A week has passed since the Red Wolves adventure, and the Tortuga is now in southern Canada, as they were about to visit an old friend of theirs.
At the moment, Chris, Martin and Aviva were hiking through the forest as Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby followed behind them.
"Okay, the den site shouldn't be too far away by now." Chris said checking the map on his Creaturepod.
Then suddenly a distant howl was heard.
"I think it's that way." Martin said, pointing in the direction of the howl.
They quickly rushed off in the direction.
A few minutes later, they peaked over some bushes.
"We found them!" Aviva said softly.
A few yards away in a small clearing, was a pack of Gray Wolves made of up of 6 members, and one of them was white. And soon, 5 of them went off hunting. But 1 wolf stayed behind, and then 4 wolf pups came out of a den hidden in some rocks.
And 1 of them, was familiar.
"There's Little Howler!" Chris smiled.
(Then, a Flashback Occurs)
Little Howler is a young wolf pup that the Wild Kratts met a while back before Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby were each even an egg. He was accidentally found as a stowaway in Martin's backpack after witnessing his pack fighting off a Cougar. Little Howler was spooked by the big cat, and rushed off and ended up in the backpack as the brothers didn't even notice him.
They didn't realize he was in there until they got back to the Tortuga, and after retracing their steps of how he got in it. They soon went back to the den site, but soon found it was abandoned after the wolves found that the Cougar had discovered it, and was a threat to the pups. And they found the Cougar on the ledge nearby as they activated Wolf Power and managed to escape it. They then followed a Raven to the pack's new den site, and soon brought Little Howler back to his family and siblings.
(The Flashback Ends)
Little Howler then noticed the brothers and Aviva, and then barked as he then rushed over and then tackled Martin as he fell on his back. And started licking his face.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Martin laughed and held him up. "Great to see ya, again. Howl's it going?"
"Oi, you've got to be kidding me." Aviva said, rolling her eyes slightly annoyed by that.
"What? It's a wolf joke." Martin said.
Then Little Howler noticed Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby as he tilted his head curiously, and Amber and Tyrana did the same.
"Oh, Little Howler, this is Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby." Chris said.
Little Howler got off Martin and went up to Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby. He and Amber sniffed each other as his tail wagged a bit. And Amber did the same, and then Little Howler barked and then pounced on Amber as she took that as a sign to play. And then they started wrestling each other, and Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby wasted no time in wanting to join in.
"Aw. They're already friends." Aviva said and laughed a bit.
Soon, they were playing with the other pups, who were Little Howler's siblings and friends.
A few hours later, after play-wrestling, and a game of tug-of-war with the pups over a stick. They were heading back to the Tortuga after the pack came back with a deer they brought down.
"Boy, Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby are really learning social skills easily." Aviva said.
"Well, Sauropods, like Brachiosaurus, and armored dinosaurs like Ankylosaurus, Stegosaurus and Triceratops are herding dinosaurs." Chris said. "They live, and need to stick together, in big groups for protection from predators. And T-Rexes and Raptors are thought to be pack hunters like wolves and lions. So, the instinct to interact is very well in Amber and Tyrana."
"And if Amber and Tyrana think wolves are playful, wait till we introduce them to the lion cubs." Martin said.
Aviva lightly shuddered recollecting on the Bad Hair Day adventure. "Don't have to tell me."
"Boo-who!"
"It's not funny, Martin." Aviva said, turning to him.
"That wasn't me." Martin said.
"Yes it was." A familiar voice was heard again as they looked around.
"Wait a minute." Aviva said knowing that voice too well. "I recognized that voice."
"Of course you do." The voice said again.
They then looked up.
"It's the voice of the inventor you wished you could be." The voice spoke as a man with black hair, green eyes, small goatee, black turtleneck sweater, and gray pants and black shoes poked his head behind a cloud. "Spying on you from within my Spy cloud."
Then the cloud he was on turns into a hovering robot shaped like a bolt with a rounded-shaped head with gray coloration and black marking with arms with claws. And red eyes that look like with narrowed looks.
The man was Zach Varmitech and the robot was his Zachbot. And is a huge, and in fact, the biggest, rival to the Wild Kratts, especially with Aviva since they were kids. 1 good reason for that is that Zach selfishly and outrageously turns animals into his own inventions and robots. Like using an Aardvark to dig a pool, a group of endangered Black Rhinos as bulldozers, and even rare Tasmanian Devils as security guard robots.
They then near the ground as Zach hopped off his Zachbot.
"You didn't even know I was here." Zach said, approaching them and chuckled. "I should've rained on you."
"Nice." Aviva said sarcastically.
"Oh, you're just jealous because I have always been a better inventor than you." Zach smirked.
"Oh, really." Aviva smirked as it wasn't how she remembered. "What about at science camp when my potato clock kept better time than your moldy bread clock? Or back when I beat you in that African race? Or the time-"
"Oh, forget about that." Zach said, slamming his hands over his ears. "You're only as great as your last invention. But sooner or later, you're all gonna eat my dust."
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it, Asshole?" Aviva said, narrowing her eyes at her rival.
"Oh, you'll see. Bitch." Zach said, glaring back at her.
"What the hell do you want this time, Zach?" Chris asked, confronting him.
"Well, I was stationed here for a while, and saw you and couldn't help but decide to mess around with you." Zach said and chuckled.
"Well, consider it rebuked, because we want nothing of your interest, or ridiculous nonsense, Zach." Martin said retortfully.
"Oh, big surprise." Zach said sarcastically. "Heh."
Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby can already tell that Zach wasn't as friendly as he looked. They even knew he was trouble the second they saw him, and then Amber and Tyrana growled angrily and hissed at him.
"AAHH!" Zach yelped in fear.
And then Zach jumped into his Zachbot's arms.
Amber and Tyrana then made a snickering-like sound as if they were laughing. Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby found it all pretty funny, as well.
Not pleased of being startled, Zach narrowed his eyes turning to his Zachbot. He then got down and pushed his Zachbot aside.
"What's wrong with those?!" Zach said annoyed, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh, Nothing." Martin sarcastically said. "They just think you look like a vulture."
"Oh, Ha-ha, very funny." Zach sarcastically said. "Well, I got better things to do than being with you pesky Wild Ratts or those pet lizards of yours."
Amber and Tyrana were most offended when they heard that, and felt insulted. And Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby all felt the same way, but in their own sad sorta way.
Zach then walks off as his Zachbot followed as they were soon gone.
"Nice one, Amber." Martin chuckled as he stroked her.
"You too, Tyrana." Chris said as he petted her.
"Even I'm impressed." Aviva smirked. "Come on, let's get outta here."
They then begin to leave.
"Hey, wait!" Chris said, stopping them.
"What?" Martin asked.
"Zach has a squirrel in a cage." Chris said.
In a cage next to Zach's plane was a Gray Squirrel.
"Oh, we can't just leave him in there." Martin said.
"Who knows what Zach will do to him." Chris said.
"But how are we gonna get past Zach?" Aviva wondered.
"Hmm. I think I might have an idea." Chris said. "Okay, team huddle."
They then got in a team huddle as they whispered to each other.
An hour later, Zach was relaxing on a lounge chair.
"This is much better." Zach sighed happily. "No Wild Ratts, and no pesky annoying animals."
Then suddenly, a shadow loomed over him.
"Huh?" Zach peaked an eye open.
Right above him was a Cougar and it then snarled angrily at him.
"WWWAAAAHHH!" Zach screamed jumping into the air.
He then quickly takes off running as fast as his legs could take him as the Cougar chased after him.
Then Chris, Martin and Aviva poked their heads out from a bush near his plane. And they couldn't help but laugh.
"I've never seen him run that fast before." Aviva laughed.
"Okay, let's get that squirrel." Chris said.
Martin then grabs the cage as they quickly rushed off.
Meanwhile, Zach was still running from the Cougar as he quickly raced up the side of a tree.
The Cougar struggled at first, but manages to climb up and cornered Zach on a branch.
Zach then nervously gulped thinking it was going to eat him. And then the Cougar snarled as Zach raced up the tree as the Cougar chased after him.
And soon, he was cornered on the treetop as the Cougar growled as Zach fearfully had his eyes shut.
But then suddenly, the Cougar pulls back revealing Jimmy as the Cougar was a costume and got caught on a branch. Jimmy continues growling as his eyes were closed, and then Zach peaked an eye open seeing him. And he glared at him.
"So?" Zach narrowed his eyes.
Jimmy continues growling as then, Zach banged his fist on his head.
Jimmy then froze and saw he was not in the costume.
"Uh... Hi, Zach." Jimmy nervously smiled.
And then Jimmy quickly zips down the tree.
"Oh, yeah?!" Zach growled.
He then zoomed down the tree.
Chris, Martin and Aviva continue heading off with the squirrel in the cage.
"What?!" Zach angrily exclaimed.
They looked back and quickly ran off.
"Oh, no you don't!" Zach yelled.
They quickly ran as a Zachbot arm extends out as Martin quickly opens the cage as the squirrel got out just as the arm grabs the cage.
And the Zachbot brought the cage back to Zach.
"And you Wild Ratts get outta here!" Zach yelled. "And stay out!"
His Zachbot then leaves as Zach followed him.
"The very idea." Zach grumbled.
Some distance away, Chris, Martin, Aviva and Jimmy were heading back to the Tortuga.
"Well, at least we saved the squirrel." Jimmy said.
"Maybe this wasn't the best idea to distract him." Chris said.
Some distance away, ahead of them, a real Cougar was on the prowl as he was hunting. Then suddenly he bumped into Jimmy as they froze.
"Huh?" Jimmy frowned.
Then he, Chris, Martin and Aviva zipped off.
Cougar growled as he heads off passing the group of 4 as they hid in a bush watching him.
The Cougar continues down the trail, and then noticed something. He then hid behind a bush as Zach angrily walks by, Cougars aren't man-eaters like some other Big Cats like Lion and Tigers. Attacks on humans are normally triggered by defense.
Zach continues walking as then suddenly the Cougar lunges and pounced on him as he growled.
But then Zach got free and pins him thinking it was the 4 again.
"Now if I catch you Wild Ratts around here again…" Zach warned and then pulls the Cougar up and then slapped him several times. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU MYSELF!"
Zach then lets go as he heads off.
And then the Cougar drops to the ground, and then got up with an enraged look.
The Cougar growled angrily and spoke in his mind. "Who in the fucking hell does that asshole think he is?!"
Zach soon got back to his plane as the door closed, and the Cougar started looking around trying to find him.
He looked through a window, and then rushed off, but then came back noticing a plate with a slab of meatloaf left on it to cool down. He then sniffed it and grabs a slice and eats it whole.
"WHAT?!" Zach yelled.
Zach suddenly rushed in and slapped the Cougar away and grabs the plate and closed the window.
"God Damn, those Wild Idiots." Zach complained and walks off. "What's the matter with those W-"
He walks by a door as then it came down as the Cougar lunges on it and knocks it down with Zach under it. The Cougar angrily looked around and rushed inside.
Zach got up lifting the door up and saw his lunch was ruined.
"That's It!" Zach angrily turned to the Cougar.
And then he tackles the Cougar and pulls on his head.
"Come On!" Zach yelled and then pulls his mouth open. "I said come on out of there!" He yelled straight down the Cougar's throat.
Then knocking was heard as he turns to the window as Chris, Martin, Aviva and Jimmy were outside along with a Zachbot.
"Hey, Zach! Look!" Jimmy said, holding out the Cougar costume.
"Oh, Shut Up!" Zach glared at them and turns back to the Cougar's mouth. "NOW, COME OUT YOU W-!" He then froze. "Wait, What?" He turns back to them.
He then panicked and turns back to the Cougar's throat and then slams the mouth closed as he laughed nervously.
"Nice, kitty." Zach said nervously patting the Cougar's head.
Then the Cougar angrily roared at the top of his lungs in Zach's face as he stiffens in fear as he then screamed and rushed and crashed through a door leaving a Zach-shaped hole in it.
The Cougar looked through the hole and then knocks it down as he looked around.
He looks around the models and other projects Zach has made. And then noticed several models of Zach as he looked at them. He then tapped his right paw against 4 of them, but then noticed the 3rd didn't feel like fabric.
The Cougar then made a hmm-like growl and then pokes a claw at his leg.
"OUCH!" Zach yelled.
And then Zach poked the Cougar on his nose as he rushed off.
Zach ran as he quickly made a sharp turn as the Cougar leaps onto the wall and back towards him.
Zach quickly got in front of a Zach model as then the Cougar swatted his paw at the model's head knocking it clean off. And Zach ducked from the attack, and the Cougar swatted his paw again as Zach ducked again and hits another model's head. And it repeated several times as they got to the last model and Zach ran as the Cougar chased him.
The Cougar chased him as then he suddenly skids to a stop. And stopped in front of Zach with a spare Zachbot head on with a frightening look. Then the Cougar ran off as Zach chased him, and the Cougar quickly got to a door as it then closed. And Zach knocked on it.
Then it opened as Cougar growled and slashed his claws at the head.
And then it fell off in 5 sections.
Zach then ran for his life as the Cougar chased him, and then they went up a ladder to a hatch on the roof.
Zach quickly got outside and went up a tree as he poked out from the leaves at the top.
Then the Cougar poked his head out with Zach on him as they turn to each other.
Then they started chasing each other among the branches as their heads poked out several times as leaves were shaken off the branches.
Below, everyone saw the commotion as 2 Zachbots quickly rushed inside the plane.
The last of the leaves were soon off as they fell down as Zach nervously scooted down a branch as the Cougar stalked after him as he growled. Zach soon got to the end of the branch as he shook like a leaf as the Cougar growled bearing his teeth and canines.
Then Zach turns to the sky and prays as he muttered nervously hoping for anything to save him.
Then suddenly a plate landed in his hands with a big slab of meatloaf. And he quickly held it out as the Cougar stopped, and then grabs the slab and turns away. And then climbed down the tree and heads off.
"ZACHBOTS!" Zach yelled. "GET ME OUTTA HERE!"
A Zachbot flew in and grabs Zach as they quickly got into his plane, and then the plane flies off.
"Well, that's 1 way to get Zach to leave." Chris said.
Towards sunset, they were all laughing from the whole thing.
"Zach should've seen his face when the Cougar was chasing him!" Koki laughed.
"I don't think I ever saw him run like that." Aviva said.
"Hey!" Martin said. "It actually kinda reminds of that old Disney Classic."
"What?" Jimmy frowned.
"Hold on." Martin said, working on the big screen's dashboard.
And he soon brought up Disney Classic 1950 Donald Duck short Lion Around as they settled down and watched it.
Author's Note:
If you're familiar with the Disney Classic Donald Duck short from 1950, Lion Around. This chapter is based on it. A reason for that is to humor things up a little.
And I know that the Wild Kratts and Zach probably did curse and mouth off a little bit in this chapter, but in some way, I feel like they have a right to do so, like all enemies do. And so, I decided, "Why Not?" and "So What? It Doesn't Really Matter." And so, as a heads up, they might do so a lot throughout the rest of this story. That's why I rated it T.
And finally showing Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby with their first meeting with Zach.
And for Wild Kratts fans, again, I've seen the latest Wild Kratts episodes and movie special. The perfect way to start season 7.
1 last thing, who is interested in me squeezing a few Season 3 episodes into this story?
Although, I should let you all know, it's gonna take just a little bit of time to get the next chapter ready, but the wait, I can assure you all, will be worth it.