Chapter
One
One day in early April, a young chipmunk called Pecan
was born. Pecan's parents were Peanut and Static. When little baby
Pecan was born, there was lots of rejoicing and parties, because
Peanut was VERY popular. The King and Queen promised Pecan's parents
that Pecan would become the most famous chipmunk in the world!
Five
years later...
"Who is SHE?!?"
"Pecan dear,"
Peanut whispered, "That is the princess Kuda..."
"But
she is a stupid MOUSE! I don't want a stupid MOUSE at MY birthday
party!"
"Well I don't want to be at your party then."
Kuda replied haughtily. Kuda walked stately over to her mother Bell,
who looked down her nose at Pecan and strode out saying, "You
shall NOT be the most famous chipmunk you ungrateful little
creature!"
"PECAN!!!!!" yelled Peanut, which was
VERY scary because Peanut NEVER yelled, "COME HERE THIS
MINUTE!!!!!" Instead of going to her mother Pecan ran out,
cheeks aflame with anger, into the darkening night...
I want my
Mummy! Pecan cried silently in the dark woods of Saundra. Pecan
jerked her head round. Owls hooted eerily and there was the sound of
leaves rustling...
"You shouldn't be out THIS late at night,
sonny..." A deep voice echoed through the woods. "Oh, so
it's YOU is it? Peanut's daughter, Pecan. Your family is going to go
NUTS without you. Her, her, her... Get it? NUTS?"
"Who
ARE you?" Pecan whispered into the darkness.
"I am
Star... Remember me...?"
"STAR?"
"Yes...
That IS what I said. Trust Kuda to ruin your party..."
"But
why are you here?"
"Why are YOU here...?"
"I'm,
um..."
"Exactly..."
"STAR!" A voice
drifted through the cool night air.
"Oh no. Not HER
again."
"STAR! What are you doing?"
"Ellie,
mind your own business"
"I was businessing your
mind..."
"DAM! I forgot you could read
minds."
"Ellie?"
"Pecan?" Ellie rushed
over to Pecan and hugged him. "Pecan! I've FOUND you!"
"You
know her...?" Star looked from Pecan to Ellie and back
again.
"She used to look after me when I was a baby
chipmunk!" Said Pecan happily.
Star looked at Pecan. "How
COULD you betray me like thi-"
STAR OF SAUNDRA? A man in long
black robes holding a scythe looked at Star. Star looked down. Star
looked at the spear in her chest. Star looked at the
man.
"Damn..."
DAMN INDEED. I TAKE IT YOU WERE NOT
EXPECTING THIS?
"What do YOU think?"
"STAR!"
Pecan knelt down next to the still figure of Princess Star. "How
COULD you?
"Pecan..." Ellie told him softly. "It
wasn't me..."
Then a small figure cart wheeled into the
clearing where Pecan and Ellie where standing next to the stiff body
of Star.
"Oh no, not Melissa Moonshine" groaned
Ellie.
"Melissa Moonshine at your service!"
"EURGH!
Y-y-your OUTFIT!" choked Pecan staring at what Melissa was
wearing.
"It's the new fashion!"
"Melissa?"
asked Ellie, "Was it you that killed Star?"
"Of
COURSE!"
"With a SPEAR?"
It was the only thing
available. Sorry!"
"OK then..."
"Ellie?"
"Yes
Pecan?"
"I want to go home...!"
"I'll take
you home!" trilled Melissa dancing excitedly on one foot.
"Maybe
I WON'T go home then..."
"That might be a VERY good idea
until all this cools down." advised Ellie.
Chapter 2
"Melissa?"
"Yes Pecan!"
"Can
you please...um...GO?"
"B-b-but I saved you!"
Melissa cried.
"What she MEANS is would you please let us
past," translated Ellie, sighing.
"Oh...All right
then...Here's my mobile number..." sniffed Melissa scribbling
down a number in a messy scrawl on a small piece of
paper.
"Um...Er...I don't...um...HAVE a mobile phone though
Melissa!" stuttered Pecan.
"WHAT! Oh my GOSH!"
Melissa swooned and Ellie caught her just before she hit the floor. "
Lucky that I ALWAYS carry a spare one!" Melissa opened her eyes
and grinned cheekily up at Ellie and
Pecan.
"Woof!"
"Huh?"
"What?"
"PETAL!"
"Melissa,
who is Petal?" questioned Ellie. "And, err, Melissa? Would
you PLEASE get up?" Melissa got up while Ellie massaged some
life back into her arm.
"Petal, is a dog!"
Pecan
groaned, "yes we NOTICED that she is a dog, but how do you know
her?"
"Because she's MINE, stupid!" Melissa waved
her arms around, hitting Ellie on the nose in the
process.
"WOOF!"
"Yes, what IS it?"
"WOOF!"
"Oh,
right!"
"Umm...Melissa?" Pecan ventured.
"Yes?"
replied Melissa distractedly while petting Petal.
"How can
you understand her?"
"It's a dog thing!"
"But
YOU aren't a dog," Ellie pointed out, raising her eyebrows.
"Oh
well! Oh, no!"
"What is it?" asked Pecan, looking
around.
"LOOK!"
"Where?!?" Ellie threw out
her hands in exasperation, because she couldn't see anyone. Then, her
mind started to tingle which was a signal that there was some other
person entering the clearing. "HUNTER!"
"Who?"
asked Pecan and Melissa simultaneously.
"It's someone called
Hunter! Melissa, how did YOU know?"
"Well, it's a long
story really..."
"Please! Please!" cried Pecan,
jumping up and down excitedly.
"Well then..."
"Wow!
That was amazing!" Pecan gasped, looking at Melissa in
amazement. "How did you DO that?"
"I'm not actually
that sure myself to be honest!" laughed Melissa. "As I was
saying, May was the link to the WHOLE thing really!"
"What?
A BUNNY!" screeched Ellie.
"H E L L O!"
"What?
Ellie looked at the octopus in strange amazement.
"I A M A R
O B O T."
"But I thought you were an octopus!"
Ellie looked Hunter up and down.
"I W I L L H E L P Y O
U"
"On what, exactly?"
"W H A T E V E R Y O
U W A N T M E T O D O"
"Um...Buy me a new stretch suit,
more make-up, to be the wealthiest person in the world and, well, top
be happy!" Melissa grinned.
"I C A N O N L Y B U Y T H I
N G S N O T M A K E Y O U W E A L T H Y M I S S"
"Fine
with me!"
"Melissa!"
"Yes? What IS it
Ellie?"
"I W I L L R E T U R N I N A N H O U R"
droned Hunter and he walked off into the gloomy forest.
"I
want to go home!" cried Pecan, who had been sobbing silently. A
tear drop fell softly onto the soft forest floor.
"Pecan!"
Ellie sat next to Pecan on a log that Pecan had perched herself on
and put her arm around Pecan's shoulders.
"Poor little Pecan,
sitting on a log, then along came Ellie and-"
"Shut UP
Melissa!" Melissa stalked off at Ellie's remark.
Chapter 3
"Why did I have to yell at Pecan! She is
probably wandering around in the forest, lost and alone!" cried
Peanut. Shelby climbed onto Peanut's lap, purring softly.
"It
wasn't your fault dear," her husband reassured her. "She
shouldn't have got in such a strop!"
But Peanut was not
listening. "Why, oh, WHY! The search party has not come back
yet. The ELEVENTH one!"
"There is a bunny in your
room!"
"That's May. She's all right!" Peanut lay
down on her soft bed and May hopped up next to her. "What?"
"WHAT?"
Static stared at his wife. "You're talking to a BUNNY?"
"She
talks to me. Calm down dear. She knows where Pecan is!" Peanut
jumped up off her bed and pulled on her coat.
"Peanut!"
"What?"
"You
can't go out now!"
"Yes I CAN! And don't try to stop
me!" And with that Peanut opened the heavy door and ran down the
stone stair case. A few seconds later Static heard the front door
slam shut behind his wife.
"I won't try and stop you..."
he
whispered.
"Impolite
girl." huffed Melissa looking at where Pecan and Ellie where
sitting.
"Melissa?"
"What IS it? Oh!"
Melissa's eyes widened.
"It's me! Peanut! Pecan's
mother!"
"Peanut!"
"Have YOU seen
pecan?"
"Umm... Err..."
"Have you?"
Peanut looked strangely at Melissa.
"Umm... NO!"
"Oh."
Peanut looked at the ground and walked back the way she had
come.
"PECAN!
ELLIE!" Melissa came hurtling towards the two.
"WHAT?"
"Your
mother!" Melissa tried to get her breath
back...unsuccessfully.
"What about my mother?"
"She
was just here!"
"But I don't WANT to go back!"
snarled Pecan. "What did you tell her?"
"I said I
haven't seen you."
"WOW! Melissa!"
"What's
so amazing, Ellie?"
"You actually THOUGHT!"
