Aw, thanks!!!! I'm glad you enjoy it!!!!!!!! And I am THRILLED that you like Reed that much!!! :D You have completely reinspired me so I won't disapear on this story again. And not only that but I am considering a sequel to this. Well... at least somethign along the same lines but it's not necessarily a sequel. Although an actual sequel is being considered too. I'll keep you posted on that. ;)

Chapter 10

Reed had been… different since the tribe. It wasn't fair to call her difficult but… that's what she'd been. She was friendlier to Fingal, although it was in a way that told him it was only because this was their last few days together. She'd lost her fight. She was hardly his Reed anymore.

"Reed," Fingal said suddenly one day. " I want to talk to you."

"Fingal, I'm not going," she said, as if she knew what he was going to say.

"That's not it. I, uh…" Say it. Tell her you need her. Tell her you personally need her you idiot. "Thank you for coming with me, Reed."

She blinked. "Your welcome. You know… at first I came because of Tide. I didn't trust you not to screw it up. But now… I know you could've done it alone."

"I could've. But I'm glad I didn't." Even if it means I'm gonna loose you. He smiled softly. "Come on." He bounded up a hill and paused then pulled a yellow flower off the ground and offered it to her when she joined him. She looked taken aback then took it slowly.

"Uh… thanks…" she said awkwardly.

"Your welcome." He pulled it from her paw and tucked it behind her ear gently. They stood there for a few minutes then he bounded back up the hill, Reed behind him. Fingal paused again and shuddered, unable to shake the feeling they were being watched.

"You okay, Fingal?" Reed stopped beside him.

"Yeah… No problem." He smiled and started on again. He was being rediculous.

What he didn't know then was that he wasn't.

From behind a rock behind them, Paddle smirked.

--

Aaron stared down at her baby as Padre sat in a chair, face in his paws. This was a nightmare. Not only was his son in danger but his brother was risking everything for him. Although there was no one he trusted more with Tide's life, the worry for his brother haunted him. So much could happen outside of the safety of Mistmantle.

Swanfeather tugged on his sleeve and looked up at him with huge, misty eyes. "Where's Uncle Fingal?" Her voice was quiet and high pitched, obviously worried. Her brown eyes were misted over and still had tears in them, making it obvious to him that she'd been crying.

He lifted her up and put her on his knee. "Fingal… Fingal's going to make Tide all better."

"How?" She sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"He's gonna find this magic rock," her father told her in an enchanting fairy tale voice. "Come here, let me tuck you into bed and I'll tell you a story of a brave otter." He lifted his daughter and carried her to her room then tucked her in and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Once upon a time," he said softly, "there was a young otter named Fingal." Her eyes brightened, making him smile. He knew how much both his kids looked up to and respected Fingal.

They got that from him.

"When he was just a little otter, something horrible happened in Mistmantle. An evil tyrant began killing babies he didn't see worthy. Fingal was one of them. But some adults hid those children away so that this tyrant couldn't get them. Many of them ran wild and disobeyed and caused trouble and panicked. But not Fingal. Fingal kept everyone calm and said they'd be okay, he wouldn't let them get hurt."

"How old was he?" asked Swanfeather.

"Oh, he was very young. About your age, actually."

"He was brave…" Her eyes were full of wonder.

"Yes he was. In fact, I remember one time when he calmed down a young she-otter. She was very scared. She had fallen asleep when she was taken and she couldn't remember where her parents were. He comforted her and he befriended her when most laughed and jeered. Her name… was Reed."

Her eyes lit up again. "Reed!"

"Mmmhmm. She was his best friend for most of their childhood. Then, just after the tyrant was defeated, something happened. She got stuck in a rapid when swimming and hit her head. She lost her memory. And two kind otters adopted her. Now, she's with Fingal, making sure your brother is gonna be okay."

"Wow... Other than my daddy and mommy the two bravest otters are out there saving my brother…" For the first time in days, she smiled- truly smiled. "He's gonna be okay then." She rolled over. "Night Daddy," she said before she went to sleep.