Let's skip the chit-chat today, eh :3? I'm pretty sure y'all knows where these guys are going, hehe ;3

*** Chapter Twenty-Eight : We Have Our Heading ***

Rango the bountyhunter began to unroll the map over the table. Everyone around were sitting on the edge of their seats, except for Bentley. He was sitting on the couch next to Priscilla, as usual, and rested his elbow on the armrest, his head leaning on his hand and he appeared to be half-asleep. He was probably just as tired as she was, but Priscilla managed to keep herself awake and alert.

"This place is a LOT further away than we first thought..." The bountyhunter said and nailed the map to the table with his poisoned knife. It was a map of Africa. People around the table seemed shocked as well.

"Africa?!" Priscilla frowned and leaned closer to the table. She didn't notice that Bentleys eyes fluttered open and he curiously perked his ears. "Why would anyone send Sheridan coordinates in Africa?!"

"Maybe that's the location of the Shadow Kingdom in Madagascar?" The Sheriff suggested. "Maybe he's forgotten where it is?"

"Wouldn't that be pretty strange? I mean, have ya heard the way he brags 'bout Daubentonia?!"

"Yeah, it sure would be. But this is even stranger in fact: the coordinates points to nowhere near Madagascar" The bountyhunter shook his head and pointed at a red circled area. "Ziggy didn't manage to pinpoint the exact location, but he figured that it should be somewhere around here in this area in the western parts. He's 99% sure it's somewhere close to the shores of Congo, near the border of Zaire and... I thinks it's Angola?"

He had barely finished the sentence when Bentley suddenly sprang up from his seat, causing everyone to jolt in surprise when he grabbed the map and almost ripped a huge hole in it thanks to the knife.

"HEY! Careful, Bentley!" The bountyhunter barked warningly in mixed horror and anger when he saw the map split from the knife holding it in place.

But Bentley ignored him and just stared at the map. His eyes were wide underneath the dread-like bangs and his entire body was trembling. He didn't even react when Priscilla put a hand on his arm.

"Bentley?" She asked in concern. "Are you alright?"

The hyena didn't answer. Instead, his mouth slowly cracked up into a huge grin and when he realized that he wasn't dreaming, he let out a loud, gleeful laugh. "Yes!" He laughed loudly and jumped out of the couch. "YESYESYESYESYES!" He started running for the staircase until Priscilla called out his name, making him come to a screeching halt and turn around. He was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes were wide and almost literally sparkling with joy.

"Where are ya goin'?!" Priscilla asked with a frown. "What are ya-...?"

"Home! I'm goin' home!" He almost bounced in excitement and seemed more than hyper than ever. "That's my home, Prissy! Literally! I was born in those jungles!"

"Bentley, get back here" The bountyhunter muttered as he tried to fix the little hole in the map.

"No! I better go packin' my stuff! I'm finally goin' home!"

"No you're not! I'm sorry but you're stayin' here, buddy!" Just as Rango said that, Bentley stopped dead in his tracks once again and seemed paralyzed for a moment. "I ain't gonna let'cha go, IF we send a team there to investigate"

Slowly, Bentley turned back around and looked at Rango. The happy grin was completely erased and replaced by a sad, almost hurt, look. His ears were drooping and his lower lip was trembling. "Wh-what...?"

"You're too unpredictable an' unreliable" Rango shook his head and made a motion with his hand for Bentley to come back and sit down. Slowly with his heads hanging low, he obeyed. "Just seein' how ya handled this mission so far tells me that sendin' you 'home', would be a grave mistake. The ones who go, won't be goin' on no pleasure cruise, Bentley. This is serious business, an' we all know that ain't yer strongest suit"

Bentley stopped and looked up at Rango with a pleading look on his face. "B-but I'll be good this time! I promise!"

"An' ya promised me that'cha wouldn't mess up the mission if we gave ya a second chance to behave an' just LOOK what happened; ya forced Priscilla an' Caleb to abort their mission!"

"You know I didn't mean to do that! I... I just wanna go home, Rango..."

"Ya can travel to Africa an' back fifteen times once we've succeeded with our mission, but if we're gonna do that then we're gonna have to send someone else" He turned to Hicks. "Like you, wanna go to Congo, Hicks?"

Hicks flinched, not prepared for the sudden suggestion. "Wh-what?!"

"I'm thinkin' of sendin' a small group, an' if I do I think I wanna put you in charge of that group! That way, I know there'll be at least ONE who won't fuck e'vrything up!"

"Lemme come too, PLEASE, Rango!" Bentley continued to plead, causing Rango to growl in annoyance. "I'm sorry I've messed things up, but I didn't do it all on purpose! A-and if you let me come along, I'll do ANYTHIN' y'all tell me to do! Please just let me go home! I haven't been home for more than 20 years, a-and I've almost forgotten what it's like! The scents, the sounds, the jungles... I-I just wanna see it all again!"

Rango groaned and rubbed his temple. "For fuck sake; NO! Now just come back here, sit down an' shut up! We all need to discuss this further, we haven't even decided on a plan yet!"

Bentley nodded mutely, went back to the couch and slumped down next to Priscilla again. His ears were still drooping sadly, his shoulders and head were low and he was biting down on his lip to stop it from shaking. She wrapped her arm around his elbow and leaned her head on his shoulder, and he glanced down at her and smiled reassuringly at her. Or at least he tried to.

It had been decided; they would send a team down to Congo to investigate, and Hicks would lead that team. Both Rangos then spent the next hours discussing which ones to send. After Priscilla joined into the discussion, she managed to convince them to consider letting Bentley go; it would be handy with someone who's familiar with the area after all, even it's been over 20 years since he's been there. All they needed was someone extra whose entire purpose was to keep an eye on him. A task that probably would be more difficult than the mission itself.

Before night fell, sheriff Rango hurried down to send a telegram to Mr Murdoch, asking for a crew and a ship. As soon as the dark fell, the gang decided to call it a day, but it was impossible for Bentley to sleep. He had started out all curled up next to Priscilla in the bed, but ended up walking back and forth in the room, making it impossible for her to sleep as well. After enduring his pacing, mumbling and whimpering for a while, she finally let out an annoyed growl and sat up in the bed.

"Bentley, either ya leave the room, or I'm gonna go sleep in the attic if ya don't knock it off an' go back to bed this instant!" She seriously growled, and he flinched and stopped pacing.

"Sorry" He mumbled and went to bed, where he soon began to uneasily toss and turn. Adding to her annoyance.

"What is it now?!" She hiked herself up on her elbow and glared at the back of his head. He was lying on his side with his back to her, hugging her long, fluffy tail which he somehow managed to get a hold of.

"I wanna go home..." He answered with a low voice without looking at her. "I swear, I recognize that place, I was born a days journey or two away from there..." He hugged her tail tighter and buried his face in it. "I wanna go home, but I've screwed up so much that Rango don't wanna let me!"

She twitched her tail free from his grip and smirked at him. "Y'know, I was talkin' to the Rangos earlier, an' I explained to them that it could be useful with someone who's at least somewhat familiar with the place, speaks the language etc." She said with a sly tone in her voice, and he turned around and stared at her.

"A-and what did they say?"

"They said they'd consider it" She said with a shrug, and instantly got wrapped up in a bear hug.

"You're the best!" He happily cooed and squeezed her tightly.

She laughed and pushed herself away from him slightly. "Hey, I was just tired of seein' ya sad, that's all!" She said and rolled her eyes. "B'sides, it's not written in stone yet. They only said they'd consider it"

"So? They might actually consider it, and I might get to go home again! There's a chance!"

"I really hope sheriff Rango thinks I made a point, or else it's a very small chance" She paused and got a solemn look on her face. "I mean, the other Rango was right, y'know: you're very unpredictable, an' if you're gonna come along there have to be someone else there too to keep an eye on ya. Second, it ain't a pleasure cruise; it's a mission. An' the place ya grew up in has most likely changed a LOT! It's been 20 years after all"

"23"

"Exactly! Ya have no idea what might have happened durin' all those years"

He snorted out a chuckle. "My peoples culture and traditions has stayed the same for centuries, I don't think 23 years will have made any difference what-so-ever!" He grinned even wider. "Hey, I might meet my family again! My REAL family! Gosh, I wonder what my sister's been up to all these years? I hope she'll recognize me, and won't try to kill me like she did last time!"

"Bentley, I just said this; it AIN'T no pleasure cruise! I doubt you'll get any sight-seein', an' I REAL' doubt that Hicks is gonna let'cha go wander off in' the jungles to find yer family on yer own!"

"But I won't be on my own; you'll come along too! Wont'cha?" He enthusiastically grabbed her hands, but when she didn't answer and just averted her eyes instead, his grin gradually faded. "Wont'cha?"

"I don't think I wanna come along, actually..." She said lowly and winced. "I mean, Africa is an entirely different continent on the other side of the ocean! I've never been further away from home than this, an' I'm already gettin' homesick!"

"But if I go, cant'cha come too? Please?" He smiled again and squeezed her hands firmly. "I still remember what the jungles look like, and I promise you Prissy; there ain't no sight like it anywhere else in the world! It's beautiful beyond compare, and I wanna show it to you! There's a LOT of things I wanna show you, and there's so many people I want'cha to meet; my sister, my cousins, aunts, uncles... Wait, I think I only have one uncle...?"

"I bet it's wonderful over there..." She returned his wide smile with a faint smile of her own. "But I dunno... It's so far away..."

"Please?" He brought one of her hands up to his mouth and looked down at her with large, pleading eyes. "It'll be worth it, I promise!"

She shrugged again and shook her head. "We'll see what the Rangos say, they're the ones who makes the decisions after all"

Bentley nodded and kissed her hand before letting her withdraw it. "I just hope they put us in the same team"

"Yeah" She laughed and crawled back in under the covers at the same time as he did. "B'cause I'd feel very sorry for the poor souls who'd have to endure yer 'dream-attacks'"

He frowned. "I still don't get like that, do I?" He asked, but she just shrugged once more in reply.

"Sometimes" She scooted closer to him and placed her head on his stretched out arm, acting as a pillow. "Now lemme get some sleep, 'kay? I've been tired all day!"

Mr Murdoch was quick with replying; a message arrived from him at noon, telling them that he's already got a ship and a crew anchored outside River Town. But before they were going to meet their captain, the Rangos wanted to announce the teams and called everyone to the attic.

"Alright, let's just do this as quick as possible; the ones goin' to investigate in Congo will be: Hicks, Flitch and Fledge" The bountyhunter said and paused, looking at Bentley who hung his head in disappointment when his name wasn't said. "An' Bentley's comin' along too. He's got some basic knowledge 'bout the land that could be useful, however we're NOT gonna let'cha leave without Priss to keep an eye on you!"

Bentleys nose instantly split up in a wide, happy grin and his ears perked. "R-really?" He squeaked. "Y-you're lettin' me go home?! A-and Prissy HAVE to come with me?!"

"Yeah" The bountyhunter nodded, but then aimed a warning finger at him. "But slightest lil' screw-up an' I've given Hicks my permission to shoot'cha in the leg, which'll keep ya bedbound an' unable to cause havoc anywhere else but 'round yer bed, got it?"

Even if he might not have listened, Bentley nodded and laughed gleefully as he pulled Priscilla into a tight hug. Priscilla looked over Bentleys shoulder at the two Rangos and frowned. "So, you're pickin' me to be his babysitter?"

"Well, isn't that what you're now?" The bountyhunter snickered and tilted his head, folding his arms across his chest. "Though we just figured that it would be the best, since you're the only one who's got the patience 'nough to deal with him! Although, since I know how carried away y'two can git, we're also sendin' Caleb to keep an eye on you both!"

"WHAT?!" Caleb exclaimed and nearly fell off the chair. "You're sendin' her to babysit Bentley, and then you're sending ME to babysit them BOTH?! This is BULLSHIT!"

"Ya won't babysit 'em like she's watchin' him, you'll just make sure that they don't go runnin' off by themselves 'to the jungles, or drops a piano on someones head" The basilisk shook his head. "Ya won't have the same responsibility she'll have"

"... It's still bullshit..." The teen muttered and grumpily crossed his arms. "I don't mind goin' to Africa though! It's just the company..."

"Don't give us that, son!" The sheriff chuckled. "You and Priscilla have worked together just fine, so don't try to tell us it's THAT bad!"

"I ain't tryin'a tell you; I AM tellin' you it's THAT bad!"

The two Rangos shook their heads and sighed in unison.

The ones going to Africa then went down to the docks, along with sheriff Rango, to meet the captain of the ship and discuss the departure and the trip. Bentley was still excited over the news that he'd be going to Congo with the others after all, and that Priscilla was coming along too just made everything so much better than it already was!

The group followed the channel that lead the river out into the sea to get to the docks, and Priscilla and Bentley were walking behind everyone else in the group. The docks were a completely different part of the town, and looked more like a part of a fisherman town or something. The closer they got to the docks, the fish sales stands and the sailors, the heavier the air got with the scent of fish, tar and tobacco. It was mostly thanks to businessmen like Mr Murdoch that the docks of River Town were there at all, as the town actually profited more from the imports than the fishing industries. Yet, there were still men in trenchcoats and rain hats, some were puffing on a pipe while fixing broken fishnets. Nobody paid the visitors much attention though, however there were some who gave Bentley strange looks. Apparently, they remembered the hyena who had drunkenly made his way to the docks to harass the fishes.

The skipper they were looking for was called 'Tippit Foster', and there were something about the name that rang a bell with Hicks, but he just couldn't give the name a face. Same thing with Flitch and Fledge. They asked around for the captain, and when they finally met someone who knew where the captain were, Bentley had wandered off on his own. Hoping that he would return on his own, the gang continued to go where the sailor had instructed them; to go to the port where a fishbarge dubbed the 'The Happy Clam' was harbored. Apparently, their captain had been seen talking with The Clams captain for over an hour.

Upon arriving there, they saw an old, red fox walk down the dock with his hands in the pocket of his old, worn blue coat. Priscilla hurried up to the fox to ask. "Excuse me, but ya don't happen to know where to find captain Tippit Foster do you?"

The fox stopped in his tracks and turned his head at her, watching her with a pair of golden amber eyes. The beard, ears and hair were all turning gray with age, but his golden eyes still looked like they belonged to someone young. In his right ear, a single, golden earring clinked as he moved his head.

"Ta's me, Miss" He answered her with a gruff voice. "What can I do ye fer?"

"Ah, captain Foster! It's a pleasure to meet you" Sheriff Rango piped in and held out his hand at the fox. "I am Rango, one of the two, and we are-...!"

"Me new passengers, eh?" The fox tilted his head. "I heard from Mr Murdoch you'd come, didn't think it be so soon though"

"Wait a second..." Hicks growled when he began to recognize the face. "You're Captain Tip the Slaver, aint'cha?"

Rango, Priscilla and Caleb all flinched while Flitch and Fledge simultaneously put their hands on the handles of their guns. The captain shrugged.

"Used ta be. But ye and yer matey, that slimy lizard, quit me business" The fox answered nonchalantly. "What's it been, fourteen years?"

"Sixteen" Hicks folded his arms, making clear that he wouldn't trust the captain for one bit.

"Oh, time does fly, don't it?" To the other three surprised faces, 'Captain Tip' turned to them. "I used ta be a slaver since I was a mere lad, but the abolitionists hired a gang of bountyhunters ta ambush me when I made port in Mobile fer ta last time. I got in jail, but me ole employer bailed me out. After that day I quit me day's a slaver and began working fer Mr Murdoch" He shook his head. "Best darn decision I've made in me entire life"

"Hey Prissy!" They suddenly heard Bentleys voice as he came jogging towards them, still with the huge grin on his face. "Prissy! Hey, Prissy! Come and look!" He hollered at her, but didn't stop until he was standing right in front of her. "There's this guy who has a fish with two heads in a bowl! It's super gross but totally the coolest thing I've seen t'day!" He told her, sounding really excited about the two-headed fish and waved frantically with his hands as he spoke.

Sheriff Rango cleared his throat, which made Bentley first look at the lizard, but then he tensed up and slowly darted his eyes to the side to look at the old captain. The fox raised a puzzled eyebrow when the hyenas facial expression drastically changed from cheerful to a face of pure horror.

"Bentley, meet your captain for the voyage; Captain Tip! Captain Tippet Foster, this is Bentley" Rango introduced them, but Bentleys change in attitude seemed to confuse him as well.

Bentley began to slowly shake his head as he walked backwards. "N-no..." He said lowly and kept shaking his head. "Th-this ain't happening... Th-this ain't real...!"

"Bentley? What's wrong?" Priscilla asked and took a step towards him, but he didn't even seem to notice her.

"... Kiddo?" Captain Tip eventually said, probably thinking out loud to himself, but it was the final straw for the horrified hyena.

"NO!" He screamed and started running back. "NOT AGAIN! NO!"

"Wait! Bentley!" Priscilla tried to call him back, but it was too late; he was out of sight and had vanished somewhere along the street. "We'll meet y'all back at Lady Luck" She quickly told the gang before running after him.

Hicks watched as Priscilla too ran into the street and vanished out of their sight. He then turned with narrowed eyes at the old fox. "So, ya know Bentley too?"

Tip didn't answer. "So, I presume y'all wanna depart as soon as possible, eh?" He said to them and began to search for something in his pockets. "I set me men on preparing the ship, it oughta be done by tonight" He said and brought up a pocketwatch and flicked the lid open, read the time and then put it back. "Ye are the ones makin' ta rules, so when do ye wish to set sail?"

The ones who were to travel, minus Bentley and Priscilla, exchanged a silent look with each other before Hicks turned to the captain. "We need to discuss it with the rest of us, ya mind comin' with us to the tavern Lady Luck?"

"I'm familiar with Lady Luck, and I doubt I will be very welcome there. Captain Fortune and I are not on agreeable terms with oneanother"

"She's our ally, an' since you're workin' for us now she's just gonna have to let you in"

Captain Tip didn't reply for a while. But then he nodded and looked at his watch again. "It'll have ta be quick though. I'm seeing an ole matey at the pub in an hour"

All of you who have read Bentleys story are probably all too familiar with Captain Tip, and if you haven't; prepare yourself to get a new hate-object =P. And if you're wondering why on Earth I'd let this man back, there's actually for a reason for it later on ;P. There's a reason for everyone here :D

On a different note, I just gotta say that 'The Happy Clam' is totally the best name I have ever given anything, hands down... Please don't let me name your boat...

Oh well, see y'all next chappie ;P