The light was soft rising above the isle of the wild things. Sitting in the long grass, Max watched over his slumbering friends in contemplation. It was sunrise, bed time for those on the wild side. They were in a grassy plain surrounded by low hills and jagged cliffs just outside of the forest they had escaped. Things were strange here, stranger than ever before. Max paced about, reminiscent of his princely days as royalty on this island. Friends had gone missing, and wounds and scars covered the ones he had found since then. Noticeably though, the fur coats of his friends had become smoother and softer, and their tense bodies seemed to ease. Something was happening here, and it was far bigger than any temper tantrum or loss of a king. Max let out a low growl, frustrated with overwhelming thoughts.
"Why me?" he thought selfishly.
As if on cue, K.W. stirred. Her massive brows furrowed in puzzlement, which caused Max to feel remorseful leading him to embarrassment and eventually to thoughts of his mother and sister. Smoothing his hair back, Max prepared to walk away when K.W. finally spoke.
"Max, why are you up? It's late man." She said, shielding her eyes from the increasingly present sun.
"I'm okay," he said in a non-answer.
K.W. frowned, but said nothing. Max always had trouble escaping that K.W. saw to his core and through his excuses. Somehow he knew that she understood his thoughts, but nonetheless she allowed him his peace.
"I'm sorry. I'll go to sleep soon, I just need to, I don't know, think for a minute."
Nodding, K.W. returned to her seemingly calm sleep, and Max felt envy at her ability to sleep so easily. He said nothing of his insomnia that kept him awake at odd hours and sent him to bed for brief moments of relief. At first he had taken cold medicine from his mother's cabinet to do what his body could not, but the task had started to feel dirty once his mother had noticed the missing pills. Mark had suspected him, but his mother, idealistic to a fault, came to his defense and washed Max with overwhelming guilt. Now he rode out the storm of the drowsiness that would never allow sleep. These thoughts, the troubling thoughts, were the ones that plagued him endlessly and kept him awake. Deciding it was more relaxing to think of the task at hand, Max wondered what was next for him and his friends.
"K.W., Ira, Judith, Alexander, Bernard, Carol…" he whispered, counting off his friends on his fingers.
Supposedly, K.W., Bernard, and Alexander knew where Carol was, so that left one accounted for. Then there was Bob and Terry, who had gone missing awhile back, Max guessed K.W. would want to seek them out next. There was one missing though, and pausing, it took only an instant for the memories of the peacekeeper to return. Yes, it was Douglas, fun-loving and masterfully calm; his missing presence had gone unnoticed by Max until now. If possible, Max wanted to find him next, knowing that Douglas could be key in suppressing Carol's temper. A plan set, Max drew closer to his friends. Resting at Bernard's side, Max still felt no sleep coming. He was caught off guard when Bernard's great arm drew him in closer in a tight but cozy hug. Alexander too was near and his breaths rose soothing in steady. After a while Max's attempts at sleep were less forced, and he fell into a shallow sleep.
When Max woke up, it was not on his own accord, but the violent shaking of his shoulder. His eyes opened rapidly in panic, fearing the worst. A vast shadow swept over him and the one shaking him. Dead center in the sky was the sun, which meant it was noon, too early for wild things to wake in normal circumstance.
"Get up king!" urged Judith, who had been the one shaking them.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"They've found us. Oh, I should have known this would happen! Nothing ever goes right; I don't know why I was so stupid to come with you. I'm really foolish sometimes." answered Judith, whose response had suddenly taken shape into a slightly self-effacing rant.
Looking around, Max spotted K.W. wielding a boulder. Beside her Ira flung a log towards a nearby cliff. It was then that Max realized that they too were being fired upon. Flaming rocks were being hurled their way. He watched as Alexander narrowly dodged a particularly large in size flame engrossed rock.
"Watch it!" he called up to the cliffs.
Beside Alexander Bernard held a massive rock of his own, seeking a target. Upon the hills were catapults, operating on their own somehow. Max turned to Judith who had stayed by his side, deflecting any fire-rocks that came their way. Missing a rock, it barely made it past Max without colliding into him.
"Shit." He cursed, seeing his singed shirt.
"Oh king! This is why I'm no good at these things, but then again, that was your fault you know. You can't always rely on your subjects; you should jump in front of me dramatically and save me. That is what a good king would do any-."
"There's no time for this Judith, we need to get out of here." said Max.
"Right, you tell us how and we'll make it happen." She said.
Looking about, Max felt helpless and did not know what to do. They were on low ground, their invisible enemy having the advantage. From what Max had seen in war movies, this called for two options, either retreat for safety, which meant returning to the woods, or rushing up the hill at the ones flinging the fiery rocks, which could be dangerous. It was clear either way was perilous. Having gone through the forest before, Max did not feel particularly up to traversing through again.
"K.W.! Bernard! Alexander! Ira!" he shouted, getting their attention along with Judith's.
Looking to him eagerly, they awaited for him to unveil his plan. Instead, Max let out a howl to be much applauded by any amongst the wild things and charged up the things. Behind him Judith let out a yowl, following him with claws and sharp teeth bared. Ira followed his lover with a holler, his feet pounding at the ground. K.W., Bernard, and Alexander wasted no time of their own following Max up the hill with their wails rocking the surrounding trees. The rocks from the hills subsided until they were no more. By the time they had all reached the crest of the hill, the enemy was gone. Max could not suppress his excitement, and with a yell he jumped in the air.
"Yeah!" he cried.
His friends joined him in celebration at their small victory. Not once did Max think it stupid to show such emotion, for right then it was a show of honest exhilaration. Ira picked him up and swung him once around causing Max to laugh.
"We did it!" said Judith. "I didn't think we could, but we did, you're amazing king!"
"He's not a king." Muttered Alexander, knowing whatever volume his protests were, they would fall on deaf ears regardless.
"What now king?" asked Judith.
"He's not a king." muttered Alexander again.
At first Max was silent, his attention on the ground where the once stood moments ago. Debris left over from their attackers left scorch marks in their wake on the earth. In the center of the flames Max noticed that the fires were not carried by rocks, but by heads, gigantic teddy bear heads. Their beaded eyes reflect the sparse blazes almost like tears ready to fall, and Max could not help but feel a little bit disturbed.
"Strange." He murmured.
"King?" called K.W.
"He's not a king." muttered Alexander once more.
"Yes?" asked Max. "What's next then? Well, I've been thinking, where's Douglas?"
The expressions of his friends became very somber. Even Bernard's stoic face bared a hint of sorrow and guilt. So they did know where Douglas had gone to. This would make things easier, Max supposed, and would mean that Douglas would be their next friend to find.
"He went," K.W. thought of what to say, "He was the first to disappear after Carol became what he is now."
"He wanted to see what was causing things to turn to dust." added Alexander, always the blunt one.
"He wouldn't let us go with him because he thought it might be dangerous, but he never returned. Before anyone could go after him, Bob and Terry went missing too, and then the fires started. It was a complete mess, you know?" explained K.W.
"Do you know how to get to him?"
"To the dust?" asked Ira. "Of course, it is growing every day."
"Where?" asked Max.
"The north, king." said Ira.
"He's not a king!" muttered Alexander.
This time, to Alexander's dismay, the entire group heard his comment. If wild things could blush, Alexander would be very red. He did not like this much attention, no matter how much he yearned for it, Alexander never felt quite prepared or ready for it. Twiddling his hands and moving his weight from one leg to the other, he grew very small with the added attention.
"How could you say that?" asked Judith, Max too taken aback to say anything.
"Well he's not king." said Alexander. "He's our friend."
Max's face was intangible; stepping forward he looked to Alexander who looked unsure of himself or how Max might react.
"Well, do you know how to reach the dust?" asked Max.
Alexander nodded, and Max broke into a great smile.
"Then lead the way. We'll follow and protect you, friend." said Max. "Now, let's find Douglas."