CHAPTER 6

SECRETS AND OVERREACTING

Back over by the tree, Diego and Shira were still walking on the trail. Diego had a lot of excitement in him as he just found out that he was a saber.

"So what do sabers do, anyway?" Diego asked, "Do we do some types of tricks? Or do we roll around everywhere? Or do we hit each other on the shoulder?" He banged his shoulder on Shira's, seeing as though she wasn't expecting it. "Whoops. Sorry."

"That's okay," Shira said.

"I guess I don't know my own strength yet."

Shira chuckled, but sighed, looking at Diego. "Diego, can you keep a secret?"

"I guess so."

"You guess so? That makes me not want to tell you at all."

"Okay, okay. You don't have to get so worked up about it. I can keep the secret. I promise."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure by the claws on my paws that I just figures out I had."

Shira shook her head. "Okay. I'm gonna tell you something that I've never told anyone else. Not even my friends."

"I'm all ears."

Shira took a deep breath. "Okay. There's something from my past that nobody knows about. The girls think that I never had much of a family except for my mother. It's true that I had a mother as a cub, but I also had a father. And an older brother. Plus, we belonged in a pack. It's true that we lived near an ocean. That's where I learned how to fish and how to swim. My father taught me how to swim and learn certain skills. My mother taught me how to hunt. My brother taught me how to play games that would help me defend myself if need be. We were just one big happy family. We were all we needed. When I became a preteen, an attack was placed on my pack. My parents hid my brother and I in a tree while they went out to fight. I was scared. My brother reminded me that it was important to stay strong at situations such as what we were going through. Some time later, everything was quiet. My brother and I went out to see that the entire pack...was dead. Killed. Gone forever. Never to see the light of day again. We met the enemy behind the whole scene. Pirates. My brother and I ran, but the captain of the crew caught up with me. My brother tried to come back for me, but I told him to run. Turn away. Never look back. It took a moment, but he finally made up his mind by listening to me for once. I was taken with the pirates. At first, I was known as their prisoner, all tied up like a wolf tied to a tree. After some time, I had come to be a part of their crew. I had pretended to be part of their scurvy crew. Once we were on the larger part of the continent, I had my escape plan ready. I had volunteered to stay on the ship to keep watch. Well, I had pretended that somebody had attacked me by spreading bird blood on the floor of the ship. There were claw marks everywhere and I had ended up screaming. I ran off as fast as I could and never looked back. A couple of days later, I was given a home in Sierra's saber pack. I remained there until I met Ellie and Brooke. So that's my life's story."

"Now I know why you don't want me to tell the others. Is there any deeper details that I need to know?"

"I'll keep names anonymous and other stuff for a different day. Right now, I think it's time to focus on important things."

"What important things?"

"Diego, I think this might be our chance to save our species."

"How are we gonna do that?"

Shira almost felt uncomfortable just thinking about it. "Well, you know...um..."

"Wait. Did you just...?"

"What? No, no, no. I didn't mean it like that."

"I just found out that I'm a saber five minutes ago and you're already hitting on me. I thought only the males did that. It's kind of weird for a girl saber to do that."

"I didn't mean it that way. I just meant in time. Not at this very moment. I just meant that it's our responsibility."

"What?"

"All right. That came out wrong. I...You're very handsome, but we just met."

"Responsibility? Just doing your duty? Is that it? Ready to make the ultimate sacrifice just to save your species? Well, I have some news for you. There won't be any saving your species tonight or any other night." With that, Diego stormed off, anger rushing through his veins. Shira sighed, knowing what she said was stupid.

The female saber made her way back to the camp. Ellie was the first one to see her. "How did it go?"

"Not bad," Shira said.

They knew she was lying the moment Diego stormed in, kicking dirt on the fire Brooke was making. He started making his way over to the trail. "Okay, let's go. You traveled with us all day, now you're coming with us at night."

"But we can't see at night."

"Then enjoy the flood. I hope you know how to swim."

Crash scoffed. "I can't even stand to look at her."

"Pervert!" Eddie shouted.

They all made their way back on the trail. Brooke kept her eyes on her footing, saying random stuff. "Making friends everywhere you go. Just making friends."

"Look out, Brooke," Ellie said, "There's a stump." It was too late. Brooke tripped over the stump in front of her.

"Not anymore," Manny said.

Shira walked up to Diego, who gave her a look of anger. Shira chuckled. "I thought we could walk together."

Diego shook his head. "Crash, can you ask her why she thinks that?"

Crash hopped on Shira's back. "Diego says that you're very rude and to go away."

"He didn't say that," Shira said, looking at Diego, "Look, maybe if we spend more time together..." Shira couldn't finish her sentence as she tripped over a rock.

"Tell Shira that I need some time alone right now," Diego said.

The possum twins jumped onto Shira's back. Crash stared her down. "He said to go jump in a lake."

"And possums rule," Eddie said as he and Crash gave each other a fist bump.

"I can hear him, you know," Shira said.

"What do you want?" Crash asked, "A metal?"

They all felt something shake underneath them. What they didn't realize was that they were standing on top of a pile of boulders. They couldn't see where they were going because it was too dark, but what they saw was that the boulders were moving in various directions. They were close to the other side of the trail where they were suppose to be walking on. Shira jumped off the boulders and looked to see that it was moving because everyone else was moving.

"Stop moving!" Shira shouted. They all did what Shira said and stopped moving. "Thank you." Shira was able to think of a plan. Ellie and Manny were on top of the boulders and their weight would make everyone fall to their doom. "Manny! Ellie! Lock trunks!"

Ellie held her trunk out as Manny grabbed it. "Don't let go!"

"That's one thing I would never do," Manny said.

Shira looked to see that Crash and Eddie were close to the right ledge. "Crash! Eddie! Grab on to that ledge!"

Eddie started laughing. "Funny. Now what's your real plan."

"Just do it!"

Eddie hugged his brother tight. "Bye, Crash."

"Bye, Eddie," Crash said.

"Bye, Diego!" they both said.

"Now!" Shira shouted. The twin possums did as they were told and grabbed the ledge. Suddenly, Diego grabbed the ledge that Shira was standing on. Shira sighed, knowing that what she needed to tell the male saber couldn't wait any longer. "I'm sorry if what I said before offended you."

"What do you mean by 'if' it offended me?" Diego asked.

"That it offended him!" Eddie shouted.

"I mean that it offended you," Shira said, "You just overreacted is all."

"What?" Diego said.

"Take it back!" Crash shouted.

"There are other lives at stake here," Brooke said, holding onto Ellie for dear life.

"She's got a point," Manny said.

"It was a misunderstanding," Shira said.

"It was insensitive," Diego said.

"Apologize," Ellie said.

"Why should I have to apologize?" Shira asked, "He's the one that overreacted."

"Just apologize!"

"No!"

"Do it!"

"Okay, I'm sorry," Diego apologized.

"What?" everyone asked, shocked.

"She's right. I overreacted."

"You mean..." Shira said.

"Don't you dare say another word or I'll push you off the ledge," Ellie said.

The boulders started to slip. Brooke screamed in fear. Shira knew there was only one way to save everyone. She looked to see a tree closer to Ellie. She had an idea. "Ellie, pull Manny closer towards you. Brooke, grab onto that tree over there. Crash, Eddie. When I say now, jump on top of Manny's back. Diego, hold on tight to the ledge."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Diego asked.

"Because I'm your only chance. I know what I'm doing. Ellie! Pull!"

"Hold on tight," Ellie said.

"I'm not letting go," Manny said.

Ellie pulled Manny closer towards her as Brooke grabbed the tree. Shira looked at the possum twins. "Now!" The twins jumped on Manny's back, relieved to be alive. Shira looked at everyone. "Jump off the rocks!" They all jumped off, but Brooke was hanging on the ledge as she slipped off the tree. She was starting to fall, but luckily Diego and Shira caught her by the paws.

Diego looked at Shira. "I guess we finally did something right together."

Shira smiled. "I guess we did."

Brooke chuckled. "Don't mind me. Just hanging on the edge of a cliff here."

The two sabers pulled the female ground sloth up, placing her back on land. The group made their way back on the trail in search for camp.

HELLO, EVERYONE. I HAVE FINALLY UPDATED CHAPTER SIX.

SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE LAST WEEK. I HAD TO DO A VOLUNTEERING ASSIGNMENT AT MY SCHOOL AND I HAD THE ACT THIS SATURDAY. IT WAS PRETTY BUSY.

WELL, THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

PLEASE REVIEW.