A few days pass. I am healed enough that I can start to walk around more. I stop riding on Ellie in favor of walking. Taisley and my parents walk beside me, just in case I trip or something. I understand their worry. I've been very weak over these most recent days. I could barely move up until yesterday.
As we keep walking, we reach a nearby forest. That forest is called Dark Forest. I can see why. There are shadows everywhere. I am confused at first. When we are walking in this unknown forest, it just seems strange. This forest has plants that I've never seen before. That's why it's strange. I've lived in a world of dinosaurs for years. I've seen just about every plant known to mammal kind. These plants are strange even to me!
Even so, we keep walking. I look to my left, where dad is. "Dad, there's somethin' 'bout this forest that I don't like. I can't put my paw on 't, but 't can't be good. These plants…they're stranger than even th' ones below!" I voice my concerns.
Dad places his paw on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Buck. 'm sure it'll be fine," dad replies.
"But I…" I break off when I hear a noise from my far right, where Taisley is walking. I twitch my ears so that I may hear it better. It sounds more like a swishing and crunching sound like something is moving. I look to the right. I see a plant beginning to open up. From beneath the red and yellow striped petals of the flower, I can see dart-like thorns. My eye widens. I propel myself forward with a shout. I knock myself into Taisley just as the flower releases its darts. I cry out in pain when I feel one pierce my back. Even so, I remain standing.
I look up at Taisley, who is staring at me with worry in her eyes. "What happened?" She asks.
"I dunno. Th' plant 'ad some dart-like thorns on 't," I try to explain. I begin swaying from weakness and dizziness as the effects of the poison begin to take hold. I feel nauseous.
Taisley catches me as I collapse. She feels my forehead, only to pull her paw back with a gasp. "You're burning up!" Taisley cries out in shock.
I cough into my paw, pain rippling through me. "Th' plant…must 'ave been…poison…" I groan. I can feel heat spreading through me. I feel like I'm literally roasting alive. I cough some more, feeling the nausea rising within me. "I…I don't feel so good," I moan. My stomach lurches. I clamp a paw over my mouth, hoping to keep myself from vomiting.
I feel a paw on my shoulder. I look out the corner of my eye to see dad kneeling beside me. "Go ahead. It's 'kay," dad smiles soothingly at me.
I know that I don't have a choice. I remove my paw from my mouth. I lean forward and begin vomiting in the grass. I heave and retch as I release the contents of my stomach. Taisley strokes my forehead in an effort to soothe me. I cough as I begin to choke on the vomit. I feel my father's paw patting my back in an effort to stop my choking.
After a while, I stop vomiting. I feel my father's arms wrap around me. I lean into his embrace, exhausted after vomiting. Dad places his paw on my face, where my eye patch sits. "Don't worry, son. Everything will be alright," dad whispers into my ear.
"But 'ow? We don't know wot th' antidote is," I point out.
"No' yet, but we will. We'll find 't an' get 't ta ya," dad promises.
I nod my aching head slowly. I put both of my paws to my head with a groan. "If you're planning ta get th' antidote, can ya hurry?" I moan. My head hurts, my throat hurts, and my stomach hurts. I can think of no pain that's worse than this.
Dad strokes my forehead. "I'll find th' antidote as fast as I can. Don't worry. Ya will be just fine," dad whispers comfortingly.
He turns to mom. "I thought I saw a cave just north of 'ere. Go there an' wait fer me. 't should be safer than 'ere," dad explains. Mom nods to him. Dad smiles, before he leaves on the quest for the antidote.
Ellie picks me up gently and places me on her back. Taisley and mom jump on to Ellie's back beside me. Together, we start heading towards the cave.
We make it to the cave about an hour after I was poisoned. We already had to stop once so that I could vomit. I let Ellie know in enough time so that I wouldn't risk vomiting on her. I'm glad for Taisley and mom's support through this illness. I am in so much pain right now that I think even death could be better.
When we stop inside the entrance, Ellie lays me on the stone floor. There's no time to look for any bedding. Taisley and mom sit by me. The kits are standing by Ellie across the cave. I can tell that they are worried about me. They keep pestering Ellie with questions about how I'm doing and what's wrong with me.
As for Manny, Diego, Sid, Crash, Eddie, and my siblings, they, too, look worried. Though they're not saying anything, I know that they wonder if I'll pull through or not. The truth is, I'm wondering the same thing myself.
I look up at both Taisley and my mother. I can see the worry in their eyes as well. I try to smile, if only to set their minds at ease. "Don't worry. I'll be fine," I gasp, my breathing raspy from my sore throat.
"I hope ya will be, Buck. It's just…ya were poisoned! I want ya ta no' be in pain. Yer my son! I nevah want ta see ya like this! Yer fathah may be calm, cool, an' collected, but 'e worries, too," mom tells me.
"I know, mom. I just…I don't want ya ta worry so much 'bout me. Worry takes too much 'appiness away," I reply.
"Listen, Buck. I want ya ta rest. Yer fathah will be back wi' th' antidote. Then you'll be able ta heal," mom strokes my forehead. I slowly nod my head in acceptance. I close my single eye. I am asleep within seconds.
I wake to the feel of gentle nudging. I crack my eye open to see my father hovering over me. "Listen, Buck! I got th' antidote! I asked someone nearby who knew wot 't is. I already prepared 't. 'ere. Drink this," dad holds a nut cup to my lips. It is filled with a nasty smelling liquid. I move my face away from it in disgust. "C'mon, Buck. Drink 't. It's th' antidote," dad tries to persuade me.
I sigh through my nose before I open my mouth. Dad pours the contents of the cup down my throat. I cough and splutter a bit at the foul-tasting liquid. I down the contents of the cup in around a minute. I look at dad with a peeved look on my face. "Do ya by any chance 'ave somethin' that can get rid of that taste? That's nasty!" I complain.
"Yes. Yer mothah made up this fruit drink." Dad helps me drink the much nicer tasting fruit drink. I lick my lips, much more pleased than before.
I lay my head down on the cave floor. I look at my family all gathered around me. "Thanks," I whisper. I yawn. Exhausted, I close my eye. I fall asleep, content in knowing that my family will always be here for me.