"Doctor. I think he's coming round!"

"And about time too. Poor thing. I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever wake up."

"Hello? Can you hear us?"

"nyeh..." I wriggled as something quickly tried to restrain me.

"Easy Mr. Hedgehog, Your ok now"

I tried to open my eyes, but all that met my retinas, was a blurry light. I closed my eyes again.

"Gah. No. Don't go back to sleep, silly" The voices became more distant as a slipped back into the dark nothing.

"WAKE UP INCARTA"

I sat up bolt upright again, the creatures around me, suddenly grabbing my arms and talking quickly to each other and from what I could tell, me as well.

"Where...where..." I was breathing heavily.

"Calm down, calm down. You're ok. You're in our medical room" a woman's voice met my ears, even though I still couldn't see her. Another person stood next to her. She had a lighter voice then the taller figure next to her.

"Just lie back Mr. Hedgehog. You must relax and let your senses come back to you."

I obeyed, trying to steady my nerves as I was gently pushed back into my bed by a pair of hands on my chest. I felt tired and sore all over. What on earth had I been up to?

"Look after him. I'll be back in a minute" said the taller one. She was clearly senior.

My vision was slowly returning now, and the blurred figure of one of my new found carers was coming into focus. I didnt pick up on the fact that I was staring the person in the face. I was only practicing seeing things properply again and she just happened to be suitable and what my subconscious chose. But as she came into view I saw the interested look on her face as she gazed right back. She was a chocolate brown furred squirrel, her red hair tied back in a bun behind her head. Her strange bright yellow eyes blinked at me, a grin crossing her face.

"Hi there" she said, half quizzingly and half warm-welcome.

I opened my mouth to speak but no words passed my lips. Maybe it was just the dream like state I was in or the drugs i'd been unaware of being pumped full of, but I couldnt stop gazing at the young squirrel. She was beutiful.

She tilted her head at me, questioningly, "Still dizzy huh? Dont worry. We'll have you all better in no time."

Before I could answer, the door swung open and the senior doctor entered again. I could tell as she was built the same way as the fuzzy blur that had left only moments ago. She was a well built woman. Almost intimidating. She peered down at me through tiny specticles before looking over at the girl.

"You better leave Miss Andrea, the mayor is on his way and there's not much room in here for all of us."

A quick observation of the room proved her right. This was a pokey little room.

"Yes Doctor" she answered without argument. I watched her go to leave, pause at the door to smile back at me and disappeared outside.

"So." boomed the doctor, "how do you feel"

I finally found my voice, "terriable..." I admitted.

"Well, thats to be expected. You were badly beaten up when you came in here. You have multiple bumps to your head, bruises and cuts. Not to mention a badly hurt leg."

I had already noticed my leg set in cast but hadnt really let it sink in yet, "Is it broke?"

The doctor tapped her clipboard, "This is where I have to start asking you for answers" she said, biting her pen, "it was when you came in, but it seems to have almost totally healed itself in just a couple of days... do you know how that might have happened?"

I stared at the cast and looked back and forth from it and the doctor. "I...dont know"

She frowned a little, seemingly thinking hard about me. I yawned.

She broke the silence, "The mayor shall be here soon. He has his own set of questions."

"Mayor?"

That very moment, the door swung open again and a well rounded, regal looking squirrel stepped into the room, in all his gold jewellery wearing glory. He eyed the room like he was buying it and moved towards the bed looking down at me.

"Good afternoon Mayor Bodington" said the doctor, moving to the side to let the large light brown squirrel through.

"How is he?" he asked in a rather authoritic, yet posh voice.

The doctor shuffled to the end of the bed, "Still very dazed, but I think we should be able to get some information out of him now."

I tried not to frown, "I'm right here you know"

The two looked at me rather blankly for a moment before Mayor Bodington leaned closer to me and asked; "Where do you come from lad?"

I blinked back at him. I hadn't been awake long and had so many questions of my own. And yet despite my head feeling alot less fuzzy right now, and an answer for his simple question seemingly right on the end of my tongue, I could only look back at him, puzzled.

"Well, speak up laddy"

I lowered my head, despair and realisation suddenly hit me.

"I... don't remember"

----------------

"Amnesia?" I felt even more panicky at the doctors analysis. Even after she had slung out the mayor, which I thought was rather brave of her. I couldn't even remember the questions he had started bombarding me with. It had all sounded so crazy to me and the mayor reluctantly agreed to leave, saying he'd be back. I didn't want him to. All I wanted to do was get up and get out. Not that I could.

Things soon calmed down outside and everything was quiet again. The doctor looked down at me again.

"You remember nothing but your name?" she enquired.

I nodded.

"And you say you only know this... because a voice told you so?" she crooked an eyebrow at me.

"Yes..." I said, wriggling a little, "I don't quite know how. I'm just as confused as you. Where am I and how did I get here?"

This was the first question I'd been able to ask instead of be asked. Waiting for her to answer seemed like an eternity.

"You're in our remote little rural village in the southern valleys. We're cut off from most places so I doubt you've heard of us. This place is surrounded by the ice mountains to the north and the August desert plains to the south. do any of those ring a bell?"

I thought for a moment, but the names seemed unfamiliar. But the ice mountains sparked some feelings of darkness somewhere deep inside me. I chose not to mention it though and shook my head.

The doctor huffed before continuing, "Our ancestors called this place, Nexus Hill. We live in a society of law and order and limited technology. But we still have enough to live comfortably." I nodded, listening carefully. I felt like a great vacuum had been placed in my head and needed to be filled. I felt glad when she decided to continue.

"You were brought don from the mountains by one of our exploring parties. You were pretty banged up. I'm almost not surprised you have some memory loss."

"I don't remember any mountains...I think..."

Doc's ears twitched, "What are you thinking?"

My eyes wondered from her and I stared ahead. "I remember being up there..."

She leaned closer. "What were you doing?"

I strained, "...I...cant remember... but I do recall, something bad happening... I was in a fight?"

"You sure looked like it... a fight... I wonder if..." The doctor suddenly stood up and made for the door. "I'll be back later. You rest and get some sleep" She disappeared out the door before I could ask her to stay. I still had questions, but for now, I did feel very tired. I decided to bide my time. I knew I was in a bad situation and didn't feel like sorting it out right now. I could only hope I could trust these people.

I closed my eyes.