Chapter 16 - Chapter 14

Penny felt someone gently slapping her face, speaking to her. “Come on now Penn, wake up now, that's it…” Morgan was leaning over her, a worried expression on her face. The haremaid choked, coughing up water. Morgan sighed, a relieved look on her face. “Thank goodness. I thought I'd lost you.” Penny, who was cold, wet, and all around uncomfortable, managed a thin smile. Morgan grinned at her, shaking water from her whiskers.

“Oh, come on now Penn, a little water never hurt anybeast.”

“Speak for yourself, ya great stream walloper!” Jhekel yelled to her. He sat further down the bank, dripping wet, his few remaining arrows and his bow, broken, beside him. He was working on trying to get the arrow out of his shoulder; he breathed in sharply through gritted teeth, slowly and painfully trying to pull it out. It was in deep.

Morgan watched him for a while and then whispered something in Penny's ear. The haremaid nodded in agreement as Morgan got up and walked over to him. “Oh Jhekel…” Penny called to the squirrel. He stopped what he was doing and looked over to her.

“What?”

Morgan saw her chance and went for it. She reached down and yanked the arrow from Jhekel's shoulder. He yelled aloud in pain and whirled on the ottermaid. “You tryin' to pull my arm off? What did you do that for?!?!”

Morgan shrugged. “At least I got the arrow out. Let me go find some herbs and I dress that wound for you…” She walked off into the woodlands.

A few moments later, Morgan appeared back by the river. She looked behind her before turning and kneeling next to Jhekel. She selected a few of the herbs she had gathered and began working, talking to him as she did so. “There's somebeast out there, though I didn't actually see them.” She tied the dressing tightly with a bit of tough dry grass. “How's that feelin' matey?”

Jhekel moved his arm around. “Feels alright, thanks. Now about this - ”

Penny interrupted him, calling out to her companions in a hushed tone. “We've got company! I can hear them comin' down the riverbank…”

As the creature came into view, they could see it was a young squirrel, carrying two large buckets down to the river. He leaned down by the water, filling the buckets with water. As he stood up again, he saw the three wet, bruised creatures further down the bank. He dropped the bucket in surprise, splattering water everywhere. “Oh my!” he ran up to them. “Are you alright? What happened?”

Morgan had found her walking stick washed up on shore. She reached out with it into the deep rushing water, trying to pull something it. She explained what had happened to the newcomer. “We were pursued by a vermin patrol…oh come on now…” She reached out further, trying to hook the object onto her walking stick. “Came to the edge of that cliff down there…” She nodded upstream. “…and it was either jump or be killed…ah, there, got it!” She tossed the object to the squirrel before pulling something else in. It was her lantern, or at least what was left of it. Cracked and broken, it hardly resembled the beautiful globe-shaped lantern it had once been. “Would ya look at that? Ruined, and it was a gift too…”

The young squirrel stared at the object Morgan had tossed to him. It was her medallion. He looked up to Morgan, then to Penny and Jhekel. “Are you…one of them?”

Penny smiled. “If you mean Moonsparrows, then yes.” Morgan took the medallion from the squirrel, wrapping it back around her walking stick.

“What's your name matey?”

“My name's Trek, pleased to meet you. I have a home close by. You're welcome to stay there for a while. You all look like you've been through a lot, a good long rest will do ya good.”

Penny offered a paw to Trek, smiling. “My name's Pennybrite. This is Morgan…” she motioned to the ottermaid, who shook hands with Trek. “And that grumpy wet beast over there is Jhekel.” She pointed over her shoulder.

Jhekel's ears lay flat against his head as her rung water from his tail. He gathered his belongings, muttering angrily under his breath as he noticed his bow was braken in half. As he rejoined the others, Trek threw his arm around Jhekel's shoulders. “Come on now matey. You're welcome at my place.” He walked off into the woodlands, looking behind to see that the others were following.

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