Ashley Abbiss

Stumpy Ashley Abbiss

First, Naya told how she became a Warden and ended up with the Frightful Four. Then, Slink the fox took up the tale, telling about their first days as a team, adjusting to having their own person at last, and their time at school, learning how to be a functional Wurzite team. Now, Stumpy the donkey takes over the narrative. Gentle, sensitive, intellectual, and sometimes lacking in confidence he's almost the polar opposite of his madcap friend Slink. His greatest joys are reading, teaching, and giving rides to children. Their lives have been changing ever since they Chose Naya, but as the Urzites approach the end of their initial training and prepare to graduate from school and embark on their first real job, the pace of that change is increasing and the future is uncertain. Will they all pass their exams? What job will they be assigned to after graduation? When they finally find out, it's a big surprise. They're going on a special mission; a mission that will involve a trip back to Naya's hometown. The Urzites are excited. They've always wanted to see where Naya came from, maybe even meet some of her old friends and learn more about her life before she became a Warden. But, this is country where Wardens are disliked and misunderstood and Urzites are unknown. There will be challenges and perhaps even real danger ahead. The others are predators. They are equipped by nature and by instinct to cope in dangerous situations. Stumpy is a donkey, a herbivore, and he's always felt a little out of place in the gang because of that. Now, he needs to overcome his feelings of inadequacy and find his own brand of self-confidence and courage to face what lies ahead and find his true place as an Urzite and a member of the Frightful Four.