Book 1 Chapter 2: Riddles

"So much for that afternoon." we had been out for hours, looking at some incredibly rare plant with some crazy unpronounceable name. I had to admit, it was kind of cool, but considering that now I had homework and it was pouring rain, I think my misery was justified.
" Now, your riddle for the week is:

All Kings need me,
All beggars have me,
Yet if you eat me you will die.
Who am I?

Think you can get it?" he asked, for once looking interested in what I thought. I didn't answer for awhile. I was determined to get this answer right.
Kings don't need anything... Except power, maybe? But a beggar doesn't have power... A beggar doesn't have anything...They have nothing... does a king need nothing...? Of course! Nothing! That's the answer! Kings don't need anything, Beggars don't have anything, and if you don't eat anything, you'll die!
"I have it! Nothing is the answer!"
"Very good!" George seemed happy. Not that that was anything new.. "That must be a new record!" he said, looking at me half in respect and half in plain astonishment as it dawned on him that I had been right. I still was surprised myself.
"Well, it was easier than normal..." I said, trying to hide my pride. "Yes, I suppose so... Anyways,..." I tuned him out and went back to staring at the plant. It really was a new record. Normally it took me days to figure a riddle like that out. And best of all, I had earned the right not to have homework and go home.

Book 1 Chapter 1: George

I scurried along the path, panting with excitement. Not even the gathering stormclouds could darken my mood, for today was the first day of vacation. No more homework, no more teasing, no more fetching this and that and whatever else you want, sir. I jumped right over the exit bridge were it was tied to the main path, dodging the scattered lumps and thorns.
Before I continue, let me just say that I live in a tree. Not only that, but the biggest tree anyone, even a human, has ever seen. The branches could get to almost a foot thick, and some people say it is as old as the earth itself. There are thorny bushes and vines near the base of the tree, making exiting difficult, but we mice hang ladders from the low hanging branches to leave by.
Anyways, the whole tree was full of these obstacles, but my parents just had to pick the house that had the thorniest paths, and the most rotten branches. There were even places where the path had huge gaps in it, as if my parents were trying to kill me.
To a human, one of the holes was only a small hazard, especially since they couldn't fit through one. To me, being not only a mouse, but one of the tiniest mice anyone has ever seen, they were much more of a hazard.
However, I made it to my house without falling, only to find George waiting for me. I sighed sadly. "Hello, George." I was thinking, What impossible tasks have you set for me today, O bane of my life. But I said nothing. I should probably tell you that George was a wizard. Some image of an old guy with a beard, long robes and a wand just popped into your head, right? Well, too bad. You're wrong.
George actually looks a lot like me, only bigger and with darker fur. Most of us mice look the same though. In fact, looking at him you would have guessed that he was just an ordinary mouse. But no, the only magic George had was to darken my mood with his maddeningly constant cheerfulness. An invisible stormcloud bigger than the ones outside seemed to follow him. He always brought homework and chores and who knows what else. To us mice, magic is fantasy. Nonexistent. A myth. Our wizards are your equivalent of mad scientists, weird laugh and everything.
"Hello. Nice day, isn't it?" he asked without noticing the slight drizzle that had started. "Only if you like hurricanes..." I muttered under my breath at him. "What?" He said putting a hand to his ear. "I said yes!" I yelled back at him.
"I was wondering if you could help me with something..." he said in his annoyingly cheerful voice.

The drizzle was getting worse.