Chapter 1
Masque was an otter. He spoke like an otter; he ate like an otter, and
he swam like an otter. He was a woodlander, a hater of foxes, ferrets,
rats, and other vermin. There was no way he would turn against his
holt.
And yet he knew not his own blood. His family had been unknown to him for as long as he could remember. He lived with the otters of Camp Willow. They were a fine bunch, and never thought it hard to help other beasts. The never spoke about Masque's black fur, or his strange name. They told him his family had been killed by the INSU Vermin. The INSU were as evil as Camp Willow was good. They were, in fact, mortal enemies.
As otters often do, Masque was swimming, completely enjoying himself. He and his friends were playing a game. They were seeing who could stay underwater the longest. Folrig almost always won, but it was challenging, and that was what Masque liked. He had been under water for what felt like his longest time ever. When at last he came up for air, he sniffed cautiously. Something was not right. Then disaster struck. A galleon of searats came around a bend, and, before the young otters knew what was going on, they were captured. The camp came out to fight, but the searats fought them off with long tridents. Trident-rats, thought Masque. It must be the INSU.
Now he had an even better reason to hate them.