A/N: I have recently realized that unless I want this story to be about 200 chapters long I had better start making my chapters longer. This one is about twice as long as my previous ones and the ones to come will probably be about the same length (if not longer)

Chapter Five: ThornTail Hollow

Fox took a few steps away from his Arwing and activated his communicator. An image of General Pepper's head appeared above the floating transmitter device. Before Fox could greet the Pepper, the General spoke.

"Great flying, Fox. For a moment, I thought you weren't going to make it."

"Very funny, sir," Fox said sarcastically, crossing his arms. His flying was top notch and they both new it.

"I know," he said with a chuckle. "Now, on to business. Don't forget, you're looking for the Queen EarthWalker. Try talking to those ThornTail guys." The General looked around the Hollow, indicating the grazing ThornTails.

"Slippy is preparing a translator device." Pepper continued, "but until it's ready, he'll translate for you."

Fox nodded while rolling his eyes. Great. He hated not understanding what people were saying. "Okay, General, but what about a weapon? Why couldn't I bring my blaster?" he asked, motioning to the empty spot on his leg where his blaster was usually located when he was on a ground mission.

"It's always the same with you, Fox; shoot first, ask questions later. This mission is about saving the planet, not blowing it up," he said sternly. "It requires a different tactic. Try using your head." General Pepper's throaty laugh emanated from the communicator.

"Yeah, yeah," Fox replied with a hint of annoyance. "Very funny, sir. Fox out." Using the controls on his wristband he turned off the communicator. The General was right; he would have to talk to the ThornTails. Perhaps they would know where to find the Queen EarthWalker.

Looking around, he took stock of his surroundings. A stream ran through the Hollow which was fed by a small waterfall. At the top of the waterfall he saw a stone structure. It may have been a trick of the light but Fox could have sworn he saw it moving. Shaking his head, he went back to his surveying. There were several old structures built of stone and greenery bloomed everywhere, with a healthy dose of colourful flowers.

There were plenty of ThornTails around, so finding one to talk to wouldn't be much of a problem. He walked up to the nearest one and greeted it. Slippy was ready to translate.

"Hello stranger, I am a ThornTail," he greeted. "Scales has unleashed his army of SharpClaw upon us. They have taken the Queen EarthWalker and locked the doors. We are very worried about her safety." He clearly sounded distressed.

Who is this 'Scales'? Fox thought. Obviously he was some big nasty that was currently running rampant, but was it because the planet was falling apart that he was causing chaos, or was he the cause of it?

Before he could contemplate further, the ThornTail continued talking. "Let me give some advice about our world. All around us are many trees, some of which contain DumbleDang Pods. A lovely, tasty fruit."

Whatever you say. The name of the fruit was a quite odd and he couldn't help but picture and equally odd looking and tasting fruit.

"Try finding a way to knock them out of the tree. They are a great source of energy." Once again, the ThornTail changed the subject. "Go and speak to the other ThornTails. They have much more for you to learn."

Fox nodded his thanks and moved off. The ThornTail had given him advice. Strange advice, but advice none the less, so he decided to heed it. Perhaps he would even try one of those DumbleDang Pod things. Later.

He talked to several more ThornTails, most of them giving him little bits of advice. "Nothing to see here, just this tree," one had said. "If you want some real help, you should go and look around the Store. It's over there through that doorway. Go down inside and take a look around. I'm sure there are lots of items for you to buy." Fox decided he would visit the store later. He should probably concentrate of finding the Queen first.

Several more conversations later, he still didn't have anything more. The first guy he talked to seemed to be the most helpful. He wandered for a minute more before hearing something he hadn't picked up before; crying. The Queen had been locked up. Perhaps that was her that he was hearing. Following the sound he eventually wound up in front of a large stone door. He pushed and shoved but no matter what he did it wouldn't budge. The door was good and locked.

Giving up he wandered for a bit more. This was far more frustrating than he had anticipated. The first part of the mission had seemed simple; go down to the planet and find the Queen EarthWalker. He hadn't counted on her being locked up and him not being able to get to her.

His wandering took him into a grove of trees he hadn't noticed before and there was something there that was very interesting; a staff. Walking slowly forwards, he examined it. It was stuck end down in the ground, like it had fallen from the sky. A blue gem glowed at the tip encased in gold and blue markings covered the smooth wood. Blue energy coursed up its length.

Reaching a hand out, he gripped the staff and yanked it from the ground. Suddenly the energy that had flowed along the staff flowed into him with a shock. He gasped and suddenly a female voice was filling his head. He didn't know the language in which she spoke but he clearly understood them.

"If you are receiving this message, then I am in great danger."

He looked again at the staff in his hands.

"The Staff you hold in your hands is a powerful weapon."

He studied the obviously ancient markings on its smooth, wooden surface.

"You must learn to use it wisely."

The end opened up and a blue energy-fire burned around it. He swung the staff and the energy that flowed through it to him responded.

"It will give you guidance when its powers can be used."

Fox launched into a series of offensive moves, handling the staff with ease.

"My Staff's main use is in combat and in time your skills may grow. Try different actions to unleash powerful attacks. You can also use it to explore the world around you. Try lifting rocks and knocking items out of trees."

He was breathing heavily as he finished the routine, though more from exhilaration than anything. He had never handled a weapon quite like this one. A fierce grin stretched across his face. He intended to use this staff.

"I'm sure that you will find it very useful," the voice finished. "Take care of my staff and it will take care of you."

With a sense of accomplishment Fox spun the staff and tucked it between his pack and his back, securing it in place. His gaze wandered back to the locked stone door sealing in the Queen and his sense of accomplishment vanished. He still had no way of releasing her. On a whim, he decided to return to the door and see if he had missed anything.

This time as he approached to door opened, but to his dismay, the Queen EarthWalker wasn't the one coming out to meet him. Some rather vicious looking dinosaurs in armour and wielding maces emerged instead. He took a rather large leap of logic and guessed these guys to be ShapClaws, their sharp claws having nothing to do with his reasoning.

As he took out the staff the female voice once again entered his mind. "It's time to use my staff in combat." The four SharpClaw rushed him but he was ready. With near ease, he began to attack the offenders with the staff. He had practiced with a quarter staff once or twice before, but with the intent of physical fitness, not bettering his skills with the staff itself. It looked like that training was paying off.

He quickly disposed of the SharpClaw and was about to put the staff away when the voice entered his head once again. "This message will only play if my staff feels that you are ready to become its master. Before the staff becomes your own you must learn to see and feel its call through your hands. Follow its call and discover what lies beneath."

Fox looked down at the staff in his hands and realized that he felt like it was pulling him somewhere. Remembering the message that Krystal had given he decided to follow the staff's call. He took a couple of steps before he stopped. How did he know that the girls name was Krystal? He had never met this girl before or even seen her. When he first gripped the staff was the first time he had ever even heard her voice. He looked down accusingly at the staff he now carried in his hand. The stupid thing was putting things in his head.

Shaking it off, he continued to follow to where the staff was leading. It took him behind the stone structure that resembled a very large well to a cave in the Hollow's wall. How had he missed this on his first go around of the place? Either way, he was here now, as the staff wanted. It was vibrating in his hands now.

A stone lay in the centre of the cave and using his staff, he flipped it over and away. Beneath it was a hole just big enough for him to drop through. It seemed somewhat of a bad idea but he decided to go with it. He had gone through with worse ideas before.

As he dropped down he fully expected a harsh landing to follow but instead he felt his body begin to slow and he was set gently on his fit. The whisper of a breeze ruffled his fur, which was odd considering he was underground, before it disappeared. Shrugging, he started down a hall that lay before him.

Soon he entered a room at the end of the hall. In the center lay a deep pool of water with an odd structure jutting out of the roof above a small island of stone. Energy Crystals ringed the pool of water. He had heard about these things from one of the ThornTails. Apparently they were used to power the staff.

After he jumped across the water to the stone in the water, he looked down at the staff and back up at the odd structure above him. General Pepper had said this planet was ripe with magic. Perhaps this thing had a way of channeling it into his staff. He decided to give it a try and raised the staff above his head.

Energy lanced out from the tip of the structure to the ends of the staff. After a moment where energy was transferred Fox felt the new energy within the staff and lowered it.

"You have collected your first Staff Upgrade," Krystal's voice echoed through his head. "It is called the Fire Blaster. With power from the Energy Crystals it can be used for many tasks.

Fox grinned and turned around to face the entry way and stopped. It was now barred by a gate that had fallen. Where the heck did that come from?! And why didn't I notice it before? Fox shook his head in annoyance. He hated when things got complicated.

Walking up to the gate he began to examine it. He noticed an odd switch high up on the wall, so he couldn't reach it. He guessed, though, that it was used to operate this gate. Then he remembered his recent Staff Upgrade, the Fire Blaster. He looked down at his staff and back up at the switch. Well, may as well give it a try.

Holding the staff at the ready he aimed it up at the switch on the wall and then concentrated on firing. Aaand…Fire! As he thought it, it happened. A small blast of fire projectile shot from the end of the staff and hit the switch, opening the gate.

Fox put the staff away and strolled through the open gate. He loved it when things went his way. He walked back to the beginning of the cave and looked up at the light filtering though the hole in the roof above. Just as he was wondering how to get out the same sensation that had lowered him safely to the ground surrounded him again and he felt himself lifted from the ground.

When he landed back in the world above, he remembered something. Hadn't he seen a large switch quite like the one that controlled the gate above the stone door that sealed in the Queen?

He quickly jogged back over to the door and looked. Indeed there was one. Perhaps he could finally open the door. Once again using his staff he hit the switch and the door opened. A feeling of triumph surged through him and he ran to the open door. It was dank and dark inside and now he could hear the crying more clearly.

As he ran down the hall he called out. "Is anybody there?" When he rounded a corner he saw who he could only assume was the Queen EarthWalker laying on the ground. She wore bands of jewels around her legs and had jewels embedded in the frill that extended from the back of her head. "Are you okay?" he asked, kneeling in front of her. She raised her head and nodded to him. "My name is Fox McCloud."

Before he could say anything more she began talking. Not that he could understand her. She was speaking in the language of the dinosaurs and his translator still wasn't ready. He rested an arm on one knee and his head in the other. He sat there like that for a moment, looking at her in incomprehension. Finally he sighed and rubbed his forehead.

He looked over at the communicator which he had activated when the Queen had started talking. "Did you get that Slippy?" he asked.

"You've got to go to the Ice Mountain," he translated, "to rescue her son, the Prince Tricky."

Fox paused and looked from Slippy back to the Queen. "Nice name," he laughed. "Okay lady, I'll bring your son back to you. Ah," he added, "can you give me some directions?"

Once again she began to ramble on in the language he couldn't understand. "You've got to talk to that big stone guy," Slippy piped up. Fox started then clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He had forgotten that Slippy was translating for him and he had been startled. "She called him a WarpStone." Slippy didn't seem to notice Fox's reaction.

"That's all I need to know," he confirmed. "I'll be back soon Queen, don't you worry." He turned around and jogged back out the hall. When he was out of the Queens hearing range he turned to Slippy's image in the communicator. "Haven't you finished that translator yet?" He was starting to get impatient.

"It's nearly ready, Fox," Slippy said. "I just need a bit more time. Slippy out."

Fox stepped outside into the night air. Apparently he had been in there talking to the Queen longer than he thought. Either that or it was later than he realized. He began walking over to the waterfall and the WarpStone that resided above it. Apparently he had seen that big stone thing move.

As he walked down a path he passed a plat that was emitting smoke. He paused to examine it, his curiosity getting the better of him. As he looked at it a ThornTail approached. "This is a Bomb Spore Plant." Slippy translated for Fox again. "Find a way to make it explode and it will throw out Bomb Spores. Collect these Spores, as they will become very useful when you need to get through solid walls." The ThornTail paused before continuing. "Though when you plant a spore it will not throw out any new spores."

"Thanks for that," Fox said. This Bomb Spore Plant would likely come in handy.

"Anytime," the ThornTail said happily before returning to his grazing. Using his staff's Fire Blaster Fox blew up the Bomb Spore Plant and collected the spores.

When he reached the waterfall he realized one tiny flaw. He didn't see a way up to the WarpStone. He approached a wall where a ThornTail was sleeping and examined it. There was a crack in the wall but he didn't have any explosives to use. Then he remembered the Bomb Spores he had just collected.

Looking down Fox noticed a fertile patch of ground at his feet. Perhaps if he planted a Bomb Spore here he could use it to break the wall. After he planted the Spore a new plant grew almost instantly. Backing away he readied his staff. Once again he used the Fire Blaster to detonate the plant. Something seemed a little off about an exploding plant but he forgave it on the count that it exploded. He had always had a thing for explosions.

Walking through the now open wall he saw the WarpStone. It was huge and sat on an island in the middle of the stream. Walking around the steam and across a small bridge he found a small outcropping that he was able to jump from across to the WarpSone's island.

"Excuse me!" Fox called up to it.

The WarpStone turned to him and called down. "Nobody ever brings me gifts anymore!" One second thought, the WarpStone wasn't calling as much as just talking. Something that large would undoubtedly have a loud voice.

Great. Now I have to buy this big stone thing a gift. He scratched behind his ear. What was he supposed to get a rock anyways? Walking back into the Hollow he began mumbling to himself. "What on earth do I get a rock as a gift? And why do I have to get him a gift anyways. That's not even dealing with the bigger concern of money. I highly doubt Cornarian money is accepted here."

"Perhaps I could help you," a ThornTail called to him. Fox looked up. He hadn't even realized he had been talking aloud. "You are looking for money?" he asked.

"I am," Fox confirmed.

"Well, you see those rocks over there?" He motioned behind him to the ring of rocks. "If you can manage to lift those up you might find some Scarabs."

"Scarabs?" Fox asked. "Aren't those bugs?"

"They are. But here we use them as our currency."

"Ah." Fox nodded his thanks and walked over to the rocks. Taking out his staff he used it to leverage the rocks up. Just as the ThornTail had said some Scarabs scuttled out. Dropping the rock, Fox chased after them. When he gathered as many as his pack could hold in one small pouch, he walked over to the Store.

When he walked into the store a floating dinosaur clad in loose purples approached him. It was a very odd looking creature, though it appeared to be the shopkeeper so he attempted not to judge.

"Welcome to my store." She quickly indicated the different sections of the shop, each covered with a drape in the doorway. "Now, hurry and choose something," she finished, "or get out." So much for pleasantries.

Quickly he walked over to where the artifacts were kept and something immediately caught his eye. It was large, square and had a red gem in its centre. Strangely though it was labeled as 'Rock Candy'. The price was listed at ten Scarabs. He called over the shopkeeper to discuss a price.

"How about this for six Scarabs?" he asked.

"No, that's too low."

"Eight?"

"No, that's too low."

"Nine?" It was only a difference of one Scarab but hey, it was better than nothing.

"Okay, I'll sell it to you." Fox sighed. Finally. He handed over the agreed amount, grabbed the candy and headed back to the WarpStone. Holding out the candy, he called up to the WarpStone.

"Ah, a lovely sweetie," he exclaimed as he reached down and grabbed the candy, popping it into his mouth. "Hmmmm." He savored it for a minute before stretching and turning back to Fox.

"Who dares bother the mighty WarpStone?" The ground Fox was standing on began to rise and soon he was standing on top of a pillar and he could now look at the WarpStone without having to strain his neck. "A thousand years I've been left alone to rest," he continued. "What do you want?"

"Well, uh," Fox said awkwardly. It was…different to be talking to a stone. "Can you help us?"

"Help you?" the WarpStone asked incredulously. "No."

"But you're a WarpStone!" Fox cried. "You're supposed to help."

He was about to argue but paused. "Ah. Right." Fox shook his head. "Let's see if I can remember what I'm supposed to do. Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"The Queen said I needed to go to Ice Mountains to rescue the Prince."

"Ah, yes. Prince Tricky. Well, are you ready to go to the Ice Mountains?"

Fox nodded and stepped into the WarpStone's outstretched hand. He looked at Fox intently and suddenly he felt his body begin to vanish. "Good luck!" the WarpStone called, though his voice was already growing faint as Fox was transported by the power of the WarpStone to the Ice Mountains.

End of Chapter

A/N: Thus concludes chapter five. The next chapter will be Chapter Six: The Prince Tricky (I'm no longer gonna mention reviewers here. You know who you are and you know you have my thanks. I work on a laptop with no internet anyways, so I can't even check.)