Full Moon Valley(Christopher Long) Prologue

Once long ago, natural habitats were being destroyed on an almost daily basis, in order to accommodate a steadily increasing human population. As a direct consequence, many species of wildlife had no choice but to adapt or face extinction. They did this by coming into man made, built up urban areas, roaming the streets in search of food and shelter. Having to share their home with nature, divided people, some accepted and even welcomed this cohabitation providing food for the animals in question, while others viewed the new arrivals as Invaders and made it their mission to eradicate them.

Something needed to be done. After years of discussions and public forums on this subject a proposal was eventually submitted. It put forward the notion that if the wildlife had somewhere to go, resembling human metropolises, including all their immunities and public services, and the animals were given complete autonomy to govern as they wished, with no outside interference, humanity would no longer have to share. These new habitats were named Animal Safety Zones or ASZ, although this plan would be expensive to execute in the short term both sides agreed it was the best course of action and it was approved. The first ASZ to be opened was called Full Moon Valley and without interference from humanity, life within its boundaries flourished, becoming a thriving metropolis that rivals its human counterparts anywhere in the world.

This concept proved so successful that the scheme was gradually adopted by other communities.


Present Day

It is Friday evening and in Full moon Valley, the streets are packed. Among the pedestrians, a group of hamsters dressed in workout clothes head to the gym to squeeze in another session on the big wheel before the facility closes for the long weekend, while the rest of the population flock to bars to eat, drink and relax after a busy week. The most popular of these establishments is called The Watchtower due to the fact it is situated on a hill overlooking the entire town. Its wooden sign, which is fixed above the entrance and features an eye further reinforcing the impression the building is a silent sentinel ever watchful. The menu boasts a variety of dishes to suit all palates and accommodate even the pickiest guests. The medium sized room is minimally decorated with a white walled interior and is divided into four areas: a black and white chequered dance floor on which creatures move to music being played through black free standing speakers, a large wooden bar behind which is a tall handsome mouse with dark eyes wearing a white shirt who cleans glasses while waiting for thirsty customers, a wooden staircase leading to bedrooms where weary guests can relax for the night and a seated booth area.

I sit in a Booth towards the back of the room facing the bar, watching the scene with the aid of a pair of grey rimmed goggles, the mechanism housed within them gives the wearer perfect eyesight, if there is any trouble which the police cannot handle I will usually be called in to help, but so far it is quiet and to be honest even if my assistance was required my size, fearsome look, and the reputation of my kind is usually enough to stop any trouble, rarely do I have to put any of my training to use. I was considering whether to get myself another strawberry and elderflower cocktail when the door opens and in crawls a male Woodlouse. Ignoring the rest of his surroundings he has a quick word with the bar mouse who points him towards my table. The newcomer heads in my direction, judging by the speed he is moving at, the crustacean is exhausted, stopping a respectful distance from my table catching his breath.
“Jake Scorpion?” he enquires, “The best fighter and tracker in this town that has rescued many creatures from the clutches of evil?
Looking down I nod my head “At your service.”
In the silence that follows, I could have done one of two things: given in to the primal instinct of my species, eaten this little crustacean whole thereby undoing all of my previous good deeds and proving the stereotype correct or I could listen to what he has to say. Choosing the latter, I ask a nearby server for a saucer of steaming water and a medium sized bowl of wood shavings,
“ You have me at a disadvantage sir , you know my reputation but i don't know you, take a seat and tell me how i can help ” I say, gesturing to the empty seat opposite me. He crawls up and along the table until he is seated across from me.
Seeing the order placed on the table between us, my guest sighs gratefully and eats ravenously. Only after the moisture from the hot water has done its work and has revived him fully, does he begin his tale.

“My name is Jim Woodsman, I work as a refuse collector in Crinkle Creek. When I met my wife, Jasmine it was love at first sight. Given our two-year lifespan, it wasn't long until we moved in together. After a few months we decided to make our happiness complete by bringing a baby into the world, however this did not come easily, we suffered a major setback.
Jasmine and I were told that we could not conceive naturally. You must understand Mr scorpion that being told this is the height of shame in the natural world where all species are meant to be able to give birth unaided. Jasmine was heartbroken, the doctor seeing the disappointment on our faces offered a very expensive experimental procedure that may or may not work, however when he told us the price I was shocked but seeing the delight on my wife's face, how could we not have tried. I took on extra work and eventually saved up enough money, all we could do then was hope that it worked.
Our only daughter Emily was born shortly after much to our delight, we didn't care that we only had one, she is perfect” Jim pauses to wipe his eyes with his antenna and then continues, “when our friends and neighbours found out they didn't see it that way. we were outcast, called names, not just for not conceiving naturally but also for just having one daughter. typically in my species the female has up to thirty six children, but we could ignore them as long as our family was together. so we went about day to day and lived happily in our unity ignoring the ignorance of others. Then one evening our home was invaded by ants who kidnapped Emily. We tried to stop them but there were far too many” the woodlouse stopped and took a deep breath.

As he continues I can hear the pain and anguish in his voice. “the next morning I went to the police station to fill out a missing bug report however they were just as unsympathetic as the rest and told me the investigation will take time, time is something I simply don't have the luxury of, Mr Scorpion I needed help. so I decided to take matters into my own hands but I knew I could not rescue her alone, so I left my home to go in search of assistance but each town was a disappointment, all the creatures I spoke to were unwilling or appeared in no rush to help me. So after travelling many miles I have come here to ask you to aid me in rescuing my only daughter?” He pleads.

After a moment's consideration I agreed to help, Mr Woodman looked relieved. “I have two conditions, firstly call me Jake, Mr scorpion was how I address my father, there's no need for that formality here and secondly I rescue your daughter alone. It's nothing personal I assure you, I work better solo.”
“I agree to the first condition, Jake but not the second” he replies.
“Look, I know you want to be there and play your part in bringing Emily home but I do not know what is waiting for me and I can't guarantee I will be able to protect you and what good are you to your wife and daughter if you die? Take my advice, pay for a room upstairs and wait for me to return. I will make sure your daughter is safely returned to you.”

Mr Woodsman glares at me.
“I didn't come here for your advice Jake, I came here for your help. If you don't want to aid me I will find somebody that does but goodness knows how long that will take. If Emily dies in the meantime either through mistreatment in captivity or natural causes my daughter's blood will be on your pincers” he warns angrily.
Stubborn little woodlouse, I think. after a long pause, I reconsider.
“Okay Mr Woodsman you can come but make me a promise?”
“What's that?”
“You do what I say when I say it without hesitation and do not get in my way.”
“You’re the boss” he replied, extending his antenna, “call me Jim,”
I extend my pincer, shaking it gently.
”Ok Jim, the first thing to know is who we are up against.”
“I already told you, ants!” he replies exasperated,
“Yes you did but you forgot to mention one detail.”
“What's that?”
“What colour they were, Black or red?”
“Why does that matter?”
“Black ants are easier to deal with whereas red are a totally different matter, and are quite dangerous.”
Jim thinks for a moment…
“Red, definitely red. I remember now because they were stinging Jasmine and I when we were trying to reach Emily.”
.
“Why would anybody do this Jake? Who would kidnap an innocent creature?”
“I don't know,” I admit,
“but we are going to find whoever did this and bring your daughter back safely.”
“Now it's late, let’s get some sleep.”
Jim pushes the empty bowl to one side.
“Why wait that long, we should go now” he replies eagerly
I shake my head.
“I know you are desperate to be reunited, especially after so long, believe me I understand that, if Emily was my own offspring I would be the same, however without a plan we are done for”
“We don't need one, I've read that ants are usually asleep at night, we can just go and get her back” protests the woodlouse.
“Ants are not the ones holding your daughter hostage”
“What do you mean? he asked, surprised.

The ants are usually on the payroll of some other creature or insect who does not want to be directly linked to criminal activity, we need to find out who the actual masterminds are before we undertake this rescue. Give me two days Jim, by then I promise I will be ready, in the meantime, rest, relax and get your strength back. You may well need it for whatever comes next. The rooms are spacious and the beds are soft. We will meet here at midnight” Jim takes my suggestion this time without argument.
“Come to think of it, I am tired, goodnight Jake” he remark as he climbs off his seat and begins crawling towards the stairs,
I watch my newest client leave. When he disappears from view, I pull my black Stetson down over my goggles and sleep.

The next two days and nights were spent visiting cartographers asking for information on active ant colonies, some creatures were more willing to talk than others but when I told them that there was a young life at stake they soon corporate. Finally utilizing my camouflage, I eavesdropped on conversations between species, eavesdropping is my most valuable tool when gathering information. It always astonishes me what wildlife talk about when they think no one is listening, this is how I learnt the identity of the gang behind the kidnapping of Emily Woodsman. Back at the Watchtower I share the information with Jim.

Arriving early I unfold a map and put it on the black table top, weighing it down with a glass, I then wait for my guest.
At eleven forty-five, he approaches my booth and sits down opposite me.
“Where do we start?” he asks.
“Before we do anything, put these on” I reply.
Sliding a brown leather satchel across the table.
“What is this?” enquires Jim, looking puzzled
“It's a little present for you”. Helping him put on a pair of goggles, smaller but otherwise identical to my own pair.
“Wow!” he exclaims. “I can see everything clearly, it's a miracle” Jim shouted excitedly looking around the room.
“No my friend, not a miracle just technology, now focus please. We have a long night ahead of us” I say impatiently. Jim looks disappointed but crawls forward onto the map. “
“What am I looking at?” he remarks.
“This map shows where the red and black ant colonies have been active over the last year, the straight lines indicate the colonies themselves while the perpendicular ones are the routes that they have taken” I explain.
“How did you manage to get this?” Jim asks in wonder.
“Slow worms are an inquisitive species and map everything in the natural world, they then sell that information for the benefit of others” I reply.
“There must be dozens of trails here, there is no way we can search them all before dawn, we are never going to find her” Jim begins to sob, his little body heaving up and down.
“Not necessarily, I think that whoever is holding your daughter is smart enough to realize you will be attempting to rescue her and they will want to make it as difficult as possible” I say matter of fact.
The woodlouse brightens visibly.
“So tell me, where is the one place that we would find it difficult or impossible to go?” I question Jim.
He thinks for a minute and answers,
“Water?” I nod encouragingly,
“Deep water?” I nod again,
“A lake?”
“Exactly”
I smile.
“There are three possibilities, your daughter is being held hostage either here, here or over here” I say this as I point with my pincer to three locations.
“As for who the red ants are working for, I know that as well” I say.
“Who?” Jim responds.
“Dragonflies,” I reply.
Jim gets excited,
“At last, I finally have hope that we will find my sweet Emily and it’s all thanks to you, Jake.” the woodlouse says with tears in his eyes.
“There will be time for gratitude later. Meet me outside, I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

When Jim departs I climb down off the seat and scuttle to a chest in the corner containing my weapons. It was the only possession I had when I first moved here. I get ready for the battle ahead. by the time I meet Jim outside the bar my goggles switch automatically from day to night vision, I am armed to the teeth and look fearsome, the little crustacean is startled.
“Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you” Jim laughs nervously.
“See that you don't” I reply with a laugh.
“Now follow me and watch my back.” We set off using the shadows as cover.
I lead and Jim follows several paces behind. We take our time so as not to attract any unwanted attention from any of the nocturnal creatures as any one of them could be a spy, searching each location thoroughly for clues of any recent activity before moving on to the next location.

At the final location, I take out my telescope, extend it and scan the horizon. Good there is no sign of ants they are probably hiding underground away from the chill of night, it doesn't take long before I spot her. Jim's daughter is tied to a wooden steak on the opposite side of the huge lake bound to it by a thick grey rope round her middle. my happiness at Emily being alive is short lived, turning to horror when I see she is also pinned by her antenna to prevent her from curling up into a ball and shielding herself from the torture she has endured over the last year.
I handed the telescope over to Jim.
“it's not a pretty sight” I warn in a whisper.
Once he sees the bruising they have inflicted on Emily, he rushes forward, I hold up a pincer to stop him and point wordlessly towards the sky.
Four look out bats fly high above in a tight formation. I then point down at the ground where sticks have been scattered to act as an intruder alarm for the sleeping camp of dragonflies who lay on the water surrounding their prisoner. Jim stops dead in his tracks seeing and understanding the danger he moves back into the cover of the trees. Unfastening my blow pipe from the belt that I am wearing diagonally across my body, loading a dart I take a deep breath and aiming I blow, it has the desired effect hitting three of the four bats though the middle, they let out a high pitch squeak and fall out of the sky. The one that remains flies away in panic. The camp begins to stir. I wait calmly, the dragonflies take to the air like a dense cloud of death.
I turn, a sword is attached to where my stinger should be. Some of the dragonflies fly towards me too fast and are skewered on my sword tip before they have a chance to stop. My legs are a blur as I move back and forth from side to side, the Dragonflies are good but I am better as I parry, thrust and block. I have the upper hand, keeping the enemies at a distance. Their skill with bows, arrows, daggers and spears are no match for mine but the longer the battle lasts the more fatigued I become. My reaction time begins to slow, taking advantage of my tiredness. The dragonflies fly low driving their weapons into the unprotected parts of my body, pain courses through me, my eyesight flickers but then thankfully returns. I fight doggedly, blood seeping from my wounds. I reach into another pocket of my belt, this one does not contain a poison dart but a single silver cylindrical object. pulling it free, I throw the device at the enemy using my sword to bat it high into the air. It beeps three times.

“Goggles off now” I shout to Jim removing my own, the world goes out of focus.

The device admits a blinding white light. when it fades the enemy lies unmoving on the ground.
“What was that?” asks Jim in amazement hurrying to my side.
“flash grenade, we weren't affected because of our poor eyesight”. I explain, hastily putting my goggles back on.

“We have sixty seconds before they wake, we need to hurry, let's go!”
“How do we get across?”
We are building a bridge, collecting those sticks, it doesn't take long. Jim and I start hopping nimbly across, reaching Emily. We work quickly to free her. Once she is, I tell Jim to get her to safety, I do not follow, instead loosening the wooden stake. I wait for the insects to regain consciousness. When they do, they are mad…
Buzzing angrily towards me, using my remaining strength I swing the steak like a club knocking several off course sending them into nearby trees. others suffer the full impact of my blows, they fall dead into the water, my new weapon making short work of the insects. by the time the battle is over the water is no longer clear it is a mixture of bodies and blood, the midday sun that is now high in the sky, glinting off their iridescent wings.
I drop the piece of wood, how can something so beautiful have so much darkness in its heart? This is the last thought I have before I succumb to my injuries.

Regaining consciousness, I can hear movement but cannot see clearly, my goggles must have got damaged during the rescue.
“Where am I?” I ask into the darkness.
“upstairs in a room at the Watchtower” a familiar voice answers.
“Jim?”
“Yes”
"How did you get me back here?"
"With difficulty my friend" Jim laughs
“How long have I been unconscious for?”
“Five weeks, we thought we lost you”
“Thank you for rescuing me”
“It was the least I could do for you, especially after you saved my little girl. She is eager to meet you properly and when you're up and about, we have something to ask you”
I spend another week in recovery during which time Jim repairs my goggles.
Once I feel strong enough to get out of bed I meet Emily, she is perfectly charming and cannot stop thanking me for what I have done.
I thought Jim and Emily would journey back to Crinkle Creek alone but when the time came they insisted I travel with them to meet Jasmine and rest awhile, I tried to decline.
“You have done enough,” I commented.
“We insist, after what you have done for our family we can never express the gratitude we feel” Jim states.

So I accompanied them on the journey home. However, this joyous occasion is tinged with sadness for the father and daughter, will they be accepted by the locals? Will old prejudice be forgotten? There was no need to be too worried though as soon as the other residents saw us, they welcomed Jim back with open arms, some even cheered when they saw Emily.
A few days later Jim receives an apology from the Mayor in front of the entire town, the four of us stand on a raised platform looking down at the large crowd of creatures getting bigger by the minute. The mayor, a green lizard with bulging yellow eyes clears his throat and speaks into a silver microphone.
“Friends, I think we owe the Woodsman family an apology, it was my own ignorance and prejudices of newer methods of conception that led me to orchestrate the kidnapping of Emily in the first place. I gave the dragonflies the address of the Woodsman family, who in turn passed it onto the red ants.
There is loud booing from the crowd, the mayor waits patiently for it to subside then he continues.
“Believe me, I didn't mean for it go on for as long as it did, I thought she would be returned after a few days, just long enough to scare the family. I once thought the same as most of you, that she was an abomination, but now I can see I was wrong, having spent time with Emily, she's the kindest sweetest woodlouse I have ever met. Crinkle Creek owes Jake Scorpion a great debt of gratitude for bringing her back to us. I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions, whatever they may be. Silence follows the end of his speech, my sword is at the ready just in case the mayor decides to make a run for it but it is not needed as he is completely calm as the police emerge from the crowd, handcuff him and take him away seemingly resigned to accepting his punishment.

After spending a few more days enjoying the wonderful hospitality, I begin to feel restless, so like a cowboy in a Western who's not a fan of goodbyes, I depart Crinkle Creek early, leaving behind a family - once fractured, now whole.

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