Lovely Day for Play ((Odie, open))

[Django]

"Fenn...I want to play..Just not that game..no fighting games, okay?..."

Fenn's eyes got bright, and he nodded vigorously, bouncing his toes. "No fightin'! I promise!" he replied. His expression became pensive as he tried to think of a game to play that did not involve fighting.

Alne walked up, hoping her brother wasn't bothering Keith in any way. "Keith, if ye need tae work, dinnae worry aboot playin' with--"

"Treasure-hunters!" Fenn exclaimed. "We c' look fer th' treasure inna abbey yard!" He thought it over again and asked, "There're no fightin' in treasure hunting, right?"

[greek101]

Fenn's eyes got bright, and he nodded vigorously, bouncing his toes. "No fightin'! I promise!" he replied. His expression became pensive as he tried to think of a game to play that did not involve fighting.

Keith smiled a bit, his tail twitching lightly. Fenn was a very sweet little squirrel; brutally honest, but in a charming, child-like manor. It put a smile to Keith's face it did.

Alne walked up, hoping her brother wasn't bothering Keith in any way. "Keith, if ye need tae work, dinnae worry aboot playin' with--"

"Treasure-hunters!" Fenn exclaimed. "We c' look fer th' treasure inna abbey yard!" He thought it over again and asked, "There're no fightin' in treasure hunting, right?"

Keith nodded. "Yes, you can play treasure-hunters with out fighting I supposed....What treasure are we looking for?"

Looking over at Alne, Keith shrugged with a slight smile. "It's all right....I guess I almost want to play. "

[Django]

Keith nodded. "Yes, you can play treasure-hunters with out fighting I supposed....What treasure are we looking for?"

Fenn thought for another moment. Finally, he shouted, "Th' lost jewels a' th' squirrel queen!" He knew of no such thing, but his sister's late night tall tales of the Squirrel Queen were some of his favorite stories.

Looking over at Alne, Keith shrugged with a slight smile. "It's all right....I guess I almost want to play. "

The black squirrel nodded hesitantly, feeling a tiny twinge of guilt at keeping Keith from his work, but, if he wanted to play, then who was she to stand in the way? She was about to reply when Fenn came up to her and handed her a long stick.

"Here ya shovel, sissy," he said seriously. Alne took the stick and nodded, smiling. Then, Fenn walked up to Keith again and handed him a similar stick to Alne's. "Here ya shovel, Mistah Keith."

[greek101]

Finally, he shouted, "Th' lost jewels a' th' squirrel queen!"

Keith looked puzzled. "The lost jewel of the squirrel queen? I don't think I've heard of them before." Realizing that young Fenn was probably just making things up as he went along, he tried to play along. "What do theses jewels look like Captain Fenn? I need to know what they look like so I know if I have found them. I don't want to accidentally find the wrong treasure."

"Here ya shovel, sissy," he said seriously. Alne took the stick and nodded, smiling. Then, Fenn walked up to Keith again and handed him a similar stick to Alne's. "Here ya shovel, Mistah Keith."

Taking the stick, Keith nodded, trying to be serious. He very well knew that the stick was not a shovel, but played along. "Thank you sir. " He said with a wink. "Where should we go look first Captain Fenn?"

[Django]

"What do theses jewels look like Captain Fenn? I need to know what they look like so I know if I have found them. I don't want to accidentally find the wrong treasure."

Fenn thought for a moment, picking up his own 'shovel'. Finally, he spread his little paws apart about ten inches or so. "Big," he replied. "Rilly big. An' rilly shiny and lotsa colors."

"Where should we go look first Captain Fenn?"

Fenn pointed at a group of small boulders next to the path. "Ri' there," he decided, rushing over with his 'shovel' in paw. Alne followed her brother, smiling patiently. She was used to the little squirrel's wild antics. His little tail sticking straight up, he leapt onto one of the boulders, jabbing the stick into the ground. "The jewels is magic, too," he continued, pretending he knew everything about these 'Lost Jewels'. "They starts glowin' win we get rilly close to 'em."

"Do they naow?" Alne asked, acting as though she was impressed with Fenn's great knowledge of the jewels. She started 'digging' near the boulders, as well. "Be they good magic or bad?"

Fenn shook his head. "Rilly good magic," he said seriously. "An' they like it when squirrels and ferrets find 'em, since they's good beasts. An' they glow yellow." He turned to Keith. "Can you draw good?" he asked.

[greek101]

Fenn thought for a moment, picking up his own 'shovel'. Finally, he spread his little paws apart about ten inches or so. "Big," he replied. "Rilly big. An' rilly shiny and lotsa colors."

Keith nodded, still playing along. "Oh they must be really precious!"

Fenn pointed at a group of small boulders next to the path. "Ri' there," he decided, rushing over with his 'shovel' in paw.

Keith put his 'shovel' on his lap and rolled his chair over to where Fenn and Alne were headed. Coming up behind, them he rolled to a light stop.

His little tail sticking straight up, he lept onto one of the boulders, jabbing the stick into the ground. "The jewels is magic, too," he continued, pretending he knew everything about these 'Lost Jewels'. "They starts glowin' win we get rilly close to 'em."

"Oooo" Keith replied. "We'll have to keep our eyes pealed then!" Smiling, Keith watched Fenn and tried to play along. Poking at the ground around his chair with his 'shovel'.

"Do they naow?" Alne asked, acting as though she was impressed with Fenn's great knowledge of the jewels. She started 'digging' near the boulders, as well. "Be they good magic or bad?"

Fenn shook his head. "Rilly good magic," he said seriously. "An' they like it when squirrels and ferrets find 'em, since they's good beasts. An' they glow yellow." He turned to Keith. "Can you draw good?" he asked.

Keith looked up from his light ground poking. "Umm..I suppose so. Why? What am I drawing?"

[Django]

Keith looked up from his light ground poking. "Umm..I suppose so. Why? What am I drawing?"

"Ya gotta draw th' jewels when we find 'em," Fenn explained. "So's we can, um, docta-ment 'em for science and stuff."

"Oh, we should record our findin's, eh?" Alne asked. Her little brother nodded fervently, finding a leaf and a small stick the size of a pencil. He handed them to Keith.

"Yeah, you draw 'em and make notes on 'em, 'kay?" he said, starting to 'dig' again. After about twenty minutes, and with his sister's help, Fenn had dug up a sizable rock around the pile of boulders, and he pretended this was the first Lost Jewel. "I finds one!" he shouted gleefully, holding it up so Keith could see. "Now you draws it so's we can docta-ment it."

[greek101]

"Ya gotta draw th' jewels when we find 'em," Fenn explained. "So's we can, um, docta-ment 'em for science and stuff."

"Oh, we should record our findin's, eh?" Alne asked. Her little brother nodded fervently, finding a leaf and a small stick the size of a pencil. He handed them to Keith.

"Yeah, you draw 'em and make notes on 'em, 'kay?" he said, starting to 'dig' again.

"Ahhh!" Keith replied knowingly. Taking the leaf and stick, Keith looked serious as he began to 'write' on the leaf. "Day, time, and the leader of this expedition is Captain Fenn. Okay, ready!"

After about twenty minutes, and with his sister's help, Fenn had dug up a sizable rock around the pile of boulders, and he pretended this was the first Lost Jewel. "I finds one!" he shouted gleefully, holding it up so Keith could see. "Now you draws it so's we can docta-ment it."

"Wow!" Keith smiled. "That's beautiful! I'll draw it right away!" Keith immediately started scribbling with vigor on his leaf.

[Django]

"Wow!" Keith smiled. "That's beautiful! I'll draw it right away!" Keith immediately started scribbling with vigor on his leaf.

Fenn beamed with joy as the ferret admired his finding. When the little squirrel deemed Keith to be done, he set down the rock and returned to 'digging'. He chattered on about the numerous legends surrounding the Lost Jewels, entertaining both older beasts with his make-believe tales.

"If ya find th' right jewel," he explained. "Ya can fly. But only at midnight when ya holdin' th' blue jewel. Its magic can make ya fly forevers and evers. But if ya don't, um, if ya don't have th' blue one, ya can't fly. If ya got th' green one, ya can dig like a mole."

Suddenly, he stopped, peering down into the hole he and his sister had dug. Alne leaned in with him, whispering, "Be somethin' wrong, Captain?" Fenn's expression turned sour, and he backed up, shaking his head.

"No more jewels here," he announced. "We gotta find someplace else t' look." He turned to Keith, gesturing towards the first Lost Jewel he had found. "Mistah Keith, please docta-ment th' place we founded this one next t' th' drawin', okay?"

Shading his eyes, the young squirrel scanned the abbey grounds. Suddenly, he zoomed over to a stand of trees not far from the pond. Alne wondered if Keith would be okay getting there, or if he needed some help. "Och, ah do believe yon captain's 'ad too much sugar today," she murmured. Turning to Keith, she asked, "Shall we trek over yonder taegether, then?"

[greek101]

While Keith scribbled away at the leaf, he listened as Fenn 'explained' about the 'jewels'.

"If ya find th' right jewel," he explained. "Ya can fly. But only at midnight when ya holdin' th' blue jewel. Its magic can make ya fly forevers and evers. But if ya don't, um, if ya don't have th' blue one, ya can't fly. If ya got th' green one, ya can dig like a mole."

"Oh!" Keith nodded. "I didn't know they did that! These are some very special jewels!"

Suddenly, he stopped, peering down into the hole he and his sister had dug. Alne leaned in with him, whispering, "Be somethin' wrong, Captain?"

"No more jewels here," he announced. "We gotta find someplace else t' look." He turned to Keith, gesturing towards the first Lost Jewel he had found. "Mistah Keith, please docta-ment th' place we founded this one next t' th' drawin', okay?"

Smiling and nodding vigorously, Kieth scribbled away at the leaf with his stick. "Oh yes sir Captain Fenn!" Keith stopped scribbling as Fenn raced off toward the trees into the taller grasses. Keith sighed a bit. It would be harder for him to push through deeper grass. Not impossible, it just took more effort then on a calm path.

"Och, ah do believe yon captain's 'ad too much sugar today," she murmured. Turning to Keith, she asked, "Shall we trek over yonder taegether, then?"

Keith chuckled abit. "I might have to agree with you on that one, but I don't know what he's eaten. I've found some little ones are that way all the time it seems like." Setting his leaf and stick next to him in his seat, Keith gripped both his wheels and pushed firmly. "I suppose we'd better catch up with him before he finds more 'jewels' without us."

Grunting, Keith pushed through the grass trying to get to where Fenn had zipped off to. It was slow going and Keith was getting worn out fast, but he pushed onward. Struggling to make his chair keep up with a fast paced dibbun squirrel.

[Django]

Keith chuckled abit. "I might have to agree with you on that one, but I don't know what he's eaten. I've found some little ones are that way all the time it seems like." Setting his leaf and stick next to him in his seat, Keith gripped both his wheels and pushed firmly. "I suppose we'd better catch up with him before he finds more 'jewels' without us."

Alne nodded with a smile, walking next to the ferret. After a few steps, she realized she had easily passed him. Looking back, she noticed his strained pace and wondered if it would be rude to offer help. It wasn't like they were in a huge hurry, but Keith looked about ready to collapse.

Stepping back so she was right beside him again, she asked, "Be ye needin' some 'elp thar, Keith?" She really didn't want to sound rude, or act as though Keith was unable to wheel himself over to the trees. But she just couldn't stand by while he worked himself so hard just to follow her rambunctious little brother.

((Rargh . . . short.))

[greek101]

Stepping back so she was right beside him again, she asked, "Be ye needin' some 'elp thar, Keith?"

Sweating a bit, Keith looked up at Alne. She looked like she desperately wanted to help. But Keith was a stubborn Ferret. He wasn't very accepting of help. He wanted to be independent. He didn't want to be a burden to everybeast around him. He hated asking for help.

"Nah, I'll make it..." He said with a grunt as he pushed harder on his wheels, he would make it through the tall grass. Sure if someone was pushing it would be easy, but he was going to do it. He was going to do it.

Until he hit a root.

Keith's chair came to a halt as he hit the root. It wasn't a fast paced hit so that he flew out of his chair. He stayed put, but so did his chair. Keith growled at his useless chair. He tried to back up, but his chair got caught in the tall grass.

He was stuck.

[Django]

"Nah, I'll make it..." He said with a grunt as he pushed harder on his wheels, he would make it through the tall grass.

Alne dropped it after that. She could tell Keith had his pride about this kind of thing. She simply walked along next to him, fighting the urge to grimace every time he grunted with the effort. She could see Fenn by the pound, scrabbling away at the dirt as he searched for the 'Lost Jewels'. She could hear the sound of birds in the trees, and feel the summer breeze on her fur. It was a nice day for a walk. And it was always better with a friend, even if he wasn't exactly keeping a conversation going.

Then, suddenly, she was walking alone. Halting mid-step, she turned and found Keith stuck on a tree root. Strolling back to him, she hesitated before offering help. He was making a valiant effort to free himself, but wearing himself out in the process.

"Be ye needing' tha' help naow, Keith?" she asked gently, standing back respectfully.

[greek101]

Keith struggled with his chair, growling in frustration. He knew this was going to happen! And now he was stuck, horribly stuck. The only way he could get out was if somebeast pulled his chair backwards and then pushed it forwards around the root. But he was stubborn. He was going to do it himself!

Pausing to catch his breath, Keith looked up and saw Fenn poking his stick about the sand near the pond. Keith sighed. He wanted to play and make Fenn happy, but he just couldn't get over there on his own...

"Be ye needing' tha' help naow, Keith?" she asked gently, standing back respectfully.

Keith looked up into Alne's eyes. Dropping his own emerald ones, Keith sighed. "It will be the only way I will be able to move." Twitching his tail shamefully, Keith muttered under his breath, yet still audible. "I hate being a burden..."

[Django]

"It will be the only way I will be able to move."

Alne nodded, biting her lip and moving behind the wheelchair. She felt rude, somehow, helping him this way. He really wanted to do this himself; she could tell. But he just couldn't, and far be it from her to leave a friend in need.

Twitching his tail shamefully, Keith muttered under his breath, yet still audible. "I hate being a burden..."

Alne smiled and shook her head. "Ye be nae trouble, mah friend," she assured him.

Quickly analyzing exactly how he was stuck, the black squirrel grabbed the wheelchair's handles securely and pulled backwards. The wheels detached from the exposed root with a firm tug or two. She then wheeled him around the obstacle and made sure he had a clear path to where Fenn stood waiting before she let go of the handles.

"There, naow," she announced, walking beside him once more. "T'weren't nae a burden tae 'elp ye oot."

((Okay, I'm sorry for the delay. I swear I had a novel typed out for you yesterday, but before I posted it, guess what happened. Guess. What. Happened. I opened a new window to go to another site, came back here, and my iPad had DELETED THE WHOLE THING. So here's a half-hearted post instead since I don't have the time (or memory) to retype everything from last night. I'm so sorry! You can go ahead and have them arrive at Fenn's dig site if you want. This scene won't die. XD))