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"Brown Nose" Muse Brown Nose sat atop the canvas which hung over one of the food stalls. The human forest had many good scents that made his stomach make hunger noises. Some of the scents he knew, like the sweet nuts his human had given him, but most of the smells were very new. His human's new brothers didn't seem to remember that he needed to feed, too, so he now had to hunt for himself again. The human forest was very large, and very crowded. Hunting would not be easy. He started to climb stealthily down the wall of the building to take some food, when all of a sudden a giant beast swooped from the sky. Brown Nose tried to flatten himself against the wall and be unnoticed. Griffin! his mind screamed. Griffin! Predator! Griffin! Hide hide hide! But it didn't see him. It was too busy taking wood that grew on the human trees. Once it was gone, Brown Nose managed to think clearly again. Stupid griffin. Griffin not know griffins no eat plant food. Griffin not even know wood not good feed. Griffin stupid. Having reaffirmed mental superiority over the large predator, Brown Nose continued down the wall to forage. He picked up a large amount of tasty food from the still distracted humans. Nuts, berries, fruits. Human forests have much food. But the griffin was there too and that was not safe. He'd go back to where Allalale was and hide with her so the stupid griffin would not find him when it figured out wood is not food.
The human tree where Allalale now slept was smaller and close to the ground. It was really more a burrow in the roots of a human tree. Brown Nose climbed in through one of the holes located right above Bba's work place. Bba was still working on another big exploding acorn, Brown Nose noticed. He hoped it would not explode again. The exploding acorns did not smell nice at all, and were like fire. Allalale was sitting on her nest with thin wood in her hands and a black stick. Brown Nose hopped up onto her lap, wanting to play and tell her about the stupid griffin he scared off, but she pushed him off. "Blah blah, Brown Nose. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ." Brown Nose slunk away, very disappointed. He missed his brothers and sisters. They always had the time to play. He curled up in the corner of Bbe's nest to nap and think about his family. All of the clan was gathered in the bows of the Great Meet Tree. Brown Nose knelt before the Great Old Munk, Nugulu, or Red Claw. "On this day, we have all gathered here to witness a great event. A young munk of our forest is about to begin is journey into adulthood." There was a moment of proud silence before he continued. "Brown Nose, son of Oak Leaf and Fire Eyes, do you swear your first oath of loyalty to the Chip Munk Clan, under the watchful eyes of your family and the Crown of the World." "I swear it," Brown Nose said fiercely. "Very well. To prove your loyalty and honor, you shall leave this, your home forest, and roam the region for a year and a day. You must protect all creatures in need, no matter their species, and uphold the image of the Clan. You must not enter the territory of another clan, else you will no longer be of the Chip Munk Clan. Let the Four Winds be with you." Brown Nose bowed and glided away. Back at the Meet Tree, the ceremonies would continue for a long while more, but he could not be there. From that point, until a year and a day had passed, he was a traveling monk, isolated from his clan. Brown Nose woke when Bbe returned and was about to push him off the nest anyway. Seeing Allalale was no longer busy with the thin wood, Brown Nose moved to her lap. She dangled a piece of string for him to bat at. Yay! Play time. Bbe started talking about something to the other two humans, but Brown Nose paid no attention. He was protecting his humans, and that was all that mattered. That, and catching the string.
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