Topic: Tails of Monkey - Hey Adventure is still waiting

[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.))