Creature Rescue:

The sun had just risen sending its warming ray's out over the African Savannah signalling the start of a new day. He stood looking out over the landscape, as he drank his lemonade; he ran a hand through his short, blond hair as he sighed happily. He had been up just before sunrise, too excited to sleep, he had come to the Savannah with his friend's to see if they could find new animals to discover. He went to head back inside their flying ship, called the Tortuga, when he noticed his best friend, and younger brother coming towards him smiling carrying two plate's full of food he spoke.

"Morning bro! What's all this?" He asked as his brother joined him.

"Morning and its breakfast! I know how much you like my pancakes, so I made some for breakfast!"

"Thanks, they smell good!" He said as he sat beside his brother.

"Everyone's still asleep; I think last night's adventure was a little too exciting for them?"

"Yeah…let's do it again?" He said as they quickly burst out laughing.

"You know, I have a good feeling about our search today!" His brother said as he ran a hand through his short, brown hair. "I woke up feeling like today is the day we find a Caracal wildcat!"

"You know, I have the same feeling! Must be the brotherly bond we share?" He said as he winked one of his blue eyes at his brother.

"Yeah, that's it exactly!" His younger brother agreed smiling as he winked one of his brown eye's in return. "So, I say when we finish eating we head out?"

"You're on!" He said smiling.

"MARTIN AND CHRIS KRATT WHERE ARE YOU TWO?" An angry, female voice called out from inside the Tortuga. "I KNOW YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE!"

"Uh, oh you don't think Aviva found out we lost our Creature pods again do you?"

"Uh…by the look on her face, I'd say…yes!" His brother answered pointing.

"Umm…you know I'm kind of full what about you?" He asked standing.

"Uh…me too! Come on let's grab our stuff and head out before she catches up to us!"

Two Hour's Later:

After gathering their gear, water, their Creature Power suit's, and their new Creature pod's the two brother's quickly left and jumped into the Createrra and drove off. Martin drove for a while, before Chris wanted to stop and explore the area, so he parked and they got out. They began to look around, they met elephant's, and monkey's, as they watched the monkey's Martin suddenly got the feeling that someone was watching them. He looked around nervously, trying to figure out who or what it was that was watching them, but he couldn't see anything, Chris noticed him and spoke.

"You okay, bro?"

"Chris, I know this is going to sound crazy, but umm…do you feel like we're being watched?" Martin replied.

"Watched? Now that you mention it…yeah, yeah I do!" Chris answered as they began looking around again. "What do you think it is?"

"I…I don't know! Whatever it is I hope it's not hungry!" Martin said.

"Come on let's go look somewhere else?"

"Agreed, let's go!" Martin said, as they headed back to the Createrra.

They drove around for a half hour before they decided to try exploring again, hoping this time whatever had been following them before was gone and they could get back to searching for Caracal's. They got out and began looking around; Martin still couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched, but didn't say anything to Chris not wanting to worry him. They walked into an area of the Savannah that was thick with tree's, and tall grass and began exploring of course they met more monkey's, and so this time they decided to have a little fun with them. They played with them for a little while before they decided to keep going, so they began walking again until Martin stopped for a drink of water without telling Chris who was walking ahead of him. Martin wasn't watching where Chris went as he drank his water and talked to one of the monkeys, until he was finished and realized Chris was gone. He called out him, but got no answer so he used his Creature pod and his brother answered and Chris spoke relieved to see his brother.

"Where are you? One minute you're with me the next you've disappeared!"

"I stopped for a drink, and when I finished you were gone! Where are you?"

"I'm deeper in the trees; you want me to come back?" Chris asked.

"Nah, I'm going to explore here some more, and I'll meet up with you later at the Createrra!" Martin said smiling; the feeling grew stronger than ever and spoke. "Chris did you see anyone on your way?"

"No, I'm pretty sure besides the animal's we're all alone out here why?"

"No reason just thought I saw something, must be just an animal then."

"Okay, if you're sure?" Chris asked unsure.

"Yeah, I'm fine! I'll let you know if I find any Caracal's!"

"Sound's good! I'll do the same if I come across them!"

"Alright, see you later be safe!"

"You too Martin!" Chris said ending the call.

"Alright, I know you're out there watching me! I don't know what you are, but I know you're there, and I promise you I mean no harm!" Martin said aloud hoping whatever, was stalking him heard and understood what he had spoken.

Martin walked around for a few minute's, before he decided to backtrack to the first place they had been and see if he could find the animal, or at least find clue's to figure out what the animal was. After making it back to the beginning he had found nothing that would tell him anything, and so tired he decided to give up and go back to meet Chris. He had just turned to leave when something caught his attention…the unmistakeable sound of wildcat cub's playing. Smiling he followed the noise, he soon found himself in a clearing and face to face with a very angry mother Caracal, and her two, young cub's! The mother was very upset and she stood between him and her babies hissing, and growling a warning. Martin instantly froze, he had been in this situation many time's before and knew what to do, so he began to back away his eye's never leaving the mother as he did. He wanted to show her he meant her and her babies no harm, hoping it would be enough to calm her down. He continued to move back slowly, he wasn't watching where he was going and ended up backing into a rock with his leg's causing him to sit down un- expectantly. The sudden stop almost caused him to fall off of the rock, but he quickly stopped himself dropping his backpack to the ground, from the time he hit the rock the mother stopped hissing and watched him curiously. He smiled at her feeling a little embarrassed by his slip up, and spoke watching her as she sniffed the air trying to figure out if he was a danger to them.

"You know that wasn't funny! I'm glad my brother wasn't here though, he'd make fun of me, he think's I'm a klutz!" He said smiling. "Did I pass the test?" He asked her gently.

She sat there watching him, before she got up after a few minute's and slowly approached him, he held out his hand to her letting her come to him. She eventually did, and cautiously smelled him; she met his kind eyes and knew in her heart he wasn't a danger. She then nudged his hand with her head, he smiled as she let him pet her he was in shock and awe this was what they had been searching for and it was beyond amazing to him.

"I guess this mean's we're friend's now huh?" Martin asked laughing as she climbed on him purring. "Easy girl, you have claw's remember?" He said gently as he petted her smiling.

As he petted her he felt something tugging on his bootlaces, he looked down and saw that both her cubs were chewing on his laces, and he smiled. He stood up and tried to walk over to a tree to get more comfortable, but as he went to move after standing, he fell to the ground having tripped over the cubs. He lay on his back laughing as they played with him, he propped himself up on his elbow's and decided to name them, he spoke.

"Alright now that we're friend's you guy's should have name's! Hmm…let's see, I think I'll name the cub's…Trouble, and Mischief! You, I'll name…Tufts, for the tufts of hair on your ears! What do you guy's think of your name's? Do you like them?" Martin asked smiling as they began nudging him with their head's as they purred. "I'll take that as a yes! Look, I need to go, but I'll be right back I'm going to go get my brother and bring him here so he can meet you guy's! You'll like him; he's just like me…only shorter! I'll be back in a few minutes don't go anywhere okay?" He said as he got up and left the clearing.

Neither brother knew that Zach was in the Savannah too, he had gone there to catch rhino's to use as his own personal demolition crew. After capturing some he was about to leave when he saw the Tortuga arrive, so he watched and listened as they talked about searching for the Caracal's. He became interested in finding the wildcats, he hated doing any kind of work so he followed the brother's waiting for them to find the cat's for him. After following Chris for awhile after they separated and he didn't find anything, Zach found Martin just as he found the cat's, now all he had to do was wait for 'Blue Boy' to leave so he could capture the babies, not wanting anything to do with the mom. He waited impatiently for Martin to leave, finally he did and as soon as he was gone, Zach came out.

"Hello, kitties!" Zach sneered, the mother instantly knew something was wrong he smelt different, dangerous, he wasn't a friend she began hissing and growling. "Easy you overgrown hairball! Give me those little balls of fur and we'll leave!" Zach said smirking as he called his Zachbot's to him. "Zachbot's, get me those cubs!" he said.

The Zachbot's headed for the Caracal's, the mother tried to stop them, but as she jumped at the closest one it pushed her away she fell and as she landed she twisted her back paw. Hearing the commotion Martin who hadn't gone very far rushed back to the clearing, just in time to see a Zachbot return to Zach holding the cubs as the mother limping tried to stop them, seeing enough he rushes to Zach and confronts him as the mother watches.

"Zach! What are you doing with those cubs?" Martin demanded angrily.

"Hello, 'Blue Boy'! I came to this overrated sandbox to capture some rhino's, and after I did I overheard you and 'Green Guy' talking about some overgrown kitty cat so I followed you two and you led me right to the little hairball's!" Zach said smiling.

"Let them go Zach! They belong living free and in the wild!" Martin yelled, he noticed Tufts watching them and she seemed to be keeping her distance from not only Zach, but Martin as well and it hurt him. "Zach let the cubs go!"

"Or what? You going to stop me?" Zach mocked. "Goodbye 'Wild Ratt'!" Zach said laughing as he took off with the cubs; Martin was angry he looked at Tufts and spoke.

"I promise Tufts I'll get your cubs back!" He said as he went to pet her, but she backed up growling in her throat and Martin hurt spoke again. "You…you think because I know Zach I had something to do with him taking your cubs don't you?" He asked, the only answer he got was her hiss and continuous growl. "I guess that answer's my question! I don't know if you can understand me Tufts, but I had nothing to do with what happened and I won't stop until I rescue your cubs and return them to you!" Martin said gently. "I know Zach, he'll be someplace where there's not a lot of sand or animal's…I'll just get Koki to…" He stopped in mid-sentence as he tried his Creature pod, but realized it was broken, he must have done it when he fell onto the rock. "Alright look's like I'm on my own…wait! You can track the Zachbot's, Tufts!" Martin said smiling as she began sniffing the air, suddenly she took off running Martin quickly followed her to Zach.

Martin ran after Tufts who even though she had a twisted paw chased after her babies, never slowing down. As they neared Zach's ship, she stopped and Martin crept closer to her and looked through the tall grass and spotted the jet, Zach and the cubs nowhere to be seen. He backed up and noticed Tufts was still keeping her distance from him, she was angry, and scared and he knew she didn't trust him anymore thinking he had something to do with her cubs being taken. He knew that Zach had rhino's on board as well, so he needed to find the cubs and rhino's and get them all back into the wild. He looked at Tufts again, she met his eyes as he got up and snuck towards the jet, he made it inside and began looking for where the rhino's were held. He finally found the rhino's and released them back into the wild, which attracted Zach, and the Zachbot's attention. He was about to turn around and go back inside to look for the cubs when he was picked up and thrown off the deck of the ship. He landed hard on his side and rolled towards the grass where he stopped, he rolled onto his back and tried to catch his breath, Zach appeared he spoke.

"You keep ruining my plans!" Zach yelled. "Why can't you stop?"

"I won't stop until you quit capturing animal's to use in your twisted plans!"

"Well, then I guess my Zachbot's will have to stop you for me! I have to get these little hairballs inside and get ready to leave!" Zach said laughing. "Zachbot's! Finish him off!"

As the command was given, three Zachbot's went up to Martin who was now standing and went to grab him, but Martin was quicker and moved just in time causing the bot's to crash into each other. Martin smiling looked at Zach, he was furious he ordered more bot's to go after Martin, but no matter what they did the bot's couldn't catch Martin.

"Why won't you die!" Zach yelled angrily.

"When are you going to learn that as long as my brother and I are around we'll never let you or anyone hurt animals!" Martin said smiling.

"Fine! Then I'll just have to get rid of you and your annoying brother once and for all!" Zach said smiling as he pushed a button on a panel inside the doorway of the jet. As he did, Martin was quickly surrounded by at least 100 Zachbot's, Zach spoke. "So, 'Blue Boy', I'm going to let my Zachbot's have a little fun, then I'll finish you off! Get him!"

The bot's attacked, Martin fought back destroying a few bot's, but was stopped when one of the bot's hit Martin from behind as he was jumping off one of the other bot's and knocked him to the ground again. This time when he hit the ground he landed feet first, he landed wrong on his left ankle and knew as lay on his back that he had broken it. He lay there for a few second's until he saw the bot's rushing towards him, he was ready for them. One of the bot's punched at him, but he rolled to the right and avoided the punch it hit the ground instead, he had no time to rest as another bot tried punching him, he rolled to the left and again the bot missed. He rolled onto his back just as another robot punched him he couldn't roll away so he tried to block the punch, but the bot was too strong. He was losing his grip on the bot's arm when he felt someone grab his ankle and yank him out from under the bot holding him upside down, it was yet another Zachbot. The bot threw him away and he hit the ground and instantly lost his breath, he rolled onto his stomach trying to catch his breath he began coughing his lung's ached for oxygen. He managed to sit up and leaned against a tree taking deep breath's finally breathing normally. He put his head back against the tree trunk, closed his eye's and slowed his breathing down, suddenly as his eyes were closed, he was grabbed by the front of his shirt and pulled up roughly. He opened his eyes and came face to face with a Zachbot, he knew he could take out some of the bot's, but for every bot he destroyed, there was another three waiting to attack. He had no time to think about anything else as the bot that held him threw him towards Zach who stood watching a smile never leaving his face as he watched everything. Martin landed against the side of the jet and slid down, he landed on his stomach, every part of him hurt. He was bloody, and battered after his endless battle with the Zachbot's, he looked over and saw that the mother Caracal had been stopped by four bot's surrounding her. He got angry and stood painfully as he limped towards the bot's, once there he jumped on one of their back's and as the bot tried to knock him off he managed to cause the bot's to crash into each other destroying them. The mother Caracal looked at him there was something wrong with him, but she didn't know what it was. As he turned around to say something to Zach, he was grabbed by the front of his shirt and pulled towards the bot who grabbed him. Martin watched as Zach held the cubs up taunting their mother, and it made him angry, he needed a plan and fast.

"What's the matter Wild Ratt? Giving up?" Zach mocked.

"Never!" Martin said as he pretended he saw Chris, which caused Zach, and the bot's to turn where he was looking. Using that distraction, he managed to get free from the bot's grasp, and make a run for Zach and the cubs. He reached them and grabbed the cage before anyone knew what he had done, until he released them to their mother. He watched as the Caracal's ran off as he turned to leave he was hit on the back of the head and fell to the ground on his stomach. He saw the Caracal's stop, the mother looked from her cubs to him, he didn't want them to be captured again so he called to her trying to get her to leave. He watched as she left with her cubs and he smiled knowing they'd be safe now, he didn't have time to think about it long before he was roughly turned onto his back. He looked into the angry face of Zach, he knelt down near Martin who by now had no fight left in him, but he was okay knowing the Caracal's were safe, he spoke to Zach.

"You lose again Zach!" Martin said as he coughed.

"I'm done losing to you Wild Ratt's!" Zach yelled in Martin's face. "I'm going to finish you off once and for all!"

"What are you going to do Zach? Get your Zachbot's to finish me off?" Martin mocked.

"No…this time I think I'll finish you off myself!" Zach said smiling in Martin's face.

"So, do it already!" Martin said smiling.

"With pleasure!" Zach said smiling. "Goodbye Wild Ratt!"

As Martin began to pass out from his injuries , he felt Zach let go of his shirt, he lay on the ground confused why Zach let go. Then he heard the familiar hiss and growl of the mother Caracal, he opened his eye's, and propped himself up on his elbow's and saw the mother Caracal standing between him and Zach warning him to back off Zach was terrified.

"That's it! Let's get out of here!" Zach yelled to his bot's as they raced to the jet and got aboard, Zach knew Martin was seriously injured and would soon die if the other's didn't find him. To make sure that he wasn't found before they took off, he ordered one of his bot's to take Martin's Creature pod from him unaware it was broken. Once he had it they took off leaving Martin alone, he waved goodbye to him smiling, Martin watched them leave before he lay down.

"Why did you come back Tufts? It's too dangerous, you could have been captured." Martin said as she rubbed her head against his trying to get him to get up. "Thanks girl, you saved my life!" Martin said smiling. "We do have a problem though…I can't walk and I can't call Chris my Creature pods gone! What am I going to do tufts?" Martin asked coughing, knowing he needed someway to get in touch with the other's. Tuft's looked at him, before looking behind them anxiously unsure what to do to help, but she knew he needed help she could sense it.

TBC…