Chapter 7: No Smurf's Land
"Oh, Papa Smurf!… Say that didn't just happen!" Smurfette cries, tears once again forming in her eyes.
"You don't think Brainy is…?" Hefty asks.
" Well… There's always a chance he made it Hefty." Papa Smurf says.
" N-No! He can't be! He can't! Brainy!" Clumsy yells, as he runs as fast as he can towards the mess of fallen forest to save his best friend.
" Clumsy! No! Stay away! There could be more rocks!" Papa Smurf, yells as he attempts to catch up to Clumsy and stop him.
Clumsy runs as fast as he can, leaping over the holes that once held the roots of Smurfberry bushes, and trying his best to dodge limbs of fallen trees. He approaches the fallen tree in little time as distance was short and he was fast. Clumsy Trips over a stick and lands on the ground just in front of Brainy's glasses, the only thing he had left of his best friend. The other Smurfs watched in fear and with hope that perhaps Brainy had lived the tragic an unfortunate accident. Papa Smurf reaches Clumsy who still lays where he fell, having rolled on his back, he holds Brainy's glasses close to his heart and breaks down, beginning to sob.
" W-Why Papa Smurf? Not Brainy! Anyone, …Anyone but Brainy.." Clumsy cries.
" There, There Clumsy, There is still hope. Stay put my little Smurfs! I will investigate alone." Papa Smurf says, as he climbs the trunk and disappears over the other side.
The Smurfs suffer out a suspenseful moment most unbearable with great impatience and a heavy heart while Papa Smurf looks threw the mass of fallen foliage for any trace of Brainy dead or alive, he was about to give up hope when he heard a voice call his name in the distance, the very familiar and often unappreciated voice of his assistant. Papa Smurf's eyes lit up with joy as did the other's as he parted tree limbs and tore away at leaves to get to the source of the voice.
"Ah… My head.." Brainy groans, as he sits up. "Papa Smurf! I'm blind! I can't see a thing!" he yells, squinting his eyes.
"I've got you Brainy" Papa Smurf says, as he grabs Brainy's hand and leads him to Clumsy.
" Gosh, Brainy! I-I thought you were dead!" Clumsy cries as he wraps his arms around Brainy and cries tears of joy.
"C-Clumsy?… Is that you?" Brainy says.
" Uh… whoops! Almost forgot." Clumsy says as he puts Brainy's glasses on him.
" Clumsy Smurf! What do you think your doing?!" Brainy says.
" Uh.. Gosh, Brainy I'm sorry….. I was just so worried…" Clumsy says, letting go.
" Y-You were?…." Brainy asks, puzzled.
" Well yeah! I was afraid I lost my best friend in the whole Smurf.." Clumsy says.
" You, …You really care that much?" Brainy asks.
" Why, sure I do Brainy" Clumsy answers.
Brainy took a moment to process this. His face lit up and tears formed under his eyes which fogged his glasses slightly.
"Oh!…. Come here you big Smurf you!" Brainy says with open arms, as Clumsy flings himself at him and they both end up bawling.
" He, he.. Yes well, all is Smurfy that ends Smurfy.. Tracker, lets continue" Papa Smurf says returning to his place in line.
" Yes Papa Smurf!" Tracker answers obediently.
And so continues the journey to a land that smells strong of food. The day is nearing it's evening When Tracker leads the group to the source of the scent that has been filling his nose all day. Tracker allows a rest stop where Smurfs could sit and refill their goatskins from the River Smurf, and then enjoy a most needed, but small portioned meal that was very closely monitored and organized by Papa Smurf and Tracker. Brainy remembers he had found a couple seeds during his search despite almost being crushed and shows them to Papa Smurf.
"Well Farmer, what do you think?" Papa Smurf asks, handing the seeds to Farmer.
Farmer examines the tiny brown seeds closely for a moment, shifting them around with his fingers and squinting as though something might pop out of it.
" Hmm… It be kinda hard to tell just by lookin at them Papa Smurf, but they seem Smurfy to me." Farmer says, handing them back.
"See Papa Smurf? I told you they would be just fine! Now we don't have to worry anymore." Brainy said.
"Hey Nat! Come look! We found Smurfberry Bush seeds!" Smurfette yells.
Natural Smurf runs up to where Papa Smurf, Brainy, Clumsy, Farmer, Alchemist, and Smurfette sit resting in a group and shows a very deep interests in the seeds. Natural asks Papa Smurf if he may see them and Papa Smurf hands them to him. Natural examines them closely like Farmer did except Natural Smurf spoke something in a weird language to the seeds and then held them up to his ear. Natural Smurf makes a look like he is going to be sick and then he looks down and shakes his head closing his eyes.
"Oh, Papa Smurf… These seeds are dead." Natural said, handing them back.
"Dead!?" They all say together, as Natural nods his head slowly in response.
"So we are all out of Smurfberries!?" Greedy screams, horrified.
"What will we do without Smurfberries Papa Smurf?!" Hefty asks.
"I… Haven't the slightest clue Hefty" Papa Smurf answers.
" Natural Smurf, are you absolutely certain these seeds would not grow?" Papa Smurf asks.
"I'm positive Papa Smurf.." Natural says.
The crowd suddenly uproars, and Smurfs are talking amongst themselves and shouting. Baby Smurf bursts into tears and starts wailing loudly as Smurfette tries to calm him down. The absence of the Smurfberry will not only lead to countless years of distasteful eating, but possibly the death of Baby Smurf, whose picky eating habits and young age will make this simple new change in diet a major struggle for survival.
"Oh, Papa Smurf! This is just awful! How will we feed Baby?!" Smurfette cries.
"This is definitely not funny!" Jokey says.
"I hate funny!" Grouchy yells.
"Now, now! Calm down my little Smurfs! There has got to be some reasonable explanation to this!… I guess the first course of action would be to see if there are any Smurfberry Bushes left after this dreadful storm! Surely at least one bush remains untouched! I will pay a visit to Mother Nature and see what she knows of all this!" Papa Smurf announces.
Papa Smurf lets out a very loud bird call and waits with his eyes on the sky. Within moments a beautiful, fine feathered Crane swoops down from above and gracefully lands just in front of Papa Smurf awaiting further orders.
"Sorry to bother you Feathers, but as you can clearly see it is an emergency!" Papa Smurf says, as he climbs onto Feathers' back and secures himself.
"Be good my little Smurfs! I should be back in a few days!" Papa Smurf says.
"But Papa Smurf! How will you find us again?!" Brainy shouts.
"He, he don't worry Brainy, I have my ways. Tracker! I am putting you in charge! Keep safe, and I want to see you all alive when I return! Nature be with you! Alright Feathers! To Mother Nature's! Papa Smurf says.
Feathers nods and takes flight, the Smurf's watch as the large crane carrying their leader flies off into the distance until he was no longer in sight range, then they returned to their business. Tracker rounded them all up and ordered them to once again form line formation and follow his lead as he continued towards their destination. Evening was coming to an end when the sight of what appeared to be a lit window revealed itself to Smurf eye in the darkening sky. It was upon realizing where they were that it dawned on Tracker that he made a terrible mistake.
"Gargamel's house?! B-But I just don't understand! Gargamel never has food! Never! Especially not in the mass quantities I smell!" Tracker yelled.
"Well… Maybe he found a decent job?" Greedy says, followed by the laughter of every Smurf.
"Anyway, I think we should take a look… Maybe we could sneak in and manage to get some to replenish our supply."
" Are you out of your Smurf?! Papa Smurf would NEVER approve of this!" Brainy shouts.
"We could be killed Tracker!" Smurfette yells.
"I have a plan Smurfs.. I will lead a few of us to the house and survey the area first! If it seems possible then we will attempt, if not then we will come back here and set up camp. Nat I will put you in charge of setting up camp! Don't fail me." Tracker says.
" You can count on me Tracker" Natural Smurf said.
" Aye! I will go with ya to Smurf things out!" Gutsy says.
" Me too Tracker!" Hefty says.
"Me three!" Tuffy says.
"Great then! Lets waste no more time! See everysmurf later!" Tracker says, as he, Hefty, Gutsy, and Tuffy set out for Gargamel's
" Oh just wait until Papa Smurf hears about this! He will not be happy!" Brainy yells.
And so Tracker leads the brave Smurfs into a land most feared by all Smurfkind. Without knowing exactly what he was getting them all into, danger lurks from every shadow in any direction. The possibility of a Smurf trap surviving the destruction might be low but be that as it may it is not impossible, Azrael roams these lands at night, on the hunt as all felines are, but unlike other felines Azrael has an acquired taste for Smurf flesh, and he will not hesitate to pursue a Smurf over mice. Azrael, traps, Gargamel. These threats are those of many that Smurfs face in a world with no light. And as the night progresses, the absence of the sun is now a reality, and a feeling of uncertainty and danger lingers in the hearts of our brave heroes as they wander the torn and decaying landscape that leads straight to ether life or a most painful death at the hands of a vengeful and greedy wizard.
A summer breeze fills the humid air. The first pleasant weather since the night the village fell, a ever calming omen to those who survived world wide destruction. But however this feeling does not compare to the realization that Tracker now must lead his fellow Smurfs….. Through no Smurf's land….
