Chapter 11: Plans
Ruby looked at the three. The two snow leopards and bengal tiger were sleeping peacefully. Peter leaned against the tree, Valerie rested on her back, and Josie was hugging a bear. Josie had been afraid that Ruby would do something to her in their sleep.
She got up before the first sight of the pink-yellow color in the sky. She reached into the pocket of her comfortable dark violet robe. She pulled out her wallet and looked to see if she had enough. She had plenty.
She went out into the city and bought four rolls of toilet paper. She grabbed the four rolls and went to Eloise's house. She threw the toilet paper all over her house and then left to go back to the three babysitters.
Valerie opened her eyes as she heard something move in the forest. She looked up and saw that the stars were just starting to disappear as the light pink-yellow color of day break flowed in.
She saw the campfire they had made was out and her friends were sleeping soundly.
Then, she saw Ruby was missing. She sighed and said, "Just what I needed."
Valerie got up and stretched. She looked to see if she had left anything behind. Valerie picked up her bow and arrow.
Ruby barely ever left without them. "Maybe she's in trouble," Valerie said worriedly.
She shook Peter and Josie awake. "What's wrong?" Peter asked with a yawn.
"Ruby is missing," Valerie said.
Peter replied, "Was there anything left behind?"
"Just her bow and arrow," Valerie said.
Josie hugged her teddy bear closer. "Do you think she went out to get items to torture us?"
"I don't know, but we have to find her. She might be in trouble," said Valerie.
She went straight towards the city. Peter and Josie followed her into the big city. People were still walking around and shopping like they did yesterday. Peter wondered, Is this what happens every day?
They searched all around the city, but they couldn't find her. They all stopped once they heard someone scream at the top of their lungs. They ran towards the scream.
They stopped and saw Eloise screaming at the sight of her house. Valerie sighed in relief. "Oh, I'm so glad Ruby isn't hurt."
Eloise shot her a look and Valerie smiled nervously. "And I'm also very sorry she did this."
Ruby went back to camp and saw that no one was there. All that was left was the extinguished campfire and her bow and arrow. She also spotted Josie's teddy bear.
"Where in the world did they go?" Ruby asked herself.
Then she got an idea. With them gone, she could go see her family! A wide smile spread across her face and she rushed back to the mansion.
As she was about to get the key she had hidden, she heard Josie and Valerie laughing.
Rats! They didn't leave, Ruby thought angrily.
She stopped and faced the three who crossed their arms and tapped their feet on the ground. "What are starting a line of people who cross their arms and tap their feet?"
"Why did you leave in the middle of the night?" Valerie asked.
Ruby just grinned. She remembered covering the house in toilet paper. "I had something to do," Ruby said simply.
"You mean like cover Eloise's house with toilet paper?" asked Josie.
"How'd you know?" asked Ruby.
"We saw you were missing and went looking for you. We were really worried!" Valerie told her.
Ruby now crossed her arms. "She was asking for it."
Valerie just sighed. "Come on, let's just go get some breakfast," she said heading towards the city.
Ruby nodded. They went into the city and looked around for a good place to eat. They found a good restaurant and ordered. Ruby was silent, but Valerie, Josie, and Peter talked.
"You know, I got an offer to write for another newspaper company," said Josie.
"Really? Is it a good offer?" asked Peter.
"Well, the newspaper is more well-known than the one I'm working for now, but it's not as much pay," said Josie.
Valerie looked at Ruby. "So, what do you usually do with your brother?"
Ruby looked at her with a surprised look on her face. "What?"
"I want you to have a nice time as well. So I'm asking you what you and your brother usually did and had fun doing," said Valerie.
Ruby looked down, wondering why she was being nice to her. "Well," Ruby began. "We usually do archery together. Then we are usually told to do some chores and see who can finish first. And then by the end of the day, I practice playing the flute."
"You play the flute? So do I," Valerie said with a sweet smile.
Ruby forced one, trying to be nice. "Okay. So what would you like to do first?"
"We could play tag later," Ruby suggested.
"And maybe you could teach me archery?" Valerie suggested.
"It's a plan!" Ruby said.
Then she saw as the worker served out their breakfast. "Um, Peter," Ruby began.
Peter didn't hear her. "It looks delicious," he said starting to eat.
As soon as he took one bite, his mouth felt like it was on fire! He looked around for water, but only saw the pitcher at the other table. He ran for it, but then the table came with him.
He saw that he had tucked some of the table cloth instead of a napkin. Ruby looked down and said, "Breakfast is on me."
Meanwhile, within the bamboo forest by the city, Zenghui stirred in his sleep. He was having a nightmare that someone was trying to take Ruby away from him.
His eyes immediately opened once the ox in his dream was about to punch him back. He looked around, panting and sweating a little. He sighed in relief once he realised it was all just a dream.
He adjusted his ears in an odd position. His right ear up high, while the left ear was down low. He heard someone talking quietly.
"What are your orders?" asked someone.
"We go to this fox's home and demand that his parents give us money for him," said another voice.
"But doesn't this metal-gray fox have a sister?" asked the same voice.
"The sister is only 14. We can handle her easily," said the other.
Zenghui narrowed his eyes and growled. "Nobody is going to hurt my sister," he muttered.
He saw that he was binded by a think rope. I need to find a way to get out of these ropes, he thought to himself.
He looked around for his sword. It was over by a little wooden shack by a pond. He decided to use his claws. He started to cut through the thick ropes, but then stopped once he heard them coming his way.
He closed his eyes and pretended to act unconscious. He heard their conversation more clearly. "That fox is still out cold," said a deep voice.
Zenghui thought the deep voice creature was an ox. The other spoke back, "You bet. Now let's check out what valuables he's got."
Zenghui opened one eye slightly and saw he was correct with thinking the deep voice belonged to an ox. He saw the other one was a croc. He closed his eye as he saw one of them turn his way.
"Maybe he's not out cold," said the croc.
"But you knocked him out good," said the ox.
"Just because I did doesn't mean he will stay out," the croc snapped.
He walked over to Zenghui and bent down to take a close look at the metal-gray fox. Zenghui waited for the right moment. Zenghui quickly gave him a kick in the jaw and gave a hard slash to the ropes.
The croc shook his head, trying to shake off the pain and narrowed his neon eyes. He looked at the ox who was just standing there. "Well C'mon and help!"
"Oh, sorry," he said tagging along.
Zenghui got ready to fight. His sister, the Furious Five, and Po taught him some moves.
The croc went to give Zenghui a hard punch, but Zenghui blocked it. He jumped up and gave him a one-two kick with both feet. The croc was pushed back and he slammed up against a bamboo tree.
The ox saw Zenghui running towards the sword. He took out two of his Sai and charged at him. Zenghui ran away from the ox and the ox laughed at him. "Scared little fox?"
"Not exactly," Zenghui said. He ran up the bamboo tree and flipped up into the air. He landed down on the ox' head and jumped off towards his sword.
The ox's face hit the dirt and he grumbled, "Jerk."
Zenghui grabbed his sword and pointed it at ox who was straightening his jaw. "Ready to fight?"
"This won't be a fight," the ox said tauntingly. "This is going to be easy."
"Then I guess you've never challenged me before," Zenghui said.
His sister specialized in archery as well as his mother. But he and his father were, as his father says, "One with the sword."
The ox chuckled. He ran at him again, raising his left arm, and his right arm horizontally.
Zenghui rushed at him as well. He jumped up and gave the ox a kick with both legs. The ox's left arm had tried to get him from above, but msised and the right arm missed him by an inch.
Zenghui landed on one leg and folded the other. He got ready for another attack. The ox got frustrated and launched his Sai at the fox.
Zenghui caught the swirling Sai with his sword. The metal-gray fox narrowed his coal black eyes and launched the two Sai back. They caught on the ox's vest and pinned him to the tree.
Zenghui sheathed his sword and walked over to the ox. "You better know that if you lay one finger on my little sister," Zenghui began. He drew out his sword and held it up close to the ox's neck. "That will be the last thing you will ever do!"
The ox nodded nervously. He was shivering. "That also goes for your crocodile friend too," Zenghui said. But when he turned to look at the crocodile who was unconscious against the bamboo tree, he was gone!
Where'd he go? wondered Zenghui.
He then heard someone panting. He turned over by the cabin. He saw the crocodile running as fast as his legs would carry him. Zenghui ran after him at full speed.
He got his sword ready. He raised his sword and raced ahead of the crocodile, which surprised Zenghui's foe. The crocodile stopped in his tracks. Zenghui then ran around the crocodile and cut down the bamboo trees while doing so. The crocodile saw all of the trees falling his way.
He panicked. He then thought of something. He raised his hand and threw down a smoke ball. Zenghui went to chase after him, but knew he would get crushed.
One the smoke lifted, he saw the bandit was gone. He wanted to slash every tree in sight, but knew he had something else to do. He needed to get out and write a letter to Ruby immediately! I just hope it'll make it on time, Zenghui thought worriedly.