Tails of Monkey - Hey Adventure is still waiting

Started by Catherine, June 16, 2020, 08:25:28 AM

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Catherine

Down I go into the crosslegged position, my tail whipping out a bag of popcorn ready to hear the story of ghost frog rock. Where it got the popcorn I am not sure p, it was just there. Maybe later I will ask it where it got the popcorn at, hopefully it isn't a messy eater either or a loud one. I would hate to keep asking Anne to keep repeating what she is saying because I can't hear her over the loud crunching.

CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. What did you just say? CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. I didn't catch that part. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. What? CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. It did what to what? CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. Can you repeat that whole part again? CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH.

Anne sat down and started to rock back and forth slowly. "Okay where do I start, it isn't that long of a story to be honest, but it is a story. Probably best at the beginning. Okay, Okay....." For a moment Anne played with her fingers, I guess trying to get everything in order, "Sorry just trying to get everything in order so I don't miss anything. Oh and no I didn't read your mind. Give me one more moment."

I nodded, a little something, not freaked out or anything. I mean Anne is stronger than me I think, excited and can read my mind.

"Like I said, I can't read your mind. Okay I got it..." Anne nodded and took a deep breath.

"This is the story of ghost frog rock, the rock over there. Some say the frog only appears to specific people and who those specific people are, only it knows. There is no list of people and countless people have looked for it, the list, even divined for it. Only to find pools of water and gold, but no list. Which would be nice to find since then I would find out if I am on the list and the frog is just going in order. Some say seeing the ghost frog is an omen, but of what, no one knows since those that have seen it, never tell anyone what happens to them afterwards. Some say it is a sign to, but again no one knows what it is a sign of, since no one is talking about it afterwards. But seeing the ghost frog is definitely something."

Anne pauses for a moment, taking a breath before continuing.

"Okay the story goes is that long ago there was a feud between a family of frogs and another family of toads. Over what no one remembers anymore,  some say it was over the rights of flies and small insects, not rights in like they can vote and everything more like.... These are ours to eat and you get those way over there. Yeah they look sickly and will probably taste bad but those are yours, bon appetite or something. Anyways their was a feud between them, one family saying they had the rights while the other said it had the rights. Both had the papers saying that they had the rights, even stamped with a power of attorney and everything.

Anyways there was a lot of feuding, words were said back and forth, a lot of explosions and Kung fu fighting frog and toad style. It was very dramatic and I heard the movie rights are being shopped around. In the middle of all of it there was one frog who believed the two families could work together, sharing the rights to the flies and small insects, living happily ever after.

He had a smooth tongue and soon the toads and frogs laid down their arms and legs and well arms. Agreeing to work together, all was well for a while then something happened. No one knows what though, just the explosions and Kung fu fighting started again.

The lone frog climbed up on the rock, cleared its throat which made everyone stop punching, kicking, head butting and exploding. He spoke of honorable things. Not of dropping elbows on anyone or sticking dynamite in outhouses. He spoke of peace and sharing of flies and small insects. A collective sigh ran through the crowd there, some even dropped the dynamite they were holding, realizing it was still light they picked it up and pulled the fuse just in time.

The frog had done it somehow, brought peace to the feuding families. Peace, joy and flies & other small insects for as far as the eye could see. Suddenly there was a pop and the frog croaked on the spot. No one saw who popped the frog, the bringer of peace, all they saw was a small shape flying away.

Some say the last words of the frog was of friendship and peace then ribbit. The frog you saw was that frog, no one remembers its name anymore. All they know it appears to some and not to others."

Anne took another breath after finishing the story, my tail sitting there slack jawed for a moment after listening to it. Dropping popcorn onto my shoulder.

"That is amazing," I said nodding, looking back at the rock as I wipe the popcorn off of me.

"Yes it is and you got to see the ghost frog, that means something. Hopefully good I hope."

"Me too," I answered nodding a little,"me too..." Sitting there I swear I see a frog sitting there on top of the rock giving me a ghostly thumbs up.


((The oddest timing for this post...))

Catherine

I sat there for a moment thinking about the story Anne just told me. It could be just a story that has been passed down through the years or one that is told to kids to teach them a lesson. What the lesson is, is beyond me. Don't get into a feud with frogs or toads since they know karate and somehow can get a hold of dynamite, I wonder if they had to get licensed or something. Maybe it is, watch out for little flying things with sniper rifles, which is kind of dark come to think of it. Kids would never go outside or leave their bed if it was that. They would just be hiding under their blankets all of the time.  Pretty sure no one wants that.

But I can't just blow off the story saying it is a work of fiction that someone made up on a rootbeer float bender. Pushing it too far with that extra scoop of ice cream, they were told only to do so many scoops but no they had to do one more, pushing them over the edge. I saw the ghost frog and it gave me a thumbs up, hallucinations can't do that since they don't have thumbs, so it must have been a real ghost. Although its lack of 'Boo', any type of chain rattling and lack of slime, puts that into question. Ghosts usually do or have one of those things. Unless it isn't that type of ghost.,

I turn back to Anne after the ghost frog gives me a wink, "Thank you for telling me the story Anne." Which Anne replied with a quick nod, "No problem, like I said not everyone can and since you could it means something. Maybe someday I will ." Quickly she brought both hands up and crossed her fingers in front of her face, "That would be great."

I laughed, "It is just a frog Anne, well a special frog but still a frog."

"No..." Anne answered, dropping her hands down into her lap as she shook her head, "it is a ghost frog and not everyone sees it."

"Okay, I guess you are right. That does make it special," I said with a little nod. "I do have a question for you. What is up with the roots? I got tripped by some and poked in a place that shouldn't be poked."

"Well.... Okay...." Anne started to say, averting her eyes as she did, "I sort of get bored and start to play."

"Bored? Don't you have anyone to hang out with or do things with?"

Slowly Anne shook her head, "No, they all went to a concert. Something about the demon is back or something. Saying something about heavy metal and rock. I don't like either of those, more of a country girl really. All of the screaming and loud stuff makes my head hurt, so I stayed here. They will be back tomorrow I think."

"That sucks, yeah some do think they are singing but really are just screaming. No tune just loud and more loud. I guess some think that the louder they are, the better they sound. That and I have been tempted to walk up on stage sometimes and point to the instrument, 'You know that is guitar right?"  Anne giggled when she heard me say this. "You know I have been to one of Dee's concerts, actually know her personally. She has a really good voice, plays a pretty mean tune and her concerts are great. A lot of lighters up in the air and everything. In fact...." Quickly I reached for my bag and started to root through it, "I know it is in here somewhere. She signed it before kicking me through a hole in reality."

"She did what? That doesn't sound nice," Anne said, looking to see what I was doing.

"Yeah she applied pressure to my butt with her foot," I stop looking for a moment and look up, "You know what? I just realized a lot of people are doing that to me nowadays. Hmmm?" I turn back to what I was doing, finding everything but what I was looking for at for. Okay lucky rabbits foot, pop cap from that one place, bar of soap that smells like flowers I got from person in the Amazon, the Shark's tooth I got from that one boat that was bitten in half, a balloon and wait a second. Here it is!"

With a SNAP I pull out a t-shirt, I didn't snap it, it just snapped of its own accord. I started to pull it out and SNAP! I put it back away and pull it out again and SNAP! Okay kind of strange, I tell myself as I unfold the t-shirt. A smoky grey shirt that looks like well smoke is rolling over it, the sleeves and collar in a darker gray. I nod once before flipping it around to show Anne, showing her the front of the shirt. A left handed bass guitar printed on it with a devil's tail coming out of the guitar's butt. To either side is a set of devil's wings and printed in a dark red, almost blood red, is 'Spinebreaker's' printed in some type of old English type of font. Below the guitar was some lettering that resembled runes. Not ruins, since the shirt was not that big to have ruins but runes. Ancient writing before there was cursive, so really old. I can't remember what Dee said it meant when I asked her, it meant something though.

"You know what, take this..." I say tossing the t-shirt to Anne, "is there a way you can get to the concert?" Anne nodded, "then go and have some fun with your friends. If a Gilly asks, tell them Monkey sent you."

Anne looked down at the shirt for a moment, "But it is going to be loud and everything."

I nod, "It will be loud, but not so loud that you can't hear anything ever again."

"But..."

"No buts, you miss your friends. Go be with them and have some fun. Slip the shirt on and go." I say standing up.

"Okay.... I do miss them," Anne said as slipped the shirt on and stood up, "Thank you."  Before I could do anything, Anne gave me a hug, took a step back while bringing a hand up to pinch her nose before falling backwards.

All I could do is stand there and watch as Anne slowly sunk into the ground, like she was sinking into water. But wasn't water since well it was dirt. As the last of Anne slowly disappeared I called out to her, "Say 'Hi' for me,"

"Will do Monkey." Is what I heard in reply coming from the ground under me., then silence other than the cricket that was singing and the birds that was doing something, not sure what though.


((Thumbs up with a tear))

Catherine

I stand there in the clearing for a moment, listening to the crickets and birds, trying to figure out where to next. I knew where I had to go, to find Mouse, but I sort of wandered off of that. Looking around, every grass blade looked the same and other that the rock, there was no landmarks. I should have thought of that before trying to find out what was the cause of the roots.

String or bread crumbs, I am not sure about the string really. If I had a ball of it, I could have done that but there was a couple things to consider about it. First being a tripping hazard, especially if it hangs about neck height. If a deer or something like that comes running along, Urk! The poor thing would get stopped and flipped onto its back by the string, which I would feel a little but when the string gets pulled a little. Now if a whole herd ran into the string, there would be a lot of urks, even one coming from me when I get yanked back and dragged behind the deer. That and I would have to worry about cats, if I carried a ball of string.

The bread crumbs, that is obvious. Birds! Leave a breadcrumb and a bird would fly down and gobble it up. More bread and more gobbling. I might still have a path, but it would be a path of fat little birds, rolling about on the ground. Too round to fly since round can't fly. Their little wings flapping in the air to no avail and all I could do was nudge them with my foot. Maybe set them up on a fitness plan where they end up running up a bunch of stairs, all the while I play the song 'Pupil of the stripped cat.' Poor little birds.

I remember I had to go that way, just have to figure out which way is the right that way and not the wrong that way. Too many times have I taken the wrong that way and gotten into interesting situations, maybe I will share some later. That one time with the armed guards on a base that wasn't really there, wink, was interesting. The only thing that worked was the 'What is that?' and point to somewhere away from me. The guards looked and POOF I was gone. Okay I do have to admit there was a 'that' to point to, a big silver disc thing. I must have stumbled onto a secret testing area for giant metallic frisbee or something. I look towards ghost frog rock to see if I could get any help there and the ghost frog just shrugged its shoulders. No help there, I guess, maybe mouse showed up after it croaked. So it doesn't know where she is really, which is good if it just isn't giving directions out just to give them out. 'Yeah I think she is that way' and hours later I find myself in the middle of the desert, face to face with an armadillo which if you stretch it, it could be a mouse but not really.

I feel like I was going that way, I tell myself, turning to left. It looks like a good direction and definitely better than that other direction, turning to look in the other that direction with all the spider webs and the grass that looked odd. Odd as in the colors looked drained, so the grass green was void green which isn't a good green. I don't recommend painting anything in it unless you want the chills. Speaking of chills I swore I could feel a cool wind blowing from that direction even  though there was no wind. Shivering when I felt the cool wind no wind blowing then thinking  about what spider butt the webs came out of and how hard it would be to get it out of my hair.

"Yeah," I said turning around, "definitely not in that direction. So I guess that leaves only one thing, that direction." I give the ghost frog a quick wave as I start to walk away, in that direction.


((Now back to the story...))

Catherine

There is nothing like a taking a walk on a beautiful spring maybe summer day. Running your feet through the grass and just relaxing. Yeah the grass is taller than I am now and it is sort of hard to run my feet through it. Really doubt it would be relaxing to kick a blade of grass until I run my foot through it. I KICK want KICK to KICK relax KICK now. Little bugs and critters falling all around me as I kick the grass blade. Sorry KICK my bad KICK hurts less if you roll with the fall KICK try to fall on something soft next time  KICK I told you to hold on didn't I?

I continue to walk that way, getting that whole fairy tale slash amusement park feeling the farther I go. In fact after a while i start to ready myself for when someone dressed up in a costume jumps out waving their arms in the air. Not the 'Booga Booga' hand waving, more 'Hiya, it is really hot in this costume but I am paid to be happy' wave. So no fainting. Now if something non costumed jumps out I can't promise what will happen. Might be a 'HIYAH', 'Hi yah' or 'Oh........' [insert sound of body hitting the ground].

"Grass," I keep repeating, pointing at the blades as I pass one after another. Yeah i know not too exciting so far, with this whole walking and being cautious thing. I don't have scissors so I should have chosen running but the whole getting lost and never being found ever again got to me. I know it happens and even in the strangest locations too, just don't want it to happen to me. Sometimes it is fun but at the moment I think I am lost enough and becoming even more so doesn't feel right.

So walking, one foot in front of the other. Pressing fast forward on remote to get past this section. I am sure you don't want to read about hours of walking either. So click and hey I remember that and that too. It feels like I was the one doing all of the walking. It is definitely is more fun watching it. Let me check.  click hmm.... I don't remember this part, what with the sword fighting, must have went too far. Click. Ah I think this is it.

PRESS PLAY


((Yeah I think you would get bored if there was a post that says walk and walk and walk. Oh and more walk. So I saved you from a lot of walking. What is she doing now? Walking.... ugh))

Catherine

I can hear the sound of metal hitting wood as I climbed a small hill. Quickly I dropped to all fours the closer I got to the top, there was no way I was going to just pop up after hearing that sound. Things can occur when you surprise things wth metal or sometimes just metal things. A 'hey there' can have you tasting metal in a blink of an eye and if you do that around a statue. Yeah well pigeons, do I need to say anymore? 'Hey there' followed by tons of splats and 'stop that, aim for something else!' Moments later there is a you shaped pile of ick standing there. Not fun, not fun at all. It takes hours in the shower to get that all off, yeah you might be clean and everything but you will have raisin fingers and toes in the end.

My tail peeks over, giving me the thumbs up before I peek over to see what was happening.  Nothing much really, just a mouse swinging a sword as big as itself at some pieces of wood that is all, nothing odd there. Maybe it will know where Mouse is, I mean there is no way a mouse would be called 'Mouse' maybe Mickey or something like that, but not 'Mouse.'

That is like calling a dog, 'dog' or something like that. The dog knows it is a dog and 'dog' isn't original. It is cute for like the first day or two but after that, a proper name needs to be given or it might be heckled by others of its kind, 'Really? That is your name? Really? Guys you need to hear this, tell them your name."

Laying there, I watch as the mouse swings the sword around. I am not sure how it is holding it up since if you laid the sword down next to it they would be roughly the same size. Probably close to the same weight too. But it was swinging it with ease, two and one handed. It was an impressive sight to watch from a safe distance away. Many branches lost their lives that day and the the burlap like manikin had to hurt a little when the sword sliced into it like it did. Even from where I was sitting,,I sort of felt it, rolling over to put my hands on my stomach and mouth 'Ow!'

I was going to get up and introduce myself when the mouse paused for a moment. Wiping its head with a towel before reaching for a large box that sat off to the side. Mouse started to open it and when I saw the fruit inside, I clamped my hands over my mouth. Everyone knows when fruit is paired with a sharp weapon that the everything is going to the next level. It doesn't matter the fruit either, you name it and it will take, whatever is being used sharp weapon wise, to the next level. Except for Kiwis, those don't take anything to the next level. They look relatively harmless and you feel a little bad for them when chopped in half. Watermelons always add to the wow factor with the larger weapons, while not so much for smaller ones or arrows. While the smaller fruits are good for arrows and smaller weapons.

 'Be impressed, I shot the watermelon with an arrow.'

'Yeah not too impressed since it so large. Oh you do know it is against the law to shoot a watermelon with arrows right?'

'What? Since when?'

'Since now, freeze! I am putting you under arrest for the shooting of a fruit that is really large and then gloating about it. Anyone could hit it and it took you how many tries? Let me count...... One...two...three...five...eight... Almost twelve tries to hit it. Pitiful.... I am going to have to write a citation for that too. This one is for, can't hit the broadside of a watermelon. Tsk tsk.'

The mouse lays out various kinds of fruit, from bananas to pineapples then a watermelon or two and even a durian. I hope no one finds out that a king is about to become part of a tasty fruit salad.,I watch as she steps into the middle, takes a deep breath and goes ginsu. The blade goes whirling about like some whirling blade. Slicing air and leaving it in two pieces on the ground and everything. I just sat there in awake as fruit went flying up into the air, peeled even and landed neatly mixed in a bowl off to the side. Fruit should reconsider their thoughts if they think they can take this mouse out. 

What will be the next trick, I ask myself as the mouse carefully puts the blade on the table and the stretches for a moment. Maybe slicing paper after it has been thrown up into the air? I always wondered how it was made and that would be cool to watch.

The mouse walked off for a moment, leaving the sword behind on the table, then a low rumble could be heard. Net rest piqued I poked my head up a little further and watch as this log came rolling in. It was big, not big but huge and when it stopped in the middle of the clearing I was wondering many things like how did it learn to roll itself around and dud it know what happened in the clearing. Oh oh and was it here for the sword? Most of my questions were answered when I saw a small set of hands grip the side of the log moments before the mouse appeared.

If only I had a banana milkshake and popcorn, I told myself getting ready for what was about to happen. This might be really good. I watched eagerly as the mouse walked over and got the sword and walked back to the log and prepared.,

It is rude just sitting here watching but I wait to clear my throat until after the mouse swings the blade, chopping at a sort of unsuspecting log, didn't want to screw up the swing and have the mouse accidentally stick its blade in a rock or something. Since that is probably how all the swords in the stones started. An interrupted swing and into a nearby stone, forever locked until the rightful owner or someone with a jackhammer comes by.

WHOOSH goes the sword and in a moment a neatly stack of evenly cut fire wood is sitting there. Instantly I stand and start to clap, "Encore. Encore. Encore."


((Mice with swords. Oh this is going to be fun.))

Catherine

Quickly the clapping got awkward with the mouse just standing there with a sword in its hand, staring at me. My clapping got slower and slower and slower until eventually my hands barely moved as I stood there, glisten slowly running my neck. "Um... Hello
sorry to disturb you and everything. But...."

That is when the words froze in my throat, I know about the warnings at the zoo and everything. Never stare directly into the Eyes, but I accidentally locked eyes with the mouse. It was an accident honest, I didn't mean too. I was looking and BAM eye contact. Instantly my blood froze and I just stood there, cold and almost choking on the words stuck in my throat. Hoping some would dislodge so the Heimlich wouldn't need to be done, because the mouse was the only one around and having the Heimlich thingie done to me by a sword didn't sound to pleasant.

What I saw in the mouse's eyes was not describable which is good since now I wouldn't have to find the words to describe it. Let me see if I can find something close, hmm..... You know when you are licking ice cream and it falls off onto the ground and you shake the ice cream in the air saying something about the people who invented round ice cream will soon rue the day or something.  Yeah not that.  Although round ice cream is tricky sometimes, when it starts to roll. Dodging your spoon or tongue with ease and it is really hot out and the ice cream would hit the spot. Okay maybe sort of like that but not really.

Anyways the mouse had that look in its eyes that froze me to the spot, not even my tail was moving I think. The only thing working at the moment was my thoughts and those were in one thing, please don't use the sword on me. My eyes shot down to the sword and back up to the mouse's eyes. One of those was more dangerous than the other, yow talking about shooting daggers. I think the only thing that was saving me was bad aim.

I could see the sword come up a little and I started preparing to be my own twin. Clothes might be a little hard to find but I should be able to get half off of everything. Then I heard the growl and when I looked up, the mouse stared to squint a little before it started to talk. Hey, it is not like I am going to say 'no you can't talk' to someone who has a sword and has a raspy voice  I heard the mouse ask, ""Who are you?"

You see being stared at the way the mouse was staring at me like was well... Causing a problem. You see I was concentrating on the sword and all the things that could be done on me with it, like being drawn and quartered and nothing else. I don't mind being drawn, I think I can sit long enough while someone does and if they catch my good side. The quartered part in the other hand was what bothered me. I didn't like that part. So I just stood there trying to think who I was. I know I am me but who am I again? "Uh..... I am.....uh......well...... I think I am......uh...." I answered trying to find an answer. Don't laugh, you try to remember who you are with a sword sitting in front of you, that at any moment could lash out at you and cut you into two or even more pieces.

"Speak up...." The mouse growled as it relaxed and tightened its grip over and over on the sword's handle." It chuckled for a moment, "Cat got your tongue? If so I will get it back for you."

"I.....uh......" I answered before taking a step back as the mouse swung its sword in the air in front of it before stomping its way over to me. With its free hand, the mouse reached up, took me by the collar and pulled me down so we were face to face. I would say it's breath was pleasant but it was far from being that, imagine two month old Limburger cheese mixed with some other stinky cheese and still even more stinky cheese and you would get what I was smelling at the moment. "Tell me your name girl or I will give you one."

If I could I would have out a clothespin on my nose, then a gas mask and one of those bio suits to get away from the smell that was smelling, I did manage to lean away just a little and find a fresh pocket of air.

*take a deep breath of air. It smells so not cheesy.*

"No need for name calling, I am Nichole Anne Marie Smith, my friends call me 'Monkey'," my tail slowly pulling itself up, now wearing a small gas mask, to show itself.

"Good," the mouse said as it let me go, immediately I shot up out of the cheese cloud and politely took a breath. Excuse me, turn and gasp. My parents always told me never to gasp for fresh air in front of someone smelly, that their feelings might be hurt.

The mouse turned and started to walk away, "Next question, why are you here?"

With no eye to eye contact and able to breath no cheesed air, I found myself able to think and yay answer, "I sort of released something and a monk told me that a person called Mouse could help me find it."

Immediately I was under the mouse's gaze again as it whirled around, "What did you release and what monk?"

I stood there, my words fleeing me again, under the mouse's gaze. "Um....I sort of..."

"Spit it out!" The mouse yelled, little bits of stuff flying out all over adds for to the yell.

"Umm... It was called Audokornet and the monk was a lurking one." I answer unconsciously brushing bits off of me.

"Why in the blue cheese did you do that for?"

I looked down, "I thought the vase was a cookie jar and everything."

More bits flew at me as the mouse yelled even more, "It isn't the cookie jar, those look completely different!"

"Yeah I know that now....."

"Cheese bits, I am too old to go chasing that thing around again," I heard the mouse say as it kept squeezing and releasing its grip on the sword a little. Too old, I asked myself and looked up, "hey you got some gray hair."

Yeah that wasn't the smartest thing to say to be honest. When the mouse looked up at me and growled I apologized quickly, "I am taking it that you are Mouse."

"Yeah and tell me about this monk, who told you to find me."

"Well he is sort of like this and this and sort of like this and so on," I paused for a moment to think, making sure I got everything, "oh yeah he has a shiny bald head. I think he might polish it for some monk ritual or something."

"Him..." The mouse started to say before spitting something yellow out. "I adventured with him when I was younger, then we had a falling out," The mouse looked down for a moment, rubbing the side of one of its legs, "Kind of surprised that he remembers me."

"He didn't hesitate, he said you would know how to find Audokornet."

"Yeah I do, I tracked it the last time it got out." Mouse said with a nod of its head, squinting a little as it looked away to some unknown place. Well in that direction over there but I doubt there, I am thinking further away pass the grass blade. It is okay that  it isn't though.

"So?" I asked a little excited.

Mouse turned back and looked at me, "It isn't that easy. We will need to go get something that will help. I hide it away after putting Audokornet away the last time."

"Why did you hide it for?"

"Because I didn't want anyone to find it that easy and then be able to locate Audokornet."

I nodded and started to say "Good ..." Then stopped when mouse continued to talk, "I didn't think anyone would just release it either."

My head dropped, "I said sorry, my judgement was clouded by thoughts of cookies."

"Yeah, yeah," Mouse said spitting, "we need to go back to my place first then we can go get the item."

"Okay."


((“We need to go back to my place” is so..... until next time.))

Catherine

I didn't know what to expect when the mouse slung the sword across its back in a sheath that was well worn. Any moment now I thought it would be crushed by the weight of the sword, one little arm sticking out pawing at the air and a squished voice saying 'Help me....'  But no up went the sword across the mouse's back like it was nothing and off the mouse went with a swipe of a hand and "Come along my place isn't far."

"Okay," I said  quickly following behind Mouse. Who while no taller than my hips felt much bigger. The way it carried itself bristled with confidence and strength of course the sword strapped to its back helped with that. Definitely helped with that, mouse had to be strong to swing  that around like it did. I probably could pick it up but I would be straining the whole time, definitely wouldn't be as intimidating.

'Wait a second [insert straining sound] let me just [insert more straining sound] pick this up [even more straining sound] and then I will swing at you. [really straining sound] Fear me, maybe.....'

"So your name is Mouse?" I ask following behind well Mouse.

"Yes...." Mouse answered without looking back.

"So no one calls you anything else?"

Mouse rested a foot on a root and looked at me for a moment, "Not if they know better. There was something once that tried once though."

I stopped, "What happen?"

Mouse laughed and continued down the pathway, "Like I said it was once," mouse spits something yellow off the path, "It learned not to after that well soon after that. You know some giants are stupid right?"

"Uh sure," I answer as I started to follow behind Mouse again. "So just call you mouse?"

"Yes or A Mouse if you want to be formal.  Anything else and you are Cazu Marzu."

I didn't ask what Cazu Marzu was, the way Mouse said it and everything didn't make it sound pleasant. No way did I want to be it.

*Monkey note - Cazu Marzu is a sheep cheese , bah bah, made in Sardinia with flying maggots in it. Ick! The name means "rotten cheese" or as it is known as "maggot cheese". While I am sure it is ummm..... tasty, I think I will be passing on it. Ick!*

We followed the path, like you are suppose to do with all paths, as it wound its way through the grass blades and over a creek then through a marsh of grass, small grass not the large ones, which was kind of odd. There was a heron there who kept shooting me a look the whole time and whenever I asked 'What?' It would just look away with an attitude. I considered going over to it but Mouse told me to leave it alone.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes..." Mouse growled as it made its way up an embankment.

"Fine...." I answered, shooting the bird the power sign of 'I am watching you.' Two fingers at myself and then point at the heron which just turned away again. Grr.....

"Get moving!" The mouse roared and guess what I did, get moving. Quickly scrambling up the embankment, looking back at the heron and started to ask Mouse a question, "Are we...."

"Don't ask and yes we are..." Mouse answered and I turned, sort of expecting to see a giant shoe. Hey why not, got the tall grass blades, giant shoes wouldn't be too hard to believe. Someone would have to mow the grass right? But what I saw was a small stone building, well the face of it at least since the rest of it was stuffed into a giant log with a chimney poke out the top. In front three was a small stump with an axe buried in it and a stack of firewood sitting next to it.

Everything looked natural and not out of place, with moss growing over things. Definitely Mouse lived off the land, I told myself as I looked around for any type of wiring for electricity and spotting a little building tucked away in the back with a little moon cut into the door.

"Very homey," I said with a nod and Mouse's only reply was, "Yeah, yeah. The map is inside then we can go." 


((Nod nod. No throw pillows but maybe next time))

Catherine

The closer I got to the front of Mouse's house the more moss I could see. Maybe the house was made of it well other than the log, I wondered for a moment before seeing a piece of it fall off to the ground with a thump. "Very," I started to say and stopped when I swore I saw the piece of the moss that just dropped to the ground breathe, "um nice."

"It keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer," the mouse answered without turning back, "it keeps me dry too." Spitting yet again off to one side. I didn't bother looking this time, I knew it would be yellow and that is all I needed to know or wanted to really. "It isn't anything fancy and that is what makes it perfect. Especially if..."

If what? All of the interior designers in the world realize that people don't like putting small pillows all over the place. In the bathroom really? Why is there a pillow in the kitchen? Don't tell me so muffins have a comfortable place to sit. What? Aliens finally land on earth and they take our housing supplies. We come for your half penny nails. What? The in style for decorating finally becomes extreme rustic. Who needs paint when you can lick a piece of moss and stick it anywhere. What?!??

With one hand Mouse pulled the axe out of the stump and them swung it back down. CHUNK! Burying it even deeper into the stump, "something happened."

What is Mouse talking about? What is the something? It would be good to know what this something might be, you know as a warning. If you do this you will be living with moss. Not as a 'oh I should of told you' thing, those things are never good. Oh I should have told you that poking the bear with a stick would have gotten that reaction. You think?!?

I thought maybe lifting the axe would give me an answer. I know grasping for straws there but look, moss there and there and all the moss. If I could figure out what the something was I could stay moss free. If Mouse could pick it up so could I, I told myself as I reached for the axe and gave it a gentle pull. Which meet resistance, resistance of the 'I am not moving' kind. Okay maybe I just need to get a better grip. I grabbed the axe handle, not the head, the axe handle and pulled  harder  with no success. I considered swinging both feet up, put them on either side of the axe and growl. That always works, putting a little elbow grease and growl into it, minus the grease on the elbows since that would stain my shirt.

Keeping one hand on the axe I spin around and I am about to start lifting my feet when Mouse calls out, "Stop goofing around and get in here." I look back over my shoulder and see the mouse standing there in the doorway looking at me. I give her a smile and drop the foot I had lifted and let go of the axe. "You can keep your secrets for now axe. I will be back maybe and then you will tell me what the something is," I whisper to the axe before heading towards Mouse and the doorway.

What secrets are inside, I ask myself as the mouse disappears into the darkness  inside and I follow behind. My tail on alert for anything hidden like ninjas, they always hide in shadows and pop out as soon as you drop your guard. They won't get me though, come out come out wherever you are little ninjas.


((Little ninjas sounds like a children’s song like baby shark. Oh oh someone write it and then we can sing it and dance.))

Catherine

Nothing jumps out on me as I enter and I was so ready with a HIYAH, not even a ninja gnome wearing a little red hat. I was in the best location for one or two to attack, you know one from in front of me going grrrr.... and the other one behind me on its knees so when I take a step back I would trip over it. Followed by a ninja pile on, black body suits and red hats all over the place.

All there was was an inside of a house all done up in modern rustic; stones, woods and moss. Oh and some cloth hanging over there and some over there, probably dividing the space into sections. There is the open concept and then there is the too much open concept, you know 'I am glad you came over, let me just open the door and eeeee....... SLAM! Okay I think we should wait out here until he gets dressed, hey look at the flowers over there.' Everything looked handmade and well worn, some things so worn that they were broken.

"Sit down and I will be back," Mouse said unslinging the sword off if it's back and resting it against the wall.

"Where?" I asked back, looking around since nothing looked safe or didn't contain something hidden in it ready to chomp my bottom. Mouse didn't bother looking back as it washed away, all it dud was throw up and arm and point, "Table. Chair. Sit."

I looked to where Mouse pointed and yeah there was a table and a chair sitting there, done in the rustic style like everything else inside. Thick wood that looked like it had seen better days and moss. The little bit I knew of Mouse I would guess it made them itself or growled at some termites, "Wood. Chew. Now and make it uncomfortable."

As I got closer what I thought might have been a candle sitting on the table got a second and third look. Especially when it BORPED at me, candles doesn't blorp."Um, Mouse. Do I have to worry about whatever it is sitting on that table attacking me?"

"What?" I heard Mouse asking back as it rummaged around behind one of the curtains. "On the table?" Suddenly something fell and hit something and I heard Mouse yell out, "Stilton! That hurt! No it won't attack you it is my dinner."

"It looks um yummy," I said not taking my eyes off whatever it is just in case it decided it was alive and hungry.

"You can try a piece if you like."

I laughed to myself as I imagined what would happen if I tried it, it wasn't pretty. I don't look good all green cheeked, "I will pass, had something to eat yesterday. Thanks for the offer though."

"Ah here it is, underneath the wound up golden lasso. Are you sure, you don't know what you are missing."

"I like the mystery," I answered, jerking back when I thought whatever the yellow thing was lunge at me.

Out from behind the curtain Mouse appeared, yanking it out of the way with a jerk. "Got it," Mouse said showing me a crumpled up piece of paper in its hand. Hobbling a little as it crossed the room to the table.

"Are you okay?" I asked quickly glancing back to the yellow thing, once I take my guard down I know it will try to encase me in yellow stuff.

Mouse smacked the hand with the crumpled paper down onto the table, upsetting the yellow thing I think and smoothed out the paper with one hand. "Yeah I am alright a crystal skull dropped onto my foot. Forgot how heavy it was." Mouse jabbed a finger down on the table, "I made this when I hide the tracker, hoping I would've never need to use it but thanks to your cookie thing we will have too."

"I said I was sorry."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways it is easy to get too," Mouse said tracing a finger around what looked like a old map. So old there was what looked like a coffee stain on it but looking around, I am sure it is moss instead.

"That is good."

Mouse jabbed the table again with a loud THUMP, "I didn't finish, it will be easy to get to but hard to get. Especially knowing the area, I am pretty sure somethings have moved in since the last time i was there."

I took my eyes off the map and looked up at Mouse, "Like what type of somethings?"

"That is where the fun begins," Mouse answered, a knife appearing in its hand moments before planting into the table through the map, "the unexpected." Mouse took a deep breath, wiping its nose with the side of its arm. "This is going to be fun kid."

"Yeah fun," I said nodding all along thinking, you didn't answer what the somethings were.

"Good, we are leaving in five."


((Insert witty comment here...))

Catherine

Since I am already ready, I sit there staring at the yellow thing trying to figure out what it is. It could be cheese but I think it has hair and I have never seen cheese with hair before, other than the really old cheese that shouldn't be eaten. It is one step away from becoming a fossil and might have strange side effects that are too numerous to list, one being uncontrollable burping I think.

"What are you?" I ask the cheese as I place my arms on the table and rest my chin on  them, dangerously close to the yellow thing. If it can spit poison or something i might be able to react in time, if it gives me some type of warning. Like 'Hey I am about to spit', maybe it will start to glow or hum or maybe it hunkers down and does that pre-spit sound. With one hand I pick up a stick and as I go to poke the yellow thing Mouse yells out that is ready to go.

Quickly I poke the yellow thing just to see if it reacts before getting up. I start to say that I am ready to but stop when I see Mouse standing there with a pack on its back, one as big as itself. If I didn't know any better I would almost say that Mouse had another mouse strapped to its back. "Do you need help?"

"No," Mouse answered shifting from foot to foot, adjusting some straps as it did. "Why would I?"

"Um... You know the whole," I say pointing with a finger, "bag as big as you are thing."

Mouse laughed, "Ah gouda, I have carried heavier. Let me grab my sword and we will be off."  All I do is nod and watch Mouse walk over to the sword, spin it around its hand and then push it between the bag and Mouse's back. Any moment I expected to hear Mouse saying something about cutting its spin but no. Mouse walked over to the table, I got out of the way of course because I really doubt Mouse would have stopped if I didn't, grabbed the yellow thing with a hand and started for the door. "Come on," I heard Mouse say right before it took a bite of the yellow thing, hair and all. URP!  Then walked out the door. Mouse said it was its dinner but I thought it was joking, seeing if I would eat it. URP! But it wasn't. URP!  "Coming..." I call out looking for a rustic barf bag just in case. I mean Mouse is eating the blorping thing! URP! That isn't URP. I frantically look around and grab some moss and run out, hoping that I can pull off the whole facial moss look if I have to.

*mental fingers crossed that it doesn't come to that. *

I find Mouse standing outside chewing on URP something. URP "So where to?"

Mouse gives me a sideways glance as it reaches back with one hand and starts to root through the bag on its back. Spitting once before pulling something out, "Even with a map that isn't always known." Mouse looks down at its hand and I do the same, well not my hand but Mouse's to see what it had pulled out. For a moment I thought it was just a large tin cylinder that Mouse could barely hold in its hand then I noticed an arrow slowly spinning in the cylinder as Mouse moved its arm in different directions.

"Yeah...No... I don't remember that tree.... Okay.... If I remember right it was... No that isn't..." pausing just long enough to spit again. Where it was getting all of the spit, I don't know. Maybe it had a spit pouch like a snake or something.

"That way," Mouse pointed down a path with a hand, the compass sitting in the other. "It has been a while but is definitely down that path."

"Are you sure?"

"If not, there are other paths." Mouse answered as it shoved the compass back into the pack as it walked away.

"I guess," I looked at the other paths leading away as I followed Mouse. What are the chances?

I guess, WHOOP, sorry tripped. Anyways back to what I was saying, I guess we will find out soon. Ha didn't trip over anything this time.

*proud pose*



((More walking....  one foot in front of the other until the next post.))

Catherine

For the first couple steps I walk behind Mouse,  I have learned from experience it is best to do that at first on a trail for several reasons. One being manners, Mouse is leading so it should be first if not things can happen if the path forks and you take the wrong one. The 'Hey where is everyone?' or 'Where am I?' phrases are commonly heard when that happens. The second being is trails are usually not two person wide sometimes and things lurk right at the edge of the path that seek to hurt you or worse, like a tree branch. You wander off just a little bit and whap! You are eating tree branch and more than likely laying in the ground while whoever you were walking with walks away. Leaving you laying there for something with a chainsaw to find you. The third is so terrifying that.... That if I tell you it you might have nightmares. It is that scary. If you look up terrifying up in the dictionary, a book type thing, it will have a photo with an arrow pointing to it with 'This!' right after it.

When it looks clear, I take a step to the side and a hop forewords to Mouse's side and keep pace. While Mouse just gives me a sideways glance then shakes its head as it continues to walk, stepping over a root here and one over there, never stopping though.

"So it's been a while since you have seen this locator thingie, "I said pausing to look at a flower and then some leaves, they look soft so I do what normally comes natural, I bring a hand up and go in to poke it. I am not sure how close I get to it but Mouse sings or sort of sings out in a growl like way, "Leaves of three leave it be." Quickly I count the number of leaves my finger is about to touch, one...two....three.

"Uh Mouse what would something with leaves of three do by any chance?"

"Well does it have a red stem?" Mouse answered as it continued on down the path, oblivious that I had stopped.

I looked back at the three leaf thing looking for red, it lid like there is some under there and running down. Oh my monkey, do I have to worry about bulls running out of woods from the opposite side? I quickly look back behind me into the woods to see if anything with horns is sitting there ready to charge. Nothing that I can see, "Yes it does."

"Then it is poison ivy or something close." Mouse answered matter of factually.

Did you just blink? If so then you missed my hand jerking back as fast as possible away from the three leaves. Memories of many summer camps coming to and end after just getting there due to me just happening to find the only piece of poison ivy in miles and it spreading all over my body so it looked like I rolled in it. That one time I wasn't even out of the car and I had it. Nobody knows how, we were on a paved parking lot and everything. I just open the car door and I turned around to stand up. My foot was barely out of the car and I was breaking out with poison ivy all over. Never really got to experience a full week of summer camp, plenty of first day camp orientations but not the full week. In fact I got a rep with the counsellors after a while. They would point at me the first day and say something in the lines of if you didn't want to get poison ivy to only approach me with a hazmat suit. One I think was a carrier, I don't even touch the stuff so how could I carry it?

Quickly I caught up with Mouse after it rounded corner, "Thanks for the heads up on that. It nearly got me."

Mouse stopped but didn't turn to look at me when it asked "How did it almost have you?"

"Well it was pulling me in with a false sense of security to be nature."

Mouse just shook its head and started to walk away, "That doesn't make sense."

"Well it is nature with leaves and everything."

"Yes I know that but how did it almost have you?"

I thought for a moment, "It just did." Shaking my head just once to affirm my answer, anymore that that and I was just pushing it.

Mouse turned another corner and I quickly caught up again, you know for a mouse who is carrying itself on its back, Mouse was doing a really good job. Up and down and to and throw the path went. At the base of an I line Mouse just stopped and continued for a couple feet until my tail dropped me a hint, "Ah ok, mouse stopped, got it."

A stop. A spin and a couple stops later and before I could ask what was up. Mouse gave me a look and said we were taking a break. Since it was the leader I just looked at where we was going and back at Mouse.

"Just get it out of your mind."

" Okay" I answered, trying  to figure out how Mouse knee what I was thinking as I dropped to the ground. Legs folding so I could sit there cross legged the only way I was taught, during the limited time I spent there at summer camp. The counsellors insisted while in nature that everyone sat crosslegged for some reason, no one knee why though. There were rumors of deer tripping and other rumors that were just silly. I mean come on little people throwing ropes over your legs pinning you down, that is just silly.

I sit there for a moment and in a new record, boredom sets in. I consider many things I could do to help alleviate the boredom. Hmm.... Could give it a try, what is the worse thing that could happen. Other than meeting the sword personally, "Could you tell me a little about yourself!"


((And you waited all weekend for a walking sequence. Mwhahaha *flash light*))

Catherine

Mouse gave me that look, the one that says 'You really just said that. Do you want to reconsider?' Instantly I started to reconsider, maybe I should ask it something else. Maybe erh something else. What? It is hard sometimes to think of things when you are getting the look, especially when it is from someone who is half your size but feels bigger than anything. Glisten started to run down the back of my neck and if my collar was tight I would have slipped a finger under and done the whole nervous pull it away and laugh uncontrollably thing.

"Are you sure about that?" Mouse asked as it reached back and pulled a container out of the pack on its back and unscrewed the lid off of it. As Mouse was waiting for an answer with a cocked eyebrow it opened the container and swirled it around. I looked down to see what it was and all I saw was darkness. The darkness sort of moved,  whatever it was it was thick like tar. From where I was sitting I could smell it and it was strong. It smelled like the coffee that my mom drank in the morning just a lot stronger. Mouse brought the container, held it to its mouth for a moment and put it back down so it sat on the ground. "Ah that it is a nasty habit, but it gets the old bones going sometimes. So do you still want to know a little about me?"

Nervously I shook my head, it felt like Mouse just asked me if I was sure I wanted something heavy dropped on my foot or something similar. I couldn't take back what I said no matter how much I might regret it later. Hopefully there wasn't any TMI moments where Mouse tells me something bluntly and I fake seeing a cloud that looks like a turtle and try to change the subject by pointing it out.

"Sure..." It would be rude if I did the whole collar thing in front of Mouse, so I imagined it and it helped a little. In fact I think a little imaginary steam came out.

"I was born to a liter of..." Mouse paused for a moment and brought a hand up and started to twitch its fingers like it was counting. "Well it was large. I don't remember dad too much since I was to busy su...."

*na na na na na na na  na appropriate but too much information na na na na na na*

"I left the nest when I was four to see the world, against my mom's and dad's wishes. They wanted me to stay like my brothers and sisters and start a liter of my own. Yeah I saw what they were going through setting up theirs and decided it wasn't for me. Fighting a feral cat blindfolded seemed more safe to me, fighting two felt even safer. So I left. "

Mouse picked up the container again and took another sip before continuing, "Yeah I realized I had a lot to learn quickly those first couple days. Life outside the walls was a lot more dangerous and a lot more fun. Luckily I caught on fast, learning things whenever and wherever I could. I think I have forgot more than most others of my kind even learn. I picked up jobs whenever I could since it takes money to live outside the walls. You name it and I probably did it for a day, nothing was too big or too small for me. If it paid I did it. I saw the world that way and learned how to stick up for myself. Which helped get me a job when I crossed the oceans on a boat."

There was another pause as Mouse pulled a reed that dangled from the pack and slipped it into its mouth, "You see boats had rat problems, those buggers carried nasty little diseases and well the captains needed something or someone to keep the rats back. Who better than someone like me. I could get to the same places the rats could and there was no way to save them. There was only one cure for what some had." Mouse brought a hand up and drew it across its neck. "Yeah I lost some fights,but I learned from them too. Got stronger and after one captain gratefully gave me Lucille," as Mouse mentioned the name Lucille, it reached back and patted the sword behind it," after saving his crew from rats that were plague ridden. It was rare that I lost a fight."

"I started to get a name amongst the boats and it made travel easier, it also allowed me to save up for the future. Like I said it allowed me to travel the world and see things that my brothers and sisters would only hear about from the tv outside the wall. I got to see things, experience things that they would never see or experience in person. I made my way to Canada, something about the great white north called out to me. Maybe it was all of the great amounts of unexplored lands up there or maybe it was something else I don't know. But I took a canoe up through the lakes and started to explore. What I found up there traveling through the lakes could fill a book I think. On one island I found an Indian settlement locked away from the rest of the world still thinking it was.... Well let's say it wasn't modern. I stayed with them for a couple seasons, learning from them before continued on my journey eventually pulling my canoe on shore somewhere up on the Upper Peninsula."

The reed swept to the side when Mouse stopped again to take a sip of the black liquid and to take a breath. "I travelled north, taking up a logging job or two  as I went and one camp had a problem with a nasty little beast. It was snagging campers at night and snacking on them. A wendigo if I remember correctly, big shaggy with dirty fur, antlers, claws and teeth. A deer hunters' worse nightmare I think. I saw it take a rifle blast to the chest and laugh, then rip the rifle out the hunter's hand and turn it into a pretzel which it feed to the Hunter. It didn't laugh after I got done with it, in fact I think it became a devote vegetarian after it picked itself off the ground and pulled itself away. It never had a chance really, the whole David and Goliath thing that and I had fought packs of plague rats who had eaten way to many prunes, those fight dirty."

Mouse paused and looked up at me, "Want to hear more?"

My head couldn't nod fast enough.


((Nod nod nod ))

Catherine

"Fine..." Mouse said taking another sip of the black stuff then spitting some yellow stuff out. Which I couldn't figure out how that happened, black in and yellow out?

"Where was I? Oh yeah, crossing the border. I have done it countless times before when I traveled. Most of the times it was, 'Yay I am in another country now' or something similar. Although there was that one time I had to cross at night under a full moon. The border guards were distracted by some things that just happened to go off at just the right time." Mouse gave me a wink and before continuing, which had me about to ask what the distractions were but something in the wink said if I asked I might know too much and it was better if I knew just enough.

"That is good," I laughed nervously.

"The border for Canada was like the others, cross and I was in. No blinding lights, dogs and guards that need to pat you down. Nothing really, I actually thought the border was actually further north. The only way I could tell  I crossed the border was when I smelled the faint hint of maple syrup in the air.

I continued northwards and due to the lack of civilization up there, at the time, ran into mostly bears, bmoose and other wildlife. Which was nice for a change, enjoying nature at its finest. I set up a little cabin off a lake that I found and lived off the land for a while. It was nice to wake up in the morning and look out onto the lake and see it fog covered. I stayed there for a couple years until I started discovering traps set up nearby in the lake and up in the woods. Instantly I knew what they were a sign of, poachers!

I wouldn't stand for that. Now I am not a tree hugger or anything but the thought of some poor creature being caught in a trap just burned me. So for the next  couple months I waged a one mouse war against the poachers. Traps were set and I made sure a clear message was communicated to the poachers that they could understand. By collecting all of the traps that were set and neatly depositing them where the poachers could 'find' them. I still remember the look on the one poacher's face when he found the one in the outhouse." Mouse stopped and chuckled.

"Not like I was trying to hurt the poachers, just paint a clear message that what they were doing was wrong. If they got a couple scars, cuts and bruises it might help them learn. They never figured out what was happening, in fact I heard some spoke of forest spirits being angered one night as a group of them sat around a fire. Which got me laughing, forest spirits really? The few I ran into were just eternal hippies that wouldn't know what a bear trap was until it bite them on their butt. I think hearing laughter coming from the woods helped them decide that maybe poaching wasn't a good life decision and it was time to move on."l which was the smartest thing they could have done since what I was going to do next would have sent them running and screaming one after another I think."

As Mouse lifted the cylinder to take a sip, I just had to ask, "What were you going to do?"

Mouse chuckled, "Each would have gotten a wake up call, me. Nothing like getting jerked awake and threatened, 'Find something else to do or else', with a sword inches away from your face to make you reconsider what you are doing.  I don't take Gouda from anyone and they would have learned that if they didn't leave. They packed their things and left at day break which was good since I got the feeling  it was time to move on. "

The reed danced across Mouse's mouth slowly as it remembered back fir a moment, Packed the minimals and set off to the east, across the lake and up a stream. The trout were running about that time which made travel interesting, definitely made shooting the rapids harder with them jumping all over. With them running and the nights getting cooler I knew it meant one thing, life was going to get harder soon."

Mouse turned its head and looked at me , "I am not going to ask since I know what you are going to answer. Just give me a moment."

All I could do was nod and wish for popcorn, secretly hoping that Mouse's story would be made into a movie someday. Not sure who would play Mouse though.


((Hmmmm Tom Cruise? Matthew McCon.... Someone could play Mouse))

Catherine

Mouse spit the yellow stuff again, thankfully off somewhere into the woods, before starting again.

"Where was I, oh yeah. I continued to travel westward and the nights started to linger and longer as the leaves changed colors. At night I would lay by the fire looking up at the night sky and watch the lights dancing up there and be amazed at their beauty. The sound of the crickets keeping me up until I yelled at them. In the morning I would eat whatever I could scavenge up and then be off in my canoe.

This continued day after day and soon there was leaves floating in the water with me and the trees were slowly going bare. I knew what would be falling next and I hoped I would reach my goal in time. Unfortunately winter came quick that year and one morning I found myself knee deep in snow. I knew it was the first snow of the season and it would soon melt but I couldn't risk being trapped on the water when the next one came. So I pulled my canoe on shore and over the next few days built a shelter.

It wasn't much, but it was shelter and that is what mattered when the snow we eventually fell. I will tell you this, I don't know if it is a Canada thing or not but when the snow came, it came and I found myself buried. That is when someone finds out lwhat they are made of, stuck in a shelter and the only way out is to dig themselves out maybe. I lost count after a while, in fact I stopped counting. It was useless really, other than a way to drag me down. I knew what I needed to do and I was sure than Chabichou not going to give up. My fingers went numb after a while, not sure if was from the cold or from the constant digging, maybe even a mixture of the two. But I didn't feel anything as I continued to dig out. You don't know how good the sun feels until you haven't seen it in a long time.

There I was, snow for miles and miles. The only thing breaking up the continual field of white was the trees and all I had left for supplies was for a coupe more days. I knew if I didn't do anything I would soon be meeting the great mousetrap, the taker of lives and I wasn't ready for that yet., still had a lot f fight in me and if the arm of the great mousetrap tried to take my life today. I would just push it away and tell it to Perail off.

Quickly I prepared, throwing together a set of snowshoes together with what I could find and bundled up. Throwing a pack over my back and protecting my eyes with a pair of goggles I headed out., marking the entrance to the shelter so I didn't loose it.

The sound of crunching snow was the only thing I could hear  other than the humming, as I walked away."

"More?"

I nodded, "So did you make it?"

"What do you think?"

I ducked my head, "Sorry I was caught up in the story."

"Yeah, yeah there will be a test at the end.,

"What? A test" I say perking up and then sitting up straight. Ready to take notes if someone slipped a notebook in front of me.


((The answer is four! What? Wrong test... Then oxygen. Still wrong test. Turn your blinker on fifty feet away from the turn and if you are old keep it on all of the time. Still wrong? Grrrrr....))

Catherine

"I lived off of anything I could find, you name it and I probably ate it. Thankfully while I lived with the Indian tribe that had taught me things, making it a little easier. Every morning I would go out and collect what I could find. Any travel other than by food was out of the question, other than sled. Which I quickly built and was pulling behind me as I scoured the land.

I would find myself sometimes standing on a hilltop looking over everything amazed at the beauty of nature in its pristine. Then I would be reminded on how deadly it could be when the wind blew, bitting into my skin until I bundled back up.

There were days it was so cold that I couldn't even go outside. All I could do was stay huddled up inside, stoking the fire that I had continuously going. The only thing that kept me entertained was the blowing of the wind and the humming that was there whenever it was light out. What was humming I didn't know but it kept me from going mad and I swore to myself that I would find out as soon as the weather permitted me or I decided otherwise.

I guess Lady Luck was on my side when the weather broke days later and I dug myself back out. I stood there looking over the frozen lake nibbling on what was left of a pine cone listening to the humming. It was time, I told myself. I packed the side and bundled up the best I could and headed off.

Across the lake I went up into the nearby mountains searching for the source of the hum. For a while I considered it was the wind blowturned ing through trees or some rock formation but I pushed on. Staying in caves, dens or whatever else I could find at night or when the weather got bad. Up and down I went on those mountains and a couple times I thought I had figured out the source of the hum but no.

Then I discovered it one day, sitting there cross legged between three stacks of stones, a monk sitting there meditating oblivious to the cold and everything else. I could tell by the footprints in the snow that he came and went so I sat there on a stack of stones waiting my tail getting colder and colder.

When the monk finally came out of his meditation we back to where he was staying and shared tea."

Mouse stopped for a moment and laughed to itself, "We hit it off immediately and started traveling together. The adventures and experiences we had was amazing, the entire time we enjoyed each other's company, it was nice to have someone to talk to and we learned a lot from each other. I have to tell you we were the first to step foot on some of the land and in a case or two the first to step foot on it for centuries.  We both saw things that we never imagined seeing. Then we turned north at that was when we had our initial run in with Audokornet, it was brief but rememberable to say the least. It had been kept on ice somewhere up there and was accidentally released, neither of us knew how to capture it then so it flew away.

We continued northward and meet up with a group of Eskimos that was fleeing something.  They told us how for generations their tribe had stayed on the lands, living in harmony with it. That was until recently, when a great snake erupted out of the frozen waters and started destroying everything. They told us how its breath could freeze a man instantly and with a swipe of its tail shatter a tree."

Mouse stopped and took a sip from the cylinder, "We both agreed we couldn't let that happen. They had been there for generations living with the land in unison. Something smelled funny so we told them to stop running and we would get their land back for them. That night a ceremony was held and in the morning we headed to the Eskimos village. The monk with his staff and I with my sword. One way or another we were going to get the Eskimos land back"

Mouse stopped and spit again. "It was only a snake. So how big could it be we both thought. Yeah we was about to find out."


((Jotting notes. Doodling and nodding.))

Catherine

Mouse just sat there and I could feel one of my knees start to go up and down. Anxious to find out what happened next.

"Ummm....are you going to continue the story? You sort of stopped at a good part."

Mouse shook her head, "Kids now-a-days, no patience at all. Where was I again?"

"Village and snake," I answer shaking my head.

"Ah yes that Perail thing. Yeah it took us a while to get to the village, something the Eskimos failed to tell us. But when the monk and myself got to the village all we saw was destruction. Not just a little either, the entire village was destroyed. Everything down to the smallest thing was ripped or torn apart. We just stood there taking in everything. Through the mix of smoke and haze something could be seen moving. Before I could say or do anything, the monk called out to whatever was out there moving.

The expression I shot him said it all, the 'What in the world were you thinking!' Out lunged the snake as big  a eighteen wheeler if not bigger. It's white scales glistening in the sun as it came barreling toward us. I know the Norse has a tale about some snake so big that it could wrap around the world but there was no way what was about to swallow us whole was it. There was no way.

The monk and myself dodged the snake and quickly went on the offense, I wasn't surprised when the monk's staff glanced off the snake and was shocked when my sword did the same thing. But we both promised the villagers and neither of us was going to back down on that so we continued.

After a while we managed to make the snake bleed and seeing the blood drip onto the snow re-energized us both. I would say the fight was over quickly but it wasn't, it lasted for hours, no days. Constant back and forth, there was no clear winners and no losers. Luckily on the sixth day I caught the snake off guard and my sword bite deep. The snake started to thrash about, trying to get free from my sword but it was of no use. The moment it started to react I pounded my sword into the ground like a nail and got my hands dirty.

Yeah I should have thought before I did that, the snake's scales were sharper than I thought and ripped through my skin as I tore at them. " Mouse looked down at its hands for a moment. "Yeah that stung for a while. Live and learn. Anyways the fight went on for days. Back and forth until finally the snake fell. Bloody and nearly broken the monk and I explored the village for a long time trying to figure out where the snake had come from.

What we found out wasn't nice. Instead of being a creature of legend, the snake was anything but. You see we found the vase that had contained Audokornet, someone was foolish enough to have released it for what reason neither of us knew why. I insisted on going back and asking everyone in the tribe in my own special way. Who in their right La Tur mind would have released Audokornet?!?! The monk thought otherwise. That is when we parted ways, I knew I could find out quite quickly who willingly released that demon onto the world after cracking a couple heads together. Before words were said I grabbed the vase and took off."

Mouse looked up, "We parted ways as friends, but we both know something would spark an argument and neither wanted that."

The forest got quiet for a moment as mouse took another sip from the cylinder befor putting it away, "I would ask you to tell me about yourself but I am pretty sure I can guess the story you would tell. Let's get going, we gave rested long enough."

I didn't know to be insulted by that or proud that Mouse knew my story. "Hey," I said standing up but decided it was best not to continue with what followed "hey"..

With a little grunt, Mouse adjusted the pack and started down the path with me in tow.


((And we are moving. We are moving....))

Catherine

Mouse lead the way down the path, the trees on either side was slowly changing and so was the whole feel of woods from 'Oh we are taking a nice walk' to 'Um we aren't in Kansas anymore.' Which is good since I am pretty sure we weren't in Kansas.

Let me check. I stop for a moment and Mouse continues on not noticing that I have stopped, I take a deep breath and yeah it definitely doesn't smell like Kansas. I cough once or twice trying to get the smell out of my lungs, definitely not Kansas. It smells more like Minnesota with just a hint of Cuba for a little extra spice.

The other way I can tell we weren't in Kansas was the lack of tornados and houses being picked up and dropped on witches. Now if the second part happened in front of me I would know I was somewhere else and start to look around for a lion or a tin woodsman. But no houses falling from the skies or witches being squished, so not Kansas.

How could I explain the feel of the woods? I would say primal, yeah that is it. Everything looked like someone just plucked it down from some forgotten time. Even the air felt that way somehow, so Touch of Triassic. Just a touch though since if there is too much you might think you are going to get stepped on by something big  and get flattened SQUISH!

I sort of expected to see something large and lizard like poking its head out of the woods. Hopefully one without sharp pointy teeth too since those like sampling the meat parts of others. Usually without asking either, just STOMP STOMP ROAR and NOM. Of course there are the small ones, they have teeth too but where the big ones usually have small arms, the little one didn't and they know how to use them. Usually in a rippy teary oh look you are leaking sort of way. Both I will skip thank you, might even skip those vegetarian ones that  like to head butt everything. You give a dinosaur a thick skull and look what it does, it goes running around hitting things with its head. Thank monkey there isn't any wth thick butts.

"Hey there little dinosaur. I haven't seen you in any of the books. Hey why are you turning away, did I say something you didn't like? Why are you starting to beep? Hey you know it isn't safe to run backwards, you might run into...."  BUTT CRUNCH!

I stand there for a moment taking in the primalesse, that is a word since I just made it up. It means, of or having the feel of the primal. Some might think it is some type of spaghetti or fettuccine, it isn't but it does sound sort of yummy. "Hey I think I got  tats for some primalesse with sauce tonight. You want to hit the OG with me? All you can eat breadsticks and everything."

Slowly I look around taking everything in. The primal grass. The primal moss on the primal grass. The primal dirt and stones. The primal air. Everything was in their correct primal places. Everything was just so primal. Inhale and exhale. Very nice and time to go, I am sort of a modern girl and everything. There is retro and then there is primal retro and being clothed in rocks isn't my thing. That and the bigger than a St. Bernard lizard over there is looking at me and licking its lips.

"Mouse, wait up."


((Insert witty stiff here duh.))

Catherine

As we walked I tried to get Mouse to talk more, maybe to tell me more about its past and everything. I would ask, "Hey could you tell me more about that one event" and I would get a grunt back. I thought maybe that event maybe hit a sore spot so I changed to another question, "Could you tell me more about your time with that Indian tribe" and I would get another grunt. Okay... Third time is the charm they say so I go for a third question, "Mouse, where exactly are we going?" I didn't even blink and I got an answer back of grunt.

Now I don't speak or understand grunt so I thought it would be best that I stopped asking questions or try to speak grunt and accidentally put my foot in my mouth. That wouldn't be good if Mouse turned around all mad and everything after I grunted a reply.

You called me a what?!?!"

Hands would go up and I would nervously take a step back trying to apologize, "I just said it was a nice day out that is it all."

There would be a schwing as Mouse pulls out its sword, "No you just called me a [ censored ]!"

My eyes would shoot open when I hear the censored word trying to guess what it is, "No no no. I would never call anyone a [ censored ]. You see, I can't even say the word ."

 Mouse would give me the one eye squint and then slowly put its sword away. Again I am not sure how it is doing that without severing its spinal column or bleeding all over the place. The sword must be like one of those safety scissors. Can't really cut anything unless you really desperately try to or you have an assignment that you have to cut something with. "Be careful Nichole, the next time I might not be so nice."

I would try to lighten the mood with a grunt, just a playful one and learn quickly that it wasn't a good idea.

"What did you say?!?" Mouse says whipping around so fast that I am trying to catch my breath as I stand there with sword in face.

"I said, okay."

"No you just said [ censored ] [ censored ] [ censored ] [ censored ] [ censored ] with a box of rocks." Mouse would growl.

"What? How? I just grunted once. That couldn't have meant all of that."

Again Mouse would look at me with the one eye squint as it growled, "It did...."

"Hey I am trying my best." I look around trying to think, "Okay, How do you say 'How much is the cheese?'"

Mouse would go from the one eye to the two eye squint, "Are you trying to be funny?"

Nervously I look around, even looking behind me to see if I am missing something and see my tail giving me the 'I don't know' tail shrug. "No, why should I?"

"No, it wouldn't help. Let's get going and stop grunting." Mouse would growl again as it turned around, slipping the sword back in before walking away.

"Will do."

See what I mean, a simple misunderstanding of a language that I don't understand at all and look where it could have gotten me. So no grunting on my part and no asking anymore questions.

"So...." I say as I quickly join Mouse, I thought it was safe since it wasn't a question or a grunt.

Mouse didn't stop, it just gave me a sideways glance, "Yeah?"

For a moment I reconsider what I was about to say when I swore  I saw Mouse's hand edging back to the sword handle. I give Mouse a little smile, that will diffuse the quartering of monkey I hope. "Interesting exterior interior design here with the whole primal thing. It is missing a couple throw rocks though."

Mouse responded with a roll of the eyes, an exhale a spit and "Shut up. We are almost at the river. "

Okay... Did I grunt, accidentally insulting Mouse and not realize it? I think back, I imagined the whole grunting thing I thought, did one accidentally slip out? A little grunt, one that if I caught, I could had said 'excuse, a banana I had earlier is talking back and is saying hi.' It is too late to apologize now, but I can try. "Sorry about if I grunted and it came out wrong. I didn't mean it that way."

"What? What are you talking about?" Mouse stopped and looked at me.

"The whole attitude shut up thing."

"Cheddar, we are near the river. That is why I am telling you to shut up." Mouse replied.

"What is so special about the river?"

"Hopefully you won't find out," Mouse answered, motioning for me to follow. 


((Yeah.... swimming next time. Okay I need to change into my bathing suit. Please turn around.))

Catherine

With a warning like that I expected rocks, rapids that would tear anything apart out of spite and anything else that would make everyone URP all over the place. Basically a river with a lot of warning signs around it like; 'Don't even consider going into the water or else', 'Enjoy from a distance since first hand experience isn't an experience you want to experience' or even 'This isn't a swimming hole, it is more of a screaming while frantically trying to save yourself hole.' A river so bad and nasty, fish look and go 'yeah I prefer being caught than swim in that.'  A river where they have had to install little boxes all around if with URP bags in them for people that might get sick just looking at the river.

But what I saw as we crested a little hill was anything but what I expected with the warning I got. The river wasn't anything that really deserved a warning to be honest, maybe a yellow flag needed to be thrown because some of the river's banks were a little messy but other than that yawn. It was flat, it was wide, no rocks, no rapids, nothing except for water. Look at it, do you think it deserves a warning? At most it is a lazy day float down on the river in an inner tube river and not a wahoo this a blast, watch out for those rocks type of river. I don't even see a wahoo in sight.

"Are you sure you have the right river? This looks blah." I ask Mouse as I picked up a rock and threw it out into the river. Watching it skip once, twice before disappearing into the depths of the river. Looking at the river I bet that it might not be too deep either.

"Yes it is the right river," Mouse answered as it brought a hand up to its mouth a whistled, of course little yellow stuff flew out of Mouse's mouth as it did. Thank monkey I was standing where I was or I would have been splattered. Which I don't want.

I cringed a little as the whistle flew across the river to wherever whistles go and was about to ask what the whistle was for when another strange sounding whistle answered it. I scanned the river trying to find the source of the other whistle, all I saw was water as the far shoreline and nothing else. "Um, question. What was the whistle for?"

Mouse took a couple steps closer to the shoreline and sat down on the long, pulling its backup off as it did. "That was to summon the boatman. I am not going to try and swim across that," Mouse said motioning with a hand towards the river, quickly snagging a reed and slipping it into its mouth as it did.

I look at the river and back to Mouse wondering if we are talking about the same river. Then back at the river and back at Mouse, "I can carry you if you want if you are afraid of the water. I promise I won't drop you."

Mouse laughed, "Not scared of the water. If we were crossing any other river I would have already been knee deep in it. But this river is home to the triplets so I am not going to push it."

"Triplets?"

I hear the distinct sound of spitting before Mouse answers, "Yeah, some Chabichou released them here years ago after they couldn't take care of them and I had a run in with them the last time I was through here."

"What are they?" I ask getting a little worried.,

"Scales, teeth and a voracious appetite."

I take a step back away from the water, "That doesn't sound pleasant at all, especially the whole voracious thing."

Mouse spit again, drawing an arm across its mouth before answering, "No it isn't and that is why we are waiting for the boatman. With him we will at least be a little safer and hopefully get across the river without incident."

Out of nowhere I could hear the strange whistle again, closer now I think and Mouse replied with a whistle of its own. I looked and still couldn't find the source of the other whistle and when I asked my tail it just shook its head. Again the strange whistle well whistled out even closer and Mouse answered with one of its own.

"He should be here any moment."

Still unable to find anything that could be the source of the other whistle I just stood there wondering. Maybe the boatman was running stealth and will appear in a shimmer of the air, like some alien cloaking device. Maybe he is already here and I just need to step out and... I start to stand up and put and foot forward like I was going to step onto something that was there but I couldn't see.

"What are you doing?"

I froze in mid step, "I am boarding the boatman."

"He isn't hear yet. Now get back away from the water, I don't need to be fishing you out. Especially if you are frantically trying to get away from the triplets and pull me in"

"I would..." I start to say and stop when the water near the shore starts to bubble, "um  Mouse should I be backing away and preparing to protect myself from being chewed?"

Mouse spit as it laughed which was kind of odd to hear, "No, stay where you are."

I looked back at the bubbles questionably and could see something slowly rising from the water. At first it looked like a stump sort of thing was rising straight out of the water then another some distance away. As they continued to rise more and more was revealed of something big, wooden and very wet.

Astounded I stood there looking at what looked like a boat. It looked rough to say the least, like I said its front and back looked like stumps and the rest of the wood didn't look that much better. Before I could ask I heard Mouse moving, grabbing its bag and effortlessly tossing it onto the boat. Which by the way the boat looked, should of sunk it.

"Close your mouth and get on board," Mouse growled at it boarded the boat. Any moment now I expected to see Mouse fall through and into the river, of course I would laugh and then probably start running away as Mouse growled, pulled out the sword and started to chase me. Threatening something or another.

But no falling through at the moment so.... "Okay."


((Hmmm bubbles and water. A hot tub!!!!))

Catherine

The boat lurches a little bit as I start to inspect the boat making me stumble. Odd since the river was relatively flat I thought. Could it have been the ghost trying to stop me from finding it, I ask myself. Obviously it doesn't know who it is playing with since I have yet to introduce myself, something I can use to my advantage. Quickly I switch out my imaginary deerstalker hat to something more appropriate for hunting ghosts, one of those imaginary goggle thingies that make that beep sound when you turn it on.

I slip it onto the top of my head and press the button on it and hear the imaginary beep coming from it. Then slip it down in front of my eyes, in the imaginary lenses I see an imaginary red beam going out from the goggles shoeing me exactly where I am looking at, I guess just in case I get confused and think I am looking sine where else. Everything is as clear as day now thank to the imaginary goggles, which is good since it is daytime. The boat lurches again and I quickly catch myself. "You will not catch me by surprise anymore little ghost," I say under my breath, which is minty fresh by the way. It is rule one and three of the cute and adorable.

*Clear throat. Rule one hundred and three states that the cute and adorable will not have have stinky breath. Even if they eat a whole onion and we don't know why to be honest, the cute and adorable will always have minty fresh breath. Want to smell? See like I said minty fresh. *

I start to look around, looking for any ghost type evidence. Like kids spinning their heads around and spitting pea soup, things floating when they really shouldn't or fingerprints. If there is a ghost here, which I know there is, I will find it. I start in the butt of the boat, not that ghosts hang out in the butts of anything, but because it is closest. That and if I slowly work my way forwards I will be trapping the ghost in the front and it will have nowhere to hide.

So far all I see is wood, obviously the ghost knows how to hide its tracks so I look even closer.  For a moment I think I hear an evp, which would be impressive since I have no electronics going other than my phone. Which I doubt will get any reception wherever Mouse and I are at since I don't see any towers. My ears and tail perk up when I hear, "kids are idiots now a days. Just sit down and enjoy the boat ride."  What was the voice trying to say, I ask myself as I look around. Sometimes the evp isn't too clear and the message can be scrambled.

Obviously the ghost was trying to say something, but what? I think for a moment trying to unscramble the words. Does it want us to jump off of it? No it would just have come out and said that I think, ghosts aren't shy when telling people to leave. Usually they cut right to the point and say, 'Get out!'

"I don't understand, what are you trying to say?"

I look around, waiting for an answer from the ghost. Maybe it will arrange some splinters into a clear, legible and easily read message. Hopefully no Latin though, why some ghosts insist on communicating in that is beyond me. Only doctors, nurses and maybe some others might be able to read it. Others will just look and go 'What the?'

Out of no where a piece of wood comes and hits me in the back of the head, followed by "It told you to sit down and enjoy the boat ride."

"Ow!" I said rubbing the back of the head. The ghost has attacked. I look around tying  to find the source and see nothing but Mouse sitting there scowling at me. Maybe it got attacked too.

I move the imaginary goggles from in front of my eyes since I didn't want to see Mouse's imaginary skeleton. "Did the ghost attack you too?"

"No the ghost didn't attack me," Mouse growled.

"Then why are you scowling for, you know that creates wrinkles," my tail nodding a little.

"You want to know why?"

"Yes," I answer, expecting to heat that the ghost gave Mouse a wedgie or something.

"Because I have told you twice to sit down and you keep jumping around acting stupid," Mouse growled.

I thought for a moment, "I thought that was the ghost."

"It wasn't. Now sit down and hopefully you didn't attract the triplet's attention with all of that monkeying around."

"Fine..." I say as my shoulders drop and so does my tail, sad that I was this close to seeing a ghost. Blah blah blah blah blah. I walk over to the other end of the boat and slump down against the side. Arms crossed in a humph position. "I was so close to, I can feel it," I mumbled under my breath not noticing the ghost figure slowly appearing next to me.

"Yes you were."

"Yeah," and humph.


((Humph. Sit there and be quiet. Humph.))

Catherine

I do as I am told and relax. What else could I do really? Not like I could find the shuffleboard stick thingies or that little disc thing either. Not sure if mouse would have played anyways and I can imagine what would have happened if a puck would have hit Mouse and I am trying to cut back on the amount of pucks I eat. They go straight to the mouth and then right to the hips. I don't recommend them. No matter what you do to them they are always tough probably due to all of the smacking around with sticks.

Could go looking for the ghost again, I open an eye and see Mouse shaking its head slowly at me. So I guess that is a no.

"That is a shame."

I nod, "I know, I honestly think I could have found the ghost too."

"I think so too."

"Thanks, some investigators give up after a while and just take photos of floating  dust or their friends hiding under sheets.

"See I got a photo of a ghost."

"Interesting but when did  ghosts start wearing name brand shoes?"

"It is the in thing this year. They say it lets them jump higher or something. You know 'Be like Michel'. Although I am not sure what an angel has to do with jumping though."

"I will just have to take you word for it I guess."

I take a breath, relaxing a little bit. "it gives us 'serious' investigators a bad name. All it takes is one photo of a sheet ghost with brand name shoes on to make people believe they don't exist. What is next? UFOs? One is parked at Area 51, I hear. Bigfoot? If only everyone knew that the one football player was a shaved one. Tapioca? My mom made me eat enough of that when I was young so I know it is real. Yuck, it looks like it has fish eggs in it and tasted like it too.

My mom didn't like it when I pointed a spoon at a little bowl of tapioca one time and asked her what fish it had come out of.  I got the spoon point and "Eat!" pose.

"Anyways I will get to see one some day." I say nodding with my eyes closed. Already my imaginary sunglasses were on and some imaginary suntan lotion applied too. I was told to relax, so I am going to but still being careful so I don't get an imaginary sunburn.

"That is a positive thought. Good luck."

"Thank you..." I say as ......


((Oh come on you didn’t think the same with Tapioca? Look at a cup of it and doesn’t it look like fish-eggs?))

Catherine

"I can't slurp another," I mumble, smiling just a little. Suddenly the boat rocks and I am woken up. "What? Where am I? What happened to all of the banana milkshakes?" I stretch a little after wiping the eye boogers from my eyes. Still drowsy, I look around and see a boat and water, "Oh yeah... On a boat going somewhere to get something."

I stand up and and look around, my tail stretching and contorting as I do, it looks like we made it to the other side of the river. Did I sleep that long? I didn't think I was that tired. Looking over at Mouse, I can see it is stretching. Did it fall asleep too? That is odd....

Thinking for a moment my mental math comes up with five instead of four when I put two and two together. I remember the one time I went with my family to the aquarium and Dad showed me some fish that would spit or shot things. There was a little target above the tank and you could hear it ping all of the time because the fish would keep shooting at it. There was signs warning people not to lean too far over the tank, I learned why when I leaned a little too far over. Who knew that the fish had hair triggers,I could have been too far over but ping right in the eye. If Dad didn't stop me, I think I would have gone into the tank after hearing the giggling coming from it. When we were walking away to see something called a 'Cowfish', moo......, I turned around just long enough to give the fish in the tank the power sign 'I am watching you', they stuck their tongues out and again if Dad wasn't there I would have went swimming for some tongue sticking out fishes.

Did  get some really ice cream later, one scoop and it was really good. Vanilla with sprinkles and just a little melty. We sat there under a tree that had a squirrel I called 'Nutz' in it. That is 'Nutz' with a 'z' and not a 's' because that would be stupid. It sat there up on a branch, staring at me , it's little tongue it doing the whole licking thing with its tongue. It must have wanted some ice cream.

Where was I again? Oh yeah fish and spitting or shooting. I look towards the river as I bring a hand up to the back of my neck, maybe Mouse and I were darted and knocked out by fish. Nothing there, but the dart could have dissolved or something. I drop my hand and check my pockets and bag. If anything is missing that would be a sign of bring darted. Tricky tactic really, wait until a person gets on a boat, dart the un expecting target and zzzzzz then go through their pockets. When they wake the fishes  are safely under the water and the target doesn't realize what has happen thinking they fell asleep due to the gentle bobbing up and down in the  river. Ingenious....

Nothing is missing as far as I can tell, lucky rabbits foot is still there. Poor little rabbit, I hope it is okay with one less foot. One last check though, maybe they didn't take anything from my pockets and went for other things. My tongue sweeps over my teeth all there.  Hey maybe they are working with the tooth fairy or something. They supply her teeth and they get an easy quarter or something. I reach up to my ears, nothing new there either, I have seen the nature shows so I know what happens. You mysteriously fall asleep and you wake up with a tag jabbed in your ear, then nothing is private ever again. You will always have that feeling of being watched. Is there a person hiding behind that bush with a notepad taking notes? "Will whoever is watching me stop please, I need a moment."

My eyes shoot open, I have heard the stories and there wasn't any ice or pools of water around me. Other than the river of course, so I didn't think about... Quickly I pull up my shirt to see if there are any cuts, fresh bandages or black marker lines with arrows saying 'Cut here!' Nothing on one side, nothing on the other either other than a mole. It is cute and not the type of mole that is under ground either, that would be really weird.

"What are you doing?" Mose growls after tossing its bag onto shore.

"We both passed out and I was checking to see if we are missing anything kidney related. I have read the stories online so I know it happens. Maybe we ran into some fish into the black market trade of the medical arts." I answer.

Mouse just stood there frozen fir a moment before mouth dropped open and hand came to face. "That is an urban legend, everything on the internet isn't true."

"I know but we could had been the first ones, you know the black market and everything. We would have been easy targets and everything."

"Idiot," Mouse said spitting, "Do you ever think before speaking?"

"Sometimes..." My shirt dropping back down.

"Get on shore and let's get going."

"Okay..." I relied watching Mouse disembark. I took a couple steps and suddenly the boat rocked. Frantically I looked around and saw a fishy hand holding on to the side of the boat. "Mouse?"

"What?" Mouse growled.

I point at the fish hand and shout "Fish fingers!"


((Now you know where fish fingers come from.  Ask yourself why you don’t see any fish with fingers in aquariums... You can thank me later.))

Catherine

"Ah Gouda," Mouse yelled, "it's one of the triplets."

"Well if it is," I start to say as what is attached to the hand starts to pull itself up, rocking the boat just a little. My words get stuck and some even try to run back down my throat when the rest of whatever is attached to the fish fingers reveals itself. Well enough of itself for my heart to stop and my mouth to fall open.

I would say, actually I hoped that I would have, I scurried across to the far side of the boat away from what is attached to the fingers and maybe up the shore and to wherever we were going. But no scurrying occurred just me standing there with my mouth open and I think something flew into it. Yuck ptew! Can't a girl stand there for a moment with her mouth hanging open and something not fly into it! I could have choked if it was a chicken or something larger.

Anyways I stood there because what was pulling itself up was..... I have to think of a nice way to say this so not to offend whatever it is. I am sure it is really beautiful or handsome for its species but to anything else it might be look challenged. It had a look... What with the scales, sharp teeth, eyes that never blinked, claws and everything else. Just not a look that too many would find attractive, hopefully its mom did. I so hoped its mom did and I so hoped she didn't scream every time she looked at it.

"Don't worry mommy loves eeeeeee.................. Let me close my eyes before I give you a hug."

I thought the fish people back when I fought all that is evil was bad. Yeah now they aren't that bad compared what is pulling itself on board. No where even close. Think monster from a dark body of water, turn the dial of ick to almost max and you might be able to picture what is almost on board. Trust me if you saw this swimming towards you, you will be packed in your car in a blink of an eye. Fisherman would definitely throw it back if they accidentally catch it.

"What did you just catch Harold?"

"I don't know, I don't care it is being released. In fact it pulled the hook out itself and handed it back to me. "

"Don't you want to put it into the cooler with the other fish."

"No! I mean I don't think it will fit. Go ahead little whatever you are and swim away. I hope I don't catch you the next time I am fishing. In fact I will turn in my fishing so this never happens again. Go ahead and swim away, oh and here is all my hair. Enjoy!"

Um...yeah what should I do. Something more than just stand there I think. Especially since it is now on the boat and it isn't looking any better, I think it is drooling. Need to do something, other than stare and stand there with my mouth open. Both are rude and if this triplet puts a finger in my mouth I would definitely URP!

Suddenly my tail appeared in front of me and snapped its tail fingers, snapping out of the stare fest I was stuck in. "Thanks for looking out for my butt," I told my tail and it nodded back. Now I could think.

"Hey didn't  I see you on 'Bodies of water monsters? You pulled the fishing pole out of the host's hands and tied it into a bow tie around the his neck. That was a good episode." Quickly I rummaged through a pocket and pulled something out, flashed it and shoved it back into my pocket, "Member of friends of scales. We don't get you hooked because that would hurt. Don't bother looking us up, we aren't on the net either, since that is mean."

I could see the confusion in the triplet's eyes. At least I think it was confusion, I didn't have a emote chart with fish monsters on it to compare. 'You look......' Quickly run through the chart, 'happy no sad no angry no... Can't you emote any better? It is really hard to tell how your feeling. Hey what are you doing with that hook? I don't need anymore piercings, thank you. Hey ow stop. Ow! I said stop! I think you are expressing anger now.'

Need to decide on what to do before fish fingers are around my neck. Did the boat have any of those 'In case of fish monsters, break glass with enthusiasm" boxes? I give the fish monster the 'wait a moment' hand sign and loo around. Nothing!

"What are you doing?" Mouse yelled, "Do something!"

"I am trying to figure out what," I yelled back without taking my eyes off the fish monster. Suddenly I heard the boat scream when the fishinator ripped a piece of the railing off and thumped it against its hand. THUMP!

"Oh fish sticks," I said reaching into my bag to pull out my staff, "Oh sorry I didn't mean anything by that. It sort of slipped out. Just so you know I am a vegetarian that leans towards meats, so I skip fish sticks. So please don't be offended."

THUMP!


((Fish fingers. Fish Fingers I think there is a song but I cannot think of one...))

Catherine

The thump wasn't the fish monster hitting me with the make shift club it was it thumping the club down again in its hand. Which is a clear message of what its intent was, tenderizing me! Why I don't know. Well I do but there isn't a tough piece of meat on me and well there was no way that I was going to allow it nibble on me. No way no his, even if it used the puppy dog eyes I would still say no.

What did you say? That I could be taking this all wrong and it wants to give me a deep tissue massage with the club. Yeah I heard about the ones with the bamboo sticks and yeah no. It sounds painful, why would anyone lay there and let themselves be beaten to feel better?

I can just imagine the massage person reaching for one of the bamboo sticks telling me it might hurt a little. You think? Why are you swinging it like a baseball bat? Why are you hitting the steel pole for? CRACK!  Practice? For what? CRACK! Oh no no no, I am out of here. I have heard of deep tissue massage but that is really deep tissue massage of the ow kind. That could be massaging someone on the other side of the planet. CRACK!  Yeah thanks I might be back when you are giving by hand massages and not beat them until they are senseless ones.

That and look at the claws on its hands. Those aren't good for massaging, maybe all of the way through the body acupuncture, but not massages. I heard those are good for you, releasing the tension in your muscles. That and if you need to sew and need a needle you can just pop one out. I heard they based a horror movie on extreme acupuncture,  the villain had a thing for needles in the head. I guess his greatest weakness was knitted hats.

I reach into my bag, pull out my staff of whapping and with a whip of my hand it extends.  "Do you want to sign a waiver before we start," I ask jokingly not expecting any answers. Especially with the way Sir Fishamont's teeth looked, I am sure if it talked it would be a cut up. I can't believe I just thought that, stupid stupid. Maybe I can take it back? No, well shoot. Okay I will just go wth is then.

In a blink of an eye, the fishie fish is jumping towards me and swinging the club up. I guess he/she/it, how do you determine the pronoun for Fish monster anyways? See what color worms it favors, blue or pink? What bathroom it goes to? If it smells like musk or flowers? Anyways up went the club and down it came with full force WHAM! and the boat rocked a little.

Okay ow, does everyone with clubs swing them to crush? Ow! My arms, my spine and my legs are not happy. I think my ears even popped with the hit. If I could I would blow on my hands and do some stretches to decompress my spine but I doubt McScalio would allow a time out. So I guess all I can do is push up as I am being pushed down upon and give smile, maybe a witty line and blow Mr Running with scales a kiss. What? No that is sick. No blowing fish monsters kisses, never ever. Once a kiss is blown, fish monsters everywhere would think that the people who they attack or abduct actually enjoy it, ignoring the whole kicking and screaming thing. Also the 'Let me go. Let me go. Let me go.'

Time for something witty, "So are you offended when people stand on you to find out their weight?"

You know the whole scale thing, people step on scales to find out their weight. After that they usually don't like the scale anymore and it has to find a new home. Hey it was the best I could do at the moment, just waking up after possibly being knocked out. The next one will be better.

I once fought a fish this big, ugh. Okay the next one. 


((Yeah. Yeah next...))

Catherine

FINAL ROUND START!

Wait, what? What happened to the other rounds. There are usually rounds before the final round. It can't be a final round unless there are actually rounds.

FINAL DEATH MATCH ROUND!!!

No, no  I am okay with the whole final round thing. We don't need to be jumping any gun or shark now. That and that whole death match part sounds so final, that and fish start smelling funny after dying. I don't want to think about what a fish monster would smell.... too late! I am going to URP.

FINAL ROUND START!

Give me a moment, I don't like fighting all green tailed. We would have to worry about cars since the drivers would think they have the right of way. Just give me one more moment, then we can start. Okay we can go.

FINAL ROUN.......URP!

Sorry, I was wrong. I think I am ready now. Let me just feel my head. A little clammy but fine, let us give this a try.

FI.......FINAL ROUND START!

I stand there pushing back Mr Fish Lips advances. Not sure where it is hiding all of the muscles since its arms are so thin. But it is definitely strong! URGH! Not sure if I am going to be able to beat fishy fish in a contest of strength. Not going to ask if to arm wrestle either, just in case you were going to suggest that. Oh and I am not even considering thumb wrestling either because of the nails.

So I do what is left, I take a step back and let the club slam down onto the deck. WHAM!! The spin the staff and rain whaps down onto the Sir Fins a lot's head. WHAP WHAP and more WHAPS.  This should teach it not come aboard and rip a piece of a railing off and try to club someone with it. WHAP WHAP and more whaps. It should be seeing starfish now, I tell myself since I didn't want to WHAP it to a pulp and pause to see if there is a dazed look in Mr. Bluegill's eyes.

I look into the fuel monsters eyes to see if I can see any daze. Is it there? No that is just a reflection. How about there? No that is a reflection too. Hey I think I see some right there, carefully I reach forward wth a hand. One finger comes out and POKE. Not daze just ewwwww.... I just touched a fish eye. It squished and stuff.

"Wait a moment please," I said as I reached in to my bag and pulled a handiwipe out and wiped my poking finger. That was gross, it sort of shifted and squished. Not my poking finger but the eye. "Okay where was we," I ask as I put the handiwipe back into my bag since there was no garbage cans around.

"Oh yeah, whapping and starfish. Got it," I get back into position, well as close as I can remember and look to see if I can see any daze in the Kiss like a fish's eyes. Yoo-hoo daze, come out come out wherever you are....

I thought that might help a little, maybe the daze was shy or something, I look a little harder and nothing. Shoot, I whapped it enough, it should have gotten some daze. The Scalzilla just I guess smiles, not really sure but I did see mouth movement, then points to the top of its head. Argh.... Armor.... Fish armor....

In a blur of action, Scales and thins is jumping towards me with its claws in the proper position for stabbing, clawing, poking, piercing and anymore ings that end in me saying "Ow....." I jump backwards seconds before claws come down and slice the air where I was at.

"Ha ha" I laughed as I swing my staff, bat style, at the large mouth something or another. Okay the last one wasn't that good sorry. I swing and CHOOM, the fish monster stops it with a hand and with the other one gives me the 'ah ah ah' finger wag.

I yank the staff back, "You cheeky little umm.... Worm eater."  I swing again and CHOOM and again CHOOM and again CHOOM. Every swing I swing is easily blocked, Am I telegraphing my move.

Ping ping ping ping ping [Roughly translates to she is swinging from the left]

Ping ping ping ping ping [Roughly translates to she is swinging from the right, I know they sound the same, but if you are an experienced telegraph person you can tell the difference. I think it is the fourth ping, it sounded more ping than ping.]

Maybe I should try, "Hey what is that?" I point and the fish turns to look. Now I can't pass this up so I swing down hard. CHOOM! Okay how? How did Sir blurps under water know that I swinging. It was looking away and everything so I know I wasn't telegraphing anything. The whole 'what is that' should have thrown it but it didn't.

I growl and pull my staff away, spinning before tapping the end of it on the ground. "Fine let's go Mano y Aleta."

Mr. No blinks just stood there not blinking, maybe it doesn't understand Spanish. Other than a few words I learned in school I sort of just have to nod when more are spoken. I am sure whoever is speaking is asking me why I am nodding for and I am answering with a nod.

"It means fin, I think. Since you aren't letting me hit you with my staff I have to resort to my fist. So I said hand to fin since your are a fish type thing." I spin the staff as I speak and it does the reverse of extending as I slip it into my bag,

I expect a 'Thank you' but the fish type thing just shrugs as I slip my imaginary pugilist helmet on. There isn't much of it but it will keep the birds and stars from circling it and getting in the way. Although I could throw the stars at the Sir I think king of the sea.

I bend my head side to side and reach back to ding an imaginary bell, letting Fish McFish, know I was ready.


((Health bar is full and ready. But now I have to rest...))