Patchwork Universe

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

Entwistle seemed almost *too* excited by this information.

"So what you're saying is that, having evolved sentience, you now have a symbiotic relationship with local avian predators, whereby they deign not to eat you because they benefit from your organisational skills? Wow! Just wait till Trubshawe hears about this!

"So how exactly do you co-ordinate an eagle, Mister Squirrel?"[/i]

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

Ratatosk began to suspect that there might be two different conversations going on at the same time.
Or...
"Hey, who' Trubshawe, he wouldn't know a guy called Loki would he?
Because he isn't very popular around here. Well, not in many places really. Not that I see what's that wrong with him but I digress."

The rest of the tree canopy stretched up in front of them like a mountain of green and shimmering light. It looked like a long way up.

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

"Who's Trubshawe? He's only the greatest naturalist and zookeeper of the entire age! I would have thought even a squirrel would have known that. Never heard of Loki though, who's he?"

Having given his limbs a bit of a rest, Entwistle resumed climbing, hoping to see some of the interesting birdlife Ratatosk had mentioned soon.

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

"Only the greatest trickster and sly guy of the entire age! Are we talking about the same age? I'm afraid when I said the Eagle was at the top of the tree I meant it but allow me to give you the guided tour on the way up..."

Ratatosk climbed up the tree with Entwhistle clambering along behind him stopping now and then as Ratatosk pointed out a plant, bird or lizard sun bathing. Non of them seemed quite as ... sentient as the squirrel. At one point Ratatosk hung off the end of a branch and pointed down at four Harts grazing in the dappled shade. "The Four Winds, not overly bright but apparently necessary." Eventually the pair reached a point near the top of the canopy where Entwhistle clearly could not keep going. Ratatosk knew he could make it to the top but this clumsy man was not going to make it.

"Hang on a minute.. i'll be right back."

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

Entwistle was glad not to be asked to go any further, as the branches beneath his feet had been creaking and bending ominously under his weight for a while now.

He found himself a secure perch in a crook of the great tree's branches, and stared out at the land beyond, so strangely boxed in by four walls of white mist.

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

The waiting seemed to go on forever. Where had that strange squirrel got to. Entwistle was beginning to wander if there really was an eagle when there was a rush of air and the sound of large wings beating the air.

Vedhrfolnir wasn't impossibly large, just larger than every other eagle. Just above him a falcon darted about nipping in and out of gaps in the branches and investigating all the nooks and crannies.

Just about Entwistle Ratatosk appeared through a clump of vegetation with the words "Here he is..". The face of the Eagle stopped level with Entwistle and considered him briefly. "We shall have to wait til Arnora returns. No decisions will be based on words of yours squirrel."

As the Eagle finished the Entwistle looked around him to discover that the branches he was perched in were subtly twisting and moving...

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

As turn-ups for the books went, this one was strictly for the birds.

The squirrel had been friendly enough, and Entwistle's confidence had been boosted by the notion that, if push came to shove, he could probably take the little furry fellow in a fight. But this huge eagle was a different matter altogether, with its cruel beak and claws, not to mention its altogether unpleasant personality.

Making a run (well, climb) for it would have seemed like a good idea, if it weren't for these branches twisting and coiling to grip fast his four limbs...

"Help!" cried Entwistle in panic. "HELP!"

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

The branches wraped themselves around Entwhistle's limbs and body and held him fast but without being tight enough to harm. To a certain extent they took the weight off his feet and made the position more comfortable.

Ratatosk seemed to have scarpered and when the flapping of wings faded the surroundings were eerily quiet and still.

There was still the feeling of being watched though, by something powerful and slow.

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

"HEEEEEEE - oh, what's the use?"

When Entwistle finally realised there was no one for miles around with any interest in his predicament - least of all that prince of traitors, the squirrel - he stopped his hoarse shouting, and contented himself with gloomily scanning the misty horizon for any sign of a benefactor.

Presuming he survived, he was going to catch hell for this from the Boss. He wondered if having his eyes pecked out by a giant eagle mightn't be a preferable fate.

Stuck between the devil and the deep green tree - and he couldn't even reach his pockets to rustle up a smoke. What a life!

The Janitor · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 12:11 pm Post subject:

From his vantage point, Entwistle couldn't properly make out the ground as his view was obstructed by the tree.

However, as he looked out towards the mist, he noticed something strange was happening to the horizon.

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

Whilst wishing that the shadowy figure in the distance had paid even the slightest bit of attention, Entwistle realised that there was another figure approaching. Walking across the newly visible green land surrounding the tree.

As the figure approached Entwistle could see that it was a she and that she was wearing long robes. Golden hair was shimmering in the sunlight.

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

"Hello?" said Entwistle feebly. "For the love of Gould, whoever you are, please help me out of this tree. A squirrel and an eagle teamed up and trapped me here. And now there's a man doing funny things to the horizon and I don't think I like it."

He realised there was more than a slight possibility he sounded like he was raving.

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

There figure in the distance carried on walking towards the tree and started to disappear under the layers of canopy. The yelling or possibly raving did not seem to have had any effect. Entwistle looked rather disheartened.

a few minutes later abruptly the branches holding his arms and legs creaked and untwisted leaving Entwistle to scrabble and desperately cling onto one of the limbs nearby which didn't seem to be moving.

As the creaking and rustling subsided the shriek of and swoosh of an Eagle could be heard approaching. Entwistle let out a slightly high pitched exclamation and started hauling himself back down into denser canopy. He even briefly considered letting go but decided that he wasn't really sure he would survive the experience.

Moments later he felt the downdraft of wing beats above his head and looked up to see talons stretching down towards him. He then realised with equal horror that the branch below was pushing him up. The talons hooked themselves around his belt and bag strap and lifted, leaving him hanging in a sort of diagonally face down position with the top of the giant tree moving away below him.

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 351 Location: The Zoo

There are some sensations that are impossible to articulate with mere words, and the sheer terror that Entwistle felt at this precise moment was one of them. But he gave it his best shot:

"HOLY DARWIN MOTHER OF DAWKS NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo...."

Arnora · God Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Yggdrasil

The shriek did not go unnoticed by Arnora who hoped that method used to extract their guest from the tree did not cause any permanent harm. Vedhrfolnir was usually very careful but some people just did not take well to the flying experience.

A short flight later and Entwistle found himself looking at branches and ground getting closer rather than more distant. After a few close swoops past foliage Entwistle decided that closing his eyes was the better of his two options and thus the final arrival of the ground came as rather a surprise.

After a remarkably gentle touchdown, given all expectations, Entwistle realised he was standing next to the trunk of the great tree in front of a small ladder leading up to a not small hut perched on the join of branches as large as normal tree trunks. "Do come up", Arnora called down to him.