Chapter 8: Things That Go Smurf in the Night
Tracker leads Hefty, Gutsy, and Tuffy towards the nearly destroyed hovel of the most hated wizard Gargamel. Spears in hand, and Tracker armed with his walking stick, The 4 brave Smurfs sneak and stealth fully make their way towards Gargamel's. Meanwhile back at what was formally the Smurfberry field, Natural Smurf has organized the construction of camp. Timber Smurf was in the woods gathering wood with Lazy, Dabbler, and Pushover. While Smurfette, Tailor, and Grouchy set up and prepared tents on one half of camp and Poet, Farmer, and Dreamy set up on the other half. Doctor had just gotten back from the river bank when Natural tells him to ask around camp and make sure nobody is injured from the days journey.
"So… Um.. Grouchy… Having a good night so far?" Smurfette asks, trying to spark conversation.
"I hate good nights!" Grouchy spat, as he hammered a peg into the ground.
"I just love the strap you made for Baby so you can carry him even when your hands are full Grouchy" Smurfette persists.
" I hate making straps! B-but I love Baby Smurf… Tailor helped me though I didn't do it myself" Grouchy said.
"Aye.. He is just so dedicated to protecting Baby during this time he can't bare to part with him." Tailor says, while sewing up a hole in Clumsy's tent.
Smurfette blushes and whispers "I just never knew he was so caring and sweet."
"I hate caring and sweet!" Grouchy yells, just barely hearing it from behind the tent, his cheeks turning red.
" Oh my! He heard me!" Smurfette squeals and covers her brightening red face.
" As jealous as I am Smurfette… And it kills me to say it… But if you feel so strongly for Grouchy why not just tell him already? You never know what might happen, take Vanity for example… He was gone in a flash of light.. He never even got to see the new cap I made for him at his request." Tailor says as they begin setting up a new tent.
"But Tailor you don't understand I can't just tell Grouchy tha-" Smurfette froze in fear and her face was so red she swore her nose was going to bleed as she saw Grouchy walk around the corner from another tent and look her right in the eyes.
"Tell Grouchy what?!" Grouchy said. He stared at Smurfette with a tired, annoyed, and slightly pissed look on his face, slouched over and carrying a wooden hammer for pounding pegs.
"Uh.. Um.. Well Uh.. You see.. it's a secret and-" Smurfette tries to come up with a lie to extinguish suspicion that Grouchy may have but she was interrupted.
"I hate secrets!" Grouchy coldly said before stomping off.
" Grouchy! No wait! I-" Smurfette was unable to finish her sentence.
" I hate waiting!" Grouchy yells from the distance.
Smurfette fell to her knees and put her hands over her face as she cried. It would seem that no matter how hard she tried Grouchy would always end up being mad at her. If only she had the courage to approach Grouchy and be direct, but she was not sure if he felt the same, especially right now.
" See Smurfette? Its always best to just be direct and tell the truth.. That Grouchy is an honest Smurf he is, and he does not appreciate secrecy and sneaking around. That is one of his few traits that the Black Smurf Plague did not take from him." Tailor tried to convince Smurfette that what she was doing is dishonest and rather child like. But Smurfette was to shy, to uncertain in herself to risk it. If it was any other Smurf she would be fine, but Smurfette fell for perhaps the most unique Smurf in the history of Smurf kind. Smurfette and Tailor finished their chores and Smurfette sat in her tent. It was not to roomy, only enough space to make a bed out of leaves for sleeping and an extra space to put her possessions provided she had any other then her share of the food and water supply. She did however manage to save a couple of dresses and a hair pin although she never uses it, she sets up her tents interior and sits on her bed of leaves hugging her knees and thinking. She made up her mind and decided to pay a visit to Grouchy and Baby's tent which was right next door to hers.
"Grouchy? Are you in there?" Smurfette says, as she knocks on the door Grouchy made from tree bark.
Grouchy opens the door and invites her in with a hand gesture and Smurfette walks in with her hands folded at her waist.
" Um… Gr-Grouchy? I am sorry if I upset you earlier.." Smurfette says.
Grouchy put his index finger up to her lips and shushed while pointing to Baby, who was fast asleep and comfortable in the bed Grouchy made for them with leaves.
"I hate secrets…" Grouchy whispered.
"I know you do Grouchy… I hate them to… It was unsmurfy of me to keep one." Smurfette whispers back.
"You know something Smurfette?.. I never thought of you to be the kind of Smurf to be Smurfing secrets…" Grouchy whispered.
"But I'm not Grouchy! I promise!" Smurfette said in a high pitch whisper.
"You and Poet… Sneaking around… I hate Poet!" Grouchy yells and then looks to make sure he didn't wake Baby who rolls over on his side and kicks his leg in his sleep.
"Poet?… But.. He was just asking me to listen to his memorial poem to Vanity." Smurfette said.
"R-really?" Grouchy asked, puzzled.
"Of course! Poet is Sweet and has a way with words, but he is just not my type" Smurfette explains.
"Well… Um.. Then.. Who do like?" Grouchy asked.
Both Smurfs were just staring at each other with Blush beginning to form on their faces when a familiar sound alerts the two the them, directing their attention to their own growling stomachs. Greedy was ringing the dinner bell and no matter how late it was or how tired they were, every Smurf rejoiced at the thought of a decent meal. They gathered around a large fire pit which served as the center of camp and sat around the fire as Greedy surprised them all with nice, large kettle of soup.
"Great news! Farmer says that even though most of his crop was premature, that it is still safe to eat! So we found Tracker's old soup kettle and made a feast fit for a Smurf!" Greedy proudly announced, as Harmony blew his trumpet and a sound of happiness filled the air from nearly 100 rejoicing Smurfs.
"Aye! And I even found a couple Smurf Melons that are unharmed and beginning their ripening process!" Farmer closes his eyes and nods his head with pride as the crowd goes wild in approval of his amazing discovery.
Brainy walks up to the front of the crowd and stands beside Greedy and raises a hand for silence that surprisingly he received.
"My fellow Smurfs! It is with much gratitude that I, Brainy Smurf, congratulate Greedy and farmer for this fine turn of events! As well as Timber for always knowing the best place to Smurf us wood in such fine quality! And who could forget Nat for organizing a Smurfy place to set up camp?! Of course without my advice and seemingly endless intellect, none of this would be possible! So it is with great honor that I, Brainy Smurf humbling accept full credit for our most fortunate turn of events!" Brainy's speech was cut off when they threw him out of camp on his head.
"Here Greedy! Hyuk, Hyuck! Have a surprise!" Jokey says as the line to get soup eventually makes him next and he hands Greedy the classic box.
Greedy gives Jokey his soup bowl and opens the box with a smile on his face only to have it removed by a loud bang and an uproar of laughter as a layer of ash covers his face and smoke fills his lungs.
"Hyuk Hyuk! Now that's what I call a blast! Am I right Smurfs?!" Jokey yells in between laughter to the crowd as the uproar gets even louder and Greedy's face looks even more pissed.
As the night progressed, Grouchy, having finished his meal was now feeding Baby his own when Smurfette once again managed to make her way to him and sat herself down in the grass next to Baby and him.
"Hey Grouchy.." Smurfette said.
"I hate hay!" Grouchy blurted out, as he feeds Baby a spoonful of ground Smurfberries.
"No Grouchy.. He, he hey as in hello" Smurfette says with a giggle.
"I hate hello to!" Grouchy replied.
"Um… Anyway… About earlier.. Before the dinner bell rang.." Smurfette says, blush returning to her face.
"I hate the dinner bell!" Grouchy yells, as he picks up baby and heads for his tent. "….But I love dinner" He adds.
"H-Hey! Don't you walk away from me! OOO how rude!" Smurfette yells in frustration.
"I hate yelling!" Grouchy shouts from across camp, as every Smurf that could hear him paused in silence and Baby's crying came to an end.
"Guess that means Baby's trying to sleep…" Greedy says, appearing behind Smurfette.
"I really don't understand him sometimes Greedy…" Smurfette says.
"Who Baby? What's there to understand? He's well…. A Baby…" Greedy replies.
"No not Baby! Grouchy!" Smurfette yells, as she stomps off to her tent.
Greedy was left scratching his head in confusion with a stupid look on his face as Smurfette stomped off to her tent red in the face and angry to the point of tears.
"What do you suppose got into her?" Alchemist asks Timber, as she passes them.
"I have no idea…" Timber replied.
Harmony's trumpet went off one last time to signify the end of day, even though it was close to midnight. Every Smurf was advised to retire to their tents and get a good nights rest so they are ready for whatever Tracker has in store for them on the morrow.
The following hours were peaceful and quiet save for the noise of the woodlands. That is, until around 3 in the morning when a bloodcurdling screech woke the northern section of camp most rudely. Smurfs sprung up out of bed and the bravest among them left their tents to see what was going on. Timber, Farmer, Greedy, and Natural went outside the safety of their tents to see what the ruckus was.
"It sounds like some Smurf is in trouble!" Natural said. "Greedy! Go Smurf the others and perform a head count! Farmer, Timber! With me!" Natural ordered, as he reached for his spear and the three of them proceeded into the forest.
Greedy ran the opposite way to Harmony's tent, because who else could effectively wake up nearly a hundred Smurfs? Nat lead Timber and Farmer into the surrounding forest, all three of them heavily armed. Timber had his wood cutting axe in hand and had just sharpened it after previous work, Farmer had his trademark hoe, and Nat was wielding a deadly spear. The screams persisted, it struck horror into the hearts of all who had the misfortune to hear it's cry, it was a voice more disturbing then any sound man has ever heard or could think of. They came to a part where the path splits and immediately against his better judgment, Nat ordered each Smurf to take a different path and follow the voice.
They dispatched, and not long after the screeching seized, almost as though the sound was a decoy to lure the Smurfs in. Timber was the one to make contact with the creature, it sprang out of the bushes from behind, but Timber leaped forward with a roll that faced him towards the beast, they stared each other down for a split second before it attacked. Its' long, disgusting claws swiped at Timber but it's actions were to late. Timber struck the hideous creature in the skull with his axe, and it fell onto the ground with a thump.