Chapter 4: Mari-An:
Chuck Cluck's POV:
"Mother, I told you not to bother me at work," I said, "yes, I'll be home for supper... oh, you're back!"
Chuck Cluck's Story:
Skippy, his sisters, Elle and Snowflake, and their friend, Toby Turtle, were playing in the woods.
"Did Skippy really give you that bow," asks Toby.
"Yep, and I bet I can shoot as far as he can," says Skippy.
"I have a bad feeling about this," says Elle.
Skippy then fires an arrow... into a yard! "Oops," says Skippy.
. . .
Skippy was sneaking through the yard. He then finds an arrow. "I don't think someone spotted you!"
"Yeah, lucky me..." Skippy then realizes something wasn't right. He turns around.
"Hi, I'm Zax!"
Skippy then ran, but another one appeared in front of him. "I'm Raynor!"
Skippy then runs. "You two are scaring him. Hello, I'm Mari-An."
"You-you guys are echidnas," says Skippy, "but I thought there were no more echidnas!"
"Many did," says an elder echidna, "I'm Simon, Chief of what is now the Lost Echidna Tribe! This is my wife, Floren-Ca, and you met our kids!"
"Wow, are you all really echidnas," asks Skippy.
"I'm pretty sure we are," Zax says, sarcastically.
"Did you forget, Zax," asks Raynor, seriously.
"Raynor's not that bright," says Mary-An, "so, who are you?"
"UUUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhh..." Skippy begins.
Zax notices his hat and bow. "Hey, it's Rob o' the Hedge!"
"Really," asks Raynor, "I could've sworn he was a hedgehog!"
"I was kidding, Raynor," says Zax.
"He gave me these," says Skippy.
"You do look familiar," says Simon, "did I know your father?"
"I don't know," says Skippy, "his name was Johnny Lightfoot! He was killed by King Mordred!"
"Johnny... I did know him," says Simon, "and I'm so sorry."
. . .
The other kids see. "They seem nice," says Elle, "let's go meet them!"
. . .
Skippy then sees them coming. "It's my sisters and my friend," says Skippy.
"Which do you think is not the sister," asks Raynor.
"I'm guessing the male turtle is the one that's not the sister," says Zax.
"Hey, don't forget, Mufasa and Mordred are brothers, but Mordred's a cobra while Mufasa was a lion," says Raynor.
"But the turtle's also a boy," says Zax.
"Oh, good point," says Raynor.
"These are echidnas," says Skippy, "this one knew Dad!"
"Wow," says Elle.
"And they recognized Rob's bow... wait, how did you know," asks Skippy.
"Mary-An's engaged to Rob," says Zax.
"Really," asks Snowflake.
"Yes, but... I'm afraid as long as he's seen as an outlaw... we can't be together," says Mary-An.
"Rob can handle anything," says Skippy.
"You forgot about King Mordred," says Zax, holding up a stick, "I, King Mordred, challenge Rob!"
"It's King Mordred," says Raynor.
"He's just pretending," says Elle.
"I knew that," says Raynor. He then whispers to Snowflake. "No, I didn't!"
Skippy and Zax then pretend to fight, but Skippy wins. "Mommy!" Zax starts sucking his thumb like how Mordred sucks on his tail. Skippy then takes Mary-An and they run to the trees.
. . .
"So, now what," asks Skippy.
"Well, normally, the hero would kiss the maiden," says Mary-An.
"Kissing's for sissies," says Skippy.
"Then I'll kiss you," says Mary-An. She then kisses Skippy's head, and his friends laugh.
To Be Continued
In the next chapter, we meet the Mercian Freedom Fighters.