I hope that everyone is having as much fun reading this as I am writing it! Please leave your reviews, I love to hear comments on my work. I will try to come up with some new stories soon (suggestions are welcome).

Into the Woods

"You boys will be careful won't you?"

Gohan rolled his eyes and said "Yes Mom. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."

This was to be day one of Gohan and Goten's camping trip and Chi Chi was busy making sure they were packed properly. She had already checked Gohan's bag and was now waiting on her second son to finally present his. In the meantime she was preparing the food rations.

"Mom we can catch food you know."

"One, that is rather barbaric and, two, you shouldn't rely on such iffy things."

"I suppose you're right."

Chi Chi smiled and said "Of course I am! Now go see what's happened to your brother."

Gohan walked over to the bedroom he shared with Goten and looked inside. The kid was trying to stuff a mountain of junk food into his backpack.

"You might want to leave a little bit of room."

"For what?"

"Oh, I don't know, how about clothes! Goten this is a little ridiculous."

Goten looked at him and said "But Big Brother, Mom won't be around to tell us no."

"Goten we are not hiking out into the woods to make ourselves fat on cakes and candies."

Goten looked sulky and said "I won't get fat."

Gohan knelt and said "I know how you love sweets so you can take some of it on one condition."

"Yeah?"

He lowered his voice and said "You have to share some with me."

Goten laughed and said "It's a deal!"

It took them a surprisingly short time to get Goten packed properly. They went to say goodbye to Chi Chi, but she wasn't quite ready to hear that yet.

"Goten do you have your toothbrush?"

"Yes Mom."

"Extra clothes?"

"Yes."

"Including clean underwear?"

"Mom! Yes I have it all, Gohan helped me pack."

She smiled and said "Then I guess you're ready to go. Have fun!"

"We will" they responded; they then kissed her goodbye and set out into the woods.

After a while of hiking Goten sighed and said "I can't wait to learn how to fly."

"I thought you loved hiking and exploring."

"I do. I just can't wait to learn."

Gohan said "Maybe I'll teach you soon. For today let's just have fun."

"Okay. Oooh look at that rock." That was Goten, always distracted by something. It tended to make him a rather curious and happy little boy.

Gohan looked at the rock and said "It looks kind of like Krillin's head."

"Hee hee yeah but only better looking."

"Hey Goten that's…actually true." Goten laughed and they kept walking.

Eventually they stopped to take a break next to a river. Goten reached into his bag and pulled out a chocolate bar.

"Take it slowly" Gohan advised "We haven't even had lunch yet."

"Want the other half?"

Gohan said "No" and then held out his hand to accept it. Gohan looked around the area; the trees weren't very thick here and the ground was nice and level. "Hey Goten, how about setting up camp here?"

The boy looked around and said "Okay this place looks nice."

Gohan stood up and began to survey the area. "Here's a nice spot for the tent, Goten come help me."

"Okay" he walked over and asked "How exactly does this thing work?"

Gohan, who was busy unpacking tent poles, said "As it's a new tent I'm not really sure. But we'll figure it out." They spread the canvas on the ground and began sorting out the poles.

"I think this one goes here" Goten said as he shoved it through the appropriate spot and right into Gohan's stomach.

"Ouch!"

"I'm sorry Big Brother!" Goten tried to rush over to see if he was alright but tripped over the canvas and fell flat on his face.

The brothers looked at each other and started laughing. Gohan helped Goten to his feet and said "Why don't we start over? Slowly perhaps?"

Goten grinned and nodded. Eventually, after much trial and error, they got the tent erected. "I think that'll do, Goten. You go gather some firewood while I finish setting up camp."

"No you come with me, it'll be fun."

Gohan thought for a moment then said "Oh alright, let's get going."

"Hooray!" They stashed their gear inside the tent and set off into the woods.

The two brothers wandered through the woods looking for decent firewood. They were going to need a lot of it if they were going to cook enough food to satisfy two half-sayians; so they were simply piling it up for Gohan to tie together and fly back to camp.

"Keep it up Goten; you're going a good job."

Goten answered "Thanks" as he picked up a large log and tossed it onto the pile. Gohan turned to gather some wood of his own and heard Goten say "Hey Big Brother looky!"

Gohan did look and saw his little brother with a live raccoon on his head. "I have a hat."

"Yes very cute Goten but I think your hat is about to have an accident in your hair." It was true; the little critter looked scared and confused.

Goten set him down and said "Bye little guy. Sorry if I scared you."

Gohan shook his and said "Goten you're a goofball."

"Just having some fun. That's why we're here isn't it?"

Gohan nodded and turned back to the wood. His eye fell on some twigs and he got an idea. He positioned two of them between his fingers like fangs, yelled "Snake," and grabbed Goten's ankle. The little boy screamed and jumped a mile high, almost literally. Gohan, who couldn't stop laughing, looked up to see Goten clinging to the top of a very tall tree.

"Is the snake gone?"

Gohan flew up to Goten's level and said "Here's your snake."

The boy looked at the twigs in his brother's hand and yelled "You meanie! You really scared me!"

"Just having some fun. That' why we're here isn't it?" Goten gave him a dirty look and Gohan said "Come on, lighten up little guy, it was only a joke. I think we have enough wood to be getting on with, let's go back to camp."

Goten let Gohan carry him back to the ground and they prepared to take the wood back. As they were tying it up a log escaped and started rolling away.

"I'll get it" Goten said and chased after it. He caught up with it but that wasn't all he found. He looked up to see an extremely mean wolf looking for lunch. "Uh, nice doggie, I'm just getting my log." The wolf continued growling and licked his lips with an evil gleam in its eye. Goten struck a fighting pose and backed up a bit for better footing. Unfortunately, the log was back there and he fell flat on his back. The hungry wolf lunged at him; Goten screamed and prepared for the worst. Suddenly, Gohan was there with a flying kick that snapped the beast's neck.

"Are you alright?"

"I am now, you saved me Gohan."

"What are big brothers for?" He surveyed the carcass and said "I think we've found lunch. Carry it back for me."

"Okay"

The campers were now eating roast wolf alongside a few canned things Chi Chi had made them bring. "You're not a bad cook Big Brother."

"And you are obviously very easy to please."

Goten giggled and said "Thanks for coming up with this great idea. I'm having lots of fun!"

"Even though you were almost eaten?"

"Hey it needed some danger didn't it?" They laughed and finished their meal. They cleaned everything up and walked over to the river.

Gohan asked "What do you want to do now?"

Goten responded "I wanna go swimming!" and immediately began stripping.

Gohan said "You know what they say about swimming after eating."

The now naked boy said "Oh who cares?" and dove in. "Hey Big Brother, the water feels great! Come on in."

Gohan shrugged and began removing his own clothes. He dove in himself and said "What do mean great? It's cold!"

"So? I like it." Goten grinned and splashed Gohan right in the face.

"Oh that's how it's gonna be, huh?" Goten tried to swim away but Gohan caught him and dunked him under the water. The submerged boy reached forward and began tickling his captor in the ribs. Gohan was forced to release Goten who proceeded to dunk his now vulnerable brother.

This good-natured roughhousing lasted for at least an hour. Finally they began to get tired and just floated around looking at the clouds.

"That one looks like a dragon" Goten said.

"Yeah it does. And that one looks like a horse."

"Looks more like a camel to me. Hey Big Brother watch me get supper."

Gohan righted himself and began to tread water "Alright go for it." Goten dove under and, after a moment, surfaced with a fish larger than Gohan. He tossed it into the air, jumped up, and punched it toward camp where it lay motionless. Gohan applauded and said "It will make a fine supper. Now I think that's enough swimming for today."

They sat by the fire letting it's bright warmth dry them. Goten observed his brother's finely sculpted fighter's body. Even after seven years of relaxed training the toned muscles still showed and Goten was jealous.

"I can't wait to be big" he muttered.

Gohan chuckled and said "I wish I could be little again. You'll grow up when you're meant to."

Goten smiled and said "You're right."

"Come on kid, let's go get dressed." Gohan went to the tent and pulled out clothes for them both. Goten looked at his brother and started laughing; Gohan had just put on the teddy bear pattered boxers Chi Chi had bought him.

"Are you sure you're grown up, Gohan?"

He blushed and said "Oh shut up!" He then quickly put some pants on.

It was now dark and they were looking at the stars as they at the fish Goten had caught. Gohan was pointing out the constellations to Goten who listened with much interest.

"You're really smart Big Brother."

"Dad was the one who taught me about the stars."

"Really? Cool!" They sat in silence for a minute before Goten asked "Gohan, what was Dad like?"

"He was…he was one of a kind Goten. He was really strong and tough but he had a heart of gold. He always believed that everything would turn out alright and he usually made those around him believe it as well." Gohan had to stop to wipe away some tears. Man, he missed his Father!

Goten said "I wish I'd known him. It's not fair!"

Gohan put an arm around Goten's shoulders and said "No it's not. But remember that our dad died a hero's death trying to save the planet."

"I know that and I'm proud. But you got eleven years and I got none."

"I know, I know." They finished the meal in silence and got ready for bed.

They didn't have sleeping bags; rather they had laid out some thick blankets that acted as a mattress with another blanket for warmth. They undressed and lay down in their makeshift bed. "Goodnight Goten."

"Goodnight Big Brother."

Later that night Goten woke up to the call of nature. He crept out of the tent being careful not to wake his sleeping brother and did his business. He was about to go back to the tent when he spotted a large lizard crawling by. He never did repay Gohan for the snake prank. He picked up the lizard and carefully put it under the blanket at Gohan's feet.

Goten had to bite his hand to keep from laughing as he watched the lump crawl all over his brother's body. Gohan started laughing in his sleep as the lizard tickled him.

"Hee, hee, hee…huh!?" He had finally woken up and noticed what was happening. "Ahhhhhh!" He jumped to his feet and saw that it was still on his chest. "Ugh, get it off!" He grabbed it and threw it out of the tent.

Goten was rolling around on his side of the tent laughing his head off "That'll teach you not to pretend to be a snake!"

Gohan sighed and muttered "The next few days are going to be really interesting."