Chapter 6: Meeting at the forest's entrance

The group was now walking through a slightly misty forest, with Geno and Gurri leading the way, as they had to remember something that would lead them on the right path. It was a green and young forest, as if spring or summer had come before both fawns left. In certain parts, the ground was covered with leaves and ferns, while the trunks looked like large logs supporting a sky of leaves that refused to fall, some of these were also covered by moss. More details would be appreciated if it weren't for the fact that a light fog also surrounded the place.

"The fog is because we are still somewhat close to the Theluji Mountains," Simba explained, "The lands near them always have a bit of fog."

"Our father also told us about that, Your Majesty," Gurri commented, "None of our friends live around here, but soon we will reach the fog-free part of the forest."

"Wait a minute," Nala stopped them, sniffing the atmosphere, "Simba, can you smell that?"

Simba stopped and also sniffed the environment. In addition to the smell of wet vegetation and the cold of the mist, there was a strange, familiar smell that I had picked up recently. Dan seemed to detect it too.

"I think it's..." Dan said, a little unsure because he was still unsure of his abilities, "...the dog that got away."

At the mention of this, Gurri felt intimidated, while Geno was worried about his sister.

"You're right Dan, it's the dog..." Simba said, refocusing his senses, "But it's more than one."

"More than one?" Gurri asked, even more scared.

"Yes, the smells spread through the place. But the fog is weakening them, it is possible that they have walked here recently or a long time ago"

"Let's be careful," Nala indicated, "Dan, Geno and Gurri, stay close to us."

"Yes" said the three.

They continued advancing, sharpening their vision to be alert at all times. On the downside, the ground was covered in leaves, so each footstep made a small crunching sound that they sometimes confused with that of a bush or bush. Likewise, no one said anything to avoid making another kind of noise. Dan tried to breathe calmly to show Simba that he wouldn't be afraid this time; after all, he wanted to help Geno and Gurri and also fulfill the favor that Ahadi had asked to him.

After a while, the fog began to weaken more and more... surely they were close to finishing the forest until...

"Stop," Simba said, noticing how too calm it all seemed. Nala seemed to notice the same thing.

"Watch out!" she shouted before another red hunting dog pounced on the fawns and the lion cub.

Nala was just as fast as the dog and managed to push it aside to protect the younger ones, although it quickly recovered, ready to fight. It was the first time Dan saw his grandmother Nala fight: she looked fierce and determined to protect him. The sharp teeth and claws made it seem impossible that she was the kind and loving lioness that the lion cub knew the first time. However, before thinking about it any further, about four or five more dogs jumped towards the lioness, apparently to support their companion. This made Simba also enter to defend Nala and, with a single swipe of his paw, he sent one of the dogs flying through the bushes.

However, the number seemed to increase further. Simba, seeing that they would possibly be surrounded, ordered Dan:

"Dan, take your friends to a safe place! Go deeper into the forest and hide until I call you."

Although the initial scare of the first dog had already been overcome and Dan wanted to help them, he also remembered the importance of keeping others safe (something his grandfather had taught him). Thus the fawns and the cub advanced to lose the dogs. When they saw that they were escaping, they tried to chase them, but Simba got in the way. Still, without him noticing, a single dog managed to outwit the lion and continue.

The small group continued running until the fog finally cleared, leading to a steep climb up a hill that Geno recognized.

"Hey! It's that way!" said.

As best they could, they climbed from rock to rock, sometimes stumbling and almost falling. Dan was the first to arrive due to his feline agility, but Geno and Gurri had problems because they did not have soft paws like him. The cub tried to help the closest one, Geno, who only needed one more rock to get there. However, the dog had been much faster and was almost climbing the rock where Gurri was.

"Help!" shouted the fawn.

"Gurri!" her brother exclaimed when he saw her in trouble.

"Don't worry, help her up," Dan told Geno, "I'll give you time..."

Having decided and taking courage, they both slid towards the ledge where Gurri was and, while his brother helped her, Dan quickly scratched the dog's face, causing him to fall and roll down the hill.

"I don't know how long he'll stay down," Dan warned. Then he turned to help them up.

Finally, they reached the top and slid down the other side of that hill. When they reached the bottom, both fawns recognized the place.

"Does this place sound familiar to you?" Dan asked Geno.

"I think so..." he replied, "Gurri, isn't this where we lived when we were...?"

"Yes, I remember!" Gurri mentioned, "This was our first burrow, when we were very little. Look, there it is."

He pointed to a small burrow between some rocks, covered with grass and ferns.

"What if mom comes back here?" Gurri asked, excited to be reunited with her mother.

But Dan, who was beginning to detect a certain familiar smell, stopped them.

"Wait," he said, stopping them in their tracks, "I'm smelling something..."

"More dogs?!" Gurri worried.

Dan shook his head and approached some bushes where he smelled that smell. It was strangely familiar... Suddenly, someone jumped out of the same bush and left him immobilized. Still on the ground, he recognized that laugh and those green eyes.

"Shany?" he asked, incredulous at seeing his friend hovering over him.

"Dan!" she told him, "I finally find you!"

Then, he took off to help him up.

"Hey, weren't you staying in the Pride Lands?" Dan asked, very surprised, "How did you get here? And, does your mother know you're here?"

Shany laughed: it was obvious that she had escaped and reached the forest first.

"I made a quick detour through the Theluji Mountains, to come across you," she explained, "But, I didn't find you at the entrance to the forest and then a red wolf chased me, so I went into the forest and then..."

"They're actually dogs," said a small voice.

Two more creatures came out of the bushes: one was a brown bunny with big light blue eyes, while the other, black and white, was a skunk.

"Bell! Rose!" Geno and Gurri exclaimed when they saw them.

"Geno! Gurri!" they greeted them in the same way when they saw the fawns. Apparently, they already knew each other.

"I guess you ran into them while you were running away from the dog," Dan muttered to Shany.

"Actually, they helped me," Shany told him, "A dog almost caught me, but Rosa came with her scent and made it escape with its teary eyes."

Dan laughed imagining the scene.

"Do you know where our mom is?" Gurri asked Bell.

"He must be with my dad and Rose's mom, in the meeting clearing in the forest" answered the bunny.

"You know, under Mr. Owl's tree," Rosa added.

"So, we should go..." Geno said. But remembering something else, he asked: And our dad?"

They both seemed sad about that question, since they had been told that...

"We don't know," said Bell, "He has disappeared."