Chapter Ten- Archer Arrives
Papa and Farmer continued their trek. They looked in every tree, but didn't find it.
"Do ya really think Wild'll know about th' Mystery Smurfette?" Farmer asked.
"Wild has spent more time in the forest than Tracker." Papa noted. "If this Mystery Smurfette lived here for a while, Wild would know. Maybe he can catch her scent." Papa suddenly spotted Wild's tree house. "Wild! Wild Smurf! You up there?"
Wild's head poked out of his window. He chirped happily and skittered down the tree. He tackled Papa and then Farmer in a tight hug.
"Ha' there Wild." Farmer laughed.
"Wild, we're looking for a Smurfette." Papa explained. "She has long brown hair and a flower on her arm. Have you seen her?"
Wild's eyes widened happily. He nodded, chattering like a chipmunk. He gestured up to his tree house and started climbing to it.
Suddenly, the Mystery Smurfette burst through the window. She ran across the branches, leaping from one tree to another.
"After her!" Papa called. He didn't want to lose her again; he finally decided she needed to live with other Smurfs besides Wild, seeing how she wasn't as feral. Papa and Farmer ran across the ground while Wild followed in the branches.
Archer looked behind her and inwardly growled. "Smurf it all."
She jumped to the ground, Wild close behind. She ran through a bush, pulling back a branch. She let go, sending the branch swinging back and smacking Farmer and Wild. Papa managed to duck and continued the chase. Archer noticed and tried to shake him, to no avail. She finally resorted to desperate measures and ducked behind a tree. When Papa rounded the corner, a black arrowhead greeted him. He stopped just as the point grazed his nose. He stared down the shaft of the arrow and into Archer's eyes.
"I don't want to hurt you." Papa said slowly.
"The feeling's mutual." Archer growled. "So go home before I put an arrow in your skull."
"Not without you." Papa said firmly. "You'll love the village, I know it. I just think we could offer you a better home than the forest. You're different from Wild; you aren't as...well, wild."
Archer felt a smirk tug at her lips, but she held back.
"I don't leave anysmurf behind." Papa continued. "Wild is happy here in the forest. I only thought you would be more comfortable in the village."
Archer didn't move for a long time. Then, she lowered her bow. "What makes you think I would want that?"
"You said we're the only family you have." Papa reasoned. "And everyone would love to meet you. They're all curious."
Archer stared at the ground. She opened her mouth...
"Heeeeeelp!"
Papa and Archer jumped. Papa realized with horror that the voice belonged to Farmer. He ran off towards the source of the cry. Archer didn't move, staring after Papa. The elder Smurf continued as fast as he could. He followed the distressed sounds coming from Farmer and Wild. He stopped short when he nearly ran into Azrael. The feline snarled and started chasing Papa. Wild shouted and growled, trying to break him and Farmer free of Gargamel's grip. Papa kept running, keeping as far away from Azrael's claws as possible. Suddenly, Gargamel reached down and snatched Papa off his feet.
"Well now, isn't this convenient!" Gargamel laughed. "Come Azrael! I believe Papa Smurf has a date with my cauldron!" Gargamel and Azrael laughed evilly. Papa, Farmer, and Wild shouted and thrashed in Gargamel's grips. But Gargamel already walked too far from the village and his grip almost crushed the Smurfs' ribs. Gargamel ordered them to stop yelling or he'd snap their necks. Based on the malice in his eyes, he wasn't bluffing.
Gargamel immediately threw his captives into a cage when he arrived at his hovel. He moved the cage to the mantle, right over a smoking cauldron. Papa, Wild, and Farmer coughed and moved as far away from the black cloud as possible. Gargamel hummed gleefully as he worked on the potion in the cauldron below the Smurfs. He continued to work, ignoring the Smurfs' coughs and gagging from the smoke.
Farmer used his straw Smurf hat to fan away the black cloud. "Dad gum, Gargamel, you smurfin' sonuva smurf!" He growled. "The least yo' could do is keep us someplace less smokei!"
"Oh shut up!" Gargamel snapped. "You'll be Azrael's dinner soon anyway! What do you need to breathe for?"
Farmer growled. "Smurfho'."
Papa would've scolded Farmer for such language, but every time he inhaled, smoke invaded his lungs. He put his hat over his mouth and nose, instructing Farmer and Wild to do the same. Wild didn't like it very much, but Farmer managed to encourage him to do it. Gargamel poured a few more bottles of strangely colored liquid into the cauldron. He sprinkled in a few different colors of dust. He took a wooden spoon and stirred the potion. He waved the aroma up to his nose.
"Ah...I think it's just about ready!" Gargamel laughed. "Just a few more ingredients!" He skipped happily to his shelves, rummaging through them.
Farmer coughed. "Pa' Smurf. We gotta get outta here."
"I know." Papa nodded. "I know. We'll be alright. If I don't make it out of here, you and Wild will."
"Don' talk like that." Farmer snapped. Suddenly, they heard the creaking of the cage door opening. Wild suddenly jumped forward and sank his teeth into something. The Smurfs heard Gargamel shout. Wild grabbed Farmer and Papa and pulled them along. They jumped as far as they could and landed inches away from the fire. They ran as fast as they could, but Azrael and Gargamel chased them. Farmer and Papa jumped as Gargamel almost crushed them under his feet. Wild and Azrael growled at and circled each other. Wild jumped onto Azrael, biting the feline a few times before the cat threw off the Smurf. Azrael leaped for Wild when a foot planted itself in the cat's face. Wild yipped happily when he saw Hefty.
"Leave him alone you stupid cat!" Hefty shouted, punching Azrael in the nose. He grabbed Wild's hand and pulled him along. Azrael darted after them, but Gutsy suddenly appeared, distracting Azrael long enough for Hefty and Wild to run.
Gargamel cornered Papa and Farmer and reached down to grab them. Suddenly, a couple arrows pierced his hand, and he drew it back. Archer sped past, grabbing Papa and Farmer as she did. Gargamel worked fast, closing all the doors and windows and locking them.
"Get those Smurfs!" Gargamel screamed. "Kill them if you must but keep Papa Smurf alive!"
The Smurfs scattered all over the hovel. Gargamel and Azrael ran in circles trying to catch them. Archer caught sight of the cauldron and got an idea. She knocked over a broom and started dragging it towards the cauldron. Hefty, Gutsy, and Farmer helped her while Wild and Papa distracted Azrael and Gargamel. Archer stuck the broom handle end between the cauldron and the metal grate it rested on. She shooed the other Smurfs under the table; when Gutsy tried to follow her, she held up her fist threateningly. She ran off, whistling to Azrael and shoving Wild under the table with the other Smurfs. The orange cat turned and hissed. He chased Archer across the room and up onto the mantle. Archer stopped halfway, turning to face Azrael. The Smurfs on the ground stared, horrified, when she didn't pull out an arrow. Azrael pounced onto Archer and the two of them fell off the mantle. They hit the broom; the effect was like a seesaw, sending the potion-filled cauldron flying into the air and slamming into the door. The door exploded, sending Gargamel flying into the table. He groaned in pain as he lay in the broken pile of wood.
"Let's smurf outta here!" Hefty shouted. They all ran to the door. Archer finally stabbed an arrow into Azrael's tail, forcing the cat to jump off her. She ran after the Smurfs, who waited at the door for her before running. They didn't stop running until they couldn't see Gargamel's hovel. They all breathed heavily, leaning on rocks and sitting on the ground.
Archer suddenly gasped in pain. She hugged her stomach and fell to her knees, sitting on her ankles. The Smurfs gathered around. Papa knelt next to Archer and put a hand on her shoulder. He looked down and his eyes widened at the sight of blood on her arms. Archer pulled her arms away a little; three horizontal cuts ran across her stomach, from one hip to the other. It was amazing her organs didn't fall out; luckily, the scratches weren't too deep.
"We need t' get yo' to th' village." Farmer urged.
"Dabbler and I can patch you up." Papa offered. Archer shook her head, pushing herself to her feet.
"Don't move." Hefty said. "You're hurt pretty badly."
"Let us help you, lass." Gutsy requested. Archer shook her head, pushing them away. Papa grabbed her hand before she could leave.
"You cannot go walking around with a wound like that." Papa insisted. "You'll bleed to death. We can give you proper bandaging and a place to heal." Archer turned away, standing firm. Papa frowned. "Young lady, you can either walk with us to the village or we can drag you there." Archer raised an eyebrow. Papa nodded. "Suit yourself."
Archer hadn't spoken a word since she rescued the Smurfs from Gargamel. Now, she wouldn't stop screaming and shouting.
"Put me down!" She screamed. "Put. Me. Down! Let me go you smurfin' idiots!" She continued to shout, thrashing around and trying to break free. But Hefty had a firm grip on her ankles and Gutsy had an even firmer grip on her wrists.
Finally, Papa stopped. "Put her down for a moment." Hefty and Gutsy hesitantly obeyed, keeping tight grips on her limbs. Papa knelt next to Archer and made sure the leaves around her cuts were secure. "You can't flail like that. You'll do more harm than good." He put his fingers to her neck, noting how fast she breathed and how her heart raced. "You were on an adrenaline rush. You have to relax; take a little smurf nap. I promise, Smurf's honor, that you will not be harmed. I'll make sure of it."
Archer took a few calming breaths and nodded. Her eyes became heavy. She slumped a little, but Papa supported her.
"Gutsy, come and carry her, please." Papa requested. Gutsy nodded and gingerly lifted the Smurfette into his arms, bridal style. Archer looked up into his warm blue eyes and felt her cheeks burn. She couldn't help but blush a little. Eventually, exhaustion got the better of her, and her head slumped against Gutsy's chest. She was out like a light.
The Smurfs hurried to the village, Farmer running off to get Dabbler while the others took the Smurfette to Papa's mushroom. Papa cleared a table and Gutsy laid the Smurfette on it. Farmer burst into the room with Dabbler by his side.
Dabbler's eyes widened when he unwrapped the leaves and saw the cuts and blood. "Holy Mother of all that is Smurf!" He sighed. "Get some towels! How in Smurf's name did she get like this?"
"Azrael." Hefty replied. "Got her while she was saving our lives."
Dabbler breathed in amazement. "That's one brave Smurfette." He took the towels from Farmer and started soaking up the blood from the Smurfette's wounds. Papa helped wipe the blood from her cuts. His eyes widened a little when he noticed how thin she was; her ribs stuck out just enough to count every one of them.
"She's so skinny." Gutsy noted as he, Hefty, Farmer, and Wild stood near Archer's head.
"No kidding." Dabbler huffed. Something clicked in Papa's head, and he suddenly realized why she was so thin: she was starving. This Smurfette must've left the Smurfs that food from last winter; which means she probably had little to eat those long months.
Dabbler put a large square of gauze over the cuts and gently pressed it down. Blood started seeping through almost immediately. "Help me prop her up." Farmer and Hefty lifted Archer by her shoulders while Gutsy supported her head. Papa and Dabbler worked together to wrap gauze around and around her torso, covering the cuts in a good couple of layers. Dabbler tied off the gauze and sighed. "There. She should be fine in about a week. Meanwhile, make sure she doesn't move too much."
"We'll put her in my bed tonight." Papa said. "I'll watch over her. Meanwhile, send word to Handy; we need another mushroom built in the next few days."
"Is she really gonna stay?" Farmer asked hopefully.
"Of course she is." Papa nodded. "She can't do much moving for a while; and I think she needs to move into the village. I have the strangest feeling she always wanted to." The other Smurfs agreed. They filed out of the door to tell the other Smurfs the news. Gutsy hung back for a while, staring at Archer's face. Papa caught the stare and raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Gutsy."
Gutsy looked up suddenly. "Huh? Oh...uh...I'll jus' be goin' now." He turned and walked out the door, pausing for a moment to look back at the Smurfette on the table. "You take care o' her."
Papa smiled and nodded. Gutsy smiled back and walked off. Papa slung the bow and quiver of arrows over his shoulder and gently lifted Archer into his arms. He carried her upstairs and set her down in his bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. He set her archery things down and pulled up a chair. He found himself staring at the Smurfette's face, mesmerized by how young she looked, yet she couldn't be any older than most of the Smurfs. Papa reached over and brushed her hair out of her face, smiling softly to himself. He sensed a magical presence in the room, and he quickly realized it came from the archery loving Smurfette before him.
"Rest well, my mysterious little Smurf." Papa said softly. "I think you and I will get along just fine."