Thank you all for your patience. I took a long needed break during the holidays and I hope to publish more regularly now. I am far from willing to give up on this story. Please enjoy a longer chapter and apology for making you wait this long. Happy New Year!

Indy played with the crystal in her hand, admiring the glow and shape as they walked. Valerie was staring at her map and rotated it as she tried to gain a sense of where they were. They had been wandering a bit aimlessly since they started the search for Mackenzie, Coco, and Honey, but she was running out of supplies. She didn't have any more food to spare, making finding civilization the priority now. Much to the sorrow of her new friends.

Indy occasionally looked up to watch her struggle. But this time she dropped her arms, crumpling the map, and sighed. "I'm sorry, everyone. I can't make sense of my map at all. Map reading has never really been my strongest skill."

"You mean, we're lost?" Bluey asked nervously.

Valerie sighed. "I'm… afraid so. It's my fault. I should have been more attentive."

Indy pocketed the crystal and came to Valerie's side. She placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. It's not really your fault. It's ours."

"Yeah, we sort of just, dropped in out of nowhere," Snickers chuckled.

Valerie smiled, thankful for their encouragement. "Well, even so…" She sighed and ran her fingers through her fur on her head. "I should have gotten an enchanted map when I had the chance. Alister warned me I'd need it. I just never thought I'd have to use it."

"Can I see it? I know how to read maps." said Rusty.

"Be my guest, of course." She handed him the map and took the opportunity to clear her mind.

Bingo, Bluey, and Indy all crowded around Rusty. Rusty took out his compass and then began to rotate the map. It wasn't a map he was used to. The maps he used had grid lines and different coloring to help him understand the terrain. This map was more like a wall decoration.

"How are we supposed to tell where we are?" asked Bluey.

"There's usually a diamond circle thing that tells use which way is north. But this map doesn't have that. Then I can use my compass to figure out where we are. If I could find some landmarks."

"Is that tree a landmark?" Bingo asked as she pointed at a peculiar tree in the drawn map.

Rusty shrugged. "Probably. But I've never seen a tree that looks like that out here in real life."

"Well, maybe this hill?" Indy pointed at the artistically drawn hill hidden among the trees.

"That could be any hill," Rusty shook his head. We'd need a very specific landmark. Like a town or a tower."

"But were miles away from those," Chloe said as she slouched on the ground.

Rusty scratched his head. The compass was of no use this time. "I'm sorry, Valeire. I can't make out anything on this map. Are you sure it's up to date?"

The thought hadn't crossed her mind. Of course, she didn't even realize a map could expire. "Er, up to date?"

Rusty nodded. "Terrain changes all the time. My dad said so. So, they always have to make new maps every year."

Valerie shifted uncomfortably in her spot. "Oh… um… I had no idea. I'm sorry, but I don't know how old that map is. I could be years older than I suppose the most recent edition."

Rusty put his hands on his sides as he stood up. Then the map isn't going to help us. We'll need a new map. But we can't do that if we don't find civilianzation."

"That's… civilization," Valerie corrected. "I don't suppose you have any ideas to getting unlost. You seem to know more about navigating the wilderness than I do."

Rusty looked at his compass and shifted his body to North. "My dad says its always good to go one direction when your lost. So, we'll go North."

"Lead the way," Valerie motioned as she stood up. She pat her bottom clean of dirt and grass. "Is everyone rested up enough to travel more."

"I guess," Bluey said. She stood up then helped Bingo to her feet. "Ready Bingo?"

"Ready." Bingo nodded.

Jack helped Chloe and Snickers while Rusty helped Indy. "Lead the way, Rusty."

Indy gripped the crystal in her pocket then said a quiet prayer. "Help us find our friends. And give us good luck to find a town."

Rusty led the party, sword on his shoulder to the north in hopes of finding an end to the forest. While it was beautiful and colorful, and the wildlife around them was a sight to behold, it had quickly worn its wonder as it had been all they'd seen. The climbed over and under roots of giant trees, sidetracked another cliff, then fatigue quickly caught up to them again. The hungry stomachs and dry throats were beginning to weigh on them.

"I'm really thirsty," Snickers huffed. "I need some water."

"Er, I'm all out," Valerie sighed as she tipped her water skin over. She checked for at least a drop, but not even that could be managed. And at the worst possible time!

Jack trudged along slowly dragging his feet, and began looking around. He was hoping they would find some source of water. Any source. He sniffed the air, engaging all the senses at the task and only then noticed a whiff of something. Something familiar. He sniffed the air deeply, stopping in his tracks. He almost gave up, thinking maybe it was his imagination, but then he caught that scent again. It took him a moment to decipher it.

"Peanut butter?" He sniffed more, taking deeper draws of air and moving his head around to the closest angle he had caught the scent. "Chocolate?"

Rusty was turning around to check on the others when he noticed Jack was a little behind, almost stationary. He stopped the group and approached Jack to check on him. "Hey, Jack. Are you okay?"

"Rusty, can you smell that?" Jack asked as he whiffed the air one final time.

Rusty sniffed the air and, though it took him a moment, he noticed a faint familiar smell among the green and mossy smells of the forest. "Peanut butter?"

"And chocolate," Jack finished. He was glad someone else was confirming it. Now hew knew it wasn't his imagination! "I can't remember where I smelled it before."

Rusty couldn't either. He knew the smell was recent. But that wasn't since… Rusty and Jack remembered at the same time. "Mackenzie's crackers!"

"Mackenzie!" Rusty ran ahead, following where the smell was strongest. The others perked up. They were sitting down and taking a break when they heard Rusty yelling. They tried to figure out what was going on.

"Honey! Coco!" Both boys caught a strong scent and ran off.

"Did they find them?" Chloe asked excitedly, trying quickly to get on her feet.

"Maybe they see them!" Indy gasped.

"Let's go see, come on!" Snickers motioned as he struggled to stand. All three of them took off into the trees with Rusty and Jack.

"Hey, wait for us!" Bluey helped Bingo up and Valerie stuffed her water skin into her bag before limp-running towards them.

"Rusty, did you find them?" She called ahead.

"I think so!" Rusty replied excitedly. "Mackenzie! Are you there?"

They happened upon a stream with a trickling waterfall and a large hole beside it. At least they found water! And the smell was quite strong here. They wasted no time in indulging themselves with the water. Valerie filled her water skin with the waterfall and the others bent over to lap up the water of the broad, clear, and shallow stream.

"Let's stop here," Valerie said. "Everyone get some water and freshen up."

"Ah, so refreshing," Chloe sighed in relief. And began to groom herself with the water.

Rusty and Jack finished and began to look around. Everyone could smell the crackers, but they didn't see so much as a strand of fur form Mackenzie, Coco, or Honey.

The wind blew slightly, and Jack caught a strong scent of the crackers from the direction of the hole. It was then he noticed it was structured too specifically to be naturally made. "Mackenzie!"

Jack ran to the hole, falling to the edge with excitement. He saw a patch of black fur inside. Only Mackenzie had dark black fur like that! He fell to the edge and laughed then caught a set of beady eyes staring at him as a large, monstrous creature resembling something like a bear lay inside. "Aah!" Jack quickly crawled back then got as much distance as he could from the hole.

Rusty readied his sword as soon as he heard the scream. "Jack, what is it?"

Jack made it across the stream. The others joined him but Valerie and Rusty stood right where they were, ready to strike at whatever creature would crawl out of it. But nothing came.

"Its a bear!" Jack cried, "It's in that hole!"

"Just stay back there," Valerie called and jumped across the stream. The landing twinged her hurt leg, and she still had a bit of a limp, but she was willing to fight all the same. "Stay calm, it may not want a fight."

Rusty approached the hole cautiously and gave a sign for Valerie to wait. She listened to him, since her condition was worse off than his. He caught a glimpse of the bear creature, but it didn't seem to have any energy to make its way out. Instead, it let off a low grumble and shifted in the cozy hole.

Rusty lowered his weapon and got a better view. The bear looked disinterested. It didn't seem like a fight was going to take place at all. He gave a nod and relaxed. "It's alright. The bear seems pretty tired. We'd better leave it alone."

"Tired?" Valerie tilted her head with a very puzzled face. "If it is what I think it is, that's very improbable. Urczars are ten times more energetic than bears. They rarely sleep! Unlike real world bears." She examined the creature. It did look tired, but it was wide awake and staring back at her. "Maybe it's stuck? No, it'd be thrashing by now at the sight of prey like us. It could easily get out of this hole. Did it dig this? I thought they lived in caves?"

Seeing as no one was running, Indy decided to be the first to approach the hole with Valerie and Rusty.

"Where are you going?" Bluey hoarsely whispered. "What if the bear attacks?"

"I just want to see," Indy replied, "I don't think it's dangerous. They aren't running away." Indy ran across the stream then joined them at the hole. The others one by one joined them and Bluey was once again the last to see what was going on. Even arguing with Bingo once again.

Indy stared at the bear as it lay there, grumbling occasionally as it breathed deeply and slowly. She wanted to touch it, but she wasn't sure if it would set it off. "What kind of bear is it?"

"It's not a bear," Valeire said, sheathing her sword. "It's called an urczar. It's like a bear but more predatory and less… territorial. Well, it does protect its territory about as much as a bear does. Then again, I'm not very well versed in bears. Or of any creatures here in that matter. I just know enough about urczars to know they are very dangerous. But it's strange this one is so… quiet. I've never heard of urczars digging holes or isolate themselves like this. They always stay with their mate and cubs…"

"Maybe she's stuck," Chloe said as she kneeled next to the hole.

"Look!" Rusty pointed at a shiny plastic wrapper stuck on the Urczar's fur. "A plastic wrapper! Mackenzie, Honey, and Coco were here!"

Bluey gasped and staggered back. "Did it…eat them?"

"No, not likely," Valerie assured quickly. "If it was finished with a meal we'd know… they're very picky eaters…A leave a lot behind."

Snickers noticed a bundle of sticks that might have been weaved together. He examined them more thoroughly and made a conclusion. "I think they definitely were here though. Look at these sticks. They were trying to make something out of them."

Rusty examined the sticks with him. "Mackenzie was making a foxhole! He's very good at digging. He must have covered it with sticks. Since its so big, he must have Coco and Honey with him."

"Are you sure?" Bingo asked with tail wagging.

"I think so." Rusty said, as he straightened up.

Valerie hummed as she looked at the ground around them. The moss was dug up nearby and it made room for perfectly preserved tracks. "I think you're right, Rusty. The moss here was dug up." She looked inside the hole. Despite the urczar's massive body blocking the bottom of the hole, she still could see moss at the edges of the bottom. "There's some tracks here… they look like they're going this way." Valerie pointed in a random direction.

Rusty checked his compass and nodded. "That's almost North. Mackenzie knows to go north if you don't know where you are. Let's follow them!"

"Wait!" Indy stopped everyone. She looked at the urczar who was lying very still and breathing slowly. It almost looked… sad. "Are we going to just leave her here?"

"Yeah," Bluey replied almost nonchalantly, "What do you want us to do? Take it with us? What if it eats us?"

Indy looked down at the urczar with pity. Her sadness pulled and tugged at her heart. "Something is wrong with her… I can feel it. Shouldn't we help it?"

Valerie shook her head. "Indy, I have nearly lost friends to these creatures. They are not as they seem. Help it now, but it will not remember you for it. If she should become strong again she will hurt you. Or worse!" Valerie could see her words were not reaching Indy. She wanted to help, but she did not know how.

"Indy, there's nothing we can do," Chloe assured her, taking her hand. "Come on. Let's go find out friends." She tugged her but Indy immediately pulled away.

"No! we can't just leave her like this." She motioned at the urczar with both her arms then thrusted them both down at her sides as she stomped. "I say we help her!"

Valerie sighed. She came to the side of the hole and stared at the urczar. It pained her to do this, but she could do nothing else. "I do not have anything that can help her if she is ill. And if she is harmed, I cannot heal her." Valerie drew her dagger and the children gasped and stepped back. Even Bluey, who was, at first, opposed to helping the urczar was suddenly worried for it.

"Wait!" Bingo reached out. But stopped as Jack held her back.

"The most I can do for her is put her out of her misery. It's not what I want to do, but it's the best I can. I'm sorry, Indy." Valerie took a deep breath and made her way to the urczar's head to make a quick and clean kill, but before she could step into the hole, Indy stopped her.

"No!" She pushed Valerie away just enough to make space between her and the hole the spread her arms to block her.

"Indy, there's nothing else that can be done," Valerie said. She couldn't determine what was wrong with the creature. It appeared fine but was stuck in the hole. Seemed well positioned to crawl out on its own but didn't seem to have the strength to. What else could be done? Valerie had no potion, no cure, or even food to help this creature. It was a hopeless endeavor as far as she knew.

"I won't let you hurt her," Indy stomped. "Ouch!" Indy quickly grabbed her side.

"What is it?" Valerie kneeled down. "Indy, what's wrong?"

Indy felt something burning. She instinctively reached into her pocket and noticed her crystal glowing a bit brighter. "Huh?"

"Indy?" Valerie's voice echoed then became quiet. It was as if they didn't see what was wrong with her crystal.

"It's glowing," Indy said as if confused.

"It;s always glowing, Indy, that's why I found it," Rusty said as he tilted his head. His voice was becoming quiet and distant. She could hear the signing of a single note grow louder and louder from the crystal. Its white light overtaking her sight, but she was unable to tear her eyes away from it.

"No, I mean… its… brighter…"

Indy heard the echo of the urczar grumbling then suddenly when the light became to bright to see she shut her eyes tightly and the singing suddenly stopped. The world felt normal again but the grumbling she heard had suddenly become a bellow.

"Oh, the despair. The despair in my soul. It weighs so much; I cannot stand it anymore! End the squabble! I beg it. Let the tall one drive her fang into me! End my despair!"

Indy turned around. "Did she…?"

"Indy?" Chloe was beside Valerie now. She looked worried. "Are you alright?"

Indy noticed she was still clutching her crystal. She quickly looked around. "Didn't you see it?" Everyone was confused.

"See what?" asked Snickers.

Indy looked around at all the confused faces. "You didn't see the crystal glowing so brightly?"

"You said it did," Jack replied, "But it looks the same."

Indy looked down at the crystal then pocketed it when she couldn't see a difference in its glow anymore. What had just happened? "It burned me… then it glowed like a star. You really didn't see it?"

Valerie shook her head and sheathed her dagger. "We saw nothing, Indy. You acted in pain then began staring at your crystal with such a blank look; I couldn't understand what was happening."

"It stares at crystals. It defends me and stares at crystals. Am I so pitiful? Oh, the despair. Oh, the despair in my soul! It weighs so much. So much indeed!"

Indy squealed and jumped back. There was no denying it this time.

The others did the same. "What?!" Chloe screamed.

"Indy, what is it?" Valerie asked, drawing her dagger again.

"It talked!" Indy pointed at the urczar.

"It pretends to hear. It pretends to pity a soul weighed down. If it can hear me then let my final request be heard by it. Let the tall one sink its fang into me. Let me be rid of my despair. Oh the despair. Oh, the despair in my soul."

"No, I can hear you!" Indy jumped at the hole and landed on all fours to get closer. "I can hear you."

"It understands me. Then let the tall one sink its fang into me. Let it release me of the despair. The despair of my soul. Its weight, it crushes. It squeezes my soul. Take me from it!"

"No, please. I don't want to hurt you," Indy begged. "Why are you sad? What's wrong?"

"Indy? Can you understand what that creature is saying?" Valerie asked as she kneeled beside her. The others closed in around the hole. All they heard was grunting and growling. Indy didn't reply.

"The colorful ones. They were taken from me. The colorful ones took them. They gave me the despair. They took my joys and gave me my despair. They took my joys away! Oh, the despair, it weighs heavy. Its weight crushes me more! Give me no more!"

"I'm Sorry!" Indy backed away nearly in tears. "I didn't mean to hurt you more."

"Indy, what's it saying?" Bluey asked curiously.

"She's… saying… colorful ones took her joy? They gave her despair. I don't understand!"

"Did the animals hurt her? They're very colorful," Chloe asked.

"I protect them. I feed on them. I am predator. They are prey. We understand this. No despair from them. No, they understand. They give me no despair. It was the colorful ones. Like it. Like them. They are colorful. They are cruel. They are predators. My joy was prey. And now they are victims. My joys. My beautiful joys. They have been taken from me! Oh, the despair!"

"It wasn't the animals…" Indy shook her head and tried to make sense of what the urczar was saying. "She says, 'it was like it.' I don't understand. 'It' is colorful? 'It' took her joys? I can't understand you. Help me understand. Please? I want to help you."

The urczar roared and made everyone back away but to Indy it was a wail. "My joys! My innocent joys. One I loved long before. And the others we made together!"

Indy gasped. "Babies! Your babies were taken. And your husband! She's sad because something took her husband and babies!"

Valerie gasped. "That's awful! Even for these creatures that's too cruel. Only poachers could have done this. Greedlins are too cowardly and lizshrewds aren't native to the forest. I can't recall if the other monsters reside in the forest, but they certainly aren't colorful. At least, not notably. But why would poachers be colorful I wonder. Were they… camouflaged in furs?"

"They did not hide. They took my joys without killing. They took them without using their furs. They put them in hollow boxes. They took them away." The urzar whimpered and moaned.

Indy thought a moment then nodded as she made a decision. "Maybe you can track them. We can help."

The urczar lifted her head. "I am predator. I track any prey. Even now I can smell them. The despair givers. Their smell is burned into my soul! And it refuses to leave me! Oh, the despair! The despair in my soul. It weighs so heavily on me. I can take it no longer."

"We're not going to hurt you," Indy assured. "You're going to take us to them and we're getting your family back!"

"What?" Valerie asked.

"What?" The rest of the children echoed.

"Indy," Rusty kneeled beside her. "We can't stop and help her now. We have to find Mackenzie, Coco, and Honey!"

Indy looked down guiltily. Rusty was right, of course, but Indy could never forgive herself if she left the urczar like this. She strengthened her resolve then looked at the urczar once more. "What's your name?"

The urczar looked back at her. "It asks things too much. If it pities me, let the tall one sink its fang into me and take my despair."

Indy looked at Valerie then at the urczar. "No, I can't let it happen. If you can help us, we'll help you. We can take the despair away."

"Indy, what are you thinking?" Bluey asked as she gripped her head.

"Wait," Bingo grabbed Bluey to get her attention. "Maybe she can pick up their scent. Like us."

"Urczars have a very distinct sense of smell… or was that avibers?" Valerie scratched her chin.

Jack tilted his head and looked at her. "Avibers?"

"Think bear but it's a bird," She explained.

"Oh…" Jack shuttered.

Indy looked at the urczar and waited for it to answer. "Please, help us."

The urczar made a loud moan. "Why must it give me more despair? Its kind gave me despair. It's offering to take it away but doesn't let the tall one sink its fang into me. Why does it do this?"

"So other dogs did take them…" Indy mused.

"It has to be poachers then." Valerie sighed. "Poor thing."

Indy thought a moment then a plan hatched. "Because our joys are lost too. Three of them. And we've been looking for them all over the forest. But we can't find them… it… makes us despair."

The urczar's ears perked. "The colorful ones took its joys as well?"

"We don't know. We don't know where they are… we got lost and spread out." Indy reached out and stroked the side of the urczar's head. "Please help us. Help us find our joys. And we'll help you find yours together."

Valerie shook her head in surprise. "Indy, if it is poachers, I do not think she will like what we find. I'm in no shape to fight an angry urczar and Rusty has only just found his class. This is an enemy that requires a greater amount of skill to fight than a stone giant."

The urczar sat quietly then suddenly began to move. Everyone backed away from the hole and watched the great bear climb up from it. Indy stepped back slowly until they were face to face, standing in front of each other.

"I will find your joys. And you will find mine. This trade is balanced by the laws of the forest."

Indy smiled excitedly. "Great! Thank you. Thank you!" She hugged the urczar and it reacted very little, like she was just an annoyance. "I'm Indy… what's your name?"

To the others he urczar shook its head and grumbled. But it said to her, "Its word is Indy. A strange word for it. The word used for me is despair. For I am so full of it, and nothing else."

"No no," Indy shook her head. "My name is Indy. It's what I'm called. What are you called?"

The urczar snorted and looked around. "The little joys called me, the Big One. My greatest joy called me Beauty. And I called the little ones, Little Ones. And I called my biggest joy, the Lovely One."

Indy scratched her head. "So… you don't have a name?" She looked at the others, but they were more confused than her.

"What's it saying, Indy?" Snickers asked, but Indy didn't reply.

"Name? I do not understand… It asks questions I cannot answer. We use words for each other. We call each other words and understand who the words are for."

"I see," Indy nodded. "Urczars don't use names like us. They call each other… compliments, I guess. So, if someone thought she looked pretty, they'd call her pretty. If she looked ugly, they'd call her ugly. And everyone just understands that they'd mean her."

Valerie nodded in understanding. "Ah. So, her name depends on the individual who's referring to her. Her mate calls her beauty, her children might call her caretaker, and if they were having a conversation they'd both refer to her with those names… not too far from what we do. Easily understandable."

"That's a very weird way to know each other," Snickers chuckled.

"You think?" Bluey asked as she stared at the urczar with crossed arms. "Animals are weird. Cool, but weird."

"Difficult for you. But simple to forest kind." The urczar turned and began to walk.

"Then we'll just have to give you a name. Since your husband called you beauty, how about that?"

The urczar gumbled. "If you wish to call be Beauty I shall answer to it… We will find my joys. Then I will find your joys."

"Wait." Indy wanted to argue, hoping that they could start with their friends. "can't we find ours first? We've been looking forever, and we don't have food! We won't last long out here."

"I will feed you like I feed my joys. And we will find my joys first. I smell the colorful ones. Even now, I smell them. I can find them. I cannot smell your joys. I cannot find them."

She was right and Indy knew it. She sighed and looked at her friends. "We have to help her first if she's going to help us. She can't track them without a scent anyway…"

"What about the wrapper for the crackers?" Rusty asked as he picked up the little bit of wrapper from the hole. "She can try and track this."

Rusty handed the wrapper to Indy, and she ran beside the urczar. "What about this? Can you track them with this?"

The urczar smelled the wrapper then the air. "I smell this bittersweet smell. Yes. The bittersweet is in the air. The colorful ones too. They smell close this way. They smell close to us. Yes. Yes. Close."

"They're close?!" Indy exclaimed.

"Close? Where?" Jack asked looking around.

"Follow. The colorful ones and the bittersweets ones are close now. Follow." She started to crawl in a random direction northwest of the tracks Valerie had found. Shortly, they ended up on a road where there was nothing but a broken wheel on the side and hills full of trees.

"I smell the colorful ones… and the bittersweet ones. But they are not here. But they are a fresh scent. This way they went. On the path its kind made long before my time."

The children looked around at the scene. They were more excited they had found a road than anything else.

"A road!" Chloe looked around. "We can follow it to a town! Then we can get help!"

Valerie peaked at her map. "I… think I know which road we're on… er, Rusty, can help?" Rusty ran over and both of them started to deduce their location.

"Finally, now we can know where we're going," Bluey said in relief.

"It looks like it gets used a lot," Bingo smiled as she examined the indents on the dirt path. There was evidence of thin wheels in the dirt, and she started to follow them to see if they kept going.

"Which way should we go?" Snickers asked, looking in both directions. "If we go one way, we could be going farther away from the nearest place. But if we go another way, we could be doing the exact same thing."

"Well maybe these tracks can tell us," Bluey said as she pointed at the same indents that Bingo was playing with.

"Yeah, but… which way do they go?" Jack asked.

"Oh yeah… I guess they can't help." Bluey scratched her head.

Indy looked at the urczar. "Can you tell where they went?"

The urczar sniffed the ground and then the wheel. She raised her head and began to walk the direction Bingo was going. "The colorful ones went this way. The bittersweet ones have no scent now. We will find the colorful ones now."

"What's she saying, Indy?" asked Chloe.

Indy pointed at Bingo's direction. "She says they went that way. She lost Mackenzie's cracker scent. So maybe they went with whoever the colorful ones are."

Valerie and Rusty looked up from the map and discarded it. "Well, it doesn't matter at this point, rusty. A path is a path. We're bound to find something at the end."

"Hopefully its civilization," Rusty said as he followed.

"If it is," Valerie sighed, "It's not poachers. They wouldn't dare step foot in a town or a city… So, who would?"

The circus carts rolled along the road. Victor, the leaf-maned blue lion, was still quietly laying down, and Honey kept stroking his head. Coco and Mackenzie sat on the other side of the cage. Mackenzie stared blankly at nothing while Coco huddled near him in hopes that would bring her some comfort of sorts.

Coco listened to the drivers talk to each other and turned her head to see what was ahead of them. The sight that caught her eye made her slowly begin to stand. "Mackenzie! Honey! Look!"

Mackenzie snapped his head to his left and slowly stood up. "Is that… a city?"

Honey stood up as well and leaned up against the bars to get a better view. "That's the coolest city I've never seen!"

They saw a giant grove with mushroom houses lining the road and a few stick-cobbled houses on lily pads in a set of large ponds. The lily pad homes had vine bridges that were secured to a dock made of branches lining the shore of the pond. Some of the mushroom houses were tall, others were wide. A few of them were twisty and turning. Some of them were bunches of mushrooms that grew together to make a single abode. Frog-like people walked back and forth with something in their hands. Some had hollowed stump cases with groceries in them. Others were carrying bundles of sticks. A few carried their young tadpole children on their backs. Mackenzie watched as two frog people carrying spears and wearing wooden and leaf armor passed them by.

The call from some of the teenagers went out. "Gather 'round! Gather 'round! Come and see the amazing circus! Just twenty-five gils! Fifteen for ye kiddies! Why refuse such an offer? Come and see the amazing circus!"

Mackenzie, Honey, and Coco watched as the lion tamer took center stage around the carriages. They were in a large circle that must have been the town center. A fountain was in the middle, made of clay and hollowed branches. It was a shape of different angelic frog figures blowing on brasses and playing strings while the conductor was on the top. The very ground was soil and river rock. Surrounding the town circle were several restaurants in large mushrooms. With stick fences dividing their property. It was packed with people all the time. The frog people were most prominent but there were some fat toads as well. There were also few dogs, both armed and unarmed like fantasy heroes, a few lizards, some giant snakes, and the occasional beaver-like people. Coco taped Honey to point out that also there was giant ant sitting next to a mole.

"Behold!" The tamer was brought a green leaf lion and a sensually dressed Doberman strutted around them as she dazzled the crowd to draw attention to the tamer. "I bring ye a mighty… beast!"

The smallest of frogs hugged their parents. The adults all watched in morbid curiosity as the beast roamed freely. Strutting close but not too close to the already nervous crowd.

"Don't be scared now. She can smell fear, she can. And if she smells yours… she might decide she's hungry…" The tamer teased the crowed and it worked quite well. But they stayed their ground, needing to see what would happen next. "Lucy! Hup!" He cracked his whip. The Doberman threw a hoop and the lion jumped through flawlessly. "Ha ha! Hup!" He cracked it again and the lion did so again. The Doberman used the third hoop in her hand to rush forward dramatically and dance with it. Music cued as the tamer cracked the whip and gave another command. The lion, skillful and agile, jumped through as she twirled and spun it. It zoomed back and forth quickly. Each jump was more impressive then the last. The longer it went on, the more the crowd cheered. A few times was impressive, but twelve? Thirty? Fifty jumps? In such succession? It was a show even Mackenzie, Coco, and Honey had to admire in their cage. They clapped and applauded with the crowed. Even Honey was mesmerized by the show, almost forgetting the cruelty it took for the lion to learn such tricks.

"Bravo! Bravo!" The call rang out. Money was thrown for more, it all clattered around the tamer, but the tamer laughed.

"Sorry, folks, this was a one-time performance. If you want more, then step right up! Buy a seat for our show tonight and see so much more! Come on, single file, don't crowed the front!"

So many had come to buy a ticket. The tamer backed away, letting his staff do the rest. He watched as some of his men were handling the green lion but then heard someone shout his name. Normally such a thing was not a problem, but who had shouted and the tone of voice made his blood run cold. "Shefield!"

The tamer turned around quickly. "Oh, Donna. What can I do for you, lass? Might I say that show was absolutely…"

"The music was too fast again! I barely kept in step. We agreed they'd go at my pace! If you don't tell those poor excuses for musicians to slow… it… down…!" She recomposed and fluffed her skirt. "I… will quit. And this," she motioned between them, "will be over!" She crossed her arms and waited for the coddling to begin.

"Oh, Donna, m'dear, we've been over this! We need it to go fast because it'll just look like a music box if we don't. You've seen it now, haven't you? You can do it."

"Of course I can do it, you dunce!" She balled a first and hit the top of his hat. The hat collapsed over his head, and he had to dig it out to see. "The point is: I! Don't! Want to! I don't care how it looks to you, no one can see me if I'm jerking around like a leaf in the wind! I want them to appreciate my form. My repose. My excellence." She took a moment so Shefield would appreciate it himself. And he did for as long as it lasted. "Not bounce around like Riibit! Fix it, or I! Am! Off!" She grunted and strutted away. He dancing shoes clattering against the stones.

"Donna, darling! Please! Be reasonable, love…" Shefield the lion tamer sighed and rubbed his temples. "The things I do for love."

He heard the children giggle. Mackenzie immediately stopped when he saw the sharp look he gave them. he tapped the girls, so they also took the hint. Shefield sneered at them and approached their cage. Honey immediately moved to defend Victor. Even while he lay down, seemingly disinterested in everything after the show was done.

"So, you're still alive, ey?" He glared. "It's a wonder why it was so quiet this trip. I was half expectin' this cage to get a makeover. But since you got a free ride, you're gonna earn it."

"What do you mean?" Coco asked.

"If you're so caring of animals, you can clean their cages. Help the handler feed 'em and water 'em. In return, you get a little something to nibble on, alright?" He crossed his arms.

"But you can't hurt them," Honey glared. "Then it's a deal."

"I'll do what I want. There mine!" Shefield leaned in and smirked. "Got a problem with tha'?"

Mackenzie stopped Honey from retorting and urged her to just accept the terms. "We need food, Honey. It's the only way we'll survive out here until we learn where we are."

She dropped her shoulders but crossed her arms in determination. "Fine, but I get to take care of this lion."

"Lion?" He scoffed. "Haven't heard that term in'a age. It's called a leafine. His name is Victor. Picked 'im up 'cause'a his color. It's unique among his species. That and he used to be good at tricks. Star'a the show f'r a while till he took a swipe at me poor Donna. He gets his own cage if he can't play nice. S'been nothin' but trouble since then. You wanna look after him? Be my guest. But don't blame me if he makes you a scratch post." He opened their cage then motioned with his head. "Out." All three jumped out then the cage was locked. "Oliver!"

A russel terrier with a eye patch looked over and ran as fast as he could to Shefield. "Y-y-y-y-yes boss!" He saluted.

"Cut that out. These here work for you now. Make sure they know what they're doin'. And this one'll be feeding victor f'r now on."

"R-really?" Oliver stuttered. He looked as though a great weight had been taken off his shoulders. Coco swore she saw a tear form in his one good eye. "Oh, jeeze. You're the best, boss, I couldn't have asked for a better boss, boss. Thank you! Thank you!" Oliver fell to his knees as if praising him as a king.

"Get off it!" Shefield fluffed his getup and fixed his hat. "You tell her what to do, and try not to lose your other eyes while you're at it."

"You got it, boss!" Oliver saluted once again.

Mackenzie, Coco, and Honey all stared at Sheffield as he walked away. Then at Oliver once he fell out of view.

Oliver rubbed his hands together and bowed several times at Honey. "You don't know how much this means to me, miss. Victor is a menace and the fact you…"

"He's not a menace," Honey crossed her arms. "He's a good lion."

Oliver stared at her like she was an idiot. He wasn't sure where to start. "heh… I guess I got a lot to teach you." He scratched his head. "I really got my work cut out for me. First of all, the leafine is the worst of the worst. See this?" He pointed as his eye patch. "Ol' victor there is responsible for this. I was only trying to feed him when he took a swipe at me. Then there was the time I tried cleaning his cage and he nearly got out and had me for dinner…" Oliver shuttered. "I still have nightmares of that day."

"What about the other animals?" Mackenzie asked nervously as he slowly scanned over the long line of cages.

"Well, they're usually pretty tame," Oliver said as he put his hands to his sides and looked the other animals over with him. "Just listen to me and you'll be fine." His eyes stopped on a cage of bear creatures. He cleared his throat and adjusted his collar. "I'd, uh, watch out for the urczars though. We just caught those right before we found you. Those aren't trained or tame. Still as wild as Victor is now."

"Urczars?" Mackenzie asked with a tilted head.

Oliver nodded, "Mm hmm. Those fellas." He pointed at the bears. Two small ones and a large one, strutting about the cage and roaring. The residents of the city examined every animal as they lined up to get their ticket. "Big mean creatures, I'll tell you. Some call them the Hunter's Foe. Because when a hunter goes out they might just meet their demise by those angry fellas. Their quiet hunters with a sharp sense of smell and good memory. You won't find anymore a relentless killer. Well, expect Victor I suppose."

Honey glared. "Why does everyone hate him? I'm sorry for your eye, but he wasn't mean when we were in the cage with him!"

Oliver sputtered. "Hah! That has nothing to do with Victor's temperament. Let me tell yuh. That's all thanks to the boss. It's his whip; it's magical. It bewitches the animals, gets them to fall in line. Although, I have to admit… Victor is a lot more resilient to the enchantment then the others."

"Enchantment?!" Honey exclaimed.

"Yeah," Oliver scoffed, "Look at 'em. He's obviously in a trance." The children looked at the blue leafine and he was lying very still. "He'll be like that for a while… Uh, by the way…" He cleared his throat nervously and brought his voice down as he looked around. "You didn't learn any of that from me. The boss would kill me he knew I told you that. Just… don't do anything about it. Please? It's better if we just pretend you don't know, okay?"

Honey looked down at the ground, lost in thought. Mackenzie and Coco knew she was thinking up a plan already. But they weren't sure if they should stop her or help. After all they could be her for the rest of their lives. It was best they be cooperative so things didn't get any worse.

"Welp, why don't I show you around? We can get to know the cages and the wagons and know where everything is. Then I can take you through the routine, show you how the circus life is. It'll be great, what do you say?" The children looked at each other and agreed unanimously it seemed.

"I always wanted to be a part of a circus," smiled Coco.

"Great!" Oliver shook both his fists excitedly. "Right this way then! You'll love it here, trust me. It's a really great set up!"

Coco and Mackenze followed behind him, but Honey stayed behind. She stared at Victor, his back turned, and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She didn't know why, but she was so drawn to him; she couldn't explain it.

"Honey?" Coco called.

Honey turned and Mackenzie and Coco were waiting for her. Mackenzie motioned with his head for her to follow. "We'll come back to take care of him. Don't worry. It's our job now."

Honey sighed. She finally left the blue leafine alone and agreed to follow them. "Okay…" While she walked with her friends, she didn't see Victor raise his head to look for her. She didn't know it at the time, but he was watching her…intently.