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Rif and Sandy return to the Ferret village. At the town hall Sandy reacts strangely to the sight
of a visiting Otter trader. Later that evening, after Rif falls asleep, Sandy prepares to depart.
While locked in the tower, Rhene is visited by Annabelle, one of Prince's "girls."
Apparently Elara's plan to get a packet of information from the Poodle has gone awry. Annabelle has her own
plan and helps Rhene escape. Rhene and her hare guide quickly leave the area.
Rif wakes-up to find Sandy missing. He quickly collects some supplies and heads-off in search of the young Wolf.
Rhene returns to the Sanctuary. As promised Elara gives a clue to where Sandy may hail from: a mixed-tribe village
found far up on the western coast of the island. Rhene rests before heading for the ferret village.
Sandy tries to find shelter in a cave, but in confronted by an angry, female Bear Morph. Rif is able to
intervene by challanging the Bear to a gesture combat battle. Rif is fairly inept in combat,
but succeeds in his actual goal of giving Sandy time to escape.
Rhene reaches home only to discover Sandy and Rif missing. A Ram informs her that he saw two Morphs matching Rif and Sandy's
descriptions traveling separately towards the northwestern Wild Lands. Also, a Ferret mentions an Otter was looking for Sandy.
A worried Rhene quickly packs and starts-off in the direction the Ram indicated.
Rif tries to find out why Sandy ran away, but with little success. Sandy does agree not to run-off again.
While showing Sandy how to open the sextant's box, Rif discovers that all the rough activity has revealed
a secret compartment containing a piece of paper. The paper has what appears to be a latitude and longitude,
and Rif thinks this will help find Sandy's home. With the assitance of Sandy, Rif uses the sextant
to determine they should travel north.
Rhehe runs into the Bear that Rif and Sandy previously encountered. The Bear immediately challenges Rhene
to fight. Rhene's unorthodox moves cause both her and the Bear to have a good giggle, and they call the battle
a draw. Over dinner Rhene tells her tale to Mama Bear, who insists that she accompany Rhene in the search
for Rif and Sandy.
Rif and Sandy travel for another day and run into a dead end: a cliff overlooking the Wild Lands. Rif wants to
backtrack, but Sandy objects. The two get into a shouting match. In a fit of anger Sandy throws Rif's prized
clock over the cliff. Rif successfully grabs the clock, but then notices he is in for a fall. Rif manages to grab
a branch of a tree and discovers a trail down to the valley. Although Sandy thinks about fleeing, his fears have
he instead climbs down to join Rif.
Some time later Rhene and Mama Bear arrive at the same cliff, but there is no sign of Rif and Sandy.
Rhene says they should head west. They don't get very far before Mama Bear discovers an Otter
following them — the same otter Rhene learned about in the Ferret village.
The otter, who calls himself Rufi, wants to know what became of the wolf-child.
Rhene and Mama Bear refuse to give him any information.
To force the otter to leave, Mama Bear challenges Rufi to gesture combat.
She wins easily,;but the otter, in a dishonorable act, attacks Mama Bear with thrown rocks
and knocks her unconscious. He grabs Rhene and drags her away.
After some misadventures with a rope, Rif and Sandy reach the base of the mountains and the Wild Lands.
Rufi decides to steal the raft of a passing Ram merchant. While waiting for the right moment,
the otter tries to glean information from Rhene without much success. The merchant wanders away, and Rufi tries to take the raft. He almost succeeds, but a now awake Mama Bear grabs the otter and tosses him into the river.
Mama bear asks the Ram for a lift down-river, and he agrees.
Rif and Sandy continue north. Sandy asks again why the Foxes live in the Ferret village.
Rif gives him an answer and also details how the clock came into his possession.
To pass time on the voyage down-river, Rhene tells her companions of the time she spent
as a "guest" of the Boars in Inherit the Earth: Quest for the Orb.
(Unbeknownst to her, Rhene played an significant part in Rif’s mostly successful completion
of his quest in the game.)
When the trio arrives at the river mouth, they are shocked by smoke rising from the village.
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