Please note that all verbal conversation is translated from German.
Rocking the Boat
Chapter 1

The year is 1994; just five years after the Wall fell. It is still in everyone's hearts. Including young Deyna Otter. Living in Cologne, he has had a hard time. His great aunt Lies lived in East Berlin and was now free. His family was free. And his best friend, Mikey, was finally able to be with his family. The future looked bright.

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The year is 2040, and the Earth is in a big mess. A war has broken out between the nations, with no quarter asked and no quarter given. Lying in a ditch, sewing a wound shut, is Deyto. A European river otter, 55 years old, and the very form of physical perfection. Gritting his teeth, he grunts as he pulls the stitching taught. He had been fighting since daybreak, if one could call it daybreak. The sun hadn't shown its face in nearly ten years. Standing up, he quickly checked for enemies. Seeing none, he hobbled in the direction of the barracks. "This has to stop. To many have died." Were his only thoughts. He knew he would have to do it.

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"We're moving!?"
"Deyna don't shout." Kirsten Otter said sternly as her nine year old pup gaped at her. "Your father has received a job offer in America. We will be moving in one year." She turned back the stew she was cooking. "Your father will be transferred there within a month to prepare everything for us."
"But, mama, I don't want to move! Everything is starting to turn back to normal now. Why do we have to rock the boat?"
Reaching for some spices, Kirsten sighed. "Deyna, this is an opportunity for your father. It is also an opportunity for you and me. Think, my darling, America. America is a place where dreams come true."
"And what about Wolfgang?"
"He has chosen to stay so he can finish university."
Deyna snarled. "Wolfgang gets to stay? And I have to go?"
Kirsten turned abruptly to face Deyna, wooden cooking spoon in paw. "Your brother is nineteen and able to make his own choices. You, on the other paw, are only a pup." She turned back to the stove. "Now go outside. It is a beautiful day and I don't want to hear any more complaining."
Growling quietly in his throat, Deyna left the kitchen. Slamming the front door shut, Deyna ran off to the woods.

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"Will this work, Mikhail?" Deyto asked as he suited up in an old body suit. As he wrapped a bandage around Deyto's paw, the rabbit frowned. He pulled the hood of his robe down, shook out his ears, knelt and sighed.
"Deyto, this is not an exact science. It's magick." Waddling around the floor, the rabbit drew a pentagram with Deyto's freshly shed blood. "I can't guarantee that you'll make the right timeline, and I can't guarantee that you'll even make it through the entire spell. I've never done a spell of this magnitude before." He stood up and walked to the small table in the corner. Picking up bowls of black ink, he turned to Deyto. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Securing the strap of his scabbard across his chest, Deyto stood silent. His jaw was clamped shut, and his eyes were closed. He was thinking so hard that Mikhail could hear the gears turning. Finally he opened his muzzle and said, "It has to be done. It's our final shot." Sheathing his sword and tightening his belt, Deyto looked into Mikhail's eyes. "What do I have to do?" 
Mikhail pointed at the pentagram. "Stand in the middle and stay absolutely still. If you move an inch during the incantation, you could end up in the Xing dynasty."
Kneeling down, the mage started to draw intricate runes, all the while chanting in a low voice. "Narx liu krisdan, jur joag lix. Hix beelan dexmayl yaihub." He continued in whatever ancient tongue he spoke, and drew several more intricate runes. Then he stood up straight and pulled his hood back over his head, leaving only his white muzzle and pink nose sticking out. 
Clasping his paws together in an odd position (which, Deyto learned later, was called a seal) and started to speak in a loud clear voice:
<i>"Forces of nature so pure and kind.
Aid this warrior of pure heart and mind.
To fix the past and mend the present
From misfortunes so unpleasant.
By the will of God, the immortal sire,
Send this warrior through your holy fire!"</i>
And with that, Mikhail's eyes started to glow red. His paws seemed to glow with his spiritual energy. Then a sharp pain hit Deyto in his stomach. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain. The pentagram illuminated itself and Deyto could hear the voices of spirits. The very air around him stank of brimstone and pumice. One final look to Mikhail confirmed his worst fear. The spell was flawed. Mikhail's lips were moving, but nothing could be heard over the roar of wind and spirits singing to him. Deyto tried to move but his body wouldn't respond. The pain was increasing. Tears sprung from Deyto's eyes as he opened his muzzle and screamed. His fur, no his whole body, felt as though it were being tempered in fire. The world started to haze in front of his eyes, and then went dark.
With a loud crack and a resounding pop, the portal closed. Mikhail stared at the floor and felt tears well up in his eyes. The only warrior who could save them was gone, along with the hope that he had put in everyone's heart.

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Deyna sat on a rock staring at a large lake. America. The word seemed so vile to him. It meant change. It meant that he would now be beat up in another country just for being German. He felt so alone. Pulling his knees to his chin, he thought deeply. Perhaps America wouldn't be too bad. It was much bigger than Germany. Less mountains but still very beautiful. Or so it looked in his magazines.
The wind started to pick up. Deyna looked around. <i>Strange</i>, he thought, <i>the trees aren't moving</i>. He rose and looked around again. "The wind, it isn't natural." he said out loud. The wind grew stronger and nearly blew the pup off the ground. "What's happening?" he yelled. Then there was a loud crack and resounding pop. He looked up and there, hanging in the air, was a full-grown male otter. He was surrounded by a strange glow, like that of an angel. Or perhaps a demon. His whole body seemed to be writhing in pain. His mouth was wide open but no sound came out. Finally the wind stopped and the male's voice returned, screaming in pain. He fell into the lake with a splash.
Deyna stood there, confused and amazed. Then he realized that the male was not coming up. Shedding his shoes and shirt, he jumped into the water. Spreading his fingers and toes to extend his webbing, he kicked and paddled furiously. The male was almost at the bottom of the lake. Deyna could see him, and he didn't look awake. He grabbed his wrist and pulled furiously. It was no use, he was too heavy. With nimble fingers Deyna removed the clothing from the male, making him lighter. Then he noticed the sword. A sword, Deyna thought, why would- no time for that. With all his might, Deyna pried the sword out of 
the scabbard and tossed it to the bottom. Again he grabbed the male's wrist and pulled. With only some slight trouble Deyna, was able to pull him to the surface.
Dragging the male to the bank, the pup checked for a pulse. Feeling none, he slapped the male on the chest with all his strength. The male stirred a bit and Deyna hit again, even harder. The male sputtered and threw up all the water he had swallowed. Deyna pulled him into an upright position and slapped the male's back to make sure all the water got out.
"Sir! Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
"If you keep smacking me, then yes I will be." The male responded. He leaned forward and took deep breaths. He looked at his body and coughed. "Where are my clothes? And my blade."
Deyna pointed to the lake. "You were too heavy to carry to the surface so I had to dump your clothes and the sword." Deyna stood and walked to the lake. "I can retrieve them if you want." 
The male smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you." 
And, with such grace of a born athlete, Deyna jumped into the water.

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Deyto sat on the bank, his mind racing. What happened? His mind was a blur. He closed his eyes and thought hard. <i>I am Deyto the Warrior. I am fifty-five years old. I am a member of the Germanic Resistance. But why does it feel like I'm missing something?</i>
His attention was drawn back to the otter pup that had just popped out of the lake with several articles of clothing and a sword. "These are yours, correct?" Deyto nodded and held out his hands. "Give them to me, please." He stood and placed them over a tree branch. "So tell me, pup. What is the date?"
The pup sat and dried in the sunlight. "It's July third."
"What year?"
At this the pup looked at Deyto. "I beg your pardon?"
"The year."
"1994."
With that, Deyto's memory flew back. He was from the year 2040. Mikhail had cast a spell that would send him back in time twenty-six years. He was going to prevent the war that was going to happen. The war that would claim the lives of billions. But he had gone back too far. He had gone back more than forty-five years.
The pup picked up the sword and swung it. "Why do you use a sword in this day and age? Why not a gun? Or that new thing on the market... a tazer I think it's called." 
Deyto grabbed the sword and placed it back in its scabbard. "Where I come from those things don't exist." 
The pup lay back, absorbing the sunlight. "Oh? Where are you from? A former part of the U.S.S.R? Or are you from one of those Middle Eastern countries?"
"I'm not from around here." He sat down on a rock in front of the pup. "I'm from the future."
The pup stared at him. Then he fell backwards laughing.

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Deyna had never heard anything so funny. A fur from the future. "So you're from the far future? Where strange little hairless primate creatures rule the Earth? You must be pulling my tail!" The male clasped his paws together and clenched his jaw.
"If the year is 1994, then that means in twenty years, the Iraqis will develop an electro-magnetic bomb and every major city will be bombed. All electronics will be destroyed. Electricity will fail to work. Then, three years after that, the Russian army will set fire to the oil refineries around the world. And then, less than four months after that, the Chinese will destroy every piece of artillery and burn all the factories in the world. And then, in the year 2020, a renegade group of Satanists will assassinate the Pope of the Catholic Church, the Dalai Lama and the very president of the world." Tears started to stream from his eyes. "In the 
year 2030, a meteor will hit the Earth, landing in the middle of India, causing dirt and soot to block out the sun. All science that we know will be abandoned for magick, Wicca and voodoo. Three billion souls will be sent to the heavens. And in the year 2040," At this, he stood and walked to a large tree. "The last warrior of the German Resistance will be sent back in time to stop these events with all he can. He will find that the spell that was cast will fail, sending him too far back and he will be too old to stop the chain of events when they occur." He punched the tree, creating a large dent in the wood and caused blood to stain the bandages around his paw. He turned to Deyna, with tears pouring from his eyes. "Do I look like I'm 'pulling your tail?'"
Deyna fell silent. Such pain and anguish. He could feel the male's sadness. He stood and walked towards him slowly. "If this is true, can you fix it? Can you cast another spell to send you forward in time?" 
The male sat on the ground and held his bleeding paw. "I didn't cast the spell. My friend did. I'm stuck here." He looked into Deyna's green eyes with his own. "The world is doomed."
Neither said anything for several beats. Both sat silent, staring at the tranquil lake. Finally Deyna said, "What is your name?"
The male turned to Deyna and smiled. "I am called Deyto. What is your name young pup?"
"Deyna Otter."

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Deyto's  expression changed from warm friendliness to surprise. "Deyna Otter. Is your middle name Tibberius, with two 'B's?"
Deyna's  expression changed to surprise also. "How did you know that?"
Deyto gazed harder into Deyna's emerald green eyes. "Your mother is Kirsten Otter, her maiden name was Mustela. Your father is Johan Otter, a brilliant male whose career was cut short when the Berlin wall was built. You have a brother named Wolfgang who is ten years older than you. In 1995 you will move to America where your father has received a job offer. Am I 
wrong?"
Deyna started to get up, but lost his balance and fell onto his butt. Kicking against the ground, he tried to put as much distance between them as possible. "Who are you? How do you know this? Are you stalking me?" Deyto rose and started to move towards Deyna. "Stay back, you furvert! I'll scream as loud as I can if you come any closer!" 
Deyto stopped moving. "Deyna, you want to know how I know this? Then calm down and listen." He crouched down until his eyes were level with Deyna's. "Look at me. Look carefully."

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Deyna looked at Deyto. He felt his head go light as he saw what was on his chest. A black sword shape. On his left arm and around his navel was a cream colored splash. Then he looked at his own chest, at the black sword shape and then at the cream colored splashes around his navel and on his left forearm. He looked into Deyto's eyes. His eyes. They were as green as pure 
emerald. Just... like... his. "It can't be."
Deyto nodded. "My name, Deyto, comes from my real name: Deyna Tibberius Otter." He smiled. "I need your help."

TO BE CONTINUED...
Deyna, Deyto, Kirsten, Johan, Wolfgang & Mikhail are (c) Deyna Otter AKA Donald Moore