Book 2: Breaking the Ice
"Jenna! Alex hit me!" a girl screamed. A light brown she-weasel ran over to a kid with a pout on his face. Jenna was babysitting for a family of beavers today.
She asked calmly to Alex, "Alex? Did you hit your sister?"
Alex pouted and yelled, "She got the last blueberry from the bush."
"Did she?" Jenna asked with a smirk on her face.
She brought her right hand from behind her back and presented the beaver with another blueberry in her hand. Alex jumped up and down and yelled happily, "Yay! I got the last blueberry! Thanks, Jenna. You're the best!"
Jenna grinned at him and said, "You're welcome. Now, go on and play, and stay away from that patch of thin ice in the middle of the lake!" The beaver nodded and ran off to play with his sister.
Jenna loved children a lot, which is why she decided to be a babysitter. Suddenly, another little beaver poked Jenna's side and asked her in a cute voice, "Can you help me find my big brother? We're playing hide-and-seek."
Jenna giggled and said, "Sure. I'll help you." They looked behind trees and bushes until they saw a flat tail sticking out from behind a stone. Jenna shushed the little beaver as she quietly giggled. She snuck behind the stone and lifted the girl on top of the stone. Jenna whispered, "Now!"
"Found you, bubba!" the little she-beaver yelled, causing her big brother to jump and Jenna to pop up from behind the rock and laugh.
Then, the boy laughed, "You sure did. Now it's your turn to hide." Before the little girl went to hide, she whispered a thank you to Jenna. She giggled and sat down on a stone and watched the beaver children play.
After hours of playtime, Jenna put the four young beavers to bed and waited for their parents to get home. Finally, the beavers' parents were home and the mom said in a low tone, "Thanks for watching them today, Jenna."
"No problem." She said quietly, being careful not to wake the kids. The dad nodded and told Jenna goodnight as she walked back to her cave.
When she finally got home, she dipped her feet into a nearby puddle and sighed through her nose, enjoying the coolness of the water. She always wondered if her parents were proud of her. Jenna's mom died from a saber attack and her father died of grief when he found out when she was fifteen. She always tried not to think about their death, but it always got to her.
Her baby blue eyes looked up at the night sky and she said, "Goodnight, mom. Goodnight, dad." The adult she-weasel went inside her cave and slept on her stone bed.
Meanwhile, down in Dinotopia, Rosalina and Roxanne came back after making their outfits out of the flowers in the Jungle of Misery. Rosalina wearing a blue flower dress with a small blue flower in her hair, and Roxanne with an orange top and skirt and a purple flower in her hair. They were giggling about something until they saw Buck on his knees, looking at his pineapple wife, and a tear rolling down his cheek.
Rosalina patted her sister's arm, signaling her to wait right where they were. "Buck?" She said as she walked toward him.
He looked at her and sighed, "She's gone. My wife."
Rosalina gasped softly and hugged him around his shoulders and she said softly, "I'm sorry, Buck. I know she meant so much to you."
Rosalina signaled Roxanne to come here. Roxanne looked at the spoiled fruit in front of her and said, "Hey. Maybe we can make a grave for her and give her our respects." Buck and Rosalina nodded and started digging through the dirt.
After they buried the pineapple, they bowed their heads, giving it their respects. Rosalina heard Buck sniff and she hugged him and started to sing.
Goodbye's the saddest word I'll ever hear
Goodbye's the last time I will hold you near
Roxanne sang with her. Hugging Buck on his right side.
Rosalina and Roxanne: Someday you'll say that word and I will cry
It'll break my heart to hear you say goodbye.
Rosalina and Roxanne hugged him tighter and looked up at the night sky. Rosalina said in a whisper, "Take care of Buck's wife, mom."
After the small funeral, Roxanne asked, "What do we do now?" The others looked at her and
Buck said, "I guess I'll have to move on, lass."
Rosalina tried to make them smile and said, "Well. Maybe we'll feel better tomorrow..." Roxanne nodded and slept in her new leaf bed.
Buck sat on a small stone, sharpening his knife against a small rock. Rosalina hated seeing him so sad, so she got up from her bed and sat next to Buck. He turned his head and asked her, "I thought you were supposed to be asleep, lass. Wot's wrong?"
Rosalina's ears went flat against her head and said softly, "I just wanted to sing you one more song."
Buck was touched by this and said, "Let me hear it." Rosalina smiled and sang.
Smile though you heart is aching.
Smile even though it's breaking.
When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by.
If you smile through your pain and sorrow,
Smile and maybe tomorrow,
You'll see the sun come shining through, for you.
Light up your face with gladness.
Hide every trace of sadness.
Although, a tear maybe ever so near.
That's the time you must keep on trying.
Smile, what's the use of crying.
Rosalina caught a tear from Buck's eye and continued singing.
You'll find that life is still worth while.
If you just smile.
She finished the song and hugged Buck while he cried on her shoulder. Finally, he stopped crying and looked at Rosalina. He smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "Thanks, lass. You were very sweet fo' singing that to me."
Rosalina smiled back and asked him, "You're welcome. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I think I'll be all right." He whispered. Rosalina nodded and walked back to her leaf bed.
After some time, Buck walked over to Rosalina's bed and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Rosy." And he walked over to his hammock and slept the rest of the night.
