“Cousin! I’ve heard you finally retired from the service!” Muk said as he approached the river on the east side of Yellowrock. His estates and holding were arrayed along that section of the wall, and he’d been searching for the retired mouse all afternoon.

The old field mouse stood up at attention and rendered a crisp salute. Next to him an otter held both of their fishing poles. The otter sat down on a large branch, a short distance from the river.

“Sir,” he said, every ounce of him looking like a mouse ready for a campaign.

“Crenshaw, must you be so formal?” Muk said, saluting back.

Both the older mouse and the otter wore loose vests over very loose trousers. Next to the otter was a basket full of fish with two large swords in their sheathes stuck in the silty dirt.

“And who is your friend, Crenshaw?” Muk said.

“This here, he’s an old war buddy, name’s Stone,” Crenshaw said, relaxing.

“Pardon me, gov, I’d have stood up to salute but Crenshaw here had me holding these poles you see,” Stone said.

“It’s quite alright,” Muk said.

“And Stabitha and Slashley can’t fish on their own, you see.” The otter glanced at the two swords.

Muk pursed his lips trying to feel the meaning out.

“You named your swords Stabitha and Slashley?” Muk said, nonplussed. He placed his hands on his hips, knowing the answer already.

“Yes, gov, seeing as how I ain’t got no luck with them lady otters,” Stone said.

Crenshaw coughed to get their attention.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

“Yes, Stone never was the belle of the ball, unlike a certain someone I’ve heard you meeting with,” Crenshaw said looking back at Muk, “Despite having two… was it? Two wives?”

“Why Master Sergeant Chin-Hwa, you’re telling the old gov about his lady choices? It would’ve been nice for him to include us in his search for a lady,” Stone grinned, “And I do have two lovely wives although it’s a bit more complicated than that…”

“Stone, I told you, just please call me Crenshaw,” Crenshaw said, cutting him off, “And spare me the definition of polyamory for the thousandth time. I am certain that my cousin here is well aware of how the otters and beavers of the Riverfolk Company conduct their personal lives.”

“Yes, Master Sergeant.”

Muk smiled at their exchange.

“Well I just wanted to check in on my cousin, and see how his retirement is going. It seems like it’s going well,” Muk said.

“It’s terrible, it is,” Stone said, “ ‘e’s got no purpose and he feels adrift without no job, he does.”

Crenshaw shot daggers at the otter.

“Wot! You’ve been all listless all week, feelin’ like you should do something. Tell me I’m wrong, Master Sergeant,” Stone said.

Crenshaw sighed.

“You’ve been retired for a week, and you don’t know how to relax?” Muk asked.

Crenshaw grabbed one pole from Stone as the otter laughed, “You see, cousin, they tell you how to work, and how to eat and what to do, but at the end of it, you kinda miss the structure. Each morning I wake up thinking I’m missing out on giving the daily briefing to the Duke, and then I panic, and then I remember I’m retired now, and I feel a lot better. I still feel like I need something to do, but then I fish and Stone keeps me company.”

“He’s right good company, he is,” Stone said. “He’s been good luck fishing especially since he found this spot for us. I haven’t gone home hungry in a week.”

Stone patted his belly with one hand as his pole almost leapt away from him with the other.

“Well if you haven’t been working for a week, then I was going to ask about how the troops were doing out on the front,” Muk said. “I haven’t had a request for a convoy recently and I figured that I should be getting one soon, it’s about that time of the month.”

“Ah.” Crenshaw nibbled on a piece of grass he grabbed. “And it feels weird to you, asking Captain Bell, the new spider, for help? You should ask him for his insight, lad, that's why they put him there.”

Muk watched as Stone pulled in a fish. Stone whooped with delight.

“Well if you’re bored in retirement,” Muk said, “I may need a hand with something.”

Crenshaw's ears perked up as he smiled widely.