A Morning Walk, part ten, Hidden Trails and Quiet Homes
greyhawk
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Hidden Trails and Quiet Homes
Refreshed and eager to continue their journey, Greyhawk and Lady Kittwulf
left Synny's cottage and turned north along the road, passing Dan's old
Chickencoop and Snigly's Rest Tree as they headed for the Squirrel Run
along the west side of the Lollipop Patch.
"Milord, perhaps we could swing by Nanny Owl's and Angyroo's Nest Tree,"
Lady Kittwulf suggested. "We could ring the bell to see if they're home.
And if David the Cuddly Bear is in his den in the cave behind the Nest Tree
surely he’ll come out to say hello."
"How strange," Greyhawk muttered half to himself as they swung up through
the Squirrel Run. His brow creased slightly and he appeared to be peering
at something in the distance.
Startled by his abrupt comment, Kittwulf asked, "What is strange, milord?"
"I don't hear any bees, milady," Greyhawk replied, pointing to the
honeybee hives not too far off.
Lady Kittwulf stopped dead in her tracks and stood very still, listening
closely to the sounds being carried on the warm meadow breezes. Her eyes
widened as she noticed that there was hardly even the whisper of the wind
rustling through the tree branches. And no bees.
"Milord, surely the monstas do not have the power to alter the natural
environment!" Kittwulf gasped as she hurried to catch up with Greyhawk.
"And yet so many cuddlers have gone missing this morning," she continued
puzzling as they walk past the hives and turn toward the Nest Tree.
Greyhawk stopped next to the Nest Tree and looked back at Kittwulf, an
eyebrow lifted in amusement. "After what we witnessed at Cuddle
University, and most especially the Mystical Studies Department, I have
begun to suspect an intelligent psychic force may be behind this invasion,"
he suggested. "It was not so long ago that the psychic spammers were
flooding Cuddleland with their ridiculous Spam, requiring an intensive
effort to drive them out of the kingdom."
"So very true, milord," Kittwulf responded. "I've never seen a more
organized nor thorough Spam invasion than the one by the psychic spammers.
Do you suppose their leader has regrouped the lot?"
"Hardly, milady," Greyhawk replied bemusedly. "That bunch scattered as
soon as they learned that the defenders of the realm were mounting an
all-out counterattack. No, but I do suspect that at least one of them has
switched over to another group of spammers, and is responsible for creating
the illusions we've seen," he concluded, and turned to ring the bell to
signal that guests had arrived at the base of the big old oak tree.
Kittwulf looked up at the sunlight dappled tree branches as they waited
somewhat anxiously for Nanny Owl or Angyroo to come out onto the Nest
Tree’s porch verandah to greet them. Several moments passed without any
movement being detected in the treehouse. Greyhawk once again rang the
bell, this time looking past Kittwulf towards the cave to see if the Cuddly
Bear would poke his head out of his den. Several more moments passed with
still no sign of the resident cuddlers.
"Not at all unexpected," Greyhawk commented.
"Perhaps the Cuddly Bear is napping, milord," Kittwulf offered hopefully.
"There's only one way to find out, milady," Greyhawk replied as he walked
over to the cave's entrance and peered into the semi-dark interior. Seeing
a candle near the entrance he lit it and motioned for her to follow.
Entering CB's den Kittwulf immediately noticed the smell of freshly
baked honey cakes. "CB has been busy baking this morning," she smiled as
she reached for one of the Cuddly Bear's special recipe cakes, knowing he
wouldn't mind her helping herself to a favorite treat. Nibbling at the
cake and enjoying it's warm sweetness she offered one to Greyhawk. "CB
could not have been gone long, milord. These cakes are still quite warm
from the oven."
"Indeed, milady," Greyhawk mumbled as he savored the sweetness of the
honey cake. "And yet another cuddler has disappeared mysteriously."
"Perhaps we should quicken our pace a bit," Kittwulf suggested as she
licked honey off her fingers.
"Oh, no!” Kittwulf cried out, jumping to her feet in alarm, “My wolf den,
Milord!" she cried in panic.
Greyhawk took Lady Kittwulf’s free hand and patted it soothingly. "Fear
not, milady," he said, "Whatever we find, we will face it squarely and deal
with it head on."
Kittwulf relaxed and sighed. "Of course, milord," she replied. "It is
the only way to deal with monstas."
Grabbing one more of her favorite treats Kittwulf split it and offered
half of it to Greyhawk as they headed out of the cave. As soon as this
mystery is solved I'll bake up a lovely batch of M’Oatmeal cookies to give
to CB to thank him for the honey cakes, Kittwulf thought to herself as she
snuffed out the candle and replaced it at the cave's entrance.
Greyhawk smiled as he nibbled at the piece of honey cake, noticing that
some honey had dribbled to the ground. He stopped for a moment and
stoopped down to watch as several ants, busily marching about gathering
their daily needs, discovered the delightfully sweet bonanza that had
dripped onto their path. Smiling in satisfaction that something yet
remained undisturbed, he rose to his feet and walked toward where Kittwulf
waited at the beginning of the footpath which wound through Cuddleforest to
her den.
Walking through the 'Forest they pass the Dwarf Hame on their left.
Kittwulf smiled at the perfume of moss and ferns and pine needles
surrounding her. A light mist hung low to the forest floor, swirling about
slightly as their movements disturbed it. Soon they came upon the entrance
to Kittwulf’s den beneath an outcropping of rock at the base of the
mountain.
Walking to the outcropping Kittwulf noticed a trace of greasy oil smeared
along the outer edge of the rock. Hesitating momentarily Kittwulf looked
at Greyhawk with concern in her soft golden-brown eyes. Greyhawk smiled
and took her hand. Together they ducked beneath the rock outcropping and
into the den. Since the angle of sun's rays shone down on the outcropping
in a way that blocked light from entering the den, Kittwulf reached for the
lantern she kept near the entrance and lit it.
They immediately jumped back, startled by the shadows dancing about the
wolf den. Turning the lamp up to full brightness Kittwulf burst out in a
fit of hysterical laughter at the sight before them. As if they had a life
of their own every costume from the box of disguises that Nanny Owl and
Angyroo had given to Kittwulf as a present last Christmas was dancing
merrily about the den.
Greyhawk’s guffaws joined Kittwulf’s as he shook his head in amusement at
this latest cleverness. With a twinkle in his eye he looks surreptitiously
over at Kittwulf and waved one hand just slightly. One by one the costumes
danced and twirled their way over to the box and climbed inside, folding
themselves up neatly to make room for the others.
"Wonderful, milord!" Kittwulf cried gleefully, clapping her hands in
childish delight.
As the last of the disguises, a bear costume, stepped into the box and
sat down to fold itself up, it reached for the flaps of the box top and
closed them over itself. With a very pleased expression on his face
Greyhawk flicked his wrist and a huge length of ribbon wrapped itself
around the box and tied itself up over the top in a looping bow.
"Very pretty, milord," Kittwulf said with pleased giggles and walked
toward the entrance of the den. She lowered the wick in the lantern until
the flame was extinguished, and followed Greyhawk as he ducked back out
through the entrance of her home.
Turning northeast along the foot of the mountains Greyhawk and Kittwulf
passed through the misty lowlands where the forest was densely shrouded and
moss hung heavily from arching tree branches. Reaching the road again they
hiked up into the mountains and through the north pass to the ice cream
glacier.
Careful with her footing, Kittwulf walked over to Princess Vivan's igloo
and called out a "halloo". Her voice echoed back to her from within the
igloo, but no other sound could be heard. "Yet another missing cuddler,
milord," she commented grimly.
"It is time, milady," Greyhawk replied in a quiet voice. "Onward, to New
Village to wait for Chris the dented knight, Greybear, and Cuddle-Lion to
join us. Perhaps they will have some news to report. Cuddleland is in
danger and we seem to be the only cuddlers able to do something about it."
Briskly but carefully they crossed the ice cream glacier and headed toward
New Village on the other side of the mountains just through the north pass.
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When I was young, I dreamed of castles in the clouds.
Now that I am old, I build them.
http://www.crisscross.com/users/greyhawk/manor.htm