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Diomede had gone over to Taskill.

That was what Walla had seen, and that was what she told Orestes after the wedding.

Thornback had never seen anything like Maon's wedding. It was two days of happy celebration, much well-wishing for the young couple, and for Thornback, he couldn't get out of his mind that they had to go back to a city under conflict.Priam had refused to talk about it during the wedding, and Thornback did not want to create anxiety on such a happy occasion. Maon had looked entirely happy, while Harmonia positively glowed. Jander and Skipper led the drinking and eating games, challenging all to eat as much shrimp & hotroot soup as they could.

Shrimp & hotroot soup was the famous otter cuisine, famous for its incredible spiciness, which was said could thaw out a river gripped in a winter gale.

Jander and Skipper had spent the three days prior to the wedding assembling the necessary ingredients, and they had had to find substitutes on some occasions. Nevertheless, through Skipper and Jander's marvellous dedication, the soup was as spicy as possible. They cheerfully scooped a great deal down while most of the others choked and dunked their heads into buckets of cold water.

Orestes had toasted to his daughter's happiness, and to the well-being of his new son-in-law. Helle was inconsolable, and led a choir of weeping lady friends, though the tears were of happiness, and no one blamed them.

Raga stood to attention like a chaperone, declining the rowdy company of Jander or Skipper, preferring to talk politics with the oldest of the hares, alone among those who decided to unleash their happiness and urge to play. Even Orestes attempted to spoon the hotroot soup, and even triumphed over his son, Priam.

Priam was coming back to assume the rightful throne of Bucko Bigbones, which had lain empty since the death of his grandson. It had led to many things, the most recent of which was the gang rule that was going on in the Highlands.

Priam was not alone; several of his friends wished to go and see a bit more of the world, but Thornback had a dark feeling that they would be appalled at the destructive violence, which none had ever witnessed before.

Maon and Harmonia both agreed that it was best if they left for the Highlands as soon as they could and so tearful farewells were made.

Orestes put on a brave face as he hugged his son and kissed his daughter goodbye: he shook hands with Raga, Thornback and Maon, and nodded at Jander and Skipper respectively.

The procession consisted of Priam, Harmonia, Maon, Thornback, Jander, Skipper, Raga, and twenty of Priam and Harmonia's friends.

The tunnels were dark for the most part, and Thornback, at the back of the line, apologized endlessly for stepping on other creatures' feet.

Raga led the expedition, being the highest-ranking creature there, and he carried two torches for everyone's benefit. Jander, for his part, would pull faces at Raga whenever he could.

Maon had originally begun leading Harmonia like a gentleman, but found that he was so unused to this underground tunnel travel that he himself had to be guided by Harmonia and Priam.

There were moments, however, where the sight of within the mountains, was simply fantastic. Once they passed a waterfall beneath the ground, and Skipper had stared in amazement at the sight.

Finally, there came an end to the tunnels, and parkas were wrapped tightly together as the procession entered the blinding rays of daylight.

Maon was the first to see the Highlands, and his face fell for a few seconds. He was remembering that his brother was dead, killed gruesomely by Taskill.

Thornback, on the other hand, was anxious to return, to see Ben again, and Machar, and the others that he had met. He also wanted to find the King's Scroll.

Priam and Harmonia's friends badgered Maon and the others about life in the Highlands, and the questions were answered even as they neared the city.

Priam and Harmonia stared as they walked past the outskirts of the city, staring at the multitude of hares, at the variety and the plenty of everything.

Some hares made trouble for them by asking where they belonged, and Maon's face could have led to a bad scene. Fortunately, Maon and the others stayed surrounded by the newcomers, so the questioners assumed that they were all immigrants.

Thornback got a catch in his throat when he approached the Headquarters of the Black Rabbits, the gang led first by Mungan, then Macrath. Now it belonged to Maon.

Hares within cheered at the sight of Maon, and were stunned at the sight of Priam, the descendent of Fergus, whom all believed had died without heirs.

Harmonia was graciously welcomed as Maon's wife, and all their friends were found quarters.

Thornback asked Earnan, a cousin of Maon's, to come aside, "Where's Ben?"

Earnan shrugged, "He'll be at his shop, Ah guess."

"Shop! He's got a shop?" Thornback was blown away at this news. Ben, the wandering nomad, a store owner?

"Aye he does. Doin' quite well too, last Ah checked. Ye should see for yerself." Earnan gave Thornback the directions, which were simple, because Ben did not live that far away.

Thornback headed for the door, when a voice called him back, "Thornback, where are you going?"

Raga approached him, a puzzled look on his face. Thornback answered, "I'm going to see Ben."

Raga and Ben despised one another; Raga was the ideal knight, Ben the ideal mercenary. It was a pity it had happened that way, for both were good creatures.

Raga sighed his annoyance, but shrugged and said nothing more as Thornback left. He acted quite mature sometimes, so that Thornback wondered exactly how old he was. Certainly he was as strict as an old beast. Like Thornback's father Oakfur.

Thornback headed for Ben's shop, which opened to a town square, one of many in the city, and stood atop a rocky slope.

The sign in front read out 'Benjamin's Arts', and Thornback could not help but laugh at how Ben now used his full name.

He went up to the front door, unsure of whether he should go in.

He heard footsteps behind him; turning around, he saw an old hare wife, pulling her teenaged son forward, "Come, come now, dear; mister Benjamin closes in three hours, and then we'll have to come tomorrow." They walked past Thornback as if he were a statue, into the shop.

Thornback went forward and slipped through the door just before it closed.

It was amazing: a large fireplace was to the left of Thornback's vision, complete with a mantelpiece littered with ornate carvings of chalk, wood, and clay. There were even a few jade sculptures. Paintings were posted around the room, and there were tables set up everywhere, in no real order. Staring straight ahead, Thornback could see a door that doubtlessly led to a kitchen of some kind. Next to the door was a flight of stairs. Candles were lit to illuminate the room, and stuffed birds and fish were also posted around.

Around half a dozen hares were in the shop, mingling and staring and thinking about whether to buy something or not.

Thornback could not see Ben anywhere, until he heard a voice directly to his right, "And how may I help you?"

Whipping around, Thornback stared delightfully at the striped face of the raccoon. Ben had discarded his patched, faded blue, buttoned shirt for a brown tiled vest over a clean, white shirt with a fine leather belt. However, he still held his shillelagh looped in his paw. The notches on his club each represented a slain foe in battle. Thornback could also see that Ben had a large battleaxe hanging behind his head. Ben looked the formidable business owner that could, from his position next to the door, see who came in and where everyone was.

Thornback clasped the raccoon's outstretched paw. Ben had done wonders for himself, and he looked incredibly happy.

"I heard that a descendant of Bucko announced himself to Taskill. Then I hear that you came back with the rightful heir."

"You heard right.' Thornback smiled, and jerked his head at the milling customers, 'Business is booming?"

Ben smiled, "Aye, it is. This bartering system is great, and everyone gets served properly."

As he spoke, the hare wife that Thornback had seen outside came up, her son in tow, "Mister Benjamin, sir? Are you busy?"

"No, what is it?" Ben looked as though Thornback had never come into his shop.

"I was wondering if you would be interested in some more potatoes from our garden."

"I could use some more, yes. They're the best ones around."

"Well, I've had my eye on this for a while." She indicated the large statue of a hare holding a hoe in one hand, his daughter's hand in the other. They were standing straight, and staring out into the distance with an expression of adventurous hope in their eyes.

Ben made a clicking noise of agreement, "It's pretty good- took me two weeks- so let's say two bags of potatoes?" He spat on his paw and offered it to the hare.

She looked apprehensive, "Well, mister Benjamin, it hasn't been our most successful year, and we need some food for ourselves."

Ben paused, "Is that so? In that case, one bag of potatoes, and a brace of turnips."

The hare wife nodded eagerly, spat on her paw, and shook Ben's hand. She promised to send her son with the payment later that day.

Ben, his business done, turned back to Thornback, but the badger noticed that his paw was tightly gripped on his shillelagh, "So it's true? You found a descendant? And the Scroll?"

"Yes and no,' Thornback answered, 'We found a religious cult of hares founded by Fergus back when he and a group of younger hares fled into the mountains. Priam came back to reclaim the kingdom, but we also need to find the King's Scroll."

Ben nodded slowly, "So is there a clue to where it is?"

"There's one in the swamp."

Ben froze, "I've been in that swamp a dozen times, and now you come to tell me about it?"

Thornback stared, "What do you go into that swamp for?" Ben would have answered, but at that point, another customer came forward, wishing to purchase a fine-looking stuffed lizard. Thornback remembered that his friend loved to eat meat, especially reptiles. He rolled his eyes and walked out.

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Thornback decided not to ask Ben to come along; he was too busy, and the badger did not want to wait for closing hours. He took Skipper and Jander aside and asked them to come. They agreed readily, and Maon's cousin Earnan volunteered as well, along with Priam and two of his friends.

They set out quickly for the swamp, for they did not want to be stopped.

While they were going, Earnan filled everyone in on what had happened while they were gone, including the death of Macrath. Thornback, who had heard the story before when Walla visited, knew the gory details only too well.

As they approached the swamp, about 20 metres away, they noticed a funny smell in the air. This was interpreted as the sign to don the masks they had prepared. Thornback hesitated, but remembered it was his better his urine, than some dreadful disease.

The ammonia in the urine protected the group as they started through the thick black mud. It was a bog, of heavy mists, and the sound of creatures in the distance.

They did not see any of the large lizards or adders. Ben had taken care of it by hunting the marshes for food, so now they were suspicious of all.

The group split up, heading in different directions to cover the whole area of the swamp.

Thornback could hear Skipper entering the watery passage so as to travel faster, his head still above the surface.

Jander had found several skeleton trees, and he leapt to the top of the most stable. Earnan cursed as he almost fell face first into the mud. Priam brushed some reeds to the side as he attempted to stare through the mist.

Thornback could barely see three feet ahead of him, it was getting so misty. He listened as best as he could, hoping for almost anything to happen.

Just as he thought this, a little lizard scurried across his feet, causing the badger to jump in surprise. He heard a slithering in the reeds that was likely a snake. Thornback shivered so hard that he almost fell back from the effort: he hated snakes with a passion, and he was suddenly glad that Ben hunted them and ate them.

Thornback struggled to get up from the mud, and then he heard a voice call out, "I've got it!"

They gathered round the caller. Skipper had found it in the water, contained in a waterproof container that must have been lying there for at least a hundred seasons. It had been weighted down by rocks, so it had stayed beneath the water, preserved by the mud of the bog.

Thornback was relieved, "Let's get out of here then." He turned to leave, only to be stopped by a call from Earnan, "Don't ye want tae see the next clue?"Thornback threw his head over his shoulder, "Are you kidding? I'm getting this rag off my face, and then I'm going to take a bath!"

Everyone laughed, and followed him out of the swamp.