Freiyon Fables A Tail To Remember
Chapter Seventeen: Oscar Otterchief, We Hardly Knew Ye

Meanwhile, back in the entrance room of the palace; Frebil, Abrigail, Brushtail and King Joshua were waiting eagerly for Micklang’s return, while both Abrigail and Brushtail’s crew were kept busy trying to stop Harriet’s kids from causing havoc in the palace.

“Remember, you are guests here. If Micklang and his helpers don’t come back with my previous visitors, then you’ll all be kicked out of the kingdom forever for your misbehaviour.” King Joshua warned.

“With all due respect, your majesty, if it weren’t for us coming here, you would have been king no longer and possibly sent to death because of Silvia.” Frebil replied, giving Silvia and Seasnake another hit with the trident.

“That may be true, but since your arrival my palace has never looked so messy.”

Frebil was about to point out the fact it already looked messy when they arrived, but he decided not to, because he knew it would mean more trouble for them.

“Now what’s taking Micklang so long? I would’ve thought he’d be back by now.” Joshua said, looking at his special ‘moon-dial’ for the time.

Frebil was getting very angry now. He didn’t want to stay any longer than they should; King Joshua was starting to get on his nerves.

“The sooner they get back, the better.” He mumbled to himself, giving Silvia another whack.

Micklang and Oscar arrived in the prisoner area to shouts of joy and happiness.

“Thank you so much for saving us.” A beaver said.

“Yeah, we would have drowned if it weren’t for the gift the ocean gave to us.” A monkey explained.

“Alright. Well, everyone, stand back please, this might be a bit scary.” Micklang announced.

“What are you gonna do?” Oscar asked.

“I’m gonna get them out of there. Stand back, Oscar. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Swinging his marvellous sword down onto the lock, Micklang chopped it off in one slice, sending a few pieces flying away.

“I’ve never seen a sword do THAT before.” Oscar marvelled; astonished at how quick it was for Micklang.

“Ok, come on now, all of you. Let’s get you back to King Joshua. Once he knows you’re safe, then we can take you back to land.” Micklang told the prisoners.

“Great!” They all announced, rushing out of the prison as quickly as possible.

Harriet and Oliver were still swimming down their track when they heard the cheers from the prisoners from the other tunnel.

“Sounds like Micklang got the luck, doesn’t it Oliver?” Harriet said, smiling when she heard the cheer.

“Yeah, certainly does. But, I’m more curious where this tunnel leads. If the prisoners were down the other tunnel, than where does this one go? Wanna replace out? It would be like an adventure just with us two involved. I’m sure Micklang wouldn’t mind.” Oliver stopped to turn and look at Harriet for approval.

“Do you think we should?”

“What harm would it do? Micklang knows we’re down here. If he gets worried, he could always just come down this tunnel to look for us, huh?”

“Hmm, that’s true. Alright then, lead the way.” Harriet agreed, happy to see Oliver had a point.

“What do you think I’ve been doing all this time, sleeping with the fishes?”

“Oh, ha, ha, ha, Oliver. You are so naughty.” Harriet giggled as they continued swimming.

“I know, but that’s why lady otters like me so much.”

As they swum, they had no idea as to what they would replace or where they were heading.

“Micklang! You’re back, about time too!” Joshua announced as Micklang and Oliver came through the passage and back out into the entrance room.

“Well done, Micklang. We’ve solved another mystery thanks to you and Oliver.” Abrigail congratulated him.

Micklang looked at King Joshua in wonder.

“You seem to be the only one that ISN’T glad to see the prisoners have been saved. Why is that, King Joshua?” Micklang asked.

“HE’S the King? No, no, no, that’s not right. HE was the one that imprisoned us. Silvia is the Queen, but she was under his control for some time.” A lemur announced.

“WHAT?” Everyone exclaimed.

King Joshua shot a warning glance at the lemur which Micklang caught just in time.

“It’s true? You tricked us! You’re not the king after all, are you?” Micklang asked angrily.

Joshua looked around at the prisoners and Micklang and his friends, realizing he was out-numbered.

At that point, Silvia woke up again, mumbling.

“Where am I, what happened? Joshua? What are you do … is that my CROWN you’re wearing? Explain yourself, Joshua.” Silvia commanded.

“Queen Silvia, you’re out of your trance.” The lemur said.

Micklang raised his eyes at Joshua.

“I thought something wasn’t right about this. The rotter isn’t king after all, he lied to us.” Frebil said.

Joshua grabbed the trident off Frebil and pointed it at Micklang and his friends.

“Yeah, so I lied, so I’m not the real king, so WHAT? You said you liked having me as king, and none of you trusted my ‘master’ when you thought she was behind it all. I was sick of being a butler to some stupid, unforgiving queen that didn’t give me what I wanted.”

“So you hypnotized the queen to cover it up, making it look like she had done those awful things.” Micklang realized.

“And you kidnapped and imprisoned any who were coming too close to the end of the mystery, just to make sure you weren’t suspected.” Abrigail added.

“And then, to top it off, you created those robots just for your own purpose, got a lackey to work for Silvia that would be most suspected, and worked from there with your plan.” Frebil pointed out.

“Naturally, I knew someone would get nosy, so I created the rumour of the ‘mistress’ and then make it look like Silvia was doing the same things as the ‘mistress’ was said to do. That created more illusion that I had nothing to do with it.” Joshua explained.

“You wanted to flood the whole world, transform everyone into mer-creatures and force them to be your slaves if you had your way.” Silvia said, remembering some things before she was hypnotized.

“And I was SO close to getting that dream coming true. If it weren’t for your snooping around and getting those prisoners out, I would have had my plan working to the full.” Joshua looked at Micklang and his friends.

Micklang pulled out his sword and pointed it at Joshua.

“Who ARE you, really?” Micklang asked.

Everyone looked at Micklang quizzically. What was he talking about?

But Joshua simply laughed.

“Brilliant mind, you squirrels have. You saw right through that plan, didn’t you?”

“Huh?” Frebil mumbled.

Micklang sneered at the mer-creature in front of him.

“Your name isn’t REALLY Joshua, is it?”

“WHAT?!” Everyone asked at once.

Joshua clicked his fingers and then transformed …

Into an extremely familiar and dangerous animal.

“QUASAPOOR?!” Everyone shouted in surprise.

The tiger laughed cruelly.

“You all thought I had died from the battle, didn’t you? But guess what?! You can’t EVER get rid of me. I have known about this place for a long time, and once I was away from the battle I swam here as fast as I could. Influenced by Queen Silvia’s special gift to any animal that entered the water, I was able to swim here and take over. I trapped the REAL Joshua in another tunnel, and then hypnotized the queen, and the rest is just like you and your clever friends said. I knew, if I used the right method, I could take my revenge on everyone on land and in the sea by doing all of this properly. But now, you will all die, for only I know the secret of this trident, and can use it against you all.” Quasapoor explained.

Pointing the trident at Micklang, he spoke his last sentence.

“And you, Micklang Lightning-tail, will be the first to suffer from my revenge. Krun’stil’k …”

“NO!” Oscar screamed, running forward to save Micklang.

Then everything happened quick as a flash.

A bright, deadly streak of light came out of the trident and headed straight for Micklang; Oscar jumped in the path of the light and was hit square in the chest, and at the same time Frebil whacked a shield on to Quasapoor’s head.

Quasapoor dropped the trident and fell to the floor, just at the same time as Oscar thudded on the floor as well.

“NOOOO OSCAR!!!” Maria screamed, running to Oscar’s side.

Micklang was surprised and horrified at the fact Oscar had been killed by the awful Quasapoor.

He roared with anger and swung his sword down onto Quasapoor … Only to stop centimetres from his head. Breathing heavily, he realized what he was doing.

Frebil realized too and patted Micklang on the back.

“Revenge on Quasapoor won’t bring back those you care about, Micklang. Even though he is totally evil, you must decide which is more important: revenge and achieving nothing or going to your friend and trying to keep him alive.”

Micklang looked at Oscar and ran over to him.

“Oscar, come on, stay awake. Your adventure isn’t over now.” Micklang said, trying to keep his friend alive.

Oscar looked at Micklang and smiled weakly.

“You’re wrong; Micklang … my adventure … is over. I’ve had my … fun with you … shared our adventures together like true friends. You … must continue on without me … discover the world … teach my Oliver the right things. My part in our adventure is over … say good-bye to Harriet for me. Tell Oliver … he is the chief … now. My otters … belong to him now. Teach him well … I know you can. Good-bye, Micklang.” Oscar stammered and cried as he spoke.

Micklang and Maria sighed. Micklang wiped away a tear as he said his fare-well.

“Good-bye, Oscar, chief of the otters.”

As Oscar slipped away into the ‘Gates of Greatness’, he mumbled his last sentence.

“My father is smiling … at me. He’s asking … about you, Micklang. What should I tell … him?”

Micklang sniffed as he replied.

“Tell him that your son will have a good teacher and take care of his and your otters for you.” Micklang patted his friend’s cheek.

Oscar nodded and closed his eyes in silence.

Maria cried sadly and held Oscar tight while Micklang sang a song fit for the wonderful chief.

“And so ends the life of a brave otter, a strong and caring otter,

One that helped those he cared for and taught all who would listen.

Good-bye to a friend, good-bye to an otter.

Without you, the world would be a rotter.” Micklang sung, slowly and sadly.

Silvia knew how close Oscar was to Micklang and the otter-clan, so she organized a special funeral for Oscar that would be perfect for such a caring otter.

“He loved to be in the water, I know otters. So I will place his body inside a clam and let him float through the sea. Where he lands will be his resting place, and no vicious meat-eaters will get to him, I’ll make sure of it.” Silvia explained.

Micklang nodded and sniffed.

“I’m sure he would appreciate that. And I’m sure that will be alright for his otters.”

One of the otters by the name of Jarryd came forward and placed a bow and arrow on Oscar’s chest.

“This was his best forged weapon; he used to teach us how to use bow and arrow with it. I think he’ll like this with him.”

Micklang nodded, understanding completely.

“What’s your name, matey?”

“Jarryd, sir. And I feel I should be your right hand man now, Oscar would have wanted it that way.”

“I’m sorry, but Oliver will have that position now, because he was Oscar’s son. However, I don’t see what’s stopping you from being HIS right-hand man.”

Jarryd’s eyes shot open in surprise.

“You THINK so? Oh, I’d love to do that, Micklang sir. By the way, where IS Oliver?” Jarryd asked, looking around.

Micklang suddenly realized he hadn’t gone after Harriet and Oliver when they had saved the prisoners.

“Micklang, what about Quasapoor?” Frebil asked.

“What about Oscar?” Maria asked.

Silvia interrupted and told them what she would do.

“I’ll take care of Quasapoor. You won’t be bothered by him again. Let’s just say he’ll be swimming with a boulder on his foot when he wakes up. And I’ll give Oscar his fare-well funeral for you. You can go looking for your friends and get back to shore knowing that both problems will be solved for you. How does that sound?”

Everyone had to agree that it was a brilliant idea, and; as they all left through the secret tunnel to catch up with Harriet and Oliver, they all watched as Oscar was pushed into the current of the sea.

“Thank you, Silvia. I hope we have the pleasure of meeting again, and I’m terribly sorry that we suspected you for all the bad things ‘he’ did.” Micklang said to the queen.

“The pleasure is mine, Micklang. If it weren’t for you suspecting me and knocking me out, I wouldn’t be back to normal. Although, you could’ve chosen a less hard way of knocking me out. Good-bye, Micklang and friends.”

“Good-bye, Queen Silvia, proper queen of the under-sea kingdom. Get revenge on that evil Quasapoor for us.” Micklang said, waving to the queen as they swum away.

“Don’t worry, I will. There’s nothing on land or in the sea that can stop ME from getting revenge on a traitor like Quasapoor. You needn’t worry about the details, Micklang. I’ll just say this. Nothing, on land, in sea or even in the gates of greatness could match what I have in store for our ‘friend’ there. Believe me.” Micklang knew she wasn’t kidding.