Urchin

Description
Urchin is a honey colored squirrel with red tipped ears and tail tip. He wears a squirrel hair bracelet from his mother, Almond.

Urchin of the Riding Stars

 * He is found on the shore of Mistmantle Isle as a baby by Crispin, Apple and Fir being picked up and dropped on the shore by a seagull after his mother Almond's death. Urchin is an unusual red squirrel because his fur is very pale with only a few areas of normal red coloring; the ears and tail-tip. His mother is nowhere to be found and he was fostered by Apple.


 * He is going to start work by working in the harbors unloading and loading trade ships. However, on a Night of Riding Stars, Captain Crispin, who is Urchin's hero, comes and invites him to come to the tower with him, Padra, and Brother Fir. Crispin and Fir tell Urchin the fact that it had been Crispin who had found him on the shore and not Apple, though she likes to believe so. Captain Crispin needed a page and wants Urchin to work at the tower instead of him working down at the jetty. Urchin is overjoyed and accepts. He reports to the tower the next morning only to find that Prince Tumble had been murdered during the night and through casting lots, Crispin is blamed and exiled for life.


 * Urchin then becomes Padra's page and learns his duties at the tower. On the night of Lord Husk and Lady Aspen's wedding when the Queen dies, he is sent to find Husk and secretly follows him to a cave that was previously used long ago by a mad king of Mistmantle to sacrifice animals in. Urchin is almost overcome by a sense of horror and evil and runs out off the tunnel and jumps from a window thinking he was on a lower floor and is knocked unconscious then taken by Padra to the mole palace where he later wakes up.


 * Husk becomes suspicious of Urchin and gives an orders his spy to kill him. Needle finds out and tells Padra, who asks Urchin to leave Mistmantle so he can be safe. Padra goes to find Lugg because he does not want to send Urchin away from Mistmantle alone. When Padra goes to find Lugg, Urchin asks Fir to push him off the beach so he goes alone. Urchin is then caught in a storm and is found by two otters who push him to Swan Isle where he finds Crispin. Urchin and Crispin fly beck to Mistmantle on swans after Crispin's wife, Whisper is killed by Gloss. Urchin helps to free the island from Husk, the true murderer, and becomes a companion to Captain Crispin- now declared King Crispin- alongside Neddle while continuing to be Padra's page.

Urchin and the Heartstone
 * He is captured against his will by animals from the island of Whitewings who were ordered to bring him to the Island by King Silverbirch, an insane hedgehog who wants Urchin to find him silver, where Urchin is then to be executed by the sorcerer Smokewreath at the first snowfall. Juniper, a young squirrel who he had just met on Mistmantle Isle, had followed him in the water, swimming beside their boat and stealing food and water from the stores. Urchin sees his hand and ignores it. When they reach the island, they are later smuggled into Urchin's cell. Juniper passes out and is cared for by Urchin until Cedar comes and secretly nurses him back to health.


 * Cedar then manages to smuggle Urchin out of his cell, along with Juniper, for short periods of time so he can meet Queen Larch, Flame and the Larchlings. Cedar also tells Urchin about his parents, Almond and Candle. On Whitewings Urchin is bullied by Granite, who was made a Lord by King Silverbirch.


 * Urchin escapes with the help of Commander Cedar, Larch, Flame and Juniper but alows himself to be captured again so they can get to Mistmantle. Just as Smokewreath is about to kill Urchin, there is an earthquake which knocks down the fortress and kills Silverbirch and his army. Larch allows Cedar to go to Mistmantle with Juniper, Lugg and Urchin. They arrive back on Mistmantle on the night of the Riding Stars to the delight of the animals back home. Urchin later tells Crispin, Padra and Fir about his parents. Crispin's coronation takes place on the island.


 * Cedar later marries Crispin and becomes Queen, and Juniper and Urchin also become best friends.

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