When Princess Bubblegum awakened after falling asleep at the concert, the first thing she noticed was Ann and Marie. Ann had fallen asleep on Marie's back. She had wrapped her arms around Marie's neck and her legs around Marie's waist similarly to how she had clutched the Princess's covers during the previous night. Marie walked at a leisurely pace, looking over her shoulder occasionally to make certain that Ann wasn't in danger of falling off. Marie must have been tired as well, since her eyes drooped and she couldn't stop yawning.
The second thing that Princess Bubblegum noticed was that someone was carrying her as well. She gazed up to see none other than Marceline, floating low to the ground next to Marie and holding the Princess very much like a bride. Princess Bubblegum felt her face burn, feeling more than a little embarrassed about their position. She squirmed in Marceline's grip, trying to get back on her feet.
Marceline looked down and grinned slightly. "Morning, sunshine. Sleep well?"
The Princess's face took on an even darker shade. "I slept quite soundly, yes. Now, if you please, put me down."
Marceline frowned. "I'm a vampire with super strength, Princess. It's not that hard for me to carry a lightweight like you."
Princess Bubblegum nodded. "I'm well aware of your abilities, Marceline, but I'd rather walk." The Princess punctuated her statement with a yawn.
Marceline argued, "I know you're worn out, Bonnie. Why won't you let me carry you?"
Princess Bubblegum was at a loss for words. "I mean, what am I supposed to say? 'I don't want people to get the wrong idea?' She'll think I'm weird," she thought.
Marceline scowled. "I really don't get you. First, you get all mad at me for teasing you. Then, you seem to start warming up to me. Now, I try doing something nice for you, and you refuse to let me. "
The Princess scowled back. "You're impossible. I just wanted to walk."
Marceline scoffed. "Man, you're confusing."
Princess Bubblegum's eyes widened. "I'm confusing? You're the confusing one!"
Marceline raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
The Princess nearly shouted, "Yes, really! You-"
"Um, guys?"
Princess Bubblegum and Marceline both whipped around to face Ann. They instantly fell silent. Marie was growling menacingly at something in the woods nearby. The fur along the ridge of her back stood on end. She bared her razor-sharp teeth and claws. The Princess noticed that her eyes flashed from their normal shade of gray to piercing blue. Without changing her expression, she looked over her shoulder at Ann. "Get off," she snarled. Ann obliged and went to stand in front of Princess Bubblegum and Marceline. The Princess noticed that her voice was rough and raspy, lacking any femininity that was normally characteristic to Marie's voice.
Marie took off and lunged into the brush out of sight. Ann stared anxiously at the place where Marie had entered the forest. Marceline slowly put Princess Bubblegum down and took her axe base off her back. The Princess did her best to remain calm. "It isn't necessarily something dangerous," she tried to convince herself. "I saw Marie dive for a chipmunk on the way to the concert. It's probably just a squirrel, or maybe a bunny, or-"
The bushes rustled, the trees swayed, and out popped Marie, but she wasn't alone. She was attached to the face of a creature more than twice her size. It was as black as night with a single white stripe running the length of its back. Its most obvious characteristic was its tail, nearly the same length as its body.
The Princess couldn't contain her horror. "AH! SKUNK BEAST!"
Marie snarled and clawed one of the creature's eyes out. The monster roared out in pain. It whipped its head back and forth, trying to shake Marie off. Marie was sent flying towards the group. Princess Bubblegum dodged one way while Marceline flew in the opposite direction. Marie slammed into Ann, once again knocking both of them over. The enormous skunk turned and sprayed them with foul smelling liquid strong enough to render them unconscious.
Princess Bubblegum gasped, "No, girls!"
The creature faced the Princess. It howled and charged wildly at her. Princess Bubblegum screamed. She shut her eyes and raised her arms in a feeble attempt to shield herself. Suddenly, she felt impact, but it wasn't the skunk beast.
The Princess timidly opened an eye. "Marceline?"
They jolted to a stop midair. Marceline hissed and looked over her shoulder. The monster had caught one of her legs in its mouth. She kicked at its good eye with her other leg. Its jaw loosened, and she managed to pull her leg free. Princess Bubblegum felt sick when she saw that it was dripping with red liquid.
Marceline deposited the Princess onto the highest branch of the nearest tree. She then swooped back down to deal with the beast. She propelled towards it, her axe base raised. She swung wildly, but it smacked the axe out of her hand with a huge clawed paw. The axe spun through the air and was impaled into the tree not an inch from Princess Bubblegum's head. The Princess gasped and tried to scoot away from it.
The creature forced Marceline to the ground in its grasp. It loomed over her, hungrily drooling onto her face. She struggled and even bit the monster, but it was no use. Marceline looked up, and she and Princess Bubblegum made eye contact.
The Princess stared at Marceline for a moment, and then nodded. She crawled back to where the axe was lodged into the tree. Using all of her stress-fueled strength, she wrenched the axe out of the tree. Her force caused her to stumble backwards and fall from the safety of her tree branch. She managed to roll over in the air and raise the axe over her head. She rocketed towards the skunk beast's head. "Well, here goes nothing."
Suddenly, she heard a sickening crunch followed by a squishing sound. The surface beneath her feet shifted. She panted and grinned chaotically. Cold arms wrapped around her from behind. "You did good, Bonnie. Now, let's get out of here."