Chapter Sixteen: It Talks!
On the coast by the great sea, the weather was quite fair. The moon was high in the sky, shining down like a lantern in the night. The three squirrels sat by the light of a small fire. Kenji was awake, the other two slept. The fire set shadows on their weary faces. Above the fire was an oak tree with many leaves. The fire distinguished blue-green eyes from the many leafs of dull green. The three sat in silent, listening to the calls of night beasts. They could hear an owl far in the distance. It hooted softly to its mate.
"Chilly night, isn't it, friends?" The one from the tree spoke soft. Her voice that of a cloud, if clouds could speak. She moved silently from one branch to another to get a better view of the humble scene below.
"So, the silent one talks," Kenji said, his voice mischievous and his eyes aglow in the firelight. "It's a pity, though. Would have been quieter with a silent beast following us." His voice turned flat, a hint of dislike in his voice.
"Tis a pity one of my arrows didn't shoot you's more like it." The hint of dislike was returned by Katt. Her eyes shimmered with hatred at the brownish squirrel sitting below her. She dared not hurt him, then she would loose the trust of the others. "I would rather have searats on my land than you, Kenji Fluffnose." Kenji stared into the trees to meet deadly gazes with the archer squirrel, but she wasn't there. "Now, let's not start quarrels in our camp. OK? Let's be friends and get along. One big happy family of squirrels." She was beside him now. She placed her arm around Kenji's shoulders. Her touch sent shivers through his body. Before he could turn around to see what she looked like, she was up a tree.
"How many creatures have caught a glimpse of you, Katt Starrbow?" His voice questioning, and his face kind-like as he stared up to the tree where she now sat cleaning her tail fur.
"Those who have seen me have never lived to tell another soul. I keep to the trees. That just a few seconds ago may have been the first time I touched the ground for many seasons. Nobeast has ever heard me talk 'til you. Now, don't you feel special?" She watched him, her eyes like emerald ice.
"Aye. Now, all I must do is see your face. Then I'll feel really special. It's getting late. I think I'll have me some vittles, and off to Dreamland I'll go." He crawled over to the food sack, which was nearly empty. He pulled two scones out. He tossed one to a glimmering light in the tree, obviously Katt. He ate, and lay down to sleep.
"Sleep well, Kenji Fluffnose. There's a long journey ahead." Katt muttered under her breathe as she too lay down for a well-deserved sleep.
Kenji slept peacefully, except one solitary dream.
"Kenji, you must go to Redwall. Keep the archer close at paw. You will need her later. Gain her trust. Just ignore what she says about not going to the abbey. You must go, they need your help!"
"Who's there? Who are you? Wait. Wait. Wait." He was then woken by Neema. She was shaking him hard.
On the coast by the great sea, the weather was quite fair. The moon was high in the sky, shining down like a lantern in the night. The three squirrels sat by the light of a small fire. Kenji was awake, the other two slept. The fire set shadows on their weary faces. Above the fire was an oak tree with many leaves. The fire distinguished blue-green eyes from the many leafs of dull green. The three sat in silent, listening to the calls of night beasts. They could hear an owl far in the distance. It hooted softly to its mate.
"Chilly night, isn't it, friends?" The one from the tree spoke soft. Her voice that of a cloud, if clouds could speak. She moved silently from one branch to another to get a better view of the humble scene below.
"So, the silent one talks," Kenji said, his voice mischievous and his eyes aglow in the firelight. "It's a pity, though. Would have been quieter with a silent beast following us." His voice turned flat, a hint of dislike in his voice.
"Tis a pity one of my arrows didn't shoot you's more like it." The hint of dislike was returned by Katt. Her eyes shimmered with hatred at the brownish squirrel sitting below her. She dared not hurt him, then she would loose the trust of the others. "I would rather have searats on my land than you, Kenji Fluffnose." Kenji stared into the trees to meet deadly gazes with the archer squirrel, but she wasn't there. "Now, let's not start quarrels in our camp. OK? Let's be friends and get along. One big happy family of squirrels." She was beside him now. She placed her arm around Kenji's shoulders. Her touch sent shivers through his body. Before he could turn around to see what she looked like, she was up a tree.
"How many creatures have caught a glimpse of you, Katt Starrbow?" His voice questioning, and his face kind-like as he stared up to the tree where she now sat cleaning her tail fur.
"Those who have seen me have never lived to tell another soul. I keep to the trees. That just a few seconds ago may have been the first time I touched the ground for many seasons. Nobeast has ever heard me talk 'til you. Now, don't you feel special?" She watched him, her eyes like emerald ice.
"Aye. Now, all I must do is see your face. Then I'll feel really special. It's getting late. I think I'll have me some vittles, and off to Dreamland I'll go." He crawled over to the food sack, which was nearly empty. He pulled two scones out. He tossed one to a glimmering light in the tree, obviously Katt. He ate, and lay down to sleep.
"Sleep well, Kenji Fluffnose. There's a long journey ahead." Katt muttered under her breathe as she too lay down for a well-deserved sleep.
Kenji slept peacefully, except one solitary dream.
"Kenji, you must go to Redwall. Keep the archer close at paw. You will need her later. Gain her trust. Just ignore what she says about not going to the abbey. You must go, they need your help!"
"Who's there? Who are you? Wait. Wait. Wait." He was then woken by Neema. She was shaking him hard.