Me: Ah weel naow no one has paid attention to my offer in the last chapter which surprises me yet.

#4: Haha, ye got more chapters than reviews!

Me: And you're gonna wish you hadn't said that after all the 3/4ness I force on you in this fanfic.

#4: OOU

Me: 'specially at the end…

#4:gulps:

Violet: This is gonna be good…

#4: Shuddap Brockviolet!

Bv: On with the fic!

12. A Key!

It was a clear sunny day that showed only scarcely through the foliage of the forest. A breeze softly whistled through the trees, song of the woods.

The captives Cree had taken, however, didn't find anytime to enjoy it, considering, they were forced to march fast and hard.

Chained wrists, soggy clothing, and whippy branch prods from the slavers gave no relief or rest for the kids. The huge running chain clung to branches and bushes easily and tripped them often. Emmett Muffler, often and quickly, caught sips of water and any berries available as he trudged on. He showed the others the example and they followed. While everyone ate their pitiful fill, Luna and Stan talked in muted voices.

"I have no idea where we're going or which direction we're taking. I can only tell day and night apart now." Luna told Stan.

Stan nodded, "We're traveling south, I'm positive. I don't know anymore than you do as to where they're taking us."

Winnie butted in, "If ya don't want ter foind out, keep alert fer any chance ter escape."

Stan was confused, "But how will we escape when we're all chained together?"

Zukishia Sanban overheard them. "Please don't escape and leave me behind, I couldn't stand it." She whimpered.

Winnie's teeth gritted. "Shia, weh'll take ya wi' us when weh escape."

"Oh no, let me be," Shia begged, "Cree would break my legs and let me die in these dreadful woods!"

Winnie was really ticked off. She was about to ask Shia what she really wanted, but she stopped herself.

"Quiet now, Shia," Chip said, "when the time comes you can do what you want."

30c came up next to Stan with a strong, wood stave.

"Thought you were so clever with that tree branch yesterday, huh? Well take this!"

Stan's eyes narrowed to slits and he hissed angrily. As 30c struck, Stan unarmed him with breakneck speed. He snapped the stave in two and struck 30c hard in the gut with it. Stan's teeth showed sharp and white.

"One day, these chains will be on you, scum, and I'll be the one armed. Then no one and nothing will stop me from getting you!"

"If Ah don't strangle 'im first." Winnie added dangerously.

30c dashed off in fright.

"You won't be free where you're going."

30c ran into Cree. She cuffed him harshly and flung him aside.

"Kat n' Kose, chain the prisoners up to those two trees for some rest. Then come with me, I saw something back there a bit."

"Right, chief!"

The slaves sat upon some dry grass, resting their weary feet and aching muscles. Emmett shared some ripe cloudberries and acorns he had found with the ones who hadn't had anything to eat.

Luna was slumped on the ground, staring at what lie ahead. She was beat and was in one of her trances, staring at nothing in particular.

She suddenly noticed a small boy sitting next to her, unchained.

"wavyhaired girl chained up. Whya letem do that to ya?" he asked.

"We were captured by Cree and her crew. Who are you?" Luna asked in a whisper as she signaled the others over.

Winnie poked Shia, "Watch those guards and tell us when and if they come."

The boy crawled closer, "I'm Bayngo, too smart n' tricky to let'm catch I yep!"

"Could you help us Bayngo?" Winnie asked.

Bayngo shook his bushy brown hair, "Why'd me help such a silly bunch. Me gorra lotsa keys, open any lock."

"He's got a key," Chip whispered softly to Winnie, "we've got to borrow them."

Winnie bit and licked her always dry, cracked lips.

"Bayngo, note ower position. We're in dangah, weh may ne'er see 'ome, weh may ne'er see owere families again. Please, lend us those keys o' yers. Weh only need 'em fera second."

Bayngo thought for a moment.

"Worra you got? Ikkle cost you sumphink good."

Emmett nodded, "That's fair, wait one moment please."

They all huddled, discussing in whispers.

"Wot do weh 'ave? Ah've got nothin'," Winnie said.

Luna pulled out a ring made from and unthorned rose sprig with a small red rose bud. "Kuki made it for me for graduation. It isn't much, but it's pretty. He's probably never seen anything like it."

Stan spat something from his mouth and dried it on his shirt. He revealed it to be a small, red-hued pebble.

"Before we arrived at Sector V's treehouse, I had been sucking on this. It's quite smooth and flat now."

He placed it next to the rose ring.

Winnie looked around. "Anyone else?"

Chip removed his red baseball cap he always wore backwards, from his head. "Hoagie gave it to me for my eighth birthday."

Carmen reluctantly removed something from her ankle and put it in with the rest of the small pile. "An anklet Abby made from the Blurpleberry Supreme. She lent it to me for the party."

Winnie took off her necklace. It was a simple slip-knotted leather necklace with one unique otter-shaped bead on it. "Wally made it for me for Cadet Graduation."

Emmett took the bundle of things and signaled Bayngo over.

Shia warningly hissed from her position on watch. Bayngo hid behind the bushes and the captives pretended to sleep.

Sugrom came over. Tickling Shia under her chin with her cane, she looked over at the group of kids, making sure they weren't doing anything funny.

"Can't get any sleep, girly?"

Shia gulped nervously, "Not a wink sir-er-ma'am."

"Well your buddies seem to have it down well. They look like a bunch of babes sleepin' in a crib."

Shia found it too painful to look as Sugrom pushed her cane harder against her throat, knocking her over onto her back with the force. Shia tried to sooth her own pain with her chained hands.

"Get some sleep before I decide to tell Cree to use you as her next moving target. Heheheh."

Shia stayed on her back, "She's gone, but please hurry!" She said in a rasping, urgent whisper.

Bayngo scurried up and grabbed the pitiful pile of prizes.

"Hmmmmm…norra lot. Funny ring, purty stone, nice cap, look nice on me."

Emmett encouraged him, "Oh yes, very nice indeed. Put the anklet on your ankle, like so…perfect! Now, this here, that there, and voila!"

Luna held Bayngo by his shirt, "Just a second, where's the key?"

Bayngo rolled his eyes, "Don't carry 'em wit' me, gorra go fer 'em."

Luna kept her grasp firm, "How do I know you'll return?"

Bayngo opened his eyes wide in innocence, "You hafta trust Bayngo…um…"

"Luna,"

"Yeah, must trust I Lunna."

He ran out of reach of the manacled bunch. He then did a small dance.

"Me trickered you! Heheheehehehehe! Now me have prekky likkle gifts for free!"

Luna tore a huge branch off a tree and threw it with rage at Bayngo.

Fwack!

It hit him hard on the head. He hurriedly crawled away.

"Wake up, you dozy fools, we're marching again!" 30c called as Cree manacled a new captive with Winnie and the others.

Cree shouted at Katsu and Kosuke, "Cover our tracks, I don't want her brother knowing where we're headed."

Drowsily, the hostages were on their feet and on the move. A smoky fire coloured moon shone overhead along with the gem-like stars. In the dark, Winnie noticed Chip wiping away a tear.

"What's wrong Chip?"

The tall boy pretended he hadn't been doing anything. It was mo use against Winnie. He admitted it to her.

"Nothing, it's just, that cap meant a lot to me. It was the last thing to remind me of home. Think we'll ever see it again?"

Winnie felt a serge of warrior spirit bolt into her. "A'course, Chip. When weh do, we'll 'ave a big party, to celebrate our new KND positions. All of us. Ah promise ya."

"Thanks, Winifred," Chip said, managing a smile, "your word is good enough for me."

"Keep movin' you lazy lot!"

The newest captive nudged Stan. "Where are they taking us? Do they always shout and insult?"

The raven haired boy nodded, yawning, "Yup, they do that all the time. I'm stan Uno, and you are?"

"Sandy Dellow."

"Nice to meet you."

"You too. I'd hate to be Cree when my brother gets here."

"Who's he?" Winnie asked.

"Chad, Numbuh 274," (This story takes place before Numbuh 274 was a teen.)

The group of them smiled, for the first time in a while. Sandy obviously found this all temporary until Chad caught up.

Winnie wished it was all that simple.

Me: Yay another chapter finished.

#4: Yeah, you're just typing something already written in your journal.

Me: Vi, duct tape.

Violet:tapes #4's mouth shut:gives me thumbs up:

#4: Mmgrmphrr!

Me: Ah, much better. Stay tuned for the next chapter, and a new fanfic I'll be writing soon. You'll know it when you see it.

#4: Grmmffburgge!