Chapter 2
Deep in a forest called Mossflower, young squirrelmaid named Mander awoke while a beautiful sunrise filled the sky. She took a moment to admire it, looking out of one of the windows in the family treehouse. Today was a big day. It was her mother's birthday, and Mander needed an early start so she could gather ingredients for a cake. Mander snuck out of the house, slid down the wooden firepole, and headed east toward the river. Reaching the river, she swam to a small island in the middle of it. On this island was a secret grove of rare trees--cocoa trees. The seeds from these trees could be used to make chocolate, the most precious substance in all of Mossflower! She started cutting off seedpods with her sword. Her sword, called Wolfbane, was given to her by Lady Cregga Rose Eyes for saving Salamandastron from the clutches of Razorteeth the evil mongoose, but that's another story. (Besides, you probably wouldn't believe it if I told you.) Anyway, Mander was collecting seedpods in her apron when she was startled by a loud ZAP and a bright flash of light. Suddenly, some creature tumbled on top of her.
"That was so cool, Stitch! Can I go again? Hey, wait a second. You're not Stitch! You're a giant squirrel. How'd you get so big? Do you live in a tree? Do you like walnuts, 'cause I don't. They taste bad. I remember last week at school the cafeteria served--"
"Wait, wait. One thing at a time! My name's Mander. What's yours?"
"I'm Lilo," she replied as she got up and helped Mander up.
"Nice to meet you. Say, you're a human, aren't you?"
"Yup."
"Wow, I didn't think that humans actually exist. In most of the stories I've heard, they appear out of thin air from another world. When they first meet a creature here, they either get really excited or they faint."
"Where is here, anyway?"
"Right now you're in the Mossflower woods."
"What'cha doin'?"
"I'm gathering ingredients for my mother's birthday cake."
"Birthday? Are you having a party? Can I come? What kind of cake is it?"
"Well, it's going to be chocolate-fudge-damson-plum-candied-chestnut-with-meadowcream, but it'll never get made if you keep asking me questions like this."
"Okay, I'll help. Ooh, nice sword. Can I hold it?"
"No."
Deep in a forest called Mossflower, young squirrelmaid named Mander awoke while a beautiful sunrise filled the sky. She took a moment to admire it, looking out of one of the windows in the family treehouse. Today was a big day. It was her mother's birthday, and Mander needed an early start so she could gather ingredients for a cake. Mander snuck out of the house, slid down the wooden firepole, and headed east toward the river. Reaching the river, she swam to a small island in the middle of it. On this island was a secret grove of rare trees--cocoa trees. The seeds from these trees could be used to make chocolate, the most precious substance in all of Mossflower! She started cutting off seedpods with her sword. Her sword, called Wolfbane, was given to her by Lady Cregga Rose Eyes for saving Salamandastron from the clutches of Razorteeth the evil mongoose, but that's another story. (Besides, you probably wouldn't believe it if I told you.) Anyway, Mander was collecting seedpods in her apron when she was startled by a loud ZAP and a bright flash of light. Suddenly, some creature tumbled on top of her.
"That was so cool, Stitch! Can I go again? Hey, wait a second. You're not Stitch! You're a giant squirrel. How'd you get so big? Do you live in a tree? Do you like walnuts, 'cause I don't. They taste bad. I remember last week at school the cafeteria served--"
"Wait, wait. One thing at a time! My name's Mander. What's yours?"
"I'm Lilo," she replied as she got up and helped Mander up.
"Nice to meet you. Say, you're a human, aren't you?"
"Yup."
"Wow, I didn't think that humans actually exist. In most of the stories I've heard, they appear out of thin air from another world. When they first meet a creature here, they either get really excited or they faint."
"Where is here, anyway?"
"Right now you're in the Mossflower woods."
"What'cha doin'?"
"I'm gathering ingredients for my mother's birthday cake."
"Birthday? Are you having a party? Can I come? What kind of cake is it?"
"Well, it's going to be chocolate-fudge-damson-plum-candied-chestnut-with-meadowcream, but it'll never get made if you keep asking me questions like this."
"Okay, I'll help. Ooh, nice sword. Can I hold it?"
"No."