Green Sea Chapter 3 - Blue Dell

These squirrels are too odd by looks. They have well built bows and arrows, some have swords of metal, some of them wearing belts with pockets, while others wearing armor made of vines, which is neatly woven. Manu is amazed but also scared a bit. The wounded squirrels said, "Stop, He saved me, he is not enemy." Then the wounded squirrel explained, that it got attacked by a weasel, somehow escaped but got wounded, then the boy found it and treated the wound, also told other squirrels that he can talk with squirrels, which amazed other squirrels.

One of those squirrels, who is well armored and looked like their leader said, "Sorry for our behaviour. We are blue squirrels of Blue Dell. Thanks for saving our friend. May I know, who are you and where you came from?" Manu told his name and said that he is from White Meadow and going to Nemi. The leader squirrel said, "We will be glad, if you will be our guest at Blue Dell for tonight." As Manu is looking for a spot to rest for the night, he accepted squirrel's invitation. The squirrels started running on branches and on ground into dense forest while Manu followed them.

It is getting dark now, much earlier because of the hill. After walking for half an hour, they came to a place, where the gap between trees is filled with bushes, so there is no way to go ahead. The squirrels climbed on the trees and went over the bushes, leaving the wounded squirrel and Manu. Suddenly, Manu saw flickers through the bushes and the bushes moved sideways and there opened an entrance between two trees like a magical gateway.

Manu saw all the squirrels standing at the gate. As Manu entered through the gate, the bushes moved again closing the gateway. All the squirrels now started walking on the land. The land is now flat with grass grown like a fine carpet. It is like a path through the gateway with old trees grown on both sides leaving the space for only one person to walk, which is quite wide for squirrels.

There he saw couple holes in each tree with doors of woven grass and sticks. Some holes have big entrance (for couple of squirrels to walk in), while most have small entrance (for only one squirrel to walk in). Most of these holes are seen near the branch attachments. The area is lighted with strange white glowing mushrooms with dim glow, grown on the trees. There he saw a lot of blue squirrels standing or running around. Most of them looking at Manu as expected.

The path turned left and right sometimes. There he saw some gardens with vegetables, flowers, crops etc. This place is quite bigger than Manu thought. After walking for about 15 minutes, they reached a place, where on one side of the path, he saw a market. A market for squirrels.

It is like a pathway with shops on both sides. The market is lighted with wooden torches. The shops are half tall than human height. The shops have various types of tools, decorations, foods etc. After taking a nice look of the market, Manu continued on the path, following the squirrels. In a couple of minutes, they reached to an open area.

There is a big bonfire in the middle. On the opposite side of path's opening, there is a wooden tower with floors twice as high than squirrels. The tower is supported by trees as beams and has same height as the trees. Only the front of the tower is visible to Manu. The tower is made of dark heartwood of trees with beautifully carved walls. It has much shape like a tree, like a pillar or tower from bottom to wide on the top which is hidden with leaves.

It is guarded with a lot of those armed squirrels from bottom. There for the first time, at that place, he saw a bench of human size. It is made of a wooden log, placed on the left side of path's opening. The leader squirrel (came with Manu) said to Manu to take a seat on the bench, while it will arrange a meeting with their king then it went into the tower.

Another squirrel from tower guards who is well dressed in fine leather armor, came near Manu. It thanked Manu for saving the squirrel's life. It introduced itself as Commander of Blue Dell's Army and then it took out a horn from belt and blew it in weird pattern. In couple seconds, a wooden water bottle tied with a rope, came down from up of the leaves. The commander said, "Please have water" and then went back into the tower.

In couple minutes, a squirrel dressed in red silk dress appeared on the fifth floor of the tower. It has white flower vine crown on its head.

The squirrel said, "Greetings, Master Manu! It is my pleasure to meet you. I'm Mesh (or Mesha), king of Blue Dell and I am very thankful for your kind action."

Manu said, "It is my pleasure too, lord".

King said, "May I know, Master Manu, how can you talk to us?"

Manu replied, "My grandmother Ila, taught me."

King said, "Oh! You are Ila's grandson, she is my good friend. She has been my companion in great deeds. Come on, tell me, How is she?

Manu explained king, everything about the infection of White Meadow and Ila's death.

King said, "May her soul be free... , can you show me those infected leaves."

Manu showed the leaves.

King said, "It feels like dark magic. Surely, the druid of Nemi can help you."

King continued, "You took a big task, kid. May god bless you. Rest well tonight, tomorrow you should continue your journey"

Manu said, "Thank you very much".

King went back into the tower. During their talk, other squirrels arranged a thick straw bed near a low-height tree, some distance from the bonfire. The commander showed Manu a water stream near, that open area and told Manu to rest on the bed. In few moments, commander came with food. It included a lot of fruits, berries, small breads, candies and small cakes served on wooden plates. Manu thanked the commander.

As he is about to eat, he heard footsteps of a human and there came a guy. He is a little bit taller than Manu, long black-haired similar to Manu. He looked like 15 or 16 year old. He is wearing light blue clothes and armed with a shortbow and a dagger. The only thing odd about him is that, he have  extra  pointy  ears