Subject:  Chapter 2! (Oh, sorry about the name-switch. I didn't even notice that till now.) |
Author:
Checkery
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Date Posted: 18:45:19 04/26/03 Sat
In reply to:
Checkery
's message, "Chapter 1!" on 14:12:57 04/26/03 Sat
With a soft, muffled thud, he hit the bottom. The current rolled him downstream, tumbled him head over heels like a pebble. Jurrin panicked, he could hold his breath no longer. Something scaley swam by him, then bit his leg. He kicked out with his other footpaw and connected with a cold, slippery body, which jerked back violently and swam away amid a cloud of bottom mud. Jurrin felt himself floating upward; the fish had broken the rope which bound him to the rock. The mole broke the surface, coughing and wretching. He struggled to the shore, and lay in the sand panting. The sun was warm on his back, and Jurrin was tired. He curled up in the sand and slept hard the rest of the day.
Jurrin woke up as dark was beginning to settle. He sat straight and inspected his leg. It was blood encrusted and hurting. He dipped it in the water and applied bank mud and a dock leaf to the bite, then hop-limped to the forest. Settling down with an elm tree at his back, he went over what had happened. Rweckwain, from what he knew, was dead. Gone. Though it was really no business of his, Jurrin was disheartened that the otter's cause was lost, and the family in Barkwood would fall. Jurrin couldn't remember having a family, but he had always dreamed of having one. Maybe, though, he could save this one.
He stood and tested his leg. The mole limped into the undergrowth and found a stout branch, then broke off the twigs and used it to support him. Slowly he made his way upstream, ready to fight past the fox and the weasel. Upon reaching their camp, he hid in the bushes and watched them. How could he, with only a stick, fight two armed beasts? He was pondering the best way to do so when a voice whispered in his ear. "Ah, the best way to slay two vermin? You need two beasts for that, I'm afraid." Jurrin yelped and rolled backwards into the loam. A squirrel stepped over him and drew a sword from her elaborately decorated scabbard. "Lost the element of surprise, we'll have to take them on!"
The fox charged, but found death by the end of the squirrel's blade. She tossed a dagger to Jurrin. "Use that, gotta go!" The weasel, seeing himself outnumbered, had made a desperate run for the woods, but the squirrel was hard on his heels. Jurrin trundled into the deserted camp and found his haversack, which the vermin had stolen. He set out a small dinner on the ground and waited for the squirrel's return.
She came back shortly, breathing lightly and scrubbing her sword. "Ah, weasel blood is always sticky, so sticky...Oh, you're here, are you? Nice to see somebeast wait for me for once." Jurrin motioned toward the spread. "Burr, ee be welcumm to et, marm. Thankee fur steppin' in yurr. Oi be Jurred, what be ee name?" The squirrel started stuffing herself, tearing at the food ravenously. "Ah, I didn't do it for you to begin with, Jurrin pal. Those vermin murdified a couple o' me tribe, we ran, but I got left ahind. I was the odd 'un to them. Anyway, me name's Elcra."
Jurrin took a sip of dandelion wine. "Hurr, noice t'meet ee, Elker. You'm got ee place t'goo?" Elcra squinted at the pale half moon that was beginning to rise. "Nah, not that I know. Tribe's dumped me, they ain't got a use fer me. Why's that y'ask, Jurrin?" The mole pointed a heavey digging claw upstream. "Bohurr, oi met ee otter frum doawn ee stream, sed eem 'olt were unner attack. Ee acrootered oi, but we'm were attacked boi they varmints. Rekerwain be dead noaw, oi think, an' oi want to acroot beasts to save 'is fambly." Elcra grinned maliciously. "Well, if I gets t'kill vermin, I'm happy. I'll help ye, Jurrin. Yore a fine beast, doin' that for yore otter pal." Jurrin twiddled his digging claws. "Hurr, oi just be doin' et coz oi be doin' et. We'm leave on ee morrow, up ee stream to foind more beasts to acroot. Ho aye."
Elcra woke at dawn. She checked her sword, then shook Jurrin awake. "Come on, mate, we've got travelin' t'do. Let's break out breakfast." The mole rubbed sleep from his eyes. "Et be too erly in ee morn, Elker. Doan't wake oi yet. Humm!" Elcra rolled him over with her footpaw. "Aw, come on Jurrin. Wakey wakey!" Jurrin finally got up, then went for a dip in the stream. Elcra sat wide-eyed on the shore and gave a low whistle. "Well, if that don't beat all. A swimmin' mole!"
After eating, the two traveled upstream together. Jurrin had recovered his spear, and Elcra let him keep the dagger. It was noon when they stopped for lunch. They were talking and eating in the sunny woodlands when a slingstone zipped past Jurrin, taking a chunk of his scone with it. "Take that as a warning! Leave now, and don't take anything with you! Go on, back downstream with yeh!" Elcra and Jurrin only had time to exchange glances when the sky fell down.
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