Prone To Wander (Chapter Two)

When his family is taken captive "Ruben" sets out to find and rescue them. (Rough draft)

**This excerpt is UNEDITED. If you do not like to read rough drafts, please move on. I enjoy getting feedback early, especially with a book that I'm so unsure of. ALL feedback is welcome. Feedback on voice, characters, story, and plot are appreciated.
Mostly I just want to know... Would you keep reading if there was more?**

Ruben felt a fresh burst of energy, he writhed and kicked and clawed, screaming, “You said you'd let me go Quinn, does your word mean nothing to you?!”

The kit's were up and at Quinn's side in a flash, “Did you bring dinner?” one of them asked. The other was reaching for Ruben's head, with a pleading, “Can I see what you've caught?”

To his dismay, Ruben was released from the jaws that had carried him, and handed over to the kit that had asked to see him. Though young, the little raccoon was twice Ruben's size, and was able to hold him firmly with two paws. “I've never seen a squirrel this small,” the kit remarked, “Or one that has these funny white patches. It is a squirrel, isn't it uncle Quinn?”

“Yes, and a spirited little... anyway, yes he's a squirrel.”

The other kit came up, sat beside her brother, and scratched Ruben's head lightly with a single claw. “I like him,” she said, “He's cute. Can we keep him, uncle Quinn? Please? I don't think he'd be much good for eating.”

“Cute!” Quinn laughed, shaking his head.

Quinn was sitting on the opposite side of the small room, beside a short and sturdy table, unfastening several bags from a hide strap that was draped over one shoulder and looped 'round his waist. It was nearly identical to the strap and belt that Ruben himself wore... he watched curiously as the raccoon unloaded his little bundles. He was less concerned about the kits now, who had taken to scratching his ears and stroking his fluffy tail. They didn't seem to mean any harm, though Ruben knew that would change if Quinn told them that he was prey.

The first bundle the big raccoon unloaded was a bag of blue robin's eggs, of which there were at least a dozen. Next a great mound of berries was carefully poured out onto the table, mixed with a few walnuts and some sort of grain or grass seed.

“Alright then, there's your dinner,” Quinn announced, “Have at it.”

Ruben was quickly returned to Quinn's paws, as the kits bounded over to the food laden table. “Always hungry those two,” he said, his chest puffing out a bit, “Growing up too fast... sure wish they'd slow down.”

As the raccoon's paws were relaxed, and Ruben was able to sit, rather than be gripped. “I take it you brought me here for a reason,” Ruben said quietly, “You weren't secretly planning on eating me the whole time were you?”

Quinn looked down and chuckled, “No, of course not. I didn't mean to scare you so much, but I thought I smelled a fox. I didn't really want to fight over food I wasn't even going to eat. Anyway, you're welcome to stay the night.” As he spoke, Quinn stepped back over to the table, grabbing an unopened bag. He pulled back the flap and reached inside.

Quinn's use of both fore paws caused Ruben to seek a better perch. He climbed up into the thick gray fur of Quinn's shoulder, and as soon as he settled, there was a paw in his face. Ruben flinched out of surprise, but then saw something was being held up to him. It was his wolf's claw dagger! He reached out and took his weapon, tucking it into the largest pouch on his belt, as he had no sheath.

“Thank you, I thought I'd lost that,” Ruben said.

“It seemed important to you,” Quinn replied in an absent minded way.

“Uncle Quinn,” came the pleading voice of one of the kits, “Can I share my dinner with the little squirrel?”

“Why not? The world's already upside down,” he said.

With that, two little paws stretched up, offering several blackberries and one of the robin's eggs. Rather than snatch the food away, Ruben clambered down onto the little one's head and took a berry from there.

“Hello,” the kit said, offering another berry, “I'm Cavan. Do you have a name little squirrel?”

“Yes, my name is Ruben. It's nice to meet you, Cavan.”

The little one's paw reached up again, this time offering the robin's egg. “Squirrels like eggs too, don't they Ruben?”

“Yes we do,” he replied, taking the egg in his paws, “It's awfully kind of you to share.”

“I'll share too,” the other kit said, and she hurried over to offer up half of a walnut. “It's very nice to meet you Ruben, my name is Kelly.”

Ruben tucked the egg into one of his own pouches, though it didn't fit well. He took the bit of walnut and couldn't help smiling at the smaller kit, “It's very nice to meet you too, Kelly.”

Kelly turned to her uncle, beaming with delight, “He's a very polite squirrel,” she said, “Is Ruben a friend of yours, uncle Quinn?”

Quinn gave a short, irrepressible laugh, “Well, he might as well be a friend.”

“Do you actually mean that?” Ruben asked, looking up from his meal.

“You're staying in my home, eating my food, and my niece and nephew seem to adore you already... what else could you be?”

Ruben climbed down to the floor, setting aside his uneaten food. He stepped over to Quinn and looked up, nearly straight up, into the dark masked face. He straightened himself, standing as tall as he could, still his head only came up to the big raccoon's hip. Looking very serious, he stretched out a paw, “Thank you,” he said, “I don't take friendship lightly.”

Quinn reached out and, for the second time that night, shook the tiny paw as gently as he could. “All joking aside,” he said, “I don't take friendship lightly either.”

Cavan and Kelly set aside two more eggs and an unopened walnut, for Ruben to take on his travels. The squirrel tried to refuse, not wanting to take so much of their dinner, but the little ones insisted. Though they were kind, and wished Ruben no ill, they unintentionally treated him very much like a pet. They kept scratching his ears, and stroking his tale. They were amazed at the squirrel's acrobatics as well. Ruben would leap from the fireplace mantle to the stocky table across the room, and back again, flipping mid-way and always landing perfectly. The little ones would clap and cheer and ask him to “do it again”. It was a tiring performance however, Ruben had to stop after the seventh or eighth go.

When it was nearly dawn, Quinn hustled the youngsters back to the nest in the corner near the fireplace. It was lined with dry grasses, a few bird feathers, and a number skins from the prey their uncle had caught.

Ruben was not accustomed to being up through the night, and found himself feeling detached and drowsy, as he sat on the fireplace mantle and watched Quinn tucking in his niece and nephew. When Quinn stood back from the nest and smiled warmly at the little ones, Ruben realized that he hadn't seen his new friend eat anything while he was there. Though a bit afraid of what the answer to his wonderings might be, he managed to ask, very quietly, “Quinn, didn't get yourself anything to eat?”

The raccoon's amber eyes turned to him, “Yes I did,” he said, “Strangest thing happened though... I made friends with the blasted little creature.”

Ruben felt himself shrink back, instinctively, and he gave an uneasy smile. “I'm sorry you had to miss a meal,” he said.

“No worries,” Quinn replied, his voice was hushed but warm. He saw his new companion yawn and stretch, and realized how exhausted Ruben had to be. Almost without thinking, he reached over and wrapped a paw around the squirrel. Ruben flinched, but didn't fight, and was carefully placed in the kit's nest... right between the two sleepy bundles. The warmth and the sound of snoring soon worked their magic, and Ruben fell asleep, snuggled between the two little raccoons.

He woke a few short hours later, and seeing that the sun was well up and shining, decided it was time to be on his way. He saw Quinn, curled up and sleeping in his own nest, beside the kit's, and thought of waking him. In the end he thought it was best not to disturb the creatures that had been so unexpectedly hospitable. He patted the heads of the young ones affectionately, then hurried to the table and packed up some of the food the others had set aside for him. Sadly, the walnut was much too big to fit into any of his pouches, and he was forced to leave behind one of the eggs as well.

Making his way to the door, he found it only swung inward, which made opening it an awkward task for the squirrel. But he pulled it open just enough to squeeze through, and pulled it shut behind him, by gripping the bottom of the door and tugging. It didn't latch, but slumped slightly into the frame, straining at the strips of hide that served as hinges.

At last Ruben was on his way again. It had been an eventful night, but a memory he would cherish forever. He looked forward to a day when he would tell the tale of the family of raccoons that offered him friendship. It would be a story that few squirrels would believe.