Imaldu

Prologue

The beauty of the woodlands surrounded the giant badger, summer was well on it's way to Mossflower. Breathing deeply the delicious smells of rich loam and dead leaves settled on the forest floor, he smiled. It was good to be alive on such a glorious day.

Although his younger seasons had long since passed, he remembered them and treasured them like precious stones from the earth's core.

Eyes beginning to droop in the midday heat, the badger found a spot between two large tree roots and drifted into a slumber filled with memories.


He remembered his favourite spot, at the top of a hill, facing the ocean's great swells. The sun would just be setting as he sat there, thinking through things. It had always been a quiet place where he could think, without the other young badgers disturbing him.

He had always seemed different from others of his kind. He did not enjoy the company of babes, there crying was incessant and annoying, yet he listened to his elder's old stories, though they were mostly legends of old times long passed. He didn't wrestle, but he hacked trees with his large battle axe, which he had inherited from his father, who had died when he was a season old.

The badger had never learned the cause of the death, but that was of little importance to him at the time.

He had always wanted to get away from the island, it was too boring and plain, yet he wanted to stay, seeing as it was his home. His chosen friends and all his family were there, but that still hadn't changed his constant wishes for the chance to travel.

One summer's eve, when he was but ten seasons old, he watched a ship sailing away into the deepening sunset, stained with coral and cherry pink and different shades of lavendar, the ocean reflecting the fiery orb for miles. The young 'un waved to a creature on the vessel, who waved back.

Silently, the young badger vowed one day to leave the island. He waved goodbye to his uncle Boar, until the ship was lost to sight beyond the distant horizon.

Chapter I

"Imaldu, are you up there?" one of his chosen friends called as she dashed headlong to her friend's favourite slope. Ever since his unlce had left, she could always find him up here, thinking about something or other.

"No, I fell into the ocean," Imaldu yelled back sarcastically. At least he had not lost his sense of humour while he was up here.

Imaldu, a very soliatary creature, had grown since Boar had left. Perhaps too much to enjoy the comforts of the island.

He was taller than most males his age, which was unusual, since his father and mother were only average height. His face was jet black, save for the white stripe from muzzletip and around to the back of his neck, where it faded to gray then returned to black.

In short, he was fairly normal, though his soft hazel eyes were a sight to behold. Even the pickiest of badgermaids swooned when they looked into his eyes. Hilira was no exception, but she didn't tell Imaldu that.

Quickly reaching her old friend, Hilira sat beside him on the green-topped hill. "Very funny. Still thinking about it?"

She was talking about Imaldu's plans of leaving the island, something that had grown from a vow of his younger days, to a gnawing obsession.

"Oh, I'm still thinking, no doubt about it. But I did solve our transportation problems for the trip," the male badger answered.

"How, oh wise friend of mine?" Hilira replied mockingly. She enjoyed poking fun at the solemn badger every now and then. It helped him sink back into reality, if only for a short time.

"I won't tell you if you keep that up," Imaldu grumbled, letting her know that she was pushing it.

"Okay, okay." Hilira held up her paws disarmingly. "So... how are you going to do this?"

Imaldu said but one word. "Guofs." It wouldn't mean anything to any normal creature, but, as said before, Imaldu was anything but that.

"You mean the Guerilla Union of Flotsam Shrews?"

"The very same. They come over every summer, so what's to stop us stealing a boat?" Imaldu crossed his arms, and looked up at the female badger slyly.

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that we'd get our tails kicked into the middle of next season!" Hilira almost shrieked, sarcasm playing along the edges of her angry proclamation.

Clamping his paw over Hilira's mouth, Imaldu placed a paw to his lips, issuing silence as he tried to shut up his near hysterical friend. "Be quiet or one of elderbeast might hear your wailing. And you know what that means."

"I still think it's a bad idea, Imaldu. The Guofs will be furious and we'll be shunned for the rest of our lives from here, but... I'll go if you'll lead the way, you haven't been wrong yet and I trust you," she replied, almost grudingly to her friend.

Nodding his striped head in satisfaction, the scheming badger filtered his plans through Hilira concerning the quest across the sea. There were things to be done and more planning before summer would arrive.

To be continued...


Hurray, a revised addition of the first chapter! I'm so excited. What do you all think of it? It's got to be better than what it was before, but I'm still looking for opinions.

Zealak Silverdirk