Zack: Hello again random people of the internet. I recently discovered that their are only 13 fanfictions for the Mistmantle chronicles...So I decided to make one of my own. Also to any readers who read Tears of an Angel I'd just like to say that I am going to update soon. So don't panic...or do...I really don't care all that much.

Urchin: Yeah he says that but what he really means is that-

Zack: What I mean is that I'm going to update soon. *glares at Urchin*

*Urchin smiles innocently*

Zack:This story will closely follow the original story-line with some new characters and some new plot-twists Also just as a heads up Urchin will be a female in this story...Why you ask...because It's my story and personally I think female Furry's are H-O-T!

Urchin: Aww you think I'm sexy? *Sexy pose*

*Zack flys back into wall from nosebleed*

Urchin: I'll take that as a yes.*Giggle*

Apple: Don't worry Just give him some of my apple-mint-cordial and he'll be fine.

Urchin: Oh Heart that watches over Mistmantle, watch over Zack. He's going to need it.

Legend

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

(Author notes in the story)

- =Page break

Disclaimer: I do not claim any ownership to The Mistmantle Chronicles. If I did own it...It probably would have failed even before it was published.

On the island of Mistmantle, before dawn on an autumn day a mother squirrel looked up, watching the stars dance and swirl across the night. It distracted her from her birthing pains.

These nights did not happen often. Great and wondrous things were said to happen on the nights when the stars fell. Would be they be for good or for bad? Nobody knew. Not even the old Priest watching the stars from the highest turret in Mistmantle Tower.

The mother squirrel didn't know and didn't care. She gasped as a sharp pain coursed threw her body. She knew something was wrong, birth wasn't supposed to be like this. She longed for someone to help her with this long, hard birth. However she was a stranger to this island and didn't know anybody. She had come from an island far away where an evil king ruled. It was foretold that her child would bring down a powerful ruler. Had the king found out, he would've had the child killed being ruthless enough to do it. Knowing, this she snuck onto the first trader ship she could. She hoped the ship would be one of the few ships that actually made it to Mistmantle. She had heard great things about the secret island.

A place where hedgehogs, otters, moles, and squirrels lived together in harmony, and a kind king ruled over the peaceful isle. An enchanted mist folded around the isle like a cloak protecting it. It was for this reason that few ships ever made it through. Luckily the ship she had hidden on was one of the few ships that actually made it through. When no one was looking she had slipped ashore and hidden herself in the safety of the rocks already in birth pains.

She gasped and gave a lurch as a pear of pain took her breath away, so she couldn't scream. Birth shouldn't be like this. She raised her head and looked at the lights in Mistmantle Tower, but they were far away soaring away into the night sky.

As the stars swirled, the squirrels baby slithered into the world, a pale scrap of a thing with thin, downy fur. With the greatest effort she ever made in her life, she sat up, nuzzled her, and bit through the umbilical cord. "Heart keep you, be happy. May someone find and love you." Before she could name her, she was dead. The baby lay on the shore, still glistening in the moonlight. A gull flying overhead caught sight of something like a scrap of fish. the gull swooped down and snatched her up, and rose into the sky. Mistmantle Tower was near, it would be a good place to gobble down his meal. In a dash of silver, a star rushed past causing the gull to squawk in surprise and anger, causing him to drop the baby squirrel.

The baby plummeted to earth gaining speed. Had she hit the rocks she never would've breathed to see the sunrise. Luckily she landed in a shallow pool of water. In the tower the animals had all gathered to watch the shooting stars. The best was over now, and animals were smothering their yawns and settling into their nests for a brief sleep. But in the highest turret the priest remained watching, as sometimes fragments of the stars fell to earth. though he was old his eyes still remained sharp. When he saw something white plummet to earth, he leaned out to see better.

Below from another window, Crispin stretched forward and turned his face to the sky. He was a young squirrel who lived in the tower and attended to King Brushen. Though young, he had just been made a member of the circle, a small group of animals who were closest to the king. He too saw the small white scrap fall from the sky. He leaped swiftly out the window and ran down the wall. When he arrived at the beach he expected to find something hard and bright, but what he found was a curled up scrap that could've been anything. "Is it a starfish?" As he leaned down to get a better look the scrap moved. As he watched it gave a small cry. "It's a baby!" As he leaned down to pick up the baby, he heard the shuffling footsteps of Brother Fir behind him. "Well Heart bless it, so it is!"

Crispin wasn't used to babies. He scooped it up awkwardly in paws, afraid of hurting it. It stretched and wriggled in his grasp, before snuggling against him. Brother Fir took of the old gray cloak he wore. "Wrap him in this to keep him from freezing. You young squirrels don't feel the cold. "I wonder how she got here?" Brother Fir looked around. "His mother must be dead...or she rejected him. A mother that lost her child would be causing a ruckus for all of the island to hear." Crispin nodded. "She must be very new...a few hours old at the most." Crispin twitched his ears. "Brother Fir...do you hear crying?" Brother Fir nodded. "I do, it's coming from down the beach." Crispin and Fir walked down the beach looking for the source of the crying. As if in response the baby squirrel started softly whimpering. Crispin stopped and made shushing noises and soon the whimpers stopped.

"Crispin! Come quickly!" Crispin walked over quickly, while trying to not upset the baby in his arms. As Crispin got closer he saw Brother Fir pulling a wicker cradle out of the beaches shallows. "Is it another baby?" Crispin came towards the cradle trying to see what was inside it. Brother Fir pulled a note from the basket. "To whoever finds this cradle please care for the child it carries. His father died saving him and the rest of our village. His mother rejected him out of grief.I ask that if you cannot care for him then take him to a safe place. His name is Zack. Bless you."

A small baby laugh was heard from inside. Fir pulled back a white blanket to reveal a baby human with brown hair and brown eyes happily staring at the two new strangers. Crispin stared in wonder at the small creature. "Brother Fir...what is it?" Fir leaned down and picked up the baby and cradled him to his chest much like Crispin. "I've heard of creature like this, but I've never seen one before. I believe their called human beings." Crispin slowly nodded, silently questioning the events of this night.

"What should we do with him Fir?" Fir gave a soft smile as Zack lifted a small hand trying to touch his face. "We find these youngsters a nice loving home." Loud footsteps alerted the two to another person joining them. They both turned to see another squirrel loping towards them. They both recognized her as Apple. A motherly if somewhat clumsy and talkative squirrel. "Morning Brother Fir. Captain Crispin sir. Did you find a one of those fallen stars?" Fir chuckled at her excited attitude. "No I'm afraid that we didn't Mistress Apple. We found something better."

Crispin and Fir both shifted their arms. "Oh aren't they both adorable." Apple started making funny faces, causing the two baby's to laugh. "Do we know who they belong to?" Brother Fir sighed. "No we don't. We found the little squirrel in the shallows and Zack here in a wicker basket with a note saying that his father was dead and that his mother rejected him." Zack having heard the man holding make noise started to wiggle and move around, while making small cooing noises.

Apple giggled. "Brother Fir could I hold him?" Crispin cringed on the inside. Apple gently cradled the Zack. She made small comforting noises as he cuddled up to her. "Since we don't know who their parents are, I could look after them. I love babies, me."

"Thank you Apple, but for now We'll take them to my turret to warm them by the fire. Will you find a nursing mother who could possibly feed them?" "I'll look after them" Apple called over her shoulder as she hopped away. Crispin turned to Fir, concern written on his face. "don't let her near them! She doesn't know her teeth from her tail. She'd forget where she left'em." Fir chuckled. "Shes a motherly soul. Besides they'd have the whole of Anemone Wood to help raise them."

Crispin turned to Fir. "You told Apple that we found this little one in the shallows." Fir nodded gravely. "She must be an orphan since we don't have squirrels whose fur is the color of sand. That makes her different enough without them thinking she came tumbling down on the night of falling stars." Crispin looked at Zack. "And what about Zack? Do you think that Zack will ever be accepted."

"Time will only tell Crispin. We can only pray that he will be." Crispin and Fir walked back to the Mistmantle Tower. They stopped by a window so that Fir could catch his breath. Crispin looked out the window towards the tide line. It was scattered with all sizes shells, colored pebbles, driftwood, shining clusters of seaweed, tattered feathers and the spiny shells of sea urchins. Crispin looked down at the baby squirrel a small smile making it's way onto his face. "Urchin...I think we should call her Urchin, since he was found on the shore."

Fir raised his paw. "May the Heart bless you and keep you, Urchin and Zack of Mistmantle."

Far away on the other side of the isle, a wave of the sea lifted Urchin's mother, cradled her, and carried her gently away.

Zack: Well there's the prologue. I hope you can see what I mean when I said plot twists. Nothing too drastic but still.

Urchin: Yeah that's great everyone knows how we got to Mistmantle, But when do we get together?

Zack: Later.

Urchin: But I wanna snuggle with you now *pouts*

Zack: Well I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of my new story. Drop me a review and tell me what you think.

Peace out-From Zack and Urchin