Motherhood had been an adventure all it's own but now her pups were fully grown and with lives of their own. Half of her was a bit saddened feeling older now that she had grown children of her own, the other half reveled in what she had accomplished and was eager for time alone with her mate. Xylia stretched her limbs and gave a yawn before her eyes caught something fluttering on the water. She blinked and headed over towards the paper leaping into the stream and retrieving it, she didn't want any trash in the waters near her family's den. She blinked as she looked at the paper and then her eyes widened. It was a map, and it even had an X marking an end! A treasure map! Quickly she rolled it up and rushed into the den.

"Cornelius!" She called happily.

Cornelius was dozing in the den, not having to go on patrol until some time tomorrow and just enjoying the warmth in the den and no annoyances to, well, annoy him. When his mate called for him, he snapped up and looked around, blinking his eyes open, "Hmmm, what, what's wrong?" he asked, standing up.

"Nothings wrong!" She quickly assured him and moved to cuddle up at his side feeling guilty for disturbing his sleep. She adored her mate, he was such a wonderful male, a good father, and he worked tirelessly to keep their home safe. The Pacific Territory was one of the few places left where few predators or wicked otters would dare attempt to invade or cause trouble near. She gave him a soft nuzzle and licked his cheek, maybe he could use some fun and relaxation.

"I found this though..." She laid the paper down and unrolled it looking back at him her eyes sparkling with excitement.

He relaxed and nuzzle the top of her head, smiling gently, glad there wasn't an emergency or any kind of trouble. When she laid the paper out in front of them, he looked at it closely. Now he was the son of the Pirate King and a Pirate Lord, but he wasn't too much of a pirate like the rest of his family, a fact that he didn't lose any sleep over. "Is this a map?" he asked curiously.

"It looks like a treasure map!" She nodded and looked up at him then at the map again her paw skimming over it before stopping to point. "I think this is our den...and it shows a cave to the south past the woods." Her tail twined with his and she smiled.

"Wouldn't it be fun...to try and find it?" She looked at him hopefully, she wasn't sure that dragging Cornelius on a treasure hunt was the best idea. He seemed terribly tired, but then again she relished anytime she got to spend with him.

He 'hmmm'ed softly, looking at the map and taking in the details. It certainly did seem to lead to somewhere past the woods, a place he really didn't go into. But it would be nice to get out with his mate, even if they didn't find anything, he didn't think they would get out much when the first snow came. "Sure, why not." he said, smiling at her.

"Really?" She smiled and nuzzled him contentedly at the thought of them adventuring together. She rolled the map back up and stood gazing out, the sun was still high in the sky but the air was chilly. The warm season was gone they were just lucky that things hadn't gotten freezing yet. She looked back over at Cornelius amused as usual by how much larger her mate was then she. Still for all her petite frame she was hardly one to roll over in distress.

"Shall we?" She grinned and slipped out of the den taking a deep breath and then looking at the map again before leading them in the proper direction. Until they reached the forest then she pushed the map over to her mate. "Maybe you should lead the way here..." Her voice was slightly uneasy, this wasn't their territory anymore and she'd heard enough stories to show caution.

Cornelius didn't mind the fact his mate was smaller then him, just as long as he got to snuggle with her at night. When she slipped out, he made his way out after her, taking in the air and looking around before following after her in a trot. When they strolled out of their territory, he became more alert and cautious and took the map when she handed it over, looking it over ot make sure they were going the right way before leading the way.

Xylia made certain to stick close to Cornelius as they moved through the woods. The sunlight barely filtered through and she thought with concern of her old friend Ariel. The mer-otter had vanished from her stream home sometime ago and Xylia had worried and wondered at her fate every since. Ariel was such a kind innocent soul curious and naive she would have made easy prey. She pushed away the bleak thoughts and pressed softly against Cornelius side.

She glanced up the sunlight just barely managed to filter through the trees leaving plenty of dark shadows around. "This place gives me the creeps..." She murmured softly.

He became a bit tense the further they went into the darker woods and he looked about, making sure nothing was around that would try to mistake them for prey. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." he told her softly, not minding she was so close to him.

She smiled a bit and relaxed slightly some of the tension leaving her spine. "I know..." It was a comfort to have such faith in her mate, but she knew it wasn't misplaced. She glanced ahead and her eyes narrowed a bit trying to see further.

"Is that the cave?" She gestured ahead at a small crack like opening in some stone.

He stopped and set the map down and looked at it, looking to the opening, "Looks like it." he said, slowly making his way to it, making sure to take in the scents, but he didn't smell anything nearby.

Xylia wriggled in after Cornelius and blinked her eyes slowly adjusting to the plunging darkness. She looked up when she saw light and noticed more cracks on the roof of the cave that allowed minimal sun to filter down. Slowly she turned her head glancing around and then slinking over to a wall. "I think there's something here..." She felt around at the wall and her paw brushed a stone handle, a lever of somekind. She pulled it curiously but nothing happened.

"Well...that was anticlimactic..." She sighed and released the lever letting it lift up back into it's original place.

Cornelius stepped further inside, inspecting to make sure nothing was going to fly out and attack, yes, he was that paranoid, but it was his mate so he had a right to be. When she pushed on the handle, he saw what looked like a door lifting up, but then went back down when she let it go. He was about to say something, but stopped when a scent hit his nostrils and he dashed over to her, putting himself between her and whatever was coming, growling.

Xylia noticed another lever across from the one she had pulled and was about to walk over to try it when Cornelius dashed over. She froze and then slowly sank into a crouch. Her ears perked as she heard a soft scuffling sound from deeper in the darkness of the cave. Her heart thudded in her chest as she felt herself shake a bit as she peered into the dark trying to determine what was coming for them.

Then from the darkness trundled out an elderly hedgehog, he gave a little chuff and blinked up at Xylia and Cornelius. "Ohh found my map did you?" He rubbed his little paws together gleefully and then pushed a pair of glasses up a bit on the bridge of his nose. He waddled a bit closer and then up his paws with a chuckle at Cornelius. "Easy there sonny no ones gonna hurt ya here, you're at the end of the trail though. All you have to do is pull those two levers at the exact same time...it'll open a tunnel follow it down and it'll lead you out of here to the west...oh and the treasures probably down in the tunnels too." He chuffed again and rubbed his paws together. "Well? Get pullin!" He motioned to the levers which with his short stature and tiny paws he himself probably couldn't even pull.

Cornelius felt himself getting tense when he heard something coming their way, getting ready to tell Xylia to get out of the cave and he would take care of whatever was coming. But when a elderly looking hedgehog came out, he slowly untensed and relaxed, but he didn't move from Xylia when the other animal approached. When he explained what they had to do to open up the tunnel, he looked over his shoulder to his mate to see what she wanted to do.

Xylia was wary, what if the hedgehog was lying? the levers could be a trap...or he could be telling the truth. She looked at Cornelius a moment uncertain before she resolved herself and nodded. "I'll pull this one...you pull that one?" She didn't like separating from him but it was worth a try. She waited until Cornelius was in place and then moved to grab her lever.

"One...two...three!" She pulled at the same time as her mate and then looked in surprise as a door opened in the ground leading down into a dimly lit tunnel. "After you?" She motioned uncertainly watching at the old hedgehog trundled back into the dark with a chuckle.

He stalked over to the other lever and when she called for it, he pulled down at the same time as her, watching as the door went up. He glared at the hedgehog as he left them and went back to where he came from. He made his way towards the tunnel, feeling very distrusting to what could be inside.

Xylia followed Cornelius, the tunnel was dimly lit by flickering candles ensconced in the walls. It was a tad narrow, probably more so for her mate. "What do you suppose the treasure is?" She whispered to him curiously.

Cornelius lead the way down the illuminated tunnel, keeping his eye out for any danger or traps. "I don't know, but it better not be anything dangerous, or I'm going to find that hedgehog and make him into a real pin cushion." he growled.

She couldn't help but give a little laugh at Cornelius and his dark humor, it certainly helped take the edge off. She was still a bit nervous but that could hardly be helped. She slowed a bit as she saw things brighten ahead and the tunnel slowly widened into a large circle illuminated by torches. Another tunnel was opposite them and at it's end the setting sunlight was visible, a way out. In the middle of the circle however was a mound of dirt and a large chest sat on it. Xylia looked at Cornelius with an uncertain smile, did they dare open it?

Cornelius wasn't joking actually, he was going to chew that hedgehog up if he lead them into a trap. But he was relieved to see a way out. But at the sight of the chest, the pirate in him became intruiged and he smiled down at his mate, "Well, we made it this far." he said, making his way over to the chest.

"Be careful love...it could still be a trap..." She followed him closely though just as intrigued as he was to see what treasure they had found. Gold perhaps? Rare jewels? A priceless antique? She held her breath and leaned forward excitedly.

He nodded, but finally stopped in front of the chest, making sure Xylia stayed behind him in case it was a trap. He grabbed the top with both paws, and with a grunt, hefted it up and looked inside, eyes going wide. "What the-! Are you kidding me?! We came all this way for this?!" he said, going back to all fours and sneering at the item inside.

Xylia poked her head around her mate and then hefted herself up to look inside. What? No that couldn't be right! She heaved and flopped into the chest. She looked around and pressed her paws hoping to find some secret way of opening a false bottom or something. She frowned and picked up the 'treasure' with a disappointed sigh, looked like this was it.

"A can opener..." She muttered disgustedly and then yelped as the heavy lid fell closed trapping her inside. She quickly stood up and tried to push the lid up. "Cornelius!"

Cornelius jumped back when the top slammed down, "Xylia!" he cried out and he grabbed the top and tried to open it, but it barely budged. He hopped on top of it and tried clawing and biting on it, growling before hopping back onto the dirt and trying to pull it open again.

She had a moment of fear before she heard her mate trying to open the chest and tried to help him from within. She pushed and pushed but couldn't quite get the leverage she needed. Leverage...yes! She grabbed the can opener and wiggled it into the seam before giving the handle a few twists. The small gears rotated a bit and forced the lid open less then a centimeter, but breaking the vacuum like seal. Between Cornelius pulling and her sudden push the lid flung back open and she quickly scrambled out with the can opener.

She instantly went to snuggle against her mate and licked his cheek before giving a half laugh. "I guess this isn't so useless after all...this has been...an adventure, but I think going home for a nap sounds far more fun right now."

When the lid finally sprang open, he caught his mate in his paws and held her close, licking the top of her head and making sure she was ok. He chuckled and nodded, "I suppose your right. And if we can't find any fish this winter, I am sure the ranger won't mind parting with some canned food." he said, letting her go and leading the way out. "A nap sounds good right about now, and maybe we should get rid of this map..."

Ahh the brilliance of her mates mind, the ranger had lots of canned goodies. Trouble wasn't really getting them as much as the damage they often did opening them. By the time they could get a can open half it's contents weren't really edible, or sharp edges made then dangerous. With this can opener they could feast away...if the winter proved inhospitable.

"Leave it in the chest, seems the best thing." She nodded and smiled heading for the exit. Who needed treasure anyway? Her greatest treasure would always be knowing her loved ones were near, safe, and dear to her.