Napkin 68

Suddenly, Hedgie felt a sharp point in his back as one of the guard rats pushed him into the clearing. “Hey, looky here what I found,” said the rat. “The pudgy porcupine musta shrunk in the river.” “Well, that’s the only way she could have gotten out of my chains,” said Soot. “That’s not her, you arrogant fool!” said Abernasty. “That’s my son,” said Quincy proudly. “And if you lay a hand on him, I’ll … “ “You’ll what … you old fool!” interrupted Soot.

Napkin 67

From his hiding place in the bushes Hedgie could see Abernasty and Soot in a bitter argument. “You imbecile! You nearly had us all killed!” shouted Abernasty. “Some getaway that turned out to be!” “How was I supposed to know about that waterfall!?” protested Soot. “And look at you – the mighty Changeling! Can’t even change a few hummingbirds! Ha!” Abernasty was furious at Soot’s disrespect of him.

Napkin 66

As Hedgie and Chester followed the tracks into the forest, Mezzo flew back onto Hedgie’s shoulder and reported, “Looks like a few of the rats didn’t jump ship in time and took the long ride down the falls. No casualties, but a few limped away.” That night, as the three were sleeping, Hedgie awoke at the sound of shouting off in the distance and walked toward it. As he got closer, he silently crept to the edge of a clearing.

Napkin 65

At the bottom of the waterfall they could see the wreckage of the rat’s ship. “Soot didn’t plan on waterfalls. No,” said Chester. “I’ll fly down there and survey the situation. You two look for clues up here,” said Mezzo. It didn’t take Hedgie long to find evidence that the rats jumped ship before going over the falls. “Look Chester. Look at all these tracks,” said Hedgie.

Napkin 64

“It looks like we need to cross the river, but there is no way to cross it,” said Hedgie. “I can help you over,” offered Chester. “And I think I am well enough to fly that short distance,” said Mezzo. After crossing over and continuing east along the river, they could not help but notice how much faster the river was flowing. As the rapids roared, they soon found themselves at the top of a huge waterfall.

Napkin 63

The next day, everything was ready for Hedgie, Chester and Mezzo to set off on their journey to rescue Quincy. “Good-bye,” said Hedgie. “Thank you for helping my family, Mrs. Phitch,” said Chester. “Good-bye friends,” said Mezzo. The three followed the river for quite a distance. Mezzo traveled on Hedgie’s shoulder because she was not strong enough to dart around yet. The river veered sharply east at a rocky outcrop and began to flow very rapidly toward the ocean.

Napkin 62

As things settled down that evening, plans were discussed about going to rescue Quincy from Abernasty’s evil clutches. “I need to come with you Hedgie,” urged Chester.” “And I as well,” insisted Mezzo, sitting up from her bed. Pearl added that she needed to stay behind and work on changing the sea otters back. And Bandy’s group would work on getting the forest back in order.

Napkin 61

The animals started to cheer as, one-by-one, each of the hummingbirds got their beautiful iridescent colors back and began to fly above them. Pearl also was able to help Mezzo heal and she shed tears of joy at the sight of her friends flying above her. In the midst of this joyous scene, Hedgie looked at his mother seriously and said, “I have to go help father.” Pearl smiled knowingly and gave him a hug saying, “Yes … you do.”

Napkin 60

Mezzo opened her eyes and winced in pain. “Don’t worry about me. I’m Ok. Just please get my friends …” Chipper comforted her as she slipped back into unconsciousness. “We must get busy!” said Pearl. Pearl worked like a dervish giving everyone a task to perform to help her prepare the cure that would reverse the initial affect of the dark change that was cast upon the hummingbirds.

Napkin 59

Then Bandy took just a brief moment to explain to their new friends that Bandit was mute as a result of a previous battle with the black jacket rats. Chester and Pearl gave Bandit a little hug and thanked him again. “Mother, I’m afraid we have a lot of work to do on those little hummingbirds to undo the dark change that Abernasty started on them,” said Hedgie. “And Mezzo took quite a beating, too.”

Photo-Op Chester

[Remember when Hedgie first met Chester? He called him "Kelpy" while he was caring for him because he found him all wrapped up in kelp on the beach.  KD~j~]

Napkin 58

The other animals joined them at the cliff’s edge. “Oh, my dear Hedginald. I am so happy to be holding you,” said Pearl. “I was so worried about you. It looks like you have made some wonderful new friends, though.” She gave Chester and Bandit a thankful hug. Chester looked at Bandit and said, “Thank you for helping me to get her out from that river.” Bandit smiled, but did not reply. Chester seemed puzzled.

Napkin 57

Pearl was so proud and happy when she made it back up to the top of the hill and saw her son gently moving the hummingbirds to a bed of soft fresh moss. “Oh, mother!” said Hedgie as he hugged her tightly. Their tears of joy said more than words about how thankful they were to be together again at last. But a little sadness also mingled with their tears when they both looked down the river and saw Quincy being taken away by the rats.

[I got so wordy on the other side of this napkin that I had to open it up and make the drawing on the inside. KD~j~]

Napkin 56

“Well, it looks like my kelp wrap worked on you, little buddy,” smiled Pearl. Chester gave her a big hug. “Yes,” he said. “Now we have to go help those poor hummingbirds,” said Pearl. As they made their way up the cliff, one of the blackbirds brought the keys to get the chain off of Pearl’s neck. “Thank you, little fella. I’ll see what I can do about you too,” said Pearl.

Napkin 55

Bandit dove into the river to help save Pearl. Chester was trying with all his might until he started to lose consciousness, when suddenly, the water surrounding them began to stir and shimmer and sparkle. Bubbles formed all around them and gently lifted them up to the surface where Bandy and Bandit helped them ashore. “What happened!?!” asked Chester. “Water fairies,” answered Pearl.

Napkin 54

“Great catch, Chipper!” said Bandy running over to them. “Now, have your scouts take Mezzo and the keys up to Hedgie so he can start helping those poor hummingbirds.” Then she went to join Bandit at the river’s edge. Down at the bottom of the river, Chester was struggling against the weight chained around Pearl’s neck, and the river’s current.

Napkin 53

Just as Mezzo got the keys from Soot, one of the black jacket rats grabbed an oar, swung it wildly and batted her violently toward the rocky riverbank. Chipper, one of the chipmunk scouts, saw all of this happen and leapt from his tree to break her impact. “Gotcha!” “Ow!” “Ow!” they both said as they slammed against the rocks.

Napkin 52

“Don’t worry, Hedgie! I’ll get her!” cried Chester as he scurried down the cliff and dove into the river after Pearl. Bandy, Bandit and the others were not far behind. On the boat, Soot was waving his arms wildly and yelling, “Get this blasted blue bumble bee away from me!” But Mezzo still managed to snatch the keys from his grip.

Napkin 51

“What about these two?” asked Soot. Abernasty glared at Quincy and Pearl and said, “We need to keep Phitch for now, but you can toss that meddling chubby chipmunk overboard. So Soot sauntered over in his usual air of contempt and shoved Quincy aside to the floor. “Looks like you are going to be the only drowned rat around here,” said Soot as he grabbed Pearl and threw her into the river.

Napkin 50

Soot’s escape contraption slid all the way down the cliff and landed in the river with a great splash. After all the dirt was rinsed off in the water, they could see that it was a large boat. “You all will regret this day when I come back and change all of you into black beetle bugs!” threatened Abernasty waving his scepter in the air.

Napkin 49

As Chester watched what was going on all around him, he was startled by the sound of squawking and flapping and then heard a loud thud behind him. “Ow!” said Hedgie when he hit the ground. It was Hedgie’s idea to confuse the gullible rats by disguising himself as the Changemaster, with the help of the blackbirds, of course. “Are you alright?” asked Chester. “Yes, but my father and mother are down there with those blasted rats!” cried Hedgie.

[Happy New Year!! Welcome back to school! KD~j~]

Napkin 48

Suddenly, the cracking stopped with one loud crack, the whole room shook violently, and the back half that the rats were standing on began to slide down the hill toward the river. “Good-bye and good riddance!” yelled Abernasty. “Quickly, Mezzo, you gotta get the keys to the cages from Soot!” ordered Bandy. “I’m on it!” she said and sped down the hill.

Napkin 47

“Well … it looks like we have worn out our welcome here boys,” scoffed Abernasty. “Your escape mechanism better work the way you have bragged about it, Soot.” Then Soot reached over and pulled down a lever on the wall. Suddenly, a crack started to form on the floor between the two opposing forces. Then it continued up both walls and all the way across the ceiling.

Napkin 46

“How dare you come into my lair and give me orders!” retorted Abernasty indignantly. “Get him boys!” At that, the creature raised his arms and seemed to double in size as the wings all over him expanded and he was lifted to the ceiling. “I am the Changemaster,” he said in a calm but strong voice. Then hundreds of woodland creatures of all kinds flooded into the room ready to fight.

Napkin 45

Everyone in the rats nest became quiet and stood still as the mysterious figure hovered into the room. He was very large and seemed to have black wings all over his body. Under a dark hood, all that could be seen were two large glassy eyes. “Abernasty!” he said in a strong commanding voice. “You must stop violating the Laws of the Changeling!”

Napkin 44

Suddenly, Pearl gasped and grabbed Quincy’s arm to show him that one-by-one each hummingbird was losing their beautiful shimmering color and dropping lifelessly to the floor of the cell. Then, to everyone’s great astonishment, there came a loud thunder-like rumble and billowing white smoke from the entrance of the rats nest, as a dark figure emerged.

Napkin 43

Suddenly, Abernasty began to stand up and shafts of light seemed to cut outward from him into the room. His entire appearance seemed to be changing as his ears shrunk and flopped down and his snout shortened and rounded. “Now it’s all mine!” he said as he raised the glowing scepter stone. And all the black jacket rats began to chant wildly.

Napkin 42

“Alright Abernasty, I’ll do it, but I guarantee that you will regret this day as long as you live,” said Quincy as he prepared the Changeling elements. “First, eat this scroll …” “Aaayck!” choked Abernasty. “Now, drink this potion quickly,” ordered Quincy. “Everyone … stand back!” exclaimed Quincy as Abernasty screamed loudly and fell to his knees.

Napkin 41

“I’m begging you, Abernasty. Please don’t do this. I’m trying to help you,” pleaded Quincy. “You have no idea of the power of being a Changeling and the awesome responsibility that accompanies it.” “Get that pudgy possum out of the cage and tie the weight around her neck!” ordered Abernasty. As the black jacket rats tied Pearl up she said, “Don’t do it Quincy, dear. I will be … I’m not afraid.”

Napkin 40

“Please don’t make me do this,” pleaded Quincy. “The powers of the Changeling are intended to be used for good, not evil.” “Just shut that old fool up, father!” snapped Soot, Abernasty’s sniveling son. “I’m warning you Phitch. If those hummingbirds don’t change into vile poisonous black spiders, your mate will take a one-way trip to the bottom of the river,” threatened Abernasty.

Napkin 39

Meanwhile, deep in the rats nest, Abernasty angrily paced back and forth. “Alright Phitch,” he demanded. “It better work this time or your meddling mate will meet her Maker! I just know she had something to do with the blackbird fiasco. They are a flock of useless idiots! The hummingbird change better be a different story.”

Napkin 38

“You are correct, of course, Bandy,” replied Hedgie. “I don’t want to put my father and mother, or anyone else here in the forest in any more danger than they already are.” “Hmmm, speaking of my father gives me an idea,” thought Hedgie. “Rats tend to be a little gullible and superstitious, right Bandy?”

Napkin 37

“Those are my father and mother!” exclaimed Hedgie. “I just know it’s them! We have to get them out of there now!” “Hold on, hold on now!” ordered Bandy. “Our plans have had to change a bit since you two came along and it is way too dangerous to just go barging in there without a new plan,” said Bandy.

Napkin 36

“We were about to go in and rescue the hummingbirds when you two stumbled into the tunnel,” said Bandy. “We did not know what to think, but figured it had something to do with the other two hedgehogs who are locked up in the rats nest.”

Napkin 35

“I am Bandy Coon, and this is my brother Bandit. We organized this resistance group here in the forest because we are sick of Abernasty and his band of black jacket rats,” said the raccoon. “When they captured the hummingbirds and threatened to change them into black spiders, that was the last straw.” Then Bandy stopped and stared at Hedgie.

Napkin 34

“We are here to help,” said the raccoon. “Your blackbird friends are being escorted back here by our sentinels.” “They are really sea otters. And they are my family,” interrupted Chester politely. “Well, that explains their awkwardness and their eagerness,” replied the raccoon. “But we must hurry if we are to help the hummingbirds! Come with us quickly!” insisted the raccoon.

The Napkins

Napkin 33

The otter-birds flew over the forest above the rats nest and then down into the branches of the trees to spy out the situation. As they got closer, they were quickly confronted by a band of sentinel squirrels. While Hedgie, Chester and Mezzo were waiting for the spy report, they heard a rustling sound behind them, so they turned around and saw a large group of all kinds of forest animals, led by a raccoon.

Napkin 32

“Ok you blackbirds…” said Mezzo. “Excuse me, Mezzo,” interrupted Chester politely. “They are really otters and they are my family.” “Exactly!” said Mezzo. “Thank you, Chester. You are exactly right. Now you otters, disguised as blackbirds, can go in there and spy on the rats for us.” “They said yes,” said Chester as they flew away to the rats nest.

Napkin 31

“Hey you guys up there! It’s me, Chester! Come down here today because we want to help you and we want to help hummingbirds and we want to help Hedgie’s mother! So come!” Amazingly, the blackbirds began to form a big ring in the sky and then spiral down to the clearing.

Napkin 30

Soon the narrow tunnel opened into a clearing in the forest and they could see the sky again. Hedgie and Chester were glad to be out of the dark woods. “Ok, get them down here!” said Mezzo. “We have no time to lose!” Chester looked up and saw the flock of flapping squawking blackbirds.

Napkin 29

Mezzo darted quickly back up the tunnel. “Wait for us!” said Chester. She stopped abruptly and seemed to dart in every direction creating a star pattern. Suddenly, a door in the wall opened. “Quickly! In here! We have no time to lose!” said Mezzo. The door led to a narrow tunnel that climbed steadily uphill.

Napkin 28

“I thought there was something fishy about those blackbirds,” she said, puzzled. “They didn’t seem to understand me when I asked them to help me rescue my friends.” “I could ask them,” offered Chester. “I could help you, too,” said Hedgie. “Great! Let’s go make a plan,” she said. As she darted away she said, “I’m Mezzo, follow me!”

Napkin 27

“I was just getting ready to go in there and rescue my friends when you two bumblers ambled in,” she said. “There might be bad rats in there,” warned Chester. “Um, what he means is – we have been tracking a band of mean black rats to this very spot,” explained Hedgie. “They changed my family into blackbirds,” added Chester.

[Happy Thanksgiving! KD~j~]

Napkin 26

Hedgie and Chester turned around and saw that it was a beautiful blue hummingbird who spoke to them. “Quickly!” she said sharply. “Get over here before they see you! Are you two out of your minds!?!” she whispered incredulously. “You were walking right into the rats nest!”

Napkin 25

As Hedgie and Chester approached the yellow light, a bright blue buzzing light darted several times side-to-side in front of them and stopped them in their tracks. “What was that?” asked Chester, startled. “I don’t know!” exclaimed Hedgie. “It was me!” whispered a voice behind them. “Now will you two please be quiet!”

Napkin 24

The forest was thick with trees and it got darker and darker as Hedgie and Chester walked, but the path was clear, like a damp tunnel, cutting its way through it. They lost track of time in the eerie darkness, but finally, the dank silence was broken by a slight yellow glow from a flickering fire.

Photo-Op Hedgie

[Here is the stuffed animal that inspired the character in the story. KD~j~]

Napkin 23

As Hedgie and Chester saw more yellow flowers and got closer and closer to the forest, they both noticed a flock of blackbirds squawking and flapping above it. “Is that another clue?” asked Chester. “Yes, Kelpy. I think it is,” said Hedgie. “I think I am afraid of forests. Yes,” said Chester. “Me too,” said Hedgie.

[Did you notice the flock of blackbirds above the forest in the previous napkin? KD~j~]

Napkin 22

“And there are more yellow flowers up ahead, Kelpy,” said Hedgie. “I think these clues are leading to that forest of trees.” “I don’t know if I like forests. No,” said Chester hesitantly.