The tree seemed to be a large oak rather than one of the majority pine or birch that the forest was littered with, and it had a full crown intertwined with the surrounding trees. Even with his jetpack the foliage was difficult to navigate.
'This is International Rescue. Is anybody there?'
Scott received no reply and he frowned.
'John?'
'Yes, Scott?'
'I'm in the canopy. Foliage is quite dense. Can you check that I am at the right tree?'
'You are. One life sign about halfway up the tree, two at the bottom.'
'Ok, I'm going to cut the jetpack and climb down, I think it will be safer.'
'FAB, Scott.'
'Virgil?'
'Here, Scott.'
'How far out are you?'
'Coming up to the Sussex coast now. Be with you in 2.7 minutes.'
'I haven't had any response yet, you'll be better going down with Gordon by cable and checking everything out. There's a small clearing not too far where you can safely drop but you'll need to leave Two hovering with One.'
'FAB, Scott. Coming up to your location now.'
Scott picked out a sturdy branch and began climbing down, a spare harness attached to his own. He'd picked up a child's one, unsure of the size of person or bear he was picking up.
'This is International Rescue. Is anybody there?'
This time a small voice came up.
'Yes, I'm here.'
'Hold tight, I won't be much longer getting to you.'
'I will.'
'Are you hurt at all?'
But any reply was lost in the roar of Thunderbird Two.
On the ground Piglet stirred as voices drifted around him. He recognised Pooh's, but the second voice was unknown. He'd just picked himself up and dusted the leaves off himself when a second awful noise filled the air, and once more Piglet fell to his knees and covered his head with his arms.
He was shaking like a leaf.
The roaring passed overhead and like the first it went quieter but didn't disappear altogether. Piglet didn't dare move.
Virgil and Gordon ziplined down as Scott had suggested, bringing a stretcher and a medkit with them, and hurried over to the clearing. They reached the supine child and a trembling…Piglet? the same time that Scott reached Pooh Bear.
Scott sat on the branch below Pooh and gaped for a moment before pulling himself together. It's just a normal rescue he reminded himself. The bear still had his eyes screwed up tight.
'John, are you seeing this?'
'I am.'
'That is definitely the Winnie-The-Pooh I remember reading about.'
'Sure looks like it, Scott. Virgil's just sent an image of Christopher Robin and Piglet.'
'I'm not going to ask. Let's get this rescue underway.
He stood up, bringing him to the same height as Pooh.
'Hello there.'
Pooh opened one eye and looked at him.
'Hello. Are you a Woozle?'
'Er…No, I'm a human. My name is Scott.'
'Oh. Like Christopher Robin.'
'Yes, that's right.'
'You're a lot bigger than he is.'
'Um, that's because I've grown up. When Christopher Robin grows up he'll be as big as me.'
'Oh.'
'Are you ready to get out of this tree?'
'Yes please. I was going to get some honey but I think I would like to get down now.'
'Er, ok. Let's get this harness on you.'
Pooh was very compliant in letting Scott put the harness on him and in no time at all the bear was attached to Scott and holding onto his torso tightly.
'Is this safe?'
'Yes, it's very safe.'
'Hmm. And could you walk out onto the end of that branch?'
'I could, I guess. What are you thinking?'
'Well, if it isn't too much bother, I think I have changed my mind. Do you think you can reach the honey?'
'Honey?'
Pooh twisted a little in Scott's arms and pointed to the end of the branch above them. There was a small beehive hanging from it.
'You want me to help you get honey from a wild beehive?'
'If it's not too much bother.'
Scott stared at the bear in his arms. His expression was unreadable but his eyes were earnest. He reminded Scott of a very young Gordon, asking him to go steal Momma's freshly baked cookies.
He'd never been able to say no to eyes like that.
They carefully picked their way across the branch, the bees investigated them lazily all the way until they were almost directly underneath. The buzzing increased and a bee landed on Pooh's nose.
They looked at each other.
'Scott? What are you doing?'
'I have no idea, John.'
'Um, Scott?'
'Yes, err…Do I call you Winnie or Pooh?'
'Either.'
'Well, ok. Pooh, what's up?'
'I have been thinking that these are completely the wrong sort of bees for honey.'
'Oh, um…ok?'
The branch chose that exact time to crack.
Virgil and Gordon weren't having much better luck.
He and Gordon had reached Christopher Robin and the cowering Piglet. As he bent down to check the boy over, Gordon tapped Piglet on the shoulder.
Piglet having heard their footsteps had wrapped his arms tighter around his head. The touch of Gordon's hand on his shoulder caused Piglet jumped up in fright and screamed in Virgil's face, causing the big man to fall backwards onto his bottom.
Gordon couldn't help himself. He cracked up laughing. Virgil frowned at him before turning back to the boy and finishing the medscan.
Piglet turned with horror at the noise the smaller person was producing before he realised it was laughter.
'P-p-p-please, are you a-a-a Woozle?'
'A Woozle?'
Gordon looked to Virgil in confusion. Virgil, however, knew exactly what Piglet was referring to and smiled broadly at him.
'No, Piglet. We're not Woozles.'
'H-H-H-Heffalumps?'
'Not heffalumps either. My name is Virgil and this is my brother Gordon.'
Piglet looked between the two of them, debating. They didn't look like what he'd always imagined Woozles or Heffalumps looked like. In fact they looked a lot like Christopher Robin, only bigger.
Gordon, still on the floor, looked at both his brother and the Piglet in his green stripy jumper. He had no idea what they were talking about, but he saw Piglet's shoulders relax.
'Pleased to meet you,' he said.
'P-P-Pleased to meet you.'
'Likewise.'
'W-W-What are you doing to C-C-Christopher Robin?'
'We're going to make him all better.'
Christopher Robin had a small cut to his head and the scan showed a probable concussion. Virgil was only a little worried that he was still unconscious, but there was a large lump on the boy's head.
Piglet watched as Virgil and Gordon between them got Christopher Robin onto a bed. Gordon stayed on his knees and tied him down while Virgil knelt beside him.
'What we are going to do is take him to the clearing and then to our ship where I can make sure he's alright.'
'Sh-Sh-Ship?'
'That's right.'
'On the w-w-water?'
'No, up in the sky. You would have heard her.'
'Oh. W-w-was that the n-n-n-noise?'
But before Virgil could answer two things happened in quick succession.
There was a loud crack from above which caused everyone to look up.
With a 'boing-boing' noise something flew into Virgil's back, sending him sprawling to the ground.
With a whooping sound Gordon suddenly found himself on his back, a tiger standing on his chest growling in his face.
