Gods and Servants

Dave's eyes slowly fluttered open. It was 8am in the morning. Last night he had barely slept a wink, a mixture of happiness and fear had kept him awake. As he hopped out of bed and grabbed his slippers, he could hear Miss Miller in the kitchen, humming loudly. As he entered the kitchen he was amazed to find a large platter of food presented to him. There were pancakes, waffles, toast with jam, bacon, eggs, croissants, cereal and at least three different kinds of juice.

"Miss Miller, how did you make all this, it would have taken hours to prepare!" he almost shouted over her loud humming. She spun to face him and showed deep bags under her eyes.

"Oh David, I woke up early and couldn't fall asleep again. I was too worried about today. So I decided to make us a big breakfast to keep us energized for the day" she said, bringing over a plate filled with bagels.

"I didn't sleep well either" Dave said as he sat down, "But we do have a big day ahead of us so no more time to waste. Let's eat then get ready, Jamal said he would be here at 9:30. Miss Miller nodded before sitting down. The two started to dig into the food but their thoughts were elsewhere.

"We'll find you soon boys, just hold on"

Klaus sat in his chair trying to dull down the furious screams of his sister with a cocktail. It wasn't working.

"Klaus what are we going to do! Those miserable little rats have our diamonds and our money!" she screamed kicking over a table.

"Claudia, please, you're going to wake up the whole neighborhood at this rate" Klaus tried to plead, but it did no good, Claudia was far too angry to be silenced.

"We need to find those miserable rodents before they use any of our money!" she wailed, collapsing into another chair, almost crushing her beloved Sophie, who too had been attempting to block out the noise.

"Maybe we can see where they went. I heard a rumor that the girls balloon was seen returning from Antarctica. It was heading for Africa, right where we lost site of the boys" Klaus winced, hoping that this information would not earn him a slap to the face.

"Africa you say… hmm… I do know some people in Africa. Perhaps you are right. Tell me where was the boy's balloon last spotted exactly?" Claudia asked sitting up, now fully interested in what her brother had to say. He was not the most intelligent person in the world, but right now his information was invaluable.

"Morocco. Do you think that's where the girl's were headed?" Klaus said placing his hand on his chin.

"Oh, I don't think so, I know so. Those rats must have decided to split the money evenly and were meeting up in Africa to make the transaction." She started to snarl, turning to a world map that was portrayed on the wall.

"I'll contact the closest group and tell them to start searching. Then I'll pack our things as I'm sure… you are probably not going to stay here while they search" Klaus said standing up, knowing that if he didn't immediately leave, he would soon be screamed at.

"Good, and tell them not to kill them. Tell them when we arrive in Morocco I want the pleasure of killing those filthy creatures myself!" she sneered.

Simon slowly came to. His was tied up inside a large dark tent of some kind. He heard another groan and turned to see that Eleanor and Jeanette were also tied to the wall. Their tattered Arabian dresses were gone and now the two were wearing animal skin dresses that travelled from their shoulders to their knees.

"What… what happened?" asked Eleanor groggily as she awoke from her sleep, followed by Jeanette.

"We… were… knocked out I think… I can't remember how… but" Simon started, then it all rushed back to him.

As the Chipmunks had entered the clearing, the figures had run towards them.

"I knew something bad was going to happen!" cried Alvin as the figures surrounded them. The spears they held were aimed directly at them.

"You have returned, Prince of Plenty!" said a rough voice. The chipmunks all turned to see a familiar figure walk towards them. He was in a leafy garment with a bright pink head dress that flopped about as he walked. It was the chief of the native tribe that had captured them earlier.

"Oh god, not these guys again!" Alvin groaned as the native warriors aggressively jabbed at them with the spears.

"Now Prince, we treated you well, so you will serve us well and be our sacrifi…" the Chieftain began as he looked at the group. He stopped short when his eyes fell upon Brittany.

"It's… it's you… the Princess of Paradise!" he wailed then immediately fell to the ground in a bow. All the warriors also fell into a bow once they heard what the Chieftain said.

"The Princess of Paradise? What are they talking about?" Brittany asked surprised at their reaction to her.

"Well these guys thought Theodore was some sort of god or something, maybe they think of you the same way" suggested Jeanette examining the strange behaviour.

"Um… are we… you know… going to be sacrificed again?" asked Theodore nervously looking at the sharp spears the tribe held.

"Two gods among our presence, we are blessed!" the Chieftain said as he started to rise, followed by the warriors who continued to surround the group but held their spears high, not daring to harm a god.

"Right… okay, well as my first godly decree I want you to let us go" said Brittany stepping forward toward the chieftain, all eyes were upon her.

"But… but of course not… my Princess, you are to be our eternal ruler. Standing guard over us with your mighty powers, bringing paradise to the jungle" the Chieftain exclaimed raising his eyes suspiciously.

"Well yeah but… um… as your god I'm making it a new rule that… um… you have to do everything I say… or… or else I will… destroy the jungle" she said trying to think of something to say. The warriors seemed scared and started to back away a little but the Chieftain stood still looking confused.

"Our Princess would never destroy the jungle… perhaps you are not the savior we are looking for. And if that is true then he is not a Prince of Plenty either" the Chieftain said getting angry. Brittany grinned nervously and started to back up towards the others who were all pinned in place by the warriors who had angrily lowered their spears towards them again.

"Get them; they have tried to deceive us. Now they will pay!" the Chieftain screamed and the warriors all screamed a war cry.

Before anyone could move one of the warriors pulled out a rock and smacked Simon on the head. The last thing he remembered was falling down and staring as the warrior moved towards the others. After that he must have gone unconscious, and assumedly the others were knocked out also.

"I remember now, we were captured by the natives" Simon said. Jeanette and Eleanor seemed to go through the memories as Simon had before, their expressions drooped into sadness.

"Wait where are Brittany, Theodore and Alvin?" Eleanor asked after a moment.

"I… I don't know" Simon said worriedly. He two had just realized that they weren't among them. He started to think when he felt something squeeze his hand. It was Jeanette. The three were shackled so close together that their hands could touch.

"It will be okay Simon, we'll find them" Jeanette said soothingly noticing Simon worry. He thought for a moment then realized something. If Jeanette could reach his hand, she could also reach the rope that bound him to the wall.

"Jeanette you're a genius!" he cried.

Jeanette blushed before saying, "How?"

"Quickly see if you can untie the rope on my hand, then I'll untie myself and get you two down" he said.

"Oh" Jeanette said blushing even more at her own ignorance. She quickly undid the rope around Simon's wrist, then he was able to untie his other arm and his legs.

"Alright, time to get you girls down" he said once he had dropped to the ground. He moved to Jeanette and undid her shackles before gently bringing her to the floor so she wouldn't fall down. She blushed as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Eleanor noticed but said nothing, but she smiled at her sister once Simon wasn't looking. Once Simon placed Jeanette on the ground he moved onto Eleanor and brought her to the ground as well.

"Now we need to find Brittany, Alvin Theodore, then let's get out of here" he said quietly, then the three headed towards the entrance of the tent. As they exited the tent, they took in their surroundings. They had been moved from the small camp they found back to the main village where the Chipmunks had first encountered the natives. It was night time and the village was very dark except for a camp fire and a select number of tents were somehow lit up. The three tiptoed around, trying to find some trace of their siblings. Suddenly there was a sharp yelp of pain. They all turned around to follow the noise. It was coming from one of the lit up tents they had passed. Quietly they made their way to the tent and Simon peeped through a crack in the material towards the rear of the tent. Alvin was shackled like they had been, however the ropes suspending him were not against a wall, instead Alvin was held in mid air by the ropes. A native was rubbing some kind of ointment onto his swollen back, not being careful, simply rubbing it on, causing Alvin to squeal in agony.

"You will make an excellent meal, but we need to get rid of those bruises or you will taste terrible" the native laughed as he lathered another large dollop of ointment onto Alvin's back and he writhed in agony.

"Quick girls, it's Alvin, we have to help him" Simon whispered to the girls who had heard the screams and were now very worried.

"Alright Simon what should we do?" Jeanette asked nervously shaking a little. Simon thought for a moment then smiled.

"I have an idea. I'm going to distract the native inside. Once he is gone, grab Alvin and grab some of the ointment in there. We might be able to help his bruising after all" Simon said as he moved towards the front of the tent. The girls looked at each other nervously then followed him. Once they reached the side, Simon told them to get low and wait until the native left before they entered. The girls obediently waited outside the tent as Simon opened the flaps of the front door. The native looked up surprised then growled when he saw Simon.

"You! You will be our first meal now!" the man growled before grabbing a spear leaned up against the side of the tent and rushing towards Simon.

"Then you'll have to catch me first!" Simon challenged then turned and sprinted away towards the trees. The man followed him. When the coast was clear, Jeanette and Eleanor proceeded through the doorway.

"Thank god you guys are alright" Alvin said faintly when he saw them. His bandages had been stripped and his sling was gone. Instead his right arm hang limp on his side. The natives had thought it wasn't worth the effort tying his arm up as he was in too much pain to use it. The girls rushed to him and released him from his bindings. He fell limp in their hands, exhausted. They sat him down and looked around the tent for something to re-sling his arm. Finding nothing, Jeanette simply tore some of the tents material away and used it instead. A small animal skin bag sat on the floor to the side of the tent. Eleanor grabbed it. We can keep the ointment in this she cried before grabbing some of the bowls that the ointment had been stored in. The bowls were made from turtle's shells and were covered with a tightened band of animal skin. Jeanette placed Alvin's arm over her shoulder and helped him stand. He was reluctant to move at first.

"Where are Theodore and Brittany?" he asked faintly, still very weak from the pain.

"We… don't know yet" Jeanette replied quietly. Suddenly she felt Alvin start to move far stronger.

"What are you doing Alvin?" she asked curiously, surprised at his sudden recovery.

"We need to find them" was all he said. Jeanette kept supporting him but his strides were strong and purposeful, and Jeanette was sure that even if she weren't there he could probably have moved on his own. She realized that he was very worried, not just for his brother, but for Brittany as well.

Alvin was in immense pain but he ignored it and struggled onwards. He cared for his brother deeply and wanted to make sure nothing happened to him, but there was someone else he had to be sure was safe. Ever since their kiss, he couldn't explain his happiness. It was as if he had finally found a piece of his heart. Now that Brittany was possibly in danger, his heart began to beat faster and he became more determined than ever.

Brittany slowly opened her eyes. She was tied to a stake and wearing a strange dress. It was made of a mix of different leaves. They were all yellow, orange and red and made a fiery pattern. She looked about to see that Theodore, still unconscious, was also tied to a stake. He had on a strange head piece but the robe he had worn during the prince of plenty ceremony was gone.

"I see you two imposters have finally awoken" said the gruff voice of the Chieftain. Brittany turned her head to see that he was sitting on a bamboo throne watching her.

"What are you going to do with us?" she asked angrily attempting to struggle against the rope.

"Oh we have some good plans for you two and your friends" he laughed and walked towards her. He cupped her face in his hands and stared at her menacingly.

"Don't touch me!" she cried and shook her head out of his grasp. He growled at her but did not touch her again.

"Your friends are going to make excellent feasts at our celebration tonight" he said after a moment, pausing when he saw her startled face. He smiled before continuing.

"That imposter!" he said pointing at Theodore, "May not be our Prince of Plenty, but our crocodiles are still hungry, so I think a sacrifice might be in order" he laughed.

"You leave them alone!" Brittany cried holding back tears, her eyes filled with anger.

"You should be more worried about yourself then them!" the Chieftain bellowed letting out an evil laugh.

"I intend to have you burned to death during our celebration. Oh how we will laugh and dance to your screams of agony!" he started to laugh maniacally. Brittany couldn't hold back her tears as he said this.

"You monster!" she screamed in rage as her warm tears trickled down her cheeks. The Chieftain just laughed at her as the tears continued to pour down her face.

"The celebration will take place soon. I suggest you cherish the last moments of your life!" the Chieftain sneered and exited the room. Brittany stared at the ground crying. She was about to die, and there was nothing that anyone could do to save her.

"Don't worry Brittany, we'll find a way out of this" a kind voice said. Brittany looked up to see that Theodore had regained consciousness.

"How Theodore, the others are all going to be eaten, you're going to be sacrificed and I'm about to be burned to death" she wailed and began to cry hysterically. If Theodore hadn't been bound to the stake, he would have rushed to comfort her. He hated to see anyone this upset, especially his friends. But he to couldn't help but release a few tears. The situation was very grim, but he struggled to hold onto the hope that had sustained them ever since their crash.

"I don't know Brittany. But you mustn't give up. We have to be strong if we are going to survive" Theodore said, attempting to comfort Brittany as best he could. It seemed to work. Brittany started to calm down a little.

"Okay Theodore. I'm just so scared. Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. I don't know what to do" she said faintly. "I want my sisters, I want you and Simon but, I really want Alvin right now"

Brittany started to tear up again and Theodore couldn't help but feel upset for her.

"Brittany, if there is only one thing that can give you hope, then let it be this" Theodore said, "Alvin, has always loved you Brittany. My brother, your sisters and I have always seen it. He used to always challenge you and you would always fight, but he loved you. Whenever you were sad, he was there for you, whenever you were angry at someone, he would always be by your side. If you need something to hope for now, then hope that you and Alvin will be together again, because your hearts are so strong, there is nothing that can keep them apart"

Brittany looked up at Theodore and gave him a warm smile.

"Thank you Theodore" she whispered.

It was already nightfall when the plane landed at a Moroccan airport. Dave was tired, but he couldn't sleep, he was too concerned for his boys. Large sections of Morocco were desert, but there were also some large jungles as well, both of which were not the terrain for young children to be stuck in alone.

"Come on you two, we have a hotel booked and waiting. It's been a long day so we will need some rest if we are to search for your boys tomorrow" Jamal said as he hailed a cab.

Miss Miller and Dave couldn't argue with his logic so they hopped into the car and it took off. While they were in the car, Jamal started to show them maps of the area and sections that he believed they should start their search with, however Dave didn't really pay attention. He was too worried for his boys. Eventually the car pulled up at an average looking hotel and the three of them headed inside. Once they had been assigned their rooms they made their way to the elevator.

"In the morning we will travel to the local police station where a chopper will be waiting for us. Then we will circle the areas I pointed out and hope for the best. I will see you tomorrow" Jamal stated as the elevator arrived at his floor. He walked off and the lift carried Dave and Miss Miller up one more floor to their own rooms.

A few hours later Dave was preparing himself for bed when he noticed something outside his room. The hotel that they were staying at was on the very edge of town, and a river passed by next to it from a nearby jungle. As Dave looked out at the waters he saw a flash of red and pink. He watched them for a moment before he realized what they were. His went wide and he rushed out of the room. As he left the hotel he raced to the river, hoping that what he had found was not yet gone. He was in luck. The objects had caught onto a fallen tree branch. He reached into the water and grabbed the soggy items. One was a pink dress, one he knew that Brittany owned; the other was Alvin's hat. Dave looked at them for a moment before turning his head. Along the river he could make out a few wrecked remains and some torn bags but there was no sign of the children. Suddenly Dave knew what he had to do. He rushed back into the hotel and knocked upon Jamal's door. The inspector opened the door, a cigar in his hand. He looked surprised that Dave was at his door, but he allowed him in.

"Inspector, I think I know where the kids are. Look!" here cried pushing the items of clothing towards Jamal. He looked at them curiously for a moment.

"Where did you find them?" he asked.

"Outside in the river. I know this cap is my son's and I know that this dress belonged to one of the girls. They must be in that jungle!" Dave shouted pointing out of the room's window towards the lush jungle.

"Alright, we will look there first thing in the morning. I hope you're wrong though" Jamal said nervously. Dave turned around and frowned.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because that jungle is one of the most dangerous in all of Africa. There are aggressive natives living in there and there are all sorts of carnivorous creatures" The Inspector said worriedly turning to look out the window. He stared into the lush greenery that was his view. Dave looked petrified. After a moment he turned to leave.

"Don't worry. Whether they are in that jungle or anywhere in all of Africa, or even the world, I promise we will find your children" Jamal said kindly.

"Thank you Inspector" Dave said quietly before leaving the room and returning to his own. As he curled up in bed he began to cry.

"I hope you boys are ok. I won't rest until I find you"

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed my story so far. It means a lot to hear people enjoying my work as I hope to have a career in writing some day. Anyway, it shouldn't be long before the next chapter is up. I'm currently on holidays so I have a lot of spare time to work on my stories.