Ancell's Quest (ePub)

To his dismay, Ancell, a timid hedgehog, is called in his dreams to rescue the kidnapped orphan children enslaved by merciless pirates, a task for which he is ill-fitted and fears but knows in his heart he must undertake. In search of the pirates' lair he sails with the all-knowing sea otter captain of the schooner 'Misty Dawn' who seemingly has been waiting for him. The voyage is hard, but at every adversity the motley, often bickering, sometimes comical animal crew have faith in their skipper and the charismatic red squirrel, the ship's first mate, loved by the captain as a son. But fearing for his life, Ancell demands they turn back and causes the ship to pick up a treacherous grey squirrel and subsequently the most loved member of the crew to sacrifice his life to save the storm crippled ship. Shaken by the part his faint-heartedness unwittingly played in the tragedy, Ancell promises the distraught captain he will never again waver from his task.Beached and starving on a deserted shore of Australia, the sailors are befriended by a peace-loving but valiant estuarine crocodile and an aborigine boy whose sacred land the pirates have defiled by camping on it. Attempting to rescue the children the animals are captured but risk a daring escape through the leaping flames of a land set ablaze. But if the children and his shipmates are to reach the safety of 'Misty Dawn' Ancell must fulfil his promise to the captain and summon the courage to turn back to face the pursuing pirates alone . . . An uplifting fantasy tale for 9 - 12 years old children of a very ordinary hedgehog who triumphantly overcomes his fears and redeems his failings to achieve what was asked of him.