to Danju, ignoring the pain in his leg, ribs, and shoulder.

Crouching by Danju, Renny gave him a quick look over. The little mate was fine, but he'll probably have a big bump on his head for a while. After he was sure Danju was OK, Renny looked up into the trees, his blade still at his side. What had caused the crash? Or to put it correctly, WHO caused the crash?

[Grath]

Ambrr was off alone again, this time legitimately. The amber-furred squirrelqueen was serving as a scout for the Hollow, checking out the territory. Any intruders, fallen trees, flooded hollows-- all these were the job of a scout to check out and report on.

She stopped in a wide hornbeam for lunch, taking out a leaf-wrapped chestnut cheese and eating it with a pair of hard-crusted brown rolls. Mm. Now that was a good meal! She stood, moving along the branch until she was about 5 feet from the main trunk, she didn’t want to hit it, after all! She stood there, balancing easily on the branch as only a squirrel can, as nonchalant as though she walked down a wide forest path.

She picked up her bow from where it had lain next to her as she ate, slipping it over he shoulder where it belonged. She was adjusting the pouch at her belt when something slammed into her. Ambrr was knocked backwards, the wind nearly gone from her body as she flailed for a paw or tail-hold.

The squirrel was chattering in near-fury, her natural lithe acrobatic talents saving her from a fall. She peered downward. She’d give that squirrel a lesson or two in manners!

What she saw was completely different from what she expected, an older otter crouching by a young, obviously fallen one. An otter, treewhiffling? She grew silent, moving down through the trees. Who knew what they were here for? Her voice rang out in challenge.

“Show yourselves, riverdogs. Why are you here on the territory of the Squirrelqueen?” She inquired, as if she were just another scout, keeping the borders of her queen.

[Elizabeth]

Danju was up in the trees... As good a climber as a squirrel, and more energetic than a hare. She swore something or other was going to happen but, there was no way she could get him to settle down.

Silenis saw Renny keeping pace with her. She smiled at him and said, "Thanks Renny, I'm doing fine... I felt awful last night but this morning I felt like a whole different beast. I don't know if it's the morning air, or if it's Danju's wild antics..." Here she paused to look up at their companion.

WWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
"Uugghhh."
"Aww, naw!"
“Show yourselves, riverdogs. Why are you here on the territory of the Squirrelqueen?”

"The what...?" muttered Silenis trying to find out how Danju was doing and see who was talking at the same time. Danju was ok so Silenis looked over at Renny. "What was that mate...? A Squirrel Queen?"

Then facing up toward the trees she said, "Show yourself Squirrel Queen, you are the one out of view. We otters mean you no harm. We are passing through here on business of our own. If you first show some hospitality I might introduce myself and attempt to explain our mission." She stood back waiting for the squirrel to emerge. Silenis did not have her bow in paw, but she could have it out in a moment's notice if the squirrel proved hostile.

[Prankster101]

"Thanks Renny, I'm doing fine... I felt awful last night but this morning I felt like a whole different beast. I don't know if it's the morning air, or if it's Danju's wild antics..."

Renny felt a bit awkward for being caught trying to be considerate, but he turned to Silenis and smiled. "Weel, Ah'm glad yer a doin' better, and by da looks o' it, Danju is as well."
Renny then turned again to keep and eye on Danju as he wandered father off into the trees.................

__________________________________________________

“Show yourselves, riverdogs. Why are you here on the territory of the Squirrelqueen?”

Renaud peered up into the bows of the trees, trying to identify the speaker. It was hard to make out the features of the creature as Renny had to look into the sun to see. He could tell it was a squirrel, maybe a scout? Or a loner who wanted to scare off intruders? Or maybe a real squirrelqueen? Such things were not uncommon among tribal squirrels. Silenis ran up beside Renny and Danju, confused at what was going on.

"The what...? What was that mate...? A Squirrel Queen?"

"Apearently..." Renny mumbled out of the corner of his mouth as he brought a paw over the top of his eyes, to hopefully see the speaker better.

Before Renny could say anything, Silenis spook to the squirrel.

"Show yourself Squirrel Queen, you are the one out of view. We otters mean you no harm. We are passing through here on business of our own. If you first show some hospitality I might introduce myself and attempt to explain our mission."

Unsure of the squirrel's reaction to Silenis's challenge, Renaud kept his Katana in grip, but low to the ground next to his kneeling legs while he waited for the squirrel's response.

Danju sat upon the ground, his eyes slowly stopped spinning allowing him to see straight and continue to groan. His head throbbed as if he had shoved rocks up his nose! "What did I hit Renny, mate?" Danju spoke, now noticing that Renaud and Silenis had rushed to his side.

Danju also noticed that they were looking up into the trees. Turning around, Danju tried to look where Renny and Silenis were looking, but he couldn't see anything, so he continued to sit and rub his aching head.

[Grath]

"Show yourself Squirrel Queen, you are the one out of view. We otters mean you no harm. We are passing through here on business of our own. If you first show some hospitality I might introduce myself and attempt to explain our mission.”

Ambrr rolled her eyes about the blindness of land creatures, to miss a red-furred squirrel standing in plain view! It wasn’t even as though the leaves were very thick yet. Nevertheless, she descended to a lower branch. She kept her bow in paw, but it was not strung. No mind, though, she could string in in less than seconds.

“Its dangerous to call a simple scout by the name Squirrelqueen.” She said simply, settled with firm footpaws on the slightly narrower branch. Inconvenient, but it was the only one facing the invaders. “Nor need I show hospitality to trespassers. It is my duty to see the borders and lands of our Queen are safe.”

After a pause and more scrutinizing of the otters, she spoke again. “I am Ambrr, Now what is your business here?”

[Directed by M. Night Shyamalan]

Farrel Foehunter Fettachur was delighted. He had been chosen. Not chosen for jsut anything, but by Lord Sholin himself! He would find the Lord and deliver him the great news! Oh the joy! It truely was a grand day for him. The weather was good, travel easy, and food abundant. Yes, the food had and still was very abundant. As he thought that last one, he bit deep into a wild pear, his cutting teeth sinking deep into the soft flesh and savouring the delicious juice which gushed from the wound. He swallowed the mouthful with a sigh of contentment, then thought of his mission again.

The best of missions! He, Farrel, had been chosen! He would find the wildcat lord in hiding at an agreed on area, and deliver him the news! Lord Sholin had done it, the troops were gathered. Over one thousand Marten warriors were ready, ready to begin the journey to the Isle of Argong and crush the vermin invaders there! He would deliver this news, Then travel with the lord with all due haste to Salamandastron, and then appeal to the badger lord of assistance in their task.

Farrel stopped at a noise. A loud crashing sound split the mossflower tranquility like a knife. Then, he heard the sleek hissing sound he knew all to well, thought it was rather far off. The distinctive rasping voice of a blade being pulled out of a sheath. Farrel responded in kind, and his longsword was out in a moment, flashing in the sunlight and throwing dappled rays on the leaves near bye. Running forward with deathly silence, he leapt over a tree limb, ran across another one for awhile, then he was there.

An interesting situation greeted him. Three otters, one seemed to have jsut recovered from a fall and one with a beautiful katana in his hands, were having some sort of conversation with a red squirrel in the trees. Now in plain view, Farrel lwoered his sword, these were clearly not vermin. But it was still drawn, just in case. Clearing his throat, Farrel spoke up.

"Well, hello there. Who may you be?"

[Elizabeth]

"What did I hit Renny, mate?"

"The SquirrelQueen..." muttered Silenis...

“Its dangerous to call a simple scout by the name Squirrelqueen.” [...] “Nor need I show hospitality to trespassers. It is my duty to see the borders and lands of our Queen are safe.”

“I am Ambrr, Now what is your business here?”

"Errr... Thanks..." said Silenis as Ambrr stepped into view. How could I have missed her! Silenis thought, chiding herself for having missed the red-furred squirrel.

"Well Ambrr... no harm in telling you of our business I believe. And I trust most squirrels anyway." She looked to Renny with a quick smile assuring him that what she was doing wasn't impulsive or thoughtless. "My name is Silenis, I'm a river otter, and my occupation is nothing but a wanderer in Mossflower. After befriending these two otters I learned that young Danju here," She paused and motioned towards the little otter, "Is the son of the High Rhulain, Queen of Green Isle. Me and Renny here are gonna get Danju back to his parents... But it's going to be slightly hard for us 'cause we don't have a guide, or a ship to take us there."

Silenis stopped feeling she had said enough, and there was nothing more to say. "Anything you want to add Renny, or you Danju?" she said addressing her companions.

---

"Well, hello there. Who may you be?"

Silenis turned sharply at the unknown voice. Seeing a marten she nodded to him and spoke briefly, "My name's Silenis... Who are you and what are you doing here?" She didn't like being caught off guard...

[Prankster101]

"The SquirrelQueen..."

"What's a SquirrelQueen?" Danju said to himself. By now he had regained his composer after the fall and was now really curious about who was up there...

As Renaud turned to Danju, he saw the curious look on the little otter's face and tried to stop him. "Danju.. No..." But it was too late, Danju had already scrambled over to the trunk of the tree and started wiffling to the top

Danju made it up the tree in the quick of a wink. Standing next to the squirrel, Danju smiled his childish grin and waved. "Hiya!"

“Its dangerous to call a simple scout by the name Squirrelqueen.” [...] “Nor need I show hospitality to trespassers. It is my duty to see the borders and lands of our Queen are safe.”

“I am Ambrr, Now what is your business here?”

"Errr... Thanks..."

"Well Ambrr... no harm in telling you of our business I believe. And I trust most squirrels anyway." She looked to Renny with a quick smile assuring him that what she was doing wasn't impulsive or thoughtless.

Renny smiled and nodded at Silenis letting her know that he wanted her to continue.

"My name is Silenis, I'm a river otter, and my occupation is nothing but a wanderer in Mossflower. After befriending these two otters I learned that young Danju here [...]Is the son of the High Rhulain, Queen of Green Isle. Me and Renny here are gonna get Danju back to his parents... But it's going to be slightly hard for us 'cause we don't have a guide, or a ship to take us there. [...]Anything you want to add Renny, or you Danju?"

Renny shock his head with a smile. "Nah much. Just da fac' dat Ah be a sea otta' nay a river otta'. Hows about ye Danju matey?"

Danju waved down upon Silenis and Renny. "I'm gonna get to see Momma and Da again!"

"Well, hello there. Who may you be?"

"My name's Silenis... Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Renaud turned with a start. There was a pine martin behind him; it's sword drawn. Looking down, Renny realized he still had his Katana out as well. The pine martin looked friendly enough, but until it answered Silenis's questioning, he wanted to be safe.

Danju looked down, another beast had entered the glade. Danju watched Silenis converse with the new creature, his rudder twitching with excitement.

[Directed by M. Night Shyamalan]

One of the otters turend to him, and replied to his opening statement.

"My names Silenis... Who are you and what are you doing here?" A fair question, Farrel would ask that as well. A marten with a sword appears out of nowhere welding a longsword and asks who you are. It was a fiar question and it deserved a fair answer. Bowing down low but keeping his head observing them, he answered.

"I am Farrel Fettachur the Foehunter of the tribe of Strongtail. As for what I am doing here, well I was merely passing through mossflower to deliver a message to myLord when I heard the ruckus over here and came on over to investigate. It seems you are well, what happened here anyways?"

[Prankster101]

Ooc: Hey Rorgus!..Um..this is kind of awkward, but I didn't think this thread was quite there to meet Deyna yet.... ....I would LOVE ;D to have him as the sailor for the trip, but can we wait for him for a bit...Or at least till Ambrr can help Danju, Renny, and Silenis to the coast?...Thanks bud....

[Grath]

[[Ambrr is standing relatively close to the ground, on a narrow branch. Dan can’t really ‘stand next to her’ … just clarifying her position ]]


"Well Ambrr... […] the son of the High Rhulain, Queen of Green Isle. Me and Renny here are gonna get Danju back to his parents... But it's going to be slightly hard for us 'cause we don't have a guide, or a ship to take us there."

Ambrr nodded and was about to reply when the young otter scrambled up and started to climb. The amber-furred squirrel watched in amazement, her tail twitching slowly in the light breeze.

"Hiya!"

The squirrel chuckled at the young otter’s eager expression. “Hello, young one. A Squirrelqueen is a Queen of Squirrels. Ours is Queen of all Mossflower squirrels. Does that answer your question?”

Renny shock his head with a smile. "Nah much. Just da fac' dat Ah be a sea otta' nay a river otta'. Hows about ye Danju matey?"

Ambrr crossed her arms, an amused condescending look on her face. “Excellent point laddie, I might no’ ha’ noticed ye were a seadog an’ no’ a riverdog if ye had no’ mentioned it.”

"I'm gonna get to see Momma and Da again!"

Ambrr smiled again and turned to Silenis. “Ye seek a guide through Mossflower? I might be able to find ye one in the--” She grasped a branch, swinging down a few feet before landing near the older otters… Renny and Silenis?

“We do not tolerate yore kind here, vermin,” she chattered angrily, stringing her bow and drawing it back. “Get ye gone!”

"I am Farrel Fettachur the Foehunter of the tribe of Strongtail. As for what I am doing here, well I was merely passing through Mossflower to deliver a message to my Lord when I heard the ruckus over here and came on over to investigate. It seems you are well, what happened here anyways?”

“It matters not, marten, yore business does not take ye through the squirrelqueen’s lands!” A rustling of branches showed they were no longer alone, five scouts now ringed the clearing. One, a short dark-furred male, stepped forward. “What is going on, Ambrr? We feared when ye were late for report.”

“Some friends, Quirel. And one who is not.” She glared at the marten, who still stood with sword drawn.

[Directed by M. Night Shyamalan]

Farrel bristled at the self-proclaimed squireelqueens hostility. He eyed the bow and arrows and her paws, especially the arrow stringed in the bow with the pointed tip aimed right at him. The squirrel had the look of a professional archer, one who did not miss and one who did not mind killing the enemy, which was the vermin. Farrel sighed inwardly, for he so often got this reaction! There was a very good reason one saw so few Martens in mossflower and evne fewer evil ones. They weren't from Mossflower! They lived down south, prefering the more tropical climate.

But no, so many other beasts judged him too quickly, one even jumped on him form the trees once! That'd been a fight, poor otter. Farrel shook his head to bring himself out of the mists of memories. He had to deal with the situatuion here and now. He couldn't really blame the squirrel though. A large, verminous looking beast totting a sword pops out of the bushes could really put a fear in ones heart. So Farrel figured he'd best put away the sword. Moving slowly and carefully, he slid the flashing blade back into the red leather sheat on his back. It clipped in and he pulled his hand back down to his sides. Then addressing the squirrel, he spoke.

"Now ma'am, I would ask that you cease the hostility. I can understand your concern but believe me, I am no vermin and I would very much appreciate if you would refrain from such language in the future. And as of passing through the Squirrelqueens land, I do not currently recognize and authority at the moment. If you speak truely and I do trespass on royal grounds then please accept my humble apologies. However I have not been aware of any royal authority in this part of mossflower, neither has anybeast I know."

[Rorgus]

OOC: Oh OK Prank I was kinda thinking that I could take long enough getting there that when Deyna did get there then your party would be there. I dunno just a though I can remove it and put it in later though. Sorry

[Eastpaw]

[[Hey peeps! Grath here: I'd just like to remind you all that while you know Ambrr's the squirrelqueen, she's only said she was a scout, so please please stop referring to her as 'the squirrelqueen' in your characters thoughts, thanks!]]

[Prankster101]

((Ooc: Right-o Grath! and Sorry Rorgus. We can do that, but can we wait till our characters figure out what to do with Ferral? Thanks for being such a trooper! ))

[Elizabeth]

(Aye, sorry 'bout the "SquirrelQueen business Gratho!)

"Ye seek a guide through Mossflower? I might be able to find ye one in the--”

"Yes we need a..." Silenis was about to respond, when Ambrr jumped down to confront the pinemarten, Farrel.

"Now ma'am, I would ask that you cease the hostility. I can understand your concern but believe me, I am no vermin and I would very much appreciate if you would refrain from such language in the future. And as of passing through the Squirrelqueens land, I do not currently recognize and authority at the moment. If you speak truely and I do trespass on royal grounds then please accept my humble apologies. However I have not been aware of any royal authority in this part of mossflower, neither has anybeast I know."

Silenis put away her bow, crossed her arms, and stood back. The squirrel looked angry, but because of the marten's more peaceable nature she didn't think they would come to blows.

"Excuse me?" she said when Farrel was finished. Then she turned to Ambrr and spoke to the two at once. "Yes Ambrr, if you could get us a guide it would be greatly appreciated. Farrel? I'm not sure what you are going to do, I doubt you will choose to travel with us... but whatever you decide I am sure it will be no hindrance to our party? I'm not sure if you heard, but we are on our way to GreenIsle."

[Prankster101]

((Ooc: Ok, I'll just keep Danju on the trunk of the tree then.))

“Hello, young one. A Squirrelqueen is a Queen of Squirrels. Ours is Queen of all Mossflower squirrels. Does that answer your question?”

Danju, who was griping the trunk of the tree just below the small branch Ambrr was on with all four paws, pulled a paw off and scratched his head like he was thinking hard. "So, A SquirrelQueen is like a High Rhulain, but instead of leading otters she leads squirrels. Yeah! I got it!" He said with a grin.

“Excellent point laddie, I might no’ ha’ noticed ye were a seadog an’ no’ a riverdog if ye had no’ mentioned it.”

Renny shrugged. "Just a wanted ta make da point clear marm. "ad lots o' beast keep callin' mea da wrong one lately is all." He continued as he rolled his eyes " Gettin' annoyin' really."

“Ye seek a guide through Mossflower? I might be able to find ye one in the--”

"Yes we need a..."

Silenis was about to respond when Ambrr cut herself short, lept down from the tree, and pulled out her bow.

“We do not tolerate yore kind here, vermin. [...]Get ye gone!”

"I am Farrel Fettachur the Foehunter of the tribe of Strongtail. As for what I am doing here, well I was merely passing through Mossflower to deliver a message to my Lord when I heard the ruckus over here and came on over to investigate. It seems you are well, what happened here anyways?”

“It matters not, marten, yore business does not take ye through the squirrelqueen’s lands!”

While Renny kept his left-pawed grip upon his Katana and waited for the pine martin's reply, Danju climbed on the the branch Ambrr was on to get a better view of the action. As he did so he watched at least five squirrels some out and join the fun!

“What is going on, Ambrr? We feared when ye were late for report.”

“Some friends, Quirel. And one who is not.”

Renny was getting rather worried. Reinforcements had arrived and this "Farrel Fettachur" seemed rather annoyed at Ambrr's sudden hostility. He was, however, relieved when the pine martin put up his blade and spoke calmly.

"Now ma'am, I would ask that you cease the hostility. I can understand your concern but believe me, I am no vermin and I would very much appreciate if you would refrain from such language in the future. And as of passing through the Squirrelqueens land, I do not currently recognize and authority at the moment. If you speak truely and I do trespass on royal grounds then please accept my humble apologies. However I have not been aware of any royal authority in this part of mossflower, neither has anybeast I know."

As Silenis put away her weapon, Renny followed suit, slowly putting away his Katana, figuring that if the pine martin was to suddenly attack, Ambrr and her fiends were well equipped to handle Farrel long enough for him to pull out his blade. But before Renny could try and respond to Farrel, Silenis butted in.

"Excuse me? [...]Yes Ambrr, if you could get us a guide it would be greatly appreciated. Farrel? I'm not sure what you are going to do, I doubt you will choose to travel with us... but whatever you decide I am sure it will be no hindrance to our party? I'm not sure if you heard, but we are on our way to GreenIsle."

From his post in the tree, Danju watched the hostility rise between the squirrels and the pine martin with Renny and Silenis stuck in the middle. When it appeared everyone had stopped talking, Danju decided enough was enough. On a spur of the moment, irrational thought, Danju lept down from the tree and landed on all fours next to Ambrr.

"Now!" He said the the most commanding voice he could muster with his paws upon his hips. "Seems we have a little problem on our paws if creatures be drawing weapons upon each other. Now, I think there can be a simple solution to all of our problems."

Turning to Ambrr, Danju continued, "Marm, like Silenis be a sayin' we would be glad to have a guide, if it can help get us to Momma and Da faster. And sir," Danju turned to Farrel.

"Ye said ye had a message to take to yer leader and you didn't realize you were on da Squirrelqueen's land, that's all right and good. If ye really need to be a going to tell yer leader whatever you need to tell him, then I'm sure that Miss Ambrr's friends 'ere can show ye the fastest way round their territory in the direction in which you need to go. Now, be there any more problems?" Danju asked.

Renny chuckled to himself. Danju was a real bossy boots when he wanted to be. "Ah dan't see anyt'in' wrong wit' dat matey. 'Ow 'bouts da rest o' ye?" He said looking around at everybeast.

[Directed by M. Night Shyamalan]

Farrel nodded his head in response as he interrupted the words of the one called Silenis.

"Yes, if this squirrelmaid could provide me with a guide or one of that sort, I would be happy to travel through her apparently royal land. However, if not provided with one of that sort, I’m sorry to say I would have to keep going, for my task is one of utmost importance.” Realizing he’d interrupted Silenis, he shut his mouth and let the beast finish. Now hearing the full extent of her words, he spoke again. “Hmmm, some members of the tribe say that the libraries in the Southern Isle tell tale of a Green Isle, but I did not know if such a place existed. Pray tell, are you travelling to the western shore, near the badger mountain, to begin your sea bound voyage? If you are, I would be glad to join you for a ways.” Farrel now fell silent as he waited for a reply. He eyed the squirrels, still regarding him with hostile looks in their eyes. It figured, martens and squirrels had been enemies long ago in a great war that devastated much of the southern lands.

But that was long ago, surely no beast would keep a grudge for so long, would they?

[Grath]

“Some friends, Quirel. And one who is not.”

As the marten sheathed his sword, Quirel, rather less excitable than his queen, stood back and nodded to his scouts to stand down. The five descended, Quirel providing short introductions to the otters. “I’m Quirel and this is May, Treesage, Oake and Acorne.”

“If you speak truely and I do trespass on royal grounds then please accept my humble apologies. However I have not been aware of any royal authority in this part of mossflower, neither has anybeast I know."

“O-ooh noo…” May groaned, covering her face with a paw. “’e just ’ad t’say it, didn’t ‘e?” Ambrr and Acorne were both on the offensive now.

“’ow dare ye suggest I lie, vermin--”

“Squirrelqueen Ambrr doesn’t lie, vermin!” The russet-furred male leaped forward, drawing his sword. Ambrr had her bow tensed again. The other four squirrels ringed around Acorne and their queen. Quirel spoke in a low voice to the irate Ambrr, who’s tail bushed as she chattered in a low voice back at him. “--honor…been ‘ere longer’n Redwall…called me a…notta liar…Quirel…honor…”

Suddenly the tight pack of squirrels was broken up as young Danju landed in their midst, nearly on top of Ambrr, and began to issue orders. It was amusing watching the otter pup, Ambrr relaxed her bow, tucking away it and arrows as Danju continued on.

Turning to Ambrr, Danju continued, "Marm, like Silenis be a sayin' we would be glad to have a guide, if it can help get us to Momma and Da faster. And sir," Danju turned to Farrel.

Ambrr chuckled, waving Acorne to stand down as she moved to the front of the squirrel group. “Aye, young’un.” She turned to Silenis, seeming leader of the band of otters. “I will guide ye myself, Silenis Otter, and bring this young one safely to the Western Shore.” She bent slightly, motioning Danju in. “’ere young one…” She pulled a braided thong off her tail, from it hung a carved talisman. “Ye are uncommonly wise for yore age. Take this, give it to any squirrel, and I will come to help ye.” She glanced at Farrel. “Keep it safe, ‘tis not to be toyed with.”

"Ah dan't see anyt'in' wrong wit' dat matey. 'Ow 'bouts da rest o' ye?" He said looking around at everybeast.

"Yes, if this squirrelmaid could provide me with a guide or one of that sort, I would be happy to travel through her apparently royal land. [...] tell tale of a Green Isle, but I did not know if such a place existed. Pray tell, are you traveling to the western shore, near the badger mountain, to begin your sea bound voyage? If you are, I would be glad to join you for a ways.”

May stepped forward. “Pray stop insulting us, marten, or we may just let Acorne at ye.” She leaned closer, though it truly did nothing to bridge any distance between them. “’e’s a little crazy, ye ken.” She looked at Quirel, then back at Farrel. “However, if ye are in need of a guide, I will help ye.”

[Directed by M. Night Shyamalan]

As Farrel spoke, five other squirrels he had previously not seen appeared and descended from the treetops, apparently at the command of the proclaimed queens companion. They made quick introductions and then overheard his words. One reacted immediatly, follwoed by the squirrelqueen and another companion.

“’ow dare ye suggest I lie, vermin--”

“Squirrelqueen Ambrr doesn’t lie, vermin!”

Farrel bristled in annoyance at their use of the word vermin. He was prepared to speak, when a russet-furred squirrel ran forward and stopped, sword withrawn. Farrel react out of years of training and experiance, and in the blink of an eye one of his long dirks was withdrawn. He had the hand bladed weapon half-way up to throwing position when he realized how stupid this was. He was not here to fight these doubtlessly good creatures, confused they may be. He slowly sheathed the dirk, and put his hands at his side.

He still was in doubt whether this bush-taield archer was a squirrelqueen, but if she was or not, she and her comrades were zealous enough to slay for her, so he decided it was best toplay along. Speaking up, he said.

"Please accept my apologies your majesty, I was unaware of your royalty. I shall from now on address you by your proper title, and I would appreciate if you would refrain from refering to me as a vermin." Then turning to the one called May, he said. "As for your offer of a guide, I accept."