As always the standard disclaimer applies: I do not own the Happy Tree Friends; they are the property of Mondo Media. Also Crush and Iron belong to the original HTF forums user MrKaos. I own only my own characters and this story.

84 – THE BEAR IN THE IRON MASK

At the same time that the Mole was going to meet with Handy and Loco Crush was leading Lifty and Shifty closer to his campsite. They went up and down a few more slopes, and all the while Crush told the raccoons about his group. It was essentially the same information that Petunia gave to Loco and so does not need to be repeated point for point. Lifty and Shifty were both fascinated by the bear's story.

"How long have you lived like this?" asked Shifty.

"Me specifically?" said Crush, "oh a good many years, since I was little. I've probably been with the group longer than almost anyone else at this point."

"How do you find each other?" asked Lifty.

"I don't know" said Crush, "we just do. We've been on the move for as long as I can remember. Naturally one gets around."

"Where are you from? I mean originally?" asked Shifty.

"Up north" said Crush, "far, far north of here. My cousin and I both. But I'm not going to tell you about it right now; it's a long story and we don't really have time at the moment as we're almost there." Crush stopped and pointed to another slope just ahead. The raccoon brothers stopped beside him. The slope they were facing was very rocky, with several huge boulders adorning it. It was a good place for someone to hide and watch anyone approaching. Crush turned to Lifty and Shifty with a serious expression on his face.

"All right you two" he said in grave voice, "before you meet my cousin let me give you a word of warning. Be very careful how you behave around her. She's a good person but she's suffered a lot in her life, much more than either I have or any of our comrades, which is saying a good deal. She doesn't suffer foolishness, stupidity, dishonesty, or what she perceives to be a slight. If you get on her bad side I cannot answer for your safety, got it?"

Lifty and Shifty were quite startled by this ominous warning. It was quite clear to them that Crush was in deadly earnest so they both nodded.

"Okay" said Crush seeing their answer, "remember my warning – or else." With that he turned towards the slope, stuck his paw in his mouth, and whistled a signal. An answering whistle came from behind one of nearer boulders. After a moment a figure emerged from behind it, a figure whose appearance shocked both Lifty and Shifty when they saw it.

As another polar bear Crush's cousin was almost as big as he was and her physique was fairly powerful too. But it wasn't her body that shocked Lifty and Shifty it was her face, or rather it was the thing that covered her face and prevented the raccoons from seeing what her face actually looked like. Her entire head was encased in a metal mask. In front the bottom of it ended short of her mouth, and there were holes for her eyes, nose, and ears. The mask, however, did not seem to be one that could just be put on and taken off. It was quite obvious that it had been placed around her head and then made so as to never come off at all.

"What on earth – " began Shifty but Crush immediately stopped him.

"Don't" he said in low voice and Shifty didn't have to ask what he meant. Both he and Lifty forced their own mouths to close. Crush's cousin came down the slope towards them.

"There you are" she called as she came, "I was starting to think some Marauder got you."

"Oh you'd know it if that happened" said Crush, "you'd hear his screams from five kilometers away!"

"So these are our visitors?" asked the cousin gesturing at the raccoons.

"Yes" said Crush, "these are Lifty and Shifty. Lifty and Shifty, this is my cousin Iron."

"Iron?" asked Shifty blinking, "is that really your name?"

"And what's wrong with it?" said Iron stiffening up with an ominous glint in her eyes.

"Nothing!" said Shifty hurriedly, "nothing at all! Really." Iron looked sharply at him.

"Crush said your name was Shifty, right?" said Iron darkly. Shifty gulped and nodded, starting to shrink a little under her gaze. After another moment she turned away and he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"And you're Lifty?" said Iron, turning her gaze on Lifty.

"Yes" said Lifty quietly, "it's nice to meet you."

"Hmph" muttered Iron but she made no further comment and turned back to Crush.

"Everyone's waiting in camp to meet these two" she said and Crush nodded.

"I know" Crush replied, "is everything all right? Any incidents today?"

"None" said Iron, "just curiosity."

"That we can deal with" said Crush, "let's go."

Iron turned and led the way back up the slope. Crushed followed her and Lifty and Shifty followed him. The two raccoons walked close to each other so that they could talk quietly.

"What happened to her?" whispered Lifty to Shifty, "what happened to her face?"

"Did you see the way she looked at me?" whispered Shifty to Lifty, "for a moment I thought she was going to kill me. Crush is right. We'd better be very careful when she's around."

"I'm glad you realize that" said Crush interrupting their conversation. They looked up at him, startled. "Yes, I heard what you said" he went on, "I'm not surprised you're curious, it's only natural. Everyone who meets Iron wants to know how she got that mask. If you're lucky you might even find out someday but don't ask her yourself, not unless you want to suffer a quick and very painful disemboweling."

"You're not serious" said Shifty, but Crush gave him a look and Shifty realized that he was.

They were nearly at the top of the slope. After another moment they topped the rise and looked down into the shallow valley beyond where Lifty and Shifty finally saw the campsite of the Placeless Pack. It was a very ramshackle affair, not very large, and with shelters that were hastily constructed. This was a camp designed to move at the slightest sign and it often did. There were animals of various kinds moving about but Lifty and Shifty were too far away to really see what they were doing. Crush and Iron let them look down at the camp for a few moments.

"Come" said Crush finally, "let's go down and you can meet the others."

(To Be Continued)