Reinvigorated with the information the documents had given them, the team eagerly returned to work early the next day. Dr. Lockben was busy driving between the dig site, and the special holding facility at the university examining the remains and trying to put names to each. While he couldn't make copies of the lists the ancient book contained, he made several notes which would help him in his efforts.
Bulfie was absent again. It seemed he would be delayed another number of days. Wally explained, that after a series of frantic and hastily written emails, it seemed the divorce proceedings were back in full swing. Also his young son had a minor infection at the incision site, but was recovering nicely in his father's care.
Both Wally and Dan worked extra hard to make up for the missing beast. Beth for her part tried to be as useful as possible. She tagged artifacts and boxed them up, being sure to label everything as her father taught her. The din of the construction workers was enough to drive any beast mad. Beth was somewhat happy Bulfie couldn't be with them. The builders worked at surprising speed. Already, down below the ridge a large parking lot had been formed, and several buildings took shape. The parking lot landed right over the area where the ferret suspected the bodies of the foebeasts were left. The young squirrel paused a moment, casting a sorrowful glance towards the spot. Turning back to the dig site, she returned to her assigned tasks.
She had heard Wally and her father talking earlier. It seemed The Abbot of Redwall hadn't be able to convince the government to chance their building plans. This weighed heavily on the young squirrel. After all, shouldn't the Father Abbot of Redwall Abbey count for something?
Further contemplation was ended when she saw Dr. Lockben's car pull up. This time the busy hare was accompanied by another. A young hare, not far off from Beth's age. He wore work clothes, and a very annoyed look about his features. Beth watched as the pair approached. Lockben placed a firm paw on the younger's shoulder, presenting him before the young squirrel.
"This laddo is m'boy Portan, as we're short on paws he'll be helping you missy." He gently shoved his son forward. "Show him how things are done, there's a good gel." As quickly as he had arrived the hare was off again.
Beth sized up the tall hare standing before her, as he sized up here. "So you're Dr. Lockben's son." She smiled warmly.
"Yeah, he just said that didn't he. I say, are you a touch slow?" The hare retorted.
She cast him an annoyed glare. "Well, I'm Beth, if we're going to be working together might as well get to it." She passed him a bucket of soil and led him to the large sifting frame. "We gotta sift the dirt t'make sure we haven't missed anything."
Portan eyed the sifter doubtfully. "Rather filthy work this, doubt health and safety would approve. Practically slave labour I would wager. "
Paws on hips she waited for the hare."Are you going to complain the whole time, or get to work?"
"Bit snappy aren't you?"
"Only when annoyed."
The young hare finally poured the soil through the screen, sifting it as Beth demonstrated. He smirked, taking a bit of a shine to the squirrel. "You're forced into this too as I hear."
Beth smiled. "Not really forced, Dan's my father."
He cast a glance back to the squirrel in question. "Just the two of you huh?"
She shook her head, adding more soil to the sifter. "Naw, I'm an only child, but my mom is back in Toronto. What about you?"
Portan wiggled his ears, much to Beth's amusement. "Youngest of three. Sort of a surprise as it were." He winked at his own little joke, Beth catching the meaning.
The pair quickly fell into a routine. As much as Portan was lazy, Beth could be a task master. He was set the dirt sifting duty, while she finished labeling all the artifacts her father or Wally presented her with. She didn't quite trust the hare to delicately wrap the items. He seemed like the sort to drop or damage these precious finds. Once Portan proved sufficient and the heavy lifting, and lugging of dirt, she allowed him the task of photographer. Unfortunately the hare had no skill at this what so ever so the task was revoked.
Before they knew it the sun was dipping lower and lower. Dr. Lockben had arranged for lights and generators to be delivered so Wally and Dan could work into the evening. Time was ticking after all. However for Portan and Beth, their tasks would end in time for supper. Portan was picked up first by his mother and taken on home. Beth lingered around waiting for her father to take a break, so that she too could go back to the rental cottage. Instead Wally had an alternate suggestion.
"Would you like to go to a movie with Nance and the twins?" He asked.
Brushing dust off her jeans Beth nodded. "Yeah, sure, but I'll need to change first. "
"Don't worry, 'tis a midnight showing." Wally explained. "Do you like the Taggerung movies?"
The films in question were only the hottest series of films to be released in the last four years. The trilogy loosely, very loosely based on the historical events surrounding an otter raised by a vermin tribe. As with many teens, Beth knew it well. Her eyes went wide with excitement.
"Do I, but I thought the last one wasn't out until the fall?"
Wally smiled. "They're released earlier here. I managed an extra ticket for the midnight showing, but Nance's pal is sick. How about you go. I'll have May pick you up, you can swing by the house and get ready."
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Beth was in her glee. May picked her up, and took her by the rental cottage. In record speed the teenage squirrel got washed, changed, and booted it out the door and back in the car. It was seven thirty by the time they reached the house. May called out to her children as she entered the home.
"Beth's here, you lot ready t'go?"
A thunder of paws greeted her. Willy and Durvy wore matching t-shirts carrying the image of the film's hero, a powerful painted river otter. Nance came in close behind, she looked equally excited, but tried to hide it as her younger brothers were in attendance. Lagging behind was Annie, she was too young to go to the film. She clutched her grandfather's paw looking most unhappy.
May bent down to cheer her youngest up. "Now, we went over this Annie. You and Poppy are staying in this evening. Tonight is all about the tea party and Disney Princess marathon."
This cheered up her daughter, and caused her father to heave a heavy sigh. "Oh the things I does for me little princess." He patted his granddaughter on the head, and lead her from the porch. "Mayhaps we'll take a walk t'the shop and buy some sweets."
The otterwife was playing the role of driver this evening. As Beth was a guest, she was permitted the front seat of the car. The local movie theatre wasn't far from the otter's home. It was a large complex with eleven theatres and one Imax screen. The largest of which "Taggerung: A warriors return" was being played upon. May took out her purse and began distributing tickets and money. "Nance, y'don't have to mind yer brothers, but don't cause any fuss with 'em. Boys, same goes t'you. Here's some money for the boys, and some for the girls. Get yerselves some supper an' snacks outta that. An' have fun." She sent them on their way knowing they were bound to have a good time.
Like two opposite poles the males went one way and the maids the other. The twins quickly met up with some school friends in the arcade, while Beth and Nance wandered around the food court area deciding what to have for supper.
"Thanks for letting me come along."Beth piped up over the many sounds in the threatre.
"I'm just glad I don't have t'be stuck with me two brothers." Nance laughed. "So whatcha want t'eat?"
The two teenagers settled on pizza, as the pizza stand had the shortest line-up. Taking their cheesy slices to the nearest table they could find, they commenced to watch the flood of creatures coming to see the film. Most were young bests, those in their mid-teens to mid twenties. Standing out like sore thumbs were older creatures; most parents taking their kids, with one or two going for their own amusement. Beth knew how big these films were, but had never gone to a midnight showing. Taking a few bites of pizza her jaw dropped. Nance blinked. "What is it?" Turning her head around the young otter spotted what had caught Beth's eye.
A small contingent of university ages creatures walked into the cinema complex. Each were garbed as various characters from the film. A tall male otter strode boldly in wearing a kilt. His face painted with the various markings and symbols associated with a Taggerung. Beside him a mouse friend, dressed in a yellow tunic, and wielding a fake, but convincing looking battle axe. With them was a fox garbed as one of the Juska tribe, and a female otter. The otter had sprayed her fur with some sort of dye to make it look silvery white, she wore provocative clothing decorated with shells and strange beads.
Nance nudged the squirrel. "She's supposed t'be Rukky Garge the otter fixed. Dad says that Rukky really existed back in the day. But she wasn't no looker like she is in the movie. Naw, she was old."
The two had a good giggle over this.
As more and more spotted the dressed up creatures, cheers rose from the crowd waiting for the movie. Those in costume stayed in character, much to the amusement of onlookers. Suddenly a pretend battle began between the dressed up Taggerung, and the fox. Armed with pretend weapons they comically wrestled and fought. Fans cheered and urged them on. The staff however stepped in and politely asked the pair to put an end to the antics, or they would have to leave. To the onlookers disappointment the pair gave it up, and proceeded to wait in line.
Once their supper was done, Beth and Nance too joined the lineup. The building was a buzz of excitement. More dressed up creatures arrived. Within the hour there was no fewer than fifteen Taggerungs, some not even otters. One of the staff handed out temporary tattoos. Pink speedwell flowers meant to be the birthmark of the otter hero.
Hyped up with excitement, and junk food Beth forgot about the troubles posed to the dig site. Tonight she was just a kid.