My site is finally finished! You can see it on my Bio. If you don't see the chapters here, you can see them there on the Fanfiction page. I really hope you're enjoying the story. I also have a new idea which I will show later. Chapter Six!! (Anyone else like U2's new song Vertigo?)
6
Chapter Five: The Topaz Holt
"Gnaah!" Mort awoke abruptly in a groan of distress. He'd had a nightmare, and no one awoke. Well, Greenleaf did. He has a tendency of waking at every little sound.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I had a nightmare...Martin the Warrior appeared, just in a flash, and then I had a vision of the Guosim tribe being massacred. It was absolutely horrible! But then Martin returned, saying something...I can't remember it now..."
"Huh! Well, go back to sleep, it's not even dawn yet."
Mort groaned sleepily, restless now. "Oh, I'm so thirsty all of a sudden. I'm going to fill my canteen again."
He walked over to the nearby stream, filling his water. It was close to dawn now, light enough to see, even though the sun was barely on the horizon. Then he heard a rustling in the bushes. Mort then went stiff. "Who's there?" he said.
The bushes rustled again, this time a giggling came from the bush. Then something jumped out and tackled Mort (who was, at this point, scared to death), and it started laughing. Mort forced his eyes opened, and realized that a furry, white hare was pinning him to the ground, close to the riverbank.
"...Benji! Why'd you do that to a poor ol' mouse trying to fill a canteen?" Mort said, catching his breath as the strong hare let go.
"Hah, 'cos it's funny, wot?"
"Yeah, to you!" Mort said with a chuckle.
"You thought that I was some dangerous vermin, did you not?"
"Hah, yeah I did. Why would a jumpy hare as you be out this early anyhow?"
"Oh, the ol' cottage does get a tad borin' after a while, wot? So I got m'self up and found the owl that lives 'round here and asked him whether you were 'round here too, and of course he said you were."
"Interesting. Everyone else is fast asleep right now, but I doubt that Greenleaf is asl-"
"Hey, it's Benji! I haven't seen you in ages, you ol' frogwholloper, how are you?"
"I'm doin' well, how about y'self, wot?"
"Well...not so great, to tell you the truth. See, the four of us-Lupin, Mort, Martin and I-have set off to inform Mossflower about this huge organization that's been going about, obviously planning to attack soon."
Benji gasped. "I, too, have heard and seen them! It's huge, wot? Creatures have been saying that they're down in some jolly valley. But I ain't too sure, wot?"
Mort sighed. "Unfortunately, they're right."
"Yes, we have gone down into that valley." Greenleaf said.
"Well, wot are we standin' around jolly well talkin' then? Let's go!"
"We're on our way to the Topaz Holt today to report of our happenings. Would you care to join us?" Lupin awoke, and was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed...or whatever tail that he had.
Foremole yawned. "Brekkist comes afore an'thin', oim gurtly 'ungry!"
Everybeast set off bright and early that morning to go to the Holt. It wasn't until noontime until they reached the beaches.
The day had become overcast, and a wet, cold fog had set in, not too dense, but enough to be a nuisance to their day. The shores roared with waves, the tide was coming in. They began to walk on the cold, heavy sand that seemed to be endless both ways.
"I better lead the way from 'ere, just stay on course. The crabs here are terrible." Lupin said.
It was a good hour until Lupin stopped. "This is where it is. We better get in quickly; the tide's rising really rapidly." Foremole shuddered at the thought of water coming up to his claws. Lupin then showed a hole that could barely fit anybeast, but one by one, they all climbed in and crawled their way through the tunnel. Eventually, the tunnel opened up to a cave, which then increased its' height.
"We're descending into the ground, by the way." Lupin informed.
"Why? I thought otters were in water..."
"You'll see!" Lupin said cheerily.
The sand then soon became very damp and when their footpaws dug into the sand, it revealed cold water.
"We're almost there, don't worry!"
Everyone started to shiver in the damp cave, which barely shed any light. Eventually, the cave opened up and shed more light, which watered their eyes after getting used to the darkness. The water, which was now up to their ankles, became warmer and started to get a current that pushed forward, which never seemed to cease.
"We're here!" Lupin said, cheerily.
The cave ended, and a lake appeared. There were cottages that were on the shoreline, if not somewhat into the shallows, which had stone façades and mud-brick chimneys that shot kindling wood smoke into the sky. The sun, right on cue, then came out, revealing the crystal clear lake which shimmered against the wilderness surrounding it. Everybeast gasped in awe.
"Ain't it beautiful? I love my home."
"If this is a Holt, then me auntie is a jolly ol' toad, wot!" Benji said.
"Well...we started out as a small tribe, then became a Holt. I guess we've expanded a bit since we started, but if you've been 'ere this long, you kinda lose notice of it!" Lupin responded.
"Wot 'ouse iz yer's?" Foremole asked, afraid to even go near the shores.
"I'll take you there soon, but we first gotta go to the Chief to report in. Oh! And don't drink the water in this lake; this water runs from the high tides o'the seas goin' through that cave. That cave used t'be an unnerground river, but it's suddenly slowed down. No one knows why. But, let's go meet Jojjen...let me do the talkin' okay?"
They went to a nearby dugout, which went into a hill near the shoreline. There bore a hole, which everybeast stepped down into. It lead to a staircase lined with torches to guide the hall. The staircase didn't end long; it ended soon enough to a room (more-so a burrow), which the alpha-otter sat.
"Good afternoon, Jojjen. Lupin reporting in." Lupin said, in a serious tone.
"Good afternoon to you, Lupin. How was your journey?" Jojjen responded in an ironically low tone.
"The journey had a few obstacles in it. We've crossed paths with the Badrang crew, and I've confirmed that the valley is actually the location of their home base."
"I trust that you've made good judgement on your decision to add that hare to your group."
Benji then became angry. "Now li-" he began, but Martin immediately covered the foolish hare's mouth, and he stopped.
The Chief otter gave an agitated expression as he glanced at the hare. Lupin then became embarrassed.
"I don't approve of the hare," Jojjen said.
"I apologize. I assure you, he's quite the gentlebeast when not at candid moments." Lupin thinking: Yeah, when frogs learn to fly.
"So you've seen Badrang's band? Please report the status."
"The current population of the band is roughly 150."
"Good. Thank you, Lupin...and you, hare, work on your manners."
"Many thanks to you also."
"You may leave. Please report back before you leave the Holt."
The crew then filed out. Once they got out, the enraged otter then spoke to the foolish hare.
"What were you thinkin', yellin' at the chief like that?! I don't care whether he called you a hare, which you are, by the way, or not! He doesn't care what your name is, he's the chief. I told you not to talk, and let me do the talkin'. But no, you had t'talk!" Lupin said, enraged.
"Look, Lupin and Benji, let's stop this. It's water under the bridge. Let's swallow it and get on. Why not show us 'round?" Martin said.
They both sighed. It wasn't as if they could keep it on much longer, anyway. Lupin showed them around, and then went back to Lupin's cottage.
It was empty in there, but it was very tidy and clean. There was beautiful wood crafted furniture everywhere, stained a mahogany tone, and there were designs all over the legs of them. There was kindling laying against the mud-bricks next to the fireplace, ready to burn and color in even the darkest corners of the lonely cabin. Pots and pans were laying askew on a rack in the kitchen area, ready and eager to be used.
Lupin then gave a sigh of relief for the solace of his home, which looked beautiful. The five gave ecstatic comments about his gorgeous home, ready for a good meal from Benji.
"Oh, if only Cornflower could see this beautiful collection of kitchen supplies! You've all the spices found in Mossflower-and then some! How'd you get so many?" Greenleaf inquired.
"Inheritance. I've no idea how t'cook, my mother used t'live here...until she passed a few seasons back. Don't worry, it was for the good. But I'm eager for a good meal for Benji!" Lupin said, as they all agreed.
"Well, don't you worry 'bout that, wot? I'll make a feast that'll make Greenleaf's better half step back, m'lad!" Benji said approvingly.
Benji whipped up a feast for the five, and they all ate heartily. Lupin got out the quilts, and they all slept joyfully, awaiting the next day.
I hope you liked this chapter as much as I enjoyed typing it! Please give a review or two for my jolly good work!