Chapter 43: Returning Home
"But how are we gonna get back home in time?" Toby asked.
"Wait...I remember this place" Carrie announced.
"You do?" Sid asked.
"Yeah! My family came here years ago and they told me that..." Carrie started but she stopped as she suddenly remembers something that can help her and the others.
"Mummy? What's wrong?" Rosy asked.
"Everyone! Follow me!" Carrie cried out as she runs off.
"Carrie! Wait up!" Sid called out as he and Rosy follows her.
"What is she talking about?" Manny asked.
"Well, Only on way to find out" Diego replied as he and the others follow Carrie as well.
Soon they saw Carrie standing near a big wide river.
"What's this place Carrie?" Sid asked.
"You see that mountain over there?" Carrie asked.
"Yeah" The others replied.
"On the other side of that village is where the village is" Carrie proudly announced.
"You mean that's the village where Ellie and the others are?" Toby asked.
"Yep!" Carrie replied.
"Hang on Elisa! Why didn't you take us through there in the first place?! We would have rescued Carrie days ago!" Manny sternly replied to Elisa.
"Well excuse me hothead but I didn't know that was a shortcut" Elisa angrily argued.
"Don't blame her Manny, It was a secret shortcut that my family knew" Carrie angrily replied as she crosses her arms.
"Eh...Duh!" Granny sarcastically replied to Manny.
"Is Manny always an idiot?" Elisa asked Toby.
"Literally" Toby softly replied to Elisa as Manny looked grumpy at them.
"So how are we gonna get to the other side?" Diego asked.
"Well we got two log boats that may still be here, Wait a minute" Carrie replied as she walks off to one of the banks.
So she cheered "Yes they're still here"
The others walk up to Carrie as they can see two log boats floating in the water.
"This is how my family got to the other side" Carrie replied.
"Wait a minute! I can't fit in that" Manny objected.
"Sorry Manny but unfortunately, You're gonna have to swim" Carrie nervously replied.
"What? No way!" Manny refused.
"Hey! It's that or you can walk all the way home and that takes a week! Your choice" Toby replied.
"I mean Come on Manny! We had to save the others from Carlotta before it's too late" said Sid.
Manny looks at the other until he sighed "Fine"
"Look on the bright side Manny, It'll good for your health" Carrie smiled as she pats Manny's belly.
Manny just gave her sternly look as he grumbles
"I'm not fat"
"Says you" Elisa snickered as she and Toby chuckled.
"If it makes you feel better Uncle Manny, I can give you company" Rosy kindly offered.
"OK then, Thanks Rosy" Manny thanked as he gently places Rosy on top of his head.
"Have fun Rosy" Carrie replied and walks with Sid to the log boats.
Diego, Toby and Elisa got on the first one while Sid, Granny and Carrie got on the next one.
Soon they were off to get to the other side as they each paddle on the boat while Manny starts swimming in the water with Rosy still dry on top of his head.
"How long before we get to the other side?" Manny called out as he continues swimming.
"We'll be on the other side in ten minutes" said Carrie.
"Great" Manny mumbled.
"Don't worry Uncle Manny, You're doing great" Rosy replied as she smiles at her uncle.
Ten minutes later, The others finally reached the other side and saw that they're were halfway to the Sanctuary and half way to the village.
"We're home" Rosy cheered.
"Sweet! I'm gonna eat a pineapple!" Granny cheered.
She grabs a rock and eats it as she swallows it then reacts disgustly as she grunted
"Eeeewww! It tastes like spinach!"
Soon they saw Phoenix, Fred and Ted coming towards them.
"Hey guys! You made it" said Fred.
"That was quick!" said Ted.
"Real quick! How did you guys get here?" Phoenix asked.
"We used a secret shortcut that me and my family used to take" said Carrie.
"Really? Sweet" said Fred.
"But unfortunately we saw Carlotta and her army of twenty wolves are heading this way" Phoenix added.
"How long before Carlotta reaches the village?" Elisa asked.
"They're likely to be here in the morning" Phoenix replied.
"Oh no!" Carrie gasped.
"Then let's waste no time! We gotta keep moving" said Diego as he and the others hurried off to the village.
"You know I keep wondering, What happened to our big brother Carlos?" Ted asked.
"I'll search for him, You two follow them" Phoenix replied and soon he flew off through the shortcut to find Carlos.
Soon the twin vultures flew off with the group as Carrie asked.
"Where's Phoenix going?"
"Going to find our brother Carlos" Fred replied.
"But wasn't he the guy that order you two to kidnapped Carrie and Rosy?" Sid asked.
"And who is also Carlotta's sidekick?" Elisa added.
"Well...yeah but he's our brother...I'm sure he didn't want to be like Carlotta as well" Fred replied.
"We'll talk about this later, Right now, We're almost there" said Manny.
Back at the village, Ellie was standing near the entrance, waiting for Manny and the others to return as Peaches and Louis walks up to her.
"Mum? Are you OK?" Peaches asked.
"I miss your father Peaches and I'm so worried about him and the others" Ellie worryingly replied.
"Me too Mum! I just hope that Uncle Sid finds Aunt Carrie" Peaches replied.
"I hope so too" Louis nodded.
Just then Dodger, Niamh with baby Marcus in her arms with Crash and Eddie next to them, walks up to them.
"Are you girls OK?" Dodger asked.
"We just miss the others" Peaches replied.
"I'm sure they'll b-be fine" Niamh nervously replied.
Soon Shira comes up to them as Ellie looks at her and asked
"Are you OK?"
"I feel like the cubs will be born anytime soon" said Shira.
Suddenly they heard a familiar voice crying "Ellie! Peaches!"
Ellie gasped in surprise as she looks to see Manny coming towards them with the others.
"Manny!" Ellie happily exclaimed.
"Dad!" Peaches also happily exclaimed.
"Sid! Granny!" Dodger happily called out.
"Carrie! Rosy!" Niamh happily cried.
"Diego! Toby!" Shira cheered.
"Elisa" Louis happily cried.
"They got Carrie back!" Crash cried.
"Yeah! They made it!" Eddie cheered.
Soon Manny embraces his wife as Ellie hugs Manny back.
"I miss you so much honey" Manny happily said.
"I miss you too baby" Ellie replied with tears in her eyes.
"Daddy!" Peaches cried as she hugs her father.
"Peaches! My sweet little angel!" Manny happily cried as he hugs her.
"I miss you so much daddy" Peaches happily sobbed.
"I missed you too Peaches" Manny happily sniffed as he embraces his daughter.
"It's great to have you back Mr Manfred" Louis greeted.
"Good to see you too Louis" Manny chuckled as he ruff Louis's hair.
"Diego! Toby! You're back" Crash and Eddie cheered as they run up to them.
"Yeah, Nice to see you too guys" said Diego.
"Yep! We're back and with a new member" Toby replied.
"A new member? Who?" Ellie asked.
"Guys! You remember Elisa right?" Toby replied as he smiles at Elisa.
"Yeah the one who tied up" Crash replied.
"Yeah and called you puppy wuppy" Eddie laughed as Crash laughed with him as well.
Diego then bonks them on the head as Crash and Eddie exclaimed "Ouch!"
"Yeah...Anyway, She's the new member of the herd and she is my new girlfriend" Toby replied as Elisa nuzzles him.
"What?" Ellie and the others except for the group replied surprisingly.
"That's right, I'm his girlfriend and if any of you mess with my puppy, You miss with me" Elisa smirked as she then kissed Toby on the muzzle.
"Well we're happy to have you along the herd Elisa" Ellie happily said.
"And thank you so much for getting Carrie back safe and sound" Dodger thanked.
"Diego!" Shira cried.
"Shira!" Diego cried back as he nuzzles and kisses his wife.
"Are you feeling OK?" Diego asked.
"I'm fine Diego" Shira replied.
"Am I too late?" Diego asked nervously.
"No! Which is lucky for you" Shira joked as the sabres laughed.
"Mum!" Toby happily cheered.
"Toby!" Shira happily cried as she nuzzles her adoptive son and motherly licks his forehead.
"I miss you mum" Toby happily said.
"I miss you too son" Shira happily replied.
"So what happened on the trip guys?" Peaches asked.
"We'll talk about that later but right now, we got a big problem" Manny replied.
"What do you mean?" Dodger asked.
"We just learned that Carlotta is coming to this village with her army of wolves" Manny replied.
"What?" Dodger and Niamh gasped in alarmed.
"She's on her way now. They'll be here by morning" said Diego.
"Oh no" Peaches gasped in alarm.
"Then let's waste no time! Niamh, Take the herd and the woman and children to the throne room now!" Dodger said to Niamh.
"Yes sweetie" said Niamh as she with her baby in her arms gathering all the female and children sloths to the throne room.
"Men! Close the entrance with the wooden door" Dodger ordered.
"But sir! It may not be ready" One of the male sloths called out.
"It's ready mate! Now get it up now!" said Dodger.
"Right away sir!" said the male sloth.
"Stand back guys" said Dodger as the herd then sees the male sloths pulling the ropes to lift up a huge gate door with lots of pieces of wood combined with vines to attached to each piece.
"No wonder the ground feels hard when we come in the village" said Diego.
"Yep! Our secret emergency gate door to keep our enemies out and to protect our village" said Dodger.
"It's cool!" said Rosy.
"It's brilliant" said Carrie.
Soon they saw Phoenix flying towards them and he was looking sad.
"Phoenix?" said Fred.
"What happened?" Ted asked.
"I'm so sorry boys but your big brother is dead" Phoenix sadly said.
The twin vultures gasped in horror as Ted gasped "W-What?"
"H-How?" Fred gasped in horror.
"It was Carlotta..." said Phoenix.
"N-No!" Fred cried as the twin brothers cried over the death of their older brother.
"She's a monster...just like James" Diego growled.
"Who's James?" Ellie asked.
"Carrie's older brother and a bad one to be exact" Manny replied.
"Why?" Peaches asked.
"When we first met him, He told us he abandoned Carrie so he could focus on his revenge on Victor but soon he learned that Carrie became Sid's wife and he was not happy about it" Diego replied.
"What a grouch" Eddie said.
"Anyway, He threaten us that he'll take Carrie away from us but after he learned that Toby was Victor's son" Manny started.
"Wait! What?" Ellie asked in confusion.
"We'll explain later, Anyway, He tried to get rid of Sid, Toby and Elisa but soon Carrie was back with us and she rejected him after realising that he was nothing but a heartless jerk" Manny finished.
"Why on earth would he do that?" Dodger asked.
"What else? Revenge...on me" Sid gulped.
"If he wants to hurt you honey, He'll have to go through me" Carrie comforted.
"Carlos..." Fred sobbed.
"Oh Carlos..." Ted sobbed as well.
Dodger and the others sadly looks at them as Phoenix walks up to them and said
"You two are very brave! I know you didn't this to happen to Carlos but I say that your mother and father are proud of you and they would have wanted you to join Dodger's pack"
"So...You two want to join my pack" said Dodger as he kneels before them.
"Yes" The vulture sobbed.
"They're not evil Dodger, They're good guys like us! They didn't want to join Carlotta, They were forced to" said Phoenix.
"He's right Dodger and they saved me and took me back to Sid and the others" said Carrie.
"Is this true?" Dodger asked the vultures.
"Yes" The vultures sadly nodded.
Dodger looks at them for a moment then he gave them a comforting smile.
"Then you are welcome to join my pack and to serve me! I'm really sorry for your brother and Phoenix is right, You two are the most bravest birds I've ever seen in my life next to Phoenix" Dodger comforts them.
Fred and Ted hugs Dodger as they cried
"Thank you sir, Thank you"
"No worries, Phoenix, Look after them for me please" said Dodger.
"As you wish" Phoenix bowed and soon he took the vultures to safety as he comforts them.
"Alright guys, You better get some rests...Don't worry, We'll keep an eye out and Carlotta will not step one paw in this village! I promise" said Dodger.
"Thanks Dodger" said Carrie.
"And Carrie, It's so good to see you again" Dodger added.
"It's good to see you too Dodger" Carrie happily replied.
Suddenly they heard Shira letting out a loud cry of pain as Diego and Toby goes to her.
"Shira! Are you OK?" Diego asked.
"Mum what's wrong?" Toby asked.
"The...the cubs are coming" Shira panted
Oh my god!
The cubs are coming!
What happens next?
Stay tune to find out!
