The saga continues…

A Squirrel Like No Other – Part 1

On a cold and windy day, within the forest of Acorn Valley, came the birth of the Acorn King’s first grandchild, a baby meant to ensure peace between kingdoms.  The royal baby was the only kit born to the newly married couple, which only added to the confusion of such an untimely birth.  Not only are squirrels supposed to be born in early spring, but usually, there are three or more babies born to each bonded couple.  The baby’s mother, Lady Ophelia of House Pinion, thought that perhaps this birth was nothing more than a simple unexpected pregnancy, due to the wedding falling so late in the year.  Her father, the king of Pinion Valley, had held his approval for many months before agreeing to House Acorn’s terms.  Finally, the two kings put their differences aside, allowing the wedding to move forward, peacefully joining the two royal houses. 

The journey of love, you see, began nearly four summers earlier.  Peace talks between the two kingdoms had been ongoing for some time, as there had never before been any friendly relations between two differing squirrel species.  House Pinion comes from a rare species of Sciuridae, though it’s much easier to call them Flying Squirrels.  Their lands lay to the south of Acorn Valley, with a number of smaller territories on the outer edges of both kingdoms.  

House Acorn comes from what are referred to as Douglas Squirrels, which live throughout the northwestern parts of the land.  Normally, the two species of squirrel Houses would never associate with one another, due to the great distance between their territories.  Within the last several years, however, disputes and warring had broken out between many of the smaller clans, causing tensions to begin growing between both Royal Houses.  Finally, the Acorn King decided to send his eldest son, Lord Rico Pistachio III, in an effort to begin peace talks with this distant kingdom of strange flying squirrels. 

When Lord Rico was greeted by none other than Lady Ophelia, daughter to the King of House Pinion, both saw their destiny beginning to unfold, swept away by love. 

Convincing their kingdoms to allow an inter species marriage took many months of delegations, on both sides.  Even after the Acorn King gave his approval, Ophelia’s father refused to allow the marriage!  Only after the couple threatened to run away and marry in another kingdom, did the Pinion King finally give in, reluctantly letting his daughter go.  The wedding finally took place, just as summer was ending, leaving the couple to work themselves silly storing up nuts, before the snows arrived.  Lady Ophelia didn’t even know she was pregnant until shortly before the baby’s birth. 

Arriving suddenly, and without warning, the arrival of a royal baby brought about a great deal of confusion and excitement.  From there, things rapidly went from happiness to concern, with fear soon following close behind.  The infant prince looked completely normal, if a bit smaller than usual, but what caused the panic were his wings! 

Squirrels were not supposed to have wings!  In truth, flying squirrels are not actually flyers at all, but rather gliding squirrels, born with a flap of skin under each arm.  One only noticed this when they were moving from the top of one tree to another, stretching out their arms like a parachute and simply floating downward. 

Lady Ophelia gave up flying when she arrived in Acorn Valley, so very few squirrels even knew this about her, nor did the Acorn King wish them to know.  He felt that House Acorn must always appear proper and dignified.  “The squirrels of this valley are not flyers” the king repeatedly warned.  “Flying will be left to the birds” were his exact words!  It hadn’t been seen as a problem, until now.  The couple had never considered that their babies might glide like their mother, let alone grow wings.

Those so-called wings on the baby squirrel, were actually folds of skin that had developed high on his shoulders, instead of under his arms where they should have grown.  Both Rico and Ophelia were devastated by the unsightly things growing out of their baby’s back, though the infant was quite healthy and happy.  The couple were able to keep the baby’s wings hidden for the first several weeks, but as soon as the Acorn King arrived to visit his first-born grandson, the entirety of House Acorn erupted in a panic!  Lady Cordelia, the King’s eldest daughter wisely suggested they bring in the old abbot, in an attempt to calm everyone down.  She knew that no good solution would be found if everyone were squabbling in fear! 

When the old squirrel arrived at the couple’s tree, he walked right through the room filled with noisy and uptight squirrels, coming to stand before the infant in Lady Ophelia’s arms.  “May I?” the old squirrel asked softly, holding his arms out for the baby.  Ophelia handed her tiny bundle into the arms of the kindly old squirrel, who gently examined her son.  The old abbot asked, “Have you given him a name yet, my lady?”  Ophelia looked to her husband, Lord Rico, and then to the Acorn King.  Tearfully, she looked down at her son saying “It is Pinion custom that the name of a royal babe must come from his father’s line, from the lips of the king!”  From across the room came the voice of the Acorn King, making it clear to everyone in the room that NO name would be forthcoming!

In order to restore order to the room, it was suggested by the old abbot that the baby be raised outside the village, in a nearby community, where they might simply allow the baby to grow up, before he be denied his rightful place in the squirrel kingdom.  Only then would they know more of his condition.  As the baby was the first of his family’s line, being half flying squirrel and half non flyer, no one in that room had any clue about his future; for all they knew, the growths on his back might simply fade or fall off when he got older. 

“There is a human, a woman in fact, who owns a barn just outside of our valley” said the old squirrel, “where a growing number of small woodland creatures have been taken in.  She cares for the lost and injured wildlife, as well as several orphans that have made their way to her door.  I believe that she will give him all the care he may need, while House Acorn comes to terms with the way of things… for now, at least.”  Before either of the baby’s parents could utter a word, the choice was taken from them by the King, himself! 

The old abbot was take the frightful little thing away until such time as it might look and act like a squirrel… NO wings! 

With that the king departed, as well as the rest of the squirrels in the room, aside from the old abbot.  He sat with the couple for a time, doing his best to comfort the heartbroken squirrels, reassuring them that this was their best hope.  In time, he was sure that things would all work out, but for now, the woman and the barn were their child’s best chance at a future.  While the couple spent their last few hours with their precious baby, the old abbot wrote a brief message to the woman at the nearby barn, sending it to her straight away, by the captain of the Royal Guard himself, Pfhlurrt!  No one else in the kingdom could be trusted with keeping quiet about this whole situation, and the quieter the better, for all concerned.

***Tune in tomorrow for part 2***