*thomas and the hunters*

there are many different kinds of wild animals on the island of sodor. there are deer, foxes, rabbits, owls and even giraffes and elephants at the sodor animal park. the engines just love to look at them and their beautiful wild habitats. one sunny day thomas the tank engines was puffing along his branchline with his two coaches.

'it sure is a lovely day today isn't it you two' said thomas.

'you can say that again thomas' said annie.

'yes indeed nothing could spoil a day like this' said clarabel.

but clarabel had spoken too soon. just then there was a loud distant bang.

'cinders and ashes what was that it sounded like a bomb going off!' said thomas.

'that sounded like gunshots to me thomas it must be those darn hunters again' said his driver.

'hunters on my branchline how dare they!' said thomas.

'who would shoot such poor innocent creatures like that' said annie.

'how terrible those horrid hunters' said clarabel.

'i wish we could do something about it' said thomas.

'i'm sorry thomas but if they have hunting licenses then there's nothing we can do' said his driver.

'i guess so but still hurting animals is wrong' said thomas.

and with that he puffed sadly along. soon thomas had to stop at a signal. edward was there with a goods train.

'hello thomas oh dear what's the matter' said edward.

'there are hunters on my branchline edward and they are hunting animals' said thomas.

'flatten my fender how dreadful why would people do something like that' said edward.

'i don't know edward but they can't get away with it' said thomas.

just then the signal changed.

'well i better get going now edward' said thomas.

'see you later thomas and don't worry about the hunters maybe they might go away' said edward.

and with that thomas puffed away. soon thomas had to stop at dryaw station. percy was there with the mail.

'hello thomas what ever is the matter' said percy.

'there are hunters on the branchline percy and they are hunting down animals' said thomas.

'bust my buffers that's terrible why would they do that' said percy.

'i don't know percy but they cant get away with it' said thomas.

just then the guard blew his whistle.

'well i better be going percy' said thomas.

'see you later thomas and don't worry about the hunters someone will stop them' said percy.

and with that thomas puffed away. soon thomas had to stop at another signal. rosie was there with her passenger train.

'hello thomas you look very chuffed up what's wrong' said rosie.

'there are hunters running around the branchline rosie and they are hunting animals' said thomas.

'that's too bad thomas i don't know why people find that kind of stuff so fun it's bad' said rosie.

'i know rosie i just hope that someone stops them' said thomas.

just then the signal changed.

'well i better get going rosie my passengers will be late' said thomas.

'yeah mine too see you later thomas and don't worry about the hunters' said rosie.

and with that thomas set off. later that day thomas had to make a stop at knapford station. murdoch was there too with a long train of flatbeds.

'hello there thomas what's up with you its a lovely day' said murdoch.

'not anymore murdoch there are hunters on my branchline and i want to stop them' said thomas.

'i see well i might have a solution to your problem thomas' said murdoch.

'what sort of solution?' said thomas.

'well tonight maybe we could both go and find those hunters and capture them' said murdoch.

'could we?' said thomas.

'of course we could thomas i am always happy to help little engines out' said murdoch.

'thank you murdoch see you tonight then' said thomas.

'see you tonight thomas' said murdoch.

and with that thomas puffed away happy that one of his friends would help him. that night thomas and murdoch steamed along the branchline their headlamps shining brightly.

'thank you for doing this with me murdoch' said thomas.

'anytime thomas look theres a junction coming up i say we split up we will cover more of the branchline that way' said murdoch.

'good idea' said thomas.

so murdoch went down one line and thomas went down the other determined to find the hunters.

'i must find the hunters i must' said thomas.

then right on cue thomas heard the gunshots again. suddenly a deer jumped out onto the track and thomas screeched to a stop. the deer ran off again after that.

'cinders and ashes that was a close one!' said thomas.

then two men holding guns scrambled out of the bushes.

'did you see which way it went!' said one.

'of course i didn't you moron i thought you did!' said the other.

'well that's just great we lost him' said the other.

'you two are the hunters stop right there!' said thomas.

'go away you silly little engine or we shall blast your boiler off' said the man.

'you wouldn't dare!' said thomas.

'want to count on that' said the other man pointing his gun at thomas.

thomas glared at them and refused to move.

'that's it you asked for it!' said the other man.

just then murdoch steamed in to the rescue.

'you leave that little engine alone!' cried murdoch and whooshed steam at the hunters.

the hunters couldn't see.

'oh nuts i can't see a thing with all this!' said one.

'it's like being in a giant steam room' said the other.

then they banged heads and fell on the floor. when the steam cleared the hunters found themselves surrounded by the engines crews.

'you two are in big trouble!' said thomas' driver.

'it's going to be a long night for you two!' said murdoch's driver.

'we are so done for' said one of the hunters.

'you think!' said the other.

'thanks for the quick save murdoch' said thomas.

'anytime thomas couldn't let you handle these troublemakers alone' said murdoch.

the engines crews took the guns away from the men then locked them in the brake van. then thomas and murdoch set off back for knapford. it was daylight when they got back to the station. the fat controller and the police were waiting for them.

'thank you thomas we shall take it from here' said the sergeant. and they took the struggling hunters away.

'thomas and murdoch i am very proud with you two taking care of these hunters all by yourselves was a very brave thing to do you two are very useful engines indeed' said the fat controller.

'thank you sir' said the two engines.

'you know murdoch you were very brave and helpful last night' said thomas.

'so were you thomas standing up to those hunters like that that's why your the number one engine on this railway' said murdoch.

'now that's something i can agree with' said thomas.

and both engines laughed. and thomas was just happy that the wildlife on his branchline would be safe at last.