Thanks for the reviews. Anyway, here's the next chapter.
Disclaimer:
I do not own Camp Lazlo. But I do own the wolves in this story.
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Chapter 10. Explainations and a Mouse
SPLASH! Nova awoke with a start. His face and half of his body was wet with water. He looked around to see where the water had come from. He discovered that he was in the Mess Hall, right near the kitchen. He also discovered an angry Lazlo holding a bucket in front of him, and the rest of the camp surrounding him, all with angry faces. Even Scoutmaster Lumpus was there. Slinkman stepped forward, leaned down a bit, and grabbed Nova by the scruff of the neck. He pulled Nova to his eye level.
"Where is she?" Slinkman's voice sounded angry and threatening. Nova was still recovering from his "nap", so he was a little confused. "Where is who?" Lazlo stepped up and got right in Nova's face. Clam and Raj were right behind him. "You know who we're talking about!" Clam also got in his face, "Starlight!"
Nova had been confused when he first got up. He couldn't remember what happened. And he didn't understand why he was being yelled at. Now the pieces were coming together, and so were the pieces of his memory. He remembered what had happened to Starlight, and himself, back in the woods. He even remembered what the buck looked like. Nova realized that the buck must have left Nova where he was for some reason, and had only taken Starlight. The campers must have found him and thought he did something to Starlight.
Nova shook the water off of his face and turned to Slinkman. (A/N: Nova doesn't know who Slinkman is, but I didn't feel like describing him as 'the slug'.) His facial expression hadn't changed. Nova hung his head, as if it was his fault Starlight had been captured. He said quietly, "I don't know." Slinkman shook Nova's head slightly and asked impatiently, "What do you mean you don't know? You were the last one with her." Nova knew that these people were very mad. He had to explain quickly, or he could get hurt for nothing. "No-Well, I was the last one with her-but I didn't have anything to do with her going missing." There was a short pause. Nova could tell that they were listening. He continued, "There was this poacher guy we spotted earlier in the forest. He shot knockout darts at us after we had lunch. He must've taken her away for some reason…but I don't know why."
Nova must have sounded convincing, because Slinkman let go of the scruff of his neck. Lazlo started panicking, "Slinkman, what are we going to do? We have to help her. That guy might hurt her. Or worse." He gulped. Slinkman sighed and looked back at him. "I don't know, Lazlo. I don't know." Lumpus spoke up, "We're not going to do anything. I-I mean you campers might get hurt. And if you're parents find out, well, let's just say it won't be pretty. Besides…even if we were going to help, we don't know where she is."
Nova knew of a way to help. "I know how we can find her." Slinkman turned around and stared at him with hope in his eyes. "You do?" Nova nodded confidently. "Yep, I know this eagle that lives in this area. He has great eyesight. He could look for her." Nova then thought of something, and his ears lay flat against his head. "Oh, wait. We would need some sort of clue to start out with. Such as tire tracks near camp, or something."
There was a long pause, before Lazlo suggested that they start looking for the clues. Nova shrugged his shoulders and the campers left. He turned to Slinkman and said, "Before I get my hopes up, please tell me I wasn't knocked out for that long." Slinkman shook his head and said, "No, you were only out for 20 minutes." Nova let out a sight of relief. But he was still worried that they might not stop that poacher in time.
While everyone else was searching Nova went into a really deep part of the woods. He told Slinkman to examine any evidence for him while he was gone. Scoutmaster Lumpus didn't want anything to do with helping Starlight, so he went back into the Scoutmaster's Cabin.
Nova reached the area where he normally met the eagle, Freedom, when he needed help finding something, or just for a visit. Freedom was loyal to Nova, ever since he was saved by Nova from a trap. Nova hadn't hurt Freedom because he was only a pup.
Nova had a secret way of letting Freedom know he was there. He howled a long howl then two shorter howls. Before long Nova heard Freedom's greeting screech. Freedom landed on a stump nearby. He had a smile on his face as he spoke to Nova. "Well, what are you doing here? Your pack left two weeks ago, and you were with them." Nova spoke quickly to the eagle, knowing that there wasn't any time to spare. "Long story. Anyway, I need your help. Someone took Starlight and I need your help to find her. If we don't hurry, she may be killed. Are you willing to help me?" Freedom wasted no time in answering his 'yes'. Nova took Freedom back to Camp Kidney, explaining everything to Freedom as the eagle flew beside him.
When they returned to camp there was four pieces of evidence found. They were:
1. Footprints near the 'knock out' sight.
2. The footprints led to tire tracks that were in a clearing in the forest about 600 yards to the left of the camp's entrance.
3. The tire tracks were covered in mud, so you could see where they left and which direction they went when they got on the road. They continued going left so nobody at camp would see their vehicle.
4. There was a piece of paper near the tire tracks that said:
Okay boys,
There is this place in town that is abandoned and closed up. We can use that, because I know where the wolf is. I knew it had to have been in another wolf pack, and-what luck- it's in the local one. I'm going to knock it out with a Knockout Dart, and take it back to the building.
Buckweed
Boss,
Where is this place that you're talking about? Oh, and uh, congratulations on finding that
wolf…after five years of searching.
You idiot. The name of the place is Aaron's Shoe Factory.
And thanks.
Boss,
Thanks for that name. We'll meet you there with the cage.
"Well, that was helpful", Nova said bluntly, after reading the paper. the poacher must have had this in his pocket and accidently dropped it. He turned to Freedom, can you find that place and see if you can stop them from doing anything bad to Starlight. Freedom shrugged, "Well, sure, but what do you want me to do?" Nova smiled, "Put that beak and those talons to work. Ya know, mess with the wiring and see what happens. But only so they are busy fixing this for another day." There was a pause before Nova continued, "Maybe you should take Chica, the field mouse, with you. That way, in case the power box is inside she can mess with that, while you mess with Buckweed and his buddies. You could throw rocks and the windows to get their attention…" Nova cracked a sly grin. "You could even wait until they come outside and regurgitate on them." Freedom cracked a grin, too. "Let's go find Chica."
Nova and Freedom stood in the forest, just outside of a field. (Well, actually Freedom sat on a branch in a nearby tree.) Nova spotted a hollow log with a branch coming out of it. The branch was hollow, too. Nova walked over to it, wet his lips, and blew in the branch. It made an awful hollowed thundering noise. This was how Nova let mice and other small beings know he wanted to speak with them, not to hurt them.
After a few moments many little creatures came bounding, walking, and scampering up to Nova. Freedom licked his lips. He was looking at a buffet of delicious treats. Nova saw this and glared at him, and then turned back to the creatures. In front of him were moles, mice, rabbits, ground hogs, martins, skunks, porcupines, opossums, hedgehogs, raccoons, squirrels, and chipmunks.
Nova cleared his throat. "ahem Sorry, to have interrupted you from whatever you were doing, but I have a mission and I need Chica the mouse's help." Another little mouse spoke up, "Sire, Chica is sick at home. She wouldn't be able to accompany you." Nova sighed with frustration. Then the little mouse spoke again, "Maybe another would be willing to accompany you." Nova gave a warning, "Okay, but it would have to be a mouse, only a mouse, that is willing to take a chance with Freedom the Eagle. If you are not a mouse or are not a willing mouse you may leave."
Everybody but one lone mouse was left standing in front of Nova. The mouse was a small greyish brown mouse, with big ears and cute little eyes. Nova sighed in his mind and bent towards the mouse. "What is your name?" The mouse jumped at the loudness of Nova's voice but bravely answered, "Sire, my name is Valiant. I may not look like much, but I am willing to do anything for his majesty." Nova smiled a little. "Can you bit through hard objects with your teeth?" Valiant answered with pride, "I can bite through wood and wires." Nova showed a smile as big as the mouse's bravery.
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I picture Valiant being the cutest little mouse in the world. He will be recognized for bravery, don't you worry about that.
Anyway, please review.