Hey there my viewers! I know you've got a lot of questions to where I've been all year. Here it comes…Summer-cleaning (job/work), Composition 1 (Summer English Class), Vacation (Orlando, Florida—Disney World and Universal Studios), and of course ME-time. Also I've gotten a lot of ideas for future stories that won't leave me alone. 2017 was about the toughest year for me to keep track and I do apologize for my absence. So if you know what to do—just sit back, relax and enjoy the next chapter!
Night was slowly coming around the corner. Fire torches were blazing to keep the tribe out of the darkness. The whole village while being watched by the Howlers; who were also asleep on the job. Ragnar was fast asleep in his tent snoring very loudly. Meanwhile, after hours of putting the plan all together everyone started to get into their positions. Dividing up into groups everyone began to split up to cover more ground, quietly, so the Howlers couldn't sense their presences.
Roshan was quietly making his whole into the tribe. He ducked under some bushes. Peeking through, he saw everyone including some of the Howlers were in slumber. Crash and Eddie appeared jumping on top of the human boy's head.
"Agent Crash and Agent Eddie are ready for action" said Eddie
"And to kick serious butt!" said Crash, cracking his knuckles
(SHUSHING)
Roshan shushed both possums and he quietly stepped out of the bushes. The boy then started tip-toeing his way around the Howlers. Meanwhile Manny, Sid, Diego along with Minho and Kodak peeked over the bushes right next to the hostage villagers. Minho spotted his mother sleeping with his baby sister. Even Kodak spotted some of his older brothers.
"I can see my brothers" Kodak reported, whisperingly
"My family's there too" Minho reported. "At least now we know they're safe"
Diego nodded and turns to Manny "Now if only Tweetle-Dum and Tweetle-Dummer can give us the signal"
"Not until Roshan gets to his dad" said Manny. "…I hope"
Suddenly Manny spotted both Crash and Eddie who were eating waving sticks in the air to confirm them the signal.
Sid smiled realizing it's the signal. "EVERYONE IT'S THE…"
(SID'S MOUTH IS CLAMPED SHUT BY THE TWO HUMAN BOYS)
"Do you know when to quit?" Kodak angrily, mumbled
"You're gonna blow our cover, you long-necked beanpole!" said Minho
"Hey, that's Mr. Long-Necked Beanpole to you, kiddies" Sid affirmed
"QUIET!" Manny shouted
Manny's voice was so loud it startled everyone in the village including the Howlers to wake up. Luckily, they all fell back into slumber thinking it was just a conscience. The others peeked over to check and they all sighed with relief. The group glared at Manny with looks of madness.
(MANNY CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY)
"Oops" said Manny
Diego scoffed and turned to Sid. "And a minute ago we thought you had the bigger mouth"
"Speak for yourself and you still have one" Sid joked
(DIEGO GROWLS MENACINGLY AT SID)
Once reaching a tent closest to his fathers, Roshan crept over to his uncle's tent to see if he was asleep or not. The boy peeked inside and saw that Ragnar was asleep, snoring very loudly.
Crash plugged his ears. "Geez, that guy has sleeping issues"
"I got an idea! We'll do the old smother-with-the-pillow routine. That'll put him out. Maybe forever even" Eddie suggested, smiling evilly
"GENIUS! Get the pillow" said Crash, agreeing with the idea
Unfortunately, both possums were yanked back outside the tent by Roshan and the boy held Crash and Eddie by their tails, glaring at both of them.
"Nobody is smothering my crazy uncle. You got that? Go give the signal while I find my father" Roshan ordered
"Gee, you're starting to sound a lot like Manny" said Eddie, in disgust
"Only crankier" Crash joked
"But can we at least pull a prank with the eggs?" Eddie asked the boy
Roshan held the possums closer as a very stern expression appeared on the boy's face. Both possums knew he was serious and they smiled really big. Soon Roshan noticed a tent not too far that was being guarded by two Howlers. Roshan then suddenly got an idea. And idea that only the possums can handle.
"How about start with them?" Roshan ordered the possums
The scene changes and appears showing the two Howlers guarding the tent. Both Howlers were wide awake, not even taking a blink. Suddenly they were both taken by surprise when Crash and Eddie appeared in front of them.
(HOWLERS MAKING A 'HMM' SOUND)
"Say Eddie what do you call a Howler with half-a-brain?" Crash asked
"I don't know, what?" Eddie asked
"Simple… D!" Crash joked
(BOTH POSSUMS START LAUGHING HARD)
Angered, the two Howlers growled in madness. Crash and Eddie smiled very big before dashing away leaving a cloud-form of their bodies behind. Soon the two Howlers started chasing after the possums plus abandoning their posts. Roshan saw the plan had worked and saw now the tent was unguarded.
"Father if you're still alive in there, PLEASE still be alive in there" Roshan said to himself
Back where the hostage villagers were still being guarded, a loud howling sound echoed into the air which alerted the Howlers into waking up.
"What was that?" asked a male howler
A female howler sniffed the air and she caught Roshan's scent. "It's the boy. He's returned!"
"What do we do?" another howler asked
The female snickered with greed. "What the master wants… we kill him!"
"Don't get your hopes up, mutt" said a voice, talking from being them
The Howlers turned to discover Minho and Kodak blocking the Howlers way with armed weapons.
Minho, with a look of determination, aimed his spear. "You wanna get to Roshan? You gotta go through us!"
"Yeah, what he said" said Kodak, aiming his spear up
(THE FEMALE HOWLER SCOFFS)
"HA-HA! Stupid, helpless human children. You're outnumbered! There are fifty of us and only two of you" the female howler said, snarling
Suddenly Sid jumped out from behind Kodak.
(SID MAKING KUNG-FU NOISES)
"Make that THREE!" Sid declared
Diego leaped from behind Minho and the saber snarled menacingly at the Howlers.
(DIEGO ROARING)
"FOUR!" Diego declared
Then the possums brothers jumped in to join the gang.
"FIVE" Crash declared
Eddie took a deep breath before he turned to his brother for help, whispering into Crash's ear.
"What comes after five, Crash?" Eddie asked
"SIX!" Crash answered, spitting in his brother's eye.
"Ooh! WHAT HE SAID!" Eddie declared, wiping his eye ball
(THE HOWLERS START LAUGHING IN MOCKERY)
The female howler scoffed. "No matter, we could use a midnight snack anyway"
Another howler was a face expression for hunger grew excited. "Ooh how I just love APPETIZERS!"
Diego smirked. "Maybe, but if you're looking for the full course…it's right behind you"
The sloth raised a paw-finger in the air, smiling funny. At first, the other Howler's were confused. But then the female Howler suddenly started to hear unfamiliar growls coming from behind them. She and the other Howlers turned from behind them shocked to discover that Manny and Iorek were standing from the back defending the villagers. The villagers were fascinated to discover that a mammoth like Manny was in their tribe.
(THE HOWLERS GULP NERVOUSLY)
"Grave mistake, you, beasts" Iorek snarled
"We won't let you hurt Roshan, the children, or any of these people. Not while I'm here" Manny declared
The female howler bared her teeth at the mammoth. "You'll regret this"
"Oh yeah…well regret THIS!" Eddie exclaimed
Eddie began yanking the female howler's eye-lids back while Crash started to whip his tail at the female's behind, plus, causing her to yelp in pain.
(TAIL WHIPS)
"OW!" cried the female
(TAIL WHIPS AGAIN)
"OW, ATTACK!…(TAIL WHIPS CONTINUE)…OW!" cried the female, continuously
So it was till that everyone started to battle! Minho fought using his bow and arrow to shoot and kill while Kodak brawled and stabbed each Howler with his knife. Diego pounced and struck each Howler with using his fist and plus sinking his fangs into the Howler's necks; killing them. Sid was trying his best by easily knocking them in the head with a stick-from a stone-to a leaf rack. The possums, Crash and Eddie, threw as much berries at the Howlers; also using their tails as whips to cause some of the Howlers to retreat. Manny swung his tusks knocking each and every Howler, plus kicking from the back; Iorek slashed out using his bare claws knocking out Howlers one-by-one into a pile of unconscious bodies. Together, the gang took out half the pack.
"JUSTICE IS SERVED!" Iorek declared
(ROARING IN TRIUMPH)
The village people, who were watching the entire time stared in awe. They haven't seen a mammoth in ages and they would never have thought one including a bunch of his wildlife friends would save them from the Howlers.
(TRIBES PEOPLE MUTTERING IN PANIC)
Before everyone started to panic, the two human boys rushed over to calm down everyone.
"No-no-no, it's okay, it's okay" Minho assured everyone. "They're here to help us"
"We promise" said Kodak, assuring everyone
Everyone took both the boys word and finally calmed down. Soon Minho's mother rushed up and embraced her son; Minho's baby sister Mimi babbled happily with joy.
Kodak smiled before he saw his brothers walking up to him in amazement. "Kodak, you son-of-a-bitch"
"Ooh, you kiss our mother with that mouth?" Kodak responded back
Kodak embraced with his brothers again. The others watched before Diego's ears perked up when he sensed more trouble was coming but only bigger.
Diego nudged Minho to get his attention. "Hate to break the reunion, but we got an army coming this way"
Minho glanced to Kodak and the older boy nodded in reply knowing what was going to happen next. Kodak told his brothers to take all the female and young into the safest area in the forest. With that said, Kodak's brothers began gathering all the female and young ad began leading them away from the village. Manny and the others got ready for Round 2 but only this time their army was twice as big when some of the hunters joined to stay and help fight the Howlers with them.
Manny smiled, "Looks like the playing field just got even"
"This is going to be fun" said Diego, getting ready in position
Kodak raised his spear high. "FOR THE HOME OF THE BRAVE!"
(MEN SHOUTING "FOR THE HOME OF THE BRAVE!")
(ANIMALS ROARING AND TRUMPETING IN TRIUMPH)
Round 2 had started and everyone went into battle with the Howlers. It was then the Howlers realized they weren't fighting only a herd…but a herd with animals and a clan of humans too.
Meanwhile back with Roshan, the boy headed his way over to the unguarded medical tent and quickly ducked inside. Once he made it inside, the boy gasped to find his father lying in bed. But Runar was not doing too well. The man's skin began to look pale, cold sweat drizzled from top to bottom, and he was shaking like an animal had been shot dead.
"Father!" Roshan gasped
Roshan quickly rushed over to the bed and knelt down beside him. The boy placed a hand over his mouth, shocked, to see his father was terribly ill.
"Aah man, what did they do to you?" said Roshan
Hearing his son's voice, Runar slowly opened his eyes. It was then he started to hear continuous sounds of commotion traveling in and out of his ears. At first, he thought it was all in his head but soon realized it was actually sounds coming from outside the tent.
Runar weakly turned his head and saw Roshan kneeling beside him with a tearful face.
"…s-son?" Runar responded, in a weak tone
"Father, it's okay, I'm here. I'm home" Roshan responded, grasping his father's hand
"…I-I thought…y-you…left…m-m-me?" said Runar weakly
Roshan shook his head and wiped the forming tears in his eyes. "Never! I would never leave you…you're my dad. You're my hero"
"…s-son…" Runar weakly responded, trying to get up
(ROSHAN SHUSHING)
"Try not to move or speak, father. There will be time for that later. My friends made an antidote. It's what's going to save your life" Roshan assured
Roshan quickly strapped off and dug inside his backpack, pulled out the medicine, and got to work. As the boy carefully applied the medicine on his father's wound, it stung at first, but soon faded away leaving his father relieved. Roshan then quickly wrapped up his father's wound so the medicine could continue to work its stuff.
Roshan sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead in relief. "That should do it"
Runar panted softly. "Thank you, my son"
"Are you sure you're going to be fine, father?" Roshan asked
Runar chuckled. "I'll survive"
Roshan soon remembered a flashback of his mother (before the saber-tooth attack) when she sang to him a final lullaby. His father…was also there. Both parents together for one final night. She used to softly whisper the song into her son's ear so that her son could remember the words and sing it to himself one day. The father walked up behind kissing his wife on the cheek before going to sleep and just before the mother could do the same, she quietly placed her son in his crib; wrapping the blanket around so that the boy wouldn't freeze. She kissed her son on the forehead and whispered one final, 'good-night.'
"I wish mother was here to see this. She would've made the whole thing much better if we were 'all' together as a family" said Roshan
Runar grasped his son's hand. "And we still are one. Even if she's not here"
"I guess it's true what the people say about you. You're a tough old man no matter how cold the weather bothers you. You just keep moving forward" Roshan spoke, softly
Runar tearfully smirked. "And you're a very…brave boy. I just didn't take the time to notice that. You may not have the 'heart' of a hunter…but you have the 'heart' of a man. And I…am so proud to have you as my son"
"And I'm so proud to have you as a father" Roshan replied
"Can you ever forgive me?" Runar asked, tearfully
Tears finally came loose from the boy's eyes and Roshan responded back. "I will if you do"
"Then that's a promise" Runar replied
Both embraced in a hug finally accepting each other's differences after such a long time.
"Son?" Runar spoke
"Yes father?" Roshan replied
"If I ever get the chance to help you find the mammoth, the sloth, and the saber again. I'll do everything in my power to make your wish come true" Runar responded
Roshan's eyes widened forgetting his friends were still dealing with the Howlers right now. "Ooh…umm…yeah, about that"
(MEANWHILE BACK OUTSIDE THE TENT)
Ragnar stepped out, with a tired-yet-angry expression, when he heard commotion coming from the outside of his tent.
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRYING TO…" Ragnar shouted, before he suddenly noticed the chaos. "What the hell IS happening out here?"
Ragnar spotted Howlers being taken down and killed with spears by some of the hunters. He then spotted an orange saber (sinking his fangs) into the necks and killing the Howlers along with a mammoth (stomping on them), and a bear (clawing/slashing them). He soon caught sight of Kodak who was helping alongside the animals. Ragnar had a taste of anger on his face realizing that the boy had betrayed him.
"Kodak, I tell him to do one damn thing and he goes behind my back to protect 'them.' Why that no-good, lousy, useless, son-of-a…" Ragnar said angrily
(SPLAT)
(RAGNAR YELPS)
An unknown brown substance splatted Ragnar in the face and he turned into the direction where he noticed two possums laughing at him.
"BULLSEYE!" Crash cheered
"10 serving 0!" Eddie declared
Ragnar wiped off the brown substance and pulls out his hunting knife and yelled, "I'LL KILL YOU!"
Crash then sling-shot a dozen eggs hitting Ragnar covering him in slimey egg-yolks.
(EGGS SPLATTING)
(RAGNAR YELPS)
"WHOO, 30 POINTS!" Crash declared
"30 serving zero…Man can kiss our REAR-O'S" Eddie declared
"WHY YOU LITTLE…" Ragnar exclaimed, holding his knife up
Crash loaded some more of the brown substance; with aim and he sling-shot right into Ragnar's face, splatting him right into the face and mouth.
(SPLATTING)
(RAGNAR YELPS)
Ragnar spat out and wiped his face, cringing in disgust. "Ugh, I hope that's mud"
Suddenly something caught his eye's attention, Ragnar gazed his attention over to the medical tent (that was unguarded) when he discovered a shadow figure moving from inside. This made Ragnar fall into an aggressive phase.
"…and I hope that's not my nephew inside my brother's tent" said Ragnar
Ragnar disappeared back into his own tent and pulled out his arrows; placing them over his back. He then pulled out his hunting knife that was twice the size of the possum brothers.
Ragnar sighed. "I see I have to do everything myself"
Ragnar started to head over to the medical tent intending to finishing off his brother and nephew…for good. The possum brothers watched in horror seeing what was going to happen to their friend.
"NOT GOOD" both possums replied
(BACK INSIDE THE MEDICAL TENT)
"They're here?!" Runar questioned about the animals
"Yeah…you said that three times already" Roshan replied
"But…but how that can be?" Runar questioned
"It's a very long story, father. Trust me I'm surprised as you are but it's true. They're here on island with us" said Roshan
"I never thought that any of them would still be alive after 16 years…Damn!…16 years and you grew up so fast. I'm getting old. How did you find them?" Runar said, surprisingly
"Actually they found me" Roshan answered. "I can tell you the whole story later but right now we gotta go before Ragnar comes back"
Runar gently grasped his son's arm and pulled him back. "Wait, son, we can't leave without Ragnar he's family"
"Family?! He tried to murder me and my friends, father. He and those Howlers are working together!" Roshan protested
"But he's not our enemy. He's my brother" Runar affirmed
"But he's the one responsible for putting you down in the first place. If I hadn't come back here, you would have died tonight" Roshan protested
"Roshan there's good in him. I saw it. He's not who he says he is" Runar told him
Roshan crossed his arms with a doubtful look. "And how can you be so sure of it?!"
"Because he's infected" Runar answered
"What?" Roshan questioned
"I mean he's infected…with Howler serum. It was the day before you and your friends went hiking in the wilderness. I noticed something very odd about Ragnar's behavior being so aggressive and I discovered a bite mark on his wrist. It would seem that one of canine's must've bitten him which would explain why he's turning on everyone" Runar explained to his son
Roshan's head clouded up with confusion and he couldn't put it all together. "Infected…with Howler serum. I don't understand?"
Runar grasped his son's shoulders. "You don't have to understand. All you know to know is that my brother is still in there and we need to save him"
Roshan hesitated still wanting to believe that his uncle was evil but he couldn't think of anything to say after what his father had just told him.
"Son, please, trust me" said Runar
Roshan sighed. "Well, if it what you believe then I believe it too. But what can we do to…"
Suddenly he was pulled back when Ragnar surprisingly came out of nowhere. He held his nephew close to him, covering the boy's mouth with the dagger close to his neck.
(ROSHAN MUFFLED YELLING)
(RAGNAR MANIACALLY LAUGHING)
"You can't do anything…not anymore" Ragnar said, menacingly
Runar, shocked, quickly jumped out of bed. "Brother, no!"
"STOP! Come any closer and he dies!" Ragnar threatened, holding the knife closer to the boy's neck
Runar watched in horror seeing his brother threatening to end his son's life right in front of him.
Yikes! What a twist. I guess Ragnar's not as evil as Runar said he was. What will become of Roshan? Will Manny, Sid, Diego and the others defeat the Howlers in time to save their friend or will this be the END? Please review and stay tuned for the next thrilling chapter. Ooh…and in case if you have checked yet I've added the future sequel for the upcoming 'Guardians of the Hyrax Island' sequel that I will be doing very soon. Also…
I'm changing the voice of Runar from Jeremy Renner to Jason Clarke because…I have my reasons