After they had retrieved Finn, everyone headed for The Oak Tree where everyone, besides Louis and Lori, slept. By now the sun had almost set and it was getting dark.
Once they arrived they found an older female mammoth waiting for them.
"Sorry we got here so late Ellie, we had to retrieve Finn from The Lake." Manny said apologetically.
"The Lake? How did he get there?" Ellie asked.
"A stunt was sabotaged." Brian said glaring at Crash who smiled.
"Are you ok sweetie?" Ellie asked Finn.
"I'm ok. It was totally awesome." Finn said.
"Totally awesome huh?"Ellie laughed. "You're starting to sound like Eddie."
"The Possums climbed down Peaches, onto Ellie and then onto their branch to sleep, Brian taking a little longer to take off his glasses.
Ellie looked around the group and spotted Lori and smiled.
"Hi!" Ellie said happily.
"Oh! Sorry." Louis apologized for forgetting to introduce them. "Uh, Lori this is Ellie, Ellie this is Lori."
"Nice to meet you Lori."Ellie said.
"Nice to meet you too." Lori said.
"Uh, Mom, can you explain the possum thing to Lori?" Peaches asked.
Ellie smiled. "Sure," she told Peaches. "It's ok, Louis didn't get it at first either." Ellie told Lori reassuringly.
"When I was really little I was lost in a storm and separated from my mom. I found a tree and a mother possum with two baby boy possums. You can guess who they are. And since I was so little I had no Idea I was a mammoth. Until I met Manny I thought I was a possum. So now I say I'm half possum because I act like one. Hanging from trees and such, so since Peaches is my daughter she is half possum." Ellie explained
Lori looked up at the possums and he mouth dropped open. Eddie and Finn were now asleep and were hanging from the branch, but Crash and Brian were cuddling upside down, not asleep yet. Ellie turned around and looked right back at Peaches, Louis, and Lori.
Ellie smiled at them. "What happened?" Ellie asked them.
"Lots of stuff." Peaches said looking at Louis and Lori. They smiled and Before Ellie could ask any questions Diego showed up.
"Hey guys," Diego said walking up with Shira by his side.
"I'm gonna go hunting. I'll be back, just stay with the herd." Diego told Shira
"Ok, bye." Shira said licking the back of his ear.
"Bye." He said to the rest of the herd and walked off into the bushes.
"I had better get going." Lori said. "My parents will get worried."
"Ok, I'll walk you home." Louis offered.
"Before you go, can I talk to you Louis?" Peaches asked.
"Uh, sure." Louis followed her away from the group, far enough that no one could hear them talk.
"So?" Peaches started.
"'So' what?" Louis asked.
"You are so smitten!" Peaches whispered loudly
"I am not!" Louis said.
Peaches raised an eyebrow.
"Oh please, I saw the way you looked at her earlier. When I was holding you guys up. You guys looked right into each others eyes and it was so cute!" Peaches said in excitement. "So admit it, you like her."
"Ug, Peaches… Ok, fine," Louis paused to make sure no one was close to them. "I like her, but don't tell anyone."
Peaches subtly pumped her trunk in excitement at being right.
"Yes! You guys are gonna have the cutest little molehogs!" She exclaimed.
Louis looked at her in surprise. "Woah, woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I haven't even told her I like her yet, remember? Do you think she likes me back?" Louis asked, wringing his hands.
Peaches had to think about that. She didn't want to tell him Lori liked him and then be wrong and have his heart get broken, but she also didn't want to tell him no and hurt him herself, so she told him exactly what she thought.
"To tell you the truth, I have no idea, but once I figure it out I'll tell ya." Peaches said.
"Thanks, Peaches. You're a good friend." He told her.
"Aww, Thanks." Peaches said lifting him up and giving him a hug. "Now go walk her home." Peaches said putting him down and shooing him away with her trunk.
Louis ran over to Lori.
"Ready?" Louis asked.
Lori nodded and they both walked off toward her burrow.
It felt good to feel the weight of the secret off his chest. Hopefully Peaches wouldn't tell Lori. Louis had to do it. But, maybe she didn't feel the same way. What if she told him what Peaches had? He remembered when he told her how he felt. Maybe this feeling would pass. Maybe he would just forget about it and he and Lori would just stay friends. Louis wanted to just be friends with her. He didn't want to tell her, no, he didn't want to see her reaction. He was almost afraid to tell her.
Soon they arrived at the last turn before the path to Lori's house and Lori stopped him right before it.
"Uh, Louis, I need to tell ya something." Lori said urgently.
"Sure, what is it?" Louis asked
"Um, well, my parents are kind of strict, and I know this sounds crazy but my family moved around a lot so my parents don't want me to get attached to anyone so, my parents don't know about you." Lori finished.
Louis was a little caught off guard by the whole thing.
"It's just that I don't want to disappoint them." Lori said "So, I need to go the rest of the way alone."
"What if you dig over and I follow you? Then I can still sort of walk you over." Louis said.
That could actually work if he followed her down her tunnel then if her parents came outside they wouldn't see him and he could still walk her up!
"Yeah, ok, that could work, but stay right behind me." Lori instructed. She dove into the ground and burrowed toward her family burrow. Louis followed her through the tunnel she dug up to her burrow entrance.
The entrance to Lori's burrow was in between two rocks and all the rooms, Loris room, her parents room, and the pantry, were all connected to the front room instead of them having a family room.
Lori popped out of the ground in front of the entrance and scratched the dirt out of her hair just in time to hear her mother clear her throat.
Lori looked up to see her mom with her arms crossed tapping her foot.
Lori's mom was almost identical to Lori, and besides the fact that Lori's mom had green eyes and was older, they were exactly alike.
"Where have you been young lady? It's almost sundown." Her mother said angrily.
"Sorry mom!" Lori said extra loud so Louis would hear her and know that he shouldn't return to the surface.
"I guess time just got away from me." Lori apologized, getting out of the hole.
"Ok, well I'm just happy you're home safe." Loris mom said.
Suddenly little footsteps faded away into the distance, it was obviously Louis. When Lori saw her mom's ears perk up to listen Lori started tapping her foot softly to disguise his footsteps. Her mother looked down and saw Lori tapping her foot and assumed that was what the noise was.
"Let's go inside and have dinner." Loris mom said and went inside the burrow.
Lori walked over to the entrance but stopped before she went inside and turned toward the direction Louis disappeared in. She felt very warm inside and made sure he wasn't looking from the end of the path. She blew a kiss toward him and waved, then disappeared into the entrance to the burrow. If only she had gotten to say goodbye.
VVV
Lori ate dinner with her parents and want down into her room. She layed down on her bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking. And what was the first thing that popped into her mind? He tried to walk her home! That was so cute! She loved him so much. Did he like her back? That was one too many questions Louis had to answer.
Suddenly Loris mom walked into her room.
"Hi honey." Loris mom said in greeting. "Just came in to say goodnight."
"Goodnight mom. Um, you're not still mad at me are you, for being late getting home?" Lori asked
"No, of course not, I just want to know that you're safe. Where do you go every day?" She asked
"I just explore. I found out that there are other molehogs in this area, and I was just wondering, do you think it would be ok if I made some friends?" Lori asked. The question was pointless since she had already made friends but if her mom said yes maybe Louis could come over.
"You could if you wanted." Lori's mom said hesitantly. "But just remember that we might be moving. You father has seen a lot of birds lately, so, if you do make friends, be ready to say goodbye." Loris mom finished
"Really?" Lori asked in disbelief "How many birds did he see?"
"He saw three today."Her mom answered.
"Well that's not that much, right?"
"Well if they stay close to the burrow it's a lot." Lori's mom said. "We'll need a little time to figure out if we should leave or not, and you can make friends if you want but don't be surprised if we need to leave in two months."
"Ok." Lori said disappointedly.
I know, I know, that isn't a very good reason for Lori's parents to not know she had friends. but she can't know for plot reasons. yay Ellie finally has lines!