And that was the news everybody wanted, and yet nobody wanted, to hear. Proof that all the news of Craig, Raj, and Shawn where saying was true, and the King was coming.

"How long do we have, Green Poncho?" asked Kelsey.

"Until Friday, the King's birthday. That gives us less than 3 days." replied the Green Poncho, who then disappeared back to his post. Now, a new question hung over the Council, even though nobody said it: What do we do now?

"And to answer your question," bellowed Kelsey, before anyone could ask, "We get ready, take the fight to him, and we go and defeat the King!"

This regalvanized the Council, filling the meeting space with an air of determination and vengeance.

Just before that storm of emotion could break, Craig called out "All right everyone, let's get ready!"

"Who said you could tell us what to do, Civilian!?" yelled Paintball Mike.

"Yeah, who do you think you are?" yelled Jason.

Again, the Council devolved into a shouting match. Like the formation of the Council in establishing the Rules for the Circle Game, everyone had differing opinions, and not everyone was pleased with the idea of Craig leading them.

Troont, troont, troont. "Quiiieeeet!" called out Beth.

That silenced the Council, just long enough for Elder David to some up with something to say.

"All right, I see we have a question over if the Young Squire is leading the Creek through war or not. Let's solve this democratically, all those against?" David asked.

Jason, Mike, Eliza, and Wildernessa raised their hands, fully convinced that one of them should be in charge, nobody else.

"All in favor?"

Everybody else raised their hands, from Bobby, to Samantha, to the Junk Lord, the Sewer Queen, even Elder David.

"By the Laws of Democratic Voting, Majority rules, Craig will lead us!" proclaimed Elder David. There where grumbles from most of the Against party, except from Eliza, who was strangely quiet, her eyes half lidded. Nobody however complained loud enough for it to be a problem, and the meeting continued.

"All right everyone, we've got to get ready! The King isn't expecting us to come to him, so we'd best make sure we can take it to him!" said Craig in a rallying voice.

"Paintball Mike, General Samantha, Yustice!"

"Yes, Aye, Here!" came their replies.

"Head back to your territories, gather all your friends, all your followers, all your warriors! Yes Mike, that includes Benny. We need every fighter we can get!"

"On it!" replied Samantha and Mike (for those who are good at giving orders are, for the most part, competent and punctual when they receive orders), while Yustice just vanished into a puff of smoke.

"Kelsey, you're on good terms with some of the pirate captains of Rodger Lake right?"

"Yeah Craig, how many do you think we need?" replied Kelsey.

"As many as can navigate the Creek, and will heed the call!" answered Craig.

"I'll need some help rowing the raft Craig, my arms aren't that long." added Kelsey.

"Bobby, go with her." said Craig with a surprisingly clear tone that left no room for questioning the order. Bobby jumped right on the raft, crude branch paddle in hand.

"JP, get to the Dinosaur Valley, gather any and all herds, packs, clans who will come." said Craig.

"Two ayes, General!" replied JP saluting.

"Hey, Kelse, you gotta row right near the Valley, mind if I join you for a stretch?"

"Come aboard, we could use an extra paddler!" replied Kelsey. And off the raft went.

"Jason, take the Scouts to the Overpass. Join up with the Poncho so that you can figure out the lay of the land, and try and find a fast way to the Mill."

"Well, I think.." started Jason in a snooty tone.

"Now!" finished Craig with a yell that left no room for questions.

"On it, Scout's Honor" replied Jason in a squeak, and he hurried off to his task.

"Wildernessa, where did you go?" asked Craig. She and Cheesesticks where gone. How a noisy wild child and a Tibetan Mastiff could just disappear was anyone's guess. But that wasn't important now.

"Cannonball, go to the Ten Speeds. Tell them to prepare to go faster and stronger than they'd ever gone before!"

"You got it man." replied Cannonball, peddling off with slight bewilderment, wondering what Craig had in mind.

"Elder David, I need any and all books you've got on tactics and battle plans. We may need them."

"Lord Tholgim's Armies and Their Uses for RPGs, on it!" replied David heading for Elder Rock.

"I'll gather my people and prepare my strongest warriors," stated the Sewer Queen, "we'll prepare the perfect amphibious assault!"

"No, your Majesty," replied Craig. "I need you to do something else. Tom, Kyle," said Craig, turning to them, "ask everyone in the Creek you meet, and ask them Do You want to Fight, or Not? If they want to Fight, tell them to rally at the Trading Tree. If Not, tell them to go to the Sewers. Don't go just yet." Craig then turned to the Sewer Queen.

"Fortify the Sewers. Those not fighting need somewhere to go where they are out of harm's way, and we may need a defendable base if we fail."

"Right," replied the Sewer Queen, "I'll go and make preparations for a large influx of kids."

"Thanks. Tom, Kyle," said Craig turning to them with a pile of papers in his hands, "while you are out and about looking for fighters and innocents, get these plans to Carl and Faraday of the Alliance of Science."

"Shouldn't Wren do that?" asked Kyle.

"No, she's not going yet, and sooner is better. Tell them to go to the Junk Pile once they get those plans." Craig told them.

"Junk Lord, Zoe."

"Yes." they both responded.

"Zoe, head to Cardboard City and gather all the engineers you can. Send them to the Junk Pile. Any fighters or warriors you get, send them to the Trading Tree, but what we really need are engineers."

"Um, okay." replied Zoe, in a somewhat confused tone as she went to Cardboard City.

"Junk Lord, we're going to need supplies from your Pile."

"Urrrgh, again!? Why!?" replied the Junk Lord.

"We need to make a few special weapons to attack the Mill. You are the only one with the right materials to do so. Remember, if we loose, you loose the right to your stuff." responded Craig.

"Mmurrgggh, fine! I'll help. But I want the junk back this time!" he growled as he stalked off towards his domain.

"All right," started Craig.

"Oh Crai-aig," interrupted Eliza, "With all these brave people gearing up for the glorious march against the wicked King, shouldn't everybody have a map of where we are all going? Wouldn't that be helpful?" she inquired with her sweetest accent.

"Yeah, you're right! Okay, everybody stay here for a bit while I make the maps. Raj, Shawn, show me the route to the Mill." Craig, Raj, and Shawn jumped right into making maps, their minds so focused on their purpose, other thoughts didn't enter their heads.

About 45 minutes later, 50 copies of a map showing the way to the Mill from the Stump and the Trading Tree where made. These where left near the stump for now, as they weren't needed immediately.

"Mackenzie," started Craig again, puffing at the exertion of rapid mass-production all by hand, "get to the Meadow and tell the rest of your herd what's going on. Try and get them to join us." said Craig.

"Why, what do you need horses for?" replied Mackenzie.

"We'll figure that out when we get ready to march, now go! Please." answered Craig. With a minor hrumph of annoyance, Mackenzie galloped off to the Meadow.

"Kit," said Craig, "get to your Tree and pack everything up for a journey."

"What, why, where am I going?" replied Kit.

"You're joining the Army of the Creek. We need your supplies, all of them: food, drinks, medicines, everything." said Craig.

"And you're trading?"

"The freedom to trade, freedom from tyranny," started Craig.

"I was hoping for a bit more..." replied Kit.

At that Craig dropped his staff, took Kit's right hand in both of his hands, and made eye contact with her.

"My eternal gratitude." Craig said passionately.

Kit was silenced for a moment. A funny feeling was enveloping her. Usually she had this feeling when she had a $100 bill in her hand. But here...it was stronger, sweeter, more important. And it got worse when she looked into Craig's eyes; his soulful, shining, sea-deep, milk chocolate brown eyes.

"Okay, I will." replied Kit, turning her head down and to the left.

Not a breath later she whirled her left arm around and landed a karate chop on the top of Craig's head with a shotgun crack that could be heard by Beth in her tree.

While on the ground, dazed from the blow, Craig heard Kit scream at his prostrate form "Don't you ever use Mr. Sweetie Goo-Goo Loverboy Eyes on me again, Craig Williams!" With that Kit stormed off to the Trading Tree, blushing radiantly enough to give the sun competition. Giggles ensued from Wren, the only member of the Council left, but Craig was too dazed, hurt, and focused on his mission to care. "Wren," began Craig dazed, "ahem, Wren, I've got an important mission for you. Remember your experiment a few weeks ago...?"

It was 5:58 p.m. when all was said and done. Craig stood at the Stump, a smile on his face and great thoughts in his head. Many plans where laid, the army was being rallied, weapons where being collected, prepped, and primed, and the King was unaware that the residents of Herkleton Farms Creek where getting ready to face him before he could to anything to them. In the distance, the Timekeeper sounded the alarm for dinner. Yep, today was a good day. Craig gathered up the Lord Tholgim's Armies and Their Uses for RPGs he got from Elder David, a new foam battle staff from the LARP warriors that looked just like his original staff, and the 48 maps to the Mill.

6:15 p.m. at the Mill Tree Fort. The King was in a good mood. Things where just beginning to darken, the army was geared up and now is running drills and practicing, and the only wrinkle he could think of in his plans was the fact that he didn't have the Map of Herkleton Farms Creek. The King will just send some Waterlilies, maybe some Maple Seed Scouts across the Overpass tomorrow to steal the Map and hopefully take that Craig hostage. That'd be useful.

"Ahem, Your Majesty." came the deadpan, emotionless voice of Maya.

"Huh, yes, what is it?" replied the King, interrupted from his merry planning.

"You have some visitors here to see you. They say they are from the Other Side of the Overpass. They have a map or something to show you."

"Really? Bring them in, bring them in!" replied the King excitedly.

"Allow me to..." started Maya.

"Ahem, we are perfectly capable of introducing ourselves, thank you very much!" replied a voice to arrogant for it's owner's own good.

End of Chapter 2