The Rifts of Rime

Quickened Chronicles

THE RIFTS OF RIME

by Steven L. Peck

The fate of the forest lies in the paws of a poet.

At the last quickening the Wealdend is named the the species of the new quickening. The species included the gray squirrels, the wolf sisters, the marmots, the ants and the Keppla – the Folk. But time has passed and evil has entered the choosen.

Tonish, the Thane is the leader of the gray squirrel army. Tanki is aiding Tonish in his plans against the Foreteller and the Saffre. But to accomplish his goal to obtain power he must make a deal with the unquickened wolves and break the covenant given to the Quickened by the Wealdend.

Pinecone, a Keppla, has been having dreams – dreams that he is to do something but he is unsure what. Leafe, Pinecone's best friend is chief papermaker, but the treachery of the Gray is threatening their existence and their way of life. When Leafe refuses to turn over her duties a gray named Zanch tells her she has no choice and that many feel that the Folk should be no more. The Gray army is set to move against the Keppla whom they believe are an abomination created on the day of the quickening. But Zanch disagrees with the Thane's plans and motives and offers the papermakers a way of escape.

Fernfron senses that something is wrong, someone is changing the words given by the Wealdend. New scrolls have been delivered to every grove and subtle changes have been made, a word added or removed is changing the tone of the message and the role of the Quickened species. And most disturbing the High-Female of the Folk has had her skinfolds surgically removed, the skin folds given to the Keppla on the day of quickening by the Wealdend. Fernfron wants Pinecone to hide the only original scroll still in existence so that the Thane and the High-Female will be unable to find it and destroy it.

Pinecone goes to the wolf sisters so that he might hide the scroll. During his weeks with the sisters Pinecone decides to study the ants and learn to communicate with them. During a dream the Wealdend seem to be telling him the reason no other quickened species has spoken with the ants is because they have not taken the time to see each other.

Zanch is training the Folk in the art of war when word reaches them that the Thane is to be named Foreteller and the Tail is missing. Zanch is disturbed by these events and the fact that the Sisters are missing as are the Saffre.

When Pinecone returns to the forest he is captured by a Gray. All too soon Pinecone sees the treachery and hate that has invaded his home as his life is all too soon at the point of a spear. Pinecone's scarred rescuer is Klish the missing Tail from the front. Klish comes up with a plan to stop the Thane from usurping the position of Foretold a plan that depends on Pinecone, but can Pinecone overcome his fear and do what needs to be done even if it costs him his life?

The Spring Festival only days away is the last chance for the Quickened to remain free of the Thane's evil plan to break and destroy them. But who will live long enough to bring the truth to light? Who can be trusted to make sure that the Quickened are given the opportunity to decide for themselves who is the threat?

The Rifts of Rime is an exciting story that is sure to delight middle grade readers and fantasy lovers of ALL ages. For fans of the Redwall Series, the Overton Adventures, or the Singreal Chronicles this is just what you are looking for!

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