"What is your name?" Sally asked the bird.
     "Spartan,"  The sparrow answered.
     "Well, Spartan,"  Sally exchanged.  "Fly me over to that cooking pot
and help me untie my new friends."
     "Okay,"  The bird stated.
     "Thank you!"  Shiva exclaimed, as the salamander her avian companion
released the four girls from their ropes.
     "Let's get the heck out of here!"  Rosie yelled.
     "No kidding!"  Penelope added, as she watched the three squirrels
cursing and stumbling over themselves as they slipped on the icy floor.
     "Let's go!"  Sammi yelled as she pushed open the door to the squirrel's
lair and rushed outside.  Rosie, Shiva, Penelope, Sally, and Spartan
followed swiftly.  They ran and ran and then ran some more, in order to get
as far away as possible from the evil squirrels.
     "Whew!"  Shiva said, huffing and puffing.  "That was close!"
     "Yeah,"  Rosie answered.  "We almost got cooked!"
     "Thank you Sally Mander!"  Penelope added.
     "You are quite welcome,"  Sally stated.
     "Help me..." Came a frail voice from the trees ahead of them.
     "Who is it?"  Rosie asked as she ran to the voice.
     "I need water,"  The newcomer said.
     "Are you a ferret?"  Sammi asked.
     "Yes,"  The stranger answered, gulping down the fresh water provided by
the crinkle sack.
     "From the pet store?"  Sammi concluded.
     "No," The ferret answered.  "I am a black-footed ferret.  I escaped
from Fang's lair!  He's keeping all of my brothers and sisters locked up
there!"
     "We know," Rosie declared.
     "You've got to help me save them!"  The black-foot said.
     "What is your name?"  Shiva asked.
     "My name is Sidney,"  The ferret answered.
     "Did you see our sisters in Fang's Lair?"  Rosie inquired.
     "Yes,"  Sidney replied.  "Some domestic ferrets and a vulture and
others were brought into the dungeons."
     "Lead the way!"  Rosie stated.  "We have to hurry up and rescue them
all!"
     "Follow me," Sidney said, and trotted off into the trees.  They all
followed their newfound friend to wherever she was taking them.  Hope and
fear showed themselves plainly on the faces of them all, as they ran as
swiftly as possible through the swamp.  After a while, the trees parted to
reveal a large, jagged ravine.  They stopped in their tracks and noticed a
narrow, wooden bridge crossing the canyon in front of them.  A solitary
figure stood in the center of this passageway to the other side.
     "Who is that?"  Sally asked to anyone listening.
     "Turn back,"  The person commanded.  "Or face the wrath of Bruno the
Badger!"
     "Uh oh!"  Sammi gasped as she watched in awe at the ferocious stature
of the badger guarding the bridge to her sisters.
 
     (to be continued...this will be the last time we put new parts of the
Big Adventure in the FML...to get the rest of the story, e-mail
[log in to unmask] for more on how to get the whole story in one
complete book!)
[Posted in FML issue 1729]