Ozette's Destiny (4 page)

Ozette thought about her grandmother and her life before coming to Farlandia. For generations, Ozette’s relatives had lived in a distant part of Earth World. From stories her grandmother related, the forests had originally been much like the ones in Farlandia, filled with animals, old-growth trees, clear rivers and streams and rich in beauty and abundant food.

Unfortunately, that had all changed shortly after Ozette was born. Terrifying noises had echoed through the forests and those brave enough to investigate had discovered large, yellow metal monsters like nothing they’d ever seen before. The monsters roared through the woods, uprooting ancient trees and scraping fields of vibrantly colored wildflowers bare until there was nothing but dirt that turned to mud when it rained.

Gone were the blackberry brambles and fruit-bearing trees where generations of squirrels and birds had feasted. Pristine streams now ran brown with silt. Soon the once-beautiful land was almost barren. Trees and fields of flowers were replaced with large houses. The pathways the animals had used were covered with black, shiny material where nothing grew.

Large creatures, which her grandmother had called humans, took over more and more of the land. They began wandering into what remained of the forest, carrying long, black sticks that belched smoke. Pheasants, quail, deer and squirrels fell victim to these loud, smoking sticks. The animals retreated farther and farther into the forest. But the humans were never far behind.

When Ozette was old enough to understand, her grandmother explained what had happened. As a result of the humans, the food supply was severely reduced and areas safe to seek food were growing smaller and smaller. This was why the gift of the acorn was so important. Soon, squirrels were burying all kinds of nuts, hoping to replenish the supply. Birds were working diligently to spread and scatter flower seeds, hoping for fresh crops. The idyllic life in the forest was slowly turning into a fight for survival. Many were leaving, not sure where they were going, but knowing they couldn’t remain.

How Ozette missed her grandmother! She’d had the reputation of being very wise, in part because she could see into the future. Sometimes when they were planting, her grandmother’s ears would perk up and she would carefully sniff an acorn or other nut. Then, instead of planting it, she would bite into it, examine it carefully and make her proclamation.

“Ahh. Looks like your Auntie Bets will be having triplets, come early fall. All girls,” she once said, smiling broadly. And it came to pass. She could predict frigid winters, food shortages, sweltering summers and even helpful and trivial events. Ozette sighed. There was another memory playing in the back of her mind, but she couldn’t quite catch it as it flitted through her squirrelly brain.

Because of her grandmother, Ozette had vowed to be the best tree-planting squirrel around. She would pick up a nut in her paws and roll it around, sniffing it to make sure it was tasty. Using her front feet, with their sharp toenails, she would drill it into the ground. From behind she looked like a miniature jack-hammer. Then she would smooth the dirt, cover the spot with leaves and move on. Of course, she always took time to eat a few of the tasty morsels. She did need to keep up her strength, after all!

Maxwell may have been handsome and powerful, but he was a terrible gossip. While Ozette was busy planting trees, news of her adventure was spreading rapidly through Farlandia. Everyone was excitedly discussing this turn of events.

Tired from her planting, Ozette returned to her tree hoping for a quick nap. To her delight, Sydney, one of her fairy friends, had left a hand-woven vine basket filled with freshly picked carrots at the tree’s base. She was munching away happily when she heard the sound of wings.

She looked up and saw a large group of fairies and elves flitting her way.

Then she heard a chattering commotion in the trees and saw her squirrel friends, leaping through the branches.

They were joined by birds, a white unicorn and dozens of other woodland creatures making their way to her tall maple tree.

“Queen Ozette! Queen Ozette! Queen Ozette!” they chanted loudly.

Ozette shook her paw at them, saying, “That Maxwell is such a blabbermouth. There is no Queen Ozette. Just me, plain Ozette,” she chided them.

Oliver came forward, obviously the self-proclaimed spokes-elf. “Queen Beatrix has deeded the land to itself and made you the caretaker. You’ve been gifted a tiara, a crown. In our book, that makes you a queen!” he parroted Maxwell.

Ozette put her paws on her hips. “A squirrel can’t be a queen, Oliver,” she said. “Only humans are royalty.”

“Au contraire, my squirrelly friend,” Oliver countered. “Duchess Zorina is a dog and she’s royalty. A queen is a leader, someone who loves the land and all who dwell on it. That would be you, Ozette.”

“We would be honored to have a squirrel as our queen,” said Maggie, a sweet-natured unicorn.

“Being a white squirrel makes you special, and our queen should be special,” added red squirrel twins, Zoe and Chloe, in unison. The other animals nodded in agreement and a raccoon gave Ozette a thumbs up sign.

Muttering about that “gossiping Maxwell” under her breath, Ozette doled out the treats sent by the cook to all her friends. Then she waved the animals away, saying she would “think about it.” Her nap forgotten, she started planting more nuts.

Ozette was almost finished when the princess’s golden retriever, Cassady, bounded up to her carrying a basket in her mouth. Behind her was Princess Abrianna, clothed in a long, purple dress with white and yellow daisies pinned in her flowing silver hair.

Ozette didn’t know many humans, but she liked Princess Abrianna because she was kind and didn’t act superior to non-humans. And, she often brought Ozette special treats.

Princess Abrianna took the basket from Cassady’s mouth and handed it to Ozette.

Ozette pulled away the dainty yellow napkin cover to reveal freshly baked pecan-walnut-almond-veggie smackaroons, one of Ozette’s favorite treats.

“Mmmm,” she said offering some also to Cassady and Abrianna.

The three friends munched in silence. Suddenly Princess Abrianna spoke.

“I hear you’ve had quite an adventure.”

Ozette nodded, not wanting to talk with her mouth full.

“Queen Beatrix adores that dog like a child, Ozette. You should be honored she has made you caretaker of Farlandia. Ozette, have you any idea what can happen to land and its creatures? Even here, in beautiful Farlandia, our cousin wanted to build a hunting lodge and clear forests for crops. Do you realize what that means? To the old-growth trees that would be cut? To the pristine creeks and rivers that could be polluted? To the animals that would lose their homes and even their lives?”

Ozette nodded her head anxiously. She was painfully aware of what could happen to the land, but she let the princess have her say.

Princess Abrianna knelt down and took Ozette’s paw. “There are humans who see nature as something to be exploited. They are greedy and never satisfied. They don’t care about the animals, elves, fairies, plants, streams and trees. It’s a great honor that has been bestowed upon you, as caretaker of Farlandia, and a big responsibility.

“As queen, you’ll have a certain authority. You’ll be a fine ruler, Ozette, and I am very happy for you and all of us. You care intensely for the land and all who dwell there. This, Ozette, is your destiny,” she said, looking deeply into Ozette’s eyes.

And with that, she called Cassady and headed home.

Ozette climbed her nesting tree, stretched out on a branch, scratched her left ear and thought about what the princess had said.

“Destiny,” she whispered. Why did that sound familiar? Ozette tried not to think about her past, but suddenly the memory that had been evading her came to her in a flash.

She and The Divine Miss Piddlewinks had been busily planting acorns as the trees wept scarlet and gold leaves and succulent acorns. Suddenly her grandmother had gasped. Ozette hurried over to her and found her rolling a shiny golden acorn in her paws. Ozette had never seen anything like it before.

Her grandmother nodded thoughtfully and said, “I’ve long suspected this, Ozette. A white squirrel is rarely born into our family. Have you ever wondered why the rest of your family is gray?”

Ozette shook her head. She had just accepted that she was what she was, a white squirrel.

“This golden acorn is the sign I’ve been hoping for. Acorns hold many secrets. But this acorn, Ozette, holds one of the most amazing secrets of all. Look at me, child,” she ordered as she placed the golden acorn into Ozette’s paw.

The gold sparkled in the sunlight, and Ozette could feel her paw becoming warm and tingly beneath the acorn.

Ozette looked into her grandmother’s wise eyes and felt mesmerized, even a little dizzy.

“Ah, yes. You have a destiny, a wonderful destiny,” her grandmother said. “When the time is right, you’ll remember this day.”

The Divine Miss Piddlewinks paused, her paw covering the one in which Ozette held the golden acorn. She stared straight ahead, deep in thought, and then turned back to Ozette.

“Your destiny is not here, my child. Our forest is disappearing and can no longer provide you the home you deserve. Your destiny is far away, in a lovely forest much like ours used to be.”

“But – ”

“There is no question. You cannot realize your destiny here. You must leave soon. The hunters continue to come, and they will be seeking those with the white fur.”

Ozette stubbornly shook her head and stuck out her furry chin.

The Divine Miss Piddlewinks closed Ozette’s tingling paw tight around the golden acorn and stroked Ozette’s soft white head.

“Ozette, the stress of being around so many humans and having their homes destroyed has made many of the animals angry,” her grandmother said. “They are looking for a scapegoat to blame. More and more of the animals are saying life was fine until a white squirrel was born. They are blaming the destruction on you, saying you are bad luck.”

Ozette’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Nothing could be farther from the truth, Ozette. You must believe me,” her grandmother said.

Ozette nodded, looking sad.

“We will begin preparations this evening. You will carry the golden acorn with you, and it will guide you to the far away land where your destiny awaits.”

“How can I leave you?” Ozette asked, tears filling her eyes.

“Ah, my beloved,” her grandmother smiled. “When you feel the wind ruffling your fur, I will be there. When you gaze at a starry sky, I will be there. When you catch the scent of wildflowers or see a sunrise that takes your breath away, I will be there. We will meet again. I promise.”

Despite Ozette’s sadness at having to leave her family and the few friends who remained in the forest, she obeyed her grandmother. The acorn had, in fact, guided her to Farland and then farther on to the deep woods of Farlandia. When she had reached the forest there, the golden acorn had stopped tingling in her paw, and she knew she had found her new home. Remembering her grandmother’s story of the gift of the acorn, she’d planted the golden nut nearby, not far from the tall maple tree where she now lived.

Why had she just now remembered this? Her grandmother had declared she had a wonderful destiny. The golden acorn had led her here and was planted nearby. Although she was the only white squirrel in the forest, she’d been accepted by her new friends. She had learned to love and care for all other creatures, and even the one human in their midst.

Her destiny. Was it to become named Queen of Farlandia and protect this magical place? She scurried to the spot where she had planted the golden acorn, saw the tiniest sprout pushing its way through the once-bare ground. She smiled and returned to her tree.

Above her, birds twittered and fluttered to and fro. From her vantage point, she also could see countless small creatures below, scurrying through the forest. Each so unique, so vulnerable. She did love this land and all its inhabitants. If she did decide to be Queen Ozette, she vowed to protect them with her life. But she wouldn’t build a castle. Her cozy nest would do just fine.

She had to admit the tiara was splendid. She dug it out of her nest and tried it on. She darted down the tree to the nearby pond, which was as smooth as a looking glass and ringed with spring flowers. She peered into the water.

“Oh my,” she whispered. She truly did look like a queen in the tiara. The gold and jewels sparkled and looked lovely, against her shining white fur.

“But it would be pretentious to wear it, wouldn’t it?” she whispered guiltily.

She rushed up her tree and hid it behind her stash of dried fruits, unaware that Oliver, Ariel and Sydney had seen her at the pond and were happily making plans for her coronation.

The next morning, Ozette’s friends again gathered under her nesting tree, just as the sun was peeking over the horizon.

Ozette heard them whispering at the base of her tree. She stretched, gave her tail a quick grooming and rushed down to meet them. They looked at her expectantly.