### Act 1, Scene 4: The Scouts

- Setting: Inside the forest, during the day. There is a large rock with a cave exit second level [7]. The smoking ruins of a log cabin are visible near [1]. There is a huge tree trunk in the middle near [4], the crown of the tree is not visible. There are vines hanging from above, suggesting a very thick vegetation. You can hear the sound of a river flowing nearby.
- Stage setup:
- 2nd Rail: Cave [7], Tree trunk [4], burned hut [1-2]
- Frontprop: burned hut [1-2]
- Props: Poster "50ft woman" (Furvan), human artifacts (Furvan), knife (Reesa), sword (Jyanon), pendant (Liam), tree of wisdom sign (Furvan)
- PreRec:
- Microphones: Bodypack '4' Jyanon → Zefiro

Character | Actor / Hands (Voice) | Puppet | Clothing | Accessoires
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Frostwind | Pan / Liam | Aurelia |  |
Riversong | Eisfuchs / Tigerseye | Riversong |  |
Bottlebrush | Lynard / Kayjay | Bottlebrush |  |
Longleaf | Curry / Jyanon | Hase |  | sword
Bitternut | Zefiro / Reesa | Coon? | scarved | knife

INTRO

Fireheart enters the room in which a very young Frostwind is fast asleep.

Door opening. Footsteps.

Fireheart shakes Frostwind gently. In the following conversation, they speak very softly. Not quite whispering, but very softly. Just how you speak in the middle of the night when you don't want to alert anybody else around. Frostwind is very tired. Fireheart tries to be as friendly and gentle as he can to not upset his daughter, but he has very bad news, and is quite worried.

Frostwind snores

Fireheart (softly): "Frosty! Hey, Frostwind. Wake up, my little one!"

Frostwind (sleepy): "*yawns* But I don't want to wake up. It's still dark outside."

Fireheart: "I know, but daddy needs to tell you something very important."

Frostwind (sleepy, worried): "What is it? Did something happen?"

Fireheart: "Yes, my dear. Daddy has to leave. And I'm afraid I won't be back for a long time."

Frostwind (sleepy): "You mean, like, for a week?"

Fireheart: "No."

Frostwind (slightly frightened): "A month?"

Fireheart: "No."

Frostwind (moderately frightened): "A … year?"

Fireheart sighs

Frostwind (profoundly frightened): "More than a year? Why? Is it because of me? I always kept my secret, I never told anyone, I swear!"

Fireheart: "No, Frostwind, it's not because of you. Not at all. It's because I've been doing a good job. The high overseer has asked me to become a head researcher at the stronghold."

Frostwind: "Inside the holy mountain? Wow! That's awesome! I want to know all about it! You have to write me a letter every day!"

Fireheart (serious): "*sigh* I wish I could. But I can't. The keepers would read them. And then bad things would happen."

Frostwind: "How bad?"

Fireheart: "Do you remember our little secret? It's not a game any more. I know I never told you this, but … If anyone finds out who you really are, the Keepers will kill you. And mother. And possibly me, too."

Frostwind (crying, panicking): "What? No! Please don't leave! You must stay here and protect us, pleaaasse don't go!"

Frostwind sobs

Fireheart (comforting): "Don't be afraid little one. You're a strong girl, and I know you can keep a secret. And maybe I won't be able to write you, but mother is still one of the best tailors in town. I can still send you clothes to repair, and who knows, maybe I'll forget … things .. in my pockets."

Frostwind (no longer crying): "Like … sweets?"

Fireheart chuckles

Fireheart: "Yes. How did you know? But don't eat them all at once. I want you to eat one every week. Not more, not less. Exactly one. And no other sweets. Just those I send you. Do you understand?"

Frostwind: "Yes. But why?"

Fireheart: "Because … well … because … sweets are bad for your teeth."

Frostwind: "Okay."

Fireheart: "And there's another thing. I want to give you something before I leave. Here."

Frostwind: "Wow! Thank you dad, this is beautiful!"

Fireheart: "I want you to wear this pendant all the time. Whatever happens, never take it off."

Frostwind: "Not even when I'm taking a bath?"

Fireheart: "Not even then. Cherish it like life itself, because one day, it might save yours."

Frostwind: "How so?"

Fireheart: "You will have to trust me on this. One day, you will understand all this. But for now, the less you know, the better. I promise, I will be watching over you from the holy mountain. And I have a dream that one day all this won't be necessary any more. Who knows. Maybe that dream will come true, and we'll see each other again. Now come here, and give daddy a hug. It's time to say goodbye."

They hug

Frostwind (crying, softly): "I love you, dad. Please don't go."

Fireheart (choking, trying not to cry): "I love you too. But I have to go. Farewell my little one."

Fireheart kisses Frostwind on the nose

Fireheart: "Farewell."

MAIN DIALOGUE

Curtain - open

Lights on

AMB 0401 - Forest

Frostwind (off): "I see daylight! Finally! I'll race you!"

SND 0401 - Racing Footsteps

Riversong (off): "HEY! Be careful!"

Frostwind comes running out of the cave exit at [7]

Frostwind stops, and breathes heavily, coughing

Frostwind (our of breath): "*gasp* Damn … just a few years ago, I used to outrun the fastest boys of the town. Now look at me."

Riversong walks out of the cave exit

Riversong: "I think you're doing pretty well!"

Frostwind: "Fiddlesticks! I'm getting worse every day and you know it."

Riversong: "And still you keep going. You have a strong will to live!"

Frostwind: "It's really just a strong will to get out of dark, gloomy caves fast."

Riversong (laughing): "Don't you belittle my caves! It's a treasure house of useful herbs and mushrooms!"

Frostwind: "So, your mysterious friend … is he a healer, too?"

Riversong: "Yes and no. He's more of a … substance researcher."

Frostwind: "Like, cave mushrooms?"

Riversong: "Oh, you gotta be careful with those. Too much of them, and they'll cause total loss of all basic motor functions. The mind recoils in horror, unable to communicate with the body. You can actually watch yourself behaving in terrible, terrible ways, but you can't control it. Nasty stuff!"

Frostwind: "Wait! *sniff* *sniff* Do you smell that too?"

AMB 0402 - Fire overlay

Riversong: "Smoke! By the gods!"

Riversong runs towards the ruins, Frostwind follows.

Riversong (agitated): "NO! The cabin! Burned to the ground!"

Frostwind: "Is this where he used to live?"

Riversong (agitated): "Yes! Poor Bottlebrush!"

Frostwind (flabbergasted): "Bottlebrush?"

Riversong (agitated): "Yes! This was his home, and now it's all gone!"

Frostwind (amused): "His name is … Bottlebrush?"

Riversong (agitated): "Yes, for the mountain's sake, it is."

Frostwind (amused): "Well, that explains why he's hiding."

Riversong (angry): "Yes, and now he's possibly dead, what a great opportunity to make some more fun of him!"

Frostwind: "I'm sorry."

Riversong: "I want to know what happened. Maybe we can find something in the ashes."

Riversong and Frostwind "enter" the hut, and start poking around in the ashes.

Frostwind: "Whoever did this was very thorough. There's almost nothing left."

Riversong: "Yes. And I smell oil. It's all over the place. This was not an accident. Have you found … a body?"

Frostwind: "No, nothing."

Riversong walks around the ruins, and sits down in front of them.

Riversong: "Then let's cross our claws that he managed to get away."

Frostwind: "I guess that means our stay has been canceled."

Frostwind keeps looking around in the debris

Riversong: "Yes. We're stuck. Dear gods."

Give Attack of the 50 ft woman sign to Frostwind

Frostwind: "Oh, look what I found!"

Riversong: "What is it?"

Frostwind holds up a burnt up piece of wood with a piece of an old movie poster on it. "ATTACK OF THE 50ft WOMAN".

Frostwind walks up to Riversong and show it to him.

Frostwind: "It's a strange drawing showing some strange … creature."

Riversong: "Oh! Yeah, that's typical for old Brushie. The strange creature is called a "human". Brushie's home used to be full of stuff like that."

Frostwind: "A human! My mom used to tell me fairy tales about them. When I was little, I really believed they existed!"

Frostwind and Riversong resume digging through the stuff while talking, holding up pieces of human artifacts once in a while

Riversong: "Brushie was totally obsessed with humans. He spent his whole life digging through the old ruins, looking for artifacts. The Keepers have declared the ruins a holy site, but that never concerned him. He ended up with quite a collection - tools, statues, art, and lots of mysterious things."

Frostwind: "He reminds me a lot of my father. I was too young to really understand what he was doing, but I think he was also searching for something. He would often disappear into the forest for hours, and return with boxes full of strange things …"

Riversong: "How did he manage to get around the keepers?"

Frostwind: "He … he is one of them."

Riversong: "WHAT?"

Frostwind: "Yes. I am the daughter of Silverstreak the Dressmaker and Brother Fireheart of Pinecrest, former High Overseer of Coldlake. A bastard. Half Keeper, half mundane."

Riversong: "Wow. Your mother broke a Keeper's bloodline? She could as well have set the temple on fire."

Frostwind: "Of course they never told anyone about it. Officially I'm an orphan. As long as father was still living in Coldlake, he would often come to our house, pretending to do business with my mom. When he was ordered back to the holy mountain one day, he promised to do everything he could to protect us, but we knew we'd most likely never see him again."

Give tree of knowledge sign to Riversong

Riversong picks up the tree of knowledge sign from the floor

Riversong: "I think I've found something. Frostwind, show me your pendant again, please."

Frostwind shows him the pendant

Frostwind: "Here! Why?"

Riversong: "I knew I had seen it before! This little sign here used to hang above the door. Maybe it's like a secret guild symbol, and your father wanted you to seek out others who wear this sign if you're in trouble?"

Frostwind: "Maybe … maybe not …"

SND 0402 - Leaves Rustling

Bitternut jumps into the scene from behind the tree. He's wrapped in a cloak like a ninja. He's wielding a small knife.

Bitternut (defiant): "Hmmmrmmmm! Hrrrm! Hmmm mmm mm mmm mm hrmmpfhmphmph!"

Frostwind shrieks and hides behind Riversong

Riversong: "Who are you? What do you want?"

Bitternut (defiant): "Hmmmrmmmm! Hrrrm! Hmmm mmm mm mmm mm hrmmpfhmphmph!"

Riversong: "Eh, sorry, but eh … I don't understand you …"

Bitternut jumps up and down, as if trying to make an argument.

Bitternut (angry): "Hrmrmrmtmmtmtmmtmtmmm!"

Frostwind relaxes and steps forward again

Frostwind: "Awww! Isn't he adorable? Look at that little itsy-bitsy knife! Maybe he's lost, and wants to find back to his mommy?"

Longleaf enters from [1], carrying a HUGE sword. He is also completely cloaked.

SND 0403 - Draw Sword

Longleaf draws his sword and pokes Frostwind in the back with the tip

Frostwind: "Eeeeks!"

Longleaf: "I don't think so. You have something that we want. Give it to me."

Bitternut: "Hmmhmmhmmhmmhmm hmmhmm hmm!"

Longleaf: "I know that's what you said, and if you weren't too stupid to wear your mask properly, maybe they could even understand you."

Bitternut pouts, turning away, throwing down his knife.

Bitternut: "Hrrrrrmph!"

Longleaf: "Now, milady, show me your necklace."

Frostwind turns around slowly, holding out the necklace

Frostwind "Here … take it …. "

Longleaf takes a look at it.

Longleaf: "You are carrying the sign. But that alone is not enough. You said your father, Brother Fireheart of Pinecrest, gave this to you. Prove it. Light so Bright, Light so Pure. Now you."

Frostwind: "What?"

Riversong: "It's a code!"

Frostwind: "No, that's not a code. It's a song that mother taught me. Light so Bright, Light so Pure. Keepers of the Light, Answer me True!"

Bottlebrush jumps out from behind a tree, interrupting Frostwind.

!!! Bottlebrush pushes Bitternut aside !!!

Bottlebrush: "Thank you, but I think I've heard enough."

Riversong: "Bottlebrush! You're alive!"

Bottlebrush: "Of course I am. Please welcome our friends: Frostwind of Coldlake, and Riversong of Ferndale."

Longleaf takes off his hood, and bows before Frostwind.

Longleaf: "May I introduce myself? I am Longleaf of Camp Freedom. I'm sorry I had to scare you like that, but we had to make sure you are who you say you are."

Bitternut takes off his hood, gasping and coughing.

Bitternut: "*HACK* *COUGH* Damn the gods, I thought this thing would suffocate me! Hi, I'm Bitternut! Nice to meet you!"

Riversong: "Brushie, old chap, what on earth happened to your house?"

Bottlebrush: "Burned down by the Keepers. They've been very active lately, combing through the woods, sending new overseers to all the villages, burning witches at the stake. But I got a warning from our scouts and got away in time."

Frostwind: "Your scouts?"

Bottlebrush: "Your father didn't tell you what the symbol means, right? It's the tree of knowledge. The secret sign of the Rebel Underground. The Keepers' reign is a tyranny, and someone needs to stop them. That someone … is us! Your father has been one of our biggest supporters. All in secrecy, of course. That makes you, my lady, a very welcome guest."

Riversong: "You never told me!"

Bottlebrush: "You didn't have to know. But it's getting dark and I'm sure you both need a good meal and a warm place to sleep. Please follow me, I will lead you the way to Camp Freedom."

Frostwind: "Is that like, your secret base?"

Bottlebrush: "Much more than that, my dear. Much more. Once we're there, I promise you two will have a lot of catching up to do."

They leave towards [1]

Lights out

Curtain - close