Chapter 4 is now out the door! Getting close to what I promised in chapter 1, aren't we? Hopefully it turns out like I hope it will! Enjoy this chapter!

Kipo's dad was cooking dinner, flying up something in a pan while he reached for some cooking oil. Kipo was sitting on the couch, reading when she suddenly looked up. "Dad, did you know the Milky Way is the reason we have the word galaxy? The ancient Greeks looked up, they saw a milky thing in the sky and they called it Galactos." Her dad laughed.

"I did. I wrote that book."

"Oh." Said Kipo. She shrugged. "Eh, it's all right."

"Well, the blurb on the back calls it brilliant and insightful." Kipo flipped the book over to look. "So, heyo!" Kipo looked up at the ceiling of the room, and the stars decorating it, sighing.

"Don't you ever get sad that we'll never get to see all that?" Her father turned to her, then shut off the heat on the food and pulled something off of his arm. He started walking over, grabbing a guitar as he went.

"Hey, you know what I used to do to cheer up your mom?" He started strumming his guitar as Kipo laughed.

"Yes, dad. You've played me that song a million times." He sat down next to her, still strumming. "It worked for me when I was six." That didn't deter her father as he kept playing.

"We may not have sunshine" he sang, "Or starlight or weather. But we've got each other," Kipo turned to him.

"And that's even better." She sang. She reached over for her own guitar as her father chuckled a little.

"You don't need the sun to keep you warm when you've got arms." He stopped playing as he hugged Kipo. The split and Kipo started playing on her guitar.

"Wishes come from you and not a random shooting star." Her father smiled at her, then started playing again.

"We may not have storm clouds," they sang together, "But the sky's always blue." They stopped playing as they looked at each other.

"We've got something special here." Sang her dad. "And what we have is you." He started playing again. "What we have is you. What we have is you." He finished playing, then he and Kipo started just rapidly plucking the strings of their guitars, just having fun with it for a few moments before Kipo fell back into the couch, laughing. Her father joined in the laughing.

"Ok, I guess it still works when I'm 12." She admitted, looking at her father. "Thanks dad." He stood up and put his guitar down, kissing Kipo on the head before going back over to the oven to finish cooking.

"Dinner will be ready shortly." He said. He finished cooking as Kipo kept reading just a bit longer, before he put out some dishes and called her over. The two sat together in the kitchen, just enjoying their food.

"Pass the sauce?" Asked Kipo, holding her hand out.


Fear of humans, fear of what they'll do

Fear of others, no matter where you go

Taken from your home, forever lost

One light in the distance,

But oh so far away,

Run towards the light,

Away from your fear


A Timbercat handed Kipo an axe. "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" She spun it in her hand and sliced through the foliage in front of them, opening the path for everyone. She turned back to the group. "You guys want a turn? You have to try it!" The Timbercats began to march again. "Riding by flea is my new favorite way to travel!" Wolf and Benson just looked up at her.

"I'm good." Said Wolf. Atom laughed a bit.

"You enjoy it Kipo." He said. "I doubt any of us would enjoy it more than you."

"Ok." Said Kipo. "More flea for me!" Pierre charged forward as he hollered. "Let's go!" In front of them was a lot of sand, and the giant footprints they were following. Pierre and the Timbercats continued moving into the desert, unphased by the sudden change. Atom looked around bewildered.

"So, just to clear something up, this city is next to water, a forest, and a desert?" He started ticking off his fingers, as if calculating something. "Something about that doesn't quite add up."

"Eh." Shrugged Wolf, following Kipo. Benson looked at him.

"You just know stuff about that off the top of your head?"

"Yeah." Said Atom. "It's something I've learned a lot about, actually. Typically, deserts form in drier climates downwind of mountains. The mountains push warm, moist air up, which causes it to form clouds and precipitate out before going back down, leaving hot, dry air for the areas below it."

"I'll just pretend I understood half of that and move on." Said Benson, starting to move towards the group. Dave looked at Atom.

"You know, I think I read something about that somewhere before." Atom shook his head and got moving.

"This place is a post-apocalypse, and I'm questioning the terrains around the city." He laughed slightly. "Out of everything I could be asking about, it's that."

"I did not follow any of that." Said Dave as he ran to catch up with Benson. When he caught up, Benson had stopped in front of a giant footprint, and was looking over it, considering. "Hmm?"

"You see the size of that footprint?" Asked Benson. "We're walking towards whatever made it." Atom walked past them, bringing up the rear of the army.

"Fear is but a construct of the mind to get away from that which can kill you." He said. "Natural survival instinct." He walked past, then stood next to them. "But I get where you're coming from. The first time I saw something that big, I freaked out a little too." He looked away thinking. "Though, not from fear." He started walking again, catching up to the Timbercats and leaving Benson and Dave to their musings.

"Do you remember voting on this plan?" Asked Dave. "Because I don't!" The two started walking again, and quickly caught up to the Timbercats as they stopped. Kipo climbed off of Pierre as Yumyan moved towards the front of the group to give a rousing speech.

"Soon, we will find the Mega Beast, crush it, and take back our sacred tree!" He raised his axe into the air, followed by the rest of the Timbercats.

"Sacred Tree!" They all called, before lowering their axes.

"But first," started Yumyan, before slicing off a branch of a cactus. Pierre quickly walked up to it and began sipping as water dripped out, "we give Pierre a drink." Yumyan began petting him. "Who's my good little parasite? Who is it? That's right, it's you." Yumyan turned back to the Timbercats. "Timbercats assemble!" He spun his axe and took a step forward. "As you know, we are a proud litter of felines. We never lose!" Wolf began pushing Kipo out of the group, wanting to talk to her. "Who fought an army of"

"We're almost in Cactustown." Said Wolf to Kipo. "That's Umlaut Snake territory. You only make noise in there if you have a death wish." She pointed back at the Timbercats.

"Timbercats!" Yelled Yumyan, and all the Timbercats cheered. Wolf drew Kipo's attention again.

"Our best bet is to ditch the cats, and then sneak up on the Mega Beast while it's asleep. Rule number 32 of the surface"

"I know, I know. Stealth is your friend." Interrupted Kipo. "I would like to add a rule 33: friends are your friends, and the more you have, the safer you are."

"What's this about stealth?" Asked Atom, seemingly just appearing behind Wolf.

"Gah!" She yelled, spinning Stalkie and bashing it into him, knocking him down. He coughed.

"I deserved that." Wolf turned back to Kipo as she gasped and walked towards a store window.

"That jacket is all spiky. Do you think, it would make me look more intimidating to the Mega Mute?" Wolf glared at her.

"No." Atom slowly got back up and dusted himself off.

"But I need something that says," started Kipo, turning around and deepening her voice, "hey you! Give me back my dad." Wolf just looked at her like she was crazy.

"Do you really think you can just talk to a Mega Mute?" Benson shoved his way out from between a few Timbercats, walking up to the group. "They, can't, think. They're mindless giants." Atom held back a laugh.

"Wolf, you've said Kipo can't do a lot of things. And how many have you been right about so far?"

"He's right!" Agreed Kipo. "You never know until you try! Besides, it's the only lead I have." She started walking. "There weren't any human footprints leading out of my burrow. So either that Mega Mute took them, or a city full of humans just disappeared into thin air!"

"Or it ate them." Mumbled Benson. Wolf elbowed him to shut him up, and coughed.

"We're all for finding the Mega Mute." She said, walking up to Kipo. "Just didn't wanna do it with the world's largest dinner bell." She pointed to the Timbercats with Stalkie as Yumyan climbed onto Pierre and clanked two axes together.

"Onward!" He yelled. "Yumyan owns you all!" Every other Timbercat raised their axes and cheered for him. Atom walked up to the two girls.

"Look, we just need to get through Cactustown and keep following the footprints. As long as we're in and out quickly, everything should be fine, right?" Yumyan got Pierre moving, and the Timbercats all followed him into Cactustown. The group looked at them, and Atom sighed. "Kipo, it's up to you. You've heard everyone's arguments. Are we going with them or splitting off?" Kipo looked at everyone, before turning and following the Timbercats. Atom looked at Wolf. "She's decided. Let's go." He followed her, and Wolf huffed, then followed reluctantly. Dave and Benson started following as well, but stayed back a bit. Looking around the town as they went through it revealed it was overgrown with cacti, and some skulls were hanging from some of the spines.

"Hang on a second." Said Benson, looking at Dave. "Remember when Wolf said we're all in with helping Kipo find the Mega Mute? Are we though?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Agreed Dave. "I'm having major reservations. Don't get me wrong, I like Kipo,"

"I mean, who doesn't? And we want her to find her family, but"

"But, do we like Kipo as much as we like living?" Benson sighed.

"You pose an excellent question, my friend. We can just turn around right now and no one would know." He noticed Atom looking back at him, smirking a bit before he zipped his mouth shut and looked forward again. Benson's foot caught on something and he tripped over it. "Whoa!" He landed hard on the ground, then looked at what he had tripped over with Dave, before gasping and jumping back from the snake skin on the ground. Mandu squealed a little as Wolf raised Stalkie, snake rattling starting to become audible around them. Atom pulled out his sword.

"So much for in and out." He said. All the Timbercats stopped their march.

"Umlaut Snakes." Said Yumyan. "I'd know that rattle anywhere." He leapt off of Pierre and landed hard on the ground. "Axes on guard!" He drew his guitar axe as the other cats raised their axes, ready to fight. From a nearby building, almost a dozen snakes began slithering out. One of them came up closer than the others and swung a rock guitar around its body with its tail, before playing it with its tongue.

"Yumyan Hammerpaw." Yumyan played a counter-rhythm on his guitar.

"Cotton." He spat.

"You have a lot of nerve walking into our territory on your two feet and making all that noise and waking us up! It's daylight man!" Another snake slithered up.

"I was dreamin' about toast." Yumyan's fur bristled up, and he meowed angrily at Cotton, who responded by hissing. The other cats and snakes joined in, escalating the situation. Wolf looked around.

"This is what I was telling you about stealth!" She scolded.

"Snakes and cats." Muttered Atom as Wolf looked around again to see that Kipo wasn't nearby. "Snakes usually win this matchup." Wolf looked ahead to see Kipo moving past some angry cats.

"Excuse me, uh, excuse me. Pardon me, coming through."

"Kipo!" Whispered Wolf, before growling. Kipo pushed through the front of the cats as Atom grabbed Wolf's arm.

"She might need some help with this one. See if you can get around or through the cats." Up ahead, Kipo got in between Yumyan and Cotton.

"Wow! Uh, nice hiss off." Both sides suddenly stopped going at it, as Wolf facepalmed. Further back, Benson and Dave glanced at each other before looking forward again. Atom just shook his head and pulled out his shield, ready to activate it at a moment's notice. "Listen," started Kipo, stepping closer to Cotton, "maybe you could let us pass through your territory" Cotton leaned over her, and Kipo leaned back, further and further, "just this, one time?" Cotton hissed at her. "We'll actually be very quiet from now on!" Kipo fell onto her back, and Cotton looked at Yumyan.

"Now you're keeping humans and fleas? You cats truly are disgusting!" Yumyan screeched at her, and Atom started moving forward, pushing past cats as quickly as he could. "Ladies," Cotton looked down at Kipo, who gave a frightened laugh, "let's eat this buffet!" Atom pushed through and lunged forward, using his shield to block Cotton's lunge down at Kipo just in the nick of time. Simultaneously, Wolf tackled Kipo, rolling her out of the way. Atom let go of his shield before it hit the ground from the force of Cotton's attack and dove out of the way as the small cat jumped at her.

"Come to mama, yes!" Cotton's lower fangs got stuck in the ground as she was stretched, before she suddenly snapped out of the ground. Cats and Snakes charged towards each other, clashing in the middle, yelling, screeching, and hissing. Wolf blocked a snake with Stalkie on one side of Kipo as Atom blocked another snake with his sword on the opposite side.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Asked Wolf.

"No! Who does that?" Asked Kipo. Atom shoved the snake he was facing back, and struck it with the flat side of his sword.

"From our perspective, you walked right in the middle of two firing guns!" He said. Wolf suddenly spun Stalkie, twisting up her snake's tongue before stopping and letting the snake fly away from the rotational force. Wolf growled.

"Stick with the group!" She shoved Kipo to the side as Atom parried another snake away. Benson and Dave backed up towards them, Benson wearing a shed skin to try and trick the snake approaching them.

"Hey hey, I'm a, I'm a snake too!" He looked back at everyone else. "I am not really a snake." Molly suddenly jumped forward and grabbed the snake.

"Die, death noodle!" She jumped again, pulling it away and leaving an opening. Mandu charged up, stopping in front of Dave.

"You're no match for us!" Called a Timbercat. Mandu squealed and looked around, before charging at an opening between two snakes. Wolf watched her.

"Exit, 3 o' clock!" She called. Benson dropped his disguise as everybody but Atom ran towards the opening. He brought up the rear, blocking a few more snakes from going after them before running as well. Everyone dove into the opening, but a snake suddenly lunged out and grabbed Dave by a leg. Benson grabbed onto him and pulled, and Dave's leg suddenly snapped off, sending both of them into the alley.

"Come on!" Said the snake, looking in. Dave just groaned and looked at where his leg was.

"This'll take a whole day to grow back!" He complained as he hopped after everyone else. Cotton looked into the alley as well, sighing.

"Is it me, or were we not totally clear with them? This is Umlaut Territory!" The other snake sighed.

"A snake's job is never done."


Benson ripped a needle off of a cactus, and stuck it into Dave where his leg was supposed to be, making a very crude, and painful, prosthetic limb. Dave groaned in pain. "Good as new!" Dave took a few experimental steps.

"Oh, yeah. This is, this is wonderful." He groaned again. "It doesn't hurt more and more with each step. Ok now!" Kipo grimaced at the sight.

"I could probably do better, but we just don't have time right now." Said Atom, shaking his head.

"You'll be all better by tomorrow, right?" Asked Kipo. Dave groaned.

"Yep, I'll be just fine, ok." He suddenly turned to Benson and tugged his pants. "We should've left when we had the chance!"

"I'm looking for that chance right now." Replied Benson, looking back at Kipo, Wolf, and Atom. Atom followed them, sheathing his sword, and leaving Kipo and Wolf alone. Wolf glared at Kipo.

"You see what happens when you go rogue? From now on, until you're back home with your people, we do things my way." The two started walking. "All the time!"

"But what about" started Kipo.

"Nope!"

"The cats?"

"Nope!" Kipo was silent for a few moments.

"Ok." She said, looking away. Something suddenly ran through the buildings next to them, and Wolf stopped.

"Huh?" She stopped the rest of the group just as a hamster in a very over the top outfit stepped in front of them. It took a deep breath, then began screaming.

"Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" Kipo and Benson looked at each other, "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa," Mandu covered her ears from the high pitched scream as Atom shook his head, "aaaaaaakes!" The hamster suddenly dove into a cluster of cactuses, and Kipo started clapping before Wolf stopped her.

"No! Snake, he said snake! We're being followed."

"Heck of a lung capacity, though." Mentioned Atom. The hamster suddenly jumped out again.

"Yeah, I'm gonna run. You should probably run too." The hamster backed into the cactuses. "Did you see our skulls?" And just like that, the hamster was gone, jumping into the cactuses. Wolf turned to the rest of the group.

"We need to go in there." She pointed to an abandoned club with Stalkie. "I'll take 'em out. You guys hide."

"Not a bad plan, but what if you can't take them out?" Asked Atom. Wolf glared at him, but he held firm.

"Or, suggestion," started Kipo, "we just talk to them?" Wolf turned to her.

"No, Kipo. WE will not talk to the snakes. YOU will hide from them. And for once, you will stay put." She stepped in close to Kipo to emphasise her point, and Kipo sighed, relenting.

"Ok."

"I reiterate, what if you can't take them out?" Asked Atom. Wolf just glared at him again.

"You will help keep her put, got it? Now go!" She ran towards the club's entrance, and everyone else reluctantly followed. Just after they got out of sight, Cotton came up with the other snake. Cotton played a small riff on her guitar, but didn't quite like it.

"Eh, that sounded off." The other snake flipped her guitar to the front.

"Maybe it should go," she played another riff, and Cotton smiled.

"Oh yeah, that's good hunting music." The two snakes slithered to the abandoned club, following the scents of the people they were following, and burst in. Cotton was playing the riff that the other snake had played, but huffed. "No, still not there!"

"Well, I always like a good, you know, F Major followed by, D Minor." Suggested the other snake.

"D Minor?!" Laughed Cotton. "Maybe if you're playing hillbilly cat music!" Wolf suddenly jumped towards them, screaming as she slammed down on the other snake with Stalkie, before jumping to Cotton and stabbing her. Wolf slid to a stop behind the counter, and smirked cockily at the two snakes. The two just looked back. "Oh, honey. You know how much venom I've got coursing through my veins?" Wolf's smirk soured, and she jumped at them again. She grabbed a stool and smashed it against the two snakes.

"Tingly." Said the other one. "I haven't felt this good since my 21st shedding." Wolf jumped back and smashed another stool into her. Wolf slid to a stop in front of the counter, and ran towards the snakes again as Kipo tried to peek out from behind the counter, only to be dragged back by Mandu. She was dragged back into the furthest corner, right next to Atom. Kipo looked at Mandu.

"I know." She stated. "Wolf said to stay put, no matter what happens, but" Kipo was interrupted by Wolf breaking through the counter next to her.

"Ok, fun's over." Said Cotton as the other snake grabbed Wolf. Atom glanced at Kipo.

"If someone doesn't do something, she's snake food." He warned. Kipo rushed out from behind the counter and called out.

"Hey!" She took some cautious steps forward as the two snakes looked at her. "Hey, Cotton. Cotton's, er, friend." Wolf growled at her. "I really liked the song you walked in with." Kipo walked closer. "Uh but what if it went more like this?" She reached out and grabbed Cotton's guitar and slipped it off of her, only to get both snakes to hiss at her as she stepped back and slung the strap over her shoulder. She started playing the guitar, and the snakes didn't respond for a moment. Then, the one threw Wolf into a wall, and they began circling Kipo. Benson and Dave peeked out from their hiding spot on stage as Atom looked over the counter. He looked over at Benson and Dave to see them next to an old drum set.

"Guitar plus drums." He whispered. Benson and Dave ducked back down.

"Whoa!" Whispered Benson. "She's on to something."

"She just needs, a, duh little, a little help." Dave looked at Benson. "Maybe we'll help her this one last time and then we'll leave."

"Yeah. Yeah, one more time for old time's sake." Benson put his hands on Dave's antenna. "Sorry." He pulled them off, and Dave began yelling at the top of his lungs. The two snakes turned to look at him as Benson began drumming on the drum set, adding a pretty good beat to the music Kipo was playing.

"What?" Asked Cotton. Dave waddled over to a mic as he tried to control his screams of pain into something that went with the music. Atom glanced down at what he saw.

"Even with years in Percussion, I couldn't play a drum set as well as Benson is right now." He slumped down behind the counter. Kipo started walking over to Dave and Benson. "I could play the Ocarina, but it would be very counterproductive. Dave's screams turned into a form of vocalization as Kipo began playing the guitar again. The two snakes looked at the three with interest as their song picked up. They both began nodding their heads with the beat.

"Whoa!" They both yelled. Wolf started picking herself up, rubbing her head as she did before she realized what was going on. She growled loudly at Benson, Dave, and Kipo, but they just kept rocking on, much to the amusements of the snakes. Benson and Kipo started slowing down their music, but Dave kept going strong, until Benson threw one of his own antennas at him and knocked him over. Kipo started walking back up to the two snakes.

"That's it." Said Cotton, astonished. "That's the riff I was looking for!"

"I can't believe we were gonna eat you." Agreed the other snake. "You have the hands of an angel."

"So, we can be on our way?" Asked Kipo. "You don't mind if we cross through your territory?" She slid the guitar off and slipped it back on Cotton. She chuckled.

"Not when you shred like that! You can come through here any time!" Kipo looked at Wolf as she came up.

"I cannot believe that worked."

"It shouldn't have!" Countered Wolf. "You got lucky!"

"Lucky?" Asked Kipo. "Give me some credit! We're all alive!"

"For now. But eventually, your crazy ideas are gonna get us all killed." Kipo leaned down into Wolf's face.

"Or maybe they would've gotten us to my dad sooner if you'd listen to me for once." Atom peered over the counter to see the two arguing.

"Ok Kipo, what was your big plan again?" Wolf asked rhetorically. "Have your cat army" Benson tried to say something, but Dave stopped him, "pin the Mega Mute down so you could say 'Give me back my Dad!'? Let's do that and see what happens." Kipo scowled at Wolf, then backed up.

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Wolf turned away from Kipo as Mandu stomped on the ground, snorting. Kipo suddenly turned to the snakes.

"Hey! Bandmates! Would you happen to know where we can find a Mega Mute? You may have seen it." Atom started towards Benson and Dave. "Six arms, destroys homes and burrows for fun?"

"Yeah, we've seen it." Said Cotton. "Wrecked our tour bus. I mean, we already trashed it, but still."

"Would you take us to it? I have some questions I need to ask."

"You want to ask that Thing questions?" Asked Cotton, stunned. "Ok, sure." Kipo turned back to Wolf and stuck her tongue out. Wolf's glare just narrowed, and Kipo turned away and started walking. The two snakes turned to her as she passed.

"I think our new guitar player is a bit insane." Whispered Cotton.

"The best ones usually are." Atom walked up to Benson and Dave, and the two looked at him.

"I know you guys are wanting to leave the group," started Atom, "but consider this. You two help keep those two together, and while I hate to admit it, both of you have more use than me right now." He turned away. "Just think about it." He started after Kipo as Wolf and the snakes did, walking by Mandu, who then followed as well. Benson and Dave looked at each other before reluctantly following as well. But as they walked, Benson and Dave fell behind to talk.

"Dave, I've thought about it. Rocking out with the Umlaut Snakes was a trip" Dave grabbed some more cactus needles and stuck them into his head to replace his antennas, "and a story I wanna tell over and over." Dave groaned in pain. "But I cannot do that if we get eaten by a Mega Mute! So, we should just tell Kipo we're gonna leave, and then leave."

"You're right." Groaned Dave. "We just need to find the right time."

"There's never a right time!" Argued Benson. "You just gotta pull the band-aid off!" He walked faster to catch up to Kipo and Wolf. "Hey, Kipo, so, you know, like, band-aids, uh, they're hard to rip off." Both Kipo and Wolf turned and glared at him, very clearly not in the mood, and he backed off, giving a very nervous smile. "Let's, uh, yeah let's keep that band-aid on a little bit longer." He backed up back to Dave as the group heard something snoring. Atom drew his blade and looked around.

"Whoa, hold on." Said the other snake. Cotton put the side of her head against the ground, listening.

"The bus wrecker's asleep."

"It's just in that grove." Said the other snake, pointing with her tail. "Not even we're crazy enough to go in there."

"Thank you." Said Kipo. The two snakes turned back and slithered away as Atom sheathed his sword. The group turned back to the snakes as they left, and Kipo suddenly thought of something and gasped. "The cats! W-what happened to them?!" The two snakes turned to her. "You didn't, eat them, did you?"

"Not yet." Said Cotton. "Our bandmates trapped 'em in the Glamyrinth."

"We're tiring them out first. They're easier to eat that way." The two snakes chuckled at the mental image of what was happening to the Timbercats.

"Cats." They both laughed. Kipo took a breath.

"I just have one more favor to ask. Bandmate to bandmate. Could you let them out? They're just looking for their scratching tree." The other snake pondered for a moment. "Without them, we never would've rocked out together."

"That session was pretty epic." Recalled Cotton. "Ok, we'll consider it."

"Thank you!" Said Kipo, before she backed away again. She turned and started heading for the cactus grove.

"She's really going in there to face the six-armed beast." Said Cotton, impressed.

"So metal!" Agreed the other snake. Kipo passed the rest of the group, and everybody started following her, if some more reluctantly than others.

"What a waste of talent." Said Cotton. Atom looked back at Benson and Dave, then forward again at Kipo and Wolf, and looked down.

"We're coming up to the thing that destroyed her burrow." He thought. "So, why do I feel like this is wrong?" He looked back up again. "Why do I just feel so, useless? My sword isn't going to do much against a Mega Mute, my other abilities don't seem to work, Leo can't transform, and all of my trained skills are either equaled or outmatched by someone else in the group." He sighed internally, then refocused on what was in front of him to see that while he was musing, the group had gotten very close to the grove. Kipo came to a stop, and everyone else slowly did as well. Dave tapped Benson's leg, trying to get him to say what needed to be said.

"Hey, Kipo." Started Benson. Kipo walked forward, ignoring him.

"Ok, this is it." She turned back to the group. "I know this is dangerous, but I have to do this. None of you have to come with me." Kipo gave Mandu a few pets before putting her down. Mandu quickly rushed to Kipo's side, and Wolf walked next to her as well. Atom put on a smile.

"I'm with you all the way." He followed Wolf, and Kipo turned as she was passed by both of them. Benson laughed slightly, and Kipo suddenly turned back to him. She ran over to him and hugged him, surprising him, before she hugged Dave as well. She let go and rushed after Wolf, Mandu, and Atom, as they all headed into the cactus grove.

"Oh, she's, leaving, us." Said Benson. "That was a lot, easier than I thought."

"I'm not sure, how I feel about this." Admitted Dave. They watched the group go forward, Mandu leading, followed by Wolf with Stalkie at the ready, followed by Atom holding his sword protectively next to Kipo. The four hid behind a cactus as they got deeper, looking at the beast that laid inside.

"There it is." Said Wolf. Kipo's face just soured at the sight of the titan before her.

"Go ahead and say it." She relented. "If this thing had my people," she turned away, "it ate them. It's what you're thinking, I know it." Atom shook his head.

"If there's one thing I learned, nothing is as it seems on the surface." Wolf lowered Stalkie.

"You don't know what I'm thinking." She stated, before turning to Kipo. "I'm thinking they could be trapped in that old hotel." Kipo looked at her, before looking past the Mega Mute at an ancient hotel sign. Kipo looked back at Wolf.

"Do you really believe that?" Wolf looked down, not exactly wanting to answer the question. She then looked up again.

"None of us really believe it." Said Atom. "But there's still a chance of it being true." Mandu suddenly squealed and started digging around, drawing everyone's attention. Kipo went over to her quickly and looked into the hole that was just dug and picked something up. She gasped at the sight of her father's guitar pick.

"This was my dad's! Wolf," she turned to Wolf, "you're right! He's gotta be in that hotel!" She looked at the hotel again, and suddenly yelled. "Dad! Are you in there?!" Wolf covered her mouth, and she dropped the guitar pick. It flew into the air as the Mega Mute stirred a bit, listening closely. Atom stepped in front of Kipo and Wolf, holding his sword up as they watched the pick fall towards the ground. Wolf suddenly flopped back, holding herself up by an arm as she caught the pick with her foot, stopping it from hitting the ground. She grit her teeth from the exertion, but it worked. The Mega Mute relaxed again as they looked at it, and everyone dropped their guard as it fell back asleep. "Sorry." Apologized Kipo.

"There's the monster!" Everyone looked back quickly to see the Timbercats racing into the cactus grove, yelling war cries. The Mega Mute woke up completely and started getting up, drawing everyone's attention again. Wolf and Kipo gasped as Atom held his sword up again.

"Well, Wolf was right about one thing. Those Timbercats are very, very loud!" The Mega Mute turned towards the sounds as the Timbercats ran past the group, before it roared loudly.


Outside, as Benson and Dave were walking away, they heard the roar from within the grove. They suddenly stopped and turned back to it. "Do you think she's ok?" Asked Benson.

"Ah, I already miss her." Said Dave.

"You know what, Dave?" Asked Benson. "When we were with Kipo, we were doing something more than just surviving. For the first time ever, we were a part of something bigger than us!" He looked at Dave.

"I'm going back in man!" Declared Dave.

"Kipo!" Yelled Benson. "We're coming for ya!" The two began running back.


The Mega Mute roared again, before it smashed a fist into the ground, blowing away Timbercats by the dozen. Benson and Dave ran in and maneuvered around the Timbercats flying at them. All around, Timbercats were hissing and meowing at the Mega Mute. Yumyan led a group up the Scratching Tree to get the jump on the Mega Mute. He threw his two battle axes at it, before he was suddenly swatted away. Another cat was swatted, and the small over yelled out. "No!" She was also swatted away. Cotton and the other snake suddenly slithered up to Kipo, Wolf, and Atom.

"Those crazy fuzzbuckets came straight here after we let them out!" Said Cotton.

"I thought you two said you weren't crazy enough to come in here!" Said Atom. The group looked ahead to see a Timbercat flying at them, and ducked under it. It flew past into the wall of cactuses.

"We had to come back for the show!" Said the other snake. Wolf looked up a bit and analyzed the situation.

"Now's our chance." She said. "We can go into that hotel." She turned to Kipo. "Find your dad." She turned away and started walking.

"No!" Said Kipo. "We have to help the cats first!" Wolf looked at her again, confused. "I have a plan!"

"What's the plan, Kipo?" Asked Atom. "Everyone's weapons are next to useless against the Mega Mute."

"Is it going to get us killed?" Added Wolf.

"Maybe not." Replied Kipo. "'Cause this time, you're part of it." An axe suddenly flew between them. Wolf sighed.

"Let's hear it."

"I'll distract the monkey with music." Said Kipo. "I mean, it worked on the snakes! And then, you sneak up and hit it with the Death Stalker. Like, a lot." Wolf backed against the rock they were hiding behind.

"Or we just let"

"Nope!"

"The cats get"

"Nope!" Kipo put a hand over Wolf's mouth, silencing her.

"Where do you want me, Kipo?" Asked Atom. She looked at him and smiled, before pulling his ocarina out of her pocket and tossing it to him.

"You're with me!" She turned to the snakes. "May I?"

"Goin' out in a blaze of glory, huh?" Asked Cotton. The other snake lowered down, allowing Kipo to grab her guitar.

"Nice knowin' ya, kid." Another Timbercat suddenly flew past the group as Kipo put on the guitar. She and Atom moved out.

"What's the song?" He asked.

"Just follow my lead!"

"Wait!" Said Wolf, grabbing Kipo's shoulder. "You'll need this." She held out the guitar pick. Kipo smiled at her and took it as the Mega Mute continued to smash the Timbercats around. It roared as Dave and Benson ran up to its foot and started hitting it, barely even tapping it. It suddenly started rampaging around as Kipo and Atom climbed up a rock shelf, getting up higher. Atom looked at her, then at the Mega.

"This is insane." He held up his ocarina. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Let's do this!" Kipo looked back at him and smiled, before looking back towards the Mega Mute and playing the guitar as loudly as she could.

"Hey! Over here!" She yelled. Atom started playing high, shrill notes to help her grab its attention. The Mega Mute looked around a bit, before a Timbercat's axe distracted it again. Kipo stopped playing, trying to figure out what was happening, when she looked up at Wolf.

"Keep playing! I've got your back!" She called. Kipo smiled.

"We both do." Added Atom. Kipo looked back at the Mega Mute.

"Right!" She lifted the pick up. "Wish me luck, dad." She kissed it, then refocused. She began playing a song she knew all too well, one that she had played along with on many occasions. The Mega Mute looked at her and growled, before charging. Atom started playing the ocarina, trying to match Kipo's notes. Kipo took a breath, then began singing. "We may not have sunshine, or starlight or weather." The Mega Mute charged at her, but its eyes widened a bit at the music. "But we've got each other, and that's even better." The Mega Mute slowed down quickly, creating a very strong wind that pushed Kipo back, but Atom moved forward to brace her, still playing. Kipo looked up at the Mega Mute as it shook its head, like it was coming to its senses. It mumbled a little and took some deep breaths as Wolf jumped onto its head. Kipo looked up to her as she prepared to strike, and shook her head. Wolf looked at her, then lowered Stalkie. Kipo continued playing as she looked at the Mega Mute again, before it let out a few noises and looked at her. Kipo stepped forward again. "You don't need the sun to keep you warm when you've got arms." Kipo followed the voice of her dad singing it in her head as she sang. "Wishes come from you and not a random shooting star." Wolf jumped down and slid down the Mega's side, landing on the ground gracefully and dashing away. "We may not have storm clouds, but the sky's always blue!" Timbercats began looking up at her as the Mega Mute calmed down completely. "We've got something special here. And what we have is you." The song slowed as Atom stopped playing, letting Kipo have a solo in the song. "What we have is you." Everybody stopped moving, except to look up a bit higher at her. "What we have is you." The Mega Mute huffed slightly, sending a bit of wind at Kipo and Atom as the song ended. "Uh, hi." Said Kipo. "Wow, you're big! You're not gonna attack me, right?" The Mega shook its head, making a few noises. "You can understand me? Neat!" Atom looked down, seemingly at everybody, but he focused on his pocket as Leo came out a little.

"This is incredible." Said Atom.

"So, a few days ago," continued Kipo, "you broke into my burrow and now I can't find my people or my dad." The Mega blinked at her. "Did you, um," she was reluctant to say the rest of her sentence, "eat them?" The Mega shook its head and leaned back, looking almost insulted by the question. "You don't eat people, do you?" Kipo looked to the side as she realized something. "So, they got away?" The Mega leaned in again and nodded. "That's great!" Kipo looked down, and the Mega lifted a finger towards her. She gasped, and the Mega brought its finger back a bit and smiled at her, making a few monkey noises. The finger was brought back in, and gently rubbed Kipo's head.

"Looks like it likes you, Kipo." Said Atom. Kipo nodded, then frowned.

"Then why did you attack my burrow?" She asked. The Mega looked back, trying to figure out how to answer, when something started beeping around its neck. It moved its head a bit, showing a strange collar around its neck. A pink cloud of something suddenly burst forth from it, encapsulating the Mega's head. As it faded, the Mega looked at Kipo again, fighting against what was happening, before its pupils shrank and it roared. It suddenly turned the other way, breaking the rock that Kipo and Atom were standing on. Atom caught Kipo and the two landed on the ground safely before Atom let go of her as the Mega ran away, before jumping over the hotel and through the cacti. "That, was, awesome!" Called Kipo, flopping to the ground as the adrenaline left her. "Until it got scary." Yumyan climbed up the tree and stood next to Molly.

"At last, we have our tree!" He yelled. He pulled out an axe. "Raise your axes for Yumyan, who led us all to victory!" All the Timbercats raised their axes, cheering. Molly cleared her throat.

"And for Kipo and her friends." She added.

"And for Kipo and her friends, of course." Said Yumyan. "Raise your axes!" Many Timbercats looked at the group as they all came back together, raising their axes and cheering. Yumyan slid down the tree and jumped off of it, landing in front of Cotton and the other snake hard. He walked up to them.

"Yumyan Hammerpaw." Said Cotton.

"Cotton."

"If you guys walk out of here today, it's cool." Offered Cotton. "Just don't tell anyone we let you!"

"And be quiet on your way out." Added the other snake. "Respect the headache." Everyone watched as Yumyan held out a paw.

"We got your back." The other snake put her tail in his hand, and they shook on it.

"Benson, you seeing this?" Asked Dave. "Snakes letting cats walk through their territory! This world is upside down!" He looked at Benson.

"We just watched Kipo talk to a Mega Monkey, and this is what you're amazed by?!"

"Uh, I can be amazed by more than one thing!" Countered Dave. "Don't put me in no box." Atom looked at the two.

"Dave, what you just described about the snakes and cats, I think I have a nave for it." He looked back at Kipo. "Let's call it the Kipo effect." The Timbercats began working with the snakes to try and lift the Scratching Tree.

"Maybe if we keep moving up and down, something different will happen!" Called a cat. All the cats kept working as Kipo watched. Yumyan walked up to her.

"We owe you a great debt." He said, holding something out to her. She looked at it, then at him. "Should you ever need us, just open this can of tuna, and help will come." Kipo held her hands out, graciously accepting the gift.

"Wow. Thanks!" Yumyan smiled at her and nodded, before turning to the cats working.

"Lift with your legs! Not your back!" He walked off as Atom ran after him.

"Yumyan, I do think I can offer a little more help." He said as the Timbercats and snakes all fell down, tired. Kipo just looked at them all, somewhat surprised.

"What are you suggesting?" Asked Yumyan. Atom stopped walking and bent over, drawing something in the sand.

"If all of the Timbercats pull at the top of the Scratching Tree," he started, drawing it in the ground, "then it's possible to tip it up and flop it over." He continued drawing the schematics. "But, it'll be hard to move unless you put it on wheels." He drew what amounted to a flatbed for the tree to lay on while it was being moved. "Think you Timbercats can build that?" Yumyan looked at the drawing and laughed.

"What do you take us for?" He asked jovially. He walked towards the other cats to tell them the new plan as Atom walked back to the group. Kipo smiled at him.

"You're not useless." She told him. "Just like I told you." Atom shook his head.

"I know, I know. You showed me that with that plan of yours." He laughed a bit, and the others joined in, except Wolf, who just smiled, until she realized something.

"Hold on, when did you tell him he wasn't useless?" She asked. Atom looked at her, then put an arm behind his head nervously.

"You know when she went to the Timbercats last night?" He asked.

"What?!" Yelled Wolf. "You could've stopped her and you didn't tell us!" Atom sighed.

"You think I could stop the unstoppable force that is Kipo on a mission?" He countered. Wolf glared at him and growled.

"Wolf, it all turned out fine in the end." Interjected Benson. "Kipo was okay, and we got help against the Mega Monkey." Wolf glared at him, before sighing.

"Let's just go, before I kill him." She started walking, and everybody else looked at each other.

"I'm, uh, going to follow her now." Said Atom. "Would rather not be on the other end of her staff." He walked after her as Kipo laughed, before following as well. Dave and Benson looked at each other before following as well.

"So, good news," said Dave as the group left the grove, "Benson and I have decided not to leave you." Kipo looked at them and away from her dad's guitar pick.

"What? You were going to leave?" Asked Kipo.

"Uh who?" Asked Benson, trying to deflect the question. "No! Yes. Maybe? A little."

"But but but but the important thing is we've decided to commit." Interjected Dave, drawing Kipo's attention off of Benson.

"Thank you?" Asked Kipo. Atom turned to them as Benson cleared his throat.

"Oh, you're welcome." He said.

"Their entire thing about leaving was whether they liked you as much as they liked living." Explained Atom. "They were quite afraid of the Mega Monkey."

"Hey!" Argued Benson. "Though," he looked back at Kipo, "what you did with that Mega Monkey, that was amazing. I'm just sorry we didn't find your dad." Kipo stopped walking.

"Me too." She looked at the pick again. "But we know he's alive and that my burrow got away! That's more than I knew before!"

"Always need to look on the bright side, right?" Asked Atom.

"We also know something else." Added Wolf. Everyone looked at her.

"We do?" Asked Kipo. Wolf continued walking as everyone else stopped.

"That monkey was clearly under some sort of mind control." Continued Wolf. "Your song snapped her out of it temporarily. There are rumors about a Mute with the ability to do that." She stopped, and stood Stalkie up straight.

"Don't say it!" Said Benson, covering his ears.

"Let me guess." Said Atom. "The infamous Mute we've heard about from everyone?" Wolf turned back to everyone else.

"Scarlemagne." She finished. Mandu quickly dashed behind Kipo at the mention of the name.

"Oh." Said Kipo. "Still don't know who that is." She bent down and picked up Mandu.

"If he sent that monkey, he must be targeting burrows." Said Wolf. "There's a good chance Scarlemagne is looking for your people." Everyone lined up next to Wolf, looking out over the ruins.

"So we have to find them first." Said Kipo. Mandu oinked a bit. "I know, Mandu. It's a lot to take in. My people are out there somewhere. The only question is, where?" Benson began rummaging around in his backpack as Atom thought of something.

"Hold on, if Scarlemagne is the one controlling the Mega Monkey, then he has a serious technological advantage over basically everybody else around. That collar that it was wearing is something new, based on how little corrosion it had."

"Yeah." Agreed Wolf. "We need to be careful." Benson pulled out his music player and turned it on, before he and Dave started moving to the beat a bit. "What are you doing? Stealth mode! Have you learned nothing today?" She glared at Benson.

"When I get good ideas, I play music." Replied Benson. "And I just had a great idea. I know where we can look next."