Information

Cortland
Legacy Name: Cortland

The Chibi Terracoon
Owner: Perks

Age: 12 years, 11 months, 4 weeks

Born: May 9th, 2011

Adopted: 12 years, 11 months, 4 weeks ago

Adopted: May 9th, 2011

Nominate Pet for Spotlight

Statistics

• Level: 7
   
• Strength: 21
   
• Defense: 10
   
• Speed: 10
   
• Health: 12
   
• HP: 12/12
   
• Intelligence: 1
   
• Books Read: 1
• Food Eaten: 0
• Job: Unemployed

The sun was just setting over the horizon and the sky was painted in vibrant pinks and oranges. "Cortland! Get your little hiney in this house right now!" The angry female voice echoed throughout the apple orchard. A book fell from a tree in the distance with a thud. From the branches a young boy swung upside down from a branch before dropping down and landing on his feet. Cortland's brown eyes,half squinted against the setting sun, scouted the orchard. "Coming mom!" He yelled back in an apologetic tone, before scooping his book up from the ground and tucked it under his arm as he dashed back towards his house. This bare feet plodded the dirt path and his dirty blonde hair danced wildly in the wind. Cortland came to a skidding stop just in time to avoid crashing through the gate. He opened it and ran through letting it slam behind him and he bee lined right into the house. His mother and father were waiting to scold him about neglecting his chores for the day. He was told he had to do his chores the following day or all his books would get taken away and he would have to stay in his room.Cortland pouted and huffed the rest of the night.

The next morning, Cortland's mother woke him and set him to work on his chores. Cortland did as he was told until lunch time. His last chore for the day was to gather some apples for the fruit stand his father ran on Sunday mornings. This chore didn't bother him too much because it meant he was spending time in the orchard his favorite place in the whole world. Cortland grabbed the tin bucket he was to put the apples in and his favorite book before he took off to the orchard. Waiting just in side the gate was the step ladder he would need to get apples from the trees. Cortland set down his book and the bucket and got to work. He worked for what felt like hours sorting through the trees trying to find apples that were just right to be sold at the stand. Cortland found himself getting tired and decided he deserved a break for doing his chores and working hard.

Stepping down off the ladder, Cortland grabbed his book and opened it as he slid down the trunk of one of the trees and started reading. He had only read a few pages before he found his eye lids were heavy and he was struggling to keep them open. "'Ill just close them for a few minutes and get back to reading", he told himself out loud. It wasn't long before soft snores could be heard.

Thump. "OW!" Cortland jolted awake suddenly and rubbed his head. Looking beside him he saw an apple had fallen on his head and rolled a bit away. He rolled over to try and reach it but before he could a strange creature landed on the ground next to it and snatched it up. It looked like a llama but had a big bushy tail like a squirrel. Cortland jumped up and hid behind the tree. Looking around cautiously he noticed he was in an orchard, but not his. The trees were all twisted and crooked reaching into the sky. His eyes went wide with confusion and fear. "Where am I?" He wondered out loud. He turned and put his back against the tree.,p>"The is the Land of Macintosh" the voice was speedy and high pitched. The creature peered around the tree at Cortland which startled him causing him to trip over his own feet and topple over as he tried to put some distance between it. "You...you can talk?!" Cortland stammered over the words. He wasn't sure if he should be afraid or amazed by the creatures ability to speak. "Of course I can. Everyone in Macintosh can speak! My name is Pippin. What's yours?" Pippin tilted his head to one side, much like a dog does. "I...I am Cortland the Magical of The Orchard" he placed his hands on his hips in a heroic pose, hoping to seem convincing, "I posses amazing powers. So don't scare me again or I might just have to use them on you!" for added effect Cortland thrust his hand outward towards Pippin, who in turn took a few steps back, just to be safe. A satisfied grin crossed Cortland's face, which faded as quickly as it came, "Magical eh? Well maybe you can help us!", Pippin stepped forward again, "We have kind of a problem. There is the group of rouges that always come into our orchard and take whatever they please. We have tried everything to stop them but nothing we do seems to work." Pippin hung his head down and kicked a small rock to the side. Cortland just stood motionless watching Pippin. His thoughts were racing, what had he gotten himself into? How did he get here?

"Sss-sure I guess I could help..." Cortland choked on the words as he glanced around nervously, breaking the heavy silence that had washed over the orchard. He forced a smile just as Pippin lifted his head and let out a sound of excitement that sounded much like squirrel chattering. Pippin, though only a short distance from him, pranced closer to and into a lap around Cortland, who couldn't help but laugh. Once he stopped his prancing, Pippin layed down in front of Cortland and motioned with his head, "Hop on, Ill take you to meet the others!". Hesitantly Cortland swung one of his legs over Pippin and cautiously lowered himself down as he grabbed a hold of two tufts of Pippins fur.

Pippin stood and walked down the row of trees until he reached two trees whose upper branches intertwined into an archway, looking through it it just looked like a regular orchard. Cortland's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped as they pass under it out of the orchard into a beautiful landscape of blossoming trees and a flowing stream. It looked like a whole town. Cortland looked around in awe trying to work out how a place like it could be in the middle of an apple orchard. Pippin continued through the town, "Welcome to the Macintosh district known as The Grove" Pippin stopped walking and allowed Cortland to dismount. Cortland noticed a fountain that had apple juice flowing through it and took a few steps towards it. Pippin noticed, "Go ahead, take a taste!" He chattered again.

Cortland looked back over his shoulder at Pippin before getting closer to the fountain. He cupped his hands and dipped them in letting the golden liquid pool before quickly bringing them to his face. He slurped loudly causing Pippin to chatter more. Cortland let out an exaggerated sigh of delite as the juice's flavor lingered in his mouth. "You were not kidding...this is the most amazing apple juice I have ever tasted!"

He reached in for more as Pippin approached him. "You can have more later, but now we must go gather the others and plan our actions." Pippin crouched again to allow Cortland to ride on his back. They wandered through the clearing and into another archway made of the trees, this one lead into a den like room where other creatures like Pippin sat around a stump table. A few other odd creatures were assembled too, Cortland couldn't begin to figure out what they resembled. As they entered the others were in heated conversation, which died down as Cortland's presence was acknowledged.

At the center of the group stood the head of the group, he looked like Pippin. "And who is this?!", the creatures voice was angry and rough. Cortland hopped off Pippins back and stood tall, "I am Cortland of The Orchards...I am here to solve your problems!" He puffed out his chest and screwed up his face in an attempt to seem bigger.

Pippin stepped forward and launched into the story about how Cortland appeared and claimed to have magic powers and that he would help them with their problem. The other creatures listened and nodded until Pippin was done talking. The head of the council crossed the room and bowed before Cortland, who was taken by surprise and bowed back. The others bowed their heads as well and motioned for them to join the circle and plan their actions.

After several hours and heated words later and a full description of the problem, everything was set. The creatures of the orchard decided to throw a preemptive feast. The clearing was transformed in record time and tables of delicious smelling foods and drinks were spread out. The mood changed and everyone was joyful. The feast was at its climax when they were all caught off guard. A swarm of shadowy figures burst through the archway and began tearing everything up. Food was being thrown around, fierce screams and growls echoed all around. Cortland stood rigid in fear watching the scene unfold before him. He saw one of the shadow creatures charging at him and he raised his hands to defend himself. A bolt of light shot from his hand and hit the creature sending it flying across the clearing and into a tree where it exploded. More of the creatures swarmed him. He could only see pitch black and he found himself struggling for breath. Cortland"s vision grew dim and he fainted. He felt like he was falling.

Cortland groaned and awoke. He found himself back in the orchard, his family orchard and the sun had already began to set. He jumped up and shooke off the sleepy feeling that still clung to him. He saw he still had one more basket to fill. He ran around the trees gathering apples as fast as he could. After he filled the last basket, he picked his book up off the ground, put it on top of a basket and dragged them back to the gate. Watching him from the distance from behind one of the trees was Pippin.

art by: orangecake

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