Dewpaw Swiftwater had been wandering for days when two squirrels popped out in front of her."Whatch ya doin'?'' asked one, a female. " looking fer a place ta rest and eat" replayed Dewpaw. "Why?" asked the other, a male. "Because I'm tiered an' wanna settle down" Dewpaw said."Then come with me" said a flying squirrel from the trees.
Dewpaw followed them into Camp Willow. Here she was taught and shown every thing from kindness to fighting skills. She found a mate and Had adopted two dibbuns. Almost a year past. Dewpaw Was getting restless with no fighting or problems to distract her. Dewpaw brought up the idea with the others. She asked why there were no Holts, Drays, colonies of any animals there. They said because they had never needed it or wanted it. Dewpaw asked if she could build an otter holt as a add on to the camp. She got no holt, a guild, maybe.
So with that Dewpaw set out to find the perfect spot to start here holt. Her mate and her dibbuns came with her. All still loved the camp and were very loyal to it. Dewpaw found the perfect spot for the holt. Up stream apiece from Camp Willow, She and the willing otters of the camp built a holt in the small clearing there. It was backed by cliffs and the river for the most. only a small part led away from it into the forests around the cliffs and on them. There were a series of small caves and a larger one built.
Dewpaw, as told in The Story of Holt Swiftcurent, is the descendent of Keyla and Tullgrew Swiftcurent, both from Martin the Warrior.
The bigger cave became the main den. There was three halls of that. One led to the kitchens. The second led to the activities, library, dibbun day care, games, ect.. The third was the barrack hall. As you started down it you came to two bigger doors with a smaller between them. One of the bigger doors is marked males, the other females. The middle door is marked dibbuns. These are where the single males or females stay. The dibbuns barrack is were the singles dibbuns bunk. As you continue down the hall you will see that all the doors are on the left side. This is so that every barrack our den has a river exit or, what is called, there front door. The doors that line the hall after singles and dibbuns all have names on them. These are the last name(s) of the family that owns the den.
In the main den there is a fire in the center of the floor. That is where otters and friends or travelers chat. there is two boards for messages hanging on the wall. One is for anyone, even travelers, to post on. The other is for the staff. on the opposite wall is a table with benches, chairs, stumps and basically any thing that can be sat on pulled around it. A drum rest in the corner. It is used to call all to breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper, tea or any other time that every one needs togather. Out side the beach is sandy with very few rocks. There are a few clumps, but they a bigger rocks. There are hidden stair wells going up the cliffs to brod ledges. On these there is gardens of all different kinds of food.
When you look at it from the river you see very little for the caves are well disguised.
Holt Swiftwater is a beautiful place, for flowers bloom and good smells come from the kitchens.
Submitted by Dewpaw Swiftwater, skipper of Holt Swiftwater
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