Chapter 11: The Raid
Dark Hunter arrived at the cave with Dark Bugs and their troops. He said, "Good work, Vega. Now we will attack that village and kill Gerry O' Ringtails, too, because he will die by us."
"That's right," added Dark Bugs. "And the TTC will die, too! HA-HA-HA-HA!"
Back inside the cave, Sidney and Alis were sitting by the river, a couple deep in love. Just then, they heard somebody blow through a ram's horn, and all the Eloi started running for their houses. Sidney said, "What's going on?"
"There's going to be an invasion, Sidney," answered Alis. "We'd better get back to the cliff house before--"
A laser gun ray shot through, missing the couple. Sidney looked up and saw Dark Hunter and Dark Bugs, with the troops following behind them. He said, "Oh, no...it's them." He took out his laser ray gun, loaded it, and continued, "Let's get this show on the road..."
The TTC, who heard the alarm, came out to fight their enemies. The fight became more intense with each shot of a laser ray. Dark Hunter and Dark Bugs were winning, and the TTC were just this close to giving up. When one of Dark Hunter's soldiers came up and hit Sidney on the head with the butt of a gun, Alis screamed out loud. But then, she became angry, and she picked up a large round stone to hurl it at the troops. BOOM! The soldiers were literally bowled over (get it? The rock's shaped like a bowling ball!). With each stone, she knocked down all the soldiers in the evil duo's army, until Dark Hunter and Dark Bugs were the only two left. Finally, Dark Hunter grabbed Gerry and put his gun to the head.
"No!" shouted Bert. "Don't shoot him! He's our friend!"
"He might be your friend," said Dark Hunter. "But for failing Chris' plans, he deserves to die. And so do you."
"Not while we have breath in our lungs!"
"Sure--and in a minute your breath is going to be your very last..."
He was about to pull the trigger when Sidney jumped up and tackled Dark Hunter to the ground. The laser ray gun that Dark Hunter was using to kill Gerry fell into the river, never to be seen again. At his cue, Alis came up and tackled Dark Bugs down. The couple fought the two villains until the bad guys disappeared at the last punch. They melted away into dark dust, like coal, and the wind blew their remains away.
Alis shouted breathlessly, "And that...was for assaulting my village!"
The TTC were stunned. Never in their entire lives had they ever seen a woman fight like that. Then, when they looked around, the Eloi peeked out from inside their cliff houses and looked down to see what had happened. The soldiers were gone, and so were Dark Hunter and Dark Bugs. At once, they slowly climbed down their wooden ladders and approached the heroes slowly. One of them, an Eloi elder (and the ruler of the village), came up to the TTC.
"You," he said. "You have saved our village...and our lives..."
"Well, it was nothing," replied PowerPaws. "Just doing all we can to protect it."
The elder smiled and said, "You are our saviors, the ones whom the prophecy dictates will come and save us in this time of need. Greetings--I am Bevan, leader of the Eloi, and the ruler of the village of Wild River."
"No wonder the river we rescued Weena from was raging," thought Bentley.
"In gratitude for your efforts to save the village," continued the elder. "We will hold a great feast in your honor."
Sidney said, "Thanks, sir. But can I make one simple request?"
"It will be done. What is it?"
"Alis and I plan to be married. I'd suggest you prepare a wedding feast for us, too."
Bert's jaw nearly dropped. He stammered, "Sidney, you--you--"
"No, I haven't changed my mind, Dad," said Sidney. "She was all that I wanted in a woman--primitive and very beautiful. I'm sorry I didn't announce that we were engaged, and I would've told you sooner..."
"It's okay, Sid. I'm comfortable with it."
The elder smiled and said, "You are very welcome to stay in our village as long as you want. And as long as you are here, you will be treated with respect and reverence. Long live the TTC!"
"LONG LIVE THE TTC!" the Eloi villagers shouted and they cheered. While all this was going on, Nose Marie whispered to Bert Jr., "Honey, can I talk to you for a minute...alone?"
"Sure," said Bert Jr. with a nod and they withdrew from the cheering multitude to a quiet area on the other side of the village. Upon arriving at that spot, Bert Jr. asked, "What is it that you want to tell me about?"
"Do you remember what happened a few nights ago," said Nose Marie. "Before Gerry attacked us?"
"Of course, I do. We made love under that big tree, and...what do you mean?"
"Well, you see, I'm...I'm pregnant."
"WHAT?!"
"I'm sorry, but it's true. I knew I should've told you earlier that I got control of my reproductive system back. A few weeks before the whole incident even happened, we had been making love every night. We were so happy to be together for all these blissful nights. The result...was this."
She grabbed Bert Jr.'s paw and placed it on her belly. He could feel something moving from inside her. With an amused smile, he said, "Oh, you're right--you are pregnant! Why didn't you tell me in the first place?"
"I know--I'm sorry."
"That's all right, honey. I understand what you're going through right now, but still..."
He placed a gentle kiss on her nose. Nose Marie smiled and giggled. Bert Jr. continued, "I don't mind hearing the delayed message you've been trying to reach me with. Now, let's go back to the village--I think they're getting ready to start the wedding feast. My brother's getting married, you know..."
Nose Marie was not the only one. While the village was getting ready for the feast, Xochitl sat in the Diamondfur home, talking to her husband through the video walkie-talkie. She said, "It's positive, all right! I used the test that I brought with me and the results came in."
"Groovy!" said Disco Bear with a smile. "Anyway, I just got released from the hospital, and I feel super! I'm looking forward to seeing you again, baby."
"You will, DB. Someday you will."
Then, she hung up and went outside to join the others for the feast. Xochitl was pregnant, too.