19. In the forest
''Dad, please react,'' said Benny poking Manny.
''Mum?'' said Alex looking at Mia.
''You just don't get the point of being grounded, do you?'' asked Diego looking at his cubs who all smiled sweetly.
''You aren't supposed to have fun,'' said Ellie.
''Or mess everything up,'' said Manny wincing at the sight of so much mud.
''We didn't know that,'' said Katie innocently.
''We had no idea,'' said Riley.
''Thank you for telling us now though,'' said Alex as he and his sisters tried not to laugh.
''I give up with you,'' said Mia sighing.
''I'm not cleaning this, you lot can,'' said Ellie and the possums groaned.
''Why?'' moaned Mandy.
''I don't want to,'' said Benny.
''Okay, okay we will clean this,'' said Mandy quickly as Ellie glared at her and Benny.
-
''I could get used to this,'' said Mia as she watched her cubs clean.
''Me too,'' said Ellie yawning.
''Can we stop now?'' asked Sid looking up hopefully.
''I suggest you don't,'' said Diego stretching and smirking at him. Sid yelped and hid behind Mandy.
-
''What? Tired already?'' said Diego smirking as the kids walked up to him and Mia.
''Calm down,'' said Diego as they all glared daggers at him.
''We've finished,'' said Benny sitting down.
''Where are my parents?'' asked Mandy noticing that they weren't there.
''They are probably eating,'' answered Mia.
''Can we go and play?'' asked Katie.
''Yes,'' answered Diego as Mia nodded.
''Finally,'' said Riley relieved.
''What about Mandy, Benny, Crash and Eddie?'' asked Katie.
''That's up to Manny and Ellie,'' said Diego shrugging.
''Can you convince Uncle Manny and Auntie Ellie to let them play, please,'' begged Alex. Diego looked at his son's hopeful face and then at Crash, Eddie, Mandy and Benny.
''Try saying sorry first,'' said Diego to them.
''I hate saying sorry,'' moaned Eddie as he, Crash, Mandy and Benny walked away.
''You lot need to have a bath,'' said Mia to the cubs who all jumped back, looked at each other and ran.
-
''Mum stop, I thought you loved me,'' yelled Riley as Mia cleaned her.
''Ouch, this is cub abuse you know,'' said Alex as he tried to run off but got caught by Mia.
''Katie,'' called Mia as she saw her youngest daughter shoot off.
''Whoa,'' said Diego grabbing Katie and taking her back to Mia.
''Aww Dad, I'm already clean,'' moaned Katie.
''I know you hate water and baths but you will survive this,'' said Diego sitting down and watching them amused.
''If I meet whoever invented baths I will eat him,'' said Riley annoyed.
''Yeah,'' said Alex still trying to escape from Mia.
''Only after we torture him,'' said Katie and Alex and Riley nodded, smiling evilly.
-
''Dad, Mum,'' called Mandy.
''Yes,'' answered Ellie and Manny.
''We are all sorry for what we did,'' said Ben, he poked Crash and Eddie with his trunk when they yawned purposely.
''Yes, we are,'' they said at the same time pretending to be upset about their behaviour.
''We forgive you,'' said Manny even though he didn't fall for their act.
''So are we still grounded?'' asked Benny and Mandy looked up hopefully.
''So that's why you apologized. Well actually no,'' said Manny. The children cheered and ran off as Manny chuckled.
''Crash, Eddie,'' called Ellie as the possums turned around to leave as well.
''What is it?'' asked Crash jumping on her tusk.
''Be careful with them please,'' said Ellie sighing.
''Ellie, we won't ever, ever, ever harm Benny and Mandy or Riley, Alex and Katie,'' said Eddie looking into her eyes and Crash nodded.
''I know, I trust you,'' said Ellie,'' Just be a bit more careful and stop teaching them the wrong things.''
-
''I'm bored,'' said Riley. She looked around and noticed that all the adults were helping collect leaves, flowers and fruits.
''Let's get some leaves and stuff for Uncle Manny,'' suggested Alex looking over at Riley who nodded.
''Yeah,'' said Mandy and they all looked around.
''Look, there are some fruits on this tree,'' said Benny pointing. They all jumped up trying to reach the fruits.
''Ow,'' yelped Alex as Katie fell on him.
''Sorr...ow,'' said Katie as Riley landed on her tail.
''Almost there,'' said Mandy jumping up but she slipped and crashed into Benny who knocked the cubs over.
''That hurt,'' muttered Benny as they all got up slowly. As hard as they tried none of them could reach the fruits.
''They are way too high,'' said Katie annoyed.
''Hey, come see this,'' said Benny looking at something behind the tree.
''Whoa,'' said Mandy when she saw what Benny was looking at. It was a huge pile of leaves with two dandelions on top. They walked up to it and looked around, there was no one there to claim it.
''I'll have one,'' said Mandy picking up a leaf and eating it.
''These are good,'' said Benny as he and Mandy stuffed themselves.
''Don't eat it all,'' said Alex.
''Do you want some?'' asked Mandy looking around.
''Er... I think I'll pass,'' said Katie shaking her head.
''Me too,'' said Alex looking at the leaves disgusted.
''You can have them,'' said Riley and Mandy and Benny shrugged.
''What do you think you are doing?''
''Oh no,'' said Mandy realizing that two angry rhinos were glaring at her. She backed off and knocked into Benny. Sid had talked about them before, something about being chased and almost killed.
''You are those gay rhinos, aren't you?'' asked Mandy.
''You ate my dandelions,'' shouted one of them. He and his friend charged at Mandy and Ben.
''Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.'' The kids ran as fast as they could away from the rhinos who chased them in the opposite direction of the field.
''In here,'' said Katie jumping between two trees. She yelped as she got hit in the face by a branch.
''Dad says we shouldn't go into the forest, it's really dangerous,'' warned Mandy but they didn't have much choice so they went in anyway.
-
''Where are the kids?'' asked Ellie noticing that it was really quiet.
''They are with Sid, Diego and Mia,'' answered Manny picking a leaf and eating it.
-
''Where are the kids?'' asked Diego frowning and looking around.
''They are with Ellie, Manny, Crash and Eddie,'' answered Mia jumping on a tree.
-
''Have they stopped?'' asked Riley panting and slowing down. They all stopped running and listened quietly, there was no sound of footsteps.
''Yeah, we've lost them,'' answered Alex.
''Let's go back to the cave,'' said Benny and they all nodded in agreement. They turned around expecting to see a path or something but they didn't recognize anything.
''We're lost,'' said Riley fearfully as they all huddled closer.
''Let's go...um... that way,'' said Mandy pointing with her trunk.
''Lead the way, Katie,'' said Alex nudging her forward.
''Riley will,'' said Katie backing up.
''No, Benny you can lead the way,'' said Riley looking at him pleadingly.
''Mandy can,'' said Benny pushing her.
''No way,'' said Mandy. They all froze as they heard some fast footsteps.
''It's them again,'' whispered Benny and they looked at each other scared and ran. The footsteps were following them, catching up with them. Suddenly something jumped out from behind a bush and landed in front of them.
''I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.''
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