He would not let his thoughts cloud his vision. This was set to be his most dangerous mission yet: destroying Storm Zone. Without his sense of smell he would have to rely on his wits, his overwhelming autism, and, most importantly, his friends.
Bunsey shook his head and turned to his pals. Billy was watching anime on his wheel-chair’s blu-ray player. Bubbey was rearranging his stack of hats for the third time today. Ziggy was adjusting the sights on his sniper rifle. This was the elite hedgehog team, the best of the best.
They had been steeling their will for weeks to prepare for this mission. Just then, Berthedin the worm popped out of the ground, returning from his scouting assignment. He had valuable information on the area: Stormy Sacraer, Felix and their hoard were ready to defend. But he found the perfect spot to breach from. Berthedin exclaimed "follow me!"
Berthedin the Worm returns from a scouting assignment
Berthedin quickly dug a tunnel for the hedgehogs to travel through, and popped up right next to Storm Zone. Bunsey struck Berthedin with a quick pat on the back and tossed him some worm food. Bunsey immediately began setting up the camp with his autistic telepathy powers.
Berthedin's tunneling base
Above ground base
Beginning of supplies
While the hedgehogs quickly set up their camp, they were not met uncontested. Ziggy had been watching far off through his sniper scope and spotted the first threat: Felix had gotten his hands on a bow! Ziggy took a quick shot, knocking felix unconscious for the time being. "Heh, too easy" snickered Ziggy, sounding like Shadow the Hedgehog, but way cooler and more mysterious. But it was only a matter of time. Eventually Felix would figure out how to use the bow...
Felix, moments before getting ko'd for the first time
Bunsey quickly shared his siege plans he had created over the last 3 weeks.
The siege plans
For a while the siege had been nice and cozy. The hedgehogs huddled around a campfire discussing their plans for when they got in. "I'm gonna get all the hats!" shouted bubbey. "I will finally exact my revenge for Gerdgen" proclaimed Bunsey, with unwavering confidence. "With this victory I will finally win LadyGoo's heart back. We will be united again soon" promised Ziggy. "Ummm guys p-please don't say I'm here, it's past my bed-time and I was already up watching anime yesterday..." muttered Billy.
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Attempts to peacefully resolve the situation were made, but ultimately failed.
Peace talks that ultimately fell through
The siege had been going on for hours, but night had struck, and the hedgehogs drifted off to sleep. Stormy Sacraer saw his last chance! He immediately ran out to attempt destroying the siege camp. He was almost upon the siege camp when he was struck. Ziggy had been awake the whole time, and no-scoped him with his rifle! Sacraer ran haggardly back to his village, never to be seen again.
Hedgehogs get their beauty rest
Sacraer regretting his decision after losing half his health for nothing
With a rather un-eventful siege, the first layer of wall and claims fell. The hedgehogs grabbed their firewood and moved inside for the second siege.
---- Part Two ----
Second siege camp
Yet again, the walls were left undefended for many hours. The hedgehogs thought maybe the Stormers had given up. But suddenly a shadow appeared on the horizon. Felix had came back after getting KO'd! And he was actually carrying his bow with his hands! Unfortunately for him, when he tried to fire it, he fired it the wrong way, knocking himself unconscious for the second time. Maybe next time he would learn how to shoot a bow.
The hedgehogs gathered around for a story about Gerdgen, the one the siege was for. With a quick cough, Bunsey began reciting the tale of Gerdmas:
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The city had withdrawn into itself
And left at last the country to the country;
When between whirls of snow not come to lie
And whirls of foliage not yet laid, there drove
A stranger to our yard, who looked the city,
Yet did in country fashion in that there
He sat and waited till he drew us out
A-buttoning coats to ask him who he was.
He proved to be the city come again
To look for something it had left behind
And could not do without and keep its Gerdmas.
He asked if I would sell my Gerdmas trees;
My woods—the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Gerdmas Trees.
I doubt if I was tempted for a moment
To sell them off their feet to go in cars
And leave the slope behind the house all bare,
Where the sun shines now no warmer than the moon.
I’d hate to have them know it if I was.
Yet more I’d hate to hold my trees except
As others hold theirs or refuse for them,
Beyond the time of profitable growth,
The trial by market everything must come to.
I dallied so much with the thought of selling.
Then whether from mistaken courtesy
And fear of seeming short of speech, or whether
From hope of hearing good of what was mine,
I said, “There aren’t enough to be worth while.”
“I could soon tell how many they would cut,
You let me look them over.”
“You could look.
But don’t expect I’m going to let you have them.”
Pasture they spring in, some in clumps too close
That lop each other of boughs, but not a few
Quite solitary and having equal boughs
All round and round. The latter he nodded “Yes” to,
Or paused to say beneath some lovelier one,
With a buyer’s moderation, “That would do.”
I thought so too, but wasn’t there to say so.
We climbed the pasture on the south, crossed over,
And came down on the north.
He said, “A thousand.”
“A thousand Gerdmas trees!—at what apiece?”
He felt some need of softening that to me:
“A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars.”
Then I was certain I had never meant
To let him have them. Never show surprise!
But thirty dollars seemed so small beside
The extent of pasture I should strip, three cents
(For that was all they figured out apiece),
Three cents so small beside the dollar friends
I should be writing to within the hour
Would pay in cities for good trees like those,
Regular vestry-trees whole Sunday Schools
Could hang enough on to pick off enough.
A thousand Gerdmas trees I didn’t know I had!
Worth three cents more to give away than sell,
As may be shown by a simple calculation.
Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.
I can’t help wishing I could send you one,
In wishing you herewith a Merry Gerdmas.
With the story rounded up, the hedgehogs rounded up to enter the village. Felix had appeared again! The hedgehogs decided to KO him together and enter the village!
Felix ko'd for the third time
Merry Gerdmas!
