The Masie and Benji Adventures. Volume One.

The Oaknr Sanctum

The water steadily passed them by, and the silence was broken by the splashing of a Trout as it leapt from the waters to grab a passing fly. Nothing was more peaceful than that moment, under the shade of the overhanging Oak, which in its long years gave restfulness to those that wished it.

"It's nice here, Maisie. There's nothing that I like more than being by the river." Benji said as he looked upon the soft glow of the Brooch of Nature's Calling.

"I like it too, Benji... But, I feel like something is watching us." Maisie said as she looked around "It's too quiet."

"Too quiet?" Benji asked as he looked up into her hazel eyes "Nothing can be too quiet... Can it?"

"Remember that day when we met the Borrigs? That was a quiet moment on Beacon Hill... How that changed suddenly!" she replied with a smile "I think this day might not be as quiet as we think..."

"Oh no! Do you hear that, Maisie?"

"No... What is it, Benji?" She asked as she stood up sharply and looked along the pathway both South  and North "What do your ears hear that mine cannot?"

"Look up, Maisie... It's in the trees." he replied kindly "They sing a sorrowful song."

"The birds..." Maisie said as he looked into the leaves of the Old Oak tree "Come, come tell me of your troubles." She called out as a single Chaffinch spiralled down from aloft. As she held out her hand it landed with a gentle flutter of its wings. Perched upon the back of her hand it began to sing, a song of a fearful future to come.

"Without it we're lost, without it we're doomed. Long has it been, long it held us proud, without its power all shall fade. All shall become shaded, our kind will be faded. As the tales of old have deemed it, without it we are shadowed. No song shall be heard, no song of the Bird." it sang out in distress.

"I am the Defender of all, that who holds the Brooch of Nature's Calling. The One with the power to give song to all." Maisie said politely as she brought her hand closer "Tell me, young Chaffinch... What has gone so wrong that cannot be fixed?"

The Chaffinch twitched as it stood upon the back of her hand "Tell me, my friend... What has happened this morning?"

"The Oaknr Sanctum, the jewel, taken from us it has been. Without it we shall fade, dull in our being. Without it we will sing no more, have offspring no more... We will fall into a past where none shall remember us."

Maisie looked at Benji and they both knew, another adventure was awaiting them. "Fear not little bird. Maisie and Benji will return to you what has been taken." Benji said as he looked upon the Chaffinch "We will find what you seek."

"What was lost to you?" Maisie asked as she raised her hand and gently cupped the Chaffinch' back and slowly stroked it.

"The Sanctum's jewel... The Honey Ruby... It is the power of our kind. Without it we shall all pass into memory."

"All Chaffinch?" asked Benji.

"No, all birds. Every bird in the world will fade from existence, we will all die out in time." it replied as it began to shudder under the gentle hand of Maisie.

"We cannot allow that to happen!" She said sternly "Tell me, where is the place it is kept, we must investigate it."

"Meggie's Wood... The Crows of Meggie's Wood, they are the keepers of the Sanctum, and the jewel. It is there that it was, and now it is lost."

"Then to Meggie's Wood we must go."

With that they followed the Chaffinch as it darted from tree to shrub. Along the riverside they marched with haste, ever gaining upon the small woods known locally as Meggie's Wood. At the end of the trail they came upon a stile, this they climbed over and walked through a small grassy field. Gently it sloped upwards, and to the East it rose in swift climbs which covered the glare of the sun.

"How far is it to Meggie's Wood?" asked Maisie as they marched through the long grass.

"Not much farther." Chirped the Chaffinch as it fluttered before her "Just around the rivers bend, then we shall see it. The dark thickets of Hazel will welcome us."

"Oh great!" Benji said as he looked around "More of those, and I bet some scratching Hawthorn bushes too?"

"Yes, some... But mainly Hazel thickets, and lofty Ash and Oaks mingled with the shadowy Pines."

"And after that?" Benji asked further.

"The Sanctum!" The Chaffinch said with a sombre chirp.

"The Sanctum? What is that, exactly?" Asked Maisie.

"The Crucible of all that the Honey Ruby gives life to." and she landed upon Maisie's shoulder "You see, the Honey Ruby is one of many life giving Gems. Each giving life and purpose to each creature. The Honey Ruby is bound to the Birds."

"And this?" Maisie asked holding up the Brooch of Nature's Calling.

"We all have our purpose, but that jewel... That gave us a voice... Without that jewel, we would have no song. The world would be silent of all voices, even yours."

They came to the edge of Meggie's Wood, the thickets of Hazel stood before them and the shadow reached out beyond where they stood. With a shrug of shoulders and a moan from Benji, they slipped between the slender clusters of trees and into the dimness.

It was not long before they reached the tall trees of oak, long years had passed since they were saplings. Age had taken its toll upon their limbs, waning, the boughs under their weight stooped low. Around them they walked slowly until they came to a soft moss laden carpet, edged with slender Wild Anemones. Silver-white their heads hung downwards, drowsy in afternoon sleep. And before them, the remarkable trunk of a fallen friend... The place where the Honey Ruby once lay.

The Chaffinch fluttered to the trunk and landed upon it, the small but shallow indent lay empty where once the Honey Ruby lay. It lowered its head and a low wisp of sorrow escaped its beak.

A sudden flapping of wings filled the air and from high above, the dark ominous shadows of crows descended, amidst horrific cries of hatred "Who comes to defile our sanctuary now? What business do you have here, Human?" one cried out as it landed upon a broken limb of the resting place of the Jewel. Eyes golden and soul piercing it gazed unkindly upon Masie and Benji "Speak!" it cried out sharp and unwavering.

"Birds..." Maisie said as she reached for the Brooch "I am Maisie, this is Benji." she offered her hand to her dog "I am here to help you, to return what has been stolen or misplaced."

"Misplaced?" The crow croaked "You think we would misplace such a jewel? If so, you would do well to leave here before we peck out your eyes, child!" he cried out in anger, the air filled with challenges of hate from the gathering of the keepers in the branches above.

At this Benji snarled "If you wish it to be... I'm ready!" and he steadied his stance.

"Enough!" Cried Maisie as she held aloft the Brooch.

The jewels upon it glowed bright, casting deep green upon all the encircling trees. The crow shaded its eyes with a wing and hopped back as it did. Silence fell within the sacred place, and for a moment Maisie heard a song... The song of the crows.

"Your song is crude, the carriers of the souls. To the next life you take them... But it is ungratefully done... Shame on you, you carrion fowl. If I had mind of revenge, I'd take your song... I'd leave you cold and heartless... Just as you seem to be looked upon, harsh and unkind."

The crow lowered its wing and stepped forth, and with a slow bow before her it addressed her once more. "So, the stories upon the wind are true. The Borrig's do not lie... You are indeed the One, and this I deem is the Fierce Deity?"

"We are..." she paused and looked above to the gathering "Now shall we start again? What happened here, and who took the Honey Ruby?" Maisie asked placing the Brooch in her pocket.

"Thumbleshroom's, they have been encroaching on our lands for some time now." the Crow began "I believe it is they, who you should be questioning. Two days gone, the gathering here became tired. Lethargic beyond memory, subdued to the spores of the Thumbleshroom's. They are mischievous at the best of times... But thieves, I had not marked them so..." The Crow said as he recalled his time "I awoke from my delusion to discover the Honey Ruby gone... The only ones who could have done this is they... The Thumbleshroom's."

"And where will I find them?" Maisie asked as she looked into the distraught eyes of the Crow.

"In the Greenhollow, to the West of here where the trees are covered in moss. It is a dire place to look upon, keep your wits about you... The Fox is sly..."

"And the Rabbit is cunning... I get that a lot!" Maisie said as she finished his sentence "I will find your Honey Ruby, I promise!"

With that they left the hallowed grounds and struck out West, and for the Greenhollow. To reclaim a jewel, and to stay the mischief of the Thumbleshroom's. The way was unkempt and tangled with brambles, and after an hour they came to an opening. Thick carpeted moss lay upon everything, fallen trees, stones and the stream which flowed forth was almost choked with it. As they pushed forwards they became aware of whispers, so slow and quiet that even Benji had a hard time to hear them.

"I feel drowsy, Maisie... So tired... So, so, so tired..." he yawned and shook his head to rid himself of the sleep which fast claimed him.

"Don't fall asleep, Benji! It's the spores of the Thumbleshroom's, do not give in, fight it!" Maisie said as she also began to yawn.

The whispers continued, and the Brooch began to shine once more. Holding it aloft, Maisie called out to the Thumbleshroom's "Stop this desire to make mischief! If you do not, there will be trouble." and she yawned once more.

"Not sure that's working, Maisie... Not at all." Yawned Benji.

"Release us from your spell, or I will grant the Fox a taste for Thumbleshroom's!" she shouted as the Greenhollow basked in the rays of light from the Brooch "Release us!"

Maisie fell to her knees and yawned again. Slumping to her side she lay down upon the soft moss, and fell into a deep sleep...

"Maisie, Maisie!" Called Benji as he licked her face "Wake up, please wake up!" he said nervously "Please wake up!"

Stirring and stretching her arms Maisie woke and sat up, unsure of where she was. "Benji? Where are we?" she said as she strained her eyes to see "What are they?" she said as she pointed.

"That's why I woke you!" Benji said with a tremor "I, I don't know?... But, I think they might be those Mushroom fellows you were talking about in your sleep."

"I was asleep?" she asked confused.

"Yes... For a while too!" Benji replied as he watched the slow motion of an advancing army of toadstools.

Maisie slowly rose to her feet, and held forth the Brooch once more. The jewels shone bright and the Thumbleshroom's stopped their advance. "I will say this only once, return the Honey Ruby... It belongs not to you, but the Birds!"

Within the gathering of a large troop of Thumbleshroom's a slender gap appeared. From within the gentle glow of amber, tainted with a deep redness began to shine. Slowly a clear jewel rose above the caps of the troop, slender arms held it high and quivering they whispered once more.

"Now I heard that, Maisie!" Benji said "It would seem that the Fox stole it, and slowly they have been trying to return it to the resting place."

"The Fox is sly..." Maisie said softly to herself "But why, what did the Fox wish to gain from this?"

"Tales upon the wind, Maisie. News travels fast, and I wonder what the Fox wants?"

"And with who?" Maisie replied "The mischief of Thumbleshroom's is the troubles of the Fox I don't doubt."

"Let's give the Birds their jewel, and go home... I'm getting hungry." Benji said as he looked at the shivering Thumbleshroom's.

With that they returned the Honey Ruby to the place of its rightful resting, within the tree trunk of the sanctum. They bid farewell to the guardian Crows, and returned to the pathways which took them back to the river's edge. As they walked in silence they heard many thank you's in the trees above. The Chaffinch gave thanks, and wished them well before departing to his own domain. But one thing remained upon Maisies mind... How come the Fox was suddenly up to his tricks, and why?

Yet, that was a mystery for another time...

The End.