Chapter Five
After Tummi left for his room Marina headed for the kitchen. She knew that she had to pack but she did promise to make a picnic dinner for Shelli and Gusto. She was one to never go back on her word.
"I wish you could stay," Grammi was saying as Marina entered the kitchen. Grammi and Ginger were going over last minute recipe exchanges while dinner simmered in the large black cauldron over the fire.
"I'll be back, dear," replied the lavender gummi. She pushed back her ginger colored hair and continued. "I love traveling, it's in my blood. I come from a long line of sailors and this is my only chance to sail in the sky. The thrill is indescribable.
Grammi understood the need to follow one's heart and knew that Ginger must go. "I understand but to be honest I'm going to miss having another cook around."
"Chummi will be bringing more gummies back. I'm sure there will be a few cooks among them," piped in Marina as she gave her mother a hug in greeting.
"That is something to look forward to. But you make sure to come back and visit, both of you." Grammi was looking forward to having more gummies in the Glen again but she did still wish that Marina and Ginger could be among them.
"Oh, we'll be back," assured Ginger. "We'll even make sure plan better ahead of time so we can enjoy a longer visit." That said the two cooks checked on the cooking dinner and continued to exchange recipes. The younger lavender gummi went to work on making the picnic dinner she promised.
~:~
Back at Gusto's studio the blue artist was pacing nervously. He was trying to decide on what he should say and how he should act around Shelli. Tonight is going to mean more than the other times they hung out together. If he caught the hint right then it meant she wanted him to court her. As he continued to pace he felt a chill wind come through the cave entrance. He shivered briefly before continuing his brooding thoughts.
"I need to calm down," he told himself. He stared at a blank canvas on an easel and grumbled something intelligible under his breath. Painting always helps him relax but he had no ideas as to what to paint.
The wind swirled around the cave picking up pieces of paper and making them dance in the wind. Gusto watched the dancing paper almost hypnotically. He knew it must be his imagination but he could have sworn the wind was whispering. "Home...home...home."
"That's it!" he shouted.
A startled dozing toucan opened a sleepy eye and glared at the artist. "An inspiration I take it?" he asked sarcastically.
"None other. I'm going to paint what home was like to show Shelli. Maybe it will give her an idea what she is getting into." A farm is a far cry from a castle and Gusto wanted Shelli to realize just how humble his background was.
"You just be careful and watch your time, lover boy. If you get too caught up in your painting and forget to show up she'll have your hide," warned the toucan. Arte knew first hand how lonely Gusto had been on that island even with having him around as a friend. His artistic friend deserved a chance at love and having a family after all that he had lost.
"I gotta strike while the inspiration is hot, Artie!"
~:~
Laying face up on her bed Shelli turned the letter from her father over and over in her hands. She was trying to muster up the courage to read it. She sat up and ran a hand over the patchwork quilt of reds, whites, and pinks. If she were at home she would have been sitting on satin sheets and down comforters. Finally curiosity overcame her and she opened the letter.
"My Dearest Shelinara,
I hope this letter finds that you are safe and happy. I cannot begin to find the words to tell you how lost I have been with you gone. Never has a day gone by when I have thought of you and prayed to the Great Gummi that you are safe. Please forgive me for how I have treated you. At the time I thought I was doing what was best for you but now I see how wrong I was. Please come home my Baby Girl. You are all that I have left of your mother and I'm not even sure if you are even alive. Know that I will always love you and am always thinking of you.
Your Loving Father,
Lord Tulli"
Shelli read and re-read the letter until she had memorized it. Tears blurred her vision but she merely wiped them away. Nothing at that moment could keep her from reading the words of her father. She had not realized just how much she had missed him. He wanted her to come home and oh how much she wished she could see him. The airship was casting off tomorrow - she could go see him, but that would mean leaving Gusto behind.
"I guess it depends on how he feels about me," she sighed as she let herself flop back on the bed. "If he shows that he wants to have a relationship tonight then I should stay, if not...then I'll go home tomorrow.
~:~
Dagger looked on as his eldest niece taught that young bear from the ship how to wield a staff. Arrow and Josi had been getting rather close and Dagger wasn't sure what to think of it. The wind had been picking up lately picking up objects from the camp and dropping them elsewhere. In this case it picked up a cloak and let it drop on Arrow's head. Dagger watched with amusement as Josi took the opportunity to knocks Arrow's feet out from under her.
"That is the only way you'll ever beat me, Josi Gummi, by cheating!" exclaimed a perturbed Arrow as she lay on her back in the dirt.
"You said it yourself, there is no cheating in battle," retorted a smug Josi.
"Don't throw my words back at me, Pinky!" threatened the fallen gummi. To back up her words she swung her staff and knocked Josi's feet out from under him bringing the pink gummi to the ground. Once they were both on the ground Arrow tackled Josi and the two play wrestled across the makeshift training ground.
The leader of the Roaming band of Barbics watched the scene with growing anger. He could almost hear his thoughts echoed along the wind. "He's not a Barbic, he'll never be good enough for her. Get rid of the weakling." A low growl came from his throat as these thoughts went through his head.
"Arrow! That's enough. Go find your sister," barked the angry leader. He knew he had to break up the relationship that was forming between his niece and the newcomer before it was too late. First thing would be to keep them apart. "Josi, you come with me."
Both Josi and Arrow froze when they heard Dagger's voice. At his words they merely looked at each other in confusion and then obeyed the commands. As Arrow went off to search for her sister, Josi trotted up to Dagger's side.
"What's up?" he asked.
"We are running low on meat," replied the Barbic. "You and I are going to go hunting."
"I don't think my aim is good enough, yet," protested the pink furred bear.
"Then you aren't trying hard enough!" snapped Arrow. "If you are going to be with us you better get your act together and toughen up!"
Wisely, Josi decided not to say anything else. Arrow's father was in a bad mood and Josi only seemed to be somehow making it worse. Well, if he had to try harder, then harder he would try.
~:~
Back at the gypsy camp a large angry gypsy man was pacing while ranting and raving.
"We are going broke! We'll never get by without that ungrateful bear! I let my wife raise her and bring her back from the claws of death and this is how she repays me? By running away? That is gratitude for you. That girl needs to learn a lesson. As soon as I find her...she'll learn what respect means."
After Tummi left for his room Marina headed for the kitchen. She knew that she had to pack but she did promise to make a picnic dinner for Shelli and Gusto. She was one to never go back on her word.
"I wish you could stay," Grammi was saying as Marina entered the kitchen. Grammi and Ginger were going over last minute recipe exchanges while dinner simmered in the large black cauldron over the fire.
"I'll be back, dear," replied the lavender gummi. She pushed back her ginger colored hair and continued. "I love traveling, it's in my blood. I come from a long line of sailors and this is my only chance to sail in the sky. The thrill is indescribable.
Grammi understood the need to follow one's heart and knew that Ginger must go. "I understand but to be honest I'm going to miss having another cook around."
"Chummi will be bringing more gummies back. I'm sure there will be a few cooks among them," piped in Marina as she gave her mother a hug in greeting.
"That is something to look forward to. But you make sure to come back and visit, both of you." Grammi was looking forward to having more gummies in the Glen again but she did still wish that Marina and Ginger could be among them.
"Oh, we'll be back," assured Ginger. "We'll even make sure plan better ahead of time so we can enjoy a longer visit." That said the two cooks checked on the cooking dinner and continued to exchange recipes. The younger lavender gummi went to work on making the picnic dinner she promised.
~:~
Back at Gusto's studio the blue artist was pacing nervously. He was trying to decide on what he should say and how he should act around Shelli. Tonight is going to mean more than the other times they hung out together. If he caught the hint right then it meant she wanted him to court her. As he continued to pace he felt a chill wind come through the cave entrance. He shivered briefly before continuing his brooding thoughts.
"I need to calm down," he told himself. He stared at a blank canvas on an easel and grumbled something intelligible under his breath. Painting always helps him relax but he had no ideas as to what to paint.
The wind swirled around the cave picking up pieces of paper and making them dance in the wind. Gusto watched the dancing paper almost hypnotically. He knew it must be his imagination but he could have sworn the wind was whispering. "Home...home...home."
"That's it!" he shouted.
A startled dozing toucan opened a sleepy eye and glared at the artist. "An inspiration I take it?" he asked sarcastically.
"None other. I'm going to paint what home was like to show Shelli. Maybe it will give her an idea what she is getting into." A farm is a far cry from a castle and Gusto wanted Shelli to realize just how humble his background was.
"You just be careful and watch your time, lover boy. If you get too caught up in your painting and forget to show up she'll have your hide," warned the toucan. Arte knew first hand how lonely Gusto had been on that island even with having him around as a friend. His artistic friend deserved a chance at love and having a family after all that he had lost.
"I gotta strike while the inspiration is hot, Artie!"
~:~
Laying face up on her bed Shelli turned the letter from her father over and over in her hands. She was trying to muster up the courage to read it. She sat up and ran a hand over the patchwork quilt of reds, whites, and pinks. If she were at home she would have been sitting on satin sheets and down comforters. Finally curiosity overcame her and she opened the letter.
"My Dearest Shelinara,
I hope this letter finds that you are safe and happy. I cannot begin to find the words to tell you how lost I have been with you gone. Never has a day gone by when I have thought of you and prayed to the Great Gummi that you are safe. Please forgive me for how I have treated you. At the time I thought I was doing what was best for you but now I see how wrong I was. Please come home my Baby Girl. You are all that I have left of your mother and I'm not even sure if you are even alive. Know that I will always love you and am always thinking of you.
Your Loving Father,
Lord Tulli"
Shelli read and re-read the letter until she had memorized it. Tears blurred her vision but she merely wiped them away. Nothing at that moment could keep her from reading the words of her father. She had not realized just how much she had missed him. He wanted her to come home and oh how much she wished she could see him. The airship was casting off tomorrow - she could go see him, but that would mean leaving Gusto behind.
"I guess it depends on how he feels about me," she sighed as she let herself flop back on the bed. "If he shows that he wants to have a relationship tonight then I should stay, if not...then I'll go home tomorrow.
~:~
Dagger looked on as his eldest niece taught that young bear from the ship how to wield a staff. Arrow and Josi had been getting rather close and Dagger wasn't sure what to think of it. The wind had been picking up lately picking up objects from the camp and dropping them elsewhere. In this case it picked up a cloak and let it drop on Arrow's head. Dagger watched with amusement as Josi took the opportunity to knocks Arrow's feet out from under her.
"That is the only way you'll ever beat me, Josi Gummi, by cheating!" exclaimed a perturbed Arrow as she lay on her back in the dirt.
"You said it yourself, there is no cheating in battle," retorted a smug Josi.
"Don't throw my words back at me, Pinky!" threatened the fallen gummi. To back up her words she swung her staff and knocked Josi's feet out from under him bringing the pink gummi to the ground. Once they were both on the ground Arrow tackled Josi and the two play wrestled across the makeshift training ground.
The leader of the Roaming band of Barbics watched the scene with growing anger. He could almost hear his thoughts echoed along the wind. "He's not a Barbic, he'll never be good enough for her. Get rid of the weakling." A low growl came from his throat as these thoughts went through his head.
"Arrow! That's enough. Go find your sister," barked the angry leader. He knew he had to break up the relationship that was forming between his niece and the newcomer before it was too late. First thing would be to keep them apart. "Josi, you come with me."
Both Josi and Arrow froze when they heard Dagger's voice. At his words they merely looked at each other in confusion and then obeyed the commands. As Arrow went off to search for her sister, Josi trotted up to Dagger's side.
"What's up?" he asked.
"We are running low on meat," replied the Barbic. "You and I are going to go hunting."
"I don't think my aim is good enough, yet," protested the pink furred bear.
"Then you aren't trying hard enough!" snapped Arrow. "If you are going to be with us you better get your act together and toughen up!"
Wisely, Josi decided not to say anything else. Arrow's father was in a bad mood and Josi only seemed to be somehow making it worse. Well, if he had to try harder, then harder he would try.
~:~
Back at the gypsy camp a large angry gypsy man was pacing while ranting and raving.
"We are going broke! We'll never get by without that ungrateful bear! I let my wife raise her and bring her back from the claws of death and this is how she repays me? By running away? That is gratitude for you. That girl needs to learn a lesson. As soon as I find her...she'll learn what respect means."