Chapter 1

Strangers on the Shore

It was a bright summer day in Fangle Wood forest. The sun streamed through the webs of leaves branching from the tall oaks. Everyone in the village was bustling about, trying to get the great feast ready. Well, everyone but Songbreeze Longleap the squirrel and Ruggle Streampaw the otter. While everyone was running hither and thither, the two little rouges were on the shore wadding in the water.

"Well, Breeze, I bet we ought to be heading on back to the ol' birthplace?" announced Ruggle as he floated on his back.

"I guess so...but isn't it so beautiful here? Don't you wish you could stay?" Breeze asked forlornly. Ruggle thwacked his rudder like tail thoughtfully.

"I suppose it would be better than that solemn tree." Just as they were chattering back and forth as they stepped out of the water, Songbreeze tripped over a rope and tumbled into a net.

"We've got one, boss!" a voice proclaimed aloud. Ruggle pulled out his dagger and prepared to defend his friend when he was struck in the back of the head and was pulled slowly into unconsciousness. When both poor creatures came to, they were in a dark, damp cave surrounded by a band of sea rats.

"Let us go!", cried Songbreeze, "You have to right to kidnap us!"

"Oh, but I do.", hissed an enormously large weasel, who was obviously their leader. He was as fierce as ever. The rat was missing his right eye, had a very crooked snout, wore a filthy cape worn to rags, he had a couple deep scars on his leg, stomach, and face, and had a permanent grimace with sharp canines protruding.

"My name is Riprage, and you are?", he sneered.

"I am Ruggle Streampaw and this is Songbreeze Longleap." said Ruggle rather boldly.

"You two will be worth a large ransom." The whole band laughed evilly. "Bind their hands and throw them with the others!", yelled Riprage.

Songbreeze let out a piercing and shrill cry as she and her partner were borne down into the hold of a great ship called the Guttless and tied up with other unfortunate beings.

Meanwhile back in the village, Ruggle and Songbreeze's parents, Barum and Lily Streampaw and Sankel and Dandyprim Longleap, were beginning to worry.

"Oh!", cried Dandyprim, "They could be hurt, or worse!".

"Calm down, now, my dear! We'll go looking for 'em, won't we, Barum?" The burly otter stood up and consulted both wives,

"Aye, that we'll do, Sankel! My son is strong and will protect your daughter. I know-",

"Oh! but what if he's hurt? Those poor babies!", sobbed Lily.

"They will be just fine, I just know it! Now, dry your eyes, the both of you.", demanded Barum.

"Alright, Dandyprim and I will pack your vittles then. Come on, now, Dandy. Don't go giving yourself a headache.", said Lily mournfully. While the two warriors were being readied, the whole village was being notified.

"The poor darlings!", exclaimed Rowan, a frail old mouse. "They must be awfully frightened!".

"Hmph! Serves 'em right I say! The two scallywags, the pair of 'em!", grumbled Norshel a porcupine village elder. After his muttered comment, he revived a deft cuff to the ears. He looked up and saw Lily Streampaw standing over him, for she was quite tall.

"Never speak of the children that way mister or you'll get just what you deserve!" she warned as she wagged a paw in his face.

Just then Barum and Sankel walked up to Lily and Dandyprim purposefully. "Well were off. Um, take care of yerselves will yer?", asked Barum as a single tear poured down his face.

"We will." implored Lily as she and Dandy grabbed a bag. "Because we're going with you, me dearie!".

"What? No, no. They carn't go now could they, Sankel?", asked Barum pleadingly.

"Well...I mean...", said Sankel as he looked back and forth from Lily's determined face to Dandyprim's pudgy paws on her hips to Barum's look of complete despair.

"Well, yes they can. Come on, Barum! Twilit be easy to look out for one another.",Sankel said persuasively.

"Fine, fine. I 'pologize fer bein' pertective over ya.",Barum said jokingly.

"Yes! It's settled then. Well, come on you trio of turnips! It's nearly dark. I already made known our departure so we're off!", Lily exclaimed. They shouldered their haversacks and started on down the long road through danger and what ever it took to reclaim their children from the grasp of evil, no matter what.

Back on the Guttless, things were not going very well as planned. As the boat swayed back and forth on the uneasy waters, the slaves, that Ruggle and Breeze came to know, were being rocked also.

Ruggle was bent double as another slave was knocked into him.

"You okay, youngster?", asked an old badger as he picked Ruggle up.

"I'm fine, thank yer sir."

"My name is Trogel. I'm from the Northern part around here. Just from the village of Sageworth.", he said sadly.

"I'm called Ruggle Streampaw and that is my companion, Songbreeze Longleap. We're from the Northwest parts, Fangle Wood."

"Ah", said the badger knowingly, "your far from home by now ain't ya?"

"I think so." said Ruggle and he started to cry.

"Oh, it's alright, youngun! We'll get you back home. That's a good lad. Streampaw, eh? Streampaw, Streampaw...hmmm. Where have I heard that? Ah, yes! Would

you're father by any chance go by the name of Barum?",inquired Trogel. "Yes...you..you know him?", said Ruggle as he dried his red eyes.

"Well, no. But I know someone who knows him. Your dad is all he talks about. He says that he is his brother."

"Really? My Da' said that he had a long lost brother! What is his name? Where is he?", asked Ruggle, quite excited.

"His name is Ideno. He is right over there, hunched up in the corner." Songbreeze watched as her messmate tumbled and pushed his way through the crowd of oar slaves. Then he saw him. He was a mean-looking otter; he had a long scar going down from his back to his waist, he wore rags that were tattered and sewn back together, was very muscular, and while he slept his huge shoulder twitched. Ruggle, afraid to confront him, tapped on his knee shakily.

"Um...sir?", he said. Ideno's eyes came open in a flash. He turned his head slowly towards Ruggle.

"Can I help yer, pup?", he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Um...yes. You know my father, don't yer?"

"Can't imagine why I would.", he said eyes closing again.

"Would you know him if his name was Barum?"

Ruggle asked bravely. Ideno's eyes popped wide open. He snatched up Ruggle in a bone crushing hug.

"Nephew.", he said as tears started to flow. Ruggle wrapped his arms as far as he could around the big otter. They stayed like that for a while. When finally they let go, Ideno put him down.

"How is my brother? Is he safe? You look just like him; you have his face and tail.", Ideno interrogated.

Ruggle laughed for the first time in days. "He's fine as far as I had seen."

"Ah. I see. We must get ya home, then. And I have to notify my clan.", he said.

"Your clan? What do you mean?", asked Ruggle suspiciously.

"Oh. I forgot to mention. I'm Skipper of the Northern clans.", he said nonchalantly.

"Why didn't you tell me? Do you have any pups?", asked Ruggle.

"No, not yet", said Ideno and Ruggle could tell that it was the end of the conversation. As the boat kept in motion with the waves, Ruggle and Breeze huddled up and quickly fell asleep, rocked by the steady rhythm.