Narrow Thicket Tales: Mr sparks & Nina Wa

A moody Autumn came tumbling over Mr Sparks, the only fox of Narrow Thicket. Whom beheld himself a loyal and dependable friend, and looked rather dashing and handsome as he, twisting his body from side-to-side, checked for stray-greys through a deep orange fur like a Western Tennessee Sunset.

Mr Sparks was as honest as he was wise and was to be considered as cooperative as they come. He was loving to the soft core of his heart, with proud-ears, a white underbelly, a grey fur-marking shaped as a bow-tie nestled just below his chin, and more-so on his chest, and a brush-like tail which was snow topped at the end. He was a wholesome gentle-fox of the forest, and importantly, as he held it, a member of The Narrow Thicket Eco-Summit.

When morning arrived by Mr Sparks, he woke at the crack of dawn. Where he leered through the entrance of his Bungle-Burrow, with his eyes squinting. A reported Hurricane being the cause of anxiousness and worry.

He had been up most of the night, hearing the gusting, rampant winds, with an alternating patter of tremendous rainfall that was harshly cursing the windows and roof-way of Mr Sparks’ Bungle-Burrow. After nestling in warm, soft blankets, cosy faux-fur slippers, and a hot bowl of fresh basil and tomato soup, he managed to calm whatever worries that had been cycling his mind-ways. Mr Sparks, using his sharp-vision, from the dark eyes of his father, to assess what damage “that dumb-founded wicked sense of bluster and bother” storm had caused. All night, and to the shake of a nervous fox’s leg, Mr Sparks had a painful feeling cover him entirely, he could only imagine rampage over his recently constructed porch, finished by the gone summer. It was at this precise moment that Mr Sparks pulled his paws from his eyes and saw the true bother “that dumb-founded wicked sense of waste and worry” storm had caused. Straight-away he began moving, with his pearly-whites, large debris. “Darn, and cobbles-breath to the frightful night I endure. O’, how I am bereaved at the state of my invested efforts, and how I have found my wonderful and splendid masterpiece. I have worked a three-month sum to afford whatever pleasures I had instilled in my dreams of the porch of the county, leading up and towards my exquisitely architectured Bungle-Burrow, a most fine and peaceful home to a hardy, and deserved creature such as myself. Never again can I trust the want of my desires, to want anything other than the peace of my own company or the winter to pass steadfastly.” Mr Sparks almost lost track of himself as he repeated “I am duped! I am duped!”

Continuing “Foolish have I been to believe a gentleman of Narrow Thicket, so savvy as myself, could ever own something nice to welcome infrequent but cared for friends whom may visit any months and or weeks from now! O’, darn and cobble-bother, and indeed though I am upset, I have a meeting to prepare for, and so I shall enforce my anger, my message and my worries, with a subject matter, and a plan!” The committee meets were typically held in the lands of Zymm, located at the heart of Narrow Thicket, within an enormous mounding that had an great-oak door-way entrance, leading into a dimly lit discussion chamber where selected Narrow Thicket members communed for hours and hours that seemed almost never to end, discussing what to do about the growing concerns towards the declining health of Narrow Thicket and its likely impact upon themselves, taking into full account their needs as to live off the land and beauty, as to cause the littlest of harms to their treasured eco-system.

The Narrow Thicket Eco-Summit committee members included: Mr Oswald the Branch-Owl, Mr Lou the Rock-Raccoon, Mr Andy River-Beaver, Mr Darwin the Lost-Flamingo, Mr Ramone Grass-Rabbit and Mr Frederick Stool-Frog. Whom all had equal says, and vital roles that contributed to the equality and sustainability of Narrow Thicket.

Mr Sparks stepped off with a spring in his dark-pawed pounces as he set to work his concerns and worries! He carried through tirelessly into the late hours of the evening, preparing a detailed and convincing case for the weekly eco-summit meeting, finding himself on his fifth cup of tea; before sleeping from mental exhaustion. When unlike Mr Sparks usual Sunday evening happenings around the Bungle-Burrow, he heard a deafening sequence of bangs from the front door. He froze for a moment, a little confused, with a curious expression in the shape of his eyes. He rose from his beloved chair and took to the viewing piece on the front door, to see what the “cobble-bother” was going on!

He slid the cover and to his surprise, in the rain and tumult. He saw Mr Andy River-Beaver, sopping wet. From the tip of his brown brow, all the way to the length of his large flat tail. Mr Sparks flung open his door to reveal the looming shape of Mr Andy River-Beaver shaking himself to dry under the skeletal-membrane that was left of Mr Spark’s porch of dreams. A deeply adenoidal and flat baritone voice emerged with sincerity “Mr Sparks, I must make a tremendous apology for me to turn up at your door, your terrific ‘Bungle-burrow’ and how I should say that it looks nothing like I have ever seen of a home, and how we have very different needs indeed, Mr Sparks! How terrible and intemperate of me to intrude on your weekend and your home, but I must speak with you immediately Mr Sparks! I do not know who I can trust.” Mr Andy River-Beaver began to hush his voice as to speak in a more secretive tone “As of now, you more than any creature of Narrow Thicket I can allow my worries to be indulged in, as I know you to be the most honest and worthy fox of Narrow Thicket Forest, a most gracious home!” Before Mr Andy River-Beaver could get to his point, Mr Sparks enthused delicately “O’, my manners, and how they betray me in times of surprise! O’, Mr Andy River-Beaver, do come in and warm yourself by the crackling fire and get yourself comfortable and dry and I shall make another brew and we can discuss your troubled matters. The ones that have caused alarm bells to ring so loudly in your ears, at the cause that has landed you at my Bungle-Burrow! O’, brave River-Beaver, for travelling at such a time of night and weather so I may dampen the sound of loud rings and thumping vibrations. I am sure not to settle until I have provided you with hope for your worries, peace of your mind! O’, Mr Andy River-Beaver, I am so very blessed to cater for you tonight, and how I too may show you the worries I am working correct, as to share at the Narrow Thicket Weekly Eco-Summit! O’, how I plan to highlight to our valued and cared for members what worries I have been troubled with, and so we may reassure one another in the comfort of my well-equipped Bungle-Burrow! Please, Sir, and respectful creature of Narrow Thicket, find yourself at home within my Bungle-Burrow that you have hardly recognized as a home! O’, how I hold nothing against your observations as I am surely to repeat a similar observation at the arrival of your wonderful and brilliant ‘home’!”

Mr Sparks, set a refilled kettle over the fire, and fetched some fresh lavender towels to dry the thick furs of Mr Andy River-Beaver.

They sat in front of the fire until the water boiled.

Mr Andy River-Beaver, now dry and looking much calmer than before, holding his heavy mug which was steaming with warmth and giving off the rich aromatic scent of brewed tea-leaves, began. “Mr Sparks, I must apologize for how I may speak with brazen and directness, but I have come to your door this terribly weathered evening with grave news sir, grave news indeed! As the treasurer of our great Narrow Thicket Eco-Summit, I have been so very troubled, oh yes, I have! So much so that I have not slept for more than mere hours at a time each night and I must share this with you sir, before tomorrow, before our first meeting of the season! The accounts, Mr Sparks, our summer of fancies has depleted our resources, and we shall see far worse times to come, my great Mr Sparks! O’, and how I am full to the brim of fear and shaking hands with all the devils of the world just to see that Narrow Thicket does not go under! Mr Sparks, we are out of limits and flow, and entering the red bounds that my ancestry of treasurers has never seen!”

Mr Sparks stared through his vacant pearl-noir eyes, shocked to the marrow of his bone by the harrowing low notes leaving Mr Andy River-Beavers thin-lips. “As you can imagine Mr Sparks, as clever and cunning as I am, I have seen to it that I have secured many a meeting this following season. Meetings with many different types, from many different backgrounds, and though I am confident that I shall find a solution to our problem. I shall see to it that we charge straight forward into the resurrection and reinvigoration of Narrow Thicket and our surrounding constituents! I am here to ask you Mr Sparks, what you know of and what information you may be holding, so to clear my muddied vision of the Misty-Magnolia Timberlands? Yes, the mystical and sacred timberlands where no Narrow Thicketer lives, or has done. I am asking because, from snippets of conversations with interested parties, I have heard fruitful and resourceful notions, and I am here to ask if they are true? Are the lands as promising as the interested say they are? You, Mr Sparks, with your keen desires of curiosity and intellectual density must have visited these lands. Please Mr Sparks, do indulge me and my efforts!” Mr sparks shuffled to the edge of his most beloved seat in the Bungle-Burrow, gave a deep sigh, and after a long hearty blow on his piping hot tea; returned with the most wonderfully intriguing tales.

“O’, my brilliant and exceptional treasurer Andy River-Beaver, I do hope my tale may calm your nerves and reduce your heart of worries to a warm sense of homeliness that makes you feel right again! And to the hope of all hopes, I shall see to it that no longer than I am finished with my tale, you will be able to return to your ‘home’ so to sleep as soundly as a log!” Mr Sparks, after a brief pause and with the warmest smile and grin continued. “There are many things that you must know about the Mystic-Magnolia Timberlands, the first is that it is protected by Narrow Thicket Law, under article 13a. The second is that, no member may enter the timberlands without a permit approved by the entire Eco-Summit committee. If I may so confide in you Mr Andy River-Beaver, my tale breaks the second claim and I must trust that this stays between us, an honest and hardy fox, and a brilliant and fair River-Beaver such as yourself!”

Mr Andy River-Beaver took a few moments to compose himself and with a twitching brown nose gave Mr Sparks a receptive and welcome “You have my word Mr Sparks, as a peaceful Beaver, and expressive advocate of the Great River Erin! Please, do so put me at ease with your story, that I know you will tell with precision and elegance!” And that, is exactly what Mr Sparks intended to do.

Mr Sparks spoke with an impressionable logic “In my formative years, as a young and curious fox and new to the sensational neighbourhood that I have come to learn and grow by, I took myself out into the warmth and brilliance of the sunshine. O’, how I was basking! I found myself exploring our magnificent home and treasured ancestry, when I, without knowing that I was embarking toward sacred land, saw The Mystical-Magnolia Timberlands! And let me inform you correctly fantastic Mr Andy River-Beaver, the timberlands were absolute and divine! In every sense of glory the timberlands had to offer me, every terrifically unkept grass-way and honest growth, I wandered deeper and deeper under monumentally tall and ancient thin trees that held hands over the roof-way. I reached the centre of what I did not know to be The Misty-Magnolia Timberlands, where there sat impregnated into the ground, a cluster of shining jewels staring at me; an object I had never come across before. O’, wow and how spectacularly it shimmered and shone in the light-beams that made their way through the leaves and trees! And now as I remember it, beside the crystalline-object, there was a selection of shaped lime-stone boulders. I grew weary and tired in my explorations and so decided to rest among its magnificence. I lost track of everything, my life, time and the world as I saw it! O’, how I had the best summers nap by that boulder, resting my curious paws in the sunshine! Truly, it was when I awoke a few hours later that I saw the sight of all sights! I lifted my head in awe as a strong and complete beam of light passed over my head through the lime-stone boulder as to meet the glowing crystal shapes before me; a tremendous moment I do not think a thousand years of memories could allow me to forget. The crystals were tinted with a clear-ish purple colour. Though I should say that it was the light leaving the crystals that truly inspired me unlike anything I had ever experienced before! The light entering the crystals became scattered in all directions and filled the space I had discovered. O’ it was tremendously exquisite! Light scattered and touched almost everything. Each scattered beam, multi-coloured and sparkling, like it was made of pure and untouched magic! Now Andy, I am not sure whether I truly heard what I am about to tell you, as it sounded as though it was inside my head as well as outside. This voice was all-encompassing and masterly! But you must trust that I was sound of mind, and hearing, when this deep and ancient voice surrounded me ‘STEP NO FURTHER FOX, IF YOU WISH TO LIVE, AND SO YOU MAY NOT. IN EITHER CASE I COMMAND YOU RESPECT THIS DEEPLY MAGICAL PLACE AS BEYOND YOUR RESONING, BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF LOGIC AND UNDERSTANDING, BUT I AM NO THREAT, LONG AS YOU ARE NONE TO ME. HEAR MY WORDS, AND SEEK THE WISDOM IN THEM GREAT VISITOR AND LONELY FOX, I AM LIFE. THE BELLOWING WINTER WIND, THE SUMMER SAND DUNE AND YES, I AM EVEN YOU; AS AN EXTENTION AND THEREFORE DETERMINATION OF ME. I HAVE FOR MILLENIA GIVEN FROM MYSELF CRYSTALLINE ROOTS THAT HAVE SPREAD DEEP AND TOUCHED EVERYTHING OF LIFE, AND SO YOU MAY KNOW ME NOW AS THE LIFEFORCE OF THESE TIMERERLANDS. I HAVE ALREADY SHARED TOO MUCH, AND I MUST NOT DIVULGE ANYTHING MORE, AS I FEAR THAT YOUR MIND MAY NEVER RECOVER! GO NOW MR FOX, AND NEVER RETURN, AND TELL THOSE THAT WISH TO VISIT; STAY AWAY! AS I MUST BE PROTECTED, FOR IF THESE LANDS AND MYSELF ARE TO BE COMPROMISED, NARROW THICKET, I AND THEREFORE YOU SHALL LOSE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WE HAVE STRIVED FOR AND CRAFTED AND LOVED AND CREATED.’ As I was revolving around the crystals, I noticed the beams start to fade and grow weak, and I decided that too much a great thing is spoilt by duration, and just as the voice had told me, I left that instant, and to this day, never to return.”

Mr Andy River-Beaver, took more than a few moments, to pick up his lowered jaw, and sharpen his eyes back to normal. “Mr Sparks, O’ wow, how elegantly you have told your tale, and how I too am unlikely to forget it for a million sun cycles. I believe I have the information I have come for, so to say that this land is so very ancient and sacred that it is more than rightly protected by Narrow Thicket law. Of those interested, they shall be beaten by our efforts to scrimp in the face of adversity and come together in times of hardship. O’, how your story and yourself have inspired me!” Mr Andy River-Beaver stood abruptly, placing his mug delicately on the saucer that had been unused on the table-side beside him. “Mr Sparks, how I have dropped by and must leave on such short notice, and I have been inspired and how I must leave at once, to collect my thoughts as to tackle our challenges with the grace you have given me in your home or Bungle-Burrow as you so say! I am very sorry to leave on such short notice Mr Sparks! O’, I must give the thankyou of all thankyous, you genuine and hearty and honest confiding fox, with every spirit about you that has given me the strength to settle the worries of my stomach and mind! I shall be off! I can only offer my many thanks and gratitude to you Mr Sparks, dear friends and neighbours and members of Narrow Thicket! This is good-bye, but not forever, I shall see you tomorrow, at the season’s first Eco-Summit Committee meeting! O’, how I have ignored your need to talk to me, and I shall make up for it sometime Mr Sparks, truly I shall!” With these innocuous words, and quick movements, Mr Sparks respected the River-Beavers wishes; knowing it to be getting very late into the night and almost the start of the next day. He gave Andy quick leave through the entrance of his Bungle-Burrow waving him off as his tail thumped the ground off into the night.

The following day, Mr Sparks finished up his final preparations for the season’s first Eco-Summit meeting. Once completing all the reworks to his paperwork, he set off with a vibrant attitude and winning step! It was only when Mr sparks arrived at the lands of Zymm and entered the mounding, and became settled in his usual chair around the discussion chamber, that Mr Sparks felt absolutely, that he was going to blow the other members away with his revelations, as to twist and pop like a stiff jar of the truth off the hurricanes cause! Mr Sparks rose affirmatively and addressed his fellow Narrow Thicket members with a direct prowess. “We all know, do we not. How the furless are the direct cause of danger towards us forest-folk, us tree dwellers, and Bungle-Burrow livers and Log-level life forms. Most of us tire, from the thwart, the devastation, the change and health of our land. I see it, day-to-day, getting more chaotic, dying in front of my eyes, and I feel powerless to stop it. O’, my siblings of Narrow Thicket, we must come together and fix what damage the fur-less have done! We must seek to subdue their damages! We can find all and every way to defend our futures, just as much as they condemn theirs. I, and by this very morning had been sickly overcome by the emotion of losing value because of them! Their heritage is a lie! We know where they came from and find yet audacity in their suffering illusion! O’, my siblings, how their society is faux-fur! Not the orange you see in my magnificent coat, but a synthetic orange, one that was born without freedom and life, born in the confines of a broken tear-away, throw-away life. They care little for how vastly they have been the cause. I have seen it, and so can you! Tomorrow my siblings, I will take you to a place that says it all, a few clicks down Mould-fir road, towards the furthest outreaches of Narrow Thicket. I must take you all to see their damage first hand. Let us find little compromise in our efforts to take down the furless, and free ourselves from their oppression, to whisk and beat them like eggs into the shape we decide them to be, and may we find only small mercies to offer, as we return the favours of endangering our home, let us take revenge on them and execute our most well thought plans to harness their power, as they have attempted to take ours. Stand with me brothers and sisters of Narrow Thicket for we shall make haste with our claws, and paws and wings to take them down by all forces we own, especially our force of wit, power and cunning.”

Oswald the Branch-Owl, with a mighty concerned expression stood and pulled Mr Sparks aside, amid the roars and clapping of fellow members, advising calmly, and with his deep but soft breathy voice “Are you sure this is what you want? You know how impressionable all the other forest folk can be! Mr Sparks, you and I have had a very long, and typically trusting relationship. I ask of you one more time to heed a friendly warning, when I say, nothing positive awaits the vengeance you seek. I think in some ways it unfair of your words and voice and message, and how you have used them to blur the limits of yourself and the beliefs of others. I would never ill-advise you, Mr Sparks. I know you have faith in me saying. What I do worry for is the pain that retaliation might cause, who knows what the fur-less could be capable of, given the right incentive. I am merely trying to suggest that we hold off for a day or two and rethink the situation when we have a greater distance, and therefore lesser emotion towards the event and its causes, and what will remain is logic, as we aim to better ourselves as caring-creatures, for us and for them.” Mr Sparks was lost in his imagination hatching a most genius idea, booming from the back of his mind to the front, he broke a smile and replied “Yes, well, of course; you are surely right. I have never had reason to doubt you before Oswald, and you have been the dearest of friends, since I first moved to Narrow Thicket and then onto when I ran for my seat at the committee. However, I should have to be off before now, my friend and colleague, trust me, we shall see no action taken within the week! Nevertheless, I am as busy as a fox and I shall say so sir, you are a mighty wise Branch-Owl; among the brightest. No doubt and sure should I ever to be failing to complete any puzzle I am sure to seek you for guidance to a coherence, transparency. I do think that we should see more beautiful conclusions come the week.” Mr Sparks now realized his paw was upon Oswald the owls wing-blade for the entire conversation.

Mr Sparks took to once more address the chairholders, the members themselves. “Should we fall brothers and sisters of this mighty, peaceful home we have for ourselves, and what a shame it would be to destroy it, before us and before them, those future ones, that will come when the winds of our lives have stopped harrowing and the tides have settled to let us rest upon tomorrow. O’, how I was enraged before I had arrived before my splendid members and audience. O’, your brilliant minds and you welcome and willing thinkers have changed me absolutely, steadfastly and forever I am to revel in this welcome feeling I have among you lovely and thoughtful creatures of Narrow Thicket. How you have been fair and kind to me and every problem I have had to have. Let us feel safe, for the week at least, as I may observe more of the happening of the fur-less. Then we shall have a wider vantage as to see what it is truly that is taking effect. I shall be as honest to my cause as I am for wanting to protect our wonderful and magnificent home. How I shall fight to defend every Shroom, branch, log, river, fawn, rock and grass-way in OUR home.”

Mr sparks raised his left paw, as to side on his heart, and spoke with passion and indoctrination “Narrow Thicket Forest, how a forest can be, when all can act and care with the love of a family, we shall be GREAT!” And as if he was the breath of the wind he darted off till all anyone could see was Mr Spark’s snow-tipped tail from afar, leaving the coolness of an Autumn afternoon chill cold on their lips.